For years, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the gym.
When I was in high school (OVER 10 YEARS AGO, cue the tears), I played volleyball. In June we began the dreaded workouts. Weights, box jumping, running, you name it. At 16 years old I had the best endurance. I could work myself to the point of tears, but yet, I could keep up!
After those days playing volleyball, my gym days came to an end. Being in my early twenties, I had a killer metabolism, so I wasn’t worried about my weight.
I was almost 21 when I had my first daughter, 23 when I had a second. My body had been through the ringer those last few years, 2 pregnancies, 2 bouts of post-partum depression and about 50 extra pounds.
Eventually, I knew I had to do something about this. In high school, I was active and happy. Working out was hard, but rewarding.
I was afraid to join the gym, but I went anyway.
I signed up at a local gym, got a personal trainer, and got to work!
In six months, I was in the best shape of my life, 30 + pounds were shed. It was addicting. The night of Thanksgiving, I found myself at the gym. WHO GOES TO THE GYM ON THANKSGIVING. (Me, apparently.)
Then life happened…
Bad food choices and a surprise pregnancy brought me to my new reality. I gained all the weight back that I had lost, plus about 10 pounds. I was at the heaviest weight I had seen in my life.
My youngest child was just 6 weeks old when I had to have surgery yet again. The gym seemed like a distant memory.
Would I ever be able to lose this weight? Am I going to be healthy again?
BOOM! Torn meniscus: Another surgery. I was certain that this was it. It was a long road to recovery, my spirits were weak. I was tired and full of excuses, but it was time to change.
The opportunity arose to join a weight loss competition.
I jumped on it.
I am currently 3 weeks in—losing weight and gaining confidence every day.
Yesterday was one of those days where I could have easily let myself fall back into those bad habits. It was cold, rainy, windy, but I went anyway.
Work hard for what you want, and even when you don’t feel like going workout, go anyway.
You won’t regret it. Your mind, your body and your soul needs it. Find what motivates you. You deserve to feel good. You deserve to be confident.
Just go.
