Last spring, I completed a half-marathon in Tampa. 13.1 miles in under two hours, a feat of physical endurance that cannot be explained through words. But just one year prior, I was that kid on the couch who thought working out was a colossal waste of time. I thought,Why sweat when you can starve?
I learned something very crucial my senior year that I hope everyone will learn in their own due time. Fitness is something that cannot be questioned as necessary. A lot of people feel that they’re not athletic and have no place in the wide world of working out. Some, like me a few years ago, don’t see a need for fitness when one could just not eat as much, if at all. But these people are all missing one important fact- working out doesn’t just serve the purpose of facilitating weight loss. It’s a stress reliever, a sanity-keeper, a mood booster, a cure-all in every sense of the word. Never once have I felt worse after a workout. And while fitness is the ultimate key to a great body, it cannot be seen as just this one thing. Because, when incorporated healthily into one’s lifestyle, it can become SO much more than that.
I can completely understand a fear of working out if you were always that kid picked last for dodgeball. Some of us are born uncoordinated, and that’s perfectly okay. I was never very good at basketball or lacrosse, and while I found my athleticism through soccer, running, and cheer during school, I often felt embarrassed about my lack of skills in other areas. If you never found a sport in high school that fit you, I urge you to try out some fitness classes at the Rec- no coordination necessary. Hardcore, one of my personal favorites, is 30 minutes of intense ab work that always makes laughing hurt the next day. And for those of you who want to start small, try Zumba or yoga, both low-impact exercise options that can be fun or incredibly relaxing, respectively. You can find the schedule for Rec classes at the following website: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/campusrecreation/fitness/aerobics.html.
While I might be an advocate for distance running, mainly because there is no feeling like the high I get after finishing three or four miles, I know that running isn’t for everyone. But I am 100% positive that there is some exercise option out there for you, whether that be hot yoga, kickboxing, spin, or just the elliptical. Everyone deserves that sensation of satisfaction one gets after completing a workout- and the benefits for your mind and body are truly endless. So get out there and try, and if you need some extra motivation, bring a friend. Because if nothing else, one workout can at least make you feel better about that brookie you ate at lunch.