Recently, I started to go to the gym. It started out with me going as a guest with a friend who had a membership, because she didn’t want to go alone. Not being one for exercise, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of going. However, as time went on and I continued to join my friend, I realized that I wasn’t hating it as much as I had previously assumed that I would. The only problem was that I wasn’t always able to go at the times that she went, and I wanted to be able to start going every day. Because of this, I decided to get my own membership, so I had the ability to go whenever I needed to.
The start was rough. My friend and I began by running a mile, then moving on to squats and weights, then core and abs, adding in any random exercises we felt like doing that day, and finally finishing by running a second mile. I’m not going to lie. This sucked! As someone who absolutely hated working out, I was miserable. And the second day, when my legs felt like Jell-O and I could barely move, I was already ready to quit. But I knew that if I wanted to lose weight and stay active and healthy (which is my goal), then I needed to keep with the workouts.
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The second day went about the same as the first. The same exercises, the same pain, and me, desperately wanting to give up already. But like I said before, I couldn’t allow myself to do that. By the third day, I was starting to feel different. Already, the work outs that we were doing were starting to feel easier and I was able to push myself a little more. I wasn’t as sore after my session, and surprisingly, I was enjoying myself.
Since my third time at the gym, I have felt pretty much the same: content with my workout and happy with progress that I have been making. For once, I am enjoying exercise. And don’t get me wrong, having my friend there to motivate me is a big part of why I’m doing so well.
One thing that I have come to appreciate the most from going to the gym is the added energy that I have afterwards. Previously, I was always tired, falling asleep around 9 P.M. and not having the energy to do much. But since I have begun to increase my physical activity more, I’ve found that I’m able to stay up later, have more energy throughout the day, and have more motivation in my everyday life.
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Another important aspect of my life that I have found working out has helped with is my ability to pay attention. I am more alert as well as ready to engage in my classes, whereas before, I would just show up and get my work done and then leave. I have already noticed that my notes and understanding of what is happening in class and in the readings at home have sharpened.
Overall, joining the gym has been an incredibly positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone. Many gyms that people have told me about offer student discounts, or they hold deals at specific times of the year. But if that doesn’t work, the lovely Gilbert Sports Center has a gym that is free to all California Lutheran students, and has everything one might need to begin a healthy and positive workout.