I tend to make multiple New Years Resolutions in the hopes of successfully keeping one of the eight resolutions. Why? I try not to set myself up for failure, and I am clearly more likely to keep one out of eight resolutions. Like most collegiettes, one of my resolutions always is to get into better shape. Yes, very cliché, and yes, I’ve often made this resolution and failed. What I’ve come to understand over the past years of failed fitness continuity is that I get too caught up in the idealist fit life: working out everyday and eating healthy everyday. Let’s be frank: that is not even possible.
My idealism inspires me to work out and then leads to me derailment. Once I miss a workout, I have trouble jumping back onto the fitness bandwagon. You see, that one day has already shattered my fitness ideality and so I quit; it’s as if I am looking for a way out of working out and when it comes I am both disappointed and sadistically relieved.
This behavior is unacceptable. I know this. Actually, I’ve known that the cycle of (1) dedication, (2) conflict and thus skipped workout, and then (3) couch potatoing —yes, it can be a verb — has to come to a stop. This wasn’t always the case. I used to be a varsity tennis player in–dare I say–amazing shape. In college, I adopted a sedentary lifestyle in the pursuit of academic success and I have found myself out of shape and twenty pounds heavier that I was in high school. Freshman fifteen? The struggle is real.
I invite you to join me on my journey to fitness as I balance academia and runs to the gym. Join me as I not only work out but work inwardly to accept myself as I am, all the while working for a healthier me. Join me today as I stop saying “I’ll start tomorrow” or even “I’ll start Monday.”