Falling red and yellow-brown leaves cover the sidewalk. The chilling sensation in every breeze hits differently from the cooling effect that it had over the Summer. Those are the signs that Fall has knocked on the door of every Seattle neighborhood. I have always loved this season in Seattle for the cold and the comfort of wearing cozy clothes, but Seattle’s Fall season is tougher than other places. Not only because of its significant reduction in temperature, but also because there is not enough sunlight.
Last year, Gene Balk from The Seattle Times shared an insight about life in Seattle regardless of the pandemic’s health toll. He said, “Even in normal times, some people who live in Seattle start to feel down around this time of the year. The gray and drizzle have set in, and we can look forward to six more months of it.” The lack of sunlight can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and numerous other factors also affect our health. Individuals, especially in Seattle, seek a way of self-care where they can have preventive solutions that benefit their mental and physical health. And, fitness is one of the balancing elements that many people include in their daily tasks.
With all that being said, mental and physical health is my “why” for fitness. In the first chapter of her fitness journey book, Do This for You: How to Be a Strong Woman from the Inside Out, Krissy Cela – founder and inspirator of Tone & Sculpt – shared her reasoning behind why she decided to focus on fitness and what has pushed her to train. She said, “Always start with you as your “why”. Training is your time. Every part of exercise and experience is to do with your mind and body – how you move, what you can do, what you want to do – and that’s why it’s such an empowering part of your “why”. You’re literally doing it for you.”
First of all, I like that this program is from the perspective of a woman. I was able to connect with her deeply when she brought up some of the dynamic struggles women go through. For instance, hormone complications due to birth control are a common problem for women. It could put a significant toll on our mentality even though it is necessary for us to maintain control over our bodies.
Furthermore, the scientific outcomes of fitness that Cela illustrated resonated with me. She states, “Exercise releases endorphins, which help to reduce the feeling of pain, anxiety and stress. It makes you happy and less likely to feel stressed and worried.”And there, Cela taught me how to reflect on my why to fitness.
I started to workout at the end of 2018. My initial goal was just to get back in shape and stay fit. In the same year, I realized I was having some mental health issues. I was feeling unwell and sad, for no particular reason. Despite that, the sweat and the rush of adrenaline made me feel lighter and stronger after I finished my workouts. In the midst of mental confusion, fitness is like my kerosene lamp shining through the gloominess of Seattle. After one year of training, I felt a significantly positive shift in my mental health. I feel stronger, happier and, most importantly, fulfilled and functional after every session of training. The mental stability definitely goes along with the consistency of training because I then witnessed the differences when the gym closed down in 2020.
I practically laid off training like others did with their jobs. I laid in bed all day binge-watching Netflix, except for when I had to do schoolwork and eat. Life was frustrating and I felt like it was endless. Different kinds of stress crawled up behind my back as the pandemic hit. I almost shut down.
I began thinking that I did not want to waste all the effort I had done up until then. I wanted to find a new strategy. That’s when I started my subscription with Tone and Sculpt and began Cela’s Home Workout program. It was all free weight workouts and mostly high-intensity sessions. It was completely different from the weight training I did pre-Covid. But the feeling of fulfillment was undeniably vivid. I felt healthier and more stable after three weeks of back-to-training.
From there, I expanded my understanding of fitness. Not only in its advantages but the freedom in training. I started to realize fitness is not just about getting fitter or getting in shape. That is actually a minor concern when it comes to consistent training because eventually your body would get in shape combined with a balanced diet. Instead, fitness is a practical and beneficial habit that maintains mental and physical health. I want it to become as helpful in your life as it is for me. I feel the need for training is equal to the basic needs like eating and sleeping because it provides us space to strengthen our mental and physical states. Living in the mediated world is stress-absorbing. Therefore, I count on fitness to release unwanted energy and to stabilize the balance that we need in life.
After personally experiencing fitness myself, I want to encourage you – my female friends – to move your body a couple of times a day. A simple three minutes exercise also helps stimulate your body function, or just simply standing up once in a while during your homework session also works. And, if you are interested in a fitness journey, start emphasizing your why, an important step to the motivation that keeps you accountable in every training.