Let’s face it, the beginning of quarantine was hard… hard enough that I, and many other people, started working out daily to pass the time. I would classify myself as an athlete. I was a competitive swimmer, I ran track, I did CrossFit. I do weight lifting, I dance, and I’m pretty active, but let me tell you… Chloe Ting whipped my ass. After leaving campus, I didn’t workout for two months. I ate junk food nonstop, watched a ton of tv shows, and all I did outside of that was sit around completing assignments.
On the last day of spring semester in early May, I decided it was time for a change. I started scrolling through my instagram feed and saw countless people talking about some woman named “Chloe Ting”. Immediately I called my best friend and started questioning her on her knowledge of this mysterious woman. I wanted to know who she was, where she started, and what she was doing. My friend, Emma, happily obliged and told me all about her workout routines. Emma had been doing Chloe Ting for a month prior to my start date. She raved about Chloe’s programs and told me to go for it!
The next morning I strapped on my sports bra, rolled out my yoga mat, and got to work. I started off with a 2 week full body shred and let me tell you… THAT SHIT HURTED! Not even halfway through the workout I thought I was going to pass out! I paused the workout, walked around my house for a minute contemplating giving up completely and then said to myself “sis… keep going!” I got my ass back on the mat and finished the workout.
I felt awful. I was nauseous, the room was spinning, I felt like I was going to pass out, but I didn’t. I sat there for twenty minutes recuperating. After that, I took a deep breath, grabbed a book, and went outside to read for a bit. The physical detox was exhausting, but after I relaxed for an hour or so, I felt energy I hadn’t felt in months! I felt like I could conquer the world! So I made some tea, and planned my workout schedule for the next 13 days.
The following morning, I strapped on my sports bra once more and started again. I pushed through the workout and I finished it to the best of my ability. At the end of my workout, I must’ve hopped back on that tiltawhirl because DAMN was I dizzy. I kept chugging water and telling myself “tomorrow will be easier”. I ended my day, again, laying in the backyard. Reading. It was paradise! I threw myself into some Tennessee Williams, sweet tea in hand, and relaxed for hours on end.
Third day’s the charm… right? Actually, I was right. I was incredibly sore, but my body was getting into the swing of things. I blasted through exercise after exercise and felt a little less nauseous at the end. “I can do this.” I thought to myself. I was right. I did it.
Before I knew it, the two week shred was over and I was ready to move on to the next work out. I put my energy toward another two week shred, this time with an abdominal focus. Mid-way through this shred, I decided to add in an arm shred as well.
If there’s one thing I’m bad at, it’s push ups. I could barely ever do the ones on my knees, let alone a normal one. By the end of her two week upper body challenge, I could rip out ten push ups no problem. By the end of her two week abdominal challenge, I had clear oblique lines.
By the end of three months, I had lost eight pounds and I was in the best shape of my life. I had the look I’d always wanted, but most importantly, I had the strength I had always wanted. Mental and physical. My mind and body were the strongest they’d been in years. I was on top of the world. Chloe’s workout routines taught me to love and respect my body. It taught me to learn my limits, push boundaries, and most of all, it taught me to keep going.