I’ve always been a very active person. I started playing soccer when I was in elementary school, I did flag football in middle school, and in high school I did cheerleading and track. Not only did I participate in a variety of sports, I also worked out frequently to ensure I was able to perform my best in them. After high school, while I was no longer competing in any athletic competitions, I was able to maintain my strength by working out regularly. After years of going to the gym and working out for the sake of working out, I started to wonder why I was so committed to my lifestyle.
As I pondered this, I reflected on how the gym had positively impacted my life. I know going to the gym and getting my heart rate up is also good for my health. Working out also helps me to feel strong and confident in my body. A lot of the time, going to the gym just makes my day feel more productive. While this is all true, I started to realize that going to the gym, running without going anywhere, and competing against only myself didn’t excite me the way sports once did. Not only was the act of working out in the gym boring to me, I found myself feeling insecure as a result of the environment. I weighed the positives and negatives and decided I would be better off ditching the gym life.
There are many ways to be active without going to the gym; My personal favorite is walking. I know, how could I possibly hate on the gym for being boring and then advocate ~walking~. To begin with, when you go on a walk you can wear cute clothes. I don’t mean cute like spandex and a tank top, I mean heels and jumpsuits and accessories baby. I don’t know if this is a fact, but I have a feeling that wearing heels when you walk is really good for your glutes and calves. Also, walking doesn’t cost a dime. Guess where I’ve been putting that extra cash- right into my “walking clothes” fund. Another great thing about walking is that you can do it whenever you want for as long as you want. You can go on a walk, see a friend, and change your plans to get coffee. This might just be a “me” thing, but when I set my time to go to the gym, that was my time to go to the gym. Being free from this rigid schedule has allowed me to do more of the things I enjoy with my friends, and a lot of the things I enjoy are active!
Of course, I have to make sure I don’t use my anti-gym beliefs to excuse sitting on the couch all day watching “Orange is the New Black”- which I’ll admit can be hard at times. But ultimately, giving up my structured exercise has given me more time to learn about what I actually like to do, not just what I’m used to or what I think I should be doing. Finally, if you’re like me and worry about what skipping the gym will do to your butt, let me just close with this- trampoline park.