Over the years my view on health and fitness has drastically changed. Starting out I had such a different mindset and goals compared to now. Throughout the process, I have learned so much about fitness and health, as well as what works best for me. My fitness journey has had so many ups and downs, but I take every moment as a learning experience. Here is why I started focusing on my health, and how my journey has evolved.
Growing up I had tried such a variety of sports, but nothing stuck. It wasn’t until 3rd grade when I was introduced to running, that I found what worked for me. I remember my mom telling me that she had signed me up for a running program called Girls on the Run. As a young kid, I was always shy, but wanted to be more confident. My mom had encouraged me to try it in hopes that I would become more outgoing and gain the confidence that I desired. She ended up being right. I continued doing Girls on the Run through the rest of elementary school, and even ran road races on the side. At 10 years old I was running not only 5K’s, but 10K’s as well. At that moment, I was exposed to one of my biggest passions, but it wasn’t until a few years later that I figured that out.
In middle school I continued to run. I joined the cross country team, and still ran a variety of road races. At the age of 13, I ran my first half marathon with my mom. I became very dedicated towards my fitness, and was training really hard. By the end of middle school, my view of fitness started to change. I became more interested in losing weight, and having a toned body. Around that time I had realized that I was mostly focusing on cardio, and that I wanted to incorporate more strength training into my routine.
Once I reached high school, I continued running cross country, but also started to focus on strength training. Although a balance of cardio and strength training is healthy, I was working out for the wrong reasons. It was at this point where I started to get an unhealthy mindset towards fitness, and developed poor body image. I kept comparing myself to other people, and felt insecure about my body.
Throughout high school I felt like my body and health really changed. My freshman and sophomore year of high school I ate whatever I wanted not really focusing on if it was good for me or not. By my junior year I had ended up quitting cross country and started working out on my own time. I also became more aware of what I was eating. I transformed into such a health nut, but still with the mindset of becoming skinnier (even though I was already at a healthy weight). That year I ran my second half marathon, and was in really good shape. I had finally started to focus more on the nutritional part of my health. I even ran another half marathon my senior year. I continued working out and eating healthy for the rest of high school, but still wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, which made me feel discouraged. Once I graduated though, everything changed.
Before coming to college, I had a plan of when I was going to work at school, and how to find healthy options in the dining halls. I decided to focus on how I felt rather than how I looked. I started feeling less guilty about missing a workout and what I was eating. However, life is unpredictable, and I did not expect my first semester of college to be so tough. Throughout all that happened, I felt defeated and couldn’t get back into a routine. I stopped going to the gym and started caring less about what I ate. I ended up feeling pretty crappy by the time finals rolled around. Once I got home for winter break, I realized that something needed to change when I returned to school.
My second semester of freshman year I wanted to focus on more aspects of my health. I got myself back in the routine of going to the gym, and even started taking a zumba class. I joined Her Campus and met so many great people along the way. I decided to make smarter choices about how I was eating, while also not feeling bad for treating myself. I finally got my routine back, which helped me achieve the mindset I have today. This past summer I became so dedicated to my fitness and health. I went to the gym almost everyday after work. I started eating better because it made me feel good, and tried to develop a healthy relationship with food. I was open to new advice about different workouts from friends. I felt good, strong, and confident.
I started my sophomore year off strong. I was still in the routine of going to the gym almost every day and eating foods that fueled me. I focused on feeling good by making healthier choices, rather than fixated on a number on the scale or what size jeans I wore. I ended up getting into a bit of a rut, but still managed to stay positive. I didn’t go to the gym as frequently, and wasn’t fueling my body with the right foods. I started to notice that I wasn’t feeling as well as I once did. Instead of worrying about how I looked, I worried about how I felt. Since I wasn’t feeling great,I knew that I needed to start my healthy habits again.
Since being back at school this semester, I have been committed to working out and eating better to feel more like myself. Even though every now and then I find myself in a rut, I still manage to get back into it, because at the end of the day I know how important it is to me. Instead of getting mad for not going to the gym for a week or so, I tell myself that in the long run it really is okay. I then find motivation to get myself back on track. Over the years I have learned the importance of self love and having a positive mindset towards your body. It is easier said than done, and I skill get insecure from time to time. My values have changed on what I want out of fitness. I focus on feeling my best and getting stronger with each workout. I strive for confidence and feeling good about who I am. My mindset has changed so much. I have learned the importance of finding balance, and how it’s all about moderation. I am not as hard on myself which I feel has helped motivate me to want to be healthy rather than feel obligated to. Fitness and health have become one of my biggest passions, a part of my lifestlye, and something I plan to still focus on. My experiences have helped shape me into who I am today.