Next month will be one year since I starting working out consistently. It is the best thing I have ever committed myself to. I feel better about myself, not only physically, but also mentally. It is the best stress reliever I have ever found.
A year ago I started by doing push ups, pull ups, and squats without weights. I did this for several months and it began to change my attitude and my energy level. Some days I woke up irritated or just tired and those were the hardest days to get myself to work out, but after I was finished, I always felt amazing. After a while, I began to see results which helped motivate me even more to work harder and be more consistent.
After about six months of doing just conditioning, I started lifting weights. This was a whole different realm for me and it took some getting used to. At first, it was exhausting and I would be so sore the next few days, it would be incredibly hard to get myself to go back and do it again.
After a few weeks, I started to get used to this new workout plan. It felt great! I was excited to build my weight and see how much I was going to be able to lift in a few months. I rapidly grew and saw changes in the way I looked and I was consistently gaining weight for a few months. I finally came to a point when it seemed to stall and I was not growing anymore. It was kind of frustrating because at first it seemed to go up so fast. At this point, I had to work on my motivation and self discipline again.
For those months prior, it was pretty easy because I saw the changes and I was completing goals and creating even bigger goals. I started to slack a little bit and miss days here and there, but I began to feel bad about myself and I could feel the change in my attitude day to day.
About a month ago, I started back to my regular schedule of a minimum of three days a week but always pushing for four. I noticed an immediate change in my attitude and energy and I made new goals for myself, even for months ahead. I will push for those goals, and even if I fall short over and over, I need those goals to keep my motivation up and to have something to work hard towards attaining.
Lifting has become a part of who I want to be. I am happier and more energetic when I do it consistently. Now, the days I am sore I feel great because I know I have pushed myself to a new level and that I am still growing. Lifting has also taught me some good lessons about setting goals and the amount of time and energy you must put into making those goals a reality. It has taught me responsibility and perseverance and that you can achieve almost anything if you make a plan and stick to it.
