My alarm rings at 4:25 and I try to convince myself that it has to be a mistake because I swear I just fell asleep. I snooze it once, or twice, or if we are being honest three times. Hershey moves and lays on top of me as if to convince me to go back to sleep. Every day this is my routine, but I always get up. Once I’m up, I can’t help but feel excited because I get to do my favorite thing: work out. Yes, you read that right. Working out is my ultimate hobby and every morning after my sweat session I feel ready to take on the day with more energy than I would have had otherwise.
Of course there are tons of benefits to working out and with it being heart health awareness month those benefits fit perfectly. However, the benefits listed on paper are well known to most of us. It is these long term health benefits and more that keep me working out. It is the feeling of being in control, seeing my body do things that I once doubted it could do, becoming stronger, and competing with myself. If you really know me you know that I am extremely competitive. Exercising gives me an outlet to be competitive with myself.
Playing sports in high school (let’s change that to the singular form, I was only coordinated enough to play one sport) gave me the sense of hard work, teamwork, and physical activity that kept me motivated. When I stopped playing basketball, I was worried about a decrease in my physical activity because practice would no longer be a part of my everyday routine so naturally. My dad encouraged me to find an exercise program I really loved so that it was easy to want to do. That is when I started running and never looked back. Fast forward to the end of my college career when I was nervous running outside because our apartment ended up in the middle of nowhere, and I couldn’t do my loud/stomping workout videos because we lived on the second floor (to avoid spiders, a story for a different time). This is when I found OrangeTheory Fitness.
Yes, I feel confident that I could spend the rest of the article trying to sell you on the most amazing place ever known as OrangeTheory Fitness. Running, rowing, lifting weights, intelligent coaches, and all in one hour? What more could you ask for? But if you follow me on social media you get enough of that already ;)
I will say that if you are not an avid exerciser, what are you waiting for? Pick a time to work out and make that a priority. I promise you that you too will fall in love with the feeling. Find a work out that you love, not just tolerate. Maybe your thing is yoga, swimming, walking, or biking.
Don’t forget to mix it up! I was in a stage where I was doing the same workout day after day. OrangeTheory has shown me how to mix it up to confuse my muscles and incorporate HIIT to gain full benefits. I am even trying new activities each week now as part of my new year’s resolution.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you support other people no matter what portion of the journey they are on. Nothing feels better than having encouragement, big or small.
Find WHY you want to do it and everything will change. My WHY every morning is knowing that I get to have an hour of focusing on nothing but pushing myself to be better, and that my body and my mind will thank me when I’m done.
So after that third (or fourth) snooze button, I always get up because I am chasing after my WHY.
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