Blood, Sweat, Tears for Fitness

By: Hailey P.

Blood, sweat, tears, more sweat, and more sweat, and some exhaustion too? Isn’t that the saying?

How hard do you work out when you actually make it to the gym, if you even make it there. What is your motivation? Because I know from experience that just getting out of bed and getting there is the hard part. Some days you just want to stay in bed and watch Netflix and binge on chips and chocolate and popcorn or drink some hot chocolate and cozy up with a book all day, especially in the winter time, so how does one find motivation to workout everyday or even 3 times a week, or for some, once a week. 

Well I can assure you from experience every little bit count, you could be the once a week or you could be the 5-7 times a week but you have to start somewhere. I once started there, never going and if I did it’d be like once or twice a week and I'd hardly do anything, it takes time and patience. 

I still struggle with going but I just remember how I feel when I finish and that is what gets me to go. I feel accomplished, refreshed, energized and happier. Exercise is all around good for you. It improves your mood, your health; fitness is important. Some days it can be hard but you don’t need to work out 7 days a week, you actually aren't supposed to - your body needs rest. You don’t need to run for hours and workout every section of your body because that isn’t realistic; no one does that, not even personal trainers would recommend that. 

When I started, I would either bike for half an hour or walk/run in intervals for half an hour because running was too hard for the full time. Even now, working out 5 times a week. I struggle with running. Some days, I am just too tired, but I just lighten my workout and cardio; I don’t stop going. 

My motivation to workout is how I feel, how it makes me look, working out gives me a sense of empowerment and control over my body, seeing results is the best part. We all have something on our body we can fix and through exercise, this can be achievable, it can give you confidence in that area but also make you all around healthier and happy. It is part of our human nature, whether you walk, run, bike, do weights, yoga, sports; fitness is around us, there are many different forms. 

I myself prefer to run and do individual weights and circuits but everyone is different, everyone has a different purpose because everyone’s body is different. It is about making that effort, getting out there and trying and I promise you, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and the more you go, the easier it will get. It is like most things in life, the more you practice the better you are. 

Sweat is good for the soul, I hope this motivates you because it motivated me to get out there and improve my stamina and body, gain muscle rather than fat, and have more confidence about the way I look and feel. It won't happen overnight but in the end, the hard work is worth it, it is always worth it.