Like many stories, mine began as any other. I have always dealt with body image throughout my entire life. I was uncomfortable with how I perceived and even felt about myself. Don’t misunderstand me; I still do. I can say for sure that I’m not the only one who has had this experience, many other people have, and maybe even worse. I would question “Why I was feeling this way to myself. What can I do to stop being so angry at MY body?”. I came up with no answers at all. Anyone would give up and leave things alone at this point, right? That wasn’t me, though.
Not until the moment came when I realized my life was about to improve. If you’re wondering how to respond to my queries, the gym is the only option. Being a part of the fitness community helped me not only see my body differently but also think positively about myself and improve my mental health. I can still clearly recall my initial desire to visit a gym. Nervousness, anxiety, and all the other uneasy emotions you can think of that prevent you from feeling confident begin to set in. I wasn’t confident in my ability to do it. Several times, I questioned whether I could actually go to the gym and begin a change in my life. I was concerned that others would condemn me or undervalue me. Simply put, I felt helpless and impotent. I began working out at home, where I could at least, be myself. It helped a lot, but something was off. I wasn’t as consistent as I thought I would be. Isn’t the point of working out being consistent? Well, not in my case. That’s when I knew I needed to pluck up the courage and bring myself to the gym. It wasn’t easy, I must say. Coming from a person who doesn’t like being alone doing such things like going to the gym, it was scary. Publicity has never been my thing. The first time I went, I felt helpless and immediately thought to myself how judged I was being by all of these people. I could feel all eyes on me but maybe, that wasn’t the case. Maybe I was just overthinking. But, that wasn’t the only thing that went through my mind. Seeing all those people being fit and content with their bodies made me feel some type of unwelcomed; as if I didn’t belong there because I felt I was being humbled. I would compare my body to others, who to me were supposedly “perfect bodies”, and believed I would never get there, never get to their level. It took some time for me to realize I should feel comfortable with my physique and recognize that if I’m at the gym, I’m doing it because I want to improve and become a better version of myself. So I did. I put all negative thoughts aside and began my real journey. And yes, that was the best decision I had ever made. I remember the times where I would be afraid and acknowledging that I no longer feel that way made me realize there were changes going on.
Fitness being part of my life has brought so many unforgettable and important times in my life. I gained confidence, high self-esteem and a much better lifestyle. Felling this type of way has changed me for the better. As I have mentioned, I wasn’t the best version of myself when I didn’t attend the gym but going and being consistent made me a new person. One memorable time I can recall is going with my close friend and not worrying about other people’s opinions. Being with her helped me even more in feeling self-assured about me. Yes, there were obviously times where that confidence left my body, but all I told myself was I was going to get through this. If I want to become a better person, I must do what makes me most happy, that being, being part of the fitness community. Yet, I wasn’t as comfortable as I thought I would be with my body. Like any other person, I didn’t see results of my workouts and that brought me immediate disappointment. So this is where I was really tested. I wanted to give up not only because I didn’t see results but because going to the gym and seeing people happy with their physique made me feel excluded. But isn’t patience key to success? I had to give it time because I had learned that patience and time does more than strength and passion. And let me tell you this has helped me get through it. I have been consistent to the gym, not everyday, but it’s definitely something I consider being part of my life. My mental health has improved drastically and I could be myself around literally anyone. After being able to see this, I was able to see how I can set myself as an example.
My journey with how I decided to join the gym wasn’t easy nor was it difficult. The key to all of this was consistency. If you want to see a change in yourself, you must have patience and tell yourself that you can do it. And, most importantly, it’s not all about your physical appearance. Your appearance doesn’t define you. You should be doing things that make you feel happy and your mental health stable. Don’t do things just because you want to look a certain type of way. Do things because you want to feel a certain way and feel satisfied with yourself. That is something I learned throughout my experience. I would always be grateful for having the opportunity of pertaining to fitness because it took me unbearable to a much more pleasant and comfortable place. People who are going through the same thing as you aren’t going to judge you. In fact, in my case, I had people guide me through fitness and teach me how to do things the right way. I will never let other people’s negative thoughts get in the way of my dreams. And so do you.
