I don't work out. Ever. I'm 24, and the last time I worked out the recommended three days a week I was a high school cheerleader. I can vividly remember each of the times I went to the gym in college because A) they were so traumatic and B) it happened so rarely that it isn't hard to keep track. I had to run the mile for a fitness class requirement and cried during the entire thing. But don't worry, it was raining so I'm pretty sure my teacher couldn't tell. Once I graduated and moved back home, my mom started putting more pressure on me to work out and get healthy, but I just couldn't commit.
Aus is a big runner, so two years ago I signed us up for a 5k and started "training." Turns out I accidentally signed us up for the 1k children's fun run, which we obviously didn't participate in. I swear it was an accident, but he's still suspicious. To make up for that mistake, I signed us up for a real 5k. We trained together once. While running, he kept trying to encourage and motivate me. I wanted to tell him that wasn't going to work, but I couldn't breath, run and speak at the same time. I did finish the 5k (running the entire thing), and then took a break from working out (aka over a year).
I'm the girl that lies on my physical forms when it asks how often I work out, the girl that pledges to lead a healthy lifestyle but then gets distracted by a quesadilla. I'm pretty much the poster child for 'skinny fat' (aka, I'm one cheeseburger away from a heart attack, even though I look moderately healthy). However, it's amazing what some maternal pressure and upcoming wedding can do to a girl's willpower.
My heart-rate monitor & daily results email. You aren't going to see a picture of me working out. The Internet isn't ready for that!
After all of my fitness failures (and there's a lot of them), I decided to go big or go home and joined Orangetheory Fitness. And, because I'm mentally exhausted at the end of the day, I started signing up for 6 am classes so that I could workout, shower and get to work all by 8 am. It sounds absolutely horrendous when I type it out, but honestly, it's the most amazing thing I've ever done for my health.
At OTF (what all the cool members call it), classes include cardio and strength training designed to maximize your heart rate and help burn calories even after the workout is over. Pretty much, there's a lot of science involved (you wear a heart-rate monitor during the class), but the only number I'm personally concerned with is the calorie count. At the end of each class, you receive an email with your results, which gets me so excited and motivates me for the rest of the day- mainly because what I burn in one class is more than all of the calories I've burned in my entire life combined.
Along with increased energy and feeling better about myself overall, I've noticed a few personality changes since I started working out on a regular basis. To sum it up: I'm way more polite now that I have some positive endorphins running through my veins:
- My increased energy makes me less irritable in the mornings and late afternoons, meaning that I'm more of a joy to work with and be around.
- My brain works faster so I can speak up more in meetings and share my ideas in a constructive and engaging way.
- I'm learning how to smile and talk to people before 6 am, something that I probably won't have to do on a regular basis but still a valid skill.
- I'm more motivated to do things after work like meet up with friends for dinner or drinks.
Manners Moral: I'm not a lifetime fitness aficionado, so you can take my advice. Working out will help you physically, mentally and socially. You'll be more polite when you have more energy, and you'll look great while doing it.