Working Out is Working Out

On the last day of January of this year, I went with a friend to her gym, and signed up for a membership. I got an all-gym membership, so I'm not tied to one, single gym. The reason I chose the all-gym membership is because my friends are at one gym, and I'm not exactly close to it; however, there is another gym a 5 minute walk up the street from me. So, with the all-gym membership, I can workout with my friends, and I can also go to the one near me if I wish to. Plus, if I'm travelling within Canada and I want to get a workout in, I can.

Now, I have a bad habit of failing to finish what I start, but so far, I have been sticking to it. I usually go Tuesdays and Thursdays with two of my girlfriends unless work and/or extenuating circumstances prevent it. (I missed Tuesday due to work, and I missed last Thursday due to putting Misty down.) Not only have I been sticking to it, I've been enjoying it. I'm often bummed when I miss out on a workout due to work. But, I try to make up for my missed workouts by taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking up the escalator instead of just riding it. I may only be taking those stairs up one floor, but it's something, and I feel good when I get to the floor I need. All in all, working out has been working out for me.

My next goal is to change my eating habits. I love food. I love going to buffets and eating all I can (without being sick), and I adore Dim Sum. I love trying new foods (within my reasoning), and have been able to try something new at Dim Sum and at buffets. However, despite this love of food, the rate at which I consume said food does need to be changed. This will be a gradual change, but it will be a change nonetheless. I want to eat healthier than I do. This is something I have been trying to do for a while. I avoid eating at McDonald's; I give in to the chain perhaps once every month or two. I have begun having veggies and dip (actually Ranch salad dressing) or toast as a snack instead of potato chips at night. But, food is still a love of mine, and though I feel like I'm making the right choices, it will take a while to completely get the hang of things.

Above all of this, there is one major thing I have noticed since I started working out. I feel better. I feel like I've accomplished something at the end of each workout, even if only lasts half an hour or I don't last as long as I wanted to on one particular machine. Stairs aren't so daunting anymore (unless I'm super fatigued), and I often enjoy taking them. There a workout on days I don't get a workout. But I feel better in general. I feel better about myself, and therefore, I plan on treating myself better. Treating myself to an ice cream, treating myself to a new shirt, treating myself to some makeup I've been looking at for months. I also plan on putting the previous paragraph into action. I plan on treating my body better than I have in the past.

My body, mind and spirit have suffered in the past, but no longer. They all deserve to be treated well. And that's exactly what I am going to do. Working out really is working out.