How I Made Working Out Work

You know those days when your body feels like a massive paperweight, the teaspoon of energy that you possess is spent on feeble attempts to reach the TV remote, your skin looks like a mountain climber's dream,  you're inexplicably and unjustifiably mean to anyone who so much as acknowledges your existence, your hair sucks, and you want nothing more than to lie in your bed nest all day long? Well, girlfriend, you are not alone. (In case there is any confusion, men are included in the "girlfriend" population.) Bitch Days are something that most of us have probably experienced at least once a week (although once a day is probably more reflective of the national average) since the age of 15, and if you haven't... goodbye. But why does it happen? Why do we get into these moods and get so sucked in that we don't come out until our Oxygen (or gummi bear) supply is nearly depleted? Besides the fact that we feel like shit, we're making everyone around us feel like shit too. While a lot of it can likely be contributed to hormones ("moodmones" is more like it), much of it can probably be prevented by making adjustments to our diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle routines.

I used to feel like crap ALL OF THE TIME. My freshman and sophomore years of college, I was a lethargic mess. My gym schedule was incredibly inconsistent, my diet consisted of eating shitty diner food whenever I could scrounge up enough energy to leave my dorm room and make the trek to the dining hall, and although I didn't drink, my weekends were spent lying in bed until goodness knows when doing goodness knows what. It's not like I was failing my classes, but I felt like I was failing myself. I hated how I felt, but it wasn't severe enough for me to make any sort of change. I was a functional bloob.

Fast forward to second semester of senior year (which wound up being semester 2/3), and everything changed. One day I went to the gym with my best friend, and we decided that we wanted to create a google spreadsheet where we could record our weekly workouts, and I kid you not, since that day I have not worked out less than 3 days in a week. That was April 2013, and here we are almost a year later. I feel more energized, I like to sleep in, but I don't feel groggy in the mornings, I make healthier decisions when it comes to eating, I've discovered that I HATE feeling full, so I don't overeat, and I have more motivation to get things done. I mean, yes, of course I still procrastinate, but I'm now active enough that I have the ability not to.

Having a friend by your side (literally or figuratively) means having someone to hold you accountable, it means wanting to do well because there is someone depending on you. It was that one teensy tiny change that made all the difference for me. 90% of the time my friend and I didn't even workout together, but that didn't matter; we were in it together. Eventually, you'll become strong enough that you don't even have to check in with your partner, much less record your workouts (although I still do), but that doesn't mean it's time to give up. This was our journey to change together, and it's now a part of my life. I wasn't working out to lose weight (but let's be clear, I was not at all opposed to shedding a pound or two), I was doing it to feel better about myself. You and your partner don't have to have the same fitness goals, you just have to support each other in reaching them. My Bitch Day count has gone down exponentially since I made working out a regular part of my life, and it feels great. Of course I still have those days (it would be a unicorn miracle if they just magically disappeared) but I feel better than ever, I have consistency in my life, and I'm making better choices every day.

Do you and your friends keep a fitness diary? How do you stay on track with your fitness goals? Share your stories; I'd love to hear them!

I want to dedicate this post to my loving, patient, amazing boyfriend, who sees me on the Bitch Days. I don't know how you do it, and I love you for it.