"I was 24 and underweight. Now I'm 28 and I'm in the prime of my life. I have more energy, more confidence, and a body that actually supports me instead of holding me back."
It started with a job I loved at 26. I was working from 8:30 AM until 05.00 PM from monday to friday, I work an office job so I would sit all day. I just felt that this isn't healthy, I started to walk in my lunch breaks and this helped me already so much. This helped me a lot, I noticed that I had a lot more focus after I walked for half an hour outside. I started to do this every day, and I felt that this is really good for me. I started to feel better, I had more energy, and I was more productive at work. And what worked for me was to start with small changes, I didn't want to change everything at once, I wanted to start with something that I could stick to. And for me, that was walking during my lunch break. It was something that I could do every day, and it was something that I enjoyed. Also I started going to the gym right after work, I would go to the gym and do a workout, and then I would go home and cook a healthy meal. This was something that I could do every day, and it was something that I enjoyed. I started to see results which motivated me more and more.
I already started going to the gym when I was still in school, but I never really had a consistent routine. I would go for a few weeks, then stop for a few weeks, then go again. I never really had a plan or a goal, I just went to the gym because I thought it was something I should do. But it never really stuck because I didn't have a clear reason why I was doing it. Then I started including eathing healthy, I started to cook my own meals instead of eating out all the time. I started to eat more vegetables, more protein, and less processed food. This was the point were I started to see real changes in my body and my energy levels.
The Turning Point
The turning point for me was when I really started seeing results in my body. Every time I looked in the mirror and saw a little bit more muscle definition, a little bit less belly fat, I felt more motivated to keep going. It was like a positive feedback loop — the more I put in, the more I got out, and the more I wanted to put in.
I started including running to my schedule, because I notived that my VO2 max was really low, I had no endurance at all. I started with once a week and the first couple of times sucked. I had to stop at least 2 times during the run. But I kept going, and after a few weeks I noticed improvement and that I could run without stopping. It took a while before I really appreciated running but now I love it. It's a great way to clear my head, get some fresh air, and challenge myself in a different way than lifting weights does. I learned that running is not only a physical challenge but it's also a mental challenge, it teaches you to push through discomfort and keep going even when you don't feel like it. And that mindset has spilled over into other areas of my life, including my work and my relationships.
I'm a lot healthier now, I feel better, I look better, and my mental health has improved a lot as well. Working out could mean different things for different people, for me it means going to the gym and lifting weights, and go for a run at least once a week, but for someone else it could mean going for a walk, doing yoga, or playing a sport. The important thing is to find something that you enjoy and that you can stick to. If you don't enjoy it then you won't stick to it. Consistency is key when it comes to working out, and the only way to be consistent is to find something that you enjoy. So if you haven't found something that you enjoy yet, keep trying different things until you find something that clicks for you. A lot of people say: I don't have time to work out, but the truth is that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. It's not about having time, it's about making time. If you want to be healthier and feel better, you have to make it a priority and find a way to fit it into your schedule. It might mean waking up a little earlier, or going to the gym during your lunch break, or doing a quick workout at home in the evening. The point is that there are always ways to make it work if you really want to.