Strength training cured basically everything that was wrong with me, no foolin’. It’s done wonders for my body functionally and aesthetically, but the more intangible benefits have been incredible. Before I got into lifting, I kind of thought of my body as a shopping cart filled with cans of anxiety. Its purpose was to shuffle from place to place what would otherwise be an impractical number of cans. I stumbled into lifting by accident, having spent my entire life trying my best to not even acknowledge my body (except for purposes of berating it for its innumerable aesthetic failures), let alone *do* anything with it. I loved lifting from the outset and couldn’t wait to do more of it. It works like magic to quiet my silly little brain. I don’t have a single human thought the whole time I’m in the gym. I’m just a little weightlifting machine in there; time flies, and afterwards, even if it wasn’t a particularly good day, I always feel better than if I hadn’t done it. I’ve found that lifting consistently makes it difficult to be anything other than calm and content. It makes me feel primal, creaturely, purposeful: when I’m hungry, I eat the things that allow me to do the things I like to do; I use my body to do things that bring me peace and joy and a sense of accomplishment; I put the well-used, happily tired little body to bed.
I have never had more inner silence. I have never had more respect and appreciation for the miraculous, responsive, forgiving creation that is my body. My body both *is* me, and is something that relies on me to take care of it, and I do everything I can to treat it with the reverence it deserves and to keep it in good working order for as long as possible. I have never had more self-confidence, and it’s not because I’m hotter (although I am); it’s because I do hard shit all the time. It’s because I keep my promises to myself. It’s because I show the fuck up rain or shine and do my best. It’s because I have cultivated both discipline and genuine self-compassion (which is distinct from self-indulgence). It’s because I have made a fool of myself and eaten shit and failed in front of other people repeatedly and admitted when I didn’t know how to do things, and yet I was undeterred, and the only thing that happened was that eventually I got better. I used to feel emotionally dysregulated all the time, and since I started lifting I feel so much more even-keeled and legible to myself and in control of my emotional state. It’s as though the meditative submission to the physical process of lifting let my brain relax for the first time in 30 years and there was finally room enough in there to feng shui the place. I genuinely, unreservedly *like myself*, something I never would have thought possible. I needed to climb out of my constant rumination and learn to truly inhabit my body, and it was both the never-ending learning process and the actual experience of habitation, with all its glorious and challenging sensory reality, that brought that about. I feel like an entirely different person than I was five years ago, and it’s not just because I used to have a Hank Hill ass and now I have such an incredible wagon that random men on the street will ask me how much I squat. The real prize was the friends (myself) I made along the way.
Also, less of a total overhaul in every domain of personhood, but I got an Oura ring to track my sleep. Being able to experiment with sleep hygiene practices and having data to back it up has allowed me to nail down a good routine. Sunlight first thing in the morning, cool shower at least an hour before bed, no late meals or workouts, dim lights in the evening, eye mask + earplugs + cold bedroom. (I’ve never been big on alcohol but on the rare occasions I’ve had some, I now know exactly how atrocious it makes my sleep, so it had better be totally worth it.) I have been a trash sleeper from toddlerhood on, and now I’m a restful 8 hours typa bitch. 😎
I am... speechless. Are you actually me??? How did you find this passage from my very diary????????? Everyone read Lollobridgeta's missive on the transformative power of strength training here ^^^^^^^^^^^^!!!!!!!!!!
I think this exact thing about so much of your writing! I am also a former binge eater and someone who lost 45lbs and totally recomposed by body through strength training 👯♀️
Resting. I always thought rest was just lying about doing nothing but I was wrong. There's a lot more more to it than that. There are different kinds of rest (physical, social, mental etc), and it takes skill to be able to do it sustainably. I'm definetly not an expert, but decoupling rest from laziness is one of the best things I've ever done for myself.
Came here to say this! I used to push myself so hard. 3 x strength workouts to build muscle. 3 x running to raise my vo2 max. And don’t forget yoga for flexibility!!!
And I kept falling sick, getting injured and just feeling like shit.
Well, no wonder. When I work a 60h job, parent as a single mom, and barely get 5h of sleep a night. This year I’ve really tried to put rest first—and rest in all its forms. It’s a tough journey.
Same! I still get sick a lot, and don't seem to have any internal 'stop/slow down' button. I see other people doing some work or exercise, and then magically knowing when to stop. They seem to intuitively understand how much is enough to push oneself.
I never learned that and past me underestimated how difficult it would be to navigate, but I'm determined to figure it out. (Is that an unhealthy amount of pushing to learn a new skill? Probably, yes!) 😔
A slightly different take, but having kids is what did it for me. My body is clearly less conventionally attractive than it was before, but I think the acknowledgment of what it could do (as opposed to what it looked like) totally changed things for me.
I still have times when I hate my stretch marks and my tummy, etc., but I think I have a deeper appreciation of my body that allows me to get over those feelings.
Yeah! I also made a vow to never speak negatively about myself, or comment negatively on what other people look like in front of the children
My own mum did that a lot growing up (picking apart other people's fashion choices 'ugh those trousers look awful on her she's too fat for them' ) and I realised that I had internalised a lot of that, leading to self-esteem issues that dogged me through my life.
I made a personal vow to only speak positively about myself (even if I didn't believe it always) in front of the kids.
Surprisingly it has really helped me reframe my thinking, and I'm much more self-confident now. Even on those days where I feel a bit blobby.
Also, I don't read fashion magazines or go on Social Media anymore.
I feel the same. Granted, it was easier to love my extra 'twin skin' when I had a little less subcutaneous padding, but the fact that my body gave me my sons (now 21) is a touchstone to come back to when I drift towards the realms of bodily self-loathing.
That, and the fact that my body is still going, that it has survived (and healed) from a couple of big surgeries; that over time it has come through for me, and keeps doing so, helps jolt my attention back to what really matters.
Without a doubt: finally facing my fears and interacting with weights regularly instead of putting all my energy into so much cardio. I felt stronger, I stood taller, sex was better, and it taught me to stop fearing "getting bulky" which was just a fear of stepping away from thinness. I started stepping away from viewing exercise from an aesthetic perspective and more from a long-term strength perspective - how can I move my body and train so I can continue to stand, walk, run, and dance my way into old age rather than only try to be thinner now?
Yes, I can here to say something similar. Still working on this but the most important thing I have done is to leave size to take care of itself and instead focus on getting stronger and feeling energy as the measures of whether what I eat and how I move are aligned with what I want for my life.
i had to think about this because i don't always feel like i've 'changed the game' yet.
but here are 2 things:
1. thrift shopping. this has actually made me feel way better about sizing of clothes etc in stores because there's just one of everything, and if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. there's nothing worse then going into somewhere like Zara or H&M and realising that your shape is WRONG for every size.
2. having a regular gym routine and buying myself some cute gym clothes. makes me feel capable and pretty!
i love that about thrifting, too. plus i feel like it becomes more of a creative process.i end up with clothes i wouldn't have even tried on in a regular retailer - and then the whole experience is less number focused, more "what makes me feel like me"?
Walking at least an hour everyday, ideally more. The idea that what my body and mind need is to move and be outdoors vs killing myself in a 30min HIIT workout indoors.
This is a little embarrassing to write out in hindsight, but even as a lifelong athlete, I've only come to understand the power of properly fueling my workouts in the past year. I used to wake up and go to swim practice as a student with nothing in the tank, and that spread into my early adulthood when I became fully in charge of my own exercise regimen. It never crossed my mind to have a snack, let alone breakfast, before I worked out in the morning. It was only last year, when I was training for my third half marathon and was tired of not seeing any improvement in my time, that I finally listened to my training buddies and started to eat something before we left for our distance runs, as well as bring a gel to fuel the second half. I now apply the same philosophy to my gym sessions and bike rides and it's paying off hugely all around. It's so cliche, but food is legitimately fuel in these situations, and I'm so glad that I've learned to not be scared of that.
Not embarrassing, sometimes it takes a long time to realize very simple things, because the world of fitness and nutrition is so loaded with overcomplications! “Food is fuel” is cliche for a reason!
I hear you. I had gotten slightly more conscientious about fueling with the years, but now that I'm in my 50's I just dont recover as quickly after exercise. And not eating adequately only compounds that effect.
Some of these bodily/dietary restrictive attitudes are lessons we learned deeply, at formative early ages. It' takes constant practice to rewire ones thoughts. Or even be aware that the same 'rules' around eating/not eating are still etched into the grey matter.
I started doing ballet again at 52 and it’s been so good for my self-confidence. I used to dance when I was younger and then I developed a chronic illness and it ended my dance career. I stopped doing it for 25 years because I had somehow decided I couldn’t and I forced myself to do other kinds of exercise that I hated. Ballet is still a little hard on my body but I love it so much and I highly recommend finding a type of exercise that you love to do so that it’s a joy not a chore. I’ve learned to have confidence in the way I hold myself because of the ballet training, I’ve made friends in the class, and I’ve proved to myself that even though my body isn’t always well, it can still be strong and graceful.
Buying non-oppressive pants made a world of difference for my body image! It's wild how buying clothes that actually fit can help one feel better about themselves! I'll also say, engaging in exercise I genuinely like! When I like something, I'm far more consistent and actually begin to look forward to movement. And being non-dogmatic about my workouts, and allowing myself to change if it no longer feels enjoyable. Right now, it's pilates, walks, and a few weight training sessions a week. In past seasons of my life, it's been yoga, or powerlifting, or running. But giving myself permission to change and follow what feels good is what actually gets move moving consistently which helps me feel at peace in my body. Love this question and reading the responses. Just like bodies, the diversity is welcome and beautiful!
Thank you, Taylor! God you're soooooo right on the pants. I have been a massive fan of the flowy, loose linen pants trend because goddamn they're just so much more comfortable than jeans no matter what's currently going on with my body. Team Big Pants!
Eating more. When I was pregnant, I used it "as an excuse" to let myself eat whatever and whenever and ended up PR'ing in a few lifts during my pregnancy. Fast forward now to 8 months pp, that's helped me feel less afraid of food and have more energy in the gym.
Love this! It’s true. I realized this while training for a powerlifting meet. I was eating around the damn clock and felt like I could lift the Empire State Building straight off the ground lol
Without a doubt, intermittent fasting. I eat from 12pm to 8pm. It is not a struggle and I had been doing it for many years before it became a fad. I just didn't have a name for it. It was the only thing that completely eliminated my IBS/IBD. It gives my gut time to process everything and allow the natural probiotics time to do their job. For me, this has nothing to do with losing weight or fat or anything besides what it did for my digestive system. If it's 10am and I am hungry, I eat, but that happens rarely. I don't eat processed foods, never drink any beverages besides water and black coffee and some alcohol on the weekends. Very minimal sugar and usually from honey. I keep my carbs pretty low too, because again, that is what makes my digestive system work well and I feel good!
Going back to the foundation and doing a deep dive on my own values. This is how I developed a healthy relationship with food and my body and started getting serious about strength training... and making it all a whole lot simpler.
I spent a lot of my younger years being tossed around in the fitness/diet circus, swimming in too much information, obsessing over being thin, etc. Once I started paying attention to how I wanted to feel versus how influencers and gyms were marketing to me, everything changed.
I feel the same way with my posts. It's so rare that people in the fitness (or general "wellness," etc) realms mention anything about value. especially the "coaches..." goodness gracious. God forbid people step away from the marketing hype. So glad to connect with you
Running with my neighbour dog Sammie! I have been running for over 30 years and having this sweet rescue dog as my partner for the past year has turned running into pure joy. 🥰
Buying a set of progressive home weights. Lifting something almost too heavy ten times in a few different ways on a weekday morning—completely non-disruptive & in tune with my sensitivity, and "can I do THAT yet?" is a constant motivator that results in feeling physically better, standing stronger, being able to do more, having more actual knowledge of capability and limit that's separate to gendered obedience. But most importantly, it's body interaction that's technically about "adding," as in "getting bigger," which means that all the hideous baggage of accidental thinness isn't invoked.
only doing workouts i like! i don’t have to like them all the time during, sometimes they are obviously hard and i want them to be over but i stopped forcing myself to do things i *thought* i should like and now, only do workouts i genuinely enjoy!
Strength training cured basically everything that was wrong with me, no foolin’. It’s done wonders for my body functionally and aesthetically, but the more intangible benefits have been incredible. Before I got into lifting, I kind of thought of my body as a shopping cart filled with cans of anxiety. Its purpose was to shuffle from place to place what would otherwise be an impractical number of cans. I stumbled into lifting by accident, having spent my entire life trying my best to not even acknowledge my body (except for purposes of berating it for its innumerable aesthetic failures), let alone *do* anything with it. I loved lifting from the outset and couldn’t wait to do more of it. It works like magic to quiet my silly little brain. I don’t have a single human thought the whole time I’m in the gym. I’m just a little weightlifting machine in there; time flies, and afterwards, even if it wasn’t a particularly good day, I always feel better than if I hadn’t done it. I’ve found that lifting consistently makes it difficult to be anything other than calm and content. It makes me feel primal, creaturely, purposeful: when I’m hungry, I eat the things that allow me to do the things I like to do; I use my body to do things that bring me peace and joy and a sense of accomplishment; I put the well-used, happily tired little body to bed.
I have never had more inner silence. I have never had more respect and appreciation for the miraculous, responsive, forgiving creation that is my body. My body both *is* me, and is something that relies on me to take care of it, and I do everything I can to treat it with the reverence it deserves and to keep it in good working order for as long as possible. I have never had more self-confidence, and it’s not because I’m hotter (although I am); it’s because I do hard shit all the time. It’s because I keep my promises to myself. It’s because I show the fuck up rain or shine and do my best. It’s because I have cultivated both discipline and genuine self-compassion (which is distinct from self-indulgence). It’s because I have made a fool of myself and eaten shit and failed in front of other people repeatedly and admitted when I didn’t know how to do things, and yet I was undeterred, and the only thing that happened was that eventually I got better. I used to feel emotionally dysregulated all the time, and since I started lifting I feel so much more even-keeled and legible to myself and in control of my emotional state. It’s as though the meditative submission to the physical process of lifting let my brain relax for the first time in 30 years and there was finally room enough in there to feng shui the place. I genuinely, unreservedly *like myself*, something I never would have thought possible. I needed to climb out of my constant rumination and learn to truly inhabit my body, and it was both the never-ending learning process and the actual experience of habitation, with all its glorious and challenging sensory reality, that brought that about. I feel like an entirely different person than I was five years ago, and it’s not just because I used to have a Hank Hill ass and now I have such an incredible wagon that random men on the street will ask me how much I squat. The real prize was the friends (myself) I made along the way.
Also, less of a total overhaul in every domain of personhood, but I got an Oura ring to track my sleep. Being able to experiment with sleep hygiene practices and having data to back it up has allowed me to nail down a good routine. Sunlight first thing in the morning, cool shower at least an hour before bed, no late meals or workouts, dim lights in the evening, eye mask + earplugs + cold bedroom. (I’ve never been big on alcohol but on the rare occasions I’ve had some, I now know exactly how atrocious it makes my sleep, so it had better be totally worth it.) I have been a trash sleeper from toddlerhood on, and now I’m a restful 8 hours typa bitch. 😎
I am... speechless. Are you actually me??? How did you find this passage from my very diary????????? Everyone read Lollobridgeta's missive on the transformative power of strength training here ^^^^^^^^^^^^!!!!!!!!!!
I think this exact thing about so much of your writing! I am also a former binge eater and someone who lost 45lbs and totally recomposed by body through strength training 👯♀️
Wow, this is so inspiring!! Makes me want to try lifting 🥲
We on Team Meathead would love to have you!
I was going to comment, but honestly, just “same” will have to do. You said it impeccably. Weightlifting for the win!
Resting. I always thought rest was just lying about doing nothing but I was wrong. There's a lot more more to it than that. There are different kinds of rest (physical, social, mental etc), and it takes skill to be able to do it sustainably. I'm definetly not an expert, but decoupling rest from laziness is one of the best things I've ever done for myself.
Not to play faves but this is honestly the BEST answer
Came here to say this! I used to push myself so hard. 3 x strength workouts to build muscle. 3 x running to raise my vo2 max. And don’t forget yoga for flexibility!!!
And I kept falling sick, getting injured and just feeling like shit.
Well, no wonder. When I work a 60h job, parent as a single mom, and barely get 5h of sleep a night. This year I’ve really tried to put rest first—and rest in all its forms. It’s a tough journey.
Same! I still get sick a lot, and don't seem to have any internal 'stop/slow down' button. I see other people doing some work or exercise, and then magically knowing when to stop. They seem to intuitively understand how much is enough to push oneself.
I never learned that and past me underestimated how difficult it would be to navigate, but I'm determined to figure it out. (Is that an unhealthy amount of pushing to learn a new skill? Probably, yes!) 😔
I’ve been doing a lot of work to learn to listen to my body! It’s so hard when you’ve trained yourself not to do it and to ‘push through’
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
I'm with Mikala, I need to do more of this!!!
A slightly different take, but having kids is what did it for me. My body is clearly less conventionally attractive than it was before, but I think the acknowledgment of what it could do (as opposed to what it looked like) totally changed things for me.
I still have times when I hate my stretch marks and my tummy, etc., but I think I have a deeper appreciation of my body that allows me to get over those feelings.
I love this take and have heard similar things from my parent friends :)
Yeah! I also made a vow to never speak negatively about myself, or comment negatively on what other people look like in front of the children
My own mum did that a lot growing up (picking apart other people's fashion choices 'ugh those trousers look awful on her she's too fat for them' ) and I realised that I had internalised a lot of that, leading to self-esteem issues that dogged me through my life.
I made a personal vow to only speak positively about myself (even if I didn't believe it always) in front of the kids.
Surprisingly it has really helped me reframe my thinking, and I'm much more self-confident now. Even on those days where I feel a bit blobby.
Also, I don't read fashion magazines or go on Social Media anymore.
I feel the same. Granted, it was easier to love my extra 'twin skin' when I had a little less subcutaneous padding, but the fact that my body gave me my sons (now 21) is a touchstone to come back to when I drift towards the realms of bodily self-loathing.
That, and the fact that my body is still going, that it has survived (and healed) from a couple of big surgeries; that over time it has come through for me, and keeps doing so, helps jolt my attention back to what really matters.
Without a doubt: finally facing my fears and interacting with weights regularly instead of putting all my energy into so much cardio. I felt stronger, I stood taller, sex was better, and it taught me to stop fearing "getting bulky" which was just a fear of stepping away from thinness. I started stepping away from viewing exercise from an aesthetic perspective and more from a long-term strength perspective - how can I move my body and train so I can continue to stand, walk, run, and dance my way into old age rather than only try to be thinner now?
Well you KNOW I love to hear this! 💪🏼
Yes, I can here to say something similar. Still working on this but the most important thing I have done is to leave size to take care of itself and instead focus on getting stronger and feeling energy as the measures of whether what I eat and how I move are aligned with what I want for my life.
isn't it amazing how sex gets better when you literally have more POWER? ugh so good
i had to think about this because i don't always feel like i've 'changed the game' yet.
but here are 2 things:
1. thrift shopping. this has actually made me feel way better about sizing of clothes etc in stores because there's just one of everything, and if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. there's nothing worse then going into somewhere like Zara or H&M and realising that your shape is WRONG for every size.
2. having a regular gym routine and buying myself some cute gym clothes. makes me feel capable and pretty!
That’s so interesting re: clothes… it takes the pressure off, in a way!
i love that about thrifting, too. plus i feel like it becomes more of a creative process.i end up with clothes i wouldn't have even tried on in a regular retailer - and then the whole experience is less number focused, more "what makes me feel like me"?
I've started learning to make clothes which has been an absolute game changer too (totally agree with thrift shopping though)
Walking at least an hour everyday, ideally more. The idea that what my body and mind need is to move and be outdoors vs killing myself in a 30min HIIT workout indoors.
It’s crazy how so many of my little problems are solved by just going for a walk
This is a little embarrassing to write out in hindsight, but even as a lifelong athlete, I've only come to understand the power of properly fueling my workouts in the past year. I used to wake up and go to swim practice as a student with nothing in the tank, and that spread into my early adulthood when I became fully in charge of my own exercise regimen. It never crossed my mind to have a snack, let alone breakfast, before I worked out in the morning. It was only last year, when I was training for my third half marathon and was tired of not seeing any improvement in my time, that I finally listened to my training buddies and started to eat something before we left for our distance runs, as well as bring a gel to fuel the second half. I now apply the same philosophy to my gym sessions and bike rides and it's paying off hugely all around. It's so cliche, but food is legitimately fuel in these situations, and I'm so glad that I've learned to not be scared of that.
Not embarrassing, sometimes it takes a long time to realize very simple things, because the world of fitness and nutrition is so loaded with overcomplications! “Food is fuel” is cliche for a reason!
I hear you. I had gotten slightly more conscientious about fueling with the years, but now that I'm in my 50's I just dont recover as quickly after exercise. And not eating adequately only compounds that effect.
Some of these bodily/dietary restrictive attitudes are lessons we learned deeply, at formative early ages. It' takes constant practice to rewire ones thoughts. Or even be aware that the same 'rules' around eating/not eating are still etched into the grey matter.
I started doing ballet again at 52 and it’s been so good for my self-confidence. I used to dance when I was younger and then I developed a chronic illness and it ended my dance career. I stopped doing it for 25 years because I had somehow decided I couldn’t and I forced myself to do other kinds of exercise that I hated. Ballet is still a little hard on my body but I love it so much and I highly recommend finding a type of exercise that you love to do so that it’s a joy not a chore. I’ve learned to have confidence in the way I hold myself because of the ballet training, I’ve made friends in the class, and I’ve proved to myself that even though my body isn’t always well, it can still be strong and graceful.
I'm SO happy for you, Sita! It must have felt incredible to get back into!
Buying non-oppressive pants made a world of difference for my body image! It's wild how buying clothes that actually fit can help one feel better about themselves! I'll also say, engaging in exercise I genuinely like! When I like something, I'm far more consistent and actually begin to look forward to movement. And being non-dogmatic about my workouts, and allowing myself to change if it no longer feels enjoyable. Right now, it's pilates, walks, and a few weight training sessions a week. In past seasons of my life, it's been yoga, or powerlifting, or running. But giving myself permission to change and follow what feels good is what actually gets move moving consistently which helps me feel at peace in my body. Love this question and reading the responses. Just like bodies, the diversity is welcome and beautiful!
Thank you, Taylor! God you're soooooo right on the pants. I have been a massive fan of the flowy, loose linen pants trend because goddamn they're just so much more comfortable than jeans no matter what's currently going on with my body. Team Big Pants!
Eating more. When I was pregnant, I used it "as an excuse" to let myself eat whatever and whenever and ended up PR'ing in a few lifts during my pregnancy. Fast forward now to 8 months pp, that's helped me feel less afraid of food and have more energy in the gym.
Love this! It’s true. I realized this while training for a powerlifting meet. I was eating around the damn clock and felt like I could lift the Empire State Building straight off the ground lol
Without a doubt, intermittent fasting. I eat from 12pm to 8pm. It is not a struggle and I had been doing it for many years before it became a fad. I just didn't have a name for it. It was the only thing that completely eliminated my IBS/IBD. It gives my gut time to process everything and allow the natural probiotics time to do their job. For me, this has nothing to do with losing weight or fat or anything besides what it did for my digestive system. If it's 10am and I am hungry, I eat, but that happens rarely. I don't eat processed foods, never drink any beverages besides water and black coffee and some alcohol on the weekends. Very minimal sugar and usually from honey. I keep my carbs pretty low too, because again, that is what makes my digestive system work well and I feel good!
I’m glad it works for you!
Going back to the foundation and doing a deep dive on my own values. This is how I developed a healthy relationship with food and my body and started getting serious about strength training... and making it all a whole lot simpler.
I spent a lot of my younger years being tossed around in the fitness/diet circus, swimming in too much information, obsessing over being thin, etc. Once I started paying attention to how I wanted to feel versus how influencers and gyms were marketing to me, everything changed.
I write the word "values" in pretty much every other post at this point so I am WITH you. They're all that matters!
I feel the same way with my posts. It's so rare that people in the fitness (or general "wellness," etc) realms mention anything about value. especially the "coaches..." goodness gracious. God forbid people step away from the marketing hype. So glad to connect with you
1.sweet potatoes
2. frozen broccoli
The absurdly convenient and cheapness... just tossing them in the air fryer made it 10x easier to treat my body right
Never boil, always roast
Also - Graza olive oil. Higher quality olive oil is lovely.
Yes to roast!!! Yes to olive oil!!!
Running with my neighbour dog Sammie! I have been running for over 30 years and having this sweet rescue dog as my partner for the past year has turned running into pure joy. 🥰
this is so cute :) :) :) yay for sammie!
Buying a set of progressive home weights. Lifting something almost too heavy ten times in a few different ways on a weekday morning—completely non-disruptive & in tune with my sensitivity, and "can I do THAT yet?" is a constant motivator that results in feeling physically better, standing stronger, being able to do more, having more actual knowledge of capability and limit that's separate to gendered obedience. But most importantly, it's body interaction that's technically about "adding," as in "getting bigger," which means that all the hideous baggage of accidental thinness isn't invoked.
Yessss to home weights! I'm always saying this! If you can't get to the gym for some reason, getchu some home weights!
only doing workouts i like! i don’t have to like them all the time during, sometimes they are obviously hard and i want them to be over but i stopped forcing myself to do things i *thought* i should like and now, only do workouts i genuinely enjoy!
this barameter also changes, as i get more in shape. i would run for only 2 minutes because that’s the time i liked to run. then 4, then 10 etc
That’s me with running! Hate it, never gonna like it, found something else instead!