WHAT I'VE LEARNED

So in one of my last posts, I talked about my recent start with exercise and gym going. Now, after adjusting to this new addition to my lifestyle I'd like to talk about all of the things I have been noticing and learning about my body and mind that has come from exercise.

1. Something for your mind

Like I talked about in my recent exercise post, working out and keeping your body active does amazing things for your mind. It's just common knowledge that exercise releases all of the happy endorphins in your brain, and after a while it has become so addictive to me. The piece of mind I have found from regular exercise has been immense, if you took a look at me six months ago you would see how depressed, anxious and self hating I was and the last thing I wanted to hear was how exercise could help, I hated running, I hated getting sweaty and wearing massive uncomfortable sport bras to hold all of me in, just the thought of all these small things was enough to deter me, which brings me to my next point.

2. Don't focus on the negatives

The moment you start thinking about the positives over the negatives of exercise, all of these fears and doubts literally go away. After a workout I always get this really great buzzing feeling all through my body, I feel like it's my body rewarding me for putting it to good use. When I thought about being sweaty in front of other people in the gym, it really made me feel so self conscious, God forbid a girl sweats after a super high energy workout! The more you let go of your insecurities and realise that the gym is a place TO SWEAT the easier it gets. Another negative I constantly focused on was the size of my boobs, I'm the girl who has to wear two bras just for any kind of support, with size G boobs I just decided that any kind of physical activity was off limits for me. It took me a while to get through this insecurity of mine but once I found a good bra and some good exercises that didn't hurt my chest and back, I just let em' bounce.

3. Find something you love

This one is super important, you'll never wanna go back to the gym if you hated all the exercises you did, as I said before I've always hated running. So I keep the running to a minimum and focus more on the exercises I actually enjoy, you'll get so much more of an after workout buzz if you've genuinely enjoyed the way you've just been moving your body rather than hating it the whole time @treadmills go f*** yourself.

4. "Diet" literally has the word 'Die" in it

Dieting sucks, it doesn't work, don't do it. I've tried to diet so many times in my life, probably since I was about fourteen years old and have failed every time. Food is just so damn good, and that's okay! I think that the biggest thing I have learnt from dieting is that it's okay to eat bad and eat well, it's really all about that balance and honestly it's whatever makes you feel good. If I have a weekend where I decide I'm just gonna eat rubbish all weekend, I honestly have a pretty good time. Do you want a Big Mac for lunch? Do ya wanna eat some chocolate? Do you wanna make a special trip down to Woolies to buy those ice creams that are on special? The answer is bloody oath mate. You don't need to make yourself feel bad for enjoying some shitty food. I have realized that it's okay to slip up every now and then, and I've learnt to love myself enough to get back on track with my eating when necessary. What do we do when we fall of the horse?

5. Mind and body

Most importantly my relationship with myself has changed immensely, I hated myself mentally therefore I hated myself physically. It's one thing to look into the mirror and hate what you see while closing your eyes at night and hate yourself for the thoughts you're thinking. When I made the decision to to start exercising I noticed over time (It really doesn't just happen over night) how dramatically my relationship was changing between my mind and my body. I've always believed that my mind and body and have been two separate parts of me, which I guess physically they are but when you connect the two together it truly makes a difference. For example, my mind is telling me I wanna eat a chicken and cheese burger and a chocolate frappe' from Maccas and then my body tells me "Holy shit get me to a toilet now". When you understand the connection between your mind and body it can have great effects, in my mind I can tell myself I love myself enough to exercise and my body rewards me with that awesome buzzing feeling and occasional weight loss! I find that meditating right before I go to sleep, really helps me to connect.

6. I'm bringing sexy back

Another benefit of regular exercise (which actually came as a surprise to me) is how much it can improve your sex life. Sorry not sorry to people who know me that are reading this hahah but it's true! With all of my hormones and endorphins dramatically changing through exercise, I'm able to let go and enjoy gettin a lil physical. Exercise has really cleared my mind and made me the person who I really want to be, therefore my relationship with my boyfriend of almost two years has greatly improved, with a clear mind and heart not clouded by depression and anxious thoughts I'm able to love and revel in my relationship more than ever.