started going to the gym

[Twin Volition]

Wish I'd seen this topic earlier; exercise used to be a pretty regular part of our life. Despite the fact that since the beginning of Spring, we've fallen out of practice due to depression and lack of motivation, I don't recall intense physical activity ever evoking markedly negative emotions.

I still, however, identify with TW on training alone. Aria isn't too enamored with fitness and usually won't do anything physical unless it's for fun, but generally speaking, we like to be alone most of the time anyway. And I take training very seriously and solemnly, which makes it difficult to concentrate when outside people are around.

My advice is to have patience with progress and to avoid tying your self-esteem directly to the outcome of your day's training. If you're exerting yourself to the point of tears and despair, you could be pushing yourself too hard. (I know, because I used to do that on a regular basis, back before I learned not to use hatred and anger as motivation to advance.) This is also why I recommend not going to a personal trainer, unless it helps you; for me, it's always been more peaceful and efficient to set my own pace, rather than hold myself to someone else's.

So for those of you like me who prefer to be alone when exercising, as a former athlete who has never set foot in a gym, I can testify that you don't need to go to a crowded facility full of machines to get in shape. All my triumphs were earned without weight sets or treadmills or track ellipses. Everything I ever accomplished was with hard work, calisthenic exercises such as pull-ups and sit-ups, and running with our own two feet, outdoors.