I exercise because it makes me happy

Let me be honest, I don’t have a six-pack. I still have cellulite and a little jiggle in my belly. But I have no issues with my blood pressure or cholesterol, and I can probably deadlift more than most guys you know. No, my diet isn’t perfect — I still eat cake and enjoy a glass of wine. 

I’m not that different than everyone else. 

But there’s definitely a lack of understanding and negative connotation and sometimes even a lack of encouragement from those around me. 

I haven’t always been active and fit. When I started my fitness journey I didn’t even realize what I was doing, I was just trying to be a bigger badass than the guy I worked with. 

“Hey that’s cool, you run your 10k, I’m doing a half Ironman.” 

Little did I know that would be a game-changer for me. That’s not just a race to finish, you have to make some serious lifestyle changes. I had friends who didn’t understand and that gave me a hard time for not hanging out on the weekends. 

“When are you going to be cool and stop training for that stupid race?” 

I never stopped training and now I’m just cool in other ways. 

“I didn’t choose a fitness lifestyle because I wanted rippling muscles and six-pack abs. Those things are legit hard to come by.”

I didn’t choose a fitness lifestyle because I wanted rippling muscles and six-pack abs. Those things are legit hard to come by. I love feeling strong, being able to pick up my five-year-old without any problems or pain, to play on the ground with her, to do handstands with her while we are stuck at home. Being fit allows me to do things with my family that others can’t or won’t even try. 

I’m not magical, I don’t have some extreme will power that others don’t possess. I just want to excel at the things I love and be able to keep doing them for as long as my body allows, which I believe I have some say in.

Not only do I feel great physically, but I am also emotionally and mentally healthy as well. When you really live the lifestyle, you focus on all aspects, sleep, food, stress relief… things that modern society tells you aren’t important. 

I’ve chosen this lifestyle because I want to be the best me I can be, physically, emotionally and mentally. My fitness is what keeps me grounded 

See, here’s the thing. I realized a few years back that I don’t have control over a lot of things, but I can control what my body looks like and what it can do and be. So, why wouldn’t I want to have the best one possible? Taking the time and energy to love my body and treat it with respect has proven itself over and over. I can move without pain, I can play on the ground with my child, I can show her a handstand as I coach gymnastics at home right now. 

I don’t work out and eat well because I am chasing some elusive body image. I want to be able to run and play and to be able to carry things for my friends when they have the need — to do backbends with my daughter and not regret it for three days. 

So, the next time you have a friend who decides to eat well and work out regularly, ask them why they do it. You might just be surprised by their motivations.