The Gym + Goal Making

Over the summer, I started going to the gym and loved it. I would go twice a week and constantly ask my boyfriend (who has been working out for years before me) questions about machines, form, what to eat before/after workouts. etc. But once September came and school began, I started to lose all interest and motivation for the gym.

What happened?

I go to school in Downtown Toronto - A place where I am surrounded by hundreds of people and constantly bombarded by societies expectations of me through advertisements, observation of others, and culture in general. The moment school started, I started comparing myself - my body, my fashion sense, how I look, etc. I became insecure and no longer wanted to invest much time or effort into myself because I know that I would never be able to achieve 'beauty' as defined by society.

Now (after pondering this during my commute home), I say screw it!

Screw societies expectations of me! I started working out to get healthy and to strengthen myself to be able to keep up with all that physical stuff that comes with everyday life (Like, walking up stairs. Talk about workout ... Phew!) and that is exactly what I am going to do!

I'm going to stop letting society depict the choices that I make for myself, whether it be about my body, the way I dress, how I look or how I think.

In this picture, I reached the goal that I had made for myself about a week after my first trip to the gym. I told myself that I wanted to reach 100lbs and achieve 1 set of 10 reps. After working hard for two months, I was able to squat 100lbs for 10 reps, twice. I went from squatting 45lbs to 100lbs. Reaching my goal was an amazing feeling and can't wait to continue to make goals for myself and achieve them. Both for the gym and in my life time.

I would like to encourage you to make your own goals, whether it be for the gym, relationships, your health, school ... anything! It feels amazing to achieve any goal, big or small. I PROMISE. And remember ....You are beautiful, valued, loved, pretty, perfectly created, not alone and awesome. 

Now, go achieve your goals, you can do it!

xoxo