Yes, even on weekends and on Christmas.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to go there.
I know you can call me a crazy teen.
Arenāt teens always crazy though?
What were you like as a 19-year-old?
Since I started working out at age 13 because I was self-conscious about my body and realized that I donāt have the craziest metabolism as my male counterparts, I needed to shape up and feel good without needing to purchase a new set of jeans every year.
As much as being healthy is expensive in America, gaining weight has negative consequences for your mood, health, future, performance, finances, and overall life.
I was never puffy per se but since I was already 6 ft tall pre-puberty, I knew I would weigh more and as a result, a size large would look small on me purely for my height, not for my body composition or true health.
Since I started working out religiously at 14, thankfully it didnāt take long for me to develop this into a stern but not addicting habit. As the habit junkie and enthusiast as I am, itās always been impossible for me to let go of something, which is not always a good thing thatās why I don’tā plan on trying alcohol for my 21st birthday next year or any other crazy experiments I don’tā want to get hooked on.
I would lie and say it was easy waking up at 5 am each morning to go to SoulCycle or meet my trainer at my school football field. But part of making it easier was my privilege. I believe I wouldnāt have had the energy to do it if I knew I wouldnāt be paying so much or people relying on me to be there.
Although a boost of external motivation certainly helps and is pricey, in the long run, the more I rely on my expensive taste and trainers to keep me engaged with this healthy habit, the worse off I will be.
So 2 years later, on the morning of my 16th birthday, I knew that I needed to do this on my own.
Not tell anyone about it, brag, post, or seek someone to guide me.
I was my own advocate.
I have to live and deal with myself forever so might as well get better at what Iām doing.
After going through this battle of saving money, purchasing a Peloton at home, and not relying on others to keep me active, the most rewarding mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual (am I forgetting one?) have come alive and till this day have made me even fitter throughout quarantine and accomplish things that I never thought would happen.
I Get More Time
When Daylightās Savings ended last Sunday we thought that was a breath of fresh air. Yay an extra hour! But personally, we donāt need to extend this year any longer. I will sacrifice my sleep, the health consequences, car accidents, and higher prevalence of strokes for our country than to get an extra hour of sleep.
But with exercising, Iāve been able to accomplish 2x more than I would have if I didnāt. After waking up on my own at 5 am by going to sleep no later than 9 pm, Iāve naturally felt ready to go at that time to exercise and you will too if you set up that routine. Nothing comes fast. It all takes time and patience but it needs to be consistent.
This is not rocket science.
It is coordinating your schedule and time so you get the hard stuff out of the way in order to feel accomplished by 7 am.
To a certain point, we donāt love exercising, but it has to be fun just like budgeting to do so, so make it the first thing on your list and it will provide you more efficiency, acuteness, and more mental agility throughout the day.
Of course, you will feel sluggish getting out of bed, but the rest of the day will reward you.
Intermittent Stimulant
Since I learned about the fantastic world of eating as a young child, I quickly began to notice that my family eats at different times than Americans.
Since we are from Poland, we have participated in the intermittent fasting diet forever.
8 hours of eating, 16 hours of metabolism-boosting, fat reducing, energy activation methodology.
You donāt have to be as crazy as us but if you want to wake up at 5 am feeling hungry, I would advise not eating dinner no later than 2 pm.
Yeah, thatās not a typo.
I finish eating dinner at 2 pm or else I will not be able to sleep.
Breakfast is breaking your fast and doesn’t necessarily have to be the most important meal of the day because it depends on what it includes.
A blueberry muffin or eggs?
Personally, I cannot work out unless I have my breakfast at 5, lunch afterward at 10 am then dinner at 2 pm.
Try to eat the largest meals of the day first as opposed to doing the opposite which we are taught here in the states.
Why is breakfast grab nā go but dinner a full-blown 5-course meal with white table clothes?
Turn that around and you will see health, skin, and mental benefits throughout.
I Reach Out
As an only child, Iāve always been independent and never wanted siblings because I know they would unmotivate me and make me feel dumber.
I still believe that is true and love being alone.
It gives me the best energy, happiness and I get much more done.
But in life, we have to work with each other.
From annoying group projects in school where no one helps out unless they are paid to being stuck in a home with your family for 8 months straight, the world works together and the faster you know how to communicate, interact, chill and be diplomatic with people, the easier it is.
Donāt try to avoid people because they will ruin your day and annoy the heck out of you when it comes time to be with them and you can never get away from them.
You have a choice.
To be negative and insincere or calm, comfortable, humble, and know they wonāt bite.
Maybe it’s because I have a more toned body or seem to still be growing taller past 6ft at this point, regardless of what it is, sticking to my habit of exercise has made myself proud that I have committed to something that makes me feel good and people can see that in me.
Yes, I do get tired after a 5 am Bootcamp or a Peloton ride, but it cheers people up because Iām the perfect balance of drowsy and ecstatic.
I take things less seriously and know that there is no shame or embarrassment from meeting someone just like you.
Everyone is the same, some just hide it better.
Food, Food, Foooood
I believe one of the main reasons to live is to eat.
We think about food too much and believe we need to eat every time our stomach growls or we will die.
Food is at our fingertips, especially at home and we cannot get enough of it.
We assume that exercise is purely to eat more.
Now, I donāt know how many times I have to say this but there is no correlation.
To be healthy you have to do both in moderation: eat to be alive and with people and exercise to feel good.
Donāt ban the brownies or run 20 miles each day.
One will make you anxious and not enjoy life and the other will break your knees.
It is hard to find a fine line with everything.
We either go overboard with the McDonalds or restrain ourselves.
80% of your health is your diet, 20% is exercise.
The kitchen determines where your metabolism, body shape, and feelings are headed.
Prioritize eating whole, clean, organic foods.
Anything processed will make you overly processed and trick your stomach into storing it.
Too much of anything is not a good thing.
Just because you eat avocados doesnāt mean you should have more than a half or 6 cups of tea just because it is deemed healthy.
Get back to the roots of moderation and that will lead you to live a moderately suitable and comfortable life.
I Have More Energy
There is no doubt that any exercise makes you tired.
If you arenāt, you havenāt tried hard enough or it wasnāt effective.
We strive to break a sweat and have scratches on our legs to show a sign of strength and hard work but that usually doesnāt mean the activity was fun or necessarily effective either.
Exercising isnāt for that and if you want to take a break, it will be more beneficial for you than pushing to burn an extra 300 calories.
Just limit the 300 calories of the donut in the first place.
For the first few months and especially now during quarantine, maybe because Iām stuck at home and not going anywhere still to this day except the grocery store, it has become harder and harder for me to wake up.
I now need to set up an alarm as opposed to waking up on my own when I went to a physical school.
Times, the weather, and my age are changing.
We can blame it on anything but still need to fix it.
As Iāve gotten more and more tired, I started to dissect my diet.
I donāt drink any caffeine or eat fruit past noon which tends to make you more sluggish and slows down your fat burning process.
Eventually, I found out that it was the Matcha Tea that was causing a rollercoaster in my mind.
Technically matcha does have a slight caffeine boost and that was giving me a spike in my blood sugar and in a fake way, waking me up during my workouts but crashing me down afterward.
A few weeks ago, I tossed that away and immediately began to feel more energized back when I was 16.
When in doubt, check what you are consuming because that will most likely prevent you from living the best energetic life you want, without the fake energy propellant.
I Made More Friends
Since Iām less intimated now to speak with people and have boosted my confidence through making priorities about exercising each morning, more people have come into my life.
It isn’t because I look better or can fit into that skirt. Rather becuase I’m less stern with myself and what relationships are about.
I understand, friends come and go, and although Iāve experienced that, especially at the start of college last year, many more friends have stayed with me longer because they believe that Iām able to see the changes I put out for myself.
They are true friends that are there for me.
Something I wasnāt able to establish back in the awkward puberty days of middle and high school.
Relationships are everything in your personal life and networking is a big advantage in the professional world.
Regardless of how much money and success you have, you will never be happy if you donāt have anyone to speak with or make someoneās day without someone by your side.
The true friends couldn’t care less what your waist size is. They cheer you on with your goals and exercise has slashed that frightening barrier.
Short and Sweet
Now since Iāve mastered how long it takes me to wake up, eat, stretch, workout, and dry off, Iāve cut my routine to the minute.
Iām not in a rush, for now, but prefer to add more time to my days.
Through making my workouts efficient and not too long, Iām able to get more results and achieve more in less time.
How?
Set your intentions and know every minute counts.
Itās not a bad idea to feel rushed but donāt injure yourself at the same time.
If you know you have 2 weeks to finish a paper versus 2 hours, which will produce better work?
Procrastination never hurts but a stimulus hurts in the good, right way.
Since I go on the elliptical or Peloton, I know when the class or session will be over, what is the hardest part and I Ā prioritize that first because then the rest of the class is reserved for fun.
Take it at your own pace and know what you are in for so you can enjoy this time, not rush through it.
I Eat Much More
Because you exercise more doesn’t mean you can eat more.
Yes, your body needs fuel and athletes can eat 6 cheeseburgers because they swim all day, the most tiring sport but do you ever see them get leaner this way?
Their muscles only bulk up more.
Food is fuel.
If you feed yourself garbage, your body will perform badly and look like a saggy, overflowed trashbin spilling out ready for a raccoon to dig into.
Wow.
That was the best analogy I made in a while.
Anyway, if you feel hungry, drink a glass of water, wait a sec and then if you really feel tired, sluggish, and hungry, go for it.
You donāt need to eat for every meal.
It is truly okay if you skip a meal or eat more but make sure you know what is in the bag of chips before diving in.
Definition Swap
In America, working out typically means going to the gym and putting on a sturdy outfit so nothing flops.
In NYC, it would be hard to find no gym on every block.
After exercising every day and making it a priority, I knew it didnāt have to be a dedicated event that needed to get done at a certain location and with a bad attitude.
If you hate the gym, donāt punish yourself.
Donāt you dare buy that Equinox membership.
In Europe, gyms arenāt popular and they have lower obesity, less depression, and thousands of benefits that just make sense such as free healthcare insurance and education.
Exercise is a part of their daily routine.
Be creative.
Donāt be fat like the gym-goers.
Instead of taking the subway, walk a few blocks, and save money. Limit the white bread and swape it for multigrain bread. Donāt force yourself to stay in a dark sweaty room. Go outside, get fresh air for free while also clearing your mind and wallet as the rest of the world seems to be doing already.
Zzzās
Since I have a regimented sleep schedule from 9 pm to 5 am, Iām able to sleep for the recommended 8 hours but that doesnāt mean that is enough or just right.
The best athletes in the world, from Lebron James to Serena Williams sleep an average of 10 hours per night.
No wonder they are at the top of their game.
Sleep is the best medicine you can give yourself and is a priority.
If you don’t sleep, everything in your body is delayed.
From your memory to your movements.
Since exercising makes us more tired and hungry, it can be hard to differentiate the two feelings.
If the stomach is growling, that doesn’t mean you need fuel, it can simply mean you need to take a rest and let your stomach digest the food it last ate.
Exercising has led me to find an appreciation for naps, something I could never handle because Iām always on the go, never wanting to waste time or procrastinate.
Common NYC kid traits.
But I knew I couldnāt let this last and wouldnāt be able to get any work done so instead I pivoted to 10-minute power naps in the afternoons.
Once I get back to commuting to school, I have to be more accomodating but it is a game-changer that makes me work harder.
Naps can be more powerful than a long duration of sleep because our days are long so we need to space them out to work more efficiently and productively.
Whether you enjoy rowing, walking, reading or eating chips on the couch, it is pertinent you incorporate physical movement into your routine to enhance the lasting benefits to your life.
Change doesn’t happen overnight and ruining your life through restriction and diet is the least beneficial way to go. It will lead to bad eating disorders and relationships with food.
This is your life so make it count through putting in strategic work and planning towards benefiting your body so it can be released to every part of your life.