Throughout my life, I have never been a “gym person.” I played sports such as basketball, cheer and dance throughout school, but if it weren't for my competitive side, I would have watched Netflix instead. Which sounds a lot like what I did my freshman year of college. I have always had a high metabolism and was one of those girls who could eat anything without it showing. This is a warning to all college freshman, the freshman 15 does exist! The freshman 15 is a saying that means as a freshman, you are bound to gain 15 pounds. At the end of my first year of college, I decided I was not going to start this next chapter of my life in an unhealthy way and got a gym membership. I was lost. I didn’t know how to use any of the machines, the only one I recognized was a treadmill and I hate running. Now, only three months of consecutively working out, I have learned to truly love the gym.

1. Better awareness of your body.

When you start regularly going to a gym, you start to work muscles in your body you didn't even know existed. You learn how strong your body actually is. In the beginning, it is almost like you are trying to get to know your body as if you haven't had it your whole life. Before going to the gym, I would think so broadly, like “I want to work on my legs.” Then you find out exactly what those muscles are, such as your quads and calf muscles, which allow you to target those exact areas to see change.

2. Self gratification.

Every day that I go to the gym, I am so proud of myself. I feel as though I am giving my body a thank you gift for keeping me as healthy as I have been. Health and mobility are, most of the time, taken for granted and it makes me feel good knowing that I am doing something that will do nothing but benefit me in positive ways.

3. Being healthy looks good.

From going to the gym just the small time that I have, I have noticed something quite interesting. People’s motivation for the gym is all exterior motives. The gym is a place you go to make your body look good. Well, I have learned the gym should not be about exterior but interior. Healthy looks good on everyone no matter what it looks like or what number shows up on the scale. If you are healthy, that is all that matters. That should be the main goal. Going to the gym has made me more health conscious than ever. I am excited about health and fitness now, something I never would have said before.

4. Me time.

The gym has become my relaxation me time. I am a constant worrier who all day long worries for other people. When I hit the gym, everything I do is all for me. I can put my music in and zone out. I can go with my friends and have social time. No matter what I choose that day, it is all for me and benefiting me. That is something that everyone needs in order to be healthy. It also helps when your gym has massage beds.

5. I am in control.

I know this is a funny one. Why would the gym have anything to do with control? Throughout life, we all hear the phrase “You are in control of what you do with your future,” or something along those lines. However, life can and will throw your curveballs with things you are not in control of and sometimes leave you feeling like you have no control in anything. Sometimes schedules can be so crazy, you are just going where you are supposed to be not anywhere you want to be, and that is where the gym comes to this example. The gym is a place I choose to go to, for me. I make room in my schedule to have that time. I am in control of what machines I do and how long I do it. On top of that, we may not be in control of our hair lines or wrinkles, but you are in control of how you age and how active you are when you become older. I feel as though by going to gym I am in control of how I age and ultimately how active I will be in the future.