Life Lessons from Getting Fit

[Josh_C]

Ok everyone, here is the deal. I'm writing an article about what lawyers can learn from former fatties (title is a work in progress). I've learned things about life on my own weight loss journey, but I want to hear what others have learned about themselves and living life. Don't worry if you don't think it applies to lawyers. I can sort that out.

['Roos]

It's exactly that moment when I say "I don't want to exercise" That I should get up, put on my big-girl pants, and lift some weights. Don't get depressed - get moving. It's the workouts that begin like this that are most often my most awesome ones.

[ETFnerd]

I go through opening remaks, a debate and summation b4 getting my @$$ to the gym sometimes...

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Honestly, one big thing I learned from getting fit was self confidence and that it's more important than the way you look. Back when I was 205 and under 20% body fat 8 or 9 years ago (senior year of high school), I thought I was fat and didn't appreciate the shape I was in, it came naturally. I had no self confidence because I had always been picked on as a nerd, and up until I sprouted up and thinned out freshman year of high school, picked on as the chubby kid.

I gained a lot of weight on college from 2004 to 2009, getting up to 260. Earlier this year when I dropped to almost 230, I felt good looking. Even though I never got to the shape I had been in previously, I appreciated where I was a whole lot more because it was so much better than what was possible and how big I had been. And, even though I didn't look as good as I once did, I had more self confidence than ever. And you know what? People perceived me differently because of it.

I have since gained the weight back, but kept my self confidence, and I realized that the way you carry yourself and the air of confidence you exude is at least as important, if not more important, than the way you look when it comes to how people perceive you. People still talk to me differently, I'm considered more in conversation, I lead more often, etc. than when I was in this same shape with less confidence.

[scarletleavy]

For me I've become a lot more mentally strong. I was always a quitter, I gave up or made excuses when things got hard and because of that I definitely sold myself short for so long. Getting fit and becoming involved in fitness/sports has really taught me to not give up, to dig deep and find the mental strength to keep going when you want to give up. It has also helped me to find calmness in my own life and cope better with stress and anxiety I might encounter. I used to be a little ball of stress and it made me crazy, but I've learned to breathe and just work through what's going on rather than just totally losing it.

It sounds so cliche to say, but it seriously has changed my life completely. I think I'm a much stronger and more competent person now, not to mention less stressed and much happier.

[nuyorkgurl]

Mine wasn't really a weight-loss journey - but a general fitness journey. Now, I do yoga at least 6 days a week. I'm always working on specific goals - handstand, forearm stand, whatever. But the lesson I've learned is that these goals, although they are the carrot and critical to maintaining my motivation... are not the point at all. Along the journey to achieving these goals, I always surprise myself with other random accomplishments in my practice. By the time I get to the bigger goal, I've picked up hundreds of tiny lessons, adjustments, and breakthroughs that are hard-earned and sometimes more fulfilling than the big win.

The other lesson is the importance of balance. You can't just focus on one area or one skill and expect healthy results. Your body, mind, soul just don't work that way! I'm never going to be able to do a hand-stand if I don't develop strong upper arms, shoulders, core, and legs. It doesn't work to just practice against a wall.

[Guest Snake McClain]

For me I've become a lot more mentally strong. I was always a quitter, I gave up or made excuses when things got hard and because of that I definitely sold myself short for so long. Getting fit and becoming involved in fitness/sports has really taught me to not give up, to dig deep and find the mental strength to keep going when you want to give up. It has also helped me to find calmness in my own life and cope better with stress and anxiety I might encounter. I used to be a little ball of stress and it made me crazy, but I've learned to breathe and just work through what's going on rather than just totally losing it.

It sounds so cliche to say, but it seriously has changed my life completely. I think I'm a much stronger and more competent person now, not to mention less stressed and much happier.

I have to agree with this completely.

Also adding it has done a ton for my confidence in life. I know that i have never been bad looking or fat but i never believed in myself at all for anything. I would always quit and just say "what's the point?" when things were tough. or maybe because i got bored with it? but this i decided to just do it. i have goals now and i am accomplishing them for the first time in my entire life i am following through on my dreams. So here are the lessons I've learned.

1. Although i may not be able to do it TODAY, i WILL be able to do it through hard work.

2. I am a LOT stronger than I ever thought (mentally and physically).

3. I AM capable of doing it alone and being my own morale booster and I DO NOT need other people to reassure me.

That's all i can think of right now.

[sumdawgtwigg]

Self confidence is the biggest thing I've gained. That confidence has changed my life, literally. I go to school and get perfect grades, make honor list, work harder when I'm at work, the list goes on and on. But it all comes from the confidence that i've achieved trough getting fit.

[Ataraxia]

Here is my reply, in a little easy-to-overlook NF post.

Basically, I've heard it from Yoda, Morpheus, Nike, everybody... but even though I understood intellectually it was impotent until I applied it and made it my own. This post describes how I have learned it from dieting, parkour, and contact lenses.

[crowemagnonman]

I learned Tenacity. It's so easy to let the slightest thing derail you if you let it. I had to learn to shut out everything else and just workout. Don't get discouraged, keep at it, even when you really don't want to. One step at a time and you will reach your goals. Not as fast as you'd like, but eventually.