- I want to lose weight
- I am definitely not going to enjoy this
I was miserable all the time and for some reason I thought that losing weight was the answer to all of my problems, and that once I was super skinny all them would just magically go away... I wasn't completely wrong.
Losing weight definitely didn't make any of my problems go away, and it didn't make me and less stressed; in fact, when I first started losing weight I only felt more pressure to keep losing it and to be better. But running - the part I thought I wasn't going to enjoy - played a huge role in my happiness and mental health.
When I first started running, I could barely make it to the end of the street after stepping out of the front door. I'd run to the nearest park and do a couple of laps before heading home. The entire time I was out there running I was in agony; my feet were blistered, my lungs would burn, and I'd get a stitch in my side so painful I was convinced I had actually been shot and I just hadn't heard the gun go off over the music I had blasting in my ears. But as soon as I stopped running, I had a rush of euphoria. I felt accomplished, my mind was clear, I was determined to make good choices for the rest of the day and become a better person - and I did.
Over time as my fitness grew, I would run for longer and my mind would start to wander during runs. I had time to think about any issues in my life, set goals and plan my life (but mostly, I just pretended I was in a post apocalyptic wasteland running from the infected in a hardcore movie-like moment only I could survive due to my fitness and worldly knowledge).
As my positive mindset - brought on by running - led to more positive attitudes and changes to my life, my mindset began to shift from wanting to lose weight to wanting to become a better runner. Rather than starving myself of food in order to lose weight I began to research what kind of food I should be eating to perform better, I started eating more, running further, and feeling happier - on top of that, weight loss started to happen naturally and I was feeling more alive than I ever had.
Not only did running help me to accomplish my weight loss goals, but I had discovered something much better along the way: happiness. I'm now more focused during the day, allowing me to think more clearly and perform better at university, I'm more determined and goal oriented, helping me to achieve more in other aspects of my life, and overall I am a healthier and happier person. I've even started to look at other ways to exert positive energy and get fitter and have started personal training, incorporating weight training into my regime - which has not only helped me run faster and further, but has made me even happier than before!
I have even decided to sign up for the local running events, so in the upcoming months I will be participating in:
I never knew what a positive influence running would have on my life but it is the best therapy I could ask for - and it's free (aside from the expensive running shoes... which I buy far too often)!
note: running will not always solve your problems, it can cause health and happiness but if you think that you need real help then seek it out - don't literally try and out run mental health issues.
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