Thread: Exercise noob
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Old 11-06-2006, 03:16 AM   #7 (permalink)
Hsiang-Lin
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Join Date: Nov 2006
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I had a rather interesting path to adopting an exercise lifestyle.

I had no intention originally of exercising on a regular basis when I first started. In fact, I had six fat rolls instead of a six pack. This was back in 8th grade.

I was seriously out of shape and ate all the junk food I could get my hands on (my motto back then: "quantity over quality"). I was the typical gym loser. I was picked last in gym class. Ran/walked a mile in 11+ minutes (well some people might consider that an achievement so bear with me for a bit )

Want to know how I started? 1/2 a push-up. Not even 1 push-up. Just 1/2. My sister could do a complete push-up better than I could!

I love to shower and took 3 showers a day. So one night my dad was like why don't you just do something before you shower? You might as well sweat a little. I thought, "Fair enough" and began my 1/2 push-up routine. Well, first night was...damn easy! 1/2 push-up (and I cheated) and yay I was on my way to my lovely shower.

Next day, 1/2 push-up. Third night I wondered, hmm 1 push-up? Nope. 1/2 push-up but I could feel a slight improvement in strength. Nobody was pressuring me and I didn't feel obligated. But it became a sort of unconscious ambition. And it just built from there. Eventually, I reached my peak at 121 consecutive push-ups in high school. I also ran 5:47/mile in college (it was a casual competition between a friend and I, but boy was I tired!).

Now I exercise 6 days a week and I love it. People often say exercise is hard. In fact, I think it's fun! There is nothing torturous to me about it at all. I love the smell of the gym, the sweat, the "pain" (more like therapy to me), the atmosphere. Don't believe the hype! Exercise is a privilege and a gift. This is one occassion where I believe it truly is a social conditioning that exercise is some kind of torture or work. No it's not. I used to hate it, but now I love it. As Ronnie Coleman (8-time Mr. Olympia) would say, "Lightweight!"

Go out and become the great person you were meant to be! I know you can do it
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