My Dumbbell Addiction
Hello there, world! Welcome to my blog.
I often wonder what other people spend most of their days thinking about. Outside of work and daily responsibilities, I mostly find myself consumed by two thoughts: “What is my work-out going to be today?” and “What am I going to eat next?”. Maybe this sounds exactly like you, or maybe this sounds slightly pathological and narcissistic, maybe both. But for me, the gym is my church, my doctor, and my therapist.
Life is messy and complicated. Stress is unavoidable. Our modern day activities, education system, and career options make it ever more challenging to live healthy lifestyles that aren’t ridden with depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, obesity…the list is ceaseless. The shocking state of mental and physical health in America (and now even in developing countries as well) is costing society billions of dollars and an invaluable loss in life quality.
Ever since I was 12 years old, I have struggled with healthy body image and my diet. What is “healthy”? What foods are “good” or “bad”? The amount of time I’ve spent hating myself in front of a mirror is much more than I am willing to admit. Social pressures on female appearance and body weight have justified my obsession with health, but this is NOT healthy.
So how can I find balance? How can I make healthy living a personal priority and core value, in a way that isn’t obsessive and rooted in self-hatred? I have finally found something that makes me feel good about myself, inside and out. It has changed the way I view fitness and the meaning of word beautiful. It makes me feel strong, invincible, inspired, in both body and mind.
Weightlifting came into my life accidentally, but it has completely revolutionized my idea of “healthy”. My dumbbell addiction helps motivate me in every other goal and activity I pursue. When I leave the gym, anything is possible. The science behind why this happens is well-researched. The benefits of resistive training mimics all the positive qualities of any addictive drug, but without any of the negative side effects.
With my background in psychology, human biology, and neuroscience, I am blogging to provide a unique perspective on the why every girl should be weight lifting. The purpose of this blog will be to inform, motivate, and connect like-minded fitness individuals who believe in continual self-improvement and living a healthy life. By sharing the metaphors and lessons I have learned from weightlifting, I hope that daily life challenges will become a lot easier to handle and each daily moment will bring more happiness to my readers.
