Sistas It’s Time To Ditch The Excuses…Let’s Get Physically Fit

Ladies, it’s time we focus on our temples. It’s time to get out of the excuse zone and make things happen. It’s time to get in shape. I constantly hear so many women complain about their bodies, but refuse to do anything about it. Not because they’re lazy, but because working out just seems like too much hassle.  One of the major things black women fret about when it comes to working out is their hair. I know it is difficult when you spend your hard earned money into looking like a diva, only to sweat it out in somebodies gym. I’ve been there, but at a certain point you have to sit down and think of what’s more important…your health or a hairstyle. It’s time to leave the excuses behind and get in shape.
I have never been overweight. All my life I actually struggled to gain weight. I was always “the skinny girl.” It started to bother me because everyone made being skinny into something negative. I never worked out a day in my life, so it wasn’t like I desired to be thin. That’s just how my body was made. I envied girls that had thickness to themselves, because that’s actually what the boys seemed to like. It wasn’t until I moved to Georgia when I started putting on some weight. Still not that kinda thick down south weight, but I was putting on something. At 30 I realized that not only was I a little meaty now I felt sloppy. I felt uncomfortable being the weight I was, and thought of how much I wished I had this weight back in the day. It seemed the weight never hit the right places tho. I felt all kinds of wrong and decided to do something about it. I decided to join the gym. Now I was just like all the black women out there that doubt the gym. Lawd I didn’t want to sweat out my hair because my short hair was everything to me, but I knew I needed to make a change with my body so I went all in.

One thing that I decided when I joined the gym was, I stop getting my hair done professionally. I started going to the gym 4 days a week, so having my hair laid was not gonna work. At this moment I needed to bring the healthy back to my life, so my hair was the least of my worries. I opted for head scarfs to keep my hair down. Hell I didn’t care how I looked in the gym. I wasn’t there scoping out the men. I was on a mission. I said once I lose the weight I wanna lose I will chill with the gym and go back to getting my hair hooked. One morning I woke up and decided that I wasn’t gonna get a relaxer for a while. My hair needed a break and this was the perfect time to take that break. I started wearing sew-ins and shit, because it was a little easier on my hair when I worked out. I developed a rhythm when I worked out. I was no longer doing it because I wanted to lose the last pesky 5lbs. I actually started to enjoy it. I was more health conscience than before. I rather get on the treadmill than be at home bored out of my mind. Anytime I wanted to think, working out seemed like the best place to be lost in my thoughts. I would just put my music in my ears and run all my frustration away. I was sexually frustrated as well, so working out became my sex substitute. Not only was I clearer, I was losing weight and feeling good. I didn’t realize that my body was changing until people complimented me on how good I was looking. I definitely got my sense of me back.

Ladies, sometimes you have to build your better self . I was basically going through a cleanse. After my break-up I decided to change things in my life. Now I’ve been working out steady for a year, I haven’t had a relaxer in almost 10 months and I’ve been celibate for over a year now. I’m not saying this is the path you should follow, but this is the one I chose. You have to want to get in shape. Before I worked out I had Hypertension. I was on a double dose of blood pressure medication. After working out, I’ve regulated my blood pressure and ditched the pills. Get off your asses ladies and let’s make this happen. This is suppose to be the year of change. Taking all your old bad habits and making better decisions. You only get one body, why not take care of what you got?

Holla at me: Do you find it difficult to work out? What are some of your restraints in making that move?