After 28 years on this earth, the first time I set foot in a gym was earlier this week. I have always managed to maintain my weight by watching what I ate and abstaining after a binge. The idea of going to gym was difficult for me. The gym can be an intimidating place. The sight of death-looking weights and hulk-like men, always made me feel weak. Living in a world of constant optics, the unknown combined with visuals created unwanted anxiety.
Although I know that exercise is vital to maintaining a healthy and holistic life, the Guyanese way of greeting people always made me feel good. I was often told that I was healthy since I was slim and trim, even despite my acne prone skin. Acne has trolled my life since birth. Yes, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but I have had it for as long as I could remember.
For the most part, being healthy for me was always associated with having a certain look. For 2018, I have dedicated myself to trying to keep my acne at bay. I started by switching up my diet to include less meat, sugars and oily foods. I try to drink about two to three litres of water a day and to secure a full eight-hour sleep routine at night and finally make the effort to go to a gym.
