Below is an article I had written for a blog, Threebrothershealth.com, back in June 2009. For those of you that are wondering, my friendship with Gym is now stronger than ever!

"Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands!" - Elle Woods [Legally Blonde]

Maybe exercise is the cure to all our flaws? I’m not talking typical weight “flaws” here, but everything that prevents us from becoming healthier, happier, stronger and more positive human beings. i.e. Hatred. Laziness. Envy. 90% of the time we are aware of these flaws. Rather than trying to make them go away, we choose to indulge in them. At times it seems that hardships are the only thing we face and happiness is so far out of reach. But I believe, it is in our power to dismiss negativity and welcome positivism.

Unfortunately, saying that exercise is your road to happiness is not enough to encourage this behavior. There is a lack of tangible incentive. People do not enjoy 'work', but they 'work' because in return, they get paid. Furthermore, people view 'working out' as solely for weight loss. However, they overlook the benefits of a life well lived. Then again, it’s not like exercise has managed to build the best of reputations. It's commonly viewed as an exhausting chore. This is a big misconception. Exercise revitalizes you!

Perhaps if more 'every day' people were to share their life changing stories, people will become more accepting to the idea of working out. It's a safe assumption that advertisements do not often win us over! We are so used to seeing actors, actresses, models, and athletes who appear to need little to no exercise. This gets discouraging for us average Joe’s and Jane’s! It enforces the feeling that exercise is only if you want to look good, i.e. like them, thus making your own goals seem useless and/or unattainable. But this is not the case! Keep in mind that feeling good varies from person to person. All that matters is that at the end of the day you are you in your skin.

I, myself, am a relatively new friend of "Gym". We met back in January and have since been inseparable. I too fall victim to laziness and discouragement, but I remind myself that saying, “I’ll just go tomorrow,” is all it takes to fall into what we all hate to love, procrastination. Of course there are times where that is acceptable, but not when your other option is sitting on the couch watching the tube! Capeesh?! I used to be very active in sports all throughout my life, but now responsibilities have taken over. Because of this, I have lost a lot of my discipline and motivation. So I thought I’d give "Gym" a fair chance. First we took things slow, seeing each other 2x/3x a week. Now it has become a 4x/5x a week commitment! Though I do not like to admit this, I have a tendency to be a “negative Natalie,” but ever since my new found friendship with "Gym", it’s negative who? I have been more patient, open minded, accepting of my daily encounters, and have certainly become a livelier persona to be around. The funny thing is, if I miss one week of exercise, I feel tired, uncomfortable and not myself.

It is crucial for us to start viewing "Gym", or any form of exercise, as a prescribed medicine. Your daily dose leads to a speedy recovery. Except in this case, it’ll lead you to a steady, healthy living while keeping the need for recovery far, far away