Endorphins

It is a widespread belief that after you have exercised your body produces more endorphins. Those hormones are, among others, responsible for happiness, or at least temporary luck. Well, I can tell you, I have experienced this “rush” almost every time. Just today I got into my car, pumped up the music and jammed until I felt so embarrassed when other people saw me that I stopped for a short time. But all the sport fanatics out there know what I mean when I say “rush”. You get home after work and feel exhausted. How could you possibly feel better after exhausting your body even more? But yes, it is possible. And since you know that you will feel better after, exercising can almost become an addiction. I push myself harder and harder every time to walk out of the class with bones like jello and the feeling of flying, because I cannot feel my legs. Right now I enjoy this feeling, because it helps me to enjoy the rest of the evening instead of lying in my bed feeling like crap. But I know people, who actually get addicted. They work out more than once a day, always trying to achieve this rush. It’s a drug.

On the other hand, sugar, for me it is chocolate, can do the exact same thing to you. Especially people who like Candy (like me. LOVELOVELOVE Candy and Chocolate) tend to reward themselves for hard work or a small achievements with sugar. The mind connects sugar with a reward, and you feel better, more energetic. But only for a moment. As your insulin drops quickly you feel hungrier and weaker than before, feeling you have worked hard. You get another piece of Candy.

I proudly announce, I have both addictions. Even if I manage not to eat sweets for a week or so, I just value it too much.

Don’t agonize about little flaws. I feel a little Candy addiction can’t do harm. It’s not alcohol or worse. And as long as you don’t value exercise more than the people you love…what can seriously be wrong with that? There will always be people judging judging you. “You work out way too often” Or you will be judging yourself eventuelly. “I should’t have eaten that Kinder Bar”.

Find your own balance. It’s all about how you achieve “unconditional happiness”(read on my Creation page). I do by working out and jamming in my car. Even better with a Kinder Bar between my teeth.

Kickboxing

In my humble opinion, kickboxing is one of the best sports if you plan to get in shape. In the beginning it can cost you everything to keep on going but as soon as you have found a class with an instructor you like and with people who motivate you, you will get addicted to releave your stress by punching a punching bag. The training involves drills, pretty much every kind of fitness exercise that comes close to military fitness drills (joke) (actually no joke…it can be horrible), and of course kicking and punching techniques. I avoid sparing (fighting that avoids injuries) because I solely do it for fitness. Maybe I will try it some day though. If you are looking for a whole body work out, which gives you defined but not huge muscles, this is it! Even if you think it to be too harsh at first: Keep. Going. Work hard and you will have so much fun! As a women it also makes me feel saver. Even though my instructor tells me to run away and scream as loud as I can if I get attact by a man for example, I know he taught me how to free myself out of such a situation at least for a few seconds so I actually can run and scream. Reality always looks differently of course. Kickboxing is not only for boys. It is not too manly. Girls, get on to it.

Anyone from Hamburg:
My class is at the On Stage fitness centre at Wartenau with Jotis
Take a look