Kat's fourth post

I have changed a lot of my habits between my first and second semester of college.  I was fully expecting to have a big shift in my routine from high school to my new routine in college.  In high school I had access to a car and a barn, so I would schedule in time to ride four to five times every single week, and I had done that for years.  Since I spent so much time at the barn it was completely unnecessary for me to go to the gym on top of it, so subsequently I almost never went to the lifetime just up the road from me.  I knew that I wouldn’t be able to ride in Ireland, and I was mentally prepared to deal with not being able to see my horses. Due to the fact that I was so focused on the emotional impact of giving up such a central aspect of my life, it never occured to me that other changes might happen to. An unforeseen consequence of having to give up riding was that unless I went to the gym I would lose the muscle I had built up over the years.  I wasn’t ripped or anything going into Ireland, but I was fairly strong; I had no issue carrying both of my seventy pound bags up the stairs among other little things like that. Still hating the gym with a passion, I hadn’t bothered to bring any work out clothes or shoes. As the semester went on, my muscles atrophied quite a bit, and I found it really upsetting. I didn’t gain a lot of weight, but my composition was completely turned on its head.  Over winter break I threw a bunch of gym clothes in my suitcase to see if I could force myself to get into the habit of going to the gym during my semester in Boston.

I knew that I wanted to ride when I came home for the summer, and I knew that I wouldn’t be physically able to if I didn’t work on putting some of my muscle back on.  I have a couple of friends who go to the gym; being able to tag along with them was hugely motivating me to spend my time working out instead of sitting around. It has only been a month of converting myself into a gym rat, but I can really feel the difference that it has made.  I actually enjoy working out now and I’ve found myself crafting goals for myself long term. I really want to have abs eventually, and what’s really driving me to work for it right now is the prospect of a belly button ring, which would be my 20th piercing.