This week was great compared to the past few weeks.

I worked out more than once — finally — and I got a full-body workout each time. Not only did I make a great effort to work out this week with a busy schedule, but I also pushed myself to accomplish some great things.

I can now bench 80 pounds, and I can squat with 95 pounds. I don’t know about you, but that’s some great improvement for myself, especially because last time I did either, I was stuck near the 50-pound mark and was telling my boyfriend that I couldn’t do it.

At first, I was all sorts of discouraged and thought that I wasn’t going to be able to do either, but as each set of weights was added, I kept telling myself that I was mentally and physically strong enough to do it. It was all about finding the positive energy.

The interesting thing was that even though it was a lot heavier than normal, I used all that I had and knocked out each weight until my reps got shorter and shorter.

I hope you all use this as inspiration, so that when you feel like you can’t do something or you don’t have the strength, you can if you put in the effort. Consistency is key if you want to see a change in your appearance or strength.  

It might be nearing the end of the semester, but I’m glad that I keep pushing myself to achieve more. Use this week to get back into the swing of things if you’ve been slacking, and remember to enjoy the weather each day. If it’s nice enough to go for a run, take advantage before another cold front swoops in.

Contact Melissa Puppo at [email protected].