100% out of spite

if it doesn't start to "feel good" as everyone told me it would by january 1st (it doesn't feel good at all, i do not feel happier, i do not feel more "confident"), my new year's resolution will be to quit and start only doing things that i want to do, period

Lets see the physique

fortunately i know better now than to post pictures of myself on a public forum containing people i do not trust, so i'm afraid you'll have to take my word for it

i don't look impressive or muscular, because that wasn't my goal, but objectively speaking i'm in better shape than i've been in my life. i was told this alone would give me a "boost" to my mental health, but it hasn't done a goddamn thing, i'm just as miserable as ever except now i waste an hour of my life at the gym 4 days a week when i could be playing street fighter

Look at it this way, you don’t do drugs or drink alcohol as far as I’m concerned. I remember you saying you don’t do any of that. You’re already in better shape than majority of the US. I’d say that’s something to be proud of.

Can I add an inverse perspective here? I've been a rural grunt for the past fifteen years or so. I walked a portion of my province on foot. Since Covid I've been a declining wreck. I shoveled somebody's driveway a couple days ago as I got wheezy, then when finished collapsed into 48 hours of sleep. I went from average healthy and active to crippled but too stubborn to quit.

All I can say is this. When having to do something as basic as walking up the stairs challenge's your body's ability to intake enough oxygen, and you used to be able to lift your own body weight but now become light headed after carrying a grocery bag for too long, it just ever so slightly sucks.

And I fucking hate exercise too. But logically, being able to do stuff in your condition is fuck tons better than having to do it when you're not in the condition for it. It'll only improve your mental health if it's something you look forward to. Otherwise it's just a time filler.

Look at it this way. You don't need to be a fucking adonis or be happy with it. But at least you're in the condition to do things when they show up on your doorstep and demand that you do them. It's that much more miserable when you're not.

So good on you for getting ripped. Imagine being able to flex on people in street fighter while having the physique to flex on them irl.

Proud of you! Exercise creates body awareness IMO