Healthy Chicks

I have a confession: I don’t get angry much but last night I was fuming. I won’t go into details about why/who/what caused my anger, but let’s just say my blood was boiling. I guess anger wouldn’t even really describe it; pissed, shocked, stunned, steaming may be better words. I was actually shaking…literally. All I wanted to do was go for a run (but I had already done that before the anger came on and it was now too dark outside). Then I thought about kickboxing and realized that too was not rational at the moment. 

So I took a deep breathe (or 15), stood in the shower for a loooong time just thinking, made some hot tea, heated up my corn bag (it’s this homemade heating pad I’m obsessed with) and went to bed. Everything would be fine in the morning, right? Wrong. I had one of those *good* dreams where you wake up and realize shit, it was just a dream, hence already started my morning on the wrong foot. I woke up still feeling on edge (to the max), and that’s when I decided it was time to let my aggression out. No, I didn’t punch anyone (although I coulda) or down vodka (wayyy to early for that).

Instead, I booked it to the gym for an early morning cardio strenth training class. If this doesn’t help I don’t know what will. When the extremely ripped instructor told me to grab two sets of weights, a weighted bar, four stacked blocks for stepping, resistance bands, and sliders, I knew I’d come to the right class. This was going to be one long and sweaty session…right up my alley! I lunged like I’d never lunged before, I grape-vined like it was my job, I challenged my body, and I pushed myself to the limits. I was sweating, out of breath and in the zone. 

Once the class ended, I felt like a brand new woman. The power of exercise is unreal. It’s like a drug, one that’s extremely good for you! I walked out of the gym feeling terrific, shaking my ass down the street, admiring my toned arms and feeling good. It’s funny because when I woke up this morning I was feeling quite the opposite (even though I was the same old Rachel), but just 60-minutes of exercise gave me a brand new outlook. 

The anger has now passed and I’m feeling absolutely fabulous, ready to take on the day! Lesson learned? Next time I get all angry and fuming, I’m going to sweat it out, blast some Paula Abdul or Madonna and punch, kick, crunch, jumping-jack, lunge my anger away (even if it is midnight and the rest of the apartment building is sleeping). It’s so worth it.