My PLANT BASED Pre Workout, Cannabis.

In my younger years, I tried all kinds of artificial powered drink pre workouts. Sure, they give you the zip of energy and focus for a great workout but they also have quite a few negative side effects. With a pounding heart, anxious mind and jittery body I’d carry on through my workout thinking “this is normal, this is healthy!” When in reality, these pre workout drinks were far from it. I remember growing up my father, a paramedic firefighter, always told me not to use a pre workout and how dangerous they are. As if that wasn’t reason enough to stop use of these products, I remember stories that started to circulate in the news. Young kids, in their early twenties suffering heart attacks while weight lifting and exercising, it was linked directly to pre workouts. Enough was enough, I needed an alternative. Unfortunately, before I had the chance to try weight lifting without a pre workout, I was injured. I took over two years off from the gym, feeling stuck and unmotivated. When it came time to get back into the gym, I knew I needed a little support but I knew I wasn’t going to use traditional pre workouts ever again.

Cannabis, my plant medicine. I had always used it for two main things in the past: pain management & recreation. I never thought about using it as my gym pump and pre workout routine until a few months ago. I was having a really bad day with my chronic back pain but knew I still needed to get out and move. I didn’t want the pain to get in the way of my goals to be healthy and back into weightlifting. I knew I needed to be able to still get to the gym. After some deliberation about how to best support my body, I decided to have a small toke of some Oregon Silver Haze flower, a sweet sativa from the Pacific Northwest.

When I got to the gym, something was different. I could feel this sense of calm focus come over my mind as my body began to float- pain free. The music consumed my mind, I zoned into my weight lifting and nothing else seemed to matter at that moment. The weights, my music and my body was the only thing I could sense. I felt every muscle in my body flexing with each rep, pinpointing and focusing in on the area I was trying to hit. I spent over an hour in the gym that day. I ran for the first time in over two years & I lifted heavier than I had in longer than I can even remember! After the workout, I could still feel the soft buzzing remnants of my cannabis high. It allowed me to take some time to slow down and tune into a nice relaxed, meditative yoga cool down. I never used to give myself time to unwind from a workout until now.

I left the gym that night feeling empowered and strong. For the first time in awhile, I felt like I had gotten a little bit of my old life back prior to my accident injury years ago. I felt empowered to be able to take my health back. Empowered to be a part of #womenwholift community once again. Cannabis as a pre workout has allowed me to gain my health and freedom within the gym. I feel balanced, focused and strong. Some people may not agree with smoking before a workout, but for me, it’s allowing me to get moving and I LOVE it.

Thank you cannabis, I love you and all you the things you are helping me to accomplish thus far

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