In the spotlight

28

Sofia Christensen

"Let's go, Sofi, just a few more!" My personal trainer, Christine, stood beside me, motivating me until the very last rep. I took a deep breath and raised my right hand with the 15 kg dumbbell in it, feeling the burning pain grow stronger with each rep I completed.

I was supporting myself with my left hand, while my left knee was on top of the bench as well. With the buzzing atmosphere of the gym, the loud music, and my trainer next to me, my persistence burned brighter in me than the pain, and I successfully completed every rep.

A wide smile stretched on my face as I felt a surge of satisfaction rush through my body upon noticing that my workout was prosperous once again. I stood up from the bench, drops of sweat rolling down my face as I was trying to catch my breath.

"Great job!" Christine clapped her hands together. She was the best of the best around here, asking personally to be assigned next to me, and I couldn't be more grateful for her during my recovery. She was an absolute miracle worker; her diet and workout routines did wonders for my mental and physical health equally. Even barely two weeks into the rehabilitation, I was almost feeling myself again.

"You did exceptionally well today, Sofia; I'm very proud of you. Take it a little easy on your rest day; if you feel like it, call me, and we can do a swimming session as an active recovery." Her brunette ponytail bounced to the front as she put her hands on my shoulder. "Clara is waiting for you to help with stretching, and I will see you later, after dinner." I nodded as a signal of acknowledgment of her sentences, and after seeing the exhaustion on my face, she let me go.

Burning pain was radiating everywhere in my body, but lately I have learned to embrace it instead of letting it demotivate me. Muscle fatigue was a part of my recovery, but it wasn't like the pain I experienced during the lowest days of my anorexia. Those joint and bone aches were long gone, being replaced by a few sore muscles the day after workouts and positive thoughts in my mind.

After I'd finished stretching, I entered the completely empty changing rooms, in search of my own stuff I had placed somewhere in one of these lockers. The gym was much less crowded than what I was used to in Paris or anywhere else; it had the same vibe as the one I'm visiting every time we spend the holidays in Norway.

As of right now, nobody was really booked for rehabilitation in this center. I have met a few people during common sessions in the gym or just anywhere else, basically, considering how huge this place was. The whole area consisted of three main buildings: the main building with the rooms, which looked like a hotel with a gym in it, a restaurant, and an indoor swimming pool where I went regularly for active recovery.

I don't even want to lie anymore; I was enjoying my time here. The constant physical exercise and lots of free time made me forget about the everyday problems burdening me. I was training, swimming, boxing, horseback riding, or sometimes just reading on the beach and watching the sunset in peace.

I haven't even touched my phone for days, except when my parents or friends call me from time to time. Clearly, a lack of social media had the best impact on my mental health.

I returned to my room, throwing my stuff on the beautifully made queen-sized bed. I threw my used training clothes into the laundry basket and hopped into the shower.

Cold water ran down on my body, stinging into my aching muscles for a few moments before getting used to the temperature. There wasn't anything better after a workout than a cold shower.

I turned my face toward the stream, letting the water soak my face and my hair. I felt the sweat and struggle being washed away, leaving a fresh feeling behind. After finishing, I've dried my hair with a towel, then brushed it out before pulling out the hairdryer and leaving the bathroom altogether.