I look for joy in a strange place

Existing in my body is very painful. I lift weights to minimize that pain. I eat fruits and veggies and protein and fiber and carbs and fats within an enjoyable balance because my body is physically more pleasant to live in when I do.

I work out to maximize how good I can feel in my body. I eat nutrients and seek adequate hydration and prioritize rest to maximize how good I can feel literally just existing in my body.

Which again, is a baseline painful experience. I love fitness because it's a series of tools I can use to maximize how good it's possible to feel existing in an otherwise painful existence.

This is why I see red when I see "no pain no gain" mentalities. That is fundamentally the opposite of what I'm doing here. I hate seeing fitness popularized as a way of increasing suffering.

I pursue fitness for the exact same reason I smoke weed and make decadent desserts:

Because it makes me feel fantastic.