Better for it

It's a love/hate relationship. Despite not really like working out. I like working out. Yeah, I know that's a contradictory statement. Allow me to try and explain.

The physical act of working out I don't necessarily like so much. I mean huffing, puffing, sweating. Eeew. And for me cardio is the worse. Sure, there may be break through moments when I feel invigorated as I ride up a steep hill. Or when I'm on the treadmill and I get the runner's high. But mostly working out for me is no fun. I can think of many other things I'd rather do, for starters -- sleep in. I faithfully wake up at 4:15 a.m. at least three times a week to go to the gym. Why? Oh, why?

See the thing is I lived most of my life overweight and sedentary. It wasn't until 2009 I started a bid to lose weight and take control of my health. Over the course of the last four years I strung together about three and a half solid years of working out consistently. After stumbling and falling off the workout wagon, read a previous post here I now realize how important working out is to me. I never want to return to that sedentary lifestyle ever, ever again.

Despite the huffing, puffing, sweating, and overall discomfort -- working out makes me feel better. My outlook, my perspective is more positive when I exercise. I'm more upbeat, energetic. I move better. I sleep better. I'm more focused. I think better.  I am better. So, today I realize that I don't particularly like working out and it probably won't get easier, read a previous post here, but I workout it because overall I'm better for it -- mentally, physically, emotionally.

Less Is More

I've said this many times before, my weight loss journey is not only about what I've lost, but what I've gained. This is a journey of self-discovery, learning, and striving to be a better person -- inside and out.

I laugh at myself when I look back at the workout path I've traveled. In the very beginning I knew nothing about working out. I just knew I was overweight, out of shape, and needed to burn calories. My plan of action was to try every machine at the gym. Every class at the gym. It was very typically for me to workout five to six days a week. Sometimes even taking back-to-back weight training and cardio classes. Sometimes being in the gym upward of three to four hours. Insane! Anyone who knows me well knows how I am. I go hard. Once I'm into or onto something fugetaboutit!

My workout craze was just that a craze.  Oh my goodness, I recall the first boot camp class I took. I was about 290 pounds and had only been working out for about a month. Can you say, deconditioned? And to boot, I pumped up a couple of friends and my teenaged daughter to join me. Wow. What  a train wreck! We all made it out, alive -- barely.

When I think about it now, I see how ineffective my workouts really were. I was working out for long periods of time with no focus. No road map. During this time, I got sick with cold/flu like symptoms all the time. Wonder why? My diet was questionable, I rarely got enough sleep, and I overworked the same muscle groups. On and on. So, as workouts were concerned, those workouts were ineffective. But, in retrospect, they were effective in other ways: I was meeting people and making friends at the gym, learning about my body, and my fortitude.

While I am a little disappointed at myself for taking the past six months off from the gym. Honestly, the time away was just what I needed. I needed a break. A reboot. Now I'm more focused. My workouts are my purposeful. Thanks to my hiatus, I realize that it's less about how many days or hours I spend in the gym and more about how I spend the time there. It's also about how I take care of myself in between workouts: eating well, proper rest, etc. Quite frankly, it’s a relief knowing that I don’t have to be at the gym everyday for several hours at a time. Gone are those days. Less is more.

Helpful articles:

Overtraining
Less Is More: Is Too Much Exercise Bad for You?
Why Four Workouts a Week May Be Better Than Six

Start

When I started my weight loss and get fit journey. I guess this comes as no surprise, but my diet and exercise regimen were totally different than they are today.

Back then, my idea of healthy eats were frozen Lean Cuisine meals, Broccoli & Beef from the Panda Express menu, and if and when I ate raw vegetables, they had to be dipped in Ranch dressing. I've come along way.

Today, I'm repulsed at the idea of any store-bought frozen meal, anything from Panda Express, and I gladly eat my veggies dip-less. On a personal note: I have taken control of my health in my very own kitchen, by preparing 99 percent of my meals at home using fresh, whole ingredients. Not only do I eat healthfully, I've taken it a step further: I've authored two cookbooks and I've held numerous cooking classes around the community. Where I am today, wouldn't have been possible without me, starting.

My exercise routine used to consist of a 15 minute normal paced walk outdoors. You heard the saying, "You have to crawl before you walk." Everyone has to start somewhere.
Walking for me was a safe effective way to get me jump started. Once I became comfortable walking, I made my way to the gym. Today, my workout routine looks quite a bit different than it did in 2009.

So, the point of this all... Don't worry so much about where you want to be. Don't over-think it. Keep it simple. Start where you are. Where you are today will inevitably look different in a few weeks, a few months, a year.

No one starts out preparing 99 percent of their meals at home from scratch. No one runs a marathon without first running a mile. Keep in mind, there'll be twists and turns a long your journey to health and fitness, but keep going, you're worth it.

Start.

Smart and balanced

A couple of months ago I wrote a blog post, “Scared and a little stupid.” At the time I wasn’t feeling so good and my body was giving me all the signals to slow down. But, I was hard headed and I didn’t listen. I forged ahead to the gym on an empty stomach, light headed, and dizzy. I nearly fainted in Pilates and had to leave class prematurely. That incident was one of my first wake-up calls to take better care of myself. Sometimes it’s important to just STOP. RECOVER. REFUEL. Coming from a person who avoided exercise like the plague and ate whatever foods I wanted. I admit, I have turned my obsession in quite the opposite direction. I eat and breathe health and fitness. It consumes me. I want out of this body so bad and sometimes I just can’t and won’t sit still.

Last weekend, my body, mind, and soul were tired. I was - I guess you could say - tapped out. So I decided to take the weekend off from exercising and thinking too much about it. Time to just chill and relax. I realized after some self-reflection what my life needs is balance. Here’s a recap of my week:

·      Monday – I worked with my Megan, my trainer. Accomplished things I never accomplished before: 33 pushups and 25 modified pull-ups.

·       Tuesday - I hit the gym HARD. I was moving around like Agile Abigail. I tell you I had full command of the gym. I was a Rock star.

·      Wednesday – A vigorous cardio workout followed by a return to Yoga class. In Yoga I discovered my body is in need of TLC. Despite being stronger and fitter my body is really wacked. A blog post about Yoga is forthcoming.

·      Thursday – A tune-up type workout with Megan and I started my pre-training jog for the half marathon I’m participating in this June.

·       Today, Friday - It seems I have hit another brick wall. I’m physically tapped out.

After reviewing my week I guess maybe I still missed the mark in the area of balance. But, to make good on the week I’m not working out today. And, I’m not going to beat myself up about it. Heck, I work hard. My body works hard. I give all of myself when at the gym or with Megan. I respect and cherish my body and its limits. Today I grant my body the rest it deserves. After all, slow and steady wins the race. This is about the overall, big picture and I’m destined to win even if I take a day off here and there. I’m smart and balanced.

"...Life’s a great balancing act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.” ~Dr. Seuss

Change is Good

In all aspects of our lives - every once in a while it’s good to mix things up - especially, when it comes to our workout routines. After several months of happily gyrating my hips in Zumba classes it finally became boring. Don’t get me wrong I still love the Latin rhythms, but as with most love affairs the honeymoon phase came to an end. So over the last couple of weeks, I replaced Zumba with an array of different cardio machines – you have to keep the body guessing.

To do just that, this week, I’m going to try something completely different. I’m not going to do any cardio. Yep, NO cardio. Instead, I'm going to take Yoga classes and weight lifting only this week – how’s that for a shocker body? I’ve heard so much about the benefits of Yoga. And, since this journey of mine is all about trying different things, I’ll give Yoga a try too -- Mind, Body, and Soul.