Fitness Routine

 

When I turned forty, my husband gave me the gift of a Gold's Gym membership with a trainer. We did couples training. It was at this point that I started to find fitness again and tried my best to be consistent. I would pack a bag in the morning with my sports bra, t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes so that I could go workout on my way home. If I went home first, I wouldn't workout that day. I did lose a little weight, but not what I had anticipated. Working out with a trainer once a week did give me more confidence at the gym - in what to do and how to work the machines. So I am really grateful for that. 

I then started setting challenges for myself so that I would be more consistent. I started a challenge to work out every day for a year. I had to start over once because I got sick and missed days of working out. I did my best, but eventually gave up that challenge.

I set and completed smaller challenges - a sit-up/crunches challenge one month, a push-ups challenge one month, a squats challenge one month... you get the picture. These helped me to have some better consistency and made me feel like I was accomplishing goals. 

I then discovered the free app "FitBit" during the start of the pandemic. When I couldn't go to the gym anymore, I needed an online outlet. Speaking of the pandemic, I saw a Facebook post that said, "Will you become a CHUNK, a DRUNK, or a HUNK during this pandemic?" I decided I wanted to become a hunk (well, the female version of it). I initially started working out every night before I went to bed. What I loved was the variety offered in this app! There are so many different types of workouts with different trainers. From cardio to yoga to strength training to stretching to meditation exercises and more, there are so many different workouts to mix it up. The app is also organized by muscle groups (abs, legs, etc.), time limits (from 5 minutes to an hour - there are so many workouts) and trainers. There are also celebrity trainers! It is so great! 

The REAL change happened when I started working out first thing in the morning though. I have set a routine that I've been able to be consistent with and that sets me up for success for the day. I now wake up at 5 AM and do a FitBit workout and then sit in bed, drink a cup of coffee and read as I cool down. I then get ready for work/school. I admit that it was difficult at first to not "sleep in" a little bit longer rather than work out. However, once I work out, I feel so much better. I feel like I have already accomplished something for the day and working out gives me the energy to have a great day. The app keeps track of the workouts too. It even has built-in challenges that you can complete.

And for 2021, I started a running challenge for myself. I used to run when I was in college, but haven't really run since. I set a goal to run 20 miles in the month of January. I wasn't sure what mileage to set as a goal. I figured a mile a day (with extra days to spare) would be doable. Well, I exceeded that goal. Because of that, I set my February goal at 25 miles. Five more miles in less time seemed a little risky. And then we had that week-long Texas Winter Storm with ice that kept me from running as well as a fever when I got the second Pfizer Covid vaccine. Well, I still hit my goal. And for March, I set my goal at 30 miles. It is March 11th and I only have about six miles left to hit that goal. 

With all this said (and done), I feel healthier and stronger. I have more energy and more confidence. I have dropped some weight and some inches. And I am fitting into smaller sizes now too. I'm not at my goal weight/size yet, so I'm going to keep upping my goals and will continue to stay consistent with my workouts. It is hard work, but it is worth it. By completing these goals, I am also proving to myself that I can do it! There were times when I thought there was no way I could become thinner and more fit on my own. I used to think I needed a nutritionist and a personal trainer and a program like Beachbody or something in order to make a change. But I've done all this by myself. I am capable - and so are you! You don't have to spend money to make a change in your fitness level. If I can do it, you can do it! Would you like an accountability buddy? Let me know! Or, you can post on social media to keep yourself honest (that's what I do). 

Now don't get me wrong, my physical changes have not come solely from working out. I have changed my eating habits too and will share those with you next. But with my fitness routine, I have become stronger and healthier. I can walk a flight of stairs or steep hill without becoming winded, my resting heart rate has gone down and I just have more energy overall. 

Well, thank you for reading about my fitness journey and I hope you've found some useful information or inspiration in this post.