I Gym'd Out

Why do we put it off, instead of just "doing it"? 

For me, I've been waiting for the heat to leave the Valley - if not totally gone, at least getting below 100 again!  But that isn't going to happen.  At least not any time soon.  And I totally need to be at the gym and getting more exercise into my days.  And less foods that aren't good for me, as well! 

Today, I decided that in spite of the high temps, I was going to the gym.  No.  Matter.  What.  Sure, it was hot, but I survived!  I walked on a treadmill, with an incline level of "2" (each machine can vary differently!) My goal was 30 minutes, see how far I could go and ended with 1.52 miles in 30 minutes.  I increased my water intake by 34 oz, and decreased my Diet Coke addiction down to 2 cans:  one in the morning, and one with supper.  Yes, I know, it's bad for me.  But if I go cold turkey, the caffeine withdrawal could be painful.  And very poor for my work situation! haha


Not my best I've ever done, but pretty good for this ol' Gal!

I keep telling myself it's a process, it won't happen over night, but darn it! Why does it take so long to see results?  If I was trying to gain weight, I could easily put on 5-10 lbs on a 3-day weekend!  But this is my life, it is what it is.  I think it's easier to work at something when you admit that this isn't a diet, it isn't temporary, and it isn't a quick solution to losing a few pounds.  Instead, it's more about being healthy, rather than thin -- or in my case, just a chubby goal I haven't been able to reach. 

Another reason for the walking and water increase is because it's nearly time for a doctor's visit to check the blood levels and blood pressure.  Last time it was slightly elevated and of course given my age, the doc is all about medications to control whatever issues are on the horizon.  Me, I dislike taking any meds, and I'm terrible at it.  So whatever I can do to put that off into the future, that's what I need to keep as my goal.

After the gym, an awesome county song came on the radio, Kenny Chesney and David Lee Murphy:  Everything's Gonna Be Alright  

Come on an' sing it with me: Everything's gonna be alright

That.  Is going to be my theme for the rest of the week.
If you're down, don't worry, everything's gonna be alright!

Planet Fitness

I'm a member of Planet Fitness.  I chose this gym because it's 2 minutes from work, I can dash over on my lunch hour to get a bit of cardio in.  Today, because I was done with work at 10am, I headed over to the gym and hopped on the treadmill.  I purposefully covered the digital display so I wouldn't be distracted with numbers, or more specifically ... how much time has gone? and is it enough time that I can stop?!!!   I set the parameters for 55 minutes and just let it go.  The first time I got the urge to check the time, I was past 30 minutes.

And that's where the I hit "the exercise high".  I felt like I could keep on going ... and going ... and going.    I added another 5 minutes to make it an even 60, and to make sure I got past the 3 mile mark.   The Beach Boys came over the headset and I cranked up the speed so that my running pace would match the beat of the music.

With a mix of 80s head bangin' stuff, to some country tunes, one of the last ones was Jason Aldean's "The Only Way I Know".   Really strikes a chord with me, because I was raised on country music and that's just how it's always been for me:

"That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop 'til everything’s gone

Straight ahead, never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

Full throttle, wide open

You get tired and you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know"

And it spurred me on, finished it out at 65 minutes, 3.25 miles.
Then I hit the machines for some more leg work.
If work hadn't called and interrupted me, I might have done even more!


As I get older, I have come to find that losing weight is a very real struggle.  Because it is, about two weeks ago, I decided that weight loss wasn't going to be my thing, and put it out of my head.  I changed my thoughts toward staying healthy.  And amazingly enough, I've now lost 8 lbs in the past two weeks!   So was I stressing about it so much that I was hindering progress?  Don't know, don't care.  I just keep going so that I'll maintain some muscle, some balance, and some good health.

Start Now!

 

It took me nearly two years to get up

off the couch, so to speak, and join a

gym again.  But I started.

You can't wait for "the right moment"

which for me would have been some

other company taking over the gym

that's next door to work, that closed up,

because having a gym that close made

it easy to slip in during lunch break, left me with no excuses not to dash in for a workout

after work was done.  But it's still an empty building.

Two weeks ago, I joined Planet Fitness.  And I'm happy that I finally did.  Sure, there's all the benefits to working out and such, but I just like how I feel when I've a)  taken control of something and b) when I'm done with a workout, the physiology of whatever chemicals are doing their thing inside my body leaves me with a good feeling.  That sounds wordy and nerdy, but like they used to say "If it feels good, do it!"

Friday's workout was 1/4 mile on the elliptical.  My thighs were beginning to burn with the effort, and since it was lunchtime, and I still had another 3 hours of work to go, I decided not to push things.  After, I still did 1.25 on the treadmill, then slipped into the Hip Adduction machine, working those inner thigh muscles.  Back in the day, I could do 30 with the weight set at 135.  I did 25 @ 110 lbs.  That was enough for me do go "whoa" ... and I am still feeling it on Saturday afternoon!

Saturday morning, up with the birds, and hit the gym at 7am.  Got my 1.5 miles on the treadmill in 26:30.   I'm slowly getting there, but to increase the speed much more, I'll have to lose some of these excess pounds.  Which is why I hopped back on that Hip Adduction machine, set it at 90lbs and did 20 reps.  More of a muscle memory thing that a real workout, but I could feel the stress on my muscles!   Then I hit the Hip Abduction machine, working the outer thighs, 20 reps, 90lbs (Didn't want to overdo anything!)  Found the Tricep machine, 20 reps, 40lbs.  I could have done more, I'm thinking, because there isn't that intense burn from a "new" workout.  But that's ok, there's still time.

The important thing is ... I started.