So I’ve been officially going to the gym for two full weeks and I’m proud of myself. My one-week gym trial turned into a real membership and I still can’t believe I’ve agreed to pay a new monthly bill. I realized that home workouts weren’t happening as often as they should in my household and I was either going to stay skinny fat for the rest of 2018 or I was going to make a change. Thank goodness I chose the latter and now I’d love to share what I’ve learned so far.
Starting is the hardest part.
Two out of the three days I worked out this week, I really didn’t feel like going. I had just gotten home from work after an hour-long commute and I just felt like chilling on the couch with my dog. But I went anyway and once I got to the gym, the working out wasn’t hard to do. The hour seems to fly by and even when I’m struggling in a group fitness class or having a hard time lifting weights, I feel like I’m doing something that can make me better. I know that actually starting to workout is harder than the actual workout so if you find yourself wanting to be lazy but needing to workout, fulfill that need first. You’ll be thankful you did.
It’s a lifestyle change.
When you’re putting the time in at the gym, you’re not going to want to eat junk foods as often. In my case, I haven’t re-upped my weekly chocolate covered almond stash and I don’t plan to anytime soon. Our gym is right next to our grocery store so we’ll grocery shop more frequently and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. And my husband found some yummy gluten-free lemon blueberry bars to snack on when he wants a sweet treat. I foresee us meal prepping regularly in the near future and becoming a “gym couple” in no time, lol.’
The changes don’t stop at your eating habits. Working out regularly can change your entire life. I’m just two weeks in so I won’t be too dramatic but I will point out that waking up in the morning isn’t as hard as it usually is and I’m learning to manage my time more wisely. So many of us claim to not have the time to workout but the lie detector test determined that’s a lie. We have the power to choose how we occupy our time and I had to keep it real with myself and stop wasting my precious minutes. I can give myself an hour and a half each day to invest in my health. Sure, I miss out on television shows while I’m at the gym but I can watch them later. I plan to get some wireless headphones so I can listen to new music or podcasts while I work out and kill two birds with one stone.
I find myself looking ahead and my future looks brighter. I have a few body goals to reach by Christmas but this time last year I was just skinny fat and content with it. I hope my newfound discipline when it comes to working out transfers into other areas of my life and I look forward to who I become and the other ways my lifestyle will change.
Group fitness classes make things easier.
Last week I participated in a Zumba class for about ten minutes before I threw in the towel. I should’ve never walked in the room though because I knew a long time ago that wasn’t the workout for me… Since that fail, I’ve gone to two yoga classes and one group aerobic session and loved them all.
When in a group fitness class, you’ll have people of all ages with different fitness levels which makes working out both easy and fun. You’ll find yourself laughing when you and others almost fall or mess up a move. You’ll make new friends when you keep seeing the same faces week after week. Check out a group fitness class in your area if you don’t necessarily know where to get started on your fitness journey.
You don’t have to pay money to get fit.
Although L.A. Fitness will be collecting money from me on a monthly basis, I realize that I could’ve started my fitness journey for free and from any location. There are tons of free workout videos on YouTube that I’ve tried and they’re great. My issue was that I wasn’t making the time to do the workout at home. And when it came to doing yoga videos, I wasn’t sure if my form was right. That’s the benefit of going to live classes with instructors present… They can help you get your gym life together and you’ll be able to ask questions in real time.
If you want to start working out, you can do so at home or at a local park or playground. You can jog around your neighborhood or take a long walk in the evening. Use heavy items in your house as weights. Have races with your family members. Do random jumping jacks and push ups around the house. Your options are truly endless so don’t feel obligated to pay a monthly gym membership unless you’re like me and have a hard time holding yourself accountable enough to actually do the workouts.