After I dropped my daughter off at school this morning, I came home to a nice and peaceful house. I made some coffee and had some breakfast while watching a good movie. After about an hour, I got dressed and ready for the gym. As I stepped outside, I thought "This is going to be a great day!" It 's beautiful outside and I am so blessed. I got into the car and put on my iPod (yes, I listen to my iPod while I drive....it gets me revved up to go and work out). I jammed out all the way to the town club. I was in a great mood.....and I carried that mood into the gym with me.
It amazes me, each time I get to the gym, how important my attitude really is. When I drive to the gym and I'm dreading it (it happens to the best, most determined of people), that 45 minutes of cardio seems like hours. I seem to get drained quicker, I don't burn as many calories, and it's an all around drag. But, when I go to the gym determined and ready to kick some ass.....that's exactly what I do. The 45 minutes flies by and I burn more calories than I had intended to. I think to myself...."Why can't every day be like this?"
The truth is, every day won't be like this.....and that's why it's so important to ger "right" before you go into the gym (or outside to run, walk, play sports, whatever). There are so many external factors that can have an effect on our day, our mood, and our attitude. We can't change the weather, or how people treat us....but we can affect the way we respond. I must admit that it's a lot easier to go and work out when it's nice and shiny outside....it just puts you in a better mood.....but we still have to burn calories on those rainy, overcast days too. It's just gonna take a little more "mental prep" than those sunny days :)
When I was at the gym this morning, I was amazed at how much stronger my body has become. My range of motion has improved....I'm working muscles I didn't even know I had.....and every time I look down at my thighs....they're smaller! These are the things I am going to have to focus on the next time I am dreading going to the gym. These are the reasons that I go......to become stronger.......and I am well on my way!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Mixin' it up.....
I was getting ready to go to the gym the other day and realized that I was dreading it. It had become boring to me. I immediately began to worry. I thought "If I start to hate going to the gym.....I'll stop going and then I'll be right back where I started.....yuck!" I ran to my computer and started to look for some group classes that I could start going to, just to mix things up. I found several classes.....so I went to one....that very day. I loved it! It's a step & sculpt class. It mixes cardio and strength training and it kills ya.....but in a good way :)
I had never been in this predicament before. In previous attempts to get healthy, I would quit going to the gym, not out of boredom, but out of laziness. I never worked out long enough to deal with all the problems that I had read about....."work out boredom". I read articles every month in my Women's Health magazine and SHAPE magazine, all about how to spruce up your workouts to avoid becoming stagnant and bored. I would always skip past those articles because it didn't pertain to me. I couldn't see how you could get bored with the gym. I see it now!
So, after my first time at my new step & sculpt class, I was hooked. I go every Monday afternoon now. It's an amazing way to burn fat and get toned. I still do my elliptical to make sure that I'm reaching my calorie burn, but not everytime I go to the gym. I find myself getting excited about going to the gym again....and we all need to be excited about getting healthy....or we just won't do it....and stick with it.
I was looking at the group schedule today, for my gym, and found some water aerobics classes that I wanna take. I know that swimming is an awesome workout, for both cardio and toning, but I'm a little apprehensive about going. A swimsuit? Me?? I'm not comfortable with that. I want to get a better body before I get into a swimsuit....but if I get into a pool, I can get that body faster. What to do?? One day....hopefully soon.....I am gonna get in that pool, mix it up, and after a while, I'll finally have a body that I'm proud of....and I'll start looking forward to putting on my swimsuit!
I had never been in this predicament before. In previous attempts to get healthy, I would quit going to the gym, not out of boredom, but out of laziness. I never worked out long enough to deal with all the problems that I had read about....."work out boredom". I read articles every month in my Women's Health magazine and SHAPE magazine, all about how to spruce up your workouts to avoid becoming stagnant and bored. I would always skip past those articles because it didn't pertain to me. I couldn't see how you could get bored with the gym. I see it now!
So, after my first time at my new step & sculpt class, I was hooked. I go every Monday afternoon now. It's an amazing way to burn fat and get toned. I still do my elliptical to make sure that I'm reaching my calorie burn, but not everytime I go to the gym. I find myself getting excited about going to the gym again....and we all need to be excited about getting healthy....or we just won't do it....and stick with it.
I was looking at the group schedule today, for my gym, and found some water aerobics classes that I wanna take. I know that swimming is an awesome workout, for both cardio and toning, but I'm a little apprehensive about going. A swimsuit? Me?? I'm not comfortable with that. I want to get a better body before I get into a swimsuit....but if I get into a pool, I can get that body faster. What to do?? One day....hopefully soon.....I am gonna get in that pool, mix it up, and after a while, I'll finally have a body that I'm proud of....and I'll start looking forward to putting on my swimsuit!
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