6 Months Later

So back in January, I had signed up for the gym with no expectations.
I also started cooking school at the same time and having a schedule that fluctuated throughout the week meant that I was able to squeeze in some gym time and also some gym classes in the evenings - especially when the V-Man was at overnight/respite care.

For me, the gym was an escape.

I got that "in the zone" high whenever I went - which for me - meant that I focused on what I was doing.  I didn't think about the various things that had to be done like cleaning, grocery shopping, paperwork for the kids, picking up which kid and cooking supper when I got home.

It was a nice "mom-cation" without going anywhere and for pennies a day, if I went minimum five times a week!

I can't tell you how much weight I have lost because shockingly, there isn't a scale at the gym and I also don't own one!
I think for me, this was the most important thing - not having to stress about every single pound/kilogram and to just trust myself and push myself every week a little more.

Well, I can tell you that 6 months later, I'm still loving going to the gym! I have girlfriends that I go with regularly and also seek motivation through Pinterest, friends who have been into the gym routine for years and just seeking the peace and quiet the gym provides me that I don't get at home. :P
I'm more conscious about what I am eating - that's not to say I don't cheat (and I mean more than once a week!) but I cheat with better consideration.

At home, I've purchased some smaller plates and one long rectangle plate from IKEA.  They're all cheap but colourful and the main purpose was for my Instagram photos honestly! :)
The other point of buying smaller plates was to help decrease the portion size I was eating!
I was eating excessively and that had nothing to do with going to the gym - but just sticking to my old habits of eating until I was sure I would burst!

Within a week of eating off smaller plates and decreasing portion sizes - like 2 slices of pizza compared to 4... - my pants are fitting better!
I feel better!

I haven't juiced in ages - which would probably help with the slimming down faster - but when I was in cooking school (currently on summer vacation), I was constantly around food.

Do you know how hard it is to resist freshly cooked food and fresh out of the oven bread?!

I also had to constantly taste this and taste that - which added up with again, large portions at school.
My button to my cooking pants didn't close ever.  Not until the last week of school.
At school, I was provided oatmeal and leftover dessert (if any) for breakfast and lunch was usually quite hearty as well.
So I started loading more salad on my plate - ensuring it took up half the plate, meat a smaller portion and rice or potatoes - only occasionally.
I skipped dessert unless it was something new or fancy.  Or I would split dessert with a friend - half the guilt and half the calories - right? :P

So back to the gym... I've found out that I absolutely love spinning.
I know, if you've been following my blog for awhile - I hated spinning the first day.
I'm glad to say that I have been back every week since and this past week - I went twice.
Yeah - my husband was shocked too but I really enjoy it!  My legs feel like jelly afterward but it's still a successful accomplished feeling for me!
My legs are becoming more muscular and my thighs aren't so jiggly!  Each week I try and push my tension up so I feel the burn.

I also try to go to Body Jam, a dance class that's an hour-long and it's the same dance moves every week and it makes me sweat like a pig.

"I hate sweating!" I used to tell friends and found that I wasn't producing the best results I could with my body until I started sweating.
I'm getting over my disgust of sweating - still can't stand the stench of others - but that's just me.

I am pushing my limit every week in terms of weights being used.

On the tippy toes - it hurts.
Trust me.

I don't know all the names of the machines that I'm using, but I can give you a rough idea of what I am doing (and I can upload this with photos next time I go to the gym):

• I leg press starting from 40 kg up to 80 kg - doing 10 presses, 2 rounds.  Sometimes more if I am chatting with a friend on my phone - or am blogging! :P
• I do a lower back press starting at 30 kg up to 55 kg.  This was especially important for me after I had a minor accident on my 30th birthday back in February and I fell on ice twice - and the following morning, twisted and cramped my lower back muscles!!
• I do a variety of dips in groups of ten.
• I take two 8kg kettle bells and walk 15 long steps across the gym, but dipping my body down as far as I can go.  It's not a race and I don't walk fast.  I do this really slowly and when I forward lunge/dip - I put all my weight down. I then walk back the same distance.
• I use the row machine and go from 15kg to 40kg.  This is excellent for me because I do walk two large dogs and with Milo being a very strong dog and a puller - this has helped me with walking him by strengthening those muscles needed to hold a dog bag when needed!  Loki is 36kg and really responsive and often goes off leash with me because he's motivated by treats and rubs.
  Milo isn't there yet and is only 25kg but is still quite strong for such a slim dog.
• I do something like rowing - where you lean back a bit to pull and lift the weights (again, this is why photos are necessary! :P) and can go from 20kg to 40kg so far.
• I jump on the soft blocks they have a few rounds.
• I do some more arm exercises with machines and it ranges from 15-35kg.
• I do quads - meaning sitting against a wall and squatting down while my thighs burn.  I was also advised by another gym nut friend of mine to do quads while on my tippy toes - yeah - that burns a lot more.
• I hate the treadmill - but will speed walk (I do this naturally anyway) and jog a bit on it.
• I despise the stair master - but will do one round on the machine, which is equivalent to 10 floors.
• Sometimes I'll use the exercise bike.  

Once that's all done - it takes upwards of 1-1½ hours, I spend a minimum of 20 minutes stretching.

I use whatever is available.

I change my music list (I use Spotify on my phone for free - but right now they have this 99 cents sale for 3 months for the summer!) - from my "GYM" list to my "Yoga & Stretching" list.

• There's a broomstick handle and I do side lunges with those while wrapping my arms upward and holding on to the handle. I also twist my body side to side and forwards/backwards while holding onto the handle too.
• I do yoga - just some basic moves - whatever feels good and makes my body relax in the end.
• I bend backwards while "climbing" down the wall behind me and also I walk up the wall behind me while my hands are on the floor.  If a friend goes with me some time - I'll get them to take a photo! Mostly because I'm curious how ridiculous I look! :P

And that's it!  It can take a total of 1.5-2 hours for me to do all of this.

When I first started, I was done within an hour.  I'm slowly extending my time at the gym - depending on scheduling with Hubster and the kids - and increasing the weights each week and the reps as well.

Anyways, until next time!

BIMU