Don't mind the blog heading, I was on a mini holiday for 9 days, and I missed the squat rack, today it felt like heaven.
But that's not what I wanted to talk about....the real blog title of the day is.....wait for it..........
Things that happened since I started lifting heavy
1. My husband tells everyone I can beat him up....
2. I stopped focussing on weight, I don't weigh myself, but when I am reminded to do so, I am pleasantly surprised to find that I am on the higher end of the recommended weight for my height, and I still don't care.
3. I love being strong, I challenge myself with every lift. I started focusing on getting stronger, on balancing strength gains throughout my body. I started learning about my body, because I broke my body down to bits in order to build it.
4. I made good friends at the gym, most of them call me "kairatu"....which means young girl...and I'm not, but I like it.
5. Really, my husband tells everyone I can beat him up....luckily they never believe him.
6. I became more confident. Not in what I wear, but it helps too, in life, generally. The discipline, the kind of commitment it takes to build cannot be left at the rack, no way, you take it with you. You sit with your back straighter, you look people in the eye, heck, you even start swimming in a two piece before that potbelly completely disappears. Just because your brain is getting stronger too.
7. I learned more about food, about what food does to your body, about eating well, and I share this with people that I know, and my daughter suffers the vegetables, the fresh foods, because I want her to grow up healthy. I cared more, read more, got informed because I want to progress. But you know what? It is an investment in my future, in the future of my family, because they in turn get influenced as well.
8. I see someone carrying what seems to be a gym bag and I want to start a conversation with them because you learn something new from someone all the time and you cannot know it all. Sometimes I look like a stalker but heck, I just tell them I'm "kairatu"
9. I have a new found respect for Arnold
Yap, Arnold rocks.
Have a good one!
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
So my sister asked me how I stay motivated.....
My sister asked me this question yesterday, and I was blank for a moment. Not because I lack motivation strategies, but because I didn't know where to begin. Yes, everyone goes through ruts in their bid to remain healthy, the world is filled with temptations abound and the body dislikes discomfort, which is what exercise is, discomfort. So how do you get your mind to tell your body to keep going? Here are some of the things that help keep me motivated.
1. Accountability
Given the tendency of my personality to do everything in excess, I chose to write this blog. I chose to have a facebook page. I chose to be part of several online and offline communities whose main thematic area is living healthy. I was a loud mouth when I joined the gym I attend. I told the trainer on day one I wanted to do unassisted pull ups and my aim was to build muscle. He holds me to account too. He almost made me cry today benching my personal best, but I am accountable to him, and I have to prove to him that what I say, I mean. tsk, I should learn to shut my big mouth.
So, you don't have to write a blog, or have a page if you don't want to. How about letting your partner know you want to lose weight, or improve your fitness, or basic strength or flexibility. Take him/her on board. Your best friend, your sister, join a group. Do it together. You are more likely to succeed this way. Accountability works.
2. Have a goal, and remember goals can change
In the beginning, I just wanted to lose weight. I was heavy, unhealthy heavy. I did not feel comfortable in my own skin. So I set a goal on how much I wanted to weigh. I told myself I would achieve this by a certain time. I also set out a game plan how I was going to do it. Not having a goal is like putting on a blind fold and aiming a gun at a target. Chances are, you will not hit the target.
Make the goal more challenging. Compete, participate in an event that would require your fitness level to change dramatically. My goal at the moment is to compete. To do so, I have to work very hard. I have friends who have ran half marathons, that was their goal, they achieved it, and I'm so proud of them, I have never done anything like that. Can't do a push up? Try saying by the end of the month I will do one full unassisted push up, then work up to 3, then 5....that's the way it goes, realistic, achievable goals. They work too. Just ask my marathoner friends...one step at a time.
3. Do something you love
I just read an article that Zumba is a great interval workout...what??? Intervals? That is the hot buzz word in fitness today! It burns fat! So you like to dance? Go do Zumba! I have two left feet, I will sprint instead, but that is what I love....do what you love, as long as you're moving.
Don't let anyone push you into doing a workout you hate, you will give up long before you're successful. Looking for low impact? Don't do treadmill, do the cross trainer, so what if another person says you're being sissy, you're moving! Hate going to the gym? Do a home workout instead. I lost 20 kilos on my living room floor. It can be done! Love the outdoors? Go play catch with your dog! Play hide and seek with the kids! Everything counts!
4. I always do this but you don't have to
Yes, I oogle at photos of fitness models and say to myself...I can be like that. Visualise who you want to be, and work towards it. I have heard so many women say they want arms like Michelle Obama...well, there's your picture, now what do you have to do to get there? I want well defined everything, and my eyes almost burn with the desire for that when I see such photos. It makes me want to work harder. Pin it next to the mirror if you have to, then work towards it.
5. Link your fitness to your health
Yes, take note of the measurable health gains. Which means checking your blood sugar levels if they were high, monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, getting out of the 'obesity' range. Think about it in terms of what you're doing to your bones as a lady when you're preserving your bone density, increasing your flexibility...you can tie your shoes? These are the most rewarding goals in my experience. Health is wealth. Invest in it.
Have an active day will you
1. Accountability
Given the tendency of my personality to do everything in excess, I chose to write this blog. I chose to have a facebook page. I chose to be part of several online and offline communities whose main thematic area is living healthy. I was a loud mouth when I joined the gym I attend. I told the trainer on day one I wanted to do unassisted pull ups and my aim was to build muscle. He holds me to account too. He almost made me cry today benching my personal best, but I am accountable to him, and I have to prove to him that what I say, I mean. tsk, I should learn to shut my big mouth.
So, you don't have to write a blog, or have a page if you don't want to. How about letting your partner know you want to lose weight, or improve your fitness, or basic strength or flexibility. Take him/her on board. Your best friend, your sister, join a group. Do it together. You are more likely to succeed this way. Accountability works.
2. Have a goal, and remember goals can change
In the beginning, I just wanted to lose weight. I was heavy, unhealthy heavy. I did not feel comfortable in my own skin. So I set a goal on how much I wanted to weigh. I told myself I would achieve this by a certain time. I also set out a game plan how I was going to do it. Not having a goal is like putting on a blind fold and aiming a gun at a target. Chances are, you will not hit the target.
Make the goal more challenging. Compete, participate in an event that would require your fitness level to change dramatically. My goal at the moment is to compete. To do so, I have to work very hard. I have friends who have ran half marathons, that was their goal, they achieved it, and I'm so proud of them, I have never done anything like that. Can't do a push up? Try saying by the end of the month I will do one full unassisted push up, then work up to 3, then 5....that's the way it goes, realistic, achievable goals. They work too. Just ask my marathoner friends...one step at a time.
3. Do something you love
I just read an article that Zumba is a great interval workout...what??? Intervals? That is the hot buzz word in fitness today! It burns fat! So you like to dance? Go do Zumba! I have two left feet, I will sprint instead, but that is what I love....do what you love, as long as you're moving.
Don't let anyone push you into doing a workout you hate, you will give up long before you're successful. Looking for low impact? Don't do treadmill, do the cross trainer, so what if another person says you're being sissy, you're moving! Hate going to the gym? Do a home workout instead. I lost 20 kilos on my living room floor. It can be done! Love the outdoors? Go play catch with your dog! Play hide and seek with the kids! Everything counts!
4. I always do this but you don't have to
Yes, I oogle at photos of fitness models and say to myself...I can be like that. Visualise who you want to be, and work towards it. I have heard so many women say they want arms like Michelle Obama...well, there's your picture, now what do you have to do to get there? I want well defined everything, and my eyes almost burn with the desire for that when I see such photos. It makes me want to work harder. Pin it next to the mirror if you have to, then work towards it.
5. Link your fitness to your health
Yes, take note of the measurable health gains. Which means checking your blood sugar levels if they were high, monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, getting out of the 'obesity' range. Think about it in terms of what you're doing to your bones as a lady when you're preserving your bone density, increasing your flexibility...you can tie your shoes? These are the most rewarding goals in my experience. Health is wealth. Invest in it.
Have an active day will you
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