Starting a Journal

So, I’ve decided to write a fitness journal. If any of you followed my other blog, you would know that I recently fell onto some hard times. I had some family health issues, a breakup from a 3 year relationship and an injury that put me in a funk for a long time….well…a long time to MY standards.  In my darkest hours, I found myself hitting the gym and doing some extraordinary workouts to help ease my mind. I had a hard time eating and focusing on pretty much anything. Not being able to eat was hurting my workouts. I was getting weaker and weaker each day. I was able to force feed myself protein shakes but that was about all I could put down for about 3 weeks. Sure I looked great, lean and toned but I was weak as hell.

At First, getting to the gym was hard. Knowing that I couldn’ t lift the weight I was use to was pissing me off and making me feel worse. I had a wrist and hand injury that made it difficult to lift or pull anything. I figured there was no point in exasterbating the pain and damage of the injury so I stopped doing weights all together for a while. I would try to work my legs but I was so weak from just being down and depressed that I would get frustrated and just give up on the work out all together.

I think the most important thing to be able to do while you are depressed it eat. Eating and getting the nutrition you need is more important that going through the motions lifting weights.  For some people, it’s damn near impossible to eat when you are depressed and for others, eating is the first thing they do when times or situations get tough. Some people find comfort in food while other can’t even fathom putting anything into their mouths. I suppose I’m lucky that I don’t run to food for comfort. I literally had to force feed myself. To help with getting motivated with eating, I started taking walks at sunset. It’s to hot to go any other time at this time of year. I would walk about 3 miles and just admire the beauty of the nature around me and try to focus on positive thoughts and positive things. Keeping my mind on positive things has made it possible for me to get out of the downward spiral of depression I found myself getting into.

To help with getting motivated with working out, I joined a new gym. The new gym offers, kick boxing, boxing and cross fit classes. I found that for me, I tend to enjoy workouts more and stay motivated if I am focused on learning something new. Doing the same routine day in and day out is torture…it also doesn’t let your body develope as well as it would if you were to do different workouts and “trick” your muscles…that’s a whole other post all in itself. I was also motivated to go to the new gym as it was costing me a crap load of money so I wanted to make sure I was getting my money’s worth. I found myself at the new gym about 3 hours a day. Taking a class, stretching, then taking another class and then stretching again. Meeting new people and talking to them about the similar interests we had in the classes we were taking helped me get out of my recluse mode that the depression had put me in.

Each of us have 2 options when we get in a rut..it’s the fight or flight scenario. We can run away from the issue that bother us  and drown ourselves in food, drugs, alcohol…or we can get off our asses and fight!! literally!! fight to stay healthy, fight to learn something new fight to keep our mind bodies and souls from being devoured by our inner selves who want to sabotage and kick ourselves when we are already down. This year I chose to fight! This year I chose to learn and grow! This year, at the age of 30, I look and feel better than I have ever looked or felt in all my life

Welcome to my Fitness blog!! stay tuned for more

xoxoxox