Day #1 - Establishing a Morning Gym Routine
Today is the first day I start my fitness routine. I've been following a lot of fitness blogs and it occurred to me that in order to stick to weight loss, maybe I should have a "project" to go along with it. Since I am a writer, after all, and since blogs are, well, informational and helpful to others, I am starting this blog to help me stick to my diet!
My Weight History
Current weight and age: 193 lbs/29 years old
High school weight: 151 lbs
Goal weight: 150 lbs
Long-term Fitness Goal: To establish a healthy routine, a baseline, that will carry me through the next several decades of my life, allowing me to keep my health at 60 and even 70 years old.
The heaviest I have ever been was 210lbs back when I was 18, when I gained a shocking 60lbs in one year (due to bad birth control and depression.) I lost down to 168 when I was 19, where I hovered between 168-172 until I was about 25, when I noticed it was becoming more of a struggle to maintain my weight. For the last 4 years, I've bounced back and forth from 173 all the way up to 199, finally landing at 193. I've gone through a few job changes and routine changes over the last 4 years that have made it difficult to stick to a weightloss routine. I've also been in a bit of denial that I am aging and my body isn't burning up energy the way it used to.
2017 was a big year for my career. I finally transitioned from a shifting freelance schedule to a fulltime corporate employee. I've now settled into a 40-hour workweek like most Americans, where I waste away at a desk for 8-9 hours a day. I've been patient with myself the last 6 months, giving my mind and body time to adjust. But now that I am fully in the groove and the holidays have just passed, and I feel buoyed by the energy of a New Year -- and I think it is time to start working out.
Morning, Noon, or Night?
My first struggle trying to figure out a workout routine: finding the time. I've always been a morning person, up at 7:30am by the curse of my internal clock, but I still resisted the idea of turning back my alarm an extra hour. I love sleeping!
So first I tried working out on lunch. It was a great pick-me-up in the middle of the day, but it was too much prep to maintain. Even with my gym right across the street, I still had to make sure my bag was ready to go every morning before heading into work. Then I had to eat a snack around 11:30, head to the gym about 12:30, and eat my proper lunch after getting back to my desk. Lots of planning, and I found that changing clothes and showering at the gym under a time limit was stressful.
Then I tried going after work, but I was always too tired. I skipped almost every day I planned to go. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor talks about willpower as a limited commodity, kind of like physical endurance. The more decisions you have to make in a day, the more your willpower dwindles, until by the end, all you want to do is scarf a pizza on the couch. I found this to be especially true for me. I am a creature of comfort. After getting off work at 6pm, most of the time I just didn't have the willpower to walk across the street and put in another hour at the gym. I was tired, hungry, and craving the comfort of home.
So finally, I succumbed to a morning routine. Today, I set my alarm for 5:55am. I slept in my gym clothes. I prepped my water bottle, bluetooth headphones and music the night before. I ate a healthy dinner so I would have a clear head in the morning. (This is an added benefit to working out in the morning. It forces you to think about what you eat the night before, and inspires you to make healthy choices to support your workout!)
I was at the gym by 6:10am. The worst moment? Stepping out of my car in the parking lot and shivering in the cold, pre-dawn air.
As soon as I walked through the gym doors, my attitude changed. The gym was...empty. An introvert's paradise! Now super happy, I did cardio for about 25 minutes, lifted some weights and stretched. I headed home about 6:50am, right when the rest of the gym crowd was showing up. The best feeling was leaving the gym right when everyone else was getting there. Like I WIN my workout is already finished! (LOL yeah yeah.) I had set my coffee maker to automatically brew a pot at 7am, so by the time I walked in the door, a fresh cup of coffee was waiting for me.
I sat down at the dining room table with my coffee. I was a little sleepy, but I felt good. Energized. Happy. Alert. I felt ready for the day. And my biggest take away -- it was easy. The hardest part was getting out of bed. But once I was up and going, my willpower was fully refreshed and it was easy to keep going. Also, there were a million tiny incentives: no traffic on the drive to and from the gym, lots of parking, open machines, plenty of space to stretch on the floor mats. And when I got home, I ate two eggs and a piece of toast and my vitamin shake, and I felt great.
Now I know at the end of today, I will leave work with a clear conscience. I will drive home, giving myself mental permission to relax without guilt. I'm no longer mistreating my body and skimping on my health. My workout is done, and I can truly be off the clock.
A Bit About Me
My Weight History
Current weight and age: 193 lbs/29 years old
High school weight: 151 lbs
Goal weight: 150 lbs
Long-term Fitness Goal: To establish a healthy routine, a baseline, that will carry me through the next several decades of my life, allowing me to keep my health at 60 and even 70 years old.
The heaviest I have ever been was 210lbs back when I was 18, when I gained a shocking 60lbs in one year (due to bad birth control and depression.) I lost down to 168 when I was 19, where I hovered between 168-172 until I was about 25, when I noticed it was becoming more of a struggle to maintain my weight. For the last 4 years, I've bounced back and forth from 173 all the way up to 199, finally landing at 193. I've gone through a few job changes and routine changes over the last 4 years that have made it difficult to stick to a weightloss routine. I've also been in a bit of denial that I am aging and my body isn't burning up energy the way it used to.
2017 was a big year for my career. I finally transitioned from a shifting freelance schedule to a fulltime corporate employee. I've now settled into a 40-hour workweek like most Americans, where I waste away at a desk for 8-9 hours a day. I've been patient with myself the last 6 months, giving my mind and body time to adjust. But now that I am fully in the groove and the holidays have just passed, and I feel buoyed by the energy of a New Year -- and I think it is time to start working out.
Morning, Noon, or Night?
My first struggle trying to figure out a workout routine: finding the time. I've always been a morning person, up at 7:30am by the curse of my internal clock, but I still resisted the idea of turning back my alarm an extra hour. I love sleeping!
So first I tried working out on lunch. It was a great pick-me-up in the middle of the day, but it was too much prep to maintain. Even with my gym right across the street, I still had to make sure my bag was ready to go every morning before heading into work. Then I had to eat a snack around 11:30, head to the gym about 12:30, and eat my proper lunch after getting back to my desk. Lots of planning, and I found that changing clothes and showering at the gym under a time limit was stressful.
Then I tried going after work, but I was always too tired. I skipped almost every day I planned to go. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor talks about willpower as a limited commodity, kind of like physical endurance. The more decisions you have to make in a day, the more your willpower dwindles, until by the end, all you want to do is scarf a pizza on the couch. I found this to be especially true for me. I am a creature of comfort. After getting off work at 6pm, most of the time I just didn't have the willpower to walk across the street and put in another hour at the gym. I was tired, hungry, and craving the comfort of home.
So finally, I succumbed to a morning routine. Today, I set my alarm for 5:55am. I slept in my gym clothes. I prepped my water bottle, bluetooth headphones and music the night before. I ate a healthy dinner so I would have a clear head in the morning. (This is an added benefit to working out in the morning. It forces you to think about what you eat the night before, and inspires you to make healthy choices to support your workout!)
I was at the gym by 6:10am. The worst moment? Stepping out of my car in the parking lot and shivering in the cold, pre-dawn air.
As soon as I walked through the gym doors, my attitude changed. The gym was...empty. An introvert's paradise! Now super happy, I did cardio for about 25 minutes, lifted some weights and stretched. I headed home about 6:50am, right when the rest of the gym crowd was showing up. The best feeling was leaving the gym right when everyone else was getting there. Like I WIN my workout is already finished! (LOL yeah yeah.) I had set my coffee maker to automatically brew a pot at 7am, so by the time I walked in the door, a fresh cup of coffee was waiting for me.
I sat down at the dining room table with my coffee. I was a little sleepy, but I felt good. Energized. Happy. Alert. I felt ready for the day. And my biggest take away -- it was easy. The hardest part was getting out of bed. But once I was up and going, my willpower was fully refreshed and it was easy to keep going. Also, there were a million tiny incentives: no traffic on the drive to and from the gym, lots of parking, open machines, plenty of space to stretch on the floor mats. And when I got home, I ate two eggs and a piece of toast and my vitamin shake, and I felt great.
Now I know at the end of today, I will leave work with a clear conscience. I will drive home, giving myself mental permission to relax without guilt. I'm no longer mistreating my body and skimping on my health. My workout is done, and I can truly be off the clock.
Comments
Post a Comment