Fatty’s First Fitness Feats

Good title, right? All those f words (nice, clean, pretty f words) to tell the story of how I started out. I realized that I have yet to discuss the START of my journey. How I finally got back into a less round (sort of) shape, and how I was able to get dedicated.

When I walked into the gym, I was a bit apprehensive, but I wasn’t intimidated. I had played sports in high school, did a marathon (well, most of), and carried hay and huge bags a grain for my horse. I figured that after having been in good shape for much of my life, it couldn’t be that hard to get back into shape- I’d done it all before and I was great at pretending I knew what I was doing!

Wellllllllll, turns out that it’s not as easy as I convinced myself. It takes hard work, dedication, and a little delusion to get it done. It takes effort and drive, and a realization that I am not the young spring chicken I once was (although, being a young chicken makes me more likely to become a delicious nugget, where as being an old chicken makes me tough, fatty, and less yummy). So how did I do it? How did I force myself back into fitness, and do MORE than I have ever done before?

I’ve said in past blogs that had I not gained weight, I probably would not have gone into a gym in the first place. That being said, I’ve had the best time meeting, and working with, some of the strongest people I’ve ever known. I started out running and using the elliptical, but realized fairly quickly that I needed more guidance- and someone to push me. Doing things on my own wasn’t getting me results, and I needed to try things that were a bit out of my comfort zone. So I started Body Pump.

Body pump was the first time I had handled dumbbells, and it can be intimidating to a new person in a new class, overweight, clumsy, and not really all that . . . buff. But this class changed my gym lifestyle. It helped open me up to new things, try different classes, and push myself harder. Opening yourself up to a new workout allows you to find what works for you. . . and when you hit a plateau, you can do something new to smash through that wall.

Starting out, I was not an expert on. . . well, anything. And I can’t say I’m an exercise expert NOW. But I AM an expert on sharing everything I do and mocking myself. And letting others learn from what I do. And I guess that’s little helpful for you all. Or at least I pretend that its helpful and give myself a big pat on the back. You’re welcome. Now get out there and try something new.

Work Warrior

Being good at work is hard. For most of us, working 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week is a reality. For some people, 12 hour days are the norm. Being that you spend most of your day at work, how do you stay healthy? How does a fit fatty keep her shape when sitting all day? And what about all the coworkers who bring stuff you know eating all day will end up making your (MY) butt enormous?

I work in accounting, and I sit almost all day. I get up, I walk around, but mostly I sit. Sitting most of the day means working it after work- working it HARD. And if you eat like crap all day, you need to do that much more.

1. I’m a wiggler. I’m hoping that if a serial killer some day tries to carry me off he’ll get frustrated and leave me because I won’t stop wiggling around. Angela for the win. But it makes me move at work. Even if I’m sitting, I’m moving. I shake my legs, I turn back and forth, I stand up and move around. I’m good at fidgeting- I could be a fidget expert. It’s not an exercise replacement, but I think its my body’s way of reminding me that I’m wasting valuable exercise time. Moving helps me prep for a real workout later.

2. Junk and fast food is almost always a part of work life. If I know where I’m heading to lunch before we go, I look up the nutrition online to find something that won’t blow my calorie intake for the day. I look at what’s in it (I try to avoid trans fat), and also try not to do too much fried food. But if I want french fries, I eat french fries. But knowing how much I ate helps me work it off. I have “My fitness pal” on my phone so I know what I ate that day, and what my exercise calorie burn was. If I see that my day was horrendous, I know to kick it up at the gym- set the resistance higher, do an extra video at home, add more weight during pump. Eat too much, work TONS harder.

3. Make your workout a priority. I plan for my workout- I pack my gym bag the night before, and grab it on my way to work. I plan to go after work, and I do. I know if I make it a priority, it WILL BE a priority.

4. I make a bad day at work a good day at the gym. Angry at my coworker? They’re who I picture going to war with during Body Combat. Annoyed with how much I ate or my work load? Run like crazy on the treadmill- far, far away from the workload and food. Sometimes a bad day is your best inspiration to get it together.

Work can make your day busy and full of candy. But it can also be your inspiration to work that much harder. If you make your health a priority, nothing can stop you. Well, nothing except my head exploding from stress. But other than that. . .