Fitness Update: September 2021

As some of you may know, fitness became an important part of my life in February of 2016. Truthfully, I started working out just to see if it was something I could stick with, and I ended up falling in love with weight lifting. My dad trained me for a couple years before I started working out on my own and learning new things. My best year of my fitness journey was definitely 2018. I decided to start eating a bit healthier and trying new exercises in the gym. I felt unstoppable that year. In 2019 I felt like I needed a bit of a change, and before I could really act on anything, 2020 came around, and we all know how that year turned out. Since I did not feel safe or comfortable at my gym (and I don’t think it was even an option to go), I decided to start doing yoga. I was starting to get used to at-home workouts, and for a while I was doing pretty well! I was continuing with my weight lifting and HIIT while incorporating yoga every single evening. Toward the end of 2020, I felt very unmotivated with working out. I kept doing yoga, but I was not lifting as frequently. 2021 rolled around and my feelings about working out have pretty much remained the same. I felt/feel like I’ve been struggling with a lack of motivation when it comes to weights and HIIT/cardio. And that takes us to today’s update…

I told myself that I would never stop working out; that there would never be a good enough excuse to just stop completely, and ultimately I still think this is true. Yes, breaks are super important because sometimes our bodies simply need to rest and relax for a while. I highly encourage anyone who is super active to take a couple weeks to a month off from time to time. This will not only give your body a chance to rest, but it will also allow you to get creative and find new forms of exercise or workouts to try when you get back to it! Plus, your body will not change very much by taking a little break (trust me, you’ll be fine). Weirdly enough, I feel like I am in that in-between stage of not being incredibly active, but also not taking a full rest. I still work out (mostly doing yoga), but I feel like there are definitely times when I am not putting in 100% of the effort. I’ve read a quote recently that said something along the lines of “it’s better to show up and give 50% than to not show up at all” and this stuck with me. At least I am trying, and I give myself credit for that.

To be honest, I really miss the feeling of loving a workout. I think I am kind of over at-home workouts at this point, and I am so ready to get back into the gym. I feel like I worked harder in that environment and I always felt strong, empowered, and like my best self any time I walked out of the gym. At this point in time, I do feel like I would be comfortable going back to the gym (I am fully vaccinated which makes me feel better about it), but my lifestyle does not exactly line up with my fitness goals at the moment. I’ve been and will be doing quite a bit of traveling, and it is difficult to find the time and motivation to do a complete workout while being so far from home. I need to get creative and find new ways to stay active while traveling, even if that means trying something completely different from what I am used to (ex: working out at a different time of day, completing short but intense workouts or long and less challenging ones, experimenting with new forms of exercise, etc.). I am actually looking forward to doing this, and my boyfriend has been incredibly supportive. We even plan to workout together when I go to visit him.

I think it all comes down to dedication and commitment, which are two things I’ve always been capable of. I refuse to let any of this bring me down or stop me from truly enjoying my workouts. Anyone out there who is passionate about fitness will probably understand my current struggle. I want to do anything and everything I can to feel motivated and excited about working out again. I’ve never stopped believing in myself, and I truly am proud of how far I’ve come. I have been on my fitness journey for a little over six years and I’ve made so much progress in that time. While there are ups and downs to any fitness journey, I know that there is no such thing as going backwards.

I haven’t been doing the absolute best when it comes to healthy eating, however this has always been the biggest challenge for me in relation to living a healthy life. I want to get back on track, but I think it is important to make small, attainable goals first. Baby steps are still steps after all. Even if it means incorporating a few healthy snacks into my days more often, I will do it. I’ve always felt that balance is important in every aspect of life. I don’t want to be too strict with food or fitness because I know that I deserve to enjoy the sweet things in life from time to time, as well as rest days.

I will also make it goal to start working out with weights slowly and doing it more often over time. For example, maybe instead of weight training for five or six days a week like I used to, I will start with two to three days a week, and as I start to feel better about it, I’ll go from there. Or, if I am traveling and do not have the necessary equipment, I can always do HIIT/cardio or yoga. I just want to keep my body healthy and moving. Living a sedentary life isn’t good for anyone, and after being active for many years, it just doesn’t feel right to me. I almost feel guilty when I sit down for too long!

I truly believe in making certain changes in your life in order to be your best self. For me, some of the things that make me feel good are writing/journaling, being outdoors, spending time with those I love, and of course working out. There is nothing like powering through a challenging workout and feeling resilient, powerful, and strong. Even when my legs were shaking from all of the glute and quad work and I was dripping in sweat after cardio, I loved knowing that I completed a workout. Another goal of mine will be to get back into the gym as soon as possible so I can feel that once again. I also want to really do something different when I do go back. Doing the same exercises over and over again for too long gets boring and repetitive for me.

I really wanted to share this fitness update to let you know that it is ok to feel burnt out, or like you don’t want to work out for a while. It’s ok to need a break or to take some time to come up with new goals for yourself. As you grow and learn, it would be silly to continue doing the exact same thing anyway! I am so ready to enjoy my workouts again! I will change my mindset. I will push myself. And I will be stronger than ever before. I will speak it, pray it, and manifest it into existence. Most of all, I will believe in myself. I highly encourage that you do the same. We’ve got this!

Thank you for reading!