Gym Update

I've been wanting to post a gym update, but have hesitated and put it off. Mainly because I sort of hate when people talk incessantly about working out. Especially when they litter their social media status updates with subtle, but braggy tidbits and photos from their cleanse that just make me feel bad about the sandwich I'm eating while reading Facebook.

But I've had a few people inquire, so I'll say this: I have now been attending the gym regularly for 3 and a half months. Definitely a record for me. With only one exception because I was traveling, I have exercised 5 times per week, every week since November 4th when I signed up for my personal training package. This is pretty much mind blowing. That first package of personal training sessions has since been used up and I purchased another to keep my momentum going. And it's working. I exercise with Mike 3 times per week and go in on my own for cardio twice per week. I always thought 5 times per week was impossible, perhaps even overkill, and aimed for 3 during my intermittent bouts of physical fitness, but now I realize that the bump up to 5 is what it took for me to make this part of my daily routine. My days off now feel more unusual than the days I go in. If I haven't made this clear yet - this is extremely novel for me. Historically, my longest bout of regular gym attendance is roughly 3 weeks. Around 3 weeks is when I tend to get a cold and "take a week (or twenty) off".

I'm sleeping well, my back and neck are stronger - which is preventing the soreness I was experiencing all the time and I'm starting to see some physical changes. Pants that were a little too snug are fitting comfortably and pants that were fitting comfortably are a little baggy. The other day I pulled my pants down without unbuttoning them. Jeff was unimpressed when I pantsed myself in the dining room - but he totally missed the point. Also - I can do 8 legit push ups! When I started in November I could do ZERO. I'm fascinated by how this new routine is rearranging my body, rather than just shrinking it. I've reduced my body fat percentage by roughly 6%. And while it's awesome to have lost pounds of pure fat, it's even cooler to have someone be able to calculate how many pounds of muscle I've gained.

In the past, my main gauge of fitness was diet and weight related. But this time around, I'm not counting calories or eliminating categories of food from my diet. I might have weighted a little less than this 10 years ago, but I was also stuffing my face with weird chemical-infused Lean Cuisine entrees cooked in plastic to try and count Weight Watcher "points". And preparing special dinners for myself while Jeff ate more delicious things across the table from me. I'm not journaling my food or measuring my cereal every morning. There's nothing wrong with these things in principal I guess, but they made me a little food-obsessed in my 20's and it feels liberating to mostly just eat what I want - which is frequently healthy, whole foods, but sometimes is also 10 sugar cookies and a piece of chocolate cake at a Superbowl party. I eat out and travel quite a bit for work and it's nice to know that my body is using the fabulous food I get to enjoy as fuel now. It wasn't my original intent, but this process has completely changed my relationship with food. As Jeff likes to remind me - It's not fun to be married to someone who can't enjoy a good meal out and only orders salads. And what's the whole point of life if you can't eat dessert? Edie would agree = dessert IS the whole point, of like, EVERYTHING.