For those of you who are my friends, family, or social media followers, you understand that recently I have kicked my fitness into high gear. I have always been a gym-goer and I have always loved physical activity. I did my Pinterest research and followed cute programs that I thought would help me achieve my goals. However, after meeting the Hunky Engineer (sorry babe, you can’t run away from that one), I learned that I was doing quite a few things wrong. He taught me about proper diet and nutrition for building muscle (hello…PROTEIN!). But, having the tools is only part of the battle. The rest is based on how much YOU want it. So, this post is here to show you what I have learned so far and what I am still learning.
First, I learned the importance of actual weights. Some days after the gym I simply was not sore or tired at ALL. What I realized was that, because I have always been athletic, I needed to add weight to common workouts to really feel the burn. I do weighted abdominal exercises now, along with much heavier weight for things like hip thrusts, kickbacks, and arms. Now I am sore AND see real results.
Second, I learned that I was not pushing myself hard enough. I never used to sweat in the gym. I always thought it was just because I was well-conditioned. WRONG! Turns out, I wasn’t putting my body to work. I still had energy after each set. Now, I push until I can’t anymore.
Third, I needed to stop complaining and acting like I knew everything. The Hunky Engineer will be the first to tell you that I was a total brat when I started this journey because I thought I had it all figured out. I didn’t want to listen to his advice and I complained when we worked out for more than an hour. Now, I realize that I need a longer workout because I need more REST between sets. I can push more weight now than ever before and that is because I properly rest between sets. Obviously, super sets are a thing, but when I do my man lifts like benching, squatting, deadlifts, and rack pulls, I need to let my body breathe.
Fourth, I learned that I look good. This journey has taught me that I am in better shape than I thought I was! I have been improving my posture along with adding muscle, and it has paid off immensely! It turns out, my posture was really kicking my ass physically. I still have to work on my rounded shoulders, but adjusting my pelvic tilt has been amazing (and FEELS amazing too!).
Lastly, I just want to note here that these are MY personal realizations. Everybody realizes different things about themselves when it comes to fitness. I was never an overweight person, so a lot of my goals and realizations come from mentality rather than physical changes. Also, it is still early in my journey, only about a half a year in, so I still have to much more to see, learn, and do!
I hope this was a good window into my mental and physical changes and helps you realize yours! Self-reflection is always important when beginning new life journeys.