A Merry Christmas Update

First of all I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hope that this time of season you find love acceptance and peace in your life and in your heart. I know this can be a time of sadness and regret for some but it can also be a time of love and forgiveness. The strength to overcome the darkness that can envelope you comes from within and the light of hope is what shines when you open your mind and heart.

So the last few weeks I have been back at it at the gym and have been working at logging my exercise routine and to a much lesser extent my food diary. Baby steps. I am enjoying logging my workouts so that I can see where I am struggling and what I am working on and where my strength is at. I feel that before I was logging I was not consistent with the weiights on each machine as i was from the day before, but now I know where to begin and where I am going. I admit sometimes I do lower some weights on certain machines but I will then do an extra set to make up the difference and not truly take a day off. I am excited for the coming year to see my progress and where I go and to see the results of my strengthening. 

My favorite thing so far to work on is my legs, specifically my leg press. Currently I am doing between 360 lbs and 430 lbs and my goal in the next few months (by March 1st) is to be doing 500 lbs sets. That number just blows my mind, I knew I have always had strong legs but my goodness that is impressive to me.I also enjoy doing the pectoral fly and the low row and I am working on setting some new year goals on these as well. The more I think of it the more I am enjoying doing all the weight machines. When I started at the gym, before I started with my trainer Kelsey, I was intimdated by the machines and afraid of doing things wrong or looking stupid, but now I dont feel so intimdated or afraid of looking stupid. I do still have apprehension about others being in the gym when I work out as I like to be alone and in my own world to do my own thing but life isn't like that and to be perfectly honest I have had 97% good experiences with others who are there when I go. Most have been encouraging and have said "good job" or "see you tomorrow, right?" or even just given me a high five, all of which makes me feel more at ease. 

Everyday when I go to the gym and start to feel anxious about others being around I just remind myself that they are more concerned with what they are doing and look like to even notice what I am doing or look like, and the only non-awesome experience has been when the odd meat head comes in and doesnt wipe down the machine after they get their sweat all over it or the hover around/over me as I am on a machine and they are waiting to use it. All in all though I have had no real issues with what I thought would be snide comments, giggling whispers or gawking at me, the fat man on the treadmill. When I think someone may be one of these types of people I just try to put my best foot forward and show them my dedication or go and do a 430 pound leg press and let them see my strength (perhaps that last approach is ego or testosterone).

Now it is very well known that Christmas Holiday time is a time for indulgence, a time for sweets, liquid libations, holiday get togethers and all things counter productive to the weightloss journey and this is my struggle this month more than any other. I am still doing my baking of Scottish shortbread, fudge butter tarts and the like but plan to give it all away. I also plan to still go to the gym and make relative smart choices. I am no dummy and I know there will be some falling off the healthy path but I am going to make sure that it is in moderation and that I still go to the gym and get a good work out in the morning before the day begins, yes even on Christmas Day!  I can't let up on this goal I have of living healthier, ever day presents a new challenge and quite often I wake up thinking I don't want to go to the gym as I am too tired or some other excuse and everyday I tell myself I will feel better afterwards and that I can't make excuses now as I have been doing that for the last 11 food to be 12 years. This is my time and I wont let it slip by me again as you never know if this will be my last chance. 

Anyways, I once again want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I would also like to thank you all for your blessings of love and encouragement this past year as I have shared my journey with all of you. This journey will continue in 2017.