Syl wants to breathe

[The Real Syl Mil]

Here we go with today's update!

 

Well, my concerns about the coffee shop yesterday were unfounded because the cold weather ended up cancelling us. Dodged that bullet! I did take a rest day yesterday, but I made it to the gym today anyway, so YAY! The thing is, I actually am LIKING excersizing (<--omg seriously, I just canNOT spell that word even after 4 tries...I give up)! I really have no idea how that happened...the liking it bit. I guess it's all about getting out of the house and having that alone time. But I think that resolves some of my fears about multiple rest days. If I actually LIKE it and WANT to go, then one rest day shouldn't throw me off course. It's when I have to force myself to do something that the procrastinating (<-- no problem spelling that one! *roll eyes here*) kicks in. So that gives me hope. It also helps that I know I will have to come back here to confess my misdeeds. Lol!

 

So today was my second gym visit this week and longest time there so far. I worked out for 80 mins! Yay again! I think I will add an exercise or 2 next time I go. Just one more trip to the gym this week in order to hit my goal. When I get home I'm RAVISHED and want to eat everything in the house! Which, for me, is kind of a good thing. I have been making extra food and throwing it in the fridge for reheating after the gym. And if I don't have something quick available, I can make a protein smoothie. 

 

I also decluttered some yesterday to get a head start on the weekend!

 

Today my mom sent my pics while I was at the gym so I sent her one that I'll share with you. Hope it doesn't show up as GIGANTIC like pics typically do on this platform!
Feeling stronger!

[Enforcer25]

Keep up the great work, great pic.

[The Real Syl Mil]

Update from week one!

 

Success! I hit the gym 3 times, I decluttered some (and will do more today), and while I did visit a coffee shop yesterday for a meeting, I brought my own coffee. Lol. (I ordered soup & a glass of free water.) So I transferred that $5 to my savings. I also decided not to be too super strict with myself. If I don't buy coffee outside my home Monday-Friday, then that's a win. If I buy one cup on the weekend, I still saved over $5 during the week, cuz typically I buy a cup 3-5 times a week!

 

Funny story... I think I am actually becoming a gym rat. Whaaaaaaa?!?!!??!! Yesterday (Saturday) I tried to hit the gym around 3:30pm and my regular spot was closed! Thankfully, I have a special membership through my work that allows me to attend almost any gym in town. I literally drove to FOUR DIFFERENT GYMS before I found one I could enter!! In the past I would have given up after the first one, using that as a good excuse to go back home for the day. "Well I tried! What else can I do? Time to go home." The fourth gym was a GIGANTIC one full of people who clearly go there twice a day. Lol. I can't even believe I went in there! But I did and it didn't really bother me. I got to do some recon on the pool they have that I plan to use once my lung capacity improves some more. AND since it was a new gym, their "exercise physiologist" contacted me today to set up an official (and free) training session for tomorrow. So that will guarantee to get this week off to a good start. Have to show up since I have an appointment!

 

Loving watching the progress of everyone in the group. It is getting a bit overwhelming keeping up with all of the posts, but I am reading most of them, even if I'm not commenting.

 

On to week 2!! LET'S DO IT!!

[Enforcer25]

Awesome job on week 1.

[Mr_Willes]

On 4-1-2018 at 10:35 PM, The Real Syl Mil said:

It also helps that I know I will have to come back here to confess my misdeeds. Lol!

 

 

On 4-1-2018 at 10:35 PM, The Real Syl Mil said:

so I sent her one that I'll share with you.

 

You look amazing! Great pic!

 

17 hours ago, The Real Syl Mil said:

I literally drove to FOUR DIFFERENT GYMS before I found one I could enter!!

 

It's the accountability i tell you (or in my case being able to show off ) 

 

Nonetheless great work this week!

[The Real Syl Mil]

I hit the gym yesterday to start off week...what is it? 2? Is it only 2?

 

Anyway, I met with a trainer at the giant gym I found myself at last Saturday. When you sign up at a new place, they offer you a free session. So far I've had 2 of these because I've gone to 2 gyms. Lol. I didn't feel like I did much yesterday, really, but man! I am hurtin today! At this point, when I can feel where my lung collapsed, I don't freak out like I used to...like it's happening again. But when I overdo it, I definitely feel it right where my lung collapsed. And it IS weird. I wish that would go away! But it may be a year or longer before that happens.

 

I got to speak with an exercise physiologist about my recovery process at "The Big Gym", too, so that made it all worth it. He validated the process that I've already been following... slowly bumping up my workout as my breathing can tolerate. He gave me some good ideas about how to use the pool, once I feel confident enough that I can breathe in the water. Maybe that will be my goal for the end of challenge 2. Right now, I feel good about my plan so I will stick to it.

 

Today I'm taking it easy to recover from yesterday. Tomorrow I will be working until 10pm so I think I will just use my Wii at home in the morning. Then back to the little gym on Thursday for gym visit #2. I do find that I prefer the little gym. The Big Gym seems germier to me. Ha! 

 

Onward!

[The Real Syl Mil]

Even though the trainer kicked my butt yesterday, I decided to do an "active recovery day" today. So I did 30 minutes of light cardio with my Wii. At the end I took the Wii Fitness test and it said I'm as fit as a 62-YEAR-OLD!!! (I'm 39!) Guess I have some improving to do still! Hahahahaha!

[TGP]

First;  A big hello from someone from PA! welcome to the site...

 

sorry for missing your posts.  there's a BIG group of incoming Nerds this Year! woot!

 

when I read your experiences of the Gymn. I immediately thinking of Running which I started in the Fall.  I was Sure I HATED to run (but needed the HR workout)... and now a few months later after a regular program;  I find myself enjoying it more and more.

 

Generally, I find that when I do something alot and establish goals; it quickly becomes something I am interested in, even passionate about.

... Also after your exercise program matures some; it helps you feel Great!  

[KayLou]

On 1/7/2018 at 11:43 AM, The Real Syl Mil said:

Yesterday (Saturday) I tried to hit the gym around 3:30pm and my regular spot was closed! Thankfully, I have a special membership through my work that allows me to attend almost any gym in town. I literally drove to FOUR DIFFERENT GYMS before I found one I could enter!!

 

21 hours ago, The Real Syl Mil said:

Even though the trainer kicked my butt yesterday, I decided to do an "active recovery day" today. So I did 30 minutes of light cardio with my Wii.

 

You know you are officially inspiring now, right?  Seriously, I'm really impressed with how much enthusiasm you are bringing to this challenge, and how well it is working for you. I can really feel your motivation, and that's helping me to get out of the mini-rut I'm sliding into. Thanks for sharing your progress!

[The Real Syl Mil]

On 1/10/2018 at 5:57 PM, KayLou said:

You know you are officially inspiring now, right?  Seriously, I'm really impressed with how much enthusiasm you are bringing to this challenge, and how well it is working for you. I can really feel your motivation, and that's helping me to get out of the mini-rut I'm sliding into. Thanks for sharing your progress!

 

Hey thanks! That made my day! I got a bit sick yesterday evening, so I'm gonna miss my day 2 at the gym this week today.  Sitting here having a pity party. But your post made me feel a little brighter, so thank you! I am hoping to do some Wii-ness this evening if I feel up to it. I never thought about missing my 3-day-a-week goal due to sickness! This will make me try harder to go on days I'm feeling good "just in case". Have you jumped out of your rut?

[The Real Syl Mil]

On 1/10/2018 at 11:00 AM, TGP said:

First;  A big hello from someone from PA! welcome to the site...

 

sorry for missing your posts.  there's a BIG group of incoming Nerds this Year! woot!

 

when I read your experiences of the Gymn. I immediately thinking of Running which I started in the Fall.  I was Sure I HATED to run (but needed the HR workout)... and now a few months later after a regular program;  I find myself enjoying it more and more.

 

Generally, I find that when I do something alot and establish goals; it quickly becomes something I am interested in, even passionate about.

... Also after your exercise program matures some; it helps you feel Great!  

 

You give me hope that I will someday become the gym rat I always dreamed of becoming.  PA solidarity!

[TGP]

[The Real Syl Mil]

Last day of the week check in...

 

So I feel like I killed it last week and this week it came back to life. In the bad way, not the good way.

I didn't make it to the gym 3xs this week, but I did work out 3xs, so I'm considering that enough of a win to not feel defeated. I started feeling a bit flu-ish 2 days ago and am still not up to 100%. And tomorrow I have to sing for 3 hours and I'm REALLY SCARED!!! So I'm not doing ANYTHING for the rest of today that might put a strain on my lungs in preparation for tomorrow morning. It will be the first time I try singing in front of people since my lung collapsed almost exactly 4 months ago. I actually sang WITH the collapsed lung the last time I was on stage. If you can believe that! So wish me luck!

I went to a coffee shop yesterday and bought a $3 coffee. However, that $3 was payback from the free-ish coffee I bought for a colleague on Wednesday so I think it's a wash! Right? I still transferred the $5 to my savings account. $5 really doesn't move the needle much, but I'm trying to train myself to sacrifice in order to win with money. If I can sacrifice spending $5 on coffee then I can work up sacrificing $200 boots, right? That's the long game, anyway.

I didn't declutter yet this week. But today I attended an event where we were supposed to bring different kinds of things to donate (books for the library, sheets for animal shelters, eyeglasses, greeting cards, etc). I couldn't get my act together in time for today, cuz, sick. So tomorrow I will take some stuff over there and call it my decluttering for the week.

Oh and I did a side job this week! I snagged a twice per week virtual job where I can work from home. That job will cover my "twice a month" goal by itself! So, BIG SCORE!

 

Ok I do feel a bit more successful now that I've written all this out. I still feel lousy about not hitting the gym 3 times, but I did better with the other goals than I thought at first, so that makes me feel better. Maybe I won't be too scared to play the Wii tonight. I played for 20 minutes yesterday and it felt like nothing! What a nice surprise! Another nice surprise? I can tell my body is changing already! My legs look a little...not slimmer but...I don't know...firmer, I guess. My husband said he noticed, too!  

 

Hope you all are doing it up! Here we go with week 3!

[Mr_Willes]

So how did the "concert" turn out? And the flu-ish thing you picked up completely gone?

 

On 13-1-2018 at 9:17 PM, The Real Syl Mil said:

My husband said he noticed, too!

 

 

That's me talking as one the representatives of the male race  

 

[The Real Syl Mil]

Lol. Let's see. I was able to sing for the whole 4.5 hours (off & on...ya know, it's not straight through!) but it was suuuuuper exhausting! Did it, though! So, YAY!

 

Flu-ish thing went away by Sunday but I didn't make it back to the gym again until Wednesday. Oops. I did go again today. 2 out 3 visits this week ain't bad, right?! I had enough time off that I wasn't sore any more and now I'm sore all over again! But I'm proud of myself for not letting the long break equal quitting. Back in the saddle!

 

Usually with me, when I announce what I'm doing to people, I stop doing it. I'm the opposite of the "you have to have accountability" types. So I'm just gonna stick to NF updates and keep my mouth shut around my friends! When I tell them I've been going to the gym, it leads to quitting! (Weirdo alert.)

 

I'm definitely improving at the gym! Heavier weights. More intensity on the treadmill. Adding exercises. 

 

Thanks for asking!!

[The Real Syl Mil]

The last week was good and bad, as far as goals go. But my attitude is changing! So I'm wicked excited!

 

1) I only made it to the gym 2/3 times this past week. I'm starting to wonder if 3xs is a bit unrealistic with my crazy schedule. But I plan to continue to shoot for 3 and be ok with 2. If I shoot for 2, I will probably only go once, and that's NOT ok! Lol. Today I went to kick off the new week, so already 1 for 3 for the week. It's funny because the desire to get to the gym today actually propelled me to go to church, too. Which was a bit unexpected! I was languishing this morning, not wanting to get out of my bed to go to church. But I knew that if I skipped church, I would also miss making it to the gym before it closed at noon. So I went to both! I upped almost all my weights on the nautilus machines and I upped the intensity on the treadmill, too! I've also lost 3 pounds since I started, which I didn't plan on! Good things all around!

 

2) Did some decluttering yesterday! And my husband got rid of about 10 bags of trash, too. I think my mindset is changing there, too. Today at church they were giving away a bunch of beautiful crystal dishes (which I absolutely do not need). I had one in my hand and thought, "I'm trying to get RID of stuff, not bring more crap home!" and put it back on the table. 

 

3) My side jobs are coming along. By the end of this month I will have earned an extra $650 (my goal was $400). So yay!

 

4) Failed on the coffee shop goal last week. Oh well! Back on track for this week, right??

 

Here is me drinking my post-gym victory smoothie in my PJs today...right before I got called into work...

 

Go Eagles!

[Enforcer25]

Great attitude toward your goals. There will be times we don't reach our goals and what you are doing is the right away, look ahead and keep moving forward. That smoothie looks tasty.

[Lateral Planet]

5 hours ago, The Real Syl Mil said:

I only made it to the gym 2/3 times this past week. I'm starting to wonder if 3xs is a bit unrealistic with my crazy schedule. But I plan to continue to shoot for 3 and be ok with 2. If I shoot for 2, I will probably only go once, and that's NOT ok! Lol.

That's a great approach, it's good to aim high! Kind of like Angry Birds, if you get two stars out of three you've still passed the level!

[The Real Syl Mil]

Wow. Things are really changing with me. It's a bit scary! I woke up this morning thinking, "Is today a gym day? I hope it's a gym day! Aww, it's not a gym day.  Wait...can I make EVERY day a gym day??!?" Lol. WHO AM I??!?!?!

 

Also, I'm a little bit afraid to say this out loud to anyone but...here goes...I'm gonna sign up for the Tough Mudder! [insert shocked face here] I have kind of always wanted to do it, but just knew I am not the type of person who can. But guess what! That "type" is changing!! A guy at work sent out a blast email asking for a team to do it together. And I recruited my adventurous friend to join, too. So, as long as I don't get pregnant between now and March, I'm gonna do it! Our local Tough Mudder is in September, so that gives me 8 months to prepare. Yesterday when I went to the gym, I felt different knowing that I need to get in shape for September. I actually RAN on the treadmill, if you can believe THAT. (It was only for 3 minutes, but hey...MILESTONE.) Early bird prices end on Jan 31, so I will commit yay or nay by then, for sure.

 

Oh one more amazing thing related to that...pause while I try to hold back my tears...ok failing at that...The race is ONE YEAR to the date from when my lung collapsed. Can you believe THAT one?! Too coincidental for me not to see that as a sign. My whole life I basically sat on my ass. Then my lung collapsed. I could have died. And now I'm going to the gym and preparing for a dirty, obstacle race?! SMH in disbelief. How can you not say that God has bigger plans than we can see???

[TGP]

this is a very positive step. I'm happy for you.  I'm sure that getting in shape will be the best thing you could possibly do to feel better, stronger and more capable with your health problems.

 

Just pace yourself.... you doing very, very well- but it can be tempting to push yourself TOO much.

 

I also think its a great Idea to do a tough mudder!  In fact; I am too probably going to do my first tough mudder in September too....

I'm looking around me for people to carpool with and a little bunch of personal support. an OCR seems quite hardcore.

 

as for Gymn day..

*(ofc, you COULD go every day; but you'd have to make sure muscles got rested enough to strengthen)

[The Real Syl Mil]

16 hours ago, TGP said:

Just pace yourself.... you doing very, very well- but it can be tempting to push yourself TOO much.

 

I don't think there are any worries there! I'm looking at the loooong haul. I'm all about teeny, tiny incremental successes. 

 

I think I might be ready to swim by next week. If so, then I'll start making that my in between gym days gym day. Lol. I can swim real easy if I need to and not do strength training on those days. 

 

YAY for first time Mudders!!!