Atrytone's Triumphant Return to the Gym

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

I only have one goal this challenge:

 

1. Go to the gym

 

That's it. That's all.

 

I'm going to aim for 2-3 times/week since I work about that often near the gym I plan on going to. I'll be joining the women's gym, for reasons that I discussed on my last challenge (TL;DR - nosy old dudes that won't let me work out in peace), but I'll also have access to the co-ed gym which I might go to if I want to do proper back squats in a cage (the women's gym only has a Smith machine and no).

 

I'm not making it a specific goal this time but I also want to try to keep up my positivities because they really did help my mental state.

[JessFit]

Following, because I love fellow women lifters! You're gonna crush it. 

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

4 minutes ago, JessFit said:

Following, because I love fellow women lifters! You're gonna crush it. 

 

Thank you! I don't lift heavy (yet) but I'm looking forward to getting back into it.

[Terra]

Love the simplicity of this challenge!!!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

3 minutes ago, Terra said:

Love the simplicity of this challenge!!!

 

Thank you. I need things simple I think.

[Cheetah]

I'm glad you're still doing the positives!  Is there a particular lifting plan/program you're going to follow?

 

Happy Challenge!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

3 hours ago, Cheetah said:

I'm glad you're still doing the positives!  Is there a particular lifting plan/program you're going to follow?

 

Happy Challenge!

 

Nothing specific yet. I figure I'll do an arm/chest day, a leg day, and a core/back day but aside from that I haven't picked a plan. If I get more hours at work I'd like to get a couple sessions with a trainer but I can't really afford that atm.

 

Thank you, to you as well.

[Thom Stépan]

Simple straight forward. One habit can change the world.

Sent from my CPH1725 using Tapatalk

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

2 hours ago, Thom Stépan said:

Simple straight forward. One habit can change the world.

Sent from my CPH1725 using Tapatalk
 

 

Agreed.

[DJtrippyT]

This will be fun! I’m so glad you have a gym where you can feel comfortable. Much more enjoyable that way. 

[Radost]

Woohoo! Keep it simple, keep it positive. Sounds like an awesome challenge!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

1 hour ago, Radost said:

Woohoo! Keep it simple, keep it positive. Sounds like an awesome challenge!

 

Thanks!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

Made the mistake of weighing myself last night - 158 lbs. I know that the number on the scale doesn't really matter but this is the heaviest I've been in nearly a decade. It's hard to not feel a little shitty about it. Especially because I know it's thanks to all the junk I've been eating lately.

[Cheetah]

8 hours ago, Atrytone said:

Made the mistake of weighing myself last night - 158 lbs. I know that the number on the scale doesn't really matter but this is the heaviest I've been in nearly a decade. It's hard to not feel a little shitty about it. Especially because I know it's thanks to all the junk I've been eating lately.

 

I understand that feeling.  I have a hard time not beating myself up about such things; I think most of us do.  The good news is, you've got your whole life to make whatever changes you want, and you can start whenever you like.

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

Today's positive: Jelly arms and endorphins! Went to the gym today (first day back) and I was anticipating having to slog through the workout but I was just so happy to be there. It was awesome. Going to see Captain Marvel this afternoon and I'm stoked about that too.

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

Today's positive: DOMS aren't as bad as I was fearing. I can definitely tell I haven't been to the gym in a while but I also didn't wreck myself which is a major plus. Also Captain Marvel was amazing. I'm so glad the MCU FINALLY did a female superhero movie. It's way past time.

[Fonzico]

Good habits tend to suck other ones into their vortex... I think it's hella smart!

And lifting = feeling badass = conquering ALL!

So yeah. I'm all about your challenge. I'm following along for muscle-building inspo!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

1 hour ago, Fonzico said:

Good habits tend to suck other ones into their vortex... I think it's hella smart!

And lifting = feeling badass = conquering ALL!

So yeah. I'm all about your challenge. I'm following along for muscle-building inspo!

 

If I try to do too many things I either a) run around like an idiot trying to do everything and actually do nothing, or b) only do one thing all challenge. We'll see how this works. 

 

Also yesssssssssss muscles!!! I love having visible muscles (I know that's more a food thing than a gym thing but the more I work out the better I eat because I want to see the results of my efforts [which is basically exactly what you said in your first sentence]).

 

Anyway, happy to have you!

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

On 3/12/2019 at 7:29 PM, Cheetah said:

 

I understand that feeling.  I have a hard time not beating myself up about such things; I think most of us do.  The good news is, you've got your whole life to make whatever changes you want, and you can start whenever you like.

 

Sorry for the late reply but I definitely feel this. And it's really important to look forward to the good changes and stop dwelling on the bad choices we've made in the past, or even present.

 

(also this post helped me jolt out of the really bad place my brain had been going so seriously thank you for that)

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

Leg day at the gym. Took it a little easy since I seriously overdid my arms last week.

[TGP]

On 3/12/2019 at 1:59 PM, Atrytone said:

Made the mistake of weighing myself last night - 158 lbs. I know that the number on the scale doesn't really matter but this is the heaviest I've been in nearly a decade. It's hard to not feel a little shitty about it. Especially because I know it's thanks to all the junk I've been eating lately.

 

I know that for MANY there is simply NO consequence to a healthy lifestyle MORE IMPORTANT  than losing weight... its SO striking, important, and motivating.

BUT

I think there is Really another side of that!  it also seems to be the ABSOLUTELY Last, hardest, most agonizing, and most stubborn thing you could possibly aim for.

 

the problem is that WAY too many people see it as the Beginning and the end of all their attempts to live healthily.  that makes the Long, long road between Beginning and seeing any results of their better healthy lifestyle.

 

consider all the challenges to (seeing weight loss)...

* first, body weight fluctuates significantly between water weight and even poop!  thus day to day measure just jump around randomly with no correlation to exercise effort or diet

*second, Water can be a bit of a Trap!  you want to Lose wieght yet you (should know ) that exericse without enough hydration is always a bad idea.   you get tempted to drink less and rewarded when you do

*thirdly,  Your body is designed to mimize fat burns.  Evolotionary body fat provides a critical role in dealing with starvation and your body would rather draw out energy from carbs (often hiking up your appetite) than burning up fat supplies... and Burning body fat is a Slower, less direct way to get energy (from your bodies POV).  this all teems up to make it really tricky to "teach" your body to burn body fat

 

*also,  even intense exercise is worth just tiny amounts of body fat so even if you've trained your body to burn fat:  its still day to day and week to week very modest amounts

 

anyways.  I'm not sure How much you know about this, but I encourage you to take solace in it.  You've made a few mistakes but are Now Turning things around!  thats wonderful!!!!  in time awesome things will happen.  but be patient on the weight loss!  its one of the hardest and last things that happen as you adopt a healthy lifestyle.

 

myself, I find that the discipline NOT to hop on the scale is important.   Why do that to your mind, when you suspect it won't encourage you.  instead look for quicker good things to happen

 

like strength doing common tasks.  and being able to run /weight lift,etc things that you couldn't dream of - months earlier!  that kind of progress WILL encourage and physics INSIST, absolutely WILL INSIST that weight loss will follow

 

just some advice that helped me.... also feel free to google or correct me if I got anything about losing weight.  for myself, I lost about 35 # last year preparing for my epic hike and MOST of that Weight loss was when I stopped checking my weight so very carefully.  I concentrated on the HIKE and not the weight loss and I got BOTH...

it was I think, really good strategy- as losing weight clearly helped

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

6 hours ago, TGP said:

anyways.  I'm not sure How much you know about this, but I encourage you to take solace in it.  You've made a few mistakes but are Now Turning things around!  thats wonderful!!!!  in time awesome things will happen.  but be patient on the weight loss!  its one of the hardest and last things that happen as you adopt a healthy lifestyle.

 

Thank you TGP. I do know all of this but I was having a bad-head-space-day and it's always nice to be reminded. I'm back on the caring about being healthy and ignoring my weight train now.  

[TGP]

Awesome!

yeah, bad days happen

 

ha!  don't admit it to the demons.  just keep sticking it to em by that signature ATrytone positiveness....

[NeuroPunkNonsense]

1 hour ago, TGP said:

Awesome!

yeah, bad days happen

 

ha!  don't admit it to the demons.  just keep sticking it to em by that signature ATrytone positiveness....

 

I find it...interesting that you think positiveness is my signature. I'm aiming for it. But growing up I was very pessimistic and to this day it's my natural inclination. Focus on the bad first, plan for the worst - no, not bad enough make it worse, worse - but I'm trying. And I guess that's all anyone can do? I faced my worst fear last year. Isolation. It almost broke me but it didn't. It didn't. I made it back alive and now it almost feels like a fever dream. A delusion. Not sure if I'm making much sense. I've been drinking. Is what it is I guess.

Today's positive was the sunshine. It was  beautiful day.

[TGP]

well, we all have challenges.

 

but I really, REALLY like that you've chosen to embrace positiveness (optimism).   you can still plan for the bad (or worst or whatever)...

but LOOK for the good

 

I'm kind of struggling to do that now.  plumbing has NOT gone well.

if I'm sent to hell, the devil will have a massive plumbing job and I will have to do, then UNdo, got to a store to get something, then find out it is Wrong....

all this for eternity.

 

oh boy; I really need to be good!

 

enjoy the sunshine. its happening here too- the air is not that warm but the bright warm sunshine is making everything feel more like spring.