Hitting the Restart Button

[Ambee]

Hey all! It's been well over a year since I last logged onto here, but I'm not looking at this as a sheepish, embarrassed return, but a fresh start.

 

A lot has happened in the last year, mostly not good, unfortunately. What should have been a dream job pretty much collapsed around me and left me in a lot of financial difficulties, which caused me a lot of anxiety. Getting fit was the last thing on my mind - in fact, I think something in my brain flipped and took me in the opposite direction. I wasn't leaving the house much, and was using food as a comfort, so I actually gained a further almost 3 stone on top of what I originally started with in January '14.

 

So, by January '15 I weighed just shy of 18st; 17st 10.5lbs, which if I've worked it out correctly is just under 240lb (which actually makes me feel pretty dizzy when I think about it now). I hadn't really realised that things had gotten that bad, but then during early February I did a short 3-day course up in the city learning some new software in the hopes of finding some new work. They'd give us lunch vouchers each day for various places a short walk from where the classes were taking place.

 

The walk from the building where my classes were to where most of the places to eat is a less than five minute walk - about 0.2 miles, according to Google Maps - and to my horror I found I was breathless, sweating, and my legs were hurting just walking that tiny distance. What really scared me was that I could feel my heart really pumping and having to work with that small effort, and it dawned on me that my lifestyle as it was at that moment was really hurting me. The anxiety and the financial difficulties weren't my doing, but my weight was something I could at least get a grip of and do something to get control of.

 

Since February I feel like I've really made some positive changes and my life feels like it's back on track again. Most importantly health-wise, I've joined a weight loss group on the 23rd February and have so far lost 2st 7.5lbs (just shy of 40lbs) and feel well on track for eventually getting myself to my target of 8st 7lbs. I know it's going to be slow-going, but actually having that physical support of a group of people around me has done absolute wonders, and knowing that I'm losing weight has been a massive confidence booster.

 

I also got a new job in April which I absolutely love, and comes with a free gym upstairs for us all to use, though I've not yet been brave enough to give it a proper go (one half hour nervous wander around and brief stroll on a treadmill does not count as using the gym!), but I'm hoping the motivation and the help I know I can get from here will help with that - now that I've got my diet under control, I'm now ready to focus on my fitness. I've already come a long way since February - I can go for long strolls now without feeling out of breath and there's now no pains in my legs when I walk either. I bought a FitBit last weekend which is really helpful for motivation and helping me keep track of things, and I've even signed up for a 5k charity fun run/walk in my local park with some friends from my slimming group in late September, which should be fun!

 

Well, that was a very long post, but I'm looking forward to being back again!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome back. Good job jumping back on top of your eating.  The gym is not a scary place. The first day you will feel scared. The second day you will feel less scared.  The third day (you see where I'm going with this). Eventually, the gym will fear you.  The squat racks and benches will quiver in fear at the approach of RubyRunner and the way you destroy your workouts.

 

You can do this, there are great resources on the blog including the lifting 101 series.

[Ambee]

Welcome back. Good job jumping back on top of your eating.  The gym is not a scary place. The first day you will feel scared. The second day you will feel less scared.  The third day (you see where I'm going with this). Eventually, the gym will fear you.  The squat racks and benches will quiver in fear at the approach of RubyRunner and the way you destroy your workouts.

 

You can do this, there are great resources on the blog including the lifting 101 series.

 

:-) Thanks! I've decided to tackle the gym in the morning and go in there with the mindset that everybody's doing their own thing in there, and won't be interested in me.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

You are absolutely right. If they are not too busy working out, they're too busy worrying about what you think of them.

[Archon]

Welcome back. We are glad you have made it back here and are recomitted to improving your health!

Life is a journey and health & fitness are just a part of it. Wishing you a great journey!

It is awesome (and you're lucky) to have the gym with work thing going on, and don't worry about the other people. They are probably all worried about what everyone else is thinking of them.

 

The old 20-40-60 rule: At 20 everyone is worried about what everyone else is thinking about them. At 40, they stop giving a shit about what other people think. At 60 they realize everyone else was so busy worrying about themselves that noone even noticed them in the first place.

[Ambee]

Welcome back. We are glad you have made it back here and are recomitted to improving your health!

Life is a journey and health & fitness are just a part of it. Wishing you a great journey!

It is awesome (and you're lucky) to have the gym with work thing going on, and don't worry about the other people. They are probably all worried about what everyone else is thinking of them.

 

The old 20-40-60 rule: At 20 everyone is worried about what everyone else is thinking about them. At 40, they stop giving a shit about what other people think. At 60 they realize everyone else was so busy worrying about themselves that noone even noticed them in the first place.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I've recommitted to it too - I feel so much better for it!

 

I've definitely realised how lucky I am to have the gym at my workplace, and to have it for free, so I'm making the most of it now. The best part is that I've found I prefer to go in the mornings before the day starts (my brain seems to rationalise it as, at lunchtime, you want to have a break; after work, you just want to get home; in the morning? Well, you're going there anyway so what's the harm in getting there an hour or so earlier!) I'm often the only person in there at that time too, so it's great because I can just focus on what I need/want to do without worrying, and I'm finding now that if there is anyone else in there, they're just focusing on what they're doing too. I'm still ironing out the best approach to what I actually do during my workout routine, but I'm getting over the fear of actually stepping into the gym and feel like I actually really enjoy it once I'm in there, and I feel great about that.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Good for you! Keep up the good work.