No Pain, No Gain...Right?
So, I don't know if any of you recall, but I have made it a priority to get healthier this year. I am trying to lose weight and become a healthier me. Sure, it's a cliche, but it's my cliche and I am really hoping that it works out for me in the end.
Nowadays, have you noticed how the news has become very health and image conscious? I think that it is great that there is shift to really emphasize unhealthy habits and to tackle the issue of growing obesity trends in the United States....I DO NOT however, condone the media's emphasis that beauty is a size zero. It breaks my heart to learn of individuals, usually women, who go to such drastic and potentially harmful means to stay thin. I hate that we live in a society where fat is equated with ugly and skinny is equated with beauty. What message does this send? We're not all perfect, it doesn't mean that some of us should be loved or looked at less!
Please don't misunderstand me. As much as I disapprove of our society's emphasis on superficial beauty, I'm not saying that being overweight is a good thing either. Heck, I am overweight, and I know that it is not ideal. I'll be honest with you, I do get image conscious and I have moments where I am not comfortable in my own skin, but I am trying hard to change that.
Again, I know that I sound like a Lifetime movie or something, but I think true beauty comes from being healthy...and that's what I want...to be healthy. I'm a big girl and my goal isn't to look like a super model or magazine cover. My goal is to look fitter. I am doing this for me --- no one else.
You may be wondering, "if she feels so strongly about this? Why hasn't she tried to lose weight before?" You are right to ask that. I have tried in the past, but I was never consistent. I was on and off Weight Watchers (but I had lost about 12lb on that program), I had trainers for short periods of time, but after a while, I would stop and go back to my old habits. What makes this year different from other years? According to the Chinese zodiac, 2013 is the year of the snake. My year. Here I am 23, going on 24, and you know what? I am still overweight. Something's gotta change.
To help keep me motivated and active, I have hired a personal trainer, who I see two times a week for 45 minutes, and he is AMAZING. He is super tough and resembles a boot camp drill sergeant, but he is truly wonderful. My trainer, H, is super muscular and hella strong. I tell people that he could have easily been an extra in the film 300! When I first met him, I was so intimidated, but now, I love chatting with him and I actually really look forward to seeing him during our sessions!
Every summer, after college, I would come home and I would get a personal trainer at my gym...so I am not new to this concept. My past trainers however, I am now learning, were not as demanding as my current trainer. Don't get me wrong, H is a sweetheart and I adore him, but man, his workouts are KILLER. I usually end each workout feeling like a jellyfish, because my muscles are so tired! I often describe his exercises as, "There is a circle in hell that Dante neglected to write about in his Inferno, and it is here at H comes up with his brutal exercise routines!"
We do everything. Cardio, weights, strength training...you name it, we've done it. I have become a master of jumping jacks, since I literally do HUNDREDS during each session. H also really loves making me do burpees, which I have now grown accustom to as well. Lots of running, stability training, ab work...I mean, I tell people about these sessions, and they can't believe the stuff that I do! Even my best friend, M, who is a total gym junkie and avid weight lifter, is impressed with what I am doing!
The other day, H had me literally flipping a punching bag back and forth across a studio floor. My heart was beating so hard, I thought I was going to die! He also introduced me to "plank pushups." Essentially, you start in plank position, and rotate between plank position and pushup position. Gosh, my stomach was in pain afterwards. H has also made it a priority to strengthen my biceps, so we do a lot of pull ups, which is truly painful. I am god awful at pull ups.
I have never been so physically challenged in my life, and whilst there are moments that I hate H and I hate what I am doing, I am secretly really enjoying my workouts. They are a great release and I feel much better after each workout. Recently, I find that I am lasting longer and not fatiguing quite as quickly as before. H has even been telling me that he has noticed these improvements and noticed that I am starting to lose weight and tone up! Music to every girls' ears? Am I right?
So, as my post title says, "no pain, no gain." I am certainly always in pain, for a few days after my workouts, but it means that H is doing his job. I also find that H has been teaching me a lot about what the body is capable of doing. H likes to explain what each exercise does for my body and how it improves my overall well being. I really enjoy those little discussions. H also keeps me laughing. All the time. As you can tell, I am enjoying my workouts, even though I ALWAYS get my butt kicked, and I can't wait to see how I look in another 6 months!!!
Nowadays, have you noticed how the news has become very health and image conscious? I think that it is great that there is shift to really emphasize unhealthy habits and to tackle the issue of growing obesity trends in the United States....I DO NOT however, condone the media's emphasis that beauty is a size zero. It breaks my heart to learn of individuals, usually women, who go to such drastic and potentially harmful means to stay thin. I hate that we live in a society where fat is equated with ugly and skinny is equated with beauty. What message does this send? We're not all perfect, it doesn't mean that some of us should be loved or looked at less!
Please don't misunderstand me. As much as I disapprove of our society's emphasis on superficial beauty, I'm not saying that being overweight is a good thing either. Heck, I am overweight, and I know that it is not ideal. I'll be honest with you, I do get image conscious and I have moments where I am not comfortable in my own skin, but I am trying hard to change that.
Again, I know that I sound like a Lifetime movie or something, but I think true beauty comes from being healthy...and that's what I want...to be healthy. I'm a big girl and my goal isn't to look like a super model or magazine cover. My goal is to look fitter. I am doing this for me --- no one else.
You may be wondering, "if she feels so strongly about this? Why hasn't she tried to lose weight before?" You are right to ask that. I have tried in the past, but I was never consistent. I was on and off Weight Watchers (but I had lost about 12lb on that program), I had trainers for short periods of time, but after a while, I would stop and go back to my old habits. What makes this year different from other years? According to the Chinese zodiac, 2013 is the year of the snake. My year. Here I am 23, going on 24, and you know what? I am still overweight. Something's gotta change.
To help keep me motivated and active, I have hired a personal trainer, who I see two times a week for 45 minutes, and he is AMAZING. He is super tough and resembles a boot camp drill sergeant, but he is truly wonderful. My trainer, H, is super muscular and hella strong. I tell people that he could have easily been an extra in the film 300! When I first met him, I was so intimidated, but now, I love chatting with him and I actually really look forward to seeing him during our sessions!
Every summer, after college, I would come home and I would get a personal trainer at my gym...so I am not new to this concept. My past trainers however, I am now learning, were not as demanding as my current trainer. Don't get me wrong, H is a sweetheart and I adore him, but man, his workouts are KILLER. I usually end each workout feeling like a jellyfish, because my muscles are so tired! I often describe his exercises as, "There is a circle in hell that Dante neglected to write about in his Inferno, and it is here at H comes up with his brutal exercise routines!"
We do everything. Cardio, weights, strength training...you name it, we've done it. I have become a master of jumping jacks, since I literally do HUNDREDS during each session. H also really loves making me do burpees, which I have now grown accustom to as well. Lots of running, stability training, ab work...I mean, I tell people about these sessions, and they can't believe the stuff that I do! Even my best friend, M, who is a total gym junkie and avid weight lifter, is impressed with what I am doing!
The other day, H had me literally flipping a punching bag back and forth across a studio floor. My heart was beating so hard, I thought I was going to die! He also introduced me to "plank pushups." Essentially, you start in plank position, and rotate between plank position and pushup position. Gosh, my stomach was in pain afterwards. H has also made it a priority to strengthen my biceps, so we do a lot of pull ups, which is truly painful. I am god awful at pull ups.
I have never been so physically challenged in my life, and whilst there are moments that I hate H and I hate what I am doing, I am secretly really enjoying my workouts. They are a great release and I feel much better after each workout. Recently, I find that I am lasting longer and not fatiguing quite as quickly as before. H has even been telling me that he has noticed these improvements and noticed that I am starting to lose weight and tone up! Music to every girls' ears? Am I right?
So, as my post title says, "no pain, no gain." I am certainly always in pain, for a few days after my workouts, but it means that H is doing his job. I also find that H has been teaching me a lot about what the body is capable of doing. H likes to explain what each exercise does for my body and how it improves my overall well being. I really enjoy those little discussions. H also keeps me laughing. All the time. As you can tell, I am enjoying my workouts, even though I ALWAYS get my butt kicked, and I can't wait to see how I look in another 6 months!!!
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