Today we are going to talk about physical fitness and the effects it has on your body. When I started my physical fitness journey I was reluctant. I really didn’t want to go to the gym or do any strenuous workouts. I stuck to walking and although walking is great for your body it just wasn’t doing it for me. I needed something more. I needed to feel the effects so I know that I was getting something going within my body. I needed to sweat. I needed to feel the muscles working in my body.
So, I found a gym that was close to my home. I was not too far out of the way and I could swing by after work or in the mornings on my off days. It was a small gym and didn’t offer to much in the department of working out. There were treadmills, ellipticals, and a few bench presses. I didn’t know too much about lifting weights so I stayed away from that area. I didn’t want to hurt myself. The gym didn’t offer a trainer, and I didn’t know anyone who could go with me and help me learn how to lift weights with the proper form. So, I let go of my membership and we parted ways.
Several months later after gaining a few more pounds after not finding another gym, I took to the internet to find any local gyms that didn’t cost an arm and a leg to attend and offered a range of items that would benefit me and my goals. I not only wanted to lose extra pounds but I wanted to tone and shape my body as well.
At this point, my body had gotten used to getting up and moving so my body was starting to take on a “locked” feel. My muscles were getting cramps and my heels were starting to hurt. Not only because of the lack of movement but also the extra pounds my body had accumulated over the last few months of not moving.
After a week of looking and comparing prices of each gym, I finally settled on one. It came with a few perks. It came with a wide range of treadmills, stairs, ellipticals, a weight section, a 30 minutes full body section, a trainer, tanning beds, and a massage room. It was also a cheap membership with full benefits and I could also bring a friend with me to workout If I ever wanted to bring one or my husband. So now, I have been hitting this gym hard. 30 minutes cardio warm up and then 30 minutes weights, and a 20-minute cooldown. I am loving it. My body is thanking me.
I am finding that my body is already changing and I am only 1 week into it. I have noticed a lot of change in my body so far. I feel more awake, energized, and alert. I feel that my blood gets pumped into my heart and brain faster and lasts longer on the energy plane of things. I don’t feel so stressed out on a day to day basis. And I know that if I do get stressed out by things like work or daily life in general, I can always go to the gym and just do a bit of cardio to help de-stress my body and help it relax by getting out excess pent up energy out. I know this is something that is a little hard to believe but it works.
I find that going to the gym, even if it is only 30 minutes and you do nothing but cardio the entire time you are there, helps your body to relieve the stress it has accumulated that day. This helps your body adjust to weight loss quicker and helps keep it off. If your body is not stressed out then your body can not hold on to fat that can sometimes accumulate in places such as your thighs and stomach which is the main areas that store fat.
When you are stressed out the last thing you want to do is get up and get moving. You want to sit and binge watch your favorite television show and eat everything you can to help cope with being stressed. Guys!, This is not good. We all need to get up and get moving. Even if it is just 30 minutes. It is better than nothing. Get that heart rate up and fight back that stress. Let that stress go on that treadmill or that weight bench. Keep in mind while you are working out and not to overdo it. This will only cause injury. We do not want this at all. We want you at your best so we all can live our best lives.
Now, I have said that I have had more energy and alert but also, My body rests well at night. This being said, I have just spent maybe 1 to 2 hours at the gym doing cardio and resistance training and exerting all of my pent-up energy out doing these exercises. Now the only thing my body wants to do is fuel and rest. By fuel and rest I mean by eating foods that are going to help aid your body is healing itself. You need to eat rich foods in omega and foods that are going to aid in doing just that. You can easily look up foods all over youtube and the internet that can help refuel your body and help it heal.
Most people are pretty hungry after a workout and they fuel up on protein and vegetables. Which is great. Sometimes I do and sometimes I just have a protein smoothie with a lot of fruit and some type of nut/seed butter so my body can easily digest it and it also aids in helping those muscles heal properly.
Now not only is healing your muscles properly with food ideal but also to remember to stretch it out. I found that the first two days of working out I did not stretch my muscles afterword. I soon came to regret this. The morning after working out my body hurt so bad. It was tense and I could barely walk. I died when I had to go to the bathroom. We all know this feeling. The dread of sitting down. Yes. it hurt. I looked up tons of yoga stretches to help stretch out those muscles, and before too long, I was feeling so much better. I was not as tense in my body or legs and I could easily get up and down with no problem. So from now on, I stretch before I leave to go to the gym and when I get home from the gym. I noticed a big difference in my flexibility as well.
There are so many things that come along with working out and I am still on this journey of weight loss. I am loving every minute and I am learning all that I can through my mistakes and through the help of others. I follow the advice of my trainer and i follow some youtubers and listen to their advice as well. But keep in mind before you do any type of workout. Please talk to a Doctor before doing so, and take it easy. DO NOT overexert yourself. DO NOT injure yourself. It is not worth it. I know sometimes things happen and it can’t be helped. But take the precautions to help yourself be strong and mindful. I do not want you to hurt yourself.
This is just a compilation of my journey that I will let you in on over the months of trails and tribulations of this path of working out. I will let you in on my journey over time and let you know how my path is going. I will let you know how my body is changing and how my health is getting better. I don’t know how many parts this will be but I will check in once a month and write a little post on everything that is happening. I do hope you enjoy this post and stay tuned for part 2.
Keep in mind, that with working out you also have to eat well. You can not lose weight by eating a bunch of junk food and processed foods. You have to eat a well-balanced diet full of vegetables, protein, and greens. If you have a sweet tooth like I do always opt for a small portion of dark chocolate, Paleo or vegan options of sweets along with fruits. Always reach for a whole plant-based option. If you eat meat make sure to get the best quality you can. Organic, grass-fed, or other paleo options that are more well balanced for your body instead of any processed meats on the shelf.
I do eat meat. When I do cook or order meat I always make sure it is the best quality. I do not eat that much pork products. I usually eat some type of fish, shellfish, grass-fed beef with little to no fat. I do ground anything I usually get a vegan option or I buy a ground organic turkey. I do not eat processed hot dogs. If i do get in the mood for a hotdog I buy vegan. I always buy some type of gluten-free or paleo type of bread. You just have to find what works well with your body so it functions properly.
So I hope this has helped someone and has given some insight. Don’t forget to stay tuned for part 2 coming up soon. Have a wonderful day guys!
The Southern Rustic 