Working Out

For real this time.

I'm sure if I dig back through this blog I'd find this exact post. I try working out, doing a couch 25K or yoga and I'm raring to go for all of three weeks. Then no more. 

I've mentioned Ryan has been on a major work out and healthy eating kick for awhile now. For over a year easily. He's dropped about thirty pounds and looks damn good. I'm his wife, I can say it!! With the clean eating at home I'd honestly sneak junk outside of his view. Candy in my desk at work, stops for fast food, pizza at rehearsals... It happened a lot. 

So when he got back from deployment and asked me to really start going to the gym with him I balked. A lot. I'm not an exercise person by any means. But eventually I came around. He promised not to push me too hard, as he has done in the past, and to help me when I need it. 

Last Saturday was my first day in the gym. Weightlifting is my newest attempt. It's hard but I loathe cardio so hopefully this will be better. I'm doing squats (which my form sucks since I can't bend right really but I'm trying to improve), bent over rows, dead lifts, bench press, inclined bench press, lat pull downs and a small ab circuit with leg lifts, sit ups and planks. 

Saturday night we drove down to Wilmington solely to get chipotle (worth it, even if we had to nap in the truck for an hour since we both were so sickeningly full) and then went ice skating. On real ice, not the plastic kind!! 

Needless to say Sunday I cried trying to get out of bed. I was so sore. My legs hurt from the gym and then ice skating that night even though I stretched before bed. Monday my arms hurt so bad I could barely straighten them. I tried to stretch all day at work and slept with my arms straight as I could that night. Tuesday I went back to the gym. 

And I already improved. I went up in weight (not body, what I can lift) and today I wasn't that sore. A bit. But not agony. I then even did a 45 minute yoga work out when I got home. We go back to the gym Friday. Well, I go back. Ryan goes almost daily. 

We're eating healthier and for once I have no desire to cheat. The candy drawer at work has stayed closed, the chocolate covered Oreos are still on our kitchen counter, and I haven't cheated once. I'm drinking a lot of water from my new water bottle and I haven't had more than a sip of diet coke in days. Days. I usually have two or more a day. That's huge. I'm sleeping more and hydrating and I'm really trying. 

Because I don't like how I look at the moment. I know I'm out of shape and I hate seeing my reflection sometimes. I'm tired of pulling my back out. I'm tired of sucking in my stomach. I'm tired of my own reflection not meeting my eyes. I want to change it. 

It's hard. Sometimes I really hate it. But I'm really really trying this time. It's not a diet and gym binge, it's a lifestyle. It's my health and my body. And I'm ready for it to change. For the better. 

Let's do it. 

Going to the gym...

I have not gone to the gym religiously.... ever. I was never one of those girls to love working out, go running, or anything like that. I'd prefer a nice bike ride or a hike. I'd rather spend the day building a big set in a theatre lifting platforms and moving lights. I never found running in place to be a worthwhile activity. And whoever the hell thought lifting big heavy things in sets and repetition would be fun is just insane. Long story short, I hate working out.

So why the hell am I doing it around four days a week?

Because earlier this summer I mused out loud, "Hm, maybe when I go to Disney I will start going to the gym." And Ryan overheard it. So in Iraq he started working out. And eating healthy. He is doing it in the desert, I should be able to do it here, right? Long story short my lazy ass is in the gym now.

We have bickered about it, talked about it, and now I am going. Like I said, I hate working out. But I love Ryan, so I am doing it.

Luckily my apartment is the closest possible one to the gym or it would never happen.

I am up to 15 minutes a day on the elliptical (not a lot I know, but like I said, moving in place? Not my idea of fun) and I do some free weights and machines with exercises my suddenly all healthy lean, mean, fighting machine boyfriend recommended. I figured I could fudge my way around for a few months and gradually work up to it, but now with Ryan coming home so soon (YAY) I really need to stick with it. And eat healthy.

We'll ignore the chicken fingers and fries I had for dinner. It will be our little secret, ok?