fitness_and_wellness_journey
Health

My Fitness and Wellness Journey Update

My Fitness and Wellness Journey Update is as much a progress check for me as it is for my readers too. So stick with me and I promise we can do this together. Okay?
Here we are three weeks into my newly revamped fitness routine for 2014 and I thought it was time for an update. A progress check.
fitness_and_wellness_journey

My Fitness and Wellness Journey After 35!!

First a bit of background. I have been working hard on getting fit since Ainsley was very small. I have always been sports averse. As in, I was the kid in grade school who hated gym. It brought down my average in high school and since I was a keener I petitioned someone to allow me to drop it from my courses. I was never naturally gifted at athletic things and to be very honest I did not care. (I was always good at petitioning people. LOL.)

 

As a kid I knocked the wind out of myself doing backwards somersaults a couple of times. As a youth I nearly drowned at a wave pool. See what I mean? Not good at sports.

fitness_and_wellness_journey

Parenting in my mid 30s

Then I grew up and become a parent. Nothing changed my mind faster about getting fit. Although even that realization that I needed to be fit for my kids wasn’t instant. My first baby girl was easy going and a total joy. The adoption experience was magnificent and really a positive for us. How could we not want to repeat that experience?

Then Ainsley came. Also a wonderful experience, but something was different? Ainsley herself was the polar opposite of the easygoing first baby we adopted. She was the most active baby rolling fast and clear across the room to get her sister’s toys. She was intense, energetic and exhausting and she slept poorly from 18 months on and was just very challenging.

Yoga

So I took up yoga to help get fit and to bring a sense of calm to my life. It also helped that I got 1-2 hours a week as a break from my kids. The kids grew and they became more active – not less.

So I started to increase my commitment to fitness and I went to the YMCA while they did their swimming lessons and I hopped on a treadmill, or tried to use some of the easier machines. I did my own cardio and I stuck with yoga, added pilates and whatever other classes I felt like trying. I grew stronger and a bit better able to manage stress when it came my way.

First Ever Appointment with a Fitness Coach

But this year I decided I wanted more. I have been doing classes for a long time, but I never actually took time to learn how to do machines properly. Well, guess what? I set up an appointment with a wellness coach and I learned. We developed a new fitness routine involving weights the first week of January. In fact I am well over 40 now and more committed to fitness than ever so it was time to level up.

 

Shoulders

Now here I am three weeks later. The routine is going well. That first day when my coach pushed me to do 3 reps of 12 on the arm curl and the shoulder press I thought my chest might explode. These are areas I have targeted that I want to build this year. I need to sculpt my arms and strengthen core. My shoulders are problematic because I work at a computer and they get stiff. Shoulders UGH – I know my shoulder rotation needs work and will never be as good as some people’s shoulder strength or rotation.

 

Metabolism

I have a goal of staying on top of my metabolism this year also. It’s true that metabolism changes when you hit forty.

Last week I went back and did a check up with my wellness coach and he told me this: “You are here consistently and that’s already better than 75 % of the population.”

WOW!

I squeeze in an hour on machines as often as I am able. During my workouts, I am motivated and present and I feel better about my fitness and wellness journey ever single time I get to the gym and then when I am done as well. In fact, I was warned though to take a day off in between to let your muscles recover and I am doing that most weeks. My arms feel better already.

 

The machines don’t seem as hard as they did that first day. I look forward to heading upstairs to do my weight machines and have a bit of quiet workout time. It’s completely different than the group classes. Hate the inverted ab machine, even still, but I can feel results and that’s the thing that helps keep me going. Next up – nutrition. Tomorrow I am hopping onto  a webinar from Vega (I am one of their bloggers this year again.)

It sounds strange but I feel more upper body strength already. Also I feel tighter. For the time being I will assume that’s because I am working hard and my muscles are getting a bit more defined every day. I am hoping this motivation continues and results follow by the summer if not sooner.

What keeps you motivated to get fit?

Mom of two beautiful active girls, traveller, fitness junkie, social media consultant, and keeper of the sanity.

One Comment

  • Angie@Echoes of Laughter

    Awesome job Paula! I really need to follow your example and make the commitment to get more fit this year! My kids are very active, but I really need to carve out the time for myself!
    Have a lovely week! Angie xo