Intro: Newbie hoping to learn to love the gym!

Hey there!

I'm 32, live in New York, and want to lose about 60 pounds, in order to reach my ideal weight. I am currently a size 16, and want to be a size 6 to 8 by this time next year.

I just got married last month, and want to be healthy so that my romantic wonderful husband and I can live a long healthy life together! Also, we want to start a family within a year or two, and I know that will be easier and healthier for me to do if I am fit and trim.

Exercise is hard for me, for no good reason. Simply put, being heavy makes me feel tired. When I wake up early before work, I feel groggy and tired and too lazy to work out. After work, I feel tired from having worked all day. And during work, Im sitting at a computer or at a drafting table all day, not moving much at all. All recipes for disaster.

I know logically speaking that working out gives one energy. But its finding the energy to get started, and then to stick with it that's the hardest part. The only time I stuck with an exercise program for any good length of time, was about a year and a half ago. I worked out daily with excitement and energy and vigor for about 2 months. That doesnt sound like a long time, but it was a huge feat for me. Then we went on a vacation and I relaxed "because I was on vacation". When we got back home, I had not worked out in a few days, and never really got back to it the way that I had been before our trip. I dabbled in it here and there, but we all know that doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. What I really need to do is to make this a lifestyle change, and stick with it. Even on vacations.

My brother-in-law is an inspiration to me, because he works out every day at 4 am. He says its as natural for him to do every day as brushing his teeth daily is to me. Its just what one does every day, as a human being. He and my sister-in-law have two little babies, and he has a super busy job that is even busier than mine is, and if anyone has reasons to make excuses to avoid the gym its him. But he doesn't ever make excuses. Working out helps him to cope with the stresses of his life, and gives him energy.

I want to be that way too. The only thing in my way... is myself, and my ridiculous excuses.

So basically, I am here to learn how to work out and to learn how to love to work out. I am also here to be raw and HONEST with myself, and to stop making excuses anymore. I will only speak the truth, and I am here to get real with myself.

I know diet is important too, and I plan on doing that as well. But I know my biggest demon is the laziness I have toward working out, and doing it every day. And for longer than 2 months, yo!

Anyhoo, I'll shut up now. Nice to meet y'all! Wish me luck!

R.S.

Replies

  • Hey there!

    I'm 32, live in New York, and want to lose about 60 pounds, in order to reach my ideal weight. I am currently a size 16, and want to be a size 6 to 8 by this time next year.

    I just got married last month, and want to be healthy so that my romantic wonderful husband and I can live a long healthy life together! Also, we want to start a family within a year or two, and I know that will be easier and healthier for me to do if I am fit and trim.

    Exercise is hard for me, for no good reason. Simply put, being heavy makes me feel tired. When I wake up early before work, I feel groggy and tired and too lazy to work out. After work, I feel tired from having worked all day. And during work, Im sitting at a computer or at a drafting table all day, not moving much at all. All recipes for disaster.

    I know logically speaking that working out gives one energy. But its finding the energy to get started, and then to stick with it that's the hardest part. The only time I stuck with an exercise program for any good length of time, was about a year and a half ago. I worked out daily with excitement and energy and vigor for about 2 months. That doesnt sound like a long time, but it was a huge feat for me. Then we went on a vacation and I relaxed "because I was on vacation". When we got back home, I had not worked out in a few days, and never really got back to it the way that I had been before our trip. I dabbled in it here and there, but we all know that doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. What I really need to do is to make this a lifestyle change, and stick with it. Even on vacations.

    My brother-in-law is an inspiration to me, because he works out every day at 4 am. He says its as natural for him to do every day as brushing his teeth daily is to me. Its just what one does every day, as a human being. He and my sister-in-law have two little babies, and he has a super busy job that is even busier than mine is, and if anyone has reasons to make excuses to avoid the gym its him. But he doesn't ever make excuses. Working out helps him to cope with the stresses of his life, and gives him energy.

    I want to be that way too. The only thing in my way... is myself, and my ridiculous excuses.

    So basically, I am here to learn how to work out and to learn how to love to work out. I am also here to be raw and HONEST with myself, and to stop making excuses anymore. I will only speak the truth, and I am here to get real with myself.

    I know diet is important too, and I plan on doing that as well. But I know my biggest demon is the laziness I have toward working out, and doing it every day. And for longer than 2 months, yo!

    Anyhoo, I'll shut up now. Nice to meet y'all! Wish me luck!

    R.S.
  • jenken99
    jenken99 Posts: 564 Member
    :flowerforyou: i do wish u luck i know the feeling about being tired,,, i could sleep all day if people(e veryday life)would let me..
    sometimes we just have to force our selves into doing these things lets start now..
  • dhayes
    dhayes Posts: 216 Member
    Good luck to you. I found it hard to start also but just kept going to the gym and now working out is just part of my day. I don't know that I love it yet but I do enjoy the pool after my workout and the sauna after that.

    Stick with it and come here to let us know how you are doing.:flowerforyou:
  • Hey how are you doing, I cna relate to how you feel I live in australia and joined this web site as I cant really find an aussie Equivelant so it talkes me a while to convert or find what i think is similar. I am 5'2" and I weigh about 310 pounds. I know you are thinking holy schmoly when I think about it I do too. I have spent my whole life hiding away eating and getting bigger and I want it too stop beofre I kill myself . Last time I saw my mum she was crying and begging me to do something about it and I tried really hard for a month and then got sad and gave up the fight like I always do, then I am able to convince myself that I am happy this way. :cry: Trust me I am not. I have to get on a plane tomorrow I am going to see what of my best frineds and I should be so excited but I am not i am stressed because I know I will have to get on the plane and watch everyones face as they think please dont sit next to me. The moral to this story is I need a whole lot of support and help and if I can do it so can you.
  • vicky1
    vicky1 Posts: 236
    I know how you feel I have three kids (6yr 2 3/4 yr and 16 mnth) The only time I can do my workout is 5:30am otherwise I feel bad that my own self image (i have 30 lbs to lose and hate the way I look at the mo) is causing me to neglect the kids. I live in the UK so it is pretty cold here and it is so hard to go outside to my garage in the dark when it is raining and blowing gales it would be much easier to roll over in my nice warm bed and get another 1/2 hr sleep but once you get into the routine of it it isn't too bad I like listening to music but can't do that too much with the kids so I just plug in my ipod with some cheesy upbeat tunes and zone into the music (soppy songs don't do it they make you work out slower) 30 mins doesn't seem to drag quite the same when you can focus on something else. If you use an exercise bike or similar you could try a good book but save it so you read it only when exercising if the book is good enough you won't want your workout to finish.

    Also keep a nice fresh towel and a cool bottle of water to hand once you interrupt a workout it is easy to say that will do for today. I find if you push to 20mins it is easy to do the last 10 and a bit more. Try to keep an eye on your pulse rate to make sure that every min you are exercising counts there would be no point torturing yourself if your body never gets into fat burning mode there are some good websites with guides on pulse rates and the correct fat burning zones.

    Good luck
    Vicky :smile: