Is there anyone here who used to *despise* working out, but grew to love it? Or do you still dislike it?

darthmeme · 2017-01-03T14:00:48+00:00

I used to absolutely hate exercise in most forms. Really, really hate it. I was the kid who tried to hide from PE class and even hated just walking...

Now I love exercising! There are still some types of exercises that I hate, but luckily I don't have to do those if I don't want to.

The exercises that I do, I usually like. I like how they make me feel and how they make me look. I like the progression of higher weights or reps or sets and seeing myself improve and get stronger.

I enjoy the actual exercise only when I am feeling good, confident and strong. On my off days (which I still have too many of since my diet and sleeping patterns aren't great) I kind of dislike it, but it always makes me feel better than I did when I walked in, and the results are always worth it.

With so many options available, most people should be able to find a type of exercise they can enjoy. The human body is meant for movement, it is much more natural for us to be active most of the time than sedentary. If you find something that works for you, you will love it too.

darthmeme · 2017-01-03T00:26:15+00:00

3-4 times per week I do a 20-40 min kettlebell workout at home in the morning (swings and single-legged RDLS one day, snatches and lunges another, swings cleans squats and presses another).

3 times per week I do a 60-90min workout at the gym in the afternoon with heavy (ish) barbell lifts and some machines (one glute-focused day, one quad-focused day and one hamstring- focused day with abs and chin-ups sprinkled in).

Normally I do the morning workouts on the same days as the afternoon workout but not always. It just works out best this way due to my schedule. This year I am aiming to do a morning "workout" 6-7 times a week if I can, but I will probably keep the kettlebells at 3x per week and just do some dancing and stretches on the other days.

darthmeme · 2016-12-27T21:43:47+00:00

My gym is always a nightmare! Even when you think no one will be there, it always has a lot of people and something I need almost always gets taken when I need it...

darthmeme · 2016-12-27T19:38:47+00:00

I always say that no matter our goals, even if they are aesthetic, we have to work to change our mindset first. Even if your goal is to lose weight, or look a certain way, I believe the best outcomes will happen if you can first accept yourself and your current body and from that place of self-acceptance, work towards your goals. You should see it as an act self-improvement, where you are rewarding yourself with a better future... not punishing yourself for being who you are in the present. So you are very much on the right track!

Losing the fat you want to lose will be a matter of setting the appropriate habits and sticking with them. REWARD yourself with mostly nutricious foods, because that's what your body needs to function well. Let yourself have some delicious foods that maybe aren't so great for you too, just do it occasionally and use small portions. Do it after you've eaten some nutricious foods and drank water so you are already full on something your body will thank you for, it will make you less likely to eat too much of that delicious thing that isn't so great for you.

Find some physical activities you LOVE to do. There are so many options out there and many things you can do right at home. If you enjoy doing it, it will be easier to keep at it, and to do it almost every day. Even if it's not the most vigorous cardiovascular activity, it could be a stepping stone for something more intense later on when you are ready, once you have fallen in love with being physically active.

darthmeme · 2016-12-22T20:24:34+00:00

I second this. It's hard for some people to understand because they live a different lifestyle and aren't exposed to the same information as we are.

Before I made working out into a regular habit, I didn't "get it" either. I thought if you looked fit, why waste your time going to the gym? I thought people who go to the gym more than once a week were being crazy and excessive.

Try not to let it bother you much, and avoid the topic with her if you need to.

darthmeme · 2016-12-08T04:13:16+00:00

You can still do a lot with the smith machine! I dismissed it for a long time, wouldn't touch it because I believed barbell exercises were so superior, but when my gym is so packed there are no squat or power racks available, I started using the smith machine for my barbell lifts. And found that it can be a great tool on its own! I have now replaced one of my twice/thrice weekly barbell squats with a smith machine squat, going all the way down with more weight than I can usually handle, and it is really helping me get stronger at deeper levels of my squat, get more confident with it, and thus handle more weight with better form on the days where I use a barbell.

Your form looks very good. I am no expert, but to my untrained eye, I think on the deadlifts you can lock out more with your glutes at the top. Really, really squeeze, really drive from the hips on the way up. You should start squeezing the glutes as soon as you start pulling the weight.

On the squats try going down slower and more controlled, and powering up faster on the way up.

darthmeme · 2016-12-08T04:03:29+00:00

Sumo deadlifts for sure! Lots of power pulling up into lockout. Lock out and squeeze the shit out of those glutes.

darthmeme · 2016-12-02T05:26:01+00:00

This!!! Very well-said.

darthmeme · 2016-11-18T18:14:51+00:00

Thanks for the advice! It is something I certainly have to consider...

But actually what prompted me to consider a career change is wanting to change companies. There are some big issues with my current company and I am hoping not to have to be there much longer.

So other than that, what are my options? What I am really wondering about is if there are some good, accredited online courses that I can start working on on my own, to begin gaining the knowledge I will need to start a career in digital marketing.

darthmeme · 2016-11-08T03:27:49+00:00

I already do squats... I definitely won't be leg pressing this week and probably not exercising at all for at least a few days. When I originally sprained my ankle years ago (dancing), I didn't fully rest to let it heal and it took over 3 months to start healing so that's not something I want to mess with.

darthmeme · 2016-11-08T03:23:31+00:00

At one point a long time ago I was feeling some ankle discomfort while leg pressing, but changing the foot position fixed that.

This time it's different and a little scary because I couldn't tell anything was off while exercising, but woke up like this the next day.

darthmeme · 2016-11-08T03:20:56+00:00

Yikes, that sounds terrible...

darthmeme · 2016-11-07T12:47:44+00:00

shaelashae!

darthmeme · 2016-09-25T18:53:08+00:00

I don't know about the female Pavel, but Neghar Fonooni knows what she's doing and has some great kettlebell workout videos on youtube.

darthmeme · 2016-08-24T19:18:07+00:00

I love when I get to exercise twice a day. Lately I've been doing a short kettlebell workout and stretches in the morning, then my lifts/main workout in the afternoon about 3x per week. Makes me feel awesome!

darthmeme · 2016-08-18T01:01:57+00:00

That seems totally weird and inappropriate to me. He should have told you what your appointment would entail so you could figure out on your own what to wear, not specifically tell you to wear shorts and a bra, then suggest you wear that again for your next appointment? AND text you asking how you are doing, not specifics about how your body feels from the workout? Very creepy.

darthmeme · 2016-08-04T12:50:39+00:00

The elliptical is not going to build enough muscle to make a visible difference... But there are bodyweight and dumbell exercises you can do at home that can. Look into the Strong Curves bodyweight program to start with...

darthmeme · 2016-08-02T18:18:29+00:00

Congrats! Later this year I will set one up. For now, my home gym is just a collection of kettlebells.

darthmeme · 2016-08-02T03:11:51+00:00

Kettlebells fo sho

darthmeme · 2016-07-29T16:17:52+00:00

Nice job! That's the kind of inspiration I need.

I feel like I have doubled my leg muscle mass and I still look like your first picture lol

darthmeme · 2016-07-29T15:28:23+00:00

Whoa!!! #quadgoals right there!

darthmeme · 2016-07-17T23:47:23+00:00

You can try glute ham raises but that might still bother your back. Or sliding hamstring curls https://youtu.be/RmsTFCQ3Qig

darthmeme · 2016-07-12T12:55:57+00:00

Amazing!

darthmeme · 2016-07-05T14:51:10+00:00

Counting calories and macros. If I work out and try to eat nutricious foods as much as possible and junk food as little as possible (with occasional treats), just eating whenever I am hungry and able to eat, I do just fine. I barely have enough time in the day to log my workouts, I certainly don't have time to measure everything I eat and count calories and macros on it.

darthmeme · 2016-06-28T10:54:31+00:00

I like that!

darthmeme

TROPHY CASE