When I started out on the journey to getting healthier close to three years ago I had no idea how far I could or would go or how I would get there. The realization that I needed to make some changes in my life came after I was diagnosed with a hip condition that the doctor recommended that I lose some weight to alleviate some of the pressure and pain that I was feeling at the time. I was in fact at that time unable to walk without pain and had a pronounced limp or sideways gait if you will. Having always been a person who liked walking It was a real sharp wake up call and I decided back then to join a gym and start working out on a regular basis.
Making the decision to work out was easy. Going to the gym on a consistent basis was and still is the biggest challenge for me.It's made a little easier in that the gym I go to(NYSC) has locations EVERYWHERE so theres no reason why i can't get a workout in even if i have errands to run as there are locations pretty much close to most places I have to run to in the city. Its a big chunk of my budget but I believe its way more than worth it. The equipment is top notch, the classes cover the gamut strength and conditioning to Yoga and dance so its hard not to find something there that you would like to do.
I found that my motivation would wane and I would wind up skipping weeks and then feeling bad for doing so. After examining what I was doing the types of workout that I was doing etc. I realized that it was my motivation that was not where It needed to be and so I began searching the net and anywhere else I could to find something to keep me motivated and focused.
Initially, feeling better and less pain was enough motivation in and of itself. Just being able to walk a block and not feel sharp pain was enough to get me back into the gym on a regular basis. When the incidences of pain became less common I realized I would have to find something else to keep me going at the level I was (3 to 5 times a week).
Researching about keeping track of not only what you eat but also what workouts you are doing and monitoring your progress is where my focus went next. I invested in a Polar Heart Rate Monitor (F11) and found a whole new motivation – tracking my workouts and setting goals was just what the doctor ordered.
Not too long after that I discovered "Sparkpeople.com", a site that is a community site that is like a treasure trove of information on working out, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles. The site is set up so that you can track what you eat and your workouts on a daily basis and get reports on your progress on a week to week basis. It also features the ability to create and maintain a blog and a community forum which is set up like "teams" and there are literally teams on any conceivable topic with regards to exercise, health, weight loss that one could imagine. The teams have monthly challenges that you can participate in that are related to either nutrition goals or exercise goals.
While a workout buddy would be great, since I didn’t have one when I started(and still don’t now), I had to self motivate which has worked out for the most part in that I started out weighing 290 pounds and wearing something like a size 24. As of the day this article goes up, I now weigh 220 lbs and wear more size 14’s than 16’s.
When I hit somewhat of a plateau with working out I decided to switch gears and start jogging. I am right now working on the Couch 2 5K program, and taking it very slowly.
To give myself an extra incentive, I signed up for the Chase Corporate Challenge and will be running a 5K in June.
Additionally I have set up mini goals that I reward myself with items that are related to me working out in the first place. My one month reward is a pair of new running sneakers - probably New Balance.
My reward for two months consistently training is a new pair of
CW-X running pants. My ultimate reward for running the 5k in its entirety – will be a new heart rate monitor.
As you can see I will be doing my part to stimulate the economy as well as getting healthier in the process!