Thanks for the insight and I totally agree. My current thought and semi mantra on this is ājust do the things because you need to do them, itās not about if you feel like it or notā
I think my morning workout trials are like my promise to myself to perpetually keep trying and doing. Realizing motivation is like a shifting goalpost worth abandoning was freeing as heck and I love the feelings of consistencyin getting built up now.
Also ooof three months is like 3 years for anyone who lives a fitness lifestyle, I hope that goes quickly for you for sure
Thanks. I HATE the way my body looks right now, but I know itās primarily in my head, along with the nerves in my abdomen not working properly at the moment as my spine recovers. Pure vanity but Iām just used to looking and feeling a certain way. Thatāll come back as my physical abilities do. Itās become a real practice in āletting goā. Tonight I am losing that battle which is why I woke up at 1am and canāt go back to sleep.
But who knows. Iāve already learned a lot about myself in month 1, so trying to look at the time away from fitness as an opportunity. Yep. Gonna keep telling myself that
Thatās the key! Mind over matter.
I did morning lifting for years, but relocated to the west coast last year while keeping my job back east. Had to switch to afternoon workouts due to the time difference, and I hated it for a little! You really do start to enjoy getting the workouts in first-thing.
Consistency always. Thatās where results live! Way to get after it
Day 499
Woke up at 4:30 on a Sunday, instead of passing out at 2:30 on a Sunday. Listening to Johnny Cashās āHurtā on the Tenacious D Pandora station. Life is full of surprises.
Starting off bulk phase week 4/12 with Chest today on sober day 373. Im up 3.9 lbs thusfar. Trying to keep body fat gain minimal while packing on lean muscle pounds is a struggle. Stay consistent friends.
Another good morning workout! Made it to the gym. Did upper body today with cardio-acceleration btwn my sets. I am wanting to lose quite a bit of weight but also really enjoy weight lifting. I was able to do 3 sets of 10 reps with 25lb dumbbells for bench press which was a 1st for me for that weight (I usually do 20s). Just trying new things to see where my baseline is for exercise and to see what Iām capable of. And then push myself and go from there you all are truly inspiring to me! Iām glad u all post bcuz it motivates me to be healthier!!!
Such a struggle. I didnāt post my last weigh in because it was off. My nutrition was off. Consistency is soo hard I do good for 4-5 days then eat the house
Worked out back and biceps today. Iām so used to do back with machines like the lat pull-down. We donāt have any machines at the gym in our building so Iāve been forced to try and find back workouts using dumbbells or body bands. Itās not the same. I feel like I need higher weight to actually feel anything lol. But thereās issues with this bcuz my hands n arms canāt hold higher weights. Iām finding that once I hit 30lb dumbbells and try an exercise like bent over 1 arm row or something, my forearms/arms get fatigued wayyy before my back does. I try to relax my grip and focus the muscle Iām working out but im just struggling to really get a good back workout in with dumbbells. I even tried lower weights to really have proper form and focus on the muscle. Iāll keep trying tho. Any tips or suggestions would be great of someone could provide some!
I was really struggling finding the motivation to get to the gym today when a short video from a business exec came across the timeline. He talked about how progress and action doesnāt come from motivation, but rather motivation comes from action and small victories. I loved that. I went and worked out. My small victory today came in the form of weight increases in 7 out of 8 leg day exercises today. Stay consistent, friends. Take one small action in the right direction today. Motivation is a trailing indicator not a leading one.
Itās only been a month since my spinal fusion, but the lower abdominal distension is still here and prominent. Likeā¦stomach is flat, flat, flat and then about 2 inches above my belly button it looks like Iām wearing a tire around my waist. Itās a very sudden distension. It makes me whole body shape look really odd, unappealing, and Iām self-conscious about it every time I leave my place.
Iām trying to keep myself assured by trying to not worry about it for now, still healing, and re-address it with the surgeon at my 8-week post-op appt in 4 weeks if itās still an issue. It hasnāt gone down at all, even as the back pain improves.
I think whatās unsettling is that the surgeon canāt seem to tell me why itās happening. Thereās no fat there. First they said likely due to constipation from the pain meds - thatās long gone. Then possible abdominal weakness - but I literally work my core every lifting day, 5 days a week. Swelling should be long gone too. Maybe its just disrupted nerves that arenāt clicking quite yet. Idk. If I flex my core as hard as I can, it shapes back up mostly. Of course you canāt walk around like that. It seems to be on my sides too, but itās most prominent in front.
Itās pure vanity, but Iām just in a moment where itās really bothering me. I work really hard to look a certain way, after being out of shape for the first 2/3 of my life, and admittedly itās a source of pride.
Hi Dana my advice would be to strenghten your arms and wrists. Itās good in a way if your arms get fatigued doing one arm rows because this shows you that theyāre doing some work there. I would add hammer curls, reverse curls and with bent elbows arms at your sides lifting your hands up horizontally holding a weight in each to strenghten your muscles. Itās important to get a holistic workout so to speak, thats why combined movements like the rows are so good. They target large groups of muscles and not only isolated ones.
One more thing thatās always adviced is to strengthen your grip. Every time you work with weights, make sure to make your grip on the weights and dumbbells hard. Really hold on firmly. This strenghtens the muscles in your hands over time. It makes sense we can only do as much as the weakest muscles involved in a movement can perform. Thatās why, if you have a weak core for example, you wonāt be able to lift a lot of weight in a deadlift, even if you have strong legs. We are big complex organisms. I personally find it nice to know that my whole body works together like that.
Great effort with the consistency! Well done on being able to substitute your regular workout for a different routine aswell when you have access to different equipment. That shows dedication and the variation is great for training!
I apologize for the late response. Things were hectic yesterday with stuff I had to do and I was soo tired to begin with lol
I just want to thank u so much for taking the time to respond and being so helpful! I went to the gym this morning and incorporated some forearm and wrist exercises. They definitely are weak. I couldnāt even hod a 30lb dumbbell for very long to do side calf raises and whatnot. In order for me to keep increasing my workouts I will need to gain some strength in my arms and I really appreciate u mentioning that! How long have u been working out for? U seem really knowledgeable!!
Thursday workout done! My legs were still feeling just a little sore from Tuesdays leg and core workout. But not painful or uncomfortable. I canāt believe honestly the strength that Iāve gained in such a short timeā¦ or maybe itās my confidence in my workouts? Idk. I used to struggle with squats. My legs were sooo weak. Today, as a part of my workout, I did a combination of dumbbell squats and dumbbell deadlifts. Not only was that the lowest Iāve gone with my squats, I also added some weight to them! My knees used to be so bad and I often worried about damaging them so I never really pushed myself and even avoided certain exercises. I always am still careful but I usually start with body weight first and then slowly add weight. Iām just happy with how things are progressing honestly
Iām baack! Did a solid 35 mins of resistance, dumbbell/ barbell and yoga-ish stuff
Getting my ducks in gear and my stuff in a row lol.
Counted all my weights, reps and times for the first time ever and even started the first workout notebook Iāve had in yearsss. And i love it. Iām at a new starting point but start somewhere right? Feels good tracking everything again for real results, and Iāll be back tmw
you all are truly inspiring to me! Iām glad u all post bcuz it motivates me to be healthier!!!
I do good for 4-5 days then eat the house 
