Last week, I had mentioned that the week before I switched to a more convenient gym closer to my home. Last week was also my first visit there and just making the first move makes me more inspired to get out and do what is needed to make the changes more constant in my life.
It can be hard to take initiative and do what is right sometimes. I can be the king of all excuses of why I can’t do this or that. I want to deflect the real reasons of why I don’t want to do what I had intended to do. But, sometimes it takes making that first move and doing what I need to do to start the journey.
Over the week since changing to the new gym, I bought everything I needed to go including shoes and attire needed to go and do what was needed. I planned to go a couple of days throughout the week and the first day I worked. After getting home and relaxing for a short while I thought about putting it off, but when I saw another advocate go and workout and how they did it to not only improve their physical health, but also their mental health, it made sense even after going to work that I should go, so I changed into my outfit, packed up what was needed and headed for the six minute walk to the gym.
I got there, it was hardly quiet and I got prepared for working out. My goal for the workout was simple, just a one mile walk on the treadmill. I head there and quickly understand the operation instructions. I see that there is a TV above each piece of equipment while muted, but captioned for convenience, I had thought that they needed to remain on the set channel. Little did I know that ample remote controls are provided for the selection of channels for one’s pleasure.
I did not feel overcrowded, stigmatized or pressured as there were individuals there of all ages and abilities doing the most simple to the most complex. I also learned that the music that the club members chose to play was to only be done through headphones which I found to be another bonus along with many other expectations to make the gym a safe environment for all including no tobacco products or swearing. It takes all to make sure it is a clean environment.
Once I did my mile and some by cooling down. I went to the water cooler and hydrated and also bought a bottle of water. I was able to cool down and I did feel so much better the rest of the day. It will take small steps over the course of time to get acclimated to the environment and feeling comfortable with getting into a routine piece by piece. Within time, I can assure myself that things will get better.
It has been three years since I last set foot in a gym. Sometimes you just need initiative just to get up and do what you need to do and get out there. Over that time after the trauma that 2020 brought with two moves in the course of nine months, and somewhat getting back into some sense of normalcy years later, I feel that this is the point to move forward. I am in a better place mentally, yet I still have moments when I have the stresses of life appear in my brain and it can be hard to process the build up of endorphins in your body brought on by events that you sometimes cannot control. It takes making yourself fierce, going and being a warrior to do what is needed to find your own happiness.
Part of what makes things better now is gradually making wise choices in the kitchen. It is using food from all the food groups and not eating all the food in a section or package in one sitting. Nothing says you can’t cook it, rather split it into two meals so it can be enjoyed at a time when preparation is not able to be done. It is also by actually measuring the food and counting it in my food journal, as is needed for my weight loss group to be done and make me accountable anyways. I have been slowly losing weight through this effort even before setting foot in the gym, now being more active will enhance the effort on being more physically fit as well.
To a new future ahead for the better me. It can be hard to make that move sometimes, but once I do it, it pays off in dividends.
Dustin's Dynasty 