Current Fitness Journey

[JEG88]

Thought I'd share my current journey to see if anyone is on a similar path or has similar goals.

 

I started weightlifting about a year ago, not knowing anything. Started at home, but got the courage to join a gym. I do weightlifting and cardio. From my heaviest, I have lost about 40-50 pounds depending on whether I am currently cutting weight of trying to bulk up and build muscle. (220 > 170-180 range, which is a happy zone for me.)

 

My GF joined me and it has become one of our main things to do together. It's great having that support system and accountability, but my impending breakup has me wondering if my discipline will falter when I go on my fitness journey alone again.

 

I am on a 6 meal/day plan that I configure myself through MyFitnessPal, trying to gain about 0.5-1 pound per week.

- About 3200 calories per day = 2900 to achieve a surplus, and I eat back 300-400 calories I burn during cardio to maintain that surplus

- 40% carbs, 30% fats, 30% protein

- Sometimes I'll cycle carbs on/off if I feel I gained too much weight/fat in a week

 

I workout early in the morning, 5AM before work. My job can be stressful, and I know if I try to workout in the evening I would get lazy more often than not.

 

I'm gaining some good muscle right now, which I'm happy about. But I haven't done a cutting phase on my own before, so I will have to see how that goes.

[Veronica73]

I workout first thing in the morning too. (If I work out). It sets a good tone for the day. I'm usually so tired after work I don't feel iike doing any more than going for a walk.

[JEG88]

I workout first thing in the morning too. (If I work out). It sets a good tone for the day. I'm usually so tired after work I don't feel iike doing any more than going for a walk.

 

It's hard to get up some days, especially if I didn't sleep well. It's actually detrimental if you try to workout on 4 hours or less of sleep, but that should seem pretty intuitive for most.

 

I tend to rest on Wednesday and Saturday.

[JEG88]

Up to about 182, gaining weight slowly. Also took a week off after breaking up with my ex.

 

Found a new gym as well, to avoid awkwardly seeing my ex and/or her friends. It's smaller, but very clean and has everything I would need for my workouts. It's also half the monthly price for a premium membership where I can access all their locations, so that's pretty cool.

[ExpatInItaly]

Good for you for getting back into the gym, OP.

 

I have always found working out to have such a stabilizing effect in my life. Whether I was going through a break-up or just some general life stress, it is magic in helping me regain some clarity, work off the tension, and boost self-confidence.

 

It has gotten to the point that some friends at work asked me how I stay in shape, and they were not comfortable in the the gym, so we do workouts in a nearby park together once a week. I usually prefer to work out alone but I look forward to these once-weekly sessions as its fun to push each other on and see how we're progressing.

 

You too may just find that you make new connections at your new gym as well.

[JEG88]

Good for you for getting back into the gym, OP.

 

I have always found working out to have such a stabilizing effect in my life. Whether I was going through a break-up or just some general life stress, it is magic in helping me regain some clarity, work off the tension, and boost self-confidence.

 

It has gotten to the point that some friends at work asked me how I stay in shape, and they were not comfortable in the the gym, so we do workouts in a nearby park together once a week. I usually prefer to work out alone but I look forward to these once-weekly sessions as its fun to push each other on and see how we're progressing.

 

You too may just find that you make new connections at your new gym as well.

 

Thank you, yeah I wonder how things will go at my new gym. I imagine especially in the early morning when I go, the crowd will be the same faces.

 

After the break-up, I was thinking about how my fitness habit started because of my ex. So I had to go through some reconciliation in my head about doing it for me now, for my own health and fitness.

[JEG88]

Really getting into the swing of things at my new gym. I used to go at 5AM with my ex to workout at the old place, but have been going in the evenings now. I feel much more energized and like I have better sleep, and have noticed better performance and mental energy at work too. I think there was too much pressure against having to get to bed at 9-10pm to make it to the gym that early in the morning, so this schedule definitely works better for me.

[JEG88]

Up to 188 as of this past weekend. Looking to gain another 2 pounds or so, then maintain that weight for a few weeks to "own" the muscle. I'm visibly more muscular and bigger, which is a huge confidence boost for me doing it on my own. But I definitely feel fatter, which is a necessarily evil when trying to gain muscle.

 

Will be curious to see how my first weight-loss phase starts off in hopefully a month or so. I've been more "flexible" with my diet because I'm trying to gain weight, but will need to get back on the discipline-horse when I start cutting.