Working Out Intimidation

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

~ Mahatma Gandhi~

Thus far at Lesley Living Life I haven't mentioned much about fitness, or my own personal fitness routine, etc. If you've read my "About Me", then you know I definitely have not always enjoyed working out. In fact, growing up (in junior high/high school), I hated PE class, running, lifting, etc. It's not as if I hated all physical activity, but that for some reason I just felt very intimidated, as if I couldn't do any of those things well. While I did golf all four years of high school, I still felt very intimidated by weights, running, and exercise machines. Needless to say, I did not feel like an athlete at all and never thought I'd be one.

Then I met my husband, who was a bodybuilder and practically lived at the gym for years of his life. We got married, and slowly I became more interested. I went to the gym with him and he was my personal trainer telling me what I should do, how much of it I should do, etc, etc. At first I was so intimated at the gym. I thought everyone else would know I didn't have a clue what I was doing and that they would notice. But my husband instructed me and then I realized ... no one cares what I'm doing! And no one is even paying attention to me! Aaaand, I'm ENJOYING this!It felt so good to be at the gym everyday doing what had intimated me for so long and enjoying it SO much. Over a little time, I shed a few pounds I had gained since going to college and I began eating healthy and my husband and I have been active together since.

This brings me to my current workout routine ... my absolute favorite cardio machine thus far is the elliptical, and that's what I would be doing everyday if I could. Buuut, we recently got rid of our gym membership to save money and have been working out at home. Our "gym" consists of a Boflex machine, a treadmill, and some dumbbells.

Now eating healthy and exercising is very important to me and a big priority in my life. Not only is it good for my body, but it makes me feel better about my body and gives me more self-confidence and just makes me feel great. (Though it's not always easy to jump on that treadmill, I'm always glad I did!)

Here's my current workout routine:

Monday-Saturday Cardio:
Treadmill for 40-45 minutes before work.
I don't like to run much, so I typically walk on the highest incline as fast I can and usually jog the last 10 minutes or so.
--(I find that doing my cardio in the morning ensures that I'll do it and it always feels great to start my day with).

Here's my current lifting routine ...

Monday: chest/shoulders/triceps
-Chest:
-incline dumbbell press; 3 sets of 10-12 reps
-dumbbell flye; 3 sets of 10-12 reps
-push-up; 3 sets til failure
-Shoulders:
-standing dumbbell press; 3 set of 10-12 reps
-lateral raise; 3 sets of 10-12 reps
-bent-over lateral raise; 3 sets of 1-20 reps
-Triceps:
-dumbbell lying triceps extension; 3 sets of 10-12 reps
-kickback; 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Wednesday: legs/calves/abs
-Legs:
-dumbbell squat; 3 sets of 12-15 reps
-dumbbell lunge; 3 sets of 12-15 reps
-dumbbell romanian deadlift; 3 sets of 12-15 reps
-Calves:
-seated dumbbell calf raise; 4 sets of 20-25
-Abs:
-hanging leg raise; 3/to failure
-crunch; 3 sets til failure

Friday: back/biceps
-Back:
-dumbbell row; 3 sets of 10-12
-bent-over straight-arm dumbbell lat pull; 3 sets of 12-15
-dumbbell pullover; 3 sets of 15-20
-Biceps:
-standing dumbbell curl; 3 sets of 10-12 reps
-incline dumbbell curl; 3 sets of 12-15 reps

(**I'll note that I didn't know what half of these exercises were until my husband told me! haha.)

And I take Sunday off.

All this being said ... take it from me, no matter how intimated or not intimated you may feel about the gym, about working out or being active, anyone can do it. I didn't know anything about the working out when I started and I felt pretty bad at it, but now I love it and want to keep learning more. (Same goes with eating healthy!) As anything, it takes time, work, and learning, but it's very possible and one of the best things you can do to help live a long and healthy life!! (Cheesy picture, I know, but it's the best I could come up with! Please excuse the mail/clutter filled table)

What intimates you and/or has intimated you about eating healthy and/or working out?