Why I Started Back at the Gym
Why I Started Back at the Gym
Or “reclaiming my pre-pandemic groove”
At the risk of sounding like 1990s Terry McMillan, I got my groove back.
Before the pandemic, I was on a roll…I had lost weight and been active at the gym for the first time in many years. Then…the pandemic hit. Gone were the opportunities to work out (gyms closed), hang out (sports leagues on hiatus), and go out (restaurants, etc, closed).
Although my family tried to exercise during the pandemic (we ran, walked at the park, bought used dumbbells)…it was not the same. Particularly because there was no community such as the ones that exist in all those spaces I mention above.
Those were dark times, right? And I know the end is not quite here even now. In the midst of it all, I saw my weight creep…up…up…and up. All my previous efforts fell by the wayside. And on the worst days (which I acknowledge were not even “the worst” experienced by some), I made a fervent promise to myself.
I swore that when the world started to open back up, I would be right there with it…namely in, you guessed it, the gym. And literally the DAY the gyms opened up in LA County, I was there. I honestly could not wait.
Even with masks, hand sanitizer, 6 feet of spacing, and no one side by side at the treadmills, we got back in. My go-to has been Planet Fitness (for a variety of reasons I will share at another time), and this time, I upped my membership to the Black card - which included a few more perks.
Then, my efforts became something more. It was a way to experience catharsis as I ran off some of the feelings the pandemic had left inside. I couldn’t get enough. Indeed, I think I went to the gym 5 of 7 days that first week. I thought a lot about my promise to myself during the height of the pandemic, and decided I owed it to myself to go all in - fitness, diet, healthy lifestyle…the whole thing.
Some apps that I have used along my journey: My Fitness Pal for tracking food (pro tip: eat A LOT of protein); Nike Run Club for cardio tracking (start with a guided run that appeals to you); and maybe controversially, Pinterest or Youtube where those “fitinspo” people post exercises or yoga.
Also, as a comment on “influencer life” - Here, the “fitinspo” movement: take these as you will, and don’t get wrapped up in “what’s right or wrong with my fitness”. Everyone is different, with different health needs. Talk to your health professional as you are engaging in these efforts. There are a lot of ideas online - determine what’s right for you.
So the end result: I DID lose weight, gain muscle, and especially, realized the importance of all those things as they impact my mental health and rebounding from the negative effects (physically AND mentally) of the pandemic. What I have said to friends trying to motivate themselves to get back into working out: find your goal. Your BIG goal. Not to lose ten pounds or to fit into a party dress (although, complete disclosure, that WAS one of my initial goals lol) - but what is the big goal driving you? Maybe it IS a very serious personal health issue…maybe it IS combating the effects of 18 months of isolation…or maybe it is proving something to YOURSELF. Whatever it is, adhere to that. That is your motivational tool on the difficult days (because there definitely are those).
So next steps for me: I am preparing for a terrain race in November. It’s like an obstacle course/mud run, I think. I have never done it. The challenge is good for me. In 2023? I would like to run a half marathon. Let’s see if I can get there, shall we?
If you have your own health-related journey, what inspired you? Leave your comments below!