Exercise is the only thing I know to cure pain from the past. The rest of this blog post is a summary of my latest workout. I’m sharing this to help motivate you and to understand myself.
Each workout has an intention or a purpose, and in the end, something important is learned. Very few workouts are exceptional, some are average, and most are rough, but all are transformational.
Here is the latest footstep into my fit to live journey…
Workout: Changing Workouts is Tough
How Did I Feel Before the Workout?
My abs are sore from the fun of yesterday’s workout, but I love that feeling. It’s the indication of imminent growth. Overall, I am feeling good, my mind and body are becoming more aligned as the week progresses.
What Was My Intention?
Since I started going to Goodlife Fitness, my new gym, I’ve had an underlying concern that this change of venue and workout routines may deplete the progress that I’ve made with my last gym. I had become so good at HIIT training, and I responded to it so well, that I fear, I am not doing enough.
My greatest fear is that I may lose my fitness level that I have worked so hard to achieve. I’m in my 40’s, so it will take longer to get back to this peak should I fall down. Changes to my workout routine are becoming a little tough, not in doing, but in worry.
My intention for this workout is to let go of the past.
What Workout Did I Do?
- Treadmill: 5k run at a 5 min/k pace.
- Row machine: 5 minutes of moderate pace.
- Weight circuit: Full body weights (9 stations)
How Did I Feel After the Workout?
It felt good to get a complete workout in. A little bit of cardio, coupled with some weights made me feel like I did something worthwhile today. My legs are rarely worn out after a workout, but today, they are there.
What Did I Learn?
I took 25 mins on the treadmill to reflect on what it is that I am trying to accomplish with my workouts. And while I have this feeling that I am not working out as hard as I once was, I am still feeling better after my workout than before.
Letting go of the past is hard because you have to be completely comfortable with the journey moving forward. Yes, my workout routines have changed, but my body will positively change right alongside them. It’s not like I stopped altogether.
The journey of building and maintaining good health begins with deliberate movement. It really doesn’t matter how.
The Story Behind This
Fitness means much more than toned muscles, physical strength and endurance. Building an intimate connection between your mind and body is the true definition of fitness. Life can be tough on you sometimes, and it is only made tougher if that connection is missing.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
Lao Tzu
I spent many years trying to recover from the the fallout of childhood sexual trauma. My mind was continually trying to disconnect from a body that didn’t feel my own. It wasn’t until I discovered exercise that I was able rebuild that connection and become someone whole and worth living for. Every workout is just another chance to get a little closer to who I really am.