Build Strength, Create New Habits

     Spring came late, and the cold and rain showers that arrived in mid-June were a delight but the heat of summer has finally arrived and it feels HOT. We spent this past Sunday at Medical Lake. The temp. made it to 90 degrees so we spent a lot of our time floating in the lake and when we got home the two youngest had a case of Swimmer's Itch. We will be staying away from the little lakes this summer. I'm hoping this gets us on the Rivers instead. 

    This Friday, we begin round 3 of 33 Gentle and I've been preparing myself every day since last week when I decided I would be doing another round. I am really looking forward to this time around and actually documenting it through the blog. It'll be really nice to go back and re-read the experience. 

    I've decided to quit at-home workouts and I'm making it to the gym in the mornings. I finally feel brave and comfortable enough with gym equipment to go alone. I had a hard time being at gyms when I first started working out. My oldest will join me occasionally but I think it'll just be me for most of it and I'm okay with that. In the past, I've always felt so uncomfortable at a gym and I'm really pushing through that discomfort. I felt out of place and clueless but since I've been working out at home for over a year or so consistently I feel more confident in my knowledge of the weights and I've also built up my strength so it feels easier. 

    It took me a really long time to get consistent with working out on a regular basis. For almost a decade actually, I did things here and there to move my body but it was only happening once a week maybe a couple times a month-- that type of movement. But I'm getting older and I'm beginning to feel EVERYTHING and it hurts so the last couple of years, I've been trying extremely hard to have a daily practice even if it's just a 10-minute walk. 

    I think what really got me hooked is when I stopped working out to gain what society calls "beauty" in today's world but instead, I started focusing on how I was feeling inside my body not just how I felt when I'd look in the mirror. I started feeling my aches and pains instead of looking at all the wrongness, and the more I moved my body the more I began to feel my strength gain. Nothing on the outside has changed, the scale has actually gone up but I'm so much stronger, my knees aren't aching as badly, I'm getting more flexible, and my legs aren't feeling so restless and crazy. My bones started feeling better, especially my LOWER BACK PAIN has subsided. I know that these have been alleviated because of all the movement I'm doing and I don't want to go back to that pain. I don't want to age hard and stiff, I want to be able to move my body for as long as I am living. This has become a priority for me and it has nothing to do with what I look like.

    But I'd be lying if I didn't want a bouncy booty and some rock-hard abs. Those goals keep me motivated in a really fun and challenging way. I've stopped putting pressure on when (if ever) but I've made it fun by creating goals and creating the 33 Gentle program has made it even more fun because I'm planning it out and trying new ways. This time around, I'm focusing on weight lifting and I'm really enjoying the type of movement. Because of this, there's so much more freedom and acceptance. I'm actually having fun getting sweaty and it doesn't feel so hard to do anymore. 

    Two more days and then we kick it off on Friday! One of the things that I've found really helpful when starting this program is, on Monday prior to the start day, pay attention to every little thing you do already habitually without any judgment of yourself and journal about it or just spend time thinking why you have the habits you have and if you like them or if they're here to stay. By the time you begin to Plan your practice you already have something to work with. 

Okay... ta-ta for now, xoxo.