My Fitness Journey (Pt. III)

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Hello friends,
Happy November! It's been snowing on and off lately, so undoubtedly I'd been gifting myself some extra rest days. And beyond the occasional rest day, I've been on an absolute roll with fitness lately. And to be honest, I want to geek about it.

   If you've been following my blog of my fitness Instagram, you may know that I've been on a wellness journey since late 2019, hence how this is the third part of the My Fitness Journey series. My journey has shifted from the initial I just want to lose some weight narrative into one where I now strive to fully understand and respect my body from the inside, out. I understand that it's probably impossible to actually truly understand every aspect of my body, but having the goal of nurturing my physical and mental health to the best of my ability is the key here. And another significant part of this goal is that I'm making a full lifestyle change, and I want to adopt healthy patterns that are sustainable for the long run.

   A lot of my habits have changed since 2019. They've even changed a lot since part two of this series. I started by walking and running here and there, swimming sometimes, and attempting to eat healthy foods (without much knowledge of what's actually healthy). And I guess that's the goal of these posts, to keep updating you folks on what I learn along the way and how I'm paving a new path for myself to keep improving.

   So for today's post, I wanted to talk about things I've been trying lately, things my dietician has taught me that I've tried to integrate into my everyday life, and and shorter-term goals that I'm working towards at the moment.

Nutrition Thingies

   I purchased a Magic Bullet Blender. Yes, you heard it here first, folks. I got a Magic Bullet blender. And honestly, it's a life changer. Some mornings I don't want to eat a heavy breakfast, but when I have a Saturday hike with Cooper that I know I'll need to fuel for, a smoothie is a great bet. That, and packing some simple-ingredient protein bars and some mixed fruit. I've been learning a ton about nutrition lately, and it's been super fun to integrate those lessons into my life. Like something as simple as pairing a carb (like fruit) with a protein in the morning to feel more satiated until lunchtime.

   Being mindful with food is a game-changer. It's been super rewarding to listen to my body, to realize what foods make me feel good. Knowing how to fuel myself allows me to make the most of my workout, which helps me make the most of my whole day.

   I also want to add that I appreciate that my dietician asks me how I am, beyond food. She tried to understand my psych, especially now that I'm off my Lexapro (see Changes to learn more about that choice, if you're curious). And she gives me kudos whenever I come in and share how hard I've been working in between appointments, which is a big deal to me. And it's been really fun for me to be asked "What do you want to work on until next time?" because she and I can collaborate on what sorts of things I can challenge myself on between appointments. I prepared chicken, and I can't stand touching raw meat! That was the most difficult challenge, but it makes the journey to better cooking a lot more rewarding and a lot less daunting.

Getting Back Into Swimming

   It's been probably two years since I hit the lanes at my old gym, which was formerly a YMCA. I absolutely loved swimming, and moreso having an option between a typical gym workout and something different! A couple weeks ago, I got a day pass at my old gym and re-visited the beloved pool. My endurance wasn't the best, and it was a major challenge just for me to swim one lap without stopping. It only encouraged me to get back into this, especially as the colder months are approaching, to see how well I can improve my endurance and even speed!

Walking the Walk

   My buddy Coop and I have been establishing goals each week for our walks and hikes. Lately we've been trying to increase our mileage! Whether we on a long trail, or we try a bike trail (to tackle more miles in a quicker amount of time), we've absolutely been on the move lately. We recently hit ten miles, then followed it up with 8 miles on our next walk. It just feels really rewarding to establish new goals every week and to crush them. We also plan to test our running mile time soon, and eventually become avid runners. But we're working on our endurance and distance for the time being.

   As a side note, I've been drinking those Celsius drinks lately, and they're delicious. I also got the OK from my dietician, who said they seem like a great alternative to a multi vitamin. They have caffeine in them from the green tea extract, so they're excellent to drink before my morning workouts or as a pre-hike beverage.

​Regaining my Energy

   One of my biggest goals when I started this journey was to find that energy that I used to have, despite being at my heaviest weight. It was hard when I first started, because I felt physically lethargic and experienced knee pain. But lately, with my lifestyle change, I've felt significantly less pain and have generally felt more energized in my day to day life. Eating healthily and drinking lots of water are also major contributors to feeling physically well, also. So no matter mu current size, I've felt generally motivated to get up every day and work out. Some weeks are harder than others, especially now that it's cold outside, but as long as I take care of what I'm eating, I maintain a decently energized self.

   Also, I wanted to shout out, I've jumped back into an old hobby and have felt those jolts of energy and excitement. The hobby I'm referring to is juggling the soccer ball! I loved soccer so much, so it's felt fun to re-visit my old love and to invest in a new soccer ball as an adult (it's Canadian/American inspired and I love it). Getting back into something that was a personal favorite activity helps me to relax my mind and work towards an old goal I once had.

Anyways friends, that's my current progress! I'm generally feeling more excited about fitness than ever before, and if you want to keep up with my fitness journey, you can find me on Instagram @grinsandfitness for regular updates.

Thanks for reading, and keep on grinning!

​Lydia