The Gym

Objectives:

– Get fit (increase metabolism & healthy lifestyle)

– Increase self motivation and pushing myself

Action

Regularly going to the gym was my New Years resolution, but like all resolutions they tend to slack off and then be forgotten. So then I turned it into a personal goal. I think it is a rather healthy goal because with all the schoolwork and commitments I have, the gym was a place to release my stress and a time to work on myself.

What I did: Firstly I started with an easy routine of walking for 5 minutes then running for 5 minutes then I would switch back to walking. I would then go on the cross trainer for 10 minutes and then do abdominals. After a month my friend joined me and we signed up for cycling classes, which were hourly classes that were extremely tiring. Every month my friend and I would weigh our selves with the gyms body mass indicator, which would list muscle mass, fat mass, and overall body mass index.

Successes: My goal was not exactly weight loss but to increase muscle, decrease fat and become more toned. I think I was quite successful with my objectives because I didn’t necessarily aim for a certain weight or a certain image, what I wanted was to practice the ability to push myself as I knew this would come handy in other areas of my life. For example as the weeks progressed my routine would always be slightly adjusted. I would begin to be able to run for a longer period of time, increase the speed and inclination of the treadmill and the cross trainer. For the abdominal machine I am now able to lift up heavier weights, which is a proud accomplishment for me ☺. I attend the cycling class every month instead of weekly because that way my body is not as use to the class and I am able to burn more.

Difficulties: I definitely encountered difficulties. Especially with the cycling classes, because it’s non stop cycling for an hour it is exhausting. However the more classes I took the instructor would help me adjust my seating, speed, and technique of cycling. With pushing yourself to run that extra kilometer or to lift the pulling bar 10 more times always comes with frustration and the inner conflict of being able to do it or not. Whenever I came into a conflict with myself because I was too tired to carry on, I would just tell myself that if you get through this set then you can go home satisfied and that would be my motivation.

From this activity, other then learning how to develop my strength endurance skills I also learnt how the activities I do in the gym affect my body. The personal trainers would always explain which machines would improve and strengthen certain areas of the body. For example the cycling classes helped to tone the calves and thighs. I also learnt about the calorie count on the treadmill because at first I didn’t understand what it was. The calorie count is related to the amount of energy and fat you burn. I also found that I would always be in a better mood after the gym because I felt like I accomplished something for the day. Going to the gym had provoked me into researching about what I can do myself to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This involved the right nutrition, water intake, and stretching exercises. Most importantly I can apply my new self-motivation to future challenges.

Healthy lifestyle websites:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/358608-how-to-maintain-a-healthy-lifestyle/

http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/a/healthylifestyl.htm