Starting slow, staying steady, seeing results in mind & body
2018 & 2019 were extremely stressful years, though they did have their joys and successes. I have always had a hard time with consistency, especially in my adult years when I realized that just because you've been skinny all your life doesn't mean you can overeat, eat junk, and STAY skinny. Not to mention, mother was no longer managing my meals and, so, I found myself eating out and eating poorly. Working out had never even been a thought in my mind (though I was always active in some way throughout adolescence).
Consequently, in my 20s and into my 30s (I am 32), I have struggled to manage my weight. At first, my highest gain was 10lbs, 15, then 20! While also trying to manage my anxiety and failing, my pattern was that I'd do well with diet and exercise for a few months, then have a bad day or couple of days and fall off for weeks or months. Thus was the cycle.
Last year the rollercoaster continued through summer and into fall. Oy vey. As I get older, I realize that this body and mind is aging everyday and that to keep it healthy and agile, a CONSISTENT PRACTICE is necessary so I can experience prolonged mobility and strength. On top of that, I was not happy with the extra weight. Some of my facial features had disappeared under the extra padding - where were my cheekbones? where was my jawline? Call the police!
In November 2019, I decided that, realistically, my mental health was not in a place to handle the hardcore training I was forcing myself to maintain, even though I'd done that type of training before. I had to adjust my expectations and accept the reality of the situation. I needed something that was gentle and non-threatening that I could easily commit to and build on over time.
Thus was my strategy:
FB Reach Nov-Dec
FB Bodyweight Dec-Jan
FB30 Jan-Feb
FB Reach was a dream come true. I learned to be present, I learned good form and breathing, and the challenge was just right for my mental state. At the end of it, I felt ready to pursue a greater challenge, but wasn't quite ready for weights. Like Reach, FB Bodyweight was a dream come true. Eased me into resistance training through my own body, my own strength. As I've neared its end, tomorrow!, I have been incorporating dumbbells at light weight into some of the moves we've done.
Today, I wasn't thrilled with the core-focused session so I opted for a lower body strength session. I was BEAT! But, it felt amazing and I can see the training of Reach in my practice. I move at least three reps slower than Kelli and Daniel during resistance training sessions, but I feel every single phase in that range of movement. My form is automatic: tuck pelvis, back straight, awareness of the muscle contracting to carry the weight of my body and the dumbbell.
I'm also celebrating that my arms and thighs have evened out in size, though there is still a strength imbalance that I'm working on by doing more isolated moves.
To anyone wondering where or how to start, I recommend this progression. I even purchased Low Impact to do after Bodyweight, but I feel ready to take on FB30. L.I. is still definitely a part of my arsenal, though.
Starting slow, staying steady, seeing results in mind & body
2018 & 2019 were extremely stressful years, though they did have their joys and successes. I have always had a hard time with consistency, especially in my adult years when I realized that just because you've been skinny all your life doesn't mean you can overeat, eat junk, and STAY skinny. Not to mention, mother was no longer managing my meals and, so, I found myself eating out and eating poorly. Working out had never even been a thought in my mind (though I was always active in some way throughout adolescence).
Consequently, in my 20s and into my 30s (I am 32), I have struggled to manage my weight. At first, my highest gain was 10lbs, 15, then 20! While also trying to manage my anxiety and failing, my pattern was that I'd do well with diet and exercise for a few months, then have a bad day or couple of days and fall off for weeks or months. Thus was the cycle.
Last year the rollercoaster continued through summer and into fall. Oy vey. As I get older, I realize that this body and mind is aging everyday and that to keep it healthy and agile, a CONSISTENT PRACTICE is necessary so I can experience prolonged mobility and strength. On top of that, I was not happy with the extra weight. Some of my facial features had disappeared under the extra padding - where were my cheekbones? where was my jawline? Call the police!
In November 2019, I decided that, realistically, my mental health was not in a place to handle the hardcore training I was forcing myself to maintain, even though I'd done that type of training before. I had to adjust my expectations and accept the reality of the situation. I needed something that was gentle and non-threatening that I could easily commit to and build on over time.
Thus was my strategy:
FB Reach Nov-Dec
FB Bodyweight Dec-Jan
FB30 Jan-Feb
FB Reach was a dream come true. I learned to be present, I learned good form and breathing, and the challenge was just right for my mental state. At the end of it, I felt ready to pursue a greater challenge, but wasn't quite ready for weights. Like Reach, FB Bodyweight was a dream come true. Eased me into resistance training through my own body, my own strength. As I've neared its end, tomorrow!, I have been incorporating dumbbells at light weight into some of the moves we've done.
Today, I wasn't thrilled with the core-focused session so I opted for a lower body strength session. I was BEAT! But, it felt amazing and I can see the training of Reach in my practice. I move at least three reps slower than Kelli and Daniel during resistance training sessions, but I feel every single phase in that range of movement. My form is automatic: tuck pelvis, back straight, awareness of the muscle contracting to carry the weight of my body and the dumbbell.
I'm also celebrating that my arms and thighs have evened out in size, though there is still a strength imbalance that I'm working on by doing more isolated moves.
To anyone wondering where or how to start, I recommend this progression. I even purchased Low Impact to do after Bodyweight, but I feel ready to take on FB30. L.I. is still definitely a part of my arsenal, though.
Thanks for reading!