MY PURSUIT OF FITNESS
My pursuit of fitness. Firstly, should I apologise for the many semi naked photos of myself on this post? Probably not as I will likely never be in that shape again. It wasn’t easy eating 6 portions of grilled chicken and broccoli everyday!
Health and Fitness has always been a big part of my life. From an early age I would have joined as many teams and clubs in school as I could. My next door neighbour Sandra used to say I would join a queue! However this did change when my buddy Joe first showed me the ropes in the gym during Uni, and since then I haven’t stopped!
My pursuit of fitness
GETTING STARTED
Initially I joined to gain a bit of size, I have always been a skinny build, and tried in every way to add muscle or any form of weight to then be able to convert it. I can guarantee there are plenty of you shouting at your screen right now and would kill for skinny genes but we always want what we done have.
Since going through these phases I eventually just accepted it. I wasn’t going to be the absolute beast I had quite envisaged but at the same time I knew no matter what I ate, my weight was never going to get out of control, not in my youth anyway.
Uni isn’t the best place to try and perfect a diet so it took me a few more years and after I left to get that in line. Since then I have tried pretty much everything in the hope for finding the answer. However in reality the only secret is eating good food and lifting weights properly.
My pursuit of fitness
HARD WORK
In this day and age, Z list celebs spend most of their time misleading their following for personal gain. As a generation we are incredibly impatient and it really is no wonder people continue to look for a magic pill, we all want it now! But with fitness you need to give it exactly that, time and patience. This will ensure you achieve your goals.
What has been vital for me and my fitness is the enjoyment of the journey. Without enjoying the process of health and fitness it just wouldn’t be possible and I would have quit long ago! I was averaging 6 days a week and 1.5hrs a session but it’s not always necessary. I was devoted, had the time and an end goal I wanted to focus on.
BALANCE
Working out helps me in so many ways and is an escapism for many. For me I forget pretty much everything else going on as soon as I walk through the door! It’s the only time of the day I don’t go near my phone. So my mind is clear and focused for the workout ahead.
It’s also a great social opportunity to hang around with friends between exercises. And also a time to relax in the jacuzzi or sauna once you are done.
My pursuit of fitness
NEEDS MUST
Going to the gym everyday isn’t always easy but sometimes the hardest thing is getting your foot through the door. Even though it is now part and parcel of my day it just doesn’t feel right for me if I miss out. Theres been plenty of time at work where I just could not be arsed whether it be because of a long day or just tiredness. But driving past those pearly white gates I know going is the right thing to do. To this day there is no better feeling than walking out after having completed a proper session.
GOAL
In the lead up to my year out I was taking it more and more serious and at times having almost zero carbs, not because it was right but because I thought it was right. As the date of my trip loomed my gym buddy Acky came up with the idea of getting some photos done. It was a good idea because it might be a while before I return to such shape!
Luckily, he’s a photographer (upon many other things) and a great one at that! I had my date set a week before I was due to leave and although my diet was tight I was out every weekend making sure to enjoy my last few weekends home.
PROGRESS
PHOTOS
There is no doubt these photos are a little misleading because, although they give the impression of the pinnacle of health and fitness, they are far from it. I was frequently tired and drowsy, it was only the weekends that kept me alive when I went out and committed serial carb suicide. Not something I had planned to do but rather it was in the middle of saying goodbye to my friends before I left!
It wasn’t my pursuit of fitness per se but rather my pursuit to see how far I could push myself. Not everyone needs to take it as serious as I did but the benefits are incredible and even a daily walk counts as exercise. Get some form of exercise as part of your daily routine, you will feel the benefits immediately, I couldn’t recommend it enough!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Starting your fitness dream is similar to a lot of things. It’s important to realise you have to learn how to crawl before you can walk. So start with the basics and enjoy one of the most satisfying things happen right in front of you, personal progress! And as the saying goes, in 2 weeks you’ll feel it, in 4 weeks you’ll see it and in 8 weeks you’ll hear it!
SAFE LIFTING, DS x
