Tag Archives: #journalwriting

My Journey Back

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Week 21

What inspired you to exercise and why did you choose the exercise you are doing? Everyone has a story to share, what had inspired them to exercise reasons could range from losing weight to health problems. Why did you choose yoga or running or kick boxing? Some say to reduce stress, others will say they enjoy boxing? This is my story.

I had completed my studies over fifteen years ago and had gone on a holiday. It was a secured location, and the place had everything. A golf course, a swimming pool, a gym, a little supermarket and a library. You couldn’t leave the location without a driver and travelling on your own was dangerous.

So, keeping myself busy, I started exercising. I hadn’t exercised for over five years. My exercise of choice was running because it is fast. I began my morning with a run, no stretching, no warm up or anything. For an hour, I ran around the neighbourhood, ran up and down the hill. I went to check the pool after my run. The waiter told me I can’t swim in my gym clothes if I didn’t know how to swim. I am a terrible swimmer, but I can swim. Jumped in the warm water with my gym clothes and swam for an hour. Kept myself busy during the day. Went to the library, grabbed a few books to read and watched movies. Couldn’t wait for a good sleep.

I experienced the worst pain in my whole life, my whole body cramped at night from my toes to my head. (The pain started from my toes and slowly went to my head). I was in so much pain didn’t sleep the whole night. I promised myself I won’t put my body in so much pain again, rested for two days, and then went for a walk the following day. I vowed to exercise every year, which I do now. It’s a rollercoaster journey, but I make sure I exercise every year.

What has this experience taught me

  • Start with warm up and finish with a cooldown.
  • Always stretch after exercising.
  • Never overdo it.
  • Always start slow if you are a newbie. Start with a short walk and jog. As the weeks progress increases, distance and time.
  • Do different activities on different days.
  • Have a recovery day.
  • Never swim with your gym clothes.

My Journey back

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Week 17

I thought last week was an interesting week but no; it wasn’t. This week my dad tested positive for COVID-19 and I was a close contact, despite having a negative result I had to isolate for seven days. Couldn’t leave the house and do my usual out door runs or do weights. So I went on YouTube and downloaded strength and cardio exercise to do at home. My strength training exercise did not involve weights. Used my own body weight. My cardio exercise involved dancing, and I had a good workout.

What did I learn

•             I have done weights for months, lifted heavy weights and not once have I pulled a muscle, but when I did home exercise, I pulled a couple of muscles.

•             When I go for my jog or do weights, I wear my gym clothes but at home I worked out in my pyjamas, no shoes, just socks, didn’t have to worry about my hair.

•             Another great thing about working out at home is, you can wake up late because you don’t have to get dressed to leave the house or worry about rain or anything.

•             You don’t have to worry about stopping to let cars pass, or overtake people while running, tripping over a cracked pavement or the sun blocking my eyes.

Articles

31 Advantages and Benefits of Working Out At Home. https://shapelyways.com/benefits-working-out-at-home/

My Journey back

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Week 16

I had an interesting week. Monday went to volunteer and after volunteering, I went into the city to roam around. My favourite chocolate shop closed down because of COVID and many other shops too, walked past empty shops or shops up for lease. It’s heartbreaking to walk past deserted shops. Tuesday was my day of strength training and it didn’t go well. I usually jog for twenty minutes before starting my strength training. When it was cold, I left the house. I started feeling warm and after my twenty minutes of jogging; I started feeling dizzy. Luckily I was near my parents’ house and went there. I felt disoriented and close to fainting, started sweating, but I wasn’t breathless or my heart wasn’t beating rapidly. Since I have had issues with my blood sugar levels before and have an irregular heartbeat, I think it may have been blood sugar or irregular heartbeat. I didn’t do any strength training that day, didn’t want to lift anything heavy. After I arrived home, I went over my day. I drank water, jogged the same paces as the previous week, I slept my normal hours. I wore the same clothes for my jog, nothing heavy. Something must have happened for me to fell faint after twenty minutes of jogging.

On Wednesday went for my strength training, didn’t jog, just walked at a slow pace, and didn’t feel faint when I walked, did my strength training and was okay. Walked back home and was fine. Saturday arrived, and I was going for a thirty-minute jog and strength training. I removed my jacket before jogging and I monitored my breathing and heart rate. I completed my jog and didn’t feel faint, like Tuesday, did my strength training exercise and walked back home and felt fine.

Came across an article on reasons I felt dizzy on Tuesday. I think it was my irregular heartbeat.

Articles

What Causes Dizziness After A Workout? https://www.healthline.com/health/dizzy-after-workout

What causes dizziness after a workout? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326851

5 Reasons You May Feel Dizzy During or After a Workout. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/reasons-you-may-feel-dizzy-during-or-after-a-workout/

My Journey back

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Week 4

Started this week with a long run and a big hill. When I reached on top, the hill I was out of breath but I had to keep pushing. Ran up the hill twice. Why do cyclists have to cycle on the footpath when they have an empty road to themselves? Helped my sister move boxes and hit my knee. Went for a run on Wednesday, which wasn’t a good idea. My knee was okay when I walked but when I ran it hurt, so I didn’t run on Wednesday but had a pleasant walk. Rested my knee this week.

Everyone’s body is different. Some people will lose weight faster than others. I find it easier to maintain my weight, but losing weight is harder. Never get discouraged if you only lose a few kilos in a week. Remember not to compare yourself to other people’s body size and get discouraged. Concentrate on your goal and don’t get discouraged. Don’t always rely on the scale to check if you are losing weight. You can check with your clothes, checking if your jeans are loose or remember that dress you couldn’t fit it, try it on. When you feel lighter or your body looks different.

I came across an article on healthline, 20  common reason why you are not losing weight. I am doing something right and work on the things I’m not doing right.

What I’m doing right

I am losing weight

I keep track of what I eat

I eat enough protein

I check my carbs

I eat whole foods

I make sure I’m not over calorie intake

I eat whole foods

I don’t binge eat

I don’t drink sugar

I drink water

I don’t drink alcohol

I do cardio

I am not a junk food junkie

I don’t have a medical condition

I don’t diet

I never focus on dieting

I am realistic with my self

Thigs I need to work on

Lifting weights

Eat mindfully, I watch television will eating

Sleep better

Read the article below

20 Common Reasons Why You’re Not Losing as Much Weight as You Expected To https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-reasons-you-are-not-losing-weight

11 reasons why you should track your food

https://kaynutrition.com/reasons-you-should-track-your-food/