Early Morning Gym

Before my stroke, I would go to the gym after work.

I would run home from work, change my clothes, quickly say "hello" to my children and then go to the gym for an hour.

Then I'd run home, try to get a late-night dinner together, do my laundry, run errands, help with homework, etc.

It was a lot.

Just before my stroke, I started going to the gym at 5 am.

It was MUCH more quiet.

I feel like it's a more inclusive crowd in the early mornings.

I am able to get onto any machines or have access to weights that I am wanting to use.

People are freaking friendly.

I feel like it's almost like a morning gym family.

PLUS, it gives me my entire night to be with my kids and to get my things done that need to be done.

It's far less stressful and I really focus on my time working out.

I went back to the gym in July after having not been there since my stroke in December.

It took a lot of slow, small, baby steps to get me back to where I wanted to be.

At first, I was doing six or seven different exercises - two sets of 20 reps.

My schedule is:
Day One: Hamstrings and Glutes

Day Two: Cardio, Biceps and Triceps

Day Three: Legs

Day Four: Cardio, Back and Back of Shoulders

Day Five: Cardio, Chest and Shoulders

I do abs about two times a week, just when I feel like it.

I do stretching and yoga everyday after my work out.

I was getting a bit bored with it after the new year.

I needed something different.

So, I started doing four sets of 14, 12, 10, 8. The sets of 12 and 10, I'm going up in weight with each set. The set of 8, I drop back down to the weight I used at 14.

I am very deliberate in my lifting. Slow and steady, always in control.

It has made a big difference, just in a couple of weeks.

I love going to the gym.

It is good for me mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

I love to listen to my music and zone in to my body.

I love to show my body how grateful I am for it and how proud of it I am.

I love to see other people on their journies, too.

Yes, I have to be VERY careful not to compare myself to other people. Very careful.

But, this morning I saw a mom and daughter come in.

They began their journey of health at the New Year.

I would say the daughter is mid-twenties and the mom is mid-fifties, early sixties.

They would both be defined as "obese" by societies standards.

While I was stretching, they laid out their mats right in front of me.

They both got into a plank position and started doing pull backs, one arm at a time. They then went to their backs and did some chest exercises.

They BOTH more than DOUBLED the weight that I've ever done on either of those exercises.

Those women are STRONG. 

Those women are LEGIT.

I wanted to bow to them, for real.

It reminded me that we are all on our own journey, and that wherever we are on that journey is just where we are supposed to be.