HOLY WORKOUT EPIPHANY

Working out I've always only known one speed. ALL OUT/LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FLOOR...that worked fine when I was 17 going all out all the time. Not so much after 2 babies and not a serious workout in over a decade.

Picking up working out again has been really hard for me. Exercises that I used to be able to breeze through, I am barely surviving for minutes much less, the entire workout. I just attributed this to my being about 30lbs heavier than my body is used to...and not mention my fitness level is like...rock bottom. So my husband, who is a personal trainer, told me about this little thing called a TARGET HEART RATE. For more detailed info...go here I was like psh...you dont know my body, i know my body. If I don't do it all out I'm just being lazy...I just need to push through! I mean, so what if i'm nauseous and dizzy...working out sucks! its nothing new...I mean, come on...when I think of measuring my heart rate, I get and image of 50 year olds power walking and stopping to check their wrist. He says its FACTS and it will help.

Alright fine, this guy thinks he knows everything about working out...ill prove him wrong! So I humored him...only to prove him wrong, like i said. So I found my resting heart rate, and calculated my target heart rate (140-170), bought myself a cute pink watch that measures my heart rate, and gave it a try.

I noticed RIGHT AWAY that I was working way too hard. Everytime my heart rate spiked, I stopped and let it come down a little. I've been doing INSANITY for a week now...and I literally LOATHE workout time everyday. Like, I dread it alllll day long...all throughout the workout...and as soon as it's over I dread the coming workout tomorrow. I hardly ever finish the whole workout...I end up getting my mandatory 20 minutes and end up turning it off. I figure I'm fat, this isn't meant for fat people. WRONG. I guess my mind isnt in the same place as my body...so i set unrealistic standards for myself.

Anyway back to the workout...so I'm warming up and my heart rate is like, 180...so I gotta slow down. I don't stop but I go a little less HARDCORE...and pace myself. okay, I'm thinking Okay, this isnt even a real workout...manase is SOOOOO wrong. Ha!

After my 45 minutes...I feel INCREDIBLE. For the 1st time since starting this regimen i FINISHED the workout! I'm sweating like a PIG...but I don't feel like hurtling myself off a cliff! As a matter of fact...I'm on a high! So this is what an adrenaline high feels like. I can't wait for the workout tomorrow. Me! I can now understand, a little bit, people who are addicted to working out. After my 10 minute cool down/stretch..i check my HR and its STILL at 150. Like, WHAT? come on...this doesn't even make sense, but its true!!

Here's the Epiphany. PACE YOURSELF. I know, super old concept, like DUH right? But I never really did it. I would sprint and go as hard as i can and literally last 5 minutes, and take an additional 5 minutes to convince myself to get back into it. But with this THR thing..I take a couple seconds to calm down, and I'm back in it. I last SOO much longer, and after the workout I feel like I worked my butt off but still feel great! AH-MAZE-ING.

Now, some of you are probably laughing at me thinking, this is old news. But I always saw people who stopped for breath as WEAK. That's how it is in sports. You do the drill, and you're not allowed to stop. You just push through it. Now, working out to lose weight...it's a whole different ball game people. This is amazing. As I sit here...typing...my body is STILL burning fat calories..like, this is crazy.

fine....manase was right....for once. ;)

Anyway, just thought I'd share my excitement...

Bragging time: I started this journey at 190 with my goal weight 150(how much I weighed when I found out I was pregnant with misi) by December. I am now at 164...14 lbs away! So I've decided to reset my new goal to 140 by the time my baby bro gets back on Dec 21. Then we're trying for another one and I'm so excited. :)

Here's to a healthier, happier, SKINNY AND PREGNANT(soon hopefully) me!