The Journey into Fitness


Happy New year friends.
I hope you are as excited about this wonderful 2019 as I am.
May it bring our way loads of goodness in perfect health.



Last year I had New year resolutions, but it was a struggle at some point in all honesty. I did a post on how to stay true to your resolutions last year which was quite helpful. You can read about it here if you have made resolutions.
Hence, I learnt a lesson from my experience the previous year and this time around I only have personal goals I intend to achieve. My plan is to take baby steps and grow. I believe little drops of water make the mighty ocean.
You might wonder, what is the difference between Resolutions and Personal goals.
Let me explain briefly.

A resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something, while personal goals are plans that involves a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. Simply put, resolutions set you up to fail from the beginning, while plans involve outlining sensible ways to achieve what your heart desires. It takes more than a firm decision to actually turn your life around for good. You need a plan, a road map, a blueprint.
This year I plan to take Fitness and wellness seriously and I admonish you to do the same if you haven't, and if you have started already, kudos to you.




Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest. Fitness is beyond just doing exercise. It entails largely your diet, and well as your getting enough rest.

My personal journey into fitness started about fifteen months ago (October, 2017). I am pretty new in the "fitness business". My daughter was just slightly over a year old and I had gradually climbed up to wearing UK size 14! For Christ's sake, I used to be a size 8. Occasionally, in my recent past, I used to be able to squeeze into a size six dress! I decided I needed to loose some weight and change my lifestyle all together. I say that being slim is not equivalent to being fit. Hence, for me, the goal transcended just loosing a couple of dress sizes. I realized I had to be very deliberate and intentional about what I ate, I had to cut down on all my portions, I had to eat more salads and fruits with vegetables. I started reading food labels before I bought them.

 I figure it would be fair to say that I chose Fitness and that it did not choose me.


I woke up one day and decided I want to be more healthy, that I want to make more responsible and healthier choices, that I want to be a better custodian of the gift of the 'temple' - my body, that the creator has endowed me with. I decided to actually live what I preached professionally.
  
A decision was made by me to take responsibility for my health, to stop giving excuses. So I registered at the YMCA (popularly called the "Y") so that I would not have any excuses. I did that because I believed that perhaps if I remember that I am paying money that would reduce the chance of skipping. Nobody likes throwing money into the ocean.

I used to be a sugar addict, before I got 'delivered'. I wrote extensively on The dangers of Sugar a while back. You can read about it here. 

If you are still contemplating or still dilly-dallying, you need to be committed for a host of reasons listed below:

1) You are able to actually loose weight.

2) It provides you an opportunity of self-accomplishment each day. That feeling of achieving something good is a nice one.

3) Improved quality of sleep. We all know how "golden" sleep is.

4) It re-shapes your body and makes you more attractive hence, boosting your relationship.

5) It improves your resilience especially with regular strength-building exercises.

6) The Endorphin production. Who doesn't want some dose of "feel good" hormone?

7) It improves your coordination and flexibility. As one gets older, coordination and flexibility take a huge decline. So establishing a routine and keeping up with fitness throughout life can lead to a longer lifespan and a healthier one too.


Set small goals and strive to achieve them.


For me I have a routine which involves going to the gym three times a week. I usually do cardio, some strength and resilience building exercises using the available equipments. A routine I make very flexible.

I cannot forget the day I encountered a visually impaired man at the gym.That man forever shattered every excuse I had for not working out. 
What on earth was my excuse again?



“Strength does not come from the physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
                                                     – Ghandi



Warm regards,
Dr Funmi

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