You might have read my first post regarding my weight loss some time ago. That was primarily a before and after of a 5 month time period.
Well it’s been two years since that post and it’s time to update. Working out regularly became a routine for me, it’s something I feel incomplete without. The amount of energy I lacked before exercising regularly was shameful. Now, I feel tired if I DON’T workout.. go figure!
In that first post I talked about how I started with workout videos at home. I know that method works well for lots of stay at home parents. It does not work for me, my kids love to interrupt me or “join” me and by join they mean get in my way and steal my yoga mat.
I enjoy going to the gym. The gym childcare is a real lifesaver, it offers me two full hours of not having to worry about my kid while I get my sweat on.
When I first joined the gym, I purchased a personal training package. You can read all about that in my first fitness post. Personal training is incredibly valuable but it can also be mighty expensive. I’m glad I did it but I can’t justify paying for it permanently. So what after that?
First, I started with Pinterest. I created a fitness board and pinned all my favorite exercises that I was used to doing with my trainer. Then I would go through the pins, pick out a few moves to put together into super-sets (2-3 related/complimentary exercises you do back to back with no breaks).
Eventually, I discovered free workouts on bodybuilding.com. You can search by gender, fitness goal and level of expertise. I found these programs to be incredibly helpful and I absolutely recommend them to anyone who has a good grasp on proper form during exercises and needs a well planned out workout to follow for a few weeks or months. Some of the programs even include nutritional programs too. There is no catch to the fact that they are free, most of them promote supplements to go along with the programs but that’s a whole other post.
Recently, I found myself lost in the monotony of weight lifting exercises. I felt like I was getting too comfortable with my routine and I wasn’t seeing significant change in my body. It was time to push myself out of that comfort zone yet again. This is where some people would hire a trainer again. I’m on the budget, so I did the next best thing. I looked for a new training program that fit my goals as well as my body type.
I don’t like comparing myself or my body to other people, we are all individuals and what works for someone else might not for me. I will say that when looking for a trainer or a fitness program, I think it is important to find a trainer who understands your obstacles and can tailor a program based off of your physique goals. I’ve always been more hourglass or pear shaped, the proud owner of “thunder thighs” and a decent amount of “junk in the trunk”. I like being curvy and have no intention of ever being “skinny” or “thin”… it’s not how my body is meant to be and I have fully accepted and appreciate it.
Anyway, one of things that has motivated me and helped me stay on course is keeping connected with the fitness community on Instagram. One day while looking at the #curvyfit hashtag I found a trainer who I felt I could relate to: Lyzabeth Lopez. The premise of her workouts are to build muscle/burn fat while maintaining our feminine curves and shape. There’s a big emphasis on “booty” workouts, so I’m just a fan all around.
Thankfully, Lyzabeth offers online training programs complete with nutrition plans and so many amazing tips regarding diet and exercise that it’s an incredible value. So I purchased the membership to her online program and so far every workout is challenging, some of them leave me sore in the best way. I absolutely love it!
This is where I am now! I reached my long term goal of wearing a size 8 and mediums, of feeling comfortable in my clothes instead of bitching about too-tight-pants. I know I need to set new long term goals but for now I’m just enjoying the journey.
fioraliz.com 