I'm not a gym rat.... I'm a gym unicorn

Hi everyone !


At the end of my last post I promised to write you about my workout routines and gym now here in Ireland.

As some of you, my dear possible readers know, I used to go to the gym back in Finland for few years. I had decided to start to go to the gym few months after my emphysema diagnose back then as I felt I had to do something.
I didn't really had any workout plan or meal plan either back in Finland.
I used to go to the gym four times a week and I had divided those sessions with muscle groups.
For example, Mondays I did chest and biceps. Wednesdays legs, Fridays shoulders and triceps and on Saturdays back. And I tried to eat healthy, loads of veggies, wholegrain products and lean chicken. I also took protein shakes and creatine. That was about it. So, I have some sort of workout history.

So, after I moved over here (Ireland) I made a decision to continue going to the gym. It is something that I'm very passionate about and somehow exhausting myself and my body, makes my day. Also, seeing your body change keeps you motivated and even if you don't always see the change, you notice how your body can lift more weights than for example a year ago. And when you start doing something and you keep doing it for few years and all of a sudden, there is a break from it, your body and most of all your head, starts to miss the workout.

I noticed this missing the gym and working out when I moved over here.
For the first week I decided to take it easy and not to worry about finding the gym to join.
It took me about a month to join a gym. I can only blame myself for it. I was being lazy but at the same time, it felt like my head was falling part because there was no proper stimulus for my body.
It just felt hard to find the right one.

So, after awhile I found a gym to join (also thanks to my boyfriend and his suggestions). I decided to try GNS Fitness. Now, I have been going to the gym for about 3 months, 4 times a week.
It finally feels like I'm back into it and my body feels great. Sore after workouts tho'.... naturally.

At first my 4 times a week schedule was, Mondays Pull (which means back and biceps), Tuesdays legs, Wednesdays full-body conditioning (cardio hell) and Friday was Push (chest, shoulders and triceps). And let me tell you, each session is about 30 minutes, which might seem at first quite short time, but... every time you go out there, there is a trainer telling you what to do and pushing you. Those cardio sessions are usually about 45 minutes long, which were hell for me. I actually had my very first bad asthma attack in one of the classes. And what your smart ass Finnish gal did? Gasped air for few minutes, thought about dying, having panic attack as well, sat down minute or two and then, kept on going again. Yea, my limitations were slapping my face on each cardio session and sometimes it felt great to survive and do good enough in the cardio session and sometimes it got me to the point when I just wanted to cry because of my limitations. Why I have to suck at breathing?
So, this went on for a few months and only about few weeks ago I had my assessment with one of the the great trainers in there and he decided to change my program and also made a meal plan for me.

What he did, is that now on Mondays I do Push, Tuesdays are legs 2 (which means that it is mostly hammies and glutes that I work on), Wednesday is rest day and Thursday is Pull and Friday is legs 1 (which means hitting legs very very hard). So, no more cardio for this gal (phew, walking does me just fine). Meal plan is to eat 5 meals during the day. It contains breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner plus all the protein shakes and other supplements (vitamins, cla's etc).

And for the first time ever, I actually have to weight my food. I never ever would have imagined it to be so hard. But after few weeks, you just kinda get used to it. Or at least, I have gotten used to it.
It can be irritating when you don't hit 120 grams at first, and you just have to keep on adding more and then taking out, but I want to believe it is gonna be worth it.
And as my trainer said, this is something we do to see how it affects my body so we know how much more or less I should eat and what to add or what to take off. As my goal is build lean muscle.

But the best thing is, I am allowed to have a cheat meal on Fridays, which smells like pizza and chocolate desserts. Yummy yummy!

So, I have found my gym, I think. I like it there. Each workout makes me sweat like a pig, I honestly didn't sweat like that ever back in Finland. And they say that good things come to those who sweat, right? All the trainers are great up there, they are very supporting and they push you to do your best. They tell you how to do movements right and they also give you that little extra push you need to do those last two reps. When you do things right, they notice it and tell you it.
It's a good place to workout in my opinion.

I have also found a place where to get my supplements from. Or at least, some of them.
I order my protein and some little thingys from Discount supplements. They have wide range of products and the thing I have found the best is that they deliver very fast for you and prices are not too overwhelming.

So, here was a little opening how my fitness journey is going on.
I'm beyond excited to see how my body will react to this new meal plan and workout plan as well.
If you want something you never had, you have to do something you have never done.
Step out from your comfort zone, results don't grow in there.

And I also wanna remind all people with asthma and emphysema, exercise as much as you can. Don't go over your limits, but do exercise. This is something that even doctors recommend and I couldn't agree more. I know that the beginning is always hard but if you keep your head and keep doing it, it will reward you and you will actually feel better. You can even find better balance to treat your asthma and you find yourself being able to do things.
You don't have to go to the gym, you don't have to run, just find the one thing that you wanna do and you're half way there. Stay motivated. Exercise, eat well and rest enough. :)

It's Christmas week already! It's amazing how fast time has flied by.
I'm very excited to spend my very first Irish Christmas with my boyfriend and his family this year, all tho' I miss my family very much.
And also, trainers have given me permission to enjoy Christmas food, so also my belly and taste buds are excited.

Next time I will let you know how my first Irish Christmas went. :)

xoxo

psst... few links for you to check out if interested:
http://www.discountsupplements.ie/ 
http://gnsfitness.ie/