Avoidance Never Pays Off

Happy Sunday, readers.  We're into week two of phase 2, and I came to a realization this past Monday.  I've avoided it long enough.  I know it must be done.  It's not my favorite thing to do, but in order for me to reach my goal of great health, it must become a habit...a requirement.  What am I talking about?  Weights.  Resistance Training.  I need to incorporate resistance training two to three times a week along with my regular cardio routines.

I have always been intimiated by weights.  A lot goes into it, and if you do it incorrectly, it can result in injuries - which is why I always worry.  When I was on that low carb diet, I incorporated resistance training after losing 100 pounds.  I hired a personal trainer, who was fantastic.  She was extremely helpful and inspiring.  I was getting buff, and she was really pushing me - which is what I needed.  Unfortunately, I had to stop because of the expense, but it was really worth it, and I learned a lot.

Of course, I threw all of that out the window when I gained the weight back.  So, it is a necesity that I bring it back.  I want more muscle.  I want to be strong.  I want to have excellent upper and lower body strength...and of course, I want to invite someone to my "gun show" (thank you Ron Burgundy). 

So, avoidance is over.  I figured if I'm going to make weight traning a habit, I need to do it with someone or in a group setting.  On Monday, I attending a class called Metabolic Conditioning, which is a weight class.  We worked with hand weights (5, 8, and 10 lbs).  We did all sorts of combintations and even threw in planks and push ups.  Holey cow!  It was amazing...and amazingly painful!!  My body hurt three days after.  And, I love that pain.  That ache that sets in your muscles because your body is telling you, "W.T.F?!?!"  The W.T.F is what I'm looking for.  That ache means muscles are repairing and growing.

Since my body was in repair mode, I took Tuesday off (never took a weekday off since I started in January).  I also went to a free screening of Magic Mike...wow!  Total motivation there.  I saw it again with some wonderful ladies last night, and yeah, it was just as I remembered it.  Totally motivating, and I adore eye candy.

Anyways, since I'm incorporting weight training, I knew I needed something else that I could do at home.  I've been doing some research, and I knew I didn't want to work with hand weights.  I need something else. Something that will give me an overall body workout that I may be able to do with video or in a class.  What did I decide on?   KETTLEBELLS!!

Kettlebells have come highly recommended from many people that I've talked to.  They provide an overall resistence workout as well as getting your heart rate elevated.  There are several videos that you can use along with your kettlebells that provide different types of exercises.  I found a set of 5, 10, and 15 pound kettlebells online, and UNFORTUNATELY, I had to go to two WalMarts to find them.  That was hell all in itself because I deplore that store.  The things I do for good health.

Anyway, I rocked the kettlebells today before my Sunday Zumba workout, and I was killing it today.  My niece was cheering me on. I'm starting off slow, playing close attention to my form so I can avoid injury.  As I improve, I may add the Kettlebell class at my gym.  I think I'm going to like Rock(ing) the Bells.

Side Note:  I got my results from my blood work.  For some reason, I could not find my A1c measure so I don't know if it was recorded.  However, my blood sugar and cholesterol are great.  Check out the Biometric Measure page for updates.