Lose Yourself

I love music.  I have it on all the time.  It doesn't matter if I'm doing dishes, taking a shower, walking the dogs or simply waiting for my coffee to finish brewing.  I've always got music playing.  That love for music extends to workouts as well.  However, when I'm with my trainer, I don't have MY music playing.  In my opinion, it's rude to have my headphones in while I'm working with him, so I just get the music that's playing on the fitness floor. It's usually not anything that motivates me.  But, that's all changed...

The gym has most of its weight equipment upstairs where all the members have access to it.  However, it also has another room that's used by the athletic performance department.  It's a small room that's private.  Lots of  equipment, fairly soundproof.  It also has a dock that you can plug in your phone or iPod.  Fortunately for me, my trainer has access to that room, so we've been training down there for the last few weeks.  And, I love it!

So, we either plug in my iPhone or his iPod and we crank the music. Loud.  Today, one of the songs I have on this blog, Lose Yourself by Eminem, came on.  I'm not sure what it is about that song, but it is one of the best songs to work out to.  It could be the driving beat, it could be the lyrics, probably a little bit of both.  But, whatever it is, it makes me work.  I just get in the zone and keep going.  For those 4 minutes and 29 seconds, I'm a machine.  I'm focused.  Stopping is not an option.  Today was probably the hardest I've worked in a long time.  Thanks Eminem!

Taking A Break

I've been a bit "off" lately.  I've been at the gym at least 5 days a week for the last several months.  But for the last few weeks, I've had some things going on in my head that have had me distracted.  I've been there physically, but my mind has been a bit preoccupied.  Nothing major, just some comments I've been getting that are starting to bother me.  Anyway, my trainer has picked up on it.  I thought I was doing a good job of covering it and working past it, but I guess not.

So, I've been told to take a break.  Not a long break, but a break.  He doesn't want to see me in the gym tomorrow.  He doesn't want me to think about the gym tomorrow.  Shopping, manicure, massage... all suggestions that he gave.  It's become such a habit for me that it's going to feel strange to not go to the gym on a Wednesday morning.  But, he's seeing something.  So, taking a day off to re-focus is (literally) just what the trainer ordered. I'll be back at in on Thursday.

On a side note, I did something yesterday that I should have done a long time ago.  I took a "before" picture.  Admittedly, being 30 pounds in doesn't exactly equal "before", but it's a start.  My 20 year class reunion is in 9 weeks.  So, I took a picture of myself in the dress that I'm going to wear.  I plan on taking a picture once a week until the day of the reunion and hopefully I'll see a difference! If I ever figure out how to post pictures on here, I'll be sure to share!