Guuuuuys! I cannot believe I made it to 25 classes of OrangeTheory! Go me! I don’t often pat myself on the back for anything, but I am so dang proud of myself. I have a very bad habit of trying something new and quitting when I’m not immediately amazing at it or it’s harder than I expected. But I have stuck this out!
I am seven ish weeks in to signing up for an unlimited membership, and honestly, it feels like I have been going for years. Maybe not in the best way! But when I walked down the stairs to my studio and saw the Brag Board with my name on it, I couldn’t believe it! Twenty five classes seemed huge. And also like not very much.
I feel like I have been busting my butt for ages and when I saw I had only walked into the studio 25 times, I almost got a little defeated. But then I realized that it is TWENTY FIVE more OTF classes than I had under my belt before. And SEVEN weeks of a consistent fitness routine with no weight loss goal attached.
I didn’t start OrangeTheory to lose weight. It was never a goal, nor has it been my primary motivator for getting my booty to the gym three or four times a week. I have chosen not to keep track of my weight, and it makes going to the gym so much less pressure. There is no punishment for making brownies with my oldest or date nights with Mr G.
There are so many reasons that I have stuck it out, though. SO many wins, side effects and benefits that I wanted to share with you guys. Because I know that you may be like me. Considering getting back to the gym, but afraid of falling down the rabbit hole of focusing on the scale or the size of your jeans.
You CAN workout without weight loss being the goal. You can see “results” and have no idea if you have or haven’t lost a single pound.
Seven Weeks, Seven Wins
- Boosted Mood – We all know that “runners high” is a thing. All that oxytocin and endorphins that are released when you work out have done some amazing things for my mood. I am so much happier and relaxed on days where I make it to OTF than days I don’t.
- Better Sleep – I notice a huge difference in my sleep. I’m going to bed without struggling and sleeping through the night, something that has been a big issues for me for about six months now.
- More Energy – Whether this is from sleeping better or just getting a bit more in shape, I find that I have more energy to do daily life things than I did before. I am cooking dinner more often, because I’m not wiped out by the end of the day. I have more patience with my oldest, because I haven’t reached the end of my rope.
- Glowing Skin – Now, I do have a pretty bomb skin care routine right now, but I swear my skin looks so much better than it did a few months ago! Even the hormonal acne I have can’t disguise the glow.
- Gym Gains – I am so dang proud of my progress in class. My base pace on the treadmill has increased by .6 and I have upped my weights in every single exercise. My proudest moment came today when we did an 800 meter row. My very first class was a 500 meter row bench mark. It took my almost a full five minutes to complete that 500 meters. Today, I banged out the 800 in under 3:30. And felt like a boss.
- Pride – It feels really really good to be proud of myself. I struggle feeling pride in the work I do or who I am as a mom. For some reason, I always feel like I could be doing more But when it comes to OTF, I feel like I leave everything I can at every single class. It is a really good feelings that makes me keep coming back.
- Friends – I am 31 and have only a handful of friends. But going to the same class and keeping a schedule, has made it so that I see the same people every Monday or whatever. And slowly but surely, I am making friends, exchanging numbers, and next will be making plans for things outside the gym.
None of these wins have anything to do with how my body looks. Or how my clothes fit. Or what the number on the scale reads.
I have been diet free and living a life of freedom from restriction for over a year now. And I was really nervous that starting up an intense fitness routine would bring all of those scary feelings and disordered habits back. But this just feels right. For right now.
Remember that nothing you do has to be permanent. I might not enjoy OrangeTheory in six months. Or I might still love it. My diet, my workout routine, and my body don’t make me who I am. They are just things I do or the shell I wear.
I am more than all of that, and keeping that in my head when negative thoughts creep in keeps me in the right headspace.
I’m going to be sharing all of your questions about OrangeTheory Fitness when I reach my 60 day mark. Stay tuned for more!
xxx
