A Transformation to the New Me

About three years ago, I was reevaluating my life. My health was not where I wanted it to be. I went to the doctor's office to get a physical checkup and blood work and realized I should have started this much sooner. I wanted to try and be healthier. I started doing research on what other people would do when their health level is pretty low. That led me to do things like self-help and supplement videos, eat salads, and workout with weights both at home and at the gym. When I finally listened to that screaming voice in my head, my conscious, it made me realize three things:

1. I don't have money to spend on things like this $$.

2. I don't even like salads (At one point, it just became a box of sandwich contents and dressing. I would even take out the lettuce and just make it a spinach salad.)

AND

3. I hate lifting weights SOOOOOOOOO much! It didn't help that I was also very lazy.

I didn't know what to do anymore. I began to do what my generation does best; explore online. 10,000 research sessions and a couple of Pinterest trials lead me to find the answer I was looking for. With my own hands-on experiments, I found workouts that I both love to do and that actually work for me!

The First: Yoga

More specifically, Asana Rebel. A past choir director of mine introduced me to this app. When I started to try it out on my own, I found out a little more about what this workout app had to offer. It is incredibly fun, and the results show after just one week. I started feeling stronger and things that used to be difficult started becoming a lot easier! It is a fitness type yoga with some cool down session. I love it because they have different workouts and plans for you to choose from. The app can cater specifically for BOTH women and men! In the settings sections, they provide tutorials on how to do each workout they mention! The coaches on there want you to do your best and improve every day. They will NEVER push you further than what you can handle and the more you do each workout, the easier it will be to perform each super stretch! The app is also good because it keeps you accountable for your daily workouts. It has a "streak" type calendar that keeps track of the days you workout, charts of the workouts you've done, and it will send you daily reminders to keep you on track.

The Second: Zumba

I never thought much of Zumba before I started trying it out on alternating days of the week. The first time I did a Zumba class was in my younger years when I was in the F.I.T. girls club. It was painfully tiring for a girl who was not savvy in the exercising world. After that, I explored a Zumba class in my teens and never thought of it again. I started doing it after a song came on my autoplay on youtube and the music video (Bouje by J Perry ft. Admiral T) was a huge Zumba session!! I decided it might be time to try it out once more. I ACTUALLY started to enjoy it! I can honestly say that Zumba is STILL difficult, but once you get your groove, it becomes so much fun and leaves you smiling. It can be for everyone and you don't have to start out as intense as some of the coaches or teachers in the videos to feel something from the class. I especially love dancing to the songs I know 😄😄 It leaves with so much adrenaline, you cannot help but move some more!

The Third: Exercise Ball

I use the "GAIAM: total body BALANCE BALL Workout DVD" in the photo. The disc came with the exercise ball I received as a birthday gift (who knew it would include so much more!). This one left me so exhausted and sore, I knew I must have been doing something right. My body already started feeling stronger and tougher the minute I completed the workout. I only do this once a month, but I am hoping to increase the frequency that I do a workout. This is just where I am at the moment.

The Fourth: Belly Dancing

After exploring all over the internet, I found a program that I really enjoy and still use. It is BeFiT's, Leilah Isaac. She does many follow-along videos and classes that are very diverse in the focus of fitness. Within the different classes, she teaches belly dancing by addressing different portions of the boy. In addressing them, you are able to work on specific areas you feel need a little more work than others. I definitely felt the areas we were working on within the first few minutes of the video class. The first video I tried was general belly dancing for beginners, so it worked on the entire body. In other videos, you can focus on your glutes, arms, bellies, and legs. With her encouragement, I felt a lot better and managed to keep a smile on through the entire workout because she made it fun. After verbally giving instruction on what to do the first time, she will give you an example to follow, both slowly and in-time. The moves are fun to follow and if you are looking for a new way to practice new dances as well as work on your abs and glutes, this is the place to go.

The Fifth: Joanna Soh

After a minute in, you will CERTAINLY feel the effects of her workouts. They are amazing but very intense, even the ones that are low-intensity levels. I definitely love it though and it is worth trying out! One day, I was showing my dad the reason I was always feeling a little sore the next day and he started doing the workouts on her channel himself. He says that she has helped him slim down and he feels stronger and healthier after completing them.

Following an intense workout, I eat a ZONE Perfect nutrition bar and drink a PowerAde. They have actually helped lessen the pain that results in the next day after an intense workout. I follow both of them with water and a shower, of course.

 

Everyone is different and the best workout out there is different for everyone. If you try out one of these exercises or after-exercise methods, please comment on your experience. Also, comment some tips, videos, or workouts you think I should try to help me with my fitness journey. I'd love to see what you guys have to say and I love to try new things. Give a good shout out to the companies, coaches, and apps. They love the feedback to hear how and what they can do to improve the current methods they have! Always remember to give kind suggestions. It is not nice to be rude to others.

Enjoy the NEW-YEAR You!