Before and after

Before and after
Before...eating junk, no exercise and feeling terrible. After...eating "clean", weight training, cardio and feeling amazing 19 years later.

30 years ago I was in the path of an unhealthy future due to my poor food choices and no exercise. Eating Clean cleansed the inside of my body and I sculpted the outside with weight training. Now 48 years old, I'm in the best shape of my life. It's never too late to change your body and your life!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Girls can play with big boy toys too!


As many of you know, until recently I worked out in the basement of my home in my “makeshift” gym.  I had Bowflex dumbbells, a treadmill, flat bench, roman chair, and a few other things.  I made it work with what I had.  I recently joined a gym because I felt that I needed to focus on certain areas with machines that I could only find in a “real” gym.  

Even though I’m more confident that I’ve ever been with my body, it was still very intimidating walking into the gym (especially the free weight area) in front of a bunch of men…men that are grunting, breathing heavy, sweating profusely, and standing around.  That might be over exaggerated, but you get my point.  It’s a strange feeling in the beginning.

Now, I feel at home with my new gym and it really doesn’t matter who is there, or not there, when I’m working out.  I focus on my workout and what I need to do in the time I have.  It’s become very therapeutic for me.  My only problem now is that my workout gets a little stalled because of those same “men” asking me questions about how I got so lean, do I compete, etc., but I take it as a compliment because I’ve worked really hard to get where I am today. 

If you happen to be a female newbie at the gym and feel a little overwhelmed from the machines and the men, you might consider checking it out when it’s the least crowded (Sat or Sun late afternoon) and map out your plan of attack.  This way you will know where everything is, how it works, and you’ll feel confident beginning your workout no matter who is around you.  Don’t let other people at the gym intimidate you…pretty soon they will be glancing at you because of how incredible you look!  It really is ok for girls to play with the “big boy toys”.   J

5 comments:

  1. hey gwen i know how you feel! years ago i joined a unisex gym and it was full of testosterone - i hadnt been to a gym in ages and forgot alot of the stuff - it was intimidating to say the least. i know what im doing now but i now go to a womens gym and love it, however, they dont have alot of heavy duty machines but i can work around that. enjoy the gym and all its toys !!!!
    ps are you ever going to compete?

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  2. I've worked at a gym all my life so never been a problem for me, I usually found a time where men were at work to train...but now living in Germany in our little gym, the weights section is downstairs, small and very women unfriendly!!!
    I'm loving doing Kettlebell at home at the moment.

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  3. Amanda - Competing was never my motivation, but lately I've had sooo many people ask me, including Jamie Eason, that I almost would consider it...not sure.

    Marcelle - You're doing what you need to do and making it work under the circumstances...good job I've never worked out with kettlebells, but have read and heard what a great workout you can get with them! :)

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  4. I'll be honest.. I LOVE playing with the boys. I love it when they watch what dumbbell weight I go for and make SURE to get something heavier. Or look at me puzzled waiting for me to drop a weight or break a nail. hahahaha

    get it girl!

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  5. Lol...now it is fun the freak them out! :)

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