A Few Adjustments

As I headed to the gym yesterday, it dawned on me that although I had been focusing on my Jiu-Jitsu vs. going to the gym for the past 3 months, there was another reason I did not make it to the gym ... and that's the weather.

I know. I know. There are far colder places than London, and I don't have it bad at all. However, for me, it's cold.

As I walked to the gym yesterday, wrapped up in 3 layers and still freezing, I remembered how uncomfortable it was. There's nothing enjoyable about walking in slightly drizzly, windy weather to get to the gym ...

After getting to the gym and taking off all those extra layers, I immediately regretted not having brought a second pair of trainers. I didn't like wearing the same trainers that I had on outside (coz' it had been raining) for my workout. Also, I regretted not bringing another layer to wear inside the gym. The gym wasn't heated. The barbells and dumbbells were freezing - making it uncomfortable and difficult to grip.  Plus it felt like it took forever to warm-up.

I had already decided that I wasn't going to workout outdoors in the cold weather. I didn't want to dread going to the gym for a workout. Maybe that sounds like a copout, but whatever. The bottom line was that I needed to workout, so as long as I made it to the gym, I was ok with not doing the outdoor MetaFit workouts.

The bottom line is, although I had a good workout yesterday, there were definitely parts that I did not enjoy. Anyway. There is a positive spin to all of this complaining.

First of all, today - not only did I wear my regular outdoor layers for my walk to the gym, but I also wore a thin thermal shirt that I was going to keep on during my workout. It helped big time! Wearing 3 layers to workout wasn't ideal, but at least I wasn't cold, so I didn't have that as a distraction.

I also wore regular sneakers to walk to and from the gym so that my indoor workout trainers didn't get wet.

I got to the gym a bit earlier so that I could take some more time to warm-up properly and not feel the biting cold. This helped a lot. The barbell was still cold, but not as cold as before. I could wear gloves, but I really don't like wearing weight-lifting gloves. I prefer the cold bar.

The outdoor MetaFit session was on when I was leaving the gym. It wasn't too cold or windy today nor was it raining - actually, the sun was out ... and I thought to myself, I could have joined this class. That made me revise my 'I'm not working out outdoors in the winter' statement to one of - If I think I can manage it, I'll do it. Had I not already completed an intense HIIT session indoors, I would have joined in today. Maybe I'll join in the next class. We'll see.

The bottom line is that it's important to be flexible. I love having a routine, and if you see me in the gym, you'll see me writing down my progress in my fitness journal. However, I've realized that things don't always go according to plan. Instead of throwing in the towel, you've to make adjustments to make new circumstances work in your favor. The things I was complaining about weren't really a big deal. They were minor annoyances which were easily dealt with after making a few adjustments. I know that there was a time when I would have been hung up on all the negatives and things that weren't going according to my plan ... but having that stubborn attitude didn't get me far at all. Making a few adjustments made a huge difference and helped me get in another great workout.

staying warm in the weight room with 3 layers of clothing 

post-workout fuel - salmon burgers on a bed of spinach with some cucumber and avocado

I've decided that I need to eat more raw greens -- this salad was perfect for that!