Last year, around November (2016), I decided to sign up for a gym membership again. Emphasis on the word “again” because I have in the past, spent money on a gym membership – 9 years ago according to Timehop!

 
 
 
But like I mentioned in a previous post, the first time didn’t work out for me. I threw away my hard earned money for a gym membership I rarely used. Now it’s a different story! Because now, it has been a year since I signed up and I’ve made good use of the gym! Yay me! Now this is a real milestone because I’ve never been able to last this long at any fitness regimen before!

I’ve seen quite an improvement with how I look over the past months! 

 
So this is me, pre-gym days – took a selfie with my round chubby face! 
 
 
And me these days  – I think it’s safe to say I’m sporting a round but smaller face (“,)
 
 
Last year, there were clothes that I could wear but was a tight fit especially around the tummy area! I blame it on my love of eating rice three times, maybe more (depending on how stressed or lonely I was on that day). An old boyfriend used to tell me “Para kang butete” because I had a bulging tummy. An asshole remark, yes I know. I kept eating anyway long after he was out of the picture and not working out because well, masarap kumain e and I didn’t want to subject myself to the hardships of exercise! 
 
So what finally got me to sign up for the gym? In a previous post, I said it’s because I wanted to lose weight (which is true!) and be healthy overall (also true!) but actually, the reason that gave me the push was because I got my heart broken. Cliche I know. Nagmahal. Nasaktan. Nagpapayat. I searched for an outlet, a new thing that would keep me busy (other than work because work was making me fat!).  
 
  
 
Look at how far I’ve come! The bulge on my tummy’s significantly been reduced! And yes guys, I’m breathing properly here! Not holding my breath (baka isipin nyo stomach in!). I’ve lost weight because some of those tight fitting clothes I can now wear more comfortably. I have no abs pa syempre! I’d like to! You know, ala Selena Gomez and Khloe Kardashian. 
  
But I credit this achievement to being more conscious with what I eat, when I eat and whom I eat with plus all the work I’ve been putting in at the gym! 
 
If you asked me though last year before I started, I never would have said I’m going to enjoy the gym. But I’m singing a very different tune now. 
 
Meet some of the people who’ve helped me with my fitness journey:
 
 
 
First and foremost: Simon! I grabbed this from his Facebook because we don’t have a photo together! I’ve been bugging him to take a photo with me actually but I have not been successful yet. Simon’s my personal trainer. He trains with me for an hour, twice a week. 
 
When I signed up for a gym membership at Fitness First, I had two free PT sessions and he was assigned to me but now I’m officially part of his client roster. He’s good looking, isn’t he? That’s why I signed up with him in the first place! I thought he’s hot and so mabango pa and I wanted to have his undivided attention for at least an hour. Ha! Ha!  Landi + fitness!  Unfortunately for me, Simon’s taken so… 
 
Nowadays, I just simply enjoy our training sessions because I know that while all the things he asks me to do are hard, it’s all to help me get fit. Although I still sometimes mentally curse myself for signing up with a fitness trainer because gusto ko lang naman talaga lumandi and how could I do it when I’m all sweaty and he has me doing all sorts of workouts that makes my arms, my core or my legs burn. Plus I like the fact that Simon’s patient with me especially because I often forget what I’m supposed to do or I don’t nail the workout at first try.    
 
  
 
 
Meet my favorite Freestyle Group Training (FGT) instructor, Franz. He’s cute too, isn’t he? This was taken after another intense FGT class with him as my workout partner. I didn’t want to try FGT when I was starting out at the gym because Ryan tried it and got dizzy after awhile. That kind of scared me! But after giving it a try during his class, I realized hey I could do it naman pala and now I enjoy doing FGT! It helps that he’s also patient with me and he cheers me on. Nakakamotivate. Also he’s always smiling. He’s also a nutritionist. He taught me a lot about a healthy diet plan – something realistic and achievable. Of course, I still have days when I eat more than the supposed 1200 calories I should be consuming lang but really I do my best to stick to the diet plan.  
 
 
 
And finally, Cedric. He teaches FGT as well. Also Hardcore, Hardcore Overload, Spartan and Pro 45 (cycling). I attend most of his classes whenever I can. But my fave class with him is Pro 45. Such a fun class even when my legs feel like jelly after! I’ve done so much cycling lately that even my mom had said “lumiit na hita ko”.  Oh I gotta buy new shorts that will fit me! Yay shopping!   
 
I’m doing the peace sign (because I had no idea how to pose for this pic). 
 
One year of going to the gym and I’ve made real progress! I remember when I was just starting out with this fitness journey. Simon asked me to sit ups and I just couldn’t lift myself up without struggling. He asked me to do leg raise and I also couldn’t lift my legs straight off the ground. My knees always curled. And then he had me doing mountain climber with my hands on a bozu and after two tries, I experienced leg cramps. 
 
I can now do sit ups and leg raise easily! Pre-gym, I really couldn’t lift myself off the ground well kasi nga, ang bigat ko. I also now know how to do push ups! And I can plank for two minutes!I sometimes even wake up early in the morning to go to the gym nowadays! But okay, it’s not just to work out. It’s also because I’m always looking forward to seeing my crush at the gym. (“,)