2022 - Putting the F(un) back in Fit

And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen. I ended 2022 with 35 workouts short of 2021 achievement but well, who’s counting? (Technically, I am…ha!)

Truth be told, this fitness journey of mine has only been about 3 years.

In 2020, I took to the gym as a form of escaping a difficult personal situation. For that 45-60mins, I exchanged my tears for perspiration, my mind gets to wander into a space where nothing else except the next rep matters and that sense of achievement being able to complete 1 full push up on my knees to 10 off my knees…amazing feeling.

2021 - the workouts became an obsession. I felt like I have gained the reputation at my gym for being that crazy…always going all out all the time…no rest days person. And I felt I owe it to (really god knows who) that I have to live up to that reputation. Manic Mondays (5 workouts a day), Threesome Tuesdays (3 workouts a day), Workout Wednesdays….I themed my days, I worked out to a point of injury. I loved it…and that occasional shoulder pain is my reminder of the mad year.

2022 - With the demands of a “newish” job and situational changes personally, I really just took to the gym as an enjoyment. A place where I have fun with my gym mates and enjoy the beats.

So what were my top 3 fitness takeaways last year?

1. Rest days - I am still a "newbie" to working out, resting is still a concept I need to learn. What exactly is a rest day? Do I sit around and be a couch potato or do I do some light exercises. While I thank Apple for giving me all the stats about my activity level daily, it also gives me anxiety when my rings are not closed.
2. Nutrition - "Moment on your lips, Lifetime on your hips..." Whether you follow a 70/30 or 80/20 rule...you are what you eat. I've more than fallen off the diet wagon, especially in the past 3 months with more work travels and the holiday season.
3. Workout community - I have found an entire community in my 3 years working out. Truly, people from all walks of life, all age groups and diverse cultures. And we are all bound together by the love for fitness. There's also this notion of a "workout buddy". Cast away that notion...you don't need a workout buddy. You have a room full of workout buddies. I have an entire community of people I see at the gyms and I draw my inspiration and motivation from them. From the 20 year old kid who spins like an absolute pro to the 50ish neurosurgeon with such a gentle personality but lifts like Incredible Hulk.

So I am starting off 2023 with Dry January. This is my tenth day...and I feel like I am losing my "gold status" at some of my usual restaurants. ?? I am not oppose to have a beer or wine here or there, just not the "festive drinking level". But I am proud to say I am totally dry for ten days now and I haven't really felt like I reaching out for a drink. On the high side, I feel like my workout recovery has been amazing - its like my body is not working on the overdrive trying to repair my body from my workouts and regenerate my liver from a night out. On the not so high side, it has impacted my social life a little, I'm not sure how to ask friends out a dinner and "drinks" without actually having the drinks part. And like my dear co-worker, Sherif once asked me, "how many coke zeros can one drink in one night?". I have read articles of pubs in the UK fearing for their business due to Dry Jan....oops...perhaps start a juice/smoothie corner?

Starting next week, I am also embarking on a "Project Division" with Division Athletics. It's a 8 weeks fitness program and will run through Chinese New Year. I'm nervous. Mainly I don't have a structure to my workouts and this gym has gain a reputation to be pretty intense. I will give it my all. I am excited. But I am nervous.

Lastly, I do want to pay a tribute to the instructors who push my limits everyday. I've only recently found out how young these girls are - young enough to be my daughters almost. Who says the strawberry generati are lazy and not driven? Everyday I see these girls bright and early in the morning conducting 7am class, 8am class and multiple classes everyday, juggling between school/work and gym. To the girls of Haus Athletics ; Eunice and Mandalyn...Fabulous work. Thank you. And see you tomorrow.