Fitness
Fitness Goals 2023
INTRO: I have exercised since high school when I was a scrawny little youngin. I enjoyed the idea of pushing myself and had fun doing it. BUT, I didn’t feel like it got me anywhere. It is 2023 officially (as of 2 weeks ago) and I have worked at 3 gyms. That is potentially over 6 years of some form of weight training. I have hit seasons of plateaus, months of no working out, and years of wanting to get bigger but “not being able to eat enough”. This year I am coming in with specific goals and am going to achieve them no matter what!
I want to challenge myself. I want to be a well-rounded dude, healthy in each aspect of my life. I know aspects of wellness and general health can be intertwined and build off of each other. I want to be my best in each area. Mentally, Spiritually, Physically, Relationally, and Emotionally.
“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.”
Jerry Rice
I am about to begin my time as a student teacher and don’t know how I am going to continue but I know I will. Maybe it’s just me but when I picture a teacher, I tend to think of somebody who can be any age, but they look older than they are. They also tend to look unamused or sad in general. Do they have time outside of school, planning, and grading to work on themselves? I think life is too short to not. Right? Maybe this is me projecting my fears of overwhelming stress onto teachers?
The Why
- General Health
- Energy
- Athletic Performance
- Aesthetics (😏)
With four brothers that are all competitive and a constant desire to be healthy, I have been very blessed with good general health. I am 24 years old now and want to continue to build healthy habits and set myself up for continued healthy life.
I don’t want to grow up and be lazy (although I do feel that way more often than I’d like to admit). I honestly want to be a highly energetic adult who is always down to clown. Whether that be disc golf or spikeball with friends, a random workout with Kendall, or wrestling my kids one day, I want to be energetic.
I love to mess around with my brothers and friends and want to stay on top of my “game”. I want to have the feeling of being capable of anything. I already WHOOP everybody in whatever I do and I want to keep it that way. On a more serious note, I have never really challenged myself in this way, and think it will be fun.
Lastly… the looks. I’ve always been skinny but eventually got toned. Now is the first time I will seriously try to put on some weight. I know what I want to look like and think it would be an enjoyable project to work on my physical body in this way.
God blessed me with this body and he dwells with me. My body is a temple and is not my own so I strive to take care of it. What better way than exercising, eating well, drinking lots of water, and getting good sleep?!
The How
I am NOT a personal trainer myself. I have not taken courses or anything like that. BUT, I have worked at several gyms. I have had seasons of deep research into the health and fitness world. Many of my friends are personal trainers and I often work out with them. Others around me ask for information or if I can build their workouts.
DIET: My diet will be mostly clean (whole or “healthy” foods, not things like pizza). I am aiming to gain weight so I would have a calorie surplus every day. I will be eating roughly 3,400 calories a day. I could eat a little less.. But I want to be sure to gain weight. This number is also set so if I miscalculate the amount I consume, I should still be in a surplus. I will also be drinking lots of water. That should always be the case. I will add a list of foods to eat at a later date.
EXERCISE: My workouts will change month to month and sometimes vary a little each week. I will be doing weight training 3-4 days a week and more endurance-based, fun exercises 2-3 times a week. This could be CrossFit WODs, swimming, sports, etc. This will help burn some fat from all the food as well as make the process more enjoyable. Gotta have time to play! I will add the workouts in this blog at a later date.
REST: I tend to be an early bird. I have no issues going to bed early and waking up early. Muscle growth is stimulated when you workout, fueled when you eat, and happens when you sleep! I typically get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Mentally I believe I thrive off of 7.
Progress Pics
There are a lot of ways to track your progress. I personally enjoy looking at other people’s progress pics. Seeing the physical difference can make people sooo so proud. I will track my weight weekly but am also going to be doing progress pics. Please be respectful, I am trying! Some of these early pictures are crazy to me even now. I am already much further than I used to be and excited to see what is to come.
2018 /// All about 130-135lbs
2020 /// ~140 lbs
January 2023 /// 140 lbs
2023 GOAL /// 150lbs 8% body fat by June —> 160lbs 8%body fat by December
Work In Progress
I am excited to see what will happen this year. Excited. To challenge myself in this way. I do know some stuff about fitness but not everything so if you have any tips, words of wisdom, or encouragement, feel free to send them my way!
Sincerely,
Caleb 🙂