6 Differences Between When I First Went to the Gym 11 Years Ago vs Now

I’ve been going to the gym since I was 18. Now, I’m 29. So, that’s 11 years.

And a lot has changed between then and now.

Let’s dive in.

Then:

I focused on lifting heavy. I often stayed in the 5-rep range, especially for main lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. And I wore it like a badge of honour that I could squat 155 pounds.

Now:

Most of the time, I stick to bodyweight exercises or use dumbbells between 2 KG to 10 KG. Why? Well, I guess I don’t lift with my ego anymore. Instead, I care more about being healthy. And I feel like 10 KG is a good weight for me. It still feels challenging, but not as difficult as when I pushed myself to try to hit new PRs every workout.

Then:

I focused on my abs and butt because Asian women aren’t generally blessed with a big behind, lol. So often, I neglected working out my chest, back and arms.

Now:

I’m focused on overall strength. This means I work out my upper body and lower body. And I also do cardio, abs, and stretch.

Then:

I (almost) never stretched, warmed up, or cooled down. Instead, I’d jump straight into my exercises. Sometimes, I’d do a light glute activation or walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill before working out. And afterwards, I’d walk for another 10 minutes.

Now:

Now (more often than not) I stretch between 8-15 minutes after a workout. And I’ve been loving it. I never realized how tight my muscles were. I recommend Mady Morrison's videos on YouTube!

Then:

I only lifted weights. A combination of free weights and weight machines. For example, a typical workout for me would be:

• Barbell hip thrusts

• Barbell (or dumbbell) Romanian deadlifts

• Dumbbell reverse lunges

• Hip abduction machine

Also, I hardly ever did cardio other than occasionally walking for 5-10 minutes on the treadmill or using the Stairmaster. Oh, and I hated HIIT workouts.

Now:

I love HIIT workouts. I love the burn. I love getting my heart rate up. I love the feeling of fat melting off my body. And I love the feeling of pushing and challenging myself. Plus, HIIT workouts are short. Right now, I’m doing Krissy Cela’s Sculpt It Program. It’s 4 circuits for 5 minutes each. And afterwards, I’m always sweating buckets.

Then:

I wore revealing clothes. You know what I’m talking about. Those tight yoga pants with a sports bra and cropped top. Everything I owned was skin-tight and cropped. The purpose? To show off my flat stomach and perky butt. Why? Because I liked the attention. Plain and simple.

Now:

I stick to leggings and baggy tees that cover the shape of my body and butt. I feel more comfortable this way. Maybe, the switch happened when I started validating myself. When I built my self-worth. And I didn’t feel the need to get attention this way anymore.

Then:

I started going to the gym in high school. My main motivation? To lose weight because that’s when I was at my chubbiest. Then, in university, my motivation changed into wanting to build a hot and toned body lol.

Now:

I exercise for my mental health. If I don’t work out for a while, I start to feel anxious and reactive. Whereas when I exercise often, I feel more calm, in control, and at peace.

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Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash