The Path to My Ideal Body: Finding Protein & Relieving Stress
I've decided to start strength training for the first time in three years. Starting this week, I'm hiring a personal trainer and working hard on my training (though it's only once a week, haha).
The trigger was a personal gym opening in my neighborhood. With this, I can easily go after work or on weekends, probably.
Also, 'Beauty and Strength Training' is one of my themes for 2025. Since it's one of the resolutions I declared on note, I want to walk the talk.
I've written about it in my articles many times, but this is my third time doing strength training with a personal trainer.
The first time was about 7 years ago, and the last time was 3 years ago. In total, I succeeded in losing over 10 kilograms.
Since I have a weak will, I can't reach my goals unless I spend a certain amount of money and have someone watch over me.
If I pay this much money and my body shape doesn't change, I'm truly a hopeless person—I can't push myself unless I think things like that.
It will probably go well this time too, probably, haha.
However, there are two difficulties I need to clear.
The first is that I must consume a lot of protein.
For someone like me who doesn't eat meat, this is quite difficult. Fish, tofu, natto, eggs, and yogurt are my main sources of protein.
I do drink protein shakes, but that's just enough to barely meet the minimum daily protein requirement of 50g for women. Since I'm not particularly fond of fish, no matter how hard I try, the best I can do is gather a piece of mackerel (20g), one egg (5-6g), natto (5-6g), and yogurt (8-10g), and finish it off with a protein shake.
The second is reducing stress.
Strength training is said to help relieve stress, but I haven't really felt that. Due to daily stress at work, snacks have become essential for me lately. During the strength training period, a few cookies will be replaced by about 10 almonds, but
will I be able to endure that? (Maybe it will actually increase my stress?)
If I clear these two hurdles, I'm sure I'll get closer to the ideal body shape I envision and my mood will definitely become more positive.
Conversely, if I fail here... I'll feel like my efforts were nipped in the bud
from the start of the year.
It's as if the direction for this year will be decided.
I'll add even more pressure here... Regardless of the result, I will report back to everyone in two months😁