Quitting the Gym | Lifestyle

I have to be honest, this wasn't really my choice, I never wanted to quit the gym in fact I had planned a whole new goal and meal plan for this year about half way through last year, but then I got a new job and everything was turned up side down, in a wonderful way might I add!!

I did however make an active decision to not join a gym when I moved out to Florence though and this was a shock to everyone because they knew I had such a strict regime they just assumed I would continue out here! It's a tough one for me because I thrive on routine, I genuinely do, I perform at my best when I know what's coming and how I can build my life around things! The only problem I have is that I do have an addictive personality, if I say I'm going to do something it's all or nothing! If I said I was going to the gym that evening I would, I would schedule plans around the gym and monitor what I eat while I was out etc! I knew that when I moved to Florence I wanted to embrace everything and that if I joined a gym, my addictive personality trait would hinder some of my experiences out here because I wouldn't be able to say no to the gym and the food so I would say no to the lifestyle!

I just wanted to talk more about how quitting the gym has effected my body and mentality because I have noticed the biggest difference in my well being! So if we just talk about the physicality first, so my body is softer and flabbier than what it used to be, I did a lot of weights and had very strong muscles underneath a layer of (healthy) fat especially in my thighs, butt, shoulders and back but now not so much, it actually a little depressing because I have lost some of my physique! Also, as I am eating more carbs my belly is bigger, the standard bloating you get from eating carbs!

One of the major things I have noticed is though that I am constantly tired, if I was back in England and feeling this tired I would put it down to needing a break from the gym! To put it into perspective for you guys:-

Lifestyle in England
2 hour journey into work
1 hour work out
8 hours of work
1 hour work out
2 hour journey back
5 - 6 hours sleep (max)
Food - Specific set meals I would follow

Lifestyle in Florence
20 minute walk to work
8 hours of work
20 minute walk home
7- 8 hours sleep
Food - random and whatever I want

And yet I am more exhausted then what I was when I was back in England, it doesn't make sense! 

The more I thought about it the more I started to consider that my body is really struggling to adapt to my new lifestyle so much so it almost feels like it's shutting down because I am tired frequently, I think my body has got so used to using energy in a different way in England that it's a bit of a shock to the system now and it doesn't like it! I'm trying to pin point exactly what it is that is causing the lethargy so I have also decided to keep a food journal to monitor what I'm eating and whether that could have an effect! I also make sure that at the weekend I go on long hilly walks to get my heart rate up again and I'm considering starting jogging whilst out here just to incorporate some exercise into my lifestyle to see the impact that has on my body!

I would say that I have always been very good at listening to my body, especially when I was back in England, I knew how far to push it and I knew the fuel I needed to feed it and now I'm in Florence and having such a wonderful time I feel like I may have stopped listening but it's clearly trying to tell me something!

Do you go to the gym or have you recently quit the gym, if so, what has the impact been on your overall health?