Mind over body ...

 

I had a fight with my body today while exercising. It wanted to stop.  It wanted to be done with the workout.  It was telling my mind that it was tired and that we should stop and catch our breath or stop completely.  My  MIND won.  I pushed through my body telling me no.  I invisioned my body changing.  I invisioned the toxins and fat cells leaving my body.  I actually invisioned myself crossing the finish line at my next triathlon feeling fit and fabulous and you know what?  I CAN if I THINK I CAN ...

--what do you do to push through a hard workout?

--what is your favorite way to get your mind to control your body?

Staying committed ...

I finished day #11 on my fitness blender workout plan.  I didn't want to do it.  I kept telling myself I didn't need to, it wasn't going to be worth it, I was too tired.  BUT I did it!  I finished that workout and I felt pretty good after.  I fought myself the whole time saying, I'll just do 2 sets instead of 3.  I'll just do a little less cardio instead of finishing it through.  But I knew I'd be disappointed in myself if I gave up, so I finished it all strong and was happy that I did.

Is it only me or is it super hard to stay committed when you don't see any progress?  Or I guess the progress I want to see?

I haven't seen anything budge on the scale ... not one thing, but I have been able to see progress in my strength and ability to finish my work outs and push my body.  Yes that is wonderful, but I would be lying if I said that was satisfying enough.  I want to SEE changes in my body just not the amount I can lift while working out my body.

Frustration is a hard emotion for me to work through, but I have been working through it this time because while I want the scale to move and I want to look better in my clothes, I also know that I can only control what I can control and I can control how often I work out.  I can control that I don't give up.  I can control that I keep trying to figure out my body and I can control that I will figure out this cycle I am on and figure out how to be the best me I can be ... even if the scale doesn't move.

I have set a goal to not touch the scale until I return home from our travels.  I will continue to work out and eat right and if the scale won't budge hopefully at least I will have more energy and at least look toned. 

I have done a lot of homeopathic work, emotions and otherwise, that hopefully will help my journey along and I am just trying to stay committed to what I hope will help me in the long run!

---How do you work through frustration?

---How do you not focus on the scale and look for other progress?

Do your BEST ....

During P90X workouts, sometimes I want to just lay down and quit.  Then, Tony will say "Do your BEST and forget the REST".  That saying hits home with me.  It helps me keep going.  It helps me to know that next time I do something, if I have given it my all this time, I will get better.  I will be able to do bring different BEST the next time I conquer something hard.

I love that during exercise and pushing yourself you can find great life lessons.  I feel like this motto can be taken into your life with great dividends.  Do your BEST and forget the REST in your eating, in your spiritual journey, in motherhood, in being a true friend, in EVERYTHING.

BUT, you DO have to do your BEST.  DO NOT sell yourself short.  Make sure you KNOW that you can give it 100% of you and that you can do amazing things when you do your very BEST.  We are not all going to be amazing athletes, perfect Mom's, always eat healthy, but we can give it our ALL and forget what we cannot do!

---Do you do your BEST and forget the REST?

---What area of your life do you need to remember that more in?

Difficult becomes possible ...

Do you ever see something and think "oh that is just TOO hard to do?"  Do you think it is JUST too difficult for you to try and accomplish?  No?  I think you are lying :).

I know I HAVE.  After 5 years of trying, I never thought I would be able to release 30 pounds. I thought it would be too difficult to change my diet, eat enough vegetables and see my weight actually go down on a scale.  BUT do you know what?  I did it!  It took me 3 months once I found the right key to unlock my weight.  

Releasing weight became Possible!

I also thought doing a triathlon might be too difficult for me.  When Coach J first signed up for his sprint I couldn't believe how awesome it was.  I couldn't believe that he was going to do it.  Then, watching him accomplish it, I though, well maybe that is possible.  Maybe with some good training and with time, I could do that too.  Well, if you have been reading my blog or following me on facebook you know I have completed my goal of my 1st triathlon followed closely by a 2nd one, spur of the moment. 

Triathlons became Possible!!

It is amazing to me what becomes POSSIBLE when you put your mind to it.  When I first started training I wasn't even sure I would make it...heck when I first started in the water of my first triathlon I was still doubting if I could make it.  It was difficult, all my goals have been, but they are Possible!  I know they are possible and have become a part of who I am.  I am a triathlete.  I am at a healthy weight for my body.  

I am Possible! 

---what have you done that you thought was difficult?

---Are you doing something right now that you thought was Impossible?

Do not doubt yourself ...

The week before my first triathlon was kind of a hard week mentally.  I was nervous for my triathlon, but I let the doubt creep in.  I let the "I can't" dwell in my mind for a little bit too long....until I read this post from a motivating friend.

"Mentally and emotionally you begin to steel yourself to the challenge ahead. Doubts may begin to arise, but the belief you have in yourself will crush them. Fear may rear its ugly head, but you focus on the strength you possess and it is forced to flee before you. Uncertainty may creep in, but you will have none of that because you not only can do this. . . but YOU WILL DO THIS!"

 

I cried when I read this and pushed those "I Can't" thoughts out of my  head right that minute.  I knew I had put in the time, I knew I had sacrificed a lot to get to the fitness level I was at, I KNEW I would finish the goal I had set out to achieve...Finish the triathlon!   

We need to not doubt our abilities. We need to trust that we CAN succeed if we want to.  Trust your abilities, trust your training and trust that you can do HARD things.  Let's not doubt what we CAN do, instead prove that YOU WILL DO THIS!

--How do you get doubt out of your life?

--What keeps you motivated to Never give up?

With a little time ...

Oh how your PERSPECTIVE changes...

Two weeks ago, I completed my first sprint triathlon and I thought I would not do another one this year.  The very following week, Coach J did the Echo Triathlon (watch for a race report from him) and I found myself to be extremely jealous! I wanted to have another attempt at doing something so challenging and rewarding!

To be completely honest, it only took about a day to help my perspective change.  While I was going through the swim, I wanted to quit.  I wanted so badly to call over the kayak and have him take me in.  But I didn't!  I kept going and then enjoyed every minute of the rest of the triathlon. Same thing in life, while we are going through trials or hard times it sometimes feels like we just want to quit.  We want to throw in the towel, claim a Did Not Finish, but once we have gone through those challenges/trial/hardships, we are better because of it.  We are a different person and stronger and more able to take on the next challenge.  

Now that I have had time to think about my triathlon experience, I KNOW I want to do more. I know I need to work on my swim to be quicker and more efficient and my run to become faster, but there is always something you can work on to get better, right? If we wait until we are 'perfect' to go after something we desire will we ever be ready?  Will we ever do something that causes us to be fearful if we don't just Go for It and enjoy the journey?

Bring on the next TRI!!

--What has changed your perspective in life?

--Have you ever said you won't do something and then do it anyway?

Sabotaging thoughts...

 Wow, this article was eye opening!  I love when I find a great article to really help me with the emotional side of my weight struggles.  When I can write them out, figure them out and move past them, I know I am in a better place.  I know that I can leave them as part of my past and stay the healthy person I have worked so hard to become.  

Go check out the article HERE.

I know we are all guilty of saying many of these sabotaging thoughts. 

Here were a few of mine when I wrote them down.

-- My kids are driving me crazy, I NEED some chocolate.

-- Nobody will know if I eat this if I don't write it down or eat it in front of everyone.

-- I want it so I can have it.

-- I don't want to feel deprived when everyone else is having something.

-- They are eating it, so I can too.

-- I am too tired to work out.

-- I don't have enough time to work out and shower and get everything else done I need to.

-- I am not physically fit enough to do that activity.

Well, guess where those thoughts got me?  Overweight and unhappy in my own skin.  I had to change those thoughts into something that I knew would serve me and my body.  It wasn't easy, I still struggle with some of these thoughts, but I KNOW what I want my body to feel like and feeding it junk and sitting on the couch only makes me feel like junk and to stay on the couch.

I still want sweets sometimes.  I still enjoy them, I just do it every once in a while instead of every day.  I just have a little of something and am satisfied with that.  I do enjoy working out and am always glad I do, some days are just harder than others.  This change of thoughts and actions isn't easy, it takes time and effort, but I am worth it.  YOU are worth it.  We are ALL worth it.

*Enjoy a Beautiful day!!

--What are some of your sabotaging thoughts?

--What have you done to change the way you think?

You do get better ...

When I first started running, it was almost a joke.  Nobody in my family EVER ran past when we had to in school *anybody remember the Wellsville Mile?* or what it took to get us around the bases in baseball. I thought I didn't like to run. I thought I was too 'fat' to run.  I thought 5 miles was going to be TOO far for me to run.  Oh boy, did I THINK.  I truly over thought every part of it.  But, Coach J convinced me that I could if I really wanted to.  

If you change your thoughts, you can change your world!

And change my world it did.  Now, when I go out for a 2-3 mile run, it doesn't seem as monumental.  Now, when I start to train for Bone to Back the 40 mile relay team of 8 (so I run 5 miles) I don't get intimidated, I just do it!  In fact, when I have to take on a harder leg because it has hills, I embrace it.  I know I can do it, I know I will survive and I know I will LOVE almost every minute of it.

And just so you have a witness that exercising/running/eating healthy does get make you better with time, when I completed my 5 mile leg, I was on a harder 5 miles and I had not run more than 3 miles before that day, I got a Personal Record (PR) time and felt GREAT after I ran.  YEAH!!

 Enjoy a Beautiful Day!!

---What do you do to help realize things get easier? 
---Have you done something that was once hard and now isn't?