Motivation!

It Was Meant To Be

It has taken me a while to sit down and finish this post. I was starting to think I should go in a different direction, but when I opened my Oxygen magazine I noticed they were offering their readers the same advice. Was that a sign? Maybe not, but it did motivate me to get back to the keyboard and keep typing.

Last week I sat down and sent a few Facebook messages and text messages to see how friends were doing with their weight loss goals. I was happy to hear all the good news. Friends were down pants sizes, down dress sizes, and seeing numbers on the scale they haven’t seen in years. This truly made me happy, and confirmed some things I have been struggling with lately. So for those of you that I do not get to talk to on a weekly basis, I hope you are March-ing (corny I know) right along on your fitness path.

Don’t Give Up

I want to take some time to provide a little motivation for those that are starting to get burned out or have yet to start (there are 9 months left…it’s NEVER too late to start).  I have been in your shoes. There are the days when it seems easier to pull into the Zaxby’s drive thru rather than stand over the stove to cook a Tilapia filet. There are moments when a nice cold Pepsi would quench your thirst better than a glass of water. There are times when lying on your couch watching Scandal (Disney XD in my case) is a lot more relaxing than running a couple miles on the treadmill. Well those few days, moments, and times can add up to a few weeks, and before you know it the results you saw in the last couple months have disappeared.

I recently went through a rough period in my exercise program. I started to dread going to the gym, and when I got there I didn’t have energy to do anything. I would get on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then go home. I had no desire to lift any dumbbells, and there was no attempt at squatting. I realized the only way to get back into the gym was to do something different. I started group training at the gym so I would be forced to work out if I walked through the door. I instantly had someone pushing me and accountability.

Starting a new workout routine was all I needed to get back on the right path, but everyone is different. Here a few tips to help you get into the swing of things:  

1. The first thing to remember is that we are not dieting. We are not in this to lose 10 pounds then go back to eating Moe’s every other day. The end goal is to make a permanent change. In March 2014, I want to know that you have come up with some creative clean recipes for your chicken breast rather than ditching it for Popeye’s three times a week
2. Birds of a feather flock together! Keep yourself surrounded by positive people. Preferably people that care about health and fitness just as much as you do. It’s ok to go out on the weekends and have a few drinks or enjoy some wings during the big game, but if your friends are constantly pressuring you to try a new restaurant every day of the week then they are probably not taking your needs into consideration. Find friends who understand and support your fitness/health goals. 
3.  As Michael Jackson once said - You are not alone. You may feel that no one cares about your struggles, but we do! I care just as much about your setbacks as I do your celebration moments, but you have to be vocal. If your workout program isn’t working, ask a trainer at the gym what you can change.  If the food is becoming boring, ask friends for recipes they are trying. Those people that you start to ask for advice will start checking in on you. You will start to grow your support system.  

You are not the first person to make a lifestyle change, and you are not the first person to struggle. The true test is in how you respond to your setbacks. Will you give up or will you get right back in the ring and keep fighting? You have to remember that you set out to do this for yourself. It doesn’t matter how long it’s taking you to get there or at what pace you are going. All that matters is that you finish. Finish Strong!

What’s New With Me?

I recently started my Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering, and the week I started classes I also decided that I wanted to be a health coach. Perfect timing right? I also decided I wanted to do some modeling. You may be wondering just how much I am going to pile on my plate before it starts to crack. Well let me tell you that it hasn’t cracked but it is starting to chip.  But instead of taking stuff off I just repositioned it. Think of it as a balancing act. I will be finishing up my first class as an Auburn Tiger (Fellow Gators please forgive me), and taking the summer off to study for my personal training certification. This is just step one. I don’t want to jump into personal training. My passion is in the nutrition side of things, but for the certification I want to pursue PT is the foundation. I am praying that by December 2013 I will be a certified personal trainer. As far as the whole modeling thing….I am going to start having some photo shoots this spring. My goal is to do my fitness shoot at the end of the summer, but I still have a lot of training to do.

If you would have asked me last year what my goals and dreams were, I would have looked at you with a blank stare. Actually someone did ask me “what is your passion” and I had no reply. This made me do a lot of thinking, and I still couldn’t come up with anything until recently. People started coming to me for advice, and I found joy in telling my story. I had a genuine smile for the first time in a looooooong time when people told me how things were changing for them. I have found something I enjoy doing, and I am taking the steps to get where I want to be.

I hope this blog post has helped you just as much as it has helped me! Remember don’t give up! Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If no one seems to care, I do. I am there with you through every squat, every mile, and every rep. I was standing in your shoes 3 years ago, and I understand your struggle. Work through the pain, and Finish Strong!

As always, leave a comment and let me know how you’re progressing!