New Reality

It’s been while since I’ve posted but I’ve been hard at work on this fat loss. I’m at a healthy BMI and only have about 5 to 7 pounds to lose… but here’s the deal. I need to change my focus. this is not a time to get comfy and start relaxing on the diet and eating Hershey kisses because, well, it’s almost Halloween… No, now that I’ve achieved the weight loss, I’m at a place where I can target the last little bit of fat and begin a campaign to build muscle. This is very exciting to me! I have a new reality and, let me tell you, when you finally make it to a milestone, you’ll love it. Why? Because when you do it you know you can do it. Sounds funny but you know what I mean. My tummy tuck is no longer a dream or a goal. My stomach and abs are almost flat. Flatter than they’ve been in years. Decades. When I think of that, I can’t believe it. I can still pinch about an inch when I’m sitting down but when I’m standing up, there is very little hangover there. I’m stoked and I’m ready to take it to the next level. No way I’m stopping now.

I love my new reality and you’ll love yours, too. Give it a try.

The Surprise of Success

Success looks different to everyone. Our goals, in many ways, define us and they are as unique as we are. Success comes in many shapes and sizes because goals differ and this is an awesome thing. You should celebrate your successes, however small, because they provide inspiration. Short-term goals are magic. Set them, reach them and be inspired to do more. You have to believe in yourself enough to keep going because those around you won’t always get it. Your success in an intensely personal thing (especially if it’s related to changing your body) and it’s up to you to reach for it. No one will be as disappointed as you are if you don’t achieve success, so get with it. You can do it and two keys that make the journey easier are effort and concentration.

Success comes from above-average attempts.

Set a goal and then try to do a little bit more every day toward that goal. I don’t care what your goal is. Let’s face it, average is average. Whether it’s doing 50 sit ups, 60 minutes of cardio or writing 300 words a day, push yourself to do a little more than you did the day before. If you managed three sets of 10 sit ups one day, aim for three sets of 11 the next. One day, you’ll realize you’re doing more than average and you’ll be closer to your goal of 50, which puts you that much closer to your goal of a trim tummy.

Success comes with focus.

I once read that you don’t get what you want, you get what you focus on. No matter what your goal, you’re going to need to make sacrifices. Period. If your goal is worth sacrifices, make them. Make that goal top priority. Don’t get distracted or you’ll fall into the average and mediocre camp because you’ve lost your focus. Do what it takes to be successful and stay on track. If it means staying away from the Internet for a few hours, do it. If that means waking up an hour earlier than usual to workout, do it. It won’t be difficult all the time and it will get easier the more you do it. However, to reach this point you must commit and follow through and that comes with a never-ending focus.

Your attempts and your focus propel you to the next step.

You’re on a journey. To reach success, you have to stick with it (whatever it is) long enough to see results. Sometimes, this isn’t easy. If you’re on a fat loss journey, sticking with it is one of the most difficult things in the world. However, time gives you the opportunity to improve and with improvement, you can do more and become more focused. Nothing inspires like success and every attempt is a step in the right direction.

Savor every successful moment, regardless of how small it may seem. Your attempts may seem average and mediocre in the beginning, but every effort builds your muscle, strength and endurance. You’ll find with more focus, you’ll become more in tune with your body and mind and each effort will be its own reward. The small victories will fuel your desire to succeed and do more.

The Persistence of Change

Success is an awesome thing but everyone knows it can be elusive. If you’re not seeing any measurable amount of success with your efforts, you may need change. Are you seeing any success from one, two or three months (or years) ago? This needs to include more than your friends telling you they see improvement. This needs to include measurable success you can see. Have you lost weight? Inches? Are you somehow closer to your goal? If you’re not seeing success, even in the smallest measure, then change is probably what you need. Change and persistence often hold hands when you pursue almost any goal because you need both to succeed. Here are some things I’ve discovered on my journey.

Success takes time.

Some goals take longer to achieve than others and you need to honestly assess whether you’re being persistent enough or if you need to make a change somewhere. Weight loss is fairly easy to measure, while it’s happening. Plateaus, however, are another beast. When you realize you’re not losing anymore, you might settle into a routine and think, “Well, I’m doing okay. I’m not gaining and I’m still exercising every day. So that’s good.” But is it actually good? It isn’t if you have 10 or 15 more pounds to go and you want a homemade tummy tuck that rocks. It takes time and persistence to lose those last stubborn pounds.

Success requires change.

Change doesn’t always mean some kind of radical transformation. I’ve realized the value of persistence through small, but significant, changes. The first thing I changed this week was increasing my morning cardio from 66 minutes to 72 minutes. Yeah, it’s a long time and I get pooped but I’m doing it. I also removed everything white from my diet, which means no potatoes, pasta, bread or white rice. Dropped a pound and it hasn’t even been a whole week. Those changes are not extreme (or permanent) but they were enough to shake things up. Change things around before you give up.

Success needs perseverance.

It takes a truckload of persistence to move beyond a plateau because you have to pay attention to what is happening with your body. If you keep doing the same thing every week, you’ll never see change. It doesn’t matter if you can say, “I exercise an hour every day.” At some point, the question you must ask yourself is, “So what?” Persistence is more than repeating the same thing: you need to be proactive. This is where the persistence of change comes into play. Evaluate your situation and make adjustments if things aren’t where you want them to be. When things don’t go well, or you encounter some kind of failure, the key is to persevere, even when you don’t feel like it.

Success is for life.

Guess what? As you become stronger, fitter and better, your goals will change. Last year, I simply wanted to make it through Jillian Michael’s 30-day Shred without feeling like I was beat. Now, I want to master p90x’s Plyometrics routine as well as build me some shoulders and great abs. Because I’ve persisted, I know I can do it. As you reach goals, you’ll find you want to do more and be more just because you can. You have to reach those first goals in order to know you can achieve more. What matters is how much you’re willing to pursue your goal. Persist, knowing change complements many efforts.

What are you learning on your journey?

A Fight Worth Winning

Good news: if you hang with exercise long enough, you’ll see results. I said good news, not necessarily new. Old or new, that’s nice, isn’t it? Nothing is quite as rewarding as seeing your body or your strength change and improve after hours of hard work. Unless you’re talking about watching your favorite band perform live from the first row. Seriously, seeing how your body changes is a gorgeous thing. Over time, motivation keeps you moving.

That’s where I’m at this week with p90x. After six weeks, I’m feeling stronger. I still have to use the chair with the pull-up bar but I squeezed out one more rep with each segment – except Friday when I felt too tired to do the last set.

Something is happening with my core, too. My waist feels thicker, which is kind of disturbing, but as long as I’m not gaining or growing in inches, I’m not freaking out too much. My hips look smaller and I’m seeing contour there. So, ab-ripper x is working despite my hatred for it. I keep doing it because I know it’s going to tighten my tummy and give me the abs I want.

Most of my morning cardio this week was plyometrics. I’m just in love with that routine and I want to master it. I’m able to touch the floor on all the touch-the-floor moves and I can almost make it the whole 30 seconds… Almost, I get pooped sometimes, though. I tried Insanity one morning and as much as I want to like that routine, I don’t. Yet. Maybe after my performance improves, I might like it. Maybe not. Right now, I’m going to do what I like.

Six weeks into p90x. Not exactly instant gratification (but it is gratifying!). That’s the hurdle to jump with any goal. You’ve got to see each action or small step you make as part of a bigger picture. You’ve got to believe in the process and not throw in the towel. I had to get halfway through p90x to feel stronger and better. And I know for the results I want, I’m going to need to do it again. Because I know something better waits on the other side, I want to move forward.

Sometimes you need to feel like you’re fighting for it because you are. Remember it’s worth the fight. You deserve to feel the reward and reap the benefits of your hard work. Hang with it long enough and you’ll be glad. It’s like knowing spring will arrive after a long winter.

In honor of all things springy…from morning sweat to a sweet morning…

Spring-loaded rock star jumps.

 

A morning loaded with spring.