Spinning Into a New Me

My turning point finally came in January of 2013.  A coworker suggested we join a boot camp challenge.  I thought it over for a few days.  I knew it was something I should do but change is difficult and I was at close to the highest weight I'd been in my entire life.  Could I do this?

I weighed my options.  I am a sociable person but not particularly outgoing so there was the risk of embarrassment, possible injury, the inevitable fear of change.  But then another thought occurred to me.  What if it made me feel better?  What if I lost weight?  Was that worth stepping out of my comfort zone?  Luckily, I decided it was.

The boot camp challenge offered prizes at the end, one of which was for perfect attendance at all 24 boot camp sessions.  This wasn't a goal of mine initially but after I survived the first few classes it seemed feasible.  I'm a classic over-thinker and in this case I tried not to think much at all.  I had class 3 days a weeks so I planned everything with those classes in mind.

Class was difficult.  It pushed me physically, and sometimes it was tough to get through, but I started to realize something...it was making me fee better.  There were days when I didn't feel too great or I didn't want to go but I had made a commitment so I went anyway.  And I came home feeling good.  (What?!  Exercise makes you feel better?  No way!)

My progress was slow at first.  This happens for a lot of people, especially when you are building muscle.  Don't get discouraged because your success isn't showing as much on the scale.  Go by how your clothes fit and how you feel.  Those two things should be enough to keep you going for a while.

By the end of the boot camp I had lost over 18 pounds.  It was a great start and lit a slow burning fire in me.  (I even squeezed in a run between work and cooking dinner for my mother one night because I was stir crazy and needed to burn off some energy.  I chose running over crashing on the couch for 10 minutes.  Me?  Really?)

 January 2013/April 2014

Over the course of the next year and a half I joined Weight Watchers, did Yoga and Zumba at work, started running, ran a 5k, joined classes at an exercise studio, started my first Beachbody Challenge Group, started clean eating and drinking Shakeology and eventually became a Beachbody Coach myself.  That's a lot of change and growth for someone who was scared of taking that first boot camp class.  What's the trick?  Just take it one step, or one class, at a time.

I had never thought of myself as being adventurous enough to take a spinning class but I did tonight.  I was presented with the opportunity and thought "Why not?"  That's a total attitude shift from who I was last year but I realized I'm not afraid of opportunities anymore.  Life is no less challenging but I feel so much readier to face these challenges head on.  So don't be afraid, be fierce!

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