Every morning I get up at 3:10, grab my workout cloths, get ready, run downstairs have a couple sips of coffee as I check my messages from the night (I know a habit I’m still working to fully change) and in the gym by 3:20 or 3:25 at the very latest. From here it’s the same routine, 30-40 minutes cardio followed up with 30-35 minutes strength. During all of this I’m listening to some type of podcast on any number of learning topics. This habit of listening to podcasts during my workout is pretty new in the last year. I must say it’s better then my old routine of the news.
About a month or so ago, I wrapped up my workout and before I did my meditation, I took a step back and thought, dang, I don’t even feel like I got a good enough workout to feel it. In haste of having to get ready for the day, I didn’t give it much thought after that. Of course, I was sweaty and clearly had my heart-rate up, I just wasn’t feeling how I use to after a solid workout. The following day, I decided to use that experience as my “kick in the ass” to change up my “routine” and get off my usual habits. Generally, when I am doing intervals or running on my treadmill, I am so focused on my podcast I’m truly on auto-pilot with my workout. On this specific day, when I was doing my interval training, I shifted my focus. With each stride I was thinking, this is getting me closer to my health goals. Paying attention to the strength in my legs and thinking about the benefits this is giving me. Thinking as I paced down building a strong toned body. By the time I wrapped up my intervals about 45 minutes later my legs truly felt the work I just put in. I even felt it in my abs. Following this, I turned up the music and moved over to rounds of band pull-ups and incline push-ups, totally 100 each. On this day, during my work, I focused on how each pull made my muscles feel. Closed my eyes and imagined the toning I was building with each push or pull. Focused on each muscle group, feeling it build. Now in the past, admittedly, I’ve had days I would be thinking the whole time “dang this is tough today” I made sure to be mindful of my thoughts. I continued to think and say; this is building me stronger. I can feel the impact I’m having on my muscles. By the end of the workout, I can truly say, I felt that I had had the best workout I had in months. That whole day, I truly felt as though I could conquer anything that was thrown at me. Since recognizing that I was stuck in auto-pilot with my workouts and using it as knowledge to stay off auto-pilot, I can say I have had the best workouts I’ve had in months. I also feel better in my cloths then I’ve felt in a long time. And, my patience level since taking myself back off auto-pilot has been amazing. No matter what the experience is in life, working out, at your job, in your business, with your children or spouse, take a step back, and get off auto-pilot, the results will astound you. Here are a few tips I’ve learned from this experience and others throughout the years.
Stay well my friends! Much Love, Jen
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I was in my gym this morning and it hit me, something I have been missing for all of you, something that I should have made loud and clear if you are not already aware, start where you are! If you are starting a weight loss journey, getting back to health, or whatever, start at where you currently are, stop looking to the past or what you haven’t done.
My weight loss journey has been a lifelong road. Growing up my weight ranged from around 230-280. Yes, you read that right. After high school I made it up to the 300 range. It was never easy to be heavy in school. I remember the looks, remarks from other kids and even from family. I was probably harder on myself then anyone, but either way, it was hard. A tough thing to take as a teenage girl. I remember one day in Junior High, I was running down the stairs in between classes when another kid tripped me. I fell, hard too. In the fall, I hurt my foot. All the other kids were just standing around pointing snickering and laughing. I tried getting up as best as I could. I remember other comments about how heavy I was and not even being able to get up off the floor. I don’t recall shedding a tear at the time, there was no way I was going to let them get me down even further. The pain in my foot continued to get worse throughout the day but I made it through. My mom looked at it when I got home, it was all kinds of black and blue. When we finally went to the doctor for X-rays, I learned that I had broken my 5th metatarsal. The road ahead was even worse, from crutches to a walking cast, to an air cast, it felt like it took forever to heal. The comments, snickers, teasing and downright assholes along the way sucked! I have to say, I am so glad I didn’t grow up in the social media era. It was hard enough growing up overweight, awkward, acne prone and not comfortable with my own voice. For those of you reading this in your growing up years, as hard as it is, don’t listen to the naysayers, you just do you! What no one ever knew in this moment and many other moments along the way was how hard I focused on losing weight. When I had extra money, it was going to whatever weight loss program was out there. We didn’t have Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Etc. This was back in the VHS era baby! Tony Little, Suzan Powder, I even caught a little bit of the Richard Simmons craze. And, the gadgets, oh dear. I remember a belt that would basically shock your belly to activate your ab muscles. Yes, that was a thing and I tried it. And, later the Tony Little Gazelle, I think you get my point. Healthy living and exercise were not exactly staples in my family. Mom loved to bake, cook and darn good I might add. And, we all love to eat. In fact, there isn’t a time I can remember in my growing up years that we didn’t have some type of sweet treat in the house. I remember frequenting DQ often. I don’t remember a whole lot of times that we had fresh vegetables in the house. Mom and Dad had our best interest in mind always, they really did, I just don’t think it was what they knew. Pretty much all of us were overweight in my family. My mom’s side of the family was mostly morbidly obese. My mom was obese for many of my growing up years. She went back and forth with her weight. Most of my siblings are heavyset or overweight. My dad was always fit from what I can remember until he retired. He stayed active but gained weight pretty quickly. I remember many times eating way too many sweets, generally Ice cream was involved. I would get so sick and the worst stomach aches. Ironically enough, it was never connected to sugar or overeating. I remember clearly being told by doctors that it was dairy and allergies. BullS**t, the fact is I ate too much shit and it make me sick, period! Looking back, in every moment when I’ve lost the weight, the shift came in an instant. I’ve been the most successful when I stared right where I was in life. Without comparison to others or what I have not done in the past but starting where I was and making small shifts. Often where we want to be is far closer then we think. I’ve kept off over 115 pounds for more then 17 years. I have another 30ish that I have struggled throughout the years and have gone back and forth with a few times. When I recognize that I am off track, I start where I am. If I was to look back to “how did I let this happen” or “how am I going to get back there” or worse “what people must think” it would cripple my efforts. I know this because I have lived through each one of those statements. So, Start Where you are!
So, start where you are, small shifts, and celebrate the wins!! Keep doing you! Much love! Jen Everyday, in every way, |
Jen Zahari
Supporter of people and growth. I absolutely LOVE helping others see in themselves what I see in them. We all have good in us, we just need a bit of help seeing it at times. Archives
May 2020
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