Change can be so difficult. As a person who deeply values routine, planning, and knowing exactly what’s coming, change is not something that I embrace warmly. But I have been trying to do an awful lot of changing lately. The reason behind that is because I know there is a whole bunch of good stuff out there that I am missing out on. I want to experience as much as I possibly can in the relatively short time I am allotted on this earth, and I want to help as many other people as possible do the same.

Wake up, go to work, come home, watch TV, go to sleep. Routine is so comfortable, because it is so predictable. Sure, we get surprises thrown at us now and again, but for the most part we can count on exactly how our days are going to be spent. Routine is safe. After all, it’s brought us to where we are now, which is a pretty good place, right?

Is it, though?

In my opinion, it can always be better. Lately, I have been actively trying to make myself better in areas where I am lacking; figuring out what it is that really moves me, (turns out it mostly related to fitness, who would have guessed?) and getting involved in what moves me (literally and figuratively) as much as possible. I am reading and listening to music instead of plopping down in front of the TV on my days off. Why wasn’t I doing this before? Music is one of the things that makes me happiest, so why wasn’t I spending more time listening to it, and letting it inspire me? Why wasn’t I learning about things that interest me when there is such a vast supply of information out there. The answer was because I was comfortable in my routine. I thought I was in a pretty good place.

I’m going to ask you to play a game with me, now. It’s called “The Why Game.” I read about this here (see previous paragraph, read, people!), and I think the results can be quite telling. We’ve all been subjected to the experience of a child who relentlessly will ask, “why?” When you answer their original question, they respond with another “why?” and this goes on and on to infinity and beyond until you become so fed up you just say “because!”

I want you to think of some area of your life you’d like to improve, or consider some aspect of your current reality that troubles you. “Why am I so tired all the time?” “Why can’t I get my diet under control?” “Why can’t I seem to get into fitness?” “Why don’t I have a better job?” Etc etc. Now, answer whatever question you’re asking yourself immediately and honestly. Don’t take time to hem and haw and make excuses. Be honest with yourself about why things are the way they are. “I prioritize TV, computer, other screen time over going to sleep at a reasonable hour.” “I don’t want to give up delicious, fatty, greasy foods.” “I don’t like to be uncomfortable.” “I don’t have the skills necessary to advance my career.” If you keep asking yourself “why” and responding with an HONEST answer, eventually you will come down to “because.” Once you reach the end of this game, you have found an area of your life worth looking further into, and working to improve.

So now that we have that out of the way, you have found an area in which you need, or want to make a change. Lucky for you, I have another exercise for you! If you find yourself resistant to this change, or willing to make the change but having trouble following through, list the pros and cons of making this change. When I made my list, the cons looked a lot like this:

I am afraid of what other people would think.

I am afraid I won’t be able to follow through.

I am afraid of looking like an idiot.

I am afraid of failure.

My entire list was based on fear! Take some time to sit and look at your list, written down in black and white. Chances are all of the cons on your list can be overcome when you act with purpose. Sure, you might not want to give up that greasy, delicious cheeseburger (for me it’s sweets, total weakness), but when you realize that the purpose of food is fuel, and maybe think about how you feel after the taste of that cheeseburger has left you (probably not very well..) it becomes easier to make that change. Maybe you’re afraid to ask for a raise, or a promotion, or the training necessary to advance at work. Realize that the purpose of work at all is to support yourself and those around you live life the way you want to so dang it, you deserve the best.

Find your purpose. Even if you are already fit as a fiddle, or landed your dream job, find out what moves you, what excites you, what really feeds your spirit. This is your purpose. If what you are currently doing, or how you are currently living does not serve your purpose, make a change.

If you need help making a change, let me know how I can help.

I want to help you live your purpose!

A car is a car is a car.

Or is it?

Sure, most any car will get us from point A to point B. Assuming that car starts, correctly shifts into gear, and remains running properly until we safely reach our destination. Most times we can get away driving a car that needs a little TLC. Maybe the air conditioning doesn’t work, the windows won’t roll down, there are holes in the upholstery, the radio won’t turn on… This car will most likely get us where we’re going, but will the ride be enjoyable?

“If I’m only going a short way it won’t be so bad…”

There is a reason most of us would prefer to have all the bells and whistles in our car. We are willing to pay much, much more for a car with heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, GPS, lane deviation alerts, a car that parks itself, brakes before we can react, has an amazing sound system, handles well and generally drives smoothly.

Why is this?

We pay more for luxury because it allows for a better experience. Driving down the road with your favorite song blasting, the warm sun on your face, with the wind blowing through your hair as your car hugs the road is a much more positive experience than plodding along, listening to nothing but the rattle of your struggling engine and the sound of the the plastic bag taped over your window flapping in the wind as you hope your little lemon makes it the rest of the way. A flashy exterior isn’t required but wouldn’t hurt either.

Driving the strugglebus is “not so bad” if we are only going a short way, but what if that car had to last you your entire life? No trade-ins, leases, or rentals allowed. Would you work a little harder, and spend a little bit more money on a vehicle that affords you the best experience for such a long trip? Wouldn’t you do everything in your power to take care of it? In most cases I believe the answer to this question would be, “yes.”

Your body is your vehicle. It is what allows you to go out and about, to experience the world. Why wouldn’t you do everything possible to ensure your “vehicle” runs smoothly and that you have a luxury experience? Quality fuel in the form of healthy food. Regular maintenance in the form of exercise. A “flashy exterior” is not necessarily the goal, but would follow naturally behind a healthy diet and rigorous exercise.

Too often I hear people complain about waking up tired. Their vehicle won’t start. They can’t get moving. Their vehicle won’t shift into gear. People suffer from illnesses and generally feel bad, hoping the vehicle they rely on each day will continue running. Someone who doesn’t take good care of their car shouldn’t be surprised when it doesn’t start, doesn’t run well or inevitably quits on them when they’re going somewhere important. A car that sits idle in the garage or driveway will fall into disrepair. Someone who doesn’t care for their body, their “vehicle,” shouldn’t be surprised when they suffer similar consequences.

Personally, I want a vehicle that will allow me to do as much as possible, and I want to see my friends, family, and even strangers live life to the fullest. Why settle for a lemon when you can have luxury? You can have your dream vehicle.

Do yourself a favor.

Invest in yourself.

I promise the return will be well worth it.

 

 

 

For far too many people, the answer to this question is, “Nothing.” It is really, truly heartbreaking for me to hear people say this and to watch people, some of whom are my friends and family, live it.

I went to an event hosted quarterly by Beachbody (creators of P90X, INSANITY, and other excellent fitness programs if you haven’t been following my ramblings on Facebook) called Super Saturday. I got to meet the CEO, Carl Daikeler and Autumn Calabrese of 21 Day Fix, one of Beachbody’s most popular programs. That was really cool, and it was great to feed off the energy of two people who have done so much to help others change their lives. There were two things that really struck me, though, after reflecting on the day’s events.

There was a time scheduled during the day specifically to address success stories. There are enough people changing their lives doing these programs that a significant amount of time had to be set aside to celebrate those accomplishments. During this time, the host asked anyone who had lost at least 5 pounds doing a Beachbody program to stand. As you might imagine, everyone was standing. The host then asked those who had lost 10 pounds to remain standing. Then 25, 50, 75, etc. There were people still standing after the host had reached 150 pounds or more. OR MORE. It was so inspiring to see people who at one time struggled to even stand and walk without being winded participate in a group workout at the end of the day. Alternatively, there were also those present who still had a significant amount of weight to lose. It was equally inspiring to see them participate in the workout and take control of their health and fitness, when some were previously too embarrassed to even leave their homes because of the way others treated them. With 1,200 very physically fit people in one room, the physical results are difficult to ignore.

However, it was when another coach shared his story that I was struck by my biggest takeaway of the day, and it wasn’t centered around a traditional physical transformation. He sat for a long time on the couch in his living room. Behind that couch was a cabinet that contained the medication he had to take daily. His wife began a Beachbody program, and invited him to join her. He declined, citing the fact that he was “comfortable” on the couch. There he remained until observing the impact this program had on his wife. He was also inspired by a friend who had a transformation of his own. He decided enough was enough, ordered a fitness program of his own and as he put it, “invited health and wellness into [his] home.” After completing his original program (which led to completing several others) and overhauling his diet, he no longer had to take his medicine. What he said next was eye-opening for me. “I didn’t know I could feel better.” He didn’t realize there was anything more than just “being” on the couch. I took some time to reflect on that and realized how true that is for a lot of people. How many of us go through life not realizing that there is MORE? That we can feel BETTER?

I never really considered that there are two sides to real fitness until recently, and in the society we live in today you would never guess that the most important aspect of fitness is NOT the way our body looks, but how we feel and function. When you move your body and nourish it with the things it truly needs, the physical results will follow. I touched in my previous post about how good it feels to be active and to eat in a way that, for me, is mindful of health. Prioritizing a workout and then feeding my body what it craves (what it actually NEEDS) is what fuels any physical results I might see. I have also started to consider my mental wellness. I’ve begun focusing on personal development and try to make meditation a part of my day every day. I make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep. (Thank you, day shift.) I have only been doing this for a short time, but in that time I have seen noticeable changes in my attitude, and I generally feel so much better. As a result of this, I have also noticed that I am stronger, and I can increase weights or do an exercise longer than I was previously capable.  I think it is important to consider the role real, all-encompassing health and wellness play in overall fitness. There are plenty of ways to lose weight (none of which I recommend) that will leave you with great physical results, but that will leave you feeling worse than when you started.

So, my friends, I am asking you to consider what fitness means to you. Does it mean anything to you? Is it a priority to you at all? If not, why not? What can I do to help you achieve real fitness?

One thing that people ask me on a consistent basis is, “Why?” The context of this question is varies greatly dependent upon who is asking it, but I find myself answering this question with regularity.

Why would you do an Ironman? That’s crazy. (I also get this question in reference to triathlon in general.)

Why do you post so much workout stuff on social media? It’s annoying.

Why don’t you eat meat? That’s weird.

Why? Why? Why? The questions go on and on.

Well I’d like to take this time to answer these questions. The nice thing about my answer is that there is one that applies broadly to every “Why?” I am asked. That answer is short and simple. The answer to my “Why?” is that it makes me feel good. It’s really nothing more than that.

I have a tendency to be a people-pleaser. I always want to make sure that anything I do doesn’t negatively affect anyone else, make anyone think negatively of me, or really cause me to be a subject of discussion of any kind. I spend a lot of time worrying about other people, and, unfortunately, not in the way that I should be. That is why my fitness, my diet, and my goals, are FOR ME.

A full Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, followed immediately by a 112 mile bike, followed immediately by a marathon, 26.2 miles of running. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I wold complete a race of this distance, I would have likely died laughing. I’ve been a swimmer since age 10, but I didn’t appreciate running (In fact, I hated it.) until fairly recently. A friend of mine that I swam with in college (here’s to you, Dan) got me into triathlon beginning my sophomore year. I bought a bike, and started to struggle through runs a little longer than the 1 mile we were required to run for swimming. At first I felt like most people do when they begin running as an exercise or training program. It was miserable and I couldn’t wait for each workout to be over. I kept with it though, and found that I really enjoyed the time to myself. Running allows me to clear my head and I feel GREAT afterward. As far as biking goes, I never really considered it as a competitive thing. I grew up riding my bike around the neighborhood but never thought to race it. But like running, cycling offers a person a unique way to see and experience the world, and it’s a great low-impact form of exercise. After doing my first few tris, I was hooked. The races are so much fun and even though I did (and still do, sometimes) struggle through the run portion each time I raced, I learned about how to make myself better. After doing a few sprints, I tried an Olympic distance. It was a disaster. I was back to feeling miserable. Ultimately, though, I used it as an opportunity to learn. When I raced next on the same course as my first Olympic, I reduced my time by 20 minutes. Since then, I have reduced my personal best time by 47 minutes from that first race. Eventually, I became interested in not only challenging myself to beat my times, but to increase the distance of my races. I was never one to run for a long time or to ride very far. But I did a few half-Iron races, and ultimately decided to tackle Ironman, which wound up being simultaneously the most difficult and most amazing thing I’ve ever accomplished. So that’s why I would do an Ironman, despite the fact that it might be crazy. I wanted to push myself and prove to ME that I could do it, as it was something I never thought would be possible. As I stated before, it makes ME feel good to push my limits and exceed expectation of what I thought was feasible. That’s why I did Ironman, and why I will continue to race triathlon.

With regard to my posts on Facebook, Instagram, etc… I understand that not everyone is a fitness freak like I am, and like some of my friends are. However, I workout every day (excluding glorious, glorious rest days) because I like to. It makes me feel good. I get stronger every day and love the way I feel after smashing a workout. I like being able to open jars for myself and surprising people when they don’t think I can lift something that is heavy. I post about it constantly because it’s a part of who I am. I am sorry if this annoys some of my friends, but if you don’t like the content I post, no one says you have to view it! If I can inspire one other person to get fit and stay healthy, I will consider myself a success. And that is why I post constantly. And unapologetically. Also, fitness led me to my husband (fitnesssingles.com you are a Godsend), and I continue to see that like attracts like. I was not meeting people I identified with in bars, or randomly on the street. By posting what makes me who I am, I can find others who share or would like to share my passion.

 

Finally, my diet. The answer to this “Why?” could be, and probably will be an entirely different post. Long story short, I read a book about cleaning up my diet. At the time I was a very picky eater and was living on chicken fingers and mac and cheese. I figured I would give some of the premises in this book a try, and slowly began phasing added sugar, processed junk food and yes, meat, out of my diet. I didn’t know at the time if it would be permanent but it has been 7 years and with the exception of an occasional (okay, sometimes more than occasional) sweet treat, I haven’t gone back. I eat the way that I do because my diet allows my body to run like a well-oiled machine, and it fuels all these workouts and races I put myself through. I do not miss meat. I have so much more energy without it. People also ask me, “Well, what do you eat then?” Usually my facetious answer is tree bark. In reality, though, I eat the same things that most other people eat, they are just in a different form. My milk (juice?) comes from almonds. My meat comes from soy or other plant-based sources. Same with the “cheese” I eat. I am not missing anything, and in fact feel that I am fulfilled by what I choose to fuel my body with.

 

So, a bit of a long first post, but these are things I feel I need to put out there. My why. I do the things I do because they are for me, and no one else. An effort to rid myself of my people-pleasing tendencies and to live life the way I want to live. This effort is ongoing, and I am always looking for ways to improve, to be the best me I possibly can be.

A work in progress, indeed.