Reminder...It IS Possible

In a conversation with Lani last week, I was talking about my past experiences as a lifeguard and swim instructor...back when I was in shape! I had a lot of great experiences working teaching children how to swim and listening to stories from the older adults as they wade through the shallow end or float around in the hot tub but one situation in particular has stuck with me for over 10 years and reminds me that anything is possible.

As a swim instructor the hardest classes to teach in my opinion are adult lessons. For one, as adults, we have already developed a pre-disposed fear of something...fear of trying something new, fear of disappointment, fear of something bad happening...and of course the list goes on. I was the only one on a staff of about 10 that taught these classes because of the patience it involved. The other instructors wanted to be able to show drastic progress among students in just 6 weeks, with the exception of a few that needed to repeat the class. Sure, that's great but not always realistic. I know that not everyone will be on the same pace nor will everyone be able to advance to the next level after such a short period of time.

One day I enrolled a new student...a 65 year old woman who was checking off items on her bucket list. The day she walked into our gym she told me that she was a widow, her children were well into adulthood, and her grandchildren were now self-sufficient. Feeling that she was not needed as much by those who loved her, she decided it was time to live for herself. She went back to school to attain not only her Bachelor's but also her Master's and once that was complete, it was on to swimming. I explained to her that we would start with water acclimation. Adjusting and getting comfortable being in and around water would be the first step or you will sink like a brick. She found it funny but as soon as it happened, she laughed and realized I was serious. She completed multiple sessions with me over the next several months. While I would provide her with instruction, she would share life stories, ask about my family, and give me great advice. If she never learned how to swim, those hour sessions were some of the best I had in the 10+ years I taught. One day not long after our sessions ended, she came in to swim. I was working the front desk and looked through our glassed in area to see her swimming...not just wading or doggie paddling but full out swimming laps in Freestyle. I stood there watching and cried. I felt so overwhelmed with emotion not only because I did that but because she was able to check off her bucket list.

I feel more comfortable in the water that is the Worx. My form is improving and I push harder through the pain and discomfort. Fear of failure left me after my first few sessions due to the constant sense of support by those around me, especially my coaches. I learned to let go, relax, and take each class as best I can, inching further out of my comfort zone each week. I can do this and it will take some time. I may have to go through 5 Journey's to get to my goal but patience is a virtue. The patience I exude with others I have to exude with myself as I can be my toughest critic. Sure, I've had some inconsistencies this time around but it is not going to bring me to an all stop.

Remembering the OH YEA moments, like retiring a pair of workout pants to pajamas because they became too big, continued motivation by fellow journeyers (especially Danielle with her multiple workouts a day), and feeling better about myself are constant reminders that it is possible to reach my goal.

The WorX Makes a Difference...

Week one of this Journey has been far from exemplary for me. Only making it to a few classes and not making the best nutritional choices started to catch up to me. Sometimes life is just life and hard to workaround the obstacles. Family visits, unexpected bad news, and strenuous circumstances will never be avoided. The important thing is not only to get back on track but to also lean on your support system. Not only do I have amazing family and friends but my extended support system is found at the WorX as well. It's nice to be missed and the extra 'gentle push' our coaches provide is really what makes the WorX very different from other places. I feel valued as a person, as an individual, and not just one among many identified by a card number.

This week Flo and Nikki were great supporters. Flo made sure she checked in with me knowing I was up for a tough week and Nikki worked the circuits with me today, pushing me along and supporting me through it. When my legs feel like they want to stop moving, sometimes a quick "come on, you can do it" from anyone in the group or from Maia can make the difference between me stopping and ruining my stride or pushing through until the clock runs down. This week my body is a bit sore and stiff, more so than it has been in a while. I attribute that to my inconsistency from this week. Now that my body is changing and I have made WorXing out a part of my routine, having more than 2 rest days does more harm than good. I have gotten used to being active as I strive towards my goals and really liking it! After working out, I wake up feeling good and I sleep like a baby LOL. :)

My 'oh yea' moment this week would be my form. I pay attention to form more often than not, I feel a difference when I do each exercise, and I can do push-ups off of my knees...well a few anyway! :) One day I will be able to do more and push lower like our coaches but seeing as though I couldn't even do one when we started, I'm quite proud of my progress.

My goals for this week are two-fold. First to make it to all 4 WorX classes and the second will be to get in a double work out day, even if it's just once this week. Danielle has made this a challenge for herself and I'm following suit. I will eventually get up to multiple times a week but for now, I'm starting small and realistic in terms of my schedule. I learned not to set myself up for failure but to take this lifestyle change one step at a time. It's great seeing familiar faces day in and day out. I've said it once before and I'll say it again...no matter what kind of mood I am in when I walk into the WorX, I always feel much better on the way out! :)

...Second Time Around

This Journey brings about a whole new set of challenges and goals for me being the second time around. I am self-motivating to exceed my milestones, not just in the numbers but also in my non-scale victories. For example, planning meals is the easy part but the actual prep of those meals on the other hand....I have a love hate relationship with. Long days and busy weekends can sometimes throw me off track moving into the work week but re-focusing is important to continue in the right direction. I also have to keep my food choices in mind. Continuing to track for accountability and being attentive to my sodium, carb, and sugar intakes just as much as caloric intake, are also important for me. WorXing out is great but it is a mute point if the nutrition does not follow. I will still have cheats now and again and I am still working to build out my own personal menus, but it is a work in progress and getting easier to gravitate for the almonds and fruit versus bread and cheese.

Consistency is key and it has also been the pain in my side over the years. Falling off track is something that happens to me all too often. The past few weeks have been rather rocky but instead of allowing life to take control, I am keeping control of my routine for the most part which is indeed my 'Oh YEA' as we start a new week. Granted I have not prepped my meals as well as I would have liked the past few days, I am still tracking and back to the WorX which feels great.

So although this is the second time around, I plan to treat it like the first. To increase and maintain my energy, excitement for my potential, and motivation to continue moving the scale in the right direction.

The First 60 Days

It may seem strange to address this as 'The First 60 Days' but that is truly how I feel. I am proud of myself for my progress. I feel good when I get up in the mornings and even better that I make it a point to work out no less than 5 days a week. We all know it's not easy to lose weight and get healthy. But it's even harder to STAY the course. I've done many different programs in the past but the motivation, support, and friendships the WorX has offered has been like none other.

I cannot put into words how appreciative I am of Flo and Maia for just being them and helping me along. I have always been intimidated by boot camp type workouts and while I have done WorX classes before, the thought of going 60 days straight was scary to me. While I could struggle through them, I just never felt good enough and dreaded the "after math" of walking like an old woman LOL. I quickly got over that apprehension after the first few workouts when I realized the support we have and that all my fellow journeymen were in the same place. Now, I look forward to our WorXouts and I welcome that discomfort in my muscles because it reminds me that I worked hard and I did it for me. I push myself harder not only in classes but at the gym and in life as I work on exiting comfort zones and achieving the new me.

I also am thankful for my best friend Latysha. I'm sure many of you see us together all the time but if it weren't for her I wouldn't have had the courage to even try the Journey. We have been friends for 13 years and been through a lot together, but the fact that we are both working side by side on our lifestyle changes is priceless. We hold each other accountable and provide support for one another when we are feeling defeated and that to me is irreplaceable.

The list could go on and on with all the names of my fellow journey men because in some way, even if you didn't know, you helped me at one point in time or gave me a renewed sense of motivation when I felt I could not go on. So THANK YOU!

I will be continuing with the next Journey and looking forward to see what the next 60 days hold. While I have done many things to achieve health before, this Journey was indeed the first 60 days of a new me! I am happy with my 11.5 pounds lost and will be trying to beat that number in round two!