I painted this last year, right before I started working out with Jess. It hangs in my bathroom and serves as a reminder to keep myself in mind.
I’ve lost twenty pounds since Jan. 1. It’s absolutely incredible and it wasn’t an accident. It’s the direct result of making a plan and sticking to it. Twenty pounds. Wow. It proves that this whole process doesn’t have to be dragged out over years if you don’t want it to be. And, as much as it’s go-go-go, keeping the momentum up, it’s also important to make sure you’re not becoming a maniac (the bad kind of maniac, the kind of maniac that ignores pain and injury). I have to say that I wasn’t at top shape for the workout yesterday–the day after the 303 Magazine Sex Issue Release Party. I was, admittedly, feeling a little beat up, but hitting the scale to see that I’ve come to an even twenty gave me the extra push I needed to work out, while also recognizing that I’m not a machine and have limits.
This brings me to the larger issue at hand. With all the cardio and workouts with Jess–my personal trainer and the owner of Shape Plus Personal Training–sometimes I feel strained and run down, instead of energized and refreshed, from all of this exercise. And, when I go easy on myself, I feel guilty about it for the rest of the day. I’m finding it difficult to slow down. On the other hand, if I eat a jelly bean or two, I feel the same way–incredibly guilty and undeserving, despite two jelly beans being the least of my problems (because I really have had just two jelly beans in 7 weeks).
I think it’s time for a self-intervention. While, when my body is up for it, I should take it to the limit, I should probably just chill out and go at the pace that feels right when I feel run down. I might be becoming a gym rat, but I’m certainly not a robot, and I’m working my ass off–literally. So, if I can’t run until I’m dripping with sweat every day, that’s really okay. I have to remember that. I have to think about tomorrow and next week. Every day is a chance to go hard, but it’s not necessarily the appropriate thing to do. The trick is, not allowing yourself to fall into a pattern when you’re excusing yourself from your workouts for bogus reasons. You’ve really got to decide if it’s your mind telling you you’re feeling hurty, or if your body is the one telling you that. It’s all about me, and sometimes, figuring out the best thing for me is the trickiest part.
Me, 20 pounds lighter, sitting in the tire that we sometimes jump on.
The hardest area for this has definitely been on the treadmill. When I quit running, about half the time is because I can’t go further and the other half is cause, well, because I’m bored and I don’t enjoy running on a treadmill all that much. These are the struggles you have to think about, while keeping in mind it’s all about you. So, I’m not going to drag my limp hip around in pain, but I’m also not going to let a little discomfort hold me back. On the flip side, I need to work on being okay with my down days while they’re happening, realizing that the best thing about tomorrow is that I actually will take advantage of it. Not procrastination, but a bit of healing and then getting right back after it.
If you want to learn more about where Laura’s working out, click here.