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May. 17th, 2013 08:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jianantonicI need to figure out a way to banish the thoughts "I can't..." and "I'll never..." from my head. Especially with regard to fitness. Because it's not true! A year ago, I never would have believed I'd be able to do a half marathon. A year before that and even a 5K felt out of reach. Go back to when I was 50 pounds overweight and any fitness at all seemed out of the question. So I need to remind myself of how far I've come and what surprises my body is capable of.
Even with all the running, I've been feeling a little down about my fitness state lately, and I know I need some kind of boost. I've been trying to work harder and mix it up, which yesterday meant going to a BodyPump class at my gym. The only classes I've ever really enjoyed were yoga and pilates. Probably because I've always felt like I was capable, and I was never struggling too much in those classes. But struggle is good -- it means you're pushing yourself. So I need to suck it up. There are lots of regulars in every class, and BodyPump definitely had a large group of them last night. The thing is, I walk in the class and I'm one of the youngest people, one of the fittest looking -- probably not many others in there can run as far as I can, for example -- but they all handle the class much better than I do. I know it's because they've been doing it regularly and built up the right kind of strength and endurance, but I work out regularly! I lift weights! I should be able to handle this stuff, yeah? I mean, I got through it, but it was fucking HARD! And I had to take a few short breaks while everyone else powered through. I think about how challenging it was last night and I can't imagine a state of being where I'm actually good at that stuff. But I need to get over that thinking. No one in that class started out awesome at it. The instructor wasn't born with those muscles.
In the locker room, two women were talking about a body building competition that one had just completed. She'd finished second, and the other woman asked her how long she'd been doing it. "I started lifting in 2009, and I started bodybuilding in October of last year." I have no desire to be a body builder, but the point is that this woman went from not weightlifting at all just three years ago to doing very well in professional competitions after just seven months at it. She had to start somewhere.
There are people who are naturally more fit and able than I am. But I've already surpassed so many of the things I thought I could never achieve, I know that I can train and do anything I want. It's just a matter of sticking with it and pushing myself. That's the hard part, really. It's very difficult to motivate myself to do a workout when I know that workout is going to be painful and leave me sore. But I'm only kidding myself about being fit if I only ever make myself do what I'm already comfortable with. That may be active, but it's not the same as being athletic, which is what I want for myself.
I am able to be very disciplined when I have a well-defined program. Weight watchers, the half marathon training schedule...I just need to figure out what my program is now and stick to it. I want BodyPump to be a regular part of that. Probably also some yoga and sticking with the running...
Wish me luck, and check in with me! Keep me accountable!
Even with all the running, I've been feeling a little down about my fitness state lately, and I know I need some kind of boost. I've been trying to work harder and mix it up, which yesterday meant going to a BodyPump class at my gym. The only classes I've ever really enjoyed were yoga and pilates. Probably because I've always felt like I was capable, and I was never struggling too much in those classes. But struggle is good -- it means you're pushing yourself. So I need to suck it up. There are lots of regulars in every class, and BodyPump definitely had a large group of them last night. The thing is, I walk in the class and I'm one of the youngest people, one of the fittest looking -- probably not many others in there can run as far as I can, for example -- but they all handle the class much better than I do. I know it's because they've been doing it regularly and built up the right kind of strength and endurance, but I work out regularly! I lift weights! I should be able to handle this stuff, yeah? I mean, I got through it, but it was fucking HARD! And I had to take a few short breaks while everyone else powered through. I think about how challenging it was last night and I can't imagine a state of being where I'm actually good at that stuff. But I need to get over that thinking. No one in that class started out awesome at it. The instructor wasn't born with those muscles.
In the locker room, two women were talking about a body building competition that one had just completed. She'd finished second, and the other woman asked her how long she'd been doing it. "I started lifting in 2009, and I started bodybuilding in October of last year." I have no desire to be a body builder, but the point is that this woman went from not weightlifting at all just three years ago to doing very well in professional competitions after just seven months at it. She had to start somewhere.
There are people who are naturally more fit and able than I am. But I've already surpassed so many of the things I thought I could never achieve, I know that I can train and do anything I want. It's just a matter of sticking with it and pushing myself. That's the hard part, really. It's very difficult to motivate myself to do a workout when I know that workout is going to be painful and leave me sore. But I'm only kidding myself about being fit if I only ever make myself do what I'm already comfortable with. That may be active, but it's not the same as being athletic, which is what I want for myself.
I am able to be very disciplined when I have a well-defined program. Weight watchers, the half marathon training schedule...I just need to figure out what my program is now and stick to it. I want BodyPump to be a regular part of that. Probably also some yoga and sticking with the running...
Wish me luck, and check in with me! Keep me accountable!
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Date: 2013-05-18 02:33 am (UTC)I consider you to be an idol to me because you can probably run a lot further and faster than I can. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses in fitness. As a rule, I am not an endurance person except for cycling...but 15-20 miles is nothing compared to say, those who do 50-100 miles. I'm anaerobically more fitness-oriented...short bursts of energy that require intense energy such as weightlifting and gymnastics.