Girl Crush

Today was the first day in a looooong ass time that I worked out without the marathon looming over me.  I trained simply to train; sweat just to sweat; killed it because I still kick ass.  I blasted through Fire 30 and Burn Circuit 1 and have plans to run through some QiDANCE practice before the ever-energetic babe wakes from his nap.  I am officially declaring this week Workout Because I Love It Week.  Not very catchy, but deal with it. 

Post TurboFire...actual sweat, actual abs.

I was so focused on the race that I think I lost a teeny bit of my bounce.  Now, I lovelovelove running and I lovelovelove having a day that's all about being proud of me.  But I also harbor some deep feelings for Chalene and the way she makes me sweat.  Maybe Throwback Week would be better.  Because every time I press play for TurboFire, I can't help but be reminded of that long ago first workout when I thought I just might die before I finished (and upon finishing, when I realized I couldn't wait to do it again).  THIS is the program that made me fall in love with training again.  THIS is the program I gush about, and have gushed about even before I became a Beachbody Coach.  Because THIS is the program that stole my baby weight and readied me for my first half marathon (even before I was challenged to run it).  THIS is the program that restored my confidence in my body and took it to higher levels of fitness than any I'd reached before.  THIS is the program that made me believe I could tackle any class, any event, any challenge.  THIS is the program that helped me reclaim me.

See, there's this strange thing that happens postpartum.  Your focus shifts, as it ought, to the precious and beautiful babe who needs all things from you.  It's an overwhelming force, this whole Mom thing, and one that can swallow you whole if you allow it.  I had reached that point - that constantly tired, constantly distracted, constantly waiting for my cue - that I had reached twice before with my older lovelies.  I avoided spending too much time in front of the mirror (which should have aroused my concern for myself much sooner) and favored stretch pants and long sweatshirts over skinny jeans and fitted tops.  Luckily, there came that bright shining moment when I was just done with it.  I could continue to be a whining mass of blob-ness, complaining about my shape and exhaustion, depressed over choosing clothes every day...or I could change.  Change sounded much more fun.

And for once, my unwavering belief in all things infomercial worked in my favor.  I am not (totally) ashamed to admit that I am a sucker for advertising, especially when put forth in such a "newsy" and "factual" manner.  And TurboFire appealed to everything I'm a sucker for: lose weight fast, look pretty, and as an end result, be kind of bad ass.  I HAD TO HAVE IT.

And thus began my love affair with Chalene.  I dropped ten pounds and two sizes in my first round of TurboFire.  I remember my once-fitted yoga pants sliding off mid-tuck jump.  I nearly cried that day, I was so freakin' proud of myself.  The funny part was, my goals had already changed.  I had signed up for that half marathon and was already contemplating mud races.  I wanted muscles.  I wanted to do pushups on my toes.  I had to order ChaLEAN Extreme. 

And that worked too.  I found biceps, triceps, and an actual ass.  Turned out I was stronger than I ever believed possible.  I became even more kickass.  So I bought Push, Chalene's NY Times bestselling life coaching book.  I learned not only how to set goals, I learned exactly how to attain them.  My three main goals for this year are already done; it's only MAY.  So I have to pick new ones.

There's always a catalyst, an inspiration any time you change your life.  I can honestly say that an infomercial was my catalyst, and a woman I have never met was (and continues to be) my inspiration.  The thing I find happening more often, though, is this: I am my own catalyst and my own inspiration.  When I wake up every day, I am the one pulling on my sneakers and shrugging into sportsbras.  I am the one scheduling sweat time into my day.  I press play and I throw myself into every workout. 

So, if I can do it...it kind of makes you think, doesn't it...?

Self Motivation

Motivation used to sound like a curse to me, just with more than the usual four letters.  It was the missing ingredient, the missing link, the missing puzzle piece in any program that I engaged in.  I would see an infomercial, read an article or book and become hellbent on getting in shape...for about a week.  Then I would get tired, or busy, or bored...and quit.  And feel like a failure.
So...how do I stay motivated now? There are three main ways and then lots of smaller ones.  The "small" ones aren't small, really.  They just don't push me quite as hard when I'm really not feeling the urge to sweat.  I want to be fit for my family, my health, my quality of life.  And those are big reasons.  But they don't always get LazyMe moving. 
LazyMe is silenced more by knowing how I will feel when I'm done.  When I feel like I just went from Peter Parker to Spiderman, muscles inflated and abs defined.  When I just ran 10 miles instead of watching 10 hours of television.  When I know I DID SOMETHING with my day instead of wasting moments of my life.  There's one way.
The second way is newer and grounded in my new business as a Beachbody Coach.  Who's gonna buy in to the fabulous changes these programs can bring if I don't show them what it did for me?  I need to be a product of the product, which has the outstanding side effects of feeling and looking incredible. (You see how everything starts cycyling here? It's a lifestyle, not just an hour out of your day.)
The third and biggest way I stay motivated is TRAINING FOR AN EVENT.  This year is a big event year for me.  I am running three marathons, competing in my first Spartan race, and signing up for various 5k's when timing and finances permit.  My pride will not allow me to enter into an event and not complete it.  I am not gonna lie; I want BRAGGING RIGHTS.  I want to wear my free tshirts, post sweaty/muddy/action shots up on Facebook and have people say, "Congrats! You rock!" It feels pretty good.  After all, we don't get gold stars or Student of the Month awards anymore.  But we CAN get MEDALS.  I like prizes.  I like shiny things.  Events have SO MANY THINGS I WANT! 
So, when motivation seems MIA, I remind myself that Run For the Red is only four months away.  Spartan is only six months away.  And I cannot fail.