24 Days

Let me start with this morning's workout. It was Max Interval Plyo and it was HARD! I definitely had more motivation than the other day which is a good thing because I think this is one of the hardest workouts in the bunch! I didn't wear a HR monitor so I don't know what my HR was but it felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest! I was also dripping in sweat and could not get it to stop - I love that feeling!

During the first 10 Days of June some friends and I are doing a 10 Day Challenge and Jess gave us an early exercise/assignment to do before we start. The assignment was to come up with 3 goals for the challenge and to think past strictly pounds lost. Yes, that is important but there really does need to be "other" reasons and goals to be truly successful.

So, I started to think about the assignment and about what "other" things I could come up with. The first thought that came to mind was to make sure I could say that I finished all of my scheduled workouts and that I did them to the "best of my ability on that given day". That last section is really important! No one feels awesome every single day of our lives. There are going to be days when we just really DON'T feel like working out. It is on those days that it is even more important that we get up and move - as Tony Horton says "Do your best and forget the rest!". If you are just feeling tired or unmotivated get your butt up off the sofa and at the very least go for a walk...get up and do something to move your body. Chances are, you will feel better for doing it and the sense of accomplishment is huge!!!!

That led me to the next goal - Honor my self-promises! How often do we start off super strong only to wimp out when things get a little uncomfortable? I honestly believe that we "kill" a little part of ourselves each and every time we do it. I know that sounds harsh - I wanted it to!! When we promise somebody that we will do something, how often do we go way out of our way to get that done for them. If we'll do that for someone else, why won't we do it for ourselves???? If you make a promise to yourself that you will eat healthy nutritious foods, honor that promise for 1 day. When that day is finished, be proud of yourself and then make the promise again the next day and then honor it and yourself AGAIN! Keep repeating that day after day and experience that daily success. Only by doing that small exercise will you gain that inner strength and pride that is so important for our everyday life!

I think it is also important to keep in mind that this entire process (eating well and exercising) is much more than fitting into a bikini or weight 120 pounds. Face it, not all of us are cut out to look like that. Look at elite distance runners vs. elite sprinters. Their genetics are different so they look completely different. We don't have to be elite athletes to look better, feel better and be healthier. Keep striving for YOUR best, whatever that may be. You may find an inner competitive athlete or you may find someone who simply loves walking in the woods each day. Just get yourself moving, promise to do your best and honor that promise and keep at it even when it gets tough. If you do all these things you will reach goals that you never thought you'd achieve. It may take 10 days and it my take 10 years. The important thing is that you keep working at being your best!