FamilyInShape

Back from Guantanamo...where's my motivation?

We are back from the island. WOW the last three years were the most memorable, active, engaging, and best years in our military career. They really were.

Have you ever been someplace you couldn't get enough of, but at the same time, you couldn't wait to leave?

That's sort of how GTMO was for us.  We moved to Cuba in the fall of 2009 not knowing at all what to expect, except that it was going to be different than any other duty station.  I could not find any information online about what it was like to live there, which was frustrating as we were moving with kids and I really needed to know more, but that wasn't the case. Just about anything out there concerning Guantanamo Bay relates only to the Detainee Camps. That is not what it's all about. But I'm not going to try and cover it all in my first post back on this site.  If you really want to learn more, read my blog Our Life In Guantanamo Bay and start at the beginning. That's the first thing I did when we arrived. I created a blog to help others learn about life in GTMO. The blog was a huge success and I met many wonderful people who moved to Cuba knowing a little more than we did.

While living in GTMO we were engaged in so many activities that it was hard not to stay in shape. You have to really want to not do anything because there was something for everyone, every age, every level.  Before leaving the states I was teaching fitness and trying out a few new things. I felt so accomplished.

Then I went to Cuba and started teaching Bootcamp, SPIN, Pilates.  OK well I was doing that before.  But then I met some friends and started running again. Both of them accoplished marathon runners and me. NOT good.  But they didn't give up on me and they "allowed" me to walk when I needed to.  I didn't like slowing them down so I worked hard to run through those hills but they pulled me back and said "just walk the hills, your run time will be about the same, you'll do great."  Then I started doing 5Ks, 10Ks, 1/2 marathon and before long I realized I was no longer walking those hills.

There were no specific expectation from anyone, just me not willing to be the slow one and me really enjoying the time spent with my friends during those runs.  I was most proud when I started running alone or with my dog and still managed to feel great and exceed my own limits.

Now I'm back in the states and I can count on one hand the number of times I've gone out running.  I'm not happy about that because now I'm not teaching, I'm not diving, not Kayaking or playing Soccer, I'm really not doing anything that even comes close to my level of activity when we were still in Cuba.  More than anything, I miss the natural energy and desire I had for running.  The temperature and environment are definitely better here so I really have no excuse. Except that I'm stressed. This has been the hardest move for us and while I realize that running will help manage stress, it is that stress that is eating up my motivation to run.

I know what I need to do. I know running will help me manage stress. I know once I'm out there I will be happy, I will enjoy it and I will get my mojo back.  But that's just it. Everyday I get up early because I'm going to run and everyday I end up not running because I'm tired, didn't sleep well, I feel achy.  I have never whined so much.

I decided to write about my lack of motivation because maybe I need a little external push. If I see it in writing I'll realize how ridiculous my excuses are. I'm taking action. I have to.

1. I will find a 5K and sign up.

2. I will set up some goals for the week--write them down and tell my family. I need to be accountable to someone other than me.

3. I will keep a log of what I eat on MyFitnessPal.com and Set up some running goals on Nike+ Running.

4. I will be back!!!

I'm fighting my way back and I know it will be worth it. 

Have you fallen off your fitness wagon? What are you doing to get it back?

Stay Well,

Terie

Journal: Day one on the Push Up Challenge

Journaling, I've mentioned, is one of the best things we could do to help us stay on track with fitness and nutrition.  It is a great way to be accountable to ourselves.  Grab a notebook and start writing.  What did you eat throughout the day? Were you active or sedentary? No need to be too specific, you just want to get an idea. You don't have to do it everyday, although it helps at first.  A while back I did this and realized that I wasn't drinking enough water or eating enough protein.  There was no need for me to wonder why I was dragging my feel and feeling sluggish--it was an all carb day and not good carbs either.

So here's my journal for today:

During my initial test on the hundred push up challenge I scored 15.  That means I did 15 well-formed, full body push ups.  It was what determined my course of action for the next seven weeks.

Fitness:

10-12-7-7-max 9

That's how many push ups I have to do today.  Five sets.

Easy enough.  If you're following along, remember to take the minute recovery in between sets.

A long walk awaits. I will compliment my workout today with a long walk pushing my 30 lb toddler in the jogging stroller and following the seven year old munchkin on her bike.  

Nutrition plan:  

Breakfast: Kashi Crunch cereal with 1% milk and frozen berries

Snack: Apple

Lunch: Salad- romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, almonds, olive oil

Snack: Frozen Peaches

Dinner: Garlic & Mushroom Tilapia, Brown Rice, mixed vegetables

Special treat: Chocolate Eclair Pudding Pop (Skinny Cow(r))

... and of course, water all day long.

Get out or stay in but get active, alone or as a family. Eat well and stay healthy!

Stay Well,

 

Starting a fitness routine after a long break

 

 Photo credit:  LifeHack

You know it's been a long time since you worked out if you can't remember where you last saw your workout shoes or clothes for that matter.  How about that old water bottle? Many of us have a huge list of good excuses reasons for why we stop a perfectly good workout routine and that's perfectly OK to do.  After all, life does happen and sometimes it happens to interrupt whatever we have going on at the time.  In my case I had a big move and now that it's all said and done I really have no reason to hold back.  Add to that the holidays and the damage could be pretty bad (let's just not go there right now!)

I'm not a big fan of making resolutions because I feel sort of paralyzed after a few weeks.  It's like I make this decision to do the best ever and then if I can't meet that huge goal I feel like a complete failure. Instead I just jump right in and get started with what was working before or at least adjusting what wasn't working.  

So how do you get started?

First - you need motivation.  Only you can make the decision to start a wellness program and only you can determine the reason.  To lose weight, to maintain weight, to be more active? for your kids? Whatever the reasons, write them down and let that be your motivation to START!.

Second - gather up your gear & put it on the schedule.  Get everything ready the night before - find that old gym bag and fill it up with a bottle of water, towel, exercise shoes and clothes.  Be prepared and eliminate any potential pitt-falls. On your family or personal calendar, write your workout plans. Make this an appointment with yourself, your family or your friends.

Third - where are you going? are you going to the gym? calling a friend to join you on a walk? going for a run or bike ride? working out at home? Choose your activity.  It really doesn't matter what activity you choose, but choose one and go with it.  Be prepared to do that activity and several others throughout the week.  

Fourth - Clean out your fridge and pantry.  The last thing you need are temptations to ruin a good workout. You don't have to toss the goodies, although not having them is the best way to go, just tape up the boxes and bags and place them up high or low - you don't want those treats to be easily accessible.  Instead, load up on fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables, healthy snacks such as nuts and high fiber protein bars and of course, water.  Yes, plain old water.  Keep the water bottles ready to go in the fridge or on your counter and drink water throughout the day.

The first workout might be the hardest but it will be the beginning of a much healthier you in 2010!!

Stay Well,

 
 Cross Posted at BlogHer

Be accountable for your health

Accountability (n): an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for ones actions (Merriam-Webster.com)

When it comes to fitness, motivation and getting in shape,we have the tendency to rely on something (an upcoming event or season) or someone to help us reach our goals.  We make someone else accountable for our success and failure and it’s never pretty when that other person “makes us” not go to the gym or “allows us” to eat something we should avoid. 

I’ve been there, I know. There was a time that I would only go to the gym with my fitness buddy;if she couldn’t go I wouldn’t either.  My excuse? I didn’t want to go alone and succeed all by my lonesome self, no way.  I would stay home and be miserable.  Later I would blame my fitness buddy for not being there when I needed her most.  Does that make any sense?  Well of course itdoes.  We all want someone else to push us, to motivate us and to tell us “don’t eat that, it will make you fat!”  Well, something like that. 

Short story:

Recently, my sister, Alba, who is only 48 years old, was diagnosed withType 2 Diabetes (non-insulin dependent). She also has high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and yes, you guessed it, she is considered obese.  I had many conversations via chat, phone, and text during which time I would give her ideas to improve her nutrition and exercise tips at home since she did not want to join a gym.  However, she was always too busy, too tired, too many chores, the kids, the husband, the house, the people at the gym, etc… she had an excuse for everything. 

One time my mother moved in with her for about six months.  They started walking the city blocks in New York at least 4 days a week, sometimes everyday and my sister lost over 20 lbs, she looked great and she felt great.  When mymother moved, she stopped.  Now she’s at the Doctors every week as they work to get her Diabetes, Cholesterol and Blood Pressure under control.  Now she realizeswhy I wanted her to exercise and watch her diet and now she walks again, alone,with the kids, the neighbor lady.  Don’t know if it will last; I hope it does.

Since joining the fitness industry and working with people in group sessions and one-on-one, I have seen my old self so many times.  From the people who leave a class because they don’t like the instructor then blame the instructor for ruining their workout, to the ones who come to the gym and only work hard if the trainer is watching their every move.  Then there are those who hire a trainer, meet them once or twice a week then choose to do nothing else in between.  But if they don’t lose some unrealistic number of pounds in one month, well it’s the trainers fault.   

Don’t get me wrong.  I know we all need that extra bit of motivation and push particularly if we are having a hard time getting going.  I am more than happy to offer that and then some, but at some point in life, we have to take matters into our own hands and beaccountable to only ourselves and no one else.  While I would love to be a life-long trainer to someone, because it would be job security for me, I prefer to provide you with the guidance, the education, the tools and the initial motivation that will help you get started and get moving. I want my clients and class participants to feel the lactic acid buildup when they work hard, I want them to feel that bit of soreness you feel a day or so later after a hard workout, most of all, I want them to see results not because I was hovering over them for 20 weeks but because they used the tools I gave them to get there all on their own. Somewhere along the way we have to WANT to work hard because we know it will benefit us in the future.

Don’t wait for your doctor to tell you that you need to loseweight because your heart is struggling or you have diabetes type 2.  Don’t wait to find out that your knees are suffering and your back pain is related to your weight gain…NO, DON’T WAIT for that.   You already know that there are certain things you HAVE to do to live a longer, healthier,happier life and no one person, place, or thing in the world can make that happen for you—only you!! 

Stay Well,

cross posted at BlogHer