We all face obstacles that hinder us from accomplishing our fitness goals and this past month or so I've been hit with a doozy. When we first started the Spring Shapeup Challenge back at the beginning of March, I was so pumped to get ready for the season, but over the past few weeks, I've had a few things that have really set me back in my goals.
Two weeks in I got sick and although I tried to keep my workouts up, I knew I had to take it easy. With my vacation approaching, I pushed on through and then tried to focus on keeping active while I was away. I had just gotten back from Florida and was starting to feel better when I had a few job related issues come up and before I knew it I was just a big stress ball. I tried to turn to fitness for some stress relief and took the amazing Muay Thai class. I could feel the pressure melting away with each kick, but I guess it wasn't enough, because the lack of sleep, sporatic eating and high nerves caught up with me and before I knew it I had a nasty cold again.
Talk about putting a damper on your fitness! I wasn't eating great - no appetite to eat, but when I did it wasn't always the healthiest of choices. I didn't have any energy to even walk across the apartment, let along go out for a run through the neighbourhood. Only a few weeks off my routine and I felt weak, drained and frumpy. Its amazing how quickly you can change.
But sometimes it can be the reverse too - you can change back for the better. I started to feel better this week, so I took this as a cue to get my butt back in gear. I'd been down in the dumps for too long and it was time for an attitude change. Wednesday night I packed up my gym bag and left it by the door. It was the first thing that I saw on Thursday morning and I knew that I had to go back to the gym.
I'm not going to pretend that I was all peppy and happy to go. I dragged my feet the entire way from the change room to the weight room, but I had to do it. I did my normal Strength Training routine and it was a struggle the whole time, but I knew it was good for me. I cranked up the awesome tunes I had playing and I got to work.
And you know what? By the end of that session I felt a hundred times better. I had new found energy and the desire to do more stretching and yoga when I got home. I called up the boyfriend and teased him about getting his own butt to the gym (he was dragging his feet too).
My whole attitude changed. I woke up the next day and biked to the latest episode of "The Vampire Diaries" (Are any of you watching this? I'm so hooked!). I made plans again to go to classes next week with friends. I took advantage of the nice weather yesterday and took Whiskey for a nice walk through the city. In other words - I got moving. Once I got going again it was easier than I thought. It can be hard to motivate yourself after a set back, but the key is to make time for it...and make time for yourself!
To get myself pumped up to go back to the gym this week I made a playlist with some of my favorite heart pumping Hip Hop songs.
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Talk about putting a damper on your fitness! I wasn't eating great - no appetite to eat, but when I did it wasn't always the healthiest of choices. I didn't have any energy to even walk across the apartment, let along go out for a run through the neighbourhood. Only a few weeks off my routine and I felt weak, drained and frumpy. Its amazing how quickly you can change.
But sometimes it can be the reverse too - you can change back for the better. I started to feel better this week, so I took this as a cue to get my butt back in gear. I'd been down in the dumps for too long and it was time for an attitude change. Wednesday night I packed up my gym bag and left it by the door. It was the first thing that I saw on Thursday morning and I knew that I had to go back to the gym.
I'm not going to pretend that I was all peppy and happy to go. I dragged my feet the entire way from the change room to the weight room, but I had to do it. I did my normal Strength Training routine and it was a struggle the whole time, but I knew it was good for me. I cranked up the awesome tunes I had playing and I got to work.
And you know what? By the end of that session I felt a hundred times better. I had new found energy and the desire to do more stretching and yoga when I got home. I called up the boyfriend and teased him about getting his own butt to the gym (he was dragging his feet too).
My whole attitude changed. I woke up the next day and biked to the latest episode of "The Vampire Diaries" (Are any of you watching this? I'm so hooked!). I made plans again to go to classes next week with friends. I took advantage of the nice weather yesterday and took Whiskey for a nice walk through the city. In other words - I got moving. Once I got going again it was easier than I thought. It can be hard to motivate yourself after a set back, but the key is to make time for it...and make time for yourself!
To get myself pumped up to go back to the gym this week I made a playlist with some of my favorite heart pumping Hip Hop songs.
