Why should I?

Why should I join some online challenge accountabilty group? How does that help me in the real world? I don't even know those people!

All good questions. I discovered last  December,  I NEED that accountabilty. My family loves me no matter what.  My husband is an adoring man. I don't do my workout because I let myself get distracted,  he loves and adores  me anyway. Saying it in front of total strangers and putting it on the Internet where it will live forever.  Now,  I felt obligated to follow through.

Even in private,  secret groups where only a limited number of people can see it,  if one person saw it.  That was enough,  you can delete the post,  but you can't make people unsee things. Deleting it doesn't make it go away.

I put myself out there. It makes me uncomfortable. Success always comes from discomfort and I know this. I lost 90  lbs because I put myself out there. The struggles and the victories! I put it out there that i reached my goal and then regained some of that weight back. It was only 15 lbs, but it still sent me in a tailspin!

I have been able to stop that madness because i belonged to accountability groups! It allowed me to get out of my own head and see the issue from an outside perspective. Make my own smart choices about what is best for me going forward!

Getting the feedback helped,  but you know what else I needed? To cheer others on! To remind someone that they matter!  Saying, "Stick to it because you matter!".  Caring about other people means something to me. Giving the moral support can be just as uplifting as getting it.

There are actual studies that show that kindness with no expectation of anything in return makes you happy AND healthy! Physically and mentally healthy! Who knew?

What does that have to do with YOU? I don't know. You can decide that for yourself,  but if you're still reading,  you know it is something. I run these challenge and accountability groups and I love it. I will admit that part of what made me want to be a beachbody coach is those groups! I was already running a group,  participating in a few others. My personal experience tells me what a huge role these groups play in so many success stories. The platform doesn't matter and really,  neither does the weight loss or fitness plan.  People are socially driven! We thrive when we surround ourselves with positive people who aren't going to judge us harshly! We feel connected, like we have discovered our tribe! At least that is always how I felt. Emotionally safe!

How about you?  Do you belong to groups like this? If you have,  how did you feel about it?

Big Girl Panties

I am fond of the phrase "Put on your big girl panties and SPARKLE". I just love the phrase,  love the idea behind it.  That sometimes we have to do things,  and it might not be the way we wanted,  but we can bring our sparkle to it anyway.

I found myself in that place today.  I am shopping for health insurance,  and of course,  my awesome Endocrinologist only takes these plans that I can't afford.

Rather than be upset.  I find myself putting on my big girl panties,  picking the one that is best for me in my price range, get to work in that coaching so I can afford the one I want. It is an attitude.  Knowing I can change the variables in that equation,  namely what I can and can't afford in the future.

I have had this overall mindset change.  I tend to take a longer view to everything.  Very few things in my life are set in stone.  Even those few things are set in stone because I want them to be.  This is what being in control of my life feels like.

I am wearing my big girl panties,  and i am sparkling! I am genuinely pleased to have resolved the insurance issue. No,  I don't have the original specialist I wanted,  but I do still have my primary care Dr who will keep me in good health until I get a new specialist and that is MORE than I started with!  #AttitudeOfGratitude

Almost there

I am almost through a tough week.

We have bern stressed about my father-in-law. He got sick while on the Viking River cruise. It looked real bad at first and Mom got off the cruise to take him to the hospital in Germany. He was in the ICU at first, pnuemonnia they said. He has advanced COPD, so that is serious. He has gotten excellent care! They are expecting to release him tomorrow! Woohoo! This means he will make his originally scheduled flight home Monday!

I can't quite relax until they are home though. My brother-in-law made it over there Friday, that turns the stress levels down, but that isn't rnough. We need to see them with our own eyes before we can finally breath that final sigh of relief. I have already posted here about how grateful I am about his role in this whole thing.

I had a Girl Scout service unit team  conference meeting today.  An all day meeting of the service units and council staff for networking,  covering the program year,  volunteer services and management, sharing of information between the service units and also council.  It was a good event, learned about and got some great ideas and take aways!

Today was also Helen's birthday. I stopped on my way home to pick up stuff for that. We had pizza for dinner,  per her request, then she had sugar free chocolate cake (yay! Publix!) and opened her presents.  She had a good birthday,  even though I missed most of it. She got to hog Daddy and Shara all to herself for the day.  Shara took her to the park for an hour,  they had fun.

I have lots to do this week. Need to make sure Mom walks into a pristine clean house,  make sure my own laundry is done, so she can do hers. I need to connect with a few people this week in person.  Follow up with a few others online and start putting together my training program outline for the next service unit meeting.  I am way behind on nursery stuff to.  Need to repair that one riser and replace a few valves.  We have made some decisions and now the talking phase is over. It is time to DO!

I am slowly but surely getting my time management on track with all the new things i have going on. I am no wonder woman,  but sometimes I come close.  On that note,  my tired babbling is done for the night!

Oh! I Could Never Do That

I hear this phrase way too often.  I take my strength training seriously.  I have to.  I take a medication where a possible side effect is broken bones from osteoporosis. More and more studies keep coming out proving the need for women to lift weight to prevent and reverse osteoporosis. Why wouldn't I? I am getting the benefit of the medication,  fighting this side effect and it makes me look good?  I am all in.

I get this a lot when people ask me about my weight loss.  "Oh!  I Could never do that" followed by myths.  The most common one being "i just want to tone up,  not look like man".  What the heck?  We gals are not built like that and unless you are in that 1% of women who can get that way, it is never going to happen.  You can be stronger than a man,  but it is not likely your muscles will get bigger. That is a biological fact. You will already know is you are in the 1%.

Anyway,  that answer is always met with,  oh I am just not like you.  In these conversations,  it is implied that i am some kind of workout Ninja warrior badass. I am totally not.  I didn't go to the gym on crutches because of that.  I went to get out of the house and be around people.  People I am not related to! There was a whole lot of loneliness driving my decision to hit the while still on crutches. i get up every morning not entirely sure I am even going to do my workout.  I am not some exercise super hero who's super power is dedication! 

What is really at work here? Fear and unrealistic perceptions! Fear of failure and being misperceived. We are all familiar with the "what i really do" memes.  It is a not clear understanding of what an effective strength trading program should look like!  The perception of what everyone thinks it is can be hella intimidating!

Any good program, all you are doing is lifting weight that is heavy enough to make it challenging while maintaining perfect form.  5 lbs can be quite effective if that is where you are at!  The trick is to not get hung up on what others are doing.  I started Body Beast using NO weights on some exercises,  and for the lunges,  no weights AND holding a chair for balance!  I focused on the form and just doing the exercise correctly. I let my body do the work,  and progress has been made.  I have added light weights to those shoulder workouts.  I added weights to the squats, and I can keep my balance doing lunges!  Any one can do it!  You just have to want to.  Getting over not wanting to is a post for another day!

My point today is don't let pre-conceptions intimidate you! Check it out first! Success is only that first step away! That applies to anything,  not just fitness,  but LIFE!

Attitude of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for my brother-in-law. Dad is sick in the hospital,  he has done what every eldest child does,  steps in to take charge and handle the situation.  I am glad that he is empowered to do that.   His "bossy" manner can be annoying at times but i need to be grateful for that same bossiness because life is full of moments like this. I am also glad that while our relationship is not sunshine and rainbows,  I also don't think it is as contentious as it once was. We clash because we are eldest children and bossy!  It is what we have in common! At the end of the day,  I appreciate him as he truly is!  Underneath all the priggish bravado, he is a nice guy the way my husband is,  just a quality human being who tries to do the right thing in any given situation.