I Think It's Time...

For the last two years I have lived by the motto ‘love what you do.’ I try to apply it to every aspect of my life; especially fitness.

I am of the belief that if you don’t love what you are doing you will only be able to muscle through it for so long. And for me, in the past when I had reached my breaking point it usually meant some kind of over the top reaction which caused me to not only swear of said activity but usually all activity in general.

I remember back on times when I was using workout videos to get in my activity and I would get so pissed/frustrated/discouraged by how little I could do, how much it hurt, how embarrassed they made me feel that I would just stop doing them. And pretty much anything else.

A logical person would just move on to something else.

Eventually I learned that.

I learned that just because others can do it/enjoy doing it/are successful doing it does not mean that I will be too.

I learned that trying to force myself to doing something I did not enjoy made me miserable which is pretty much not what I needed to be successful.

I needed to find something that I loved to do (even if at times it was challenging, there is a difference) because then I would be more likely to do it, happier with how I was choosing to spend my time, and life would be better overall.

And that worked for me.

For the first time I am active AND happy. I live a life that enjoy; all of it. What I eat, the activities I choose, my social life, my relationship. – it’s all good. This- what I’m doing now, and what I’ve been doing for the past 2 years, works for me. It is sustainable. If the rest of my life goes just like this I will die happy.

Not to sound like I’m bragging. I’m not. Really I’m not.

I am writing this as a reminder to myself.

See, some days I still struggle with how my body looks (re:flabby arms, jiggly belly) and wanting to lose more weight and how I should go about changing that. I definitely need to lose another 10-15 pounds.  That point isn't up for debate. However, how I get there is.

I know I could start hitting the gym twice a day, I could start taking some spin classes, adding in weight lifting, run four times a week plus do yoga and boxing. I know I could really focus on getting leaner, put in the work, and I will get the results and probably pretty quickly.

But I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to spend what little free time I have in a gym. Morning and night. I just don’t.  

I like to think I am a fairly active person. I eat pretty good foods. I think I am making good choices for my body. But it’s not all about my body. My mind (spirit) has to come into consideration too when I mak these decisions.  And so it comes down to this question- do I want to muscle through a few (or more) months of doing things I don’t enjoy, missing out on time with my friends, making many personal sacrifices just for the sake of losing 10 pounds.

Or do I want to keep on doing the things I am doing and accept that any progress I make will be slow at best.

I think I have to stick with doing what I love. Not only am I in the best physical shape I have been in for quite some time but damn am I happy. I am probably in the best mental headspace of my entire life. Why would I want to change that?

Why should I change that?

I think it’s time for me to stop chasing skinny and just keep chasing happy.