Author: BetteRocker

So, I’ve been thinking.

I’m really wanting to do something different. I’ve never really been big on doing challenges but Matt was telling me about one of his co-workers and how she is really going in 100% with this challenge she is doing at her gym. I’ve always found those interesting but one of the main reasons I never really looked into it is because they usually seem really advanced or because they seem like they are very temporary. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I’m looking at it in the wrong way.

So a challenge doesn’t have to be something that is so out of reach that it’s more than likely you will fail. A challenge should be exactly what it is called…a challenge. It should make you become aware of the things you are doing and help you to build the habit, IF the action is something that you feel should be in your daily routine. Example…Matt’s co-worker has her challenge drinking 1 gallon of water a day, exercising twice a day (one workout must be outdoors), reading 10 pages of a non-fiction book each day, plus a few other things. She probably feels like these are going to help her in her goals in and out of the gym.

Now, this challenge, the way it’s written, isn’t for me. At least not all of it but I think a lot of these things are things I would like to get better at. I’d like to write up my own challenge that would help me to better prioritize my time and just get me excited about doing them. I think that is what I will work on next. I don’t want it to be easy but I need something that will help me with creating a good foundation to reach some of the goals I’ve laid out for myself. I’d like for it to incorporate things like meal prep, exercise, and maybe some movement outside of a Plyofit workout. I’m still thinking.

Well, I will say that I’m a little ahead of the game. I challenge myself to write each day. I haven’t been 100%, as I’ve missed two days, but I keep writing.

I’ll work on this and keep you posted.

This week has me a little off. Just been busy with personal things and I realize that everything is just hard when it comes to days like this. It’s unfortunate because I’m trying to make a bigger effort when it comes to staying on track. I know it’s temporary but it can be a little distracting. You’re fighting the fight only to feel like you haven’t done enough. I’m writing to acknowledge this. I know that it will pass. I know that everyday is a new chance to get in front of it and attack it so that’s what I’ll do.

Just didn’t have a lot to say today. Still working on a nutrition post.

I promised a write up on my goals moving forward. I’m going to try and do this a littler different. I think having end goals is good but I think one thing that I always tend to mess up on is realizing the amount of work it takes to get to the end result I want and realizing that it is going to take time. So I figured I’d try to map a few things out. This will be Rough Draft #1, of course. Many mistakes will be made and many things will need to be altered but I’m going to put in effort, which even though may lead to failure, will eventually lead to growth which each mistake I make.

So, what are some things that I want to accomplish?

There is the obvious. 1. Lose the weight. 2. Get stronger, mentally/physically/emotionally

So, what are the things I need to accomplish these things?

Well, again, there is the obvious. 1. Want it. 2. Figure out the systems I need to put into place to accomplish them. 3. Fail. A lot. 4. Learn from it. 5. Keep going.

Now, those goals are broad and kind of “big picture”. There are a lot of things that I want to do in order to meet these two goals but, if I really think about it, they are part of the system. They are how I get there.

So, what’s my next step? What systems do I have already set up and what can I do to make them better? What systems do I need to set up and how can I make sure to implement them?

GREAT QUESTIONS!

So, right now, I have a good beginning effort for exercise. Over the last month, I’ve done way better with getting online with Carlos and making an effort. Way better than I did over the last few months. The last months were rough and I didn’t prioritize it because it was easier than making time for it. Now, here is where a good system could be better. I think I’ve realized that working out is one thing but staying active is another. A system that I would like to work on is getting in a little bit more exercise. And I don’t mean a full blown session, Plyofit-style. I mean, a walk. Or use the new video game I got that makes you move. Something. Anything to be just a little bit more active.

So, that’s my first thought when it comes to this. I’m going to stop here only because it’s a lot to process.

I do know that my next blog will probably focus on nutrition. Something that I may be making more difficult than it is. But then again, I think it’s what you make it.

Tired and sleepy… will post tomorrow about some goals I have for the year.

I fell asleep. LOL It’s okay. Honestly, I thought I would have already missed more than one day of writing. My goal is to write something everyday for the 30 days. It’s okay. We’ll forget yesterday didn’t happen.

I’m always wondering what to write about because it’s not easy to always throw your thoughts down. Once I get started, though, it’s good.

Today we will do a quick write on motivation. Motivation sometimes is super easy to have. Sometimes, not so much. It’s funny because when all the stars are aligned perfectly, everything in your day has gone EXACTLY according to plan, you’ve felt amazing all day, and you’re ready to keep going then your motivation is there, at it’s peak. For me, that rarely happens. I’m pretty sure that’s most people.

I think you can have many degrees of motivation. I think it’s just learning when to push through and how to push through.

As I’m writing this, I was about to say that maybe focusing on the outcome would be the most beneficial on how to effectively use the smallest amount of motivation you might have but now I’ve changed my mind.

It’s not focusing on the outcome. Yeah, I know that we all have goals but really it’s that “being in it”. It’s the effort you put out. It’s focusing on what you do to get there. Not the outcome. It’s falling in love with the process. (I just heard Carlos Rodriguez’s voice when I said that. He says that all the time.)

Focusing on HOW you are trying to reach your goals will help with motivation, it may not always be there, but loving the process will lead to a better outcome and enjoying the ride.

I just want to show a piece of the equipment I’m using now. I’ll be back to talk about it but it’s late and I’m tired.

“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it–but all that had gone before.” —Jacob Riis

Tonight I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes. Probably because it just makes so much sense. It just resonates so much with me because when I first started this journey, I felt great. I saw a lot of results but slowly I started to realize that things don’t always move that quickly. Eventually, you will start hammering away and not see any type of change. But things do change. Eventually, the rock starts to represent other things, too, that you’ve learned that need attention. Like the emotional part. For me, that was always big. I lacked a lot of knowledge when it came to realizing just how much change needed to come from within. The physical changes were great but I lacked the self-awareness. Realizing just how much self-awareness was fundamental was my one hundred and first blow. It made all that hammering away mean something. Patience really was important.

What would have happened if I would have stopped at the 100th blow?

I’ve been trying my hardest when it comes to posting. I’ve been trying to put a post out here daily so that I can just get better at putting my feelings out there and trying to talk them through. I guess the idea that I have to post only when I’m feeling down or need to vent shouldn’t be the norm. I should write because I have something to say, whether good or bad or just because.

Today I had a great workout. That’s something I want to write about. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt really consistent and when I have workouts like this, they make me feel strong. They make me feel like I still have that fire lit underneath me. Nobody wants their fire to burn out but sometimes it can feel that way. That was me for a long time. But today was good.

Carlos had me work with the hex rack, the ropes, some ball slams, the TRX and a few other things. Things that made me feel like my old self because they were familiar. It’s funny how just an hour of exercise can make you think and feel like a different person. And now with my new setup, I feel amazing because of just the amount of room I have. I feel comfortable and like someone who is somewhat knowledgeable in what Carlos is talking to me about. I don’t ever want to feel like I’m going through the motions and for a while there, that’s what it felt like. Last week, things were starting to change. Partly because I couldn’t quite figure out why I was feeling so bad, but I knew why. Again, I sort of lost that fire.

Going through the motions is difficult. Working out is hard, whether I enjoy it or not. So going through the motions isn’t particularly easy for me because of the physical part of it. So what happened? I started making excuses to not attend Plyofit sessions. Which sucked. Partly because I knew it was good for me but also because I enjoyed it. It was a stress reliever. It was great because I always learned something new each time I was in a session with Carlos. So, I think getting back into these work sessions is going to be a powerful thing for me. It’s going to help me in all aspects.

The fire is back. Hopefully, for a while. It’s understandable for the fire to dim but it’s keeping up with it. Bringing it back to life. I can do that. I’m determined to make it work.

I did not forget to post today. Just didn’t really have a lot for today.

Well, I will say that it is a new week which means a new chance to get some things done. A couple of short goals are to get in 4 weeknight workout and a Saturday workout in with Plyofit and stay hydrated. I mean those are super short and easy goals. Nothing complicated. Move and drink some water.