Why my fitness journey now

I have not always been active.

I remember being 7 or 8 and the chubby kid in the neighborhood. My sister and friend decided to try and help me lose the "baby fat" but having me run laps around the cul-de-sac. I didn't last long. Not because I couldn't run, but because I didn't have the motivation they wanted me to have. I didn't see the need to change myself.

In junior high I was still holding onto some "baby fat" but I had true friends that liked me for who I was and didn't try to change me to fit a mold. While I had regular subconscious and self conscious thoughts about myself it never went very far.

In high school I rediscovered my love of dancing and was able to enjoy it casually as a side environment to the rest of life at the time.

It wasn't until university and early adulthood that I started going and enjoying the gym. I found a trainer I really clicked with and found joy in realizing the strength and power of what my body was capable of. I worked with her even through two of my pregnancies!

What changed? Life.

Her life changed, my life flipped upside down. Trying to find time for myself, especially outside the house, with multiple kids at home was hard. Finding a way to be separate from a nursing child was hard. So I found a way to make it work, I started building my resources AT HOME.

Game changer.

20 minute workouts while a child naps, monitor nearby became not only doable but life. If the child woke, I could press pause without guilt.

I have worked out with children beside me and on top of me. I have worked out early in the morning, late at night, mid afternoon. Whenever it worked for me and our schedule. I had flexibility to make it work for me.

While I saw some results, you always get out what you put in. About 6 months ago I needed a change. I was bored with the videos I had been using, with mixed success and commitment, for 6 years. I need something new.

Boy did I find it. I am no longer bored. I am learning about myself, better fitness, better nutrition, and how to live my best life. I can't see myself getting bored ever again! I have found a community that accepts me and pushes me to be better. And results? Got those too. Come back next time to see them!

Comments

160 Kilometer Challenge

As defined by the Cambridge English dictionary: Challenge (noun) something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore tests a person's ability. We face challenges every day, by choice and circumstance. For the remainder of the year, I am setting myself the challenge of moving 160km (100 miles) of intentional and trackable distance. Not just the amount my FitBit records from everyday life. For me, this is a challenge of - physical effort - time - accountability and consistency I too often let myself do less than I am able. I make excuses and allow myself to forget my goals (anyone else?) I'll start the month strong, but then "things happen", "life creeps in" and suddenly it's the end of the month and I am no closer to what I wanted to achieve. I am ready for a change, though, in my approach and my results. I am ready to dig deep and do what I know I CAN do, and accomplish what I WANT to, because coming out ...

Setting Goals

What do you think of when you hear someone say to "make a goal"? Does it stress you out? Does it get you excited? Does it make you wonder what it is you're supposed to do in life? For me, there are some areas in my life that I know what my goals are. I know what I want to strive for. But there are other times where I just… draw a blank. Goals are so important for having a focus, a purpose, a reason to continue, and to push through the hard. They are what keep us going and they are what keep us mindful of what we are working towards; all while working towards where we want to go and they give us inspiration and accountability and just passion to do what we want and need do to get to where it is we dream to be. The key there, I feel is in our dream. What is that "big picture" that we want to accomplish or get to? What path leads us to the vision of we want our life to be? So what happens when you don't have a defined goal? What happens when you can't figur...

Mental load

Mental overwhelm. Heavy chest and head. Crushing expectations. I don't have a lot of days where these words are how I would describe them. But they happen. They are hard to live through. Even knowing that time, sleep, moving, talking, or reading will help. Sometimes I'm just immobilized. Unable to move forward the way I want to, and the way I know I "should" be able to. Want to know what? That's okay. It's okay to not be okay. Especially with a pandemic and so many restrictions and changes and limitations. It's okay to not find a solution or way out every day. It's okay to just breath. Just exist, as hard as that can be. Just move from moment to moment. Things will change again, the weight will be more bearable until moments where you may not even notice it. Breathing becomes automatic instead of intentional. Moving and talking become enjoyable again. These are the moments people expect. They are good moments, but sometimes you...

Fab Fit Shannon

Search This Blog