A good reason

So far so good with the blogging! Yesterday I ate to plan, did my walk and trained back:
- Barbel rows
- Wide grip lat pull down
- T-bar rows (PB of 2 plates)
- Supersetted assisted chins with hypers.


I miss being able to do heaps of unassisted chinups, its easy when you’re light! :P

I’m becoming a big fan of Raechelle Chase, she's gorgeous and motivating but seems very down to earth.... a real person rather than a character, if you know what i mean! I’ve subscribed to her blog and just read one of her interviews about how she struggled with depression for 6 years and how training helped her get off anti-depressants.

I find the more I train, the more I want to and love it. If I have a few days off (and eat poorly) I struggle to go back. Doesn’t really make sense…But I need to make it a priority in my daily life (minimum now is a 30min walk- come on, who can’t spare 30mins!) This part of Raechelle’s interview stuck with me: “Competing in figure might seem like a strange choice of professions for me to pursue since I’m putting myself out there to be judged when my self confidence already hangs on a wire. But, I often found myself not wanting to train, so I decided that if I had goals and a good reason to do it that would motivate me then it would work. And it does”.

Even though it makes you feel great, training and eating well is difficult. Its less convenient, there's no instant gratification and it requires discipline. We all need to find "a good reason to do it". Have you noticed how it takes some people to have a life threatening illness before they will lose weight, quit smoking or generally clean it up? Give me a specific goal or a deadline and I’m a hardworker, don’t and I can get lazy :S After our competition, I didn’t jump back into planning the next one or have another goal in mind. I didn’t even really have a plan for maintenance. The weight crept up and up, every now I then I’d think, whoa I’d better do something… but didn’t take it seriously enough. I’ve been embarrassed to identify myself as a figure athlete because I don’t look like one anymore. Now I have our wedding coming up and in one way, its great to have something to work toward again but in another, more accurate way its ridiculous that I have to! I said to my friend last night, its like I plump up because I enjoy losing weight! (thanks for helping me spot this April!)

All we can control is our attitude so even though I’m not feeling great (yet) and am at the starting blocks again I’m choosing to be as positive as I can. I can’t wait to feel slim and fit again, I’m excited about it. I’m going to go home and hang up my size 9 jeans where I can see them. All I need to do is get out of my own way. If you’re ready and you want it badly enough you’ll find yourself making time, going out of your way to make choices that support your goals.

I’m never going to take it for granted again, I’m never going to get complacent. I’m never going to lack direction again. What you eat today doesn’t show up on your thighs tomorrow. It’s the accumulation of all of your choices and habits that gives you your current physique!

So, just because you are your ‘goal weight’ doesn’t mean you can’t get stronger, faster, fitter and more flexible ;) You just need a good reason to do it!