How I Fit Fitness Into My Life
My journey through all the fitness trends and what worked for me.
***Rosina’s story shows us that there is no such thing as failure. When you experience a failed attempt, that just means you have to find a different approach or strategy – a strategy that compliments your lifestyle and honors your values. A failed attempt is nothing more than feedback.
People think that if you’ve been an athlete your whole life, you make working out a habit, but that is not necessarily true. Despite my athletic childhood, after graduation I found myself discouraged and unmotivated to stay on top of my fitness.
College is Over. Now What?
I was physically active from a young age – I participated in many sports throughout high school and played Division III basketball for all four years in college. When I graduated, however, I continued eating as if I was practicing three hours a day even though I was no longer training. To no surprise, this caught up to me.
Of course, I didn’t cut out exercise completely. I would still work out at the gym, but although I was familiar with what I was doing, I wasn’t pushing myself. I would go to a treadmill for 20 minutes and think That’s good enough.
My dad couldn’t understand how I could be having such a hard time in the gym. One day when I was speaking with him on the phone he asked me “How are you struggling in the gym? That’s all you did growing up.”
He was right. But I never had to do it on my own.Up until that point, I always had someone instruct me and a team to keep me accountable.
A Discouraging Cycle
This led me to try Crossfit. What I liked about Crossfit was the team aspect of the workouts, but it wasn’t the type of lifting I wanted to do. It really took a toll on my body and was just too intense for me.
I tried other types of group exercise classes. They were fun, but they were easy to skip since nobody kept you accountable.
For about eight years, I would repeatedly go through these different cycles of success and failures. It wasn’t until I was about 29 or 30 when I finally learned that I didn’t know how to keep myself accountable.
Enough is Enough
After years of experiencing these small failures, I found myself falling into a rut of social isolation and dissatisfaction. I found myself starting to take too many naps, habitually binge-watching TV, and frequently staying in on the weekends. I wasn’t happy with my appearance, but I knew I didn’t have room to complain because I wasn’t proactive about taking care of myself.
Finally, I went and sought help that would provide more support. I went to a personal trainer. In the beginning, they encouraged me to take small steps. They helped me to realize that implementing maintainable, healthy habits was what I needed.
I had found a method that helped me relieve stress and improve my quality of life. Since it is a smaller gym, working out there helped me socialize, broaden my friendships, and it made me a lot happier. I realize now that it is a lot easier to be healthy when you are surrounded by a community of like-minded people, instead of trying to do it all on your own.
What I’ve Learned About Nutrition
Since I have begun my journey, I’ve learned that if you want to see weight loss, then nutrition is going to be the most important factor. Now, I’m not a nutrition buff, but I think you should be aware of the consequences that come from the foods you are eating. I now correlate my well-being with not only being active but making sure I’m eating appropriately.
Even when I go out I feel confident in my ability to make healthy choices. I use little tricks that my coach, Rebecca, has taught me. For example, I exchanged my beer for vodka soda when I’m drinking socially. Or, when I eat out, I cut my food in half and immediately asking for a to-go box which prevents me from eating all my food in one sitting.
I also learned to make grocery shopping a priority. I’ve found that if I don’t, I end up eating out for the rest of the week. To combat this, I make a habit of going to the grocery store once a week on Sunday or Monday. This helps me have the right ingredients at home and makes it much easier to eat healthy foods.
What happens when people believe in you
It takes a special talent to know how to work with different people. At work, I preach to kids all day that you have to do something for yourself. Here, my coach Rebecca is that voice for me. I appreciate that she has taken the time to really get to know me, what I’m good at, and when to push me.
To be clear, at times, I still hate working out! And I’ll let it be known during my work out, too! But Rebecca knows I complain just to vent, and she always reminds me that I can do the task at hand.
I’ve seen her provide the same support for all her clients, and she does so in every possible aspect. Knowing that she genuinely cares helps me continue to strive to be healthier for my own sake.
Now I get the accountability that I need to stay on top of my routine. I no longer look at exercise as a chore, but as something that keeps me happy.
Where I am Now
I have learned that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to better myself, and I can do that in a way that compliments my lifestyle and values. I make my health a priority while still spending plenty of time out with friends or relaxing. I make achievable goals that make me feel good when I conquer them. and strive to extend myself grace on the days I slip up. Most importantly, I don’t compare myself to anyone else because at the end of the day the point is to be happy.
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