V’s Journey

Yup, it was Ugly.  I have not had an assessment since June.

And the numbers that came back were just Bad. (It’s all there in my progress section.)

But the Good thing is I have a plan.  I am very excited about the new training and eating program. 

It is going to kick my butt. 

I love it! Woot! 

September marks the 1st anniversary of my transformation. 

Anniversaries are significant because they give you opportunity to reflect on what was but more importantly on what will be.

Almost a year ago, I was a fat chick.  I am a fat chick no more.  That is the past.

What of the future?

A good friend has been reminding me about the importance of goal setting. 

It was right to be reminded because for a while I had become that ugly C word.

Complacent. 

Below is the email I sent to my friend with their response in bold.  I am sharing this with all of you because my friend happens to be a very, very smart person.  And you might get some value from this:

I’ve really had a think about what I want to achieve in the next three months.  It is quite simple.  I need to focus.  There is only one goal for me.

1. I will have lost 5 kilograms (11lbs) by 30 November.

That number is a fine one.  Very realistic but not too easy. Perfect.

In order to achieve this I will split my cardio and weight training.  This is so that I can work at higher intensity.  Cardio in the morning before work.  Weight training after work in the evening.

Absolutely, f_cking spot on.  Don’t eat anything before your morning cardio.  Do it in a fasted state.  Excellent plan.  Once again.  Perfect.

I will be disciplined about getting enough sleep.

Very, very important.

I will adhere strictly to the new eating plan.

If you don’t all your f_cking working will go right down the toilet.

This means I will blow off social engagements.  Absolutely every resource (emotional, spiritual, physical, financial, time) will go into achieving this goal.  No, it is not overkill.

Overkill?  Don’t let that enter your mind at all.  This is not even approaching overkill. 

You want dramatic results.  That won’t happen by magic.  You need an airtight plan and you need to stick to it.

Only losers think there is such a thing as overkill.  You are not a loser.

Overkill? No.

Kill. Kill. Kill? Yes!

I am an all or nothing person.

Everyone worth a sh_t is.  What’s the alternative? A wishy washy person?

I will not achieve the next goal if I do not throw everything at it.  Failure is not an option!

That’s my girl.

I am still thinking along the lines of “weight loss” because I still need to lose weight.  My focus will then change to BF % and definition once the last bit of weight is off.

That is so f_cking spot on.  I am proud of you.  Really.  Smart girl!

Of course I do realize that my BF should change if I lose the pounds but for now that is not the focus.

You obviously know what you are doing. 

The only thing left to do is execute.

Focus and finish.

So dear Bodyspace friends, there you have it.  I am inviting you to hold me accountable.  To remind me of what I need to achieve.  To focus and finish.

Kill. Kill. Kill? Yes? YES!!

The new training program and eating plan commences on Monday, 31 August.   

Last week I attended the funeral of a man I did not know.  An exceptional man who at 48 passed away far too young. 

How do I know he was an exceptional person?  Because of the tributes from the people whose lives he had affected.  And the love that was present in that room.

Person after person paid tribute to this man. 

As these occassions do, it made me consider the question:

Whose life am I changing?

I walked away from the service committing to investing positively in the lives of others. 

When I began my transformation it was all about me.  When I trained I would be so focussed I would not notice the people around me.  I would not talk to anyone.  In fact many people got an unfriendly glare from me during those early days.

I’ve reached a point where I can offer some encouragement to the ladies who go to my gym.  I’ve found that it gives me a huge thrill to watch them work harder because I’ve told them they can.  Truth is we can all work harder.

I get watched quite a bit when I’m training because

a. I work so hard

b. there’s a lot of grunting involved and

c.  sometimes I make it look easy. 

While I train for me.  I’ve realized that  I need to keep pushing harder because all those watchers are getting inspired. 

That’s it!   In some little way I am helping people change their lives in a positive way by being me. 

I want to help people change their lives and this is my message:

Love yourself, take care of you. 

Take care of all of you.

Body

Mind

Spirit

 You can only give what you have.  By taking care of yourself you will have more to give.

Consider then, Whose Life Are You Changing?

Yes, I have decided that I am perfect.

After much consideration.  Many hours were spent analysing all the facts.  Taking in all the aspects and appreciating different perspectives. 

There was only one conclusion to be made: I am Perfect.

 Women are encouraged to have body issues.  Body issues sell diets, scales, special "foods", pills, clothes, home gym equipment, magazines, plastic surgery.  Body issues can be very profitable for Mr Corporate.

For a time I bought into having "body issues". 

The self-flaggelation I endured because some part of my body was "imperfect"…

The unhappiness I caused myself by focussing on some perceived flaw…

Yes, the bloody Media encourages it! How many times have you seen articles in magazines where they ask some anorexic starlet what the least favorite part of their body is?  And then we all feel better about ourselves because this gorgeous creature is worried about her thighs then it’s okay for me to also feel crappy about my body. 

Right???  Wrong!!

If other people’s unhappiness makes you feel better then you are a pitiful human speciman. 

So how did I conclude that I am perfect.  Simple. 

Saturday morning as I was participating in a boxing class, pounding punch bags, doing sprint runs, leaping onto steps, doing box jumps, learning to master the speed ball, I had the revelation:

  My body functions.  And it functions perfectly.

Not only does it function.  But I am capable of training it to do more.  To go faster.  To hit harder.  To be stronger.

In a moment I decided that I do not have a "least favorite" part. 

I love the whole. 

And because I love the WHOLE of me I will take care of ALL of ME.  

That is perfection.