nursenic's BodyBlog

What’s your secret?

nursenic — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:04:37 +0000

Over the past several months, I’ve been approached for fitness and health advice by many people. I’m always flattered by it and I am more than willing to share whatever I can in order to help them achieve their goals. However, it seems that the majority of the these people want an easy answer . They are searching for some magic response that will lead them to the results they want. They ask “what’s the secret,“ mistakenly believing that there must be an easy way out or some sort of mystery or puzzle to solve.
When I tell them what has worked for me and what my regimen is like, it seems that most of them don’t like the words that come out of my mouth. In fact, I can actually see faces change when I explain that fitness requires dedication, commitment, hard work, sacrifice, and a lot of time. For many people, especially those who have never been involved in fitness, achievement of their fitness goals requires a complete lifestyle overhaul. This kind of change is hard. I’ll be the first to admit that the journey isn’t always fun or easy. There are times when I’d rather skip my workout to sleep or replace my salad with a big piece of cheesecake. However, I’ve learned that the rewards make the sacrifice worth it. I’ve also found that I appreciate my personal achievements more because I have worked harder to attain them. These realizations motivate me to keep striving for more.
I try to explain these truths to the people I encounter, often just to find that revealing “my secrets” to fitness success seem to leave them disappointed, disbelieving, or simply no longer interested. Is it easier for some to believe that fitness and health can be found in a pill or 10 minutes on a new machine rather than with months of consistent training and eating right? As crazy as it sounds, I think, for some, it is.
While this certainly disappoints me, I guess it is to be expected. Watch TV or read a magazine for a few minutes and you are bound to be bombarded with quick fixes for every dilemma in life, not just weight loss and fitness -related issues. Due to this fact, it is absurd for me to believe that all the people I talk to will “get” the truth- that health and fitness gains only come through “good old-fashioned hard work.” However, that won’t stop me from sharing what I know to be true and hoping that I am able to get through to at least a few.

Just LUCKY

nursenic — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:14:45 +0000

“You are so lucky to have time to work out. I wish that I wasn’t so busy so that I could work out too.” This is a statement that a friend of mine said to me on the phone a couple of days ago.
Although this wasn’t the first time I heard a comment like this from a friend, I couldn’t help but get a little irritated by it for a couple of reasons. This friend works a 9-5 job at an insurance company. She’s married, but has no children. She enjoys her job and is financially stable. She always tells me how she desires to be fit. In fact, over the past couple of years, she’s jumped into fitness programs a few times, but has never stuck with a regimen for very long- often citing that she just doesn’t have the time. Along with these “no time” complaints, she often tells me what happened at last night’s Happy Hour and on her late-night sitcoms. From our conversations, I’ve also gathered that she has plenty of time for reading and watching the latest celebrity gossip . She says that her job and her responsibilities, like the scrap booking club meetings she hosts, consume too much of her time. The way she chooses to spend her free time is not a concern of mine- it is completely her business. This is not what bugs me at all. The irritating factor is that she calls me “lucky” for having the “time” to workout. The truth is my consistency in training has nothing to do with a surplus of free time at my disposal. While I’m not married and have no kids, I don’t have a carefree life with tons of “time” on my hands. In fact, in order to workout before going to work (where I put in 12+ hour days), I often wake up before 4 am. In addition, over the past couple of months, I’ve moved to a new city in a different state, bought my first house, and started a new job. Yet, despite the long hours at work and all of the stressful and time-consuming changes in my life, I’ve kept my training consistent, working out 6-7 days a week. In light of these circumstances, I feel that I am just as busy as her. That is why I became frustrated at the comment.
However, after the conversation was over, I did some thinking and I came to a conclusion of sorts. What I decided is that she probably made the comment to help herself feel better about the fact that I work out consistently and she doesn’t. Calling me lucky to have the “time” makes my workouts a function of good fortune rather than deliberate hard work, dedication, and prioritization. This conclusion eased the frustration I was experiencing. That being said, my irritation could be have been avoided if she had said I was lucky to have the determination, dedication, and desire necessary to maintain my training regimen rather than just the “time” for it.

Cellphoning at the gym (yes, I know that is not a word)

nursenic — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:29:28 +0000

Why is it that some people seem to think the perfect place to sit down for a long cell phone conversation is on top of a piece of gym equipment? Wouldn’t the front seat of the car be a more appropriate and practical site? I would think so, but judging by the number of times I’ve witnessed this occurrence, its obvious that many people consider a seated shoulder press machine, an elliptical machine, and a leg extension machine perfect places to hold lengthy phone conversations.
Of course, these are the same people who haven’t demonstrated an ounce of progress over months of gym-going. These are also the people who seem to think that walking around and talking to everyone in their path signifies a good workout. So I guess it is fitting that they would misuse gym equipment and their gym time this way. That being said, it is still extremely irritating and usually provokes me to abandon my quiet gym demeanor.
Generally, I am very courteous at the gym. I try not to hog the equipment, working quickly and always allowing people to “work in” with me. I also don’t leave sweaty messes behind and I always re-rack my weights. However, when I am stuck mid-workout waiting to use the leg extension machine that is serving the function of a living room recliner, my easygoing and passive attitude seems to dissipate. First, I try the “stand and wait.” Sometimes, this works and the offender moves his conversation else where. However, sometimes I have to resort to verbal confrontation to get the point across that I actually want to use the equipment for its intended purpose. Sometimes the person smiles and apologizes, quickly getting off the machine; other times he or she gets up, gives me an annoyed look, and walks away as if I was the rudest person created. This reaction doesn’t bother me much as I smile, offer my thanks, and inwardly laugh at the irony of the situation.

Gotta love the whiners

nursenic — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:18:35 +0000

Does anybody else know someone who is constantly starting and stopping workout and weight-loss programs and then complaining about his or her lack of progress? Does anyone else find this behavior annoying or frustrating?

For as long as I can remember, a friend of mine has been telling me how dissatisfied she is with her weight and body. Nearly every month, she is telling me about this new workout regimen or diet she has adopted. Then, a couple of weeks later, she is telling me that she had to quit because the workouts were causing her too much physical pain or the diet was making her miserable. She tells me the plan, which she had been so enthusiastic about just 2 weeks earlier, wasn’t a “good fit” for her. Then, within a few weeks, she is telling me about another workout venture, one which she will be abandoning only weeks after she begins it. This cycle has repeated itself over and over with very little variability throughout the past several years.

What I find funny is that she wonders why she never achieves the results she desires and why she can’t find the right workout and diet. In fact, she complains about her lack of progress and has asked for advice on several occasions. My responses have always been the same. I tell her that there is no magic routine or magic diet. I tell her that getting in shape takes hard work and sacrifices. It requires consistency and dedication to reap results. I emphasize that the process is not very enjoyable most of the time, but that the outcome will be well-worth the effort. She seems to listen to what I have to say, but before long, she’s back to her counterproductive cycling. The first time she relapsed it was hard to hide my irritation; I wanted to force her to heed my advice. However, the more it happened, I started to care less and less. I figured out that getting irritated with her wasn‘t helping her or me. I realized that I couldn’t make her listen and I couldn’t force her to have self-discipline and dedication. This had to be her choice. Since coming to these conclusions, I’m better able to support her and offer advice (when she asks) without becoming visibly frustrated or annoyed. Now, I just smile, offer the truth, live by example, and hope that she will eventually figure it out.

“Why don’t you just take the day off”

nursenic — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:30:11 +0000

Is it just me or is it seriously annoying when non-fit family members & friends try to talk you out of exercising? They say things like, “You are already in good shape. Why don’t you just take the day off?” or “You always exercise. Why don’t you just come shopping with me instead of going to the gym. One day is not going to kill you.” While it is true that skipping your workout for one day WILL not kill you, that is not really the point. The point is that you had already planned to work out and your consistency in this endeavor is what has gotten you into the “good shape” that they are referring to. Working out is what keeps you healthy, energetic, and strong. Although these people may not be intentionally pulling you away from your fit lifestyle, the fact is their words and actions have a high probability of doing just that. In fact, if you aren’t careful, you will start thinking that faithfully adhering to your workout schedule is not only unnecessary, but also selfish. Pretty soon you may start skipping more and more workouts and, before you know it, your “good shape” (along with many other things) will certainly suffer.

Although I’ve never allowed the words of others to go this far, there have been times in the past when I have skipped workouts because a friend has convinced me that I should be doing something else. I know it can be hard to stick up to them and let them know that you won’t skip your workout because it is important and necessary for you. I know that you don’t want to hurt their feelings, appear as if you are obsessed or selfish, or look like a stick-in-the-mud.

For me, I had to decide what was most important now and in the long run. While standing up to a friend may cause them to be mad or upset for a time, their feelings would surely fade over time. Besides, in most cases, I could spend time with them at a later date or time. However, if I allowed myself to feel guilty for the dedication I gave to my training regimen and started to skip workouts, what would happen to my health and my body? After considering this, I knew I had to stick to my guns. I was a strong enough person to get myself in shape, push myself in the gym, and eat right. So I knew that I was strong enough to resist the manipulation, explain the reasoning for my dedication, and stay on the path that would lead to the achievement of my fitness goals.

The first 5 minutes

nursenic — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:18:43 +0000

Even though I claim to love working out, I must admit that there are days when my motivation wanes and I have to force myself to persevere through those first 5 minutes, particularly if I am doing cardio early in the morning. This morning was one of those times. After only 1 minute on the bike, I already wanted to stop turning the pedals and jump off without looking back. My mind was working to formulate a reason for why it was okay to skip my cardio for the day. I told myself I was too tired, I had too many other things to do, and my legs were too sore (from my last leg workout) to continue. These excuses were good enough to convince a part of me that getting off the bike was the right thing to do. However, another part didn’t want to give up so easily. It was saying things like you’ll feel so great after you’ve worked up a good sweat and finished riding the full 40 minutes that you had originally planned. This part was also telling me to continue riding because, with every minute, I was getting healthier, improving my physical fitness, and moving closer to my goals. So, I had a choice to make: give up, get off, and take the easy road out or stick it out, persevere, and choose the harder path.

I am happy to say that, today, I chose the latter. I made a deal with myself that I could get off the bike after reaching the ten-minute mark. However, when I reached that point, I no longer wanted to stop. In fact, I continued on, eventually completing 1 full hour of cardiovascular exercise. The decision to continue past the first couple “agonizing” minutes wasn’t an easy choice for me to make as it required me to give more of myself both mentally and physically. However, over time, I have found that the rewards are well-worth it. And when this happens again, which I know it will, I hope I choose the same.

Selfish & Antisocial

nursenic — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:17:09 +0000

I know that there are times when I am both selfish and antisocial. Knowing this doesn’t make me feel guilty though. Let me explain…

There are many reasons that people can give you for why they love working out. Of course, there are the obvious ones: looking better, being healthier, having more energy, gaining strength, maintaining or losing weight, etc. For me, however, the reasons that I love the sport extend beyond these common ones. First of all, I love working out because it is an endeavor in which I must take full responsibility for successes as well as failures. If I slack off in my training and lose strength, I have to answer to myself. At the same time, when I lift a heavier weight for the first time or notice that a muscle has grown, I know that the achievement is mine and mine alone. I get the credit for what I accomplish through my training whether it is good or bad. Working to better my health and achieve a higher level of fitness is a choice that I have made for myself. It was never mandated by anyone else. Realizing that this endeavor- the amount of time, effort, and energy that I put into it- is completely up to me, gives me a sense of ownership and pride. The results I achieve are up to me, which means I have to give it all I have.

Another reason that I love to train is that it allows me to escape everything else that is going on in my life. It keeps me sane. When work has been stressful or I’ve been arguing with a friend, I can go work out and forget about my worries. During this time, the only things that seem to exist are me and the weights (and the music coming from my MP3 player of course). And I can trust the weights. They won’t say snide remarks or do things behind my back. They won’t lie to me or try to manipulate me.

During my work out, I can focus on improving myself by myself. It’s my time to be selfish and antisocial and I don’t feel bad about it at all.

Motivation

nursenic — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:11:05 +0000

This weekend a sense of accomplishment consumed me as I arrived to the top of a steep Colorado mountain without feeling breathless or exhausted. This feeling caused me to start thinking about training and motivation. Here are my thoughts….

In the past, some of my friends and colleagues have suggested that attaining a physically attractive body must be the motivating force that keeps me training with such intensity. For some people, this may be true. However, my motivation for staying fit and pushing myself in the gym has never been “looking good.” In fact, I first began to lift seriously in an effort to feel better and be stronger. When anorexia first developed, I felt such a sense of control, like I was such a strong person with amazing will power. However, as my anorexic phase progressed, I became so unhappy and worn out. As my weight dwindled so did my happiness, my social life, and my feelings of control. Anorexia began controlling me. I turned into a weakling- the exact opposite of what I wanted to be. So, when I finally got a grip and woke up I knew I had to rid myself of this weakness. Working out helped me to do this. After beginning to lift weights, it wasn’t long before I noticed gains in strength, energy, and happiness. These gains motivated me to work harder. My changing physique was nice, but it really didn’t cause me to push myself more and more each day. Things like moving heavy boxes without help, increasing the weight on my bicep curls, and being able to run further and feel better afterward kept my motivation high. While I will admit that I’ve always enjoyed receiving compliments on my body just like most everyone does, I know that I keep doing what I do for different reasons and that my efforts grant me so much more of value than the occasional “looking good.” Training has given me my strength and my health back.

Crazy

nursenic — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:41:35 +0000

Numerous people have called me crazy throughout my life, especially with regard to the effort that I put forth toward the things that matter to me such as school and working out. I’ve always liked to think of it as determination and a strong work ethic. However, as I was performing rep number 70 of my weighted lunges, I was thinking that maybe I really am crazy. After all, who does that to their body? Furthermore, who gets a high from working out so intensely that it is hard to walk out of the gym afterward and who gets excited when their sore for days after a killer leg workout? With both pride and shame, I must admit the answer is "me." However, will this realization provoke within me a desire to try to be less crazy or a little more normal? "Highly doubtful" is my answer as I sit here content to acknowledge and own my insanity, knowing that I will embody this "craziness" again tomorrow.

Sweat

nursenic — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:04:48 +0000

Today, I had another intense, sweaty workout and it got me thinking about something. So here it goes…..

When I was growing up in Arizona, I was always whining "Mommy, I’m sweaty," hoping my declaration would cause her to fix the unfavorable situation. I absolutely hated to sweat then. I remember thinking it was so sticky and gross. Despite my disdain for it, however, sweating was pretty much a daily reality and I had to "live with it." In the past few years, my feelings about sweat have changed. In fact, drenching my sports bra and hair with sweat during a workout brings me some sort of satisfaction these days although I still do think its disgusting when I end up touching or smelling someone else’s sweat. The truth is I think that I gauge the effort and value of my workouts by how much I sweat during them. I’m proud of this symbol of my hard work. I’m no longer embarassed or irritated by it. That being said, I’m still more than happy to shower and get rid of it when I’m finished working out.