I did something very scary about 3 weeks ago. I joined a workout program at a local gym. (GASP)
I started working out to strengthen my bones so that when I am 60 and drink too much wine I do not fall and break a hip. (Just kidding! But not really.) To be honest, I didn’t really want to join a gym but so far it is the only thing that I have found that will give me the results I am looking for. Because unfortunately, I could not find a way to tone my body and build strength while sitting on my couch eating Oreo Cookie ice cream. If you find a way – please DM me.
Throughout my life I have probably joined 5 – 10 different workout programs starting in the early 90’s when I was 24. Raise your hand if you remember Tae-Bo? Local gyms were having Tae-Bo classes until Billy Blanks put a stop to them using his name. Then it just became “Kickboxing” class. I was mostly driven to do it because my friends were doing it. Frankly, it was too sweaty for me. But that didn’t stop me from also trying Step Aerobics, Jazzercise, and Bally’s Total Fitness. They were all short lived.
Eventually, I started to invest in exercise equipment and video’s so that I could get super fit at home. I was an infomercials ideal customer. A sucker. I bought Buns of Steel, The Shake Weight, the Thighmaster, and countless other gadgets that promised BIG results. I even bought a mat that came with booties you put on your feet to slide back and forth as if you were roller blading. That was actually fun! But again – too sweaty. I stopped short of buying the Bow Flex. And PS – you do not really get “8 Minute Abs”. It is more like 8 minutes x 7 days a week so that’s 56-minute abs. False advertising!
REgardless, I have always been an incredible day dreamer about getting the results I wanted.
But day dreaming is not enough. (Sadly.) It takes consistency and that is the one thing I have always been lacking.
What I know now about my past attempts were that:
- I was working out for the wrong reason.
- I gave up when I did not see results right away.
- I got bored easily which made consistency challenging
- I never identified with the people at the gym who had the body I wanted. Meaning, deep down I did not feel as if I could ever be like them.
No, I am 50.
It is not going to be easy.
It will be more challenging.
So why is working out now going to be different than the last three decades?
- I am older and wiser. As a coach with extensive knowledge in behavioral psychology (Thank you Tony Robbins!) I am going in with the right mindset and expectation.
- I am doing it for the right reason.
- I have patience and am determined to change the pattern of “quitting” into the pattern of succeeding.
- I know I am capable. I know that all the people I admired at the gym started somewhere. And this is my “somewhere.”
Do you have something that you feel differently about today then you have in the past? What is it that you learned along the way to lead you to that place? What is the result of you making that change?
Do not regret the time wasted. You did not know back then what you know now.
Your Life Coach – Traci
Beautifully said. We all want instant gratification but that is crazy. From my own experience, I do not work out to the point of profusely sweating. As a matter of fact I rarely sweat. I do a little each day and eat right. The results will come.
Thanks Todd! I am determined to make this year meaningful. If I can turn something good out of the year I turned 50 – AND that year being 2020 (sh*t show of a year) that would be great!
I feel my body turning old and I need to do something before it’s too late! It’s so hard to start. I get busy and I know I will be in pain. I don’t mind sweating but I’ll give up if I can’t walk the next day! Help!!