My Workout Struggle

Everyone has their story…we finally get enough courage built up to start an exercise program or diet.  In the beginning its great…we feel terrific and start picturing how good our new fit and trim bodies will look.  We imagine how impressed everyone is going to be when they see the new and improved you.  “This is going to work…I’m a changed person” we tell ourselves.  “Never again will I be that person”.

And for a few days (or weeks) we are right.  We stick to our exercise program and healthy eating religiously.  We are moving more and even starting to see small changes in our body.  We make better choices at restaurants.  Our energy levels begin to rise.

Then we hit a hiccup.  It could be a vacation that comes up where we don’t exercise and let our eating fall by the wayside (“I’ll start back up again when vacation is over”) or perhaps we fall ill and never get back to working out after we’re healthy again.  Or, and this is where I was guilty, we are just too tired one day and decide to rest.  The problem with that is one day turns into two days, and then three days…and then the snowball starts rolling.

I wanted to make working out and eating right a habit for me.  I’m 40 years old now and figure that I can’t start and stop working out anymore.  It’s time to make a permanent change and be an example for my kids.

I had been previously working out a little at home by myself.  I first started out very basic.  It was just pushups and crunches in the beginning.  I then bought a kettlebell and have been doing curls on an almost daily basis.  We also have an indoor exercise bike that helps me get on an average of 10 – 20 miles 4-5 times a week.  My Fitbit was helping me track my daily calories as well.

This was great, but I wanted more. 

As most parents of young children know, time is of the essence.  From the time they get up in the morning to the time they go to bed at night, there is no free time for parents. 

With that in mind, I decided to implement a small change into my working out.  I had read about how kettlebell swings are a great (and simple) way to get a total body workout.  If I could find 15 – 20 minutes each day I figured that I could get in 100 kettlebell swings.  This could be done either early in the morning or later on at night (after the kiddos were in bed).

People say that it takes 21 days to make a habit stick.  With that in mind I decided to set a goal for myself of 100 kettlebell swings each day for 30 days.  After the 30 days were up, then perhaps I would increase the reps to 150 or 200…who knows. 

I’m now on day 22 of my 30 day kettlebell swing challenge and feeling great.  I do have days where that little voice in my head says “you’re tired…take today off” and “one day off won’t hurt you”. 

The old me would have listened to that voice in my head and more than likely taken a day (or two) off.  The new me tells that voice in my head that I’m going to tackle my workout head on and nothing is going to stop me.