Small Successes

This week was not the success I was hoping for. Most of that is because I have been sick all week. Coughing fits are making it a nightmare to really plan any consistent physical activity. Taking meds, which knock me out, so I can sleep through the night without coughing make it nearly impossible to wake up at 4am and make it to the gym. I am hoping this week - now that the constant congestion building mucus has broken and my lungs are just busily dispelling the old gunk - I will be able to make it in every morning and get myself back into the groove.

This week was not a total failure though. I did manage to diligently track my food all week and drink at least 48ounces of water a day. I only made it to the gym twice, yet when I did I pushed myself with heavy weight lifting and 30 minutes of interval jogging on the treadmill. I also managed to lose 2 pounds of fat!

This really helped me to recognize that my biggest problem in making this work is nutrition and managing my diet - not necessarily my physical fitness. Even without the gym I walk 2 miles a day - one mile to and one mile from work. I also take my dog for small walks to the park and play tug-o-war with her in the evenings.

So it is that my bigger focus is currently on managing my diet appropriately and getting that back under the control of habit. As soon as I have that accomplished I will start pushing myself physically again. Because I also know that the body I love came from a sufficient combo of these two things in my life. I have bigger goals than just losing the fat! Although I honestly can't say what they all are right now ... they are there, brewing in the back of my brain, just waiting for the moment to take over and lead! I can't wait to let them and make room for more!!!

This is the second week of the "Do Life" challenge I am managing for a small group of friends and me. I am waiting to see more results reported today, but I have already come up with our motivation challenges for next week. If you are interested in joining us here they are. You can pick one to try or do both:


1. Cut one bad habit out this week and replace it with one good habit. Now this can just last for the week as a challenge or you can try and do it from this point forward. Point is, try something challenging because you only have to commit to it for one week! so why not?

A few examples of things you could try: stop drinking soda entirely and replace that with a healthier choice (or the healthiest of choices water), stop getting a latte everyday and switch to a flavored americano instead, stop watching as many hours of television and replace that time with reading a book (or writing your own!), etc...

2. Attempt to be able to perform one thing physically that I never though I could by the end of the week! Some examples could be: doing one full pull-up without assistance, walking/running a longer distance/time than ever before, doing more sit-ups/push-ups/mountain climbers/etc. in a minute at the end of the week than I could at the beginning, etc. -

Bonus Challenge: Continue to work out for at least 20-30 minutes a day for four days this week, with at least one of those days focused on intense interval training. Meaning that you spend at least half the time (10-15 mins) in a high intensity training zone for at least 1.5 to 2 minutes at a time. For 20 minutes that will be 4-5 reps of high intensity intervals and for 30 minutes that will be 6-7 reps of high intensity intervals.

Whatever it is you chose to try to accomplish - be it one of these things, both of these things, just the challenge, everything and the challenge, or something you want to focus on - share with someone what your goals are so they can help cheer you on. Studies prove that sharing your goals makes you feel more accountable for them and therefore helps ensure you are that much more successful!

That is what it is all about - achieving your goals and finding your own success!!!

~TigressSky~

If you are interested in joining us and sharing with us you can find us under Tigress Fitness on Facebook or Google+. You can also click the links below to be taken directly to our pages. We are a small group so you won't be overwhelmed by posts or messages - just find a small group of others trying to achieve the same goals!