Tomorrow I begin a new Beachbody Challenge Group, this one
is for Core De Force which is an intermediate/advanced program. Six months ago,
when I joined my first Beachbody Challenge Group, I muddled my way through
modifying the 21 Day Fix workouts just hoping I wasn’t going to die. Now here I
am, excited and getting ready to rock Core De Force. Or am I?
I have been waiting for this program since Beachbody gave
the first sneak peek, there’s something awesome about kicking and punching your
way to a healthier you. For me those kinds of movements are such a great stress
reliever, a total mental distraction combined with a total body workout.
As I do before every new round, I started to get my workout
calendar mapped out for the month. Because I’m still nursing a knee injury that
doesn’t want to go away, I am planning on alternating Core De Force with a lower impact workout every other day. I know that this is what I need to do to
take the best care of myself yet something in the back of my mind shouts
“that’s not good enough.” WHAT THE HECK is that all about? Why the negative
self-talk? Arggggggh! I thought I was past that crap. But no, that self-doubt
creeps in every once in a while and it’s important to be aware of it and to
learn how to move beyond it or it will put me in a strangle hold and I will
stop moving forward.
As a (recovering) perfectionist, learning how to approach my
wellness in a balanced way has been a struggle. When you’re a black and white
thinker, it’s all or nothing baby. I’m either doing my very best or my very
worst. I’m on top of my game or I suck. Can you relate?
Over the past few years I have worked hard to change this
behavior, to stop my black and white thinking and start living in color. I
whole-heartedly believe that this is necessary not only for weight loss but for
maintenance and is a big part of my being able to maintain my (40+ pound)
weight loss since 2012.
My coach Erica loves Tony Horton’s saying “do your best and
forget the rest.” Yes, this! Why can’t it just be that simple? Why can’t we be
happy with our best efforts, even on the days when they weren’t the best? We
showed up. We did the work and that should be enough.
Black and white thinking leads to quitting. When you’re in
all or nothing mode, what looks like failure is just real life happening:
- You work a long day and don’t have time for a workout
- You overindulge when you go out to dinner (damned bread basket)
- Your body is so tired you take a rest day
- You eat a whole pile of Halloween candy (hypothetically speaking)
- Your day goes to hell due to a sick family member
When real life things happen your black and white brain
registers failure and then you shut down your efforts thinking if I can’t do
this right, I just won’t do it at all.
And so, you wait, until that perfect time when all of your
planets will align and the heavens will open up and sing the hallelujah chorus
and all will be right in your wellness world. It will be amazing!
For reals? Ah, no. Sh%@ happens and we need to develop the
mental fortitude to not define those moments as failures. It’s just life. And
as long as we’re showing up, working hard and doing the best we can with what
we’ve been given, we are living in color.
My fitness level has changed immensely since I started
Beachbody in May. It has changed so much that what I am able to do still
surprises me. That’s what I will continue to focus on and I will celebrate how
far I’ve come. Someday, maybe even in the near future I’ll be able to do Core
De Force in full force, until then, I’m still a bada$$. I’m a working Mom doing
her best to make more good choices than bad, to be an example to others and to
bring people with me along with way.
I am enough and you are too!
Commit to the choice.
Ask for help. Continue with courage.
Hugs and friendship,
Tara
