Mind Sweat

Tags

accountability partners, exercise, Facebook, Hip Hop Abs, Insanity, Jillian Michaels, mind sweat, motivation, results, Shaun T, support group, T25, Turbo Fire

One of the things that I have mentioned over and over is that weight loss is a mental struggle for me.  Prior to January 2013, I also struggled with finding the motivation to work out regularly.  However, once I started Hip Hop Abs, things started to fall into place for me.  I became an exercise junkie to the point that I was logging over 2 hours of exercise daily.  My eating might have been a struggle, but I had hit my exercise groove and NOTHING could stop me.

Ummmm, note to self, don’t get overconfident! From January to October 2013, I was a devout morning exerciser.

I was doing a series of Jillian Michaels’ videos that were all about 30-35 minutes in length so it didn’t seem like that big of a hardship to get up earlier in the morning to get them done.  Then I would go for walks/jogs/bike rides in the afternoons.  I was a woman on a mission.

For the longest time, I blamed Insanity (the Beachbody program, not mental health issues) for derailing my progress.  While the program gave me phenomenal results, it totally changed up my workout routine.

Because the videos were 40-60 minutes long with LOTS of jumping and because I live in 4-plex with a downstairs neighbor, I changed my regular workout time.  I was no longer working out first thing in the morning.  You wouldn’t think switching to afternoon workouts would be that difficult, but it really messed with me mentally.  I HATED Insanity.  It seemed more repetitive than my previous workouts, and the videos were LONG and HARD.  I fought a constant mental battle to stay motivated and to not quit.  I made it through, but my mindset had changed drastically.  Working out was no longer as effortless as it had once been.  Still, I loved my results!

(I really want to get back to my back being that ripped and to not having to worry about having a muffin top.)

As I’ve said many times before, I took the month of December off from exercise.  Then in January I started doing T25 with my friend.  Because it also has a lot jumping/hopping and because I want to be courteous to my neighbors and because my friend is one of those crazy people that goes to work at 7, we did our workouts in the afternoon after work.  I’ve always given her credit for keeping me motivated and going when I wanted to quit.  I started to get back into a routine, and I was kicking butt!

Until we went away on a Girls’ Weekend and she started coaching track and was no longer there to motivate me.  I struggled March through May, but I didn’t quit.  I kept trying to get back on track.

Now I’m doing a daily fitness challenge that includes pushups, squats, and planks, and I am doing Turbo Fire.  I am really enjoying TF, and I make myself do the daily challenge because I have an accountability partner that I check-in with in one of my Facebook support groups.  Knowing I have to report to her gives me the mental push I need on the days that I want to skip.

Even though TF has longer workouts, I think I need to get back into my morning routine.  I just felt better when I started my day with exercise.  I could go to work already feeling accomplished.  My workout clothes were setting out in my workout room so I didn’t have to think beyond tying my shoes and pressing play.  Then I could devote my afternoon exercise to fun activities such as bike ride or walks with my trusty companion Bebe.

I want to get back to the feeling that finding the motivation to workout was effortless.

Lord knows I’ve failed repeatedly, but I keep trying to improve so I figure that has to be something.  I’m in a state of needing some serious self drive.  I need to find my intrinsic motivation once again.  Until then I will keep up the mind sweat of forcing myself to workout when I don’t feel like it.  I have absolute confidence that I will get there.  I always do much better when I have a plan!