By Flesh, we want quick sudden results. We expect those results to fall into perimeters we set up for ourselves. Where do you receive that preconception? Who told you that progress was based upon your expectations? Should they be the expectations of others? What if....then what...what about you? What if while you were trying to be something for someone else you realize that you were doing it all for the wrong reasons. What happens to your drive and tenacity when those others persons expectations are no longer there?
What's your drive? You want to get back into those high school skinny clothes? Perhaps you want to just get out of the Fat body you are in because you know "This is Just not me!" How about I want it so bad but I relish in all my past mistakes.
What if today and everyday was my "new" day?
When are we going to STOP being "new"? Every effort begins and soon (most often) fail. Then you are starting NEW again. Yet, I wonder aren't we all NEW? We constantly start a new Day, New Adventures, New moments of reflection, New Growth, new setbacks, new pitfalls, new self worth, new denials, new complaints, new excuses, new progress....the good and bad go on and on........
What you feel is so common to every other person on Earth that is doing something "new". You are never supposed to be Immune to change. It's never supposed to be easy. If it was easy then you would never see anyone struggle. It's why everyone thinks they have the Answer! Or Wait............the magic answer!
I want to say that my Biggest Tip for Losing 150 lbs and learning to maintain the last two years is to balance between being "uncomfortable" and finding your "comfort spot". I've come to learn that I need to live at least half my life in the comfort zone but I must always be willing to step out of my comfort zone by getting uncomfortable. Why do we need to be uncomfortable? It reminds us how easy it is to fall away, to fall back. It reminds us that progress can be lost. When you become comfortable then you likely eat more than you should, you likely eat more of the wrong things than you should. You likely skip work-outs and then slowly the fall away from the lifestyle happens. When you learn to create a life long balance between healthy clean eating and occasional splurges then you have created a sustainable balance. When you keep active and keep challenging yourself but learn that it's ok to take a few days off or let a week or even a month where you cut back on your training so you can allow for the ebb and flow of the life to take place.
Where I am is someplace new. Wow, actually I'm in lots of "new" adventures in my life right now. I'm in the middle of amazing experiences and amazing moments of complete surrender and I realized that because of the years I've had, that this past year has been about comfort for me. I've needed it. Between finding Jesus, losing my brother in law last fall, finding my Identity in Jesus has been my most recent adventure. Fully surrendering to Who God wants me to be. Revelation upon revelation would blow your mind away. If you know me well, don't fear to ask- I'll share :) I've taken a few weeks away from Coaching and my photography. Just working with a few last clients on both sides and in the meantime I've started my home schooling adventure with my three kids! Wow, I'm a Home-Schooling Momma ♥ It's been so far an amazing experience! I've let go of "me" and put them fully first. I will admit I have NOT done that the last four years of being in a healthy, fit lifestyle. I've always been a stay at home mom and spoiled and loved my kids like crazy, but I wanted it different, new and even MORE! I can be here but not be here...does that make sense? I can spend my day with them but how much was actually "with" them? I craved more with them! I crave to give back to them what I feel maybe I took away while I was so fixed on myself. I got selfish for the first time in my life when I got "healthy" and maybe I feel like I took it too far. I lost myself in problems and my marriage got rocky and my life was upside down for a least a year. My solitude was running and eating healthy it was my control when life was totally out of control. Actually it's still is, I'm not convinced that's a bad thing at all, so please don't take it that way! It's just that what I really needed was Jesus and now that I have him, life is different, complete and actually perfect. In my perfection through Christ I've learned to take comfort. I got so comfortable that getting uncomfortable made me weak. My tolerance for exertion physically was not there. I was not willing to get more uncomfortable with unwarranted or unhealthy food choices or occasional second helpings of something yummy!
In the last year I've gained ten lbs. When you lose 150lbs and maintain for two years this may not seem like a big deal. I won't make it one because really I've done this journey with complete honesty. The truth is I got to goal weight and and then did lots of strength training and gained lots of muscle and rested comfortable at 165-170lbs. Right now I'm at 178-180 lbs. I look back and think of all that this year has encompassed for me and I've not seen where I went "wrong" if anything the weight gain in random 2-3lb increments were always because of my lack of training. I've run maybe 600 miles so far this year and that should be more around 900 miles for me to maintain at what I'm used to eating. Learning to adjust my foods based upon my current fitness routine is likely the biggest maintaining struggle for me. In/out of training. In/out of several injury's this year. From 7 week knee tendinitis in spring to two separate shoulder injury's that stopped me from weight lifting, another 3 week foot injury, this past week I had strep throat. Point is, these are NOT excuses. This is my real, true life. These are real happenings that screw up my plans, lol. I'd much rather run/lift and stay consistent.
Through the struggle however, I've found that we are never meant to be in a state of complete balance. Life would certainly lack adventure if that were the case!
Point blank. I never gave up, I'm never giving up. I was new, will always continue to be new! I want you to know that everyday is NEW chance to make it the Best day you've ever had, or had in a long time! Yesterday's are learning experiences so that we don't repeat the future!
What's ahead? I was training for Marine Corps Marathon. Got a soft tissue bruise on my arch on a 14 miler. I had to rest on long runs for a full 3 weeks (putting me at peak) and ran 15 and that was sucky but done. Then I came down with Strep and swollen neck lymph nodes and well, I just don't have the confidence to Run Marine Corps so ill prepared. I could walk/run it and come in around 4:30 or even slower, but it's not written in the stars for this Race. Despite paying for it already and putting 250 dollars of my own money into the charity, I'll just let "go" and move forward with some new ideas to keep me moving and inspired! I love fall running so I'm all geeked out about running outside! I have plans to blog on a ZERO processed foods 30 day challenge I'm going to take and plan to blog that experience here! I don't eat dirty processed foods, I actually pay lots extra for healthy frozen/processed foods just because I do still do enjoy foods that are processed like tater tots, lol *hey we all need a healthy tater tot once in a while ;-)
Blessings
~Coach Connie
Oh and I just turned 35 and I feel AMAZING ♥
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