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Monday, August 11, 2014

All Journeys Have A Beginning...

All journeys have a beginning
If you had told me six months ago that I would join a fitness Challenge Group, lose 7 pounds and 9 inches, and then decide to start helping other people lose weight or get fit by being a fitness coach, I probably would have shoved you right off the bathroom scale.

Heck, if you had told me that TWO months ago I would have laughed!

I used to always feel self-conscious about how I look. The way I felt about my body always bothered me. No one ever agreed with my less-than-favorable assessment of my weight, but that's either because they were being nice or because I've always been good at hiding my weight under the way I dress. Unfortunately, you can only hide so many pounds under a good sense of fashion.

Truth be told, I had gained ten pounds since Jake and I were married two years ago. Suddenly (ah-hem, or rather, not so suddenly) clothes that used to fit me great were tight and uncomfortable.

But my biggest problem? I never really had the guts or motivation to do anything about it. I would go through spurts where I'd take up running or try to cut back on sweets, but that would only last a few weeks.

My inability to commit was caused by three main hang-ups.

First, I was never very willing to get serious about my health with an accountability or fitness partner or workout program. Such commitment, to me, meant admitting that I really didn't like who I had let myself become—and not just to myself, but to others.

Second, there was the money. I'm a penny pincher by nature, and I could never get beyond the high prices of quality workout programs. At my job where I work third-shift, I've seen plenty of 3am infomercials for Insanity, T25, and other Beachbody programs, but I couldn't justify spending the money on them because I didn't think I had the dedication to make the investment worthwhile.

Finally, I knew that getting fit meant change. Serious change. And this gurl does not like change! In fact, I've been known to cry when things drastically change—just ask my husband! Getting serious about being healthy would mean changing what I eat, what I do with my time, and have a general impact on my life that would be anything but subtle.

But you know what? I finally got over those three things!

It's hard to define what happened. First, my husband and a friend started doing Insanity, by Sean T, a psychotic cardio-filled workout routine that actually made me pass out the first time I tried it. But, after seeing some of the results Jake was getting, I found myself craving for a workout program of my own.

Then I saw a friend doing a new fitness program called PiYo. It looked like something I could actually do without killing myself—or going insane—so I said, "Hey, what the heck? Might as well try it!" I committed to the eating plan. I committed to working out. And, believe it or not, I began to see results.

I found that instead of feeling self-conscience I felt empowered. Having people to hold me accountable made me feel like part of a team.

Instead of thinking that I was spending way too much money on workout programs, I started to realize that the money I was spending was an investment in my health, happiness, and future.

Instead of thinking of eating right and working out as hard, disruptive changes to my lifestyle, I started seeing it all as an enjoyable part of everyday living that is actually essential to how much I'm able to enjoy my life.

If you're like me and you're not okay with how you look and feel, but are hesitant to really do anything about it, you have come to the right place! Come along on my journey to being healthy and fit, and we'll enjoy life together along the way.

If reading this has got you thinking about what you can do to change your health for the better, consider joining me in my next Challenge Group. You can either leave a comment below or contact me.

Thanks for journeying with me ~Dani

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