Tough

This word just keeps showing up in my vocabulary lately. I am behind on updating my exercising status, but I sure do read about others a lot. I have a friend that has a fitness blog, and I sort of follow through from there to other blogs or sites just like it. They inspire me to do more, be healthy, eat healthy, push myself in my workouts, and just be 'better'. I won't ever be a competitor, but I can still make myself feel like a winner. Right?

If I put goals in front of me, it excites me to reach them. Then when I reach them, I go with "ok, now what's my next one!" I was reading Lori's about the pull up and her goal of being able to do a complete workout(WOD) with mulitiple unassited pull ups. I thought, well darn it. My goal is only to do 10 pullups. That just sounds so easy to me. Not so much as easy, right now I am only at 7, and it is a 'tough' 7. Of course, if that is all I am doing and not working out along with that set, this seems to be a cop out out to me. I should never sell myself short. I am already short enough. I believe I am capable of more.

Leads me to the goal after the goal of 10 pullups.....- I have learned the only way to allow myself to grow emotionally, physically, and mentally is by pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Change. Different isn't always better, but better is always different. Examples could be doing a bench press with the bar vs. doing it with the dumbells in fear of the "other" side of the gym. Or going for the 12th rep, when I went in saying I am gonna get at least 10. Or going over to that "man" side of the gym to pick up the bar and do some Romananian deadlifts, or push jerks. Girls do not do that at my gym, and you can tell by some of the sideways glances I get from the "regulars". It's definately different from what others see in the gym. But now they expect me to do this because I have been for months. I need to come up with the next "wow" in my regimand.

The NEXT goal is going to be starting a workout with 10 pullups. (Remember I have yet to face that bar at the gym). That will be one exercise/lift within my WOD that day. Now I know on the second set, I won't get 10 pullups, because my arms/body may be a bit tired after one full set, but I will go on to do another set of them all the way through my entire routine.

How can I put in words, that this just plain excites me?! It is hard not to compare to all the other go-getters out there. But what is great for one, may be nothing for another. Me. I saw a picture today of a petite flexed woman hanging from the chinup bar with a 35lb kettle ball hanging from her belt. WTH? does that mean she is doing chinups with 35lbs more than her weight? AMAZING! For those that don't know lifting your entire "hanging" body weight to get your chin above the bar, is not a small feat by any means. So, to do it with extra is downright exceptional.

When I started this adventure last winter, I remembered telling Jake. "OK, so instead of only doing cardio and light weights, I am going to start lifting. I know I will bulk up, its in the genes, but I have to do this for myself. Sorry, if I turn up looking too manly" LOL. I have always been afraid of looking too buff that is why I always stayed away from too much weight in fear of a huge bum (as Ben would say) or big shoulders. As my aging, mother of two beautiful babies, body will only continue to sag, I decided not only do I want this toning, but I want to be in the best shape of my life. Who says I can't do it at 31?

Funny, I say "too much" weight, now I am constantly testing myself at how much more weight I can do. And if my muscles aren't quite burning, then it really isn't a workout, is it? Or if I didn't grunt or yelp in a sound of pain, then it wasn't enough. Lol.

I laugh a little at myself, reading words that to some may sound a little absurd or just plain ridiculous.

Truth is there is one huge motivator. My family. Jake, Ben, and Jonna. To be healthy and be in the best shape of my life means I am going to have more quality life with the short time on this earth that I have with my babies. I want the best of it. Not only that, I am lengthening the time in which I feel I will get to enjoy them. I want to be like my Dad. 60 years old, running and playing football/soccer with my grandkids. Heck, I want to be 70 and still be able to do 10 pullups.

I want to be 55 years old retired with my goodlooking husband traveling the world. scubadiving, salmon fishing in Alaska, climbing a cliff near a waterfall in Hawaii, or trekking a mountain trail somewhere in Europe. Oh yes, this too shall be.

I have lots of other little motivators too. It may come from reading other's experiences or so much as listening to Cowboy by Kid Rock or Black Betty by Spiderbait. Go ahead and listen to Black Betty while working out and don't feel that swift kick into high gear. It's like my own little personal trainer sounding off in my head to give it one more push, pull, or rep. It's actually a really awesome feel good time. I work out so much better with music pounding, and sometimes it keeps my mind on the finish line. Focus. Point: If I have headphones in at the gym, there really isn't too many people that will bother me or try to strike up a conversation. Yes, socializing at the gym can be a bit of a hobby for some. Heck, I seriously have exactly 28 minutes to get my workout in. I have it timed just right. Is it selfish, that if my battery dies, I still leave them in my ears so people think I am listening. lol.

So, moral of my ranting today: Be tough. Be motivated. Be different. Whether you do it just for yourself, or for your family. But most of all...just be better. Whether it's in a WOD or just in being.

As my favorite logo speaks, "better than yesterday."