We’re right here at the cusp of another new year. New politics. New players. All kinds of new stuff.
Are you ready?
One of the things I did this year was make a conscious effort to take control of my health. I will say that I was not experiencing any real serious problems, other than my standardized griping about my weight. However, the older I get the more I realize the importance of taking care of those insides and I have made strong strides to do so.
These days I’m working with a nutritionist and a couple coaches (shout out Toni, Ally & Wade). I lost quite a bit of weight on my own over the last two years (like 70 pounds!)…..slo-o-o-o-owly. Now I promise you that was not my intention, to go slow, but it turns out that’s a good thing. I’ve learned a lot the last few months about building and feeding muscle, and how not to lose all that muscle when you drop weight. With all the metabolic chaos that being an over 50 female brings, I feel like things are finally in check. I still have some weight to lose, but I’ve actually reached the point of needing new clothes because everything is falling off me! Big ol’ pat on the back there!
Because I’m generally paying attention to fitness influencers, whenever someone peaks my interest I start following them on various platforms and seek knowledge. This is how my coaches came into play, a couple my own age that got in shape after 50. But after watching the Arnold Schwarzenegger mini documentary, I took a real interest in him. Of course I knew him from movies, his bodybuilding and political careers, but I really thought the documentary was so good I watched it a couple times. It was one of those deals where you realize that some people have not just had some serious hardships and rough starts in life, but overcame them. Not that you want to ride a wave because of anyone else’s misfortune, but my own troubles suddenly seemed very, very small. I immediately started checking him out on the web and came across his “Pump Club”. I subscribed to the newsletter and now receive regular motivational emails from Arnold and his staff of two or three people.
One of the more recent messages from Arnold came a few days after Thanksgiving. December 2nd to be exact. After pointing out that we had just flipped our calendars to December and had one month left of the year, he asked his readers “are you going to finish this year strong?” Solid question. This is when many people start really screwing off their diets, fitness, nutrition, etc. and start making January resolutions. One of the things he said was that 92% of resolutions fail (92% !!). He said that resolutions are just pure procrastination and you know what? He’s not wrong. He went on to ask “do you really believe that if you’re not willing to do the work right now you’ll be willing to do it in January?” OUCH. Right again. Truth is, I’ve been at this for a couple years and am finally starting to see the fruits of my labor. Nothing changes for me in December. Or January. Or any other month. Not this time. I’ve stuck this year out with my daughter’s wedding, a vacation, and ankle surgery and I’m still going strong.
One of the very first things I heard my coach say was that we treat our cars better than we treat our bodies. She’s not wrong either. We would never dump sugar down the gas tank and expect it to run properly. We would also never speak to our friends the way we can sometimes speak negatively to ourselves when we mess up or don’t meet our fitness and nutrition goals for the day. But are we blowing off December and waiting to get back on track in January? Noooooo. Absolutely not. Today is just another day, another month, and another year of living a healthy lifestyle. We sometimes slip, and fall, and get right back up and keep going.
Will you charge forth with purpose? I know I am. I’ve been through easily the hardest two years of my life losing both my parents and some very dear friends, but it only inspires me to work harder. I don’t plan to be a new year’s resolution statistic nor do I plan to ignore my health. I’m lucky to have coaches these last few months that reach out to me on a regular basis. We talk on the phone. We have zoom meetings with her other clients and talk collectively as a team. We help and support each other when we want to give up. We celebrate our wins together. I have a supportive boyfriend, daughter, and friends who lift me up and encourage me every day. Because Arnold or Ally or any other coach can tell you what to do, but let’s face it…they can’t do the work for you. This can relate to anything from health, to fitness, to maybe facing some demons in your own closet. To be well mentally, physically, spiritually….you must do the work. You have to get real with yourself and whatever obstacles are in front of you. They won’t magically disappear on December 31st.
I’ve seen some stuff these last two years (like three unexpected strokes that killed people, amongst other things) that made me take pause, and give me more driving force than ever before. But like Arnold says “Your work starts today. Get going. Finish strong.”
We got this. You got this. Finish strong.
Start 2025 stronger.
Credits:
https://www.thebodgarage.com/home
photo credit: pixels
Chaos & Naked Grace 
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