Every time. I keep saying, “No, this one is worse than that one.”
Supers
Isos
Faster music (which equates to a faster pace)
And then... Pump sets
And today... Sally Push-ups. I’m not sure I ever want to hear the song Flower by Moby ever again (also known as Bring Sally Up).
And, AND, I hear that something even more fun awaits us next week. I’ll stop being surprised that the workouts can keep getting more difficult. And I will stop saying that each new one is the most torturous. Because clearly I don’t know what I’m talking about.
I’ve just completed Week 8. Only two more to go and then I’ve conquered the 10 week challenge. Let me say that again, just so it will sink into my brain:
Only two more weeks to go. 12 workouts.
If you could see me now, you would see a very unflattering happy dance. Not because it’s almost over. I’ve already signed up for the year session, so I have a long way to go. I’m dancing because I’ve almost made it! Over the past 8 weeks I’ve stuck to this plan more than any other plan I’ve attempted in the past. This week was honestly the first time where one day I thought, “Do I have to go? Would it hurt if I just skipped one workout?” I’m glad for that moment of weakness though—it confirms that I am still normal and that I haven’t been possessed by Hans or Franz (we’re here to pump [clap] you up).
I went to my workout, despite my temptation to stay home and write. It’s this little temptation that inspired my topic for this week’s update:
How I’ve managed to stay motivated.
Fun Day
I had to start with this one. Not because it’s my main motivator, but if I were giving out an M.I.M. (Most Improved Motivator) award it would go to Fun Day. If you remember from my earlier posts, I started this program terrified of Fun Day. Over the weeks I’ve learned that I can eat a few of the things I love—chocolate, pizza, ice cream, chocolate, Sprite Zero, Count Chocula cereal, hot chocolate... hmm, I’m noticing a theme here—but I don’t go overboard. I don’t binge out or get carried away. When the next day dawns, I’m back on track. It was important for me to learn that I can control how much of these wonderfully delicious items I eat.
I also learned that having Fun Day ahead of me helps push off any cravings I might have. On Friday my daughter’s Halloween candy was looking (smelling) really good. However, I was able to tell myself, “One more day. Five more meals. I’ve got this.” I understand now why I was encouraged to embrace Fun Day. I’m still not so sure about FXB’s idea of Fun Friday, but I’ll easily champion Fun Day!
MyFitnessPal
I don’t like tracking my food. Call me impatient, but I don’t like taking the time to write down all the info. This little app makes it sooooo easy. Scan the bar code and done. I can even look up menu items at many restaurants. And, it automatically syncs to my HealthMiles account. This is a huge help in keeping me on track each day.
Counts per Meal
It has been very helpful to have targets to hit for each meal that are balanced. No loading up on carbs for one meal and slacking on the next. Even though MyFitnessPal makes tracking easy, there are still times when I don’t log everything until the end of the day. If I were required to count some sort of total for the day, I’d lose track of where I was and it would be a lot more likely that I’d go over or under. Then I’d be likely to just forgo the whole thing and dig into the Halloween pumpkin container because why not—I’ve already blown it. With this plan, if I don’t have time to log meals immediately I still know my counts at meal time. Snap, snap!
The People
I’ve said this in earlier posts, but all the people at FXB are amazing. I really do enjoy going to the gym to interact with my other gym-mates and the instructors/coaches/staff. We’re all in this together. And, we also know that those FIT members who are kicking the bag well above their heads have all been through the same thing at some point in time. We’ve all done the same grueling workouts. At some point we’ve all felt the burn in our legs and were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to get off the mat at the end of the workout. There’s motivation in knowing that we’re all getting stronger together.
In addition, it’s clear that everyone there genuinely wants to see everyone else succeed. There are no ‘good jobs’ uttered just because it’s the polite thing to say. It’s said with conviction and encouragement.
My Progress
Unlike some programs I’ve been on, there’s no weekly weigh-in to motivate, or demotivate, me. I’ve had to find alternative forms of measurement to track my progress. Here’s a short list of things I’ve noticed over the past 8 weeks (other than the push-ups/sit-ups/mile that’s tracked at the check-in):
- I can do burpees
- I can do planks; this last workout I did them elbows and toes rather than elbows and knees (virtual high-five!)
- In some exercises I’m now using the purple bands (highest level of resistance)
- I no longer face plant at the end of a round of hydrants
- I’m punching/kicking the bag a little harder at each workout
- I can tell that my flexibility is better
In my Week 5 update I shared with you that I have lost pounds and inches so far. However, there have still been days where I didn’t feel it in my clothes. I didn’t see it in the mirror. Others at the gym would tell me they could see I’d lost, but it wasn’t consistent for me. In the couple weeks following the check-in I didn’t feel as if I’d lost any additional pounds or inches. Having other positive things to focus on helped me fight off the parasitic doubts that wanted to take me off course. As a result, I’ve kept chugging and like a light switch I’ve suddenly been able to feel the difference each day.
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