Whassup guys?! So, this week I’ve been acting like a “cross-fitting, vegetarian lawyer… Meaning I’ve been telling everyone with ears because I’m just so excited about it! I got a new car! I’ve had a 2002 Chevy Cavalier since I was 16 years old. It was good to me, with the exception of an a/c that was very disobedient. At the end there, only the highest setting of a/c worked, the check engine light and brake system light was on, the front right blinker was out, the tag light was completely missing, the dashboard was basically shattered, the tint was peeling off all the windows and the paint job was atrocious. Even with all that it was a trusty car! She will always hold a place in my heart. So what’s the new one? It’s a pearl white 2013 Kia Forte and I am IN LOVE. Her name is Pearl… fitting. She’s got a lot of pep in her step! Not to mention she has power windows! My fiance has truly outdone himself.

Okay, so work is going great. I’ve had so much fun working with other people and helping them switch up their workouts that I’ve started to switch up mine too. I realized I was stuck in the same routine for too long and I was starting to lose momentum and motivation. I’ve really stepped it up the past week and I’m already feeling a difference.  My body is sore again in all the right ways. GAWD I missed that feeling. I put myself on the back burner because I was too worried about making workouts for everyone else. Since I work most mornings and nights, with Sunday’s being my only day off, I just didn’t have the energy for a solid workout. It was beginning to take a toll. I decided that I was going to start setting aside time for my own workouts after my morning shifts. It’s been FAN-friggin-tastic! I have so much energy in the morning!

So I was towards the end of my workout a few mornings ago, drenched in sweat and a lady approached me. She had overheard me talking about wedding stuff with another member and came over to congratulate me. We got to talking and I introduced myself as a trainer there. She said, “I was wondering to myself… She’s in great shape. What is she doing here?” My reply was something like, “Well, I gotta keep up appearances, ya know? No one’s going to trust a trainer that doesn’t workout!” Personally, I think she already knew that I was a trainer, but I’m learning to throw that into every conversation anyway, just in case… 😉 Hey! You never know who may need help, right?! I think that’s exactly why she approached me. Anyway, she was asking how to firm up that little roll of skin that hangs over the back of your sports bra right behind your arms. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about, right? I explained to her what she could do to work on that (cardio, diet and lat pull downs… lol). She thanked me for the help and continued with her workout. I finished up my workout but I couldn’t stop thinking about what she had said.

First off, I feel like I’m in good shape but I’m not in great shape. I haven’t been in great shape since like March. I could stand to lose a few more pounds. I’m getting there, but it’s a process. I went from great to good because I started to slack on both diet and exercise. A lot of people that are out of shape or trying to get into shape seem to have this idea that it’s temporary. Diet and exercise are not temporary. You can’t lose a bunch of weight, gain strength and endurance and then just… quit. You know what will happen? You’ll get fat, weak and lazy again. I don’t mean to be harsh, I’m just being honest. What am I doing working out? I’m trying to get back to the shape that I was in last Spring. Once I get there, I’ll still be in the gym because if I don’t, I’m going to have to start all over again. My point is, it’s very important for you to understand that when you begin a fitness journey, it’s a one way trip. There is no end to the journey. You have to stay consistent. This leads me to my next point, which validates everything I’ve been saying. BALANCE is KEY to your SUCCESS. I get questions about nutrition all the time. While I don’t have any nutrition certifications, yet, I can tell you this: no carb, low carb, no fat, low fat diets ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE long term. A healthy balance is the only sustainable to way to live a long, happy, healthy life! (Go read this post to learn how to do that). You can’t give up. You can’t have an end date. Fitness is life altering, but don’t look at that as a bad thing! Once you start, you’ll feel so, SO good.

I’m going to share a few of my workouts with you guys next week. It’s important to switch things up because you’ll shock your body, work harder and have more fun! Don’t let yourself get bored. Boredom leads to quitting. What exercise makes you most sore? What exercise do you enjoy most? Let me know in the comment section below!

Until next time…