FINDING MY FITNESS
“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”
I was an nonathletic child. Growing up I wanted to be a famous actress/singer whatever did not get me closer to those goals, aka throwing balls or hiking, then I was NOT doing them.
Flash forward to my first boyfriend in college. He was tall and so athletically gifted at everything. I swooned over how well he could catch a frisbee. Eventually through dating him for several years, I started throwing and catching frisbees too, as well as playing soccer, hiking and running half-marathons.
While our relationship didn’t last, he does get a lot of credit for helping me to start being active. He used to have to bribe me with a post-workout ice cream treat in order to get me to do any sort of physical activity. Real talk: this trick still works on me.
That’s where I spent most of my 20s for fitness. I ran some half-marathons, started long-board skateboarding, surfing, and kayaking but I always felt like I was too late to the game to be really good at any of these things. I also started taking workout classes with my best friend. These were often hilarious endeavors as I had no training in any sort of weight-lifting or hand-eye coordination. I was that person in class. You know the one. The person who is struggle-busing the whole workout. So uncoordinated and covered in sweat.
But I kept with it. I found one full-body weight lifting class with an amazing teacher Ashley Bracelin once I got to dental school. She took my fitness to another level by taking the time to teach each squat, lunge or bicep curl properly. She taught me that it doesn’t matter how much you lift, as long as you’re doing it effectively and in the correct positions.
Fitness for me has been a resource for happiness when all other things around me seem to be crumbling. As Elle Woods famously said in Legally Blonde, “Working out gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill people.”
Now I don’t believe that it’s a cure-all for everything. But for me, it’s been a way of controlling myself. Through a good sweat sesh, I feel released and re-centered. It turns off that “monkey brain.” You know, that part of your brain that just keeps running around in circles without letting your subconscious relax. Working out pushes all those other worries and feelings to the side, giving my mind a mental break.
I am by no means in perfect shape. I have cellulite and will probably never have a real thigh gap. And these imperfections have been true for me since I was in 8th grade. The difference is the older I get the more comfortable I am with these issues. I realize that I am a work in progress. Through taking before and after photos over the last two years, I can definitely see what progress I’ve made by incorporating weight lifting into my life 3-4 times a week. I do some sort of cardio at least two times a week, whether it’s a HIIT workout, a bike ride or a long walk. This is manageable to me, and keeps me getting stronger, while not taking over my life.
May 2017 January 2018
Tips for Finding Sustainable Fitness
Step 1: Find physical activity you love to do.
I am a firm believer that everyone – no matter how much they loathe working out- have activities that they don’t mind. Love to dance? Join a dance class! I love to dance (but am very bad) and when I don’t feel like working out, sometimes go to YouTube to learn a Michael Jackson dance (watch below). Like walks? Go on some long walks! Like pilates? Join a pilates studio.
In this day and age, we have access to so many different types of workout classes from the comfort of our own home. Reformer Pilates or Crossfit can be really expensive but there are a lot of workouts that are similar that you can do from home. The Nike Training Club is another great and FREE workout app that shows you the moves and gets a good sweat going. I also follow a couple of instagram fitness account such as Stef_Fit which give almost daily workouts and help me decide what I want to do at the gym.
I’m also a believer in spending money in exercise that your love. My gym that I joined in my previous job was way more expensive than most gyms, but it was right by my house and right next to my work. When the workout location is close to where you live or work, it makes your excuses to not workout so much less. If you enjoy what you’re doing and you enjoy where you’re doing it – then you’re much more likely to do it!
Step 2: Exercise with a friend!
I have grown the most in my on-going fitness journey by working out with people who were stronger and more fit with me. Was it occasionally ego-bruising to do a workout class and to be the least-coordinated? Yes, it was, but at least with a friend there, we can laugh about it together. Ask a friend who works out consistently if you can join them and do one of their workouts. It will probably be harder than something you would have chosen for yourself, but you’ll be doing it together.
Switching up my workout routine by trying an Aerial Circus class with my brother, Luke.
Step 3: Make some eating adjustments.
Now everyone is different when it comes to eating and diets, but for me, I don’t do diets. What I’ve tried to do over the years is to figure out things to make that are both easy and delicious. I am an avid lover of food, and if it doesn’t taste delicious then I’m not going to want to eat it. For me this means, that if I think that regular fried rice is a million times more delicious than cauliflower fried rice, then I’m not going to try to force myself to eat cauliflower fried rice! I’ll just eat regular fried rice (one of my favorite foods btw) as a treat every once in a while. There are plenty of other things I can make with cauliflower (aka “mashed potatoes” or roasted) that I will enjoy eating.
Cauliflower ‘Rice’ Paleo Red Curry with Brussel Sprouts.
If you love drinking beverages other than water, try a healthier version of them (aka water + add some fresh fruits for flavor, La Croix, unsweetened tea, etc.). All of these little minor adjustments add up and make a difference over time.
Step 4: Plan Ahead!
Ugh! This one is so hard to do because the rebel inside me doesn’t want to plan things! I just want them to happen organically. But learning discipline in both eating and working out starts by planning ahead. Pack your gym bag ahead of time and figure out what your workout is going to be. Pack your meals and pick a day of the week to do your meal prep so you have healthy options going forward. I’ll admit, it’s a lot easier for me to plan working out than it is eating and I’m still working on meal-prep.
Step 5: This is a Process
Finding your fitness is a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in a series of small decisions over time. Stay committed to the idea and know that you’ll have days where you eat too many nachos and drink a margarita. That’s ok! Life is meant to be enjoyed. Think of your fitness journey as a long road trip. You’re going to make pit-stops, but that doesn’t mean your journey ends there. Keep your end goal in mind and realize that it takes a long time to change habits.
