The Ugly Truth...
Ever have those days when you feel like all the odds are stacked against you? You try and remain positive and tell yourself, "The day can only look up from here"...just to have another thing happen? I'll be completely honest. I had a week of those days this past week, and it completely put me off my game.
Nope, I should say it put me FURTHER off my game-because the week before that, we had traveled to Ohio to visit family. Even though I had brought my workout stuff to do my workouts and drank my Shakeology every day, I still felt "off" from my schedule and had been looking forward to getting back into it this past week. It was also my second and last "rest" week before starting up another round of something, and everything that could go wrong, I felt did.
My allergies. UGH the allergies! Most days I woke up early when my alarm went off with a SPLITTING headache that often lasted all day, despite taking Advil for it. On those days I didn't have a headache, my face hurt, my eyes even hurt, combined with the runny nose and sneezing...I don't know what is blooming outside right now, but kuddos to it because it TOTALLY kicked my butt this past week! As a result, I often went back to bed and only managed to get up early one day and get my workout done right off the bat. That alone left me feeling like a big time slacker and disappointed with myself, even though I knew that anyone that had a vicious headache like that would've felt the same. Trying to fit that workout into my crazy day with the little ones though was often a battle, because that's when my brain starts to come up with all the excuses as to why it should get put off. When I get it done first thing in the morning, I don't have to deal with that or with feeling exhausted from a long day going into my workout. Most days, however, I still managed to get my workout done...until I tried doing one and tweaked my good knee (seriously, what are the odds?), making me lay off any lower-body exercise for two days before successfully attempting it again.
And those were just the personal struggles. I also had a week of two little ones fighting off a cold, a 4-year-old continuing through a rough stage of melt-downs, challenging me every opportunity he gets, and using his new favorite word, "NO!" for everything, and his two-year-old little sister has been observing all this and testing the waters to see how it goes when she tries it, too. Combine that with the dog puking multiple days in a row and just the usual every-day happenings, it was just a LONG, CRAZY week!
With my exercise routine being off, feeling like cr** due to allergies, and feeling stressed out with everything, some of my old eating habits presented themselves again and those negative thoughts started creeping back into my head and I became harder on myself. The excuses were coming easier, my self-will was weakened, and through it all, I KNEW I could and should be trying harder...
...and yet I didn't always. I thought, I'm a coach, right? I should be able to practice what I preach and "power through" and get it all done. Except, that isn't realistic, either. I'm a coach, yes, and I do most often try to have a positive mindset and carry that over into my actions, but I'm also human, too. I'm still also a mom to two, very adorable, very active, and very strong-willed toddlers. I'm still a wife to my very loving and hard-working husband. To be able to do it all, while expecting myself to be perfect all.the.time.? That's partly why I was in the position I was before I started this journey. That expectation of myself got me nowhere and nothing but depression and self-loathing. I'm technically still a "newbie" to this new lifestyle, and am learning just like everyone else I'm working with is. The key is not to let a cheat day become more than that-a few days, a week, etc...and I didn't do so well with that last week. And the big difference is, now I can recognize that and am getting myself back on track.
Tomorrow starts a new week, and a new round for me! Originally I was going to attempt a round of the 21 Day Fix Extreme, but this time, I'm deciding to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and am going for a program that, I won't lie, scares me a bit. Ok, scares me a LOT! Tomorrow I'll be starting Insanity Max: 30 which is an intense program that lasts for 60 days. I'm nervous about being able to make it through the the full thirty minutes, and sticking to it for a the whole sixty days. That's more than twice as long as the program I've been doing since early March! BUT I'm needing some new inspiration and motivation, and love Shaun T., so am also excited to see what's in store!
Watch out for my daily accountability pictures this week, because I'm vowing to myself that I CAN, and I WILL do this! I WILL get back on track this week, because last week is in the past and is now old news. I refuse to let it dim my light or continue to sidetrack me from my goals that I've been working so hard for the past few months. Audios laziness and bad habits, I'm taking control again and I don't have time or patience for those behaviors! Bring on the new week and Shaun T., I'm ready! ;)
