Before I get to today’s actual post, I just wanted to share that my weight loss story was featured on Women’s Health!
It was nearly five years ago that I reached my goal weight, so it feels weird talking about my journey since I’ve been on the after side for so long. As I read the comments my friends left when I shared it on Facebook, I teared up thinking about how lucky I am to have such supportive people in my life.
But, of course, I wasn’t always an “after,” and that’s where today’s story will start.
The other day, I was having a drink with my buddy Heather. I don’t remember what we were talking about, but I asked her if she’d ever seen my “fat license.” (My driver’s license from when I was overweight.) I used to always carry it around in my wallet as a party trick, but now I just show someone the before-and-after on this blog if the subject of my weight loss comes up.
She asked how I’d gained the weight since we’d been talking about the high school sports we played, and I told her it was because I didn’t know how to work out on my own and …college food.
My junior year of college, my roommate at the time had just come back from studying abroad in Italy and brought back a few extra pounds with her that she wanted to lose. She talked me into joining Washington Sports Club with her, and we’d go nearly every day of the week, either using the ellipticals or taking Total Body Conditioning classes. She was a good cook and loved to be in the kitchen, so she’d make us healthy meals at our apartment. Yet she lost weight, and I didn’t.
Why?
I was lazy. I took the easy way. I didn’t know working out was supposed to be so hard if you wanted to see results.
I didn’t put resistance on that elliptical. I picked up the lightest weights I could in those TBC classes. I stopped a few reps before we were done.
“It’s not supposed to be easy,” I told Heather, “but I definitely didn’t know that.” I didn’t know that pushing yourself until you were all hot and sweaty and had left everything out there was what would get results. I didn’t know other people were struggling, too. I thought sweating was weakness, that it meant that you weren’t fit enough to do these exercises without breaking a sweat. I had no idea sweat was actually strength, that it meant you were working hard.
One of our DailyBurn trainers, the adorable Anja, always says in her videos “It’s not supposed to be easy!” And her workouts are killer, so it’s always a good reminder that if it feels hard, you’re doing it right.
And these days, I LOVE when it feels hard and giving it my all in my workouts. I feel proud and accomplished at the end.
I agree, it’s easy to be thinking about other things or not put 100% into your workout. Sometimes I just plain don’t feel like working out, but I push myself to do it. Someone told me once that if it was easy everyone would do it. It definitely takes determination to get in a tough workout.
I really love this post! I think you are 100% right, we forget it is supposed to be hard! thank you for that reminder!!
AMEN! I didn’t have my alarm go off at 5:30 this morning because I wanted it to, but I did want to do an indoor triathlon to see where I’m at for the beginning of the year. I did push myself on the swim, but I gave myself a little grace on the bike and run because I know what I’m capable of when I’m properly trained, and I knew how long it has been since I was in training.
I love this post. I think a big point is the lifestyle change. It’s more than just the daily gym session, it’s how you approach your free time – like you said – hanging out w/ friends for a workout and signing up for races commits you to this change in a deeper way. I actually thought alot about that here: http://cuckoolemon.com/2014/12/29/an-active-lifestyle-versus-a-gym-junkie/
And I love YOUR post! I hate “the gym” (ie just going to a gym, hopping on a machine, etc) but I love living an active lifestyle.
Thank you!
AMEN SISTER.
it’s a commitment
a RE-COMMITMENT to the hard each morning.
xo
My favorite fitness/health quote is “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” (Can also be applied to everything in life!) I think it’s completely true.
Already said this on Twitter, but awesome post! I think we all have are days where we slide through so this is going to be my new motto on days when I am not necessarily feeling it!
I almost feel like it gets harder once the initial weight comes off then is the never ending struggle of keeping it off. I have ebbs and flows with mine. And you’re right it’s not supposed to be easy.
Did you manage to keep the weight off? I lost 40 pounds a few years back and found it was not maintainable. i gained back some of it and find it’s a lot easier to have balance !
I’ve kept most of it off, save for about 5-7 pounds I keep fluctuating between.
Love this! (And I love that you’re being featured on Women’s Health!) Years ago, I also thought of sweat as a sign of weakness or out-of-shape-ness. Now, I will do almost anything to break a sweat!!! I love being a hot, sweaty, (strong) mess.
this is something that i consistently remind myself of — it isn’t supposed to be easy because it isn’t easy! and the day that it gets easy is that day that you have to push yourself further out of your comfort zone (for me, signing up for my first half-marathon in february). thanks for this reminder, and congrats on women’s health!
I think that’s just such fabulous advice! And, I never thought of it until you said it, that some people may not know it’s supposed to hard.