Thursday, September 29, 2016

#imjudgingyourworkout

A couple of weeks ago I may have indicated that I was going to write a post about judging other people's workouts.  I may have indicated that I would be writing that post in the next 24 hour window.

Well.

I lied.

It's been more like 24 days, but I'm almost a woman of my word...so here it is!

I've been noticing something.  Something "trending" if you will.  And I am guilty of this something, so I can't get too high on my horse.  But something happens when you adopt a new fitness regimen.  Something happens when you start working out.  It's very similar to what happens when you start a new diet.  For example, Sunday you loved carbs, now it's Monday, you are on Atkins, and suddenly all other humans who eat carbs are RIDICULOUS...and you are looking at their pictures on instagram of their lasagna like..."Oh my god.  HOW can you eat that"?.

You know what I am talking about.  Food shaming is an entirely different post though...so I digress...

What I am referring to is workout shaming.  

Possible types of popular working outs:

-Running
-Cycling
-Crossfit
-Personal Training
-Videos
-Weight lifting
-Barre
-Yoga
-Gym Membership

Possible thoughts you (or I) may have had in relation to these popular working outs:

-Running: "Oh yeah...but running is so hard on your body".
-Cycling: "Oh yeah...Cycling is SO expensive."
-Crossfit: "Uh...yeah.  You're going to get hurt. Crossfit is for douchebags."
-Personal Training: "I would never PAY someone to show me how to workout."
-Videos: "Yeah...those are fine but I like a REAL workout with REAL weights."
-Weight lifting: "I don't want to look like a man.  I'm just into toning."
-Barre: "It's kinda like "sorority girls who lunch". Sorry I don't have time to go in full makeup and work on my toe points.
-Yoga: "Yoga is glorified stretching. It's not a real workout."
-Gym membership: "Why pay for a place to workout when you can do it at home for free?" (You can break this down even further by judging WHAT type of gym membership you have...


Are ya'll scooping what I am pooping?  Are you picking up what I'm putting down?  What we need to realize is that to each their own.  What works for you, what gets you all pumped up, may not be for everyone.  I HATE workout videos.  I end up standing in my living room staring at the ceiling, or laying in fetal position talking to my dogs.  But some people love them.  I HATE running.  It never became a stress release for me.  I never found my runners high.  But some people love that shit.  And it's okay if some of ya'll lift 3 pound weights and feel satisfied  I realize that not all girls want to see their muscles.  We are all on a journey (even though there are detours) to find out what will make us healthy.  And instead of judging other's for the path they have chosen, we should listen and support.  We should lift each other up.  We should share in their conversation and try to remove any negative comments we would like to add.  

And this takes some practice.  At least for me.  I have to mentally check myself preeeetttty often.  I have to say "No No Amy...hush that negativity."  And even if I can't completely stop judging other's and how they workout...like if my brain just WON'T stop talking to me...I can control what comes out of my mouth.  Or I can try :)

If You Could Do It Different

I don't really believe in regret.  I don't really want to go back in time and change anything, because I believe all my life choices, all the mistakes and wins, all the good and bad have brought me here...and if I were to change something in my past, well, ipso facto, it would change my present.

But SOMETIMES I do like to play a game in my head called "IF I believed in going back in time and doing things differently, what would those "things" be".

So let's play.

1.  I wouldn't have dropped out of gymnastics at 6 due to the fact I thought I was too fat for my instructors to support me doing an aerial.  Like seriously.  I was just a normal sized girl.

2.  I would have done weight lifting in high school instead of being intimidated by the athletic dudes.  I could have tore it up!

3.  I would have had better sex.  Lord have mercy.  How many years does it take us to realize that sex is not just about the other person getting off?  Took me until I as abooooout 30.  If I went back in time I would be like "Uh, no sirs.  We aren't done here.  It's me time".

4.  I would have studied abroad in college.

5.  I would have taken Spanish 3 in college.

6.  I would have only taken enough student loans to pay for school...instead of looking at 40 solid years of paying it off.  Lord.

Well.  This turned out to be slightly boring because I cannot think of anything else! lol.  What about you?  Would you have done anything differently?

Thursday, September 8, 2016

A Year Old. None The Wiser.

Today is my birthday.

I am 37 years old.

I wish I could say that this day finds me not just older, but also wiser...but  it doesn't.  It's been a rough month for me.  Maybe a rough couple of months.  And I wish today wasn't my birthday...because I love my birthday...and my heart just isn't in it.

But it is, so in order to have the smile everyone will expect I have two goals today.  1.  Not to cry.  and 2. To focus on all that I have.

What I am thankful for, in no certain order:

-A body that is healthier than it has ever been
-A wife that loves me
-My fur babies.  I love them.
-My friends that love me and are there for me.
-My muscles.
-My family.
-Tacos and all types of cheese.
-A roof over my head and food in my belly (see above bullet point)
-My health

September 8, 2016.