It's no secret to anyone who has ever resolved to start working out, or eating better or just generally be a healthier version of their former self; doing the right things for your body can be an uphill battle. In my experience, the best way to get up that hill is to climb it with someone else who wants to get to the top just as badly as you.
When you and Jack (or in my case, Zach) have a well laid plan to get to the top, you finally start to see some movement toward the ultimate goal, and you decide it's time to order a custom made, swarovski crystal covered pail for that water. Then you fall down and break your....well, your wrist. Playing football. In lingerie. But that's beside the point. When you fall, and let's be honest, you probably will - maybe even more than once - it's all about how quickly you can get back up again.
I broke my wrist four weeks ago, and I let it get to me. I was really making progress towards my goal of a late-October competition, and it came to a screeching halt. While I did my best to continue practicing football (somehow, I was a better catch with ONE hand than I ever was with two), and even continued to do my lower body workouts, it didn't take long for me to start feeling sorry for myself. Not only was I unable to play in the Toronto Triumph home opener, I also had to put my competition goal on hold.
Then I got a new job. Out of town. A great opportunity, especially after 5 months of unemployment, but it was yet another change. I was used to having all of my uber-healthy meals cooked for me, and my lunches packed. There was ZERO guesswork in my diet, and now I'm back to cooking for myself after 2 YEARS! Let me tell you, I fell off the wagon, and I fell off HARD!
That brings us to today. I have had to make the decision to get back up, and start back up that hill. My trusty elliptical machine has made the trip to my apartment, and we have a date tomorrow morning. I may not have my Jack physically at my side Monday through Friday, but he's always just a text away to help talk me back from a chocolatey edge that I may be hanging over, or to help me think of a creative way to work a muscle group without the ability to lift, push or pull with one hand! I have my BAM (Beauty and Muscles) girls to pick me up, dust me off, tell me that I'm human and not to be so darned hard on myself, and then electronically give me a swift kick in the backside to send me on my way to the gym. How I lived before those girls, I haven't a clue.
So my point in all of this is that we all have obstacles to our goals. If it were easy, either everyone would do it, or nobody would because, well, why bother? The important thing is to surround yourself with people who know and understand your goals, and who can remind you of them when you're too busy wallowing in self pity after hitting a roadblock. Maybe I've said it before, but without a strong support network, how can you expect yourself to be strong all of the time?
It's not like Jill went up the hill by herself (although I'm sure that if she had, she could have made it eventually).
Love what you can, when you can!
Mandy
xo
