Creating A Healthy Body Episode 3: In The Middle

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healthy bodyIf this journey to creating a healthy body and mindset about fitness was school, I would have just finished midterms. 

If you’re just tuning into my quest for a healthy body, you’ll want to read my first post about taking the initial step and my second post about creating the right mindset. I am now at the 6 month mark. I’m choosing not to say “the half way point” because that implies a finish line. Although I’ve made a year commitment, if everything goes as plan that year will create habits that are creating a new forever lifestyle. 

So I’m going to look at 6 months as a milestone and an opportunity to gage my process towards building a healthy body, and nothing else.

I tried not to have expectations but of course they crept in. 

Six months is a long time to make drastic change. I have of course done other things for longer: certain diets, the gym…but not with this determination. Those things I did mediocrely in a way that felt comfortable and fit in. 

This time I was all in. Comfort zone be damned. 

All the working mom excuses became problems with solutions. I work full time. I have kids and a husband. And parents…I’m tired. My coach said, great let’s work with those things and make planning and fitness a part of that busy, tiring, daily schedule.

And I did, and I have, and I will continue to do so. 

This journey towards a healthy body is not easy but I am extremely proud of the process. 

However, I also hear the judgement in my head. It is less frequent and quieter but it is there.

Going back to the school comparison:

Strength building: I’m at a grade A. 

Weight loss (which was not my main focus but necessary and a welcome side effect): I’m at about an 80%, a B-.

Attitude: fluctuates between C- and A+ depending on the moment.

For example:

  • Miss a workout because of a migraine, every time I do lunges (don’t know why but lunges are my mental kryptonite), I’m in the negative thinking. C- 
  • I move up a weight chest-pressing, an exercise gets easier, I am working out at an obscenely early hour, my clothes fit different, my kids mention my strength. Then it’s all, I’m a rockstar superhero in that mind of mine. A+ 

Here is what is actually helping in my healthy body journey:

I’m not judging my progress, I’m observing it. Maybe more importantly I’m not judging the judgment.

I’m human and this is hard, and new, and those negative scripts have been there a long time. Sometimes the pictures really help. If you are starting a journey of your own, take beginning pictures. You won’t regret it!).

The pictures are helpful because they bring me out of my head. Sometimes I look in the mirror and am proud of what I see. Sometimes I nit-pick on what could be better. The picture helps me see what others see and stay out of the judgment, just be in the observation.

So here is one for practice, getting out of my comfort zone and sharing my success.

healthy body

Here’s the thing. The 80% makes sense because I’ve been eating healthy 80% of the time. Is that bad? Nope! It just is.

It doesn’t negate the weight loss and accomplishment.

It just means I could (not should) work harder if I want to. There was a time where I would say “80% is amazing. I have chronic migraines. I have two toddlers and my own business. Basically, if I took a class this hard in college I would have celebrated a B.” But today I’m thinking, “Great job Melissa, but I know you have an A in you. You are not working this hard to not push through a few more percentages. Let’s up our game!”

I say it in my office to clients all the time. We are always striving to evolve and grow and get healthier. So I’m taking my own advice. Mentally, physically, and spiritually. The healthier I am the better I am for the people I love and for my clients.

The better I am for me! 

I still feel like these new habits are fragile and sometimes I want to stop but I’m going forward one day at a time. 

It takes a long time to break an old habit and create new ones. 

I’m up for it and in for long haul. Because creating a healthy body is worth it. I’m worth it. My kids are definitely worth it. 

I’m excited to see what the next 6 months bring. 

Stay tuned and stay strong! 

I am Uzima = one who is full of life….

healthy body

1 COMMENT

  1. I am a better person because of having you in my life. You inspire me on so many levels. Thank you for sharing your story.
    You are an A+ in my book!

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