Fit4Miracles

I woke up early this morning with Dan’s alarm and couldn’t get back to sleep.  The sudden reminder of  “It’s my birthday” started a whole array of thoughts, and I never could get some more z’s.  It was followed closely by the “Oh, yeah.  It’s my birthday” kind of feeling, like does it have to be another year already?  Do I really have to get older?  Everything seems to be going by so fast.

In terms of fitness, my aha moment was almost two years ago now.  While some of those days did not seem to go by fast (cardio that seemed to drag on forever, lunges that never ended, injuries that hindered), it does feel good to have 2 years under my belt.  Working out has just become a way of life.  Cutting things out of my diet has become common place.  Now I’m not saying it has been perfect.  I definitely have watched the scale go back up and then come back down and then seem to hover at that dreaded plateau.  But I don’t think I could go back to the old me.  Even though I am 2 years older, I feel a lot younger.  I feel a lot different than before.

Since it is 12-12-12, here are 12 ways I feel better (not perfect, just better):

1.  I no longer am out of breath when running after my kids.

2.  My arms don’t seem to wave with me when I wave good-bye!

3.  I can fit into clothes better and am spending less time in front of the mirror frustrated.

4.  I am up for more physcial activity than before.

5.  I am willing to try new things (horseback riding, hikes through snow, jumping hay bales, boxing).

6.  I can make better food choices when out at a restaurant.

7.  I will actually put a bathing suit on and swim with my family.

8.  I am more comfortable in my own skin, with who I am.

9.  I am stronger.

10.  I can do squats without lifting my heels (that took practice!).

11.  I can run on the treadmill.

12.  I can forgive myself for missing a work-out or eating the wrong thing.

It took me awhile to come up with 12 things, but I think it’s a good way to  look back at the last year.  What are ways that you feel better?  Make a list today; share some here.  Take time to think about it.  I think my next step is to set 12 new goals for this next year.  What do I want to improve?  When I sit down on 12-12-13, what do I want to write?

I haven’t written in awhile because, to be honest, there really isn’t much to write about.  How often can I tell you about my struggles with fitness and weight before you throw up your hands and yell “Enough already!” at your screen?

Well, I guess it’s not really “struggle” anymore.  The struggle has now turned into more of a battle of boredom.  I’ve lost the high of being on a new adventure and finding new challenges.  I’ve met some long-term goals and their luster has faded.  Now it’s just turned into the day in-day out, do-this-because-it’s-good-for-me feeling.   Somewhere I can hear the Righteous Brothers in the back of my head, “You’ve lost that loving feeling. . .”

But then again, is it such a bad thing for fitness to be mundane?  When I look over the months following January of 2011, I realize that I learned a lot and tried many new things.  Now I have the ability to put a work-out together and get it done.  I can accomplish goals each time even though it may not be exciting or new.  I remind myself that this is what I need for the long haul.   The excitement or adrenaline will fade away, but my ability to sweat, challenge myself, and work hard lasts as long as I want it to.

Maybe it’s not so bad to be bored.  And maybe it’s not boredom.  Maybe a better term would be perseverance.  Through the good and bad over the last 19 months, I have been in the gym.  I have been committed even when I am tired and the kids’ activities are piled high.  I have learned to push through the “blahs” and get on my feet.

So even if fitness isn’t quite as fun anymore; it’s still there.  There’s still a confidence in myself and the process, and a knowledge and skill set that carry me on day by day.  I am learning that working out is much like life-it has its highs and lows and your experience is what you make of it.  Sometimes you have to push through the ordinary to see glimpses of goals you want to acccomplish.

Anyone else out there get bored with working out?  What have you done to beat the “blahs?”  Any suggestions for everyone?

On a housekeeping note, come “Like” Fit4Miracles on facebook to receive information about each new post.  Miracles Fitness does not e-mail notifications for every post.  Thanks!  https://www.facebook.com/Fit4Miracles

Congratulations to Miracles Fitness and Dan Ritchie!  Miracles Fitness and Dan were nominated in 3 categories for the J&C Reader’s Choice Awards!  Have you voted yet?

http://contests.jconline.com/contests/readers-choice-2012/

If only I loved fitness as much as I love kitchens.  And kitchen stuff.  I get excited about a new rubber spatula or a crisp white platter.  Show me a Jeff Lewis design or a spread in House Beautiful, and I am drooling.  I can’t resist an aqua blue mixing bowl.  It’s pitiful, I know.

Somehow planks, push-ups, and pull-ups don’t do that for me.

So when my husband asked me to be in charge of the new kitchen/breakroom at the new Miracles Fitness, I was on it like white on rice (or me on a Le Creuset baking dish bargain at Tuesday Morning).  I loaded up my daughter, and we were off with a list and snacks for the “quick” trip.  We went to to several stores and mixed and matched all kinds of things to create a aqua blue extravaganza without breaking the bank.

Our staff works hard everyday, and we are very thankful for them, so I hope this new breakroom will be an improvement on the mismatched, plastic and paper one we have now.  Here’s a peak at some of what we got:

I got to visit the new location of Miracles Fitness in West Lafayette today, and it is looking GREAT!  It is very exciting to see the work of so many people coming together.  Here is a sneak peak: