Results Are My Addiction

My friend sent me a photo of me he had found - and I hated it. I looked in the mirror and cried at what I saw.

I hated my body and the fact that I had come so far - and then let it all go again. I felt defeated and as if my body was just not meant for change. I thought to myself, "This is who I am forever...."

I was wrong.

The problem wasn't in my body, or the fact that it would never change; the problem was in my mind. Your thoughts are convincing. Of course, right? They come from us, so why wouldn't we believe them. The problem is that those thoughts were the easy way out from making a life changing decision.  Thank God I had made progress before - because I could have easily believed the lie that my body was just this way forever. I wasn't meant to be fit.

After being sad, I went through some other photos until I finally stumbled upon my progress photos from when I first started with Jamie at The Dungeon. Within the first 8 weeks I had lost 32 inches! If I could do it then, what exactly would be stopping me now? So, I made a choice to change my mindset. I told myself I could do this - and that I would see results and they would become an addiction.

4 weeks later, I'm seeing results and, sure enough, I'm addicted.

I'm not just addicted to the fact that I'm seeing inches and points leave - I'm also obsessed with the PRs I am setting each week! When I first started at The Dungeon, I was doing all of these crazy workouts, thinking to myself that I would never be able to complete the sets Jamie had planned for me. Sure enough, those sets would turn into my warm-ups. I started adding weights and numbers to my sets, pushing myself even harder and further each week.

Not only am I doing better in the gym, but also in the kitchen. Jamie gives us these individualized meal plans and they really go hand in hand with our training - both with the same objective, which is to meet our personal goals. A huge part of building the body you want is to stop filling it with garbage, and start feeding it the fuel it needs to continuously see change!

In the 4 weeks that I've been eating right and making every single workout, I have noticed I feel better, look better, and am even starting to enjoy taking photos again.

This is just the beginning. I can't wait to see where another 4 weeks will take me.

If you're wanting to make a change in your life, please check out The Dungeon if your are interested in making a change to your physique. Whether your focus is to stack on muscle, compete, get rid of fat, tone up, be healthy, or wherever else you might want - Jamie can help you get there through amazingly priced personal training as well as a personalized meal plan.

Don't be afraid to make that change you've always been wanting. You can do it.

-jennilea

Not Where I Was

With all the stress of life and school, let's face it:  As far as fitness goes, I am definitely not where I was this time last year.  I have been letting that really get me down, but have come to realize I need to just stop.  I can look back at my life the last few months and know exactly what I've been doing wrong.  Sometimes I get in this mood where I just think of how far I have to go to reach my fitness goals, that doing nothing seems like the easiest option.

It's true, doing nothing IS the easiest option, but it is definitely not the best option.  If being fit was easy, everyone would do it.  Hard work pays off - and when I think of how comfortable I was with my body this time last year, I know it will be worth the work.  I also know that change took place so quickly when I followed the guidelines Jamie laid out for me at The Dungeon.

With life being as hectic as it is, I decided to take online training with Jamie at The Dungeon.  She still does my meal plans, gives me different workouts for me to do during the week, and checks in on my progress.  Let me tell you, the online workout plan is not at all easier than the plan at home.  The only thing different is that I have to be able to push myself.  I have to make myself get out and go to the gym, watch my form, and make sure to push myself to the breaking point.  It is far from easy.

This week, one of my days included the card game workout.  This is far from a game...It keeps you moving as you flip through your deck and really showed me just how out of shape I am compared to before.  When I can hardly get through 15 burpees in a row - where I was able to get through at least 50 before needing to stop previously.

Word of advice:  Taking time off is NOT worth it!!

After my workout, I sat there, sweating, out of breath, and tired and thought to myself, "What the heck - I should be able to do all of this no problem!"  As I felt sorry for myself about how much further back I was than before, I realized ummm I am still better than I was before!  I remember the first time I did the card game, where I definitely did not finish the entire thing withing 45 minutes (recommended time).  This time was another story.  I may have taken just a few mins over the 45, but that was still about 10 minutes faster than when I was doing this last year!  Not all progress has been lost, I just have to work that much harder to be where I want to be!

Following my workout and meal plans has already given my self esteem a nice little boost!

Whenever I feel down, I remind myself to stop looking at how far I have to go or how far I am from where I was this time last year.  In reality, I have come so far from where I was when I first started and as long as I keep pushing myself, I will be even further than I could have imagined by this time next year.  Fitness is not something you do just until you reach your goal.  You have to keep working to maintain.  Don't take breaks.  Keep pushing through and you will reach your goals, set new ones, reach those goals, set more new goals, reach those, etc.

We have to choose to push on to be where we want to be.  We can't stop.

I won't stop.

In other news:  "On average, it takes about 12 weeks after beginning to exercise to see measurable changes in your body."
For more fitness fun facts, click here!

-jennilea