Boy, it sure is easy to become complacent. Especially since I’m getting a lot of compliments on the changes in my body, my change in lifestyle, and interest in my new found hobby. It becomes easy then, to to think you’ve got it “down”, that you’re an expert, and that somehow calories no longer need to get counted. I can become more of a “zombie” at the gym, thinking ‘this machine can shove it’. Well, now don’t think I am consciously thinking this way – but I’m acutely aware that similar thoughts can creep up on me, as well as anybody else out there training regularly and as often as I do. We all have our days where we think: “what the hell am I doing? Why am I doing this?” in search of finding an answer to why we do the things we do. Then again, we don’t ask ourselves why we watch a particular TV show every night of the week or perform other routines of the day… they are more ‘approved’ I suppose. Being fit and STAYING that way is no easy task. It requires focus, hard work and yes, routine. I am not a naturally lean person, I can’t eat whatever I want and I can’t lose pounds at the drop of a hat. I have to work long and hard at it. As I am enjoying the journey of becoming fit, I am learning more and more about myself, my body and how I respond to different training methods, diets, and ways of thinking. I always strive for excellence, becoming my idea of “perfect” (or as close to it as possible) at every task I do. More importantly, I definitely possess an “all or nothing” attitude when I decide to take something on. That could be both good and bad, depending on what situation I am faced with, but I also need to be realistic about how I can achieve my goals. I can’t allow myself that ‘extra’ snack a day, because I can guarantee you that I will then become complacent, and just have a half of another one, then a glass of wine, followed by a handful of nuts and some fruit, and whoops – another 500 calories down in my food diary. Keep that up every day of the week, and I, a well as any other human out there, by law and mathematics – will gain 1 lbs per week. Hence, I do best when I stick to my nutrition plan, by eating every 3-4 hours, consuming 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, of wholesome, healthy and nutrient dense foods that keep me satisfied and energized throughout the day. No, that doesn’t include low fat ice cream, crackers, 100 calorie bags of whatever sugar ladened, processed foods they decide to include in these, cheese or wine – although I allow myself the latter a couple of times a week because of the industry I’m in. This weekend I had to mix up a whole bunch of different cocktails because I consult for a vodka brand as well as restaurants for a living, and part of my job is creating their cocktail lists. Even though I obviously don’t DRINK all the cocktails I make, I have to taste them – and all that sugar messed up my diet and I gained 1.5 lbs. Frustrating, yes – but at the same time, it’s part of life and these things are bound to happen. My weight will fluctuate 1-5 lbs constantly, depending on my food intake, including sugar, sodium, water, alcohol, or that time of the month. I am not as freaked out about the number on the scale anymore, but more preoccupied with measuring my body fat every month or so to make sure I’m getting leaner.

Which brings me to another point. I’m not like most people. My goal is not to be “skinny” or “thin” or to fit into those size 0 jeans. I don’t want to look like a supermodel (a bag of bones with absolutely NO muscle tone) or a long distance runner (again, no muscles just straight up and down). I want to get LEANER, I want to get RIPPED. And when your goal is to get ripped and you only have a few pounds to lose, your methods must get EXTREME. My body does not want to go any lower in body fat – I’m at 12% body fat, when most women in a normal range are around 21-25%. I may not be as light as other girls my height out there, at 136 lbs and 5’10”, but only 16 lbs of my body weight is fat, so I’m ok with that. I want to get my body fat down to about 9-10 lbs. Thus, I need not listen to the “advice” of the general public who will think I’m “too this, too that” because it’s not compatible with the goals I have for myself. I don’t want to be ‘average’, I want to be among the top in my field. Let’s face it – do you think any of the Olympic athletes competing in Vancouver right now, got where they were, by taking it ‘easy’ on themselves, or giving themselves a break or a treat here and there when training towards their goal? I don’t think so. Hopefully my friends and family can understand this drive I have, and not treat it like I’m “obsessed” or out of line when I say that I just need to be left alone to train like a maniac, eat healthy and within my allotted calorie range and have room to reflect every day on how I’m progressing – that may include vain actions such as taking photos of myself every single day and weighing myself at the wildest times, but… if that is what it takes, I’m going to do it!

Most people want to lose weight and have that ‘dream body’, but very few are willing to do what it takes to get there. As a result, they don’t understand how tough it is to look the way for instance, body builders do. Every day is a sacrifice in some sense of the word, but a good sacrifice that is worth it because it just feels so rewarding to see the changes in your body week in and week out. Not everyone feels it’s worth it – and that’s fine too. For me, I have found something I love to do and will continue to do so. As part of my motivation, I am writing this blog so I can be accountable to someone – to you who are reading this blog – which will help me furthering my goals. Today, on February 22nd, 2010, during my first new 12-week fitness challenge, my body measurements are as follows:

Biceps: 11 inches

Waist: 27 inches

Chest: 33 inches

Hips: 33 inches

Thighs: 21 inches

Calves: 13 3/4 inches

Weight: 136.4 this morning but after a weekend of cocktails and too much sugar/water retention. Week before I was 134.8 – so hoping by next week it will go back down! Keep following my blog for more updates – I will only be doing body measurements once every 3-4 weeks, but weighing in every week. In two weeks, my trainer will be measuring my body fat with calipers again, as she thinks my body fat has gone down as my muscles are increasing and I’m becoming consistently stronger with the weights.

I leave you with a few paragraphs on DISCIPLINE, which I received from my diet coach on Global Fitness and seems appropriate in this post:

The Joy of Discipline

How do you think of discipline? Most of us know and understand the value of
disciplined, focused effort, yet we find it difficult to put into practice.

Thinking that we need to be more disciplined is one thing — actually being
more disciplined is something else altogether.

And it is in the thinking about discipline that we often set ourselves up to
falter. We think of discipline as doing without. In order to focus on one
thing, we see ourselves giving up all the other things we could be
doing at the moment.

Yet discipline is ultimately enabling, not restraining. Without discipline,
we have possibilities. With discipline, those possibilities become reality.
Rather than giving up anything, discipline allows us to choose which of our
many possibilities we most want to express.

Discipline is so much more practicable when you see the reality of what
you’re doing, rather than lamenting the fantasy of what could have been.

Disciplined effort brings you what you want. What could possibly top that?

So there you go folks – discipline is pretty cool, after all! 🙂

Here’s me today – lame photo, but my husband gets tired of taking photos of me, so I have to assist myself, lol!: