Synchronicity: A meaningful coincidence.
Yesterday morning I was reading the newspaper and there was a column on being different (I won't go into details and it was different from the way I took it) and I thought to myself, "Self, I used to pride myself on being different. I enjoyed standing out from the crowd. I don't seem to do that so much anymore. Hmmmm"
Cut to later in the day.
I received Chris Carmichael's Food for Fitness the other day (finally!!!) and have started reading it. One thing that hit me right off the bat was this:
"The American College of Sports Medicine's recommendation for getting adequate exercis is to walk 30 minutes, at least three days per week. This recommendation was not designed with you in mind; ... Your fitness level has already progressed way beyond the point at which ninety minutes of walking each week would have a positive effect.
You are the people who get up early to train before work, ... Climbing stairs or walking to the far end of the parking lot doesn't leave you winded, and you secretly enjoy the way it feels when you first start to sweat."
So I read this and went, whoa!!! I read it again and went, whoa!!! This is part of my problem. I am not like most people. I am different!! The majority of the magazines I read are geared towards getting people moving - I already move, a lot!! They offer ways to jump start your diet - I need to refine mine to support my training. I realized I'm still in my old mindset from when I was really overweight. I still have some weight to lose, but I'm not that person anymore. I move more often than not. I think about every morsel I eat and how it will effect my body (moreso now). I willingly get up early on the weekends to fit more into my day. I get up early to train before work. I may not be as fast or as strong or be able to go as far as some people but guess what, I am an athlete!! I really am. For so long I've been saying that I want to be an athlete that when it happened I missed it!!!
I go to Weight Watchers every Saturday and I have nothing in common with those people. They are trying to get the motivation to walk everyday, I'm trying to find a place to swim at 6 in the morning. Wow!!! You have no idea what a revelation this is to me. And for me, mind set is 99.9% of the battle. Now that I realize I am an athlete, I will start acting like one.
So, while I didn't do any training this morning because my back is still a little touchy, I'm off to WW and take the dogs to the vet and find a place to swim at 6 a.m., after all,
I AM AN ATHLETE!!!
3 comments:
Flo, that is soooooo true!! We ARE athletes and our weight-loss struggles are not the same as non-athletes. I mean, we're already working out more than any of those other people can fathom. But none of the weight-loss books/programs work for us. Does Carmichael cover that? Is it worth buying?
you are an athlete
*shakes fist in the air*
and, a marathoner too!
food for fuel!!!
I know what you mean. When I was training to explain to my leader that a long training ride would earn me 13 activity points and how would I eat them all she was a smart ass and said go get a burger and fries! Argh!
I have nothing in common with the other WWers in my group either and I'm so discouraged from going to meetings. How do you stay motivated to go?
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