When I first began the TC Health Club Challenge, I heard from two members of my support team that 鈥渓ife happens鈥� and, that I would be learning how to let it happen鈥�
Julie from Pure Nutrition and I agreed on the free meal concept, because it works well for my emotions around food and, I can use it as a reward for staying on track with proper/healthy food choices. She advised 鈥榣ife would happen鈥� and I would need to learn how to deal with changing the timing of my free meal when events occurred that I hadn鈥檛 planned for i.e., birthday celebrations, office functions, dinner with friends etc. Admittedly, it was easier at first to simply say no thanks and, back away from temptations.聽 But now, I am making conscious choices about when to indulge鈥β� I still tend to say no rather than test my will power, but there have been times when I鈥檝e said yes. I enjoyed a small piece of cake at a recent work celebration, on a day that wasn鈥檛 my free meal day.聽 I let life happen. I didn鈥檛 beat myself up or feel guilty for enjoying it.聽 I didn鈥檛 over indulge. 聽I feel better equipped to find the balance which is something I wasn鈥檛 very good at before.聽
Dana from Westshore Parks and Recreation says the same thing regarding exercise. The 12 week challenge has me working out for an hour, 3 times per week with Dana at Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre and 3 times per week doing cardio on my own. I realize that 6 times per week is not a realistic/sustainable option for me in the long term, but 3-5 times per week is and, will allow me to let life happen. I pack running shoes and workout gear and, scope out gyms when traveling.聽 I plan evenings out with friends around my workouts. I accept sore muscles for what they are and complain聽less about them.聽 And, I don鈥檛 miss on my workouts with Dana. I am accountable to someone, and I look forward to my sense of accomplishment after each session.聽 I am rigid about my home workouts too, but listen to my body when I don't feel well or, after a long day at work.聽 I鈥檓 letting life happen and have learned how/when to make concessions, while continuing to enjoy an active life.聽 One of my favorite things is going for a hike with my husband.聽 I love being outdoors and simply spending time with him.聽 We鈥檝e always tried to make exercise a priority but it鈥檚 been hard for me with the weight I鈥檝e been carrying.聽 Now when we鈥檙e out, I enjoy it a lot more because it hurts a lot less. I have better stamina and breathe more easily.聽 And hey, it鈥檚 exercise!聽 I鈥檓 out, doing something I love with someone I love.聽 I have a lot of weight still to lose so frequent workouts will need to be an ongoing part of my life.聽 But, I now know how to let life happen and still get the requisite exercise in.聽
I don鈥檛 want to go back to how I felt in week one of the challenge.聽 I don鈥檛 want it to be that hard or, hurt that way again - emotionally or physically.聽 I鈥檓 committed to making this new lifestyle work and at the same time, letting life happen.
