Before and After pictures, and the timeline for achievement.
I am a mature, well-educated and intelligent woman. That doesn’t mean however, that I don’t sometimes succumb to misconceptions.
Yesterday I found myself frustrated with my progress over the last few weeks. I did a lot of research, rethought my nutrition, and then had a realization:
Wasn’t this week when I commented that I was finally being able to push myself during WODs? Wasn’t this week when it would have been easy to lose balance, but I put in the effort and brought things back on track? Haven’t I already achieved two of my three six-week goals?
Begging the question: Where was this feeling of underperformance coming from?
I thought about it. I ignored it. I thought about it some more. Then scrolling through my Tumblr dash it hit me: Before and After pictures. I am not on a timeline, I do not have a deadline for self-improvement. But here are all these photos of one individual looking like two totally different people over the span of six or eight weeks. Thinking about it logically, there’s a reason I’ve seen those. It’s because they’re UNusual. Somewhere in my subconscious, part of me was swayed, and thought that I have only the six weeks of this CrossFit challenge to change myself. I’ve called “bullshit” on that.
Good to see Lolo Jones back after her spine surgery. Hopefully this year we’ll get to see what she can really do at the Olympics, and she’ll get attention for her performance AND her good looks!
(via crossfit-finesse)
Love it. I think the best thing about paleo is that I’m beginning to have the same reaction to that picture as I do to pictures of fatty, delicious, chocolate cake.
Mmm, chocolate cake…
No! Why did I think of that?? I’m going to go eat some beautiful vegetables. Maybe some turkey bacon.
(via baileybeingfit)
Source: dailyfitspo
In teenagers and young adults, a higher body mass index raises the likelihood of acne.
One of those things that I think a lot of people know intuitively, now supported by science.
Some real women to look up to:
Lisa Schlenker- Former LW World Record holder for 2k erg (rowing machine). Didn’t start rowing until her late 20s, competitive international rower until about 41.
Yelena Isinbayeva- World Record holder in pole vault, first woman to break 5m.
Kasie Enman- First US female World Mountain Running Champion, 2011
Natalie Burgener- Team USA weightlifter, 2008 (and probably 2012) Olympian (also a CrossFit athlete [video of her doing ‘Grace’] :) )
I think this picture excellently illustrates the line between appreciating the appearance of a fit body for the way it reflects the work a person has put in and how it belies their capabilities, and really just appreciating it for how it looks.
Whoever she is, this woman has clearly put tons and tons of effort into fitness and nutrition, and then felt the need to buy EEE breasts. What athlete wants to cart around ten pounds of extra weight on their chest??? And why does she have four inches of shorts pulled up her butt? I’m sorry, that’s not what I want in my life, and that’s not an image of women’s fitness that I think should be serve as an example. To me, it’s sad.
Source: muffintop-less
Sir Ranulph Fiennes is one of my heroes.
(via juicerunningloose)
My fitness and wellness goals are to be leaner, meaner, faster and stronger, and contribute to the meta-goal: a long, happy, successful life.
But…
there is that part of me that thinks the best way to celebrate success will be wearing a ridiculous sparkly minidress, with gorgeous shoes that make me 6’3”.
And I’m not going to feel guilty that sometimes I motivate to go to the gym or for a run by picturing myself in that dress and those shoes, walking by people who will be completely awestruck by the beauty of my quads :) .
I am often unsuccessful.
As is every single other human being on earth. All (near-as-makes-no-difference) SEVEN BILLION of them.
I will embrace every failure, every fall off the wagon, and every instance of complete apparent stupidity- thankful for the lessons they contain. Take what is good, leave the bad behind.
Here’s to working for increasing the consistency of success and the enjoyment of good habits.
…and SMILE :), even if you don’t feel it.
Alternately ticking off the to do list, and procrastinating.
The procrastinating this morning is looking up some yoga advice:
- Tips for chair/fierce/powerful pose
- Warrior 1 is pretty basic, but I always have trouble with my back foot, and wonder about what I should be working towards (apparently horizontal front thigh, for one)
I think I want a poster with that phrase.
Back! A short run in the snow with the doggie, 2.65mi in 26:11, 321 cal, avg HR 169.
Ran around the lake, and the sunset was beautiful. Didn’t have my phone to take a picture, but here’s a shot from the front window. My options were see the snow OR see the sunset. I opted to only sort of see both :) (sunset was a lot more rich and colorful in real life).
Rough days.
Despite trying to psych myself up yesterday morning, didn’t get to CrossFit yesterday. However, DID stay on track food-wise :). Didn’t drown my sorrows in peanut butter or chocolate or something, and only had one glass of wine (staying within calorie goal).
This morning I had a crappy crappy crappy CrossFit workout. I just felt like I had NO energy. None. I felt like napping, not shittily doing box jumps. I couldn’t string more than 5 of any exercise together, and only got 4 of 5 rounds within the 30 minute cutoff, despite the significant mods.
In the end, I still made it there. So that counts for something.
Now, I had sort of resigned myself to feeling like a loser for the day. That today sucked- the end. BUT, I have a dashboard full of pictures and sayings that have convinced me that it’s not too dark yet, and I can totally get off my ass and go for some sort of run. And then do yoga, which will be a great mental cleanse to then enjoy my evening and stop wallowing. Going. Now.
It's small actions and small decisions that eventually build big accomplishment!
