No Change Without Challenge

You Cannot Have Change Without Challenge.

I gotta tell you.  Fitness instructors (at least the good ones) can get you thinking beyond the physical.  This little gem came from my Spin instructor a couple nights ago.  As we're climbing the mountain and increasing our gears, she calls out "It's your work out.  If you want to see change, you've got to challenge yourself!"  Oh boy...This got me through the rest of the work out pushing myself harder than I ever had in that class (except maybe the first class where I thought I was going to die but I digress...).

I barely heard her the rest of the class.  I changed my gears and upped my RPM's but I didn't really hear her say it.  I didn't hear the visualization prompts of the winding mountains, tunnels, rolling hills or any of the other motivational tactics she uses.  My mind was busy with other thoughts...that kept reeling over and over.

You cannot run faster if you do not up the MPH on the treadmill!
You cannot climb mountains if you won't tackle a hill!
You cannot do a pull up if you don't step up to the pull up bar!
You cannot build your endurance if you don't try higher gears on the bike!
You cannot improve your food choices if you don't challenge your cravings!
You cannot build confidence if you don't challenge the self doubt!
You cannot affect change until you challenge conventional wisdom!
You cannot accomplish your goals if you never set them!

We MUST challenge ourselves and mindsets we've set for ourselves through out the years.

I am not too fat or out of shape to work out and push myself physically.
I am not too weak minded or lacking in willpower to say no to the bad food.
I am not too tired to make it to my fitness classes.
I am not so far gone as to give up!

I took this momentum and kept it up last night.  Usually Wednesday is a rest day for me.  A friend who came to work out with me once or twice over a year ago emailed me and said she was tired of not exercising so she wanted to hit the gym.  Sure, I said.  I gave her 2 choices.  The cardio kickboxing at 5:45 or Zumba at 8:00.  She chose the 5:45.  I've never taken the class before and I didn't know what to expect but it never even slowed me down.  It's good to try new things and since I usually don't work out on Wednesdays if it's not as intense as I'd normally go with at this point, it's still better than nothing.

This class kicked my butt!!!  First...the instructor is a French hottie named Cyril (maybe spelled wrong).  So I loved the accent but it's hard to think of a tough guy kickboxer being French.  Just sayin'.  Anyway...talk about a CHALLENGE!  He worked us...HARD.  I was dripping sweat...gasping for breath sometimes but I loved it!  It's the best work out I've ever had.  My poor friend who hasn't worked out in a year had to take several breaks and I was worried I'd have to call the paramedics at one point but she's managed through and is talking about going next week.  I only took the water breaks that were allotted in the work out for everyone and managed to do everything he did (albeit a bit slower).  It was a little bootcamp-esque in style.  He only had to correct my form once and I had a lot of fun.  This is definitely going to be a new class added to my rotation.  It's a challenge...but you can't change if you don't challenge.

I've got Bodyworks tonight and I'm ready!  I've already worked out 3 days in a row...first time I've hit 4 in a row in awhile (usually broken out more).  I recommended this Bodyworks class to my friend...we'll see if she makes it.  She probably thinks I'm trying to kill her after last night but as I reminded her, she had the option of doing Zumba later in the evening instead of this class!

When I got home, Hubby had made a fantastic Gyro Salad for the family.  This is bigger than it looks...it was on a giant platter.  Of course, it was in tupperware by the time I got home but he snapped a picture so I could share it with you.

So great to have a nice healthy meal...especially after the free one I had gotten at work.  Ahem...

I will just say - don't panic.  I didn't eat the bun at all and that's iced tea - not soda.