My First 5k Goal: Mission Accomplished

This is a true testimonial of perseverance. A story from someone not unlike you or I, and probably similar to someone you know. A friend, relative, or even a coworker, just an ordinary person that is not a celebrity to have their successes blasted all over the media to gain attention.
For some to look back and think, three miles was nothing, to a beginner on a long journey, this is truly phenomenal.
I always embrace hearing stories of successes, because to that individual it is greater than the universe. To feel their excitement, struggle, achievement, pain and accomplishment it very uplifting.
This is my wife’s story of running her first 5k. Overcoming morbid obesity and the challenges that came with it, are being left, piece by piece with every step to success.
I hope you enjoy her story and remember the struggles that you have overcome to be the person that you are today.
In fitness, Bob

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Obligations

Are you obligated to accept food when someone offers it to you? How do you handle the situation if someone says, “Just have one”.

Adhering to a specific nutrition plan or diet, can be difficult in itself. Holiday parties, family gatherings and even pressure from coworkers can make sticking to a program almost impossible.

The pressure can feel like sabotage, even when the intent is innocent. “You can have a little”, “One won’t hurt you”, “It’ll be our little secret”, these sayings and others can be difficult to deal with.

Remember that everyone struggles with change to some degree. In dealing with clients that are going through multiple changes, they may have friends that are afraid to see them change. They may think that they could lose that friend due to different likes or priorities. I make it part of my responsibility to have a game plan in place in case these instances arise.

Be prepared to answer questions such as, “Why are you on a diet” or, “How much damage can one do”?                    It is acceptable to politely decline and say that “I won’t stop at just one” or, “I’m trying to better myself”.

Remember that you are in charge of the route you choose to take. Take control of yourself, your future, and your health.

In fitness, Bob

Success in Failure

Winston Churchill is quoted as saying; Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

I failed. I failed to live up to my own expectations. I know that I am not the first, nor will I be the last. We have all hit our wall or a point that we knew we could do better. It is at this point that we must choose to succeed by trying again, becoming who we want to be, or creating what it is that we expect our finished product to be.

Have you ever tried to accomplish a task, only to reach an obstacle? Did you write your attempt off as something you would never try again, or did you take your failure as a challenge to improve?

Most of us are perfectionists to some level. We want to better ourselves in some way. We want to be good at what we do, to feel good about who we are, and be proud of ourselves and our accomplishments.

Back to my failure. It was nothing that affected anyone other than myself. I recently tested for my red belt in my self defense class. At this level, it was a physically demanding test. (Not that others haven’t been.) I had let my cardio training slide after recovering from some minor injuries, and I paid the price. I was out of breath and embarrassed at my performance. The price I paid was a dent in my ego, because I knew better. I had done well in previous tests and even performed well in assisting my Master Instructor in his 5th Degree test. I knew at some level that I would do okay, but okay was not good enough.

I completed my test for my red belt, passed to the next level, but I also relearned a valuable lesson. I must continue to sharpen my skills. In order for me to succeed at the level I hold myself to, I must use my failure as a lesson and move on. Some of you may say that this is not a big deal, or that it is not all that important, but to me it is. It is that desire and drive to better ourselves, that keeps us from falling backwards.

Don’t let your struggles in life set you back. Be a warrior, stand out from the crowd and find that desire that makes you proud of who it is you want to be or what you want to do.

I am also a foodie. What does this have to do with failure? Many times it is in the creation of a recipe that the finished product is the result of, “What can I do to fix this”? Sometimes it is through these failures that we realize our mistakes and make the necessary changes to succeed in the desired outcome.

Whatever your test (failure), in life may be, do not give up.

Do not become a victim of failure.

Succeed by trying again.

Every bit of forward progress makes you better, stronger, and more prepared to obtain your success through failure.

In fitness, Bob