So last night, I had a moment.
One of fear.
Fear of change.
Which produced a bit of a a fight or flight reaction.
I won’t get into all the details here but it relates to this whole food log thing and some feedback I needed to hear from Tanya about my approach to the log. Essentially, she made some recommendations/tweaks and my immediate reaction was “I can’t do this.”
But I can. I know I can. But this is how I always react when the going gets tough. I pull back. I refuse to let myself be great. I fizzle out versus finishing what I started. And I refuse to do this with the Barre N9ne challenge (or the half in August, for that matter).
So I turned to twitter for some quick advice:
JessFit654
Having a fear of change (change being good) vs embrace the change moment. Quick, someone tell me to embrace, embrace!
JessFit654
LOVE!! Thank you!! RT @IrieFitGirl: @JessFit654 Every change leads you on to something better than before. Truly 🙂
So my new twitter friend @IrieFitGirl sent to me two great pieces of advice – one was her own as you can see in her tweet above, and one was this quote:
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” –Marcus Aurelius
It was exactly what I needed to hear. Between what my sis shared with me over skype and BBIM right before our Barre N9ne class last night, and this twitter advice (thank you!!), I have a new perspective today.
I didn’t sign up for this challenge to see ‘minimal’ results. My entire life (it seems), I’ve worked my butt off with workouts galore and yet I never quite feel like that has translated into major results – or a transformation, if you will. Good results, yes, but great ones? I’m not so sure. And before you all worry that I’m being too hard on myself, I promise you I am not. I know that I am fit and strong and healthy. I just know, deep down, that I can be even more fit and strong and healthy if I let go of this fear of change.
I’ve got to learn to be fearless. To own each challenge I commit to. This is my time. To finish what I started.
<Editor’s Note: yes, I realize that this was a pep talk style blog post, so thank you for indulging me today, sometimes it needs to be done.>
EatDrinkBreatheSweat 
Hey, pep talk style blog posts are a-ok. They may help someone else! You know, it wasn’t until I really and truly tried to change my eating (healthier, cleaner, less processed) that I started to see real results from all the lifting I had been doing. And it can be hard to change your eating habits. Even when I thought I was eating healthy, when I really stopped to analyze, I realized I wasn’t. I still grabbed handfuls of baked cheetos (they’re bake right??? not so bad), and loaded up on the slow-churned ice cream. Lower cals right??? But it all was adding up. I think maybe the food log can be good b/c maybe if you pay attention to how you feel on certain days and see what you ate and how your body reacted that day….maybe you can find the right eats for you, for your body, for your daily workout. Sorry for the ramble….
Bingo. This is the challenge for me – until I started the food log, I thought I was eating really well. And I was – during the week (mostly). It was the weekends that needed a major overhaul. So now that I’ve gotten the balance thing back under control, the next step is to make sure I’m choosing the right foods that fuel me – but that also taste good and don’t leave me feeling like Deprived Debbie. I know I can do this, I do. I just have to allow the change versus resisting it. As the saying goes – this kind of change is a lifestyle change, a forever change, not temporary. And like you said, I want to see the results I know are hiding underneath it all, I just have to tweak, tweak, tweak and I know I’ll start to see them. Thank you for “getting” me. 🙂
Change can be very intimidating, especialy when it comes to food which is such a big part of out lives. Just remember all of the hard work you have been putting in and how your food choices will help bring out the best of your ability.
My mother used to tell me “What comes with ease, goes with ease”, and that is SO true when it comes with exercise and seeing results. If it’s easy it won’t last, and if it is challenges and life changing..it will :). You are doing great, keep up the positivity 🙂
You’re so right – food has SUCH a stronghold over us, doesn’t it? It’s no wonder that changing eating habits is so hard/scary. I know I can do this, I just have to seriously commit and stop trying to flee, it’s time to DO THIS, and do it right. I am ready! 🙂
PS…Holy Mispellings and typos in my post haha
LOL you’re a riot!
So glad you posted this sis, and I agree. Our first inclination is to run the other way. I don’t know why our knee-jerk reaction has always been to try, but not TOO hard…in a sense. We definitely push ourselves but not in every way, not in a way that has lent to major results. We got this, I know we do.
I don’t know why that’s our knee-jerk reaction either but it’s seriously frustrating to admit to it, isn’t it? I always thought we were such rockstars and this stuff but clearly, we’ve had our downfalls and it’s hard to face, but at the same time, I’m excited to face it head-on. With you! The best part, we’re conquering this together. xo!
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Yes, change is scary…but you can be great, and will be great, and you ARE great. Everything happens for a reason, so maybe you just needed that fight or flight occurrence to get yourself back on the right path!
It is scary – but it can be invigorating too, if approached the right way. So I’m trying to go with the “invigorating” angle vs. the “scared shitless” angle on this one, hehe.
Jess you are doing a great job! Keep your chin up and stay strong. You possess all of the skills you need to succeed:) I know you can do it!!!!! And eating healthy can be so hard at times….trust me, I know! Just remember it’s okay to treat yourself and DON’T beat yourself up if you have a “bad” eating day. I’m looking forward to reading more about your journey!
Thank you for your words of encouragement! They mean so much, truly.
It’s amazing how reading stuff like this will really make us think about what we’re pulling away from – and what we need to embrace!!! Thanks for a very helpful, thoughtful reminder that we need those challenges and testing times to realize what we’re really capable of 🙂
Embrace the change!! You’ll get the results you want, no doubt.
I’m working VERY hard to embrace, embrace, embrace this change, so much! I reallllly want to knock this one out of the park, no fizzling out this time.
It is so true that change is what helps us grown and make progress. I’m glad you’re embracing it! Although, I have to admit…if someone tried to tell me to change my food or eating I would probably have a mild panic attack too. LOL
It hasn’t been easy, I’m not gonna lie. I am really loving how much I’ve learned about myself already though and know that it’ll only make me a better person for it in the long run. Even though that means facing some very real habits and realities. I’m in it to win it, though!
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why am i not seeing these tweets in my timeline?! twitter fail! this is not just a pep talk for yourself but for all your readers too!
Hm, I don’t know – that’s weird?? I’m glad you got to see it sooner or later though. 😉
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