Health & Fitness Evolution or Transformation- Imperfect Progress and Failing Forward

First off, thank you all for the love on my posts.  I am truly humbled by the support.  That being said, I have had a lot of questions about how did I get here, and statements like:  "I want to be you, or I could never be you."  If you want this, it is yours.  If you think you can't do this - let me be real.  You are just wrong!

This health and fitness journey path that I am isn't hard to duplicate.  I copied it off of someone else.  You know what, that is OK and you can do it too.  Here is my path, if you want to walk this journey together- join me in my next challenge group.

Meal Prep 101

I am going to show you how I have gotten here through Imperfect Progress and Failing Forward.


So let me start with Step 1 Exercise.

You can't talk about it.  You can think about it.  You have to do it, do SOMETHING.  That first "something" may not be 100% correct but it will help you to make the next step.

I read a friends' blog - here is the link Imperfect Progress.  She is a writer, very eloquent and she talked about the book that she read.  One of the concepts was this one of Imperfect Progress.  I love that idea.  Now I have that book on my Personal Development List.  It mirrors, the idea of Failing Forward- another book by John C Maxwell, that I was reading at the time.

Want the Cliff Notes?  In a nutshell, we get too hung up on perfect, and too hung up on NOT failing.  We need to embrace the fail!  We need to progress even if it is imperfect.  We need to OWN it.

When I started a year ago trying to loose weight and get back in shape.  It took me 20 weeks to finish a 12 week program (Zen Labs Couch to 5k)- Imperfect Progress.  Why?  I stopped and started.  But each time I did, I learned about what I need to do to fit health and fitness into my day. (Notice I said I, not You:)- for you it may be turn of the TV or put down the book).   For me it was saying NO to that last glass of wine.  How did I learn?  I didn't- I failed! and it was too hard to get up in the next morning to exercise so I skipped my workout.  But I made progress- cuz I wasn't successful.  So I changed things and it was a little easier.  Once I felt I had a little handle on the exercise, I added the diet.

Step 2:  Nutrition

My step 2 was diet and adding strength training.  I did 21 Day Fix and LOVE it.  Yes, I love Shakeology but for me it is tool to keep my focus on eating right.  It is a great product and I am happy to help you try it.  But that isn't want this post is about:)  It is not a silver bullet.  If you don't exercise too, you won't see all the benefits.  Exercise and Nutrition go hand and hand.

I am not 20 anymore, I can't eat whatever I want and still loose weight.  I have to be thoughtful.  I have to plan my "cheat" days.  I can't have multiple cheat days in a row.  My daily shake reminds me of my lessons learned.  How did I learn them?  I FAILED, I made Imperfect Progress.  I took 2 steps forward and 1 step back.  I had great weeks,  bad weeks, and mixed weeks.  But I didn't give up!  I just keep moving forward.  I tried new recipes, some were good, some ended up in the trash.  But I learned.

Step 3:  Support/Accountability/Not being too serious.  

I am adding the above graphic for my current challengers.  This is their mantra and they crack me up!.  They put up with me durning Shaun T week.  AND NO ONE DIED.  Sometimes, we/ME take things too serious.  At the end of the day, if you tried something and it didn't work.  As long as no one died, is it really that bad.  Isn't some failure good?  Did you learn something, and are you ready to try something new?  If you learned something- share it with friends.  If something didn't work- share it with friends.  That is why I do challenge and accountability groups.  (Here is the 411 on Challenge Groups)  I need to be accountable to someone else, a lot of people do.  I thought about my challenge group today, when I could have stopped at 6 instead of finishing my 8 miles.  Most people need accountability that is why personal training works:).

Failing only happens when you give up.  I was tired of being sick and tired so I wasn't going to give up!.

Change takes time, Change isn't perfect.  Don't beat yourself up!  Just start!  Once you commit you succeed, because you will be better off tomorrow than you were yesterday.