Red Dirt Gym-- Just get started

I really LOVE fitness.  It's NOT that I LOVE working out so much as I love the feeling of accomplishment upon completing a good, sweaty workout.  And I really LOVE results... feeling good, inches lost, clothes fitting better, definition in the muscles, compliments from the hubby... all good.
The best part... knowing that today in my 40's, I am in better shape and can do more than in my 20's or even as a teenager.  That really gets me fired up!  I hope to be an unstoppable force in my 50's, 60's, & 70's.  Maybe even my 80's. :)
So I keep working out... MOST of the time.
Don't misunderstand: I am no fitness mag cover model (at least not yet), & I fall off the good nutrition wagon pretty much daily.  Truth be told: I realllllly like to eat, & I know that exercise allows me a little more room to munch.
Let's face it.  Nutrition & fitness can be like an amusement park.
There's the merry-go-round of eating right where sometimes you get so bored you just want to jump off & go eat some fries and ice cream.  I get off my carousel horse way too often.  It's so hard to keep in mind that if you stay on, that slow horse is really going to get you somewhere.
Then, there's the roller coaster ride of working out.  Sometimes you're up & excited, moving & motivated.  Then you're in the lows, just trying, trying, trying to get yourself going again. Once in awhile you get thrown for a loop with an injury or illness.  My coaster car stalls or sometimes even derails.
Even though in my heart I know that consistency is key, persistence can be so tough because my "BUT" gets in the way.
  *BUT I have so much to do...
  *BUT I'll have to change clothes...
  *BUT my feet hurt...
  *BUT I'm tired...
  *BUT I can't find a workout I like...
  *BUT I just don't want to...
I've found that the hardest part is sometimes just getting started.  Here are a few things that help me get going...
* Telling myself that once I get going, I'll be done in a bit
* Being accountable to someone (My Texas Fit Chicks will ask where I am and where I've been.)
* Reminding myself how far I've come & how old me is not welcome here anymore
* Remembering how much hurt and sickness I avoid by just getting up and moving
* Thinking how proud my people will be when I am looking like a wonder woman at 50
* Knowing that the workout will give me energy and motivation to do all those things I have to do, even if I'm tired
* Thinking how fast my daughter and nephews are if I need to catch them
* My favorite get done phrase: "I can do 2 of anything."
* Repeating Philippians 4:13
Working out may be fun sometimes and so rewarding but it's not all about me.  If I can be there for my family a little longer and a lot better... If I can help someone else... If someone can be encouraged by me, then it's totally worth the sweat, the burn, and the time it takes.  Everything else is just gravy.

Stay tuned for posts about my workout schedule, at home ideas, and maybe some healthy meal options I've tried. 
In the meantime, get moving.  One step at a time, maybe 2.  It's good for you and your whole family. Grace & Motivation from our Red Dirt. 

How to Get Motivated: Part 2: Get something new

Part 2: Get something new

This week, I'm talking about motivation, especially in fitness. You see, I took some time off... And then some more time off... And then some more... It's been awhile since I was consistently working out. Not good.  I needed to get up & get movin'!

So I got something new.

Now don't worry. You don't have to break the bank. In fact, I got my something new for free.
You may need something different, but here are some ideas...

1. Get a new workout
Today's technology makes choosing a workout so easy. There are tons of apps that will help get you motivated. There are about a million Pinterest challenges to choose from. Or you can go old-school with a DVD. My recent fix: I found 2 free apps for my phone. A running app that I can set to whatever challenge level  I want (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) and a 7-minute workout app which challenges my full body. Yes, I said 7 minutes!  It's hard to talk yourself out of that.  But you have to choose what works for you. Whatever gets you going.

2. Buy New shoes.
Since I was a kid, getting a new pair of comfy athletic shoes makes me feel a bit like running. Nothing's changed. New shoes and/or new workout clothes could be the inspiration you are looking for. Get dressed, feel good & rock on.

3. Make a New playlist.
Buying a couple of new hits on iTunes (May I recommend a tune from RockingP Genuine album? J)or just re-vamping your workout list could get you out the door easier. I know downloading something new onto my song list just makes me want to hit the RED DIRT trail.

4. Remember each day is a New day.
Each day has its own troubles... Rain falls on your trail, family crises ring out on your phone, time melts off your schedule. You may regret what didn't happen yesterday, but you don't have to regret today.

I pray God gives you the GRACE you need to work up a sweat & to feel proud of your hard work. Try something new today. It may be just what you need to start a fire

How to Get Motivated

 PART 1
Lately, I haven’t been as motivated in some areas as I need to be.  You might have noticed that.  I can’t remember the last time I posted something on this blog.

My workouts have not been as consistent as needed either.  I’m surprised the scale and the fit of my jeans hasn’t called this out louder.  Change is always subtle, but it will produce results, positive or negative.

So it was about time I got this crazy train headed back in the right direction.

There are miles to be run, songs to be written, encouragement to pass on.  No time for crying.  I had to get moving.  Here’s how I got motivated to start working out again.

I GOT MAD.

ANGER --Sometimes it works for me.  I just get flat-out ticked off at my circumstances and go after them with a vengeance.  Nothing fuels desire better than a little righteous anger.

Believe me when I say there is nothing wrong with getting angry at Weakness and knocking it down.  WEAKNESS certainly creeps up and attacks us at any given moment, but we don’t have to be defeated.  Instead we can use WEAKNESS as a catalyst for change, a starting point to gain strength.  Get ANGRY at what’s holding you back and defeat it through hard, sweaty WORK.

Like the old saying about hitting rock bottom... there's no place to go but up. So push off, and let FAILURE be an opportunity to rise. Only when we recognize and acknowledge areas that need improving, can we act on making them better. Sometimes the revealing of our weaknesses gives us clarity and persistence to reach for our strengths.

This is not the end.  Get your hands up and get in the fight.  Your struggle may not be about fitness, but something else.  We all have so many battles to face in our lives, and once we get one opponent knocked down for a moment, another is swinging from the other side.  

I hope that no matter who you are or what your struggle, you can find a little GRACE and encouragement in this series of posts.  I’m not done yet, but the GUITARS and RED DIRT are calling my name. So I’ve got to get in the FIGHT, but I’ll see you tomorrow, and I’ll be stronger.  Will you?