I started doing P90X last weekend and what it has forced me to realize is how bad I have let myself get. I have been working on my stretching and running at the gym but with P90X I have been forced to see how weak I am, how not flexible, how mushy my core had become and how little balance I have.

I used to be a dance. My whole world was flexibility and balance. It really hit home today while doing the Yoga X routine. At one point I had tears in my eyes. I was so sad but I persevered and made it through the 90 minute yoga session (with some modifications).

I have a lot of work ahead of me and I am trying to be patient. Sometimes patience isn’t my strong suit. So what does it take to really lose weight and get back in shape?

  • Time – it took me about a year to put this weight on, it’s going to take at least a year to take it off
  • Patience – it isn’t going to happen over night. I know this. This is a big one for me. I need to remember patience is a virtue.
  • Hard work – being lazy during workouts isn’t going to get me anywhere. I need to put in the energy to really see results.
  • Pushing boundaries doing P90X half assed or relaxing on the treadmill isn’t the way to go about it. I need to make sure I go all out and then some. P90X isn’t easy and is a challenge in and of itself but I can’t let myself not push through it.
  • Diligent – diet is a huge part of losing the weight and keeping it off. Not that I can’t treat myself once in a while but this is truly a “lifestyle change”, as they say. It’s hard but it can be done.
  • Reward – there are milestones we hit. Pounds lost, inches lost, muscle gain. I plan to weigh/measure myself every Saturday morning. When I reach 24 pounds down (1/2 way to goal) I am going to buy myself a tablet. When I reach goal, a dslr. But I do little rewards as I go. A good workout? Have a small treat (dessert or dinner out). 10 pounds gone? Maybe a new dress. A much smaller waist/hip/bust measurement? Maybe a new bra. You get the idea.

These are my ideas of getting it done. What do you do to make sure you get it done? How do you push yourself? Do you reward yourself?

 


Jenna

Jenna Volden has a degree in business and has spent the last 10 plus years working for others. She believes it is time to start her own photography and writing business. She enjoys running, coffee and helping others achieve their goals. Gluten-free foods are a lifestyle, not a choice, for her due to celiac disease. She is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona.