The Finish Line in Sight

12 weeks ago I made a life-changing decision. I made a commitment to following a 12-week “Get Fit” program. Since that time (with the exception of taking one week off, which was because I developed a nasty head cold), I have lost weight, shed body fat, toned and built muscle. I look different today then I did in March of this year.

As I’m finishing up the final week, I find myself looking back in amazement. I have spent a grueling 12 weeks of 5:15 A.M. alarm calls, muscle soreness, fatigue, sweat, pain, and a ton of learning and growing. Walking into the gym on day one I had no idea what a deadlift looked like, had never heard of an EZ bar, couldn’t tell you the weight of an Olympic bar, was terrified of squats, and felt like a fish out of water. I also had terrible sleeping habits and a legitimate hatred for mornings.

Today I walked into my gym with confidence, moving from exercise to exercise with understanding and determination, recording my sets/reps for progress, and applying my knowledge by targeting specific muscles for specific development and gains. All of this occurring after spending the prior evening planning for the workout by listing out my exercises with the expected starting weight amounts, preparing my shaker bottles for taking creatine prior to the workout and protein powder post workout, and getting to bed by 10:30 P.M. to ensure I’m properly rested and able to go 100%. Quite the change, huh?

Committing to this workout regiment has allowed me to learn discipline and self-motivation. Without these, I would never have gotten this far.

Discipline has been my overall commitment to changing my life. I changed my diet and my sleeping habits, and have stuck to it. I gave up those sugary, processed snacks like donuts, candy-bars, cake, etc. I control my calorie intake and space my meals over the course of the day. I’ve started looking at food as fuel and not as pleasure.

*When we see food as pleasure, we lose our ability to separate ourselves from the emotional impact eating can have.

I no longer crave/desire the sugary “high” or “rush” that food can provide. This allows me to be in control, and not my every whim and emotional need.

Self-Motivation has been my overwhelming enjoyment of working out and seeing the changes in my body. Motivation has also come from certain celebrities and bodybuilders I have respect for and who live gym-committed lifestyles I wish to emulate.

In short, these twelve weeks have caused more than just a change in my appearance; there has been an overall lifestyle change that is invaluable. I look forward to the future and to where this new lifestyle will lead.