My Transformation

There are always buzz words that marketing uses to attract people. I have seen lately the words: extreme, immediate, rapid, and transformation all relating to the fitness industry. The fitness industry uses marketing and marketing is not always that truthful. I think it is because the truth would not sell. In regards to “fitness” losing, gaining, maintaining, whatever your goal is, it is not just a 12 week program. I can visualize the commercial or you tube video telling someone that FOREVER you will have to eat right, exercise, and encounter bumps along the way to reach your “fitness” goal. I am sure that sales and memberships would sky rocket. Right???

This leads me to my transformation story. I took up running about five years ago pretty seriously because I needed a shift from the body building scene. Everything is good in moderation, but my extreme goal of trying to gain muscle and than leaning out was effecting me negatively in my life. Running helped me over come a lot of insecurities and low esteem that I had developed from body building. Which seems so ironic because one would think that body building would do the opposite. I can remember working out in sweatshirts and baggy pants in the middle of summer, because of how bad I was feeling. Not everyone’s experience is the same, this is just my story.

I have now done three marathons since I took up running, but after this last one I started to feel burnt out from running. That is when I was given the chance to try Turbo Fire, by a friend. I would like to say that I began this workout series to keep my heart strong, but that would be a lie. I wanted to see if I could transform my body rapidly, like the ads had shown. I even started drinking the shakeology, because I wanted to know does it really work???

I took out the tape measure and took out the scale for past 6 weeks and the results??? I still look the same, really come on!?! That is when it hit me. My transformation took place on the inside...I wish I could say that I came up with this all on my own but I did not. Sometimes you hear the words, but it does not hit you until you are ready to really take the words in. I heard Chalene (the creator of Turbo Fire) say it, but it was today I really took it in. She references how it is not all about the number on the scale, but how blessed you are to work this hard.... That is it! There really will come a day when I will not be doing plyo’s and running countless miles and I should be thankful for what I can do now!

I realized that the transformation I was seeking was the wrong one. I needed to transform my perspective on why I work out. Over the past 6 weeks I have been working in my heart rate zones, learning new moves, and I have been committed to a workout plan. I can celebrate that I can now “Fire Up” the music with the dvds and I can kick higher. I did, I fell off of the path and fell for the ads which left me feeling down and in an unhappy spot. Now, I am back and I will continue my journey with this transformation.

I am writing this in hopes that you can find that joy in your workouts and you can create your own transformation story. In all aspects of life it is hard not to get distracted and pulled in. I encourage you to make that inner transformation through fitness. Celebrate what you can do, how you feel, and than pass it on to someone else.