Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I Got My Mojo Back


Where to begin...where to begin folks?
I just had one of the best workouts of my freaking life. This has been a real turbulent few weeks for me and I had kind of felt that I had lost my motivation. And it might just be the endorphins talking... but tonight I had a bit of an awakening. Guess what? I had let myself down. I had given up. I had stopped trying... had stopped working. As it turns out that doesn't leave you inspired and rearin' to go... it leaves you feeling... well.... lost and befuddled and three pounds heavier sitting on the couch whining about your aching shoulder.

It wasn't even a week ago that I posted about losing my fire... my drive and focus. I knew I was hitting a wall and that I needed to get back on track after taking several days off. No. Stop right there. I didn't "take" a couple days off... I gave in for a couple days and that, my friends, is the depressing truth. Had I actually scheduled a little break that would be one thing... what I did was schedule workouts and then fail to do them. And that is a pattern I am very familiar with. Feeling demotivated and depressed I decided to get this boat back in the water and did manage to pump out a workout on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But I'll be honest my heart wasn't in it and I kind of feared it might not ever be. I wasn't feeling the endorphins or proud of myself or anything I did it. And that's all I can say about it.... I did it.

Not trusting myself to take a break I also worked out on Monday and Tuesday. Now believe me when I tell you I didn't want to workout. I'm not putting on airs for dramatic effect. I seriously didn't want to do it... but I didn't want to let myself down... and oh yeah the little 3 pound weight gain I received this week did kind of spur me to just keep plotting along. Well tonight I was feeling the same...um... de-motivation.... I spent about 30 minutes procrastinating and thinking about filing paperwork instead (that should tell you how NOT into the workouts I've been!). Well after a bit of stewing I got my water bottle and changed and began watching the Biggest Loser from last night. And, people, I had a light bulb moment. It kind of went like this "See how hard they are working? You aren't working anywhere near that hard." And sure I've had this epiphany before... but it never ceases to inspire me. Here is a group of obese people who are running 14 miles an hour for crying out loud!! I need to do more... I need to push myself. So I did. I worked out harder than I have this whole year.

I stayed on that thing for 80 freaking minutes. And guess what? I got my fire back. Because what I realized is that I hadn't been challenging myself. And when you aren't being challenged you are going to get BORED both physically and mentally. You aren't going to see the same results you were seeing. When you lose weight your body adjusts, you get fitter and stronger, and need a HARDER workout. I hadn't even realized it but I had stopped having the endorphin rush a couple months ago... no wonder my workouts had seemed so lackluster and uninspiring. It never really occurred to me that I had just gotten used to my routines and was fit enough that I literally was no longer working out as hard as I had been. From now on when I get on that treadmill I am going to push myself... really push myself. I'm going to do what I think I can't do... and then I'm going to do it a little longer. Because the truth is I can. And you can to.

20 comments:

P.O.M. said...

Ok. I'm jealous. I think I left my mojo in Hawaii. But I think this video might have me ready to get out there in the morning and get a freakin' run in!

You rock Mrs. F.

Deb said...

I just cheered for you.

I can't watch The Biggest Loser. It makes me cry, because I'm so darned proud of total strangers.

Wait... I just cheered for a total stranger... hmmm...

BTW, has anyone ever told you that you look like Rachel Weisz?

Heather said...

My mojo disappeared approximately 4 weeks ago. I have none. But I'm really excited for you. It's great to get it back, and to have awesome, ass-kicking workouts that you look forward to. GO YOU!

Mrs Furious said...

P.O.M.,
"get a freakin' run in"
Do it!



Deb,
There is nothing I love more than crying for total strangers.

and Yes to the Rachel Weisz... although I maybe the person who told me that ;)

Mrs Furious said...

Heather,
you'll get your energy back.... soon :)

P.O.M. said...

Easier said than done. I hate making excuses, but i will. I am working at least 10 hours a day this week and so beat when i get home at 7pm. I really think I will get out there in the morning. Or i will seriously kick my own ass.

Thanks for always be so motivating.

HC said...

You should go on the road with your motivational talks -- or at least on oprah! I am so ready to hop on that elliptical right now!

Sadly, it's 20 miles away in my bedroom and I'm at work for the next 13 hours. But tomorrow morning, it's on!

Robin said...

Yay! Glad you found your mojo...now if I could just find mine.

Thanks for the kick in the rear. I will get to the gym today.

Unknown said...

The endorphins really do help! I love them. I make challenges every workout or I will never complete them. Simple things to. But it works for me.

I am glad to see you are back in action and actually enjoying it now :-)

Elizabeth said...

You never fail to inspire me. :)

I am glad you found your mojo. IF you find mine, please send it to me. I'll pay postage. ;)

Anonymous said...

yay for finding your mojo!! You may have mentioned this before but when in your day do you workout? (naptime, after dinner, etc?)

Julie said...

Oh crap, i just wrote a super long comment and lost it when i switched to my username rather than my husband's!

The gist was yay for you...and you are my hero that you exercise at the end of the day. That takes a lot of motivation.

Plus, the fact that the people on the Biggest Loser work out every day with "no days off to do errands" (like I would do) inspired me to now committ to going to Jazzercise every day Monday through Friday. Drop the kids off and go to a class. I can always do the errands at night, but I know it is not likely that i will get on the treadmill after the kids are in bed.

Mrs Furious said...

Thanks guys!


Workout Mommy,
I workout after dinner. We eat at 6:30. I try to get on the treadmill at 7:30 and then I put the Baby to bed at 9. It is tight... but it does give me the break from the kids when I need it. And that is when I watch my shows on Tivo so I can catch up on yesterdays shows. I try to keep the Tivo stocked with stuff that I want to watch so I have that extra motivation to go down and workout.



Julie,
I swear BL is the MOST motivational show EVER. I cannot not get inspired while watching.

eurydice said...

whoa mrs. motivation is back! and i find biggest loser to be very inspirational as well. except wtf was up with the blue team sob story this week?

Mrs Furious said...

eurydice,
"except wtf was up with the blue team sob story this week?"
LOL... Seriously! I had to fast forward through some of that it was so ridiculous. I really route against them these days!

Anonymous said...

I agree that Biggest Loser is super motivation to get up and move our bodies! Did you see last week when Jillian was standing on their quads during wall squats? Sign me up for that!!

the crying scene was definitely a bit much.

Anonymous said...

Love the Biggest Loser! Dh and I watch it every Tuesday!! We were just discussing which trainer we would take..he's all about the guy, whereas I'd go with Jillian.

No idea what all that crying was about..come on now..your grown men! Personally, I love the blue (?) team. (the pair that met for the first time on the show). And the 21yr old blond boy (can we get him a makeover already?) is getting a little cocky..really hoping he plateus soon so he can get off that high horse. Anyhoo..

Going to try the increasing then decreasing routine tonight..have only been up to 10, but going for 12 tonight!! Hopefully I will be able to make it (and still be able to crawl back up the stairs when I'm done)!

Mrs Furious said...

Marie,
Bernie & Brittany. Yes they are my faves too, and I'm hoping they will fall in love and he'll leave his girlfriend ;)
And if you can do 10 you can do 12! Last night I maintained 12 for a whole 1/4 mile which I didn't think I could do. And I did and I was able to do it again. Sure my heart rate was through the roof... but I didn't die. So you never know until you try :)

Kelly Olexa said...

SEE!!! I KNEW YOU WOULD GET IT BACK GIRL!!! It just takes that little bit, whatever it is, but then once it happens, you are on FIRE!! Isn't that the truth! And you are SO RIGHT about pushing ourselves! Our bodies automatically tend to do everything the easiest way possible. Mr. Jay teaches me that a lot every time we do a new exercise ~ he'll show me how my body will want to do this or that to stabilize and make it easier, but NO, he'll make me do it harder, to isolate and push it. And I would NEVER go as high, long heavy or far as I now do without him pushing me. BUT what I do now, is I imagine him pushing me when I'm alone....I realize now how much when I was doing my workouts at home, if I didn't like something, I'd fast forward. OR stop and drink. When I'm in the gym, I imagine that the whole gym is watching me and keeping track.....anyway, we all have to figure out some insane way to push. PUSH to that incline that you THINK YOU CANNOT because YOU CAN. You CAN go to the gym, you aren't THAT TIRED! You CAN get on the treadmill, you CAN STAY ON THE TREADMILL. You CAN go for 4 more minutes; whatever it takes, do something a bit MORE every day.....doesn't mean we won't have those times where we lose that dang mojo again but that's why WE are all here to help encourage each other to get right back up!!!

SO GLAD FOR YOU!!!

Mrs Furious said...

Kelly O,
Yes...as quickly as you lose it you can get it back... remembering that is the hard part!

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