You may remember Carol Cain of NYCityMama.com from our first round of “Makeover Bloggers” last summer. She’s continued to work out, and she’s blogging about her fitness journey again. Below is an update on her progress…
Carol works out at home when she's not at the gym.
I started my workout journey on July 15, 2011 with Lucille Robert’s first-ever Blogger Makeover campaign. That’s 6 months now that I have been working on getting fitter and healthier.
When Lucille Roberts first approached me, I was so out of shape and wanted to badly to make a change that I jumped at the chance. But it wasn’t easy, despite my eagerness to incorporate fitness and a new routine into my schedule. It was summer, and kids were out of school, we had just moved, and I had no sitter or knew anyone to help me with childcare. There were a lot of changes going on in my life at the time, and though adding something more to the mix made things harder, it also seemed like it was the right time because it meant that as I got myself settled into the newness of everything around me, fitness would be a part of it and I would adjust to it while adjusting to everything else. Emotionally it was difficult as well. I was weaker than I thought and became frustrated easily. I was hungry a lot at first with the changes in diet, which made me irritable. Results came but much slower than in my younger years.
But I never quit because though things were not easy, results were not quick, and my pride was often hurt more times than I would like to admit, I knew that change would come.
And it did. I’ve lost over 30 lb. since then and even more inches. I am stronger and much more active. My fitness routine is a seamless part of my daily schedule and though I need to revisit my diet every so often as my body adjusts to them, and even intensify my workouts so as to not plateau (something which I did for two months), overall this is part of my life now and I couldn’t be happier.
But I share all the above to emphasize to anyone looking to incorporate fitness in their life that no, it is not easy at first, and there will be moments when you want to just quit. You will come into it with expectations that might not be realistic or fit your ever changing body, metabolism, or life. If you choose to work with a trainer, you might need to try different ones until you find the one that fits your personality. You might need to change gym locations and adjust to class schedules. You will need to change how you think, eat, function. You will need to commit and at first it is a very conscious, even forced, commitment – it is work.
But, eventually, if you don’t give up and you do allow yourself to feel frustrated, disappointed, and angry when needed, but stick to it, you will see results and they may not be what you expected but they will come and it will affect everything, including your perception of fitness and health in your life.
I stuck with my gym and my trainer John Chung, for whom I travel into NYC from NJ twice a week to see–even when my complimentary Makeover Blogger sessions expired, even when no one was watching me anymore–because I found a great fit and because I have grown to love it.
Yes, there are days when I don’t think I will be able to do the workouts, when I am tired and would rather just sleep. But this is a gift to myself and to my family. I owe it to us to take care of me.
I don’t hate working out because it has been good to me–maybe slow in its results at times, but nonetheless good–and I have made some amazing friends who have encouraged and supported me along the way. And though I have a lot further to go before I can say I’ve reached a desirable goal, I know that every day I give myself 30 minutes or more of a workout and am diligent with what I eat, I am that much closer to a healthier, more fit me.
Commit. Don’t give up. Find your fitness circle. Find the best fitness routine for you, and I promise you it will result in some pretty awesome changes in your life.
I am delighted to be back on board with Lucille Roberts as their Blogger Ambassador. I am delighted in my continued work with John, my trainer. We are going to be pushing some limits in the next 6 weeks. John is working on a new training and diet program for me that will challenge me even more than I have experienced thus far.
I can’t wait to share that journey with you all.
–Carol Cain, NYCityMama.com
