It’s been a while since I’ve updated you all on my fitness and body journey. While it’s easy to follow through Instagram, it’s almost impossible to share my story at lengths in such a visual-centric platform.
With that said, it has been almost two years since I started engaging with the Tone It Up community – starting workouts in November 2016 and starting my own account and membership in January 2017. It’s amazing how simple my goals were at the start, and how much I had yet to learn at that point. I simply wanted to lose weight and tone. Since then, so much beyond the physical changed, and funny enough – and I’ll elaborate more on this later – I am currently about 3lbs less than I was then. THAT’S IT!
My journey has had its ups and downs. I’ve hit “plateaus” and periods when I’m less motivated, as well as hit my PR in the weight room or on the treadmill at various different times. I’m measuring my success these days by my confidence in the gym, finally considering myself as an athlete, self-love, and my mind-body connection. Once you make yourself, your body and your health a priority, you truly know how to listen to it and nourish it properly. Remember, your transformation is SO much more than the aesthetic.
Without sharing my own personal document of results or numbers (I’ll share more on this later), I do want to share basic updates as told by the inBody body composition test (at Hardpressed Strength gym). Four months ago in July, I was extremely happy with my habits, my dedication to this lifestyle, and wanted to better understand what was happening with my body on a deeper, more cellular level. My body fat percentage was in the athlete range, but I knew I wanted to just overall gain more muscle. My diet has remained the same over the last four months (with the exception of adding in more seasonal veggies!), my love for fitness classes and varying it up the same as well. I’ve been loving yoga/spin a ton lately. The only difference I made was two strict days dedicated to lifting. I took my first test only a few weeks after starting to train at Hardpressed, and four months later, was hopeful to see measurable progress. I gained 1lb. of muscle, lost 1% of fat…and that was pretty much the trend overall. 1% may not sound like a lot, but it made me SO happy to see that my progress was steady (albeit slow) because I had already worked so hard up until this point. I haven’t gone to any great lengths or extremes, just have continued on this healthy path while pushing myself harder in the weight room. Segmental analysis numbers (broken down fat by body part) also proved that I lost a significant percentage of fat in specific body parts like arms/trunk/legs, which further proved positive change. Big picture: I was “leaning out” while remaining happy and balanced. Consistent hard work = steady change, no matter how big or small the difference is!
Whether you are new to a fitness journey or have been committed for a long time, I wanted to share my tips on how I have stayed consistent and put myself first:
Focus on how you feel, not what the scale says, and set tangible goals
There’s something to be said about that extra pep in your step and lightness in your feet. Endorphins definitely help to add that extra energy, but when you start to create and continue healthy habits, your body reacts, quickly (even if you can’t see it yet). While a scale is a measurable number, it is JUST a number. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve stepped on a scale thinking I felt leaner, my jeans a little looser, etc., only to feel disappointed by the number. I actually weigh only three pounds less than when I started my journey. We should not be giving this number so much power! The victory is in how we feel. Set your goals to help achieve those non-scale victories, such as: “I want to lift X amount, I want to do X # of chin-ups, I want to wear that old pair of jeans.”
A Photo Collage is Worth a Thousand Words
In addition to how you feel, progress photos are SO critical. Even if you choose not to share and to keep the photo for yourself, it is amazing how much you recognize the change once you put a direct comparison side by side. Aside from your body, take a look at your smile. People’s true happiness and confidence will shine through in the after photo every single time. Truthfully, it’s always what inspires me and amazes me most! It’s often times nice to look back at those photos and recognize how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished since then — both in and outside of the gym.
Say Goodbye to Comparison
I know it’s easier said than done, but if you create space for only positive people, you will feel a massive difference! This can be in real life, as well as on the internet. In real life, having a group of friends, or community that is supportive, rather than competitive helps a ton. Online, if you’re following someone who is not making you feel your best (we’ve all been there), unfollow! Whether you have a fitness Instagram or not, you need to surround yourself with inspiration and positivity. Start eliminating the possibility of comparison by eliminating those negative influences first. The person can be a totally innocent stranger, but if seeing their posts makes you upset, it is just not worth it. For example: opt to fill your feed with recipes, inspirational quotes, and body positivity instead. Second, know that everyone is on their own individual journey. Everyone’s body is built differently, and the workouts and nutrition they eat will not necessarily work for you. Focus on what fuels YOU and makes YOU feel good. I’m always excited to see others share their progress, but for me, seeing others’ numbers (i.e. weight, body fat %) can cause me to dissect mine a more, which is why I choose to share my journey without sharing my Body Composition numbers. We’re all UNIQUELY designed and store fat/muscle differently. And on a similar note, all of our journeys are unique.
I also wanted to share, my friend Charlotte sent me a really interesting article, here that discusses more social comparison theory (and how it dates way before social media) as well as other tips to practice self-compassion.
Find what you Love and Stick to It
When I started Tone It Up – which encompassed meal prep, fitness and just learning more about health and wellness overall, I found that I absolutely loved all facets of it. If you love what you’re doing, it is so much easier (and fun) to create a habit. Whether you find a new love of cooking and mastering new, healthy recipes, finding a workout class you love, or just enjoy learning about the science behind fitness and nutrition, you will start integrating these things more regularly without even questioning it. I know technically it’s not “work” but the saying is still true, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Remain Patient and Show Up for yourself
It is completely normal for your journey to not be linear. You’ll hit plateaus, your weight may fluctuate, but if you are showing up for yourself and committing to this health and wellness lifestyle, it will SHOW. So much of your progress is not in the AESTHETIC is in the mind, the strength, the self-love.
I am so inspired by everyone who I have the pleasure of interacting with each day. YOU motivate me to keep going, and I hope this can do the same for you. Xo
Happy Hoidays!
Photography by Paige Babilla
