Consistency and Dedication

The two words that stick out in my mind on this Wednesday afternoon are "consistency" and "dedication". As for me, that is what it takes to be on the road to healthy living.

My alarm goes off six days a week at 5:00 A.M. I am not an early morning person. Five o'clock has always been out of the question. It has never been in my realm of possibilities. But, when I took a hard right turn and joined Dynamic Fitness, I knew that for me to be successful, my journey would have to begin early in the morning. So, I am up by 5:00 and out the door by 5:15. I turn the radio on to Bill King, my favorite national sports talk show host and I am on my way to the gym.

This morning I started my warm-up at 5:25 with ten minutes on the treadmill and then proceeded to work out on 11 pieces of equipment all working my upper body. I was finished by 6:30 and headed home. I really enjoy the workout, just wish that I had started years ago. Then it is back to Bill King and home for breakfast, before I get cleaned up to go to work. Tonight, after I get through here at the church (7:45 ish) I will head home, change clothes, and head to the gym for 45 minutes on the treadmill.

I usually do an upper body workout/cardio on M-W-F, cardio on T, lower body/cardio on Th, cardio on Saturday, and rest my body on Sunday. That is where consistency and dedication come into play for me. If I take care of today, tomorrow I can do the same thing.

My physical trainer has moved to a new Dynamic Fitness gym that is opening on Post Oak, so I got a new trainer this week. He is giving me agility training that is much more difficult than doing a workout with weights or cardio on a treadmill, but I know it will pay off in the long run...if I survive. I am just kidding, but my anxiety was up going into our first meeting on Tuesday.

There is one thing that I am having to learn that seems to be a paradox. To lose I am going to have to increase my calorie count. Eat more to lose weight??? Well, I am going to try it. I started the increase yesterday from about 1,700 calories to 2,000. The additional calories seem like poison to me at this stage,but everything has been right for me so far. Besides, I believe in my new trainer.

What has happened to me over the past 90 days? I have lost 19# of fat and 5% body fat, while gaining so much muscle (can't remember that figure). My resting heart rate has dropped, my blood pressure has dropped, I look better, my pants size continues to decrease, and I continue to get healthier. I have lost about 60 pounds since I started this journey and plan to lose another 35 pounds over the next 6-12 months.

I have come to the conclusion that almost anybody can become healthy and as a result, become fit, lose weight, and take on a new lifestyle. It is making the decision to do it, taking one day at a time, and desiring to be healthy, as opposed to just losing weight.