Fear and Exercise...

Often we are limited by our fears. I see many fears consistently in the fitness world:

1. Fear of injury
Many fear they will get hurt or become sicker if they exercise. In my own story, I found nothing could be further from the truth. It was the lack of inactivity that made me feel worse.
When beginning an exercise program, take it slowly. Note that as a beginner you may feel a muscle twang or twitch, but you are just moving your body in a new way. It is important to be able to note the difference between muscles that are tired and genuine pain. If anything truly hurts, just stop. It is okay to try half of a class or even just one song. That's what I used to do. When I first started exercising, I would only do the first song of Jazzercise and then leave. I guarantee you, no one will judge you. I have found the exercise community to be very supportive and want to help us in any way they can. So, take care of yourself (if you are beginning a new program) and do what you can. 

Other ideas to decrease likelihood of injury:
Get the right shoes. Wearing old shoes can lead to all kinds of problems. Invest in a quality pair of shoes to give your body the support it needs. If you are in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area I HIGHLY recommend the store Running Wild (specifically, Joe at Coralville store - he is remarkable!!)

Learn proper form. If you attend fitness classes, ask the instructor to help you with your form. This is especially important in weight lifting. Ask questions. You will never seem foolish or needy when you ask about form. I STILL ask about form ALL OF THE TIME! 

2. Fear of looking like you don't know what you are doing
It makes me sad when people will not try something out of their comfort zone because they are afraid people will think they are not doing it well or right. As a talented instructor said to me once, "It's YOUR class. Get what you want from it!" She's right! When you are exercising, it is for your own benefit - so go for it! Want to try skateboarding or roller blading again, but feel you might look like an idiot? Who cares! Why not give it a go and figure out if you like it and if it is a good workout for you. Let's stop focusing on the opinions of others and just find joy in our workouts!

3. Fear of sweating
It is normal to sweat! Sweating is really good for you and removes toxins from your body. It also cools the body off. When you are at the gym and finish a workout your sweat is kind of a badge of your hard work. Do not feel embarrassed. If you want you can shower immediately, but do not let the opinions of what others will think of how you look keep you from exercising!
If you're worried about sweating and/or body odor, there are some basic steps you can take like wearing sweat-wicking clothes (so the sweat leaves your body more freely) and different deodorants. 

5. Fear of failure
We talk about this all the time when we look at fixed vs. growth mindsets. Often people will feel like they are going to fail (fixed mindset) so they do not even want to try.
Guess what, friends. You will most likely fail the first time you try something new, but if you go and do that same thing again - you will be one step closer to doing it well. You will make progress quickly - I promise. Don't give up!
Stop letting fear of failure drive your life! No longer do I let this fear keep me from trying something new. In fact, if I feel scared of something I run right out and do it immediately! Nothing smashes fear like doing whatever you are afraid of. This is why I always ask you to examine your comfort zone and push beyond it.
‪#‎letgooftheopionsofothers‬ ‪#‎livefearlessly‬ ‪#‎youareworthit‬‪#‎changeyourmindsets‬ ‪#‎changeyourreality‬

Do I have to stay sick?

#mindsetmonday Let’s discuss the mindset of Condition vs. Event again. If you remember this is one that really runs against what society and the medical community says. One can either identify themselves as someone with a medical condition or illness (having this be part of your identity) or you can run against the mainstream and say whatever it is you are dealing with is simply an event - a short term circumstance and not a permanent state of being.

I used to have daily migraines and identified myself as one with “chronic pain.” In essence, I agreed with this condition and lived my life operating in a sick mentality. I would not commit to doing social things with friends because I knew I would have a migraine and be too sick; I did not go on any trips or vacations because I knew I would be too sick so I never even planned them; I did not do more than five minutes of exercise (such as walking the dog to the mailboxes) because I was just too sick and knew I would get sicker if I did.

Do you see how I lived in agreement with this mindset? I knew I was sick and would probably be sick for the rest of my life. It was a condition I had to somehow come to terms with, rather than an event. Learning that this was a mindset and that I could change my thinking, truly freed me and was one of the ways I became free of the daily headache. By renewing my mind and pushing out of my sick comfort zone - meaning I did whatever I thought I could not do. I began to live my life as a healthy person. I made plans with friends. I went on a short road trip to Chicago. I began exercising. This truly changed my reality.

However, yesterday, I woke up with a migraine. This, of course, is so unusual for me now.  However, a few of the old fears wanted to creep back. My initial thought was, “I better rest today so I don’t get sick.” I stopped and said, “No!”  I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this headache was just an event. I refuse to live in fear anymore! I know that migraines are not who I am. Therefore, I  went ahead and attended a CXWorx (a core class) and BodyJam class walking in the knowledge that this was an event and would leave soon -- it was gone by the afternoon.

Where are you with your aches and pains? What about diagnoses? What would happen if you changed the way you viewed whatever ailed you? Rather than seeing it as a life sentence - what if you saw it as an event that you would come through? How would you live your life differently? What if you changed the way you thought?

I am not recommending dropping medication or whatever your doctor recommends, I am only encouraging you to change the way you think about it.  I know, from my own experience, that often it is mind over matter and the things you think you cannot do you actually can.

#growthmindset #eventnotacondition #changeyourthinking #ditchfear #renewyourmind #livethelifeyouwant #changeyourreality

Take off those Sunglasses

‪#‎mindsetmonday‬ Having a mindset that leads you into negativity, condemnation, or other gobbledegook is like having sunglasses on. These sunglasses affect your ability to perceive reality. They taint all you do and see.
Going with this analogy, my goal with ‪#‎changeyourreality‬ fitness is to get you to take off those funky sunglasses, be able to really see life as it is, and believe you are of great worth. 
I have encouraged you to stand at the door of your thought life. Do not let any thoughts in that are not of you. The icky thoughts start out as a drop, create a stream, and then become a cascade of powerful gobbledegook. This creates a channel in your brain and in your life. That is when you are in complete agreement about something that was said to you or whatever, that is not true.
For me one of these channels was, "I will never lose weight." I came into agreement with this in a big way. Every diet failed which reinforced the pass/fail mindset and also reinforced this massive gobbledegook. Think of the sunglasses I had on with this thought pattern. This mindset affected the way I saw eating, going to the doctor, dating, health, and, of course, exercise.
Please be an advocate for yourself. Listen to your thoughts and what you say to others about you. Listen for things you always put yourself down about. This often represents a mindset you have believed about yourself that simply isn't true. Listen for things like "I never..." "I always..." etc.
You can, absolutely, change these thought patterns. You can choose to hold these thoughts captive, to renew your mind with the truth, and walk powerfully into the future.
Take off those sunglasses, agree with the amazingness that makes you unique, and run the race.
‪#‎youareworthit‬ ‪#‎breakickythoughtpatterns‬ ‪#‎agreewiththetruth‬‪#‎ditchthegobbledegook‬ ‪#‎changeyourmindsets‬ #changeyourreality