Are You Envious?

Have you ever looked as an athlete or fitness guru and said to yourself “I wish I could do that or if only I looked like that”? Well I have and I am here to tell you it is possible if you find your passion and stick with it. Jillian Michaels is my go to image for the body I want and has been for quite some time because she is not a stick figure she has a very well toned body but I know that she works hard for that body.

Jillian is passionate about helping others get fit so I bought her books and DVD’s and found that I just couldn’t make myself do them all the time. I was easily bored with here program despite her passion. Let me be clear here, these are great programs and I still use them on days that I can’t work on my favorite activities the problem was I had no passion for this type of exercise.

So I am stuck being envious with no good plan of action, if that is where you are now you are not alone!

Change your envy into action!

If you are stuck in a workout routine you dread doing then start looking for something you love doing. Start by writing down things you think you would like to do, for me it was dance but had to narrow that down quite a bit. If you list is long choose a few things and research them. Check to see if there is a class available in your town or a series of great videos that will teach you some basics at home.

Now here is the key don’t choose something easy because you don’t think you can do the thing on the top of your list! You can do it as long as you don’t have a disability preventing you from doing it. There are people who play sports with one leg or arm and I am sure it was not easy to get where they are today but they wanted it bad enough.

Now that you have chosen and activity you have to try it. You might find that you hate and that is okay as long as you are not giving up because it is too hard. The more challenging the workout is the better you will feel each time you learn something new or make it to the next goal. If you have tried it for a few weeks and you have completely lost your desire to do it then it is not what you looking for but if you still see someone better than you and the envy rises up stick to it and you will get there.

How will I lose weight?

If you are still wondering how you will get those extra pounds to start melting off I will lay it out with my personal story. Once I found my passion for pole dance fitness I worked very hard to get to the next level so I could go take extra classes. I see the ladies that are learning things I want to learn and I push my body as hard as I can without hurting myself to get there. I take other forms of dance classes to help me with the dance portion of the class. I work to improve my strength and flexibility at home and in other types of classes. Once I got a taste of something I love put myself on a training schedule and while not all of it is fun it gets me closer to my goal of competing one of these days.I take studio lessons, online lessons and am a member of few communities that keep me informed on the latest news related to pole dance fitness. If you work hard at a physical activity even if it doesn't feel like work you are naturally going to start burning fat and likely building some muscle. I went from a size 13 to a size 3 in a little over four months.

Easy ways to get started

Once you have made your decision check your local gyms and see if they offer classes. Many gyms offer a variety fitness classes and you might find that you can try two or three things on your list. Gyms are an excellent place to start and might be beneficial to your training regimen later no matter which program you choose.

If you can’t find your activity at a gym call and ask for free trials or passes so you can try before you buy. If dance is your choice many studios offer drop in classes for a small fee or punch cards for a limited number of classes. If you are choosing a sport where coaching is necessary make sure you can meet with the trainer for free before you purchase a package. If you are unsure about something then make sure you don’t have to sign a long term contract. It is worth it to pay a little extra to sign up for a month and then convert to a long term membership if you find that you love it.

I strongly suggest training outside of the home but many things can be learned at home with good online program or video instruction. You will need to find a great website or DVD to use and then you will need a mirror, yes I know it sounds silly but even in weight lifting form is crucial. You might feel like you are doing those bicep curls just like the guy in the video but once you look in the mirror you will see places you can improve your form.

Final Note

Once you develop a passionate work out plan fat loss is pretty much inevitable. The amount of training you do even if you don’t change your diet will help you trim down. Perfecting you sport will drive you to eating healthy to keep off the excess fat that would slow you down. If you choose an activity that includes a lot of strength training you should measure your success in inches lost or body fat percentage not weight lost. With my chosen activity I am actually 10 pounds heavier than I was the last time I fit into the size 3’s I am in now. If you do decide to change your diet make sure you choose a plan that fits your workout routine and your lifestyle.