Motivation Magic

This is a post about exercise. And if you know me, you might laugh, because I would seem to be the last person who would write about this particular topic. But something magical happened this morning and I want to share it with you.

This morning, I weighed 129.6 pounds.

YES, it is true! I don't remember the last time I weighed under 130 pounds and this morning when I stepped on that white box of doom, waited for the little red lights to stop blinking and judging me, and saw that number, my jaw dropped and my eyes grew wide in wonder and disbelief. I think I whispered, "Shit."

And do you want to know the trick to my success? Are you ready? Lean in close, it's a doozy:

I drank less, I ate healthier, and I worked out more.

WHOA.

Now, as simple as that seems, as many people know it is easier said than done. The most difficult part about doing all that crap is having the motivation to actually DO it. For me, my motivation was Hawaii.

But you know, I've said that before. I've used Hawaii and Lake Shasta as motivation to try and look hot in a bikini, but what is making this time even more motivational? I blame Yesica. My co-worker, Yesica, is a health freak. She has been making up challenges each month and is creating a little following of people who do exactly what she tells them to do... isn't that the definition of a cult? Then she rewards the winner with a prize of her choosing.

"How do you win?" you may be asking. Simple. The other thing she is making us do is take our measurements and a before/after photo. The measurements are as follows: Bust, Under Bust, Waist, Belly Button, Hips, Butt, and Thigh. Whoever loses the most inches in these measurements at the end of the month WINS. Which is really the best way to decide whether we are getting the results we want... weighing ourselves is a little bit deceptive with all the fat/muscle weight differences.

Anyways, she says, "For June, you will jump rope for 20 minutes 5 times a week!" and we do it. "For July, you will do 10 minutes of jump roping and then 5 minutes of burpees three times a week! AND you will make a healthy choice in your diet at least once a day!" And we do it. Yes, master. As you command.

For June, I didn't do so hot. It was a birthday month and so my eating and drinking routines were out of control. I only lost 1.5 inches in my waist. Bummer.

But my sister CASSY, on the other hand, kicked some ASS. Cassy, I believe, lost at least three inches in her belly button and a decent amount everywhere else. Cassy had mono for a month before she started working out and couldn't exercise the whole time, so she started at zero. Cassy eats super healthy. Cassy never drinks. Cassy was doing two workouts a day because she is in Hawaii with my mom and probably doesn't have many friends yet. Cassy wants a beach bod because that is where she is living all summer. I want to say Cassy cheated because she was doing so many extra workouts on top of the jump roping, but I can't call it cheating when she got such amazing results and worked so hard for it. Cassy deserves the hot body she now has to show off to all of Oah'u. Cassy rocks.

And we are back to what is currently motivating me to get into shape: her before and after pictures and how hard she beat me at that last challenge... she ended up winning! Also, I saw Gwyneth Paltrow's abs in the new Iron Man movie, and that's pretty motivating as well; I stared in jealousy at her stomach and immediately started doing crunches right there in the movie theater.

But back to Cassy. I am going to visit her and my mom in Hawaii in 15 days. And I do NOT want to be all flabby and goopy while laying next to her at the beach... that's just not right. So I have been drinking less (only 1 or 2 beers a day!), eating better ("Let's do a week challenge. You can't have any wheat this week." Yesica told me... so of course I'm doing it), and exercising more. This month, I promised myself, I am getting RESULTS.

This month is the burpee challenge. I fucking hate the burpee challenge. Like I said before, 10 minutes of jump roping and 5 minutes of as many burpees as you can. So far I've done it three times and I'm at 46. And EVERY TIME I do the push-up part of it, I think, "I HATE YOU YESICA!" When it's over and I collapse on the grass and sound like a dying cat trying to breathe it's last breath. But after a few minutes, when my breathing has returned to a somewhat normal state and my face is only a little pink rather than a glowing red, I think, "YESSSSS. I kicked your ass, burpees, and you will make mine look awesome!" Then I go do some ab workouts because once you start, it's hard to stop.

So that is the goal this month. I leave for Hawaii on July 24th, and today is the 9th. Finding the motivation is the hardest part of working out... whenever I pause before pressing the timer, wondering whether I actually NEED to do this workout, I think of Cassy and Gwyneth Paltrow and the beach, and think, YES, DO IT YOU PANSY. So I do.

So find your motivation! And stop eating so much crap!