Throw it Away - or - What I learned from Shaun Week

Shaun Week - what is it? or - What was it?

Shaun week was 7 days of brand new Shaun T workouts - one released each day for an entire week - on Beachbody on Demand - Beachbody's suite of thousands of dollars worth of streaming workout programs. The workouts weren't very long - between 27 and 43 minutes each. Most of them didn't even require any equipment, tho a couple sets of dumbbells were needed for two different days.

The workouts went with me where I went - in my living room; at my girlfriend's house; in the back yard if I wanted them to.

But I've done Shaun T programs before. And I've been doing Beachbody at home workouts for over two years now. So what made this week special?

We had a special group going, of people doing just this one program - and I'll tell ya, I've never had a more motivated, engaged health and fitness support group than this (and I've been running them online for over a year)!





I've never had more fun waiting each morning, for the next workout to be released - to find out what it was going to entail.


And I have never found myself grinning during my workouts, quite as much as these past seven days.

It was like having workouts led by a motivational speaker and therapist all at once. Shaun had me "digging deep", finding new levels of fitness, and so much of what he said spoke to me beyond just the daily sweat.

There was one move - kind of a rotational, cardio thing that hit the obliques - where he talked about throwing "it" away. The excuses, the bullshit, the negative self talk, all the "shit" that holds us back.

It got me thinking about all the childhood crap we carry with us into adulthood. All the disordered eating that was created by the "well-meaning" adults of my childhood. All the comments and looks that stung... that I still recall - from classmates, from parents, from teachers, guidance counselors, and the list goes on - all the judgments, all the critics, all the shit that I still carry with me and still let control me in so many ways. And there, on my TV (or laptop, or cellphone, depending on the day) was Shaun T, telling me to "throw it away".

We all have it - baggage we carry with us through our lives. But my question is - what do we do with it? How can we do something more productive with it, than letting it govern us? Letting it dictate to us how we approach social situations? Health? Fitness? Food? Our relationships with people, and with ourselves? That's not okay anymore.

At 46 years old, the looks I got when I was ten - it's time to throw it away. And when I get those same looks, or comments now, as an adult? When my mother looks down her nose at me for eating two bites of birthday cake? Or my father asks me how many potato chips I'm going to eat? Know what? I'm an adult now. I'm not ten. I work out every morning. And I make healthy food choices 80% of the time. And I've lost 130 pounds. And I've kept it off. And I'll eat as many damn potato chips as I want. And you can look, and ridicule, and judge all you want. Because at the end of the day, I'm throwing it away. I'm better than those judgments. I'm better than those looks. I'm better than those comments. The ones I received at eight... or ten... years old... and the ones I received last weekend.

And SO ARE YOU! 

You (and I) can get so much more out of a workout, than a bunch of calories burned. We gain self esteem. We gain self control. The endorphins and dopamine released in our bodies make us feel good. Inside and out. It's not just about burning calories. It's about everything. And when we feel good - we can help others feel good. And as an online health and fitness coach, that's where I get my greatest joy - helping others take control, and feel good about their bodies - in and out.

Interested in learning more about how incorporating a daily fitness routine can change your life? Want to make some small changes to bring yourself to a new level of emotional, mental and physical well being but not sure where or how to start? It would be my pleasure to help!

Get in touch by email or on facebook to learn more.

Dear 22 Minute Hard Corps: I love you, but it's over.

Or... why I'm breaking up with 22 Minute Hard Corps

I have NEVER quit a Beachbody workout program half way.

Every time I've started one with the intention of finishing, I have indeed finished!

21 Day Fix
21 Day Fix Extreme
Focus T25 (Alpha Beta and Gamma)
Master's Hammer & Chisel
Country Heat
Core De Force (2 back to back rounds!)

until now.

And it's breaking my heart, but 22 Minute Hard Corps, I just can't finish you.

True story: I put off trying this program for almost a year after it was released.

I didn't like the Tony Horton I'd met in the previous programs of his that I'd dabbled in (sorry Tony - but we're good now, really - you stole my heart with 22 Min HC - and one of your yoga workouts where you said Hitler should have done yoga!!).

and... I didn't think I'd be able to get a solid workout in 22 minutes.

But with the advent of of the Annual All Access Pass with Shakeology from Beachbody on Demand, and my Amazon FireStick, it was suddenly part of my fitness library - and I was ready for a new program.

With a little research, I realized that if I included the "cold start" (an 11 minute warmup), and did the core workouts that were part of the program three times a week, I wasn't really doing a 22 minute workout; I was doing a between 33 and 44 minute workout - which I could wrap my head around in the "effectiveness" department, much more readily than just 22 minutes.

So four weeks ago, I got started. I was having fun. I was enjoying the outdoor setting. I found a place in my heart where I could appreciate Tony Horton. I was getting really good, really effective workouts without wasting a ton of time on breaks between sets, chit chat, and messing around, which I definitely enjoyed. I was happy to be back to a weighted program, and loved the functional moves and working multiple body parts at once - serious muscle recruitment!

And talk about results! I was starting to understand all the transformation stories!

So if this program is so great, why am I quitting on it?

It's the simple fact that my almost 46 year old body, with severe arthritis in my feet, is rebelling against it. My feet hurt. There's a lot of jumping in this program, which is awesome - because that is the stuff that really gets the heart pumping - but it's also the stuff that aggravates my achy spots. And it's creating some new aches that I've never felt before - in my knees.

Maybe it's the season, and the weather going back and forth from spring to winter aggravating the situation. Or maybe this program is just not meant for me.

Whatever the reason, I'm going to be smart (not stubborn) about it and listen to my body. No pain no gain, but this is not the kind of pain they're talking about!!

So I'm back for a 2nd round of Country Heat - started yesterday, and excited for 30 days of it - followed by a round of Core de Force. These programs gave me great results, didn't hurt my feet or knees, and are both ready and waiting for me in my Beachbody on Demand library!

Plus, I can put some equipment away and reclaim my living room for a couple months!

The moral of the story? There are two!

1 - - listen to your bodies!
2 - - Beachbody on Demand All Access rocks! There really is something for everyone. I don't care what your physical limitation - if you can move, you can exercise. It excites the hell out of me that I can go from a military inspired boot camp style program, to country line dance style cardio, to a mixed martial arts program without missing a beat! And who knows what will be released over the next year, but they're promising at least two new programs to keep our fitness appetites whet!

My next virtual health and fitness accountability and support group begins prep week, Monday March 13th. Interested in learning more? Fill out my questionnaire and I'll get with you ASAP!