the Birth of the 28 Day Challenge

So it was November of last year when I decided to change my life. I had been teaching, running a studio that I loved, teaching people I loved more. I was working, a lot. It never stopped, I never stopped. I gave all of myself to everyone, my clients, my Love, my animals, my studio and I got to a point I was just running on empty. I was stressed, I was tired and I wasn't really feeling all that great. I was going through the motions. My classes were hard and they were escalating in intensity. Finally, I hurt myself. I hurt my knee in Spinning. I just wasn't paying attention. I remember when it happened- I thought "oooh shit"....followed by, "oh I'll be fine, it'll be fine." It wasn't. I would wake up in the middle of the night like I had a raw nerve behind my knee cap. It literally would wake me from sleep- It scared me, a lot. I had trouble walking and it bothered me enough to actually think about knee surgery. I continued in the same vein- waking up, not eating, working all day, having a headache, being cranky, teaching a really hard class, going home, having a fair share of alcohol, eating dinner, watching t.v., working some more, taking a bath, going to bed. I was depleted,  empty, and I felt little bit a lot blue. I watched an episode of THE BIGGEST LOSER. And before me, was an 18 year old guy, who weighed in at 450 pounds. 450 pounds! That's like carrying around 2 1/2 extra people on your back ALL OF THE TIME. Here he is, running, uphill, in the mid day sun for like an HOUR. At that moment, I was literally like...."suck it up". No more stories, no more excuses, no more reasons why you can't." I started to CHOOSE my foods. I limited alcohol to the weekends, I cut out refined foods, breads, pasta, white rice, I began a protein shake in the morning- even if I had to push myself to eat, I did- I had boiled eggs mid-mornings, I began loading up with protein rich snacks- almonds, left over tofu...I started to eat fruits when I wanted something sweet- it was awesome- I loved eating again.

I remember I was at Chinese food with my friends, and instead of getting the usual crap, I made a choice to get steamed vegetables and brown rice. As a vegetarian, I make a lot of justifications about my food choices ( bread is vegetarian, and I worked out hard today so I need this pasta dinner) -this felt like a real choice. I remember feeling good even after dinner, driving home, I didn't have that gross  "I ate gross food" coma. Then the next day, I worked myself out, I had The Jackie Warner dvd workout, I put it in and I did it- now for me- this is my job, this is what I am paid to do, I was slightly embarrassed, sort of shy that I was participating in what thousands across america do everyday for their workouts; the living room workout routine-sweep the floor, get your sneakers on in the house, push the furniture out of the way and put the dogs in the next room get up. I did it. It KICKED my ass. I couldn't walk for almost a week. I loved it. I loved it because I realized and was reminded once again, that if you don't use it, you will lose it. I had made a living out of this sort of workout and was paid really well in NYC, and here I am in my living room, playing a dvd. I played it again a couple days later....only to find I didn't get as sore as the last time. I played it again...now still slightly embarrassed because I am still laughing at the same jokes and banter happening that I have heard last Sunday but I am stronger, moving so much faster and not stopping. This started a trend. I started to feel better.I had TONS of new found energy.  These workouts were mine, they were for me. They fueled me, they made me a better teacher when I was teaching. I didn't have to worry about getting my workout in in those classes- they weren't weren't mine, they were my students', I was there to motivate THEIR workout- and now I had it to give. It wasn't happenstance. 

It was a snowy day, a really snowy day and I was working out with my dvd and today I rocked it-  all of it- all of it- and I could feel it coming on....my brain was going, the wheels were spinning. I decided I was going to weigh and measure myself and I was going to commit to this for 28 days. I could feel the creation of my program. They would be weighed, measured and I would counsel them on food choices but they would need to make the commitment for 28 days. I would train them twice a week but the rest of it was on them- they could get as much as they wanted or do as little as they wanted but it was THEIR CHOICE. 

As I moved through this incredibly empowered space, the program became abundantly  more clear. I ordered a scale for the studio, I bought tape measures, body fat calipers- I was committed. As MY body started to change, as my goals were met, my program outline was reinforced. I did something different for myself everyday- whether it was spin, Pilates or yoga, whether I had to get up 3 hours earlier to get my workout in or it was casual hour in the studio, it was all a choice. 

I drew up the 28 day plan and posted it up at the studio and online- soon after I had my first 3 clients- I was living my reality, I was IN my body. I could speak to them, coach them because I had done the work. So when they were on the wall, balling, I wouldn't let up, even if it took them 7 times to finish the minute- I never asked them to do one thing that I hadn't done to myself. Never before had I felt so much in alignment with where I was- as I continue to feel- I am home, in my skin.

Today I believe there is nothing you can't do, it is all about a choice, a choice YOU make. You choose your choices...no excuses, no justifications, no reasons why or why not. What do you want? Why can't you have it? It's always, ALWAYS in your hands. Trust yourself....what do YOU have to lose?