Guest Blogger: Sierra writes about starting over

Hello friends and followers of Granny Green. I am Sierra De Burgh, Certified Health and Fitness Specialist. My amazing husband and I are the parents of two crazy kiddos and have a very punctually challenged baby on the way. I earned my degree in exercise science from Brigham Young University after spending one of the greatest years of my life as a freshman at Utah State with Granny Green’s favorite daughter, Marie. Feel free to read up on my favorite fitness soapbox issues, answers to nutrition and exercise questions, or send me your own at sierradeburgh.com.

 

 

 

What to do when you find you are out of shape!

I know I've been there before. It's that fateful day when you walk by a full length mirror for the first time in a looong time. Or your teenage nieces and nephews invite you to play a sport with them. It stings a little - going from what you thought you were to what you really are in mere seconds. The question is, what do you do when you discover that you are not as fit as you'd like to be?   

Photo Credit: takomabibelot via Compfight cc

1. Start where you are: Without belittling yourself determine where you really are now. This is the objective phase of your journey. Often the past plays too much into how we see ourselves now. Some fail to see progress made from a former phase of life. Some still see themselves as the highly fit selves they were years ago and are a bit surprised when they truly evaluate where their health and fitness levels are now, what they truly eat on an average day, etc. I know it's embarrassing and discouraging to be the chubby red-faced girl in the back of the cardio class or the one struggling to finish a set with ten pound weights next to She-Ra and Hulk at the gym. I also know that avoiding these situations will only make the problem live to haunt you another day. Accept where you are, take a moment to gather lessons from the past and then face forward determinedly. You are where you are. Start there.

2. Determine exactly where you want to go: What do you want each day of your life to look like. This is not the " I need to lose 50 pounds" phase. That comes later. This is the "I want to have the energy to play with my kids and the confidence to smile at strangers" phase. What do you want your talents to be, your hobbies? How do you want to feel? How do you really want to eat for the rest of your life? What do you really want to do on your day off? Specific performance goals, body image goals, wellness goals, life goals, etc. go here. This is not yet a comparison to where you are now, but rather a vision of what your best self would be.

3. Bridge the gap between your current and ideal self: Determine what it takes to change and do it. For this you will need knowledge, well-made goals, and immense self control. Seek accurate and trusted sources to help you gain these things. I love the idea of living life intentionally. Being out of shape (physically, mentally, spiritually) is the result of life happening to you. It is time now to happen to life.

You can follow Sierra on Facebook at Sierra De Burgh Fitness or visit her website sierradeburgh.com.

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Happy Running!