Unlimited

Saw this quote today and thought it a very appropriate reflection of this week.

If I don't like the way something is, if I'm stuck on a plateau, sometimes I have to move out of my comfort zone to change it. And sometimes that means pushing myself beyond my preconceived limits.

"...You must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

The key word for me is "go"! I just need to get going instead of just thinking, just talking or just writing about it. And so I am.

Although I jokingly wrote earlier this week about holding my chin up for photos so people wouldn't see all of them. It seriously got me thinking: Do I really want to hold an awkward pose for photos the rest of my life or should I just work to get rid of one of those chins? Do I want to spend extra time in the morning trying to find the larger clothes hanging in my closet instead of working to fit comfortably into what I have?

I talk about it plenty but my list of excuses has almost always surpassed my reserve of energy or determination or, heaven forbid, commitment to take action.

Oh sure, I take on a challenge now and then (see previous blog about the "spring" trail run) but what do I do for the long haul? Raise your hand if you've started (and subsequently stopped) more than a dozen diets or "miracle" exercise programs in your lifetime? How about 20? More?

You are not alone. It's just how some of us roll... or have rolls... or eat rolls...

I started this insane exercise workout this week at the fitness center. It is appropriately called the "Insanity Workout." It really is insane. Insanely difficult. It's hard and the day after hurts. Definitely beyond my normal "limits" -- which is why the instructor is shouting through the television at me to "Push it!" and "Power through it!" As my sweat is literally dripping and splashing on the floor, I stick with him -- as much as my 44-year-old body can. And I vow that the stupid age thing and fat thing and temporary pain thing and lack of time thing will not become excuses.

I'm not even worried about running right now or any races coming up. Frankly, I don't know what or if I will be doing any soon since my weekend schedules are so up in the air due to the late start to the baseball season. (We lost again tonight, by the way.) But I do know that this Insanity business will not harm my running either. This 40 minutes or 50 or so of cardio is definitely going to improve my running stamina if nothing else.

I figure Insanity can be my new lunch-hour routine just as blogging is my bedtime routine. Not to put a "limit" on this, but I'm going to give this 6 weeks -- until that TV room at the fitness center is transformed to the Kids Club summer program. No matter how slowly the results in my muscle, body tone or scale come, I am going to get off this plateau.

And I will be pleased with it. And proud that I was capable of pushing beyond my limits. Even if it's just this once.

I bet you can, too.

Now, go!