Putting The Band Back Together

My transformation program ended in October and I must admit that I've felt a little adrift since.  A pulled muscle took me out of 5K training with the rest of my group.  Even though I have been in the gym every day, I felt bummed out that I wasn't able to participate in the running program with the rest of my group because I was counting on that extra time with my trainers. A crazy work schedule kept me away from Step class with my girls so I've been mostly slugging it out in the gym, solo on the elliptical machine.

I've missed my girls and our locker room camaraderie.  I've missed the inside jokes shared pumping iron with them.  Even though it's only been a couple of weeks, my anxiety prone mind began to feel like we'd lost the special magic we conjured over this past year.   I've worried seriously about losing my resolve because the scale hasn't moved and I've had injuries that have forced me to change my workouts and not participate in group activities.

 Yesterday Jeff gave me a bonus workout and kicked my butt up and down the gym, old school style.  He also gave me a "talking to" about keeping up my motivation and tightening up, and it was just what I needed.  Turns out Marisa gave the same speech to the other girls in my group after Step class.  The consensus had been that we were all drifting a bit (no one has gained, but no one has lost either) and needed to pull things back together.

As I left the locker room yesterday, a sweaty mess but feeling awesome, I ran into Marisa who said, "You guys need to put the band back together. Make your schedules work, don't worry about who wants to do what workout, just be together."

And today we did just that.  Walking into the locker room to find them there (I'm always the last one in and am legendary to be the last one out of the locker room) was just what I needed, that and the kick-butt circuit Marisa had written for us.  We recommitted to making the time to put the band back together because we are stronger with each other than without.

Sometimes we drift off the path of our journey a little.  For a Type-A personality like me who is highly resistant to change, that drifting off means exercising every day but freaking out that things weren't as they used to be. Sometimes we are put to the test and forced to face challenges and one thing I've learned lately is that those challenges are much easier to bear with partners at your side to lift you up, inspire you, and push you farther that you are willing on your own to go.

A lot of people I've talked to have told me that they were most successful when they worked out with a buddy or a group, but stopped when that support system wasn't there for one reason or another.   To those folks I will pass on Marisa's wise advice to put the band back together.  And to those who find exercise a chore, I say put a band together, whether that's a neighbor to walk with or friends made at a Zumba class.  This is way to hard an endeavor to go at solo