This post is part of my 40 before 40 project.
3. Get really fit, just once, so I know I can do it.
***
I have finally realised something. It’s taken me all of my adult life, but the lesson has – I believe – finally sunk in.
You see, like most women, I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. Until I was about 14, I was always slim and fit. I was an active kid, living in the country, and my parents fed me healthy food. For the first few years of high-school, I practiced Tae Kwon Do, and exercised on top of my training.
Then we moved to a different city – one that didn’t offer the style of Tae Kwon Do I had been doing. So I didn’t take up another sport.
Within a year or two I went from being fit and weighing 60 kg to weighing over 80 kg. I didn’t exercise, and I indulged in tuckshop food at school every day, including, but not limited to, multiple bottles of coke a day (our school eventually got a frozen coke machine – healthy, right?) cream buns, chips, sausage rolls… you get the picture. When I think back to my diet in those years I shudder!
When I hit Uni I fell in love for the first time, and the high from that coupled with the stress from Uni and my Mum being sick meant I lost that extra 20 kg over that year without trying. But I still wasn’t healthy. From then until now, it’s been a constant battle to not let the scales creep up again.  (Last year at one point I hit the 80 kg mark on the scales again, and that was a bit of a shock). I’ve joined gyms, gone on diets, ran on and off over the years.
But you know the ONE thing I have never done?
Stuck to it. Been consistent.
I have always had the mentality that if I just work hard for a little while, diet for a little while, I’ll ‘arrive’ at the weight I want and it will all be good.
That is utter rubbish.
There is no such thing as ‘arriving’. This is the lesson I have finally learnt.
I think that altering my goals has helped. I no longer just want to be slim (of course I DO, but that’s not the main goal). I want to be fit. I want to be healthy. I want my body to be strong.
Hitting 30, and having a sedentary job, I have started to notice the odd ache and pain. I do not want to be a weak old woman one day.
And there is no ‘arriving’ when it comes to that. There is only striving, maintaining, keeping on going.
You will never reach your goal and magically stay there.
If you want your body to look and feel a certain way, you need to work at it. Every. Single. Day.
Every day you need to decide whether to watch what you eat.
Every day you need to decide to exercise.
Every. Single. Day.
For the rest of your life.
THAT is the ONLY way to become, and stay, slim and fit.
There is no finishing. There is no magical number on the scales that if you just get there you can relax.
Never.
Does that scare you?
Or does that empower you?
It empowers me. I have finally taken ownership. Every single day I have the power to decide how I will look and feel.
And you know what? Some days, that means I’ll eat chocolate. And ice-cream. And drink cider. And… whatever the hell I want, really. Because I’m not on a diet.
I write down what I eat every day. Some days I’ll eat too much. And I’ll bloody well enjoy it.
But MOST of the time, I’ll keep my kilojoule intake low. MOST of the time, I’ll eat healthy food, and I’ll enjoy that, too (because it can taste damn good! Especially when it comes fresh out of your own garden).
Every day, I decide whether to move my body, and how. One day a week I don’t exercise. I let my body rest. Because rest is just as vital as action.
I like running. I like yoga. I like sitting on my exercise bike and pedalling away while I read my kindle. I like dancing. I like to MOVE.
Some days, I’ll move more than others. Some days I’ll push myself till I’m gasping for breath and my muscles are shaking. Other days, I’ll take it easy.
As long as I make the time to move most days of my life, I’ll be going in the right direction. It’s as simple as that. And as profound.
It’s the long game, people.
And every single day, you have the choice to play, or to sit on the sidelines.
Which one do you choose today?
I think it’s time for me to go get on that bike…
***
Image of Aussie Surfer Laura Enever from the Nike website.
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Fully agree Jess, you have to move every single day ! being (ahem) the wrong side of 40 i am so aware of this now,apart from the physical benefits (firmer legs, flatter stomach, a glow in the cheeks that you just cannot get from make up ) doing some sort of exercise everyday makes me feel happy and helps to banish the blahs !!!
Life is too short to diet and i try like you to maintain a good degree of moderation but then there are some days, when that twistie packet is calling my name or a wine and cheese are the only way to end the day…
re exercise today; I had a lovely early morning walk followed by a run (was feeling inspired)- now i am a bit tired and a lot stiff 🙂 but the endorphin high you get from exercise just cant be beaten !!
Oh, I totally here you regarding the ‘blahs’ – if I don’t exercise for a few days, I can really feel the difference in my mood – it’s quite amazing 🙂
Well said Jess. The decision to be healthy is a lifelong one, and it requires us to do something every single day. As you say, even choosing to rest is doing something.
Being healthy doesn’t mean we have to give up everything that is awesome, it just involves find a different type of awesome. I’d be stuffed without my daily exercise!
I am also on the “wrong side of 40” already. The year I was to turn 40, I decided I was going to lose 40lbs by my birthday. That was my 40 by 40 goal. I got really close — shy by 10 lbs. And I got lazy. The first 30 had come off so quickly. I think I thought I had almost “arrived” and so, why work so hard? I’d get there, right? Nope. Now I’m about 20 lbs from that original goal!
You are right. It’s something you have to choose to work at all the time. So, I’m back at it. I’m trying to eat whatever I want (which is usually pretty healthy) – just less of it. I park on the highest level of the parking garage at work and make a conscious effort to hike those 17 flights of stairs – heavy computer briefcase and all. And I use the elliptical most days. I’m not at my goal yet, but I can tell I’m stronger and less breathless at the top of all those stairs. And that is what really matters. The rest will work itself out. Good on you for realizing this a decade before I did! 😉
Yes Jess! Maybe 30 is more of an age of wisdom than we realised because I not long ago came to the same conclusion. No. More. Diets. I’ve been on and off diets since I was 12. And eating healthy can be so yum! And some days I go overboard with the chocolate. But no biggie! Exercise is great for body and mind, as Daniele says. Being fit and healthy and strong is the goal, feeling good and looking hot is an added bonus!
Great post. In general I eat pretty healthy and I typically work out 5 days a week. Kind of taking a break this week due to some shoulder/back pain but still hitting my legs and abs. I life weights and do a lot of muscle building, which is awesome because I get to eat loads and not gain weight. I currently weigh about 126 lbs / 57 kg and can eat about whatever I want–but after cutting out most sugar and processed foods I don’t generally go for the “bad” food anymore anyhow. I love http://bodyrock.tv for the short workouts. I can’t do them everyday, I’m not in that good of shape! But I try and get them in 3 days a week with weight training two additional days a week. You should check out bodyrock, it’s awesome!
Ohh, thanks for the tip!!
Loved this read. Very no-nonsense and oh so true. There’s nothing more depressing, demoralising than feeling unhappy about yourself/unfit and I think that ‘goal’ of reaching something ethereal (!) like the perfect weight or fitting into the perfect dress is a crock. Because what happens after that is you rest for way. too. long. It’s so important to enjoy the process (love reading the kindle on the exercise bike idea). Podcasts while walking for exercise are great, too. It’s some ‘you’ time and not some tortuous, hateful process that you never want to get up and do. Thanks for the motivation — I needed it!
Realising that you can’t magically be fit and slim is one of those hard lessons I have definitely learnt over my 30 odd (sssshh!) years. But… like yourself, I’ve finally come to realise that as long as I’m being healthy (I will never ever give up chocolate and cheese and bread!) and exercising in one way or another, I feel good about myself.
I used to be obsessed with my weight when I was in my late teens and twenties and I have to admit to not actually owning a set of scales now because of this. I figure if I fit into my clothes then that’s all that matters! 🙂
fabulous post! and so true. I think our society is so geared towards achieving ‘the goal’ that we forget it’s a journey. Well said. And I’ve just started yoga again 🙂
This is beautiful. You are beautiful! I, too, just altered my goals last year and I’ve never felt prettier. I no longer want to “lose a few pounds” or be a skinny as the next girl. I want to love my body by feeding it well and being fit. Focus on getting strong instead of getting skinny. It’s truly been the most life-altering mindset of my life, and I’ve never been happier. Good luck to you and good for you!