Slow and Steady

SLOW AND STEADY

My first running race took place when I was five years old. My father signed my sister and I up for the Fun Run, an annual event that took place at our local track. I ran this event from the age of five to about the age of 12. I began in the 40 yard dash, progressing to the 200 meter sprint. I came in either 1st or 2nd for most of the races. I was born a natural sprinter: the first one out of the womb ( I beat my twin sister by 11 minutes) and I always finished 1st or 2nd in gym class when we were racing the boys. When I played softball, I was the girl who stole bases right in front of your eyes and had a knack of pissing off a lot of catchers! And in soccer try outs, though I did not have much skill at the age of 11, I had a 40 yard dash time that inspired a coach to take me on and teach me how to dribble a ball with my feet. I could always do fast. Even when I was a waitress I had quick feet and could cruise the restaurant in record time, turning and burning tables, always on someone's heals and getting yelled at a lot by the managers to just take my time. Hmmm, slow and steady? What the heck is that?


Again, I have trouble doing slow. I'm very good at fast but know that slow and steady running may be just what my body needs after a day of jumping, moving side to side, and running the streets of Austin with my boot camp. Now that I am graduated from Physical Therapy and have the green light for most activities, I am training for a marathon in December. Yes, 26 miles. This sprinter still cannot fathom running for four hours when 100 meters use to take me 12. 5 seconds when I was 12. However, this sort of running excites me as well. Why? Well now my runs are at least 38 minutes and progressing to be 60 minutes next week and this is a whole lot of time to myself compared to what I have been allocating in my training schedule. Wow! 60 minutes to myself out on the trail enjoying the wind, the sunshine, and the swans on the lake. Relaxing! Yes, I am learning to relax, slow and steady.

My point of this biographical history of the progression of my running distance and time is directly related to your time in the gym. Yes, your time in the gym. This week it seemed like the similar struggles of my clients and class members centered around the frustration of the timing of results, the timing of meals, and the timing of workouts. I can write and speak all day about developing an exercise and nutrition game plan. I can list the important details of this plan: Set a goal, plan your workouts and put them in your schedule, and prep and plan your meals. I can blog and word doc several tips and tools on how to make fitness a lifestyle. However, the bottom line is that most of us - including yours truly - do not know how to do slow and steady and speedy results is not only a demand but it's a necessity to increasing our self-esteem and our willingness to continue getting our butts to the gym.

But this is where I will disappoint most: long term results will not come quickly. And if they do, the likely hood of them sticking around is very much below par. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is true. We cannot expect to lose 10lbs in two weeks! If you do, it's not a healthy method. Sorry, but I'm telling it like it is. If you continue to eat a dessert daily, no, your pants will not feel loser tomorrow. If you do not exercise on your own or get your cute booty to the gym at least 4 days a week, results will continue being at the top of your wish list. If you do not eat clean for at least 80% of the week, your muscles will consistently sit underneath pudge! If you are constantly sleep deprived and stressed, your body will not optimally function, therefore the excess fat you are carrying around will not budge.

I do not like being the tough love trainer. I'd prefer to stroke your ego and tell you to keep up the good work and keep trying; however even your trainer needs tough love every once in a while to put a fire in her pants. The other day I told my special someone that maybe I will just do 50 minutes for my long run, hesitant to go for 60 due to the mental difficulty I have been experiencing when going long. You know what he said? "Look, you are already making excuses. You want to run a marathon, you have to push through the mental struggles, slow down, and just run slow and steady." I did have an Alley McBeal moment and envisioned grabbing his cute face and knocking it around a bit.....sorry babe......just being honest, yet I then put my irrational emotions aside and knew that he was right. All I have to do is slow down and I will get through 60 minutes of running.

I do believe this is relative to you in the gym. Preconceived notions of time lines will consistently burst your bubble. Irrational expectations will continue to disappoint you. What you need is a well thought out plan and rational time line that will deliver you results in a timely fashion that will also stick around in the future.

It takes on average about 6 weeks to see results if you are consistent with your daily workouts and clean nutrition plan. So start today. May 1st can be your check in point. Set a goal. Plan your workouts - at least 4-6 a week for 30-60 minutes. Eat clean. Limit sugar, salt, alcohol, and processed food. ( I have been dessert free for 1 month now!!!! FYI - I am down 10lbs since January 1st.) Sleep at least 7 hours a night. Manage your stress like you manage everything else in your life.


Make it happen.....slow and steady.