The Challenge with No Rules and No Commitment in which you win or win.
Besides being a teacher and a writer and an all around awesome yet mildly sarcastic klutzy idiot, I am also an agoraphobic vegetarian with depression trying to heal a broken heart and understand how I got into (and out of) an abusive relationship. I am out of shape physically, emotionally, and mentally; things are not fun right now and I am literally and figuratively "not in a good place."
Spring is in the air, and summer is on its way. It's time to throw out the old and begin anew. So today, March 1, 2012, begins a 10 week challenge. By mid-May I will have to make a major life decision, possibly involving an enormous sequence of changes. I'm not sure what to do about it or how to decide. I will need the inner and outer strength to do so. By mid May, I hope to be in better shape. I need your help, support, encouragement and friendship.
The first (and only) rule of Get Fit! club is never let bullies win. If you need further motivation, I was recently told by someone that I disgust him to look at. I need to get in shape, heal, feel attractive, figure out how I let someone be so cruel to me, and also just feel strong again.
My Challenge
PHYSICALLY STRONG
My challenge is to feel strong, inside and out. That means different things to different people. One of my challenges is to get in shape physically, and for me that includes losing 20lbs. But my challenge is not about starvation, deprivation, or an unhealthy desire to be a twig. I don't want to be skinny. I want to be strong.
EMOTIONALLY STRONG
Being strong, to me, also means being emotionally strong. I am going through a hard time in my personal, professional, romantic, social and everything else life. So my challenge is to find better ways of grappling with my depression, anxiety, and hurt. I want to feel happy more often than not. I need to get people that are bad for me out of my life.
PROFESSIONALLY STRONG
Being professionally strong is the source of a great deal of anxiety for me, which I will explain more in May. But this area also includes a tension between creativity and financial security. Sometimes I am torn between wanting to be a housewife and wanting to stay in a career and have a housewife or lesbian life coach who makes me margaritas. I want to take myself more seriously as a writer. I want to stop saying someday I will write, and just write, no matter what.
FAMILY LIFE STRONG
Finally, being strong, to me, is going to require being strong for other people. For one, my mother has dementia, and brain damage due to being hit by a truck driven by someone who was texting and driving (she was walking) and she has now lost her job (and can never work again) because of it. She will need someone to help her financially, emotionally, physically, and in so many other ways. I don't know how to do this and I want to feel like I can, I will, and I am.
My Goals
First, I'd like to fit into my pants and also to tighten up my elbows. I believe I've made that clear. Second, I am tired of feeling weak, pale, squishy, seeing the roll hang over my pants, the muffin top poof out over my belt, and not be able to put my blouse over my flabby arms. I want to feel strong, flexible, and comfortable. As we all know this is going to be hard for me because of my addiction to cheese and beer. It's hard to give something up that feels like the Almighty Orgasm in your throat.
Fit in my pants - lose 20lbs (and probably get my cat to lose 4lbs too. yeah fatty!)
Better manage my anxiety and depression
Leave the house sometimes
Do my hobbies - gardening, cooking, photography
Write a short story, start a novel, have 2 more online publications
Heal a broken heart
Figure out how to take care of my mom
Make the Decision
My Inspiration
Join up with me! Each Thursday, write a post on your blog about your goals and challenges, struggles and successes for the week. Maybe you've been meaning to work on something - fitness, spirituality, relationships, parenting, hobbies, your way of dealing with stress and anxiety, your writing, your career, whatever!
When you write your post - come back and link up! If you can't do every week, that's no big deal. At the worst, you will get more visitors to your site and make progress towards goals (even just clarifying your goals helps!). At best, you get more visitors, accomplish goals, and win a prize!
In the middle of May, you can sum up your accomplishments and struggles. I will call for a vote for Best Spring Cleaner - whoever wins will get *the top prize*!! A Kindle, a Guest Post on my Blog, and a Shiny Winner's Spring Cleaning Get Fit! Award.
Every Thursday I promise to chronicle truthfully my struggles and successes. I hope you will share yours! Don't worry if it isn't all rainbows and unicorns - does it seem like that's my personality? No it doesn't. Whatever you choose to focus on, in 10 weeks we're going to get better! Be honest about your journey and willing to share - that's all I ask!
Get FIT
Get STRONG
Have FUN!!
Let's start cleaning house!! Link up runs weekly between Thursdays and Sundays
What do you need to do to get in physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, professional, shape?
54 comments:
Whenever someone says they have to make a tough decision, this usually applies: You know what you have to do, you're just afraid to do it.
Just minutes before reading your post I signed up for "boot camp." I am a little scared about what this will entail. Wish me luck. Wheeee!
As long as a guy in a crew-cut didn't make you take an oath, you'll be fine.
Dammit, stupid Disqus... That crew-cut comment was supposed to be a reply.
I'm afraid of all the options involved I suppose - and it's going to negatively affect other people either way. I definitely don't know what I have to do, although I have some options and I know what I can do - I am not sure how to do it or what is best.
I made the resolution to do at least one physical activity each day... so far, I have bought one sweet, delicious food item to deal with stress each day.. I like this though! I will do my best to get in better shape right along with you.
Awesome! I really need people to do it with me. We can start tomorrow. I just ate a caramello. Let's try to do something physically active tomorrow and report back :)
Aw this sounds like a great plan for you! I'm interested to hear how you get tubby kitty to slim down...
Pish I am playing along but cannot link up. It says I need to have a backlink to your blog and I have two so I am not sure why it isn't letting me. Both get fit buttons link back to you. Perhaps you can link me up. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
You mean the one who's snoring like a fat lumberjack right now? Ya this is going to be hard. The only time he's not eating is when he's sleeping or pooping. But I just KNOW he's thinking about it then too.
Oh yay! Okay thanks for letting me know. I've never done it before so I think I changed it now - let me know if you still can't do it. I tried to make a "grab my button" thing all day today and couldn't figure it out so I gave up.
I am not a robot. I don't know what you are talking about. I am not a robot. It puts the lotion in the basket. I am not a robot. Or it gets the hose again.
I'm a pacifist.
great challenge
I think I may jump on this myself. I want that Kindle.
Do we go write the post and then link up or link up now to say we are playing?
Well, first, holy crap your giving away a Kindle? You be high rollin' Missy!
And second, I applaud this post, and you. Get the toxic people out of your life and the rest will fall into place.
We don't know each other in 'the real world', but I think you are lovely.
Write the post, then link up :)
Thanks Vesta :) I think exactly the same about you!
Wow big post! And I don't mean the amount of words. Very cool of you to be able to express yourself so well and put all this information out here for us to read. There are things I'm working on in life but my personality would never let me share them so publicly - I don't have that sort of confidence. However, I will say this, I've been working to lose all my extra lbs and it's going very very well :-) Hurray! I'm half way there - and I am so determined that nothing is going to stop me until I reach my goal. So I'm with you!
I understand! I just need someone to hold me accountable right now because I'm very isolated where I live. You don't have to share personal things but if you ever feel like sharing how you've successfully accomplished some of your weight loss goals and such that would be helpful to me. I don't mean crazy diets. I mean it just helps to motivate me to get up off my butt when I hear someone say "I walked for an hour today." Because then I feel like a lazy sonofabee, and I'll get up :)
This is the truth I am told
By the ones who know.
And yet.
The devil is in the details.
Disquis is sooooo stupid. But apparently I have a hard time leaving bad relationships. And so disquis stays. Because without disquis, what do I have?
Oh tell me more! I can't wait to see if you like it or not - some people do and some people don't. Some people need someone screaming at them, loud music, insane over the top workouts, and some people just need to start walking for an hour every day. I like to be energized - but I hate people screaming at me and I can't stand loud music. I went to this spin class once and it was 9am on Sat and I just wanted to have a good sleep-in morning and instead I was hurting my butt with other people sweating all over the place and the instructor screaming directions I couldn't understand over very loud thumping music. All I could think about was "I could be in bed right now with my cat." Sigh. So sad ;)
Good luck Erica! I hope it pumps you up! :)
Hope you will write about it if you feel like it - inspire me girl!
Then, fuck it, just go with the option that will result in the most drinking and don't look back.
You are like the worst cheerleader ever. I'm trying to cut back drinking - that's what's making me fat.
That's what's keeping me from the gym too. Lay on the couch and eat tarts and strumpets and drink beer - or get stared at and sweat my butt off doing boring exercises while my gym plays Fox Fawking News on all 5 screens. I'm gonna go with the beer.
But yes, I will have to not look back whatever I choose because it will burn bridges either way, and require more initial stress either way than doing nothing. Eventually it will turn out though I hope.
Hmm... onepart of me really wants to say I'll join in, BUT I usually only post twice a week and have a huge list of posting topics, some of which feel real necessary to me. That doesn't mean they are, but they feel that way, right now. Which is not to say that there won't be any posts that fit this category, but they won't be every week.
You should go look at my 400 Words post. That's about what I did to get started writing consistenly.
Also, there's this insecure writer thing that happens on the first Wed of every month hosted by Alex C (author of Cassastar and Cassafire). You might look at.
I love this! ok, so I can't play on Thursdays - I do my Earthquake Preparedness posts, but I am here to help and cheer you on! Everyone remember, it only takes 21 days to make a goal a habit. you can do this!!!!
You can post a story from any time from any day on Thursday, Friday, Sat, or Sunday. You can do it once, or twice, or all ten week or not at all. You can play :)
21 days is a long time Juice. 21 days is like 8 weeks. Well the first day is like 4 days and the second day is like two days and then the third day is like a day but by the fourth day its four days again.
Thanks for the suggestions! I will check them out.
Well if you ever feel like you want to write about things you want to work on and feel like linking up, please feel free. But its not a requirement.
I'll check out your post. But I have been blogging every day - I have almost 200 posts in the past 90 days, so for non-Academic writing that is a 3 million percent increase (also I'm good at math?)...
I have a list of postings too but I can only really write what suits my mood.
Unless I drink first ;)
I finally followed you back here from Rev BIOU13's place. And I am here to JOIN YOU! I have a definite need to get in shape physically for sure. So let's do this.
Boot camp tried to kill me. Specifically through my colon. It took issue with all that intense squatting and lunging and this suddenly sounds dirty. Anyway, no one screamed at me, a friend of mine is a personal trainer and she is very nice. She NICED me into doing burpees. Awful things. Can't recommend them. You need to find something that you LIKE to do, that gets you moving. I happen to like my treadmill, with music and a food magazine to read. It is very counterproductive to read Bon Apetit while jogging, but it has type that is big enough to read while on the treadmill and lots of pretty food porn. My first rule is JUST MOVE. Take a 10 minute walk 3 times a day. Then work up to 20 minutes. When you start getting stronger, you start feeling better and want to do more.
Now all I can hear is that lemur from the Madagascar movies singing "I like to move it move it move it."
Excellent! I am going to try to work up a sweat after work tonight. I'm going to make sure I do at least one physical activity per day and either focus on breaking a sweat or using weights or both.
I just have to remind myself that the feeling that comes after the workout is more attractive to me than the feeling I get from laying on the couch :)
Whaaaat? My colon is scared now. And burpees sound burpy. You got burped.
I don't like doing anything but playing soccer. But I can't do that here. I do like working out while watching food porn though. I thin kyour ideas are great, just MOVE, that's so true. I will do that.
Haha I love Madagascar. It's the only Sacha Baron Cohen I can stand. I'm listening to it now and my coworkers are laughing.
Maybe my workout will be dancing to this song ;) I have a weighted hula hoop too! Have you ever seen those?
Also your blog isn't letting me comment right now so I will check back later!
I'm in! Things always work better with friends supporting you and holding you accountable. There is a lot of work to be done on this ole gal, so here we go!!!
Dude! 200 posts in 90 days! It took me a year to get 100.
So I'm gonna steal something you just said to write a post about. Not because this is what I think you meant but because it made me think of this:
Anyone can be a "writer," because anyone can write. Well, that's not precisely true, but just go with it. However, I think to be someone who writes books, you can't just write what suits your mood. You can't just write what you feel like writing or when you feel like writing. The key to doing something like writing a book is being able to make yourself write even when you don't feel like working on that thing and writing when you don't feel like it. I sort of talked about this idea a long time ago on my blog, but you've made me think of it again, so I'll probably have to go with it.
And, just, wow! 200 posts in 90 days! What the heck?!?!
You are the second person to mention that, so now I have to figure out WHY.
Well as you said, I didn't mean that. And I don't think that anyone can be a writer, just as I don't believe anyone can be a teacher ;)
I think people can do things better - and I teach students to write better. But I don't think more is more or that just anyone can be a writer.
I don't think 200 posts means I wrote anything award winning, but I am proud of my commitment, effort, and energy put towards writing. My goal with the blog, or one of them at least, is to make writing an every day part of my life.
B0oks and articles may require commitment regardless of mood - but only to some degree. There are times when things flow and times when things are stuck. It's important to keep pushing through, but its also important to take breaks when it isn't coming naturally. I've always been a prolific writer but not always with an audience :) So I think that the rhetorical context of the blog is somewhat to do with mood. I don't want to write a sad post when I feel flippant.
Thanks Becca! Will you join us?
Wonderful!! Glad to have you join us!
What would Yoda say? What would Werner Erhard say? At least Horace Greeley suggested "Go West!" If Pish gets all the way to Pumpkin Center, I know a certain congenital contrarian and kin who could use the company.
I'm excited for you on your journey. Several years ago I was a hot mess. I took a look at where I was & how I got there. Determined to change, I put one foot in front of the other and allowed a healing transformation to enter in. I am grateful beyond words. I was sad,lonely, isolated, afraid, unable to experience emotional intimacy. Little by little I made progress. I found groups that were specifically geared toward healing my needs. Today I stand before you a woman basking in the glow of joy, love, grace, and complete freedom. If I can do it, I know you can! I will be cheering for you.
-Andee
Boy Andee I need to hear more stories like that! I hope you will share stories and comment throughout. Because it is a struggle. And I need to know how much better it can be.
Thanks for your cheer! :)
What I mean is that, technically, anyone that wants to be a writer can be a writer. All you have to do is write. I'm not saying it would be good writing, but you can't tell someone that they're not a writer if they spend all their time writing. Even if what they're writing is crap.
For instance, I know someone that's written something like 50 novels in the past 2 decades. I was looking at the one he considers his best work, the one that he doesn't ever think he will ever be ever to top, and it is a piece of steaming crap. But there's no way I can tell him that he's not a writer, because, evidently (as in the evidence shows), he -is- a writer.
I don't, however, believe anyone can be a teacher. In fact, I think most people don't have it in them to be teachers at all.
I'm not saying that anyone can be a -professional- writer.
What I'm talking about with writing whether you feel like it or not is more about writing books than about writing blogs. With blog posts, sure, you should write what you're in the mood to write. With a book, though, unless you want it to take years and years and years, you need to be disciplined to write no matter how you feel or what mood you're in.
What the heck is Pumpkin Center?
Whatever it is, if I get there I will definitely bring my congential contrarian some company, and a glass of pinot noir :)
Oh definitely. Although there is something to be said for maybe writing other things temporarily when working on your book isn't working? I don't know. I haven't tried to write a book - the biggest thing I've tried to write is my dissertation. There is value in the philosophy that I should have been writing something every day - which worked for other people. There is also value in the philosophy that I should write something when it came to me - which is what worked for me. I never let the wrestling with it part go. I would try sometimes and it would be awful. I would go for days just walking and vaccuuming and talking and reading and then a BLAST of writing and then a wall.
I suppose each person has they own way of meeting the beast/muse. I do value the philosophy of writing something every day and committing to it. I'm starting by trying to write a little something every day. This is SO much better for me than a few months ago when I just didn't write at all. my soul felt ashy and muffled.
How's the weather in Cali? A nice Sunday evening?
Oh, yeah, and I'm all about each person finding the strategy that works for that person, and some people don't write everyday or, at least, don't work on the same thing every day.
I suppose part of my wording comes from hearing people go on all the time about how they can't write anything unless their muse is "talking" to them or whatever. My response is usually, "Sit down and start writing, and it will help you "hear" your muse."
[No, I don't have a lot of respect for muses.]
Really, what that amounts to is that they are waiting for it to just happen to them instead of taking control of the writing.
I do think writing every day or, at least, most days, is important. Not that it has to be on a book, but developing the habit of doing it is necessary if you want to accomplish more than just playing at writing.
You, however, seem to spew words all the time. I'm still not over 200 posts in 90 days!
The weather is actually quite excellent today. Warm enough for me not to need a jacket, and I get cold pretty easily.
I hear you. What I've learned is that I am not a happy person, don't feel myself, when I don't write something every day. It's been a tremendous gift to myself to make something in which I could write every day and enjoy it. My next step will be to start, work through, and finish a book. But for now this right here is good too :) What it comes down to in the conversation of "should" someone write every day is that I feel blessed and lucky to write every day. I love writing so much. However, when it comes to academic things, then writing is like working out. It's HARD and I don't enjoy it as much. I'm sure this is true of writing novels too. It's art, it's craft, it's work, it's bliss.
1. Get a flat stomach by continuing to exercise 4-5 days a week and limit sweets/fats
2. Stop tearing apart nails and cuticles
3. Try to find three writing contests to submit to by the end of the month
Awesome goals!! Post your link in the linky at the end of my blog-post :)
Wait nevermind. Okay write a post on Thursday or Friday and post a link to it on the post that I write on Thursday - there will be a "Linky" at the end of my post which collects everyone's linkups.
Oh, yeah, I know how that is. It's common knowledge around my house that nothing will make me crankier than not getting the writing accomplished that I want to.
Ok....I am confused...post a link on the linky? I want to join. I am not really dumb tho I may come across that way. 2things...
1. I have goals I need and want to work on as well and sharing them and reading others' is awesomely inspiring and motivating
2. We all want readers and followers but I am not a writer. I'm not even good at it (hey, I see another goal here)..I just write whatever.
Awesome. I got your invite over at my place. I just may be interested because I get how you're feeling. Last night my husband kept asking what was bothering me and I was like, 'Nuthin! Just tired I guess!" Then today when he asked how my day was going (before my run, which helps, and my mid-day Klonopin) I told him, "I feel overwhelmed. Like I don't have time. There's so much to do. My mind won't stop running." He said, "I knew it. I could see it. Time to step back. I'll help you." And this is on HIS birthday!!!!
~The G is Silent
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