Kirsten’s Corner: The One About Being Scared of a New Program

Once upon a time there was a recovering chunky-butt named Kirsten who decided she wanted to work in a gym-o-awesomeness and surround herself with healthy, fit-minded peeps. As part of her indoctrination into the land of IFAST-dom, she was awarded an assessment that verified her strengths and weaknesses as a dormant athlete. She quickly proved herself to have the dexterity of a Weeble-Wobble. They sent their noble and optimistic warrior, Sir Jae, to feverishly train Kirsten in the art of Anti-Humpty-Dump-tery. This is her story…

WEEK 5:

I know from talking to other clients that requesting a new program can be an empowering right of passage that celebrates a month of dedication and hard work.  For me, however, being a creature attracted to all things comfy and familiar, the idea of getting a new program filled my mental teapot with anxious nervousness. In the end, my desire to keep my muscles growing and guessing won out. After writing my name down on the Updated Training Programs sheet, my next step was to fill out my New Program survey so Jae could shine his flashlight-o-insight onto my self-perception as a blossoming athlete.  And let me tell y’all: It. Was. Cool. (i.e., not the survey itself,  it’s perfectly nice as far as Google docs go, rather, being forced to reflect on my journey).

I was asked to confirm my goals: “stability, strength, fat loss, and middle-aged sex-kittenry”

More importantly, I was asked what fabutastic-filled things have happened in the last month:

• I’m starting to get a dent in my upper arm as a indication of preliminary muscle definition
• I’m feeling more confident with the idea of my potential

Since submitting the form, my list-o-realizations continues to grow:

• My chronic back pain is 100% gone 90% of the time and for the other 10%? I  know how to obliterate it by rolling a lacrosse ball on my left butt check. Seriously? Seriously.
• The quantity of days-on-end headaches has been sliced and diced by 2/3rd. Boo. Ya.
• I’m actually SWEATING.  I exercised before being an IFAST client, but I’d never sweat. I just would get a tomato-red face and overheat. Not anymore. I even had a t-shirt made that says, “It’s not sweat, it’s liquid awesome.”  And after working out with Jae? I’m dripping with awesome.

Next week I start my new program. Bring it on.

Living happily ever after,
Kirsten

LAST WEEK’S GOALS:

• Keep on trackin’ GRADE: B
• Focus on getting good sleep GRADE: C

THIS WEEK’S GOALS:

• Rock my new program
• Eat for hunger

LESSONS LEARNED:

• With the amount of exertion required during exercise, I’ve decided it’s only a matter of time before I have a workout-induced toot. I preemptively apologize.
• The belief that I can have a lean, strong, and athletic body is taking hold. And I’m not quitting until I lock that sucker down.

Kirsten’s Corner is a weekly blog post written by Kirsten Shaw to document her health-fit journey. It is intended to offer humor and inspiration and should not be misconstrued as medical advice or the opinions of IFAST.