On February 21, 2020 I did my quarterly InBody body composition analysis. I saw the numbers and, for those that know the InBody machine, it gives a print out with your previous history laid out. My weight hadn’t changed. In fact, it went down. I didn’t have a goal to gain or lose weight. I was more concerned about the internal stuff – body fat composition and muscle mass analysis. Those number were definitely trending…but in the wrong direction. Honestly, I was a little shocked at where they were. I got on the phone the next day with our registered dietitian: “Jess, I’d like to hire you for the next 3 months. I need some accountability.” Pretty well timed seeing as we were about to head into quarantine a month later…
Last week I was speaking to a friend that I touch base with once a month. We were on a call talking about life. He asked, “Hey, I know your gym is closed. Are you still getting your exercise in?”
“Errr…ahh…ummmmm…like 3x a week.” (That like someone asking you what you shoot in golf and you always deflate your handicap by 8-18 strokes. Three times a week was BS….and he knew it).
“What’s the issue?” he asked.
“Well, I have my knee that has been a problem and I have to help my kids with scho….” (He interrupted me. Good friends can.)
“Doesn’t your gym have something like Rule 76 in place? No excuses? What would you tell someone that came into the gym with a knee issue or said ‘I can’t find the time?”
(Errrr…ahhh…ummmmmmmmmmm)
I was listening to a fellow gym owner’s commentary on, well, he always has commentary on a lot of things. But this particular one I was tracking him big time, “You don’t think I want my gym open? Of course I do! But our date of opening just got mandated to be pushed back an extra 4 weeks. And then it hit me – gyms aren’t essential….” WELL NOW YOU LOST ME. I’M DONE LISTENING.
But he followed that up with, “You know what is essential? Health and fitness.”
You know what I found was essential? Not wallowing and sitting in my own excuses (oh and I have plenty of them). My health and fitness are essential. I had to call Jess because I found I just kept sitting in excuses. I had to have a buddy tell me, “Knock it off, get outside and do SOMETHING. Even if it’s 10 minutes. Go for a walk. I don’t care. It’s good for your health. Your MIND.”
And so Jess held me accountable and 3 months later I’m back on track internally with my most recent InBody scan (done last week). I’m back to where I was a year ago. One week in with my consistent exercise routine and my mindset has changed. (Yes, it’s only been one week but I will take that!!)
Look, I know for many of you it stinks the gym is closed indoors. But it’s alive and well as we just started outdoor classes. And we have Zoom classes if you aren’t ready to be exercising 10′ from people. “But I don’t have equipment. I’m not in shape anymore. It’s not the same.” You actually don’t need an outdoor class or Zoom class or equipment…I’ve learned that working out at home with a bum knee. Is your health essential to you? Maybe you need someone to write a program for you.
I know it’s hard being home all day and the accessibility of food is…very accessible. Maybe a Jess or someone to hold you accountable is all you need. Is your health essential to you?
Trust me, this is not guilt. This is what I have been wrestling with myself for the last 3 months! (I told you that my exercise conversation just happened last week, right??) I haven’t solved this. But I know that on my own I can forget to remind myself of how essential my health is and that prioritizing that certainly clears some head space (and in times like we are in now…I need a clearer head space).
I think we all need a clearer head space. Is your health essential to you? I am being reminded that for me – it is.