What Are Your Goals?

It seems like I haven't written any of the posts I promised for this week... oops! But this is why I love entering the blogging world. You read other people's work and it inspires your own thoughts.

With that, go and read this: Six Pack Abs: Do You Want Them? Can You Get Them? Is It Worth It? It is a lengthy read but so worth it!

I replied to Scott's post and said:

1. I really don't know.
2. I don't think I can (extremely short distance between my sternum and bellybutton so I'm not sure if there is even a six pack in there! ha)
3. I don't know and that's why I have trouble answering #1
As a female, obviously body image is a HUGE part of life. I liked your discussion of the times you felt great when you had a six pack and the times you felt awful when you had a six pack. I am constantly finding ways to tweak my diet and exercise habits for long-term sustainability. If I was able to find a zone that made me feel awesome and allowed me to have six pack abs then I would absolutely love to and it'd be worth it. But through my experiences with my body, I think I would have to put myself through a lot to achieve a 6-pack look. Doesn't help that the female body naturally wants to hold on to more fat than the male body.
My ultimate long term health goals are to maintain a healthy weight, active lifestyle, and prevent chronic disease. I don't need six pack abs to achieve that. If one day I find myself seeing more definition in the mirror, that will be awesome! But if it never happens, I'm perfectly okay with it too. 

I think most females will agree with me that our own worst enemy looks us in the mirror each and every day. For YEARS I have battled with myself and only recently have I felt like I have been winning the fight in the mirror.

Scott replied to me:

Great insights Shelby... I appreciate this wonderful share.

The beauty about the process... of trying new things... is having that open mind... willingness to experiment with a keen sense of awareness... and discover what makes you feel your best... and gain the most joy.

It took me a while to get to this point. I've been honing the skill for a few years... and that's after the first 5 years of 'failures'. I've learned a great deal about myself during the past three years... and have finally settled into what makes me truly happy... what's truly sustainable... a lifestyle... and I look forward to continuously tweaking and improving. It's a lifelong journey and I love it!

So glad to hear this article gave you pause... a moment to reflect on what you want. We don't do that enough.

Thanks again for sharing your insights. It means a great deal to me.

His article and this comment here echoes the take home message: fitness and health is a LIFELONG journey. There is a phrase, "it's not about the destination, it's about the journey", and it totally applies here! We all know the destination... death and eternal life in Jesus Christ (for my Christian followers out there). But how do you want to spend your time on Earth? Now taking a detour for one second, Christian life often argues that you should always be focused on your life in heaven. And yes this is absolutely true. We can't take our possessions, money, or accolades with us when we go, only your faith. But what kind of life would you have during your time on Earth if you had poor health? Shouldn't part of your thanks to God include taking full advantage of the blessings of health he has bestowed upon you?

This thought process goes for everyone: Don't approach workouts with the mentality of "I have to do this", but instead with "I get to do this/I can do this". I promise you, if you commit yourself to a fitness routine, it will get easier. For the past week I have been thinking how much easier it feels to walk the two miles to the gym, complete my weight workout, and walk the two miles home. Man, that first week I walked to the gym, I seriously considered waiting 'til Judah got home at night to go workout. But I stuck to it and now a month later, walking really isn't a challenge. Even the short hill I have to go up when I first leave the gym isn't so bad. Back when I was training for my half marathon, there came a point that my 7-mile runs felt easy. I got out of bed excited to go run for 75 minutes. You just need to have patience and take the time to put in the effort. And if all else fails, you can do all things through the strength of Christ (Philippians 4:13).

And apparently I was meant to write this blog post today because Gibson's Running Quotes on Facebook shared this motivational quote:

"How many times have we encountered a running friend who, perhaps in the middle of a slump, or dealing with an injury, or god forbid has to run in some slightly adverse conditions, said they 'HAVE to do X miles later today?' I readily admit I used to be one of those runners.

There are days I just do not have the intense desire to go for a run. I will simply bide my time, dressed in my shoes and shorts, just hoping to get another spam email telling me that I need a better mortgage so I can delete it and delay my run. But I know one thing for certain and that is I do not HAVE to run. No, I GET to run.

The distinct difference between 'have to' and 'get to' comes from the fact that all around us there are people who would run at any chance they could, but because of serious injuries or other circumstances, have been robbed of that blessing.

I am in no way saying we cannot have bad days and that our own sufferings and troubles need to always be compared to others who have it worse. We are welcome to have our own down moments and lulls of appreciation as to the gifts we have. However, the next time you think about what workout you 'have' to do, take just one second to realize how lucky you are that you 'get' to do it. Then go do it."

-Dane Rauschenberg, extreme runner

I always say, start small and build from there. If all you can do today is a ten minute walk and five push ups, that's fine. Think about this image:

So let's come back to the blog post title: What are your goals?

This post comes at an interesting time for me. It seems pretty definite that Judah and I will be staying where we are living through the rest of this year, so I now have the option to find work. I also have been deciding how to approach my workouts. When I ask, "what are your goals?", I don't only mean health-wise. What are your goals for life? And what do you do each and every day to work towards those goals?

In terms of my health, I already stated it in Scott's post comments. I want to maintain a healthy weight, which for me will range between 125 and 140 pounds throughout my life (hopefully!). I want to always be active, one way or another. Whether I take up walking around the neighborhood, tackle a marathon, or become an avid tennis player. And finally, I want to do everything I can to prevent chronic disease, which exercise will most definitely help. But I also need to eat right and avoid tobacco and excess alcohol. I can't do anything about my family genetics, which are not very great, but diet and exercise are two major tools I have in combatting those diseases.

I feel like I am having a quarter-life crisis at the moment (I will be 25 in October after all...). I know I want to be a great wife, with strong Christian values that I am able to showcase, and one day I want to be a great mother. A woman in my community group put it so well, she wants to be the mom who her kids' friends want to be around, that they will always want to go to her house because they can feel the love and the "home" she has created. In terms of a "career", I just want to help people reach their health, fitness, and life goals. I've put in a lot of thought towards pursuing counseling or if I could be a personal trainer/aerobics instructor again. Or wellness coaching. Something along those lines. Even if I never earn another dollar in my lifetime, I'd still be happy because that's how much I love this topic. Reading blogs of other coaches/instructors and just watching people in the gym, I want to get involved so badly!! Right now I have been praying for God to show me what direction he wishes for me to take. I can feel it, I'm on the brink of whatever that may be, but I still need to be patient for Him to unfold His plan for me! (Have I ever mentioned I am impatient?) But God's timing is always perfect, so I am taking deep, steady breaths to stay calm.

Readers: What are your goals? This can be for anything - health, life, career. Take your pick! I want to hear your stories!