Food & Fitness

Welcome all!

This is the new place for Living Healthy in the Real World. After playing around with WordPress I think I understand it enough to make the switch here from Blogger! Take a look around; I’ve got some new pages set up. Have fun and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see- I’m always looking to improve! Also if you’ve added me to your Blogroll, don’t forget to switch the location from Blogger to WordPress. Thanks:–)

Half the battle is mental strength

Danielle, my boot camp instructor from November, pushed our group incredibly hard. She encouraged us to keep lifting those weights and jumping up and down until we physically could not do anything more. I’d have my 8 lbs weights in hand and be doing shoulder press after shoulder press, and when it came to the point that my arms stopped moving on their own accord, she would tell me to drop my arms. A few seconds later, she’d tell me to do another few shoulder presses. I would obey and find that the short rest was enough to replenish my energy. She was a true slave driver and we all adored her for it.

Sheer physical strength didn’t have a lot to do with our capabilities at boot camp. Obviously, that’s an important factor, but it wasn’t what really kept us going. I had no idea I was capable of spending half an hour straight doing only burpees, sprinting back and forth, and lifting some weights in between. There’s no way I would do that on my own without stopping to take a break. But apparently, I was capable of that, and more.

If you have done or are doing the 100 push us challenge*, you’ll have been dealing with this same struggle every day of that challenge. Yes, our arms get tired. Yes, the body shakes like mad. But there’s a little bit left in you. There’s always one extra push up that you can do. One hundred consecutive push ups is no easy task, but during those weeks of training, its not just your body that is getting stronger. It’s also your mind.

At boot camp, Danielle would tell us that half the battle is our mental strength, and the real reason that we’re at boot camp is to improve our mental strength. That’s what we’re building. It’s the ability to say “no” to the candy dish you walk past every day. It’s the decision to follow through with the workout and make it to a fitness class. It’s the compromise to ask for no dressing on the salad because you’d rather have some butter with the bread than have your veggies sopping with sauce. It’s the choice to eat whole foods than buy greasy meals at a fast food joint.

If you have made New Years resolutions this year, having the right mindset is key to achieving those goals. Ask yourself how strong your mindset and willpower are. Test and push yourself so that you are aware of just how far you really can go. Surpass your expectations and reach beyond the limits. You’ll find that not too much can stop you once you begin building that mental strength!

*Steve Speirs has a new fitness challenge, the 200 sit ups challenge (using the term “sit up” very loosely though- its really crunches). It looks like it’ll be just as much fun as his 100 push ups challenge!

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34 Comments

  1. tokaiangel

    Hey, like the new place you’ve got here!

    I agree 101% on the mental strength. The brain has complete ability to override physical signals to stop, but you need that practice to train yourself to ignore it. I like using the Zen approach of detaching the mind from the body and existing somewhere beyond it. I had a lot of physical pain over the entire Christmas break and although it sucked at the time I’m now super-adept at “leaving” my body, and tapping into those inbuilt happy-drugs the brain has to relieve pain! They ARE in there!!

    TA x

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  7. Sagan Morrow

    TA- the brain has such good happy-drugs built in, there’s no need for any other kind of meds:) Detachment can be really useful for achieving all kinds of things.

    Dr. J, Ms. Turtle & Rupal- thank you!

    Crabby & Tom- I’m happy with it, WordPress is pretty hehe.

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  15. Sagan Morrow

    Sharon- I figure that if I talk and write about it enough, that will help force me to push myself if I start to slack off!

    FBG- I adore the cloud. It was the main reason I wanted to switch to WordPress (and I’m only half joking about that…)

    Asithi & Big Girl- change can be very nice!

    VeggieGirl & Maggie- *waves* I had lots of fun creating the different pages!

    Charlotte- cultivating mental strength is so rewarding, isn’t it?

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  17. Lance

    It all looks super-great here, Sagan! I love the look!!

    The whole idea of what our mind plays in when working out – is huge! It seems like mentally is the first place to give out.

    The 100 push up challenge. I was doing this (key word – was…) – so I’m taking this as a “kick in the abs” from you, to get back at it!! And I shall…tomorrow…(hey, it’s getting late here, and I’m tired — sounds like my mind is giving up doesn’t it!).

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  25. Sagan Morrow

    Jack & Strongandhealthy- thanks!

    Lance & Dadivastreet- I hope you do! Good luck with it. I find it easiest to do first thing in the morning (after getting some sustenance, of course:D)… both the mind and the muscles are better prepared, I think, and refreshed from a good rest.

    Juliet- so far I do like it better because there’s more freedom with it (like having a customized header and blogroll and multiple pages… or maybe you can do that with Blogger too but I just never figured it out lol). I got quite a lot of help initially with the basics but now I’m doing it all on my own (eek).

    Jolene- Good luck!!

    Robin & Kelly- I’m quite happy with my new “home”:)

    Peanut Butter Boy- when I eventually make that step, I’ll be enlisting your help, hehe. Thanks for your advice, it was really useful for making the move.

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  31. Fitness Surfer

    Sometimes I’m to logical. I keep thinking the 100 push up challenge sounds fun, but that I wouldn’t want to over work my chest and not strengthen my back…Hum My current goal is to once again bench 115lbs it’s been a few years…10, but I know I can do it =)

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  33. Sagan Morrow

    Mark, Dara & Hil- thank you!

    MizFit- yep, this is the new and improved version;)

    Cammy- isn’t it just?

    Bag Lady- you always make me giggle:)

    Fitness Surfer- I believes in you:D Maybe you could do some back strengthening exercises too? I might be wrong but I think push ups are good for just about every part of your body anyways.

    reply to comment→

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