being uncomfortable

this is what being uncomfortable looks like = happiness

this is what being comfortable looks like = unhappy (i hid it well)

I’ve come to the conclusion that life is better when you are uncomfortable. That when you get comfortable things stay the same, you stop learning, growing, and changing. You become fat. It is usually when you stay comfortable for too long you get frustrated because things that you want to change, aren’t changing. And isn’t that what life is all about? Expect the unexpected. You could apply this to just about any aspect of life. For today’s post, I’m going to speak specifically in regards to weight loss.

Losing weight isn’t easy. If it were I wouldn’t still be 20+ pounds overweight, and it wouldn’t had taken me 2 years to lose 90 pounds. Everything that I’ve done to lose weight I was uncomfortable doing. Especially at the beginning.

Working out? Uncomfortable. Going to the gym, looking at all of these thin people. Uncomfortable. Then actually moving. All if it, uncomfortable. Before doing group fitness classes I was an elliptical junkie. That’s all I would do. I figured that was the safest thing to do. Then I started my venture into the studios and into group fitness. First with Dance Jam, Soul Grooves, etc…I started out in the back of the class, always. I was so uncomfortable. But I did it. I then slowly began moving to the front of the class. Again, uncomfortable.

Then I started changing my food. Now this was hard. Not eating what it is that I would normally eat. Uncomfortable. Saying “No” to foods I would normally eat. Talk about being uncomfortable. I hate watching what I eat. Hate it. I can’t tell you how uncomfortable it is to walk away from sweets!

Moving on to STRIKE! and Total Conditioning. Uncomfortable, and double uncomfortable. Doing the U-DO. I pretty much had my very own temper tantrum leading up to that, and during the whole freakin’ thing because I knew I would be uncomfortable, and because I was so uncomfortable.

I am watching this season of “The Biggest Loser” and listening to guy who is an Olympic gold medalist talk about this journey from a world class athlete to being a contestant on the Biggest Loser because he is so overweight. This man obviously knows what it is like to be fit, he knows the hard work it creates to have those muscles. So why did he all let it go? He got comfortable.

Why did I get so overweight? I got comfortable. I didn’t move. I didn’t care. I didn’t know…I chose not to really see what it is that I looked like. I had no clue what all that extra fat around my organs was truly doing to my body. Why? Because I didn’t want to know. Because I knew that if I was truly honest with myself I would be disgusted. I would kick myself for not changing. For not saving my life. Why do you think that all of those contestants on TBL are so upset when the learn their “inside” age. Because they are learning the truth of what has been right in front of them all along. They learn that their home, their body is seriously killing them.

To be healthy and fit you have to be uncomfortable. I see my weightlifter friend Bobby do chest presses with a 110 pound barbell in each of his hands. Do you think that is comfortable?! F-ing NO! Is it crazy?!, yes…but that is whole other post for a different day!

Do I want to do this Warrior Dash that my friends have been asking me to do? No. Will I do it? Yes. Will it make me uncomfortable? Absolutely. Am I more comfortable now in the gym than what I used to be? Yes. Does that mean I don’t find things to push myself that will make me uncomfortable? No. Do I hesitate in these things? Yes.

Will I go to the gym while I am sick, even though my doctor tells me not too. Yes!, because that is the uncomfortable thing to do.

I think we sometimes pretend that life is easy. But we all know the brutal truth. Life is hard.

Why be comfortable putting yourself into an early grave just to lay there…literally. Dead. Unmoving.

Move to the front of the class. Dance a fool. Try the heavier weight. Don’t eat that piece of cake.

Now I just need to learn to take my own advice!

barbell strength 60min