Athlete, Cheerleader, and everything else you ever wanted to be

A friend and I were talking not too long ago when she said something about me being "athletic." I started laughing out loud and told her I've never considered myself to be athletic. Let me say I very often bump into things, trip over my feet, and just recently had my husband stop my attempt at jump roping while we were at the gym because I was embarrassing him. I am as clumsy and uncoordinated as you can be, how is that athletic? I am not going to lie my parents TRIED putting me in sports such as soccer and basketball and it was an epic fail. The only thing I was remotely talented in was dance and cheering and I am sure that is because it had something to do with tons of repetition and practice haha. However, ever since that conversation I have put a lot of thought into the word "athlete", and who and what I want to be seen as. Here are a few pics of my not so athletic days...

In college, cheering was my outlet but as far as anything else athletic..yea not so much.

This was in Colorado after the birth of my first daughter, my husband and I went on a mountain climbing trek, and I am still shocked to this day I didn't die that day.




I certainly am not the fastest or strongest women I know, but I can promise you I try my hardest. Isn't that what it is about? Putting your heart and soul into something you believe in. What better "thing" or person to believe in than yourself?! We all need our own little personal cheerleader even if it is our self. Positive feedback can do wonders for a persons attitude and self esteem. Compliment yourself on what you have done versus focusing on what else you need to do. I may be terribly clumsy but when I am working out I put on a whole new mind set. If you put on some Tae Bo, I am the baddest martial arts lady there ever was, if you put on Insanity well I just may think I am the superwoman of personal training, and put on the Zumba kinect game and I could out dance Selena, giiiirl!




Ok, I really am far from all those things but the point is you have to believe it, you have to put yourself in that role to get the results of those people. Role play, have fun,  put on some favorite old tunes and sing and dance in the mirror, if it gets your self esteem up and your body pumping DO IT! For 30 minutes to an hour each day put aside being mom, wife, friend, daughter, and every other title you have in your life and be who YOU want to be. Get on that treadmill and own it like you are a marathon runner, so what you are only going four miles an hour, you best pump out that pace like no body else can! Here are a few pictures of where I have been recently where I can truly say wow I feel like an athlete!

 This was after a recent four mile run through our neighborhood in the hot sun, but I felt like I was the fastest most awesome runner ever, after I finished :)

This picture was taken a year ago after my husband and I did our first race together in Nashville.



The hardest exercise you will do each day is moving that butt of yours off the couch and putting it in motion. Confidence is key in motivation. When you see that number drop on the scale, it makes you want to do a happy dance and you feel like you can take on the world, SO DO IT! Take that great feeling and charge it into your work out. You may be your biggest critic, but I promise being your biggest cheerleader is much more fun :)




Finally I will say a little saying my husband says to annoy me, "Let your haters be your motivators" I think it is very cheesy but VERY true. Take all the hurt from negative comments, take that feeling of not fitting in your jeans anymore and USE it to push yourself. Prove everyone wrong, shock somebody, including yourself :) You never know what you are capable of until you push yourself to a point of no return. That is the beautiful thing about fitness and your body, YOU are in control. No one can make you feel inferior, over weight, ugly, or anything else without YOUR consent. So politely tell them where to go and prove them wrong. Success is the best form of revenge there is. Until next time have fun, be who you are, and OWN IT. There is only one you, and you are the best at being her and showing what she is capable of :)