No Magic Pill

By, Gabby Reece
Writing these blogs for the first time feels like going on a date with someone you just met.  “What should I say?”  “How do I communicate my experiences and philosophies without jamming it down their throat?” “Wellness, health, and fitness… aahh could I be more boring?”

So I just decided to be the way that I am with everyone about things. Straight with as little bull as possible.  You may not even want to have dinner and call in your “bail out plan” when you hear the first thing I have to say about getting, being, or staying fit and healthy.  There is no magic pill.  It takes more than just six minutes three times a week, and believe it or not you may even have to sweat now and again.  I understand if you “have an emergency” you have to tend too.

l only say this because I love to see people achieving their fitness goals and I would be doing you a real disservice if I tried to sugar coat it any other way.  It takes some good information, CONSISTENCY, and work to get there.  Now having said that you don’t have to kill yourself or be miserable to obtain physical fitness and health.

Coming from a professional sports background, I have met some of the most qualified trainers and nutritionist out there.  It is my goal and desire to share with you some of the “secrets” I have learned from these experts over the past 17 years.  Where it’s scientific, I will break it down to a user friendly level.  If I share with you the most extreme aspect, I will show you how to apply it to your life in a realistic way.

I too am a student looking for better and more efficient information to inject into my own health and fitness lifestyle.  Believe me, there are many days that I wish I could just say “OK, I have worked out for 18 years in a row and I would like this to sustain me until I’m 85.”  It’s like making your bed, marriage, raising kids, paying taxes…there is no end.  I figure then why not find a million ways to get it done and enjoy this quest of trying to look and feel as good as I can.

If the gym isn’t for you, no problem, I will try to throw every alternative to inside gym workouts that I can come up with.  If a high-protein diet makes you feel miserable, maybe you need to eat differently.  We are all different and no one thing works for all people.  This is where YOU come in.  It’s important to participate in a way that you learn what works for you.  Even the most informed expert needs your participation in finding the right combination between what kind of movement works for you, what you should be putting in your mouth, and how your life and stress load affect your mind, body, and soul.

I think that once people embrace the process and accept that it is continual it can be relatively easy and, believe it or not, enjoyable.

When I write these blogs, I am coming at it from a sports background, and in some ways that was easier because it was my job.  However, I am busy, I have a crazy 2-year-old (like all 2-year-olds have made a pact to be), a husband who eats a lot and likes home cooked meals, travel, laundry, aging, I’m a woman (enough said), I check my butt in the mirror from time to time, and… Do I need to go on? There have been plenty of days that I only had 20 minutes to get it done so I busted it for 20 minutes and knew that was better than nothing. I didn’t think it wasn’t worth it to do anything since all I had was 20 minutes. You know what else? I have never been in better shape than I am right now.  Why?  I have some great people who have taught me tons.  I know my body and what works,  what food I can get away with, and how to train. Slowly, I have learned to actually enjoy who I am.  We will get into it but if you don’t think how you feel about the way you look and who you are affects your physical appearance, then you have been watching too many infomercials. Did I love being 6’3 when I was 14?  It was a little tough.  The day I realized I was going to be that big and better really start enjoying it was the day everyone told me how wonderful it was that I was so tall.  I went from freak to “statuesque” in a matter of self perception moments. My rear end went from big to powerful in that same instant.  I’m not talking about me training to be the best size 6 I can.  Not in this lifetime.  I’m talking about eating well and training smart to be the best ME (6’3″, 170 lbs., size 8-10, muscular) I can be.

Let’s go into this new year with the hope and belief that if we make the commitment and generate some effort, we can achieve any goal we set our minds to.  It doesn’t mean a walk in the park, but what monumental thing ever is?  I’ll be here to give out suggestions on eating, workout routines, organizing one’s fitness life, and tricks you can do to try to get it done on the days that you really don’t want to.

If you are already on the move, then I’m just going to give you some suggestions and ideas that you can incorporate into your existing regime.

Think of getting fit and healthy as a three-pronged fork.  It’s movement, it’s eating (not dieting), and it’s the emotional aspect of living and managing one’s day to day realities.

Coming into 2013, ask yourself what more important thing you can do for yourself?  If you come up with something other than take care of yourself, let me know.  I’ve tried lipstick, chocolate, cars, and shoes. None were as good.

Do you think you’re going to call me again?

2012 Gabrielle Reece . All Rights Reserved.