Friday 19 March 2010

Blog Slog

Gym Ninja appears to be a smidgen under the weather today.  In fact, having spent nearly 2 weeks without a day off, it's  no wonder GN is flagging somewhat. But, she will slog away at the blog today, as you all deserve it!

Last weekend, if you recall, was spent at the Assessment Centre doing practicals and having to sit an Anatomy exam, so hardly the most relaxing of weekends. Plus this week, what feels like flu has battled to take over Gym Ninja. It's not succeeded. Gym Ninja has a good old immune system on her, however because GN hasn't succumbed to the onslaught it's left GN with an undercurrent of half-cocked symptoms that just bubble away under the surface. Remember the other day when a 1 year old vintage Night Nurse medication nearly sent Gym Ninja into a coma? Well, today she's trying Blacksip, the blackcurrent version of Lemsip. She's also dosing up on juiced fruit and vegetables hoping that the nutrition boost will help too.

Gosh. What a lot of wallowing eh?  AND Gym Ninja may have accidentally reversed over a giant brown Wheelie Bin as she attempted to back the company car Blandmobile out of the driveway earlier.  Ooops! Fuzzy head indeed! Luckily most of today was spent working at home, so no one was at risk of being mown down by the car.

So, whilst Gym Ninja wonders why she puts herself through such a punishing schedule of work, training and revision at night, she is reminded that a goal worth achieving never came easy. Otherwise why would you strive to achieve it? What would be the reward if you didn't have to push yourself out of your comfort zone?

Gym Ninja's goal is to work full time, for herself, as a Personal Trainer.  To live and breathe the lifestyle, and go that extra mile to be a living 'inspiration' if you will. (Hmm, Blacksip medication is now making Gym Ninja dramatic again.)

There was a tweet by RevRunWisdom,  on Twitter that sums it up. He says, 'Dreams come in a couple of sizes too big so you can grown into them'.
If you're not following him on Twitter you seriously need to be. Always seems to tweet just what you need  to get your focus back on track.  Gems such as this:
'If you move forward, NO flinching. Stride ahead, day after day,...doors WILL open and continue to open'

Sometimes you need to hear positive thoughts. You become what you think you are. If you think you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, then you'll be more likely to make healthy choices when it comes to what you eat and how you spend your free time. See? All YOU have to do is believe in what you are doing and don't get put off by others who try and bring you down because they are threatened by what you believe in.

Why are they threatened? They don't seem threatened. Is that what you're thinking? Well, look for the signs:

Do your family or work colleagues/friends ridicule you for what you eat?
Do they moan about how inconvenient it is to plan meals out at a restaurant even 'you' can eat at?
Do they question you with a, 'What DO you eat exactly'?
Do they try and tempt you with cakes, chocolate, sweets etc and roll out the 'One won't hurt' line?
Do they cook for you, and despite knowing you like to stay healthy, cook fatty stodgy foods for you and then look all hurt if you decline?
Do they say "You don't need to lose any  more weight', when your healthy eating plan is just that: for health, not necessarily weight control.
Do they moan about the time you spend at the gym?
Do they make fun of you when you say you are getting up early for a run?
Do they start to tell you that you have lost too much weight/are too fanatical/look haggard rather than compliment you on your new fit body?

Don't allow these people to de-rail you. Deep down, they must surely feel threatened in some way, or at the very least, in a state of unease, at how you try and live a healthy life. Remember, education about how we need to eat healthily and take regular exercise is everywhere so these people are aware of it, yet choose not to do it. Maybe deep down it niggles them? Maybe they'd like to be fitter and healthier? Who wouldn't? Maybe they are secretly worried about how they live their life and you, prancing around in lycra all bursting with energy and glowing with health is just rubbing their faces in it, in 'their' opinion?

NOW can you see that these people have an agenda?  By trying to stop you leading a healthy lifestyle it makes THEM feel less badly about living an unhealthy one.  The better you look, the worse they feel they look in comparison. As women who train with weights, we've all at some point been told we look too muscular, or had comments about muscle not being feminine or a barbed 'You're not going to turn into a man are you?'.  Biology lessons aside, you need to brush these comments off. You're no more turning into a man than they are.  Don't feel you have to justify wanting to take care of yourself. Nor should you feel obliged to justify what you eat and drink either. Yes, we all find ourselves doing it, but maybe try and take a moment, collect your thoughts, and then gently explain that you eat how you eat to stay healthy and strong.  Perhaps then maybe ask them why they like to eat donuts/chips/puddings/fast food? Put the onus back onto them.

One thing you may try, is to offer them a brief yet valuable piece of advice, or a health tip. This person may just need that one thought to germinate and grow from a seed that YOU planted, into a strong  healthy lifestyle (OK, so a lifestyle isn't what grows out of a seed, but if I said they'd become a tree then that'd just be silly. Where would their conkers grow? Yuk! Imagine!). Hey, it happened to most of us. We all started somewhere with one thing that triggered off a thought that had been rattling around in our heads for a while. Why not try and be the person who nudges someone into taking better care of themselves? We can ALL be an inspiration to someone taking their first steps into a new way of life....it's a domino effect.

Before Gym Ninja disappears in a theatrical puff of smoke for the evening, she'd just like to take the opportunity of thanking her readers. Thank you for coming back every day to read Gym Ninja's ramblings. Thank you to those who commented positively about the last post. The house analogy that tumbled out of Gym Ninjas head all of a sudden? You remember it yes? Golly, yesterday was so long ago eh? You like JackaNinja, which is cool. More analogies to follow as and when 'inspiration' strikes.

Also, Gym Ninja loves seeing roughly where her Ninjarettes are...

"What up", to all you over in America who regularly read this blog.

"Bonjour" to my regular French Ninjarette.

"Hoi" to whoever it is peeking from the Netherlands...

Of course, "hello" to all in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Blighty...

If you like to read on a regular basis then please do become a follower of this blog so Gym Ninja can see who she is rambling to. Makes her feel less like she's on an express list to the Funny Farm!!!!

Toodle pip

Gym Ninja