Taking the First Step

Yesterday, I shared a little bit about me and my fitness background. I hinted at how I got started with Beachbody but I didn't really go into detail. Today, I'm going to share that story with you and I think you'll be surprised by some of what you learn.

There's always a first step with a journey. Sometimes it's a small step, while other times it's a giant leap. Bottom line is that there's always a first step though. My first step with Beachbody and the programs they offer came in November of 2014. It was quite the unexpected step because I wasn't looking to make a change in my ways - I just kind of stumbled into it.

I'm not entirely sure when it happened but an old coworker friend requested me on Facebook one day. We had worked together for a year, but I couldn't exactly say that we had been friends. I have a rule when it comes to Facebook - if I know you off the computer or have interacted with you in a positive manner online, then I'm likely to friend you. If we've never met or have barely talked online, I'm probably going to reject the request.

Needless to say, her request met the first part of my "friending guidelines" so I accepted her as a friend. I didn't really think anything of it until she randomly messaged me one day, inquiring about life and how things were going. We chatted for a while and I moved forward with life.

The next time she reached out, it was to talk about Beachbody and the programs that she sold through them. (I'm simplifying the conversation, of course. It wasn't nearly that blunt!) She shared about the 21 Day Fix and PiYo, which was currently on sale. I had heard of these programs here and there but I didn't know much about them so I figured I'd listen.

I wasn't looking to make a change. I wasn't looking for a solution to anything. Exercise at this point was something I did on occasion but not regularly. There was something about these programs that intrigued me. The timing of everything didn't hurt either. You see, my husband was scheduled to deploy once again. We had just gotten married in September after a year and a half of long distance dating and he was set to deploy for most of December - May. He was set to leave and I barely had any friends in California.

Focusing on my fitness and nutrition suddenly seemed appealing. It was something I could use as a distraction. I bought a challenge pack that contained PiYo and 30 days of Shakeology. I figured I should at least give the shakes a try since they were cheaper with the Shakeology. I also signed up for coaching since it was free to do so as a military wife and gave me a 10% discount on future purchases. PiYo arrived in December and I set it aside to start in January because that's when you start new fitness programs, right? Starting in January always leads to success, doesn't it?

The husband came home for the holidays and then left again for four and a half months. I started PiYo. Two workouts in, I quit PiYo. (Sidenote: It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Shakeology but that's a story for a different day.)

When we had talked about the workout programs, I had debated strongly between PiYo and 21 Day Fix. When I quit PiYo, I decided that it must be the program, so I took advantage of that 10% discount and ordered 21 Day Fix. It arrived within a week and I set a new start date.

The new start date came and I started 21 Day Fix. The nutrition plan was pretty simple, the workouts were short, and everything seemed like it was going well. Until 5 days into the program, I quit again.

This time, I quit entirely, blaming time, myself, my job, and so many other things. I had so many excused when I for why I quit. At the time, I didn't realize that there was more to why I quit than the external excuses I was using. The reason that I quit these programs was a matter of mindset, not a matter of external forces. I needed to change my inside before I could begin to change my outside.

Click to Tweet: "I needed to change my inside before I could begin to change my outside."

As it turns out, our mindset when we start a challenge is much more powerful than we realize. Failure, however, is not as powerful as you think and it's easier to come back from it than you realize. Tomorrow I'll be bringing you the rest of this story - the one that doesn't end with me quitting all the programs.

Have you ever failed at something? Did you give it another try or did you simply pick yourself up and move on?

We're still in the middle of launch week around here! Don't forget that I've put together a launch week goodie pack filled with some of the health and fitness printables I've made over the past two years just for you. There are meal planners, trackers, goal setting worksheets, and even a coloring page included in this pack. So, before you go, don't forget to grab your launch week goodie pack!