The title says it all;
Get busy living, or get busy dying ~ The Shawshank Redemption
I was watching this movie the other day, and this quote was said and it resonated with me. I thought that’s it! That is how I’m living life these days. I have been so busy that I’ve been neglecting this blog, but the most important thing is that I’m getting busy LIVING!
So many things have been happening in the last couple of weeks, and I’ve realised some things about myself in the process. Very important realisations that is crucial to my current experience, and I’m happy that I recognise it, and can make preemptive strikes where needed.
One of the most important realisations I’ve realised, is that I am an emotional eater, especially when I am stressed. I was stressed out a couple of weeks ago as I was doing an exam for work (I passed!) and the last thing I wanted to do was cook and go to the gym. I had takeaways two days in a row that week as was too busy to cook, too busy to go to the gym and too busy to eat healthy cos I was stressed. I think, no I know I put too much stress on myself, I really wanted to pass this exam for work to gain an extra qualification, that I put everything else on the back burner for a few days. Once I’ve achieved the qualification, I was relieved and happy that I had another takeaway to celebrate! I realised then, that I’m an emotional eater and needed to recognise that, so I can make sure that I don’t fall into an endless cycle of emotional eating.
Thankfully, due to the previous months of this lifestyle change, it did not take me too long to get back to normal. I know now what are the instigators for my emotional eating and need to figure out ways on how to not fall into the same traps.
While I do have a way to go here, there are moments here to celebrate. I did not touch a drop of coke during the week when I was stressed, especially before my exam. I was thinking before the exam that I always had a can of coke, just to ‘wake up’ and ‘have a sugar boost’ before my exams, and this was the first one that I’ve not had a can of coke beforehand. I’m not superstitious but I did wonder… thankfully, I passed, proving to myself that I did not need that ‘wake up sugar boost’ crap.
Despite that one week of no gym, I was back on form last week. It was Hell’s Week. So basically I had to do 4 sets of the 3 sections 2-parter. It’s a mouthful but if you go to AM Fitness (www.alwaysmove.com) it will make sense!!! During one of the days at the gym, we had to do heavier Deadlifts. The heaviest I had done previously was 50kg. But on that day, last Wednesday, I was feeling the Deadlifts. I believed in myself, and reckoned that I could do 60kg. Attempted it, and boom! I did clean lifts in one of the sets. In the final set, I was convinced that I could try and do the 70kg.
At first, I did not succeed. My hands were slipping as I tried to lift that barbel. Currently there is a chalk ban at AM Fitness, so I was trying to lift the barbel with my tiny hands. I’ve not been blessed with height, and my hands are pretty much the same size as a ten-year old, if not smaller!! The only benefit of being short so far is that I can get trainers in kids size!!! Saved a lot of dough that way 😀
Anyways, back to that 70kg Deadlift. An example of a Deadlift is this:
I tried one more time (with my childlike hands) and I was like, that’s it! I’m getting some chalk. Told Andy that I need chalk to have a better grip, and surprisingly, he allowed me without any protests. Armed with the chalk rubbed onto my hands (lotta chalk here), I approached that 70kg barbel. Took the time to steady myself, squatted down and gripped the hell out of that barbell with my chalked up hands. I waited till I was ready, and breathed out as I stood up with that 70kg Deadlift. I did it!! I couldn’t believe it, and if I have to admit it, while it was VERY heavy, I was amazed by how much it did not trouble me to lift that weight. I completed the set, and smashed my personal best by 20kg!!
It just goes to show you that with time, you can achieve what seem to be the impossible at the beginning. It just takes time, patience and perseverance.
Don’t ever give up, and get busy living OR get busy dying!
I’ll sign off saying…
~ movelynnmove ~
movelynnmove 