…but dad gum inertia is a beast.
Last week was Week 1 of me taking my life back and I deem it a smashing success. My nutrition was spot on. I lifted 3x. I did both cardio and Jits 2x each. I did my first shoulder workout since June. It was embarrassingly light, but I did it without pain. Made it through my first conditioning circuit in longer than I can remember. 30 minutes and my legs were sore for three days afterwards.
I think the biggest victory was that I didn’t want to do any of it. There wasn’t a single work out that I was jazzed about doing. I even had to drag myself to Jiu Jitsu. I’m ashamed of that, but I was tired and I had a headache and my whole body hurt and I just wanted to be home, having a Zen moment with my bed. The headaches from the drastic change in nutrition combined with the fatigue from the exercise had this normally cheerful lady irritable and sluggish. But I did it anyhow and am really glad I did.
Today I lifted with my partner Michelle. She’s a Figure competitor and is 4″11′ of dynamite. She is incredible motivation and I’m not sure I could get past this part without her. My roommate is a Bikini competitor and she has been my accountability partner for my nutrition. Josh and Coach keep me motivated to come to class and I’ll do it for them when I wouldn’t otherwise (Thank God for them both). What I’m lacking is a motivator for cardio/conditioning. I just can’t want to. So I find myself staring at the machines, then plodding grudgingly towards them. Meh. I always feel good when I’m done, though. And today I was going to let myself off with 30 minutes, got half way through, and found that I actually wanted to go for 45. That felt good.
Tabitha, my roommate, keeps reminding me that the suck part only lasts for about three weeks and, if I can keep this going for six weeks, the next six will be considerably easier. I know that she’s right. I’ve done this before and *that* time I had a whole lot less support. She reminds me to focus on where I’m going, not where I’m at. Having my people has been my greatest weapon against my lack of motivation.
And I lost 4 lbs last week.
Life is good!
About Carmen Torres
Hey! I’m Carmen: movement junkie, language lover, dog mom. I grew up in New Orleans and I’m all about turning anything into a celebration. If there’s an opportunity to play, I’m likely to take it. If there isn’t, I’m likely to make one. It’s probably why I became a personal trainer; every day a new challenge surrounded by people who inspire me to excellence.
Nearly two years ago, I started coaching group fitness and I can’t believe I waited so long. I’m certified in Les Mills Body Combat and that’s how I start Monday. I teach Spin and Yoga back-to-back every Friday morning and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I picked up two new certifications last year. Les Mills Body Flow is a fusion of Tai Chi, Yoga, and Pilates. It’s my favorite to practice. POUND is my newest certification and it’s absolutely the most fun you can have in a gym. You drum, jam out, and sweat. What could be bad?
I’ve trained kickboxing for four years and Jiu Jitsu for three. Conditioning is my jam and my workouts support my martial arts training. I incorporate Jiu Jitsu and striking drills with calisthenics, plyometrics, and basic tumbling. Favorite gym toys include kettlebells, med balls, val slides, and ropes. My training partner is a glutton for punishment, so training days are off the chain.
Food is a passion and, even though I have an absolute soft spot for sweets, I generally eat 5-6 clean meals each day and reserve desserts for special occasions. I indulge quarterly with a week of dietary hedonism between Christmas and New Year’s. I love to cook and so does my boyfriend, Josh. We’ve created several dishes that were inspired by something decadent, but had excellent macros. He’s effing amazeballs on the grill, so the protein in our home is always on point. And don’t even get me started on his collard greens. He smokes them with tomatoes and onions. Have mercy!
I love to dance and competed professionally for a number of years, but I haven’t donned dance shoes in longer than I can remember. I’ve also acted professionally and still do voice work. I’m an unabashed Bardophile and RSC fan girl. I have a pug named Izzy, a terrier mix named Yuki, and a bully mix named Ava. Our pack is well-loved and spoiled rotten. I spent two lovely summers in Azeroth, although I preferred my time in Greece. I never get sick of traveling. I love to sing and can be easily convinced to do karaoke on any given weekend night. I’m always in the mood to watch a handful of films, including O Brother, Where Art Thou and The Princess Bride.
You can stop me in my tracks with excellence. Anything done at a certain level of mastery becomes art and I’m mesmerized by that kind of beauty. Whether it’s Jiu Jitsu or dance or dog grooming or carpentry, I revere work done well.
My mission in life is to corrupt a generation of women into believing that there are better criteria for happiness and success than being pretty or thin. This blog is part of that movement.
Torres~ential Downpour 