How EssentialSteps Helped Jan
Working out too intensely burned me out
“I have been physically active for most of my life. I enjoyed participating in sports and activities while growing up. But I am an overachiever and do things to the extreme. Last year I decided to hire a personal trainer. I asked for a drill sergeant and on the first session I told him to kick my butt. I worked out hard for 9 months but didn’t really lose any weight. The workout program was intense and I found myself not really enjoying it even though I was committed to it. I wanted to lose weight and realized all the effort I was putting in wasn’t really getting me the results I had expected. I could have just dropped out and stopped exercising but I know how much better I feel.”
I enjoy moving my body every day
“I’m 50 now. I lived the first 50 years well, and want to live the next 50 even better! I decided that I don’t need to work out to lose weight. (It didn’t work so well any way.) I want to enjoy moving my body every day, feel good and be healthy. I used to power walk for 4 miles as fast as I could because I thought that was the best thing I could do for myself. I hated it and lost my motivation and stopped. How is that good for weight or health? Now I walk that same 4 miles at a pace I like, and look at the flowers and the houses, and smile at the people I pass. It takes me longer, but I feel that I am still giving my body a workout. In addition, I am no longer obsessive about reaching a specific goal. If I wind up walking only 2 miles on a given day, I don’t beat myself up anymore. I know I’ll do more the next. Working with Michelle I learned that it isn’t daily variations that matter but doing behavior over the long term. I do the walk for the pleasure it brings me and I feel great. I used to “have to do it” and not want to. Now that I don’t have to do it, I look forward to doing it. I don’t see it as “exercise” any longer. Physical activity is my “essentialsteps” and it is effortless for me to do.”
My walks are effortless
“Working with Michelle actually helped me with my approach to eating too. Since taking EssentialSteps 15 months ago I lost 14 pounds and have maintained it. I have internalized the program philosophy: that sustaining a behavior is much more likely if it gives us pleasure! I realized that I have always approached exercise and dieting in such extremes that I couldn’t sustain either. Now I take a much more moderate and pleasure-based approach to both. I eat what I want but in portion sizes that are more appropriate. Now, I ask myself before I eat or do any physical activity, is this going to give me pleasure? If the answer is no, I take the time to modify the activity or meal event to ensure I’m experiencing pleasure. When I hear myself say “I have too much work to do to go take a walk”, I reply to myself that I’m more important than the work, and taking 30 minutes to take a walk won’t really set me back work wise.” I’ve developed a whole new mindset about exercising and the importance of my own self care.”
