The secret to rocking fitness for the long haul

The past month I have been resting from exercise and allowing parts of my body to heal so I could get back to teaching Bodyflow, rock climbing, and doing things I love.

It’s been difficult to say the least as we all know that exercise is not only good for our bodies, but keeps our mind in a positive healthy place.

When we exercise we feel confident and powerful….we are Warriors!

Have you ever committed to a workout or fitness program and thought you would love it, and in fact didn’t love it at all, and then felt like a failure?

I have felt out of sorts with my body, both emotionally and physically, but I knew I had some overuse issues in my chest that needed to heal once and for all.

I had moments of frustration, but I was able to have more compassion for my body this time around. This isn’t the first time I have had overuse issues, so it was lovely to see how I have grown and how much more love and respect I have for my vehicle on this sweet Earth.

It feels so good to be back and as I explore new workouts that can support me for the long haul, I am reminded how we always need to revisit our bodies and our hearts when it comes to fitness.

Just as we need to revisit our food and diet, we need to look at how our body is responding to our workout. If you are suspecting your body is unhappy with your choice of workout right now then…

Ask yourself some questions:

Is this workout still serving me?

Is there more harm than good happening in my body?

How is my sleep after I workout?

How do I look and feel in my body after I do this workout?

Is there a part of the workout that could be hindering me in my day-to-day life?

These are some of the questions I have been exploring over the last month as I try to uncover why I have been having hypermobility in my chest (yes I know, my dear heart chakra).

This is an area I have been trying to open up (my heart) for over 10 years now, since the loss of my relationship to my fiancé and the passing of my father.

That was an all time low when I honestly didn’t ever want to love again. What was the point of it all?

And once again, getting on the mat saved my life.

Bodyflow, in fact, made me feel fierce, alive, and strong when I felt so weak. The meditation at the end opened up my heart and my eyes to buckets of tears to help me move forward and consider opening my heart again.

Les Mills is now offering Bodyflow classes in an online format, you can enjoy from home here for as little as $10/month. There is also a free trial you can check out.

10 years later I still love and enjoy Bodyflow and rock climbing and they both seem to suit my body well.

I have been considering a new training to take on so I can offer more classes and move my body in a new way….and the verdict is in!

Drumroll…

I am going to be a PoundFit Pro on Sunday, and I am so excited to release my inner rock star.

Have I ever mentioned that I have always dreamed of being a rock star?

You can watch a sweet video for yourself here and I would love to hear if it awakens an inner rock star in you…please email me and let me know!

I had a friend email me this workout over a year ago, raving about it and saying, “Girlfriend, I know this is for you!” I have been patiently waiting for a training and the right time and voila it is here!

Bonus…I have a class tentatively scheduled for noon on Mondays at Gold’s Gym this fall.

But the real bonus is that I will be able to offer my class in any setting, churches, any fitness studio, homes, schools for kids, and senior centers. That is what is making my heart sing!

In this exploration of how to better serve my body instead of being so frustrated with it when I can‘t do the things I love, I am learning to listen.

One thing I know for sure, is the secret to fitness for the long haul, is finding something you love to do and do it!

I know I don’t like machines or weights – this I know is the truth!

For me to try and commit to that kind of program for the long haul is setting myself up for failure. (Ok I tried before my yoga teaching days and failed miserably)

On the other hand, I have clients that absolutely love popping in their ear buds and rocking their circuit training in about half an hour and can’t get enough of it.

You don’t want to feel like every time you go to work out, it’s a drag and you are over-efforting to get there.

Sometimes it may be tough, but overall, you want to look forward to your workout.

So me being a closet rock star and wanting to pound drums, sing, and turn it up, I find Poundfit to be right up my alley and I am so excited to bring this into my life, share with my community, and to add variety to my workout and cardio.

I don’t get enough cardio and that was one thing I was looking for in my new training. AND no weights or push-ups to really offer support to my overworked pectoral muscles. Sigh…I wondered if I would ever find a solution.

I encourage you to look high and low if you need to…get online and Google what you like to do, and I would be willing to bet you will find a class for you.

If you feel challenged and are unsure what you would like to do, let’s chat. This is my thing; I can help you find something to motivate you…that I can assure you!

Move into your uncomfortable zone and go for it. That body of yours is counting on you!

I hope you have a great weekend and get outside and move that body today.

Love ya big,

Shannon Lee