It’s all about progress over perfection people!

I’m no genius; case in point the fact that it’s taken me about 3.5 years to realize the above. Not only in my fitness journey {where I began to realize it first} but in life as a whole. You wouldn’t necessarily peg me as a perfectionist because I outwardly show a pretty easy going and somewhat flexible nature, however I tend to keep any anxiety/worry/struggles that I’m dealing with buried internally. Not always a good habit–especially when asking for help is NOT a strong point for me. Over the past 3.5-5 years working out has become not only something I do for my physical being but maybe even more so for the mental benefits it gives me. It’s ‘me’ time that I cherish and I use those 30-60+ minutes as a time to decompress, de-stress and balance everything out. Growing up I was incredibly active, moving from sport to sport each season, spending time in the weight room and overall just rarely sitting still. College came and while I did participate in Intramurals and had a gym membership, I was usually more interested in having a few drinks, ordering takeout and hanging out with friends. Honestly, I never really ate all that crappy during those 4 years but my portions definitely weren’t following the serving size. Combine that with alcohol and minimal sleep and I became one of the lucky ones to add the ‘Freshman 15.’ {In reality I think mine was more like 18–UGHHH!}  At the time I didn’t notice it too much but looking back at pictures I’m literally so embarrassed. Thankfully not too long after I graduated from Iowa State I decided to get back on track.

Everyday requires intention and dedication.

After Kyle and I got engaged, we decided to do P90x to get in wedding shape. That was a great idea, and I did see some results, but we didn’t change our eating habits. I was working a job that had me in the office by 7:15am and not home until well after 6pm so my motivation to cook was basically non-existent. I thought Lean Cuisine meals were acceptable lunches–I was wrong–and frozen pizza or pasta was a fine dinner. I’d go on a solid stretch of P90x and decent eating and then I’d be stuck traveling for work and eating out for a week. The cycle was brutal and my body kept losing a few pounds and gaining them right back. In April 2013 I made a commitment to myself to do an overhaul. My mind needed it just as much as my body at the time and so I began to write down my goals: lose 15lbs by August, exercise 5x/week minimum, eliminate carbs from my diet, etc. I created my own, probably too strict, meal plan as well as an exercise routine for the first 4 weeks {I found TONE IT UP! at that time, too!} and got after it. The first 2 weeks were definitely an adjustment because I was sore, hungry and moody. After that though, I hit my groove. I dropped 15lbs by early July and had built up my running to 10 miles/week. *Side note, it’s CRAZY how at the time I thought 10 miles was so much and now I can run 10 miles in 1 day with no problem. PROGRESS at it’s finest!* I ended up losing another 5lbs by October and while I was loving the way I looked, I knew I was bordering on an addiction to what the scale said. This is where the ‘Progress over Perfection’ mantra came into play for me. I was in a size 25/26 but started wondering…could I get down to a 24? Or could I maintain only 1200 calories/day but double my workouts? Scary thoughts looking back. I started focusing more on my idea of perfection rather than applauding myself for the crazy awesome progress I had made. Each day I sincerely had to set intentions on what I wanted that day to look like and dedicate myself to honoring those intentions. Constantly I was reminding myself ‘make progress, Kristin, don’t try to be your vision of perfect.’

Above was from Cabo in Dec. 2013 at 118lbs

This was January 2015 at 125lbs but leaner & much stronger than the year before, proving the scale doesn’t have to be your enemy. It also proves that a certain weight looks so different on each person so just because Sally over there weighs X and you weigh Y there is really no comparing. Everyone’s shape, build, etc. is so so different. Do what’s best for YOUR body, not someone else’s.

Reality check.

Running became my thing. It was cathartic, good for my heart and I enjoyed it. Something about being alone and pounding the pavement was one of my favorite parts of every day. So I signed up for my first Half Marathon and ran it in under 2 hours. I was hooked. I also started hovering around that obsessive line but I ignored it more often than not. I signed up for another Half and began training even harder, all while running various shorter races. Then, I was hit with a massive reality check in the form of excruciating knee pain to the point of literally crumbling to the ground on multiple runs. The strive for constant progress on my time turned into a fight for having the perfect splits and race results but it also injured me. I was devastated that the doctor told me I couldn’t run that Half. But that injury also knocked something straight in my head and made me ask WHY working out was so important to me. It was for body image and a number on the scale and not for my overall health. Not cool.

I know this Workout Wednesday post has be SOOO long-winded but I felt like it was time I came completely clean. Wednesday after Wednesday I post my workouts for the week, fitness inspiration, etc. and so many of you have praised my dedication and results. While I appreciate it that, I have to tell y’all that it’s been a major up & down journey to get where I have been for the last 2ish years. Unfortunately I still sometimes find myself slip to a dark place mentally so I recently took the batteries out of my scale. I have also added a lot more low-impact exercises to my routine and am focusing on progress (heavier weights while lifting, longer rowing distances without compromising form, working my way from headstands to handstands, etc.} rather than perfection because perfection is subjective and none of us have time for that!

I’d love to know if any of you have had similar struggles…if so, what have you done to combat or overcome them? How have you found the balance between progress and perfection?