The coolest thing happened today. I went to Crossfit.
“Hold up, Jen. You go to Crossfit a lot. Why is that such a big deal?!?”
Great question. I had planned NOT to go. I actually had the perfect excuse…here’s the story…
My Crossfit gym is about 20 minutes from my house. I go to that particular gym (even though I pass by at least two on my way there) because of the trainer, Larry. He is the one who approached me about joining and we have a cool partnership. Plus, this gym is close to the school that I teach at so it is great during the school year. However, in the summer, I have to make the effort to drive there.
Well, today, I was supposed to tutor at 10:00 a.m. close to the gym. The first Crossfit class is at 8:30 a.m. I couldn’t possibly go workout and then go tutor without getting ready in between. I mean, gross! Kids might not care what you look like but they have a nose and they can certainly smell you! So, I told Larry yesterday that I would NOT be going to Crossfit because I had to tutor.
Well, he didn’t go for that. He doesn’t put up with many of the excuses I try to give him (it’s too heavy, I can’t lift this, I can’t run anymore, I can’t do one more wall ball or I will die, I have to tutor). He basically tells me to suck it up and keep going. Well, that is pretty much the response he had when I told him I had to tutor. He looked at me like, “And….?”
So, I thought about it. I REALLY wanted to go because that would be my fourth time for the week and I wanted to reach my goal of going four times (I leave in the morning early for the beach so this would be my last chance for the week!). I thought about all the pros and cons and the only con I had was that I wouldn’t have time to shower before tutoring. The benefit of going far outweighed the negative. So, I made a plan. I wore my hair curly (my hair is naturally curly but I straighten it most days and curly hair is less forgiving for sweat), I packed a bag with all my essentials (deodorant, washcloth, clean clothes, hairspray, etc…) I went to the box prepared. I got there promptly at 8:30, killed the workout of the day (200m run, 20 box step-ups, 20 box dips; 400m run, 40 box step-ups, 40 box dips; 800m run, 80 box step-ups, 80 box dips) then left to go get ready. My brother’s office is close to there so I stopped there, used the air conditioning and the bathroom, changed, freshened up, put on some make-up, deodorant, etc. I guarantee you the girls I tutored had NO idea that just 45 minutes prior I was sweating buckets.
This morning, I had a choice. I could give all the reasons I COULDN’T go to Crossfit or I could make a plan and make it a priority. Now, I am so glad I made it a priority NOT an excuse.
There are so many days when we can give a million and one reasons why we CAN’T workout. Too tired, too much to do, sick, don’t feel good, too hot outside, too fat, too blah blah blah. Trust me, I have used all of those and then some. However, I promise you, if you do it, you will not regret it!
This weekend, I want to challenge you to make exercise a priority. I want you to actually stop yourself if you start to make an excuse and tell yourself why you CAN do it. Then, go out and do it. Even if you just say, “I’m going to walk for 10 minutes.” You will feel so much better if you do!
Will you commit to making exercise a priority this weekend? What are your weekend plans? Anyone doing anything fun?
About Jennifer Swafford
