I wasn’t always like this. I was never a fitness enthusiast who was comfortable in the gym. I have the same fears and hang ups that you do. I hid at home and was the quiet shy person who faded into the background. I’m sure you never even noticed me there. Mine is a pretty simple story.
My entire life prior to the last 8 years or so was spent sitting. I was a bookworm geek in school and never did sports. The most exercise I managed to work in was if I was forced at the holidays to park at the back of the parking lot at the mall. I followed every “healthy” eating trend that came along from eating only fat free foods, whole grains, and diet sodas to low carb and just drinking a shake at every meal.
I maintained my slim but squishy figure throughout the years, so I felt that I was doing OK. Little did I realize that I was clinically obese. You read that right – obese in a normal weight body. I was 34% body fat and smack in the middle of my ideal weight range. Because I never did sports, I had no muscle under all that fat so I was able to stay small and fly under the obese radar.
It wasn’t until I called in the professionals in June 2010 and began working with a trainer that I realized this. My real journey began. No more hiding under fat and fading into the background. I can honestly say that I do some form of exercise now just about every day. I look for challenges that scare me and face them head on to eliminate them completely. Life is too short and you only get one shot at it. Do it right, I say!
I didn’t set out to be like this, but it happened. Therefore I realized I am on an accidental fitness quest. Convenient blog title, don’t you think? Since I spent the better part of four decades providing myself with every excuse in the book, I’ve told myself I can’t do it anymore. If I can manage at 41 to get on stage in a teeny bikini with others (even some half my age) and not come in last, I can do just about anything!
The only limits are the ones you put on yourself. No excuses, ever again!