P90X - Week 5 Progress Thoughts & Fighting Demotivation

Now that I'm a few days into week 5 of P90X, I decided to take a few progress pictures. (I won't be posting these, I'm not that comfortable with posting pictures until I've completed the 90 days.)

A few thoughts came into my head. My initial thoughts were "WOAH, I have biceps!!! WOAH, I can see abdominal definition!!! What is that, an hourglass shape?!? Yay!" After that, I had mixed feelings about my progress.

I've always been an impatient person, and I'm also my own best critic, so of course I can sit and pick myself apart like no other. This has always posed a problem in my progress when it comes to fitness. In the past, I would get to this point, but then grow impatient and aggravated that the progress wasn't as fast as I'd hoped, and I would give up. How silly is that, eh? Poor logic: Slow progress = get frustrated and give up... Not this time.

Today was Yoga X day. I cannot stress how much I both hate and love Yoga X. This workout is a challenge, as it's a little more intense than any yoga class I've ever been to. The best part about this workout is that it feels really, really good. I've noticed a major increase in flexibility from doing it. It's also very relaxing to get a solid hour and thirty minutes of yoga in a few times a week...

The worst part about this workout is that it allows me to notice every little undesirable flabby area on my body. Every twist, bend, and leg-over-the-head move causes the body to move in ways that it wouldn't normally move. My biggest challenge is finding a way to prevent myself from stopping the workout to pinch at the flabby spot that I thought was gone, but realized is still there. (Well... Smaller than before, but still there.)

Today, I had an epiphany. As my knees were hoovering around my ears as I was in "plow pose", I thought to myself, "self, shut up."

Literally. I told myself to shut up, and to just focus on the task at hand. (The task being getting through the rest of the workout.) You know what? It sort of worked.

I finished the workout, and afterwards I felt great. I checked off today's workout box on my list, made myself a smoothie, and felt better both mentally and physically. I also discovered a new part of myself today. A part that is motivated, and determined to push past any unmotivated moments. A part that is ready and willing to kick the butt of any negative thoughts, and that is going to stop me from giving up before I've reached my goals. It's refreshing...

So I guess the "moral of the story" is to not give up. When you're unmotivated, and feeling like you want to quit because the ultimate goal seems so far away, just suck it up and keep going! Giving up won't get you to your goal, but pushing past the tough moments will.