A Chocolatier’s Guide to Getting Fit – Part 2

Staying fit and healthy for many of us is a struggle. The daily chores of life often get in the way. Finding a way to balance exercise, fun, work and family is a challenge. Kelly Wombold is the founder/owner of Chocolates by Kelly. Being a business owner makes finding that balance even harder, there is never “time-off”. Kelly has decided to share her step back into the fitness world and perhaps motivate or inspire others. PART 1 is here and her latest update is below. Go Kelly!!!

A Chocolatier’s Guide to Fitness: Part 2

Am I Skinny Yet? It is funny how quickly I am prone to ask that of myself after starting a diet and/or exercise program. I can get off the couch in the morning, choose a banana instead of a large vanilla latte, run (drag cheek) two laps around the block, and surely there will be that small part of me who believes I’ll look like a super model when I get home to hit the showers.

Oh, how easy it is to get my knickers in a bunch over that need to see immediate results. It’s part of the world we live in. We are conditioned to expect everything to happen at 4G speed. My favorite thing, looking back, has been to bolster up and leap from my comfort zone with an enthusiastic and sincere burst of short-lived courageous intent. I frantically scribble down the math for how much weight I’ll totally have lost if only I could keep up with this impossible schedule of eating nothing and working out 3 hours per day for all the days. Inevitably, someday just shy of numero 23, I start to tell myself how far away that goal really is. I’ll either quit right there, telling myself I’m happy for what I have done or I’ll muddle through to success and immediately stop all effort upon crossing the finish line. Let’s all be real for a moment. If I was the only one who let this happen, then every diet commercial ever wouldn’t be saying how they can help us “take it off AND keep it off”. This sprint to the end, goal oriented way of life is the basis of the roller coaster cycle many of us have experienced. It is human nature. It’s okay. Let’s just regroup for a moment. Goals are important, but many of us are missing out on a key part of the thinking behind finding success.

Perhaps the answer lies in learning to turn the focus towards the details of everyday choices instead of the big picture. It’s something I’ve always done without question within my company, when costing out recipes and pricing products, for example. I always knew that keeping every recipe in check, every time, would make the numbers workout in the end. And yet, it never really dawned on me to apply the concept to this other part of my life; the health and fitness part.

I decided it would do me some good to pay closer attention to others who could demonstrate sustained success in those areas which I’d like to see improvement for myself. Being a big picture person, I was surprised by the feedback I got. I was instructed to drop this idea of keeping my eye on the prize. Instead, I must remember to work on the system itself. I need to put focus on making sure the 10,000 small decisions throughout any given day are good ones. Eventually those good decisions will add up to the results I’ve been looking for. Each good move is another drop in the bucket. Keep doing that and the bucket has no choice but to fill up!

So, it’s time to acknowledge that no one ever got anywhere by spending time imagining having an awe-inspiring figure while, in reality, washing down an entire package of red gummy-fish flavored chocolate sandwich cookies with a nice cabernet. That meal plan almost always has a big promise to eat so much better tomorrow, doesn’t it?

As I write this, I have another 3 weeks of Xteam training behind me. I have successfully graduated from the 6-week new class program. And I’ve had a good time. I’ve enjoyed meeting people. I am quickly becoming addicted to that feeling of accomplishment. I’ve not been feeling stressed about the end results. My focus has been to get up, show up, and try hard. I’m living in the moment of that good decision, and you know what? I’ve seen it begin to add up!

In 6 weeks, I’ve trimmed 3 inches off my hips and stomach, and 1.5 inches off my thighs. I’ve lost 7.5lbs of body fat, gained back 5 lbs of muscle, and lowered my blood pressure by 3%. I also ran 1.5 miles a full 3 minutes faster and doubled the number of pushups I could do in 2 min. That comes with a feeling that money can’t buy and I want more. I want to keep going. Looking at this as something I want in my life instead of treating it like a race which has a beginning and an end has made all the difference for me.

I will write again soon and I sure would like to hear your story. Look up A Chocolatier’s Guide to Getting Fit on Facebook and join the group. Post your story to the group, or send me a message!

XTEAM FITNESS (2928 W Leigh Street)

Editor’s note: RVAHub is not receiving reimbursement for this story. We’re simply sharing an individual’s success story and urge everyone to find the path to healthy living that is right for their own lives.