Nerd in Another City

I stepped on the scale and the scale was angry that day, my friends. Maybe the scale isn’t a morning person. Or maybe the scale was mad that I’d stepped on his back and asked for him to show me something nice. He didn’t. He showed me a mean, angry number. A number that may be perfectly fine for someone else, but a number I’ve never seen looking back at me before.

Usually seeing a number I don’t like on a scale’s face incites me to action. I go out for a run. I discover a new fitness class. I do yoga. I skip a meal. But on the day in question, in December of 2016, it was just depressing, hard to see and really upsetting. I wondered to myself “How did this happen?” And that evening, when I went through the Burger King drive-through, on my way home from work… #1. I ordered the cookies for dessert, cause at this point, why not. And #2. I immediately knew how this had happened.

My dissatisfaction with my own life turned into finding satisfaction in chocolate cake and morning donuts. I’d think to myself: “Food, Food, wherefore art thou, Food?” “Food, O you the god of my idolatry.” “That which we call a cheeseburger, by any other name, would taste as sweet…”

The fact that I was reciting Shakespeare to my cheeseburger was concerning.

It boils down to this…I was unhappy. And cheeseburgers…oh man, they made me happy. Don’t get me started on chocolate chip cookies. I could have written a damn love song about them.

I let the circumstance of my unhappiness cloud my judgement, my discernment. And at some point I stopped loving my body and started abusing it. Using it as a doormat for my dissatisfaction.

And then one day, as I was stuffing my face with processed foods and refined sugars and watching Cinderella for the 20th time, I had a thought. An idea. A spark that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Creativity rearing it’s beautiful head and reminding me that it was still there inside me, even if I had decided to try and abandon ship…it had never left my side.

That day #PrincessBootCamp was born. And now it’s time to show you that journey that I took towards a healthier life, towards a body I worked hard to have, towards self love and a brighter outlook on life.

If you’ve never read about my #AvengerinTraining series: Check it out. I based this Princess series on the template I’d created for myself back in 2014. It worked so well that time around. And I have to tell you…(Spoiler alert!) it worked even better this time around!

Look, I’m always gonna struggle with my body. Some days more than others and the older I get, the less those thoughts ravage my mind. What works for me today may not work tomorrow. When I’ve tried to repeat my #AvengerinTraining program (that I also made up) it hasn’t worked. For some reason with fitness, lighting rarely strikes the same way twice for me. Back then the Avengers kicked my ass into shape! And now it’s time to let the Princesses have their shot.

There’s a narrative out there that Disney princesses are damsels only. That the majority are looking for love and nothing else in life. That perhaps little girls shouldn’t grow up with princesses as their role models. Seems like a personal choice to me, so I won’t speak to that. All I’ll say is that I grew up with Disney princesses as role models and you’re about the hear the good and the bad about each one. Because just like human people, Disney princesses have flaws and faults, but they also have redeeming qualities and attributes that we can aspire to. It’s a both/ and situation. At least it is, in my humble opinion, which you are certainly welcome to take or to leave. (*wink)

Here’s a breakdown of what the next 8 weeks on this blog will look like. I’ll be going into more detail as we go along, so if you want to give any part of it a try, you can. But first consult an actual fitness or medical professional, cause I’m not one!! I’m just someone who tried something that worked.

Week 1:

Week 2:

Week 3:

Week 4:

Week 5:

Week 6:

Week 7:

Week 8:

Each week is based on a different princess. The food that they might have eaten, the activities the might have done. They are scheduled based on release date. Not all princesses are represented (no Belle, no Snow, no Jasmine, no Tiana) I only had so much time on my hands, so I went with the princesses I thought I could build workouts around and let’s just admit that Snow White…not much fitness going on there!

I hope you enjoy what’s about to follow. And if you have any questions, my virtual door is always open!