Workout Wednesday: Bunz and Gunz with Ignite Fitnez Austin
Ask most any woman in a gym what her goal is, and chances are you’ll hear something like, “I want to…:
Lose some body fat
Lose about 5-10 lbs.
Get lean and strong
And “tone it up”
IF you had a magic genie, right now, and could have any body you wanted…what would YOU ask for?
For me, it’s something between a blend of the sexy muscles of Christmas Abbott + the I-make-a-paper-sack-look-good appearance of Blake Lively + the down-to-earth approachable charm of Carey Underwood.
You, too, probably already have a picture of “her” in your head—that image of you with a little less body fat, 5 lbs. lighter, or rocking a bikini (while actually smiling) popped into your mind…and just as quickly popped out of it.
“Never,” you say.
“Not me.”
“One day…but not today.”
“I’ve been trying forever…”
Not good enough.
Try as you might, it’s been something you’ve wanted for as long as you can remember—and no matter what you do (no matter how clean you eat, or how much you workout, or how “good” you are on a diet plan), that body is still a figment of your imagination.
Survey Says
In a recent survey, conducted amongst Thrivers, the top goals women in their 20-50s reported included:
- Have a flatter stomach
- Be leaner, toner and stronger
- Have a more positive relationship with food and mindset
- Find more balance
And the things you said make you feel amazing?
Wait a second…those amazing feelings were not connected to the weight on a scale or size on your tag.
Rewind
Think of a time in your life that you felt 100% happy, confident, healthy, strong, beautiful in your own body?
Can you remember that?
Your senior high portraits or prom? Your 6th grade talent show or championship winning soccer team? Your 3-year-old dance recital?
Try to amazing (genuinely amazing) in your own skin. You didn’t have a false sense of amazingness (from some restrictive diet, or binge-purge cycle). You didn’t rely on your clothes, or makeup or boys’ affirmations to boost your confidence.
You genuinely felt amazing in your own skin as just you.
Fast Forward
Ok. Fast forward back to today.
What was different THEN, that is different from now?
Can you put a finger on it?
Chances are, that feeling had something MORE to do than the number on a scale or your jeans.
It had to do with…a feeling of happiness, confidence. You were doing something you loved doing. Or you weren’t so focused on your body at all. You were accomplishing something great. Chasing your passion. Living on purpose.
Even if you think you felt amazing BECAUSE you weighed X-amount of weight or you wore X-size…there were OTHER factors at play for you to feel that amazing.
Reset
You can get “back” to feeling or being that thriving version of you that you recall (even if that “you” was 8-years-old)—That girl who, while thriving on the outside, was also thriving on the inside.
And it all starts in the mind…
For workout Wednesday this week, I had a chance to “re-set” myself in the “Buns & Guns” class at Ignite Fitnez—a friendly, old-school, no-frills-and-laces underground gym in downtown Austin.
I had heard about the Buns & Guns class, but had never dropped in. Known as the “ladies’ class”—it was more than just 2 lbs. pink dumbbells, jumping jacks or endless crunches.
Instead, these ladies kick butt every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with movements like kettlebell thrusters, dumbbell cleans, burpees, deadlifts and plank up-downs in the 60-minute action-packed circuit class.
No time was wasted, as we girls mingled between warm-up hill sprints, followed by 2 rounds of a 12-minute circuit (40 seconds at each station), then topping the class off with some fab abs.
Although called “Buns & Guns”, throughout the class, I couldn’t help but think about how “strong, powerful, beautiful and capable” I am in my own skin.
While my bod may not be my ideal hybrid blend of all things “perfect” in my mind…who’s really is?
I find, the more I do things that build my body (and mindset) up—like putting myself in situations and communities that are encouraging and motivating; steering clear from the endless drone of social media comparison; and speaking words of affirmation to myself…
The less I get “down” on myself for not being where I want my body to be today.
And the more I focus on other things—outside “putting on 10 lbs. of lean muscle” or “having a six pack”—and more on appreciating what my body can do (like squat below parallel, sweat, dance to the music)…the less I need that “Magic Genie” in my life.
None of us may be where we ultimately want to be…that is, until we realize, we can be right where we are at today…and be ok.
After class, I caught up with trainer Ashley Hauss, for her words of wisdom on “toning it up” first and foremost in our minds….
If you live in Austin, you HAVE to check out “Buns & Guns” at Ignite Fitnez: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. And if not…maybe you can get inspired to start your own.
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