Redefining you

In life and the gym there will always be limitations. Physically if we push ourselves too far we can pull, pop or break something. In life our actions have consequences we must face for better or worse. But how you choose to face such limitations, and how close you actually come to them, are entirely up to you.

In tough situations we can choose to endure to the end, to rest, or to redefine what that limit is. Sometimes we have to know when to back down. When I attempted plyometrics yesterday, some of the moves sent pain shooting through my back, while others caused no problem at all. Rather than punish myself with the painful moves, I took the moves I could do and pushed them to the most difficult modifications. It made 30 seconds seem like an eternity and halfway through I was screaming out loud. I took the options I had and I made the most of them.

George Hincapie recently proved just how much a person can redefine a limitiation. Early on in the Tour de France he fell, but was able to keep going. He complained of some pain but never stopped, and on the last day lead the charge to give his teammate Mark Cavendish the win at the Champs-Elysees over COBBLESTONE roads with what was later discovered to be a broken collar bone. Can you imagine even a minor BUMP on a bike with no suspension with a broken collar bone? Hincapie redefined his physical limitations. Of course once the race was over and his diagnosis confirmed he needed to take 4 weeks off before he could ride again.

Sometimes if your journey is long and your goals far ahead of you, to maintain yourself you need to rest. Other times your limitations become doorways to new paths of discovery about limitations you've been putting on yourself and allow you to strip yourself of excuses. Sometimes it's all about gritting your teeth and riding over cobblestone with your bones rattling screaming "c'mon, is that all you've got???"

SO I ask you.....what are YOU willing to redefine?

Tuesday's workouts:
#1-spin class

#2-modified plyometrics

#3-post-dinner walk

Tuesday's diet:
Breakfast-2 wheat toast with reduced fat cheddar, 1 egg, smart balance and sugar free jam

Snack-banana and protein oatmeal

Lunch-turkey burger with 1/2 pasta, broccoli and marinara

Snack-fage with imitation honey, beef jerky

Dinner-zucchini with goat cheese, pan seared chicken breast

Final breakdown:
Calories Burned- 2573
Calories Consumed- 1640
Deficit- 933

Nutrient ratio: 38C/33P/29F