Wednesday Weekly: Active Identity

This week's meeting topic is activity and more specifically how to become someone who identifies as an active person.

We all identify ourselves in different ways. If you were to look at my bio on Twitter its says, "Wife, mom, teacher, nerd, beach bum". These are the ways I identify myself. I could also add Weight Watcher to that list certainly! I do identify as a Weight Watcher.

But why didn't I write "work-out junkie" or "fitness nut" in there? Would I describe myself as an active person? Yes. But would I say that's part of my identify? Not so sure...

Flash back to five years ago before I got pregnant and I probably would've said "FIRM Believer" as part of my bio! I was a FIRM Believer working out 5-6 days a week. Then pregnancy happened, motherhood happened, being a working mom in a two-income household happened, and my belief in myself as a fit person waned quite a bit.

For a while I was running, but I never really identified as a runner. I hated running. The only reason I started was because I had a buddy, and the only reason I ever continued (even though I didn't continue very long) was because I like being active. But I never liked running.

But, I like being active.

So maybe I am starting to identify as being an active person again.

I've been doing Jillian Michaels' Body Shred the past 8 weeks and it is a program that required six days a week, 30 minutes a workout, so I have definitely gotten back on the activity train. And I joined a Facebook group called "Jillian Michaels Workout Junkies". But in truth, I don't feel like I'm a Jillian Michaels "junkie" either.

Next week I'll be onto my new fitness program - an older one, but one I haven't tried yet and one that is from my beloved FIRM - The Zip Trainer. I'm excited to try it! I'm hoping that by getting back into a system that I love, with trainers that I love, that maybe I'll start to get my fitness identity back a bit.

And in the meantime, here are five things Weight Watchers suggests to help you become an active person:

1. Make your environment activity-friendly: Think about how your surroundings help—or hinder—your exercise intentions. Can you keep a jump rope or balance ball by the TV? Reserve a top drawer for your workout clothes? Stick an inspirational motto on your bathroom mirror?
2. Take up healthy actions. Which new activities have you started since you started Weight Watchers? How do you fit them into your day? (You can get some pointers in our “Master the Plan”  video: “Fitting in Fitness.”
3. Assess your capabilities: What can you do now that you couldn't (or wouldn’t) do before joining Weight Watchers®? Is there an activity you'd like to try? What's been holding you back? Our Hot5® app can show you some new fitness tricks.
4. Look at your beliefs: How does the way you feel about yourself affect your ability or drive to be active? What can help you feel empowered to take up exercise or try something new?
5. Arrive at a new identity: Seeing yourself as an active person, as well as, say, a salesperson, mom, and organizer, is a matter of combining the externals—a healthy environment and helpful actions—with your positive feelings about yourself. Look in the mirror and you’re likely to see a confident, hopeful person ready for your next workout!

*From https://weightwatchers.com/us/m/cms/article/weekly-extra-fitness-looking-back-looking-forward

For my Friday Fitness I'll be pretty much winding down the Body Shred program so I'll give a little overview and results recap. See you then!