Operation Gym Coup

This mission really takes me back to Stud's first deployment. After a ten-day leave (during which he proposed), he left in March of 2009 for Iraq. My last semester of college kept me occupied for the next two months, but after that I struggled through a five month job search. That summer I was pretty depressed. I was living at home again, had no job, was terribly lonesome for my Marine and was steadily letting my physical health slip away. I knew something had to change. After all, I had all of this free time so why wasn't I spending any of it exercising? My motivation was nowhere to be found. That was changed by what I what I truly believe was another instance of "faithful interaction," my term for the way God intervenes in our lives.

I was at Caribou one day and as I walked out I noticed a little box for Anytime Fitness where you could enter your name to win free access. I was getting desperate for some kind of break so I thought maybe, just maybe, winning this would give me the boost I needed to get motivated. Guess what. I did win! I got a phone call asking me to come in and draw a chip from this big fishbowl full of plastic poker chips. Different chips meant different prizes and I pulled out the best prize they had: a free three-month membership! Man, I was thrilled and, just as I had hoped, this boosted me right out of my slump. I started going to the gym all the time and even started working with a trainer who was perfect for me.

After the three free months were up, I had really gotten attached to the idea that I could have access to a full gym at any time of day. I've always been a nighttime exerciser so I didn't want to give that up. Most gyms close at 9 or 10 and that's when I'm just getting ready to go! So I've been a member of Anytime ever since. However, lately you wouldn't know it but for the direct withdrawals from my checking account. For months we've been paying for a membership that we never use. I've never wanted to cancel because it is so convenient but it's such a waste if I don't use it. Well, in preparation for the deployment and in general disgust of the state of our physical fitness, my husband and I have been working on making physical fitness a priority again.

In the sad amount of gym visits that I have mustered over the past few months, one thing has always stuck out to me: the posted list of Biggest Users. We have access to the gym through key cards so every time you enter, it logs your visit and on the bulletin board is a list of the ten people who have visited the gym the most that month. I read in awe and daunter the names and corresponding number of visits to the gym and secretly I want to see my name on that list for all the things that it would symbolize. Until now I didn't think I had the drive to attain it.

Time limits have always been a powerful motivator for me so with just one month until Stud comes home for his final leave before he deploys, I knew this was the perfect time to make my mark on the list of Biggest Users and jump start my fitness goals.

Here's where you'll see my name next month: 

And here's the OSMEAC for this mission. If you're not sure what OSMEAC is, check out this post. Basically, it's a strategic method of communicating/executing a mission used by the USMC.

O Here's where I am: Overweight! Ahhh! It's true. I've been doing the slide (and not the electric slide). I've been getting lazy about working out and about eating healthy foods. I'm horrible with transitions. It seems like no matter what good habits I have established, a transition (like moving or getting married) comes along and I start slipping. And the good habits don't just magically reappear once the transition has run it's course. I find myself weeks or months later embracing bad habits.

S Here's what's happening: I am getting super frustrated with life. I can hardly run anymore, I get winded during simple activities, a lot of my clothes are too small and I refuse to buy bigger clothes severely limiting my wardrobe, I'm wasting money on a gym membership that I don't even use and I'm generally just disappointed with the backsliding that I have allowed to occur. I also could be saving even more money because if I go to the gym 12 times a month, my insurance will contribute $20 towards my gym fees. All of those things are bad enough but when I consider how my choices affect my hubby I feel even worse. Stud and I have always shared a desire to help each other be physically fit and achieve our goals together. When we met, we were both practicing Martial Arts (I still remember the thrill I got from him helping me with my moves when we were first dating). He got his black belt the first summer of our relationship and even though I'm still a green belt (I swear I'm staying here because it's my favorite color), karate was a great catalyst for us to explore fitness in general. When he was gone for training or his first deployment we would hold each other accountable and challenge each other to be the best we could be for ourselves and for each other. We both need help staying motivated so when one or both of us doesn't feel like making an effort, it affects the other one too.

M Here's what I'm going to do: My mission is to go to the gym enough times this month to be listed as one of Anytime's Biggest Users at the Eden Prairie location. I've had this goal in the back on my mind for awhile but now is the perfect time. My first full day back from visiting my husband was June 1st and he comes home for his ten-day leave July 1st so I have exactly one month and that is also how the Biggest Users are calculated (from one calendar month). The amount of gym visits it takes to be listed varies from about 21 to over 30 so I figure I need to log at least 24 or 25 to guarantee my slot.

E Here's how I'm going to do it: Willpower don't fail me now! It's a pretty simple mission. All I need to do is get in my car, drive the 1/2 mile to Anytime and *click* I'm in. Of course, I could walk or bike to the gym but since I like to go at night I might not...a sex offender just moved in along the route to the gym (Mom, don't worry...I'm a green belt). If I do a workout outside, my gym administrator said it's ok to swipe my key card to log the exercise since the important thing is that I am exercising. I haven't quite gone so far as to schedule my workouts but I'm sure I will be doing some right after work and some late at night. I highly doubt I will get up early enough to do them before work but we shall see. I tend to be more successful if I give myself some flexibility. I also am going to get private consultations from my very own Leatherneck (AKA Manly Marine). Stud has promised to help me with this mission by giving me some good weight training routines. He's got the strongest arms around not to mention a bunch of other studly qualities that make him qualified in my book to give out weight training advice. You didn't think I called him Stud for no reason, did you?

A Here's what will help: Just thinking about the progress I will have made by the time Stud comes home is pretty motivating. In fact, the drive that I get to get things done while he is gone is one of the good things about deployments and training. It's insane how powerful it can be. It also helps to know that my hubby will be working on the same thing. Out in CA, they have to PT (workout) twice a day. Moreover, getting weight training routines directly from him will help me feel connected to him through working out. Another big help with this mission is just sharing it will you. Now that I put it out there, I can't just forget about it because I'm not the only one who will know! I will also be able to keep track with Anytime's handy website Anytime Health. There you can create workout routines, log your daily food, create goals, keep track of your gym visits and get all kinds of information as well as connect with other users.

C Here's the accountability: For this mission my accountability will come in a few forms. Ultimately, the list of Biggest Users next month will reflect my efforts, but, before then, I am held accountable through the Anytime Health website which will keep track of my gym visits. I am also held accountable through this blog (with weekly updates) and through conversations with my hubby and the weight training routines I'll be getting from him.

Here's a picture of my new best friend: 

Check out their website here.

Watch out Eden Prairie's Biggest Users: one of you is about to get booted!!