Columnist tears down mental fortress
Going into this year's Fittest Loser Competition, I knew my strongest asset and key to success could just as well derail my progress to the finish line.
Courtesy of an Irish paternal grandfather, I inherited the family steel will of sheer determination. When this redhead takes on a challenge, the challenge never takes on me.
With an exceptionally strong mindset at your disposal, it's crucial to carefully choose your challenges, along with the outside voice of critique you decide to embrace.
In my case, the death of my son in February 2012 brought down the protective gates of this strong mindset. With few exceptions, my life has been lived at arm's length since then.
The initial meeting at Push Fitness with owner Josh Steckler was as much an interview about me as it was about Josh from my perspective.
For me to take on this challenge, I needed a fitness trainer I could respect and begin to trust. And Josh needed to bring his own strong mindset to the studio or we'd never get past my mental fortress.
Much to my surprise, Josh never flinched when I shared my story. That sparked a rare "trust my instincts" moment and right then I was fully committed to the Push Fitness program. I knew Josh still held some doubts, but my steel will of determination kicked in and I decided to accept his advice.
Now after eight weeks of training, it's Josh Steckler's turn to share his perspective and experiences about me.
Q. What was your initial evaluation of your contestant for this year?
A. After sitting down with Annie, we determined that her personal goals matched up very closely with her weaknesses. Her fitness assessment indicated we really needed to work on her cardiovascular efficiency, gaining strength and muscle density.
Q. What is Annie's biggest challenge in this contest?
A. Letting her brain tell her body to stop when her body is still capable of doing more. That being said, I have seen measurable improvements over this last few weeks. Annie has a very strong mindset, which is great, but that can work against you sometimes if the body and mind aren't on the same page.
Q. Share what surprised you the most about Annie?
A. How well she is doing with the food! I was a bit worried when Annie shared with me all the desserts and pastries she loved to bake in the past. But this has not been an issue. Annie has used her culinary creativity and applied it in a positive way.
Q. Tell us what you now know about your contestant, that you didn't know in Week 1?
A. I am learning how much drive Annie gets from memories of her son. Seeing inspiration come from loved ones is such a strong and powerful motivator. I know her son would be extremely proud of the changes Annie has made in her lifestyle and health.
Q. What is the biggest challenge Annie faced in this contest and conquered?
A. Annie picked up a cold and struggled with her workouts for two weeks. She was very congested and had trouble completing exercises at Push Fitness and homework. Though her workouts were slower and less aggressive, Annie got through them and kept moving forward.
Q. What do you like best about this year's contestant?
A. Annie has a very strong personality. I can tell that if she puts her mind to something, it's going to get done. Although she struggles with different exercises, Annie does her best to get the set completed without giving up, even if it's a little at a time.