Here's the review:
Consistency in working out has not typically been my greatest challenge. Most weeks I hit at least five days of workouts. Even living in Spain, five to six days a week I worked out or covered more than 20,000 steps of ground. But saying yes every single day for 100 straight days was new to me. What I learned—the things that I sometimes use as reasons—I’m going to my parents’ house and it will be difficult to squeeze in a workout, I’ve had a long day I don’t want to work out, I can take a day off, no big deal—are less reasons and more excuses. Reasons would be things like, “I’m feeling to ill to get out of bed let alone get my body sweaty.” And not to say that I plan on continuing to work out every day forever (I’m definitely taking off this weekend to visit with sweet friends in Richmond), but I am saying that if I want to, I can find 30 minutes in my day to workout and take that time for myself.
Also, there is a pretty big sense of accomplishment to know that I showed up to make myself stronger and fitter everyday for over three months.
Which bring me to point b—-my results. I’ll be straight up—I am not the skinniest I have ever been. I do not have a totally flat stomach and my arms aren’t the ripped Jericho (the lead trainer for this program) arms. The first has mostly to do with the fact that I showed up for the workouts but wussed out on the nutrition component far too often. I did not eat the way I should’ve even 90% or 85% of the time, which was my original goal. I let myself cheat more than I needed to—so I’m disappointed in myself as I once again prove that working out does not make as big of a difference in the size of my pants as eating right does. But, I will also say, I know I am stronger and fitter than before. I combined the Beachbody program with also doing Cassey’s 100 challenge for glutes, than randomly choosing one for abs or glutes for the remaining 60ish days. Also, I was doing a plank that increased by 10 second each week (up to 2 and a half minutes now!). I will say I think my butt looks more like a butt and less like a flat pancake. (You don’t have to tell me if you disagree. Really.) Little things. I haven’t measured myself to see if I have actually lost inches, but my gut tells me probably not. And that’s on me.
So, the actual program I did—100 Morning Meltdown. The workouts are pretty fun and easy to fit into your schedule—no more than 30 minutes, and some of the yoga-recovery style ones are less than 20. Only about half of them require equipment like weights. And wow do the cardio ones make you sweat! I would say that every plan I’ve ever completed has at least one exercise that makes you say, damn, I could do this in my sleep. This one? It’s burpees. 100%. And the amount of burpees plus something else makes me long for regular burpees. We even do them in warm ups many times. Overall, I really did like this plan—it was a true mix of exercises and there were always modifications if I couldn’t keep doing the main exercise. There were legitimately 100 distinct workout to stream so I never got bored. And Jericho was far less annoying than many of the trainers (which is why I mute most workout programs). A few minor complaints—I do not enjoy when a) a trainer says, last exercise! triumphantly and then as soon as you’re done follows it up with—now just for our last challenge. Whether that is on purpose or not, if they’re trying to get you to do more psychologically, it just makes me really irritated and bitter than I’m not actually done. It does not encourage me. It makes me feel lied to. Same goes with being told to go max effort for 45 seconds, knowing that you have to do something like this 20 more times in the workout. I am not going to burn myself out when I know I have 23 more minutes of cardio. Again, it just irritates me. (See why I mute the programs?) Finally, and most annoyingly. I get that trainers are talking us through and have to have perfect form when they are doing exercises which makes it more difficult. But, if it is a small challenge for a specific number of seconds—being told “Don’t quit, don’t quit” when that trainer has already stopped doing the exercise to go comment on someone else’s form—I’m not here for that. Do the whole 60 seconds with us. Otherwise it makes it seem like if you can’t do it, so how am I supposed to?
Finishing, not workout related thoughts—I realized through this that I committed to working out everyday for 100 days, but I’ve never done anything for that many days consistently before. And shouldn’t there be things that I’m equally, if not more committed to? Have I read my Bible everyday for 100 days? Or even for thirty? Do I make sure to talk to or text my mom everyday for that many days? Or just say something kind to people? Do I practice gratitude everyday or drink 8 glasses of water each day? I didn’t even go to the beach everyday when I lived practically beside it. And I should be doing some of these with a great deal more consistency and care than I have been.
I recognize we can’t do everything all the time, but I do think it’s a little sad that the only things I can come up with having done everyday for as long as I can remember are: drinking coffee and taking a picture each day. So while it’s not about necessarily how many days or how much time, I think this journey has helped me see that a) if I want to commit to being a fitter version of myself, it’s about the nutrition and far more importantly that b) the proof is in the pudding—what you show up for everyday is what you value. How you spend your moments are how you spend your life. Last year was about showing up for adventure and seeing new things. I’m still working out what my next chapter looks like.
