#68 - Do Something Uncomfortable Daily For Growth w/ Laura Antonelli
In this week’s blog/podcast, we will discuss doing something uncomfortable daily in order to see growth! It will never be comfortable to curl 50-100lbs in one arm. You will be happy to learn that you don’t have to ever do that, but you will never grow. To grow, do not see the big obstacle, and just assume that you cannot do it. Start to pick up any weight and you will see the muscles begin to grow. What symbolic weights have you been afraid to pick up?
What’s making you uncomfortable right now? The reason why you don’t want to do what is uncomfortable, is exactly why you should. We found the perfect person to talk about this. Her name is Laura Antonelli. Laura is a high school teacher from Atlanta and has had her share of challenges. It wasn’t until she came across a quote in a book she was reading that caused her to begin to take charge of her world, by doing the uncomfortable!
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Coach: Laura I reached out to you because I saw a transformation picture that you posted about your running and lifestyle changes. I promise you right now, I see transformation photos all the time but I don’t go private messaging them asking them to be on the show. Something more must draw me to them. Not only did I message you, but you actually messaged back!
Why did you message back? Why did you take my message seriously and not just think I was some weirdo?
Laura: I sensed your sincerity in the message. I know that may sound strange to some, but your sincerity came through even in an instant message. I did not sense that you had any ulterior motives. I want to help people in any way I can, so I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get the message out about health and fitness and share my personal health and fitness story.
Coach: After talking with you I found some interesting quotes that you really loved and we decided to name this episode after one of them.
“Do Something Uncomfortable Everyday” or in other words….. Do Something That Sucks every day in Order To Grow…….. Why do you love this so much?
Laura: This is one of my favorites David Goggins quotes. For those of you who don’t know him...look him up, listen to his book, read his book, hear his story….life-changing! COVID 19 threw some hiccups into my training and this quote kept popping into my head. It allowed me to focus on things I “hate” and incorporate them into my training. For example planks and pushups! I suck at both of them and I kept having Goggins in my head telling me to do something that sucks every day...and do it until it doesn’t suck and you crush it..then find something else that sucks and conquer it too! So, during COVID 19, I chose to do a month-long push-up challenge and a month-long plank challenge.
Coach: What do you do for a living?
Laura: I am a high school Law & Justice teacher in north metro Atlanta. I love my job! I teach three-year long classes, so unlike most teachers who are with their students for a semester or a year if they are lucky...I get to build relationships with my students over the course of three years with them.
Coach: How long have you been in your profession?
Laura: This is my 6th year in the classroom teaching Law & Justice.
Coach: What moved you to get into this field?
Laura: I was a deputy sheriff patrol officer for 13+ years from 2002 to 2015. There are many reasons why I left the profession when I did. An old friend and retired police officer called me one day in late spring/ early summer of 2015 and told me there was an opening for a Criminal Justice teacher at one of our local high schools and he thought I should apply for the position. The rest is history!
Coach: Take us back to the start of your journey, how were you feeling?
Laura: At my highest recorded weight, I was 307 lbs. I was tired, sad, depressed, unhappy, angry. You name an unhealthy emotion and I felt it every day. I could not even walk from my car to the classroom at work without getting severely winded. I had anxiety that I did not know how to deal with. I was the fat girl who was funny...like, that was the schtick that I used and I masked my sadness with humor.
Coach: What was your wake up call?
Like what made you get up one day and say I need to change my habits?
Laura: I was in the hospital in late 2018 with double bacterial pneumonia. I missed 7 or 8 weeks of work. I was legit scared….my unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and morbid obesity was leading me to a certain early death. After that, I started seriously contemplating weight loss surgery. I got a loan approved and scheduled consultations. I went in for one consultation and the doctor told me I need to be on a ketogenic way of eating before surgery. Doctor told me that I had to change my way of eating for life because after weight loss surgery, if I continued my unhealthy way of eating, my stomach could stretch back out and the surgery will have been for nothing.
The very next day I started a strict keto lifestyle and began walking in my neighborhood every single day. Now I was not walking quickly or many miles, but I was walking faithfully. I tracked every single food that went into my mouth. I was determined to show the doctor that I could lose the weight and maintain a healthy way of eating so I could get approved for surgery. My next follow up appointment a few weeks later, I was down about 12 pounds. I was shocked! The next follow up, I was down an additional 14 lbs! Again..shocked! I cancelled all of my future appointments and decided I did not want or need surgery. I continued to track macros, walk faithfully, and carry on!
Sixteen months later and I am now a runner and down about 162 pounds! I run daily, lift weights and still follow a ketogenic lifestyle. I had psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis. These are all autoimmune issues I have been dealing with for the past 20+ years. Since changing my life, I have not had one single flare up with any of them and am off all my meds except one...which I expect to come off of that one soon too!
Coach: Let’s give our audience practice things that they can put into practice right now.
Laura: Just move more! Even a “bad” or “slow” run is still a run! You are lapping everyone on the couch! I am also a full-time postgraduate student and have been in college full time for the last 6 years, so time management is crucial. I meal prep and bring my lunch to work to save time and stay on track. I also track foods religiously. I find reasons to move every day. even if it is something as simple as walking to the bathroom that is further down the hall, instead of the one right next door. Lastly, I have found it very helpful, especially the more I get into my journey, to associate myself with like-minded people. A support group who understands and pushes you is crucial to long term success!
Coach: May I suggest our Online Accountability Group ? 😁
What is your current exercise routine?
Laura: Run 3-10 miles/day on average. I Lift 4-5 days/week. Recently, I have begun hill training. I run uphills and stadiums after work a few days a week. I mix up my runs with treadmill, neighborhood, and trails. I just completed my first trail half marathon a couple of weeks ago. I did not set out to run a half...it just happened. Unfortunately, I did not even have my tracking app going but I know I ran 13.6 (an extra ½ mile for good measure). Prior to this, I have run three treadmill halves.
Coach: Do you practice Intermittent Fasting? If so, what does that look like for you?
Laura: Yes, I have been intermittent fasting for approximately 12 months. For me, I am fat-adapted and practice intermittent fasting, and my energy is through the roof! I am a huge proponent of intermittent fasting and the benefits that come from it!
Coach: Any special diet that you are currently following?
Laura: I follow a strict ketogenic lifestyle. I have increased energy and reduced inflammation as a result. Of course, losing the excess weight was a plus too!
Coach: How do you feel now since adopting this healthier lifestyle?
Laura: I FEEL AMAZING! Love my energy. Joint pain is gone. Mental health is 100% improved. My resting heart rate is down 25 beats per minute from the 75-78 range to 50-53 range. My blood pressure is typically around 105/62.
Coach: Wow, how much have you lost since starting your journey?
Laura: 162 pounds
Coach: Wow, That's Great!
How do your family and friends enjoy this version of you?
Laura: My parents are very loving and supportive! I had skin removal surgery on June 25, 2020. It was a huge and invasive 8-hour surgery. I had 6 pounds of skin removed from my stomach and one pound from each breast. My parents were my caretakers during my recovery. They are very supportive of my new lifestyle. In fact, my father has lost 75 lbs and gone from 275 to 200 lbs. He is a fellow keto follower, walks and does HIIT workouts daily with sprints and walks.
Coach: Go Dad! Is there anything that you are doing now that you could not do before losing the weight?
Laura: SO MANY THINGS!
I am a runner! I lift weights. I kayak. I hike. I can wear stylish clothes I always only wished I could wear. I know that may sound superficial, but at almost 40 years old, I missed out on wearing all the fashionable clothes in my younger years because I was morbidly obese.
Coach: Any special goals that you are working on at that moment?
Laura: I want to run an official half marathon race in 2021.
Coach: Laura your story is amazing and we are all routing for your continued success. Thank you for being on the show! Before we let you go........
WHAT can you say to our listeners who may be ready to start their journey tomorrow?
Laura: