Decisions, Decisions

Day 130

It's been an interesting week. I feel like a teenager who has graduated high school and is being set free to figure out who she is and what she wants. Funny how much you can change in just 4 short months. I feel like there is always something new around the corner for me to discover.

So... my plan to go back to school... is still a plan, but with a few tweaks.

Step 1:

My plan had been to go back to double major in nutrition and kinesiology, but after talking with my trainer and my husband, I've decided to take a different route. The problem with my original plan was that I wanted to learn these things to help me with my goal to live a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, taking the formal university route means that I don't even get to learn about that stuff for at least a year.

Instead, I'm going to go ahead and join a program that will enable me to become a certified nutrition coach. I've done my research. The program is ranked as the top program for nutrition coaches in the nation. It's a science based program used in the masters program at a university. I'm not sure I'll do any actual "coaching." Again, this is for my knowledge and growth at this point, but it gives me options.

Next I'm going to sign up for one of the programs with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) to become a certified personal trainer - again for my own benefit and education. I may even do an externship with a well respected local gym, depending on the program I decide on.

My hope is that with the proper knowledge under my belt, I can continue to make healthier decisions and help my children learn to do the same.

Step 2:

This is where the plan gets a little blurry. Once I've finished NASM, I will be qualified to work as a trainer in a gym, but I'm not sure that I'll do that. I think I'd like to. I'm finding that I really like my time at the gym. I like to be active. I like to push myself, and be pushed, to see what I can do.

That being said, I need to be credible and I just don't see how I can be at the size that I am. I feel like I need to prove myself for the next 6 months to a year, both to myself and to any possible future employer. 4 months and 25 pounds does not proof of success make. I need to know for sure that I can do this and be able to say to my boss that I can and show my progress. I also need possible future clients to have faith that I can help them and know what I'm talking about.

Step 3:

One of the things my husband is worried about (and probably rightly so) is me becoming a gym rat. Lol. He wants me to make sure that I stay centered and balanced, so at this point I do some evaluating.

On Friday, I was reminded of another part of me that has been overlooked lately. I sat down at the piano to pick out some ,music for this year's Christmas program at church. As I played through some of the pieces, I began to get weepy. Another part of me was unlocked and now I can't get the idea of finishing my music degree out of my mind.

So, once I've reached my physical goals, I've got a decision to make. Do I go back to get a formal education and a degree? Hopefully, yes. It's just something I feel like I need to do. I just need to decide which degree. Right now I'm leaning toward music, but who knows what I'll feel like next fall. Perhaps I'll fall in love with health and still go that route. Thankfully, I've got another year of self-discovery to figure it out.