Copyright © 2018 Carolee Belkin Walker.
Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.
Cover and Layout Design: Elina Diaz
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Getting My Bounce Back: How I Got Fit, Healthier, and Happier (And You Can, Too)
Library of Congress Cataloging
ISBN: (print) 978-1-63353-710-1 (ebook) 978-1-63353-711-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017964328
BISAC category code: BISAC category code HEA010000 HEALTH & FITNESS / Healthy Living BISAC category code HEA024000 HEALTH & FITNESS / Women’s Health
Printed in the United States of America
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any of the techniques in this book as a form of treatment for physical, mental, or emotional problems without the advice of a trained health professional. The information contained herein should be considered as being of a general nature to help you in your quest to lose weight and for emotional well-being, good health, and spiritual growth. Each individual’s situation and needs are different. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. In addition, the opinions, views, and suggestions expressed in this book are entirely those of the author.
For my family, I love you all.
Praise
“Exercise and fitness support our life. It makes us strong—physically, emotionally, and psychologically. It keeps our
heart pumping. It promises that we will be able to keep at our
life’s work longer than if we did not move and that we will someday take our children’s children’s children swimming in the ocean when we are 98. It is a joyful experience and we get to do it. How lucky are we to be able to support our life like this?
As Carolee would say: ‘You got this.’”
—Sarajean Rudman, from the Foreword
“Carolee Walker’s Getting My Bounce Back is an engaging and inspiring read. Getting fit and training to compete in endurance events is no walk in the park, even for the hardiest among us. There are few books out there that genuinely describe the ups and downs of reinventing yourself at midlife while simultaneously teaching us how we can all do it. In this memoir, Carolee’s authentic voice shines through as she describes her personal journey of self-discovery and personal mastery. Carolee’s journey is instructive, funny, relatable, and most of all, inspiring.”
—Chris Friesen, PhD, sport & performance neuropsychologist and author of the High Achievement Handbook series
“Getting my bounce back are the words every runner needs to hear. Often we are shown images and words that portray an easy connection between starting a fitness journey and reaching the moment where everything is easy (although as an elite runner,
I know that it never truly becomes easy, you just get tougher).
Most books and publications just show the end result, as if we magically appear at the peak of fitness and ideal look, but Carolee allows us to peek into her inner mind, showing us that there is a journey behind those photos, and a point where a health journey switches over from the ‘lose weight mentality’ to realizing the joy and light exercise brings us in more valuable and meaningful ways. For anyone who has ever wondered why everyone else made it
seem so easy, this book is for you.”
—Tina Muir, elite runner and host of the
Running for Real podcast
Contents
Chapter 1 – OMG—Endorphins Are for Real
Chapter 2 – Why You Need A Strategy
Chapter 4 – If I Look like a Different Person, It’s Because I Am
Chapter 7 –Fitness Is Everything
Epilogue – It’s Always Been 100 Percent Mental
Within the philosophy of action theory, there are two prerequisites that can lead to action: desire and belief. If we are hungry and desire to be full, and we believe a sandwich will satisfy that desire, we will eat the sandwich. But are these truly the prerequisites to committed action? What about the case for daily exercise: we desire to be at a certain level of physical fitness, and we believe that daily exercise will lead us to that level of physical fitness. According to action theory, we should all exercise daily. So why is it that so many people do not act, day after day? Why is it sometimes easy to exercise and sometimes not? What makes us commit? There must be more. Something bigger than us. Something that can lead to committed action.
Yes, there is. And it is different for everyone.
It is true that we can commit to exercising before work, or join a fitness club with a goal of going to classes daily, or set our sights on a running goal. We might even achieve those goals, to some extent, and for some amount of time. More than likely, however, once the goal is met, or once we grow bored