How I Stay Locked In Without Losing Joy: Fitness Through Chaos, Travel, and Real Life
If you looked at my calendar over the past ten days, you would think fitness was the last thing on my mind.
Back-to-back holidays, four kids home from school, travel for a family funeral, jumping time zones, school presentations, cheer, karate, basketball practice — and trying to run a business in between it all.
These last ten days were emotional. Disruptive. Chaotic.
Not in a dramatic way — in a very normal life kind of way.
And yet, in the midst of it, I stayed connected to my goals without losing the joy or the humanity that life requires.
This week reminded me of something I want to say louder and more often:
👉 Consistency doesn’t mean doing everything.
Consistency means doing something with intention.
This is how I stayed locked in through an imperfect, beautiful, overwhelming week — without letting shame drive the process.
Preparing for Effort — Not Perfection
Travel always raises my anxiety — especially when it revolves around heavy emotions like a funeral. So instead of pretending I could control everything, I set myself up to require as few decisions as possible.
I packed a stash of 12 protein bars, granola bars, my water bottle, and a little packet of protein powder.
I brought noise-cancelling headphones, my comfort audiobook, a face mask, and — yes — a small stuffed Jean-Luc Picard that I bring on planes (highly recommend personal travel mascots, by the way).
The point wasn’t perfection.
It was preparation for effort.
It was removing friction so motivation didn't have to carry all the weight.
Strategy isn’t rigidity — it’s self-kindness in advance.
Movement That Supports — Not Punishes
Before we left Monday morning, I woke up early and got in a 45-minute run and a full-body lift.
Not because I was trying to “work off Thanksgiving.”
Not because I was terrified of missing a workout.
Not because I needed to earn anything later.
I did it because movement helps me regulate — physically, mentally, emotionally.
The next day I found myself in a small hotel gym in my pajamas with coffee in hand.
I had 45 minutes.
I didn’t have time to shower.
I didn’t need a perfect plan — I just needed a plan.
I did dumbbell step-ups, Cossack squats, deadlifts — and called it good.
That workout wasn’t about progress. It was about presence.
Better Choices, Not Perfect Ones
Let’s be honest — travel food is a mixed bag.
DoorDash, fast casual, hotel breakfast layouts, family catering.
This week included:
Panera salad and soup
Chicken strips (underrated protein source)
Pizza and salad
Cinnamon roll and an apple
Protein bars on airplanes
Autumn squash soup that felt like a hug
Was it all ideal? Nope.
Was it chaos? A little.
Was it intentional? Yes.
Because a chicken strip is still chicken.
A cinnamon roll doesn’t remove your progress.
A salad with pizza is still balance.
A protein bar is still protein.
Better is allowed to count.
Better is always better than perfect or nothing.
Joy Isn’t the Enemy — Shame Is
I ate two white chocolate macadamia cookies because they were delicious.
I skipped wine because I didn’t want to feel off.
I played with my nephews.
I listened to an audiobook on the plane and cried behind my sleep mask.
I laughed with my sister.
These moments are the point.
We train to live, not live to train.
Joy is fuel.
Joy is medicine.
Joy is why the plan matters in the first place.
When joy is allowed, obedience isn’t required,
autonomy is.
Sliding Back Into Rhythm — Not Starting From Zero
When I got home, I didn’t declare a “reset.”
I didn’t punish myself with restriction.
I didn’t overcorrect.
I just returned to the habits that feel like home — because I never completely abandoned them.
You don’t lose your journey when life gets intense.
You lose it when you assume intensity means you can’t show up at all.
Consistency isn’t “all.”
Consistency is always something.
If You Want Support Through the Messy Seasons
If this resonated — if your life feels like a series of curveballs and calendar alerts — I want to tell you something gently and directly:
You don’t need more willpower.
You need support and strategy that flexes with your real life.
I'm opening a few coaching spots for women who want structure and conversation — not shame-based rules.
Every month, my VIP clients and I get on a private coaching call to talk through what’s stressful, what’s shifting, and what solutions align with your goals and your reality. Not in need of monthly calls? There’s an option that keeps it all in house on my app, where we can chat, see videos for programming, log nutrition, set goals, etc!
If you’re ready to stay locked in without losing joy —
Send me an email with the subject line JOY at c.kassel@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the details.
Ready to dive in head first? Schedule our call here: https://christinakassel.as.me/
And you can see pricing here.
You don’t have to start over.
You just need to stay connected.
— Coach Christina