John and Jane – Break Up Bodies

The psychology of a break up

Ending a romantic relationship, no matter how amicable is still devastating.  It takes a lot of will power to move on and forward. Psychologists say that it is akin to losing a loved one to an untimely death. Such strong emotions however may be channeled towards something productive for the benefit of oneself – a phenomenon that gave rise to what we now call the Break-Up Body.

After the break-up, there is a yearning for change.  Some try a change in scenery and leave town, while others just go to the salon and change hair color.  And there are others who have patience enough for the kind of change that takes months to happen but for the better.  Here’s a look at two people of different backgrounds, gender and break-up profile but had the same decision to make their bodies healthier and better. 

Meet John and Jane – Not their real names of course

John is 26 and is halfway through law school.  He thought he had everything planned out, he’s at the top of his class is already being offered a place at prestigious law firms.  He was also ready to make the commitment after he passes the bar with his girlfriend of two years until it just suddenly ended.  Somehow, he knew it was coming but he was always an optimist and a “let’s cross the bridge when we get there” kind of guy.

Jane is in her early 30’s a wife and mother of two.  She left her careers (yes, she had two) to focus on the family she always dreamed of.  But like most women who had careers, there is a nagging feeling to be independent and be part of something bigger than themselves – something her husband couldn’t quite understand.

Two different worlds, different circumstances but they have the same dilemma.  Those years of complacency and focus on other person(s) has left them out of shape, and quite a lot of pounds away from when they entered the dating arena years ago. But they also have the same kind of determination.

John’s Work-out Plan

 John never liked the outdoors and walking.  He bought himself a stationary exercise machine called Timeworks. While the manual and instructional video promised “great results” with only 4 minutes a day, he was on that machine for 30 minutes to an hour a day. He did not change his diet but he did cut his consumption in half.  After a month, there was no significant change, so he knew he had to step it up.  He chose a regimen that made sense to him and he chose the Paleo Diet along with the rigorous work-outs of Cross Training.  For more information on John, click here.

Jane’s Work-out Plan

 Jane started going to the gym, sporadically at first but started on a vegetable and fruit smoothie diet.  And ever since she became a mom, she had has been experimenting on healthy dishes for her family.  Jane was overweight but she was eating healthy, there was no question about it.  So when she decided to get in shape, she knew she had to increase her workouts and do a little more research on what she should be eating.  Jane decides to go to the gym every day and signed up for Cross Fit training.  Her diet has a little bit of the Px90 and the South Beach Diet.  For more information on Jane, click here.

The Results

 It only has been a month for John and his Paleo Diet and a gym time of about two hours , six days a week but he is very close to the body that he wants.  It’s been 2 months for Jane and her mixed diet while exercising daily and she’s only halfway through.  But hey, 7 inches off the waist is quite an achievement.   

John and Jane are more determined because of their circumstance and they say that every day, their focus gradually changed from feeling angry and inadequate to just feeling accomplished and happy.  The motivation became less and less about the other person and more and more about themselves.

Have you had the same experience? Do you think you think that without the motivation of the break-up, the results would have been less appealing?