So I've decided to make a career change and go in to personal training full time. My passion for fitness and desire to teach others what I have learned made me realize that there is more to life then just being content. While my office job was safe and I liked my team, I knew that my calling was elsewhere and that I had this love for fitness.
After my national competition in July, I was so inspired by all that I had accomplished. The hardwork, the change, the desire to push and learn more about my body then ever before. It became a lifestyle and more than just a hobby, something I did on the side. I thought about it everytime I was at work or talked to a neighbor. It came up in every conversation and I found people always coming to me and asking for diet and workout advice.
So it seemed simple. Over the last week or so since I started I've been working about 10+ hours a day, getting paid for half of them and picking up after all of our members, putting away equipment and generally just getting to know our members. But everyday comes a new challenge, a new person to meet and another day to take pride in my work - make members happy and keep them coming back. It may seem a bit odd that all that work that bring me back to the basics still energizes me but it's people like the ones I met today that bring it all together.
Today I spoke with a member that made me realize that life is so much more than just going through the motions. He was diagnosed with Lukemia 5 years ago, survived the battle and took control of his destiny and is now taking back his body and health. To hear him speak about all that he has accomplished on his own with only a free downloaded calorie counter application on his phone and some good old-fashioned exercise he's determined to get down 30 pounds by December and has already accomplished about 15 lbs.
This is what I want to hear daily. We can all make a difference. One thing that he left me with that I will never forget. He said, one thing the doctor said to me is that I can only help your health up to a point, the rest you will have to do. He says to me after that statement, "so I owe it to my doctor and to do my part...my goal is to lose 30 lbs by the New Year and in the new year another 20, after that I will make a new goal and I'm going to get back to what I looked like 10 years ago." With tears in his eyes, he pulls out a picture of himself 10 years ago on his phone and he said my daughter sent this to me and although I don't remember it, I'm going to get there.
An amazing man. An amazing life. An amazing career ahead. I want to be the catalyst of this change.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Mind over Matter
Some days you don't feel like you want to keep going, you can feel frustrated and like you could give in to all temptations. Not everyday feels like you give 110%, heck not everyday is 100%. Today is that day for me.
It's days like today when it's mind over matter.
I know that everything I do, I do for a purpose. It's just the way that I am. It's the way I'll always be. Once I commit, I commit with everything I have - which frankly is always to keep myself with the pack or ahead of the pack. Frustration sets in for me a lot as I go through the process of training for the USA's with some of the toughest competition I've seen yet and the possibility of becoming something I've always aimed and dreamed of... "The Pros." This show if I were to perform better than all the rest in my class earns me the right to get my pro card and the opportunity to be among the elite.
It's days like this that I have to keep my ultimate goal in mind and trust my body that we can and will do this. It's no longer easy. I have been dieting now for about 7 months straight (not cutting the entire time) - eating "clean" I'd like to say. Of course my body is craving. I'm only human.
Although I may splurge sometimes, my husband likes to say that I never quite go crazy. Really it's just that I have too much food guilt. Sure, I just have a meal that I may not have had on my nutrition plan or enjoy some frozen yogurt. It's all relative and it's all to keep me sane - feel like a normal, regular, everyday type of person. But for me food is a fuel. I know what's in it and I eat for a purpose (see I told you everything I do is like this.)
For the first two shows I felt pretty good. I knew I had to perform, and was excited and noticing differences daily. I started to get into it and competing is something many people would never even attempt to do. My body still felt pretty good and for me, I started at a higher body fat, so losing another few percent was not overkill. -- Then the second show; competition gets tougher and I've been on the "eating plan"/structure for some time.
Scared that I haven't put myself in a winning position, that I won't make it. The other part is the frustration that you STILL can't do what the normal people do because frankly you're just not. My body now doesn't recognize what some of my coworkers would like is an okay lunch - peanut butter and jelly sandwich, no. Eating out at Olive Garden or to be truthful even eating something most people that eat "healthy" have as an option like Chick-Fil-A, no.
It's become a lifestyle. But even as a lifestyle the final goal is always hard. As my husband keeps telling me, it's like the last 2 miles of a marathon - you know what you've accomplished. You can't give in now until you finish - you're committed. You want this. You deserve this. Sometimes you just have to push through and know you will succeed, this is what you trained for. Yes, it's going to hurt. Yes, it's not easy. That's okay. That's normal.
Expect a lot from yourself, dream big - because no matter what it takes, no matter how many times you break down; I will keep going. These are the times that you push, push, push. Mantra: I'm not going to stop, I'm not going to waiver. I will get this - I want this too bad. I deserve this, so make it happen and train hard. Show that you deserve to be on the podium!
It's days like today when it's mind over matter.
I know that everything I do, I do for a purpose. It's just the way that I am. It's the way I'll always be. Once I commit, I commit with everything I have - which frankly is always to keep myself with the pack or ahead of the pack. Frustration sets in for me a lot as I go through the process of training for the USA's with some of the toughest competition I've seen yet and the possibility of becoming something I've always aimed and dreamed of... "The Pros." This show if I were to perform better than all the rest in my class earns me the right to get my pro card and the opportunity to be among the elite.
It's days like this that I have to keep my ultimate goal in mind and trust my body that we can and will do this. It's no longer easy. I have been dieting now for about 7 months straight (not cutting the entire time) - eating "clean" I'd like to say. Of course my body is craving. I'm only human.
Although I may splurge sometimes, my husband likes to say that I never quite go crazy. Really it's just that I have too much food guilt. Sure, I just have a meal that I may not have had on my nutrition plan or enjoy some frozen yogurt. It's all relative and it's all to keep me sane - feel like a normal, regular, everyday type of person. But for me food is a fuel. I know what's in it and I eat for a purpose (see I told you everything I do is like this.)
For the first two shows I felt pretty good. I knew I had to perform, and was excited and noticing differences daily. I started to get into it and competing is something many people would never even attempt to do. My body still felt pretty good and for me, I started at a higher body fat, so losing another few percent was not overkill. -- Then the second show; competition gets tougher and I've been on the "eating plan"/structure for some time.
It's more of a mind game at this point.I found myself saying, you can do this, afterall you have been at this for 4-5 months. It all gets you closer to the pros. But then the final show comes. At 7 months in and it no longer is "fun." I feel like I look good, but not great. I need to look great. If I don't look great, I can't perform the way I want to, and the what I expect of myself is to push harder than the average person, keeping standards that border on farily illogical. Part of it I think is that I'm scared.
Scared that I haven't put myself in a winning position, that I won't make it. The other part is the frustration that you STILL can't do what the normal people do because frankly you're just not. My body now doesn't recognize what some of my coworkers would like is an okay lunch - peanut butter and jelly sandwich, no. Eating out at Olive Garden or to be truthful even eating something most people that eat "healthy" have as an option like Chick-Fil-A, no.
I look at food as fuel. Mind over matter, it's important to keep things in perspective and try not to be overwhelmed that really you can't eat like ANYONE eats.The body is craving, that's okay. I don't have to do this forever. It is a choice, it's a lifestyle.
It's become a lifestyle. But even as a lifestyle the final goal is always hard. As my husband keeps telling me, it's like the last 2 miles of a marathon - you know what you've accomplished. You can't give in now until you finish - you're committed. You want this. You deserve this. Sometimes you just have to push through and know you will succeed, this is what you trained for. Yes, it's going to hurt. Yes, it's not easy. That's okay. That's normal.
Expect a lot from yourself, dream big - because no matter what it takes, no matter how many times you break down; I will keep going. These are the times that you push, push, push. Mantra: I'm not going to stop, I'm not going to waiver. I will get this - I want this too bad. I deserve this, so make it happen and train hard. Show that you deserve to be on the podium!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Happy Tuesday!
Gym Time with my IPOD
Today's run down:
20 minutes of cardio (treadmill) including 4 minutes of Tabata @ 6% incline, 8.5 rpm
Today's run down:
20 minutes of cardio (treadmill) including 4 minutes of Tabata @ 6% incline, 8.5 rpm
Legs (squat focus), Lower back, and Abs
- Deadlifts 3 x 12 (95,115, 125 lbs)
- Burpees 3 x 10
- RDLs 3 x 12 (95 lbs all)
- Squat 3 x 10 (95, 115, 135 lbs)
- Superset - Back extension and oblique side raises
- Leg extension 3 x 15 (50 lbs)
- Handstand holds 3 x 30 seconds
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sardoodledom type of day
Made it through the weekend! First day back = tough Monday.
Sometimes we have to just have a "Sardoodledom" day. Have some fun, laugh
it off!! =)
Friday, September 10, 2010
Heading to Vegas - Travel Workouts and Planning for it
If you have ever stayed in Downtown LV, you will understand. The hotels there are not catered to the CA traveler that values fitness and "healthy" options. Actually it's the contrary at the "California Hotel" where we will be staying - they value creating an authentic Hawaiian atomosphere. It's all about Spam Musubi, Hawaiian/Japanese fusion foods and buffets. There are no gyms because who would go, there are no options because spam and eggs or portugese sausage and rice ARE your options.
So how do we get do we get buy in situations like this? We do something about it!!
Travel workouts without machines... Planning for the weekend... Bringing your own snacks... Some good suggestions if you find yourself in this situation:Top Travel Workouts, Crossfit Style - courtesy of Crossfit North Atlanta
Pack your snacks
How to Stick to a Diet While Traveling | eHow.com
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