Train with Mandy

Wonder Wednesday: Ups and Downs

2012-01-04T19:50:00.000-06:00

The first few days of 2012 haven't quite panned out how I'd like. Yesterday I found myself in the ER with a severe allergic reaction (we think) to who knows what. I was pumped five different drugs in order to get it under control. Not a fun way to begin the year. Since one of the drugs was a steriod I had a raging hunger when I got home. So now I find myself 5 pounds heavier and a bit swollen and achey. I'm feeling much better but it make me realize one thing: in order to keep living healthy; I have to expect that their will be days like yesterday. The yesterday's will happen it's just a matter of not letting them get to me or even surprise me because it's inevitable that they will happen. So I pick myself back up and keep truckin' along.....which is what I'd ask of everyone who reads this. Come back to it if you have to remember that no one has it 100% easy all the time. We're all in this together, we just have to continue to encourage one another.

2012 Tracking

2012-01-02T17:14:00.000-06:00

Had to share these target $1 finds. First up is this food tracker.

Food journaling is one of the best ways to keep yourself accountable to what you put in your body. Find one just like this at target in the $1 area. Also $1 is the pocket calendar. I use this to track my exercise and good eating for the day. All you have to do is set an intention and follow through. This helps me keep going. I can see what I've done at the end of the month and it feels good. Honestly sometimes I workout just so I can write it down. Hey, whatever works!

2011 Lists Archived

2011-12-31T06:32:00.000-06:00

The list is complete. The workouts are done. The books have been read. The end of the year is always a weird feeling. This year is no different. Sure I feel accomplished. I met my goals for the year. There is a sense of "a weight being lifted off my shoulders" mixed with a slight feeling of anxiety. As a list maker I realized there are 2 distinct parts to "the list." Part 1 is completing the list and part 2 is short time in between when there is no list. I get a teensy bit anxious when I have no clear direction. One thing I have realized over the last 4 years of tracking my workouts is I need to track them. It's just my personality. Zig Ziglar says it best "when you aim at nothing you will hit it every time." That resonates with me because I can go back to weeks this year where I completed a workout just to be able to write it down.

As for the books of 2011, there were quite a few that were pretty darn amazing. My father-in-law has always said that you will know the impact a book has on you if you can recall the information 6 months later. The books that I can do this with but also really hit home are highlighted below. That's not to say the others didn't but the ones highlighted were paradigm shifters and/or were huge insight reads.

Here she is: the type-A, list-making, organizing, tracking page that makes me real nerdy.

20 Books
Curiosity should be my middle name. Gaining new knowledge is a passion. I love reading but have to make a list and check it off as each book is completed. Otherwise, books are rarely opened. So here's to year number two at reading 20 books in 52 weeks.

1. On Becoming Babywise (Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam)
2. Cruise Ship or Nursing Home (Lerner, Loman, Majors, Pellow, Shuemake)
3. Chi Running (Danny and Katherine Dreyer)
4. Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working (Graig Groeschel)
5. The Coffe Mom's Devotional (Celeste Palermo)
6. The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers (Meg Meeker, MD)
7. The Power of a Praying Parent (Stomir Omartian)
8. More Than Enough (Dave Ramsey)
9. Crazy Love (Francis Chan)
10. Heaven is for Real (Todd Burpo)
11. Radical (David Platt)
12. Made to Crave (Lysa TerKeurst)
13. Intuitive Eating (Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch)
14. The One Minute Entrepreneur (Ken Blanchard, Don Hutson, Ethan Willis)
15. Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)
16. Mocking Jay (Suzanne Collins)
17. Boys Should Be Boys (Meg Meeker)-IP
18. The Edge of Evolution (Dr. Michael J. Behe)-IP
19. Poser my life in twenty-three yoga poses (Claire Dederer)-IP
20. EntreLeadership (Dave Ramsey)-IP
52 Weekly Workouts
It's a given that exercise is a major part of my weekly routine. It makes me feel a bit more accomplished and motivated to keep at it if I keep track of what I do on a weekly basis. I've done this since 2008. However, this year I thought it would be neat to keep track of it via the "nerdy list" page.

1. 7 miles
2. 5 hours natural childbirth
3. Week of rest/recovery
4. 2 strength workouts
5. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class
6. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 2 miles
7. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 4 miles
8. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 2 miles
9. 1 strength workout, 1 yoga class, 3 miles-sick half of week
10. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 4 miles
11. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 5 miles
12. 1 strength workout, 2 yoga classes, 5 miles
13. 3 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 6 miles
14. 3 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 7 miles
15. 1 strength workout, 3 yoga classes, 8 miles
16. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 3 miles
17. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 9 miles
18. 2 strength workouts, 3 yoga classes, 7 miles
19. 2 strength workouts, 1 pilates class, 0 miles
20. 2 strength workouts, 10 miles
21. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 10 miles
22. 2 strength workouts, 11 miles
23. 2 strength workouts, 11 miles
24. None-Bermuda Vacation-Week Off!
25. 1 strength workout, 5 miles-still coming off the vacation+painting whole house
26. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 5 miles
27. 1 strength workout, 2 yoga classes, 7 miles
28. 3 strength workouts, 12 miles
29. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 11 miles
30. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 9 miles
31. 2 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 10 miles
32. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 10 miles
33. 3 strength workouts, 15 miles
34. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 12 miles
35. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 8 miles
36. 2 strength workouts, 4 yoga classes, 2 pilates classes, 6 miles
37. 2 strength workouts, 3 pilates classes
38. 1 strength workout, 3 yoga classes, 6 miles
39. 2 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 1 pilates class, 6 miles
40. 2 strength workouts, 1 spin class, 6 miles
41. 3 strength workouts, 1 spin class, 8 miles
42. 3 strength workouts, 1 spin class, 6 miles
43. 3 strength workouts, 4 pilates classes, 6 miles
44. 3 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 1 pilates class, 6 miles
45. 2 strength workouts, 1 pilates class, 12 miles
46. 3 strength workouts, 8 miles
47. 3 strength workous, 2 yoga classes, 1 aerial yoga class, 1 cardio class, 40 minutes of cardio intervals
48. 3 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 80 minutes of cardio intervals
49. 4 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 1 aerial yoga class, 1 spin class, 30 minutes of cardio intervals
50. 3 strength workouts, 1 yoga class, 130 minutes of cardio intervals
51. 3 strength workouts, 2 yoga classes, 1 spin class, 70 minutes of cardio intervals
52. 3 strength workouts, 100 minutes of cardio intervals
Totals for the Year
50 yoga classes
13 pilates classes
4 spin classes
2 aerial yoga classes
100 strength workouts
288 miles
450 minutes of cardio intervals

31 pounds lost*
10% body fat lost
*Disclaimer: was 39 weeks pregnant at the beginning of the year when initially measured. :-)

Wonder Wednesday: Books!

2011-12-21T15:39:00.000-06:00

My relationship with books is love-hate. I love to read them I just hate finding time to read them. It seems like there isn't enough hours in the day. This year my goal was to read 20 books: 10 the first half of the year and 10 the second half of the year. I have 3 books to go. Right now I'm in the middle of Dave Ramsey's Entreleadership (EL) book. I love the book and highly recommend any business owner or leader of any type to pick it up. I think it even deserves a "must read" label. Granted, I am a faithful Dave Ramsey follower so take my opinion with that in mind. I think Dave is brilliant. One page in the book stood out (so far) I want to share it for my wonder Wednesday edition this week....

Focused intensity over time multiplied by God equals unstoppable momentum.

LOVE IT! On page 83-85 of EL he explains that many people can have focused intensity for awhile but not many of us have whatever it takes to keep focused intensly over TIME.....and a long time at that. It's not completely our fault though, we're surrounded by a culture that is fast-paced and ever-changing. The key may be to never lose focus and know that it takes time.

Pulling Up or Pushing Down?

2011-12-20T15:29:00.007-06:00

Thought: when people talk badly towards us...do we believe it? When people talk good towards us...do we believe it? I find when someone hits a nerve, either good or bad it's highly impactful....either negatively or positively. Why is it that we put so much stalk in others words? This was a post I entered on facebook last week. I thought it up in my head because recently a good friend told me about someone (another trainer) who had tore me down on their facebook profile. Granted, I am not friends with this person (on facebook or in person-only acquaintances) so I had no idea they posted such a thing. I was told that the post had to do with her observance while I was training. She commented on how horrible the form was and that she wanted to come over and help the people I was working with-clearly stating that I didn't know what I was doing. One of my good trainer friends told me about this because she thought it was horrible-and if she was in my place she would want to know. Granted, there is nothing I can do about it, everyone has their opinions. I just wish that she would have approached me in private and told me her thoughts/disagreements. But then again, maybe I'm glad she didn't.

With all that negativeness, I'm attempting to put a positive twist on the situation. If there is one thing humans have in common it's to be accepted by other people. When I heard what the trainer said I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. It hit a nerve. It hit a nerve because my whole reason for training is to help others "do it the right way." I have spent countless hours in classes, lectures, reading books, observing the gurus and obtaining degrees and certifications in order to ensure I'm helping others exercise correctly. So it hit a nerve. A nerve that everything I had done up until this point wasn't good enough. A trainer in my industry disapproves of what I'm doing and what I'm about and that made me just plain sick to my stomach. So then it made me realize that if someone can have this much power over me by saying something negative, surely they can also have quite a bit of power over me by saying something positive? And it's true, they can. I am so blessed to be surrounded by good, uplifting people....family, friends, clients and acquaintances. One thing I try very hard at sustaining is close connections to quality human beings. People I admire, want to mimic and learn from. It's selfish, I know but I can't help but be attracted to other humans that possess good characteristics. So to everyone reading this and to all of you wonderful people out there that only say and do things that pull people up....way to go! You are doing it right...and that's why I call you my friend.

What really feels the best is when someone sees something in you that is invisible to your reality thus far. They see potential that you are blinded by....but once it's pointed out....you are unstoppable!

Thoughs on Thursday: Motivation (or Lack of it)

2011-12-15T11:16:00.000-06:00

I have sneaky clients. They are good for me. They keep me on my feet and catch me off guard. I love how they can be so real with me because it helps me help them so much more. This morning that happened. I had a really amazing woman tell me she was just not motivated at all. That she just didn't really care. Granted, it was early in the morning so it could be a combination of what she said plus the early morning hour. I'm sharing this because you know, this could be you right now. Maybe you just don't care....and guess what, that's okay. This will happen in life! I know I've definitely been there...where I could careless if I did much of anything. Really, true story. So I tried real hard this morning to think on my feet. The combination of me thinking on my feet and early morning is not good. So I've been chewing on it for a couple of hours (because that's what I do, I chew) and here's what I came up with:
1. Fake it until you feel it. I like this saying because it’s true...while we may not be “feeling” the whole motivation thing right now because of who knows what: the weather, the grey skies, it being Christmas time/hibernation season, or plain just not caring at the moment...we will care at some point so why not keep pushing through until we “feel it?”

2. Growth involves moving out of our “comfort zone.” While it may not be very comfortable to get up a couple of days a week early, you are doing a good, positive thing for yourself. I need to affirm you in this. You are taking care of yourself and getting stronger by the session. This does involve doing something that is uncomfortable because Lord knows it would be much more comfy to stay in bed awhile longer....that warm, toasty, soft, cozy bed. I know, I totally get that.

3. What if you allowed yourself to dream a bit? Go ahead, give yourself permission to daydream! Dream about what you want, what you want your life to look like and what kind of a lifestyle you wanted to have. I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that most all of us want to live a bit more healthily? Dream and then believe in your dream. Add focus and clarity to it. Then it turns into vision.

4. You can do whatever you want to do...the only person that will stop you is yourself. Think of how far you've already come in your life, what you've overcome and what you can continue to push through. Healthy living is not a quick fix. It's a constant process of refining. You can do it....just do yourself a couple of favors: believe in yourself, give yourself grace when things don't happen exactly according to plan and if you do nothing else just keep going, don't stop.

Wonder Wednesday: 23 1/2 hours

2011-12-14T13:54:00.003-06:00

Twister

2011-12-12T20:55:00.001-06:00

The article below is such a good read I had to copy and paste it to my blog so I'd always have it. Todd Durkin is a trainer of trainers, author, NFL trainer and much much more. I get his newsletters and this one caught my eye. The reason it caught my eye was because I've been to fitness conferences and heard Peter Twist (the industry icon) present. He's amazing (and pictured to the left). I had no idea he was battling for his life this year. At any rate, I would encourage you to take the minutes it requires to read this article. It's MOTIVATING, INSPIRING, and extremely INSIGHTFUL. You might not have a dry eye after but you'll also be incredibly motivated and informed.

Twister… Industry Icon in the Fight of His Life

By Todd Durkin, MA, CSCS
I need to share a remarkable story of a fitness professional in the fight of his life. He is someone I have long admired. Someone I have shared the stage with many times. One of the best presenters I have ever heard. A wildly successful entrepreneur who has earned more accolades in his storied strength and conditioning career than most can dream.

Peter Twist is one of the most successful trainers and performance coaches of ALL-TIME. His business, Twist Sport Conditioning, is a world-class training & performance facility in Vancouver, Canada, with franchises in the US and Canada.

For eleven years, Pete was an NHL strength coach. And since then, has devoted his life to helping kids and adults become their very best. His passion and energy are infectious, his intelligence is incredible, and his spirit is unbreakable. As a matter of fact, Pete may be in the best shape of any forty-seven year old I know, male or female. With the fitness and conditioning of an elite pro athlete, he looks like he can still suit up and play. And dominate!

But life took a strange turn earlier this year. Out of nowhere, Pete was diagnosed with Stage 4 Nasopharyngeal cancer (head/neck) that had spread throughout his lymph system. He was asymptomatic when he first went to the doctor in January 2011 (just about a year ago), and has been through hell and back since then, fighting one heckuva fight to force this thing into remission. He would tell you himself that this has been tougher than any fight he has ever faced in his long and successful hockey career.

I recently had dinner with Pete at his home in Vancouver. It gave us some quiet time to sit and talk. About fitness. About our industry. And about life. What a conversation it was.

I asked Pete if I could share his story, it truly is inspirational, because not many people know of his battle. As a matter of fact, for four of the hardest months earlier this year, only six people even knew Pete was sick. More know now, but the chance to share Pete’s story here with you is a chance to share some of the most IMPACTFUL words I have ever heard from another person. There are “deep lessons” from Pete’s journey, and I share them with his blessing and his hope that they might empower others in a similar battle for their health or other challenge in their lives.
****
One of the interesting things about Pete’s story is that there were no detectable signs or symptoms when he was diagnosed. He acted on his own intuition that something was wrong and asked to be tested. At first, doctors resisted because “he had nothing wrong.” His physical appearance, strong vitals, and healthy lifestyle, said (on the surface) that nothing “appeared wrong.
When the truth of the situation was revealed, doctors found a tumor the size of a baseball located about 2 mm from the brain stem. A thorough diagnosis placed the chance of survival for three-years at 25%.
What followed was brutal. Two months of chemotherapy and radiation at the highest intensity one can receive. When I asked what that felt like, Pete described it as “severe burning of my mouth, face, and neck from the inside out.” Taking in nutrients was next to impossible; requiring “thirty minutes under layered pain-killers to get down a glass of vanilla protein drink.” Knowing Pete, he was probably yelling like a gladiator to get it down and get it done.
I learned that the effects of head and neck radiation continue to accumulate for five to seven weeks post-treatment. That means the side-effects get worse and worse even after treatments stop. Pete said this was one of the most frustrating parts of the entire experience.
From Pete: “My objective was to keep as much strength and physical mass as possible and to do little things HOURLY to deal with symptoms and set myself up to have a little higher starting point when I could manage to start ramping back up. A one percent difference was worth fighting for relentlessly.”
****
We talked about life lessons and as always, his words were deep and introspective.

“QUARTERBACK YOUR OWN HEALTH AND OWN THE PROCESS” Doctors: oncologists, nutritionists, naturopaths, chiropractors, you name it – all come from different backgrounds, academic paradigms, and philosophies. Many of them do tremendous work, but are often overwhelmingly busy in their day-to-day and guided by the ‘system.’ It is critical that YOU determine what is right for YOU and take charge at each step. Quarterback your health and quarterback the team you assemble for any acute challenge in life.

FOLLOW YOUR GUT, FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION. “If you’re strong and healthy, you won’t get looked at the same or as thoroughly by your doctors. They make assumptions based on fitness, appearance, symptoms, and positive energy. Insist they look deeper.”

Pete went in because of a premonition, a gut-call that something “wasn’t right.” He really had to press to get the right team together and get the tests done to eventually be diagnosed and then treated because he looked healthy. Had he waited until symptoms appeared, the results may have been….

BE PROACTIVE. How you feel, your physicality, your health metrics, your blood work, and lack of symptoms do not necessarily mean you’re A-OK at the cellular level. Pete did crazy research on cancer, and believes, “We all have cancer five to seven times in a lifetime. Most we naturally eradicate from our systems… some we do not.”

DON’T PLAY THE VICTIM CARD. It took a tremendous amount of grit and determination for Pete to get this far in the fight. He doesn’t like “wearing the cancer hat.” When going to the hospital for chemotherapy and radiation, he would drive his car “straight to the top” of the roof of the cancer center and park. He did not want to park where it said “PATIENT” painted on the wall. He would enter the parking garage with inspirational music cranked (AC/DC or POD if I know him!) and later would say, “Is that all you got? Give me your best shot!” After each radiation and chemo treatment, he would attempt to exercise right away, sometimes right in the parking garage. Literally.

HEAL FROM WITHIN. Look beyond traditional nutrition guidelines and organic foods and invest in a deeper understanding of all the variables affecting cellular health.
WE DON’T “RISE TO THE OCCASION”; WE “SINK TO THE LEVEL OF OUR TRAINING.” This is a message for trainers: Make sure you are ready for a battle and that your clients are too—one day everyone will face an immense challenge. I like what Pete says, “You can’t be your best when your best is needed and you aren’t in peak condition.” He adds, “I believe survival is in part determined by a will to live, a will to love, and a willpower to do the hard things well every minute during challenge, pain, and suffering. Become very passionate about LIFE and engage in activities in a way that grows WILL and WILLPOWER.”

WOW. Don’t wait until there’s a problem to start training like an animal and begin living TODAY like it’s your last day on earth. Powerful words.

BREAK ALL THE RULES. “You must be willing to change YOUR rules: to adopt healthful strategies that give you an edge, to step up and break from the traditional medical model, to return to action.” Pete is an example that we are capable of more than we might be told. Fight to give EVERY effort any moment to build your physiology and physicality. Work at YOUR pace – not the pace of the average sick person. Not the pace expected by the disease model. Be willing to do everything it takes to get back to where you were. Act on your personal pride, conviction, and your will to live “FULL ON” for yourself and all those around you.

Pete’s words really stuck with me. He is an incredible man and truly inspirational. He ended his story with this (and I will paraphrase): Growth comes from challenges and of these, there are very few that will force you to draw upon absolutely one hundred percent of every single element of your being. One hundred percent of every personal resource within you. When one of these challenges presents itself, it will be an amazing opportunity. After the anger and fear have ripped through you, after you face your sadness and concern for loved ones, be sure to see the amazing opportunity you’ve been given. The battle will become a set of scars you carry with quiet pride and deeper gratitude for the chapters ahead of you. The personal growth is strong and real. Don’t be bound up or held back from the beating you’ll take. Springboard from it and let it ignite every single day for the rest of your life.
****
My evening with Pete ended with some “HEALING FROM WITHIN.” Pete’s diet for this past year has been mostly raw vegetables and a concoction of organic foods, supplements, and powerful antioxidants to fortify his system. So when he asked me if I would like one of his “desserts,” I willingly obliged. It was here I was introduced to what I now call “Twister’s 27-Ingredient Jungle Juice.” This “shake” has so many things in it I can’t remember them all. Three times a day for almost a year: cabbage, broccoli, spinach, raspberries, blueberries, cranberry juice, greens mix, fish oils, and many other “goodies” in it. Sounds disgusting, huh? Pete said, “You think this tastes horrible? Try cancer and then tell me if you like it.” Despite not knowing all that’s in it or if there are really twenty-seven ingredients, by the end, it tasted real good! For me, that night, sharing Twister’s 27-Ingredient Jungle Juice was a spiritual moment.
****
Pete is now almost one-year post diagnosis. He powers UP mountains running and laughs rambunctiously as he races down; he lifts hard and heavy again in his Twist Sport Conditioning Center and does wind sprints like he did when he was competing. He’s teaching again and back in the trenches making a difference. But most of all, he’s enjoying life and is as vibrant and FULL OF LIFE as I’ve ever seen him.

Pete recently developed a CREED for himself, his team, and all the clients they touch. Think to this as your life motto: “Life is short…LIVE EVERYDAY. Today I will GIVE everything I have, what I keep inside I will lose forever.”

Thank you Pete Twist for the man you are. The trainer you are. And the friend you are. I hope your story IMPACTS thousands of people to live their BEST LIFE EVERYDAY just as you do. Thanks brother.

**Note: Connect with Pete on Facebook: http://facebook.com/peter.twist13

Todd Durkin, MA, CSCS, is an internationally recognized performance coach, personal trainer and massage therapist who motivates, educates and inspires people worldwide. He is the owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA, where his wonderful team of 35 focuses on personal training, massage therapy, Pilates, yoga, sports performance training and nutrition to help transform the bodies, minds and spirits of a broad clientele. Todd trains dozens of NFL and MLB athletes. He is the head of the Under Armour Performance Training Council, serves on the Gatorade G-Fit Team, and is a featured presenter on the Perform Better educational circuit. He is a two-time Trainer of the Year (IDEA & ACE). Additionally, Todd provides motivational talks and programs to companies and conferences worldwide.

Men’s Health recently named his gym, Fitness Quest 10, one of the Top 10 Gyms in the US. Todd has appeared on 60 Minutes, ESPN, NFL Network and has been featured in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Business Week, Prevention, ESPN the Magazine, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Journal, Stack Magazine, Self, Shape, Fitness, the NY Times and Washington Post. Todd has authored 35 DVDs on strength and conditioning, functional fitness, massage/bodywork and business/personal growth.

His new book, The IMPACT! Body Plan, debuted in September 2010 and is a 10 Week program designed to create world-class fitness and life performance. You can sign up for Todd’s FREE award-winning Ezine newsletter, the TD TIMES, at www.FitnessQuest10.com or www.ToddDurkin.com.

Wonder Wendesday: GOALS! Think it Through

2011-12-07T21:20:00.000-06:00

The new year will be here before we know it. Do you have goals for the new year? I am no expert, I only learn from past mistakes and triumphs. I've been setting goals since 2008. In that time I've realized there are 3 key concepts that have helped along the way. My wish is that these tips will help you in 2012. May it be a different year, one that follow-through and adherance play a lead role.

1. Think about the goals for a good month or two. Do not decide on a whim what the next 365 days will look like. Think it all through, process and chew up all the ideas that float around in your head. Maybe even take December as a "practice month." That way you are ready to go in January. You may have some tweaks by then from the end of the year trial session.

2. Visualize success. Can you see yourself WITHOUT A DOUBT succeed? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to sacrifice, prioritize and plan your success. Do you have enough, time, energy and willpower to follow through?

3. What motivates you? For me it's numbers, blogging about what I'm going to do and my OCD in finishing what I've started. The trick is to capitalize on those motivators. Set yourself up for success by identifiying and locking down motivators. This will be key as you begin to change behavior.

Hope this helps! Like I said, I am not an expert. I'm only sharing what I realize has helped me along the way.

4 Reasons It's Not Happening

2011-12-01T09:13:00.001-06:00

Don't we all hit those places where we don't know what we're doing wrong but for some reason we aren't going in the direction we want. Because of that I've come up with 4 reasons you may not be losing weight.
1. There's no program in place. There might be thoughts of working out and dreams of living a fit lifestyle but no method to the madness. Or there may be occasional workouts but nothing organized as planned, consistent activity.

2. Diet isn't in tune with goals. The problem varies here: it could be not eating enough, not eating the right kind of foods, or not eating at the right times. I find that it often seems that we don't eat often enough throughout the day in order to keep our metabolism up as well as night time hunger at bay.
3. Lack of motivation. Or we have Fat Loss ADD and keep coming off plan to follow another, exciting looking strategy. The key here is to find some accountability. A gym buddy, a coach, a class... whatever it takes to keep you on track.. a study by Nicolai et al (2009), which compared the results of two groups of obese individuals, found that the group who worked out under a coach lost on average 362% more fat than those who were just given advice and access to equipment. 362%!

4. Focus is on body weight and not body composition. Weight (when you are close to your goal weight) is immaterial and can be manipulated dramatically via water intake, which isn't even vaguely representative of progress and only lasts a day or two. It isn't reflective of bodyfat % either, which is what you should ultimately be focused on if you want to be fit.

Lastly, a bonus reason. I think too many of us aren't doing enough HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). This is interval training for cardio and ultimately fat loss. It's a win-win exercise program because it doesn't take as much time as typical get on the treadmill for x number of miles or minutes and it's burning a ton of calories and fat!

Wonder Wednesday: CECs

2011-11-30T10:42:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I went to a course in order to obtain continuing education credit. The presenter, Brett Klika had a lot of valuable information. I learned a lot so I wanted to share some key points from my notes.

*You cannot grow without getting out of your comfort zone.
*Journal everyday. Write 3 hours per week. When we write things down they come to life.
*At the beginning of everyday make a list of 5 things you need to accomplish. Don't go to sleep until they are done.
*10,000 hours is how many hours it takes to master a craft.
*2 ways to mess yourself up---1) do the same thing everyday (we need a variety of movements) 2) don't do anything
*Read Mike Boyle's books.

In a nutshell, that's it!

Learning to Fly

2011-11-29T15:01:00.000-06:00

Every time I look at this picture I laugh a little on the inside. It's a perfect picture for what happened. I felt like a little kid. I also felt like a complete idiot because all the moves and exercises were completely foreign. But I had a playful attitude and had a lot of fun experimenting.

In preparing for 12 Adventures in 2012 I went to an aerial yoga class. It was a blast. So much of a blast that I want to get some fabric to hang in my living room. We'll see if Aaron goes for that. I'll keep you updated! :-) In the meantime, I'm still working on that list and happy I tried out an adventure. It makes me even that much more excited for 2012 and all the fun that will be had!

Think about joining me...please! Make your own list, maybe even start a blog for the adventures and then at the end of the year you can make a book about what you did. How fun would that be?! Think about it. Your list will look completely different than mine and that's awesome. Just make sure to share it with me!

The New Year. Right Around the Corner.

2011-11-26T19:08:00.001-06:00

“You have to understand, in your heart and mind and soul, that NO ONE else is going to turn the corner for you until you turn the corner for yourself. And it never has been or ever will be about the food itself. All food is just proteins and amino acids and blah blah blah…it’s not about the food! You are your own best advocate, and you are not doing yourself any favors by cheating. You are perpetuating your own failure, and are teaching others to expect this failure of you.” That's just a tiny excerpt, read the whole article here.

A friend emailed this to me months ago (the above). I think it has a lot of value this time of year with New Year's coming up. Last week I found this quote (below) that I love so much. It too is a very timely statement. Remember, knowledge and awareness give us power to overcome. Realize patterns and focus attention to change the cycles.

"Most people don't have a problem starting. Everybody easily gets excited, joins, signs up, starts and begins. Millions of people make New Year's resolutions, start diet programs, join gyms, buy personal development books, go to seminars, but their life doesn't change. Because success is not defined by how you start, but how you continue over a long period of time." Darren Hardy

Thoughts on 2012

2011-11-15T11:51:00.000-06:00

When people ask me what I do for a living, what I really want to say is that I'm a brainwasher. I like planting new ideas into heads. It's fun to tell someone that they can do what might have seemed impossible before the idea was imbedded in their brain via a view from the outside. Sometimes the words we feed ourselves internally are not productive. I believe this happens to all of us because we're human. But how powerful is it when someone else sees in you what you don't see in yourself? That hidden potential that is visible to others around you but what you may be blinded to day after day. Isn't it crazy what someone else's confidence can do for personal growth?

I believe you are reading this for a reason. The reason being more than one. But I want to ask you some questions in order to bring light to areas that you may be overlooking. Where are you now in life? Where were you a year ago from now? What are you doing in your life that's working? What's not working? Do you have people in your life that are breathing and speaking positive, motivating, insightful and powerful words to you? What do you want to do with your life? How will others remember you? What will they say about who you are and how you lived your life?
The questions could go on and on but the gist is you have this opportunity every 12 months. Every 12 months we get a new year; a renewal to your life in a way. Will this be like every other year or will you do something extraordinary?!

We're nearing the end of 2011 which means 2012 is right around the corner. It's that time of the year where I begin to reflect on how this year went and what I can do to tweak next year. I also begin thinking of a project. In the past I've worked on 52 sweets in a year (1 sweet a week), read a book a month, read 20 books in a year or tracked weekly workouts for 52 weeks. I'm thinking in 2012 it would be fun to track 12 new adventures; things I've never done before. I'm a curious person and there's a lot I've always wanted to try. I just haven't made it a priority....but 2012 is the year! On the list for 2012 is white water rafting in Oregon, hot yoga, an aerial silks class, snow skiing with my almost 5 year old son, trying a crossfit class, and maybe embarking on an adventure race with my husband. That's all I've got so far. And who knows, the list will most likely get tweaked and will definitely grow. But the bottom line is there's emphasis in living life in an adventurous and curious way!

Wonder Wednesday: Weaknesses

2011-11-09T09:00:00.002-06:00

I've learned something over the past few weeks and had some really great revelations. They all center around finding, pinpointing and becoming aware of weakness.

Weakness is something I've spent most of my life dodging. It's something that I've never wanted to look dead straight in the eye. I'd rather focus on what I'm good at and keep that as the center of my universe. And then if we really don't want to beat around the bush; I'm just plain prideful. I want to hide the things I'm not good at. I want to hide it from myself and others. Maybe my thinking is that if I hide it, it doesn't really exist. I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that way of living isn't helping me or anyone else in a positive way.

So now what to do with this big reality? I think step 2 is what I'm on right now. I'm becoming aware of my weaknesses, realizing that I don't walk on water and notice that it's a blessing to be aware of weakness because that's the only way to get stronger.

However, I think it's important and fascinating that I haven't beat myself up about my it. Maybe what I've been afraid of all along is the realization that it will feel really bad if I acknowledge it's there.

While I don't want to put all my focus on this I do want to know it's there so I can fix it. Ignoring it does no good.

Words

2011-11-08T11:13:00.002-06:00

Words inspire me so much. Words are powerful. Words hurt, they wound, they are remembered forever. Words can also empower, strengthen, and they can be a gift. Please use words wisely. That being said, I'm using these words to empower, not to tear down.

High performing individuals... "begin with two beliefs: (1) the future can be better than the present, and (2) I have the power to make it so."

Always, always remember that. You have the power to do WHATEVER you want. We live in a free country. We can make choices.

Now I want to speak into whoever eyes come upon this blog entry: you can do it. You have the strength, the knowledge, and the power to do what you want. Go for it!!!! And let no one stop you. Fly. Put those people that speak good to you be in the forefront of your life. The people who tear you down, the people who are full of critical spirits (a judgemental attitude that tears people down instead of building them up) are people to consciously steer clear of. They do us no good.

Systems

2011-11-03T11:11:00.000-05:00

In the wee early hours this morning my clients and I were talking and training (of course) about the shake. Some absolutely love it, some could never do it and some won't even try it. Here's the beauty in that and why I love our conversations in these training sessions so much: we all don't and won't do the same thing. The key is finding the system that works for you. So now the question becomes:

1. Do you have a system?
2. If you don't are you willing to experiment in order to get it right?
3. If you have a system are you willing to share it here via comment?

Got to love new perspectives!

Wonder Wednesday: Poser

2011-11-02T21:42:00.000-05:00

I'm reading this book, Poser my life in twenty-three yoga poses by Claire Dederer. Granted, I'm only on chapter 5 but so far it's a great read. I connect with it because I've been practicing yoga since August of 2008. How I fell into yoga was linear: I got pregnant in 2006, gained 50 pounds by 2007, started running to help lose the weight in 2008 and by mid 2008 had horrible knee pain from running too much, saw a chiropractor that also teaches yoga in August of 2008. I've been in love ever since. Fast forward three years which brings me to this book. I relate to it well because the author is a mom that practices yoga. Go figure! It's deep and I connect through her experience of mom and yoga-hood. In this edition of wonder Wednesday I wanted to outline 3 things I've gotten from the book this far:

1. from page 35---I had discovered something; there was a pleasure in becoming something new. You could will yourself into a fresh shape. Now all I had to do was figure out how to do it out there, in my life.

I love this because it describes transformation: trans·for·ma·tion/Noun:1.A thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance. It's what we go through in life but sometimes never grasp that it's happening in order to embrace and enjoy the process.

2. from page 50---Until then, I would fake it.

Reminds me of the expression, "fake it until you feel it." I don't think there's anything wrong with that because in my experience it normally works.

3. from page 4---Fear. I hadn't even known it was there.

This takes me back to some of the first times in class attempting the pose below and I was incredibly scared. At that point I realized there were many things in my life that I feared and often operated in response to that fear.

Wonder Wednesday: Sunrise and Sunset

2011-10-26T21:00:00.005-05:00

The beginning of the day starts like this nowadays. Try it with an open mind. It's really good! I should clarify too that the shake gets me through the first half of the day from around 8am-noon. It's really made all the difference in the almost month that I've changed to this kind of a shake I've lost over 2% body fat and feel really great.

50g of fresh spinach
1 scoop whey isolate protein
1/2 oz. walnuts
2T Flax seed
1T chia seed
1/4c dry oats
1/2 c mixed berries
1 orange or apple--I use an apple
1T raw honey--optional
1/2 c ff cottage cheese
1/2 c ff plain greek yogurt
--Add as much or as few cups of water and blend
725 cal. 64protein

The day ends with half an avacado worked into each dinner. Avacados are packed with nutrients and help reduce belly fat. Promise.

Wonder Wednesday: When I Grow Up

2011-10-19T06:00:00.006-05:00

This sums up my training philosophy . Got to love pinterest for finding a picture that depicts all the ideas I have in my head about growing up healthy. Because a picture of strength and flexibility far outweighs skinny fat in my mind. Remember, there is so much more than the number on the scale. Researchers (and just plain common sense) are finding that how much a person weighs is not an accurate assessment of health. Rather, what can you do with your body?!?! Because, contrary to popular belief, age doesn't mean a darn thing. I love the headline, 100 year old man runs marathon, what have you done today? And this comes out right after a woman gave birth 7 hours after running a marathon. See, I wasn't so crazy after all!

The Skinny

2011-10-18T08:32:00.003-05:00

I preach this because I believe that it's the truth. I think we spend too much time obsessing about something we can't control. We can't control our weight. And if you've been around me long enough you'll know not to protest that comment just yet. Because it's followed by a statement on what we can control; our choices. Our choices affect our state of "skinny." So if we stop focusing on our weight we could start focusing on our behavior and how to change that towards healthier. Granted, I know that's all easier said than done because I struggle with it too.

Wonder Wendesday: They are all LIES!!

2011-10-12T12:57:00.001-05:00

Wonder Wednesday can also be clumps of information I run across that I don't want to forget. That is today! This was sent to me by a great friend; it's notes from a speaker. She rocks for taking time to type out the notes and send to me. Kristine knows me all too well...I love stuff like this because I often have to remind myself....don't believe the lies.

LIES WE BELIEVE

DON'T BELIEVE THEM :)

1. Everyone else is fine
this is obvious
the grass is always greener
keeping up with the Jones
we believe that everyone else has something we have
we forget to be ALL RIGHT in our own moment
we change our standard to what someone else has or is achieving
The example she gave is that when she sees another woman with great thighs she thinks their life must be perfect. that they have it all.
we all know that our lives are not perfect so why do we believe that everyone else's is????

2. I can do it all...by MYSELF
--recovering perfectionist
when we try to do it all we suffer from
BUSYNESS
FATIGUE
EXHAUSTION
DISSATISFACTION
RESENTMENT
BURDEN
lower your standard.
we are our toughest critic

3. "I SHOULD..."
we give ourselves an impossible to-do list full of "I shoulds" and we should on ourselves (pun intended!)
I should do the laundry, cloth diaper, vaccinate, make dinner, do a craft, decorate for the holiday, sweep, dishes, mop, volunteer, dust, read, ETC ETC ETC
pressure, stress, anxiety, wish list
"I have to", failure, anger
-keeps us burdened, overworked, stressed, exhausted
Imagine all the things you tell yourself that you SHOULD be doing. How do you feel?
Imagine if someone else were telling you the things you SHOULD be doing. How do you feel?
When it's ME, I feel pressure to maintain all that I want.
When it's someone else telling me, I say SHUT UP!
So why is it different? or the same?
so we GIVE out of obligation and duty and we VEIL this as serving others
*CHALLENGE: eliminate "should" from our vocabulary

4. It is sinful and/or selfish to take time for myself
-our soul needs to be replenished
-God rested! I am not better than Him! I need rest too!

Yay, Good News!

2011-10-06T10:26:00.001-05:00

Wahoo! Confirmed in this article that summarizes a study made up of 255 women ages 40-60 found that women who exercise at moderate levels were happier and were more likely to continue working out than peers who exercised more intensely. Proof! I love it but because this is the way I think. If it leaves us feeling happy we're more likely to continue. So when we're talking about incredibly random things during my small group training classes; we're able to talk and laugh (not easily might I add) while exercising which means we're at the right exertion point in order to want to do it again. Interesting note too, these ladies in the small group training sessions are consistent. They show up....and they keep showing up. Consistency!

I love research that disproves what the vast majority falsely believes as accurate.

Wonder Wednesday: Twitching

2011-10-05T03:10:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm the most curious person on earth. I'm the one who will never run out of questions. I'll ask you a question and then have a dozen more where that came from. I'll never know enough, I'll never be satisfied with what answers I have. I try not to say never but really this has been going on most all of my life. While I feel like I'm always learning something new, sometimes I wonder how much I really retain. When I was in college dating my husband (we met my the last part of my freshman year) while I was knee deep in my first biology class. I'm not sure what he saw in me other than the nerdy biology girl that regurgitated every possible detail I could remember from that morning's lecture (and with a ton of enthusiasm, might I add).

That introduction leads nicely into my next segment: the nuggets of information I'm going to enthusiastically relay via blog entries titled, "Wonder Wednesday." Because I can't stand it, I have to tell someone what I've learned. Thus the first of many Wonder Wednesdays...

Did you ever wonder why sometimes we are sore from exercises and sometimes we are not? For example, let's take a side-lying leg raise series. Your gluteus medius BURNS with pain and the thought is surely I'll be extremely sore tomorrow. But you wake up the following morning with no evidence; there's no tiny ache or pain. Then sometimes you do exercises where you hardly feel anything or maybe you feel it but nothing like the cramp in your outer thigh from the side lying leg raises.

Very curious situations, right? Well, I have the answer as to why this is typically the case. The reason is because the gluteus medius (along with the gluteus minimus) is a stabilizer for the hip. It's a deep muscle that is mostly made up of slow twitch fibers. This means that because it's a stabilizer muscle and made up of slow twitch fibers it doesn't get tired as easy because stabilizer muscles work all the time to helps us stabilize. But perhaps when you do those squats, the next couple of days your gluteus maximus is talking to you all 48 hours. The reason is opposite. The gluteus maximus is made up of fast twitch muscle fibers. It's a big mover and thus doesn't work as long or as often so it gets sore because of fiber type and exercise performed.

Whew! Glad we got that covered.
Happy Wonder Wednesday! Do a little wondering today.

The Average of 5

2011-09-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

"When I was about your age, my uncle taught me that at any given time, we are becoming the average of the five people with whom we are most closely associated. Don't ever underestimate the importance of whom you choose to be with." -The One Minute Entrepreneur (p. 3)

I didn't have to very deep into that book to hear the most important thing I've learned all week. Isn't this so true? Not only did I read that a week ago but today I got an email from fitness guru, Todd Durkin, emphasizing the exact same thing:

•Associate with GREAT PEOPLE. Our life and business is built on relationships. We are a product of the books we read, the things we listen to, and the people we associate with. Seek out and find great coaches and mentors, like-minded leaders who are pursuing common goals and passionate about living a world-class life. One of my own coaches once said, “If you want to be a great athlete, train with great athletes; if you want to be a great coach, learn from great coaches; if you want to be a millionaire, hang out with millionaires; if you want to be spiritually strong, hang out with spiritually strong people; who you hang out with and who you learn from strongly influences the person you become.” What great wisdom!

Maybe this is a hard thing to do because it may force out some unhealthy relationships but in the end most likely for the best. Seek out people you want to be like, because in the end we are like the people we associate ourselves with. I can honestly say I'm drawn to people I want to be more like....now I just need to make sure they are my average of 5!

it began with a parade

2011-09-26T13:34:00.001-05:00

This weekend I helped out the gym I train out of by walking in the local parade. Our goal was to create awareness about this new women's gym by handing out flyers good for a free week of classes along with a gym membership. When I handed women the flyer I got mixed reactions. Some were very thankful and seemed genuinely interested as they had not heard about the place. Some didn't seem to care and I felt like they were probably just annoyed by the flyer they would now need to dispose of. Some responded with, "do I look like I need to workout?!?!" It was said with a lot of attitude, annoyance and disgust. And in comes my strong thoughts on this:

No matter who you are or what you look like I think everyone needs exercise. This isn't based on a judgement of appearance. It's based on the belief that I have about exercise being an important role in everyday life. Our bodies were meant to be used. Day to day modern American culture doesn't typically include a physically grueling experience. We have to work at it. That means we might belong to a gym, get a workout buddy, sign up for classes or hire a trainer. I'm a trainer, I do this for a living and I sign up for classes, I have a workout buddy, and believe it or not I'm fixing to hire a trainer. I just do what I have to do in order to workout and I've found that I'm not very good at working out by myself. I used to be good at working out by myself but I'm not anymore because I've found it's so much more fun to go to a class or workout with someone else.

And lastly on exercise, but not least, because I believe this is very important and widely overlooked. Exercise and feel the difference! I think far too many of us go through life on auto-pilot and forget to enjoy a situation when it's not obvious to do so. The primary reason I exercise is because I feel good while doing it. I understand there may be a lot of people reading this that don't understand this concept. There may be a ton of reasons as to why that is the case. One possible explanation could be because we're typically resistant to exercise. We put it to ourselves as a task we have to do versus one we get to do. Maybe your view has always been "no pain no gain" or maybe there's a negative connotation because of a past experience. Either way I'm here to shake your view on this topic in that exercise is meant to be enjoyed. It's an area of grey: it can (and should be) eased into, you don't have to break a sweat, you don't have to do any exact thing; just move. The whole purpose is to move our bodies as a constant reminder that it can move. If it doesn't move it forgets how. Be thankful it can move. There are many bodies that cannot move. If yours can move, practice moving it in a different way daily because we're never thankful for what we have until we don't have it anymore.

Special side-note: make any form of exercise a priority especially if you have trouble sleeping. Chances are your brain is tired from working all day but your body is not because it hasn't worked nearly as hard as your brain. I get this response most often when working with someone that has been on an exercise sabbatical, they tell me they slept the best they had in years because of the work we did that day. There really isn't anything like a good nights sleep.

Confused?

2011-09-22T09:52:00.000-05:00

kickboxing, pilates, yoga, triathlons, marathons, 5K's, boot camps, dance classes, obstacle course races, muddy bike/run races, strength training, cardio classes, hot yoga, swimming, running, walking, biking, spin classes, crossfit, p90x, insanity, tracey anderson's metamorphosis, brazilian butt lift, kettle bell workouts, gym memberships, pole classes, acroyoga, hoolahoop classes, aerial silks, barre classes, circuit training

The list could go on and on and on. There are so many options out there to keep us from getting bored. It can get confusing though; which one is the best method? Answer: any that look fun to you and have a beginner option. There is one thing I've recently learned: it doesn't matter what you do but do many things. Don't get stuck with your same, run or walk or strength routine. The best advice I can give it mix it up! Be adventurous and try out new things. I'm about ready to order the Tracy Andersen metamorphosis (yes, I'm an infomercial junkie) and I want to try an aerial silks class in the near future along with getting my fill of yoga and pilates and of course I can't leave out that strength training. Seems overwhelming doesn't it?! Take it from the girl who wants to read 10 books at a time and be a full-time class tester all around the metro; slow down and pick one or two things that look interesting. Do what I say (because I'm working diligently to follow my own advice too. You'll have a blast trying out new things and your body will get stronger in the process because it's working with foreign movements.

Now I say all that to also say that I firmly believe that pilates is the foundation for movement. Pilates is a core centered movement focused on always integrating the transversus abdominus (TVA). Not only integrating the TVA but strengthening and becoming more aware of how to engage it all day long in order to prevent injury. If you're going to the right classes with the right instructor this concept will be reinforced throughout the whole class. So we have to be exploratory with our fitness but also smart in where we're at now and what our body can do at this moment. Really effective exercise is safe exercise that remembers progression is mandatory.

Contentment

2011-08-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

I may have covered this briefly before but it's on my mind from the previous post.

"Contentment" seems realistically defined as "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". That definition is realistic because the more contented an individual or community becomes the less extreme so more acceptable their desires will be. Contentment is an intuitive natural concept, whereas "peace" is a civil and so non-intuitive concept dependent on restriction, whereas contentment was and is self sustaining. (Wikipedia)

Does it make sense that we first have to be content with our current state in order to progress? I grapple with this because I've studied (via observation) when people change. It seems like (now this is not scientific so don't quote me-just an observation) whenever a person loses weight or changes their eating or adds exercise into their weekly routine on a consistent basis they were content when they started their journey. Now stay with me here. Think about it. People who are already content have a healthy state of mind from the get-to. People who aren't content but think they will be content if they lose the weight might not be in the most healthy state of mind. Here's the kicker though, I think there are varying degrees of contentment. I don't think it's black or white. I think it's something that we're either mostly content or mostly not content.

So try something for me. Do it on your own and then tell me about your experiment months or years from now. Here's my proposal: take a hard look at your state of mind. Are you always nagging on yourself, putting yourself down (either thinking it or saying it out loud). If you answered yes to any part of that question also answer this: does it parallel with your inability to lose weight and/or eat healthy and exercise regularly? Just because I firmly believe in the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results) how about trying something different? The mind is a powerful thinking organ. If we pollute our brain with nasty thoughts and words it's not going to work nearly like it should. Maybe this isn't an issue for you but something else is. Or maybe it is an issue and you need input from someone else. Check out www.insightkc.org. I betcha they can help!

We All Say It

2011-08-22T06:19:00.000-05:00

"I want to live a healthy lifestyle."

Do you think the verbiage just spins off our tongues without really thinking it through? That it's ingrained in what we know we should do but don't fully believe in it enough for daily practice? I'm going to talk straight for a moment. So often I hear of people making a bigger deal of what they just did but should be doing anyway. For example, someone feels really good about running 4 miles. They haven't ran 4 miles in years but they did it just this one time so they tell the world via facebook. I'm not digging on the person running 4 miles (or on facebook). It's sort of dangerous but sort of a step in the right direction, sort of (but not really). They are trying and what they did feels like such a big deal and they are so proud of themselves.

Here's what I'm trying to say, would we have to tell every person we see in a given day that we brushed our teeth this morning? Of course not! It's a given we do it everyday in order to maintain oral health. So why do we make such a huge deal about exercise?

A hobby of mine is studying people who have what I want. I ask myself what they are doing to get what I apparently want. How did they get to where they are now? And I ask myself what are they doing every single day. When I ask these questions about a person that has what I want; I replicate. The same is true for health. I look at someone that's healthy. A person that "lives a healthy lifestyle." To them, exercise and eating right are just the same as brushing their teeth. It's no big deal because they don't give themselves the option. Brushing their teeth everyday is mandatory. Exercise everyday (or most days out of a week) is mandatory. Eating lots of veggies and fruit and whole grains is mandatory. They have bought into the theory of "living a healthy lifestyle." They've bought into it so much that it's a non-issue. There is no stress about if they are going to the gym or not. There is no stress about if they are going to eat loads of sugar today. The answers are ingrained into who they are. There is no bragging about what they ate today or how many minutes they spent on the treadmill. It's an everyday occurrence and would get extremely old talking about and obsessing about everyday.

So that's the idea of where we want to go and who we want to be. I think we all can say it would be refreshing to stop obsessing. To stop talking and just do. There's so much more to live for than being unhappy about where we are and dramatize over what we "know we should do" but aren't living it out daily.

Here's the kicker: you don't have to talk about what you're doing because after time people will notice. We all hear people talking about what they are doing or what they are going to do. To me, it's fluff. It became fluff a long time ago because I'm the most gullible person out there. Seriously. I used to get made fun of for all the random things I would believe. As my husband says, "I'm a marketers dream." Okay, so maybe I'm still a little gullible (you can make fun of me later). And I am because when someone tells me they are going to do something, I believe them with my whole being. I believe that what they are telling me is the 100% God's honest truth. This might be a result of one major concept: I believe in people and know they can do whatever it is they really want to do. Isn't believing the ticket? If we believe in ourselves to the very end, believe that even when it gets really, really tough we can still pull through because what we sought out to do matters. I think so.

Nuggets of Motivation

2011-08-09T15:54:00.001-05:00

Random words that have inspired me lately:

The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.

What if this whole journey of getting healthy could be more about what we're in the process of gaining than what we're losing?

Virtually everyone who overcomes will tell you their victory is the sum total of a whole lot of wise decisions that they made day by day.

I had to stop thinking about what I shouldn't have and park my mind of thoughts of being thankful for what I could have.

September Schedule

2011-08-04T13:35:00.002-05:00

I bet it almost kills me but I've decided to try out an early morning schedule (with 1 night class option) in September. While I'm a night owl and I think this new schedule will be difficult, I'm open to change. This should be a good change for 4 reasons: 1.) I'll get to spend more time with my little family in the evenings. 2.) The women that sign up for the class should be able to make it to every class as there isn't much else going on at the wee hours of the morning. 3.) Beginnings. Each month is a new beginning. A new start but a continuance from the previous. They all add up but it's completing small parts to a bigger whole. 4.) Budgeting. I think going to a monthly schedule will make budgeting for training a whole lot easier and manageable when it's a monthly investment that is predictable.

"Everyone must choose one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret." ~Jim Rohn

That being said, don't regret inactivity this fall. Email me if you're interested in joining in the inspiration and motivation that comes with training4women classes. They can be life changing if you're open to it!

All classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Dates: September 6-27
Number of Classes: 7
Location: FIT gym (new women's only gym located at 152 and 291)
Investment: $105
Session Options:
5am-Class FULL
6am-Class FULL
6pm-3 spots

I'm in the business of helping so if I can't help you personally because a class is full, the time doesn't work or whatever, email me. I'd love to refer you to a class or someone that can help. There's always a way...if you're willing!

Transformation

2011-07-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

I have a different perspective about weight loss than the media, the weight loss stores and all the hype in our culture. There's got to be a paradigm shift in one's mind to think this way. What if we started thinking in terms of decades, in years, not in days, weeks or months? I know that my body will transform in the next year and in the next decade one way or another. It will either slowly get stronger or slowly get weaker. All the little things are what make up how we look and feel each passing year and decade. Think about it and it really does make sense. The reason a person looks and feels the way they do today is a result of their habits over the past year.

Researchers have found that visualization is key. If we can envision and believe that we will be a healthier person we will start making changes. So believing in the change is key. We have to first realize that the change is worth the end result. If we don't completely buy into the end result we won't make the change. Visualizing yourself being the healthiest, fittest and physically strong in the next year and decade is the root concept.

What I'm not a fan of at all is extreme dieting that looks like starvation, extreme diets or lots of regimen that we can't follow long term. Sure it might get us from point A to point B quickly. But then point C is ugly. And what is point C? Answer: worse than we were at in point A because all the extreme dieting only gave us a short term answer. We didn't transform, we didn't truly change. The snail route completely revolves around transformation. And isn't transformation what will get us long term success?

So we have this knowledge that every year we get older, every decade that passes us by, our metabolism slows and our body ages. It can become weak, decondition and aged. If we took that information and embraced it with open arms and an open mind we'd get somewhere as a society. Instead we play the insanity game. We keep going around the crazy circle of losing weight quickly only to put it back on quicker. We skip the TRANSFORMATION process because we don't want to face it. We don't want to face that we have issues that have to be addressed. The key here is continuing to refine. It's not big flashy changes but small polishing to slowly create a big change.

Say It Like It Is

2011-06-28T08:27:00.000-05:00

I really appreciate people who talk straight. My husband does it and many other people that I completely respect do it too. Tony Horton, creator of the very popular P90X, recently wrote a blog entry that I really enjoyed reading. It's a whole lot of straight talk. While I understand this sort of talk doesn't motivate everyone, a good kick in the pants really gets me going.

I'll list the link to his blog and the entry here but also paste it below. Take a minute to read it as I rarely copy and paste other's words but this is a different sort of perspective than what I would normally write or talk about. My approach offers more grace (not excuses) and more of you finding where you need to go with guided direction. I'm different than most trainers and I know that but I can definitely appreciate where other trainers are coming from.

You know who you are. You’ve got all the answers and your lousy at taking sound advice because it’s easier to be lazy. The tilt-a-whirl of disappointment goes round and round and you pretend everything is okay. You’re not fooling anyone and everyone else knows what you’re up to. It’s easy to lack self discipline because you’re not alone. Misery loves company.
I’m sick and tired of hearing why you can’t stop eating crap. Stop blaming your thyroid, boyfriend, childhood and ancestry because it’s not working. The problem is your inability to face reality. The real issues are your lack of accountability, willpower, determination and the lousy company you keep. It’s also your lame plan or lack there of. Your reasons why suck and you don’t tell the truth about what you stuff in your face when no one is looking.

Your horrendous eating habits is the American terrorist within. If the level of disease caused by unhealthy choices continues at this alarming rate then we will destroy ourselves without any help from the bad guys. Fad diets, pills and miracle potions used to lose weight never work in the long term and they never will. Dozens of studies show that calorie control diets that still allow you to eat forms of unhealthy food always fail. I’ve never met anyone who started a “weight lose only” diet and stayed on it. So you lost 50 pounds and kept it off for 5 years. Why did you gain it all back in 6 months during year six? Are you proud of that?
When diet deprivation becomes too much the closet eating begins. Your reasons for falling off the wagon are plenty and you’ll defend them till you’re blue in the face. Good for you for choosing the option that required you to be lazy again. Choosing gluttony is no way to build your manifesto my friend. What is your reason for being on this earth? Why do you really put that garbage in your mouth? Do you want to know why? Do you want to look at it closely? Do you care enough?

The simple answer is choice. I hope you weren’t expecting something more complicated. How do you choose what to be? How will you work to be better than before? Who will you surround yourself with? How long will your better choices last? Will you continue to be the closet garbage eater or will you finally get your act together, stop making it about you all the time and begin to be an example to the people in your life who need your help?

Doing Less to Get More

2011-06-27T23:18:00.001-05:00

What if we lived a life where material possessions didn't matter? A life where contentment met us every single day just because we got what we needed and there wasn't anything we wanted? We didn't have to work long hours, stress about the mortgage, worry about how we're too heavy, not pretty enough or not good enough. What if we just were?

Couldn't this be our life if we reached out and grabbed it? Every single day I work on contentment because I know dissatisfaction is my reflection in the mirror. Last week and into the weekend we painted most of the inside of our house including the garage (because I'm just that way). Don't get me wrong I feel so great about it. I just love the colors and am so glad that it's over and done and we did it. But I couldn't help but think during the process how insignificant the color of my walls on the inside of my house really are. How the time I spent painting I could have spent playing on the floor with my 5 month old or riding bikes with my 4 year old. Granted I squeezed in both activities but not for as long as I could have without the project. It seems so meaningless in the whole big realm of things yet in my mind it has to be done. Dissatisfaction. Discontentment. Those two words seem to constantly overpower contentment.

I think those two words are the root issue. We have to be pleased with who we are, where we are in life's journey in order to get anywhere effectively.

Instead of adding more, strategically plan items out of your life. Maybe I'm just wired differently but I'd rather have a small simple house with a small mortgage payment that's on it's way out the door in order to live without bills being jammed down my throat. If we do less and consume less I think we get so much more. Don't you? Granted, it's not the American way but is the American way really the right way? I think we can all agree something is completely wrong in our culture.

A Book Review

2011-06-17T13:28:00.000-05:00

It's been over a month dear trainwithmandy blog. I've meant to write. I've had things to write about. Sometimes the thoughts in my head come across is the form of a blog post. I've been busy. Busy putting two boys ahead of my own agenda. It's been good. Although you know me, if I have something I'm excited about I have to let it out in some form or fashion.

I read Dave Ramsey's More Than Enough. It had more than enough fantastic thoughts and information. One reason I love Dave is because I can translate anything he says into the health/wellness world. Here's what I took away from the book, my favorite parts:

Work is doing it. Discipline is doing it everyday. When you mature into work it actually becomes discipline: doing it every day. Discipline understands that get rich quick is a joke. Discipline understands that the best way to get rich quick is to get rich slow. (p. 187) Change out rich with healthy and you've got my motto. There is no fast track to health because it's something we have to practice day in and day out. When we put it that way, what's the point in going fast? If we go fast we can't sustain it.

Work is doing it. Discipline is doing it every day. Diligence is doing it well every day. Work and discipline are important keys. Diligence, however, comes with a guarantee. When you are diligent over a long period of time you are guaranteed to become w(h)ealthy and have more than enough in all areas of life. Diligence has an element of vision to it that tells you a real comfortable place to live is inside your income (or total calories for the day). Diligence is knowing that if you can live like no one else can, eventually live like no one else. When you reach a place of diligence in your life you are maturing. Children, whether they are four or fifty-four, are always in a hurry and looking for a shortcut. h(p. 199) This is long term thinking here!

Patience and endurance play tag. You will always find one where the other has been. Endurance through tough times always increases your measure of patience. Patience is also strength of character, which gives you the ability to endure. Patience that can endure is true power. (p. 216)

There is a gift that causes blessings to flow to anyone who possesses it. If you have this gift it will lead to your heart's every desire. The happiest people you will ever meet have this gift in abundance, and they seem to be almost eerie. They have a sense of destiny and perspective that is so deep it will almost spook you. What is this magnificent principal, this gift from on high? CONTENTMENT. (p. 228-229)

Back in psch 101, we were taught the concept of "dissonance," which basically means disturbance. When someone recognizes a way to get more pleasure and avoid pain they are moved, motivated, in that direction. (p. 234)

Art Williams says, "All you can do is all you can do and that is enough."
I once read that happiness is not a state to arrive at, it is a manner of the traveling. I believe one key to contentment is to understand that. (p. 249)

See why I like Dave Ramsey now? He's a motivator of the TRUTH. He doesn't fill our heads with empty promises but the wise words to get there with work, sweat, blood, patience, diligence and discipline.

Try Weird

2011-05-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

Doing something drastic over a short period of time.
-Normal people do this.

Doing small things over a long period of time.
-Weird people do this.

Isn't this the picture of our culture? Always working to fit in with everyone else. Take a look at the picture of normal in America.

•Finances: normal is debt, worry, tension, fear. Normal is broke.
•Schedules: normal is overwhelmed, overworked, stressed, burned out.
•Relationships: insecurity, betrayal, fear—unfortunately, normal marriages struggle and often end in divorce.
•Careers: normal to feel stuck working for a paycheck in a job you don’t like.
•Normal to feel empty—longing for something more, something better.

Instead of trying to take in the entire scope of your life's mural, maybe it's time to zero in on one major detail, one significant color, one delicate brushstroke. Focus all your attention on it over a long period of time instead of making a complete overhaul for a short while only to ultimately get burned out on the drastic change with no satisfaction.

Getting it Together

2011-03-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

Do you know how many days I've told myselt I'm going to write a "trainwithmandy" entry today? Too many to count. Life is different now with two kiddos at home. I love it, it's just that things don't get done like they used to. Throughout the past 11 weeks I've worked toward balance. Some days it happens and other days it doesn't. As a stay at home mom and owning my own business there is a crazy new reality that's been created. Food journaling has been put on the back-burner, prioritizing workouts, reading time and doing two things at once is slowly becoming perfected. I find that my little escape is diving into a book where I never fully appreciated the time-out before; I sure do now. Don't get me wrong, my passion and love are my children (check out my reading list if you don't believe me), but too much of anything is never healthy. Plus, I sure do love learning and reading seems to fill that need.

So in the spirit of getting it together, which I completely understand is a lifetime process, here are two quotes I've read recently that have inspired me to keep working at "getting it together."

"Champions know that there is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results!" -Author Unknown

I find that this is so true with a busy schedule. We all have busy schedules. My interest that has turned into a commitment is leading a healthy lifestyle and setting an example by living out the best me I can be for my boys. If I want that for them then I need to step up to it myself so they can witness it firsthand. Granted, they will witness firsthand my failures but hopefully we can all work through them together.

"To put it simply, you practice diligently, but you practice primarily for the sake of practice itself." - George Leonard

Everything is a practice (for me) nowadays. It's practice of oral hygiene-the new and improved cleaning routine (brought about by the new hardware in my mouth)-to eating breakfast every morning to practicing strength training 2 times a week. The focus isn't the outcome, its the day to day practice. If I have the practice down, the outcome will follow.

Lower Body Weight Workout

2011-02-28T14:21:00.000-06:00

As you can imagine, having a baby leaves the lower half of a woman's body...well, changed. Here's to another workout that only requires 1) you, 2) doing it. The focus here is the whole hip/booty/thigh region.

2 sets of 15-25 reps
on all fours-diagonal kicks (leg goes out at a diagonal and comes back in)
touch the ground and come back up (bend your knee here)
back lunges (make sure to not press through toes)
curtsey lunges
squat with taps out to the side with one leg
knee up repeater on a step (any step will do in your house)
step up and down on a step using the same leg
wide leg squats--slow

Glass Half What?

2011-02-26T16:21:00.001-06:00

I blog a lot about the how to of becoming healthier. I think most of us know what we need to do it's just a matter of how to blend it into our life.

Action Follows Belief. I firmly believe this. If we see success in our mind before anything happens, we will succeed. However, if we see failure in our mind before anything happens we are already defeated. I believe this because I've seen it. Not necessarily with fitness but with anything. The glass half empty people have far less successes than the glass half full people.

I came across this article the other day. Its a short article and worth reading if you need some ideas to shift your perspective.

This is not rocket science but for some reason it can easily be overlooked. Not only will success come with a positive outlook, other things will happen. People want to be around the glass half full person. They attract success in most every capacity. Besides, there's no reason to try something if you already know in your mind that you will fail. What areas of your life do you look at the glass half full or the glass half empty? Recognize those differentiating areas, write them down, change them.

C is for...

2011-02-15T19:12:00.000-06:00

Consistency! By now we have figured out in our mind that the big wham-bam transition does not work. Going from nothing to exercising every day only leaves us injured and unsatisfied (because we didn't lose 10 pounds that week). See, we know in our mind that doesn't work.

What if we really took to heart small changes over a long period of time? Unfortunately this methodology will require something that doesn't come naturally to American culture; patience.

Here's how I see it: we need to make weekly goals that aren't overwhelming. Start out small and build from it. Make a weekly goal of something that you know in your heart, mind and soul can happen each week without much trouble. Then, once that goal is met successfully for a series of weeks add something else. An example of this might look something like this to a person that is not exercising at all but passionately wants to incorporate it into their life:

First 5 weeks: weekly goal of completing 2 miles.
Next 5 weeks: weekly goal of completing 2 miles, 1 strength session
Next 5 weeks: weekly goal of completing 2 miles, 1 strength session, 1 pilates class

Do you see how I did that? To many people 2 miles per week would seem hardly like a goal. For some reason we think it's got to be a crazy amount of exercise in order to even consider it a goal. Although that way of thinking typically leads to an all or nothing mentality and ultimately leaves us frustrated. At week 15 instead of completing a weekly goal of 2 miles, 1 strength and 1 pilates class we're doing nothing because our goal wasn't realistic in the beginning. Here's an example of what we all too often get caught up in:

First week: workout every single day
Second week: workout 3 days per week
Third week: nothing...because we can't take another day of killing ourselves just to see no change to our body.

I could go on for days about this subject but the gist of it is we need to start out incredibly slow. Slower than we want to start out. Set up for success. Set yourself up to grow.

Body Weight Workout

2011-02-08T12:54:00.000-06:00

Last week I couldn't take it anymore. The 4 year old was coloring in the kitchen and the new babe was sleeping in the bouncy seat. They were both peaceful and didn't need me, which rarely seems to happen these days. So I jumped at the chance, grabbed my ipod and right then and there began my body weight workout. No equipment needed, perfect for the busy mom that never has time to exercise.
Squats-15
Curtsey Lunges-15R then 15L
Repeat
On all fours, bent leg extensions-25R, then 25L
Hip lifts-25
Repeat
Push ups-on knees-15
Side Lying Triceps push ups-10
Repeat
Little roll up crunches-20
Side crunches-20
Dead bugs-20
Repeat
Done!

Limiting Beliefs

2011-02-04T16:37:00.000-06:00

Even though I'm on a little maternity leave, or what I consider a sabbatical from training my mind is still on training (sure it's also always on the new babe too, of course). I think about all my clients...how are they doing, what are they up to, are they behaving?! :-)

So I finished reading Cruise Ship or Nursing Home and absolutely loved it. It's all about preventative health, taking care of your body NOW. I like that its not just a "how to" book but a "how to do it" book. For example the authors talk about limiting beliefs-I love this concept! Limiting belief is a belief you have formed in your mind that is stopping you from making progress. And I could write about this all day long because I think so many of us suffer from limiting beliefs. A great way to know if you are suffering from limiting beliefs is the simple fact that you are not making any sustained progress in areas of your life that are of importance to you. It could be your weight, health, fitness, finances, relationships and so on.

Now, how to overcome this? 1. Write down a belief that is holding you back. An example may be, "I'm too old to lose weight." 2. Now cross out that old belief, ~~"I'm too old to lose weight."~~ and write a new empowering belief. Change it to "I can lose weight easily and quickly."

Lastly, make it stick! Retrain your brain by saying this new belief 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening. When we're used to thinking negatively it's easy for our mind to go back to that because it's so natural. In order to think a new way, at first it will take some effort.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened." -Sir Winston Churchill

Labor. Baby. Joy.

2011-01-16T00:43:00.000-06:00

I had a baby this week! On Monday, January 10th I started having contractions in the afternoon. The baby we now call Treyden arrived at 9:56pm. The plan was to have a natural labor as my previous labor experience with my first son took forever doing it with drugs. I had this hunch things would go faster this time around if I could forgo the drugs. Well, my hypothesis turned out to be true. I was in hard labor for 2-3 hours. And let me just say it was HARD. I definitely underestimated how hard it would actually be. Yeah, having a baby is painful. I now know that firsthand. But all the pain was worth it. I got to hold my baby boy.

Here's the kicker though. If someone were to ask me, drugs or no drugs I'm not sure I know the answer. I guess I'd have to say no drugs. But let me tell you during the very hard part of labor I questioned myself as to why I would have decided to forgo pain medication. Maybe everything was fuzzy at the time. I'm sure I wasn't thinking straight.

It's all behind me now and we're experiencing pure joy at it's finest. Every minute of every day I'm so thankful this little boy arrived safe and sound.

Not Just About the Scale

2011-01-09T22:34:00.002-06:00

I know (especially as women) it's easy to obsess about the number that appears on the scale. Sure, it matters but it's not the only factor. In fact I'd argue that two other numbers would be more important over the scale.

The first being body fat percentage. This is the percentage of fat your body is composed of versus the percentage of lean body mass (bones, muscle, organs).

Classification           Women (% fat)                     Men (% fat)
Essential Fat              10-12%                             2-4%
Athletes                     14-20%                             6-13%
Fitness                       21-24%                            14-17%
Acceptable                25-31%                            18-25%
Obese                       32%+                                25%+

Body fat percentage can be changed through strength training and eating clean. Make it a point to know your body fat percentage and use this to analyze where you need to be. Overall you're going to be healthy and not just thin. It also mean that your metabolism is working for you at maximum effort. The lower this number the more calories you're burning at a resting state.

The second number is your waist circumference. What's important here is that your waist (around your belly button) is less than half your height in inches. For example a woman that's 5'5" (65 inches) tall needs to have a waist circumference less than 32.5.

I think a big mistake we can make is analyzing one area when there's so many facets that make up being a healthy, good-looking person....because after all, healthy is very attractive.
Don't get me wrong these are great numbers to use as guidelines but also realize where you're at. Maybe your body fat percentage is over 40%. It may seem daunting to think about how far you have to go but listen up, it's actually a fairly easy task to lower that number in a reasonable amount of time with proper strength training and eating clean things can be turned around in 2011.

Looking Foward: 2011

2011-01-03T22:03:00.000-06:00

I food journal everyday. It's not pretty but I do it. I suck it up and look back at what I've eaten and what exercise I've done for the day. It keeps me accountable and not to mention gives a good laugh to the few readers that are allowed to follow it. This is what I wrote on my journal for the first day of the year. I had a revelation.

The last day of the year, wow I went out with a bang! This morning (1-1-11) I printed out a new weekly weight log and a new set of calendars for 2011. I realized I've been tracking my weight for 3 full years on a weekly basis and keeping track of my exercise and calories for 2 years. As I was looking through them my brother walked in and I shared with him what I'd been doing. His response was, "that's kind of creepy." Maybe it's a little creepy. It definitely proves I thrive on making lists, staying organized via paper records and keeping track of what I've done. My theory is that if I write it down on paper it's proof I did it. For some reason it gives me motivation to complete the 3 miles, weigh myself every Thursday and count my calories because then I have something to record. Interesting...and it only took 3 years for me to figure it out because of my reflection on all the papers I'd collected since 2008.

In lieu of that discovery I'll continue to food journal everyday in 2011. Sure, there are days that I don't food journal but I'd say I journal 95% of the time. I'm good with 95% or 90% for that matter, it's still an A. My rule is that I journal no matter what. Even if it's a really bad day and trust me I've had my fair share of those lately.

Then there are the lists. I really enjoyed reading 20 books in 2010 so I'm going to keep that one going. I might not necessarily write a review on each book (unless I need to rave about it) but there will be an ongoing list under the "lists" tab. Along with books I'm going to record victories in 2011. I hope to keep track of at least 50 temptations that I've overcome. Most likely they will have something to do with passing up a sweet as I'm going to try my hardest to get back to one sweet per week in the very near future. And then lastly, I may keep track of my weekly exercise so you can see in the life of a trainer what goes on. During this pregnancy it worked out really well to set a weekly mileage goal, attend a yoga class and complete 2-4 strength sessions per week. I think I'll keep track of that as well since I know I thrive on lists and its really interesting to look back after the year is over and analyze.

I'm really looking forward to what 2011 will bring. I'm at a weird spot this New Year because I hope to have a baby in a week or so. I'm hungry all the time and I'm eating a lot of calories (my body needs at least 2400 these days) and not to mention the sweet cravings. This little boy is going to love chocolate cake when he gets older-just sayin'. I'm anxious to get back my old body and feel like Mandy again but I'm also cherishing these last few days (okay, trying to cherish) of pregnancy. In the spirit of making lists here's 5 things I'm looking forward to doing in 2011 when I'm not pregnant:

1. Run!
2. An ab workout
3. Have a glass of wine-my favorite, Moscato. Nothing crazy I just always want what I can't have.
4. Go to an intense, sweaty yoga class.
5. Go shopping for some new clothes!! (Granted, I know this could be awhile)

Looking Back: 2010

2010-12-29T22:46:00.001-06:00

Well, 2010 proved to have some successes and some unfulfilled goals. Like I've posted before, I like using yearly goals as guidelines. We do it with finances: savings, giving and spending goals and it's worked well for the last 3 years so why not keep it up with other areas of my life? Here's the deal, throughout the year I use the goal as a guideline. I knew 10 races would be easier than a sweet a week. I knew that 10 races would be easier than 20 books. And as we can all see, I didn't quite make the sweet a week. I actually failed miserably here at the end. And as much as I want to use this pregnancy and hormones as an excuse I'm not going to. I could have been stronger, much stronger.

In the near future I'm going to write about what I'd like 2011 to look like as far as "guidelines" go. I know I want to keep the 20 books as a goal and we'll see what forms with the others. My mind is a little nuts at the moment being 38 weeks pregnant.

Ten Races in 2010
1. 1/23: Mission Duathlon-Done!
2. 1/31: Groundhog Run-Done!
3. 3/27: Rock the Parkway-Done!
4. 4/11: Brew to Brew-Done!
5. 4/25: Acorn Walk/Run-Done!
6. 6/12: Maryville 10K-Done!
7. 7/31: KC Women's Triathlon-Done!
8. 8/26: Run for the Kids 10K-Done!
9. 10/2: Northwest Athletic Training Walk, Run or Roll 5K-Done!
10. 10/16: Kansas City Part of the Half Marathon-Done!

The Saga Continues: 2010 Sweets
1. Jelly Filled Donut
2. Vegas
3. Cupcake from Johnna
4. Glazed Donuts
5. Cake
6. French Silk Pie
7. Donut
8. Brownie
9. B-day week: vegan gf cheesecake, cookie cake, cupcake ala-mode
10. Brownie and Mrs. Fields Cookie
11. Chocolate Cake Dessert from Bravo
12. Sugar Cookies
13. Easter Candy
14. Swiss Cake Roll (only half!) and CC cookies
15. Donut
15. Frosted Cookie from TCBY and chocolate cake
16. Vacation week to Mexico
17. The Week after the vacation. Too many sweets.
18. Smores
19. Sugar Cookie and Cheesecake
20. Jelly Filled Donut
21. Cupcake Ala-Mode
22. Jelly Filled Donut
23. Donuts
24. Donuts
25. French Silk Pie
26. Cupcakes
27. Reeses PB cups and some brownies
28. Reeses PB cups and half a cookie from Mrs. Fields
29. Donuts, Cupcakes and Apple Dessert (BAD week)
30. Pineapple Dessert (did so great this week! Really, only 1 sweet and so happy with that at 4 months pregnant)
31. Cheesecake
32. Donuts
33. What didn't I eat that was sweet this week?!? (BAD week)
34. Ice Cream-and not even that much
35. Cookies
36. Donuts
37. Frozen Yogurt
38. Too many bad things
39. Another week of bad things
40. Reeses PB cups, cake
41. Reeses PB cups, cupcakes
42. chocolate cake
---------Warning, here's where it gets bad and out of control------------
43. Candy, Cheesecake, Cupcake, Black and White Cookie
44.Chocolate Chips, CC Cookies, Cupcake, Candy
45. Donuts, Chocolate Cake
46. Cin Roll, CChips, CC Cookies, Brownie, Cupcake
47. Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Cake, CC Cookie Dough
48-52. Bad, Bad, Bad-that's all I have to say

20 Books in 2010
1. The Noticer (Andy Andrews)
2. Food Rules (Michael Pollan)
3. Find Your Strongest Life (Marcus Buckingham)
4. Pilgrims Progress (John Bunyan)
5. Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)
6. Change Your Brain Change Your Body (Daniel G. Amen, MD)
7. Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers)
8. Master Your Metabolism (Jillian Michaels)
9. The Shack (William Young)
10. The 5 Love Languages of Children (Garry Chapman)
11. You Having a Baby (Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD)
12. Runner's World Guide to Running and Pregnancy (Chris Lundgren)
13. The Culprit and The Cure (Steven G. Aldana)
14. Authentic Christianity (Kim Dean May)
15. Active Birth:The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally (Janet Balaskas)
16. The Carb Lovers Diet (Ellen Kuhns and Frances Largeman-Roth)
17. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
18. The Impact! Body Plan (Todd Durkin)
19. The Marriage You've Always Wanted (Gary Chapman)
20. Shepherding a Child's Heart (Tedd Tripp)

Book 20: Shepherding a Child's Heart

2010-12-29T22:42:00.000-06:00

I'm just so glad to be done with book #20 for the year. This was a good perspective. I always enjoy the little things I get out of a book. It doesn't have to be a ton of information but there were a handful of items that stuck out to me; the main one being how much of a time investment we as parents need to put into our children. I think it's easier said than done living in such a fast-paced world.

Book 19: The Marriage You've Always Wanted

2010-12-28T21:03:00.001-06:00

A great book for anyone married. I got this book back in April when we attended Gary Chapman's marriage conference. He challenged every couple to read the book together chapter by chapter and then discuss the questions together at the end of each chapter. I'd love to tell you Aaron and I did this but we didn't--yet. I completed the book and Aaron has agreed to read it and so the goal is to complete the assignment originally given by Chapman by April of 2011. Not bad, one year to complete this simple task?!

One reason I like the book is it goes over so many areas of marriage with the overall goal to increase communication. We've all seen the couple that have this overwhelming sense of "oneness." The couples that talk through everything. Then you see the couples that are on completely different pages. They are the couples that let things slide under the rug. My hope and prayer is that Aaron and I would continually grow into a couple that has the overwhelming sense of "oneness." I think this book is a great start to that.

Motivation Monday: Victories

2010-12-27T21:02:00.000-06:00

I had this thought last week when I was checking out at Hobby Lobby and desperately wanted a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Then I had the same thought on the way to my OB appointment when I wanted to stop by Cupcake Ala Mode (I have this fight with myself every time I go to visit my OB which is now weekly). I didn't do either (trust me there was other major damage done) but I thought to myself how I should make a goal to have 5 or 10 small victories per week. Maybe it's passing up the chocolate cake at Target or maybe it's getting to the gym when my original intentions were to go and then I thought I wouldn't go but ultimately had a small victory and went. It's an idea for 2011. It could be a weekly count or a monthly goal of keeping track of victories no matter the number. I think it can also give a sense of strength on days when we feel weak. Looking at victories can be a motivator to keep attaining more victories.

If we can begin to think about how the small things will add up they will do just that. Many small things can make up something very big. Never underestimate the power of the small things.

Motivation Monday: It's Just Food

2010-12-20T07:50:00.000-06:00

It's interesting to me how much importance we put around food through the holidays. Our life is centered around food. I don't know how many times I've heard, "after the first of the year I'm going to get started on...." whatever their next plan of action might be. Sure it may seem harsh to criticize this statement. After all, maybe they are just being realistic? Isn't that what everyone does. After all Christmas just wouldn't be the same without eating ___.

I read a quote from Wynonna Judd after losing 60 pounds in US Weekly this morning that got me thinking. She said something to the effect of "once I realized it's just food." Isn't that the ticket? Can't we be in denial about how food controls us to the max and that's why the weight isn't coming off? Sure, we want to lose the weight but aren't willing to give up x, y, and z. Seriously, listen to your thought process and even the words that come out of your mouth. Once we start noticing and realizing how we think through our rationalizations then we can begin to fix it.

I think it's damage control. Once we figure out the right symphony of food and exercise that will keep us sane and on a healthy path everything fits together nicely. It just requires more work than passively walking through life.

Then since I'm rambling I think the other issue is all or nothing. Instead of striving for a "balanced" symphony of food and exercise we think it needs to be an extreme. Either we're totally on board or we're totally off board and that the in between doesn't matter. Well the in between is where we need to live. It's where I live. It's the only way I would know how to survive. I strive to be healthy, I strive to exercise regularly. I don't beat myself up if I over do it with eating at a meal or skip a workout. Those little things aren't what will make me unhealthy or overweight. It's the small things I do every day.

So maybe if we try not to make such a big deal about the food and keep it in our heads that, "it's just food" life would be easier over the next few weeks? It's worth a shot. Change your mind frame.

Book 18: The Impact! Total Plan

2010-12-17T15:50:00.000-06:00

I've been ranting about this book for quite some time now, The Impact! Body Plan by Todd Durkin takes the prize for my favorite book this year.

Why do I love this book so much? Why does it get 1st place out of 20 books? The reason is simple, it's the complete package. Durkin is a world-class motivator and educator. I am a motivator, my career requires me to feed myself inspiration to share with others. He motivated a motivator. I am an educator, my career requires me to educate my clients of the why. He educated an educator.

The book includes a very detailed 10 week workout plan. One I'm chomping at the bit to get started as soon as I can. It's also packed with quotes and education you'd get from a personal trainer course. I've encouraged all my clients to read the book, buy the book and have it in your house as a reference. I'd tell anyone the same. Durkin created a must read!

Traded In...

2010-12-15T20:00:00.000-06:00

Ever since I've had to trade in my running shoes for walking I've really been okay with it...really. Sure at first I was in denial that I couldn't run anymore because in my mind and heart (cardiovascular conditioning) I could do it. Although my pelvis told me something different so walking 12 miles per week it was. Sure, it takes much longer but I've been okay with it until the other night when I was at the gym. It was packed. You would have thought it was a Monday evening in January and not December. All the machines were being utilized with a waiting list. So there I was, power walking my way to complete my 3 miles for the day when everyone, and I mean everyone around me was running on their treadmill. All I wanted to do was crank that baby up and really get my heart rate going and oh yeah, get some sort of a sweat instead of just feeling a little "warm." So walking just doesn't hack it for me but I know it'll have to, at least for the next month or so and I can sure handle it. It was just so apparent to me Monday night how much I cherish the ability to be able to get my heart pumping, sweat and feel so alive in my running shoes. Funny how we never fully appreciate something until we can do it anymore.

So if you can, will you run a mile for me?

Motivation Monday: Stay Inspired

2010-12-13T14:38:00.000-06:00

Finish the year strong. Read a book, watch a documentary, go to a class, or hang out with someone who lifts you up. During crummy weather months I like to stay inside and read a good, motivating book. I can't say it enough, go get this book. I promise it will inspire you!

Astound Yourself!

2010-12-11T08:00:00.002-06:00

If we did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas A. Edison

Motivation Monday: Get Your Mind Right

2010-12-06T06:37:00.000-06:00

"Whether you think you can or think you cannot...you're right"- Henry Ford

I'm making my way through Todd Durkin's Impact! Body Plan. I'll write my review on the book soon but in the meantime, go out and get this book! It's one of the best books I've read in 2010 and one that's packed with motivation and ways to get your mind right.

Do the D!

2010-12-01T20:59:00.000-06:00

Vitamin D that is! The article here talks about how research is pointing towards a link between low vitamin D levels and an increase in gaining weight, especially around the belly in kids and adults. Make an effort to go outside and take a supplement.

Nutrition after Trauma

2010-11-30T20:29:00.001-06:00

This article caught my eye since my body will be undergoing a type of trauma in the next month or so. I think this could also be applied to life after a marathon or other big race type of event.

Basically the article suggests that a body recovering from trauma needs extra Zinc, protein, calories and A, B, and C vitamins.

Motivation Monday: Give Thanks

2010-11-29T08:59:00.002-06:00

Thought this would be an appropriate post for the season!

Giving thanks or being grateful...whatever you want to call it is NOT a natural human tendency. Maybe that's a reason we have one day a year to remember thankfulness. I think its something we need to practice every single day of the year for many reasons but here's a few:

1. Giving thanks minimizes depression.
2. Giving thanks maximizes joy.
3. Being thankful creates an outlook of viewing life's events as successful opportunities versus stressful obstacles.

Instead of having the exhausting viewpoint of discontentment or comparison try to look at what you DO have. You have life, you have the ability to move your body, to live freely and to achieve as much or as little as you put your mind to. My challenge is to think every single day of at least one thing you are thankful for, don't wait until next year at this time to reflect.

Never One Size Fits All

2010-11-28T20:57:00.001-06:00

I came across this study over how essentially every one's body responds differently to strength training and endurance training. Then I read over this study where they studied how many calories short versus tall people burn while walking. Both studies proved a hypothesis I've had for quite some time while being in the trenches of the training field. I've observed both scenarios on numerous occasions and have always felt strongly that while we humans are so alike, we are also ridiculously different.

Some people respond so incredibly well to strength training and/or endurance training but I've also witnessed the opposite. The human body is remarkable in that I never have it figured out but my guess it goes back to genetics, body type and epigenetics-the complex process of turning on and off of genes through the environment including what you eat and where you live. All this is just fascinating! It's also a good reason that I never treat any one person the same. We all have unique needs and unfortunately most of the time have to go through a period of trial-and-error to figure out what methods would work best for our own personal body. So if you haven't found it yet keep trying, it's out there!

Great Way to Get It

2010-11-27T20:16:00.001-06:00

According to the latest reports, adults and children are not getting enough fruits and veggies per day. My suggestion, start the day with a smoothie as it's an easy way to get many servings of both. My 3 1/2 year old loves the taste and will drink one himself or share mine. Here's what we do:
4 oz OJ
4 oz Water or a variety of Milk-almond, 2%, soy
1/2 C frozen raspberries
1 banana
2 scoops of french vanilla meal replacement shake mix or your favorite whey protein
1/2 C blueberries (fresh or frozen)
handful of fresh spinach leaves

You can take away or add whatever you like, sometimes we make it with strawberries or other mixed berries or you can also add flax seed meal or omega-3 oil from a capsule. Get creative, it's any easy way to get 4 servings of fruit and 1 or 2 servings of veggies.

Motivation Monday: One Foot in Front of the Other

2010-11-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

Things that seem hard are not always that hard. Put one foot in front of the other, and you’ll get to the end. Author Unknown

Do you ever find that some days it's just hard to get moving? There are days where we just don't care. I know, I have them too. I think it's a process to weed out the days of a not caring attitude while slowly taking control. These winter months of cold, grey and vitamin-D-less days are difficult. We may find ourselves only wanting to bake cookies, cuddle by the fire wrapped in a warm blanket as the days are so short and darkness surrounds our mornings and evenings.

My encouragement is putting one foot in front of the other. Simply taking steps in the direction of health by eating a good breakfast, food journaling and making exercise a priority each week are little things we can do to stay moving in the right direction. Sure, you may not be doing as much as you were when the months had more warm sunshine but something is better than nothing.

And you know my philosophy on all things small add up. Never underestimate the power of small things because ultimately the sum of all the good little things will make us healthier or the sum of all the bad little things will make us unhealthy. Start small and know that this is a race that you only have to finish, you don't have to win. After all, the winners are the ones with the steady pace, not the fastest pace. As the fastest pace never makes it to the finish line because they are too exhausted to finish.

So Close But Yet So Far Away

2010-11-19T09:12:00.000-06:00

I was talking with a friend on the phone the other day and she was so uplifting and positive. She said, "you are so close" but then I followed that up with, "but so far away." Currently sitting at 32 weeks pregnant, these last 6, 7, 8, or 9 weeks will definitely be the most trying. Although I must admit for being 8 months pregnant I really feel wonderful all things considered. The little experiment I'm doing with myself this time around has been a tremendous success and a completely different experience than my pregnancy with Jax almost 4 years ago. I attribute it all to the focus of staying on a very active exercise plan.

The 3 benefits of exercising during pregnancy I've noticed this go around:
1. Energy level . I still have a lot of it although I know that may change in the next month.
2. My emotional state . I'm not nearly as up and down as I was with Jax.  It's sad but true that during my pregnancy with Jax I was all over the place, crying, angry or very irritable most every day. I think this time I feel much more like myself.
3. Body aches are minimal. My back does not hurt! I could barely sit through a movie at this point with Jax in the theater. The heat pad was my friend (on a low setting) every single day. Oh my back hurt all the time! This time around is much much better.

Granted, the pregnancy is (what seems like) far from over so things could change but for now there has been a very noticeable difference.

I realize I'm a positive person but I'm not going to lie and sugar coat it all.  There are definitely some challenges that I've been facing recently....like incredible HUNGER!!! So the sweet-a-week plan isn't going so hot.  Rather, the sweet-a-day plan has taken affect and is ruling over my life once again. We'll blame this on hormones.  To be honest, my goal of sweets wasn't really going so well even before this pregnancy. However, I'm going to push through and give it my best shot. I'm going to give myself grace but not an excuse to eat sweets all the time.  It will be a grey area for awhile. I think a good compromise is still recording the sweets I eat and not totally giving up on the goal but letting it take it's course. That way I still have some direction and am not throwing in the towel completely.

As mentioned before the exercise is going well. While I'm not running the 12 miles per week that I was when the pregnancy started, I adapted the plan to walking 12 miles.  A mile is a mile is a mile. It takes more time and believe me I think to myself often that I should just give up and give myself a rest. Although I'm not going to quit just yet. I have some weeks left in me.  Walking that mileage each week feels good physically and mentally. Along with walking I've been able to make it to at least one yoga class per week.  It's not the typical "flow" class I used to attend but it's a calming, relaxing and yet a mentally challenging class that I believe is really helping prepare me for a natural childbirth. If I can make it through holding these poses why couldn't I make it through a few hours of contractions, right? We'll see. And last but certainly not least, the strength training. When the pregnancy began I was diligent in 2 times per week but lately have increased it to 3-4 days of strength. Strength training is a feel-good for me. I love strength training because I notice a difference in my body but yet it isn't nearly as heart-pounding as running 6 miles.

I appreciate this forum to write what I'm feeling but I also appreciate it because I can give a current testament of where I'm at and where I'm going. In a nutshell, the plan is to keep up with the mileage, the strength training and yoga-adding more prenatal yoga in the last month. It's a trek to the classes but well worth it and something I can handle because it's temporary.

So for now I'll focus one day at a time...no more as that seems very overwhelming.

Motivation Monday: Brainwashing

2010-11-15T09:05:00.001-06:00

"Its the repetitions of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen." -Muhammad Ali

"Whatever you focus on you create more of. Whatever you believe, think and speak about yourself you create as your experience. Whatever you flow emotional energy to you manifest in abundance." - Carol Tuttle

I'd like to take this Motivation Monday to brainwash some beliefs out of your thinking. Because most people like to see immediate, incredibly big change we miss out on the progression of what could have been accomplished through small steps. We overlook the small steps as "insignificant," like they won't matter. I tell you friends, the small steps are what it takes to get the big change.

Unusual talent and/or unusual intellect doesn’t always amount to unusual success. Unusual perseverance does. ~Dave Ramsey
Every day is conquerable by its hours, and every hour by its minutes. ~Robert Brault

I often wonder why is that so hard for many to understand. I blame society brainwashing instant gratification and "microwave" ways of thinking into our skulls.

Believe that small changes over time will get you where you want to go. If you believe that you will always be headed down a path of success.

Motivation Monday: Starting and Sticking

2010-11-08T08:18:00.001-06:00

Last Monday the weight loss study with a group of 23 women started. They are 23 women who want to improve, change, and transition into a new way of living. They started, now it's a matter of sticking with it.

As a trainer I hear a lot of plans. I hear a lot of what someone intends to do; whether it's coming to a class, starting a new way of eating, beginning a new exercise program, or plans of how many pounds they are going to lose. The reality is that the planning phase is easy. It's easy to talk. It's easy for me to tell you that in a couple of months I want to have a natural labor. The hard part comes when the labor begins. Plans are easily disrupted. Life will unwrap as it's suppose to and the plans we made go right out the window. Obstacles are inevitable. Plan that once you make a plan, the plan will be shaken. There will be a roadblock of some sort that will have to be overcome. Don't ask me why, it's just part of the process.

How do we overcome the obstacles? I believe there are 2 things: 1) look at the big picture and 2) allow for grey. The big picture of the study is to get through the study. Get through the program. The grey comes when adaptations need to be made. So it's no longer black and white but you're still getting through it. I think that when obstacles arise we confuse it with a sign that we are suppose to quit. Nope, it's not a sign to quit it's a learning/shaping/growing segment of time. It's uncomfortable, something we may not be used to. When something uncomfortable happens use it as a tool to grow, not quit. And be happy, growing is good!

Lastly, I have to add my personal tidbit. I'm sitting at 31 weeks pregnant. I'm growing alright. Growing is good just like I said, but I never said it was easy. What would be easy at this point is to stop the exercise and get lazy, it would be eating every carb and sweet I desired in sight. But the real growing here would be to stick with it to the end. And the obstacle has been the growing belly, not being able to run but switching to walking and the unending hunger that comes some days. My goal from the beginning was a healthy pregnancy to 40 weeks or when the baby arrives (whichever comes first). I always knew the end would be the toughest as getting bigger every single day and gaining weight every single week is inevitable. And even when it seems like all my efforts are worthless, I have to remember they aren't.

Motivation Monday: Single Digits

2010-11-01T07:25:00.002-05:00

That was this client's plan: eat less and move more. It's nothing fancy and when people asked her what she did to lose half her body weight that's her response. She eats less and moves more. I just had to share a snippet of her story for this week's motivation Monday. I hope it only encourages you that if this gal did it, so can you. What are you waiting for? Move more and eat less. Figure out a way to get more movement and less calories each day and watch what happens. You will shrink yourself. It will be a gradual thing and it's nothing flashy but she lost weight and has kept it off for years. Don't go the short cut route, learn to eat better and eat less and learn to move your body.

Here's her story:
These are my new jeans! They fit and I can still breathe when they are zipped.

When we first met, I wore a 22 or 24. I had owned some 26/28 clothes. I wore a 12 or 14 when I graduated high school. I don't remember ever wearing a single digit size in jeans. Wow!!

Motivation Monday: Change your Normal

2010-10-25T08:26:00.001-05:00

Is your normal talking about what you want to change instead of actually doing it? My challenge and motivation for you this week is to actually DO something. Don't tell anyone you're going to do it or that you did it-they aren't the ones you have to impress. Instead think about what you want to change and follow through all on your own. I think that if we can begin to do things for ourselves versus pleasing/impressing others we'll get so much farther. Only saying what we want to do is like sleeping through life.

Ready, Fire, Aim

2010-10-21T21:44:00.000-05:00

You'll hear more about this book as I make my way through finishing it but so far it's amazing. It's by Todd Durkin (a really incredible trainer-he trains Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomilson) called The Impact! Body Plan. It's a book that recently came out and I've been excited to tear into it because I've heard Durkin speak twice before and he's nothing but inspiring and motivating. Here's my favorite excerpt so far from the book:

But this is very important. Do not ask me to fix you. I won't. I can't. Because one thing I know for certain is that action is the key to getting to the next level in your life. And you need to be the one who takes the action. I can coach you but you need to make the commitment to get better. He goes on to say that he lives by the mantra ready, fire, aim because so many people aim but never fire. He gave the examples that we want to start an exercise program but never do, we want to hire a trainer to get you into shape but never do, you want to go back to school but never do, there are so many dreams we dream but never follow through. (p. 5)

Isn't that so inspirational?! So, act now. Stop talking and start doing. Ready, Fire, Aim!

Race 10...Check!

2010-10-20T19:48:00.000-05:00

Boy it feels good to be done with races for the year. Goal met. Check!

Last weekend I did part of the Kansas City Half Marathon. I had my headphones on for the whole run but could still hear people say, "she's pregnant" as I passed them. Not sure if they were judging as I know some people aren't quite sure to make of my running during pregnancy. Whatever the case, the run felt GREAT. It was a beautiful morning and Johnna left me nothing but flatness (elevation that is). She loves hills so she got them!

So here I am with my husband, Aaron. He completed his first half marathon. I am so proud of him and I think it's proof that men do follow in women's footsteps. It just took him 4 years to do it! He finished in the time he wanted but told me afterwards that he might stick with 10K's. Hey, I get that. Marathons and Half Marathons take a lot of time and energy to train for.

Here I am with Johnna, my race partner. We split the half marathon distance so I was "Johnna" for 6.5 miles. We met on the plaza and ran about a mile together before we made the switch. Gosh we are such rebels! I really doing races in a team. It makes the experience much more fun. So, I'd secretly highly encourage rouge race running in a team. But you didn't hear that from me!

Motivation Monday: Training for Health

2010-10-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

What are you training for? How will your daily habits and routines affect your long term health? We're all training for something but often don't look at our life as a training ground for what's to come. What if we looked at the small decisions we make throughout the day as how it will affect our life long term? For example, we could look at daily soda consumption as an example of training for possible brittle bones, tooth decay, brain tumors, diabetes, high blood pressure, poor digestion, and weight gain. There are so many endeavors we can train for with either positive or negative outcomes in the long run. Don't live in the moment of what sounds good temporarily. Live for the long run. It's not drastic or flashy just small changes over a long period of time.

Other possible trainings:

-Training for career advancement-working long hours, not sleeping enough, putting your career ahead of yourself and making little time for things that will benefit you in the long run.

-Training a child to be a healthy adult-giving your kid healthy food, letting them see your active lifestyle and what you put in your mouth. Exemplifying what a healthy adult looks like. Actions speak so much louder than words.

-Training for a healthy pregnancy-making healthy decisions daily, staying active and not using the "I'm eating for two mentality."

-Training for nothing-no focus, just going through the motions of life.

Book 17: Hunger Games

2010-10-13T12:10:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a great book. Once I dove into this book it only took me 3 days to complete. I don't want to give too much away with the book but it came highly recommended to me and now I'm going to highly recommend it to you. If you're looking for a book to take you out of reality for a couple of days this is your book. I was completely engulfed. Amazing read! If you want a smidge of what the book's about, check out wikipedia.

Tidbit Tuesday: What we do Wrong

2010-10-12T08:30:00.004-05:00

I hate to be so negative but it's interesting to point out the things we think we are doing right when we're actually not doing much at all for ourselves. I'm writing about it because I think we get frustrated when we don't get anywhere from this process. And really it's not our fault, the media does an amazing job of misinforming so they can increase their profits.

1. Diet Soda
Actually tricks our body into wanting more sweets. Leaves us feeling bloated.
2. Fat-Free Foods
These foods have replaced the fat with sugar
3. Artificial Sweeteners/Processed Sweeteners
Same as diet soda. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
4. 100 Calorie Packs
Just more processed food. Go eat an apple instead!
5. Anything that says "sugar free"
Artificial Sweeteners
6. Parking far away in the parking lot/Using the stairs
I'm not saying this is a bad idea it's just very easy to overestimate what we actually burn off. Instead, sign up for an exercise class or make it to the gym more often.
7. Training for a marathon
Granted, this is a great accomplishment but there's a lot that goes into completing a marathon. Rarely does weight loss come from it just because 80% of weight loss comes from what we eat versus what we do. Exercise is SO important but it's so easy to get an injury with marathon training. If you plan to do this as a way of getting in shape make sure you do all the research that goes into preparing well.

In contrast, check out 8 secrets of the naturally skinny (I wish they hadn't used the word skinny but instead healthy. Skinny doesn't mean much, there are many skinny people in the world that aren't healthy at all). Go ahead and see the link. It explains each of these 8 concepts in much more detail with research to back it all up.

1. They choose satisfied over stuffed
2. They realize hunger isn't an emergency
3. They don't cure sadness with food
4. They eat more fruit
5. They're creatures of habit
6. They have a self control gene
7. They're movers and shakers
8. They sleep well

Motivation Monday: Comparison Cuts

2010-10-11T08:17:00.000-05:00

Run your own race. The best way to feel crappy about yourself is comparing yourself to someone else. There will always be someone fitter, smaller, skinnier, richer, faster or prettier. I find that I feel the worst about myself when I look at what others have accomplished in comparison to what I've done.

Instead look at what others have done as inspiration. For instance, I look at what a running friend did during her pregnancy. She ran up until 36 weeks pregnant. I look at that as inspiration but know that if my body and the baby in my womb doesn't like that idea, I won't be running that long. It's just comforting to know someone else who's done it...it can be done.

So, focus on yourself and focus on your journey.

Book 15 and 16: Active Birth and The Carb Lovers Diet

2010-10-10T21:35:00.001-05:00

I can't remember if I've mentioned my goal to have a natural birth this go around. At any rate, this was a book a friend recommend I read that helped her get through her labor drug-free. Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally by Janet Balaskas was a great read. It educated me on the different stages of labor and how laying on your back is the absolute worst way to help a baby move through the birth canal. No wonder my back hurt so bad last time?! Or that my sacrum felt as though I'd broken it. And not to mention how long it took Jax to actually move down the birth canal. He was at a 0 station for quite some time. Long enough for them (the nurses) to get so impatient that they began C-section paperwork because they were convinced he would not come through my hips. Well, I definitely showed them! But looking back I really believe it would have been a completely different birth experience had I been able to feel my legs and move around. I guess we'll see this time. I'm really hoping for a completely different experience. And, boy do I think I will be getting one! So the book was a great read and one I'll come back to in the coming months as a reference.

Book # 16 was The Carb Lovers Diet by Ellen Kuhns and Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D. As much as the title of the book would have you believe that this is a carb diet, it's not. It's really a well balanced meal plan book that gives step by step instruction as well as a lot of yummy looking recipes for how to eat a balanced and well rounded diet without having to deprive yourself. I have to admit, I'm intrigued and will definitely try it out once I'm no longer housing a growing babe.

I think the author is right on with a handful of pieces of advice:
1. We need 25-25 grams of fiber (found mostly in carbs). Most people get fewer than 15.
2. At least 10 grams of resistant starch (RS). Most people get fewer than 4.
3. 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Most get fewer than 3.
4. 3 servings of whole grain. Most don't even get 1.

Some other nuggets of knowledge are that RS increases your metabolism thus burning more fat. The food item with the highest level of RS is a slightly green banana. Once the banana becomes all yellow the RS drops dramatically. She's got a great banana shake recipe to get in that RS:
1 banana
1 1/2 C of 1% low fat milk
2 teaspoons of honey
1/2 C ice
blend!

Another good one is the fat-flushing cocktail:
2 Quarts brewed green iced tea
juice from 1 orange
juice from 1 lemon
juice from 1 lime
Mix together and store in fridge for up to 3 days. Serve hot or cold.

I could go on and on about this book but really I highly recommend it. I borrowed the book from a friend and will be returning it but buying my own copy and trying it out in 2011.

I don't feel this is a fad diet but rather teaching you how to eat right. It's all about eating good, nutritious foods without cutting out a food group.

And after saying all of that, I'm still not sure I'm cured of my carb phobia! But, go get the book. It's a good one to try it out yourself!

Race 9...Check!

2010-10-06T08:18:00.001-05:00

My mom and I ran the Northwest Walk/Run/Roll 5K. It was a run through my alma mater and benefited the althletic training department. My husband spent many hours with the many ripped hamstrings he acquired over his 5 year football career there and I felt it only suitable to support the department. Plus it's a really pretty run through the campus and a short race-something I could sprinkle between 10K's.

I am so proud of my mom for doing it with me. She just got into running recently but has always been very active and we set a good pace together. Since she's an empty nester she's been doing a really great job of taking care of herself. Well, she's always been a very healthy person. She's the first one that ingrained in my head I HAVE to eat breakfast and would always get very annoyed at my "11pm microwave feasts" informing me I don't need to be eating so late at night. So from the very beginning I got some great metabolism advice and shaping. It's something I appreciate as an adult more than ever because she set me up for a healthy adulthood instead of letting me get away with poor nutrition habits growing up. As I could get away with poor nutrition then-just like most active kids can. While I'm at it another thing she encouraged was eating fruits and veggies. Sure I could always have better days but for the most part I enjoy eating these types of foods because I grew up eating them. My mom's roots are that of a farm girl so she was surrounded by lots of good food-items they grew themselves from the ground up. I'm sure she's a lot of the reason I am doing what I do today.

And sure, you might notice my mom and I don't look a thing alike.

Tidbit Tuesday: Positive Affirmations

2010-10-05T14:28:00.001-05:00

I don't typically do affirmations but I really believe in positive thinking. Whatever can get your thinking out of the negative I am for. I read over these and felt so much better after reading them. Amazing what a couple of positive thoughts can do.

When I believe in myself, so do others

I express my needs and feelings

I am my own unique self - special, creative and wonderful

I am the perfect weight for me

I choose to make positive healthy choices for myself

I choose to exercise regularly

Motivation Monday: Keepin' On

2010-10-04T16:27:00.002-05:00

Man, today I really have nothing....except a baby bump! Life lately has been all about organizing, getting things ready for the baby and just keepin' on. At 26 weeks hunger has been RAVENOUS. I'll admit I've kept it together thus far. I've stuck with my exercise plans (which I don't intend to end) and eaten pretty darn okay (especially if I compare it with the previous pregnancy). But I'm getting H-U-N-G-R-Y now and the baby is growing and kicking tons and I'm getting bigger. All things that need to happen but I have this feeling the next 14 weeks are going to be much harder than the last 26.

So my motivation for today is to keep on moving along. Even if today is harder than yesterday-fight and don't quit! And no you don't need something sweet to make it all better, maybe what you need is a more structured plan (yes, I'm talking to myself). Sweets for me have been ridiculous and for some reason I think I'm entitled to them.

So, where are you at in this point of your journey? Is today harder than yesterday? Has the past week been harder than the previous? Accept that it's hard and move on. Create a plan and know in your heart, mind and soul that you will have more hard days. We have to learn how to accept the hard days. Make a plan now that you will never give up...ever! Make a promise to yourself that you're in this healthy lifestyle journey for good and don't look back!

Race 8...Check!

2010-09-29T11:32:00.002-05:00

Had a great time running with my friend, Sarah, on Saturday's Run for the Kids 10K. It was a great fall morning to run and for a great cause...kids in our school district.

At 24 weeks pregnant running still feels good and I am so thankful. It's what's keeping me sane! Sometimes I feel that with pregnancy there's so much that women feel they need to give up. Heck, I gave up many things with my pregnancy with Jax. It got me nowhere but extremely swollen, lots of extra weight, severe back pain and mostly feeling crappy overall emotionally and mentally. I am so glad I have a change of heart with this pregnancy and don't feel so deprived. Maybe it's because I'm listening to my body, not pushing it and keeping a focus of just being the healthiest I can be. Of course there's the (what seems to be more frequent) sugar spells but overall I feel I am making much healthier choices.

With three months left in 2010 I've got 2 more races on the books and it feels good to be nearing the finish line with 10 races in 2010.

Book 14: Authentic Christianity

2010-09-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

This is a book our pastor wrote. We recently switched churches and in the new member class we were given this book. It was a good read in regards to spiritual walk and an overview of what it looks like to be an authentic christian.

I had a couple of favorites with this book. First, Kim talked about his struggle with workaholism. That "enough was never enough" and that Satan would whisper things like, "You have to do this task now...you can't stop until you are finished...you must get everything done today...you need to work harder....you have to do more, no matter how tired you are." This passage really hit home to me because many days I will have these same thoughts. Kim said that he learned a life-changing lesson on restfulness, for Jesus never encouraged a lifestyle of heavy burdens or compulsive responsibility. (p 63) What an encouragement that we don't have to live under the thumb of workaholism. That we don't have to get everything done today. That passage has been a tremendous help and Matthew 11:28-30 is also so refreshing...
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me., for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

One other point in the book that spoke to me was in regards to ministry. Sometimes its hard to know where I'm suppose to be in ministry but one great point that was made was something a friend told Kim in college. He said, "The more you do what you know, the more you know what to do." So doing what I know and letting God reveal to me what is next in time...again simply refreshing.

Highly recommend this book if you are searching for a starting point. Or maybe you've been a Christian for years but need a boost.

Motivation Monday: Tiny Progressions

2010-09-27T21:56:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about the difference in my life now from five years ago. Even though I've been a trainer and into exercise I've slowly evolved into a much healthier person. I've got a grip on portion control, no longer need to eat pasta every time I go out to eat, most weeks my sweet intake is respectable and exercise is a major part of everyday life.

I know this sounds crazy coming from a trainer but there are definitely trainers out there who don't practice what they preach. Maybe they don't even preach the right things because, let's face it, there's a ridiculous amount of trainers out there and many of them don't lead a life that resembles health....but they exercise!

That all being said I'm not saying I have it all together. Just last week I broke loose and bought a box of swiss cake rolls. I downed 2.5 packages and threw the rest away. The triumph here is that I threw the box way. Typically I would have polished off the remainder in an attempt to just get them gone.

Anyway, what I'm saying is take a look at the last 5 years of your life. Look at where you were 5 years ago. Are you any better off than where you are now? Make a list of all the improvements and then make another list for the next 5 years. Make a list of areas you want to work towards and know in your soul that it might take every bit of those 5 years to get there. Because, "all things great take time to achieve." Give yourself a break and give yourself time to adjust. I think you'll find a lasting lifetime improvement. And isn't that what we ultimately want?

Book 13: The Culprit and the Cure

2010-09-21T10:34:00.006-05:00

This is a book that would be very boring to most. Actually I borrowed it from a client and she told me she didn't expect it back anytime soon. She's a reader and it took her quite a while to get through so I anticipated a similiar situation. But why should I have thought that? I love books like this. It's the inner nerd in me that loves numbers and solid research. I'd highly recommend this book but know what kind of a person is giving the advice.

The book isn't anything we haven't heard before. It's all about how lifestyle is the single most important key factor to our health diminishing as a society at large in America. More interesting is the research and facts. Here's my favorites:

- 78% of Americans don't eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies. The average American eats 2.7 servings of fruits/veggies per day.

- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and the single most preventable death!

- Each pound of muscle uses about 25 calories every day. That may not seem like much, but over a month or a year, it adds up. That's why having muscle helps prevent weight gain. Losing muscle makes you more likely to gain weight.

-Excess body weight does not suddenly appear; it tends to creep up on your. It is a gradual process that takes months, years and decades. If you gain only a little weight every year, it doesn't take too many years before you become obese.

So I really like this book because it focuses on all the realities of living healthy. My I-don't-care-itis post was inspired by the book.

Motivation Monday: Water Challenge

2010-09-20T10:29:00.000-05:00

I don't do a lot of things right. I have my issues with sweets, portion control and the list goes on and on. Although one task that I've always nailed is drinking water. I'm not addicted to diet soda, tea, juice or wine. It's probably because I consistently want to eat my calories versus drink them. We're well versed on all the health benefits of drinking water and the many reasons to kick the soda habit but I just read a small article today on research that drinking more water can decrease the appearance of wrinkles 19-24%. It got me thinking of a water challenge. This week pick 3 days (we can do this, 3 days out of 7) where we only drink water. To be really effective journal your day of only drinking water especially if this will be a challenge for you. See if you have more energy or feel any different than normal...and hopefully it's not a caffeine headache!

Motivation Monday: Wall of Quotes

2010-09-13T15:48:00.002-05:00

I love quotes. So I loved when we went to visit Dave Ramsey's studio that he had a full wall of quotes. One reason I love Dave Ramsey is because he just make sense. Common Sense. The other reason is because virtually everything he talks about with money can be related to fitness or health or just plain lifestyle. In this so easy, comfortable world it takes a lot of effort to be disciplined with money, food, and exercise. They all go together.

Quote from the wall:

"If you do poor people stuff, you'll be poor. If you do rich people stuff, you'll be rich." -Dave Ramsey

My version of the quote:

If you do fat people stuff, you'll be fat. If you do fit people stuff, you'll be fit." -Mandy Froehlich

Quote from the wall:

"A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went."
My version:
A food plan is telling your food where to go instead of finding out later where it went-your hips.

Quote from the wall:
"There's a great place to go when your broke-to work!"
My version:
There's a great place to go when you're fat-the gym!"

Quote from the wall:
"Normal is broke! Be weird!"
My version:
"Normal is fat! Be weird!"

Quote from the wall:
"A broke finance professor is like a shop teacher without fingers."
My version:
"An unhealthy trainer is like a shop teacher without fingers."

Oh I could to this all day! To actually read the quotes just click on the picture to make it bigger.

Motivation Monday: Make Changes You Can Live With

2010-09-06T14:57:00.001-05:00

All too often I see people want to radically change their life and only give themselves a short amount of time to accomplish this very daunting task. I believe 100% that in order for permanent change to happen we need to take it slow. So my suggestion this glorious holiday Monday is to look at your life and decide what little change you can implement. One that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life and one that doesn't require a total life change overhaul overnight. And then begin to buy into the idea of gradual change over a long period of time for the rest of your life. After all, there's really no hurry when it comes to health, it's a process we will always be working on. Keep that perspective at the forefront of your mind and you will continue to become healthier because the decisions you make will directly relate to that type of mindset.

As an random example, it takes an average of 17 years to become a millionaire by gradually putting money aside. Rarely does it happen overnight. It's dedication + time.

Envision yourself becoming healthier with each year that passes. Age is just a number and each day we are given is a gift to become a little bit fitter.

Carb Lovers Diet: Myth or Miracle?

2010-09-02T19:51:00.000-05:00

Oh boy do I love me some carbs! Before this pregnancy I was what I classified, a flexitarian. Meaning my meat intake was very limited. I did this because I really didn't like the thought of meat anyway (pregnancy has changed that). In combination with reading a few books and watching some documentaries I was convinced limiting my meat intake would be a good thing. Funny thing happened though, I really found myself eating way too many carbs which didn't do much good for my body because I was always hungry for more carbs. They never satisfied.

Pregnancy has been a different story though. I eat quite a bit of protein throughout the day via protein shakes, cottage cheese (did you know it has 14 grams of protein in a half cup serving of 100 calories?), meat and my occasional Greek yogurt (which serves as a sweet substitute). I'm sure I get at least 100 grams of protein per day. I'm typically done eating by dinner time (I feel like crappo if I don't stop plus I gain a whole bunch of weight it I eat late at night). So the protein I get keeps me full and satisfied throughout the day.

However, I came across this book, The Carb Lovers Diet and am intrigued but very skeptical because it's backwards from everything I know. If you want to learn more about the book, the author and the premise behind the book check out this link for a quick video interview with the author. I will say the main idea behind the carb diet is to eat resistant starch. It's starch that is not converted to glucose for short term energy (as we would think a typical carb does) but rather is digested through the large intestine and acts like a dietary fiber.

It's a pretty cheap buy on amazon and I have a list of other books so I might give this a whirl just to get some perspective. I still think everything in moderation and will most likely never give advice to be drastic in any certain micronutrient reduction but I couldn't help but share this new finding.

Discipline->Painful->Fruitful

2010-08-31T21:38:00.001-05:00

We've been traveling and I'm beginning to feel the complete truth in this verse.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:11

I'm using discipline here as in eating well and continuing to carve out time for my weekly exercise goals. I'm not gonna lie, this is most likely the first vacation ever where I've been disciplined in continuing to exercise and eat fairly well. I'm a big proponent of working hard to vacation hard.

Although that has all changed. Of course I have good reason. I hate to make excuses but when I'm pregnant it seems as if I even look at a carb it goes straight to my hips and if I skip a workout the next workout is a nightmare. My body wants to de-train so badly when pregnant that keeping the normal routine is no longer an option but mandatory. But I know my efforts will pay off-they will be fruitful and I will be thankful I did it because I know I will completely regret my lack of effort if I don't. That's what keeps me going some days.

Motivation Monday: Carbs after 3?

2010-08-30T08:46:00.002-05:00

If weight loss is your goal my latest thought over and over has been to cut back on carbs in the afternoon and evening. Ask my clients, this is all I'm preaching these days.

Try it, I bet you lose!

Looky Looky!

2010-08-29T08:27:00.001-05:00

Many of you know I'm a big Dave Ramsey fan. I think he offers common sense financial advice with his big (and to some, controversial) motto of living debt free. We made a trip to his office in Brentwood, TN (a suburb of Nashville) and actually got to meet him. We went during a live radio show and could even see him through a glass window. On breaks he comes out to meet people. Sadly, this is the only famous person I've ever met. So I was a little star-struck!

Books 10-12

2010-08-28T08:26:00.001-05:00

Book 10: The 5 Love Languages of Children

I really liked reading The 5 Love Languages as it applies to marriage and recently went to see the author of the book speak at a marriage conference, Dr. Gary Chapman. I picked up the book at the conference and eventually began reading. It was a great reminder of how to love your children using all the 5 love languages. The basic concept behind the love languages theory is that each person has their own language in which they feel the most loved. Mine is quality time and my husband's is words of affirmation. Since we speak different languages (as most couples do) we have to make an effort to speak each other's language so we're both feeling loved. All the languages include physical touch, gifts, acts of service, words of affirmation and quality time. Since my son is so young we don't quite know what his language is so the book recommends you give all 5 that way you never leave out a language in case it's your child's language. Later on, I'll be able to figure out which one is Jax's first and secondary love language which will help tremendously with behavior (kids like to act out when they aren't feeling loved) and overall well being. I highly recommend this book if you have kids (at any age) and as a side note recommend regular 5 love languages book if you're married.

Book 11: You Having a Baby

Great book if you're having a baby. The book goes through recommendations for pregnancy and, as always, Dr. Oz explains the most complicated things so anyone can understand. I really appreciate Dr. Oz's medical perspective because he combines both Eastern and Western medicine that is the most optimal for his patients/readers. For example, the varicose veins are getting worse (as expected) through this pregnancy. He recommends Bilberry (it's an herb) to help with circulation. I love that. While I may not start taking Bilberry until after the baby it's so good to know that there's a natural option. Highly recommend this book if you're thinking about becoming pregnant or already.

Book 12: Runner's World Guide to Running and Pregnancy

I wanted to read a book on something that applies to my life right now. There aren't many women I can talk with that have ran through their whole pregnancy (but I do know one!) The book is a month by month guide to running. What you may feel and what others have done. A great book if you're a runner and want to continue through pregnancy.

Motivation Monday: Mini Goals

2010-08-23T11:09:00.001-05:00

Mini or Micro Goals is not something new. I've been preaching about them for quite some time here, here, here and here. This week I'd encourage you to think of one thing each week you can achieve. It's something that's realistic from where you are right now. So going from sedentary to 5 hours will not work. Set something that you can feel good about, something that you can realistically complete in a week's time. Set yourself up for success. So it'll be something you can visualize yourself doing for a long time, but more importantly something you want to do for a long time. While I'm at it I'll share one of my mini goals:
-complete 12 miles
This is one goal that I have worked up to. It's something that I can surely get done and have for the past year at least. Also, don't feel bad if you have to tweak them here or there. I've definitely done that. Use them as a guideline.

One great reason I like a mileage or hourly goal for a week is there's so much flexibility. Say you want to complete 2 hours of cardio in a week. Some weeks you may do 4-30 minute sessions and other weeks you may only get to the gym twice for an hour each. It provides wiggle room for life. And we all need wiggle room in life.

Motivation Monday: I-Don't-Care-Itis

2010-08-16T08:59:00.000-05:00

The most common health care problem in American is the I-don't-care-itis. You may have it if you answer yes to any of the following questions.

Do you believe that the food and lifestyle traditions of your family and culture are okay because that's the way it's always been?

Do you feel threatened when someone suggests that you could be healthier if you changed the way you eat?

Do you feel discouraged because you tried to make changes before but you failed?

Do you think you already have a healthy lifestyle and don't need to change anything?

Do you feel it is worth it to maintain your current food and exercise habits even though they may shorten your life by more than ten years?

Do you believe that there is nothing wrong with your current lifestyle so "why fix it if it ain't broke?"

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." -Max De Pree

Motivation Monday: Transform Your Thoughts

2010-08-09T14:42:00.003-05:00

Change your thinking so you start thinking like a young person, a more fit person, a more energetic person, a healthier person, or a thin person. Your thoughts will translate into actions, and those actions will cause your body to transform into what you have always wanted. (Change your Brain Change your Body, p 264)

I see it all the time. Women who have this frame of mind DO ALWAYS succeed. Women who do not have this frame of mind RARELY succeed.

Choose your thoughts wisely. Your thoughts are the instructions for your body.

Running

2010-08-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I'm exercising on a completely different level than my previous pregnancy. Through the first trimester nausea running always helped subside the queasiness. I never understood why but just went with it. Now that I'm almost upon my 18th week, I am just thrilled that I'm still able to continue running and exercising as I have been. Well, with a slower pace and lifting lighter weights but I feel good about the way my clothes fit (no maternity shopping yet). Mentally and physically I feel very strong.

While I was researching running during pregnancy I came across this blog. I mean, WOW. She was running 13 miles per DAY up until her 7th month of pregnancy. Not a good idea for me or anyone of a normal fitness level. She gained a measly 15 pounds during her pregnancy and exercised 2 hours a day. Shortly after delivering her baby (which, as far as they know, is completely healthy) she ran her first ultra. Okay, so I get it, she's on a different level than most but running that much is just nuts even not pregnant. And all that coming from a gal who loves to run. I see hip replacements in her future. Probably before she's 50.

First Installment of Fall Classes

2010-08-05T22:37:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe August is here. Seems like only yesterday I was writing about New Year's Goals. Well, whether we like it or not, the hot month of August is upon us. That means we're over halfway done with 2010. I think that's a good time to re-evaluate where we've been the last 7 months and how we want to finish the year. So, maybe this is a good segway into bringing up fall classes? You'll have noticed the first session of fall classes is up. You can sign up for the LCC classes by calling 439-4360 and you can email me (froehlich.mandy@gmail.com) if you prefer to exercise at the Pinnacle location.

As for me, my pregnancy is going well. I've been fortunate to continue my exercise regimen of 12 miles, 2 strength sessions and a yoga/prenatal yoga class each week. My hope is to finish out the year in this or a similar fashion. As for training, I'll be finishing out the year with classes. I think the second session runs through mid-December. Then I'll take a little time off to have a baby and remember what it's like to operate off little sleep. As it's something I don't do well, I need my 8-10 hours per night to feel best.

Motivation Monday: Listen to Yourself

2010-08-02T10:15:00.004-05:00

What are you saying out loud to others? What are you saying internally to yourself? Take a day or two or maybe even a week and really catch what you're telling others and what you're telling yourself. Are you being extremely negative? Would you want to be around you if you weren't you? What do you think other's would change about you if they could?

I'll be honest, I spend a large amount of my life listening to others. I listen to their goals, what they would like to see and where they would like to go in this journey through life. But I also hear the reasons why they weren't able to reach their goals, how something stopped them or something happened or something didn't go right. The list goes on and on.

It's not a complain just an observation that most often I hear reasons why something didn't happen or how life isn't going quite how it was planned. Be aware of what you're telling yourself and others because there's way too much negativity in this world and it's so extremely easy to get sucked into it all. Like I ask my 3 year old when he's complaining or being a bit down, "are you being a negative Nancy today?"

Race 7...Check!

2010-08-01T22:13:00.000-05:00

I love team races. Carrie, Johnna and I completed the WIN women's triathlon together. Carrie started us off by swimming a super-duper fast 500 meters. I mean, you can't beat having a former MU swimmer on the team right?! So we were off to a great beginning. Next up was Johnna. She stayed strong through her 10 mile bike ride, keeping an amazing pace which kept us in great shape. Lastly, it was all me to finish us out with the 5K run. I didn't set any records as my pace has steadily been slowing over the past several months. However, I was happy with my decent time being over 4 months pregnant. We ended up finishing the race in 5th place in the team category (not sure what we ended up being overall). We were very happy with our performance.

For me it was my first triathlon experience. My trainer friend, Mendy, who has completed several triathlons told me that I would leave the race wanting to get into tri's. She was completely right. All the females only inspired me to want to come back next year and do the whole darn thing. It honestly looked like a lot of fun (a lot of work too). I love race environments and really loved the whole energy of this race that I can't wait to be a part of it in it's entirety next year. This just means I need to be on the lookout for an affordable road bike and a decent looking triathlon get-up.

Gaining Weight is Hard to Do

2010-07-29T09:42:00.000-05:00

Having a baby is such a wonderful experience and being pregnant goes along with that. Physically, emotionally and mentally I'm not an ideal candidate for pregnancy. I like feeling my best, I like being in tip-top shape, I like water skiing, riding roller coasters and running 10 miles with my running partner. So, I'm selfish. I don't like being helpless and feeling so badly I can't keep my house the way I like it. So, I'm selfish. And I know there are so many women out there who love being pregnant. And my heart just breaks for the women who want to be pregnant and aren't. So when I'm feeling selfish and wish this process would hurry up, I think about how blessed I am because for so long I was that woman who wanted to be pregnant and wasn't.

Aside from all the mixed feelings about pregnancy, it's hard to see the scale go up. I've managed to maintain my pre-pregnancy weight with exercise, food aversions from first trimester nausea, food journaling and the fear of gaining 50 pounds because of the blood, sweat and tears that went along with losing it all the last time. I don't want to do that again. First of all, 50 pounds was too much to gain. Doctors and books tell me 25 is my number. So when I got on the scale last Thursday for my weekly weigh-in, why was I surprised that the scale finally went up? Did I think I would go the last 24 weeks and not gain anything? That all my running, yoga, strength training and food journaling would subside the weight gain? No, I'm pretty sure I didn't think that but at the same time it's never easy to see the number increase.

Now the scale will start climbing. It's going to start climbing because that baby inside my belly is going to grow from the 4 inches long and 3 ounces it is now to much bigger and that's what I want. The trick for me is to get that baby to grow without my booty growing along with it! So I think exercise is the magic formula for me, especially when I know how good it is for the baby. Plus I feel amazing emotionally and mentally when I'm doing it. Pushing myself to get up and going really helped with morning sickness and I think it'll help to keep me feeling better through the rest of the pregnancy and into a drug-free delivery.

The moral of the story is that gaining weight is really hard to do the right way. I think exercise is the trick to keep the weight gain slow and steady. We'll see though, I'm determined to be my own guinea pig and stick it out with a pretty structured workout plan for the rest of this pregnancy. Oh and definitely keeping an eye on those sweets. Gosh, it seems like lately all I can think about are candy bars and cookies. Ugh, hormones!

Heathy Cookies

2010-07-28T17:06:00.002-05:00

Just because I've been craving something sweet and carby....

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour (a pinch more depending on the moisture of the mix)

1 1/2 cups of Large Flake Rolled Oats (smaller flake is ok too)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Cinnamon (can use about 3 Tbsp--got to love cinnamon)

1/2 tsp Nutmeg (optional)

Wet ingredients

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup oil (corn, grapeseed or olive) * you can also use some applesauce to replace some of the oil if you wish

1 Tablespoon Molasses

1 egg (beat with 1 Tbsp Water)

1 tsp Vanilla

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix all the dry 1. ingredients together.

In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together. Hint: when measuring

out the honey, spray the measuring cup with oil or baking spray--your honey

won't stick).

2. Mix the wet stuff with the dry stuff. Add the raisins and walnuts and mix. If the

mixture seems too wet, add a bit of flour. If it isn't binding together very well,

you may wish to add an egg white.

3. COOL the mix for 20 minutes in the fridge.

4. Preheat the oven to 335 degrees (lower temperature due to the honey in the

recipe which will burn more easily).

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto your baking sheet (I recommend lining the baking

sheet with parchment paper). Press down with a fork to ensure even cooking.

6. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until golden on the bottom of the cookie. The

cookies freeze very well and make a great snack! Enjoy.

Motivation Monday: Exercise!

2010-07-26T16:44:00.000-05:00

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.
-Edward Stanley

Make it a rule to exercise. Don't give yourself the option of exercising or not. It should be a daily habit just like brushing your teeth. (Change your Body Change your Brain, p 122)

Need a reason to make exercise a part of your everyday routine?
Brain Benefits of Exercise
-Encourages the growth of new brain cells
-Physical activity enhances cognitive ability at all ages
-Exercise enhances mood
-Exercise helps alleviate depression
-Exercise calms worry and anxiety
-Exercise helps prevent, delay, and lessen the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease
-Exercise eases symptoms of ADD
-Physical fitness sparks better behavior in adolescents
-Peopel who exercise regularly sleep better
-Exercise helps women cope with hormonal changes
(Change your Body Change your Brain, p 109-115)

2nd Installment of the Book Club

2010-07-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

We're meeting next Monday, July 26th at 7pm at Pinnacle Physical Therapy to discuss Chapters 5-10. Topics we'll cover are Exercise, Skin, Hormones, Heart, Energy and Sleep. These are some of my favorite chapters. Hope to see you there!

Motivation Monday: Rebalace

2010-07-19T09:44:00.001-05:00

From Jillian Michael's book, Master Your Metabolism. This information is from Chapter 7, the rebalancing stage in her plan. She's referring to rebalancing your hormones. Here's her guidelines. They're guidelines I've preached for years, not rocket science, but great ways to keep or get your metabolism working for you.

1. Eat Every 4 hours-no excuses!
2. Eat Breakfast-Always!
3. You must not eat after 9pm-and especially never eat carbs before bed. period.

I have a few ladies that read my online food journal. They are always amazed at how I will turn the day around. That I will eat something really high in carbs or sweets by lunch time but then finish the day strong with good choices. I'm not bragging on myself but rather stating I eat crappy too some days. But I try to eat the crappy carbs early in the day versus late at night. I figure I have more time to burn it off throughout the afternoon and evening. It's the opposite of the all or nothing mentality.