Body-for-Life | garagegym107

Posts Tagged ‘Body-for-Life

Jan

The Power of Food

This post is dedicated to those who struggle with emotional/stress/OMG it is just so good food issues.

I was born and raised in what is now known as “the deep south”. I’m not sure when we went from being the south to the deep south, but whatever.

In the south everything is celebrated with food. Birthday’s, weddings, deaths and everything in between. It’s just courtesy. We want folks to feel the love and feeding them has always been the best way to do that.

I used to live by that same thought process. Food fixed or healed everything. That is so not true so banish that thought from your excuse list.

For some people there is an illusion that food has power. BIG power. They can’t have a small portion, piece or serving. They end up plowing through multiple servings before they realize what they’ve done.

This is a perfect example of giving food power. Notice I said giving the food power.

Food is simply food. It is there for the nourishment of our bodies. It is not there to defeat us, we do that on our own.

Some how we decide we are not worthy of greatness so we in turn, give over the power of our greatness to food instead.

There is absolutely no food that we can put in our mouth that will fix a broken heart, a broken relationship or broken self-esteem.

How do you break the cycle of giving your greatness over to food?

First there must be the acknowledgement that the fork doesn’t fly in to your mouth without your own assistance.

Secondly, when you start randomly grabbing this or that to eat mindlessly, it is usually because you want to become numb. You give the food the power to make you forget, even if but for a very brief moment.

Phhhfffttt…that never works. Food won’t fix anything, in fact it will likely make it worse. That vicious cycle of eat bad, feel bad so I’ll eat more bad is a very tedious cycle to break. That being said GET TEDIOUS right back with it.

You will find things that hold you back are often so much greater when you leave them stuck in your head. Get them out of there. Write them down and burn them if you don’t want anyone else to know. Better yet, hold on to that notebook because one day you’ll have the ability to reach another person who may be struggling with what you have already overcome.

Each time you stop yourself from reaching for food to solve your problems, the more empowered you will become.

YES, you may have a set-back or twenty set-backs; just keep asking yourself the hard, painful questions and the result will start showing.

The only power food has is the power that you give it.

Jan

Motivation & Momentum

By garagegym107 1 Comment

I have had several conversations of late regarding “I’ve lost motivation”. This isn’t coming from new folks beginning a New Year’s Resolution diet. This is coming from long-term fitness friends that are simply a little burned out.

It happens. This thing called burn out. It usually shows up a few days after you know you should be back to your fitness routine but for some reason only you know, you just can’t muster your mojo. You know, that old feeling that creeps in and settles after holidays or some other stressful happening in your life.

This is a list of a few things that have helped me push past that burn out phase each time it happens.

-1 Remember why you started all of this in the first place. For you and only you. That place deep inside that drives you to be better than you were yesterday.

-2 Change things up a bit. It could be as simple as downloading new music for your workouts. It could be a hard as switching from lifting to CrossFit or group fitness classes.

-3 Get to the gym and spend 15 minutes working out. Odds are you’ll stay for a whole lot longer.

-4 Get together with your fitness friends. Have everyone bring a healthy dish and let them help you remember what you want to accomplish.

-5 Get off your butt and quit making excuses. You know you want it, just get busy.

Jan

Shedding

By garagegym107 Leave a Comment

Shedding: a. To lose by natural process: b. To rid oneself of (something not wanted or needed):

First impressions would lead a reader to believe that this blog might be about dieting. Ummm…Not so much.

After sitting here today realizing that I somehow had missed the new in this New Year, I realized that I’ve had some burdens that I’ve been allowing to weigh me down over the past couple of weeks.

Today I decided it was time to acknowledge those burdens and let them go. Shedding the negative and focusing solely on the positive.

Our lives are too short to dwell on carrying baggage, whether it’s a situation, a relationship, loss of material things, loss of motivation, and most importantly, the loss of self-esteem.

Everyone is not always going to do things the way you do them. That doesn’t make your way wrong, it makes your way different.

Be objective enough to step back and determine if perhaps your way has backed you into a corner or if it has truly brought you to a successful outcome. If it hasn’t, be open-minded enough to say so.

Shedding old habits, old stuff you have no need or use for, old hurt feelings, and old baggage is quite the positive way to start a new year, perhaps even a new way of life.

Just as snow melts and sheds the water away from the earth, do the same for things weighing you down, things holding you back from accomplishing your goals.

Hat Tip for the photo: TheOvenbird

Jan

It Is Supposed Be Hard

By garagegym107 15 Comments

As I got about halfway through an hour of rowing this morning, I started that little mantra in my head “Yes, it IS supposed to be hard and yes, you WILL finish this”… Funny thing about this cardio thing, I’d rather lift weights all day than to do a cardio workout for an hour. That being said, personal growth is found in discomfort.

Really, I’ve learned over the years that there is very little in the scheme of being fit that is truly easy. I have realized though that I get stronger as time goes by.

In the old days of battling for big losses, doing an hour of any type of cardio was mentally not possible. I was lucky to get through 20 minutes.

Who knew that 12 years later the battle for tiny losses would surpass the previous battles. I love it. Getting stronger and more fit is my end goal. Both mentally and physically.

As I pulled that rower handle over and over all sorts of things went through my mind. I started out facing my garage door, then I jumped off the rower and turned it so I could face my Vision Wall (a wall in GG107 filled with memorabilia). I realized that it has been quite sometime since I’ve updated it. It’s time for new motivating pictures and quotes.

Motivation isn’t always available in our endeavors. Discipline must come in to play at some point. It’s not always what I want to do and self-discipline is what pushes me to do what must be done.

Looking back over my journey, progress has never come when things are “fun”. Progress comes after the most challenging discomfort. Whether it was a personal struggle, work struggle or a fitness struggle there has always been growth during the greatest of challenges.

Hat Tip For Photo: Good Movies List.

Famous words of YODA:

Dec

Thoughts Become Actions

By garagegym107 2 Comments

Categories: Nutritional Cleanse Experiment
Tags: Body-for-Life, committment to fitness, Inspiration, Motivation, positive thinking, successful transformation, thoughts become actions, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Working out

I’ve read your thoughts become your actions a thousand times referring to a bunch of different topics. For me, I learned the hard way that to truly change deep down, you much first change your mind.

If you allow doubt to creep in and steep, you will easily set yourself back a pace or two.

I’ve discovered more about myself by paying attention to my negative self-talk than anything else. Negative self-talk can be so defeating if allowed to go unchecked. Many, many times I’ve caught myself thinking a negative thought right before I try something new, a heavier weight, a new skill or an old skill I haven’t tried in a while (in most cases because I allowed it to defeat me the first time around).

In 2001 I told myself that I would become a Body-for-Life Champion. In my mind I didn’t doubt that until week 10 of my first challenge, I had lost 35 pounds from my 328 pounds body. No-one noticed. I cried A LOT back then, but I kept going. Back then I literally obsessed over the finest details and looking back, I’m glad I did. It forced me to think of what I was doing instead of the negative thoughts whirling around.

After losing the initial 125 pounds, during the process also meeting my spousal unit, I started getting comfortable where I was. I still wanted to be a Champion, but hadn’t submitted a single packet after having done 3 challenges.

Then I got side tracked and all of the old issues that I had tamped down really deeply began bubbling up again. I began backsliding in to the old habits of listening to negative self-talk and overeating. This went on for years, from 2003 through 2008. I would gain and lose the same 20 pounds over and over. I had to start digging down deep in to the baggage chest to make lasting change.

I realized that I was still listening to plenty of negative self-talk instead of focusing on actions that bring change.

Only then did I become successful and also became a Champion in 2009.

Most people like to sit around and talk about what they want, but only those who truly choose to change actually do. When you make a choice to change, it becomes a true goal. Set that goal as your vision and repeat that vision over and over in your mind. Visualize exactly what you want and get after it. No matter how long it takes, just keep going.

It’s not something you do because someone else is asking you to.

It’s not something you do because you think someone else will love you more for doing it.

It’s not something that anyone else can derail you from.

It’s about you, what you want for you, and what you are willing to do for yourself. No crutches, no excuses, no whining.

Focused intent on doing.

Dec

Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done

By garagegym107 4 Comments

Categories: Nutritional Cleanse Experiment
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Clean Eating, exercise, Fitness Competition;, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, healthy-living, Inspiration, Motivation, Weight Lifting, Well-Being, Workout

And don’t tell my friend Sharon that either. Sharon and I have walked this journey together for quite some time. Back in 2009 we spent the whole year encouraging each other via internet. In October of 2009 we got to meet face to face. We got to share our excitement and enthusiasm for fitness together with many other friends.

Over the course of the years since, we’ve gotten together a couple more times. Since our last get together Sharon decided to set the goal of becoming a Fitness Competitor. She has since taken the stage twice.

Was her journey easy? Well of course not! Was she disciplined? Absolutely.

I’ve spoken with Sharon countless times and the one word that she has repeatedly used is perseverance.

There have been times along her journey when those who claimed to be her friends attempted to bring her down by making negative comments. She persevered. There was a time during a storm when she lost power, she ate her food cold, but she stayed her course. To some that may seem silly, to her it was following her dream. Just because something isn’t YOUR dream doesn’t mean it isn’t right for someone else.

Please share this with your friends who need support and encouragement. Photos are very powerful.

I’m very proud of this woman to say the least. Congratulations Beautiful Sharon on a job very well done!

Nov

A Set Back Is Not An Obstacle

By garagegym107 5 Comments

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, fitness, Garagegym107, Inspiration, Motivation, non fiction books, Set-backs; obstacles;, Working out, Workout

I’ve read a lot of posts over the Thanksgiving weekend and on in to this week. So much so that I felt the need to hold off on posting a new blog until I could really say something.

You see, I’ve been where so many people are today. The holiday season becomes such an obstacle for people who struggle with food. They tend to lose all sight of their personal goals and simply exist through the holiday season almost as if they have no control over the outcome. Phhhfffttt.

Having a work function one day, a group of friends celebrating another day, a holiday party on the weekend, not to mention the blended family chaos that comes for some of us. Kids can’t be here then so we will celebrate again with them, etc. These all turn in to excuses to forget your commitment to self.

It’s so easy to get caught up and just throw in the towel at the first tiny set-back. That little set-back snowballs out of control and becomes the obstacle. The daily effort now becomes a huge mental hurdle so the average or uncommitted person will say “well the damage is going to be horrible so just forget it until the new year”.

First off, don’t allow your small set-back to grow. Isolate the incident, remember your goals and keep yourself on the clean rails the remainder of the day.

Secondly, remember that it truly is ok to say no, whether its to a drink, an appetizer, a fancy schmancy dinner or that tin full of goodness someone dropped off at your desk. Live this season guilt free. You didn’t ask for that tin of goodies, so don’t feel guilty for putting it in the break room at work, just do it.

I’m not saying you should go without a treat or two. There is a huge difference between a treat or two and throwing in towel for the whole holiday season.

It is much easier to stay conscious of where you are and what your goals are than it is to back slide and then be faced with re-digging the whole you’ve already cleared.

Stay the course and don’t let a set-back become your obstacle!

Nov

Holi”DAY”

By garagegym107 1 Comment

Categories: Random Thoughts
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Goal Setting, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, natural sugars, nutrition, pre workout, Thanksgiving;, Training, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Weightloss, Well-Being, Workout

Ok now is when I keep it real. I’ve talked about the helpful hints for the holiday and now I want to emphasize the meaning of the DAY in holiday.

So often people use the entire week to celebrate a holiday. You know what? That is just another one of those cooky comfortable excuses people like to use for over indulging. Don’t do it.

Wallowing in several days of poor food choices can set you back by a couple of weeks. Yes, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you are going to start stuffing your face three days before the holiday and eat leftovers for three days after the holiday, you bet your fine-looking booty you will cost yourself two weeks worth of workouts in the gym.

It’s a HOLIDAY. Singular. One day. Behave.

That was one of the lessons I learned in the hard-fought battle to get and stay fit. You don’t need a week to celebrate a day. Yes, the options will be there, work, multiple family outings, etc. I do realize that not everyone has the luxury to eat at one place so don’t get all up in a twist.

Step back and look at your schedule and think about it a little ahead of time. You can make better choices than to consider each gathering a grubfest. I love food, I know what a grubfest is. Remember, no appetizers, no nibbles.

If you have grown kids, send the leftovers with them. They will appreciate them more than you will.

Enjoy time spent with your family, even the cooky ones. Someday you will look around and realize that even the cooky ones make the days special.

Have a blessed holiday!

Nov

Helpful Hints For The Holidays

By garagegym107 4 Comments

Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Clean Eating, Community, Holiday Hints, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, stand-up paddle board, Working out, Workout

The following is a blog of things I’ve learned over the course of my journey that keep me mostly on task over the holidays.

At the close of December 2009 I had been eating clean 6 days on 1 meal off for the entire year. As the holidays closed in I was doing really well.

Then I found myself sitting in my office listening. My office is literally 5 feet from the department kitchen. I work in procurement, suppliers love to bring holiday fare in to the procurement department.

I sat there one day after listening to people ohh and ahh over the delectable treats that had been brought in. Back then I wasn’t to the point I am today, back then I still straddled the “why me” fence.

I got up from my desk and walked in to my male co-workers office. He knew I was not having the treats, but he had no idea how difficult that particular day was. I quietly cried as I explained to him how difficult it was to listen to all of the exclamations of delight. He looked at me with a brotherly affection and winked and said “just remember why you are doing what you are doing” and I got up and headed back to my office and as I passed the kitchen, I reminded myself of my goals.

That very same holiday season I was sitting in the chair on New Year’s Eve and realized that I wasn’t frantically cleaning things out in an effort to pave the way for a new diet resolution. I realized that finally I had truly changed.

Helpful Hints:

Keep yourself in check the days leading up to and the days after the event. Holidays are generally only for one given day. You know if I’m talking to you… 😉

Why not run a local Turkey Trot? Most cities have them early on Thanksgiving morning and you can run and go home and be done with fitness for the day. If not, do some push-ups, sit-ups and air squats for 20 minutes first thing in the morning and then you are finished.

Wear your tightest blue jeans or dress pants to whatever dinner you attend. You’ll get this mid-meal.

Drink more water than you usually do.

Don’t use the words “I’m on a diet” to your friends and family. It’s the holiday season, they don’t need to be bored with your superstar goals. Eat the way you should and don’t profess your awesomeness to anyone other than yourself in the mirror.

Don’t nibble. You don’t need the extra calories. Eat clean at ALL meals you are in full control of.

Try having soup for dinner the night after your festivities or lunch if your family does the evening meal.

Remember these meals are not your last supper. Eat and enjoy but there really is no need to gorge yourself.

Nov

No One Walks In Your Shoes

By garagegym107 21 Comments

Friday Fun! Now dance like a Boss!

Yesterday I found myself rather overcome with emotion the minute I set foot in Garagegym107. There is powerful MOJO associated with this place. I don’t question things in life that bring me joy and helping others surely does that.

Highlights from this week:

Two people commented on the progress one of the ladies that works out with me on the parking deck at work. Progress being noted by people not working out. Love.

One of the ladies that works out said “I see definition in my legs and I like it”. Small pleasures!

The old man in the gym who now waves at me every morning after I commented to him that I missed him this last few days. Just being noticed that you’ve been missed motivates some.

My friend said to me “treat yourself as good as you do your best friends”.

I got to speak to a group of women about nutrition. Now they realize we all struggle at some point. Realize that your journey is only about you. What’s right for you may not be right for another. Do not criticize their way because it’s not your way. Respect our differences.

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