Inspiration | garagegym107

Posts Tagged ‘Inspiration

Sep

Encouragement for Newbs

Categories: Nutritional Cleanse Experiment
Tags: BodyBuilding, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fitness, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, goals, Inspiration, Motivation, Weight Lifting, Working out, Workout

About a month ago I started helping a girl from another floor with some workouts. We go up on the top of our parking deck at work and we workout. We laugh, we play and we work.

I live by the philosophy of “each one reach one” because in my own little naïve way I believe that it can be done.

We started with just the two of us. As of this week, there are now 6 of us. All shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels.

I want to talk to the newbies out there. All of you new to fitness and getting healthy.

Taking that first step and sometimes that second step is really hard! You might be last when you finish, you might be embarrassed because you don’t yet have a range of motion that you need and you might just have very little belief in your own ability to prevail.

Well let me tell you this, if you really want to make changes in your life, you really gotta work at it. You can’t just say “oh that was hard, I’m going to lunch with my friends instead”. You can’t just say “well, I was last so why bother?”. You can’t just say “I’ll start next Monday”.

You get to go through all of the growing pains of the process for a multitude of reasons.

First off you must prove to yourself that you are willing to change. So get up day in and day out and get busy. There is no quick fix fat fixer.

Secondly, you must get over yourself and any need you have to feel sorry for yourself. You are now making changes and some of them might hurt. Suck it up Buttercup!

Third and probably the most important of all, no negative self-talk EVER. You may not be perfect, you may have caught a bad deal in this life, but beating yourself down day in and day out fixes absolutely nothing.

Everyday find something in yourself to be positive about. If you look past all of the hurt, anger and loneliness, you’ll find the beautiful worthiness. It is in each of us.

Sep

Scales and What Not

By garagegym107 8 Comments

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, fitness, gaining self confidence, goals, Inspiration, Motivation, Weight Lifting, Weightloss, Well-Being

No, not fish scales. Weight scales.

I work with so many women regarding weight-loss and fitness. I’ve talked about scale weight before and how it fits in the big scheme of things.

If I could somehow be Glenda the Good Witch for just one day, I swear I’d love to banish all scales from the land!

Have I ever told you guys the story of going to our company “health-fair”? I consider myself pretty fit in the big scheme of averages so the health fair didn’t deter me. They checked both my good and bad cholesterol and both were impeccable. My blood pressure was also in the very good category.

So off I go the new super-duper body mass index machine. To use the machine you must be in your sock feet. I took off my shoes and when it was my turn, I jumped up on that bad boy only to receive this little ticker tape print out showing that I was by American standards “obese”. I literally laughed out loud.

One of the guys I workout with was right behind me. He 26 years old, six feet tall and has six-pack abs. Yes, I saw them during a workout class. You know what? His BMI put him in the obese category as well. I was already skeptical about our BMI standards anyway, but that pushed it over the top. The number one reason is that the technician never bothered to ask either of us if we work out on a regular basis. There is a different selection for athletes. Either way bad data.

Anyway, back to where I was going with all of this. Data is just data. It’s not a sign of success or failure, it’s a number. It is what we do with that number that matters.

If you struggle with getting on the scale to gather data then it’s time to ask yourself “why does this number matter so much to me?”.

What should really matter to you is if you are doing better today than you did yesterday. If you strive every single day to be a better person, whether it’s in your workouts, your finances, your savings, keeping your kids clothes clean and helping someone else out in some small way. You are moving forward.

Progress isn’t about what’s happening on the outside. It’s about what’s happening on the inside. When you figure out why you wrap success or failure around a number, changes begin to happen. You stop paying so much attention to the scale and to your appearance and start focusing on your workouts, how consistent you are, and if you are doing them correctly from a technical standpoint. Suddenly your body image starts to improve as does your ability.

One of the most refreshing things I’ve read lately was Lifting My Spirits about page and reading that she went on stage to compete in her first bodybuilding show without even caring what her BF% was. She just new by looking in the mirror and by doing the right things with her workouts and food that results were there. And that’s how this should be.

Do the right things and results will come.

Sep

I Don’t Have Time

By garagegym107 6 Comments

Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, exercise, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, goals, health, healthy-living, Inspiration, Motivation, nutrition, push ups, Training, Weight Lifting, Working out, Workout

I hear this comment often. “I don’t have time to train and eat right. I can’t imagine packing my meals and being at the gym at 5:30am. ” “I can’t imagine doing that with 3 kids”. In reality we all have the same number of hours in our day.

Some days I’d like to be a real hard nose about it, but the old fat chick in my head says “remember when that was you?” so I refrain.

What I would really like to say is this. You have a lot more time than you think you do so stop saying you don’t have time.

Swap half of your social media time for working out. Swap all of your TV time for food prep and you just might find a little extra wiggle room in there. I the beginning it seems like an undoable, impossible idea. It does for most people so you are not alone.

Give it two weeks. Set a timer and limit yourself to 10 minutes of social media at a time. For the next 10 minutes, try doing some air squats or some push-ups (even if your push-ups are on your knees or your leaning against a wall) or some good old-fashioned sit-ups, just do it for 10 minutes.

You will soon realize that you don’t have to move a bus to feel better, just move yourself. Care about yourself enough to do it.

I’ve learned that my commitment to consistency has been the greatest link to my success. Day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year.

Things got so much easier when I quit chasing “the end” of each phase. When the end comes, it’s over but you are not finished. I never imagined when I was 38 and just getting started that I would be creeping up on 50 in the best shape of my life and still working out consistently 5-6 times per week.

Ironically, I’m not finished. Now I see 80 as a new challenge. Just how good of shape can I keep myself in over the next 30-ish years. And even better? What do I want to accomplish?

Getting and staying fit is the greatest gift I could have ever given to myself. Learning to live this lifestyle has taught me that anything is possible. Now go get your greatness!

Sep

Ignorance is Bliss

By garagegym107 1 Comment

Most people really truly don’t want to acknowledge the truth about fitness and weight loss. If they hide behind the veil of ignorance then they don’t have to hold themselves accountable. I did that, for a couple of years, in fact. I managed to pack on an additional 168# in two years. Yes, that’s correct, in only two years I went from a relatively healthy size 10 woman to a grossly unhealthy size 22. That’s an average weight gain of 1.61 pounds PER WEEK.

Talk about a sad sack. But ignorance was bliss. No one really ever said anything about the weight as it progressively increased.

I could have stopped it, I could have changed the course of my life. But instead I used every excuse I could dig up, meds were making me fat, job related stress was making me fat, my obnoxiously nasty divorce was making me fat. But you know what?

I was making me fat. I was the one stopping by the fast food joints picking up a bag full of whatever daily special was going on at whichever place was super-sizing everything.

The beautiful thing in my story is that I truly believe that people can change and those changes can stick, like glue.

I know personally many people who have successfully changed. Taking themselves from being slightly overweight, or emotional eaters, to those like me, who were obese.

They’ve taken responsibility for educating themselves. They’ve put their own ego’s and pride aside to make these changes. They’ve humbled themselves to the point of learning and humbled themselves to the point of DOING.

The most important thing that we’ve all learned is that in this life is: it’s not always about me.

Reach out and do something nice for another person. No need to tell anyone what you did, just do it.

Each one, reach one.

Sep

The Past

By garagegym107 Leave a Comment

Every now and again I’m delightfully gifted with the opportunity to share my story and a few things I’ve learned to a live audience.

I derive so much joy from having these opportunities. Talking to others reminds me of various places I’ve been along my journey. It also reminds me that I’m still on my own journey.

This past weekend I was reminded of one aspect of my journey. The mind has a very powerful ability to replay old conversations years after the occurence.

That being said, I believe that we are in control of rewinding and re-recording over those powerful negative messages with positive new ones.

For example, I started running (well, what would be barely considered jogging to a runner) when I weighed just shy of 250#. I remember the negative thoughts going through my mind step after step, “you’re too fat to do this, you are too slow to be running, you can quit this now”. Over and over I would allow my negative thoughts to rule. It took me years to clear the cobwebs enough to realize that I was, simply put, defeating my own purpose.

Once I began to understand that nothing has the power to impact me, unless I give it the power did I realize great positive change from the inside.

I began changing my mantra to “you are strong and you are capable”, “you are strong and you are capable”. Over and over, year after year, I’ve repeated those words many, many times.

We truly are what we think we are so it is extremely important to make sure that we use “no negative self-talk, EVER”.

I have that saying written in chalk in the middle of the chalk board in Garagegym 107. My clients see it. It’s a constant reminder of the way I live. I see it every time I start my day. I believe it.

Empower yourself to make changes to negative experiences from your past.

Our past contributes to who we are, but our past doesn’t dictate who we become.

The chalk board project. The humble beginnings of GG107.

Sep

Unbelievable!

By garagegym107 3 Comments

Categories: Random Thoughts
Tags: CrossFit, exercise, fitness, Inspiration, Motivation, Weight Lifting, Working out, Workout

I read this yesterday and was taken so far aback I needed to wait a day to write about it.

Junior Tennis Player Benched

As you read this remember that this is a young woman in our society today. Unbelievable pressure to fit in a mold that wasn’t made for her body type. I get it. I get it because I’m a big girl. At 5’8″ tall and 165# I am not the size of the average female. What’s average height? 5’4″ or 162.5cm.

So yes, I’m above average by 4 full inches. And outside of that I’m also more muscular than average because I choose to workout with weights.

The social pressure for young women is unbearable. Watching my beautiful step-daughter struggle because she has the most beautiful red hair was hard enough.

The young lady in the article is a very talented tennis player and that physical ability is being clouded by judgemental people WHO AREN’T THE ONES PLAYING. Give me a break.

When will the madness stop and people begin to truly grasp that this world isn’t one size fits all, neither are human beings.

Perfect example of this very thing, my friend at 5’0″ and I both doing the same exact thing, same weight ball. It just doesn’t matter. I don’t like her because she’s 5’0″ and tiny, I like her because she is a great person.

Hat tip to CrossFit Impulse for the picture.

Sep

You Can’t Out Train a Poor Diet

By garagegym107 22 Comments

Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: Bright Spots, Clean Eating, Community, exercise, fat loss, fitness, food, health, healthy-living, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, natural sugars, nutrition, Training, weight loss

I know this to be such a true statement. I don’t consider what I do a diet. I eat clean, I’ve educated myself on proper macro-nutrients and understand how to consume balanced meals.

Does that mean I always do what I know is the right thing? Negative ghost-rider!

Why would I not do what I know is best? Well, for me it is usually about poor planning.

If I don’t make a conscious effort to prepare and store my protein sources I find myself scrounging around for what I should eat.

I spend a couple of hours once a week preparing protein sources, usually grilling or baking in the form of chicken. Chicken gets boring. Yes, I know. I have umpteen(yes that’s a word my mom used to use) spices that I rotate so the my chicken gets a different flavor. I have friends that simply boil their chicken to death and then eat it. Not me I want some flavor.

I digress terribly today.

I freeze what chicken I won’t use over the following two days and I even go so far as to cut it up in to bite sized pieces so I don’t have to fight it later. I use the quart sized Ziploc freezer backs. They make my life easier.

I don’t always have access to fresh veggies, but our local Kroger puts small bags of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots on sale 10/$10.00 so I always have a back up plan on my veggies and yes, I eat the whole bag at one sitting.

I hard boil an 18 pack of eggs on Sunday, then I peel them all. Grab and go protein.

Food planning is only as hard as you make it. Do you work 12 hour days? Then it’s even MORE important to plan your meals. Write down a list of what you need and go buy ONLY what is on the list. Stay out of the inner aisles at the grocery store unless you are looking for olive or coconut oils or some other healthy oil. Shop the produce section, the meat counter and cooler for eggs.

Yes, it is that simple.

Veggies…don’t judge your taste of a veggie from any childhood experience. I hated brussels sprouts until someone roasted them after tossing in olive oil and salt and pepper. Now I love them. I enjoy and appreciate most all roasted veggies. We are grown-ups now. We should be open to trying every single vegetable just for sake of variety. It’s amazing how many things I’ll eat now that I wouldn’t touch years ago.

Eating clean is only as hard as you choose to make it. I choose to make it as easy as possible.

It’s not a chore, it’s a choice.

Sep

Clean Out the Clutter!

By garagegym107 1 Comment

Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: Cleaning, Clutter, Inspiration, Motivation, nutrition, Training, Weight Lifting, Working out, Workout

I’ve been in my current office creeping up on 4 years now. I decided I needed a major change. Thankfully we have the resources to rearrange the furnishings from time to time. I understand why people NEVER do it. People here have been sitting in the same offices, same chairs, more clutter surrounding them than you can fathom.

Are they settling or just lazy or perhaps stuck in the past? This morning I cleaned out clutter that has somehow walked in to my office over the past several years. Coffee cups that have no lids…what the heck happens to the lids?? CD’s I used to listen to. A bulletin board stuffed with quotes that have spoken to me over the years. Before and after pictures. Pictures of my wonderful kids back in the day when they weren’t always wonderful. Times I wish I could go back to for a brief moment, then I snap out of it.

Everything is cleaned, dusted and de-cluttered now. Some how it is soothing.

In the old days I was often compelled to hold on to everything, thinking in some way I may need it again.

I believe that I tend to lean toward holding on to the clutter in my fitness life as well. Old workouts, old techniques, old mindsets and old habits of allowing myself to become sloppy in holding form during weight training.

I’ve recently taken a few steps back in an attempt to de-clutter my fitness world. I’ve lowered the weight and increased my reps on many of my lifts. Mostly in an effort to drill home the mental memory of proper form. I am enjoying the removal of the firm goal of “lift heavier always”. Guess what? I’ve been slowly and incrementally improving on all of them.

Having trouble with your food? De-clutter it as well. Stick to the basics, eat clean one meal at a time. What’s clean? Foods that you select from the produce aisle and the meat/seafood/tofu counter that don’t come in a box or that are prepared for you in the deli.

Tackle on drawer, one closet, one bookshelf at a time. It’s truly freeing to de-clutter.

I used to believe this too…

Aug

Are Anger and Frustration a Catalyst?

By garagegym107 6 Comments

Yesterday I had a conversation with an online trainer. I’m not here to bash this person because there is an off-chance there may be a bit of truth in his message.

His message was that someone with my history, the history of obesity to fitness, isn’t likely a good fit for taking things to the next level of getting leaned out.

It really struck a chord with my insecurity for about an hour. For that whole hour I had mental tapes from years past replay over in my head. All of the moments I heard the term “you can’t” “you won’t” “it’s not possible” to lose the weight.

He never said those exact words, but the words he said were direct enough to make me take that road trip backwards for the hour that I allowed my mind to venture.

Then I got really miffed. Miffed like I haven’t been in a decade. I got miffed because I allowed another human being to create doubt in a space that is off-limits. A space that I’ve maintained, manicured, furtilized with positivity, grown from a desolate space of nothingness into a positive field of successful DOING.

I know that people are trained in given fields. They fill themselves with statistics and data. They become an encyclopedia of their field of study and then they get comfortable spewing that data as one size fits all gospel.

Well, I’m here to tell you that is well and good. But there are things that none of that data can capture. Those are human spirit, soul and determination. The odds may be stacked in favor of the data, but there is always the off-chance that the underdog can and will prevail.

I choose to be the underdog. I choose to be the one that will succeed. My next level may not be the same as a superstar, but it’s mine for the taking.

I saw this the other day and yes, it came to mind by the time my head hit my pillow last night.

“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t”

Aug

Something New

By garagegym107 10 Comments

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, Clean Eating, Community, exercise, fitness, Goal Setting, Gym, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, Weight Lifting, Well-Being, Working out, Workout

This past weekend I attended my first ever bodybuilding show. The place was packed, sold out. It was the Alabama State Championship. It was amazing.

Watching people from one of the fattest states in the nation beat the odds. Yes, for me, that’s what it was all about.

You see I understand the sacrifices those people make day in and day out. Workout, eat cleaner than you ever have, repeat day in and day out for months!

I find it fascinating that they have chosen to build those works of art through time and patience and I’m sure at times utter frustration.

Body work. Getting to know your body on such a personal level has to be amazing. Learning every little curve, bump and surprising even yourself when you create progress.

Loved it.

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