weight loss | garagegym107

Posts Tagged ‘weight loss

Oct

Haters Gonna Hate

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fitness, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, Long term weight loss, Motivation, nutrition, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Well-Being

I think too much. Yes I do.

Strange things happen that poke at me. They also make me go hmmm.

Today while out on the parking deck working out with the crew someone left an anabolic steroid catalog in my desk chair. I’m sure they were just being funny because that what’s people do when they think they will get your goat.

I’ve got my own goats, I don’t need their help with them.

I posted that little quote “I’m not strong for my age. I’m just strong” evidently there’s a bit of truth to that. 🙂

Good for me.

Over the course of changing my life from being just a total train wreck to being a fit woman, there have been many haters along the way.

The funny thing about that is I didn’t realize that those haters could come in the form of people who I thought really mattered in my life. So keep this in mind if your journey is just beginning.

It wasn’t until I began saying no to the buffet lunches, the weekly happy hours, the business lunches of pizza and the monthly birthday cake club did the original haters first appear. I don’t hesitate to take my own food in to any training session now. Once people got used to me being different, it became a non-issue. This goes back many years and even a past job. I am not the food police, I don’t criticize what others are doing. That is not my place.

It took me a very long time to realize that choosing to be healthy has a tendency to make those who choose not to feel guilty. Whether they ever admit it or not. At first it bothered me but not any more. Let ’em hate.

I eat clean food, I work out 5-6 six times per week and I’m perfectly happy with it. Not to mention that I am a much better wife, mother and employee. Does that mean I hate on peeps who choose not to? Absolutely not. Remember I’m married to the Junk Food King. He was that way when I married him, I changed. I don’t expect him to, if he wants to he will. He’s a grown man.

Back to the catalog left in my chair. What most people I work with don’t realize is that I get up at 4:30am Monday thru Friday and I march myself in to the gym and I devote time to working hard on my body. Whether it is Olympic lifting, body building or metabolic condition, I’m working HARD while most of my peers are sleeping, both male and female.

That’s a choice. I’ve made mine and my choice is clean eating and working my butt off. Literally.

Oct

Let’s Do Some Sprints

By garagegym107 2 Comments

Categories: Nutritional Cleanse Experiment
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, change, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, fitness, food, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, goals, Insecurity, Inspiration, Motivation, nutrition, weight loss, Working out, Workout

Want to see a group of people visibly get better before your eyes? Have them run sprints together. Not just a couple of rounds of sprints but instead 6-10 rounds of 100 meter sprints. It’s suckage to say the least. It forces each person to work hard through the pain. It creates personal growth. Ages range from 28-54 and yes, they all ran together.

After you’ve finished the timing for them, have them do the timing for you. Little makes people feel better than to see the trainer suffer the same fate they have just endured.

Nothing makes them feel better than to realize what they’ve accomplished when they finish.

Struggling together creates an unspoken bond. You know as a trainer, deep down inside they are pushing each other to run just a tad faster than if they were running alone.

Lucky for me today, two additional people came up and ran with me. Humbling and motivating that I didn’t have to run by myself, instead I GOT TO run with them.

Healthy competition is great as long as you are grounded in improving yourself more than anything. I don’t believe that every workout has to be a competition. Some would say that makes me soft, I disagree. I believe that its me vs. me. Not me vs. you.

If I focus all of my efforts on beating someone else, the person I’m not watching is going to pass me.

You vs. you, always.

Oct

Fear

By garagegym107 1 Comment

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: Body-for-Life, BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, nutrition, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Working out, Workout

I had a conversation with someone yesterday and unbeknownst to her I could detect a strong vibe of fear radiating from her. Self-doubt. As soon as the conversation started the list of health issues came tumbling out. As if in some way that list lessened the importance of her overall goals. She said “I just want to be healthy”.

Being healthy is a great goal. In the beginning using the term “I just want to be healthy” is ok.

Fear of thinking too far ahead is very natural in the beginning, especially if you have significant weight to lose. I understand that fear. I’m absolutely certain I emanated that fear myself 12 years ago when I started my journey.

But I learned the hard way that you shouldn’t allow yourself to stay in that zone for very long. If so, you become reliant on your excuses. I remember the big one… “my knees hurt”…yes, when you carry 168# of excess weight everything tends to hurt.

At some point that vague statement of “I just want to be healthy” must transition to a plan. The plan must transition to action. The actions them must provide measurable results. If you can’t measure your success, you are subject to relapse into old behaviors, often.

See yourself as you want to be, not who are today, but as the fit and healthy person you want to be.

Oct

Issues, We All Have Them

By garagegym107 6 Comments

I was chatting with a friend who is struggling this morning. As we chatted, I was thrown back in time to that exact point in my journey.

I don’t know where these things come from, they just seem to come from deep inside somewhere teaching me again, that I have learned some lessons over this journey of mine.

“We all have issues. My issues are not smaller than yours. I’ve learned not to use them as an excuse to crap on my goals” ~Garagegym107

There is so much meat in that statement, I immediately had to type it out and claim it.

For years I allowed my issues to be my excuse for chronically sabotaging my fitness efforts with poor quality food. It took me quite some time to figure out that when I ate poorly, I in turn felt even more poorly and my issues seemed ginormous (yes, I know that’s not really a word).

It happens in the lives of most women who struggle with dealing with emotional eating. You are not alone.

Sooner or later, you must confront your fears in order to move past these issues. It’s not about willpower so much as it is about willingness to change and will to let go.

Our issues can stay buried deep inside and something silly can pull one of them back to the limelight.

In example, I’ve written about the online trainer that literally told me I needed to rethink my goals regarding physique training. In that moment that little liar in my head came screaming forward saying “see I told you so”.

I could have let both the negative self-talking voice and the online trainer derail me completely. The old me would have allowed just that.

The stronger, wiser and much more at peace, and confident me simply said “watch this”. My goals are set, my countdown app on my phone is set and I’ve been busy doing.

Sure, I have issues, we all do. Step back and think things through. If you are reaching for food, you are still allowing those issues to rule your roost.

Sep

Do You Inspire?

By garagegym107 Leave a Comment

Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: BodyBuilding, Bright Spots, change, Clean Eating, Community, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, fitness, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, healthy-living, Motivation, nutrition, Training, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Well-Being, Working out, Workout

This morning after I finished my workout, I stopped by the grocery store on my way home. All stinky and sweaty I walked in store and a gentlemen unexpectedly came around the corner “excuse me” I say in my normal post workout cheerful voice.

I continued on down the main store front aisle. I noticed him about ten feet to my right and he says “are you a bodybuilder?” and I don’t know exactly what came over me when I blurted out “Well, yes I am!”, technically speaking I’m building on this body every single day. He proceeded to ask how long I’ve been working on it etc, I said a good 3-4 years. He simply said “well nice work”.

I could have gone in to the story of CrossFit and the story of being a personal trainer but in all honesty the answer I gave flew out of my mouth and so be it.

I’m not in great shape, I’m in good shape. To the outside average observer, I guess they see something different. It made my day. Reaffirmed my desire to keep moving forward, obstacle after obstacle. Goal after goal.

I have always loved the following quote:

“Just remember, there is someone out there who wishes they were where you are today.”

Today I’d like to share a new friends blog. It’s very inspirational. And a big thank you to Lifting My Spirits for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk with me.

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.

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

When The Obstacle is The Mind

By garagegym107 7 Comments

I was having a conversation with a coworker this morning. This girl has done an amazing job of losing about 40# over the last 4 months. Ironically, she says to me this morning “I’d be happy if I never lost another pound”. Maybe.

Here is the question I ponder though… why set self-imposed limits? It’s not about losing pounds, it is about losing insecurity and realizing just what you are capable of. It’s about getting fit.

I’ve been there, I’ve been to the point of saying “I’d be happy if I never lost another pound” but then I found fitness.

Fitness truly begins when scale watching ends.

Feeling healthy and strong far surpasses what it feels like to diet down to “thin”.

My message is this, when weight loss begins you will inevitably put self-imposed mental limits on what you can accomplish.

Mainly because you will fail to believe in all that you are capable of. Set those thoughts behind and set measurable, obtainable goals.

It may take you a lot longer than you initially think it will, but let me tell you this…the journey is so much more adventurous than you can imagine when you begin.

Get out of your own way and get busy doing things you never dreamed you could. The only obstacle is your mind.

Who would have ever thought that this:

Could transform in to this:

And the beauty of this is that I’m just getting started on learning how to stop letting my mind become the obstacle.

BELIEVE…

Aug

The Only Constant is Change

By garagegym107 3 Comments

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: change, Community, exercise, fitness, Goal Setting, goals, healthy-living, Insecurity, Inspiration, Motivation, weight loss, Well-Being, Workout

I’ve found over the course of my fitness journey that the only constant is change. How we deal with that change makes all of the difference.

We can get all jammed up, or torn up, or even give up, but change will keep coming.

I used to wallow in change. It gave me the excuse to eat what I wanted, skip workouts, feel sorry for myself. Ha…those were the days of backsliding down the slippery slope to set-back!

Learning to keep it together when we want to fall apart is just as important as work-outs and nutrition.

And learning not just to keep it together but how to adapt so that future change doesn’t hit us like a sledge-hammer.

I’ve learned to separate my emotions from the facts. Instantly I feel more capable of adapting. List the facts in black and white and tackle them one by one.

Sure feelings get hurt or ego gets bruised, but change is still coming. So taking the emotion out and dealing with the remnants makes change a bit easier to swallow.

One of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou:

“If you don’t like something change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

Aug

It Is Not About Them

By garagegym107 1 Comment

Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: change, CrossFit, exercise, fat loss, fitness, food, gaining self confidence, Goal Setting, goals, Gym, healthy-living, Insecurity, Inspiration, Long term weight loss, Motivation, nutrition, Training, Weight Lifting, weight loss, Working out

In the world of weight-loss it’s easy to play the victim. Blame all of our shortcomings and lack of results on our upbringing, our past relationships, our lack of relationships, our jobs, our family time, our lack of money, and the list could go on for a full paragragh. In all honesty, it is not about them, it is about you.

You can make valiant attempts to make lasting change, but until you realize that you are ulitmately responsible for your food intake and moving your butt, you are playing victim. Sure life will give us lemons on occasion and we’ve got two choices, sit and sour along with the juice or make some lemonade.

Today I was heading outside to work-out with a coworker. As I turned the corner to go down to the locker room I glanced to the left and saw two gentlemen coming into the facility to enjoy lunch in our cafeteria.

One was suffering from health related issues, I have no idea what, but he struggled to walk slowly with his friend supporting his arm on one side and walking with a cane in the other hand.

I smiled and nodded as I usually do and as I continued on to the locker room I was overcome with gratitude. Gratitude that the man had a friend to lean on and walk with and emmense gratitude that I am now healthy.

When I weighed 328# I used to see the obstacle of weight-loss as chore. I used to pout when I would have to eat a salad and someone around me would be eating crap, that whole “why me” thing.

Over time (not overnight) I realized that I was starting to feel better, my clothes fit better and then it got easier. My mind shifted from this is a chore to this is a choice. That one little switch changed everything. The sooner you acknowledge that you are willing to do whatever is takes willingly to succeed the easier this path will become.

Hat Tip: Elements of Your Life

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