Posts Tagged ‘Workout



19
Jul
12

Discipline

It sounds like we are in school today but we’re not, bummer. 

Occasionally I have people seek me out for advice on how I successfully transitioned from obesity to being fit.  I’ll help anyone out there.  That’s probably one of my biggest blessings and at the same time one of my biggest flaws. 

The old adage “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink” applies here.   I’ve found that people want me to tell them exactly what to eat and when (key word is exactly), what to drink, and when to breathe, etc. 

I’ll help up to a point, I’ll give you menu’s, workouts, etc.  I’ll point you to every resource I’ve ever used. 

One thing I won’t do is feed you and do your workouts day in and day out.   You’ve got to have some self-motivation, self-discipline and learn to do that stuff yourself.

I know all about the insecurity of being left to your own devices and eating healthy.  I used to get paralyzed with over thinking about food.  Some days I’d freak out and not eat much at all for fear of eating too much of the wrong thing.  Wrong to who?  I still laugh over my naiveté.

If you keep it simple and LEARN the difference between a complex carb, a lean protein, heathly fat and healthy veggies you can then make great choices. 

In today’s world things get so confusing so that’s the first thing I try to teach any client or friend.  You’d be amazed at how many people use almonds and bacon as their sources of protein, when in actuality they are fats. 

There are a ton of resources and some of my favorites are Body-for-Life Library.  You’ll have to register and then visit the library tab.  Secondly The Zone Diet both of these programs are relatively easy to follow with cut and dried food lists.  If you are starting out, they are great resources.  Lastly, I’m a fan of Primal eating Mark’s Daily Apple for folks who are more advanced in their nutritional journey.  Meaning you don’t eat fast food EVER.  If you are still eating fast food, stick with the first two choices.

You can mix and match!  YES. YOU. CAN.  I promise at least up to this point, there are no food police that will come to your house and tell you that you are eating improperly.  Learn how to fuel your body to feel better.  Listen to your body NOT YOUR EMOTIONS when deciding what to eat.

In a perfect household everyone is on board and all the junk goes in the trash.   In my house that’s not the case. 

So I keep my food in a seperate veggie bin in the fridge and the other stuff in a separate pantry with all the small appliances I don’t want sitting out. 

No one goes in that pantry except for me, they don’t like appliances. 🙂 

I don’t have to look at bread, crackers and chips when I’m selecting my food. 

I’m optimistic as time goes on that things will get better in my house. But until they do, I don’t use that as an excuse.

Everyone has their own favorite complex carbs.  These are two of my favorite carbs. 

17
Jul
12

Getting Fit! Tami Rose

I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to a woman I know.  I met Tami a year ago when she joined the CrossFit Box I attend. 

With her permission, this blog is for her.  To celebrate the victory of consistency with both her nutrition and her workouts.  Tami has made changes that have now become visible results.  No super secret code or plan. 

Clean conscious eating and working out.  I do not train Tami.  She works out at CrossFit Impulse.  She does this on her own with the support of other CrossFit community members, friends and trainers at the box.

For all of you out there struggling, use this as motivation. 

Instead of me saying a thousand words, I’ll let the photo’s do the talking.  Congratulations Tami!

March vs July 2012 Congratulations Tami!!

16
Jul
12

Want Something? Go get it!

Some days I step back and think about where I’ve come from, looking for the moments of clarity on when my greatest progresses have been.

I have found that happens when I turn off all external noise and I get busy actually doing.

Forming a plan and sticking to that plan 90% of the time.  Whether its training or nutrition.  That’s what has worked for me.

I’m happiest when I have a barbell in my hand, but I realize that I must work on skills that I don’t like even more.

I’ve been working on my strict pull-ups for two years. Yes, two years. Actually probably a little longer than that. 

It would have come sooner if I had been just a bit more strict in my weekly discipline of working on them.  So now it’s time for me to go get it.  Get the strict daily regimen that will result in those dead-hang pull-ups.  No excuses.

This is me two years ago on the biggest band I had.  Today, I am on the smallest band I have.  That being said my chin lacks 3″ from getting over the bar.  No more excuses.

It will be 2 years come this October since this picture was made.  The next picture will be in two months and with no band.  I am determined.

 

 

13
Jul
12

What’s Age Got To Do With It

Picture this:  One of my male coworkers who’s about five years older than I am wagging his finger at me all the while saying “you need to quit lifting all those heavy weights”.   I looked him straight in the eye and said give me one good scientific reason why I should.  He couldn’t. 

Just because he doesn’t do it perhaps?  You’ve got me. 

You all have no idea how close I came to throwing up all sort of stinging retorts, but I bit my tongue because I know better than to buy into someone elses thoughts on aging.  This is my life, my mind, my body and most of all my DETERMINATION. 

In my humble opinion if you are listening to your body, feeding it the proper amounts of clean healthy foods, staying injury free, and have determination there is not a reason in the world you should stop or even fear starting to work with weights. 

Perhaps it was that very statement that spurred me to swing a 2.5 pood (90 lbs) Kettlebell this morning just to see if I could do it.  YES. I. CAN.

1 pood

29
Jun
12

Intensity

Wow!  There has been so much intensity in the last 24 hours in the news, social media etc.   I don’t want to talk about any of that. 

I wonder what would happen if everyone in an uproar started working on their fitness and nutrition as passionately as they slam each other politically we could end obesity pretty quickly.

Independence Day is next week.  Let’s all remember what that means to us.  Have a safe and happy holiday!

 

28
Jun
12

Motivation

I’ve said it a few times and I’m going to say it again.  Motivation is not a constant.  It comes and goes and often times there are things going on in our lives that add to the loss of motivation.  I’m a firm believer in staying with my workouts (even if it’s 10 minutes of air squats in your office) and keeping my food at minimum 80% clean always.  

Doing some type of work-out even when you don’t feel like it add positive motivation to your mojo bank.  Doing nothing is just that…a big blank of nothing.  If you are serious about getting fit you should figure this one out fast.

Secondly, work-out your mind!  Positive thoughts, visualization and gratitude are three of the most powerful work-outs you have access too.

Positive thoughts include being kind to yourself instead of being critical of all of your perceived flaws.

Visualize yourself exactly where you want to be.

Make a list everyday of the top three things you are grateful for.  Challenge yourself not to duplicate them for 5 days.

A huge thank you to my friend Leah VanHoose for allowing me to use this positively beautiful photo today!!

Sunflower by Leah Vanhoose

 

27
Jun
12

Badonkadonks!

Celebrate your Badonkadonks today ladies!! 

26
Jun
12

Helpful Hints

I have some friends that never seem to have slip ups or slumps in motivation.  I’m not one of those people.  Although I’ve learned how to keep myself on task simply by adhering to my own set of rules.

When you fall off the wagon and eat or drink excessively, admit it and stop it.

Stop it you say?  That’s hard.  Yes it is.  But what’s harder is breaking yourself from the eat bad, feel bad cycle that can go on indefinitely if you don’t stop it.

Do it by committing to yourself that the next meal will be clean.  Once you start consuming clean food and WATER, yes a lot of water you flush out all of the nastiness you’ve consumed and you give your internal organs a nice clean shower.  Not to mention you mentally feel better for making good choices.

Another rule I have is no more than 3 days of wallowing.  Everybody has a woe as me time at some point.  Yes, me too. 

Share your concerns with a friend.  If they are truly your friend they will smack you right in the mindset with the excuses and what-if’s come back.  So you had better be tough enough to take tough love from your fitness friends, that’s what they are there for. 

What happens at the end of 3 days?  Get moving.  No matter what, set your clock, do your workout, pack your meals for the whole day and get on with acting your way to better thinking. 

Lastly, quit comparing yourself to other people.  It’s not about them, it’s about YOU getting better.

***Edited to add:  I realized after I posted this that the 3 day rule is incomplete.  That’s 3 days in a row ONCE every 4 months.  Not every week or even every month.  To take that 3 day rule more often means you need to dig a little deeper and figure out why you would sabotage your own efforts that often.

25
Jun
12

Just Get Busy Doing

I’ve been in the habit of resting on the weekends for quite sometime.  In fact I believe that I’ve developed a rather naughty habit of literally become lazy in the name of rest. 

This past week I decided to try something a little different.  I rested on Friday.  Friday is usually my favorite workout day of the week because everyone tends to be a little less serious about it and there is a good chance that you’ll hear lyrics such as “apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur” or “my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard”.  Just fun dance type music that creates a much lighter air.  So giving up my Friday workout was a mind game for me but I did it.

On to Saturday.  I was thinking of all the workouts my friends over at Cultfit publish everyday and decided to keep it fairly simple.  I managed a short 16 ish minute workout of KB snatches, pull-ups and push-ups.  That and the only activity related to fitness that I can coax the spousal unit into a 2.3 mile hilly walk.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I felt great all day and didn’t veg in front of the tv set on HGTV.

Sunday was another scorcher, we’re seeing upper 90’s in the temps so I took my stand-up paddle board down to the water and decided that I would see if I could paddle board as far as I normally kayak.   I managed it.  I loved it.  Being out there in the early morning just me, the water and nature.  Talk about soothing to the soul. 

I didn’t have a plan of what I was going to do regarding workouts, I just got busy doing.  Some days that’s all it takes.  There doesn’t have to be a grand well written plan.  Just a willingness to do.

22
Jun
12

Mirror Mirror

This morning I stood in front of the mirror criticizing my perceived flaws.  As I realized what I was doing I stepped back and thought “hold on now, lets take a look at what we really have here”. 

I have a healthy body that allows me to trash it working out 5-6 days a week.  It doesn’t give up, it doesn’t quit.  It just keeps responding to the physical challenges I dish out everyday.  

Did I get there overnight?  Absolutely not.

What’s even more important than what I see staring back at me in the mirror is what I’ve built up on the inside. 

My mind, confidence, willingness to succeed, discipline and consistent dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.   Being able to stop myself from comparing my physique to that of another is invaluable.  I am me for a reason.  Why would I change that?   

You want instant gratification?  Get yourself moving.  There is nothing more gratifying than taking that 30 or so minutes a day to work on your goal of getting fit. 

Want more instant gratification?  There is a tremendous feeling of empowerment that comes from making healthy food choices every day. 

Need more instant gratification?  Stop comparing yourself to other people and focus on becoming the very best you that you can become.

Sooner or later your instant gratification vault will be running over with results.