Posts Tagged ‘Workout

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05
Dec
12

Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done

By garagegym107 4 Comments
Categories: Nutritional Cleanse Experiment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

 

SJ before    SJ AFTER 2sj after

28
Nov
12

A Set Back Is Not An Obstacle

By garagegym107 5 Comments
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

 

21
Nov
12

Holi”DAY”

By garagegym107 1 Comment
Categories: Random Thoughts
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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!

 

 

20
Nov
12

Female Body Building

By garagegym107 27 Comments
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I have a crush on female body building.  I have since I was in my early twenties when Cory Everson and Rachel McLish were so popular.  I still admire both of these women greatly for pushing the level of fitness for women.

Is it right for me?  I believe doable for me.  I’ve put my body through an incredible trauma by increasing my body weight to 328# over a two-year period.  That left marks, both physically and emotionally.  I used to consider those marks a negative reminder of the things I’ve been through.  These days, I just consider them reminders of victorious battles fought.

Anyway I digress.  Here is a picture of one of today’s more popular female body builders.  Her name is Dana Linn Bailey and she is awesome.  What’s more awesome than Dana?  The fact that my friend Katie wore one of the garagegym107.com sweat shirts to Xtreme Nutrition’s latest grand opening and Dana posed with her.

My friend Katie put this little photo together for me.  I adore it.  The poster will now be hanging in GG107.  It makes me feel famous and we all know that I’m not.  Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. 

If you want it, get after getting it.

19
Nov
12

Helpful Hints For The Holidays

By garagegym107 4 Comments
Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

 

 

 

 

 

16
Nov
12

No One Walks In Your Shoes

By garagegym107 21 Comments
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
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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.

 

 

 

 

09
Nov
12

Fabulous Friday

By garagegym107 4 Comments
Categories: Living Fit Daily
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Here we go with another little trip down memory lane. 

This reminds me of fun times on roller skates…uh as in quads.  Yes, I realize that I am again showing my age.   I’m still having fun anyway.

Do something that you love to do today!!  Life is too short not to.

08
Nov
12

Body Image

By garagegym107 Leave a Comment
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I talk to a lot of women.  Both young and a little further along in their young.  Women who are fit and some who are just starting their journey.  The most common thread I find that intertwines all of us are body image issues.  Seriously, I have some BEAUTIFUL friends that allow themselves to see only their own perceived flaws.

Having traveled the journey I’ve traveled I have a whole bunch of stuff that I could go on about.  Sure, some of them I’m darned tempted to surgically change, I mean really.  You don’t go from 328 down to 165 without a thing or two hanging around.  But that’s not what I’m talking about today.

Today I want to talk about embracing your body for the things you don’t see…yet.

Over the past 12 years there have been numerous things I’ve wanted to change about my body.  I’ve worked really hard to change them.  Some have changed, some have not.  Ironically, the one thing I wanted to change the most still hasn’t really changed much at all. 

I have a friend who suggested that instead of constantly focusing on what I want to change, that perhaps I should focus on what is good about my body instead. 

Great things happened over the course of the following months.  Each day I would write down 5 things that I appreciated about my body with the one rule that I couldn’t repeat the same thing.

For example I have very wide clavicles.  I had someone say to me “I’d love to have your clavicles”.  Hmm who knew.

This exercise taught me to love things I’d never even paid any attention to and to not be so very critical of my own flaws.  You can bet there is someone out there right now that wishes they could be where you are today.

So start that little exercise today.  Write down 5 things you truly appreciate about your body.  If you can’t think of 5 try harder.  The way you look isn’t all that matters.

On a completely different topic, here is my friend Caroline rockin’ the GG107 sweat shirt.  She lives in Washington state and reads my blog and talks to me on FB and lets me send her son cotton fresh from the fields of Alabama.  Thank you Caroline!

aka RockStar

07
Nov
12

Getting Lost To Find Yourself

By garagegym107 4 Comments
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Funny how folks allow an event to alter their daily lives even when it is totally out of their own control.  I’ve seen more morose faces today than I care to.  But this is life and I’m going to live it.

There are several highlights already happening in my day.

I watched a beautiful sunrise this morning after successfully hang squat cleaning 100# for 5 sets of 5 reps. 

I worked out with a group of ladies at lunch that are all showing improvement.  They are happy about it.

I closed my office door and buried myself in my work while listening to music.  Thankfully I have a boss that understands on occasion I need to tune out interruption and focus.  Getting lost in music today was a blessing.

This song reminds me of when I was a young mother of three rambunctious little boys.  In fact this reminded me of the day the youngest got a Nerd candy stuck up his nose.

There are greater things in our lives happening everyday.  Choose to see the greatness.

05
Nov
12

Momentum Is Inside You

By garagegym107 2 Comments
Categories: Morphing of a Fit Woman
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

There are days in my fitness and nutrition where momentum is non-existent.  I mean literally, picking up a barbell and going through the movement with no momentum is hard, mentally.  

This morning I ran a few  minutes late getting to the gym.  Big deal, I was still there by 5:30am.   But my mental momentum wasn’t there the second I stepped in front of the barbell.  In fact it took a good ten minutes to warm up to the barbell.

As I got a little looser, the momentum started changing too.

The barbell seemed lighter, my badonkadonk seemed to go lower and the balance seemed to level out.

Squat snatching.  It is such a technical movement. 

A movement that has humbled me over and over again over the past 2.5 years.  Just when I thought I had it, I realized I was training in the realm of power snatch far more often than the squat snatch.  To the point I had literally begun to stop myself from squatting under the bar.  Needless to say, a very poor habit to develop.

This morning I did something that I rarely ever do anymore.  I put my ear buds in and listened to music while I was lifting.  Just me, the barbell, and the music. 

There is always music playing in the gym so it’s not like that part is new.  But this morning I literally closed my mind from distraction and lifted.  Over and over I lifted that barbell, slowly increasing the weight.   It felt good.  Really good.

Today I remembered why I love lifting a barbell.  Because I am able to.  For no other reason than that I am capable.

I have two friends who are injured and can’t lift.  Today I lifted for them as much as for myself.  Thinking each time I pulled that bar high against the front of my body that they would each do the same for me.  

Carol and Caroline…for you.

 

 

 

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