Where's the Beach?

When people decide to come to me for help, as a personal trainer, it's usually because they feel like they need to lose weight. Often that is accompanied by wanting to get stronger, feel healthier, and even be a role model to their children. When you set up a goal for yourself, you need to have ways to measure your progress. How do you monitor that progress then? Generally speaking, people like to focus on numbers. But I believe that we should focus more on our incremental progresses. Not an idea of perfection, but continual progress. Things we forget to pay attention to, but that add up to mean so much more than a number. It's sort of like remembering to focus on those little things, those little moments each and every day that make up our day. I think focusing on progress vs perfection helps too because it's not a linear process. There are always steps forward, back, and sometimes seemingly staying firmly planted. But when you break it down into something looser...

I suppose my promises of more consistent posts, new recipes and workouts fell through. Looking back, it wasn't really that it fell through, I simply wasn't making the blog my priority. My focus shifted, and that's ok. It's important to readjust goals, priorities, expectations from time-to-time rather than just trudging along doing something just for the sake of doing it. But it wasn't just losing focus on the blog, it was losing focus on many things. I said that I wanted to step back so that I could spend more time actually living, enjoying life. But I didn't really even do that. Don't get me wrong, I've been making it a point to enjoy the little things. To focus on being more present, trying to not always be thinking ahead. However, I'm a thinker. I think. A lot. My mind is always going with new ideas. New business ideas. New workouts to try, new recipes to taste, new blog posts and informative articles to write. New ways to promote Where...

If you're like many people, you set out some New Year resolutions or goals, even if they were only in your mind. The new year seems to bring about feeling of renewal or a sense of a fresh start. It feels like the perfect time to achieve some of those goals, project, bucket list items you've been putting off. At first, it feels pretty easy to jump right in, especially with fitness goals. You're coming off the holiday eating festivities. Even if you mostly behaved, bets are you were still out of your routine. Now that the parties are over, it's a great time to get serious right? But what do you do when that energy, enthusiasm starts to fade? And it does. You have a crummy day at work, the weather stinks, you're flat out tired. You want to stomp your foot like a child and say, "no, no, no." It's ok to do that once, maybe twice, but how can you prevent that feeling from derailing your well-meant, whole-hearted best intentions to get healthy? I say, f...

What's something you've gone out and gotten recently?

I think it's well known that runners are a unique group of people. We get up at dark-thirty or squeeze in a run during lunch breaks or after work, we hit the pavement in the rain, sleet, snow, heat and humidity. We often complain that the run was hard, but in the same breath start talking about it in terms of unicorns and rainbows.  What drives runners? Where do they find that motivation to do something that's not always pleasant? Let's face it, running can hurt (hello chafing, blisters, black toenails, lungs on fire). Running can be mentally tough as well. We talk bad about ourselves, doubt ourselves. But somehow, we keep going. Why? How? For me, it's almost impossible to really explain why I keep at it. It makes me happy. It clears my mind. It makes me feel accomplished like nothing else. That isn't to say that I don't lose motivation from time to time.  There are days when the thought of waking up early once more sends me into a 2-year-old tan...

Do you think about what you do throughout the day in terms of how it can affect the next day?  Typically, I am not thinking about my current actions affecting the next day, unless it's something very much planned out. But day-to-day routine actions? No. No, not really. But when you think about it, everything we do today, does affect tomorrow in some way. If I get off my lazy rear and get laundry done today, then it's clean the next day (obviously), and it has freed up a bit of time that might allow me to fit in something more enjoyable, like reading or trying a new recipe. My morning 800s today were tough. I almost bailed on doing all 4 of them. It was humid, windy, much warmer than it's been. I really didn't want to do them. I'll blame it all on my running partner. But, getting them done today will make me a faster, stronger runner tomorrow (well, maybe not exactly tomorrow, but other tomorrows with an "s"). You can of course apply this idea to...

I might have mentioned a few times that I love Pinterest. I love the motivational quotes, inspiration for new recipes, ideas for home decor or new outfits. The same holds true on Facebook too. I have also done a post touching on the topic of over motivation .  But, it seems that it's just inundating social media. What I don't love is the constant barrage of images of too-thin women, or unrealistic images of women appearing to be cut, rock solid day in and day out. Even worse is when they're coupled with quotes that could be motivating. They really could be. But they can also be shaming and even detrimental to our own motivation.  I see quotes like, "Do it every damn day." No. Absolutely not. Try for healthy eating, yes. But working out every single day is not ideal. As a fitness trainer, I do want my clients to feel motivated. At the same time, I don't want them to feel ashamed for missing a workout or for not looking like these images splashed all o...

You often see Motivation Monday posts. I wanted to talk about motivation today, but maybe not quite what most people would expect.  I was thinking about motivation a lot over the weekend. Where it comes from, how it inspires, and also how it can be taken too far. Just take a quick gander over on Pinterest and you'll find more motivational quotes and images than you could use in a lifetime. Then check out your Twitter or Facebook feed. Again, posts about PRs, crushing workouts, miles run, weights and reps lifted. Now visit Instagram and tell me what you see. Yep, more of the same. That's all well and good. It's inspiring to see others out there pushing hard, achieving goals, hitting PRs. It's great to see an image or quote urging us to not quit, to keep going, to push on through the pain.  However, at what cost? One of my least favorite images/quotes I see is the one about never regretting a workout. I'm sorry, but I've regretted a workout before. W...

My 2nd guest blogger is none other than Sarena from The Non-Dairy Queen . I have yet to meet her in person, but know that I will one of these days. Sarena is one of those dear friends you feel like you've known your whole life. The friend you're related to. Sarena is an inspiration on many levels. And if you don't read her blog yet, you really should. It doesn't matter if you're vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, runner, lifter, whatever. She has amazing recipes but an even more, an amazing heart. I really hope you enjoy her post as much as I do. Inspiration Versus Motivation Who else is jealous that Heather is out enjoying the beach? My hand is raised really high right now! I trust that she is soaking up the sun (protected of course) with her best friend and sister. With that group of ladies, there are sure to be some great memories being made. Heather was kind enough to ask me to write a post while she is out having a good time. I am hon...

This has been a very long day for me mostly spent waiting on doctors. I won't even get into that diatribe. No noticbable fracture in my heel that can be seen on x-ray. However, doctor is pretty certain it is not plantar fasciitis and is concerned it could be a calcaneus fracture. So, yet another appointment tomorrow morning for an MRI. Physical therapy was a little more promising. Definitely piriformis syndrome. She was a little concerned that all the things I've been doing haven't helped. She said I was doing everything she'd suggest to any patient. She did notice that my hips are not aligned and thinks this is a muscular deficiency that she wants to also address. I did get a cortisone and lidocaine treatment and she gave me additional, more "aggressive" stretches to try. She also took a look at my heel and was a little worried about how it looked and felt to her. So, long, exhausting, frustrating day. And that brings me to injuries I suppose. Source:...

Spin & Motivation Today was supposed to have been warm and sunny, but the sun was very slow to come out. That was probably a good thing though, less tempting for me to try to run. Instead, I hit up spin. I guess yesterday's interval run kicked my booty more than I realize. My legs felt like dead weights during spin class. In my mind I was keeping pace with the music, in reality it probably looked like I was barely moving. The only reason you'd know I was truly working was from the sweat pouring off of me. After work I spent about 20 minutes stretching. I'm hoping it loosens up the tension or tomorrow may end up having to be a rest day. Tonight is going to be simple - fajitas (for Mexican Monday). I'm just using homemade seitan and sauteing with onions, bell peppers, and portobello mushrooms. It's not really even much of a recipe really. In fact, I sort of feel bad about how measly this post is today. I don't feel like I have any great workouts to shar...

Gym Day Today was a gym day for me, though I was really debating a rest day. While not enjoying the elliptical, I've been enjoying getting my back workouts in at the gym where I can do assisted pullups/chinups. I can already feel the strength gains from working on those. Today was STS Meso 2, Disc 21 . I did omit the band work and deadlifts and added in pullovers and low back extensions on the stability ball. I did warm up for 10 minutes on the elliptical first. Pull Ups Overhand - 12 Chinups Medium Grip - 12 Chinups - 12 Barbell rows - 12,10,8 1-arm Row - 12,10,8,12,10,8 (double dropset) Pullovers (in lieu of deadlifts) 12,10,8 Low back extension on stability ball - 2x16 After the back workout, I headed back to the elliptical for about 25 minutes. I have been less than enthusiastic about  working out lately and I contribute that to the weather and also not being able to get in the cardio I really would love to be doing. When you aren't doing what you enjoy, it mak...

Let's All Lighten Up I must say that I am happy to hear that some of you took my "lighten up" challenge. It's one that I am going to continue to take each day. Just pick something that might be stressing me out unnecessarily and finding a way to lighten up about it. For example, normally had I forgotten to make my oatmeal, that would have sent me over the edge the next morning when I discovered my MUST HAVE breakfast was MIA. Instead, I opted for an alternative: low-sugar instant oatmeal with the addition of bananas and peanut butter. And now a confession, I actually took the easy option again this morning and added in peanut butter and apples with cinnamon. The world seriously didn't stop because I did not have my steel cut oats with protein powder, cinnamon and blueberries. In fact, it was sort of nice having a little change up. Hmmm, who'd have thunk it? Running on Friday Speaking of this morning, I set the alarm again for a morning run. When I stood ...

Thoughts Pre-Workout I'm not sure what's going on with me, but my motivation level is waning in a major way. Like today, I want to go do spin, and I also really want to get biceps, triceps, back done. But, I'm sitting here thinking I'd much prefer to do absolutely nothing. Not even mess with turning on the TV. My great grandmother called days like this her "Blue Day." I've been having a few more Blue Days here lately. Shouldn't I be really happy this time of year? I have a great deal to be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband, great job, fabulous boss, loving family, roof over my head, my health, and so much more. I keep blogging about being grateful, finding motivation, etc. Apparently my body and mind are not connecting very well. I'm a total hypocrite. I just keep thinking that I really have no valid reason to not go workout. I know I'll feel better, or that's usually what happens I should say. It's not even that I'm super...

I have been debating on what I wanted to talk about next. But a few things happened over this Thanksgiving Holiday that have made me seriously take pause and reflect a bit. Of course Thanksgiving is meant to be a day of thanks. It is meant to be a day to enjoy family and friends. I probably did not take enough time to truly enjoy the day as I should have. Especially in light of some sad news I received two days in a row. Friday morning I sat down to check email, and the first one I read struck me hard. A very dear friend's husband has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They have only been married a year. He is only 34 years young. Then on Saturday we went to have dinner with my former dance teacher and his wife, dear friends. We were told that he has prostate cancer and will be having surgery in December.  Needless to say, I most certainly stopped to think about everything that I am so blessed to have. My husband and I recently celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. I am...

Working out isn't always easy, even I will admit that. I workout 6 days a week, but there are definitely those days when it's a struggle to find motivation to do so. I'm only human. I have bad days at work, or I might get into a funk when we have a bout of bad weather. I think that in order to keep exercise in your life, you must tap into a source (or multiple sources) of motivation. Here is a list of motivators that I turn to. They are in no particular order. Motivator 1 - Look in the mirror - I know, sounds vain, but try it. When I see the results of all of my hard work, it makes it easier to keep up with the hard work. When you lift weights, you can see your muscles growing, toning up, and taking shape.  Motivator 2 - The boost of energy I get after a workout. I may be tired and cranky, but if I can just get moving, I feel so much better. It clears my mind. When you're working out, it's harder to dwell on the bad day. In some ways, cardio has become my medic...