Buddies and Fun - The Ideafit PT Conference

This weekend I attended the IdeaFit Personal Training Conference in Alexandria, Va. I had been looking forward to this conference for months. It lived up to all the expectations that I had. I was most excited about meeting the 3 trainers that I have been learning most from since becoming a personal trainer.... Todd Durkin, Alwyn Cosgrove and Nick Tuminello . I have loved learning from their youtube videos, blogs and books. They were even more amazing and inspiring in person. My workshops with each of them were each special and unforgettable for different reasons. If you are not familiar with their work - CHECK THEM OUT!!

While I learned so many things over the course of the weekend, my biggest lessons were around fun and workout buddies.

Fun - I need to bring more fun to my personal workouts and my clients' workouts. Many of you know, I enjoy working out. It is the part of fitness that I have always been good at and consistent with. I really enjoy working out. I do. But am I having fun with it? Can I make it more fun for myself? I don't know... but I am going to figure that out.

For my clients, they tell me they like coming to work out with me. I want to see how I can bring more fun into their workouts. Have them feeling challenged and smiling consistently. That would be awesome.

Buddies - The second lesson from the weekend was about workout partners. Many workshops were how to get more from working out with doing partner exercises....even had the Cosgrove's talk about moving to a semi-private personal training model and the benefits for the trainer and the clients. I workout alone for the most part. I run with friends some times and on a more rare occasion take a group ex class. What am I missing out on not having a partner with my lifting? How much better could I be if I had some one there to push me? I do like my alone time in the gym and getting the work done. But I had a fun time this weekend drilling with some people and I have seen some great videos of people pushing each other in the gym. I don't have any one now who could step in to this role at the moment but I will be looking for the opportunity as it comes up.

How do you have fun in your workouts?
Is it better with a buddy?

Round 2 weeks 4&5: Trial and Error

I had a great week last week in my plan to hit 18% body fat... and really ideally have abs that I am happy to show off. I had my body fat measured and came in at 19.5%. WOW. I finally broke that 20% barrier. It was a lot of hard work for me to get there.

There are some times on my early morning drives to the gym I think to myself... "I wish I could just be there!! ("There" being at my goal. ) I don't want to have to keep doing all this hard work." But you know what ? THAT is what keeps me marching to my goal. Daily, consistent actions - working out and fueling my body that get there. There is no magic pill. And I don't want to lose the joy of the journey. The journey brings presence in the moment and brings the opportunity to learn. If I could just set a goal and suddenly just be there... the victory would not be as sweet and the learnings would be shallow. Often too once we get to our goals, we realize there is not a "there" to get to.

I have to remember that when I hit 18%, the only thing that changes is my body fat. I will still be the same Kara just a little fitter, leaner. By enjoying the journey I learn more about who I am and I get to test and learn. The journey to get to where I am from a fitness place has been years in the making. I have had to figure out what kind of workout works best for me and countless cycles of tweaking of nutrition and working with several professionals to help me out.

Set your goals and go for them boldly. Be present. Pay attention. What needs adjusting? what is not working? What other support do you need?

Round 2 Week 3: Roles of the people around you

Week 3 of my new program: Really liking it and noticing some good changes from week 2 to week 3. It feels good doing things every day that are getting me closer to my goals. Honestly, I keep touching my stomach all the time, amazed that it is not covered in near as much fat as it once was.

My thought for this week's blog is the role that people in your life play. At the end of last week, I was feeling pretty broken, tired and discouraged. I got an email from my coach that contained the words that I needed to hear. It turned my mindset completely around and I was charged to keep plowing ahead.

It reminded me of how important it is for me to have a powerful advocate for me in my life. Some one who believes in me completely even when I don't believe in myself. I have found that I can use their belief in me to pull through those times when I don't believe in myself. I had an amazing manager (and thankfully, now friend) where I used to work that believed in me to be bigger and better than I was being. I didn't always believe it but I thought hey if he believes in me then I need to at least step forward into this new space more. Because of him, I started on a path of amazing personal growth and I am better for it.

Another role in my life is the realist - my husband is honest to a fault and I have learned to be careful what questions to ask him if I don't REALLY want the honest answer. (Honey, how do I look in this dress?) :) But I have come to rely on him to keep me honest and grounded in reality and I know when I get compliments from him that they are well earned.

Of course I need my girl friends for that wonderful validation.. a pick me up, a rant session, fun deep sharing and connection.

In thinking about these roles and sharing with my husband, he asked me - Can you learn to be these things for yourself as well?

Huh. I don't know. I can't imagine being the advocate for me that is filled by some of the other people in my life. But what if they are not there and I need to get through? In those times, I can tap into their belief in me. I can hear their words and feel the impact in my heart in mind in response. I think that qualifies as filling that role myself. :)

What roles do you like/need to have in your life?

What roles do you fill for others?

What are the gaps that you need to be able to provide for yourself?

Have joy and fitness in each and every day!

Kara