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

Round 2 week 2

I am in such a different place than I was a week ago. Last week I was scared to be starting this journey. This week brought experience and perspective. I am loving lifting heavy. It makes me feel powerful and happy. I feel like even with one week my body is responding positively.

Some things I learned this week:

- Make the plan visible so that you can see if you are being consistent in your daily behaviors in order to hit your plan mile stones.

- Being 90% at clean eating brings results, being at 70% does not

- Be, Do , Have - Be the person you want to be, do the things that they do, then you will have the results that you want. For me, Be a lean, fit person.(For me this is visualization, picture that I am that person now - what does that look like? What do I need to be doing? as opposed to one day.. I would like to be a lean and fit person) Do the things that lean, fit people do (eat clean 90% of the time, workout hard and heavy, make choices ahead of time in challenging situations that will help you be successful in your goals) , then I will have the results that I am looking for.

- my hand strength limits what I want to be lifting. I just bough some versa straps and can't wait to give them a try!!

Learning lots and keeping on the path!!

Round 2 day 1...feeling the fear

Last night I got my new food and workout plan from Jillian. Until I got the email I was feeling rather sleepy. As I looked over the plan, I felt restless and nervous. Wow. I have set this goal of 18% body fat for myself... get more ripped, build muscle. This plan is going to take me there. What I am feeling? Fear. Can I do this? Can I put my money where my mouth is? I have told so many people about my goal suppose I fail? Suppose it is too hard and I can't? I think these are things that we all feel when we are about to take the next big step. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

I was so nervous that I did not sleep well. Got up at 5:30 and was at the gym by 6:10.

I got through it! The first workout is complete. Heavy and Hard with a learning curve. I am excited to hit the point in a few weeks when I am comfortable with the workouts so that they flow better and I can push myself more. Now I am bumbling between equipment and guessing what the weight should be. I think with this plan I do wish I had a workout partner to help me go heavier. Either way, I will figure out a way to push and grow.

Still scared and yes I might fail short of my goal but I know at the same time if I don't try for this I will never know what I can be.

PS. I also remember one reason I prefer to workout at home... there was a fairly fit woman there who did what must have been 500 reps of single arm bicep curls with a 5lbs weight while talking to her manpanion. I was trying hard not to judge but damn... it was annoying. Just because I feel like the gym isn't social time and you have to push hard... doesn't mean every one else feels the same way. :)

The first 12 weeks.....

Back in October I started an eating plan that I bought from Jillfit.com. Jillfit is a wonderful company that helps women prepare for fitness competitions... also just the rest of us who need to unload a bit (or a lot of fat). I was nervous but really wanted to try having a diet coach - I would have to send in pictures weekly and keep my coach, Jillian, informed of how things were going. I thought the extra accountability might help... it did.
The first 2 weeks were a bit of a struggle but also produced some astounding changes in my body. Inches were flying off. It was quite amazing.
My results and learning from the 12 week experiment:
Weight lost: 14lbs
Inches lost: 6.75 inches
Other lessons:
There are other spices other than salt!
There are healthy things that you can eat that actually do NOT help you with fat loss.
Cheat nights are awesome.
Jillian is awesome!
Alcohol is a poor decision maker and I should probably avoid it to make my goals.
Regardless of how much I think I have it under control, I will still stumble.
While I could have done better, I did make it through the holiday seasons and LOST weight!!

Round 2 starts on Monday!! The goal for this year is 18% body fat. Can't wait to post pics of some hot abs!!

Changing eating habits is hard..

On my 38th birthday, I was diagnosed as being gluten intolerant.

This means no more wheat, rye or barley for me. I am relieved in a way to have a diagnosis.

I have been feeling crushing fatigue, outrageously moody and unreasonable depression for years. I am hoping that this is the light at the end of the tunnel and that I will eventually begin to feel normal again... what ever that might mean. :)

So you would think that given the motivation to change that I would walk away from gluten readily. I found myself eating out a couple of times this week. There I was NOT asking questions about what has gluten in it or contaminated by it. "I am sure it will be fine, I THINK those ingredients are gluten free". Of course there was today at my sushi club luncheon where I just happily popped the tempura rolls in my mouth with out a second thought. I mean.. I thought about it but ate it anyway.

Those of you who cannot tolerate gluten understand that there is no such thing as just a little bit of it. Even a minuscule amount can set off a reaction. I know better. I know I need to be super careful especially for these first few months. And yet....I am not working too hard at changing my behavior.

The other event that motivated this post was me watching the premier of season 10 of the Biggest Loser. It is heart breaking to see all of these obese people on the show and knowing that America is getting larger by the day. Why? We eat all the wrong foods, too much of it and don't move enough. I don't believe people WANT to be obese. It makes people miserable and yet they keep piling the food in.

While I think the obesity epidemic is complicated and change is hard, here are my thoughts on what can help change (as it relates to eating ) take place:

1) What is behind you reaching for food? Are you really hungry? Did you just eat in the past 1-2 hours? Maybe you are thirsty? Maybe you are hurt, tired, angry, bored, happy, sad, jealous, feel unheard, feel ignored, feel too much attention, lonely, overwhelmed, etc?

Learn to know the difference between hunger and something else going on. Then give your body what it is REALLY wanting. If you struggle with emotional eating, PLEASE see a therapist who can help you work through all of these issues. It is very hard to change emotional eating on your own.

2) Make small changes. Not many people can be successful on going from a full junk food to a whole food diet over night. Junk food, processed food is addictive as hell. It takes time and desire to make that switch. Pick small things each week to work on - more water, smaller servings, 8-10 servings of fruit and veggies every day, 25 grams of fiber, etc. You have to transition in a way that you can maintain for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. No more of this dieting crap until you reach your goal and then I am going back to McDonalds every day and expect my weight to stay off.

Small changes made consistently everyday bring about big life changes.

3) Get support. I am not sure how many people succeed in a vacuum. I know I don't. I believe that most successful people don't. Successful people know that they need mentors and supporters through out their journey. Find people that will support you. Online communities can be great for this. Support can also come from people that you never expected if you give them a chance.

Be prepared however as some times changes make others around you uncomfortable. Give them time and share with them why you are wanting to make these changes. I bet they will come around.

4) Keep trying. Again and again and again. Your health is worth the effort! YOU are worth the effort.

I am going to follow my own advice here and focus on eating completely gluten free! I know I am worth the effort to feel better.

Keep healthy!!

Kara