Strong is the New Skinny

Well I'm about two weeks behind in posts, I do apologize. Part of the reason is I was busy with work, my son's sports, school...LIFE. Part of it was because I'd truly SUCKED at the last two weigh ins hitting a ZERO just after Memorial weekend (thanks to some amazing, authentic Mexican food) followed by an even sadder ONE pound loss last week.

Why was the one worse for me than the zero? I'd expected the zero because of what I'd put in my body, and by what I didn't do. The one was simply a representation of NO ACTION. I should have dropped weight and water from the previous week and clearly I didn't put in nearly enough work on my eating or working out.

From last Thursday to yesterday I was back on track, focused and working hard - I had some really good work outs and felt awesome. I honestly feel stronger than I have in the last decade! Last night I stepped on the scale...4.6 pounds lost in one week. That's more like it. An addict will take themselves to a place mentally where they are full of limitations. To this day, I still do it - I believe I'm not good enough, it's never going to happen, it's too hard, what if I fail, I'm going to fail, I'm sure I've failed, blah, blah, blah! Each week is a new focus, a new charge, a new goal. I love this plan because all I have to do is follow it and chase Thursdays and within a year (or less) I'll be down 100 pounds.

Luckily I have responsibilities like a son and a job that keep me busy otherwise I'd be a gym rat - now there's nothing wrong with that but I'd seriously be obsessed. I'm still working on my Personal Trainer Certificate, more so I know what I'm doing and how to properly train this body but someday this body might be a marketing tool to working full time at what I love. TRAINING!

I have however found a new obsession! CrossFit - if you don't know what that is exactly, Google it, YouTube it...heck go here http://youtu.be/GjPvkoDWcow and just watch day 1 of the CrossFit games held last weekend here in Washington. The sound is a little funky but enjoy. These people workout in industrial parks, large warehouse garages, they are lifting tires, throwing weights and taking themselves to a new level of masochistic fitness.

I want to be the fittest I've EVER been, not just in the last decade but in the last three and a half decades. I want to push myself to fitness levels I don't think I can reach and CrossFit is my vehicle. I'm excited (nervous) to join next Tuesdays "On Ramping" class and get my two weeks done so I can go full time! The other benefit is they have developed a CrossFit Kids where they teach youth from 4 years old and up the proper body mechanics, mental attitude, agility and strength training (appropriate for little bones and muscles). Jordan is amped to get in there and do something especially since when he goes to the gym with me, he sits in a baby daycare watching baby movies, surrounded by baby toys. BORING!

So here we go - onto the next one, another week, eating, training, training, eating - chasing Thursday - will you come along.

No matter what your fitness level or goal is go for it, just put one foot in front of the other and remember you're there for YOU - no one else. You cannot go through life making everyone else happy if you're not. You only have one body, one life - have fun with it, treat it well, make good choices.

Till next time - be blessed.

I Must Confess!

I could say "well at least I didn't gain..." or "it was a holiday..." or "it would have been rude not to partake..." but really though these may all be true, it still does not justify the fact that I CHEATED! Yes it's true - I'm a cheater - well I was, I'm currently reformed.

You see over the Memorial holiday weekend, my family trucked off to Eastern Washington to see my fiancé’s best friend. Great guy, great cook. John is Mexican - we were showered with carne asada, Pico de Gallo, tamales, homemade tortillas, black eyed peas, and rice...YUM. Now I did make sure to have a hotel with a gym and we did work out for two hours on Sunday. I did not consume any alcohol and nearly reached my 140 ounces of water intake daily; however there were the road trip snacks of Starbursts! And though I worked out four more times when we arrived home, there was a mocha, a snickers AND a beef and cheddar. The slope was slippery and I kept sliding. I was starting to get into that mindset "oh I'll just work out extra hard." Really - it's nearly impossible to burn 800-1000 calories in a workout and all because I decided to eat something that only took minutes to consume - DUMB!

THEN..... there was the weigh in yesterday - now I knew I'd cheated, I felt guilty for it - for my own personal progress but also because I'd made a promise to my coach - I'd signed a contract and I'd failed. I stepped on the scale and it was a BIG FAT ZERO!!!

Tom Krause said “There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.”

SO here I go, I'm going to react in a non-verbal way, I'm back on the horse, I'm back in the saddle, I'm doing this thing and not cheating - this is by far too important for me to quit on myself for temporary pleasure.

Failure is a true sign of being human and I'm okay with it - it really is all about what you do with what you have at any given moment.

If you have found yourself "being human" too, just remember it's okay, remember your goals and your WHY. Remember that what you're doing isn't easy otherwise our world wouldn't be obese and remember that you CAN overcome temptation and get back to your laser focus.

Go do great things!