Well, I survived the "blizzard" along with the other 73 people crammed in this Starbucks.
Its nuts in here right now.
I literally had to make a table out of the window seal while attempting to sit upright and straddle the wall to type efficiently. No, its not pretty, but I left my decency between 1st and 2nd Avenue when I nearly bit the dust crossing the street. Never mind the cars, give me a patch of ice and I will quite easily injure myself.
Its been quite the week with smoke detector issues, a neck injury, and inspiring moments with clients. I'll start with a device that I honestly want to rip from the ceiling in a fit of rage. I understand that it is meant as a warning, as a helpful item, but in a 450sq ft apartment, it warns of nothing that would not have already exploded.
I've managed to set it off 3 times in the last week while cooking chicken. Amazingly, at 7am with the alarm blaring, no one showed up to see if everything was ok. I don't blame them.
I am fully aware that my neighbors hate me at this point, and by the 3rd incident were probably hoping I was playing with matches on purpose.
I wasn't. Again, chicken. I blame the chicken.
But in my defense, you get through 2 chicken breasts and the place looks like a smokehouse. Who cooks just 2 breasts?? I need to get through about 3-4 pounds at a time, and a smoke detector that goes off at the sound of a fart is not helping...
Onto my neck...
Holy geez, talk about a wake up call. Last week I was on the last rep of my last set of barbell shoulder press, and in a meathead moment of pure GH release, I pressed the weight up and my neck basically screamed at me.
I felt it happen, and the rest of my workout knew this was not going to be something I just slept off. On a scale from 1-10, the pain was about an 8.5. And ironically, the position that irritated it the most was standing/walking while trying to just keep my head up.
Slightly problematic considering my profession.
The rest of the afternoon proved to be difficult while demonstrating exercises for clients, and then the trek home nearly put me in tears. Ridiculous, I know.
But seriously, the only way I could remotely walk without excruciating pain was to tilt my head to the left and look down.
I looked like Quasimodo shuffling to the 6 train.
All I could do when I got home was lay down and apply as much pressure as I could stand to that spot. Thankfully, it eased up in a few days and I've never been so grateful to nod my head...I nearly ceased verbal responses all together out of pure joy that my neck didn't feel like death anymore.
Slight exaggeration, but you get my point.
Overall though, my workouts are going very well. Intense and exhausting, but very good. I definitely have to warm-up and roll more than I used to. At 31, things do not exactly feel like they did at 21 ;)
A few of the younger male trainers like to remind me of my age on a regular basis.
Its all fun and games until you actually do the math. It was me against two young 20-somethings that ended with the eldest commenting to the younger:...
"Dude, she was in college when you first discovered your genitals."
There was pretty much nothing to say after that.
It was true. Boys...
What a solid week with clients.
I had a few ladies make major breakthroughs amidst the sweat and dumbbells. Perhaps the biggest obstacle for my "newbie" females is understanding the importance and role of struggle in the gym. Understanding that yes, it is necessary to spark change, and no it is not a reflection of weakness. Rather, it is an opportunity to foster strength in a moment of determination and belief in oneself. It sounds quite simple and yet how often when left on our own do we hover in the comforts of the familiar,...the just difficult enough,...or the guaranteed success?! We do it ALL THE TIME. We are creatures of habit and often resist change when struggle is involved.
So to see these ladies actively choosing to trust me in that moment, keep pushing, and ultimately do something they were not sure they could do,....that is food for my soul.
I love it.
They are slowly becoming forces to be reckoned with. Its amazing.
Well, Starbucks is still packed and my rearend is officially stuck to this seat. I need to get home and start food prepping for tomorrow.....if you see me on the news you'll know the smoke detector finally got the best of me. Have a wonderful night folks.
And in honor of my courageous ladies,...you know that very thing you are afraid to do?,....do it. Tomorrow. Conquer it. Go amaze yourself....
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Sweet-tarts, Squats, and Elderly Aggrssion
It was my first trip to Target in 4 months....(as every young mothers' mouth drops in complete awe of such a concept).I get it.
Target is a retail gift from God. You have everything you want in one stop for an overall pleasant shopping experience. Unless you go on Saturday....that is a test of pure will power not to strangle someone, namely yourself.
I have no complaints about my recent trip except that it looks like Valentines Day exploded in that place. Oh the things we will do for the sake of a holiday no one truly understands.
I say this as I literally just left with 3 bags full of stuff for my nieces and nephew. I couldn't help myself.
I finally feel like I'm catching up on sleep and am down to only one nap a day. Some of you roll your eyes as if to say "at least you get a nap!"...fine. I hear you. And yet any other trainer totally empathizes with a schedule that is off/on for 12-14 hours. We can nap anytime, anywhere, like champs....and taking away our caffeine source is a dangerous move if you value your life.
Fittingly, my nap location of choice lately is the Starbucks across the street from the gym. My thought is that eventually they will either kick me out or offer a pillow. Thus, my goal is to slowly break them down.....so far the southern accent has only gotten me a free coffee, which is fine, lets be honest. I'd add a couple of winks if I thought that Tall would turn into a Grande.
Workouts...
Being the newest coach in a gym of 60 trainers sparks many conversations about
our own personal workouts. We don't always workout at the same time, but you can't help but observe the discipline, work ethic, and push of your counterparts in this industry. Its good accountability and the energy is fuel in the moments we struggle.
...Like yesterday when I was on my 4th set of squats and knew I was either going to come up or split my spandex trying. Thank you Nike for a strong seam.
My workouts are undergoing a makeover thanks to the help of my boyfriend, who's idea of INTENSITY is a 12 on a 1-10 scale.
You can imagine the conversation over dinner. We go through workout and nutrition planning, and next thing you know we're discussing squat patterns and there I am doing demos next to my plate of chicken.
This is normal.
Totally normal.
Honestly though, its been a solid week of training and my legs are screaming. I needed to take today off. Tomorrow is going to be a tough upper body workout followed by high intensity cardio.
Side note:...this elderly male beside me in Starbucks is talking about punching people in the face.
Yeah, I don't know, but this is why I love New York.
To my NC folks...
I want to send a truly special thank you to all of you who thoughtfully send me emails, texts, calls, etc to see how I am doing. You have no clue how much it means to me, and I am constantly flooded with gratefulness and inspiration. Thank you,...you are amazing.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend,...make it great,...and then make it even better. :)
Target is a retail gift from God. You have everything you want in one stop for an overall pleasant shopping experience. Unless you go on Saturday....that is a test of pure will power not to strangle someone, namely yourself.
I have no complaints about my recent trip except that it looks like Valentines Day exploded in that place. Oh the things we will do for the sake of a holiday no one truly understands.
I say this as I literally just left with 3 bags full of stuff for my nieces and nephew. I couldn't help myself.
I finally feel like I'm catching up on sleep and am down to only one nap a day. Some of you roll your eyes as if to say "at least you get a nap!"...fine. I hear you. And yet any other trainer totally empathizes with a schedule that is off/on for 12-14 hours. We can nap anytime, anywhere, like champs....and taking away our caffeine source is a dangerous move if you value your life.
Fittingly, my nap location of choice lately is the Starbucks across the street from the gym. My thought is that eventually they will either kick me out or offer a pillow. Thus, my goal is to slowly break them down.....so far the southern accent has only gotten me a free coffee, which is fine, lets be honest. I'd add a couple of winks if I thought that Tall would turn into a Grande.
Workouts...
Being the newest coach in a gym of 60 trainers sparks many conversations about
our own personal workouts. We don't always workout at the same time, but you can't help but observe the discipline, work ethic, and push of your counterparts in this industry. Its good accountability and the energy is fuel in the moments we struggle.
...Like yesterday when I was on my 4th set of squats and knew I was either going to come up or split my spandex trying. Thank you Nike for a strong seam.
My workouts are undergoing a makeover thanks to the help of my boyfriend, who's idea of INTENSITY is a 12 on a 1-10 scale.
You can imagine the conversation over dinner. We go through workout and nutrition planning, and next thing you know we're discussing squat patterns and there I am doing demos next to my plate of chicken.
This is normal.
Totally normal.
Honestly though, its been a solid week of training and my legs are screaming. I needed to take today off. Tomorrow is going to be a tough upper body workout followed by high intensity cardio.
Side note:...this elderly male beside me in Starbucks is talking about punching people in the face.
Yeah, I don't know, but this is why I love New York.
To my NC folks...
I want to send a truly special thank you to all of you who thoughtfully send me emails, texts, calls, etc to see how I am doing. You have no clue how much it means to me, and I am constantly flooded with gratefulness and inspiration. Thank you,...you are amazing.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend,...make it great,...and then make it even better. :)
Thursday, January 8, 2015
I Might Have Frostbite.
Ah yes, it feels so good to be back on the keyboard.
I've missed it and probably get some sort of high from writing. Ironically, I've never experienced the whole "runner's high",...and after mile 6 or 7, its no longer worth the effort or potential thigh chafing.
But give me a pen, paper, and some spell check, and I'm operating on a whole new level.
Currently, I've monopolized a couple of tables in Starbucks and am completely fascinated by this woman beside me. Believe me, I can appreciate the natural affection one feels for a steamy cup of Joe, but she is a first.
I've never witnessed someone order 8 ounces of coffee in a 16oz cup, topped with whipped cream, and then consumed with a fork. I can't stop watching.
She just groaned.
Suddenly I'm flashing to the scene in When Harry Met Sally, and basically one sound effect away from rushing to the counter and ordering the same thing.
New York is always entertaining.
Life...
Well, I flew back to North Carolina for Christmas with the Parker crew, and it was beyond wonderful to see everyone. Yes, in the 31 years God has allowed my ridiculous tail to be on this earth, I've never gone this long without seeing them. Sparkles was beside herself, but it very well could have been the Christmas spirit taking over that woman like a bad rash. Needless to say, mom and dad were in rare form with everything going on.
I had the pleasure of staying with my brother/sister-in-law and waking up on Christmas day with my nieces and nephew. Nothing compares to that. Witnessing the pure joy and sugar overload was enough for this soul. And you better believe that when they asked for more Reece's Pieces before breakfast I caved and thought WWJD? This is where I reason that He fed 5000, so I can feed 2 some chocolate and the world will not come to an end. I know, it makes no sense, but whatever sometimes you just roll with it. I rolled.
One beautiful thing about going home as a "guest" is that you're not expected to bring any food item to an event. They say "your company is enough", which usually means "I will defriend you if you show up empty-handed, you thoughtless human being." Its true.
BUT, when you're flying in from another state, traditional expectations are lifted a little. I brought nothing but love and sarcasm.
Thanks mom.
The trip flew by and before I knew it I was back in the city unpacking and cursing my ability to cram so much crap in one suitcase.
I've tried to make unpacking a game. Its not.
Its just one of those things you do, are reminded why you don't like it every time, and generally vow to take less stuff the next time,....which is another fail, lets be honest.
The day I pack less than 5 pairs of shoes, prepare for Armageddon.
All in all, so many highlights of my time with family. A few:
- Dad wears Santa t-shirt and therefore is taken seriously by no one. Blames mom.
- Payton associates Aunt Mena being home because "it smells like chicken"
- David's inability to stop throwing paper wads at me while unwrapping gifts results in a projectile navel orange to the throat...(I have yet to feel bad about this...he was warned...and I was armed)
- Salem remains calm despite the estrogen overload and serious case of breast milk gas
- Quality time with Jordan and Jan results in an amazing re-gift, Bella/Aunt Mena time, and me eating all the peanuts from their pantry. I pretty much hit the jackpot on that visit. ...I owe them a lot of nuts.
- Payton/Haven attempt to perform their own version of Frozen and spread white sand across the entire house.
-*Related: Kelly considers a post-holiday hysterectomy
- Also related: Certain people like to remind me my "clock is ticking". I'm sorry my uterus didn't realize its aging,...thank you for the reminder.
- Best part of the trip: the endless laughter and love that exists in my family. Truly blessed and can't wait to visit in the Spring :)
Fitness...
Well now that everyone's eyes are bleeding, I'll try to wrap this up quickly.
I am officially transferred to a new Equinox location. Yes, it was a fast transfer and stressful on many levels, however I am beyond grateful for faithful clients and mangers who are making it as smooth as possible. With a team of 60 trainers, its a bigger gym and certainly a different dynamic. But I firmly believe in our ability to adapt, thrive, and ultimately progress amidst what initially feels uncomfortable.
So here I am...and wouldn't trade the beautiful mess its been for anything.
I was thrilled to watch clients stay focused and on track during the holidays, but still enjoy the time of year. Speaking of, with the resolution crowd making their way to the treadmills and god forsaken stairmasters, there is the constant reminder of efforts to move forward and create positive change.
Ah yes, the pursuit.
The daily grind and push to make new habits, forgo old ones, and try not to lose our minds in the process. And yet despite our determination, nearly 95% of resolutions fail. Fact. We have literally gotten worse at achieving these annual goals....to the point that I find less and less people practicing the tradition.
This got me thinking. Scary, I know.
But in all seriousness, here we are making goals and even coming up with a step by step plan to get there (my OCD readers say amen), but there is a critical piece that I will explore in my next article:
Preparing to Fail.
Sounds so positive right?! Ha, but I believe in this 100%. *We often neglect to consider that when we strive to make permanent behavior changes we WILL have lapses. Period. And preparing to fail is simply a realistic understanding that lapses are inevitable, and its our response and resilience that determines our growth, strength, and therefore success.
Its a game plan for the inevitable. A beautiful and delicate balance of respecting the natural process, while fueling a greater belief that you can, will, and continue to conquer your greatest conquest,....yourself.
Stay tuned, more to come on that ;) .....
Well folks,...I've created a dent in this Starbucks seat. I already napped once. They are starting to suspect I am using them for their internet connection.
Guilty.
And if I thought I could be ninja-like and jump behind the counter long enough to put my head under the coffee dispenser, I would. But its 10 degrees outside and I still can't feel my toes...
Stay warm. Make today great. And go be awesome....
I've missed it and probably get some sort of high from writing. Ironically, I've never experienced the whole "runner's high",...and after mile 6 or 7, its no longer worth the effort or potential thigh chafing.
But give me a pen, paper, and some spell check, and I'm operating on a whole new level.
Currently, I've monopolized a couple of tables in Starbucks and am completely fascinated by this woman beside me. Believe me, I can appreciate the natural affection one feels for a steamy cup of Joe, but she is a first.
I've never witnessed someone order 8 ounces of coffee in a 16oz cup, topped with whipped cream, and then consumed with a fork. I can't stop watching.
She just groaned.
Suddenly I'm flashing to the scene in When Harry Met Sally, and basically one sound effect away from rushing to the counter and ordering the same thing.
New York is always entertaining.
Life...
Well, I flew back to North Carolina for Christmas with the Parker crew, and it was beyond wonderful to see everyone. Yes, in the 31 years God has allowed my ridiculous tail to be on this earth, I've never gone this long without seeing them. Sparkles was beside herself, but it very well could have been the Christmas spirit taking over that woman like a bad rash. Needless to say, mom and dad were in rare form with everything going on.
I had the pleasure of staying with my brother/sister-in-law and waking up on Christmas day with my nieces and nephew. Nothing compares to that. Witnessing the pure joy and sugar overload was enough for this soul. And you better believe that when they asked for more Reece's Pieces before breakfast I caved and thought WWJD? This is where I reason that He fed 5000, so I can feed 2 some chocolate and the world will not come to an end. I know, it makes no sense, but whatever sometimes you just roll with it. I rolled.
One beautiful thing about going home as a "guest" is that you're not expected to bring any food item to an event. They say "your company is enough", which usually means "I will defriend you if you show up empty-handed, you thoughtless human being." Its true.
BUT, when you're flying in from another state, traditional expectations are lifted a little. I brought nothing but love and sarcasm.
Thanks mom.
The trip flew by and before I knew it I was back in the city unpacking and cursing my ability to cram so much crap in one suitcase.
I've tried to make unpacking a game. Its not.
Its just one of those things you do, are reminded why you don't like it every time, and generally vow to take less stuff the next time,....which is another fail, lets be honest.
The day I pack less than 5 pairs of shoes, prepare for Armageddon.
All in all, so many highlights of my time with family. A few:
- Dad wears Santa t-shirt and therefore is taken seriously by no one. Blames mom.
- Payton associates Aunt Mena being home because "it smells like chicken"
- David's inability to stop throwing paper wads at me while unwrapping gifts results in a projectile navel orange to the throat...(I have yet to feel bad about this...he was warned...and I was armed)
- Salem remains calm despite the estrogen overload and serious case of breast milk gas
- Quality time with Jordan and Jan results in an amazing re-gift, Bella/Aunt Mena time, and me eating all the peanuts from their pantry. I pretty much hit the jackpot on that visit. ...I owe them a lot of nuts.
- Payton/Haven attempt to perform their own version of Frozen and spread white sand across the entire house.
-*Related: Kelly considers a post-holiday hysterectomy
- Also related: Certain people like to remind me my "clock is ticking". I'm sorry my uterus didn't realize its aging,...thank you for the reminder.
- Best part of the trip: the endless laughter and love that exists in my family. Truly blessed and can't wait to visit in the Spring :)
Fitness...
Well now that everyone's eyes are bleeding, I'll try to wrap this up quickly.
I am officially transferred to a new Equinox location. Yes, it was a fast transfer and stressful on many levels, however I am beyond grateful for faithful clients and mangers who are making it as smooth as possible. With a team of 60 trainers, its a bigger gym and certainly a different dynamic. But I firmly believe in our ability to adapt, thrive, and ultimately progress amidst what initially feels uncomfortable.
So here I am...and wouldn't trade the beautiful mess its been for anything.
I was thrilled to watch clients stay focused and on track during the holidays, but still enjoy the time of year. Speaking of, with the resolution crowd making their way to the treadmills and god forsaken stairmasters, there is the constant reminder of efforts to move forward and create positive change.
Ah yes, the pursuit.
The daily grind and push to make new habits, forgo old ones, and try not to lose our minds in the process. And yet despite our determination, nearly 95% of resolutions fail. Fact. We have literally gotten worse at achieving these annual goals....to the point that I find less and less people practicing the tradition.
This got me thinking. Scary, I know.
But in all seriousness, here we are making goals and even coming up with a step by step plan to get there (my OCD readers say amen), but there is a critical piece that I will explore in my next article:
Preparing to Fail.
Sounds so positive right?! Ha, but I believe in this 100%. *We often neglect to consider that when we strive to make permanent behavior changes we WILL have lapses. Period. And preparing to fail is simply a realistic understanding that lapses are inevitable, and its our response and resilience that determines our growth, strength, and therefore success.
Its a game plan for the inevitable. A beautiful and delicate balance of respecting the natural process, while fueling a greater belief that you can, will, and continue to conquer your greatest conquest,....yourself.
Stay tuned, more to come on that ;) .....
Well folks,...I've created a dent in this Starbucks seat. I already napped once. They are starting to suspect I am using them for their internet connection.
Guilty.
And if I thought I could be ninja-like and jump behind the counter long enough to put my head under the coffee dispenser, I would. But its 10 degrees outside and I still can't feel my toes...
Stay warm. Make today great. And go be awesome....
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