I seriously need to invest in a sprinkler.
Or hire one of the 47 neighboring kids to come water my plants everyday.
I get home and the thought of standing outside holding a hose for another 15 minutes is overwhelming. You would think its the end of the world.
Its not.
But I literally scroll through articles, facebook, twitter, and instagram on my phone while I do it. Otherwise, the entire watering process would last about 1.3 minutes before I lost my mind.
Again, why I have not invested in a sprinkler, I have no clue.
Its like punching myself in the ribs at this point. I am numb and apparently ok with it.
My latest article went up today and I have to say thank you thank you (http://activedgefit.com/throwing-out-the-f-word/), for the email/message feedback. I truly appreciate your kind words, and am thrilled to be a part of your journey in some form or fashion.
It always amazes me how every story resonates in a different way with each writing. You people are unbelievable, and your stories of resilience, inspiring.
Thank you for sharing.
Today was Brian's birthday...37...wow.
I met him when he was 25, and I came to him for help recovering from one of the darkest chapters in my life. I wanted to get healthy again, and he offered an opportunity to not only regain control of my life, but ultimately pave the way for my career. He kicked my ass with workouts, and honestly there were a few times in the pool I thought I was either going to vomit, punch him, or drown...or all 3 in that exact order.
He always told me I'd make a great trainer and to let him know when I was ready to start after college....well, that was 8 years ago and the rest is history.
Happy Birthday B, and here's to many more!
Another great day in the gym.
Folks were right on point with everything and I was pumped to do a handful of successful weigh-ins today. My ladies are doing their homework and I love it. 10 pounds here, another 4 pounds there,...very cool.
Ok, bedtime...Busy morning and then time to get the applejuice keg ready for Little Miss P-Diddle. Girls Night! Watch out...
Showing posts with label twitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twitter. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Respect Your Machine
I am actually sitting at the dinner table while its still light outside. This rarely happens.....I won't complain. Wednesdays are generally long, and when I hit "my wall" at 2pm, I hit it pretty hard. I just wanted to lay down. On the floor, on the desk, treadmill, it really didn't matter. Just give me a horizontal surface and I can fall asleep any afternoon...especially Wednesdays. Its at those times that I keep twitter close by for a few laughs to keep my going. Yes, I have a twitter account (MFSince1983), and yes I was anti-twitter for awhile, but what the heck...the flesh is weak and I gave in. I don't follow anyone that is going to be dramatic on there....its a "tweet" for God sake. And no, I will not get serious on there either. I keep it light-hearted with a nice dose of sarcasm...just like I like it. Join the bandwagon...its free stalking.
I had a great workout today...legs and core. Doing ab exercises always make me nauseous...got a little carried away on leg raises and kneed myself in the forehead. Seriously. If I told my family they'd probably ask if it broke my patella. They like making fun of the fact that I have the same hairline as my 58 year old dad...except his is supposed to recede. Mine just looks like I could pretty much headbutt anything and dominate like a champ.
...Not quite sure how I get on these topics...
I had to give a client a little pep-talk today over the phone. First, let me say that one of the best things a trainer can do for the sake of their professional relationship with a client is understand a person's relationship with exercise. What I mean by that is,...is it a have to because of health risks, is it an enjoyable aspect of their day, is it an I'm-going-to-push-until-I throw-up mentality they possess, is it maybe even an addiction, or perhaps something they will only do to the bare minimum just to say they workout. Understanding this is key when a client sets goals, complains of joint pain, seeks motivation to keep going, etc...
My client calls and says she's been in the hospital hooked to an IV this morning. I am immediately shocked and completely thrown off because this is a very healthy and fit woman. We talk for a long time about the events leading up to her getting sick and just feeling horrible for over a week. But what blew me away was her actually apologizing for canceling her session and simply wanting to take it easy for a couple of days. Seriously?! Fever...migraines...hospitalization....an apology? I quickly had to talk some sense into this woman. She'd pushed and pushed and now was to the point where she struggled to allow herself to rest and more importantly be OK with it. In that moment, she needed to respect her body by backing off. Her expectations exceeded what was reasonable and even healthy at that time. By the end of our conversation she was laughing and thankfully calmer.
I sat there laughing for a minute or two afterward because for A LOT of people its the exact opposite....they get a freak'n hangnail, and there I am trying to convince them that it won't effect their squat form and to keep moving. I am always amazed by this. So a better option would be to just stop, continue to get out of shape, put even more strain on your joints, decrease your life expectancy, and complain about the very things you can control?! Give me a break.
On the same note, I did an initial evaluation today. I go through basic stats- height, weight, percent body fat....do a functional movement screen...cardio assessment,...and then finish with a few basic strength tests. Honestly, it is nothing major. By the end, the man was laid out on the PT table, dizzy, and saying he felt completely spent. Sad, but I see this more often than I'd like. So I finally asked him if he truly thought he'd come in there and perform like an Olympic athlete. It was a wake up call. We compare ourselves to the average American, but the problem is that the average is overweight, out of shape, and on the cusp of major health problems that EVERYONE pays for.
The man starts Monday.
I'm about to rock his wanna-look-better-naked world. Game time.
I'll casually roll off my soap box now...
Time for a some shut-eye. See you all on twitter ;)
I had a great workout today...legs and core. Doing ab exercises always make me nauseous...got a little carried away on leg raises and kneed myself in the forehead. Seriously. If I told my family they'd probably ask if it broke my patella. They like making fun of the fact that I have the same hairline as my 58 year old dad...except his is supposed to recede. Mine just looks like I could pretty much headbutt anything and dominate like a champ.
...Not quite sure how I get on these topics...
I had to give a client a little pep-talk today over the phone. First, let me say that one of the best things a trainer can do for the sake of their professional relationship with a client is understand a person's relationship with exercise. What I mean by that is,...is it a have to because of health risks, is it an enjoyable aspect of their day, is it an I'm-going-to-push-until-I throw-up mentality they possess, is it maybe even an addiction, or perhaps something they will only do to the bare minimum just to say they workout. Understanding this is key when a client sets goals, complains of joint pain, seeks motivation to keep going, etc...
My client calls and says she's been in the hospital hooked to an IV this morning. I am immediately shocked and completely thrown off because this is a very healthy and fit woman. We talk for a long time about the events leading up to her getting sick and just feeling horrible for over a week. But what blew me away was her actually apologizing for canceling her session and simply wanting to take it easy for a couple of days. Seriously?! Fever...migraines...hospitalization....an apology? I quickly had to talk some sense into this woman. She'd pushed and pushed and now was to the point where she struggled to allow herself to rest and more importantly be OK with it. In that moment, she needed to respect her body by backing off. Her expectations exceeded what was reasonable and even healthy at that time. By the end of our conversation she was laughing and thankfully calmer.
I sat there laughing for a minute or two afterward because for A LOT of people its the exact opposite....they get a freak'n hangnail, and there I am trying to convince them that it won't effect their squat form and to keep moving. I am always amazed by this. So a better option would be to just stop, continue to get out of shape, put even more strain on your joints, decrease your life expectancy, and complain about the very things you can control?! Give me a break.
On the same note, I did an initial evaluation today. I go through basic stats- height, weight, percent body fat....do a functional movement screen...cardio assessment,...and then finish with a few basic strength tests. Honestly, it is nothing major. By the end, the man was laid out on the PT table, dizzy, and saying he felt completely spent. Sad, but I see this more often than I'd like. So I finally asked him if he truly thought he'd come in there and perform like an Olympic athlete. It was a wake up call. We compare ourselves to the average American, but the problem is that the average is overweight, out of shape, and on the cusp of major health problems that EVERYONE pays for.
The man starts Monday.
I'm about to rock his wanna-look-better-naked world. Game time.
I'll casually roll off my soap box now...
Time for a some shut-eye. See you all on twitter ;)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday smack down
Tuesday is generally one of my favorite days....its not nuts like Monday, its not long like Thursday, its just a very non-controversial day. Today, Tuesday punched me in the face and then proceeded to drag me by my hair until I was ready to cry "uncle" by the afternoon.
I got to work extra early to make sure I was mentally prepared for the day, and honestly felt pretty good. By 9:15 I hit I wall. I was dizzy, exhausted, and just wanted a nap...ridiculous. And I truly hate when I start to feel like that prior to a workout. As if its not going to be hard enough, let's add some fatigue on top of it. Geez. I had chest, shoulders, and core today. I kept weights as heavy as possible, but was honestly struggling during my first exercise. Everything just felt heavier than normal...so I gave it what I had, finished with a 4 mile run, and that was about all I could do...
By 3:30 my head was on the desk and I literally fell asleep for a few minutes while writing out workout plans. The phone woke me up. Stupid phone. 3:45-5:30 was pretty much a blur, and I was surprised and pleased to finish the day without banging my head against the wall. Seriously though, it was great to be back at work, interact with clients, and just be on my normal-yet-severely-ridiculous schedule. I enjoyed telling them about my trip to Texas and the many "this would only happen to me" stories. Speaking of, Lora I was in a mini nightmare on my first flight back from McAllen. It was a smaller jet...maybe 70 people total. I start counting to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me before we boarded...yup, 13 kids....13. I think I nearly went deaf from turning up my iPod so high. It was 1:00 in the afternoon and I knew these little rascals were already at level 8 on a serious sugar high. I was pretty much doomed. Needless to say it was a long flight, but thankfully, there was no crying. If they had started crying, I would have as well...just before I threw something...
One thing I did learn in Texas was that when a Hispanic woman offers you the "mild" sauce, and you're a white chick with a weak stomach, just say no. There is nothing "mild" about it and you will likely lose your esophagus. Lesson learned.
Ryan and I got in a couple of really good workouts while I was there. My back is still sore from Friday, and my calves from the 6 mile run on Sunday. Yes, you read correctly. Zimm asked me if I'd lost my mind...yes, the answer is yes. I just got in this weird zone and kept going...I will stop right there trying to explain it because I myself do not understand. I told Brian today that I don't like the fact that I dislike running so much....so perhaps if I do it more, I'll start enjoying it. Which is probably crap because if you think about it, if you really dislike someone and then go spend a bunch of time with them you don't necessarily like them more. You might actually look interested in what they have to say but only because you are trying your hardest to figure out a way to care less. I get it. My experiment might fail. We'll see.
Brian also pointed out today that I never post anything serious on twitter. Ok, let me see if I can explain this....its called tweeting for goodness sake...I can't even take that word seriously. And quite frankly, it really bothers me when people take themselves too seriously. Is there a "Chinese proverb" writer on twitter?...exactly. I will be serious when the time is right...and sharing a precious thought with my followers via phone with the possibility that they could be reading it on the jon, just doesn't motivate me to dispense deep, thought provoking material. Because at that moment, I come second to a bowel movement. I'd rather say something random to perhaps evoke a smile or laugh and then go on about my day.
Great to catch up with the Zimmerman bros today. Nice workout guys... :) And T, why was the plate on your back during planks a 35 and not a 45??!
Alright, I am already nodding off and I still need to clean my dishes. Ugh....Night!
I got to work extra early to make sure I was mentally prepared for the day, and honestly felt pretty good. By 9:15 I hit I wall. I was dizzy, exhausted, and just wanted a nap...ridiculous. And I truly hate when I start to feel like that prior to a workout. As if its not going to be hard enough, let's add some fatigue on top of it. Geez. I had chest, shoulders, and core today. I kept weights as heavy as possible, but was honestly struggling during my first exercise. Everything just felt heavier than normal...so I gave it what I had, finished with a 4 mile run, and that was about all I could do...
By 3:30 my head was on the desk and I literally fell asleep for a few minutes while writing out workout plans. The phone woke me up. Stupid phone. 3:45-5:30 was pretty much a blur, and I was surprised and pleased to finish the day without banging my head against the wall. Seriously though, it was great to be back at work, interact with clients, and just be on my normal-yet-severely-ridiculous schedule. I enjoyed telling them about my trip to Texas and the many "this would only happen to me" stories. Speaking of, Lora I was in a mini nightmare on my first flight back from McAllen. It was a smaller jet...maybe 70 people total. I start counting to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me before we boarded...yup, 13 kids....13. I think I nearly went deaf from turning up my iPod so high. It was 1:00 in the afternoon and I knew these little rascals were already at level 8 on a serious sugar high. I was pretty much doomed. Needless to say it was a long flight, but thankfully, there was no crying. If they had started crying, I would have as well...just before I threw something...
One thing I did learn in Texas was that when a Hispanic woman offers you the "mild" sauce, and you're a white chick with a weak stomach, just say no. There is nothing "mild" about it and you will likely lose your esophagus. Lesson learned.
Ryan and I got in a couple of really good workouts while I was there. My back is still sore from Friday, and my calves from the 6 mile run on Sunday. Yes, you read correctly. Zimm asked me if I'd lost my mind...yes, the answer is yes. I just got in this weird zone and kept going...I will stop right there trying to explain it because I myself do not understand. I told Brian today that I don't like the fact that I dislike running so much....so perhaps if I do it more, I'll start enjoying it. Which is probably crap because if you think about it, if you really dislike someone and then go spend a bunch of time with them you don't necessarily like them more. You might actually look interested in what they have to say but only because you are trying your hardest to figure out a way to care less. I get it. My experiment might fail. We'll see.
Brian also pointed out today that I never post anything serious on twitter. Ok, let me see if I can explain this....its called tweeting for goodness sake...I can't even take that word seriously. And quite frankly, it really bothers me when people take themselves too seriously. Is there a "Chinese proverb" writer on twitter?...exactly. I will be serious when the time is right...and sharing a precious thought with my followers via phone with the possibility that they could be reading it on the jon, just doesn't motivate me to dispense deep, thought provoking material. Because at that moment, I come second to a bowel movement. I'd rather say something random to perhaps evoke a smile or laugh and then go on about my day.
Great to catch up with the Zimmerman bros today. Nice workout guys... :) And T, why was the plate on your back during planks a 35 and not a 45??!
Alright, I am already nodding off and I still need to clean my dishes. Ugh....Night!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Everything's bigger in Texas
Never a dull moment in my life...
There are times when I'm fairly certain that God looks down and says, "Oh yeah, watch this..."....and then proceeds to blow our minds, change our direction, and give us a few anxiety attacks along the way. But then again, for me not to have at least one freak-out per day means its time to check my pulse. I've made going 0 to 60 an art form...and the past 48 hours have been no different. Life has a funny way of doing that sometimes...
Ah yes, Monday. It was pretty normal....what does that word even mean??! One highlight was probably when a client sent a text to let me know she had a "GI track issue" and didn't want to "put myself in all sorts of embarrassing positions"...ha...I knew how all this would go down....literally. I would be standing there cleaning up poo on a Monday afternoon. Not how you want to end a Monday. If its any indication as to how you're week will unfold, consider yourself screwed....and strap on a helmet til Friday just in case.
I was ready to get back to the gym after taking Sunday completely off. I needed to. Hell, I still couldn't feel my chest from that bench press on Friday. My sternum is ridiculously tender right now...and it isn't from holding up the girls. I had back/shoulders/bis/sprints today...reps 6-8...and pretty much everything was a struggle. My workout didn't seem to flow very well today...just one of those days.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6-8
Close grip pull-backs 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
DB lateral raises 4 x 8
DB front raises 4 x 8
BB curls 4 x 8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints
I am truly contemplating hitting legs pretty hard tomorrow. I know I've been keeping reps high and dropping the weights lately, but my rear is honestly starting to feel a little soft. At 27, my backside should be awake and alert if you know what I mean. Yes, this is me being critical and picky...it comes with the territory of simply having a vagina. This is what we do...
Something random and very cool....a lovely gal by the name of Katie Houston wanted a brief bio to feature on her blog this past week. I met her in Bakersfield, California a couple of years ago when my husband was playing on the same minor league team as her now fiance. Amazing woman. She is now a personal trainer herself, and I was truly honored she asked me to do this. To check it out, go to katiehouston.com. And while you're there definitely check out some of her blog posts, workouts, and awesome recipes....she is just an overall very cool person and I am so thankful I met her!
Holy crap I joined twitter.
My ADD is out of control right now...jumping from topic to topic...social turrets.
Never thought I'd do it....just like facebook...stupid peer pressure. I honestly don't have anything great to tweet about. And I hate the word "tweet"....so this will be interesting to say the least. But hats off to you who tweet and make me laugh out loud. That makes my day more than you know.
Ok, its late and I need to wash dishes and prepare for tomorrow....nighty night people!!
There are times when I'm fairly certain that God looks down and says, "Oh yeah, watch this..."....and then proceeds to blow our minds, change our direction, and give us a few anxiety attacks along the way. But then again, for me not to have at least one freak-out per day means its time to check my pulse. I've made going 0 to 60 an art form...and the past 48 hours have been no different. Life has a funny way of doing that sometimes...
Ah yes, Monday. It was pretty normal....what does that word even mean??! One highlight was probably when a client sent a text to let me know she had a "GI track issue" and didn't want to "put myself in all sorts of embarrassing positions"...ha...I knew how all this would go down....literally. I would be standing there cleaning up poo on a Monday afternoon. Not how you want to end a Monday. If its any indication as to how you're week will unfold, consider yourself screwed....and strap on a helmet til Friday just in case.
I was ready to get back to the gym after taking Sunday completely off. I needed to. Hell, I still couldn't feel my chest from that bench press on Friday. My sternum is ridiculously tender right now...and it isn't from holding up the girls. I had back/shoulders/bis/sprints today...reps 6-8...and pretty much everything was a struggle. My workout didn't seem to flow very well today...just one of those days.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6-8
Close grip pull-backs 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
DB lateral raises 4 x 8
DB front raises 4 x 8
BB curls 4 x 8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints
I am truly contemplating hitting legs pretty hard tomorrow. I know I've been keeping reps high and dropping the weights lately, but my rear is honestly starting to feel a little soft. At 27, my backside should be awake and alert if you know what I mean. Yes, this is me being critical and picky...it comes with the territory of simply having a vagina. This is what we do...
Something random and very cool....a lovely gal by the name of Katie Houston wanted a brief bio to feature on her blog this past week. I met her in Bakersfield, California a couple of years ago when my husband was playing on the same minor league team as her now fiance. Amazing woman. She is now a personal trainer herself, and I was truly honored she asked me to do this. To check it out, go to katiehouston.com. And while you're there definitely check out some of her blog posts, workouts, and awesome recipes....she is just an overall very cool person and I am so thankful I met her!
Holy crap I joined twitter.
My ADD is out of control right now...jumping from topic to topic...social turrets.
Never thought I'd do it....just like facebook...stupid peer pressure. I honestly don't have anything great to tweet about. And I hate the word "tweet"....so this will be interesting to say the least. But hats off to you who tweet and make me laugh out loud. That makes my day more than you know.
Ok, its late and I need to wash dishes and prepare for tomorrow....nighty night people!!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tights and Tutus
It's Saturday morning and I am a zombie....sipping on my 3rd cup of coffee (with added protein powder of course) and eating some pumpkin protein pancakes. They are a treat on the weekend because I actually have time to cook in the morning. Yes, I add protein on top of protein...don't act so shocked.
From Thursday til now I've been on the go and simply haven't had much time to sit down. I'm beyond tired, and can tell my body needs rest because I'm craving a little more sugar than normal and retaining some water. Irritable and bloated...bad combination for the sanity in the Falcon house.
My workout yesterday was great though...really heavy on the shoulders, some tough core work, and then sprints on the treadmill to top off the Friday. I was pleased that I was able to maintain 198 heart-rate through the sprints without having a near-death experience. I don't have time for that...
Seated shoulder press 4 x 10, last set drop set to failure
Seated heavy lateral raises/ss light lateral raises 4 x 10 each
Front heavy DB raises/ss light front raises 4 x 10 each
Weighted sit-ups on ball 3 x 15
Leg raises 3 x 15
Oblique crunches on decline 3 x 20
Treamill sprints, Tabata style 30 min
The best part was trying to adjust my ponytail after my last set of shoulders...physically could not do it. I looked like a idiot bending over, tilting my head back, trying to figure out the quickest way to fix my hair that didn't require lifting my arms. I gave up...stuck with the disheveled-look until my delts were capable of operating again. Good workout.
Not sure yet if I'm gonna try to fit in some cardio today...its supposed to be beautiful today, but I need some rest. I might just do a quick 3 mile jog. Yes, I said it...a jog...don't think for a minute I will enjoy every second of it...but I will troop through it.
I went Thursday night with a friend to a benefit dance concert at Duke....even being the meathead I am, I can appreciate the arts. I actually love dance, and took it for 7 years. Yeah, me in a tutu...dear God, what a site. It was such a great break from my weight-room-all-consuming life to see a different display of strength. The choreography was absolutely phenomenal, and one reason I wanted to go was because I know the teacher and actually took a class of hers in college. What a trip that was. Even though I'd had dance experience...in the studio, on fraternity house bars, etc...ha...I was well into my competition training so my strength was much different. I specifically remember one of the first days in there and she wanted us to lift our leg and hold it as close to our head as possible without assistance of our arms. I look over and little miss toothpick had her leg by her freak'n ear and my hipflexors wouldn't let me get past 90 degrees. I was pissed. I wanted to yell out "look, I just got done leg pressing over 400 pounds, could bench press YOU, and you want me to do WHAT with my leg?!! You're out of your mind..." I had to drop the class and stick to dancing at frat parties...less leg lifts, more squatting...I could handle that...
Alright, we are all caught up....I am about to clean a little, MAYBE run, and then join the crackberry club and go get a new phone....brace yourselves if I join twitter...
Have a great weekend...stay focused...keep mov'n forward...one day at a time...
From Thursday til now I've been on the go and simply haven't had much time to sit down. I'm beyond tired, and can tell my body needs rest because I'm craving a little more sugar than normal and retaining some water. Irritable and bloated...bad combination for the sanity in the Falcon house.
My workout yesterday was great though...really heavy on the shoulders, some tough core work, and then sprints on the treadmill to top off the Friday. I was pleased that I was able to maintain 198 heart-rate through the sprints without having a near-death experience. I don't have time for that...
Seated shoulder press 4 x 10, last set drop set to failure
Seated heavy lateral raises/ss light lateral raises 4 x 10 each
Front heavy DB raises/ss light front raises 4 x 10 each
Weighted sit-ups on ball 3 x 15
Leg raises 3 x 15
Oblique crunches on decline 3 x 20
Treamill sprints, Tabata style 30 min
The best part was trying to adjust my ponytail after my last set of shoulders...physically could not do it. I looked like a idiot bending over, tilting my head back, trying to figure out the quickest way to fix my hair that didn't require lifting my arms. I gave up...stuck with the disheveled-look until my delts were capable of operating again. Good workout.
Not sure yet if I'm gonna try to fit in some cardio today...its supposed to be beautiful today, but I need some rest. I might just do a quick 3 mile jog. Yes, I said it...a jog...don't think for a minute I will enjoy every second of it...but I will troop through it.
I went Thursday night with a friend to a benefit dance concert at Duke....even being the meathead I am, I can appreciate the arts. I actually love dance, and took it for 7 years. Yeah, me in a tutu...dear God, what a site. It was such a great break from my weight-room-all-consuming life to see a different display of strength. The choreography was absolutely phenomenal, and one reason I wanted to go was because I know the teacher and actually took a class of hers in college. What a trip that was. Even though I'd had dance experience...in the studio, on fraternity house bars, etc...ha...I was well into my competition training so my strength was much different. I specifically remember one of the first days in there and she wanted us to lift our leg and hold it as close to our head as possible without assistance of our arms. I look over and little miss toothpick had her leg by her freak'n ear and my hipflexors wouldn't let me get past 90 degrees. I was pissed. I wanted to yell out "look, I just got done leg pressing over 400 pounds, could bench press YOU, and you want me to do WHAT with my leg?!! You're out of your mind..." I had to drop the class and stick to dancing at frat parties...less leg lifts, more squatting...I could handle that...
Alright, we are all caught up....I am about to clean a little, MAYBE run, and then join the crackberry club and go get a new phone....brace yourselves if I join twitter...
Have a great weekend...stay focused...keep mov'n forward...one day at a time...
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