False alarm...

Sunday...the day to get your mind right, rest, and refocus for the week ahead.  My day began at 4:26 when my back-up alarm clock went off for the first time in about 3 weeks.  Good to know it works.  I woke up in a near freak-out, where am I?  Am I late for work?  Why can't I feel my left arm?...you know, typical questions that span your mind at 4:30 in the morning.  When I finally realized it was Sunday, I nailed the alarm clock in a min-fit-of-rage and threw my head back on the pillow.  That lasted for about another hour before I couldn't lay there any longer.  I was ready to roll by 5:30. 

Sunday morning cook-fest. 
I made my turkey meatballs for the week, chopped veggies, and peeled/diced 36 eggs that I'd boiled the night before.  I need to own chickens,...this is absurd.  BUT, I got everything done and managed to prepare 2 dinners for Ryan in the process.  OCD is not just an acronym, its a way of life around here.
By 6:30 I was pounding coffee like, well, you know....my version of spring break 2012...complete with a wet t-shirt contest because I was sweating like no other.

Soooo, I was feeling extra motivated this morning.  (This is what happens when I get too much caffeine in my system...scary).  Instead of waiting to do a little cardio this afternoon, I quickly changed clothes and headed to the gym early.  Stupid coffee.  4 minutes in and I was literally pouring sweat.  I only intended to do about 30 minutes since I had a grueling sprint session yesterday and my hammies were cursing me.  Well, the 30 minutes turned into an hour.  I was on a roll and this train just needed to keep moving.  I was blaming the coffee and thanking it as well...
I did 50 minutes at incline 12 and then 10 minutes on the eliptical.  For the newbies, I am NOT a cardio-queen.  Understatement.  I do it because its good for me and I need to, but I don't like it.  There was a time when I ran 40+ miles per week, but all that did was screw up my hormones and pissed away some hard earned muscle (about 15 pounds worth).  I looked like a waif.  After that, I was over it.  So if I was remotely motivated this morning to do it, I needed to seize the moment!  
Morning cardio, CHECK!

By the way Under Armour, "dry fit" means nothing to me after 3 cups of coffee and the treadmill...

So here we are facing a new week.
I have a few things for you to ponder for this first full week of March.  Its so easy to get stuck in a rut with the same 'ol same 'ol.  And unfortunately, we don't always take the initiative to spark positive change without the helpful landmark hints like a new year, a holiday (Lent), or the "I'm going to be ____ years old and if I don't get my butt in gear I'll never do it!"... ah yes, we've said/done it all, and yet here we are. 
Thus, I put together a few things to get the ball rolling on this Sunday afternoon just to encourage/challenge you for the upcoming week.

1. MARK your calendar.  Go ahead and plan the days that you will get in some type of physical activity.  Shoot for at least 3 days, and make it a priority.  Remember, its your time and a healthier you makes you a better friend, wife/husband, employer/employee, mother/father, etc...
For those of you who already do this, vary the intensity and mix up your workout.  

2. MARCH forward.  Its easy to get caught up in the spiral thinking of "well, I ate crap yesterday, so I guess I've completely fallen off the wagon."  Just like the crap you ate, that statement is crap.  (Brutal honesty, you're welcome).  We all have slip-ups and its not about being perfect all the time.  The goal is to be healthy, which means balance and continuously moving forward/improving even when we feel as if we've fallen short.  Get up, move on.


3. MAKE your meals count.  Challenge yourself to make at least 3 meals this week that you typically skip or eat out.  Yes, it will take a few minutes, but are you not worth it?  Chances are that you'll discover a new recipe that you love and will enjoy not hearing "welcome to  ______, can I take your order"...truth is they are not happy and neither are your major organs.

Its a new week.  Another opportunity to embrace your health.  Treat your body with the respect it deserves and then bask in your accomplishments.
Happy Sunday folks!

Mentally getting there...

Its a rainy Friday....which I honestly love. 
Yes, its definitely made me feel a little more tired, but what the heck, I'm pretty much used to that! 

I couldn't even stay awake last night to watch J-Shore and get my fix of ridiculous television.  I was out by 9:30....and by out I mean I was in the recliner and getting borderline angry that I had to walk up 15 stairs to go to bed.  The thought of taking more steps hurt my soul.  When you're on your feet for 13 hours, extra steps is like getting smacked after a cage fight. 

Needless to say, I got a full 8 hours of sleep last night.  Much needed! 
This morning was cleaning-mode and then time spent coming up with my hip-hop routine for tomorrow's class.  I'm getting quicker, which is good and saving me time.  Apparently I can go full-fledged ganster at 8am...explains a lot.
Then it was on to my workout.

Usually, I do not even go into the gym on my day off, but today I had to take care of a couple of things so I decided to hit my workout mid-morning.  Clients were still working out and I think it threw them off a little bit to see me sucking some wind.  I actually had a client ask me one time if I worked out.  Really?  For the record, do not ever consider a personal trainer who does not work out...ever...
And yes, I do believe in stupid questions...no matter what your 3rd grade teacher said.  She was just trying not to demolish an 8 year old ego.  

Today's workout started with shoulders...press....lateral raise drop-sets...front raise drop-sets...oh the fun.  Then it was on to glutes/hamstrings....lunges...hamstring curls...pull-backs....split jumps...I was pretty darn tired by the end, but a great workout.  It was honestly a good feel to have other people in there while I was lifting.  Usually its just Garrett and Brian or me by myself, so to have more "energy" in there was a good change.  Felt like college....except my shorts are longer. I'm totally serious.


Had some good quiet time today...
I kept thinking about why we quit.  Why do we give in to the temptation of easy?  I certainly think everyone's reasons are a little different, but the theme is the same....its uncomfortable.  Physically, yes...the sweat, struggle, high heartrate, etc.....BUT, its also mentally uncomfortable.  Think about it, to push through and move forward there must be an internal belief that the outcome outweighs any struggle during the process.  Stepping out in that belief means being OK with being uncomfortable.  It means being OK to face every excuse you've ever given and throw it out the window.  It means being OK with the idea that you are worth it no matter what you've believed in the past.  It means being OK with success and raising the bar instead of continuously being satisfied with less than mediocre.  ALL that can be scary, because its outside our comfort zone.  Well friends, there is little life inside a comfort zone.  Dare to break out.

Something to think about.