New Year Challenge and Holiday gift to yourself....

It's easy to put together Resolutions for the new year. We never seem to have too many imperfections we want to, "fix". Ever notice how hard it is to say thank you when some one else compliments you? This year before you begin your resolution list, give yourself the gift of PROPS!! List your accomplishments and pat yourself on the back!! Even the most trying year can produce great accomplishments that can miss acknowledgement, due to heavy circumstances. Go ahead! Take a moment and reflect on what you learned or accomplished this year! 

For me, this year was trying. I lost some gains I had made in the gym, and let my clean eating go quite a bit. While making my list this year, I realized what set me back and how to reset my goals.  I also realized that while I endured some set backs, I also had some major changes that I needed to get through. Graceful or not, I got through them and learned to be forgiving of myself. 

This year I, 

Tried my hand a vlogging (yikes!)
Made my tummy smile on YouTube
(double yikes!! lol) 
Embraced the empty nest lifestyle 
Transitioned in my job from Park Ave Center to Stanley. (This was the hardest adjustment of my year. I honestly took for granted that I would retire at Park Ave with my PAC family.  This was a very painful adjustment for many reasons, but in the end it is coming together) 
Created my own home fitness/yoga studio
Painted our house
Got our first leather couch
Learned to let go, and be forgiving of myself and feel comfortable in my own skin. (This one is huge and making my tummy smile on YouTube was a huge moment of freeing myself from the worries of what my body looked like vs. what I felt others, and I thought it 'should' look like) 


For 2014 I will,

Explore the Beauty of hiking in the Pacific NW
Reconnect with my healthy lifestyle and move forward from a tough year
Rediscover my love of blogging 

As for the smiling tummy on youtube .....I look better in that video than I do right now. That's okay. It was a very challenging year and sometimes we have to cut ourselves some slack, ya know. Being perfect is never my goal. Learning from life and stumbling blocks is how I roll. 

I hope you all take the time to acknowledge your accomplishments, before facing your resolutions. Flaws are plentiful for all of us. Improvement is awesome, but even more important is celebrating where you are now. 
Peace, love, and health to you all in 2014.
Happy New Year! 

  

Fitness Vlog : Just Sharing Growth Spurt on Staying Intuitive

Real Talk.

The worst conversation you could possible loop me into, is the one where you tell me why you can't be healthy. 

"I can't afford a gym"
"I have no time to exercise"
"It costs too much to eat healthy"
"I don't like drinking  water"
"I have too much to do to get good sleep"
"My joints ache"
"I have ________, so I can't exercise."
"I don't like the taste of healthy food" 
"My family won't eat that." ..........

You can feed me, or yourself any line you want, but the truth is, You Choose. You Choose. You choose. Every day, you choose. 

Age will wear down your joints and body over time, but how you treat your body over all, through out your life, will greatly determine your later years. 

We all have challenges. We all have things in our lives that make it hard, really hard, to exercise, eat well, get plenty of sleep, and all the other things that contribute to good health. We choose everyday, how healthy we want to be. Even amongst the aliments, illnesses, disease, aches and pains, hectic schedules, lack of money, and everything else that can possible get in our way,  we choose to work around it, triumph over it , or become victim of it. WE CHOOSE.

And if we understood that how we choose to live our lives will greatly affect how many  chronic illnesses we acquire, maybe then, we would choose differently, instead of believing that those are things we just randomly fall victim to. 

We choose. 

Shred Newsletter

Hi All!!
September is almost here, which means back to school for the kiddos and teachers, and unpredictable weather as we transition into Fall. Here is what our Fall schedule looks like.

Shred Fall Schedule:

FITNESS TESTS:
We will have our fitness tests every first Thursday of each month. Your fitness test will be followed by a challenging class using Tabatas, pyramids, and timed challenges!! 


TUESDAYS: 5:30pm Circuit

We will have access to the full Journey Hall (wall open!). Tuesdays will be our circuit days. Weather permitting, we will enjoy the great outdoors for as long as we can, so dress appropriately for the possibilities of indoor / outdoor classes.

When weather is frightful, we will have plenty of space indoors to get a great circuit workout without bumping into each other! YAY!!

THURSDAYS: 5:45pm Body Weight 

Thursdays will be our body weight classes! We will be in the South Journey Hall (wall down).  DON'T MISS THESE!! These are some of our most intense workouts, and will give us time to workout together as we work on coordination, form, and pushing ourselves to new limits. Dress for indoor/outdoor weather, as we will sometimes enjoy the outdoors for our workouts, warm-ups, or group track work. 

As always, be sure to grab a locker for your valuables, as we will sometimes leave our room unattended to go outside for part of our workout!  

Let's have some Fun Fall Fitness and stay healthy as we come into the Autumn months! 
~Shred Fit 

Just a Personal Vlog and where I Am Now vs. Where I Want to Be

Just a personal check in on where I am and what are my goals....

Choosing a Bootcamp

Bootcamps are RAD!!

Seriously, they are the gateway drug to all other fitness!! From weight lifting to Crazy Fun mud runs, bootcamps inspire a unique passion for fitness and challenging your body!

But when your bootcamp promises unrealistic or unsafe results, it can turn a healthy passion into a very unhealthy relationship with yourself.  

Always look for light hearted, fun bootcamps that educate and inspire. Those are the ones you will find the long term success in building great fitness habits, with coaches who do this out of a strong passion for inspiring healthy, fit living.

ShredFit Fitness Vlog: Does your perception interfere with your success?

TOUGH QUESTION: 
When you struggle with a goal, do you tell yourself it's because of the choices you are making, or are you struggling because other people or situations are making it too difficult? Are your perceptions standing in the way of your success?

Outdoor Bootcamp -Shred Fit class! - BAD ASS Resisted bear runs

Wow!! They don't play!!! Check out my class doing intense resisted bear crawls!! Great bootcamp idea!! These are intense! Totally get the heart rate up and really burn the quads!! Check out the energy!! 
THEY ROCK!!

ShredFit Fitness Vlog: Do Take Supplements??

I get this question all the time. Nope, but here is what I do to make sure I get everything I need.

ShredFit Fitness Vlog: Do You Plan Your Workouts?

Do you plan your workouts before you go to the gym? I totally do to avoid wasted time once I get there. Here is how I do it.

ShredFit Fitness Vlog: PMS - Do you ever just not give a shit??

Getting real! Most of the time I love being/getting/staying healthy!! But sometimes PMS makes me just not give a shit.... You?

Outdoor Bootcamp - Shred Fit class!-Tire Runs!!

CHEAP WORKOUT EQUIPMENT IDEA FOR BOOTCAMP OR BACK YARD!!
RESISTED TIRE SPRINTS!!!  
They slammed this!! Tire weights are 28lbs. , 38lbs, and 45lbs. I used an eye hook on the tire and hooked the rope to the tire with trigger hook!!  

Shit just got real.... Can we do away with perfect bodies please?! They ...

I'm really proud of this vlog. Here is why. I am 43 years old, in great shape, lift weights, size 6, muscular, and lean enough to show my hard work. People assume that my 6 pack looks the same.... Nope! It could. But at 43 getting that lean with my build is not my top priority. 

News flash people: 
Even your trainers, coaches, and fitness instructors have imperfect bodies, with stretch marks, fat percentage, and wrinkles.... Who knew!?
ALWAYS KEEPIN' IT REAL!

Shred Fit Outdoor Bootcamp Heavy Bag and Water Games!

Here in the Pacific NW 85 degrees is HOT!! In this class we had sit up/water balloon toss and Sponge Leap Races to go w/ our heavy bag work!! SO FUN!!! And just in case they weren't getting wet enough, I had a super soaker to finish the job!!!

ShredFit Vlog: Are you getting heathy with a Partner?

Vlog: Q-How can I lose weight?? 7/3/13

I get this question a lot. If you find a fitness pro who has a short answer for this, walk away...they probably have something to sell you.... 



Great reference as well:
Elliot Hulse - Strength Camp vid: Why Junk Food Makes You Strong

Just a thought or two about why I teach....

I love having the rare chance to learn so much about my community!

 Getting the opportunity (through teaching) to meet so many people in my community , I otherwise may not have connected with, is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.  Tonight, talking to a few members after class,  I felt so privileged that they wanted to share  their  stories and allow me to get to know where they've been and how far they've come.


Another incredibly rewarding part of teaching, is witnessing  families work out together. It is the most amazing bond to watch. We have a  father/daughter who come in and really connect to help push each other in class. We have a married couple and son who workout together and truly support and push one another. (Tonight mom and son partnered up and took a box push-up *traveling push-up to make a square* to a new level, to team up and really push each other through it. Coolest thing EVER!!!) We have another married couple who support and push each other (hubby just beams with pride when his wife talks about her accomplishments). We have a mom, daughter and her husband and their son (three generations) who work out together and I must say,the strength in that family is unwavering! I also can't forget to mention the community center family...the ones who work at the center and come to class together. They  add spark, humor, and a whole bunch of fun!! 

Tonight an entire "fitness family" came in together (like a reunion)!! Their bond has formed in several different gyms for years and the energy in the room when they are all together is just a huge lightening storm!! I loved it!!

Needless to say, tonight was a great class for the instructor. Not much different from any other night I teach, but this is why I keep coming back!

I LOVE MY COMMUNITY! 
253

Vlog -Own your crap and be at peace with it. 6/10/13

Finding Your Own Way Among All The Controversy...

• High Fat vs. Low Carbs
• Cardio vs. Weights
• Vegetarian vs. Vegan                   
•  Yoga vs. Pilates 
•  Steady State Cardio vs. HIIT
• Low Weigh/High Reps vs. High Weigh Low Reps
• Zumba vs Boxing
• Supplements vs. Natural Foods

• Organic vs. Non-organic  

Let me just start by saying, politics and religion have nothing on diet and exercise. When we find what works for us, that becomes as sacred as our spiritual beliefs. Many Cross Fitters, Paleo dieters, bodybuilders, clean-eaters,yogis, and Zumba-Lights will fight to death to defend their craft and why you should do this instead of that.


Today, I was reminded of this as I realized I had once again climbed on my horse and ranted about the diet industry.  Now, I will never stop advocating against the diet industry.....My own journey lead me to my own truths that I will fight for,  but that did get me thinking....

Who am I (or anyone else) to tell you how to go about finding your path to a healthy life style? With so much conflicting science out there on the best way to workout, or the best way to eat, the best advice one can give is to learn, experiment, and learn more. What works for one, may not hold true for another. 

It is so important to remember to be a defensive learner.  Question what you read or hear. Experiment with what works for you.  Be pro-active in your own journey. Don't just blindly do what the "experts" say, or what worked for your friend.... Find what brings you the most health and success. 

And, give respect to what others have found to be their truth. .... Stepping off my own high horse...for now.
                            **grin**
 All that I can offer is what I have learned to be true for me. 



 

Vlog #3 - Clean Eating Challenge #1 - Snacks

 

A few ideas:

CLEAN SNACK IDEA #1 
Dates are a staple in my house and a great go to if I need a snack and have a sweet tooth. A great balanced snack is to stuff them with fresh ground peanut butter and sprinkle with unsweetened coconut shreds. 

YUM!!

                                                      

CLEAN SNACK IDEA #2

2-3 Strawberries
small handful blueberries
handful blackberries
1/2 sliced banana 1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1 pk. Stevia (if desired)
sprinkle with crushed pecans
Great Fuel an hour or so before a workout!
AND Also great for a sweet tooth!

CLEAN SNACK IDEA #3

 I use Lundberg Organic brown rice cakes (lightly salted). Found at Fred Myer's in the health food section, or Marlene's.

 They are so versatile!

 You can add almond butter and banana, tuna or chicken salad, avocado and tomato, deli meat w/ guacamole .... 

Great balanced snack!

 
CLEAN SNACK IDEA #4

Don't forget those whole food basics for quick grabs at work or home! Fresh fruit and vegies can be quickly paired with Greek yogurt, hummus, or nut butters for a healthy, balanced snack!

CLEAN(ER) SNACK IDEAS (for the car):
I try to keep emergency snacks in the car and gym bag. We all get busy and I don't know about you, but I make poor, desperate decisions when I have low blood sugar and can't think straight. I like the Kind bars for a quick go-to. I also try to keep a container of nuts in my car for a quick grab!

  

Partner Shred Old School Style!! !! Organized Chaos!! So Fun!!

 

Our Spring Challenge Kick Off class. 

 Resisted Bear Crawl High 5's!!

 

 V-Sit/Partner Drags

<-- ball="" med="" squat="" toss="">  

 Tire Jump Through/Tuck Jumps --->

  ^^ Box Jumps, Suicide Sprints, Defense Shuffles.... Oh My!  

A Fitness Professional and a Sales Person Walk into a Health Club...

The other day,  as I walked out of my health club I saw an "It Works" wraps and supplements table stationed inside the front door....

Why do I get a surge of emotion and anger every time I see the diet industry superimpose themselves on the health industry?

Because they have some how been sold as one in the same!

But here is the difference...

The (true) health industry sells:
education
whole, fresh foods
local farmers
active life styles
clean eating
exercise
balance
yoga
organic
GMO awarness
farmers markets
food co-ops


The diet industry sells:
low fat
low calorie
low carb
light
fat free
zero calorie
fat burners
carb blockers
appetite suppressant
supplements (ofcourse to suppliment what we should be eating, but are not because after all, we're trying to lose weight!! Hello??)
cellulite creams
magic potions
wonder drugs
miracle  cures
shapers
slimmers
toners
calorie burners
detoxers
shakes
sprinkles
powders
patches
wraps................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
the list is endless!

Nature has provided us with all we need. We create more out of greed!

Greed.

That's what it is. We have given our personal greed power over helping people to be healthy. :(

We see it all the time, right? Celebrities and celeb  trainers putting their name on a diet pill box...Lest not forget Dr. Phil with his "apple shape" or  "pear shape" diet pills.... Can we just take a moment to step away from those trying to make/take money, and reach for some common sense?? .....

Move
Eat whole, good,  REAL foods
Sleep
Relax
Breath
Drink water






 

 

My views on calorie counting

I've been reading a lot of fitness blogs lately on calorie counting. Most seem to be against it. Here is my take.
 
Counting calories has been a very important part of my journey. I counted and kept a food journal for years as I learned about food and their place in my diet. When I first started counting, I counted calories on my ice cream, Big Mac Combos, fish sticks, mac-n-cheese, soups, sandwiches and cereals....oh, and the occasional banana that would some how sneak into my diet.

After growing consistently frustrated with being unable to get my numbers where the "experts" said they should be, I began my love affair with diet foods. Low fat, light, low calorie, diet, and lean, became all the buzz words and rules I followed. My kitchen was the poster child of a dieter. Single serving (100 calorie) bags of cookies and chips, low fat cereals, and light canned chili and soups graced my cupboards. Fat free yogurts, diet sodas, Lean Cuisines, and low fat ice creams filled my refrigerator and freezer. I was counting calories like a queen! And I lost weight. I had mastered my numbers!.....

And then I plateaued. So frustrated with never being able to quite hit my weight loss goals, I changed the goal to being healthy. I figured if I was truly healthy, My body would naturally find it's healthy weight.  I began scrutinizing everything I ate. I read books (The Eat Clean Diet) I read labels, I read blogs and discovered "real food".

I continued calorie counting through it all. I wanted to learn. I still strongly believed in the numbers. Discovering real food, I achieved my goal. I was healthy and my weight was too. I continued to count. I would step away from counting for a while, and if I got off track I would resume counting until I was stable again. This was a process I had to go through to get where I am now.

One day, I just stopped counting. Life got busy and I began focusing more on clean eating (which in itself is time consuming). There was not time for both. That is when I realized I was in tune with my body. I began watching my patterns. I took note that if I got off track for too long, I'd gain weight and fall into old habits. I took note when that happened, it took about 3 weeks to take that weight off and get back to my comfort zone of healthy living. ( Comfort zone meaning no longer struggling to not pick up the cookie)

I can't remember the last time I counted.
 It feels great to be in this space.

Would I recommend calorie counting to others? YES! I would tell them to use it as a learning tool. Don't stop progressing until you no longer need to count. And even then, keep learning. It was a great tool for me to get this far.

What I learned:  

Calories = energy and energy is GOOD!!  
A calorie is not just a calorie
There is food and there is junk Food is good. Junk is junk.
Junk is enjoyable but not appropriate fuel. Use it as such in moderation
If it says diet, low fat, fat free, low calorie, or light, it is likely junk in disguise
FAT IS GOOD!! EAT FAT!! (see: The girl who loves fat) 

So yes! Count. But don't stop there. LEARN. =] Because the person who tells you it's one easy step is a moron...It's a life time of baby steps.

Grocery Item of the Week: Habanero Iguana Sauce!!

I love this on my scrambled eggs!!

 I get mine at Wold Market. They only sell them is the little 2oz. bottles, so I pick up 2 each time I go. I don't mind the small bottles! It gives me a great reason to keep coming back to my favorite store!! 

I just wanted to share this with you. 

Not too hot or spicy, but very flavorful!!