Choosing a Trainer

Like choosing any type of service, there are good ones and bad ones. I've had 4 total. Two were bad, two were great! In sharing my experiences, I want to express the importance of knowing good form and technique while exercising. Many injuries can occur without this knowledge. I highly recommend finding a good trainer to help pave the road for a healthy, safe program to fit your needs. If you cannot afford one, group fitness classes are a great place to learn proper form and technique as well, that can be carried onto the weight floor. That said, by request, I will share my experiences with you and things to look for in a trainer.

Here were my first trainers....

THE OVERZEALOUS CHEERLEADER:

My first trainer pushed me beyond my limits. I was an overweight beginner on a 45 degree decline bench doing a sit up with a 10 lb. medicine ball toss. On my 12th rep I locked up mid way, felt a strain on my ab and asked my trainer for help. He verbally cheered for me to finish that last rep and offered no spotting. I finished the rep and pulled an ab muscle in the process. That's when I learned how you use your core for every exercise you do! I was an overweight injured client on my first session and had to nix the idea of being on the weight floor. I couldn't even do a leg press without re-injury. Very disheartening for someone who was motivated to reach some goals. It was about 6 months before I was right again.

THE SLIMY SALES TRAINER:


After healing, I decided to try a different trainer, but was very apprehensive. I went in to talk to trainer who took my measurements, weight, and info and gave me a small, free, sample workout. It was okay, but again, I was very apprehensive about putting my money into this, so I oppted to wait. I took some weight classes in group fitness and was able to take what I learned in class and apply it to the weight floor. After a few months, a few lost pounds, and a pant size smaller, I decided I was ready to expand my knowledge with a trainer. Although still apprehensive, I talked to the trainer who last took my measurements. He was happy to reassess my weight and messurements and informed me that while I lost weight, I had gained inches. "Whaaaat??? But I'm a size down!!!" I argued. He showed me on the tape measure how I had added a few inches and stressed the importance of signing up today because his sales promotion was ending at 5pm that evening. That slimy &*%@ was trying to play on my emotions, stating I had gained inches because I didn't know what I was doing without the knowledge of a trainer with his expertise.

THE KNOWLEDGEABLE /FUN TRAINER!


A year had passed and I was chugging along on my own and doing great! Got myself certified to teach my all time passion, kickbox...(thank you Billy Blanks and all the instructors that fueled that passion). One day I was on the weight floor and spotted this awesome trainer (Jeff) with a client! He was giving her a workout that included some mit work, and weight lifting. He was totally into it. I had to have him!! I got to train with him twice before he left to persue his career as a fire fighter. He was awesome! Educated, and knew how to put together a well rounded workout that could hold the intrest of his client and make them want to come back! No slimy sales tactic needed here!! I was so sad to see him go! I later got to play with another trainer (Chuck) of the same caliber and learn the TRX system! He also moved on to bigger and better, but I was lucky to fit in a workout or 2 with him before he left!

I no longer really need a trainer. But I closely watch the trainers in my clubs to see which ones I would recommend to my club members. Here is what I look for in a trainer:



** listens and creates a safe, effective workout that meets the needs and holds the interest of
their client causing them to be excited about their next session.

** Attentive and present! If a trainer is gazing out at the sea of people on the weight floor while counting out your reps, or worse texting (don't laugh, Ive seen it happen), or checking out the hottie doing squats....Don't bother! He/She wants your $$ and doesn't care about your goals.

** Encouraging and Motivating! Mindfully pushes you past what you thought you could do. Challenges you to improve while boosting your confidence.

** Spotting when needed and correcting form, both physically and verbally. Giving repetitive cues to create second nature form.

** Shows intrest in your personal life, (stresses, struggles, and accomplishments) and gives tips to reach goals outside of the gym as well.

** Offers a balanced workout that includes or encourages a warm up, and post workout stretch.

I know a few really good trainers if you know me locally and attend a local gym. If not, while working out or stretching out on the floor, watch your trainers and clients. The best way to find a good one is by watching them and asking around. Make your trainer earn your trust before putting your time and money into them. Ask yourself, "Are they getting me excited about reaching my goals or pressuring me to sign papers?", "What are the other members saying about them?", and "Are they attentive and present when working with their clients?"

Happy hunting and Safe Training Adventures!

Worst advice I ever recieved from a trainer?..."Keep your eyes on the prize!"

"Keep your eye on the prize!"

Here's the thing, the prize never came! Oh, I'd get close...maybe even hit it a time or two. But it was so short lived I didn't get the satisfaction of getting to my prize! It wasn't until I slowed down and experienced the journey that things really started to happen for me.

Remember the vinyl days? You'd put a record on and play your favorite song and then it would skip in the middle of your favorite part. What happened when you put the needle back to the beginning to try it again? It would skip again! Well, for me, keeping my eye on the prize worked the same way. I'd buy a journal and begin logging as I started my weight loss plan. Something would happen and I'd fall off track. When I was ready to get back on track, I'd buy a new journal and restart my goals. I'd just put the needle back to the beginning and try again. Now, maybe it's just me...I could be a really slow learner and you guys are just shaking your heads in shame, but I suspect many can relate to what I'm saying....I hope. It never dawned on me to continue journaling through that time of recklessness and learn from it. To continue to count my calories while I was eating all the things I knew I shouldn't,to learn just what damage I was doing. To even go to the gym after eating that poorly because, let's face it, the damage was already done. Nope! I would just put the needle back to the beginning and play it again Sam! I can't even tell you how many old journals I have with only 3-4 weeks logged in them...."Eye on the prize?"....Nope that didn't work for me.

Here is what

did!

PHASE 1:

I committed to keeping a journal and counting calories even during those times where I had fallen off track. That was goal number one. Even if I failed at my exercise and food goals, I would continue counting, journaling, and learning about myself. I stayed in this phase until really had it solidified......Solidify......I like that word. It goes hand and hand with success! Before, (with me eye on the prize) I never gave anything time to solidify. To sink in and become second nature. I would do it all at once, overwhelming myself until I gave up. This was my only goal until I got it. Once I got it, I'd move onto the next.

PHASE 2:

Still recording, it was time to perfect calories in vs. calories out. I used Calorie King at the time and recorded every calorie I ate and subtracted calories burned in a workout until my numbers were consistently where I wanted them. I stayed in this phase for a long time! In this phase I would add challenges like, decreasing my lattes to two a week instead of 5, going out to dinner 1-2 times a week instead of 3-4.

PHASE 3:

I added light weight lifting to my exercise plan. This was hard because that meant more time in the gym, and money for a trainer. The trainer didn't work well for me (a whole other blog) so I learned by reading machines and following directions along with taking what I learned in classes and applying them to the weight floor. I stayed in this phase for about a year with great success. Weight loss was occurring! Body comp was changing.

PHASE 4:

I started scrutinizing the things I ate. Thanks to my son, I gave up fast food completely, with the exception of Subway and occasional (healthier) pizza. No more burger joints, or Taco Bells for me. I split meals with my husband when we ate out at restaurants. I added more fruit and vegies to my diet. I was feeling healthier...less weighed down.

PHASE 5:

"GO BIG OR GO HOME!" After seeing some new muscles and some definition, I began my love affair with heavy weights. I created a weight lifting split for myself (being a fitness instructor made this easier but I still had to do some research). I had a 3 day split and worked 2 muscle groups, plus one core focus each of the 3 days. WOW!! BINGO!! Whomp! THERE IT IS!! This set the gears in motion for phase 6 and really changed the way I thought about food!! When a friend gives you something so special, it is life changing, it makes you want to give back! My body was that friend! (Yeah I know...CHEESY!!)

PHASE 6:

Thank you Tosca Reno!! I bought her book, "The Eat Clean Diet" and read it cover to cover. Phase 6 took a long time!! I took one meal at a time and made it clean. I started with snacks. no more crackers and single serving size chips. I ate raw almonds, apples, Greek yogurt,and hard egg whites. Once that became second nature, I attacked my lunches! No more lean cuisines and creamy canned soups! I packed fresh salads, salmon, quinoa, and wheat pastas. Everything was balanced with a proper amount of carbs and proteins! (I will blog more on this phase again in a later post). My next meal was breakfast. Oatmeal and Kashi, and egg whites with vegies replaced quick sugary cereals. And finally dinners. Phase 6 was the most challenging, rewarding, life changing phase of all, but it took phases 1-5 to get here! I was the worst junk food/sugar addict I'd ever known. This phase not only had the obvious health effects of fueling my body with clean foods (more blogging to come on this one), but also forever changed my relationship with myself! And changed my relationship with food. I am still in phase 6 and feeling great about phase 7 which is acquiring more balance through beginning my yoga journey.

Through out all of these phases, I had to linger in the journey of one. Each phase had to become a way of life...second nature, before I could really move on to the next. I couldn't think about a size 6....I had to think about a healthy mind and body. It was happening. I didn't need my eye on the prize (size 6) I needed my eye on the journey of healthy living.

So many ask me how I got here. When you look at me, I don't want you to see a size 6, muscular, fit, body. I want you to see my journey of healthy living. It is on going, always learning, adjusting, and improving. I am not done. I will never be done. I don't want the size __, or 0% fat body comp. I want a strong, healthy mind and body. That is my life long journey, not my neatly wrapped size __ prize.

Now,"put the needle on the record....and dance!!" When it skips, fix it, solidify it, make it second nature...and then move onto the next song!=]
THE PRIZE ISN'T IN THE SIZE, IT'S IN THE JOURNEY!

Don't Spill the Beans!

Remember that game? You role the dice and take turns putting beans in your scale hoping it doesn't tip on you first?....

Well, school starts in 2 weeks, which for me means back to work. I love my job and I'm looking forward to going back, but with that means endlessly chasing my tail. Healthy living can be very time consuming. Between 2 jobs, planning classes for both, my family, the house and yard..... taking care of me tends to tip the bean scale. Everything takes precise planning to make sure I have healthy, prepped food for the week's lunches and snacks, plenty of time for my personal workouts, some down time for yoga or stretching, family time, chores, and Shoot!!! Did I set up tomorrow's coffee!??!! This is the part of healthy living that seems to detour most from even trying. Yet it is worth every blood, sweat, and tear!

So today I plan. I plan for a more successful year of minimizing time spent planning. If I stock my work fridg with my prepped food for the week, it will decrease time spent packing lunches in the morning. If I write out my workouts for the week every Friday for the following week, that will decrease daily planning time for my personal workouts. If I use one lunch break a week to shop for work lunch and snack items, that will decrease down time, spent on shopping. I could also use my lunch breaks for stretching or yoga breath sessions in the library as well!

Yes, it is a balancing act of Don't Spill the Beans every year. But I feel good! Reaping the benefits of fresh, clean, healthy food instead of the frozen Lean Cuisines I use to eat, having a strong, fit, young body at 41 instead of the tired, lagging, fat body I had in my 30's causing me to feel old and unhealthy.

I still have areas I'm working on, like relaxing on trying to be a perfectionist all the time. If a bed goes unmade or I use re-run classes now and then to hold onto a bit of sanity, I am working on not feeling bad about it. It's okay to ask for help, let go a bit and be forgiving of all of my imperfections. After all, it's more important to perfect the art of relaxing then it is to maintain all the stress....

So this school year my goal is to find the more efficient ways to live a healthy lifestyle, while maintaining my sanity. Everyone has the time to be healthy. For me this is a choice and I have ZERO regrets! =] It's all a journey and I enjoy the challenge of learning and growing with-in it! ((Holding my bean cup high)) Here's to finding my Zen this year by putting less beans in the cup! =]

Nature vs. Nuture.......Well..., It's a deep subject...

My most difficult relationship has been my greatest teacher. This relationship has shaped so much of who I am and what I stand for. I often wonder who I would be without this relationship. Would I be this strong? Would I have the balls to face all that I have in life? Would I look at others the way I do? Would I have this much drive and tenacity? Deep down I know the answers. Nature vs. nurture would have been disastrous in my case. In a twisted way, it was the harsh nurture that drove me to swim up stream and fight the very nature that may have dictated a very different me.

This relationship has pushed me to become who I am....who I want to be. It has made me strong and unbreakable. It has driven me to constant self evaluation, and improvement. It has taught me about control and boundaries.

I hope someday it will teach me about forgiveness and the balance of compassion and armor. In the mean time, I am grateful for all I have learned in life and how it has driven me through.

Don't discard. The most difficult relationships are your greatest teachers. Look with in and learn. You may not be able to control how another behaves, but you can control how it shapes you, and what you do with it. Will you let it fuel you into self destruction, or self improvement?

If This is Mid-Life Crisis....COUNT ME IN!

41 years old....I have my toy Jeep, I love to go dancing, I'm a gym rat, and I'm actually considering sky diving as an option! I've had the best time over the last couple of days shopping with my friend, Julia for 80's clothes (which are back). Shopping was a hoot! (No really, I bought a really cool owl necklace!) Last night we went to see Motley Crue and Poison. What a blast!

The point of this blog? I hope to never stop living! Part of staying fit for me, is staying fun and not taking life so serious. It's not all about working and paying bills. The day you stop having fun, is the day you stop living!

Sometimes you have to risk looking ridiculous, laugh at yourself, and let go! Thanks to my friend Julia for the best time! Teen years are waaaaay better in your 40's!!

Now close this blog and go do something FUN!!

Food Prude or Food Snob?...You decide! Either way, It's workin'!!

It's true what they say, ya know....Taste buds do change!! Oh how I loved going out to eat!! Fast food, burgers and fries, large, greasy breakfasts from diners, Chinese take-out, fish and chips, and my total weakness...Mexican food!! You know the kind I'm taking about...big fat chimichangas stuffed with re-fried beans and and rice topped with gobs of cheese, sour cream and guacamole!!The list goes on! I could totally eat the entire plate too! Not a morsel left! I loved the taste of this food and the more I went, the more I would crave it.

It's been over a year now since I bought Tosca Reno's book The Eat Clean Diet, and began my clean eating journey. Not only did that book change how I ate at home, it changed how I ate out as well. I stopped going to some of my favorite places like, Red Robin, Famous Dave's, and Chevy's. I started going to places that offered fresher ingredients with a more sophisticated menu. I choose grilled over fried and stepped out of my Americanized, fatty food box to try different ethnic foods like, Indian, Thai, and Japanese. I explored sushi instead of fish and chips, red wine instead of Mai Tais. Not all "clean", but much healthier! My relationship with food changed! I was introduced to different spices and flavors that dazzled the palate (Wow! Did I just say, "Dazzled the palate"?).

Now when I go out to eat, I like curry and brown rice over Chinese fried rice and chow mein, mahi mahi over fish and chips, Sushi over burgers and fries. On the rare occasion I do go to one of my old hang outs, I'm always disappointed. The food is bland, greasy, buttery, and most of the time, just gross. As I look at it on my plate, I think to myself, "Damn girl, you use to eat this crud??" It tastes like processed,mass produced food that is taken from the freezer or large can and thrown into the deep fryer.. A club sandwich from a diner tastes like the greasy burger they cooked on the griddle before toasting your sandwich.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect when it comes to clean eating. I still enjoy a good junk food fest from time to time. But now, I'm choosy. A night playing cards with friends may warrant chips and beer, or my girl friend's cream cheese and chorizo stuffed jalapenos. But the difference is, I no longer have a love hate relationship with the foods I use to eat. Now I find most of it gross! Taste buds do change! I never would have believed it!

You've Come A Long Way Baby!!

So I decided to set up a blog! When I tried to start a new account, I realized I already had one. How cool to read a blog I wrote last year!!

Last year, I set some personal goals for myself. I can't tell you how awesome it feels to know I have reached my goals!! (Well...I'm still working on balance, but continue to steadily improve!) I attached a picture in my last post that shows where I was when I wrote it. I am attaching a picture that shows where I am now. I am very new at this blogging thing, facebook is my expertise.... but if you are reading this and have goals of your own, I encourage you to follow my blogs, comment, ask, and share your story with me! NOTE: Click on "older post" below to see my blog from last year!