Have you ever FIZZLED???

Have you ever hit a fitness lull?  Have you ever started (and hopefully completed) a fitness program only to fizzle out when it was over?

The rhetorical answer is "yes".  Trust me, I already know...and you are in good company.

Did you know that roughly 20% of gym memberships go unused?  We have good intentions when we sign up, pay each month and stock up on workout clothes, supplements and protein shakes.  So, how do all these good intentions get replaced by movies on the couch, happy hours with friends, pizza dinners and stretchy jeans?

Enter the {FIZZLE}. 

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fiz·zle  1. Informal To fail or end weakly, especially after a hopeful beginning.

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The Fizzle happens when we put the needs of our spouses/kids/friends/pets ahead of our own.  "I can't go to the gym because I have to:

Attend a work dinner"
Take the dog to the vet"
Take my kids to practice"
Pick up my husband's Suit at the dry cleaner"
Visit with the In-Laws"
Plan my friend's baby shower"

And the list goes on.......

This list is called LIFE and it will always be there.  And if we're not careful, our flabby bodies and more importantly declining cardiovascular systems will also be there.  It's our job to find that ONE HOUR a day to detach from all the people who demand so much from us.  It's not being selfish, it's taking care of yourself.

Before you were a:

Husband/Wife/Mom/Dad/Coach/CEO/PetOwner/RaceCarDriver/Whatever/Whatever

you were your own priority.  And it's okay to find time to be your own priority again.

I have taken 5 weeks off from my typical 5 day a week workout regime.  I have been working like crazy (feeling lucky to have a growing business), skipped workouts, hit happy hour, tried new restaurants and succumbed to the cozy movies on the couch more often than necessary.  It was fun.....

And I feel lethargic.

So, I decided to put myself first again.  Everyone in my life is happier when I'm not a insomniac stress case anyway.  I am going to hike weekly, lift 4 times a week, attend a run group once a week and plan my meals.  And I have chosen a race to train for with a few friends.  Peer Pressure can be a good thing. :-)

If these things are in place, the happy hours, road trips and movie nights will have a significantly lower impact on my overall fitness.  It's all about BALANCE.  New outfits for happy hour are more fun when they show off the guns anyway.  Am I right?

I prefer to feel strong, see my muscles and enjoy my workouts.  Struggling through an hour of lifting with relatively low weights is not how I want to spend my mornings.  I would rather feel healthy and motivated (and slightly ripped, let's be honest) and that's exactly where I plan to be in the coming weeks.

So....today is Day1.  We can always start over.

Who is with me????

After the "After"

Embark on a new fitness regime.  I dare you.  If you have support, dedication and put yourself (body, mind, soul) ahead of anyone else, you will reach your goals.

IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

But, you have to let it.  You have to allow this journey to challenge everything you have ever read, thought and felt about what you are capable of.  You are always going to be capable of far more than you think.  That is a fact.

I eat real food.  Sometimes this real food includes Pizza, Cheeseburgers and Tacos.  I don't deprive myself when I'm not training for an event, and it makes me happy.  It makes me happy to join friends for happy hour and load up on greasy, carb-loaded food just to go home and sit on the couch for a movie.  Why?  It's an emotional reaction to a real-life experience.  Fun days include Ice Cream, not protein shakes.  Memories are made at Pizza parties and cake-infused birthday get togethers.  Right??

The answer, unfortunately, is yes.  But that doesn't mean it has to ruin all of your hard work.  

I call this transition from a 3-Month training program back into real life "After the After".  Training is over, my abs are poppin, my body fat is super low, my body is clean and the After pics are done.  Those images are a culmination of a 3-month hibernation from the real world.  Those images are a testament to every movie I went to with protein shakes and chicken breast in my purse, to every happy hour I politely declined and to every road trip that included a HUGE cooler filled with carefully planned, weighed and packed meals.  Definitely an extreme way to exist, but it accomplished the desired end-result.

AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE.

I learned how to say no to alcohol for months at a time and I learned how this minor tweak reduces bloating and creates a lean, defined physique.  I learned how to build muscle (with food and weight training only), how to properly hydrate and how to like my weekly gym routine.  I was being good to my body and in turn, my emotional self was also healthier.  I slept well, avoided 3AM trips to Taco Bell and felt good about my life AND accomplished goals I had set for myself professionally and personally.

So what happens after???

It's an ongoing journey and one that will always require check-ins.  We need variety.  We need to be excited and to feel challenged.  Once those After pics are taken, DON'T GIVE UP!  Explore activities that make you happy.  Run a 5K, hike once a week, join a new run group or just walk the dog 5 miles a week.  Mix it up and KEEP GOING! 

The After images should not be the end of a fitness journey, but rather a reminder of what you are capable of.  Compare yourself to the best YOU, not those around you.  It's easy to let fitness slip and to long for days when you were thinner/fitter/happier.  So, take that image of you at your very best and stick it on the fridge.  Let people see it and vow to always be striving to be the best you.

LET THIS JOURNEY CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

  

How do you chilllllll outttttttt?

Sometimes we all need to decompress. I hike, read, nap, watch a movie, walk the dog, cook, and participate in countless other hobbies when I need to chill out. One of my newer hobbies has been tinkering with photo-editing apps. I do not claim to be a photographer and the use of apps can make even the most unattractive photos look exciting, so I thought I would give it a go.

Here are a few of my favorite shots to date:

Honor Thyself, ASAP!

A girlfriend of mine recently told me, "You always put other people before yourself." And she wasn't smiling when she said it. It definitely was not an homage to my undying benevolence and altruistic nature. It was more of a kind B*&ch slap from a loving friend. She went on to explain that my goals/needs/energy often suffer because I am helping everyone else and if I don't make time for myself, my health might start to suffer. In a nutshell, I am stretched pretty thin most of the time.

Like many people at the beginning of a new year, I resolved to make some changes and wondered if there were others in the same proverbial boat as myself. What do other people declare as their New Year's Resolutions? Did they resolve to lose weight, travel more, drink less, be more active, make more money or spend more time with family? If so, how are they going to get there?

This year, I made several resolutions. The one I am most proud of (and probably the most likely to keep) is to make myself a priority. It's easy to get pulled in all directions as you take care of family/friends/random lost soul. I have a hard time saying "no" when people need me, which can oftentimes interfere with goals I have set for myself.

Resolutions of any nature are sure to fail without a plan. How are you going to lose weight? How are you going to make more money? How exactly am I going to honor myself above everyone else this year?

So what's my plan? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... Writing down tangible specifics will help preserve focus, but how does one make a vow to oneself to "love and cherish" and "forsake all others"?

Here's my plan:

1) Do one activity each week ALONE that I enjoy (walk on the beach, hike, see a movie, shop, hang out at the library, try a new restaurant, etc etc.)
2) Hit the gym at least 3 times a week.
3) Rejoin my soccer team of 8 years and play every Saturday
4) Take my amazing pup on a park/beach trip every day (makes me exercise, too)
5) Say "no" to any activities I am not super pumped for
6) Take stress out at the gym rather than with ice cream/marathon TV watching/happy hour-ing
7) Stick to my monthly Savings Plan
8) Take one big solo trip this year (this year it's Europe)
9) Take 4 small, solo weekend trips this year.
10) Surround myself with people of similar interests and goals

One last addition to my "honor thyself" plan is to inject a little positivity in my life. We all need reminders of our awesomeness and we all need a little boost here and there. Personally, I like to glance at these every now and then:







That last one is pretty impressive, eh? You won't get the money/relationship/career/body you want by complaining, making excuses, wishing or sitting on your butt! Goals like those are earned!

TRUE STORY.

Holiday Funk, anyone?

This year, I noticed an overwhelming presence of Holiday Funk. My friends had it, my family had it and even my dog had it. The Funk loomed overhead as we rushed from store to store, trying to find that perfect gift and followed us in the the days spent cleaning for holiday guests. It also found us as we spent hours planning visits with family and friends, during which we spent more time driving than we did celebrating the holidays. I saw the dreaded Holiday Funk in everyone I knew. The pressure to spend money, time and energy adhering to generations of familial traditions can be exhausting for many.

Holidays are about your significant other and kids, right? They are about sending amazing holiday cards with pictures of you, your family and your adorable family dog, right? Maybe not. If you were a singleton during the holidays, and your card would only showcase you and Ernie, your new Goldfish, the holiday funk only intensified. If you are not engaged, married or otherwise betrothed during the holiday season, then you are not living up to the idea perpetuated by jewelry stores, chain retailers or car dealerships. Your office holiday party surely expected that you bring a date (quick! Grab a neighbor/distant cousin/person you met at the bar/taco stand last night!) or suffer the interrogations and cloud of single life looming overhead. Be honest...did you invite that nice, yet socially incapable guy/girl from your book club/hiking group/local library just so you didn't have to show up alone? If you did, you were in good company.

If you were in Single City during the holidays, rejoice!! You may have successfully avoided complicated family visitation planning, frivolous spending and endless car trips/cancelled flights. If you were flying solo this holiday season, your freedom, extra money and energy just might make your Annual Holiday letter the most exciting one yet! So write that Annual Letter about your travels to Bora Bora, Fiji and Europe and send that amazing holiday card of you, Ernie and all the new friends you collected along your journey!

Happy Holidays, Happy Singledom and Happy Travels!!

Embrace your "You"ness

I am asked often about training tips and nutritional guidelines. I get messages from people who have seen pictures (thank you Stacey Cooper and BootyCampSB) and read articles about the journeys of my amazingly empowered fitness peers. People want to know the magic formula. How do I lose weight? How do I gain muscle? How do I train to be an athlete?

Most of the time, I laugh because I am not a fitness professional at all. I am just a girl who happens to enjoy the process. I don't love the gym and I certainly don't love the effect an intense 3 month training program has on my social life, but what I do love is the family dynamic that we have built and the strength I have gained from my time in this program.

My strength isn't about weight lifting, training or the journey to attain my ideal physical self. It's about taking chances, leaving my comfort zone and feeling out of place. The road to strength wasn't always aided by fitness professionals and nutritional guidelines. Often times, it comes from putting ourselves in new situations and taking chances. I admit that my fitness journey has inspired me to rekindle my innate sense of adventure (hello fashion shows!!), but it's really the mental process that is most rewarding.

When people ask me how they can boost their confidence or improve their physical appearance, I tell them to first think about taking risks and finding their spark. To do this, you may have to break some rules and leave that comfy, cozy bubble...and that's where the magic happens.

Need ideas?

**Browse a book store for hours reading about all the countries you want to visit.

**Take a language class or a pottery class or an auto shop class.

**Participate in a speaking forum where you can hone your skills as a linguistic genius.

**Sit alone and write poetry.

**Volunteer

**Join a new group.

**Go to the movies alone. (and eat ALL the popcorn! Whoo-hoo!)

**Go out to dinner alone.

**Enjoy your time alone and bond with yourself.

Depend on yourself.

Boosting confidence is a process, much like muscle-building. It takes time and sufficient self-discovery to really uncover the strengths and passions that exist within us. Strength comes from the most unexpected places...don't forget to notice.

Whew! What a Journey!

I was born with a competitive spirit. I started playing soccer at age 5, begged to learn how to slide tackle at 6 and received my first red card at age 8. I play hard, I play tough and I play to win.

My journey into Fitness Competition Land began in September of 2010. I was checking out Stacey Cooper's and BootyCampSB's Facebook pages one day and stumbled upon the infamous before and after pics. I was intrigued. How did these transformations happen? Are these women even real? Can real women get these bodies or are they reserved for super models, gym addicts and pro athletes? I have to admit that I didn't believe for one second that I could be one of those "after" women, but curiosity (and let's be honest...those booty pictures) got the better of me and I called Stacey anyway.

Stacey met with me and explained the diet requirements and the time commitment. During our meeting , I was convinced that the pants I was wearing were going to give away the fact that my life had become sedentary. I was sure that Stacey the Personal Trainer and Bikini Competitor would think that this girl with the chubby thighs who poured herself into pants that used to fit, was going to fail. This former athlete and fitness enthusiast had become lazy and unmotivated and it showed. I felt intimidated by the girls walking by as we chatted in the gym lobby and I was convinced that Stacey was having this meeting with me out of obligation and would certainly not accept me into this program. Apparently, a my lack of fitness was tied to more than just an abundance of Rusty's pizza. It was a direct result of the lack of confidence and general feeling of unhappiness in my personal and professional life.

Then she asked me if I would like to participate and start training for the December 2010 show.

WHAT???????

She really just asked me that? I had zero muscle tone and more booty than I had ever seen in my life and she wanted me to join her group of bikini competitors? I hesitated and then said "sure" before I could really stop and think about what it would entail. I was locked in...still not completely convinced that I was going to be able to put in the insane work required or look good enough to actually compete.

The program was exhausting and I loved every minute of it. I lifted weights 4 times a week, did my morning and sometimes evening cardio AND did a carb cycle to melt off that pesky fat. It was blood, sweat and tears (no exaggeration). My lack of focus and lethargy in life slowly became strength physically and mentally. I loved the positive energy from the other girls at the gym and looked forward to every session. I loved the sore muscles, the piles of sweaty gym clothes on my bedroom floor AND the looks and comments I got about my body and overall attitude. People were noticing the transformation and it felt amazing. My boss who was holding a department meeting once stopped mid-sentence, looked at me and said, "wow, I can see the difference in your face already!". I was traveling along an unknown path and I was ROCKIN it! I ate my chicken, egg whites and broccoli like a champ and endured many funny comments and looks as I carried my Tupperware everywhere I went. Even with this new self-confidence, I was scared of the competition and didn't register for the show until the week before.

During this three-month training program, my dad became very sick. He suffered 2 strokes and endured a very complicated heart valve replacement surgery. I was traveling 8 hours from SB to Nor Cal every other weekend and packing my food with me. The mental stress took it's toll on me, but everyone at the gym knew what was happening and became an extended family. The outpouring of love and support was amazing.

Also during this training, my husband and I separated after seven years together. All the momentum and energy I developed quickly became an endless fog of tears and physical and emotional pain. The pain was real and it lasted for months. I went to bed with it at night and I woke up with it everyday. I carried the weight of loss and grief with me every day. I missed work, sleep and meals. I was depressed and it showed. The muscle I had built was slowly fading and I was losing weight quickly. The emaciated look is not okay for bikini competitors, and Stacey stepped in.

She let me talk about it. That was all I needed. I just needed to talk about and try to feel like a normal person for a few hours. I needed to know that I was not alone and that there were others who had gone through this incredibly traumatic event. Stacey and her other clients gave me support that some of my long time friends did not. I looked forward to the gym because I was building new friendships with some amazing women. It had become more than the bikini competition. It had become an evolution of my life and the people in it. I thank God everyday for Stacey and these women because of the love and support I received from them.

After a lot of thought, I decided to continue training. My loss of appetite wasn't ideal, but I tried to keep on the high protein diet. Honestly, that diet probably kept me from getting really sick. The training program gave me a heathy focus and allowed me to physically release the frustration and pain that I felt. I worked as hard as I could and made it to that competition. I wore my suit, my new muscles and also my new-found sense of strength and self worth. I had no idea that I was capable of training that hard for that long while enduring the most difficult year of my life. Exercise really can be an amazing form of therapy.

I always say that I trained for three months, gave up sugar, alcohol and countless hours of sleep for that one "after" picture. But in reality, I trained and sacrificed for a renewed sense of physical and mental strength, a new life for myself AND all of the wonderful women I adore and love.

And now, when I put on jeans that once lived in that pesky donation pile, I send a text to Stacey Cooper and I thank her for giving me back my health... and my impressive booty.