"When I was about your age, my uncle taught me that at any given time, we are becoming the average of the five people with whom we are most closely associated. Don't ever underestimate the importance of whom you choose to be with." -The One Minute Entrepreneur (p. 3)
I didn't have to very deep into that book to hear the most important thing I've learned all week. Isn't this so true? Not only did I read that a week ago but today I got an email from fitness guru, Todd Durkin, emphasizing the exact same thing:
•Associate with GREAT PEOPLE. Our life and business is built on relationships. We are a product of the books we read, the things we listen to, and the people we associate with. Seek out and find great coaches and mentors, like-minded leaders who are pursuing common goals and passionate about living a world-class life. One of my own coaches once said, “If you want to be a great athlete, train with great athletes; if you want to be a great coach, learn from great coaches; if you want to be a millionaire, hang out with millionaires; if you want to be spiritually strong, hang out with spiritually strong people; who you hang out with and who you learn from strongly influences the person you become.” What great wisdom!
Maybe this is a hard thing to do because it may force out some unhealthy relationships but in the end most likely for the best. Seek out people you want to be like, because in the end we are like the people we associate ourselves with. I can honestly say I'm drawn to people I want to be more like....now I just need to make sure they are my average of 5!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
it began with a parade
No matter who you are or what you look like I think everyone needs exercise. This isn't based on a judgement of appearance. It's based on the belief that I have about exercise being an important role in everyday life. Our bodies were meant to be used. Day to day modern American culture doesn't typically include a physically grueling experience. We have to work at it. That means we might belong to a gym, get a workout buddy, sign up for classes or hire a trainer. I'm a trainer, I do this for a living and I sign up for classes, I have a workout buddy, and believe it or not I'm fixing to hire a trainer. I just do what I have to do in order to workout and I've found that I'm not very good at working out by myself. I used to be good at working out by myself but I'm not anymore because I've found it's so much more fun to go to a class or workout with someone else.
And lastly on exercise, but not least, because I believe this is very important and widely overlooked. Exercise and feel the difference! I think far too many of us go through life on auto-pilot and forget to enjoy a situation when it's not obvious to do so. The primary reason I exercise is because I feel good while doing it. I understand there may be a lot of people reading this that don't understand this concept. There may be a ton of reasons as to why that is the case. One possible explanation could be because we're typically resistant to exercise. We put it to ourselves as a task we have to do versus one we get to do. Maybe your view has always been "no pain no gain" or maybe there's a negative connotation because of a past experience. Either way I'm here to shake your view on this topic in that exercise is meant to be enjoyed. It's an area of grey: it can (and should be) eased into, you don't have to break a sweat, you don't have to do any exact thing; just move. The whole purpose is to move our bodies as a constant reminder that it can move. If it doesn't move it forgets how. Be thankful it can move. There are many bodies that cannot move. If yours can move, practice moving it in a different way daily because we're never thankful for what we have until we don't have it anymore.
Special side-note: make any form of exercise a priority especially if you have trouble sleeping. Chances are your brain is tired from working all day but your body is not because it hasn't worked nearly as hard as your brain. I get this response most often when working with someone that has been on an exercise sabbatical, they tell me they slept the best they had in years because of the work we did that day. There really isn't anything like a good nights sleep.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Confused?
kickboxing, pilates, yoga, triathlons, marathons, 5K's, boot camps, dance classes, obstacle course races, muddy bike/run races, strength training, cardio classes, hot yoga, swimming, running, walking, biking, spin classes, crossfit, p90x, insanity, tracey anderson's metamorphosis, brazilian butt lift, kettle bell workouts, gym memberships, pole classes, acroyoga, hoolahoop classes, aerial silks, barre classes, circuit training
The list could go on and on and on. There are so many options out there to keep us from getting bored. It can get confusing though; which one is the best method? Answer: any that look fun to you and have a beginner option. There is one thing I've recently learned: it doesn't matter what you do but do many things. Don't get stuck with your same, run or walk or strength routine. The best advice I can give it mix it up! Be adventurous and try out new things. I'm about ready to order the Tracy Andersen metamorphosis (yes, I'm an infomercial junkie) and I want to try an aerial silks class in the near future along with getting my fill of yoga and pilates and of course I can't leave out that strength training. Seems overwhelming doesn't it?! Take it from the girl who wants to read 10 books at a time and be a full-time class tester all around the metro; slow down and pick one or two things that look interesting. Do what I say (because I'm working diligently to follow my own advice too. You'll have a blast trying out new things and your body will get stronger in the process because it's working with foreign movements.
Now I say all that to also say that I firmly believe that pilates is the foundation for movement. Pilates is a core centered movement focused on always integrating the transversus abdominus (TVA). Not only integrating the TVA but strengthening and becoming more aware of how to engage it all day long in order to prevent injury. If you're going to the right classes with the right instructor this concept will be reinforced throughout the whole class. So we have to be exploratory with our fitness but also smart in where we're at now and what our body can do at this moment. Really effective exercise is safe exercise that remembers progression is mandatory.
The list could go on and on and on. There are so many options out there to keep us from getting bored. It can get confusing though; which one is the best method? Answer: any that look fun to you and have a beginner option. There is one thing I've recently learned: it doesn't matter what you do but do many things. Don't get stuck with your same, run or walk or strength routine. The best advice I can give it mix it up! Be adventurous and try out new things. I'm about ready to order the Tracy Andersen metamorphosis (yes, I'm an infomercial junkie) and I want to try an aerial silks class in the near future along with getting my fill of yoga and pilates and of course I can't leave out that strength training. Seems overwhelming doesn't it?! Take it from the girl who wants to read 10 books at a time and be a full-time class tester all around the metro; slow down and pick one or two things that look interesting. Do what I say (because I'm working diligently to follow my own advice too. You'll have a blast trying out new things and your body will get stronger in the process because it's working with foreign movements.
Now I say all that to also say that I firmly believe that pilates is the foundation for movement. Pilates is a core centered movement focused on always integrating the transversus abdominus (TVA). Not only integrating the TVA but strengthening and becoming more aware of how to engage it all day long in order to prevent injury. If you're going to the right classes with the right instructor this concept will be reinforced throughout the whole class. So we have to be exploratory with our fitness but also smart in where we're at now and what our body can do at this moment. Really effective exercise is safe exercise that remembers progression is mandatory.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Contentment
I may have covered this briefly before but it's on my mind from the previous post.
"Contentment" seems realistically defined as "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". That definition is realistic because the more contented an individual or community becomes the less extreme so more acceptable their desires will be. Contentment is an intuitive natural concept, whereas "peace" is a civil and so non-intuitive concept dependent on restriction, whereas contentment was and is self sustaining. (Wikipedia)
Does it make sense that we first have to be content with our current state in order to progress? I grapple with this because I've studied (via observation) when people change. It seems like (now this is not scientific so don't quote me-just an observation) whenever a person loses weight or changes their eating or adds exercise into their weekly routine on a consistent basis they were content when they started their journey. Now stay with me here. Think about it. People who are already content have a healthy state of mind from the get-to. People who aren't content but think they will be content if they lose the weight might not be in the most healthy state of mind. Here's the kicker though, I think there are varying degrees of contentment. I don't think it's black or white. I think it's something that we're either mostly content or mostly not content.
So try something for me. Do it on your own and then tell me about your experiment months or years from now. Here's my proposal: take a hard look at your state of mind. Are you always nagging on yourself, putting yourself down (either thinking it or saying it out loud). If you answered yes to any part of that question also answer this: does it parallel with your inability to lose weight and/or eat healthy and exercise regularly? Just because I firmly believe in the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results) how about trying something different? The mind is a powerful thinking organ. If we pollute our brain with nasty thoughts and words it's not going to work nearly like it should. Maybe this isn't an issue for you but something else is. Or maybe it is an issue and you need input from someone else. Check out www.insightkc.org. I betcha they can help!
"Contentment" seems realistically defined as "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". That definition is realistic because the more contented an individual or community becomes the less extreme so more acceptable their desires will be. Contentment is an intuitive natural concept, whereas "peace" is a civil and so non-intuitive concept dependent on restriction, whereas contentment was and is self sustaining. (Wikipedia)
Does it make sense that we first have to be content with our current state in order to progress? I grapple with this because I've studied (via observation) when people change. It seems like (now this is not scientific so don't quote me-just an observation) whenever a person loses weight or changes their eating or adds exercise into their weekly routine on a consistent basis they were content when they started their journey. Now stay with me here. Think about it. People who are already content have a healthy state of mind from the get-to. People who aren't content but think they will be content if they lose the weight might not be in the most healthy state of mind. Here's the kicker though, I think there are varying degrees of contentment. I don't think it's black or white. I think it's something that we're either mostly content or mostly not content.
So try something for me. Do it on your own and then tell me about your experiment months or years from now. Here's my proposal: take a hard look at your state of mind. Are you always nagging on yourself, putting yourself down (either thinking it or saying it out loud). If you answered yes to any part of that question also answer this: does it parallel with your inability to lose weight and/or eat healthy and exercise regularly? Just because I firmly believe in the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results) how about trying something different? The mind is a powerful thinking organ. If we pollute our brain with nasty thoughts and words it's not going to work nearly like it should. Maybe this isn't an issue for you but something else is. Or maybe it is an issue and you need input from someone else. Check out www.insightkc.org. I betcha they can help!
Monday, August 22, 2011
We All Say It
"I want to live a healthy lifestyle."
Do you think the verbiage just spins off our tongues without really thinking it through? That it's ingrained in what we know we should do but don't fully believe in it enough for daily practice? I'm going to talk straight for a moment. So often I hear of people making a bigger deal of what they just did but should be doing anyway. For example, someone feels really good about running 4 miles. They haven't ran 4 miles in years but they did it just this one time so they tell the world via facebook. I'm not digging on the person running 4 miles (or on facebook). It's sort of dangerous but sort of a step in the right direction, sort of (but not really). They are trying and what they did feels like such a big deal and they are so proud of themselves.
Here's what I'm trying to say, would we have to tell every person we see in a given day that we brushed our teeth this morning? Of course not! It's a given we do it everyday in order to maintain oral health. So why do we make such a huge deal about exercise?
A hobby of mine is studying people who have what I want. I ask myself what they are doing to get what I apparently want. How did they get to where they are now? And I ask myself what are they doing every single day. When I ask these questions about a person that has what I want; I replicate. The same is true for health. I look at someone that's healthy. A person that "lives a healthy lifestyle." To them, exercise and eating right are just the same as brushing their teeth. It's no big deal because they don't give themselves the option. Brushing their teeth everyday is mandatory. Exercise everyday (or most days out of a week) is mandatory. Eating lots of veggies and fruit and whole grains is mandatory. They have bought into the theory of "living a healthy lifestyle." They've bought into it so much that it's a non-issue. There is no stress about if they are going to the gym or not. There is no stress about if they are going to eat loads of sugar today. The answers are ingrained into who they are. There is no bragging about what they ate today or how many minutes they spent on the treadmill. It's an everyday occurrence and would get extremely old talking about and obsessing about everyday.
So that's the idea of where we want to go and who we want to be. I think we all can say it would be refreshing to stop obsessing. To stop talking and just do. There's so much more to live for than being unhappy about where we are and dramatize over what we "know we should do" but aren't living it out daily.
Here's the kicker: you don't have to talk about what you're doing because after time people will notice. We all hear people talking about what they are doing or what they are going to do. To me, it's fluff. It became fluff a long time ago because I'm the most gullible person out there. Seriously. I used to get made fun of for all the random things I would believe. As my husband says, "I'm a marketers dream." Okay, so maybe I'm still a little gullible (you can make fun of me later). And I am because when someone tells me they are going to do something, I believe them with my whole being. I believe that what they are telling me is the 100% God's honest truth. This might be a result of one major concept: I believe in people and know they can do whatever it is they really want to do. Isn't believing the ticket? If we believe in ourselves to the very end, believe that even when it gets really, really tough we can still pull through because what we sought out to do matters. I think so.
Do you think the verbiage just spins off our tongues without really thinking it through? That it's ingrained in what we know we should do but don't fully believe in it enough for daily practice? I'm going to talk straight for a moment. So often I hear of people making a bigger deal of what they just did but should be doing anyway. For example, someone feels really good about running 4 miles. They haven't ran 4 miles in years but they did it just this one time so they tell the world via facebook. I'm not digging on the person running 4 miles (or on facebook). It's sort of dangerous but sort of a step in the right direction, sort of (but not really). They are trying and what they did feels like such a big deal and they are so proud of themselves.
Here's what I'm trying to say, would we have to tell every person we see in a given day that we brushed our teeth this morning? Of course not! It's a given we do it everyday in order to maintain oral health. So why do we make such a huge deal about exercise?
A hobby of mine is studying people who have what I want. I ask myself what they are doing to get what I apparently want. How did they get to where they are now? And I ask myself what are they doing every single day. When I ask these questions about a person that has what I want; I replicate. The same is true for health. I look at someone that's healthy. A person that "lives a healthy lifestyle." To them, exercise and eating right are just the same as brushing their teeth. It's no big deal because they don't give themselves the option. Brushing their teeth everyday is mandatory. Exercise everyday (or most days out of a week) is mandatory. Eating lots of veggies and fruit and whole grains is mandatory. They have bought into the theory of "living a healthy lifestyle." They've bought into it so much that it's a non-issue. There is no stress about if they are going to the gym or not. There is no stress about if they are going to eat loads of sugar today. The answers are ingrained into who they are. There is no bragging about what they ate today or how many minutes they spent on the treadmill. It's an everyday occurrence and would get extremely old talking about and obsessing about everyday.
So that's the idea of where we want to go and who we want to be. I think we all can say it would be refreshing to stop obsessing. To stop talking and just do. There's so much more to live for than being unhappy about where we are and dramatize over what we "know we should do" but aren't living it out daily.
Here's the kicker: you don't have to talk about what you're doing because after time people will notice. We all hear people talking about what they are doing or what they are going to do. To me, it's fluff. It became fluff a long time ago because I'm the most gullible person out there. Seriously. I used to get made fun of for all the random things I would believe. As my husband says, "I'm a marketers dream." Okay, so maybe I'm still a little gullible (you can make fun of me later). And I am because when someone tells me they are going to do something, I believe them with my whole being. I believe that what they are telling me is the 100% God's honest truth. This might be a result of one major concept: I believe in people and know they can do whatever it is they really want to do. Isn't believing the ticket? If we believe in ourselves to the very end, believe that even when it gets really, really tough we can still pull through because what we sought out to do matters. I think so.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Nuggets of Motivation
Random words that have inspired me lately:
The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.
What if this whole journey of getting healthy could be more about what we're in the process of gaining than what we're losing?
Virtually everyone who overcomes will tell you their victory is the sum total of a whole lot of wise decisions that they made day by day.
I had to stop thinking about what I shouldn't have and park my mind of thoughts of being thankful for what I could have.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
September Schedule
I bet it almost kills me but I've decided to try out an early morning schedule (with 1 night class option) in September. While I'm a night owl and I think this new schedule will be difficult, I'm open to change. This should be a good change for 4 reasons: 1.) I'll get to spend more time with my little family in the evenings. 2.) The women that sign up for the class should be able to make it to every class as there isn't much else going on at the wee hours of the morning. 3.) Beginnings. Each month is a new beginning. A new start but a continuance from the previous. They all add up but it's completing small parts to a bigger whole. 4.) Budgeting. I think going to a monthly schedule will make budgeting for training a whole lot easier and manageable when it's a monthly investment that is predictable.
"Everyone must choose one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret." ~Jim Rohn
That being said, don't regret inactivity this fall. Email me if you're interested in joining in the inspiration and motivation that comes with training4women classes. They can be life changing if you're open to it!
All classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Dates: September 6-27
Number of Classes: 7
Location: FIT gym (new women's only gym located at 152 and 291)
Investment: $105
Session Options:
5am-Class FULL
6am-Class FULL
6pm-3 spots
I'm in the business of helping so if I can't help you personally because a class is full, the time doesn't work or whatever, email me. I'd love to refer you to a class or someone that can help. There's always a way...if you're willing!
"Everyone must choose one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret." ~Jim Rohn
That being said, don't regret inactivity this fall. Email me if you're interested in joining in the inspiration and motivation that comes with training4women classes. They can be life changing if you're open to it!
All classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Dates: September 6-27
Number of Classes: 7
Location: FIT gym (new women's only gym located at 152 and 291)
Investment: $105
Session Options:
5am-Class FULL
6am-Class FULL
6pm-3 spots
I'm in the business of helping so if I can't help you personally because a class is full, the time doesn't work or whatever, email me. I'd love to refer you to a class or someone that can help. There's always a way...if you're willing!
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