I'm Back....Right?

WOW!  Almost 2 months since my last blog post!

Well, a lot has changed since then.  First, I have been eating horribly and NOT working out other than my weekly training sessions.  Second, I decided NOT to do the body competition next year.  For me, it is not a good fit with my lifestyle at the moment.

I realized I was spending HOURS at the gym rather than with my family, and it was not what I wanted.  I DO want to get healthy and I DO want to get back in shape.  So, my trainer and I discussed it and he worked up a new plan for me.

Going back to basics!  Starting over!  Back to the beginning to get back on a good track.  To be honest with you, my eating has taken the WORST toll.  Back to my old ways, and it is even worse now because there is no yummy summer fruits that are local and fresh!  I can feel it.  I feel lazy and tired all the time.  I don't feel healthy! 

I really let myself slide this summer by NOT keeping up with my three times a week of running.  I got lazy with it.  I almost had that "I know i can do it so i don't have to prove it to myself" attitude.  I let it pass by and I am angry with myself.  I need to get back to it....I WILL DO IT!

I HAVE to do it!  One of these years I WILL wear a two piece bathingsuit...one of these days I WILL finally feel comfortable in my own skin.  I hope :)

I have to for all of the same reasons that I did it a year and a half ago!  The reasons haven't changed.  My desire for it hasn't changed.  Mentally I need to get back with it and FAST!

Sorry for being gone for so long and thanks for reading this if you stuck with me :)

~ <3 ~
Me

An Interesting Proposition

So, after two weeks of no PT time, off I went for a full HOUR!  I was a bit nervous because I have just been feeling so out of shape and blob-like.  I warmed up with a 5 minute brisk walk and a 5 minute jog.  THEN it began.

I am going to regret typing this, but it was a tough yet doable workout.  I didn't feel like death until I had the spaghetti arms this afternoon :) A bit off topic, but my trainer says today, "Are you going to talk about me today?".  Hey....at least I know that people are reading my blog right?!  On the other hand I'd better watch what I say huh?  :) 

Any who.....I do feel strong.  We got on the topic of working out as well as crossfit (which his explanation as to pros and cons really made sense) and I was saying how the 203+ lb me wouldn't have been able to do much of anything.  There are many things that I know I can't do YET.  YET being the key word.

So also during my training Tommy says "Are we going to get you to do THAT next year?"  As he points to the wall where gym members competed in a natural body building competition.  Immediately I say "NO WAY!".  He asks me "Why not?"  Then he said something that really resonated with me after I left. "It gives you a goal to attain to keep you motivated."  I mean....how could I do that?  I can barely sing in front of people (I am not horrible either by the way) how would I get up on stage in a skimpy bikini and pose?  Even as I type it I get panicky.

Then I started thinking......"why not have that as a goal?" What scares me most is the eating.  I really think I am addicted to food.  Not good food either.  Just junk.  I know it takes a lot of dedication to clean eating and fitness. 

I have a friend of mine who is really into it and has progressed amazingly this year and done great

with competing!  Congrats Nicole!!!  That is here right there.....doesn't she look AMAZING?!  Truly and inspiration to me and many others.

So I guess I would need to have a plan and see what I need to do and create a goal?  I don't know!  But he was right.  When I have a goal to accomplish I can strive for it!  When I don't, I will just sit here in the middle and stay stable.  That hit me because it is how I function!

So, here I am trying to figure out what I should strive for.  As stated today "Don't you want to be in the best physical health/shape of your life?" 

YES I DO!!!!!

~ <3 ~
Me

A Little Rain Didn't Hurt Anyone

Had a little PT today with Tommy at YDM (Your Daily Motivation) Fitness today.  After that I went for a run.  It rained a bit on and off but it felt amazing.

I decided to start using my Couch to 5k App again! Click Here  I decided to use it for interval training and working on improving my time.  Today was alternating 1 minute of running with 1:30 of walking.  When I did the one minute I was RACING!  It felt great!

I went back saw that when I first started I did 1.99 miles and today I did 2.31 miles!!  I can't complain about that!  It felt good and I was really huffing and puffing!

I was kind of excited because during training today my trainer said "Now that your stomach is small enough we can start really toning and tightening things up".  WHAAAAAAAT?!?!  WOOOOO!  I will post an updated photo soon but this made my day!  I noticed that just within the past week I have really thinned out in my stomach area.  I just have my "Mom pouch" right now.

The eating has been going....it hasn't been easy, but it has been making quite the difference.  I am only on week two but I do notice my body slimming up.  A woman I work with says its acting as an anti inflammatory and reducing the swelling in my body.  HEY....I'll take it!

The countdown until my surgery is quickly approaching!  Still nervous yet calm about it at the same time.  I just want to get it over with!

Ok everyone...thanks for reading!  I'll make it back here soon!

~ <3 ~
Me

Happy Training Anniversary!!!

Happy 3 months of training with my Amazing trainer.  I guess I SHOULD take some progress pictures now that I realized it's been 3 months (Well, 3 months July 9th).

I was going through my fitness logging site Map My Fitness and went back to May of last year to see my progress and when I slowed down and when I picked back up.  I hit April and noticed that April 9th was my first training session at YDM (Your Daily Motivation) Fitness !  I don't know if this was my consult day or my first actual training day.

I had training today and once we were done Tommy says "Cardio it up!".  My plan was to come home and run and he didn't believe me that I would do it!  I wanted to run today.  It is unseasonably cool and not muggy....a nice breeze.  I had to tag him in my fitness post so he knew I kept my end of the deal.

I still can't believe that it has only been 3 months since I started training.  I feel like I have been doing that forever.  Probably because I was with trainer "Bob" for so long that this journey DOES seem like it has been taking a long time.  But as much progress as I have made in 3 months.....I can't wait for another 3, 6, 9, FOREVER!

I ran/walked 4 miles today and it felt A-MA-ZING!  It is so nice and breezy here by the lake today.  Overcast skies.  I was breathing like a champ.  Some muscle soreness, but I pushed through.  When I was done I felt like a new woman!  It felt amazing and I was really happy that I did it!

I will be curious to see what my training turns into once it starts to snow.  I hate treadmills since last November's "Knee Gate" episode.  I am probably going to be doing a lot of stair machine and elliptical work.  Which is fine.  I have to maintain as best as I can and keep continuing my progress!

Below is my heart rate graph from my run today.  I walked the first 5 minutes to warm up and then walked like .20 at the end then I ran the rest out, but I still felt pretty great!

It also shows elevation, pace, and heart rate all together so you can see where you struggle more and such.  I love my Garmin Forerunner 110.  I purchased mine through Hear Rate Monitors USA for a STEAL!  Even cheaper than from Amazon.  It came with a HRM (Hear Rate Monitor) and it bases your calorie burn off your weight, height, gender, and heart rate for an accurate number.

Ok, enough of my "sales" pitches today :)  Have an amazing Wednesday everyone!!!!

~ <3 ~
Me

SONG OF THE DAY: Well, the link is to a video but it is HILARIOUS! "Word Crimes" - Weird Al Yankovic"

Time To Face The Food

I feel like that is me telling my daughter "Oh honey....those are yummy.  Mommy has had 20 already!  Do you want to share one more with me?"  It truly is ridiculous.  It is time to.....

FACE THE FOOD!

I seriously need to get this food and eating together already.  I need to focus on a leaner intake and cut down on my carbs and sugars.  I don't eat NEARLY as much as I used to or as poorly as I used to, but I still love my junk.

Hello......my name is Beth......and I am a carb-aholic.  It is awful and I hate it but I love them and they love me and you can't tell me anything otherwise!  Pizza, sandwiches, pastas.  I also am realizing that despite trying to eat better, I still have a higher sugar intake.  Ice cream!  Curse you ice cream!  Slowly but surely I am trying to tweak it without getting overwhelmed so that I stick with it instead of giving up on it.

I am dedicated this week to my fitness routine and planning on sticking with that better (YES including my PT "homework") but I have GOT to get this food thing together because I want to start seeing results faster and the only way I am going to do that is if I discipline myself more and really get to it!

My patient that referred me to my trainer had a series of three photos that she posted online.  Month one, month two and month three. HOLY CRAP!  The muscle definition and tone she has gotten has been incredible!

My friend Yurisa has been with her trainer probably a short while longer than me and has dropped 30lbs and looks amazing. 

OBVIOUSLY I am doing something wrong!  The only thing I am thinking that isn't quite in tune yet is my eating.  I am so frustrated and aggravated today!!!  I just want this all to be done and be fit and just maintain already.  I figure though it took me probably almost 20 years and 2 kids to get to the point I was at.....I know it can't happen over night.

Ugghhh....I just want the day to come where I can't really find a spot that I see on my body and say "ugghhhh I can't wait for that to be tighter/more toned/not so flabby".  I also wish I didn't think this way about my body.  One day I think I look amazing and then I see myself in a picture or just looking in the mirror the next day and think I look huge.  I mean compared to where I was, I look and feel amazing, but I am not there yet.  I have SUCH a far way to go.

HOW MUCH LONGER!?  Probably not as long if I just face the food, listen to my amazing trainer, and just get shit done already!!!!

~ <3 ~
Me

BUSTED!

I had to laugh today.  I had my PT (Personal Training) today and as it got started my trainer says "Anything hurting or sore today?"  I then say "Yes my legs, but I ran Monday and did my workout sheet you gave me last night."  He then proceeds with "I thought you didn't do your workout sheet I gave you??  That is what you said in your blog!"

BUSTED!!!!

I had to laugh because he was right!  See what happens when you share your blog with your trainer???  You get BUSTED!  But I knew I would get in trouble some day!  Maybe I sabotaged myself? HaHaHa

Today was a good day....lots of core and upper body work.  I think he tried to kill me today.  In a good way!  I always love my PT days.  I feel rejuvenated and awakened! 

I had such an amazing response to my Why I Chose A Personal Trainer blog.  Thank you all so much!  I had so many people contacting me asking me about my Trainer, Tommy, at YDM Fitness.  How often to I go, and what do I do when I go.  I was so honored for such a great response, but also proud of my trainer for helping me to inspire others to possibly seek help in their own journey. 

So I have to take a moment and mention two huge things!

1) My best friend Yurisa has been keeping with her own healthy lifestyle and has been KILLING it!  She has lost like 30lbs and is looking like one hot Mama!  Way to go girlie!  You are now MY inspiration! 

2) I have talked about a My Fitness Pal friend named BeingKevin before in my posts and how he has so inspired me in my own journey.  I realized (a month later) that after my 10k that I hadn't seen any posts from him!  I search for his name and he has been deactivated.  I panicked!!  I found a thread that stated he got overwhelmed by social connections and had to start fresh and has joined a new calorie counting site.  I am glad for his journey and that he is keeping up with it, but I will miss him!

Ok my friends....I am done for the night.  I don't have much to say but I hope you stick with me because I am planning on getting another good blog up! 

~ <3 ~
Me

Why I Chose A Personal Trainer

I hear so many different things from so many different people.

"I know what I need to do...why should I pay for it?"
"I can just do this at home"
"What can they possibly tell you that you don't already know?"
"I can just look it up online and find routines."

Here is the thing.  I tried working out at home.  I tried the DVD's.  No matter how much I research online, I feel overwhelmed.  There is SO much stuff out there.  Arms, legs, back, chest....HOOOOOOOLD on a minute.  I mean how much weight should I be using....how many times should I do it?  I will tell you what.  I can't take it!

You know what?  Go.  Right now.  Get on Google and search fitness routines or strength training routines.  How many did you find?  I found over 20,000,000.  That's MILLION in case you didn't notice.  Who has time to sift through all of that garbage?!

When I was at my old gym, I did one free training session.  You know, the usual.  "This is what this machine does....give it a try".  BLEH.  Anywho, I had dropped 20lbs by this point and knew I needed to start building up muscle to take care of my "flappy skin".  It was starting to hang on me and I needed to do something and something fast.  So, I signed up for training with a trainer (let's just call him Bob).  As I am talking to "Bob" I am trying to get to know him.

I ask him where he went to school to get his degree.  His response was "Oh I didn't go to school for this, but I went through certification."  (granted I am sure there are certified trainers who are amazing at their jobs and are very passionate, so please don't take offense) Why this didn't stop me in my tracks....I just figured that this was ok for me.  From there we went right to mainly leg machines as he talked to other members on and off the whole time.  I had training with Bob once a week.  My concern was my knee because after running I was in so much pain.  So he said we needed to strengthen my thigh and my inner thigh to protect my knee.  That was the end of that.  No weigh in.  No measurements.  I had no idea where I started and where I was headed or what my goals were.

I can honestly tell you that when I went for those training sessions....I was in SO much pain!  I couldn't sit down on a toilet without support for AT LEAST 3-4 days.  I do this routine on a weekly basis for 2 months.  No results.  Just miserable times being so sore and uncomfortable and just burnt out because I was so discouraged.

By the end of the second month a patient of mine was telling me about a man she went to school with who opened his own gym.  He was passionate and intelligent.  This was his life calling and he embraced and loved being a personal trainer and fitness/health in general.  He made it a challenge, but made it enjoyable.  She told me that he gave her a workout plan to do when she wasn't at her training session.  He took all of her beginning measurements.  He gave her a daily food plan!  Seriously!?  A food plan!?

By the end of her appointment she gave me his number and I called right away.  He was personable and not pushy at all.  You know how sometimes the trainers push you into it like a sales pitch and they are guaranteed commission when you sign on the line?  He wasn't like that at all.

He explained to me that my first visit is a free consult.  He works with you to see where your limits are and how far you can currently go so that you can aim for a future goal.  I was PETRIFIED!  But I set up my free consult figuring the worst that could happen was that NOTHING would happen.

During my appointment, I did so many different things.  He really tested me and pushed the limits.  When we were done we got my current weight and measurements from head to toe.  He asked me what my goals were and what I wanted to accomplish and he told me what the plan was!  He was so genuine and you could just feel the passion oozing out of his pores.  He loved what he did and it showed!!  It made me feel so at ease and I signed up then and there.

At my next session he had a typed up sheet of a workout routine (very detailed) to do every other day.  He also gave me an eating routine!  Super easy foods (other than the fish that my husband is allergic to).  When I felt like my weight loss was at a stand still he recommended a protein supplement which has been amazing.  He is available when I have a question and doesn't make me feel stupid with questions I have.

It's like a light bulb went off in my head and I knew this was the right thing for me to do!  I can tell you that within a month of training with Tommy I have tightened and toned so much!  Such a huge improvement!  He always jokes and says "How was that compared to 'Bob'?".  I am working on the food thing and need to get back into my PT "Homework". 

Why did I choose a personal trainer?  Accountability.  Knowing I would disappoint someone because I am not willing to try harder and fight for the body and lifestyle I deserve!  I am lazy!  History proves that.  I don't care what DVD or YouTube video is out there....I don't do it.  I have a ton of them already collecting dust on a shelf.  I need the help!  I need the guidance!

So, people say they don't need a trainer and they won't get anything out of it.  You are wrong!  If you DO have the ability to do it all on your own, congratulations.  But having that strong base and knowledge...it's priceless.

So, again I say.... why did I choose a personal trainer?  It was what was best for me and I wouldn't change it for the world.  My fitness relationship with my trainer is great and he is supportive but still a firm trainer and it is what I need in MY life.  I have progressed so much in such a small amount of time and yes I have done this, but not without my trainers help and guidance.  I can do assisted chin ups!  HELLO!?!?  I think that's amazing and I can't wait to do my first full chin up by myself....it is a goal of mine!

So thank you to my trainer Tommy at YDM Fitness!  You truly inspire and it is so evident the passion and drive you have for your career.  It isn't just a job to you and I am sure I am not the only client who appreciates your work and dedication.  My husband thanks you too ;) I am looking quite fit these days HaHaHa

I hope this helps others who have been considering working with a trainer.  Please look into them and make sure they are qualified and experienced and care about their clients and to them you are not just another number to add to their list.  Don't be just a dollar sign to them....make sure you are important!

~ <3 ~
Me