Fitness is FREE

I met some amazing people today.  Their local mission is to bring fitness to all ages, all abilities, every week-- FREE.  They are the founders of Rochester FREE Phys Ed.  It's like a PE class for the public every Saturday morning at a local outdoor track and it's all year round.  Keep in mind, this is Minnesota with cold, snow, and ice.  It doesn't matter- they are there.  This idea has taken off in other cities, but they took it and brought it to my city.  

Technically, fitness is always free.  We can move our bodies anytime we want outside or inside public places that don't require membership.  Why is this Phys Ed so appealing?  It's a gathering place that invites camaraderie and new ideas.  You get that feel of community along with the fresh air and sunshine.  I love outdoor programming just for that reason!  It's different, it's creative, it's in nature!

I was privileged enough to lead the workout for this weekend!  It was SO fun.  While visiting with the leaders afterward, they said that rather than researching ways to bring exercise to the average folks, they just decided to provide the opportunity.  It's the basic, "Let's DO it, not just TALK about doing it or THINK about doing it" mentality.  I love that initiative.  I love that kids were there with adults working out side by side.  I love that there were some older adults there trudging through the workout with the younger generations.  We were all inspiring each other!

I get to teach it again in a few weeks!  To read more about Rochester FREE Phys Ed, head over here: http://www.drmichaeljoyner.com/rochester-free-phys-ed/.

Taking a Break

I'm hurt and crabby about it.  Last week, I was dead lifting heavy and it happened.  I have impeccable form when dead lifting, so it wasn't that....no, I strained my low back while setting the bar back down on the rack!  It's embarrassing and infuriating all at the same time.  I felt the pull and knew something wasn't right.  What did I do then--I finished my workout, of course!  Well, I paid for it.  After taking a break for the subsequent four days, I am humbled and healing.  I guess I'm not super-she-woman after all.  It's funny how you can feel so strong and able and something so stupid can instantly mess with that.

When you hurt yourself, it's important to take a break.  Let your body heal, or it will make it worse.  Sitting on the sidelines, I'm itching to get back to my lifting, but know that I need to move gingerly and cautiously.  Heck, I need to do what I would tell my own clients to do.  

The key is to get back into it as soon as you are better.  You may have to "sit out," but don't use that as an excuse when your body is ready and able.  Even if you have to start all over.  Never ask yourself, "What's the point?"  The point is to treat yourself to the best health and fitness level imaginable for your body.  You deserve it.

I'll start TODAY: A call to ACTION

How many times have we told ourselves, "I'll start today."  Or maybe, it's, "I'll start tomorrow."  This applies to not just fitness, but anything that may seem hard or unappealing at the time....doing a home project, cleaning out the attic, tackling that big school project.  You can excuse yourself so easily and all of those "todays" and "tomorrows" turn into months or years and nothing has been accomplished.  In fact, you could be worse off than when you intended to get started.

My suggestion?  After reading this, shut off the computer and start something NOW.  I don't care if you look up a new recipe for supper tonight, take a walk around the block, get in your car to go to your gym, drink one less bottle of pop or skip dessert.  Do it NOW.  TODAY.  Don't have that all-or-nothing mentality that says, "Well, if I can't do it perfectly to my full potential, I will just do nothing." (Read my post titled All or Nothing about this.)

I recently read this awesome article about QUITTING tomorrow (instead of starting tomorrow).  It's a fresh way to look at things and how to get through something difficult by taking it day by day.  Instead of "starting tomorrow," you start today and "quit tomorrow."  Find it here: read it and take action!

One Year

I've been in business as a personal trainer for just over a year now!  It is a role that includes never-ending learning and I strive to educate myself constantly to stay fresh and current with the industry.  I'd like to share some things that I've learned not only as a trainer in my first year, but as a small business owner.

I've learned-

1) That we all forget to take care of ourselves.  It's very easy to put ourselves last.

2) That people REALLY want to stay in the "safe" zone and that it can be hard to try new things.

3) People may have different lifestyles and personalities, but have the same basic needs.

4) To listen closer.

5) To step out of my own comfort zone and take more risks.

6) More about nutrition and how many fad "diets" really have the same underlying concepts.

7) That starting a business from scratch is difficult, yet rewarding.  I like being my own boss.

8) That fitness is a tool to find inner strength, confidence, and is life changing, not just health changing.

9) To show people that they are stronger than they think they are.

10) That I get to be play a part in changing other people's lives for the better.

11) That if I do my best and help my clients to do their best and see results, my business will grow.

I'm sure that I could think of a hundred more things to add to this list, but those are some big ones.  Here's to many more life-changing years ahead!

Gym environment

Picture yourself walking into the gym and thinking, "I'm SO glad to be here, I love it here!  This is like my home away from home."  Now snap yourself back into the present moment and tell me, is this how you feel about your current gym environment?  If you don't belong to a gym, wouldn't you like it to feel like this?  Maybe you don't care.... (but for most people, environment in the gym IS important).

If it matters, what would it take to make that perfect gym or exercise environment?  

I know several people that feel like they have to already be in shape BEFORE joining a gym or at least regularly go to the gym that they already belong to.  It seems backwards to me, but I guess I do see their side.  Bottom line-- nobody wants to feel judged for what they look like, what they are doing, or what they aren't doing at the gym.  I felt a little of that when I first joined the Y, but got over it when I realized, other gym-goers aren't really paying that close of attention to me, unless I'm doing something to draw attention.

Overall, I like my gym.  I'm confident there, the people are friendly, the staff is friendly, and I have friends there.  Good equipment is important to me, as is a good amount to space to work out in, but it's the sense of community that I like.

If you are one of those people that I mentioned above, what specifically is keeping you from the gym?  Did you have a bad experience?  Is it all in your head?  Do you just prefer to work out alone?  

Figure it out and find what you want.  Don't wait to be "in shape" or you may be waiting for a very long time.

Comparisons

"I'm the fattest one here."  I remember thinking that as I looked around the room at my first parent meeting of the year for my son's preschool class.  This was five years ago.  I had been so down on myself for the shape I was in.....not huge, but average sized with a large ratio of fat vs. muscle on my body.  I felt like a blob and couldn't wait to hide in baggy pants and big sweaters all winter.  I looked around the room and couldn't understand why these other mothers could look so good-- four of them had just had babies and were skinnier than I was.  It was NOT a good day for me.

Months later, my family decided to join the Y and it changed my life.  I really didn't know what to do when we first joined, so I took water classes and walked endlessly on the treadmill.  Even there, I compared myself to others.  Luckily, I saw people of all shapes and sizes and didn't feel like the person that needed the most help.  In the pool, I was the youngest person by about 30 years.  So, eventually, I camped out in the fitness center, searching for the workout that would move me in the right direction.  

I found myself watching a woman that was routinely at the gym-- she was ripped.  I wasn't really intimidated as much as intrigued.  I wanted to see what she was doing to get that body.  She lifted weights, primarily, in the free weight area.  I remember thinking, "I want to look like THAT!"  I didn't see anyone on the treadmills or ellipticals that had the body type that I was seeking.   (It would indeed become apparent that if I wanted to change my body, I would need to lift weights.) 

I think we all compare ourselves to those around us.  It can be motivating or intimidating and disheartening.  Remember, we don't all have the same body type and you may not be physically capable of looking like the person working out next to you.  Looking back, I know that I used my comparisons in different ways-- from "I'm the fattest one here" to "I want to look like that!"  Instead of being down on myself all the time, I formed a picture in my head of my ideal body and used the latter comparison as fuel to propel me forward.  I knew that I didn't want to feel like the biggest one in the room anymore.  I've pulled myself along with that mental picture in my head of my best body.  Am I there yet?  Almost.  Can I relate to the people that aren't even close to where they want to be?  Yes.

Next time you find yourself doing the comparison thing, use that feeling to make some positive changes in your life.  Some day, someone may look at you and think, "I want to look like THAT!"

I'm never going back...

Have you ever been in a place where you've said, "I'm never going back THERE again!"  I have-- my old body.  Lately, I've been reflecting about all of the bad experiences and feelings that I used to have in my former, fatter self and I know that I will never go back there again!  I will never look, feel, or think like that again!

I will NEVER again:

- Stand in the store holding a size 18 shorts with elastic waist and wonder if these will fit or if I will have to go to the Plus department.

- Cry in the dressing room.

- Hate the way my clothes fit every time I put something on and then proceed to hide in something baggy.

- Chortle in disgust at the sight of my saddle bags in certain pants.  (Pants were always my arch nemesis when I was heavier!!!)

- Let food control me or pretend that food will make my day better.

- Be intimidated by the weight room or gym in general.

- Beat myself up about my body.

- Put my health last or feel guilty for taking time to work out.

- Tell myself that because I've had kids (3 of them!), I can't have a nice body.

- Say, "I can't...." without trying it first.

- Dislike the way my body looks in pictures.

- Hide from my true self just because I'm unsure about where I'm headed.

I will ALWAYS:

- believe in myself and my abilities

- push myself to reach new goals

- inspire those around me to live healthy lives

- take care of myself and in turn, my family

- live up to my potential and help others do the same

Make a contract with yourself.....what do you want to put behind you forever and what do you want to reach for in the future?  Once you pour your hard work into reaching your health and fitness goals, you will never go back!

Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT.