You can only move forward...

...by looking ahead. If you look backwards it will only slow you down or stop you in your tracks.

Don't let the past get in your way. That was then. This is now. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Don't blame yourself for what you did, what you didn't do, what you should have done. It's wasted energy. This moment is a chance to start anew--it doesn't have to be New Year's day. If you made a resolution but you've already blown it, start fresh. Set small achievable goals and build from there. Don't blow your entire year. If you want to lose 10 lbs break it down into 1/2 pound increments a week--that's less than 4 months to your goal--easily achievable by reducing calories by a modest 125 calories and burning 125 calories (by strength training and/or cardio) a day. In a year you can be 30 pounds lighter, stronger & fit. Or not.

You have the control. You have the power.

It takes time. I've been rehabing my shoulder (initially tendonitis/impingement then on to nerve damage-oh joy) for over a year (it's getting there! :) and to be honest at times my corrective exercise is quite monotonous and boring. I want to be doing push ups instead of side lying external rotation, chin ups (which to be honest I have never been able to do--yet :) instead of protraction/retraction. But I'm moving forward. Little by little. Trying to look at all I can do instead of what I can't.

It's taken me a long time to get to this point. In fact there were times that I actually cried while trying to lift two pounds during my side lying external rotation. I couldn't do it. It wouldn't budge. Around me people were doing bench presses and lat pull downs. I was frustrated, defeated and felt terribly sorry for myself. Had I stopped there in my self-pity I wouldn't have been able to do the 2 sets of 15 reps that I did today. I am by no means special. Just stubborn and thankfully, in this instance, my stubborness payed off.

What I did or didn't do in the past, to some extent, caused my injury (at the time I didn't know better). Poor posture, lack of sufficient exercise, putting my health on the back burner, it all led to a painful year of rehab. But I try not to blame myself. What good would that do? Now I know better and try to use that knowledge to better care for myself.

Learn from my mistakes. Take care of yourself from this moment on. Set your sights ahead. Do what you have to do to get there.
Let me know if I can help.

Be strong. Be fit. Be confident. Be your best.

Hugs,

Joanne

Why Aren't You Doing It??????

You know what I'm talking about. You know what you need to do.

It's never going to get easier to start. It will only get harder. Things won't get better until you do. There really are no good excuses. It will make your life better. There's never been a better time.

At the risk of sounding like a Nike commercial and a biotch (but I'm directing this at myself too)....

JUST DO IT!!!!!

Be Strong. Be Fit. Be Confident. Be Your Best.

Hugs,

Joanne

Live Outside My Comfort Zone

...my New Year's resolution two years ago. Did I live up to it?--pretty much so for the first year. Recently--not so much. I've put it to the back burner but now I'm lighting the fire again. This post is mainly a selfish one--to remind myself that I need to push myself to a higher level. The last year has been spent trying to heal--my mind, my body, to some extent my soul. While I'm not 100% in any category, I'm close. Close enough to move on.

I spent most of my life living in a comfort zone. Not that I was always comfortable, just that I never really pushed myself to see how far I could go--how much I could achieve. What held me back? I think it was fear plain and simple--fear that I wasn't smart enough, pretty enough, strong enough, good enough. So I lived my life under the radar. When I tried something I gave it my all but what I tried was routine--things that I was pretty certain I could handle.

But two years ago I realized that wasn't good enough. My comfortable life had added unhealthy weight and unhealthy weakness to my body. My mind needed stimulation--my soul was restless. So I made a commitment to myself--to live outside my comfort zone. I joined the gym. I became a personal trainer. I tried things that I hadn't before.

But soon enough I fell into my old routines. Physical issues caused me to lighten up on my training at the gym. Where I loved to challenge myself with new exercise and heavier weights--in came rehabilitation and corrective exercises. Mental issues caused me to doubt myself once again. But thankfully I'm turning the corner. Physically, through the help of an amazing physical rehab doctor, I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Mentally, through an awesome integrative medicine doctor, I learned that I have imbalances that can be treated--imbalances that aren't all in my head but in my stomach!

So now's the time to renew my resolution--why wait till New Years? I will live outside my comfort zone--starting today...right now.

Baby Step: Are you stuck in a comfort zone? Do you want to get out? Do one new thing every day. Try a new food, take a different route to a familiar place, listen to new music, join a gym, get a new haircut, make a new friend. Just go for it!

Any suggestions for me? I'd love to hear them.

Be strong. Be fit. Be confident. Be your best.

Hugs (and a couple kisses tonight),

Joanne

P.S. Normally it would take an hour of agonizing revisions to publish this post. Today, guess what? It's going up as is--aren't I daring? :)

Finding THE One

The one who is supportive. Who inspires you. Who motivates you. Who teaches you. Who guides you. Who helps you to be your best. Who can help you change your life.

No I'm not linking with Match.com. I'm talking about finding someone who will help you make that lifestyle change that you need or want to make.

It's hard to change--you may not know where to start--what to do--how to proceed. You might not even want to change though you know it's necessary for your health and well being.

You should know that you don't have to go it alone.

I was lucky to meet the "one" when I joined The Fitness Loft two years ago. A friend had gently persuaded me (thank you Laura) to visit the gym. She knew that I was trying to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle but needed motivation and social interaction in order to do so--and she was right. I knew from the first day that I walked into the gym that it was different from the ones I had belonged to in my early 20's (many years ago). It definitely wasn't a "muscle-head" gym and when I met the owner, Cody Foss, he made me feel comfortable and put me right at ease. Little did I know that he would be the one to help me to change my life--both physically, confidence-wise, and career-wise.

Had I joined any other gym I can guarantee you that I wouldn't be where I am today. I know that I wouldn't be as fit and I know that I wouldn't be a personal trainer. His support and motivation and knowledge helped me to discover my passion--strength training--which in turn led to a new healthier body and a new career. In fact he was the one that suggested that I become a personal trainer--I can't thank him enough.

How do you find the one? You can be lucky and meet them by chance--or you can actively search them out. Ask around, talk to anyone and everyone that you think might lead you in the right direction. Want to get fit?--consider hiring a personal trainer. Each trainer has a different style and knowledge-base so be sure to talk to a few and make sure it's a good "fit" before signing any contracts. Do you want to improve your diet?--consider a few visits to a nutritionist. They can work with you to come up with a food plan (not a diet) that will fit with your lifestyle and provide the nutrients you need to improve your health.

Once you find the right person be sure to listen to their advice. But don't just listen to their words, pay attention and follow through on their suggestions. Ask questions and take full advantage of their knowledge. Expect to receive a lot from your relationship but be sure that they are realistic expectations. Know that even with their guidance--you are the one that is going to have to do the work. No one else can physically do the work for you. But know that if you work hard you will see results.

There is someone out there to help you...I wish you well in your search.

Be strong. Be fit. Be confident. Be your best.

Hugs,

Joanne

I give up

Recently it feels like all I've been doing is giving up. I've given up...

Desserts & most simple sugars, (over 2 years)
Beer (my favorite) & wine (over a month)
Milk products (doctor instructed--one week and counting)
Caffeine (not totally but I'm down to one cup of 1/2 caff a day and the rest of the day decaf)

Free time--many hours going to a slew of doctor's visits, many hours in the gym, many hours in physical therapy.

Money--lots and lots of it for the slew of doctor's visits, hours in the gym, physical therapy. Add to that the prescription medication and supplements (I've counted--I now take 28 pills a day between prescription meds and supplements!--all taken under the care of doctors) and my wallet is just about empty.

To be honest the last couple years have been a struggle for me. Physically and mentally it's been a tough road. The reason I've been giving up all of the above is to find answers to my struggles. Yes, I've been depriving myself of certain things but--what I'm finding is--it hasn't been so bad.

I don't really miss the sugar/desserts because I don't miss the addiction and the physical crashes and lack of concentration that came from eating too much of them (I was THE BIGGEST SUGARHOLIC EVER!). And not having any at all--honestly and truthfully--has made the cravings go away.

The beer and wine? kindof sortof miss it when I'm socializing...but I know I don't miss the depressive crashes that come from having as little as a beer or two.

The milk? It's only been a short time and milk and cheese are ingredients in sooooo many recipes and store products (and I ate and drank ALOT OF BOTH). But do I miss it? Not really.

Because I'm finding that--slowly but surely--I'm feeling better.

I'm feeling stronger--mentally & physically
I'm feeling more confident
I'm feeling happier
I'm feeling more content
I'm feeling that there is a light at the end of the tunnel

I'm finding that sometimes you have to give up to receive.
And keep fighting. And that it's not so bad to give up--what wasn't good for you in the first place.

Which brings me to a...

Baby Step: Think of something that you know...you just know is bad for you and see if you can take a break from it--if only for a couple of weeks. It will be hard in the beginning--trust me. But maybe you'll find that you don't miss it so much. And maybe you'll find, like I did, that after a while it's not so hard anymore. And maybe you'll find that it's worth--giving up. Because you feel better without it.

Be strong. Be Fit. Be Confident. Be your Best.

Hugs,

Joanne

Why Weight?

Why strength train?--because it can change your body, mind, and life. I know it did mine.

Never did I believe that I would be doing deadlifts and hanging abs and loving every minute of it. Never did I imagine that I would be instructing others to do the same and loving every minute of it.

But two years ago, at the age of 43, I joined a gym and fell in love with strength training. Lifting weights made me feel strong, fit, in control. It also helped me to lose 25 pounds and to fit in a size smaller than I did years ago even though I weighed 5 pounds less. (pound for pound, muscle is more compact than fat and therefore takes up less space in your jeans).

There are many benefits to strength training including:

Weight loss and maintenence--

The key to long-lasting weight loss and maintenence lies in changing your body composition.

The way to change your body composition is through eating a healthy diet, performing cardio workouts, and (I believe most importantly) strength training. Why?

--As you age you lose up to 1/2 lb of lean muscle mass every year--that adds up! In fact, the average adult loses 5-7 lbs of lean muscle every decade. Even if you maintain your weight your lean body weight declines and your body fat increases.

--When you lose weight strictly by cutting calories (especially drastically) and soley relying on cardio workouts for calorie loss, you are losing a good deal of lean muscle mass along with the fat.

--Since lean muscle burns more calories than fat, your metabolism will be lower than it was to begin with. You may weigh less but you will also have to eat less calories to maintain that new weight!

As an added bonus, your body continues to burn a higher percentage of fat calories for many hours after you finish your strength training routine. Not true for long-endurance type cardio workouts (though aerobic workouts are necessary for healthy heart and more).

Strength training also--

• adds muscle which raises your metobolic rate--even at rest
• strengthens your bones--reduces your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures/breaks
• protects and supports your joints
• improves your muscular endurance
• reduces your risk of injuries
• improves coordination & balance
• improves your confidence & self-esteem
• improves your strength and energy to keep up with life's demands
• improves your posture
• enhances your cardio workouts by allowing you to increase the intensity and duration
• More importantly, according to the CDC, it reduces signs and symptoms of numerous diseases including arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, back pain, and depression!

Of course there are "superficial" benefits to strength training which I certainly won't discount. Looking better in a tank top or little black dress or fitting into your old favorite pair of jeans are important to your self-esteem and state-of-mind. In fact, for once in my life, I finally blame the clothes and not my body when, in a dressing room, I try something on and it looks awful on me.

I believe the question is not, "why strength train" but "why-am-I not?"

You don't have to join a gym, though for me I lack the discipline and motivation to work out at home. I also like the energy, the social aspect, the equipment, and the guidance that's available to me, that the gym setting provides.

There are many options that can give you a great home workout including utilizing resistence bands, body-weight workouts such as push ups and squats, exercise videos, dumbbells and more.

As I mentioned in a previous post, your body may have developed muscle imbalances that you might not be aware of. Poor body mechanics can lead to injury and should be addressed before beginning a more strenuous routine (true even for cardio workouts). I suggest getting medical approval before beginning any fitness routine. Secondly, I recommend hiring a knowledgable personal trainer (or someone with simlar qualifications) to perform a movement/overall fitness assessment and to develop a personalized routine incorporating corrective exercise (if deemed necessary).

Be sure to start slowly and progress gradually. Your body (including muscles, tendons and ligaments) needs time to adapt to the new movements and demands being placed on it.

Following is a link to an article that offers some great suggestions on getting started:

http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/a/weight101.htm

Remember, any journey begins the with a first step. I imagine you are reading this because you want to improve your health and fitness. Take that first step. The effort you put in will be worth it. You are worth it.

Be strong. Be confident. Be fit. Be your best.

Hugs,

Joanne

Emotional Rescue

Never will I forget a story my mother once told me. When I was growing up my father (who is a wonderful, wonderful man in all other ways) was a yeller. After dealing with difficult co-workers all day in a noisy factory, performing what I imagine to be an un-fulfilling job (my father is an extremely intelligent man but came from a home life that didn't offer him many opportunities), he would come home stressed and tired. And he would yell. Often. Loudly. On a certain day my mother just couldn't take it and left the house to take a walk. She headed towards a nearby drugstore intent on purchasing a candy bar to soothe her nerves. As she entered the store she realized what she was doing, stopped and said to herself "I am not going to let that man make me fat." She turned around and continued on her walk.

My mother is a strong woman, physically and emotionally. At 79 years of age she still cleans houses twice a week. She has the emotional control that I long for. She can separate eating from emotions--oh how I envy her.

How often have you reached out for food as a comfort, a self-medication for what ails you. Stop and think--are you eating to feed and strengthen your body?--or your soul?

If eating, overeating, or eating the wrong foods, wasn't fulfilling a desire or emotional need of some sort you probably wouldn't have a problem reaching for a bowl of brussels sprouts rather than ice cream.

I truly believe that our societies' struggle with weight loss is largely tied to emotional issues with the balance coming from physiological issues such as hormones, disease, medications that cause weight gain, etc.

Argument: I just like food--the taste, the texture, everything about it--I just enjoy good food. Think about it, what is it about eating these foods that are fattening, sugar-laden, most-likely unhealthy in some way? It gives you pleasure. What is pleasure-it's an emotion. For the short time that you are savoring the food in your mouth you enjoy a moment of pleasure--guilty pleasure as it might be.

Why am I shoving potato chips with dip into my mouth at the party--why not carrot sticks? Is it to feed my hunger? Why when I enter a restaurant intent on ordering a healthy meal, do I instead order the eggplant parmesan, smother my bread with butter, and laden my otherwise healthy salad with gorgonzola. I do it because it tastes good and for a short while will make me feel good. I had a long day. I worked hard. I'm tired. I'm stressed. I deserve it.

I believe a good example of emotional eating tied to the struggle with weight can be seen in Oprah's story. She has every resource available to her to aid in a healthy lifestyle including a personal chef and personal trainer at her disposal. Help is available to her round the clock. Yet she still struggles with her weight. Another example is Kirsty Alley who, in the limelight boasted about and lost a tremendous amount of weight on Jenny Craig but regained it in record time.

What is stopping them both from permanent, sustained weight loss? I believe that both Oprah and Kirsty have deep-rooted obsessions with food stemming from emotional issues that need to be addressed and healed. Until then, food for them, may always be an addiction that cannot be controlled.

I am not talking about weight loss for the sake of fitting into a size 2 pair of jeans. Being thin won't make you happy, trust me in that. But being overweight or obese can lead to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, degenerative arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, certain cancers, back pain and more. Maintaining a healthy weight through a regular exercise and a healthy diet is key to avoiding many of these issues which can lead to a decreased quality of life.

Sometimes these changes can be made on your own. Here is a great article from MayoClinic.com on emotional eating that offers some good suggestions on taking control--

You only have one life, one body, one mind. Try to take care of them the best you can. You deserve it.

Be strong. Be confident. Be fit. Be your best.

Hugs,

Joanne