Sandy: Moments of Awesomeness

Moments of Awesomeness.  

We’ve all had them, those moments that stir us up and completely change our state.  They are the moments that take you by surprise, throw you off guard, or just amp you up.  I call them Moments of Awesomeness.  I had one of those moments Saturday morning.  Mind you this was the first time I have come to the gym to work out since my run in with the triathlon last Sunday.  

I didn’t plan to take the week off, however my heel was barking at me, and I was just downright mentally exhausted.  So I allowed myself the time to rest it, and with each passing day I grew more tired, more stressed and ultimately more depressed.  Here are the facts, I have to work out… let me say that again, I HAVE to work out, every day, even if that just means going for a walk or an easy bike ride.  If I don’t do something every day I quickly fall into the pit of sadness and self loathing.   SelfLoathing might be a little too strong an expression, but I think you get the idea.

So I rolled out of bed and dragged myself to the gym Saturday morning to take a yoga class which was excellent by the way. I came out feeling energized and excited for more.  So I decided to go to the fitness room to do some cardio intervals on the Concept II Rowing Machine.  I don’t know if you’ve ever tried this piece of machinery, but if done correctly you can get a superb full body workout, both muscular and cardiovascular.  

I was rowing away and hit my fifteen minute marker when my body started up the debate with my brain, trying to convince it that I was done with my workout for the day.  My heart was beating fast, and my muscles were starting to get to that point of being out of the comfort zone.  So there I sat, looking at my phone, thinking of all the chores I needed to get done that day when I made the decision to be done.  Then in walks a beautiful lady, one of my friends from the FitWorks program.  I was thrilled to see her! I couldn’t participate in the August round ofFitWorks, and I felt as though I had abandoned her. Though here she was mutually excited to see me too!  

After I made a quick phone call home to make sure the world wasn’t crumbling without me, only to find that, not surprisingly,my incredible husband had it all under control and was somehow able to manage to get by without me.  So the decision to stay and work out was made and it was “Game On” for Susan and I.  The Moment of Awesomeness began.

Let me start by saying that I was done both mentally and physically before Susan walked in.  When I saw her though, my mood and mind set completely changed.  We amped each other up! We were encouraging and challenging each other to go faster and push harder throughout our workout.  We started with speed intervals on the treadmill, and we were both “woo-hooing” our excitement after each 15 to 20 second interval.Intervals that got faster with each round, and both of us reaching sprints that were faster than either of us had ever gone before!  

We then hit the weights and did a full body workout; three sets each, hitting every major muscle group.  It wasn’t till I looked up at the clock and realized that I had been at the gym for three whole hours that I had to make the sad decision to get home to my chores.  

I haven’t lost that high yet from our Moment of Awesomenessso many hours ago.  It was spontaneous, and wonderful to have an unexpected workout partner this morning.  I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am to have the opportunity to forge new friendships so quickly at the gym, surrounded by like minded, fantastic people. I look forward to seeing your smiling faces every time I go in.  Thank you all for being a part of my journey.  

And thank you Susan, for bringing me your smile, your friendship, and your motivation.  

 

 

 

 

Sandy: Triathlete!

The Iron Girl Triathlon, Webster Massachusetts

The pre-race Selfie! 

This is not my first rodeo, nor will it be my last, however this was probably the most difficult triathlon that I have ever accomplished.   It seemed like everything was against me.

This was the first year that I have suffered from Plantar Fasciitis, which made training runs rather unbearable. 

My mother would tell you that I was a stubborn ox for even participating in the event, but there were a few driving forces that lead me to the starting line this past weekend.  First, I won the entry to this event and became a part of the “Got Chocolate Milk” team, and if there is one thing I never want to do, it is to let my teammates down.  Secondly, I have my pride, and that stubborn unwillingness to admit defeat.  Yes, there were times when I really just wanted to throw the towel in, but I didn’t, and for that I am proud.

I can say that I have always gone into these events wishing that I had trained more, and even though I didn’t train as well or as much as I could have, I can honestly say that my muscles are not the least bit sore in the aftermath (except for the searing pain in my heel of course).  Also my end results weren’t half bad for being “injured”, if you can consider Plantar Fasciitis an injury.

This was also the first race that I didn’t get seriously nervous about the night before, so I was rather calm when I went to bed, allowing me to actually get a little sleep.

If you’re not familiar with a sprint triathlon, the race begins with a quarter mile swim, from which the racer will run to a transition area to quickly get dressed for a bike ride, (for this race the bike ride was 12 miles) then back to transition area to drop off their bicycle and change shoes if needed to start the run, which is typically a 5K, or 3.1 miles. 

I entered the water, which was around 78 degrees, and warmer than the cool air.  When the horn sounded to start my wave, I think I got about 12 freestyle strokes in before I started to panic.  Swimming in lakes is tough, though swimming in lakes surrounded by 100 or so other swimmers with kicking feet and swinging arms all around you is REALLY TOUGH.  So I proceeded to side stroke and breast stroke my way around the course. 

My mantra was “BREATHE” and “RELAX”.  

Occasionally I would get a mouthful of water or my shoulders would cramp and I would re-start my mantra.  Funny thing is, when I really focused on keeping my side strokes long, and steady, I was actually coasting through the water faster than some of my fellow freestyle swimmers.   I finished the swim in 13:44 minutes, which might be the fastest swim I’ve ever done on this course (I’ve done this race 4 times in the past, so I know the course well).

I got out of the water and was thankful to be out of the lake and not at the bottom of it.  I had put aside my crocs so I didn’t have to jog up the rocky hill and onto hard pavement with bare feet.

My first transition was a little longer than it should have been, but I didn’t care.  I applied liberal amounts of baby powder on my feet to shake off the sand and to get my socks and shoes on. Small puffs of white powder came wafting out of my shoes every time I pulled the lace strings to tighten them.

The bike ride.  THIS is my territory.  Biking is my thing, I love it!  I don’t have one of those super fast speed bikes, and when I go uphill I’m fighting against the burden of my 200+ pound body, but I’m strong and I was able to pass a good amount of people, as my competitive side really came out during this leg of the race.  My favorite part was that whenever I passed someone, OR when someone passed me it was my chance to spur them on, and tell them what a great job they were doing.  I pride myself on being a generous athlete; everyone is a part of my team, even those people who turned up in the crowd to cheer us on.  I said thank you to the spectators whenever I passed a particularly enthusiastic bunch (if my breathing would allow me to get the words out.)  Inspiring fellow racers and showing gratitude to the crowds just feels good.

I finished the bike ride with a fairly decent time of 49:38, though probably not the best time I’ve ever had, but not the worst either.

Back at the transition area none of my teammates were to be found, so I got my sneakers on and started to hobble my way toward the starting line.  It was really tough to find my rhythm because every time my injured foot touched down it sent a dull jolt of pain up my leg.  The first half a mile was spent with me running on the ball of my right foot, favoring my heel.  Eventually I forced myself to roll through my foot because I didn’t want to injure my knee or whatever else my get hurt because of my compensation.

My mantra for the run was “Overcoming Obstacles” or “It’s all a mind game.” 

It truly was a mind game.  I knew that if I allowed myself to stop, even once to rest my foot, that I would be done, both mentally and physically.  So I pushed through it one step at a time. 

Every time I passed one of my teammates (the running course over-laps on itself), we high fived or cheered each other on, giving one another enthusiastic shout outs, which kept me going, renewing my energy and purpose.  The supportive crowd watching the race was great, children and adults reaching out to give high fives,  people ringing cowbells and clapping all lent to the excitement of this race. 

When I got to the final length, probably within the last 200 yards or so, I saw the finish line.  A crowd of my teammates stood at the side lines, yelling my name, and that was when my mind locked into to the finish line and I sprinted.  Foot pain be damned!  I sprinted as fast as I could, straight through the finish, the crowd roaring in my ears.  It felt great, and then immediately not great as my heel shouted its revolt.  I finished the run in 31:38, which is not bad, considering.

I limped my way into the supporting arms of my new friends and teammates, an incredible and inspiring bunch of ladies.  I was humbled and honored to be a part of this wonderful “Got Chocolate Milk” team.  A team that gave me purpose, motivation, support and hope. 

I refuse to feel down about my ailments, or to feel like a helpless victim, but instead I feel privileged to be accepted as a team member, a friend and an athlete.  I am inspired to work harder to heal my foot because my active lifestyle will not allow for it and I absolutely REFUSE to give up.  I have another triathlon planned for the fall, just 8 short weeks away.  My goal is to better all of my times.  The race is the Pumpkin Man Triathlon, which will be significantly larger than the one I just completed. 

I can’t wait to crush my times and to see how much my body can change between now and then. 

Thanks again for reading.

Jesse: VIDEO Road to Bench Pressing Goals

Here is the next video in the series showing the work I have done so far for my goal of bench pressing 350 pounds. 

This is the one lift that my strength gains have been slowest on. Which makes sense. Chest muscles are way smaller than leg muscles. However, the strength gains I am looking for will come soon enough. I will just keep chipping away at it little by little.

Enjoy the video. Stay tuned for some great stuff coming up of some hikes I got to go on. 

See you in the gym!!

Sandy: I have a Secret!

I have a secret.  It’s not scandalous, perhaps, but I wanted to share it with you.  I have a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis.  If you don’t know what that means, then think of knives being poked into the bottom of your heel every time you take a step.  Yes, it is that bad. 

My mom suffered from this affliction years ago, and I remember that I used to lecture her about stretching and doing her exercises.  I used to watch her limp around and thought to myself, “Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”

Ha ha!  Well, the joke is on me isn’t it, because I thought I was so smart talking about stretching and what not to my poor mum who was suffering so badly.  Life, in its most eloquent way, decided to slap me with the same affliction that I preached about so long ago.   Oh, and yes, the pain is THAT bad.

I say that this is my secret, because I don’t like to admit weakness.   I do my best to hide the pain when I can, but if you watch closely you will see that I walk with a limp.

I have not let this get in the way of my Fit Works program.  I didn’t have to, because my trainer Penny was well aware of what I was suffering from, and she generously altered her scheduled workouts to accommodate my aches and pains, giving me and the other people in the Fit Works program an excellent workout, EVERY TIME, even when she modified  it to take me off my feet.

Being honest with your trainers, and more so, to be honest with yourself is important.  It doesn’t make sense to push through your workouts when you are in pain, especially since it could lead to further, more extensive damage in the future.

My triathlon was this weekend,  (stay tuned for more about that!) and another one in the fall.  It’s been killing me because every time I went for a training run, it would be nearly a week before I was walking well again.  Needless to say, I went into it feeling undertrained. 

I ran into Melanie Ashcroft the other day, telling her about my Plantar issues.  She offered me some excellent advice on how to stretch my feet.  Another great piece of advice was that I should run in the water.  I know, I didn’t get that at first either.  What she meant is that I should strap on a flotation belt and run in the deep end of the pool.  This, my friends, is absolutely brilliant advice (that I wish I had gotten just a little sooner).  What a great way to build up cardio!  Plus the water offers resistance against arm and leg movements.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I certainly will for my fall triathlon.

If you have physical issues, talk to the Works staff about your injuries and concerns.  See a physician!  Schedule an appointment for a Personal Training Demo with one of our trainers, or a full one on one, or group training session with a Personal Trainer.  The Works Staff offers a myriad of information and experience.  If you have injuries or are suffering from any aches or pains you can find out how your workouts can be customized to maximize your results without causing more pain. 

Stay healthy my friends. 

Sandy: Fit Works Success!

Fit Works Success

It is unbelievable that four weeks have flown by so quickly.  Every workout was difficult, but thoroughly satisfying.  The Fit Works trainers know what it takes to push members to change their bodies.  They are also knowledgeable about nutrition and how to bring awareness to the members of what they are eating, informing them of better choices and strategies.

Nutrition is my biggest issue.  I’m an emotional eater, and even though my food choices are pretty darn healthy (most of the time) I was eating them in incorrect proportions of Fat vs Carbs vs Proteins.  The hardest part for me though, was portion sizes.  I have what experts would coin a “food addiction.”  Some of you may be able to relate.  It’s almost as if the moment your body comes into contact with foods you crave, your stomach becomes an endless pit, and it’s very hard to shut down, typically you can’t till your over full.  One of the articles Penny (my Fit Works Trainer) handed to me was about the effects of Dopamine (a naturally occurring substance in our bodies, a neurotransmitter) and eating.  Everything rang true for me, and it became very clear why obesity is so rampant in our world today. 

During these past four weeks I made miniscule changes in my diet, not for a lack of commitment to changing my body, but because its down right difficult!    I need to alter my strategies, working with tiny successes over time because if I am all or nothing, then I will only set myself up for failure.

Personally, I like to work out hard, and I loved the challenges that Fit Works presented.  Working out for only one hour, three days a week, doing muscle blasting / cardio interval training was both awesome and intense.  A little friendly competition with my workout buddy didn’t hurt either.

So, even though I didn’t fully commit with my diet, I lost nearly 7 pounds!  This is huge for me!  My strength and cardio have improved, I went from doing 32 to 42 pushups in a minute (mind you, these were done on my toes not my knees!) I did 35 situps, where previously I did 33, and I did 53 jump squats compared to the 42 that I started with.

I lost a couple of inches overall, and I feel terrific.  And this is without a full diet overhaul!!!  Actually, in reality, it is with only a few small changes to my diet, so I wasn’t suffering. 

So, where to go from here?  Oh, you better believe I signed up for another round.  I feel great, and people are noticing a difference. 

Round two starts the week after next.  Free Demo Days are coming up, so keep an eye out for the flyers and announcements. 

I hope to see you there!!!  

Jesse: Strength Training Goals

Goals: Dead Lift 500lbs, Squat 500lbs. Bench Press 350lbs.

These are my strength training goals. I probably already told you about them. This is just a reminder (for you but mostly for me).

These are no small feats and they require a lot of training and dedication to reach. I want to showcase the training that I have gone through and continue to go through to reach these goals.

I haven't reached them yet but I am close. Each week for the next few weeks I am going to have a video showing the work that I have done so far for each of my goals. After those are through I will show you what a typical week of training fully includes (edited for time of course, ain't nobody got time to watch a full week of video).

This week is Dead Lifts. Enjoy. 

See you at the gym!

Jesse

Member Testimonial: Shelly Kunz and Fit Works

Meet Shelly!   She shared a little of her experience with us and we want to share with you!

My Fit Works Experience

My experience with Fit Works has been amazing!!  I had never belonged to a gym before and was very intimidated just to walk in the door.  I know something in my life needed to change.  I was very unhealthy and overweight.  I had to do something, so I did it.

I walked in the door, took a tour and signed up for the gym and Fit Works on the same day!  I was worried that being so out of shape that I would not be able to do Fit Works.  I met with Lily on the day I signed up and she assured me that if there was something I couldn't do she would modify it so I could do it.  So only a couple of days after I walked into the gym for the first time, I started my Fit Works program.

What I like the best about the program is that I have a trainer who pushes me and holds me accountable, all in a structured environment.  In my first month, I lost 14 pounds and 5 inches off my stomach.  I have gained more confidence, and I have much more energy.  I am in my fourth month of Fit Works and have lost 30 pounds!!!  I go next week for my quarterly fitness evaluation, and I am really excited to see how much I have progressed!

Shelly Kunz

Shelly and Lily

Jesse: Nature in the Summer

Summertime, summertime. So many wonderful things to do during the summer.

One of my favorite activities (aside from going to the gym, obviously) is spending time in nature, hiking or camping.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the time in nature has been put on the back burner. I used to make sure I went hiking at every opportunity, now it is tough trying to find an opportunity. I partly blame it on school (which takes an enormous amount of my free time up) but I also blame it on myself for filling my schedule up with stuff that isn’t as important as connecting with Mother Earth.

That problem is slowly getting better. As part of my goals that I set for myself this year I wanted to make sure I connect more often. Although, I haven’t been on any big hikes this year (yet!), I have found a way of connecting two goals, hiking and improving my fitness.

I didn’t know until this year that there are an abundance of trails in our area (from Berwick to Barrington) that may not necessarily lead to a peak but still get us away from the pavement and the speedway of life.

Less than 2 miles down the road from my house is a short 2.2 mile round trip trail at the William H. Champlin Jr. Forest. It’s very nice, not heavily used and most importantly (for me) kind of easy to run.

I have done this run (jog…..) a half a dozen times so far and it’s amazing. The first couple times I used head phones, but now I go out there without headphones and listen to the busy life of the woods creatures.  It is actually pretty therapeutic, kind of like a quiet time to gather up my thoughts. Plus I feel like I am connecting with nature a little more, which makes me one happy guy.

See you at the gym! (If not, then I am probably on that trail :)…..or doing homework :( )

Sandy: Have you heard, "I'm bored, I don't want to do this…"

If you’re a parent, then you’ve probably heard this from your children before.  “I’m bored, I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do that” then the second you turn your head their noses are pressed against screens, be it the TV, an IPad, a smart phone, or some other type of electronic mind numbing media.  Sure, it’s easy to turn your head because at least they are quiet, not complaining, or fighting (unless they have to share, then that’s a whole other story.) 

However, before long, your deep seeded guilt and anger surfaces because you know that their little bodies deserve more than that, they need to get up and move. 

Well my friends, I have the answer.  Today I took my children kids to the pool at the Works (the indoor pool, because I didn’t want to have the sunscreen battle), and I finally scheduled them for the Fit Spot Orientation.  All I can say is:

 “Why on Earth did I wait this long to get them in there?!”

The Fit Spot provides a fun, safe environment for kids that mixes physical activity with a side of video gaming.  The best part is that they remain physically active the whole time they are in there, and they are having fun while they are doing it.
 

My children began their journey by testing their strength on the lifting machines.  They loved it, because they recorded their strength, so that the next time they visit they can see if they can improve over time.  Once they completed their workout they earned their right to “Play the games” which was “sneaky” fun.  I say sneaky because a lot of the games keep them moving and their heart rates up, without them really knowing that they were working out at the same time as playing their beloved video games. 

At the end of the allotted hour, they didn’t want to leave, and they were asking me when they could go back again.  I’m excited to have this new avenue for them, AND to have a great opportunity to work out for an hour without the guilt of leaving them with a babysitter, or in a place that may not be very exciting for them. 

One less excuse for me to not get to the gym.   

Fit Spot is a FREE option for our young Members!  Here's how it works:   

For Ages 8 – 14.  To guarantee your spot you must register by 3:30pm of the day you wish to come in.  After 3:30pm we will take walk-ins only as space is available.  Space is not guaranteed without pre-registration.  Orientation is required before a child can participate.  Pre-registration is required for an orientation. There is a two child limit per orientation time offered. 

Sign up at the Program Desk/Service Desk or call 742-2163.  Check us out on our website!   

Sandy: The Body Gem Experience

The Body Gem Experience

This is one of those services where you say to yourself, “Now why isn’t everyone doing this?”

Body Gem is a little machine that you have to breathe into for 5-7 minutes.  You have to fast at least 4 hours prior to your appointment, and you have to have been inactive, so it is best to schedule this appointment for first thing in the morning. 

The hardest part for me was to breathe into the little machine slowly and calmly because I fidget and talk…a lot.  I was prepared though.  I knew it was coming.  I had to put the foam nose plugs on, close my eyes and just relax, listening to my breath. 

Much to my surprise, the Body Gem data that came back informed me that my resting metabolic rate (the calories I need just to survive) was a lot higher than I ever expected.  Translation?  I’ve been trying to eat far too little. 

I use my fitness pal, and have found that I am constantly hungry and frustrated when I try to reach the generalized “goal” for the day.  What I have been doing is actually slowing my metabolism down because I am not getting enough of the right foods.

Christina took the time to explain all the numbers to me and break them down into layman’s terms for me. 

This information goes hand in hand with the work I am doing with my Trainer / Registered Dietitian Penny, who built out an easy to follow rule of thumb diet custom fit just for me. 

Now there is no guesswork.  My biggest challenge at this point is getting out of my own emotional eating habit, though I’m sure with practice it will come. 

Summer Eating

July is the center of summer and by now we have been firing up the grill, packing for picnics, and trying to stay hydrated as the heat index rises.  Follow these simple tips to keep your summer healthy.

1. Grilled foods can be harmful if not thoroughly cooked. The only reliable method to ensure meat is safe and ready to eat is to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and follow this internal temperature guide.

·               steak veal, lamb, pork chops: 145 degrees

·               ground meat (beef, pork, lamb): 160

·               poultry (chicken, turkey): 165 

·               fish: 145 (or until opaque and easily separates with fork)

·               ground poultry (turkey and chicken): 165

2. Keep your cooler cool.  Even an insulated cooler can’t keep food cold for long. Pack your cooler ¾ of the way full of food, reserve ¼ space for ice packs.  Pack cold and hot food separately.  Finally, keep your cooler in a shaded area, or under a tree.

3. We all know the health benefits of blueberries and strawberries due to their rich flavonoid content. In addition to heart health benefits, berries have anti-cancer effects by inhibiting tumor growth and decreasing inflammation.  Visit your local farms and enjoy a day of berry picking.

4. Your body needs an ongoing water supply throughout the day – especially in extreme hot temperatures. And, it is not just the water bottle that counts towards keeping you hydrated, but foods can supple some of your daily water needs. Enjoy these water-rich foods to beat the heat:

·               Crisp lettuce

·               Watermelon

·               Grapefruit

·               Broccoli

·               Low-fat milk and yogurt

Penny Matel, RDN, LDN, ACSM-CPT, ACE-AHFS