True Grit

True Grit

Let me tell you a little about me, I’m real, and I was given a gift of fearlessness.   I’m not afraid to show my true colors, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I use my words to express myself (sometimes a little too openly).  

 My weight has been a life-long issue for me.  I am built like a tree stump, broad shoulders, thick bodied, and throughout most of my life, rather flat chested.  Not a great combination for a female who grew up in an era where being overweight was less acceptable than a drug addiction.   Of course that mentality has shifted a lot since obesity became a nationwide epidemic, though being comfortable in your skin is a lot more important than public acceptance.   

<- This was me in 1993, sitting at a whopping 217 pounds.  The scarey part, when I look at this picture, is knowing that I am just 7 pounds away from THAT!  Its mortifying!

1999, when I was in a lean phase hovering between 165 - 173, see my pointed chin and genuine smile.  It's easy to smile when we are more comfortable in our skin.

I found my weight niche between the ages of 19 and 30.  My “comfort zone” hovered right around 170 pounds, which may seem like a lot for some, but for me it looked pretty good.  I was a gym rat, going 6-7 days a week, sometimes twice a day.  Overall,  I was healthy and fit. 

On my 30^th birthday my husband and I decided to have children.  It was my second pregnancy that the beginning of a Major battle with weight began.  I had gained more than I was supposed to, and after giving birth I fell into a deep, ugly depression.  In the same year as having my second child I ended up having a partial hysterectomy and my thyroid removed, pushing me further into sadness, and sloth.  It was that year that I put on an additional 25 pounds from my comfort weight, and I haven’t been able to shake it since.

This past year has been the toughest for me emotionally, I was working a job that I was miserable at, I felt like my children were out of my control, my life seemed to be tumbling out of control.  Since January 2013, I year ago, I gained ANOTHER 20 pounds.  It is truly difficult for me to look at my own reflection, it hurts to do so.  I am my own biggest disappointment.

When I take a good honest look at myself I can see that I have allowed myself to fall out  of working out regularly at the gym, I no longer ran or biked like I used to.  I no longer cared as the stress and frustration of life and parenthood took over.  I gave up fighting and fell into the habit of being lazy, and eating to subdue my emotions, constantly giving myself excuses for not making the effort.  Food is a wonderful / hateful elixir for temporary feel good feelings.

This picture is in 2011, I was in a miserable place, stuck in the 190's.  Looking back I wish I was there again.  It's very frustrating to feel stuck in a body you don't recognize.  

I am now 42 years old, and I’m sick and tired of being uncomfortable to be seen in public.  I have lost my joy and love for life.  It is time for change.

Since mid December 2013, I decided to take a leap of faith.  I quit the job that was making me miserable, and now I do what I love, I have become a writer.  It is thru that venture that I was given this incredible opportunity, to share my life changing experience with all of you.  You see, when I decided to change my job, I also decided that the excuses were no longer working for me, it is time to start feeling wonderful about myself again, to stop being jealous of those women whom I see hitting it hard at the gym, or running on the road. It is time for me to feel good, get healthy, and to make turn my currently tight jeans BACK into fat jeans again. 

Let the journey begin!  Sandy is now a member at The Works.  Stay close to read about it.  

Welcome Guest Writers!

Let's have a warm welcome to our new guest writers!  Have we got some great tales for you!  

Let us introduce our very own Jesse:  
Jesse's Adventures at The Works
Keep your eyes peeled for our very own Jesse Moore's adventure.  You may know him as: 

~ Devilishly Handsome
~ Smoothie King!
~ Best Ahhhhnold impressionist 
~ He doesn't wear a name tag because you already know his name. 

Less than a week!

February 6th was Barbara's last Lisa day.  So much to to learn on a fitness journey and Barb may already have her final "numbers" in knowledge.  Sometimes the journey is as important as the result?  Keep watching.  We'll have another member starting to blog for us soon and a surprise employee telling about their own journeys in Wellness!  Follow our blog posts so you don't miss a thing!  Now back to Barb:  

It has been invaluable having her with me on this path of balance. I have learned that moderation in all aspects of my life is what I can aspire to. Working out doesn’t have to be every day for two hours. Eating shouldn’t be starving myself during the week and then bingeing every weekend. My body fluctuates 5 pounds in one day. It’s true. Not anything to get upset about it just is. So on Monday at 9am I may weigh 169 and on Tuesday weigh 174 eating the same stuff and burning the same amount. Knowing that helps me let go.  Most days I am okay with trying my best. Accepting it what ever it may be. And let me tell you sometimes it’s nothing to write home about, but it’s what I got. The inner voice has gotten a little nicer or maybe I have just gotten better about shutting her down. It’s pretty awesome to be healthy. My numbers are in on Wednesday and that will be my last entry. I am excited. I am nervous. Less than a week. Here we go!

Barbara's Finale! There's No Perfection only the Drive to Become a Healthier Me.

2.12.14 – THE END!   So I have talked at length about Lisa and my undeniable respect and adoration of her. Let me take this moment to talk about James. Always realistic, and always positive. I feel as though he could tell me I had some incurable disease and find a way to spin it. Not just tell me in a positive way but leave feeling good and hopeful. That is what he offers. Tools that can change the way you think, feel and look.

We went through each test. 

Weight down 5.4 since October. 

Body fat right on the edge of average 25.2 /above average 24. 

Treadmill test big improvements for cardiovascular capacity. 

Push up on my toes, good form, I did 39!!! 

My goal was 40. My grip overall was lower. 

Most measurement were the similar, neck, chest, shoulder, hip, arm, flexed arm. 

My waist went down 2 inches and my thighs up over an inch. 

My flexibility increased.  

It was super interesting to note that my left calf was 1 inch bigger than my right and then October. 

My right knee was the one that was busted. 

So fascinating how the body can just jump in and cover for one whole side! So overall not huge changes, other than the push ups and the unassisted pull up. James and I looked back to the goals I set with him back in October. I wanted to do an unassisted pull up, lose a few inches in my waist feel and be healthy. So am I? 

The answer, without question, is yes. I can hem and haw over the details but the fact is I am very healthy. 

It’s hard not to get caught up in what could be and become a hamster on the wheel striving for a perfection that I will never meet. In four months my brain has not been transformed to only think positive thoughts about my body, my strength and my food choices. I am not all accepting and forgiving of where ever I might be. I fall into the pit of frustration from time and time. And please don’t think for a moment I wouldn’t love to report huge changes to you. Drastic weight loss. An overwhelming drop in body fat. A staggering increase in my strength. But this is what I have. This has been more of a internal journey. A struggle with my inner voice not my jeans. A challenge of acceptance, balance and peace. After these four months what have I experienced? Awareness of my body. Respect for injuries. My form on various different exercises. Knowledge of a billion more exercises. Joy when reaching a goal. Understanding of a serving size. Embracing the importance of diet. The importance of tracking. What the Fitness Assessment offers is many different tools to track and see changes over time that one would never have otherwise. 

My original assessment of Lisa being a amazing phenomenal woman full of power, kindness and determination was dead on. Most of all. I am a work in progress. Always. Forever. There is no perfection only the drive to become a healthier me.

Nutrition from the Desk of Penny Matel! February and eating for your "heart's" content!

We have all begun to look forward to the month of February as being the last month of winter, and knowing we are heading into spring. But, February is also the month for chocolate,  and eating for a  healthy heart.

Eating for your “hearts” content, does not have to be bland or tasteless. With these heart-healthy recommendations, you can enjoy the Mediterranean approach to eating, and still have a chocolate lover’s delight.

These are some top food recommendations to for an overall healthy diet.

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salmon: super rich in omega 3 fatty acids that can reduce blood pressure and protect the heart by reducing inflammation and the risk of blood clots. The fats also help keep your cholesterol levels healthy.  Eat oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring or sardines, at least twice a week.
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Spinach: owe it to lutein, folate, potassium and fiber, those who eat at least 2 1/2 servings of vegetables a day lower their risk of heart disease by 25%.
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Berries: blueberries, strawberries, or whatever berry you prefer, the are full of anti-oxidants which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.
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legumes: this alternative protein source is full of soluble fiber and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium. Add a half cup of lentils, black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans to your spinach salad for a heart healthy lunch or dinner.
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Flaxseed: full of fiber and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Sprinkle ground flaxseed on a bowl of oatmeal or whole fiber cereal.
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Nuts: almonds, walnuts, and other nuts, are full of omega 3 fatty acids and loaded with mono and polyunsaturated fats. Nuts also increase the fiber in your diet, and are a great source of vitamin E that help keep your cholesterol levels in check. Aim for one ounce of nuts a day.
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Oatmeal: Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta gluten that helps reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant - which contain more fiber. And a banana for another 4 grams of fiber.
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Soy: soy is another great source of lean protein. It has been shown to prevent heart attacks and is a great substitute for red meat, which will help reduce your saturated fat intake. Look for natural sources of soy such as edamame, organic silken tofu, or tempeh. Instead of adding water to your bowl of oatmeal, and a cup of soy milk.
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Dark chocolate: there is evidence that chocolate and cocoa based products are rich in sources of cardio-protective compounds in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.  Make sure your source of chocolate does not come in a bag of Hershey minitures . My favorites,  Lindt dark chocolate.
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Olive oil: this monounsaturated fat helps lower levels of blood cholesterol. The phyto nutrient in olive oil mimics the effect of ibuprofen in reducing inflammation, which can decrease of breast cancer as well. Regular consumption of olive oil can both decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure.


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

Something New for Lunch at The Works!

H.E.A.T. (Healthy Eating All the Time) and GO was created to help busy people on the go include healthy meals into their diet. After talking to a variety of people who either don't have time to cook or don't know how to eat healthy, I decided to start H.E.A.T. and GO to give people the opportunity to eat healthy food all the time. H.E.A.T and GO provides healthy frozen meals and ready to eat healthy grain salads to take to work, to have at home for dinner with the family, or to have healthy food to take on the go. All meals and salads are made with lean protein, whole grains, and lots of vegetables.

With everyone’s lives being so busy with limited time to prepare healthy foods we decided to make things easy for those who want to eat nutritional meals or have a family style meal ready for them once they get home from work.  We offer meals at local market places and we have meal plans that can be delivered to your place of choice as well as our variety of healthy grain salads here at The Works.

Heat-go.com

meal@heat-go.com

Curious what the menu looks like?  

Check it out here:

http://www.theworkshealthclub.com/body.cfm?id=18

One More Session!

Barbara is approaching her last session with Lisa.   What do you think of her journey so far?  

1.29.14 – Today is my second to last day with Lisa. 

Bitter sweet. 

She said “sorry your workout today kinda sucks.” 

Yay. 

Off we went. 

Lunges around the track, RDL’s, so other yummy stuff. My most favorite is a new 10 minutes intervals of jumping jacks and push ups that Lisa had me do. SO fun. By fun I mean awful. By awful I mean wonderful. I am going to miss her unique blend of support and drive each week. I can’t really put into words what a personal trainer can do for you. Lisa has become a voice in my head each moment of my day. Her words of wisdom are threaded throughout my day. My new date for my final check in is February 12^th Wednesday at 11am. Goals get ready to be met!