Sandy: Annoying Setbacks

Annoying Setbacks

Oh sure, we have all suffered from the dreaded setback.  It is Murphy’s Law really, just when you set your goals and you start to roll with the changes, BOOM!  Something comes up to stand in your way of progress.  It is life testing you, to see if you have the strength and the resolve to push thru. 

These miserable setbacks come in many forms.  Emotional setbacks will rear their ugly heads as drama in your family or with friends, your children dealing with difficult times, arguments with your loved ones, bills piling up, or worst of all, dealing with death in your family.  Emotions are major burdens, and the trick is to handle the emotional hang-ups in healthy beneficial ways, and to be okay with it if you need to hide under the blankets for an hour or two; just don’t justify the brooding for days that can turn into weeks of inactivity. 

Then there are the physical setbacks.   Injuries that sneak up and bite you in the butt! Last June I over did it in a workout routine, and ended up tearing the muscles around my ankles.  It wasn’t till December that my ankle would withstand a full workout without needing days of recuperation afterwards.  It was frustrating, watching the weight creep on and being so angry at my body because it felt like it was completely rebelling against me.  I was so mad that I didn’t care!  Now that I am getting back into the workout routine, I’m impatient to get back what I once had. 

 Unfortunately, my mentality is still stuck back in my college days of being on the Crew Team, when I had to work out hard, I mean really hard, to the point of regularly wanting the throw up from the exertion.  Each workout was a push to the limits.  Well, my 40+ year old body doesn’t seem to agree with my 20 year old brain, as I force myself to push thru my workouts with speed and strength like I’m some kind of super hero. 

Apparently I am trying to force my body back into shape in a month’s time, when it took YEARS to get to this point of being incredibly out of shape.  I ended up tweaking my back on Thursday, it seemed okay on Friday, a little sore perhaps.  It was Saturday when I felt like my back was broken.  It was nearly impossible for me to get out of bed without oodles of pain shooting thru me.  Yes somehow I managed to get to the pool to do some laps on Saturday afternoon. 

Instead of finding my way to the gym on Sunday (today), I allowed myself a lazy day, to catch up on some reading, do some writing, and to allow my aching back another day to un-kink before I blast thru another week.

I have a big workload of trying out some new classes this week.  I also hope to make some new acquaintances / friends as well.  See you around!  

Sandy: Spontaneous Yoga

Spontaneous Yoga

One of the greatest things about being able to Blog for the Works is that I now have a mission to try EVERYTHING. I want to experience it all.  Before, with gym memberships, I was left to float around, and for the most part I just stayed in my comfort zone, with what I knew or had past experience with.

I attended the 9:00 cycling class last week with a good friend.  It is always more fun when you have a friend, not to mention the comedy antics of the instructor Joanne, who is just a delight.

I will admit that I had a rough emotional morning and truly wasn’t in the mood, for ANYTHING.  Having my pal there kept me accountable, and by the end of class, the disturbance in my brain from the mornings events had cleared and the smile had returned to my face.

After class we had some extra time and decided to join in on the 10:00 Hatha Yoga class.  I was a little apprehensive since it had been years since I had done Yoga.  However the instructor, Vi, did an excellent job talking us thru the positions.  It’s not easy when you are lying on your back, not sure what certain positions are called, struggling to see what the instructor was doing.  Vi, was very good at describing the positions we were moving into in logical layman’s terms. 

The class was wonderful, and I felt amazing afterwards, and told myself that I will plan to get a yoga class in at least three times a week to work on my flexibility.

It is no word of a lie that when I  tell you that when I got out of bed the next morning, I was noticeably taller, looking eye to eye with my husband who normally is about an inch and a half taller than me. 

What a difference when your spine is stretched, long and relaxed. 

I hope to get to know some of the yoga regulars the more often I go.   And if you ever considered taking a Yoga class, but were too afraid because your flexibility isn’t what it used to be, have no fear.  The classes participants range from the super flexible to the Tin Man ( I fell in closer to the Tin Man Category).  

I hope to see you around!  

Jesse: Eggs and Oatmeal (Note: No Arnold in this entry!)

Groceries... 

One of my biggest challenges is my nutrition. I can certainly make sure I get in exercise but changing my diet is the hardest part. 

Luckily, I have a fantastic roommate who is very into a healthy lifestyle. She keeps on me about what I am eating all the time. She is always texting me to ask what I brought to work for dinner or if I am home to let me know there are healthy options in our refrigerator. 

One of the biggest things that she constantly is on me about is my breakfast. I tend to just grab a bowl of cereal with no protein at all. She really gets at me when I tell her I had cereal. "WE HAVE EGGS AND WE HAVE OATMEAL!!" is what she tells me constantly. She gets upset but, because of her, most of my diet has changed (although I still have cereal every so often!! What a rebel! :) )

Pumping Iron... with Jesse ;)

A lesson learned in intensity. 

That’s the biggest lesson I have learned from my first week doing FitWorks. I went in with the knowledge that I wasn’t working as hard as I could be, what I didn’t know was exactly how hard I could work. During my first session with FitWorks Lily didn’t hesitate to make me work harder. If I was doing something to easy she made it harder for me. She also took no pity on any possible excuses I might have had. I had done a pretty vigorous weight training session the day before my last session for this week. No one ounce of pity, she made me do the work anyway. I guess that’s the point, do the work anyway. If you won’t do the work, you won’t get what you want. That work has to be as intense as it needs to be.

It’s funny, I have been watching Pumping Iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger (Yes, Arnold again) and I have come to admire the intensity of the work he needed to do to win his 6^th Mr. Olympia. If you haven’t seen the movie, you should it’s a gem. It’s a great documentary that shows Arnold's work leading up to and eventually winning that 6^th title. In it you will see the level of intensity that is required to get the job done. It’s not to say all of have to be as intense as him but it does mean that we could all go a little harder than we push our own selves to do. 

Thanks to Lily I know (and my body knows, ouch) that I can push a little harder than I think I can.

Next week is the second week of FitWorks and it promises to be tougher than the first week. I welcome it with open arms (If I can even move my arms after!). 

True Grit- Awakening Dormant Muscles that had NO INTENTION of coming out of Hibernation! ;)

Sandy's First Personal Training Session with Taz

There are so many benefits one can get from hiring a personal trainer.  I met with Taz a couple nights ago.  My first impression was “Wow, this young man certainly practices what he preaches.”  Then I became nervous about the shape I was in, and worried about the way I might be judged or perceived.   Taz was able to quickly put me at ease, asking me questions about my experiences and goals.

We set off for a warm up at which point I got to know him a little better, and was thoroughly impressed by his age, his achievements and his passion for fitness. 

After a few minutes on the treadmill we went thru some movements to warm up the ol’ muscles.  Yeah, I was a feeling a little old, that’s for sure.  Then we started with squats.  Legs are my weakest link, I can’t stand doing legs, which is probably why I should do them more often than not.

Now, I’m no pro by any means when it comes to working out, but I have enough of a background to feel pretty confident about what I am doing.  Let me tell you, it is amazing how a tiny tweak of one’s form can make a huge difference in the way it feels.  So there I was, popping up and down in my squats, when Taz tells me to lean more into my heels.  GOOD LORD!  Suddenly, the movement became so much more challenging.  It was like I had awakened some dormant muscles that had NO INTENTION of coming out of hibernation.

After squats, we added a kettle bell weight to the mix.  What!?  Are you trying to tell me that my massive body weight isn’t ENOUGH!  That’s what my mind was screaming anyway.  I just giggled and went along with it.  I mean this is what I’m here for, right?  To be pushed and motivated.

We then went to the TRX system, for some pivotal pull ups (that is my own word, just go with it), to dead lifts, and then to the Evil Giant Rope from the Underworld.  Oh sure, it looks all nice and friendly when you first see it, and when Taz gave a little demonstration of “making waves” with the rope, it looked easy enough. 

Oh Heck No!  I was fooling myself.  I picked up the monster rope, and at first it all seemed fine, for like TWO SECONDS, when my entire core was tensed and my heart rate shot thru the roof, not to mention my wimpy arm muscles were putting up a fight to stop. 

Once we finished the learning portion of the circuit, my goal was to go thru it three times, in timed intervals.  The first round thru was okay, the second round was tough.  We stopped after the second time thru (trust me, I wasn’t going to point out to Taz that we were supposed to go thru again!) I think time grew too short to finish it, or perhaps the look on my face was saying, “Don’t you dare even suggest that we continue!”   

You know you’re in trouble when your legs are already sore before you are done with your workout.   Even going up and down stairs that evening was quite a trip.  It is now two days later and my legs are still whining. 

Thank you Taz for kicking my butt, it was awesome.  NOW, who is going to join me for group sessions?   I don’t want to suffer alone, plus it would be fun to meet some new people who are motivated to get into shape for the warmer weather.   I believe we have room for four or five more!  Go ahead; I dare you to take the challenge to make some changes. 

Contact The Works and let them know you want to join into Blogger Sandy’s group with Taz for Group Fitness Training.  My schedule is flexible.   Hope to see you there! 

[Interested in joining Sandy in this small group session?  Wednesday evenings!  Call to discuss.  742-2163]

True Grit- Small Goals and Keeping Track with Sandy

Isn’t if funny how quickly time flies by? 

The day I joined The Works I passed the poster for the Physique Challenge, then I passed it again, then I stood in front of it for many minutes.    This is typical Sandy.   I see something fantastic and I want to jump in with both feet to try it out, which I think is the reason why I have deflated and “failed” so often on my attempts to get fit and healthy.  Too much too soon, too overwhelmed and finally giving up because I’ve taken on too much.

When the start date began for the Physique Challenge,  I hung my head and slunk away in shame.  I had to face the reality that I’m not there and I’m not ready to take such a huge leap of faith. 

After a few days I felt better about my decision.  I am finding that getting a workout in 3-4 times a week has proven to be simpler than I had thought.  I’ve started swimming again too, which I believe is one of the best total body workouts a person can get.   It’s easy to find fun workouts to try, and there are so many to choose from!

Working out is easy, cleaning up my diet on the other hand has proven to be a much more difficult challenge.  I’m sure I’m not alone when I say the words “Emotional Eater”.  And I know that a lifelong habit of using food to subdue ALL of my emotions is not going to be changed in a single day.

I have to start journaling and being honest about what goes into my body,  but there is something about putting your food down on paper.  It’s like confessing to a crime against your own body.  If you don’t write it down you can allow yourself to forget the extra two handfuls of nuts, or the big spoonful of Nutella or whatever your binge food of choice is. 

Not keeping track is just another form of DENIAL!  

I’m very lucky that Lent is beginning on Wednesday because as a family, this year we are all in agreement to give up sweets. 

I will be starting the 21-Day Sugar Detox on Wednesday, which I’m actually looking forward to, because I’m giving up sugar for a Higher Purpose not just because I want to.  I know I will look and feel better in the long run once I’ve kicked this terrible addiction.  I think my children need a break from sugar too, although their changes will not be as drastic. 

I will let you know about my trials and challenges during this time, as well as my experiences at the gym.  Thank you for reading!  Hope to see you at the Works!

Jesse: Work Hard for What you Want

Coming up with continuous motivation for getting to the gym can be, at times, tough. It’s much easier to sit home and watch the latest hit television show and eat a pizza. Will power and determination can’t always be counted on to give you the drive that you need. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a commencement address at USC a while ago and laid out 6 rules for a successful life. The number 5 rule, which should be number 1, was “You’ve got to work your butt off” (yes I said that while using an Arnold voice). He is right; you have to work hard for what you want. You don’t want to fail because you didn’t work hard enough.

But how do I work hard if I don’t know what that entails? I was discussing that very question with one of our amazing trainers Lily. She had a very frightening suggestion… I should take her FitWorks class in March. I said, “Wait, you’re going to be teaching the class? Um, I would like to still be alive to enjoy reaching my goals”. Then, with some arm twisting (but not much) she convinced me that I should try it.

Although I am scared for my life I will be doing FitWorks with Lily and I am sure I will have many stories of my joy (and pain J ). This is me taking a page from Arnolds book and doing the work necessary to reach my goals.

Here's the speech, take a look:

Jesse started FitWorks today.