TC 10k under my belt

Happy Monday everyone. I'm happy to report that I ran the TC 10 k yesterday's ah and for me it was a new personal best. Those of you who know me understand how happy I am about this. My time was 1:08.41. Not world record time by any stretch but for me it's almost 9 minutes off last year's time. To put it in perspective I have run exactly twice since October. 10 laps around the track at the gym and a run about 8k last Sunday. My focus in the last few months has been muscle building, not cardio. I have been teaching spin and boot camp but nothing really to do with running. The funny thing is that my pace was almost 30 seconds per km better between 8-10 k than at 1-4 k..... Imagine if I had trained. My next run is the KOOL half marathon on Mother's Day, which is the day before I turn 50. I couldn't have imagined being here from the couch 4 years ago! I have worked hard and I have had a lot of support. Must run now, even though my legs are sore I'm off to teach spin and another cardio class. Have a great night everyone!

Love hate relationship with shoulders

Two whole training days per week are devoted to my shoulders. Small muscle group that needs a lot of attention. I am not a tiny waif and most people would say I'm a big girl. I need to have size on my shoulders to make my waist appear smaller. So today when it's my turn to workout it will be day 2 of shoulders. Never mind that they are already sore, they need to be "loved" some more. So if you see me tucked into the weight room with a stack of different size dumbbells looking like a linebacker just remember there is a method to this and it will come together in the end.

Happy Anniversary

Today is my 25th wedding anniversary. I am a lucky girl as I married the most wonderful man. Let me explain... Dwight and I have been together over 28 years, married for 25 as of today. He has been through it all with me. Up and down, flush and broke, happy and sad and last but not least fat and fit. I am not talking about a little bit fat here I am talking 310 pounds fat! Through it all he still loved me. Really loved me. At the time I was at my worst in size and shape he stood with me. I didn't realize it at the time but I was so miserable. I was tired and hiding but you wouldn't have known it to see me. I put on a really good front. He has been there through my transformation, cheering on every success along the way. Even when my training, working and teaching wasn't convenient for him he cheered. Now that I have entered this newest phase of this journey, the fitness competition he has become my biggest support ever. He is my voice of reason, my food cop, my ego booster and the best cheerleader anyone could ever ask for. Life with him is exciting and full of passion and fire. We are on this journey together and I couldn't be more excited to have him with me. For our anniversary celebration.....well we have to wait for the weekend as I am teaching Pilates tonight and am planning my cheat meal for Saturday night, the night before I run the TC 10k. Oh how life has evolved. here's to the next 25 years!

OW!

Happy Monday everyone:

I would like to apologize to my quads, hamstrings and glutes for whatever I did to cause you grief.  Because of my heartfelt apology can you and will you please call off the DOMS?  I still have two classes to teach tonight that require my legs to actually move (SPIN and Maxed out).

Great leg workout at my husband's gym yesterday.  Different leg press machine means different soreness.  Add in squats, lunges, bulgarian squats, extensions, curls. bridges and cable kicks and you get the picture.  Oh and I had a great run in the morning as well.  That could have something to do with it.  My quads feel like they are engorged and when I bend over my hamstrings scream - YES scream.  I haven't been this sore in awhile.

If you don't know me you might think I am whining, no....I'm actually gloating!

Have a great day everyone!

Practice in Heels

Good morning and happy Sunday to everyone. The sun is just coming up and flooding my living room. It's looking like a beautiful morning for a run. I'm excited. new route for me as I havent started a run from our new condo yet. there are so many things going on with preparation for this competition and one of them is for me to practice and get more comfortable walking in high heeled shoes. I have several nice pairs but if you know me you know darned well I spend my life in Nikes and bare feet. So it's a stretch out of my comfort zone to wear heels. But, I'm trying. I decided when we moved downtown if I had an opportunity to dress up and wear heels I would. Last night I wore my highest ones yet. I must be improving because when I put them on in the hotel room in Vegas and tried to walk in them I could not. Last night I wore them the whole night and was pretty comfortable except for the slippery floor. I forgot the floor at Heckler's is always slippery. No falls, no trips and DAMN my legs looked long. Nothing like 5inch black stilettos and skinny jeans! Today however is run and legs day and I feel like my quads have already had quite a workout. Who knew!? We'll have to see how the run goes, whether they loosen up or seize up. It could go either way. I'll let you know tomorrow. Whatever you do today remember if you use this day you have been blessed with you will be further ahead than you were yesterday and not quite as far as you will be tomorrow. Now go out there and have some fun!

Great hair and linebacker shoulders?

Hair.... the word alone strikes fear into my heart.  Believe it!  It might seem an odd subject for a "fitness" blog but it's important.  In a few months when I am standing in front of judges  my hair will (hopefully) be one of many things that won't look like it does in everyday life.  So I am trying to get some length (I want my ponytail back!) and keep a bit of funk so that when November comes I have lots of options for great hair.

In the meantime I am a fitness professional whose world involves SWEAT, yes I said it, SWEAT.  Sweat means washing your hair...alot.  Which means colors fade.  It also means for me that when I SWEAT quite often my hair gets a bit curly and sometimes even downright fuzzy. Not a beautiful look for sure!  So today my quest begins again...I am trying to find a salon and stylist that can work with my lifestyle and my need for funk AND not empty my wallet completely every 5 weeks.  I had thought I had some success a few weeks ago and really liked my hair when I left the salon but a couple of weeks later it's faded into a helmet. ARGH!

I have been researching via google reviews this morning (I love google reviews by the way) and am hitting the phone at 9:30 and hopefully will have a new "do" by the end of the day.

Somewhere today I will fit in a "giant sets" shoulder workout to complement the heavy shoulder workout I did yesterday.  I hope by dinnertime my shoulders will look like I could play in the CFL.  That would make my trainer (and me) very happy.  And if I have a great hairdo to go along with the linebacker shoulders my day will have been a success.

I'll keep you posted, now go out there and make the most of YOUR day!

Welcome to Thursday!

My blog is about the journey from 300+ pounds to the "end result" standing on stage strutting my stuff in front of a panel of judges.  That's what I thought when I started but it is becoming more than that.  When your mind and body are focused on a goal there are so many outside things that can influence your day to day decisions and it can become overwhelming.  The same obstacles can become overwhelming in any task you are trying to achieve.  Don't let the outside influences derail you.  Listen to what you need and ignore the rest.  Do what you feel is right and say no thank you to the rest.

I have to remember to do that too...........

Yesterday was a good day.  I trained chest and triceps and today I must say I "feel the burn".  Today is shoulders day, a day I look forward to all week.

Until tomorrow...

Will I be sore forever?

happy Wednesday everyone. As I wake up this morning a question comes to mind. am I going to be sore like this forever? Yesterday was back and biceps training day and I pushed hard. I had missed some training last week because I was sick so I worked my hamstrings as well. There is a method to my madness - I teach spin on tuesday nights and it blows out my legs so they don't get too sore. It almost makes me laugh when I talk like that. three years ago any one part of my workout would have sent me to the couch for days. On to Wednesday now. work with clients, chest and Tricep training and then Pilates class this evening. Eat like I am a machine and plan for tomorrow. Life is good.

Today is another day.......

Sometimes it feels like I am on a hamster wheel.  Work, train, work, train, oh yeah eat, work train....  You get the picture.  For the most part it is really fun but there are times when it really isn't. Almost every morning I wake up with one or more body parts really sore.  Sometimes REALLY sore.  Today is one of those days.  It is now up to me to get myself out of the funk and into a positive mood.  I can do it!  It's all what you make of what you are doing.  If you don't love it, you won't make it.  Love it and you will be successful.  No go out there and take on your day!

Welcome to Monday!

After cheat day yesterday I am feeling a little guilty today, though I know I really shouldn't.  Cheat day was planned and enjoyed.  My cheat consisted of pasta with homemade sauce and a piece of cheesecake. I will admit that I did measure the pasta and sauce as I would with anything else.  The long and short is....I survived.  YAHOO!

Back to real life today and eating the way I should.  Mix of protein, carbs and fat - all proportioned and prepared.  Nothing left to chance!  Bootcamp has been taught and I'm on deck for a back and biceps workout later this afternoon before I teach spin and Maxed Out.  My food is my fuel and without it I am unable to get the job done.

I hope everyone is having a great day and gets out there and moves their body.  Have some fun!

Following my trainer's advice

Happy Sunday everyone. Today I am following my trainer's advice from this past week. The competition I am planning to compete in is set for November 10. This will involve walking and posing on stage and being judged for my physique while wearing a bikini and very high shoes. Over the next few months and somewhat for the last 2 months my workouts and my diet have been focused toward training for competition. This week my diet became more restricted in my choices and more regimented in the measurements. Don't misunderstand me, there is a lot to eat! I am to follow this 6 days a week. One day on the weekends I get to relax a bit and have a cheat meal. This is where my tainer's advice comes in She has told me to cheat when I have the opportunity because when we are coming down to crunch time I will regret not cheating when I had the chance. Having lost so much weight already I find cheating more than just a little bit very frightening. So last night I set out to cheat at dinner last night. Yesterday was the perfect day for a cheat as my exercise calorie burn is huge. The universe was against me big time! First there wasn't really anything on the menu I really wanted so I ordered Caesar salad with prawns. The prawns were greasy and gross so I exchanged them for grilled chicken and planned on ordering dessert. We picked up dessert but got side tracked and didn't eat it. So to make a long story short-today I will have my cheat meal and dessert tonight before the hockey game. I plan to enjoy it but it still wont be any different from what many average Canadians would eat on a nightly basis. Scary... More tomorrow.. I will let you know how it goes.....

Women's fitness lost an advocate yesterday

Good morning everyone!

Yesterday was such a sad day for so many of us whose lives are centred around fitness.  The publisher of several fitness magazines including Oxygen, passed after battling cancer.  Along with many other women involved in fitness I sent my condolences to his family (wife Tosca Reno and their 4 daughters).  And along with so many others I feel a profound sense of loss.  Mr. Kennedy was a huge advocate for women in the weight room and a huge supporter of women lifting heavy weights, 2 things near and dear to my heart.  Although I never met Mr. Kennedy in person I have read and digested so many of his words and even used some of his "tough love" statements with my own clients and on myself when I have had a bad day.  I almost feel like I lost a friend so I can only image the loss his friends and family feel.

The link below is the beautiful tribute from his wife Tosca and how most of us heard of his passing.  Please have a read and feel the love and gratitude in her words.  If you go to workout today, dedicate your sweat to bettering your life and enriching the lives of those around you.  We all have one journey on this earth, make it count and make it a joy for those that surround you.

Until tomorrow.....


Tosca Reno: Robert H. Kennedy (1938-2012): Photo Credit: Paul Buceta Robert Kennedy was the true love of my life.  I am blessed to have been with him and to know such love is rare...

Friday the 13th Part 2

Today was a great day! As far as "Friday the 13th" goes - it could be called spectacular!  Training great clients, amazing workout (making up for yesterday) and tea with a good friend.  I am feeling positive and happy.  Life is good.  More tomorrow.......

It's Friday the 13th are you freaked out?

Happy Friday everyone!!  I spent alot of time trying to figure out what to write about today.  When a project is new there are so many directions in which you can travel it is almost overwhelming.  Today I have decided to use the "Friday the 13th" theme and let you all in on 13 things I have learned about myself through my journey so far (did you hear the foreboding organ music that just played???).  Some of my revelations are life changing and some are just plain funny to think about....but here they are.

1. I am stubborn and some might say just a little pigheaded (by the way, stubborn comes in handy when someone wants to feed you)
2. When I make up my mind to do something you should just stand back because it's GOING TO HAPPEN.  
3. I have learned to love water.
4. I needed (and still do) to surround myself with people that supported (and support) the idea of a fitter, more confident me!  You guys know who you are - you are prominent in my life.
5. I need to celebrate small victories and really celebrate the big ones.
6. This one is huge...... don't beat yourself up about small slips, learn from them and MOVE ON.
7. Learn 3 new words to be used together often "no, thank you".  These words are used when a well meaning friend tries to sabotage your new way of eating because she prefers the "old" you.
8. I learned how to move my body.  I had moved my body before but I hired professionals (you know who you are) to help me move with purpose and passion.  I can't thank you guys enough.
9. Laugh at yourself (in a good way).  Laugh with others often.
10. Set small goals and give them a timeline.  Without any direction, any road will get you there
11. Have I mentioned I am stubborn - it has pulled me through tough workouts, tough food choices and through negative feelings about my journey
12. I have grown to love that feeling where you are gasping for breath, your clothes are soaked and there is water (sweat) dripping from every pore in your face.  Your body is shaking from the effort and you have given everything you have got.......LOVE THAT MOMENT!
13. I have to give back.  No matter where you are in YOUR journey, someone is wishing they had come as far as you have.  Someone will always be ahead of you and someone will always be behind you.  Reach out and support someone who is struggling.  You both will win!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone.  Go out there and move your body and eat healthy foods!  Your body will thank you.

Welcome to my new blog and my story

For almost the past 4 years I have been on a journey that has brought me to this point. The short version is that I have lost almost 130 lbs, changed my life and my job, became a personal trainer and group fitness instructor which I absolutely love, and in November I thought my next challenge might be to compete in a figure competition.  Wow...in a nutshell that's it.
Over the next few posts I will elaborate a bit more but essentially my journey and my struggles and victories will be what I will talk about here.  I have the most tremendous support system around me and they have been encouraging me to write about my story for some time now.  I guess until I really sat down and thought about it, I didn't know how.  Now I do.
You can check out some of my photos up to this point and a bit of my weight loss story on my website www.inspiredfitness.ca