A new chapter begins....

Good morning in blogger land!

It's been awhile since I posted.  So much has been going on.  I will try to be a little more regular with my postings in the future.

What's been happening you ask?  Come on... ask.  Well, I'll tell you.

Since losing my mom my life has been in a bit of a state of upheaval.  There are many "things" to take care of, and people to take care of also.  For those that have asked, my dad is doing well, as well as can be expected.  My parents were together for 64 years, married for 62.  Dad is incredibly lonely but is trying to stay busy.  We are working as a family to try to give him something to look forward to.  When one thing finished, on to the next one.  I get to spend Friday with him.

I have gotten back into the serious workout headspace again.  It feels so good!  I feel that my injuries have healed to the point that I can work hard again and have been asking my trainer to keep it coming.  We have managed a leg workout and shoulder workout, and although I was sore, it was a good kind of sore. We are slowly delving back into the idea of a competition but without a date at this point.  We will know when the timing is right.  No decisions until we return from Vegas.  We are going to talk nutrition and make small changes before the trip but no big changes.  If you know me at all you know that I usually return from vacation (even all inclusive) lighter than when I leave.  My good eating habits don't fly out the window completely just because I am on vacation.

Now, Vegas...... We are headed south for the Fitness Olympia weekend.  How exciting!  We have been planning this since last year's expo and can hardly wait.  But, wait there's more.   We have decided to renew our vows while we are there at the Venetian Hotel.  My trainer and friend, Allison and her husband Scott have agreed to stand up for us and we are going to have a great time.  Watch for photos after we return.  Some may even make it onto facebook before we get home.  Dwight and I have been married 25 years and it seems to be a good time for us to re-commit to each other and celebrate something happy after having a year of sadness and worry.  We are looking forward to it together although if you catch Dwight off guard he may wonder how he got into this....I have to remind him sometimes it was his idea.  He is a catch, ladies but sorry he's all mine!

My work life has thrown me a few curve balls over the past week and I really can't believe the way things work out sometimes.  I have said over the past 3 years that I have been involved in the fitness industry that I get to do something I love, hopefully inspire people to do their best and I get to work with some of the finest people around.  I am so honored to be a part of the industry.  For the most part the instructors and trainers that I have had the pleasure to work with have been very supportive people and really work together to support the clients they work with and to cheer on their fellow instructors and trainers.

I have made decisions in my short career to surround myself with people that are successful, supportive and caring.  I hope that the people I respect and call my friends think the same way about me.  I do my best to try and see the positive in the facility, trainer, instructor and student.  What I won't do is compromise my standards and my ethics just to keep the status quo.  I'm not going to lie, it's gotten my hand slapped a couple of times, but I know in my heart that I have done the right thing for my client, myself and the industry.  People will talk, take comments out of context and try to bully you sometimes, but if you feel something is worth fighting for, you find a way.

Wise people have said "When one door closes another opens", and that is so true.  I am looking forward to new and exciting possibilities and greater adventures in the work life I have chosen.

If you have any comments and/or wish to send me a note, you an always comment on my blog or reach me at www.inspiredfitness.ca

Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Kathi

My Heart is Broken

Good morning everyone.

The last 36 hours are a bit of a blur.  As some of you already know, my mom passed away yesterday morning.  We are thankful that she passed peacefully in her sleep, but we mourn none the less.  You know when you have elder parents you wonder how it will happen and how the phone all will come.

Nothing really prepares you.  my mom is at peace.  Her last few years were tough, she lost her vision, she wasted down to under 100 pounds and she was very, very frail.  She was equally as stubborn, tough and strong.  she was a great wife and mother, gramma and friend. Everyone who knew her will miss her.

My world has been turned upside down.  My dads world is spinning.  We are lucky our family is close.  We will get through it.

Today I have started her obituary and started the plans for her memorial.  I also am angry.  I want to go move some iron. I probably will at some point today. I think it will help with the pain I am feeling. It will probably feel really good.

Do you love the heat or what?

Happy Thursday everyone!!!

Do you love this heat or what?

Right now I am thinking "or what"?  My condo is hot, the car is hot even with air conditioning and some of the gyms where I train have no air conditioning.  The ones that do can't keep up.  So what's a girl to do.  Well if you live in Victoria, you complain.

I'm going to resist here people.  I am not going to complain, whine, lament or otherwise speak ill of the weather.  We have waited a long time to be this hot and miserable.  Even my cat, the darling Miss Molly is lethargic.  She has found a pile of freshly cleaned laundry and refuses to budge.

Why am I rambling on you ask?  I'll tell you.  I feel like a sloth and I NEED to go work out.  The weights are calling my name.  Unfortunately I am so warm all I want to do is find a beach, a floatie and just lay out on the water.  Sounds like fun right?  But, no  I must resist and head to the gym.

I have managed to get some work done today and really don't have any obligations now until 5:30 when I teach.  So, no time like the present.  I know once I get there I will have a good workout and see people I genuinely love.  What's a little overheating among friends anyway!

Until next time.....

kathi

Wow, It's Been Awhile!

Happy Thursday Beautiful Friends!

It has been awhile since I have been to my blog.  There has been so much going on!

As some of you probably know by now, I have withdrawn from the fitness competition I was planning to do in November.  It was a gut wrenching decision but due to my weight not coming off the way I wanted, injuries and budding obsession in an unhealthy way, I decided it was time to regroup and refocus.  I didn't know at the time that the regrouping and refocusing would take so long!

I have also gone out "on my own" as a trainer.  I still teach classes at Fitness World but am no longer employed as a personal trainer for SNFW.  I am now an independent contractor with so many options to help people succeed in achieving a healthy lifestyle.  I am actively looking for clients and new class opportunities around the city.  It's a huge leap for me but one I am extremely excited about.

Along the way there were obstacles to refocusing, family emergencies, health issues in my family and myself and quite simply, my own brain getting in the way.   I think I have come out the other side now and am ready to deal.

Stay tuned for blog posts that represent everyday life from the perspective of a woman working in the fitness industry.  Yes I still plan to compete.  As my trainer pointed out, it doesn't have to be at age 50...it could be at 51...52  who knows.  My body will tell me.

So, sit back and grab a glass of water....and join me on the journey.

Kathi

Progress photos

happy Friday everyone. I think I have said before that I am finding the pre competition diet a bit of a struggle. Just in case you don't remember, the short version of my rant is "I don't like fish and am allergic to egg whites so what am I supposed to eat for protein.....oh ya chicken. Chicken, chicken, chicken... Have I mentioned too thst I am on the fence about chicken too. Some of the frozen varieties are loaded with crap, sodium, soy, sugar and other stuff I can't pronounce. And lately I have found that the quality of fresh chicken has been lousy too. Even buying the "good"stuff I found very badly cleaned chicken. If it looks good enough for me to buy it is still a crap shoot and quite often it has been tough, no matter how it's cooked. For a picky eater like me it makes it tough to eat the protein I need. BUT then yesterday my trainer took some pictures of my back while I was working out. Well, now I'm super stoked to keep this ball rolling! I couldn't believe that what I was seeing belonged to me. My back looked big and strong and I could see muscles, yes actual muscles. It was awesome. It's not the most perfect but it is a work in progress. Now I'm super excited to keep working. It is so hard to believe to me that I have gone from a 300+ pound couch potato to someone considering a competition, not just dreaming about it, ACTUALLY GOING FOR IT! Holy crap! I think sometimes I should pinch myself but all I have to do is move and my sore muscles remind me ........ TTYL....

Now what?

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I know it's been awhile since I have blogged but I have had alot on my mind and haven't been too successful at organizing my thoughts to get words out the ends of my fingers onto the keyboard.

It has been a crazy week in Kathi world, crazier than  usual.After much consideration and soul searching I decided that I wanted to phase myself out of personal training at a gym I have been working with over the past 2 years.  It was a tough decision to make but I feel such a sense of relief now that it has been communicated.  I will still be teaching classes there, just not training my clients there.  There is alot for me to do to make the transition and it is very exciting and scary at the same time, but I'm ready.  If you or someone you know is looking for a personal trainer/coach in the Victoria area, give me a call or check out my website.  www.inspiredfitness.ca.

Last week as well my trainer changed my diet to promote some weight loss over the next few weeks.  Can you say boring?  It has been really tough on many levels.  I am a very picky eater and allergic to egg albumen (white) so it's been interesting.  More on that tomorrow..........

Crutches and Frustration

A bit of a rant today. Yesterday while teaching spin I heard and felt a pop in my ankle. Being me, I slowed down, assessed and since it didn't feel too bad I kept going. I even taught my second spin class 30 minutes later. Unfortunately afterward I ended up having to attend the emergency room. I went to the hospital rather than a clinic because I felt I needed an X-ray and couldn't get that at a clinic. Why do I find this process so frustrating when it works so well for some people? Let me explain. My friend goes to the doctor with a sore leg and seems to get really thorough care, or at least it seems like that from the outside. referrals happen, she is thoroughly examined and she knows for sure what is happening. Fast forward to my injury. When the nurse greets me he has already decided I have plantar fasciitis. I have had that 20 years ago and this aint it! I tell him that my pain isn't in the right spots and he dismisses me. One touch to my ankle and he is gone. The doctor comes in and listens to my story and without touching me decides which muscle is pulled and/or torn. What about the searing pain under my foot, I ask? Well, there is a lot going on in there he says. Do you think I need an X-ray to rule out a stress fracture where the under foot pain is I ask? He says I should see my doctor next week and if she feels I need one then go...in the meantime to be safe, use crutches. REALLY? Why not get the X-ray done and diagnose rather than guess? I am so tired of people guessing wants wrong at my expense. Today from my perch on the couch I am doing some research to find out where I go from here. I want an X-ray to check the bones in my foot and a referral to someone that knows something about sports medicine and won't just pull a guess out of their butt to explain my left leg and it's issues. I will also be trying to figure out how to teach from a chair.. Should be an interesting week. Wish me luck