Another Dance...

So today I met my almighty eliptical machine in the same corner of the same gym where we've been meeting for almost a year now. I thought of all the songs I have taken it's mighty arms and danced to, in an effort to take my mind off another grueling cardio session. I thought of my audience that takes the time to read my thoughts as I leave them here unedited and ready to share. I thought of all of you as I made my way half way through again with the help of Michael Buble singing "Save the last Dance" although it was far from my last with 30 minutes remaining; and probably at least enough time to hit the floor with Elton John, Lionel Richie, and maybe even a round with Prince. I had to wonder if the same is true for all of you. I thought of the person that just can't seem to get their diets on track because of an emotional home or a vicious circle of failure, and I danced some more...I thought of the client that cried when she stood before me and asked me to help her find herself under the 300 pounds that now covered her heart and soul. I remembered the girl that came to her first show and never returned because she didn't quite look like the competitor beside her, and I danced a little longer. I remembered the Dad that just wanted to be healthier to run with his kids long enough for a backyard football game, and I danced a little more..I thought of how I could reach them all and tell them that it's all possible; I thought of the clients that finally made it through and became happier and healthier, and learned to dance their own dance...I saw a girl headed toward my machine, looking a little nervous to approach me. I saw her patiently waiting for me to finish with an adoring look on her face... I stepped away from my cardio dance partner and pulled my music from my ears... I heard her ask for my help....I heard the word cancer and recovered and better.... I smiled at her and offered my smile, and told her to meet me on Monday for her first session... I thought of the possibilities for all of you through the little girl that beat the beast of cancer and found the joy of fitness...Being overweight or not at your fitness goals is not an incurable disease; it's just a matter of change....Changing a few eating habits or how long we sit on the couch in front of a t.v. It's going for a walk and enjoying the sunshine...It's eating the foods the Lord made for us instead of bag of artificial chips...It's rewarding your body for getting up and carrying you around or breathing and blinking a million times without a single command. Our bodies respond to what we feed them and what activity we decide for them to do...I'ts simple as that...take the time to take care of your bodies friends and it will pay you back with a happier, healthier life. Life is short enough, when you look around and see that the little person beside you has become just as big as you...take care of your body so that you will be there for the "big" times too...Life is short, Live it to the fullest friends..

I sit here writing this blog as I hover over a warm bowl of oatmeal with only sea salt and a few egg whites that I tore the middle out of, like they would stop my heart from beating if I ate them. I have my "girl" moments when my hormones lead me to a big bowl of chocolate ice cream; or a a few moments in my life,when the best cook in the world; who just so happens to be my mom; cooks the best dish of mac and cheese that this world has ever known and I have to indulge. However, most of the time; I really think about what I put into my body. I haven't always been that way, I think life has taught me to be this way. I've really struggled with my weight my whole life; which is something a lot of my new audience that thinks I'm super cool doesn't really know. I still struggle as a matter of fact. I've learned that you truly do have to pay attention to your diet even more than your workouts. I've taken my physique to a level that I never thought a chubby high school girl could ever reach. It's improved my confidence and I'm able to enjoy more things in life because of my healthy lifestyle; you just plain feel better. When I started this blog today, I was going to share with all of you that I am moving with my soldier to Fort Leonardwood, Missouri and then I was going to say, "So, sorry guys, I won't be able to compete in the show Saturday", and then I was going to walk away satisfied that I had a great explanation that you would all understand. However, when I was dancing the last 20 minutes with my almighty eliptical in the corner; I opened my email to skim through my messages and the one waiting for me, changed my mind completely. It was from a girl, much like myself. Another competitor with hopes of walking across that stage, a woman that openly and honestly has given me the reasons she couldn't this time around. Reasons that all of us encounter like, soccer, and husbands and responsibilities that are more important than planned meals and two a day cardio sessions. A person that thanked me for the opportunity to be inside my head on such a personal journey. I then thought about the chubby girl I mentioned earlier; the one that wasn't so cool in high school; the one that did eat potato chips and burgers and didn't have the genetics to get away with it. I thought of the girls that are just like her, that haven't found their way to fitness or have some person or thing that keeps them from reaching for the fit person their hearts want them to be. I thought of my head, inside my head, and thought I owed my audience more. I'm not doing the show Saturday, and the reason isn't because I'm moving or because I'm busy with work or family; it's just because I'm not ready. My chizzled abs are not accompanied by tight hamstrings; and my 5 years of posing have not yet led me to the perfect routine; and truthfully, the new me that thinks she's so cool can't face another 2nd place. I want first. I've been there 6 times from morning to night; I've been there when they've called me for 5th four times and when they gave me 2nd twice. I know I didn't reach the level to be a champion this time around, and I've been a competitor more than enough times to just enjoy the experience. So my friends, we are all just plain human, no one is beyond failure every now and then. The true test is if you give up; as for me, I have given myself a little more time so that I can capture what it is I want to capture up there.... I want to win, and I just won't give up until that happens. I'm thrilled to be moving to Missouri because of the fact that it is so close to my team at Beverly Nutrition. For that reason, I have decided to compete in the Northern Kentucky which is hosted by the team that is closest to my heart....seems a more appropriate place to reap my rewards...Life is good friends...offer no execuses, or no apologies, just live it for you..to the fullest....

An unrested machine.....

So my friends today I am having trouble finding the girl that you have read about in previous bloggs. The girl that has been moving brick walls and throwing up weights that equal her own has hit a wall today. I've looked for the 'nothing keeps me from the gym girl' all day and she is no where in sight. Instead I see a shadow of her lying with legs up on the couch and the phone off by her side. Her eyes are struggling to stay awake and with every move her defeated body aches. She has given in to the exhausted state her efforts have put on her body. She drove straight past the gym without a blink this morning and drug herself to the shower and gave in to the almighty oatmeal she'd skipped for three weeks straight. Sometimes our bodies fight back and we just have to give in. A machine doesn't continue working without rest; and much is the same for our bodies. There comes a time when the body just waves the white flag and we have to give in and shut things down for the day. As I write this blogg, my body is grateful for the rest that I allowed it to have today. It is satisfied and refueled because of the oatmeal with the small dollup of butter that I gave into this morning. It has promised to repay me tomorrow and for the 22 days that we have remaining. Even a champion is nothing more than an average person that wanted more...Our bodies are all the same and sometimes we have to just take a breather......See you at the gym tomorrow friends.....

The Learned Dance

I started my familiar morning with the metal weights that fit my hands so perfectly. I grabbed them from the rack, put them upright on my thighs and did the final one, two, three with my legs to push them to my chest. I had to smile in awe of myself at how gracefully I throw up a set of 55 pound dumbells. I credit myself on being a girl in the gym. I like to go in, in pink, and workout without grunts and screams and maintain an effortless show for my audience. What those around me seem to forget and much of the reason they will never make their goals is that weight training is much like a beautiful dance. You start tapping your foot and feeling the beat and then you get to learn how to waltz. I always work out to slow music when I lift weights, music that I love; that makes me think about the good and bad. I think of the "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston that came on today, and I remember the 22 Pull-ups that I did while she sang to me about that moment....slow and controlled and absolutely perfect like a wonderful dance....I saw the same weight hungry animal jump up there to some music that had words I wouldn't let my daughter hear and I saw his body bounce and struggle to make it to 8. You have to find the peace of training, the joy and the power of controlling a weight that should be too heavy. It's a master of the mind. You learn how to control every movement and how it will effect your body. When I push those 'should be too heavy dumbells', my mind instructs the movements to be felt in my chest and it says don't stop until 10 reps; my chest and arms respond. The body is much like a canvas awaiting a beautiful painting. I have become the artist of my canvas. I am patient and ensure that each stroke is perfectly planned. I am not in a hurry to finish my work; instead, I am patiently waiting for the masterpiece to be created.. ...