Posts
How many times have you said this? How many times have you heard this? For people who want to lose weight or are thinking about losing weight, this can become a famous phrase for them. I will admit, I have said this phrase many a time. Some times it differs, like "Oh I will start on Monday." or "When we get back from vacation I am hunkering down!". So Monday comes or your vacation ends and you are still eating the same "non-clean" way as you did before and either your exercise routine is non-existant or you are doing the same routine for the last 2-3 years that has not gotten you anywhere.
I have also seen people start off the day or week fine, but then breakdown have a "naughty" (their word not mine) meal and then say "Well I messed up already, might as well just eat what I want today and start all over again tomorrow!". WHY? Why can't you put the food down and say "OK I had a momentary breakdown right now, but let's move forward!". And every week, if not every day is the same for them. They start off ok, but then breakdown and say "SCREW IT! I messed up, might as well keep going!". Then after a week or two of this cycle they wonder why they haven't lost any weight. They think back and tell themselves that for the most part they ate clean. Yes that is true, but those days when you said, "Well I already messed up..." you probably ate too many calories and by the end of the week your calories added up so that your body maintained or even added weight.
The reason why I am writing about this is because not only do I see this everyday at work or other places, but I do it too! And it was really the other day that I saw it happen and it hit me...WHY NOT START TODAY? Why wait until Monday or tomorrow or after a vacation? WHY NOT START TODAY? What is tomorrow going to bring that today doesn't already have? And if you do mess up don't just dump the day or week, but pick yourself back up and continue eating clean or exercising properly.
So when you hear yourself saying "I'll start tomorrow" about ANYTHING, ask yourself, "WHY NOT START TODAY?"
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Motivation!
A lot of my clients have been asking me lately what motivates me to workout and/or where do I find motivation to workout? Well if you read my blog today on http://trainlikeagirl.blogspot.com/ you will see some days I don't have any motivation. So when those days come around, because they always will, how do I get over them?
Well there are a couple of ways I get over having no motivation to workout....
1. I suck it up and workout, like today. But that doesn't always work. It is very hard to get yourself going after working a lot and/or feeling tired.
2. I go through in my head the pros/cons of NOT working out that day. CON...I won't feel any better just sitting around, PRO...I can get some of the house work done before I eat dinner and go to bed, CON...I can't blame anyone but myself if the scale goes up or my lifts don't get any better if I don't workout, etc... Usually the CONS outway the PROS and I work out.
3. I feel guilty if I don't workout and I see BJ working out. Not a great way to look at things, but if BJ just worked a full day and can still come home and do his workout, why can't I? Also, I love working out with him because we push each other to do better and go further than we might have with out each other.
4. I know that letting go and missing a scheduled workout will have a domino affect on the rest of the week. I have a set schedule of my workouts. Some days with work I do have tweek it, but for the most part it is set. If I miss 1 workout, I feel the rest of the week is shot. Again, guilt sets in and I feel the week is not going to be the same.
5. I sit down and look at my goals. Is missing a workout going to put a road block in my goals? Maybe not by missing 1, but again the domino affect.
6. And lastly, I have a quote above my desk that reads "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." by Vince Lombardi I love this quote! Everyone wants a quick fix nowadays, but nobody wants to work for it.
Ok so those are my ways of getting over the no motivation part of working out. But I must be honest, sometimes even these don't work. Sometimes I DON'T workout...and you know what? IT IS OK!!!! Sometimes your body needs a break for a day or 2. Listen to your body more than you do now and your success might come faster than you had expected!
Well there are a couple of ways I get over having no motivation to workout....
1. I suck it up and workout, like today. But that doesn't always work. It is very hard to get yourself going after working a lot and/or feeling tired.
2. I go through in my head the pros/cons of NOT working out that day. CON...I won't feel any better just sitting around, PRO...I can get some of the house work done before I eat dinner and go to bed, CON...I can't blame anyone but myself if the scale goes up or my lifts don't get any better if I don't workout, etc... Usually the CONS outway the PROS and I work out.
3. I feel guilty if I don't workout and I see BJ working out. Not a great way to look at things, but if BJ just worked a full day and can still come home and do his workout, why can't I? Also, I love working out with him because we push each other to do better and go further than we might have with out each other.
4. I know that letting go and missing a scheduled workout will have a domino affect on the rest of the week. I have a set schedule of my workouts. Some days with work I do have tweek it, but for the most part it is set. If I miss 1 workout, I feel the rest of the week is shot. Again, guilt sets in and I feel the week is not going to be the same.
5. I sit down and look at my goals. Is missing a workout going to put a road block in my goals? Maybe not by missing 1, but again the domino affect.
6. And lastly, I have a quote above my desk that reads "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." by Vince Lombardi I love this quote! Everyone wants a quick fix nowadays, but nobody wants to work for it.
Ok so those are my ways of getting over the no motivation part of working out. But I must be honest, sometimes even these don't work. Sometimes I DON'T workout...and you know what? IT IS OK!!!! Sometimes your body needs a break for a day or 2. Listen to your body more than you do now and your success might come faster than you had expected!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Dehydrator
So this may be a silly post, but I want everyone to know how great a dehyrator is. BJ and I recently bought one of these wonderful appliances and have been using it non-stop! We have made tons of beef jerky and a lot of dried fruit. What I love about it the most is I am making the food myself so I know what is going in, or not going in, to my food.
Take beef jerky for example. It is a great snack that is high in protein, but also VERY high in sodium when you buy it from the store. With the dehydrator we can control how much sodium goes into the jerky. I bloat very easily so this is a big one for me. Also, with dried fruits and veggies, there are always so many preservatives that I just don't want. When I make my own, there is nothing!
I am not getting paid to say any of this. I truely think everyone should buy a dehydrator. They make great snacks and are so easy to use! So that is my little tip for the day. Right now I am drying out pineapple and apple slices...mmmmm!
Take beef jerky for example. It is a great snack that is high in protein, but also VERY high in sodium when you buy it from the store. With the dehydrator we can control how much sodium goes into the jerky. I bloat very easily so this is a big one for me. Also, with dried fruits and veggies, there are always so many preservatives that I just don't want. When I make my own, there is nothing!
I am not getting paid to say any of this. I truely think everyone should buy a dehydrator. They make great snacks and are so easy to use! So that is my little tip for the day. Right now I am drying out pineapple and apple slices...mmmmm!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Last Chance to Donate
As many of you know BJ and I participate in a charity bike tour, The Scenic Shore 150, that takes us from Mequon, WI all the way up to Sturgeon Bay, WI 150 miles away.
The two day tour serves to raise both money and awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma.
While it doesn't look like we're going to hit our goal of $500 dollars, I know we can still raise more money before the deadline.
We have been taking donations through PayPal and it has worked great.
So, Please if you can, donate. Even if it's only $1, that could be the dollar the makes the difference.
If you can donate, our PayPal acct is bjbliffert@yahoo.com.
Thanks to all who have donated, and to all that will.
To find out more about the Scenic Shore 150 check out this link:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page.adp?item_id=57271
'till next time
Kori
The two day tour serves to raise both money and awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma.
While it doesn't look like we're going to hit our goal of $500 dollars, I know we can still raise more money before the deadline.
We have been taking donations through PayPal and it has worked great.
So, Please if you can, donate. Even if it's only $1, that could be the dollar the makes the difference.
If you can donate, our PayPal acct is bjbliffert@yahoo.com.
Thanks to all who have donated, and to all that will.
To find out more about the Scenic Shore 150 check out this link:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page.adp?item_id=57271
'till next time
Kori
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Awsome Kettlebell Workshop!
BJ and I put on our second Beginner Kettlebell Workshop yesterday (Saturday, June 23rd) and we had a blast! I hope our participants did too. We had 8 people which was really nice because we were able give a lot of one-on-one attention. All of the participants did so well and caught on so fast, I was very impressed. It was also great to see the participants who had already worked with Kettlebells, improve their techniques and forms.
I love watching BJ teach because not only do I learn something new everytime, but you can really see he loves to teach. We will be having another workshop in August. Just like this one, we will have a limit on how many people can attend and it will consist of 7 different Kettlebell exercises. I will keep everyone updated!
I love watching BJ teach because not only do I learn something new everytime, but you can really see he loves to teach. We will be having another workshop in August. Just like this one, we will have a limit on how many people can attend and it will consist of 7 different Kettlebell exercises. I will keep everyone updated!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Nutrition
I don't care what anyone says, if you are looking to better your health, lose weight or even put on muscle, nutrition will be at least 80% of it. BJ has a phrase I can never get out of my head when I am faced with temptation..."You can't out run a doughnut!" I love that saying because it is so true. Too many times, myself included, I have heard people say, "Well I have a big workout later so this will be ok." Or..."I will just run extra tonight." The funny thing is, YOU CAN'T!
What is worse is the information out there that does not work. Information that can actually slow downt the metabolism or have it come to a hault. We as a society have acquired a taste for processed foods. Fat and sugar filled foods that have about as much nutritional value as a paper plate. And then there are foods out there that disguise themselves as nutritious, but are not.
So what do we do? Well, the first thing is you need to look at what you are eating. What do you consume everyday. In other words, you need to write everything down that you eat, how much of it you ate, and when you ate it. Sure it will be tedious in the beginning, but you will learn a lot and really grasp what you are doing wrong with your nutrition. Also, you need to read labels. Manufactoruers love to put extra "things" in food to make them taste better. Most of the time that is extra sugar and fat. Then you need to add in the nutrition. Fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains. We don't need all of these "Get Skinny Fast" pills or shakes or whatever. We need nutrition.
We also needs vitamins. Foods these days are not as nutritious as they used to be and most Americans do not get nearly enough vitamins as they should. A great multi-vitamin is CorePlex Multi-Vitamin by Advocare. CorePlex is an excellent source for all your vitamins and minerals.
So now you know what you have to do, the next step is to get going. Start by writing down your food for 1 week. Eat like you normally would, or else it won't be a true test. Then look back and find the holes in your nutrition.
Till next time
What is worse is the information out there that does not work. Information that can actually slow downt the metabolism or have it come to a hault. We as a society have acquired a taste for processed foods. Fat and sugar filled foods that have about as much nutritional value as a paper plate. And then there are foods out there that disguise themselves as nutritious, but are not.
So what do we do? Well, the first thing is you need to look at what you are eating. What do you consume everyday. In other words, you need to write everything down that you eat, how much of it you ate, and when you ate it. Sure it will be tedious in the beginning, but you will learn a lot and really grasp what you are doing wrong with your nutrition. Also, you need to read labels. Manufactoruers love to put extra "things" in food to make them taste better. Most of the time that is extra sugar and fat. Then you need to add in the nutrition. Fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains. We don't need all of these "Get Skinny Fast" pills or shakes or whatever. We need nutrition.
We also needs vitamins. Foods these days are not as nutritious as they used to be and most Americans do not get nearly enough vitamins as they should. A great multi-vitamin is CorePlex Multi-Vitamin by Advocare. CorePlex is an excellent source for all your vitamins and minerals.
So now you know what you have to do, the next step is to get going. Start by writing down your food for 1 week. Eat like you normally would, or else it won't be a true test. Then look back and find the holes in your nutrition.
Till next time
Friday, June 8, 2007
Scenic Shore 150-Bike Ride
It is that time of year again. The sun is bright and warm, the birds are chirping, and BJ and I are training for the Scenic Shore 150 Bike Ride. What is the Scenic Shore 150 you may ask? Well it is a bike ride that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. It is a 150 mile bike ride done in 2 days along the Michigan Lake shore. It is truly one of the most gratifying (although the RKC ties it!), fun, and most beautiful things BJ and I do in the summer.
This year it is taking place July 21 & 22. And I am proud to say my little brother Matt (well he is 22 so not that little) is doing it with us this year! Anyways, we start off at MATC in Mequon on the morning of the 21st and bike 75 miles up to UW-Manitawoc. Stay over night at the campus in the classrooms. Then the next morning, sore as heck, we bike another 75 miles up to Sturgeon Bay. When we get there, there is a huge cookout party and the satisfaction that we did it!
So one of the reasons why I am blogging about this ride, besides now I have something new to train for, we need to raise money for the ride. Our goal is 250 dollars. Neither BJ or I know of anyone who has had or died from Leukemia and/or Lymphoma, and hope we never will, but believe that it an extremely worthy cause and hope you do to. Plus you will have the pleasure knowing that we are torturing ourselves that weekend! If you would like to donate even 1 dollar and you have a PayPal account you can send it to bjbliffert@yahoo.com. If you do not have an account with PayPal you can go here and set up a free account.
Last, but not least, we would like to invite anyone who also enjoys these types of challenges to come along with us for the ride. It is a weekend you will not forget and a weekend that will test your strengths!
Thank you to everyone in advance who donates, we appreciate it!
This year it is taking place July 21 & 22. And I am proud to say my little brother Matt (well he is 22 so not that little) is doing it with us this year! Anyways, we start off at MATC in Mequon on the morning of the 21st and bike 75 miles up to UW-Manitawoc. Stay over night at the campus in the classrooms. Then the next morning, sore as heck, we bike another 75 miles up to Sturgeon Bay. When we get there, there is a huge cookout party and the satisfaction that we did it!
So one of the reasons why I am blogging about this ride, besides now I have something new to train for, we need to raise money for the ride. Our goal is 250 dollars. Neither BJ or I know of anyone who has had or died from Leukemia and/or Lymphoma, and hope we never will, but believe that it an extremely worthy cause and hope you do to. Plus you will have the pleasure knowing that we are torturing ourselves that weekend! If you would like to donate even 1 dollar and you have a PayPal account you can send it to bjbliffert@yahoo.com. If you do not have an account with PayPal you can go here and set up a free account.
Last, but not least, we would like to invite anyone who also enjoys these types of challenges to come along with us for the ride. It is a weekend you will not forget and a weekend that will test your strengths!
Thank you to everyone in advance who donates, we appreciate it!
Monday, June 4, 2007
Turbulence Training
Turbulence Training is an awesome and effective way to burn fat. I have used it on and off (depending on my goals at that particular moment) and have gotten GREAT results. There are many great features to Turbulence Training. One of them being you don't need hours a day to do the exercises. Infact, if you only have mere minutes, you can do only 1 set of each exercise and still get great benefits! The second great feature is you don't need to belong to a gym or have thousands of dollars of gym equipment at home. A couple of dumbells, a Stability ball, and a bench is really all you need. The third, and probably best feature, is the plan is all laid out for you. Sixteen weeks of workouts that take you from point A (wanting to lose fat) to point B (FAT GONE!).
I had a lot of fun with the workouts and I never got bored. That is a HUGE benefit for me. I get easily bored with workouts if they don't keep my attention...not here! I felt like I did workout for hours at the end of each workout, eventhough the longest it took me was 45 min.
So if you are not able to attend any of our Boot Camps and/or Kettlebell classes due to lack of time or funds, this is the program you should buy. You won't regret it!
Turbulence Training.com
I had a lot of fun with the workouts and I never got bored. That is a HUGE benefit for me. I get easily bored with workouts if they don't keep my attention...not here! I felt like I did workout for hours at the end of each workout, eventhough the longest it took me was 45 min.
So if you are not able to attend any of our Boot Camps and/or Kettlebell classes due to lack of time or funds, this is the program you should buy. You won't regret it!
Turbulence Training.com
Friday, June 1, 2007
Kettlebell Workshop-June 23rd
BJ and I are hosting a Beginner Level Kettlebell Workshop on Saturday, June 23rd from 10am-3pm. If you are looking to...
1. Lose weight and tone up
2. Learn the hottest new way to train/workout
3. Improve your Kettlebell skills (if you have already been using them)
4. Just have fun learning something new
Then you MUST sign up for the workshop! We will be going through numerous exercises that can help you shed unwanted weight, tone up, and jump start your metabolism. Every exercise will be broken down to it's simplest steps for easy learning. We will also show how to vary each exercise so you can challenge yourself on your harder training days or make it easier for those "light" training days.
Don't wait to sign up! We are only taking the first 12 people! Please go to IMPACT Fitness and sign up!
1. Lose weight and tone up
2. Learn the hottest new way to train/workout
3. Improve your Kettlebell skills (if you have already been using them)
4. Just have fun learning something new
Then you MUST sign up for the workshop! We will be going through numerous exercises that can help you shed unwanted weight, tone up, and jump start your metabolism. Every exercise will be broken down to it's simplest steps for easy learning. We will also show how to vary each exercise so you can challenge yourself on your harder training days or make it easier for those "light" training days.
Don't wait to sign up! We are only taking the first 12 people! Please go to IMPACT Fitness and sign up!
Monday, May 21, 2007
2 WEEKS FREE OF BOOT CAMPS!
Ok everyone the summer is 1 week away...are you ready? If you are not or are not sure you should come join us for 2 weeks free of boot camp classes. All of the classes are being held at Wirth Park in Brookfield. It is for men and women of any and every age. Come see what all the hype is about and what Boot Camps can do to get you into that summer body you want! Here are the times and dates of the classes...
Tuesday May 22 6am & 5:30pm
Wednesday May 23 6am & 5:30pm
Thursday May 24 6am
Friday May 25 6am & 5:30pm
Saturday May 26 7-10am (Multiple Sessions)
Tuesday May 29 6am & 5:30pm
Wednesday May 30 6am & 5:30pm
Thursday May 31 6am & 5:30pm
Friday June 1 6am & 5:30pm
Saturday June 2 7-10am Multiple Sessions
So come to one or to all! See you there!
Tuesday May 22 6am & 5:30pm
Wednesday May 23 6am & 5:30pm
Thursday May 24 6am
Friday May 25 6am & 5:30pm
Saturday May 26 7-10am (Multiple Sessions)
Tuesday May 29 6am & 5:30pm
Wednesday May 30 6am & 5:30pm
Thursday May 31 6am & 5:30pm
Friday June 1 6am & 5:30pm
Saturday June 2 7-10am Multiple Sessions
So come to one or to all! See you there!
Train Like A Girl!
Hello everyone! I am so sorry for not blogging for the past 2 weeks...I have had some stuff going on and haven't been able. But I did want to let you all in on some great news. I have another blog that I am putting together. It is www.trainlikeagirl.com. This blog is going to be more about training in general and on it I will be putting tips about training and nutrition. Also, I will be blogging more about what I am doing. This blog that you are reading right now will be more educational. I wanted to seperate the two because too many things going on with one blog can become confusing.
So if you haven't already, go to www.trainlikeagirl.com and see what it is all about!
So if you haven't already, go to www.trainlikeagirl.com and see what it is all about!
Monday, May 7, 2007
KB Workshop
Well Saturday BJ and I had our Beginner Kettlebell Workshop. It was a lot of fun. We met some new people like John from Illinois, and Irvin from right here in Waukesha. It was 4 hours long, but it really flew by. The format was, we taught a move, practiced it, troubleshooted, and then did a mini-workout with it. I hope everyone had as much fun as BJ and I did. We will be having more. We are planning on having 1-2 workshops a month. Not all will be beginner. I am sure we will be having more advanced workshops too! So we will keep everyone updated.
It was really nice for me to see how my new skills from the RKC came into play. I was able to look at people doing the exercise, give them a few tips and then their form would improve. Also, it was a lot of fun to watch BJ teach. If anyone wants to see BJ in his world, watch him teach. He is great at it! I might be a little bias...no I am not. Basically everything I have learned about fitness, KBs, nutrition, etc is from BJ and it is because he is such a great teacher. Ok enough with the mushy stuff.
I hope everyone will be able to attend a workshop we put on and we will make it fun...I promise!
It was really nice for me to see how my new skills from the RKC came into play. I was able to look at people doing the exercise, give them a few tips and then their form would improve. Also, it was a lot of fun to watch BJ teach. If anyone wants to see BJ in his world, watch him teach. He is great at it! I might be a little bias...no I am not. Basically everything I have learned about fitness, KBs, nutrition, etc is from BJ and it is because he is such a great teacher. Ok enough with the mushy stuff.
I hope everyone will be able to attend a workshop we put on and we will make it fun...I promise!
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Today's Workout
So I still am a bit tired from this past weekend, but I couldn't take another day off. So I decided today (with the help of BJ) to test my maximum Deadlift. I LOVE doing deadlifts. Besides working with the KB, they are one of my most favorite exercises! And you can do them with a KB. So here was today's workout...short but painful.
Max Deadlift: 115 x 3 for a warm-up
135 x 1 pretty easy
155 x 1 getting a little hard, but not bad
165 x 1 harder, but I did it
170...didn't make it.
So 165lbs is my maximum deadlift. I am happy with it. I might have been able to go higher if I would have rested longer. I took about 2 min inbetween eat set.
Then I went on to pull ups. I hate these things. I think I hate them so much because I suck at them. So I did 5 sets of 1. I really need to work on these! UGGHH!
Lastly, I did 10 sets of 10 Kettlebell swings with a 24kg (53lb) kettlebell totalling 100 swings. That felt good. You would think I would be sick of that thing...but no!
Tomorrow is a conditioning day. I will do swings, squats, and push-ups for intervals 30 sec each for 20 min. Then I will drag the sled around for 5-10 min. All depends on how much pain I am in. :)
Max Deadlift: 115 x 3 for a warm-up
135 x 1 pretty easy
155 x 1 getting a little hard, but not bad
165 x 1 harder, but I did it
170...didn't make it.
So 165lbs is my maximum deadlift. I am happy with it. I might have been able to go higher if I would have rested longer. I took about 2 min inbetween eat set.
Then I went on to pull ups. I hate these things. I think I hate them so much because I suck at them. So I did 5 sets of 1. I really need to work on these! UGGHH!
Lastly, I did 10 sets of 10 Kettlebell swings with a 24kg (53lb) kettlebell totalling 100 swings. That felt good. You would think I would be sick of that thing...but no!
Tomorrow is a conditioning day. I will do swings, squats, and push-ups for intervals 30 sec each for 20 min. Then I will drag the sled around for 5-10 min. All depends on how much pain I am in. :)
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
I PASSED!!!! I AM NOW A RKC!!!
Yes this past weekend will go down in history as one of the most strenuous, hard working, and most fun I have ever had! I am proud to tell all of you that I am now a Certified Russian Kettlebell instructor! So here is what my weekend looked like:
Thursday I was so nervous, excited, and just plain ready to start the weekend. BJ and I left for St.Paul around 8am and got to the hotel around 12:30. BJ had to go set up some stuff and do his Snatch test for the weekend. He passed with flying colors. Then there was the "Meet & Greet". I got to meet Tracy Reifkind who is not only a phenominal woman but is strong as hell. And I got to meet a lot of cool people. We were all just saying how much we wanted to get our Snatch tests out of the way.
Friday the pain began! We got to the rec center, I got weighed in...129! I couldn't believe it. I was stuck at 132-133 for so long. I think my nerves were eating away my fat! HA! So I was able to drop down the lower weight class for the Snatch test. I only had to do 54. The bell never felt lighter! I passed with flying colors and could have done more. Then for the next 2 days this is what happened...
*learn an exercise and/or lift
*practice the exercise/lift
*troubleshoot the exercise/lift with Pavel
*lecture
*get our butts kicked with a tough workout
Then on Sunday the very last thing we had to do was the "Grad Workout". This is were you really find out if you are a man! Even if you are a woman. We started at the very end of 3 baseball fields. We had to do 30 sec of 2-handed swings followed by 30 sec of See-Saw presses. See-Saw presses is where with every step you press a KB with the same arm you are stepping with. We had to do that across 3 baseball fields! IT WAS GREAT! And what was even better is that Kenneth Jay (as senior RKC) was doing it with us and everyone was cheering everyone else on in the end. I got very emotional when it was all over. I know you are probably asking why...well b/c I worked so hard and long for this weekend that for it to be over with made me want to cry.
I LOVED EVERY PART OF IT!!!!!!!!!
The instructors were so very helpful and really showed us what was wrong and right. Safety first! I had 3 of the best instructors in the RKC. Kenneth Jay (he is from Denmark and looks like a Viking), Jeff O'Connor, and Mark "Doc" Cheng. They were able to show me my weaknesses and now I have new goals to achieve.
There is an RKC level 2. BJ and I plan on being there next year! I will post some pictures as soon as they are downloaded. Until next time...POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Thursday I was so nervous, excited, and just plain ready to start the weekend. BJ and I left for St.Paul around 8am and got to the hotel around 12:30. BJ had to go set up some stuff and do his Snatch test for the weekend. He passed with flying colors. Then there was the "Meet & Greet". I got to meet Tracy Reifkind who is not only a phenominal woman but is strong as hell. And I got to meet a lot of cool people. We were all just saying how much we wanted to get our Snatch tests out of the way.
Friday the pain began! We got to the rec center, I got weighed in...129! I couldn't believe it. I was stuck at 132-133 for so long. I think my nerves were eating away my fat! HA! So I was able to drop down the lower weight class for the Snatch test. I only had to do 54. The bell never felt lighter! I passed with flying colors and could have done more. Then for the next 2 days this is what happened...
*learn an exercise and/or lift
*practice the exercise/lift
*troubleshoot the exercise/lift with Pavel
*lecture
*get our butts kicked with a tough workout
Then on Sunday the very last thing we had to do was the "Grad Workout". This is were you really find out if you are a man! Even if you are a woman. We started at the very end of 3 baseball fields. We had to do 30 sec of 2-handed swings followed by 30 sec of See-Saw presses. See-Saw presses is where with every step you press a KB with the same arm you are stepping with. We had to do that across 3 baseball fields! IT WAS GREAT! And what was even better is that Kenneth Jay (as senior RKC) was doing it with us and everyone was cheering everyone else on in the end. I got very emotional when it was all over. I know you are probably asking why...well b/c I worked so hard and long for this weekend that for it to be over with made me want to cry.
I LOVED EVERY PART OF IT!!!!!!!!!
The instructors were so very helpful and really showed us what was wrong and right. Safety first! I had 3 of the best instructors in the RKC. Kenneth Jay (he is from Denmark and looks like a Viking), Jeff O'Connor, and Mark "Doc" Cheng. They were able to show me my weaknesses and now I have new goals to achieve.
There is an RKC level 2. BJ and I plan on being there next year! I will post some pictures as soon as they are downloaded. Until next time...POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
RKC....Here I come!
Ok, so I will admit....I AM NERVOUS!!!!!! Maybe not nervous, but very excited! As for those who don't know, this weekend BJ and I are going up to St. Paul, MN for the Russian Kettlebell Certification. BJ got certified last April and is going to be an Assistant Instructor this year. I am going to get certified. I have worked towards this goal for a little over 6 months now and I can't wait!
From what I hear, it is a greuling 3 days of testing, performance and teaching that I have to do. If we do anything wrong...PUNISHMENT! Usually push-ups or some type of KB exercise. But in the end it is all worth it. I hold myself to very high standards when it comes to this type of stuff, so I know I will do my best if not better. Not much else to say, but I will let you know how everything goes on either Monday or Tuesday when I am back!
One more thing. For those of you who are interested we are holding a Kettlebell Workshop on May 5th (Saturday) from 1-5pm. We only have 14 spots open and they are filling fast! If you are interested please contact me or BJ at www.impactyourfitness.com
Have a great weekend everyone and ENJOY THE PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
From what I hear, it is a greuling 3 days of testing, performance and teaching that I have to do. If we do anything wrong...PUNISHMENT! Usually push-ups or some type of KB exercise. But in the end it is all worth it. I hold myself to very high standards when it comes to this type of stuff, so I know I will do my best if not better. Not much else to say, but I will let you know how everything goes on either Monday or Tuesday when I am back!
One more thing. For those of you who are interested we are holding a Kettlebell Workshop on May 5th (Saturday) from 1-5pm. We only have 14 spots open and they are filling fast! If you are interested please contact me or BJ at www.impactyourfitness.com
Have a great weekend everyone and ENJOY THE PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Food=Energy
I would love to go back to the days when I was little and I could run around 22 out of the 24 hours of the day and still have energy. Today is a different story, as I am sure most of you would agree. With full and/or part-time jobs, families, household chores, and just getting around, energy is just a faint memory. When I ask my clients what they most want from exercise and/or eating better, there is a tie for the number one answer. Either to lose weight or get more energy.
Exercise will definately help with both of those goals. Exercise is wonderful for kickstarting your body to give you more energy. It helps get rid of some of those nasty toxins that we have from stress. Helps relieve the muscles and get the "kinks" out.
Another way to get more energy is by how you eat. Do you ever wonder why after having a lunch filled with refined carbs and processed foods you either A. Feel very sluggish and can't lift your head off your desk or B. Crash about 1-2 hours after you have eaten and become hungry again? The answer to both of those questions is the food. Filling your plate (or stomach) with processed foods is a horrible way to get the engery you need for the day. A better way would be to eat a good combo of protein, veggies, and whole grains. Basically brain food. And don't forget the fat! Good fat I mean. Like olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc. I know the "Twinkie" fat taste good, but not really good for you.
So the next time you are feeling sluggish and just down at work, home, or out. Think back to what you have eaten that day or even the day before. Make some adjustments (as said above) and turn your food into energy!
Exercise will definately help with both of those goals. Exercise is wonderful for kickstarting your body to give you more energy. It helps get rid of some of those nasty toxins that we have from stress. Helps relieve the muscles and get the "kinks" out.
Another way to get more energy is by how you eat. Do you ever wonder why after having a lunch filled with refined carbs and processed foods you either A. Feel very sluggish and can't lift your head off your desk or B. Crash about 1-2 hours after you have eaten and become hungry again? The answer to both of those questions is the food. Filling your plate (or stomach) with processed foods is a horrible way to get the engery you need for the day. A better way would be to eat a good combo of protein, veggies, and whole grains. Basically brain food. And don't forget the fat! Good fat I mean. Like olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc. I know the "Twinkie" fat taste good, but not really good for you.
So the next time you are feeling sluggish and just down at work, home, or out. Think back to what you have eaten that day or even the day before. Make some adjustments (as said above) and turn your food into energy!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Breakfast: "But I'm not hungry in the morning!"
Ah, the most popular response I get when I ask someone why they don't eat breakfast. I must admit myself, sometimes it is hard to wake up and eat in the morning. But what most people have to understand is that your body has fasted for 6-10 hours (depending on how much you sleep) and your body needs that nutrition to start off the day right.
Breakfast starts up your metabolism and gets your "inner furnace" ready for the day. But what to eat for breakfast? Well if you are like most, a doughnut, or bagel with a bunch of cream cheese will do. But how healthy is that? Come on, you know the answer to that question. NOT VERY! So why is it not healthy? Well first off, the doughnut, pure fat and sugar. Although, I will give you that they taste great, the doughnut will not keep you full for very long and you will be hungry in about an hour. The bagel too is not great. A lot of refined carbohydrates plus the added cream cheese. Again fat + sugar = BAD!
So what can or should you eat? Well eggs are great! Hard-boiled, scrambled, over-easy, poached, omelet, etc. Eggs have a great amount of protein and fat to keep you full and will start your metabolism up. Adding fruit or veggies is great too. Oatmeal is also a great breakfast...just not the instant! Take the 3 min and make good old fashion oats. Put some cinnamon and raisins in it or some frozen berries! Ofcourse cereal is a poplar breakfast dish. It is easy, fast, and there is a wide variety. You just need to watch out for those hidden sugars. If it has too much sugar you are going to get the same high and crash you would if you ate a doughnut.
I understand not everyone has time to make the food and sit down to eat. Well I have a solution for that too! Advocare makes a great Meal Replacement Shake that can satisfy anyone! And they taste great. All you do is put the packet into a shaker and add water, shake and go! It has all the nutrients that you need to start your day.
So as you can see there are many options. Some good, some bad. But the main principle you want to remember is EAT BREAKFAST!!!!
Breakfast starts up your metabolism and gets your "inner furnace" ready for the day. But what to eat for breakfast? Well if you are like most, a doughnut, or bagel with a bunch of cream cheese will do. But how healthy is that? Come on, you know the answer to that question. NOT VERY! So why is it not healthy? Well first off, the doughnut, pure fat and sugar. Although, I will give you that they taste great, the doughnut will not keep you full for very long and you will be hungry in about an hour. The bagel too is not great. A lot of refined carbohydrates plus the added cream cheese. Again fat + sugar = BAD!
So what can or should you eat? Well eggs are great! Hard-boiled, scrambled, over-easy, poached, omelet, etc. Eggs have a great amount of protein and fat to keep you full and will start your metabolism up. Adding fruit or veggies is great too. Oatmeal is also a great breakfast...just not the instant! Take the 3 min and make good old fashion oats. Put some cinnamon and raisins in it or some frozen berries! Ofcourse cereal is a poplar breakfast dish. It is easy, fast, and there is a wide variety. You just need to watch out for those hidden sugars. If it has too much sugar you are going to get the same high and crash you would if you ate a doughnut.
I understand not everyone has time to make the food and sit down to eat. Well I have a solution for that too! Advocare makes a great Meal Replacement Shake that can satisfy anyone! And they taste great. All you do is put the packet into a shaker and add water, shake and go! It has all the nutrients that you need to start your day.
So as you can see there are many options. Some good, some bad. But the main principle you want to remember is EAT BREAKFAST!!!!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Plateaus
So recently I hit a plateau with my weight loss. I couldn't break the plateau of 135-136. For me, and for most, plateaus are frustrating! I have a goal in mind and I have a date that my goal MUST be achieved by and the plateaus that I might come across can either break me or make me. For awhile, it was breaking me. I kept thinking to myself..."Why am I busting my ass for nothing to happen?". Then I would realize that the reason why I am busting my ass is because I want to achieve a goal. Plateaus are always something everyone is going to go through, especially in losing weight. So to break my plateau, my wonderful husband and I sat down last week and looked at what I was doing for my workouts and my eating and tried to find out why I couldn't break the plateau. To make a long story short, I added more food to my diet (protein and veggies only) and decided to keep my workouts simple, but hard. And like a wave of the magic wand I have broken my plateau! I have lost another 3 pounds! So don't get frustrated and give up when you hit a plateau. Infact, make it more of a competition between you and the plateau. Sit down and look at what you are doing for your workouts and dieting and switch it up! Your body will thank you!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
My Workouts
So I have been telling you what I am going to do for my workouts, but I haven't shared with you what I am doing. So here is what I did over the past couple of days...
Monday: Easy "break" day. It was just beautiful ouside, so before work I took my dog on a nice walk for about 30 min. Just enough to get the blood flowing and to wake me up.
Tuesday: Strength day! Today I started my new and improved strenth program.
Snatches: 3 sets of 20 on each arm with 3 min of rest inbetween
Sumo Deadlift: 115 pounds (yes that is typed correctly) 3 sets of 5
KB presses with the 12kg KB 3 sets of 5 on each arm
Chin ups: 3 sets of 1 (my big weakness!)
Then I did 3 sets of 10 reverse crunches and a WHOLE LOT of stretching for my hips, glutes and hamstrings. This was a great workout! Thanks BJ
Wednesday: Horrible day at work, needed to burn off some steam! Today BJ has me doing conditioning. I love conditioning because it is always challenging, and if it isn't, than you can make it challenging. So here is what I did...
20 min of 1 min jump rope then 10 1-handed swings on each arm with the 16kg. I did not rest inbetween the jump rope and the swings or vice versa. Again a great workout. I needed to get a lot of tension out! I also did some great stretching for my hips and hamstrings.
So there you have it. I will keep you updated on what else I am doing for workouts and other fun ideas!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Temptation!
Ahh...Temptation. Even the word makes you feel like you have done something to be guilty about. Temptation is a big issue to deal with when you are trying to eat right, exercise, and lose weight. Temptation seems to be ALL around you when you are trying to "be good" with your diet. I know for me temptation is big at my work. There is always candy or snacks or some kind of "end of the week" party going on. So how do I deal with this temptation. Well I am not going to lie to you and say that I never give in...because I do. But I also always look at what is tempting me and ask myself and important question that I learned from Tracy Riefkind..."Is it going to kill me NOT to eat it?" If the answer is NO, than I walk away and not eat it, but like I said before, I sometimes give in.
People deal with temptation in all different ways. Some, like me analyze and then walk away. Some are so head strong they don't even think twice and walk away. And some don't get tempted. If you are like me and do get tempted, think about how you deal with your temptations and find out if it is working for you. Are you able to walk away from the candy or chips or extra helping of bread? Or do you give in all the time and you know it is just ruining your diet? Once you start pushing away those temptations it will get easier and easier every time you have to do it.
One last word...Give in sometimes. You are human, you are not perfect, nor ever will be. But make the "giving in" only once in awhile, not every day or every week and you will see temptation is not as evil as you once thought!
People deal with temptation in all different ways. Some, like me analyze and then walk away. Some are so head strong they don't even think twice and walk away. And some don't get tempted. If you are like me and do get tempted, think about how you deal with your temptations and find out if it is working for you. Are you able to walk away from the candy or chips or extra helping of bread? Or do you give in all the time and you know it is just ruining your diet? Once you start pushing away those temptations it will get easier and easier every time you have to do it.
One last word...Give in sometimes. You are human, you are not perfect, nor ever will be. But make the "giving in" only once in awhile, not every day or every week and you will see temptation is not as evil as you once thought!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Heavy Weights
I know it has been a long time since I have blogged, and I am sorry. I am really going to try to do at least 3 blogs a week. Just an update with my success I have been having training for my RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certification). I am slowly, but surely losing the weight I need to before the certification. I have lost 2-2.5 pounds in about a week. I am happy with that. My goal is to lose another 5 by April 26th, I think I can...no scratch that...I know I can make it!
My KB training is going well too. BJ actually put me on a new program for the next 5 weeks. 3 times a week I will do my KB snatch workout and then 3 times a week I will do a conditioning workout. I know my body is almost there for the certification, but I also know the certification is brutal...and I love it! Because it has gotten warmer outside(thank God!), I also have been doing some light running and conditioning work outside. But just today both BJ and I decided that I should change up my workout just a bit again. I am going to start putting in some heavy work. I will probably do some heavy squating and deadlifting. The reason why I am putting this in my blog is because I want all the women out there to understand and realize that heavy lifting is not only for men and that heavy lifting is not going to make you look like Arnold! After my RKC, I am going to work on really sculpting my back, shoulders, and arms and in order to do that, lifting 10 pound weights for 20-25 reps won't do it. I need to use the barbell and pour on the weights.
So I hope you follow me along with my journey and learn how heavy weights not only peel off the fat, but are your friends!
Monday, March 5, 2007
Rest...we need it!
I have mentioned...I have goals. Unfortunetly my goals and working towards them can become overpowering to the point where I burn myself out. That is what I did these past 2 weeks. Like I have said, my main goal is to complete and do well at the RKC in April and I am doing a great job with my training for it. But I also work 30-50 hours a week at a hospital, working 10-16 hours a day, basically on my feet for the entire shift. Now, alot of that extra work I am doing at the hospital is my own fault. I like being a Respiratory Therapist and when they ask me to stay for a double shift or work an extra day, it is hard for me to say no. Well starting right now I am going to have to. This weekend I had a horrible workout. The Kettlebell has never seemed heavier and my mind and heart were no where close to being where they should be for the workout. It frustrated me very much. But then my wonderful husband reminded me about how much I have been working and working out that I am wearing myself down and overtraining. And I was overtraining trying to get all of my workouts in because I have been working so much. Sometimes I was doing 2 workouts a day, when I shouldn't have been.
It is hard for me to take a day off when I know I should be doing something! So I had to bite the bullet and put the Kettlebell down and take Saturday and Sunday off. I hurt, but in the long run I know it is going to benefit me and my workouts. When you overtrain you were your body down to the point of injury and/or illness. Neither one is good and no one wants to get one when they are seriously training. So I am here to tell you it is OK to take a day or 2 off a week and it is OK to take more if your body is telling you that. Just make sure it is your body telling you and not your mind. Don't make excuses to not train.
So the moral of the story....rest! Your body will thank you and your workouts will thank you!
It is hard for me to take a day off when I know I should be doing something! So I had to bite the bullet and put the Kettlebell down and take Saturday and Sunday off. I hurt, but in the long run I know it is going to benefit me and my workouts. When you overtrain you were your body down to the point of injury and/or illness. Neither one is good and no one wants to get one when they are seriously training. So I am here to tell you it is OK to take a day or 2 off a week and it is OK to take more if your body is telling you that. Just make sure it is your body telling you and not your mind. Don't make excuses to not train.
So the moral of the story....rest! Your body will thank you and your workouts will thank you!
Thursday, March 1, 2007
My Goals
I have wanted to start this blog for a long time now, but with being busy with our business and working at the hospital I haven't had a chance....and I didn't quite know what to write about. Well it came to me this morning so I figured I would go with it.
Everyone has goals. For some it is to lose weight, some it is to start a family, and for some it is to move up in the executive world. Mine, you ask? Well I am going to tell you! From September of 2006, my goal has been to get myself ready for the RKC in April of 2007. A side note, the RKC is a Kettlebell certification that is extremely challenging, but fun all at the same time. BJ (husband) did it last April and came back raving about how much fun it is...so I couldn't let him have all the fun, I had to sign up. So what do I have to get ready for? Well there are certain "tests" I must pass to obtain my certification and I want to go in April ready and willing for anything, so I am working on a lot of different exercises with the Kettelbell.
Another goal of mine is to lose some weight for the RKC. One of the tests is a Snatch test with the Kettlebell. There are different weight classes and the number of snatches required depends on what weight class you fall into . Right now I am at 136 and I want to get down to 132 or lower for the RKC, also for overall health. So for that I am keying into my nutrition and adding some additional exercises to shed some of the weight. Nutrition seems to be my downfall, but I think I am finally grasping it.
So now that you have seen some of my goals (I have a ton more, but these are the 2 biggies), sit down and write down some of your own. And don't only write them down, but put a target date. It is so easy to say that you want to lose 10 pounds or make supervisor at your job, but when do you want to do it by? Follow me through my journey and hopefully you will be motivated to start your own with whatever your goals may be.
Everyone has goals. For some it is to lose weight, some it is to start a family, and for some it is to move up in the executive world. Mine, you ask? Well I am going to tell you! From September of 2006, my goal has been to get myself ready for the RKC in April of 2007. A side note, the RKC is a Kettlebell certification that is extremely challenging, but fun all at the same time. BJ (husband) did it last April and came back raving about how much fun it is...so I couldn't let him have all the fun, I had to sign up. So what do I have to get ready for? Well there are certain "tests" I must pass to obtain my certification and I want to go in April ready and willing for anything, so I am working on a lot of different exercises with the Kettelbell.
Another goal of mine is to lose some weight for the RKC. One of the tests is a Snatch test with the Kettlebell. There are different weight classes and the number of snatches required depends on what weight class you fall into . Right now I am at 136 and I want to get down to 132 or lower for the RKC, also for overall health. So for that I am keying into my nutrition and adding some additional exercises to shed some of the weight. Nutrition seems to be my downfall, but I think I am finally grasping it.
So now that you have seen some of my goals (I have a ton more, but these are the 2 biggies), sit down and write down some of your own. And don't only write them down, but put a target date. It is so easy to say that you want to lose 10 pounds or make supervisor at your job, but when do you want to do it by? Follow me through my journey and hopefully you will be motivated to start your own with whatever your goals may be.
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