Kori's Blog

Awesom strength!

2009-10-25T18:39:00.002-06:00

It has only been 2 weeks and I can not only feel, but see my strength skyrocket!

My Sumo dead lifts are going up nicely and my presses are getting better. I am also excited about my squats because not only am I getting stronger with them, I am getting lower...ASS TO GRASS!!

As for my fat loss, scale is not showing it but clothes are getting loser. I do think my thyroid is messed up again. I am taking 1-2 naps a day and sleeping at night and still tired...yep my thyroid is messed up.

Otherwise, I changed up my diet a little. Still the same concept of what I was doing, just a little different.

Till next time...

Feeling and Seeing the Results

2009-10-20T15:05:00.002-06:00

All I can say is that I am working harder than I have in a long time with my training!!! I know we have all been there before where because you like a certain way of training/working out (like KB swings or running) you don't push yourself as hard as usual. Your body gets used to the exercise and well then...nothing! No weight loss, no muscle development, nothing!

So I changed it up drastically and I am totally seeing the results and totally loving it!

For the past week I have been doing A LOT of strength....
deadlifts, squats, presses and bench pressing

I do one lift a day, 4 days a week and after that one lift, I do assistance work and then conditioning.

Lots of fun, Lots of work!

New Program...New Soreness

2009-10-14T04:10:00.002-06:00

BJ has started me on a new strength program this week and for the first time in a long time my muscles are sore!!! Now let me make this clear, I am not in pain, my muscles are sore. It feels great! And the best part about it...it is soooooooo simple!

I have come to the realization that as I get older and experience new things, I don't need to make things complicated. Life is too complicated sometimes to worry about my workout being complicated!

Here is a little sample of what I have been doing this week...

Monday: Presses...lots of military presses!
Tuesday: Running intervals.
Today: Will be deadlifting and conditioning

See simple but affective!

Back to it

2009-10-08T13:43:00.002-06:00

So I have not blogged in about 4 months. Basically have not had time and have not really had much to talk about. I am going to start again. Don't know if anyone will read I am doing this more for myself and to just be able to get things out.

For those of you who don't know my husband and I have our own fitness facility here in Frisco. Full Throttle Athletics. Because we have been doing so well over the past 3 months I was able to quit my full time job as a respiratory therapist, working night shift by the way, and do training for others full time. Very happy about that. Not happy about how my fitness/body comp has become from working all those night shifts and not getting the training I should have in. I am very disappointed in myself but in now way shape or form am I going to roll over and give up.

Over the past 2 weeks I have up'd my training tremendously and started a new way of eating. I am not going to go into the nutrition part right now because it is still in it's testing phase and we are not ready to release it to everyone. But I can say my training is going great. Concentrating on deadlifts, presses, pull ups, Kettlebell swings, and overall conditioning work. I will post some of my training, but to be honest...not much. It's not secret..just don't know how exciting posting a workout would be for you!

Tell next time...
Train Hard...Train Like A Girl!

Update

2009-05-15T08:27:00.002-06:00

Wow, totally didn't think it had been this long since I last posted. Oops!

Let's see..

Well the supplements are going well. I have been adding more iodine to not only my diet but also supplement wise. I am feeling good, but did have a week there where I was drained. I don't know if it was from work, my allergies acting up or hormones. But I feel much better.

Training is going well. I have been doing more deadlifting in preparation for the TSC in September. Also I have been doing the 6am boot camp class at our gym for the past few weeks. Training the GS style of Kettlebells really put my conditioning down so my goal is to bump that back up.

And for my weight loss...well I was getting really discouraged for awhile there. Nothing was happening. Then last Sunday I weighed my self and had BJ take measurements, did it again this morning and the scale didn't budge...BUT I lost 3 inches off my hips, and another 2 inches total everywhere else! I try not to get hung up on the stupid scale...not going to tell me really anything right now. I am just happy things are getting tighter!

Mrs.Texas 2009

2009-04-27T09:35:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, April 26th, BJ and I had the pleasure of going to the 2009 Mrs.Texas beauty pageant to watch our friend and client Jennifer Johnson represent our town of Frisco.

Neither of us have ever been to a pageant so we really didn't know what to expect. It was actually a lot of fun and we had a great time!

Unfortunately, Jennifer did not win. That was really upsetting to all of us (her family and friends) because we really thought she had it in the bag. She looked FABULOUS in her swim suit and just STUNNING in her evening gown. She did stumble a little on the first question, but came back strong with the second.

Jennifer placed 3rd Runner-up, but the really great part was they had an award for the "Best body in a swim suit" (not sure what the exact award is), AND SHE WON!!!! Hands down she had the best body there! Jennifer was the only one who actually looked like she had muscle and was fit. BJ and I were so proud of that because that is why she hired BJ on for...make her look H-O-T in a bikini! Oh and she got this award after having 2 kids!!!!

Even though Jennifer did not win Mrs.Texas, I can tell you she worked harder than ANY of the other contestants. Whether it be on her body, her mind or her soul. She is the epitome of what Mrs.Texas should be.

BJ and I could not be more proud of Jennifer and how hard she has worked. I have never seen someone with such determination and strong will to get a job done. Oh and by the way...she only worked with BJ for 8 weeks!!! I don't know what Jennifer is going to move onto next. She will hold the title of Mrs.Frisco for the rest of the year, and who knows...maybe she will give Mrs.Texas one more shot!

New Supplements are AWESOME!!!!

2009-04-27T09:27:00.002-06:00

I started my new supplements last Wednesday and I don't know if it is a "mind-game thing" or what but I feel fantastic!!

I feel like I have more energy throughout the day. I get better sleep at night. My food is digested much better (I won't go into detail about that one...just trust me!). My workouts are going great! Just hoping I don't come down.

As for my workouts, I am going back to the workouts that got me conditioned, strong and a slimmer body. Basically back to the basics. I am doing Press/Pull up ladders and swings or snatches on T/TH/Sat and then M/W I have been doing the 6am boot camp class that BJ teaches. I thought I worked hard...these people work hard!

That is about it...

I am hoping to drop a couple of pounds before I go back to WI in June for my mom's 60th birthday.

Till next time...

Hair Analysis Test Results

2009-04-15T04:59:00.002-06:00

Haven't blogged on here for awhile...been pretty busy with...EVERYTHING! But I am happy to report my hair analysis test came back and things are going in the right direction!!! I knew I was feeling great since PJ Wilson, DC started me on the supplements, but now it is on paper.

BJ and I had a phone consultation with PJ yesterday just to go over our tests. PJ said that what I am seeing on the tests is what is truly going on with my body and now we can get down to the nitty-gritty (my words, not his!).

Some of the things that are improving is my adrenals are not going 10000 miles a minute. To achieve this I have cut back on my caffeine (ugh!) and have really increased my sleep. I am also getting rid of a lot of calcium from my muscle tissue...again a good thing. And of course...my thyroid is way too low.

So what to do about all that? Well I still need to tweak my diet. I am a sweet tooth whore...I will admit to that. But I will be taking a different supplement that will help with not only my sugar cravings, but my blood sugar also. And I will be starting on some high doses of iodine. PJ wrote a great blog post on iodine and how we as Americans don't get nearly enough.

There is a lot more, but until I start taking everything and really tweaking my diet I won't know exactly how I am doing. I should be starting everything within the next week or so and then I will keep you updated.

Kettlebells and You!

2009-03-28T08:04:00.003-06:00

Want to know what Kettlebells can do for you?

Go to Train Like a Girl and find out how one woman transformed her life by losing over 120 pounds in 2 years with Kettlebells!

Change

2009-03-27T15:58:00.002-06:00

Well I am over my cold now. Thank God! You don't realize how nice it is to breathe without a stuffy nose, until you can't! And this is coming from a Respiratory Therapist!

Anyways, I have decided to change up my training a bit for the next 6 weeks. I was going to train for the TSC on April 4th, but not only do I work the night before but I work that night too. The TSC starts at 10am. I really don't think my strength will be there with out sleep. So I have decided to combine a bit of everything for my training.

Kettlebells (I will always have KBs in my training some way or how...they do EVERYTHING!!)
Strength Training (Squats, DLs, Presses, Pull Ups, etc)
Conditioning

I started this on Monday and yesterday had a "heavy" day. Little sore but not too bad. So we will see how this goes!

Will It Ever End???!!!!

2009-03-17T11:12:00.002-06:00

UUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!

So I have been sick for the past 7 days and I am SICK OF BEING SICK!!! I even had to call in sick to work last week. Which is very unlike me, but working in a hospital, I figured being around people who's immune system is down would not be a good thing.

But on a good note my body looks better than ever!

My abs are showing through very nicely and I am down another 2 pounds from 1.5 weeks ago. Since the beginning of the year I have lost 15 pounds! I give credit to my eating, training and my supplements that PJ Wilson, DC has suggested to help not only my thyroid but my over all health. BJ and I will be sending in our hair sample analysis again today so in about 2 weeks we should see how things are going.

Today I am going to take it easy and just grease the groove with my jerks and snatches. Yesterday I did a strength routine of deadlifts, squats, presses and ring rows. That was actually really hard, I think from me still being under the weather.

We enough for today...

Past Week

2009-03-13T08:19:00.002-06:00

Workouts have been going well this week, but yesterday and today I came down with a lovely cold!

I have been concentrating on strength workouts. A lot of Deadlifts, squats, pull ups and presses. Then using my Jerks and Snatches as conditioning, and throwing in some running here and there.

I have been taking 2 days off of completely OFF! Well, taking the dogs (yes we got another one! She is a yellow lab and just a puppy!) for walks.

Hopefully my lovely cold will go away soon. I am the type of person who HATES to take any kind of meds for colds so I kind of just suffer through it.

I am sore!!!

2009-03-06T22:26:00.002-06:00

So on Wednesday BJ and I decided I needed to really change up my training. I liked what I was doing, but I was getting a little bored. Well I should have just been bored!!! I have been sooooooooooooooo sore from Wednesday's workout it is unbelievable! I truly have not been this sore since...well honestly I can't remember the last time I was this sore! But this is a good thing. This means that I have some things I need to work on and muscles that have been neglected for sometime now. BJ has me doing squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, jerks and snatches w/ my KB....ouch!

Also, BJ and I are going to be sending in more samples of our hair to get another analysis done. I can't wait...I want to see if things have changed...I have a feeling they will.

WOW!!! I SUCK!!!

2009-03-05T00:09:00.002-06:00

At least this is what I was thinking as I was running today!

No I didn't have a bad run, really, what I mean by that title is that my form is HORRENDOUS!!! I knew it wasn't up to par, but today I decided to run in my Vibram 5-finger shoes and found out just how band I truly am!

For those of you who don't know what Vibram 5-finger shoes are go here. They are WAY cool and feel funky when you walk in them. So today I tried running in them to see how I would run in "bare feet" which is actually better for you than the hundreds of dollars some shoes cost. Plus my arches are really high, so running in "bare feet" will help them.

Well all I can say is running in them showed me just how bad my form really is! I felt like I had never ran before in my life! But I am glad, this is why I did it to really see what I needed to work on. Also, I tend to walk and run like a duck sometimes, with my feet out...this showed just how bad.

I will say it took a little to get used to, but I like it. I am going to be wearing them a lot more with walking, running and just doing little crap around the house. I am interested to see how my running form improves and how my feet will adapt.

Good News and a Good Test Day

2009-03-02T14:58:00.002-06:00

Well first I had a really good test day for my training. I was able to work with the 16kg for both my Jerks and Snatches. I was really happy with my performance. Here is what I did...

Warm Up:
Deadlifts w/ 135# 3x3
Pull Ups 3x3

Jerks w/ 16kg (6rpm) 4min
Snatches w/ 16kg (12rpm) 4min
**Yes only did 4 min but it was a heavy 4min and believe me...I was breathing hard!

Then when I came home I went for a nice jog with my doggie!

Now for the good news...I got my thyroid blood tests back and they are really good! I feel great, I am not sluggish and falling asleep every chance I get. For those who have ever had to deal with something like Hypothyroid you understand the feeling of not feeling good, and you also know how wonderful it is to feel...I guess you would say normal. YEAH I AM NORMAL!!! Well at least my thyroid is!

Feeling Good

2009-02-25T16:07:00.002-06:00

Well today was a little better with my training. But I am still really weak with my deadlifts and that is one lift I am really trying to work on for the TSC. About a year ago my DL was really good and heavy so now that it isn't I am frustrated. But I know it will come.

One thing I did figure out today is that my weight has been at a stand still for the past 2 weeks. Am I frustrated? YES! But am I giving up? NO! BJ, my genius of a husband, pointed out something to me today. My body and health were in such disarray because of my over training, my weak diet, and my thyroid all out of whack that I had to dig myself out of the whole. I did this by starting my supplements that PJ Wilson, DC has started me on, and I really pulled back on my training. While all things were being repaired I was losing weight and now I am hopefully back to somewhat normal and will have to change things up a bit.

I am not going to post my training today because it was the same as always. But just to let you know it went well and I am happy with it!

Bad Test Day

2009-02-23T15:41:00.002-06:00

Well I knew my test days had to go bad one day soon. Today was the day. I just did not have it in me today. But that is that, and it is time to move on! Here is what I did...

Jerks w/ 16kg 6rpm, 2 min (First time testing with the 16kg, not happy at all. I wasn't using my legs enough at all. I think my might try again on Wed)

Snatches w/ 16kg 12rpm, 2 min (Again not impressive)

Jerks w/ 12kg 8rpm, 6min
Snatches w/ 12kg 12rpm, 6min

Then I tried to Deadlift, I had nothing in my legs...oh well.

I know Wednesday will be better.

Pretty Good Wednesday

2009-02-18T16:50:00.002-06:00

Here was today's training...Short and Sweet

Warm up: Deadlifts 135x3 145x3 155x2 165x1 (not too happy about this...it will come)

Jerks w/12kg (8rpm) 4 min x 3
Snatches w/12kg (no pacing) x 3

And I just came back from a 3 mile run. I know I shouldn't have, but it is 80 degrees outside...couldn't help myself!

Great Test Day...considering.

2009-02-17T14:53:00.002-06:00

Even with me being so tired these past couple of days I really had a great test day yesterday. Here is what I did...

Warm up with some Deadlifts. I really need to get these numbers back up b/c the TSC is fastly approaching!

Jerks w/ 12kg (6rpm) 10 min!!! First time ever!
Snatches w/ 12kg (12rpm) 4 min only. Really upset with these and I found out I did so crappy b/c I didn't rest long enough between the Jerks and Snatches.

Today I am just going to grease the groove with the 8kg and run on the treadmill. It looks so gloomy out today, don't want to get caught in the rain!

Sad but Happy Day

2009-02-15T07:17:00.003-06:00

Today is one of those days where I could cry all day or laugh all day. No I am not having waves of hormones, but today is my father's birthday. The only thing is my father past away in 2005. So like I said today I could cry all day if I wanted to but I know that right now my dad is having a huge party up there so that makes me laugh!

As for my training, today is an OFF day and I think I really need it. I have been falling asleep at 7 pm these past couple of nights so I think I am wearing myself down a little. So today I am just going to relax, watch the Daytona 500, eat some homemade jalapeno poppers (with bacon!) and chill! Plus tomorrow is another Test Day and I want to be ready!!!!

Happy Sunday!

Train Like A Girl!

2009-02-14T05:42:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to give a heads up to everyone that my new and improved website/blog Train Like A Girl will be up and running soon! I am so excited to not only have this fabulous website/blog but also to be able to share information about nutrition, training, fat loss and just overall good health!

This Past Week....

2009-02-12T06:43:00.003-06:00

WOW, I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted...sorry. One of the reasons was because I just finished a long 6 night stretch of working and when I work that much my life is basically...work, sleep, workout, eat, etc. I have really been trying to increase my sleep hours to a minimum of 8 hours and even more if I feel I need it. This is to let my body heal and also recover from my AWESOME training sessions.

Well over the past week and a half I have lost another 2 pounds, so a total of 12 so far! WOO-HOO!! And I have been going up on my Jerk and Snatch numbers. I have been feeling awesome and really enjoying my training. I am the first to admit...I don't always like to or want to train. But I do because I know in the end I have a goal and when I reach that goal, whatever it may be, I will be happy.

Today is just going to be a grease the groove day with my Jerks and Snatches. And because it is going to be at least 70 out today I will have to go for a run.

Till next time...

The PRs Continue!

2009-02-02T10:27:00.002-06:00

WOW! Can my Monday test days get any better?!?!?!

I hope they continue. I got 2 more PRs with my Jerks and Snatches. Here is what I did...

Warm Up: Deadlifts 135,145,135 (I am starting to train for the TSC in April so I am just greasing the groove right now)

Jerks w/ 12kg (6rpm) 7 min (4R, 3L) I really wanted to do 8min but my left is much weaker than my right. But like BJ says, at that time it is all mental. Next Monday will be 8 or more!

Snatches w/ 8kg (15rpm) 8min = 120 snatches. Very happy with this b/c I couldn't get past the 6 min all week! YEAH ME!!!

Now you are probably saying..."That's it!?!?!" Yes!!! My neuro system is a bit fried! This is a lot more work than it looks! Later today I am going to do a slow jog just to get the blood flowing and tomorrow I will do some nice stretching.

Much Better

2009-01-31T15:56:00.003-06:00

Today I feel 100% better and because I feel so much better I was able to get in a good training session. Did the usual Jerks and Snatches.

Jerks w/ 8kg 6 min x 2 (6rpm)
Snatches w/ 8kg 6 min (15rpm)

Then I went for a run outside because it is 73 degrees and just too good to pass up!

After, I stretched for a really long time and worked on a lot of mobility. With doing the Jerks my calves are getting pretty tight.

I am happy with this week of training and I am hoping for big numbers with my testing on Monday!

Sick

2009-01-30T17:35:00.003-06:00

Had to take today off...not feeling good at all. There is a lot of colds going around and when you work in a hospital you are bound to pick one or two up. We will see how I feel tomorrow and decide if I will train or not.

One More thing...

2009-01-28T17:22:00.003-06:00

I lost another 2 pounds!

I have lost a total of 10 pounds over the past 4.5 weeks and I am feeling fantastic.

Oh and the best part about it is I am eating a lot more than usual and training less than usual.

See you don't have to run yourself into the ground or starve yourself to lose weight!

Less=More

2009-01-28T15:51:00.002-06:00

Today BJ had me work with the 12kg Kettlebell again, but instead of one long set of Jerks, we broke it into 2 shorter sets. I liked it and I felt I had a great training session because of it.

Here is what I did today...

Warm up: Jump rope, Stretched out shoulders and hips

Jerks w/ 12kg 2 sets of 4 min (6rpm) took a 4 min break in between the 2 sets
Snatches w/ 8kg 1 set of 6 min (15rpm) **This was pretty hard, I tried to go faster and it just wore me out, so I had to slow down**

Swings w/ 16kg: just 2 easy sets of one-hand swings

This was a great training session. I felt I got a lot done but not falling to the ground tired.

On to the 12kg

2009-01-26T16:30:00.002-06:00

Today is Monday and as said before Monday's are test days. I think I have gotten as far as I want to go with the 8kg so now I am onto the 12kg. Here is what I did today...

Warm up: Squatting w/ prying, Kosick squats (I need to do these A LOT more. My hips are so tight!)

Jerks w/ the 12kg 6 min w/ 1 hand switch (6/min)
Snatches w/ 12kg 4 min w/ 1 hand switch

**I was very happy with the Jerks but not so happy with my Snatches. I have done better but I was wiped out when I was done so I know I didn't need to do more.

Abdominal work

So all in all a pretty good training session. Wasn't my best, but I was pretty tired when I was done so I didn't do anymore. Tomorrow is going to be a stretch/walking day to let myself rest for Wednesday.

Till tomorrow...

Past Few Days of Training

2009-01-22T17:18:00.002-06:00

After Monday's training I was a little tired on Tuesday so I took it real easy and Tuesday and Wednesday I just worked on my form more than anything with the Jerk and the Snatch. I used the 12kg a couple of times because my goal is to get up to the 12kg for 10min.

Today is my OFF day but due to the B-E-A-UTIFUL 80 degree weather outside I had to do something so I just went for a nice 30 min jog. Nothing taxing, just something to enjoy the weather.

The TSC (Tactical Strength Challenge) is coming up in April and BJ and I will be hosting one at our facility. So I am starting to think of my next set of training goals I have for April. If any one is interested in doing the TSC with us please email me at kbliffert@yahoo.com. Also, we will be accepting $10 donations for the Fallen Hero's Fund that day to join in the TSC.

Till next time...

Mondays=PRs!!!

2009-01-19T16:31:00.002-06:00

OK so after a nice long rest day yesterday (and a little more food than usual b/c I was starving) I had another PR day today! Monday's are labeled as Test days for my lifts and today was another great day! Here is what I did...

Warm Up: Z health

Jerks w/ 8kg 10 min straight w/ 1 hand switch at 5 min (10rpm)

THEN...

Snatches w/ 8kg 10 min straight w/ 1 hand switch at 5 min (12rpm)

Total of 20min of non-stop work!!! Well I did rest about 10min in between the Jerks and the Snatches.

BUT HOLY COW!!!

I was going to do more stuff, but a little birdie kept telling me to stop so I just did some ab work and stretched. I am very happy with today and hope PJ Wilson, DC doesn't read this ;) (I swear I am letting my body heal)

The Good, The Bad and THE GREAT!!!

2009-01-18T09:21:00.003-06:00

This week has been a good week and a bad week. Good week because at the beginning I had a great training session on Monday that got me to another PR. The energy was blazing and I was feeling good. But then my lovely work schedule decided to screw everything up! Because I work night shift (7pm-7am) my sleeping patterns get very screwed up, and this week was no exception. I worked Monday, Wed, and Fri. If anyone has ever worked the night shift they will understand that is NOT a great week. So as the week was going by I felt myself needing more and more sleep and my training sessions getting weaker and weaker. So you know what I did? I LISTENED TO MY BODY!!! FINALLY! I did what I could and I stopped training when I knew I had to stop. Wow, what a concept!

But now here is the GREAT part...I have lost 8 pounds in the last 3 weeks! And you know what? I am not starving myself, overloading my training sessions or taking any pills that makes your heart go 100 mph. I am listening to my body! It is a great feeling knowing that I can accomplish my goals and feel like a human.

Feeling Good

2009-01-13T08:03:00.002-06:00

Had another great workout yesterday, but kept it short. I am really trying to let my body heal, plus after my PR on Friday, I was a little tired. And when I say let my body heal, nothing happened to me, I just really trying to get my thyroid back, my adrenals back, etc. See a couple posts below.

I must say taking the supplements that P.J. Wilson, DC has suggested for me has really upped my energy. I am not as tired during work, my workouts are just screaming great and I am not as tired just in general. I truly have not felt this good in a long time.

More Jerks, Snatches and Swings later in the afternoon.

New PR

2009-01-09T22:58:00.002-06:00

Today everything just clicked. Don't know why and I don't know how (and to be honest I don't want to ask) but it did. Today I set a new PR for myself with the Jerk and the Snatch. Here is what I did today...

Warm up: Some Z

Jerks w/ 8kg x 10min (8/min so 5 min per arm)
Snatches w/ 8kg x 8 min (12/min so 4 min per arm)

Jerks w/ 12kg 10/10

I am sure you are saying "You are only using the 8kg...EASY!" Well yes and no. Yes it is only 8kg, but I didn't put the bell down for the entire 10min for the Jerks or put it down for the entire 8min for the snatches. And I did all 5 min on 1 arm then switched, same with the snatches.

Now I need to try and go faster on the Jerks and try to get 10min with the snatches.

Sunshine High!

2009-01-03T19:59:00.002-06:00

I am back! I have been gone for about a week having a little scare with finding a lump in my throat, but it turns out not to be anything serious! Phew! Because I work in the medical field I think I get more paraoid than a person who doesn't. But I am back and having a great time!

Today was phenomenal! It was over 80 degrees here in TX today on January 3rd!!! Can you believe it! I guess most people who live down here can, but this is all new for me. So even though I slept through most of the day due to working the night before and having to go back to work tonight, I still got in an awesome 5k run and that was after I did my usual training.

Speaking of training, I am doing very well. My snatch and jerk numbers are going up...actually going up really fast. I really do love working with Kettlebells. You have a "home gym" in one small piece of equipment and all you need really is 10 min to make yourself puke...believe I did it!

Anyways, tomorrow is my OFF day and I have a feeling next week will be a great training week.

LOOK GREAT NAKED Boot Camps 2009

2008-12-30T12:20:00.002-06:00

OK so New Year's is coming up, you gorged on everything in sight during the holidays and now you are going to make that great New Year's Resolution to lose weight...right?

Well why not actually fulfill that resolution this year?

How?

Check this out to find out how to LOOK GREAT NAKED!

New Supplements

2008-12-27T13:20:00.002-06:00

Well we got our new supplements from PJ Wilson, DC in the mail. As soon as we got the package we tore it open to see what was inside.

It truly looked like we were kids on Christmas morning!

Anyways, both BJ and I took what we were suppose to for that time of day, put up our schedules on the fridge and put our supplements in our pantry. I am very excited to see how I start to feel and the difference it makes when we send the hair sample in again. I know it won't be a huge change over night, but any difference will be great!

DISCLAIMER: Remember, these are supplements that are taken to help with the body's functions, not to replace ANY meds prescribed by an MD!

My Music-Split Personalities

2008-12-20T12:57:00.003-06:00

I swear people must think I have split personalities when it comes to the type of music I like. I truly like any and all music (except country...HATE country) but my favorites are heavy metal and pop.

I know...wide range.

Basically I love any music that has a great beat to it. Heavy metal and POP are two genres that have those great beats. Here are a couple of samples of music I love...

Here is what I train to. Especially when I am lifting or going hard with my training.

Now here is what I listen to when I am doing any kind of running/cardio or in my car.

Two totally different sounds...but I like it!

Hair Sample Analysis

2008-12-13T20:29:00.002-06:00

It is amazing what you can find out with a few hair samples and a test...

For awhile now BJ and I have been looking into more holistic ways of taking care of ourselves and less at the traditional Western medication. Funny thing is I work in a hospital and use Western medication on my patients all the time.

But I digress...

About a month ago BJ met PJ Wilson, DC and over dinner starting telling PJ about my lovely battle with Hypothyroidism. How I just can't find a way to keep my levels right and how some days I feel good, but most days I don't. PJ gave BJ a couple of ideas to start off with and told BJ we should do a hair sample analysis to see what has been going on with our bodies for the past few months. So we did and let me just say it was an eye opener!

PJ could tell things about me by the hair analysis that I had been feeling and going through and not take any blood! As I said above, I work in a hospital and we tell everything by people's blood. Most of the things PJ found out with the hair analysis were the same symptoms I had been dealing with and had doctors tell me it was all in my head!

PJ is prescribing a number of things to not only help get rid of the bad stuff, but also increase the good stuff. I will let you know how it is all going in a couple of weeks.

Now I just want to make sure everyone knows I am not telling everyone to stop seeing their "Western Med" docs and find a "different" type of doctor. But if you are not getting the results you need...get a second opinion!

....2 Steps Back

2008-12-11T12:31:00.002-06:00

So last week at this time I was writing about how great I felt and how wonderful my training was going. Then I got hit....with a cold. Well kind of. I have had this cold sitting inside my head and sinuses for the past week and it wants to come on, but I am pounding it with cold meds. Nyquil is a great thing!

Anyways, I still got all my training in during this time, but I wouldn't say it was up to my great potential and I was greatly disappointed. But I am back to feeling better (for the most part) and I am happy to say I have gotten my bike out and am doing a lot of biking on the trainer in my family room. I would rather be outside, but the winds really are kicking up and I don't think I would get anywhere.

Today is a rest day for me, but tomorrow I am going to be up bright and early ready for a great day of training. I will let ya'll know how it goes!

Feel Great!

2008-12-04T05:16:00.002-06:00

All I have to say is...my husband is a GENIUS! OK let's hope he doesn't read this and have it go to his head! But really I am so happy with the training and the training schedule he has put together for me. As stated in the previous post I am down 4 pounds and my clothes are fitting so nicely now. I can tell I have lost more than just the 4 pounds. And even though BJ did not invent running or the Kettlebell, he knows what he is doing!

OK, enough of that :)! Yesterday I didn't get to train. Well that is not true, it is not that I didn't have the time, it is that I didn't have any freakin' energy! I work the night shift at a hospital and I worked 4 nights in a row along with all my training and the training of clients. After all that my body wasn't getting off the coach for nothing yesterday! So instead of taking today as my OFF day I am using that for yesterday and training today.

Again my training is going to consist of Jerks, Snatches and Swings with the Kettlebell. I am going to go running in about 20 min (it is 5:30 in the morning...couldn't sleep after sleeping all day yesterday!) and also I have my bike set up on the trainer inside so I will probably spin out my legs today also.

Till next time....

Finally going down!

2008-12-02T02:16:00.002-06:00

I am happy to say in the past week I have lost 4 pounds! I am down to 139 as of today (12/1). This is a relief due to the fact that after 4 weeks of working my butt off I had nothing to show for it. But training the way I am now and really keeping my food in check has done great for me.

I must say though, I do have a tough but fantastic trainer and husband. BJ has been making sure I am on my A-game at every training session and helping me realize I don't need to beat myself to the ground to lose the weight.

Thanks babe!

Happy Day After Turkey Day!

2008-11-28T13:03:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Turkey day! BJ and I didn't do anything. I had to work the night before and on Thanksgiving so I slept most of the day.

My training has been going great so far this week. I haven't really posted due to it is just the same over and over. Jerks, Snatches, Swings and running.

Yesterday (Thursday) was suppose to be an OFF day but I didn't get my running in on Wednesday so BJ and I went running yesterday. It was so nice outside, 72 degrees! With this training program I will be taking 2 days OFF and making sure I get 5 days of training in. Right now the program is not super intense so 5 days will not burn me out.

Tomorrow I plan on going for a long run, hopefully 4.5 miles at an eight min/mile pace.

New Training Program

2008-11-24T09:19:00.002-06:00

Started my new training today and it went well.

Warm up: Z health

Training:
Jerks
Swings
Snatches
**All done with a 12kg Kettlebell

Run for 30min and then took the dog for a 20min walk

Love Sundays

2008-11-23T09:27:00.002-06:00

Taking today off. But after my long run yesterday and starting a new training regime tomorrow I am going to be stretching A LOT today! My hamstrings are still fried from the long swing workout and running so need to get those back.

I am not going to go into great detail of what my new training is going to be, but I will say that Kettlebells and running are going to be my main source of exercise. I will blog about what I am doing for the next 6 weeks. My goal is to lose some fat and also some of the muscle I put on during the summer. I am working my way on to losing 20 pounds. I would say about 10 will be fat and the other 10 will be muscle. See this past summer I was doing a lot of deadlifting, squating, pressing, and pull ups. Along with all the lifting I was eating a lot more too. Muscle needs fuel. I got where I wanted to be with the deadlifting, the squating, etc. so now it is time to lean out.

Usually fall/winter is a time where people who are into training will let loose and put on some extra pounds so they can lift more or get PRs (personal records), but this year it is different for me. I am going to lean out.

As of this morning I weigh 143lbs and fit into a size 4 jeans. My goal is 120-122lbs and fit into a size 2-4. I am only 5'3" so I will not look guant or discustingly skinny at this weight. I have been there before so I know my body will be ok.

So follow me through the next 6 weeks and see how I do!

4 miles

2008-11-22T12:56:00.002-06:00

I don't know why but I have been on this running kick lately. And to be honest...I don't like running. But today I decided to do a long run, well at least for me, and I ran for 4 miles. I didn't time it, just did it.

My hamstrings are still sore from the 45 min of swings the other day, running didn't really stretch them out so I am going to have BJ do it for me.

Anyways, some other things going on is the "Look Great Naked Boot Camp" classes that BJ and I are holding. We have some great campers that show up as early as 6am! If you are interested in a Boot Camp that offers a diverse list of exercises, lots of fun, and great instructors with incredible knowledge...oh and you live in the Frisco, Plano, Little Elm of The Colony area, please go to the link above and try us out. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!

Till next time...

45 min of Swings

2008-11-20T15:40:00.002-06:00

Today I wanted to do a Kettlebell Swing workout that would be long and not quite as intense as I have been doing. This is what I did..

Warm up: Z-health

Workout: 45 min of 1 min on/1 min off swings with 12kg

Cool Down: Stretch

Ok so not rocket science or very creative but it was challenging. I really concentrated on being as tight as I could with every swing.

Tomorrow will be different. I work tonight, but I will have not only an intense workout, but I am going to run and then probably walk for about 2 hours.

Fun-Fun-Fun!!

Tuesday, Novermber 18th

2008-11-18T10:43:00.003-06:00

It has been exactly 4 weeks since I last did this workout. So the question is...was my time better? Well let's see...

5-10-15-20-15-10-5
Box Jumps (12")
Push Presses w/ 12kg
Jumping Pull ups
Sit ups

Time: 18:45!
2.5 min faster than the last time I did this workout!!!

I felt very strong today and felt I could beat my old time. I think this will be a workout I do every 4 weeks and see just how fast I can get!

Then I came back from the gym and ran some intervals. 1 min jog/1 min sprint for 18min.

One more thing, I am training a woman named Leanne who is trying to get back to her pre-baby figure. I am blogging on Train Like A Girl about it the whole 3 months so please feel free to follow her on her amazing journey!

Jogging Under the Stars!

2008-11-12T06:23:00.002-06:00

Nothing feels better than getting up at 5am and going for a morning jog. It is still dark outside but nobody is around, no traffic really to worry about and the moon and stars are still out.

LOVE IT!!!

Today is suppose to be my off day, but I wasn't able to go for my scheduled run yesterday due to the fact I hadn't slept in over 24 hours! I did manage to get my conditioning workout in along with a 2 hour walk. After that I had to take a nap of some kind and then I went to bed at 8pm! Right after the new 90210 (ha!).

I am going shopping with my mom today so walking will be involved, but I feel really good today so I may just throw in another run or a long walk. We will see where the day takes me!

November already!

2008-11-05T09:12:00.002-06:00

WOW! I can't believe it is November already! I have been pretty busy this past weekend with work, but I still maintained my training!

For those of you who don't know, I not only work with my husband BJ on our fitness coaching business, but I am also a Respiratory Therapist, who works night shift. 7pm-7am. And no matter what anybody says, working nights NEVER gets easy and your body NEVER gets used to it. But the best part of working nightshift are the people I work with. I LOVE my coworkers!

I have always said that people who work night shift (sometimes call the "graveyard shift") are of a special breed. At night, at least at the hospitals I have worked at, people are much calmer. The nurses, doctors, Resp. Therapists, etc are more laid back. I like that. But anyways, yesterday after my shift ended I met BJ at our facility and he put me through a workout. Here is what I did...

Warm up: Z

Workout:
20 2hand swings w/ 16kg Kettlebell
20 Mountain Climbers
10 Squat thrusts

Start each round at the top of 2:30min and go for 25min

Now it doesn't look like much, and I kind of laughed at it under my breath when BJ showed it to me. Well, all I can say is I didn't have much breath when I was done! That is one aspect I love about BJ's workouts he comes up with...they don't look like much, but they will kill ya!

Then we came home and went for an hour long walk and later it was so nice outside I had to go for a run. Just a short 27min run to get the blood flowing.

Today (Wednesday) will be an OFF day. BJ and I just got back from an hour long walk with our dog Riley and maybe if it stops raining this afternoon we will go for one more.

Friday, October 31st

2008-10-31T23:33:00.002-06:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Anyways, here is my workout for today...

Warm up: Z health

Kettlebell Work:
Clean-Squat-Press w/ 12kg Kettlebell x 20min=120 clean-squat-presses
**I took as little time as I could inbetween each set. Each set was 5R/5L***

Run:
1min at 75-80% run and 1 min walk x 20min
**Again it was 81 degrees outside...could not let that go to waste!!!**

Thursday, October 30th

2008-10-31T07:57:00.002-06:00

Today's workout was short, sweet, but definitely not easy.

Warm up: Z

10 min of swings w/ the 12kg Kettlebell. Didn't care what kind of swings, just wanted to swing. So I did a combo of 2hand, 1hand and transfers. I tried to put down the bell as little as possible. I got 500 swings total. Is that good? Don't know, I have never tried it before. We will see when I do it again in a couple of weeks.

Then I went for an interval run. I ran for 2 min at 60-70% effort then for 1 min I ran hard at 85-90% effort. I did this 5 times. Then I cooled off with a run/walk. It was so nice outside (70's) yesterday I couldn't not go outside!

I cam back and did some serious stretching. Feels good!

2008-10-29T10:04:00.001-06:00

Monday, October 27th Workout

2008-10-28T06:45:00.002-06:00

Today I wanted to do a swing workout that is one of my favorites. Here it is...

Warm up: OHSquats w/ PVC pipe, Dislocations w/ PVC pipe, Z

Swing workout:
All 2 hand swings

10 w/ 24kg
15 w/ 20kg
20 w/ 16kg
25 w/ 12kg

Did this 7 times for a total of 490 swings. Took me about 25 min. I rested around 30-45 sec in between each round.

I didn't have a plan on how long or how many rounds I was going to do due to the fact that I have not done this type of workout in a while. I am trying to shed some weight so back to the swings and conditioning workouts that have always gotten me there!

Well now it is time to go spend some money shopping with my mom!!

Tuesday, Oct 21 Workout

2008-10-22T08:13:00.001-06:00

Trying something new...

Warm up: Shoulder dislocations, Overhead Squats w/ PVC pipe, Z Health

For Time:
5-10-15-20-15-10-5
Box Jumps (12in box)
Push Press w/ 12kg
Jumping Pull Ups
Sit ups

Total time: 21:10

Not bad, but can always do better!

New Kids On The Block

2008-10-20T12:52:00.002-06:00

Yes you read that right. Last night my sister-in-law and I went to the American Airlines Center in Dallas,TX to see NKOTB!!!!!

I am sure you are just laughing right now, but we had the BEST time!!!

It all started about 18 years ago when I was a young gal who fell in love with the boy-band. And in 1989 my mom took me to my very first concert...New Kids On The Block!

I have loved them ever since, even when they broke up for 15 years. I always new they would get back together some day!

So with the whole reminiscence of my first concert and then the concert being 2 days before my birthday...well I HAD TO GO!!!

No BJ did not go with me. But he did get Erika and I the BEST seats! We basically could reach out and touch them!!!

Anyways, I had to blog about it because we had the best time and I wouldn't have traded last night for the world!

It's Been Awhile...

2008-10-20T12:36:00.005-06:00

So I have decided ONE more time that I will be working two blogs. One, Train Like A Girl will be strictly professional. Meaning I will be giving my professional opinions on books, nutrition, exercises, workouts, etc. And give you updates on how the Train Like A Girl women's only boot camp is going.

Then there will be this blog...my personal blog. It will go into my own workouts/training, nutrition and any guinea pig diets I try out. And really a place for me just to vent or tell my side of things.

Trying to fit all of that on one blog was getting to be a little crazy, so I will work with two.

I hope you enjoy both, and will comment on how I am doing!

"I'll start tomorrow."

2007-09-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

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?"

Motivation!

2007-08-30T09:37:00.000-06:00

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!

Dehydrator

2007-07-08T07:19:00.000-06:00

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!

Last Chance to Donate

2007-07-05T14:39:00.000-06:00

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

Awsome Kettlebell Workshop!

2007-06-24T19:50:00.000-06:00

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!

Nutrition

2007-06-19T11:12:00.001-06:00

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

Scenic Shore 150-Bike Ride

2007-06-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

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!

Turbulence Training

2007-06-04T08:46:00.000-06:00

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

Kettlebell Workshop-June 23rd

2007-06-01T06:42:00.000-06:00

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!

2 WEEKS FREE OF BOOT CAMPS!

2007-05-21T17:21:00.000-06:00

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!

Train Like A Girl!

2007-05-21T17:03:00.000-06:00

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!

KB Workshop

2007-05-07T06:35:00.000-06:00

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!

Today's Workout

2007-05-02T18:27:00.000-06:00

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. :)

I PASSED!!!! I AM NOW A RKC!!!

2007-05-01T11:09:00.000-06:00

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!

RKC....Here I come!

2007-04-24T07:02:00.000-06:00

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!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food=Energy

2007-04-17T13:12:00.000-06:00

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!

Breakfast: "But I'm not hungry in the morning!"

2007-04-10T12:52:00.000-06:00

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!!!!

Plateaus

2007-04-04T08:48:00.000-06:00

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!

My Workouts

2007-03-29T13:44:00.000-06:00

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!

Temptation!

2007-03-24T10:02:00.000-06:00

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!

Heavy Weights

2007-03-22T18:18:00.000-06:00

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!

Rest...we need it!

2007-03-05T16:12:00.000-06:00

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!

My Goals

2007-03-01T09:47:00.000-06:00

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.