Trying to get my Groove Back

Welcome to Day 1 of my fitness blog! I am a young woman, well, in heart and spirit anyway. I am getting closer to 50, and I am fighting the tide that is trying to pull me in to being old. I have been a runner for years, but I have never attained the level of fitness that I have desired. I work full time and go to graduate school too! I have a husband,  2 sons, 2 dogs, and lots of housecleaning and laundry to do. I have responsiblities in my extended family as well. What I am trying to say is that this is not going to be easy. Oh, did I mention that I have Meneire’s Disease as well? If I can do this, then you can too. I don’t have extra ”time.” I have 2 boys in college, so I don’t have extra “money” either. I know that excuses get you no where. I am going for it. Go with me!
My 21-year-old son has been working with Fadi Malouf  and  Rebecca Pitts at My Fitness Solutions for a few months. His life has changed. His body is becoming a work of art. How could this be? He is getting better and stronger, and I am still carrying the tummy that was stretched out during pregnancy 21 years ago? I can no longer excuse my abs by talking about pregnancy!
My son, Michael suggested that I go to My Fitness Solutions for an evaluation. I went about a month ago. I met Fadi and he evaluated my fitness level. He told me that if I came in and committed to the program that I would see a difference in about 60 days. That excited me! .
In the past month, I went about 3 times and worked with Rebecca, a trainer at My Fitness Solutions. In that short time my body began to react to the training. I could see slight diffrences.   Then I was off on vacation and I missed the training.
 So now I am back from vacation and starting to work  out again and wanting to see if this really works. Join me in my adventure to see if I can get my groove back. I want to gain strength and definition in 60 days. I have visions of abs like Dara Torres. Let’s see what happens. Is it really possible for me to get my groove back?

Strength Training for Women: Why?

Strength Training for Women: Why?

August 2, 2011 Why should I strength train?

Tracy helps me try to make the 12th rep

When I read the advantages of strength training I wonder why I have wasted so much time NOT strength training. The results of strength training for women are quickly visible. It is like the body yearns to get stronger. It is a hidden desire lying wait while I watch movies and make excuses. But then when I give it the chance my body welcomes the workout.
The Mayo Clinic confirms my thoughts. The Mayo Clinic points out that the reasons for women to begin pushing weights are numerous. Just a little time in the gym has huge pay offs. It doesn’t even take as long as distance running and the benefits out weigh all that sweaty cardio. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/HQ01710)
Did you know that strength training diminishes the signs of back problems, arthritis, depression, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis? If it does all that why aren’t women lifting? Why aren’t they getting  with a trainer today? Strength training also boost your stamina. Who doesn’t want to have more energy? Women have too much to do not to be strong. Women are too busy to be sick and unhealthy.
On Saturday, as I was finishing the run part of a triathlon, I  ran by a woman sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette. She was morbidly obese. She and I shared a smile and a hello as I ran past her apartment complex. I was so saddened to see her. I am sure that she was about my age. I realized that  for some reason she had given up and was sitting. Her sitting was causing her to end her life slowly. Women can’t do this. We have to grab life and go! We have to engage our bodies in the activities like strength training that makes life healthier and us stronger.
I have just started lifting weights. I have been attempting to do it on my own at my gym for a while. It is intimidating to try at go over to the “men’s side” and ask questions, not to mention pick up the little weights. I was trying on my own but I wasn’t getting results, however with my trainer, Tracy Carswell at My Fitness Solutions the guess-work has been taken out of it. I go in and get a great workout and see results quickly. I have support and someone else has to figure out what I am supposed to be doing. I am not afraid to ask questions of my trainer. They want to be the expert. They are there for me. They want to help me get stronger!
Too many health benefits are available to women not to lift weights! Grab some weights, girls and get started!

Pounds Down

I have been using a nutrition program for two weeks now. I am learning so much. I would not ever call this a diet. It is a nutrition program. I am learning every day. I am eating 6 small meals a day. Every thing is planned out for me. All I have to do is cook and eat it. It is authentic and nutritious foods. There is also an exercise plan that accompanies it. I have found new foods that I didn’t know that I liked. I have lost a quick 5.9 pounds! My husband has shed even more. My son says that you can’t get fat at our house even if you want. We only have healthy choices at our house now. It has changed everything.
We are all feeling stronger and healthier. We have more energy and stamina to help us throughout the day. We are getting wiser about food choices. I have really started looking at the foods that I have eaten and served. I am really seeking what is healthy. Tracy Carswell is a genius at this. He seems to know all the ins and outs of foods. I was thinking today about foods. One thing I have to do on this diet is add good fats with each meal. This has meant that I have had to add avocados, almond or peanut butter, or olive oil to different meals. Then I started thinking about the standards of food-the ever famous peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This should really be renamed the fat and sugar sandwich! Although I must admit that I have eaten more than my share of these over the years.
As I am caught up in my own search and learning adventure for what is healthy and what acurrately fuels the body, I am aware of the foods around me that others are eating. I am trying hard to keep my suggestions to myself now that I have seen the nutrition light. Then because my thoughts are lately dominated by fitness and healthy nutrition, of course life throws me an opportunity. A mother of a student with whom I work suggested that potato chips were healthy because they  are made from potatoes. They were potatoes. I almost choked on my all natural smoothie. Potato chips are not healthy foods.
In the words of Maya Angelou, “When I know better, I do better.” I am now on the curve of learning to do better nutritionally. It is just the beginning. It is a commitment for life. Jack LaLanne, the famous health innovator said, “Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you have a kingdom.” It is all about trying to be better today than I was yesterday. Living better and learning more. The plan is available on-line to anyone, anywhere. It really works and is easy to manage. It is designed so all the work has been done for you. It really makes it convenient.
I recently heard a friend say,”I want to finally lose 50 pounds for my 50th birthday. ” When you really want to lose it or you know someone who has dealt with a weight issue, or if you want to finally lose that last 10 pounds here is the way to do it. It is just straight, honest, science that can be easily done in your kitchen. I have spent so much money over the years buying diet meals that didn’t work and starving,(that definitely didn’t work). I just want my friends to realize that here is the answer when you are really ready.
Enjoy the weekend! Watch out for what you are really eating and serving! Love those people in your life so much that you will begin to make the healthy choices for them. Give them the fuel that it takes to live a long, healthy, vital life.  Now you know better!

What do I eat?

It should be no surprise that Americans are reaching unheard of levels of obesity or that our billboards are decorating the highways warning of childhood obesity. It is what should be expected. Unhealthy amounts of foods are pushed on the public on every newstand and every television commercial. Ever tried to stay on a treadmill and watch TV for an hour? By the time you finish running,  you are sure that you should stop by some fast food joint and get a burger and a super size of fries. Evening programming is saturated with advertisements for scale tilting soft drinks, sodium dripped snacks, and jean busting desserts. The thing is that all of this food is legal. It is relatively cheap, and it is easily available. To top it off a  good friend or family member will go with you! We have created relationships that depend solely on gathering for shared food. Why sometimes we will even sit down with people we would rather avoid, just to eat with someone.
It is the side effects of all this eating  that are so expensive. It is very hard to live a full life when you are strapped for medical expenses that pertain to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But you could really say, “The devil (media) made me do it.”  High amounts of food are pushed on you until you are not sure what or how much to eat of anything. Then you go to a restaurant and they bring you a single plate. They forget to tell you that plate should serve your entire family of four. By the time that you leave the restaurant you are feeling sluggish, guilty and your pancreas is in over drive. (Your skinny jeans are still at home wanting to come out and play.)
But how much should you eat? Is there a way to figure out how much is okay without walking into Longhorn’s with a food scale and science beaker? Here are some ways to manage your food consumption to make it not quite so obtrusive.
Three oz of meat or poultry is equal to the size of a deck of cards. If you are trying to count calories, then you should only be eating meat the size of a deck of cards. Your days of eating a 22 oz steak are over. Your skinny jeans will thank you. You can measure your fish by comparing it to the size of a checkbook. How about when you are invited out to watch a $15.00 movie and popcorn is offered? Well, realize that 3 baseball handfuls is all you will get to add up to 1 serving. Eat slow and make it last. Remember that movie popcorn is loaded with salt and butter. That adds to the calorie count. Just wait until after the movie and go get a steak the size of a deck of cards! But when you order the steak, if you have to eat the baked potato, remember that a baked potato should be the size of a computer mouse, not the size of Texas.  Most people hear all the great things about almonds. Almonds are very good for your body, but you have to measure these too! One serving of almonds is equal to about 12 almonds, that is right. Not a bag of almonds, even if they are crunchy and a better choice than potato chips. All of those calories add up!
Take charge of your eating. Think about a deck of cards, a checkbook, a baseball and get back in those skinny jeans! You know the secret now!   You are worth it! Your skinny jeans are waiting!

Find the Fun!

Well, today was back to real work! I was up and out early this morning. I have decided that no matter what else is going on in life- I have to find the fun in every day. Some days I have to scrounge around for it. There are some days that I want to give in and get old and ignore the fun that is happening around me!  Life is too short!

Today I had to report to work, but I still wanted to have fun.  I decided that getting there would be my fun! I rode my bike all the way! It was nice and cool early in the morning. The road for me to get to work is under construction so I had to take a detour. This led me right up Masters Road past a horse and also 2 deer. What fun! It was a super way to get the day started!

After a full day, I headed over to My Fitness Solutions to work out with Tracy. Today was a leg and core workout. I worked really hard. I pushed weights heavier than before and held my plank for what seemed like days, but it was only 1 minute and 13 seconds. (My PR so far!) As I was gulping down my water after my workout I thought, "Now that was BIG FUN!"

It took me about 45 minutes to workout with Tracy. It was challenging and uplifting! Nothing is as fun as making a goal and beginning to realize that you are going to make it! Fadi, Tracy and Rebecca are helping me! They are taking the guess work out of it and executing a perfect plan that really works. I wish all my friends were with me, then it would be even more fun!

No matter what you have on your to do list for tomorrow, make sure that you find the fun!



Women have all the answers because they aren't scared to ask the questions

Who says that you can't teach an old girl new tricks?

                                         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvkIZ1fS3Cg

When I arrived at MFS  for my training Fadi asked, "How did your swim go yesterday, and how sore are you?" I told him that my swim went swimmingly. (I didn't confess that I was still trying to deal with the personal devastation from an article that I read that quoted Lance Armstrong in saying that he swims 3000 to 5000 yards a day. That totally minimized my swimming efforts.) I told him that I really wasn't sore from my previous leg workout so I had played the day before at my gym. I had lifted some weights and done some climbing before I  swam. . .

Fadi cast his eyes down like a dad was who ashamed of his daughter for staying out past curfew. He pulled me over to his whiteboard. Then he said, "You only do strength training here so you can get the most benefit of your efforts." He began drawing arrows on the board. "You have to give your muscles time to rest and rebuild."

I quietly stood there and thought that was what I had done. "I  did more. Shouldn't that be better?" I asked.

Fadi explained, "In order to grow muscles and strength you have to break the muscle down and give it time to heal. Think of your muscle this way. It  is like interlacing your fingers together and pulling them apart until you see gaps. That is what happens when you work out. You create gaps in the muscle fibers. You have to take  time in between workouts to give the muscle time to rebuild and fill in. During this time the gaps fill with bigger muscle cells. This forces the fat cells away from that area, and  go else where  in your body where energy is needed. You want the muscle cells to get bigger. You don't want them to break down again. You must  fill in the gaps with muscle cells to become more lean . That is why you have to take time between strength training workouts."

We are born with all the muscle cells we will ever have so we have to build them.  God has a sense of humor.  He created us so that we can make new fat cells and lots of them! They stretch ,poke and extend. Think of it as an deflated balloon. As we eat the wrong foods and continue to be inactive we fill our balloon or muscle fiber gaps with additional fat cells. These stay right there where they are not supposed to be. They can ruin a bathing suit or a midriff top in NASCAR speed. The idea is to force those fat cells away from the muscle by contracting and extending that muscle area. Then I have to wait for this transformation to take place so I can rebuild my muscle cells to take up the space. This builds leaner, stronger bodies!

Okay, I get it. Next time I am going to ask him why your muscle hurts after you work out. You know women aren't scared to ask questions. That is why we have all the answers! Go women!

My Fitness Solutions:Official Day 5: I am BACK!!

I am back! I have been on vacation for the past two wonderful weeks! I have ridden horses in Colorado and swam in Florida. Now I am back! Back at the gym and back at work!
                                                            


I really did well on my trip to Colorado. I even went to a gym and did some strength training. I ate lots of chicken and veges. This leg of my trip was with my family.
                                                       
                                     

 Then came the immediate trip to Florida to see my two girlfriends. Any restraint where food was concerned ended when they promised they wouldn't tell if I tasted this piece of authentic Mexican fried ice cream. I fell for it. It is was more than delicious. I stuck my spoon in that piece of cake and fell right off my fitness wagon into the middle of the road. Kerplunk!

                                                      
                                                This did me in! Knocked me right off the wagon!

Now I did attempt redemption the next morning by running. I am glad life gives do overs! I am doing over. Starting right now. Again.

I called My Fitness Solutions on Friday before I left Florida to schedule a workout. Rebecca was booked for the afternoons, and I had to go back to work. I was assigned to a new trainer who could meet me in the afternoons now that I am back at work. This is going to be difficult because when I am at work. I am usually tired when I get off, and I am making myself go to the gym tired or not. It happens with commitment.

My new trainer, is male and in tip top shape! He swears that he used to be out of shape and over weight. You would not believe it! His name is Tracy. He is from Dacula. I wasn't really sure about having a male trainer especially since I was coming back after 2 weeks off. How much was this going to hurt?

We started off by going in the forbidden room. I protested. I didn't want to go. I made excuses. But Fadi, the owner, thought that I should get measured and weighed. I tried to explain that I had been on vacation for two weeks, one of those weeks with my two girlfriends who would testify in a court of law that I didn't eat that fried ice cream cake! (Even though I have chocolate stains on my shirt! That is the kind of friends I have!)

We went in THE ROOM. Fadi did my measurements, I have only gone to MFS for 4 official visits.Fadi told me that I would see difference in 60 days which should be about the middle of September. The inches are beginning to melt away. Not to mention how much stronger I feel.  I was surprised to find out that in spite of my vacation, I have lost inches all over and weight! Yay! (Don't tell but I really missed working out!)

This is the way for Stella or Kim to get her groove back! It is so incredibly hard for a woman, who is my delicate age to make changes in her body. I actually thought it was somewhat impossible. Fadi, Rebecca and now Tracy keep encouraging me. I feel as though I have an entourage! All these people are helping me look after my health.

Today Fadi told me that I can invite 1 person a month to come work out with me one time for free! Who is coming with me? This is the way to do it and get results quickly! Why waste your time doing the other stuff that hasn't worked in the past and will not work now? Come on!

Oh, and Tracy. He is all muscles and encouragement!  He did push me. He did tell me to add more weight. He did tell me to hold my legs in the air until failure on an ab exercise, but he wasn't mean at all and didn't make me push too much weight. I am going back to train with him on Wednesday. Can't wait! I will take pictures.

My Fitness Solutions: On Vacation

Life is about balance. All year I work really hard trying to be the missing link for students who are struggling to learn. My colleagues and I are dedicated to trying to give the students at our school, whose learning is charged to us, the best possible education. I have always loved working with the students who find school difficult.

                                                 

But now it is July. . . It is summer. I have left the borders of Gwinnett County and headed first to the beautiful state of Colorado. I left my regular life behind and took off to have some fun! Believe it when I tell you teachers really like to have fun! When I left I also left behind my structure for fitness. I am on my own out here to choose my meals and my exercise.

It really hasn't been hard. I made a commitment to my health before I left. Making that commitment to my health doesn't change because of location. The best investment that I can make is my own health. Taking charge of my health allows me to be a better teacher, mom, wife, daughter, aunt and friend.

Being dedicated to my health makes life better. While out here in Colorado I have been able to do so many things without worrying about my health or fitness. I have walked miles to see ruins, swam in hot springs, climbed and gone on hikes. I did make some intentional decisions while I was out here.

I have gotten up early every morning and walked somewhere to see the local sites. Then I have run back at a moderate pace. This was suggested by Fadi, at My Fitness Solutions to get my metabolism going each day.  I did find a gym and went to work out. I did all the things that my trainer, Rebecca told me I could do.  She is a stickler about strength training correctly! I had a pretty good workout, but it wasn't nearly as intense as when I workout with Rebecca.

Here is my trainer, Rebecca at My Fitness Solutions

When I was at the gym in Colorado, I missed having someone there. It is harder to workout and try to navigate strength training and weight loss without the help of a personal trainer. When I work out at My Fitness Solutions I know I am going  to workout for 1 hour. I will work out hard, but the workout is results driven. The guess work is taken out. There is no feeling of wasting my time or maybe trying some  exercise that will flatten my tummy that I read about in a magazine.

I have continued to try to make healthy food choices. This is stressed by the staff at My Fitness Solutions. I am still eating protein and vegetables. I am developing an aversion to starchy, sugar filled foods. It gets easier each day to not crave the fried foods or the chocolate.

Life is short, but life can be really good. Make the right choices for your own health every day, no matter where you are. If you struggle like me with these decisions get the help of a trainer at My Fitness Solutions. It makes life easier.

My niece has goats. They keep jumping the fence when I leave so we leashed them up and took them with us on my morning walk.

For now I am still on vacation. I am having a blast being active with my niece and nephew! Tomorrow we keep it going with an early morning 3 hour horse ride! Gotta keep moving.

Peachtree Road Race as a Touchstone for health

What is your touchstone? The Peachtree Road Race is one of mine. Everyone needs touchstones that come annually throughout the year. These traditions give you a chance to reflect on the past year, be thankful for today and set goals for the year ahead. Having touchstones lets you evaluate and - get a redo if you need to.

This time last year,  I was in tremendous knee pain. I followed the Peachtree Road Race with multiple visits to the orthopedists and 4 months in physical therapy. I really didn't know if I would be able to run distance again.

It started in April 2010, when I was running the Talledega Speedway half marathon.
"Skrink, pop." The bones scraped. The knee lunged away from my skeleton. I lurched forward, found my balance then gimped on the outside of my foot to try to somehow forcibliy align my knee with my body. I was on mile 7 on the Talledega Speedway running with 6 miles left to go. I went from an all out sprint to a stutter, to a walk, to a hobble.

Since I hate to miss a good time I followed this half marathon with another the following weekend. Then I just kept running until the Peachtree. After that point I was ready to give in and yell, "Uncle!" Then I ended up going to all the medical professionals to help me fix my knee.

Since then I have had to readjust what I thought was un-adjustable. When the physical therapist told me I would have to stop running everyday I looked at him as though he had just told me I wasn't American. I just couldn't take that news. I had been a runner for decades. There were weeks when I easily ran every day, well, just because I could.

He made a very poignant point with me. He had a paper clip. He started talking and bending that paper clip back and forth. I hate when it looks like people have evidence that they are right, and I am wrong. He said,"If you keep doing the same thing over and over, something has to give." Then of course, the paper clip broke and my chin hit the floor.

I took this news and stewed on it a few days. Then I decided that maybe he had some knowledge about what he was saying sense he was a professional and I was still limping. I quit running everyday and started cross training. I never run 2 days in a row now. I mix it up. I go out with friends and we  ride  bikes or swim. I started strength training at My Fitness Solutions, with Fadi and Rebecca. All of this has been so great for me!

I competed in my first triathlon and won my age division. (Old girls, but Stella still grooves!) I am new to the strength training, but I am learning so much, so quickly, that is good for my body. All those questions of going in a gym and not knowing what to do, how to use what equipment, or how to really eat well for my body are being answered. These questions are being answered quickly and with results! I am putting in the sweat and okay some pain, but I am seeing a leaner, stronger me!

Today I celebrated because I ran the Peachtree and had my best time in a while. I finished it in 1 hour and 5 minutes. That is right at 11 minute miles. That is okay for me. I am aiming to be strong, not fast. God blessed me with health and friends with which I was able to share the  experience again. The best investment I can make is in my own health. By investing in my own health I can be better for the other important people in my life for longer! I can be active with them and have fun!

I am looking forward to the year ahead as I anticipate the next Peachtree. I am working to get stronger! I am looking forward to working out with Fadi and Rebecca at My Fitness Solutions. In the next year, I should learn how to take care of my body and meet some physical goals that I didn't know how to meet without guidance and expertise. I have some additional triathlons and a marathon on the horizon. The goal is to be able to come back next year and be strong enough to enjoy the race again! Happy Fourth!

The Taper: Peachtree Road Race

It is taper time. Tapering is the period before an event where an athlete just rests. We are born to move. Our natural inclination is to run and run hard. When we train for fitness we lace up, sweat and train hard every day. I have recently added strength training to swimming, biking, and running. All of this puts adequate stress on the body. Before an event an athlete lets the body regenerate and recover. Training regularly is stressful on the body and when you have an event, like the Peachtree Road Race, you want to be in "racing form." You want to show up rested and fed a bit of carbs, but not too much as to lose your fitness edge. It is almost ceremonial how an athlete knows how to prepare the body for an event and get in "racing form."

Racing form comes from horse racing. Before betting on a horse the gambler would check the form, or piece of paper that described how the horse was running. If the horse had competed well it was said that the horse was "on form."

I have another idea about how tapering works for horses and athletes. Athletes and horses get accustomed to working or stressing their bodies. Your body expects it. You become dependent on that burst of energy. Ask any committed athlete and they will tell you that when life catches them in a snare and they can't workout they miss it. If you take a race horse off of the track and he just grazes he begins to pine for a hard run on the track. He will hoof at the ground to let you know he is ready. He will take shorts gallops around the pasture. His body wants to run.

Runners are like this too. If you take us off the track or trail for a few days we also begin to miss it. We begin to process the energy and strength that we have bottled up to prepare to run. We want to run just like a race horse. Here is to happy tapering for the Peachtree Road Race!

My Fitness Solutions: Not for Sissies!

The past 48 hours I have been bumbling around my house gasping and whining. I have avoided the stairs at all cost. If I have dropped something I have left it. I have contemplated signing up for a service dog to do things for me like retrieve my shoes and pick things up. My writing teachers would not approve of my word choice, but they would have to support my clarity of making the point: This AIN'T for sissies!

This strength training is making a total chick out of me. I mean a real chick. One that is powerful and may soon buy a Harley Davidson and clothes made of leather. I have already told my sons ages 19 and 21 that when I meet my goals I am going to get a tattoo and a bikini. They had been really encouraging me until I made this proclamation. You should have seen the terror on their faces. It is hard to make young men at this age and over 6 feet tall wince, but this did it.

My trainer and I did a leg workout the day before yesterday. I skipped in the studio and gave her a chirpy,"Hey." Then she said,"We are going to do legs." I thought how could this hurt? I mean it is legs. I walk and run everyday. I have been doing this for almost half a century. Then she got started. I am sure that our session lasted for 8 hours. Not really, but it was the slowest hour ever recorded by Timex. I have felt it ever since. Who knew legs could hurt so much?

I went to yoga the following day to try to stretch it out. Then woke up this morning and was ready to get back in the gym with my trainer, in fact I am going to miss her while I am headed out on vacation! We got back together and worked really hard on backs today.As we were leaving the studio a lady said to my trainer, Rebecca and me, "Oh the trainers are taking the elevator?" I did an inner happy dance that she had mistakenly thought, I was a trainer. (I guess she thought there was a senior citizen group that met on Thursday morning!)

I am seeing differences, and I have already lost 4 pounds! Even if I am having to tough it out a bit after some of the sessions it is worth it! I am seeing the results quickly.

Today I went to get my hair cut and my sweet, dear stylist said, "You look great! I can tell you have been working out!" She had no idea how much her words meant to me. The work has been hard, but I am liking the results!

Nothing worth having ever comes easy, right? As I was checking out an hour later from the salon this much younger lady (I didn't know her) looked at me and said, "You know I need to start working out. I really need to do something. I keep saying I am going to it." I told her,"You should if for no other reasons, it is fun and makes you feel great!"

My trainer and I made plans for when I return from vacation. I am ready to go out of town to have fun, but I have got to keep the program going so I don't lose my edge and have to start all over. We also discussed some things I can do while I am out of town to keep the momentum with me. If you are interested I may blog and let you know how the efforts go by myself. I am headed to Colorado in a few days to get in touch with my family and my inner cowgirl! Yee Hi! See ya round, partner!

My Fitness Solutions: Day 8

" I have been standing by the door trying to think how I can tell you this the most delicate way. When a woman your age . . ." this was the beginning of a discussion with my doctor last year. He was trying to respond to my suggestion that although I had pneumonia, I just needed an antibiotic and I would be riding a bike in the afternoon. I hate it when anyone starts a conversation with responses such as these or "act your age." What is the new fifty? It is NOT dead yet! Why not live out loud to the very end? Why slow down?  I am not quitting. I think life is getting better every day!

I do get this. When a "woman gets my age" it is super difficult to lose weight. I have been trying to lose the same 5 pounds for a year. I lose a pound and then gain back 6 the next day. If there was an occasion for me to go out to dinner I could plan not to eat for a month afterwards. I would eat out and realize that as I ate I would be having nothing but water and tuna for 14 days. Of course the thing that really deepens the pain is that I would turn on the TV and see Hollywood skinny stars in bikinis eating an extra large pizza supreme, a bag of cookies, a cheeseburger and drinking a pitcher of margaritas! That is when I feel the pinch of those words, "A woman of your age."

With all of this baggage, you can celebrate with me when I tell you that in a week with Rebecca at My Fitness Solutions I have lost 3 pounds! That is really great news for a girl who thought that her scale was cruel, insenstive and inhumane.

It is working! I get measured on Thursday. Let's see how that goes. Then I am hoping that I have learned enough to manage all this while on my vacation. Rebecca reminds me of different exercises that she says I do well enough to do by myself while out of town. She is giving me tools that I can use to make me empowered for my own health.

My Fitness Solutions: Day 6: 1 week done

Woo Hoo! Wonderful Monday! Monday means I am back at the My Fitness Solutions studio with my trainer. Today was chest, abs, biceps and triceps. I worked to the point of failure. I had to have help on the Smith Machine to complete my final rep.  All this and I didn't feel overwhelmed. It is great working with an expert!

 I did all that I could and when I needed help my trainer, Rebecca encouraged me and gave me a hand so I could actually finish the rep. At times she had to readjust the weight. I am getting stronger. It is happening. I still have lots to learn and accomplish.

Today was a better day for me. I am on step one learning about weights. It is all about the form and using the correct muscle to contract and squeeze a weight where you want it to go. It is not about using the momentum of the swing. I was feeling a bit more confident until my son told me that the first time that he went to the studio that  Fadi and his brother were hanging from one of the bars doing inverted, hanging sit ups! That is why both of these men look like their bodies were chiseled out of marble by Michaelangelo. Then my trainer chirped in that she could do it too! I am NO where near that, but I am feeling better. I do know that consistency wins everytime. What if one day I could do that? Me? The old girl?!

This program is not just strength training. I am walking briskly every morning to give  my metabolism a jump start and then trying to make sure that I have my heart rate up at least 2 additional times during the day. After my walk this morning, I headed to the studio and then after getting some real life things done I headed to the pool to get my heart rate up again. I swam 1600 meters this afternoon. I was whipped when I got out of the pool.How will I ever keep this up when I go back to work?

My diet is pretty much the same thing everyday. Breakfast is rolled oats and fruit.  I am eating about 3 oz of meat and a salad with water for lunch. I usually have left overs so I eat this again at dinner. Today after swimming I threw in a protein bar. Then I repeated what I had for lunch. The next 2 weeks I will be at of town . . . that is going to take some dedication. I can do it, the scales were moving in the right direction this morning already!

The highlight of the day was that my hubby told me he could tell I was toning up. This is all the encouragement that I need to keep going! There is also the fact that I will soon be at the beach! Nothing keeps a girl honest like wearing a swimsuit!

Body by Fadi: The Weekend

I left the gym yesterday with my convertible open in my car. I was zipping down Sugarloaf Highway just about lunchtime. I began to become intoxicated by all of the smells. The air was saturated with pizza and fried chicken parts. There was even a guy in a sandwich board trying to wave me in to have Mexican food for $5.99. I tried to ignore him. I refused to look at him because to be honest a quesidilla pollo sounded perfect at that moment. Of course, I got caught at the light right beside him. It would have been an easy right turn too!

It is really hard to eat correctly when so much is pushed on you. Bad food choices are everywhere and easily accessible. It would have been a lot easier to stop and eat the Mexican food for $5.99 instead of going home and grilling my chicken and making my salad, but I did it.

Today I went to a wedding. I looked at the choices on the bar and realized that most of the foods that were  offered were not on my eating plan. I saw little children loading up on starchy potatoes and fried chicken parts. I saw adults pounding their plates with rolls, sauces, cheese, chicken, more potatoes and then there was the wedding cake!

Eating well takes effort. I am hoping that I see some evidence from the self discipline in a few weeks. The next few weeks are going to be hard because I am leaving my trainer and kitchen and heading out of town for 2 weeks. I have to stick it out while I am on my own. I like to think that if you are out of town that WHAT you eat doesn't really matter. This mind set has not helped me in the past reach my goals. Let's see how I do.

It takes commitment. You have got to be all in it!

Body By Fadi

There is sweat on the mat. My arms are shaking. My despised nemesis, an inner voice that wants to defeat me, is growling at me. ”You are tired. That is it. That is all you have got. You will never get to the number that is acceptable. ” I recognize the voice; it is me. I’m on a mat with Fadi Malouf, trying to see how long I can hold a plank. I held the plank 1.04 minutes. Three minutes is considered good; six minutes is excellent. I hate missing the mark.

When I give in Fadi tells me, “Keep going.” Without expressing  it verbally,  I communicate to him, “Why? I just blew it.” He looks at me and says, “Just do it. Then you will see what excellence feels like.” I push myself back up to the plank position and go at it again. Over and over, until the seemingly unreachable 6 minute timer flashes that time is up.  I am now gasping for breath, like an underwater sea diver who just realized that she jumped overboard with a balloon helium tank. Fadi congratulates me and says, “Now you know how to do it. “

It felt as if this moment were lifted from a twisted, psychological, cinematic thriller. Instead of feeling defeated, however, I feel refocused, re-energized, and almost like I was on the cusp of winning something. There was a mysterious exchange of Fadi’s confidence that passed to me.

Fadi Malouf

It is T-1 and counting. I am at My Fitness Solution in Duluth for a fitness evaluation. Fadi has been helping my 21-year-old son for about 35 days and the conditioning is remarkable. His body has begun to become more defined and toned. So I posed the question to Fadi, “What can you do for a woman knocking on 50?” His answer, “Can you be at the studio at 8:00 in the morning?”

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After several different evaluations and questions, I received an overall fitness score of C-. This doesn’t work for me, a marathoner and triathlete. I made As in some areas, but Fadi’s concern is overall fitness and personal integrity -- not just strength. His program involves a comprehensive BALANCE chart. (Breath, Agua, (water), Lengthen, Anaerobic exercise, Nutrition and Supplementation, Cleansing, and Energize). Being a runner, I did well on breathing, drinking water, and energizing. But my lack of participating in any yoga or lengthening exercises showed up in my poor flexibility. He evaluated my running form to see if he could determine where I am damaging my left knee. After a few minutes he tells me that I am running on my toes. I work over and over to make my foot hit the mat as I keep running. He patiently acts like an inner echo and tells me to put my whole foot down. I begin to successfully create heel strikes.

Evaluation gives you clarity of where you are.  I have some targets now that I know I am hitting, and others I am missing, like a school kid shooting at moving ducks but still hoping to win an oversized  teddy bear.

I know where I am going. How do I get there? My question still remains, “What can you do for a woman knocking on 50?” (Although the half century mark remains three years away!) He tells me to come back next week.

Here's my  goal!
(Dara Torres)
Age Is Just A Number

I am eager to see what Fadi and his staff can do for me mentally and physically. He says that if I follow the program I will see a marked difference in 60 days. Sixty days? For real? I can almost hold my breath for 60 days. Let’s see what happens.