Goals, goals, and more goals. What are yours?

It's been several months since I last posted anything on my blog. Why? Because I'm busier than a fly being chased by a swatter.

I've got only about four courses left to take before it's time for me to start considering and planning the next phase of college which is student teaching. If you're a client reading this, don't worry, I'm still training for a while. I'm not quite ready to take the leap and quit training full-time yet. When the time comes, you'll know way in advance. Before I was working so hard toward this degree, I had so much more time for my favorite at-home hobbies: reading, writing, and napping).

I'm not sure why I didn't post my figure competition prep here. Perhaps it's because of all of the time I was spending on Bodybuilding.com, Scivation.com (forums there are great for fitness and natural bodybuilding enthusiasts), working on my degree, working with clients, or catching a breather at home. Or it could be (and I'm sure this is part of it), I was a little nervous about sharing the ups and downs of the whole figure prep experience.

Now that I've gone through the hardest stages of that and am prepare for the 2012 competition season, I'm ready to share some things I've learned about myself hoping it will motivate or encourage you.

Late last summer, I made the ultimate decision to compete in an all natural figure competition. I started cleaning up my diet during the Fall and really buckled down on the diet in November. At the time, I was planning on competing in February. It only took about three or four weeks to realize that I was carrying too much bodyfat to be stage-ready. So, I set my eyes on a competition in April.

Using the knowledge base that I already had, asking experienced friends and acquaintances for guidance and constructive criticism, and stating my goals to many people put me in the right frame of mind to do what I had to do. By February 1, I had lost almost twenty pounds of bodyfat. That being said, I was starting to second-guess myself in the gym and with my diet. Was I eating too much? Was I eating too little? Should I do high intensity cardio? Should I exercise on an empty stomach? Could I drink coffee? It was starting to monopolize my thoughts, especially at bedtime. All of that second-guessing and fretting led me to realize that I needed more outside help from someone who I could trust.

Right around that time, I started posing practice with my posing coach, Tina Peratino of Centerstage Figures. At the first session, I realized just how much I needed to focus on my presentation. Tina taught me how to stand in such a way to maximize my muscular and feminine strengths. She took pictures of me posing so that I could have them for reference. Boy were those pictures a wake-up call. I still had a lot of work to do and not much time to do it. That's when I decided to contact the man who would become my training and nutrition coach, Layne Norton.

When I first contacted Layne, I really doubted he'd ever have the time or interest in getting around to contacting me back. What a shocker it was when he responded to my email within minutes of my sending it. The really crazy thing is that I think it was nearly midnight. I was seven weeks out from my very first competition and I just figured I'd waited too long for him to be willing to work with me. After telling me that he typically doesn't work with anyone less than 12 weeks out from competition, he said that I should send him my most recent progress pictures. He ended that email saying he wouldn't make any promises regarding the whole thing. Over the next few days, we emailed back and forth...he wanted to know what my diet, training, and sleep looked like, he wanted to know what kind of supplementation I was doing, etc. After a few back-and-forth emails, he agreed to work with me.

My results with Layne were immediate. I'd been "stuck" at 127lbs for weeks. At the first week, I dropped about two pounds. Seven weeks later, I stepped on stage for the first time looking as lean and as strong as I possibly could have with the amount of time I had to do it. I was the Masters champion (women ages 35+) and I brought home three 2nd place trophies.

I competed again a few weeks later in two other competitions and walked away with trophies each time. By the third competition, I was exhausted and had come down with strep throat. The surreal excitement of my accomplishments gave way to exhaustion and a surprising depressed feeling. Then there were the post competition binges. Boy did I eat, and eat, and eat....and sleep, and throw up, and get sick, and feel depressed....

Here I am two months past my first competition season, about fifteen pounds heavier, and very proud of what I've accomplished personally and professionally.

So, what's coming up next? Well, I'm looking to compete again in 2012. In the meantime, I've got a degree I am strongly pursuing, a full-time personal training business to work, five beautiful kids who need more of me, and an amazing husband to be thankful for and enjoy. So, while I'm enjoying my family and working my job like most of you work yours, I'm also growing physically. You'll see these deltoids of mine getting fuller and rounder, I may be walking funny to your personal training sessions after having given myself a beating in the gym (don't think I don't victimize myself the way I torture my clients).

The smaller, but still important goals I've got are probably similar to most of my friends. Eliminate our debts, save more, get the home better organized, spend more time with the kids individually, etc. What's important is that my goals are not the sum of who I am. I set out to be successful because I wholeheartedly believe that the successes I desire will enrich the lives of my husband, my children, and me. Are you setting goals? Have you reached the point in your life where you want to be? You're worth whatever it takes to be as healthy as you can be and at peace with your life. Love you for the person that you were designed to be. Live every day like it matters because you matter!

where have I been?

The last time I posted here, I was near the beginning of contest preparation for my very first figure competition. Weighing in at nearly 140lbs, I was ready to lean down and see what I could do competitively.

The journey was long, tiring, exciting, enlightening, motivating, enriching, and fulfilling. More to come. What I will say before closing is that a new journey has begun. I'm aiming for a pro card now!

Just Do...Something

Do you feel discouraged because, once again, you've let that New Year Resolution to get in shape slip away from you? Do you have a pair of "dream pants" that you've been keeping in the back of the closet that you just can't squeeze into? Have you found yourself avoiding the camera at family gatherings because you feel that you look bloated in pictures? You're no alone. Very often, when people learn that I'm a personal trainer, they will say, "Gretchen, I just can't seem to lose the weight. What can I do?" When I inquire about their lifestyle choices, I typically learn that they've truly not been making the lifestyle choices necessary to reach their goals. Usually, it's their overworked, busy schedules causing this. Sometimes, it's because they find themselves slowly drifting back to the old lifestyle patterns even after a short period of fitness success.

Something that saddens me a bit is when I see people, especially women, beating themselves up emotionally opver their struggle with weight. Once we allow that depth of discouragement get the best of us, it is easy to give up. So, I'd like to encourage you to reach your fitness goals in a way that is not overwhelming. What I often recommend is that you just do SOMETHING. Start by writing down or discussing your fitness goals with someone you are close to. Once you have set these goals, telling someone will help you stay accountable. If you have health concerns, then the first "something" you should do is to see your doctor and discuss any restrictions or recommendations he/she may have for you so that you can safely get on the road to better health.

When my personal training clients seem overwhelmed by the many new changes I may recommend, I often suggest that they make two lifestyle changes a week which will improve their health and to journal what those changes are. For example, the first week may include drinking the recommended amount of water and taking a walk twice a week. The following week, that same person may get rid of processed food in the house and pack healthy food to take with them to work. For many, trying to do too much at one time becomes overwhelming. Can you imagine what kinds of positive changes you can experience in one month with just two lifestyle changes a week. Within a month, you may very well find that you have lost a dress of pants size because you're finally drinking the water your body needs, you're incorporating strength training into your weekly routine, you're taking walks in your community, your family is getting used to eating vegetables every evening, etc.

Whatever you do, don't let discouragement stop you from being the healthiest, fittest you that you can be. I'm sure that you can do it! If you're an "all or nothing" type of person, perhaps this approach won't work for you. If you find that your tendency is to, time and again, fall short of your fitness goals, perhaps this approach will work for you. Remember, if you'reding nothing to reach your goals now, doing SOMETHING is a big step.

Best wishes in all that you hope to accomplish! Remember, you are worth the effort it takes to get healthier.

Hello 2010

Here I am, writing on my blog over a year after my last post. So much has changed in a year. Last I wrote, I'd just had knee surgery to clean up my patella (knee cap). I wasn't quite into a good groove when it comes to working out and I wasn't sure how I was going to get myself up to par; although, I was positive I could still train effectively. In many ways, I was vicariously living through their successes as I recuperated. I have to admit, that was the beginning of a dry spell when it comes to being where I needed to be to fully focus on my own fitness.

It seems that during that time, I was at the beginning of biting off more than I could chew. My appetite for serving, bettering myself, reaching personal goals, and achieving elite fitness was insatiable. I was working on my degree, recuperating from knee surgery, beginning to feel the effects of a slowing economy as clients started backing off of training, and was a bit overwhelmed by it all. I guess you could say that I was caught between where I was wanting to be and where I needed to be. Within a few months, I took a second job and intended to phase out my personal training to focus on what I still to this day believe is the best thing (for women anyway) since sliced bread. That's the ingenious creation of my sister-in-law, Staci Berner. She developed the Shapeez Unbelievabra (check it out at www.shapeez.com). By Spring, I was working for Staci and David (Staci's husband/my brother-in-law), Monday-Friday as Staci's personal assistant and the primary Customer Care person. What a great place to work! Drama-free atmosphere, great bosses, and a team of women (and David) all working together on the best new thing for women. I can't deny that it was a rewarding experience!

Unfortunately, I was trying to "do it all" as they say...do the full-time working mom thing which included working for Shapeez and holding on to some of my personal training, work on my degree, keep up with all of the kids' activities (did I mention there are five to keep up w/?), and somehow try to muster up the emotional energy for myself and my husband. Eventually, I tuckered myself out and became especially ill. I just couldn't recover and stayed tired.

At this point, it was apparent that I had to make a change-a few changes! One of the hardest things I had to do was leave Shapeez. It was especially difficult to tell my sister that I had to leave and focus on my personal training and family. The flexibility my life requires is just too much to be able to ask of any employer, especially one that I love so much! It was also difficult to truly believe in myself enough as a business woman to re-enter personal training full-time. Thankfully, my loving husband, my children, and the clients that I still held onto encouraged me. I even remember my big brother, Tony, calling me when I was sick and saying, "Gretchen, you can't keep doing that. This is going to bite you in the ***." My parents were worried about me. My mom and dad would lovingly express their concern that I was not taking care of myself. And my sweet husband....Elon was doing such an amazing job, holding down the fort here at home, but he really missed me. Little by little, I could see Elon's need for more time with me here at home. So, it was a no-brainer. I had to make the change and it was not going to be easy.

Once I wrapped my mind around what I needed to do, I prayerfully weighed every step of every day and every word of every conversation. I wanted to be sure that, as hard as it would be, my heart was in the right place. What a blessing it has been since!

Here I am back to what I need to be doing! My training schedule is starting to fill again. I'm working on my degree again (at my own pace thanks to online opportunities), and the kids have a mom who isn't tuckered out. Elon and I have been able to have "us" again.

So, 2010 is being met with new goals:
1. Get my home organized so that it is peaceful for us all.
2. Get my workouts in no less than 5 days a week.
3. Book my schedule so that I am training/teaching classes no less than 20 sessions a week.
4. Give each kid no less than 1 hour of "mom and me" time each week.
5. Spend quality alone time with my husband as much as possible.
6. Keep my GPA (3.75).

More goals to come! What are your goals?

And yet another resolution

What a drag! Another year, twelve more pounds gained, another pants size bigger...What to do? What to do? Should I look into the mirror and once again say, "2009 is my year! This is the year I'm going to get into my skinny jeans. I will not go into 2010 feeling like this about myself."? I'm not entirely sure what "the" problem is with New Year Resolutions, but I do believe that part of the problem is that there's a bit of impulse involved. Whether we make resolutions out of desperation of duty, they rarely stick.
I do believe that we can turn those impulsive resolutions that almost never turn out in our favor into long-term commitments. This morning, I was training a personal training client/friend at the Fitness First in Frederick, Maryland (great workout place by the way) when I looked up to see a gentleman sitting on a nearby bench thinking long and hard about something. So, I looked over to him and said, "Hey, are you alright?" His response was inspiring to me." He said, "I'm just evaluating why I'm here. I don't want to just get in a sweat and then jump into the car. I want to feel good about what I'm doing here." So, throughout the rest of the morning, I thought about that. This man not only made a decision to show up at the gym for a workout, but he purposed in his heart to accomplish something worthwhile."
Are your resolutions backed by shallow impulse or by deep purpose? Do you believe that there is long-term benefit to whatever it is that you decide to do for yourself or for others? If you believe that there is, what steps will you take to get there?
Perhaps you've made a commitment to yourself or to your loved ones to live a more fit life starting in 2009 but feel a bit unsure about how you will do it. I believe that I can help you get to where you need to be. Don't start another year without the individualized motivation, guidance, inspiration, direction, and push that you are worth. Email or call me for a free consultation so that we can get you on the path to success in 2009. For more information, go to my website: http://www.ywifitness.com

Why are you waiting?

If you have a fitness goal to reach and you keep telling yourself, "I'll get started when...," chances are that you'll put it off indefinitely. Sure, you may be one of those few people that really LOVES exercise, portion control, radical changes and just can't wait for that "get started when" date. Most of us aren't like that though. You are more likely to accomplish your goals if you get started not then but now!
So, get up (not now, finish reading this first) and go to the pantry. Look for all of the crap that's in there and get rid of it. If it's unopened, leave it that way and get it to your local food bank. Many schools and churches accept donations throughout the month! If it's opened, throw it out! Next, go to the fridge and freezer. See that ice cream that you have on the door of the fridge? Don't finish it off...throw it out. You may think that I'm out of my mind, but you're out of your mind thinking that you're going to reach your fitness and health goals keeping that garbage siting around to tempt you. Are the kids still tempting you with a bunch of left-over Halloween goodies? Well, tell them that they can have just a few pieces of what is left today and tomorrow, but after that, it's gotta go! You may even be able to donate it to their classroom (many teachers give pieces of candy as rewards-so this may save them a few bucks) You'll be surprised how many teachers are thankful for your donation.
Ok, here's the hard part, tell your children and/or your spouse that there will be no fast food this month! NONE! Not even if you're running late from work! That means you have to PLAN! All of the planning happens in the kitchen and in the grocery store. You don't need me to tell you to buy more vegetables, especially the leafy green kind. I'm sure that you know that you should not be drinking soda and other chemically-made drinks and foods! Stock up on almonds, fresh fruit, oats, eggs, lean meats, beans, brown rice. Find a few sugar-free treats for the end of the day here and there. Plan, Plan, Plan. If you're going to be working long hours or running the kids all over the place, then you're going to need to be taking healthy foods with you and with them. Don't fail to plan. That's like a carpenter showing up to a construction site without his hard hat.
This next part is the part that most people dread. Exercise. Don't try to be a hero here, but do something. If you do nothing right now, maybe you need to commit to taking walks every day (even if it's a little damp or chilly). If you're doing a little bit of something, step it up!
If I were to ask most people in Frederick, Maryland if they're working toward living healthier, they'd have to say "No" if they were being honest. Don't be one of those people.
Of course, I'm biased toward the whole healthy eating, exercise thing, but I do know how hard it is. Being a personal trainer doesn't make me immune to the edible temptations out there or the exhausting days which make exercise less than appealing. But here's the thing, I'm also a mom, a wife, and a daughter. There are a lot of people who love me and want me to be around enjoying my life. I know that if I'm lazing my life away, then I'm stealing something precious from them-a healthy me! Most of us know someone who fights a daily battle with high blood pressure, diabetes, excess fatigue, depression, etc. I don't want to be that someone and I don't think that you do either. No doubt those who love us most don't want that for us either.
Do what you need to do. Do it now! If you don't want to do it alone, consider You're Worth It! Fitness Personal training. Either I or one of my other certified personal trainers anywhere in Frederick County, Maryland or Montgomery County, Maryland would be more than happy to help you on this journey! For more details, email me at ywifitness@gmail.com.