Disclaimer: I won’t promise that my below post will flow properly or stay on task. Accurately describing my thoughts and feelings at this time is somewhat difficult for me. I hope you’ll read anyway.

Anyone who follows my social media with even sporadic frequency has become accustomed to seeing fitness and triathlon related posts and photos almost exclusively. Anyone who knows me personally also knows that outside of work, training and racing take up a fair majority of my time. These same people, perhaps you included, may have noticed a decrease in the frequency of my posts (for some this is probably a relief) and a seemingly sudden decrease in my training and the intensity of that training as well. Some of you have heard the long version of the reasons why, some the short version, and some, are probably thoroughly confused.

Well, let me enlighten you:

On August 21, I was involved in a car accident at work. Thankfully I wasn’t injured badly, but I did have bruised ribs and a concussion. The crash happened on my first day back to work after my trip to California to compete in the Police and Fire Games. I had a great race and was looking forward to carrying that momentum through the fall for two half-marathons. While my injuries weren’t particularly severe, they did interfere with my ability to train. Initially, all I could do for exercise and to “train” was walk. I wasn’t allowed to lift and even low-impact exercise like cycling caused pain. I took things as easy as possible, and as I healed I was looking forward to getting back to my “regularly scheduled programming.” I thought about writing a post like this at that time… detailing what a privilege it is to be able-bodied and even capable of physical activity and how easy it is to take the privilege for granted until life decides to knock us down a peg as a reminder. For some reason, though, I never wrote. I recovered from my crash, was cleared to increase my training as tolerated and I was excited to get back to “normal” life.

I was finally feeling better and excited to go diving on September 18 to get my advanced open water certification. Part of that certification is a deep dive. For this dive we went down to about 80 feet. The water was cold and it was very dark. Without a light, visibility was almost zero. I made it through the dive fine. I did my math problems to make sure I wasn’t experiencing nitrogen narcosis. I didn’t even feel terribly cold despite the 45 degree water. Once the dive objectives were complete, I started to head back toward the surface. I only made it a few feet before I became entangled in the buoy line. The rope went between my main tank and my back up. I couldn’t see anything, but had gotten wrapped up diving before. I maintained my wits for a brief time, and tried to figure out how I was entangled so that I could free myself. I soon realized that I could no longer see lights from any other divers. At this point, I start to panic somewhat because I could not get free, and I believed I was alone. After trying to get free for what felt to me like several minutes, but was in reality likely a matter of seconds, I started to full on panic. I was diving in a full face mask which, whether or not this ended up being a good thing, allowed me to scream. I understand that panic does not help remedy any situation, and is especially not helpful during a dive, but at this point I had lost my ability to rationally think and act. I was not actively aware that any of this was happening, but the instructor heard me screaming and came to assist me. By his account, he attempted to calm me down but was unsuccessful. He located the source of my entanglement, and tried several times to pull the rope from between my tanks. He was unable to do so. At this point, I am burning through my air at a very rapid rate due to my panicked state and my efforts to free myself. In reality, my actions were only making the situation worse as I was kicking and trying to swim in the opposite direction that I would have needed to go, but I was unaware that anyone was even trying to help me and disoriented beyond the point of knowing which way I needed to go. I felt my mask getting tighter on my face with each breath and started to taste stale air. I was running out of air and still not free from this entanglement. My panic prevented me from the logical thought that I have spare air, and the logical action of switching to it. I was legitimately afraid for my life and truly believed there was a possibility that I would not surface from this dive. The instructor decided to cut the line and reached for his shears. As he reached for the line to begin to cut it, he noticed that I was free. I felt that my movement was no longer restricted, and that I was beginning to float back toward the surface. I know that a rapid ascent from depth is dangerous, but I was so grateful to be free and wasn’t thinking about controlling my ascent as I had no idea how much air I had left. Afterward, I checked the pressure on my tank and found it was 0. When I reached the surface, I pulled my mask off my face and was just so damn grateful to be breathing fresh air.

I have never before experienced that level of fear, and I hope never to experience it again.

The day after, I tried to go for a short run. Generally, running allows me to clear my head and I definitely needed some time for reflection. I discovered soon after starting my run that raising my heart rate and respiration rate now causes me to panic. The same music which previously motivated me and pumped me up now causes me anxiety. Water, which has for a majority been of my life been a sight and sound of solace and relaxation, also causes an adverse reaction. I thought I had been knocked down a peg after my crash, but physical injuries generally have a prescribed length of time and course in which they heal. Since last Monday, I have experienced significant anxiety and intermittent bouts of crying and I have no idea of timeline or course for healing, though I am seeking help with this.

The methods I generally use to cope and to help with stress relief have been temporarily taken away from me, but I am working to get back to normal. I decided to set a goal, and encouraged by friends and family, some of whom will also be racing, I signed up again for Ironman Wisconsin which is just shy of one year from now. I had planned to race again in 2019, but given recent circumstances I decided I couldn’t wait. Prior to last Monday, while discussing plans for racing in 2019, I made a comment to my mom that I wouldn’t want to train for another ironman “just to finish.” I wanted to really train hard and put up an impressive time. I am no longer concerned about finishing time.

Life has a way of putting things in perspective. Even though running and even walking are problematic at this juncture, I am so grateful for every labored breath, every heart beat, and every step I have to force myself to take when panic sets in. Times are not important. Making race weight is not important. Nothing matters to me at this point regarding sport except ensuring that every race, and every training day is a celebration of life and ability.

I have a long way to go before things are normal again. Honestly, I am not sure I will ever be the same person I was.

Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

On Monday, August 14, 2017, I participated in the triathlon at the World Police and Fire Games. It was simultaneously the most challenging and most enjoyable Olympic distance race I have ever done. Details below…

My travel companions (mom and husband) and I arrived at LAX at about midnight on Saturday morning. We got onto the shuttle to get to our rental car location and spent about 30 minutes intermittently accelerating and slamming on the brakes in the crazy LAX traffic. We finally got to the rental location and after a long wait got our sweet ride (a Dodge Caravan) and drove the 35 miles or so to Santa Clarita where we were staying. By the time we got checked in and got everything settled it was about 2:30 am and we were all ready for bed! We had plans to go to Disneyland on Saturday, however due to the late bed time those plans got changed.

We slept in a bit on Saturday as I wanted to make sure I was getting adequate rest before the race. Instead of heading to Disney, I went and checked in for the Games at the LA Police Academy. Check in went smoothly and we spent the rest of the day exploring Santa Monica. We relaxed on the beach and spent some time exploring the pier. We went to a place called The Blaq Square for dinner which had some really awesome vegan options.

On Sunday we went to Castaic Lake State Park where the race was going to be held to get the lay of the land. We drove the bike course and I subsequently started to panic. I knew from looking at the elevation chart that the course would be hilly with some pretty steep climbs, but looking at a two-dimensional chart and actually seeing the mountains I would be riding were two very different things! After calming myself somewhat, I decided to ride at least the first climb on the course. This climb was about 2 miles long and had sections that were 11-12% grade. Chase followed behind me in the mini van to ensure I didn’t get run over by the traffic on the road. Thankfully, I found that the climb was very difficult, but not impossible. I put my bike in my granny gear and just spun the legs. When I reached the top, I turned around and was looking forward to the descent. Turns out the way down was much worse than the way up! It was very windy and there was a lot of traffic. By the time I reached the bottom my hands were cramping from squeezing my brakes so hard. Some of the road wasn’t in the best condition and there were a few sections where I thought I was going to catch a rut in the road and crash doing about 40 mph. Thankfully I was able to keep the rubber side down and made it back to the car for a quick transition run. I felt great running and it was really cool to see all the folks having picnics and what were really small parties in the park and on the beach. I was glad that I felt so good despite the fact that it was about 100 degrees. We came back from the park and I spent some time in recovery boots (thanks, Mom!).  We got an early dinner in. I had pad thai which is one of my pre-race go-tos. I had a delicious beer (which is also a pre-race necessity) and got all my things together for race day. I don’t think I have ever been this organized before a race. I was actually ready for bed and headed there around 9:30.

4:30 am wake up call on Sunday for race day. This event wasn’t terribly well organized, or at least not to the extent that most “triathlon only” events or events that I am used to doing usually are. However, true to first responder form, we were all able to “adapt and overcome” and managed to get where we needed to be. This includes the guy who drove over some spikes in the road designed to prevent you from entering the venue without paying… not sure how he got home but at least he got there! I figured out where transition was located and checked in. I received my bib, chip and bike number. Transition was pretty small, and I got a decent spot on the end of a rack. I set up all my gear in transition and headed out for a quick warm up. I returned to information that due to the warm water temperature (about 78 degrees), no wetsuits would be allowed. I suited up in my swimskin, did a final check of all my gear, and headed down to the beach. We had a very brief “race meeting” where the official very succinctly described the course and made sure to include how difficult the bike course was. Thanks, Dude! not like I wasn’t already worried about it… After the race meeting we were separated into two waves and we were ready to start!

First wave went off at about 7:10. I was in the second wave and we started at 7:15. I felt like I had a really good swim. I was a little apprehensive about the lack of sighting buoys in between the turn buoys, but thankfully the turn buoys were easy to see. I felt like I swam very straight lines and felt strong and smooth in the water. Made it to the swim exit and headed into transition.

Transition was very close to the water and very short which made for some fast times. I usually clip my shoes to my bike in advance, but due to the climb right at the start of the bike I decided to run in them instead. Swimskin and cap and goggles off, bike shoes and helmet on, and out of transition and onto the bike course I went.

The bike course was the most challenging bike course I have ever completed. It was a bit long (25.5 miles) and included approximately 3,300 feet of elevation gain. I took the climbs as easy as possible. I feel like I did a pretty good job on the hills considering I am a flat-lander. Once I was sure I wasn’t going to get blown away on the downhills by the mountain crosswinds, I took advantage of the free speed and spun my legs out. I had so much fun on this course and tried to take some time to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings. This course took me about 35 minutes longer than my usual olympic distance bike times, but I have never felt so accomplished finishing a bike. The last two miles were downhill with great views of the park, so I enjoyed every minute of that.

Feet out of my shoes and dismounted my bike before heading back into transition. Bike shoes and helmet off, running shoes and helmet hair on, and out of transition onto the run course.

Coming out of transition I was right with another female. I thought I could stick with her but she was a super fast runner and she was gone within the fist half mile. I tried to remember to run my own race. I stuck to a comfortably uncomfortable pace and was pleased to see my first mile was 8:20. Compared to the bike, the run was flat as a pancake. It was a simple out and back so I was able to see where the other athletes were on the course. A few times I felt as though my hamstrings were going to cramp, but I took water at each aid station and made sure to take my gel at mile 2. Overall I was really happy with how my legs felt running given the difficulty of the bike course. At the turn around at mile 3, I saw that some female athletes were not too far behind me. I tried to keep up my pace as much as possible. I slowed a little bit on the back the three, and I was ready for my inhaler by the time I finished, but I came back into the park on strong legs and ran as fast as I could across the finish line. My efforts were rewarded with a second place finish in the 18+ age group, and I was the third female finisher overall. It was a good thing I didn’t slow down too much, as I finished less than a minute ahead of the next female athlete.

Reflecting on the race, I am very happy with my performance. My time was “slow” for me (thanks, mountains), but I am pleased with how everything went on such a challenging course. The difficulty and beauty of this course are something I won’t soon forget. What struck me most, though, was the comradery and sportsmanship on the course. Triathletes are, in general, type A personalities and fiercely competitive. While this was true, every person I encountered on the bike and run whether they were overtaking me or being overtaken offered words of encouragement. I think this really speaks to the brother and sisterhood of first responders and it was so inspiring to see so many fit and determined police officers and fire personnel and to compete with athletes from all over the world.

After the race, I celebrated appropriately by enjoying more food than anyone needs to eat and a few adult beverages. On Tuesday, we went for a tour of Los Angeles and the surrounding area before returning home.

Words can’t express how grateful I was for this experience as my last tri of the season, and I hope to compete in future games. For now, on to half marathon training!

I’ve been reflecting lately on what being an athlete means to me. Merriam-Webster defines “athlete” as: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. Coming up on my 30th birthday, I have been swimming competitively for almost 20 years. I played soccer, volleyball, and basketball growing up. I am coming up on my 10th season in triathlon. It’s safe to say I am competitive. However I never really identified, inwardly anyway, as an athlete until recently. The definition above lists physical strength, agility OR stamina, but an athlete to me is someone who has all three.

So, I can’t be an athlete because I’m a quitter. Or I was. When things got tough, painful, frustrating, I QUIT. Either my mind would give up, or my body would (mostly my lungs, which is probably partly due to swimming in poorly ventilated pools for 20 years but whatever..), or a mind/body combination would take over and I was completely out of the game. I wanted to be good at what I did, but I didn’t want to have to push myself out of my comfort zone to achieve “goodness”, whatever that meant at the time. Thankfully for me, I was generally pretty “good” at what I did despite my unwillingness to actually push myself anywhere. To me, though, good was only a word that had value respective to others. I was only good if I was better than someone else.

I feel I became an athlete when I stopped worrying about being good, and started trying to be better. I don’t need to be better than anyone else, but I need to be a better, the best, version of myself. The reason why I push myself every day training for triathlon is not so I can be faster than anyone else. I don’t lift weights or do my cardio workouts to be fitter, or lighter, or more anything than anyone else. I do these things because I used to refuse. I quit. When something was too much for me I just said, “nah.” If I was afraid to fail at something I just didn’t even try in the first place. But, I wanted to be an athlete. I needed STAMINA. I needed to prove to myself that I was CAPABLE.

I learned how to get tough. I still have my moments, but I am learning how to push through. Zone 5 run got my lungs on fire? Scale it back a bit, get the breathing under control, and carry on. Weights in my hand or on my shoulders causing my muscles to fail? That means I pushed myself to my limit. Things tough at work or at home? Head down, figure it out, and carry on. Fitness is about so much more, especially for women, than trying to be as small or as light as possible. Get as STRONG as possible. Get as TOUGH as possible. Whatever those words mean to you individually, become that.

I feel like maybe this post has gone slightly off the rails, but I hope it resonates with you.

Just, whatever you do, don’t quit.

I spent the weekend in New Orleans attending a health and fitness convention. I’ll be honest… at first I didn’t really want to go. I considered skipping all the talks planned to just explore New Orleans. I ultimately decided to attend everything the first day, and then see how I felt about going to anything else. I wound up going to every talk and I am really glad that I did. Some of the major things I took away are below and many resonate with me in ways that have nothing to do with fitness:

1. MAKE YOURSELF DO THE HARD THINGS. It is natural to want to avoid doing something that is difficult. It is essentially human nature to take the path of least resistance. However, going through and completing things that are difficult often create the greatest sense of achievement. How do you know what you are capable of physically and otherwise unless you endure something difficult? your true character is born in your challenging moments.
2. DO THE WORK. This could almost be point 1a. To create any real or lasting change a person needs to be willing to do the work. Yes, sometimes this work will be difficult (see #1) but if you are interested in moving forward in any area of your life you need to be willing to WORK HARD.
3. FACE YOUR FEAR. As humans we are afraid of a lot of things. There are so many phobias, most of which I can’t pronounce, that it seems we have become afraid of everything. I think, though, that most folks are afraid of failure and afraid of judgement. I am trying to reframe how I feel about failure. In every situation, we either win, or we learn. And the opportunity to learn and become better (aka failing) offers much more value than if you just win in the first place.
4. FITNESS OFFERS RESULTS THAT FAR EXCEED PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS. I have posted about this before. Sure, it’s great to work your way through a fitness program, compare your before and after photos and have a fantastic new body. Completion of that same program though can also offer results that can’t be seen in before and after photos. In addition to mastering proper form, many also find a new sense of dedication and self-discipline, increased work ethic, mental clarity, a more positive outlook, new friends, etc..
5. YOU’RE GOING TO RUN INTO SOMETHING TOUGHER THAN YOU, AND YOU WILL QUIT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND YOU. This is your why. Why do you currently or why do you want to commit to being healthy and fit? What makes you get up every day and go to work? What ultimately is your end game? Whether your goal is weight loss, financial security, more energy, or a better relationship with your spouse or family, WHATEVER the goal is really, you will come across obstacles. There will be little voices saying, “Eh maybe I can slack off today” or “This is too hard” or “I can’t do this.” Those voices will win out unless you have something that is pushing you every day. What is your driving force? When you figure out what it is, write it down. Read it every day when you get up. Carry it with you if you need to. Just remember why you are committed to doing whatever it is you are doing. And DON’T GIVE UP. If your why is strong enough you will do almost anything.
6. EVERYONE AROUND DESERVES THE BEST VERSION OF YOU. Whether this is a healthier version, a happier version, a combination of the two or some other “best  version of yourself, the people who love you and those that you love deserve the best version of you. Don’t cheat anyone. I’ve personally lost family members to illness that could have been prevented by living a healthier lifestyle. It is your responsibility to make sure you are doing everything in your power to be the best person you can be.
7. SUCCESS IS HARD WORK, MUNDANE, UNEXCITING, FRUSTRATING, AND DEFEATING. Success is often the result of repeated failure. Despite what we have been lead to believe, success doesn’t happen over night. It is the sum of every seemingly insignificant decision that we make, day in and day out. Too often, we search for the shortcut to success. Instead of making healthy food choices, we would rather take pills that promise to block carbs and fat. Instead of working out we would rather wrap ourselves in plastic with the promise that it will trim us down. If these things worked like they claim to, EVERYONE would be using them and reaching their goals. STOP LOOKING FOR SHORTCUTS. Stay dedicated to your goals, work hard every day, and success will come over time.
8. SHORT TERM PLEASURE CREATES LONG TERM PAIN, SHORT TERM PAIN CREATES LONG TERM PLEASURE. I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory.
9. IT’S NOT HOW FAST YOU START, BUT HOW LONG YOU LAST. Consistency is key. No, you will not lose 20 lbs in two days. Any goal is achievable, though, if you consistently chip away at it over time. If your goal seems overwhelming and unreachable, break it up into smaller, more achievable short term goals. Just keep going.
10. BELIEF IS YOUR ARMOR. There will be people and things throughout the way that try to convince you that you can’t do whatever it is you have set out to achieve. Believe that you can. Believe that you will. Show everyone that you’re right.

Ultimately, my time in New Orleans did two things for me: It reminded why I am personally dedicated to health and fitness, and renewed my passion for helping other people get healthy and fit. I may not know everything, but I am willing to offer what I do know and to help figure out the answer together if I don’t. I won’t push any program down your throat. I just want those closest to me to experience the benefits of happiness and health, whatever that looks like for you all. If you need me, I’ll be here.

For obvious reasons, there is a huge focus on physical results and transformations in the fitness industry. How much weight we’ve managed to lose, and how dramatic our before and after photos are largely determines how “successful” someone is at any given point along their fitness journey. I think this is why many of those who start said journey bound and determined to succeed end up doing just the opposite. When you compare your “before” to someone else’s “after”, when you don’t see drastic results right away, and when you find out that achieving those results actually takes a tremendous amount of hard work, it can be very easy to be discouraged.

I think we need to focus less on what we lose, and MORE on what we GAIN. To be completely truthful, I have been going through some STUFF lately and it has taken an incredible toll. I am tired, and sometimes just the thought of getting up out of bed is daunting. But on my off days, I roll out of bed and get immediately into my workout. On days that I work, I lace up my boots and after a 12 hour workday I come home and retreat to the workout room. Often, when people get overwhelmed, a workout, which takes valuable time and energy, is the first thing to get tossed by the wayside. For me, this is not the case. My workout time is valuable to me because it means so much more than physical results. My workouts are a time for me to de-stress, to release any feelings of frustration or doubt before starting my day or after it ends. Fitness has shown me that a physical workout can provide much more than a physical result:

-The feeling of accomplishment from completing something that I thought seemed impossible.

-The friendships I have developed from a common love of fitness/sport/competition.

-The catharsis that comes from throwing some weights around.

I attended an event yesterday where a very moving speaker who is himself a military and law enforcement veteran and who coaches other veterans told two stories that really struck a chord with me. In the first, he mentioned that his own experiences in the military and afterward in law enforcement led him to experience post traumatic stress disorder. He was angry, having outbursts, and turning to food to ease the pain. Eventually, he realized he needed to make a change and turned to exercise to help appropriately vent his feelings. Due to his own commitment to fitness, he reached out to a friend, who was also in law enforcement, who was struggling with some mental health and chemical dependency issues of his own. After training together for a few weeks, that friend admitted that before his friend who genuinely cared about his well being reached out and offered the gift of fitness, he had planned to commit suicide.

SHARING A WORKOUT WITH SOMEONE COULD LITERALLY SAVE THEIR LIFE. In more ways than one. Physically, mentally, spiritually… there are so many arenas in which improving fitness can improve quality of life.

So, please, I encourage you to focus less on how much is lost, and instead on how much is gained. The possibilities are endless.

Recently I’ve had some inquiries about how I manage to stay so motivated. Achieving and maintaining motivation is a frequent discussion throughout the fitness community. I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts regarding motivation with you all.

Generally speaking, motivation is highest when someone first sets a goal. You decide you want to lose some weight, run a 5k, eat healthier, climb a mountain, etc. These are exciting goals to set and that excitement will usually carry you through a few weeks of motivated training or focus on your goal. But what happens when you encounter a setback of some kind? That’s when it becomes easy to make excuses. “I just don’t have the time…” “I’m too tired..” “It’s too hard…” “I can’t do this…”

These internal monologues and possibly comments from others who don’t understand or appreciate our goals can make it easy to skip just this one workout or to make an unplanned detour from our diet. When you allow it to happen once, it makes it easier to continue down that road. For me, on days when I just don’t feel like doing my workout, or I’m tempted to shove a cookie in my face (not saying it never happens), I must remember my “why.” It’s called motivation for a reason. What’s your motive? What is your reason for deciding to go for whatever goal you have set for yourself? When your “why”, your motive, is more important to you than any possible excuse or temptation, you will remain motivated. There is nothing more powerful than a human being with purpose. With purpose you can overcome any obstacle.

Along with purpose and motivation, I find that there are two other necessities to keep me focused on my goals: discipline and dedication. It’s been scientifically proven that will power becomes depleted by the end of the day. That can make it really difficult to get a workout in or make healthy food choices in the evening (or morning for all my night-shifters). Sometimes, it becomes difficult to remain focused on your “why” when it’s so much easier to just order take out, stop at a fast food place, get a quick meal in and hit the hay when we had plans to get a workout in and eat a healthy meal to refuel. This is when motivation on it’s own may not be enough. This is when you must become disciplined enough to do what it is you set out to do anyway. When I get home from a busy day at work, the last thing I want to do is start a workout. I’d much rather sit on the couch. However, I know that won’t help me reach my goals.

Ultimately, what I find helps me to stay motivated, focused, disciplined and dedicated is to ask myself one question. Will this help me reach my goals? Will skipping my workout help me reach my goals? Will eating this cookie help me reach my goals? On rare occasion, if my body needs a rest or my soul needs feeding the answer to those questions is yes. Most of the time, however, the answer is no. Workouts are completed, healthier choices are made, and I am one motivated step closer to my goals.Asking yourself this question is a great way to remove subjective feelings from the equation, and to focus on the objective answer.

Finally, working with another person to reach your goals is a great way to help keep yourself accountable. If motivation and dedication is something you struggle with, don’t hesitate to reach out and we will find a way to help you reach your goals!

 

So, I’m a member of several groups on Facebook that center around health and fitness. Triathlon groups, specific program groups, general healthy eating groups, etc. etc. In general, there is a lot of good interaction in these groups: people asking questions, working on getting healthy and generally trying to improve themselves.

However, there are also a significant number of people posting about how they aren’t getting the results they want, and I hear these complaints in face to face interactions as well. I totally understand that this can be a disappointing experience. That being said, these posts are usually accompanied by a disclaimer such as, “I didn’t really follow any nutrition plan…” or “I tried it for a week and I didn’t see any results…” or “I stayed focused until week 2 but then I fell off the wagon…” I find these posts to be really…disheartening. I think modern American culture has put too much stress on instant gratification. Quick, unhealthy, processed foods are readily available, we sit on our butts  and use our phones/computers to look things up instantly, and we expect results related to our health and fitness to appear just as instantly. We don’t become unhealthy/overweight/out of shape overnight, and we can’t reverse this instantaneously either.

Thankfully, I have found there are three steps that really can lead to significant benefits in the health and fitness realm. These principles really apply to any change you may want to make, but I find them particularly important as they relate to health/fitness/weight loss. The best part is, they are SIMPLE.

1. DECIDE to make a change.

Before you can truly begin any journey, you must decide to start. This isn’t an “I’ll start Monday.” declaration or “I’m considering doing x,y, or z.” This is a conscious decision to make a change and ACTION on that decision. This is an active effort to change the mindset that brought you to where you are now. Obviously whatever you have been doing up until this point has not been working. So decide to change it, and do not waver.

2. Commit to your decision.

Now that you’ve made a declaration of change to yourself (and hopefully to others, we all need support!), you need to remain 100% committed to that decision. This doesn’t mean there won’t be bumps in the road or issues that come up. Committing to your decision means continuing on your journey despite those difficulties. This is where you stick to a nutrition plan that works for you. YOU CAN NOT OUT-EXERCISE A BAD DIET. You will not ever see the results you want unless you fuel your body appropriately, and regardless of how strict or dedicated you are, YOU WILL NOT SEE RESULTS IMMEDIATELY. Stop checking for visible abs after one workout (we all do it…). Like I mentioned above, whatever brought us to the point that caused us to decide to change did not happen overnight, and you will not reverse it overnight. Consistent dedication to proper nutrition and exercise and TIME are the only things that will get you where you want to be. There are no quick fixes. (I’m looking at you tea-tox cleanses…) There will be days when you don’t want to work out, or it’s easier to make an unhealthy food choice or you are craving something like crazy. Remember WHY you made the decision to change in the first place, and use this “why” to remain committed even when you don’t necessarily feel like it. Of course, we are all human and will make mistakes, and one does have to live and enjoy life so there will be treats, cheats, and missed workouts. Remaining committed to your decision means understanding that while treats, cheats and missed workouts are not the end of the world, they will affect the rate at which you see results, especially if you allow one “off” day to become two, three, a week, a month, and so on. So, of course, live and enjoy life but remember your WHY.

3. Celebrate your success.

If you decide to make a change, and stay committed to that decision, you will see results. It may take some time, and will surely take some effort, but you will get there. Realize that “success” is not necessarily reaching your end-goal. That is a great success, of course. However, make sure to celebrate the small successes on the way. Knocking out one more rep, running a few extra minutes (or miles!), upping your weight on an exercise, not needing to take a break where you used to need one, noticing a change in your progress photo or the way your clothes fit, higher energy, elevated mood, the list goes on. Whatever you do, just don’t forget to be proud of yourself. Don’t give up on all the small successes you’ve had on your way to a large one, because giving up is definitely not the way to reach your goals.

Finally, as always, if there is anyway that I can help you reach a health and fitness goal, please do not hesitate to reach out. Just remember: Decide. Commit. Succeed.

As most of you know, my charming, delightful husband had a crash on his bicycle last week. Thankfully, he never rides without a helmet, and it probably saved his life. However, he is now laid up on the couch recovering from surgery on a badly broken elbow. While we are both very happy that there are not more serious injuries, there is one aspect of a broken elbow that is pretty difficult to overlook…

He only has use of one hand while he is recovering.

I have heard him say several times that, “you take for granted having use of both your hands until you lose one.”

Despite being in a lot of pain, the most difficult part of this whole ordeal for him is that he won’t be able to ride his bike for while or really be any more active than walking. While walking is a great way to enjoy nature, get some fresh air and some exercise, for someone who is used to pushing themselves routinely to the point of near-vomiting, it’s hard to sit still. Sometimes we just don’t realize how capable we are until that capability is taken away.

The fact that humans even exist on a day to day basis is pretty amazing. The things that humans do, even in the face of an astounding “disability”, that go above and beyond anything that was considered even remotely possible are even more amazing. Why, then, do some of us limit ourselves with “I can’t?”

Exercise is not just a means to better physical fitness. Of course, that is one of the side effects. However, when we exercise with regularity our fitness increases in every aspect of our lives. Quality of sleep improves, leading to more productive time at work and with friends and family. When we fuel our bodies with quality nutrition to support exercise our bodies run like a well-oiled machine. Mental clarity increases. That rush of endorphins makes you feel like you can take on the world. Truth be told, you can.

In fact, you are OBLIGATED to. You owe it to yourself, to those you love, and to those who love you to be the best version of you that you possibly can. So pay your debt.

Get up off the couch. Move, breathe, and enjoy everything that your capability grants you.

I am a member of a Facebook group that is comprised entirely of women and is designed for encouragement and support for the members in their fitness endeavors, focusing primarily on triathlon. Recently, a member of this group posted the below photo.

This woman assumed this photo had been photoshopped (it was later explained by a rep for this company that they use real athletes as their models and never photoshop their bodies) and referred to it as disgusting. One woman referred to another woman’s body as disgusting. While I agree that photoshop is used far to often in the images presented to us in the media, it does us no good to attack one another’s bodies, and this mind set of judging another person’s body actually goes against the anti-photoshop movement that is currently gaining steam. My first thought upon reading this post was “how wold this make a woman whose body naturally looks this way feel?” This thought struck me immediately especially because this comment was made to a group of triathletes, who in general tend to be very fit, athletic, and lean people.

Consider everything our bodies are capable of: our hearts beat continually, we breathe without even thinking about it, we can sing and laugh and dance and move and just LIVE all thanks to our bodies which are some miraculous combination of elements and star dust. How could any body be considered disgusting?

As I mentioned, I found this post particularly disturbing because of the number of fit women in the group. However, there are also women who are just beginning their triathlon or fitness journey who have not yet met their physical goals and some women in the group who have no physical goals whatsoever other than to finish a tri (or start one) and to celebrate what their bodies are capable of, with no concern over how their body may look while doing so. This got me thinking…

Why do we put so much emphasis on “bikini bodies” or “summer bodies?” I realize that due to the warmer weather we tend to wear clothing that reveals more of out bodies, but if you want a bikini body, PUT ON A BIKINI and BAM. You have a bikini body. I hear all the time in the fitness industry “summer bodies are made in winter.” While it’s true that you have to work hard all year around to maintain aesthetic fitness goals, that only applies to you IF THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. If you want to lose weight to look “better” in a bikini, then by all means get after it. I wold hope there is also an underlying desire to be more healthful as well. But this constant pressure that you have to look a certain way to wear a bikini or go to the beach and actually be comfortable and enjoy yourself is absurd to me. Think of all the ways you experience life through your bikini body: sun on your face, warm sand on your feet, cool water, the smell of salt water (hopefully you’re not stuck on a Lake Michigan beach….), the sound of waves crashing. To me it seems you already have a pretty amazing beach body.

It occurs to me that the company through which I choose promote health and fitness is called Beachbody and I think this can be off-putting to some people. However I think of it as I just described above. Everyone already has a beach body. When I say that I mean that health and fitness are for every body. Not everybody, but every body. Your body is beautiful regardless of its shape or size, and you owe it to yourself and that beautiful beach body of yours to be as fit and as healthy physically and mentally as you possibly can so that you can shuffle your bikini body down to that beach (or wherever your happy place is) and experience the wonderful things your body allows you to do.

You! Yes, you! STOP dieting and exercising! If you want to see lasting fitness, you need to eliminate these two terms from your vocabulary.

This seems counterintuitive. If I don’t diet and exercise, how in the world am I supposed to get results?

Let me be clear: If you diet and exercise short term, you will see results. You will probably lose the weight you want. If you are looking to lose 15 pounds for your high school reunion or whatever and are comfortable gaining back everything you lost, then by all means diet and exercise. Or if you are comfortable being overweight and out of shape and tired all the time, you don’t even need to do that.

However, if what you are seeking is a LASTING change: more energy, permanent weight loss, better overall health, a more upbeat attitude… diet and exercise will not cut it. If what you are currently doing is not working for you, you need to consider a lifestyle change. For example, I have been an athlete most of my life (thank you, swimming). I have never had any significant weight problem, and I have been what most would consider “in shape.” But that was always very specific to whatever activity I have been doing. My goal was always athletic success, and not overall health and fitness. I wasn’t concerned necessarily about what I was eating, as long as it was enough. The quality of my rest was suboptimal. Even though I was an athlete, I needed a lifestyle change.

What a lifestyle change is not:

-extremely restrictive dieting

-obsessive exercising

-“health-nut” attitude

-depriving yourself of your favorite foods, drinks, activities, etc.

What a lifestyle change is:

-a focus on overall health

-making the right choice for your future self, not just your current self

-focusing on foods that fuel your body

-getting enough rest

-a commitment to regular workouts that move your body and your spirit (you don’t need to spend hours on the treadmill, or become a body builder) – go for a hike, go kayaking, sign up for a triathlon (I’ll do it with you), ride your bike, dance – anything. Just go move.

Making a lifestyle change is HARD. But if you are really committed to losing weight, getting healthy, and really LIVING, you can do it. And if you need someone to help you make that change, I would be more than happy to do that for you. Just reach out and let me know you are ready.