Words are cheap

"Great ideas originate in the muscles." --Thomas Edison

Blah Blah Blah. . .now what?

Words are cheap. . .and so is hot air. Enough with the words and planning and thinking. DO IT!! What good is a plan if you never put it into action? Through the execution of plan you find where you need to tweak areas and maybe rewrite parts of your plan. But you will never know unless you actually put it into action.

Consistency is also important. Working out for one week then never picking up your shoes again is not execution. Your success will come as you plan, execute, revise, repeat. I think about my journey in Christianity. The day I first gave my heart to God I felt great, like I had made a life changing decision. Then the hard work started and I second guessed that great feeling. I made mistakes. I fell off the wagon. But through trial and error and following God's plan (aka The Bible) I've grown and matured in my faith.

Your body is strengthened in the same way. Over time with consistent, effective effort you will see results. Your stamina will increase. Your muscles will grown. The fat will dissipate. Your energy will increase. Let me repeat: OVER TIME WITH CONSISTENT, EFFECTIVE EFFORT. Let's break that down:

• Over time: Be realistic with your time goal and commit the time required to get results. You won't see results if you are only working out one day a week.


• Consistent: Be committed! If you say you're going to workout three days a week then do it and don't let anything sidetrack you. If you can't do it at lunch, change gears and get it in that evening. If it rains, pop in a dvd or pull out your resistance bands. Whatever you do, be consistent. What kind of results do you expect to see if you workout one day this week and four days the next week and two days the week after that?


• Effective Effort: Yes, you have to sweat. Yes, you have to work. Thirty minutes on a treadmill at minimal effort does not get results. Lifting 5lbs dumbbells for 12 reps when you can really do 8 or 10 lbs does not get results. Do you want to see results? Then make your efforts effective. Understand your target heart rate and work in that zone.

Sorry for my rampage, but I've had to give myself the same kick in the pants. The difference between a dream and a goal is a PLAN. But some of the best laid plans never come to fruition because of no (or poor) execution. Let's get it done!!!

Rubber meets the road.

I've mentioned it before but I'll say it again: I love distance walking/running. Going the distance teaches you preserverance. At some point during your route you start to question yourself and your ability. You may even look for an exit (I admit it!) or want to give up, but then you see a little old lady kicking into high gear so you dig a little deeper.

This week has been a challenge for me because I feel like it's been sluggish. Not because of my lack of dedication or the will to get it done. My life just doesn't seem to leave much room for ME. Moment of honesty: I envy those who have the liberty to do whatever they want with their time. I don't have that luxury. I have to be creative in fitting in my exercise or it will never happen. The baggage that comes with this is yet another thing on my shoulders. I'm limited to running back and forth in front of my house. Or on the weekends when I have the kids I have to take them to the park with me or pay a sitter. People look at me funny b/c I let the kids play while I run around the track. What am I supposed to do, just sit there?? And my boys come join me when they want to run with me and I keep an eye on them so I know when to stop over and check on them. This may not be an option once it gets colder b/c then I'll really feel like a bad mom having them out in the cold while I'm running.

So now what?? Do I turn back to my sedentary life? Do I hang up my running shoes and give up? Do I walk silently into the night?

No way, Jose! This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where you dig deep to find that inner thing to keep you moving forward. I remember when I was on that hell of a course called Percy Warner Park and my legs and lungs were burning. I did not give up. I am not a quitter. I am an aspiring long distance runner. I am victorious and will live that way.

My creative workouts may look crazy to others but my kids are loving it. My four year old knows how to use my resistance bands. He knows how to count repetitions. The kid even used canned goods as weights as we were grocery shopping. How can I give up now?

Progress is SWEET!!!

Dude!! I had a great shopping trip Saturday. Not only did I get some great deals but I actually left the store feeling AWESOME!!!! Shout out to Dot's b/c they have cute, inexpensive pieces--which is what I need b/c I plan on slimming down some more. I scored three dresses ($9, $9, and $7-cha ching!!), two necklaces, and a pair of earrings for $28--that's with TN taxes.

One dress is a size smaller than I typically have to buy from Dot's AND the two I bought in my "normal" size are a little roomy on top. Progress is so sweet!!

Now if I could just go down a shoe size. . .

Enjoy the Pursuit

My pastor's (shout out to Pastor Rodney Beard!) definition of success includes "the ability to enjoy the pursuit" of your endeavor. This past week I've been meditating on that. I've talked before about setting yourself up for success and structuring your life so that you can actively combat excuses and obstacles. One of my co-workers stopped by my desk the other day and said she was happy that she didn't have to workout today. I commented that I actually look forward to working out. And it's true. I think if it's drudgery and almost a punishment you're not going to stick to it. You have to find something that you like about whatever activity you choose.

This fitness thing is not about what others prescribe for you; it's about you living the best possible life you can in a way that works for you. If you prefer team sports or need interaction with others, then join a league. If you prefer quiet and tranquility, look into Yoga or Tai Chi (which I love). Try something new and find what works for you. I remember saying, "I'll never be a runner" just last year. And now I can't wait until my legs can stand a full-on, non-stop, all-out run. I remember saying "Yoga is not my thing" and now I'm thinking about adding it into my regime b/c my body needs the stretching. Unless you get up and get moving, how can you possibly know your mojo?

I know some who pass me while I'm working out probably think I'm crazy but I don't care. I sing while I workout. I add a little fist pump here and there if the song is hyping me up and YES, I even "do a little dance." My friends laugh at me in Zumba b/c I sing and add my own shimmy here and there. I enjoy my pursuit of fitness. I like watching my muscles flex in the mirror when I'm doing hammer curls with 15lbs dumbbells. Yeah baby! I'm enjoying this.

I challenge you (whoever you are reading this), to experiment a little. Try a new activity and stick with it for three weeks. If you don't like it, choose something else and stick with it for three weeks. Make an true effort to find your mojo. There are so many things out there to do and with each season you can find new activities. The point of it all is that you are ACTIVE and making an effort to live a life that gets you to new levels of fitness.

I said new levels of fitness, not weight loss. The weight will drop off gradually if you are active and eating right (most of the time) so don't let the numbers on the scale give you tunnel vision. Gauge how you feel, how your clothes fit, your health numbers, how quickly your breathing becomes labored, etc. I'm a solid size 16/18 and I have more stamina and strength than someone who is a size 8. (insert hair flip)

Enjoy movement. Enjoy the pursuit.

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

This weekend was the first group run for the Fit Girl Posse and only one other person showed up. For a minute I was discouraged but my Menaces (my three little boys) perked me right back up. When we arrived at the park--did I mention it was 7am and about 50 degrees--they sat down and ate their breakfast while my friend, Rhonda, and I did our warm up exercises and lap. When I started running Eddie and Howie ran to the track and were following me. Howie was running and smiling that beautiful smile of his--hat flying off and all. Eddie kept yelling "wait for me, Momma." My oldest, Wale, didn't leave the table but he was an awesome cheerleader. All I could hear was "Go Mommy! Mommy racing!" (he thought Rhonda and I were racing) It didn't matter who else was or was not there b/c those little people made my day. Of course, I probably didn't get my intended two miles in but I improvised to make sure I worked up a sweat and got my legs moving.

The experience also made me practice grace and compassion. It took me 20 years to find my passion for exercise so how can I judge anyone else? It took me 20 years to make a commitment to myself and my health, so how can I judge someone else's commitment? We all have to start from where we are and decide when it's our time, when enough is enough. Running/walking is not for everyone. You may prefer step or cycling (I hate both!). You may stay more motivated doing Zumba or Kick-Boxing (I love both!). Whatever it is that keeps you moving and wanting more DO IT!! COMMIT to it!! Commit to YOU!!

With my knee and ankle acting gimpy I've had to improvise, adapt, and overcome (can I get a hooooaaaaahhh!). I made sure to pack my gym bag today and I will do 30 mins on the elliptical (thanks for the suggestion Mom) instead of the treadmill to give my legs a little more recovery time. I have to remember that my body is not used to going 13.1 miles in one day; I don't think I allowed myself enough recovery time. Lesson learned. That's why we have to build our plan to allow for NO EXCUSES! We can come up with all sorts of excuses for not doing something but I challenge you to counter your own excuses. Set yourself up for success.

That doesn't just apply to working out. It applies to life. What excuses do you make for not accomplishing a goal? For being late? How can you structure things so that you increase your probability for success? Get you clothes ironed the night before? Wake up 10 mins earlier? Make breakfast for the week? The Bible says (I'm paraphrasing) who plans to build a tower but doesn't first sit down to consider the cost and whether he has the resources to finish it. Read Luke 14:28-34. Plan, then improvise, adapt, and overcome. Onward!!!

Found my next. . .

Last night I had a moment--and it involved chips. I had lap-band surgery in March 2009 so sometimes eating is an issue for me. Yesterday I scarfed down half a banana for breakfast and regretted it b/c it came up during my commute to work (yes, gross). For lunch I had a small garden salad and a bowl of spinach & artichoke soup (not low calorie, dude, but it was veggies). For my after workout meal I ate a quarter of a roast beef & provolone sub (minus half the bread). I tried to eat the other quarter on my commute home but it didn't stay down (again, gross). After having two episodes, I decided to have chips for lunch. I started with some Honey Dijon Kettle chips and then moved on to tortilla chips with queso.

At one point I stopped and asked myself, "Why am I eating this?" And the answer was so crazy. FEAR! My ankle has been swollen since Sunday and it's messing with my head. I keep thinking what if I'm injured? How am I going to keep up my workouts? What if I revert back to my old self? What if I gain all the weight back? And my reaction to this fear was to eat. That is the nuttiest reasoning in the world. Kind of like when you have money issues so you go shopping. Really?? I jumped off the counter and poured the bag of chips into the trash and followed it up with the queso. I then pulled the other two bags that and poured them out as well. I knew when I made the decision to bring them home that it was a bad idea. But I kept them as a security blanket.

This morning I was meditating on my motives and feelings which lead me to reflect on how I felt coming up to the finishing line for the Women's' Half Marathon. Of course I started crying and thanking God. Then my mind brought up a vision of me completing the Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in Savannah, GA next year and running to my mom and hugging her. Man, I lost it. I started boo-hoo crying. I remember when I used to watch that woman run and felt so ashamed b/c I was her daughter and couldn't even get up to a 15 minute mile. I remember watching her teaching aerobics classes and I used to create fantasies where I could do that too. Years ago I even came up with a business plan for a fitness center that she could direct. My mom is my She-Ra and to have her there next year is going to be awesome! I can't put into words how much that will mean to me.

So, my next BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) is to complete the Savannah Half Marathon in 2:33 (an hour better than my time this year) and have my Mom there to give me my medal. Time to get training!

(pic of my Mom and lil sis)