The "Shape" of "Oprah"

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful start to 2009. Have you set those goals for 2009? I am waiting to hear what they might be.
I wanted to share with you a couple of interesting magazines that I purchased over the last couple of days. The first one is the January issue of O Magazine from Oprah Winfrey. If any of you have followed Oprah on her struggle to maintain her weight then this is the one copy you need to purchase. Oprah has unfortunately fallen off the weight loss and good health wagon and now has 40 pounds to lose. I found the article interesting because she states that the biggest problem is that she has taken herself off the list of things to do. She stated that she has put everything and everyone ahead of herself and is now staring at 40 extra pounds on her frame. If you have $5 to spare I would suggest you buy a copy of this magazine and just read pages 148 to 153. I found her statements on page 149 to be especially enlightening. Pick up a copy and read it.
Oprah's friend and trainer Bob Greene also has some wonderful information that he adds to the end of the article.
My point in mentioning this article is this...Oprah is like a bazillionaire and has enough resources to hire a cook, trainer and have the best equipment available in which to train. The only thing is Oprah has to do the work. She can't hire anyone to work-out for her. She has to keep herself on the list and eat right and exercise. She has to show up and make it count.
The second magazine that I purchased is from the publishers of Shape magazine. It is one of those special collectors edition magazines that stays on the shelf for a couple of months. I just found that it has a ton of useful information that you might find interesting and useful in your journey to get better health.
Show up and make it count!

Set Your Goals Lofty

I wanted to share my New Year's Goals with you in hopes that it might plant the seed for other's to follow. Those other's would be you my peeps. Here is a list of mine so far. I may add more and if needed I reserve the right to redefine success as the year progresses.

1. I want to be a better listener.
2. Be more kind to my beloved Joe.
3. Love my girls to pieces.
4. Bench press 135 pounds.
5. Run 3 miles in 30 minutes twice a week.
6. Ride my bike for at least 30 miles a week.
7. Continue my teammates training with Doug, Denny, Beau and Norma.

When thinking of setting goals or New's Year's Resolutions or dreams or whatever you may call them I think of the USA olympic swimmer Dara Torres age 41. I believe she was quoted as saying "Your dreams have no age limit"! I hope that you will think of her or anyone that inspires you in any way and set your goals. Set your goals lofty because you just might reach them!

I would love to know what goals you have set for 2009. Drop me an e-mail or give me a call or even send me a text (I am no longer in 1985...I can text now) and let me know what you have in mind. I will do whatever I can to help you achieve your health and fitness goals for 2009.

Show up and make it count!

Reward No Food

Another interesting conversation made this blog post come to mind. I was working out with Erin B. at our Keller facility. We were talking about weight loss, exercise, dieting, etc. She mentioned that she might be going to work full-time from 8 to 5. She is a wonderful nurse and currently works several night shifts a week and it has totally taken a toll on her weight loss and fitness efforts. She mentioned that she can't seem to get into a healthy routine with her eating due mainly to her schedule. She says that she is so tired from working the night shift that she finds herself rewarding herself with food. She thinks in her mind "Hey I work the night shift and it is hard to do that and I am tired therefore I am going to reward myself with this piece of cheesecake"! This made me think long and hard about the whole act of rewarding ourselves with food. Why do we do that?
Another example of this food for reward was with my training buddy Doug who by the way is looking RIPPED. He is trying desperately to clean up his eating. I bought him the book The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno and he is really making an effort to follow her guidelines. Unfortunately, to eat clean means that you have to really come clean. No soda, junk food or fast food. I received a text message from Doug stating that his "Veggies were screaming for ranch dressing". I texted him back and said "NO RANCH". He texted me back and said "I want the ranch because I deserve the ranch". You can see where this was going.
My challenge to you is this...no longer reward yourself with food. Just don't do it any longer. If you have had an awesome week and have got your required work-outs in and have eaten as healthy as possible then why not reward yourself with something else. My dear friend and training partner Runner Susan would most definitely enjoy new shoes. I would most definitely reward myself with additional training with Denny or something for my bike.
Give it a try by rewarding yourself with something other than food. From this point forward think of food as fuel and let that be the end of it. Let me know what you reward yourself with instead.
Show up and make it count!

She's Making A List and Checking It Twice

I had another conversation with my adult fitness client Kathy that led to the creation of this blog post. We were talking about all of the wonderful things that we had to eat on Thanksgiving day. I mentioned to Kathy that between meals that day I managed to skip out and ride my bike for 10 miles or so. Her question to me was how did I just leave and go ride my bike? I thought about it and thought that it seemed like a no brainer to get a work-out in that day especially since I had over indulged in the stuffing category. But then it occurred to me that some people would never dream of leaving a house full of family and friends to go and take a walk or jog. Some of my clients would never give themselves permission to take an hour and go do something good for their health. I will admit that I sometimes feel extremely guilty about the amount of time I put it to working out each day. I feel like I should be doing other things instead, but I always come back to the feeling of I have to keep myself on the LIST! I have to take that 60 minutes (sometimes more) or so and stay on the journey. I have to put the guilt aside and just do it!

I am asking you this season to...make your list and check it twice...and make for sure you are on it!

Show up and make it count!

Alternative Bread

I am a girl that loves the bread and I stumbled on to a great product. The name is The Alternative Pita Bread and The Alternative English Muffin. I found them at Sprouts and they are wonderful. The pita bread is awesome with 110 calories per piece and 8 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein and very low fat to boot. The english muffin is 100 calories per muffin with 8 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber and guess what very low fat as well. I am in pita bread heaven!!!

You may find out more about these products by visiting their website at Western Bagel.

Show up and make it count!

Aussie Drags and Abs

Cindy Drag from Runner Susan on Vimeo.


Drag from Runner Susan on Vimeo.

Remember When

I saw my sweet Lorrie at Target today and we had the best conversation. Although she hasn't been to work-out in over 8 weeks...I am willing to forgive her and continue to be hopeful that she will return really soon. She has started a new job and I know that soon she will be back in the groove of working out with us! I am counting on it.

Anyway, our conversation was brief but it made me really think about diet and exercise in general. As I walked away I asked myself just what is it that works for me when it comes to diet and exercise? What keeps me on this journey of good health? What keeps others on their journeys of good health. I decided that I would share some of the things that people in my life have done to find success in diet and fitness.

The first section will be food and eating. My success comes from Weight Watchers and the continued accountability I have with my monthly weigh-ins! Knowing that I have to step on that scale every month keeps me in check. I also eat 6 or 7 times a day. I try to eat what I call "God" food. This to me is food that has little man handling done to it! Think fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and some whole grains and non-fat dairy. I have also realized that there are some foods I just can't have such as donuts! I jokingly call the donut shop the "crack house"! Although I have never had the drug crack I have learned that it is highly addictive. I feel the same way about chocolate covered donuts. I haven't had one in over 3 years and don't plan on having one ever again! I am too weak when it comes to the donuts!

My beloved Joe has had success by simply not eating at night. He does sometimes slip up as we all do, but as soon as he is back on track and not eating after say 7 pm he feels much better. My training partner RUNNER SUSAN has had tremendous success by eating clean and following the guidelines of the EAT CLEAN DIET by Tosca Reno. My long lost buddy Deana has the most success when she is doing Nutri System or Jenny Craig. She loves the fact that her food is portioned out for her and it keeps her organized and in control. Another client of mine Jill gave up soda and continues to watch portions and just keeps out the junk in her diet. My trainer and business partner Denny is great at eating a hearty breakfast of oatmeal and is a very loyal drinker of Post Recovery Work-out Shakes from ADVOCARE. I swear the boy is bionic because he just keeps going and going. I know one day I am going to stumble on to some of his spare bionic parts at the EDGE facility in Keller.

Each of these individuals have found what works for them in the food category and they stick with it! They remember what works and stick with it.

When it comes to fitness and exercise I continue to thrive in the group dynamic. I love to ride my bike with RUNNER SUSAN on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday and I train with Denny and Doug on Monday/Wednesday and Friday. They all make me accountable. Susan is great on the bike and can leave me in the dust. Denny and Doug whip me in the gym as well. I always say train with people that are better than you. You will always be working hard when you are trying to keep up!!! I in turn feel like I keep them motivated as well. I know that Doug and Denny don't want to be beat by a GIRL!!!

RUNNER SUSAN has mentioned that her fitness is both a physical outlet as well as a social outlet. She looks fabulous as well so I know that the results she is seeing are keeping her motivated. The girls gets up at 4:15 on Tuesday and Thursday to come to be tortured by me. Now that is motivation! Jill has mentioned that she is motivated by the results she is seeing in the mirror! She looks great and her success has come from continuing to just show up to work-out and be consistent.

My point to all of this rambling is this...remember back when you felt your best. What were you doing? How was your diet? What type of exercise program were you following? I have found that it doesn't have to be anything drastic. If you are exhausted from your work-out you might need to tone it down and find something more doable. I would love for you to be training with me, but if you are not just do something! If you are starving or can't even get out of bed then maybe what you are doing is to drastic. I do believe that if you take baby steps and have balance that you can figure out what will work for you. I do believe that you can figure out some thing that will be sustainable for life.

Take some time today and remember when.....

Show up and make it count!
For information on Runner Susan, Tosca Reno or EDGE click on their names above.