Compromise

Anyone else out there live by those words? " I can't. I have to go to the gym."

It seems like that is my life and I have heard workers in the gym say things like, "you live here" and  your here more than me", well true or not it does seem that way. We make those compromises in out lives to make sure we get our workouts in. Over the last year at the gym I was very faithful and went 5-7 days a week but was not with a trainer so I could change my schedule if I needed to or if something was up. Now looking forward and with a new program starting Monday, I am committing to 6 days a week for this next phase and I am booked each day with a trainer so there will be no compromising this time. I am fully committed to making my appointments and I will be living at the gym, well 6 days a week -lol. It seems kinda crazy to some people but anyone out there who is on a mission they know what I am doing and it will all be worth it. I am sure I will miss some things and everyone around me ( my girls ) will have to be patient and wait until my workouts are complete before we go out shopping and all that fun stuff. I have even had to change my work schedule a little to make sure I can get all the workouts in and still have it make sense for my girls and myself. I guess this is my social life for the next few months. I am sure it will all work out just fine, I'll keep you all posted ;)

Laugh!

As soon as I seen this picture I thought.....my belly (abs) hurt and not from laughing but from the insane ab workout that I did the other day - lol. Then I kinda giggled to myself and was thinking about when I have laughed so hard that your belly does hurt. It made me smile:)

Laughter is so important and if you can believe this I laugh at the gym all the time. I can be with my trainer and so insane and pushing to the very core and actually on the verge of a terrible swear word coming out because I'm on that last rep and my triceps are burning like hell and ----bam ---- I start laughing cause he knows if I didn't I was gonna scream - lol. I am sure some of you can relate. I think that when u are in the right frame of mind and your goals are set, there is no anger and you can see past the extreme pain and kinda giggle or laugh, even say " What the hell am I doing" but the set is now over and on to the next exercise. I really think keeping this frame of mind is very helpful and makes you much more successful then being down and negative. So for me, I will continue to workout insane and lift heavy and scream inside but in the gym you will hear  my laughter and giggles and I am that girl who is having the time of my life.

So train, until it hurts, then do 2 more &
Laugh, until it hurts, then a little bit more ;)

Living Strong

Wow! This picture sure sums it all up. I am a kickass woman! I also know alot of women who are as well and maybe they just need to start believing it. I was telling my trainer today that I am happy. I am very busy but that all seems ok because I am happy. I have set out where I see myself, who I see myself with and in time it will all just fall into place. We need to have faith that everything will be great and keep that positive energy going and all around us. I can't have that negative stuff around anymore, it is just too draining. I haven't felt myself the last few days- I think I may have been coming down with a virus but I have just remained positive and I seem to be coming through it quite well. I have also just completed my first 4 weeks of training, phase 1 - complete - accomplished with pride!

Next week brings a transition week which means that I only do 4 days of just cardio. This week will help me recover from phase one, muscle, tendon, CNS (central nervous system) recovery. Then we turn the heat up on the next phase. So the week of cardio gets me mentally prepared for Phase 2. All the new programming is coming this weekend - so exciting - and I will be prepared to hit it strong! Here's to Phase 2 :)

I AM STRONG

I AM WORTHY

I AM BEAUTIFUL

I AM PERFECT

I AM ME !!

Another Monday

So it's Monday again, that means weight and measurements today - to be honest I hate doing it weekly.

I'm down 1 pound and actually it's really only .5 but they called it 1 - and body fat down .3 - this is where it gets a little frustrating - I wanna see that scale move 2 pounds a week but that isn't always the case based on all kinda of things. I already know this however, sometimes it's just frustrating. No cheating, no drinking, working your ass off, and .5 of a pound :(

Ok see I'm a human woman, have the same feelings as tons of other women out there. I

I know this will work! I know success is coming - I'm actually succeeding every single day - stay positive - stay focused -

I CAN DO THIS!  WATCH ME!

It's My Road

Today I got a unexpected text from a friend asking how the training was going. I said how things were great and I'm on track, I think I might have mentioned the hours spent prepping all the food and said it really does seem like all I do is work-go the gym-prep food-clean up- laundry- and sleep. She responded with "yes it;s lots of dedication"and then asks if I have met anyone new - a guy - LOL - I have no time to breathe somedays and I can't even imagine the effort that would be needed to have or start a relationship right now, haha! I mentioned that it would be nice to have someone here that is on the same path or road as me - we could split the work load and go to the gym together, etc.

That is really the last thing I am thinking about these days and it will all fall into place when its suppose to. I chose this road (path) that I am on and it is mine alone but alot of people walk the same road and the support out there is great. You have to do the work yourself and you climb all the hills and mountains yourself but along the way you meet all kinds of people who are on the same journey. You also run into people who just help push you when your a little stuck or pull when u need a jolt.

I just want to thank those of you who are my friends and who want nothing but success for me. I too want the same for you :) So I am always here to walk with you when you need it!

12 Things Successful People Do Differently

We all want to be successful! I don't think anyone says " Hey I think I'm going to try this and fail." We have great intentions and sometimes we just don't follow though because of many reasons. The question is - Are they excuses? Do we find a way to just make up excuse after excuse to why we can't do something or why we aren't successful. When you have a goal - something you want so bad it consumes you - you will make a plan and follow through.

S.M.A.R.T Goals ( Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Realistic-Timely)

You have a goal, you know what that looks like to you, so roll with it. Be specific with what you want and be very realistic because I want to be a Victoria Secret Super Model might not be all that realistic, lol. If you want to lose 20 pounds and your plan is to do that in 2 weeks, why set yourself up for the failure. Make a plan and follow it. Set a date or time frame that makes sense and is achievable, be patient and track your progress.

Staying positive is so important! If you do not get the results you are looking for that week, just breathe and have faith with a smile that next week you will. Celebrate every little accomplishment. Share with the right people. It is so easier to have people that think the same way you do help and motivate you. Try to surround yourself with these positive goal oriented people, it will help.

My goal doesn't exactly have a specific ending date but what I said to myself was that for 3-4 months I would be very specific and follow the plan perfectly. No drinking, no eating anything that is not "clean" and on my meal plan, 5 days a week at the gym, no negative self talk. I track everything and share my successes weekly with a few close people and my blog-lol. Once the first phase of my plan is close to completed, I will then decide and set another plan. It would have been very unrealistic for me to say that I will never have a drink again or a slice of pizza - of course I will - its just that I am in control of when that will happen and I have made a deal with myself and I will follow through.

Already I am successful :)

Love Yourself

I came across this picture a few months ago and immediately it hit home. I have always used the term "FLY", like its time for me to fly and even in my dreams I try to fly - this F.L.Y. - first love yourself - so damn true.

When you end a serious relationship you feel as though u have lost part of yourself - who u are- I'm sure most people can relate. Some people need to just find someone else to make them whole and others don't want anyone and live in anger and regret and all the negative self-talk.

I think you truly have to find you, love yourself, and others will come next. You need to be a whole person and find a whole person to spend your time with. I have started to love myself, I feel as though I am healing every single day. I use to run alot- I think I was running from something- always running to clear my head and try and ignore life or work out the tragic things in my life. Let me tell you that I have found peace. I have let go of the past - finally- it has taken a very long time to get here but each day brings me closer and closer.

So how does this relate to my fitness goals - well if u remember I think early on I mentioned I would blog whatever came into my mind and this was it tonight-lol. I decided to stop being afraid - afraid of what others would think- afraid of failure - afraid I wasn't good enough - afraid I'm not strong enough - and just do what I wanted to do - start to LOVE MYSELF - so I made a plan - set it in motion - following though and I am happier each day. Every workout now has purpose, I'm no longer running away from something - I'm present and focused and I can do this.

I hope that everyone reading this gets it - F.L.Y. - first love yourself !!!!

Without Fear

It's Monday again and here we go with all the measurements and body fat % - yuk. Normally, you wouldn't measure yourself every single week and I hate scales - I never use them but in order to ensure that they have put me on the best program and if modifications are needed then we need to do it weekly. Good news - down 2 more pounds - and body fat % went from 25.5 to 24.3.

I don't really worry about those numbers too much in my head because I know I am not cheating and I am staying completely focused so things will change no matter what eventually. I know that if the weight doesn't change this week, it will the next.

What amazes me still is the fact that we increase all my weights again today. It seems like all we do is increase and increase. It's a great thing but it surprises the hell out of me that I can actually lift the weight - I just trust without fear.


Today started out rough but ended very strong. I can't tell you the feeling you get when you are so exhausted and can't push another rep but you find the strength to just push it a little more and a little further and you did it. The accomplishment makes you smile inside and out. I am sure that I am glowing after a work-out like that - well sweating and glowing haha. I pushed myself hard tonight and decided that is the only way I'm gonna bring it - HARD!

Can't wait to crush it Wednesday :)

Fire Within Me

Woke up this morning early around 7am - trust me that is early for a non-work day. Fire just burning in me, thinking about the gym and training and how this will be when I hit my goal. Today is another "rest day" but I couldn't do it. Here is the text I sent my trainer at 8am, "I CAN'T DO IT - 2 rest days - its killin me- I'm heading to the gym - I'll take a day off during the week instead-lol ;)"

When I get to the gym the trainer working today says, " Hey what are you doing here?" I knew I would get busted that is why I texted my trainer, lol! It really doesn't matter what 2 days I take off my point is

the FIRE within me. There is no way I can wait 2 days before going to the gym. Once you feel like this there is no stopping it. Today was Cardio and Core and it was awesome. I came home feeling ALIVE and started in the kitchen prepping for the next 3 days. When you have your mind set on a goal, you will do what is needed to progress.

FEEL THE FIRE WITHIN YOU!

Succeed

Rest days are the hardest for me :( I have so much to do but can't seem to shake the going to the gym or running thing. I am sure if you are dedicated to something you understand completely.
Here is what my weekends look like now, rest days so I have to shop(food) and then "PREP" for the next few days. I have been prepping 3 days ahead so that means breakfast, lunches and dinners are ready to go so that when I wake up I can just grab what is needed and run. If I didn't have this stuff pre-cooked and pre-packaged ready to go, it would be impossible because I am way to busy.

Part of my success right now is the time I am putting in making sure I don't fail, that all the angles are covered. There is NO way I have time to cook breakfast in the morning ( I am up at 5:45am) now and I need rest because I'm not getting to bed until 10 or later. So I pre-cook all my meat for 3 days and salads are made and bagged in the fridge. I have veggies all cut in containers as well. This program also has alot of supplements and vitamins so I have those ready to go the night before to ensure I don't miss anything.

Seems like alot of work eh? Well to be honest, IT IS! However, I will be better with it and even more organized, the first week I cooked way too much resulting in waste and I hate throwing out food :( This week I am better and it will just get easier and easier.

I'm on a mission so I will just keep going until I succeed. I had a guy at the gym tell me I was looking good yesterday - yep it's already paying off, lol. I think it is nice that he even made the effort to talk to me. The buzz is all around the gym that I am on this new program and I am determined to get "stage" ready. I can't say enough how important it is to have people who support your goals around you. They help LIFT you up :)

JUST BREATHE

Today I will ...

Well the second week of training is done - I'm sore today, mostly my shoulders but it really is a GOOD pain and worth ever single ache!

I realized my dedication more today when someone at work said  "I know what Dee's doing tonight - gym followed by a run-then dinner then bed cause she isn't drinking anymore"- WOW do they know me or what. That is what happened tonight and I thought while at the gym - yep Friday night and I'm at the gym and not going out drinking and I'm good with that. I think I also realized that when I meet "the one" he will have to love the gym cause I want to share that passion and motivation. I think it is important for couples to share common interests. I also think that you have to surround yourself with "LIKE" people because others will try to bring you down or throw you off the path.

All I see is the end result and I am not stopping until I get there. When u decide that you want something bad enough you will do whatever it takes to get there.

So I guess tonight will be a nice relaxing quiet evening home and that may be just what the doctor ordered :)

Stronger

I'm amazed that in one week I feel stronger - I am no longer in pain - my weight is down 2lbs - body fat down from 27.3 to 25.5% - life is good - haha!
It is also amazing how my weights just keep getting heavier - gains - I am already
Lifting weight amounts I never thought possible - now I see it's totally possible and I have no limit to what I can do! I had the most amazing thing said to me today in an email from an amazing man - he said
THE BODY GOES WHERE THE MIND TAKES IT- I thought about this all day - so damn true - we sabotage ourselves - stay positive- stay focused - stay happy- everything else will just follow ;)

Rest days :(

Rest days? Really wow okay - two days off in a week - seems great but really all I think about is the gym - lol - sounds crazy eh. It's a good thing I worked all weekend because what would I do all day without adding some kind of run or workout into my day - it's gonna take some getting use to these rest days.
First week went great - trained hard - ate very clean - followed the program - cant wait for week 2 :)

When there's a will there's a way!

How true is that statement? "When there's a will there's a way". You make time for yourself - u just find the time even though it seems impossible.

Here was my will this week - after Monday's killer 1st workout Tuesday was kinda a slow moving day. I hurt kinda all over and was very tired-drained-no energy at all! Then Wednesday comes and my legs almost drop when I get out of bed- my kids are teasing me because I can't even walk down the basement stairs without limping. Oh and all day I keep thinking - WTF - I have another workout with my trainer Josh tonight and have to do it all over again! OMG - I go with a smile on my face and I'm pretty sure we will be cutting it short because as soon as I try my first set of lunges I'm sure that my legs will give out and the bar will come crashing down. This did not happen, here is what I did - I focused on the pain and counted in my head the entire 3 sets of 30 lunges - I'll be honest that I thought I was gonna die - really its crazy what u think when u are in pain. When it was over I was amazed that I actually did it - all of them - and moved on to the next round. Now today (Friday) I'm with Josh again and BANG - I nailed it - oh ya he had to help me and I was spent and pushed to the max but I was able to already increase my weight and I felt amazing. I couldn't help but think - wow its amazing what our bodies will endure - let's see how my body feels in the morning but no matter what - my mind is amazed and I feel on top of the world!

Push yourself to your limit - then do 2 more :)

Making Time

BUSY? I know all about busy- work full time, full time mom, driver, maid, landscaper, dry cleaner, cook, pool gal(well hot tub), teacher, relationship counsellor(that's a tough one with a teenager-lol), and shopper! I'm sure there is more but you get my point. I really have no idea how I manage to fit the gym into all of that but I do. You need to make the time for yourself. It is my piece of me and even though its crazy hard work - its still for me! We all can make excuses for not making the time - I have alot of those excuses trust me but really you can take an hour to yourself to make yourself better-to feel better-to look better- to just get away and get lost in it and not worry about the dishes, cooking, laundry, phone calls-texts, kids needing everything that they always need. I promise you that when you make yourself happy, everyone around you will be happy. Take the time, you are worth it and deserve it :)

Watch Me!

I sometimes find it amazing that when u make a change in your life how other people are affected some how. Here is what I have seen in the last little while, some people have freaked out with the fact that I'm going to change my diet, stop drinking, work out harder with trainers and just overall move forward. These are those people that I'm sure are scared and afraid to make these changes in theirs lives so they have to find fault in me doing it. I often tell my daughters that these "haters" are just jealous and they know that I will do it.

This goes all the way back to when I left my husband - got divorced - so many people went crazy - formed their own crazy opinions and reasons and had lots to say. It was years later that a few of those people apologized and now have left their spouses and understand because they too are now being criticized for what they are doing. I love the saying " PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NEVER THROW STONES".

Why can't we just be happy for people? Why is change so scary for everyone? Why, when someone wants to get better and move forward people want to hold them back. Stop being afraid of what they may accomplish and join them - be part of it - stop being scared - JUST DO IT!

DAY 1 - No regrets

What a day! Didn't sleep very well last night-might have been that I watched the movie "Life of PI" and cried alot yep seems that I needed that cry last night-lol.

So my diet has been completely changed and now I have an entire meal program and fitness plan as well as tons of supplements and I have been battling a little headache on and off and I think it is just my body getting ready and use to the change. I decided why not STOP going to Tim Horton's every single morning as well. WOW - I'm really making some HUGE changes-lol!

So the day was overall good, went to the gym and had my first session with my trainer Josh. So here is how that went- I have been at this gym for a year and I have averaged at least 5-6 days a week - yep lots of gym time, some people think I work there-lol. Anyways nothing prepared me for this training program- WOW- lets just say that as I type this-I hurt- really its true. I started out with sets of 15 with only 30 seconds rest periods and I thought no big deal. Well, IT IS A BIG DEAL ...hahaha. It seemed like just when my arms were gonna snap or break into pieces I would be at 12 - ok just 3 more to go then 30 seconds feels like 2 seconds and then Josh would say "and again" all I can say is OMG. I did survive this session but let me tell u this- I am having issues walking and moving in general and I can only imagine what I will feel like in the morning.

It has been a long day and now I just wanna go to bed but now Day 1 is done and on to the next with no regrets:)