The Holidays--The True Test of Commitment

With Thanksgiving behind us, we are now officially into the holiday season. Tis the season of justifying excessively bad eating habits and easily rationalizing every missed workout (It's okay--it's the holidays. I'll start eating better and working out again come January.) Did you know that people gain an average of 7 pounds during the holidays? Did you also know that this weight gain is often not as temporary as we would like to believe, but may lead to long-term weight gain, far beyond what we bargained for with those justifications that sounded oh-so-valid to our ears? Take it from me, as one who for the last five years or more has exceeded that 7-pound average weight gain, that IT IS NOT WORTH IT!!! What kind of memories are you building for yourself with all these rationalizations? For me it has been mostly memories of feeling really lousy and hating myself when it's all over because of all the weight I have packed on. That is not what I want my holidays to be about. So this year I am doing things differently. I started a holiday fitness challenge with a small group of Facebook friends. Each person in the group has been asked to set their own, personal fitness/health goals, to check in on the FB group page every day, and to commit to seeing this challenge through until the end of the holiday season. We officially started yesterday, and I am very excited. My goals are to workout 6 days a week every week, and on January 2, 2012, to be able to say "I weigh 10 pounds less now than I did at my pre-Thanksgiving weigh-in." I have recently started the Beachbody RevAbs program, and it is kicking my booty! Seriously! It's tough, but I love it because I know I am going to see results as I stick with it and work for it every day. I am drinking my Shakeology every day, using my doTerra essential oils, and doing all of the things that have helped to bring me success in the past (e.g. EFT, scripture study, etc.). And now I have this challenge group to keep me even more motivated. How can I expect to motivate them to stay committed to reaching their goals if I am not committed to reaching my own goals? I had a really strong November (I'll post results for the month in a few days) and I know December is going to be even better. And you know what that means? It means I am going to feel great this holiday season, I am going to have more energy, and I am going to be happier and more able to enjoy the true spirit of the season! Those are the kind of memories that I want to make!

October Results and Taking Commitment by Surprise

What is going on here?!!! I believe it was nearly three weeks ago that I decided to transition to a whole foods vegetarian diet, and to re-commit to a workout plan. I, like you, have committed to healthier eating and to regular exercise at least a thousand times over the course of my life, but this time something seems different--I am actually doing it! Now I realize that it has been less than 3 weeks, but something just feels different this time around. It's as if that little subconscious voice in my head that is usually telling me that I am going to fail because I suck at sticking with things and I am unworthy of real success, is telling me instead that I can do anything I put my mind to, that I am already a success, and that regular exercise and healthy eating is natural for an athlete and coach such as myself. Suddenly that voice is my biggest fan and absolutely believes in me. This is really something!

In discussing this phenomenon with my sister, Coach Denise Kay, we found that we have both been experiencing the same thing, and it has left both of us wondering what has changed? Why is this time so different? I don't know that there is one silver bullet that is making the difference for us, but perhaps it is the right combination of several good things, including the following:

• Daily prayer and scripture study. I know you may be wondering what this has to do with health and fitness, but I assure you that it is hugely important. If you have ever read that children's book You Are Special by Max Lucado, you know that the little Wemmicks who visit their creator on a regular basis have a better sense of who they are and of their own value, regardless of what anyone else may say or think about them. This is how daily scripture study and prayer help me. Knowing who I am and feeling my worth helps me to have more motivation to stick with my commitments, instead of falling back into that old habit of self-sabotage.
• Daily EFT practice. EFT has been so instrumental in helping me to clear my subconscious limiting beliefs and to align my energy with my goals. Denise and I have been tapping every day, and we check in with each other to make sure we are fitting it in every day and to discuss the experiences we are having. If we feel a lot of resistance about something specific during the day then that is what we try to focus on when we are tapping. This consistent, daily practice really makes a difference.
• Becoming Beachbody coaches. It seems to me that somehow tying our fitness and nutrition commitments to our business has created a huge incentive for both of us to get our workouts in every day and to eat right. We want to be able to coach others who are struggling with health/weight issues, and we know that as we experience our own transformation we can better assist those who are looking for help. I think that focusing on the service aspect of our own fitness journey is very motivating to both of us.
• Shakeology. This is a vitamin-packed protein drink that I think is about as healthy as you can get in one glass. While I am focusing primarily on whole foods in my new way of eating, I do believe that this is an excellent way to supplement in order to ensure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet. Shakeology uses whole food sources, includes many superfoods, and is also quite tasty. I drink it with 16 ozs of almond milk and that makes it a really satisfying meal replacement. Shakeology has really helped me to curb my sweets cravings as well. Two thumbs up for this product. I have to credit it with at least a portion of my recent success.
• Hope and gratitude. I have been focusing on my blessings and holding that vibration of gratitude as often as I possibly can. When I feel grateful for all I have, it is easy for me to feel hope for the future and the many blessings and successes to come. I know they will come if I can keep holding onto that feeling of gratitude, and if I will trust myself and trust in God.

These things, I believe, are the primary reasons for my recent shift. I'm excited to see where it takes me from here. I must add here that I am already seeing some benefits. I blogged the other day about resisting the feelings of discouragement that came with my increased waist size. Well, that measurement day wasn't my official weigh-in day, so I decided to do my monthly check-in measurements (waist and weight) on November 1st, despite having done them only 3 days earlier. You can imagine my shock when I found that my waist was down to 37.5 inches, and that my weight was down to 154 lbs. Yippeeee! I guess that 39.75-inch measurement was just the dark before the dawn. (o: I feel great about my October progress toward my six-pack and toward a stronger, leaner, healthier me.

I shall not be discouraged!

Denise and I have recently signed up as Beachbody coaches, and in so doing we renewed our commitment to get fit, this time using Beachbody products (e.g. P90X, Chaleen Extreme, Insanity, etc.). As part of this commitment we are taking pictures to show our progress, and on Saturday we took our measurements. Beachbody shows specific ways to take measurements, so we changed our method slightly to conform with this and, lo and behold, according to this new way of measuring my waist is now 39.75 inches, a whole inch and a half bigger than my previous measurement at the end of September. Now, admittedly, I did not measure the old way to see if the difference was all just the method of measuring, or if my waist has really expanded that much. Either way, I must admit that I felt very discouraged. I have been doing Power 90 as well as running every day (except Sunday), faithfully, without missing. I have not touched processed foods or meat of any kind these past two weeks, and I was feeling great, only to discover this unlikely and unwanted result. Of course there are a dozen reasons why my belly might have expanded, but I'm not going to delve into those right now. Instead, I am going to tell you about the experience I had yesterday.

Yesterday was Sunday, and for me that is the Sabbath, the day I attend three hours of church meetings, partake of the Sacrament, and worship my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. Yesterday, as I sat through these meetings, I felt so uplifted by the Spirit, and I felt my Father in Heaven pouring His love down upon me, and I wanted to be better and to live my life for Him and declare to all the world my testimony that my Savior and Redeemer lives! The feelings and impressions were so powerful that I felt joy and peace and gratitude all day. I wanted to find ways to serve those around me and to spend every minute doing good.

Now it is Monday. I woke up this morning to get ready for my workout, and I looked in the mirror and saw my nearly 40-inch gut just hanging out there, and I started to feel discouraged--but I caught myself and turned my thoughts around. How can I feel discouraged when I am so blessed? How can I feel discouraged when I know I am a daughter of God and that my Father loves me and is aware of me? How can I feel discouraged when I have this beautiful, amazing body that can do so many wonderful things? How can I feel discouraged when I know that Jesus Christ lives and that I will live with Him again someday, if I live worthy of it? How can I feel discouraged with so much to be thankful for in my life? I cannot. I shall not. I am grateful!

Father in Heaven, I am grateful.

September report and where to go from here

Well, those September numbers were very telling. Here are the results:

Weight: 157 lbs.
Waist: 38.25"

So my weight was up but my waist measurement was down? What's up with that? Here's what I think. I still am not eating very well--in fact, the harder I try to stick to my meal plan, the worse I seem to do. Lots of emotional blocks there obviously. At the same time, however, I did start doing more weight training during the month of September, so that must certainly account for some of the counter-intuitive results. After all, muscle does weigh more than fat.

And now, where do I go from here? I'll tell you where I've been. Up through the first week of October I was exercising pretty consistently, and my eating was not great, but not too terrible either. Then, the second week, I stopped working out for the most part (I managed to get in a few 12-minute runs through most of the week, but nothing else) and my eating escalated--or rather tanked--to very terrible (still no sugar though, so I give myself credit for that). It was just a really, really bad week. I had no motivation to do anything, and I moped around all week feeling like I was never going to make any progress and I would never realize any of my dreams because they were just too out of reach, wah, wah, wah! I was in really bad shape. Now I have pulled myself back into the world of the optimistic and hopeful, and here is what I have learned:

• I did not read or study the scriptures one single day during the dark week; this week I have practiced daily, focused scripture study;
• I did not do any EFT during the dark week; this week I have practiced EFT on a daily basis;
• I ate a lot of nutrient-poor, processed food during the dark week, and lots of sweets and junk food (my no sugar, no hydrogenated oil, no artificial sweeteners, etc. type of junk food); since Monday I have partaken of no processed food and no sweets, other than a glass of chocolate almond milk on occasion;
• I ate lots of meat during the dark week; On Sunday I decided that I am going to transition to a vegetarian, whole foods diet (I'll still eat eggs, yogurt, and fish);
• I did little to no exercise during the dark week; this week I have gotten back into a regular, vigorous exercise routine;
• I allowed myself to wallow in discouragement and self-pity during the dark week; this week I have kept my thoughts positive, hopeful, and filled with gratitude.

I'll tell you, if you are ever feeling depressed, discouraged, or just in a rut, try changing a few of these things that I changed and I guarantee you will see a huge difference in the way you feel and your outlook on life. I'm excited to see where they take me from here.

Just a note on the six months to a six-pack goal: As I find the end of the six months drawing closer and still see how far I have to go, I decided to change the program to sixteen months to a six-pack. The point of this is not so much to give myself another deadline, or to allow lack of discipline and cheating while still earning the rewards. Rather, the point is to encourage myself to continue moving forward, with less concern for how long it might take and more concern for doing it the way that is right for me. I feel really good about this. So I guess I'll be doing these monthly check-ins for a while yet. That's great--I love seeing progress!

Thoughts on searching for the perfect apartment . . . or the perfect man

Finding the perfect apartment is so much easier than it used to be, now that we have great resources such as www.vacancy.com to help us in our search. In fact, it is much like online dating in many ways. [DISCLAIMER: It should not be assumed that finding the “perfect” apartment, or, in fact, the “perfect” man (if he even exists) will in any way secure one’s eternal happiness. The author of this essay, while acknowledging that this does happen from time to time, has yet to figure out how to make it work in her own life—in the case of either the apartment or the man—and therefore should not be relied on as an expert on the subject.] The similarities can be made clear by reviewing the questions outlined below.

Question #1: Is it/he functional? It is important to determine whether the apartment/man is functional before agreeing to rent or date. In the case of the apartment, does it have hardwood floors, ideal for those early morning workouts with Tony Horton (no, Tony is probably not the ideal man, despite the six-pack abs)? Is it open and spacious and able to accommodate those late-night study groups for that upcoming biology mid-term? Is it conveniently located close to campus and a grocery store (for those emergency Ben & Jerry’s runs)? In the case of Mr. Wonderful, does he have a car that functions properly? When he asks you out on a date, and then follows this question immediately with, “Do you mind driving,” that is a big red flag indicating that this man may not be functional. Can you carry on a conversation with him in areas other than sports and cars? If he is a student, is his GPA at least in the triple digits? If he has a job, does it entail having a food handler’s permit and counting out change at a drive-through window? All of these questions will help you identify functionality—or lack thereof—in a man.

Question #2: Is it/he comfortable? An apartment that is not comfortable is an abomination. Yes, it is important that it be attractive and clean, but if you don’t feel like you are really “home” the moment you walk through your door, then this apartment is not the one for you. If you don’t walk in at the end of the day and heave a big sigh of contentment just to be home, then it is time to break up with your apartment. This also goes for Mr. Right. Yes, it is important that he be attractive and clean, but if you don’t feel like you are really “home” the moment you see him, then he is not the guy for you. If you don’t heave that contented sigh every time he walks through your door, then it is time to set him free (with clear instructions that he is never to return).

Question #3: Does it/he have integrity? This is perhaps the most important question of all. Many apartments may look nice on the surface, but an apartment that has integrity goes so much further than gilding. An apartment with integrity will not get too hot in the summer or leak water onto your beautiful hardwood floor in the winter. This apartment would never let bugs inside, or allow mold to grow in its walls. When there is integrity, what you see is what you get. As regarding men, it is perhaps even more crucial to determine the existence of integrity. Does your seemingly kind and gentlemanly date hide a terrible temper just under the surface? Does he tell little white lies to others, causing you to wonder what lies he might be telling you? Does he stay away for periods of time, and then get angry and defensive when you ask him what he has been doing or where he has been? Do you know what corrosive thoughts may be growing inside his mind, or what cankering habits might be developing in his life? When integrity is in question, you can never ask too many questions. And a lack of integrity in an apartment or a man is an immediate deal breaker. Just walk away, and don’t look back (or you may have to deal with consequences that are much worse than being turned into a pillar of salt).

In conclusion, I recommend to anyone who is looking for the ideal apartment (see a great example at the link below), or the ideal date (no example available), to be sure to ask the right questions. If you do, you might just find the apartment and the man of your dreams, and you can all live together happily ever after (NOTE: Please see disclaimer in the first paragraph of this essay).

http://www.vacancy.com/utah/salt-lake-city-apartments/covey-apartments

What is most important to me?

What is most important to me is that I live true to my life purpose. I have spent so many years of my life pursuing goals that my family or society has set for me that I never took the time to search deep within my own soul to find my purpose. A growing dissatisfaction with my job and my life woke me up to the fact that I was burying my dreams and settling for something far less than what I could be experiencing. As I thought about this more and more, I realized that if I didn’t make a major course change soon, I would one day look back on my life with a regretful heart, knowing that I hadn’t lived my life to its fullest, and that I hadn’t reached my potential. This idea filled me with dread, and I decided that I would not settle for less, whatever the cost.

Living true to my life purpose means that I find my passion, determine how I can use that passion to make a difference for good in this world, and then work for it every day of my life, never allowing anything to stop me. It is a process—a journey—and as I continue to meet resistance along the way, I will make it my purpose to fight discouragement by moving forward always, never stopping to rest and never retreating back to my old ways or to my old, unfulfilling life. Perhaps there is safety and comfort there, but in that place there is no joy, no passion, no bliss. I want more. I want to break through all the barriers and find out who I really am and what extraordinary things I am capable of. I want to find myself rising to such a state that I feel as close to God as possible in this human experience. This is the journey of my life purpose. This is that which is most important to me.

And the August results are in . . .

Well, what can I say? I'm following pretty much the same path that I have previously followed when starting a "Six Months To A Six-Pack" type of program. I've gained weight and inches around the waist. This is the point where, historically, I have thrown everything out the window and quit trying. "What's the point?" I would say to myself. "It's obviously not working, and the pressure is just making me fatter." So, I have reached a decision point. Do I throw in the towel like I have done so many times before? I admit that I seriously considered this. But of course, not doing anything doesn't seem to be working either, so maybe I just need to adjust my strategy and re-commit.

. . . *sigh* . . . Do you ever feel like a hamster, running on your wheel day after day? No matter how fast and how hard you run, you never seem to get anywhere. . . *sigh* . . .

Anyway, I've decided to re-commit. I REALLY want this! I am now working with a fitness/nutrition trainer (Melissa Guthrie--contact her at mgfitness321@gmail.com--she's pretty amazing!). Melissa has developed a meal plan personalized to my level of activity, my RMR, and my weight release goals, so that should take care of my nutrition. I started tracking my eating and exercising on MyFitnessPal.com (check out CoachMelindaAnn to see what I have been eating). Now, after taking a couple weeks off from exercising, I am easing gently back into it to ensure that I stay healthy and continue to move forward. And that is exactly what my new strategy is--to keep moving forward, no matter what. I am also really focusing on accepting myself--and my body--exactly as I am. I want to be able to say "I am beautiful exactly as I am" and believe it down to my core.

Just four months left--here's to my re-commitment to getting my six-pack abs! I WILL SUCCEED!

August results:

Weight: 156.2 lbs
Waist: 38.5 inches

Eating right. Check. Exercising regularly. Check. Believing in myself. Hmmm . . .

Okay, so over the last year I have significantly improved my nutrition (e.g. no sugar, green smoothies every day, little meat, lots of beans and whole grains, etc.) and I have seriously increased my exercise volume. Although my workouts have been very sporadic, they still add up to more than the previous three years' workouts combined. In the last 3 1/2 weeks, however, my eating has been beyond healthy, and my workouts have been high quantity and high quality. And yet, even with all this, I still am at pretty close to the same weight I was at nine months ago. So what is the problem???? Seriously, the frustration and anger at my body this morning were overwhelming. Why can't I seem to drop this weight, even when I feel like I am doing everything right? Has anyone else experienced this?

Well, I'm guessing there are others out there with similar stories. I know I could conjecture that it has to do with my portion sizes, or eating too often, or eating not often enough, or eating at the wrong times of the day, or my ratio of carbs to protein to fat, or the toxins that my fat cells are holding onto and they just don't want to let them go because that would dump all this toxic waste (literally) into my body so they are holding on for dear life, or a million other things. But to tell you the truth, I have been down most of these roads, and I am still sitting here in the same 150-pound-plus body that I had nine months ago. Want to know what I really think? Well, I'm going to tell you because this is my blog and I can do what I want on my blog. (o; I really think this is a problem of limiting subconscious beliefs and energy blocks. I know this may sound kind of voo doo to many people, but I really believe it. I recently listened to an interview with an energy therapist, Carol Look, and she said that it is impossible to get thin if you feel fat. How I feel about my body and how I feel inside are what are dictating my weight and my level of fitness. I feel like a fat, unattractive woman, so that is exactly what my body is manifesting. Subconsciously I have some serious limiting beliefs about being fit and lean (one example being that it just doesn't feel safe to be lean and fit . . . and attractive to men . . . because men are unsafe) so of course my body wants to hold onto this weight because subconsciously that is exactly what I have been telling it to do. My body is responding to my subconscious programming, and it will continue to do so until I change that programming.

So, how do I change the programming? There are lots of different ways, but I am going with EFT (emotional freedom technique, aka tapping) for right now. This morning I did A LOT of tapping about these issues and frustrations I am having with my body, and it was a very emotional experience. At the end, however, I felt at peace, and I felt like I could love and appreciate my body just as it is, and I felt that I could forgive my body for not doing what I [consciously] wanted it to. I know it is doing the best it can.

The results of this EFT??? Short-term: peace and acceptance and charity. Long-term: time will tell.

Tomorrow has finally come . . .

You know how I ended that last post of about 6 weeks ago with "More tomorrow . . ."? Well, I guess it is finally tomorrow, because here I am ready to give you more.

So here is the deal: My sister and I both have committed to having 6-pack abs by the end of this year--yes, that's less than 5 months away. When we decided all this, however, it was 6 months away and 6 Months to a 6-Pack round 2 had officially begun. Only this time we are experiencing success.

Here is how it works: Every day my sister and I have certain goals to aim for, such as two full hours of exercise, getting to bed by 9pm, drinking a quart of green smoothie, etc. For each goal we complete each day, we earn money (up to $7 a week). We are allowed one non-sugar treat a week, and we have to pay $1 for any more than that. Also, at the end of each month, we get to weigh ourselves and measure our waistline to determine our progress. If we have improved, we earn an additional $5. If we have not improved, we pay $5.

So that's the plan--by December 31, 2011, I am going to have 6-pack abs. I will succeed. I am committed. I am determined. I am motivated.

And you want to know the exciting part? I started having some pain in my foot, so I switched all my runs to bike rides for the time being while my foot is resting. Now I realize that this may not sound all that exciting to most people, but for me it is. You see, I seem to have this sub-conscious need to sabotage myself whenever I start doing something like this, so I always wind up injured. This lovely pattern has been going on for years, and every time it happens, it sidelines me. I wind up on the couch, feeling frustrated, feeling sorry for myself, and complaining that I am getting fat and can't do anything about it (as I eat cheesecake and cookies to comfort myself). Well, not this time. This time, I just did a lot of praying and tapping (aka EFT) and changed up my workout so that I wouldn't lose momentum--or training time. And I have kept going. I wish I could articulate what a huge breakthrough this is for me. I didn't give in to anger, frustration, and self-pity, and I didn't use this as an excuse to give up. I have kept going, and my motivation and commitment are still strong, and I am still moving forward--and I WILL SUCCEED!!! Very exciting (for me at least!)!!!

Okay, this is getting long-winded but I have to do one more thing--record my weight and waistline measurement for all the world to see. So here goes: At the beginning of 6 Months to a 6-Pack round 2, I weighed approximately 153 lbs., and my waistline measured approximately 38 inches. So there you have it. I had actually gained a quarter of an inch at the August 1st weigh-in, and my weight stayed the same, but I know that this month I am going to see huge progress. Can't wait to report that on September 1st.

In the meantime, I'll give regular updates as to my experiences and how I'm feeling. My foot is feeling much better, by the way, and I plan to be running again within the week.

True Confessions: A 6-Pack and a 5-Minute Mile

I have a confession to make. I want a 6-pack. I have wanted 6-pack abs for as long as I can remember, yet despite my best efforts, this goal has always eluded me. Why is that? I even started my own “6 Months to a 6-Pack” program a couple years ago, complete with progress reports and pictures. What happened? After the first two or three months of seeing little or no progress, I just stopped. I gave up. I lost my focus, my motivation, and my determination.

I have another confession—I want to run a 5-minute mile. Not just one—I want to be able to run a 5k at that pace, and then a 10k, and then a half marathon, etc. By this point I am sure you are thinking, “She can’t even manage a 6-pack, and she thinks she is going to run a 5-minute mile? She has her head in the clouds!” And my response to you is, “Perhaps, but I can’t help it. I am a dreamer.”

The thing about me is, I have always been a dreamer. I dream big, but I don’t often see those dreams come true—at least not yet. I want to be married to my soulmate—I am still single at 36 years old. I want to be a millionaire—I am living paycheck to paycheck out of my mom’s basement as I try to pay off my debts. I want to own my own fitness and nutrition coaching business—I am working at an unfulfilling desk job because I haven’t worked out how to pay for the schooling needed for this drastic career change. I want a 6-pack—I have never come close to a 6-pack, not even at my most fit. I want to run a 5-minute mile—I currently can barely run a 10-minute mile. That’s 1 mile. Not a 5k. Not a 10k. Not a half marathon. 1 mile. Hmmm . . .

This week, however, I finally reached the breaking point. I am tired of not seeing my dreams fulfilled, and I am tired of not having the sexy 6-pack abs I have always longed for. So, the time has come. I am going to have a 6-pack by the end of the year. That’s right, it’s time for another “6 Months to a 6-Pack”, only this time I am going to succeed. I am committed. I am focused. I am motivated. I am determined. It’s time. More details tomorrow . . .

Fitness Training Journal - Day 3

I'm not sure today's workout could really be considered exercise. I did get up early, and I went and met my sister at the pool. We were going to work on some Total Immersion (TI) swim drills for the first half hour, and then swim laps for the second half hour. We ended up working on swim drills the entire time, making questionable progress in the whole TI balancing act, and then calling it quits. Guess I need to study those balancing drills a little more before my next swim. If only the book were completely waterproof and I could just take it to the pool with me.

I was going to skip the planned run for today until I remembered the "fun walk/run" fundraising event my older sister, Holly, invited me to. She volunteered at the event, which was organized by her sons' school. So I headed out there with my twin sister, Denise, and her two youngest munchkins, and we did a very slow ChiJog, if there is such a thing, while she pushed the stroller and we both did our best to focus on form as we were weaving around all the walkers. About two miles into it we ran into Holly, standing on the corner, directing traffic, cheering people on, at which point our fun run turned into a fun sisterly chat. We talked to Holly for a while and then headed home. So I guess I got my rest day today after all. Total calories burned: approximately 25.

ChiRunning Journal, Days 1 and 2

Day 1 - Ran Monday morning with twin sister/training partner after returning from the ChiRunning workshop in San Francisco. Let's just say I was in the zone. The ChiRunning workshop was fun and inspiring, and now I am completely decided about becoming a ChiRunning coach. Sign me up! This is the way to go for triathletes, recreational runners, distance runners, trail runners, etc. When you get it just right (which I managed to do on and off during the workshop and during the Monday morning run) you feel like you are floating effortlessly over the ground, barely even skimming the surface. It feels wonderful! But then the one-minute timer goes off and I bring my attention back to the "form focuses" for this run: Align the legs and feet, create your column. My sister and I take turns calling out the focuses, interspersed with our positive affirmations. We call this our creation run. We are learning ChiRunning and creating our life all at the same time. I felt great during and after this run. Of course, it helped when we passed a couple of women who were running on the same path, and as we passed them again on our return one of them commented, "Wow, you guys are fast!" I can honestly say that nobody has ever said that to me since I was one of the "Flying Batchelors", a name given to my sister and I in 4th grade because we could run faster than all the boys in the class. I was probably naturally ChiRunning at that time, in my little miniature 4th grade body (and I was miniature), without even knowing it. (o:

Day 2 - Ran today during my lunch break. Ran alone. I wasn't in the zone. My hips felt tight and although I was trying to remember what I was taught at the workshop to help loosen them up, they kept getting tighter, until that left psoas muscle yelled at me to stop my run ten minutes earlier than I had planned. So I only ran for about 45ish minutes. What can I say--I love my body and I try to listen when it is yelling at me. So what did I learn from today's run: 1) I might need to take the day off tomorrow (from running at least--see you at the pool!). 2) I think I was stepping in front of my center of gravity a little bit, which forced my legs (esp. the psoas) to pull me forward rather than letting gravity do all the work. I will watch that carefully on the next run. 3) I need to let the buns jiggle!!! Danny Dreyer says we are all tight-a__es (I just can't use bad language, not even on a blog). Well, Danny is right about me. I hold those buns so tight while trying to engage my core and level my pelvis (one of the form focuses for today) that I get too stiff and it messes up my form. The consequence: no floating, tight hips, and feeling much heavier while running. This is a much more tiring way to run. Lesson for next time: let that booty shake!

If you are interested in ChiRunning, go check it out at www.chirunning.com. I'll be a certified instructor within the year and I would LOVE to be your ChiRunning coach at that time, but in the meantime go check out the website and read the book (about $10 on Amazon.com--best $10 you'll ever spend!).

One month of . . . almost perfection . . .

Well, the month of perfection is now past, and my first triathlon in over three years is completed. So the big question is this--did I complete my month of perfection PERFECTLY, or did I fail?

Let's examine this question for a minute. What does it mean to fail? In one sense it means that I didn't perfectly complete every workout according to contract. By this definition it's an all or nothing decision, and I clearly failed. )o:

Okay, now let's approach it from a different angle: Why did I create and sign this contract in the first place? Well, it was to help me prepare adequately for this landmark event in my life. Now, I had about three weeks of perfection, according to contract, and the last week was probably about 75%, so really not bad. And did I feel adequately prepared for the Woman of Steel triathlon which took place this past Saturday? You bet I did! I can honestly say that I didn't even feel nervous the morning of the event. I was calm and completely at peace, and I KNEW that all would be well. I knew I could do the distances, that I could complete the event without collapsing prior to crossing the finish line, and that I had guardian angels with me to make sure things went smoothly. Wasn't this my goal, and the whole reason for the month of perfection? So in the first sense (the one the courts would probably hold up) I might have failed, but in the second, more meaningful sense, I absolutely reached my goals, and therefore, I deserve to be rewarded. (o:

Per the contract, my reward was to be a $100 clothes shopping spree with my twin sister (and training partner). As this was the contracted prize, and I did not technically fulfill the contract, I thought it appropriate that I not take the $100 shopping spree. However, since I don't feel right about punishing myself when I did so well and was so successful, I am rewarding myself instead with a 1-hr massage. I think I'll call and make that appointment now . . .

One week completed and still going strong!

Well, here I am, still standing after my first week of perfection. My body certainly is not used to so much activity and so many early mornings on such a consistent basis, but other than some [really] sore muscles and some sleepiness in the afternoon, I find that my body is adapting amazingly well. I feel myself getting stronger and leaner and more powerful, and it is a wonderful feeling. I have no limits other than my own beliefs! As I have been clearing these limiting beliefs, primarily through prayer, meditation, and energy clearing techniques, I find that old recurring injuries have begun to fade away and my body wants to show me just exactly what it is capable of--and I know it is capable of really extraordinary things! I am loving the anticipation of seeing just where we will go together!

At the same time that it is showing me how amazing it is, of course, my body also really wants me to listen to what it has to say, so I have been tuning in and taking notes. This week it has been telling me that it wants me to stay strong in my faith through constant and consistent spiritual nourishment, that it wants me to have a cheerful heart always full of hope for the wonderful things I am creating in every moment of my life, and that if I can express love without judgment, like my Lord Jesus Christ taught me to do, that I can do ANYTHING!!! I can feel this in my whole body when I am living in harmony or out of harmony with these principles, and believe me, it feels much better to be in harmony with them (not to mention every day goes more smoothly and is chalk full of miracles when I am in harmony with this faith, hope, and charity).

One other thing my body wants me to hear--I need a rest!!! So today I am taking it easy, even while completing the required workouts for the day. Rest is good, when I have been working so hard. (o:


I am loving how great I feel! I'll check back in soon to update my progress!

One month of perfection?

Today has been a perfect day so far. I woke up at 4:30am with my alarm, did my tai chi exercise (chi gathering) for 5 minutes, suited up and got outside for a 20-minute bike ride, and then came home and did an hour of yoga followed by another 10 minutes of strength training. I was showered and breakfasted and logged into my computer for work by 8am, and things have continued very well since then. And, to top it all off, I remembered this morning that today is a half-day at work thanks to Good Friday! Good Friday indeed, in more ways than one. What a wonderful day! In a few minutes I am going to do my breakthrough dancing (essentially moving my body in whatever way feels good to me as I send lots of love to myself and my body--so wonderful you need to try it--check out bodyimagebreakthroughcenter.com). For lunch, I get to go over to my twin sister and fellow fitness enthusiast's house for some barefoot running outside.

Seriously, could I ask for a more perfect day? I think not! So here's the million-dollar (or should I say, hundred-dollar--keep reading) question: Can I keep this up every day for the next 30 days? I have a triathlon--my first in over 3 years--coming up one month from now (May 21st, to be exact) and I actually sat down with my sister/training partner last night and wrote out on a blank calendar what I am going to do each day for the next 4 weeks to train for this triathlon. Up until this point my training has been spotty and inconsistent, so I decided it was time to get serious. I committed to this workout plan as a contract, signature and all. After I have successfully completed these 30 days of workouts, I get to treat myself to a $100 shopping trip with my amazingly awesome twin sister. So one month of perfection is before me, and I know I can do it! I am releasing all limiting beliefs and believing in the champion within me! I know she is there, and she is ready to be seen! I love this! I love finding out what is inside of me, what I am capable of! It's time to break out of these bonds that have held me back for my entire life! I am starting this new phase in my life with this month of perfection. I'll let you know how it goes. (o: