On the home stretch

This journey never ceases to surprise me. Each and every step of the way it offers new insights and new "WOW" moments as I continue down the path to personal health and wellness. This past week and weekend I had several of those. Some good and some challenging.

Two weeks ago, I started a new phase of the journey - the home stretch. The Master Chief and my Transformation Coach - Leif Anderson  - created a final-stage fat loss plan designed to bring me to goal over the next few weeks. I'd like to lose about another 20 lbs. But am anxiously awaiting results of my body fat percentage before we determine a final goal weight.

After more than a year of working with Leif at the helm, I have learned to appreciate each phase of the journey and the learning that comes with it. Perhaps more importantly, I have learned to trust the process. And trust Leif! By doing so, I have learned so much - from the importance of fat loss not weight loss, adjusting my metabolic rate to keep me working as a fat burning machine, how to kick it in the gym and make that mind-muscle connection (still working on this one), tips for walking the journey when the going gets tough...and more. Trust in the plan, the process, my coach (the brains behind this operation) and most of all, myself.

These next few weeks will not be easy. With each of the four weeks, I eat a bit less food and work out more. During the next couple of weeks, I expect to be challenged perhaps more than I have been to date. But I am not worried. I feel strong, confident, determines and focused like a laser beam on the goal. And there is no question in my mind that I will achieve and enter a maintenance program this early spring.

Today, I am thankful for my personality that allows me to be focused, determined, independent and strong. At the same time, I am incredibly grateful for my team - Leif, O'Neal, Sandra, Denise, and all of my day to day supporters and friends who have cheered me on.

Good things are happening and my thought is it only gets better. Wish me luck in this strict phase of my plan and the all important home stretch.

Lori

New fit girl - some humor for week one

This is too awesome not to share. Just makes me laugh out loud every time.

A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM

If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my kids purchased for me a week of personal training at the local health club. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me.

He is something of a Greek god-- with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!

Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines… I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!

Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around.

This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!

It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop.

I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.

My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other shit too.

THURSDAY:

Asshole was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes.

He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny bitch to find me.
Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which I sank.

FRIDAY:
I hate that bastard Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobics instructor. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.

Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher.

Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
SATURDAY:

Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel…

SUNDAY:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my kids will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy.

I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Each rep, each set, each step

I came across this quote online and at the same time discovered Erin Stern. Holy crap that girl is fit! Of course I had no idea who she was until I googled. And, I am quite certain the old me would have judged her upon appearance alone quite harshly (perhaps out of jealousy). 

Yes, I am sorry to admit that had I known she was the 2010 Figure Olympia Champion, I might not have given her inspirational words a second look. But, I am in the process of finding Fit Girl Lori and thus I chose to be totally inspired by Erin Stern, the athlete.

I am starting a new phase of my program and will need to hit it extra hard in the gym. Bottom line, I am going to "kick it" this week and leave nothing on the field. (Who is this person typing this blog - and where did Lori go?! :-) Thanks to Erin Stern, my mantra will be: Concentrate on each rep, each set, and each step. After all, I am a fit girl.

Each rep, each set, each step I own it - do you see? I'm not training for "almost," "not quite," or "maybe." Each rep, each set, each step - Closer to victory. ... So, on I fight - Me vs. me. Leaving nothing on the field - Only sweat. Giving more than my all - No regret. Pushing for the day I find The body in the mirror Mirrors the one I see in my mind. I own it - and I'll never rest Until I'm better than my best....                              --By Erin Stern

Celebrating the happy girl in the pink dress

Happy Valentine's Day friends. And Happy Birthday to me! I love this day of love and sweetness, and would totally embrace it even if it weren't my birthday.

Today, I celebrate not only me...but the new me (inside and out). And, all of the amazing people whom I love and who have accompanied me on this incredible journey. What a lucky, lucky girl I am to have so many amazing people in my corner assisting, encouraging, and cheering me on.

You know who you are...and I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

If this day could be described in a dress, this year it would be hot pink and sexy! Most of you know, I have come to LOVE my dresses. And this year I got a new funky dress and a hot pink jacket from INC to sport on my birthday. It was fun to get dressed up for my party at Bluefin Bay this past Saturday night. But even more fun to look at the pictures from last year's party and see the difference a year has made.

I don't have any profound blog post for today other than to spread the love and share my gratitude!

I plan to spend my day cherishing the gift of health and happiness that has come my way. Taking in each and every interaction and being thankful that I am loving life and couldn't be more excited about the future prospects.

I hold in my big heart today each and every person who has touched me along my journey - from the excavation team (Leif, O'Neal, Sandra, Denise, Shari & my FN 2 crew), to my family and friends who are too many to list, to my Marketing that Matters team - including Jodi, Theressa, and Anne who has coached and encouraged me along the way, to the new friends I have met along the way, and all of those who have reached out for help.

And for everyone who struggles with their weight or for that matter anything they feel they can't do, I tell you this. You can! And you will.

Big hugs! XXXX OOOOO

Lori

Fit girls push harder

This morning, I am wresting with my head after a reality check about the intensity of my workouts - in particular strength training. Have I been too dependent on my trainers' help and guidance, not dialing into my own body and ensuring that I can rock it on my own in the weight room or the gym?

This has been suggested by people close to me. The truth is, it really ticked me off at the time and I got defensive. So perhaps there is my answer! It also caused a chain reaction in my head. I started to believe that I wasn't achieving enough (aka wasn't good enough) on the fitness side of this journey. And I got down on myself.

Bottom line. Those negative thoughts get stopped in their tracks right now with this blog. I am NOT going negative, or getting whiny, or letting a little workout in the gym mess with my head or kick my butt. NOT happening! I am too strong, too stubborn, and frankly too far along in this journey for that. I am a fit girl and a strong girl and I am going to kick some ass - fitness and otherwise!

But I must take note of the emotion -- the feelings of inadequacy that automatically came up. What is really going on for me? I know that the fitness part of the journey is critical to my short-term success - getting to goal. I also know it is critical to my long-term health and wellness. There is no question that I am committed to being someone who stays healthy and fit long after I reach my goal weight. And thus, there is no question that I am someone who will rock it in the gym on my own and push myself hard, with or without a trainer...for years to come.

If this journey has taught me one thing, it is to trust myself. Believe in myself. The strength is there...deep inside me. Sometimes that means pushing harder. And sometimes it means being gentle with myself and accepting that I am not perfect.

Can I be better about making each and every work out count, pushing myself harder in the gym and perfecting my form in strength training exercises? Absolutely. No question. No excuses.

At the same time, I am learning to live in a brand new body and I went from couch/office chair (with a fear of the gym) to working out nearly every day. Indeed, in one year, I have made incredible strides - in the fitness arena and in all facets of my life. I am not a weight lifter. I am not a ballarina. I am just me. And I have been working hard consistently to make huge gains both on the fitness and on the nutritional side.

So, while again, it is clear I am not perfect. And, there is room for improvement. I feel awesome and am proud of what I have accomplished. No shame or self loathing needed!

Indeed, I can kick it up a notch and dial into my muscle movements during weight training. I can also do a better job of learning the specific names and techniques of the exercises if that is what I need to do. And, I can do them on my own vs. with a trainer. Adjustments will be made.

However, I am choosing to believe I am a fit person on a journey and this is one step, perhaps one snag, along the way. I am learning new things about myself each day -- both inside and outside - and I will take this information and make changes to my program to become a lean, mean fat burning machine (as coach Leif would say).

But, I won't let it get me down...stop me in my tracks or, most importantly, make me feel inadequate. And I won't make excuses. I am too strong, too healthy (inside and out) and stubborn for that. Ha! I love that about me.

Got sleep?

Boy did I get a lesson in sleep these past few days. It's so insightful that I have to share.

We all have times when life gets totally nuts, right? People want us, need us, demand us... Earlier this week, I was feeling like there wasn't enough of me to go around. I couldn't get to everyone and everything.

Then, I stopped for a second and realized that, once again, I had taken the focus off me! I was slipping out of the center of the equation and my non-negotiable list to keep Lori in the equation - like getting a minimum of 6 to 7 hours of sleep - was indeed slipping. I was trying to do it all, please everyone else, and still hold myself in the equation. But, the primary focus was moving to those other things...and people. I shifted my focus inadvertently to everything I felt I SHOULD do and WANTED to do vs. what I NEEDED to do to stay strong, focused, and moving forward to reach my goal. And let's face it, as much as I THINK I am super woman - my powers are limited!

As I was figuring this out, I was letting my sleep slip first and foremost. For more than a week, I averaged only 6 hours a night and the last three nights 5, 5 and then way less than 5. A slippery slope. Consequently, I started to notice that everything was more difficult. At work, everything was tougher and less productive than it could/should be. Clients were way more frustrating. It was tough to get up for my workouts and they were less intense than if I were fully rested. My relationships were starting to strain as I got crabbier and crabbier about all of the above. And, I wasn't as creative or fun as I want to be in my personal or professional life.

So last night, I nipped it in the bud. I got off the working treadmill with miles and miles to go and lots of unfinished strategies and plans. And, I did NOT get up to work out this morning at 6 a.m.. Instead, I got 7.25 hours of sleep. I know this because of my super, handy dandy Fitbit Ultra that tracks my quality sleep. I LOVE that thing!

The result: I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and raring to go! And guess what? I am so creative in the first few hours of my day I can hardly stand it. Creative, full of energy, ready to take on the world.

Sleep, my friends, is very, very, very important. You read this and hear it from experts, but until you really experience it (and learn the lesson - for some of us over and over), you don't realize just what a difference it makes. In everything! I am a happier, more energized and creative marketer and human being today. I know I will rock the world. I already am!

So much fun to be had. So sleep. Sometimes at the expense of other things. When you do, it will make those other things possible.

Now, I can hear my trainers as they read this - oh, but there are still many more hours to work out today! :-)

Hugs. Sweet dreams!
Lori