Deeply Moved ... and from something so simple :)

This past weekend I attended a professional development conference, Region III Lead-On, with many of my coworkers.  This conference is basically a smaller version of the national NIRSA conference for people looking into professional development or positions/careers in Campus Recreational Sports.  I was so excited to bring 4 of my Group Exercise leaders along to this conference and I hope that they got a good idea of what Campus Rec is all about.

Being away for two days on a figure diet is not easy...

(This was my meal plan for the weekend)

The conference was held at The Ohio State University and their recreation center was definitely impressive!  I think all of the undergraduates we brought with us had a great experience.

As for myself, I did have one experience at the conference that I would like to quickly post about.  It was an extremely moving moment for me.  At the conference, there are presentations throughout the two days that relate to professional development in the field.  Many of the presentations are put on by students in the field and have to do with finding a graduate assistant position, perfecting your resume, job search strategies, etc.  

 

Sometimes, there are presentations about one specific area in recreational sports like Intramural Sports or Fitness.  One presentation was about Group Exercise and Personal Training and how you can use skills from one to assist with the other and make it more effective.  This topic definitely caught my eye as I had actually presented last year at Midwest Fit Fest on Using Group Exercise Skills in your Personal Training Sessions.  My presentation was half lecture, half workout and showed many trainers and group exercise leaders the benefits of using counting, small equipment, drills, etc. from Group Exercise to make your training sessions stand out.  

The presentation at Lead-On this past weekend was very similar to mine, though it was in lecture form as we were all in business casual attire.  There was one interactive portion that everyone seemed to really enjoy.  The presentation was a lot of fun and definitely a success.  I decided to walk up to one of the presenters at the end and introduce myself.  Both presenters were Senior undergraduate students from Purdue University.  I approached one of the presenters and let her know how much I had enjoyed her presentation and that I had actually presented on the same topic last year at Midwest Fit Fest.  She immediately stopped and said "It's you!"  At this point I am confused and she goes on to tell me that she and some of her co-workers and supervisors attended my presentation last year at Fit Fest and it was the inspiration for this presentation.  Further more, it was her inspiration to begin looking into working in Personal Training and then finding methods to improve the experience for herself and her clients.  She said she had left my session "Changed" and she was blown away by what I had presented at that conference.

This may not seem like much to some people, but this was one of the most powerful experiences I have had in my professional development.  By presenting at a small fitness conference on a topic that was very important to me, I had inspired someone else to begin a new career path and present at a regional professional development conference. She had then inspired the 40 or so people in that room who can then each inspire someone else.  

 

I remember leaving my presentation last year thinking it pretty successful, but really just dwelling on how I could have presented the material better.  Was I speaking too fast?  Did I forget any points?  I don't recall really thinking, "I sure hope this inspires someone and improves their professional career path forever."  And NEVER did I think, "I hope this was powerful enough to inspire someone else to pass the information and inspiration on to others in the field."

But I now see that is what it is all about! THIS is the reason I am in the field I am.  THIS is the reason I worked my BUTT off through undergrad and carried all those jobs and volunteered my time at the Rec Center.  THIS is the reason I decided to change my life when I was a teenager.  The reason I took that GED and wrote that letter to IU.  The reason I spent my entire undergrad working in as many Fitness jobs as I possibly could, trying to pay for tuition and fees.  The reason I took the GRE, applied for Grad School, interviewed for those graduate assistant positions, and landed the position I am in today.  

 

Because if I can change just ONE person's life, it is all worth it.  I would do it all over again and again and then some.  Because when ONE person changes, OTHERS see that change and they are MOVED by it.  Moved to take charge of their own lives and to then pass the inspiration on to others.  And the torch is continuously passed until the world begins to change!

 

Yes, I would say that the conference was a huge success.  That one moment meant so much.  I will never forget how it felt to have an impact on someone else.  I hope I can continue to do so in everything I do.  I pray that God will continue to use me to do His will and that I am always open and ready to carry it out.

12 Weeks Out

Yesterday officially marked 12 weeks until my first figure competition.

I have the shoes (5" heels!) that I am practicing posing in 3-4 times a week as of right now. 
At the end of this week, I will be placing an order for my suit.  My diet and my sleeping schedule has become very strict and specific.  Missing workouts is just not an option.  This is the point where the winners are separated from everyone else who competes.  This is where it starts to get hard (especially the diet!).  And I am so ready.

This has been quite a journey for me so far.  It really is a mind battle trying to get everything right.  I probably spend about 2 or 3 hours each night just researching as much information as I can about Figure.  There is SO MUCH to learn. 

Family and friends have continued to be encouraging.  If I become anti-social over the next 12 weeks, you will all know why.  :)  I am nervous about the pressure of my graduate courses, work, and the competition.  So far, training and diet have been on my mind almost constantly.  When I don't have "time to work out" I will MAKE time.  I just have to keep the goal in mind at all times.

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As for anyone reading this blog, many of you are probably almost a month into your New Years resolutions.  If this is the case, KEEP IT GOING!  You have already come SO FAR and you only need to make it a HABIT.  Once the habit is there it will become so much more enjoyable.  No more "I'll do it later."  THIS IS YOUR TIME!  You may not see change right away.  You may feel like nothing is happening yet.  It takes a lot of time.  But it will be so worth it.

Take a look at Lisa here.  She is training to be the oldest Olympic female weight lifter. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_INNNexHE
What an awesome goal.

And here is Ernestine Sheperd, who was the oldest female body builder (there may be an older one now, not sure) but her story is pretty incredible as well.  She didn't start training for a body building competition until she was 71 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wXFSczN6Rw&feature=related

The body is such an amazing thing.  God gave us this tool and we should be using it!  Get out there and move!

Building Your Support System

With any goal, one of the most helpful things we can do is surround ourselves with positive and encouraging people.  With exercise, results come from the choices we make on a day-to-day basis.  It really is the little things that add up in the long run.  If someone is influencing you to make unhealthy choices, maybe it's time to sit down with that person and let them know how important this is to you.  Sometimes you may have to distance yourself in order to make healthy habits.  Once you have those healthy habits in place, you won't be distracted by others' choices as much.  Distancing yourself doesn't necessarily mean ignoring those people in your life, but rather suggesting alternative ways to enjoy your time together.  Not everyone will be supportive in your journey, but you need to let the people that care for you know how much this means to you and what you need as you try to adopt healthy lifestyle changes.

On that note, I'd just like to give a little shout out to my husband.  When it comes to food selection, Michael is not the most health-conscious person I've ever met.  So it was a very sweet surprise when he called me from the grocery to let me know he was picking up more almond milk for me.  He said, "I don't think they have what you want and I know this isn't it because it has 15 grams of sugar."  He knows me so well!  He eventually found the one I want in the health food section and said he knew it was the one because it was "soy free, lactose free, and unsweetened."  It was really nice that he had paid attention to what I'm eating during my training.  I always buy the groceries and just throw in what I need for my competition.  So  it was really sweet when he ALSO came home with Truvia (zero calorie natural sweetener), eggs, AND flowers!  He also wrote me a very sweet card about how proud he is that I am working hard for this competition.  What a good hubby.

New Year Inspiration

Need a little New Year inspiration?  

Check out Betty Lou Sweeney:  A 71 year-old woman, she holds the Guinness World Record for the plank with a plank time of 36 minutes and 58 seconds!  Two years before this, she was over 100 pounds heavier and in the hospital for kidney failure when she decided to turn her life around.  (And look, she's a Packer's fan!)  

Check out her story here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyzuwpsTw-M

What a story!  Really makes me think about how hard I am working and the goals that I think may be "unreachable."  What are your "unreachable" goals?  What barriers can you work to eliminate so that your goals become attainable?  

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. -Philippians 4:13

Frustrations in the Weight Room

For all of my friends out there in the fitness industry, I'm sure you share my frustration on this topic.

When I arrived at the community center gym today after my run, I found a man and his son there.  The man was instructing his son (probably in the age range of 11-14 years old) on how to do all sorts of exercises that his dad was doing.  Unfortunately, they were totally incorrect, unorganized, and inappropriate for the son's age or fitness level.  The most frustrating part is that the man would yell at his son if he didn't have the strength to do an exercise.  I wanted to scream at him to MODIFY IT!  At one point, the man's friend walked into the gym and the man waved and said "I'm personal training today.  Personal Trainer in the house!"  At this point I'm fuming and what I want to say is, "Hmmm, do you hold a national certification?  Do you have a four year degree in this field?  Did you have your son fill out the proper paperwork and risk stratify him in order to design a proper individualized program for him?"  But instead, I shook me head and remained quiet.  This is where I struggle.  

I have corrected people in a gym before on their own workouts, but this was an overbearing father and his son.  I wasn't looking forward to an argument with the man on what he was doing with his own son, but I did not want the kid getting hurt.  Finally I said, "I think that weight is too heavy," when he was attempting a tricep pushdown with his back bent all out of whack.  The son actually looked at his dad and said "Yea, it's a little heavy dad."  The dad didn't say much to me, but he did lower the weight.  They left soon after, but I can't help but think of all of the things I could have said to correct the postures the son was in and I was angry at myself for not saying them.

I know this is a constant struggle for me as a fitness professional.  I am sure many others in this field deal with this all the time as well.  What does one do in this situation?  Do we step in and say, "Look, I'm qualified to do this job and let me give you some advice" or do we just let people keep on doing things incorrectly?  It is particularly frustrating as a woman.  At times I do step in and tell people what I see but many times it is the big beefy guys who are doing things all wrong and they look at me like I'm crazy.  But then at least I tried to help.

If you were at the gym and you were working out and someone came up and corrected you, would you be okay with it?  Personally I think I would if it were a qualified individual but at the same time, you don't always know the background of the person performing incorrect exercises.  

It's also hard to get a good focused workout in when you are always trying to help other people.  When do you step back and separate yourself in order to enjoy your own stress-relief time at the gym?  And is that ever an appropriate thing to do when the bodies, postures, and potentially lives of people could be in danger?

My advice to anyone who is a beginner with exercise would be to do your homework and get advice from a professional if possible.  Even if it is just a tutorial on how to use specific machines from the consultant working at the time, it is better than putting yourself in a position for potential injury. 

Thanks for reading my frustrations.  Enjoy your holiday and be safe everyone!

Ahhhh, Christmas Vacation

Michael and I arrived in Houston this afternoon to visit with his grandma and the rest of the Steinbacher clan.

Elaine (mother-in-law) and uncle Mike picked us up at the airport and we went straight to the grocery!  (At this point I was starving from the morning flight and lack of a good breakfast)  We came back and chatted for a bit, had a snack, and then uncle Mike and I ran to the gym/club located in Marianne's neighborhood for a workout followed by a run back.

These past few days we were at home with my parents to celebrate an early Christmas since we will be here in TX for the 25th.  While there I was able to get to Anytime Fitness for my workouts and I even took my mom and sister in a couple of times.  I also cooked dinner with my mom a few times.  Here's a little sample of an early dinner meal we had:

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped into 2-inch cubes
1 lb red potatoes, chopped into fourths
1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup basil, chopped
8 cherry tomatoes
Red bell pepper (sliced or chopped)
2 garlic gloves, thinly sliced
1.5 TBSP Olive Oil
1 tsp rosemary
Ground pepper

Bake in oven at 400 degrees in greased (with spray) baking dish. Add chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, basil, garlic, and olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary. Add pepper if desired.  Bake for about 45 minutes until tender.

(we used dry spices instead of fresh and it still turned out delicious)

Pretty healthy and delicious. 

Sticking to a meal plan and exercise regimen can be tough when on a vacation.  I learned at the airport (while I was salivating over the Coldstone I wished I could eat) that I probably should have planned a little better and eaten a good filling breakfast before the trip.  Thank goodness Elaine had a protein bar when she picked us up.  Anyway, we've been on "vacation" for 5 days now and so far I have been avoiding many of the temptations that come my way and sticking to the workout plan.  I've decided that since I'm far from competition and on an "off-season" diet, on Christmas I am going to allow myself a treat and finally have a drink or a snack with the family.  (What should I choose?!  Glass of wine, cocktail, oreo ball?!) 

Sometimes it is good to give yourself a cheat snack in order to not only trick your metabolism, but also to reward yourself for the hard work you've been putting in!  It is great to have something to look forward to and for many people, it can make you work all the harder for it.  Just make sure you aren't stuck in that "all-or-nothing" mentality.  Get right back into that healthy regimine after that one snack and stick to it!

If I don't post again by Christmas, have a merry Christmas and God bless!

This past week has been just awesome.  

I have been keeping up with my 5 days/week lifting routine and really starting to enjoy cycling (indoors).  Plus, these past two days have been great having a lifting partner.  Having someone to exercise with can make the process much more enjoyable and it will hold you accountable and keep you working hard.  

I'll be traveling home to see my family tomorrow and then it will be off to Texas to visit the Steinbacher clan.  I am feeling SO blessed to have such AMAZING support from both sides of my family during this process.  

My mother and sister have agreed to come with me to the local Anytime Fitness in my hometown where I'll be meeting with some of the staff there (I've been contacting them to have a look at the place for awhile, we don't have many gyms in my home town), getting a tour, and getting to use the facility for a few days. My mom has agreed to take me to the grocery store immediately when I get home tomorrow in order to stock up on all the essentials for my clean eating plan (I eat every 3 hours).

Not only has my family shown support and encouragement, my in-laws have been just awesome with moving their entire schedule around just to support my eating and exercise habits before this competition (including changing their spring break plans!!)

I am very blessed to have such a wonderful family.

My motivation is high and I am feeling good!  If anyone from home would like to join me at the gym over the next few days, I'd be happy to have someone to lift with!  I believe your first workout is free at Anytime Fitness as well.  :)

After coming home today from an awesome workout, I made a very tasty shake:

1 to 1.5 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (only ingredient is peanuts! - all PB is NOT created equally, check labels!)

1 banana
Optional scoop of vanilla whey powder (if you use it)

Very simple, very good.

It's almost the weekend!  Get out and MOVE today!!!  God Bless!