Bikini Babe's Secret to Sucess, and a trip to Hawaii

Recently, My Sailor and I took advantage of his leave (and some room on a credit card) and booked a short package trip to North Shore, Hawaii. Hawaii was his choice of a vacation destination, and it was a lot of fun.

To quickly sum up the trip, we...

Hanging out at Turtle Bay Resort

 spent some time on the beach...

Hiking at Ka'ena Point

 hiked around some great natural landscapes...

exploring Wai'mea Valley

And a few slightly manicured ones.
We made the most of this "once in a lifetime" and even signed up to snorkel with sharks!
All that said, we had a great time. Travel gives me time to think and I think it's a bit overdue that I make this list....

I've been told on more than one occasion that it's amazing how I don't seem to have any body image hang ups.  After all, there are pictures of my body at various stages of weight loss, gain, and disarray all over my blog and Facebook. So I must not have any hang ups, right?

Well...

Guess what? That's not exactly true.So I figured it's time I made a list.  Since most of them are embodied in this photo, I figured it would work as a great 'object lesson' in how I see myself - and why I refuse to let my hang ups, well, hang me up.

Top 3 Hang Ups

1. I scar BADLY...from EVERYTHING. See all those wrinkly lines on my stomach? No, they aren't battle scars from having kids (though one doctor did ask me during a physical how many kids I'd had - Apparently she had a case of foot-in-mouth-itis). They are reminders of what I did to my body for decades.  That's right - I did it. I take complete responsibility for that. Sure, there were stressful situations that triggered some overeating and big time carbing. Sure, we thought 'bread' was a health food when I was younger. Sure, we thought 'low fat' meant 'good for you.' Sure, there were hormonal issues and made fixing all that harder than it should have been. The scars on my body are a map of where my body has been - adventures for good, gains, losses, and misadventures. They are reminders of years spent riding the 'diet' roller coaster - everything from a strict 1200 calories per day , Slim Fast, Weight Watchers, Medifast and a few others I can't think of off the top of my head.  These scars will NEVER go away, and, due to my scarring disorder, they will continue to grow, no matter how lean and mean I become. Yes, I've tried nearly every oil/cream and treatment my pocket book can afford and, no, I'm not interested in other solutions (laser, etc).

2. I have extra skin! Ewwww!!! Okay, so it's not as bad as others who have lost over 100 pounds or more, but it's becoming apparent that I have about 1/2 an inch of loose skin now. That "muffin top" isn't actually "full". It's just loose skin. Yes. I'm aware that I could have it surgically fixed, but it's not causing a health issue in the least. And - see above. Even surgical scars continue to grow beyond the size of the original wound.
3. Hirsute the unspoken PCOS Systemic Side Effect. Alright, so this doesn't exactly show in this photo, but it's there - trust me. It's probably the most annoying, embarrassing thing I deal with on a daily basis. Everyone wondered if losing weight will help my PCOS go away. Truth is, no one really knows what triggers PCOS, but the odds of it being genetically acquired are high in my case. So, part of that whole PCOS thing is having excess hair here and there. For me, it's my chin. Ugh. I stay on top of it pretty well now-a-days, but there was a time when I kept my head down and/or a hand over my chin most of the time just in case a dark hair here or there would show. It wasn't a full beard or anything but enough to make me cringe at the thought of bright sunlight on my face. And, yes, I spent a small fortune on laser (worked for 2-3 years), waxing (works for about a week), and creams. (Let me tell you, chemical burns suck).  Much like the scars, it's the proof that the hormones are always likely going to be off balance.

So now that I've aired all that out here. Here's why I don't let them hang me up.I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel comfortable wearing that swimsuit out in public. Now, when I look at that candid, and yes, I see the wrinkly stretch marks and the extra skin, but I see the makings of abs under there! I see strength in those arms! I see strawberry blond hair on skin that goes bronze in a day rather than sun burning as most blond-haired-blue-eyed-folks do.

I see a someone made up of a million recessive genes that all happen to come together in this strong creature that didn't just figure out how to survive, but how to thrive through it.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 1999. It didn't take me long to decide not to let my PCOS define me. Sure, it's part of what's built this body - and I can't deny that it plays a factor. Thanks to my hormonal imbalance, putting on muscle tends to happen fairly quickly by comparison to more balanced women my demographic. By the same token, I'm more likely to become insulin resistant, and I won't even go into the self-esteem slam infertility can be to women (even a gal like me-who'd rather adopt to grow a family-isn't immune to that sucker punch).

The point of all of that is, yes, I have things about my body that I don't love.

But I can either allow that to have control over my all-day-every-day and define myself by my (perceived) short-comings -
or

I can choose to believe that no one gets out of life unscarred. We all have giant neon 'defective' signs over our heads - and most people are more interested in hiding their 'defective' signs to notice others, and sometimes too afraid of their own sign to even to live their own lives. 

Not all of our defective signs are obvious. Most people won't notice my scars - or that they are bigger this year than they were last year. They won't notice the skin. They probably won't even notice a few stray hairs on my chinny-chin-chin that miss my careful upkeep.

And if they do (like you, dear readers) know about all that - they'll be meaningless bugs on the windshield of my adventures.

Sure, I'm far from perfect. I've got more flaws than those 3 - trust me. (Just ask My Sailor if you have any doubts!)

But I can either live in them -
Or live despite them.

I can say with a clarity of faith that the trick to not letting physical hang ups hang you up comes in taking a look at the big picture.

That's my secret.

That's my trick.

In the grand scheme of things - will my contempt or dismay of these things even matter? No.

In the end, my journey will not be remembered by the hairs on my chin, the map of scars slashing  through my flesh, or the bits of left overs around my middle.
With a little luck, it will be remembered by the way I treated others and the way I embraced life.

Being fit just helps me do that.
(That, and I kinda love Oly...)

Looking Back and Tip Toe-ing Ahead (PG 13)

Lady in Grey, Speedy, and Me - Photo Credit to My Sailor

Lady in Grey, Speedy, and Me on the ferry ride home. Photo Credit: My Sailor

Last weekend, I earned my Crossfit Level 1 Trainer qualification, finishing a course with Trainer Guy, The Lady in Grey, and Speedy.  The course was fun and I learned a few skills I plan on practicing on myself a bit more before I pass them along. Since the class, I've ordered a pair of gymnastic rings that I hope to share with my clients for things like Ring Rows (which are a modified form of pull ups), as well as swinging myself into Muscle Ups - eventually. Those are a LONG way off, but it's good to have goals.  It was a great time to network and another great oppurtunity to put my coaching skills to the test. Part of the practicals included coaching a stranger (and fellow student) through a WOD or two. It was a handy confidence builder. (And, of course, it didn't hurt that the ferry ride home included great company and a beautiful day out on the deck.) I was cripplingly stiff for a couple days afterwards, but recovered, in no small part due to My Sailor's deep tissue massage techniques. (I'm kinda surprised no one called the cops from the screaming and crying that was happening in our living room - and not in an x-rated fashion, trust me.)

All that aside, I can't help but feeling I'm heading the right direction. I don't know what is going to come of the YMCA at this point, but I continue to have the right support mechanism in place, and I just can't beat the rewarding feeling knowing someone came away from time with me with a skill they can use, a new-found flexibility, and/or confidence. Yes, I've experienced some rejection, but looking back on every small success I've been honored to share with others reminds me that I'm headed the right direction. To hear those closest to me say things like, "I think you've found your calling..." and "You seem so much happier..." is no small feat. Those in my inner circle know how hard I've tried at other things that never quite seem to fit. Coaching, training, and lifting has required significant work. There is no doubt about that! But the pieces all 'fit' in a way that nothing quite ever has before. It turns out I might just have that unique skill set after all.  Dreams do come true.

Now, as I suspected, I've 'slowed down' a little now that My Sailor is home.

And honestly, sometimes it's frustrating. I tend to be a bit of a freight train at times. He's my brake pedal. I always said I'd only marry someone worth slowing down for; he's worth it.

With him on my back back on land, my "rest days" in the past 2 weeks (where I've done little more than an easy jog, mobility training, and weight lifting that hasn't exceeded 55lbs) have looked more and more like actual active recovery days. I'm also taking a session off from playing indoor soccer. This isn't really 'unreasonable' by any stretch. I'm heading into a field that is much more physically demanding than anything I've done before, and I've pretty much been playing soccer every Sunday since last October. Taking a break will unload my (beloved) Sunday schedule a little, and, while I'll miss it for a while, it'll give me a chance to start an Earn Awesome Training team in the fall/winter. I've also been invited to ref or coach youth soccer as well! So I'm exploring a few different options while trying to find balance in the body, as well as family time. Thankfully, My Sailor is very supportive.

The crazy thing about all this progress is that some of it isn't as obvious as you might think. My lifts are going up and it's steady progress, but it feels incredibly slow. I'm satisfied by it, generally speaking. I mean, I weigh between 190-195ish most of the time. I still I eat when I'm hungry and I lean towards foods made by mother nature rather than (for example) Kraft.  I don't feel deprived - ever, but sometimes it takes an "Oh Sh*t! Hun, when was the last time you've seen your back?!" from My Sailor to bring things into perspective.

Since that happened recently, My Sailor whipped out a camera and felt the need to show me what he sees.

 

Sometimes it takes looking back and seeing ourselves through someone else's eyes to realize how far we really have come....

Scars, Fighting Back, and the Power of 'Why'

On the way to Urgent Care

If you follow my blog for any amount of time, you'll probably already know that I have an interesting scarring disorder, fairly uncommon to Caucasian people. To spare you all the medical babble, I form keloids. What this is means is that I scar from just about everything, and the scars continue to out-grow the original wound long after the wound has healed - no matter how superficial. The scar tissue isn't just for show. For deep cuts and surgeries, it actually grows both ways - externally and internally. The growth rate is generally slow - especially for the deep ones. In my case, it takes about 2-3 years for the nerves under the wound to deaden enough to stop causing twinges of stinging pain - as if the wound itself was still fresh. At least, that's been my experiences. I'm a pretty lucky girl. I've been able to minimize the number of surgical procedures I've needed in my life, but I was pretty scared when I accidently sliced open my hand opening the box to my weight lifting bar. It wasn't the scar I was concerned about. It was the nerve damage I knew was coming.

While hands and faces are often blissfully excluded from the DNA that cause Keloids, this slice is right on the edge of the "WILL scar" territory and the "won't scar" territory, but as I suspected, the scar is going to be pretty epic. While it may seem like a new wrinkle in my hand, it reminds me (nearly a month later) that it's still very much a part of me forever, occasionally stinging and burning as if there were still a gaping slice in the side of my hand. I could have, should have, been a tad more careful opening the box. Now that tiny little experience gets to needle at me when I grip a pull-up bar or steering wheel. Over time, it'll get more numb and be less and less painful.

 I bring up the subject of fitness and scars because the Crossfit box that I did Murph in had a great class recently about self defense. Now, this isn't new territory for me. As a woman flying solo for a good portion of my adult life, I'm generally very aware of my surroundings. I was married to a marital artist who couldn't sit with his back to the door in any room for fear he wouldn't be able to defend himself and I was a decent sparring dummy for him to practice on. I know the general concept of "Get An Attacker Away From You and RUN!" I was brought up that there is one weapon that an attacker can't take away from you - your wits.

That said, keep your wits about you and you can often avoid a confrontation to begin with. However, not every fight is avoidable.

The class went over the basic things, and honestly, I was a bit skeptical about what I could learn.  I cut a fairly imposing figure (even before weight lifting) and managed to steer clear of trouble before it escalated into fist-to-cuffs.

In this case, our instructor was a good guy. One of the warmest personalities I've run into in the coaching world, he's a pleasure to lift with and work with. He was one of the first people to engage me in conversation during Murph and make me feel welcome in a box where I knew no one and at a time where I had expected not to be flying solo.

He also happens to be well over 6 foot and probably nearly twice my width. He taught us a few simple-yet-effective strikes and maneuvers and then came at each of us as an attacker for about 30 seconds. He encouraged us to find our "why" ("Why Do I Want To Get Out Of This") and keep that at the forefront of our minds.  It was a powerful drill.

It didn't take long for me to find my "Why".

I've had a lot of practice. My "Why"?

I don't want My Sailor to come home to an empty house. I don't want my family to HAVE to miss me. I don't want my dog to outlive me. I need to see where this journey - my life - takes me. Simply put - I don't quit.

For all of the challenges I have faced and will face going forward, I have unshakable faith that I can stare down anything and get through just about any situation I'm presented with - as long as I can remain on this side of dirt.
As a military spouse, I deal with the fact that My Sailor may someday not return home in the same condition he left (mentally, emotionally, or physically). It's a undeniable fact that all military, police, fire fighters and first responder families learn to ignore when we can or otherwise live with. It's an ever present roommate taking up residence somewhere in the back of our minds. It's an uncontrollable factor. And it works both ways. I'm sure My Sailor (and others like him) fear that they will return to loved ones who are in crisis (or worse) as well. Car accidents happen. Illness happens. Uncontrollable situations happen every day all around us that can forever alter (or end) our lives and the lives of those we love.

I've had several close friends that have come from backgrounds that include being victims of abuse or other such violent circumstances. They are scarred, and at times those scars ache, but what's left behind is a character often warmer than sunshine and tougher than nails. My Sailor and I are very aware that this same background will likely be the case for our kids, once the adoption ball gets rolling again next year. Sometimes, the most painful and traumatic scars aren't the ones on the surface, but the invisible ones left behind by circumstance.

But give me a controllable circumstance or threat to my 'why'.... and...well...

Knee to the face- a moment of my 30 seconds in the ring

I didn't go easy on the coach. He's a good guy; don't get me wrong, but I was picking a sliver of skin from the back of his neck out of my nails after my round with him. Every time he 'attacked', I pushed back as hard as I could.

I've been to other female focused self defense courses before. Most were trying to sell me something (and all failed since every tool can be taken away and used against me, at least the way I look at it - I'd rather use my hands. Obviously, I'm not shy about it.).

Maybe it's because the only thing this class was trying to sell me was how to react in times of great peril, but it gave me a great insight into the value of strength training - especially for the 'fairer' sex.  Not only has it enabled me to do everyday tasks, but it enables me to handle much rarer situations (like an attack) with confidence.

But perhaps the best lesson here is untold power to be found if we know our 'Why'.
*Photo credit and special thanks to Narrows Crossfit.

Leather Bound Progress and Making Room on a Forced Rest Day

Round about my birthday this year (a little over under six months ago) I wrote up a few BIG goals for this year. As a refresher, they were better time management, better writing schedule, getting at least 1 certification toward becoming a personal trainer,  and changing careers. Usually, I write a blog post on my 1/2 birthday to see where I am with those goals. It's a helpful self-check every year. I guess you could call them my own Personal-New-Years Resolutions. And like most people, they tend to fade into the background as my birthday passes and life happens.

But not this year.

So far, 2014 is pretty much on target.

Nearly all of those goals have locked into place - some even better than I planned for. Sure, I'm on the cusp of July and I still have the desk job, but I've been able to cut back my hours to make time for building my education, 'street cred',  and the training business.

Yeah - I actually have a business now. While I wouldn't call it 100% officially up and running full steam just yet, it's far from a pipe dream now.

I may still be a bit green to all of this, but early success with coaching friends (see last post) reminds me that those weren't just "lucky".  I've just got room to grow. Thing is, I probably always will.
On a personal note, I wish my dad was here to see (and advise) on getting all of this off the ground, I know that he's probably smirking at me from somewhere in the great beyond...he was always the entreprenuer in the family. Mom was always the fitness and nurtition guru. Somehow, I guess I've picked up a little of both worlds.

While that would seem to be the perfect seguae into a "nature vs nurture" argument, that's really not where this blog is going.

Today, I actually didn't work out officially at all. My foot is still a bit purple from yesterday's fall, and it's the end of the month, so I gave my desk job my day, though I made time to run some errands with My Sailor and squeeze a bath and some down-time in before bed. While that lead a bit of pent up frustration, a hot bath after work improved the foot as well as my mood.  I have a small mountain of reading and paperwork to dig into and I'm really looking forward to getting into the work more. I never thought there would be a time I'd be excited to work my arse off, but it's arrived. Soon I'll be scheduling shadowing work and running my own small group a few times a week. Rome wasn't built in a day and I'll likely be continuing to work crazy hours to balance it all out for a while. It's a lot of crazy adaptation, but it'll pass, I'm sure I'll figure it out.
   The big victories for the day came in the form of a package from LegalZoom including all of my official business documents (and a pretty cool stamp that I doubt I'll ever use, but you never know...), buying a 1 piece swimsuit in a single digit number (and having it fit for the first time in about 15 years - though it's just a simple suit to get me through pool time at the Y, which insists on 2 inch straps on swimsuits), and, well, finishing up work.
  The fact that all 3 dogs haven't killed each other is always nice - though having a pack around certainly makes me wish I'd put in the work and made the time to finish the fence. (Doh! Yes... almost a year later, it's still a work in progress...) They actually get along about 99% of the time. But I'll have to find temporary homes for Clydas and Odin again because I made good on a promise to My Sailor and we've booked a big vacation for his leave period.
  Hawaii!
  The calendar is going to be pretty full for July, but we'll build some memories, explore a new place together, and take our active lifestyle on the road a bit. We've made some compromises to the budget which will likely put off some of the renovations a bit longer, but ya know what? The house will be here. We will be here. We're in no hurry to move on just yet - but our time together? We only get 1 go at how we spend that.

So with my foot on the mend, work cut out for me, and the blissful world of my pillow awaiting me, I look forward to another busy week to, well, earn it.

Somewhere In Between... And Loving It

Somewhere between the beginning of a new work week and complete, utter, delicious exhaustion is my favorite day of the week - Sunday.

This was My Sailor's first Sunday that (almost) my usual Sunday Schedule since he deployed.  We added a new dog to our pack this week, but just for the week. She got us up at 5am, barking for food and to be let out. (I usually get up about 5:30am on Sundays to make it to my Olympic Lifting class in Gig Harbor.) This time, we got to take care of her and then go back to bed for a while.

This time, it was in time to meet up and lead a group of my own. Everyone was challenged and had a great time in a scalable workout. Luckily, the teams were even without me playing, so I got to introduce the game and cheer them on.  While they will most surely be sore tomorrow, everyone left with a smile. Good signs all around.  Though the breakfast at Shari's that followed isn't likely to be repeated, I'm hoping that we can get back together and play again soon... with one more person (okay, I missed playing a long a bit).

After breakfast, it was time to head to the gym for my own routine - some light handstand and Snatch work with My Sailor and a WOD. I ran into a couple other friendly faces in the gym. My Sailor got to chatting with one of them, talking about Power Lifting vs Olympic Lifting - and the familiar gym face said, "Well, she's the one to teach you!" (Which quickly prompted the joke of "I know; I'm married to her." from My Sailor. ;) ) It's fun being able to lift with My Sailor - and we can't wait to break in his Oly shoes when they come in the mail! I'm expecting they'll make a significant difference. Can't wait to be there to watch the magic.

While no records were broken, a lot was learned and it was fun to catch a WOD afterwards. I did catch my toe on a challenging box jump, resulting in a nice bruise on my foot. It didn't keep me from the soccer field about an hour later! I got to sub out for a few minutes, but all in all my foot handled it well, if a bit sore for the sport.  We're talking about creating our own indoor soccer team in the fall. Earn Awesome Training Soccer anyone?

We didn't win, but got in a great game!

 Monday is my Rest Day this week - I have some jacuzzi time in my future for sure and likely won't be running tomorrow to give the foot a break, but it's already on the mend.  And, since it's the last day of the month, I'll be strapped to my desk job for the entire day, no doubt.  But that's okay.


Following the crazy day, we stopped off at my usual haunt and got a drink and some dinner before relaxing at home. I'm still absorbing the lessons from the week and forming a game plan going forward. Hopefully we'll know if we get an upcoming vacation in together in the next few days or not. Fingers and toes crossed from some time off together.

As for tonight, somewhere between well-earned awesome and delicious exhaustion is the perfect recipe for the rest of the evening - an Epsom salt bath and some down time with my main squeeze. It's all smiles tonight when I reflect on the awesome morning and amazing day.

Sunday - easily my favorite day of the week.

Obscene Flexibility Comes in Handy Yet Again - Not Your Everyday Trainer Girl

It's been a while since I've updated, but life has been far from uneventful. My Sailor came back from deployment and we've been getting re-acclimated to life around each other. No matter how much you love someone, time and distances changes people and dynamics, so we are finding our new stride, laying some demons to rest, and forging onward and upward. That new stride involves being an active family.

Vacation Pig Tails... best thinking handles ever

By most definitions, we're very active. While most submariners have been playing it close to home, resting, and catching up on movies, we have a different way of reconnecting. It's called "jumping in with both feet." He's been home one week today and it has included camping, hiking, white water rafting through category 5 rapids, near daily walks, and, yes, a little lifting. No hours of endless tv watching or fast food trips for us. He's basically on my eating style now (yeah!), and is a fantastic cook which makes dinner time more interesting.  My Sailor even let me teach him to Split Jerk the other day. He's a quick study and will no doubt have it perfected into a full clean and jerk in a couple weeks (if not on days).

So that done, I also got my 2nd interview with the local YMCA out of the way.

 It wasn't the slam dunk I was expecting, but it wasn't a slammed door either. All in all, it was an experience that helped me solidify the focus that I already have as a trainer and coach - and further solidified that I definitely have something unique to offer the YMCA arena. So now that I've tossed and turned over it for an entire evening, the summary is this: It's still a work in progress.  My interviewer got a few new movements she enjoyed. I got some constructive critiques that have been really useful in helping me solidify my style.

No doors are closed as this point. I've agreed to some further shadowing - there is something to learn from everyone, even those that don't subscribe to the strength and HIIT training world that has worked miracles for those in my life (myself included) - and another trial I'd like to schedule for mid-late July, depending on what happens going forward with My Sailor's leave schedule.  Never one to turn down education, I'll absorb what I can, incorporate what is appropriate, and move forward. After all, I can lift over 100 pounds over my head; what's a little hoop jumping, right?

Afterwards, I took some time to run and knocking out a few snatches and overhead squats to help process the unexpected result. I was a bit too nervous at the warm up which got in my way, but there were enough magical moments that I left reminded why I love being part of this coaching world. Even an interviewer who turned me down left the encounter with some added mobility and tools she can use - and I got to be a part of a few of magical moments she had as I got to see that "ah ha" moment when she was able to deepen her squat, enhance her mobility, and discover better balance and control. As I strapped myself back to my desk job when I got home (though disappointed and frustrated that it may last a bit longer than I had hoped), I get to be a part of making people's lives better, one day at a time, whether it's at the Y or elsewhere. The truth is...

I have a lot of stretches, work outs, and addictive moves that range from gymnastics to Power and Olympic Weight Lifting in my arsenal. There is a lot that I can help with, but I'll be more effective with some people than others. That's the intangibles of the business that keep me pushing forward. I can completely accept that. I'll continue to work to appeal to a wide pallet, but staying true to who I am is part of the package here. It's part of training with me. You get me - as a coach, partner, and team mate on the journey to your goals. You get a coach that will strive to attend those competitions, remind you of how far you've come, and remind you that you're probably stronger than you give yourself credit for. Most people are - especially those that struggle with being overweight. (It takes a lot of strength, emotionally, mentally, and physically to carry around that kind of weight - probably more than you realize! I remember it very well - feet and ankles that hurt even laying down, stiffness all the time, exhaustion, feeling as though the whole world was staring at me... I will never forget how bad all of that hurt - and the courage it took to change it, so I have a good idea where many people are coming from, and what courage it takes to come to someone else for help. I have the up most respect for it.)

If you want to grow stronger, challenge yourself, move better and more freely, feel better, and have a good time getting there, I might just be your Trainer Girl. 
  But that flavor of J not be right for everyone - that's okay. Heck, I go to at least 2-3 coaches/trainers a month myself! Each one is different. There is no "one size fits all". 

Should I be discouraged by not being an immediate "Yes"? Probably.

I have a background in theater and I've been an athlete. Rejection or falling short is nothing new to me. I'd never get anywhere if I give up at the first sign of resistance - especially in this case, when all other signs are positive.

Am I changing my path? Not entirely.  Just altering the timeline to get there a bit.

My Yodas continue to support me, and I legally now have my company, so this is a reality. The question is just where the home base will be - and if the Y wants ends up being part of that equation or not.

What keeps me encouraged is that this is a job I'm already doing and the proof I already have in my life that it's the right, positive move for me -

My Bride Jena - I didn't know her face to face until we met in Disneyworld just before Everest this May. By the time I met her, she'd already conquered the Boston Marathon and a number of other races. When it came to running, she was a veteran. But she wasn't seeing the changes she wanted. She'd been following me on a Disney Brides Facebook group and was fed up with counting calories, points, shakes, and other such programs. What she knew of my journey was that I run, jump, hand stand, lift weights, flip tires, and have seen strong results - and that I love coaching others. So I met her at her resort to go for a brief run and work out. Now, it takes a lot of guts to meet a complete stranger at 8am on vacation away from home, but it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. Since then we've been doing some distance training from time to time - and she's taken it into her world full force. I couldn't be more proud of this girl, her journey, and her mind set. It's not about fitting into 'the dress' for her. (Trust me; I know. I asked her.) She wants to be fit forever. (Her words and music to my ears!) And she's doing it. Day by day. Decision by decision, without weighing, measuring, and stressing about every portion of her life. Talk about someone inspiring.

Me, The Nurse, and My Bride

When asked what 2-3 things she learned from training with me, she responded with:
1.You give me the inspiration that there is more to fitness than the scale.
2. You help me strive to get out of my comfort zone every day.
3.Treat myself with respect.
 I really couldn't have asked to impart more on someone I've met face to face once, for about an hour...

The Nurse - After living and working out with me for a week prior to Everest, she has decided to incorporate my nutritional stance into her living routine. She didn't officially 'train' with me, but she got to see me in action - taking it on the road, and did a couple workouts that I lead while we were there. She and her husband are enjoying things like Chai seed pudding and grain-free living. But before she did all that, she signed up for a local 5k! Having been a personal trainer herself at one point (complete with Kinesology degree) she was a delight to work out with. Turkish Get Ups are now part of her arsenal, as are handstands, kettle bell swings, and a few other moves she gained while we 'vacationed' in Florida before the race. She took it all back to California with her and passed it on to her family. Who could ask for more than that?! I love getting random "Check out my awesome Paleo-friendly dinner!" texts.

Strong Girl  -

Me and Strong Girl - Broke our 1st place tie w/ a 400lb tire flip 60 yrds for time

My rival-turned-friend-turned-athlete-turned-rival-again (we'll be competing against each other in the Strongman competition this year)...When a local power lifting competition came up on her radar, she asked if I'd compete with her. Since I'm heavily focused on my own Oly training right now, I opted out of competing, but offered to coach her through some strength training. There was very little time before the competition so we opted to focus on 1 lift for improvement. She wanted to improve her deadlift, so off we went. We lifted 3-4 days a week, and it was a complete triumph. She went from a 250 lb deadlift, to a 301 lb deadlift in the span of about 2 1/2 weeks! It was a direct result of all the hard work she put in, and it renewed my faith in the Deadlift as a whole body muscle builder. You see, since the deadlift works the same muscles as the back squat, her back squat also increased 15 lbs! She stuck to the program and it paid off. When she hit that 301 lb deadlift, she jumped for joy and I'm not too proud to admit that I cried a little.
When asked what she took away from the experience:
1) Joining the 300 club
2) Improved form
3) The Value of having an extra set of eyes

When she started, she used a weight belt all the time. We trained largely without one (by her choice, once we discussed the pros and cons of it). Come competition day, she didn't have one, so it paid off and she hit a new Personal Record without a weight belt.  Weight belts have their uses, but it's always inspiring to see someone discover their body is capable of so much more than the mind gives it credit for. I'm so honored that I got to be a part of that day for her- and we had a great time during training (most of the time - hey, it's never all wine and roses when you're talking yourself into 'one more set').

Emily for 301 lbs on Competition Day

And those are just a few of the recent examples proving that I'm not in the wrong place at all.  In fact, when the weekend class gets canceled, several folks in the work out group look to me like "What now?" and that's taking on a life all its own.

While I'm hopeful the Y will be a home base for me, it is far from the end of the road, no matter how it pans out-

Sometimes you just have to climb a little higher 
and meet fate half way.

A Love Affair with Lifting, a few Adaptations, and Blogging from the Bathtub

It's only Wednesday and I've already resorted to my bathtub.

Twice.

I'm adapting to a new strength training routine that is no-joke (and completely amazing so far). By the time I hit the last set, I feel like a million bucks! Granted, it's a million dollars in crumbled up sweaty singles scattered all over the floor, but a million bucks none the less! Today was day 2 of the program and I'm actually not nearly as sore as I expected to be. I'm attributing that to a great warm up, great stretching, conditioning on my 'off days' and some spending some quality time with some Epsom salts and hot water... and bubbles. (Seriously, what's a bath without bubbles?!)

This week, something came up on social media in a couple of the groups that has seriously made me laugh. It's the statement of:
"I don't want to be Jay Humenay strong..."

Check it out! I have my own designation! "J. Humenay Strong!"

In case you assume that such a designation would inflate my ego, let me reassure you, a quick glance at my Facebook newsfeed keeps it well under wraps. Everywhere I look lately there are videos of teenagers at the Pan Am's throwing up weights that I still aspire to. It's at once humbling and motivating. After all, if a kid can do it... why can't I? Right?
I had the great experience today of meeting 2 new people in the gym who approached me on to the last set of my Death By Strength Training session (DBST for short). One of them was a woman who'd seen my progress from when I first signed on with Trainer Guy and was impressed. We got to chatting and the usual questions came up:
"Are you competing?" Yes, In November.
"Was that the goal when you came in?" No, it was to lose weight.
"How much have you lost?" Oh, only about 20lbs tops in a year.
"Oh, but you know your body composition has changed. Muscle is more dense and weighs more than fat." Oh! I know. I'm not complaining. Best goal I never hit, as far as I'm concerned. I still might hit it, but I'm done letting the scale rule my life.
"Good!" Yeah, I've already done every diet known to man just about. This is sticking with me - and it's working.
"Are you looking at going into the training?" (God, I LOVE this question.) Yes, yes I am. Testing for my Crossfit level 1 cert in 2 weeks, and I have my Olympic weight lifting coach cert. Still going to compete too.
"Cool!"
(Insert guy standing nearby)
"You have your Oly Cert?" Yup. It's still handy to have Trainer Guy around though. You know, doctors need doctors. Dentists need dentists. Coaches benefit from the eye of other coaches, and we all see different things.
 "Cool! Yeah, Snatches, Cleans, deadlifts... those are hard, but yours look pretty good." Thanks. Got 1 more set to do....

So, yeah. It was a great experience. Like I've said before, it's hard not to get noticed in a gym doing Olympic Lifts. The explosive moment attracts attention. (And to think, I wasn't even wearing a silly shirt today!)

All that said, every one has their own goals. For example, Strong Girl LOVES power lifting. That's its own beastie. Other folks love running or agility or just want to get up a flight of stairs without pain. All of them are just as valid as the others - and just as valid as mine.

Adapting to being able to coach for different goals is an enjoyable challenge that I can't wait to take on full time.

In the mean time, we're taking on some adaptation challenges here as well...
  While I love having My Sailor 'home' (well, sort of... so far we've been able to spend less than 24 hours together since Saturday due to his schedule at work - and most of that has been sleeping hours), there's a slow process of adapting to regular life and to each other again. It's a slow process that we're both being patient with. Our initial home study was just approved for the adoption, so we'll have that in our hands soon. Then it's a matter of settling things down on the home front a bit and deciding when to move forward with adding to the family - but it's a BIG step in the right direction (though it will still need to be updated, added to a new agency, etc).