Equilibrium Fitness & Nutrition Forum

Transformation Challenge - The Wrap Up

2009-06-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have really missed you, blog-reader, and I am so happy that I get to share this last blog with you. I realize how far I have come in the last couple weeks, with the Transformation Challenge being over. I am the only one that can stop myself from eating badly, although I didn’t really find it to be a problem. I was afraid that as soon as I didn’t have to journal everything that I would eat things that I shouldn’t. You will be proud to know that I haven’t. I also go into the gym and still kick my own butt as often as I can. So there you go, sometimes you learn things that stick. I know this experience will stick with me forever. The Transformation Challenge has really changed my life. I feel better about myself inside and out.

The winner of the Transformation Challenge overall was our lovely, Courtney McFarland. She is absolutely amazing, and inspiring. Courtney lost 27.5 lbs and 18.25 inches! She is my hero! I was so happy that I had the opportunity to have a little photo shoot with Courtney. Check out our photo shoot here http://cdyphotography.blogspot.com/. Keep up the good work!

I am also so happy to share that I lost 16lbs and 15.5 inches from my waist, hips, thighs and chest over the past 3 months. That is only the beginning! And because I know several of you have been waiting for me to post my “before” and “after” pictures, here they are! ::Click on them to view them larger::

Thank you to everyone that had a part of this transformation in my life.

To all the trainers and EQ staff, you are amazing and so motivating. I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I will be seeing you in the gym!

To all the TC ladies, I could not have done this without you. You both inspire and motivate me to work harder. I look forward to seeing you in the gym as well!

To my family and friends, thank you for supporting me in this journey. I hope that you will join me for the rest of it!

Love you all!

I will be continuing to blog my new fitness lifestyle here http://careyfitnessandhealth.blogspot.com/ if you would like to keep following!

Transformation Challenge - Week Twelve

2009-05-22T10:49:00.001-07:00

Woooohooo! This is where I wish I could insert a sound bite into my blog so you could hear me yelling that. I feel amazing and accomplished right now. 12 weeks ago I finished my first day of bootcamp and thought “oh my gosh, I’m not going to make it”. I kept going for a couple reasons (in no particular order): I did it for you blog-reader, so that you could see a documented journey, I did it for my teammates, so they could stay motivated, but most of all I DID IT FOR ME! I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I felt great every day, if you have been reading this blog, you know that isn’t true. I am not going to tell you that there were not a handful of times that I wanted to cry about working out or eating well. I am not going to tell you that I didn’t have my weak moments where I indulged in something I should have. This is ALL part of the journey. I am only human, and in realizing that I know that I can’t be perfect all the time. Those stressful moments where all you want to do is shove 17 candy bars in your mouth are still going to happen….but don’t do it!

This long bumpy road to success has made me realize that you are always going to have obstacles. There are always going to be things standing in the way from your goals. You are better than to let things stand in your way. I am better than that.

So the question on everyone’s minds is “What now?” Just because we have finished these 12 weeks does not mean we’re done. It just means that we are strong enough to stand on our own two feet. You get exactly as much back as you put into something. You can’t expect to work out one day a week and lose 20 pounds in a month. Or eat fast food every day, and feel good about your body. This is just common sense. It’s easier to give in and do the bad things, so be stronger and do what’s good for you. Do this for yourself, but also think about all those people in your life that will be able to enjoy more time with you because you made an effort to be healthy. One day in a bootcamp workout I yelled “I feel like I’m going to die!” (because I did), and Lauren told me “you are actually adding years onto your life”. So now every time I “feel like I’m going to die” I think about that. I think about how I want to share my knowledge with my family, and make sure that my kids (that I don’t have yet) will know how important it is to take care of yourself. You only get one body, take care of it!

I feel like sometimes I am starting to sound like a broken record, but I know that if I can do this…you CAN do this! It takes 21 days to form a habit. Make it over that three week hump and you will figure out how strong you are. Stop thinking of excuses why you can’t do it. Really there is no good excuse! Buddy up. Find the strength in numbers. Find your support system. It’s not going to be easy, but you CAN do it. Okay, I have run out of motivational one-liners for now. But I think you see the point.

June 6^th we will be finished with everything (including “after” pictures). That is when I will write my final blog to share with you how many pounds and inches I have lost and even post my “before” and “after” pictures. I am excited to share that with you!

To ALL of the Transformation Challenge ladies…

I could not have done this without you girls. You have been so supportive and inspiring to me. You are amazing! Look at all that you have accomplished. You should be proud. I know I am proud of you! I hope to see you all at the gym. J

Transformation Challenge - Week Eleven

2009-05-16T23:50:00.000-07:00

I want to inspire you, blog-reader. I want you to finish reading this blog and believe that you can do anything you want to do. I want to tell you that you should eat better, workout more, and just feel good about yourself. I can’t tell you to do these things; you have to want to do them. I think that has become something really hard for me. It’s just like telling someone with low self-esteem that they are amazing, unless they believe it, it doesn’t mean as much. A couple weeks ago I was out to dinner and suddenly had this realization of how horribly people eat. I watched as a nearby table stuffed their faces full of ribs, steak, mashed potatoes, and breadsticks. As I watched in horror, I thought to myself “I can never eat out again…I can’t watch people do this to themselves”. I wanted to walk up to every table and tell them that they didn’t have to live like this, and that I, myself was the reason they could believe this. I then realized that I focus too much of my attention on what other people do. I rarely think about the things that I really want. I am consumed with trying to run other peoples’ lives, whether I say it out loud or not. I think the reason is that it’s so much easier to imagine how to fix someone else, then focus on anything that is wrong with you.

Jean Steel gave an amazing and truly inspirational presentation last weekend. I felt like I had a big slap in the face (the good kind), where you realize what you’ve been doing to yourself. Yes, I feel good about working out now. And yes, I eat 100 times better than I used to. The weird thing is that I still feel stressed and overwhelmed by myself pretty much all the time. I made goals for myself last weekend, things that I want to do in life, things I want to have. I have a really clear vision of what it is I want to do. I never want to work at a job I hate again. I only want to say ‘yes’ to things that I really want to do. I want to say what’s on my mind in a constructive way. I want to change my life. I feel so empowered now. I imagine it’s like being a hurdle jumper before a big race. I see all the hurdles ahead of me, and I am ready. I felt strangely contented this week, more so than I have ever felt before. I am on my way, and this is not the last you will see from me! Just remember that it’s never too late to do the things you want to do. Start today!

Now feeling good on the inside made my week go by really quickly. When I woke up in the morning it wasn’t a question of IF I was going to go to the gym it was WHEN. It wasn’t a question of IF I can eat healthy today, it was HOW. As the 11^th week came to a close I felt really good. Not because I am ready for it to be over, but because I now know that I have a solid foundation for the rest of my life.

11 weeks down ladies, it’s our final week! I am so proud of each one of you, and I feel really inspired and blessed by having you in my life!

Transformation Challenge - Week Ten

2009-05-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing week. With only three weeks of the Transformation Challenge left I knew that it was time to pick it up, and really work hard. And I did! I set a goal for myself to workout ten hours this week. I think ten hours is more then I would have worked out in an entire year before, but I did it, and it wasn’t that hard. I felt sore every day, and every day I pushed myself to go back to the gym.

Also some amazing news…we did our two month measurements this week and I am happy to report that I have lost 9 pounds and 11.5 inches! 11.5 half inches is practically a foot that is gone from my body, never to return again. I would have never imagined that I would lose that much. And at that moment I felt like it was all worth it, every healthy food option, every push up, every inch lower on squats. ALL worth it. I think I would have really been satisfied with any number though. I am a different person then I was ten weeks ago.

I thought I would try something a little different in this blog. I asked some of my Transformation Challenge teammates to answer some questions. I think we all have different motivations for doing what we’re doing, and challenges and I wanted you, blog-reader, to know that no matter what the obstacles are, that you can do it! I hope their answers and stories will inspire you as much as they have inspired me.

Here are some of their answers:

1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I am getting married this year and really wanted to look and feel amazing.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-There have been lots of challenging parts at different times in the challenge. In the beginning it was food, then as food got easier it was motivation to go to the gym. It’s a really big time commitment, but totally worth it.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I eat completely different then I used to. I knew NOTHING about nutrition before, and now I am always checking the nutrition facts on everything. You would be surprised how bad things are for you. I workout five days a week now, before I didn’t do anything. I always had an excuse why I couldn’t do it.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

-It’s bittersweet. Part of me is SO excited that I have come this far, but I will miss working out with all the wonderful women in the challenge. Hopefully I will be able to work out with them even after the challenge is over.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

-My team! Honestly, support has been my number 1 problem my whole life. I was always telling myself that I couldn’t do it, and so were other people. My team has shown me that I can totally do it. The other part of it is how much I have learned about myself and nutrition.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

-My views on life are so much different. It’s weird, because I now feel weird when I don’t go to the gym. It’s just become part of my daily routine like waking up or showering. As far as food goes, I don’t really eat anything I used to. I used to be a really bad stress eater and soda drinker, but I was able to overcome it!

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

-I think accountability is HUGE. One of the girls from the challenge told me that most successful weight loss stories include journaling. I have to admit that even though I don’t enjoy writing down everything I eat, it makes me really think about everything I stick in my mouth.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

-I didn’t have any specific goals. I just knew that I wanted to feel and look better. I am constantly surprised when I step on the scale each week. I try to set small goals for myself. Even daily goals. This keeps me motivated.

1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I had just joined EQ when they started promoting the challenge. I heard about it and thought, this is what I need. I need something to force me to be accountable for making these changes in my life. I need something or someone to make me focus on myself for a change, not on everyone else around me.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-The time commitment; being gone when the kids wake up and getting home just in time to rush them through bath and bedtime. They miss me and I miss them, but I want to be around for them long term so being gone a bit extra now will pay off.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I think more about what and when and why I am eating. Packing my gym bag and going to gym is just a habit now; not something I just squeeze in when I think of it and when I can. It has become a priority. I'm not snacking on the couch at night any more. I'm sure there are lots more, I just can't think of them right now.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

- I am a bit sad. I don't want it to end. First, and most importantly, because it has been an amazing and seriously life-changing experience. Second, I'm not ready. I'm not ready for it to be over...I'm not where I wanted to be, I feel like I have so much further to go. I feel like one of those contestants on the Biggest Loser who say they're not ready to go home yet. I'm not ready to leave the comfort of the "nest," to leave the Transformation Challenge.

But....

I also know that it will never be over for me. My Transformation Challenge might have started 10 weeks ago, but my transformation will continue for the rest of my life. Each day, I will be striving to be better than I was the day before. One day at a time. Just one day better at a time. That's all we can ever ask of ourselves. It will probably take me over a year to get to my goal. It's not a short-term commitment and not for the faint of heart. But you can bet that I will keep the faith. I have made huge changes to my eating habits, my workout habits, my LIFE and I will never go back to those old ways again. I have made friends in my teammates, friends in the other women on the other teams, friends in my trainers. And those relationships and those friendships will keep me going long after the challenge is officially over. I will see them at the gym, I will train with them still, we will email and call and facebook and still connect. And still support and encourage each other and cheer each other on. I will see the trainers and take their classes and maybe even schedule some training sessions with them as well. And I know that they will be watching me, encouraging me, happy to see my face around the gym, happy to watch me succeed, happy to help me succeed.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

- I've learned a lot about myself as well. I've learned that I can do new things, try new things on my own or with friends and no one is going to laugh at me.

I've learned that even though my life has a lot of challenges right now with work, the kids, going to school, etc, so does everyone else's. We all struggle in different ways. It's about making tough choices and prioritizing. Making the priorities in your head match the priorities in your life. If you say your health is important to you, then don't go home and eat ice cream on the couch every night after dinner. Don't say that family is important to you if you aren't taking care of yourself enough to be there for them in 10 years.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

- I have realized that if I work out as hard as I want to, eating like I used to is not going to work. When I've had a "bad" day and not eaten well during the challenge, I can so feel it in my following workouts. My body needs the proper fuel to be an athlete. And I want to be an athlete, so I have to fuel it well. If I don't, then just like a car, it's going to run like crap, break down frequently, become expensive to maintain, etc. I enjoy exercise more every day and I enjoy eating healthy more every day.

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

- Not having the accountability to the trainers and the team to be there for boot three times a week and for cardio five times a week. But I know that most of the trainers know me now and if I don't show up for a week, I'll get a rash of grief from them, so that will help. :) But in the end, I'm accountable to one person and one person only and that's myself. I have to be able to look myself in the mirror each day and I know that I am doing everything I can to live a happy, healthy and long life. For me, for my kids, for my husband. They deserve to have me around for a long time and I think I'm finally realizing that I deserve to BE around for a long time.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

- I really and truly tried not to set scale-based goals. Yes, I wanted to lose 100 pounds in 12 weeks. Kidding. I did hope to lose 25 lbs and I might still get there. Really, my initial goals were to come out of this challenge with better eating habits and better workout habits. The key word being HABIT. I need to make some permanent changes to my life that will make eating right and exercising every day not even a choice anymore, but just a habit. I think I'm pretty much there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I was tired of looking in the mirror and hating what I saw.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-The most challenging has been the waking up so early. I am so far from a morning person.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I make more time for myself. I am not eating out as much.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

-I am really sad that it’s almost over. I have not lost anywhere near what I wanted to. And I have not gained the strength in my upper body I wanted either. I need more time.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

-The people I have met. I LOVE my team; I think they are 5 of the most motivating women out there.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

-I have always known what I needed to do, I just always had excuses as to why I wasn’t doing them.

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

-I don’t think it will be hard at all to continue, I already have a routine going, although I will not miss having to get up before dawn to make it to boot camp.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

-I wanted to eat better, lay off the fast food and lose 20 pounds before the end of the challenge. I am eating better, not eating fast food as much but I didn’t lose as much weight. I have tried to focus on inches lost but its hard when the scales don’t change.

10 weeks down, only 2 weeks to go! Ladies keep up the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G job that you are doing. I also wanted to say thank you so much for supporting and reading this blog! :)

Transformation Challenge - Week Nine

2009-05-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a time machine. Wait, before you start thinking that all the working out and eating healthy has turned me a little crazy, listen to why… I really wish that I could go back in time and tell my “then me” that this isn’t as hard as it looks. I always told myself that I was already fat, why care? I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling. Or how about, I’m too out of shape to start working out? I know, when I write that now, I don’t even know how that made sense to me. I could have been spending all these years forming good habits, eating well, exercising. Not that I am kicking myself for back then, because I am doing it now. The longer you wait, the harder it is. Trust me, I have been there. It’s as if you are waiting for someone to do it for you. Well, folks, it’s not going to happen. You are the only one who can make you do it! I don’t know how much I emphasize that. No matter how supportive my team or the trainers at the gym are, I am the one who is pushing me to succeed. I am doing this for me! Me.

I did not lose any weight this week, and I am okay with that. Really! I didn’t even flinch when I stepped on the scale and it read the same as it did last week. I feel amazing! I feel strong, and a little bit wiser. I feel like I could do anything. I have really been trying to embrace what I said last week. “No excuses.” I didn’t make any excuses why I couldn’t work out this week, I just did it. I woke up early and got myself to the gym. I worked through the pain. I pushed myself to get one inch lower, or run a little further.
As the end of the challenge nears I am starting to feel sad. I will really miss my Transformation Challenge mates (no matter how grumpy they sometimes look at 6:30am). I have created life-long bonds with some of these women, and I’m so happy that I did. I am a different, better person for it. You ladies really give me strength, and inspiration. I hope that I can be that for you too!

Nine weeks down, only 3 weeks to go (can you believe it!).

Transformation Challenge - Week Eight

2009-04-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am happy. My body is happy. After the last eight weeks I feel like I can do anything that I set my mind to. My beautiful friend and Transformation Challenge mate, Melissa, was wearing a shirt on Wednesday that made me think. She wore a Nike shirt that said “Just do it”. On the drive home from the gym I started to think about what a good slogan for me would be, in life. I decided that my slogan is “No excuses”. My whole life I have always come up with reasons why I couldn’t do things. A little over eight weeks ago I was thinking a lot about the reasons I couldn’t do this challenge. “I don’t know anyone.” “I haven’t done any kind of physical activity since high school; I probably won’t be able to keep up.” “Twelve weeks is a long time, and I’m not sure I can commit myself to that.” “I am too fat to work out.” And so on, and so forth. Honestly, I can convince myself not to do anything I don’t want to do. I know I am not alone in this. I think it’s very common especially when your body is telling you that you need to get back in shape, or in shape in general. “I’m too busy.” “Work is too stressful right now.” “I have too many responsibilities with my family.” Do any of these excuses sound like you? I think the most important thing I have learned is I am the only one who can push myself to do this. I am the only one there at 5:30am pushing myself to get out of bed in the morning, or having a delicious wheat burrito while everyone else is having deep fried burritos. I am also that person that “will start on Monday”. Today. Today my friends, is the day to start. Make good food decisions. Get on that treadmill and walk a little. It won’t be easy at first, but after a couple weeks it will become second nature to you. I even find myself trying not to make excuses why I can’t do other things besides eat well, and exercise. After all, I’ve come this far already. I can do anything!

I stepped on the scale on Monday to find that I had lost the four pounds I had gained last week. After being emotionally kicked down by that number last week I was not going to let it happen again. Eight weeks ago my body had NO muscle. None. Zero. Now, I can feel muscles (and I make everyone else feel them too). Be proud Transformation Challenge ladies of how far you’ve come, and share your successes with your family and friends. Inspire people to start today. I even become more inspired by women at the gym. I am always floored by the amount of work people put in to keep themselves fit. Skinny women (the ones I would always secretly hate for having the body I wanted) are in the gym ALL the time, working their little butts off. It’s not easy for anyone. Once a week I see a woman come into the gym that is overweight enough to have trouble walking. She gets on a bike and goes at her own pace for about 20-30 minutes. I am totally inspired by her. If she can do that, I can certainly do this. And so can you!

Eight weeks down ladies, only 4 short weeks to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week Seven

2009-04-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

The scale: a woman’s worst enemy. Okay, maybe not every woman, but mine for sure. I had another week of weight gain after working so hard last week that I thought my arms, legs and abs were going to fall off. I even bypassed all those delicious chocolate bunnies at Easter. Yup, that’s right…gained four pounds! Up, down, up, down, this is killing me emotionally. I can handle one week of weight gain, but really?!?! Okay, now that I have come back to my senses. Now that I am beyond “the evil number” I feel really good. I know that I say this every week now, but really, I do! Workouts continue to be more challenging every week. I feel like I start every week saying, “I’m getting the hang of this”, and then there are sprints in the parking lot when it feels like its three degrees outside. I’m glad that it continues to challenge me though, because without that feeling I could probably talk myself into giving up. I also have been taking new classes to find something that I really enjoy doing. Seven weeks ago, I thought that I would never enjoy working out, and I mean NEVER! I took Body Combat, Rock Bottom and Body Jam this week. Body Combat made me feel strong like I could go and beat someone up, and the following day I could lift my arms up, let alone punch and kick. I thought my butt was going to fall off in Rock Bottom. I was convinced that when I got up from my mat, I would find a chunk of it laying there. Body Jam was fun and upbeat, didn’t feel like working out, but more like a dance party. The conclusion of all my class taking this week is that there is something for everyone. If you are having a hard time finding motivation, email me and I will be happy to go with you! Really.

I want to talk about something else very near and dear to my heart. My team, the “6 Pack” girls. My teammates are constantly inspiring me to push a little further, and not solve my stress with food. They are a phenomenal support system. Although we are currently in last place on the Transformation Challenge board, we have lots of heart, and I think that counts for a lot. I can’t even tell you, blog-reader, how many times I have thought that I could just not eat another scoop of brown rice, or lift one more dumbbell, I hear them cheering me on (whether they are with me or not!). If you are looking for something to help you make the decision to get off your couch and lose weight, or just feel better about yourself, I hope that I can be part of your inspiration. Now that I know what I know about nutrition and fitness, my life is changed forever. I know that is a little cheesy, but I am so grateful for this Transformation Challenge.

Keep going strong ladies! 7 weeks down, 5 to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week Six

2009-04-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

I feel really good. I mean that. I feel really, really good. I have been noticing a lot of my habits these days have changed. I enjoy working out, and eating healthy. Don’t get me wrong, there are still moments in the wee hours of the morning where I would rather roll over and go back to bed then go to bootcamp, but I know that it’s worth it. I have been working really hard, and making sure that I take full advantage of this challenge. I am a changed woman.

I have been thinking a lot about attitude this week. My attitude toward food and life has changed. I no longer deal with my stress with cookies and ice-cream. To tell you the truth, blog-reader, I feel less stressed, and I sleep better at night too. Last week I stepped on the scale and found that I had gained two pounds after a really hard week of working out. This was devastating to my self esteem. Even when I said out loud that it didn’t bother me that I had gained weight, it really did. Working out in the beginning of the week seemed like extra pressure. Finally, mid-week, I decided that I can’t dwell on this number anymore. I know that I feel great, my clothes fit better (I fit into pants that I haven’t worn in a year!); and I have the energy to do whatever I want. After being able to get past the numbers, I am really able to fully commit myself to being healthy. So with this new positive attitude I stepped on the scale this Monday to find that I had lost 6 pounds (a total of 7 pounds). 7 pounds lost in 6 weeks may not sound like a huge number, but I can only think about how easy it would be to gain 7 more pounds. It is SO much harder to lose weight than gain it, and I am really proud of myself.

When I look the mirror, I don’t think I look that different to me. I guess I am just me and I see myself all the time. I have been getting tons of positive feedback from friends, and family. I have been noticing HUGE changes in all the ladies in the Transformation Challenge. I see the physical changes in appearance, and I also notice a huge attitude change attitude with everyone. You look great ladies, keep up the good work!

We are halfway through this Challenge. 6 weeks down, 6 weeks to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week Five

2009-04-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

Today might not be the most inspiring day to write this blog, blog-reader. This has been a hard week for me physically and even more challenging waking up feeling under the weather this morning. I think that is probably one of the hardest things about doing this challenge…waking up, dragging yourself out of bed even when you feel like you should turn the alarm off, roll over and sleep ALL day. Even after feeling that way this morning, I still, unhappily, rolled out of bed and drove myself in the dark to bootcamp.

Part of this morning’s motivation came from our guest speaker on Saturday, Jeff Troesch, a sports psychologist. I think everyone found a little something different to take away from the presentation, but what really stuck with me is taking it one day at a time. I, myself, am an instant gratification type person with a tendency to look into the future too much, so this is a hard task for me, but it helps! I am setting my goal to get one day better every day. You can only get one day better in one day, right? So every day I push myself a little bit harder because I know I can do it. There are going to be days where you get a little side-tracked from your goal. You might not feel like working out, or maybe you have some cake to celebrate a birthday. Don’t keep kicking yourself! Wake up the next day and get back on track. For me in the past this has been a huge part of it. I ruin one day by having something deliciously fried, or delectably chocolate and I can’t get myself back in the mode. Jeff’s talk really made me realize that, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I do have to say as challenging things have been in the gym and in life these past five weeks; I have not once cheated myself. Every time I go to work out, I go as hard as I can, even if I feel like I’m going to die. As far as eating goes, it gets easier with time. I know you can’t imagine not having that bowl of icecream after dinner, but I stopped even craving it. I stopped letting food control my life.

I am starting to see a change in myself both mentally and physically. I don’t think I have ever felt this good (not today, feeling under the weather) in my whole life. I never thought that I would be a person that enjoys going to the gym. I always told myself that I don’t have enough energy to work out, but I have more now. I can only tell you about my experience, and hope that it inspires you to take control of your life. Stop making excuses; I know you can do it!

Transformation Challenge ladies, you are looking great and I can’t imagine doing this without you. You inspire me most of all. Keep up the good work! 5 weeks down, 7 to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week Four

2009-03-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying that I lost 3 pounds this week! 3 pounds for me is HUGE! Really, I can’t write enough sentences with exclamation points! In addition to weighing less, I actually feel lighter on my feet if that’s possible. I can feel muscle in my arms and legs where I have never felt muscle before. I am stronger than I have ever been before. And even though “plank” is my new least favorite word, I know it has a lot to do with those and push-ups. I often feel like if I have to do one more push-up my arms are going to fall off, but they don’t and I am able to do get a little further down every time.

Not only is exercising getting better, but eating healthy is getting easier too. I no longer feel like I want to make-out with everyone that sticks anything sugary in their mouth. I don’t even feel like I want to over-eat at dinner time. These are two very big accomplishments for me. Every week it gets easier to wake up and go to work out and make good food choices. I am also happy to say that I have tried three new classes; Body Flow, Body Step, and Abs. While Body Step and Abs may not be for me, I’m glad that I tried them. I really like Body Flow. For anyone that is feeling like their life is a little chaotic, this is a perfect class for you. This is one of the many reasons that I feel less stressed and therefore feel like I need to stress eat less. I even attended a 11 year old’s birthday party with pizza, chips, dip, and cake and was able to limit myself to very small portions. If you try to deprive yourself you will end up going over the edge, allow yourself a little treat every now and again.

I have been working harder than ever before, and with the support of my team I know that I will be able to meet my goals. I have already made it through one month. If you had asked me one month ago if I thought I would be able to exercise five days a week and eat healthy foods, I would have answered “no”. Now I am doing both of these things with ease. Dare I say, I actually look forward to going to the gym and working out now.

After one month I have also lost 5 ½ inches collectively from my waist, thighs, hips, and calves. My clothes fit so much better, and I am feeling confident and strong. Feeling this way makes me want to inspire everyone old, young and in between to work out and take care of themselves. You only have one body, treat it right. Trust me; I am surprised these words are coming out of my mouth as well.

I know you can do this ladies! 4 weeks down, 8 weeks to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week 3

2009-03-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Let me start out by saying how good I feel this week. I can tell that I am getting stronger, and have a lot more energy than I used to. I was a little disappointed to step on the scale on Monday morning and see a one-pound loss staring back at me. I stopped for a moment and thought to myself…I can let this one-pound weight loss discourage me and I can keep feeling sorry for myself or I can push myself even harder this week. I opted for the later. Working out, for a person like me who hasn’t worked out in 10 years, is really hard! I can’t even tell you how many times that I have thought about hitting that alarm clock at 5:30am and going back to sleep. Getting in shape is hard, and that’s why many of us give up after the first couple of weeks. But by this, the third week I feel like I can do this. I hope this inspires you to push to that third week.

Something else I would like to mention is that I have been thinking a lot about my nutrition these past three weeks. We journal everything, and have Shelley, our EQ nutritionist, look them over and give us feedback. I know that if I don’t write everything down that I am only cheating myself. It has made me VERY aware of what I stick in my mouth, and now every food item that I see has a little calorie count over it. I also find that with eating healthier I have to eat more and more often. I stock up on a lot of fruits and veggies that I can eat for a snack and try to include them with every meal. I also drink a TON of water. Both of these things; watching what you eat and drinking water are vital for becoming more fit. There are so many diet programs that would have us believe that if we eat less we will lose more. Now, that may be true in the short term. I have dieted before, lost a little weight and then given up. Before I can blink all that weight is right back on. Eat smart, give your body the nutrition and energy that it needs. Take my advice; it makes a world of difference.
On the note of nutrition, it’s not easy to eat healthy foods, when everyone around you is not. I currently live with my family, and while they are supportive of my transformation challenge goals they are not really looking to change their habits. I watch them eat their french toast (covered in butter and syrup) and bacon, and I am jealous. This is just one of the hurdles that I am jumping to change my lifestyle. Eventually I will allow myself to have french toast and bacon again, but just learn to control the quantity. Quantity is key. Portion control!

I am learning so much about myself and about how I can be a healthier person. All the ladies are doing so great in the program. You are really starting to be able to see the results. I’m so proud of myself and everyone in this program. I’m also proud of anyone that has found the motivation to lead themselves down a path to a healthier life. 3 weeks down, 9 more to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week Two

2009-03-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

Week 2 started off with a bang as we all met at The Custom House, in Avila Beach for a nutrition talk and cooking demonstration. There was a lot of information about food that I didn’t know. I learned a couple tips about successful grocery shopping, the science behind some food we eat, and how we can make good choices when we go out. One of the chefs from the Custom House cooked us up some delicious healthy options and the bad options too just to show us how much oil (and other bad, but delicious foods) are used behind the scene. I think a lot of people were surprised at how good healthy food can taste.

Honestly, blog-reader, week 2 was harder than week 1 for me. Life is handing me lemons, and I want to make lemon-chiffon cake and then eat it all. First weigh in was on Monday, and I gained a pound. I am trying not to feel too discouraged by it, but after last week of working out more than I ever have before, and eating less food than I’m used to, I guess I expected more. This is the hard part for me. I am an instant gratification girl, and when I don’t see results right away I want to give up. This is the part where I would have usually consoled myself with a brownie sundae, but I fought the urge. I talked to a couple of the trainers and they encouraged me to keep it up, and try not to focus so much on the scale.

Bootcamp kicked my butt this week, in the good way. I am really sore after my workouts, but to me, it’s satisfying knowing that I must have done something right, because I am feeling it. I can already tell that I have more energy during the day, and I feel stronger.

I really want to mention something that has encouraged me the most in this challenging process, my team. The 5 other wonderful women that I have teamed up with have given me a phenomenal amount of support these past two weeks, and I know I would have given up without them. We write a lot of emails to each other to talk about our successes of the day, and our challenges. We vent about our issues, and encourage each other to keep doing what we’re doing, and to “put down that cookie!”. I hope that every team is finding this as much of a bonding experience as I am.

Week 3 is right around the corner, and I know I can do this! I wish you could see the determination on these women’s faces every week. Keep pushing yourself ladies, I know you can do it! 2 weeks down, 10 more to go!

Transformation Challenge - Week One

2009-03-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, bright and early (well early for Saturday anyway); we all met to find out just what we had in store for us in these next twelve weeks. Honestly, my first reaction to some of this information was…I don’t think I can do this. We were separated into teams, and got to meet the other women who would stand by our side, our support systems. Then off to the grocery store we went to learn about food. Kristen, a Cal Poly nutrition student, was so friendly and informative. She patiently walked through the grocery store with us, talking about the good and the not so good, and answering all our questions about how you can turn bad food into good food by modification. Choose a whole bun for your hamburger, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and limit your sugar. I always thought that losing weight meant eating like a little bird, but really it’s half what you eat, and the other half is portion control. I guess it sunk in, and so far it stuck.

6:30am (yes, there is one of those in the morning too) was our first bootcamp on Monday morning. Yes, that’s right…I said the words “bootcamp” and “6:30am”. I don’t think I would have made it through all the squats, push-ups, and crunches without my team. I wanted to give up a couple times, okay, let’s be honest…I wanted to give up most of the time. I pushed myself as much as I could. I woke up sore every day this week. This is not an easy program; I guess that’s why they call it a “challenge”. Every trainer at the gym has been so phenomenal in help keeping us motivated, helping push ourselves.

In addition to working out (3 mornings of bootcamp, and 5 days of cardio) we are charting our calories as well. I felt like I was starving most of the time. There were some of my weak moments where I felt like I wanted to eat an entire bag of Oreos. I can’t stress enough, that if you want to lose weight, it takes a LOT of work. I’m sure that anyone in this program can tell you that they are working their butt off. You’re hungry sometimes, but you just have to make good food choices. You are sore from working out, but you have to get back on the horse and keep doing it. You’re sleepy at 6:30am, but you push yourself to get the results that you want.

I’m so proud of myself and EVERYONE doing this Transformation Challenge. We had a tough week, but it will get easier! We are not just kicking butt for 12 weeks; we are changing to a happier healthier life. One week down, only eleven more to go!

Transformation Challenge

2009-03-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Carey. I have been battling with being overweight pretty much my entire life. I guess to me I always justified having that brownie sundae by telling myself, well I’m already fat. The harsh reality of it is that you wake up one day, and you have gained 60 pounds in the course of a relationship, and you can’t turn back time. That’s me. As a woman, I am an emotional eater, like many of us are. Break up, bad day at work; school work overload all includes giving yourself a little treat to soften the blow. Well, no more!

I am embarking on a 12 week Transformation Challenge at Equilibrium Fitness with 32 other wonderful women, of all ages and sizes. I will be documenting our journey, and trying my best to be a voice for the experience. We will be working out together as a team 3 days a week, and encouraging each other to make healthier food choices. I am so excited about this wonderful opportunity, and the fact that I get to share it with you, blog-reader.

So stay tuned to read about our journey; the good, the bad, and the ugly of our 12 week Transformation Challenge!

Muscles: More than an Exercise in Vanity

2008-05-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Are your muscles healthy?

This is certainly NOT the type of question that you may ask yourself very often, however, current research shows that muscle health is emerging as an integral part of overall health and wellness for both men and women.

But bigger is still better, right?

Actually, how "big" your muscles can get depends, to a greater degree, on both your sex and heredity. Muscles which have been stressed to their limit in order to provide enough functional power and strength to maintain an active lifestyle through the aging process are technically classified as "most healthy"--regardless of size. Hence, maintaining your muscular strength and endurance does take effort (through both cardiovascular conditioning and strength training), even if the results are not a sculptured look.

So how do I get "healthy" muscles?

There are two aspects to healthy muscles: endurance and strength. To maintain endurance, consider engaging in activities which actively pump blood to the muscles for a sustained period of time most days of the week--i.e. walking, jogging, cycling, etc. For strength, lifting weights is paramount! Unfortunately, many (women in particular) often lift weights which are far too light either in fear of improper technique and/or the "bulk" factor--which requires testosterone levels that the vast majority of women simply don't have.

Progressive resistance is your answer to building "healthy" muscular strength, which will also give women that level of beach-worthy "tone." Interested in learning how? That's precisely what we're here for at Equilibrium Fitness for Women! Drop us a line for more information to a "healthier" you, or stop in and speak with our Fitness Department in order to make sure that you are on the right track.

"Go Red" this February.

2008-02-12T11:51:00.001-08:00

When we think of February, the first association that typically pops into our heads is Valentine's Day. Hallmark--not to mention wives/girlfriends/significant others everywhere (a small stereotype permitting, if you will)--without question, have trained us all quite well.

This month in 2008, also "American Heart Month," I challenge you to consider an exceptionally different "association" for February : The American Heart Association. With that said, let me share with you a rather abrupt fact published by the AHA Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics for 2008.

Fact: Heart disease is the #1 killer of all women.

Are you at risk? Does heart disease and/or its associated risk factors run in your family? More importantly, do you even know?

The American Heart Association has taken an aggressive stance on this statistic--determined to make a difference not only in the report which will be published in 2009, but also in the lives of millions of American women, their families, and friends.

I encourage each and every man and woman to take a moment and visit http://www.goredforwomen.org./ This site is dedicated to not only raising awareness on this issue, but also to providing resources and education that women need to help live heart-healthy lives.

Again, www.goredforwomen.org. Join me in "Going Red" this February to help raise awareness for all the wonderful women in our lives.

Want a "leg up" on core training?

2008-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to get ahead with your core training, instead of adding more reps, additional sets, or an "as seen on TV" piece of abdominal equipment, first start by looking down at your feet. That's right.....the question is: How much core "work" do you do in your routine before adding in crunches, balls, or bands to target your abdominals?

When we train the core at a conscious level (sit-ups, back extensions, etc.), we often forget that this is not how it is used in everyday activities. In fact, in order for us to truly find the functional benefit that added core strength can provide, it must be an "automatic" response based upon the training that it receives.

For example, a client of mine recently was standing out on her elevated porch in preparation for a walk with her dog on a leash. Unexpectedly, her dog bolted after a neighborhood cat while she was still attempting to zip her jacket. Both the physics and the "gravity" of the situation propelled her down three steps to the ground--at which point, she found herself shaken, but surprisingly upright due to a barrage of balance and stability training which I incorporate into our bi-weekly sessions.

Do I spend excessive time on balance boards and stability balls with her? You might be surprised to find that the answer is "no." I do, however, require her to perform rather simple exercises, such as a bicep curl, while standing on one leg; and somewhat more complicated exercises, such as a lunge, while walking down a piece of masking tape.

One might argue that there is some compromise of strength and/or one's total weight-bearing capabilities with regard to functional training--i.e. I wouldn't have my client attempt to squat her max weight (or anywhere near it, actually) while standing on an unstable surface. Certainly, there is a time and a place to add stability training to one's workout. However, the next time you are considering increasing your weight on a particular exercise--for example, a seated bicep curl--first ask yourself whether or not you could perform your specific reps/sets while seated on a stability ball. Then decide whether you could perform this exercise with good posture while standing. Finally, could you do it with good form and posture while standing on one leg or safely on a stability device?

These are the questions that will eventually point you in the direction of a properly trained core. Developing strong abdominal muscles is important, but a well-trained core will have benefits that will last long after the six-pack fades.

You are never too old to keep a diary...

2008-01-17T21:59:00.001-08:00

...a food diary that is!

Without question, behavior modification has proven to be paramount for long-term weight loss success. The latest infomercial, dieting craze, or fat-burner pill may provide some marginal victories in the short-term, but let's face it, a diet of grapefruit juice and bilberry extracts should waive red flags from your department of common sense with regard to you long-term health.

So place your ab-chair-thigh-buster-bun-lifter (as seen on TV) aside, and instead, pick up a pen. That's right, a food diary is the number one tool used by nutritionists and dietitians for behavior modification-specific weight control. The real questions are: Do you trust yourself to write down every morsel of sweet, salty, or fatty delight that passes through your lips on a daily basis; or more importantly, can you commit to finding the time?

Please take a moment and respond with your successes, struggles, thoughts, and/or opinions on keeping a food diary. What has worked for you?

The World's Greatest Last-Place Finisher

2007-07-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, the last competitive event of the summer Olympics is the men's marathon. At the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, the marathon had been over for more than two hours. The journalists were finishing their stories and the TV people were breaking down their equipment.
Into the stadium hobbled a lone runner. He ran around the track, crossed the finished line, and got down on his hands and knees and kissed the ground. The journalists, sensing a great story, surrounded him.
All of a sudden someone yelled out, "Who are you?"
"My name is John Stephen Akhwari"
"Where are you from?"
"I am from the country of Tanzania."
"The race has been over for more than two hours. Why are you still running?"
"My country sent me 10,000 miles to run in the Olympic marathon. They did not send me 10,000 miles to start the race - they sent me 10,000 miles TO FINISH THE RACE."

Don't Procrastinate

2007-07-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know that IDEA, the International Health and Fitness organization, released a statistic that found 75% of people who exercise are not getting the results they want? But out of the 25% of people who are getting results, 90% of them are working with a Personal Trainer. Here's a story that I've adapted from one of the stories of Dr. Rob Gilbert, one of the most motivating individuals and the best Sports Psychologists of our day.

On the wall of a runners' store in Princeton is an Adidas poster..."Sweat, pain, and exhaustion are all temporary - finishing Boston is forever."
This poster refers to the Boston Marathon. Even if you're not a runner, this poster refers to you as well because you're in a marathon too. Achieving your health and fitness goals is a marathon - not a sprint.
Whether it's an athletic marathon or a personal marathon, there are two things you have to do to cross the finish line:Number one is start.Number two is continue.
Sounds simple... but it's not that easy. As a matter of fact, according to a fitness industry survey, only 75 percent of individuals on an exercise program are getting the results they want.
Start: It's the start that stops most people. Most people plan on getting started. They hope to get started. They want to get started. But they never get started. Why? Because they procrastinate. Procrastination is a killer. Procrastination is getting ready to get ready. The secret is that you don't have to feel like getting started - you just have to start. Don't wait until you feel like doing it... just do it and then you'll feel like it! So today start walking, work out at the fitness center, plan your meals, cook a healthy dinner, go to bed early- whether you feel like it or not.
Continue: In other words, "Keep on keeping on." Why do so many people fail to continue once they get started? The number one reason for quitting for marathon runners is pain and exhaustion. The number one reason individuals stop exercising is discouragement. In the long run, it hurts more to quit than to continue.
Question: How do you fight discouragement?Answer: With success.
Let me explain... Nothing succeeds like success. When you actually start seeing results, your whole world changes. Results change attitudes. When you actually start seeing results, weight loss, increased energy, more definition, better attitude, better mood - these results are powerful motivators. Nothing succeeds like success.
Start. Continue. Cross the finish line! The tassel is worth the hassle.