Life, Fitness, and General Sillyness

I'm finding myself in a relatively interesting scenario that has presented itself in the last 24 hours. Maybe you guys have run into this too. I've been seeing a fabulous counselor for over a year. She has really helped me iron out some issues from my past and help me gain some strength and confidence. Some major traumas from my life have been alleviated and overcome from the last few years and I am eternally grateful for that. I had an appointment with her last night and she was asking me about everything in regards to competition life and my health/fitness goals for the industry. She asked me a series of questions about how I train, how I diet, why I compete, etc etc trying to get a grasp of what competition life is like and why I love it. The more I talked, the more baffled I got by by her body language-- tipped head, furrowed brow, crossed legs, her pen pressed over her lips. She obviously was disapproving but was hesitant to say so. When I was done explaining my vi...

When I started in the fitness world, I was a little naive and didn't know anyone-- and locally, I literally knew no one. I knew people from fitness message boards who lived across the country, but no one in the Minneapolis area. It was pretty intimidating. It's funny that no matter who you are, you tend to feel like a kid in high school when you're introduced to a new environment. You're desperate to not feel like a loner and just want to blend in. It's no different at (then) 26 than it was at 16 year old-- everyone wants to belong! If you're starting out into the fitness industry this year, be warned: There are politics and there are cliques. I wasn't aware of this when I first ventured in. People are going to try to sway you one way or the other- for or against a specific group, person, or organization. I have been semi-tangled into other people's personal vendettas in the fitness industry two or three times since 2008 and it's an icky place t...

I get a lot of questions and emails from people asking "How do you stay so motivated all the time? I can't imagine having that kind of energy to do that." To be honest with you, I don't know where it comes from. And trust me, guys, it's not always there. Ask anyone who knows me well; they'll tell you I get tired, discouraged, burnt out, and stressed out from time to time. I'm no different than anyone else out there. I get tired. I get lazy. I get frustrated. I've had a few times where I've seriously considered just giving up on fitness entirely but I always talk myself out of it. Perseverance is a tough thing to find in yourself. Quitting is quick, easy, and predictable. You can lick your wounds and bruised ego, justify it, and try your best to move on. But gosh, don't you feel like CRAP about it? Goal-setting is something that many people avoid doing because it's so black-and-white in nature. You do it or you don't; it's that...

One of the most intimidating experiences for people new to working out is going to the gym. It's like entering a foreign country where people speak an entirely different language than you're familiar with- heartrate zones, HIIT, deadlifts, squats, 21s, sumos, push presses- what in the world are people talking about? I'm getting a lot of emails from friends and acquaintences in the last few weeks that all share this same anxiety. And you know what? It's completely normal! If you haven't worked out before or you're only familiar with the exercises you did in high school (or in some cases, college), you'll have a natural inclination to only do what you already know. You'll stay away from things you haven't used, haven't done, or have never seen in your life. Human nature is predictable in that way. It's intimidating to overcome that  mindset but you have to do it. What you'll find is that it's your own mind and insecurities talking...

No matter what you're doing in your own life in terms of pursuing your goals, make sure you don't just settle. Reach out to people and ask questions. Ask for advice. If others ask you for advice along the way, pay it forward instead of withholding it for yourself. The more that you put out there in the world, the more you get back. Don't believe me? Try it for a week or two and see what happens. You'd be shocked at how much your life can change by putting out a positive vibe and helping other people in whatever way you're capable of. I had an amazing opportunity come my way today just because I happened to send out a sincere, complimentary email to someone. Never expected anything for it or even wanted a response. Instead, a door opened for me that I'm really hoping will turn into something exciting in the future. Good things can happen if you put yourself out there. No matter what field you're in, help other people, offer up information and aid when...

Dreaming of a big 2013? Me too! Sometimes dreaming is just not enough! Do you have a game plan to get you where you are? You have to go after your goals with some structure-- there's no such thing as luck. Write your goals down for the year and put them somewhere you'll see them regularly (your dresser, your fridge, inside a bathroom vanity cabinet). Put them as screen savers on your computer or as the background on your smart phone. Nobody is a bigger motivator for your fire than yourself. The power of our own words can be more influential than any quote or photograph found on Tumblr. If you're planning on losing weight or getting into shape, you need to treat it like a second full time job. Get your meals cooked the night before, get to the gym with a workout specifically lined up before you arrive, and plan out your cheats ahead of time. Treat your fitness goals as if your boss is constantly loitering over your shoulder and monitoring what you do. Don't cut...