Life, Fitness, and General Sillyness

Hey guys, how are you all doing on this fine Tuesday? Hope all is well and your 2013 is off to a fabulous start! I was at my Lifetime Fitness location for the first time since the Arnold last night and saw numerous new faces last night. I've also noticed new faces in my office building's gym in the last few weeks-- it seems there are some late New Year’s Resolutioners. Good for you guys! I have known many people who have undergone transformations over the years (my own included) and there are many misconceptions about getting in shape that I feel people should consider as they plug away at their goals. It's better to begin thinking about these things now versus being blindsided by it later! You Are Going to Screw Up-- Plan Ahead For It! Plan your meals and cheats ahead and stick to them-- impromptu meals and temptation can be enough to throw anyone off. Everyone succumbs to Starburst and take-out pizza occasionally. The key here is to move on and start over...

Hello! I haven't blogged in awhile and I figured I ought to check in with you guys. I competed at the Arnold a few weeks ago and managed to survive. I get asked "How was it??" all the time. Truthfully, kids, I was disappointed with the operation of the show. The expo was fabulous and I met a million great people, no doubt. Unfortunately, the show itself felt extremely unorganized and chaotic. For the amount of time and money put in, I was surprised at the utter lack of fluidity and all the snags. Duplicate athlete numbers in the same class, late show start (nearly an hour past when it was supposed to start), the shuttle service that was supposed to be provided was inconsistent and unreliable from the hotel to the venue (walking 5 blocks in 37 degree weather and a contest tan = not a great deal). I personally feel that the IFBB needs to change the qualifications for the Amateur show to limit the number of athletes. I believe that they need to change it so ...

Anyone else feel that American culture, while fabulous, lacks a certain level of self-discipline that you see in other parts of the world? I'm not just talking about how we spend our money and the obvious entitlement mentality that seems to be permeating different generations. I'm speaking of the "I want it now but I don't want to do the work" mentality. Where did this go in our minds and hearts? In a fast-food and American Idol nation, where is the drive to actually DO the things that people set out to do? Since when is it weird to make a goal and stick to it, and why does it make you a bit of a social outcast to have some drive to have some physical or athletic goals? It seems like everything has gotten so backwards. You're often looked at with judgement if you have the drive to make something of yourself and not give up. It's sad to me that it's become completely socially acceptable for people to make resolutions and goals and give up on them ...

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...