What It Takes

In 2012, I've had the pleasure of working with all of my returning clients and many new clients. I've had the fortune of training people with varied goals. I've been blessed.

A new client said to me recently, “I don't care how things taste, I'll eat the food that will get me to my goal.”

At that moment, I knew that I had a client who was going to reach his goals.

I recognized myself in him.

He was committed to his goal. He was going to reach his goal NO MATTER WHAT.

In four and a half weeks, he's reached a goal of fitting in his unbutton-able pants more quickly than anticipated.

Wow.

I'm totally impressed, and I'm pretty sure he is too.

He has a few more goals he's set for himself and I know that he'll reach those too.

Through nutritional education, perseverance and work ethic, he's reached every goal he's set to date.

It's exciting to watch!

I've done a lot of thinking about the subject of setting goals and achieving them. In 2012, I set some pretty lofty goals and achieved more than expected. I've wondered how I did this. I've done hours of soul searching (okay, overly dramatic here for purposes of gaining your undivided attention) for my next book project and for my baker's dozen whole-health-wellness modules.

I've wondered how I could have achieved high aspirations, since many years ago, I was something of an underachiever.

The conclusion I've come to after many hours of thought and research is this: I committed.

What?

I committed to achieving a goal, and never took my eye off the attainment of the end result.

My most proud moment in 2012 came when I stepped nervously on a scale in Las Vegas, NV and weighed 131.34 pounds. For those of you not used to the crazy food/weight world of powerlifters, on August 12^th, 2012, I committed to getting to a new weight class for my next powerlifting meet in 10 weeks. That morning, my scales read 149 lbs, yet I made a decision I was going to get to 132 NO MATTER WHAT. I had ten weeks to reach my goal. Ten weeks that included a lot of opportunities to eat badly and drink poorly and to not train properly. But, because I committed, I planned to outwit any obstacle. Fail to plan, plan to fail. I came up with a plan A, B AND C.

When I stepped on those scales on October 18th , and had lost nineteen pounds, it was one of of the proudest moments of the year.

I see that commitment it in my client.

He's going to attain his goal, no matter what.

Success breeds success and he's on his way to long term success in whole-health-wellness.

I'm excited for him as he continues his journey and proud of him too!

What's next?

2013!

That's right...a whole NEW YEAR full of endless possibilities for each of us!

T-Day Plan

Thanksgiving is coming and I'm panicked about all the food that will surround me. Even now, everywhere I turn, there's a whopper-with-cheese opportunity (whoppertunity) to eat outside the lines.

As T-Day approaches, I have a plan of action.

Fail to plan...plan to fail...

I will bring a base salad to my mom's house with me.

Nothing fancy...just my normal salad base (usually bagged salad 50/50 mix).

I will make a saladification out of what is on the table.

My salad greens base.

Turkey.

Cut up baked sweet potatoes.

Peas.

Pecans.

Salad Dressing, any variety, lightly drizzled.

As someone who recently lost 18 lbs in 10 weeks to make a new lower weight class, I would really hate to gain it all back just to have to lose it all again the next time I compete. If I absolutely HAD to watch what I ate on T-giving, this saladification is what I'd eat in a “medium to high” carb cycling day.

I've come to the conclusion that I have two different choices on the Big Thursday.

1) I will either treat the day like an all out splurge and “go for anything and everything” on the table, or 2) I will saladify the things I CAN eat that will give me the flavor of Thanksgiving without too many calories or carbs.

Both choices have advantages and disadvantages.

Total free-for-all splurging will instantly make me feel great and satisfy my craving to be like the others at my table. I'll be able to eat and eat and eat food that is sweet. Awesome!...but, then, I'll feel tired. Then I'll get the urge to splurge again thanks to those pesky after-carb cravings.

Eating within the lines via saladifcation will give me the greatest sense of satisfaction that I ate food for fuel and will have the best chance to keep my weight at 136. It'll give me the sense of satisfaction that I made it through yet another difficult social setting in which I made a good eating decision. But, it's tough going when everyone around you is eating “normally” for Thanksgiving and you aren't.

If I absolutely HAD to weigh 132 on January 1^st, I'd make the correct decision, but my next competition perhaps isn't until June. This is just another test of my willpower to remain black dress ready.

In the end, it's MY choice...as it will be your choice this Thursday. I'll be interested to see what my readers chose to do...keep me posted and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Take Comfort (Not To Be Confused With™ Comfort Foods)

“Get comfortable with uncertainty”, I said to her knowingly. My friend felt anxious about her life's great unknown “coming soon to events near you.” I assured her that we all feel anxious about the future. In fact, many of us feel that way every day. I do. Life is uncertain. Really? Well, I could step out of the bathtub and have a major accident slipping in my bathroom or I could get in a tin-can with wings and fly half-way across the world and arrive a few minutes earlier than the scheduled itinerary. Life's a daily crap-shoot. It's uncertain. It's the nature of living. Do you know what we also need to get comfortable feeling? Wait for it...it's another noun...starts with an “A”... That's right. Get comfortable with adversity. In life, we all have to deal with adversity. No matter how much it looks like things are easier for someone else, they probably aren't as easy as they look. Good stuff and bad stuff happens to everyone...not just YOU! But the beautiful thing in our uncertain and sometimes adverse life is that we have a CHOICE about how we handle adversity. We can choose to revel in it and wear it like a potato sack, or ignore it and move past it without it ever slipping it on our bodies. We can choose to push forward until we break free from those unpleasant feelings/occurrences. I know that when you're in the middle of adversity, you just need to get out of it. You probably scramble, scratch and claw to get past it. That's okay. When in the vortex of adversity, survival instinct usually does and should kick in. But, once out of adverse circumstances, you will have an option to chose how you react to your PAST circumstances. You decide whether you are going to use that adversity to pump you up or push you down. I hope you chose to allow yourself to get to a better place in your emotional life by way of the difficulties you experienced. If everything was easy, I honestly don't think we could learn and grow. Some of my best epiphanies have come from the difficult situations I have encountered and conquered. You're not in this game of uncertainty or adversity alone. We all feel have those feelings at some point every day. (I'm not exaggerating...I live in the DC metro area and every time I drive down the street, I encounter both of those nouns.) Reach out to others when in need and start enjoying all that crazy fun uncertainty! Move past the emotional turmoil that adversity hands you and chose to be better because of it. We're given one life...make the most of it :-)

May-day May-day!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed you didn't know what to do?

 You kept trying to fix problems as they arose, but they cropped up more quickly than you could take action?

 Well, I have.

 Need I say, "not a pleasant experience"?

 As a recovering worry-wart, I attempt to let things "slide". I have found dread to be far more draining than the dreaded.

 However, for a while in the recent past, the dreaded was actually worse than the dread.

 I am not sure how seemingly little things add up to "too much", but somehow synergistically, they do. Voila~a tipping point is reached.

 The sad part was that my entire family appeared to reach the tipping point at precisely the same time.

 Things were unraveling, and not one of us knew how to make things better.

 So, Jim and I reached out to someone.

It actually felt melodramatic and our emotions were on heightened alert.

We were desperate.

 But, then something magical happened.

 We sat down with the person to whom we reached out.

 And...

 They listened.

 Did you HEAR me?

 THEY LISTENED.

 A (too) rare trait in this time and age of hustle and bustle. They sat across from the two of us espousing our emotions and they listened.

 And then...

 They affected change.

 They helped us.

 What a relief.

 We gave our problems to someone else, they listened, and they helped us.

 I can't tell you how relieved we felt after that meeting. It was as if the weight of the world just slipped off of our shoulders. Everything seemed brighter and full of joy. 

My messages here are powerful ones:

 When you can no longer help yourself, ask for help.

 and

 If someone asks you for help, listen and attempt to affect change for them.

 I assure you, the listening to and answering of my May-day 2012 has been a true blessing and I can't thank the "true listener" enough.

10 and 2 = High Noon

A whimsical silly post is what's in store this month. It's all that I have "in me". I recently heard or read that you should only blog when you have something to say and/or when the spirit moves you. Although I find myself in the predicament that Casper has not Whispered Down the Lane; I didn't want a month to go by without writing something. So, I'll share something that happened this

month when I was with my teenage son and his friends. I do this, because I find the scenario amusing. I picked them up for a drive to a Lacrosse game in Maryland. There were 4 boys (all approximately 15 years old) and me (approximately 46 years old). I have found that some teens like to talk and some do not. I attempted to make conversation talking nonsense...it's what I do best. I said to them..."please do not tell your parents that I don't drive at 10 and 2". I was surprised that they heard me talk and that they all knew what I was talking about. Sometimes, you just need to drop a few words and see how everyone sound bytes the conversation after that. That's when the animated conversation began. Nearing the age of driving, they were all FULLY aware of "10 and 2". They were also fully aware (and I was not) that it is no longer recommended to drive at "10 and 2". According to them, driving is properly taught at "8 and 4". What? I can't believe that...is everyone taught to drive a fire truck now? I admit to driving at (you say) Midnight (I say High Noon). One hand on the wheel at the top. I think that I have always driven like this. It's more comfortable. But, these points are not important right now mainly because there are no points in a whimsical post. What transpired on the way home is when the real magic began. My son and I talked and laughed about High Noon driving. We talked about talking. We talked about not talking. And then he said something really nice to me. "Mom, you think and act more like a teenager than we teenagers."... (You say) Egads (I say, what a compliment!) I see that my inner teen is still intact...any time of the day...and for that, I am really proud! Though I have legally been an "adult" for 28 years (nearly 29 years), it hasn't worn me down and I can still think young enough to be fun. So, I guess it's like a variation on the size adage: that it's not (your) age that counts but what you do with it. If there is any point to this blog (and there really is not) it would be to get in touch with your inner teen and you'll find yourself having alot of fun!

"Today" Is Yesterday's Tomorrow

(Two years plus one day ago) Today I made a big change.







I took the time to come out "here" and blog.






Today I have two years and one day of experience in blogging.






Those are the not the primary differences in the two years that have passed.






In these last two years, I've learned much. I've gained confidence.  I've grown personally and professionally.  There is nothing in this last year that I'd erase; even the "bad stuff".  I've found that "bad stuff" helps me grow more than the good stuff, especially when I am on the other side of "yuk".



Though the second year of life is often associated with the "terrible twos",  I don't plan to "yes, no, I don't know" in this year's blogs.  My second year of blogging, no matter how sparsely spaced, will be full of decisive opinions.  I am two years older and more confident than the day I wrote my first blog.



In this  last year, I have been honored to watch beloved family members, friends and clients grow physically and emotionally.  I have been blessed with wonderful people in my life; and for these things I am truly thankful.





I am glad that you come along this blogging journey with me and I appreciate every minute that you spend reading my philosophies on living life to the fullest.





In this next year, I have big plans for myself, my family and my clients. Today is a great day, but next year's today will be even better...of that I am positive ;-)

Questions from my Husband...

 “Which Are You?”, he asked.



“Nutrition Consultant? Personal Trainer? Motivational Coach? Pick one and become the best possible expert at that.”

“I don't wanna pick ONE. I can't”,  I said.


Those annoying and probing questions fortuitously shaped the next few years of my quest to become a fitness expert.


In the trifecta of weight loss, particularly fat loss, I needed to comprehend and convey all three.   It was (and still  is) the only way to set my clients up for success.



I see fat loss as a three step process ~ each step is an interwoven and integral piece of the process.



Mindset.



Nutrition.



Exercise.



Yes, All Three!



Mindset~In fat loss, you must first be ready and willing to push through any adversity that you may find along your way.  Often the fear of losing weight has us sabotaging our "best made plans".  Mind over matter is the only way to push past that sticky point and any other arising problems that stand in the way of you getting to your goal.



Nutrition~To maximize fat loss, you must eat correctly and you must eat “within the lines” 90% of the time. This means 6 small meals per day x 7 days=42 meals per week. You can eat 10% cheat meals (a.k.a-outside the lines); At 42 "meals"  that's only eating 4 cheats per week.  Make em big cheats because a skipped meal is considered a cheat.



Exercise~You must exercise in a fat burning way. Straight cardio routines are not going to get you to your goal, so push that outdated fitness theory out of your mind.   In order to burn fat, you must build muscle.  Strength training two to three times per week and doing an interval-cardio styled workouts two to three times a week will have you  fat-free in no time!



These are the universal rules of fat loss, successful weight management and an overall healthy life.



So, you see Mister, I couldn't pick just ONE and stick with it.



I'll continue to concentrate on being a  masterful expert at all three ;-) 


"What's that?  Write a book on what I learned?" 


"Huh.  Now maybe, just maybe, you have a good idea there!"

The New You Can't Weight in 2012!

Hello Readers!

Newer to writing I am., but age old message I bring. Time for a New Year. Auld Lang Syne. Out with the old, (Th)in with the New. Time for a NEW YOU! I have some suggestions to help you to start 2012 right:

1) Love yourself. Love yourself at your current weight. Self loathe is not a positive emotion and can hold you back from your ultimate goal. See yourself at your desired weight. To help you do this go to the website www.weightmirror.com

2) Don't DIE-t. Weight loss does not work in the long term. Instead, look at the food you eat as a fuel that your body needs. Look at eating as a lifestyle. Make it a game to see what fuel your body needs for the activity it is doing.

3) Nutrition is primary, Nutrition is primary. Exercise is a nose finish secondary. Investigate the “clean eating” philosophy. Basically, eat what comes from mother nature. If you can envision it as a natural source, you can eat it. If it is processed, keep it off your palate. Example-white bread vs. whole wheat bread. Whole wheat bread is the better choice because the white bread was processed to become white. One little known fact is that even food labels stating “no trans fat” may be a product that contains trans fat. This is because the item has less than .5 grams of trans fat and the manufacturer can claim “no trans fat” . To circumvent this, look at the list of ingredients. If the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” are on the label, it has trans fat. Avoid foods with any trans fat.

4) Seek out a personal trainer. This isn't necessary for everyone, but if you want to lose fat or learn how to exercise, I think that this should be a priority. Think about it. In the past, you may have purchased a lot of weight loss books that became shelf-help instead of self-help books. That is a lot of wasted money. Do yourself a favor, set yourself up for success. Bring in an expert who can guide you through the process of proper exercise and nutrition for your goals. I do believe that if you invest in yourself and your well-being, it motivates you and inspires you to continue to live a healthy lifestyle. Exercise does not have to be awful. I think that a good trainer is imperative to everyday health and happiness. Look for a certified trainer who incorporates corrective exercises in their exercise program.

5) Finally, some “tips” that everyone likes to see in these columns-I'll call these ”fat loss” tidbits. These tips do not work in a vacuum (see item 3 above), but, together with proper nutrition and exercise, they will help! ***

+ Eat multiple meals (at least 6) per day. Have a protein source at each meal.
+ Reduce Carb Intake.
+ Do Interval training combined with resistance training.
+ Add Omega 3 (cold water fish) and Omega 6 (nuts and seeds) to your diet.

6) If you fall down and miss a day of exercise, eat junk, don't rest or do something destructive on the the “New You Plan”, refer to item 1 above). Forgive yourself and move on. Don't give up!

Laura Clancy is a NPTI Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutritional Consultant who lives in Arlington, VA. She is currently a member of the prestigious Coaching Group of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita Valley, CA. She can be reached at jaclancy@aol.com or 703)209-3085. ***Always consult a physician before beginning a diet and exercise program.