Have a back up plan

As a personal trainer and coach, I hear all sorts of reasons why people didn't exercise or follow through with their assignments. Life does happen...every day. And it will throw us curve balls. I believe those who achieve their goals are the ones who are prepared for their "what ifs."

Recently, I got approved and accepted to train for the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). They are the world's largest certifying agency. The program I will teach is Indoor Cycling, and in one segment, we discuss the "what ifs." What if the mic is broken? What if you forgot your music? What if the electricity goes out? A good instructor has back up plans and is able to confidently handle the situation. Our personal life is no different.

What if your workout buddy is sick? What if a meeting ran late, and you just missed your favorite spin class? What is the weather turned bad, and you can't exercise outside? Have a back up plan like a jump rope (10 minutes of jumping rope equals 50...yes 5-0...minutes of running) or swim suit in your car to do laps. If everything has hit the fan, then jog in place with high knees or do jumping jacks. Something IS better than nothing.

And here is the truth. If you forgo exercising today for a good reason, it is easier to create excuses tomorrow. One day turns into weeks, which turns into months and then years. Don't let your "what ifs" turn into "oh wells!"

The race isn't always to the swift...

I certainly didn't break any records running my first marathon, but I enjoyed myself. I witnessed the sun coming up over the mountains as the birds awoke. As I followed the river, it's steady sound put me in a trance. I thanked all the volunteers at every stage for being there with fresh water and a smile. I prayed, sang along with hymns and was just thankful to be able to even consider such an undertaking as this. This race wasn't about being swift for me; it was about stamina, determination and endurance.

At some point in our lives, we have a battle. Mine most recently was Lyme Disease, which I beat with a lot of hard work and prayer. This marathon was my celebration of a completely healthy and balanced body. Before the gun was shot at o-dark-thirty in the morning, I had already won!

So remember this: "Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can."

It's all in the state of mind...

Quit Complaining

I recently asked a lady who moved to Colorado how long it took her to adjust to the sporadic weather, which I'm having difficulty with since living in Southern California. She replied, "It took me five years." Curious about that, I asked, "What happened at five years." She simply stated, "I quit complaining."

The weather did not change nor did it become less sporadic. She simply "chose" to stop complaining about it and move on.

How simple a principle. Try applying it to life...not as easy. BUT, it can make a big difference in our perspective, thereby changing "us," which is all we have control over.

So, I will attempt to embrace our 80 mph winds when they come and see the beauty in snow that falls in May. The wind blows the weather out or new weather in, and the snow brings well-needed moisture to the Rocky Mountains so that we may not thirst.

Marathon training

Never being one to enjoy running (I like the results of running), deciding to run a marathon to celebrate being pain-free for 8 months now seems odd. Yet, it is perfect. I wanted something that would challenge my body...and my mind!

And, I've learned a lot from my long-distance running. Sure short runs are easy, but they aren't near as rewarding. Besides the fact that you do get endorphines to kick in on longer runs, you get further out...often seeing things you'd miss on the shorter one. One path I've been using goes through a beautiful neighborhood then around a lake. Most stop there, but then it turns and heads through farmland with majestic mountain views. It's exhilerating!

Longer run also clear your mind and perfect your running form. It's like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. I just had my teeth cleaned. I floss every day, but my dentist said I was rushing through the process. Just "doing" something isn't enough...do it well! You can't cheat on long-distance running or show up ill-prepared for a marathon. I think we could benefit from the same mentality in life! Go the distance and do it to the best of your ability!

Bad habits

I just tried out my new skis on Friday. Man, has equipment come a long way! The edges grip like glue, and the new size allows much more control with little bumping and bouncing. Sweet!

What I learned, however, about myself is that I allowed some bad habits to form. The new equipment can certainly improve my skiing, but I needed to get back to some basics and reform better habits...keeping my hands in front of me, not behind...leaning forward, using my quads not leaning back in the boot. These minor adjustments will make a big difference in my skiing performance.

And it reminded me that we can all benefit from small adjustments that can make big differences. The problem is we often get too close to ourselves to notice we've fell into some bad habits. That's where a life coach can help...give you honest feedback and look towards minor tweaks to make great improvements. Let me know if I can ever be of help!

Good Reminders

I've decided to do my first marathon this year. Training outside in Colorado during the winter has given me some great reminders that apply to our personal and professional lives and are quite appropriate as we start a New Year.

1. Even if you have the skill, you better have the right equipment! Trust me, California gear doesn't cut it in 20 degree weather with ice pellets blowing in your face!

2. You MUST know your why. When things get tough (or freezing cold), your why will keep you focused on why in the world you are running in 20 degree weather in the first place! For me, my marathon is a celebration of being pain free after a very long health battle.

3. You better have purpose and a plan to keep me moving. You don't want to stand still very long in 20 degrees to figure out what you are doing. And you can't afford to make mistakes....so very true of our economic condition right now.

4. The first few minutes of any endeavor are always the worst. Stay focused beyond that to keep me moving. I thought my hands and face would fall off today, but I kept moving. Eventually, my body warmed up (relatively speaking!).

5. And, if you need to take a break, make it quick! The longer you stop something, the harder it is get to going again. Try running in 20 degrees...it's a great motivator to keep moving!!

I will try to keep you posted on my progress and training adventures. As always, I enjoy hearing from you.