New Years Resolution

New Years always comes with me breaking my promise to lose weight. Well, I am losing weight and I am working out. This was a life change I made a few months ago. But my real goal is to stay healthy. I began to think how can I help myself this New Year without being so discouraged or every morning wake up kicking and screaming because I made a resolution I cant keep. But I needed my resolution to correspond with my path to being healthy and losing weight. Here is my New Years life change I am gonna try and stick with it and hope that it becomes a life change. I am going to bring a refillable water bottle everywhere I go. Everywhere. I will always carry water in my purse or with me. I know it seems silly, your thinking water... but how many times are you thirsty and go threw a drive thru for that soda or run to 7-11 for a Slurpee, or Washingtonians favorite Starbucks? I think this will help curve my cravings for being so thirsty, and water is so important for your body and skin. So I ask whats your small life resultion??

Skinny Secret

To help me stay on my goals and compliment myself on my goals achieved I write on my bathroom mirror. I take a dry eraser pen and write on my mirror pounds lost and something that I want to achieve. The goals can be big, but I tend to keep them small like this one this week is get through these dead lifts with proper form. Sometimes I will add I want to walk an extra mile. They are goals that are attainable in short time for me. Its fun to erase the weight loss from 10lbs to 12 lbs. For me its makes me smile each day as I wake up and get ready for the day and reflect on what I have achieved and where I am going for this becoming a healthier person. What is cool about this is, its dry eraser pen it washes right off if you have company over. For me now all my company go look at my mirror and expect to see my artwork.

Recovery Time

I hit a wall with life and working out. Not my idea but I did not fight it, Brian from Fitness Together encouraged me to take a week off. He showed me why, saying my performance when doing my reps were not good. I felt fatigue. He asked me not to do anything but work and eat healthy. He followed up mid week reminding me and asking me not to work out. Well no excuses only the truth, I missed two weeks because sometimes life hands you a few bumps in the road and exercise was set aside.

After having two weeks off I knew I was in for it. I have this obstacle course I do at Fitness Together. Its a combinations of 8 exercises that he wants me to do 3 times. So once I do the first 8 then I repeat myself until I have done it 3 times. There are two exercises that are not my friend but I have gave it my best and said we are best of friends. This course really works every muscle in my body and keeps my heart rate up. When I am done I feel like a panting dog that is having a lung and heart failure.

Monday morning we meet, obstacle time! He explains that hes going to make me pay for missing out and not thinking about myself and working out that last week.

Monday only could go twice through all the exercises in 33 minutes, with a few times of crying because I let myself go again.

Wednesday I did all the exercises and did not cry but in 36 minutes.

Friday he explains that if I don't do all the exercises in 30 minutes like I did before my two weeks off he was going to continue to do this until I achieved this goal.

I did it in 30 minutes and a few seconds into it.

Ya, I did not do it in less that 30minutes but I was very close, so I won the confidence of knowing that even if I get a road block that I can plow through it and get through the obstacles in life.

Feedback and Followers

I would encourage and ask please leave feedback. I can take negative and positive feedback. I know what your thinking, negative... why would I ever say anything bad. Hey its okay. I have had some. I just use that to become better person or use spell check. hahhahha. Honestly though dont be affraid to leave a comment on here.

Also don't be shy about becoming a follower. I have had alot of you that read this and say I read it but havent become a follower, its easy just click follow and it will take 3seconds of your time. This will allow me to know whos leaving the comments and respond to them or any questions.

Encouragement

I was introduced to a woman that is a daughter of one of our clients at my work. I am sharing this story with you because it brings tears to my eyes when I think about how I have impacted her and she has me.

She came to the salon, juggling two twin boys (that are a year and a half years old) saying how she read my blog, (her mother gave her my info) and was encouraged by me. WOW me?? Seriously?? When I looked at her she appears to be very fit and athletic. She tells me how she read my blog and was encouraged by me to get on the treadmill at work and walk. As time went by she got courage and strength to run and walk. Now she is running. She told me that she was doing her first 5k jiggle bell dash last weekend. I am sooo excited to hear if she completed it. (if your reading leave a message here very interested in knowing)

I am astonished at who finds encouragement from what I am doing. I had another client that told me her and her friend are now doing the same thing running a 5K once a month. I have had an older lady tell me she got out her weights and is moving around. Its an amazing feeling. The encouragement is like a rush, almost like an accomplishment, stepping over the finish line.

Thank You!

Both the newspaper articles came out. I was very nervous for everyone to see what someone else sees as I explain my trip to becoming healthier.

I had overwhelming amounts of positive feedback and encouragement from the article. People that have read the article have made telling you all my weight worth it :) You all have made me feel as though when times are rough and I want to give up, that I can't. I feel the love now, its like you all are waiting at the finish line or encouraging me all to do another rep or add more weights when I am working out at Fitness Together, with Brian Wehner.

So for this I say with a big hug THANK YOU, for all the support.

Lesson Learned

Today was my first day back at the gym, from taking 2 weeks off. The first week was a planned week of not working out in the gym, both my body and my trainer Brian from Fitness Together told me that I hit a wall and I needed some rest time. I agreed, though I did not want to I knew it was necessary.

Brian called me for the first week and made sure I was not working out. I have to admit I felt like I got so much stuff done, working out is like taking care of a dog. When I was not at work I was working out or eating healthy. I still ate healthy but this freed up some time to get some stuff done.

Now the second week was not planned for missing the gym. A few life bumps in the road and getting ready for a busy few month with work and holiday I just did not make it in to Fitness Together.

Its a weird cycle, even though the first week, I was told not to work out but eat healthy I did what I was told. Now the second week I was on my own, I tried to eat healthy, I did not get to the gym, this is where the cycle of becoming chubby can start again.

I do not know why I did not make time to work out on my own, other than I was so busy last week which is why I could not make it in Fitness Together. But I am kicking myself now.

I worked out this morning. I dreaded it, more than the first time walking in there. I was nervous. I knew I was lethargic and felt fat again. Like the last 3-4 month was nothing, all my hard work and I felt like it had gone down the drain with two weeks off. I struggled with my body not because I was tired and hit a brick wall, no I am strong, I struggled because I have not moved in two weeks (in the gym). WOW what an eye opener. I never want to go without getting into the gym again. Honestly I feel horrible physically. I almost wanted to cry because I thought I was a chubby girl again. It took alot to hold back the tears from giving myself 2 weeks off.

So that's it "Lesson Learned" I promise myself I will not do that again. I need to keep moving and keep pushing myself. I feel so much better after I work out, I was not as sore either. Which I will be tomorrow morning. Bummer I will be so sore on my 34 birthday. But I see light my 35th birthday I will be healthier! I was taught today from my trainer and my body that moving keeps the body and soul healthy.

Active.com

People ask me where I find my next race. Here is where I find most and where I register to the also: www.active.com . I click on 5k and what state I want. Active.com is a great web site that has all different activities not just running. The other place I get my information is the local running stores in my area, Jock and Jill and Roadrunner. They bother have a bulletin board with local races. Then the third place I get my information going to the races, they have people there promoting their next race they are sponsoring. So there you go, I hope to see some of my followers there, Good Luck and have Fun being ACTIVE.

Issaquah Press and Newcastle News

I did an interview with the Issaquah Press. They are one of the local papers here in the east side of Seattle. They write for the Issaquah Press and the Newcastle News.

I met with Chantelle Lusebrink who interviewed me at the Starbucks next to my work and Fitness Together. At first she greeted me with a smile and offered me a coffee. I thought this was a set up by my trainer and said to myself well DUH I will win this set up, for anybody that knows me I can't stand the smell of coffee or tea so saying no to it was no problem. Water for me and let the interview begin!

Here is the results of the interview, the Issaquah Press was released today.

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2009/10/20/5k-races-are-milestones-in-weight-loss-marathon/#

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did telling my story. The same article comes out next week for the Newcastle News!

Dawg Dash 5k

My cousin, Jo Laboff called me Friday and asked me to join her in the 24th annual Dawg Dash 5k. I was excited to spend time with her and knock out my 3rd race. I agree and pre-registered Friday for this Sunday October 18th race.

We met this morning, great weather...thank goodness it was not yesterday or it would have been a 5k swim. Jo and I got our shirts and our packets. This race was like my last one, we wore Ipico chip on our shoes. Which i enjoy this technology. I am not at the front of the line when the bell or gun goes off because I am not a fast runner but it starts when I cross the start line.

Before the race began I heard a man on the mic telling us to get into place based on how fast we each mile. He also says that the coarse is very challenging, which got my attention right away!

I crossed the start line, where I ran around half the Husky Stadium. I was excited to travel thru the campus. I was not anxious at all, very calm and free. I did not have a partner that was by my side, and wished that I grabbed my Itouch to jam along too. I So here I go. Done with the half the stadium and whipping along side I am wondering why this man said this is a challenging coarse seems so far so good. That's when I see it, and feel it, its a hill. The hills never stop not for a mile-mile and a half. and while I am fighting hills there is stairs too. What stairs?? And a side note, there is wet leaves all around this campus too. As I am adjusting to these hills I am thinking safety first. Take it slow, please Amy don't nose dive into the cement. This race had watering holes throughout the race which was nice. Even places for dogs to get water. This is where people hand you cups of water at pit stops. This race had a lot of different racers. This one had a lot of serious racers. They also had a 10k going on that went the same track we did, but had little side tracks to add the other 3 miles they had to endure, but we all started and finished at the same place.

I have to say the campus was a nice little jog after I got over the hills. We looped around to the fountain and such. I loved all the colors on the trees throughout the campus. What a nice looking school. I came to the finish line I wasn't tired, actually a little sad it came to an end so fast. I wasn't fatigue. I wasn't out of breath. I didn't fight my body nor did my body fight me. All around I really enjoyed this race.

After the race ended, I agreed to meet my cousin at a spot. We took pictures and shared our experience. Jo is a runner she is and looks amazing. She is 52 and she placed in her age!! We stayed for the awards, she was getting one! Jo has done this race before and was wearing a Dawg Dash t shirt from 2001, so they were asking people if they could show them a shirt from prior races, they would get a prize. Well Jo won that too!! She won a gift certificate to another race, the Gobble Green Lake. She gave it to me!! I was sooo happy and thankful for this. It was so cool watching her get the placement award. John Curly of Evening Magazine was giving out awards. She said she was going to place and she did it. I can't wait to someday place. What an amazing feeling!

Skinny Secret

This is an easy secret. If you wake up at 7am then you should not eat anything after 7pm. If you wake up at 9am then nothing after 9pm. After 12 hours of the time you have woken up there is no reason you need to eat anything, your body begins to start slowing down and most head to bed about 4-5 hours after that. So this is my new skinny secret that made me go AH HA!!! Seems easy enough, now to break this habit.........

Alki Beach Run 5k 2009

August 27, 2009. Eugene drove Larissa and I to Alki for our second run. We notice while driving there that the temperature was reading about 47 degrees. We still had an hour before the race but it was cold and sunny.

We got our packets from registration. This is like looking in my stocking during Christmas. In the manila envelope there was our bib number and a shoe "key" and directions on how to use and put this key on. This shoe key is amazing. You use zip ties to adhere it to the front on your laces of your shoe and it sends a message to a computer on when you started the race and when you will step over the finish line. Welcome to the twenty first century. This race was more organized and all more funded and recognized.

We began running a very nice and steady pace for a good distance. I was having different problems then I experienced from the last race. This one was it was cold and my body was warm. Which means when I was breathing in this nice cold air in my cozy warm body my lungs felt like they were breathing in ice cubes! Razor sharp. Getting used to that hurdle was not as bad as the second mile hurdle though. The path we took down the beach was all cement. So the second hurdle was the constant pounding on the knees while doing sprints of running. I could tell that we weren't running on that dirt path we got from the last race. Larissa and I both agreed to use the light post on the path as markings for were we would run and walk. Our timing was great and on goal to were we wanted to be. We did a loop around the bathhouse at Alki.

We were half way done with our 2 mile when I looked over to my left and saw people behind us walking the race. One lady inspired me. I looked over and shared a smile with her and gave her the look of encouragement, and to show that she meant that I cared about her I clapped giving her my support. She was being helped by a younger man as she walked this 5k. She appeared to be a survivor of breast cancer and had just finished up with treatments. Her shirt said this but she was bald too. They looked like they did fun flowers with makeup on her bald head. At that moment when we shared a smile and I clapped with encouragement I knew in my head this race was hers! By hers I mean, I used her for my last mile for encouragement. I pushed myself saying things like if she can go through treatment and do this then Amy you can do this with weight on. Many times I want to give up on myself but not only have I found strength from myself but many others. Look around you I bet you too can find strength. Its given me a total feeling of positive reinforcement that I know I can do this!!

We completed the last mile! Faster than the last race. We beat it by 4 minutes in one month. I feel good about this. The money that was raised goes to woman going through breast cancer treatment. Northwest Hope & Healing provides financial assistance to patients in need for non-medical support services, and signature "Healing Baskets" are delivered to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Helping give patients hope during a very difficult time, is the main focus.

After crossing the finish line they had people there to cut those tag keys off your shoes, I guess there is no reason to keep them. Probably costly technology. The line to figure out what place you took was long, over 1000 racers that day. So we grabbed a water and headed out. I was in complete shock over how easily my body recovered from this race, no panic attacks. I wasn't panting like a dog when I crossed the finish line. Are the races getting easier? I know one thing not only are my lungs getting stronger but that woman I saw at the run taught me, you can find inner strength and achieve anything you want! So I want to race again!!

Average

Average:

–adjective
of or pertaining to an average; estimated by average; forming an average
typical; common; ordinary

I looked up this word in the English dictionary. I knew of the definition but with the facts I have learned I found the word "average" didn't seem correct. I struggle with the word average in two forms.

The first average I struggle with is the average "American" female is a size 14. Can that be right?? I am almost average?? When you put in my weight vs. my height I am far from being close to healthy. But how can I be average?

Studies have shown that asking woman that are a size 8 and a size 10 to try on the same bathing suit, the size 8 struggles with what they see and feel in that same bathing suit that the size 10 has tried on.

I think about this study often in my head, debating the ideas. Does the size 8 feel pressure they aren't close to being the average? Does the size 10 feel they are skinnier then the average size 14 so there is no pressure.

10 years ago the average size was 10. 10 years ago we didn't have reality shows like "Biggest Loser" and "Celebrity Fit Club"

Sweet 16

I am revisiting my "Sweet 16". I am celebrating that I reduced my weight by 16 pounds!! I dont say I lost 16 pounds, "No, No, No"... if I lost it thats means I am looking for it. I have reduced myself. I am so happy to be sharing this and celebrating this.

I am averaging about a pound and a half a week so far. Which is a great goal for me. I am doing this training for long term goals not just to be skinny. Yo-yo diets and quick weight loss does not work for me.

I been training for my next race. This one is the Alki 5k Beach run on September 27th 2009. The money that I raise goes to breast cancer. I have progressing on my training. I can tell that my runs are getting easier. I continue to challenge myself with one more step.

Newcastle 5k

I woke up early, like it was Christmas morning, full of anticipation! I stared at the clock, I wanted to let my body rest as much as possible. I knew my mind was running a 10k. The weather was great for a girl that was chubby. It had rained that night and was over casted early morning.I got ready and met Larissa, Brian and Rachelle, and soon picked up Mona. My SUV was full of celebration, for some of us this was our first race! We enjoyed the car ride there. Once we got there we checked in. (If your name starts with a K, you have to know your ABC's and stand in the K line Larissa :) ) Brian had me walk around and stretch and warm up. My anxiety was very high at this moment.
Let the race begin! Let it be known I never heard a whistle or a "Go" or even a sound of a horn. All I saw was hundreds of people moving me aside as they ran passed me down a hill. I felt a sense of panic I could not find Brian and I had "fit" Larissa telling me to run. So like any runner I ran. I came to a screeching halt when I seen it was not all down hill. When I signed up for this race it said "scenic and mostly flat coarse. Well come to find out the person that designed that coarse was a cross country runner. God help me I felt it was neither. As we walked and ran the path Brian and Larissa were much help. Brian and Larissa gave me hope strength and encouragement. I loved how Brian pushed us and kept us focused. I loved how Larissa was motherly and pointed out each big rock or root we were not to step on.
Each mile was posted. The money that was raised from this race went to the Renton School district, so we had many high school students cheering us on through the markers. We thanked them as they clapped us to the finish line.
As we approached the finish line, I got very nervous and anxious. We were on top of a hill that was about 3 blocks away from the finish line. I sort of freaked out at first. I could see everyone and the feeling of was I too slow kicked in. As Brian coached us into running the rest of the way I had a full blown anxiety attack I could see the "Finish Line." As I crept up to the end I was overwhelmed. I grabbed my face and wanted to cry. I had no tears. Larissa was pulling on my arm and all I could say was "I did it! There is the finish line" "We did IT!!!" That feeling I will cherish forever. We got thru the finish line. I completed my first 5k. I am 33 years old and a chubby girl and I did it. (most my size would say "I will lose the weight then do the race")
I had so much fun at this race. I even got a T shirt. I love this little present. I tried it on and wore it for 5 mins, then I freaked out. I did not want finger prints on it. This was my trophy.
I came in 335 out of like 500 people. For my first race I did not mind this. I knew in a race that there will be a first, a middle and a last, and I knew I wanted to be one of those!!

Who Wins?

I had no idea my brain works the way it does. I am at a constant battle with it. You see your brain does not carry the extra weight your body does. Let me elaborate on this. As I am doing a final rep that my trainer request my body is tired or sore; but my mind is not. I find it very odd that my mind wants to do last rep, I want to do this last rep. I don't want to disappoint my trainer. They are my strength. They know I can do it. They are there to push me. But this body struggles and tells me that its the one that carries all the weight!
So with this struggle came that "challenge". I ask any fit person to run with a backpack carrying 50-100 pounds of extra weight. See what I mean by this. At this advantage your lungs and heart can recover faster than mine. Your body will carry this with struggles but your mind will think this is no problem.
I will let my brain win! I am happy to know that there is one body part that still believes its 23 years old and 36-24-32!

My 1st Walk/Run

Brian and I agreed to meet at Fitness Together at 9 am Monday morning. We must train for this Newcastle fun/run. We begin by stretching and warming up. I don't want to injure myself again or irritate it more.
Here we are walking on Lake Washington Blvd. We plan on doing 2 miles today. He set a goal for me to walk this 2 miles in allowed time. When finishing up the first mile and coming back, Brian noticed we were behind the time he set for us. Great I am thinking, and how is your personal trainer gonna make you make up this time?? Run Fat Girl Run. We came to the agreement that he would help me do spurts. Brian set a goal to walk to one stop sign and then run at my pace to the next stop sign. This is where the fun began:
As I am slowly running (I felt like I was running in place, in hind site I probably could have walked faster) I had an outer body experience. I was watching myself run down the lake. At that moment I felt like a super star. Look at me everyone I am running, I am running outside in the public. From that moment on I really did think I heard clapping. It was like the crowd was cheering me on with claps!! I looked up and saw nobody clapping. In my head I was thinking where is that noise coming from. Nothing or nobody up.... so look down, you know you hear clapping. I looked down and realized it was my fat that was clapping..... This is truly where my journey began. At that moment I had Brian next to me leading me on and all I wanted to do was die of embarrassment. Luckily it was almost to the end of my 2 miles. Though it took my breathing... I lost all breathing, I began to hyperventilate. We finally got to our marker...I believe we made it on time, I recall him saying 10 seconds and I got more strength and jogged to the stop. But in the back of my head I was thinking of this clapping. He coached me into stretching after this and while this was taking place it made me think "Oh My God" that was sooooo funny. I have got to tell this story. But to who?? Then a light went on.... I WILL BLOG IT. So that is how this entire blog came into my head...

Skinny Secrets

I would like to call these "treasures" or "skinny secrets" if you will! This is were I will let you know of something that I find that helps me make wiser choices in eating or being healthy. So look for my "secrets" often. Here is my first find: Yoplait Whips. Get a few of these and pop them in the freezer. They are 2-4 grams of fat and 120-160 calories. They have Strawberry Mouse. Raspberry Mouse. Chocolate Mouse. Key Lime and the newest addition Vanilla. I oddly love the key lime one. They taste and feel like your eating ice cream!!! These hot summer nights this was a nice little treat.
Here's another little found secret of mine, which is easy for me in the morning. I hate breakfast or no... I love breakfast; I hate mornings. In the mornings I seem to have A.D.D and I cant seem to stay focused on what I should be doing and that is getting to work on time. Every morning I have to take a thyroid pill. Once you take a thyroid pill you can"t eat anything for an hour after and 4 hours before. Making breakfast hard for me and another reason I can't seem to workout in the morning. So I found a new love for breakfast/meal replacement.
I purchased a "Magic Bullet" which one is a small little treasure on its own. Small cups that you throw your ingredient's in and tap tap and you got your smoothie.
Here's my breakfast for champions now: 4 frozen strawberries half of banana scoop of protein whey and 2 oz of fat free milk to the rest water. Screw on the bullet blade tap 4 times and I got breakfast on the go. The Bullet comes with lids and lips too.
The other smoothie I make is Chocolate Protein Whey and fat free milk. (you can add a banana in there too)
So many smoothie options but the secret is the protein whey and the Magic bullet for keeping size down. Making your own smoothie you can control the sugar and carbs. They taste better and more real, not commercial like.

Beginning Fight

I began to really train hard. I was told I was over doing it. How can I be overdoing it? I was finally moving and eating healthy? Brian informed me to ease up. He saw me hitting a brick wall. He and my body was saying ease up you haven't been active in many years. You must do these activities long term not instantly. I was having problems sleeping. I had to much energy. I didn't want to fail nor be fat anymore, in the back of my head I wanted those pounds to shred right off and the inches to drop. I wanted everyone to notice right away my progress. I went at it balls to the wall. I have since learned. With a small injury to my calf muscle I found myself limping out of the gym half way through my training secession. I cried all the way to the shower. Feeling let down, knowing this was gonna take some healing. I felt at that moment a failure. To Brian for going to strong, and to my body why did I let myself get this heavy to not be strong enough. But with weakness somehow I am strong. I told myself that this will only make me stronger not weaker. I am in for long term and not short term weight loss. If it takes me 5 years to take off 2 pounds I will still be active.... I just wont be a bikini model. I took two weeks off from training. I continued to eat healthy. When I went back to training I was and still am careful. I never want that feeling again. When you put yourself out to be monitored and encouraged you never want failure. I now know I need small steps, and small steps are better than no steps.

Talking about it keeps me Accountable!

I feel like talking about my training and what I am doing for myself keeps me accountable. I want to be under the microscope. I need the ass kicking. I told all my family friends and clients. I would even tell a stranger if they wanted to know or listen. So this begins my next story. I was talking to Lori Bratz (i need to give credit to her. She too is a strong willed woman that i look up to). She got my wheels turning. She was telling me about how she did a 5k fun run. She bragged that she has alot of fun and feeling of accomplishment. What got me thinking was she loved them and was signed up for more. Whats a fun run I asked?? Lori explained that this was a race that you could walk or run or do a little of both with not much pressure. I began to think in my head I could do this right? I am very competitive and if she could why couldn't I? I asked her how i learn about signing up for these 5k "fun runs" and her response was http://www.active.com/ . She informed me that Newcastle is having a 5k fun run August 29 2009. I did some foot work and looked into this and convinced myself that this is a goal I want for myself. I began like any normal chubby weight girl doubting myself. I asked Brian if I was ready for this. He instantly said Yes! Without thinking about it he told me yes. We had no more than 6 weeks to train for this. I quickly asked him why he saw strength in me and felt like I could do this. He said , "Amy you can do this, there is no question in my mind that says you can't". With those words I found the strength to tell everyone that I was doing this race without even signing up for it.
Though before I continue I have to share with you the thoughts in the back of my head when I learned more about this race.
1) I pay someone to run.... yeah run....a chubby girl pays to run.
2)5k is equal to 3.2 miles that I have to pay for to run in.
3) Its early in the morning that I pay for this 3.2 mile walk/run
4) I have to do this 3.2 mile run/walk in the morning in an hour that i paid for or I get disqualified for.
I found it odd that I was wanting to sign up and pay which wasn't much just that I would rather buy a few eye shadows (they come in my size) than pay for something that might not be in my size to begin with.
It was official everyone knew I was doing this race. I posted it on the famous white board in Fitness Together as a goal or some post accomplishments. Somehow I found a team of 4. Actually I found 3 more that wanted to be on my team and support my goal but later when I was signing up I had to take the first 4. They only allowed 4 on a team. They only reason you would want a "team" on paper is the fee goes down 5-10 bucks other than that everyone there was on my "Team" So my team official name was "Fitness Together". The people in my group were Brian Wehner, Larissa Klein, Rachel and I. Though Fitness Together had a few people out there with us Mona and Beth. I gathered all the papers and money together since this was my goal and took it to Foot Zone. (I did all the foot work, and the only reason I am saying this was it helped me from backing out of my own goal. How could I... I had people depending on me, to get the money in, They wanted to race!)

The Beginning

Late June I was introduced to Brian Wehner the owner of Fitness Together. Fitness Together is slightly different than other training gyms. Their philosophy is "1 Client 1 Trainer 1 Goal" (http://www.ftnewcastle.com/) What drew me to this place was two reasons 1 its very close to my work (which if any chubby girl knows its hard to drive to a place that's gonna make you work and sweat) I knew if I walked to McDonald's which shares the same parking lot as my job it would be like picking off a very bad not healed scab. 2 They work you out based on a fitness test that they give to you prior to kicking your ass. With these two perks and walking through the door and welcomed with a warm smile and the idea that "Amy yes you can!" I signed on the dotted line and committed myself to 6 months.
Brian sent me home with a little journal that I was to write down everything that went into my mouth. The only thing I got free and did not have to write was dried spices and gum. Neither of those were a problem nor what put this weight on. My struggle is juice or sweets. I assume carbs are a weakness too. But really I am not worried about my eating habits quite yet. Lets make small steps. I began each week with a goal a personal goal of my eating habits. For example my first week was cut out all juice from your life and only drink water. Which was hard if anybody knows me, I loved High C orange drink with the entire cup filled with ice. I wanted that juice COLD! Well now its a faint memory I haven't had any, none , it has been banished from my personal eating menu.
Day One of the Beginning: The fitness test. I knew I would struggle with this; both mentally and physically. I allowed a person to measure my body and weigh me. This was not for him to giggle at, this was so he could watch the progress. I am officially accounted for. Brian began taking my heart rate sitting down. Measuring my lung capacity and blood pressure. I was thinking my blood pressure was gonna be sky high with the thought of someone knowing the "real me" (sort of like does these jeans make you fat, NO you make the jeans fat). But on we go... were he makes me reach and bend. This little fitness test takes a good solid hour hour and a half. If I was Brian I would have just wrote down fat next to all the questions and answers and hide the paper from me. He was patient with me and did it all. Even if my body struggled and I was off the charts.
So Fitness Together has me on a workout schedule Monday Wednesday and Friday after work. I find I am better mentally and physically at night. Though books and specialist say its better in the morning. I personally whine and bitch and don't feel very strong in the morning. So asking Brian and fighting with the idea they say its better in the morning for me its better in the evening.
I had one little bump in the road at the beginning of this journey. I needed to fly to Boston for a funeral. I was torn I was very dedicated to making this work this time but my devotion to Eugene and his family I knew I had to support him and go to Boston. But that deep down chubby girl feeling I knew Boston didn't come with carrot sticks and a treadmill. For this was not my time, I was there for support him and his family. I went to Brian and explained my concerns and sort of freaked out on him. But he assured me I will do fine and make wise choices on eating and it will be fine. It was fine. I would never had done it different.
So let the workouts Begin! Either Brian or Rachel train me. Either one I truly enjoy. Each one comes with a different way to hold my hand and get me through this hour of training. Both I enjoy sharing smiles and jokes with. They have me doing ball squats and wood choppers. I have been told that my training is based on my fitness test and when they see me progress my reps or weights increase.