Hope you had a happy 4th of July weekend.  I have some fun news!  Our short film played in a local festival here in town.  Here is the trailer.

We shot this about 3 years ago (before I lost over 20 pounds and with sort hair) in my hometown in Indiana and finally finished the final edit about 8 months ago.  What can I say, I take my time.

Everyone once in a while I like to watch it again even though I’ve seen it at least 30 times (not counting the hours spent editing).  I watch it over and over not because I think it’s some great work of art.  It’s far from that.  I watch it to remind myself of something that I so often forget.  Sunny Life reminds me I can follow through.  That I can commit to something.  That I can persevere.  That I can choose to manage my time well.  We all CAN. Writing and shooting a film, even a short film, is a big job.  Any creative endeavor is a BIG job.  It’s sort of like getting fit.  You have a goal, a vision in your head, and every day you are faced with decisions to make choices that lead up to that goal.  You can write or paint or sew or _____ even when you don’t “feel” like it or you can put it off for tomorrow and stay right where you are.  You can workout today and nourish your body today or you can put it off for tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Or the next.

In general, don’t consider myself a very disciplined person.  Seeing our little film this weekend reminded that I can be if I want to be.  I also remind myself that for over two years, I’ve been consistent, not perfect, with my health and fitness goals.  Now it’s time to channel some of that discipline I’ve learned into other areas of my life. I think my soul needs it.

I’m want to know about you.  What creative outlets do you have?  (I STRONGLY believe EVERYONE is creative whether they believe it or not.) Any good time management tips you could share?  Do you believe in consistency over perfection? How do you feel about “discipline”?  Does it energize or exasperate you?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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I’d like to think for every creepy internet story there are a million happy ones.  Deb, from Smoothie Girl Eats Too,  is one of my internet “gifts”.  We met in person a few months ago and after our 20 minute turned 2 hour workout followed by a 3 hour talk on the beach, I knew I had a happy internet story to tell.  Deb is a doll.  Truly.  She is kind, thoughtful, and hilarious!  Formerly, a dentist by trade, turned hygienist by choice, Deb is now the go-to family caregiver as her dad battles cancer. Deb has been married for 16 years to a British chap, Derek, and they have one cat Samantha who lovingly controls their lives. When Deb is not caring for others (or being forced to work as a “brushie slave” for Samantha) you will more than likely find her enjoying the outdoors or making smoothies.  (Of course!)  As well as caring for others, Deb has learned to care for herself.  Formerly, a yo-yo dieter Deb lost over 90 pounds and learned to love exercise.  Read on to see how Deb changed her world by choosing health!

Was losing weight all that it is cracked up to be?

Yes, actually it was.  There is an incredible “high” that comes from losing weight steadily and quickly.  You feel better.  You look better.  You get compliments.  It seems easy once you are on a roll.  Sadly, it’s trying to maintain the new “low” weight that was hard.  I ended up gaining 15-20 of the 90 pounds and maintaining that for 8 years.  Then three years ago, I subsequently lost back about 25 lbs, then gained back about 5-10…confused much?

What caused you to make your lifestyle change?  Was there “a moment” you just knew you had to change your habits?

A girlfriend told me about a mutual friend who had always been chubby and had lost 60 pounds on HMR (Health Management Resources).  I had tried every other program, so I figured, why not try this too?  The difference was that HMR taught me how to weigh, measure, and count calories.  It recommended food and exercise records.  It was a weekly “class” that you attended, and sat and learned like in school.

What was your diet like before?  Your exercise program before?

I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted with absolutely no regard for calories.  I ate a ton of sweets, any fried foods I desired, and a lot of fast food. I basically ate if there was ever a TINY bit of room in my belly.  The only time I was not eating was when I was stuffed silly from a huge meal.  I never realized that it is NORMAL to feel a little bit hungry before your next meal or snack!  Shock!

How different was the HMR program from your current (at the time) lifestyle?  Was it hard to change?

Actually, HMR trained me to eat how I live currently.  I still have one to three shakes a day and the rest of my meals are balanced, if a bit heavy on the protein.  When I was “on” HMR, my calories were lower than they are now..  I currently eat lower carb than what HMR recommends.  I still weigh and/or measure my food.  I also still keep a food diary (I tried to go without it, with disastrous consequences), and I still make exercise a priority.  It’s a lot of work but it is worth it.

What were the top three things you learned at HMR that you continue to use today?

Making shakes, counting calories and making exercise a non-negotiable priority.

What have been your biggest roadblocks and more importantly how do you get past them?

Every so often I will hit a time where I am just not as motivated to keep the calories as low as I might want to achieve my weight goal range.  The last time this happened was after I got back from a vacation.  I found it hard to get back on track.

On your personal health journey have you had any moments that just made you want to throw in the towel and say f-it?  What did you learn something from that experience?

Not really.  I do say that I can feel bitter inside when I look over at a tiny little skinny woman throwing back 800 calorie pina coladas and then has a full meal on top of it.  Meanwhile I sit there with my ceviche and salad, washed down with a diet coke. Grr.  Life’s not always fair I suppose!

What do you find to be the easiest aspect of your lifestyle?  What do you think makes it “easy” for you?

Honestly the easiest part is the exercise.  For me, it’s like oxygen for my lungs.  I need to exercise.  Not every day, but consistently.  If I miss two days in a row I start to feel icky.  By the third day I’m nearly insane.

I’ve heard a lot of women who have lost a lot of weight say that they have a hard time seeing their “new body”.  Do you ever feel this way?  What do you tell yourself to combat this negative self talk?

I think that I see my body for what it truly is.  It’s far from perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot better than it was before.   I think I am pretty realistic.

What are you most proud of?

Being consistent in making good food choices, yet being able to treat myself too.  I can’t live without some treats.  Life would not be worth living.

How have your friends and family reacted to your transformation?

Everyone has been very supportive.  When I got very lean about 3 yrs ago, my Mom freaked out and was not supportive.  She was relieved when I put back on about 5-10 of those pounds.

Does Derek (husband) share your lifestyle?

Um, not so much.  He did Daily Plate for about 5 minutes and he is doing the 10,000 swing Kettlebell challenge this month (however I think he has a lot of catching up to do).  But otherwise he exercises not one iota and eats way more sweets (British) than I ever could imagine doing now.

You are known for your smoothies.  What is your favorite one??

Deb working the vita!

My PB&J.  (I’ve had it and it’s GOOOD. Check it out!)

Do you go out to eat a lot?  How do you eat when you go out?

Singing to her dad at his birthday last year.

When my Dad was not ill, we would go out to lunch all the time- perhaps 2-3 times per week. And the family would go out on the weekends at least one.  I make healthy choices but always have some small treat.  So I may order a salad and some protein, but if a place is known for its bread, sweet potato fries or dessert, I will definitely have some.

I have heard you refer to some foods as “Frankenfoods”. (Which always cracks me up.) What would you classify as a “frankenfood” and how do they fit into your life?

I do use a lot of Frankenfoods.  These are usually faux foods of the real thing and they are laden with chemicals and artificial sweeteners.  They work for me because I get to feel like I’m indulging, but for a fraction of the calories.  Examples:  Torani Sugar Free Syrups, Sugarfree pancake Syrup, Fat Free Reddi-Whip, Frozen yogurt (from the FroYo shops).

How often do you exercise?

Roughly 5 days a week

I know you used to be a cardio queen but then came over to the darkside with us grunting “meatheads”.    What sort of impact did strength training have on your life?

Deb at her leanest.

When I introduced heavy lifting to my life, I went from ~157 to about 133 and stayed there for about a year.  However, I should point out that I also concurrently re-introduced low-cal smoothies into my life and re-introduced my food diary (all HMR techniques)

What motivates you?

Fear of being heavy again.  That fear never leaves you.

What goals are you working towards?

Honestly the only goal I have is to lose a few vanity pounds.  Nothing more.

What would you say to a friend who was upset about having a lot of weight to lose?

I would say “when you are ready, you’ll know it.”  I would only ever broach the subject if they asked for my advice. One thing I have learned is that if you’re not ready, you’re NOT READY.  And there is nothing more annoying than a ‘slimmer’ person who has lost weight telling you how to do it.  Very very annoying.

What is your favorite part of the day?

I love the mornings because that is always my exercise time.  It is the only time of the day that is really and truly 100% mine all mine.  I love the afternoons because I love the orange glow of the late sun.

(I have a feeling that this is one of her favorite parts of the day, as well.)

Anything else you would like to share???

I see very busy people with poor eating habits.  They ask for my advice and I can only impress upon them that unless they take a good chunk of time to prepare their healthy eats for the day, they will have a hard time losing weight.  It takes a huge commitment, but it’s very important.

Also, learning to love exercise is the biggest gift that you can give yourself.

Thank you Deb for sharing your story with us!  You are a true inspriation and Girl Hero.  You can read more about Deb at her blog, Smoothie Girl Eats Too.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Heather, also known as HEAB or Heabie after her blog, Heather Eats Almond Butter, has such as sweet authentic spirit.  Heather is a massage therapist specializing in deep tissue, neuromuscular therapy, and sports massage.  She also loves yoga, hiking, walking, and getting out in the warm sunshine.  A down to earth girl she also spends a lot of time reading, blogging, and hanging out with her husband and two dogs.   Not only is Heather as sweet as can be but she is also living proof that small steps can lead to big changes.

What caused you to make your lifestyle change?  Was there a moment you just knew you had to change your habits?

After living abroad for a year and losing weight without any effort (due to all the walking I did), I decided it was finally time to make a few small changes regarding my diet and exercise, or lack there of. I never set out to lose 100+ pounds as I truly did not believe it was possible.

How did you take those “first steps”?

I cut out junk food and started walking. However, the biggest help was probably drinking nothing but water. After growing up on milk, juice, and soda, making water my beverage of choice really helped me to lose the weight.

What was your like your lifestyle like before versus now?

Oh gosh, the “before” has been a while. Let’s see, I watched a lot of movies and ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I was always happy and had great friends, but I hated not being able to do active things with my them. In a lot of ways, I’m still the same person, but in other ways I’m not. For instance, instead of going to the movies, I’d much rather be out on the trails if it’s nice outside, and rather than eat an ice-cream sundae after dinner, I’ll have a baked sweet potato instead. So, I’m much more active and I make better food choices. However, I will always enjoy laughing and hanging out with my friends.

What have been your biggest obstacles and more importantly how did you get pass them?

The only obstacle I really struggle with is not being too hard on myself. After losing a large amount of weight, it’s difficult not to have certain rules surrounding your food intake. A lot of people think I’m really hard on myself, but deep down the fear of ever being overweight again is still there. Lately, I’ve eased up on many of my restrictions, and I’m trying to just go with the flow these days. That being said I will never be completely at ease with eating whatever whenever. My body simply can’t handle that.

You say on your blog that “keeping the weight off is not that challenging.”  I love that.  Could you elaborate on what makes it easier than most people might think?

It’s just not been that difficult for me. However, anyone that truly knows me will tell you I am very stubborn and hardheaded when I want to be, and I think that particular personality trait has really helped me to keep my weight in a healthy range. As long as I make good choices, I’m fine. Yes, that usually means no sugar or fast food, which for most people sounds impossible. But for me, it’s just a way of life. One time, a friend who was trying to lose weight asked me for advice. We began talking about her food intake for that day, and she said she had no choice but to eat fried chicken from a fast food restaurant. I told here you always have a choice. Pack a lunch or choose something healthier from the menu. The problem is many people don’t know what the best choices are as there is so much conflicting info. regarding what is truly good for us these days. For me, it took educating myself on what works best for my body, and others need to do the same. We’re all different, and I simply just try and make the best choices I can 90% of the time.

I know you limit sugar.  In all forms? Was that a hard choice to make?  Why do you choose to limit it?

Sugar is not my friend, and was the main reason I spent the first 20+ years of my life overweight. As soon as I cut back, the weight started to disappear. So, I really do limit my intake compared to most people, but I still love my sweets. However, the idea of “dessert” for me has changed. To me, a simple bowl of oatmeal, some dark chocolate, or a baked sweet potato usually satisfies my sweet tooth. However, I am not perfect, and do enjoy the occasional bite…or 5 of a sugar laden dessert. I love love love ice-cream, but instead of eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s in one sitting, I’ll just have a serving or two of coconut milk ice-cream or make my own using less sugar.

What advice would you offer to people who don’t know how to cook?

Everyone can cook. It simply involves following directions and perhaps a little patience.

What staples would we find in your kitchen besides almond butter?

CD (my husband) and I keep the fridge filled with tons of fresh produce. We eat so many vegetables and usually buy them in bulk from Costco, including Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, onions, spinach, bell peppers, and broccoli. Those are our staples. I also always keep sweet potatoes and oat bran on hand as well as eggs, unsweetened almond milk, fresh fruit, and goat milk cheese. Currently our freezer is filled with wild Alaskan salmon, grass-fed finished beef that we buy in bulk from a local farm, and Garden Herb Sunshine Burgers (love those!). I also think every kitchen should be stocked with fresh lemons and garlic cloves as I use both in so many recipes.

You have a quite a list of yummy looking recipes on your blog!  What is one of your favorites?

CD came up with Marinutta sauce sauce which I love. However, now that it’s practically summer, I’ll probably be enjoying my raw lemon-miso salad a lot more. Oh gosh, it’s so good on a warm sunny day. I also have a passion for pancakes and enjoy coming up with a new pancake recipe every week.

What do you do for exercise and how often?

My exercise of choice is yoga, but I also love to hike and take long walks. I used to run run run, but quit when I realized it had become more of a chore than anything else. An ideal week for me would be 4 to 5 sessions of yoga with a few walks or hikes thrown in the mix.

How did you find yoga?

I actually took a yoga class in college but never took my practice seriously until about almost 2 years ago. I started taking a class back in my running days as I thought it would be good for toning and stretching. Eventually, I started doing more yoga and less running. Then one month, I decided to do nothing but yoga, and I was amazed at how great I felt and how much my body changed for the better. I’ve been hooked ever since.

What motivates you?

Oh gosh, all sorts of things. Personally, for me it’s seeing a woman with toned arms, listening to my husband talk passionately about his running, taking classes with fellow yoginis, or reading about what other bloggers are doing to stay in shape. The people in my life inspire me more than they will ever know. I’m also motivated by everyday life. Not a day goes by when I don’t see someone struggling with a weight issue, and I’m reminded that I can help others with my story. It keeps me going and reminds me why I do what I do and why I blog.

What goals are you working towards?

Goals – as far as fitness goes, I really don’t have any at the moment. Well, that’s not true. I’d love to bust out into a handstand one day in yoga class…without the assistance of the wall, but I’ve tried to stop pushing myself so hard. I know the strength and flexibility will come with practice. Where my diet is concerned, again, I’m just trying to go with the flow these days and listen to my body more.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I’m proud of my weight loss, and I really just want to use my own story to help those out there struggling. I’ve been there – I’ve walked in their shoes, and I’m proud that I made the changes necessary to get healthy. I want others to be able to say the same.

What is your favorite way to eat almond butter?

I love it mixed in warm oat bran or with a banana.

If you were going to write a song about your life what would you title it?

Ha – gosh I don’t know. I can’t think of anything that doesn’t sound like a horrible country song.

Anything else you would like to share???

Here are some random facts you may not know about me:
1) I cannot whistle
2) I am a horrible driver.
3) My favorite musicians are Patty Griffin and David Gray.
4) I will always hold a special place in my heart for John Cusack after watching him play Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything.
5) I hate hate hate raw broccoli, but it’s one of my favorite foods when cooked.

Thank you so much Heather for taking the time to share you journey with us.  You are encouraging and kind, a Girl Hero in every way.  If you haven’t read Heather’s blog go check it out.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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I was planning on finishing up Part 4 of my Climbing the Ladder Series:  (Tools to Keep Your Weekend Interesting) but while I love lists (that was one of my first and all time favorite posts btw) I’m just not “feeling” my scheduled post today.  Instead, I want to talk about the 10KChallenge I just completed and how much I love my husband.  Yes, they go hand in hand.

Like marriage the 10K swing challenge took work, persistence, and commitment.  Also, like marriage, there was pain, joy, frustration, and elation.  When I set out the to do the 10K Swing Challenge on April 1 (What a fool I was.  Stupid pun intended) I had it planned out.  Twenty five out of thirty days I would do 400 swings. Simple dimple.  Or so I thought.  Funny, thing is my life likes to throw curves balls at my plans.  Again like marriage.  While I’m happy as can be married to my soul mate, our life isn’t the exact picture of “happily ever after” I imagined.   Like I learned the day we got engaged “shit happens”.  It just does.  As it did in my 10K swing challenge.  There were some days I was just too tired (marriage anyone ), too busy, too sad, too lazy or too forgetful to get my swings in.  Then there were days I felt like a super hero and would easily  knock out 800 or more.

I really recommend setting “big smalls goals”. That makes not sense but you know what I mean.  Or not.  In other words, a goal that is a big enough it feels really great to accomplish but it’s not so large that it seems insurmotable.  It doesn’t have to be swings either. If you do decided to do the swing challenge I definitely recommend you read this article by Lisa Shaffer who started the 10,000 swing challenge and here are a few tips from my experience.

- Go lighter than normal-
It’s a lot of swinging
– Switch grips a lot-
(I would sometimes hook the bell handle with my finger and other times hook it in my palm.
– Set small goals-
I did this sequence A LOT:
50 two handed swings, 10 right handed, 10 left handed, 30 alternating.
(Makes the time go by faster and it’s easier on the hands)
– This goes without saying but take a few rest days-

In the end my persistance paid off and I’m thrilled to say on Friday hubby and I had some time alone and what did we do?
Swings!!
I dragged him to the park to finish up the challenge with me.  What a fun (and cheap) date I am.  After Brent did a short workout he was bored he decided to document the rest of the event.

This is the coolest park.  There is a full size dirt track circling it with exercise stations along the way.

900 swings later.

After I nearly killed myself we were done, for fun we did a mini photo session.

Um…how old are we?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Every girl has a story to tell and sharing those stories is by far my favorite part of blogging.  So when Cherie wrote me telling me she was making her own figure competition suit, something only crazy people do, I had to know more about her.  I’m glad I asked because I just love Cherie’s “can do” attitude and confidence!  I think you will too!!

“If she can do it, why can’t I?”

One day I was browsing the web looking for motivation to start working out again, (I just didn’t have the drive or desire to get started), when I came across a transformation that totally inspired me!!!! Her name was Danielle Reutter and she had entered a figure contest coming in 1st place.  She had also had a baby around the same time I gave birth to my little boy and she had done all this within a 4 month time period.  At first, it seemed totally impossible but then I thought- if she can do it, why can’t I? So a year after having my baby, I decided to compete in a figure competition.

I must say it felt like everything was going against me.  I was overweight, out of shape, had very little time or money to invest and did not know where to begin my figure competition research. I just knew that doing a competition would give me the motivation I needed to reach my goal of getting in the best shape possible after gaining over 70 pounds during my pregnancy.

The first thing I started to think about was a suit. I knew I needed one but, as I it turned out, I needed three suits for my particular competition. I started looking online and found out figure competition suits are priced anywhere from $100- $4000!!!! I was shocked.  I looked for someone who made these suits in my area—-NO ONE!!!   Since, I don’t use a credit card I knew ordering online wasn’t an option and I didn’t have near that much much to spend, anyway. Durnig my internet search I came across Girl-Heroes and read Jenn’s story.  I found out Jenn had made her own figure competition suit and it turned out beautiful. (Thanks Cherie!) Again, I thought- if she can do it….why can’t I?

Once I decided I could make my own suit, I researched “the ideal figure competitor look” and decided  which parts of my body I needed to concentrate on.  I knew I needed to gain muscle and lose body fat but there was something missing from the equation….THE GYM!!!  Recently, I had moved to a rural area without renewing my license so I  had NO ACCESS to a gym (crazy eh?)! SO how the heck was I going to get the body of a figure competitor?? Well, a few months before, I had purchased p90x but hadn’t stuck with it. Now I knew I had to get my butt in gear and follow through with the program if I wanted to get up onstage.  It seemed like the best choice for me to get some hard workouts in.

People always ask- How did you ever mange to make the time to workout when you have a new baby??? I MADE the time. I was very determined. I would get up at 6am (an hour before my baby wakes up) 6 days a week to do my morning cardio.  When my baby went down for a nap, I would do my weight training in my living room.  In the afternoon, I would take him on a 30 minute walk!

Now back to the suit. I found a suit pattern that was similar to the figure competition suits through Jenn’s how to make your own figure competition suit post.  I was able to alter the pattern a bit to make the suit fit right for the stage. I bought 1 yard of black velvet swimsuit material, 6 meters of 1/4 inch black elastic, some thread, and I was off! Once I finished making the suit, I went to Michaels Crafts, Walmart, and Atlantic Fabrics to buy gemstones to make the suit look all “fancy”. I looked at many suit designs and finally based my design of of one I liked. It took MANY MANY hours to finish the suit, as I had thousands of stones to glue on by hand. (Which by the way I used Gemtac adhesive to glue the stones on.)

Once I completed my two piece suit, I needed to start on my one piece. I could NOT find a pattern for this, so I  came up with my own design. This took many hours of trial and error but I eventually finished the suit and just needed to glue the stones on- which I worked on right up until the night of the competition.  I also made my final suit. Just a plain black pre-judging suit (which was a breeze compared to the other suits), as I used the same pattern as my stoned 2 piece, but I did not need to glue any gemstones…THANK GOODNESS!!!

About 3 weeks before the competition, I met with a posing coach to make sure I had the poses correct. He critiqued me and it really helped just to meet with him for an hour. It was also helpful to look on YouTube, and anywhere else on the web to find out how to pose correctly. I then wrote Danielle and told her my story.  She took the time to write up an individual diet for me to follow to maximize my results during my final week of training before the show.

I was so intimidated this entire time- even though I was training hard and had researched everything. I knew that my competitors were very experienced, had been doing this for years, and had an advantage- especially since most of them go to a gym…lol!! I was nervous also about being on stage or tripping in falling in my high heels!!! Actually, during the show I had an incident during pre-judging. I was putting on my suit and the hook snapped off !!!! Luckily, I had brought a needle, thread and an extra hook. I was able to sew the hook on in time but forgot to put my number back on before being called out again.  It was embarrassing, but I was able to pull it all off.

In the end, I competed against 14 other competitors and ended up coming 3rd place in my class!!! I was thrilled, especially knowing I had done this ALL on my own without a trainer, made all my own suits, and without a gym membership.  It just goes to show you that if you are determined enough, you can always find a way to reach your goals!  Don’t let anything stop you.

Thank you Cheri for sharing your story!!  You are an inspiration and have motivated me to kick up my own workouts a notch!!!  :-)  Congratulations on your accomplishment.  You are a Girl- Hero!!

What’s your story?  If you would like to be featured as  Girl Hero email me at jenn (at) girl-heroes (dot) com  or don’t be surprised if you hear from me.  ;-)

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Girl Hero Jen is a bad azz.

She is a wife, proud mother of three girls, 2 time Ironman finisher (2.4 mi swim, 112bike, 26.2 mi run),  3 time New York City Marathon finisher and an Inline Skate Marathon finisher.  In 2009, she competed in her first Xterra off road triathlon and her first adventure race.   In total she has completed over 65 smaller distance road races and/or tri’s and she is only 40 years old.  Told ya.  BAD. AZZ.

Despite her impressive racing resume she is humble and loves helping others reach their goals.  In 2003, Jen and her husband, Clint, started a multi-sport team, The Shoreline Sharks, to support athletes of all ages and abilities achieve their competitive goals.  Read on to find out from Jen what it’s really like to finish an Ironman and why fat is the other “F” word.

What does it feel like to complete an Ironman?  I can’t even imagine and I want to live vicariously through you!
It is an amazing experience.  The first is like any other first in life.  You have feelings of nervousness, trepidation and insecurity.  If you’re lucky, there is someone special in your life who has guided you up to race day in such a way that you also have feelings of confidence and excitement. Race morning you wake up early around 4:30 am. You have to eat breakfast now so that you can digest before the race starts at 7am.  You have already racked your bike the night before and your transition bags are in the transition area full of anything you may need. After I eat, I like to sit quietly and visualize my race.  I go through the whole thing in my mind from start to finish. You go get body marked where race volunteers write your race number on your upper arms and your age on your left calf.  This is to identify each athlete. Most people have wetsuits on in the swim so you will also have your number written on your swim cap to identify you. You give a quick check on your bike which has been sitting in transition overnight.  You pump up your tires and fill your aero drink bottle.  You will also take off your morning clothes leaving just your swimsuit on.  I usually have a family member there to take my clothes back to the hotel room. The music is blasting from the swim start, everyone is there, and the crowd is huge!!!   It’s a final potty stop before the race begins then you walk over to the swim start.  You kiss your loved ones good bye and they wish you good luck. Only athletes are allowed in this area of the start. You put on your wetsuit, your cap and get a good seal on your goggles.  Some people are already wadding into the water, including me.  I like to get wet before the race starts. Then as you’re floating in the water in a lake of 2200 strangers, someone is singing the “Star Spangled Banner”, then there is a moment of silence and then BOOOOOM… the cannon goes off.  All the butterflies fly away and it’s pure adrenaline.  There is nothing you can imagine like the mass swim start in an Ironman.

Swim start at the 2008 Lake Placid Ironman

There are hands and feet flying everywhere. People have had their goggles kicked off, lost their chip timing straps and gotten black eyes.  I’ve been swum over and pulled backward under water.  You come out of the water after swimming 1.2 miles and head back in for your second loop. As you approach the swim exit you cross over the timing mat (this is your actual time from the start of the race).  Race volunteers called “strippers” are waiting to strip your wetsuit off of you.  This is a BIG time saver because a wetsuit is difficult and time consuming to take off.  You lie down on your back and get “stripped”. The volunteer hands you your wetsuit and then you take a brief jog to the transition area to get changed and ready for the 112 mile bike. The changing tent is crowded with other female athletes all trying to make quick work of getting dry clothes onto a wet body.  Thankfully, again there are volunteers on hand to help.  I change into my dry clothes put on my bike shoes, sunglasses and helmet.  I fasten my race belt with my number attached and I run out of the ten to my bike rack.  I walk my bike to the mounting line where I get on and prepare for a long ride.

Ironman Lake Placid Ride

As I come through town after the first loop of the bike I pick up my special needs bag at mile 56.  I grab a couple of snacks and keep on going.  The crowd is so big that it’s 4 people deep in some areas.  People are cheering all kinds of things at you and you feel like you’re in the Tour De France for a moment.  I hear my name and see “my girls”.  It’s a rush and they yell, “GO MOMMY GO!!!!”  I yell, “I LOVE YOU!!”  Off I go for 56 more miles.  Finally you come into T2 and you just never want to see that bike again. A volunteer takes you bike from you and they re-rack it.  You go and retrieve your “run” bag and head into the tent again.  I usually change my shorts and socks.  I put my running shoes on, I replace my helmet with a visor and now I go run a marathon.  The marathon is also a two loop course.  If you have planned your nutrition properly, you’ll be feeling good knowing that it’s just 26.2 more miles and you’re done.  As the sun goes down race officials are driving the course handing out glow necklaces.  The course is mostly closed to traffic but there may be sections of one lane traffic opened up.  It’s a bizarre feeling running down an unknown street, in an unknown town in the dark and you’re hearing the breathing, and huffing of other runners.  You also hear conversations between newly made friends going on around you.  Athletes sharing what kind of day they have had so far.  Strangers telling each other that they will finish and be an Ironman today.  The shuffling of so many feet all with one thing in mind at that point…the finish line. Where the music is blasting and the MC is calling out names of finishers in the distance.  You can see the bright lights and hear the crowds of spectators ringing their cow bells, blowing their horns and clapping the loudest clapping you’ve ever heard. All for YOU!  You can see the pride in strangers faces as you run down the finish chute.  Adults and children holding out their hands for high-fives, saying they could NEVER do that.  If they tried they could. As you cross the finish line the MC announces your name and says “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”.  It feels FAAAANTASTIC!  Now you know anything is possible.

Do ever have moments when you are racing when you feel like you can’t keep going?  If so, how do you push through?
This is such a common occurrence, for so many reasons.  Especially in longer distance races when you hit the wall. Your body is SO depleted of glycogen, electrolytes, water, sodium, etc…all the elements that keep our bodies balanced.  You can be an elite athlete but if your body is out of balance it WILL shut you down.  Weather can be a factor too.

Ironman Lake Placid Run

I’ve raced 140.6 miles in the pouring rain and that was more of a mental race than a physical one for me.  My hands were pruney (like when you’ve been in a bath for too long). I just wanted to GET DRY!!  In the Ironman, the company of strangers helps keep me going.  There are usually several athletes around you moving at the same pace as the night goes on and the sun sets. Talking to other athletes out there helps to pass the time. Nutrition is another important factor and getting it right is just as important.  If you take in too much, you’ll be puking on the side of the road.  If you take in too little, you’ll get dizzy and find yourself sitting on the ground with the world around you spinning.  When I did Ironman Florida in 2003 this happened to me at mile 2 of the 26.2 run.  The medical volunteers didn’t want me to continue.  I said, “I have to finish this race!!.”  They gave me some chicken broth and put ice under my hat, in my shirt and on my legs and made me sit there in the road for 15 minutes.  That was hard because other athletes were going by me.  I felt like I was losing time.  My blood pressure was elevated and I was dehydrated.  My electrolytes and sodium were also depleted.  I know now, that I didn’t drink enough on the 112 mile bike.  My Gatorade was warm and totally disgusting from the hot Florida sun.  I couldn’t stomach it and that decision came back to bite me.  Luckily, my body and mind fought back and I was able to get up and walk.  It’s all about moving forward.  Eventually, I was even able to run again.  Lesson learned, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate on the bike.

What is a typical week’s worth of workouts like when you are training for an Ironman?
Well, for all the Ironman North America events you are required to sign up a full year prior to the race.  The events sell out sometimes within 2 hours.  Most people will hire a coach about 8 months out from the race.  I like having a schedule because I know exactly what I have to do. Swim 2-3 times a week.  Bike 3 times a week and run 3-4 times a week.  Most coaches like you to strength train a couple times a week as well.  The swim is 2000-4000 yards depending on how close you are to the race.  Sometimes you do swim drills which break up the work-out and sometimes you’ll swim straight through the set.  The bike, I love!!!  I’m very comfortable in aero position and I do alright on the hills.  I’m not afraid of the downhill either which looses time for many people because they hit the brakes.  I like to make up time there and take advantage of it.  Each week I have at least one distance ride which will eventually be as long as 6 ½ hours outside.  Running is my challenge because I’ve had a foot injury for 2 ½ years. My running days are broken up into a long run (up to 3 hours), a tempo run (to help build speed) and moderate/recovery run.  60-90 minutes is normal. I also do brick workouts. Brick workouts are when you combine 2 of the 3 disciplines in one workout. It helps your muscles get used to the transition that you’ll do on race day.  At this point in training and 4 months out from the race a brick would be a 2 1/2 hour bike followed by a 30 minute run.

Do you ever struggle with “excuses” when it’s time to workout? If so how you get past them?
Oh my gosh…doesn’t everyone?  Yes, I totally do. Getting out the door is the hardest part of the workout.  But sometimes those are the days that you have the best workout.  Sometimes I’ll procrastinate around the house before I check the clock and finally get my butt out there.  I prefer to get my workout in when the kids are in school because as the day goes on, it gets harder to find time between homework, play dates, dinner, and extra curricular activities.  With an Ironman on the agenda, it’s a given that you BETTER do your training or your race will suffer.

How do you eat to fuel your long workouts?
Unless I’m working out 2 hours or more, I eat and drink normally.  If my workout is over 2 hours, I’ll have some extra carbs the night before or in the morning prior to my workout.  I’ll also use electrolyte replacement drinks like Gatorade or Gu2o instead of plain water.  During my workout I’ll use gels for fuel.  They give you instant carbs that are easily digested to keep going.

Your husband races too, right?  Do you train together?

Yes, my husband Clint also races.  He takes good care of me. I never have to worry about tuning up my bike or cleaning it.  I always have new tubes and tires ready to go for race day.  My tires are pumped up and all my equipment is in perfect working order. If I need anything he makes sure I have it.  Lately we’ve been able to get some training in together.  We have our racing bikes set up in our spin studio so we can ride together.  I like that because he’ll wear the watch and keep track of timing and the set we’re working on.  When we run together he’s a wonderful Sherpa and carries the fluid or offers to carry my gloves, shirt or help me in any way possible.  Training with him is the reason I’ve gotten faster and PR’d (personal record) so many races lately.  He pushes me… I say, “Shut up” and he pushes me more.  At the time I hate the process but I really like the outcome.  :-)  No one knows me better than he does.  He’s my biggest fan.

I’m curious…how did you meet?  Were you both already racing?
We have been together since 1988.  I was a senior in high school and Clint was a freshman in college. I was at the mall with a friend and saw this hot guy standing in front of a trendy clothing store. I said to my friend, “I’m going in there!!.”  NOT to shop but to talk to the hot guy.  We talked, I gave him my phone number, he called, we went out and the rest is history.  AND YES, I did skip over the good parts.  Neither of us were doing triathlon at the time although he was familiar with the Hawaii Ironman World Championship because his mom had always dreamed of doing it.  P.S.  She achieved her dream in 2005.

Do you get nervous before the race?
I do. The day and night before are a bit nerve wracking.  I’m going over and over my clothing choices and other stuff that I’ll need or want in the race.  It’s all laid out on my bed in front of me. I’m planning what I’ll be wearing for each leg of the race and making sure my bike is in order.  There is always a catered welcome dinner for the Ironman athletes and their families.  This is two nights before the race which is cool because they show video of past years. The MC is fantastic and he really gets everyone pumped up to race. They call up on stage the oldest and youngest competitors and then have the elder giver the youngster a word of advice.  It’s always very witty. It’s held two nights before the race because athletes are eating an early dinner and going to bed early the night before the race. On race morning, you just have to tell yourself that you’ve done your training and you have to take what the day gives you.  Some things will be out of your control, like the weather or how many flat tires you get.  Once the race starts, it’s all good.  It’s what you’ve been working for.

What is XTERRA and adventure racing?  I’ve never heard of them.

XTERRA Schiff Scout 2009 where Jen won her age group

XTERRA is an “off road” triathlon.  It still consists of swim, bike and run but you’re doing it in the woods usually.  Sometimes there are groomed trails and sometimes there are rock beds, rivers to cross (carrying your bike overhead) and cliffs to navigate as in the XTERRA Nationals. Adventure racing is a bit more intense.  It requires map skills and compass use to find check points (C.P.’s) in the woods.  Each check point has a “point’s value” and you need to acquire a specific number of points to move on to the next leg of the race. It is a timed race so you want to move quickly and NOT get lost. The more difficult a C.P. is to get to, the more points value it has.  At each C.P. you punch a card to verify that you were there.  The adventure race that I did started on mountain bikes.  We had our water proof map bags with our map, our compasses, C.P. cards and all of our nutrition and fluids on us.  You never know how long you’ll be out on the course.  I hit some rocks and took a horrible fall over the handle bars of my bike.  My handle bar nearly impaled my leg but didn’t break the skin.  I still have a slight indentation on my thigh 7 months later.  The injury made it really hard to continue but I was part of a Co-Ed team of 2 and couldn’t let my partner/husband down.  After we acquired enough points we came back to base to check in.  Our C.P.’s were verified and then we were off to kayak on the lake.  After completing the kayak we went out on foot back into the woods to acquire more points and then it was a run to the finish.  It was fun and I would do it again even though I’m not a good map reader and next time I won’t cleat into my bike pedals.

How do you balance your responsibilities as a mother with your training?

It’s hard but you find a way.  Balance is my middle name. Luckily, my husband and I both do this so we understand what goes into it.  It’s a tag-team effort. On occasion, I let my oldest babysit for her sisters when I have a shorter workout scheduled.  My girls are also active with karate and soccer so they have their own commitments.  My oldest is in the drama club at school as well.  It takes some juggling but we have 2 cars and we make sure everyone gets to do what they want to do.  I’ve had to miss a workout for a holiday or because of general time constraints on the day but that’s life and it does get busy with 3 children.  My husband will take them to karate so I can workout or I’ll bring everyone to soccer with me so he can workout. My girls have grown up with mom and dad training, racing and going to the gym.  It’s what they know.  They’re very proud of us and they always ask how the race went if they aren’t there to see it. I love when they ask me “Did you win?”

As a mother of young girls, what are your feelings regarding body image? What are you doing to help them develop a healthy body image?
I think it’s very difficult to raise a girl in today’s media hyped society.  The graphic natures of the television shows that are on during the “family hours” are outrageous!!  The printed media is no better.  The glorification of “skinny” girls and air brushed actresses is really deceiving to young adolescent/tween girls.  It’s difficult to convey to a young girl that “those” women were sitting in a hair & make-up chair for 3 to 4 hours prior to being photographed.  Even then, if the editor in charge doesn’t think the woman looks good enough they will remove moles, wrinkles, stretch marks, freckles and any other unsightly “NORMAL” features of her with a computer.  It really is quite a joke.  NO ONE is perfect and yet there are hundreds of thousands of young girls starving themselves to fit into the latest fad jeans.  They are literally dying to be thin. My goal is to be positive about myself so my girls can copy that.  Children learn what they live…positive and negative.  All I can do is set a good example for them.  I don’t weigh myself in front of them and they never hear me say, “I think I’m fat.” FAT is the “other F word”.   I tell them to love themselves and that I love myself.  They see me exercise and go to the gym regularly to be active and fit, not to achieve a specific body type.  I’m short 5’1.5” and I’ve never been skinny.  I have always had an athletic body.  They see me eat well so that I can be healthy on the inside too.  I want to live a long life and see them get married and have babies.  I don’t deprive myself or them of anything.  I also never require them to clean their plate.  Food should be used as fuel. I don’t want my kid to be the one at the lunch table with the boiled egg because mom is hung up on eating SO healthy.  We have cut out high fructose corn syrup (which by the way, is in EVERYTHING).  It’s challenging to find items without it. I am a label reader when I grocery shop, for sure.  We also eat whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.  We put Flax meal in our yogurt and eat whole nuts for a good snack.  My girls love veggies and fruit too so I’m very lucky with that.  Eating is a lifestyle and snacking is ok and junk food is even ok in moderation.  I want them to have a healthy relationship with food.

What are you most proud of?

Ohhhhh, it may sound cliché, but I’m most proud of my girls.  I think I have the best kids in the world and I’m so proud to be their mommy everyday.  They’re my North, my South, my East and West.  My working week and my Sunday rest.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my little girlies! Whether they’re up on stage in a musical or throwing punches in karate, making the honor roll, or scoring goals on the soccer field they are awesome!  I think they like me pretty good too as evidenced by the flock of girls that overtakes me when I sit down on the couch.

What is your favorite part of racing?
Hehehe you mean besides seeing the finish line?  I love it when teammates are out on the course racing with me.  It’s a boost to see a familiar face or hear someone you know cheering you on.  Knowing that there are people supporting your efforts out there is very uplifting.  My next favorite part of racing is getting a PR.  That’s a great feeling that’ll last a few days.

Can you tell us a little about Shoreline Sharks?

I love talking about the Sharks.  My husband had an idea to start his own triathlon team so in 2003.  The team, Shoreline Sharks, was formed on my back porch with about 20 local athletes. We are the best multi-sport team in the galaxy!!!  We’re a group of CT athletes that mentor and motivate each other.  It’s such a friendly group of people. Personally, I love helping other people reach their goals. We currently have 150 members. Since its conception we’ve added Adventure racing, Inline skating and we even have an indoor Sharks soccer team.  We have 3 annual Sharks races.  In January we have a “Run from the Pack” 4 miler which is $5 to race and a $5 hand off to the “chase pack” as they run past you.  The proceeds go to charity.  Then we hold a free Fall Classic 20k in September and we host (inviting 2 other area tri teams) a free Half Marathon in March.  Sharks that aren’t racing come out to volunteer so we have aid stations for our races and they’re timed with bib numbers for accuracy.  All our races are always a great time. We have team meetings once a month and we hold an awards meeting every November to acknowledge each athlete’s achievements for the past season.  The team has sponsors who offer us great deals on everything from running shoes to wetsuits and everything in between. We have team gear that we race in and we hold group training rides and runs of all levels and abilities.  Our oldest member is 65 and has completed 3 Ironman and our youngest member is 7 and did her first 5k last year taking second place in her age group (my daughter).  If you live in CT you should check us out!

Do you have a Favorite Quote?
I have SO many.  “Face your fears and live your dreams”  “If it was easy everyone would be doing it”  “Suck it up princess”  “I can do anything for _____ minutes”  “The meaning of life is to live life”  “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you keep moving forward”  “You can quit and no one will care but you’ll always know”

What are your goals for this year?
This year I have PR’d my half marathon distance by 6 minutes on a VERY hilly course.  So that’s a thrill!  My next goal is to PR my Ironman Lake Placid time.  I want to break 15 hours.  Again, it’s also a very hilly course. I LOVE HILLS! Or at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself. After the Ironman people sometimes experience the “post Ironman blues”.  You’ve spent the better part of the past year training for this big event and then it’s just over. You ask yourself, what’s next?  You feel like you should be doing something with your time that was spent training so often.  This usually enters your mind after a week of rest following the race. Many athletes will sign up for the same race but for the following year.  Registration for the following year opens the day after the race.  It’s funny to hear the athletes in that registration line who said they’d NEVER do another Ironman.  I said the same thing after my first race.  But it’s a worthwhile goal to do another, a carrot on the stick of life.  Having a goal gives you that extra push to DO something, to train, to achieve something great.  Maybe something you never thought you could do.  If I can do it anyone can.

What motivates you?
I guess I’m motivated by the goal itself.  I’m motivated to do better than I have in the past.  I’ve always liked a good challenge.  It’s not easy but it’s worth it.

What advice would you give to a woman training for her first triathlon?
First, I’d say you can do anything you put your mind to. I tell my girls this everyday.  “Face your fears and live your dreams.”  I think the swim is the most threatening part of a tri for people. Open water makes many people nervous. Always get in and get your face wet prior to race start so it doesn’t shock you.

I know people who have experienced this and hyperventilated because of the cold water mixed with their adrenaline at race start. Whatever you do…DON’T panic in the water.  Most likely you’ll be wearing a wetsuit so just flip over onto your back and take some deep breaths.  Your wetsuit will allow you to  float while you concentrate on getting your breath back. When you’re swimming, JUST focus on the swim.  The same goes for biking and running.  Before you know it, you’re seeing the finish line. Oh yea…and remember to smile at the finish for your picture.  :-)

Just for fun…if you could meet anyone in history who would it be?
WOW, I’ve never really though about that.  I’d like to meet Lance Armstrong.  I think he’s an inspirational athlete who has a great “never give up” attitude.  Most people don’t know that he’s a triathlete. I wouldn’t just want to meet him though, I’d want to bike and run with him to get some pointers. Keep an eye out for him to do Ironman Hawaii.  It’ll be happening very soon.

Any thing else you’d like to share?
I’m always helping to raise awareness for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).  I would love for people to visit this website and read about Jon “Blazeman” Blais. He is the only person to ever complete an Ironman with ALS.  He did so in The Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in 2005.  I’ve added the URL to watch a video of him in the race.  I promise you’ll never be the same after the 10 minutes it takes to watch it.  His picture should be in Webster’s Dictionary under the word “courageous”.  (Brent and I watched it you really don’t want to miss it.)

Is Jen not amazing!!!!   As I said, she loves helping others and even offered her email to GH readers who may have questions for or are seeking advice on anything to do with triathlons or an Ironman.  She can be reached at Zuzupetalz (at) comcast (dot) net Thank you so much Jen.  You are a Girl Hero!!!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Alexi WAS a stressed out girl with eating disorders.  NOW she’s a holistic health counselor and writes a blog, The Whole Nut.   Alexi left a promising career in advertising to pursue her dream of helping others improve their lives.  She is certified through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Alexi has lived in New York City for the last 4 years after spending a year and a half living abroad in Rome. Previously, she studied Marketing at San Diego University where she was “excited and ready for the real world” only to find out it was less than she expected.

What was it like working in the advertising business?

I got my first job at one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world, so needless to say I was thrilled about the work experience and exposure I would be getting.  Then, I was eager to make my way up the corporate ladder.

Soon I found out that the work habits of the ad world (combined with that of NYC) made for long, stressful days and endless headaches.  After two years I realized that it wasn’t the path I wanted to be on—I had no time for myself or others and felt completely unfulfilled and unhappy.

Was it hard to leave the security of your job in advertising to follow your passion as a holistic health counselor?

Yes and no.  It was hard because I knew that once I left I would never come back.  Though miserable, I found that life in a corporate world was a bit comfortable because of the security (despite all the layoffs that were going on at the time).  I was taking a leap of faith and forging my own path – which was exciting, but a little scary!  But then again, I think by then I realized I was the type to follow my passion rather than idle in comfort and security (in the way that I moved to Rome, too).

How does your new lifestyle compared to your old lifestyle?

Oh it was a complete overhaul.  I have energy again.  I’m ME again!  My friends immediately noticed a difference and my poor boyfriend saw me pull myself back together from the grumpy, exhausted mess I had become (I also stopped caring about my hair, clothes, etc).  Now, I make sure that everything I do benefits me somehow or another, otherwise it’s not worth the trouble.  I got my priorities straightened out.

Why did you decide to study at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition?  Tell us a little about the program.

I was looking for a serious career change.  I was very unhappy with how things were going at the advertising agency (which affected the way I felt) and I wanted to make a move.  It was aboard a flight to Seattle in Sept of 2008 that I came across a short article in Real Simple about a woman (who I would later contact) who gave her children healthy food options despite balancing a busy schedule.  It was her job title that caught my eye.

After I returned to NYC, I googled the woman, found her site, read about what she did and knew instantly I knew that this was my move. She was so kind to talk with me, and she told me about her time at IIN and her path to becoming a certified holistic health counselor.  This was exactly what I was looking for!  I looked into the school and within two weeks I was signed up and registered to start in January 2009.

The program was everything I could have dreamed of, and at that time I felt so lucky to have found it. I loved nutrition, but because of my struggles I knew that it was more than just food and number crunching.  At IIN we studied all the dietary theories out there with the idea that no one diet works for everyone.  Every body is unique, with different dietary needs.

We focused on whole foods, preventative care and how to balance diet with various areas within one’s life – and how it’s all connected.  Top authorities and renowned speakers in the natural foods world (like Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra, Marion Nestle) came and spoke during our classes.  It was amazing to hear what they had to say firsthand, and each lecture was filled with exciting information that would help me to make further changes in myself as well as help others around me.  I had spent the last five years sharing my homegrown nutrition knowledge with friends and family, and this was taking it to the next level!

What do you love most about being a holistic health counselor?

Helping others make healthy improvements on their lives!  A healthy diet and lifestyle can do a lot in a life. I love helping others shake off the control and wrath that food and diet bring on us – I know how that can feel, but it doesn’t have to be like that!  I love seeing my clients transform not only their eating habits, but also their priorities and personal goals.  When you begin to eat better, you feel better.  And that changes SO MUCH.

Dinner with a friend last Fall – after leaving my old job and overhauling my health habits, I felt much more outgoing and social again, I felt like I had something to celebrate!

Do you mind telling us a little bit about your approach when you have a new client?

Each client brings something different to the program, which is a challenge I love about nutrition counseling.  I base each individual program around the client’s goals, health concerns and lifestyle.  I’m there to listen, provide support, offer advice and hold the person accountable for their choices.  If you want to lose weight and incorporate healthy eating habits into your busy life, then our sessions are going to be geared a bit differently than for someone who may be struggling with food addictions.

I like to focus first on diet and foods, and second on lifestyle and daily habits.  The goal is to find a balance between the two areas, since one is heavily influenced by the other (this is usually a big surprise to most!). I find that most people have a lot to talk about here!

You talk about a personal “breakdown” on your blog.  What happened?  Was there a specific moment when you broke down?  What led to it?  How did you overcome it?

It was the summer of 2003, just before my senior year in college. I remember I had just ransacked the entire kitchen and hated myself for it.  I had tried to stop but physically could not do it (it’s a terrible feeling).  The more I wanted to stop the more I ate.  I even took pictures of myself on my (then new) cell phone camera.  I was miserable with my recent weight-gain, unhappy in my summer internship, and on the verge of a breakup. I was lonely, bulimic, binging, and depressed, and in the pictures I was balling uncontrollably. There are five of them, lined up neatly. It’s really sad.  Above the pictures, I wrote this:

“I am my own worst enemy. I make myself cry. I hurt myself internally and I want to make it stop. I am addicted to food like people are addicted to alcohol. It is my problem, and I need help. People don’t understand.”

I’m not sure what happened next (I documented very little of my eating disorders), but I remember that I knew something had to change. I couldn’t go on like that!  I started by accepting the fact that I had a problem and that I wanted to get better.  I sought help from school counselors, and I started to educate myself on food and eating properly.  It didn’t happen overnight—and there were so many variables in my recovery.  I’m still learning and educating myself today.  No one told me how to eat or how to get better eating habits.  I had to do that all myself.

I can really relate to what you said about “obsessing” over food.  How did you finally break that pattern?  Do you ever still obsess and if so what do you do?

When I was at my worst I thought I could never change.  I thought I would be stuck obsessing about food forever (which was a terrible thought).  When food was a strange, foreign matter that consisted of calories, I would think nonstop about what I should be consuming less of and what I couldn’t have.  It was almost a power struggle – you know, whether or not I could keep the count at a specific number. It was extremely exhausting and I soon realized that it was unhealthy, too.  Meanwhile I was craving “bad” foods like crazy which would make ME go crazy.

Introducing real foods back into my diet made all the difference.  Real foods with real nutrition that actually made me feel good.  The other part of that was learning to read my body.  It took a LOT of practice, but once I learned how to feed myself real food (not processed or packaged) the power struggle and obsession faded away. Plus, the chemicals in the processed foods weren’t helping my situation.

Now, I think about food but in a different way.  Of course I have to plan ahead and think about my food options, but now it’s fun.  It’s weird to say, but: I love what I eat.  I love picking my food up from the store and I love preparing my meals.  I generally eat what I want when I want – but that’s because I’ve learned to eat right for me.  It’s natural – in substance and in habit.  And THAT makes all the difference.

You say in your bio that you “never knew I was addicted (to sugar) until I wasn’t.”  What a great statement!!  Can you expand on that?  How did you actually free yourself from the addiction?  Do you still eat sugar?  What do you eat for treats?

Oh my gosh yes – and I know this is so big for you, too!  And actually this was a fairly recent discovery.  I could go ON and ON about this and how addicting sugar really is and how little we know about it!  Sugar is so deceiving, and I find that a lot of people don’t even know why sugar is bad for you.

I didn’t even know a sugar addiction could exist, I just knew that I had a sweet tooth and really liked baked goods.  While I knew baked goods weren’t great for a healthy diet, I didn’t think it was because of the sugar.  But then I started to read a lot of studies on the adverse effects of sugar and decided to take a closer look at my diet.  I started limiting my sugar intake; the more I read about it, the less I craved.

Then, about a year and a half ago I started eliminating all sugar from my diet.  I would indulge every now and then, but I would immediately see the connection, and I would only crave more sugar! It’s a vicious cycle. I did have a small breakdown sometime at the beginning, which was a real eye-opener (and another story!).  It was very circumstantial.

I kept on that path for about a year until I decided to get serious. I started to bake again (something I love), but the goodies were NATURALLY sweetened (with agave, honey, maple syrup, etc). These treats satisfy my sweet tooth but without the guilt or crazy cravings.  It didn’t take long for me completely lose ALL desire for sugar.  I still LOVE baked goods and desserts; it’s just that now I take a more natural approach.  I also love chocolate, but now I stick to raw chocolate or Green & Black’s 70% dark.  Now when I do try a “real” dessert I find that it’s just way too sweet!

The recipe below is a favorite of mine.  I’ll whip these naturally sweetened cookies up when I have a baked-goods craving, and it gets it every time!

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1/3 cup almond butter (I use raw almond butter by MaraNatha- no extra additives!)
2 ripe bananas
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (I like Blue Diamond’s Almond Breeze)
2 Tbsp agave
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
dash of cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup grain-sweetened, dairy-free chocolate chips (I go for Sunspire)

Instructions:  In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork until smooth. Add almond butter, almond milk, vanilla and agave and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.

Place spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 13-16 minutes at 350 degrees, or until done. Let cool for about 30 minutes so they firm up a little.

You workout with a trainer right?  How has working with a personal trainer helped you?

I do – this was another life-changing commitment!  I know I mention this in my blog, but I had put off a trainer for YEARS because I used the cost as an excuse.  Yes, trainers are pricey (especially here in New York!) but I’m committed to building a healthier me, so in the end I finally signed up!  What a HUGE change it has made in my world of exercise!!

This is a picture from a vacation last month. I’ll always be fair skinned and I’m happy and confident in my body once again.

How does your boyfriend feel about your lifestyle?  Does he share it?

I love this picture of us- we were celebrating a friend’s birthday, and I had just left the ad agency a few days before.  It was a happy weekend!

Alex is great (nice name, hm?).  Though he doesn’t share my “passion,” I’m very thankful that he’s so supportive of my health initiatives.  He’s really patient and doesn’t mind taking part in my healthy habits, which makes for a winning combo.  I am careful not to force anything on him, though.  If he wants to take on the same sort of diet, that’s great, but for the most part he enjoys his own tastes.  I think that as long as I’m happy, he’s happy.  :)

Fortunately, we’re both adventurous eaters and love eating out, and New York makes it easy with so many options – we can pick a place where we can both order and be happy.  Not to say he doesn’t enjoy my cooking, but he does like to poke fun and call me a “woodland creature” because of my diet mainstays (I generally don’t eat meat or dairy).  Who can hate quinoa though?

If you could go anywhere in the world TODAY where would you go?

I have this sudden curiosity with Bora Bora.  I’ve clearly never been, but it looks beautiful.  I told Alex that we HAVE to go there, so we looked at flights.  Not cheap.  I may not get there TODAY, but I’ll get there!

Thanks, Alexi, for so openly sharing your journey with us.  You can read more about Alexi at The Whole Nut.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Girl Heroes – Changing the world by choosing health!

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Half Marathon celebration run October ’09 1 year cancer free!

Sue has ran a marathon, jumped from a plane, scaled mountains and overcame breast cancer. All before the young age of 47.  Sue has been married to her husband, her best friend in the world, for 16 years.  They have two teenage sons and never a dull moment.  A music lover, Sue plays the piano, sings, and plays Congas in her church praise band. She is a registered nurse by training but currently she is a stay and home mom studying to become a personal trainer.  Sue also enjoys running, rollerblading, weightlifting, hiking, you name it, if it has to do with fitness or adventure she enjoys it!  I’m honored to share a powerful piece of Sue’s journey as she confronted her lack of self worth and body image issues while battling breast cancer.  Her positive outlook, passion for health and life is contagious.  Be inspired!

Have you always been active?

Yes. As a child, my brother and I would go out on daylong bike rides.  I participated in track in high school. Since graduation and on, physical activity has always played a large part in my life, whether it be biking, running, lifting, or rollerblading.  Physicality has always brought me a lot of pleasure.  I love the way my body feels when I’m doing a challenging physical activity or workout.  I know it sounds funny, but I love to sweat!  I love getting my heart rate up and breathing hard… and feeling those endorphins really kick in.   It’s fun to see what this body is capable of!

How has your approach to health and fitness changed over the years?

I have always been cognizant of good health, but as I watched my dad struggle with heart disease and cancer (largely lifestyle and dietary related), it was just a huge warning signal to me, especially with getting older, just how important good health and nutrition is.  Later, being diagnosed with cancer myself, just further heightened my awareness and dedication to healthful foods and activity. Joining the Spark People community has also really inspired me to develop an even greater knowledge and practice of sound dietary and lifestyle fitness disciplines.

You were diagnosed with cancer in July 08, did you find out through a routine screening or were you experiencing symptoms?

I had no lump.  It was found purely on mammogram.  (I had a “cluster” of microcalcifications, which show up as little white specks on the mammogram.  They can be a normal finding when randomly scattered in the breast – but what cued the radiologist to order a biopsy, was that they were formed in a “cluster”, which is more typical of cancer activity.)  What was SO surprising, was that the prior year, my mammogram was totally clean….then the next year, I had TWO spots of cancer in my right breast.  Fortunately, it was the very earliest stage (Ductul Carcinoma In Situ), which means that it hadn’t spread out of the milk ducts into the surrounding tissue, and when they checked some nodes in my armpit during my later surgery (double mastectomy) they were clean!

What was your first response to your diagnoses?

I was extremely surprised.  I have no breast cancer history in my family.  I had no risk factors for breast cancer (other than having my firstborn after the age of thirty).  I was healthy, active, a non smoker, rarely drank.   It really caught me by surprise.

The whole evaluation process is so long.  With the mammogram, then getting scheduled for a needle biopsy….awaiting those results (they sent my specimen to Mayo clinic for evaluation, because the cell type was so unusual)….then being scheduled for an “excisional biopsy” to get further clarification on whether it had spread into the surrounding tissue…. It took about a month to get the final word on my diagnosis.  In some ways, I was just finally glad to know what we were dealing with.  I was relieved that it was in its earliest stage.  That meant I would not require chemo, since it hadn’t escaped out of the milk duct lining.  I know this is vain, but the thought of losing my hair was very threatening to me.  I was so relieved when that wasn’t going to be in the picture.

What were your treatments?  What was it like going through them?

Because I had two spots in my right breast, and I was small chested, the only real option for me was to have a mastectomy.  Because I also had some “clusters” in the left breast (though they biopsied negative for cancer), I decided to go ahead and have both breasts removed.  I had spoken to a Reach to Recovery Volunteer.  I had talked over the option of just having the right mastectomy, or having both done.  She didn’t advise me, but she offered this perspective: “Never underestimate the peace of mind component.” That clinched the decision for me.  I knew that if I didn’t have the left one taken off too, I would always be wondering “if” and or “when” I would develop cancer in that breast.  Being that I was under the age of 50, and the type of cancer I had was an “aggressive” form, it made total sense to just go ahead and have both done.  I have not regretted that decision once!  I also opted to have reconstructive saline implant surgery, and have been very happy with the outcome.

Do you look at life differently now?  How did it change you?

I do look at life differently.  I’m grateful for the gift to be alive.  I don’t take things for granted anymore.  You always assume you will live to a ripe old age.  Being diagnosed with cancer was a wake up call.

What also was so amazing to me, was that hidden in the breast cancer journey, was SO MANY gems of insight into myself, my past, my body image.  It has also tremendously heightened my appreciation for the depth of relationship I have with my husband….

A lot of change came in my mindset, and my views about being a woman.

I hope your readers won’t mind me being so transparent (but I know we all have struggles that are helped by acknowledgement and openness, for in the sharing of our experiences and struggles, we realize we are not alone…so here goes….)

My early views of my worth as a woman were shaped in large part by my father.  I grew up in a very dysfunctional family.  My father used alcohol and pornography to help deal with the stresses of life.    I never experienced a warm emotional attachment to my father.  I felt invisible to him, and rejected.  Due to finding his huge stash of porn magazines, coupled with his inappropriate lewd comments about women (waitresses, other ladies he’d see out and about), and his poor relationship with my mother — I received a very damaged and marred lens with which to view myself as a young woman and in regards to my body image as well.

The relational turmoil between my parents and his addiction problems had escalated and peaked in my teenage years (when I was going through puberty and forming a lot of personal opinions about what being a woman meant,  etc.).  Sadly, the messages I received growing up, was that a woman’s worth was all about her “outward packaging”, versus that a woman’s true value is about what is in her heart — her personality, what makes her uniquely her.

As a person in my late teens I developed an eating disorder (bulimia).  I think subconsciously was the thought that if I could just be perfect enough outwardly, I would “be enough” to receive the love and affirmation I desperately longed for.  The binging on sweets medicated me and calmed my anxieties, but then the fear of fat kicked in, so I felt compelled to purge.  It became quite a vicious cycle.  It wasn’t until I became a Christian in my mid-twenties, and began to learn about the unconditional love of God (Who I came to understand is my Creator and true Father)  and also went to counseling, that I broke free from those issues…. I began to get healthy in my emotional and relational life.

Though the physical outward binge/purge cycles had ended, the mental thought patterns of food obsession and body perfectionism still clung tenaciously on.

I have to honestly say, that when I had both my breasts removed, and my husband could care less, I saw in a very deep and personal way that I was loved for ME (the true “essence” of who I was….not defined by body mass or tissue amount or lack thereof).  I had known this intellectually, but the stark reality of my body changes, and my husband’s loving acceptance, brought it home in such a deep, emotionally penetrating way.

My husband loved me through every phase.  He helped change my bandages.  He never winced when he saw the scars.  I am so blessed to have a husband like him.  When tears streamed down my face the first time I saw myself flat chested in a t-shirt, he just held me and let me cry, and said he loved me.  It made no difference to him.  This was so healing to me!  It kind’ve made up for all the yucky messages my father inadvertently sent in my childhood and teen years, that it was all about the outward sensual appeal that a woman had to offer.  (I’m not villainizing me father, just telling reality)

Another mental shift came in terms of finding a better balance in my life with the role of fitness and my perception of it. Just prior to my diagnosis, I had been into some SERIOUS weightlifting, and toying with the idea of figure competition.   I still enjoy weightlifting, and I haven’t given up on the idea of figure competition in my future…but what HAS changed, is that I am no longer OBSESSED with it.  Previously, I was obsessed – thoughts regarding food, calories, weight, were constantly on my mind – essentially robbing me of the joy of unconditional love for myself.  I didn’t realize that a lot of my obsession with my body was still tied into the eating disordered thinking – if I could just get my body to be “perfect”, I would be fulfilled, I would feel like I was “enough”, and I would finally find myself worthy of deep self-acceptance and self-worth.

I have now learned that my worth is not in my body perfection, but in who I am as a person.  I can now approach my physical goals with an inner “cheerleader” approach, vs. a “harsh critical taskmaster” approach.  I’m learning to be gentle, and accept slower changes over time.  I’ve dropped the rigidity and pre-eminence of physical fitness trumping my focus on developing an amazingly powerful “love walk” in life, and keeping family and relationships at the forefront.

When I was forced, due to my surgeries, to have to “fast” from my workouts, it gave me time to pray and take a deep hard look at my life.  I learned a lot from the love shown to me during diagnosis and surgeries.  The outpouring of love and cards and meals from my family and friends was so healing.  I realized that it did not matter ONE IOTA what body shape or size of the women that shared their love and support to me.  What mattered was the LOVE that they expressed.  I in turn, could finally see, and apply this to myself.  I did not have to have some rigid self-rejecting attitude toward myself if my body wasn’t “chiseled” or in my estimate of “perfect” shape.  What really mattered to me in my time of need was the love and genuine concern of others.  I realized that what matters to others is not so much how I look on the outside, but is the genuine expression of LOVE I carry in my heart to shower on them.  I think that everyone’s deepest heart’s desire is to be loved, valued, and accepted as they are.

In a nutshell, since coming through and onto the other side of the cancer journey — I am now striving to live life with balance:  Keeping my physical aspirations in line with spiritual growth is key. Am I being healthy in body AND spirit? Along with loving myself through taking care of my physical body, am I challenging my spiritual growth as well by focusing on developing a richer quality of relating and loving others — encouraging others and adding value to others lives?

When I’m on my deathbed, my peace of mind and heart won’t be found in how “chiseled” I was able to make my body look (and what a fleeting attainment that would be, since we all continually decline with age!)…  It is a life lived with RELATIONSHIPS at the forefront, pursuing depth and quality of relationships — with my Lord, myself, and others — that will allow me to rest in the peace and contentment of a life well lived.

What would you say to a woman who is fighting cancer?  Advice or encouragement?  Resources like websites or books?

To a woman fighting cancer… I would say “never give up hope.”  Take advantage of your support network of friends and family.  I actually joined an online community on BreastCancer.org.  It was the most healing community of fellow breast cancer journeymates.  That website has every kind of information from diagnosis through treatment, as well as the discussion boards as well.  Also, a tremendous book is: There’s No Place Like Hope: A Guide to Beating Cancer in Mind-sized Bites by Vickie Girard. She had fourth stage cancer and was told she would die in 3 months.  She lived I believe 9 more years!  She said to never give up hope!!!  Fortunately, with breast cancer advancements, and most cancers being caught so early, a woman’s chance of survival is TREMENDOUS.

Let me put out a HUGE CALL to all women who are 40 and above – GET YOUR YEARLY MAMMOGRAMS!!!

Tell us about the time you went skydiving?

I went skydiving in my early twenties.  You know, the time of life when you are fearless and crazy!  I still would love to do it again.  My youngest son wants to do it with me when he turns eighteen.

I skydived 5 times.  It was SUCH a blast!  There is nothing quite like the thrill and adrenalin rush of dropping out of the airplane, feeling that hollow in the pit of your stomach as you drop 100  feet per second, then feel the sudden lift when that shoot pops open.  The whir of the breeze blowing in my ears as I sailed like a canopy over the landscape was absolutely AMAZING, and oh so fun!

What is your weekly fitness regime like?

I got back into my full fitness routine by January of 09 (after a hiatus of about 6 months). Fortunately, with muscle memory, I was able to get the muscle back pretty quickly.  At the beginning, I resumed with 3x per week full body, interspersed with 3 days cardio, and off on Sunday.

Me after 4 months of getting back into it.  I was SO happy to be lifting again!

Currently I’ve switched to a two day split – two days upper body per week; two of lower body per week; keeping cardio at 3 days a week.

What is your favorite strength training exercise?

Any and all back exercises…particularly lat pull down.  I love the look of a muscular back.  I also love working my shoulders and arms.   I would love to get that really capped look to the shoulders that you see with figure competitors.  I think that looks so amazingly beautiful.

Do you follow a specific diet?  What sort of foods do you eat?

I am a big fan of Tosca Reno and the “eat clean” lifestyle.  I also am a fan of Tom Venuto’s “Burn the fat and feed the muscle”.  Pretty much try to eat good ol’ whole foods, and nix the chips, pop, processed junk.

Does your family share your healthy lifestyle?  Any tips for mothers of teenagers to get them to live a healthy lifestyle?

My family in 08, so my sons are both taller than me now.  I sure do need to get an updated family shot, don’t I!!

Fortunately, my family has willingly adopted the healthy eating (probably because they are forced too, since they eat what I cook!).  My husband very much shares a love for fitness and healthy foods.  We both have a strong family genetic history of heart disease, so that makes us even more diligent in the area of health.  I think it’s hardest on our sons.  They wish we didn’t eat so “healthy”.  They sometimes moan about not having a lot of the junk food in the house.

We make working out a family affair.  We have a home gym.  So my husband, son, and I are pretty much doing some form of exercise in the evenings together.  My youngest son lifts weights with me.

The best tip I have for moms of teenagers, is to set a good example…. Cook nutritious meals, and make sure you example exercise as a fun and normal part of everyday living.  I think a lot more is “caught” than taught.  I’ve always heard that kids when they grow up, typically model the eating behaviors of their parents – so, it’s good to set a good example.

You’ve run marathons and half-marathons right?  What were those like?

My husband and I after finishing the Columbus Marathon.  It was a surreal experience!

My brother in law, who is a veteran of 13 marathons, has always been an inspiration to me.  His repeated example of discipline and passion, his encouragement over the years to “go for it”, planted the initial seed of desire to run a marathon.  Later, the dream was watered by the encouragement of a friend who, approaching forty, had just completed her first marathon.  Her words, “if I can do it, you can too”, clinched it for me.  The largest hurdle in the decision to begin marathon training, was the decision to be willing to take the risk to find out if it I had what it took.  It was a willingness to overcome the fear of failure and challenge my own perceived limits.  In the words of T.S. Elliott, “only those who risk going to far can possibly find out how far they can go.”  I came to the resolve that I would never know what I was capable of, if I was not willing to risk the journey to find out.   As I learned later, the process was just as important, if not moreso, than the actual marathon finish.  For within the training, was the refining of  the character qualities of perseverance, discipline, fortitude, and vision…

The marathon really has been symbolic of my approach to life.  Life is a marathon, not a sprint.  I like to sum up what I learned from my marathon experience, and which applies to any formidable challenge or endeavor:  You will never know how far you can go until you have the courage to take that first step.    You may very well find that you ARE capable of accomplishing what you may have previously only dared to dream!

I recently ran a ½ marathon in October of 09 to celebrate my 1 year anniversary from my mastectomy surgeries.  I felt it was a real energizing statement to myself:  “I’m back.  I’m strong.  I’m ALIVE!”  It was also a run to praise God for bringing me through the cancer journey to full health.

What are your goals for this year?

I’m currently working on getting certified as a Personal Trainer.  That is at the forefront right now in terms of personal goals.  I want to be able to help others achieve their goals and dreams to become the best they can be

How do you feel about getting older?

I celebrate getting older.  I’m thankful for the wisdom that can come with age.  To me, as long as I am growing as a person – becoming more loving and more generous, contributing to others lives, enjoying my life – I feel that just like fine wine, I’m just getting better with time!

To me, it’s a bit sad that our society has such an over emphasis on the outward.  And what’s so wrong with having a few wrinkles?  It makes me crack up to see all the marketing ads talk about “anti-aging” products.  Since when was getting older such a bad thing?  Is there something “anti” about aging?  Some of the most beautiful people I know are some older folks that have lived and loved well – their faces covered with laugh lines, their crows feet show eyes that twinkle with laughter.  I think a woman who is confident and loving radiates an inner beauty that no facial tonic (“hope in a bottle”, I like to call it) or facelift can copy!  So, that’s me on my soap box. Ha!

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my growth as a person.  God has given me a tenacious, persistent personality.  He has allowed me to overcome a lot of obstacles, simply because I would not give up.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

I’ve always wanted to visit the Holy Lands and walk where Jesus walked.

Thank you Sue for sharing your life and your heart of perseverance with us.  You are truly and amazing woman and embody the essence of a Girl Hero.  For more on Sue and her lessons learned from her cancer journey plus a great list of motivational quotes visit her Spark page!

If you would be willing to share YOUR story please send me an email or don’t be surprised if you get an email from me.  ;-)

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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“Pau” emailed me last year when I was whining talking about my thighs.  She commented and then sent me a sweet email telling me that she thought my thighs looked really good.  Like any normal girl who receives a compliment, I immediately asked her to be my BFF even though she lives in Ecuador where she works as a marketing assistant and competes in figure competitions.

We started emailing back and forth and over the next few months I learned some things about Pau.  Pau wasn’t like me.  She had not lost weight to look how she looked she had gained.  ”WTH.  People like that really do exist?” I thought.  Pau sent me some some before pictures and as a woman, who has worked really hard for the muscle I have, I was amazed by her transformation.  Regardless, as to whether muscles are your thing Pau’s transformation shows a commitment that is not often celebrated, she went from very thin to athletic and strong…by choice.  How did she do it?  Most people in her situation might choose to gain by eating junk and all sorts of other crap.  Not Pau she chose to eat mostly real food and lift.  It took her years to literally BUILD UP her physique. I very much admire her dedication, discipline, and personal conviction to build muscle in a world where stick thin is considered the ultimate mark of beauty.

What sparked your lifestyle change?
Actually, I was sooooo skinny, probably not very healthy, and wasn’t happy with my body, so I wanted to workout to gain some weight. I started at about 90 pounds and now off season I’m around 127 more less.

How did you eat before compared to now?
Ohh no.. I used to eat junk like Burger King and nothing happened to my body. Now I have learn to FEED my body in a healthy way.  I need carbs OR I will desintegrate myself but don’t eat sugar or saturated fats.

Do you consider your journey “hard” or “easy”?
The easier part is working out.  I just love it.  I have been doing it for 9 years and I can’t stop.  When I travel I must find a gym near the place I’m going to be. It only gets hard right before my shows when my carbs are temporarily low.  Like I said, I need carbs but the week before my show they are low for water reasons which sometimes makes me very tired.  But overall everything about my changes have been so positive in many aspects of my life.

Is PMS a struggle for you?  If so, how do you reduce hormonal cravings?
Yes, I try to eat less salt and no sodas on those days.  Chocolate protein shakes also help.

What are you most proud of?
Inner – My discipline and strength of mind not to give into cravings.
Outer –  I guess my back……. All of my back.  :-)

Practicing….

…for the stage.

Do you think you just have “good genes”?
I don´t think so.  I didn’t used to look the way I do now.

I worked very hard.   It´s all about what you do for your body and your soul.

Does your significant other share your lifestyle?
I live with my BF and yes he supports me. He doesn’t compete but he has been working out since he was 14.  So when I am leaning out for a show he understands I can’t go out with him every Saturday to eat pizza.

How have your friends reacted to your transformation?
Some people think I have no life because I prefer to eat healthy or carrying food with me everywhere I go but other just say they would like to be like me.  I find woman to be more open to muscles.   Men…well if they don’t have muscles obviously they won’t admire a woman who does!! Ha!

What are your favorite or staple foods?
I love meat and eggs!!! Mmmmmm there’s something very popular here in Ecuador made with black beans, rice, and meat!! MMMMM delicious.  I also like making omelettes with eggs white, mushrooms, spinach, and ham.

What is your favorite fun food?
Italian food or hot dogs!!!  And chocolate! Ha!!!

If you were stuck on a desert island what one food would you want with you?
Optimus nutrición Protein Bars.

How often do you exercise and what’s your favorite move?
I workout Monday – Friday.  My favorite exercise is the squat.  I love to workout my legs.

What is your favorite form of cardio?
Swimming.

What motivates you?
How I feel.  The mirror. How clothes fit.  Monica Brant!!

What goals have you reached?
I went to nationals for figure as a novice…but I went!!!!

What goals are you working towards?
My first competition with professional competitors! Uhhh scary..

Are you a scale addict?
Nooo!!!  I rarely  know my exact my weight.

What Disney princess do you most relate to?
Fiona! She´s from Dreamworks… but a princess!

Thanks Pau for sharing a part of your life and  being an example that strong women are  beautiful women!!!  Wishing you the best on your journey.  You are a Girl Hero!!!!

Giveaway Alert!
Don’t forget to enter Lara’s (from Thinspired) food scale give away!   You have until Saturday to enter!!

If you or someone you know would be willing to share your story as a Girl Hero send me an email.  All types of “heroes” are welcome!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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WWTD?

What would Tara do?

I’ve asked myself that more than once in moments of temptation or laziness.  Tara has been immensely motivating for me.  So motivating that I had a picture of her taped inside my kitchen cabinet when I was training for my first figure competition! I’ve used all the excuses in the book from “I don’t have time to cook healthy” to not having “the right equipment” to “I have a pear shaped body it’s impossible” to change it.  But Tara challenged me to question all my excuses.  Frankly, she makes most excuses look…well like excuses because she is a commercial pilot (she flies a 737!) whose busy schedule takes her all around the world.  Despite her not always “convenient” schedule she still chooses to eat healthy and get her workouts in.  Not only has Tara transformed her body but she is caring, funny, supportive, and honest.  I was part of an online group of figure competitiors with her a year and a half ago and she never stopped encouraging other group members.  More than once she took the time to answer my questions and offer support!  I’m really excited to share part of Tara’s life with you all because her life changed my life by giving me hope that I too could change.

What caused you to make your lifestyle change?  Was there a moment you just knew you had to change your habits?  Was is a major change?

Rather than a defining moment, or realization that I had ‘become out of shape’, I think it was more that I picked up the BFL book and got all excited over the before/afters.  I knew when I saw those, that not one person on there could possibly have something in them that I didn’t.  In fact, I thought….”I have a killer work ethic!  If I just really hunker down, I can do this for sure–these people aren’t magically gifted– I can do this, too!”

It was AFTER that, when I took my ‘before’ picture, where I truly discovered that I was WAY out of shape.  I always thought I was ‘pretty fit’ with just a small layer of fat.  Wow, I was way past out of shape.  I never pictured myself as out of shape as I was in my photo; it was an eye opener!

Changing my habits….it’s still a process! I am still working on them!  Initially, I really thought 6 meals a day was such a new, ‘hard core’ thing to do.  I thought using low fat mayo was the biggest step toward being fit.  I had no idea how to do any weights other than that leg sled press.  I used to just get on that thing and push 12 reps, maybe one set,, with as many plates as would look impressive.  I really had no clue about mind-muscle connection, balancing the upper body (or even caring about it), or working out in a consistent manner.  I was all over the place, dabbling in fitness, calling myself a fit minded person, yet never fully committed and never had a ‘plan’ for workouts or meals.  Nutrition was entirely new.  I  used to think Slimfast was healthy.  A small amount of white rice for a meal–like that was the secret to being healthy.  I had a veggie drawer full of mini tootsie rolls in the fridge– ‘smart snacking’ because hey…they’re ‘fat free’ and can ’curb a chocolate craving’!  You know…most of us have been there.

What was your diet like before?  Your exercise program before?

It’s hard to say WHAT my diet was before…I never had a ‘diet’.  I was big on cereal in the morning- dinner, maybe, too….I liked Raisin Bran, but I also liked sugary cereals.  I never ate eggs–hated them.  I liked bacon, though.   Lunch and dinner might be ziti and sauce with butter, spaghetti, soup, plenty of candy on a daily basis, diet soda several times a day, Doritos here and there, and tons of Balance Bars or Slimfast shakes(I thought these were healthy…and I thought the MORE of them I ate, the FASTER I would lose weight!!! Really!!! ).  I didn’t cook steaks or chicken or fish.  I might buy deli chicken.  I might have a frozen meal…in fact, I remember buying a lot of these for less than a dollar.  I was not big on fast food at all.  I skipped meals all over the place.  One meal a day to who knows how many snacks a day.  I just had zero thought pattern about it, because if I did a workout here and there, I figured it was the main thing that made you ‘in shape’ or not.

Exercise ranged from weeks of nothing to a stray day doing some convoluted leg thing.  I remember looking at fit gals in the gym, and then thinking I was ‘so much stronger’, I’d load up the leg press sled and think, “My genetics might not make me look like her, but I am way stronger.”  These days, my weights are down because my form is up… I see girls like me come in and load up plates like I used to, and walk away after their 1 set.

I did stair master in college and had great calves.  I would judge a cardio machine based on how I might think it would shape my legs– how it might make them lean and shapely.  I didn’t know to think in terms of ‘overall body fat’.  I was a ‘spot reducer cardio equipment chooser’.  The concept of weights to lean up just didn’t occur to me, and I didn’t even think to research.

Once I started flying for the airlines, I didn’t work out on layovers at all.  It seemed like there was no time– It was fly and sleep and eat, get up real early, do it again.  I flew a lot at my smaller flying jobs to build time to get to a major airline; I focused on my career and barely at all on my health

What is it like being a pilot?  What’s a typical schedule like?

I do love to fly!  I love the challenge; I love to see the terrain…the way it goes from mountians to oceans and seeing the way people find ways to build small villages in seemingly remote places.  I love to see mountains and islands in the day, and red lava marking volcanic activity at night, and I love weather– I love the mechanics of a good storm, and it fascinates me.  I love when the wind is crazy and the runway is slick and short, and I get the landing.  I know it’s the job I was meant to have!

Pilots are always living out of a suitcase…even at home.  Pilots are always keeping current on procedures, training, checkrides, etc.  We are busy when we have our trips, and at home, we are trying to play catch up, getting packed for the next trip, and trying to find some down time…some quiet.  Most pilots wind up eating at airports, grabbing food between flights in the day.  Long layovers are becoming a thing of the past, so exploring a city is not common anymore.  Many times, we arrive late at night and leave the hotel the following morning.  We can do one to six flights a day, or more. A pilot can be on duty for 16 hours; this does not include going to or from a hotel, or security screening.  Piloting is truly a consuming lifestyle; it is not a part time gig.

There is not a typical schedule.  I tend to fly 4-day trips, which means I am bouncing around from city to city several times a day for four days, without coming home.  In between, the days off vary, but 3 days off in between trips is a decent average.

I have been home less than a week in an entire month, and I have been home for half a month at a time.  I have times where I fly 3 days, come home for one, go out for two, home for two, and out again for four.  This is what I am doing this week.  This type of skeddy is very hectic.  Time zones are always changing, and we swap flying days to flying allnighters (redeyes).

Can you share the some of the challenges you face trying to maintain a healthy diet and workout as you fly?

The challenges lie mainly with refrigeration and heating, and international rules.  I have to be able to eat whatever I bring, and I have to eat it cold (I never count on finding a microwave– if I find one, great! A treat!  Most trips I do not have this.  I keep food cold by filling a sturdy ziplock with ice.  I leave Denver with the food all frozen in my cooler.  I get to Texas and fly my day.  By the end of the day, I need ice, so I either get leftover galley ice from the plane, or wait till the hotel to get ice.  I must carry my food with me; there is no place to ‘leave’ food to get it later.  I am in a different city/airport all the time.

International rules restrict meats, plants, nuts, fruits.  I fly international every month, so on these trips, I rely on canned tuna, canned chicken, powdered eggwhites, shakes, and a green supplement.  It gets old eating this stuff for 4 days.

The little newstands with every candy on the planet can be tempting.  My crewmembers often have some tempting foods, too!

At times, hotels do not have gyms, or the equipment is inop, or the gyms have certain hours.  Since I want to be competitive, I can’t exactly go, “oh well! no workout today!”  So I have definitely lunged hallways at midnight in the hotel, sprinted parking lots, and gone up stairwells and down stairwells for cardio.  I can bring a jumprope and go in the parking lot and do a series of pushups, rope jumping, sprints, plyo, etc for a killer HIIT workout.  People do stare.  Sometimes I’m sure that I’m ‘the freak’, but I know I’ll never see these people again.  The more I do this stuff, the more I don’t even consider what I look like.  It becomes just a normal thing for me, and ’feeling stupid’ isn’t in the equation.

What have been your biggest roadblocks and more importantly how do you get pass them?

Roadblocks have definitely come from me, mostly.  From where I look at a situation (99% of the time it’s to do with work), and say, “There’s no freakin’ way!!”  Once you get that mindset, it’s VERY hard to poke around the possibilities and figure out how to make it work. I get all mad and frustrated, and that gets me nowhere.  I have slowly recognized this pattern.  The more things that I have MADE work, the more things that I can MAKE work.  When I make something work, I feel like a rockstar…unstoppable!

Right now, the roadblocks come from full flying days where the layover is either scheduled to be short, or delays have made it very short.  I feel helpless because I can’t control time.  I can’t give up sleep– flying and being safe for my passengers is a bottomline–it’s the priority.  I have learned that so far, I haven’t turned into a blimp from missing a workout.  I found the things that I can control, and that is prep time and diet.  I allow a longer time to prep for a show, and I absolutely cannot be sabotaging my diet.  I also do request my monthy schedule to have layovers that allow me longer sleep and some time to workout.  Being proactive on the prep time, honest about where my diet needs to be, and in better control of my schedule is how I maneuver the obstacles best.

On your personal health journey have you had any super low moments?  Moments that just made you want to throw in the towel.  Did you learn something from that experience?

In October of ’08, I developed severe knee pain that required an MRI.  Nothing could be found, however, and I continued to have this knee pain up until 2010.  It drastically affected my training.  I was lucky to have enough leg muscle to get by, but the conditioning (cardio) aspect became very tough.  I had NO leeway with diet.  I had to do slower, less effective cardio.  I became very frustrated at not being able to train like I wanted.  For my health, I felt that my competitive career would be cut short.  I had times of ‘why’, and times I knew it would be better to just stop training.  I think I probably should have stopped, but I did not want to quit.  I pushed

One day, I came across the website Truth About Splenda, and I saw that joint issues were mentioned.  I immediately took Splenda out of my diet, and learned so much about artificial sweetners, and how damaging some of this ‘substitute’ food that I was eating is.  Within a month, I regained nearly all knee function with no pain.  It is not 100%, but I am not restricted on workouts!! I am ecstatic!!! I also had the opportunity to better my health.  I learned that food is a BIG DEAL to every function, down to the cellular level, of the body.  It is this that has sparked my interest in nutrition for athletes, and I am working on a certification course to learn more from ISSA.

What do you find to be the easiest aspect of your lifestyle?  What do you think makes it “easy” for you?

The ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want.  This comes at a price of course, but I am a single gal with no kiddos or pets.  This is what I choose right now, and I am enjoying every minute of it! I can workout at 2am if I need to, fly an extra trip if I want to, and need to consult with no one.  I mean, I work around my job, which can be inflexible at times, but outside of that, I DO get the flexibility.  I really am grateful for this, because so many gals have a household to run, too, and others around them need to be considered.

Have you ever done anything “silly” to lose weight?

I did try to have white rice for every meal, once.  Not sure how long that lasted, but knowing what I know now….that was the dumbest thing I could have pulled!  I also did Slimfast in college, and thought…”If I take extra scoops, I’ll lose weight even faster!” No, I am NOT kidding!

Have you ever dealt with depression?  Do notice changes in your diet coincide with your moods?

I have not dealt with depression.  I have ups and downs like regular people, but I am generally a positive person.  When I really am going through a true tough time, I actually find that putting on the ipod and getting on a tready ‘just to run’ is really calming.  I don’t try to set a record or go for a time, or ‘get a workout in’.  It is simply time to listen to the music, run at whatever speed feels effortless, and just go.  If I can go outside, to a trail or scenic area where there are no people around, this is where I feel best.  I don’t like to sit and feel down and out.  I tend to fight that.  I feel weak if I sit and allow myself to be down and out.

What I notice about diet is not necessarily that a certain food makes me more positive (ok, besides the coffee ‘take on the world’ thing that happens to me), but the way that I feel after eating and nourishing my body with clean foods is different because I feel like I’m truly HEALTHY–it’s more knowledge based than an actual physical reaction type of feeling from a food.  I feel cleaner and lighter…. like I have nourished my body.  This knowledge about that nourishment is what puts me in a good mood.

What are you most proud of?

Some people say, “I relate to you”, or “You motivate me,” and that definitely makes me proud.  I am proud of my work ethic, and I am proud of being and of having always been a natural competitor.  I want other gals to feel that what I have attained is something that they can do, too.  I never want to hear, “Oh, but she has this going on, and I don’t….”  I want people to succeed, and I am proud if I can somehow help that.

What do you think about people who say you’ve just got “good genes”?

1. Look at my before picture.

2. Come spend a day with me.

You’re really strong and beautiful woman, I’m curious, how do the guys at the gym react when you go into the gym and show them you don’t messing around with pink dumbbells?

Aw, that is a really nice thing to hear!  Thank you!  Wait–there are guys at the gym???  Hehe …. I honestly feel that I might be seen as a bit standoffish in the gym.  I keep to myself…I don’t look around, and I don’t really interact.  If someone’s on a machine I need, I use another one.  I sound like a freak! Haha! But I am just really all about making my session count!  I really, really want to be among the BEST, and I am very, very focused in the gym.  I sometimes wish I balanced my gym personality better, but I haven’t made the effort.  I’m afraid it will take away from the intensity, I think.  The gym is a place of business, really.  I have had two people comment at all to me in the gym, and both were very kind comments– not, “you look hot’” or anything, but more like, “You really hit it hard on your workouts!”  and “Are you training for something, because I see you in here, and you seem to work really hard.”  These are the best comments–they made me feel good

How have your friends reacted to your transformation?

I remember taking a picture in some cutoff jean shorts after my 12 BFL transformation.  I cut the head off, and entered a little online contest.  I called up my best friend, who lived in another state and had not yet seen my transformation in photos, but knew I had done the 12 week program.  I told him to call up the web page and said, “Look at all of all these girls–they kicked butt, huh?”  I didn’t tell him that one was mine.  He said, “Hate to say it, but this girl looks better than you.  Wow.  She did a good job.”  And I laughed, because that photo was MINE.  He was stunned- and a little embarrassed!! haha!

He came to my first competition with his girlfriend, and when I came out on stage, they did not at first know it was me.  Again, very very suprised.  I know it motivated them to start their own programs.  Most people really said, “you were never fat”.  Then I show the before pics in the bathing suit and they say, “Oh, but you couldn’t tell you looked like that, really.”  One friend asked me if I had liposuction– very loudly, in the airport, he asked this.  I was there in uniform, and dozens of people turned around to stare.

How does your lifestyle affect your social life?

Oh, this is baaaaad….I don’t have much of a social life!  Between flying and working out, I have decided that right now, I want to push the competing thing, and see how far I can go.  I don’t want to try to fit a relationship in, because I can’t give the kind of time that I will need and want to give to someone.  I have friends, but fortunately– I live with both of my best friends, so we don’t have to arrange special times to see each other.

When I am ready to compromise, I can open myself up to a relationship, but I choose this right now.

Any advice for staying on track when going out?

You are who you are.  If you are a competitor, don’t try to be a ‘party girl’, or a ‘girl trying to fit in’ on what’s on the menu.  You are a competitor, so you either bring ‘your foods’ (yes, you are a freak   ), or you have a say in where you go, and your order food accordingly.  Going to a club?  Go ahead!!! Go!!! But you are who you are.  YOU drink water, tea, whatever matches with who you are.  Don’t try to play ‘cool’ and ‘just fit in’.  You have to go against the grain a little, and that takes a little bit of not caring what others think.  Come on, you’re not going to be ousted from the table if you eat your own stuff.  Make less of a big deal of it, and do it like you’ve done it forever.  It really is just the way it is right now– You have GOT to do what you have to do.  I brought chicken and a sweet potato to Applebee’s when I met up with an old friend from high school.  I told the waiter that I would order coffee and that I have my own food.  The waiter said, “Do you want a plate?”  That was how hard it was.

By the way, you can expect comments and maybe some grief from family and friends.  It really is normal, but it really is frustrating, too.  I just get upbeat, positive, and tell them how I feel so good, and I want to be place first, and how excited I am over my healthy foods.  I have heard it all, from ‘freak’ to ‘eating disorder’, to ‘good for you’.  Go with it.  Don’t let anyone slow you down.

How do you look at food differently than before?

Yes!! It’s more ‘what can this food do to nourish my body, my cells, make me fight disease…’   I am angry at advertisers and at manufacturers of junk food– I feel like if I buy their stuff, I promote their worsening of our health!  I’m PAYING them to slowly poison me!   I feel like they could care less about what disease it gives someone, and more about whether they can get a bigger yacht with the profits.

My staple foods are oatmeal, organic chicken, corn tortillas, berries, and of course–any kind of nut butters and nuts.

Do you have an easy meal you’d like to share?  Or maybe some food and travel advice?

Every meal I do is easy– it’s as hassle free as can be, so by nature, also pretty boring.  A great little snack for a carb in place of corn chips is to spray corn tortillas with Pam, sprinkle with seasalt, and bake for 5-10 min at 400 on a piece of foil…(poke holes in the foil for best and most even heating, or put directly on the rack)  (you can also cut them into triangles before baking).  My roomies gave me this idea, and I love it!

For my travel food, I invested in a $99 FoodSaver (Sam’s Club or Costco are cheapest).  I cook my food for work and seal it up in these baggies.  Like I mentioned, food is always cold, and it gets to be that you really just want warm food after so many cold meals!  So sometimes I get in the hotel, put the sealed bag of whatever (let’s say it is salmon) in the coffeepot.  I fill the coffeemaker with water and turn on the coffeepot.  That hot water will drip onto the salmon baggie in the pot.  It sits in there a bit and gets warm.   I pull out the baggie and dump the fish out…and it’s nice and warm to eat!  I especially do this with fish, because cold fish is not fun for me!

What is your favorite fun food?

If you want to know what I would love to eat that I won’t…it’s a Cadbury egg!  Once I eat that, it sends my insulin soaring, and it’s hard to reel the cravings back in.

How do you deal with cravings????

Oy! STAY AWAY FROM SUGAR!  STAY AWAY FROM SUCRALOSE/SPLENDA!  That’s the secret right there.  No kidding.  I also cannot chew gum or have any diet soda.  Artificial sweetners REALLY do give me cravings, and it was a long time before I cared enough to try and figure out if I had a craving pattern or not.  I had heard about the sweetners but thought, “Well, I’m not getting cravings from that…I have good willpower.”  Yeah, right.  What am I, superwoman? I figured out that my craving patterns almost always followed when I had some kind of sweetener.  (stevia does not do this to me)

Don’t discredit yourself:  You’re going to say, “I know my limits, and I can’t give up sugar.”  I am the ultimate sugarbug, and I am telling you!!!  My sisters struggle with this, too!  You are so convinced that I have no idea how bad YOU are, but I KNOW.  And I’m serious.  Cut it out.  You HAVE to.  It sucks at first, and it’s eye-opening later on when you realize it’s a big deal, but not as big as you think.  You still won’t believe me, and I don’t know what else to say.  I know it’s a fact, but I had to do it myself to believe it.  Sugar is not natural, so please do not rationalize it with that thought.  It’s nasty stuff, and it is so far from its original form that we can say it’s just another chemical that’s messing you up!

The other VERY important thing is this: GET SLEEP.  Yup.  Sleep.  When I’m tired, that’s when I cave.  Nearly EVERY time.  This is one of my biggest and most helpful discoveries.  Knowing it is one thing.  Honoring it and GETTING sleep is the other half.  I had to give it respect, because life tends to draw on your sleep–don’t allow this.

When it’s outta control: I eat frozen berries with the stevia on top.  The other trick is white tea with stevia.  Two more tricks: 1) GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, because you’re only going to open and close cabinets/fridge a gazillion times and wind up making some weird thing with corn syrup and flour and protein powder and then cave anyway.  2) Write down your craving escape paths.  Write down the berry thing and have it avail in the house.  If you’re used to having a craving and your mind is used to thinking ‘chips, soda, chocolate’, you will NEVER get the clarity to even THINK of berries.  Have a PLAN.  You will have cravings, so what are you going to DO ABOUT IT????  Decide NOW.

Do you have any foods you know you probably should give up but won’t?  Are you able to incorporate that food without it sabotaging all your effort?

Hm.  Probably coffee.  The reason is because if you have coffee, you want creamer.  And you don’t want stevia, you want sugar.  Or Splenda.  And I am not doing either.  So I make the coffee with a little creamer that is nonfat, and I can say this: that stuff bloats me if I take too much. Plus it’s fake stuff, that creamer, right?  But I love my coffee.  I just have completely sworn off of any sweetner other than stevia, and I do not use ‘yummy’ or those ‘liquid creamers’.

If you were stuck on a desert island what one food would you want with you?

Cashew butter.  Haha!  I’d be so lean that I could eat lots!

You have an online trainer right?  What’s that like?  How is it helpful to you?

I train with Kim Oddo, at Body by O.  I did some research, and I like his integrity, his style, his method of communication, his knowledge, background, client results, and professionalism.  I have a very strong work ethic.  I tend to research and figure out thigs like how a muscle is attached and how it moves, and what I need to be feeling to know it’s getting worked.  Because of this kind of thing, I am a good candidate for online training.  I don’t mind that I never see my trainer, nor do I train with anyone.

Here is the thing.  Most people have the capability to learn how to train, to diet, can research, etc.  I have a very time consuming job, and while I do research, this is not my area of expertise.  I feel that I need some guidance; I know very little compared to what an expert with experience knows.  I want that expertise and I am willing to pay for that.  It relieves me of much research and of trying to figure out which path to take to the stage–there are so many! Not one way is right!

In addition, I look at myself and ‘think’ I know what I need to do, but I am not sure.  I really am still a rookie in this sport. I also do not have an objective eye when looking at my own photos.  I don’t know exactly what the judges might be wanting, but the judges do communicate with the coaches, and coaches take time to interview judges.

I like the ‘accountability’, in other words, if my trainer wants a photo of my progress, I know I can’t be messing around!  I want to show that trainer that my work ethic is there!  I want to ‘represent’ for that trainer because I support that trainer.

Together, all of these things make me a less worried competitor, a more informed competitor, and a better presentation on stage.  Competition is in some ways, an extreme sport.  You have the opportunity to challenge yourself, but you can also mess up and be malnourished, overtrained, and generally go backward in health rather than forward.   I have an experienced trainer who knows the pitfalls and I have had a wonderful experience in my contest prep because I remained sane and had my health the entire time.  This is what I was looking for when I hired him.

How often do you workout?

Right now, 6 days a week.

What is your favorite exercise?

Behind the head shoulder press.  I really feel my delts burning!!!  It doesn’t bother my shoulders (and many trainers recommend NOT doing this exercise due to stress on the shoulder joint), and I put it in my program here and there because I like how it holds my posture up and that BURN!!!

How do you feel about cardio?  Is there a particular form of cardio you really enjoy?

Cardio is…well, it CAN be boring.  When it’s intense, I really hate it at the moment, but after each burst of intensity, I am loving it–does that make sense?  I really enjoy sprints.  I had a knee injury last year, and I had a hard, hard time doing anything intense.  I have most of my knee function back after cutting Splenda out (!!!!) , so I love to dig in and GO!  I feel like I earned my supper.  I also love Zumba, but at times, it’s too easy because I have done a couple of months of it.  My body gets really efficient, so I switch things up to keep myself really challenged and not ‘cruising’.

Favorite brand of workouts clothes?

Fizeek Brazil, hands down.  The pants are awesome!

What motivates you?

I am competitive! I want to win– I want to be the BEST….I have always sought competition in things I have done, from flying to riding a bike.

I am motivated by possibility.  To see someone achieve something makes me think, “Why not me?”

I am motivated by success.  When I am successful in one area or at one step in a process, I really want to smoke the next part!

I am motivated by the faith that other people have in me; I cannot, will not let them down.  I do feel like I need to push for them, too.

I am motivated by the lack of faith in me, too.  If you tell me I can’t, I am going to be sure you see that I CAN.

What goals have you reached?

Competing!!!  I didn’t even have a placing…just to get on stage was a big, huge deal, and I did it!

Being ‘inspirational’.  I really want to be a little fire burning at your bootay to get movin!!!

Before that, completing 12 weeks on Body for Life! Can I tell you— when you’re in the middle of the weeks, down in the trenches doing that program, it seems like a long, hard road.  I started and stopped many ‘programs’ in the middle because they got tough; to complete one and enter the official challenge was a big accomplishment.  I learned a lot about myself along the way.

I definitely want to place first in a national show.  I want to be inspirational, and I can do that when people know who I am.  I have so many ideas and ways that I want to incorporate fitness, motivation, etc.  Narrowing it down to something that I can handle and actually make work is a goal that I need to focus more on!

Are you a scale addict?  Do you ever have “bad scale days”?

Yeah, kind of!  I get on there, but if it’s a bad number, I’m much more informed and know it’s bogus than I was in the past.  I go up 3 to 6 pounds after a trip, every single time.  I had a 124 on the day of departure, and returned 48 hours later to 130.  That is the effect of cortisol and water, it’s not even possible that I would have eaten 18,000 calories!!! Ha!  You really do learn the way of that dumb scale, so I get on it every day, just about, because it’s kind of interesting at this point!

How do you track your progress?

Pictures!! (Click on the above to see what this girl acheived with her legs!) I also have a habit of writing weight down in a little planner, and “W,H,T.”  That’s waist, hips, thigh.  I just measure them every week first thing in the morning and write down the biggest number I get in the area being measured.  It’s great to watch the numbers come down, and to compare different years.

Do you know if any friends (besides me ) or family have made lifestyle changes because of you?

I do know my close friends are eating clean because of me.  I think it has to do with the relatability of someone who they see as ‘one of theirs’ accomplishing something.  They then feel that it is possible for them, too, because I am not a celebrity, not a special anything– and they can see, step by step, exactly how it happens.  There is no mystery, no special technique, no magic supplement.

I know from being on the online forum with you that you are good at offering motivational advice.  Any you could share?

I guess just to really give you a reality check on yourself.  Look, you’re staring at these girls in these magazines and thinking ‘that’s her’….when in reality, why don’t you think, “I can do that!”?

Tell me this…why not YOU?  What makes you so much less special than any other human being?  What does someone else have that YOU don’t?

What are you waiting for?  Why not YOU…why not NOW?  There is no perfect moment, no perfect setup.  But you DO have to decide that you are 100% as capable as the next person.  You DO have to realize that YOU are your own worst enemy.  WHAT MOVES you?  What do you CARE about when it comes to your REASON for getting fit?  The WAY that you motivate yourself is to figure out WHAT IT IS THAT MAKES YOU TICK.  It’s not what the magazines say, and it’s not what makes me tick.

Moms: Picture this– you’re at the park, your little shiny haired toddlers are running all over the grass, full of energy and life.  Your family and friends are standing over the picnic table, asking that ‘adult’ question, “Where do these kids get all this energy?”  And you suddenly smile, and feel a jolt of playfulness.  You leave the table, and run to your kids.  You don’t care that you have shorts on, and you don’t care how you look as you pick up your little boy and are able to lift him over your head as he squeals with delight! ‘mama’s got me’!  You laugh and get right down in the grass with your little ones, and you soak up that moment!  Focusing on the kids, laughing in the sun, not a single thought of what you look like , not a single out of breath struggle as you lift up your children.  Don’t you want to be this mom??? Isn’t it worth this moment???

Redefine yourself.  Who do you want to be?  What are you doing right now that the NEW you would never do?  Step into your new shoes, sister, and start walking in them.

Or you can leave them there and see if someone else can fill them.

But then you’ll never get to take that walk.  And in a month from now, will you still be standing here???  Your life is moving on, and it’s time to keep up.

And just for fun!  If you could have one super power what would it be?

To fly! Without a plane

Tara’s pretty awesome, huh!  I’ve mentioned she should start a blog because not only would it be fascinating hearing about her travels, it would be CRAZY INSPIRATIONAL!  I know she’s busy but one can always hope!   Tara, thank you so much for taking the time to answer the questions and share your life with others.  You are truly a Girl Hero!!!

xoxo

Jenn

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