Or, I guess since I have twice in the past week, I am going to have to change that response.

But, the funny thing is that I don’t think of it as running anymore. I think of it as training and practice for my Kilimanjaro climb. And that has made all of the difference.

Now, when I go out, instead of focusing on how many  ... read more]]>

I used to be a runner (although I use that term loosely), but for all practical purposes hung up my running shoes at least 5 years ago. So, last night when I mentioned to a colleague that I was going for a run, he responded somewhat bemused, “I didn’t know you run?” To which I responded, “I don’t.”

Or, I guess since I have twice in the past week, I am going to have to change that response.

But, the funny thing is that I don’t think of it as running anymore. I think of it as training and practice for my Kilimanjaro climb. And that has made all of the difference.

Now, when I go out, instead of focusing on how many miles are left, I’m focusing on my breathing, on my foot strike, how smooth my gait feels, how well my eyes are focusing, how fresh I feel as I run. I also no longer really focus on distance, I stop when my body starts telling me (via form) that I need to be done.

• Breathing. As much as possible I’m trying to do nasal breathing for both the inhale and the exhale (at a minimum, on the inhale). It helps the body maintain a more even O2/CO2 balance as compared to mouth breathing.
• Foot strike and gait. I want to feel as fluid and even as possible. If I start hitting the ground flat-footed or my bi-lateral rhythm becomes uneven, it’s time to stop and do a drill so I can reset.
• Eyes. When my body gets stressed out, my eyes stop focusing correctly and I lose depth perception. It goes without saying that losing depth perception while moving is a BAD thing. So, if I lose it, I stop and do some vision drills to reset.
• Tempo runs and fartleks. Pushing yourself is always fun, so I’m throwing in some tempo runs and fartleks. Getting this pseudo-interval work in will help me with the strain of Kilimanjaro and better prepare me for the hike. Plus, they are really just fun. However, I always make sure I’m feeling fresh, breathing well, and running well before I up the pace. No point in straining an already-broken body!

This change in my mindset has made my runs actually (gasp!) enjoyable. It’s a skill I get to work on and improve upon.

What do you look for in yourself when you run?

Today was particularly challenging since it was my first outing in several weeks. But, because I am just 12 weeks from my Kilimanjaro climb, I have to get some serious climbing in and don’t always have time to get over to the east side to hike in the Cascades. However, Golden Gardens has a great set of stairs just minutes away.

But, I digress, this is about you….

As I started heading back up the stairs – yet again – I started getting TIRED and began going through my mental box of  ... read more]]> When I’m in the mood for a quick interval training session, but I know the kettle bells aren’t going to cut it, I head over to Golden Gardens and run the stairs.

Today was particularly challenging since it was my first outing in several weeks. But, because I am just 12 weeks from my Kilimanjaro climb, I have to get some serious climbing in and don’t always have time to get over to the east side to hike in the Cascades. However, Golden Gardens has a great set of stairs just minutes away.

But, I digress, this is about you….

As I started heading back up the stairs – yet again – I started getting TIRED and began going through my mental box of movement tricks to see if there were any tricks I wasn’t using.

• Steady breathing? Check.
• Forced exhalation? Check.
• Steady pace? Check.
• Playing with different foot strikes? Check.
• Positive attitude? Well, that one could use some work.

Okay, that wasn’t cutting it. What was left? I started thinking about biomechanics and thought about what my arms were doing.

I realized that the more and more tired I got, the less my arms were swinging. I then thought about how the body transfers force and energy, and realized that my arms were working against me. So, I started experimenting with consciously swinging my arms as I went up the stairs. Sure enough, as expected, my stair climbing got easier, faster, and more effortless.

How did that work?

The body transfers energy in what is basically a big X. Energy comes up into our feet, up our legs, crosses to the opposite side at the low back, and then transfers out the opposite arm. If you reverse that, the momentum from an arm would provide energy to the opposite leg. It’s the same reason why our arms swing while we walk. So, what I was doing was reversing the idea from walking to provide more energy to my legs.

How can you use this?

When you are hiking, walking, running, or climbing stairs, and you need some more energy, check your arms. If they are hanging limply by your side, then give them a swing.

Let me know in the comments below how that works for you.

When your body is telling you it’s hungry, it’s usually not because there is a caloric deficit, it’s usually because we are looking to meet some other need. Luckily for us, all we really need to do is be aware, and we can win the mental game. “Shall we play a game?”

The brain and body like to predict what’s going on, even with our eating patterns. So, when we hit a time of day we usually eat our hunger hormone kicks in telling us it is time to eat, regardless of whether we’ve recently eaten  ... read more]]> Hunger is a mental game, pure and simple. As my friend, and fellow Z-Health Master Practitioner, Zachariah says, “Hunger does not equal harm.”

When your body is telling you it’s hungry, it’s usually not because there is a caloric deficit, it’s usually because we are looking to meet some other need. Luckily for us, all we really need to do is be aware, and we can win the mental game. “Shall we play a game?”

1) Time of Day

The brain and body like to predict what’s going on, even with our eating patterns. So, when we hit a time of day we usually eat our hunger hormone kicks in telling us it is time to eat, regardless of whether we’ve recently eaten – or even need the calories. The good news about this, is that it’s trainable. We can we teach our bodies when we eat, where we eat, and how much we eat.

Solution: If you get hungry, look at the clock. Take a mental inventory of what you’ve eaten so far and figure out if you are on track for the day. If you had three Krispy Cremes two hours ago you don’t need to eat, so tell yourself it’s just habit.

2) The Food is There

One of my favorite foods, before I found out I was gluten intolerant, was Oreos. One of my former coworkers stocks Oreos outside of her office cubicle, and I would make up virtually any excuse on the planet to go ask her a question. The interesting part was that while I consciously knew I wasn’t hungry, my body triggered hunger signals – just because it knew my favorite food was there.

Solution: Unless your favorite food happens to be something like carrots or celery (yeah, right!), the best plan is to simply avoid it altogether. For me, and most people I know, rationing is not really an option in these situations. Even it’s more a case of someone sharing in the break room, skipping it altogether is going be your best course of action. “That looks good, I should have some” is RARELY a route a recommend!

3) Too Much Processed or High-Sugar Foods

You wouldn’t think too much food would actually make you hungry, would you? It goes against conventional wisdom, but it’s true. Since junk food (or, what the daughter of a client calls, “edible food-like substance”) is largely devoid of any true nutritional value, our bodies ignore it in the quest for the vitamins and nutrients that it needs to survive. So, even though you may have met (and even exceeded) your caloric needs for the day, your body will keep sending out hunger signals until it gets the vitamins and nutrients it needs to properly digest your food and convert it to energy.

Solution: Eat whole foods. If your grandparents didn’t eat it growing up, you shouldn’t either!

4) Lack of Sleep

I’m sure I’m not the only one that gets the munchies when I’m tired. No? Well, you can blame your hormones! When you don’t get enough sleep, the hormones responsible for telling you when you’re hungry turn on faster than they should and the ones that say “enough” don’t turn on as quickly as they should. It’s almost like they get tired and start responding to stuff weirdly, too.  The result: overeating.

Solution: Since sleep-deprivation is a part of our 24×7 modern society, as much as I’d like to tout the benefits of 7-9 hours of sleep, I’ll give you something a bit more practical to work with. When you want to reach for the sugar-y treat, instead, tell yourself that it’s the lack of sleep talking. Instead, get up and go for a brief walk – you’ll come back more focused, in a better mood, and ahead of the game calorically. You’ll be practically better-looking on the spot!

5) Eating Too Fast

I’m sure your mom told you to slow down in your eating, because it takes at least 20 minutes for your body to tell your brain that you are actually full. Well, it’s true – it does take time for the brain to register you are full. Interestingly (well, at least to me), there are two different things going on. First, we have to wait for the “I’m full” hormone to turn on (again, what is it with those hormones!), which takes a bit of time. Second, when we eat our stomach distends (anyone who has ever let their belt out after Thanksgiving dinner knows this one), and there is a nerve just waiting for that to happen so it can tell the brain we are full.

My fun fact around stomach size is that an empty stomach is actually quite small, but when distended can hold up to 4 liters – which is approximately 50 times it’s empty size. Can you imagine?

Solution: Slow down! Eating with someone is a great way to make that happen (unless you grew up in my family – I come from a family of fast eaters). If that isn’t an option, at a minimum eat away from your desk, computer, TV, or book – so you can focus on eating, putting the fork (or shovel) down between bites, and actually enjoying your meal.

6) Bored/Upset/Procrastinating

I actually feel bad putting this last tip in, because anyone who talks about weight loss and eating habits talks about it. But, I’m including it here because it’s super–important. This shouldn’t be a surprise to you, but we all tend to eat when we are bored, upset, or procrastinating. What you may not realize is that there’s a physiologic reason why we do it. It’s because when we eat, the hormone dopamine is released into our systems (yes, hormones – again). Dopamine is what is commonly called the happy hormone, improves your mood, and makes you feel better. So, we get a feel-good rush just from eating.

Solution: Stay happy all the time?!?  Barring that alternate reality, I have my clients ask themselves if carrots or celery would do, or does it HAVE to be that cake? If the answer is it HAS to be the cake – then their emotions are in control. They aren’t hungry! Or, I have them rate their mood on a 1-10 scale. If they are on the low end (or even negative – I’ve had clients that insist they can drop OFF the scale), I suggest they “walk away from the fridge and no one will get hurt.”

These are the six triggers that I remain vigilant about, and work on with my clients. Once you can see them, you CAN win the game.  What are you our favorite hunger signal false alarms? Share them in the comments below.

P. S. Bonus points to anyone that can name the movie I referenced at the beginning of the post.

UPS has long had a special place in my heart, dating back to my undergrad days when we had a really cute UPS driver that used to deliver packages at the the student union where I worked. 2:15 I’d be downstairs – without fail. Since that time my fondness for UPS has gone from crushes  ... read more]]> Efficiency.

This afternoon while I was out walking the dog I saw a UPS truck come rumbling by. It slowed at the intersection, and my brain immediately thought, “it’s either going to go straight or turn right here, because they plan their routes to minimize left turns.”  Two things became immediately clear, first, I really am a geek, and second, I’ve seen too many UPS whiteboard commercials.

UPS has long had a special place in my heart, dating back to my undergrad days when we had a really cute UPS driver that used to deliver packages at the the student union where I worked. 2:15 I’d be downstairs – without fail. Since that time my fondness for UPS has gone from crushes on the drivers to admiration and respect for the efficiency of their operations. And, I love the left-hand-turn bit of trivia; with 95,000 trucks on the road each day, even little changes can have a big impact. With that many trucks on the road each day, you can imagine that they have collected a lot of data about their drivers, routes, delivery rates, etc. Several years ago UPS realized that they could use this data to significantly reduce gallons of fuel used and time in transit if they minimized left turns. So, they implemented routing software to eliminate left turns where practical – cutting 28.5 million miles off their delivery routes AND reducing CO2 emissions by 31,500 metric tons per year.

Now, that is efficient!

So, is high quality movement. Efficient movement uses the least amount of energy to get a job done right. You can think of it as, “just the right thing, at just the right time, with just the right amount of energy.”

As a movement coach, what do I look for:

• Speed. The speed should not only be appropriate to the task, but also be relatively consistent. Abrupt speed changes for no obvious reason usually something is wrong. I was in a martial arts class this past weekend, and the speed of movement would abruptly change based upon how comfortable the students were with what they were doing. They typically slowed WAY down right before they hit the floor.
• Going in the right direction. Sounds obvious, but this is a biggie – particularly with walking and running. When you watch the best runners run, their heads are essentially on a single horizontal plane and their arms more or less go back and forth. You don’t see them bobbing up and down and you don’t see a lot of trunk rotation and arms crossing across their bodies. Since your goal is to go forward, go forward. This doesn’t mean stick-straight arms pointing straight ahead, but don’t let the momentum of your arms rotate your trunk, either.
• Quiet. When we are moving efficiently, our bodies are appropriately absorbing the force of our activity. Someone who walks or runs loudly isn’t rolling through their foot like they could, so their feet slap down to the ground. The same thing applies to rolling, martial arts, jumping, etc.
• Smooth. This is a bit of an ambiguous term, but all I can say is that I know it when I see it. You, do, too. Someone who looks like a natural looks very smooth, fluid, and graceful. I look for the un-smooth pieces and help my athletes smooth them out.
• Excess Tension. Many people instinctively tense up when trying out something new. Sometimes it’s appropriate, but most of the time it’s unnecessary. Most people start by scrunching up your face, or tensing up their hands when they don’t need to.
• Breathing. Many people forget to breathe when trying something new, which then causes their body to get quickly out of whack. They end up quickly behind the 8 ball from an efficiency standpoint.

I care a great deal about efficient movement, because not only does it look insanely cool, but because when you are moving efficiently you have more energy left in the day to do the things that really matter to you. Wasting energy just getting from Point A to Point B is, well, inefficient.

What can you do?

Become of aware of where your movement inefficiencies lie.  Just pay attention and listen (literally) to how you move. Once you become aware of it, you will likely try to self-correct – some of which you will be able to do on your own, some of it perhaps not.

If you aren’t able to fix it and want help, drop me a note. We can either set up an appointment to meet, or I can point you towards products I recommend. If we chat, then I’ll make sure the product is the right one (I’ll even do that for free if you use my affiliate link so I make a few dollars to buy coffee for the day).

Product shortcut guide:

Quick Start: 6 drills that work wonders on 80-90% of clients.

R-Phase: 160 drills. That can be a bit daunting for many people, but if you are serious about movement efficiency, you’re gonna want this. It comes with a written program so it’s not more than a few minutes a day – I promise.

Neural Warm Up 1: This is a follow-along DVD that is a subset of the R-Phase drills. It’s a perfect replacement for your daily pre-training stretching and warm-up.

Breaking down movement is one of my favorite things to do, so over the next few weeks I’ll put up some video examples of good and bad movement. Then, you can see for yourself exactly what I’m talking about. (If you want to be sure you get those posts, sign up over on the right to have them sent to you by email.)

Oh, and that the UPS truck I saw earlier today – it turned right.

Just last week I returned from an amazing 10-day trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. I was there seeing the city (first time to Scandinavia) and assisting at the Copenhagen RKC (kettlebell certification). It was ALSO my first real long-distance trip since having gone gluten-free last fall.

As someone who spends a lot of time in the air (I’m once again going to hit elite status on two separate airlines this year), I have a pretty good sense of what the airlines are going to serve. Tinned meat (probably with pasta, maybe potatoes), a roll, iceberg lettuce (which they want you to think is salad), crackers, piece of cheese, and some sort of brownie or cookie for dessert. If you look at that  ... read more]]>

Just last week I returned from an amazing 10-day trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. I was there seeing the city (first time to Scandinavia) and assisting at the Copenhagen RKC (kettlebell certification). It was ALSO my first real long-distance trip since having gone gluten-free last fall.

As someone who spends a lot of time in the air (I’m once again going to hit elite status on two separate airlines this year), I have a pretty good sense of what the airlines are going to serve. Tinned meat (probably with pasta, maybe potatoes), a roll, iceberg lettuce (which they want you to think is salad), crackers, piece of cheese, and some sort of brownie or cookie for dessert. If you look at that list, that leaves me with the meat (which is probably in a sauce that has flour in it), the piece of cheese, the salad. Um….. that is it!

Sure enough, the airlines did NOT let me down. I ate a fraction of what they served, but was fortunate enough to have packed my own food for the trip. Once I got there, it was a piece of cake (figuratively, of course) – eating gluten-free in Copenhagen is easier than eating gluten-free here!

My Gluten-Free Travel Tips

• Think Camping & Hiking Food. Assume going in you can’t eat anything the airlines serve. Since I was going to be traveling for 21 hours, this meant basically bringing a full day’s worth of calories with me in my backpack. My friends: dried organic fruit, nut mixes, trail mixes, cheese. On the way home I was lucky enough to get a nice salad at JFK airport, but I don’t count on buying food at the airport either. Not only is it much more expensive, the day I decide to rely on the airport vendors is the day the bridge is open or the TSA line is unusually long.
• Digestive Enzymes. When I am about to sit down to a meal that I can’t be sure is gluten-free, the first thing I do is take a couple of digestive enzymes. It helps my stomach better process any gluten that may be in the meal, meaning I’m a whole lot less likely to spend the next few hours feeling quite green!  I’m currently taking Digest Gold, but have used both Wobenzyme and Vitalzyme in the past. All three are great products, and I happily recommend them all. You can buy them online at places like Amazon, eVitamins.com, or your favorite local supplement shop. You will NOT be able to find these products at Walgreen’s or similar retailers.
• Cook. Obviously this tip doesn’t work so well on the airplane (I’m pretty sure that is where the federal marshals get involved), but I now make sure that wherever I’m staying I’m able to cook for myself. That means hotels with kitchens or kitchenettes, renting vacation houses, or staying with friends. While I’ve always been food-conscious, I was never one of those “be sure you ship your food in advance so you can stay on your diet plan” sort of people. I’m just not that girl. But now, when eating wrong knocks me off my game for a half day, it’s a much bigger deal. It doesn’t even have to take a lot of time — I can get a roasted chicken from Whole Foods (or Whole Wallet as I often call it), strip it off the bones, and use it for salads for several days. Some spinach, fruit, a few gluten-free wraps, and some cheese, and I’m good!
• The Deli is Your Friend. Same idea as the cooking tip. I am also not a make-a-fuss sort of girl at a restaurant, and traveling is expensive enough. So, I try to minimize trips to sit-down places for cost reasons and just don’t have the energy to try to navigate most fast-food places (although I’m a bonafide In ‘N Out fan). So, I’d much rather find a decent grocery store, and hit up their deli for some sliced meat, cheese, and the salad bar. As long as you don’t load on the cottage cheese (which is expensive by the pound), you can keep the price reasonable – somewhere between fast-food and sit-down.

It’s a bit of prior planning, but to get off the plane and actually feel reasonably good is pretty nice. I think I actually felt better after this international trip than I ever have, and I’m willing to bet that not eating all of the junk they put in front of me was a big part of it.

What are your favorite gluten-free travel tips?

Anyway, you’ve run the gamut, but you still aren’t the trim, svelte individual you have in your mind’s eye. Believe me, been there, done that!

There is a simple (but not easy) weight loss plan that:

At this point I bet you are thinking, awesome someone else that is just going to tell me, “consume less than I eat and it will all work out in the end. Fantastic, I  ... read more]]> You’ve had it! You’ve tried every diet in the book – South Beach, Atkins, Ornish, the Zone, Cabbage Diet, Grapefruit Diet, the Master Cleanse. I’m sure there are hundreds more that I’m missing, but you get the idea.

Anyway, you’ve run the gamut, but you still aren’t the trim, svelte individual you have in your mind’s eye. Believe me, been there, done that!

There is a simple (but not easy) weight loss plan that:

• Lets you eat what you want when you want.
• Has just one rule.
• And is GUARANTEED to work.

At this point I bet you are thinking, awesome someone else that is just going to tell me, “consume less than I eat and it will all work out in the end. Fantastic, I need that advice like I need a hole on my head.”

Yep, sadly that actually is the rule, but, I have a new twist on it that will give you a FOOLPROOF way of figuring out what your caloric target should be. And, wait for it, some structure so that you really can have your cake and eat it too.

Here are the magical steps:

1) Compute your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). BMR is the number of calories your body absolutely NEEDS to get through the day. It does not account for exercise, activity level, or bodyfat.

(I am using the Harris-Benedict Formula, as that is currently believed to be the most accurate)

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) – ( 4.7 x age in years )

Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – ( 6.8 x age in year )

2) Decide how many pounds per week you want to lose. It takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound, so choose carefully!

Weekly Deficit = pounds per week * 3500

3)     Compute your Weekly Caloric Total. It is a simple formula. (BMR * 7) – Weekly Deficit

Let’s look at a 40-year-old female that weighs 170 pounds, is 5’7” tall and wants to lose one pound a week.

BMR = 1,524

Weekly Deficit = 3,500

Weekly Caloric Total = (1524 * 7) – 3500 = 7,186 calories

4)     Divide those calories out through the week. If I divided the 7,186 by 7, I’d get 1,024 calories per day. But, daily totals, while very popular with weight loss programs DO NOT really work in real life.  I know you know that, I don’t know why diet “gurus” don’t.

Precise daily numbers look good on paper, but looking good on paper and working in the real world are two very different things. Being hungry all the time SUCKS, never feeling like you have a choice SUCKS, and having to perpetually turn down dessert, eating out, or even a BITE of your favorite chocolate SUCKS. So, this is why I’m a big fan of weekly averaging.

So, if you like your Friday lunch with your co-workers, go for it. In figuring out your week, start by deducting Friday lunch, and then spread your remaining calories out throughout the week.

The way I have made this program work for myself is that I prefer to have one large meal mid-afternoon, and then I eat very little in the morning and very little in the evening. My BMR is around 1550, so at 1 pound a week, I get to average about 1050 calories a day. That is what I shoot for, and then if I end up going out, I cut back a few hundred calories a day for the next few days.

Now, I’ve been a semi-professional dieter for probably close to 30 years, so I have a freaky knowledge of calorie counts all stored up in my head. You might not be able to get away with this. If you want a tracking tool, I highly recommend Lose It! if you have an iPhone. The Daily Plate at LiveStrong is a great online resource.

I’ve had to learn that hunger does not equal harm, and keep fresh veggies all cut up in the fridge at virtually all times. Some chicken or steak on a bed of spinach with some goat cheese is a fantastic, low-calorie meal that I’ve come to embrace.

Why Didn’t I Include Bodyfat?

Unless you are doing hydrostatic weighing, bodyfat is nothing more than an educated guess anyhow. Bodyfat scales have an error rate of +/- 8%. They are great for identifying trends in bodyfat if you are really consistent about the time of day and hydration levels in using it (most research indicates that your most accurate result is going to be mid-afternoon).

So, I’m simply eliminating that variable. The BMR is very accurate for all but the really lean (but then you probably aren’t reading this anyhow) and the very obese (BMR is still probably close enough to get you started).

What About Exercise?

Much like bodyfat, it’s all just an educated guess, and most modern research indicates that most solid 60-minute training sessions don’t burn more than 400 calories.

The way we ended up with such a discrepancy between what you find in calorie calculators and what we find in the real world is complicated:

• We get efficient the more we do any activity. Being more efficient means we burn less calories doing the same exercise at the same intensity for the same amount of time. So, what happened when researchers went and computed calories burned during exercise, they measured someone who is brand new to that exercise, but you aren’t.
• Body weight and body fat. We burn calories differently based upon our weight and bodyfat levels.
• Metabolism. Everyone burns calories at a slightly different rate.
• Marketing. The people who have those machines that tell you how much you burned on the treadmill have a stake in fudging the numbers a bit in their favor.
• Intensity. The more intense the activity, the harder it is to maintain it for any length of time. So, while kettlebells, for example, may burn 1200 calories per hour, I don’t think I know anyone who can swing a kettlebell for a full hour without setting it down.

Not counting exercise also gives you a bit of wiggle room because calorie counts aren’t as accurate as we’d like to believe, and you probably don’t weigh and measure everything you put in your mouth. A little bit of undercounting here and a bit of overcounting there, and everything works out in the end!

Isn’t My Daily Caloric Limit Too Low or Unsafe?

As long as you play by the rules outlined above, no. BMR goes down as we age and with loss of lean body mass (which is why this program isn’t great for super-lean people). 70% of our calorie expenditure typically comes from BMR, so doesn’t it make sense to use it as our baseline?

That gives us another 30% for fudge factor in both calorie counting (we tend to underestimate) and exercise (we tend to overestimate).

As I said, simple, but not easy. This is hard work, and isn’t for everyone. Or, email me, and we’ll figure out a way to work together to achieve your weight loss goal. Everyone does better with a coach!

I’ve started seriously gearing up to pass the RKC snatch test in Copenhagen next month, and realized, “I’ve done this twice before, why I don’t I just see what I did then?”

Granted, the test isn’t exactly the same as it was  ... read more]]> Do you keep a training log? If not, why not?

I have been keeping a training log on and off for probably 10 years – electronically for the past four. So, I have four years of data, notes, successes and frustrations all documented for review. I’m reminded of times when I was really rocking my training and other times when I struggled. And, I can usually relate those times to highs and lows in the rest of my life as well.

I’ve started seriously gearing up to pass the RKC snatch test in Copenhagen next month, and realized, “I’ve done this twice before, why I don’t I just see what I did then?”

Granted, the test isn’t exactly the same as it was the last two times through, but how I respond to training really isn’t that different. It’s now 100 reps compressed in to 5 minutes, which turns it in to a cardiovascular challenge for me. Strength is easy for me, cardiovascular, not so much. So, in to the logs I go. Where do my notes indicate I got my largest cardiovascular gains? Yep, those are the programs I’m pulling back out of the hat.

I think I’m inherently a scientist, so I’m constantly measuring, changing a single variable to test for results, re-measuring. Tracking results is the only way I know to objectively determine progress. You can keep your training log in whatever tool you wish – a paper notebook, Word document, or online tracking tool. I’m currently tracking my progress in Evernote, but you need to determine what you are actually going to use, and do that.

Not sure how to get started?

You might be interested in my articles about training progressions, joining a rec league, the importance of training with intent, and goal setting.

Or, give me a call or send me an email and we’ll set up a custom program for you!

My story is a bit circuitous, but at the end of the day my story is what led me to leave my six-figure management consulting gig to help people.

How did that happen?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I think I’m a fairly unlikely candidate; I grew up with a whole host of allergies and asthma. I was the kid who spent her summers in her room reading while her friends played outside, I was always picked last for sports teams, and spent years in  ... read more]]> What is the story you tell yourself and the world about who you are? As a parent, employee, boss, athlete, friend, lover.

And, is that story consistent? Are you living it?

My story is a bit circuitous, but at the end of the day my story is what led me to leave my six-figure management consulting gig to help people.

How did that happen?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I think I’m a fairly unlikely candidate; I grew up with a whole host of allergies and asthma. I was the kid who spent her summers in her room reading while her friends played outside, I was always picked last for sports teams, and spent years in and out of the hospital with asthma and other respiratory disorders. But, maybe that is what got me here. I’ve had to constantly fight to be healthy, become athletic, and to lose weight.

In college everything changed…

My Mom died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 47, my grandfather had a quadruple bypass and I watched him struggle to recover. Shortly after college I had a close friend die of breast cancer in her mid-20s. And somewhere in there a switch flipped. I went from being completely non-athletic to searching out the Fountain of Youth — researching, reading, and trying just about everything. All I knew is that I wasn’t willing to die in my 40s, didn’t want to ever go to an assisted living facility, and desperately needed to be healthy to remain independent. I went through everything from step aerobics to Tae Bo to Tai Chi to Tae Kwon Do to Pilates and Yoga, the Bowflex, and just about every exercise video ever made. “Abs of Steel” anyone?

I’ve always been game for just about everything, but athletic endeavors have never come naturally to me. Even now, I’m a Master Practitioner movement coach, but still fall down the stairs with alarming regularity. But, I continue to work at it, to learn, to improve, and yes, to struggle. For me, Persistence is King.

Becoming a Health Professional

In 2006, I got my first personal trainer certification, the RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certification). I never actually intended to teach – but when I decide to learn something, I’m going to learn from the best so had to go through the course. I started getting phone calls, got my first couple of clients, and I LOVED it. Since I was already a consultant, the shift was fairly easy. At the end of the day both are about helping people make changes in their lives – this is just another tool.

In 2007, I found, Z-Health, which is the current trajectory I’m on. I instantly fell in love with the system because it just made so much sense to my extremely pragmatic and scientific brain. Instant assessment? Sold. I didn’t get the whole nervous system thing, but I’d figure it out. Fortunately for me, Z-Health turned out to be a good match on both sides, and shortly after meeting the system founder I started working for them in a consulting capacity to help the company grow.

Pursuing my Dreams

In 2008, I left corporate consulting for good, and now am lucky enough to be able to chase my dreams and passions. I work for a company whose mission statement is, “We help create professionals in the top 1% of their respective fields.” I also get to build my own coaching practice filled with individuals of all ages and all walks of life who just want to get in shape, be pain free, and live longer, healthier lives.

I know this may sound really idealistic, but it’s something I believe in. I love helping people become who they want to be. And, it’s not nearly as altruistic as it sounds – working with my clients gives me the energy and inspiration to continue to work to make myself better.

So, that is my story. Every day I work to align my actions to it. There are days that I fall down, but I always get back up. Because really, what other choice is there?

What is your story? And, more importantly, are you living it?

(Personally, coming from the upper midwest, I’m happy about the lack of snow and mosquitoes, so bring on the rain and clouds.)

You know I believe that movement can solve just about anything (I’m working on world peace next). It has definitively shown to reduce/alleviate pain, extends life, and facilitates weight loss.

Any movement at all is going to make you feel better (unless you are moving in to pain — rule #1: never move in to pain). This happens because movement triggers various types of receptors throughout  ... read more]]> Living in the Pacific Northwest can be rough. Little sunlight, lots of rain, lots of grey skies. LOTS of depression.

(Personally, coming from the upper midwest, I’m happy about the lack of snow and mosquitoes, so bring on the rain and clouds.)

You know I believe that movement can solve just about anything (I’m working on world peace next). It has definitively shown to reduce/alleviate pain, extends life, and facilitates weight loss.

Movement also puts you in a better mood and alleviates the symptoms of depression and fatigue.

Any movement at all is going to make you feel better (unless you are moving in to pain — rule #1: never move in to pain). This happens because movement triggers various types of receptors throughout the body — which helps wake up the body and override pain signals. It’s the same reason why I encourage you to move instead of hitting the vending machine when the mid-afternoon lull comes on.

But wait, there is more…

You can amplify that signal by working to master a physical skill. When you gain physical competence at something, you are happy about it, dopamine (a hormone) is released, and the dopamine further overrides the pain, fatigue, and depression. I’m not asking you to pick up a car or leap over tall buildings in a single bound, but take on something small. For some of my clients, it’s enough to lead with the other leg heading up the stairs. For others of you, you can:

• Go out and shoot some hoops — work on that free throw
• Go biking with the kids (particularly if you don’t do this very often)
• Take the stairs an extra floor at work

If you need more ideas, I have a post from earlier this month where I talk about training progressions. It’s exactly what I’m talking about here. It really doesn’t take much.

So, this week, UP YOUR GAME!

The reviews are in, this class is a great introduction to kettlebells and is an excellent course for anyone wanting to learn to structure their own kettlebell workouts:

Over the course of 3 weeks you will: