"I'll Never Ever Let You Go"

I won't lie, for the past week I have felt my relationship with God slipping right before me.  And I hate that I don't take the time to read my Bible anymore.  I have a reading plan from my old church back in Charlotte that is suppose to last me the whole year, and I think I'm in March still of this year.
I feel like my relationship is stronger with the Lord when I pray; I personally like to write down my prayers.  Writing my prayers down really helped me to start praying and stay committed.  I won't lie, I stole this idea from The Help.  

This is the journal that I use to write all my prayers down in.
If I just say them in my head and don't write them down I
don't feel like I'm praying.

Last night I was so mentally tired after being up from 3:30am and working until 7:30pm, all I wanted to do when I got home was go straight to my bed and crash.  I have been dealing with a lot of things mentally lately and just needed that quiet time.  So, even though I was completely exhausted and after attempting to pray on Sunday night and starting to fall asleep in the process I was determined no matter how tired I was to break out my journal and write down my prayers!  And needless to say I did, and it has helped me feel a lot better.  I try and carry my prayer journal with me so that if I have free time I can write down my prayers during the day, but I just feel better doing it before I go to bed.  Everyone has that time they feel most comfortable praying.  I have heard some people like to pray more in the morning, and my Mom likes to pray while she is at work.  But this is our time to spend with the Lord and we should do it whenever we feel the need to.

God promises to never leave you. ” I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
(Hebrews 13:5)

So I heard this song by Group 1 Crew "He Said," this morning on Air1 Radio on my way to work.  And what I am trying to get at is that no matter when, why, or how long I feel that my relationship is growing weak with the Lord He will NEVER let me break that relationship with him.  He will always hold on to my heart, even by the end of the string.  

God will never give us more than he knows we can handle and he will always be there to help pull us through even when we thing we won't make it.
He might let us struggle and hurt, and our relationship with him start to dwindle, but he will always bring us back to him. 
God will never let go of our hearts and we should never forget that he has told us this)

Group 1 Crew "He Said"

Attached is the video, but if it doesn't play just click on the name above and it should connect you to the youtube video.

"I won't give you more than you can take.

I might let you bend, but I won't let you break.

I'll never ever let you go.

Don't you forget what He said!"

You Mean I Don't Have to Set Goals Just On New Years?

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1  Happy New Year (except for the fact that today isn't exactly New Year's Eve).  So many of us say that when the new year rolls around we're going to lose weight this year, or we are going to get back into the gym and get in shape.  Well guess what, making goals just aren't for the beginning of the year!
Working in the fitness industry, at the beginning of the year you see tons of people pile into the gym on January 1st for their New Year's resolution and then everyone disappears after about a month.  So what makes those goals fade off during the year, and how can we make goals so that we stick with them all year long?

I'll start by telling you some of my goals I made for the year (not all fitness related), made as a New Year's Goals/Resolutions
1.  See the Blue Angels fly (most events cancelled because of the sequestration
2.  Back squat 150lbs
completed June 26, 2013 with 154lb/70kg

3.  Have more fun, get out and do more

4.  dL (deadlift) 200lbs 

completed Aug 15, 2013 with 203lb/92kg (5 reps so not a true 1RM)

5.  Get more involved in church

6.  Complete a Brave Soldier Challenge (all events were cancelled)

(I tried to upload the video of one of my goals for you to see, but it won't load.  If you would like below is the link for my FB page and you can see it there)

https://www.facebook.com/GraceFitness101

First
Goals DO NOT have to be set just at the beginning of the year, they can be set anytime throughout.  That is the one good thing about goals, you can set them at anytime.  
    As you can see in my list I have completed two of my fitness goals before the end of the year, so because I have completed them already I have reset those goals to try achieve something higher by the end of the year, keeping those goals realistic.  We might have to modify our goals at some point during the year whether it be to obtain a greater goal or to lessen it to make it more realistic.  Either way remember, it's okay if you decide to make a goal at the beginning of the year, middle or toward the end of the year.

Second
You want to set goals with the SMART acronym

Ex.

I want to lose 4lb by the end of January.  

(This goal is specific

S - what? You want to lose 4lb

M - the goal is to be complete by a certain time

A - who? yourself

R - is it something you are able to accomplish in the time frame set

T - set a time frame for you to accomplish your goal.  No time frame can lead to not achieving your goal

Third

The last point I will mention about making goals is to have people, friends/family, to hold you accountable.  Find people with the same goals as you such as weight lose and you can support each other and keep each other on track.  Find a running group if you have running goal.  Not only is it a good thing to have someone else hold you accountable to also hold yourself accountable.

If you are looking to lose weight, track what you are eating in calories.  You can track by writing your food down in a notebook, on an online computer program or an app on your phone.  

That's the one thing I love about doing CrossFit.  Those people become your family and if you miss classes they always end up checking in on you and they encourage you all the way through you workouts.

My friends came aqua jogging with me when I couldn't run
and was recovering from my knee injury.

If you did not know I am a personal trainer.  I had a client Friday tell me she had a serious question to ask me..."Do you think I could run a half marathon?"  My first thought was, that's a serious question.  I had to take a step back in my mind because for her, yes it completely was a serious question!  She has had several knee surgeries.  

My response to her is absolutely.  She is a beginner when it comes to running, so she asked if she would be able to do it in 1 year.  Can she do it in one year, completely.  Could she do it before then, absolutely.  I told her to start by picking a half marathon to run.  You can make this a goal, but if you don't have a deadline for that goal you won't make a plan to accomplish it.  I'm super excited for her to have this goal and for her to achieve it next year!  Let the training begin.

Feel free to ask questions about goals if you have any!

God is In Control of Everything, Steal My Show

Sunday I went to church with my mom and grandma before I headed back home.  I love going to my old church; it just renews my strength in my relationship with the Lord.
For about the past month I have really been looking at going to graduate school to get a Masters in Nutrition.  Nutrition has been a big part of my life since I found out that I inherited high cholesterol, have a heart disease, and am anemic.  And I'm sure if you have gone to the doctor and he has told you you have high cholesterol is it as simple as changing your eating habits and exercising, but that's not really the point I'm trying to get at here.  So I lost my job working for the Army at the end of June and am now personal training. With as much stress as I place on myself already, trying to get my Masters at this time would just place more stress on myself which I don't really need.

This was myself last May after my patella (knee cap) was
dislocated and part of my patella muscle was torn.  It sucked
being told not to workout.

God is in Control of Everything  

On Sunday, August 18 my pastor preached on John 13: 1-17 (how God has control over everything in our lives).  

He first pointed out that we need to serve with confidence, not fear.  God has a timeline for our lives and from reading in Genesis those plans may change on occasion, but yes he has a plan for us.  God is in complete control of our lives whether it is the outcome that we want in our lives or not.  He deviates our personal plans so that we learn to exalt him.  When I pray, I always ask that I am able to share my passion for God through my passion for fitness. This might not be what God has planned for me, but I pray all the time that it is.

We have to trust God and his plan for our lives, he controls EVERYTHING!!
Another point my pastor made was to look to Christ, not other people.  We are always asking people for advice when we have huge decisions to make in our lives.  And yes their advice could help us make that decision, but whether their advice is correct or not the ultimate decision is up to God.  We need to turn to him no matter how big or small the circumstance, how good or bad the situation.  God will answer all our prayers when the time is right.

"Steal My Show"

I was on my way in to work this morning and this song came on the radio by Toby Mac called "Steal My Show."  This song just reminded me that we need to make sure our actions are for God and not for ourselves.   To let the Lord take control of our lives.  We need God to take control of our lives and to let our lives be fully exalted in him and for him to shine through in everything that I do.  This song just reminded me of what was preached about Sunday at church and felt it was a good way to reiterate how God is in control of everything in our lives and how we need to be willing to let him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_HoEC9ixc&feature=share&list=UUT8-g1d11o6fkxMNk2p5tWA

Traveling Good Eats

I find myself doing a lot of traveling, mostly to visit family in Charlotte.  It's a good two and half hour drive, but my drives typically end up during snack or meal time.

This was taken on the way to Seiverville, TN a couple years back.
One of those long trips that snacks are a necessity for.

It's not uncommon for people to travel a good 45 minutes to an hour to work, or fly for a job.  But half the time when we get hungry, we either have nothing to eat, stop to grab fast food, or just packing junk to eat.  Not only does not moving enough effect our health but so does what we eat.

When you are looking to make a lifestyle change, whether you just want to eat healthier or loose/maintain/gain weight you must make the healthier options.  Now granted these snacks don't always have to be while you are traveling.  You can also use this when you are running errands for the day and constantly running around during lunch hour, or during a long day at work.

I pack a lot of my foods in a cooler because some of them do require me to keep them cold on the go such as my fruit, vegetables, yogurt, etc.  Here are just a couple of ideas of what you can pack.

Some of the snacks I use

Fruits

banana

watermelon

honeydew melon

mango

berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

grapes

apples

peaches

oranges/tangerine/mandarin

Vegetables

broccoli

cauliflower

carrots

sugar snap peas

zucchini

yellow squash

cucumber

celery

Miscellaneous

nuts(almonds, cashews, pecans,

pistachios, peanuts)

yogurt(greek or low fat/no sugar added)

granola

rice cakes or crackers w/ peanut butter

cheese sticks

snack sized popcorn

chocolate covered almonds (for the sweet tooth cravings)

fiber one protein bar

These are just some simple everyday foods that you can pack to take along for the ride.  I find that most people will stop off at a fast food restaurant and grab a quick burger and fries or they stop at the local gas station and grab a bag of chips.  These things are so unhealthy for you.  Now I'm not saying you can never do this, but you want it to occur as little as possible. 

With my vegetables I usually pack some sort of type whether its hummus or Ken's light honey mustard.  If you can eat it plan, more power to you.

When I eat snacks I try and provide myself with some sort of protein (nuts or yogurt), and a fruit or vegetable.  I can give you some examples of what my snacks usually look like.

I also have a snack jar that I keep healthy
snacks in so I don't binge on unhealthy things

Snack Examples:

1) pistachios (I love the cajun flavored from Wal-Mart)

    carrots/banana

    yogurt

2) yogurt (love Food Lion LF lemon)

    homemade granola

    banana

3)  veggie(broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas) w/ either hummus or light honey mustard

     fiber one protein bar

I always have 2 cups of water with my snacks.  On occasion I might have a Atkins chocolate peanut butter bar or the fiber one protein bar, but I try and and stick to more natural, non processed foods.

Making healthier options with your food can give you more energy, reduce health issues (cholesterol, blood pressure, etc)

Yes, this picture refers to exercising, but nutrition habits do wonders
for your health also.

     

Are You Really as Active as You Think?

So on daily basis a lot of us, if asked, if we are active or sedentary (seated) most of the day we would say pretty active.  Because we have an exercise routine right?

Well what if I told you that most of the day we are actually sedentary!  Yes, we might be busy throughout the day but half the time we are sitting at a desk, as I am now, or sitting in our cars running errands.

On the way to Gatlinburg, TN several years ago.

Our lives are pretty sedentary.

I am a personal trainer, and CrossFit coach so I tend to be on my feet most of the day. But when I'm not doing that or training I'm just sitting around.  We get more mentally exhausted from the things we take care of all day; be it from work, getting errands ran, or things done around the house.

The average American only gets around 3000-4000 steps per day.  Just for good heart health we need 10,000-12,000 steps. 

If you wanted to see a weight loss 14,000-16,000

What are some ways that we can start getting these extra steps in?

1) park farther away in the parking lot.

 - not only does it give us those extra steps but is also saves some gas from driving around in circles trying to find a spot close enough but

2) When you get stressed or frustrated about something go take a walk.

 - exercising is shown to help relieve stress

Hiking in TN

3) Need to tell something to a co-worker.  Instead of sending and email, go to their office

 - It also helps stretch out the body from just sitting the whole time.

4) Go for a walk at the end of the day.  Do it just to relax before going to bed and enjoy the weather outside (unless it's freezing cold of course)

So how do you go about tracking you steps...simple

Pedometers are easily accessible to get.  You can get them as cheap as $4-$9 at Wal-Mart(online only) or Target.  All you need to do is clip it onto your pants or belt and it will track your movement.  

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?tab_value=all&search_query=pedometer&search_constraint=0&Find=Find&pref_store=1312&ss=false&ic=16_16&

http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=pedometer&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_pedometer

There are options for more expensive pedometers, but these also have more features.

You've Got to Start Somewhere

So I've thought about starting a blog for Grace Fitness for a while and just sharing stories about my fitness adventures, answering any questions people may have, and giving tips and knowledge on workouts and nutrition.  So here goes nothin.  I probably won't get to a blog every day so bare with me please!

~Me~
Just to give you a little background on myself...
I am original from Charlotte, NC but moved to a wonderful job opportunity to work with the military.  I have always kind of hard that hard core personality I guess you could say, since my mom always told me I would be a great DS (Drill Sgt.).  
Well every since I can remember I have been involved in sports. I was climbing the door frames with I was little and standing on my head according to my Mom.  So, when I was 4 years old she threw me into gymnastics.  I started competing when I was young and with my Type A personality I have alway been competitive.  I loved that I could keep up and even bet the guys in PE class in elementary school doing push ups and sit ups, and even my 3rd grade teacher Mr. Drye.  I will never forget out pull up contest during recess.  I was in gymnastics until I was 12 years old and competed all the way through Level 8.  I remember going to watch some of my old teammates compete a couple years back and man have the skill levels for each level changed.  They are more difficult for my old Level 8 than what they used to be.

Gymnastics with Southeastern.
I am in the back row, second from the right.

After quitting gymnastics at age 12, and taking about a year off from any sports whatsoever my mom put me in dance.  To her it just made sense because I was always dancing to everyones floor routine music when it was playing.  I started dancing at 13 and continued dancing with Steps 'N Motion until I was 18 and graduated from high school.

Trying on my recital costume.

Also, while I was 12 years old my mom begged me to try swimming.  She was a swimmer when she was younger, and also a gymnast so I was kind of following in her footsteps.  I tried swimming and ended up falling in love with it.  Swimming has turned out to be one of my therapeutic exercises these days.  I swam until I was 18 years old in summer league and also my freshman-junior year in high school. 
Post high school, dancing still stuck with me but only after I transferred to UNC Charlotte.  I spent two years at Central Piedmont Community College not knowing what I wanted to do with my life and just taking general education classes.  After sitting down with a counselor and her telling me if I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life I shouldn't be in school I finally transferred and on a whim, with my Mom's help, registered to get a BS in Exercise Science.
Post high school I attended CPCC (Central Piedmont Community College) for 2 years and then transferred to UNC Charlotte. Where I completed my BS in Exercise Science with a minor in Dance.  
UNC Charlotte is where I started my running. I wouldn't even run for my 5 minutes straight during gymnastics warm-ups!  There were 5k runs on campus twice a year and my friend Meghan joined me for my first one and we walk/jogged the whole thing.  We finished in 35min and some odd seconds that I can't remember.  From that point on I started practicing my running more.  With running on a regular basis, my next race I did was a trail race at the local church I attended and dropped 7 minutes off of my time from the race at UNC Charlotte. That completely made my day.

My very first 5k!

Well from being a swimmer and starting to run on a regular basis my neighbor talked me into doing my first triathlon.  I started training for my first triathlon my sophmore year in college.  I had never been on a bike before, besides the stationary one at the gym, so of course my bike leg of the race was horrible and I didn't realize it but when I was in the water I hit two jellyfish and my run was really slow.  But I continued doing triathlons for two more years.  In the process I had goals for running, one being completing a half marathon which didn't come until 2 years ago.  While still in school I was introduced to CrossFit by my dear friend Nicole and only after trying it 4 times she had convinced me to go get my Level 1 Certification.  I passed no problem and came to love CrossFit.  And I still love my endurance sports (swimming and running).

Checkers CrossFit Shootout
December 1, 2012

RaceFest Half Marathon (my first)
April 14, 2012

I still continue to swim, run, and CrossFit.  I still have my bike but it doesn't see the light of day half the time and has only been out of my closet for a spin around the neighborhood once this year to say the least.  

Sorry this blog was kind of long, but just wanted to let everyone know a little bit about me.