Let's Get Fit fitness challenge

It’s Not Over Until It’s Over

2008-11-07T11:10:00.001-06:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

Six minutes and ten seconds.

I seriously did a six minute and ten second wall sit at our final testing on Tuesday (insert small victory dance here)! I have to tell you that I’m pretty proud of myself. In addition to that wall sit, I bettered my scores in every test from the first day at Body-N-Motion by leaps and bounds. Although I’ve not accomplished all of my healthy living goals, I definitely have made significant improvements.

I’m so thankful to my teammates here at the office for inspiring me to keep working hard even when I didn’t want to and for keeping me honest when I really wanted to grab some peanut M&Ms out of the vending machine. I am also thankful for everyone at Body-N-Motion for making our three-month challenge an awesome learning experience that was informational, exciting, inspiring and a whole lot of fun.

I owe our trainer Justine more thanks than I even know what to do with! Without her, I definitely wouldn’t have pushed myself as hard when I was in the gym or outside of it. Thanks Justine for sticking with me through it all, even when I was muttering horrible things like “I hate you!” You are a great trainer and will be a great teacher someday. Your patience and persistence will continue to inspire me.

Turns out there is no easy fix to the weight loss problem and definitely no short cuts to a healthier lifestyle. I guess deep down, I knew that when we started this challenge. This whole “healthy” thing is a lifestyle, and the fun thing about lifestyles is they are life long commitments. Although I have improved my leaps and bounds, my work is FAR from done. I have a significant amount of work to do still to reach my initial goals.

So — drum roll please — I will continuE to blog about my journey in the coming months. The catch is that without my twice a week sessions at Body-N-Motion and the routine of working out with my coworkers, I’m going to need all the support I can get. My blog will begin appearing on Mondays, so please be sure to tune in and participate. I’m going to need feedback to keep up this journey, and I’m entrusting that job to all of our loyal readers!

After all — it’s not over until it’s over.

The Long and Winding Road Meets Rollercoaster

2008-11-06T09:07:00.001-06:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Staying healthy and fit — for me, it’s a journey that’s a cross between ‘the long and winding road’ and a rollercoaster.

The road to fitness definitely winds. At times, I’m really gung-ho and others, not so. Having Adam at Body-N-Motion train us has kept me on the “straight and narrow” much more than when I worked out on my own. The results of my twice weekly workout sessions have been surprisingly positive and have been noticed by friends and family. I now fit into “skinnier” clothes. Thanks, Adam!

The rollercoaster part comes in when I’m on my own in my attempts to stay fit and healthy. I’m at the apex of the rollercoaster ride of fitness when I’m well rested; put good solid effort into my personal training sessions, 20-30 mile bike rides, hike or a jaunt around my neighborhood; eat regular, delicious nutritious food; and keep a balance between work, play, family and friends.

Those moments are hard to come by regularly. There are a lot of variables to fall into place to totally healthy and happy. The rest of the “ride” is comprised of anticipation and being in the moments in between those mountain top experiences where my day-to-day decisions really re-invent me — one moment at a time. Thank goodness I get input from positive influences like our magazine, colleagues in my professional life, health newsletters and friends who want to stay healthier, too.

Now 50, I am taking staying healthy for the long haul pretty seriously. We are living longer, and I want to live BETTER. As a baby boomer, I want the maximum enjoyment out of this “second half” of life.

Words like “freedom,” “fun,” “discovery,” “fulfillment,” “enlightment,” “reflection,” “exploration” and “opportunity” come to mind when I think of how I want to experience my Golden Years.

I want to rekindle those things I discovered I loved in my youth and put an adult — well not toooo serious — twist on them, while giving myself time and space to explore new experiences.

My goal is to “have it all.” To do that, I need to keep at working at my health — body, mind and spirit.

I plan to continue: exercising at least three times a week, going to the grocery store and buying REAL food — yes, and cook — and enjoy the company of those around me. Oh, and enjoy the RIDE.

Can’t wait to see what’s around the next bend.

We can’t stop now!

2008-11-05T09:13:00.002-06:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Editor

It’s the last week of our three-month Let’s Get Fit challenge, and I am not ready for it to end! Granted, I AM looking forward to not having to come up with something to blog about each week. (Sorry…I’m just really not good at it.)

But I am SO not ready to stop working out with my co-worker buddies. It’s been such an exhilarating “constant” in our lives for these past few months. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 we all go to the gym…period. And we sweat our butts off. And sometimes we don’t feel like sweating our butts off. Sometimes we DO feel like it, but sometimes we’d just rather go home. Or — better yet — sometimes we’d rather go to happy hour at Palomino’s for their half-price appetizers and martinis. But do we? No. And after every single workout, are we glad we went? Absolutely. I swear it doesn’t matter how good or bad we all feel when we walk into Body-N-Motion, we all walk out of there feeling fabulous — always so much better than when we went in. Always.

So, yeah…who in the heck would want to quit doing something that makes them feel better after every single time they do it? Not me.

And besides,we can’t stop now. Like Shari said, we can’t go back to Square One. We’ve worked WAY too hard to give up all our hard-earned results.

So, at this point it’s up to each of us to decide how we want to continue on our fitness journeys. After the holidays, I want to go back to my one-on-ones with Adam. Being a creature of habit, I need that routine —especially this winter.

But until then, Mr. Motion has kindly offered to let us continue our group workouts at Body-N-Motion at a nicely discounted price. He’s extending that same offer to our readers, too. Just mention that you’ve been following our blogs, and he’ll hook you up with a good deal!

Shari, Deb, John, Lindsay, Rebecca, Adam, Mike, Justine, it’s been an awesome three months! I’ve enjoyed it so much, and I say we keep it going.

See you all at our next — but hopefully not LAST — workout!

Waltzing into the Sunset

2008-11-04T09:55:00.002-06:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

This is the last week of the “Let’s Get Fit” challenge, and this is my last blog on the subject. Today, we take our final test to see how we have progressed since starting this in August. Though my teammates will be able to report their results to you, I won’t. However, I know when we did some interim testing, I did improve my times.

In fact, when this challenge first started, my trainer, Justine Allen at Body-N- Motion, measured us by the number — anywhere from six to 20 repetitions of a particular activity, such as push ups. As the challenge continued, she changed to a timed format, often pushing us to do a particular activity for up to a minute. There were plenty of times I didn’t think I could do everything Justine asked, but I often surprised myself.
There have been many things I’ve learned over the weeks of this challenge:

> Keep a food log, noting not only WHAT you eat but how you FEEL as you reach for the candy bar or handful of chips.

> Infuse your diet with more protein. When I do, I tend to feel less hungry. In my case, that means a shake made with skim milk and protein powder two to three times a day. Not only does the powder contain the recommended daily allowance of vitamins, the various flavors – banana, chocolate and berry – satisfy my need for a flavorful snack.

> Drink plenty of water. What we often mistake for hunger pangs actually is thirst, a need to replenish the water in our systems. That water also is necessary, Justine says, to wash away the lactose we’ve broken down in our muscles by exercising.

The real challenge, though, is motivation. I’ve watched each of my teammates and me struggle with that. And I’ve watched the responsibilities of work and family conspired against us.
I also will admit I’ve done a lot less walking lately, but I’ve done a lot more dancing. I figure four hours of dancing on Sunday nights at the Continental Dance Club is a fair exchange for a couple of hours of walking — and, really, it’s more fun.

However, what I have gained, in addition to better eating habits and a slightly smaller waistline, is stamina. Before the challenge, I became winded almost as soon as I hit the dance floor. Sunday night, my boyfriend Drew and I attended the quickstep lesson at 5:45 and danced all the way to 9:45. We actually danced almost every dance!

I hope those of you who have followed this blog have found it inspiring. Whether it’s hiking, biking or dancing, make it your mission to have a more active lifestyle.

A Season of Choices

2008-11-03T15:05:00.001-06:00

Shari Finnell

Editor in Chief

As we head into the final stretch of this fitness challenge, two thoughts come to mind. The first one goes something like this: Whew! I’m glad we’re done with that … just in time to pile my plate high with fattening holiday meals and desserts without all the guilt.

The second thought that comes to mind is along the lines of this: There’s no way — after putting in all this hard work and getting these types of results — am I going back to Square One.

So, there you have it. My current dilemma — much like the daily dilemmas we always struggle with when we’re trying to meet a goal.

If I were facing these two choices sometime in February or March, it would be a no-brainer. With the season of swimsuits, shorts and sleeveless dresses in the foreseeable future, I would have plenty of incentive to keep at it.

But … I’m at the brink of a season in which you can easily hide an extra 5 to 10 pounds beneath bulky sweaters, jackets and coats. Also, who in their right mind would be looking forward to jogging in the ice and snow?

It would be easy for me to say I’m going to take the high road on this and keep sticking to the exercise routine. But who would I be fooling? During the cold winter months, I’d much rather be indoors cocooning under a few layers of blanket rather than working up a few layers of sweat at a gym.

Right now, I’m seriously contemplating making a personal investment in my health by continuing to work out with our personal trainer Adam.

I’m sure it would provide the boost that I need to survive the next few months — and to avoid going back to that dreaded Square One.

Body-N-Motion, Helps You Help Yourself!

2008-11-02T10:32:00.002-06:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

Body-N-Motion wants to help you help yourself!

Last week, I talked about the respect I have for all the Indianapolis Woman’s fitness challengees. They have been a shining example of real people who are trying to make real life changes. I know each of them will confirm that changing their lifestyles and working out are not easy things to do.

I never underestimated the difficulty we face when confronted with change — even a change we know is beneficial is hard to make. I believe we each are inherently smart enough to realize that taking care of ourselves is essentially the most important thing we can ever do. However, this week, I want to give a refresher course of all the reasons you should exercise to promote a healthier life:

1. Stronger Immune system
2. Lowers Blood Pressure
3. Decreases Risk of Heart Disease
4. Decreases Risk for Certain Cancers
5. Decreases Risk of Stroke
6. Decreases Risk and Issues of Diabetes
7. Decreases Aches and Pains of Everyday Life
8. Lower Cholesterol
9. Increase Bone Density
10. Decrease Risk of Alzheimer’s
11. Quicker Recovery Times from Illness or Injuries
12. Help Prevent Parkinson’s Disease
13. Eases Symptoms of Menopause
14. Better Circulation
15. Increases Lung Strength
16. Increased Chances of Successful Pregnancy
17. Decrease chance of Injuries
18. Lowered Risk of Illness
19. Feeling Better
20. Lower Stress levels
21. Increased Quality of Life
22. More Productive
23. Decreases Depression
24. Increases Self-confidence
25. Improve Mood
26. Decreases Anxiety
27. Increases Sex Drive
28. Think Quicker / Clearer
29. Better Night’s Sleep
30. Improved Memory
31. Lower Risk of Dementia
32. Less Money Spent on Prescriptions
33. Increases Wealth
34. Less Money Spent on Dr. Visits
35. Low Insurance Costs
36. Improved Sports Performances
37. Decrease Chances of Fall
38. Increases Lean Muscle Mass
39. Increases Muscular Endurance
40. Increased Mobility
41. Improve Balance
42. Slows the Aging Process & Improves Posture
43. Lowers Body Fat
44. Increased Flexibility
45. Increase strength
46. Keep up with Kids & Grandkids
47. Looking Better
48. Increase oxygen to the Brain and Body
49. Increases Chances of Remaining Independent
50. It’s Fun!

OK, is that enough reasons? I just listed all the reasons I could think of that promote exercise and healthy eating habits, and I am sure there are more out there. Is there any other product or service in the world that can do so many positive things for so many people? I know the economy and our country is in a state of disarray right now but we, as a whole, can take charge of our own future, and it starts with taking care of ourselves.

I am going to start the giving back to our communities by making this offer to all Indianapolis Women readers who want to make the change to a healthier, fitter you. For the rest of 2008, anyone who mentions they have been following these blogs will receive a 20% discount off of our 2008 prices. You may be surprised to find that by putting your health first, you actually can help put money back in your pocket, while changing your life in the process.

It’s Almost Over.

2008-11-01T08:18:00.002-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

When I began this fitness challenge, my initial goal was to loose some weight, trim down and drop my “little love handles.”

I’ve made some progress in those areas, but my real triumph/success has been getting back into workout shape.

What does that mean?

The first day of testing, what we did was excruciatingly painful. I felt like I’d never been in a gym before. In my head, I wondered how I’d made it through five years of wrestling if a Body-N-Motion workout hurt this badly. Throughout our program, I became increasingly accustomed to the workouts. My body found extra energy to finish my sets; I was motivated to go to the gym. I even started changing my diet to provide more energy for my workouts.

This Tuesday, we are doing our standard evaluation tests again: running a timed mile, most push-ups in a minute, sit-ups and step-ups — all followed by the dreaded wall sit. This should be a great measurement for my success in the fitness progress.

I think one’s overall health has very little to do with actual weight. It’s about your daily energy levels, moods, appetite and whether or not you‘re out of breath from climbing a small stair case.

When I started this challenge, I was winded at the top of any stair case. These days I’m taking them two steps at a time and loving it. When this challenge is over, I’ve made a personal commitment to myself to continue my workouts. After all, it was really hard to get back into workout form, and I love the energy it gives me everyday. Thanks Adam and everyone at Body-N-Motion!

Support System

2008-10-31T09:37:00.001-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

I never realized how important a support system is on the journey to a healthier lifestyle. It makes it 10 times easier to hit a training appointment when you know you have friends or coworkers waiting on you. It also makes it a lot easier to stick to a healthy diet when you have someone who is eating similar things as you and likes to prepare meals with you.

Long story short is that I’ve had some faltering with my support system lately, and it’s made it more obvious how important that system is! Surrounding ourselves with people who care about us and/or are on the journey to a healthier lifestyle really is a motivator, and when those people fall away, it makes the task at hand more difficult. In addition, the sunshine is a big supporter of mine, so this whole staying dark until late in the morning does not help my case when it comes to getting up early for the gym.

With my system on the fritz I’ve tried to keep reminding myself that I’ve put in so much time and energy, that this would be no time to falter on my own, but sometimes that is not enough. So if your support system falters, what is the key to sticking to your regimen?

Staying healthy should be FUN

2008-10-30T09:35:00.001-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Moment of Zen: The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, swelling in the present moment and feeling truly alive. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

One personal goal for me is to have fun — as much as possible — even when I work out.

Last week, I have to admit my tail was dragging when it came to my personal workouts. And the results showed in how I was feeling — not quite as energetic as I like to feel.

But a single moment in time changed my energy.

Shari, Michelle, John and I worked out with Adam, our personal guide to fitness at Body-N-Motion. Adam had mixed up our workout routines and gathered some equipment to juice up our exercise regime. Waiting, our attention was diverted by a David Bowie song playing in the gym.

We looked at one another and started dancing. Wow, did that liven up my attitude toward working out! We enjoyed one another’s company — and it was FUN.

I realized that was the answer: I needed to change my attitude to, “Working out is fun.” Amazing what a change in perspective can do for how much value we get out of the way spend our time.

Life is short; got to make the most of each moment. There’s enough serious stuff — the economy, the war, world hunger. But how much emphasis do we have for the “good stuff” in life? It’s all around us.

We just need to tap into the HERE AND NOW and enjoy the gift of the present moment. Our engagement in the moment can be positive or negative. And it’s true: We aren’t islands. How we act and react is passed on to those around us.

I want to be the kind of person that is IN the moment. In the spirit of having fun, I’m seeking to revive my approach to staying energized and healthy.

Here’s a list of ways to EXERCISE and HAVE FUN that I found on a Shape Up America Web site: www.shapeup.org/publications/99.tips.for.family.fitness.fun/outdoors.htm Hope you can find at least one thing to liven up your life:

1 Discover what free and low-cost physical activity areas are near your home: Turkey Run State Park, Holliday Park, Monon, White River Greenway, the Y, Jewish Community Center.
2 Rake leaves — then jump in them!
3 Later this year, shovel snow, build a snow sculpture, make snow angels or build a snow house.
4 Chop and stack wood; end with a campfire under the stars.
5 Take a long walk or jog on the beach — if you are lucky enough to be able to go SOUTH.
6 Cross country ski around town and into the woods; Eagle Creek has trails.
7 Use a compass to map out a course, then set out on a walk, jog or bike hike. Maybe look into an orienteering club in Indy.
8 Canoe or raft for an entire afternoon. Try Blue River down by Bloomington or at Turkey Run State Park; check for when they are still running trips.
9 Ice skate for a great winter workout at Pepsi Coliseum, or if we get a good freeze outdoors!?
10 Skiing always gives the family a lift.
11 Jump into water sports; enjoy water walking and aerobics. Check out the Y and Jewish Community Center or call the Arthritis Foundation for classes.
12 Play mixed-age water volleyball. Just don’t replay the volleyball scene from Meet the Parents.
13 Visit outdoor education centers like Holliday Park
14 Take a nature hike. Leaves are looking gorgeous right now; look for bittersweet to make a wreath or fall centerpiece.
15 Go up, up and away with a kite flying day.
16 Go to a driving range, or enjoy a game of miniature golf.
17 Go camping where you can pitch a tent, gather firewood, fish, bike and walk.
18 Visit farms, such as Adrian Orchad, throughout the year where you can pick your own apples or pumpkins.
19 Plan cycling trips on safe trails — the Monon, White River Greenway, the new Cultural Trail downtown — make up your own route in the country where there’s less traffic.
20 Share the fun with your friends and family. Annabel, 92, shared how she and her grandson just walked 3.5 miles on the CROP walk to raise funds for lessening world hunger. She’s a testament to lifelong fitness.

What will your “bio” say about your efforts for how you lived your life?

Uh-oh…I did it again!

2008-10-29T08:19:00.002-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Editor

Every year, as soon as the temperatures start to fall and it’s time to get out the ol’ boots, sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts…I do what I KNOW I shouldn’t do. I lose my motivation to work out. Now…I don’t have that problem during bikini season! But winter? What’s the point?

The point is…you don’t want to lose all that muscle that you worked so hard at building. You don’t want to gain back that weight that you worked so hard at taking off. You don’t want that flat stomach you worked so hard at getting to turn “soft”. Yikes!

I temporarily forgot that this weekend. I went 4 days without doing one crunch or running one mile. And I haven’t done that since last year about this time. Do I feel good about this? No, I feel like crap.

So, tonight is my first workout since last Thursday and I can’t wait.

Don’t let that happen to you! Grab a friend and go to the gym or go for a run. You’ll feel better (and look better!) if you do.

The Eye of the Beholder

2008-10-28T09:41:00.002-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

Working out with my coworker Lindsay Eichelman at Body-N-Motion twice a week, it’s striking to me how we have different attitudes toward body image. She seems very conscious of her body, trying to sculpt it into an ideal silhouette. I’m OK with my shape, and if necessary, will deal with my size.

Weight and beauty tend to go hand-in-hand in many societies. Certainly, the Western ideal of beauty is summed up by Wallis Warfield Simpson’s famous declaration that one can never be too rich or too thin.

However, the standard of beauty is a moving target. At an alleged 142 pounds when she made the movie Klondike Annie in 1936, Mae West was considered Hollywood’s top sex symbol.
But there appears to be very little wiggle room on Tinseltown’s weight continuum between anorexic and obese. Basically, any woman under 110 pounds is anorexic, and anyone over is obese, if the media is to be believed. And those who land on either side of this mark find the status of her weight splashed across the covers of supermarket tabloids.

But I never worried much about the relationship between weight and beauty. That’s partially because most of the people in my life never made an issue of it. And part of that may be because at least among African Americans, weight is considered less of an issue in the development of body image. That’s probably because among many African tribes, heavier women are considered more desirable. Their weight is proof of the availability of food and, therefore, an indicator of wealth.

I saw proof of that recently when I went salsa dancing at the Jazz Kitchen. There were several African-American women on the dance floor who chose to wear short shorts and ultra-tight jeans even though Western standards of beauty would dictate they had more than their share of stomachs, thighs and hips. Still, these women KNEW they looked good.

Theirs is not the only culture that holds these sentiments. If you ever see the women who participate in Middle Eastern dance, many are what we euphemistically call “big and beautiful.” I’ve sat in programs where I’ve heard others snicker at the weight of these women. But the fact is, though they aren’t expected to be obese, the standard of beauty dictates that a Middle Eastern dancer is a little heavier than what we have been taught to consider attractive in the U.S.

Ethnicity, class and gender play huge roles in how women perceive the relationship between weight and beauty. In fact, several studies published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, revealed 64 percent of African American women said they would prefer to be a little overweight than a little under weight.

I’m like every other woman: I want to look good. But I’m pretty sure my definition of what that means for me is different than what it means for other people.

Just Keep Moving

2008-10-27T09:32:00.002-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

Have you ever gotten one of those text messages that make you pause for a while — wondering “Just how am I supposed to respond to this?”

It happened Saturday evening, just as I was winding down for the night.

A text message came through on my cell. I saw the message before I saw who had sent it?

The first phrase read: “Wanna work out?” The second phrase: “We’re in the play room.”

That’s when I realized it was from my son in the other room.

If it had been anybody else – anybody – I would have replied, “Heck no!”

I had plenty of reason to say no. Just a couple of days earlier, this past Thursday, I fell down an entire flight of stairs after my heel got caught in the cuff of the fashionable — but not practical — pair of pants I was wearing. I fell headfirst — breaking a finger and emerging pretty bruised as a result.

If there was any time for me to have an excellent excuse not to exercise, this was it. Why would I want to? Mommy is recuperating. Give me a break.

On the other hand, how often do your kids say, “Hey, let’s exercise?” Really.

So I sat there, deciding how to respond. After a good five minutes, I replied to his text and showed up in the next room to go through a cardio kick boxing routine. I realized I really didn’t have an excuse. I was able to do the entire 40-minute routine without a problem.

It made me realize the working out has been getting me in better shape. Even a broken finger and a few bruises are not good enough excuses to not keep moving.

Respect and Disappointment

2008-10-26T01:35:00.002-05:00

Mike White
owner, Body-N-Motion

Well here we are, week number 12. It has been interesting to say the least! I told all of you who have followed along with this challenge that I would not pull punches. So this week I intend to do just that!

First, let me start with the participants in our challenge: I respect and care deeply for each of them. It took a lot of courage and guts to put themselves out there for all the world to see, so to speak! They have each, for the most part, really worked hard to accomplish the goals they set for themselves. I am very proud of each of their efforts, and they all have shown notable improvement. I cannot wait to see how the final fitness test goes!

But, at some point in this challenge, everyone had their let downs and instances when they did not give 100 percent of themselves. We’re human, it happens to each of us from time to time. This is real life, not a TV show where if you lose the most weight you win lots of money; I think anyone could lose the extra pounds with that kind of motivation behind him or her. Rather, Lindsay, Rebecca, Shari, Michelle, Deb, and John have worked their butts off here each week. They all have jobs and families and lives, and there is no million dollars at stake. With that being said, you all have my respect way to go team Indianapolis Woman. You all rock!

Now, to my disappointment: Our goal with this challenge was to inspire all the readers of Indianapolis Woman magazine and the community as a whole to join us in making Indy a healthier & happier city. I hope I am wrong, but I feel that even with all the great information and the heartfelt stories of success each of our participants and I have shared throughout, they have fallen on deaf ears.

Ladies and gentlemen, with the world in such a volatile state, we must start respecting the one thing that will allow us to make it to retirement and to keep our families safe and secure. We all are worried about what to invest in — but it is so simple! Our bodies, the thing that allows us to make the money to invest, gets treated like a doormat by ourselves, when it should be our primary concern.

We must respect our own bodies, stop making excuses and figure out what to do to be healthy, happy and fit! Excuses are nothing more than admissions of failure, and I refuse to believe that we, as Hoosiers, are going to sit around and accept being in the top 10 unhealthiest cities year after year.

We all know that health care is a big part of our city and state, yet we continually fail to change. CHANGE, that’s the big buzzword right now. Well, change starts at home, people. The time has come; let’s make a stand together, look ourselves in the mirror and say, “Today is the day I am going to be healthy and fit for my family and me; I will be the best I can be; and I will eat right, exercise, and seek out help from experts like Justine, Adam, and Mr. Motion to get the positive results.” I believe we can do this. Our society will be so much better for it. So let’s all get our Bodies N Motion!

Next week, with the permission of Indianapolis Woman of course, I would like to extend to all the readers and employees of IWM who want to change, a discount to use our services!

2008-10-26T01:35:00.001-05:00

Something About Fall

2008-10-24T00:20:00.002-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

There is just something about fall that makes me want to be outside doing things! I don’t know if it’s the pretty leaves, the temperature change or what, but I’m easily convinced during this beautiful season to head outside for a hike, a bike ride, a long walk — whatever it takes to be outdoors.

I just wrapped up a large project here at work and have been dealing with some stuff in my personal life as well, so I took a few days off to “recharge” my batteries. One of the days I spent outdoors on my family’s boat enjoying the stillness the lake provides after Labor Day.

The other day I headed to Brown County State Park for a little hiking action. I’m telling you, I really believe that there is nothing better for you physically, mentally or emotionally than being out in nature doing some type of exercise. I did a mile and a half hike that day and it seemed like it was over before it began. However, it did give me time to work up a sweat while enjoying the beautiful scenery and quieting my mind. Now if only I could get away from that stop for biscuits and apple butter on the way…

The pretty days of fall are quickly slipping away! Get out there and enjoy it while you can. While you are at it, tell me how you take advantage of the changing season to ramp up your fitness routine!

Enjoy those pretty leaves this weekend!

The Road Less Traveled

2008-10-22T23:22:00.001-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Robert Frost wrote these lines of poetry:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Trying to keep a fitness routine up that keeps me motivated is work — pure work.

I’ll admit I can be my own worst enemy. I’m “cocooning:” reading, watching Family Guy episodes or even, I can’t believe it, football games and eating pistachio/chocolate covered toffee.

It’s all good, but I do need to move around — get some routine exercise in addition to my two days of personal training. However, I was doing my best to ignore that nagging little voice: “Exercise; do SOMETHING; take charge.”

So I started to move: A friend and I worked on a painting project neglected for months. I went to see The Secret Life of Bees — an early bird movie theater special for $5.

By the end of the movie, I had cried enough to feel “spent,” a bit “washed out.” I could have had lunch with a friend, but honestly, I just felt like I needed some downtime to regroup.

Hmmm…sit around or get some exercise? I needed those “feel good” endorphins pumping through me again. So I went for a bike ride.

The greatest release of those “feel good” chemicals came when I ignored the sign that said “DETOUR.” Down the construction pathway I rode. I came to a fence and barricade. Undeterred, I hoisted my bike up over the fence and rode down the empty path enjoying the crunching sound of riding over layers of previously undisturbed leaves.

So, what is so positive about ignoring signs placed for our safety? Escape, undisturbed beauty and peace. Well, I had ulterior motives too.

I was on a mission to find some bittersweet I remembered seeing along the Monon. I needed it for a centerpiece in my home. When I didn’t find it along the “open” part of the trail, I just knew it would be in the “closed” part.

And it was. I don’t know what it says about me, but taking the road less traveled made my day more than satisfactory.

Oh, the centerpiece gives me a great deal of pleasure when I walk by it, too.

Here’s to taking time to take the alternative route and to staying active — in turn with a bit of “cocooning” as it continues to get even cooler.

Go team!

2008-10-22T11:52:00.003-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Editor

For the past 2 weeks now I’ve only been working out at Body-N-Motion with our group…twice a week. Well, I shouldn’t say “only”. Our group workouts are awesome and I love getting together and working out with my buddies…Shari, Deb, John and, of course, Adam, our trainer. Lindsay and Rebecca work out with Justine and even though we don’t work out with them, we’re always happy to see them there. too! But before 2 weeks ago I also had intense one-on-one workouts with Adam twice a week for a total of 4 workouts a week. That’s a lot…or at least for me, but I loved it. For a while I felt like I was working out ALL the time. And it’s actually a lot of fun being a “regular” at Body-N-Motion. The guys there are VERY cool. Yan and I play this game…”Where do you feel like going tonight?” “How does Maggiano’s sound?” “Wasn’t dinner last night delicious?” If anyone has overheard us…We’re just joking!!!!

But now I’m taking a “break” from my one-on-one training sessions to…well, to be honest with you (sorry Mike!)…to save a little money before the holidays. I don’t WANT to do this…but I HAVE to. Then I’ll start up again at the beginning of the year and I will be SO ready…can’t wait.

But in the meantime…we have just 2 more weeks of our “fitness challenge”. After that, we’re all on our own…yikes! I’d say it’s definitely time to take full advantage of these last few precious sessions we have left…working out as a team.

So, at our last workout…we did just that. The last thing Adam had us do was a wallsit…as long as we could do it. I actually wasn’t terribly excited about this, because the last time I did it…I held out for 5 minutes and thought I was going to die. And I knew there was no way I could beat that. I just wasn’t “feeling it”. But as soon as we got in position and Adam started timing us, I decided I wasn’t about to fall til my legs gave out. After a while…they hurt SO bad, they shook uncontrollably and I was in tears, but I wasn’t about to drop. Then finally I hear Adam say 6 minutes! (Drop.) OMG…they said that was some sort of record at Body-N-Motion…woo-hoo! Even Deb managed to hold out for a whopping 5 minutes! That’s amazing. Everyone improved their times…by a LOT. I’m so proud of my team. I tell you...I’m going to miss working out with them so much when this fitness challenge ends. Well…actually I hope we WILL continue to work out together on our own. We just all have to figure out how to take everything we’ve learned and apply it to our own individual fitness plans.

But enough about that. We’re not done with this challenge yet! We still have 2 more weeks left…

Go team!

Counting Sheep

2008-10-21T08:28:00.003-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

One of the things I definitely noticed when I started my exercise routine with walking was a change in my sleep patterns. Like many women, I LOVE to sleep. I like sleeping in, and I like taking afternoon naps, when I can sneak one in.

As with many people as they reach middle age, my sleep has been compromised. Though I still snore, much of that issue went away when I lost weight a couple of years ago. The rest came under control when I started using Zyrtec for my allergies.

But since I started walking in mid-July, I noticed I sleept much less than the nine hours I was sure I needed. In fact, many nights, I was up till 1 or 2 a.m. and slept until 7:30, or so. That’s a significant difference.

Some of that also may have something to do with my giving up that Pepsi habit. Though I’ll drink one if I eat out, I haven’t bought any to keep around the house. I never really bought soda for the kids, except for special occasions, but I always kept a stash in the little refrigerator that hums in my bedroom.

More importantly, I wake up refreshed. I think I’m so exhausted from the evening walk that I’m truly ready to sleep and am able to get in that essential REM sleep.

Mike White, owner of Body-N-Motion, says even resting at night, we lose about 60 calories and hour. Here’s how he says we can maximize our resting weight loss:

> Avoid that bowl of ice cream or soft drink in the evening. If you feel inclined to eat sugar, make that mistake in the morning when you have the whole day to work it off.

> Increase your calorie loss by consuming protein in the evening before going to bed. This can boost your metabolism so you burn 100 calories per hour rather than 60. I usually do this with a protein shake, but after reading a column by my teammate, John Weiss, I also sometimes keep a stash of boiled eggs.

Also, be aware that the effects of last night’s sleep may be delayed until a couple of days later, rather than the next day, Mike warns.

Mirror Image

2008-10-20T12:08:00.001-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

After washing my daughter’s hair last night, we started goofing around in front of the mirror — flexing our muscles while striking pose after pose.

That’s when I noticed my arms are looking pretty darn good.

They’re usually the parts of my body that show results the quickest after working out for a while. My hips and abdomen are another story, but they’re getting there — slowly but surely.

While the flexing was a nice morale boost for me, I also got quite a bit of satisfaction in seeing my 9-year-old girl show interest in being strong — not just looking pretty.

I’ve always tried to instill in my kids the importance of making healthy food choices — almost to the point of overkill. But since starting this fitness challenge, I’ve also realized how little I’ve stressed their need to be active.

Recently, health experts have recommended that children need at least one hour a day of exercise to stay healthy and to ward off obesity. I seriously doubt my kids are getting one hour a day — every day. More than likely, they’re only hitting that goal about three to four days a week — especially during the school season.

Times have changed. When I was a kid, I easily surpassed one hour a day. During the summer, my siblings and I were out running around, biking, playing kickball and basketball, and climbing fences and trees for up to 5 or 6 hours a day. During the school season, we still managed to get at least two hours of fun into our daily schedules.

These days, I have to force my kids out the door. They’d rather play computer or video games.

I know that the key to modeling healthy habits to my children is by doing it myself. That’s why I’m determined to keep my body in shape so I can run around, bike, play kickball and basketball and climb trees like I did years ago. The more I work out, the more I’m convinced that I should be able to do just that for at least the next 10 to 20 years.

It’s not only my health that’s at stake. It’s my children’s health as well.

And that’s plenty of motivation to keep me going.

2008-10-19T09:51:00.003-05:00

Mike White
Owner. Body-N-Motion

Each week, I build on my previous blogs. They are all inter-related and in a way are like a game of Connect-the-Dots: Once you connect all the little pieces of information I have provided, you can then see the bigger picture. What that picture represents is your health and the various aspects necessary to maintain it.

With that said, I want to continue talking about stress and things you can do to improve mental well being. A friend recently sent this to me, and the simplicity of it really hit home. So read it and then try to have a better day.

1) Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.

2) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3) Buy a Tivo and tape your late night show and get more sleep.

4) When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, “My purpose is to _______ today”.

5) Live with the 3 E’s: Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

6) Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did last year.

7) Always make time to exercise.

8) Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9) Dream more while you are awake.

10)Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat fewer foods that are manufactured in
plants.

11) Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds and walnuts.

12) Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13) Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy
into your life.

14) Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you simply cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in something positive.

15) Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, the only difference being, these lessons you will remember a lifetime.

16) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out credit card.

17) Smile and laugh more.

18) Life may not be fair, but that does not mean it isn’t good.

19) Life is too short tO waste hating anyone or anything.

20) Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21) You don’t have to win every argument. Sometimes, just agree to disagree.

22) Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up your present.

23) Do not compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey has been like or
will be.

24) Burn those scented candles, use the 600-thread-count sheets, the good china — every day should be a special occasion.

25) No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26) Frame every so-called disaster as “In five years, will this matter?”

27) Forgive everyone for everything.

28) What other people think of you is none of your business.

29) Time heals almost everything.

30) However good or bad a situation is, remember it is temporary.

31) Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will, so stay in touch.

32) Get rid of everything that is not useful, beautiful or joyful.

33) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34) The best in life is yet to come.

35) No matter how you feel, get up, get dressed and show up.

36) Call your family often.

37) Always try to do the right thing.

38) Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: “I am thankful for ______”
Or “Today I accomplished ______”.

39) Remember to rise above the stress.

40) And finally, just enjoy the ride. Experience each and every day to the fullest. Life is a gift; unwrap it and cherish it.

Have Some Fun

2008-10-18T09:46:00.002-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

Working out is a great way to reduce stress. Whether it’s hitting the treadmill a little harder or bumping up your normal weight, exercise is a great way to relax.

Sure, during the work out it’s hard and you’re exhausted at the end, but afterward there’s always a great feeling of accomplishment that makes it all worth-while. Even if you had a bad day, at least you know you’re taking care of yourself, and that will make you feel better.

The point is, if you’re having trouble fitting fitness into your life, maybe you shouldn’t take it so seriously. Work out doing something you enjoy, that keeps you excited. For instance, I think running is really boring. So I don’t waste time running aimlessly on a treadmill. I use elliptical machines, play with my dog, rowing machines, running some stairs; whatever suits you best.

If I knew I had to run two miles every day for my workout, then just the thought of going would stress me out. So instead of dreading it, I simply adjust the workout to what I like. Then I’m excited to go and feel great at the end.

This strategy is making it easier for me to put fitness in my daily routine.

So the next time you dread going to the gym, switch it up a bit, and I bet you’ll have a great time. And if the music is good, don’t be afraid to do a little dancing in the mirrors.

The Home Stretch

2008-10-17T08:58:00.001-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

Only two official weeks of our fitness challenge left! Part of me is excited to not have the standing appointment every Tuesday and Thursday on my calendar, and part of me is sad it is ending. But most of all — the end of this challenge brings one distinct feeling: fear.

The truth is I still have quite a bit of work to do to get to where I need to be to live a healthy lifestyle. Though my body has changed drastically and I know I’m definitely more fit, strong, confident and healthy, I really haven’t lost any weight, and I need to do that.

But two weeks from now, I’ll be going it alone, as they say. I won’t have Justine to push me harder than I think I can go, and I won’t have my coworkers there working out right alongside me. Most of all, I won’t have the accountability. I will, however, have all the information, new techniques and skills I’ve learned over the last two and a half months. Though the end nearing is scary, I have no doubt that I can do this on my own.

These last two weeks will prove to be challenging I’m sure, but I’m going to take advantage of every moment while I still have my support system in place!

Enjoy your weekend!

Answering Challenges

2008-10-16T09:29:00.002-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Manager of Special Projects

Hmmmm...

~
"The key to life is accepting challenges. Once someone stops doing this, he's dead."
~
Bette Davis

Sometimes I just want to balk at my commitments. My personal training work out this week was one of those times.

I didn’t feel like going to work out – I wanted to go home, curl up on the couch and read the biography on Julia Child that is prompted me to cook comfort food to share with my friends and family. I made Chicken with Wild Rice and Mushroom soup and a luscious Carrot Cake from a Mennonite friend in northern Indiana.

Ah, but back to working out. Adam asked, okay told, us to do push-ups to “burn out”. When I heard his “request” I had already made up my mind that I could do 15. And I did. He kind of gave me a sideways glance that said, “is that it?”

For ONE moment I felt guilty. We then did an exercise for biceps – to “burn out”. Again, I decided beforehand that I could do 15. And I did.

By the end of the hour of personal training I realized that I truly didn’t give my best efforts. And that I had chose not too.

I’ll give myself that day of grace…but today – another personal training session – I aim to make better use of my hour.

Push-ups

2008-10-15T10:37:00.001-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Editor

A few weeks ago, I told Adam that as much as I LOVE working out, I hate doing push-ups. Now I’m not saying I don’t like upper body workouts. In fact, I do — a lot. I want Jillian Michael’s arms — are you kidding me? (She’s one of the trainers on the Biggest Loser). And yeah, I KNOW it takes a LOT of hard, hard work to get those “guns,” as Adam calls them. But I’m just saying I prefer all those other different ways of working the arms — and there’s a LOT of them — whether it’s using the equipment, free weights, bands, you name it.

Granted, pushups are very effective. For some reason, I just find them “mentally challenging.” Like, I DREAD doing them, and I really can’t say that about anything else. But I know Adam wants to mix things up all the time to keep our workouts fresh and different and exciting. And that DOES make a difference.

That’s one thing I love about working out with a trainer. You never know what you’re going to do from one workout to the next, and every single one is completely different, so you never get bored. I would say I even look FORWARD to finding out what we’re going to do next.

That is until days like our last group workout.

After our warm-up on the treadmill, Adam immediately directed us to our own workout benches. Guess what he had us do: Push-ups! But not JUST push-ups, “as-many-as-you-can-do” push-ups. Yeah, those are the worst kind, of course. So we all did as many as we could, hands on the bench, instead of the floor. Then he had us turn around, put our hands on the bench again, but this time we faced the ceiling, not the floor. Again, as many as we could do. Ugh… Then we did high kicks and medicine ball squats, and those were good. Then he told us to go through that whole rotation again: Do as many pushups as you can do; turn around and do as many as you can do that way; then high kicks — blah, blah, blah. At the end of THAT rotation, I couldn’t feel my arms, and I was SURE we were going to move on to something else. Then I heard “OK guys, let’s do it again!” What? Do as many pushups as we can AGAIN? Adam, you’re killing me here. But we all made it through that whole rotation again, and we didn’t die. Whew!

Then it was on to something else — bikes, I think — and the rest of the workout was grueling, but awesome, as usual.

So, this is what I’m thinking: The last day of our fitness challenge, we get to put Adam through whatever kind of workout WE want. We actually get to design a routine for him, and he’s agreed to do it. Silly Adam. I’m definitely going to have him do ONE-handed pushups — as many as he can do — times three! That’s only fair, don’t you think?

What else should we have him do?

No pain, no gain

2008-10-13T23:35:00.001-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

“I need you to rub my legs,” Lindsay whined the day after our first training. I suppose my own had gotten used to carrying what I should have weighed plus the equivalent of a 10-year-old child for years, so my legs were fine and up to the task. It was my back, arms and shoulders that ached.

We’d done mostly upper body work that first session, so that’s where I felt the most discomfort. But everything changed that Thursday when our trainer Justine Allen at Body-N-Motion took the focus down to our lower bodies. The next day, almost all the staffers — including those in pretty good shape — were in terrible pain.

I could barely sit in my chair from the squats I’d done. The day after that, it hurt when I sat down, and it hurt when I stood up.

A couple of weeks later, we did a lot of core work. That’s when I learned how weak my muscles were. And my arms were pretty sore this past weekend after the workout Justine gave them on Thursday.

But once we get past the initial work out of a particular muscle group, it usually doesn’t seem to hurt as much. Sure, it’s a little uncomfortable as we do the actual work out, but there have been several times I expected to be in pain the next day or the day after and wasn’t.

I’m also 44, so I have the usual aches and pains that start to creep up after 40. I have a hip with a tendency to get sore when I swing dance — which causes a sort of repetitive pain because the basic step is danced in only one way, rather than alternating the strain to the other side — as well as an elbow and an ankle that have been broken and can feel a bit tight.

Yesterday, I had sore glutes from — of all things — dancing the tango Sunday night. Who knew? My boyfriend Drew and I had not been dancing for quite a while, and his preference is swing. But we’re members of the Continental Dance Club and sometimes try ballroom.

The lesson for October is tango. Drew hasn’t been too keen on trying it but learned Sunday that the basic steps are really easy. We both learned by Monday morning, however, that though the steps are easy, the dancing isn’t easy on the hips and glutes.

It doesn’t require those fancy Dancing with the Stars flips and splits to be in pain after ballroom dancing. The rise and fall of the waltz, for instance, can be pretty painful on the thighs.

Another pain I feared was that potentially caused by exercise-induced asthma, one of the reasons I avoided too much in the first place. But what I suffer in muscle aches, I’ve been making up for in stamina.

That again, has become clear through the dancing. About a month ago, I attended a three-day swing dance workshop where we learned everything from the basics to, Charleston to Lindy Hop, none of which are for the faint of heart. I was a little worried about how I’d make it through the weekend, but everything was fine. On Sunday, as we danced, I proudly pointed out to Drew how much more stamina I had and how I can dance several songs in a row now.

Get Up and Go

2008-10-13T11:31:00.002-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

Still making progress. This time around, I’m noticing it in my motivation. I’m not only committed to showing up at Body ‘N’ Motion to get through an intense workout with our trainer, Adam, but to actually get moving on my own. For me, that’s pretty major.

Earlier this summer, Deb and I relied on each other to stick to a training schedule as we prepared for a mini-triathlon. I can’t tell you the number of times I dreaded hearing the phone ring in the wee hours of the morning on the appointed day of our running schedule. We would talk about three minutes to convince ourselves to get out the door before the heat became unbearable.

We did a good job of motivating each other. We rarely missed a day in our four-day-a-week training — which was in addition to our two-day-a-week schedule at Body-N-Motion.

Just knowing that I made this commitment to another person to train for a common goal made me want to follow through.

Apparently, I’ve reached the point where I am making a commitment to myself. The other morning, after completing a workout routine, I actually had enough energy — and the motivation — to go out and run. It felt good. I could have talked myself out of it, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to run.

Although memories of our triathlon have long since faded, and Deb and I stopped our running schedule, I somehow found the inner motivation to get out there and do it for myself.

And that feels great.

Time to De-stress

2008-10-12T10:19:00.000-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

Last week, we discussed the biological and chemical facts regarding stress. I believe the word was “cortisol.”

We’ve established that stress often is out of our control; it comes from external factors rather than from something we personally have brought upon ourselves. There are two things to think about when talking about stress: first, how to prevent excessive amounts and second, when it does hit, how to cope in a healthy manner.

I think it is best to take preventative measures towards stress, rather than waiting till you have the stress-related breakdown. So let’s talk about different daily habits that you can utilize to help prevent taxing situations from getting out of hand.

Start off by simply being realistic. If you feel like you have too much on your plate, learn to say no! When you take on too much responsibility at one time, it is bound to lead to a meltdown.

Second, stop living in the future, and start existing in the now. Do not allow yourself to be caught up in the hypothetical world of tomorrow. Exist for today; you cannot control tomorrow, no matter how much you think you can. Take life one day at a time.

Another thing you can do to help prevent stress is maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes getting enough sleep; exercising on a regular basis; maintaining a healthy diet; and being wary of substance abuse.

As a personal trainer, I deem it necessary to pause here and go into further detail in regards to why exercise is especially important in preventing and coping with stress. As I discussed last week, when your body is stressed, it responds by preparing us for fight or flight. But this is, more or less, unnecessary in most situations. By exercising on a regular basis, you can help decrease the production of stress hormones; which, in turn, aids in preventing the long-term effects of stress. Besides, it is a natural antidepressant and a darned good sleeping aid.

As I said, those are all great ways to help prevent stress, but inevitably, we all reach our breaking point. So what then? Well, there are plenty of things that you can do to regain your composure. Obviously each of us is different, so it is important to find out what is best for you personally.

One thing that often helps people feel better is to simply talk about the stress, whether it’s to a friend, family, or maybe even the person who is causing all that stress. You may realize after a good rant session that perhaps you were making the situation out to be worse than it really was, or perhaps it will help to put the situation into a clearer perspective.

Another idea is to try deep breathing techniques. Although it’s most effective if you can isolate yourself in a quiet area, if that is not a possibility then wherever you are at is fine. Simply sit back, close your eyes, and focus on taking deep, full breaths. There are intricate breathing methods you can find easily all over the Web. If you feel this is right for you then I highly recommend that you check into it.

Another option is to simply exercise. Yes, I mentioned this one already, but seriously guys it is a great stress reliever. Whether it is Pilates, yoga, walking, kick boxing, running or lifting — whatever it may be, chances are, it will help to calm you down.

You must make time for yourself 15-20 minutes of personal time. Now in those twenty minutes you may choose to read, take a hot bath, meditate, or any of the other suggestions I have made.

No No No NO WAY!

2008-10-11T07:27:00.002-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

I wanted to quit so bad; but they wouldn’t let me.

Several weeks ago our trainer Adam hurt his ankle. HE was on crutches for a while, then an ankle boot. Finally on Tuesday he was back on his feet.

While I don’t think it was personal, our workout Tuesday seemed specifically designed to put our legs in the same kind of pain his knee was in.

When the time came for our cardio session, we were short two bikes, so Michelle and I volunteered to do the stair master. After six grueling minutes of racing Michelle, my calves and thighs were spent. The stair masters record how many floors you climb, I just edged Michelle by three.

So directly after the stair-stepper, we went outside for a little exercise. This is usually my favorite part of the workout. But today, Adam had a special surprise in store for us. It all began with a 55 second squat. After that we jogged to the end of some cones and jogged back. Next and 50 second squat; we continued to 45 seconds where Adam then challenged us to work all the way down to 5 seconds.

Normally I’d take the challenge, but I said, “NO, NO, NO, NO-WAY.”

That didn’t matter though, I was out numbers and the girls were ready to do it. They pushed me through and I’m so happy I finished it.

That’s why this place is so great. Most people, including myself, can quit right there and no feel bad about it. But they weren’t going to let me quit even when I was ready to give up.

So if you’re having trouble motivating yourself to get into shape, find some friends, make friends at the gym, do something to find positive encouragement outside your own mind, and it can go a lot way.

That’s what I learned on Tuesday.

Surprising Myself

2008-10-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

I’m not sure I’ve mentioned just how much I hate running. Well, I do. I totally hate it! I probably wouldn’t even want to run if someone chased me with a deadly weapon. I love to walk, do work on the elliptical machine, swim, bike, But running, I’m just not good at — although I’ve always secretly wanted to be a runner.

So you can imagine my “excitement” when Justine Allen, my trainer at Body-N-Motion, told me to hop on the treadmill the other day. She told I would be doing one mile. She didn’t care if I walked, jogged or crawled — but I needed to keep mixing it up, and I needed to get to one mile.

So I began walking slowly and quickly realized this was going to TAKE FOREVER. So I bumped up the pace and started to jog. Justine encouraged me to jog for a minute and a half. When that time came, I still felt good — so I continued to jog. Turns out I was able to keep that pace for MUCH longer than I would’ve expected! I walked one more time then ran at a pretty quick pace —for me anyway — to finish off the mile.

I hopped off the treadmill, surprised I was able to run as much as I had — astonished really and quite proud of myself! Justine asked me how long it had been since I ran one mile. I was embarrassed to admit it was probably back in high school. So now, realizing I can sometimes do more than anticipated, it’s my goal to run one mile without walking by the end of the challenge.

What kinds of surprises have you encountered in your fitness challenge?

Change is in the air

2008-10-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Thought for the Day: Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is. - Will Rogers

Don’t know if it’s the fall season — You know, leaves turn colors, dry up and fall away, the old dies away, and come spring, in with the new — but I’m exploring my options lately. Actually they’ve been stewing for a few months now.

It’s a gut feeling — I’m on some “life path” where there are forks in the road. I am feeling the need for a priority shift — maybe a few.

For a better future, I’m feeling the need for a clean break with some habits and maybe even changes in how I relate to others. Not sure where I’m headed, exactly, but I know my decisions have to do with following my intuition. I want the changes to motivate me to feel like jumping out of bed to enjoy being in the moment as much as possible.

To face up to actually make new beginnings, I have to have the energy to make positive, “wise” changes. I’m feeling more reflective than usual, so I’m using the mood to look before I leap. There are things I need to do:

1) Seek the wisdom of someone who has my best interest at heart — so I have to share my ideas out loud. Somehow that makes them concrete, and I get input from someone I trust. Once my goals are spoken aloud, I’m more likely to follow through.
2) Let the wisdom shared with me, along with my own, percolate. I feel the need for freedom, independence, but I have let emotions settle a bit so I can be able to act confidently at the opportune times.
3) I want my decisions to be toward my ultimate benefit. To keep a good attitude and work through the right preparations, I need to stay healthy: exercise regularly; continue eating healthy food as effective fuel for my body — and brain; and get a good night’s sleep. Definitely throw in a dash of beauty outdoors to keep things in perspective, and then
4) GO FOR IT…

Take time to dream, but then do your own homework – with the results – make the changes that help you get to where you want to be.

Here’s to renewed living that’s just around the bend. Just remind yourself, “All I need to do is put one foot in front of the other!”

What a trip!

2008-10-08T15:01:00.003-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Artist

Several weeks ago, a few of us at Indianapolis Woman decided it was time to plan a special morale boosting “retreat” for our art & editorial team. A number of different destinations came up as to where we should go, but in keeping in our “fitness mode,” we opted for something active — going hiking and canoeing at Turkey Run State Park. There were eight of us in all and I’m pretty sure each and every one of us had a fabulous time just getting out there and doing something active and a little adventurous.
So, last Thursday we all met up at the office, piled into two cars and took off on our Weiss Communications road trip. Aside from a little mix-up in the beginning, the trip was awesome. Turkey Run is a beautiful park, and the scenic view canoeing down Sugar Creek was breathtaking.
Shari and John, Deb and Aaron, and Rebecca and Alan all teamed up in canoes, while Dan and I each had our own kayak. I had never been in a kayak. It was so much fun maneuvering that little thing down the creek like that! And it was a good upper body workout to boot.
The only thing you really had to worry about was avoiding shallow water. I did get “stuck” a couple times and had to “scootch” my way off the bed of rocks — that’s a pretty sight. And then there was that time everyone stayed to the right of the creek and then there’s me — to the left. Ohhhh — then I see why —shallow water to the left. So, I try to hightail it UPstream to get back over to the right where everyone else was. THAT was feat in itself. I would compare it to a cardio “burst” Adam has us do at Body-N-Motion. But the bursting training paid off. I made it around the shallow part, and I was into the clear from then on. Whew!
All in all, I would say it was definitely a fabulous trip, and I cannot wait to do it again. But next time, I want to do the all day 15-miler. That would be SO much fun, and it would be an awesome bonus workout!
So, get out there and do something active! You may even enjoy it. I know our team did.

Getting Back in Gear

2008-10-07T08:34:00.003-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

Well, my fitness activities — both at Body-N-Motion and on my own — have tapered off over the past couple of weeks. Actually, they came to an abrupt stop because of illness, but I plan to return to my regular training schedule today.

The day I first felt the cold coming on, almost two weeks ago, I planned to go ahead to workout. I’d even told my teammate, John Weiss, that I’d give it a try, though even then, I wasn’t so sure whether I’d be able to keep up.

Shortly after talking to John, however, I was thinking about picking up my nephews later at ballet and a sign the owners of the Russian Ballet Academy of Indianapolis had hung on the door a couple of weeks earlier. It asked parents to be sure that children were fully recovered from their illnesses before bringing them for classes so others wouldn’t be come ill. I thought about all the equipment I normally touch when I work out and decided it would be best not to go.

For most people — and even myself when I was younger — the common cold hardly is life threatening. But as I’ve gotten older, colds have become a much more serious matter for me.

As with everyone else, I experience the usual discomforts of a runny nose, and I can push through all that. But, these days, I face an additional complication when I get a cold: It settles in my chest. Combined with a change in the weather that often triggers asthma, it’s a recipe for a trip to the Emergency Room for me, if I’m not careful.

So, I temporarily eliminated the extra exertion — not to mention that I was sick enough to have spent several days in bed.

Last Tuesday, I tentatively wandered back into work, thinking I’d see how well I’d hold up. That went OK. That evening,

I thought I’d get back into my walking routine by trying a shorter than usual walk, really keeping it to an hour rather than the two it sometimes became. Feeling I could handle it, I pushed myself to go a bit longer than I initially planned, doing an hour and a half. Truthfully, that was a mistake. I just wasn’t up to it yet. The next evening, I decided to stay home to give myself a thorough chance to heal.

On Thursday, I got a little cocky and went on our editorial/graphics team retreat to Turkey Run State Park. In fact, when the subject came up more than a month ago of taking a day to rejuvenate, I was the one who suggested that we do something active like go hiking at Turkey Run.

That turned into a morning of following the rustic trails through the gorges carved in ancient times by the glaciers that covered much of the state. Later in the day, we went canoeing.

Surprisingly, since I can walk for hours, it was the hiking that really took it out of me. That’s when I figured out my lungs were not entirely clear of the phlegm that settled there during my cold, and I again did not feel particularly well the next day.

Slowly, but surely, I think I’m getting better, so we’ll see how it goes tonight.

Time to Confess

2008-10-06T10:43:00.002-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chiefe

I’ve got a confession. I didn’t follow Mr. Motion’s advice when he told me to avoid the scales.

I couldn’t resist. I got on them. I hadn’t lost a pound. Actually, I had gained one and a few ounces.

You’d think I would be discouraged. At first, I was. We’re so conditioned to measure progress by those numbers that pop up on the scales that it’s hard not to.

As it turns out, it was a good thing that I had already followed Mr. Motion’s advice about how to truly measure my success. As I’ve mentioned before, Mr. Motion told me to measure my progress through clothes — an old pair of jeans, for example.

I recently retried on a little black dress (the one I never took the tags off) and realized I might actually be able to wear it to the next special event I attend. This is the same dress I hadn’t been able to squeeze into earlier this summer. It was pretty amazing.

I had forgotten about the dress test until earlier this week. In preparing for a day trip to Turkey Run State Park with my co-workers, I pulled out an old pair of jeans. They are a full size smaller than what I typically wear. I had my doubts. But I just pulled them on for the heck of it. Did you hear that? I pulled them on – with no problem.

I didn’t jump up and down for several minutes to get them over my hips and thighs. I didn’t lay down on the bed in an effort to squeeze them over my tummy. I just pulled them on. They weren’t loose, but they definitely fit.

OK. I can deal with that extra pound of lean muscle replacing fat, if it’s accomplishing these types of results.

It definitely was the type of motivation I needed to keep hitting the gym.

Stop Stressing!

2008-10-05T12:16:00.001-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

For the next couple of blogs I want to talk to you all about stress. It comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. We each have to deal with it though; it’s part of the human experience so to speak. Some stress in your life can be a positive thing; it can serve as that extra motivation to stay focused or that nudge you need to get all your daily tasks accomplished. For the most part, we each know what are stress-triggers are, but what you may not know is the chemical cause of stress and some of the health risks associated with it.

The word of the day is cortisol. Maybe some of you have heard of it. It is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland and is involved proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin regulation, immune system functions, and the body’s inflammatory response. It is always present in the body, but in the mornings there is a higher level than in the evening. It is often referred to as the stress hormone because your body produces it excessively when it is feeling overwhelmed, whether mental, physical, or emotional.

How it works, on a very basic level, is simply when your body feels threatened, it secretes adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol which then increases the flow of glucose, fat, and protein in the bloodstream to boost energy and physical readiness to handle the stressful situation at hand. When your body is in this state your heart rate and blood flow increase. This enables you to potentially run faster and fight with more intensity. All other bodily processes (at least the ones that are not needed for immediate survival) are slowed down; this includes the digestive, immune, and reproductive systems.

This was necessary and helpful for the Neanderthals who relied on this quick adrenaline rush when running away from a saber tooth tiger. But in today’s day in age, typically, the stress we suffer is psychological and does not usually require us to fight or take flight. Unfortunately, our bodies do not make this distinction. To it, stress is stress no matter what sort. So regardless of the situation- whether your kids are screaming, you are trying to make deadline, finances are tight, you have too much homework, you and your boyfriend/girlfriend just broke up, a family member is very ill- your body is shifting into this overdrive mode automatically… just like that caveman running from the saber tooth. Looks like we still have some evolving to do.

Since we are constantly bombarded with stress, our bodies are constantly trying to cope. This presents us with a huge problem. The longer your body is in stress mode, the more difficult it is to go back down to normal mode. Instead, your stress hormone levels, heart rate, and blood pressure all remain elevated. The effects of this can be detrimental.

People who have high levels of cortisol in their blood stream are at risk for developing a variety of problems. These include blood sugar imbalances, lower bone density, impaired mental performance, loss of muscle tissue, lowered immunity, high blood pressure, and an increase in abdominal fat (which is associated with a whole different set of problems including heart attacks, strokes, etc).

With all of these health issues stemming from stress, it is easy to see why we need to take a couple of seconds just to breath, not just for mental clarity, but because it is physically good for you as well. Life is hard no one said it would be easy! Life’s hurdles are there to make us stronger. We all must remain strong in our faith and know that a healthy body will get us through these tough times. Next week, I want to go through a variety of ways you can de-stress. Anyone have any suggestions or comments on how they personally de-stress let us know?

I just love this stuff

2008-10-04T10:44:00.005-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

After my first workout at Body-N-Motion I could barely lift my arms, and I was dragging my legs just to get to my car. Two months later, I finally feel like these workout are part of my routine.

For me, this is a huge accomplishment. I haven't reached this stage in exercise since I was in high-school. Not only is the accomplishment gratifying, but the results are great for my body.

Since I put my fitness in the hands of Adam, and the rest of the staff at Body-N-Motion, I've felt a transition; from where I began, to a high-energy guy who can't wait for his next workout.

Getting here would've been much tougher without the motivation from Mr. Motion, Mike White. It was only a few words here and a few there, but he truly has a unique talent to motivate people. I feel like he can just take a look at me and know exactly what I need to hear to keep me going.

That motivation is absolutely essential; when you're at the point in the workout and you've convinced yourself you can't; that's when he tells you, "don't quit, that's not even a choice, you can do it!" and it really does work.

So thanks Body-N-Motion, Adam, Mike, Justine, even Jan (for the free dance lessons).

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! These people change lives with what they do; if you already have a personal trainer, give them a big thank you this week.

If you don't have a trainer, head over to Body-N-Motion and
meet one of their great trainers today!

FIRST SESSION FREE!

*Click the Body-N-Motion logo/photo for more information from their website.

Putting One Foot in Front of the Other…

2008-10-03T15:15:00.002-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

I know I’ve talked about many of the obstacles I’ve faced since we started this fitness challenge — my past failures, my fear of looking stupid, the time crunch of a hectic schedule, frustration, eating in moderation and anxiety. In all reality, I could, as I’m sure most of you could, write EVERY week about obstacles that are trying to keep me from my goal of a healthier lifestyle.

I’ve got to tell you this week is the roughest of all. I have a large number of the above stumbling blocks paired with some new ones we won’t go into. The thought of going to my training appointment tonight makes me want to crawl under my desk and take a nap. In fact, the thought of doing much of anything that will make me healthier is an unwelcome visitor in my brain this week.

So what happens when you get to the place where you are so beyond overwhelmed that it is overwhelming? I think there are a lot of ways to deal with that feeling. First and foremost surrounding yourself with the people who love you the most is probably the best thing ever.

On top of that, trying to keep your head in check and look around to realize that although it may not seem like it now, we are extremely lucky and blessed people. But most of all — especially when it comes time to head to Body-N-Motion tonight — I’m going to stick to something really simple. I’ve had multiple people this week tell me I just need to put one foot in front of the other. So simple that it is ridiculous really but so very true!

When 5:30 rolls around, I’m going to lace up my running shoes, take a few deep breaths, focus on the task at hand and tackle this healthy life thing one step at a time by putting one foot in front of the other.

Food as Fuel: Don’t Just Fill Up

2008-10-02T07:42:00.003-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Food speaks to me. And last week I enjoyed cooking “from scratch” and hanging out with friends. We cooked a full course dinner, talked and sipped wine while the wafting scents of fresh herbs and vegetables wrapped around us like a cocoon of comfort.

Well, some of us actually did a bit of the preparation: Terry was the “head chef,” and Shari was the soux chef. I cut up some onion in a haphazard fashion – know how to do it more safely now. Thanks, Terry.

And we laughed. The smoke detector kept going off. Then a praying mantis paid a house call. During our attempts to relocate the poor insect to his outside domain, my favorite reading glasses got broken. Not that I needed them to see the insect.

We savored one delicious entrée, followed by an even more sumptuous one — concluding with peach flambé. The whole evening was a pleasurable conclusion to my weekend.

But my overly full tummy caused me to not sleep as well as I liked. When I woke up at 1 a.m., I realized that I’m not used to the quantity and richness of the food in which I’d earlier delighted.

Let’s just get one thing clear right now: I am NEVER on a diet. I don’t step on the scales — however, to stay trim I do aim to eat healthy. I’m doing well when my clothes don’t fit too snuggly, and I feel energetic.

Balance is the key. Food that provides fuel for my body and enough water to stay hydrated. Always can tell when I neglect either. And when working out, what I eat really makes a difference. I try to eat to complement my fitness efforts; no sense working against myself!

Fuel for the short haul and “instant” energy comes from carbohydrates: whole-grain bread, cereals and fruits, and vegetables. Too many carbs get stored as fat; that’s not usually pretty. Basic stuff. Why is it so hard to eat enough of the good ones? With the dollar being tight, I remind myself, doesn’t it make sense to buy food that actually does something good for me?

Protein builds muscle — which does weigh more than fat — but also BURNS MORE CALORIES while you just stand still! Meat and dairy products, a bit of soy like tofu and nuts. These are tasty and keep me from getting too hungry too quickly — especially when coupled with “good” carbohydrates. Snacks that are combos of small amounts of protein and good carbs stick with me: I like cottage cheese on Triscuits or hummus and TLC whole-grain crackers, almonds or walnuts with some fruit.

And fats — they get a bad name. That’s because we eat so darn many bad ones, especially those hidden in processed foods. I get mine in the occasional desert I carefully choose, considering how much I have to exercise to burn off the extra calories. Our bodies do need some fats to keep healthy. Fatty fish like salmon has the good fat, and so do walnuts. Two things I enjoy.

The key to keeping food enjoyable and healthy is BALANCE. Make changes to your eating that YOU CAN LIVE WITH. Be practical but also be honest. Sit back and think about what kind of fuel you’re putting in your “tank.” With the right mix, you can get the best performance out of your body and feel great too.

Where’s the Protein?

2008-10-01T10:24:00.001-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Artist

OK, ever since I started working out at Body-N-Motion five months ago, Adam has preached to me — and everyone else, of course — that muscle weighs more than fat and not to use the scales as a judge to determine your progress. Well, that’s easier said than done, Adam.

I started this fitness challenge at a weight I wanted to maintain. I didn’t necessarily want to lose weight; I just wanted to try to get my whole body really “toned.” Well, apparently, that means gaining weight! What’s up with that? I’m finding that a little hard to deal with. Granted, it’s only five pounds, but I don’t like it.

I mean, of course it’s frustrating that I’m working out four days a week with a trainer, running on my off days — and I can’t maintain the weight I was when I started? I must be doing something wrong, I keep telling myself. But I discussed this with my trainer, and he assures me I’m not. He says to go by the way your clothes fit. Well, my clothes fit fine, but I still can’t help thinking perhaps I could be doing a little better with my diet.

I’ve always been a healthy eater — or so I thought. I don’t eat sweets or fried foods or junk food. But I also never have been a big protein eater — at all. I was even a vegetarian for five years!

Well, working out so much definitely makes you hungrier, or at least, it does me. And at first, I thought I was doing “good” by snacking on things like fat free crackers, fat free pretzels, raw veggies and light dip, low fat granola bars or fat free Pringles. But as Mr. Motion once said to me when he saw my plate of food at an event we all attended, “Where’s the protein, Girl? You need protein!” Hmm…

So, now I am trying to completely change my thinking about my diet. I’m trying to worry less about “fat free” foods — especially processed ones — and trying to focus more on lean proteins and complex carbs, basically the things on “The List.” On the left side of this page you can download the “Body-N-Motion Quality Foods List.” It’s awesome; do it! It tells you the foods you SHOULD be eating. And if you don’t have time or access to these foods, you can have a tasty protein shake. Who knew?

But, as I said, I’m TRYING to do these things. No matter WHAT your eating habits are right now, I KNOW changing them is not easy. I’m a creature of habit, so believe me, I know. But it’s funny how each time I try something new and I really, really like it, I realize change is good! And good for you. How ‘bout that?

They’ve Got My Back

2008-09-30T10:08:00.002-05:00

Rebecca Bibbs
Managing Editor

A few weeks ago, I persuaded my sister Miriam to join me on my walks. She happens to be at the other end of the weight scale, but she wanted to be supportive and keep me company. Plus it was a good way to get in some sister-to-sister bonding.

I told her a little about how I came to the point that I wanted to make this change in my life, and as a nurse, she gave me some advice on how to maximize what I was doing.

“You’re going to be a fitness fanatic,” she said.

I don’t tend to be a fanatic about much of anything. I’m not one to really develop “habits.” But this walking thing, surprisingly, has become one.

It certainly helps to have support, whether it’s my sister tagging along, walking my nephew’s pit bull, Scarface, or talking on the phone with my stepmother Myra while I follow the sidewalks in the various areas around my home.

I also find myself talking about my fitness quite a bit. In fact, the culture here in the office has made something of a shift in that conversations involving fitness happen almost daily among those of us participating in the “Let’s Get Fit” challenge.

I recently read a profile in a past issue of IW in which the woman who had experienced significant weight loss said she needed to surround herself with people who were supportive of her goal. She needed to be around people who could back it up by living the lifestyle, sort of like people who have other addictions.

This made me think of my boyfriend, Drew, with whom I recently made up. When I mentioned the fitness challenge to him before we broke up, he seemed very supportive — at least verbally.

But our activities, as they were then, presented many challenges. Drew and I usually took a walk once a week, but that was much more leisurely than what I do now. The kicker is that afterward, he always wanted to go to Steak n Shake for a double chocolate shake. Talk about defeating the purpose!

Since we’ve gotten back together, though, Drew definitely has been in my corner. When fixing dinner for me, he’s worried about it being “healthy.” He’s committed himself to walking with me whenever he is able. In fact, even after a long day at work when I know what he’d really like to do is fall into bed and watch TV, Drew often will be the one to say it’s time for our walk. As addicted to diet Pepsi as I was to regular Pepsi, he’s even trying to change his ways and drink more water instead.

I think one of the reasons Drew has been so supportive is he has experienced what happens when the people around you don’t participate in the same activities. Last week, he told me how he used to be a lot more active, playing basketball and tennis, but over time, these activities became secondary to the needs of his family. However, he was the first to admit he always felt better when he exercised.

I recently asked him whether he had any fitness goals, and he said, he hadn’t really thought about it, but his goal right now is to support me.

Before & After

2008-09-29T14:20:00.002-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

The other day realized how obsessed I am with “befores” and “afters.” You know what I mean — the images that show the amazing transformations of people who have lost 20, 30 pounds or more. Or those who have replaced flab with toned muscles

Well, getting back to the morning of my obsession. I’m clicking through my Comcast channels to see if I can get in a 20-minute workout before I start my hectic morning routine. Before I make it to Exercise TV, though, I’m suddenly confronted with an infomercial. Yes, I confess. I do on occasion watch infomercials.

Normally I would just watch it for a few minutes and keep going. On this particularly day, I’m mesmerized — watching the fat melt right before my very eyes! One after another, with the aid of computer wizardry, women are shedding the pounds and getting bikini-ready bodies within a matter of seconds. And it’s all thanks to Fluidity, a product that guarantees you a ballerina body before you know it.

Eventually, I do turn off the TV. Unfortunately, not quick enough. I didn’t get in that 20-minute workout.

I’m not alone. As Americans particularly, we seem too be way too caught up in the idea of getting results overnight. We tend to think shedding pounds should work like magic … with our “after” mugs looking remarkably different from our “before” mugs within days or weeks.

Also, we tend to think that it should be easy. This particular infomercial didn’t show anyone breaking a sweat. From what I could tell, you just stick your leg upon a ballerina bar, do a few bends and exercises twice a week, and before you know it your body is transformed.

I know this is fantasy. But it can be so tantalizing compared to the reality.

The whole fantasy TV episode did teach me another lesson, though. On this fitness journey, it’s all about lessons, right? I need realize how important it is to really move my body — as opposed to sitting on my butt to watch an infomercial — and stay focused on the business of changing my lifestyle.

I’ve got a month to go with this fitness challenge. If I expect my “after” to look any different than my “before,” it’s going to take a lot more than a quick fix.

A watched Pot never boils

2008-09-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

You know the old saying “A watched pot never boils”… well today I want to make a comparison of that analogy to your weight loss. All too often people determine their fitness success off of what the scale reads. They check their weight compulsively: when they first wake up, after lunch, after a workout, before bed… it consumes people’s thoughts and they become obsessed. Bottom line- this is not a beneficial practice, and if someone says the contrary be sure to help them set the record straight, for their own sake and well being. Being a scale-stalker is only going to inhibit your weight loss by adding extra stress to your plate. With stress comes cortisol, and with cortisol comes weight gain. Here I could give you all a long, drawn out lecture in regards to the bio-chemical reasons that this is so, but I will spare you; for all of my scholarly readers who feel the need to investigate further I highly encourage you to do so.

So back to my analogy, you may be asking yourself how this necessarily relates to your weight loss… Look at it this way: “A watched pot never boils” is the fitness equivalent of “A watched weight never lessens”. You know when you are really hungry and you decide to make up a big thing of spaghetti (whole wheat of course), and you go to put the water on. You stand waiting next to the stove for the water to begin boiling. One minute goes by, still not boiling; two minutes go by, still not boiling; three minutes, four minutes, five minutes… By that point, you have been focusing so hard on the water that it seems like an eternity has passed without any results. What you are neglecting to notice is that things are changing; the water is slowly warming up. Soon, there’s a bubble, then two bubbles, and if you keep the heat turned up high with consistency, that water is going to come to a boil. This is similar to what happens to your body when you begin some sort of fitness/weight loss routine.

Results are not going to be instant; rather it takes time and consistency. You have to keep the heat turned up high, stick with your workouts, stick with your diet, and before you know it, you will have the results that you are looking for. It is going to seem like an eternity if you are constantly obsessing about the final product. Instead, just turn a blind eye for a little while. Keep up with whatever routine you are on, just do not focus on the results, I assure you, they are on their way if you maintain the heat.

Besides the fact that scales can become addicting, they are also not the most accurate way to assess your health because muscle tissue weighs more than fat. So although you have been working out consistently for three weeks now and have updated your diet, you are not seeing “results” aka the numbers on the scale aren’t on a spiraling downward trend yet. This is probably because although your body is getting rid of fat, it’s gaining muscle. So a better solution might be to rely on a different method to determine fitness success. Try measuring inches instead: your waist, arms, thighs, bust, calves, and hips would be more than adequate. But it could be even easier than that. Go shopping, whether it’s to the mall or just through your closet, and pick out an outfit that is one size too small. Let that serve as a stimulus for motivation. Don’t obsess over pounds, rather just focus on fitting into that one outfit.

In a month or two when you are finally able to fasten that top button, know that you have accomplished something, whether or not you weigh less than before.

Other success determiners could simply be an increase in energy- at the end of the day instead of crashing onto the couch, you have some energy left to go for a nice evening walk. Or perhaps you have lengthened endurance- when in the past, walking up three flights of stairs would have left you gasping for air like an asthmatic you can now go up six before the burn sets in. That is success in its own right. So stop stressing about your weight, it’s superficial and irrelevant. Instead, keep your workouts vigorous, your diet healthy, and your attitude positive and I promise that the water will boil.

One Uppin’ It

2008-09-26T10:11:00.003-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman

Public Relations Manager

It’s deadline week. In addition to that stressful time of the month, the Projects & Promotions division of our company has a huge event right around the corner that is keeping me more than busy. Paired with all kinds of commitments and things going on in my personal life, you can imagine my stress levels as of late.

Not surprising my reaction then when I walked into the gym after a long day and Justine says to me, “Today we are going to do a little thing called one uppin’ it.” I had to physically restrain myself from rolling my eyes. “This should be fun,” I sarcastically replied.

We are past the half-way point of our fitness challenge, and Justine has decided we’ve plateaued and really needed to step up our game. At first, I wanted to tell her just where to stick this idea of “one uppin’ it,” but the more I thought about it, she was right! I’ve been slipping on my food journaling and have indulged in a few too many treats over the past two weeks. Also, I’ve been struggling more than normal with my morning workout routine as 4:30 a.m. has come just a bit too soon for my tastes as of late. So, turns out Justine is right. We have hit a plateau, and I’ve definitely started to slack.

So, as she said, we’ve begun a new initiative called “one uppin’ it.” Basically, this means she is stepping up the intensity of our workouts and constantly reminds us through those two hours each week that we need to kick it up a notch.

I literally uttered the words “I hate you” last night as I did my tenth all out sprint down the length of the gym — although I didn’t mean it. My legs may have meant it, though, as I struggle to move properly today.

But the bottom line is that if I didn’t have Justine to push me through these workouts, I wouldn’t challenge myself nearly as much. Everyone needs someone to push him or her through the rough patches and plateaus that undoubtedly happen on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

Who do you lean on for that support? And if you don’t have anyone to lean on, use this blog, and lean on us! We are all excited to share our struggles and triumphs and want to hear yours as well.

So I’m rededicating myself to this process and to “one uppin’ it.” I will leave everything I have in the gym after every workout and will walk away from this challenge a stronger, fitter, happier and healthier person. Thanks Justine for reminding me to “one up it” all the time.

Gearing Up For Fall Fun

2008-09-25T08:01:00.002-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

David Letterman says fall is his “favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the trees.”

Well at least here in Indiana it’s the leaves that change color and fall — the birds wisely fly the heck south.

Recently, I was whining a bit about winter coming. Yep, skipped right over the glorious fall season. During this “pity party,” as my dad calls feeling sorry for oneself, a friend mentioned the Fall Equinox. You know, the first day of fall.

It was Monday, Sept. 22nd. This friend reminded me that fall’s arrival had to do with the earth’s position in relation to the sun — and that we learn this back in grade school.

Had to look it up. Must stay smarter than a fifth grader. The first Web site I came to revealed: “At the autumnal equinox… the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from north to south; this marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.” Huh.

And that means? On that day, the length of day and night are about equal. But also daylight shortens each day — and that’s my concern.

Health-wise, I started thinking about how to keep exercising outdoors while accommodating this change: too dark/cold to ride bike before work. The other morning, hardly anyone was out on the Monon. Go figure.

I’m the kind of person that has to be outdoors year round. Otherwise, it isn’t pretty.

And I already have a hankering for comfort food. It’s like cooler air puts us all in squirrel hibernation mode, constantly foraging. Ahh — meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans, a small slice of homemade apple pie. Keepin’ it real: I work out/eat healthy = an occasional treat.

For six weeks I still have two personal training sessions a week with Adam at Body-N-Motion. He pushes me to work out harder than on my own — but it’s indoors.

I’ll have to get creative to keep my fitness regime moving outside. One year I rode a mountain bike all winter here in Indiana. Who was that woman? Not happening this year.

Strategy 1: Layer warmer clothing while doing something outdoors. Only other strategy I came up with: challenge myself to continue running. It’s quick, and I stay warmer.

Uuuuggghh. As I utter that reaction, in my imagination I see Charlie Brown’s big round head tipped back, displaying his gaping mouth and wiggling uvula (you have to look that up). You may wonder about the connection here: You know, Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin — trying to be fall festive here. It works for me.

That’s my plan to survive the upcoming season of hibernation. That and thoroughly wringing every golden moment from our colorful fall season before the arrival of muted Indiana winter skies.

Time off

2008-09-24T09:08:00.002-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Designer

Okay, I just want to be honest here and tell you my blog this week is going to be short — real short.

We’ve been on deadline here at the magazine, and it has been one of the toughest and most stressful months ever for all of us here. One of the reasons is because Alan, our fabulous graphic designer, got married last weekend and had the nerve to take ALL of last week off to take his new bride on a honeymoon. Imagine that. Just kidding, Alan…Congratulations!!

Another reason is because our amazing associate publisher and sales staff in St. Louis “sold” FIVE special sections this month, which, of course, is fabulous news for the magazine. It’s just that these sections had to be created from scratch, so obviously, it was quite a bit of extra work for all our staff.

Sooo…now we are officially DONE with both magazines — well, sort of, but that’s too long a story to get into. My point is I’m taking a day OFF to “recharge.” And since my appointment at Body-N-Motion today is in less than an hour, this is all I’ve got for you this week!!

I hope YOU all have the opportunity to “recharge” when you need to.

See you next Wednesday!

Having a Ball

2008-09-23T07:24:00.001-05:00

Rebecca Bibbs
Managing Editor

It was the second week of the fitness challenge when Justine Allen, our trainer at Body-N-Motion pulled out a couple of exercise balls. I’d seen the balls themselves advertised on television and on the shelves at stores, but I never really knew how they were used.

Justine had us do a little weight training while supported by the balls. Since then, we’ve used them for a sort of wall sit, for push ups and for leg lifts. Personally, I prefer to use them for core work, especially abdominal crunches, rather than lying flat on the floor.

The subtle movement of the balls works your core — targeting your abs, back, gluteals and leg muscles — as you try to maintain balance, Justine said. They also help with balance, coordination and flexibility, helping your posture as your spine constantly realigns itself.

“I LOVE those balls!” I gushed at my workout partner Lindsay Eichelman the next day.

She then told me those balls are recommended for use while watching television and at a desk instead of a chair, which forces you to work your core all day because the shifting results is a low-key abdominal workout. For better balance, a stand also is available, she added.

That evening, I was online ordering TWO of the burst-resistent balls — one for home and one for work. Lindsay was supportive but laughed, saying people will walk by my desk wondering where I was then seeing me in the “supine” position, lying with my back along the ball. My coworkers do seem to get a kick out of walking by and seeing me bouncing up and down or back and forth.

I’ve got to say, half the exercise must be in BLOWING up those balls. No, I didn’t have to do it with, my mouth like a balloon! The company sent me a pump, but even using foot action, it took me a good 20 minutes to get each filled. And this has to be repeated a couple of times each week as the air slowly seeps out.

At first, I did find that as much fun as it can be, I didn’t want to sit on the ball all day. I sometimes experienced a little pain in my lower back, and from what I’d read, that was to be expected. That first week or so, there usually came a point mid-afternoon that I swapped it out for my regular office chair. Still, the time on the ball is time was well spent and accelerated me toward my fitness goals.

Over time, though, I’ve become used to the ball, and don’t even think about it as I round my desk to sit down.

For those who can’t use an exercise ball, you can use a fit disc, a sort of cushion you can put in a chair that will yield similar results.

The balls are one of many ways those of us with desk jobs can sneak in a little fitness.

Seeing the Results

2008-09-22T08:55:00.002-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

If you recall, I shared with you last week that I reached some sort of crash and burn point – where I sort of wimped out a bit during my training session. I actually had to take a break because my legs were wobbly and I felt close to passing out.

By the time was all said and done, I figured I wasn’t eating like I was supposed to or I wasn’t properly hydrated.

This past week was an entirely different story. During my last group workout session with Adam, it actually felt more like I had worked out for about 40 to 45 minutes instead of the actual hour. Just a couple of weeks ago, it usually felt as if I was working out two hours instead of one. During those excruciating periods, I would look at the clock and swear that it actually was spinning counterclockwise.

Time seemed that slow.

But like I said, this week was different.

I didn’t feel as if I was panting through every exercise. I felt stronger. My body just felt into it. To top it off, I actually was the one that was able to hold my arms up with hand weights the longest when we were doing one of our exercises. That had never happened before. It was a bit exciting.

Anyway, I just wanted to share all that with you to encourage you to keep at it.
I know, I know … we’re the type of people that expect instant results. It’s just part of American culture.

If fast food takes longer than 2 minutes, we’re whining and complaining. The same with just about anything else. Instant downloads on the Internet, microwave dinners, instant information … instant weight loss. “Take a magic pill and watch that felt melt away.”

Trust me … it’s just not going to happen. But you will get results if you stick to your workout routine. Push yourself when you don’t want to take another step. Stick to your diet goals when you’d rather pig out. Keep moving your body when you’d rather veg out.

Those little milestones you notice – like your body feeling and getting stronger – will provide the momentum to keep you going.

If it happened for me, it definitely will happen for you.

See ya!

Micro Bursts

2008-09-21T11:23:00.001-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Boyd-N-Motion

High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT… maybe some of you have heard of it. And maybe some of you have used this type of training without even realizing it. It replaces your 30-40 minute typical aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging, with a quicker and more effective routine instead. It can play a part in supercharging your physical fitness by boosting your basal metabolic rate (bmr) and helping to burn off extra fat.
Although it has a long, fancy name, it really is easy. First off, you need to find your weapon of choice. You have a lot of flexibility in deciding, so just choose what you are comfortable with- a treadmill, the elliptical, a bike, jump rope… almost anything will do. Then you need to spend about five or so minutes warming up gradually, letting your joints loosen up and getting your heart rate slightly elevated. Then the intervals begin. For example, a workout might consist of a 30second/90 second series. What this means is that for 30 seconds, you are going to exercise at a high intensity, as hard as you can manage to go. Then followed by 90 seconds of a steady, moderate pace. You complete this series between 8-15 times. Simple, right?
Now this is obviously not formulaic. It does not have to be a 30/90 series. Maybe you prefer running for one minute then walking for two. Or you might say to yourself, I am going to sprint to that tree up ahead and then walk to that sign… Anything to keep your body guessing. Now although it sounds easy, truth be told, it’s not. It provides for an intense, few minutes.

Maybe you are feeling skeptical and wondering how fifteen minutes could ever be both more effective and more efficient. Now I am not trying to say long duration activities the 30-60 minute consistent pace workouts are bad for you on the contrary, they should be incorporated into your fitness routines. However, they cannot be the stable of your fitness routines our bodies both know and understand what fuels we need to perform certain tasks. When we do long duration activities at a constant pace the body does burn fat but it takes much less caloric expenditure to do this type of work! Also if we tell our body to do this over and over it will make more of the fuel it needs to do what you ask, which is fat. So by shocking your body with the sprint type workouts your body knows it needs sugar. Therefore, instead of converting the sugars we eat into fat for fuel your body stores it in the muscle for your next sprint instead. The big benefits of this type of training are:

1. Burn more calories by elevating your metabolism causing you to burn fat faster
2. Increase your power
3. Increase your speed
4. Increase your endurance

Many studies have shown that with this type of training, people burn up to nine times more fat than with traditional steady pace long duration training. I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of burning more fat and doing less work.
Now, about the challenge, as I see it, these past few weeks our participants have hit a wall so to speak. We’re reaching the plateau point. There has been a combination of work and other outside distractions that have caused them to miss workouts and lose some focus. Of course this happens from time to time in real life. I have faith that this trend is not going to continue. Guys, we are going to be riding them hard and helping them to refocus on the job at hand- living life to the fullest and being as healthy as possible. Setting an example for all of you following along to aspire to send them some encouragement and cheer them on let’s make the second half of this challenge even better than the first. Let Go Team Indianapolis Women!

Good Excuse?

2008-09-20T10:27:00.004-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

I've missed two sessions.

The first absence was on deadline week at the magazine and there was just no time to get the work out in.

Second time, however is a much more interesting story.

On my way to an appointment in Greenfield I had quite the little adventure. I printed mapquest directions from my house to the meeting, the directions were where it all started. They took me all the way downtown on I-70 West. By the time I figured it out, it was 10 minutes until my appointment was supposed to begin.

I got off downtown and made my turn around, getting onto I-70 East.

I wasn't exactly obeying speed limits, but I was making good time and it looked like I might make it on time. Thinking that was my first mistake... I passed the Mt. Vernon exit, 10 miles until Greenfield! Now is a good time to mention, my gas light had been on since I left home.

I make it about 2 miles past the Mt. Vernon exit and then it happens... for those who've never ran out of gas while driving, all the needles in your speedometer display droop down and your power steering goes away. It's really not very exciting.

I pull off to the side and call a friend for help, he brings me ONE GALLON of gas and leaves. I put the gas in the car and it still won't start. Then I got out to try and readjust the position of the car and lock my keys in it!

Now I'm on I-70 with no phone (in the car), no keys, no gas and one credit card. I have to start walking. About thirty minutes down I-70, a State Trooper stops and picks me up. He couldn't get me into my car, but he did give me a ride to town. Three hours later I met the AAA guy at my car and finally got back on the road.

What did I learn from this? Print good directions, one-gallon is not enough gas to start a car and don't leave home with your gas light on.

Anxiety S.O.S.

2008-09-19T00:21:00.001-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

Worry. Stress. Anxiety. Whatever you want to call it, we all have some of it in our lives. Some of us tend to carry a lot of it — sometimes because of circumstances in our work or personal lives and sometimes because it’s our nature.

I must admit that I’m a worrier by nature. As of late though, I’ve been carrying an extra amount.

Not only is this a problem for my general mental health, it also has wreaked havoc on my attempt at living a healthier and more fit life. When I’m awake, my anxiety reaction is to constantly eat. This stress trigger doesn’t cause me to want to eat all of my fruits and veggies, but instead good comfort food and things that are not good for me.

In addition to this problem when I have any down time, all I want to do is sleep. When my anxiety level is high and the alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., I’m much more likely to hit snooze and sleep in than to actually go to the gym. Same deal with my workouts at Body-N-Motion. I’ve been finding myself dreading going over there the past week or so.

The truth is when anxiety gets the best of us, one of the best things we can do, is work out. When I’m stressed or upset, I feel so much better and a great sense of release and relief after a hard workout. But why then is my reaction to eat and sleep rather than go to the gym — especially when I know it will make me feel better? Not only is anxiety rough on our physical and mental health, but it seems to have the ability to sabotage even the best made fitness plan.

This is a great struggle for me, and I know it affects many others. So tell me, how do you deal with the anxiety S.O.S?

Refuel for a healthier you

2008-09-18T08:59:00.002-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Think about it - Once in a while it really hits people that they don't have to experience the world in the way they have been told to. - Alan Keightley

Have you ever come to the end of a week feeling totally exhausted? I do — not often — but when I do, I have learned to be much kinder to myself. A little bit of extra TLC is what I need.

Last week, work deadlines, doubling up workload and coming back to work after my daughter’s beautiful wedding celebration took their toll on me. I did not have one ounce more to give. So I chose to take care of me — I thought about what I could do to “refuel.”

For starters, I decided I needed alone time. I didn’t answer my phone. I stayed home Friday after work. Friday night became home spa time. I lit a lavender-scented candle, drew a hot bath embellished with lavender salts — soothing to the nerves, I’m told — and poured myself a glass of Pinot Noir to sip as I slipped into relaxation mode. The invigorating smell of the Citrus Bath Salt Scrub I picked up at Trader Joe’s helped to slough off the prior days’ cares as the aroma blended with the soothing lavender scent rising from the warm bath water.

I didn’t even allow myself to think about what I would do all weekend. I didn’t have one set planned activity. YES! Upon waking in the morning, I would see what I actually wanted to do.

Saturday morning, I woke up immediately with one thought: Paint. I’m going to paint my living room and spare bedroom. Yikes! That bedroom is FULL of junk. Yep, I’m going to add some beauty to my life. Being creative and still fairly mindless — painting is perfect.

A quick visit to Lowe’s, and I was in business. It yielded the results I looked for. Five huge bags of trash later, my living space was rid of unnecessary “stuff.” And I’d given new life to my abode. The burnished gold paint lent a warm glow to my living room, and the java-flavored bedroom is cool and creamy looking.

It ended up being a two-day project — and the spare room still needs finish work — but the attentiveness it took to paint neatly and methodically worked its charm. It’s always good for me to do something domestic that lends a new order to my life — when I CHOOSE to do it. I felt accomplished and relaxed as I stepped back to enjoy the new mood the color imbued to my surroundings.

Usually, I work out on Saturday, and I was feeling a tad guilty about choosing NOT to work out. But I feel certain that even my personal trainer at Body-N-Motion would agree to allow your self well-earned downtime — so long as I got back to the gym the next week. And it turned out that painting was a workout of sorts. Found there are always new muscles that my usual workout routines momentarily overlook.

Then cabin fever set in. I really did need some sort of healthy movement to polish off the last layer of tension from the previous weeks. I decided to round out my escape from the “urgency of daily duties, etc.” with one of my favorite de-stressing activities — a leisurely bike ride on the Monon.

It was fantastic. The gentle breeze wafted through the clear, fall-feeling air as golden finches and cardinals flitted by. Cruising by my fellow bikers, joggers and walkers, everyone seemed to smile and nod in agreement that it is a good thing to take time to do the things that refuel your mind, body and spirit.
Here’s to finding ways to give yourself the same gift. Love yourself enough to take time to get what you need to refuel to be a balanced, healthier person. Enjoy your self as you move on down your unique life path.

The “Negative” effect

2008-09-17T08:40:00.002-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Designer

I’ve talked about that second day trainer burn before and how much — as crazy as it may sound — I love the painful muscle soreness after a tough workout. It tells me I’m getting results. Without that soreness, I feel like “What’s the point?” My trainer knows this all too well. Every one-on-one session we have, Adam knows that if whatever weight we use on the machines doesn’t make me “grunt,” then it’s not enough to make me sore, so we add more weight. (Yeah, I grunt. Sometimes I don’t even know it ‘til I catch Adam laughing at me.)

OK, so last week was a busy week for me. I went to St. Louis on Tuesday for work and then there were my birthday festivities that — of course — I couldn’t miss. So… I had to miss both of our group workouts! But it just couldn’t be helped… Hello? I turned 4-0.

So, Wednesday I did my one-on-one lower body workout, and it was great. Yes, my legs were sore on Friday. Then I was SUPPOSED to do my upper body workout on Friday, but my parents came to town, so I postponed it ‘til Saturday.

Saturday — oh my, Saturday — Adam had no mercy on me. He decided it was a good day for “negatives.” A negative is when you use a much heavier weight than you would normally use and instead of “lifting” the weight, Adam would “lift” if for me and I would try like crazy to hold the weight up and bring it down slooowly. Trust me, it’s hard.

I think Adam wanted me to “make up” for my lost workouts. Wasn’t that sweet of him? Granted, I was totally up for the challenge. After all, I’ve done negatives before on lower body once, and I remember it was the hardest workout I’ve ever done, and I was more sore than ever before. So, I did what seemed like a ton of different negatives at several stations, and I thought I was going to die.

By the end of the work out, I could barely lift my arms. It was crazy. I told Adam I was going out for drinks that night with friends for my birthday, and I’d better be able to lift my glass without spilling my drinks!

My arms BARELY worked for four days — seriously. It was the most extreme upper body workout I’ve ever done. If you want a SERIOUS workout, try negatives; you’ll definitely feel the results.

And about that night: I think I did end up spilling a drink or two, but I don’t think it was because of my workout — I think it was because of the tequila.

2008-09-16T08:43:00.001-05:00

Rebecca Bibbs
Managing Editor

It’s the week before the fitness challenge starts. IW artistic director Dan Kraner gently pulls the plastic wrap from a lemon blueberry sour cake he brought in to share just for the heck of it. Naturally, I slice a piece off for myself.

A week later — knowing we started working out with our personal trainers at Body-N-Motion the day before — he walks from office to office, distributing lemon cupcakes. I accept the cupcake but substitute it for the bowl of cereal I normally would eat. I also have a banana and a glass of milk with it. By the way, Mike White, owner of Body-N-Motion didn’t give me too hard a time for this because I took the sugar in the morning when I had the rest of the day to work it off.

A week after that, my fitness teammate, John, walks through the office offering a tray laden with enormous muffins and cookies. I’ll admit I went for a chocolate chip cookie — and I’m not even a cookie-eatin’ kind of gal. What was I thinking? It’s one thing to fall off the wagon, but it didn’t have to be so hard. I could have taken HALF a cookie.

I’ll bet a lot of people have workplaces like ours where the temptations of special treats conspire against you. If it’s not cakes brought for birthdays or donuts bought because it’s Friday, it’s snacks — usually not from the healthy end of the scale — provided for meetings. And let’s not even talk about the evil vending machines for those moments of weakness or days when you just can’t make it out of the office for lunch.

And that’s a matter unto itself. For many of us, lunch becomes the time we bond with our coworkers or catch up with our friends. For those of us who are too busy for a formal lunch, a stop by the drive-through at Wendy’s — where we don’t order a salad — often is on the schedule.

Food is a way we show we care in this culture. It’s something we enjoy sharing. Therefore, as recipients of our coworkers’ generosity, we often feel compelled to accept the offered morsels. Sometimes, food is offered precisely to lure employees into meetings they otherwise might be tempted to skip.

Some workplaces have become a little more savvy about this issue. When I worked for Indianapolis Public Schools, we had monthly Administrative Council meetings where cookies and sodas were served. By the time I left there nearly three years ago, the tide had shifted so that in addition to these items, fruit and veggie trays and bottled water also were offered.

Though in my past jobs I often went out for lunch, I haven’t much while working at IW. One thing that helps is having a fairly well-equipped kitchen with a couple of refrigerator/freezers. That allows me to keep milk on hand for my protein drinks; fruit and veggies to snack on; and low-calorie frozen meals for lunch. There’s even a water dispenser that delivers hot water for the green tea I like to drink when it gets chilly.

Gotta Eat

2008-09-15T09:12:00.001-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

Last week, I was beating myself up about all the stuff I’ve been eating. This week, I learned an important and somewhat ironic lesson. I got to eat. I got to make sure I eat.

This point was driven home to me as I realized how close I had come to passing out on the gym floor after an intense workout. After a series of leg exercises on the machines and a strenuous workout on a stationary bike, I found myself feeling a bit wobbly and lightheaded.

Trying not to look like a 98-pound weakling, I tried to push through it, but my head and legs wouldn’t cooperate. My legs were actually wobbling.

Our trainer, Adam, offered me VitaminWater, and then Deb piped up with the kicker question: Shari, did you eat today? I thought about it. “Not much” was my answer. I quickly took a mental inventory of the meals I had eaten that day and they came up woefully short.

It’s a case if feast or famine with me. If I’m not swamped with deadlines or a huge workload, I find myself putting things in my mouth quite frequently. If, however, I’m working like crazy, I’ve been known to skip meals, snacks and trips to the restroom.

It rarely happens, but I have been known to go an entire day without eating if I’m consumed with work.

Well, back to the matters at hand.

Fortunately, the feeling of lightheadedness passed and I was able to get back in step with the rest of my co-workers for the remainder of the workout.

My goal for the next week is to make sure I stock my desk drawers and the kitchen refrigerator with healthy meals and snacks. Deb, Rebecca, Michelle and Lindsay are all good at doing this.

I’m all for following their example.

Who wants to look like a weakling?

Micro Meals

2008-09-14T11:14:00.002-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

WOW, we have reached the half way point in our fitness journey. For those of you who have been following these blogs and are actively incorporating these tips into your daily life, you should be developing positive mental patterns have a wider knowledge of your body’s nutritional needs, recognize daily opportunities to become more active, and possess a motivated mentality. Those of you at home need to realize that you can accomplish your health and fitness goals. Even if you have failed in the past, the let’s get fit challenge should renew your faith that it is possible. So let’s do this people.

One of the biggest myths about getting a flat stomach is that it involves doing lots and lots of abdominal exercises- aka spot toning. Spot toning consists of doing exercises that work a single part of your body in an attempt to lose fat in that particular region. But the thing is, your body does not work that way. If you are constantly doing abdominal exercises and feel like you are not seeing results, it could be simply because that six-pack is hiding underneath a lovely layer of fat. In order to see those toned abs, you must incorporate a combination of cardio, along with healthy eating habits into your daily routine. This will help to increase your metabolism and more or less, burn fat throughout your body, not in one isolated area.

Last week I hinted at the grand idea of micro-meals. I know that you were all probably on the edge of your seats, wanting more information on this concept. Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Micro-meals replace your daily breakfast/lunch/dinner routine. It requires that you instead eat 5 to 6 times daily while making sure that you are consuming appropriate sized portions of the right foods.

Let’s run through a sample day shall we. You wake up at six in the morning. One of the first things you should do is eat breakfast. Your metabolism has been slowed down all night and eating an early breakfast will help to jump start it into gear and provide you with some energy. If you neglect breakfast, your metabolism will slow even further as your body reacts to the hunger. Your first meal should consist of a mix of complex carbohydrates and protein; for instance, a cup of whole grain oatmeal with strawberries and two hard boiled eggs. Top it off with a large glass of water. Meals two and three should be similar in quantity and substance- a complex carbohydrate paired with protein. Here is an analogy to explain the emphasis on combining the two, let’s say that you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey gets placed in the oven at 400 degrees, while the dinner-rolls only need to be at 300 degrees. You are feeling crunched for time so you put both of them in together at 400 degrees. What is going to happen to the rolls? They are going to burn up. Your body does the same thing when you pair carbs with protein. The protein takes more effort to digest compared to the carbs. So what happens when they are combined is as they are being digested, the carbs are quickly burned up and your body is left working on the protein which is not easily stored as fat.

Your final three meals of the day should contain food that is high in fiber paired, again, with some sort of protein. For example, 4-6 oz of chicken cut into cubes along with 2 pieces of broccoli, two spoonfuls of beans and of course a big glass of water. Or, one small cup of cottage cheese with a peach and water. Fiber helps to clean your body out and it takes longer for your body to digest which leaves you feeling fuller longer. Also, it can help your body from turning those extra calories you consumer throughout the day into fat and instead flush them out of your body all together. You should take the time to check out the quality foods list and you can decide for yourself what sounds good, all the while maintaining balance.

Maybe this doesn’t seem like much food at one time, but it is the perfect balance of foods to give your body what it needs to function at its highest level and shut off hunger. You must develop the discipline to walk away hungry and know that what you ate is enough! These meals take little time to eat and will help in speeding up your metabolism. So get out there people and start eating!

If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

MMMy Legs Are A’ Burnin

2008-09-13T09:18:00.003-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

My first blog was all about wall sits, “My first true test during evaluation day”. This week we tried them again. That first week I could barely hang on for 60 seconds; this time one minute was no problem.

We even did multiple sets in a minute intervals and I made it through. I’m pretty psyched about this because I’ve always hated working out my legs.

One day last week I ready to quit. We were doing one of Adam’s crazy leg routines and my legs were on fire. Literally, I felt like I couldn’t take one more step. But I did.

There was no way I could quit with the rest of the group around me, and I knew Mr. Motion wouldn’t let that slide, so I pushed through.

On Thursday we had another tough leg routine. Shari, Deb and I powered through that workout like it was nothing. (Michelle was taking break for her birthday). During our cardio session I volunteered for the stair stepper, all the bikes we taken so someone had to do it.

I climbed 59 floors in 5 minutes, so much for hating leg workouts. Body-N-Motion is doing a great job with this training. I feel great every time I walk out of that gym. Even when I’m unmotivated or feeling sick, I go to my workout at Body-N-Motion and I feel so much better.

A specific, thorough routine from these guys (and girls, Justine) can really make your body feel better. The results are real; they have a great understanding of each individual’s needs.

Thanks to Adam & Body-N-Motion.

Keeping It In Moderation

2008-09-12T08:28:00.003-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

I’m addicted to food. There I said it.

But in all honesty, I love it! Everything about it, actually. I love that food brings people together. I love that it’s usually involved in fun social settings. I love the way it seems to fill a vacant spot in me when I’m sad or angry. I love the busyness of it when I’m bored. I love the togetherness it creates when people cook a good meal together. I love the experiment of trying new kinds of food, new restaurants, new recipes. I LOVE it all!

Except, of course, how it makes me feel when I overindulge.

I’m a big believer that you should be “allowed” to eat anything — as long as you do it in moderation. In fact, if I feel like I’m cutting myself off from whole food groups or some of my favorite items, I’m about 10 times as likely to be led astray.

In reality, everything IS fine in moderation. My trouble is the whole moderation factor.

Now don’t get me wrong, my diet is not at all terrible. In fact, I’m fairly certain I’ve gotten a gold star or two since we started this process on my diet logs. But when I fall off the wagon, I fall hard.

When I started this challenge I toyed with the idea of fibbing — just a small bit on my first diet log. It was the end of a long week and I thought about simply stating that I had a glass or two of red wine on Friday evening. In reality — let’s be honest — I drank the whole bottle.

I finally settled on the fact that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it correctly. The entire bottle made it’s way onto my log. The team at Body-N-Motion applauded me for my honesty but encouraged me to, you know, perhaps partake in the wine with a little bit of moderation.

The following weekend I drank only half a bottle. Yay for me! But soon enough, I was tempted again, and even with the best of intentions, I couldn’t keep it under control.

So why do I do this? Sometimes I think I know the answer, and other times I baffle even myself. I know I’m an emotional eater. I also know I tend to overindulge when I feel like something is a “special” occasion. But why when I’ve made a commitment can I not contain myself to my own philosophy of everything can happen in moderation?

I know I will continue to struggle with my tumbles off the wagon that seem to land me in zero moderation world. For those of you out there who love their food, how do you deal with keeping it all in moderation?

Take Time to Give Your Self What You Need - Refuel for a healthier you

2008-09-11T09:49:00.003-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Think about it - Once in a while it really hits people that they don't have to experience the world in the way they have been told to. - Alan Keightley

Have you ever come to the end of a week feeling totally exhausted? I do – not often – but when I do, I have learned to be much kinder to myself. A little bit of extra TLC is what I need. Last week, work deadlines, doubling up workload and coming back to work after my daughter’s beautiful wedding celebration had taken its toll on me. I did not have 1 ounce more to give. So I chose to take care of me – I started thinking about what I could do to “refuel”.

For starters, I decided I needed alone time. I didn’t answer my phone. I stayed home Friday after work.

Friday night became home spa time. I lit a lavender scented candle, drew a hot bath embellished with lavender salts (soothing to nerves – I’m told) and poured myself a glass of Pinot Noir to sip as I slipped into relaxation mode. The invigorating smell of the Citrus Bath Salt Scrub I picked up at Trader Joe’s helped to slough off the priors days’ cares as the aroma blended with the soothing lavender scent rising from the warm bath water.

I didn’t even allow myself to think about what I would do all weekend. I didn’t have 1 set planned activity. YES! Upon waking in the morning, I would see what I actually wanted to do.

Saturday morning I woke up immediately with one thought, ‘paint…I’m going to paint my living room and spare bedroom…yikes…that bedroom is FULL of junk. Yep – I’m going to add some beauty to my life. Being creative and still fairly mindless – painting is perfect.’

A quick visit to Lowe’s and I was in business. It yielded the results I was looking for. Five huge bags of trash later – my living space was rid of unnecessary “stuff”. And, I’d given new life to my abode. The burnished gold paint lent a warm glow to my living room and the java flavored bedroom is cool and creamy looking.

It ended up being a 2 day project…and the spare room still needs finish work...but the attentiveness it took to paint neatly and methodically worked its charm. It’s always good for me to do something domestic that lends a new order to my life – when I CHOOSE to do it. I felt accomplished and relaxed as I stepped back to enjoy the new mood the color imbued to my surroundings.

Usually I work out on Saturday – and I was feeling a tad guilty about choosing NOT to work out. But I feel certain that even my personal trainer at Body-N-Motion would agree to allow your self well earned downtime – so long as I got back to the gym the next week. And, it turned out that painting was a workout of sorts. Found there are always new muscles that my usual workout routines momentarily overlook.

Then cabin fever set in – I really did need some sort of healthy movement to polish off the last layer of tension from the previous weeks. I decided to round out my escape from the “urgency of daily duties, etc.” with one of my favorite de-stressing activities – a leisurely bike ride on the Monon.

It was fantastic. The gentle breeze wafted through the clear, fall-feeling air as golden finches and cardinals flitted by. Cruising by my fellow bikers, joggers and walkers, everyone seemed to be smiling and nodding in agreement – it is a good thing to take time to do the things that refuel your mind, body and spirit.

Here’s to finding ways to give yourself the same gift – love yourself enough to take time to get what you need to refuel to be a balanced, healthier person. Enjoy your self as you move on down your unique life path.

40 years young

2008-09-10T12:59:00.002-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Designer

This is my last day as a “thirty-something.” Tomorrow I turn 40. Me — 40? I think that’s crazy!

I definitely don’t feel like a 40-year-old. But then again, what does a 40 year old feel like? I guess he/she feels like me, and I feel young! It’s funny; when you’re a kid, you think 40 is ancient. When you’re 40 you don’t think ANYone’s ancient because you know you’re headed in that direction soon enough. You just hope it doesn’t come TOO soon.

Well, I feel pretty good at 39. Like I’ve said before, I’m in better shape now than I was in my 20s — thanks to da boys at Body-N-Motion! I think I look better, I feel better AND I know a lot more than I did back then — or at least I think I do.

Granted, I spend a fortune on anti-aging products, which I wish I would have started using in my 20s but didn’t. I spend a fortune getting my hair highlighted at the salon every few weeks. And I spend lots of time — and money — having a personal trainer and working out four days a week, not to mention running on weekends. But is it worth it? Absolutely.

I think that’s what this fitness challenge is all about: making that effort and doing whatever it takes to feel good about ourselves. It doesn’t matter how old we are or how much we spend. What’s important is taking care of ourselves and liking that person we see in the mirror.

So, when I go out with my friends for my birthday, I’m not going to be “bummed” about turning 40. I’ll just be celebrating! Some of them already have ventured into that age bracket themselves, and I’d say I’ll be in pretty good company. And for those of you who haven’t yet, your day will soon come, too. And I’ll bet when it does, you’re going to be thinking 40 seems pretty darned young, too.

They say 40 is the new 30, don’t they? I’ll toast to that!

Cheers, everyone!

Reaping the Rewards

2008-09-09T09:17:00.003-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

My nephew Christopher was the first to notice.

“Tante Becca,” he said, “I can tell you’re losing weight already.” It was only a couple of weeks since I’d started my walking routine, but apparently, the results already were starting to show.

Dan Kraner, our art director, evidently believed I looked different as he eyed me through the lens of a camera to photograph us as we worked out at Body-N-Motion a couple of weeks after the “Let’s Get Fit” challenge started. My ever-critical mother even remarked that I once again had a chin — I presume as opposed to the three or four I had before. And on Aug. 25 alone, three of my coworkers independently told me they could see I had gotten thinner.

Now, hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t say something to me about my “weight loss.” To me, it’s pretty significant when the people I’m around every day notice.

Aug. 20 marked one month since I started my daily walking regimen (I missed only three days, but I logged nearly twice as many hours as my initial goal), and truth be told, I hadn’t lost much more than the 10 pounds after the first week. But Mike White, owner of Body-N-Motion, already had warned us our bodies may give us an initial boost by dropping a few pounds, but after that, we’d have to work hard.

I’m burning fat through the daily walking and developing muscle through my twice-a-week fitness training, but in most instances, that doesn’t translate into drops on the scale. Mike says the muscle actually contains more mass, so I may look thinner but weigh the same.

“Weight loss,” he says, “is the reward of consistency, time and duration.”
There have been some minor rewards, though, after seven weeks of walking and five weeks of fitness training. For instance, I’ve lost four inches on my waist, the only measure I’m really watching with any accuracy. My breasts now stick out further than my stomach — a pleasant turn of events for my figure.

And I’m embarrassed to admit I could do a wall sit for only 16 seconds when my trainer Justine Allen did our baseline measurements, but within a month, I’ve been able to almost double that time (Hey, I’m 44 years old and haven’t done much strength training).

In addition, some of my clothing definitely is fitting looser, especially my pants. A few years ago, I lost such a significant amount of weight my pants couldn’t stay up, even when zipped and snapped shut. When I was at home, I’d sometimes just let them slip down to my ankles and step out of them as I walked across my bedroom. I’m looking forward to being able to that with the pants I’m wearing now.

I still have a long way to go, but it’s gratifying to see the spectacular results yielded by about 90 hours of walking and eight hours with my personal trainer. Not a bad return on my investment.

A Little Black Dress

2008-09-08T09:46:00.003-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

It’s become painfully obvious that I’m in need of a new goal. Something to push for, otherwise I’m not going to push myself. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was religiously running four days a week — in addition to my personal training — to prepare for the triathlon at Eagle Creek Park.

Now that it’s over, guess what? I haven’t been running. Not good.

I really don’t feel like I have to run, but I do need to do something, like give my heart a workout on the treadmill or a stair climber on those four days.

Mike or “Mr. Motion,” as we like to call him, gave me a perfect idea to get me back in the competitive spirit.

The other day, while I was at the gym, I mentioned using scales as a method of motivation. You know how we are … if the scales show we’ve lost two or three pounds, we jump up and down, thinking we’re headed in the right direction.

Mr. Motion stopped me in mid-sentence.

It’s not about pounds, he stressed. It’s about the inches. If you’re working out, he says, you’re replacing fat with muscle. And, as we all know, muscle is denser than all that jiggly fat. The scales won’t be an accurate reflection of your progress.

Mr. Motion then advised me to pick out an item of clothing, like an old pair of jeans, I would like to eventually get back into as a way of measuring my progress.

I immediately thought of the perfect measuring tool … a little black dress I bought about two years ago that still has the tags on it. At the time I bought the dress, it was a bit tight. No problem, I thought. I’ll just lose about five pounds and it will fit perfectly.

Unfortunately, my weight headed in the other direction during the past two years.

But, as Mr. Motion advised me, I’m not going to think about pounds anymore.

By the end of this month, I want to have shed enough inches that slipping into that little black dress will be a breeze.

As an extra incentive, I’ll have someone take a photo of me in that black dress and post it here for all of you to see. I can’t believe that I actually just promised that. But talk about motivation … yeah, that definitely gives me plenty of motivation.

Now it’s time to hit that treadmill.

See ya next week …

2008-09-07T12:40:00.006-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

Week five and it appears that we are well on our way to a happier and healthier life. Let’s recap… we have definitely talked about the importance of mental clarity; I’ve talked about the minor life style changes you can make to become more active; last week we lightly touched upon the importance of diet, but in general I think I left you hanging. So today, I want to continue on talking about diet-diet-diet.

It is some sort of ancient tradition to eat three meals a day- breakfast, lunch, and dinner; dinner being the largest and most important. Well, I am here today to tell you that in most situations that is not the best eating schedule. Rather, eating several meals throughout the day is a better solution. We have developed the habit of starving ourselves and then when we do eat, we devour! But by providing your body with a constant supply of nutrients and calories, you will be able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels while maintaining your weight. What happens when your body goes for an extended amount of time without food is that it begins to protect itself from potential starvation, thus your metabolism slows down. But, by eating every two or three hours, your body constantly has to break down that food and send it to the right places, keeping your metabolism at work for a longer amount of time. This, over time, can speed up your metabolic rate.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it takes 15-20 minutes for your brain to process the feeling of being full. It’s something to be conscious of during all meals. If you eat till your body tells you that it’s full then chances are, you are overeating, especially if it takes you less than twenty minutes to eat a good sized meal. If you pre-plan your meals ahead of time and have already thought about setting up appropriate portion sizes, you are less likely to overeat. In our western culture today, there is minimal emphasis put on meal time anymore. This is sad and is only contributing to our obesity problem. From now on, make meal time priority. Make sure that you are eating slowly and chewing your food thoroughly. You will find that eating healthy foods often takes longer than eating junk food. Compare the time it takes you to chomp through a bag of Doritos compared to the time it takes you to eat a healthy salad. Not only does the salad take longer to eat, but it also provides a multitude of nutrients and keeps you fuller longer.

Another thing that I am really going to stress to you is the importance of protein. Protein is one of the essential building blocks in the human body. It is made up of amino acids, which play a part in the growth of muscles, internal organs, hair, nails, and blood. Second to water, protein is the most plentiful substance found in the body and it mostly resides in our skeletal muscles. Evidence shows that a diet high in protein can help treat obesity and perhaps even osteoporosis. A good way to determine how much protein you should eat is by first, calculating your body weight in kilograms. This is easy, whatever your weight is in pounds, divide by 2.2. So a 160 pound person would be 72.7 kilograms. Then just take that number and multiply it by .8. So that 160 lb person would need to consume at least 58 grams of protein each day. But, for those who exercise strenuously daily, that number could be too low. Instead try multiplying your weight in kilograms by 1.2 instead. In that case, the active 160lb person would need to consume about 87 grams of protein daily.

The final thing that I am going to talk about today is carbohydrates. There are complex carbs and simple carbs. Both are going to be incorporated into your diets, but let’s distinguish between the two. Simple carbohydrates require little digestion and therefore can act as a quick energy source. Fruits and milk are simple carbohydrates, but so are candy bars and a lot of other sugary junk food. The difference between the junk and the fruit and milk are that with the two latter you are also intaking vitamins and nutrients. Complex carbohydrates require far energy and more digestion time. They are often rich in vitamins, fiber, and iron. They are the best source of energy because they are slowly burned and thus the energy is slowly released. They also help to maintain blood sugar levels. Examples of complex carbs are whole grain wheat products, barley, rice, oatmeal, legumes, and much more. Both are essential elements to a healthy diet. Timing of your foods is of great importance and we will touch on that next week!

Check out the left hand column for the Body-N-Motion Quality foods list and food logs!

If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

Positive Reinforcement - FINALLY

2008-09-04T23:07:00.003-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

I’m the type of person who commits to something then gives it my all. So when I said I wanted this time to be different, I meant it! And I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been working hard!

Every time my alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., while groaning, I remember I’ve made a commitment. That extra hour of sleep is not going to outweigh the guilt I will feel if I don’t get up and get to the gym. I, like Shari blogged about this week, have days where I just DON’T WANT TO DO IT. But I do because I said I would.

However, sometimes that commitment wavers when I’m not getting the positive reinforcement or results that I want. Now don’t get me wrong: I know transitioning to a healthy lifestyle isn’t all about the pounds. In fact, I know I’m really not supposed to be getting on a scale all that often. I also know that being healthy is more about how you feel. I know, I know, I know ALREADY! Just because I know all this stuff doesn’t mean that I don’t like seeing positive results!

I have a secret to confess. I weigh myself every Monday morning. I know I’m not really supposed to be gauging my success by the numbers on the scale, but this is a habit I’ve had for quite some time. Since we’ve started this challenge, the scale has shown me no change. Not even one-tenth of a pound! And boy have I been frustrated!

That is, until I stepped on the scale this week. FINALLY, I got that positive reinforcement I needed! Down 4.4 pounds. Sweet!

This got to me thinking that this conflict of what we know vs. what we want can cause quite a predicament. I want to see a reflection of my hard work when I step on that scale on Monday mornings, and I want to lose weight. But like I said, I know that the numbers on the scale can be deceiving, and I should base my success on my fitness assessments and how I feel day to day. I also know that if the scale doesn’t give me the positive reinforcement I want that I shouldn’t be deterred from my hard work.

So how do you deal with the battle of what you want vs. what you know? And how do you stay patient when you aren’t getting the positive reinforcement that you want? Sometimes, it’s hard to stay the course without it.

I’m sure no one is going to convince me anytime soon to stop stepping on that scale on Monday mornings. Hopefully, I will continue to see the benefits of the hard work there.

In addition, though, I’m going to try and gain that positive reinforcement by challenging myself in other ways. Perhaps that challenge will come by seeing whether I can do a longer wall-sit than before or by spending an extra half hour in the gym a few mornings a week — whatever it takes to challenge myself and see a positive result. In addition, the mental challenge continues. I will try to keep my perspective and remember this change will not happen overnight. Patience — though I have little of it — is a virtue, they say.

The positive reinforcement is out there! Just remember it may be packaged differently than you expected.

Savor the moment(s)

2008-09-04T08:17:00.006-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Each day is a pearl that when strung together creates the beauty of our lives

This last weekend a priceless chapter was added to my family history – my beautiful and lovely daughter was married to a handsome, good man. It was fantastic – under the clear blue summer’s sky, smiling faces, hugs and love, added to the beauty of a true celebration.

Dancing away the evening as the breeze swayed Japanese lanterns overhead was so much FUN. Seeing everyone - bride, groom, wedding party, friends, my son & daughter, new son-in-law, sisters and brother – ‘old’ and ‘new’ family members – even my brother-in-law who hardly EVER dances, move to the rhythm of the music was energizing…it was perfect to feel all the joy and love surrounding us all.

The whole time is still playing out and finding its place in my heart and mind.

Anyone who had seen his or her first child married knows that a whole whirlwind of activities, emotions and once-in-a-lifetime memories are experienced at this momentous time in your life.

Trying to keep even keeled, handling all the details, plans and emotional roller coaster feelings that ran through my mind was greatly helped by a focus on staying healthy.

We immediately think of exercise and diet to stay balanced. But these last months made me realize that true health just starts with those things.

My personal training sessions with Adam, not only got me into shape to wear the fitted navy silk dress I had made for my debut as the mother of the bride – they also erased the stress of busy days. And, feeling beautiful AND comfy in my dress was important to me – I wanted to make my daughter proud and be ready to totally celebrate and party with everyone.

Another aspect of being ready for our big day was the love and support of my family, friends and colleagues. When I needed someone to listen, give me advice or keep me company, special people were there for me. It was their presence in my life that delivered me to the doors of the church ready to relax and be in the moment as my son walked me down the aisle to see my baby get married.

After months of anticipation, as I got dressed for the ceremony, I saw myself fully enjoying the unfolding of this unique day in my life – and I did in so many ways.

Here’s to celebrating each day as healthy, fully engaged people. We only have this day to live once – so we have be ready to make the most of it.

A friend of mine recently shared with music by Lisa Stansfield with me. As I listened to her soulful voice, along with George Michael’s in a song called These Are the Days of Our Lives – I was reminded to fully enjoy the “here and now”:

…you can't turn back the clock,
you can't turn back the tide
ain't that a shame? (ain't that a shame?)
I'd like to go back one time on a roller coaster ride
when life was just a game
no use sitting and thinkin' on what you did
when you can lay back and enjoy it through your kids
sometimes it seems like lately I just don't know

better sit back and go-with the flow

'cause these are the days of our lives

Now what?

2008-09-03T09:08:00.002-05:00

Michelle Thompson
Senior Graphic Designer

All summer I “prepared” for last Saturday’s mini-triathlon — mentally and physically. And the triathlon turned out to be everything I thought it would be, and more.

But now that it’s over, what do I do? I think I’ve been experiencing a bit of that “let down” feeling you get after a big event. All week, I’ve been tired, hungry, not feeling well, definitely not as motivated to work out and basically just bummed that it’s the end of the summer already.

At this point, I’m clearly in need of an attitude adjustment.

So then my friend in Maui said to me, ”Sign up for another triathlon NOW, and keep the fire burning!”

Hmm … Good idea. But do I really want to do another one right away???

Why not?

So I go to tuxbro.com and look at the calendar of events. The Go Girl Triathlon is coming up Sept. 6. Yeah, that’s this weekend. It’s another mini-triathlon at Eagle Creek just like the last one — but this one is all female. And Indianapolis Woman is actually a sponsor of that event. I’m going to do it! Adam even said I could borrow his bike. (I’m “retiring” mine — you know that story.)

So then I go back to the event calendar and see what else is going on. There actually are a lot of fun fitness events going on in Indy all year long! Who knew?

There’s more than this, but these are the ones I want to do…

Sept 27: “Turn Up the Volume” — a four-mile run starting and ending at Victory Field. Cool!
Oct. 4: “Monster Mash Dash” — a five-mile run at Eagle Creek. I think you dress up even. How crazy is that?
Nov. 8: “Outback Scramble” — a wacky five-mile cross-country run. That sounds fun.
Dec. 13: “Jingle Bell Run” — a 5K Downtown. Count me IN — with bells on.
Feb. 7: “Bop to the Top — a 37-floor stair climb in the OneAmerica Building. Can you say “Ouch!” Gotta do that one.

So, now I’m excited! I had never even heard of some of these events before, let alone ever thought about DOING them. But this is the new “me.” The “me” I owe to Body-N-Motion for giving me the mental and physical capacity to do things I never thought I would. It’s a pretty awesome feeling knowing you can — and want — to do things that ARE so physically and mentally challenging.

And for those of you who aren’t ready to run, just about all the events on that calendar are actually run/walks — so you could just do the walk and it would be just as fun!

So let’s all get out there! I plan on it, and I think some of my coworkers are with me.

Let’s keep that fire burning!

Get off my back, already

2008-09-02T09:12:00.002-05:00

Rebecca R. Bibbs
Managing Editor

About a month ago, as I went to my mother to cry on her shoulder about the breakup with my boyfriend, she plied me with the usual platitudes: “There will be someone else who is even better.”

However, I didn’t expect what came next: “But you’ll have to lose some of that weight — for your health, I mean,” she said. No, I’m pretty sure that’s NOT what she meant. It was just one more “politically correct” way for her to express displeasure at my weight.

Sadly, I believe that comment wasn’t about me at all. It was about how she feels I reflect on her.

I hate it when people say what they want then back track and act as if they were telling you something for your own good. My friend, Cina, who has struggled with her weight since we met as pre-teens but recently managed to drop more than 70 pounds, once lamented how people loved to tell her she was fat — as if she didn’t own a mirror.

“It’s like if you weigh 270 pounds you don’t know anything,” she says. “But when you drop that 100 pounds down to 170, all of a sudden, everything you say is an epiphany.”

I know exactly what Cina means. In 1997 when I went to visit my high school host family in Germany, my host mother skipped over the usual greetings and went straight for, “Wow, you’ve gotten fat!” Chivalry, however, isn’t dead. Her husband frowned and told his wife — who also didn’t appear to have missed any meals — she had no business saying that to me. Then he turned to me and said I looked as pretty as ever.

The fact is, I know I’m overweight. I’m not in denial about that. And pointing it out to me won’t make me lose the weight any faster. I am in control of my weight, not everyone else. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if some people remain overweight precisely because people comment on it, and they want to show they are in control.

The truth is, fat or skinny, I never had trouble attracting the attention of men. I have other attributes that make up for not having a runway model’s physique: intelligence, wit, eyebrows. (You’d be surprised how many men tell me they’re attracted to me because I still have mine unplucked.)

My first husband, whom I met when I was 17, knew me when I was ultra-thin. As we went through our divorce and he volleyed a number of unkind words my way, the one nice thing he said was I’d become more beautiful with age.

My most recent boyfriend, who met me earlier this year when there was no denying I was overweight, NEVER mentioned it. In fact, he never said anything less than that I was beautiful and desirable. Wherever we were, in fact, he almost always stopped to tell me I was the most beautiful woman in the room. And I don’t necessarily think he’s a chubby chaser. But he’s made it clear that he’s not attracted to the heroin chic look either.

The only person who appeared to have a problem with my weight was the one who could have done the most damage to my psyche: my mother. As my body blossomed from the straight boyish lines of a pre-teen into the curves of a woman, my Dutch mother worried about my ballooning behind, a genetic gift from my African ancestors.

And the day my mother made that comment about my weight, she overlooked one very important fact: I’d walked to her house instead of driven.

Cheesecake, Cupcakes and Stuff

2008-09-01T09:37:00.003-05:00

Shari Finnell
Editor in Chief

All this working out is making me hungry. Really hungry.

During the past week, I’ve consumed stuff that should never be on the plate of someone claiming to be in a fitness challenge.

Just the other day — in the midst of deadlines — I walked into the kitchen at work to get a glass of water and inspect the chocolate cupcakes that one of our co-workers had brought into the office.

I just wanted to take a look, mind you.

Within a matter of 10 minutes, several things happened. I decided to take a seat with two of my co-workers who were taking a lunch break. Before I knew it, one of my co-workers handed me a bag of Ruffles potato chips — just after I finished licking chocolate off my fingers. (Wouldn’t you know it? One of those chocolate cupcakes had managed to make it into my diet).

Did I say, “No, thanks” to the bag of chips? Nope. I ate the Ruffles.

Apparently, my co-worker saw the look of guilt on my face because he handed me a Clementine to help balance things out.

The next morning, another coworker offered half a Danish with a creamy center to split it with me. (I won’t name names, but she’s in this fitness challenge too). “I already had breakfast,” I weakly protested.

“So did I,” she said, pulling out a knife to cut the thing in half.

I didn’t say another word. I grabbed my half and before you could say “Danish,” it was nearly finished.

During a recent lunch, I fared better. I decided to go to The Cheesecake Factory in Greenwood, which is a dangerous place for me since cheesecake happens to be my favorite dessert.

Luckily, I was with another co-worker who is participating in the fitness challenge. She ordered something healthy off the menu. Not one to be outdone, I ordered the Thai Lettuce Wraps. As tempted as I was to order cheesecake for dessert, I resisted. In the back of my mind though, I was thinking, why bother going to a cheesecake factory if you’re not going to eat cheesecake?

The past week has taught me a few lessons, not necessarily in this order:

> If I’m hungry, I’ll eat just about anything. The solution, for me, is to eat healthy throughout the day to avoid that temptation.

> I can avoid cheesecake if I’m the company of someone who is trying to exhibit some self-control as well.

> I need to steer clear of all the love demonstrated by my co-workers who want to share their goodies.

> I need to stick to the advice of the guys over at Body-N-Motion. Eat six small healthy meals a day to give my body the fuel it needs.

Let’s see how next week pans out. Please, don’t let me near any cupcakes or cheesecake.

One reason why I care!

2008-08-31T06:05:00.004-05:00

Mike White
Owner, Body-N-Motion

People often ask what drives my passion to help people so much. I have been hesitant to share these things with all of you, but for some personal mental clarity, I think it’s time.

As I stated in my personal story, I struggled with my weight throughout childhood. My mom was an old-school cook. Dinner always consisted of cooked meat, potatoes, along with lots of butter, fats and creams. To this day, her diet consists of much of the same foods.

She is a nurse and is truly one of the hardest working people I have ever met. She takes care of an entire office from dawn till dusk. However, she has neglected to take care of herself. I beg her — often with tears — to take care of herself so she can live a long and healthy life, but she is just so stubborn. It is the same excuse day in and day out: “I don’t have time,” “There is nothing you can do for me” and “I am too old.”

My mother began her life with a major disadvantage. She was born with a lung disease that caused her to have most of one of her lungs removed. Regardless, all the stories I have been told from her past would make it seem like she never had any problems. She was 6 feet tall, could run like the wind and even dunk a basketball — a very impressive woman to say the least.

Along came three sons, a career, and soon, a very rapid decline in health. And now, at ONLY 60 years old, she is on oxygen and can hardly walk from the car into a restaurant to eat with her beloved grandkids.

I truly believe I am a motivated, professional personal trainer. How then, could I not get my own family members to change their ways?

It breaks my heart because my mother has waited her whole life for a granddaughter to spoil. Now her excuses from the past really are valid. The things it would take to give her the high quality of life she deserves probably would kill her at this point. She is on every medicine under the sun just to make it through the day.

I know this will haunt me and I sometimes feel as though I may never be able to fully forgive myself.

I suppose in carrying on a profession as a personal trainer, I hope to give each of my clients what I feel like I could not give even to my own mother. I cannot help but feel some resentment toward her for not supporting me and not allowing me to help her. But today, I want to let that resentment go. I need the mental clarity that only forgiveness can bring, so I have to just say MOM I FORGIVE YOU. Through all the tears and hardships I will always love you.

I am still going to ride you constantly to try and keep you from eating all that fatty food and drinking all of those Pepsis. My mission is to try to help all of you from experiencing the pain of watching someone you love — or perhaps yourself — slowly killing themselves by not caring for their bodies.

OK, so now that I have achieved that mental clarity, let’s start talking about you all. It’s time to take the next step in this journey. No more excuses! You all are capable of being healthy and happy. Hopefully, each of you has begun to follow the baby steps routine by taking the stairs or adding walking to your daily routine.

So today, let’s talk diet. Over my 20 years of training, I have found a few fundamental truths about people regarding diet and exercise: People often lie, to themselves and others. We underestimate how many calories we consume, while overestimating how many we burn each day.

Let’s face facts: It is easy to eat. It’s so comforting when we are stressed; it is something to do when you’re bored; it is entertaining; it has become a staple in almost all gatherings, whether it is a birthday party, holidays even a funeral. We love to eat. The problem is we are a nation of sugar and fat addicts. Each day we go looking for the fix.

What I have done — and suggest that you do — is keep a dietary log of what you eat every day. That way, you can evaluate what you eat, when you eat and the emotional state you were in at the time. You can even print a copy of this log online at www.indianapoliswoman.com.

So start today by looking at your diet, and next week, we will give you information on foods to help you make more informed choices. Also, check out a few of these Web sites that provide some great dietary information:

www.projectswole.com

www.hsph.harvard.edu

If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

The Race

2008-08-30T22:23:00.002-05:00

John Weiss
New Media Manager

Last weekend I competed in the first leg of a team sprint triatholon.

I was blown away by the physical conditioning of the competitors. The diversity of people was amazing. Everyone from the typically small, skin and bones cross-country runner, to the 6-foot 5-inch NFL lineman, it was a unique event to see those different people competing in the same event.

For my part I, had a 500-meter swim. If you missed last week’s news segment, Eagle Creek had a blue-green algae bloom the morning before the race. Park officials warned swimmers it might be bad for the skin; I swam regardless. I figured if I can play in the mud, I can swim in algae.

The morning I woke up for the race, I barely could open my eyes. I managed to pry them open enough to get in my car and drive out to the park. After about an hour, I met up with my race team, Shari and Deb. I also saw our trainer from Body-N-Motion, Adam, getting ready for his big race. Michelle and Adam did the whole race; Shari, Deb and I split it into a team event. Swimming was first in the order of events, followed by Deb’s 15-mile bike ride then Shari’s three-mile run.

The way they organized the massive crowd of swimmers was pretty smart. Each group of contestants wore differently colored swim caps. Younger guys, older guys and younger girls, older, fat tire division and finally the teams swam last, with PINK! swim caps. I was told after the race my pink cap was a good color for me.

So the race began: About 600 bodies in a small section of lake, each racing against the clock and the person next to them, water so brown you couldn’t see your own hands and 500 meters of open water to race.

I trained for a week before the competition. I should’ve trained longer. I didn’t anticipate the amount of energy it takes to swim in an open water race. Each time I got in a rhythm, I ran into another swimmer. Then I slowed down, moved to the side and sped up to pass them. That completely wore me out! There is a big difference between swimming laps in a pool and swimming an open water race.

Despite my struggle, my finish time for the swimming leg was in the top 20 percent. My goal next year is to be in the top 10 percent.

Next year, I’m going to do the whole thing. Most people were in better shape than I was, but there were plenty of competitors who weren’t. I know anyone can do it if he or she puts his or her mind to it. So I am planning to put my mind to the task and compete in the entire race next summer, and I can’t wait to get started!

If you have any comments of stories of you own please share them by posting a comment or email me at jweiss@weisscomm.com.

Turning Can’t Into Can

2008-08-29T00:22:00.002-05:00

Lindsay Eichelman
Public Relations Manager

So I was mad when I left the gym last night. Like angry. And the worst part was I was mad at myself.

I found out the hard way that while our bodies are capable of a lot, sometimes there are things we physically just CAN’T do. There were two specific exercises at the gym last night that I literally couldn’t do: pull-ups and incline sit-ups with my hands across my chest. While normally this would have just been something I “got out of,” this time it really upset me! I actually wanted to be able to do these things, I honestly couldn’t, and it really riled me up.

I told my trainer Justine when I started this challenge that I never wanted her to let me say “I can’t.” She agreed. But turns out sometimes there are things you physically CAN’T do — at least at the beginning.

Now don’t get me wrong, before this challenge is over I WILL do a pull up and multiple incline sit-ups with my hands across my chest, along with a growing list of small goals I have, like being able to hang upside down on the inversion table without freaking out. It’s awfully humbling to recognize we can only push our bodies so far, and eventually it will push back with the inability to do something.

Justine tells us repeatedly that if we are not doing something the right way with great form we should not even waste our time doing it (she’s pretty smart isn’t she??) I try to remember this every time I do a repetition of anything. By taking a shortcut, the workout sure is easier, but the only person you are cheating in the long run is yourself. I think this idea is what made me so mad when I couldn’t do the two specific exercises.

Though our bodies sometimes let us know loud and clear that we can’t do something, I think the trick is figuring out how to turn that CAN’T into CAN. Though I can’t do a pull-up now, I can hang from the bar with my arms bent to build the muscles needed to do the pull-up. Eventually, I know I’ll be able to do them if I keep turning the “can’t” into a “can” by doing the things needed to get to the goal.

This could be a huge stumbling block! I’m not a patient person, and it’s tough to not let the frustration get the better of me. Turns out that perhaps the old saying might be true: Sometimes being slow and steady does actually win the race.

For now, I’m going to focus on turning my “can’ts” into “cans.” It might happen by leaps and bounds or by baby steps, but the bottom line is it WILL happen. And it seems I’ve gotten my positive attitude back in the process.

How do you turn your “can’ts” into “cans?”

Sprint Triathlon: Went off without a hitch…almost

2008-08-28T09:56:00.005-05:00

Deb Wezensky
Editor of Special Projects

Yahooooo! After weeks of personal training, running (okay jogging) and biking Shari, John and I competed as a coed team, and Michelle as an individual, in the sprint triathlon at Eagle Creek State Park.

I’m not even competitive – but upon arriving at 6:45 a.m. at the staging place for the race the panorama of fit and not so fit athletes started to get to me. Adrenaline starting pumping…thank you coffee. I was ready – my team’s number “tattoed” on my upper arm – my bike numbered too. I had been to the bathroom – ahh, let’s see 2 times. I had fueled up on a banana – supposed to eat light (probably not at all, but I don’t skip a meal).

And, despite a case of nerves – it went off without a hitch. Well… there is this one small blip on the radar.

We were at the waterfront watching John, our swimmer, jump into the sea of yellow, green, blue and pink swim caps. We were at the beach where swimmers would emerge.
And then it dawned on me, our team mate, John would ALSO be racing toward the bikes – and me.

“I’ve gotta go,” I announced. I had been harping on how we had to abide by the rules and be ready for the transitions between the legs of the race. I walked determinedly toward my bike – saw myself leaping onto it and taking off. I was gonna kick butt.

About 10 yards from the bike area, I started scoping out my bike. Yikes – there stood our swimmer, John ALREADY THERE with his hands waving at his sides – at me. I was NOT there. It was kind of like one of those bad dreams – except I was awake and LATE.

Adrenaline now coursed madly to my heart and brain. Thoughts of speed (and safety) were racing around in my mind as I jumped on my bike – I just needed my legs, heart and lungs to keep up. I thought, “I’m going to make up that time if its the last thing…okay not the last thing- it is just a race.” But I was going to fly.

And for me, I did fly - 17 mph – around curves, under the beautiful trees and around a few people. And it was all good. It was wonderful to be a part of something bigger than myself. My two smiling daughters greeted me with hugs. It was a great day.

Good things happen when we step out of our comfort zones. So step out and get in your own “fast lane”. That’s what I plan to do – well some of the time.

Speaking of fast lane - I have my first child getting married in a few days. Yikes - how does that happen so quickly. Let you know how it goes.

Amazing!

2008-08-27T14:05:00.014-05:00

Okay, so I finished the triathlon in 1:25:59. Now that may not sound like THAT great to some of you, but for ME it was awesome. My goal was just to finish. My “secret goal” was to finish under an hour and a half. Hmm…how ‘bout dat

But I almost didn’t even make it there in time to compete. I’ll tell you my embarrassing pre-race story…

So, I’m on my way to Eagle Creek and I’m running a little late, of course — typical me. And I’m really, really nervous. So, right before I get to the park entrance, I follow the cars ahead of me and turn left into a parking lot across the street from the entrance. I’m “thinking” that the park must be pretty full, so people are parking across the street and just riding their bikes in to the park.

So, I take my bike out of my car. I put my front tire on and proceed to pump some air into my back tire that keeps going flat. This whole time, mind you, I’m shaking like a leaf. I get ready to go, and I finally look around and notice that all those cars I followed in are there for some kids’ soccer game! I don’t see any bikes or goggles or swim caps. Yikes! I’m clearly not where I need to be. So, I panic and figure I better go into the park.

I take my front tire off again, put my bike in my car and take off. I go into the park and it is FULL. I had to park a good mile away from where I needed to be. But finally I get parked and open the door to take my bike out, and my front tire is missing! What? OMG…I must have left it across the street!

At this point…I’m thinking I’m going to MISS the race. How embarrassing. So I high tail it out of there — careful not to hit the pedestrians — and go back to find my tire. I get to the parking lot, and I’m looking for it. I don’t see it. Then I hear someone ask, “Are you looking for a bike tire?” “YES! Have you seen it? Is it okay?” Yeah, that’s what I asked. I can’t imagine what they were thinking. Who loses their bike tire and asks how it
is?

I got my tire back on, got my bag full of all my stuff — swim cap, goggles, towel, gum, ankle strap, number — and I took off on my bike to “check in.”Yeah, I just left my car there. I was right the first time.

I get to the “check-in” and thank GOODness, I see Dan and Bill. I was shaking more than ever at this point. They totally helped calm my nerves. They told me where I needed to go and what I needed to do. (Thanks guys.) Then some other guy starts writing my number down the sides of my arms. I look around and I realize this was really happening. I had made it just in time, and it was really about to begin. Gulp.

I get down to the beach with the rest of the yellow caps (women 30+) and wait for our wave to go. All I could think was Am I really ready for this? I’m not going to be done for at LEAST an hour and a half! Then it was time.

The thing that surprised me most about the swim was how CROWDED it was. I was constantly kicking people and getting kicked. But I finished in 14:14. Not terrible.

Then the transition to bike. I ran up the hill looking for my bike. Run over, wipe feet on towel, put socks and shoes on — glasses, helmet, number belt, gum. Then I was off! The only thing I would have changed about this whole triathlon experience is my bike. All I’m going to say is there’s a REASON why people spend $1200+ on a good Road Bike instead of paying just $75 on a used hybrid like I did. Now I know. Enough said. Time: 39:12.

Last leg was the run. The hardest part of the whole triathlon was running up that first huge hill. When you get off your bike, your legs don’t work very well. But once I got over the “hump,” I felt pretty good. That’s not true. I mean, I KNEW the run was going to suck no matter what, so I told myself to just go as fast as I could.

Finished in 28:01.

Key word: “finished.”

Yes!

I’m really proud of myself, and I’m really proud of our team: John, Deb and Shari. They did a great job and even surprised themselves, I think. That’s awesome! I’m also proud of our trainer, Adam, who had an amazing finish, of course. I mean…look at him. He’s in pretty good shape. Don’t you think?

The biggest thing I take away from this whole experience is that feeling I felt afterward: That was worth every bit of the pain. It was amazing! I’m so glad I did it. I’m glad I conquered my fear. And who knows? Maybe I’ll see you at the next one.

Dressing the part

2008-08-26T06:56:00.002-05:00

“Bring your fitness shoes.”

That was the directive from IW editor in chief Shari Finnell the morning our photos were to be taken for the “Let’s Get Fit” fitness challenge. Of course, anyone who really thought about it – and Shari and I have known one another for a couple of decades – probably would realize how hilarious that request was. I simply didn’t own fitness shoes — or sweat pants or jeans or anything not made of velvet, brocade or chiffon.

I didn’t even have anything that could be converted into grungy wear, like old beat-up tops and pants that weren’t fit to be seen in public. Even the knit shirt with the rip in the seam of the chiffon sleeves was too over the top to wear to the gym.

The only solution was the purchase of clothing specifically for the purpose of soaking up sweat. But assembling a functional workout wardrobe ain’t cheap.

Anyone who knows me also knows I’m notorious for sniffing out a bargain. I couldn’t tell you when the last time was I paid more than $15 for a pair of pants, and I was proud of myself for snagging a black halter-style cocktail dress that otherwise would have cost more than $100 for $30.

But there are times when it’s better to go ahead and spend the money, like when I bought a pair of Brooks running shoes at Athletic Annex. I didn’t even buy them from the sale table in front of the store. I went ahead and shelled out $80.

I definitely needed some sport bras. The flimsy lace jobs I prefer were no match for the perspiration that streams from me even as I take my evening walk. I bought about four at Target, as well as black shorts and a tank-style top, all for about $100. I bought an additional $66 worth of tank tops, shorts and socks at Wal-Mart.

Then there’s the matter of the stylish sweat suits from Coldwater Creek. I originally would have paid something like $100 each for the pants and jackets, but buying them post-season, I paid more like $50 each. So when the weather gets colder, I can walk out in style.

But cost was only part of the issue. There’s also the matter of how things look on me. I’ve carefully cultivated my look, examining my body with a critical eye to decide what should be covered up and what is safe to be left visible.

For instance, I’ve got great ankles and hands. As the rest of my body ballooned, my ring size never went above a 6, making them one of the things of which I remain most proud.

My stomach and legs? Not so much — though I have managed to keep my waist and hips proportionate.

I haven’t worn shorts in decades. In fact, nothing has been above the knee since I was 30. And my upper arms haven’t been exposed in public since my mid-20s.

Like walrus blubber, the fat that cocoons me makes me HOT! So my only choice is to go sleeveless and in shorts at the gym and when I go walking.

Even if I end up with one of those “after” bodies you see on the cover of supermarket tabloids touting the latest diet, I doubt I’ll shorten or tighten my dresses too much. But maybe I’ll allow them to rise from my ankles to my knees.

Eye on the Finish Line

2008-08-25T13:20:00.002-05:00

This past Friday I had just walked out the door after an exhausting work week, when I heard someone called my name.

OK. It was a Friday night. Late, like, 7:30 or 8. We had finally gotten both magazines to press and all I had on my mind was the thought of going home to crash on my comfy sofa.

But there was that familiar voice calling after me just as I touched the handle on my car door, ready to make my escape.

“Shari, did you finish your blog?”

It was Rebecca, our managing editor.

The answer, of course, was a resounding no.

The fact that I hadn’t finished my blog had nothing to do with a hectic schedule. I had tried. I hadn’t gotten much further than about three sentences that went something like this: I don’t feel like running this week. I don’t feel like going to my personal training session today. I don’t feel like writing this blog.

After that, I gave up on writing it. After all, like I said, I didn’t feel like writing a blog about not wanting to exercise and then telling a whole lot of people about it.

That was then. This is now.
By the time Saturday morning rolled around, I was thinking in disbelief, I just ran a 5K, as I crossed the finish line in a triathlon at Eagle Creek Park. My team partners, John and Deb, had previously swam and biked as part of our combined effort.

It may not seem like that big of a deal for some of you, but we’re talking about me -- a woman who has never competed in any sporting event beyond a school gym class or the playground.

The ups and downs of this past week helped me realize how important it is to stay focused on your goals – both the short-term and long-term – and to just realize those down days are just a part of the package.

Keep at it.

See you next week!

Baby Steps

2008-08-24T11:35:00.004-05:00

Three weeks down… already. It is hard to believe how fast the time can go. It really does seem like just yesterday that this whole thing began. But no, three whole weeks have passed. You have all gotten over the initial hump, so congratulations to that. I’m proud of all of you. I hope that by now you are beginning to see some of those micro changes that I have talked about, especially the mental. By now maybe you’re beginning to question why I keep emphasizing the mental changes rather than the physical. You find yourself thinking, “I thought this guy was my personal trainer, not my therapist… when is he going to start talking about all of the physical stuff that I can do to improve…” But here is the thing, mental health leads to physical well being- no ifs, ands, or buts. Exercise is just one aspect to becoming a healthier person. And until we get to the bottom of all of your negative habits and thoughts, it is going to be extremely difficult to recognize the physical evolution. Research shows that any habit can be broken within twenty-one days to six weeks. This may seem like a long time but in the grand scheme of life, it really is not much. So stick with me guys. You CAN do this.

I believe that fear and being unrealistic about your goals are key players in the reasons why many people have given up on being as healthy and fit as possible. People also have this tendency of comparing themselves to people that have entirely different body structures than they do! We see all these infomercials promising results in just a few short minutes a day for a few weeks! Yes, in some very rare cases this can happen, but if all of us would simply pause these ads and read the very tiny print at the bottom of the page, you’d find the big truth. It often straight up tells you that the results shown are not typical, individual results vary! The makers of these products do not guarantee or promise you will get any real improvement with their products. Although most all of these products could potentially help, but most of the time they end up in a closet or under a bed never to be used after the first few weeks. So many people have been mislead by these products. Think about it, if all these products did generate such great results, then why would there be so many new products coming out every other week? The diet and random fitness equipment business is a billion dollar industry that preys on your hopes of a quick fix. Let go of the thoughts that being healthy and fit is going to be quick and easy. If it was, wouldn’t everyone be in great shape?

In my last blog, I said something along the lines of take a stand today for a better tomorrow. This correlates back into the idea of baby steps. By now, I hope that each of you have taken that stand and concretely decided that you are going to do this thing all out for the right reasons. You should be keeping positive thought patterns and telling yourself that you can do this. So let’s take it to the next step and start working on the physical aspects of this challenge finally. There are a million things that you could do in your daily life to become more active. For instance, live by a ‘no elevator policy’; instead, opt for the stairs. Quick stat, for every minute you are walking up the stairs, you burn around ten calories. That can really add up if you are doing this multiple times a day. Another thing that you can do is purchase a pedometer. It will count how many steps you are taking each day. At the end of the week, average how many steps you take daily. Then, the following week try adding an extra thousand steps. It may sound like a lot, but I assure you, it is not. Just little changes, baby steps, can make a huge difference.

Now for another step in my personal growth, I learned this week from a great woman and friend that I train that any emotion we have anger, happiness, fear or any other emotion takes only 90 seconds to start and exit our mind. It is then up to us to hold on to it or to let it go, so it’s a choice! Where am I going with this well for many years I have had anger issues during stressful times and I have hurt and offended many people in my life much more in my younger days than now. I have lengthened my fuse so to speak from about 5 seconds to hours. I still have work to do and it is a struggle but, I will do this because now with 5 year old twins I don’t want them to ever develop this trait. Much of who we are is based on learned behavior! With that in mind parents set a great example for your kids by being healthy, happy and full of positivity! Lastly I would like to do an open apology to the people in my past that I hurt or offended because of my anger issues, I am sorry!

If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

Mmmm… Bacon, GOOD!

2008-08-22T23:10:00.003-05:00

I was sitting in the Wendy’s drive through the other day, day dreaming about the Baconator® I was soon to inhale. Running late as usual, settling for some fast food..

As I moved forward in the line I noticed the Body-N-Motion food chart sitting in the passenger seat. Part of our training is to record our meals each time we. I knew a Baconator® wouldn’t go over well with the trainers so I told myself I’d just leave it off the chart.

The closer I got, the more my guilt set in. Finally, right before it was my turn to order I turned out of the drive through, drove across the street and got a big salad.

This is a big deal for me because I consider myself a fast food/soda pop junkie. Because of this, the biggest struggle with my weight has been sticking to a healthy diet. Sometimes it’s just so hard to find a healthy meal when you’re in a hurry. So I took this problem to Adam, my trainer from Body-N-Motion.

He suggested that I pre-prepare some meals. My busiest time is in the mornings. Adam told me to try boiled eggs or egg whites for breakfast. So if I make a large batch on Sunday night, then I have an easy, healthy breakfast for the rest of the week.

I’m going to give this a try next week and see how it works. After I nail down my breakfast diet maybe I’ll move on to improving the rest of my meals. One small step at a time, that’s my strategy to “Get Fit”.

I’ve tried to tell myself “Today is the day I’m going to start eating better or This is the day I’m going to start running”. I have never finished one of those days no feeling disappointed. So for this challenge I have smaller, day-to-day goals; this way I can reach my long term goals with less disappointment along the way.

I’d offer this advice for anyone like me, who maybe sets the bar too high. Do what you can do, plus a little bit more each day and eventually you’ll reach that high bar. And by then, I bet you’ll be ready to move it even higher.

The Time Crunch

2008-08-22T08:16:00.002-05:00

Who knew that it took so much time to lead a healthy lifestyle?

I’m remembering now why I’ve failed so many times before. I get busy. Life gets hectic. And suddenly being a healthy human can wait until sometime next week.

Not only is it obvious to me now why I’ve failed so many times but why others fail as well. We live in an over programmed world where everyone I know has way too much on his or her plate. As women, I think we are even more susceptible to the “saying no” disease and try to be everything to everyone. A wise woman told me not too long ago, “It’s nice to know that everyone thinks you are Super Woman but the actual pressure of performing as her is a bit overwhelming.” How true!

We all have priorities — whether they are career oriented, family related, volunteer driven or any vast number of important things. The thought of actually mapping out my list makes me shudder because I know then I am faced with the ridiculousness of my commitments and would be forced to let go of something. With all of this, what should be our number one priority – OURSELVES – often takes the farthest seat in the back of the priority bus.

On my second day at Body-N-Motion, I stayed after my training session and had a long talk with my trainer Justine, as well as Mr. Motion and Adam. We did some body fat percentage crunching, determined our base caloric intake and some other mind blowing and humbling things.

The equation in all of this seems so complicated but I’m finding quicker and quicker it isn’t. The problem is while the equation may not be complicated, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to work hard. As Justine told us, if what we do to change our lives stops after we leave the gym on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, then we aren’t going to see a huge improvement.

Like I said in my first blog, I really want this time to be different, so I’ve made a commitment to do some of the “heavy lifting” outside of the gym. I’ve been getting up at 4:30 a.m. (Yes I know! Trust me, I don’t LIKE getting out of bed. But I tried to tell you about that list of priorities I won’t look at!) and heading to the gym by 5:00. I’ve been doing interval cardio and some abdominal work there in the morning for starters, four days a week. In addition to that, I’ve planned my menu daily and tracked all my eating and exercise. Sounds so simple — but turns out it takes a ton of time!

We are only a few weeks into this, and I’ve found myself multiple times thinking things like: Oh I’ll make it to the gym in the morning tomorrow because I’m just too tired from staying up and watching the Olympic. Or I’ll write everything down in my food log later because I have to get to this important meeting. Its times like these I have to stop myself and remember that although my time is extremely valuable, if I’m not healthy, then what good will that time do anyone?

It seems so hard but we all deserve to spend the time needed to live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes it’s worth missing out on that last hour of sleep or whatever sacrifices are needed to fit it in. I know I will continue to struggle with this! How do you battle the time crunch?

Head Games:

2008-08-21T07:02:00.003-05:00

Finding my ‘happy place’
& staying there

This week’s inspiration-
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. – Kurt Vonnegut

I was amazed how I pushed myself to “represent” among my coworkers when challenged at a recent personal training session.

First, I tried to joke about being out of shape. While grinding through sit-ups, Adam, my personal trainer, suggested I go to “my Happy Place”. I replied, “You mean the restroom?” alluding to a scene from Dumb and Dumber. Ha! Jokes don’t help with sit-ups.

I soon found I needed a better Happy Place. Things got tougher. I needed to focus. I recalled hearing that what we do minute-by-minute makes us who we are. Heavy, huh? (Note to self: Get the most out of this work out — make my minutes count.) After the session was over, I did find a fitness mantra to help me get my head in the game.

What works for you? How do you find YOUR Happy Place so that you stay motivated to keep healthy? Blog me – love to hear about it.

My solutions discovered the hard way:

A wake-up call after my first personal training session: I could barely roll out of bed and get to my ringing cell phone. I’m up too late. I was supposed to run with Shari at 6:45 a.m. I’ll have to run alone, dang it.

Sore and stiff – immediately I think, That’s not conducive to running. I could hurt myself — more. Then I recall that I didn’t even actually train the day before. Rebecca, Lindsay, Michelle, Shari, John and I had just done the fitness test so we have something to measure against as we progress in our training at Body-N-Motion.

A seemingly harmless chair-like position turned ugly as I squatted down with my back against the wall. The goal was to see how long you could last. I knew one thing: I wasn’t going to be the first to quit. Oh, where is my Happy Place when I need it?

Then a slight tremble quivered through in my right thigh; my left leg responded with a slight tremor. Then both thighs shook intensely — kind of like shivering on a cold winter’s day, only I was sweating and my thighs were burning with the effort it took to stay “seated” with no visible means of support.

Mr. Motion came over and intently looked me in the eyes. He suggested, “Put your mind somewhere else – don’t think about your legs.” Gosh, I thought about my legs. My Happy Place definitely is in need of a remodel.

Adam, our personal trainer, called out how much time elapsed. My brain instantly reported back with a calculation as to how much longer I could last: “You can make it to two minute — come on.” It was all I could do to think in 30-second increments.

I wanted to be the last one up. But I looked down the wall. That darn Michelle was not giving up. My brain whined, And she’s younger. No more Happy Place – at 2 _ minutes, I folded like a house of cards. OUCH!

I need a game face. I have to get serious — buckle down, concentrate. More challenges come. The agility things were pretty tricky – kind of like line dancing – only timed. Luckily, rock music in the background helped keep my mind off mess-ups. “Just get in a groove,” I reminded myself.

We did sit ups (a personal NON-favorite — I have challenged abs), push ups – not the girl ones — run one mile. Adam said I could walk if I needed to. I immediately thought, ‘Heck no; not an option.’ My mind was made up: no walking.

And I didn’t. I ran one mile — a first since seventh grade. Victory is sweet — and, NO, I don’t know how long it took me. Thought it best not to know, just savor the accomplishment.

Adam reminds us our bodies can do more than what our brains tell us. And, dang it, we CAN.

I started remodeling my “Happy Place” to improve my head game. I went to the Internet for inspiration and found the idea for a fitness mantra: “Define Yourself.” That’s it – I totally like the idea that each day I can make choices to define myself. Grrrrrr…Iron Man move over. I’m gonna reinvent myself one day at a time, kind of like Iron Woman – only softer.

So now when I’m sore or tired, my mantra comes to dismiss less positive thoughts from my mind: “Define yourself.” Darn right.

I know who I am – I’m the woman who will come back from running or working out and put a giant red check mark on my training chart. Funny how accomplishing the little things make bigger things possible.

No “expectations”

2008-08-20T14:21:00.003-05:00

Just three more days…yikes!

Of course, I’m referring to the mini-triathlon coming up this Saturday. I’m not nervous about it —I’m terrified! I’ve even considered dropping out. Yeah, I’m THAT scared. But I can’t even imagine how disappointed I would be in myself if I did that. So, of course, that’s not even an option. I’m just going to do the best I can.

One thing I learned over the weekend is not to put such high “expectations” on some things. I mean, after all, it seems like the BEST things happen to us when we least expect them to anyway. So why set ourselves up with unrealistic expectations? I think we SHOULD just be ourselves, do what we do and enjoy the things and people around us. The rest will take care of itself. Things don’t always go as expected. And that’s okay. I think I temporarily “forgot” that the other day.

I don’t want to make that same mistake on Saturday.

I’m taking a step back, and I’m saying to myself, “Okay, this IS what it IS. I don’t have any huge expectations. I’m excited. I’m scared. But — at this point — whatever is supposed to happen…will happen. It’s my first mini-triathlon. I think I’ve “trained” enough to make it through all 3 events. This morning I did a last practice ride/run at Eagle Creek and it didn’t kill me. But if my chain comes off my bike, it’s not the end of the world. If I have to crawl across the finish line, I will. I’m just going to be ME and do the best I can.”

We’ll see what happens.

One step at a time

2008-08-19T15:07:00.002-05:00

I cheated.

I began my personal fitness challenge a couple of weeks before the official training at Body-N-Motion, by walking daily, so I started 10 pounds less.

I’d been thinking for a while that I needed to do something. My boyfriend, Drew, and I danced once a week at one point, but I knew I needed to do more. I’d hoped he and I would be able to walk or play tennis together, but time conspired against us. He lives in Lafayette and has young children, making finding time challenging. Add to that the bowl of ice cream with which he liked to tempt me, and before I knew it, I was 10 pounds heavier.

Drew and I broke up in mid-July, putting me at a distinct advantage in regard to reaching my weight and fitness goals. Unlike many people who gorge when they are unhappy, I avoid food.

The breakup also left me with a relatively large chunk of time on my hands. Since my children are teens, I no longer had the excuse of not having time for exercise. I started walking.

Since that first day a month ago, I have walked almost daily through the neighborhoods surrounding my Brownsburg subdivision. I started with one hour. I thought I’d accomplished a great deal walking through one segment of the subdivision. but often found I wasn’t yet ready to return to my home, so the walks became increasingly longer, sometimes up to two hours.

What surprises me most is how much I look forward to those walks. My aunt Karla Bibbs started getting really thin as she reached her 50s. She told me it was because she felt an urgent need to get on her treadmill daily to work off stress. More recently, I heard a similar story from my colleague Deb Wezensky, who says she feels the need to work off energy by bicycling.

The benefits of walking are many. Within the first couple of weeks, I could feel an increase in my stamina, which came in handy as I started training at Body-N-Motion, I also lost those pounds I’ve gained. Now my figure is back to my breasts sticking out farther than my stomach.

Justine Allen and Mike White at Body-N-Motion have offered me these tips to maximize my walking routine:

Make a conscious effort to move your arms while you’re walking. Justine says that boosts the effectiveness of this form of exercise by up to 30 percent.

Use an interval method in which I speed up then slow down. If you walk at only one rate, Mike says, the body tends to want to hold on to fat.

CNN recently reported that Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of the South Beach Diet Supercharged, recommends intervals because they boost your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories and fat in less time. In the end, you also should see improved sugar and insulin levels, he adds.

Properly done, Agatston says, you should warm up with a slower walk for three to five minutes. Then you speed up for 30 seconds and recover for 30 seconds. Repeat throughout the walk.

Tell us how you maximize your workout.

Salty Dilemma

2008-08-18T12:15:00.002-05:00

So far, the training is going great. This past week I really didn’t feel like going, especially on Thursday. I felt incredibly lethargic going in but I managed to survive the hour and actually felt 10 times better by the time I walked out the door. Sore, yes. But better. I guess you could say the hardest part is getting over your mental hurdles.

Another hurdle that became glaringly obvious this week involves my diet. I came to that realization at the grocery store last week — when I had a chance encounter with a couple of bag of chips.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I know the basics when it comes to stocking up on healthy food. Fruits, vegetables, milk, egg, cheese and lean meats are always in my cart. I manage to pass by the bakery without any problems. Cookies and cake do little to tempt me to break my resolve. I can live without them.

But during this particular trip, it became clear to me that I’ve been ignoring a huge weakness.

I told my kids that they could each get one snack. One came back with a big bag Lay’s potato chips and the other with a big bag of curly, puffy Cheetos thingys. I made a quick assessment. I could have told them to go back and get smaller bags. But the first thing that came to my mind was, Why did she get that kind of Cheetos? I like the original kind.
Huh?

It happens every time. If I buy a snack for them, I’m usually the one finishing it off — or, as with the bag of Lay’s, opening it in the first place. I can tear through half a bag of chips without blinking an eye.

I try to stay away from them but, nine times out of 10, my resistance is futile. The pitiful thing is that I’ve trained my kids to limit their snacks. As long as they’re having three squares a day, they only occasionally go into the kitchen to get a snack.

I, on the other hand, will reach for the Lays, the Pringles, the Cheetos and the Cheez-Its or whatever salty snack is stashed in the pantry. And it doesn’t matter if I’ve had five meals that day.

I know I need to break this particular habit, but I have a feeling it’s going to be harder than getting up early in the morning to jog. I eat this stuff without even thinking about it.

Well, tomorrow we’ll see what Mike and Adam have to say about revamping our diets. I’m hoping a bag of chips falls into one of the major food groups. A girl can hope, can’t she?

So what’s this fitness challenge blog all about?

2008-08-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

Considering the state’s weight loss challenge, InShape Indiana, and the popularity of shows like The Biggest Loser, we thought it was our turn to take up a fitness challenge. As your No. 1 one source for credible health information, we wanted be the embodiment of the magazine’s message of good health … and we want to practice what we preach, showing our readers how important it is to us.

Yet this blog is not just about us. What’s your story? Are you a person who knows what it takes but just can’t seem to get it done? We hope the accounts of our daily struggles and successes will inspire you to take action and stick to it. If you’re among our readers who have already made fitness a regular part of your lives, congratulations! Wherever you are on your fitness journey, we want to hear from you. We encourage all of you to post your thoughts, and your personal challenges and successes in the comments section of our blog (located at the bottom of each blog).

How does it work?
Each member of our team has a different day of the week. Each day a new blog will be posted by whichever team member is responsible for that day. On Sundays Body-N-Motion owner, Mike “Mr. Motion” White shares fitness advise, suggestions and words of inspiration to help you “Get Fit” too.

Who? When?
Mondays — Shari Finnell (Editor in Chief)
Tuesdays — Rebecca Bibbs (Managing Editor)
Wednesdays — Michelle Thompson (Senior Graphic Designer)
Thursdays — Deb Wezensky (Editor of Special Projects)
Fridays — Lindsay Eichelman (Public Relations Manager)
Saturdays — John Weiss (New Media Manager)
Sundays — Mike White (Owner, Body-N-Motion)

How long does it last?
The formal fitness challenge will run through October. When the blog is complete and our staff members emerge with healthier bodies (and we will!), we will start our promotion of an exciting contest for our fitness challenge readers! Stay tuned into the blog for more details as they become available.

Check up from the neck up

2008-08-17T12:19:00.003-05:00

The first weeks of a workout regimen are some of the most crucial and taxing. Keeping your mind focused on the goal ahead is a must. We, as a culture, have developed a mentality in which we require instant gratification. And as I mentioned last week, these fad diets and three minute workouts are not going to cut it. Rather, it takes hard work, dedication, motivation, and a positive attitude. At this point, Rebecca, Shari, Deb, Lindsay, Michelle, and John probably cannot see the physical changes just yet, all they feel is the initial soreness! It is vital that the mental changes begin to take effect. They must believe that the work will pay off.

Soreness is a test; a test to see if you are mentally ready for the journey ahead! The body wants to improve and feel better but it rejects change unless it is consistent! The initial two weeks your body hurts, but stick with it and you will adjust. Transformation begins with a check up from the neck up. The initial steps call for you to learn how to love yourself and want to make healthy changes for the right reasons rather than out of superficiality. We have this one body!

You cannot return it or get a refund, it is yours for life. It is the only thing that you truly possess; no one can take it from you. So love yourself! We all have an internal voice stop and really listen for a minute, what is it really saying to you. Is that voice in you positive or is it negative and critical? If it’s positive, keep it up you are on your way to great things. If not, then strive to change the things that you think need improvement. But first look in the mirror and change that little voice in your head. Tell yourself that you are beautiful, you are great, you will be healthy and happy. Then take a deep breath and just smile! When that internal dialect starts to turn negative change it; break the habit of negative thoughts! Stop seeing all the faults and instead take into consideration all of your good qualities! Take a stand today and begin taking those baby steps to a better tomorrow. That is what I want you all to focus on, baby steps…

Adjust and tweak your lifestyle one little bit at time and you will put yourself one step closer to a healthier and happier you. The weight loss and other physical changes are on their way, give it time.

For me personally, physical fitness now is relatively easy, even with all of my health hardships. It is the mental journey that keeps me on my toes. I have this intense fear of failure, a fear that I might not succeed letting my family, friends and employees down …But the ironic thing is that it instead of pushing me to work harder; it almost hinders me from accomplishing my goals. I find myself anxious, even scared to take on tasks because there is always that ‘what if I don’t succeed’ factor in the back of my mind. When my train of thought begins to take a negative turn, I simply remind myself that I have been training for 20 years now and have not failed yet so why would it start today. As long as I keep caring about people and helping everyone I can, then good things will come to me. I am constantly working to overcome this fear along with a few others that I’m sure I’ll talk about before this is over. I am human and have many imperfections, but I am striving to be an example for all of you by overcoming the obstacles that slow me down. I believe that working with the fitness challengees from Indy Woman’s is a huge step for me in my journey. I want to see all six of them and everyone I cross paths with and anyone reading these blogs to accomplish all their goals and live life to the fullest now. If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

My First Test of Commitment

2008-08-16T07:45:00.003-05:00

I admitted this in my first blog: I have trouble finishing what I start. I’m feeling great going into week three of our fitness challenge. Proving to myself bit by bit that I can do this!

I spent last Thursday in French Lick touring their beautiful resort and lingering in the casino. I saw the historic West Baden hotel for the first time, breathtaking. On our return trip, we ran into traffic in Martinsville on 37.

If you’re familiar with that stretch of road, you know what traffic jams a like there: slow and unavoidable. This set back gave me my first real excuse to miss training. I had left my clothes at home that morning, and I knew I wouldn’t have the time to get my clothes and make it to the work out on time.

At first, I took my usual approach and sat in traffic with a secret smile, knowing I’d get out of our workout. Normally, this would have satisfied me. However, Mr. Motion’s don’t quit attitude reverberated through my soul, and I changed my mind. I got on the phone and made arrangements to have my workout clothes brought to Body-N-Motion.

I made the workout. At the end of the day I realized that following through with my excuse would’ve cost more energy and stress than my 60-minute workout ever could have. So I made it, and after a great night of sleep, I felt proud and engergized the next day. In summary, I’ve realized it’s easier to put myself through a grueling 60-minute workout, go home and relax, than it is to skip it and deal with my poor decision making later. I’m quickly learning that making tough decisions for the right reasons can yield incredibly positive results.

Thanks for reading and please share you stories with me by post

Backed Against the Wall

2008-08-15T08:05:00.002-05:00

I’ve discovered something about myself. I really hate looking stupid!

Now don’t get me wrong — I’m the first person to make fun of my clumsiness, and I’m definitely not afraid to act completely silly. Typically, I’m the person in my group of friends and family who gets the bulk of the teasing, and usually I’m a pretty good sport (but NO- sometimes I don’t take it well! I can hear them already…) However, when it comes down to doing something physically that I’ve never done or that I’m slightly uncomfortable with — it really scares me.

On the way to my first training appointment at Body-N-Motion, I was a nervous wreck. I chatted on the phone with a friend trying to figure out why in the world I was such a mess. I’ve worked out with a trainer before, so I at least knew what to expect — not to mention, I was really excited to get started on this program.

But something just wasn’t sitting right in the pit of my stomach, and I was genuinely nervous. I found myself multiple times during the initial assessment and workout thinking You want me to do WHAT? Something as simple as a sit-up test had me worried that I wouldn’t be able to succeed more than a handful of times and would lie in the middle of the gym looking like a sweaty beached whale TRYING to do sit-ups.

The bottom line is NO ONE CARES. The trainers at Body-N-Motion do this for a living because they love to change people’s lives — not because they are concerned how little old me looks while doing sit-ups. And the other clients in the gym? I’m fairly certain they are more concerned with their own workouts than how I look doing mine.

It wasn’t until I did my wall sit test (ouch!) that I finally got it. As I began the test, Mr. Motion positioned himself on the floor next to me while my trainer Justine stood on my other side keeping time. They simply talked me through it.

Our bodies are capable of so much more than we give them credit for. Although we may not look as graceful as our trainer or a real athlete while doing the work, the most important thing is the work is still getting done.

And that second-day trainer burn Michelle talked about? Totally real. I can barely walk today, but I know I left it all in the gym. Whether or not it looked pretty isn’t an issue anymore.

This Week’s Inspiration

2008-08-14T08:47:00.022-05:00

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

To run AND become “gazelle-like” is no small order. Sooo, I’ve jumped right into exercising to prepare for my first personal training session. I like my pain/gain in manageable portions – and without hurting myself.

To stay motivated, a training chart is prominently posted on my fridge. It’s a gift of encouragement from Shayla, a friend from Columbus.

Click Here to download chart

The strategy is to be able to record smaller accomplishments – via a red check mark for day – so I can see real progress toward a bigger goal: run 3 miles by August 23rd.

It’s a challenge since my previous running experience was in an airport almost a year ago!

Read on to hear how the training chart is helping me “go gazelle”.
The chart belongs in the annals of All I Ever Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. And the red check marks I earn for completing that day’s workout are better than all the shiny foil gold stars pasted next to my name back in grade school. Really. Guess it’s been a while since I’ve charted my successes

I can literally see the progress I’ve made toward my goal: Run 3 miles by August 23. Big red checks stand as proud sentinels of two weeks of being faithful to “THE PLAN”.

And at the end of each week: a reward…Sunday is a FREEE DAY! Well, not really free – I work for it

The chart works like a charm for me. I not only have started running; I’m accomplishing something I’ve known I should be doing for a long time: taking my fitness to a higher level of challenge. Big red check marks in each square are a testament to my hard work…for that day’s run, biking and personal training session.

Another motivation comes from working out with a partner. Shari is my cohort in crime, the crime being running. By “running” I mean jog – pretty much slowly.

We’re actually doing IT! We are actually sticking with “THE PLAN”. And it’s getting easier. Ahhh, sleep has never felt so good.

Challenge #1: The last 2 days I had to run without my workout partner, Shari. She had “family commitments”, huh? Really, she did. I had to listen to my solo labored breathing. I needed inspiration or at least a distraction.

Luckily, a vision of “The Little Engine That Could” provided inspiration. I know, kind of lame. The words came from memory: “I think I can” became a whine “Oh no I can’t” and then “The heck I can’t” took me on to the road less traveled (or track). Again, lame…but for me effective.

Challenge #2: Staying motivated on a Saturday morning. How vital is running today? I didn’t sleep well – awake at 4 a.m. - Alli, my daughter is getting married in less than 30 days. I go run any way – thinking it’s good to relieve tension and IF I go I get to put up that little red check mark. I’m on it like Pavlov’s dog running to the chime of a bell with the hopes of dinner.

On the canal path there are other runners – and they’re RUNNING – I’m jogging/walking. To save face, I kick it in gear - 1st gear. I look at a lot of backs as others fly by on the path. Then trouble – for the last 5 minutes I have an urgent need to conduct “serious business” in the ladies’ room. I agonize over just how serious the situation is and whether or not I should run to the nearby CVS – cutting the run short…

Dang it – I want that red check on my chart. And so, the week’s workout ends a high note. I commit to running home and into the bathroom – without incident. Check.

Back on track

2008-08-13T08:32:00.003-05:00

I relapsed, OK? Yeah, you heard me.

My best friend Melissa and I quit being “closet smokers” — or as I liked to refer to us, “social smokers” — on Aug. 1 and we were smoke-free for a week. Then we actually made what we thought seemed like a “rational” decision to take the weekend “off.” I knoooow…simmer down. As “irrational” as that may seem, it was the last weekend before school was going to start, and my 8-year-old daughter, Marina, went with my parents down to their boat on Kentucky Lake for the weekend.

So, see…that’s why it made “sense”? It was a crazy-fun-end-of-summer weekend bash at “Melrose Place.” And it was a LOT of fun. Am I right, Melissa…Brent…Jason??

But now it’s back to reality, and we are back on track!

Aug. 23 is the date of the mini-triathlon at Eagle Creek that some of us have been talking about. It’s a 500-meter swim, a 10-mile bike ride and a three-mile run. John, Shari and Deb are doing it as a team. (Go “two girls and a guy”!) My trainer, Adam, is doing it competitively — solo — and is actually going to kick butt! I, too, am doing it solo but am not promising to “kick butt”. I’m just hoping for a decent finish — with an emphasis on the word “finish”.

Last spring, Dan and I went to cheer on Bill at the one in June, and I got REALLY excited about doing one. (BTW, Bill did great.)

So here we are less than two weeks away, and I’m getting nervous.

I’m less worried about the swim than anything, I guess. Over July 4th weekend on Kentucky Lake, I swam about 500 meters in 12 minutes one time and 13 minutes another. We measured the distance with a GPS, but floating markers make for an approximate course. But c’mon, you can handle about anything for less than 15 minutes, right?

I’m definitely more experienced at running three miles than anything else. I’ve done that a bajillion times. But that doesn’t mean it ever gets “easy” for me — especially in the heat! And I always run to music. Can I do that? I didn’t see anyone with earbuds on in June. Hmm…

What worries me the most is the bike ride. They say you never forget how to ride a bike, but what does that mean if you’ve never had one with 21 speeds before! I went out and looked at new Road Bikes. I even considered dropping about $1,000 for one! But instead, I opted for a used Hybrid I found on Craig’s List for only… Uh, let’s just say it was very “affordable.”

Tomorrow I’m going to do the 10-mile bike ride and three-mile run at Eagle Creek with Bill. So, we’ll see how that goes. The only other bike training I’ve had is at Body-N-Motion. Last weekend, I rode 10 miles on the bike and three miles on the treadmill in just over an hour. Not bad for being inside, but clearly, I’m going to have to step it up a notch outside. Dang it!

The best training for me for this mini-triathlon has been my twice-weekly (and now four times weekly) workouts at Body-N-Motion. I can’t stress enough how much it has changed my life! Adam’s always tells me to “Push through it; push through it” “Drive, drive, drive.” You don’t get those kinds of workouts on your own. It’s insane! But I LOVE it, and I’m hoping it’s enough to help me get through Aug. 23.

Now I’m am so happy that my friends and fellow fitness bloggers are getting to experience the grueling rewards of having a personal trainer, too. And I hope it changes their lives like it’s changed mine. Change is good. And it’s good to be back on track.

Time to pick up a good habit.

2008-08-12T08:42:00.003-05:00

My first day at Body-N-Motion was filled with challenges and the occasional triumph as trainer Justine Allen put us through our paces so she could gather baseline information against which to measure future progress. Suffice it to say, things can only get better.

Many things led me on the path to where I am today in regard to fitness. I am the poster child for poor eating habits and little exercise.

Part of that is due to having asthma. I have lived with this condition since I can remember. Two things conspired against me in that regard: attitudes at that time toward exercise for people with asthma and how I felt when I did exercise.

I grew up in a time when we often were discouraged from being too active. I recall my mother, Marianne Decker, telling me a number of times about a little boy who lived around the corner from us and died of an asthma attack when he was 8. No doubt, this always stuck in the back of her mind.

I also recall being 13 years old and playing basketball during recess at St. Peter’s Lutheran School. I came home one day and told my grandfather, Junius Bibbs, how much fun I had, and he told me I was not to do that again because I might have an asthma attack.

But he didn’t really need to warn me. There’s a billboard of a gold fish that explains how having asthma feels like being a fish out of water. I would say that is exactly right, and knowing that feeling, I avoided the things that led to it.

The one thing, I did, however, was bicycle. That allowed my friend, Lisa Gilbert, and me to visit our friends and expand our boundaries a little outside our neighborhood. The first day I arrived at my host family’s home in Germany the summer I was 17, I was given a bicycle to get around. And, of course, when I lived in Amsterdam the summer I worked at de Volkskrant newspaper, I went to the market and bought a used bicycle (“A new one will just get stolen,” my aunt, Yola, said.) However, I haven’t been on a bicycle in 25 years.

One thing I always liked to do was walk. I delayed the American tradition of getting a driver’s license until shortly after I was graduated from college. I usually rode the bus, getting in at least a short walk to the bus stop. Rather than wait for my connecting bus downtown, I often walked to the IUPUI campus.

Since then, I’ve been on that slippery slope to weight gain through not eating right and leading a sedentary life. I’ve been fortunate not to have the severe medical issues that often accompany the kind of weight gain I’ve experienced.

I don’t think I’ll ever be a fitness nut, but I definitely felt there was more to life than sitting at my desk all day or watching TV. This fitness challenge is the first step toward balancing my life.

Pushing Through It

2008-08-11T06:38:00.004-05:00

As with anything, there’s good news and bad news about this past week. Let’s get the bad news out of the way. I’m aching in places I apparently have neglected over the years … places I apparently had forgotten had existed. There are days I can barely shift my body from a sitting position to a standing position. I’ve been thinking about investing in the companies that make ibuprofen, ice packs and Epson salt. Yep, at times it seemed that bad.

Now, the good news. I haven’t quit and I feel extremely proud of that accomplishment alone. But it gets even better. I have done things I’ve never done before by just focusing on keeping one foot in front of the other. To break it down, that means showing up at the appointed time for my training sessions where Adam at Body-N-Motion greets us with a smile before giving us a killer workout. It also means putting on a pair of shorts and a top and actually heading out the door to go jogging. It means pushing yourself when you’d rather slip back under the covers for just another 15, 30 minutes of sleep.

After doing those things – and pushing past the discomforts – I’ve managed to jog for nearly four weeks straight, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Yesterday, (and I’m still having a hard time believing this) I biked for 23 miles along the Monon – from about a mile south of the Broad Ripple business to 146th Street in Carmel and back. Again, it was a matter of putting one foot in front of the other, and ignoring the temptation to listen to the voice in your head that tells you “it’s just too much, too far.”

Yep, there’s discomfort involved in this process. If you’re anything like me, you’d rather take the easier route. Don’t give in to that temptation. The reward of crossing the finish line – reaching your personal goals – is worth the aches and pains. And, it seems, every time I reach some small personal goal, those aches don’t seem quite as bad as I initially made them out to be.

There’s one more thing I want to share. There have been plenty of times that I’ve started goals like this and I’ve eventually quit -- not because of a few aches. It mainly came out of the fear that I wouldn’t be able to finish what I started. Usually, my goal was some kind of lofty ambition – like lose 10 pounds by the time summer rolled around or get tight abs in three months. If there’s anything I’ve learned recently, I would have to say it would be to stick to the small goals and keep a chart of your progress. They can be as simple as: This week, I will jog and walk alternately for 20 minutes. Next week, I will jog and walk alternately for 30 minutes. Or I will ride my bike for 8 miles today.

It helps to have long-term goals, but the shorter ones along the way definitely help you get there, keeping you encouraged about your progress. Just keep thinking… “one foot in front of the other.”

Stick to it. I’ll see you at the finish line. In the meantime, let me know how you’re progressing.

One more try

2008-08-08T08:20:00.003-05:00

This time it IS different! That is my new mantra. If this time isn’t, then nothing will ever change. Trust me — I’m ready for a change. I’ve struggled with my weight and my body image my entire life. Add to that a severe emotional attachment to food and a hectic schedule, and I become a fitness flunky.

In high school, I was a swimmer. Swimming was by far the thing in my formative years that taught me about hard work, dedication, time management and most of all, fitness. I worked hard, and I was in the best shape, but I STILL thought I was fat. I look back at those pictures and can’t even imagine what I was thinking. I would give anything for that body now.

College was a struggle for me. Forget the freshman 15. Try the freshman 30! It was all downhill from there. I stopped working out and started consuming more.

Finally, there came a point it was so out of control I had to do something. I started a diet program (the first of many I have tried) and lost 40 pounds. I felt good about myself again and thought when I headed back to school in the fall, I would keep up with the exercise regimen I worked so hard at over the summer. Boy, was I wrong! The cycle started again and has continued many times over.

I rededicate myself to getting fit and losing the weight. I make progress and feel so good about myself. Then, a special occasion takes place or my schedule will get hectic, and I find myself starting to let things slide. Before I even realize it, the weight is back — usually with a few additional pounds, and I find myself saying that next time will be different.

The emotional fights I have with myself during these cycles are the worst. I beat myself up for failing again, which causes the whole vicious thing to start all over again. It truly is an exhausting cycle, complete with every excuse in the book.

I think the key to this fight is to make a few choices.

> Choose to love yourself no matter what struggles, failures or successes you encounter. As women, we should be our own best friends but often find ourselves as our own worst enemies.

> Choose to stop trying to find a quick fix and to be willing to put in the work needed to make a lifestyle change.

> Finally, choose to live a happy AND healthy life.

For me, the thrill of throwing out my fat girl clothes is amazing, but the drive to be fit, to be a healthy person is so much more rewarding. A few pants sizes can’t possibly compare to the years of fun you can have instead.

Steppin’ Up My Game

2008-08-07T07:58:00.004-05:00

Being somewhat humble is a good thing, right? Unless it comes from having a member of the opposite sex, who is half your age, measure your body fat — in lots of places –– then record it in black and white. Or trying on mother of the bride dresses when a daughter’s wedding is just around the corner and thinking once again how distorting store mirrors seem to be.

But wait a minute. There’s more to me than stats and appearance. Also, haven’t I made peace with balancing my “insides” and “outside”? Yep, that item is checked off my list of things that every woman needs to accomplish about six years ago.

One day, I woke up to find I didn’t know who I was or what the heck I was supposed to do. Literally. My last child had moved on to college. I was newly single. I had moved to Indy where I knew one person. And I landed here without a job secured. It was an experiment of putting one foot in front of the other without clearly seeing where I was going.

But I knew one thing: I was going somewhere. So, with my son’s encouragement, I began to work out. I wanted the best possible version of me to be ready when I “arrived.” I found it was something I could do for just me. It made me feel great … I got healthier. And it was a challenge. I didn’t get more athletic — ask me about being out of control on a treadmill.

Actually enjoying activities where I sweat is a big surprise to me. But even after six years of working out, I’m still not athletic. From childhood, it was apparent my dad’s athletic ability went to my younger sister. In a game of softball — hmmm, fourth grade, my main occupation was to not get hit in the head with the ball. Gosh, is that what the glove is for?

In seventh grade, the year Title IX debuted, I naively tried out for all available sports: basketball — I couldn’t dribble; track — I didn’t run, and cheerleading — back then you just had to put your hair up in pigtails, yell at the appropriate times and wave your arms in time to others. Guess what? I participated in all three. And, yes, they were all “one-time wonders.”

Though I avoid most team sports, fitness is still a priority. Believe it or not, it has become one of my passions. It ranks up there with riding my bike (I have the shoes and padded shorts to prove it); eating GOOD food, including dessert — like carrot cake that I made recently for a friend who said my cake was in the top two or three. And … well that’s enough in print. But I need a fitness challenge.

My goals: Lose five pounds in one month — without stepping on the scales. Yikes, run three miles, if Shari, my sprint triathlon partner, chooses to ride the 10-mile bike leg. And look and feel amazing in my dress at my daughter’s wedding Aug. 31.

And longer term, to really, really continue to enjoy the second half of life … to be in good enough shape to do whatever it is that I choose: bike, boat, hike, travel, truly be a fun grandma (a few years off yet). You get the picture. Still put one foot in front of the other — just a little more energetically. And of course, stay as young as possible — inside and out.

On the Right Path

2008-08-06T07:36:00.003-05:00

Ladies, let’s face it: We are our own worst enemies when it comes to our body image perception. We tell each other, “You look great!” and we mean it. But it doesn’t matter what other people tell us. What matters is what WE think about ourselves.

I’ve been obsessed with my weight and body image my entire adult life. How many of you have thrown away perfectly good group photographs just because you thought YOU looked “fat”? Yeah, that would be me. What a shame!

I always thought if I lost five or 10 pounds, I would look better. So I would do whatever to lose those five or 10 pounds — usually in the summer (bikini season, of course!), but I would still have the same “issues” I had before. (Cellulite sucks!)

So, a couple of years ago, I started working out more. I started “running” three to four miles three or four days a week. I also started working out with my girls on Comcast’s On Demand Exercise TV, but I still wasn’t getting that body they told me I would get if I did what they were doing — and I was DOING it!

Well, everything changed on April 12, 2008. I just happened to be seated at the same table as Mike White and Adam Thompson of Body-N-Motion at our Dream Makeover luncheon at Maggiano’s. Never before that day had I EVER considered getting a personal trainer — never. But after talking to them and getting excited about what they had to say about it, I said, “Sign me up!”

I’ve been going there faithfully twice a week ever since (more than three months now!) and it has completely changed my life.

Adam Thompson is my personal trainer, and he ROCKS! He works me out harder than I ever thought possible. Have you ever heard of that “second day trainer burn”? Usually, when you work out, you’re sore the next day. But when your trainer works you out (hard!), you’re not sore just the next day — you’re twice as sore two days later. It’s crazy, but it is so awesome. Thanks to Adam, I am already in the best shape of my life. I see muscles that I didn’t have before. It’s the coolest thing in the world.

OK, so now that we’re doing this fitness challenge, I’m going to add the two group workouts to my normal twice-a-week workouts. Yikes! But I have two huge incentives for doing this:

1. I’m entering my first mini-triathlon on Aug. 23 at Eagle Creek. That’s something else that I never thought I would or could do in a million years. But if I can handle Adam’s workouts, I can handle a mini-triathlon. (I think … gulp.)

2. The other incentive is actually a “secret” that I wasn’t going to bring up, but what the heck.

I’m writing this on Wednesday, July 30, and just two days from now, is my “quit” day. Yes, I said it. I have just two days left to smoke the last cigarettes I ever choose to smoke. If my parents read this, they’ll be like, “What … Michelle smokes?” Well, I’d call myself more of a “social” or “closet” smoker — choosing normally to only light up over cocktails. But I’ve always chosen not to smoke around my parents out of respect to them. And I’m sure there’s a lot of other people who would be shocked it they knew I “smoked.” But my friends who know me well and have been right there with me many o’ nights drinking glasses (or bottles) of wine would probably challenge the terms “social” or “closet.” Whatever. I’m quitting, and I’m really excited — and I’m scared to death.

But, lucky for me, I have friends who I know will somehow get me through it. And I have fitness and training for the triathlon as my new “vices.” Life’s looking pretty good these day. Turning the big 4-0 soon doesn’t even bother me. I finally feel like I’m on the right path…and I like it.

On The Table

2008-08-05T08:21:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of when this whole weight thing went awry. My son Raphael was born 20 years ago, and that’s when the bad habits I’d had my entire life accelerated me down the path from a size 10 to a size 24.

I was a slim child who needed a double-A width in shoes. My childhood friend Tommy Jamerson called me “Sticks” because of my bony legs, and his brother, Johnny, once quipped, “You’re so skinny, I have to look at you twice to see you once.”

As a mixed-race child with parents from two cultures, I sort of had two diets. There was the spare Dutch diet of my mother: oatmeal or a slice of bread with cheese for breakfast, and meat, vegetables and potatoes for dinner. My paternal grandmother was three credits short of a degree in home economics, so she understood good nutrition. Though that side of my family is black, soul food — ribs slathered in sauce, greens flavored with a hunk of smoked pork and sweet potatoes — was reserved for July picnics at Eagle Creek Park.

Still, my grandmother warned me, “You keep eating like that, and you’ll get fat one day. I know you don’t believe me, but I was skinny like you once.”

My first real weight gain came my 17th year when I spent the summer with a host family in Oldenburg, West Germany. Concerned about my twiggy frame, my host mother Frau Klöver tried to find all sorts of ways to fatten me up. Each night, my host father brought me a liter of citrus-flavored sparkling water and a Sport chocolate bar. Lucky for me, I didn’t consume even a quarter of what he gave me, and by the end of the summer, I had quite a collection stashed in my room. It was the small Italian potatoes that were my downfall, fattening me by eight pounds. Once Frau Klöver learned of my love for potatoes, she made a pot of them every night just for me.

My next significant weight gain was the summer in college I spent working at a newspaper in Amsterdam. I often wandered the city with a cone of French fries accompanied by mayonnaise, or a kroket, a savory deep-fried treat I needed to get my fill of since I couldn’t eat them here. On Thursdays, when the stores were open till 8 p.m., I stopped by a bakery in the downtown shopping district for apricot pastries. That summer, I gained another eight pounds, bringing me to 145 pounds — still rather skinny for someone who is five feet nine inches tall.

Like many women, I really packed on the pounds when I was pregnant. I continued to eat my regular meat, potatoes and vegetables, but I hear Pepsi and Almond Joy every day for nine months isn’t an ideal prenatal diet. I stayed at 190 pounds after the baby. But being tall, I didn’t look as if I weighed that much, so I didn’t worry about it.

Not understanding the clinical definition, I was offended when a doctor performing an employee physical noted in his file that I was obese. At the time, I thought of that purely in terms of looks, and I certainly didn’t resemble anyone who weighed 400 pounds.

I managed to keep my weight fairly steady, hovering around the 200-pound mark. But when I had my second son Roland in 1996, the pounds started to climb again. This time, I was undermined by being a working mother with a demanding career. I’d cooked since I was 8 years old when my parents split, so I avoided the kitchen, often opting for less healthy choices. I did, however, manage to keep things like fruit around the house for the kids.

I’m not sure how high my weight really got. But in 2006, I stopped working and became a stay-at-home mom. My weight dropped fairly automatically since I rarely ate fast food. Averaging about five pounds a month for a year, I lost about 60 pounds.
My weight plateaued. Entering into a relationship earlier this year, it climbed again by 20 pounds. Just before starting this challenge, however, I have managed to lose 10 pounds. So we’ll see together how much more I can bring it down.

Friends Don’t Let Friends Stay in Denial

2008-08-04T09:03:00.010-05:00

I totally get the buddy system. It’s peer pressure with capital Ps. No, make that all caps. PEER PRESSURE.

How else can you explain that I am about to do a couple of things I have never done in my life? Like a mini-marathon. I’ll tell you about that in a minute, but trust me … it wasn’t on my list of things to do, definitely not in this lifetime.

The second, of course, is exposing myself to anyone who wants to read this blog about my feeble attempts at keeping an exercise routine on my own.
Yep, the answer is peer pressure.

Though I don’t have scientific evidence, I’m convinced peer pressure has everything to do with why so many actresses and wannabe actresses in Hollywood are skipping meals. They’re trying to keep up with the Kate Mosses of the world. And that’s probably why the folks down in Mississippi are keeping their state ranked as the most obese in the nation. It’s likely Kate Moss has never set foot in that state.

Peer pressure — through a buddy system — actually has its benefits.
I’ve seen the Peer Pressure Theory at work, here at the magazine.
A while ago, Lindsay introduced the staff to the pleasures of chilled cucumbers — a much more sensible snack when compared to the M&Ms and Cheetos in the vending machine just down the hall.

Michelle, who counts calories, has stepped up to the plate to encourage me with my diet — interrupting me in the middle of trying to get a bit of protein via a few chocolate-covered almonds I sometimes stash in my desk.

Rebecca came up with the idea of doing this fitness challenge. Though the rest of us hadn’t made any plans to do anything of the sort, we eagerly signed up.

Then another co-worker gave me a challenge that made me pause. Deb had the nerve to ask whether I wanted to join a mini-marathon — either running the three miles or biking 10 miles of the competition. She apparently thought I would drown if I swam because she asked John to perform that feat.

I just stared her down for a while, to see whether she was really serious. She must have been — she stared right back, apparently waiting for an answer.

But I hate running, I thought to myself. Not only that, I don’t have a competitive bone in my body when it comes to sports. I’ve never raced before, I whined, hoping to get some sympathy.
Deb wasn’t buying it. Neither had she. At least not since seventh grade, and that really didn’t count, she responded.

I started thinking of more excuses. Oh, there was the recent injury I suffered. Of course, Deb had to remember that I twisted my ankle in a game of volleyball with my son, daughter and a smattering of other adults and children. It took me six weeks to get over that pain. See. This is not for me.

When all was said and done, Deb somehow convinced me I was perfectly capable of running a race for the first time in my life.
It’s been two weeks since I’ve told her “yes.” Since then, I’ve actually trained a total of eight days. The first day of running was pure torture. If I hadn’t been working out with someone, I would have quit that first day.

If you’re ready for a change — like we are — go out and get you a buddy or a personal trainer to help you with accountability. Already it’s working for me, and I haven’t even started the fitness challenge with Body-N-Motion yet.

I’m really looking forward to what I can accomplish with the help of a little bit of peer pressure.

Ok world here comes Motion!

2008-07-29T08:47:00.013-05:00

Okay world, I hope you’re ready for me! If you’re reading this and have not seen my personal story, I urge you to check it out; it’ll give you the inside scoop on what I’m all about.

My name is Michael White, but when in fitness mode, I go by Mr. Motion.

I want this blog to serve as a multipurpose medium. First, I want to keep you all updated on what is going on in our little “project” with the five ladies and John from Indianapolis Woman.
This week they all did fitness testing, which will give them the opportunity to see their improvements each month.

Second, I plan on sharing a lot of my personal thoughts and insight on the world of exercise, including tips and pointers that will build on one another from week to week. Third, I want this to be an interactive blog, I am encouraging each of my readers to tell me what they think, ask questions, post some of their own exercise insight and anything else of the sort. I want to address the questions and comments you share with me in my blog.

It should be a lot of fun, especially if I am not the only one contributing. I always look for opportunities to learn and grow, so like I said, tell me what you all think.

I am going to start off with the cliché where I talk about how “I am fortunate for this opportunity.” But honestly, I could not even put into words how sincerely excited I am. To be able to share my beliefs with all of you and also to be in a position where I have the chance to affect so many people’s lives is truly great. I thank God for giving me the opportunity.

I have a beautiful wife and 5-year-old twins who serve as my inspiration. I have more than 20 years of training experience, and through that have developed an intuition — for lack of a better word — on how to address and assess the various problems people face with their bodies.

I personally have seen my fair share of adversities. I’m not the kind of guy who sugar coats things. I am very straight forward, which I feel is necessary in my field of work. For far too long, people have been misled into thinking three minutes of this and this pill or diet will change their lives. It’s not that simple.

When I work with my clients, we focus on more than just a physical workout. Rather, I craft routines that incorporate the physical, mental and emotional aspects of an individual.

This is my life and my passion. This is what I have devoted my energy to. I am far from perfect and have a long way to go before I can say that I have reached my full potential. But who knows, maybe this blog will help me move forward in my journey toward living my best.

One last thing: I would like to say goodbye to a client of mine who unfortunately passed away this week. I’m going to miss you T.

My Story

We often fall vulnerable and sometimes look to outside sources for extra motivation. That is where I want to be of assistance; I want to be a stimulus for people who are feeling burnt out and need that extra bit of exterior inspiration. At Body-N-Motion , we are a family with real people, real lives and real stories.

Like many of my clients, I have a past that is filled with obstacles and challenges.

I want to share a piece of myself with you. If there is one thing that I want you to take out of it, though, it is that I am here today –– successful, healthy and happy because of my past and the array of obstacles I have defeated.

As a teenager, I was an average athlete. I wasn’t the star of the team, but I wasn’t the benchwarmer either. What deterred me was not lack of skill, a bad attitude or a deficit of motivation. Rather, I had a weight problem and struggled to keep up with the other kids. As all children do, I wanted to make ol’ Pops proud of his son. I took the initiative to change and entered into the world of the gym where I sought help from the right people.

By the time high school graduation rolled around, the weight problem had disappeared. I decided Uncle Sam could use my assistance, and I joined the Army. I felt it would be an honor to serve my country, not to mention all the hard work I had put into my body would be well utilized.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for me. During training, I tore the ligaments throughout my ankle. The Army can’t do much with a soldier who has only one functioning foot. Upon my discharge, I underwent full ankle reconstructive surgery alongside counseling to help me overcome the trauma.

I was devastated. I searched for something to uplift me, and once again exercise and personal fitness was my redemption. I returned to the gym and tried to re-establish my body and get my life back together.

Once things straightened out, I turned my attention on finding a career I cared about. I realized my passion was exercise, and I wanted to use that passion to help other people who had struggled with weight issues and injuries.

While working at a training center in Anderson, I wanted to test myself and entered a body building competition. Again, fate had other plans for me. During a training session six weeks before the competition, I ruptured a disc in my back and pinched a nerve, causing paralysis of my left leg.

I was back in surgery. Fortunately, the doctors were able to recover my mobility, but the strength and endurance I had worked so hard to develop was completely depleted. It took nine months of painful self-rehabilitation to recover from this incident.

My hardships were a blessing in disguise. Because of all of the injuries, I was able to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation, which helped pay some of the expenses for me to go back to school at IUPUI. I received a degree in physical education exercise science, acquiring not only valuable knowledge but also validating myself as a scholar and putting credentials behind my name.

During a softball game, I blew out another disc, this time paralyzing my right leg. Back in surgery, I could not believe this could happen to me again. Everything I had worked for had been taken from me.

Thankfully, not long after, I was able to continue working with my clients. They sustained me and gave me a reason to get up every day. I helped them work through their problems, and whether or not they realize it, they helped me work through mine. I struggled through the long self-rehabilitation process again and have by the grace of God made as full a recovery as possible.

I decided it was time for me to pursue my dream of owning a training facility. With help from clients, family and friends, I found a location, negotiated a lease and acquired equipment.

I’ve realized my clients are always more important than money. They become like family; no dollar amount could replace them. My first and foremost priority is to develop great trainers and help my clients live happier and healthier lives.

Through everything — the injuries, the job changes, the schooling — I have persevered. My body is a living testimonial to what we are capable of when we do not lose faith and continue taking care of ourselves. I am so blessed to be able to do what I do, even after all the trauma. This is what Body-N-Motion is about. If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion, click on my photo to visit our website.

Back When: The weight battles of a college student

2008-07-29T08:37:00.014-05:00

If you’ve ever wanted to truly test your athleticism try wall sits. Place your back flat against the wall, put your hands flat on the wall underneath your hips and stay still. I lasted a mere 60 seconds, but it seemed like an hour. This was my first true test during evaluation day at Body-N-Motion.

I wanted to share that experience because it helped remind me I’m not in the same shape I once was.

One of my biggest challenges in establishing a regular workout routine is having the patience to stick with it. If I work out for a couple weeks and start feeling good, I usually stop.

The wall sit gave me a fresh reminder that I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to be. Hopefully, this opportunity to train with a personal trainer will give me that patience and motivation I haven’t been able to sustain on my own.

Let me take the time to explain my weight struggles through my first three years of college. The common fear of most new college students is the freshman 15; like most things in life, I thought I would do things a little differently.

I made it through my freshman year about 10 pounds lighter than I was when I came. So forgetting my freshman 15 worries, I went full steam into my sophomore year. Before I knew it, I had gained a healthy 40 pounds!

Even then, I thought I was doing well with my weight — until one day I was on Facebook, and I saw a picture of myself. No joke, I couldn’t believe it was me in the picture. After that, I took control of my diet. This was two years ago.

When the opportunity came to join this fitness challenge, it seemed like a great idea. I met Mike White, Mr. Motion, and he made a unique impression on me. For some reason, my great excuses for avoiding exercise seemed to be worthless after hearing his story. I look forward to sharing more of my past experiences and detailing our exciting fitness challenge.