The Resolution Poundage

New Year Resolutions...they are here and that usually brings a massive amount of people to the gym for the first (or second...or third) time.  Want to know what is going through the mind of someone who is at the gym almost everyday when the New Year starts?  This status update from Facebook pretty much sums up a lot of the comments that ran through my head the last few days in anticipation for the flood of people running to the gym to burn off their resolution poundage.  This post was from a woman who has a powerlifting site:

I see a lot of people complaining about their gyms being bombarded by "Resolutioners" this time of the year. Most of the new gym members go immediately to the cardio room and never leave, so that doesn't affect me one bit. A few more will venture into the weight room, some knowing what they are doing and some not, but very few will "risk" stepping foot into the powerlifting room because it is too intimidating. It's not a place for beginners. I understand that, obviously.

I always try to bring more people into the Red Room (our pl room) and introduce them to powerlifting. But I have got to admit, this time of year a big part of me is pretty happy that my monolift and deadlift platform are safe from the Resolutioner-abuse and that I can go about my business throwing weights around without fighting for space. On that note, my clients will probably find themselves in the Red Room a little more often to get away from the crazy crowds.

Point- powerlifting! :)

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• Jane Monfre and 22 others like this.
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  Ann Sinnott People should stop complaining and be happy and proud of the American's deciding to break the stereotype of being lazy and fat and instead heading to the gym. Everyone had to start somewhere.. including those of us that have been in the weight room for years.

  46 minutes ago · Like · 2
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  Anthony DelMonaco We are happy people are trying to get into shape. The problem is they have unrealistic expectations for their weight loss. You're not losing that muffin top as fast or as easy as it went on. If you lose it fast I'll be willing to be it isn't staying off for long either. Us powerlifters take our sport pretty seriously, between training, diet and sleep(ok 2 out of 3 isn't bad). We know how hard it is to gain/lose and a lot of us have been around long enough to know what works and what doesn't work. If this whole process were easy everybody would be 5% body fat, benching 495 and deadlifting a Fiat, the reality is that fitness isn't easy. It takes hard work, dedication and plenty of sacrifices to get results and even more hard work, dedication and sacrifices to maintain those results. We're glad people are trying but after 10-15 years of seeing the New Years Resolution crowds coming and going, we know that after 3 weeks the gym will be back to normal and the resolution crowd will be back to the couch and a bag of Cheetos.

  35 minutes ago · Like · 3
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  A Healthy Obsession- Clean Eating, Personal Training & Powerlifting Unfortunately I've seen too many people go back to the gym every January, trying to "break the stereotype", but then they stop and end up enforcing the stereotype that Resolutioners have in the first place. Some people stick with it and continue to be motivated and determined to reach their goals in a realistic manner, but more only stick around for a month or so. Everyone starts somewhere, and hopefully they only start *once*

  29 minutes ago · Like
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  Stacie Glaze-Mow Idiots at my gym use the power rack for chin ups.....grumble.

  26 minutes ago via mobile · Like · 1
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  Keri Garza Going at 2pm = empty 

  22 minutes ago via mobile · Like
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  Ann Sinnott Wellllll, I was one of those new years resolutioners last year, and am now training for the crossfit open and in better shape than I was when I was playing 4A soccer in college. I never powerlifted seriously before and I am now in the gym at least five days a week and lifting more than half the guys around me. So yes, many fail, but I am proof that with the right encouragement and not being surrounded by people who believe you'll be done with the gym in a month (cough cough)... It can be done. So no Anthony, I never ended up back on the couch and I can't remember the last time I ate something such as Cheetos. But yeah, damn those new years resolutioners and their stupid goals! 

  10 minutes ago · Like

If you are one of those who are trying to stick with a gym schedule or have some resolutions in regards to getting healthier...stick with it!  

I am not a professional in any way but I have been one of those that have been at the starting line with the goal in my mind and I have seen success.  I have been one of those who wasn't sure what to do at the gym and who was scared to venture into the weight area (petrified would be a better word to describe it).  I have had others start along with me and have seen their struggles and battles of willpower vs. comfort.  

If you have any questions feel free to send me a message or make a comment.  I'd be happy to help and keep you accountable so you don't go back to sitting on the couch eating Cheetos.  :)

The Dreaded Spots

In a way I am like a pig.  Or at least that is what the saying, "sweat like a pig" seems to mean to me.

See, when I am picking out clothes to wear for the gym I always have one thing in the back of my mind.  Will those show my spots?  Specifically, the spots where I sweat the most.

I think some people have it lucky and hardly sweat.  Me...I get drenched.  I start sweating when we are outside in the sun.  I sweat when I run just .3 miles.  I sweat when we are on a walk.  My body just really needs to cool off for some reason.

This can be a problem though at times with where the sweat spots appear.  Example...this morning at the gym.

I did one of my workouts and was doing great!  I also had a new pair of capris on that are black (perfect color to hide those sweat marks) and started off with a warmup and did a little bit of running.  I always have a towel with me to wipe off my face (and sometimes arms and chest) and was having a great start to my morning.

Then...I noticed the dreaded spots.  I was wearing black but this black showed the spots a little bit.  I am sure I was the only one that noticed it but you do get a little worried when the sweat spots cover your entire waist, part of your butt and then down your front...looking like you wet your pants.

I know that I'm not the only one who sweats like this because I had some lady come up to me last year, stop me in the hall at church and tell me that she sees me all of the time at the gym.  I don't have a clue what her name is and honestly never saw her there.  But, she also said that she feels so gross when she leaves the gym because she then has to take her kid to school and she is all sweaty and it looks like she wet her pants.  So...from her statement I know there is at least one more person out there who has had the same problem as me.

I would like to think that most people would be proud that I was sweating so much that I had sweat spots but I am sure that the overall attitude would just be..."gross".  :)

Any other women out there feel like they sweat more than most people?

Free song & great workout song...or just great song in general

My favorite song of the week!

There are certain songs that get me to move a little bit faster.  Sometimes I need that push to keep going, to get that elliptical as fast as I can or even just to wake up at 5am.

You can find me almost every morning sitting on the mats at the gym at about 5:15am getting my ear buds in the right spot and my music ready.  I could probably still lay down and fall asleep at that point but you stick a certain song on and it helps keep you moving and somehow fuels you to pick up your feet and move over to get your stretches done.

Some songs give me that great pick-up and other songs help me get my heart rate back to a normal level.  I did find a good one of those recently..."Now You're Found" by Esterlyn.  You can get that song free right now at Air1.com.  It is free until February 12th, 2012...and then another one will be available.  This website has a free song every couple of weeks and a lot of these are current songs that are in the charts for Christian music.  I get a lot of music from this site and I listen to them quite a bit.  (the day care kids actually know the station and cheer when they hear the station say "Air1.com".  I get through our lunch time by listening to this station.)

My favorite song this week is more of that fast paced type of song...plus, it is just a great song.  Listen to it and watch the video!  The song is by Newsboys (history lesson...Chris and I saw them in concert a very long time ago when they had the original lead singer.  I saw the current lead singer when he was part of the band DC Talk).  

Enjoy.

Jessica's Journey...December 10th

My list of things-to-do today are pretty big.  But...they are officially done.  The most important thing that I did today though was first thing this morning at 6am.

A few weeks ago a very small note was placed on the counter at the gym that I go to.  This tiny teeny note states that those with certain types of memberships can now bring their children if they have a note from a doctor that can be kept on file.  See, normally you don't see kids at our gym except when it is during times when the childcare is open.  There are 2 kids that do work with a trainer a few mornings a month when I am around but those are the only ones that I have ever seen working out at the gym.

I heard about this note and checked it out and was thrilled!

This morning at 6am I woke Sidney up, like we had planned, and we went to the gym.

Sidney, who is 10, loved it!  She has wanted to go with me for a really long time but I haven't been able to take her, except to the childcare area.  I know that kids need more exercise in this country and my own kids aren't that physically fit.  My kiddos aren't overweight but other than just playing outside and the very small amount of time that they get in school for gym, that is all the physical fitness that they get.

Parents, I know that you think it is hard to get time to exercise for yourself.  What about our kids?  If we don't make time to get to get in some exercise how are our kiddos supposed to learn that being healthy is important?

Want to know how much exercise your kids should have? According to www.mypyramid.gov here is what is recommended:

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (6-17 years)
Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Most of the 60 minutes should be either moderate- or vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity, and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days a week. As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week and bone-strengthening activities, like jumping, at least 3 days a week. Children and adolescents are often active in short bursts of time rather than for sustained periods of time, and these short bursts can add up to meet physical activity needs. Physical activities for children and adolescents should be developmentally-appropriate, fun, and offer variety.

YOUNG CHILDREN (2-5 years)
There is not a specific recommendation for the number of minutes young children should be active each day. Children ages 2-5 years should play actively several times each day. Their activity may happen in short bursts of time and not be all at once. Physical activities for young children should be developmentally-appropriate, fun, and offer variety.

In case you were wondering, here is how much physical activity an adult is supposed to have according to www.mypyramid.gov:

ADULTS (18 to 64 years)
Adults should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level OR 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level. Being active 5 or more hours each week can provide even more health benefits. Spreading aerobic activity out over at least 3 days a week is best. Also, each activity should be done for at least 10 minutes at a time. Adults should also do strengthening activities, like push-ups, sit-ups and lifting weights, at least 2 days a week.

Maybe our world is just thinking that our kids are just fine...there isn't any need to get our kids to move more.  Let's just take them to McDonalds when they want. When they are cranky or do something great we can just reward them with treats.  Every holiday we need to continue to make sure that we have lots of candy for all of our precious little ones.  Give the kids what they want any time that they throw a fit just so they stop.  This is what our American world has come to.  This is our reality.  And the truth is that our kids need a healthy lifestyle just like adults.

I did a little research and found the following from The American Heart Association (the heart is a pretty important muscle so I'm thinking we might want to listen to them):

Today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood. These include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels. There are also psychological effects: Obese children are more prone to low self-esteem, negative body image and depression. Excess weight at young ages has been linked to higher and earlier death rates in adulthood. Perhaps one of the most sobering statements regarding the severity of the childhood obesity epidemic came from former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who characterized the threat as follows: “Because of the increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity, we may see the first generation that will be less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than their parents." How do you prevent and treat overweight in children? Reaching and maintaining an appropriate body weight is important. That's why recommendations that focus on small but permanent changes in eating may work better than a series of short-term changes that can't be sustained. Reducing caloric intake is the easiest change. Highly restrictive diets that forbid favorite foods are likely to fail. They should be limited to rare patients with severe complications who must lose weight quickly. Becoming more active is widely recommended. Increased physical activity is common in all studies of successful weight reduction. Create an environment that fosters physical activity. Parents' involvement in modifying overweight children's behavior is important. Parents who model healthy eating and physical activity can positively influence their children's health. The last thing I wanted to share was a link to some comments made from an article that Newsweek put out in 2000. Eleven years ago there was already awareness that the health of our kids was deteriorating. The article, "Fat for life?" touched the lives of many people. Click on this link to read what others said about their health, about their kids' lives, about the jobs that they have that impact kids and how our society needs to change to help our kids.

Jessica's Journey...December 4th

Priorities in the Williams house are all crazy at the moment.

We have a Christmas tree but it won't get decorated until Tuesday night.
Kids do have all their homework done but only after one kid forgot said homework a few times this week.
We failed to review spelling for one child's test last week.
Refused to sign an agenda for another child because homework wasn't brought home.
AWANA wasn't studied with the kids prior to Wednesday (or at all for some).
Sid's AHG group (similar to Girl Scouts) has forms due tomorrow and Sid has lost them.
Kids are in a program this coming weekend and have been practicing every Friday night for about 2 months.  I'm ready for my Friday nights free again.
Next Saturday we have something going on starting at 8:30am and keep going all day with something until 7pm, except about 2 hours during the day.  I'm already exhausted just looking at that schedule.
...and probably several other things that I have already forgotten about that we were supposed to do but didn't do.

The gym was no different for me this morning.

Somehow I didn't plan out my time quite right today.  It is Sunday so generally I have a little bit more time to flex and play with than a normal day.  Today I had to be at church b7 8:45am so we could do nursery.  I thought (notice that the word "thought" was used) that I would have enough time for everything today.  Not even close.  I got up pretty early and just didn't have time to do everything I was supposed to and get ready for church today the way that I wanted to get ready.  I almost finished all my exercises but didn't get to finish one set of one and my intervals were at a little bit faster intervals than they were supposed to be.  I just didn't have time to get it all done today.

This week I will be paying a little more attention to my time at the gym...cause I really don't want to be waking up any earlier than 4:30am.  And, I will try to do better at prioritizing with my kiddos with their to-do lists.

The Williams house has a lot going on right now...deep breathing techniques starting...now.

I am ready for a snow day...just so my kiddos can have a break and so we can do a few of the things we are supposed to get done that are on our to-do list.

Jessica's Journey...November 27th

At the moment I am watching a show about The Biggest Loser and more of a reunion type of show around Thanksgiving.  I heard this quote and just had to pass it along.

"Tomorrow is gone but today is here."    Olivia...The Biggest Loser

I don't think she could have summed it up any better.  Today is here!  Get up off your butt and start moving.  :)

Do you watch The Biggest Loser?  I am pretty much addicted to that show.  I have been known to watch the show while eating Culver's ice cream (that will really make you feel guilty too!) but lately I am usually just folding clothes or working on the blog while I watch the show.  I know that a lot of the show is drama and to give it appeal so people will watch but it truly is amazing how a body can change just from eating right and exercise.

Another part of the reunion show had Tara on.  Tara is quite the ambitious person and if you watched the season when she was on...you know that she won pretty much all the challenges during the show.  To find out a little bit more about Tara Costa and what she does today, you can click on this link to see an article that was just written about her.

Another contestant from the current Biggest Loser show, Bonnie, is full of spunk.  Bonnie is not a spring chicken, has some problems with her knees and really hadn't done much physically for awhile.  She wasn't sure what she could do and The Biggest Loser helped her see that she can do so much more than what she thought she was capable of.

I was reading a blog today that reminded me of Bonnie.  Jeff, the person that is helping me, has recently started helping a client.  She too is writing about her journey...and it is very interesting to get her perspective.  I am sure that our journeys are a little bit different but I do like hearing her thoughts.  She is blunt with how things are going and she is on the path of her journey and taking one step forward each day.  She already accomplished something that she didn't think she could do...which is how she reminds me of Bonnie.  If you would like to read the blog of the new client that Jeff has, just click here...Oh, and her name is Phyllis.  (Hi, Phyllis...hope you don't mind me linking my blog to yours.  I haven't met you but I know the journey you are on.  Keep up the good work!)

If I had Bob Harper in my house or with my at the gym each day I am sure that I would already be at my ideal size.  The reality is though that Bob, Jillian, or the new trainers are not with me.  I have to do what I can with the resources that I have.  I am thankful for those that help me out...both at home and for what I have to do at the gym.  I do get a little nervous about some of these crazy workouts that I have to do (and the ones that I don't know about yet) but I will keep pushing on and do my best.

Today I did go to the gym.  I wasn't feeling 100% so I did the best that I could today but...I was at the gym.  It was a little later than usual because this was my night:
1)  Quinn wasn't feeling too hot (he is 4) and got up a few times at the start of the night.
2)  Micah (6) got up and was sleepwalking and then wanted to have a conversation with me during his sleepwalking.  I'm sleeping, talking to me while you are sleeping is not a good idea.
3)  Sid (10) was coughing so I tried to convince her that she should put some more pillows under her to prop her up.  She didn't want to but I managed to get the pillows under her anyways.  Mom power!
4)  Quinn woke me up saying, "Mommy, my tummy hurts.  It's going boing, boing, boing."  Not the way I like to be welcomed in the morning.  We cuddled, tried to figure out what really hurt and see how he was doing before I totally freaked out.

My plan is to get to the gym in the morning.  My cough is back though so I am going full force on the meds to try to keep this to just a cough and not turn this into an infection in my lungs again.  I still have a really hard time telling the difference between asthma and a cough.  I am sure that there are things that trigger one and then the other but it is so hard for me to know the balance.  If I am up a lot in the night I will be home and in bed in the morning.  Just gonna have to see how the night goes.