Build It and They Will Come...Do It and They Will Follow!

Yesterday morning I was coaching in the gym and I had one of those Ah-ha moments! You know the ones, when you realize you have a point to make and you want to let everyone know what's going on in your mind. Let me paint the scenario for you...I am coaching the 8:30 class which consists of seven people two of which I want to bring to your attention today. Greg and Angie are normally in our corporate boot camp program but were given the opportunity to use the gym on their off week of boot camp. They showed up every morning this week with two little ones in tow Lily and Carrie.

Now, sometimes it's enough work for us to get ourselves out of bed and drag our butts to the gym but this is an entire family getting up in the morning on their week off of work and school and hitting the gym. What are we teaching our children here? What are they telling their kids? There are so many things that come to mind:

• Mommy and Daddy want to be healthy so we can take better care of you.
• Our health and fitness are important to us.
• Make healthy living a priority.
• We love you enough to take care of ourselves.

My point is this:

If you show your kids that living a healthy lifestyle is what you want to do then do it and they will follow.

I coached and out of the corner of my eye watched as these two little girls mimicked everything their parents did. The workout was:

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

SDLHP

Wall Ball

Box Jumps

They stood in the doorway of the gym (I assume they were told that was as far as they could go) and found the equipment they needed in order to do these exercises. As Greg was doing his SDLHP with a 65# barbell...Lily was in the doorway doing them with a 10# kettlebell. When they would see him switch to the wall ball I saw Carrie take the 5 lb orange balls and toss them in the air and catch them. When it was time for box jumps those girls jumped up and down until their father moved onto the next exercise.

Those little eyes we don't always know are watching us do because WE, as parents are their true role models. Kids are sponges and the younger they are the more "sponge" like they are. I frequently get asked "Do your kids CrossFit?" All of my kids have experienced CrossFit in some form or another but I will save that for another post. My kids are active, they swim, cheer, dance, play rugby. They have after school sports and activities. Teach your kids now, that being healthy is the way to be!

My best wishes to all of you for a Healthy and Happy New Year 2010!

Build it and they will come.......do it and they will follow!

Please post comments, questions, and thoughts:

Traditions

I am a very traditional person. When it comes to the holidays I love doing the same things at the same time with the same people to create new memories year after year! It's crazy, my kids laugh because they know my traditions...they know what is going to happen year after year! Oh, and if I try to change something up....I hear about it. They love it as much as I do. They have grown to "expect" these things to happen. One thing that I always make sure to buy at Christmas time is the token gingerbread house. My girls will sit for hours year after year to make their gingerbread house. There is always a picture taken at the end to record the many beautiful houses we have made over the years.

Brianna and Brooke- Gingerbread Experts!

This year we decided to spread the "Gingerbread Cheer" a little bit further. Can you believe we found some people that have NEVER made a gingerbread house?

Bob and Marge Tuttle (those are my parents), when my mom saw me walk in with the gingerbread house she was actually mad and said "oh no that's not for me is it?" And I said, "yes it is, and you are going to like it!" And they did....this was the first time my parents have ever made a gingerbread house.

Gage and Gabby...helped us make a gingerbread tree. You can see the beginning stages of our tree in the picture.

Traditions....this is just one of many things you can do. Take time this season and spend it with your family. Create memories that will last a lifetime. You can bet next year, I will be dropping in on my parents with another gingerbread house. This might have been their first but it won't be their last.

He's A Mean One....Mr. Grinch!

So, today I had my FitClub class at Schmucker Middle School. I have been having a hard time keeping all of these kids busy for an entire hour. The attention span is much different in an 11- 13 year old than in an adult that is trying to "get in shape!" So, I have had to be very creative and I think today was a HUGE success.

Today I read, The Grinch That Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss - with a twist! Every time I read the word Grinch, the kids had to do 3 burpees. Each time I read the word Who, the kids had to do 15 jumps with the jump rope. I had three other words that I had picked out - Christmas, tree, and roast beast! So, I started reading with the title of course and they quickly got the hang of it. I know by the end they were dead tired, time passed quickly, and I had to read the last 8 pages with the kids lying on their tummies looking up at me with sweaty faces and smiles from ear to ear. I love to see these kids working hard, the same kids show up week after week to see what I have in store for them.

The foundation of exercise starts from the get go. Get your kids active...dance, sports, exercise, there is something out there for every child. This time of years it's easy for kids to sit around and play their video games or hang on the computers! Childhood obesity is at its worst in this country.

I can promise you one thing, each and every one of these kids will watch Grinch over the holiday season and there is not one of them that will not think about what they accomplished in that workout! Brooke and I just watched it together (yes, she is in my FitClub) and she gently placed her hands over her ears when the word "Grinch" came across the TV and stated "No more burpees!"

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body......

As quoted by one of my Rugby players tonight while encouraging her partner that she could do the workout. Abby a newly turned 17 year old caused me to do an about face when I heard this statement....How Profound! Ok, Yeah so she probably read it somewhere but the fact of the matter is she remembered it because it meant something to her.

We are all weak in some way or another. Some of us more physically weak, some of us emotionally weak, some of us socially weak, some of us mentally weak....and we all feel pain. Some of the most pain comes from confronting these weaknesses head on. With a vengeance. What do you do when you are faced with a weakness? Do you back down? Do you turn around and go the other way? Or do you stand tall and firm and look weakness in the eye and say "Your not going to get me this time, get out of my way!" and forge through it.....

It's that time of year - find your weakness - face it head on- go at it with a vengeance. The only pain you will feel is when you leave it in your dust!

Speaking of my lovely Rugby players they worked their butts off tonight:

WOD

50, 40, 30, 20, 10

Burpees

Lunges

SDLHP

Sit -Ups

PP

With a partner, complete for time.

Aubrey, Chelsie, and Cori 24:16

Linnea and Sarah 25:20

Ellen and Ambrie 24:04

Carly and Courtney 25:02

Draya and Riley 27:44

Ashleigh and Nicole 27:43

Amber and Courtney 28:54

Abby and Ali 29:37

Great Job Ladies!

Time Changes Everything

So your probably thinking "How many times can they show these pictures to show the drastic changes in Carole's physical appearance?" There is something in these pictures that you can't see by just looking at them, there is something so much deeper than what shows on the outside. In the first pose you see me in a bikini - but do you know what I think about myself. At first glance you see a happy smiling person. Which, I always was but what people didn't know is what I thought of myself. I had absolutely no self confidence. As a matter of fact I was looking through my file at the gym...we will call it the "archives" and in July of 2007 when I started with Jim I was asked this question. "What do you give yourself on a scale of 1-10 for your physical body appearance?" I gave myself a 3. Can you believe that? Some people look at that picture now and say "I would be happy with Carole's before!" But, apparently something was missing for me.

In the second picture I am once again wearing a bikini and a smile. I am starting to get more confident. Just the other day I was looking through my old workout journal to find a workout for the gym. I was flipping pages and reading some of the logs that I had written "back in the day!" Well, this really got me thinking about how CrossFit has changed my life. My journal starts in May of 2008 almost 10 months into my CrossFit journey.

Journal Entry: Date 5-2-08

"Jim told me @ 9:30 Thursday night that we were going to start working out today. That threw me into a nervous jitter and I was up most of the night. The last time I woke up @ 4:15 am I decided that was it and I got out of bed. I was scared to death."

5-7-08

"Had my first recognition from the magazine today. I was a little embarassed but it really made me feel good. Of course as soon as I pulled away I commented about giving my autograph. No balls when she was right there."

5-13-08

"Found a little courage today to talk about what I love - talked to "Vance" at the fire station about running boot camp in his back yard...."

5-14-08

"Met w/ Lou Ann today about PT, I know how to talk to people now - feeling more comfortable...."

5-27-08

"Went to the "campsite" with Jim today. Laid out the 1/4 mile. Went over 1st day stuff. It's funny cause as he was telling me I had this flood of emotion I so vividly remember that first day (of my bootcamp) and so many to follow - sometimes I want him to pinch me and wake me up from this dream. I sometimes can't believe what we accomplished in these 10 months. There are parts of me that want to creep back in every once in awhile but I'm learning how to put them off. I look where I am today. So much stronger mentally - yet so far to go. Time!"

5-28-08

"Met new friends @ the mall today from "Fitness USA - offered me a job- somehow I grew balls and pretty much blew them off - while making sure they knew who I worked for. Success speaks for itself- that was a lesson learned today. Jim- you have created a MONSTER!"

The entry's go on and on I could type for days...it's crazy now to look back at the growth of my confidence. I didn't even really know it was happening......

Now, in the third picture, I am once again in a bikini and wearing a smile. What, you can't see in the picture is that I am unstoppable. Not in the sense of some bad ass chick that thinks she's all that because I don't. But in the sense that my mind has caught up with the rest of me. I know that nothing absolutely nothing can stand in my way. Will there be bridges to cross and long roads to walk down, hell yes but I now KNOW that no matter what comes my way I can accomplish it with a smile on my face. So, as you can see I have not only changed physically I have changed mentally and emotionally as well. I have confidence in myself that let's me believe that NOTHING is impossible. Did all of that come from CrossFit? It came from inner belief. Maybe I needed CrossFit to show me how to believe in myself but nonetheless it's here!

Highlight of the week.....

Inova BootCamp

I have a really fun group of bootcampers at Inova FCU. I love how they are always ready and willing to just get down and go for whatever I throw at them. The setting is in the basement of the building where they work their butts off everyday most of them sitting behind a desk. So come 6:00 every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday they get to spend an hour building their team in a different way. Through health and exercise. Now, we all know that CrossFit is an addiction at it's best. We like to call it drinking the Kool-Aid....well they drink the Kool- Aid and talk about it at the water cooler. I brought my camera in the other day and captured some of their finest moments.....I hope you enjoy them as I did!

Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday

to my favorite boy in the world!

Nineteen years ago today I gave birth to a bouncing beautiful baby boy!

Now, I get to look up at a grown man! I guess you could say he is still growing- not only in size but in life. When your kids get to this age you sit back and pray you taught them everything they need to know to go out into this big old world!

The foundation starts at home....it starts small - manners, boundaries, values, morals, health....your kids are going to do and say whatever it is you do or say. If they see you working out, they in turn will work out. If they see you eating healthy, they in turn will eat healthy. On the flip side, if they see you vegging out on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and a ho ho in the other....well you know the rest....

The big question I get asked ALL the time is what do you feed your kids? I feed them what I feed myself. It wasn't always this way - I had a time where I had to go through the dreaded "change"! I remember a day very clearly about two years ago when I decided that it was time to change my life and my family's life for the better. I had gone to the grocery store and packed my cart FULL of fresh fruit and vegetables - this took place of the little debbie boxes and oreos. We literally had chicken, turkey and lean beef coming out of our ears. This took place of the pasta, chinese takeout, and pizza. Almonds replaced M & M's! I get home from the store so proud of my new take on life and the change that is going to happen and my family FREAKS OUT!! I mean literally there were tears, there were questions, there were angry people that I had to deal with.

Now, (fast forward two years) my kids open the refrigerator and pull out a clementine, a cheese stick, and a couple of almonds. My youngest daughter eats a frozen waffle for breakfast w/ peanut butter and a couple slices of deli meat. Is that perfect - no I would take away the "waffle"...is that good - absolutely, she has managed to get carbs, protein, and fat and she is full until lunch hits at school. Afternoon snacks are no longer "carb binges"...my kids look for and crave all the "good stuff"...is it easier to slap a package of crackers filled with some imitation cheese in front of your kids than taking a rice cake and spreading almond butter on it....NOT ON THEIR LIFE it isn't!

The Morning After.....

So how many of us just came off of a 4 day eating binge? Thinking each time that you put something in your mouth went something like this "Well, I can have this because it's Thanksgiving!" In reality, Thanksgiving is only one day, not four but we can always find a reason to make bad choices......Ok people we have approximately 4 weeks until Christmas....what happens between Thanksgiving and Christmas is what can determine your pant size for the New Year! Do you know that in 4 weeks you can go up in pant size if you "choose" to eat whatever you want at all your holiday parties? But what I really want you to know is if you just make the right choices at these parties you can easily maintain if not lose inches and pants size. We all know it's about choice! It's that state of mind that you have to set BEFORE you leave for the party! So, I say party on....but choose wisely!

What an awesome day...

Apparently I have no idea how to turn this picture over.......Oh well you get the idea!

Wow, what a great day! It started out with a gym full of people! Jim, Tara, and I sat in the back room in wonder - wondering what the heck are we going to do with this gym FULL of people! That's not the total truth...we knew what we were going to do, we had it down to a science but the way we felt when they just kept piling in was something that can never be described! The workout in itself was great but will never measure to the feelings inside. The endless thank yous, the hugs from someone I had just met an hour before, the compliments, it was just one of those WOW we did it moments... My athletes thank me every day...no matter what I put them through they always leave thanking me.

Then, the best part of my day happened...I cooked Thanksgiving dinner while my kids did some interesting things in the "background". I have a lot of it video taped but I can't get the file to download...maybe after further investigation I can get those on here. But what I liked the most is that we all had to face what we feared the most. Change! No one really knew how to face it....we laughed together, we prayed together, we cried together, and we found that no matter what even if things are different we were with each other and that is what really matters in the end. Family is being with the ones you love when they need it the most. I needed my kids to be silly today, to create new memories, we didn't make it through without each of us having thoughts of the past. But, we made it with plenty of silly memories that will be talked about for years to come! (Especially when I bring out the videos)

Now, I must sleep as BLACK FRIDAY starts in about 5 hours and I will knock people out for a good deal....actually this is one of my favorite days...I shop all by myself for hours and hours......PURE BLISS!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving

Wow, I can't believe it. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving already. Where has my year gone? What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for my family. That is what I am thankful for. I miss my son who has been away at college, my girls and I are always so busy it seems we live in the same house but don't see each other as much as we should. I am thankful that I get to spend an entire day devoted to the three people I brought into this world. I had them all list what they wanted today. Today for us is about starting new traditions in our house. It has been a rough year and it's time to make some new happy memories. Starting today........

I am also thankful for my friends. Without them I wouldn't be where I am or who I am. They know who I am talking about....thank you for being there when I needed you the most.

I am going to mark tomorrow as the start of my new year. A year dedicated to doing all of the right things at all of the right times with all of the right people. What's that called? The right amount of everything! TRAOE

Rugby Practice Went Well....the name game!

So, I had Rugby practice tonight. I really enjoy coaching the Rugby Girls Fitness. I have the ultimate respect from these girls. They know when it's time to get serious and down to business and they also know when it's time to have a good laugh. Tonight after the workout which was pretty hard 10 rounds of 15 push ups, 30 sec plank hold, 15 burpees......we played a game to get to know each other's names. It was nice to start to get those names down. I look forward to a good year with these girls.

In the beginning.....

Well, blogging this is all new to me! Had you asked me two years ago if I had my own Blog Site I would have looked at you dumb founded - what is a Blog Site? Actually two days ago I might have said the same thing. I am hoping to let you into my mind and let you know how I feel about my passion. My passion is CrossFit, nutrition, making your life better through fitness and proper nutrition.

I know things are different for women and men when it comes to fitness so maybe I can give a little insight and if this touches one more life than I am successful.....

So, welcome to my page.....please feel free to offer up your suggestions, questions, and comments!