HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYBODY!!

Thought I'd share some pics of the costume I wore to work today.

Seems fitting, huh?
My wicked role as the evil, butt-kicking trainer has turned me into a devilish creature! But I don't know where the dominatrix part comes from??


Vampin' it up w/ my fake lashes :)


Note how both Boo and I have a tail


Awww, yeah! Now I've got my whip! (and we've got a pumpkin down!)


My devilish powers had some crazy effects on the camera. Spooky...


Have a great weekend, friends. Hope you get to enjoy Halloween, too.

Talk to you next week when the new format starts!!
("Interactive Wednesdays" and "Quotation Fridays"!)

LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

In my final installment of
"American values, w/ a Deliberate Movement twist!"
... I'll bring in the phrase "land of opportunity".

America is viewed as a country of infinite changes, endless possibilities, and a place where anyone has a shot to become fortuitous.

Yet so many of us don't take advantage of this opportunity!

We mostly complain about who is to blame for our struggles -
We come up w/ endless reasons why taking advantage of an opportunity is impossible -
We convince ourselves and others that we have no opportunities (that life is SO hard) -
And we give so many excuses...

Which is why my friend and colleague, Jeremy Nelms, has come up with a program
called "No Excuses Fat Loss"
http://www.noexcusesfatloss.com

If you have every excuse in the book as to why you can't lose fat, Jeremy will obliterate those excuses as he himself attempts to lose fat in the worst scenario possible.

Go to his site to watch his progress over the next 60 days. http://www.noexcusesfatloss.com
And, more importantly, go to his site to prove to yourself that opportunity lies everywhere!
Whether you live in the "land of opportunity" or not!

JUSTICE

Another powerful American value - in honor of the upcoming election - is "justice".

We can define justice as "fairness", "lawfulness", "judgement free from bias", or "unprejudiced decisions".

And that's what we're all about here in the U.S.

Fairness, equality, unbiased actions.

Human rights.

But, unfortunately, in our selfish society -
Justice can easily be misconstrued as entitlement.
In fitness, people can feel entitled to the results that they were guaranteed...

Even though they didn't do what was asked of them to get those results.

People seriously have the balls to think these types of thoughts...

"It's only fair that I see incredible results after paying my trainer and showing up for all my workouts..."

"It's only fair that I enjoy the benefits of fat loss when I only change a few small things about my eating habits..."

"Since that fit guy can eat whatever he wants and stay in shape, it's only fair that I should be able to cheat whenever I want and still get fit"
(Okay, that one... well, that's not just entitlement. That's denial :) And a bit of envy, I'm sure.)

It really doesn't matter what's "fair" or "just" in health, nutrition, and fitness.

Your body doesn't play by those rules.

If you think you're entitled to progress - and you haven't done everything you possibly can to earn that progress - your body's not just gonna change because of what you think is fair.

It's only justifiable that you'll get your end result if you:
- do more than just show up to your workouts (work hard, people!!)
- play by the rules of nutrition all the time (not just when you feel like it)
- stop comparing yourself to others, and try to find what's best for you!

Just another gem of wisdom from Kim as she gets ready for election week!

UNITY

Today, I'll continue to interpret an American value into a health and fitness lesson.
This is fun!

Let's delve into the word "unity"...

Unity is defined as "the condition of being joined together as one", "a harmonious mutual understanding", or "the common interests among members of a group".
Unity means being a part of something bigger than yourself.

But let's spin it in a different way.

For many people, unity means... believing what everyone else in a group says, without question - just because you're a part of that group.

For example:
If your family teaches you to believe that fruit juice and baked chips is an incredibly healthy snack, then you can join in on their united front and blindly believe it too.

If everyone you know gives you the advice that long, slow cardio is the ultimate tool for fat loss, then you can also harmoniously agree to abide by this idea without question.

If you're a citizen of the US of A, you can have unquestionable faith in the American government and you can choose to believe the media's take on "reality" - simply because everyone else around you thinks this way.

This, my friends, is the downside of unity.

Being united with others is an important, beneficial thing. It makes you feel like you belong and gives you something to stand for. Plus, the support of a unified group can be priceless.

But remember to think for yourself.

Don't believe everything that you hear - even from a united group.

Exercise your right to question a statement.
Don't just accept everything you're told.
Educate yourself and make the best choices possible.

Especially with fitness and nutrition...
You need to know that not everything you hear or believe is actually true.
If something challenges what you've been taught, don't just write it off as incorrect.
Learn, and be willing to try new things - especially when there's proof that something works!

So, the lesson today?
Value the united groups you have in your life.
But don't think that you need to be identical to those groups.
Question everything you can in life... think for yourself!

Oh, and don't be afraid to try the exercise and nutrition techniques I preach about... even if they're unfamiliar!

FREE WILL

In honor of the upcoming election day here in the U.S. next Tuesday -
I've decided to touch upon some of the most familiar American values -
With a Deliberate Movement twist, of course!

So, today, let's start with "free will"...

In the most basic sense, free will is the ability to choose your own destiny.
It's the ability to choose how you think and how you act.

We're so lucky to live in a country that allows us the free will to do and say whatever the heck we want (within the limits of the law).

However...

Let's place free will into the world of health and fitness.

We may have the pleasure of choosing to eat whatever we want and whatever tastes good, whenever we want it...
but we really can't exercise the free will to eat whatever we want AND also have the optimal body that we truly want.

It might seem unfair - but it's a fact!

We may have the right to succumb to our lazy side when we get home from work...
But we can NOT employ the free will to be constantly sedentary AND also exude a healthy, strong, functional body that we desire.

It just won't happen!

Giving in to every little thing you want, just because you have the free will to have it, will NOT lead you to the ultimate picture of health!

You can NOT have everything!

That's the catch 22 about this specific "American value".
You can't always take advantage of free will AND have all that your heart desires too.

So, choose...

Will you choose to practice some restraint and earn a fabulously fit figure?

Or will you take advantage of the free will to indulge endlessly as well as neglect to be active, and wind up with a drab, disgusting bod?

Remember...
YOU have the free will to decide your own destiny...

More Crossfit lessons... girl power!

We all know that men are little testosterone factories.

They have the ability to achieve unbelievable amounts of strength - and they can turn on the aggression when it's needed (or even when it's not, right?).

So, men are expected to excel in the fitness world... Men understand that, no matter how unfit they may be at the start of a new program, they have the potential to reach any fathomable goal.

I'm certain that women have the same potential to reach any goal.
Yes, they will always have a bit of a disadvantage against the fore-mentioned "testosterone factories" - but who cares?!!

Unfortunately, I'm sad to say, a large majority of women have many preconceived notions about what they're capable of.

Way too often, I hear:
"I can't do a real pushup"
"That's too difficult for me"
"I'll never be able to do that in a million years - it's impossible"
"I don't wanna be strong" (I absolutely hate that one!)

It's ridiculous. To hear so many females fail to believe in their amazing capabilities.

Well, I found another buddy who shares my belief in "girl power", if you will.

Jeannie, my Krav Maga instructor (israeli self defense), kicks major a**!
I am awe-struck by her ability to exude a power much bigger than herself in the world of self-defense. She strives to be powerful, strong, and intimidating - to anyone who might wanna invade her personal space.

Not only does she provide a fantastic example for the ultimate strong, confident female... not only does she beat up on every guy that enters her class... and not only does she give her female students the tools to be a menacing threat in an unwanted situation...
But she also supports ANY strong female in ANY arena.

We share that sentiment.

We both have a lot of respect for women that are not afraid to get dirty, to become strong, and to prove themselves in the world of fitness.

And judging from her nicely-pedicured toenails, I know Jeannie also believes that women can be both feminine/dainty AND animalistic at the same time (or just "strong" and "fit", if "animalistic" scares you). :)

Jeannie restores my faith in the female potential - as do many of the ladies that join me in the Crossfit workouts!

Now, to all my fellow ladies reading this blog... I challenge YOU to strive for your potential.
Stop denying that you can be strong and absolutely fierce!
Find something you can't do, and learn how to do it.
Impress yourself and others by accomplishing what most believe to be "impossible".

And leave me a quick comment about what you intend to strive for...

I mean it! Tell me about your Girl Power!! Or I'll sic Jeannie on you...

More Crossfit lessons... just the bare minimum?

You know what most people do when they work out?

Most people do the bare minimum.

They lift a weight that feels 'heavy' and they do a bunch of reps until they get tired.
They might try to do some pushups or assisted pullups, but they never attempt to graduate to more difficult pushups and real pullups.
They want to lose weight - so they get on the treadmill and walk real slow for an hour.

Bare minimum.
Just showing up.

Believe me - what most people are doing might allow them to work up a sweat or "feel the burn" - but the lack of a challenge will lead to two things...
1) no real progress toward a goal
2) it get's boring!

Just showing up is not good enough, people!!

In the Crossfit 360 gym, we've got a role model that obliterates the bare minimum crap.

Jason, another one of my instructors, is insane. Insane!
Don't get me wrong, he's the sweetest guy ever - but we all believe that he's from another planet :) No one can even get close to what Jason accomplishes.

Why is he such a machine?
...The man will not accept "just the bare minimum." In his students or in himself.

In his role as an exerciser, he first thinks about what he could do comfortably, then he chooses a challenge way beyond that (and even though the decision seems foolish during the exercise... the accomplishment always far outweighs the discomfort). Now, that's walking the talk!

It's the same for when Jason is head honcho of a class. He urges us to choose a bit more weight, do a few more reps before stopping, complete pushups the "real" way, perform a tough skill with perfect form (even though that makes it harder), move a bit faster between exercises, and continue to improve from the last time.

It's never easy. And although he makes it look easy to us humans - you can see that he's pushing his limits. And by his example, the rest of us absolutely have to follow his lead.

And, no, pushing yourself is not enjoyable. It kinda hurts. But it's amazing to see how much you can accomplish - and how quickly you can progress - if you reach for more than the minimum.


As for me... I'm gonna keep striving to reach to the rafters where Jason is.
Why not? The only way to go is up!

More Crossfit lessons... your fitness focus

When you strive to accomplish health, what do YOU focus on??

If you focus on appearance, the numbers on a scale, improving specific body parts, dieting to lose fat, depriving yourself to reach a superficial goal...
You will most likely have little success in your pursuit for "health" or "fitness"

On the flip side...

If you focus on living a healthy lifestyle, becoming strong, reaching a specific performance goal, finding an enjoyable and engaging activity that you can stick with, participating in group activities, nourishing your body, being a role model for your family...
You will develop a meaningful, significant, worthwhile definition for health.
You'll have more opportunities for success in your health/fitness goals
You'll have every reason for infinite adherence to a life of health and prosperity.

Truthfully, health is

• a mindset
• a mentality
• a foundational purpose
• a conviction
• a lifestyle
  
• a lucid concern for vitality...

It's not just diet and exercise.
It's not just blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat.

To continue with my "lessons from my Crossfit family" theme this week...

My kickboxing and Crossfit instructor, Steve, repeatedly voices his belief that health should not be temporary. It should NOT be a limited engagement to get you out of the trouble that laziness got you into. And it shouldn't be solely connected to superficial goals.

Health, fitness, and livelihood should be a constant effort - a conscious choice to allow your body to reach its full potential - a significant part of who you are - an enthusiasm for life.

But Steve believes that obsession and guilt need not apply. He stresses that you should be able to leave your enjoyable health routine for a bit, take a short-lived vacation without feeling remorse, then fall back into it with ease.

And, of course, Steve abides by these rules in his own life. He's a resilient, endless ball of energy who strives to prove everyone wrong about what is possible... He's ready for any challenge.
And he expects to get a lot out of his life - so fitness is essential to keep him going. And so is a focus on complete well-being.

At the same time, Steve also expects a lot out of us! He pushes all us Crossfitters to challenge ourselves, to lead active lives, and to enjoy the process of being alive. His enthusiasm is contagious.

He reminds me that there's more to life than how you look, what you weigh, or how perfect your diet is... and he reminds me that there's a freedom in seeking out new, unfamiliar tasks, and there are many rewards in accepting a little healthy competition! :)


Now... I'm reminding YOU, my readers, that your quest for health will depend on your ability to create an environment of pride, self-respect, effort, and enjoyment. Like Steve does.

It's all about focus. A focus on complete well-being and total satisfaction.

Will you focus on achieving a better version of you? Will you fill your life with fear and excitement? (instead of relying on comfort and routine)

Leave me a quick comment below if you're committed to enhancing your life.

Or are you scared?...

Lessons from my Crossfit family

I hear inspiring words of wisdom from my new Crossfit family almost every day.

Honestly!
Every time I visit the gym, I know I'm gonna hear at least one positive comment.

How nice is that, huh?

It's refreshing to KNOW that there's no way you're gonna hear "ugh, I don't wanna be here today", "working out sucks", or "this is too hard" (insert whiny, annoying voice)

Everyone in attendance is obviously struggling to finish the strenuous workouts - but the statements I'm more likely to hear are...
"I did it!"
"That was awesome - in an evil kinda way"
"Wow, that was brutal! See you guys here again tomorrow?"

Now do you see why I am hooked?

It's a natural high!

Anyway, not only do I get the positive attitudes of my fellow exercisers, but I get constant motivation and advice from the people that work there.

The other day, Jenn (owner and instructor at Crossfit 360) was sharing some great healthy lifestyle advice with me. And I wanted to share it with you...

She mentioned that the success of one's nutritional plan is about the choices you make on a day to day basis. Success with an exercise plan is also about the actions you take on a day to day basis.

It's not about what happens during holidays and vacations (although going WAY overboard on the eating will set you back a little). It's not about the occasional treats/cheats that a dedicated exerciser enjoys. And it's not about that periodic day off from exercise that wasn't planned...

Jenn stresses that becoming lean and strong - and remaining lean/strong for life - are accomplished through consistent, beneficial choices
every
single
day.

Not just during the weekdays. Not just on days when you feel like it. Every day. Every meal. Every workout.

And when a commitment to health brings that kind of devotion to making good choices even when no one is looking... that's when you can plan some wiggle room. THAT'S when the wiggle room doesn't affect your health. That's when eating "bad" food and taking a break from your workout doesn't leave a single footprint in your level of fitness (or your stellar physical appearance!)

Now, Jenn doesn't admit to being perfect at her dedication to consistency. I don't think anyone can avoid all mistakes! But her effort is amazing. And she strives to teach us all that it's worth it to spend that kind of effort on yourself. I thank Jenn and her husband, Alan, for giving so much of themselves and their values to those of us at Crossfit 360!

I can only hope that I effect YOUR ability to put effort into yourself.

And if I haven't... I'll keep trying.
Day by day. :)

Stuck in a powerless cycle...

So, I went to an exciting Persian wedding on Sunday night - WAY up in the far northern corner of LA - about as far as you can drive and still be in LA county...

I'm still recovering from how late it put me into bed, especially before an early morning at work. Ah well, we had a rockin' good time :)

But I am also recovering, not from a hangover (fortunately, I got to be designated driver, so I avoided that fate), but from the sugar-fest I decided to have!

See, I have a weakness for sweets and baked goods... and I don't give in very often, but I had planned for some weekend wedding treats.

And, boy, do I feel it today!

... In the form of MORE sugar cravings.

It's been super hard to control! In fact, I'm having real trouble making good choices today. And I don't like that...

It's so very true that eating sugar/sweets/desserts puts your body into a cycle of wanting more sugary stuff.

Like I mentioned before - I don't succumb to my sweet tooth very often. And that's because I have more self-control to resist the irresistible stuff when I keep it out of my diet.

I don't keep sugary treats in the house, and I try to surround myself with delicious, healthy snacks. That way, I stay satisfied with my choices, I feel good, and I don't think of dessert as being a part of my daily life.

All that careful planning gives me the willpower when I DO walk by my fav peanut butter cookies (mmmmm... cookies)

But today...
is a different story.
I'm regretting those endless handfuls of personalized m&m's and the huge slab of chocolate cake. But I also want more. It's torturous.

I'll be back to full self-control in another day or so. It's the price I have to pay for going overboard.

If you're stuck in that cycle, I feel your pain.

Let's get out of it together.

Let's fill our bodies w/ whole foods, resist the urge to have some of that Halloween candy that's already hanging around at the office, drink lots of water, and fully detox from the dominating influence of sugar!

Who's with me??

I'll keep you posted w/ my progress ;)

The bluebird of happiness

Paul Chek gets emotional about happiness!

He's appalled by the fact that no one seems to be happy with themselves and their own lives.
Yet, they don't seem to take responsibility for creating happiness and satisfaction...

So, he becomes a peppy songbird to deliver his message that happiness is so very essential for a prosperous life.

In this video, he encourages you to realize...
YOU create your body...
YOU create your reality...
YOU create your own happiness!

Now, you don't have to buy any of his products - even though he mentions some stuff in these videos. I simply wanted to brighten your week with some new perspectives. As well as some motivational thoughts and a swift kick in the pants!

I've really enjoyed sharing these energetic presentations from the down-to-earth, unconventional expert on health and wellness, Paul Chek.

I hope you have benefited from them as well :)

My FAVORITE Doc :)

This "doctor" is what I build my business off of...

It's the concept that I passionately embrace in my life. And that I try to add to yours.

And I love that Paul Chek gets so passionate about it, too!

Let me tell you... even if you think that he goes off on a couple random tangents, that his extreme animation is frightening, or that he's a bit crazy for lecturing shirtless... you've got to admit that he's got A LOT of valid points about the state of our society's health.

Take a look - and enjoy his energy!

Most of us adamently resist going to this doctor...

"You are what you eat."

This is the main concept behind today's quick video.

Take a look as Paul Chek continues to expose the four essential "doctors" that you MUST include for complete and total health.

You absolutely NEED to visit this doctor!

I've got an entertaining and informative video for you today...

Paul Chek, a prominent expert in the field of holistic health and corrective exercise, describes the only four doctors you will ever need to visit in your lifetime.

I love that he's intensely passionate about health, from the inside out. He lives and breathes to share his infinite knowledge about human capability with the rest of the world. In fact, he's so passionate that he'll even shed his shirt for us! (to prove that he "walks the talk") :)


In today's video, he reveals the first doctor.

I'll post doctors 2-4 over the next three days - so come back!!

Words of wisdom for the weary

I heard a great quote today on one of Crossfit's Facebook pages...
It goes along with a recurring theme in these posts.

The quote said, "Exercise doesn't always have to be fun... to be fun."

Maybe you don't really understand that yet.
But I want you to.

If you don't exercise now, I want you to understand that the actual act of exercise - that 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 45 minutes, or hour and a half that you're doing the activity - is not usually a blissful event.

I don't know many people that absolutely love the discomfort that comes WHILE they're in the midst of a physical challenge.

Honestly... whether you're a beginner or an extremely advanced exerciser - the exercise is not always fun. Especially when it's really strenuous.

But you get better at dealing with the discomfort.

And afterwards... AH! What a rush! That was FUN!
But it really sucked...

Give me a shout-out in the comment section if you know what I mean!

Is there an easier way?

Did you ever notice that...
an exercise is so much harder if you do it the RIGHT way??

It's true!

• If you do a pushup with correct technique, it hurts!
• Keeping your chest up, your butt back, and your heels down in a squat is not comfortable.
• Sinking down very low to get a full range of motion in dips is super difficult, right?
  

ANY exercise you do with intensity will be challenging.
Especially when the targeted muscles start to fatigue.

And even though it's best for you to find an easier way to do all other tasks in life (like maybe cooking meals or managing a business)...
This does NOT apply to exercise!!

The "easier" way in exercise is usually the cheater's method for completing skills and workouts.

It's true that the body doesn't want to to an exercise the hard way...
Your body wants to take the least challenging path possible.
Like you on a Saturday morning, your body is inherently lazy when it comes to physical tasks.

YOU have to fight against that urge to regress to incorrect techniques and wimpy effort.

Just accept the fact that exercise will be difficult... stop fighting the inevitable.

And, honestly, the more you practice a skill with proper form - the more you push yourself through discomfort and teach your muscles to withstand the challenge...
The easier exercise will be.

That's good news, eh?

But then you've gotta start pushing yourself even harder... :)

You've gotta be hard-core, right?

So, I've been talking a lot about my recent physical challenges, my insanely difficult workouts, and my enthusiasm to work out hard every day...

Now let's talk about YOU instead.

You're reading this blog because you're concerned about your health and your level of fitness in some way. Right?

There's an interest to improve yourself at some level, but maybe you're not as gung-ho and crazy as I seem to be.

Not a problem!

I'm not asking you to be the mirror image of me.
I don't want you to feel like, in order to follow my advice, you need to have to strive to be the best... or search for the most difficult challenges you can find. :)
And I'm not suggesting that you need to have the desire to test your limits regularly in order to be fit and happy.

But I do want you to get a little inspiration from my blog posts - so that you can go implement activities into your life that you enjoy.

I want you to TRY to be physical. I want you to choose physical tasks because they kinda interest you, not because it's what you've been told to do...

I'd love for you to feel the thrill of accomplishment... and the satisfaction of following through on something you might be scared to start.

So...
Think about what YOU want. What's gonna make you happy?

If you don't know yet, that's totally fine.

Keep reading my posts - try to soak in my excitement for all things physical - find your own inspiration - and go take immediate action!

Your life won't wait for you, ya know!


P.S. - I won't lie... I have a lot of respect and admiration for those who kick major butt and aren't scared to be uncomfortable, as far as exercise goes. And, of course, I have a bit of a connection with those who share my passion.

But I have even more respect and admiration for the people who simply make a really strong effort and don't quit on themselves, no matter what their fitness level. If you're one of those people, then you're much similar to me than you think...

More Boot Camp Stories

So, to wrap up the Boot Camp Challenge story...

Lesli, Jo, and I finished the 3-mile course (plus over 50 obstacles!) in a little under 30 minutes.

Out of 56 other 3-person female teams, we came in 16th.

Out of 380 teams, we came in 115th. Not bad!!

We were pretty proud... in fact, here we are with our celebratory beers after the race :)




After our race, I was most impressed, not by our respectable time and placing...
But by the fact that -
Jo finished the hardest physical task she's ever attempted! And there was certainly no giving up on her part.
Lesli experienced a "re-awakening" of her competitive spirit and a new motivation to do more exciting events like this one. You should've seen her hustle!

As a trainer, that's what I find the most rewarding about working with my clients -

• When they are impressed with themselves for reaching a goal they never imagined they could reach.
• When they are proud of their accomplishments - and can visibly see the results of their consistency and hard work.
• When they find the self-confidence in their abilities and the realization that they really CAN be strong, fit, and capable of so much more...
  

Those are moments of pride for me. And I'm lucky enough to have a lot of those moments.
Thanks to people like Lesli and Jo - who put in the time and effort - and keep coming back for more!

I'm tellin' ya, folks. The initial few steps on your hike to the top are pretty darn difficult... I'm not gonna lie.

But it really is a great view from above.


Don't stop believing that you can make it there!

We didn't!

Our day as Marine Corps recruits!

I'm so proud of my team, "The Ball Busters"!

Three of us competed in the San Diego 'Boot Camp Challenge' this past Saturday, 10/4/08.




Lesli Washington, Josephine Fallah, and myself left the LBC just before 6am to make the trek down to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in SD.

We were set to race along a 3-mile track, chock full with obstacles used by the Marine Corps.
Oh, and peppered with actual Drill Sergeants.

So, at 0935 sharp, we crossed the starting line among a huge stampede of other 3-person teams.

We ran over big stacks of hay bales, crawled through tunnels, climbed over high obstacles, ducked under low obstacles, got yelled at by big, burly Marine men, and busted out a bunch of pushups.

Well, Josephine did 'cheat' and skip one pushup station. Check it out in this quick video... She's the one running by in the pink shirt saying "suckers" to Lesli and I. Brat!



Check back in tomorrow to hear how we did!

Do you have a choice?

My client Richard is a riot. He comes to each workout with an interesting anecdote, a whimsical observation about everyday life, or a plain ole' dirty joke.

But yesterday, he actually had a moment of insight. So, of course, I took notice :)

What did he share with me?
Richard shared the quote: "Attitude is a choice"

After thinking the quote over, he decided... your attitude and your disposition really are a direct reflection of how you choose to display yourself.

And he's right!

You DO have a choice.

If you're gloomy and unpleasant... you've chosen to be in a bad mood.
If you're visibly frustrated and stressed... you've chosen to let those emotions affect you.
If you're lethargic and disinterested... then you've chosen to give up.

That doesn't mean you can't feel those negative, raw emotions.
I'm not saying that you can never feel pessimistic, cranky, or upset.
It's impossible to expect you to to have neverending excitement and inspiration toward life's challenges (especially when those challenges involve changes in fitness and nutrition!)

I'm simply saying that you can choose how your emotions affect you.
You can decide to allow those emotions to overtake you... or you can choose to focus on more effective uses of your time.
You can choose to rise to a challenge - or just complain about having to tackle that challenge.

But your attitude doesn't just "happen". It doesn't just appear.
You have a choice in the matter...

Choose your friends wisely...

I told you I'd continue the discussion of my epiphanies. Well, this is the final chapter.

Not only have I recently embraced that I am happiest when I add the element of physicality into my life...

But I've also decided that I need to keep surrounding myself with people that enrich my life.

I've met some incredible people lately.

• I attended a networking/business "bootcamp" in Connecticut, where I met individuals with similar passions for health/fitness/exercise/life. Each one encouraged me to dream big and to take action - they challenged me in other ways besides the physical stuff. I still talk to a lot of them on a regular basis...

• In my last two months as a Cross Fit member, I've met people who like to be in the gym as much as I do! Members, instructors, and owners alike have made the gym feel like a happy community, even though the exercise is often brutal. But, honestly, the camaraderie is one of the reasons that I do work out so much...

What do these two groups of mine have in common?

They offer support!

I walked into unfamiliar territory both times and just happened to gain access into an inclusive society of support and positivity! So inspiring.

And since it's really hard to continually do it all alone - to navigate through your life without a soul to save you from yourself...
I highly recommend a good support system.

Do you have a support system?

Do you surround yourself with positive, high-quality people?

Or do you go through challenges alone - with no one to help you out of any negative patches?

The ultimate reason that people succeed at difficult challenges (in this case, let's say fat loss - because everyone wants to lose some fat, right?)... is that they have found a solid source of support. And the more support, the better.

So, I'll keep improving my business by turning to my group of amazing fitness pros...
I'll make sure to stay fit, strong, and inspired by continuing to experience new challenges with a crazy group of Cross Fitters :)

What are YOU going to do to get to where you want to be?

Who are YOU going to lean on??

Fight Gone Bad photos

As promised, here are some photos from last weekend's action-packed "Fight Gone Bad" charity workout...




Sumo Deadlift High Pulls & Wall Balls... Killer combo!!


Raise the roof!


Major weights being thrown around...


Jenn finds a way to create a breeze...


That's me! Oh man, Am I done yet?


Almost there!!


Good job, ladies!


Ugh! Pure exhaustion...


We kicked some major a**, Right Moose?!


The Cross Fit 360 team... With only 10 people participating, we ranked 57th out of 197 national teams for fundraising. Yeah, baby!


Here's to a great showing... Congrats to all involved! It was great to work up a sweat with you AND raise oodles of money, too.