You Don't Look Like A Trainer

If I'm being honest I know that a lot of my credibility as a trainer was because of how I looked. And that was important to me, competing or not I practiced what I preached. Here I am 14 weeks pregnant and far from looking like a trainer (well the trainer I was) but finally at a point where at least it's more obvious that I am pregnant and not just chubby. Actually now I am getting the looks, you know the stares that seem as if they are saying to me, should you be doing that if your pregnant.

Little do they know that doing that is my thing, it makes me happy, it's who I am. Starring at the pull up bar knowing the next four are going to suck but do I use the extra lbs as an excuse and pick something easier, well I wouldn't have done that before. But what kind of trainer would I be if I looked at the outside and didn't think it matched the inside and just gave up, threw in the towel. After all I am learning yet again my body just goes all maternal when pregnant. Eating clean, monitoring my protein, training hard, but soft all over. I desperately wanted to be one of the super fit pregnant ladies with ripped arms and nothing but a baby belly. Not happening, hips, thighs, boobs, it all grows.

So in my own head I am reminded of conversations I have with my clients, who have dived into the fit lifestyle, for weeks at a time, and the outside doesn't seem to match their enthusiasm and commitment on the inside. I remind them it's about being strong, confident, persistent, content in knowing you are trying and not accepting any excuse, including not feeling comfortable in your own skin. After all that's what keeps us stuck, mentally and physically.

I am listening to my own coaching, and it's truth. I get up and eat my normal breakfast, I go to work, I train myself, I do my mom thing, cook dinner, batch prep, etc. I'm tracking my training and maintaining my strength, and started back with my fitness pal, perhaps it's a control thing but it pleases me to see a good day of proper nutrition. Now I am far from perfection, there have been a few bowls of peanut butter Cheerios, and the weekends as a family we indulge a little, but having an 80/20 approach to this pregnancy, regardless of the outcome, I am staying committed to the journey! The way I see it, just like I tell my clients, the hard work, dedication, it catches up. Being persistent, continuing to practice what I know, there will be no starting over, the journey will continue.

One day at a time, that has been my motto. For now I attack my workouts just like before, if I need to change that I will, but let me say leaving the gym with my head high because I kicked my own butt yet again, that gets me to the next day, and reminds me why I am staying dedicated to the journey. All those days will add up and take me to the days to follow after this particular journey.

What about you, have you committed to the journey, knowing that through persistence, the outside, it catches up to the inside, and the inside, that is what's most important, that is where lasting change is made!


And we have a boy ladies and gentlemen! Finally a boy!

Practice Makes Perfect

When we say the word repent, it means to turn away from and go the other direction. This is something in our spiritual life that we make a conscious effort to do, in order to live in a way that would glorify God. So in our journey to lose weight and exercise we have to repent, to turn away from the old behavior that keeps us unhappy and unhealthy and turn toward new behavior. And just like with any "new journey" it's somewhat easy to start, it's the sticking with it that can be hard.

The apostle Paul spoke using athletic metaphors to teach us that disciplined practice is what we need to overcome our obstacles and make the other direction our new life, a natural behavior. We burn out often times because we take that all or nothing approach, I will only eat this, I will workout everyday,etc. A healthy lifestyle comes with time, with persistent practice, and when our motives are clearly to seek changed behavior, a NEW LIFE!


Below is a blurb from PeaceMeal. PeaceMeal is a weekly e-publication of Peacemaker Ministries (www.Peacemaker.net). All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2012. Reprinted with permission. To sign up for this free weekly email publication, go to the Peacemaker Ministries website at www.Peacemaker.net.

Sticking With It
If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. 2 Peter 1:8

Practice. As Paul warned the Philippians, we cannot change unless we put what we are learning into practice (Phil. 4:9). In other letters he used athletic metaphors to teach that godly character qualities must be developed through disciplined practice in which we seek to overcome our weaknesses, master the proper techniques, and make a desired behavior natural and automatic (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:14; 2 Peter 1:4-8).

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 135.

Food for Thought
Did you do well right out of the gates, only to lose momentum during the race?

January and February are excellent months if you're in the health club business. People resolve to be healthier in the New Year and usually follow-up on that by joining a gym, enrolling in an exercise class, or even hiring a personal trainer. It can be quite challenging to find a parking place in January and February at many health clubs. But come April and May? It's a different story.

There is always some excitement over the initial moments of anything, be it joining a health club or your Christian life. There's nothing wrong with that at all. However, many of us fizzle out when the disciplined work of training finally sets in.

As believers, we must consistently be working those peacemaking muscles -- training our hearts, minds, souls, and strength to respond to the promptings of Christ and not our natural desires. Jesus needs peacemakers in January and February and March and April and all year long. So let's all put into practice those things we've been learning!

So where are you, have to turned toward your new lifestyle and started walking that way, putting more space between you and your past lifestyle? Do you feel the change happening? Is what you practice day to day becoming your new normal? Let the journey continue!

Find me at www.facebook.com/fitnix5 or on twitter @fitnix5. #mompowerteam