Fit for FUN + Fit for LIFE

How is Progress Measured?

I am a procrastinator. And I am a planner. Also a dreamer. A bit of fantasy thinker too. The scene of the theme writing in A Christmas Story could have been written about me!

I love to listen to podcasts that inform and advise in the way of self-discipline. Self-discipline is both a gift and a responsibility.

I have high hopes for the upcoming year. I bought a planner with check lists included. My dreams and fantasies build as I look at my planner…

Then I have a workout session…

⬆️ The above was a draft started December 19, 2023.

I’m still a procrastinating planner. I’m still dreaming. I still have fantasies of being smart, self-disciplined, organized, and looking like I know how to dress.

I listened to the first half of a JBP podcast this morning.

How about those high hopes for the year? The planner?

I’ve seen some wonderful gains in my athletes. I get to have a weekly workout with a friend. I got a second planner (better for keeping up with my athlete sessions) and still using the other planner to track Bible reading and household chores.

I’m not sure where I was going with this blog post, back in December. What progress was this going to be about? Lifting goals? Client goals? Signing on more athletes? I don’t know…

I do know, I’m still hopeful. Still working on building organizational skills. Still writing in my planners…

Gym Anxiety

People might laugh at me.

People might talk about me.

People might stare at me.

I might stumble.

I might look stupid.

I might not have proper form.

I don’t know what I’m doing.

I can’t jump as high as other people.

I can’t lift as heavy as other people.

There is no limit to gym anxieties. The “what ifs,” the “I can’ts,” the “I’ll look”… and so many more!

Let me ask you this: What if you are on a treadmill walking 2.5 mph and the person to your left is running 6.0 mph and the person to your right is walking 3.5 mph with an incline of 5%? So what? You’ve gone from not walking to walking 2.5 mph. That’s great! It doesn’t matter that other people are going faster or walking up an incline. It doesn’t negate your workout. And think about it, what if someone else is walking 1.5 mph? Are you judging them poorly? I would hope not!

Okay, say you are deadlifting the barbell, 45 pounds. There is no shame in that. The person to your left is lifting 145 pounds, 100 pounds more than you! Yet, they started out at 45 pounds, too. The person to the right is lifting 245. Again, they also began at 45 pounds.

Some begin their gym journey at 8 years old, and others begin at 18, 38, or even 58 or 68 years old.

We don’t know other people’s stories. They don’t know yours either.

Take the chance. Walk into the gym. If you are lifting dumbbells and aren’t sure about the form, ask a trainer. Trainers are happy to talk to you and share their knowledge. They aren’t going to charge you or try to sell their services just because you asked a question.

If you are still anxious about walking into the gym, watch a few YouTube videos on specific exercises you want try. When you go to the gym, you will go with a plan.

If these ideas aren’t enough to get you there, go with a friend.

Or hire a trainer. They usually have limited packages in addition to longer term programming.

Just take the step. Go. If someone laughs, what happens? Nothing. You still keep working out. The world keeps spinning. And you get stronger.

What are some of your gym anxieties?

Stay…fit for FUN + fit for LIFE

Coach Cindy

Day 6/100 Good Mornings

Challenges, Inspirations & Accountability Partners

So far, I’ve been fortunate to keep up with the 100-day challenge that’s in progress. My morning mobility routine has actually been daily. Woohoo! The best part about this 2-minute routine is I have noticed a difference, functionally, in my life.

I think the dailiness of doing a thing may be more important than the amount of time spent doing the thing. Two minutes every day, I believe, is more beneficial than twenty or thirty minutes once a week. At least it is playing out that way for me, in this instance, anyway.

Since this has been going so well I’ve decided to take up my cousin’s challenge of doing barbell “good mornings” every day for the next 100 days. We decided on doing 18 reps daily. That doesn’t mean we won’t do more than that on any given day, especially if they pop up in one of our workouts sometime over the next 100 days. But on rest days, we are still committed to 18 reps.

If you would like to join Ezra and I in the barbell good mornings 100-day challenge, comment “Good Morning” below. Or comment some other thing you’re going to commit to over the next 100 days.

Also, if you’ve already started a 100-day challenge, let me know how you’re doing with yours. Have you had to start over? Have met the challenge every day? Are you thinking of adding one more small thing? Have you had to adjust your plan?

For now, “Good Mornings” to all, from Ezra and me! ☺️

Fit for FUN + Fit for LIFE

Cindy

A Little Flash of Color to My Black & White Gym Uniform

Sometimes you’re doing your warmup in the Wednesday night class and then you move on to the next planned exercise. But sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes a muscle will scream “ENOUGH!” And it stops you in your tracks. That happened this past Wednesday evening.

Fortunately, there were other coaches to cover for my absence during the rest of the class. Thankfully, athletes and coaches all prayed for healing for my right calf (and for my ability to drive the 35ish miles home). Before leaving I called the chiropractic doctor who helped me when I had psoas syndrome the previous year. Blessedly, I was able to get an appointment for 11 o’clock the next morning.

With the 100-Day Challenge well-underway, I was nervous about my morning mobility routine. What if I can’t do it? What then? Would I scrap the whole thing? Would I continue with two of three challenges? Would I adapt and keep going? Would I attempt to force myself through it and grit my teeth?

The next morning, fully believing I would be unable to complete it, I decided to give it a try. As it turned out, I was incredibly wrong. I was able to complete my little mobility routine!

The Thursday morning appointment with Dr. H went very well. Treatment was helpful. Adjustments were helpful. His insight and advice were helpful.

As you can see from the calf sleeve pictured, I have followed the doctor’s advice and am well on my way to recovery.

Also, I kinda like that flash of color!

Remember to stay:

Fit for FUN + Fit for LIFE

Coach Cindy

Sunshine & Alone Time

Sitting alone at a patio table is one of my favorite things to do, whether at home or in a public space. Hearing the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling is peaceful. It helps my mind slow down and see things from a different perspective.

I happen to be in the public setting at the moment. Both of my parents have passed. Both siblings have passed. My husband has passed. It’s nice to see families gathered together, drinking coffee, and sharing memories.

When I was a little girl, my dad had dumbbells and an ab wheel in the house. I would sometimes workout with him in the house, but I mostly did situps. The wheel was too difficult for me, so I gave up pretty quickly on that piece of equipment. However, he also had a workout area in the yard, next to the house. He built a high bar for pullups and a low bar for my sister and I to twirl on. He also had a barbell, a few weights, and a variety of jump ropes.

I loved our time working out together outside.

I never dreamed I would become a certified personal trainer, much less beginning this new career path past the age of 55!

My parents, siblings, and husband are not here to share in these new adventures, but I’m so grateful for the memories we made together that led to this day. This beautiful day where I’m sitting under a shade at a patio table in Arizona.

Gratefully fit for FUN + fit for LIFE,

Cindy

P.S. How are you doing with your 100-day challenge?

100-Day Challenge Day 1

Well, I’ve finally settled on my challenges. I chose three.

The first is sweeping.

I started to write about why I chose this as one of my three final choices. Then decided, I probably shouldn’t go into this on a fitness blog, ha!

The second is to perform mobility exercises.

This is something I need to do each day, but is also something I put on the back burner far too often. My exercise preferences, as we all know, tend to include pushing a sled or lifting weights. (If I could add throwing axes into my workout, I’d do that too!) However, mobility is important and I want to ensure I do some form of it each day.

The third, you already knew, is to write daily.

I am going to explore interviewing as part of this writing challenge. So keep an eye out for that!

I’ve heard from one person so far about their participation in the 100-Day Challenge. If you are participating and want to share, please do so. I look forward to seeing how others are taking on personal challenges.

Remember, get fit for FUN and fit for LIFE,

Cindy

100 Days

Have you ever participated in a 100-day commitment?

On my personal IG & FB accounts I did two years of “365 days of gratitude posts.” That seems like it shouldn’t be a big deal, there is reason each day to be grateful, just pick five things every day and post them. But the dailiness of it could be difficult when I was out of my routine, on a road trip or changing careers.

I began the first one after my first year and half of being a widow. Life is different when you are widowed. People that used to talk to you no longer speak to you. I don’t know why that is, but it is. I have spoken to other widows who had similar experiences of being avoided by people whom they had counted as friends.

It was for myself and others who found themselves suddenly rejected, after suffering the loss of a spouse, that I began to write daily gratitude posts. For our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health we need to actively acknowledge and express gratitude for our blessings. It was my hope that my posts would inspire others to look over their days and see reasons to be grateful.

It has been several months since I have posted daily.

A friend, with whom I have recently begun training, was inspired by a reel we watched that said it takes about a hundred days to make a change. We do one workout and don’t see a difference and doubts ping our hopes. Quitting before getting into the thick of it seems like an option. We’re already doing nothing, we could continue that. But, what if? What if we did do something for 100 days? What would that look like?

What if I posted on my blog for 100 days? What if you did sit-to-stands every day for 100 days? What if she did planks every day for 100 days? What if he made his wife coffee every day for 100 days? What if we sent a thank-you text every day for 100 days? What if?

Let me know in the comments something new you would be willing to do for 100 days.

Just a couple of challenges for a couple of people.

Fit for FUN + Fit for LIFE – What does that mean to you?

Think about the things you do on any given day. Grocery shopping, babysitting grandkids, cooking a meal for your family, doing laundry, going dancing, hanging out at the park, or whatever you do in your work or leisure.

At the grocery store, how many times do we do calf raises in order to get something from a high shelf? How many times do we do squats to get items from the lower shelves? We even deadlift cases of water from the floor to the cart. These tasks can be fun when we think about the movement we’re doing and add a pep to our step.

Cooking can get physical too! Endurance when mixing by hand. Breakfast tends to require explosive moves because so many things need constant tending to, springing from one task to the next in different areas of the kitchen.

Laundry requires repetitive motions when sorting, walking while carrying large baskets (sometimes heavy), curling large bottles of detergent, etc.

The next time you’re doing squats and asking yourself why, remind yourself you’re making the daily tasks easier. And, hopefully, even improving your sleep. Effort in your workout means less effort elsewhere.

What is your favorite exercise?

How about your least favorite?

What is an exercise you’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t?

Dreams – The Ones That Happen When You Sleep

“Coach Cindy, where are you?” The other team coaches asked me in my dream.

“Oh no!” I was supposed to be at an early meeting and it is a 45-minute drive, when there is zero traffic and no detours. And I think they are changing up the construction scheduling at the highway entrance this weekend. Eek!

I go to the bathroom to get ready so I can fly out the door for the early Saturday morning meeting. My phone beeps. I look to see what type of notification. I check my IG messages. After reading them, I checked out an IG story.

The story announced it is Friday. What?!?!

I go back to bed for twenty minutes.

I’m still in panic mode. I restart my morning routine. Almost left, in my rush, without reading the daily chapter in the Bible. I stopped and record my reading of Luke 14, then rush out the door.

I make it to the gym across the valley. I set up the area for my first athlete of the day. After all of the equipment is set up, I decide to start this blog post while I wait.

I’m in the lobby waiting on my athlete as I type this. It is 10:15 and suddenly it hits me – 10:15 is her Tuesday time… Friday session isn’t until noon. Oh. My. Gosh.

Laughing at myself, I go back to the turf area and begin gathering all the equipment I had so carefully put together for my athlete.

I tell the front desk I will be back and laugh all the way to the car.

I’m now at a nearby coffee shop having a cappuccino, wondering what other mistakes lay ahead on this beautiful Friday.

Also…just because people tell you in a dream that you are late for a meeting doesn’t mean it translates true in the waking world.