Always putting Safety First!

Whether I'm at work, listening to the radio, at a big function, or doing my daily workout one thing I always hear is Safety First or Be Safe.  And I couldn't agree more.  This phrase rang true today, and sadly....I failed miserably (well at least at work I failed).

We had our annual (my first at the new job) safety meeting today at work and I was the chosen one to answer the ultimate question "where are all of the fire extinguishers located?"  And I did not know where they were exactly.   The truth of the matter is.... I go about my day doing what I need to do (while taking an occasional water break) and never realizing that just six inches away (behind the water fountain) is one of the three fire extinguishers in the building.  I mean....the fire extinguisher is posted on the wall  right next to the water fountain I fill my cup with at least four times a day.  How does someone miss that?  Even though I recently lightened my hair, I had to ask myself "am I really that.....blonde?"

And in other sad news I heard that you can only buy fireworks with a permit.  I'm supposed to go down to wherever I need to go and buy a permit so I can enjoy a nice intimate fireworks display in my own driveway?  Really?  It makes me wonder what this world is coming to.  I know that it's a safety precaution, but I'm an adult (in my 30's mind you) not a child.  Are we that unsafe as a society that we have to go such extreme measures?  I'm not the one shooting off the big rockets....although I have to admit their pretty cool.... I'm an adult.  I should be able to have the freedom to buy fireworks, enjoy myself, and be safe.

Okay....enough with the venting.  I had to get that off my chest.  Need to make room for my happy thoughts like my next workout.

There are days when I'm tired or my body is achy from the great workout I did the day before....so I do the sensible thing and REST.  It is so important to be safe before, during, and after a workout.  With this in mind, I haven't been running as much as I'd like because my left knee has been bothering me lately after I've run 3 or more miles so I'm giving it time to heal.  Instead of running I've been doing some extra strength training (via ChaLEAN Extreme.....more on that in another blog post) and walking on the treadmill.  I'm learning to take it slow, don't lift more than I can handle, take breaks when needed, and above all else make sure I have proper form when doing each exercise so that I don't injure myself.

So today I did the safe thing for me and my body and RESTED!  Tomorrow is a new day and I'll be all geared up and ready to get my workout on.  Hopefully my mind will be more sensible and I'll be able to find all three of those fire extinguishers.  LOL!

By the weekend I'll be all set and ready to BE SAFE.  And I hope you are too.  Have a Happy and Safe Fourth!

Elevate

Starting out on this new venture is an intellectual and spiritual journey.  I am not a religious person and I would not be the first to admit that that statement is true.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe in god and all the good he has done on this earth, but as a good friend, Greg (not to be confused with my husband also named Greg) said last night "we are all world citizens of the same earth."


Greg is very free-spirited.  And to my surprise a pretty good performer.  He is a gifted writer and I've heard some of his work, but I've never had the opportunity to see him entertain a large audience before.  My husband and I ventured out to Trees Lounge last night to watch our friend speak spoken word and perform some original songs with other local poets, songwriters, singers, and musicians while they each showcased their craft.  His stage name was ELEVATE.


What did he mean by "we are all world citizens of the same earth?"  Well, no matter what religion, ethnicity, or sex.... we are all ONE.  One in the same.  In his words "elevate the mind, elevate the spirit, elevate the world".  After listening to his words it got me to thinking...


What exactly does it mean to elevate?  And how can I interpret it into my workouts?  So first things first... and I apologize in advance for the English lesson, but here is the definition....


1.       to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up.
2.      to raise to a higher state, rank, or office; exalt; promote.
3.      to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level


Elevate may mean something different to each individual person, but in my opinion the third definition is the most meaningful.  To put these distinctive yet similar meanings to good use in my workouts, I feel it will help me intellectually and spiritually if I elevated my workouts to a different level.  Meaning....change it up, vary the workouts each day, set a daily goal (no matter how big or small) and in the end I will elevate my mind, my body, and my spirit to a better and more healthier me.


Maybe I'm being a little redundant, but I think it's important to remember where I've been and where I want to be.  Sometimes I need to remind myself everyday.  No matter if it takes a few weeks, a few months, or (oh my, I'd hate to admit it) a few years to get to where I want to be..... I will get there!


So I want to promote this to you.....ELEVATE you're mind, your body, and your spirit.  Together, I believe we all have one common goal...to be fit and healthy.  And no matter the obstacles we encounter or the hurdles we need to jump we will get there!

Onward and Upward

Part of me is a little scared to share a reminder of who I used to be.


I was always a quiet person, but loved to hang out and have a good time with my friends.  And believe me, after graduating high school and moving to California where I didn't know a soul, it was hard to make friends.  I lived in California for ten years, but it wasn't until I was seven years in when I really started meeting some good people and making friends.  But during those seven years prior when I felt lonely at times (it was just me and my boyfriend, now husband) I often found myself the 'couch potato'.  I would curl up on the couch almost every night, eating goodies....and by goodies I mean candy, cookies, brownies, cake, etc...you name it I probably ate it.  As a result I had but on a few extra pounds...okay....if I'm going to be completely honest...more than a few.


It wasn't until I saw a picture of myself that I realized what road I was headed down.  And it wasn't a road I wanted to be on.  After watching my father suffer three heart attacks (the last one almost killing him) I had told myself I don't want that to happen to me.   I should take better care of myself...no smoking, watch my cholesterol, watch my sodium, watch my blood pressure.  And even though it may be hereditary, it could happen to me, no matter my weight or my size.   Little did I realize until I saw that picture that even though I was watching the things my father suffered from I was ignoring the bigger problem....not eating healthy and not exercising.


And before I say more..... here is the 'old' me.... and don't say I didn't warn you....

Well there you have it... the old me...the 'couch potato' circa October 2003.  And I don't know if it's my weight or the bad choice in clothes that scares me most.  Shortly after this picture was taken I got a job at an Arts & Crafts store and began walking the pounds off.  Since then I've gone on and off diets numerous times (sometimes with results) but never really anything that motivated me to stick to it.  I was able to keep some of the pounds off, but I still consumed too many goodies.  It's a weakness.  I heard the word CHOCOLATE calling my name and I dove right on in.


Moving on Upward........ It wasn't until I made the big move to Hawaii that I found inspiration, motivation, and encouragement... my old boss (I don't work at that dealership anymore) invited me to join her at the Old Koloa Sugar Mill Run (only 3 miles).  So slowly I started to get out there and run.  And I realized something new....I LIKE TO RUN!  After competing in my first foot race, I wanted more.....so I ran my way to an 8 mile race.  And I've been running ever since.


Even after finding this new passion I wasn't fully get the best out of my workouts.  I was doing GREAT cardio, but I wasn't doing any toning/strength training.  All I was seeing was flab, but I continued to do nothing about it.  The idea of lifting weights or doing squats or dare I say it....lunges....was the furthest thing from my mind.  So last year I sought out some help and found Missy (and we'd known each other for a few years).  Since then she has been helping me with my strength training on and off each week.  And I was getting constant reminders that I should be doing strength training at least twice a week.  But still I was only doing it once a week.  I was slowly seeing results.  I was getting more muscle plus I was feeling stronger and more energized than ever before. 


And then it hit me (and it's only been five days).  Yes...you heard me...only five days.  I need to move further on up the road (and the correct road this time) to the new me.  That means minimizing those goodies, making better food choices, and doing more strength training.  The old me is far behind and won't be back, at least not in this lifetime.  With the help of my friends, my new mindset, this blog, and my more realistic goals I am moving onward to bigger and better things.  


Best of all....I moving onward to a HEALTHIER me.

Slow starts

Yesterday started off with a slow start.  After forgetting to set my alarm for the first time (in weeks) I had to get up and rush to get ready to make it to work on time.  For me the day moved in slow-motion, or maybe it was my still being half asleep.

So as I'm sitting at work dragging and freezing (due to the air conditioner) I contemplated on ordering lunch out.  How severely will this impact my goals?  After an hour long debate I decided that it would not destroy my ultimate long term goal and called Deli & Bread (my favorite deli) and ordered a large Garden Vegetable Soup.  After lunch I 'woke' up, had more energy, and the rest of my day went by pretty quick.  Either that or I was just looking forward to getting home and working out.  Since I missed my morning workout I decided to do my Shape Magazine Redefining (Cardio-Scuplt) video and then followed that with a Diamond Head Hike on my Nordic Trac.

And boy did it feel great!  I feel as though I'm returning to the days (from a few years ago) when I was working out almost everyday.  My personal trainer has told me numerous times (and it's even on my marathon training schedule) that I need to do strength training more than once a week.  For weeks (maybe even months) I've been avoiding it.  Talk about a slow start but I'm finally getting there.   It helps to have someone there doing it with you but since I don't have a current 'workout buddy' it's been tough.  But I finally realized I have friends out there near and far who support me and motivate me to accomplish my goals.  So a big Thank You to all of you! 

I am now on the road to a better, healthier, more fit Robin... even if it's one slow step at a time.

Do numbers really mean anything?

Here is a question I often ask myself...do numbers really mean anything?

Whether it's the number of reps, the amount of servings in my morning cereal, the number of calories I'm burning during my workouts, or my weight I'm constantly seeing a number and wonder is it good or is it bad?  Should I be happy that I saw 135.6 lbs on the scale this morning or say Oh My God is this really one serving?

This morning I dragged myself out of bed and realized the weather was not in my favor.  But I got dressed anyways and did a brisk walk on the treadmill for 15 mins then did a series of bicycle sit-ups, standard crunches, and heals to the heaven (P90X).  Then I helped myself to a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, but not before I got out the measuring cup and for the first time ever, measured one serving.  To my surprise, I've been eating approximately 2 servings worth for breakfast most mornings for the past several years.  As I made my way to the shower I thought I should weigh myself.  My pants do not feel any looser than before and I was afraid of the number that may appear on the scale, but since I'm starting out on this new journey I need to know where I am so that I can determine where I wanna be.  It's been about 3 months since I last weighed myself at 143.2 lbs.  To my surprise I actually lost weight...7.6 lbs to be exact.  I'm clueless to how this actually happened.

As the day progressed, I remembered two things I had learned once before.  Muscle outweighs fat and it doesn't matter what the number on the scale reads.  Simple yet true.  With this in mind I chose to do the AbsDiet2 Workout video after work (complete with abs, squats, lunges, etc).  Although I didn't complete every single rep on some of the exercises I pushed myself to actually complete the video. 

So how do I gain muscle, eat badly, and still loose weight, but don't feel a difference in my clothes?  Not sure what the answer is, but I don't want to dwell on trying to find one.  I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter what the number on the scale reads.  As long as I'm toning my trouble spots, having more energy, and staying motivated my persistence will pay off and I will achieve my goals...one step at a time.

A Day of Beginnings

After doing some much need soul searching this past weekend, whether relaxing in a chair watching tv, talking with friends, or hanging out under the sun at the beach, I came to the realization that I need to make changes to my lifestyle if I want to achieve my goals.

What is the best way to do this?  What steps can I take to help me be successful?  These are just a few of the many questions that went through my mind.

So I decided what I should do and even though I may have some ups and downs along the road to achieving my goals with acceptance, persistance, and determination, I just might succeed....and in only five easy steps:

Step One:  Wake up a 1/2 hr earlier than usual to go for a 2-3mile run.
Step Two:  Change my diet.  Make better, smarter, healthier food choices.
Step Three:  Do 30-45 mins of cardio/strength training exercises after work (P90X, Chalean Extreme, AbDiet2)
Step Four:  Input my food and exercise into MyFitnessPal on my iPhone to keep better track of the actual calories I'm consuming and burning.
Step Five:  Start a blog.  Write about my successes and my pitfalls.

Sounds like a lot.  But today was day one (only the beginning).  I woke up at 5:30 a.m and ran 2 miles around the neighborhood.  I then got ready and went to work.  On my lunch break I walked around Lihue and did some errands.  After a stress-free day at work I came home and did a P90X Cardio workout for about 35 minutes.  And now I'm sitting down relaxing and creating my first ever blog.  Aside from the 2 chocolate chip cookies that were screaming out my name I feel as though Day One was a success!

I know that with persistence and determination I will succeed.  I need to remind myself of that everyday and I will eventually reach my goals.