I’ve MOVED!!

check me out at   www.pressingheavy.com!  Hope to see you there!

2 years of hard work

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It took a lot longer than I expected.   I joined the gym nearly 2 years ago…and still have a way to go to “fit”.    I have come a long way, though, and looking at the transformation, it still seems like a big accomplishment.   There has never been anything fast or easy about it… Just steady, incremental progress.   
When I think about how many choices I had to make the last two years that added up to this…. The good and the bad…. It’s a wonder I made it.  I couldn’t of done it without encouragement of an amazing PT who helped me the movements,  manage the progress, and probably most importantly… Have fun (or something close to it ) while doing it.   

The mavens encouraged me too.  I’m lucky to have such good girlfriends.  

And Garth has been amazing.  He’s been a cheerleader,  but has also helped managing food, encouraging me to prioritize the gym… And listened to me go on and on about powerlifting.  

But the truth is and I say this without an ounce of either shame or pride…. Mostly this was ME. Of course of course I couldn’t have done it without the support mentioned above …for sure.  But I did the work.  I made those choices.  

Ok; so I take it back.  I AM PROUD. Blessed and proud.

First ever 5k

What if you stopped “what iffing”?

OK, not exactly part of my fitness journey, but I really liked Seth Godin this morning.  And the truth is, I have way less “iffing” now that I have training.  Too busy doing things and improving to worry about what ifs.  Well, not entirely, but certainly LESS.

Change of platform? hmmm

I was thinking about changing platforms… not sure why. I don’t really have followers per se.  Well, a few, but it’s mostly an open diary.  Yet, I really liked the feel of WEEBLY.  I posted 2 old ones there to get the gist of how the site worked.

Talking to my hubby this AM, I was of 2 minds. On one hand, (I said) what difference does it make, if its really a diary?  It should be whatever is the easiest to write on. So why was I even considering it?  Him: (always logical, this one)… of course it matters how it ‘feels and looks’, if it matters to you. It’s part of the experience.

OK, then why NOT change?  I could lose the few followers I have.  But again: if it’s really just a diary, what difference does it make?  I guess I have a little ego about the few little “likes” and high fives I do get.

So;  …. I am torn.  And spending way too much time thinking about the choice.   If anyone is out there….what do YOU think?

 

 

New targets

Just thinking….

My first powerlifting meet…

I was in my first powerlifting meet yesterday.   I hesitate to call it a competition; I pulled less weight than anyone.  Well, except the guy that bombed out on his three benchpress attempts and didn’t get to finish.

And I finally get the concept of only competing against yourself.  I never understood it when golfers talked about it. And to be fair, I’m pretty sure a number of them (golfers and powerlifters) care a lot more about competing with the other participants than it being only about beating your best. But, I’m really not worried  about the low weight, or my missed third attempt on bench.  In fact, I’m really proud I tried for the 115# BP. I’ve never been able to do it in the gym before with the pause, & I was feeling really good.  And maybe I could have gotten it if I was just a bit slower.   But I actually tried something that had a goodly chance of failure ….. In front of a bunch of people.

Because nobody wanted me to miss.    It wasn’t a competition at that moment; not against each other anyway.  Just me and the bar.  And everyone got it.

And now I have numbers.   A very clear place from which to improve.      To measure progress.  I was impressed by a lot of people yesterday.  But I don’t remember their numbers.  Just their resolve.

Me.  The bar.  It’s so simple that it’s hard to understand how I didn’t get it before.  But I do now.  And that’s progress too….

It’s about time …

I am not a runner.  But I do walk on the tread mill for some cardio and to warm up.   It was truly a walk for a long time, but in the last year or so I tried to put in little jogs now and then.  It was never a target to run.  Nevertheless, my 1/2 hour on the treadmill is now around 1.5 mins of running for every 2 mins of walking:  hitting a new distance record (30 mins is all I can take) tonight.

I just gradually added more time on the run.  At first, just over 20 seconds was all I could do, and then needed a 3 minute rest.

So; it’s certainly not going to make me a marathoner, but I have a rhythm that I can maintain, and that feels good.

Doing something…

So, that’s a bit of an issue.  3kgs over the weight I want to be for the meet in a week.  Garth and Jerimiah don’t want me to do any cutting …and to be fair; I should have been a bit more controlled before, but it is what it is and I don’t want to abuse myself over it.  There’s enough going on with a first meet that some compassion is in order as well.  There’s that theme again.

Anyway, in looking at cutting (not gonna but was …) there was some stuff that I divited I CAN do that will move me closer without undue pressure.  And just cause I won’t make it is no reason to give up, either.  I am just not ramping up to crazy.

So here’s the plan;

• I’m going to swap out my 2-3 a day fruits for veggies.
•  I’m going to replace one of the 2 daily yogurt with chicken.
• I might try to cut water (reduce sodium and drink more until Wednesday and then taper…but will see what Jerimiah says about that.

Control, but compassion.  That theme again.  Not nothing, but not crazy.

Oh, and I went for a run tonight.  🙂

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At the outset of the year, I decided that I wanted to improve, but resolutions were not exactly for me.  But I did want to think about what was IMPORTANT for me, and keep those at the forefront whenever possible. My list:

• Fit
• Control
• Compassion
• Strength
• Wisdom
• Honour

They aren’t fully formed resolutions: Just things that were important to consider.  And they were about balance. Controlling food but not being compassionate to myself, for example, would not be a ‘win’.

Anyway, I was being a bit scared about the upcoming meet, and one of the Mavens referred to something that reminded me to check my list.   My fear is allowed a voice: she is trying to protect me. So I should have compassion for myself, and not be embarrassed that I am afraid.  But it won’t decide.