living life....

....9 weeks at a time.
That's what I've been doing since February 2, 2010.
I've rearranged vacations, social events and even sleep based on the cycle of the 9 week challenge.....

It's been an amazing 4+ years full of joy and transformation and I've met some of the very best people I know.

...they've all come in with a need. Some want to lose weight....some want to tone. Others need some cross-training and others just want to get off their treadmill and play with others....

Whatever they've needed- we've tried to be there.

There have been all sorts of people.... teachers and politicians...business owners and students. Each one bringing (and sharing) their own special story with me.

I encountered most for the first time in an uncomfortable place... half dressed in front of my camera, as we documented their starting point in the challenge. Many wouldn't look at me- some were at the point of tears... I tried to talk them through- I'd been there too, you know.
I've gained and lost 100's of pounds. I've quit smoking 20 times (the final time in 2007). I've had high pressured jobs and fights with loved ones. I've loved myself and been disgusted with myself.... and yes, I've stood in front of a camera, with the streaks of fresh tears on my face.....

And I think that's why they continued to come..... friends told friends... who told friends.
For four years I've had the most amazing men and women walk through the door. People who heard we were different and who wanted us to help them make a change.....

Some of them have become part of my team. They've learned to teach and coach...to become the voice that makes the light bulb go off and ultimately ignite a drive in someone that they never knew they had.....

Just last night, I was talking at the last challenge party. I mentioned something about winning. I was joking that I really wanted to be the "winningest coach" when deep down, I already knew I was....
I was reminded ever so gently by one of my challengers, who came in second.......
"The important part is you did win and so did I along with all others.   My congratulations out to all of those who stayed in to make there lives better...."
He's so right..... I've been given the opportunity to enter the lives of hundred of people. I've met their spouses and children...some times their parents. I know their stories and their struggles... their heartaches and joy....they've become part of who I am.

Goals is changing. No more 9 week challenges. Last night was the final Final Party....
We're changing because too often the competition becomes the focus..... our goal is to help people change long term, not just from picture A to picture B.... and certainly not by the need to win.

We'll still coach and guide and push, but instead of dangling a bone short term, we're going to teach you how to pull up to the table forever.

I can't lie.... I'll miss that tear streaked face that will look at me 9 weeks later with confidence and sass and self love...the look of "I got this and I love who I've become"
.... I'll miss it more than you know

But I look forward to living the rest of my life with friends and members who are in it to win it
.....forever

Firsts.....

....after 46 years, I've had many of them.
...speeches, solos, teaching classes
      ... social gatherings, elections
...blog posts, business openings
I've gotten butterflies before all of them but I've ALWAYS made it through
But somehow this weekends firsts stand apart from the rest and I've been trying to figure out why

...maybe it's because my Friday first was on National TV!!
I had the opportunity to talk about Goals and our group 8 week run on Headline News! I was joined by one of my coaches, Mike, who has made awesome progress towards his goals throughout the last several weeks.
   ....maybe because my Saturday first means so much to me
You see, I've launched a new web page specifically for my Nutrition Coaching and I want it to be perfect. It's important that I put as much love and hope into the posts as I feel in my heart.
I love what I do- it's not a job, but rather an opportunity to join hands with another person and help them figure things out. A way to break through the set points they've created in their physical body, often allowing them to break through some set points they've created in their emotional self as well.

This blog will stay about me... my loves, my frustrations and my successes

The new site isn't done- but the foundation is there

......kind of like me ;)

I hope you enjoy.

http://jump4health.com

Jump!

...don't you love that word? it has so much lift and potential when you say it.....

Jump UP!
Jump IN!
Jump on board....

The word just makes me happy...
and if there was one word that described me, it would be jump (or jumper, if you'd prefer)

I have a tendency to be an impulsive girl.... I listen to my heart and I trust my gut.
I sense when things are right and I instinctively know when someone is being truthful to me....
Good, bad or otherwise, I have been known to JUMP!

Several years ago I jumped into a fitness program, sort of out of the blue. I felt fat, dumpy and completely out of control of my life. I'm not (and never will be) a runner and fitness videos just provided nice back drop music while I was folding clothes or baking something for dinner.
I knew I wasn't ever climbing out of my rut alone, so I joined a group fitness challenge.

It was an impulsive decision.... I had quit smoking 6 months earlier and had finally reached normal breathing capacity again... I had fresh tears streaming down my face as I drove out of the mall parking lot and I heard an ad on the radio..... I jumped.

Move forward 2 years... I was feeling good about myself, coaching and teaching and living the life as a stay at home mom. I had been bitten by the "need to do more" bug. I had climbed as high as I could climb at the gym I was working at and decided I wanted to do things my way..... flash forward a couple of months and several conversations and ....I jumped.

As a new business owner- the first franchisee of Goals in Motion Fitness Studio, I was on top of the world. I was convinced (and still am) I have the best job ever. People, who dislike themselves,  come in to see me, sign up and make amazing transformations in a short period of time. All we have to do is share good nutrition, hard sweaty workouts, a little love and  a crack of the whip once in a while and our challengers do the rest. CrAzY things can happen in 9 weeks when you're focused!!

Move along steadily for a couple of years....build amazing friendships, help people cure their own bodies with good nutrition and exercise, change locations and I jumped! right into a new phase.......

where did I land this time??? smack dab in the middle of a crazy exciting time in the history of nutrition.....
I am about to begin coaching a dozen people in the midst of a 3000+ people run with Venice Nutrition, to prove to the world that blood sugar stabilization and movement is really all it takes to live your best life.
I've jumped on the band wagon and drank the Kool-Aid, because I believe in what we do....
There's no need to give up food groups... no need to exercise 3 hours a day.... no need to be hungry.

Eat in 3's, every 3-4 hours, move some every day, drink some water and get a little sleep....
It's that simple friends....

you should jump too.

Give me a boost .....

... then I'll give you a hand.
working together- that's what we do at Goals.

I'm feeling the way I always feel at the end of a 9 week session.......
I can't really tell you what "that feeling " is.
I'm happy. and excited. and so damn proud.
proud sounds like a mom word..... so maybe it's not the right word- but it's the one that keeps popping into my chest and making it hard to breath, as the emotion creeps up into my throat, making it hard to swallow until the tears finally push up, hard enough to escape.....
So, maybe proud IS the word....

A large percentage of this challenge group has remained engaged, in spite of being "resolution challengers"...they haven't let their enthusiasm fade or their discipline waiver..... some are still journaling to their coaches~ 9 weeks after they began! Others have "gotten it" enough to trust themselves..... most are hitting classes with energy and determination.
I hope that they have found their place...I hope they stay with me. Not because of obvious business reasons, but because they've become a part of me.....

No job in the world is better than mine....
what is it you do? some may ask...
Most people think I run a Boot camp.... a place for people to come sweat and talk and lift and hit things, and talk a bit about food.
But really,  I run a "BOOST" camp......I run a gym that cares....
You see people come in from all kinds of different backgrounds and experiences....some are athletes and others are active, but honestly, most of the people who come play with us haven't worked out in years. They don't like to look in my eyes when we meet and they are uncomfortable with the pictures.....
and then we push and pull and critique, but most importantly, we understand.
........... because we've all been there.

My coach/instructor team is amazing! They are a group of passionate people who were bitten by the "feel good" bug when they challenged and wanted to share!!
.......so after we push and pull and critique....we love and care and share our own stories. We lift people up... give them a hand.....
It makes things real and it makes things happen.....

Congratulations to the latest group of 9 week challengers.... you did a great job!
xoxo