.....undeniably Kim

I've been away for a while, doing other things. I've written plenty, but focused my writing on things like workouts and nutrition manuals. 

In the process of creating the business I wanted, I decided to let go of some of the good things that brought me to the health/fitness business in the first place.

I forgot how much I LOVED to hit a bag and the incredible high when I crawled in the car after my workout and fogged the windows up, simply by shutting the door. I forgot how I loved slipping on a dress...any dress, knowing it would look great. I forgot what it was like to be a little selfish and keep an hour each day for myself.

Now, please don't get me wrong....the last several years have been wonderful. I've met people that I would have never known and I've found a sense of purpose. I've felt overwhelming joy hundreds of times. I love what I do and...I'm good at what I do (whew! that was hard to say).
So tomorrow begins a new era at My Gym (that's the new name....do you like it?)

Tomorrow is the first day of our 5 Week Boot Camp. The workouts will be tough, but forgiving. 

The meal plan is smart and easy and we're planning some outside workouts and gatherings to help you get to know us outside of the gym....

I'll be there sweating with the best of them...ok, truth is I'll be there dying with the newest of you, but if we're in it together, it won't seem so bad.

If you want to join me, show up around 8:30 to sign up

If you're already a member, the cost is $99. If you're new to My Gym, it's $179. 

Classes, Nutrition, Coaching and Fun and a chance to kick my tail ;)

If you're not ready, you can follow my journey here or on FaceBook 

Maybe you can join us next time :)

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

feeding time.............

here we are.... Resolution Eve.
We've all thought it, haven't we?
In 2014 I will be.....
thinner, stronger, faster, healthier, happier..... I won't lie- they're all on my list this year.
I've discovered, I do a really great job sharing what I want and what I will accomplish, but sometimes (ok, most of the time) I forget to plan the details....
"I'm going to lose weight".... how?
"I'm going to get stronger"...how
"Faster".... well, you get it
I finally figured out that I rarely reach my goals because my eyes are always focused on the end, rather than the beginning. I know EXACTLY what I can accomplish, I simply neglect to map it out.
I sat down with myself Christmas morning and started the plan. My first step was to figure out what my best life looked like.... I pinpointed a time when I really felt in control of my health and fitness and thought about was different in my life now.
What I discovered is that I'm missing "me-time"~ you know that selfish little chunk of the day when you own every decision and control every action.
The last time I truly took "me time" on a regular basis was when I was training to open Goals in Ames. I had over an hour of drive time every day, I had workout time, learning time... my time to grow and thrive. Time to feed my dreams and desires.
my biggest struggle seems to be staying on task.... it's easy to get wrapped up in someone or something more fun that "me".
So..... on this "Resolution Eve" I am promising myself just one thing~  to feed myself well in the coming year....
clean food, heavier weights, new classes, many books, meditation, prayer and a daily purge of one space in my life.
I'm looking forward to the thinner, stronger, faster, healthier, happier me that is sure to show up for the fun.
May you find your best self in the coming year............

have your cake.......

....or pie as it may be.
As I mentioned last week I love fall.  The amazing colors and fall produce are a few of the redeeming things about living in the Midwest as I grow older.
I returned home from Las Vegas on Wednesday and discovered that it was much colder than when I'd left!! My "turn on the oven" instinct kicked in!! I had a sugar pumpkin on the counter and decided to see if I could tweak my favorite Pumpkin pie recipe so I could share it with my Goals friends.
We strive to teach that nothing is forbidden (especially pie on a special occasion) but if something can be modified without adding a ton of fake ingredients AND still be delicious- why not???

So here goes nothing..... hope you enjoy!!

Guilt-free Pumpkin Custard

3 cups cooked pumpkin (or canned pumpkin puree)
2 eggs
2/3 cup liquid egg whites
1 cup 2% milk
3/4 cup light agave syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 375. Boil water for water bath.
Spray non-stick spray in 10 half-pint size canning jars (wide mouth works best) or ramekins.
Mix all ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup in each jar.
Place jars in a 9x13 casserole dish and fill with hot water to the same level as Pumpkin mixture in jars.

Bake 45 minutes until sharp knife inserted in center comes out clean.

While the custards are in the oven, mix up your topping- (this is the important part GIM people!! It's delicious, but this is where you're going to get the protein to balance all of those yummy carbs!!).
Each custard  should be topped with 1/2 cup fat-free Plain Greek Yogurt that has been mixed with a heaping Tablespoon of your favorite vanilla protein powder. Vanilla Greek yogurt won't do...your carb: protein: fat ratio will still be off!!

Serve when custards are slightly cooled for an indulgent warm pie experience or cover with plastic wrap and chill for later (pssssst.... they're REALLY good warm!)
I added some toasted Pumpkin seed (just a Tablespoon or so) to make it look nice! Ok, so they tasted good too....
I tossed the clean seeds in a teaspoon of olive oil and baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I sprinkled with cinnamon and a little Ancho chili powder when I took them out of the oven.

Here's the finished product! Delicious and healthy. Made as I suggested above it is the perfect midafternoon or evening snack any (or every!) day.

Nutritional facts calculated on Sparkpeople.com recipe calculator: Includes one custard (1/10 of recipe), 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, 1 1/2 TBS. Vanilla Protowhey protein powder and 1 TBS. toasted pumpkin seeds.
254 calories, 3.5g fat, 32g carbs, 30g protein!!