Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Online fitness coach 'review'

Last time I had posted I was thinking about working with an online fitness coach.  Well I did, but...

I'm glad a paid the discount rate she had as an introduction offer.  The plan provided was solid, however there were a few issues with it.  It was tough, but like Marge said if it started out too easy or I was able to attain it too soon there wouldn't be a challenge, but it looked really freaking tough.  So I tweaked things (like slightly less weight or fewer reps) and worked with what I could do with the goal to try to do full reps/sets and weight by the end of the month. 
There were a few things on the plan that IMO shouldn't have been there for someone with plantar fasciitis and bone/heel spurs, especially when I was worried about re-injury (and yes those were disclosed).  Explosive moves like jump squats for instance.  So again, I modified and worked with what I could do.

Also I should have done my homework better and found out what there was in the way of support and motivation, after all that's part of the reason I wanted a coach!  These days anyone can look up and research different fitness plans and put something together for themselves, although yes a coach should do a better job than something you put together yourself.
Anyway, back to support and motivation... my impression from Marge was that this coach would check in on you fairly regularly via text/email/Facebook and that she was pretty encouraging.  Yeah, like I said I should have checked that out and gotten more specifics about it.  So far the contact has been the few Facebook messenger messages when I was first interested, then an email with a questionnaire, I returned the questionnaire and e-transferred my money.  Then on June 2nd I got my plan, June 6th she sent an email checking on me (I replied on the 8th) and on June 15th a second email checking on my progress (again I replied 2 days later).

Marge's experience seems to be totally different, and for that I'm happy for her.  However I can't help but wonder if it's because I'm a "big girl" and Marge is smaller,fitter, and more athletic; or if it's something else entirely. 

So in the end am I happy with how this went?  Honestly, no.  Not unhappy enough to share her name or business name.  I just think for the money spent that it wasn't worthwhile (and I'm so glad it wasn't full price!).  And honestly with Hubster being out of work since mid January for medical/injury money is a bit tight right now and I feel a bit selfish for having wasted this money on myself.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Beauty

What is beauty?

Is it a size of clothing or a number on the scale?

Is it attention from the opposite sex?

Nope it is none of these things. Well at least it's not for me

Last weekend I completed my first ever half marathon, that is 21.1km. This gave me plenty of time to reflect on many things. Beauty is one that came up lots.

A little history for you. I have never been happy with my body and I was taught at a very young age that I was not beautiful. Well at least how I understood it.  I think I was 12 when I started my first diet. I have continued to yo-yo my entire adult life. In January when I started training for my half I hated the way I looked. Now thou look out I am hot.

I have lost a little weight and my body has definitely changed the way it looks. However that is not what makes me feel beautiful.

I can now look at myself in the mirror and love every inch of my body. Don't get me wrong I don't always love every inch and there are things that I would still like to change. My beauty is different and deep.

I can and did run, be it slowly 21.1 km and I can lift more then my body weight.

I could tell you how and why I see so much beauty in my body.  That would make this post very long and more then likely you would stop reading way before the end.

Next time you are standing in front of the mirror instead of think I wish this looked like that or if only I was so many pounds light. This about everything your body can do.

Not only the big things like bein able to lift a 40 pound saddle above your head onto the back of a horse or that you walk around the pasture for 20 minutes catching that hard to catch animal. Think of the small things. Standing up and hugging a loved one, being able to walk across the house to make a sandwich, pushing a grocery cart without using an O2 tank.  I was taking far too many things for granted.

Make a list of all the big and little things your body can do and remind yourself daily about it. There are lots out there who can't do the little things we take for granted. Find your inner beauty and you will be so surprised at how beautiful you become on the outside

Friday, May 27, 2016

Needing a push

I've been so plateaued for so long now... not being able to run lately has not only been depressing but it's totally stalled out my weight loss.  (and yes, I need to pay more attention to my food!)
Then today when Marge was out doing a saddle fit on my new horse (haha surprise!!) and giving me an extra set of eyes to see if his joint supplements are helping or if that's just my wishful thinking (they seem to be working!  but we're going to tweak his program).  Anyway I'm off topic (sorry, horses!)... SO while Marge was out helping with Frosted Flake (not his real name) she twirled in the barn and said "Hey!  Does my butt look smaller!?"
I had to laugh, but then I said I thought maybe it did.  And that's when the seed that had been planted a few weeks earlier started to germinate...
You see, a few weeks ago I noticed that both Marge and her sister-in-law SZ had liked a Facebook fitness page.  Then today when Marge asked about her booty and said it wasn't from pole or silks, that it was from working with this new trainer I asked if it was the one from the FB page and she said yes.
She went on to tell me how much she loved it.  I asked a ton of questions and thought it over for awhile.  I know a friend that's a runner and has used an online running coach with great results, but I wasn't too sure how that would work with a fitness coach.
I mulled over the conversation with Marge and then took the plunge and sent a PM.  Which was answered quite quickly  a pleasant surprise for a Friday night (I think within an hour).
Via email a questionnaire was sent, which I am working on - and trying to be brutally honest with.  I'm going to give this a shot and hope it pushes me over this plateau!

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Motivation

Motivation; the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

That's what the Internet tells me motivation means. So what motivates you to reach your goals whatever they are?

My motivation has changed so many times over my adult life it's hard to keep up. It has been things like fitting a wedding dress, being a certain weight before I had children, fitting my butt in a certain size saddle, getting a tummy tuck, wearing a bikini.

Now sometimes your motivation can also be your goal. So from the list above most of these were goals the only one I achieved was fitting a saddle of a certain size. I still wore a wedding dress even though it wasn't as small as I wanted, I still had children, haven't had a tummy tuck, and I wear a bikini at home only in front of my husband.

A bad horse accident several years ago has changed my motivation completely. I took like very much for granted and it was very much about what one looked like and what one had. I always had a picture in my head if what I should look like. Now it's all about how I feel and being able to do the things I love for many many years.  Enjoying my friends and family and feeling great.

I would like to share with you a couple of my biggest motivators.

My children. Farmfitgirl, 9 years old and  Farmfitboy, 7 years old. These two are my biggest cheerleaders.  They motivate me because I want to be able to keep up with them for a very long time and help them reach their goals. To teach them that loving and taking care of yourself is very important. That fuelling our bodies with healthy food and moving our bodies daily is a huge pay off.

People in the background.  It sounds like an odd one. Each time a Facebook or Instagram friend say "You make me want to move my body more " or "you inspire me", it brings me to tears.  This is the biggest compliment I could ever get.  Each time I hear or read it, it makes me push a little harder, run a little faster or pick the healthier for me food. If me moving my body and eating healthy can help someone else be their better selves then right on and I will keep doing it.

Last but farm from least is Farmfitpa ( he hates that name).  My husband and stood beside me for 14 years always going along with what ever my plan is at the time. I have always wanted my husband to be a horse guy and well he's not. However we have now found that we love going mountain biking together, doing boot camps, lifting weights and recently he started running as well. I want to keep doing these things with him for a very long time. And maybe, just maybe one day he will ride horses with me.

Motivation can come in all sorts of different forms. It can be that family event coming up, an outfit you always wanted to wear, friends, family or even a quote from the Internet.  For me people motivate me more then things now. Once you find the one thing that really motivates you, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Farmfitma

Sunday, April 10, 2016

**taptap** Is this thing still on??

 
 
WOW
 
Holy heck, I knew it had been "a little while" since I had posted over here...
but I did not realize it had been over a year!! :o

I haven't been very active over on my main blog the last few months either, but I'm hoping and planning to be posting on both blogs more often.

I'm looking for at least one new contributor, I have someone in mind I just need to talk to them about it.  But hey, if you read this blog and are interested in joining in let me know :)
Also I'm tossing around a few ideas for posts and regular content.
 
So here's to renewed beginnings!