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