Fab Fit Squad

Over the past 3 years I have shared a nutrition, workout and motivational tips, but this past week I was speaking with some of the readers of my blog and they asked for me to share more about me.

So.. here it is. I’m not perfect I too struggle with this time of the year! Last week I attended a conference that was serving lunch. I started out the day with my oatmeal, egg whites and berries for breakfast I packed 2 snacks (AM and PM). They were serving lunch so I didn’t bring my lunch. Well.. let’s say that was a mistake while it was an EXCELLENT chopped salad, it lacked PROTEIN! 20 minutes after I ate I was STARVING!!!! We were in a part of the convention center where they didn’t have store to purchase water and my 1/2 gallon water bottle only made it to lunch.  Let’s say by the time I got home that night I was ready to eat my leg off!!! Because I didn’t eat enough all day I came home and started GRAZING until I finished preparing dinner. Lesson learned — bring more protein and carry more water. The next day I went back to the event and was much more prepared and didn’t come home to eat 1/2 of my kitchen cupboards.

As for workouts — the past few weeks I have been flat out finishing up some projects before the end of the year. Typically I like to workout 4-5 days/week. Let’s just say it’s been difficult! Just this past Monday I had a plan to hit the gym at 5:30am — I like to workout in the AM because I less likely to get interrupted or have the day get away from me. Unfortunately my body had a different plan. I woke up at 1:30 AM and didn’t fall back to sleep until 4am, let’s say when the alarm went off at 5:15am I wasn’t feeling it. I gave myself the out. That doesn’t make the whole week is ruined it means I missed ONE workout and I need to brainstorm to see if there were other ways to make it up. Before I got out of bed I went through my mental calendar and decided that I could make up this workout on Thursday because that is typically my rest day.

How do I stay motivated? I started competing in 2004 because I needed a goal! I lost 30 pounds and I was like now what! Competing gives me a goal to strive for. When I first started competing I did about 5 shows/year now I do 1. That’s really hard for me to stay on track and last year I went 14 months without competing! I packed on the weight for me. I had put on 12 pounds during that time. Why do you ask, because I didn’t have a motivating goal and for the most part sleepwalked through my workouts. NOT THIS YEAR!!! I vowed that would not happen taking off those 12 pounds SUCKED OUT LOUD. My next show is May 2012 and will stay within 5-7 pounds of my show weight.

What’s a good goal? I’m always asked what is a good goal. My response is typically what will motivate you  to get out of bed on a 3 degree snowy morning. That’s a motivating goal. Goals are very personal. Your goal could be something really simple such as fitting into your pants or training for a marathon. Finding your motivation is truly personal and if you want to do some brainstorming, shoot me an email.

I hope this gives you a little insight to me. I will be offering 15 min goal setting appointments the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Please send me an email with some days and times that will work for me.

Summer’s coming, we can no longer hide behind our sweaters, for the past few weeks you’ve been receiving catalogs and emails with bathing suits on the cover.  Each time you look at the cover you shutter thinking I’m  not ready!
Each morning you get out of the shower and glance at yourself in the mirror and think is this the year I dust off my bikini?  Maybe if I close my eyes and click my heels together 3 times, I’ll look like a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. Sorry, ladies, I tried this and it doesn’t work, when you finally open your eyes, you’re still you.  To get a bikini body, it takes time.  The good news is if you start now, you will be well on your way to a great body by the time beach season arrives.  Here are some tips that will help get and keep a bikini body. (more…)

I am totally into this new Nike Ad campaign. It makes me think of a conversation I had with my coach when I first started doing fitness competitions.  It was the end of the season and I was little disappointment in how I placed throughout the year. I booked an appointment with my  coach to talk about the year and what I could in the off season to improve my placings for the next year.  She looked at me and said these simple words that ROCKED and CHANGED my world.  She said to me did you do all you could do? (more…)

I have had the pleasure of getting my hair done at Simply Erinn for as long as I can remember. She not only is a great hairdresser, she is a great person!  Every time I go into the salon we always talk about hair, men and workouts. On Monday, November 29th at 7pm I will be hosting a FREE Body Fat Loss Secrets at her salon.

We’ll be discussing the best ways to burn body fat and busting nutritional myths. If you are ready to feel great and look fabulous the time is NOW!

Not only is it summer on the calendar, but the temperature here in New England reflects it.  I say BRING ON THE HEAT!!! But with the heat comes the wardrobe malfunctions. Don’t get me wrong I agree, showing a little skin is fantastic, but there is a time and place for it.

When I first started my career, I worked for a very traditional company where ladies HAD to wear  nylons, hose, stockings, what you refer to them as regardless of the temperature. SERIOUSLY!! There were days I got so hot, I could have killed someone and probably gotten off for temporary insanity. I quickly learned to bring them in my bag and change into in the lobby bathroom. Did that make me appear Ghetto-fabulous probably, but I was a least cool.

I am no longer in corporate America, yet I still have a good idea what to wear when I do have to go in and meet with corporate clients. Frankly I’m surprised at what I see when I arrive, I feel over dressed and not even skin showing.  What do you think? Am I being a prude?  The Boston Globe wrote and interesting story about this today. Let me know what you think? http://ow.ly/21nXR

Guess what, I don’t. This past weekend I competed in the NE Classic it was my first show since July 2009. I worked hard to get to this show after a few false starts this season. My goal was to debut my new fitness routine at this show, but it just wasn’t coming together so I decided to just do the bikini round and get my stage legs back. No sooner than 5 minutes after the show I was already critiquing how I did and what changes could I make before the next show in July.

SERIOUSLY!!! Kim you placed in the top 5 and you couldn’t take 5 minutes to give yourself a pat on the back before you were moving onto the next thing.  OK, here is my moment to savor and relish my accomplishments.  I placed top 5 and it feels great. I did work hard to get to this show and it was also nice share my hobby with 2 women we are new to the sport, Stacey S. and Jenn F. they both had great attitudes and hope they enjoy competing as much as I do. I also got to see 2 great people that I haven’t seen in years and they just made me smile so much and it was so nice to be around them for most of the day. Dottie you are awesome and are such a inspiration so glad that we got back in touch.  Melissa loved the crazy hair!!! You rocked the stage.

But the best thing that I should savor is that after 5 years of doing shows and having to put up with all the pre-show, show and post-show madness, my husband turns to me and says that he is proud of me. Now that is something to savor!

Do me a favor whatever your accomplishments are stop and enjoy them because guess what for each goal you achieved someone else has given up. Keep reaching for the stars because the only person who can hold you back is YOU!!!!

Today is my 2nd day of the get happy challenge.  This week, I am to find 3 things to be happy about each day. At first I thought how simple is that, well not so simple. It really forces you to really think about your day versus just letting life happen around you. As I write this, and I am thinking about my day starting when my alarm clock went out at 5:00am until I got of the bus and started walking home.

My 3 happy things:

1. I was able to do 5 pull ups PAIN FREE!!! You see, I suffered an elbow injury back in October and its been slow to heal or I’ve just be impatient. Okay I have been impatient! Until today, I haven’t been able to do any pulling exercises since October.  I’m a pretty active person and it been hard not to be able to do anything I wanted.
2. I was able to provide great advice to a colleague.  She came to me because she trusted and valued you, my opinion.

Day 1 of the challenge

A good friend of ours rented a house for the week on Block Island and he invited us to come down for the day.  We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to hang out on Block Island.  We hit the beach!! The beach was beautiful and the weather was GORGEOUS and I even got in the water!! Which is rare for me.  So after a great day on the beach we head back to the house which was beautiful, it has 2 great spacious decks and huge yard. As we are relaxing and recapping our days, I over hear 2 of the 20sometings whisper, that girl has one of the best bodies I’ve ever seen! HOLLA a 40something is being envied by 20things. That made my week, okay who am I kidding almost my made year!!! Got to go I’m off to call E! to make sure I’m ranked in the next episode of best beach bodies.

So, you just go an invite to a special event were you want to wear that little black sleeveless dress, or just booked that Caribbean vacation.  Then you look in the mirror and say……

OH CRAP! I gotta loose some weight!

The first question you have to ask is are you prepared to change your eating habits?  If your eating is not fully in line they losing weight will be tough. The best way to do this is to ask yourself:

• what are you eating?
  • will journal all your food and exercise
• how much are eating?
  • are you willing to start weighing and measuring your food
• when do you eat?
  • time of day
  • is it an emotional response
  • is there long time lapse between when you eat
• how do you feel after eating?
  • full
  • still hungry

After answering theses questions how do you feel? Are you ready to take the next step are you willing to commit to changing your eating habits?

My mom has always said to me “Patience is a virtue!” Well, I have no virtues, seriously, I try to have patience, but I don’t have much!

Over the years, I have gained more than I had in my youth, but I still wish I had more.  You know like the Buddhist monks who can sit for hours in silence.  I can’t go 5 minutes without freaking out.  Okay who am I kidding, I can’t go for more than 1 minute.

Now here is the true.  I go for 12 weeks dieting and working out to get ready for a show, this is where I show the most patience.  I can take the journey and wait and see what my results will be.  Now I will admit I do get a little antsy about 3 weeks out and want to quit, but when the end line is in site, I must keep going.

So tell me about your patience? Do you have any? Are you like me and have patience in doses?