2014 is Coming. Make it Exceptional.

I have a sudden urge to blog.  I'm not sure why I'm blogging.  I haven't blogged in so long, I feel like I forgot how to.   Maybe I just want to say hi (which I do).  Maybe the reason I'm blogging is to motivate you and/or inspire you to rise higher than your current situation.  Maybe I'm writing this to remind you that you can do whatever you desire, but you have to take action.

2014 will begin in 10 days, and you should cease the moment, follow your dreams, and go after your goals with no apologies!  I hate to sound cliché and redundant, but seriously...time does not stop for anyone, and the longer you put off your to-do list and the longer you tell yourself "I'll do it later" the longer you're putting off true joy.  I tell you from experience that the more you put your goals to the side, the more you accept complacency and the status quo.  Don't accept mediocre.  Don't accept average.  Dare to live an exceptional life.  Dare to live your dreams out loud.  Do it and don't apologize.  You won't be disappointed, the journey is the best part.

I am proud to announce that I am the co-owner of Black Powder CrossFit in Dallastown, PA.  It is one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, but not for the reason that most people might think.  It's not about the money.  It's not about the status.  It's not about anything but following through on a vision that I have had, for many years, to help others help themselves through health and fitness.  It's an accomplishment for me because I finally took a chance on myself, threw caution to the wind, let go of any insecurities, and brought my dreams to reality.  That is something I have been mortified of for years!

I am not kidding when I tell you that for YEARS have I brainstormed and scribbled idea after idea on many notepads.  I have had countless conversations with some of my closest friends in which they encouraged me to take the leap and follow through on my dream.  I never would step over that ledge because I was mortified of how I might land...or not.  Looking back, I am unsure if I was scared to fail or afraid to succeed, but the one thing I was certain of is that I was not happy.

I don't claim to know it all.  I never have and never will.  But I will tell you this; if you have a dream that is being fanned by a deep desire and passion...DO IT!  Stop wishing.  Stop day dreaming.  Stop putting it off and do it!  Seriously.  This is not a Nike ad, but Just do it. 

What is the worst thing that could happen?  Will you lose free time?  Sure.  Could you lose a little money?  Maybe.  Could you lose a little sleep?  Certainly.  Could you lose some friends.  Probably.  Will you question your sanity?  More than once, yes.  But believe me, it's worth it! 

To be honest, money comes and goes.  In regards to sleep, once you turn 30 it seems you can never get enough.  And if others turn their back on you because you envisioned a different life for yourself...so be it.  It doesn't mean that you shouldn't live your dreams out loud.  Sometimes little sacrifices must be made in order to rise to the purpose of your life. 

Really all I'm saying is take a chance on yourself and believe in what you can do.  Do you have a desire to travel around the world?  You only live once.  Are you a CrossFit athlete and want to compete?  Train hard and go hard!  Would you like to go back to school and get your degree?  There's no time like the present.

Don't put limitations on yourself.  Don't accept complacency.  Don't sit back and think about it, take action and do it.  Anything is possible.  Anything.  Think about it.  Humans are capable of inventing electricity and traveling to the moon.  We can do anything, and that includes you.  Make 2014 an exceptional year!   

"We all have dreams.  But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort."  Jesse Owens   

Jill Blair: A Survivor Story

 

MissFit: Jill Blair
Sport: CrossFit
Age: 39
Location: York, PA    
 
 
 
Meet Jill Blair. Wife and Mother of two.  She didn’t play a sport or run a race.  Jill didn’t set any world records or set an Olympic weightlifting PR, but Jill is a champion. She is a MissFit.  A fighter.  A survivor.  Jill is a Breast Cancer survivor. 
 
Would you mind telling the readers a little about yourself?
 

I am from Latrobe, PA and moved to York about 6 years ago to be closer to my husband work. I have been married to a wonderful, supportive man, Chris, for almost 17 years. We have two beautiful boys who keep us both on our toes at all times.  I am the owner/photographer at the Jill Blair Photography studio in Wrightsville.  I specialize in newborn portraiture, but I also love working with babies and children. I am currently working on the boudoir side of my business. I believe that all women are beautiful, no matter what size or shape.

 
What is your fitness and/or competitive background?
 

I have absolutely NO fitness background. I never played any sports in school. I grew up with two older brothers that didn't play sports either. They were avid hunters, and dirt bike riders, which is probably the reason I didn't have any desire to play sports. It wasn't really big in our household.

 
How did you find CrossFit? 
 

Chris has been doing CrossFit now for around 5 years I would say. I started doing a little bit of it right before I got pregnant with my youngest son. Then the morning sickness hit, and lasted for months. I had no desire to go to the gym at the point. So CrossFit again fell on the back burner for me. Then he joined a CrossFit gym in the area, I still had no desire to go. To be honest, I was intimidated. Everyone looked so much stronger than me, and I didn't want to appear weak. Then in 2010, all of that changed and I realized just how strong I really was.

 
Can you talk about when you were diagnosed and your survival story?
 

In September of 2010, I felt a lump in my breast. I quite honestly thought it was my rib. Chris felt it and thought the same thing, so I tried to forget about it. The next month, I decided I should go and have it checked. My gynecologist said the words "you are too young for breast cancer, and I don't really think it's anything to worry about, but since you are due for a mammogram, let's go ahead and order one." So off I went the following week, alone, for my mammogram. I sat in the waiting room and waited with women that were all older than me. I was called back, and then had to sit and wait again. The nurse came out and said that they needed to do an ultrasound, so off I went for that. I was then left in the waiting room alone.  At this point I was shaken up a bit and called Chris. He assured me that everything was all right, and I did feel better…until they called me back to speak with the radiologist who said I would need a biopsy. That happened the following week, along with MORE waiting! That was the longest week of my life. Chris and I went in to find out the results on a Friday. I remember seeing a doctor, nurse, and a social worker walk in the room, and I immediately burst into tears. I knew that it was bad news. "You have breast cancer", is all I heard and I cried even harder. I remember saying "I have two small boys to take care of!" over, and over again. The doctor was so nice…he let me cry until I could calm down, and then told me "if you had to get breast cancer, this is the kind you want to get". I was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS, which is cancer cells that are contained in the ducts, and it does not spread. I was then scheduled for surgery the next week for a lumpectomy, and was told I would need 6 weeks of radiation after that, but my margins weren't coming back clear, so I had a few more lumpectomies, and another MRI. My margins came back clear, but the MRI showed yet another spot of concern. The pathology of that spot showed more DCIS. My surgeon said I would need a mastectomy of my right breast, but I opted to have both breasts removed. I wanted to do whatever I had to do to give me the better odds of not having to go through this again. So on March 18, 2011 I had a double mastectomy. When I went back to my surgeon the following week, she told me that the pathology showed even more cancer than they had seen on any of the scans. That confirmed I made the right decision.  Even though some days are hard for me to get past the scars that I see everyday, I never once have regretted my decision.

  

What was your motivation and inspiration during your fight?   

My motivation has always been and always will be my boys. They were only 1 and 7 when I was diagnosed. Devin, my oldest son, still to this day wears pink for me and tells everyone how his mom beat breast cancer. Chase, he still doesn't understand any of it, which I am okay with for now. Someday we will have that chat.

 
What is your motivation now when you think about what you have been through?
 

I want to be healthy and strong! This past year, Chris become co-owner of CrossFit CDI. I made the decision to try it again. I figured, my husband is a coach, so why not give it a go. In February 2013, I signed up for their bootcamp class. The first WOD about killed me. I've always been thin, but I knew I wasn't in great shape. I would get winded walking up a flight of stairs, but I kept going. I was the slowest, I wasn't as strong as the others, but it didn't stop me. I graduated the bootcamp and began going to the main classes, and became hooked. The community is fantastic! No one cares what weight you lift, or what time you finished. What they care about is if you are putting in the intensity and the effort. I try to get in the box at least 4 times a week, and miss it when I don't. 

 

 

 
Do you have any advice to other women that may being going through the same thing or know someone who is? 
 
My best advice to anyone that is going through/went through what I did, is don't give up. Don't sit back and let it take over your life. Fight…fight with everything you have. Life is so worth it. Yes, there are days when I still cry, but that's okay. Crying is good every once in a while. Let it out, then move on. If you know someone that is going through this, just listen. That's all you really need to do. Let them be afraid, don't dismiss anything they say. All of their feeling are real, no matter how silly they sound to you. Just listen, and be there for them.
 

I can honestly say that CrossFit has changed my life. Did I think after having a double mastectomy that I could do the WOD's that I am doing now. Hell no, but I am. As long as you discuss it with your doctor, don't let anything hold you back. If I can do it, you can too!!

 

Why are you MissFit?

 

Why am I MissFit? I am MissFit because I never stopped fighting, and never stopped believing that I could get healthy again. No matter how hard things got, I kept moving forward. My faith, family, and friends never let me down.

 

The MissFit Movement was created to build a community of fit and confident women.  If you go to the mission page you can read for yourself that it is the intention of The MissFit Movement to empower, inspire, and encourage all women.  Being a MissFit does not mean that you can run the fastest, lift the heaviest, or climb the highest.  Rather; being a MissFit is about overcoming all odds, taking on any challenge, and fight to the bone for their goals.  They believe in themselves, take action, and take control of their lives and in the process motivate others to do the same. 


Thank you Jill for sharing your story and demonstrating what the heart of a champion looks like! 

October is Breast Cancer awareness month.  Take the initiative and go get a breast exam.  Go to http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org to learn more.

Empower * Inspire * Encourage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fear Nothing

Fear nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  No one. 

Don't be afraid to face the unknown.  Don't shy away from a challenge.
Do you want to know what's behind the door?  Open it.
If you want to know the answer, you can't be afraid of the question.

Don't walk around with your tail between your legs.  Stop cowering in the corner.  Being afraid will not get you where you want to be.  It's simple.  If you want something, go get it!  In the face of danger move towards your dreams.  Champions are not made of fear.  They are made of courage.  To achieve greatness, one must ignore any and all fear and move into the life that they so desire. 

We are all afraid at some point in our lives.  We all experience fear, but that does not mean that we have to live scared.  Next time you're tempted to run away from a situation because of fear, do this.  Give it the middle finger and make your move!  Learn to fear nothing.

Remember Gymnast, Kerri Strug of the '96 Olympics?  If she had let fear take over, you probably wouldn't.

  

What Does Fitness Mean To You?

Lately I have been kind of inconsistent with my training.  I have been so busy getting ready to open a new business and studying for school, that I have not been putting in the disciplined time that I generally do for training.  I figured that I can slack here and there, and pick it back up in a few weeks.  Don't get me wrong, I train at least 3-5 times a week, but I have not been that focused in the area of fitness the way I usually am.  I have been very moody lately and not feeling like myself.  I have been neglecting fitness, putting it on the back burner thinking it is not a priority.  But I was reminded what fitness means to me this morning and why it is a necessity in my life.  Here, let me share.

My morning actually started off decent, being that I didn't hit the snooze button and woke-up on time.  I had my typical 4 egg, avocado, and salsa breakfast followed with berries and a large glass of water.  On my way in to train my class, I stopped at Starbucks to get my usual, Venti Americano.  My morning coaching session went well and I was feeling great.  Everything was going good, until it wasn't.

Immediately after the session was over, my stomach started to hurt...BAD.  I knew I needed to get home, ASAP!  Before I could leave I needed to clean up the area, and I was walking around not really paying attention to anything as I was in a hurry to leave, and BAM!  I managed to run my head into a door.  Very HARD.  Boy oh boy did my head take a ding!  I immediately took a seat on the floor and started to wonder if I had a concussion.  I then rationalized that if indeed I had been concussed that I wouldn't be asking myself if I had a concussion, so I got up and scurried out the door.  Once I pulled up to the drive way I ran in the house to appease my stomach situation.  I won't get into much detail about what happened next, but I want to inform you in case you need a plunger, Rite Aid, Giant, and Rutters DO NOT carry them!  Thank God for Drain-O!  You would think that I would catch a break at this point, but nope.  I needed to mail something off, yesterday (yes, I specialize in procrastination), and couldn't find a stamp.  Basically my whole morning was a bust, and I got nothing done that I intended to do in preparation for the opening of True Circle Strength and my school work.  After all of that, the frustration started to get to me and all I could think about was EXERCISE.  I needed to workout, and I needed to do it soon! 

I drove back to the gym, and hopped on the Airdyne and did an interval for 20 minutes of :30 all out work :30 slow pace.  I then grabbed a jump rope and did another interval for 10 minutes.  I still was not satisfied.  I then ran 3 miles with no music, and finally, finally...my mind was at peace.  I was about halfway through my run and I began to laugh at myself and enjoy the moment.  It was at that moment I was reminded what fitness means to me. 

Aside from my pursuit to be stronger, faster, better and far off from wanting to look good naked, the origin of my fitness journey is spiritual.  Fitness fills a space in my mind, body, and soul that nothing else can.  It is not tangible.  It is a feeling that I get when I workout that relaxes me, even in the pain.  I remember as a young girl, if I was having a bad day or going through stress, I would grab my basketball and play until the hurt went away.  That is what fitness does for me.  It is my escape.  It is my release.  It is my therapy.  I need it just like I need air to breathe.  I don't particularly need it to be strong physically, though I do like a nice, heavy squat.  No.  I need it because it has helped me out of dark holes of despair.  Exercise was always there for me when no one else was.  It is a physical prayer that has helped me discover, me.  Fitness is spiritual for me.  When it comes to fitness, I am not really chasing PR's (though those are satisfying) or performance gains.  When it come to fitness, I am chasing personal gains mind, then body. 

What does fitness mean to you?  How has it shaped your life?  Have you ever thought about that before?

MissFit of the Month, Tiana Johnson

MissFit- Tiana Johnson    
Sport- Olympic Weightlifting
Age- 32
Location- Langhome, PA

 

About 2 weeks ago, I just finished up a squat session at McKenna’s Gym, and I was feeling pretty bad ass.  I managed to squat my max weight six-times, and was on cloud nine.   As I'm coming off my high horse, Tiana comes in and begins her session.  If you are an Olympic weightlifter and you haven’t heard her name before, you should start to watch out for her.  If you aren't a weight lifter and haven't heard her name before you should watch out for her.   

At this point, I hear her coach, Mike McKenna, tell her, “you’re doing snatches today and working off of 85kg today” and she calmly responded with “okay.”  I’m still learning the metric system, and I quickly did the math.  For those of you who don’t speak in kilograms, that is 187 pounds!  I thought to myself, “that is sick!  I’ve got to see this.”  As I sat there, I watched Tiana snatch 72kg not once but THREE times!  Again, let me do the math for you.  If you multiply 72 by 2.2 and you will get 158.4 pounds.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen Tiana snatched my bodyweight for multiple repetitions.  Here’s the kicker, that isn’t even her max!  I was immediately inspired and thought to myself, “that was awesome!  No, no, that was bad ass.  I must learn more about her.” 

Days later, I reached out to Tiana to see if she would be interested to answer some questions for the readers of The MissFit Movement blog.  She soon responded back and was happy to do so.  If you have any doubts about whether you should  continue reading about Tiana, you should watch this video taken at McKenna's Gym:   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200977915187384.

If that doesn't inspire you, you might not be human!  Now that I have your attention, you should probably proceed.

Can you fill us in on your background? 

Tiana:  I grew up in a single parent home I have a younger sister and two older brothers who were just absolute badasses in sport.  I wanted nothing more than to be just like them.  I figured we all grew up in the same house with the same mother why wouldn't I be able to do the same things they did.  They were incredibly encouraging and to this day remain my biggest supporters.  I was very active as a kid.  I was also always the big kid.  Back then I thought I was fat, (I may have been big boned) but turns out I was perfectly healthy as a kid just bigger and stronger than all the others.  I had a very old school upbringing.  I grew up in a house with a single mother, we spent our days outside playing freeze tag and hide and seek, racing each other down the street for bragging rights and having to be on the porch when the street lights came on.

Did you play competitive sports growing up?

Tiana:  I played everything in grade school.  Basketball, Softball, Soccer, field hockey, I ran track, but in 10th grade (along with track) I focused on Cheerleading.  My position in cheerleading was the main base, they call this position the "powerhouse" as the main base is lifting/holding about 80-90% of the flyers weight.  Looking back on it now its interesting how similar Cheerleading and Olympic Lifting are.

I don't have much competitive background outside of the competitions and meets I had in high school and college, but once I left school I was really drawn to individual sports, I participated in triathlons for a good 3 years and I did a lot of rock climbing and swimming neither competitive.

How did you find Olympic Weightlifting?

Tiana:  In 2012 I joined a CrossFit gym in Phoenixville.  I had my daughter in 2008 and had struggled with losing weight and being active again. I had spent the beginning of 2012 at LA Fitness walking on a treadmill and taking Zumba classes with my sister in law that were more comical than helpful.  I tried all the fads spinning classes, hot yoga, boot camp, kick boxing you name it I tried and I hated all of it.  I had reached the highest weight I had ever been I was 225lbs I was unhealthy and just not myself.  I wanted to do something challenging and I remembered watching a video online about how the guys from the movie 300 got fit for their roles. (Isn't that how we all found CrossFit?) I searched for a CrossFit in my area and found ICA.

My first max lift was a clean and jerk, never heard of this before and was actually shocked at what I was supposed to do.  I had been given detailed instructions on how to perform the lift, but all I took from it was that I was supposed to lift as much weight as I possibly could from the ground to my shoulder and then from my shoulder to over my head.  When I started to do the movement all instruction went out the door.  I ended up doing a reverse curl (no squat) and an odd looking push press with my feet about 2 inches apart in what I thought was a "jerk".  I ended up having a max that day of 115lbs. This is having never even touched a barbell before.  I started training privately and by February 2013, my 5 rep hang power clean was 185 pounds.  (editor's notes:  Holy Crap!)

Are you Competing?

Tiana:   In my mind I haven't officially competed.  I decided that I was going to focus on Oly lifting full-time.  That was 10 weeks ago.  My first real competition will be in October at CrossFit Collective and then lords willing I will qualify for the American Open. After that you'll have to ask my coach if/when/where I will be competing.

Would you mind sharing your goals?

Tiana:  My goals are to go as far as I can in this sport for as long as my body will allow me to do it.  Getting medals at The American Open, at Nationals, in Worlds, the Olympics....my goals are endless.  I'm so new to this sport and one of the biggest things I hear about the differences between USA and other countries like Russia and China is lifting to them is a need, a means to take care of their families, and put food on the table. It's those kinds of driving forces that make those athletes go above and beyond to do the best they can.  It's no secret that in the USA we don't have those kinds of driving forces, we don't have a lot of incentives to make lifting a need.  Most of us do this while going to school or working full-time.  It's not a sport we can make a career unless we reach the Olympic level and even then its tough to pursue it full-time.  For me it has become a need.  I've found something I'm really good at, and something that could put me in the history books.  I'm Cherokee Indian and have the opportunity to not only do something a woman has never done before, but something a Cherokee has never done.  I want my people to be recognized in international sport.  I want us to be known for more than just casinos, myths and fairytales.  I want my daughter to be proud of me.  She's such a stellar little girl.  I've learned so much about myself and life from her.  It doesn't take much to make her proud of me she tells me all of the time.  But when she's older I want her to know that she can have anything in this world if she just works hard for it.  I want to be able to prove that to her by what I do in my life. 

Do you have any advice for other women or young girls that want to try this Olympic weightlifting (or any other sport), but are afraid to try?

Tiana:  My advice to women who want to try this sport would be the same advice I'd give someone in any situation where they might be afraid to try something.  You can accomplish anything you wish at any time in your life. It's never too late.  If you have that drive and that determination to achieve it you will.  Age, previous injuries, family situations, no support whatever it is if you believe you can achieve it you've won half the battle.  One of my favorite quotes is from William Arthur Ward, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it."  I live my life by that quote.  By the grace of GOD there is nothing I have tried that I have not been successful at.  The fact that I even tried is success.  Fear should never be a reason to keep you from trying something.  If you want to try Oly Lifting do it. Give it everything you've got!

Why are you a MissFit?

Tiana:   I am a MissFit because I've never let anything get in the way of me achieving my dreams.  The only reality I live by is the one I write for myself and with GOD's help my reality will always be what people think is impossible.

I wanted to learn some more about Tiana, so I inquired about her to her Olympic Lifting coach, Mike McKenna.  From working with her for the last couple of month Mike says that Tiana is not only has a legitimate shot at making the international team but, "Tiana's a good Mother, a successful businesswoman, and an outstanding athlete." 

Tiana speaks words of wisdom by saying, "you can accomplish anything in your life.  It's never too late."  Anything that you want is in reach, but you have to take a chance on yourself and go for it.  We need more people like Tiana.  We need more risk takers.  We need more dreamers.  We need more women that are not afraid to own their "badass-ness" and go for what they want.  Just to think, only a year ago she stepped into a CrossFit gym to lose some weight and ended up finding her dream in life.  She found her passion, Olympic weightlifting. 

What is stopping you from taking that first step to try something new?  Stop thinking about it and go do it!

Thank you, Tiana.  You truly are MissFit! 

 

The Thing About Comfort

Are you too comfortable?  When was the last time that you were put in an unexpected situation or an unknown challenge was thrown at you?  Better yet, when was the last time you took a chance on yourself and actually followed through with something that you have been putting off for years?  When was the last time that you made a decision to go after your dreams and become the person that you know you were meant to be?   

Recently, I put myself in an extremely uncomfortable situation.  I left my job, that I loved and a community of people that I love and care for, to start my own business.  I am not kidding when I tell you that I'm extremely uncomfortable.  Leading up to my ultimate decision, I wasn't eating right or sleeping well and my workouts sucked horribly!  Even as I write this I'm filled with anxiety and I can neither confirm nor deny that I am freaking out just a little bit.  I ask myself things like; "what the f*ck did you just do?  Are you crazy?" or "you love those people, why did you leave?" or "this is going to be a lot of work, a lot of f*cking work!  Are you sure you're up for it?"

The answer is undoubtedly, yes.  Yes.  I am up for the challenge.  The truth is, I would rather be uncomfortable and work towards being exactly what I see in my dreams, than live a "comfortable" existence asking myself "what if" or imagining what life "could have been like" had I followed my dreams and my heart.  Here's the thing about comfort, it doesn't help you grow. 
  
A month or two ago someone that I know and respect were having a conversation about fitness and he said something to me that I haven't stopped thinking about since.  In gist, we didn't see eye to eye on an issue and he said "I hope you learn to get out of your comfort zone." 

Looking back, I really appreciate that comment because it helped me reevaluate my life (aside from fitness) and how I was living versus how I want to live.  I was living a life that was too comfortable, and I wasn't really doing anything to challenge myself to become a better version of me.  I was just existing.  Simply put, that is not living.

Just think about it for a second, where is the excitement in being comfortable?  Where is the growth in never watering your seed?  Why settle?  What if a caterpillar was okay and settled with just being a caterpillar?  If they settled, they would never find out that they were destined to be a beautiful butterfly.  That would be silly right?  That is what a lot of people do...they settle on being a caterpillar.  They stay in their present condition and live "comfortably" and later wonder why they are not living a joy filled life.

I'm not sorry when I say that I refuse to settle.  I want much more for myself.  You should want much more for yourself too.  

 

Now that I have you thinking about comfort zones...what is yours?  Is there a competition that you've always wanted to enter, but don't sign-up because know that you will have to work hard for it?  Do you really want to lose weight, but know that a lot of commitment will be necessary to reach your goal weight?  Do you really want to increase a particular lift by 20, 30,...heck 50 pounds, but can't wrap your head around the amount of consistency that is required to get there?  Outside of fitness, is there a life change that you have always thought about, but you quiver and get physically ill when you think about how uncomfortable it will be to make that change? 

Is there something that you want to do, but you're afraid to step outside of your comfort zone to achieve it?  My advice is this, think long and hard about the reasons why you want it (prayer helped me), and then ask yourself 2 simple questions.  1) What happens if I take a chance on myself and follow my dreams?  2)  Can I grow and learn in my current situation? 

Whatever your answers are to the questions above, I hope that you are able to learn to step outside of your comfort zone.  Don't just exist. Make sure you live a life of meaning. 

       

The Addiction of going RX'D

I have known for sometime the side effects of lifting heavy weights.  I guess you could compare me to a doctor as I am quick to recommend women go RX.  As a woman, it can be down right empowering and addictive.  I mean, let's be real, when you lift something that you couldn't before...you feel high...you feel like a bad ass! 

In CrossFit, we use the term RX (as prescribed) that indicates the intended weight that one should strive to lift during workouts.  Sometimes the weight is fairly heavy and, at first, many women cannot lift it.  As they progress they become stronger and stronger, but they will continue not attempt to use the RX weight out of either fear of failure, lack of confidence, or believing the silly myth that lifting weights will bulk you up. 

Recently, I suggested (clearing throat...insisted) that a couple of wonderful ladies RX the weight for the cleans in the girl benchmark WOD "Elizabeth."  One of them jumped right on it and was going to try RX weight even if it killed her.  The other was a little more hesitant, but after some gentle coaxing...she put 95 lb. on the bar. 

Did they succeed?  Yes.  Of course they did.  I never doubted that they would. 

Here is the really cool thing about it all.  Both of them came up to me separately and said "I feel like a bad ass!"  They also made mention of how elated they were and it was almost like a drug and that they wanted to feel that way again.

So I need to announce a warning to women who decide to try the weights RX'D.  You may experience even more confidence, self-esteem, and positive thinking.  You may have a sudden urge to smile, hold your shoulders back and head high.  These symptoms can become addictive and cause you to want to work harder to become stronger and stronger and stronger.  Common side effects of doing the weight RX'D is becoming a complete BAD ASS.  Be careful as these effects can become empowering and contagious to the women around you and they will want to RX too! 

Please speak with a certified coach and/or trainer if you feel you too would like to experience this feeling and become a bad ass as every single woman is qualified to do what they once thought was impossible.  Don't worry, there are enough weights to go around.  Quantities are unlimited.  Head to your local gym today and go lift something heavy!  You'll love the way you feel.  Trust me.

Get Your Hands Off Your Knees

I was probably 13 or 14 when I had a camp basketball coach yell at me, "Never let anyone know that tired.  Never!  Get your hands off your knees!"  At first I was embarrassed and angry because he was calling me out, but he was trying to make me tougher.  The truth is that my hands were on my knees and I was letting everyone know that I was tired.  Eventually I realized that resting wasn't helping my cause, and if I wanted to win I needed to stop thinking about how tired I was and get my hands off my knees.

20 years later his voice still whispers to me when I feel weak or tired.  When I'm in the middle of a hard workout and I want to stop or rest to take an extra breath or when I feel like putting off a work/school assignment until later I hear, "get your hands off your knees!"  When I am on a long run and want to stop or walk before I reach the finish line I hear, "Never let anyone know you're tired."

When life is making you tired remember what my coach told to me years ago, and apply it to your own life.  When you want to stop mid-workout to get a drink of water, don't.  When the barbell gets heavy, don't put your hands on your knees!  Take a deep breath and pick the damn thing back up, and show it who's in control.  When your job becomes overwhelming and you feel unappreciated, don't let them see you sweat.  Keep a cool head and keep doing your job. 

I'm finding that as I grow older, this statement resonates with me more and more.  It is so easy to find excuses to slow down or even quit when a situation becomes tiresome.  It's easy to complain about how exhausted I am or how difficult a particular task is to anybody that will listen.  In my opinion, complaining is equivalent to putting my hands on my knees and letting the world know that I'm tired.  I used to pride myself in the fact that no one knew I was tired on the basketball court, and I still try to uphold this principle in adult life whether it involves work, school, or the gym.  I challenge you to take my coaches advice and apply it to your life.  Who knows, it might help.

I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change- Day 8 "The Break Through"

Anyone who has been following The MissFit Movement blog knows that we are in the midst of the I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change.  Today marked day number 8, and I can honestly say that today was the first day that I felt I actually took a whole-hearted step in the right direction. 

I don't know what in the heck got into me but I woke up on time (I only hit the snooze button once), I made a to-do list (and followed it), I did all of my homework (nothing changed...I still hate statistics), I finalized the I Am MissFit Trademark application, and had time to relax.  I think I had a bit of a break through today!  Can I tell you that if my flexibility was better, I'd pat myself on the back...



Proof that I made a To-Do list (yes, I have the handwriting of a 2nd grader...deal with it.)

I think the key lays in keeping the right attitude and perspective.  Ultimately, the changes that I want are in my best interest and will do me nothing but good.  But in order to accomplish anything I have to keep a positive outlook and look forward to tasks rather than dreading chores.  In life, I feel that there are only two types of people; 1) people that do 2) people that don't.  The people that do are usually happy and live the life that they want, and the people that don't usually live a miserable existence, find excuses as to why they can't or really why they won't.  I don't know about anyone reading this, I can only speak for myself, but I want to live with joy and that will lead me to the life that I want. 

That leaves me with one option; I want to be a doer.

I know that each day is different and that I will be faced with the unknown and unknowable from time to time, but that isn't a reason to throw my hands up and surrender.  In most circumstances we are more than equipped to handle any situation, we just need to have the right attitude and faith that our actions will take us to our desired destination.  If we want to win, we have to find a way to win.

Who knows what day 9 will bring.  Here's to keeping a positive attitude!

Until next time, be well!

L. Brittney

I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change- (Humbling) Week 1

Thank God this challenge is 45 days!  The first 5 days have been very difficult for me.  It turns out, change is hard! 

Here's a little reminder of the challenge that I have posed to myself:

• To give more than is expected of me.  Everyday I will give of myself 100%, because there are a lot of times that I hold back and that limits my potential.
• To be more organized.  Everyday I will strive to be more organized in my work and school life, in hopes that it become a habit.

Recap of my week:

Day 1, Monday June 10, 2013: Over slept.  All of my personal training appointments were cancelled due to construction.  One might think that this would have been the perfect time to get organized or do some school work, but I played way to long in the gym and tired myself out.  I was pissed at myself, but better luck tomorrow...

Day 2, Tuesday June 11, 2013:  Woke up feeling exhausted, which is weird because I had 7 hours of sleep.  I got some advice that I should eat some more carbs, so I made that happen.  Instantly I felt better.  I even hit a snatch PR later that day!  I believe I hit the PR due to the fact that I let go of any fear or anxiety and gave it my all.  Because of that, I treated myself to an almond mocha smoothie from Smoothie King.  :)

Day 3, Wednesday June 12, 2013:  I had to be up super early to run the 5:15am class.  I hadn't done that in a long time so I was excited for it.  I think that the added carbs helped my energy levels, because I was very pumped!  Although the start of my day was great, it didn't hold.  I ended up getting off track with my to do list due to procrastination.  At this point, my good intentions are failing me.  I started to rethink my approach to this challenge.  Am I going to be able to change?  I must find a way!

Day 4, Thursday June 13, 2013:  This is a better day.  I wake up on time, but I feel extremely overwhelmed because I have a full day at the gym plus a huge workload for school.  I decided to take a rest day from working out for a couple of reasons, but mainly because I was tired and my hamstring wasn't cooperating with me.  That was a disaster waiting to happen...so I opted out.  I let my dislike for my Statistics class get the best of me, I put off the homework assignments that were piling.  Besides, the NBA finals were on...

Day 5, Friday June 14, 2013:  I woke up on time.  I had my 2 usual personal training sessions that morning.  My energy levels were great!  I had a few meetings, and I even snuck in time to get my eye brows done :)  When I got home, I started to evaluate my actions during the 1st week of the challenge.  I have so much changing to do!  I can do this!

Like I said earlier, change is hard!  The first thing that needs to change is my attitude.  I am determined to take the necessary steps to get the wanted outcome.  I will be honest, I thought that my actions would be different because I took on the challenge to change.  Heck, I'm the one that started this Challenge For Change...so I feel there is a little more pressure on me to produce.  But the truth is, I can only take this one day at a time and try my hardest!  Bad habits are hard to break.  I have 45 days....I will stay patient.

Weekly Wrap-Up

Hi All,

Because one of the challenges for myself is to be more organized, I have had to re-route my days.  I am going to be posting a weekly wrap-up that will summarize my week and the progress (or not) that happens for me. 

L. Brittney 

I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change- My declaration

Today is the first day of the 45 day I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change.  I'm not sure if it will have much of a following or if anyone will actually take part in it, but it won't stop me from participating in the challenge myself.  Personally, I need to change a couple of things about myself and figured that I'd invite anyone, heck everyone, to join me in the process.

Recently I took a mini-vacation to Florida to "try to relax."  As I was lying on the beach soaking up the sand, I began to evaluate my life and the outcome was simple- I need to change.  I tend to be extremely self-critical (...but who isn't) and honest with myself, but the one thing that I feel I lack when it comes to changing habits about myself is "follow through."

I asked myself, "how can I commit to the changes that I need to make in my life?" And then I had what they call an "A ha moment."  I thought, "why not pose a challenge on The MissFit Movement blog to other women looking to make a commitment to change something in their lives?"

I am a firm believer in what I like to call "walking the talk."  I know that by publicly posting what I want to change about myself, I will have to hold myself accountable and follow through because people are watching.  To be completely honest, maybe no one will be watching me at all, but there is a possibility that someone will be watching...and that is enough motivation for me.

So for the next 45 days I will take at least one action, daily, towards the changes that I want to occur in my life and document it for all to read. 

My I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change is:

• To give more than is expected of me.  Everyday I will give of myself 100%, because there are a lot of times that I hold back and that limits my potential.
• To be more organized.  Everyday I will strive to be more organized in my work and school life, in hopes that it become a habit.

For the next 45 days I will be posting my journey.  It is said that the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, so this better work because I don't want to be crazy.  I am not really sure what is going to happen, but I do know one thing...I will change!  Stay tuned.


In Good Health,

L. Brittney

I Am MissFit: Challenge For Change

Let's face it, there are things that we aren't particularly happy about in our lives that we would like to change.  Have you ever found yourself thinking "I should eat better" or "I should be more organized" or "I wish I had the will power to workout more" or "I wish I was more adventurous" or "I should take up a new hobby" or "I wish treated my family better."  Stop wishing your circumstances would change and do something about it!  Like Tony Robbins says, "stop shoulding all over yourself" and take the necessary steps to elicit the change you desire in your life. 

Not all change is improvement, but without change there can be no improvement.  Max Depree reminds us that, change is necessary for growth, because in the end "it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." 

If you had 45 days to change one thing about yourself that you wanted to improve, what would it be? 

Would you change:

• how you eat?
• how you exercise?
• how you treat others?
• how you treat yourself?
• how you think?

Do you want to:

• get stronger?
• be more adventurous?
• learn a new sport?
• get organized?
• lose weight?
• be more positive?
• be more disciplined?

This is a challenge to create change within ourselves to inspire change in others.  Be a change agent .  When others see you taking necessary steps to change an aspect in your life, you give them the needed courage to make changes within themselves.  We all know that significant change doesn't happen over night, but the decision to make change happens instantaneously. 

This challenge has no grand prize.  There are no game rules.  The only rules that apply are that hold yourself accountable by posting your challenge for change to The MissFit Movement facebook page.  Starting June 10th, for 45 days make a commitment to yourself and to the MissFit community that you will take the necessary steps to become the MissFit that you want to be.  Let's make a change together. 

Over the next 45 days, how will you challenge yourself to change?  Make your declaration here and feel free to post comments, pictures, even videos of yourself taking action!  Let's have some fun and affect some change in our lives!     

Start posting today!

The Power of Imagination

If you're human, chances are you have experienced some sort of fear in the course of your life.  Fear is a real emotion and it comes in many forms; anxiety, nervousness, and inaction.  In the world of fitness and sport fear of failure runs rampant but no one really addresses the issue, because a lot of times no one knows how.  There are many ways to overcome fears, but one of the best ways to learn how to defeat fear is to use imagery.  That's right.  Using your imagination can be used to overcome anxieties, but it can also help you increase confidence, motivation, attention and focus and enhance performance whether it be lifting heavy weights, jumping on boxes, participating in a Tough Mudder, and competing in a sporting event.  Imagery can also be a great aid in recovery and return to play after an injury of setback and even in changing your nutrition.  The power of imagination is limitless.  Some of the best athletes in the world practice imagery and apply it during competition.  If applied correctly, imagery can be a huge game changer.

If you would like to give imagery a try, the best way to start is through the use of imagery rehearsal.  It is one of the easiest and most effective way to implement imagery into your practice. 

Imagery is defined as “using all the senses to re-create or create an experience in the mind.”  Our brain cannot tell the difference between an actual physical event or the mind’s creative imagery.  Just think of dreams…they seem real to use in the process.  Using imagery properly can help facilitate confidence in a skill or task and ease anxiety.  The images that we see in our mind influence emotion, which in turn influence performance.  During imagery practice it is important to elicit all senses involved in the desired outcome…vision, hearing, smell, taste, and proprioception (feel)…the more senses you use the better.  Make the rehearsal as real as possible.  Mental rehearsal doesn’t take a lot of time and can be done anywhere at any time, and has been found to greatly enhance performance.  Some of the most elite athletes used imagery on a consistent basis to improve their competitive edge. 

For the best outcome, practice the script 3-5 times a week for 5-15 minutes.  It is most beneficial that mental practice precede physical practice, but any practice is better than no practice.  During imagery practice, make each rehearsal successful.  Ultimately, you are in control of your mind’s thoughts and images…if you make a mistake start over and take great care to be positive in your thinking.  Try each of these exercises.  I suggest beginning with number one.  Once you have mastered the first exercise, move on by adding the next one to the sequence.  Mental imagery, just like any skill, must be practiced.

Before we go on, pick a fear that you would like to overcome or a skill that you would like to perfect.

1)      Find a quiet and comfortable place to relax.  It is recommended that you lay down and close your eyes.  Start by using diaphragm breathing.  Take a deep breathe in and as you let the air out do it slowly and forcefully.  Continue until you are completely relaxed (5-10 breathes). 

 
2)      First, practice imagery by visualizing a shape.  Now color in that shape with your favorite color.  After you have colored in the shape of your choice, visualize erasing the color and filling the shape with polka dots.  Repeat the process a few times to get comfortable with details, but use different shapes and colors.  Be precise.
 

3)      Next from the location that you are in, mentally walk to the closest grocery store.  Imagine all of the turns that you must make.  Take into consideration the traffic that you must look out for along with bumps on the sidewalk in which you are walking.  How is the weather?  Is it hot or cold?  What does the air smell like?  Imagine every detail that you can think of.  Once you arrive at the doors of store safely, how does it feel?  You may walk home or repeat this exercise as desired. 
 

4)      Now, imagine that you have just walked into any gym in the world.  What does the gym look like?  How does it smell?  Are there a lot of people?  Are they friendly?  How does your body feel?  Start to imagine feeling strong and confident.  Begin warming up and being excited about the workout no matter what it might be.  Get all of your muscles ready to take on the workout aggressively.
 

5)      Finally, imagine the fear you'd like to overcome or skill you'd like to develop.  For the sake of discussion, the box jump will be used as an example.  Now imagine that box jumps are part of the workout.  Pretend that you are watching yourself jump…like you’re watching T.V.  Imagine that you are seeing yourself stand in front of the box with a face of confidence and determination.  Your feet are set, your arms are back, and your hips are loaded ready to explode onto the box.  Imagine seeing yourself jump 6 inches higher than you needed and landing on the box successfully.  Now, feel how proud you are of yourself!  Your confidence levels are high and you feel happy that you overcame anxiety and met the challenge.  Repeat this for 10-20 reps…executing each and every jump with precision and confidence.  Repeat as needed.
 

End each session by breathing slowly and deeply.  Open your eyes and sit up slowly.  Take a moment to feel happy and accomplished
 

Remember that in order to reap the benefits of a helpful technique like imagery, practice is essential.  If you are in a slump, want to take on a new competitive challenge or have a legitimate fear that you would like to overcome imagery is a very effective technique to implement in your training.  Give it a try.  What do you have to lose?
 

 “You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon. To change your circumstances you need to change your thinking and subsequent actions."  ~Adlin Sinclair 

 

Dirty Laundry

Lately I've had a bit of writer's block and my energy level has been funky.  I have found myself irritated and frustrated lately feeling like I need to let something out, but I just couldn't figure it out.

I got home from a long day of training people, and I hopped on facebook to unwind a bit and this song was posted by one of my friends;

 

 

 



After listening to this song, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I need to air my dirty laundry.  I have decided to let 'em hang, and air out my dirty laundry.  Who knows, maybe this will empower another woman to get out of a bad situation.

I was married once.  I don't speak of it much, because I don't like pity and I hate it when people apologize about one of the best decisions I ever made.  Divorce. There has never been a moment that I felt regret for walking out the door.

Here's my love story.

Boy and girl meet.  Boy swoons girl.  Boy and girl fall in love.  The two of them get married.

Two weeks after graduating from college, I packed my backs and moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia to marry the man of my dreams.  I mean, what else does a girl do after college?  Get married of course! 

So, two weeks into our marital bliss our marriage took a sharp right turn.  Who am I kidding, it took a complete 180!  All of the sudden the man I loved took his mask off, and the drama story began.

It started with verbally demeaning me.  He would say condescending things like "you don't know how to do anything right" or "Let me do it, because you can't" or "why are you wearing that? You look bad" or "you make me sick." 

My initial reaction was shock and hurt.  I couldn't believe this man that I gave my life and devotion to was saying such mean things to me.  I would try to shake it off and fool myself by thinking, "this is how all marriages start.  First they are rocky, but then it gets better." 

Next, was the lies, late nights out drinking and spending money frivolously, and don't forget the numbers I found his pockets and receipts from strip clubs. 

Believe me, I wasn't shy to confront him and speak my mind.  This led to more of the same behavior by him.  In fact, the drama started to escalate more and more each time I confronted him.  The first time, he ignored me.  The next time, he shoved me.  The next time, he shoved me harder.  The next time, he punched me.  Once, I had to walk home in the middle of the night, because he drove off and left me while we were out. 

I have never cried so much in my entire life.  In fact, he would deliberately say hurtful things to me to get an emotional response out of me and then laugh at me as the tears fell from my eyes.  He would corner me and tease me in the process. 

Looking back, it was verbal and emotional abuse (mixed in with a hint of physical abuse) but when you're caught in a whirl wind of what you think is love...you lie to yourself.  You trick yourself into thinking that all marriages have trials and tribulations (which they do to some degree) and that to experience joy and happiness, you must endure humiliating pain.

Trust me, don't believe that bullshit.  Love doesn't hurt.  If it does, it's not love.

To get back to the story, I was certain that he was cheating on me.  I had no proof, but I was certain.  It's just one of those instincts that you get.  It's hard to explain.  You just know.  The problem was, I had no proof...just an instinct.  Until one day the truth was revealed and my instincts were right.  At that time, he guarded his phone like it was a safe full of gold.  I took notice.

I will never forget the darkest night of my life.  I had finally found great friends that I worked with and we decided to have a girls night out.  He was not happy with this, and when I returned home I was locked out of the bedroom.  He had bolted the door shut, and that's where it all began.

After pounding on the door for minutes, he finally opened the door.  We argued a bit, but he laid back down.  As he turned his head, I grabbed his phone and decided to get to the bottom of what my gut was telling me.  I just needed to prove what I already knew...he was cheating.

My instincts were right!  He had pictures of this girl on his phone.  Not just any kind of pictures, but the kind that a wife does not want to see on her husband's phone.  What made it worse was that he sent pictures to his brother bragging about his mistress.  True story. 

What happened next is a blur.  I was filled with unspeakable pain, disgust, and rage, and I confronted him head on.  The confrontation led to an argument.  The argument led to a shoving match.  The shoving match led to me swinging a lamp, him pushing me through the wall, and me getting a black eye.  The only thing that I'm proud of from that night is the left hook that broke his nose.

Once the fight ended, I looked him dead in the eye and said, "we're done."

I left the next morning, and I never looked back.

I will never forget the people that helped me through that rough patch...and it was rough.  I am forever grateful for my family, Jody, Sara, Eddie, Jenna and my best friend Adriana.  They kept me sane.  I love them. 

I didn't share my story to tell you how bad I've had it.  Hell, my story is lame compared to what other women have suffered through in their lives. I just wanted to make it clear that although problems arise in our lives, things get better.

I shared because I want people to understand that drama and trauma can only have power over you if you allow it to.  Pain does not always last.  The darkest of night is just before the dawn.  Just when we think we can't take the rain anymore...the sun will starts to shine.   

Being a MissFit isn't just about being physically strong.  It's about having a strong mentality as well.  Strong is a choice.  You can either let life knock you down, leaving you bumped and bruised OR you can stand up for yourself and decide that enough is enough and fight back. 

We are here to be happy. We are here to do things that bring us joy.  We are here to be victorious.  We are here to give love and receive love.  We are not here to be miserable.  We are not here to feel bad about ourselves.  We were not created to live in defeat.  We were certainly not put here to hold on to our dirty laundry.  Sometimes you have to let go and air that shit out!

I needed to hear that song tonight.  I needed to let that out.  Thanks Kelly Rowland!



*Side note:  This is not intended to bash men.  I love and respect men.