Be an Absolute {Fitness} Gladiator

Three weeks ago a new year began. A journey towards redefining the way you take care of yourself also began. You decided that your old eating habits were getting the best of you, and that maybe you could use a little kick-start to get to where you see yourself ideally; both physically and mentally.

Week three may or may not seem like a breeze compared to the self doubts and starvation you experienced in weeks one and two.

In week three, you've settled into your healthier new routine and began tweaking whatever hasn't been working for you. By now, if you haven't already realized, you're capable of much more than you realize, once you've put your mind to it.

In the coming weeks ahead, as you continue your efforts towards a newer, healthier lifestyle, you will discover a lot of personal learning and growth opportunities. Some things you might notice will make more sense now that you are paying special attention to this part of your life.

Food Labels
You may suddenly realize why you always felt like crap after eating those Special K bars. It's starting to make more sense now that you've taken the time to make now of how much sugar and gluten is in it, despite the "healthy" appeal.

Gym Routine
Your gym routine doesn't feel like such a chore. You will still have your "off" days where you are dragging your feet to get there, but once you get there you realize how beneficial it has been in just the course of three weeks. Keep it up. Be sure to mix your routine up, trick your muscles every now and again. When you go to the gym day after day, practicing the same workout routine will inevitably get old fast. 

Mind over Matter- Be a Gladiator!
Above all, being healthy is more a mental process than anything. You have to have the motivation to do it, and the will-power to follow through with it.  You have to always be willing to keep an open mind and challenge yourself. You're always going to have a day or two here and there where you don't feel like you're making any progress, or maybe feel like you aren't capable of doing something. When that little demon in your head chimes in: fight back. Unleash the same gladiator who motivated you to start being a better person to begin with.
A gladiator inspires admiration and popular recognition. 
I guarantee your efforts will do the same if you persist with the attitude your started this journey with.

Gym Essentials- Finding The Right Fit for Your Best Workout!

Recently I've had a number of people inquire about the fact that I always look "put together", even in the gym. While I don't dress up for the gym by any means, my business in the gym is no different than my business outside of the gym. I like to look put together, presentable and ready for anything. You might ask "how do I achieve this?" Here are a few tips for bringing your A-game when heading to the gym.

START WITH YOUR COMFORT ZONE

How you dress inside the gym shouldn't be any different than outside of the gym. That is-- your clothes should be comfortable for you. For example, if you like loose clothing throughout the day, wear loose wide leg yoga pants and a cut off tee at the gym. If you tend to like more form fitting clothes shoot more for a leggings/ tank combo.

DRESS FOR ANYTHING

Make sure to dress in clothing that will leave you comfortable and prepared for anything that comes your way. Choose clothing that will breath and won't leave you drenched. Bring two pairs of shoes: one for training and one for running. I don't recommend using expensive running shoes to train in, it will only cut the life of the shoe by half.

BRING BACK UP

Ever show up to the gym only to realize your favorite small piece of equipment is being used or even worse, gone? Bring your own! Sure the gym should have what your looking for, but nothing can kill a workout more than an essential item is missing. For me, it's always my resistance bands. They're affordable and practical enough that I always carry my own with my in my gym bag. Here are a few of my favorite things. 

1. Timex Sports Watch
2. Lululemon Swiftly Headband
3. Resistance Bands
4. Rubbermaid Chug Bottle
5. Cross Training: NIKE Lunar Eclipse+ 3 Shield 
6. 90 Degrees Yoga Crops
7. Gym Singlet
8. Running: Mizuno Wave Rider
9. Champion Sports Bra

Why I Run

Starting line of my first half marathon

A Great Running Season
Twenty- twelve was an incredible running season for me. I ran to honor the life and memory of 1LT Dimitri Del Castillo. In the aftermath of my running season, l felt a great sense of pride with all that I had accomplished over the course of the year. Throughout the season I participated in more than 10 events, proudly dawning my "Team Del" jersey with each and every race. I shared Katie & Del's story with a countless number people of people, made a few great new friends along the way and by surprise, won a number of awards including: First Overall, First Female Overall and First in Category amongst a few others. Beyond having a personal sense of achievement, I felt a great sense of purpose. I ran with a mission in mind: To honor the life and memory of a great fallen hero, tragically killed in war, and to raise awareness to the military community; two causes I hold very near and dear to my heart.

Twenty thirteen turned out to be an unexpected hiatus from my running achievements. In December 2012, I was accepted to run the 117th Boston Marathon for the St. Francis House in Boston. It was a great moment of excitement that was short lived; when in January 2013,  I was involved in a car accident that left me with a nerve injury in my neck- that at times felt unbearable. Each time I made an attempt to train distance, I found that the impact from running left me with excruciating headaches accompanied by extreme neck and shoulder pain.  As a result I decided to withdraw from the Marathon and running season all together. I decided I would use my down time as an opportunity to give my body the much needed rest, while still taking on new achievable endeavors in the fitness world. Never would I have guess it would lead me into figure building.

By May of 2013, fitness-wise, I was "competition ready." But the stage was never truthfully something that I longed for. What I needed was to find something, anything, to fill the void that I felt with no longer being able to run. I needed to find something that would create the same euphoria, adrenaline and mental challenge that I had experienced throughout my running season the prior year. While figure building provided an outlet, it never quite filled the void I had with the feeling I experience while running.

While I may still continue to make progress with maintaining my physique this year, I'm drawn back to running for a number of reasons. I have a lot to run for this year. So I would like to make efforts towards running a number of races throughout the year, with a  few fallen angels in mind:

1LT Dimitri A. Del Castillo, US Army- Ranger, 2011

SGT Daniel M. Vasselian, USMC, 2013

1LT James R. Zimmerman, USMC, 2010

SGT. Anthony Matteoni, USMC, 2011

SGT John P. Huling, USMC, 2012

WHI I RUN
I began distance running in 2011 after 1LT Dimitri Del Castillo was KIA; while serving his first deployment in Afghanistan. His wife, Katie who was also deployed at the time, made a simple request to the community during her beginning stages of healing upon her return home:Run and honor the memory Dimitri and keep his memory alive. It was a simple request that left me moved in such a way, that I felt compelled to respond. While I shared only a few memories with Katie and Del throughout my time in college, I thought the least I could do was show my support for Katie and run Del's honor. With a strong athletic ability in mind, I set out wanting to run further than a simple 5 or 10k. So I decided I was going to run 13.1 in his memory.

KNOWING MY OWN LIMITS
I learned a great deal throughout my journey towards becoming a distance runner…. Like what I am actually capable of. I learned that our minds bestow so many limitations on us. Small minds that is. Limitations often get the best of us when we are too narrow minded to see what it is we are actually capable of. Big minds; big minds dream big and see the bigger picture. A big mind realizes that any challenge faced in life however physically painful it may be, will always comes back to matters of the mind and how we choose to master it. But it also taught me to be realistic, and to listen to myself and to be more in-tune with my body. Throughout the course of the year I trained myself physically, and conditioned myself mentally. I worked and trained through a number of serious physical injuries, taking Katie's advice into consideration along the way:

"With running something will always bother you, then eventually it'll go away and something else will start hurting!"

Finish line of my first 13.1

My 2011-12 running season left me freed. Mainly from the mental burden that plagued me throughout the years. Suffering from boughs of anxiety I experience a good amount of self-doubt. Running taught me to train my brain in such a way to refocus my thoughts to think: "I can do this", leaving no room for doubt for and journey I face in my life ahead. To this day I still feel stronger than I've ever been, both physically and mentally. I believe strongly that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Throughout my first 13.1, I remember passing a number of individuals who lost their runners high early on. With every passing runner who had stopped I made it a point to tap them on the back and encourage them to keep going. As I turned the corner to finish my last mile, I began to think back to what brought me to the whole experience of running distance. It was Katie and Del and their story. I held onto it, and served it as my purpose and motivation to make it through some of the toughest challenges I had faced throughout my training. Along my journey I also developed a deep passion and a voice for the military community. I realized that creating awareness for the military community is something that I'll likely carry with me throughout my life. It's important to remember the people who put themselves out there for our country. It's especially important to remember their families too, because they make an equal sacrifice with having their loved one serve for us.

A preview of HLR Running Season Ahead:
Confirmed
May 25, 2014 -Boston's 10th Annual Run to Remember, 13.1, Benefitting Military Scholarship

To Be Confirmed
April 26, 2014- Nashville Rock N' Roll, 13.1, Benefitting St. Jude
October 26, 2014- 39th Annual Marine Corps Marathon, 26.2, Benefitting Military Families/ Scholarship

More to come….





For more on Katie and Del's Story:
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=243197

You Are What You Eat

GYM ROUTINE
Now that you've completed week one, week two is all about sticking with your routine. Fine tune the days and times that work best for you to go to the gym, and stick with them. When an unexpected curveball gets thrown into your routine, as it probably often does; be sure to alter your day accordingly, but still make sure to fit your workout in somehow.

EATING HABITS
As for meals, this is going to be the greatest challenge: Not cheating on yourself. There's more temptation out there than not. A general question I ask myself personally when making healthy choices:

what will this look like later? 
I ask myself this for a few reasons.
Throughout the years, I have  tried many diets, been tested for many allergies/sensitivities, and physically trained my body with a variety of athletic goals in mind. I've learned that what I eat greatly impacts my all around performance. To give you a better understanding of what I mean, here is an example. Please note that I am using a drastic comparison to draw deeper level of understanding to why we really are "what we eat."

If you tend to be someone who often indulges in guilty pleasures of the "Three C's" (Cookies, Candy, Chips), remind yourself how much work you are putting in at the gym. Lets say that one Famous Amos cookie sets you back 90 calories, heres a look at  how that should translate while you're at the gym:

REFOCUS
Think of your workout in terms of what your goal is. What did you set out to achieve with making strides towards the newer, more refocused you? Are you looking to slim down and tone muscle, or are you simply looking to neutralize your weight and not pack on anymore pounds? Neither one goal is better than the other in terms of personal achievement; but equal in terms of becoming a better you. So when you head to the gym, be honest with yourself. Size up what you've eaten and how much time you've put in at the gym, is the math adding up?

In the days ahead I want to open up a little more understanding to how the food you eat affects you. This is a great building block. Keep up the great work!

Dreams Into Relatities

Congratulations, you've made it this far! Here is an overview of what you have accomplished in just one week:

Day One
You made up your mind that you wanted change

Days Two & Three
You overcame the urge to quit even though you felt fat. You reminded yourself that you began this challenge for a reason, and for that reason you were going to prove to yourself that you can do this!

Days Four & Five
You experienced overwhelming sensations of starvation, and the cravings weren't helping. When you took a second look at what proper nutrition really entails, you realized and adjusted your protein and water intake accordingly simple sugars in accordance with your RMR. FANTASTIC JOB!

Day Six

Keep up the great work. You found your groove. The road ahead will still have it's nails in the road, but with your patch kit in your back pocket, you have got this!

Day Seven
Congratulations! You made the commitment and finished your first week. You yourself that you can do this, with simple mind over matter. You're almost there! Twenty-three days still seems like an eternity, but with one week down and taking things day by day, you can do this.

What's ahead?
Remember that every day is going to bring its challenges. You will still have your moments of self-doubt. But when you look back at how far you've come in just a week, and realize that you are already a better person than you were seven days ago; even sneaking a snickers bite or two: you've already begun your great leap towards becoming the newer more improved you! Remember day one? Friendly reminder…

Remember, your body is amazing ; you are just looking for a renewed perspective on how to feed it and love it.

30 Days To A New You: Nutrition

DAY FIVE!
Congratulate yourself, you've already made the first five day and are inching your way towards completing your first week! At this point you've probably figured out that some things are working while other things are not. You're feeling over-hungry, irritable, not hungry at all, or experiencing strong cravings; despite your stellar efforts of maintaing your commitment to going to the gym. So whats wrong? It may be what you are or are not eating! Today we will overview the importance of proper nutrition in correlation with routine exercise.

I got a great video message from a client late last night, disclosing to me how much she is eating, and that she feels like she's "starving all the time." Standing at about 5"6 at about 135lbs, she confided in me that she was eating 1,200 calories---far below her dietary need-- even for losing weight. Even during my training season when I need to cut back on weight, my 1,200 calories was much too low for what my body needed in order to sustain my muscularity. (& I'm 5"0 @ a buck-20!)

Proper nutrition is essential when you begin a new workout regiment. It's also important to know that there is such a thing as losing weight too quickly. Here are some things that I commonly see clients do, that can really hurt efforts towards losing weight/toning up. Please be advised these guidelines are geared towards individuals who have little to no routine in the gym prior to the start of their nutrition modification. While I hold no formal credentials in my area, I have experimented with a number of diets in the past, with a variety of different training goals in mind, I understand with professional knowledge, the impacts/need for proper nutrition. Before I outline the below, I would also like to add, that every one- person has his/her own unique and individual dietary needs. These are purely open suggestions to help get you to wear you want to be. The advice may or may not work for anyone and what you test is at your own discretion.

With the liability piece out of the way, here are some of the things I see.

RESTING METABOLIC RATE (RMR)
First, figuring out your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is really important. Your resting metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns calories even when you are not physically active. Its defined as the minimum amount of calories your body needs, just to stay alive---with no activity taken into consideration. (i.e. the gym!)
Things that can affect you metabolic rate

• Age- decreases with age
• Climate- colder climates tend to increase your RMR, whereas hotter climates decrease RMR
• Eating Habits- eat small meal will increase you metabolism and also your RMR
• Pregnancy- increase RMR
• Poor dieting- decreases when you are not eating properly
• Dietary supplements- can increase RMR

Here is a link to a RMR Calculator

Once you have figured out your RMR you can properly gauge the best approach. Small meals throughout the day are always best. This not only keeps your metabolism active, but it also keeps you satisfied and not feeling the need to 'binge' eat.

Now that we've gotten the importance of calories out of the way, you need to make sure you are eating to sustain proper growth.

PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN
I can't emphasize enough how important protein intake is in the daily diet. Eating one meal with 16g of protein vs 3-5 snacks throughout the day can really improve your eating habit. Protein is not only responsible for building/repairing new muscle, but it also plays a key role in how satisfied you feel after a meal. Ever wonder why eating that bowl of pasta left you feeling starved after, and then a week later eating the same pasta paired with ground beef left you full? It was your protein intake!

SUGAR IN HIGH LEVELS IS YOUR GREATEST ENEMY
In relation to your protein, it's also important to watch what food have for sugar--this includes snacks and breads; which each carry, typical high levels of sugar. I won't get into how much you should or shouldn't have here, but I will add that balance is key. Stored sugar stored into fat, fat is a major complaint I hear when training clients. I like to think of it this way, if I had a meal that consisted of tuna salad on two slices of whole grain bread, for a snack, instead of going for the chips, crackers or candy, I am going to opt for something more wholesome and nutritious like fruit (avocado) or even cottage cheese with fruit mixed in.

And lastly, but not least don't forget to drink WATER! It's a great detox for the whole body and keeps your body properly hydrated.


Long winded post, but I hope this helps. Any questions please feel free to email me!
 kwojtasinski  
@gmail.com


Keep up the great work!

The First Step Is ALWAYS The Hardest

I was on my way to work this morning, when I happily received my morning reminder from T, that she is still working towards her goal of reinventing her eating habits and workout ethic. Discouraged, she wrote:

"Day 3: I still feel fat. Now, I not only feel fat, but hungry and fat. The video you made me yesterday really made my day, and I did better yesterday, too. Thank you, I love you."



DAY THREE
You're probably forgetting that this feeling "fat" is the reason you decided to modify your eating habits and also your values on fitness, exercise and overall well-being. Remember what your aims are. Keep your eye on the prize. You want to gain new perspective on how to treat and love your body, find new ways to improve where you can, and ppricate areas that you can't. Day four: it's fight or flight. You chose the goal, now you have to fully commit to achieving it. Remember, it is possible.

Tricks To Sticking With Your Fitness Goals

Social media can really play a key role in your mentality during a body revamp. Have an instagram or twitter account? Begin following users who hash tag key words that will help provide the support and motivation needed to get through this challenge. The first 30 days will always be the toughest. But remember, you CAN do this. Below are a list of common hashtags to help find and follow great fitness motivators!

Need some more motivation? Don't forget to follow me Instagram! @ahecticliferefocused  (I fully admit posting on IG more routinely because of the convenience.)

#fitfam #fitmom #fitdad #motivation #fitness #cleaneating #girlsthatlift #fitlife #workout #progress #motivator #gymtime #getsome #fitquote #instafit #cardio #workoutgrind #motivationmonday  #transformationtuesday #workoutwednesday #throwbackthursday #fitfamfriday #flashbackfriday

There a plenty more, but there are a few I commonly use, and might help you to find more fitspiration!
 

30-Day Challenge

Recently, a close friend of my texted me regarding her health and fitness challenges. A full time working mother of three, she desperately sought me out for fitness motivation to push her through her first month of dieting and getting back into the gym. In addition to her motivation, she also needed practical advice to fit into her already hectic schedule. A health and fitness enthusiast, I happily accepted. In her honor, I will be calling this "Tristin's Challenge."

DAY ONE

Good morning and happy "Workout Wednesday" fit chick! Today is the start of the new you! Workout Wednesday, is a no excuse day in the fitness world. This means, there are no excuses. This might mean fitting in exercise time at home, with a 30-minute at home workout. Simple jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups (burn outs)---you must do! Worried about looking silly around you're kids and family? Get the kids involved and challenge one another with each exercise! In home group fitness can be your best support as a busy working mom. Remember, you don't need a gym to get fit. The world is your gym. Your personal challenge for today will be to cut HALF of your bread/candy/chip products. Stay motivated! Remember, your body is beautiful; you are just looking for a renewed perspective on how to feed it and love it.

Kicking Some Cardio!

The word "cardio" is comes from the Greek word 'kardia', which translated means: heart. It's short for "cardiovascular" or "cardiology" and refers to anything related to the heart and circulatory system. Therefore, any exercise that increases the heart rate above its resting stage is referred to as 'cardio'.

It's no secret that many dread fitting cardio exercises into their routine. Over the years, I've heard of many variations to 'when' they chose to do their cardio. After working out, breaking it up to  1/2 before and 1/2 after, or just doing reserving it for a completely separate day all together. I've heard it all. Here are some ideas of when/how you can creatively fit cardio into your workout routine.

Start with cardio
You're having a day from hell, whether its 5:00 am and you just stepped out of bed, or 5:00 pm and you just finished a work day from hell, start with cardio.  Why? The days that you go into the gym, unmotivated or even unsure of what workout lies ahead for you, start with cardio! It serves several great purposes.

1. Its a great mental reprieve. It give you the time to not only sort your thoughts but also...
2. It gives you the time to think through your workout ahead. Often times it can even give you the burst of energy needed to follow through with your commitment to completing the workout.
3. It's a great warm up for all muscle groups.
4. Cardio is key to any great workout routine, whether it be done before the work out of even on a separate day all together.

Remember to mix it up.
'Cardio' does not simply mean running or using the elliptical or stair mill, it can be any number of exercises--even grouped together. When this is the case; Think: Intervals, Intervals, Intervals! Intervals, of any calisthenic value are a great way to mix things up. This is a key component to burning fat and gaining muscle.
Beginner? 
Try beginning with 45 seconds on/ 30 rest.
You could use any of the following during this time, including combinations:

• Jumping Jacks
• Jump Rope
• Mountain Climbers
• Jump Squats
• Box-Jump Squats
• Push-ups
• Tricep Dips
• Burpees
• (Weighted) Box-knee raises

While doing many of these exercises alone won't constitute a cardiovascular workout, it is the combination fast paced and continuous movement that forces your heart rate to rise above its resting point. When you step into those gym shoes later today, or if you've already worked out for the day; tomorrow, remember keep cardio creative, and let it motivate you! Never let it defeat you or your workout!

@kohlerkatie 

Lastest Happenings

I am so excited to share with you all my great news! For those of you who follow me on Facebook, the word is out. But I wanted to take the time to connect with my blog crowd and pass along some great things I have going so far this year (& its only January!!)

First,
MY 2014 FIT GOAL
My biggest "fit" goal for this year was to obtain a staffed position as a personal trainer. Fitness, as you all know is a big part of my life. But there is a story behind it. While I've always enjoyed participating in sports, even as a kid, I always held  overwhelming fear because of tremendous performance anxiety. When game days came, I would become so overwhelmed by my fears of failing or messing up in front of an audience, that I know, even to this day, I never performed to my fullest potential. I eventually got over this fear, when at 15 years old, I accepted my first job working at a local gym behind the desk. It took me quite some time as an awkward 15 year old to get comfortable with my way around the gym, but eventually I thought found it a home. It was a place where I worked, I worked out, I improved who I was physically, mentally and tested my strength; even within a setting of having a relative audience of complete strangers. I grew confident in my abilities to train in the gym. At 15, I couldn't know everything, I still ate like a typical 15 year old, and trained like a beast. In my last year of high school, I took a job working at another gym Northeast Health & Fitness ; where I worked until the end of my freshman year in college when I decided to pursue travel opportunities. Over the years I still remained close with all the people I worked with at NHF. They became a second family to me after working with them for so long.

On December 28, 2013, ten years later, I accepted a position back at Northeast Health & Fitness working as a staffed persona trainer. I couldn't be happier to
1. Have met my "2014" goal by the start of the year and
2. Be surrounded by such a great group of people; whom yes, I call colleagues, but throughout the years have become more like an extension of my family.
        They've seen my transformation from a young teen, to a grown adult. They've also seen me
        through a number personal challenges that I faced over the years while training.


Now on to the next…
I am juggling a pretty full plate as of recently, while I am not one for excuses, I just want to keep you all posted, so that you don't become disappointed when a post isn't up as routinely as I'd like. What is a full plate you as?

Mondaya:    Client Training 6:00a-noon
                    Teaching 12:30-2:30
                     Management meeting 3:00-4:30
                     Gym: 5:00-6:00
                     Client Training 6:00-6:30
Tuesdays:     Gym: 5:00am-6:00a
                     Teaching 7:30a-2:30
                     Managing 5:00pm-2:00a
Wednesdays: Teaching 7:30a-2:30p
                     Gym: 3:00-4:30
                     Client Training: 6:00p-7:00
Thursdays:   Gym: 5:00am-6:00a
                     Teaching 7:30a-2:30
                     Managers Meeting: 4:00-5:00
Fridays:         Rest day- no gym
                      Teaching: 7:30-2:30
                      Managing: 5:00-2:30a
Saturdays:      Managing 7:30-2:30a
Sundays:        REST!!!!


Needless to say, there are no excuses.
                   

               

Final Respects to Sgt. Vasselian

 Remembering Sgt. Vasselian
I took the time to pay my last respects to Sgt. Danny Vasselian this afternoon. Sgt. Vasselian is local Marine from Abington, Massachusetts, who served with Bravo Company, 1st Marine Regiment 9th Battalion, based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 
While serving his third deployment in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, Sgt. Vasselian was tragically killed in action just two days before Christmas and only weeks after his fourth wedding anniversary with wife, Erin Vasselian.

Arriving an hour early, on New Year's day, I waited outside for more than three hours in the bitter cold. Well worth the time when considering the sacrifice that he and his family have made for our country.

Many people over the past few days have asked "did you know Danny personally?" While I never knew him or his wife Erin personally , anyone within the military community knows, we are small and tight knit family. We stick together, when the deployments are done, the enlistment orders are up, the resignation papers are handed in; and well beyond the the days of war tragedies and untimely deaths: we always stick together. It is a life long bond that creates a family well beyond the years of service.

Being a member of military community means that not everyone will always be available to attend important life events like birthdays, weddings, holidays or in this case: final arrivals. We come together as a community not for ourselves; but as a show of support as a collective military community, in whole. That's what make us, MilitaryStrong

Boston Fire and Police officers line an expressway overpass in the Back Bay
to render a final salute to fallen Marine Sgt. Danny Vasselian.
© Greg Derr/ The Patriot Leger