Return of The Cologne Brothers..............

After years of being intimidated of the gym, I think you reach a point in your life that you just say WTH.  For me it was 40.  I finally had come into my own.  Go to the gym, do my own thing, don't worry about the gym clowns.

Now you are talking to a girl who survived the 80's, and things stretchy, spandexy, and shiny.  I would go to the gym to work out and all of the women were in the locker room prepping to go work out.  Lipgloss check, hairspray check, spandex check, thong unitard check, leg warmers check. I never understood the deal, although these women NEVER broke  a sweat so when they were done working out they could roll right into their bar wear and go right to the clubs.

As for the guys, they were loud, juiced up, wearing the weightlifting tear away pants in scary prints and neon colors. Going to the free weightroom back then was a loud, agressive, sweat fest. There was never a time that it was chill, it was always amped up in there.

So fast forward to today.  The family owned gym is great that I belong to.. It has a great mix of young, old, families, working peeps and stay at home moms.  The energy is positive and always has a buzz going.

Last week after I babyed my knee from being a bit overzealous on the treadmill running.  I am back at the gym @ 5:30 am.  A little slower a little smarter. So on the treadmill I go, ipod in my ear, ready to rock and roll. Then it happens...........
I hear them first......two 20 something guys heading my way.  They stake their claim at the 2 treadmills next to me.  Their ritual is as follows....... 
Dude let's get this done. Are you ready???  (I thought OK, they are just getting on the treadmill right?)
Stretch, flex, and make various grunting noises. This way everyone can hear their prep.
Turn on ipods and find the right music (Was it "eye of the tiger" on there??)
Now change the channel to the show of there choice on the TV as well.
Fire up the treadmill and crank it up as fast as you can go.
Start the humming and chanting as you run.
Then the FINAL  piece......turn the fan to blow on them as they run. When the air hits them the treadmill area is FILLED with COLOGNE. Nothing cheap, but way overdone.
Yes it is 5:30 am, they might run into some ladies right?
They run fast, they run sideways, they run backwards. They just run, and run and run.
After I finished my workout and walked through the gym there sat the Cologne Brother in the hottub with 2 ladies.
FOCUS girl....... somethings NEVER change. Get your workout on and remember, there is always a clown in the circus...... Thanks for the entertainment boys. ; ) it was worth the price of admission.
XOXOXO

Balancing the brain and the body..............

I have been down this road so many times.  I have read books, rented DVD's, taken classes, joined support groups, taken pills, cleansed, starved, reasearched the web.  I have listened to "experts" tell me what I should do, try this, try that. BUY this, BUY that. All promising me the quick fix, the holy grail of fitness.

I am almost 45 (in a few months) I have struggled with my weight all of my adult life.  But as I reflect back, it was so many things that I let fill my head as I grew up the I have drug around all of my life.
Your family is big boned, ALL of the women are bigger.
If you just lost some weight, you would be so pretty. You have a pretty face.
Maybe if you lost some weight you could get married.WTH?
You will never be small. You have a big butt.  You would be perfect if you lost some weight.
My head as been polluted with this crap most of my life.  I have dieted and worked out and lost the same weight over and over.

Getting my head straight is MY biggest challenge, I am worth it, I deserve it, I can do it.
It has been so hard for me to "get " that part. Doing it for myself, I know. Choosing to do it.

I joined the gym last week, laced up my shoes and hopped on the treadmill. I am ready, I have pumped up myself.  After 4 days of running 3 miles each day,  way too much for not working out in over 2 years I hurt my knee. So now I am nursing an sore knee. My mind is ready and my body says WOHA!

So I take this opportunity to write my blog, clean out the kitchen, focus on the correct foods I need in my kitchen.   This is about me.  Slow down, think the process through. THINK about my choices and make a firm plan.  Yes I know what to do... I am 45, not 25. Ease into this carefully.
I have the time, I have the knowledge. Don't let anyone tell me I can't.  Focus on the positive. Fill my mind with the driven, positive energy, not the B.S.  Surround myself with the right people.

                                    ~Strive for correction first~ NOT perfection~

Finding my innner peace, my inner stregnth, my inner kickass. Balancing that with my outer stregnth, kicking some ass.  It will not be easy, it will not be perfect.  I will struggle. But I need to find the balance between my body and my head.  I realize that has been my biggest challenge my entire life. 

                                             This is my show, my life, my decision, my future.

So leave the past in the past.  It has brought me where I am today, but can not be changed.  Don't relive it.  Look to the future, but stay present to the moment, for that is where my BEST work will be done.  TODAY..............

Let's DO THIS!!!!

Stregnth does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will.~ Gandhi

So it begins, I set up a blog spot, and I am stumbling through the process.  What am I gonna do, what does it look like, how do I navigate?? Most importantly what will I say on the pages I have created for me......

I start this blog as a journal, a place to start, a place to look back on and reflect.  What have I done with my time, what do I want to do from this point forward??

Always organized, sometimes to a fault because it makes others nervous.  But this is for me and I have a place to chart my future and hold myself accountable. So this is the first step in organizing my life in a health/workout/diet/lifestyle way.

Making my way through the set up process I must clear the slate, start fresh. Regain my focus, and make myself a priority, something that has not happened for a long time.
The list............................
rejoined the gym 
new pair of workout shoes
tracking my food and holding MYSELF accountable
getting the closet organized so I can find my workout stuff quickly
having my workout bag ready at THE DOOR everyday
drinking my water
answering to myself...blazing my own path
posting on the blog, keeping my head clear of distractions and B.S. that could bog me down
using the other bloggers as support and guidance for me to kickass

Ok kids, go easy on this chick for this is new turf for me. Pictures, goal, rants, etc. will be posted here.  I will keep it fresh, fun, different, but always focused.

XOXOXOX
Strong Tenacious Always Focused Female
STAFF