I'm often asked for advice about nutrition and fitness - what do I eat, and how do I workout? They often assume that I've always looked this way, and eaten super healthy, and worked out a ton. I sometimes get the comment "It's easy for you, you've always done it, and you're different than me". That's true, we are different. But we are both on a lifetime journey and both have the power to make choices every single day.
I’ve accomplished many things in my life, but this … this was instant joy. And the best part? The feeling was contagious. Completing a simple fitness goal has rippled into every aspect of my life. I feel more confident with everything that is thrown my way.
I call this "everyday roasted vegetables" because I make this dish in bulk every few weeks, with whatever veggies are in season ;)
Mmm! This salad is on my top ten “go-to” list when I’m lazy and need quick, healthy nutrition. It’s delicious, and I like to play around with the dressing to change the flavours depending on what my mood is 🙂. Kale also makes for great leftover salads - because it doesn't get soggy after one day - winning...
I've been trying to write this blog for a while. Actually it's been over a year (15 months to be exact, but who's counting), and I've probably drafted and thrown away 5 different attempts. I always write it out of frustration, in an effort to vent or release the pent-up emotions. And then I talk myself out of posting it, either because it's too negative, or un-inspiring, or I fear that the readers wouldn't understand it and then judge me, or I just convince myself that it's too trivial in comparison to people with real problems. Honestly, it wasn't until I read a blog by a friend and fellow local fitness and health guru that I was inspired to write this. She hit the nail on the head with her blog post about her own personal struggle. She reminded me that "no matter how big or small your battle may be, everyone is going through one, and to them, it’s important, regardless of what it may look like to you".
So I was inspired to share my struggle…
I ran my first-ever Surf Sweat Repeat Retreat in 2015 in Kauai, Hawaii - a fitness retreat that I created with the goal of inspiring people to lead healthy, active lives. I wanted to create a vacation retreat where people would return with a renewed sense of themselves, feeling rejuvinated and inspired to take charge of their health.
The retreat got me thinking a lot about why it is that people struggle in their journeys to lead healthier lives. Why are fad diets and 30-day exercise challenges so popular, and do they work to help people?
The thing to remember first is that any habit or lifestyle takes time. I don't mean 30 days, 60 days, or even 3-6 months. I mean years. I mean 2-4 years of consistent work and learning what works for you and what doesn't. My journey started 8 years ago - I did push-ups in basketball practice, and went for runs because I knew I "should" - but I didn't love it. When I started running I had to count my breaths with my steps to keep from sucking wind on every run. Slowly, year by year I started trying new things with my nutrition and exercise. The only thing that ever remained the same for me through this process was that I never stopped putting effort into consistency. I had a workout partner that kept me going to the gym every day with her. I was too cheap to eat out, so I learned to cook for myself. I took nutrition programs, and tried tons of "diets" in the hopes I could just lose weight fast. But through this trial and error, I have learned what is healthy for my body over years of tweaking and watching and feeling my body change. I also learned that consistency meant so much more for my health than anything. Consistency in nutrition, and exercise.
Working towards LIVING a healthy life means doing something every day to get better and more healthy/fit. It is means living life in a way that you are treating your body well, and eventually reaping the benefits from the way you treat it:
The key is that fitness and healthy living is not about achieving a goal. When we have a goal in mind, it's essentially a short-term plan that may not create new habits for us. A goal is a time-oriented tangible target, and can be useful in accomplishing targets or establishing motivation for something, but creating a habit makes the change more permanent.
Arash is a client who attended my retreat, and had some incredible insight following his return. I was inspired and proud of what he shared with me regarding his habit-formation, and I wanted to share it directly with you:
"I’m no fitness expert and have no qualifications but I have come short on my “goals” often enough to re-evaluate what I was doing wrong. I’ve always regarded fitness as a means to an end. Meaning it was always about losing 10 or 15 pounds, getting in better shape because summer (or a cute girl) was around the corner. These reasons were near-sighted and superficial. There was no opportunity for real lasting change, because everything was done for a temporary cause. I used to get ready for a vacation a couple of months prior which included crash dieting and over working myself to get in shape only to over eat and drink for a week or two. I would always come back feeling much worse than when I left. I spent a good 15 years building these bad habits.
I’ve come to realize that if I choose to live a fit and healthy life, that I must make this choice for myself, and not for anyone else, and that this must be my lifestyle. Meaning I would have to actually schedule in a "rest day" because it would be my regular routine and habit to be active and exercise. In order for this to be my lifestyle I need to form new and healthy habits.
Working with Leigh prior to and going on this retreat showed me a much different side of life. I got to see that with time and effort, fitness and healthy eating could be the "automatic habit' if I create it that way.
I experienced that it is not only possible but also enjoyable to continue a healthy and fit lifestyle even when on vacation - so how could I NOT do this at home? I found through this retreat that building and re-enforcing healthy habits makes working out and eating healthy no longer a chore but can be enjoyable and become the norm. It was one of those “light bulb” moments where I realized that all those failed attempts of achieving a healthy lifestyle was a result of not being patient enough to allow the formation of good positive habits that would support this lifestyle.
Habits don’t form over night, they take time and repetition, and then more time and more repetition. Understanding that it’s about a little progress every day or week, and not perfection allowed me to change my thinking to become patient enough to get through the tough days (the days you don't want to). It's getting through those dips that really allow the habits to build. Surrounding myself with people that live the lifestyle I want to lead makes the formation of good habits natural and motivating. You better believe I came back from that retreat and started working out everyday, cooking my own meals and joining a gym where there's a community to keep me accountable!"
I was working out with Leigh the other day, and she made a comment about how happy she was I was working out on my own (I think she said something like “…it’s so awesome you’re doing all of that work on your own now…”). At the time I joked about how long it took me to ‘get it’. I think I’d been working out with Leigh 1 to 2 times a week for about a year before I realised I needed to make time and workout on my own to get where I wanted. Somehow when I started, and I’d been pretty sedentary, I always told myself that “well, once a week is better than nothing”. Soon enough though, I plateaued; I wasn’t losing weight, and I wasn’t getting stronger. About this time I realized that if I wanted to reach my goals, I was going to have to work harder.
I want to share with you a great success story from one of my clients, Darren. I asked him to share his story because I have met tons of people in the same boat as the one he started in. My hope is that his story will inspire people to believe that they can achieve that amazing feeling of being alive and healthy again. That they too can find balance in their lives, be pain-free, and be able to do all the activities they love, no matter how young or old, or how fit or unfit they currently are.
I’m a former college athlete in my mid-forties and had endured a pretty steady slide in my fitness level over the past several years. I had just suffered through my worst senior men’s basketball season ever. I couldn’t keep up – it was embarrassing. It was either time to quit or time to get off my ass. I spent every summer vacation at a lake in Saskatchewan and was embarrassed about my ever growing belly and would just keep my shirt on instead of letting it all hang out. I hated the way I felt but I had done very little to prevent it from happening.
It was either time to quit or time to get off my ass
I work a block away from a gym in Marda Loop, Calgary and had a dust-covered membership card from a few years back so, in the late spring I went for a run on the treadmill and was planning my big comeback. I knew I had to eat better, but I also knew I had to get back into the exercise world. Playing hoops Monday nights, followed by beer and nachos, was clearly not the answer! I knew I needed a boost to get me started. While on the treadmill that day I saw a trainer working with someone in my same weight and age class and they seemed to be having fun as well as working hard. I felt that if I had someone guiding me through the process, it would be safer (given where I was starting from), but would also keep me accountable. I won’t soon forget those first few workouts with Leigh where I had to do push-ups on my knees, I couldn’t do more than 1 or 2 burpees without needing to lie down and my core had become mush. I was determined that this would be my lowest point and I'd get better from here! I committed to the process and booked 36 sessions. I have just finished those 36 sessions and booked another round. I’m down over 20 pounds, have lost 4 inches overall, gained muscle on my arms and legs, and I feel great!
I committed to the process
The best part is my first 2 basketball games of the season have been miles ahead of last year so I have postponed any retirement plans. My shooting is a bit off so I clearly haven’t adjusted to the new found strength in my arms and legs! My summer vacation saw me shirtless on the beach and on the boat because my confidence was back. I played some of the best golf in years as well which I attribute to a much stronger core. I feel better at work and at play. And people have noticed the change – my basketball teammates, co-workers, relatives and most importantly, my wife!
I have many vices, most of which I won’t ever give up, but I can continue to enjoy if the rest of my lifestyle is in better form. What I’m most proud of is that I have continued to make progress through an exceptional summer that included a week of golf in Scotland with 3 buddies (who were shocked to see me sneak out in the morning for a quick workout before golf!!), a few weeks at the cabin in Saskatchewan on a family vacation and some pretty fun evenings through Stampede and other special events. I didn’t give up any of the fun stuff while still maintaining progress throughout.
Now I certainly did need to make some changes to my diet – most significantly during my work day. I love my Coca-cola and used to have one at lunch and then one mid-afternoon but have reduced my intake by a significant amount saving it for sugar and caffeine emergencies only. I eat better lunches (yes, side salads now instead of OJ’s delicious fries) and have kicked out the junky snacks that can be found at the office. But most importantly I work out twice a week with Leigh, play basketball twice a week and get to the gym one of those other days.
I’ll continue working with Leigh because I love the variety of exercises she comes with each day. And I love having someone give me that gentle encouragement when I’m struggling a bit where on my own I would have tapped out and cut the workout short. It’s been a program tailored to me that was realistic from the start and didn’t scare me away, even after those first few embarrassing workouts. The workouts have increased in intensity as we’ve gone along and it’s been a program that has produced results. I still have a long ways to go – another 10-15 pounds and more strength from head to toe but I think back to where I was last spring and am determined to never be there again!!
-Darren
I get so excited about sharing my love for fitness with people, so when someone reaches out and shares it with another – I am elated! Sahar and Ruby are clients of mine, they are cousins, and great friends. Sahar began training with me this January, and soon enrolled Ruby to sweat along with her so that she could spread the love and have better accountability. The moral of the story - grab your pack and go the journey together!
These girls share candidly what it’s like for them to start a journey in fitness:
Introduce yourself, and your background with fitness!
S: My name is Sahar, and I work in customer service to save money for medical school, which I am starting in the fall. I have not had that much of a history with fitness. Gym class in grade school is as close as I have been to being active.
R: I am Ruby and I just graduated from medical school. The stress and commitment of school caused my weight to yo-yo. I was always stuck between hours of grueling studying, which led to stress eating, followed by panic induced crash diets. I have tried every trendy diet: HCG, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Dr. Bernstiens, all with only temporary success. Physical activity was limited to things such as the elliptical, boxing & martial arts classes, ballet and yoga. While they certainly had their benefits, strength training with Leigh makes me feel stronger than ever.
Q: Why did you seek out a personal trainer?
S: I was always the “fat girl”. Just like Ruby, I have tried numerous times to lose weight and be healthy but always failed. I would lose a few pounds here or there but never made lasting change. What really got me on this path was two years ago I was at my biggest and feeling really down. To help me, my brother asked advice from a VERY good friend of his (AKA LEIGH J), to support me to make some changes. Leigh advised my brother to check out a Calgary-based weight loss coaching company (Fit Metabolism) that would teach me the right lifestyle changes I needed to be successful. It was very difficult, but I was successful in losing 70 lbs, without exercise! Now my weight loss has plateaued, and I want to feel strong, so I asked my brother about training with Leigh.
R: Personally, I was Tired of punishing myself when I lost control of my weight. So I decided to get fit, not just for big events, for everyday life. And Sahar couldn’t stop talking about her trainer, so how could I not join up?
Q: What changes have you noticed so far, and how do they feel?
S: I am very hard on myself and until I see what I want (my big goal) I see nothing. After the initial 70 lbs, I have lost 7 more with Leigh, and more than 3 inches. I know I feel A LOT better. Adopting this lifestyle has given both Ruby and I more energy, and has made a difference in our physical fitness level. We both feel strong and more confident with being ourselves, considering Leigh makes us work hard enough that our make-up runs down our faces (and we used to care, but have learned it's futile)...
Personal Training...has taught me what an effective workout feels like
Q: What is still challenging for you?
S: Sticking to it is the most challenging. I want to see change immediately, and it’s hard to resist temptation of being lazy, or eating what I know I not to eat. But it’s worth it in the end, and it gets easier when I am reinforced by my clothes getting loose. I’ve learned to see when my portions are off, and how to plan out my week if there is a birthday coming up that I want to share with someone! All the so-called “sacrifice” is worth it when I put my clothes on and am told I look pretty darn good!
R. The hardest part is watching my diet and controlling my stress eating. The trick Leigh taught me was to journal all my food and it works great.
Q: What have you enjoyed about the personal training?
S: I FINALLY FEEL SORE AFTER WORKING OUT!!! But really, it has taught me what an effective workout feels like. I have been doing squats for years, and have never done them right until now. It helps with the way my body feels too. Slowly and surely my body is going from “mushy” to hard – and that motivates me. When I have done a good workout I feel much more motivated to keep doing what I’m doing and not go home and eat cheesecake.
R: I love it! Having a friend to work out with is a lot more fun. Leigh really motivates you and gives you the confidence to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Now I feel that my body has the potential to do many "uncomfortable" things, I never thought I would be able to do.
Q: Where are you at in your journey?
S: I’m still continuing with my first goal and getting to my goal weight. Leigh and Ruby have been a great support system. She is changing my body slowly, and getting me to where I need to be, at a sustainable pace. And I know that with her help I will reach where I want to be and keep it there!
R: Currently, with Leigh and Sahar’s support, I am trying to get stronger. I also would like to train myself to feed my body right, rather than punish it with poor choices.
Q: What do you love about working out with a friend?
S: It’s super fun! We motivate each other and provide support, even when we are both being tortured by Leigh! But it has become something we look forward to. I get to kill two birds with one stone: hanging out with my friends and getting girl talk three times a week with a hard workout!
R: It is definitely nice to know that someone else is struggling through the same battle as you. That sense of community gives me the second wind when I feel like giving up. We are both so motivated to achieve our goals, we are able to go out to restaurants and share meals that fit our daily food plans. It is great to be on the same page, and have someone support what you are doing, instead of sabotaging it! No one wants to hide in the corner with bags full of lettuce and celery. I would recommend having a workout friend to anyone. It's like having a teammate!
We will definitely continue our journey together, and keep you posted as to our progress!
