Have Media Will Travel

A blog about outdoor adventure, family travel, national parks, media, technology, marketing, fitness and me.

training

Exercising at Dark-Thirty a. m.

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This is POST 11 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5, Post 6, Post 7,Post 8, Post 9 and Post 10.]

Getting fit is hard to do. Especially if you’re me, because that means three times a week your alarm clock blares at 4:30 am.

One of the most common excuses for putting off our fitness and exercising is lack of time.

On a recent day hike in the nearby Wind River Range of Wyoming.
On a recent day hike in the nearby Wind River Range of Wyoming.

I know for me, this has commonly been an excuse. During the last few years I was a business owner, wife and mother of three young sons. Even though we sold our business last September, I remain on board as a consultant. And, as our sons grow, life is getting busier.

I want and need to be fit, but I also want to maximize my time with my family. Don’t get me wrong. I have an extremely supportive (and very fit) husband, and my boys like to see their mommy healthy and happy. Still, I do feel guilty if my exercising takes away ant of my time with them.

To overcome this self-imposed conflict, I’ve been waking up at 4:30 am to work out at the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

This isn’t easy. I love sleeping. I operate best on a full 7 or 8 hours of it. But, at least for me, that 45 minutes of hard exercise yields more benefits than an extra 45 minutes of sleeping. And, when I get home, at about 5:30 am, my boys are still sleeping. I don’t feel like I’ve shorted them, or me, of any family time. So the dark thirty workouts work for me.

There are 3-4 other women I have gotten to know, all also mothers and full-time professionals, who also often work out at dark thirty. Recently we had a little fun and shot some photos of what we really do when we’re at the gym in the wee hours of the morning.

They are below.

My early morning workout friends, Sarah Sweeney, Misty Atnip and Leslie Calkins.
My early morning workout friends, Sarah Sweeney, Misty Atnip and Leslie Calkins.
This is a complex set called "Getting Rid of the Rolls."
This is a complex set called "Getting Rid of the Rolls."

DonutPartyatETCgym3

DonutPartyatETCGym4

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Mosemann.

The Down-Side of Losing Weight

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This is POST 9 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5, Post 6, Post 7,Post 8 and Post 9.]

In the interest of being transparent and offering full disclosure, there are a few negatives associated with my loss of 23 pounds and 12.4% body fat during the last six months.

Been hiking long on Saturdays in the nearby Wind River Range.
Been hiking long on Saturdays in the nearby Wind River Range.

I often work out to songs that make me feel like I need to go to Confession afterward
For one, much of the music I listen to on my iPod during the past months and currently, lacks integrity. It’s a fact. I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. I can’t do intervals effectively if I’m listening to the music I typically listen to, which tends to have some integrity. Now I’m listening to songs with titles like Boom Boom Pow, Hypnotize, Juicy, She Wolf, Poker Face, Dangerous, Single Ladies, etc.

Music my mother would not be proud of. I'm not either...
Music my mother would not be proud of. I'm not either...

Some of the lyrics are so unbecoming that I feel as if I might need to go to Confession after leaving the gym. Fortunately I am able to order a “clean” version of some albums and songs. But this means that in one particular song’s case, there are very few words!


I now qualify for a “2 for 1” special when getting a mammogram
The other downside that comes to mind has to do with my female upper body anatomy that is a pair. (Sorry, not sure how else to refer to this part of my anatomy without coming out and saying what they are, which I’m not comfortable doing in this blog).

But, suffice is to say that in six months I have lost inches from my body, including from my chest. This isn’t welcome news for me given I was only “average” before, and happy with that, thank you very much. Now, when I get a mammogram, I could/should qualify for a two-for-one discount.

My trainer, Steve Bechtel, of Elemental Gym, says we can’t specify where the fat melts off, that fat loss is systemic, and it’s a reality that most of us carry surplus fat in this particular area of our anatomy. Darn’t anyway. You win some and you lose some I guess. Or, sometimes, you can’t win for losing.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Mosemann.

Commitment, the Dreaded Thing

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This is Post 5 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3 and Post 4.]

Commitment. The dreaded word. It means to pledge, to make an obligation.

DSCN3704-reducedTwo of my favorite commitment-related quotes are:

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” (Peter Drucker)

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”

When I think of the word, commitment, I think of it as something that requires a strong will and hard work, but that is worthwhile.

If there are donuts in front of me and yet I find a way to eat a boiled egg and piece of fruit, that’s commitment. If I’m on vacation and I set the alarm for 5 am and get a workout in before the day of lounging starts, that’s commitment. If I eat a salad when everyone else in the car is feasting on French fries and chicken nuggets, that’s commitment. When Jerry and I chose to marry almost 17 years ago, and later chose to have children, those were commitments. When we started a business 15 years ago, that was a commitment.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Nothing worthwhile is easy.” Well, ain’t that the truth!

The results of all the above personal examples of commitments are positive and worthwhile, but none of them were, or are, easy.

Today I’m writing this as we drive to Iowa and Nebraska for some family visits. There will be lots of good food and excitement and probably a little stress from time to time that comes with all big family gatherings.

I can tell you, with 100% certainty, that it will be hard for me to stay committed to my training and nutrition regimen.

But I will.

DSCN3710-reducedThis is because I’ve made a commitment to lose some weight and fat, increase my fitness, and find more energy. After falling into a rut for four years, every day since I committed to getting out of the rut is a major achievement for me. I want to keep it going. I don’t want to take any steps backward. I’m afraid of failing and letting myself down.

“The only failure comes from within,” said Steve Bechtel , my personal trainer at Elemental Gym, during a recent training session. Boy, I agree with that. The biggest fear I had when I embarked on hiring Steve as a personal trainer three months ago to start climbing out of the deep rut, was that I would not stick to it, and fail.

Steve sums up commitment as much by stating what it isn’t as by what it is. “If you commit to something in your comfort zone, it’s not a commitment,” he says. If it’s easy, he doesn’t consider it a commitment.

After talking through it, we agreed that what makes something a commitment is when it involves making a major decision that represents a significant change. As a result, the stakes are higher. So the decision to make a commitment is one of the hardest aspects of making a commitment.

When I think of the term, commitment, I also think of time cost. And probably that’s another reason I don’t get warm and fuzzy when I think of the term, commitment.

As a long-time business owner, and now a consultant for the business we recently sold, wife, and mother of three young sons, my life is very busy. For me, time is worth more than money, and often I think I don’t have enough of it.

Lack of time is the best excuse for not committing to better health and fitness. Certainly it’s the most convenient. We use it to justify to ourselves, and to others, why we won’t commit to exercise. And we can be pretty convincing and compelling. I convinced myself over and over for four years that I had more important things to tend to than a serious fitness program.

Problem is, we’re not talking about some nonsensical thing. We’re not talking about making time to watch more television, or play more video games, or go on more vacations, or go out to the bar more, or to out to eat more, or to shop more. We’re talking about our health – our quality of life and our vitality.

And furthermore, the lack of time excuse is losing ground as a legitimate excuse for us not committing to regular exercise – and to improving our health.

If you’ve been following my fitness journey blog posts or reading the increasing amount of fitness-related articles in the national press, or talking to the trainers at Elemental Gym, you’re learning that if you exercise at high intensity, far less time is required to realize benefits. Steve says as little as 4 minutes a day of high intensity exercise a day can bring great fitness results. Certainly I’ve seen results of such a program first hand in the 14 pounds of weight loss and 7% of fat loss I’ve experienced in 3 months time. I’m not investing significant blocks of time but instead training really hard for a small amount of time several times a week.

Think for a minute about all the things we do in a day. Can we shave 10 minutes off your TV-viewing time? Maybe get up 10 minutes earlier? Or stay up 10 minutes more? Reduce computer or internet or email time by 10 minutes? Take a 30-minute lunch break instead of an hour lunch? Forego our entire lunch hour for exercise and eat a sandwich at the desk? When we look at it these ways, it’s not hard to find 10 minutes to spare for the betterment of our mind and health.

Personally, I get up extra early to get my exercise in. Jerry and I have three young sons. With each child we’ve had, we have grown accustomed to getting up a little earlier, if only to eke out a little extra time for ourselves. In the very early morning, while the kids are still sleeping, we find our time to exercise. Whatever works. But if you’re willing to get a butt-kicking and do high intensity, we’re just talking 10-24 minutes per session. Suddenly, the “I don’t have time” excuse no longer flies.

For more on time, here’s a video clip of Steve, on time, and the fact great fitness doesn’t require a lot of it:


I don’t want to focus on only my own experiences, successes or failures here. So from time to time, I’m going to provide a profile of someone else I know who’s committed to better fitness and share their experiences. This time I’m putting a spotlight on LORI BARNEY, a friend of mine in Lander, WY, who has made a great commitment to her training and fitness.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Moseman.

My fitness journey, switchback #2

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Hi there. This is post #2 of my reporting on, and sharing of my personal training program. I will be posting every week or two about my progress and learnings.

Hi. My name is Shelli. I'm 40 years old and I want to be in the best shape of my life.
Hi. My name is Shelli. I'm 40 years old and I want to be in the best shape of my life.

In case you missed it, here is Post 1, “A Mid-Life Training Program.”, which provides backstory.

So, if you’ve been following along, or know me, I’ve recently been on a pursuit. After being athletic and in great shape most of my life, I fell into a rut during the last 3-4 years.

Consider these blog posts to serve as milestones along my journey to better fitness, more energy, and fat loss. Better yet, let’s call them “switchbacks” since this is a big hill I’ve decided to climb.

This journey of mine is an important one. Until 2.5 months ago, every night I would lie in bed with a nagging regret that I had let another day pass without getting control of my fitness. Although I had never been happier in many respects, the fact I had let my fitness slide weighed heavy on me, in more ways than one. I was becoming lazy and soft. Worst of all was the fact I knew I was missing out on lots of things, fun things, as a result of my increasingly sloth-like nature.

It took me three years to take that first step into Elemental Gym and hire Steve Bechtel to be my personal trainer. Three years of hearing and seeing friends and acquaintances around town who were glowing and boasting about great results they were getting as a result of employing personal trainers (Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, and Jagoe Reid) at Elemental Gym.

Today, just 2.5 months later, I’m happy to report, I’ve lost 14 pounds and 7% bodyfat. Yeehaw! I still have a ways to go. This is a big mountain I’ve decided to climb, and I’m only beginning up the hill. But already the rewards are worth the effort. The aforementioned are measurable results that, ahem, I like. I like ’em a lot.

But so much more important than these stats is the fact that I have significantly more energy, I am happier, I can more easily bounce to the floor to have my endearing ‘dogpile’ with our three boys. These have all been wonderful signs of progress for me. Certainly, by all indications so far, it appears I’m headed in the right direction on my journey.

Beginning with this column, and in subsequent posts that will cover my pursuit of improved fitness, I’m going to put myself out there. In this age of social media and “sharing” and transparency, I’m going to disclose my beginning weight, current weight, body fat percentage, and who knows, possibly other measurements and stats. This is scary for me. But I do it in hopes of inspiring others to take the step I took, which has been such a positive change for me.

I'm putting myself out there. Here are my "stats."
I'm putting myself out there. Here are my "stats."

It’s not an easy step. It takes courage. I knew once I committed, I could not turn back. My health and future are too important. I tend to me my worst critic. I can be hard on myself. I would have to do my part or risk letting myself down.

I would need to get a return on my investment. On my emotional investment, physical investment, time investment and yes, my financial investment. As a result, hiring a personal trainer is a big step to take.

Sharon, one of my friends who is glowing from her own training with Jagoe, asked me the other day what my goal with the training is, and specifically, “When will you know that you’ve arrived?”

Wow – this is a good question. A little unsure myself of the answer to her question, I said something to the effect of: “Gosh, I’m just wanting to get into the best shape of my life.”

So, my goal is to reach a high level of overall fitness. That’s pretty general, though, so I’ve modified it to the following: I want for a realm of possibilities to be within my reach at any time. I want to be able to do a 50K trail run, a 25-mile day hike, an expedition to the top of the Grand Teton, or any other peak in our region, a 100-mile bike ride, at any time. I want to be able to do any of these things, or all of these things, without a bunch of new training required, and all with a good recovery.

post2checklist_picnik

I also want more energy. I want as much energy as our three sons have. I want it, and believe I can have it, gosh darn’t. It’s important to me that I be able to snowboard with our sons, and do the crazy things that as boys, our sons will surely be doing in the coming years.

I want to have confidence when I’m standing in front of a tourism conference making a presentation. I want to feel comfortable walking down the street or having to wear a dress to a wedding, and I want to bounce back from any injuries or illnesses that may present themselves in my future.

Geez, I want a lot of things, don’t I? Re-reading all of those “I wants” makes me feel a wee-bit selfish. But justified, I think, because they’re all for the betterment of my health and well-being. (BTW, I’m happy to share some of my tips for working out and getting in shape during times that least impact my family time; working out at 4:45 am three days a week, when the kiddos are enjoying their R.E.M. sleep, is one of them.)

One of the great benefits of working with a personal trainer, besides the accountability and prescribed workouts provided, is the knowledge I gain during my workout sessions. Steve explains the science behind the exercises and the strategy that’s behind the “madness.” For me, this knowledge gained helps me slug it out when it gets particularly difficult.

Steve has also provided guidance when it comes to nutrition and what I should and should not be eating. Absolutely, without question, adjusting my diet has helped me get the results mentioned earlier in this post. (Read: I’m not eating french fries, chips, cookies or pasta, and I’ve sacrificed some bread as well. But I manage to get some chocolate in.) I’m happy to share with you what I eat on a typical day. I’m hardly deprived. Email me if you’re interested.

In short, I’ve broken up with bad carbs. For comic relief:

For good measure, at the end of each of these posts, I’ll share with you one of the many nuggets of wisdom Steve shares with me.

There are three words that often come up when determining how to achieve weight loss and fitness improvement: Fast, Effective and Cheap. Steve feels strongly that at any one time, we can’t have all three, only two. An example of fast and cheap might be following the Atkins diet. It’s fast and it’s cheap, but in the long-term it likely won’t be effective. An example of effective and cheap might be committing to a walking or running program and some diet changes over the course of a year. This could be very effective, and could be quite cheap, but will take a while to achieve. The results likely will not come fast. Finally, fast and effective would describe what dedicated people get from working with a personal trainer. The work is hard, but when combined with good nutrition, can be delivered quite fast. (My own results in the last 2.5 months are proof of this)

One other I’ll mention, which is one I’m sure Steve’s other trainees hear, is “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.” So, if you’re where I was almost 3 months ago, going to bed with regret that you haven’t taken steps to improve your health and fitness, then you can either roll over and have more of the same, or you can wake up and do something about it. I’m telling you, firsthand, the hard work is far easier than experiencing the nagging feelings of regret!

I want to mention that, true, I deserve credit for doing the work, and it is crazy hard work. And I get the credit for making positive changes to my diet. I get the credit for committing to make a change and for showing up. But my personal trainer prescribes the regimen, holds me accountable, drives me hard, and provides knowledge, all of which supports the bold action I was needing to take. How much is this worth? Very, very much. The pay off has far outweighed the costs.

So, to answer Sharon’s question, when will I know that I’ve arrived? I think I’ll know I’ve arrived as long as I never arrive. As long as I keep going on this journey. I’m staying the course.

(BTW, I am extremely grateful to my husband, Jerry, for being such a huge support and loving cheerleader for me, my family for their support, and Steve and his team at Elemental Gym. All have been a big reason for my success.)

Please feel free to email me with any questions about my personal experience and for more about my situation, goals, information about the typical training sessions, etc. This isn’t an ad. I feel strongly about the program I’m on, Elemental Gym, and the great results I’m experiencing and happy to share and encourage anyone. Or, check out Elemental Gym yourself, or email Steve, Ellen, or Jagoe, to get started with a personal trainer.