FeralGoth’s BodyBlog

Just had a (non-fitness) friend tell me last night that I "needed to stop lifting heavy weights" and that I "shouldn’t get any bigger" and that "don’t you want to still look like a girl?!"   I told her she sounded like my mother* and changed the subject.  I don’t think we’re going to be hanging out as much in the future.  I don’t tell her what to do, even in my areas of expertise, unless asked.  Funny that the idea of "being stronger" is repellent to her, but who gets called when she needs furniture moved?  That’s right… me.   Sigh.  And let’s face it, I’m not "big" in any stretch of the imagination, only now do I think I’m approaching "balanced".

*Mom’s actually gotten more supportive, since the whole personal training thing, and the fact that some of her favorite celebrities are starting to "look more toned" as she puts it.  UGH THAT WORD… "toned"  Don’t start me on the "toned" rant.  OMG.

So, I was training one of my very first clients today when someone also working out in her apt. complex’s gym asked me (my client had stepped away for a bathroom break) "I noticed you’re a trainer, can you tell me some good snack ideas for trying to lose weight?"

EEEEEEEE!!!!!! :)

And I could tell he wasn’t just trying to hit on me or anything, but was genuinely interested in some suggestions.  I mentioned some of the basics like low fat/ fat free cottage cheese, low fat string cheese (and other low/no fat dairy snacks), as well as a few tips on how to choose a protein bar or shake to help meet your goals.  Made sure to stress the importance of high protein snacks for their hunger satisfaction in a lower calorie package and directed him to some articles on here for beginners.   I was just so thrilled that someone asked me something!  HAHA!!  I know, its silly… but its a start!

I was invited to attend and help videotape a kettlebell basics seminar this past Saturday - it was awesome to see the very basics explained again too.  MAN was it HOT outside though, I even managed to sweat off most of my SPF70, so I have a little more sun on my face than I’d prefer, but its not the end of the world - I’ll chock it up to getting some vitamin D or something.  Likewise, my hands are pretty chewed up too - that’s what I get for not taping up my hands I suppose - I just don’t like to do that for some reason…   Will have a new video from the seminar to share very soon.

We mainly covered the "RKC 6" or the following foundation exercises for RKC style kettlebell lifting: swing, clean, press, squat, Turkish getup, snatch.   I enjoyed watching them teach a few people who had never worked with kettlebells before, and had limited weightlifting experience - it was VERY useful to see what kinds of questions they had, and where the problem areas of the movements were.  I got a lot out of it on several different levels - personally and professionally.  So yeah, totally worth the sunburn.

If they have another one, I’ll try and post it here in advance, if anyone is local, the fees for these things are usually VERY competitive!
More info: Orlando Kettlebells

Of course, I’m now looking to get an EXTREMELY light but still properly shaped kb to start my client on… hmmmmmmmmmm

We’ve been doing a relatively easy muscular endurance routine I’ve worked up for her (she has some health issues, and we’re primarily focused on wellness/accidentalweightloss/general strength at this point) but she’s already discovering that she’s stronger than she thinks she is - which is super cool.   A few more weeks of general conditioning and I think she’s going to be VERY surprised and happy with what she can do.   This whole process is actually really exciting to watch, and has helped me gather more respect for some of the lighter body/mind forms of exercise that I personally haven’t had much to do with in the past.  Of course, it helps to have a client who is so motivated to improve her health and is enthusiastic about learning new things.

Got asked last minute to participate in a promo video for Tim Shuman’s (RKC) upcoming fitness camp here locally - so yeah, going to get to try a new cool circuit style workout and help out by filling space in a video!   Hopefully they will edit/post it quickly on youtube so I can share it.  Its in the middle of the heat of the day (again) in sunny Florida, so I’ll be slathered with SPF70 yet again - trying to pick out what the heck to wear….   Hopefully my face won’t glow beet red the whole time… cross your fingers for me!     I’ve already packed a cooler for tomorrow - it was THAT hot last time - better safe with extra water/sportsdrink/fruit/etc. than sorry!

I have had this little black index card box for over 2 years now - and it is stuffed to the gils with all the workouts I have done during that time period (except for stuff done following a video, or a live training session where I’m following along etc. even then I make some notes).   Its fun to grab one from the beginning and look at the serious strength progress over time - I do that when going through a patch of low motivation, or to remember an old favorite exercise I haven’t done in a while.  Each one has the date and time of the workout and (if I’m not working out at home) there are sometimes little coded notes to myself on the back if I have had some personal interaction while at a gym etc - if something bad or creepy happens, I can make a time adjustment for next time and hopefully not run into them, or conversely if there is someone cool that I can trade off spotting with, or work in with, I will make sure to show up at the same time in the future  (AP = annoying people, VAP = very annoying people, C!= creepy, VC=very cool people, VCM=very cool motivating people, SB=spotbuddy, CR=crowded)   Its good to mix it up (which I know all of you know).   These days I’ll pull 4-5 blank index cards at a time and plan out a week in advance.   This kinda makes me sound a little weird, doesn’t it?  How do you organize your workouts??

Whole Foods has been stocking some really good ground buffalo lately - which I have a serious weakness for…  last weekend, my boyfriend was out of town, and I ended up eating 4 buffalo patties over the course of the weekend… in various yummy nutritious ways.  That and there’s this whole group trip to a waterpark looming in the near future, so I’ve been working out hard and eating well because you can’t hide much from your friends at the waterpark! But I digress - back to the buffalo!

Yesterday I purchased another pound of it from the meat counter, and portioned it into 4 patties of equal weight (yay kitchen scale), while grilling them would be optimal, they’re also really good just in a skillet slightly sprayed with cooking spray, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.   Here’s how I enjoy them (unfortunately these are not low-sodium, but they don’t seem to make me retain much water - but I habitually drink SO much water its scary):

1.  Salad - grab a HUGE plate/bowl and put as much spring mix, or similar snooty salad mix in the bowl as you can, add in a selection of olives (I used green olives with the pimentos in and some pitted kalamata olives) it doesn’t take many as these are packed with flavor, sprinkle with low-fat feta cheese crumbles, coarsely chop the cooked buffalo patty and arrange around the salad.  Add a low fat/low cal Greek dressing if you want (Farmer Boy is a favorite around here), but it doesn’t take much at all.

2. Pita "burger".   Choose a whole wheat or multigrain pita pocket - line both insides with coarse mustard (I’m crazy about the new one from Grey Poupon) put the cooked patty next to one side, and fill up the rest of the space with above mentioned snooty salad mix.   On certain days, I have been known to eat two of these at one meal….

As you can see from my previous blog entry, there was a kettlebell meet with a real RKC trainer (Tim Shuman) it was totally awesome - even though it was super dooooooper hot outside on the day it happened.  Honestly, the thing that gave me the most trouble wasn’t the exercises at hand, it was the blistering mid-day sun!   Thankfully, my spray on SPF70 (not kidding around, am I?) saved the day - I was outside from 1pm to almost 3pm in NO shade during a Florida summer.  Though I was nearly delirious at times, I did manage to get a LOT of awesome info about the proper way to work with kettlebells - as I had warned him, the only instruction I have had up until that point was via books, videos and DVDs!   My form was apparently pretty good - though I had (because I have worked on this since…) been bending my knees WAY TOO MUCH during swings, snatches, cleans, etc.  Being delirious from the heat, I used my trusty lifting chalk to write this on the side of my "yoga pants" I was wearing at the time - which seemed like a good idea.  HAHA!  He gave us a lot of awesome tips - AND some great workout combos to try out.   Right now I am incorporating them into the workouts I do throughout the week - and some of them are doing a great job of tricking me into doing a little cardiovascular training - which is a good thing…  I hate that stuff normally… but this is fine. I set my interval timer and just swing away - and it seems like its over almost before its began.

Finally - someone moved down here who’s a certified Russian Kettlebell instructor guy… and and and!!! He’s giving a free group workout and "checking on skills" type thing this weekend!   Unfortunately only half of my local kettlebell buddies (1 out of 2, the bearded boyfriend of my "women’s feats of strength" friend) can go with me, but we are going to take some serious freaking notes!  There’s going to be a whole lot of "hey, am I doing this correctly????" on my part - I can’t wait to get some constructive criticism on this stuff.  Heck it doesn’t even have to be constructive - he can even be mean about it, I don’t care - I’ll try harder!   Will definitely be setting up some one-on-one sessions though - absolutely - as I want to eventually be certified with that myself - and start building an AMAZON ARMY! (nothing against my cool guy friends of course, you guys can always participate too).  It’ll be awesome just to see who shows up - might make some new friends and training partners - I really hope it doesn’t rain…………..
Hey!  Can you tell who had too much green tea this morning?  Its sometimes embarrassing just how enthusiastic some tea can make me.   But seriously though, I’ve been looking for a teacher for SO LONG that it isn’t even funny.

BTW, if you are in the Orlando area and want to attend, send me a message and I will get you the info on this free to the public kettlebell workout session on Saturday.

First off, its funny, but working out at this particular gym has resulted in workouts that are noticeably LESS INTENSE than what I do at home.   Though tonight should be the big pay off - I’m going to hold off on other exercises (other than a warm up) before doing the bench press - and hopefully come up with a new 1RM calculation.   I like working out with this particular couple of friends because they are not afraid to go a little heavy themselves, and are trusted spotters, they do tend to do a lot less stuff per session though - and well, I hate to say it, but I’m looking forward to getting back to my crazy kitchen-timer-dictated home kettlebell stuff….    in the spirit of fun and balance though, I added a power rack and adjustable weight bench to my Amazon Wishlist…. as if someone would ever surprise me with something like that….  oh well, I’ll buy one myself someday, when I have space for a "facility" of my own.