Sometimes you just get lucky...

The day after posting my unfortunate story about not being able to run in the actual half-marathon this coming sunday, luck hit me!

I was telling my unfortunate story to a few co-workers that morning. Then one of my clients (who is a huge marathoner - she runs in Boston each year, and does others throughout the year), came in so I had to tell her my unfortunate turn of events. Well, she immediately insisted that I have to do the marathon itself (for the experience) and that she'd even pay it for me. I said no way - I don't want to do that to her. She argued with me about it, and insisted I take her offer... So after a few minutes of this, I gave in. She gave me her credit card right then and there, made me go online and signed me up. Wow!

So - I'm back to running it as planned. My wife was dissappointed when we decided it'd be too hard financially, because she knows this was a goal of mine, and she knows how hard I worked (before my baby was born ...LOL) So it was an unexpected and incredible gift! You can't beat that.

It's a perk of a fitness professional's job; working with people. You meet so many fantastic people who give their kindness even when they really don't have to. It's also an added motivator to go have fun, and enjoy being there! :o)

My 3 week cleanse has begun

I started my cleanse officially this past Saturday. So far so good... (fingers crossed). The cleanse involves eating more closely to the way we were designed to eat. NO processed garbage, NO additives etc... Just as natural as possible.

My cleanse does not involve any supplements either. Just food! :o) And good food too!

This is my first cleanse ever... so I'll keep my readers posted on how it goes. :o)

Life and procrastination don't mix!

My how life slaps you in the face sometimes! Procrastination can not only make you rush things but also can make you lose out on things too.

I procrastinated too long with registering for the half marathon, that now it would cost $90 to run it this coming Sunday. As someone who is just doing this to complete it (as my goal), $90 is a heck of a lot of money to spend on something, when I really can do it for free. That however was not the main issue - the main issue is life. Bills to pay, mouths to feed, and other activities that made registering take a back seat.

Once we looked at the big picture though (financially) it just isn't feesable to run the race on Sunday in Picton. :o( BUT - that doesn't mean I won't run a half-marathon. I worked really hard this summer for this (except since my baby's birth) to let this go now. So my plan is to still run 21.1km (my farthest distance ever) this coming Sunday. The unfortunate part is, I won't have as many family and friends there to support me in the big race, but after getting over the fact that I financially couldn't participate in the half-marathon, I asked myself; "what is the main reason I'm doing this?" My answer; "to complete a half-marathon". So... that's what I'm going to do!!!!!!

When life and/or your own procrastination slaps you in the face... slap it back!!!!

Half-Marathon is next weekend!

Well, my goal to run in a half marathon is coming very soon! Next Sunday, October 5th is the big day. Wow! I'll be honest though, my run training has slacked the past 4-5wks unfortunately. With the birth of my little girl, and my grandfather passing away it's taken a toll on my conditioning. Thankfully, my resistance training hasn't been hit as hard. And thankfully I still have my sports to keep me active.

So this past weekend I knew I had to get a long run in again to get back into things. I looked at my training plan and it was the day to run 20 km. I've never run 20km. So I did it... My lungs felt great, my head was in the right state of mind; but my legs were sore during parts of the run.

The first 6km was a bit tough - just waiting for that second wind. From around 6.5km-8km mark, I felt great! Then looking at my watch I noticed my time was where I wanted it to be. So that boosted me from that point through to the 14km mark. Around 14-16km my legs really kicked in, and I started to feel them getting more sore. But I pulled through, knowing there was only 4 km left. I looked at the watch and cranked up the pace for the last 4km. My final 1.5km was a fast pace run to finish hard. It felt so great in the end. My longest run ever! YEAH! :o)

My legs were sore the rest of the day and the next day, but now they're almost back to normal. Training resumes today with some resistance and a lighter run. Plus, I've started working with Michelle Meilleur of Living Well Nutrition (at work) and I'm starting my cleanse in a day or two. I can't wait! It's going to be great! :o) I'll keep everyone posted on how things pan out over the next few weeks with the marathon and cleanse!

Kids Energy info seminars

The first night is booked. Come on out! Spread the word! My Kids Energy workshops are coming closer, and I am holding some FREE information seminars for people to come out and learn more about these fantastic workshops!

Head to my website (www.mylivingenergy.com) and go to the Kids Fitness section. There you'll see the link. Check it out! And hope to see you all there!

October 3, 2008 @ 6:30pm at ONE TO ONE Health & Fitness Centre in Belleville.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

My job is to help people lead healthier, more active lifestyles. A part of my job is to help people learn about their body, and also to respect themselves. But for this post, that's not the kind of respect I'm thinking of...

This past weekend, Frankford was victim to some graffiti artists. The first thing we noticed was my wife's spa sign in our front yard, which hangs in our wishing well, was spray painted green! It's sad, upsetting and frustrating all at the same time! Then we realized, we were not alone. Many things throughout town (mostly the east side of the bridge) was spray painted (in all this was also the splash pad fundraiser sign made by friends of ours).

This is a total lack of respect for other people's property and also for the town of Frankford. I don't know about anyone else, but I love the little town I live in, and when people do something so stupid it really hits home. Plus when it's done to things such as my wife's sign (which is a part of her business... our livelyhood) that's even more upsetting.

Respect for not only yourself, but others and your environment plays a big role in overall health. In this case, it really shows a lot about those who were involved... zero class, no respect, and just plain stupid! (I hope that none of my Living Energy readers or their towns fall victim to this senseless act of disrespect!)

Tough times make us stronger

Life is hard. Life has it's good times, bad times, bumps in the road, successes, and so much more. One minute you're stressed about finances, your kids are stressing you out at home, scheduling is rough... the next minute you're morning the loss of a wonderful person in your life (suddenly nothing else seems to matter).

This morning at 2:30am, I lost my grandfather. He was sick in hospital with cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Two of the scariest diseases I've known. He passed on in his sleep after a heart attack not even a day earlier. His suffering and pain is now gone and he's watching over all of us, smiling once again.

Times like these make us reflect on good times in life, wonderful memories and stories of those happy moments shared with loved ones. We also think about our own life, and how we can do everything possible to create a quality of life, that allows us to live life to the fullest - and take nothing for granted.

R.I.P Grandpa Joe. You were an inspiration, a helping hand when needed and a friend who will never be forgotten.

X-weighted

If you haven't already seen it, the show called "x-weighted" is a great one! It takes the 'client' through a period of 6 months where they have a weight loss goal they are aiming for. Personal Trainer, Paul Plakas from Alberta, is the "head trainer". What I enjoy about this show compared to other weight loss type reality shows, is this one is realistic. What I mean by that is, it's not a quick-fix type show. The person on the show actually has to change their lifestyle habits over the course of the 6 months, just like you would working with a trainer anywhere else.

The show can be seen most often on the "slice" channel, and I think the odd time on TV tropolis. Check it out.

Injuries suck - but they can happen

Recently I've noticed a small bump beside my belly button that has been there for a week or so. Doing research of my own, many findings lead to a possible umbilical hernia which can be caused by heavy lifting and/or sports (two things which I do). This has caused me added stress; my hockey season kicks off this week, my best buddy's stag and golf tournament is this weekend, in a few weeks my soccer team is hosting our club's co-ed tournament and year end party, and then of course October 5th is the PEC half marathon I've been training for. Yet if this injury is in fact an umbilical hernia, all these things could be washed away...

I'm trying to stay positive even though it's incredibly stressful and disappointing for me to potentially have to sit out from all these fun things. So doing things like; adjusting my workouts to lighter and less intense workouts, doing yoga, meditation, reading and listening to relaxation music all will help control my stress levels and keep me calmer during these hard times.

It's just a reminder that although being physically active is good for you, you always risk an injury (some worse than others). Being prepared to deal with them, and how you deal with them is the key! (I'll keep you posted on my discussions with the doctor...)

Hit the plateau? Fly over the edge - don't jump off...

I'm sure most of you have done a fitness routine where you do quite well, achieve your target goal and more... but then you hit that dreaded plateau. YUCK! As a fitness professional I have hit it several times in my life, thankfully often I can remedy it since it is my job. However, I hit one recently that I've finally decided to do something about.

Ever since I lost a lot of weight when I was younger, my eating habits have improved greatly. However, over the past year I've noticed a trend; I do well for a few months, see and feel results, but then fall off the wagon for a few weeks. Then I have to start over again... So just like I teach my clients to do, I'm changing it up. I'm seeking the help of a nutritionist to help me get over the hump and start on the path to even higher heights! I'm actually very excited. She's great and I've always recommended her to my clients. Now, I can go through what they go through with her. And I can't wait!