A possible solution: Communication=Motivation

Motivation depends on CLEAR objectives, right? If I can ALIGN my objectives to an individuals personal drive, using the most effective communication possible then the power of motivation shall be unleashed! Yes?! However, I haven't exactly been sitting at the library researching motivation. I stumbled across something better. Something a little less traditional but so far, very effective at helping me understand people, how they learn and what motivates them. I am learning communication styles and how they learn based on body language, visual clues, and vocabulary.

My best friend is a licensed NLP (neural language programmer) and Life & Career Coach. She is teaching me about my personal communication style, what motivates me and then about others. Once I learn how to read others' learning and communication style, I can change my language and my strategies to suit theirs. She is a genius! And let's not forget I have to have a goal-apply these skills to a client categorized as obese by June 23 (my 29th Birthday).

The results of my communication style: I am auditory and auditory digital. That means I talk to myself often and am easily distracted by noise. I learn by listening, enjoy music and prefer talking on the phone rather than texting. You may notice I breathe mostly through my belly and may move my eyes sideways when conversing. I memorize by utilizing steps, procedures, and sequences. I like to be TOLD how I'm doing and I can be sensitive to someone's TONE of voice or certain word choices. I want to know that if something "makes sense" to you. <---Useful info right?!

Next step is to gather specific information about my clients.  Once I learn how they learn, I can use their language to optimize my communication about their goals. I can also apply this new knowledge during training sessions and conversations and tailor meal plans and emails to a format that grabs their attention. Does this make sense? ;-) Yay!! I see a light at the end of the tunnel of confusing communication!

My Workout this morning:

1 mile run

Dumbbell push jerks 3-3-3-3
3 Rounds
30 Over head walking lunges (25lbs)
15 box jumps
30 V-ups

Thorough stretch ( hamstrings, glutes, QL, lats, biceps, triceps) and 50 back extensions.

Motivation: Yesterday you said tomorrow.

OK so my last post was me sort of venting. On a rant (Thank you for listening!!). But I have not stopped thinking about the subject matter. It genuinely makes me angry, as an exercise physiology major, a trainer, a CrossFitter, a woman. Its makes me angry to see this nation so fat, so uneducated, so unmotivated. Do overweight people not get tired of feeling awful? Do parents with overweight children not see what is happening to them? How can people just SIT all day? How can people eat so terribly and be OK with it? How can Americans feed Americans TOXIC foods? Then it dawned on me...as unaware and uneducated as "they are", so am I.

The psychology of nutrition and obesity are fields I have never had to cross. I have no idea why it is so hard be motivated to exercise or eat well. I tend to be intrinsically motivated so it comes natural to me to just do these things. If I am unhappy about something, I just act and expect others to do the same. In fact, if I go more than 2 days with out exercise I find myself moody, angry, terribly frustrated,  and feeling guilty. My heart craves to work and my muscles look different...softer. So I travel as fast as I can to the nearest gym or I make my own workout using whatever space is available to me. And I proceed to enjoy moving, sweating, breathing hard and working to accomplish the initial goal that I always set before I begin any workout. When I am done, I thank God for the ability to do all the things I just did because at any moment it could be taken away from me. Why doesn't everyone enjoy using the amazing body they were given?

I think part of my journey to figuring out what I am going to do with this degree, with my life includes learning about motivation. Particularly those with eating disorders and/or who require external motivation.  My career may depend on it, and if I do a really good job educating myself, I could help many many people. Don't get me wrong-I don't intend on sugar coating or petting people through any workout or consultation but I will have more carefully planned strategies.

If anyone reading this is overweight and has tried to lose weight multiple time with no success I would love to hear from you. I would love to learn about your struggles and how a trainer could play a positive role for you. I'd love to interview you! In the meantime, back to the library I go to search for literature that can help me arrive at my own conclusions about this subject and what I can do to make a difference and improve my skills as a trainer with this population.

My email: progressiontraining@gmail.com

My Workout for the day: Coach Nadia at Soul KICKED MY A**

Weightlifting: Deadlift test day 1 RM: 205lbs (new PR!!)

WOD: 3 x 3 sets

2 Front Squat (95lbs)
10 KB swing (53lbs) <---new PR!!
1 rope climb
2 min rest

***I was too tired to look up at the clock but it was somewhere around around 23 min

Walking is not exercise.

Can someone please tell America that WALKING IS NOT EXERCISE. Walking is simply moving your body. For some populations (i.e, morbidly obese that can not leave their home anymore or the terribly crippled) walking can elevate the heart rate but for the most part WALKING = MOVING IN A NATURAL FASHION. The body was made to walk all day and not sit all day. Damn that felt good to say.

I talk to so many people that say things like, "Oh I did exercise today. I walked around the block with the dog when I got home." or "Yea Im working out now. I got on the treadmill and walked for 30 minutes at the gym today." Really? Think about that.

OK, OK so I'd say the #1 reason people don't exercise is HABIT. Exercising is not a habit so when they go about planning their day, their week, weekends, fitting in a workout doesn't even occur to them. Week after week, month after month, you get older, weaker, a little heavier, maybe wider, softer...you get where I'm going.

The #2 reason I would say people don't exercise is pure LAZINESS. People want to be comfortable. They want a pill that makes pain just disappear, pills that melt fat away. But how does that even sound realistic? If health is the greatest wealth (and it is) what makes anyone think that it would come so easily? A pill? Really?  I don't even think Jesus would agree with that.

HEALTH TAKES HARD WORK. Working out is hard. You will be uncomfortable. It will probably cross your mind to quit most of the time. Eating well takes some sacrifice, discipline and dedication. But doesn't that describe most of everything we do in life? So why cheat your on health? Ultimately, those that love you the most suffer from A LAZY PERSON'S MISTAKES. (That's if you're a lazy person, of course. If you are not lazy, please disregard that last statement.)

Everyone can benefit from exercise. Even if you have back problems, knee issues, cancer, scoliosis, arthritis, past surgeries, etc. YOU CAN AND SHOULD. If you need help in doing so, an EDUCATED TRAINER CAN HELP YOU. Next time you go for a 30 minute "walking workout" think about all the other things you could have been doing to keep your body functioning properly: push ups, sit ups, squats, dips. <---All you need for those are some space, a little time and maybe a chair/park bench.

And ladies, if you even think that you can't do a push up or any of the above mentioned calisthenics, remember: IF WE CAN GIVE BIRTH, WE CAN DO ANYTHING!!

My afternoon workout:

Box Squats: 5-5-5-5 (I just learned these so I didn't go heavy- 105lbs for me)

WOD (Thank you Soul for kicking my a** today)
12 min AMRAP- thruster ladder

1 Thruster (65lbs)
8 bar hopping burpees
24 Double unders

My score: 5 rounds + 4 thrusters

Wodapallooza 2012. I did it just because. Trained hard for 2 1/2 weeks. It was fantastic and this picture reminds of how physically solid I felt. And how close I came to quitting all the time - but I didn't. And I don't ever want to.

What a wonderful feeling to deserve a nap and be able to take it! I had become so conditioned to rushing off to go study that it wasn't until today that it fully registered in that I do not have to rush off to read. Took 3 days to wind down. Year #1 done, year #2 bring it on!! My heart goes out to those still camping out in the library...

On to my new missions, my new goals. I'm so excited! #1) train, train, train. Well, more specifically, Id like to get down to 16% body fat (Im currently at 19%), be able to press more weight over head than I have ever pressed (highest over head press to date: 85lbs), be able to to 10 hand stand push ups unbroken and walk on my hands. 2) Help my wonderful friend build her business (and maybe build mine a little too). She is a licensed NLP and does incredible work. She has made such a difference in my daily outlook on life that she deserves success and people deserve to feel empowered and in control of their own lives. If you don't know what NLP means-neural linguistic programming. She basically helps you take control of your own life through timeline therapy, hypnosis, etc. Look it up. Its really good stuff and all of us could use it. Once I get her permission, I can post her website. 

Regarding the latest picture posted...it is a picture of me at Wodapallooza earlier this year. It reminds me of how I felt training for the event. Strong. Stable. Aware. Confident. Tired. Determined. It motivates me.

My final exams are done for the semester! I'll let you know how I did. Grades should be posted next week. 

My workout this morning: 

Barbell over head strict press 3-3-3 (65lbs)

WOD: 5-10-15-20-25-20-15-10-5

Plate squats (25lbs)

isometric hold on squats hold time corresponding to reps (i.e., 10 sec hold after 10 reps)

3 pull ups every minute, on the minute (time does not stop)

My time: 10:35

Determined to earn my day off.

You Tube videos, graphs, physiology pathways, coffee, rain, emails, lecture notes are my friends today. It will all pay off, right??

A sense of calm has come about inside of me. I have completed both of my presentations and made it out alive! The first, required me to take my classmates through an agility workout as if I was their coach and they were my tennis team. I have experience in telling others what to do  ;-) but sport specific agilities are very new to me. I was the first up. Nervous but refused to show it. I may have also over prepared (since the prof asked me to wrap it up). Either way, I doubt I failed. That evening there were 5 presentations total. Needless to say, I could barely pick up my legs to walk to my car after all those drills!

I was saved by the bell for the second presentation. It was a group presentation and as the only graduate student in the group I was expected to be the "leader". We were the third and final group of the morning and time was catching up. We were given 10 minutes to do a 20 min presentation. My forte: being short with words! I introduced the group, our topic, got through the first 4 slides, let them take over and had time for 1 question. I believe my face was bright red the entire time but I spoke clearly so I won't complain. We did good...

Now I can just sit and read for then next week and a half...what was I so nervous for anyway?

Workout for the morning:
Skill: Jerk (practice stabilizing over head and increasing velocity)
WOD: 12-9-6-3
 KB swings (44lbs)
Chest to bar pull ups
anchored sit ups

my time: 5:55

Physically feeling strong but looking to lose a couple of lbs.

PS-Done with finals (and grad school year #1) on MAY 3rd!

I am finally proud of myself for something! Last night, I went to my 5pm class which I always dread going to. This is the class that exposes all of my weakness and tests my spirit. I said a prayer, took a deep breath and walked in.

For the first time, I was able to remain objective, strong and pushed through. Literally. We were running agility drills and I got tackled by a football player. I didn't let him get me down. I didn't let all the criticisms soak through my skin (and believe me, I get told "I suck" for the entire 2 1/2 hrs). I did not walk out defeated.

It is not easy being the only girl at times in this field. The guys expect you to be soft but at the same time they stand back and watch to see what you can bring to the table. To see if you can be taken seriously with respect to strength & conditioning. Many days I am tired and sometimes I am stronger than them. However, I am certainly not settling for soft. Ever. Or I will never be taken seriously as a coach or a trainer.

I am still on track this week! Falling behind on wedding planning but...tucked away in a private study room of the library as we speak! The next two weeks, will be insane as I face a little public speaking fear giving two presentations on subject I do not know much about.

My 7am WOD thanks to the beautiful people at Soul:

Weightlifting: DE Deadlift 8 x 3reps 50-60% 1RM (115lbs for me)

WOD: 3 x 3min AMRAP
20 cal row
15 parallette bar hops
max air squats

5 x 3reps RDL Heavy
Max L-sit holds

Sitting for hours at the library killed my body yesterday so I decided to hit an early morning WOD. Thanks to my friends at CrossFit Soul, I am closer to feeling stronger, more  flexible, better conditioned and I learned how to hook grip the bar! Today's WOD consisted of a review of the power clean (PC) for technique. Then, 4 rounds for time of 3 PC, 12 kettle bell swings (35lbs for me), 13 box jumps. I really wanted to get to 115lb on my PC but my back is just too tight. This afternoon, I am going to practice agility drills for tennis players (this is my homework and I love it!). After 4 clients this evening, I can come home!

I feel good at what I accomplished for school and my clients. Wish I could train a little longer but I might be too beat up to read an article due for tomorrow. On track so far I think....

My first post...Lately the wheels in my brain have been turning non-stop about everything and nothing at the same time. But, in particular, I have been wondering about where I will go next. What will be the next step I take in my life? What will I do with a Master's in Strength and Conditioning (since I do not want to be a strength coach)? I'm due for a change.

You see, I'm in graduate school. Finishing up my first year, and one more to go. Since day 1, I have felt as if every time I set foot on campus I was facing a fear. Fear of what? I'm not sure but, I wonder, is this what grad school feels like for everyone else? Seems like I'm the only one unsure of every paper I hand in, every presentation I give, every test I take, every email I send out.

So I decided to start this blog today. Just now. My hopes are that this blog will hold me accountable for a)not quitting school, b)finding the positive of every day (since it seems to be the best motivator lately) and c) give graduate students a voice. Graduate students work HARD and sacrifice PLENTY.

I hope that you will relate to my thoughts, fears, joys, and anxieties by reading this and, in turn, we can  motivate one another to NOT quit until our dreams have come true (grad student or not).

3, 2, 1 take a deep breath and...GO.