Bigger and Better

I was just re-reading some of my posts in this blog, trying to get back to my "roots".  I had a fun day at the gym, for the first time in months, and I wanted to check if I had gone away from my roots in the fitness industry or if I'm still the same person I was a year ago.

Yup! I'm still me.  I still wake up each morning thankful for what I have and am very much in love with my husband and kids.  I'm still thankful to God for who He is and what he's done for his creation.  I'm still a pretty decent friend (yes, I've been off the grid a bit since I started working as a trainer and have increased my personal fitness goals), and I think I'm still okay at keeping the household in check.

The major differences are that I'm working as a professional trainer, so I'm much more strict with my schedule (I have about 15 clients on any given week, some of them train 2-3 times per week), and I push myself harder at the gym than ever before.  But those are just day-to-day differences.  Emotionally and spiritually I think I'm the same: I am loving and kind to others, I teach my children to be that way, and I try to encourage positive change in others.

Physically, I am very different.  I have gained about 10 pounds of lean muscle over the last year, and I have leaned out all of the fat, except for the essential fat.  Two weeks ago, I was down to 11% body fat, which is in the high-performance female athlete category.  I actually had not a patch of cellulite for 3 days out of my adult life!  Then, I went to Las Vegas with my husband and ate like a beast and I'm now back to a more balanced 13% body fat.  That's still athlete status, but not competition-ready, which is okay with me because I'm still gaining muscle.  Yes, I do have about 3 square inches of lumpy-bumpies on the back of my thighs, but I know exactly what to do to get rid of it. Also, my eating habits are a bit worse, but I can tighten that up whenever I feel like it.

I'm excited that I am a professional fitness trainer, and that I pretty well manage my fitness, food and family, and still remain me.  Now, I just want to get better at the balancing act, so that I can continue to grow on all levels -- because, as you've heard me say before, "if you're not growing, you're not living."