I had planned to write about the good, the bad, the pretty & the pretty ugly, as I make my way through TF’s book, yoga teacher training, competition training, grad school & family/work life, but balance went out the window these last few weeks and with it, my updates

Balance is a funny thing. We’re always talking about “work/family/life balance”, and how great things will/would be if we had it, but really, is it even possible? Think about it, can you really divide your time so perfectly that all the areas in your life are in perfect balance? I don’t think you can. I think there will always be an area or areas that dominate your time, whether it be by choice or circumstance. And that’s okay! But then why do we still keep chasing it?

I’ve decided to chuck the balance idea and just go with the “do the best I can” idea. I love my family and I love everything that I’m doing, so that’s what matters.The never ending merry-go-round of trying to give everything an equal amount of attention can be exhausting, and for me, has often left me feeling disappointed in myself. But the reality is that, with everything I’m doing, I should be proud of myself and enjoying everyday of the journey. And so should you.

Are you?

Guest Post by Tracey from I’m Not Superhuman

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not a fitness junkie or a superstar runner. I have 80-year-old knees (or so says my doctor) and I’m about as nimble as a sumo wrestler. I downed an entire chocolate bar today—and not dark chocolate or the kind that helps little rain forest animals.

So I’m not the most perfect healthy living example out there. For the past seven years, I’ve been dealing with knee pain that’s made running impossible, walking painful, and shopping nonexistent. (And, no, clicking around Amazon.com doesn’t count.)

Up until a year ago, I knew my place. A friend wanted to meet up? Not if it involved walking a few blocks to the restaurant. I needed a new pair of shoes? No way am I brutalizing my knees at the store. Yup, I pretty much knew that I was a good-for-nothin’ gimp.

And then something happened.

After a train-so-hard-your-muscles-burn physical therapy session, I went to the grocery store. (Don’t roll your eyes—that’s a big deal for these achy breaky knees.) Not only did I go in, but I shopped every aisle. And my knees didn’t crunch themselves into red, hot discs of pain. I realized that maybe I wasn’t giving myself enough credit. Maybe I’m stronger than I think. Maybe my injuries are healing after all.

Fact is, we don’t give our bodies due praise. I say mine’s too broken. Someone else says theirs is too big. Another person says theirs is too weak. And so on. I’ve learned that my body is in pain, but it can do more than sit around on the couch all day. (Not that I don’t do that every once in a while. Ahem, today.)

Our bodies do some pretty amazing things, and we need to recognize that. Here are three ways to notice your body’s potential:

1. Push Yourself.
You don’t know what your body can do until you try, right? Maybe some athletes spring out of the womb with a deep understanding of their talents, but most people find out just how far they can run, swim, hike, or pedal by doing it. I might not be pushing myself to learn whether I’ll one day scale Mt. Everest (baby steps, folks) but I can try to learn just how far I can walk without my knees flaring up. And if that means I have to canvas the entire mall doing it, then so be it. There are no limits to my rehab dedication.

2. Ask Friends.
Some time in January my mother told me that she saw a ton of improvement in my knees over the past year. I had been visiting my parents for the holidays and both noticed how much longer I could stand, how much further I could walk, and how much less inflamed my knees got. We’re the best at noticing our flaws, so why wouldn’t we assume our weight isn’t budging or our muscles aren’t getting more toned? But sometimes we lie. For real, honest-to-goodness answers, ask someone you trust. (And, no, no one else thinks your nose is big.)

3. Trust Strangers.
I’ll never forget the woman with auburn hair and black warm-up pants who passed me in the gym and said, “That looks hard! You go girl.” That’s right, another human who wasn’t injured thought an exercise I was doing was hard. Chances are, there are strangers out there who think you run far (I do!) even if you haven’t hit your goal. There are people who think you’re skinny even if you pledge to lose another five pounds. And there are strangers who think your dinner last night was healthy—even if you splurged.

Of course, the hard part is actually giving yourself praise. So, I’ll go first: These two crotchety knees may cause me a lot of grief, but they got me through the grocery store. And they’re awesome for that.

Your turn.

photo cred: dideo

I’ve set some training goals for the rest of the year, it helps me to stay focused and consistent. When I don’t have a goal in mind I tend to make more excuses on why I can skip “just one more” workout. Right now I am super excited that we are going to Vegas for the Olympia in September. It is the biggest pro bodybuilding/figure/fitness event of the year and the weekend is filled with expos, competitions & good ‘ol fashioned Vegas fun! From the pictures I’ve seen everyone is really fit and have very little clothing on, so of course I want to look my best too (yeah, yeah I know its not the outside that counts…but a girl can still wanna look good!) I’ve also decided that I will definitely be competing again next year, probably in fitness or figure. If I can really get a handle on the mandatory fitness strength moves then I will probably do fitness just to give it a shot…we shall see.A friend just competed in the Tr-Fitness competitions, so that has peaked my interest now too!

Today I am  off to Germany on business for a week, so I might not be posting. Hotels are always interesting places to workout, so I’ll be bringing my jump rope & resistance bands. I can always do a lot of bodyweight exercises or go for a good run (haven’t don that in a while!)  How do you stay fit while traveling?

Auf Wiedersehen!

photo:oddsock

In August’s issue of  SELF the FABULOUS Dara Torres, will share her age-defying tips with all of us.  I for one am all ears because I think she is ROCKIN’!  In case you’ve been on the moon and haven’t heard of Dara, she is a 41 year old mom, five-time Olympic swimmer & gold medalist and author. I haven’t read her recent  memoir Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams At Any Stage In Your Life, but I’ve heard its really inspirational and would love to get my hands on a copy. (hint, hint Broadway Publishing)  So without further ado, here are Dara’s 7 best tips to keep on keepin’ on, no matter what the age!:

1. Set a fun fitness goal. Just because you’re older, don’t close the book on getting back into jeans you looked amazing in five years ago, or doing the one thing you vowed you’d do “someday.” A race? A climb? Instead of putting it off, put it on your calendar. It’s time to start a new chapter and make it a goal to get there. “The reason most of us fear middle age is that we give up on ourselves,” says Torres, who insists that striving toward a dream helps you stay fired up to work out and be fit. “Even if you don’t quite believe in yourself yet, if you set a goal that’s not too tough to reach, then meet it, that will motivate you to set another one and continue that cycle.” So sign up for that local 10K; soon you’ll be in even better shape than you were in back in the day!

2. Triple your warm-up time. Torres devotes at least three times the typical five minutes to her preworkout warm-up. She says that has helped her prevent aches and feel as spry as she did at 17 in the ’84 Games—her first. No wonder: Research finds that spending only 10 to 15 minutes easing into your routine can temporarily rev your metabolism, increase your flexibility, sharpen your focus and improve your ability to work out harder for longer. Try it yourself to ageproof your body and start kicking some serious ass—just like Torres does.

3. Don’t wait to start lifting. Seriously stop the clock by spending some time in the weight room. Pumping iron not only sparks energy, builds muscle and gives you hot curves, it also helps prevent osteoporosis. Torres’s top toner can help you reap those benefits and better posture, too: Lie facedown on a stability ball, holding a 3-pound weight in each hand, arms extended, and draw the alphabet in the air. “It helps pull your shoulders back by working the muscles between your shoulder blades,” Torres says.

4. Pump up the jam! As you mature, your ticker has to work a bit harder to deliver oxygen-rich blood to your muscles; that can tucker you out, especially during tough workouts. Luckily, there’s an easy way to combat the effect: Research shows that music can distract you from fatigue and help you go longer and harder. Any songs that inspire you will work. Torres loves classic rock. “It’s not about the words,” she says. “It’s about the beat. It will get you going.” Songs on her playlist? “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, “Back in Black” by AC/DC and “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin.

5. Resist stretches. We don’t mean resist doing them! Most adults lose about 1 percent of their muscle mass a year after age 30. To combat this loss, three times a week, Torres incorporates resistance stretching into her flexibility sessions so she’s not only lengthening her muscles but strengthening them, too. “I probably wouldn’t be able to compete at this level without the technique,” the athlete says. “I’ve come to consider it my secret weapon.” For lean, lithe legs like Torres’s, try her hamstring toner: Lie faceup, knees bent, feet flat, right hand behind head. With back flat, lift left knee toward chest in line with left shoulder. Reach left hand down to inside of leg, grab left heel (or calf) with palm out and elongate leg. Using left hand as resistance, press left heel toward butt, then elongate leg for one rep. Do six reps. Switch sides; repeat.

6. Take breaks. Give yourself longer to rest up from rigorous routines and you’ll be able to go harder the next time—which will, in turn, bring faster results. “I don’t always try to ‘work through’ pain anymore,” says Torres, who doesn’t put a toe in the pool or a foot in the gym on Thursdays or Saturdays. “I allow my body to recover by taking the entire day off, and then I feel ready for the next workout.”

7. Stop the rewind. Judge your progress by comparing today’s performance with yesterday’s, not yesteryear’s. “I know my body can’t do what it did 10 years ago,” says Torres, who still regularly competes against (and beats) athletes half her age. (She’s mum about whether she’ll go for a gold in the 2012 London Olympics.) “I try not to let that dominate my thoughts. You have to do what’s best for you in the moment. Otherwise, you tend to overexert yourself, and that’s not good either.” Give yourself kudos for going harder, faster or farther than you did in your last workout and you’ll defy your age every day!

What do YOU do to keep on keepin’ on?

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