Uh oh! You said the "C" words...

So I have decided that I need a team of clones to get everything I need to get done in a day.  As you have read in Chelle’s blog the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind for us.  We are talking crazy hectic schedules.  From Halloween to business to program to case study to butt kicking class (yes…..mine is sore today too) planning and execution, to say we are going a million miles an hour does not even begin to cover it. Oh, and just a side note,  did I mention that I am also currently learning how to play the piano on top of it all?  I actually just started not too long ago.  It is something that I have ALWAYS wanted to do and just recently decided to pursue it.  (Let it be known, that my goal is to be able to play the entire Billy Joel anthology) 

But, with all of the craziness, I have to say………Chelle and I are LOVING it!!!  I had no idea that in January of 2007, walking into the trainer’s office at Bally’s and meeting my new client, that I was meeting the person with which I would build a business, share my passion for health to others, and oh yeah….and also share my brain.   We are so grateful and appreciative of your support and input, without you all, we wouldn't be able to do what we do.  We are here for you and though it might be challenging, we are finding that it is the challenge that we thrive on to make us better.  We know that if we consistently push past the boundaries of our comfort zone we will adapt to the new boundaries of that zone getting us to where we want to ultimately be. 

CHALLENGE AND CONSISTENCY…These are great words aren’t they???  And they can be applied to so many different aspects in our lives.  In my mind they are two big keys to success in getting to a goal…especially a fitness goal.  First, you focus creating a realistic physical challenge for yourself as a step towards the overall goal….something that is going to force you a bit outside of what you are comfortable doing.  Our bodies, being extremely adaptable machines, are going to adjust to changes and challenges that we place on them.   Some examples of challenges we may set could include…..choosing different exercises for a workout, increasing the intensity of a workout, or increasing the duration of a workout.  By forcing the body to face a new challenge, you are going to invoke change! 

Consistency becomes important when you set out to conquer the challenge.  The nature of any challenge is, of course, meant to be hard at first.  It would not be called a challenge if it wasn’t.  Also, keep in mind that any new challenges presented in your program are inherently going to invoke change from the inside out.  You may not see immediate differences, but that does not mean that something is not working.  You have to stay consistent on your path for the adaptation process to happen.  The more consistent you are with the challenges you are trying to conquer the quicker you are to see the progress you desire.   Sometimes it takes time to see the changes you want. 

If you don’t stay consistent with working towards conquering your challenge, you run the risk of pacing back and forth on the same path without ever truly moving forward.  Don’t let this be the ingredient that allows you to deviate off of your path or stop you from moving completely.   Pay attention to the not so obvious signs that things are working…… These things may include feeling better, having more energy, lifting more weight, doing more pushups, and noticing that your clothes may be looser.  Acknowledge these signs as victories and allow them to further feed your drive to stay motivated and to continue to be even more consistent.   Eventually, without even blinking an eye, the challenge that was sooooooo hard before will be conquered.   Finally, and most importantly…..when you have conquered a challenge you have set for yourself….GET STARTED ON A NEW ONE!  HA!  Consistently set enough of these challenges and eventually it will only add up to one thing…….YOUR GOAL!

HOMEWORK.....Set up a new challenge for yourself today and let us know what it is!!!!!

Have a Great Thursday everyone!

Halloween Karma (Pt II)...Sweet Revenge is Mine!!!! >-)

For the background information on this post please make sure you check out Halloween Karma (Pt. I)...What a B**ch

Please note that the working title for this post was.....
"Chelle's New Before and After Photos"

This was Chelle before tonight's TBC class.....

Awwwww isn't that nice...she brought me a present. 

And this was Chelle after class.....

P.S. - Her next blog post may be a little bit delayed.....Muwah ah ah ah ah!!!!!

Wait!!!! I forgot my parachuuuuuuuute!

Well the time has come my friends… I have walked into the building, got in the elevator, pushed the button to the top floor, climbed out on the roof, crept slowly to the edge, I have looked straight down for a long, long time, and yes...  I have now JUMPED (without a parachute)!  I am now officially a blogger.  The person that is mostly responsible for my very recent (like what is it now.. two sentences????) jump is a former client of mine, a fabulous success story, my teammate, but mostly one of my best friends for life.. Chelle Stafford.  I have watched in awe over the past few years as she has poured her heart and soul out to you on the page humorously, openly, and candidly about her journey.  I am so proud of the person that she has become and it has been an honor to be part of her success.  I have always wanted to be able to reach out to others in a similar way that she has seemingly mastered.  Together, she and I decided that it was time for me to stop watching from the sidelines and get in the game.

Some of you may already know me from Chelle’s posts and the website.  But, there may be those also that just found us for the first time and have no idea who we are or how we came together (That will be a post for another day.  I can’t wait to tell you my side of the story.)  Allow me to (re)-introduce myself briefly.  My name is Tabitha Citro and I am a fitness professional that is mad crazy about helping others get healthy.  I am a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and a group fitness instructor.  I have been in the fitness industry for about.. hmmmmm.. WOW! 12 years already?!?!?!?!?!

Health and wellness is a total package for me.  I believe in developing the mind to help strengthen the body and enrich the spirit.  My professional philosophy centers on adapting and adopting permanent lifestyle changes to accomplish and maintain immediate goals with long term success and balance. I love passing on the tools and discipline needed to help others set, achieve, and maintain their goals and have fun while doing it.  

My personal philosophy is to live, love, learn, and have fun doing it!  I am a shopaholic (as you might know from Chelle) that has a soft spot for Godiva chocolate, purses and shoes (figured that one out during my recent move.  Couldn’t believe how many pairs of shoes I had to pack... YIKES!)

During my own personal fitness journey I have trained for and competed in Taekwondo, country/ballroom dance, and the 2006 Arizona Natural Figure (body building) competition. I, like many others, struggle to find the delicate balance between my ideal body image, exercise, and food (did I mention I love chocolate and pizza?).   Like you, for me it is very much a rollercoaster ride with many peaks and valleys.. but that is why they call it a journey.  The road is never going to be completely straight right???  How boring would that be?

Now for the exciting stuff! In addition to this blog, Chelle and I have just today launched a project and we need your help to make it a success.  If you haven’t already, please check out Chelle’s latest post...

”It’s time to take over the world”

http://blog.recipeforfitness.com/2011/10/its-time-to-take-over-world_3983.html  

It is a long one, but the information inside is PRICELESS! We are psyched, committed, and ready to help you transform into the person you have always wanted to be.   With that said...

I wish everyone a Super Friday, and I leave you with one of my favorite sayings:

Dare to DREAM, turn those dreams into GOALS, and work to make them a REALITY!