Where the Road Leads

I've had the hardest time trying to write this entry. In my previous blog I wrote about the changes in my approach to fitness/wellness and this business. I am now starting to walk that out, and it is a raw and at times painful journey. Coming to terms with my physical limitations has been quite a struggle for me. As I wrote out my short and long term fitness goals I felt a moment of discouragement. I journeyed back to my 20's and the days of training for competitions, KILLING it in the gym and hitting the pavement for miles at a time. Then I looked at a piece of paper that told me I should be proud if I make it through 15 minutes of aerobic activity most days and light strength training 2 days a week. Talk about a slap in the face...but really it is more like a Reality Check of my NEW normal. 

Although it is an adjustment, I am grateful to GOD that I am alive and have the opportunity to move my body at all. SO many people don't have that luxury. So what if I can't KILL it in the gym like I used to or run 5Ks anymore. I can do what my body ALLOWS me to do. Doors are opening for me to work with people who have similar chronic conditions and need a professional that understands and can design a program that they can complete without exasperating their symptoms.

I believe that GOD does everything for a reason and I know that He is showing me many things in this new stage in my life. Once I took my eyes off of what I "was" I opened my heart up to see that He was showing me what I AM now and what I need to be. SO here's to me knocking out tht 15 minutes of Dance Aerobics yesterday and ROCKIN my chair workout today! What WAS was, what IS is fine with me and what WILL BE keeps me motivated and excited.

Blessing To Y'all

NEW BEGINNINGS

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This is a post from my Facebook page that I feel belongs here as well. I have made changes to the direction of my business and that involves a BIG change in how I operate this blog. New training sessions will start Feb 2st, 2015. For more information visit my Facebook Page /Powerful Wellness-Solutions ****

HAPPY NEW YEAR! First, I want to thank you all for supporting this page. The past year has been full of triumphs and challenges mentally and physically. As we tend to do this time of year, I have taken some time in prayer to reflect and seek guidance on what is next for this business venture. Some of you may have noticed a slight change in my name from Powerful Fitness & Wellness Solutions to Powerful Wellness Solutions. This change is more than simply in name only. It marks a new direction for the business. While I will always have a heart for physical fitness, I am changing the focus of PWS to more of an all over wellness site for those dealing with chronic illness and emotional issues. My personal training will be limited to 1 on 1 sessions with special populations that have exercise restrictions. Being a sufferer of a chronic illness I have a unique understanding of what is required to motivate, encourage and help others who want to experience wellness but are limited due to health barriers. I hope you will join me on this journey! This Facebook page and my blog will be the primary forms of communication for Powerful Wellness solutions at this time. thank you ALL and BE BLESSED    

Powerful Moves of the Month-Shoulder Side Lateral Raises

I HATE the mall. It provides too many reminders that I need to step up my workout program, which is difficult right now due to a fibromyalgia flare-up. Last week I was bundled up like an Eskimo minding my own business while walking through the mall. The smell of warm bread was haunting me so I walked up to the 2nd floor and picked up those oh so yummy Auntie Anne's pretzels....with cheese. NO, I wasn't thinking about the calories, fat grams or sodium as I dipped and chomped my way to carb overload! As I made my way down the hall I made the mistake of looking over to my left and saw SWIMSUITS (insert SCREAM here)!!! I immediately lost my appetite.

There's just something wrong with walking into a store with three layers of clothing on and seeing the skimpiest of bikini's hanging on the rack taunting you! Even the one pieces were giving me sit side eye!! Ah, but such is life. Sometimes we need a kick in the pants to get us back on track. Spring is approaching and it is time to get ourselves in shape. Memorial Day is about 12 weeks away and we will not be able to hide our extra pounds under coats, sweaters and jogging suits for much longer.

With the upcoming season in mind, I am introducing my Move of the Month series. Each month I will feature an exercise move for you to incorporate into your fitness routine. Some moves may be familiar with, while others will be new and fresh. Starting us off this month: Shoulder Side Lateral Raises!

Overloading the muscles is key to growth; however, care must be taken to avoid over-training. This is especially true for those that suffer from chronic pain issues. The shoulders are very sensitive and using too much weight can cause injury. Giant drop sets are often used to ensure safety while achieving the muscle failure required for growth and change.

After a 5-10 minute warm-up, place three sets of dumbbells on the floor in front of you (heavy, medium weight and light weight). Begin with the heaviest set of weights, stand with your feet shoulder width apart with elbows slightly bent. Raise the weights laterally for 8-10 reps. Lift the weights no higher than shoulder height. Move immediately to the medium weights for another 8 reps. Complete the set with the lighter weights at 8 reps. DO NOT stop to rest between sets.Finish off with a nice stretch of the shoulder area. You'll be feeling this one in the morning, but the results will be worth it and stretching will minimize the muscle soreness. 

The shoulders are one of the most neglected parts of the body for many women. We tend to focus on cardio and abs while forgetting that well-defined shoulders are critical to a balanced physique. Well developed shoulders will make any spring or summer dress, swimsuit or thinly strapped top look great! Add Side Lateral Raises to your workout and you'll LOVE what you see in the spring!

***Z. Delisa Richardson is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer with over 20 years experience in the fitness industry. for more information contact her at http://www.powerfulfitnessandwellness.com/

DISCLAIMER: Exercise is not without its risks and this or any other exercise program could result in injury. To reduce the risk of injury in your case, consult your physician before beginning this or any other exercise plan. As with any exercise program, if at any point you feel faint, dizzy or have physical discomfort beyond the norm, stop immediately and consult a physician. 

Use What You Have

OK, I admit it...I'm a bit of a hoarder. LAWRD! I just finished cleaning out my recipe/cookbook cabinet. It was a HOT MESS! I got rid of about 2 years worth of  The Vegetarian Times, Dierbergs Everybody Cooks magazines and those monthly recipe club cards from the 80's and 90's. My husband has been on me for a while to de-clutter this cabinet among other things. Certain closets in my home are kinda "Open at Your Own Risk" situations. He also made the great point that would not be using many of those recipes anyway due to the change in our eating habits. Now that the cabinet is done I see the wheels turning in his head. What will he set his sights on next?!? There are clothes, purses, wigs, kitchen appliances, Hello Kitty EVERYTHING, etc. I have to either use it or lose it. At this rate I'm waiting for Peter Walsh to come banging on my door...LOL. 

He' been making comments about my fitness collection…OH HELL NAW!! This is where I draw the line! Now I DO have a fairly large fitness DVD (and VHS…DON’T JUDGE ME) collection. On last count there were about 70 DVDs, 25 VHS tapes and 10 programs saved on the DVR from the old FitTV days. I also have my fair share of machines and accessories. I knew that I had to come up with a way to take the heat off my beloved collection and well, I came up with something quite awesome I must say.

I always tell my clients that the best workout is the one they will actually DO. I figure what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I have a wealth of items at my disposal and some of them haven’t even been taken out of the packaging yet. THAT is about to change! I am embarking on a little journey to challenge myself mentally and physically. I have decided to brush off the ole DVD/VHS player and take these workouts for a drive. I will use 1 DVD, VHS, DVR’d program a day until I have gone through my entire collection. Now some of these collections are mulit disk sets and 30 day programs so I’m geared up for a long haul. Sunday’s are my rest days but I have a few stretch DVDs that I can knock out during the first month of this challenge.

Now, I have a tendency to over-schedule my days (something else I’m working on) so I’ve created a consequence for myself if I miss a workout. For each day I blow off a scheduled workout I will have to dig in my closet and give one item to the Goodwill. This will make the hubby happy I’m sure. His half of the clothes closet is currently located in our 9yr olds room.

I know I’m not the only person out here with unused fitness DVDs/equipment, and this is where YOU guys come in! Won’t you join me on this endeavor? When you think about it, it really is one of the simplest challenges ever. You already have everything you need to get started! C’mon…jump in with me.

Having measurable results is key when goal setting. In addition to the goal of getting through the DVDs/products, treadmills, Total Gyms etc, I would also like to see what physical transformation occurs during this timeframe. I will be tracking my weight, inches, and dress/pant size numbers.  I encourage you to do the same. There is ONE small rule however:  do not take your measurements or weigh yourself after day 1 until you have REACHED the goal. My reasoning for this is quite simple. So many of us let that scale determine our mood/attitude and how we see ourselves. I don’t want a temporary day of bloat to discourage anyone.  There is also no meal plan or suggestions with this challenge either. I just want you to get up and USE what you already have.

So there it is. The challenge has been issued. Are you game? I hope you will join me in using what we already have. You can follow my progress on my Facebook page by clicking here. I will be posting a picture of the item I’m working out with/to (if I can find them. Some of these mugs are OLD).

Let’s get it started!!

Give Yourself Permission to LIVE!

Have you ever wondered what you could accomplish if you simply gave yourself permission to do it? I mean, instead of listening to all the negative self-talk or what I like to call the "You're Toos (too old, too young, too fat, skinny, short, uneducated, etc.) what would happen if you just said TRICK IT and followed your passion? This is a question that I have been asking myself a lot lately. This blog is the first step on the ladder for me...and I'm not trying to look down.

As I look back on my career vs. my passion, I can rattle off a laundry list of reasons why I delayed doing what I feel I was meant to do with my life. Hell, I've had some SHIT go down in these 42years and it could be considered a small miracle that I'm still around. The more I think about it though, the more I realize that it is just fear and excuses...mainly fear which leads right back to the "You’re Toos". So the question is how do you kick the "You're Toos" to the curb and give yourself permission to LIVE?

For me it required a change in perception. I was listening to a Tony Robbins seminar and he spoke about the Pain and Pleasure Principal. The crux of the Principal is this: All human behavior is motivated my two things-seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Seems pretty simple right? NOT! I was finding pleasure in destructive habits and mind-sets, mainly because this was familiar territory due to my upbringing. When the time came to take a risk, branch out and step out into unfamiliar territory I would instantly freeze, the Pain Principle would set it and I would stop and eliminate the source of the Pain…even if it was a golden opportunity for growth. Thank God one day it finally hit me that my unfulfilled passion was MORE painful than the fear, doubts and the “You’re Toos”. From that moment I gave myself permission to LIVE my life and pursue my passion and make it my career.

So what about you? What is holding you back? Are you finding pleasure in the wrong things? What steps do you need to take to live your passion? Are you currently in a career that is not satisfying or allowing you to leave a footprint on our world?  What would happen if you just said TRICK IT and followed your passion? Hit me up and let me know.

***Special thanks to Kris Carr for the inspiration to write this blog***