Every Gym’s Nightmare

Man, this blog is bleak without pictures. I could have put up a picture of Jillian, but I would have had to switch computers, and then you all would have had to look at the picture, and I don’t want to do that to you guys. So, you’re welcome.

I’ll get a new camera soon, I promise.

But, if you really need some eye candy, you can watch this before you read my rant:

awww.

ok, end tangent. Begin rant.

Jillian Michaels bugs me. Then sometimes I like her. Then it bugs me that I like her. I think this time she officially bothered me enough to tilt the scale to the side of loathing. I have lost the tiny amount of respect I had for her.

Jillian Micheals has released a line of diet pills.

Miss Michaels is a savvy business woman- shes manages to give the worst, most awkward interviews in the history of television and treat everyone like crap, yet is still the leading woman in the fitness industry. There is no denying it- she knows how to market herself. Except this time.

Perhaps the one thing that kept me guessing about my feelings for Jillian was her balanced approach to fitness: no excuses, eat right, move more. No gimmicks, no tricks, just hard work.

Well no more! Just take this magic pill to increase your metabolism, burn fat and get rapid weight loss!

Apparently, Jillian’s life work was for nothing because she has found a way for us to lose weight with a pill.

Good news, right, future Biggest Loser contestants? You don’t need her screaming in your face anymore- you can just take her tiny pill and it will replace the need for all that hard work!

I’m writing a piece on her new diet pill line for www.twirlit.com but wanted to get some input to see if I am over reacting (not that it will change anything if you tell me I am).

Are you disappointed in Jillian? Do you stand behind her product? Or do you feel its just the natural progression for her product pimping ways?

LINKS:
Giveaway ending wednesday!!
Girls say “Bring it on”: Cheerleading Still Most Dangerous Sport
Nick Jonas Raises Diabetes Awareness
Using Heidi Montag’s New Site is Gunna Cost Ya

So I skipped lower body yesterday because my knee was bugging me, hoping that it would be better today so I could do my usual lower body routine, but, alas, it actually hurts worse today. So cool, Im officially injured.

So, I didn’t want to put it off any longer, so I took my lower body workout to the mat to keep the weight off of it.

Being hurt is never a reason not to workout, unless your doctor says so, you just have to make some changes.

I have full range of motion, its just pressure that hurts it, so taking my weight off of it worked fine. It was a lighter workout than I’m used to but I didn’t want to push it just yet.

I did:

Heel tucks w/ Stability ball- 15 reps, 2 sets
1 leg bridges with BOSU- 15 reps each leg, 2 sets
Calf raises- holding 25 lb dumbbell, 20 reps each leg, 2 sets
Donkey Kicks (kind of embarrassing to do in a crowded gym, but whatevs)- 25 reps each leg, 2 sets

I have my photoshoot thing for Breathe magazine on Sunday. Im hoping I can post some of the pics, but I dont know if they want me to show them before the mag comes out, but im sure there will be out takes, so Ill try my best to show ya something.

LINKS:
MTV’s Upcoming Freshman 15 Helps Teens Battle Bulge
Spot Reduction: In Your Dreams
America’s Shocking Sugar Consumption

My knee has been killing me lately, I think because I have been doing the bike so much so I can read, and knees have a tendency to lean inward, which is no good. It was a leg day today, but since it was so bad, I turned it into a cardio day.

I did 35 minutes on the bike, and did two walks: one to the bank, 1.6 miles, and then one to Blockbuster to return I Love You, Man, which was suprisingly hilarious.

Yesterday, I did upper body, and I can barely lift my arms

8/26 Workout
Upper Body:
Seated Shoulder Press- 15 lb dumbbells, 15 reps, 2 sets
EZ Curl Bar Bicep Curls- 25 pounds, 10 reps, 2 sets
Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions with Rope- 27.5 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Cable Tricep Pulldowns to failure (after each set of overhead extensions)- 27.5 pounds, around 5-7 reps
Explosive Pushups with Barbell (around knee height)- 15 reps, 2 sets
Barbell Body Rows (around bellybutton height)- 15 reps, 2 sets
Uneven Bosu Pushups- about 8 reps, 2 sets. These were the last things I did and I was pretty lucky to not skin my nose off the ground when my arms gave out

Abs: (I did these in this order, twice through w/o resting)
Crunches w/ plate, arms extended towards ceiling, range of motion- up to sitting: 25 lb weight plate, 10 reps
Regular crunches- 15 reps
Opposite Elbow Opposite Knee crunches- (kind of like Bicycle crunches) 10 reps to each side
Oblique crunches- 10 reps to each side

Lani asked me this question:

I wanted to know how you deal with body image issues as a PT who has a history with eating disorders? Its been something I have had concerns about as other women who are PT’s in my life constantly talk about how image is everything and how their clients expect them to be super skinny (also when did super skinny start to equal fit? I never quite understood how that came to be).

I was a little worried when I started training that image would be everything, and that clients would judge my appearance and use that as a reason to work with me/ not work with me/not trust me, etc. Turns out, it really doesn’t matter. Honestly, if you know your shit, no one is going to care what you look like. I am thin, and I have muscle tone in my arms (I wear pants so they cant see much else), so people know I practice what I preach. No one expects me to be thin, they expect me to lead by example. Most often, people are impressed to know how much I work out, because it shows that I do it too, and that I work just as hard, if not harder than they do for the way that I look.

I don’t ever feel like people are judging my as a trainer based on my appearance because the only people I deal with are my clients, and the first thing I do is drill into them that health is what is important, not looks. Weight loss is a side effect of exercise, not the focus. Increasing energy,

We’ve had all kinds of trainers at my work: short and skinny girls, tall and buff guys, tall and curvy girls, squat and “softer” guys, etc. and there has never been an issue. I have a feeling big gym trainers are judged a bit more, because we weed out the unmotivated. People are more focused on whether or not they can get results, not what their trainers look like.

The only time I feel judged is when people tell me I don’t know what it’s like to be overweight- like I couldn’t possibly understand what they are going through, and am there for judging them as being weak/lazy/making excuses. I don;t share my past with all my clients, because most of the time I don;t feel it is relevant, but in these situations, where I can tell it isn’t just a comment made in jest, its an actual trust issue I will share my past with them. I will tell them that even though I have not ever been technically overweight, I know what it is like to be out of control with food and be embarrassed of my body. I know what it is like to feel out of control and have people stare at you for your size. After that, they are usually embarrassed and apologize, which is not my goal, but they gain a little understanding that things are not always as they appear, and most importantly, they start to trust me.

LINKS:

Celebrity Gossip Blogs Fuel Body Image Fire
How to Pick a Personal Trainer
Exercise for Glowing Skin
The Rise of Green Gyms
Backpack Giveaway
Do You Weigh Too Much?

www.nataliedee.com

OMG this is totally me

Hi Kelly,

-Magdalena

The first thing is that if you are scared you may relapse, you need to go back to therapy. Therapy isnt a one time thing- its a process so short check ins when you feel your self slip is a must. Your therapist that knows your history will be able to give you more specific ideas on how to handle your personal triggers.

Changes are scary and usually the reason people with EDs isolate themselves. The fewer number of factors you have to deal with, the easier it is to focus on your ED- whether you are trying to get better or still in the midst of your disease. Recognizing that this is going to be a problem for you is a good sign- being scared of a relapse is healthier than knowing you can rely on one when things get tough.

The best thing you can do to keep control is take away as many of the unknown factors as possible: which means planning, planning, planning. Plan out your meals and stick to them no matter what. People will look at you funny when you whip out a meal you brought with you at a party but who cares. If you trust them, tell them the truth that this is what you need to do to keep yourself healthy or if you don’t think they would react well or don’t want them to know, lie.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Something is going weird with my thyroid and I have to eat a special diet so my doctor can figure out what’s going on (I actually have to do this sometimes, so you can use it and know no one can call you out on it)

Im training for a race/event/competition, and need to eat strictly to be ready.

Im allergic to ______ and its easier to just plan ahead.

Im broke.

or tell people you are planning on becoming a personal trainer and want to start eating healthy, which isnt really a lie. try keeping a food journal so you are aware of what you are eating and can keep your calories consistent.

Set up your home with only healthy foods- don’t have anything you would binge on in the house.

The stress of life isnt going to go away with a binge, so deal with what is stressing you head on. keep a planner so you know what you need to do and when it needs to be done, and exercise is always a great stress reliever.

Binging is all about just making the decision not to, and planning ahead to make sure you aren’t triggered. With all the big life changes you are planning, though, I would seriously consider talking to therapist again. there’s nothing wrong in it- its just one more way you can plan ahead and head off the problem. Prevention is key.

LINKS!!!

Stupid Fitness Gadget: Ab Circle Pro
Kids and Coffee: a Grande Problem
Sonoma Giveaway ends tomorrow! Get those entries in!!
Kick Your Emotional Eating

www.nataliedee.com

It’s about cellulite. A.k.a. the enemy of women everywhere. Some context: I used to be a serious dancer, stopped dancing rather traumatically and developed an ED. At 5′7.5″, I got down to about 110 pounds. After therapy+going to college, hit my heaviest just under 140.

-E

Cellulite is one of those things that the more fat you have on your body, the more likely you are to have it- but it doesn’t mean you will. Conversely, the lower the amount of body fat you have on your body, the less likely you are to have cellulite but it doesn’t mean you won’t.

Cellulite is that super attractive dimply look women gets on their thighs and butt and sometimes belly. That look is caused when fatty tissue pushes against the connective tissue right underneath the skin. The stuff that squeezes through are the dimples.

The thing with cellulite is some people have it and some people don’t. You can decrease the amount of body fat you have so there simply isnt as much fatty tissue pressing against your connective tissue but there are other factors too: the thickness of your skin, your genes, your age, etc. From your stats you gave me, you are of a healthy weight, so what’s going to get you the best results is strength training. The more muscle you build underneath, the smoother the appearance of your legs and butt. Plus, with that strength training, you will burn calories and fat, which will take care of both factors, instead of just focusing on cardio.

You have to remember that this might not work. It can lessen the appearance, but might not make it go away completely. Most women have celluilite- you just don’t always notice it cause you are too worried about your own (which is how most womenly flaws work.)

i have celluilite. Its on my under butt . I’ve always had it. And even with my weight fluctutations (when I was sick) I always had it. The only thing that lessens it is strength training, specifically, lunges and squats. working those places and building solid, smooth muscle underneath is the best bet. Other than that, don’t let it getya down. I did an unscientific poll and guys never notice it/had no idea what I was talking about, and other women only notice theirs. Its not like you gave yourself cellulite- you are either meant to have it or your dont. You can change how pronounced it is, but it just now that you are at a healthy weight, it is noticable to you. Its part of finally being at a healthy weight, not a punishment for gaining any. Its a down side if you want to think of it that way, but there are so many more upsides to being healthy. Look at it as a badge of health.

and if that doesnt make you feel better, search celebrities and cellulite and you’ll realize you aren’t alone- and you are lucky you don’t have people plastering pictures of it all over the internet to make fun of.

Ok, Im over my bird murdering guilt and made it into the gym today.

Cardio

30 minutes on the recumbent bike (reading Breaking Dawn- almost done!)

Strength Training- Leg Day
Lunges off step- 15lb dumbells in both hands, 10 in each leg, 2x’s through
Side Lunges onto BOSU- holding 12lb medicine ball under chin, 15 each leg, 2x’s through
Calf raises- holding 25lb dumbell, 15 each leg, 2x’s through
Squats on Black side of BOSU- 20lb dumbell under chin, 20 reps, 2x’s through

So I just realized the hard part is going to be if you guys know what any of this stuff is, so I decided to kind of just spell it out as best as i could. If you have any questions, let me know.

Alright- I’m off for the weekend!

LINKS:

My take on that damn TIME magazine article knocking exercise

Set Yourself Up for Success

Taylor Lautner’s Beef Up Sends Healthy Message

Eating Disorders Newest Fad Diet

Can You Ever Have Too Much Protein?

Giveaway!

Fad Dieting Starts Young

I was gearing up for a hard cardio/lower body workout today, but then I hit a bird on the way to the gym, and could only manage to get through 30 minutes on the bike.

I feel sick.

www.toothpastefordinner.com

I mentioned yesterday that I since I have been working from home, I’ve had a lot more time to workout, and thus I have been working out a lot more. Make sense, right?

I mentioned 2 a day workouts, which doesn’t actually mean I am working out twice a day. Well, sometimes, but usually not. I mean I am doing two workouts in one day, usually back to back- which means cardio then upper body, then the next day cardio, and lower body. Its awesome. I love it. I can already see changes and feel like my workouts are something I can take my time with, and enjoy instead just trying to cram it in inbetween shifts.

The only problem is, I don’t have any goals yet, and I can’t think of any. I don’t want anything with weight, because I don’t want to lose weight, and I don’t want to focus on body fat because that will happen naturally, so I’m thinking I should set some strength goals. I want to build more muscle (I have a feeling I’m going to end up looking like a pro wrestler soon) but the problem with that is I don’t really keep track of that stuff. Maybe I should keep track. If I did, I would keep track on here, and I dont know if you guys would be bored with that stuff.

Are you interested in seeing my workouts/weight progressions?

Gah- I have to do a “photo shoot” this weekend. I wrote an article for Breathe Magazine’s Winter Issue about how to train for ski season and was asked to be in the pictures. Think I can officially add “fitness model” to my resume?

LINKS:

You On a Diet listed their top 34 weight loss blogs, and EGN was included. Thanks!!

Why I Think the Kelly Clarkson Airbrushing Outrage is a Good Thing

Healthy Foods That Aren’t: Gorcery Store Addition

Runner’s High: Is it Real?

Ruby Reminds Us of the Dangers of Food Pushers

Sonoma Crisps Giveaway!

Michelle Obama Shorts (I didnt write this one but I think the comments are hilarious)

For real this time.

Remember the days where I would blog everyday, dutifully, and if I didn’t it was because i was broken or sick or kidnapped?

And then remember when got all slackery and disappeared and would come back every once in a while to appologize, give you links to other places and then disappear again?

Yeah, well, here’s why:

BIG Changes: If you’ve been reading, I was worrying about my job situtation for a while. And like life often does, when things are the worst, it brings out the best. I used that fear to fuel me to make a change and do what I really want to do: write. So I devoted all my internet energy to emails and samples and follow ups and interviews and scored some awesome, stable writing gigs. The down side was there was no time or energy left for the blog. So now, I still train in the mornings, but the rest of the day is in front of my computer writing, writing, writing, napping, eating, working out, napping.

Horrible Time Management Skills: When I decided I would work from home, I had the best of intentions of actually working for hours at a time. Turns out, that’s hard to do when you have a dog, sunshine, a TV, facebook, and are halfway through the Twilight series.

I Got Pissed at the Blogosphere: I got SO SICK of spending my time looking at people take self portraits of themselves eating the same crappy bowl of oatmeal every morning. or the same glass of green juice. I know people love this, and obviously it is wildly popular to look at what other people are eating, or modelling their new workout gear, or taking any opportunity to take a picture of themself and splatter it all over the internet to have people comment on how awesometheyare/howgreattheylook/wantingtoknowwhatkindoftoiletpapertheywipetheirasseswith. I am obviously in the minority, but I like to spend my time looking at things that add to my life. If a blog can teach me something, spread awareness about something important, show me a different way of thinking or challenge me intellectually, Im all for it. I love that shit. I felt like i spent more and more of my time wading through the same blog over and over again under a different name to find those gems. And they are out there. But they are definately few and far between.

But now I’m back, and here’s why:

I Missed You Guys: Yeah, pretty much none of you guys followed my anywhere, even though I linked my little heart out, so you were sorely missed. I also miss reading your comments and your own blogs, which I honestly started to lose track of when I didnt have your links staring me in the face. I know everyone says this but i think I have pretty awesome readers: you dont yell at me for swearing, find my stupid humor mildly amusing, challenge me when you think Im wrong in a respectful way, and ask thought provoking questions/leave thought provoking comments. And that’s not BS.

If Something Makes you Mad, Do Something About it: I have a tendency to bitch without doing anything about it. I’ve posted pictures of myself occassionally, and after repeated requests, delved a little further into my personal life for you guys, but it never lasted long because 1) I think Im boring and 2) Im not comfortable being so narcissistic. I have a lot of knowledge to share that a lot of people are interested in and can benefit from and I would rather give everyone something they can take with them and apply in life: in their workouts, in the way they view themselves, and in the way they see other people. I would rather help in any small way i can instead of making you stare at my shit eating grin while i hold up my latest vegetable purchase.

Better at Scheduling: I realized i am very lucky to be able to work from my home. I also realized that I am an extremely anxious person and having work hanging over my head while I try and relax isn’t very relaxing. So I bust my ass a few hours in the morning and then spend the rest of my day doing things I was never able to do before: go for a walk in the middle of the day, do 2-a-day workouts (more on my new hard-core workout schedule later) read, cook things with more than 2 ingredients, and chip away at my BIG CHORE LIST. I honestly have that life balance thing I’ve always heard so much about. And I couldnt be happier. I have more time to devote to the things i love, and I love EGN.

MY LINKS:

Im hosting a giveaway on Kidglue.com- check it out!

Coke Is Making Carbonated Milk

Adorable Miss Ruby Reminds Us of the Dangers of Food Pushers

The Dangers of Competitive Eating

Are You Slowing Down Your Own Metabolism?

Lordie Days I have been busy.

I picked up a new writing contract which has allowed me to quit working spilt shifts (wahooo!!) so I train in the mornings and then write the rest of the day. By the way, Twitter is my best friend for networking (Follow me if you arent already). Whoever invented it should be given a medal.

I do now, however, watch a disgusting amount fo jerry Springer and the Steve Wilkos show. I may have to buckle down and get cable so I dont start having unprotected sex and wondering who my baby daddy is.

Working from home gives so much freedom- I love it, but its hard to keep myself focused. The good thing is though, Im able to work out a lot more since my schedule isnt work, nap, work anymore. Its nice to get back on a schedule and use the workouts as a mental break again, instead of something I had to fit in and rush through.

Who wants free stuff?

If you want email alerts of the weekly giveaways, email me at kelly@everygymsnightmare.com and Ill add you to the list.

There is a new blog that started up- normally I don’t plug but its like the guy version of me, and since Ive been slacking in the posting department, anytime you need a fix head to The Body Firm Blog.

Ok, back to the grindstone keyboard!