Well, I am into my 6th week with Adamson's! All I can say is that I feel amazing! More energy, sleeping better, clothes getting looser...all good stuff! I found a funny bi-product to my workouts the other day. I'm a singer and typically when I sing, I tend to run out of breath. I was singing the other night and suddenly noticed that I could hold a note out WAY longer than I had been able to before! It was crazy! 

We measured me last week. In one week, I lost 5 inches! I haven't lost inches in my legs or arms because I have built so much muscle in both of those places, but everywhere else is going down, down, down! I'm so excited! I haven't stood on the scale and Trina hasn't let me see my scale results when we took my measurements, but I'm pretty sure that I've lost weight too. They said that part of the journey is that as I am building muscle, I am not going to see my in results as far as weight loss and they don't want me to get discouraged about that. That being said, I can jog for a mile now, I can do the ropes without dying, I cannot believe how much my belly fat is shrinking and I just feel great.

Having a trainer is making all the difference! Being able to have someone to bump it up a notch, get me focused when I think I am tired and want to quit, having someone text me and tell me she sees the results even when I don't feel like I am seeing them...it changes the whole dynamics. I'm loving this. I feel amazing. 

If you want to check Adamson's Peak Performance out, call 221-8006 and ask for Steve. Tell him I sent you.. :)

Wooo doggy am I sore! Wow...it is amazing how working muscles you haven't worked in a while can make them protest loudly. And protest, they are today!. My abdominal muscles are really sore today. In fact, I sneezed and I had to laugh at grabbing my stomach.

The great new is, though...this is working! First of all, I am starting to see the difference and second, it is starting to show in my measurements!!! We took measurements yesterday and after just THREE WEEKS, I have dropped body fat AND inches! My arms were actually bigger, but that's just from gaining muscle in them (which I had non to start with). I am assured that as the muscles builds, the fat will begin to go away. I'm excited!! Truly, I am completely excited at the transformation already...I feel 100X better than I did a month ago and now realize just how unhealthy I really was. I mean, I knew I wasn't in good shape, but I didn't know how much. I'm pretty pleased to know that I'm making the change.

The other thing that has been great is that my diet has changed. No more fast food. Now, I am thinking about what I am eating and really working to fuel my body. Trina has been working with me on different foods, how many calories I should have and mostly, encouraging me to feed my body when it needs it (especially after workouts). Oh! And I have fallen in love with green juice. Trader Joes makes this thick green juice that is AMAZING! It tastes like a fruit nectar but is packed with spirulina, spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass. I love that with my meals, I am getting the veggies and green stuff that I need and it tastes good. So, I amnot just fixing the external body, but the internal body as well! I feel amazing!!! 

Call Adamsons - 221-8006. This isn't just a workout thing, this is changing your body..your life. Ask for Steve. He's my buddy and he'll take good care of you!

I've struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. I could make a ton of excuses...a series of 4 surgeries in my late teens/early 20's that had a huge impact on weight gain to the plantar fasciitis and broken ankle just recently. The reality is, if I am honest with myself, I don't do what I need to do. I enjoy my sweets too much and I don't move enough. Period. I've always said "later" and believed that eventually I would get control. Sure, I've done the gym thing...in fact, I have belonged to most of the gyms in town but I never stayed committed. You go to the gym and after about 4 - 6 weeks, you start finding excuses. Too tired, meeting, I'll go tomorrow. Pretty soon, you aren't going anymore. Later. 

I love what I do in radio and I'm kinda good at it. But, I have never been as good at is as I could be because of my weight. Sounds silly, but often I think about those public performances that we do. In the media, we are judged harshly. I know, I've been guilty of making those comments about public figures myself and I'm sure that people say things like "oh....she's a big girl!" So, I limit my performances out in the public eye. Sadly, I sit on the bench, jealous of the players on the field and the only reason I am not a player is because of me, not the coach. I have been a spectator in my own life, not the active participant that I should be. When you take inventory of all of this stuff, it doesn't feel good. The good thing is, at any time we can change it all.

I turned 45 last summer. It was a bittersweet time - a look back at 45 years, not real happy with what I had done but knowing that I have another 45. It was time to "get to gettin'!" I made a lot of changes, but there was this one thing that I hadn't really addressed yet. My health, my weight and the self esteem tied to it. I haven't bought myself new clothes in years and I don't look in full body mirrors. I know what is there, I don't like to look at it. But besides how I look, I am very unhealthy!! VERY!!! It is time to change things!! NOW! 

Time for an action plan...

I went in to Adamsons Peak Performance and layed it all out there. I have nothing to lose anymore...well, you know what I mean! I am in the worst shape of my life and I need help. I didn't know where to start, didn't know what I was capable of and needed professionals. People to say "this is what you need to do to fix this." They have been amazing. Steve and Joe set me up with Trina, my trainer - an amazing woman who has been where I have been and got her body in shape 12 years ago. (btw, she looks amazing...seriously!) She knows what it feels like and with hard work and dedication did it for herself so I know I can do this too. 

FIrst order of business? No more diet coke. Tough one, but worth it? I'd say so.

Second order of business? Time to move. Training started with a bang. The first week, I hurt worse than I have ever hurt before - I was weak, haven't used my muscles in so long and they screamed that message at me. The cool thing though? I know that we worked all those muscles. I am working out!! And, I am doing it effectively! You know what that means? IT MEANS THAT I AM DOING THIS!!!!

Anyhow, we are off to a good start. I won't tell you my starting weight (at least not until I get a little bit away from it) but I started with 44% body fat. (*ouch*) Will take measurements soon to give you progress. Here is their logo and a link if you want to check them out. Call Steve at 221-8006...he's awesome at answering questions and showing you what they do. Pics and updated stats soon...

Chellie

I'm a summer person. I like warm, never been a fan of the cold, rain, wet, dark days. I suppose that the occasional snuggle fireside during a rain storm is inviting, but that isn't every day life. I like the outdoors, I love to garden, I need the sun and the cold just does bad things to my bones. Every single year as summer begins to draw to a close, I begin feeling this tug of regret and unavoidable disappointment as I begin to mentally prepare for fall to roll in and consume the warm summer months. 

Until this year...

For over 20 years, I have wanted to be a Speech Pathologist. Money was an issue, raising my son became first priority, etc. I was well on my way about 9 years ago when I had to quit Chico State and put my dreams on hold. I had all but given up on fulfilling the dream until an unexpected job layoff in July of 2011. At the time I was devastated by the loss, but soon enough figured I was going to have to make lemonade outta them lemons and did my research. I found ONE and ONLY ONE school that offers and undergrad program through distance learning and began to set the ball in motion to return to school. They didn't take all my credits, so I had to repeat some classes (including Statistics...ick!) but here I am, right now today, on my second to last semester of school as I look forward to graduating with my Bachelors Degree in Communications Disorders/Speech Pathology next May. 

This year, as I see the days and nights becoming cooler which points to the inevitable entrance of fall and the close of 2012, I am excited. I welcome the cold, the dark days, the rain and falling leaves. Because all of these things signal time moving towards achieving that dream I have had so many years. So, so many years. At the age of 45, I am finally doing the one thing I have always wanted to do! So....this year, I say with a huge smile on my face..."come on in, brother fall....and bring your buddy winter cause I'm ready!"

Be blessed!
C

I've mentioned it before but my father and I have never been close. Not because I didn't want it. He made the choice to not be present in my life until I pursued a relationship at about the age of 16. Since then, the relationship has been tentative at best with our conversations sounding more like two people who are working through verbal pleasantries without any depth. I'm not sure if he is not capable of giving more, and I am worried about scaring him off so we keep things relatively superficial.

Until 2 years ago...

I happened to call my father one day and was told that he was recovering from "minor surgery." We talked the next day and he mentioned that he had just had surgery on his throat. He talked about the surgeon, the cutting edge technology and how he was pleased with his decision. It wasn't until later in the conversation that he casually mentioned that the surgery was to remove cancer of the throat. A choke stuck in my throat as I asked as casually as I could how he found it. He explained that he had a bump on his neck while shaving that wasn't going away and was in fact growing. A biopsy showed it to be malignant but that it had originated someplace else..it happened to originate in his throat. Prognosis was supposed to be good and he was going to do radiation and chemo for about 4 - 6 weeks. It was very clear that he didn't want me alarmed and I felt like if I was to be alarmed, he might withdraw so I kept it casual. 4 weeks later, I called him to check in. The voice on the other end of the line sounded like someone on his deathbed and I was devastated. He croaked out a "i can't talk, will email you. bye." 2 days later, I got an email from him saying that the treatment had destroyed him and his body - this man who had been larger than life, stronger than any man I've ever known (physically, mentally and emotionally) had been toppled by this disease. 

Over the next couple days I had to face a lot of reality. Why we hadn't been close, what part I had played in the lack of relationship and that if I didn't say what I felt to him, I might lose the opportunity. I wrote a long, very vulnerable email telling him that I loved him but had chosen to hang back because I didn't want to try to make him the dad he had chosen not to be many years prior. I told him that I wanted him so badly as a father and I needed him. His response? For the first and only time in my entire life, he told me that he loved me. 

We talked more often after that, but neither of us made a true attempt at spending time together over the last 2 years. In fact, it has been almost 13 years since we have seen each other. There is always something else to do, money to spend on something else, etc., and despite the health scare it hasn't been a priority for either of us. 

Yesterday I got an email from my father. He told me not to be alarmed but he has cancer again. He downplayed it in an attempt to not alarm me. He doesn't want a fuss made, no drama, no fanfare so I acted casual on the phone and we agreed to talk more with the end result being a visit where we can talk and get to know each other. I got off the phone and sobbed. Again, facing the mortality of the man that I desperately need and haven't had. And although he may not ever be the dad that I envision in my head, he is still alive and there is opportunity for more than we have now. The time is now. 

Life doesn't come with guarantees. We only have the moment we are in...the hangups, the wasted energy, the "what ifs", the lost time. I have a nasty reminder called C A N C E R to let me know that I need to seize the day and do what needs to be done. Today. No more excuses.

Last weekend, I went down to Sacramento to spend the weekend with friends - believe it or not, from high school. I went to a private boarding school (I grew up Seventh Day Adventist) in Idaho with a total of just under 200 kids. Only 54 in our graduating class, we formed friendship bonds that most kids don't have with their high school mates. It's interesting because many (not all) have left our religion but the bond of growing up with a certain way of life has contributed to the depth of friendship.

I'm always amazed at how you can go for years and years without talking to someone and then out of the blue, pick right back up where you left off. It's a pretty neat thing. I am blessed to have the people that I have in my life, especially those friends from high school who have, through the magic of Facebook, reconnected with me. 

We went and saw Trace Adkins at Thunder Valley Casino - great concert, as always. Trace certainly knows how to put on a show! Anyhow, following Trace we went to dinner and spent most of the rest of the night visiting only to pick back up the next day and create new memories while revisiting the old ones. It was one of those weekends that one could not duplicate - it just happened which is probably part of what made it so special.

Friends are not difficult to find. True, long lasting, loyal, trusting, "hold your heart" kinda friends are not as easy. If you have one of those special kinds of friends that you haven't spoken to in a while, I urge you to pick up the phone and call them, go on Facebook and write on their wall or just write a sweet handwritten note. We have no guarantees in this life of how long we will be here. Take this time to tell someone how much they mean to you while they are still here...time is so very precious!

GO!  :)

Chell