So who is "Coach Steph"?

I've been thinking for the past couple of weeks about what my philosophy is with regards to training, fitness, and health. Every fitness professional needs a philosophy and everyone is different. I am constantly throwing ideas around in my head about how I would describe myself as a trainer and I started making a list. I think it's a pretty good start.

I don't focus solely on weight loss. I focus on body composition change - fat loss and muscle gain.

I don't use the word "diet." I discuss "nutrition."

We will talk calories, but I don't "calorie count". I focus on portion control, food quality, and food variety.

Fueling is key. Starving is stupid.

There will be weight training. Lots of it. More cardio does not mean better results.

Finding something that can be maintained is the ultimate goal.

I will hold you accountable.

I will push you into uncomfortable territory.

I do not believe in fads or too many restrictions.

I will make you believe that fitness is necessary for quality of life. You will make it a part of your life permanently.

Regarding nutrition, I see way too many people focused solely on calorie counting, with little focus on food quality. Their main focus with exercise, therefore, is to burn calories. I just don't completely
subscribe to this...although it can be a good start to understanding portion control and getting a big bang for your buck with exercise. But fitness is so much more than calorie counting and cardio. You'll never get the results you have the potential to achieve if you use this narrow focus. While it's important to understand calories in general, it's much more important to eat proper portions, eat quality food, eat a variety from all food groups, and eat throughout the day. With a consistent practice like this, your caloric intake will regulate itself properly.

Cardio is not the only way to proper weight loss. In order to obtain healthy body composition you have to include weight training. Lean muscle mass will boost your metabolism like nothing else. Your fat burning potential is increased since muscle is where fat is metabolized.

But that's not all. Muscle improves heart function...your heart simply doesn't have to work as hard. You will also protect joints and connective tissue and reduce arthritic symptoms in the process. Your bone density is increased with weight training. This ability to protect your joints and bones will lead to fewer injuries. Strength train with functional movements (using more than one muscle group at a time in a strength training move) and you're improving core and balance as well. With a stronger core, your ability to perform daily activities and exercise without injury improves even further.

Nothing can be achieved without a solid plan, consistency, motivation to succeed, and holding yourself accountable. I have always said that if you don't schedule fitness into your day, you're going to make every excuse in the book to not get it done. So schedule it like any other appointment....and then stick to it. If you need someone there to hold you accountable, join a fitness group. Make them depend on you and you will show up and you will work hard and succeed.

Exercise isn't always fun. If it didn't hurt at least a little, it isn't doing you any good. But there is a way to find the comfortable in the uncomfortable, and you have to be willing to understand that and put it into practice. You have to be willing to take yourself to a difficult place and push through it. What's on the other side is amazing and very much worth it.

Fad "diets" or fad "workouts"? Not my thing at all. I'm very simple and basic when you strip my philosophy down. I don't cut out any macronutrients and don't believe in diets that tout that. While I think some of these fad workouts are good to get people off their butts, a lot of them have too much fluff to do any kind of good in the long term. You want to be successful? Get your heart rate up, work your muscles to fatigue, don't be afraid to suffer, know your limits, do not do anything beyond your ability, get that core strong, and you will lose the excess body fat and gain that lean muscle in the process.

My philosophy is coming together. I'm enjoying the process of discovering it.

So what's up with Coach Steph?

I haven't blogged much about my new job quite yet, as I've been getting acclimated to the huge life change. But now that I'm several weeks in I've got a lot to say!

Not only do I individually train people (both at the rec center and through my independent business), but I am also teaching fitness classes at the rec center. And in a nutshell, I LOVE IT.

I get nervous every time I have to call a new client (who, by the way, totally suck at calling back...boo!), and every time I am standing in front of a room full of hopeful people about to get their butts kicked, my heart races just a bit. But once I start, I feel great. Time flies by, I get excited seeing people go beyond what they think they are capable of, and I especially get excited when I see concrete results from what I'm doing with them.

I think I chose the right path.

Teaching group exercise classes is not necessarily something I thought I would enjoy as much as individually training someone, but I'm finding a lot of fulfillment there as well. I'm only teaching 3 classes per week but several people have asked about the rec center adding more of my classes. Many have pulled me aside to say they love them. I think I scared quite a few after that first core class (oops!). And I'm seeing a lot of familiar faces every day. It's really just a lot of fun to turn on the music and get them all moving and pushing themselves to be stronger.

As I continue to travel this path I am fine tuning my fitness philosophy. I think it's important for every trainer to have their own personal fitness philosophy that they can discuss with their clients. As I tweak mine more and more, I'll be sure to write a great blog post about it. I'm collecting as much knowledge as I can and finding what I am comfortable with.

Lastly, I'm continuing my education via National Academy of Sports Medicine. I signed up for a specialty certification, the Weight Loss Specialty. It incorporates nutrition, fitness, and psychology to not only help people lose weight and fat, and gain muscle, but how to maintain that weight loss. I'm so excited to crack open the book for the first time and absorb that knowledge so I can pass it on to clients!

Life is good!

A Job and a Marathon

November 26.

That's my first official day of employment since August of 2001. 11 years since I have been on someone's payroll.

Although I'm very excited to start contributing to my household's income, I'm very nervous. Am I going to be a good employee? Are people going to like me? AM I GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE HECK I'M DOING?

I think I'll be spending the next week re-reading my NASM book because I'm pretty sure in the last 2 months I've forgotten everything I studied since March. Everything. I hope I don't go into my first training session with a client like a fool.

Yes, I know I'm freaking out for no reason.

I also officially own my own business, although it's really only a back up to my actual employment, for those people who really want to hire me but don't belong to the Rec Center where I'll be working. I have the LLC, I will be calling to obtain liability insurance, I'll check out gym rental space, but it's pretty bare bones for now. I would love to add a professional logo and website to it all soon....but I'm kinda burned out on spending money before I start making money. In the meantime, Coach Steph Personal Training is still legit and that's kind of a cool thing.

But in the meantime, I'm nervous as all heck.

On the marathon training front, I just completed my last 20 miler in preparation for BCS on December 9. Overall, it was a good run. I feel pretty strong. A bit slower than my other 20 miler but that was merely because of gastro problems with 6 miles to go. If that hadn't slowed me down, I'm certain my time would have been faster than my last 20 miler. I woke up today with little soreness. The next 3 weeks will be focusing on strength, a little more speedwork, some interval training, and some mid-distance runs. Hopefully the taper won't make me completely freak out.

Now, if only someone would do my Christmas shopping for me.

Certifications, Bikes, Swim Lessons, and a lot of Miles

Wow...the last few weeks have been CRAZY.

Several weeks ago my coach warned me that my schedule was going to start looking like an Ironman schedule. No kidding...yesterday I took a look at what a typical week will be for the next 6 weeks and it does amaze me that I'm going to be doing this week after week...and I'm going to LIKE IT....well, mostly.

Mon: Personal training session, 20 mile bike ride
Tues: Interval training - 5-7 miles
Wed: Personal training session, Speedwork - 4-6 miles
Thurs: 8 mile Tempo run
Fri: Swim lesson, core work
Sat: Coaching plus Long Run (12-20 miles)
Sun: Long Run if not done Saturday

Some weeks there is no day off, although there is enough variety that I shouldn't burn myself out.

You'll notice that there are two very big new things in that schedule...personal training and swim lessons. That's right. I signed up for both. $900 poorer but I have 13 personal training sessions and 6 private swim lessons to look forward to. I had my first PT session yesterday and my trainer, Ryan, completely kicked my butt. It was a circuit type workout that focused mostly on upper body and core, with squats thrown in for good measure and my heart rate was sky high for a lot of it. I feel like not only am I going to get a great workout twice a week but I'm learning a lot of valuable tips for when I start work as a personal trainer.

That's right....I'M CERTIFIED!

On September 13 I took the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certification exam and passed on my first try. It was a tough test, I spent countless hours over the last 6 months studying everything you can imagine about the human body and exercise, and now I can begin work training others to find the fitness that is within us all. It's almost surreal. I've talked to friends about employment possibilities and I'm looking forward to where God leads me to be. After 11 years with the "Mom" and "Wife" moniker, I get to add "Trainer" to it...it feels good to have something of my own and to help contribute to our household.

Next Friday I start swim lessons. I decided to sign up for private lessons at a local swim school. Daniella takes lessons at this pool and they have many hours during the day where they conduct private lessons while kids are in school. I thought this would be a perfect fit for me as I'm very nervous about learning to properly swim. The less people around, the better! I hope my instructor, Donna, is ready for me!

Purchasing training sessions and swim lessons wasn't the last of my "bleeding money" week, however. I have a pretty new addition to my family.

Isn't she beautiful?? My very first road bike. She's brand new but I found her on clearance and she's perfect for what I need right now. And she's purple. Because of course I would buy a purple road bike. I'm very excited to get her out on the road next week and see how it feels to ride faster than 13 mph (love my mountain bike, but I'm ready for a bit more speed!). I did a spin workout (my first time!) a couple weeks ago and maintained a 21+ mph average over the course of the hour class so I'm wondering how I will fair out on the open roads. I know I'll be wary of traffic and it'll take awhile to get comfortable but I think it'll be a great experience.

I've enjoyed this view for the past few weeks on my mountain bike, but it's time for the road!

So between running 20-40 miles per week, riding 20+ miles per week, 2 hours of personal training, a swim lesson, and seeking employment, my house should sufficiently go the hell, right?

Poor Greg. 

My weeks haven't solely focused on training, however. I'm trying to find the blessings in the little things and have been taking opportunities to appreciate what and who is around me.

The kiddos started school. I have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader now.

I got to spend a day exploring Austin with this fabulous lady, Tricia

Went to an Eric Church concert with friends Heather and Bre. SO MUCH FUN!

Next up?? I get to wear my Team Luke's gear in my first race representing them. The IBM Uptown Classic, sponsored by Luke's, is next Sunday. Tricia and I get to run together (if she can handle all my chatter!). Really looking forward to it!

FEELING BLESSED.