Fitboost – Journal Entry

5:45 amI look out the window and see a glow. Realize it’s snow and start imagining myself on the trail running. Out here in The Muskokas, that run is going to rock. First a little pre-workout nourishment – coffee where are you? Powerball 1 and 2 in hand, I sip and imagine the run.

I’m at a friend’s cottage on Lake Muskoka in the middle of winter and it’s picture postcard stunning. Everyone else in the party – there are 7 of us altogether – is still asleep.

6:30 am
On the trail up here one can run in the dark. I think of another time running on the road near my house. The early morning traffic does not care about a runner. Even the Petzl and neon reflective jacket made me more of a target than a “beware of moving obstacle” warning.

Leggings on, hat and windbreaker, I hit the road. The Petzl lights up my way. Fat flakes of fluffy snow land on my face. It’s like a beautiful dance of sparkles in front of me. No one is around. All I can hear is the snow falling – and that is quiet. To run in peace like that is beautiful, meditative. It’s less about distance and more about getting my body to that happy place.

7:30 am
FitBoost cardio done. Ready for my circuits now, I pick up my weights and begin. Any physical exercise is such a joy for me. When I think about the many who regard working out as punishment, I stop for a minute and remember my stepson, Braden, who was bedridden for most of his young life. Then I push myself harder because I do it for those who can’t. Whatever your WHY is, make it a good enough reason to drive you to that good place, because not doing so is intolerable. Exercise is hugely meditative for me. It’s less about my physical body and more about how I am cleaning out my head. An hour can slip by very quickly.

9:00 am
Time for Breakfast 2. Hot oatmeal, flax seed, berries and steamed, frothy nut milk are on the menu. The soft, grey organic eggs are already boiled. A cup of Dandy Blend coffee, topped with cinnamon nut milk – to quote Fat Bastard, the Mike Meyers character, “GET IN MY BELLY!” Making food like this is a no brainer. I can’t consider the WalMart diet – white bread, orange juice, jam, sugary cereal – that load of sugar is not getting anywhere near me.

10:30 am
Time to write my blog. When I write, I think of how I can best serve you. Yes, I am thinking of you often. What can I tell you about my life that will help you? Have I shared enough? What do you want to know? Should I tell you how challenging these years have been? Or do you want to know what I eat for breakfast? How I handle stress? Do I have a new love in my life? What my dreams are? What do you want to know?

I am supposed to be writing about FitBoost now. How the circuits were designed to stimulate fat burning. How I used my training tips from contest prep to build the programs. How I worked with Dr. Rachel Corradetti, my daughter and naturopathic doctor, to build the menu plan and macronutrient proportions. How the private FaceBook group is so amazing – the threads! How the community has thousands of members. How participants are chiming in with results like 10 pounds of weight loss.

But you know all that.

I will tell you instead, that I love what I do. That I saved my own life by Eating Clean and training. That one thing I know for sure, is how necessary it is to take care of oneself in these ways because life will keep tossing curveballs at you and survival is all about how you catch those balls. Fitness and health are not fixed points. They live on a continuum and we find ourselves somewhere on that line from one day to the next. Success in fitness and wellness is best described as the overall effort we are willing to put in to meet the demands of this crazy little thing called life.

1:00 pm
Writing done.
The girls are calling. Time to play in the snow. Will send pics of 7 crazy ladies making snow angels and have a snow ball fight shortly.

Hugs and love,
Tosca

PS. Tell me your favorite result from FitBoost and how you are planning to play today.
xo
TR