Fitness Matters

Fitness Matters: Enjoy journey and experience
From www.rochestermn.com by Shelly Greenfield

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to compete again in the Fitness America Pageant in Las Vegas.

There were hundreds of beautiful fit ladies, nearly 600 competitors this year. With divisions of fitness, bikini, figure, model, and muscle, women from all over the world came to show their amazing physiques hoping to take home a trophy for all their hard efforts and preparation.

I wish I could say I came home with a trophy, but I can't. Am I disappointed? You bet I am, but I have to keep it all in perspective. I competed in two categories, bikini classic which is divided by age, 35-44 years old, and looking for a soft, lean fit body, and the figure classic that is a more defined physique but still feminine.

I have to say, I have never seen so many amazing figures all in one place!

Most of us are busy mommies, with careers, hobbies, and excruciating schedules, but manage to put it all together to pursue a passion. It becomes a sisterhood like no other. We all know the dedication, commitment, and sacrifice it takes to get in the best shape of your life.

There is a place for everyone here, and there can only be one winner, and five ladies in the top five. Even if we don't make those top spots, what matters is that we gave it our all, and we are our own personal best. By exceeding our own previous level of fitness, we walk away as winners, whether there is a trophy in hand or not.

A subjective sport is tough on the ego and the heart, but what I take away from this experience is what I tell my own clients: "enjoy the journey and the experience."

We can all relate to that. Whether you are just beginning to pursue your fitness goals or in the heart of it all, you have to see it as a journey. There really is no ending to getting fit. You will have goals along the way, but there will never be an ending. Once you get to where you think you want to be, it's time to set another goal, whether that is maintenance or another level bove where you are.

Health and fitness is a path, with some destinations and stops along the way. Sometimes there are detours, like family issues, health issues, injuries, etc, that slow you down. Dealing with what is in front of you, and getting back on track as soon as you can will help you maintain your focus.

I know for me, I had some over training issues and needed to take some downtime to let my body recover by getting rest, eating a well balanced clean diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting deep tissue massages. Taking time off was essential to get past this, but I also knew I was on a tight timeline and felt the pressure to get all my workouts in.

Others had much more serious setbacks. One competitor had the news two weeks ago that her cancer had come back, but she chose to press on with her passion and deal with the medical issues when she returns home. She is a woman of utter strength and mental toughness.

So the journey continues, and we all return home, and keep working at becoming our personal best. Take pride in what you accomplish with whatever obstacles you may have.

Shelly Greenfield is a certified fitness trainer and writes a weekly fitness column for the Post-Bulletin. If you have an idea for a fitness profile, contact her at shellyg-mytrainer@hotmail.com

Fitness Matters

Monday

A Diet Myth Revealed: The New Accelerated Diet Plan - The New Accelerated Diet Plan | Google Groups

Wednesday

Fitness Matters

Feedjit