Warrior Athlete | Heart to courageously live life with purpose

Do you fall under the definition of a warrior athlete?

war•ri•or 
1. One who is engaged in or experienced in warfare
2. One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause or conflict.

ath•lete
n. A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

The Warrior Athlete is forged from flesh and bone, has the spirit of a Warrior. While through the heat of intense unconventional workouts and daily life challenges, the warrior athlete is hardened by a disciplined approach to physical recovery and is targeted like a laser in an unflinching pursuit of self mastery.

The Warrior Athlete views their training not as simply a separate time of day where they work and sweat, but as a necessary component of your entire life that merges body, mind, and spirit.

Training for the Warrior Athlete 

A good training program should be designed with results in mind. While several claim this, the majority of programs are built on specializing in a single area. Obvious flaws with this philosophy exist as most…

    * Bodybuilder, Fitness and Figure athletes don’t use a program built for a runner.
    * Runners don’t use a program of a swimmer.
    * Swimmer’s don’t use a program of yoga Master.
    * Yoga Masters don’t use a program of a wrestler.
 
Which describes you?
You must be all of them, and more.
 
You are a “Warrior Athlete” when you can physically and mentally handle any situation.  

    * Strength to move a heavy object or subdue an attacker.
    * Speed to make the final push at the end of the race.
    * Power and grace like a cheetah.
    * Stamina and endurance to ascend to the top of the mountain.
    * Heart to courageously live life with purpose.

“The only easy day was yesterday.” This statement is confirmed daily at M2 Fitness Pros as people from all walks of life come in to the pride with the thought that they are ready to commit to excellence, which is highly unique by most standards these days- the fitness of the classic warrior athlete has become a model for many clients who have no training experience or little appetite for it.

In a sense, M2 Fitness Pros and The Warrior Athlete™ address this fragility to be sure. We are all vulnerable to disease and disability, whether through daily challenge, sickness, or old age. We need coaching to prepare for this- indeed, hard training and instruction, if we are not to be totally undone by life’s challenges.

How might the Warrior Athlete program help an M2 athlete or team member face the day to day requirements of an aggressive training schedule and full life?

There is a striking paradox about which there has been a stunning silence: a warrior athletes’ body is in many ways a very personal investment specific to our own interests and goals, and yet the sacrifices he or she makes are utilized on a very public stage.

Can Warrior Athlete training help those facing challenges beyond the physical arena?

The philosophy about the warrior athlete program is extreme, intense and insane. Yes, people with ordinary skills and weak temperament will be challenged… some will move forward a bit further, others will break down and a select few “the Elite” will continue to climb on up the mountain.

Where will you be?

What if I told you that you could eat your way skinny? You’d probably think I was crazy or assumed it had something to do with ingesting spaghetti made from tapeworms. Either way you’d be wrong.

In fact, there is a way that you could eat your way to significant and long term fat loss results. It’s called ketogenics.

Ketogenics is a term that’s simply refers to the process required for your body to enter a state called ketosis. Ketosis occurs when your body begins using fat as its main source of energy above all other types of energy sources including proteins and carbohydrates. Once your body enters this state it becomes much easier for your body to utilize stored fat deposits for energy thus resulting in automatic and ongoing fat loss.

So, if ketogenics is so incredible and can be your answer to fat loss… WHY HAVENT YOU HEARD OF IT?

Well, you probably have. Ketosis is at the core of many fat loss programs and diets including the incredibly popular Atkins program. Some people fear this diet because it touts ingesting large amounts of fatty foods which some believe could be extremely harmful to your body.

The fact of the matter is that when your body enters the state of ketosis it will burn most, if not all of these fats for energy so very little will be stored in the body or broken down and result in fat in the blood stream.

To understand why this ketogenic diet can be so effective at burning fat you have to look at how your body normally operates.

The body’s preferred source of fuel is carbohydrates and is very effective at metabolizing carbohydrates to use for fuel. Because of this fact your body actually craves carbohydrates on a regular basis which usually leads to us over eating them.

When the body eats too many carbohydrates than it can process, it breaks them down and stores them as fat for later use. If your body does not have a source of carbohydrates to use for energy, it must look for another source.

If you severely limit the amount of carbohydrates that you eat and instead replace them with fat, your body will go through a process and adjustment that will allow it to metabolize the fat for energy as well. In addition, once the body begins to use fat as fuel it will be much easier for it to metabolize stored fat as fuel thereby helping to speed up existing fat loss.

This article merely represents an introduction to the process of ketogenics and ketosis. If you are interested in pursuing this type of dietary plan for use in your own fat loss program, it is recommended that you do more research and get all the facts necessary to ensure a healthy and productive fat loss program. If followed correctly and monitored regularly, ketogenics can truly be your key to fat loss success.

One of my favorite things in the world is ice cream. Well one of my favorite things in the world is chocolate also. Did I mention how much I love cake? Okay, you might be starting to see a pattern here.

The great thing about junk food today is that there are so many low-fat options. 

If you notice, Just about every box or container that you see down a junk food aisle has at least one fat-free or low-fat option. “This is great for me since I am such a fan of junk food but don’t want to indulge in the extra fat that it puts into my body”.

I LOVE JUNK FOOD …

If this line of thinking sounds like you, HAVE we got news for you.

The fact is, fat can be our friend. Now there is something you won’t see on the outside of most packages of tasty treats. You see, it’s not always the fat that is a problem for us when trying to lose weight. It is more often the combination of fat and sugar that becomes explosive.

A Twinkie, for instance, is almost a perfect combination of fat and sugar. The same can be said for ice cream. We like sugar ok, and are not too fond of fat by itself, but combine the two and watch out!

So, the low fat options are obviously better, right? Not necessarily.

When your body eats sugar, your pancreas will produce insulin into your bloodstream to help break down the sugar. Too much blood sugar can lead to a host of health problems including diabetes if left unchecked for long period of time. When this process occurs, the body shuts down the fat burning system while the insulin does its work.

Therefore, combining sugar with fat allows the sugar to get processed but not the fat and this is one of the main reasons why eating these junk foods contribute to a healthier (fatter) belly than a healthier body.

In addition, the body is extremely efficient at converting excess sugars into fat so if you eat too high a concentration of these junk foods, you’re getting hit with the fat that can’t be processed because of the insulin production we spoke about, and the excess sugar that can be broken down and stored as fat as well.

Many folks think that when they purchase a low-fat sweet treat that they’re doing themselves a favor, but research shows that people will eat more of these low-fat treats that still contained the same or sometimes more sugar than the products that contain fat. This leads to the sugar being stored as fat as we mentioned before and doesn’t offer a truly viable alternative.

So what type of snacks can you eat if you’re looking to burn fat?

First of all, limit sugars of any kind. The increase in blood sugar that they can cause coupled with the fact that excess sugars can be easily converted into fat make eating them generally an unhealthy food choice. In addition it is possible to eat a high-fat high-protein diet, if you follow a specific plan that will allow your body to begin using the fat you take in as energy, and in turn burn the stores of fat that you already have. This type of diet is generally known as a ketogenic diet and can be very successful for you if followed correctly.

In addition, learn to choose foods that are satisfying without having to contain the combination of processed sugars and fats to achieve their taste. It can be tough, but so can this…

and beleive me, these “extra” pounds of fat on the body are even tougher.

Moving away from these junk foods and training your body to begin burning fat instead of storing it can be your solution to the ongoing fat loss and a healthier you.

When it comes to fat loss for women, it can be a pretty unforgiving world indeed. We’ve all share the pain. Just about every magazine you pick up has the next sex symbol on the cover or some shapely starlet looking slim in the flesh, or one that’s featuring about how an A-list actress must’ve gained a few pounds based on some recent unsightly photos taken of her.

These body images that women are forced to endure on a regular basis can be harmful and  lead to unhealthy exercise and eating habits in some women who try to mimic the look of the Hollywood star the media hypes and showcases daily.

Sure, it’s helpful for a hollywood celeb to slim down in a hurry when they have a team of professional trainers and nutritionist to whip them into shape.

So how can you own an A-list body of your own?

The key to effective and consistent fat loss for women, though, is less about eating less than it is about eating right and exercising.

The goal is to get your body into a state in which it wants to burn fat on its own and make proper eating habits second nature for you. Below are some fat loss strategies for you to make the journey to fat loss an easier one indeed.

Eat smaller, Eat often. We’ve all heard about eating fewer meals more often throughout the day but what is behind this recommendation?

Well, when your body is introduced to food it begins to work on processing it. Calories are actually burned during this process helping to kick the fat burning process into gear as well.

If you starve yourself, your body will fight to maintain whatever body fat it currently has and will become more efficient at turning the food it does receive into fat as it perceives it must do this in order for you to survive. 

Eating small meals more times throughout the day allows your body to continually work to burn calories thus speeding up the process of fat loss.

Skip the sugar-Bring on the fat.

This fat loss tip can be scary to some women, but if you check out the science behind it, then adopting this one may be truly helpful. A diet that is high in fat and low in sugar can help induce your body into a state called ketosis, which simply means that your body is burning fat instead of other sources of energy.

This will allow your body to burn the fat it does eat and in turn become more effective at burning your existing stores and using those for energy as well.

Bodybuilding for Beauty? Absolutely!

The fact is, muscle burns twice as many calories as fat but it takes up half the space. Fat molecules are not as dense as those of muscle so therefore two people could weigh the same exact weight and the one with more fat would appear much larger than the one with more muscle. Working out with weights and building muscle can be extremely beneficial in your goal for fat loss.

Don’t worry about looking too bulky, as this is not likely to happen. 

The more weight you lift the more muscle you build for a shapely and toned physique. Yes, this applies to all you ladies out there! Contrary to popular beliefs, imposing a sufficient workload “weight” heavy enough to create change will not take you to she-man status.

Instead, your body will begin to burn your stores of fat while you increase your muscle mass and you will most likely stay about the same size or even appear to get smaller even though your weight might be about the same as when you started.

Adding more muscle to your frame is one of the easiest and most successful fat loss strategies for women.

So if you’re looking to get into that hot bikini and hit the beach with a rocking body, please pay attention to these re-fat loss tips for women.

Eat 4 to 6 small meals throughout the day, remove as many sugars from your diet and instead focus on fats and proteins, and maintain a rigorous exercise program that includes weight training to build that muscle your body needs and you will be well on your way to some serious fat loss.

I see it every day. First thing in the morning, people are running up and down the street, sweating it out.

Sun, rain or freezing cold temps, whatever, there are folks out there doing “road work.” I know all of them feel good about themselves, and why not? Taking such a consistent approach to staying in shape is something that should be heralded.

The one thing about all these people though, I’ll admit it drives me a little batty, is that while I see them run “every day” whether outdoors or indoor at the local gym, for some it’s been YEARS now, well, they all look just about the same– day in and day out.

Yes, they run every day, no question. They are obviously exercising, but their bodies still look the same. The couple who wear the jumpsuits and run ten to twelve miles a day still have their poochy bellies. The blond haired lady with the headphones who goes from a spin class to every cardio machine on the floor at the gym is still carrying a little extra in the “back”. And I know you’ve all seen the folks wrapped up in their sauna suits, drenched in sweat… How can this be? 

They are running and frequently exercising to stay in shape, so why don’t they look different?

They are so many myths about getting into shape, and one of them is that simply doing ANYTHING active for a certain period of time will get you into shape. This is simply not true. You see, your body is built to adapt. If you do something long enough, your body will get used to it. It will change for a time in order to make your body more efficient at doing the activity, but once you have done it long enough, your body will simply stop changing, it’s true!

The fact is you have to keep pushing your body to achieve results. This is known as PROGRESSIVE RESISTANCE training. Simply put, do something for awhile, increase the workload, do it some more. The key to this type of training is to continually make your workouts harder. If all you did was lift a 5lb weight, pretty soon, that weight will be too light for you. If you continue to lift it, you will not make progress. You have to keep lifting heavier and heavier weights to make progress.

Ok, so you now know why some of these runners are not making progress, but, is there anything else to the equation? You bet there is! Getting into shape is a process that really requires you have a program that is multi-tired. What I mean by that is, running alone is ok, but running, combined with some weight lifting, combined with eating nutritional foods to support your muscles and encourage fat loss is a MUCH better plan.

Who knows, maybe some of the people who regularly run in my neighborhood are starting each day with 3 donuts followed by a milkshake. Your diet is one of the most important elements of your plan to stay in shape. It is also one of the most neglected. Most people think that if they are doing SOME sort of physical exercise, they can eat whatever they want; sure, if you want to stay stagnant. Chances are you’ll continue to work harder at keeping the weight off.

So, while running will not necessarily get you into the shape you want, it IS a great start. Just about any exercise can be the foundation of a good program to get into shape. To be truly successful though, you must continually work to increase the amount of work you do, as well as couple your exercise with a healthy and well balanced diet.

Every product in the world promises it will help you melt away the fat and lose weight fast. From the “One day diet” to patches, gadgets, and pills … STOP! These dietary supplements are being sold by the billions, praying on your false hopes, and yet the supplement industry continues to plunk down their latest and greatest “weight loss” products on the shelves with claims to reduce weight.

Don’t be fooled, most products deliver NOTHING but worthless promises. 

Maybe you have an upcoming event you want to look great for, or maybe you want to be ready for beach season just right around the corner, or maybe you have a medical condition that is threatening to get worse, there are many reasons why you may want to lose weight.

Here are some realistic tips to help you achieve that goal that won’t threaten your health OR cause you to go into the poorhouse.

Write down everything you eat. This sounds simple, but simply following this one tip can help you lose some serious body fat. I strongly recommend writing down the foods BEFORE you eat them. Why? Well, when you are starting down at a list that says “6 Oreo cookies and 32 ounces of milk” It is sure to make an impact on you, that is, if you are serious about losing weight. This little psychological trick will help you to make better food choices, eat less, and reach your weight loss goals more quickly.

Eat 5-6 small meals per day. We have all heard this, but why should we eat 5-6 small meals per day? The more frequently you eat, the more your metabolism works. Once you get your metabolism set on overdrive, you will burn calories even while you are sleeping.

Eat foods that promote weight loss. I am not just talking about coffee and tea; I am talking about nutritional whole foods that can help your body burn fat. The good news is, the list is long and includes such staples as eggs, beans, oatmeal, olive oil, whole grains and more. Do your research, make your grocery list, and eat your way to fast weight loss!

Start (or modify) a regular exercise program. Ok, no brainer alert, a good diet is number one on the list, but a quality exercise program is a close second. I am not just talking about joining a gym and checking in a few times a month, or walking around your neighborhood for 30 minutes three times a week.

I am talking about sweating, hard pounding, muscle building, fat burning hardcore workouts! Now, if you are really out of shape, you do have to take it slow, but you want to work up to the point where you are doing some serious work and doing it on a regular basis.

Cut out the sugar!!! One of the hardest things to do while trying to lose weight fast is to cut down on the carbs. Carbohydrates represent just about everything we love! Bread, pasta, and most of all sweets! Candies, cookies, cakes, and all those things we may crave. The fact of the matter is, it is sugar that is our enemy, not so much fat. Research indicates that our bodies are more likely to store the sugars we eat as fat rather than the fat we eat. Sounds contradictory, but thems the breaks!

Trust me, you will NOT look this excited!

There you have it. 5 steps to help you lose weight fast. They’re easy to follow, easy to remember and the best thing about it—it won’t cost you a dime! The foods you eat in step 3 can be incorporated into your regular monthly budget so as not to cost you any extra money.

Here’s to your success, good luck!

Just about everyone you know probably wants to lose some body fat, right? Maybe they are not out to drop 50 pounds or turn into a muscle head, but they probably have a few unwanted inches here or there they could stand to lose. 

We all begin to accumulate fat as we get older and the older we are the harder it gets to lose this stored fat. Sure, you may exercise here and there and some even go as far as buying the latest products, but usually the results are typically the same. Either the fat won’t go away or you may lose a few pounds, but only to gain it back even MORE. 

What if there were a secret to burning fat? What if there was one secret method that, if followed consistently, would turn our bodies into fat burning machines? We could lose fat and inches everyday with almost no effort. How great would that be?

Well…actually, there IS such a secret. No, I’m serious, and I know what it is. Come here. Lean in a little closer, I have to whisper it because if this gets out, I could get in serious trouble. Ok, here it is…EAT MORE FOOD. I am serious! Not JUST more food, but more of the RIGHT kinds of food. Before you throw the computer across the room because you think I just BS you, let me elaborate.

Our bodies are built for survival. Almost everything about the functions of our bodies are designed to keep us alive. We feel pain when something is hot so we can move away from that thing. We shiver when we are cold so we will cover up and get warm to protect our bodies, and, we feel hunger so we will eat and provide nourishment and energy so our bodies will keep working.

is this need for a constant source of energy that causes weight gain. Some bodies are more efficient than others at using and storing energy. Someone whose body is really efficient will actually store more calories, which in turn will often turn to fat.

Someone whose body is less efficient will burn every calorie as soon as it is introduced into the body. These are the skinny people that most envy. The key to this secret is to get your body to burn the calories being introduced rather than store them all.

How? You have to eat more. I am not necessarily talking about more calories, but eating more frequently. If you only ate once a day, you may think you’re doing yourself a favor. You are eating fewer calories so you will lose weight, right? Not so fast.

You see, your body senses that you are only putting a few calories in at a time. This makes the body go into survival mode. Since it’s getting fewer calories than it needs it wants to become even more efficient, working to store any calories it can because it doesn’t know when the next ones will be coming into the body. Because you are eating less, you are in effect starving yourself.

Once you break down and really eat, your body is so happy to see the influx of calories that it works to store them all. This explains why so many people experience yo-yo weight loss and weight gain when on a calorie restricting diet.  A good rule of thumb is to eat 5-6 small meals a day, starting with a power breakfast first thing in the morning. The sooner you eat in the morning, the sooner you get your metabolism kicked into gear and burning fat.

As you introduce these small, regular portions of food into your body, your body is not in fear that it won’t have energy to operate, so instead of storing everything as fat for later use, it will simply burn the calories as food as they are introduced.

So, there you have it. Eating 5-6 small meals per day is a sure and proven way to turn your body into a fat burning machine.

Keep in mind these meals must be healthy and of a variety of food. Fruits and vegetables, as you may have guessed are best, but I promise to go into more details about nutrition in a later article. For now focus on getting your metabolism kicked started and burning fat!

Yes! you too can indulge on these oatmeal pancakes… but HOW?

SUPER CARDIO SUNDAY…

We just finished another blazing “Super Cardio Sunday.” While the rest of the country is still under freezing temperatures, we’re turning our ocean front playground into an invigorating and intense obstacle course. It’s a tough life, I know.

So would you like to know how to blast off that body fat and turn yourself into a high performance machine? Yeah? How about we throw in a chiseled six-pack to go with it?

Well then, have your power fuel and c’mon out to our backyard…

It’s an open shoreline without limits.

There are miles of terrain we can mold into the perfect training environment to really shake things up a bit.

Our fully equipped outdoor gym is stocked with all the amenities you’d expect from a world class training facility like the scenic fifty yard grass field used for conditioning, agility, and speed drills. On the lower level, you’ll find an array of terrains ranging from sand for firing up the stabilizers to hilly surfaces for building power and speed to rows of stairs for fat blasting butt-kicking workouts. You’ll get a chiseled beach body in just sixty minutes all while having some fun in the sun. You’ll love it!

We can always expect a great turnout from all the loyal weekend warriors, hi-5 troops! Showing up is half the battle. Got your vitamin D and you most definitely conquered.

Glen, Denise, Aries, Jasmine, Teresa – You’re all off to a great start. You are, officially, a part of the elite M2 crew! Welcome aboard.

Cynthia is another one of our promising newcomers and she’s showing no signs of slowing down as she heads into her fifth week. Way to go, Cynthia! Watch out for this lady – she’s a crowned cardio queen.

Another of the many prime performers in the fold is Tricia and believe me when I tell you, this young one is an absolute animal. Giving it her all at every session – her energy and work ethic is infectious, turning something grim for some into great fun. This young warrior will encourage you to raise the bar.

For today’s run, we started with a dynamic grass warm-up drill then followed that up with 100 meter inclined up-back-over sprints with a super set of stairs using sub to near max intensity intervals. We ended it all with a series of recovery exercises and cool down stretches.  This is one of our weekly high intensity MAX-OUT workouts. We’re talking 0 to 60!

As for me, the three month “off” season has come and gone and I’m finally being put to the test… one tough crowd! Hang tight folks. We’re at eighteen weeks out from the USA National Championships now, which means ”GAME TIME”, time to step it up all! I’m coming back strong so consider today’s workout the line in the sand. No more Nice Gal. From here on out, bring it! 

So, if you’re a determined, motivated fitness overachiever or a casual weekend warrior or if you’re just looking to put some steam in your engine, then come and get your heart charged up in the sun.

A hardcore fat-blaster is waiting for you – let’s do it!

M2 4 LIFE

“They overcome through sheer exertion of will, shattering the fallacy of the immovable object by becoming the unstoppable force”.

Feb 28

Amongst the early birds to check-in this morning was none other than M2’s female warrior athlete, Chelsea, who clocked in at 12%!!

 I look back at all of the hardships and tired days, feelings of exhaustion/soreness/fatigue, and I say to myself, “WOW, what a hard journey!” but my gosh was it worth it! ~Chelsea

Go ladies!! We’re on your team…
 “M2fitness Pros & Tight Curves 12 Week Body Transformation Challenge”
December 10th, 2008 to February 28, 2009
 
Chelsea Cho
Rebecca Lara
 Carol Cristobal

M2’s next generation of female warrior athletes is primed and ready for the challenges ahead. They are about to embark on a 12 week long journey that will change their lives forever. Under the coaching of M2’s very own, Bea Fox, these brave warrior athletes are going to relearn how to breathe, eat and train as they join hundreds of other motivated participants across the nation.

When their journey is complete and all there obstacles bested, you will bear witness to the remarkable transformation these determined women have undergone.

It was not until I was at my lowest (physically and emotionally) that I decided I needed to go back, I needed something to work towards a goal. ~ Carol

RECAP

To give our motivated M2 team members a firm foundation to build upon, and for some added enlightenment we teamed up with “Bodywell Nutrition” during an intense twelve week national body transformation campaign.

By instilling in them the ideals of living and thinking healthier, they will have the tools to help them reach the next level.

Would I be able to do it? … was a question that repeatedly went through my head. ~Rebecca

With just a number of weeks to modify and reverse years of self destructive patterns, the team set off on a real life journey to reach their physical peaks. They would know that there would be sacrifices to make and demands to live up to, doubting their own abilities but fueled with the burning flame of team spirit, these courageous batch of M2 female warrior athletes stepped up to battle for the ultimate challenge. 

“I still remember the first day I walked in and how reluctant I felt in terms of believing in myself and really believing that I would succeed and achieve my goals”. ~Chelsea

We didn’t try. We combined each other’s strengths; dove in whole hearted and set the plan into action.

“Then I did the unthinkable… I started doing two hours of Cardio a day and had to get up at 4:45 am to do my first hour of Cardio… by then I knew I had it in me. I was a different person…  I said it… I believed it… and then I just did it.” ~Rebecca

Conditioning the mind is the first step towards completion of a real life goal. We prepared to battle and triumph by any means necessary.

What did it take?

Organization to mentally shift gears and diligently map out a three month strategy with the discipline to stick to a schedule- commitment to follow through, accountability to show up and perform the task each day, and even going as far as changing their immediate surroundings to suit their new lifestyle. 

Changing my life style, my priorities, my friends and my mind has at times made me want to break down. ~Rebecca

 “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.”

On top of that, we organized a proven menu plan along with a series of training methods and systems specific to those of a figure athlete in pre contest mode.

I accomplished the biggest feat of my life and I’ve overcome the one thing in my life that has negatively affected me the most. ~Chelsea

During that 12 week stretch, we forged an alliance. Each team member acted as each other’s conscious holding each accountable for their commitment and performance. We provided a week by week 5-6 day work schedule, starting off with an early- to-rise sixty minute cardio session. The training included a combination of aggressive weight circuits with a mixture of HIIT calisthenics and agility type drills focusing on their individual strengths and weaknesses, followed by another sub to near max PM Cardio session.

On Sundays, we took their routine to the great outdoors for an invigorating and rigorous Super Cardio HIIT obstacle course.  Utilizing a mind-over-matter approach for a support system, the ladies managed to keep each other sharp and focused even during their moments of breakdown.

To achieve any significant success we need to learn from others in order to learn more about ourselves.

If it were not for my fellow competitors and coach, I probably would have quit. ~ Carol

Staying in the moment and not getting too far ahead of themselves proved to be vital in understanding their own strengths and limitations.

We have instilled a variety of healthy values by creating a state of mind that has allowed the team to fulfill their physical transformation and gain new found knowledge, wisdom, understanding, self-awareness, and inner strength to continue to conquer and pursue their successes.

I’m stronger, more confident and I have to admit… I LOOK DAM GOOD! And no one can take that away from me because I earned it! ~Rebecca

Will this be their final destination? 

Q&A’s & Results coming up next…

Twelve weeks ago you had an ultimatum… “ALL or nothing”!  I salute you for never giving up the fight…  You are warriors of life.

Although Jon’s training techniques may slightly vary from ours, our language is indistinguishable.

 
BELIEF by Jon Gilson

As a child, you can do anything.  The future is an unwritten story, unencumbered by the fetters of harsh reality.  Belief is easy to come by, as simple as hearing or seeing.  Potential is infinite, and always given its due.

As we get older, living is no longer an exercise in blind faith.  Doubt creeps in, and skepticism finds its way into our minds. The world gives us our knocks, and with each blow, the bounds of reality narrow.  The vernacular of the impossible impregnates our speech and infects our actions, until we stay with the safe, the pleasant, and the known, afraid to push back against the unfamiliar and the difficult.

This unfortunate evolution leaves us unsure of our abilities, scared to display incompetence and unwilling to attempt the unknown.  Terrified of another hard knock, we display only those traits with known rewards and certain payoffs.  We become small and weak as the chains of doubt weave themselves into our lives.
We cannot conquer frustration by quitting, nor defeat the unknown with doubt.

Every time you grab a barbell or strap on a weight vest, you have the opportunity to reverse this disastrous course.  Instead of succumbing to the gravity of your misgivings, you can take heart in your potential.   You can push back against the pain, secure in the knowledge that every failure can be remedied, every misstep righted.  With a piece of cold rolled steel, you can crush the virus of inadequacy beneath your heel.

We don’t trade in exercise.  We trade in the idea that your potential is exactly what you believe it to be.  Squats, pull-ups and levers are merely tools, a chance to show the world that it is wrong, its lessons flawed.  We cannot conquer frustration by quitting, nor defeat the unknown with doubt.  Meekness can never be rewarded, and with every clash, we scream this message.

I’ve seen athletes perform the impossible, heaving against every fiber of their being, a living war cry in the face of adversity.  They overcome through sheer exertion of will, shattering the fallacy of the immovable object by becoming the unstoppable force.  These athletes come from a thousand different places, unique only in their refusal to accept the world’s false constraints.  They choose to believe in their own capacity for greatness, and they are rewarded.

Belief is a place where the irrational exuberance of childhood finds new life, where the burden of the past is shed in favor of the promise of the future.  Belief is a chance to give all the hard knocks back, to free ourselves to become anything.  Stop wondering if you can, and know that achievement is as simple as trying, over and over again.

INCH BY INCH… STEP BY STEP

I had this queasy feeling in my stomach this morning. One week off from my cardio or training routine can feel like an eternity in my world.

However after all the tremendous physiological and psychological efforts that go into months of a competitive season as a figure athlete, we’re often times left with a mess of adrenal stressors to sort through such as the exhausted feelings that can often leave one feeling lifeless. This in turn can be a detriment to one’s ability to train as hard or follow the required dietary strategies.

I’m often asked “what drives me to do what I do?”  Or better yet, “why do I continue to pursue something that seems so out of reach?” oh, wait! It gets better… at my “age”–ARE YOU KIDDING!? or are you challenging me? Let’s get this straight… first off, I don’t ever see anything as out of my reach and age has nothing to do with desire, commitment, will power and or success. Personally, I find this very easy to answer, but when I pose the question in return it appears to be a difficult one for most to even acknowledge.

This brings me to ask the question, “what compels you to pursue your highest value or interests?”

Extreme is the very nature of the sport- although some may argue it’s not a sport, fitness is a way of life for us and the torment we face when we make the decision to push ourselves  to a higher level-competitive.

Nevertheless, I know that there are only a select few that have the discipline to endure and carry out such an extreme sacrifice- to tough it out and restructure any of our creature comforts requires a tremendous amount of will power.  Enough to scare the masses.

What kind of person would put themselves through such extremes? Well, all walks of life really– building a competitive physique requires similar disciplines from both male and female. How you decide to live your lifestyle is an individual choice. Whether you’re a male or a female, you have to ask yourself, “am I satisfied with how I look and feel, do I settle? or do I want to push beyond my limits?

I’ll take push anyday, but I’ve also chosen this type of lifestyle for many reasons. A person of my character lives for extremes-the edge. I’m also known for having an addictive personality, which requires a disciplined structure. What does that mean? Perhaps a healthier outlet– ultimately, I believe all the women on a competitive circuit participate for various reasons alike.  Improve all aspects of life– health, mental and physical strength.

It is empowering. Nothing- and I mean nothing compares to the mental focus that competition prep requires.

This forces us to stay humble. If you’ve ever lost everything you know what I mean. It reminds one to never forget how from one day you can taste victory and the next defeat. It reminds one to never get lazy– no shortcuts. There is no easy way out. It reminds me that I am determined to succeed by whatever means necessary. Therefore, for me it represents staying committed to my promises. Being a woman of my word. Fighting till the end– whatever it takes.

Looking back at the huge responsibilities of maintaining a stable business, supporting a family and catering to each of our client’s independent needs, I’ve have to say “yes” being a professional is about knowing when to adjust.

One of the toughest decisions for any athlete to do is to sit the game out. Which is why I no longer take anything for granted. I walk away with a new found gratitude each season- becoming more humble, more mindful and more patient than I had been before.

I work hard and train hard, but my job, now, is to stay healthy and in order ensure positive gains sometimes we’re forced to let go and take a few steps back. This applies to anything in life and it’s ok. At this point, my goal now is not focused solely on my competitive career per se, but my willingness to care for others remains a high priority in my life, especially during these uncertain times when I find myself fortunate enough to have these next month’s to continue providing my full support and commitment to our M2 Fitness Pros family and team of ambitious athletes and clients.

When it comes to dedication, our efforts are first and foremost to you.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your continued loyalty. None of my competitive endeavors would have been possible without you.

Over the course of the next few months, I’ll be conducting interviews with the sports most inspirational and fierce competitive female figure athletes, who are willing to share their life stories, pearls of wisdom and business endeavors.