Strong inspired women pay it forward

Today I am dedicating my blog to the Inspire Fitness Ride Angels, Sherry, Sondra, Peggy, Jean, Youngmin, Emi, and Carla.  For the last 12 weeks I was privileged enough to train a group of women to ride the Cinderella Classic Metric Century (65 miles) and Saturday was the big "dance".  For me, it's always a bit bittersweet to see this day come as it's the end of such a wonderful journey but it also signifies the beginning of many more fun rides and training for all of these women.

Some women came into the training with little to no road experience, others had ridden on the road but not a lot of organized group rides, and some had a lot of road experience.  What was most rewarding for me is that I encouraged the "pay it forward" idea and asked that our veteran riders come back and be mentors or "ride angels" more appropriately :).  I had a group of 10 amazing, strong, inspiring Ride Angels this year that stepped forward and took on the challenge. Each and every one of them found a buddy to mentor and each one of them experienced the joy of mentoring and paying their lessons they learned forward.  This is what makes training women so very special to me and I think I've said before and I geniuinely mean it, that I get as much joy from watching these women become mentors as I do in training them.  There were no diva attitudes, no egos, but always a warm open inviting attitude and a caring spirit that spoke volumes to the new women.

I'm enclosing just a few pics from our windy, chilly but super fun day at the Cinderella.Cinderella Inspire Fitness Gallery of photos

How to Make Hearty Delicious Quinoa Muffins

Ok, I'm on a roll today with making videos.  First of all, when you watch it please excuse the quality of the video.  I totally forgot how poor the quality would be with shooting with the sunlight streaming in behind me (lesson learned).  Next time, I'll do a better job of editing and maybe use some cue cards lol.

So what goes along with great exercise you ask?  Great nutrition right?  You got it.  Today I show you how to make these Quinoa and Egg Muffins - they are my absolute easiest quick meal to make and you can make enough to last you a week (or share with your family and make 2 batches!).  Did you know Quinoa is known as the "protein powerhouse" and is one of those grains that is higher than any other in protein?  Now that's a lot of bang for my protein buck I say!  I love this little dish because it's easy, affordable, and fun to create as you'll see!

Enjoy the recipe and please let me know if you tried it or any ideas on your version!

Watch the "How to Make Quinoa Muffins" video

How to perfect the perfect Pushup Women! You CAN do it!

Watch the VIDEO demonstration of "How to Perfect the Perfect Pushup"

Pushing myself to grow and learn this week

It's been a busy week of bootcamps and creating workouts to share with all of you.
Check out the latest from Inspire Fitness bootcamps

Inspire Fitness Coach takes on the 40/40 TRX challenge 
As a coach I'm constantly striving to be better at what I do and the only way you get better is to push yourself outside the box.  That's why I love this challenge!
I take on the TRX 40/40 Challenge Day 1 Max Effort Test - you can get a TRX at http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=inspirefitness

Inspire Fitness Boot Camps park workout

Workout with inspirefitnessbootcamps.com Coaches at the park. workout - do 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rep, repeat each exercise 8 times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX1PAHVIlN0

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Untitled

Garmin Connect - Cinderella Training Ride Week 8 - 40+ miles Livermore
windy but fun ride with the ladies - they are getting strong and empowered!

Empowered Warrior Women can do Anything!

Looking back on this past week I reflect for a moment on how many amazing empowered women have touched my life and inspired me! I'm writing this to tell you that if you are reading this and feel like you can't do something or have someone or any influence in your life giving you a million reasons why you're not worthy or capable - then I say remove yourself from that negative energy and surround yourself with empowered women.

I choose to surround myself with women that lift each other up each and every day and fill my thoughts with I can and not I can't!  I look at doors that are closed on me and know that there is a reason for that and that soon a door will be revealed that I will walk through and it will be the door I need to go through at that moment in my life.  I'm happy to accept that I love having many different interests, from cycling, to bootcamps, to helping other women grow their individual niches and I'm ok with not having thing to focus on (I think frankly I'd be bored to tears if I had the same job for many years!).  I like coloring outside the lines, being creative, being goofy and I'm ok that I am not perfect, stumble from time to time, but learn from each and every step I take.  I embrace the gift that was given me of putting women together that connect and who can lift each other up to bigger and bettter goals.

I am thankful for empowering women who get this whole idea of embracing each others strengths and working together to make each other successful.  Last night I had the pleasure of attending Warrior Women Wine & Wisdom event.  Hosted by Ann Evanston and Cori Ann Lentz at San Ramon Valley Fitness.  First of all can I say that Cori Ann's studio is a reflection of her!  Beautiful, classy, sexy, warm, inviting, nurturing, uplifting - WOW (not to mention some amazing workout apparel that makes you feel as sexy as you are!).  If you are a woman and live in the San Ramon valley area you have got to take a class from Cori!  She will rock your body and leave you feeling like the sexy woman that you are!

So back to the night...Ann shared with us her journey thru life - some pretty nasty speed bumps along the way and she could of turned down the wrong path but instead dug deep and stayed true to her values. She was just recently named this era's Social Psychologist !   
We got to taste some fabulous wines - exclusive to the Warrior Wine and Women events and I got to meet some amazing women who have had some incredible journeys.  No judging, no diva'ness in the house - just l-o-v-e as Michael Jackson would say :)

Women - find something to like about the next woman you meet - not something to dislike :)

Joy
http://inspirefitnessbootcamps.com

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you you can do. -John Wooden

What I can do and cannot do was the motto of the day today!

I can swing from a trapeze today - YAY.  I can get my knees up and on the bar most of the time :),  Then there is the "catch". So we got to practice just the knees up, hands off for the first hour which was fun and I was getting way more comfortable being 40 feet in the air, harnessed in thank God, and jumping off a teensy weensy platform shared by 2 other people!

Oh... and then there's the catch - which is the last part of the 1 1/2 lesson (aka workout!)  is where you repeat swiing, getting your legs up and over the bar, hook your knees on, release your hands, arch back and reach for the guy that's waiting to catch you. So, it is now that I accept that I cannot do this -- at least not today or the last time I tried it but I can do more than I thought I ever could do.  You see I had a herniated disc in my L5-S1 which led to a spinal fusion surgery a few years ago. Doctors said -- no Joy, running not good for you, full extension and flexion not gonna happen for you - after all your back is fused remember.  But...what I can do is attempt these fun things, and enjoy life to its fullest.  I'm so proud that I'm able to even walk, much less climb a 40 foot ladder, have the strength to swing from a bar, get my knees up on a few occasions and have a great time doing it.

The letting go that I cannot do this particular sport as you will is really ok with me considering I'm so darn competitive.  I'm growing up I think :) 

ps-I'll post a movie later of me doing what I could do and attempting what I could not do.

Another woman showing us there are NO LIMITS!

You know I just started blogging again yesterday and my theme was "no limits" and I told you about my dear friend Paige.  Well, that theme seems to be reoccuring in my life recently as I was just reminded again that We are the only limiting factor in our abilities! 

I want to share with you this video of someone that I haven't met personally but I know her daughter, who comes to my classes.  She told me of her 96 year old mother who was just out that day chopping a cord of wood and remarked at how fun it was and wanted to do it again!  I said to her, "is she from the midwest?" to which she replied - yep, a good ole' farm girl from Iowa.  I knew immediately I had to meet this gal as I too am a midwest gal and have German heritage just like her mom (us midwest german girls know how to work hard :).)
She has now become an honorary member of our fitness group and I can't wait to meet her and hope to someday hit the links with her.

Check our her drive and putts - no limits!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1199744628742

No Limits

There are no limits

Each time I get to visit my dear friend Paige I'm reminded that there are no limits to our capabilities - only the ones we impose upon ourselves.

Paige and I were trying out the sport of track cycling - yes on a bike, on an oval outdoor track in May of 2008 when she had a freak solo accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. The longer version of this story and her life back all of us is at http://caringbridge.org/visit/paigeconnard.

I was fortunate enough to get to know Paige just before her accident as she was one of my clients in a cycling program I ran that taught women how to ride a metric century. She excelled in the program as one of the best and brightest stars, always answering the questions correctly (along with her slightly competitive sister, Laura :)),and exceeding my expectations on the bike.

After the accident and her long road to returning home, I was privileged and honored to be asked by her amazing husband to become her personal trainer. This by the way was my first official personal training client and you can bet your bottom dollar that I took extra special care and handling with Paige. I think she dreaded me coming over most days but deep down inside I knew she loved the friendship that was forming as did I, and I saw that competitive fire coming back. That willingness to keep trying until she got each move. Painful - yes, tears -yes, but never giving up. Paige is one of the key people in my life who gave me the hope and inspiration to pursue my passion of fitness and today I own my own boot camp business for women! Thank you Paige for inspiring me. (http://inspirefitnessbootcamps.com)

No limits for Paige --
Today, almost 2 years after the accident here's a recap on what Paige is up to;
1) riding a two wheeled, geared bike up and down the hilly hills of her neighborhood
2) jog/walking
3) doing yoga
4) doing spin class
5) Driving a car again!

got the picture -no limits and that's how Paige sees her world. Paige is truly my American Idol.