Who are you accountable to?...a lengthy rant.

Recently, as I was out on a run, I realized my 39th birthday is approaching and my birthday happens to coincide with my first anniversary in the Genesis Program. Naturally I spent the remainder of my run reminiscing, keeping my heart rate in check of course, about the last year. Let me provide a little background information. My family and I live in the Flathead Valley so I had been watching people “transform” with admiration and amazement. While I was deeply intrigued, I outwardly shunned the program. After years of obsessions with food and fanatical exercise, (20-30 mile runs in Glacier Park for example) I swore that I would never spend so much time thinking about food. Of course my aversion to GT did not prevent me from pestering Sheri INCESSANTLY each time I saw her. At this time I was also struggling with my career path and feeling generally lost. I learned of the opportunity to train to become a Genesis Coach, I realized I already spent that much time thinking about my food and it “clicked.” Jamie and Samantha convinced Sheri that I was really not as irritating I had come across and my transformation began.
As I look back over the last year, I realize the list of “if you had told me I would be…” is pretty long. There are the easy ones, I eat eggs, avocados, salmon and tomatoes, all things I swore would never go into my body. I stopped eating cookies by the dozen and drinking red wine. I quit running for weeks; and strangely enough, lost weight, body fat and increased my lean muscle mass! I proudly had my picture taken in a swimming suit. I got certified as a personal trainer and a level 1 Genesis Coach. I could go on and on.
The lessons I have learned are immeasurable. As promised, I have received an education in my body that is immense; often times I feel I have learned much more than I wish to know, but each piece is fascinating. I have learned that I am accountable for my destiny, every path I take, whether it is binging on a bag of cherries, skipping a workout or ignoring my responsibilities. I am accountable for my successes as well and often times it is just a simple choice to believe in myself. I am learning to speak my truths, it is far more effective. I am also learning that each day is a new lesson.
What really stands out as I reflect on the last year are the fundamental changes that have occurred in my life. I have become accountable for all the aspects in my life. Not only is every bite that goes into my mouth consciously accounted for, I am aware of the role accountability plays in the rest of my life. I see how my past desire to avoid conflict and make those around me happy, ultimately let everyone down. I realize that I don’t play a role in the happiness of others. I am responsible for myself. Clearing my mind of the fanatical need for exercise after 14 molasses cookies and all the other diet and body image clutter made room for me to recognize my limits, needs, desires, strengths and weaknesses and improve my confidence.
The funny thing, becoming accountable for myself became so much larger than just me. I no longer make promises that are impossible to keep, I say “no” a lot. The ability to bow out of situations means that my family and I are off some of the “call lists” but we sit at the table for a great dinner every night and our family has become a solid unit. My newly acquired confidence has allowed me to find a career path that is exciting and makes me grateful everyday for the opportunities in front of me. I now know that I have a wealth of strengths that are not only physical. I have a lot of work ahead of me in regards to my weaknesses, but I am aware of them, I am facing them, some reluctantly, and I am excited to address, learn and grow.
Don’t get me wrong, yes, my head is mostly clear, my family is amazing and my body is strong, this last year has also been hard. Through the Genesis process we uncover the amazing people that we are. We give ourselves the priceless gift of health but there is a lot to let go of. I let go of molasses cookies, birthday cake with my kids, RUNNING every day, the person I was a year ago. For so many of us GT’ers as we shed weight and fat, we become a different person and it is hard to let go of the habits and beliefs that got us to where we are. Sometimes I miss my insecurities, they kept me safe. I have come so far, reached my goal of becoming a GT coach and trainer, improved my overall health and opened my mind and I don’t have the time to be insecure, but a year ago I was not faced with the need to stand up and SHOUT, make myself known and truly believe that I ROCK, I AM STRONG, SMART AND READY TO CHARGE MY LIFE. That’s the thing about the Genesis Transformation process; every one of us on this journey, no matter where we started or where we are headed, is AMAZING! We are smart and we are strong and we are charging our lives! So, be grateful to the person who brought you to where you are, embrace the person who is guiding you on, and make sure to enjoy the ride!

Who are you accountable to?...a lengthy rant.

Recently, as I was out on a run, I realized my 39th birthday is approaching and my birthday happens to coincide with my first anniversary in the Genesis Program. Naturally I spent the remainder of my run reminiscing, keeping my heart rate in check of course, about the last year. Let me provide a little background information. My family and I live in the Flathead Valley so I had been watching people “transform” with admiration and amazement. While I was deeply intrigued, I outwardly shunned the program. After years of obsessions with food and fanatical exercise, (20-30 mile runs in Glacier Park for example) I swore that I would never spend so much time thinking about food. Of course my aversion to GT did not prevent me from pestering Sheri INCESSENTLY each time I saw her. At this time I was also struggling with my career path and feeling generally lost. I learned of the opportunity to train to become a Genesis Coach, I realized I already spent that much time thinking about my food and it “clicked.” Jamie and Samantha convinced Sheri that I was really not as irritating I had come across and my transformation began.
As I look back over the last year, I realize the list of “if you had told me I would be…” is pretty long. There are the easy ones, I eat eggs, avocados, salmon and tomatoes, all things I swore would never go into my body. I stopped eating cookies by the dozen and drinking red wine. I quit running for weeks; and strangely enough, lost weight, body fat and increased my lean muscle mass! I proudly had my picture taken in a swimming suit. I got certified as a personal trainer and a level 1 Genesis Coach. I could go on and on.
The lessons I have learned are immeasurable. As promised, I have received an education in my body that is immense; often times I feel I have learned much more than I wish to know, but each piece is fascinating. I have learned that I am accountable for my destiny, every path I take, whether it is binging on a bag of cherries, skipping a workout or ignoring my responsibilities. I am accountable for my successes as well and often times it is just a simple choice to believe in myself. I am learning to speak my truths, it is far more effective. I am also learning that each day is a new lesson.
What really stands out as I reflect on the last year are the fundamental changes that have occurred in my life. I have become accountable for all the aspects in my life. Not only is every bite that goes into my mouth consciously accounted for, I am aware of the role accountability plays in the rest of my life. I see how my past desire to avoid conflict and make those around me happy, ultimately let everyone down. I realize that I don’t play a role in the happiness of others. I am responsible for myself. Clearing my mind of the fanatical need for exercise after 14 molasses cookies and all the other diet and body image clutter made room for me to recognize my limits, needs, desires, strengths and weaknesses and improve my confidence.
The funny thing, becoming accountable for myself became so much larger than just me. I no longer make promises that are impossible to keep, I say “no” a lot. The ability to bow out of situations means that my family and I are off some of the “call lists” but we sit at the table for a great dinner every night and our family has become a solid unit. My newly acquired confidence has allowed me to find a career path that is exciting and makes me grateful everyday for the opportunities in front of me. I now know that I have a wealth of strengths that are not only physical. I have a lot of work ahead of me in regards to my weaknesses, but I am aware of them, I am facing them, some reluctantly, and I am excited to address, learn and grow.
Don’t get me wrong, yes, my head is mostly clear, my family is amazing and my body is strong, this last year has also been hard. Through the Genesis process we uncover the amazing people that we are. We give ourselves the priceless gift of health but there is a lot to let go of. I let go of molasses cookies, birthday cake with my kids, RUNNING every day, the person I was a year ago. For so many of us GT’ers as we shed weight and fat, we become a different person and it is hard to let go of the habits and beliefs that got us to where we are. Sometimes I miss my insecurities, they kept me safe. I have come so far, reached my goal of becoming a GT coach and trainer, improved my overall health and opened my mind and I don’t have the time to be insecure, but a year ago I wasn’t faced with the need to stand up and SHOUT, make myself known and truly believe that I ROCK, I AM STRONG, SMART AND READY TO CHARGE MY LIFE. That’s the thing about the Genesis Transformation process; every one of us on this journey, no matter where we started or where we are headed, is AMAZING! We are smart and we are strong and we are charging our lives! So, be grateful to the person who brought you to where you are, embrace the person who is guiding you on, and make sure to enjoy the ride!

And...I'm Back

Months have passed and I am finally returning to update my blog. A lot happened this spring and now summer. I have passed my certification tests and am now a certified level 1 Genesis Transformation coach, a certified Personal Trainer and a Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach. This past winter drug on and I lost some motivation. I was not feeling 100% and got fairly discouraged. After a several weeks of feeling "blah," my awesome Genesis coach, Sheri, suggested I start a series of liver flushes. My enthusiasm returned just having an idea of what had been plaguing me for the past few months and I was able to get back on track. In June I passed my personal training certification exam. I scheduled my exam for my lifestyle and weight management certification the day I passed the PT exam and crammed in a text book in a month. I took my Genesis Level 1, Fueling, Certification test 2 days after the LWMC exam and left with Lillian and Sage on the train a couple days later for a week in Washington with my parents. So, here I am, tests passed and enthusiastic to begin my career as a Genesis Transformation Coach and Personal Trainer. Let me know of any questions and stay tuned...as I will once again be updating my blog.

What is Genesis?

I am realizing that I have not really provided an explanation of the Genesis Transformation program so...here it is, and the Genesis website is great!

http://www.genesistransformation.com/

Genesis Transformation is a health based fat loss program. It provides the tools to transform your lifestyle with the ultimate goal of overall health and wellness. Genesis will give you a "phd education" in your own body. The Genesis Transformation program is not a diet; it is a lifestyle. Genesis coached provide individual support and guidance to help you acheive your goals regarding the overall health of your body.

Personally, Genesis has helped me to recognize the details of my relationship with food. It has helped to uncover the roll of food in my exercise routines. I have been able to address the impact sugar has had in my mental state. My emotional levels have evened out signifigantly and I have been able to focus on the details of my life that I was "shoving under the rug." I have begun to view food as fuel for my body and learning just how amazing my body is. For me, Genesis is giving me the most valuable education I have ever had; it is teaching me about myself.

Why...?

I have been asked several times why I chose to become a Genesis client. I started this program with the goal of becoming a Genesis coach. I learned from a dear friend and Genesis coach that Genesis was quickly growing and they were anticipating the need for more coaches in the near future. In order to become a coach, I needed to experience the program. As I have mentioned, I was familiar with the program and had been curious about the details for a couple years. I would bump into Sheri, my coach now, and drill her unmercifully with questions; I drove her away from the chiropractor's office where I worked and she was a patient with my questions. I was terrified of her but so drawn to her work and the lives she was changing I couldn't seem to leave her alone. But I rejected Genesis because I did not want to think about food as much as the Genesis clients thought about food, I thought I knew what defined healthy eating and how to keep my body in shape and I was one of those who "could eat whatever I wanted." After I had my second daughter I started running and walking, pushing my five year old in the jogger and hauling the baby on my back, skipping meals, trying to get my body back into "shape." My body kind of bounced back but I was frazzled, I was always tired, I never really felt like I was back in shape, everything just felt hard. When I learned of the need for Genesis coaches, it suddenly felt just right. I had realized that there was no way I could think about food any more than I already was and my body needed a break from the frantic exercising and my version of fueling my body. What started as a job search has become one of the most amazing learning experiences. It has also been instrumental in drastic changes in my family, my relationship with my husband and my relationship and commitment to myself.

What I am learning about habits...

We are all habitual, big surprise. Our habits form our days. Our food choices are habitual. The way we feel, our moods, our reactions, it is all habitual. The funny thing about habits is that they sort of sneak up on us and once they are rooted into our being, they are pretty hard to change. I used to habitual eat all the cookies in the house, at least if I ate them all I would not have to think about them anymore. Then the following day I would be frantic, needing exercise, snapping at my husband and daughter for the slightest thing. I patterned my days around chaos, knowing that if I could just change the methods, life would calm down. But I had put myself in a habitual state of chaos and it was largely dictated by the way I was fueling my body. Another funny thing about habits is that even when we think we have made a change and we are feeling great, they sneak back in. Lots of us are used to feeling bad; feeling fat, frantic and chaotic, generally not liking the people we are. It is comfortable to be in that place, not making changes, even if they make us feel better. The problem with that comfortable place is that when we start to change and feel good, we tell ourselves that we don't deserve to feel good, because we are so used to feeling bad. So then we do whatever we can to make ourselves feel bad, whether it is eating all the cookies in the house in order to bring back the chaos, or whatever else is stuck in our memory bank. I am trying to go through my days making changes, eating an apple instead of cookies, not snacking on a giant bowl of popcorn even if I am full, being o.k. if I am not running for an hour, starting my lifting sets with the left side of my body instead of the right, making small changes so it is not such a shock to my system, and not so easy to fall back into the patterns that make my life difficult. So, with that rant, I challenge myself to do something different, difficult, scary, non-habitual each day.

There is nothing more precious than the self!

Week 2...wee

I felt good the 2nd week, for the most part. I had a couple days of feeling pretty tense, short fused and emotional. A good chance my body is experiencing a bit of detoxification. I started working out with Jamie and Samantha, 2 of the Genesis coaches/personal trainers. The base of the training work is building core strength and proper posture. These workouts are really humbling. I am realizing that my core is really weak, as are my legs and arms. It is amazing how, when you focus on your core and maintaining proper postural alignment, even walking can isolate your core muscles. I am finding myself feeling less competitive with myself and those around me. I am easing back on poses in yoga in order to maintain proper alignment and realizing that I just don't have the strength to power through. I am enjoying going for slow walks and even letting other people carry or push the baby. In the past, I was always feeling like I needed to get the most exercise possible, pushing myself to the point of nagging aches, pain and guilt. So much of this process is learning to change habits...ah habits...a rant on habits to come!

Live life from your heart, you will be the most effective.

My first week...in a nutshell

Good bye sugar. Cookies, ice cream, all the maple syrup in my "healthy" homemade granola, the glass, or two of red wine, and all the other things I ate uncontrollably because I was going for a run the next day, oh and watch out if something messed up my plan to go for a run! This first week is an eye opener! I quickly realized that preplanning my meals for the day is imperative! The funny thing about preplanning is that once I started planning ahead for my own meals, I started planning everyone else's. I started making Lily's lunch for school the night before, I knew what was for dinner at noon instead of at 6pm when everyone was freaking out. I also realized that like alcohol or drugs, sugar is an addiction. I went through withdrawals! But after all the sugar had moved out of my system, my moods leveled out! I was not as manic nor did I freak out about little humps in my day quite so much! I never thought I would eat so much spinach!!!

My birthday was this week. It was a sort of hard day. I had crazy sugar and salt cravings. It was my first social outing since starting. I wanted a glass of wine, I wanted apple pie (my all time favorite!), I wanted to eat the chips and salsa that were sitting on the counter. It was hard it pass up all the snack stuff that I would have typically eaten, before sitting down to eat dinner. There is no mindless eating with Genesis.

I have also realized that so much of the exercise in my life has been a direct correlation to the food going into my body and when I removed the sugar and crap from my diet, I was happy going for a walk and if it didn't work out, it was just fine! What a week. All in all it was fairly surreal. After thinking about the Genesis program for so long, to finally be a participant feels a little like I am living another life.

A note about Genesis coaching...

Just a quick heads up...all of the Genesis coaching work is done on the telephone, so if you are interested, do not be discouraged by distance! We just need a 30 minute time slot once a week for a phone conversation! Be well! Erin

Sept. 20th Just Starting...

HEY!!! Don't forget, I am looking to coach few clients as I progress though my training! Check out the Genesis website, www.genesistransformaton.com and contact me if you or anyone you know is interested!

Here I am the first days as a Genesis Transformation client. As a new client, and periodically through out the process, it is necessary to have front and back view pictures taken. What a strange experience. I knew the photos were only an assessment tool for my coach and were going into a personal file but I felt so self conscious and vulnerable. Another tool is the scale. I have avoided scales for the last few years so getting used to weighing myself each morning has been a practice. My weight when I started the Genesis program was 130 pounds. I did not start with any goals regarding my weight, but I did want to improve my posture, strengthen my core muscles and build muscle definition in my arms and legs. I thought I was eating a healthy, balanced diet. As it turns out, I was getting about 35% of my diet from fat and only 15% of my diet from protein. So for my first couple weeks of fueling, the initial phase of Genesis, my daily caloric intake was 2300 calories with 24% coming from protein, 56% carbohydrates and 20% fat. It did not take long for my body and my head to start reacting and and recognizing the habits I had been ignoring for years...

A call for clients!

I just returned from the first Genesis Transformation coach training retreat! It was an amazing experience that filled my brain with information and sent me home with inspiration and motivation. As I progress through the coach training process, I will be taking on a few "practice" clients. I am excited to share all that I have been learning. Take a few moments to check out the web site, http://www.genesistransformation.com/ If you or anyone you know is interested in experiencing the Genesis program, please contact me.