I did a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in May, 2010.

Today marks The End to something that has been very significant to me: My weight loss journey.

Just under two years ago, I weighed almost 160 pounds and was chubby and pretty lazy. Today, I am smaller than I’ve been since high school and yet stronger and more capable than ever. I weigh 129 and am not soft or lazy anymore.

My trainer and I recorded data during the journey. Here’s the proof in numbers:

Baring it all. (It took courage to reveal my numbers early on)

What a difference 22 months and a bunch of hard work, sacrifices and commitment make.

Near the end of March 2009 – 22 months ago – I found myself in the office of friend and personal trainer Steve Bechtel, at his Elemental Training Center, in my hometown of Lander, Wyoming.

I was at the end of my rope. In a health and fitness rut, I weighed almost 160 pounds and had just ordered a pair of size 12 pants from the Eddie Bauer catalog. The first time I ever did that.

Every night for about three years, I would retire to bed with this same, deep, nagging feeling – let’s call it what it was, REGRET – that didn’t just speak to me, it yelled, angrily at me: “Another day went by and you did nothing about it. You didn’t exercise. You didn’t eat the right things and you ate too much. You’re lazy. You feel like crap. You have young children. You’re operating a business and trying to expand it. You need more energy. You have to change things. As soon as possible. But another day went by and you, well, once again did nothing to change things.” Self-talk like this went on probably every night for three years. It was ugly.

In fairness, I should point out that I did have a lot going on in my life. My husband, Jerry, and I had two young sons at the time, and a third on the way, we owned a business, of which I was the CEO. The business was going great and I was busy innovating and capitalizing on what was abundant opportunity. I loved my work and was passionate about our business’ potential. At the same time, I was pursuing prospective partners to help put wheels on the company’s expansion plans. I was probably investing 75 hours a week toward work, plus trying to be a great mother and wife.

So if I needed excuses for my getting soft, chubby and lazy, I didn’t have to look very hard to find them. And they felt like plausible excuses, until each night when that nagging regret kicked in.

I should also point out that most of my life, up until the space between March 2006 and March 2009, I was probably in above-average health. I played basketball in college, and after that, got into mountain biking, snowboarding, snowshoeing, backpacking, trail running, distance day hiking and cross country skiing.

Hell fire, even while I weighed almost 160, I hiked the Shoshone Lake hike above Lander, which is a difficult, 21-mile hike. But I paid dearly for it for days following and certainly it was not the fantastic experience it is when I’m fit and have energy to spare and a “lighter load” to carry.

Skiing on February 23 of last year.

Outside of operating our business, I was no longer confident either. I was chubby and felt lazy, because, well, physically I was. My self-esteem tanked. We’d take family trips and I wouldn’t swim with Jerry and the boys at the hotel pool because I didn’t want to put a swimming suit on. I found myself turning down speaking invitations. I didn’t “go out” as much – meaning even to make simple trips to the grocery store, etc. I “hid” myself as much as possible while focusing on business and trying my best to be a good mom and wife.

So, in March 2009, shortly after I ordered the size 12 pants, and upon encouragement from my friend, Sharon, there I sat on Steve’s couch in his office at Elemental Training Center.

I won’t rehash everything here because I’ve covered my weight loss and fitness journey pretty thoroughly right here on this blog. (I’ve compiled a list containing all 33 posts with links to each here. Please check them out and feel free to share them if you think they’ll inspire others to get off the couch and add vitality and years to their lives.)

Family hiking photo at Blue Ridge Lookout, August 2010.

But let me say this. Basically I let three years, at least, slip by in my life that – from a vitality and health quality standpoint – were less than extraordinary. Frankly, from a health standpoint, those three years were, at best, mediocre, and it bothered me then, and now, that I can’t get that time back to do over in a more healthy body and mind.

So as I sat on the couch confronting my overweight and sloth-like status with Steve, I committed to losing weight and getting in excellent health.

Summiting the Grand Teton, August 2009.

One of the most important realizations I had early on that was probably more instrumental than any other thing in my weight loss journey’s success, is that there is a (huge) difference between deciding and committing.)

I have a poignant memory from that day that marked The Start of my weight loss journey: I was on my way home from my meeting with Steve and I was at a red light on Main Street waiting to turn left on S. 5^th Street to head home.  I thought first of the brevity of life. How short of time we have and all that’s important to me and how best can I live it to the fullest while honoring those I love so much and who love me. I realized at that time that the changes I was about to make were gigantic. They would be changes I would make for life. For eternity.

Sure, I would have to eat more vegetables. Drink more water. Eat less junk food. Exercise harder and on a regular basis. (I eventually made the decision, on my own, to give up all grains/complex carbohydrates, which for the first few weeks required monumental will power.) I would have to get up super early in the morning.

As I sat there at that red light thinking about all this, it may sound cheesy – and extreme – but I remember thinking: I am giving up frozen pizza not for a month or a year but probably for the rest of my life. The commitment was that big. I was signing up for changes that were to last a lifetime.

The change I was committing to meant more than taking a few difficult-but-temporary steps.

And, I was all in.

So, in a nutshell, yesterday, Jan. 31, 2011, The End of my weight loss journey was met. On March 20, I weighed 158 pounds and my body fat was about 27 percent. Today, I weigh 129 pounds and have 10.9% body fat.

More significantly, though, my life has gotten so much fuller and richer – on all fronts. I’m a better mother. I can not only play and romp with our three young sons, I have a fighting chance of keeping up with them on the slopes, in our wrestling matches and in foot races. I’m a better, happier, more loving wife. I am more confident in my work. I have enjoyed countless, awe-inspiring outdoor experiences during the last 22 months that I would have absolutely missed out on had I not embarked on my weight loss/fitness journey.

Family ski outing.

Among other things, I climbed the Grand Teton, completed a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in a less than 24 hours, I placed third in my age group in the Rendezvous 25k Ski Race last year, I went on a dozen or more “epic” day hikes in my beloved Wind River Range that were 21-32 miles each.

I also learned a lot about fitness and training. Steve Bechtel is a brilliant trainer who knows his stuff. As many would agree, he could be “a trainer for the stars.” He set the bar high and drove me hard, both things I required in order to push myself. He introduced me to high intensity and metabolic training. He helped get me strong without “bulking up.” The latter is proven by the reality that while I’m significantly smaller than I’ve been since I was in high school, I’m stronger than ever. I did 21 consecutive pull-ups, 30 dips, bench-pressed 132 pounds five times, dead-lifted 135 pounds 39 times, did 26 back squats of 135 pounds, and did 16 front squats of 135 pounds.

Today, I often find myself close to (happy) tears when I think about how full and rich my life is. This is in very, very large part the result of my weight loss and fitness accomplishments.

My weight loss journey has ended, but my pursuit of staying in great fitness will never end. I have arrived at a particular weight but I know it’s an ongoing effort to stay healthy. I can say this: I’ve tasted the Koolaid and I’m never going back. I’m saying yes to vitality, great health and a full life. I’m saying no to mediocrity and to just getting by when it comes to my health. Life is too short. And I love it too much.

As some of you are aware, I am training to become a life and leadership coach, and was also recently certified by the American Fitness Professionals and Associates as a nutrition consultant. Many of my coaching clients have weight loss as a major goal in their life.

I, for one, don’t underestimate weight loss as being something that’s of significant importance in one’s life. It’s not something to toss aside as a vanity item – quite the contrary. Everything in my life is better as a result of weighing less and being more “able” to live my life to the fullest. Being the best person I can be for those who love me and for those I love is absolutely related to the condition of my health and well being. (And okay, sure, it’s also great to fit into my designer jeans.)

During the last 22 months I’ve often told people I was reinventing myself. But what happened during the last 22 months was a transformation.

My sincere thanks to my husband, Jerry, and our sons, Wolf, Hayden and Fin, who were especially important in this journey; to my parents and other family members, to my close friends, to Steve Bechtel and his team at Elemental Training Center, and to all of you who have read this blog and/or support me with your friendship and positivity. I don’t take any of it lightly, and I am grateful to all of you.

Thanks for following this journey. I will be happy to share any specifics about what I did during my weight loss journey with you, including tips and tricks. If you wish, I will also light a fire under you, if that’s what you’re needing.

My main team.

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Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Thanks to all of you who have followed my journey. I love you for your support, readership and love!

Please see my more complete “end of weight loss journey” blog post just published. But in doing so, I first wanted to get this list of complete links up in one place so I can reference it from the aforementioned blog post.

MY WEIGHT LOSS/FITNESS JOURNEY BLOG POSTS

POST 1: A MID-LIFE TRAINING PROGRAM (May 9, 2009)

POST 2: MY FITNESS JOURNEY, SWITCHBACK #2 (June 10, 2009)

POST 3: HAVE WORKOUT, WILL TRAVEL (June 23, 2009)

POST 4: I’M HAVING MY CAKE & EATING IT TOO (June 29, 2009)

POST 5: COMMITMENT, THE DREADED THING (July 12, 2009)

POST 6: 4-MONTH FITNESS UPDATE: –18 POUNDS, –9.3% BODY FAT (July 28, 2009)

POST 7: MY FITNESS JOURNEY: WHAT’S NEXT (Aug. 17, 2009)

POST 8: SPOT REDUCTION: WE CAN STOP BELIEVING (Sept. 1, 2009)

POST 9: 6-MONTH UPDATE: –23 POUNDS, –12.4% BODY FAT (Sept. 15, 2009)

POST 10: THE DOWN-SIDE OF LOSING WEIGHT (Sept. 23, 2009)

POST 11: EXERCISING AT DARK-THIRTY A.M. (Oct. 2, 2009)

POST 12: GOT MOTIVATION? (Nov. 7, 2009)

POST 13: VIDEO BLOG: HOW I LOST 24 POUNDS & 12.5% BODY FAT (Nov. 14, 2009)

POST 14: WHY ACCOUNTABILITY IS MORE VALUABLE THAN SUPPORT (Nov. 24, 2009)

POST 15: I (MOSTLY) LIKE KATE MOSS’ QUOTE (Dec. 1, 2009)

POST 16: FITNESS JOURNEY: WHAT HIGH INTENSITY MEANS (Dec. 13, 2009)

POST 17: WHAT I ATE TO LOSE 26 POUNDS IN 8 MONTHS (Dec. 23, 2009)

POST 18: 2010 FITNESS GOALS VIDEO BLOG (Jan. 5, 2010)

POST 19: 10-MONTH FITNESS UPDATE — OR, DEBUNKING A MYTH: GIRLS CAN GET STRONGER AND SMALLER (Jan. 13, 2010)

POST 20: DECIDING AND COMMITTING ARE DIFFERENT THINGS (Jan. 30, 2010)

POST 21: COWGIRL TUFF JEANS OR A 1,200-FOOT PARASAIL? THAT IS THE QUESTION (Feb. 5, 2010)

POST 22: I DID 19 PULL-UPS — JUST 1 SHORT OF MY GOAL (Feb. 16, 2010)

POST 23: RENDEZVOUS 25K SKI RACE: A GREAT EXPERIENCE (March 10, 2010)

POST 24: ONE YEAR AGO, I WAS LAZY AND CHUBBY (April 1, 2010)

POST 25: NEXT UP: 50-K TRAIL RUN (May 3, 2010)

POST 26: MY PERSONAL TRAINER SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE (May 12, 2010)

POST 27: SHELLI: 1; KRISPY KREMES: 0 (June 15, 2010)

POST 28: FITNESS JOURNEY BLOG POST, NO. 28 (July 12, 2010)

POST 29: DON’T EAT JUNK FOOD JUST BECAUSE YOU’VE EARNED IT (Aug. 23, 2010)

POST 30: MY UPCOMING FITNESS GOALS (Sept. 18, 2010)

POST 31: STRONGER, BUT SMALLER (Nov. 7, 2010)

POST 32: I’M CHASING 2 RABBITS. WISH ME LUCK? (Dec. 13, 2010)

POST 33: THE END — OF MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

A SAMPLING OF ADVENTURES ENJOYED ALONG THE WAY:

32-mile epic Wind River Day Hike

Another Best Wind River Hike, Ever

Hiking the Bears Ears Trail

Biking to Frye Lake

Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim of Grand Canyon: 46 miles, 23,000′ of gain/loss, 1 day

Snowshoeing above Lander, Wyoming

Trail running The Bus Trail above my town

Rendezvous 25-k Skate Ski Race

Skiing the Continental Divide/South Pass, Wyoming

Climbing the Grand Teton

Hiking Deep Creek & Ice Creek Lakes, Wind River Range

HOW TO WAKE UP AT 4:30 AM TO WORK OUT

How to Wake Up Early in Morning to Go to Gym

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Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Uncle Gilbert, 82, ready for a day of walking at the Henry Doorly Zoo.

But he is no ordinary 82-year-old.

Every summer we travel to Omaha, my husband’s home town, to visit his family. Omaha is home to the ever-expanding and awesome Henry Doorly Zoo.

Gilbert is a big fan and supporter of the zoo, and it’s tradition for Uncle Gilbert to take us to there while we visit. It’s a highlight of our trip, as the zoo provides hours of awe-inspiring sights, particularly for our three young sons.

We can hardly keep up with Uncle Gilbert, who with his trekking poles, despite the heat and humidity and hills, leads us all on our trek to explore the animals.

Seven days a week, Gilbert walks one mile, sometimes two. He does this at the zoo, or at Fontenelle Forest, or around one of Omaha’s many lakes.

I’m calling this post the Gilbert Johnson challenge. I am challenging you to walk one mile every day.

Come on, you can do it. Extend your life and improve your quality of life by incorporating some exercise into every one of your days. One mile is only 10-30 minutes out of your day. Walk to the office or the grocery store.

Are you living or dying? Gilbert is living. We should too.

(Thanks, Uncle Gilbert, for your continued inspiration!)

Here are my many other fitness-related posts.

Three times a week during most of the year, I wake up at 4 a.m. to go to the gym to work out. Many of you have asked me how I’m able to get up so early. This video demonstrates how I do it.

Special thanks to my wonderful and supportive husband, Jerry, who not only endures the early alarm, but has coffee ready for me. (I can’t do anything in the morning without coffee, especially at 4 a.m.) Also, thanks to my wonderful mom for loaning me her cool pajamas and slippers.
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This is POST 29 of my “fitness journey.” For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5, Post 6, Post 7,Post 8, Post 9, Post 10, Post 11, Post 12Post 13,Post 14, Post 15, Post 16, and Post 17,Post 18, Post 19,Post 20,Post 21, Post 22,Post 23, and Post 24, Post 25, Post 26,Post 27 and Post 28.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve published a blog post for my “fitness journey.” It’s time to do one. Thanks again for reading and following my journey in fitness. Your support is felt and appreciated!

The headline for this post could be “Tough? Or Stupid?” Or, it could be — and I much prefer this one — “How and Why We Endure Suffering.”

The camaraderie of the Wild Iris trail run is great. Pictured here are Rachel Richards, Holly Copeland, me, and my sister, Amber Hollins. (Photo courtesy Amber Hollins)

Recently, on July 10, I participated in the Wild Iris 21k trail run, located in the world-class Wild Iris Climbing area, located about 25 miles south of my hometown of Lander, WY. The race was sponsored by Elemental Training Center, the gym to which I belong, and is part of the annual International Climbers Festival. Runners/walkers choose from the 5k, 10k or 21k distance.

What a terrific event! If you want to be challenged and get a great workout in what is a spectacularly scenic landscape, add this event to your calendar for next summer.

As some of you who are friends or family or who follow this blog may know, I recently endured some serious blister damage to both feet during a life list, epic and awesome Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim adventure. It was a trip of a lifetime for me and I’m still inspired by the experience. It’s taken some weeks to get all new skin grown back on my feet, and I am missing some key toenails. But, my fitness level is as good as it’s probably ever been and in many ways I have new feet. Pretty exciting times, eh?

The terrain is rugged but the views are endless. (Photo by Maggie Heller.)

When considering and researching the Wild Iris 21k, two things stood out in the descriptive text: This is an exceedingly hard race. And, the words used to describe the 21k course: elevation intensive. These statements were accurate, I knew, but given they were likely written by my coach and friend, Steve Bechtel, founder of Elemental Training, meant they carried more weight than normal, if you know what I mean. So I knew I was in for a great workout if nothing else, and so I signed up.

Good workout? Check. Spectacular scenery? Check. Great support and aid? Check. Pain? Check. Suffering? Check.

It’s that last part that wasn’t expected, or welcome.

Despite being warned at the race start of the trail’s steep and rocky nature (including the mention of a participant last year who rolled her ankle!), and despite my substantial first-hand experience at running steep and rocky downhill trails, I turned an ankle, bad, during the event. Not just during, but near the beginning of the adventure, just under the 1.5-mile mark into the 21k run.

The scenery was spectacular. I could blame that. After all, I was looking at the striking Atlantic Peak when my ankle turned. But I alone get the blame. Darn it. For a fleeting, split second I took my eye off the trail in front of me, during a rocky downhill section, to soak in the views, at which time I turned my left ankle. I’ll say it again: Bad.

I recently interviewed Elemental Training endurance athlete Missy White, and she shared with me a slogan that a friend recently shared with her: “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” I made a mental note to myself to remember it because I like it and think it’s true when it comes to improving one’s fitness level and capabilities.

Here's a photo of the 2009 event's start. Our area is full of outstanding endurance athletes. (Photo by Bob Brown)

I thought of her quote when my ankle turned. I also remembered, immediately, a conversation Steve and I had only recently shared in the gym. The gist was to be able to recognize the difference between pain and injury. Hell fire, I even wrote a post about it. So, after my ankle turned, and I fought back cuss words and tears, I remembered this conversation I had had with Steve. But, after a few strides, I evaluated the situation and determined that I did not feel as if I was doing further, or permanent, damage to the ankle. It was also determined, unfortunately, that my experience was to going to be one had some of the usual pain, but indeed some unwelcome and serious suffering.

And therein lies the point I want to make in this post. Why would, and how could, I continue for 11+ more miles, under such painful circumstances? This is what my friends and family have asked me.

So let me tell you why. The scenery and the camaraderie. It is the scenery — in particular, the scenery we are blessed with in Wyoming’s Wind River Range — and sharing it with others that not only keep me going back for more, but propel me to continue even when some suffering is involved. And, also, the mind. Let’s not forget to mention that the power and ability of one’s mind can be significant. The mind can cause us to do smart things and stupid things. It can also enable us to “buck up” and endure incredible suffering.

My Wild Iris 21k was a magnificent experience, and I enjoyed much of it, despite the ankle injury.

I don’t want to be careless here. If my continuing caused more damage to my ankle, then continuing was a bad decision. But I think it did not, and I hope it did not. I think I’d be icing at the same high level if I would have stopped at 1.5 miles. We’ll see. I hope I’m right. For now, I’ll be a good patient and try and speed the recovery. There are miles of trails to explore yet this season and I don’t plan on giving them up. Thankfully, the trails will wait for me.

In the meantime, wish me luck tomorrow when I see Steve at the gym and I get the “Tough vs. Stupid” lecture. :>

Views are spectacular. (Photo courtesy Annie Hudson Heninger)

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Fighting the temptation. It's hard!

First off, to those of you who regularly follow my fitness blogging, thank you for your support and readership! I appreciate it. You help me in my fitness journey.

I’ve lost 28 pounds and a quite a bit of fat in the last 14 months. I have never felt better than I do right now as a direct result of weighing less and being healthier.

I’ve tasted the Koolaid, so to speak, and I’m not going back. Or, model Kate Moss said (and was criticized for): “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”

I’m not skinny, and not trying to be. I’d rather have muscles and be able wrestle our three sons and do “epic” adventures. These things require more than skin and bones; they require a strong frame.

Still, I think about what Kate Moss says a lot. Like, for example, recently, when there were two cartons of Krispy Kremes at our house. (We bought the donuts to support a local fundraiser).

The “filter” my coach and friend Steve Bechtel, of Elemental Training Center, instructs me to apply to such food decisions, is “Will eating this bring me closer to my goal or take me further from it?” Unless I’m training for a donut-eating contest or an episode of the yet-to-be-produced The Biggest Gainer, that usually does the trick for me. But if and when it doesn’t do the trick, I recall the quote by Kate Moss.

Donuts and similar foods are yummy — that’s why we fall off the wagon and consume them — but their benefits (of tasting so good) are pretty short-lived. In fact, most often, the enjoyment passes as soon I’ve snarfed the last crumb. You can only make a brownie last so long… And yet the negative impacts continue long after the snarfing is over. I often feel sluggish from the temporary sugar high, which quickly leads to a bit of a crash and energy suck, not to mention I am not happy with myself for eating something that I know has no nutritional value.

So, think about this the next time you reach for the chips at a barbecue. Maybe grab some baby carrots instead. Just sayin’.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Hi.

It’s been just over a year since I walked into Elemental Training Center and hired personal trainer and coach, Steve Bechtel.

On March 23, I weighed almost 160 pounds and was getting chubby and felt sluggish and down. Most importantly, I was tired of the regret I felt each night after another day passed in what became a 4-year slump where I didn’t exercise regularly or eat very healthy.

Today, I weigh 131 pounds and am down to 11.3% body fat. I feel better in every way. I can’t remember the last time I weighed 131. I bet it’s been 25 years.

But that isn’t as big of a deal as all the new energy I have. I can wrestle and romp with our three young sons and for the first time in a long time can consider a variety of endurance events.

I should go on record and say, as my coach says, “Results may vary.” I not only work out very hard, regularly, I also have made drastic changes to my diet. The most significant change I made to the latter was I gave up pizza, most bread, potatoes, rice and other starchy carbohydrates. Regular, high intensity working out, itself, is really hard. Making drastic diet restrictions is difficult in its own right. I have done both. This is because I not only wanted results, I wanted them as soon as possible.

My stats today.

Also, as a result of my improved fitness and health, I:

• Hiked from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the bottom and back up in a day
• climbed the Grand Teton
• went on many 20+ mile day hikes in the Wind River Range
• competed in my first-ever skate skiing race
• did 19 continuous pull-ups (1 short of my goal of 20)
• deadlifted my bodyweight 39 times for a new gym record,
• am training for the Tahoe Rim 50-K trail run in July.
• am going to not feel as self-conscious wearing a swimming suit when our family vacations to Hawaii

My family is the #1 reason for taking care of myself.

The moral of this story is: If you’re not in good health, don’t wait another day to change that. I am so glad I didn’t hesitate another day. I can’t imagine having had one more year of mediocre health.

It’s hard. I know it is. I think probably the first two weeks are the hardest. Let’s say the first four weeks to be safe. I think if you can make it four weeks eating healthy and exercising regularly, it does get easier. I would imagine most people give up right as they’re approaching the end of the first four weeks, which could be right before the critical breakthrough when the good habits become formed.

For me, exercising and eating right is almost like sobriety. Every day that I’ve invested the work and good eating habits, is of great value to me. The longer I sustain this, the greater the accomplishment it is. If I turn my back on this, after one year of hard work, well, I will be disappointed in myself to say the least. As they say, I’ve tasted the Koolaid. I’m not going back.

I don’t want to sound preachy, braggy or like an expert. I’m anything but an expert. Heck, I’m just someone who got into shape during the last year. I’m not always strong. I can be weak like anyone else. None of this is easy and it’s seldom what I would call fun. But when I recall how I was feeling 13 months ago, and how I feel now, it’s crystal clear that the hard work and sacrifices, as difficult as they are, were overall easier on me than experiencing the regret that weighed on me for so many months for not taking the right actions to change my life for the better. Not taking action was harder on me than the actual actions. No matter how overweight or out of shape, for me, the physical work pales in comparison to the mental wrath of Shelli — the regret and beating up I can give myself for not taking care of myself.

I'm lifting way more weight than I could have ever imagined, but thankfully not bulking up. (Photo by Mei Ratz)

It’s possible some of you reading this may have decided, many times in fact, that you were going to get more healthy and fit. But for one reason or another you haven’t really committed. For what it’s worth, I think deciding and committing are not the same thing. I know I made the decision to get healthy and fit several times, but for a few years never stay committed to it.This video and post touches on that.

I also should say I wouldn’t be where I am today without my husband, Jerry, who’s a fit physical education teacher and my strongest supporter. My kids also have sacrificed lots of Texas toast and Happy Meals on my account. My parents, siblings and friends — and the community at the gym — have all played roles in my fitness journey.

I can’t recommend enough the hiring of a personal trainer, at least in the beginning. The guidance I’ve received, and continue to receive from Steve is invaluable and a major reason for my success. If you don’t opt for a trainer, consider starting with a gym membership and check out the many classes ETC offers. There is something for everyone.

There are so many others in my community who are also reaping the benefits of good health and fitness. Watch for yourself some of their stories:

Millie Abernathy
Misty Atnip
Joe Powell and Sharon Terhune
Ray Hanson
Nick Czarnecki
Debra East
Matt Sissman

(Gym photos of me were taken by Mei Ratz, who’s an exceptionally good photographer and artist.)

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Those of you who have been following my fitness blogging are aware that I’ve been working hard and have lost 26 pounds and a bunch of body fat during the last 10 months. I have been on this journey for several reasons, but mostly so I could have more energy to keep up with our three young sons and the demands of our adventurous lifestyle, and to be healthier and therefore, happier.

But I’ve discovered another benefit of my weight loss. Jeans. As in, now I can comfortably wear them. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there are some really hip jeans out these days. I didn’t used to get excited about jeans. Well, recently, a colleague and friend of mine, Bill Garrels, group publisher of American Cowboy and National Parks Interactive, hooked me up with some Cowgirl Tuff Jeans.

This is not my butt, unfortunately. But these are pretty neato Tuff Girl jeans, no?

Parasailing 1,200 feet over the ocean near Big Island, Hawaii. Flickr photo by rjones0856.

Hence my dilemma. But I’m not complaining. I never thought I’d not be heavy enough for something, or that I’d consider wearing designer jeans. Thankfully, my very smart coach and trainer, Steve Bechtel, at Elemental Gym says no problem. Just schedule the parasail at the end of the (leisure) vacation. Smart coach, that guy is.

Obviously, though, the best yet would be for our 7-year-old and 9-year-old to go with me as a triple tandemand for me to be able to wear my Tuff Girl jeans. (No, not during the parasail, silly.) Wish me luck on making this happen. : >

(I should state that my husband, Jerry, would normally be on the parasail adventure, but given his spine operation rehab, he’ll be building sandcastles with our 2-year-old while me, and hopefully our two older sons, will be 1,200 feet above them.)

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, Sophie Mosemann and Lee Brown.

Sledding with our youngest son, 2-year-old Finis.

I’m an athlete-client of trainer Steve Bechtel, of Elemental Gym, in Lander, WY, and yesterday was my regular 6-week testing, which includes weigh-in, body fat testing and body composition measurements.

I’m always a little nervous on test day. I don’t want to have gained any weight, or fat. And yet, I’m at a point where I can’t expect – or aim – to lose much more weight or fat, given my frame and size, and the fact I don’t want to be skinny. As I’ve shared in these posts before, my biggest goal is to be in tip-top health for my family, to have increased energy, to feel better about myself, and to be able to consider any endurance-type adventures that interest me.

My latest results. All good news.

Elemental Gym is a great gym. Its slogan is “We get results.” About that, yes, I can say that is true. At least in my experience. Most of you who have been following my fitness journey know that the last 10 months have been very hard and have required that I make all sorts of life changes, but that during the same time I’ve lost 26 pounds and gotten a lot stronger.

So, back to Elemental Gym’s slogan. Let’s be clear about it. Elemental Gym doesn’t give its athletes results. The gym’s trainers, including owners Steve and Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid and Sophie Mosemann, make us earn them.

Doing some kettlebell swings during a strength/cardio work capacity session. It's not as fun as it looks. (Mei Ratz photo/MeiRatz.com).

For example, the other day, in a period of approximately 19 minutes, I lifted 7,500 pounds. It should be pointed out that this was not done by lifting 40 pounds many times over with tons of reps on various exercises. This was doing 105-pound front squats, then moving directly to “T push-ups,” where I had a 20-pound dumbbell in each hand against the ground and was in push-up position. I did a deep push-up, then lifted the dumbbell with right hand all the way up, continuing with it to straight arm toward the ceiling while rolling to my left side in a plank, then another deep push-up, then repeat with left arm/side. Next, move directly to 25-pound-plate Russian twists. I did all of these exercises in sequence with minimal, if any, rest in between, with this pattern and number of reps: 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 (50 reps total).

It’s hard to explain. You really had to be there. But let’s just say it was no party. My heart was pumping out of my chest and I was huffing and puffing, hard, and at one point thought I might even hurl (ie. lose my lunch).

When Steve crunched the numbers to illustrate the level of volume I lifted in 19 minutes, it came to 7,500 pounds. If you include my body weight, which would be fair to do since I’m also responsible for lifting part, if not most, of my body to perform the aforementioned exercises, the total comes to 11,250 pounds. Whew! And the number can get even more impressive if medium, or light weights, and a higher number of reps, are what my coach is serving for a workout. If you are lifting weights, you too can figure out the total volume of weight you’re lifting. It’s likely you’ll be impressed by the data!

Not all of my workouts are this monstrous. But often they are.

Currently I’m training for a 25k skate ski race in West Yellowstone on March 6, and for a handful of 26-mile day hikes I will enjoy this summer in our Wind River Range.

But I’m also pretty sure I could be a good help if someone needs to lift their car off of the ground or move it without going to the trouble of starting it up and driving it.

By the way, in the last video blog about my progress and goals for the new year, Steve indicated that he likes Home Depot’s slogan, “You Can Do It. We Can Help.” Steve says the philosophy at his gym is the same. And I couldn’t agree more. I have needed, and continue to need the guidance and support and expertise of my coach/personal trainer. My coach is a big help. But the hard work – it’s all mine. I have to do it.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Mosemann.

Thanks to Mei Ratz for use of the kettlebell photo.

Here is a video of my conversation with personal trainer Steve Bechtel, of Elemental Gym, about my recent progress and my goals for 2010.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness. And, I might add, some great personal trainers: Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Mosemann.