Next Chapter Part 2

Pushing 300# June 2011 -- 1 month prior to returning to Genesis...... 6 months prior to becoming a Group Fitness Instructor

 

 July 2014 with my baby sister Lori Tafolla (left) and inner circle friend Sarah Taylor.

Link to Part 1:
http://dgalemore.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=2
-For the uninitiated, Group Centergy is yoga + pilates put to music.

The struggles I was facing prior to joining the Genesis Health Clubs McPherson team seem laughable now. I should have opened up to my inner circle long ago. Big problem was that I attended Group Centergy training in February 2013 with the attitude of "Maybe I'll be good enough to be the sub for another instructor one day". Yeah. That thinking was never going to get me anywhere. I would have been thrilled just to sub and to teach a track or 2 every 3 months in our Group Centergy launches. Sure was setting the bar low. Low self esteem rearing its ugly head again.

Happy that I never considered quitting Centergy.... I kept buying the releases.... but I had less and less faith about getting my own class as the months passed.

I kept waiting for some healthy anger to kick in.... after all, it was self loathing and self rage that brought me back to Genesis and had me fighting to find my calling in life, teaching classes.

The anger never kicked in. Just didn't have it in me concerning Centergy. I kept telling myself I would practice hard each day, but didn't start doing so until a door opened for me in McPherson. New place. New team. I left my baggage behind.

Hand in hand with officially joining the McPherson team came being asked to bring Group Centergy to McPherson. Boom. Did I need a bigger excuse to practice relentlessly?
Worked perfectly.

Helped a lot to be teaching R30 as well. R30 forces me to work more on my coaching skills and ease back a little on my drill sergeant approach in my other bike classes. My drill sergeant voice isn't even allowed in the studio when I teach Centergy.

I zeroed in on the day I was to teach a Group Centergy demo class to some Genesis employees in McPherson. I felt I did well, but was blown away by the responses of my peers. Wasn't even a hint of doubt that I was ready.

The classes since then have been amazing. Negative voices from my past have been silenced. Lots and lots and lots of work ahead, but I am improving every week and my confidence has gone through the roof thanks to my students.

What lies ahead is to continue working hard on form, coaching and learning programming (I feel it takes me far too long to learn each track) ....experience is going to help in all 3 areas.

My words can't do justice to what it feels like to have my own Group Centergy classes. Have to admit I LIKE MYSELF an awful lot teaching Centergy. My message needed to be heard : ANYONE CAN DO CENTERGY. I had an internal struggle for a long time about not being good enough. Perhaps in 2014 it was time once again for the benchwarmer to take charge and bring passion and determination to the game.

Said I wasn't going to mention names, but THANK YOU to Becky Holcomb and Heather Koehn for believing in me and being so supportive.

To my students..... it is only going to get better. Thank you for your hard work and shared love of Centergy!

19# lighter than when I started practicing Centergy every day. Total body workout offered by Centergy helps, but the psychological benefit of Centergy is far greater. Happier = much easier to eat right. Happier = goal crushing mode.   

Next Chapter Part 1

Group Centergy July 2014 launch
Genesis Health Clubs McPherson 7-17-14

 

I set 1 measurable goal and 1 long range goal. Long range was to practice Centergy every day forever.

Short range goal was to lose 30#.

 

Good news is that I have reached my lowest weight of the year 8 consecutive weeks..... and better yet, there hasn't been 1 MAJOR drop from week to week. Slow + steady = safe & healthy.

What will not allow me to lower my guard is the fact that I weighed in today at 213#, THE SAME WEIGHT I DROPPED DOWN TO EARLY LAST NOVEMBER. I got up to 230# last fall..... and then was back to 230# by mid May. I am human, thus no stranger to yo-yoing on the scale.

 

I had SHOCKING weight loss results in 2011 as I ate clean 95% of the time and had sessions with my personal trainer twice a week. I also did Group Power at least twice a week, a big factor.

My problem the last half of 2012, all of 2013 & the 1st half of 2014 was psychological. I am ALWAYS happy in the gym, but I was miserable most of the time outside of the gym. I was being too hard on myself..... we all do that. I was depressed about my shoulders being bad. Work schedule kept me out of church for 5 years. I had relationship issues.
Yep, I discovered my inner crybaby.

 

Lots and lots and lots of comfort food was my solution. I didn't believe in myself in Group Centergy, so 90% of my workouts were in bike classes. No variety in exercise is not good for us. I always knew that. I pretty much built a house on my plateau and decided to just stay there.

 

Psychological...... that is 99% of the battle. Big turnaround came from an opportunity in McPherson. My attitude started changing the 1st time I subbed there in April. I was so excited about the chance to bring my voice and message to a new group that it reset my focus. After subbing for a few weeks, I had decided to send an email of "Look, you simply HAVE to add me to the team"..... but I was beat to the punch..... I was offered a spot on the team.

Back to square one

Part of the human condition is how easy it becomes to dwell on our shortcomings, even after tremendous things have been accomplished. The chain smoking fast food junkie from the before picture crushed an awful lot of goals en route to becoming a Group Fitness Instructor blessed with a dedicated group of students.

I was caught in a long cycle of allowing frustration to pile up to the point I had all but stopped fighting for what had been my top goal 9 months ago. Excuses mounted higher and higher as my once tremendous practice habits became lax. Pretty much reached the throwing in the towel stage, something that should have brought healthy anger into play.

My wakeup call came in the form of several texts from a cousin. Cheered me up to be thanked for being an inspiration, but if I failed to inspire myself enough to work hard in pursuit of my top goal....... ahhhh...... there came that healthy anger. Not being a natural at anything athletically requires nothing short of relentless practice habits to get what I want.

Physical results have not been up to par in quite some time. Time to reintroduce VARIETY to my workouts. Calories must be tracked. I have to get more sleep. Those 3 keys will unlock the goals I seek. MUST be all 3. Underachieving on any of the 3 short circuits my pursuit of my physical goals.

Long road to go. One day at a time, one step at a time. Each morning is an opportunity to rededicate myself to the pursuit of my goals. Let it begin.


Supplements are something I seek to learn more about every day. I had staggering results from cycling pretty much everything, something I will never stray from.

4 weeks with stimulants, 2 weeks stim free.
I am currently on a 3 month cycle of Citrulline Malate.

Tons of preworkout and intra workout supplements contain Citrulline Malate, but not enough for what I need daily (8 Grams minimum on workout days/ 6 G off days).
My intra choice, Core Nutritionals Core ABC, provides 2.5 G per serving. Preworkout : Magnum Nutraceuticals Opus  for January, then Athletix High Volume (2.5 G per scoop) for February. Both are stim free. Opus has a proprietary blend, but Magnum Nutraceuticals was kind enough to answer my email and tell me the Citrulline Malate dosage. I fill in the blanks with plain Citrulline Malate, which is fairly inexpensive through AllStarHealth.   

5-1-13

June 2011 --heading for 300#

January 2013 

July 2012 team teaching Group Ride with Coach Becky Holcomb

In May 2011, I weighed 270 lbs and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.

 I had been overweight for most of my life and hated myself. I've tried

 all the quick diet pills and quick fixes and had more failures than I

 can remember.



Late June 2011, the light bulb went on and I decided to arm myself

 with knowledge on getting healthy. I studied nutrition and started

 exercising.... the only way to accomplish body transformation is to

 master caloric deficits. ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING.



This blog will show my intense journey to quit smoking and dedicate

 my life to being physically fit. If  I can inspire some more people to do

 the same, my journey would be even more meaningful.... this has

 become my higher purpose. 



Thank you to Alan Hirsch and Joe Stierwalt for their guidance in

 getting this blog rolling. 



Interesting to see my instructing style 

evolve. Hadn't really


hit me until this morning, but some 

healthy anger has crept


into my teaching. What a blessing it is 

to have an outlet.... to


positively channel anything negative 

is a wonderful

approach.





My workouts are the best possible

 form of escapism. Stress is


 universal -- it can eat the best of us 

alive.  Lots of work to do


on how to better handle stress outside 

the gym, but once I


walk through those doors at Genesis, 

every burden is lifted. I


am free to LEAD.... to ATTACK.... not 

only have I found my


life's calling and I know I am damned 

good at it..... I know


I have just barely begun tapping into 

my potential.




My number one frustration is self 

induced.

Great exercise program? Check.

Supplements all figured out? Check.


Eating clean? Nope. Crash and burn on 

that one.




The good news is that every morning 

is another opportunity


to right the ship.  Every workout is 

another opportunity to


improve. Every class I instruct is 

another opportunity to lift

someone up.




At the end of the day, what matters 

most is that I am having



the time of my life when I teach and I 

hunger for more


after each class I lead. What more 

could a man ask for?   Truly blessed.
 

12-13-12

May 2011 -- no will to live

6-10-12 --Filmed for getting certified as a Group Ride instructor. 

In May 2011, I weighed 270 lbs and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. I had been overweight for most of my life and hated myself. I've tried all the quick diet pills and quick fixes and had more failures than I can remember.

Late June 2011, the light bulb went on and I decided to arm myself with knowledge on getting healthy. I studied nutrition and started exercising.... the only way to accomplish body transformation is to master caloric deficits. ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING.

This blog will show my intense journey to quit smoking and dedicate my life to being physically fit. If  I can inspire some more people to do the same, my journey would be even more meaningful.... this has become my higher purpose. 

Thank you to Alan Hirsch and Joe Stierwalt for their guidance in getting this blog rolling. 




This entry is dedicated to 2 members of my Genesis family, Becky Holcomb and Joe Stierwalt...... and to my amazing students (with a special shout out to Annie Bass).

As I did earlier this year in Group Ride, I am chasing a dream. Despite having written about this goal (and having told my students and a number of other friends about it) , I have spent the last week making excuses for why I should back down from Group Centergy training when it is offered :
-- I'm clumsy, not graceful
-- My folds are awful  ....very limited flexibility
-- may have to cancel one day of my G-cycle class to attend training.....
-- what if I fail?

  .....and on and on and on. Funny how easy it is to wimp out of chasing a dream.

This morning was different, though. I had just hung a sign for my students to see when they walked into my class today, "NO LIMITS" .  What  kind of hypocrite would preach that doctrine , but not live by it?

The clincher : yesterday in Vinyasa Flow Yoga, we listened to Rod Stryker on CD during Relaxation. He asked the listener to picture a goal ....and to picture its completion. The result of picturing myself getting certified in Group Centergy was tears. Yes, I LOVE Group Centergy and I want this desperately.

No promises that I will pull this off, but, if I do, wouldn't that score another big point for the Underdogs? Was there a more unlikely candidate for Group Ride instructor than the 270+ # chain smoker in the before picture?

So funny..... roughly 90 minutes after I dropped the last of my excuses, I was informed that Group Centergy training is coming up February 8-10. I can't think of a single reason not to go. 

11-16-12

In May 2011, I weighed 270 lbs and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. I had been overweight for most of my life and hated myself. I've tried all the quick diet pills and quick fixes and had more failures than I can remember.

Late June 2011, the light bulb went on and I decided to arm myself with knowledge on getting healthy. I studied nutrition and started exercising.... the only way to accomplish body transformation is to master caloric deficits. ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING.

This blog will show my intense journey to quit smoking and dedicate my life to being physically fit. If  I can inspire some more people to do the same, my journey would be even more meaningful.... this has become my higher purpose. 

Thank you to Alan Hirsch and Joe Stierwalt for their guidance in getting this blog rolling. 

                                                       With Graham for Military Appreciation Zumba 


Working 3rd shift tonight and I have some close friends facing some very tough things so I want to thank some loved ones for something positive going on in my life. 

Remember that fat, ugly, uncoordinated kid who really, really, really wanted to be an athlete? The one who was bad at everything but watching baseball and football on TV? 

He grew up to be a depression addict, hooked on drugs and alcohol. By all rights, he should have been in jail or the grave. 

Had to be divine intervention that gave me a son, as I can't picture any other reason I would have gone clean. Even if I'm wrong on that, SOMETHING magical had to take place several years later, as I finally broke my chains to depression and self loathing in 2011. 

With tons of help from my teammates, I soared at Genesis in 2011. I was into all kinds of workouts, but remember being equally fascinated by and terrified of the zumba classes.   

1st person I turned to was Rex Byer. Seeing Rex after he had sweated gallons in Zumba made me want to see how much I could grow if I added it to my mix. For stupid reasons going back years and years and years, I was still afraid. I turned to Cheri Mullen-Hastert to help me break through my list of excuses. Cheri is in my inner circle of friends at Genesis and her encouragement got me into a zumba class (after a couple weeks of last minute excuses).

I hid waaaaaayyyyy in the back corner and would have been terrified were it not for the fact everyone was so nice to me. Cheri had the girls give me an ovation after class. Very touching. I went a few more times, but was relieved when my fiancee Nita started going to zumba. With the excuse of "I should stay out of her way and let her do her thing", I was zumba free again.

Next up was a Military appreciation class. Nita and I got shirts designed by Angie Davis. Honestly, the only reason I attended was because Cheri's son Graham was there. Like his mom, Graham has been nothing but a blessing to me since the day we met (in a Hot Yoga class -- awesome!!).

My plan after that event was to wear the shirt, support Cheri and the rest of Team Zumba..... and all would be well as long as I didn't have to go more than once or twice a year. My plan fell apart when Nita talked Zumba & Group Power star Jenn Galloway into trying my Group Ride class. If Jenn could come to my class, I really had no choice but to go back to Zumba.

Happy ending : I was hooked by the 2nd class and am now a monday and friday morning regular. Cheri's energy is off the charts. I am also a big fan of Cheri's partner in crime Jill Chisam. I'm awfully impressed with instructors Chris Smith and Samantha Hildebrand, too. Even more impressive, though, is the fact that so many of the students are as talented as they are dedicated.

I am stronger than ever in Group Ride and G-cycle because I trusted in Cheri and co. to get me out of my comfort zone and, let's face it, I am walking, talking proof that muscle confusion works wonders. The joy Cheri has for attacking her workouts led to me practicing G-cycle after Zumba. I had a really wonderful group of students today. I have never felt stronger at the front of Studio B. My students and I crushed a very, very tough set. Blame Cheri for my extra energy today.

Zumba is offered in many places. I am thankful we all have freedom of choice. Cheri and Jill are my choice. I won't do zumba without them.    

11-13-12

In May 2011, I weighed 270 lbs and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. I had been overweight for most of my life and hated myself. I've tried all the quick diet pills and quick fixes and had more failures than I can remember.

Late June 2011, the light bulb went on and I decided to arm myself with knowledge on getting healthy. I studied nutrition and started exercising.... the only way to accomplish body transformation is to master caloric deficits. ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING.

This blog will show my intense journey to quit smoking and dedicate my life to being physically fit. If  I can inspire some more people to do the same, my journey would be even more meaningful.... this has become my higher purpose. 
Thank you to Alan Hirsch and Joe Stierwalt for their guidance in getting this blog rolling. 

Another day to celebrate. As I was walking to the car after receiving the news that my freestyle class,
G-cycle, goes back on the schedule Fridays at 915 AM starting January 11th, my 1st thought was that 3 classes a week is a pretty big step up from what began 11 months ago as 1 class every other week.

How about a bigger step than that? I began my journey with a 3 mile walk in June 2011. That 3 mile walk was honestly at least a mile longer than what I should have done that day. I had to back off for the rest of that week.

I spent my 1st 6 months of exercise as a smoker. I was up to a pretty heavy class load at Genesis by month #4, but smoking was short circuiting my gains. Like many smokers, I considered myself physically fit. Nonsense. It took a life changer named Joe Stierwalt, my 1st personal trainer, to show me the truth : If I wanted a shot at living my dream of becoming an instructor at Genesis, smoking wasn't an option.

Did becoming an ex smoker pay off? I became an instructor 3 weeks later.

I'm going to keep this entry short and sweet, thanking God for my Genesis family and the opportunity I have been presented.

No guarantees come with the addition of G-cycle to the schedule. It is being added on a trial basis and I need good attendance for it to stick. What more could I ask for, though? I am blessed to be on a team that believes in me.