REposting

http://poundpinching2010.blogspot.com/2012/01/body-image.html

HE LARIOUS

Ok a friend sent me in the direction of this blog and while I am not endorsing any athletic or food advice she gives, well, because I haven't read that much of her stuff so I don't really know her game.

But the stuff I have read, has me LAUGHING OUT LOUD. LOL'ING

Oh my gosh she is hilarious.

GO read some right now,

http://www.runningoffthereeses.com/

Response from Lisa Gough, gym owner

I thought this was an amazing reply to my review of Total Fitness Athletic Club in Fallon from last week. The owner, took time out of her day to reach out and appreciate the things that I said and to me that spoke volumes.
This humble, business owner--read my blog. This mountain of a woman, appreciated my words. I truly feel famous right now.
I wish for everyone to know a fitness enthusiast like this, to be able to train in a facility like we have at Big Jon Fitness, or at a gym like Lisa's. There is a difference. There is heart and soul and there is dirt and grit from pushing oneself to be the best version of them that they can be.
You don't find this kind of atmosphere and these kind of people everywhere. It's rare. In the fitness industry often times owners are overweight McDonalds eating junkies--it isn't common for the people running the business to actually follow the practice that they are being paid to preach. I hope you all understand that. Money talks and people start to get greedy (in every field, not ours alone), but when you find someone who has built a business and blood, sweat and tears--and truly cares about the people who walk through their doors and their personal goals-- and will do whatever they can to help you accomplish them--
You have found a gym family.






Total Fitness Athletic Club Hi Teri, it’s Lisa Gough!
I just discovered your wonderful review of our gym and I'm sitting here speechless and struggling to find the right words to express my heartfelt gratitude as saying "thank you" just doesn't sound big enough for the gratitude I'm feeling for you and your wonderful words of praise. I'm sitting here crying as I'm searching for my words. SUCH a wonderful gift you gave me today. 

Yes, you are right. I am the owner. I was in business with a partner up until two years ago. Our gym is 12 years old and it was born in my heart. Total Fitness Athletic Club is an extension of me and although yes, over the years we have received a lot of complements and praise, we have never received such a wonderful gift as the one you have given us today. Thank you. And I say that tearfully, humbly and with my whole heart.

Now comes the hard part. How to find the right words to express how I feel about what you spoke of regarding me personally. When you said "I pondered what it must be like to be her and what work ethic and heart she must have to go through the process of training so hard, through obstacles that most of us will never even fathom." that's when the tears came and my heart filled with such warmth, gratitude and love and for the first time in my career I felt as though all of my hard work and dedication has paid off.

Teri, I thank you for recognizing my obstacles and I thank you for training with the heart of a warrior yourself. It's only through your own strengths and dedication to step up and do the hard work that you are able to recognize it in someone else. I'm glad I was able to inspire you to work a little bit harder while training in our gym and I'm most grateful that you took the time to tell me how much our gym and my presence in the gym inspired you.

I want you to know I will be sharing your review with Kari and everyone who serves on our staff. They will feel proud to know they are doing a great job and it will serve as a great reminder that every guest and member are wanting more than just a gym when they visit our facility. They are looking to be acknowledged and invited in. They are looking for a great experience in addition to a great work out and their efforts and customer services skills provide the ideal environment that make us the best fitness center in Fallon. I think our guests and members deserve to see your review as well so I will be posting it in various places around the club.

Thank you again Teri. I sent you a friend request and I would like you to message me when you’ll be passing through again. I’m looking forward to meeting you the next time you visit our club. 

Once again, thank you Teri. Thank you.
Lisa Gough

Gym Review--Total Fitness Athletic Club, Fallon Nevada

Last week the fam dam and I took a 5 day vacation to visit family in Nevada. We had a great time relaxing and catching up with the hubby's family. We started in Reno, and then went to Fallon for a couple of days.
Husband and I are both on meal plans for the time being, and are trying to cut up a bit for summer as the water park with our babies is coming quickly! We were lax on food while away, making the best choices we could without being total downers and without driving ME crazy with tupperware and coolers everywhere.
We hit two separate gyms in Reno, one-- can't remember the name but it used to be a Gold's Gym and also to an Anytime Fitness. Both places were nice but not what we are used to and not the easiest environment to feel welcome in. I felt bad for any newbie to the gym scene walking into the bigger club because it wasn't very user friendly, and even as veterans to the gym scene, we had a hard time finding everything that we wanted. It was very tight quarters and for being a huge facility it just wasn't put together well.

I was freaking out worried for when we went to Fallon, which is a much smaller town than the one we live in and I was only aware of one gym in the area. After talking to my mother in law, I found out there were in fact two local gyms--The Body Shop and Total Fitness Athletic Club.

We called and it was 5$ drop in fee to The Body Shop and $8 at the Athletic Club, so naturally we chose the Body Shop. We left the rugrats with Oma and Grandma and went and got out workout getup on and headed to The Body Shop where we knew they at least had dumb bells.










Yah, so my husband and I walked into that Shop and he was like "uhhhhh where did you hear about this place?" Yah, it was pretty bad. Right next to a feed lot, but that wouldn't have been that bad still, in such a small town--but the equipment we saw right as we walked in was all in a small room and ANCIENT. I mean, like older than my husbands very OLD 31 years. And we couldn't find anyone working, even at the counter that was right at the front as you walked in! Maybe they were on lunch break I dunno.We left. Not enough dumb bells. He made fun of me the whole way to the Athletic Club place. Why did he make fun of me? I don't know, he is the one who grew up in that friggin neck of the woods!!!

We walked into this Total Fitness Athletic Club and were greeted by Kari. She was so cute and friendly! We filled out a waiver, she told us she had lost 120 lbs during her journey and (looked amazing!!! by the way) and invited us to her spin class that would be starting in an hour or so. We declined but thanked her and made our way to the back of the gym where they had 3 separate areas. One large area for cardio equipment (3 steppers!! HOLLLA at your girl!!! I do love-- to hate those steppers) our big club in our own town only has two and half the time one isn't working) several treadmills, a few elliptical trainers and bikes. It was a very impressive set up with 3 tvs close enough for all the equipment to see easily. (They weren't huge screens or anything but they were big enough to see). That gave them big points for me, having my stair climber close enough to see a tv screen and then again even EXTRA points, because they didn't have it on a food channel!!) P.s WHAT IS UP WITH GYMS and the food channel? I don't get it!?!?! So stupid if you ask me.

The second area was a large weight lifting area with all the free weights. Benches galore! Free weights galore!! Squat racks galore!! It was a weight lifters heaven. All the equipment was very nice and clean and I didn't talk to anyone, except one guy when I asked if there was chalk since I had forgotten my gloves in Idaho. He pointed me to some straps I could borrow from the gym and that made those 70# rows TO-TALLY doable for 4 sets of 15.

The third area was all the machines. They had a great selection and if I were new to the gym scene, I would have spent my time there, getting in a good total body workout. I use mostly free weights now a days, but had I not felt comfortable, the staff was definitely approachable had I needed help, I'd have asked with out a doubt.








I'm on the stair climber, and that sexy beast behind me is my lubby dubby of almost 10 years!!! OMGosh we are getting OLD!!! Better with age though I do think!

The next day was Wednesday and because we had a 6 hour trip ahead of us, and I needed to get in my shoulder training session and some cardio first so I rolled out of bed at 615 am while the kids and honey were sleeping--stopped at Walmart for a banana, protein shake for pre and post workout, and a 5 hour energy drink to gimme a little get up and go. (What is with continental breakfasts? No eggs, no plain oats, no bananas?!) No protein at all actually? I don't understand. That's a side note.

My second trip the the Total Fitness Athletic Club was just as good, different employee. Same great, hometown service. It was homey there. I really liked it. If I didn't work at the best gym in the world-- Big Jon Fitness I would really love to work at a gym like that. I felt welcome and appreciated there, not like a number or an outsider. Just at home. I liked it a lot.



I got a good shoulder workout in and actually am still a bit sore today from it I noticed as I was vacuuming  This gym had motivational quotes and pictures scattered about and I liked that a lot as well. I saw this picture the day before and just saw a bodybuilder chick.


But this day, I took the time to read that this is LISA GOUGH, who happens to be a bodybuilder and has had her leg amputated from the knee down I believe. I was super impressed with her story and was inspired to work a little harder on each and all of my working limbs. I pondered what it must be like to be her and what work ethic and heart she must have to go through the process of training so hard, through obstacles that most of us will never even fathom.
Mad respect to this woman.
Upon further investigating now that I am home, I see that this lady must be owner or part owner of the gym and it all makes sense to me now.




That gym was an awesome environment from the moment I walked through the door. The people were friendly, and obviously live the health lifestyle they are preaching. I trust that. I believe in being the best advertising for your business in the health and fitness industry by practicing what you preach. I don't know these people, I only said hi and thank you. But I feel a connection with their dedication and with their ability to form a place where people can come from across the country and feel at home in their gym. If Lisa is the sole owner or co owner I am not sure, but I imagine that her strength and ability to do such hard things in life is a definitely the reason that that gym, is what I would say is a great place to train and one I will frequent as I travel back and forth to Nevada each year.

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Swim Suit Shopping Sucks

Let's be honest. We all think that when we lose X amount of weight. We are going to be happy. All clothes are going to fit us perfectly, and we are going to feel like a sexy beast every single day.

Yah, that doesn't happen does it? You get to your goal and you think "Hmmm, I could lose X more." or "If only my stomach would tighten up (or butt or arms or whatever your spot is)"

So if you have been diligent in your goals since January 1, you have been working on making your body into a leaner machine and you are almost 4 months in. Most of you are feeling really good. Progress has obviously been made, you are getting more concrete in your new healthy lifestyle. So you decide, it's the day to do it.

It's the day to try on swim suits.

You get like 75 different pieces, because you don't know if you are a medium or a large in a top or a bottom. Grab some one pieces --they are all the rage right now. Grab some others just so you don't have to come back from that dressing room again. (As soon as you get in the room and find the top you like, the bottom is the wrong size huh? That ALWAYS happens to me!! WHY is that?!(

Out of the 75 suits you tried on, you like 50. But on YOU, you like 2-- kinda. And even those two you are thinking to yourself "I have so much more work to do." "My butt is too big for this one" "My stomach bulges here".

This is how my journey started.
Shopping trip one:








Shopping trip two:




Shopping Trip 3






Soooo, remember that time I did a figure show? Yah, that was like one of 5 times I have ever worn a two piece in public. I really want to be confident in that two piece swim suit but I am just so self conscious of my loose skin on my stomach. My kids are also getting a little older and I don't really want to be like all falling out of my top with them , ya know. So I have the hardest time making a decision!!

I have a few tips for when you do your shopping though:
1. Go earlier in the day when you feel less bloated from your daily food
2. Do your hair and your make up. Don't go in after the gym, don't go in real quick. Go in and plan to take some time to try on and make sure you feel good about yourself the day you are going.
3. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER go the week before your period. (nuff said?!)
4. Bring your camera phone so you can take a quick picture, sometimes things look better in a picture than your TRICKY TRICKY eyes tell you they do in the mirror.


That's all I got.

But my cousin gave me this advice tonight. She said, all those suits look good on you--but the one that is going to look the best is the one you decide to wear with confidence. I have heard that a million times before, confidence is sexy. Confidence is attractive.

So I decided I am going to wear one of these, with confidence. Not sure which yet. But one I will wear... (opinions...surely!! Send em my way baby!!) Whichever I do choose I am going to pretend like I am a freaking runway model and forget about it. I am going to feel good about the work I put into my physique year round--accept that some of the parts of my body aren't my favorite, while still appreciating them for what they are and how they make me, me.
Then you know what I am going to do? I am gonna rock that friggin suit like nobody's business up in the water park with my babies. I am going to splash, and lay out, and teach them to swim, and slide and every other thing in the entire water park, besides worry about how I look.
Aint nobody got time fo' dat!!!

(Atleast my kids don't. And if I want them to be confident in their swim suits, mama better start working a little harder to be confident in hers right?

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