COMMIT to BE FIT...even during the holidays!

Hi Everyone :)

Wow, it has been a LONG time since my last post. As I reflect upon reasons for the delay, my thoughts center on a deeply impactful event that occured this past month. A dear friend and fitness pro was hit by another driver in a tragic, weather related accident that claimed two lives. Fortunately, her three children and husband were not critically harmed, but the collision left her in critical condition. In fact, the neurosurgeon called in for this emergency, said he had never seen a spine so dislocated without rendering the patient paralyzed. He explained to her family that in this unprecidented case, it would be his job to attempt to set the vertebra back in place without causing such paralysis. My friend was then given medication that would allow her to be awake during the surgery, without memory of the pain. Unbelievably, she was able to guide the surgeon in his work and through a series of miracles, she walked out of the hospital with full functionality of her entire body.

I guess the other part of her story that so deeply touched me came the day after her accident. My family and I went to visit her and something she said has been on my mind since. She said she'd been thinking about all of the work we had done together to strengthen the muscles in her neck, back, and core - and suggested it may have helped save her life. I guess I have never quite thought about weight lifting as something that could literally save my life, but it sure makes sense now. We never know when we will need "muscle" to protect the most vital parts of our bodies...and if that day ever comes for me, I am determined to do all I can to be prepared.

That said, I want to draw a connection to the wonderful time of year that is upon us. I look forward to the holidays every year...but with all of the parties, and food, and family memories, and food, and busyness, and food...it is easy to forget why I must not allow it all to interfere with fitness. I encourage you to remember the words spoken by my dear friend...and choose to make your training a priority - even when you might have every excuse to take a "holiday break". The kind of training my friend spoke of wasn't periodic. It wasn't something she did when it was convenient. It was something she made time for...5-6 days each week. This kind of hard work follows the law of the harvest: we reap what we sow! If we choose to sow our "seeds" early enough in the cycle, and are willing to do the tedious work all along the way, the harvest will bless our lives! Likewise, our bodies will serve us well if we choose make the investment early and often!

I wish you all the most memorable holidays of your lives...partially because you chose not to be the one RE-committing to exercise on January 1st! Here's to a harvest of health and wellness so you can enjoy your lives and your families for a LONG, long time to come!