New Journey

I thought the next time I wrote, it would be about how I got back into the swing of things. I have stepped out of the competition lifestyle and  have been striving to get back to a "normal" routine. But today I will be sharing with you new journey, one that has been very difficult for me recently. I hope to give a glimpse into my next journey. During this time I ask for your prayers and support. Please take a moment, if you haven't already done so, to check out the guest blogger on my page about cancer.

Many of you may know that I have a friend fighting stage four ovarian cancer.  Cindy and I became friends through real estate (for a short time I sold real estate upon arriving in Asheville). Cindy and Ray, her husband, were referred to my families real estate company five years ago. They had just married (Ray a widower and Cindy divorcee) and were looking at homes. They decided not to move and we soon became great friends. Cindy and I connected on so many levels.  She is a nurse with a big heart, who is sweet, kind and just a joy to be around. She did not have children of her own but I felt a strong kinship with her. If I could of adopted her I would of.

We have spent most Thursday's together for the past year and half since the diagnosis. I cherish these Thursday "get togethers", it has been as much for her as it has been for me. I have so enjoyed the protected time we have had together and the fun things we have done. About eight weeks ago Cindy went back into the hospital and spent seven weeks there. After being released for two short weeks, she reentered the hospital again. She left this past Friday after being told they could no longer stop the cancer. Her life would be coming to a close and any fighting would only give her a small amount of additional time.

That Friday, my perspective and life changed has changed.  I now realized a dear friend would not be able to stay here with me and would not survive this disease. This is probably one of the most challenging times in my life and after the summer I have had it just seemed a bit surreal.  I couldn't believe how difficult this is for me, but even more important how difficult this must be for Cindy. It has been hard for me not to question what I am suppose to learn through all of this and how I can grow stronger. I have never felt such sorrow and I am really trying to find a balance between grieving and living.

My hope is to take that little bit of time I have left with her and add value to her time left on earth. I want to be a constant source of support for her.  During this time, I must make sure that I will be strong enough emotional and physically.  I can see how easy it is to neglect yourself when things get too hectic.  I have really began to focus on "Worrying about what I can do and not what I can't do".

For those who have take the time to read this, I thank you. I hope you will pray for Cindy, as I can not imagine the gravity that this must be for her and for anyone fighting cancer. All that I can do is remain strong for her. I also hope you will also recognize that the time you spend here on this Earth is short and the value you offer is so critical.  I pray that each of you will live life well and never give up.

How Cancer Patients can Benefit from Physical Fitness

Thanks to David Haas - Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance - He's our guest blogger for this week.

Many of you know  a dear friend is fighting a tough battle with stage four ovarian cancer. I am so glad to have this great article and hope you also are able to learn some interesting facts about cancer and exercise.

How Cancer Patients can Benefit from Physical Fitness

Studies have proven cancer patients who incorporate exercise into their regular routines have an increased chance of living longer than cancer sufferers who do not exercise or do not exercise as much. Patients, who adopt a healthier diet, give up smoking and exercise, the rate of relapse decreased regardless of how serious the cancer was when it was first discovered.

Women who walked at least three hours or more per week decreased the cancer death rate and experienced a 50% drop in the risk for death over a long period of time. This does not mean that every cancer sufferer will increase his or her life span.  Those who beat the odds were those who already exercised prior to diagnosis. This change may also have been possible because women who had a severe diagnosis chose to exercise to increase their chances of survival.

What Does Physical Fitness Do For Cancer Patients?

Based on a study performed by Harvard Medical School, hormone levels are decreased and this includes level of progesterone as well as estrogen.  This is an important factor to stop the cancer from growing and from causing a relapse. Regular exercise and physical fitness stops the body from resisting insulin.  The resistance to insulin is common amongst patients who suffer from breast cancer.  This condition also causes a buildup of sugar in a person’s blood. The reason for the buildup is that the body muscles, liver and fat do not absorb the insulin they way they should.

Exercise also promotes weight loss and also prevents weight gain.  Being overweight hinders survival rates but regular exercise can improve chances of survival for a person who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, mesothelioma or any other type of cancer.

Another major benefit of physical fitness in cancer patients is that they can improve the way they see themselves and their bodies.  They can also improve their mood as well as their outlook on life.

It is true that you may feel tired and weak but physical fitness can correct this factor. The belief that exercising can make the medical problem worse is not true. Patients can gain stamina and also the will to fight the disease.

I'm Back!

   The past 8 months have been an emotional ride to say the least.  My blogging has been scarce, I find myself writing down my thoughts, only to find myself taking too much time to edit, proofread and ready to publish. Even after all that work and time, I deem it not worth publishing. Today I'm going to do something different, I'm going to power through and hopefully giving you something good to read. 

     July 17, 2011, a dear friend of mine was hit by a car while riding her bike on a local road. She was paralyzed from the waist down. It not only drastically changed her life, it changed the lives of everyone who knew her. For me it was the time to step up and be the kind of friend that we all talk about being. It's easy to be friends with people when it's lunch dates, telephone calls and workouts at the gym. The challenge really comes when you know what your friend needs and understand that there will be sacrifices on your part to be there for them. I can tell you first hand that it is the most rewarding type of friendship you can have.  I am a better person because of her. She has shown me what a strong person can do when ones life is drastically altered.  

     I wish I could say that only one friend was dealt a difficult blow this past year. Another dear friend is suffering with stage four ovarian cancer.  This disease has taken so much from her already, that it is hard to watch her suffer while she tries to stay strong and continue to fight. She was diagnosed before, treated and was told she was cancer free. A recent test showed that it was back. The details of the second round of treatment have yet to be revealed.  There is no way around the fact that she has an uphill battle. She may be looking at another round of chemo, we just don’t know.  We were hoping that the last surgery would will help eradicate any leftover cancer and help her to continue to be cancer free. As I sit by helpless, I do my best to be a friend and support her in any way I can. 

      While these heart rendering events are happening to my friends, my business is achieving a great deal of success. It is hard to imagine during these difficult times that positive things still can exist. I am so grateful for what I have around me.  I have worked hard to establish a quality business that I can be proud of. I love the fact that people are excited about making a healthy change in there lives and that I am  there to guide them.  I know that living life well is the best thing you can do for yourself and those around you. As always, in business and life there are hurtles that come up. During my process to trademark  “train hard finish strong” brand, it was challenged by a man who owns the “finish strong” brand.  Due to his challenge, the government did not to award me the trademark for “train hard finish strong”. After a bit of back and forth, I was offered a licensing deal with the man so that I could legally sell items with that logo.  As disappointing as it is to come up with something you thought would work and hit a snag, my goal is not to be a T-shirt company with a great slogan. So I adjust, “train hard finish strong” could also be “train hard be strong”.  One challenge meets another challenge and again I grow. It has been a compelling year thus far.

     I will admit, in the midst of everything that was happening, my exercising, eating habits and active lifestyle had taken a back seat. Within a couple of months though I have gotten myself back on track. Tune in next week and I will tell you how I pulled my life out of a wellness tailspin!

Train Hard Be Strong!

Jolene

Tricks aren't really treats!!

5 ways into treating yourself to a healthy holiday -

It can be a trick more than a treat to avoid temptation during the upcoming holidays. One of the best ways to avoid getting into trouble is to take each holiday one at a time. October brings Halloween and with Halloween , candy and temptations difficult for anyone struggling with a healthy lifestyle or not. The common trick we fall for at Halloween is the “small size” candy and the perception that one or two “won’t hurt” finding after a week of picking small pieces we have finished much of the bag we planned for our trick or treat buckets. So what are some ways to avoid being tricked into making less desirable choices?

1) buy the candy on the day of Halloween- many times we think buying  ahead of time will be a good plan, only to find temptation and an empty bag of candy

2) buy your least favorite candy (if you must buy candy) If you love a certain type of chocolate candy buy a tart candy or hard candy instead.

3) give something other than candy- popping up more and more are play-dough in small size gift containers, pretzels, popcorn in small ready-pop bags

4) When children bring home candy - there are two options- take out the few favorites and offer two options with the rest- Some dentist offices are offering cash for candy and children like cash-  send it to a solider overseas, lots of sites are offering ways to ship candy- take it to the local retirement community- everyone loves candy.

5) Throw away candy in the middle of November. If it lingers in the drawer or pantry it only becomes a greater threat.

Holidays come every year and each year instead of enjoying them we worry about the set backs with eating too much sugar or not being able to say no to the temptations. However, viewing each holiday as an opportunity to form better habits and make better choices you can create and pass on the skills to the next generation of children. As childhood obesity and obesity in America grows holidays can focus more on family and fun and less on food. So don’t be tricked this holiday and monitor the treats and you can have a successful holiday.

Almost Impossible

Has someone ever told you this? Which word did you focus on the "almost" or the "impossible"?

 Having a walk with a great client we talked about the words her doctor used when talking to her about losing weight-" due to your medical condition- it will be almost impossible to lose weight" she said for a while she didn't try and then when she wanted to try she didn't have the confidence to do it. Today she has lost over 30 lbs and looks completely different. She feels good about herself and is making very important life changes so it will be forever.  Which word have you picked to focus on? I like to work from the almost and never from impossible!!!

Here's more from her story:

As I saw the scales slowly inch up and up until I had topped out at 218lbs, I realized that I had begun to isolate, withdraw from church and friends, and make all kinds of excuses on why I could not lose weight. All it took was for the Dr to say it would be "almost" impossible for me to lose weight because of the meds I was on and type 2 diabetes. I completely missed the word "almost". I had grown out of all my clothes. I could wear my husbands sweats, and most days stayed in lounge clothes because I couldn't fit in my jeans any more. I would offer to keep the grandchildren overnight on the weekends so I would have an excuse not to go to church and face people that had watched me get bigger. All of my Sunday clothes were tight! I felt ugly and sloppy. I could not look at myself in the mirror because of how fat my face looked. I couldn't get enough bangs to hide my face! My blood sugar was out of control because I was cycling with sweets and carbs. I would not undress in front of my husband because in my mind I knew I was not a pretty site, even tho he had NEVER said that. I looked at myself in the mirror that was on the closet door, and saw all the dimples and bulges in my legs and thighs, and I just kept eating the wrong foods! My diabetic Dr wrote a note after one of our office visits and said, "If Mrs Allen would only eat right, she could cure her diabetes". When I read this, it was like a stab in my gut because it was as if he had given up on me, but I had given up on myself. I thought I was ready to commit to a healthy way of eating, but at the first stressful situation, I would relapse into old habits. I was desperate in February because I had lost all hope of ever losing weight. My liver Dr  had said that if I don't lose the weight I will have to have a liver transplant. The feelings of guilt were taking over that I was failing my family and friends and myself by not being committed. A friend told me about The Telephone Fitness Trainer and how she had helped him. I had started feeling that I could not do it by myself any longer and reached out for help. I wondered if she could actually help me but went ahead, took a deep breath and wrote that e-mail with all my "stuff" going on and I was so thankful when I saw those words "Call Me!"!! The next 8 months have changed and saved my life! Thank you for having me look back at where I have come from becasue I never want to go back to that feeling of hopeless and helplessness, isolating and withdrawn and miserably unhappy!

What you may not know!!!

I love what I do. I am sure that is no surprise, at least I hope it's not. I am so blessed to wake up everyday and think that "today- I get to help someone have a better, more successful day" I stumbled into this position in life because I couldn't find work when my husband and I were living in Germany. I didn't know it would be my passion and I didn't know a dead end in one place would lead to a yellow brick road in another. I have for the past seventeen years of this life- giggled that in my soul laid this deep desire to help people be stronger and live life well. I never looked back at the B.S. in Law Enforcement - the M.A. in Human Resources and wondered if I waisted time, but I am so relieved I never gave up on my dreams. I didn't know fitness and my position in it would lead to so much success. I don't know if you know this either but fitness is a little like being a teacher - it won't make you rich - but the payoff is the purpose that drives the spirit. What you may not know is there are a few things I don't like- It's hard---- -Watching people lose years and give in to the temporary fix that leads them right back to the same place- I see so many lose love, profession and protection of self esteem over food, isolation and an unwillingness to do some very hard work. I watch marriages fall apart, lives lived broken and the sad faces of some very lonely people who need a strength that can be introduced by having the will to be well. I talk to people over and over and think "do they know  what wonderful things lie inside them? do they know this flesh hides more than their love of self but their sole's purpose?" Today more than ever it's struggle and I think it might be easier to get into real estate with my family make a lot of money or do something less meaningful but more consistent and the truth remains when you love what you do - it picks you. I hope you'll consider sending this on. I can help and would love to help but I am only seeking those who are ready to do the hard work, find the right place to go and do it for the right reasons. Those unwilling, unmotivated need not apply this work I do is n

Don't panic but don't slack off either!!