Meet Julie--a student out of Training for Warriors Laurel

Before coming to Training for Warriors Laurel, Julie felt ashamed and embarrassed.  She had always been very active, working out, playing tennis, and even completing a half marathon. 

“I had really never struggled with my weight until I was diagnosed with Stage IV Endometriosis at the age of 35. After multiple angel baby losses, rounds of infertility drugs, and two rounds of IVF, I had eaten my way into a depression 70 pounds deep! How could I have let myself go like that?”

A miracle was coming Julie and her husband’s way, though.  After all of the infertility struggles, Julie conceived and gave birth to a healthy, beautiful, baby girl, without the use of any fertility drugs.  Their daughter is two years old now, and she is very active.  Julie knew that she wanted to be healthy for her, and be able to run, play, and keep up with her.  She realized it was time for a change, and that is when she heard about TFW Laurel.  She enrolled in our 8 Week Challenge, and throughout the 8 weeks, she started noticing changes and began getting some great results.

“I had confidence in myself again.  I realized starting this journey that it wouldn't be an overnight fix. I am down 25 pounds and have 45 to go...but I'm well on my way. My clothes fit better and I feel better.  The week I started the 8 week program I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes.  I was devastated.  I have been a nurse practitioner for 13 years, and I’ve seen the damage Type II Diabetes does to every organ system.  With my family history of hypertension and stroke, I knew where I was headed if I didn't make a major lifestyle change. After completing the 8 week program, not only had I lost weight and inches but I was no longer a pre-diabetic!  I have never participated in a program quite like this one. It's like having your own private trainer but in a group setting. Chuck is amazing! I have never felt less than. He and Shauna encourage me to give my best, and help modify exercises to fit me when needed. The sense of camaraderie from the group is amazing and helps me stay motivated and accountable!”

The TFW coaches and TFW tools have helped her see how far she has come, and helped her to stay focused on where she is going.  She trains with TFW in the regular programming now, three to four times a week.  The three tips she would give to anyone in the 8 week program that she feels helped her to transform are:

“Listen to Coach Chuck—he knows what he is talking about.  When you fall off the train a meal or two, get right back on.  Don’t give up!  Set small goals for yourself.  Consistency, over time, adds up!”

Do you have a story that sounds similar to Julie’s before she came to TFW Laurel? If so, we'd love to help you! Our next 8 Week Warrior Challenge starts on Monday, August 21st. Click the link below for more information.

YES! I want more info!

Hope to see you in our Dojo soon!

Coach Chuck

Meet Jamie—a student out of Training for Warriors Laurel

          Before coming to Training for Warriors Laurel, Jamie was struggling with maintaining her workouts at home and staying consistent. She was losing her motivation to workout because she was working out alone to DVDs. She was ready for a change, but just wasn’t sure what that change was going to be.

          One day she was in her doctor’s office, and a nurse practitioner told her about our Dojo. She’d never heard of us before, but she knew that she needed to try something different.

“I knew I didn't want to just go to a gym where there's equipment everywhere because I didn’t really want to keep working out alone, nor did I know what exercises I needed to do except the ones I had been doing for the previous year.  I checked out numerous gyms in the area, but none offered a workout routine or class other than the typical aerobic, spin, yoga, or similar classes.   I wanted a class that involved weights. I'm so glad I found TFW!”

           Since coming to TFW Laurel and staying committed to making a change, she has been able to maintain her weight loss for 2 years, improve her stamina, feel better, and establish some relationships with other people that she is very thankful for. She believes that the daily nutrition tips, learning new exercises, and logging her workouts through warrior tracker have been some of the keys that have helped to contribute to her success. The TFW coaches and TFW tools have helped her see how far she has come, and helped her to stay focused on where she is going.

“I still have goals to achieve, but I know that if I can discipline myself with the nutrition, I will get there!”

    
          Do you have a story that sounds similar to Jamie’s before she came to TFW Laurel? If so, we'd love to help you! Our next 8 Week Warrior Challenge starts on Monday, August 21st. Click the link below for more information.

YES! I want more info!

Hope to see you in our Dojo soon!

Coach Chuck

When did you get old?

31 Ways To Look And Act Younger

Would you like to seem a little younger?  Does time seem like it is passing you by?  If you would like to reclaim some of your fitness and figure from your youth, this is one article from TFW Founder Martin Rooney you cannot afford to skip.  Read this and not only will you get a little laugh, but you will also get a big idea how to improve your health.

Chuck

Everwine Fitness/TFW Laurel

717-381-6274

Warrior,

Whenever I present, I am always honored to take photos at the end of the show.  If you have seen photos of me or from coaches at TFW’s, you have probably noticed our signature “warrior face” pose. 

This is a growling face with my hands up like a fighter (often with a warrior yell thrown in for effect too!)  I don’t do the face to be angry, I do it to have fun. 

Although striking a pose and making some noise is more entertaining than just standing still, many people have to be prodded into doing it.  Once they hit the pose, however, you can see they get a quick taste of how fun it is to act like a kid again. 

That got me wondering if there are any other negatives you experience by “growing up.”

When I am traveling, I can often be found pulling off what might be considered some “childish” acts.  Whether it is performing 20 jumps to get a great photo in front of a famous monument, riskily climbing up on a statue, or taking on a food challenge with some local delicacy, I notice most people my age choose to stand and watch. 

You know the drill: they watch and seem to enjoy it, but aren’t involved.  Kind of like those parents that sit out of the “splash zone” at Sea World as if there is an unwritten rule that older people no longer enjoy getting wet.

Don’t get me wrong. Having 4 young daughters (and a few more gray hairs!) is a daily reminder there are ways I too have “gotten old.”  

For as much running around as I do, I have also found myself standing on side of a playground scrolling through emails, waiting while my kids take a fifth consecutive trip on a roller coaster and puzzling over why their math homework got too difficult. 

This had me wondering once again, what should stay and what should get removed from your life when you go from being a “kid” to a “grown up.” 

Since there is no manual here are my ideas on how to grow up while still staying young.

Good Ways To Grow Up

When you enter adulthood, there are some things you did as a kid that are probably wise to stop.   Whether it was eating 3 Big Macs (yes I did it!) or not cleaning my bathroom towel or bedroom sheets for months (yes I did those too!) when you “grow up” there is a point some things should go away.  

Here is a quick list of other things you may have done when you were younger that you should have stopped doing by now:

•   Sleeping Away The Weekend

•   Binge Drinking

•   Binge Eating 

•   Smoking

•   Only Cleaning Up When Someone Is Coming Over

•   Hours Spent On Video Games

•   Hours Spent On TV Cartoons

•   Living With Your Parents

•   Asking Your Parents For Money

•   Having Your Parents Do Your Wash

•   Eating Lots Of Candy

•   Drinking Lots Of Soda

•   Partying For Multiple Days In A Row

•   Skipping Class

•   Hour Long Phone Conversations About Nothing

Even though that list may put a smile on your face as you remember some of the “good old days,” the good news is you hopefully removed most of these items from your life as you got older. 

The bad news? 

There are some things you probably did in your youth that should not have been removed and some that still need to go. 

Let’s start with the stuff you once did that should have stayed:

Good Ways To Stay Young

You may have packed your toys and trophies away, but there are some youthful ways to keep your inner kid alive. 

Yes, getting rid of your torn tee shirts or heart throb posters was a good idea, but there are some other “childish” habits that weren’t. If you haven’t done any of these in a while, time to get going before it gets too late:

•   Ride A Bike

•   Climb A Tree

•   Sing Your Favorite Song...LOUD

•   Dance Like No One Is Watching

•   Paint A Picture

•   Read A Book

•   Play A Sport

•   Go For A Swim

•   Try Something New

 

Childish Habits That Still Need To Go

Do you think people should get overweight or weaker as they get older?  I don’t! 

Just because you grew up doesn’t mean you have to look and act old.  People don’t lose strength because they got old, they got weak because they stopped using strength! 

Just like your car might have once been filled with garbage and smelled like a locker room, there are some things you did as a kid that don’t work anymore. 

Here is a list of things you may have gotten away with that need to go:

•   Lots Of Caffeine

•   Lots Of Sugar

•   Never Flossing

•   Staying Up All Night

•   Didn’t Save Money

•   Skipping Workouts

•   Sitting Around For Hours

•   All Your Meals Got Cooked In A Microwave

When you were a kid, the only vegetable you may have known was a couch potato, but you need to be smarter than that. 

When you were young you might have had a smaller expectation for your health. 

Just because you got away with candy, soda and fast food doesn’t mean it’s still the right thing to do. 

Ironically, paying more attention to your health will be the way to keep the kid alive inside of you.

Just because you are not a kid anymore doesn’t mean you always have to act like it!

Grow Up!

Martin

Next 8 Week Warrior Challenge starts June 6th.  Are you ready to take control of your fitness?

The 8 week warrior challenge is a safe, introductory fitness program involving 3 classes per week.  The TFW group classes use Fun Cardio and Weight Training workouts for Men and Women.  If you have been looking to finally take control of your fitness, let Training for Warriors help you to Bring out the Warrior Within!

Bring out your warrior within!

Having a job in the fitness industry, not a day goes by that I don’t talk about strength.  We do strength workouts, we strengthen weak areas of our bodies, and we talk about having the strength to get through our workouts.  Strength is so important, from a baby learning to crawl and walk, to children and youth playing sports, to adults working and taking care of their homes and children, to the elderly staying strong enough to keep walking and moving.  We struggle to get to the gym and do our workouts, and sometimes it boils down to us just being scared.  If you are afraid or if you don’t think you have enough energy to show up and workout, I’m here to tell you that you are stronger than you realize.

           

I was listening to a story about someone who is having serious health issues.  The strength and positive attitude they have shown during this difficult time, made me think about the strength that we have all had to show at some point in our lives. There are many ways in life that people show incredible strength.  My wife and I have three children.  I watched the strength it took for her to carry those babies for nine months.  She was tired and sick during the majority of all three pregnancies, but she still worked full time, and during two of the pregnancies she was taking care of our other children also. Then you have the delivery of the babies, which is an entirely different level of strength that I can’t even begin to imagine.  Another example of strength would be my Dad.  He took care of my mom, who had cancer, for over a year before she passed way.  That was true, selfless strength.  Which leads me to my next example, my mom.  What she had to endure in the year that she battled cancer was a picture of brave and incredible strength.  I’m sure if you stop and think, you could name many other examples of strength being personified in every day life.  

Many times it is seen in someone that didn’t even realize they possessed that level of strength until it came shining through them; graduating from school, raising children, waking up everyday and going to work to provide for your family.  The list can go on and on, but what I can show you from these examples of strength is that going to the gym really isn’t that difficult.  If you are a woman and you’ve given birth, I’m pretty sure going to the gym is a lot less difficult and painless than childbirth (I asked my wife to be sure, and she confirmed that going to the gym is easier than having a baby).  For men, things like losing your job or worrying about the burden of not being able to provide for your family take incredible strength to get through, so working out pales in comparison.   On the flipside of this, I do realize that working out isn’t easy, I mean it has the word “work” in it.  I also know that there can be a lot of anxiety and fear in doing something you aren’t used to doing.  But let me tell you, it is so worth it in the end.  I truly believe that everyone has more strength than they realize.  I want to help you realize just how strong, mentally and physically, you are.  Training for Warriors (TFW) can affect all areas of your life and help to make you the best you can be inside and out.  At TFW we have a saying, “Bring out the Warrior Within”.  In short, this means that everyone has a warrior inside of him or her that’s just waiting to be released.  If you are interested in discovering your inner warrior, our next 8-week warrior challenge class starts this Monday, March 14th. I would love for you to be involved, and would love to help you overcome your fears and discover just how strong you truly are.

What makes you uncomfortable?

My second season as a track coach at our State Meet

As I've gotten older, I've realized that the things that make me the most uncomfortable are probably the things that will make me grow the most as a person.  Since I was a little boy I've always been quiet and reserved, especially in social situations, and wouldn't think of public speaking. So, if you told me when I was younger that I would volunteer to get up in front of a group of teenagers I didn't know and share about my career, I would have told you that you were crazy.  Well, it turns out you wouldn't be crazy after all, because I did just that. I was asked to speak at Laurel High School’s career day this past Tuesday, because some students had expressed interest in personal training.  I went and spoke in four, half hour sessions to the students, and even though it was uncomfortable, I gained so much from that experience. What I've realized though is that it hasn't been an overnight transformation, but a gradual one that has helped me be more comfortable in uncomfortable situations. I remember one of the first steps I took that made me uncomfortable was when I said yes to coaching a high school track team.  I didn't really want to do it, but I stepped out of my comfort zone and now I'm starting my sixth track season next week.  It's been a step by step process, and even though I still have times it's not comfortable, I look back and can't believe how far I've come and how rewarding it has been. 

Maybe you have an area of your life that makes you uncomfortable, and if you took that first step you would see big changes.  I think one area that makes people uncomfortable is starting a training program.  I see it all the time, people will call me about training but might not take action right away because of being uncomfortable.  It's awesome to see when they finally take that first step, granted sometimes a very difficult first step, and commit to training.  You see the growth that starts.  They go from being someone who is just getting through the workouts, to transforming to the person that can't miss a workout and is actually smiling at the end of it.  I think the great part about training that gets overlooked is the strength you gain from it to improve your life.  Most focus on getting that beach body or increasing their strength from lifting weights, but I think one of the best benefits you get is realizing that through sometimes uncomfortable workouts you gain the strength to get through difficult life circumstances.  If it makes you uncomfortable coming to a gym, but you really want to improve your health we have a great program to get you started. It is the Training for Warriors 8 week challenge. The program is set up for someone who is not comfortable going to the gym. You get to train with others who are just starting out or who haven't worked out in a while.  The program is all about starting slow and progressing in increments. We have new classes starting March 14^th.  They will meet Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 9:00am and 6:30pm, and we would love for you to join us.  As TFW founder Martin Rooney says, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable”.  I know I have, and I am better off for it.

Lose your excuses. Find your results.

Chuck and me with the founder of Training For Warriors, Martin Rooney

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”   Theodore Roosevelt

Truer words have never been spoken.  Nothing worth having comes easy.  I told Chuck that I wanted to write a guest post on his blog.  I told him it was going to be through my eyes, the wife of the trainer/coach.  He looked at me with a combination of curiosity and fear, and asked, what will you say?  I told him I just wanted to tell things from my perspective, and share some of the things I’ve learned, and am learning from watching him and from getting involved with Training for Warriors (TFW).  See, I am the one who stresses over money in our relationship.  I am the one who worries about how the bills are going to be paid, how food is going to get on the table, how we are going to put three kids through college, the typical worries that every parent or adult feels.  Don’t get me wrong, Chuck isn’t irresponsible or worry free, I just worry most.  Because of how God wired me, being married to someone who is self-employed, in my mind, is sometimes equate able to being slowly tortured.  I know I’m exaggerating here, but bear with me.  When you work for someone else, you usually know that you will be getting paid X amount of dollars, on X day of the week, for X amount of work.  When you are self-employed, those Xs no longer exist.  I live in a world where I need those Xs.  Therefore, my thought process when things get tough is for Chuck to just stop being self employed, and to find a job where we can add more Xs to our lives.  Where I don’t have to worry about how much is coming in versus how much is going out.  Where my husband is home at night to share in all the joys of parenting our sweet children.  Where I don’t have to come home and get on a computer, after I’ve just finished being on a computer for 8 hours at my job.  Because when the children are all tucked in, and everything is done for the evening, I just want Lara time.

There you have it, me being completely real with you.  That is my selfish response that thinks only of Lara.  Then I hear Martin Rooney’s voice, the founder of TFW, in the back of my head and I’m reminded of what TFW is all about and of the importance of what my husband is doing. If you’ve never heard Martin Rooney speak, you need to.  Seriously, pull him up on youtube right now, I promise you won’t be disappointed.  If he doesn’t light a fire in you, you need to check your pulse.  Training for Warriors has taught me many things, and one of the main things it has taught me is that what my husband does matters.  It matters!!  In a world that can sometimes be scary, cruel, and selfish, Chuck is a light in that darkness.  It matters so much more than any of my selfish wants or complaints.  What Chuck does day in and day out in his DOJO, that’s the word we use for gym at TFW, is saving lives.  He is helping people get stronger, be healthier, and just feel better physically and mentally.  He is truly making a difference in the lives of people in our community, and he loves it!  So, when I take a breath and I take a step back and look at the big picture, I realize that I need to stop stressing over the stupid Xs.  I need to be thankful that I’m married to a man who is fine with living a life outside of them, and who finds true enjoyment in helping people become the best versions of themselves through the TFW system.  He gets so much joy from what he does, and I know, without a doubt, that he is truly doing what God has called him to do.  It’s actually an amazing thing to watch.  The more I am at his DOJO training and being a part of the familia, the more I realize just how unique the TFW system is.  Our system has been meticulously designed, researched, and is proven to produce results and to help people lose fat, build muscle, and feel good.  Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that!?   Does it require me to put forth more effort?  Yes.  Is it ever a painful, growing process? Sometimes.  At times do I feel like it’s just too difficult? Occasionally.  Is it worth it?  Always!

We hear so many reasons why people can’t find the time to exercise.  They all have some truth, maybe, but in the end they’re just excuses.  I don’t have the time.  I don’t have the money.  I’m afraid.  It’s too hard.  It’s going to hurt because I’m out of shape.  The list goes on and on, but the reality is that your excuses are getting in the way of you truly living your life.   There is a saying, “When I lost my excuses, I found my results.”  Let me encourage you to lose the excuses and find your results!   I want to invite you to become a part of something that is truly changing and saving lives daily.  My husband has a passion for helping people, and he has an 8 week warrior transformation class that starts Monday, March 14^th.  Now is the time, you are worth it.  Lose the excuses, and take that first step and call, email, message, or text Chuck today to reserve your spot in one of his next 8 week classes.   Just remember, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty”. 

So, yes, it might require you to make a few sacrifices of your time, energy, or money, but I can promise you this, it is most certainly worth doing!