Candi Can!

Candi Can!

Ok, so you may be laughing now! But this is my new slogan. School has begun for the kids and my life is changing. My two oldest are now in school all day. Now during the day it's just me and my 4 year old home -who has insisted he must go to preschool. What a difference! So my house should be immaculate, I should have everything organized, and I should be floating around the house looking and sounding like Martha Stewart - right? Wrong! Through much prayer and a lot of Divine nudging I have made my jump into a full time real estate career. For the past 4 years I've been selling at a model home on the weekends - but now I'm investing my time, my money, a lot of hard work, and my ego into a full blown career.

So now you know the reason for the glammy headshot! For years I've said that I was going to do this and do it right. So I am. Meanwhile, I'm on my knees praying that God will give me wisdom, courage, compassion and unrelenting integrity! I believe I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me! That's why I'm not ashamed to make "Candi can!" my personal slogan. Today this phrase came to my mind and both confirmed and inspired my resolve to go all out and do everything God gives me creativity, wisdom, and strength to do. Hope that it inspires you.

The only obstacle standing between me and success

is the huge chasm between my dreams and my actions!

What next? May 21, 2006

It’s been awhile since I last blogged. I must say that I really do miss having a personal trainer! I’ve been in the gym, but it has been hit and miss. Having the appointment set to meet a trainer 3 times a week pretty much guarantees you’ll be in the gym 3 times a week! But the good news is that I have lost a few more pounds. I’m down a total of 27 pounds now. And I have been running. Last week I went in to the gym twice and ran on my own once. I really am enjoying the running and have determined to make it part of my daily schedule. I think where I’ve been going wrong so far is that I wake up and decide that “sometime today I’m going to run”. But with a husband, 3 kids, ballgames, a house to clean, and all the other miscellaneous things that pop up on any given day – I usually get to about 7:30 pm and realize I better run now or I won’t get it in today! Many times we are gone, or Jason is gone, or by that time I think I’m just too tired and so I don’t get my run in. It’s true that if something really is the priority of your day you better do it first thing. It’s the same with my quiet times with God. Unfortunately many times I do the same thing with alone time with Him that I do with running. So how do I resolve this scheduling dilemma? I make both of them my first on my to-do list. I have got to resolve to get up at what ever hour of the morning that it takes to go for a run and have some alone time with my number one Love! So my goal for this week is to get up each morning – Monday through Saturday- and go for a run and spend a while in the Word afterwards. It’s true that the greatest accomplishments in life didn’t just happen by chance. Someone set a goal and then worked and kept working until they reached that goal. If you aim for nothing you’ll hit it every time! So one goal I had was to increase the distance of my running. I have consistently been running 3 miles almost every other day. I read in an article for beginning runners that the first 3 miles are the hardest and that if you can run 3 you can run 5. So last Thursday I clocked out 4 miles and decided that I would work my way up to 5 miles. I would run 4 first and then after a week increase it to 5. So I was running Thursday evening and I ran the 4 miles I had mapped out and I had only been running 35 minutes. I had told Jason that I’d be back home in 45 minutes to an hour. So since I still had lots of time left I just kept running. I ran till I had been gone 50 – 55 minutes. When I got home I grabbed the van keys and excitedly told Jason that I thought I had just run 5 miles and that I needed to go drive it to check the mileage. Sure enough I had run just barely over 5 miles!!! So now I know I can do it! The key now is to keep doing it and set a new goal. Where do I want to go next? What should my next mileage goal be? Dunno! I’ve got some research to do. What's next? I’ll let you know soon what the next goal is!

5/11/06 On the Road Again!!

OK so I'm not going anywhere. But I am on the road again to this making a change in my life - stuff. The contest ended last week. I lost. But the truth is we all won. (I know it's cheesy, but true.) So I took a few days off. I didn't do anything stupid like eat us out of house and home. I still kept my nutrition sane. I just didn't go into the gym for a few days. And I didn't run. And you guessed it - I missed the running! My running friend, Erin, and I haven't been able to coordinate our running schedule yet - and go figure - I can't seem to get myself up and out the door at 5:30 AM on my own. It's one thing that I really need to change. I do better when I'm up early. I have a better run when I do it early. I feel close to God when I run early. Nothing is more spiritually fulfilling then running as the sun comes up and hearing the birds start to sing and watching the world come alive. It's like your heart and mind joins the rest of creation in praising the Creator! But no birds for me. I've been hitting the snooze! Monday I just plain out took a vacation. I put on decent clothes and spent the day without sweating even once and enjoyed the feeling of looking nice everywhere I went. (Usually I get busy after leaving the gym and find myself running errands still in my workout clothes not getting too close to anyone hoping that no one smells me!) So it was nice having a day where I looked nice all day. Then Tuesday my guilt won out and I went in to the gym. I didn't go nutso or anything. I just did the elliptical for 30 minutes and then ran on the treadmill for about 15 minutes. You know what was sad though? I could have and should have ran longer. But because there was no trainer looking over my shoulder I stopped when I felt like it. I'm telling you - accountability is the key!! But the great thing was that it was wonderful to see everyone at the gym. I really love seeing everyone's faces!! Then I kinda took Wednesday off as well. I got busy cleaning and doing house work. So today I knew I had to get in again!!!! I got busy again with housework and errands and really tried to procrastinate working out away. But it didn't work and I found myself walking through those gym doors about 5:30 this evening. I knew from a friend that there was a Tubo Kick Class at 6:30 but wasn't totally committed to it at first. Instead I got on the treadmill and started running. I bumped up my speed to faster than I have before and determined that I wouldn't stop till I ran 4 miles. OK so I only ran 3. But partly because I decided to go to Turbo Kick. I really enjoyed the class! I kept up a little better than I thought I would. But I quickly discovered that my hop has escaped my hip and is no longer hip-hoppy at all. I got in all the moves but let's just say that I didn't look like the Turbo Jam infomercial. Next time I'll get more jiggy with it! But for now I need to come up with a consistent schedule and start making some goals! I've still got 30 pounds to drop.

The new challenge: Can I reach my final goal? 5-7-07

Today marks the beginning of my new challenge. In many ways this challenge is harder. I tend to have a little bit of a competitive streak in me so I tend to work a little harder when it's a game. But it isn't a game anymore. This is a lifestyle now and I still have to keep going. I've learned so much about being healthier and stronger but I still have so much to learn.

MY FINAL NOTE: My last entry of the contest 5-6-06

We are now at the end of a wonderful journey. Or is this just the beginning? It’s actually quite difficult for me to put into words my ending thoughts…and you know me – I’m seldom at a loss for words. I have to begin by first giving my very deepest thanks to Powerhouse Gym and Chad and Kim Coy! Chad and Kim are two of the most generous people I have ever met. Even though there can only be one winner in this contest Chad and Kim made it possible for all of us feel like winners. Do you realize that the cost of the past 39 training sessions would normally cost about $3000? Yet that’s the gift that the Powerhouse Gym gave to each and everyone of us during this competition. And yet this gift was so much more than just what it’s worth in terms of monetary value. I have tremendously enjoyed these training sessions! I know that statement makes one want to laugh given all my crying, whining, and aching. But the personal training is where I learned. I started the competition wanting to cry before I went to my training session. Then after one or two sessions I cried during my training sessions. Towards the end as I felt myself getting stronger and I found myself accomplishing more than I thought I could I fought back tears of joy as I left. I really am grateful to all the trainers that helped me. Chad, Rob, and Dutch were the three that got stuck with me the most. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Chad tortured me like he would a little sister. Rob encouraged me and then made my legs ache like I never thought possible. And Dutch chided me and pushed me and always gave me a high five and a “great job” at the end. Even the trainers that I never personally got to train with were very encouraging to me. Shelly helped me with my measurements and always gave me a smile. Tyson encouraged me, then he teased me with false reports of the other competitors progress just to get me going, and then on occasion would stop by and help my trainer make things even tougher for me. And the other contestants became so much more that competitors. They became true friends. I admire Michelle. I’m baffled by Jeff. And I absolutely adore my new friend and true winner – Erin! And most of all I can’t forget my most important partner – my loving husband. Without him and his faithful love and encouragement I wouldn’t have started this let alone make it through to the end. I learned so much at the Powerhouse Gym - this home away from home! I learned that you don’t have to fear the logo with the powerlifter and the drooping weights. Inside I found people just like me. People of all body types and hair and skin color. People that I have grown to love and look forward to seeing. They are all there with a common bond- just trying to carve out a healthier lifestyle. I think I’ve found that life. Here at the end I find myself instinctively eating smaller portions. I can eyeball a plate and just know if it’s over 400 calories. I even think I have more of a desire to eat to live rather than to live to eat. And most of all I feel the strongest I’ve ever felt. I really mean that. In my past I’ve lost weight dozens of times. Sometimes even more weight even faster than I did this time. But for me this time wasn’t just about losing weight. I mean I thought it was at the beginning. But now I realize it was about so much more. The other day Kim called me an athlete and I just wanted to laugh out loud. While I still wouldn’t place that title on myself just the thought that someone like her would lovingly flatter me with those words means that something more than my waistline has changed. Let me tell you what changed on the outside first. My weight went from 179 to 156.2. Thanks to Shelly I know that I lost 20 ½ inches over all. I went from a size 16 jeans to a comfortable 12 and soon to be comfortable 10. And while all of that is exciting – let me tell you the best news. Here’s what you won’t notice when you pass me on the street. I can run. I like to run. And I have an inner strength that pushes me to keep going. I no longer cry when I’m getting dressed up to go out on a special occasion. I’m not hiding anymore when I spot an old friend at the grocery store. When we hang out with friends I enjoy listening to them and find myself pulled in to them instead of weighed down with thoughts of how uncomfortable I am and fighting the desire to run home and hide in my sweatpants. And when I walk into the local coffee shop I notice others instead of hoping none of them notice me. That’s what I wanted from the beginning. To be healthy and strong enough on the inside that I focus on others and not myself. It’s odd isn’t it? That all this work on me has helped me be more loving to others again. And in the end to me that’s what it’s all about. God gave us each other because we help each other grow and change. In the end I’ve become convinced that there are three key ingredients to lifelong change. You have to have the willingness to give up and not do it your way anymore. You have to have the resolve to persevere knowing that good things really don’t happen overnight. And third you have to have the partnership of others who care about you and are faithful to keep you accountable no matter how you think you feel at the moment. We need each other. Those of you who have been so sweet and patient to read these articles and share in my thoughts and encourage me on the street – thank you! You made the journey special. Let’s keep changing and growing together. If you’d like to continue the journey together you can find all my past blogs and all my future ones at kokomocandi.blogspot.com. See you there and at the gym! Sign up at the Powerhouse or gym of your choice tomorrow and let’s continue together!!

Thursday (4/27/06)

Today is a new day and my daughter sweetly reminded me that it was a day that God has made and so we just gotta rejoice and be glad in it! What an angel! I do feel so much better today. Don’t tell anyone but I think that I’ve gotten a little addicted. Tonight I tested out the ankle and went for a three mile run. Yiippppeeeee! I just can’t tell you how elated I felt to be running again! I truly never thought I’d say those words. I hate running! But it felt so good!!!!! Oh my gosh – I think I like running! No I don’t. Yes I do!! I do! I do like running! Can we keep this a secret?

Wednesday (4/26/06)

Everyone has bad days. When you’re a woman sometimes you just can’t explain them. Today I was kinda grumpy, extra tired, and felt slightly emotional. Poor Dutch had to be my trainer today. I gave it my all today – I just didn’t have a lot to give. I really felt like somebody had drained my mojo!! No mojo left!! Must sleep!! Tomorrow will be better!

Tuesday (4/25/06)

Busy day. I went with Grace on a field trip. I don’t know how these teachers do it! I’m not sure what did me in more – 75 first graders running around the Muncie Children’s Museum and trying to help keep track of them – or the hour and a half bus ride there and back. There is a reason why kids ride school buses and not grown ups! A couple of moms that I hadn’t met before asked if I was one of the contestants on the fitness challenge. I said yes and go to talk with them a little about what a great experience this has been. One of them said she thought she recognized me and then said she noticed at lunch that I was eating a protein bar. Whew! Good thing I’ve been honest and diligent on the nutrition stuff. Would’ve been pretty embarrassing if I’d been whoofing down Ding Dongs, huh? After I got home made supper, got baths done and tucked the kids in bed I did 40 minutes on my skier and pushups and abs. Every day counts! The end is getting close.

Monday (4/24/06)

I had a training session with Chad today again. I love Chad! He knew my ankle wasn’t completely back to normal yet so he was very creative with my workout so I wouldn’t strain it more. It’s hard to explain why I can do some stuff with no pain, but anything that would cause my calf to flex or me to go up on my toes would still hurt like heck. Good news is that it got me out of stairs. Bad news is the creative workout – well let’s just say I’m really glad no one got it on video. In order to work my legs without extending my calves he came up with the ingenious idea of dragging out an 80 pound bag with a giant rubber band attached to it and then he put two 20 pound balls on top of it. The assignment was for me to drag this back and forth across the gym using my legs but keeping them straight and keeping my feet flat so I didn’t strain my ankle. He quickly decided that it wasn’t heavy enough so he added a 60 pound ball on top of that! Yes I may be blonde but even I can add that up and know I was dragging around 180 pounds. Let’s just say I didn’t look like Miss America during the evening gown competition. I jokingly discovered that I was pulling around my husband’s body weight. So let’s hope nothing sinister ever happens to him because now there is proof that I could drag – well you get the picture. Chad said it was knowledge that would help Jason “keep his soul straight”. It’s a joke!!!! Honey, I absolutely adore you!!!!! Just for the record Jason Hester is the love of my life and I adore him more than mere words could ever describe. Darling, you are my hero!!!!!

Sunday (4/23/06)

I had the uncanny urge to run tonight! Alas no running yet! Chad was kind enough to do something to my ankle that he said would help it out a lot. It’s hard to explain – but I laid on my stomach and he flexed my foot and then pulled his hand from my heel to my calf in a very strong way that felt like he had just carved out the back of my leg! Why does everything that will make you better have to hurt so dog gone much? Even though this “treatment” hurt he was absolutely right! (As always!) That evening after I iced it again it was feeling like I could walk without a limp again. Again – thanks Chad!!!

Saturday (4/22/06)

I am so bummed! Well I guess I pushed it a little too hard the last 2 days. After I left the gym yesterday my ankle seemed a little sore. By 7PM I got tears in my eyes while walking. It seems I pulled something in the back of my ankle. Whatever that is that connects your heel to your calf back there turns out to be pretty darn important. Last night we had to take Grace to IUK for a Young Readers Conference. I had on modest low heels. By the time we left there I was humbly walking out barefoot and with a limp. Of course I went straight to the experts. No not the hospital – I contacted Kim Coy. She said “ICE”. No not just a simple ice pack on the ankle. She said to fill a bucket with ice and water and then submerge your foot and ankle in it and then leave it there. She said it would burn but to leave it there as long as possible. So I did what she said and in my foot went into the bucket of ice water. Did you know ice is cold? Yeah! Really cold! After about 45 seconds I was ready to take it out. My precious and supportive husband was looking out for me though so he leaned on my knee so that it was physically impossible to lift my foot from the bucket. He reminded me that the searing pain throughout my entire foot from cold was going to help my ankle. And of course he had wise compassionate words to comfort me by. I think he said, “Honey you can do this! Pro athletes sometimes take an entire bath in ice water like this! You can keep your foot in here for 20 minutes!” OK now I have really weird mental pictures going on in my head. Personally I don’t think it’s humanly possible for a conscious person to stick their whole body in ice water. No way! But as usual Kim was right when my foot thawed and I had feeling back there was less pain in my ankle. Still I spent the day Saturday walking tenderly and avoiding stairs whenever possible. And Jason did take good care of me and let me lay on the couch Saturday night and prop my foot up – after another ice soak – while he took care of the kids and rented a movie for he and I. He really is the best!!!!!! But the saddest part of the weekend is that I had to cancel on the Race For the Cure Run. I was so bummed that Erin and I weren’t running it. We have VOWED to enter the next one we can find!

Friday (4/21/06)

Today started foggy. I guess you could say that even though the actual fog disappeared right after the sun came up – it kinda lingered with me all day. When you have 3 small children a 2 hour school delay can throw your schedule for a loop! My appointment to train with Chad today was for 10AM. Because of the delay Grace had to be at school at 11AM. Hmmmmm. Could cancel my training. No not an option – cancel on Chad and you can just expect to run stairs for the rest of your life. So I came in with all three kids put them in the daycare and went in for a “quickie” with Chad. In training terms that means we would condense my workout so I could leave at quarter till to get Grace to school in time. You might be thinking that made my workout a little easier. NOT! As Chad put it – since we had less time instead of doing the normal weight I usually do for lots of reps I could push myself and do a whole lot more weight for fewer reps. It was tough. But I did do more than I thought I could. There is no obstacle that Chad cannot hurdle!

Thursday (4/20/06)

So I’m not sure what got into me today. But I was just really irked by the fact that this week I was holding a pound or two that I don’t know where it came from! (It couldn’t have been Easter dinner!) So I just wanted to see how far I could push myself. And I seriously needed to shed some serious calories. So I went to the gym. As I walked in Tyson said, “You need to not leave here until you’ve burned 700 calories.” Feeling the need to out do him I said, “I’ll burn 1,000!” Then as I walked upstairs I thought to myself – now how am I going to do that? I’ll tell you how you do that. 65 minutes on the elliptical – 700 calories. 30 minutes running on the treadmill – 300 calories. The feeling that I really did do it – priceless! Not recommended for everyday. But what a great feeling today!

Wednesday (4/19/06)

Let’s go Dutch!!! Yeah, another workout with Dutch! Today the funnest part with Dutch was the wall squats with the hold at the end. So I’m standing with my back to the wall and one of those big balls between my back and the wall. I do 25 squats and then he says at the last one to just stay squatted, like in a seated position, and just hold it there for a minute. Well he decided that a minute looked to easy so I had to hold it, and hold it, and hold it. Oh and thank you Tyson for coming along and encouraging me! And by that I mean telling me to sit even lower when my thighs are shaking they burn so bad. Then Tyson thought it’d be more fun if he dropped a heavy ball in my lap! I’m so glad we can all have fun with my pain. Please – one trainer is torture enough!!!! :)

Tuesday (4/18/06)

I love running first thing in the morning! Erin came over at 6AM and we ran. It was a good run and it was great to watch the sun slowly rise as we finished. Thanks Erin for being a great running partner!!!!!!!!

Monday (4/17/06)

Today is the day that both Erin and I work out with Chad together. How fun! Boy did he start off fun! Juans!!!!!!!!!! 15 minutes into our workout he had us both panting for breath! Oh and there were stair laps, too! Chad is the man! He never leaves you underworked! He knows what he’s doing!! Afterward Erin and I got on the stairmaster and thanked our lucky stars it was over!

Sunday (4/16/06)

HAPPY EASTER! What a beautiful day! My most favorite part of the day was during the Easter presentation at church. The excitement and atmosphere of praise during the presentation was awesome. Right during the end of it I was fighting back tears of joy when my daughter, Grace, leaned over to me and said, “Mommy I think this is what heaven’s going to be like!” I looked down at her glowing face and just began to cry! I’m pretty sure it will be, too! No workouts today. Just family and worship. Thank you, God! Thank you so much!!!!

Saturday (4/15/06)

One of the best things I’ve received from this competition is new friendships! Today I ran with Erin. She is such a wonderful person!! I love running with her! We increased our time from last time and we committed to run together Tuesday morning at 6AM. She is awesome! She looks great! I’m a little worried about training with her Monday. She just might wipe the floor with me!

Friday (4/14/06)

Good Friday. Today the kids and Jason are off. This day is very special to our whole family. We are so thankful for the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us! I tell you the truth – I get just as excited about Easter as I do about Christmas. If He had just been born and nothing else – where would we be? This weekend is about the miracle of supernatural life! Speaking of new life – today I got to work out with Chad!!!!!!! I miss that guy! I haven’t seen him or trained with him in weeks. I was so excited to see him today and share with him some of the progress I’ve made. Boy did he get right to it today! Dead lifts and hipsled. When I went to lift the weight on the hip sled I said to him, “Chad this is the most I’ve ever lifted isn’t it? This is heavy!” He murmered back, “No, you got this.” So I plowed through it. Erin was there talking to us and she couldn’t believe he was making me lift that much. She got a little scared because Chad is going to train both of us together on Monday. We’ll have a blast! When I got done on the hipsled Chad finally fessed up that that was the most I had lifted and that that was more times than I had lifted it as well. He’s so sneaky!! But I love him!! Ran afterwards and called it quits to go home and get ready for the weekend. Birthday party tonight.

Thursday (4/13/06)

Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me – I’m in the Fitness Challenge, man! OK so I’ve been around kids too much!!! Not much time for anything but running today. Got my 3 miles in. Happy Birthday to the love of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!