Top 5 Things To Enhance Your Workout

1. Have a plan- Without a well designed plan it is nearly impossible to know where you are starting from and how you are going to get to your goal. Your plan should be detailed and time specific.

2. Put on the music- Load a workout play list to motivate you during your workouts and keep you mind focused on the beats per minute rather than the minutes left on your workout.

3. Eat a balanced diet-Proper nutrition prior to and following a good workout is an essential component to your performance.

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate-During a workout you lose precious water weight by sweating. This can also affect performance and recovery. It is important to have clear fresh water to drink-stay away from sugary performance drinks for normal workouts as these may slow your absorption rate.

5. Change your routine-The best way to keep things moving forward is to review your workouts periodically and make some changes. Keeping motivated and fresh is the key to enhancing your enjoyment and also making those changes you desire!

Making It Up Before It Happens

This sign is posted before you begin the long and arduous trail I hiked in Kauai, HI this May. If I had truly read the sign in it's entirety before I began my 7 hour trek I probably would have second guessed my intentions to finish.

The intention to finish the hike was set before I began. I wanted to do this hike. I wanted to experience the awesomeness of nature and the challenges that came my way. I did. Oh, boy I did. There were times of crossing streams, falling on rocks, holding onto cliff sides that were no wider than my foot and all the time wondering if I was going to finish without any serious injuries but also finish with my dignity. I am a personal trainer and it was in my nature to finish what I started...that is how you get to your goals right?

If I learned any lessons on this hike it was just that. If I had listened to the limitations on that sign and created obstacles in my head I would have turned around before I got to the waterfall at the end. I would have missed the bamboo forest that grew out of nowhere. I would have felt like I had failed and set up all of my experiences with that thought. Instead, I said to myself that I was going on this adventure to challenge myself and experience everything. Did I think about calling it quits at the half point...sure. I am human you know! The difference is I didn't because I didn't make up the end result before it happened. I let myself experience every step as it came, every moment as it unfolded and made a decision to carry on at that moment with the information I had in front of me. The real information. I was fine. I was strong. I was going to finish! I did and it was one of the most beautiful and rewarding hikes I have ever done.