July 23rd.

I spent today Living.

5:30 am- Wake up to "its a beautiful morning as my alarm on my blackberry
6:00 am- breakfast- 4 egg whites. ground turkey. spinach. black coffee.splenda
6:40 am- get in the scion--on the ipod: Winner by Justin Timberlake
7:00 am- First client. Tells me how his exercise program with me has become part of his life, his routine, he is spending today living.
9:15 am- teach cycle class--making it my party. Great class with motivation, drive, energy and great smiling faces.
10 am: steel oats with one scoop of biotest chocolate surge recovery. By far my most favorite part of the day. :)
11:30 am-teach classes at Parisi Speed School. Kids are there to workout, get fit, become better athletes. They are smiling, singing, sweating, and get pumped for their report cards trying to achieve all 5's.
1 pm: lunch with a friend at whole foods. Salad with vegan chicken. kale with avocado. Goodness in a bowl.
3 pm: Training session with a 8th grade hockey player.
4 pm: 2 egg Whites.
Session with 9 year olds...we made obstacle courses today that used the focal points of acceleration.
5 pm: session with high school baseball and football. Sled pulls. Tred Sled. Pull ups. Core. beast mode.
6:30 pm- great phone meeting
6:50 pm- Jackd 3d
7:00 pm: Workout 2: AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) 15 min. Power cleans, med ball slams. box jumps. 65 lbs. 12 lbs. 20 inch. 9 rounds.
7:45: biotest metablolic drive protein shake. CHOCOLATE=yum.
8:00 pm: halibut, salmon, kale, garlic, zucchini, avocado. dessert: chobani yogurt with a scoop of PB and blueberries.
9:00 pm. The break up on TV: "Gary on the kickdrum...come come...Gary."
9:30: another scoop of PB... its hard living with 3 boys with endless jars of it in the pantry! eek!
10:00 pm. Friday night. Writing. ITunes Jazz radio. Kurt Elliott: The best things happen while you're dancing.
The scent of Lemon Pound Cake candle.

Today: I spent it living. Surrounded it with great people, great food, music, laughter, smiling, learning, coaching, remembering loved ones who are watching over us.

I spent today living: giving back, paying it forward, taking opportunities for life.

Thank you for Today.

DOING IT.

Never doubt yourself, remove the word "can't" from your dictionary, and JUST DO IT.

This just in:

"You should be crazy excited from our first measurement--143 lbs. 18% body fat your LBM was 107 and FM was 36. You put on 6 lbs of muscle. Dropped 21 lbs of bodyfat since April. Blog that shit." --Bruce B. (my coach)

Update: As of July 16 12% Body Fat. LBM 113. Fat weight 15 lbs. I'll take it.

2010: the year of training, hard work, dedication and me. The first time I've officially been away from home, away from family members and friends to start this journey on my own for my own. It hasn't been easy, but for the first time I'm understanding what Doing IT is all about.

We can all say we want it, but doing it is what its all about. You can do a dance, like the worm for instance, but if you' don't really get into it...you're just going to look silly. So if you want results in your training, life, dance moves etc...figure out what its going to take to Just Do It.

This weekend I completed one of my long term goals...to complete a triathalon. My best friend Jenna and I have said since college we would do one together. We finished our first sprint Mossman Triathalon in Norwalk, CT in 1 hour and 33 min. A beautiful and breathtaking experience in which I look forward to doing again! We said it...we've found our new obsession. Something about testing your body from water to wheels to land...makes you feel powerful and on top of the world. A breathless ending to a great competition.

On with the journey--remain focused--5 weeks remaining. Time to keep doing it, figure out what it takes and continue on DOING IT.

Here we go....

Mark it on you calendars--bring your game face...(and some chocolate) so we can celebrate after the show!

Rise Above

No one said it would be easy. They actually said it would be the hardest thing I will physically put my body through. Muscle soreness, breathless work, elevated heart rates, exhaustion. All words that have been used and what I have felt in the past 10 weeks. No one said it would be easy. No one said it would be this mentally draining.

Training:

I'm fighting for acknowledgement and pride. I'm training for my career, for my focus, for life. I'm training for mental and emotional stability, along with it comes a physically fit body.

The journey hasn't been easy--but I've learned more about myself and others more than I ever thought possible. I've learned about trust, faithfulness, support and

guidance. Striving to give all to others, in hope for return. Treat other people the way you want to be treated. A great read: Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten.

Most importantly I've learned to give all of this to myself. The push, support, determination and strength to Rise Above. No one said it was going to be easy. Rise Above.

Steady as we go...

6 weeks until competition. I'll be honest...I'm nervous, scared, and really excited. I was at a low. Questions after questions about training/nutrition/posing/etc...I was getting caught up in the WHY and not acting upon it. So I e mailed a few people who

are well known in the fitness industry: got my answers--now its time to put it to the test. C'mon body--stay with me.

I found myself getting a pedicure the other day just because I wanted the calf massage. The foam roller and I are no longer friends. What we'll do to feel good!

So I've found a new passion--love--obsession--whatever you want to call it.

Crossfit style workouts. Hybrid Athletics. www.hybridathletics.net.

Most likely frowned upon in the figure competition world, but loved by yours truly. I have found a group of people in Connecticut who are as crazy as I am about training. If you have followed me on twitter, I update my workouts everyday. If you aren't following...now is time to do so. Twitter name: KARAFED

Tire flipping, Kettlebells, stones, barbell, weights, running, animals, farmers walks...All in a basement 'gym'. Nothing feminine about it--no worries I still wear my matching Nike apparel and headbands to feel feminine. I've decreased body fat, lost weight, and have never felt so athletic in my life. Never said hard work looks pretty--its feeling pretty after that makes it worth while.

Along with my 7 am workouts there, I return in the evening for my heavy lifts. I've found alternate ways to move my body without relying on machines. Glute/ham raises/extension stationary piece=love.

Wasted energy, over training, I've heard it all. Whatever it is, its what gets me up at 5:30 am to want to be somewhere, be someone new that day, expose myself physically to something I've never done before.

I've been low, high, stuck in the middle ground. I've been surrounded by people who bring the low, high, and middle ground. Who's going to be there? Find them. Hold them tight. Don't let go. Take your middle ground distractions elsewhere.

We live and we learn...time to start doing more of both. Start with YOU.

We have one body: One life: One day to make it.

Make it work, allow it to succeed, attempt to take the challenge.

Take it, Create it, Challenge it, Own it, LOVE IT. You only have one.

.RISE ABOVE.