Sweat, Struggles, and Sickness: Hold Your Head Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxO_QK70QNQ

Summer is flying on by! This past week I became extremely sick with bronchitis and had to take a week off from working out. Today was my first day back in the game. I taught Full Body and it was like a detox for me. It's amazing how quick you lose your endurance. It truly only takes a couple of days. It drove me crazy not being able to workout because that is how I get my energy. When I am sick, I lose my appetite and in turn I lost over 6 lbs in a week which is pretty scary. I'm ready to start eating again and working out!

I was debating on becoming a beachbody coach. If anyone is interested in me becoming one, please let me know!

You know as well as I do that everyone goes through struggles. Some people go through more then others or more extreme. Each struggle makes your stronger. It may be health, friendship, financial, but you never know who is watching on how you handle your situation. People watch how well and bad you do. You never know who you are inspiring. It's funny since I have been sick, so many people have asked me about doing stair workouts again. I honestly haven't done one in a month and it's because I assumed people weren't interested. I thought wrong. Never give up and do what makes you happy. I will start doing them again. I didn't realize how many people noticed that I ran these stair workouts until I stopped. Keep going and keep pushing in whatever you do. 

Everyone has their own reasons to work out. I do it for my mental and physical health. I love the feeling of getting stronger. I love when I go to the doctors and the doc asks if I workout because of my pulse being fantastic. My sister actually started to drink vegetable and fruit smoothies. It made me happy to hear that she has found a way to get a healthy breakfast in as well as foods. She's a smoothie believer now :)I also love teaching fitness to adults because they inspire me. Despite the years going by and me getting older, I hope to be like them and continue fitness throughout my life. One time I was hiking and ran into a man who was at least 65 years old. I am talking about a mountain not a baby hill. From that day forward I  promised to stay committed to fitness. It's so important to be healthy because you never know who is leaning on your or who you inspire to keep going. 

On that note, it's summer time! Get outside and get moving :) Working out and eating healthy local foods are the best feeling. 

I hope to stay at Penn State for another year. I LOVE PENN STATE :) In that case, anyone who will be at State for another year and loves to work out, I hopefully will be here. Otherwise, keep stepping outside of your comfort zone. You will learn and grow more then ever if you do. Thanks for reading!

Post Graduation: "What are you doing with your life now?"

Lately everyone has been asking my friends and I....

"So what are you doing with your life now?"

To be quite frank with you, I have no clue. I have applied to plenty of places and some fell through but that hasn't changed my attitude. I look at what I can improve on to help me be successful with the next opportunity that I seek out. I believe that everything happens for a reason. If one door shuts, I believe there will be another one opening at some point. It's hard graduating college and seeing the current job market. To be honest, it's quite discouraging. I try to put a positive spin on things and know that things will work out in the end. Someone somewhere will see the hard work I have put in and the passion I have for health and fitness. So for those of you who are in the same boat as me, keep your head up. Things will figure themselves out.

On a positive note, I have obtained my bachelor science in nutritional sciences at the University Park Campus of Penn State. It was a great day. It was a day of relief and reflection. My family and friends have really helped me through my four years of college. I have grown so much from experiences that were presented to be at the greatest university in the world. I love Penn State and will ALWAYS be proud to call myself a Penn State alumni. It was a tough four years of school especially when I was never good at science. At times I struggled learning certain materials, but I made it through. It really taught me a lot about perseverance and independence. I have made friends with all sorts of people. I can honestly say I have friends that are shy, crazy, outgoing, different, short tempered, motivated, hate fitness, love fitness, etc. The point is, I have been exposed to all kinds of people and I wouldn't change it for the world. All of them have taught me something-->positive and negative. 

I have not posted in a while, but even staying here in State College and talking to others that don't have their whole life planned out helped me understand that I am not the only one. I still continue teaching classes and helping people when needed. I believe putting myself out there or trying new jobs will help me learn new skills that currently don't have. Even if it is a job not in your field of study, you will learn something from it. It seems right now everything is chaos. I have a friend in particular that like me, is extremely hard working and was fired from her job recently. We all stress about money and just trying to get by. It seems as if nothing is going to get better after being burned so many times. But you know what, that's life, and I believe that it makes you really appreciate everything you earn. It's going to be tough, I have already witnessed it and been through some hardships. I don't expect it to be the best at all times, I even know things could be a hell of a lot worse. I am thankful for what I have now and if things get worse, so be it. But at the end of the day, I know things will work out and something great may be presented to me that I never thought I would like or do for the rest of my life. 

It's really hard to be patient when you're usually doing a million things are once and now things are starting to slow down. Things will fall into place. If it means moving across the country to do what I love, I'll do it. Sacrifices are what is going to get you to where you want to be. Life is scary and it is really scary not knowing what is going to come your way but that's how we learn. Stepping outside of our comfort zone is how I am going to grow--how we all grow. Even if you don't get that job you really wanted, it teaches you something. Maybe there is something we should try differently. Either way, I am going to enjoy my last summer in State College and take any opportunity that is presented to me.

Don't let the down's stop you. Capitalize on the UP'S

HALF WAY!

I was honestly going to wait until this week was over to blog again but once again, so many thing have come up that I can write about! 

First of all, my friend Amanda and I did a stair workout Tuesday morning. One of my fellow RA's decided to join. We all were drenched in sweat by the end of it. It felt AMAZING :). We completed:

- 15 min round of sprinting up the stairs with 10 burpees at the top (those get you every time)

- 15 min round mountain climbers/ jacks/ 15 sec break

- 30 sec high knees/15 lunges/ 20 sec rest--> 7 mins

WE KICKED OUR OWN BUTTS!

When you are put in a team setting or working with other people, it helps so much! It makes you continue through your workout despite you gasping for air. It was a great way to start off the day! Thank you for coming you two :)

Secondly, I have had many moments throughout this semester, if not my entire life, where I have been challenged. I have been challenged physically and mentally. I used to freak out when things didn't pan out or go the way they were "planned." What I learned from that is it isn't going to get you anywhere. If anything it will make the situation a whole lot worse. Tell me, what has it done for you? I HIGHLY doubt anything good. It has made my evaluation of matters cloudy. It has me make wrong judgments. 

I have been encountered by words that come off as extremely rude but I sit/stand there and take it in. Integrity is everything. Never let someone's words or physical actions compromise your beliefs. Believe in yourself and never give up is my motto. It will get you where you want to be in life. I may not have everything figured out right now at this moment but I am willing to take the steps to get there. After speaking with my friend Olivia (who is also a nutrition major) about us not having our life planned out, she told me very inspirational words her father said:

"Be positive. Don't compare yourself to others. Most people don't hit the ground running right when they graduate. Most people will probably have 5-7 jobs in their 20's and each will build on the other. You will start to feel more comfortable in time."

It was truly great to hear such encouraging words. The people you look up to at times may let you down. May it be your parents, best friend, boss, adviser, mentor, whatever it may be, others will recognize your passion and let you know to keep pushing when you're down. A perfect example of this is one person who I became friends with through the indoor cycling class I used to teach:

Hey Maddy,

So before I graduated, I am taking the time to thank those who made a significant impact on my life. This was one of the harder ones as we have not known each other that long or that well. I usually like to do these things in person but I know you’re really busy. It’s possible that in the next week and a half or so our paths won’t cross ever again so I want to make sure that I take the opportunity to tell you how you affected my life for the better.

I’ve always been a person who focuses on school, career, and his friends but rarely on fitness even though I enjoy being active but that changed this semester. When we went to dinner and were walking towards the Allen Street Grill, we talked about your dad doing insanity. That segwayed to you asking what caused me to care more about my fitness. I wasn’t exactly truthful in my answer as I felt cheesy saying the truth so I said something just clicked. Well truth be told, it was because of you and your cycling class. There was no specific moment or phrase to draw on but just being present at your class. You’re an excellent motivator and I thoroughly enjoyed going to your cycling class every week as you pushed us to dig deeper beyond a 110% effort. You made me realize that I was mentally stronger and there was a big difference between my actual effort and my potential. Fatigue became a battle of mental toughness and perseverance not physical ability. I started to see the improvements in my performance every week.

My fitness results from the beginning of the year to now have drastically improved. I am eating healthier and in overall a much better mood day in and day out regardless of what occurs that day. Through meeting you, you helped me realize that I can be better and dedicate myself to my personal health. It’s almost as if I am a whole new person. My friends have all noticed a change in me because my outlook on life has changed a little. If it wasn’t for you enabling me to believe in my physical abilities then my ankle injury would have be another reason to walk away from everything just like my prior knee injuries. Now, it’s just another obstacle to overcome.

Maddy, you are one of the most amazing people I have ever had the opportunity to speak with. You’re passionate, devoted, caring, personable, and inspirational. I was in awe to learn about your dedication to your school, fitness, and your friends and family. I don’t think I could even remotely capture how grateful and appreciative I am for how much you helped and inspired me to better myself but this was my attempt. I have long term goals after the school for myself regarding fitness and if it wasn't for you then I would not have taken the initiative to act on those challenges.

Thank you again and good luck finishing up this semester and your future. There is no doubt that you are going to be successful and will continue to change people’s lives. Congratulations on graduating!

-Kyle

Despite discouraging words I have encountered recently, this changed everything. It again shows me what I do makes a difference. This guy is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every week he would come to my class despite injuries, lack of sleep, etc. and push himself until he was beat red and exhausted. I am so happy to hear I made such an impact in life. This is what make me get up every day. It satisfies me to hear I made such an impact on him. This is what I hope to continue to do NO MATTER WHAT PATH I TAKE. 

So believe in your dreams. Reach for the sky. People will see it. Even if they don't say straight out the impact or difference you have made in their life, one day they might come to you when they know you're down. I myself get down at times but e-mail's like that keep me pushing harder. It motivates me to motivate you! Everyone who reads this blog does not let me know what they think and that is completely fine. All I am happy about is that you read it.

I know I may have to work different jobs here and there to get where I want to be in the long run. At the end of the day, that's fine. More exposure to different jobs and activities will make me a more well-rounded person. I will be able to understand things I did not before. So go ahead, challenge me. Challenges are what changes you. We all have our own paths. Many will have come across bumps along the way, but that's life. If you want to be successful, you'll make sure you get there some day. Don't ever stop believing. There are plenty of underdogs, including myself, but we together will make it to the top. It's the work you put in that people don't witness or recognize that will make you better each day. Don't stop. Go get em.

Madness Monday

ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL I AM DONE WITH PENN STATE UNDERGRADUATE CLASSES!

So much has been going on in my life lately! As usual, my life consists of running around from place to place. I am extremely busy but I love writing and blogging about everything (I hope you do enjoy reading it!). My friend Amanda that I previously mentioned asked me to be her subject for a video project in one of her classes. She stated she really loves what I do and would love to film me. I said sure! Problem was we didn't realize how busy we both were. We would meet up on the weekends, early early mornings, etc. just to get pieces of film. She must have apologized to me a million times for being a "pain" but we worked it all out :) I just wanted to show you it! You can finally see a little bit of what I do and what those wonderful stairs look like ;-)

http://commedia.psu.edu/news/story/fast-fit-and-female

It just gives you a little bit of a taste of how I am. I love shoes, clothes, getting all done up but I also love being a "tom boy" or a "gym rat." That's me. I've been in sports since I was in kindergarten. From softball, to ballet, to basketball, to swimming, to lyrical, to boxing, to all kinds of physical activity-->I have ALWAYS been physically active. Who would've known a girl who does ballet would be teaching a kick boxing aerobics class one day? I believe you should try new things. Never be afraid to do the "impossible". How do you know your limits until you actually try and reach them? Exactly...there are no limits. You can do anything. All you have to do is change the mind. The body will follow if the mind is strong. A perfect example of this is my friend Amanda. 

This girl has lost 40 lbs and  just walked in a run way fashion show at PSU this past weekend. Talk about INSPIRATIONAL!

She is the perfect example of not ever giving up. She set her mind on something and exceeded her goals and she's NOT done yet. Today she asked me to do a stair work out with her tomorrow. I said you bet girl! People with that mind set are the ones that are going to get far in life. They're the ones that are going to reach their dreams and beyond. Amanda you inspire a lot of people and I just wanted you to know that. Let me tell you...she worked that stage! Keep going and never give up.

With that being said, I will be teaching my last two regular fitness classes this week as a undergraduate student at Penn State University Park! Tomorrow I teach kick boxing aerobics at 3:30-4:30 and Full Body Workout Friday at 12:10-12:50. Finals week, instructors volunteer to teach classes. I decided to teach Full Body on Tuesday, April 30th at 4:30-5:30. That day is my birthday! I can't wait! :)

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who believes in me. I want to thank everyone in my life who has even criticized me. It makes me grow stronger and believe in myself. It challenges me in ways I never would have thought or could have imagined. As wrapping up my senior year, I realized how much I have changed. I am a completely different person then when I stepped foot at PSU. I am so much stronger mentally and physically. All of the different experiences I have had from volunteering for the health center, going through a year long fitness training course to become a PSU fitness instructor, to belly dancing, boxing, food security club, a resident assistant, research assistant, project assistant, cooking camp counselor for kids, lifeguard, etc. I wouldn't be who I am today. Everyone comes in your life for a reason. Every person teaches you something about yourself and maybe you yourself make an impact on others. You may realize it or you may not, BUT you do. It may take 10 seconds, days, or years, but you do. 

As I finish my last week of school, I will update everyone on stair work outs! If anyone wants to join, you are MORE than welcome! PLEASE DO :) Now go kick butt this week!

Get it!

It's never too late to start!

Last week was a really rough week for me. I found out I was not matched for a dietetic internship. For those of you who do not understand what that means, let me just say it's a complicated system. It's a very competitive field. Despite me not getting one, I am really happy for my friends who were matched! Congratulations!

Although this avenue did not work out for me, I am not giving up. I realized that there are other ways I can use my nutrition knowledge. I have been looking into other certifications I can receive besides an R.D. (Registered Dietitian).  If I decide to reapply next year, so  be it. But I know it's not the end of the world.

I have always been extremely passionate with helping other and exercise. My mother and I spoke last night and she said, "Maddy, you've always been...what's that called...a gym rat. You've been involved in sports since kindergarten." She's exactly right. Since I was really little, I have always loved to be physically active. It is my one outlet where I get to help others as well as get stress relief for myself. I love it. I know this is the field where I belong in.

It's really scary not knowing where I'll be in three weeks from now. I am trying to figure it out. But when you love something and want it really bad, you will make it work. Passion drives you to success. People have made statements about me not "making it." I will make it happen. I think when some people do not have faith in you, it makes you just a little bit stronger in the end. I am grateful for everyone who has supported me. Especially my mentee (fitness).

My mentee mentioned last week at dinner that she couldn't wait any longer to tell me something. She knows that I am really interested in pursuing a career in fitness. I want to learn more and become better. Her parents are going to pay for any certification I want as a graduation gift and birthday gift. As soon as she told me this, I was ready to cry. I was speechless. It's amazing how when someone recognizes how much you love something, they are willing to do whatever they can to help you get to the top. I couldn't be any more thankful.

With that being said, just because one thing doesn't work out, there will always be other options. I will discover more about myself. If you love something, keep going. Despite if people don't believe in you. You're all you got. At the end of the day, it's you who will be going to that job every day. What's the point if you're not happy?

I will be doing a stair work out tomorrow morning if anyone wants to join! The weather has been beautiful out. Only a few more weeks left of school! Time to get outside and utilize it :) Have a wonderful week! And remember, don't give up!

Fitness Friday

Happy Friday!

  Today is such a beautiful day! The sun is shining bright and everyone seems to be in a great mood :). I just finished teaching my full body class at 12:10 and two of my friends attended. I really enjoyed having them there! Full Body consists of half cardio and half muscle conditioning. I incorporated a few kickboxing aerobics moves in my combos. The class seemed to enjoy it! 

  This week has been pretty rough with school work but I finished strong! This weekend is supposed to be really nice so I plan on having a stair workout Sunday at either 12:00 or 1:00. If you want to join, let me know! My friend Amanda is making a video on me for one of her classes and she will be there filming. More people, the better! There's nothing better then getting outside and getting your sweat on! It changes up the regular scene of the machines at the gym. 

ATTENTION: THIS SATURDAY...

If you are into fitness and attend PSU, this is an AMAZING opportunity! Make sure you make it out to this event! All of the info is here on the flyer! Don't be afraid to google or visit their website!

Since I have not written about any nutrition or fitness advice in a while, I feel it's time to do just that....

PORTION SIZES!

Everyone hears about how many "servings" of vegetables, grains, dairy, etc. we should be receiving a day. But...what's a serving? To give you an idea, I decided I would give you items you can compare a serving to!

1. Medium Potato.................................Computer Mouse

2. Medium-sized fruit or vegetable..........Tennis ball

3. 1/4 cup dried fruit or raisins................Golf ball

4. Average bagel...................................Hockey puck

5. Pancake or slice of bread................... DVD

6. Cup of fruit...................................... Baseball

7. Cup of lettuce.................................. 4 leaves

8. 3 oz cooked meat............................. Cassette tape

9. 3 oz grilled fish................................ Checkbook

10. 1 oz cheese....................................4 dice

11. 1 tsp butter/margarine.................... Postage stamp

12. 1 tbsp salad dressing...................... Thumb tip

13. 2 tbsp peanut butter....................... Ping pong ball

14. 1 cup dried beans........................... Tennis ball

15. 1 oz nuts or candies....................... 1 small handful

16. 1 oz chips or pretzels..................... 1 large handful

I have completed two body building competitions myself and I have learned a lot about weight loss and discipline. I learned what is HEALTHY and what is NOT. Currently, I have a friend who is going to be in a fashion show in three weeks and is trying to lose weight. She is finding out that is it 70-80% your diet and 20% gym. I keep encouraging her to get pushing forward and to not give up. She has always been extremely motivated. In the past she was overweight and has come A LONG way since! I am so happy that she can come to me and feels comfortable talking about topics such as food and exercise. I know she's going to reach her goals with no problem, if not exceed them! Diet is key! You can live in the gym and eat unhealthy, I guarantee you, you WON'T see results! Diet is SO IMPORTANT! Not only if you want to see results, but how you FEEL. I know she is going to look great (she already does), but even BETTER! I will make sure to post her starting to end pictures in my blog in the future! She's so motivating!

Get outside this weekend and get moving!

Passion to Help Others Succeed

According to oxforddictionaries.com:

Definition of passion:

noun

1)strong and barely controllable emotion:

a man of impetuous passion

a state or outburst of strong emotion:

oratory in which he gradually works himself up into a passion

intense sexual love:

their all-consuming passion for each othershe nurses a passion for Thomas

an intense desire or enthusiasm for something:

the English have a passion for gardens

a thing arousing enthusiasm:

modern furniture is a particular passion of Bill’s

  Today I feel the need to express my eagerness to help others. Many people come to me and ask me for advice on nutrition and fitness. I don't mind giving my knowledge to others freely. I know I have yet plenty to learn but what knowledge I have obtained, I love to share. Fitness and motivating others is a field that I want to pursue for the rest of my life. I find it extremely satisfying to see that smile or positive change in someone. I know what I am doing will help me succeed down the road. When you love what you're doing, nothing else matters. I recently have met with someone who asked me to counsel them on losing 30 lbs. The person thanked me over and over again. My response to them was:

"If I didn't have to worry about earning a living one day, I would do this for free. I love to help others!"
  

  I hope with every person I help, that I have motivated them to become a better person. I know I am not perfect and that I make mistakes all of time. I want to hear feedback and fix the problem. No matter where I end up or what I end up doing, I will make sure to be the best I can be and help others do the same. Teaching fitness classes gives me that opportunity to do so. Every day I learn something new about myself through others. Whether it be something I promise myself I will never do or learn something positive and hope to continue that action myself. Motivating and changing lives is what I hope to pursue. Don't let others bring you down. Just learn from your experiences and make sure you take away something from it.

After a long day, I was informed by a supervisor from my internship that a track athlete met with her today and knew the answer to how many calories are in a pound. My supervisor was really impressed and asked how she knew that. The track athlete said a senior nutrition major gave a lecture last Thursday on sports nutrition. My supervisor asked if it was Maddy. The athlete responded YES! According to my supervisor, she thoroughly enjoyed my presentation and said gave plenty of positive feedback. Hearing this really changed my whole day around. I want to help people learn and impact people in a positive manner. I can say, despite me having a bad day, knowing I helped an athlete understand nutrition better made me smile. It's moments like these that make me forget about all the rough times and realize there will be ups and downs but the ups definitely outweigh the downs. It's all worth it in the end!