New Day, New You

I survived my workshop I gave in Tennessee at the American Association of Zookeepers’ national conference.  Barely.  It definitely didn’t go as I had hoped. But I walked away from the conference with a newfound resolution- to get my books done and have a selection of merchandise so next year when the zoo community conference schedule gets kicking (in August 2017), I plan on attending as many as I can, not as a participant, but as a vendor.  I will submit small abstracts to present a snippet from my books, but I think I might be better suited for life as a writer, not business woman.

I have a job as a CrossFit Trainer currently, but I still don’t know if that is my calling either.  I am trying to use the clients and programming as a step stool for my own programs and ideas, and trying to see if my methods bring success to those I work with, but I’m not sure I am cut out for the happy-expert-on-fitness-go-get-’em-tiger-super-mentor title.  I’d love that title, but I have SOOO much work to do there it isn’t remotely funny.

So what do I do?  While I am motivated and have a great goal to work on my books, I am feeling a little inadequate.  I feel I have too much work to do to improve too many shortcomings.  They say practice makes perfect, and that I should write everyday or work on my writing everyday to get better, but I tried that 100 days of writing challenge, and my writing hasn’t actually improved. Practice doesn’t make perfect, PERFECT practice makes perfect. So what’s an imperfect writer to do?

Another challenge. I’m doing a short fitness challenge for the CrossFit box I work with.  It’s a six week, 3 day/week workout and Paleo eating challenge. I’m not going all the way full Paleo, but I did feel that this new challenge was a great way to jump-start my new resolve and try to work on some of my lofty and ambitious goals.

What are some of these desired outcomes?

1.  Get back in pique fitness shape.  I can’t compare myself to beginners in the 6-week challenge, and I shouldn’t be comparing myself to other CrossFit coaches (well, maybe I should, because damn, they look great!).  But I can keep working on improving my fitness, health, and well-being.
2. Poach Eggs, Not Rhinos.  Look, I’m almost BORED going into bookstores nowadays.  All the cookbooks are all the same! Gluten Free! Paleo! Eat Raw! Go Vegan! Barbeque! Bacon! (okay, so maybe I really want to check out that bacon cookbook….) So, I KNOW my conservation cookbook would fill a niche.  I think it’s a brilliant idea.  Will a publisher? Meh, maybe.  I keep not seeing my cookbook topic in bookstores, and keep thinking it would look great in there, but who knows really? No one, until I fracking write the thing!
3. Zookeeper’s Guide to Fitness. I basically already wrote the damn thing while preparing for my workshop. All I really need to do is go through the presentation slide by slide and elaborate on certain subjects and write for a broader audience to educate about animal training AND getting fit.
4. Brand ZooFit.  I think ZooFit is the best name.  We all loved and cherished EarthFit, but well, it’s taken and I need to move on. ZooFit is a great program, and I think I have finally come up with a great slogan: “Successful Fitness Though Conservation”. My main pillars are Operant Conditioning and Enrichment, and Conservation Fitness (including Eating Green). ZooFit encompasses the ideals and philosophies of what I practice and preach.  I just need to make it more appealing to adults as well as kids.

I’m also using this new challenge to revive a daily writing routine. Even if I don’t  write a 1000 word essay on Behavioral Momentum in your fitness program, or finish a whole chapter on Enrichment for your workout, I will still log in my blog 3 things each day: my workout, at least one of my meals, and a small ZooFit tip.

Today is day 1 for me, so here goes:

2 workouts today:
7 am- South Island CrossFit Ladies Rock!
28 minute EMOM (every minute on the minute), rotating each minute between 4 exercises:
– 8 box jumps @20 inches
-1 minute plank
-10 deadlifts @ 115
-50 second running
After this I finished with 20 GHD situps/back extensions

4pm- “EarthFit Bootcamp” through Parks and Recs
Nature Trail workout
Running/Jogging
Every intersection on trail, randomly pick a bodyweight exercise to do for a minute
Lunges, jumps, hip flexors, stretches
My only qualm was I forgot where I was going and we got side-tracked really bad, causing us to run more than I had planned, go over time, and met way too many intersections than I had planned.  Not my favorite way to lead a class.  I’ll have another shot to get this right on Saturday.

Breakfast- (non paleo) smoothie with berries, coconut milk, and Pure Pharma protein
Lunch- Chicken kabob

ZooFit tip for the day- want to make your mundane running routine more fun and more functional at the same time? Try the Nature Trail Workout! Write down 10-20 exercises you can do ANYWHERE. Designate what you will use to indicate when you will perform those exercises. This can be a bench, an intersection, at signs, or whatever you choose. Whenever you come across your indication, pick a card and perform that exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Then carry on your way.  Break up your run, put some variety into your workout, and make it more functional all at the same time.  Just don’t get lost….