Women's Empowerment Weekend!

with Krista Schaus PICP & Renee Willis M.Ed. CPT




Friday July 24th to Sunday July 26th, 2009
Peacock Point (Lake Erie), Ontario CANADA


Under 1 hour south of Hamilton - 1.5 hours west of Buffalo / Niagara - 1.5 hours south / east of London

All-inclusive, Life Altering Fun!

 Semi-private training sessions Saturday & Sunday
 Physique-friendly main meals & snacks included
 Workout nutrition included
 Core pack supplements included
 Accommodations included at private full service cottage
 Biosignature reports & consultations
 Ionized foot soak & 30 min session with Natural Health Therapist
 Tips to Fiancial Fitness
 Recovery methods and grounding techniques
 Q & A’s and fireside discussions
 And so much more... TOO MUCH TO LIST!

Friday:
4:00 to 7:00 pm - Meet & Greet
Physique-friendly food included
7:00 to 8:00 pm - BioSignature data collection
9:00 pm - Renee’s “Sit on the Stool” fire side discussion

Saturday:
7:00 – Breakfast
9:00 – TRAINING - Chest & Back - Relative Strength & Functional Hypertrophy
12:00 – Lunch
2:00 to 5:00 pm – Natural Health Therapies
& BioSignature Consultations
6:00 pm – Dinner
Special Guest
Evening – Fireside Q&A with Krista, Renee & special guest

Sunday:
7:00 am – TRAINING Legs - Giant Sets
8:00 am – Sauna Protocol
9:00 am – Sunday Brunch
10:30 – noon - Wrap – up Discussion
Attendees are free to say at the cottage for the afternoon for relaxation / sun

You may also wish to head to Port Dover for the afternoon, just 10 minutes from the cottage.

http://www.norfolktourism.ca/
http://www.haldimandcounty.on.ca/

Anyone wishing for additional night's accomodation, inquire for cost.

• Not recommended for beginners to training or Level I Eaters
• Please report any food allergies / sensitivities
• Not recommended for anyone with a recent injury

This is a private retreat. Attendance is limited to only 6 people!

COST:
$900.00 CND

REGISTRATION PROCESS:
1) Confirm - Email Krista@definingedge.ca
2) Payment – PayPal to Krista@definingedge.ca
3) Register - Forms & further details will be emailed to you once payment is received

The Elusive Chinup!

I got a great Mother's Day present, belated, in my in box on Monday.

A client that I have been working with since August 2007 emailed me to report that she got 2 FULL chinups (dead hang bottom, chin over top) on Sunday while training with her mother.

I always wanted to be the one to witness her first chinup as it has been an apparently elusive goal and one a long time coming, but it was appropriate on Sunday that it was with her Mom.

As a coach, sometimes I feel like a Mom to my clients --- more appropriately, they feel like my children.

I am really proud of her accomplishment as she never lost sight of the goal even though at times it seemed like a dream rather than a goal. We kept saying, "it's not a matter of if, but when!".

So the obvious question now, "what next?!". Where there is 1 chinup (or 2) there is 5 or 10 or 5 with 10 lbs.

They key for her getting this chinup was simple:

1) Keep improving body composition
2) Keep getting stronger
3) Keep the dream alive

Congrats!

8 Things to Stop Doing Right Now

from www.pluginid.com

The main purpose of this site is to help you be who you want to be and live the life you want to live. I think everyone deserves that at the bare minimum, and I believe that everyone can achieve it. Therefore, a lot of the messages that I share here are positive, inspiring and action orientated.

With this post I want to change direction, and not cover the things you should be doing, but the things you shouldn’t be doing. I’m not even going to be half-hearted about it and say you should ‘probably’ stop doing these things or ‘you can if you want’. No; you really should stop, right now.

I truly believe that successful implementation, or actually ‘de-implementation’ of these methods will dramatically improve a number of things. The first thing that will change is your overall level of happiness, the second thing that will develop is a laser-like focus for your goals and the third thing that will change is going to be your overall awareness.

What I mean by improving your awareness is that you actually might ‘wake up’ to some of the things you’ve been doing, and understand exactly why I say you need to stop doing these things immediately.

1. Doubting Yourself - If you think that you can’t achieve something then I have some good news for you, you’re probably right. Doubts and lack of self belief are the number one way to not only fail to achieve your goals, but to prevent yourself for even trying to go for them in the first place.

Ask yourself, is there anyone in this world that could achieve what I want to achieve? If so, then you definitely can as well.

2. Looking for Answers - I don’t mean this as a sort of umbrella phrase that covers every situation in the world, sometimes we need answers. On occasion we need to know why things happened and how we can change them, but a lot of the answers we look for won’t change anything even if we get them.

“Why do some people have all the luck?”
“Why was I born into this environment?”
“Why am I not smart / pretty / cool / rich?”
These are all questions that deserve no time to be pondered. Don’t look for answers, just start creating results.

3. Procrastinating - This is something I struggled with for a long time, but regular readers of the site will know that I ‘cured’ this quite well. Basically, I make sure I know what I want in life, and any time I catch myself procrastinating or wishing I didn’t have to do a certain ask, I simply ask myself: “Do you really want this?”

Has there ever been a time when procrastinating actually served you well? Did those extra 20 minutes on Facebook or a call to your friend really help the situation? The ‘problem’ is still going to be there, so just deal with it now.

4. Blaming Someone Else - It’s far easier and more likely for us to blame someone else for our current situation rather than take responsibility ourselves. “I’m poor because John makes bad financial decisions” or “I’m unhappy because Sarah left me”.

You have to take full and total responsibility for yourself and all of your actions. Sure, there will be people who want to help you and people involved in what you do, but you are completely responsible for the outcome. If you keep looking to others as the reason for your ‘failures’ without picking up the pieces yourself, these ‘failures’ will continue to happen.

5. Judging Others - First of all, you have absolutely nothing to gain but everything to lose from judging someone. People that others would instantly judge as ‘uncool’ or ‘boring’ have turned out to be some of the most awesome people I’ve ever met in my life.

Secondly, I want to make it clear that I’m not just saying this because it is nice and should be included on a list like this; I fully believe it and try to implement it into my life. If you are going to judge people, at least judge them by their actions, and not their appearance or their background.

6. Waiting to Live - I think most of you will relate to this point more than any. I should know, I’ve spent a good few years of my life waiting for things to happen before life will be perfect and I can start enjoying it. As soon as I finish college, as soon as I’m making enough money online, as soon as I’ve gained X amount of lbs and I’m ripped etc., these are all useless thoughts that I’ve had.

You know what, these things may come, and you may get to finish college or get to your dream weight. As soon as you get there though, you’ll realise you’ve just wasted and forgotten the whole journey it took to arrive at the spot. The time to enjoy life is right now, no matter what situation you are in or what you hope the future may hold.

7. Needing Reasons to Be Happy - 2 weeks ago I wrote something that touched upon this idea in one of my blog posts:

I have a huge grin on my face as I’m writing this; in fact I’ve had one for the last few days. Should I tell you why? OK, well…there is absolutely no reason. What reason do you need to feel great, why not just feel great?
I’m feeling like that on a very regular basis these days. We often feel we need things to ‘happen’ to give ourselves permission to be happy. Yet, when you think about it, how ridiculous is that? At any moment in time, you can have complete control over how you feel. Don’t look for reasons to feel good and smile, you’re alive, that should be enough.

8. Caring What People Think - I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t easy, and I don’t think it’s going to come instantly unless you have some drugs or alcohol available. I have no doubt that this step takes time, but you can begin to care less and less with practice.

“What people say about you is none of your business”

- Sean Stephenson
I’ve wrote a lengthy blog post on the subject that I recommend you check out. The main point from that post I want to highlight is that you should just really put life into perspective. This is the only opportunity we have, are we really going to spend our time worrying about what people think of us, something we can’t even change anyway?

I would love to hear your thoughts, what other things do you think we should stop doing right now?

Lifting each other to new heights

PICTURED: (l-r)Coach Susan Abbott PICP, Lisa Nigh, Anita Santos

Posted By JACOB ROBINSON, Simcoe Reformer
08 MAY 2009


Powerlifting may seem like an individual sport, but three local competitors have proven it takes a team to carry the weight.

Simcoe's Anita Santos, Lisa Nigh of Jarvis and Hagersville resident and personal trainer Susan Abbott are among the best in Canada, and proved it by winning two bronze medals and a gold at the Canadian Powerlifting Union National Championships in Moose Jaw Sask. last month.

Santos met Abbott two years ago and began to train with her. It wasn't long until Nigh jumped on board and, since then, the three have been a force in both provincial and national competitions.

"You really can't do powerlifting by yourself," explained Abbott. "Your equipment, the weight, all those things demand you're there with assistance. The more I've watched; I can see form and depth. Often, if Lisa is squatting, even though I'm spotting, I've got Anita watching her depth or vise versa. It's definitely not an individual sport, it's a team sport."

Competitions are comprised of squats, bench presses and dead lifts. Each person gets three attempts at each lift, and two of the three judges on hand must give it the OK before the score can be official.

All three are friends and self-described fierce competitors. It's that combination that has kept them pushing for more -- even when they didn't think it was possible.

"We're all friends, but if somebody squats 300-pounds, in our minds we want to try and do that, too," said Nigh. "We work well together that way, and we encourage each other. It's been an honour to work with them."

This year's national event was the first for Nigh and, despite tearing muscles off her ribs just weeks before the competition, she managed to hit a personal best in her bench press.

In her second nationals, Santos earned personal bests in both the bench press and dead lift.

It's those kinds of moments that have kept them coming back for more.

"It is very addictive, especially if you have a personality that is driven to compete," said Nigh. "That adrenaline rush -- when you're up there, you don't see a person in the audience. (But) you get off of that stage, and there's all sorts of people there to pat you on the back, it's amazing. There's nothing like it."



Lisa Nigh demonstrating a high level of focus and determination.

Their feats are even more amazing when you consider all the time that goes into it. All three ladies are training three to four times a week, and often travel to the Niagara Powerlifting Club, which is the home to many international contenders, for sessions.

The schedule seems hectic, and is filled with sweat and sacrifice, but it also provides results both at the gym, and at home.

"I feel a lot more fit, slim and you just feel like you can conquer the world when you've squatted 300 pounds or benched over 150 and dead lift(ed) 300. You feel like you can do anything, it's very empowering," exclaimed Santos.

"Everyone should know that, if you set goals, no matter how high you think they are, you can achieve them -- it's just a matter of making it a priority and everything is workable."

That's not to say that there wasn't any doubt as the trio began to enter competitions. They simply worked through them.

"I had lots of inhibitions about my body, (and) my strength," said Nigh. "Once you get to the point where you (get) one competition in you and try it, you go up on that stage and it's overwhelming. You think, 'What am I doing? I'm 40-years-old, this is ridiculous. But why not? Why not try it?' And I've gotten over a lot of inhibitions that way."

What all three are focused on now is the 2011 World Championships to be held in St. Catharines. Santos, Nigh and Abbott are looking to show the world what they can do. After what Nigh, Abbott and Santos have done thus far, the sky is the limit.

"They are just starting to scratch the surface as far as using gear and really pushing the limits of it," Abbott said. "There's absolutely no limit, none at all."

An Island

On our honeymoon in France, Pete and I were awestruck by Mont St. Michel - a beautiful island and a mountain.

Someone once told me that I am an island.

I did not give it much thought until last night when I randomly flipped open a page of The Right Mountain - Lessons from Everest on the Real Meaning of Success and I read a paragraph that seemed to stick right out:

"' Seriously, what are my chances of going to Everest?'

'Possible, just possible. But only if you are willing to commit to a training program.'

Commit sounded like a threat. I asked him what he meant.

'It means e have nine months before the team leaves and I'll need you at The Fitness Institute two hours a night, four nights a week, and eight to ten hours each day on the weekend. I'll need you without fail. You need to go full tilt, under the leadership of a trainer. You'll do everything he or she says, extending yourself all the time. Your body will scream and your mind will bend, but you can't ease off one bit. You have to give more every time you feel you've reached the end. You can't complain. Not even once. Not even silently. ... That's what I mean by commit.'

...

But, I soon realized it wasn't just me that was going to have to commit. Everyone else who was a part of my life would have to commit as well. If they couldn't understand why, I couldn't be with them."

These few paragraphs reminded me of the "you are an island" comment and, yes I am an island. Those who commit to big goals must become one in order to achieve the goal.

Thank you to my huband, my family and all my friends and clients who understand.

To all the other islands out there, you may have occasional vistors, you may find yourself a tourism hot spot or you may be completely desserted and undiscovered - no matter what the state, remember what it means to commit. People, things, events come and go - good or bad or degrees of both - but the island remains intact.

K