That’s not me! It’s my kid!!!!!

I have tried to wait a couple of days to post about this as I know what I’m about to say could be misinterpreted. I also wanted to make sure I still felt the same a few days later. I have tried looking at this from not only a mom’s point of view, but also as a trainer, coach, and competitor.

Here is the scenario….I was at our high school track 2 days ago running bleachers etc. not long into my workout here come a dad and what looked to be his 8 or 9 year old son. My first thought was that it was odd he was not in school but then it donned on me he was probably home schooled (which I have absolutely no problem with). Next I see another young man walking onto the football field with a bag of footballs and meets the man and his son on the field. I continued to watch (as I worked out) only to see them begin a private quarter back lesson…….now don’t get me wrong I do believe in private lessons and training…….but not at 8 or 9 years old. This wasn’t just a football fundamentals lesson…..it was a full blown focus on quarterback position training. It wasn’t even a small group setting or a camp, but a private specialized lesson. I must stop hear and say I have paid for one of my 4 boys to have private basketball lessons but that was at age 13 and it was to help him make his school team. I also know as kids approach kid pitch baseball private lessons are needed in order for them to learn proper form so they do not get injured…..I’m all for that! I have to wonder though…..did this child come up with private quarterback lessons on his own or did his dad put the idea in his head. I have an 8 year old who is quarterback of his pee wee team and not once has he ever asked for private quarterback lessons.

I would love to hear your thoughts as I am sure to be opening a can of worms. Maybe the child did come up with it or maybe it’s dad trying to live his dream through his kid. I don’t know so it would be wrong to judge but it does make my stomach a little uneasy. Our kids are already put under so much pressure at school. My fear is we are turning fun youth sports into more of a job for them and putting them under even more stress. They are being taught to win at all costs, being yelled at (saw it on an 8u basketball court), and then they are worried about letting mom and dad down.

I want my kids to play youth sports, I want them to win, I want them to play sports I school if that’s what they want. I am not of the mindset that my child is going to be the superstar, get a scholarship to a D-1 school, and then play professional sports. The odds are way against it. I do want them to have fun being a kid though and to look back on their sports with a smile and fond memories. If Gods plan for my children is for them to be professionals at a sport then he will provide us the opportunities and guidance to do so…….I don’t think 8 years old though is the time for it. Thoughts?

Veggies? Not Me!!!!

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I drink this every day! It is full of super foods and for someone who has a hard time getting in all my veggies this keeps me healthy!!! Everyone should drink this!!!

For more info and to order go to www.myshakeology.com/traceypetter

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Are we preoccupied with planning?

In my daily bible study this morning I came across the following, “A mind preoccupied with with planning pays homage to the idol of control.”  For me this was a hard thing to take a close look at in my life. Being the mother of 4 very involved and active boys, helping my husband with his business, having my own business, competing in figure competitions, and just dealing with the ins and outs of daily life, if I didn’t plan and live by my calendar and to-do list I think I would go crazy. I also “preach” a lot about being prepared with meals, workouts, etc to have success in your health and fitness goals. I believe what God was saying to me was not that I shouldn’t plan and be prepared but that I shouldn’t be so obsessed with it that I miss hearing his direction for my life. Many times I will get a feeling I just need to step back and do something not planned…whether its just for me, with my family, or with friends. I shouldn’t be so in control and obsessed with planning that I can’t relax and be spontaneous. While there is something to being organized and prepared…..don’t miss out on the fun God has planned for you as well!  Let Him be in control!

Portion control is key to controlling your weight.

Coming off a wonderful Easter weekend I felt the need to talk about controlling portion sizes of the food we eat. After Easter lunch with the family, my 2 sisters and I took a brisk walk through the neighborhood down to one of the towns really nice parks with a great walking trail. One of my beautiful sisters told me that part of her problem wasn’t just eating healthy foods because she did do that…….it was the amount that she ate. She said when she really likes something she has a really hard time not eating more than she should. I think we are all like that.  Many times people begin to exercise and change their diet. They eat all the right things. The problem is they eat too much. Weight control in reality is a numbers game. You need to know what your body burns in a day. You need to know what you are burning in  the activities you are doing. I know many people go on feel…..and that’s great……but eventually that catches up to you. I am a firm believer in knowing your numbers. One of the most important numbers is your BMR.   BMR stands for Basal Metabolism Rate. If you are working with a trainer I would suggest asking them to calculate it for you. Many gyms will provide this service as well. The one thing I strongly recommend is a heart rate monitor. This device is small (like a watch) and will tell you the calories you burn and if you are burning them in your target zone. Price ranges vary from inexpensive to very expensive depending on what bells and whistles you want. Whatever you decide to spend I believe it is well worth it. 

Easter

Faith Fitness By Tracey is a business but it is founded on the principles of faith in Jesus. So it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t post about the significance of this weekend for me and my faith. It is everything…….what drives everything I do. The son of God sacrificed everything for me when he went to the cross and was raised 3 days later. The least I can do is be a living sacrifice for him. That includes helping people take care of the one and only body God gave to them. Mine included. I can’t fulfill my God given destiny if I am not healthy. Whether that is being a mother, being a father, being a teacher, a financial advisor, a minister……whatever YIUR calling. Spend this weekend remembering what Christ did for you and how you can honor him…..whatever that may be. I am so thankful for God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice……all for me and for you!!!

Roids? Good, bad, ugly?

Today I read of the passing of a famous bodybuilder and I have mixed feelings about what I read about his life. He was only 6 years older than me and had tested positive during his career for banned substances. As a competitor myself and the mother of athletes I worry about the example this sets because I know the dangers associated with their use. Yet so many use them not thinking about the consequences and then wonder why later their bodies fall apart. I can’t say that the use of banned substances contributed to his premature death but I know of many cases where it has. It saddens me. Why risk shortening your God-given life for short-term gains and immediate gratification.

Blog – Does my personal trainer know what he/she is doing?!!!!

Today I saw an article that talked about how to know if your trainer is full of bull…..basically doesn’t know what they are talking about. One of the things on the list was pushing the client too hard to where they are sore all the time. I had to stop and think about this one. I am very passionate about health and fitness. I can talk all day about it. Sometimes I can push hard because of my passion and this made me question am I pushing too much? I want my clients to enjoy their workouts but I also want them to see results. I want them to feel they are getting something out of it. One thing I always do is check in with them the next day to see how they are feeling. I’d love to hear from both trainers and trainees what your thoughts are on this. The most important thing is the client and helping them to have a healthier lifestyle….if they aren’t enjoying it they won’t stick with it……but if they don’t see results they won’t stick with it either…….THOUGHTS