Fit with Ruthie

Years ago... I was one of those people who said "I cant zumba". I was out of shape, had never taken a dance lesson in my life, and I was so very far out of shape as I watch those infomercials on late night TV I remember thinking... wow... must be nice but I could never do that. Obviously I was wrong.  I invite people to my classes allll the time. Many of them say "OH I Can't Zumba" and sometimes it gets to me. Part of me wants to look at them and say "OK so what you are saying is I am not a good teacher" Because if I am the teacher and you come to my class and don't learn to zumba... then I have failed. They are judging my class before stepping into the studio.  Of course, I never say that... I mean.. I know their comment "Oh i cant zumba" is more about what their perception of Zumba is than it is about me.  What is fascinating to me is people automatically says "I Can't"  which in reality they should be say...

It's been MONTHS since my last run... it's been prob 9 months since I ran 2 miles. I cannot remember when my last run was.... I have been a heartbroken runner most of this year. I was angry first, then in denial, then depressed... I am soooo thankful for dancing and the fact that dancing didn't hurt these past months like running did. Running has hurt since December of last year... When I started having issues with my foot... Heal spur, and finally finding relief from my chiropractor who discovered the reason I could never stretch enough to fix my issue. ...... My tibia was out of place!  Anyway .. Back to today I RAN I RAN I RAN I RAN I RAN I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY.  I  RAN.  2 miles on the treadmill AND NO PAIN.  NO PAIN.  NO PAIN. I am holding on to hope that tomorrow morning I will not wake up with foot pain... Tomorrow morning I will wake up pain free just like I am now....  Holding my breath that this is a new beginning for me.  I have missed run...

Yesterday morning was surreal. Yesterday morning I stood before 100 or so women from 15 years old to great grandmas, we danced, we punched, we clapped, we jumped for joy, then... I tried to tell my part of my story as well as I could.  Many many things were perfect about yesterday's event, but as I have had some time for all to sink in I keep feeling there were so many things I left unsaid that I wanted to say. This was my first time to be a key note speaker, my first time speaking at a church's event, and my first time using a power point presentation and wireless mic. I think for the first time I did pretty good. I prayed over n over that God would be heard and I wouldn't get in the way...hopefully the Spirit took over where I was lacking.  I have lots of thoughts I had to leave out, mostly because of time and partly because I left my notes in my bag and didn't want to leave the stage, so I just winged it. LOL.  WHAT I DO KNOW it's still strange to watch people wa...

Long time blogger confesses she feels like she has nothing else to write. Blogging for years she feels drained with no topics to write about. She is hoping joining the Josha in this daily blogging challenge will help her creative juices flow and once again have blogging abilities :) Stay Tuned As the Blog Turns... Will Ruthie overcome her writers block? Will she once again enjoy Blogging? Coming up: Madness Mondays Tabloid Tuesdays Whiney Wednesdays Thoughtful Thursdays Foto Fridays

I know, I know, I told you all I would post here more!  Good grief life is just busy these days and I need to just make the time to sit and blog at least a few times a week. This past week was filled with Halloween Zumba plus a TEEN party at my house :) Lots of fun! I am actually happy October is over.... was getting a bit tired of Thriller! Ha.. I am excited to get back to some Latin and other international moves for class. I am currently working on getting my thoughts laid out for a Womens Event I will be speaking at this next Saturday. I am so excited, as nervous at the same time! As I sit here preparing I simply cannot believe what God has done with my life. I flash back easily to my years of struggle and am so thankful I am where I am today. I am beyond blessed and soooo excited to do what I can to help others find health and fitness in their life. I have been teaching 6 times a week and doing Personal Training as well so my weeks are busy. Next semester I am looking to...

Yesterday was my 45th birthday. FOURTY FIVE I look at that number and simply cannot believe its true. Do I have issues about getting older? Well, most people i know would rather be younger... but whats a girl to do? I struggled to try to find a way to celebrate. The runner in me wants to get out there and run a half marathon, but reality is i simply cannot do that. Physically my weeks are packed and sometimes I do wonder about over training. I have to be conscious of not doing too much.... HA... thats funny. ... To think in 2006-2007 when I started blogging here the concept of over training wasnt even in my realm  of thinking. Most days I was exhausted.  I could barely get off the couch much less dance for an hour! ha! ... .... .. anyway.. So, running is out. (sorry for the ramble) I also seriously considered another ear piercing, and even a nose piercing.. (ha) .. but I couldn't bring myself to go thru the pain of it all.  So.. no fancy fun way to celebrate...

In this world we try to fit in .. We grow up with expectations to be unique but not too unique. The world expects us to not become too radical, the world whispers "oh u cant do this or that cause people would talk about you, look at u like your crazy." Everyone wants to fit it. Everyone wants to be excepted, it's not easy feeling uneasy in a group. I want to know how I got so stuck, in my 20s and 30s how did I get so lost, my uniqueness, my joy was fading away. Get married, get a job, have kids, get a car, get a house, go to girls night or ladies bible class and talk the hours away about our hopes and dreams... Or more than likely about how miserable we were.... work/sacrifice/put yourself last and complain the whole way. I was stressed to the hilt, worn out, exhausted...all I wanted was a trip to Olive Garden and a movie to check out of busy life. I was so tired of trying to fit in. I felt like something was wrong but I couldn't figure out what. I have always bee...

This whole health and fitness blogging thing started with the goal of making it through ONE DAY making healthy choices. Workout, Eat Right, Rest Right.... it all seemed so simple but so difficult. I havent had time for much of anything this summer. I have been very busy. GOOD Busy. A busy I never dreamed of. This summer has been filled with Personal Training sessions and Dancing for HOURS with kids, grownups and myself LOL. I have LOVED every minute. LOVED! The bad news is I have pretty much given up the running life. My life as a runner is on hold for a while, and thats ok. I have mourned my love of running, those quiet hours of the early morning when I was alone with God and the world. But you know whats cool? When we focus on making sure we combine mind, body, and soul in our health and fitness programs, GOD shows UP! What I missed desperately was my time with God. Music in my ears, blasting praises to him, refocusing my mind and soul and challenging me to be more, better, fa...

Pity party post Ok so first my detox went pretty well... Except for the fact I needed to plan ahead better to have more ripe fruit etc... Eating mostly raw vegan is nice... But it's difficult for me to stay that way... I think more than anything I have yet to fully work thru the emotions of being a celiac. Seriously... Sometimes it just sucks... I mean I am thankful I found an answer to my exhaustion, stomach aches, hair loss, painful other things (the list goes on and on) But somedays IT SUCKS everywhere I go ... Anything I eat I have to question what it will do to me... Not is is good for me or healthy or taste good or am I in the mood for it... But WILL THIS MAKE ME SICK imagine that... Food... Making you sick. Imagine 99% of items in the grocery store making you ill. THEN There are the moments when you just want a small taste of some thing because some e else is going on and on about how wonderful it tastes... And so you taste it .... Amd just the one tas...

I have had my share of food addictions over the past 40 years. Three Musketeers bars, crackers, Cheerios, Cokes... Just to name a few... I am here to fess up once again... I have a nagging addiction that I love and hate. (Ha that's addiction isn't it) It all started around Christmas time, holiday shopping, cold weather, and candy canes ...... Yep candy canes. The seemingly innocent cane of candy was peppermint heaven to me!!! Since realizing my relations to gluten laden foods I have pretty much stopped any and all candy eating. Gone are the days of grabbing whatever while I waiting in line at the check out. Now I realize that 99% of the foods on that display were making me sick. And so it was for peppermint candy canes....I was eating gluten free but I started feeling awful... Exhausted. It took a fees for me to figure out not all candy canes are created equal.. And yes the ones I was eating contained gluten. So then I found BOBS .. Bobs candy canes were gluten free and I...

What inspires me always and forever is the "looser", the one at the end who despite the odds never gives up. The ones who refuses to listen to the voices inside their own heads that they can't, won't, or shouldn't.. Ignoring that voice that tells them "why even try, I will probably fail again." What inspires me is the one who struggles for success everyday instead of quitting. What inspires me is the person who does things quietly, not wishing to draw attention but happily reaching day by day towards a goal. What inspires me is the person who works sooooooooo hard and gives their all but barely passes, and many times fails...only to try again. What inspires me are the people at the back of the room, the ones at the back of the pack...the ones who don't want to be noticed..because THOSE people overcame their fear and doubt and did it anyway. I LOVE the gentle giants, the grace-filled hopefuls, the ones who do things for t...

Ok so here were my thoughts during zumba tonight Wow look at all these people... Hope they have fun I love when they chat with each other during class! ( I really do!!!) Yeah... My pants are falling down again shoot I need new pants Ugh I need Gatorade Oh no.. How does this song go? ... Oh yeah... Now I remember What's next? Too loud Hope I dont fall off the stage My left is their right my left is their right Maybe I can touch the ceiling.. I never get to do that... Nope My feet feel great Not loud enough Man I should have eatin more today Good grief who made this playlist She's leaving early.. So glad she was able to come Oh no ..what's wrong with her.. Oh she is sneezing.. Ok good. Man I am tired... But I need this What's next? Oh I LOVE this song! Is everyone ok? Oh wow.. That's mc I thought she was a college girl! I am such a goof why did I just do that I hope they feel welcome here Man I hope it's not too hard.. I am tired ... Oop...

Jan 28 2012 was the date of my last half marathon. SERIOUSLY. In many ways its seems like only yesterday and in lots of other ways it seems like forever. When I started this blog years ago I could barely walk 2 miles without collapsing.... Back then 2 miles was exhausting... It was 40 mins of pain, frustration and "I will never"'s .... Back then there were small beams of hope ...wondering IF... You know how it goes "I wonder if I will ever be able to run 2 miles with no walking" "I wonder if my feet will always hurt when I walk" "I wonder if this is what 30 something is spose to feel like" How does someone go from running 6 and 8 miles for "fun".... From running 13.1 miles because I enjoyed it.... To zero miles. I literally have NO mileage to talk about,... No laps around campus... No new running shoes for the next half marathon... No celebratory lunch after the long run. Zero. I have gone from a marathoner..... To a ...

Getting down on the floor Getting up off the floor The seat belt in the car being LOSE on my stomach and boobs Being able to crawl from the front to the back seat or the drivers to the passengers without getting out of the car! Bounding up stairs 2 at a time without second thought. Staying awake alllllll day ... No sluggish time between 3 and 5pm Not wanting people to see the size I was pulling off the rack at the store.. Rolling over at night without stomach (scare tissue cseection pain) Climbing a tree if I want too..... It's the little things that catch in my mind as I go thru  my day... Little things that use to be BIG things, frustrating things or "whoops I shouldn't have just done that" things... Praise God for helping me change... Praise God for the bodies he gives us that can take so much and still recover from what we put it thru... I have dreams of running ..... Hopefully someday running will be a little thing I do agan without thinking. Right...

 So I think its been close to 3 years since i have posted any progress photos, at least on my photo page...  so here you go you can also view comparison photos on that page:  "transformation via photos" page tab at the top of the blog. One thing I want to make sure everyone knows.... The body I have now is after a year of 95% nothing but zumba. I havent run in a year :( and the only "weight" lifting I have found time for is body weight things like pushups... I also started teaching cardio kick this semester but that is just 1x a week. needless to say I am very surprised at how zumba has helped me keep and actually increased my muscle (esp in my legs and butt).... As the weather starts to warm up I am hoping and praying I can get back to running... i miss it! I have found some relief from my heel spur issue.... and have no pain from the spur, which is great.. but I do have issues with tight calves and heel pad pain esp when I run.... a solution I have found that...

I began my journey with diets books and plans and supplements and programs that cost me quite a bit of money. Ephedra: took it Creatin : took it Caffeine pills: took it Protein shakes: took it Tylenol PM to sleep at night: took it Tums: took it Imodium AD: took it Pepto bismal: took it Don't get me wrong... All those "programs" taught me a lot... They taught me I could loose weight... But there was a problem. As soon as I completed a program or stopped taking whatever I was taking I lost energy and started gaining back what I had lost. The yoyo of my health swing up and down. Reality was there were bigger much more complicated things going on with me that any program book or pill could fix. I was depressed I was sick I was a celiac I was a sugar ADDICT I was a food ADDICT Please understand me when I say this: some people feel they need the supplements and programs high dollar herbal companies and weight loss programs offer. I am not standing in ju...

Someday I WILL run again I miss it terribly The freedom The strength The high The feeling that comes from making yet another mile I miss the agony of mile 11 I miss the joy of the .2 after the 13 I miss the runner I use to be Hoping and praying this year will be different than last Praying for the pain to go away Until then I will dream of running. Cause it's the next best thing to actual running.

It's the new year and I have some new year resolutions just like everyone else. The ones I have this year are a lot different than ones I had in 2007 but the way to stay on track still applies. How do we set goals and actually achieve them? How do we not let life get in the way of where we want to be in 6 months or a year? How to we stay positive and focused? I have lots of tips and tricks for all those things, but reality is you and I could still fall off the resolution bandwagon. What if there is one big key that could guarantee you and I succeed? What if it really comes down to one simple yet complex idea. What if I told you we could take on a second part time job of only 12 hours a week and that this job would transform your life into the fit healthy person you dream of being? Might I suggest changing your habits and become the person you dream of really comes down to taking on a second job. I visit with quiet a few people about fitness and weightless and the response ...