My Fitness & R.I.P.P.E.D.

I was spending time going over my R.I.P.P.E.D. training material and choreography notes. After learning more about it I felt compelled to share some background. But first...!

*ahem* Ok! Moving on...!

Throughout high school I would workout using my own routines. I'd specifically choose different exercises to target different areas. I didn't really know all the technical stuff, I just knew what I wanted to tone and strengthen. I'd incorporate cardio simply because I actually felt like I was burning fat by expending the energy. That was it. I had a desire to move and burn calories without realizing exactly what the benefits of cardio was other than it helped with weight loss. I felt stronger and effective after working out. I would be conscientious of my form, too. I'd eat cleaner most of the time. I tried the different fad diets and yes, even some diet pills. Once during a 5-week period I didn't eat meat and cut out the junk. I ended up hungrier because, of course, at that time I didn't educate myself enough to know that my muscles wouldn't be fueled by grazing.

One of my biggest motivators that got me through each workout and, in fact, made me workout even harder was the music. Music, music... MUSIC!! I'd select songs that fueled my energy and lots of times I'd feel like working out (or just moving) when certain songs came on. My personal sessions reflected that of a Rocky training montage (one of my fave movie series). I didn't run stairs to a victory hop or anything grandiose, but in my head I was at the top of my game and the music added a sort of driving force behind my enthusiasm.

My friend and Zumba instructor extraordinaire, Marissa Hodge of The Klubhouse in West Sacramento, introduced me to R.I.P.P.E.D. I first met Marissa at a Sacramento Kings Zumba halftime show in 2011. Her enthusiasm and personality are infectious and we got along right away. We became friends very shortly after and really the only thing that keeps us from seeing more of each other is geography. She called me one day and encouraged me to take the R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor training. Her timing (and vote of confidence) was impeccable. I was ready to take on a challenge. I was ready to jump out of my comfort zone and experience something that typically my insecurities would stifle. After our conversation, charged with a spark of motivation I looked up the website for R.I.P.P.E.D. There was no doubt from the moment I watched the video it was something I could get behind. I said yes.

Me and Marissa at the Kings Zumba Halftime Show 2012
(Photo by Jennifer of Catch A Flash Photography)

The R.I.P.P.E.D. fitness concept embodies the very things I conditioned myself to back in the day; the things that motivated me to a healthier, more fit lifestyle beginning at an early stage in my life... only R.I.P.P.E.D., of course, is based on solid, educated, careful planning. It makes sense and it's all deliberate right down to the music. In fact, the music is a huge part of R.I.P.P.E.D. Terry Shorter, one of the creators, composed all of the music specifically for each piece: Resistance. Intervals. Power. Plyometrics. Endurance. Diet/Nutrition.

Terry Shorter, my sister, Charlene (who's now also a certified

R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor), and the lovely Tina Shorter

When I first began the journey back into my fitness 2 years after my son was born. I discovered Body for LIFE by Bill Phillips. (Little shout out to BFL!) Though the routines are different and more weights are used, the philosophy is much like R.I.P.P.E.D. I was a walking testimony (note was but I did it once, I'll do it again) that this philosophy is effective so it was easy for me to be drawn to R.I.P.P.E.D.  It really is a One Stop Body Shock. You work everything in one session, including cardio, and burn 750-1000 calories by the time you're done! It's also recommended you only do R.I.P.P.E.D. 2-3x a week to give your body time to recover. So it really gives you time to take care of other tasks on your "TADA" list throughout the week and you still get a kickass workout!

Pre-BFL (155 lbs)

Post BFL maintenance, 2007/2008! (127 lbs)

Fast forward to today, I'm even more excited by the whole idea of R.I.P.P.E.D. Every one of the instructors I've communicated with have been nothing short of supportive, inspiring, and enthusiastic. Thanks to Jen O'Neal, who led the instructor training class the day I completed it. Lots of energy, lots of sweat, and lots of smiles! I was welcomed into the R.I.P.P.E.D. family and their love of fitness and desire to reach out to others to help with their fitness goals is infectious! At the time I'm typing this blog I've not yet started instructing. Once the "busy" settles down (soon) I will. Until then, I'll continue to read through the training material, listen to the music, and learn the choreography! Mad propers and thanks to the whole R.I.P.P.E.D. family "...for helping people believe in all the goals they achieve. You inspire, we appreciate all that you do!" ~ lyrics from Season 8 warm up

Jen O'Neal, Marissa Hodge, me, and Todd Nicholson (fellow R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor)
at a R.I.P.P.E.D. intro class a few weeks before the training class.

Terry chose this song for the cool down section in Season 8. I loved it right away and was determined to learn it. See? Positive, inspirational, and... all good!

I will get back to my goal physical condition!

♠

In My Room

Not gonna lie. I loved my room as a teenager. It was one of my favorite places to be. My own veritable escape filled with music, magazines, and method to my madness!

My parents allowed me some creative freedom and, I swear, rearranging my room was almost an obsession! Okay, a little exaggerated, but at one point in less than a year I changed my room around 5 or 6 times. Even the inside of my cabinets, drawers, and closets were neat and tidy! Everything had its place. It's easy to do when really the only responsiblity I had at the time was school or, after graduation, a part-time job and helping around the house. Which was easy, by the way, because my penchant for fastidiousness is a direct result of the example lead by my mom and dad. Our home was juuuust about dustless and clutter-free. Often they'd get comments that their home was straight out of a Better Homes and Garden magazine. My parents are very firm and direct, but they never ruled with an iron-fist. They loved us in a very cheeseless fashion. I believe along with your shoes, you'd have to leave the mush at the door. Haha! *ahem* Moving on... I had my share of teen angst, but I never hated my parents. I was in no rush to move out for sure. Definitely not with the space I created for myself.

L-R from the center of my room.
The last photo (bottom right) is of the closet doors, which takes up
most of that wall. The rest of the wall is seen in the first photo (top left).
Yes, there's a 21 Jump Street poster framed in the top right pic.
In the same photo under the window are two "Family Trees of Rock"
posters. The trees are made up of band and artist names
throughout music history. That doohickey hung above the switch
in the first photo (top left) by the door is a remote control answering
machine made for the inside of a school locker. I wanted it for
my room so my fam can leave messages for me. Haha!

Though I wasn't alive in the 60's, I was very much a fan of the music of the 60's, especially The Monkees and the Beatles. Note the hand-crafted Monkees and Beatles signs you see on the wall in the center photos! Drew them babies on ply wood, cut 'em, sanded 'em, painted 'em. I also created those little 45's out of cardboard and paint (the records in the net, for the less "seasoned" peeps). Labor of love, I tell ya! You can see the larger images by clicking on the photo. Believe me. It's better that way. We had that TV for yeeeaaars and instead of throwing it out I asked if I could have it in my room.

You can see the trend here was red, black, and white. Things just sort of happened that way so when I asked to paint one wall, I chose grey. Nice muted color to tie it all together, I thought. My parents even allowed me to paint the graphics you see on the closet doors. Um. If you can't tell, the one on the left is "peace" and on the right is a palm tree. I know... random. In junior high, I built that tiny wooden shelf just below the window with the help of my dad.

At some point I acquired a futon from a friend, which I loved! It was cool to be that low to the floor without actually sleeping on the floor. At times I'd have it folded up into a couch, too. I repurposed one of those old milk crates as a really short night stand. I painted it black (it was blue) and placed a storage case for cassettes on top. Yes, I did say cassettes. On the opposite side I repurposed those bins, too, and used it as shelves. Cool thing is nothing could fall off.

Taken at two different times...I didn't

have two of the same Porsche posters.

The placement on my cork board was very deliberate. I'd display ticket stubs, favorite photos, images of things I wanted, drawings I'd done, that sort of thing. Almost like a "Vision Board". These days my more mature versions of my old cork board are shadowbox frames. Oh, and that liquor bottle was empty. I actually got it that way (no, really). I tend to be pretty sentimental so I'd keep odd things as mementos of people or events. Aaaaand obviously at the time these pics were taken I was a big Paula Abdul fan. Straight up.

Now I'm all grown up (debateable) in a home of my own with a family of my own and I still have those decorative, creative, uber right-brained tendencies. I don't have to have expensive things, but they will have their place. And I will put every bit of our home to use. Aesthetics with practicality and functionality are FTW! It's always a little tough to let go of many of the things I held on to in my teen years (or even now), but I've also always appreciated change. Apparently at least 5-6 times a year!

"In My Room"

The Beach Boys
1964

There's a world where I can go

and tell my secrets to

In my room...

In this world I lock out all my

worries and my fears

In my room...

Do my dreaming and my scheming,

lie awake and pray

Do my crying and my sighing,

laugh at yesterday

Now it's dark and I'm alone

but I won't be afraid

In my room...


♠