Inspirational

Running is so much more than what meets the human eye. For some, the runner you see pounding the pavement on a brisk Chicago morning is just another person trying to stay in shape, lose weight, or fit into those trendy skinny jeans. They must be crazy all bundled up running at wee hours in the morning as people drive by staring out the windows of their heated car drinking coffee to get that morning rush of energy.

Runner’s high is not a statement; it is not a definition but a feeling that is so extraordinary that the only way to describe it is to experience it. There are thousands of reasons people run yet running is so often labeled first as a form of exercise to lose weight. Running to lose weight is last on my list.

 

People are trying to compare Jennifer Hudson's version of the National Anthem to Whitney's Houston's stellar performance back in 1991 at Super Bowl 25. I say No Way, not even close!

Ya, Jennifer Hudson came back from a devastating loss, but that isn't the point. The comparison is who sang a better version and hers can't even compare to Whitney's in my humble opinion.

I would like to introduce to the CB.com readers an incredible woman
who has accomplished so many things in her life and is an inspiration
to so many people across the country. This amazing woman is a mother of
six children, owner of two spa salons, CEO of her own online fitness
consulting business, a National Figure Competitor and a super-fitness
model who has been on the cover of Oxgyen four times in less than a two
year period. This amazing superwoman woman is none other than Francisca
Dennis.

OBI: First of all Fran, is it a pleasure and honor to interview
someone who I have so much respect for and someone who has been tearing
up the fitness scene the last couple of years. So Fran tell me how did
you get started in modeling?

Fran: I did a bit of modelling when i was in my teens, but hadn’t
done anything in the area of fitness (I was a skinny kid)... so it was
some runway and more glamour stuff. I started fitness modelling when a
popular publication heard my story about having so many kids and
managing to stay in shape. The editors contacted me and I did my first
shoot when my daughter was only 4 months old…When I began competing in
shows, I was approached frequently to do shoots/features.

OBI: Was "Fitness Modeling" what you intended on when you started or did you see yourself doing "mainstream"?.

Fran: I didn’t really intend on doing this..it kind of just happened with my success in the fitness industry. My mixed racial background offered a  different look from what was traditionally out there. I like fitness modelling because it does inspire others, but I think I would like doing more mainstream in the future and time willing, some film work.

OBI: Fran, how did you feel about being part of the first black couple cover on a Canadian Fitness magazine for Inside Fitness?

Fran: It was a great experience and I was honoured to be a part of it

OBI: How many covers have you done?

Fran: I’ve had 6 magazine covers so far.

OBI: What has been your best experience so far in your career? And your worst?

Fran: Winning the Provincial title this past summer was incredible for me... and would have to be a career high...  Worst would have to be travelling to California (across the country) for a figure comp , and missing the registration. I was unable to compete because of this. I was very upset.

 

I've been fortunate over the years to be able to train with different people from different walks of life. From the physically challenged to the world's baddest, being the Navy SEALs and let me tell you these guys really do know a thing or two about "functional training".

 

Everything they do needs to translate into mission related performance. That being said, typical weight lifting isn't something that you would be doing if you embarked on a SEAL routine.

Back when I had my television show American Health & Fitness I shot the pilot episode with the Navy SEALs. The concept of my show was that I would do instruction throughout the show and then for the last segment I became the student putting myself in situations where I needed to depend on my instructor to help me finish the task at hand.

Well, when I did the pilot with the SEALs let me tell you needed my "swim buddy"!

We first did a "run, swim, run" where we ran a mile, swam a mile and then finished off with another mile run...and this was just the "warm up".

After that we did the obstacle course pushed me pretty hard. I completed it and gained the respect of this group of elite athletes. Trust me when I tell you that this community of men doesn't accept very many outsiders. Especially someone like me that was coming with television cameras and trying to prove that I could hang.

My desire wasn't to "prove' anything except that these guys are truly bad asses! Once the "alpha dog" syndrome settled down and they knew I was there for the right reasons we became good friends and I was actually given the honor of becoming an honorary member of Seal Team Three.

 

 

Success tips for reaching fitness goals in 2009.

 

“Life will show us the way towards achievement if we only allow ourselves to remain focused on that which we want to see manifest in our lives.” – Josh Hinds

The secret to success in a new fitness goal or New Year’s resolution is to focus with intensity on what needs to be done to achieve the goal and then a follow through with just that. However, we live in a multi-channeled universe which seems designed for distraction. Therefore, it is the process of channeling all of our scattered thoughts and forces into one powerful-guided direction that will help us achieve success. Many of our lives are filled with daily distractions of e-mails, and phone calls, social gatherings, unexpected circumstances, work meetings, kids, and stress that can all deter us and pull us away from our ultimate objective. Life is full of such distractions; therefore the challenge is not to avoid them, but to overcome them through intense focus.

 

DREAM WITH DEDICATION

The New Year presents an amazing opportunity to step back and evaluate your life. It is a chance to wipe the slate clean, reinvent, challenge, and improve your ways. When making your goals this year, I encourage you to dream big. See yourself at your highest potential and reach beyond it. Even large goals can be possible to achieve when you set your mind to it. Whatever your resolutions may be, make sure your goals are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). A general goal may be “I am going to lose weight,” while a S.M.A.R.T goal would then be, “I will lose 15 pounds by March 1st by eating a healthy diet and exercising with my personal trainer three days a week.” By structuring your objectives in this way you are more likely to succeed. If a goal will take quite a bit of time to achieve, setting smaller timely objectives along the way will also help to keep you on task.

There is nothing more fun than watching your children compete in athletics, especially when they are competitive. Competition in sports is great as long as it is kept in perspective. My kids love to get out there and give 100% at their given sport and I see that carry over into other aspects of their lives as well.

I think it's important, however, to understand the difference between competition in a sporting event and competition in other aspects of life. Things like looks, possessions, jobs and other things that really don't matter in the end. I think that type of competitiveness brings out the ugly in people, sometimes sports bring out the ugly in people too, but usually not as much. I've ran into more than my fair share of over zealous parents..trust me.

I guess my whole point is this. I think it's important to teach our kids the difference between the two types of competition. When Mitch lines up under center to start a play, or Taylor lines up on the track ready to run I fully expect them to be thinking, "I want to win"!

On the other hand I want to teach them that having that same attitude in life sometimes doesn't translate the same. My goal is to help them understand that if they always give their best, work hard and go above and beyond the call of duty...there is no competition. If they walk off the playing field and into life with an attitude of a winner and someone who always does their best in serving others, they will always come out on top.

I recently submitted an article about Eugene Blakely that got me thinking about how many inspirational people who are out there that may have never been heard of. We want to get their stories out there, printed in magazines but it seems no one will listen.

Well, let’s put and end to that! I want to give a venue for you to share a story/photos about yourself or someone you know who has been an encouragement to you or others. It may not even have anything to do with fitness, it could be anything. A teacher who inspired your life, or a friend who brings out the best in you, a parent, child, brother/sister your pastor, rabbi, whatever.

It’s 10:30 Tuesday morning. My oldest has been off to school for a couple of hours and my two younger daughters, 3-year-old Adelina and 16-month-old Ava, are watching cartoons. There are countless toys throughout the floor in the living room, their bedrooms, the kitchen counters look cluttered and the morning dishes fill the sink. If I walk into the laundry room I’ll find clothes that need to be folded and plenty of clothes upstairs that need to be washed. I have two choices: stay and clean or head to the gym. I know better than to attempt to get the house in “order’ before heading out; one thing will lead to another and before you know it the entire day has gone by and getting to the gym becomes bleaker as the evening approaches.

So I decide to leave the house “as is” and make a dash for the gym with my girls. This means letting go of the idea that the house has to be “perfect” before I can leave. I have to focus on how doing my daily exercise is MORE important than having a spotless home. But trying to head to the gym right now means I must get myself dressed, get the girls changed, comb their hair and place them in their car seats in the mini-van in a whopping twenty minutes! Since the child care at the gym closes at noon, I must arrive no later than 11 o’clock so that I can have a solid hour to work out. It’s a challenge but you just have to make the decision to do it. The countdown begins.

Personal Discipline is something mostly all successful people have in common. Most are willing to do things that average people won't or are afraid to.

I often refer to the Bible as a source of inspiration and encouragement, as do most success coaches. Many of them either mention a certain scripture or you can easily tell by what they say that they are familiar with scripture. Anyway, a good one for times like this would be:
"God does not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)