Christmas Address

Today's blog is a letter to you--you all make it all possible. Thanks and Happy Holidays!

December 26, 2010

Athletes, Family, Friends, and Associates,

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Thank You all for helping me get to where I’m at. Truly, all of the gifts I’ve received for Christmas are the icing on the cake. I feel that Christmas was made possible through all of you. Some of the best gifts that I’ve received were not material.

I was re-assessing one of my clients recently. I took his blood pressure. 120/70. Ok. “Still taking your medication?” I expected all to be normal and he would tell me he had been. “No, “ his eyes kind of lit up and he had this smile on his face, “I actually haven’t taken them in over a month,” he finished. I took a moment to process the statement. I got it. I immediately put up my hand for a high-five.

A different client came in this week and showed me her new running shoes. Awesome! As it turns out, I had planned an extended treadmill training, so we tested the shoes out. She really got outside of her comfort zone. Turns out, she is a real competitor. After a quarter-mile challenge, she looked at me excitedly and said, “I didn’t quit!” almost as if she couldn’t believe it. Education is part of fitness training. The main curriculum consists of the things you learn about yourself. If I have had any part in your epiphanies and revelations, I feel I have accomplished much as well. Thanks for allowing me to be part of that.

“How do you feel?” I asked one of my other trainees after our circuit was finished. “Better than when I came in.” What a priceless gem of a statement. There are so many of you that have said so many great things that really touch and inspire me. You all are my favorite people to quote! Additionally, there are so many other stories I could tell you like this, but there are many stories to continue to build as well as new ones waiting to begin.

To my associates and management team, thank you so much for allowing me to learn from, work with, befriend, and be inspired by you. If it weren’t for all of you, I surely wouldn’t have made it this far, and I truly hope to work with you all for a very long career. I often tell people, “I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else,” and it’s 100% true. Thanks again.

All that said, it is time to look to 2011. A new year filled with new obstacles, new faces, new challenges, new milestones, and new successes and stories. Celebrate! Rejoice! Thank God! Then get ready. Training season continues! Thanks again to all of you for being part of my life, and thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

-Mike Nickles

Holiday Treats

"It's the Holidays!" True. If you haven't taken on a Holiday pound yet, I applaud you. Last year, it wasn't a problem for me. Actually, I was still losing a few pounds last year. But I have to admit this year, I've been more lenient with my nutritional extremism. I do realize that it's festive to treat yourself here and there, and as long as you're not training for an athletic event or are on a weight-loss or specific fitness program at the moment, if you do enjoy a cookie or extra drink here and there it's not the end of the world. If anything, take the opportunity to train extra hard the next day. You may actually find that you have mounds of energy on Monday morning after a Sunday night holiday meal followed by a dessert or two. So use it! Then, after the New Year caps off the Holiday season, find an event or pick a date, and train hard. Eat lean. Get ready for the next season! Start 2011 off with a list of challenges for yourself, then take them down and next year at this time you'll be able to enjoy the Holidays just as much or more than this year! And...it's okay to beat yourself up over the extra snacks...realize it's not a regular occurrence. Just don't beat yourself up too much! Have a great week and a Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for reading!

"You're Not A Runner"

I feel lucky to have the career and life that I do. One of my challenges and duties is to inspire my clients to change or improve their mindset. One of my new clients, a runner and a fellow health and fitness junky, challenged me to think differently. We were discussing run training, and I mentioned at some point that I was done running outside for the winter. "You're not a runner...I need a runner..." she stated. I admit, I had to step back for a minute. I've been taking on so many challenges and done many extreme fitness activities up to this point, but I really had nothing to say for myself. I shook it off and we carried on in our session. Admittedly it has been haunting me, and today I decided to do something about it. I layered up and put 5 more miles on my new running shoes. Yes...outside...today... I had a blast!! I wasn't comfortable until well into mile 3, but it was definitely an experience. Some of the nostalgic obstacles reminded me of running outside--red lights, alleys, crazy drivers, and of course, moms with their unpredictable children. The new stuff was the ice and snow and the frozen beaten areas where hundreds of people have walked over. I must have burned a few extra concentration calories than on the treadmill! Anyways, today's run has opened the door for outdoor winter running, and I'm grateful I got challenged. What's something you haven't done due to apprehension or fear? Challenge yourself, or talk to someone who's done it and get them to challenge you! Then let's all continue to build on our new accomplishments. Have a great week, everyone, and thanks for reading!

Stones On The Path

Do you ever encounter stones on your path? Potholes on the street? Today in church, our pastor asked the congregation to call out different obstacles between us and peace. "Fear"..."Pride"..."Greed"...were just some of the terms and phrases shouted out by members of the congregation. These and many more were represented by stones on a thin sheet of cloth which was the "path". She then explained how our relationship with God helps us spread the stones, clearing our path and in some ways actually helping to illuminate or point out our way to peace. I found this very insightful and applicable to my life in general, and I wanted to share it with all of you. We can use this same principle to help us through our obstacles and reach our goals. We cannot simply wish that we had more convenient circumstances like more money, better schedules, etc. Life will surely give us a mix of hardships and obstacles along with opportunities and joys. What we must do is pray and learn to seize the opportunities in the midst of hardships. When we are better skilled to deal with adversity, we will have an even greater sense of accomplishment when reaching our goals, and we will be better armed to handle even greater challenges. We will also be stronger and more able to help others take on the obstacles in their lives so that they can reach their goals and find peace as well.

Admittedly, one of the obstacles I face at times is my own voice. Today after the service, myself, my wife, and my mother-in-law all came home and were preparing some food for lunch and for the week. My mother-in-law was discussing some family matters when I commented. I don't believe I said anything hurtful or inappropriate, but I surely did not need to interject. As a result, she was upset. I didn't know right away, but eventually I figured it out and then I became upset. I was upset because I don't want to hurt the people I love. I realized after reflecting on the event that I need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes and just listen. Sounds simple and it really is that simple. And with God's help, I will improve this about myself.

What obstacles are standing between you and...peace?...love?...your health and fitness goals? (Okay so I had to throw that in). Identifying them is your first step, and sometimes it can be hard to admit our own shortcomings. But it is only by identifying and working to change and improve that we will be able to progress. Please comment and share your own stories, obstacles, and/or anything you would like that may help you, me, or other readers. Have a great week, everyone, and thanks for reading!