Sunday, November 2, 2008

Finding Balance

In Bikram yoga this pose is called "balancing stick". It may look as if I'm simply bending forward while holding my right leg up, balancing on my left leg. But in fact what I'm really doing is contracting both of my quadriceps, contracting my glutes, while gripping the ground with my toes. I'm also squeezing my ears with my bicep muscles, contracting every muscle in my arms, down to my fingertips, leveling out my right hip, sucking my stomach in, and trying to breathe calmly. All of this while creating so much tension, pulling my body apart in opposite directions from fingertips and toes, like a tug of war......

"I don't know quite what the future holds for me, but I'm all about making my life easier, not harder."

I wrote those words almost 2 years ago when I started this blog. I was constantly being asked to share the exact details of how I lost over 100lbs. and transformed my body. So by journaling the changes in the foods I ate, and the way I developed my own style of training Russian Kettlebells, I did that. I was excited to do that, but what I forgot to do was to make my life easier! Trying to balance is hard work!

This will be my last blog post here, and instead of writing a blogpost about not continuing this blog, I'm going to clean my house first thing in the morning more regulary creating peace of mind to go to yoga class with Mark.......and I'm going to put my fat cat on a diet.


This blog chronicles step by step not only the last 2+ years of my continual physical transformation but the thought processes of my original methods and evolution of my training. The value of my experiences and the time I've taken to share them with readers, I hope, is a gift that will always be recognized.

43 comments:

Take One Stripper Pole said...

So I am sitting here lip quivering, tear forming ... ok ... that may be a little over dramatic. But oh my - your blog posts will be missed! Hugs!

Chris said...

I'll miss these too.

Thanks for all the work you have done here.

Cheers

Chris

Rainer said...

Dear Tracy !
Never say never but time and family are a precious thing. So thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts and deepest feelings.

Best,
Rainer

Rainer said...

Dear Tracy !
Never say never but time and family are a precious thing. So thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts and deepest feelings. God bless.

Best,
Rainer

Rainer said...

Dear Tracy !
Never say never but time and family are a precious thing. So thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts and deepest feelings. God bless.

Best,
Rainer

La Saun Taylor, SFG, AFAA-CPT said...

Thank Jesus that you were @ the Sept RKC! I would have never heard your story and found your blog. The blog content has truly bless me the past month. Great speaking with you on Friday. Swinging @ different paces are challenging, but good. I ordered a Gymboss to make my workouts more efficient. Best wishes to you.
La Saun Taylor,RKC

Jennifer said...

Blogs develop in our minds as we scroll down the page, somewhat like the turning of a page in a book. My initial thought looking at your post today was about how beautiful you are in your pose, then heartbreak to hear that you will be moving on, quickly followed by a warm feeling of pride for you that you have come to a point in your journey at which you are ready to move on. I hope you know how you have touched many, many lives in more ways than you can imagine as you have shared your innermost thoughts with complete strangers. There are just no words to say what that has meant to me. Best wishes.

neca said...

Your blog has been an inspiration and you will be missed. I hope you will leave these pages up so others can continue to benefit from your experiences!

Jo said...

Wow - I'll so miss this. You have no idea how much you have help transform my life. From kb... to pressure cooking. I'll miss your entries but thanks for the contributions you've made this far!

Sandy Sommer, RKC said...

Tracy,

I'm sorry to see no more posts from Mark and you. Both of you will be sorely missed and thanks for your writings. They have helped immensely.

leslie said...

You are already missed.

bjrow said...

Tracy, a faithful reader who was going to copy your recipes, but now they're gone. Could you put that blog back?

Edmund Meinhardt said...

Tracy, I'll miss you. May you find the simplicity you seek.

Diana said...

Tracy,
We all have our lives to live. You are in the midst of great family. That's a blessing for sure...I too, am so fortunate to have the best things right in front of me everyday! Thanks for the great posts, it was awesome to get to know you through your journaling. Here's to continued happiness and health!

Gabi said...

I'll miss you both so much... Thank you for all the thoughts and inspiration, and I hope to see you again at some RKC event!

Haley said...

I've enjoyed reading your blog, and learning from your experience. I wish you the best!

Aaron Friday said...

I wish you both the best of fortune in your future lives and training. Too bad for your cat, though. I'm sure the cat was counting on more food and not less.

You have done a spectacular job with your blog these past years, and I know it was a lot of work to keep up with, day after day.

Echoing the other commenters, your posts will be missed, and thank you so much for all you have written over the years.

The time comes every now and then to turn a corner, and you're doing that. Congratulations.

Frick said...

Thanks for sharing

fawn said...

Gosh... I'm knew the end was getting close... I don't really know what to say.

Thank you for the inspiration, I don't think I would have started a blog if I hadn't met you and struck up a friendship.

I suppose you can expect more phone calls from me.

Pamela said...

Thanks Tracy,
As a single mom with 2 jobs and 2 boys to raise, I understand the need to make things simple. I've enjoyed your blogs these past few months and wish you and yours all the best.
Pamela K. amom3kids

Craig B. said...

Thanks for the blog, Tracy. Have fun, enjoy the time.

Best-

Craig

Tori said...

Thanks for all of the great info and personal insights. You will be missed!

Pete said...

Tracy,

Thanks for being an inspiration to so many people, including myself. It was nice to have met you at the 2006 RKC when we got certified. Good luck to you and Rif.

Pat said...

Wow I just sat down with my greek yogurt ready for my Tracy update. I just found your page after speaking to you in Sept at the challenge. I love the info you share, but it did seem time consuming. So I am greatful for the time you did put into the blog and I am happy that you are doing what is best for you. A thousand thanks and well wishes. Maybe I will see at another RKC event.

Keep swinging
Pat

Keturah said...

Oh so sad, I will miss you, Tracy!!

Are you keeping the blog up for archives? That would be great.

-Keturah

JenG said...

Sorry to hear that, but happy for you. Thanks for all you shared. :)

Tracy Reifkind said...

To all who took the time to comment,

Thank you for all of your interest and support these past 2 years, it was fun! I won't be deleteing any of these past blogposts, they will stay archived.

I plan to accompany Mark to all RKC events he is scheduled to teach at, and hope see some of you again. And please introduce yourselves to me if we haven't met yet.

Thank you again for your kind words.

Doug Nepodal Sr. RKC said...

Thank you Tracy for being and inspiration to so many.

Gabby Eborall said...

Hi Tracy,
Thank you for your guidance and support. You may not know just how helpful you have been to many of us. I have incorporated the kettlebell into my own routine and my husband now accompanies me to Lauren Brook's Saturday classes for our date mornings. I also attended a level 1 workshop led by Pavel in Irvine and got to meet some of your peers. I hope our paths cross someday as I delve deeper into the kettlebell world. Lucky you that Mark loves Bikram, my guy tried to like it but...ugh the heat.
So thank you,thank you and thanks to Mark for sharing your lives with us. God bless you both and what the future holds for you.
Gabby

Carrie Beauchamp said...

I am sad to see you leave the blog world. However, I will always know that when I need inspiration I can look back at past posts. Also, I love to refer your blog to people I meet. You have and still will touch so many lives. I hope to one day make it to an RKC cert. so that I can meet you in person. Cheers!
Carrie

Jessica Fair Stevens said...

You continue to be a living inspiration of fitness. Thank you for sharing your transformation and I know you have motivated many a kb'er that perhaps ate too many donuts...

:)

Good living to you and your family.

Unknown said...

Tracy,
I just found this AWESOME blog of yours!! It is not only filled with a TON of information, but you freely share your thoughts and feelings. Thank you so much!!You are AMAZING!!

Best Wishes!!
~Nicky

LK said...

and here I drop in to check your blog and find it's 'frozen'. It's a pity, but
thank you for all your posts and good luck. Hope you can post some updates once in a while. It's good to see people like you keeping at it.
Spasibo (thanks, Russian) ;-)

Anonymous said...

I just discovered your blog (and kettlebelling) and you've stopped posting. Ah well. I'll read your old posts gladly.

Anonymous said...

Love the way you have presented the post with us.
mma

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