You can

By Jen

We’re training hard for the Miami open – 6 weeks to go. My biggest hurdle is a mental one - finding my belief in my abilities. Marcelo recognizes this even when I don’t and, consequently, I received more coaching last week. I’m feeling better so far, but I’m beginning to think that this will be my personal battle every time I’m on the mat. Now that I know that, I can work on overcoming it.

I once read that coaches are there to encourage, motivate and inspire. We’re lucky to have found a coach who does just that. Marcelo constructively shows us our weaknesses and motivates us to overcome them. He’s constantly challenging us to get better and to push our limits. It's our job as students to listen and learn. It's only personal in that he is trying to bring us to our personal best.

I’m looking forward to competing on October 23rd and to sharing the day with my Nova Uniao South Florida teammates. Some of us will be returning from last year and some will be competing for the first time. Win or lose, we will be out there doing our best and making each other proud.

"The only one who can tell you 'you can't ' is you. And you don't have to listen."- Nike

I Don't Want to Cut Weight!

by Jen

It's time to start managing my weight in preparation for the Miami Open. If I had to weigh in today I would just make the light weight division, accommodating for the weight of the gi. But I hate being that close. I don't want to worry about cutting weight the week before. Knowing that I have 8 birthdays to celebrate between now and then, I need to start managing my diet now!

In August I celebrated my fifth year as a Weight Watcher (WW). I became a Lifetime Member in January 2006 after losing 25 pounds. I no longer follow the principles religiously, but I still use them to guide my daily eating.

Here are the top things that have helped me to keep the weight off, and drop a few pounds when needed:

1) WATER! - Water is key to the program. I drink 16 oz of water the first thing in the morning - before I eat or drink ANYTHING else, even my beloved coffee. I drink at least 64 oz of water each day, and sometimes more.

2) PLAN MY MEALS - In order to be successful I have to plan my meals for the week, write a grocery list and stick to it. I'm an early bird so I cook our dinner before I leave for work in the morning. This prevents us from ordering pizza for dinner because I'm too tired, too busy or home too late to cook.

3) PLAN FOR CELEBRATIONS - As I mentioned earlier, I know that I have 8 birthdays to celebrate between now and October 23. I'll pick and choose which food is worth it. I'll stay away from the Publix cake that I've eaten thousands of time before, but if it's a delicious gourmet chocolate cake from a special bakery, you bet I'm going to splurge (in moderation). I'll also adjust my eating during the week to make up for the extra calories that I'll consume at the parties.

4) KNOW & AVOID MY TRIGGER FOODS - My trigger foods are peanut butter and bagels - together and separately. Once I start with my trigger foods, I can't stop, and the scale shows it. These are the two foods that I just have to say no to.

5) IF I HAVE A CRAVING, I SATISFY IT WITH THE REAL THING, IN MODERATION - If I want chocolate, I'll eat a Dove dark chocolate candy bar. I don't do this every day, only the days that I just really need it. Those 100 calorie snack packs don't work for me. I'll wind up eating a few because they're not satisfying my need, and then eating the real thing anyway.

6) IF I THINK I WANT A SNACK, I DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AND WAIT 5 MINUTES BEFORE I EAT IT. The water usually fills me up, I move on to something else and forget about my craving.

7) EVERYTHING I EAT, EVEN THE KIDS' LEFT OVERS, COUNTS. I think that's enough said. I was never one of the WW'ers who wrote down everything I ate. But I did, and usually still do, think twice before I pop a quick bite in my mouth when cooking or cleaning the table.

8) EAT SOUP- I don't mean the cream based soups. When I'm trying to lose a few pounds, I eat a bowl of soup before my lunch and dinner. This helps fill my stomach before diving into the meal. This one works really well for me.

Hope these help you as much as they helped me.

First Day – Time to Rebalance

By Jen

First day of school AND the first day of Tom’s return to work. Our lives are about to be filled with homework, field trips, scouts, Sunday school and more.

When Tom lost his job more than a year ago we were forced to take hard look at our budget and determine what could stay and what had to go. BJJ was a non-issue – we knew it had to stay. Going to class was what kept us going on some of those stressful days. We’d rather do without the vacations, dinners out and trips to the movies then give up our time on the mats. How fortunate that as a family we agreed.

I’m thrilled that Tom is back to work. Although, admittedly, it was a huge help to have him more available to manage the day to day needs of the kids. It will take some shifting and balancing to keep all of the activities going as he returns to the workforce. Fortunately, we’re blessed with his mother who generously helps us balance it all.

Today brings new changes. We’ll need to plan, stay organized, remain flexible and be a little creative, but we’ll make it work. With all that we have going on we know that we’ll still need our time on the mat to keep us going. It’s just a matter of staying committed - and with our love for BJJ – that’s easy!

Family, Faith, Friends & Freedom
by Jennifer Stewart

This sign has hung above our kitchen table for more than 4 years now. Each word reflects the foundation on which we have built our family. The sign hangs in the most popular spot in the house and serves as a constant reminder to us, and to all who visit, of the guiding values of our family.

Ironically, each of these “F” words also relate to how training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has strengthened our family.

FAMILY - The ability to train as a family and share a common interest has been good for us. We’re fortunate in that we all share the love of spending time on the mats.

FAITH – Honestly, I struggled with this one so I’m personalizing it to me. In order to keep balanced I need to make time to train and to spend time in my faith. Both are essential for me to live a happy life and to be successful in all of the other areas. I’d love to hear your ideas on how you see the two tying in.

FRIENDS - Our school, Nova Uniao South Florida, promotes a team atmosphere where we support one another in and out of class. I know with all of my heart that we have found lifelong friends in our coach, Marcelo Meleiro, and training partners.

FREEDOM - Training jiu jitsu allows you to be free from fear by building your self confidence.

Also, training allows a freedom from predetermined stereotypes of what a woman should and shouldn’t do. You can be strong without losing your femininity. The sport proves that you don’t have to be the biggest or strongest to be successful. It’s a matter of technique.

Lastly, all members of our family are free to train. The sports is popular for men, however, me, as a woman, my daughter as a teenage girl, and my young son, are also all welcomed and encouraged to participate.

I remember how nervous I was at my first class. At the end, one of the students shook my hand and said “Welcome, come back again.” I doubt that he even knows the impact of those words. That short statement made me feel like I did belong.

If I could add one more “F” word to the equation, I’d add FITNESS. Jiu Jitsu is like no other work out that I’ve experienced. Regular training can help you lose weight, build conditioning, increase your flexibility and tone your body. We all benefit from the regular exercise that is always intense, and never boring.

For all of these reasons, I would encourage any family thinking about training to check it out. It very well could change your lives for the better.