Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A Game Changer

There are only a couple of weeks before my book is released and I recently started some media coaching with a publicist at Harper One.  Fingers crossed that I'll get lots of interviews, including and especially on TV, and saying the right things in a short amount of time not only benefits me and the sales of my book, but to all RKC's in the business of teaching the kettlebell swing. Very exciting times ahead for all.

I remember last year when Tim Ferriss' 4 HB came out and how generous he has been with everybody who was part of the success of his book.  I hope I can do the same.  But at the end of the day I will still be doing what I always do, and that's to keep training, keep teaching and sharing what an amazing and transformative exercise the kettlebell swing has been in my life on more than a physical level.

One of the questions I was asked to think about in preparation was this one;

"Beyond losing weight and getting fit, how has your life changed since you first picked up a kettlebell?"

I didn't have to think about the answer to this for more that 1 second....losing weight and getting fit changes everything, even if nothing else were to have changed.

Sure, I am an RKC Instructor, teaching all kinds of people from ex Marines and competitive athletes, to skinny, fat, young and old, the kettlbell swing.  And of course the biggest change is that I am now a published author....yay, hooray, I, yes me, "Tracy Reifkind" is a published author with my name in print on the side of a freakin' book that will be for sale in actual books stores, with pictures of me, yes me, former 250lb+ chubby all my life, formerly obese, almost 50 year old, self, demonstrating and teaching an exercise!  Crazy, crazy, wonderfully crazy!  But back to regular life.....

If none of this other stuff happened I would still be a mother, wife, grandmother, maybe I'd still be a professional Manicurist, maybe I'd have gone to cooking school?  All of this "other" stuff, the real stuff my life is made of is completely changed by losing weight and getting fit.

A healthy, light, fit wife and mother is completely different from an unhealthy, heavy obese inactive wife and mother.  I cannot have changed such a huge part of my physical life without changing absolutely everything else in the process.  Being healthy light and fit is a game changer, the game changer, at least it was for me. Once you cross having to lose weight, getting healthy and "in shape" off the list nothing else seems hard.  Think about it...what would be next for you to do in life, but to enjoy every other thing that much more?



16 comments:

Marie said...

I for one cannot wait for your book! I pre-ordered months ago. I am still struggling with losing and regaining, as I have my whole life. I follow your blog everyday and look for inspiration in your words and actions. 4 hour body is where I first heard of you and I can honestly say it was you, not Tim Ferris that made me order a KB that day! I have been using it every since. It is the first exercise that I really love doing. If I can just get out of my own head now and correct my diet once and for all. I always blame the holidays, starting at Halloween, because it is inevitably when I start to slide and cannot seem to regain my footing. When ppl start to notice the loss (usually about 30 lbs. in) is when I start slipping. I beleive that I will figure it out and can't wait to read your book!!! Congratulations. I hope you will keep us update about publicity events, interviews, etc.

mski said...

I'm really looking forward to reading your book. You have been an inspiration to many. I just finished "Mastering the Hardstyle Swing" DVD. Totally awesome tutorial on the swing. I ordered it after returning home from the San Jose RKC (where I actually got to meet you, very cool) and realized how much more there is to learning and teaching this amazing exercise.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Marie,

Just keep training. Seriously, you are building a foundation that will leap out once you align your eating habits with the training. It may be the consistent training that will be your final motivator as it was and is for me.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Michelle,

Isn't that DVD awesome? Good-ness...it took a while for Mark and I to "warm up" but it's the information that is what's important.

Thank you for introducing yourself to me at the RKC, are you in the Bay Area? You should come to one of my Sat classes! They are fun, fun, fun!

Great picture with Pavel by the way! thank you for the comment

Tracy Reifkind said...

Marie,

did you just friend me? I swear I was just going to ask if you were on facebook, and if you were to friend me! thanks! (if it's not you then friend me! lol)

Unknown said...

Cannot wait to read your book Tracy - you are my inspiration - sorry it is sort of soppy--Oh well---D

Marie said...

That's awesome! Yes...it was me! Lol

Juci SFG said...

Isn't this awesome?
Yes it is! Abso-fuck*ng-lutely, if this is the expression I want :)

Tracy Reifkind said...

unknown,

soppy is good! thank you

Tracy Reifkind said...

Juci,

Geez...you're going to give Diana a run for her money!

PS...still thinking about that dee-licious dinner you made for us this past summer!

Bee said...

Tracy, it's Beth (who used to give you eggs). I just pre-ordered your book this morning -- I'm so excited for you (and for me, 'cause I get to read it! ). Congratulations! And Happy Birthday to Mark.

Tracy Reifkind said...

BEE!

you are so super cool! Great things are happening, you've got to make room in your schedule to come to one of my classes....on me! (well, I lie...it will be the cost of 1/2 dz eggs...and I know it's not "egg season"), lol

What's been up?

Bee said...

You know what's crazy? We are swimming in eggs! We are giving them away by the dozens (ha, ha!) and still have tons -- it's awesome! We have a great batch of hens at the moment.

I'd love to come to a class sometime, if I can swing it (lord I'm full of puns tonight). I had to have surgery on my index finger last summer after getting back into kettlebells -- not sure if it was the kettlebells or the 18 holes of golf I played (as a non-golfer) that aggravated an old trauma. Anyway, I'm a little afraid! I need to just jump in and do some swings and see how it goes.

At any rate.... I can definitely hit you up with some eggs!

Juci SFG said...

Tracy,
can't wait to have you guys back and cook something for you. Or with you, perhaps...? :)

Tracy Reifkind said...

Beth,

I'd be happy to be "hit up" with some eggs! I'll come and get them, email me,

tracyrif@yahoo.com

We've got to get you back doing some kind of KB's....when you email me tell me what exactly is up with the finger.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Judit,

I'll take exactly what you made last time! For some reason my beef soup isn't near as good as yours? And I make some pretty darn good soup! (don't forget the goose liver!)

Mark and I will bring the wine though!