I'VE MOVED!!!!!

Hello fellow blogger peeps!  I've moved...follow me on over to my new site:

 

 www.fitjourneyforlife.com 



www.fitjourneyforlife.com

Saturday Morning Laugh

Good morning people!  It's the first day of SEPTEMBER!  The kids have started back to school, vacations are over and some people are now able to get back into more stable routines!  I thought I'd start the weekend off on a very light note!  I have read this story multiple times, and I laugh every time I read it...so why not share it with y'all!

A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM...as told to her Diary!

Dear Diary,

 For my birthday this year, my husband purchased for me a week of personal training at the local health club. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
 I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.
Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started, and the club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
 ________________________________
 MONDAY:
 Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god-- with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
 Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines.. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
 Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around.
 This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
 ________________________________
 TUESDAY:
 I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air...then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me.
 _______________________________
 WEDNESDAY:
 The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
 Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.
 My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster. Why the heck would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other crap too.
 _______________________________
 THURSDAY:
The jerk was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes.
 He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny broad to find me.
 Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which I sank.
 _________________________________
 FRIDAY:
 I hate that moron Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
 Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the blasted barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
 The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
 ________________________________
 SATURDAY:
 Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel..
 ________________________________
 SUNDAY:
 I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

I hope you all have a marvelous Labor Day weekend!  Make it count...YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Relax About The Food Already!

Do you stress about your food choices?  Is that crazy or what?  We are not here in this life, on this journey to STRESS!  We're here to get healthier, to get fit, to look and feel better!  I highly doubt STRESS is going to help us attain those goals!

I get questions and comments all the time about eating healthy or eating clean. How many different "diets" do you hear about every day?  Hundreds probably!  There's people going veggie, or vegan, There are fighter diets, paleo diets, and high protein/low carb diets. There's Adkins, South Beach, Nutri System, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers. There is sooooo much information out there, sometimes it's just plain confusing! 

I'd like to know how everyone seems to have "the best" way?  Last time I checked in with Mr. Webster the definition of "best" was: 1. excelling all others   2. most productive of good : offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction   3. most, largest!  

I can understand that we worry because we love certain things and don't want to give them up.  I've got two words for you:  Re Lax!!! 

The key is to eat less, and eat balanced. One thing I learned when I first started on this journey, was learning what a TRUE portion size was. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I learned that I was literally eating two or more of everything. I quickly learned to read labels and look at calories. Just because it says light or low fat, doesn't mean it is low cal. You have to find a basic balance between carbs, proteins, and fats. It's really not that hard, and the best part is most of the food I love, I still eat, just not as often or as much.

Over the past couple of years, I have learned how to eat (and what to eat) to become more healthy, but it didn't take radical change, it took MODERATION. Yeah, those who know me, have often heard my favorite saying, "It's moderation, not deprivation"!  I guess what I am trying to say is we tend to over think, over worry, and over react when we "cheat". Don't stress people!  There is no need to give up all you love if you pay attention to all you need. They say only 30% of weight loss happens in the gym, that leaves 70% of the work, where? ON YOUR PLATE! Read labels, choose wisely, eat the right amount for you...success will happen.

 Eat, enjoy, and relax!

Last Day to "try it before you buy it"!

Can you believe there is only one day left for you to get in on a free trial of P90X, TurboFire, or Brazil Butt Lift, along with Shakeology?  Beachbody made this incredible offer to let you try 3 of their challenge packs for just $14.95* for a limited time only! Yep, it all ends tomorrow night at 11:59 PST!

I've had the opportunity over the past couple of years to try each of these programs! Every one of them has been effective in helping me lose weight and tone up.  Shakeology became my breakfast of choice, and has helped me with several stomach issues I had.  I'm a firm believer in it! 

I encourage you to give one of these challenge packs a try, especially while you can "try it before you buy it"!  What have you got to lose?  Well, besides pounds and inches!

Email me or go here to order by clicking on the SHOP tab and choosing Trial Offers to choose your program!

WHO IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE?

It's time to be HONEST with ourselves. One thing I've learned, and it wasn't even about an "aha" moment, was that I always DREAMED of things that were possible, but I didn't BELIEVE they were.

I used to tell myself. If I could just get lipo, and get thin.. then I'd eat salads forever to stay that way. Or If I could magically make myself a size 6, then I'd workout really hard all the time to stay that way. But the reality is that it wouldn't happen that way. Even if by magic we could be thin, our lifestyles wouldn't let us stay that way. The key to permanent change is not becoming a thinner version of ourselves, but a DIFFERENT version of ourselves.

The thinner version of ourselves would gain all that weight back. The different version of ourselves would be a completely different, BETTER person. That is what is happening with me. I live completely different than I used to. And it's not just about deciding to eat oatmeal or drink Shakeology instead of muffins for breakfast. It's about EDUCATING ourselves about what foods our bodies need, and WHY we crave certain foods, and how to handle it, and what to feed ourselves instead, so that we don't crave at all.

Oh...and don't think it will happen tomorrow...It takes time and it takes patience to learn all these things (it's an ongoing process). I've been trying to eat cleaner for over a year and still slip up all the time. It's about learning a new way to view your life, and then go forward with it, and just TRY. We deserve to feel good about ourselves, and we need to love our life.

It's time to quit dreaming it and start living it peeps! YOU have it in you. YOU are the only one that can make the change. YOU have to want it for yourself. YOU are worth it and YOU deserve it. It's inside of YOU; and only YOU can execute a new YOU.

Make your dreams come alive and continue on with this clean eating and getting fit path because THIS is the way to make your new body happen. THIS works for anyone and YOU will make it work. Your fit and healthy life is right here in front of YOU.

We ARE doing this and we ARE making this happen for ourselves. Never give up, just keep pushing forward...one (healthy) step at the time! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Clean Lean Protein Pizza Frittata

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE FOOD!!!  And when I find an especially good and healthy recipe, I love to share it...so here is one for you to try out!

This is a recipe that I came across a couple years ago. It looks AMAZING!!! She called it The Clean Lean Protein Pizza Frittata!!! You can go here to find the original recipe. Here is a little bit of what she wrote about it:

It tasted, looked and smelled like a pizza, only it's clean, lean, and loaded with protein! I added a slice of whole wheat bread cut into cubes for a crunchy, crust effect, but you can leave it out if you're trying to avoid bread carbs. Also, feel free to drizzle tomato sauce on the top, although I didn't really find it necessary because this baby is flavorful! Next time your kids (okay, you!) want pizza for breakfast, whip this one up minus the guilt.

Doesn't it look just like a pizza!?
The Clean Lean Protein Pizza Frittata
 serves 2

 INGREDIENTS:

• 1 organic hot Italian chicken sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• Handful button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup egg whites (or 8 egg whites)
• 1/8 tsp dry mustard
• Garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1-oz slice whole-wheat bread, crust removed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, optional
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. Remove the casings from the sausages and pull filling apart. Place in a large non-stick pan and cook over medium heat. When the sausage is almost done, add the bell pepper and mushrooms. Continue to sauté until the mushrooms are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down as low as possible (or remove from stove if using electric). With a whisk (or handheld mixer), beat the egg whites with the dry mustard and spices. Don't overdo it and make a meringue, just incorporate the flavors with the eggs, and lighten them up a little.
4. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the sausage mixture in the pan. If using, distribute the bread cubes evenly over the cheese, and then pour egg white mixture evenly on top. Turn the stove back on to medium-low to medium.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the frittata. Once the egg whites start to set and turn opaque, place the pan in the oven. NOTE: make sure your non-stick cookware is oven safe!
6. Bake frittata until cheese on the top browns and bubbles, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to slice. Trick everyone around you into thinking you're chowing down on pizza yet still looking amazing!!

This is what mine looked like:

When I make it, I use Turkey sausage & Turkey bacon(lower sodium) instead of the italian chicken sausage & Mrs. Dash for seasoning....so for those ingredients, here's the nutrition info: (According to the recipe it makes 2 servings)

Calories: 199
Fat: 6
Carbs: 12
Protein: 21
Fiber: 3
Sodium: 171

 By subbing the Turkey Bacon and Sausage for the Italian Chicken you cut 65 calories, same fat, cut 2 carbs, and get this...you cut 770 g of SODIUM! but you do lose 13 on the Protein in the entire recipe!

Customize your pizza frittata! Add all the veggies you want! Season it up anyway you want, but be mindful of your sodium! This is one that you can have tons of fun with at any meal!

Leave comments if you make it!!

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals

How often have you heard the saying “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ?  I know I have heard it, said it, and posted it many times.  Why?  Because it's true!

When you say "I want to lose 15 pounds." and someone says, "oh, that's great; how are you going to do that?", and you have no plan in place to do it, you may as well be saying, "I wish I could lose some weight"!

The solution:  Set a GOAL!  Write it down!  Post it so you see it everyday!  Tell others about your goal to be held accountable!  And not just any goal...a S.M.A.R.T. goal!

I've seen several different variations of the acronym SMART, but pretty much all of them are great for goal setting:

S - specific, significant
     (it should be a clearly defined and mean alot to you ... if it's a vague goal, you will have a harder      time staying focused on it.-example:  I will lose 10 pounds in 30 days, NOT I want to lose weight)

M - measurable, meaningful, motivational
      (measurable: meaning you can assess your progress along the way to insure you are headed in the right direction.)

A - action-oriented; attainable, achievable
     (what actions, within your reach in your present situation, are you going to take to get to your goal?)

R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented
     (the actions you need to take to achieve your goal are things you can actually do and control in a specific time frame; goals need to be meaningful and significant in order to make a difference in your life.)

T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable
     (set a deadline, a time limit, finishing point ... Goals without a time limit tend to be put off until another day!  "I'll start tomorrow" comes to mind here!)

Always write your goals down!  Put them where you'll be reminded of them constantly!  You can download a simple S.M.A.R.T. goal worksheet here to help you plan your goal and then keep you on track!

If you need help with your fitness plan, I'm here to help you! Sign up for free coaching and let's work together to help you achieve all of your fitness goals!

Let Consistency Be Your Miracle...

I love this quote, "When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it - but all that had gone before." -- Jacob Riis

The same is true on our journey to good health!  You set a goal to lose weight.  Every week you step on the scale, expecting to see that magic number appear. Finally, after weeks, maybe months of eating clean and working out, BOOM..there it is!  It's not that final day before that brought about that number....it's all those days added together, being consistent, that brought about that achievement!

It's somewhat amusing to me when someone who has not seen me in a while (like 30 pounds ago) meets up with me again, they are a bit surprised at how I look these days.  The first things they want to know are "how did you do it?" and "what's your secret?" I find it interesting how common that initial question is. When we have a problem that we need a solution for... We want a secret! Some miracle plan that will magically solve it! Just watch late night television. All those infomercials claim to have the secret and it is only available there! …or on an end cap in Walgreens or Target.  Except for a few, (Here’s my Beachbody plug ) most don't  deliver. There is no substitute for steady, CONSISTENT work.

 CONSISTENCY builds STRENGTH.

The day-after-day dedication to our fat-burning exercise, using the proper muscles, will bring about changes and strength in our bodies. Eating the proper foods at the proper times, day-after-day will bring about the changes and strength in our metabolism. By being CONSISTENT we will experience changes and strength in our mental and emotional approach to life.

CONSISTENCY eliminates STRESS.

Every day that I eat clean and workout makes the next one easier. It eliminates the stress by taking the "decision" out of the situation. When to eat and what to eat is no longer an issue. If you have your menu planned, your food prepared and on hand, it is much easier to say that little word "no" when presented with the temptation to go off plan. But, we create a lot of our stress by being INCONSISTENT. Use the plan as your reason to say "no" and eliminate all that time worrying or mulling over WHAT to do.

CONSISTENCY brings SUCCESS.

With CONSISTENT days following your plan, they will begin to add up into weeks. The pounds and inches will begin to melt away! And that is SUCCESS! With the pounds and inches melting away, our bodies are healthier and that is SUCCESS! With healthier bodies, we look and feel so much better and that is SUCCESS!

The foundation of every successful weight-loss program remains a healthy, clean diet combined with exercise on a consistent basis! For successful, long-term weight loss, you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits.

Until next time....STAY CONSISTENT!

Try it Before you Buy It!

It's not often that a company lets you try their product before you buy it, but for a limited time only, Beachbody is doing just that!  

For the month of July, Beachbody is offering 3 of their top workout programs in challenge packs for free.  Yep, I said it. FREE!!!  We supply the fitness, the food, and well...yeah, the fun.   

For this very limited time, you can choose from P90X, TurboFire, or Brazil Butt Lift. You will also have your choice of Shakeology flavors, Chocolate, Greenberry, and Tropical Strawberry. You will only pay $14.95 for shipping/handling, along with tax. 

After 30 days, if you are getting amazing results, you'll be charged the remaining balance. If not, return everything. It's entirely RISK FREE.  

What do you have to lose...besides pounds & inches???

To help ensure your success, once you choose your program and place your order, you'll be added to a special Facebook group with loads of other people on the same journey toward better health & fitness! We won't let you fail!   The ball is in YOUR court. All I need from YOU is to GO.

Click on Shop in the middle of this page. When the pop-up window occurs, click on Trial Offers on the left side (second from top.) Make your choice. Order. Email ME to let me know of your decision, and I'll add you to the Facebook group!   Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Remember, these trial packs are available for a VERY limited time! What are you waiting for??? Go...NOW! 

One of the "Why's" of Why we Workout! (edited and updated for Summer)

Summer is HERE...maybe not by the calendar, but by the temps!   Oh, the joys of swimsuit season. Unlike the perfectly built models you'll see in the magazines and on TV, most of us have our figure flaws that we'd rather not flaunt for all the world to see in some of the barely-there suits that are our choices for summer. For many women, the thought of shopping for a new swimsuit is about as enticing as an IRS audit.

If you've put off getting in shape all year, and vacation time is HERE, the best I can offer for immediate help is:

1. CAMOUFLAGE: ... get a tan! Self tanners and spray tans are the safest & quickest way to get that beautiful bronze look...and most women agree that a bronze glow is the ultimate "do." Or in everyday language...brown fat looks better than white fat!

2. Swimsuit: ... select the right swimsuit and accessories for your body type! There are tons of websites that offer advice based on your body type!

3. SMILE: .... That right!  Smile, be happy, be confident.  If you go around feeling and acting self-conscious, you'll only make others more aware of your body issues. 

And have a sense of humor!!! To that end, I offer the following story....


The Bathing Suit (by an unknown middle age woman)

When I was a child in the 1950's, the bathing suit for the mature figure was boned, trussed, and reinforced; not so much sewn, as engineered!  They were built to hold back and uplift; and they did a good job.  Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip.

The mature woman has a choice, she can either go up front to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus that escaped from Disney's Fantasia, or she can wander around every run-of-the-mill department store to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of fluorescent rubber bands.

What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice and entered the chamber of horrors, known as the fitting room.  The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material.  The Lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small rockets from a slingshot, which gives the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you would be protected from shark attacks.  Any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash.

I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place I gasped in horror!  My boobs had disappeared!  Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit.  It took a while to find the other.  At last I located it flattened beside my seventh rib.

The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups.  The mature woman is meant to wear her boobs spread across her chest like a speed bump.  I realigned my speed bump and lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment.  The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fit those bits of me willing to stay inside it.  The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom & sides.  I looked like a lump of Playdoh wearing undersized cling wrap!

As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain, "Oh, there you are," she said, admiring the bathing suit.

I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she had to show me.  I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape, and a floral two-piece that gave the appearance of an over sized napkin in a serving ring.  I struggled into a pair of leopard skin bathers with ragged frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant with triplets and having a rough day.  I tried on a black number with a midriff and looked like a jellyfish in mourning.  I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg, I thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear them.

Finally, I found a suit that fit.  It was a two-piece affair with a shorts-style bottom and a loose blouse type top.  It was cheap, comfortable and bulge-friendly, so I bought it!  My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured.

When I got it home, I found a label that read, "Material might become transparent in water."  So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year, and I'm there too, I'll be the one in cut-off blue jeans and a T-shirt!!!

***You better be laughing or rolling on the floor by this time.  Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain, with or without a bathing suit!

NOTE: Anyone who reads this - who wears a single digit dress size - YOU'VE ARRIVED HERE BY ERROR, I'M SURE; but I hope you got a good chuckle out of it anyway!

Remember, the best way to deal with excess body fat is with proper diet and plenty of exercise!  If you'd like help with that, click here and let's get started together! In 90 days, you'll look back and wish you had started TODAY!

Did you P.P. today?

Most people only commit to a workout program for 3 full weeks.  After that, most get side tracked and allow other things to come between them and their workouts.

I hope today's post will help you to either keep pushing play or start pushing play again. (I'm using the term "pushing play"... aka PP... because I work out at home with my Beachbody workouts.  You can insert "working out", "going to the gym", "running"..whatever form of exercise you do.)

I don't know where you are in regards to your workout program or your workout goals. But I do know that no matter what happens in your day to day life, pushing play can be vital to your success. If you want to be successful at work, happy at home, excited to hang out with your friends, then keep working out. Exercise directly affects your attitude; how you approach life, and how you operate on a daily basis.

The more you exercise....

• the better you'll feel.
• the more you'll feel good about yourself. 
• the better you will perform at work.  
• the better you'll treat your children.
• AND the more you'll want to make your spouse/significant other happy! **BONUS** 

Why?  Because when we feel better about ourselves, we treat others better! The fact of the matter is, exercise positively affects everything in your life. It's a win-win situation.

Take a few minutes and focus on what's most important to you. Is a healthy lifestyle one of your top priorities? Are you committed to feeling good, looking good and being healthy? If not, make the decision today to change your top priorities, and watch your life become much, much better!  Do you need help getting started? Click here and we'll get started together on the road to YOUR success!

Are you having trouble staying committed? Leave me a comment below or email me at susan@fitjourneyforlife.com , and let's work together to keep you on track!

Are all Calories created equal?

I recently had a friend who was trying to lose weight, and was growing ever more frustrated by the fact that the scale was not cooperating.  When I asked her what she was doing to try to lose weight, she said she had reduced her calories to 1300-1500 a day.  That sounds reasonable, don't you think?  When, after a few days, she still was seeing no change on the scale, I asked to see her food journal. 

Sure enough, she was only eating those calorie amounts, but it was WHAT those calories were that was the problem!  A typical day consisted of a sugary cereal for breakfast, fast food chicken strips and small fries for lunch, and 2 slices of pizza for dinner, with a snack of 3 musketeers bar...for a total of 1495 calories. Yep, that was within her range she had set for herself.  What she was not taking into account was the 66 grams of fat, 166 grams of carbs, and 2700 mg of sodium, and less than 45 grams of protein.  All of these are factors in what makes up your body composition.


What if she had had a day of oatmeal with blueberries, and whole wheat toast for breakfast, still going with fast food, a Subway Philly steak without cheese on flatbread with light ranch for lunch, and a dinner of grilled salmon, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled asparagus, and a small dinner salad. During the day she has snacks of strawberries, string cheese, and THEN has dessert after dinner of Skinny Cow Caramel Truffle bar!!! Would you feel deprived with all that food? That's 1278 calories, 38 grams of fat, 127 grams of carbs, only 1478 mg of sodium and 88 grams of protein.

Instead of "dieting" and trying to cut calories, focus more on eating healthy! Fueling your body with nutritious foods will lead you towards your goals at a steady, healthy pace. You will look better, feel better and perform better throughout the day!

Benefits of Drinking Water

With the holiday weekend here, I thought it would be a good time to remind us all of some of the benefits of hydrating our bodies with good ole H2O!  Many of us will be out on the lake, at the beaches or parks, and now that the summer is heating up, we'll be drinking ALOT!  Alcohol, cola, and coffee all can leave you dehydrated quickly. The more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are of becoming dehydrated!  WHY?  Yep, the more you drink, the more you need to "go"!  If you are drinking alcohol this weekend, try alternating a bottle of water between beers!

10 Quick Reasons to drink water:

1. Water suppresses the appetite.

2. Water helps to reduce cholesterol.

3. Water helps to tone muscle.

4. Water is necessary for proper digestion.

5. Water helps the liver to function.

6. Water helps soothe digestive problems.

7. The right amount of water causes the body to stop retaining water.

8. Water stops you confusing hunger and thirst.

9. Water help moisturize the skin and makes it more radiant and supple.

10. Water helps wash the toxins out of the body.

I hope you all have a happy and healthy Memorial Day weekend!  Remember to honor our service men and women, and remember those who have given their lives to preserve all the freedoms we enjoy in this great country.

There's no time like NOW to create a new YOU!

An important first step to making significant changes in your life is to sit down and give some serious thought to what is going well for you in life and what is not.  You're probably used to avoiding this issue, but it's time to face it!

MAKE A LIST! The act of writing down your thoughts makes them very real.  You'll be much more likely to follow through with your plan if you write it down!  You'll find when you make a list that there are going to be some things that you just can't control.  Don't let that get you down.  Focus on the things that you CAN control!  Everything starts with YOU; so focus on YOU!

When you make changes in your health and appearance, and like what you see in the mirror, everything else will look differently to you too.  The old adage about "rose-colored glasses" is really true!  So don't worry about those items on your list that you can't tackle right ---just tackle YOU!

It doesn't matter what else is going on in your life; no one controls what you put in your mouth except you.  Forget the reasons why you can't make it work and as Nike would say, "Just Do It!"

If you need to lose a large amount of weight, don't despair! Never think in terms of "I'd have to diet for a year to look good!"  Instead, tell yourself that you are going to "eat healthier today". Each new day you'll want to focus only on that day!

Set small weight loss goals and celebrate each five pounds that you lose.  You'll find that the longer you stick to your plan, the stronger your MOTIVATION will become!

If you are just too overwhelmed by the task ahead of you, select several small changes to transform your diet---that you know you can commit to....

1. Decide that for one week you will eat 3 small meals and 2 snacks each day.
2. In addition, you will finish eating for the day before 7 pm.
3. Next week, add another couple of goals.  You will have 3 ounces of lean protein at each meal..in addition to the first two items from the previous week.
4. You will only have 1 diet soda (or none) each day.

And on and on, adding a new item to the list each week.  YOUR GOALS ARE ATTAINABLE!!! You just have to want them more than you want to stay the same.

Abs are Made in the Kitchen

Ever heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen”? Well it’s true! While training your abs WILL build the muscle… you will NOT be able to see them if you have a layer of fat over the top! In order to “get abs”, you have to lower your overall body fat! Another saying we hear alot is “70% diet, 30% training”… I’d go a step further and say “80% diet, 20% training”.

Most people don’t realize just how important proper nutrition is. While calories in versus calories out will determine weight loss or gain … the TYPE of weight lost or gained is determined by what you’re eating! For example: If you are eating in a caloric deficit and hardly eating any protein, it’s likely that the majority of weight you’re losing is coming from muscle. Same goes for when you are eating in a caloric surplus … if you’re eating clean with plenty of protein, it’s likely muscle ... whereas if you were eating mainly junk food, it’s more likely to be fat. (But remember, if you aren’t incorporating resistance training, you are at a much higher risk of losing muscle and/or gaining fat!)   

Also, keep in mind that it is practically impossible to gain ONLY muscle without a little bit of fat along with it.. just as it is impossible to lose ONLY fat without losing a little bit of muscle.                   

Eat clean and within the calorie range you have determined you need for your goals, and you will likely reach them much faster than if you are “eating dirty”!

April Photo a Day Challenge Pics

                                                                                                      Day 1. Before photo 

Day 2. Breakfast today










Day 3. My Daily Workout

Day 4. Fit Test

Day 5. Athletic Shoes (these were my reward for completing ChaLean Extreme!)

Day 6. Accountability Partners (Some of my girls from my workout class & my challenge group)

Day 7. Rest Day!  YES!!!

Day 8. My Trainers!

Day 9. Sweat!

Day 10. Goals!










Day 11. Ingredient...a favorite










Day 12. Fit club.






I thought I'd update this post.  As you see I only got thru Day 12.  About day 11 I started getting sick and the dr. said it was walking pneumonia, and severe sinus infection.  Needless to say, I did not have the strength to continue working out for about a week, so I missed out on the rest of the month's pics!  Maybe I'll do it again another month!  I hope YOU had success!  If you did, and even if you didn't complete it, I'd love to hear about your journey!

April Photo a Day Challenge

The TeamBeachBody Photo-A-Day Challenge starts today, April 1st, so get your cameras ready! Upload your photo to the TBB Message Boards and you could win a prize! 30 days 30 prizes! Click here for more details... http://beachbodysocial.com/fq9.

If you are not a member of TeamBeachBody, click here to join for FREE!

If you don't want to enter the challenge, this would be a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track.  Feel free to pop over to my fitness page on Facebook and you can post your pictures there.  I, along with some of my other team mates, will keep you motivated and encouraged on your journey!

Visualize your success!

As you work towards your goals, do you picture yourself the way you want to look? Do you see yourself as already fit and healthy, tight and toned? Visualize yourself as you want to be! Then make it happen! Your self confidence will receive a boost and your motivation will increase!

Sometimes it's hard to visualize exactly what your goals are in terms of diet and exercise. Sure, we all want to be "fit" and "sexy" but there is a whole spectrum of bodies that fall into those categories. Yesterday, as I flipped through a magazine with my friend, I pointed out a girl and said, "Now that's what I want to look like this summer!" and shockingly, my friend frowned and said, "Eeeww! She's so muscle-y!". Mind you, this wasn't a female body builder, but rather just a woman who obviously worked out consistently, and looked great in her swimsuit. It made me realize that we all have different goals in our heads when we're exercising, running, lifting, steaming vegetables....

With that in mind, I thought that it would be a good idea to create a visionary board of my goals to keep myself focused on what it is that I am working towards. Who do I want to emulate, what is my body capable of, and what kind of cute swimming suit do I picture myself wearing poolside in a few short months, er, weeks!?  Who are a few of your role models, what are a few of your goals, and motivational images? Maybe you could do the same yourself. Many people in the fitness/health industry even post their workouts and daily eating examples on their website or Facebook pages for you to see (and to keep themselves accountable). Try it! Wouldn't it be nice if you were able to pin a picture of YOURSELF on your board as a goal!?

What would be on YOUR board? Go ahead and visualize yourself the way you WANT to be!  Then achieve it!

Don't Settle for Less than God's Best for your Life!

Today in church, Bro. Tommy talked about Abraham, and how God told him that He would give him an heir. But when time passed and Sarah had not conceived, she and Abraham got impatient, and decided to "help God out", by having Abraham take Hagar for his mistress to have a son (Ishmael). But Ishmael was not the heir God had planned for Abraham, so he was destined to be a "wild man" with many enemies. 

How often do we get impatient on our journey, whether on our weight loss journey, or in a relationship, or maybe in our job?  We know what to do, what to eat, how to exercise, but when the immediate results don't appear quickly enough, what do we do?  Get discouraged and slack off?  Maybe quit altogether? Maybe we have the thought that "the scale is not moving, so I may as well eat whatever I want" or "I'm not losing weight, I may as well stop working out". 

If this is your attitude, you are settling for less than God's best for your life!  "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20).  When you think about that...Our body is the dwelling place of God!  He created us...What great care was given to its design! 

Do you remember the story of Esau trading his birthright to his brother Jacob...for what? For food!!!

One day, Esau returned home from an unsuccessful hunting trip totally famished, and demanded some stew from his brother. “I’ll give you food,” agreed Jacob, “but first, trade me your birthright.” Esau replied, “Okay, I’m so hungry, I’m about to die.” So Esau traded the honors due to him as the firstborn son for a simple meal of stew.

I cannot imagine selling my whole birthright for a pot of soup. BUT...when I look at my own life, I ask, “What great thing have I traded for so little in return? How often do I trade healthy food for junk food? What temporary pleasure have I craved so much that I gave up lasting victory?”  Each time I was settling for less than God's best for my life.

Desperation breeds defeat. Decide in advance what you will and will not eat each day! The best time to plan meals for me is right after breakfast when I’m feeling full and satisfied. The absolute worst time for me to decide what I’m going to eat is when I’ve waited until I’m tired and feeling hungry. Prepare a healthy snack to have on hand or keep in your purse during the day, and already have an idea of what you will be having that night for supper!

When you're  unprepared or you're rushed through a proper meal, your stomach screams for something quick. And quick options usually come in a variety of unhealthy temptations.... swinging through the drive thru, grabbing that chocolate bar or bag of chips. Make time each day to ... Decide to eat healthy today.  Preparation leads to success. Don't settle for LESS than God's best for your life!

 

 

The "other" reasons to exercise!

There are all sorts of official reasons why people should exercise and you can find those in any health magazine, website or book.  I am going to give you the "other" reasons to workout; the reasons that motivate most people:

1. Food ... I love food!  I love to eat! I love a good meal! I love a good snack! And I love healthy food and not so healthy food!  The more I workout means the more I can eat!
2. Time for You ... Your kids don't workout with you (usually).  On the days they are driving you the craziest, you will exercise harder and longer.  Even if they aren't driving you crazy, the break is wonderful!
3. Time with Friends ... Exercise with friends to motivate each other when one of you doesn't feel like working out.  The exercise is the added bonus! The visiting is our reason to get out.  We'll often meet for a workout when we don't feel like exercising, but want to visit!
4. Food ... Oh yea, I mentioned that one already!
5. Looking good ... Exercise helps to circulate your blood and oxygen.  People who exercise always have a glow to their skin.  Your hair will shine, and you will feel better about your body.
6. Food ... hmmm...how does that keep getting in there???
7. Feeling good ... When you look good, you will feel fabulous.  It's amazing how you can exercise away stress and problems.
8. Building self confidence & self esteem ... When you look good and feel good, your self-confidence is boosted!  Self-esteem is defined as "the experience of being capable of meeting life's challenges and being worthy of happiness."
9. Sleeping Less ... When you exercise and are in a routine, you need less sleep so you actually have more time for things; fun things!  And when you exercise, you sleep BETTER!
10. FOOD!