Endurance!

 Endurance is perhaps one of the most important elements of staying on the road to better health, because it is the force that keeps us going strong. Not surprisingly, the concept of endurance is mentioned often in the Bible because it is required to walk the path of faith in Jesus Christ...a path that is often filled with obstacles. 

The path to fitness (I'm sure you've noticed) is also filled with obstacles, but most of these obstacles reside in our own minds. This is where your endurance comes in: remind yourself that you can overcome those obstacles. Those hurdles aren't as high as they look! Your "I can" attitude partnered with your deep reliance on God's stength, will help you jump higher and go further than you ever thought possible.

Today ask God to help you stay focused on your goals. Ask Him to remind you often that the obstacles we see filling our path are mostly in our head and ask His help in overcoming them. Ask Him to fill you with great amounts of endurance so that, as you go further along on your fitness journey, the obstacles seem smaller and smaller.

Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

If you'd like to join me on this fitness journey, click here to join for free!

What does TODAY mean to you?

It's time to think about TODAY. What does TODAY mean? What will it bring? How will I meet it? What does it mean in relationship to yesterday and tomorrow?

We can only live ONE DAY AT A TIME. Yesterday is a cancelled check and tomorrow is a promissory note. All we have for cash on hand is TODAY. We have a choice to make it a good one or a bad one. Yes, bad things happen to us sometimes. And sometimes we have no control over those happenings, but we do have control over how we REACT to them.

TODAY I choose to react positively!!

TODAY I will dwell on the POSITIVE.

TODAY I will RENEW my efforts and resolve to stay EATING CLEAN.

TODAY I will take the time I need for me--to do the things I need to do.

TODAY I will know that I CAN DO THIS.

TODAY I will DEDICATE my time and energy to my plan.

TODAY I will say NO when it means sticking up for myself.

TODAY I will UNDERSTAND why this is important to me and others will see.

TODAY I will be PATIENT with myself and others.

TODAY I will reach out to someone who needs a little ENCOURAGEMENT--next time it might be me.

TODAY I will realize Living Healthy is the BEST thing for me and for my family.

TODAY I will ENJOY my successes that are and DREAM of those yet to come.

TODAY I will be sure I am PREPARED for tomorrow.

TODAY I will reflect on the DRIVE and SKILLS I have incorporated into my lifestyle.

TODAY I will focus on the ACCOMPLISHMENTS I have made and the obstacles I have OVERCOME.

TODAY I will PLAN to STICK TO MY PLAN.

TODAY I will abandon myself to my DRIVE.

TODAY I will put all my SKILLS FOR SURVIVAL to work.

TODAY is the only day I have any control over.
                                                                                           
TODAY I choose to make it good, to be happy and serene, and to eat only nutritious foods.

TODAY will be a GOOD day!!! BECAUSE I AM BLESSED!!!

Strawberry/Pineapple Shake....It's What's For Breakfast!

My Tropical Strawberry Shakeology is proving DIVINE!

Here is my favorite recipe...so far:

1 scoop of tropical shakeology

1 tsp no fat greek yogurt
7-8 strawberry slices
5-6 pineapple chunks
1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c water
ice to taste

Throw it all in the blender and BAM!  This makes a super yummy thick shake!  Cheers!

Getting Rid of Water Weight

Water weight can not only push your scale in the upward direction, but can also give you a bloated feeling. (Yuck...with a capital Y!...can anyone else say "where are my fat jeans?")              

It’s more than certain that a good percentage of your despised ‘fat’ is actually excess fluid (water retention) that you are carrying around due to a combination of too much caffeine, too much sugar, too much salt, too many grain-based foods, and a hormonal imbalance brought on by all this bad food, coupled with daily stress. Talk about a recipe for bloating and disaster!

GOOD NEWS:  It’s easy enough to trim your body of extra fluid by making a few simple changes to the way you eat... No, I’m not talking about going without water! Try cutting all of the above-mentioned foods out of your diet for 2 weeks, as well as any form of table salt. Remember that sugar, caffeine, salt and starches are often hidden in processed foods, so you may as well cut them out as well. I promise you will be amazed at the difference this will make in as little as a few days – sticking to it for 2 weeks will ensure that you actually start to lose body fat as well. Sound too tough for you? Tough luck then – you won’t be looking any leaner anytime soon.

Take it a step at the time:

-Drink eight glasses of water per day. Water reduces the amount of sodium in the blood to ease water retention.

-Lower your carb intake. Instead of eating foods high in carbs, such as breads, pastas and rice, have most of your meals come from protein sources, such as chicken, eggs, beans, beef, fish and pork.

-Limit the amount of salt in your diet. Avoid salty foods such as chips, processed foods, fast food, soy sauce, canned vegetables and canned soups. And avoid adding any extra table salt to your foods when cooking at home too. (How many of you start shaking the salt on before even tasting your food?  GUILTY here!)

-Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods with high water content can help ease water retention. Consume a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day; like celery, melons, lettuce, cucumbers and spinach.

-Do high intensity cardio workouts. Workouts that make you sweat a lot can help you get rid of water weight quickly. If you are doing a 45 minute workout, half of the time, you should do high intensity cardio moves, such as running, jumping jacks or kick boxing. The other half of the time should be spent doing strength training moves, such as squats, lunges and push-ups.

Hopefully some of these tips will have you on your way with a little less puff, and alot more pep in your step! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's finally here!  What a wonderful way to share the love on this Valentine's Day!  Tropical Strawberry Shakeology is 100% vegan, dairy and lactose-free!  Check out the video to see all the great things that go into making this outstanding product!

There are multiple benefits with Shakeology:

Lose Weight

Fight Disease

Gain Energy

Stay Regular

Get Healthy

Try it today! And as with all Shakeology orders, there is a 30 day bottom of the bag guarantee!  To order yours click here

Are you ready for swimsuit season?

Do you know what 90 days from now is? The beginning of swimsuit season!!! Are you ready for this? **cue the music** I'm beginning to fill spots in my March Challenge group now.  

 My challengers in my January and February groups are making great strides with their programs! One of my peeps said ... "I have always hated working out, but with the accountability, I'm starting to look forward to it, knowing others are taking note of what I do. I feel stronger, my clothes are fitting better (even looser!) and I have so much more energy! Looking forward to my first 30 day results!"

If you'd like to reserve a spot in my March Challenge group, message me or send me an email at susan@fitjourneyforlife.com and let's get started!  *fitness* *accountability* *motivation* *nutrition tips* and *support*