Feel Good About Yourself!

Many of us have issues when it comes to looking and feeling our best, from how to lose those last ten pounds to the best way to fit into a wedding dress this summer.  And you know what?!  It may be hard to believe, but a lot of it comes down to how you feel about yourself!  I do know that as excess weight is lost, one's self-esteem tends to rise dramatically! Even if you feel badly about yourself, here's a way to improve your standing and sitting posture: hold your head up high and act like you are happy and proud!  Even force a smile!  These physical changes, though fake, can alter your mood and ultimately improve your self-esteem.  Then decide to make small steps to get to a larger goal- start slowly and stick to it!

The question of motivation is always cropping up.  My answer has often been "Get mad by looking at your naked mirror image and tell yourself "this won't do!".  Then use some incentive to keep to your diet and training- an upcoming school reunion, a wedding invitation, the beach, a new relationship, getting into your bikini and shocking your friends and family with your new body!

Maybe my motivation method is too harsh and can contribute to lowering one's self-esteem.  This is not my intention.  But i have learned over the years taht people often need a swift kick in the butt to recognize what is going on with their bodies!!!

Hey There, Crap Pusher!!!

Were u trying to push someone who has taken on the challenge of a fitness goal, into eating some crap? This person has set out on a mission to get herself in the best shape of her life. This requires eating some food that doesn't taste as great as what u r offering and it is very difficult and challenging to say no. It is a very very difficult sacrifice to make in giving up all the more delicious tasting foods in pursuit of a fit body and it becomes even more difficult when people like u constantly question what she is eating and and keep offering her more crappy food to eat. The crappy food ur offering may taste so delicious but the very sad and unfortunate truth is that it makes r bodies look like total shit. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is true.

Even if this person doesn’t need to lose any weight, the crappy food will STILL make her body look like shit so its not only about gaining or losing weight. Here is a person trying to accomplish a very difficult goal of getting and staying in great shape, and u come along and try to throw her off course. How about giving her a little support instead ?

If you want to eat crap go right ahead... we all make our own choices but there is no need to try n drag others down with you. Or maybe u just don’t realize that eating crap makes u look like crap (many people don’t know that) and u think it is just genetics or aging that causes us to have dangling lard all over r bodies? It doesn’t have to be that way. Start eating right as well, and u will soon see how nice u will start to look n feel n u will see that it is worth giving up the crap. There is no doubt that it SUCKS saying no all the time to the pizzas, the cookies, the cakes, the ice cream and such. It really does SUCK.

As delicious as all the crappy foods can be, they don’t come close to being as fun as it is to walk around in a lean, hard, tight body and look good in any piece of clothing. The right food will give u this look n feeling…foods such as plain chicken, oatmeal, fish, and vegetables. It’s a hard pill to swallow in giving up all the goodies but once u accept the facts u can make the best of it. How would you like to go clothes shopping and have everything look good on you? It is completely possible if ull stop eating all the crap and make the right choices each day.

So there you have it. That is why you were reported as a “crap pusher”. Eating right and exercising is very hard work but very worthwhile mission and u are welcome to join in on the fun! If u don’t want to, no big deal but please stop pushing the crap on others and just keep it to yourself ;)

Alchemy Is Not Supposed To Be Easy

Alchemy: a power or process of transforming something common into something special. U think this fitness thing is simple stuff. U flip thru a magazine n think, "yup, i can do this". Flat stomach, check! Hamstrings, check! Toned arms n poppin delt caps, double check! Training with weights several times a week, no sweat! Cardio a few times per week, thats a cinch! Eating clean six times per day, any one can do that! Who says this training stuff is hard? N then along comes a little something called life...n BAM! Everything u thought was so easy is now radically different. It becomes a challenge to get urself out of ur rut n into the arms of ur nearest personal trainer.

I love the idea that life is simple stuff until u run into trouble. When trouble hits, ahhh, now that is the test of a real woman. How does a girl keep it all together when the world is falling down around her? This is where I sit up n pay attention. Women who have overcome much to get to their place in the world have a lot to teach us n I for one want to learn. I read the books n i get the notebook out. I highlight parts where she made it over the moutain. I write notes to myself. I blow my nose and cry right along with her through the worst experience one might imagine. I become inspired to do better just like they have. I make up my mind to transform my lump of coal into diamonds, perfoming alchemy to accomplish that magic.

In case u think that I have had it too easy, now is the time I wud like to come clean with you. Most of u already know that I was once considered overweight, carrying around a lot of extra weight that was the result of not taking care of myself and spending too much time partying in college. Throughout college, I had no clue what I wanted from life. I decided to please everyone else and be a good girl so that no one wud b mad at me n everyone wud like me. After years of that, I realized it just wasnt working. How did I figure it out? Well, I had some help from good friends, but mostly I had to turn down the volume and listen to my heart even if that meant facing the worst of times.

Eventually, I saw the light and my desire to do better for myself led me to make drastic changes. Little by little, I polished my dirty lump of coal. The test of a real woman comes when life is challenging. Listening to my heart by living in the moments of loneliness and sadness, I discovered my lost interests. Discovering the truth about myself landed me in the gym. The lessons I learned in the gym about discipline, dedication, persistence, and courage live on in me today. I depend on these values to get me through each and every day because I know first hand how much they contribute to my well being and even to my own understanding of myself.

As the years that went by the lump of coal that I was- unhappy, frumpy- I became something much more. As I set about making these changes, my crusty, unhappy, flabby bits were exchanged for happiness and smiles, laughter and a fit body. The coal had become a diamond. The alchemy was complete. Living life without following ur dreams is a life without purpose or passion. Having the desire to follow ur dreams, regardless of how difficult the path, may guarantee u success even though the journey may be paved with obstacles. When we strive to become better than we are everything around us becomes better too. I wish the same for you...

Promise Yourself...

Promise Yourself...

To be strong so nothin can disturb ur peace of mind
To talk health, happiness, n prosperity to every person u meet
To make all ur friends feel that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything n make ur optimism come true
To think only the best, to work only for the best, n expect only the best
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as u r about ur own
To forget the mistakes of the past n press on to the greater achievements of the future
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times n give every living creature u meet a smile
To give so much time to the improvement of urself that u have no time to criticize others
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, n too happy to permit the presence of troubles...

You're Worth It!

R u one of those people who r struggling to keep it all together?  Is ur work less than 100 percent satisfying?  What about ur exercising n nutrition progress?  How about ur family?  Is everything completely under control? 

Yes, life can be, n usually is, hectic!  At times it can seem that its bordering on chaos.  Ive been there!  Most people have!  Hopefully we plug away at doin r best!  We carry on carrying on!

Put urself first for once!  Could it be that uve been runnin around for everyone else, n not takin care of number one?  Remember the flight attendant's words: "place the oxygen mask over ur head first; n then u r able to attend to ur kids!"  In like manner Im askin u to put ur health n fitness needs first so u can feel better about lookin at ur family n work obligations once uve looked after ur needs. 

Im not askin u to be blatantly selfish.  But it is a known fact that u will have a strong sense of satisfaction if u get ur workout done before rushin around for others, n if ur hours of sleep n quality nutrition needs r met first.  Then, n only then, will u feel energized to take care of others.  U cant be a slave to everyone.  In some cases, the more u do for people, the less u r appreciated, n the demands on ur time r actually increased to nea rbreaking point.  Many parents put their lives on hold for their kids or spouse.  Remember, its ur life!   Take care of number one!  Ur worth it!

Abs By Summer!

U want to get ur six pack?  You can do it by summer!  It will take work and dedication- you have to understand- and I am totally serious- that 80% of ur flabby waist is due to poor eating.  First and foremost is the nutrition.  Starting today, u need to get the sugar out of ur house n out of ur body!  Sugar is like cocaine.  Its a white powder thats both addictive and deadly!  The only difference is that sugar is legal.  You can use unsweetened applesauce or sliced bananas, berries, or honey.  Dont worry, ull get all the sugars u need from fresh fruit n other natural foods.  U have to eat clean!  NO MORE JUNK!  Ull b healthier, have more enrgy, lose ur flab, n even increase ur chances of living longer than u wud if u keep up with the junk-eating lifestyle.  

Once man becomes involved with the manufacturing of food its not longer worth eating.  For the most part, u have to stay away from all that packaged, processed junk that u see in grocery stores.  Keep ur food intake to lean meats, fish, oatmeal, egg whites, whole grains, natural yogurt, sweet potatoes, brown rice, fruits, n veggies!  No cookie tastes as good as lean and healthy feels, unless of course, that cookie is made of whole grain flour n is sugar free! 

If u work hard in the gym, cant u have a cheat day every once in awhile?  Absolutely not.  A cheat meal may be acceptable once every two weeks, but a whole day of cheating will just serve to keep that fat on ur body.  U cant negate the bad effects of eating junk foods with any amount of training.  Look around any gym...there are devoted members who never miss a workout.  They are still overweight...why?!  Because they think that going ot the gym earns them the right to eat junk that u find in fast food establishments n most homes.  Ull never get a six pack unless u wise up to clean eating.  It just wont happen!  U can only eat foods that actively contribute to keepin u lean, n when nature gives u a perfect recipe u dont mess with it! 

Now get ur butt moving!!! :)

It Takes A Litle Love To Keep Your Fitness Flames Burning!

It always seems so strange to me how when one of my friends has hit a rough patch in their relationship or marriage, that several others will follow suit.  I guess when it rains it pours!  If there is one thing I have learned after a few of my relationships fizzled out is that there will always be ups n downs, but its how we cope that determines the success or failure of a relationship.  Oftentimes, when u make it thru a setback, it can strengthen ur resolve to move forward, learning from the mistakes; or if u allow it to, it can cause all that u worked for to come toppling down.  The same holds true with our fitness routines.  We hit a rough patch with too much traveling, long days at work, or back to back birthday parties, and we let our programs slip so much so that we cave to the pressures of life and abandon our fitness goals.

I dont know about u, but for me it wasnt the beginning that was the hardest part.  The sheer enthusiasm and determination kept me motvated to research this lifestyle and get to the gym on nearly a daily basis.  The beginning, just like a romance, was intriguing and exciting and I looked forward to the chance to learn more about my new "love interest" of fitness.  Instead, the hard part for me came after I had accomplished fitness goals.  I thought back to the initial effort I put into acheiving my fitness goals and how I was devoted to the task of keeping a dialy food log and journal.  I also faithfully weighted my food portions and maintained a perfect schedule for supplementation.  I was like a well oiled machine, eager to fulfill my daily requirements.  When I came back to the realization that I needed to get the passion back into my relationship, I broke out of my comfort zone.  I committed myself to masterning new things.  Soon enough, thanks to new certifications I am taking like cardio and nutrition, TRX, boxing, and learning new ways of training...I excelled at the gym. 

Its funny how a little bit of upset in our lives can force us to re-evaluate our priorities.  Whether its a faltering connection with our partner or perhaps an unexpected illness, it takes a jolt of realism to force change.  But, does it need to be that way?  Anything worth keeping for the long term requires regular maintenance.  We take our cars in for regular service and inspection and constantly want to stay relevant and contribute at work to maintain our careers, so why not other areas of our lives?  If the desire to maintain your health is strong enough, then just like our relationships, they need constant attention.  What effort u put in is a direct correlation of what u get out.  Showing ur partner love on a daily basis will understandably yield better results than once a week.  The same holds true for ur diet and exercise routine. 

So how much effort is enough to maintain ur fitness?  If ur goal is heart health, then u need at least 30 minutes of cardio three or four times a week.  However, if u want to maintain tone, lifting weights at least three or four times a week is also necessary on top of this!  Its not easy to manage a consistent schedule of training, cuz if it were, everyone wud b in great shape!  How important is it really in ur life??  If u want it, u must be willing to work for it! WORK HARD!  If u consistently eat clean, u provide the insurance to maximize ur efforts in the gym.  Plus, the days that ur forced to miss, cuz life happens...wont lead to feelings of guilt, but rather a feeling of preparedness cuz u have the peace of mind of consistent effort.

Dont wait til change is forced upon u or u come to a breaking point!  If it takes setting a milestone goal, like a marathon or a vacation, then do it!  Allowing complacency to settle in can really be tough to recover from cuz u will be forced to dig deeper for motivation.  If u find that ur at the point rite now in ur life with ur relationships or ur fitness routine, then think back to the beginning, when things were new and exciting!  Recreate events as they unfolded in the past n u will hopefully tap into some of the magic that instigated that initial spark.  Think back to the first time u experienced results from ur dedication to the gym.  Remember when those first lines of definition made their appearance in ur physique?  Or how about the first time u realized that a clean meal could satisfy ur craving for junk food?  Nostalgia is a beautiful thing!  It is even more beautiful if the excitement follows that the best is still yet to come!!!

Anything Can Be Yours!

 I firmly believe that anyone can achieve anything they want in life.  Up until now, our actions have brought us to this place.  From now on our actions will take us to where we want to go.  We are the masters of our own destiny!

Everything starts with a thought, a wish, a hope...but such a thing will bring us nothing.  A wish is just a wish.  Our first task is to write down a workable long range plan based on how we are going to achieve our goal.  Next, we have to detail a short range goal (say 6 to 10 weeks) that is realistic and achieveable!  Write that down too!

As soon as you have a written plan, you have to do something, however small or seemingly insignificant, toward achieving that goal.  You might look up something on the computer, make a phone call, buy a book, check out the phone book, go for  a run, enroll in a course, or subscribe to a publication.  Whatever the case, you must act immediately!  This is the first step toward your ultimate victory!

Sounds simple doesnt it?!  But it works!!!  Develop a passion for making your wish come truel  Attach emotion to your goal.  Dont just say "I want to lose weight for my highschool reunion" or "to attract that guy who works in the office"...

Yes anything can be yours!  Let your imagination run wild!  Plan and ACT!  I envy your chances...

A Brand New Beginning...

It is said that success is the result of preparation meeting opportunity..

If you asked me two years ago where I would be at this very moment in my life, it would be nothing like I would have pictured it.  Everyone catches the "itch" to do something sometimes, but its very rare that this inkling to do something turns into a journey that will transform an individual so much that they are able to find their passion in life.  Fitness is my life.  I live, breath, and exist to transform myself and others into something better by the weight rack.  The iron has a magnificant power to move you in ways you may not even understand. 

As a child, I was a string bean and I graduated high school with my 5’3” frame weighing only 105 pounds.  As soon as I started partying hard in college with excessive amounts of alcohol and 4AM runs to fast food restaurants, I had gained more than the “freshman fifteen.”   Throughout college, my weight constantly fluctuated and I would lose a significant amount of weight, only to gain more than I had lost a few months later.  I can tell you about any fad diet out there- Atkins, South Beach, Special K- only because I have had first hand experiences with all of them.  Though I would spend hours of my week trekking miles on a treadmill in the gym, I would only reward my efforts by satisfying my sweet tooth.  As far as I was concerned, my gym’s weight room seemed off limits to me and a set of five pound dumbbells was substantial in my efforts to gain muscle.  By the time I graduated college with my bachelor’s degree, I was nearly 140 pounds and was physically and emotionally drained from the numerous yo-yo diets that I had been on, an emotional eating disorder, and the excuses that I always seemed to come up with.  I knew that I needed a change and I began aspiring to compete in a figure competition as a means to motivate me towards success. 

In January 2009, I began changing the way that I exercised and began eating clean with the help of a trainer at a local gym.  I began being able to lift heavier and heavier weight than I ever thought possible with her help and I felt my confidence soar.  I loved it!  I was devoted to eating clean and following my plan 100% and after four months I had gone from 28% body fat to a lean 17%.  I thought I was well on my way to getting on stage for my first figure competition, as was my intention.  My trainer and I decided I did not have the muscle definition that was necessary to compete as soon as I had hoped.  I knew deep down in my heart that it would take years of preparation before my first competition, which was not until April 2011.  Though it took me almost two and a half years of training before the show, I trained as hard every day as if the show were days away!  No excuses, no games!  Determination and perseverance can lead to great rewards.  Fitness has truly changed my life and my attitude.  After putting my excuses behind me, I am able to look in the mirror and see the beautiful, strong, confident young woman that has blossomed before my eyes.  I hope to share my experiences here in an effort to extend a wonderful opportunity to find yourself and create a better you through fitness and clean eating.  The world is yours for the taking!  Now go out and get it!