A New Day Dawns--Facing Reality and Taking Action

Greetings and Salutations! Today's blog is a challenging one for me...it's one in which I finally take a really close look at the things that stand in the way of my goals regarding my personal fitness. It's a look I've been dreading, but one that I know must be dealt with.

As many of you know, I've been able to lose just over 30 pounds in the last 20 months by revamping my nutrition and working out regularly. I'm excited about the changes I've made, and proud of what I've accomplished. But now I'm stuck...and I know exactly why. It's 100% my nutrition.

Now, keep in mind that my nutrition has improved by 150+% in the past two years. I was a Dorito eating, drive-thru loving, Starbucks caramel macchiato swilling girl. I ate too much and I made really bad nutritional choices. Fast forward to today...for the most part I eat about 85% 'clean,' I combine a complex carb with a protein at each meal, I eat 5 small meals per day, and I really try to fuel my body rather than just 'eat.' On most days, I stick to my caloric allowances. Alas, Houston, we still have a problem.

I overheard one of my family members last summer mention that if he or she worked out as much as I do, that he or she would easily lose weight. Granted, I do workout for 45-60 minutes each day and then I walk my dogs on top of that. I probably workout more than the average person, but I relish in it and I love it. That I'm not going to change. But I don't 'easily' lose weight like my family member would...what, pray-tell, could be the problem with Nancy and her struggle?

I've known for quite sometime that I have emotions that trigger certain eating behaviors. I don't binge or purge or starve myself...but I'm a habitual 'snacker.' I'm learning that food, to me, is comfort. When I'm bored, I grab a handful of pretzels or peanuts. When I'm stressed, I dip into the peanut butter jar. I also tend to look at my day as time between meals. Instead of planning my workout mid-morning on Saturday, I have to schedule it appropriately around the mid-morning snack time. It's just ridiculous that I allow the concept of food to control my life the way it does.

I also am learning that I tend to use food as a showing of love. In fact, just last weekend when I was at the grocery store, I bought a chocolate cake mix and icing for my husband because he likes cake (seriously, I affectionately call him Mr. Little Debbie, which is his favorite food group). Back in the recesses of my mind, there was probably some pleasure sensor going giddy with delight because that stinking cake proved my love for him. WHY?

So today is the day that I start working as hard on this aspect of my fitness as I do the actual workout aspect. My plan is to utilize a workbook that came recommended to me by another emotional eater, "The Food and Feelings Workbook: A Full Course Meal on Emotional Health." I'm excited about the next phase of my journey and welcome any comments you may have along the way.

Feel free to drop me a message or stop by my Facebook page if you'd like. If you're on the same journey, support is always welcome!

Beginnings...

Greetings and salutations my friends!!! I'd like to start off this Sunday with a quote from Jeff Olson who wrote the FANTASTIC book, The Slight Edge. In it he says, "Success doesn't come from nowhere; it can't be conjured up out of thin air. It comes from a very small, tiny beginning--but there has to be a beginning. That beginning is the thing (other) people miss, the thing they don't see. And they don't see it because it's so tiny, it's almost invisible."

For those of you who are contemplating a beginning, be it for your fitness journey or some other lifestyle change, what is holding you back from achieving your dreams? I know, I know...change is hard, but you have to start SOMEWHERE. If you don't take that first step, you'll never get whatever it is that you want. Period.

Maybe yesterday you said, "Tomorrow I'm going to start." Perhaps its the beginning of an exercise program, or you're going to create a budget and stick to it, or you're going to work more on your faith. Well, guess what? TODAY IS TOMORROW. Don't fall into the rut of always waiting for tomorrow because tomorrow never comes. It's always a day away...get it going NOW.

Perhaps you've already had your beginning. If so, how's it going? For many of us, when we commit to change, we tend to get discouraged because change doesn't happen fast enough for us to see. If we're working on fitness goals, too often we want to see a drop in the weight on the scale, or smaller pants, but we expect it too soon. I hear from people all the time who tell me that they worked out for a week and NOTHING. You know what, though? You DID have improvement...it was just so small at that stage that you couldn't see it with your own two eyes. But, the change was there. Perhaps it was only an improvement of 1/3 of 1%. Sounds tiny, right? But what if you keep proving by that much every day? In three days, you will have improved your fitness by 1%. What if you keep going...where will you be at the end of a year, 365 days of improvement?

You have to be patient, you have to keep diligent, you have to keep at it to see those results over time. You can't just expect to wake up the next morning and see a svelte new you the next day. It just doesn't work like that. But compare day 1 with day 365...you just might be surprised at the change you see then.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear Tony Horton (of P90X fame) speak. What he said was so powerful to me, and you might use it as a reminder for yourself. "If your worked out today, you're already healthier than you were yesterday." What a concept, right? It also works for quitting smoking, or eating healthier, or using stress reduction techniques. If you make the change today, you've already improved your health. What happens if you do it again tomorrow? And the day after? Eventually, you'll string 30 days in a row together. Imagine how much improvement you will have invested in your health!

If today is the day, then let's begin. If you're struggling, don't give up. Invest in yourself. You deserve it.

Drop me a message if you'd like some help. I'd love to chat with you. If you're a Facebook user, please feel free to drop by and 'like' the page I created to support others who are on this same journey.

You ARE Great!

Greetings and salutations my friends and happy 2011!

I realize that every time we roll into a new year, millions and millions of people make resolutions. They resolve to make changes, to do things better than they have previously. Sadly, much of this resolve will dissolve over time, and many people feel stuck, and sad, and frustrated, and angry at themselves for not following through. Others will make excuses why their resolve failed, pointing fingers are others rather than looking inwardly at him or herself.

I'm not here today to try to make people feel badly about not finding success in past resolutions...instead, I'd like to offer hope in a new way. Positivity.

You see, I've been the 'big boned girl' (that's the nice way my friends and family would help me to defend the fact that I was fat/overweight/obese) most of my life. For awhile, I'd resigned myself to staying firmly in that role, as it seemed that there was no way to make those changes no matter how hard I tried. It took its toll, though. I felt pretty worthless in my own skin...it isn't a good place to be, even for a short period of time (let alone for 20 years).

Finally, for whatever reason, I had my epiphany, my breaking point. I WAS going to do something about my weight. I knew it wouldn't be easy, I knew there would be good days and crappy days, but I would push through. Along the way, I learned something really valuable...positive self talk. Too often, we get stuck on the negative aspects of ourselves. We focus on our fat thighs, the last minute run through the McDonald's drive-thru that resulted in 1000+ calories consumed, the 'muffin top' above our jeans, or whatever negative aspects of you that you just don't like. Let me share a little secret with you...and listen up because this is big...the more you focus on loathing who you are, the less successful you'll be in changing any of those things.

When you start to make changes and work towards goals, you CANNOT focus on those stubborn things that are refusing to get with the program. I'm almost 2 years in on my own fitness journey...I've lost a considerable amount of weight, I've built a lot of lean muscle mass, but you know what? I still have fat thighs! Yep, there I said it...the top six inches of my thighs still carry a lot of lumpy, gross fat. There's clearly still work to be done. But you know what else? There's several inches less of lumpy, gross fat there now than there was two years ago? And you know what else? I can do push-ups on my toes! LOTS of them. And guess what else? I have developed some abdominal definition, and shoulder muscles that look good in a tank top, and calves that look great even when I'm not wearing heels! Most importantly, I've realized that I'm not worthless, that I'm intelligent, have a great sense of humor, am eloquent, have a kind heart, and that I'm strong both physically and mentally.

So while you may feel discouraged during parts of your journey, I have to ask (and I'm borrowing this quote from Chalene Johnson--the creator of great fitness programs such as Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, and ChaLean Extreme), "What positive things have you said to yourself today? Acknowledge your greatness." Come on...shout it out there, if not to the world, at least to yourself. It's important, it will help you stay on track and remain true to yourself.

Take a look at the picture at the top of this blog post. That concrete block wall and concrete pad are pretty darned ugly. They're a bit crumbly around the edges, it's a boring grey color...it's tough to find something beautiful and great in that. However, look at what it was able to do...it allowed a beautiful pink flower to grow in its midst. Instead of seeing the ugly crumbling concrete block, see the beauty in you. Look for and find your beautiful pink flower and remind yourself daily of how great you truly are.

Drop me a message or join me on Facebook so you can have the opportunity to share with me your greatness. I'd love to hear all about it!

You have to walk the path...just you.

Greetings and salutations my friends. So what do you do when your partner or spouse isn't on the bandwagon with regards to the changes you want to make in your fitness and nutrition? Do your rely on someone else to motivate you to workout each day or to eat well?

All too often I hear from individuals who started P90X or some other fitness/nutrition program with a wife, husband or partner and loved it, but when the significant other quit, they did too. They felt it was just too much of a challenge to do on their own. To this, I have to ask, "Why?"

This journey isn't about your spouse's health or about your boyfriend or girlfriend's fitness, it's about YOURS. YOU are the one who has to make the decision and the commitment to make your life healthier through proper nutrition and exercise. It's not your responsibility to drag anyone else along with you, nor are you their responsibility either.

Sure, it would be a heck of a lot easier if my Little Debbie breakfast eating (seriously, I wish I owned stock in Swiss Cake Rolls), Coca-Cola swilling, Big Mac loving, cigarette smoking husband would embrace the changes that I've embraced over the past 16 months. But he hasn't. He's 6'4", thin, and every year at his annual physical, his doctor says he's in good health. He says he wants to stop smoking, he says he wants to eat healthier, but he always has an excuse for why he doesn't. He always is talking about tomorrow, and tomorrow has never come. If I waited for my husband to join me on this journey, I'd still be a miserable, 200+ pound woman who couldn't stand the sight of herself in the mirror.

Instead, I had to go it alone. And you know what? It's okay. In fact, I've relished in the fact that I've done this all by myself. I've become empowered by the process, and love myself even more for doing it all by myself.

Perhaps one day, Mr. Little Debbie will realize it's time to make changes. I hope the day will come soon, but I know that the more pressure I put on him to make those changes, the more he'll keep them at arm's length. He's got to do it for himself, just like I did, and right now, he's not ready.

For those of you who ARE ready, find your motivation. Ask yourself, "WHY do I want to make this change?" Write down your answer. When you're tempted to cheat on your nutrition or not workout, go back at look at your why. It'll remind you to stay focused and to keep fighting.

Find others who are like-minded and surround yourself. There's something very powerful in finding others on the same journey, even if you only are in contact with them through Facebook or through myfitnesspal. I have over 700 individuals who are on my Facebook friends list. I don't personally know 75% of them, but the majority of them have impacted me in a positive way and helped me stay focused on my own goals. I hope in the process that I have helped them as well.

If you're ready to start, but don't know where to begin, send me a message. We can talk about your goals.

Number 2 is number 1!!!

Greetings and saluations my friends!! I know, I know, it's been a long time, but luckily, I've got a fantastic topic to discuss with you today...if you guessed from the picture to the right that I may be talking about regularity, you're right on the money.

So, before I begin, I wanted to offer you fair warning that what I'm about to discuss may be considered inappropriate chat amongst friends. The problem is, I used to work for my dad's construction company, and building and installing sewer systems (waste water treatment facilities if you want to be politically correct) was our specialty. In fact, one year my grandfather (who started the business) said that he wanted to get hats made that said, "Your !%(#'s our bread and butter." Obviously, poo is important to both my family and I.

Now, back to the topic at hand. The #2, poo, poop, b.m., whatever you want to call it, is an important function of our body. No one knows this better than those of us who have suffered from irregularity either for a brief or, even worse, an extended period of time. Let me explain (because I know you're all giddy with anticipation to hear my poo drama).

As a kid, I grew up in a Southeastern Ohio meat and potatoes family. My mom cooks great food, don't get me wrong, but all my life, as far back as I remember, I have dealt with a giant lack of poo. As a kid, whenever I had a stomachache, the first thing my mom would say is, "Do you have to #2?" The answer, inevitably, was always a resounding yes, but the problem was, things weren't moving...AT...ALL. This led to upset stomachs, bloating, gas, and just an overall feeling of being about to blow up. It was awful!

As an adult, I drank my daily glass of orange fiber therapy (which truly is like watered down orange drink with sawdust mixed in), added fiber supplements to my diet, but about the only thing that could get things moving was a good Friday night out at the bar. Inevitably, once coffee hit my gut on Saturday morning (after the 12 oz. curls that were done the night before), things were moving, and quickly. But clearly, you can't rely on a good bender to get things moving. Plus, pooping once per week just doesn't cut it. I wanted poo, and I wanted it at least once every other day. What does one do?

I changed my diet, I ate lots of fresh fruit and veggies, I supplemented with fiber, I drank nine gazillion glasses of water a day, and I still couldn't poop unless I had a death grip on the toilet seat and a vein popping out of my forehead. NOT enjoyable.

Then, one day, I heard about this thing called Shakeology. It was supposed to increase your energy, help reduce cravings, aid in weight loss, and (can you hear the trumpets blaring now?) improve digestive health and regularity! Okay, seriously...sounds like a wonder product, doesn't it? Knowing I had to give it a shot, I commited to the product for 90 days...3 months of Shakeology. And here's what happened...

I POOP! Seriously, I now go 4-5 times per week without worrying that I'm going to injure myself in the process. Gone is the bloating, gone is the feeling of heaviness in my mid-section, gone is the constipation, gone are the stomachaches...gone, gone, gone. I'm regular, I'm efficient,, I'm like a puppy with the most incredible digestive tract in the universe, I'm a good pooper! Woo hooo!

I'm a Shakeology convert. Plus, I also get the other benefits...I have noticed an increase in energy without caffeine, I don't have cravings even though I'm still working on my own weightloss and maintain a calorie deficit most days, but clearly, to me, the greatest thing is that my digestive tract is a lean, mean, pooing machine. So now you know why I think the old 'number 2' is truly number 1.

If you, too, would like optimal digestive health (and all the other great benefits that go alongside being a Shakeology drinker), send me a message and we can chat. Also, here's a little information video about the product as well. Thank you Beachbody for creating such a fantastic product...you've truly saved my life!

Your Personal "Why?"

Greetings and Salutations my friends! I was chatting with an acquaitance on Facebook the other day about why I started my fitness journey. It was a good conversation...one that reminded me of where I was, where I am now, and where I want to be in the future. In reflecting upon her question, I was reminded of how I became the person that I was just under a year ago...fat, unhappy, no self-esteem...and the person that I am today...fit, healthy, positive, and ready to take on the world. It's amazing what a mere 300+ days can do to a person.

The most miserable I ever remember being was when I was in high school in the late 1980s. I was the 'behemoth' of my peer group at 5'9" and weighing in at a 'hefty' 142 pounds. I remember recording my weight in a journal every night, knowing that my friends were topping the scales at 100-110, and there I was, the rotund one, knocking on the door of 150 lbs. Sure, I was a good eight inches taller than they were, and when I look back on those days now, I don't know what I was thinking. But the funny thing is (funny, sad, not funny, ha-ha), some of those 'friends' of mine told me I was fat because I didn't weight 105 pounds and I couldn't wear a size 1 or 3 in Guess jeans (yep, I'm going 'old school' on ya'!). In fact, some of those same 'friends' would head out into the school parking lot during school hours and throw cookie containers and other junk food trash on top of my car to make me feel even better about the fact that I weighed 40 pounds more than they did. Another of their favorite ways to empower themselves was to follow me down the hallway, oinking like a piglet and mooing like a cow. And you know what? Their cruelty was really effective. I allowed them to take away my power...I allowed them to take away my self-esteem...I allowed them to have their dreams and to take away mine. I became a shadow of what I could have been.

I went through a major part of my life with very little self-esteem. I did a pretty good job, for the most part, hiding that fact, but I truly thought pretty little of myself until the time I was well into my 30s. But in typical fashion, I started to spiral into a rut where I didn't like myself much, and that took over every aspect of my life...my marriage, my career, my outlook, everything. I was down in the dumps, I wanted to feel good about myself, and I didn't know what to do.

On April 2, 2009, I took the initiative to take one small step to get my life back. That was the day that I decided that I was in this for me, me, me. I simply HAD to love myself for the person I was, but I knew I had to make some improvements to truly feel that love. I started pushing play that day, immersed myself in learning everything that I could about fitness and nutrition, lost weight, empowered myself with strong muscles, and learned to love me. Instead of worrying incessantly about things that I couldn't control, I learned to manage the things that I knew, without a doubt, were 100% within my own control. Funny how that makes EVERYTHING in your life better. With my improved fitness was better health, a better marriage, a better career, simply a better outlook on life. Just because I made the decision to empower myself with good exercise and nutrition.

I had to ask myself a very important question, "Whose dream did you build today--yours or someone else's?" (Jeff Olson. 2005). If you spend your whole week, month, year, or life, trying, or even allowing someone else's dream to build, rather than your own, you're doing yourself a tremendous disservice. Sure, great things do come out of doing for others. I'm not going to deny that, but what about you? What about what YOU want? Where is the time you deserve to achieve all of those fantastic things you desire?

So here I am...almost a year later still continuing on my journey to be the best me that I can be. And yes, those are my pictures there on the top of the page. I figure there's no better way of being accountable to goals than putting that first picture out there!! There you have it, there's my 'Why?' What's yours?

If you'd like some help on your own fitness journey, I'd LOVE to help...send me a message from my coaching page.

What do you want in your body? You decide!

Greetings and salutations my friends! As you can see from the picture to the left, I've been thinking about body fat and lean muscle mass. All of us, from the very lean to the extremely obese carry both of them in our body, but I've got to ask you. If you could choose, which one would you rather have going along for the ride of your life?

Obviously, the lean muscle mass has some advantages to it...let me point them out:

1. Lean muscle mass is going to help you in the day to day activities of life. Need to lift a child? You need muscles. Want to stretch up onto the top shelf of the cupboard to lift down the gravy tureen? You need muscles. Ever tried to open a jar of peanut butter or fruit preserves, and were unable to get it open? You need muscles. You need lean muscle mass to live!
2. This is the biggie...as you can see from the picture, 5 pounds of lean muscle is compared to 5 pounds of fat. Which one is bigger? Which one is going to take up more space in your body? Which one will give you a bigger waistline? Which one will allow it to shrink? It's true that 5 pounds of muscle equals 5 pounds of fat, but clearly the lean muscle mass takes up MUCH less space in your body. So for those of you who worry that the scale isn't getting any lower, TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS! It is very likely that you're swapping out fat for lean muscle, which weighs the same, but you'll notice a huge difference in the size of your waist, hips, thighs, arms, etc.
3. Lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat. Hello!! That means you have to eat more in order to maintain your body weight. And if you're trying to lose weight, building lean muscle will supercharge your metabolism!!!

I've been working out regularly since April 3rd. I've dropped 32 pounds or so, and in the past 3 months, the scale hasn't been very kind to me. However, I took my measurements yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. Though I may have lost only 2 pounds or so, I lost another inch from my waist, an inch and a half from my hips (this one is a miracle!), another inch from my thighs, and I'm losing a ton of belly fat so that the ab muscles I've been working on are starting to show. Obliques look pretty nice on a body! So no, I'm not 'losing weight' but I'm definitely getting leaner, getting rid of body fat, dropping pants sizes, and getting SO much healthier.

So how do you do it? You've got to invest in some sort of resistance and cardio program. Cardio helps burn fat, resistance work helps build lean muscle. You really do need the two. Some really good options are ChaLean Extreme (5 days per week @ 45 minutes per day--90 day program), Slim in 6 (30-45 minutes per day, 6 week program), P90X (6 days per week @ 60-90 minutes per day--90 day program), and for those with little time, Ten Minute Trainer (stack 10 minute workouts each day to create the length that works for you). Plus, all of these programs come with good, basic nutritional guides to help you burn fat, build that lean muscle, and boost metabolism.

In addition, you can get me as your free Coach to help you along the way. Yes, I said FREE!! I'll be here to provide support, answer questions, and offer motivation whenever it may be most needed. Don't wait until tomorrow, when today could be the day to jumpstart the rest of your fit life!

Send me a message if you have questions about how to get started, and if you're ready to start today, you can find the products here. Push play, everyone!!

Shakeology--it's what's for dinner, or breakfast, or lunch, or a snack!

Greetings and Salutations! Do you lack energy? Do afternoon cravings making you so ravenous that you feel as though you could eat the kitchen counters? Have problems with high cholesterol? Want to lose weight? Shakeology could be your answer.

At the same cost as your morning Starbucks or McDonald's run, it's not only a much healthier option, but could possibly be the healthiest meal of your entire day. I'm a chocolate Shakeology drinker, and I've seen increased energy, better digestive health, regularity, and most importantly for me, NO MORE CRAVINGS!

For more information, check out my Shakeology page.

Burn, baby, burn!

Greetings and salutations my friends. As many of you know, I'm currently in my 2nd round of P90X, and in an effort to really try to dump some poundage, I committed to doing doubles. That simply means that I work out, really hard, six days per week, and on 3-4 of those days, I add in another cardiovascular workout. You'd think that the weight would just be sliding from my body, but alas, such is not the case. Sure, I've lost a few pounds, and I'm pleased with the progress I've made with regards to fitness, strength, and the like. But I felt like I'd hit a bit of a plateau, I didn't know if I was eating too much, too little, or if my newly fit body was just more efficient, and I wasn't burning the calories like I was 20 weeks ago. So, I purchased a Bodybugg, an electronic device that you wear around your upper arm that calculates caloric expenditure throughout the day. It is accurate to within 90%, and I felt that this would be a good investment that could provide me with additional feedback while working towards my goals.

I started wearing my Bodybugg a week ago (I wear it 24 hours/day unless I'm in the shower), and was really surprised with the findings thus far. Now keep in mind, this is just my experience with the device...everyone is different, and your body may react differently to exercise than mine does, but there were a few things that surprised me enough that I felt the need to share with you, in the hopes that, perhaps, you might be able to take one piece of information to use along your own journey towards fitness.

To begin, I really was quite surprised at how many calories I burn in a typical work day (2850, which includes a one-hour long workout). As a teacher, I'm on my feet most of the day, and that walking around the classroom really helps the numbers add up. Throughout the day, I average a 2.4 calorie per minute burn while at work. On the weekends, when I'm just sitting on my caboose, it drops to 1.9-2.0. Doesn't seem like much, but spread that through an 8 hour workday, and see a significant increase in calories spent. In addition, I've found that by walking the dogs or doing a 30 minute cardio workout in the morning before work, it boosts my calorie burn another .3 per minute for about 2 hours after the workout. Also, while I show a 12 calorie per minute burn during workouts such as plyometrics (jump training), I still burn between 6-8 calories per minute during brisk walks with the dogs. Heck, even those muscles that I've worked hard to develop help burn 1.2-1.3 calories per minute while I sleep!

Today, knowing that I wasn't going to have the benefit of walking around the classroom or up and down the school hallways, thus gaining that extra burn, I decided that I was going to burn 3500 calories from midnight to midnight. When I woke up this morning, my 'bugg' showed that I'd burned 520 calories from midnight to 6:20 a.m., and at 6:30 p.m., I'm already sitting on 3207. So, I've burned just over 2500 calories in a 12 hour period. To do so, I had to do the following: Cardio workout (42 minutes), brisk dog walk (up & down hills--40 minutes), yard work (1 hour, 15 minutes--push mowing with a self-propeled mower, trimming two shrubs, and raking up scraps), Strength training and ab workout (65 minutes), OLD SCHOOL exercise video (25 minutes--it was MTV's The Grind with Eric Nies), and another 35 minute dog walk. Now, don't get me wrong...I'm not saying to go out and do this every day. This was simply a scientific exeperiment to see what it would take to burn those calories if I wasn't at work, moving around all day.

I'm sure many of you are wondering what my point is. I promise, I'm getting there. Here's the deal...if you want to lose weight, you simply need to burn more calories than you consume. However, it's not as easy as just limiting what you put in your mouth, because you still need to feed your body. I've eaten a LOT today, and I'll definitely be at a calorie deficit, but without that nutrition, I could never have done what I accomplished today. So, you've got to eat...and you've got to eat good stuff: Whole grains, lean meats & fish, fresh fruits & veggies, legumes, nuts, etc. You also need to eat often. I try to eat three big meals per day, and 2-3 smaller snacks interspersed between. You need to ditch the Doritos, white bread, and sugar-laden foods that make losing weight harder.

Next, you've GOT to move. If your job requires that you sit at a desk all day long, you're going to have to move a LOT more at home in the evening than someone who has a job that allows them the freedom to move while working. In addition, working out causes your body to burn calories at a higher rate. So, not only are you reaping benefits during exercise, but you reap benefits for hours afterwards! That, to me, is a win, win situation.

No, I'm not suggesting that you go out and purchase a Bodybugg. However, by working out five-six days per week, you can burn up to an extra 500 or 600 calories each day (depending on your current fitness level, body efficiency, and how hard your push during workouts). Your workout can be programs such as Power 90, Slim in 6, or Turbo Jam, or one of the many others offered through Beachbody. OR, it can be something as simple as walking your dog or pushing your child in a stroller for forty-five minutes to an hour. My point is, if you truly want to lose weight, you must move your body, and burn more calories than you consume without limiting your calories so much that you prevent weight loss.

If you want some help, or have some questions, PLEASE feel free to ask. You can contact me through my coaching page, and I would be more than happy to help you out. My services are FREE...all you need to do is ask.

Here's to taking the stairs, going for a walk, push mowing the lawn, or pushing play on your favorite workout. Bravo to you who are already investing sweat equity in yourself. I'm sure you can feel that calorie burn!

90 Days to a Better Life

Greetings and Salutations my friends! It was 90 days ago today that I made the decision to invest some sweat equity in myself. Ninety days ago the naysayers told me, "I'll give you a week with that P90X before you quit." Ninety days ago I felt fat and was uncomfortable in my own body. It's amazing what can happen to a person in a mere 90 days.

I made the decision to attempt P90X not because I wanted to 'get ripped,' but because I wanted to feel good inside my own skin. The number on the scale had risen to a level that I swore I'd never allow, but alas, there it was, staring me in the face in late March. I had made a comment to my cousin, Sarah, who was yammering on about loving this workout program she was doing, about how I wished I loved exercising. That was the day she told me to go to YouTube and check out P90X. I did, and was mesmerized, but worried that I wasn't strong enough 'to work' the program. She assured me that I'd be okay. I invested my $120+ that same day. I then waited anxiously for my package to arrive from Beachbody.

Upon arrival, I completed the fit test. I couldn't do a single push-up on my toes, couldn't do a wall sit for 60 seconds, a pull-up wasn't even in my vocabulary, and I thought I was going to keel over dead during the last 30 seconds of the 2-minute jumping jack drill. I decided the "Lean" program would be a better choice for me due to my fitness level, I pushed play the very next day and never looked back.

With the support of the fantastic Beachbody community, as well as some fantastic 'friends' on Facebook, I didn't miss a day. I made the decision that I was going to make time just for me, and that nothing was going to prevent me from becoming a better version of myself. Along the way, I fell in love with exercise, and more importantly, I fell in love with myself again. I had no idea that this body was capable of the things that it can do.

Now, don't get me wrong, it was HARD WORK! There were days when I didn't really want to work out, but I knew that it was necessary. On the days that I needed some motivation, I simply contacted my own coach (thanks, Keith), and he busted my chops for all of 30 seconds, and off I went to bring it. Just knowing that he was in my corner was enough to motivate me. Changing my eating habits has been the more challenging part of the program for me. I have good days, and not so good days (I have those days where I think I'd eat the kitchen counters if they weren't nailed down), but I accept the things I do well each day, and vow to do better the next day on those things that I don't do so well. Ninety days in, I can say that I have truly revamped my former eating habits, but it's still a tough road. It's a progress...and I must remember that each day is part of that progress, and each day that I am successful will make the next easier.

Along the way, I started coaching for Beachbody. I must say, it has been one of the most fulfilling and motivating experiences in my life. I have met some wonderful people, have inspired many to push play every day, and myself, am inspired by their perserverance as well. So, a little shout out to small part of my 'crew' who allow me to be their 'coach' and who motivate and inspire me along the way...thanks to Carolyn, Katrina, Noah, Alisha, Reem, Matthew, and Crystal. You are all ROCKSTARS for pushing play alongside me!

So my 90 days is up...but for me, this journey is far from over. Tomorrow I set new, realistic goals, and push play on a new day. I'm ready to invest another 90 days of sweat equity into myself with a second round of P90X, this time the 'classic' version. Who wants to go along for the ride? If you're game and ready to make some changes in your life, sign up for FREE Team Beachbody membership with me as your coach, here. Let me know how I can help...because I'm willing and able as soon as you are committed.

One Day at a Time...

Greetings and Salutations my friends! I had the opportunity today to travel to Atlanta for a Beachbody business meeting that had Tony Horton (fitness trainer extraordinaire for those of you who may not recognize him) as a special guest speaker. In one word, I'd categorize his talk with us as simply inspirational.

Tony is all about getting people healthier. You see, we have a HUGE epidemic in our country called obesity. Sadly, it's only getting BIGGER (Georgia, the state where the business meeting was held holds the current record--along with three other states--as having the highest rate of obesity in the U.S. at over 30% of the state's population), and the only way we can reverse this trend is to get people off their butts and moving again. The consequences of not making changes can be catestrophic...diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, heck, even death.

So here's a little tidbit that Tony said several times (he would call them "little nuggets") that I thought was really key: "If you worked out today, you're already healthier than you were yesterday." Think about it...just one workout improves your health. Imagine if you string 7 of those in a row? How about 14? 21? 90? How about a lifetime? Imagine the benefits you'd reap from a lifetime of exercise. Think the trend towards obesity might shift? Think we might be able to reap some benefits as a nation?

I know, I know, you have kids to take to baseball, after school piano practice, dinner to cook for the family, dogs to walk, and "Dancing with the Stars" is back on, so I know that's a priority as well. BUT, shouldn't you be a priority somewhere in that 24-hour day? Isn't there 60 minutes, 45 minutes, 30 minutes, heck even 10 minutes that you could give just to yourself and your own health?

There are all kids of programs that you can do right from the comfort of your own home (or those that take place outside as well if you prefer), that run the gamut of time required from 10 minutes (Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer), 30-45 minutes (Chalene Johnson's Turbo Jam), as well as longer, more intense programs such as P90X and ChaLean Extreme). Heck, you can even put the kids in a stroller, or put the dog on a leash and go for a walk...it doesn't matter to me as long as you make the committment to do SOMETHING for yourself that makes you healthier today than you were yesterday.

As Tony Horton always says, "Do your best, and forget the rest." It's important folks to take that time out for you, and for you only. Those people in your life really would like for you to be there for as long as possible, and if you can put a little sweat equity into yourself, the benefits will be well worth it. If you have questions about these workout programs, or want some fitness support, let me know.

I'm off to workout...I want to be healthier than I was yesterday.

The Numbers Game

Greetings and salutations my friends! I've gotten some recent e-mails and messages through Facebook about, you guessed it, that number on the scales: Why is it going up, why have I plateaued, why isn't it dropping as quickly as it should?. Let me tell you...I understand your pain, but we need to look at a few things here.

That number on the scale isn't the end all be all to weight loss. In fact, that number on the scale can oftentimes do more to hurt your efforts at weight loss than it can to help. Oh sure, when the numbers drop each week, we're elated and it helps boost our motivation. But what happens when it doesn't work that way? After a week of busting our butts, do we simply quit when we don't lose a number on the scale? I know of more than one person who simply gave up exercising and eating right after 2, 3, 4, 8 weeks because they didn't meet the 'magic number' that they had in their head. Come on now...you and I both know that there's more to being healthy than a scale, and is that scale SO powerful that it's going to allow you to quit and not meet your goals?

My advice is to ditch the scale. Put it in the linen closet, put it somewhere out of reach so you're not tempted to just take a peak. Instead, look at the other fantastic ways your body is showing you that you're making strides towards your goals. Do your clothes fit loser? Do you look more toned in the mirror? Have you lost the double chin? Do your biceps no longer wave in the breeze when your hands are in the air? How about that muffin top? Gone yet? Take pictures of yourself every 30 days and put them side by side. What changes do you see? If you've been taking your fitness and nutrition seriously, I know without a doubt that you will see progress.

When I first started my cycle of P90X in April, I was elated with the scale. I dropped about 10 pounds that first 30 days, but when I compared my day 1 to day 30 pictures, I wasn't as elated; I really didn't look that different. At day 60, I only lost another 4 pounds, and I'll be honest, got a little discouraged, but when I looked at my side by side pictures from day 30 to 60, the difference was HUGE! The layer of blubber from my middle was gone, the muffin top missing, and arms with definition. HUGE changes, not on the scale, but in inches and pant's sizes (even though I weigh more now than I did when I met my husband, I'm a full pant's size smaller!). Even yesterday, as I was walking the dogs and got caught in a rainstorm, I ran home 3/4 of a mile. Not ONCE did my shorts ride up my inner thighs! Now THAT is progress.

It's time to get to work...keep working hard at it, push the play button (on an exercise DVD, silly), go for a run, push the kids in the stroller, do something to get your body moving and your heartrate up. But do NOT get yourself stuck in the rut of staring at the scale. Need some help? Just join my fitness team here with a free account and I'll be more than happy to help you along the way. If you need me to come over and throw out your scale, I'll be more than happy to do that for you as well!