You, you, YOU!

Greetings and salutations my friends! Last night, I had the opportunity to listen to Tony Horton speak about the "Zen of Fitness." Now, don't think I'm going to start 'ohm'ing or requiring you to meditate, but he brought out some really valid points that can be helpful to many of us.

First, he talked about the last 20 years of life. Now I'm sure most of us are nowhere near that phase (at least we hope we're not), but what you do today clearly will affect how comfortably you live the final phase of your life. It's important enough to repeat...what you do today will affect how comfortably you live the final phase of your life. Look around at the older generation with whom you come into contact. There's a tremendous variety, and I assure you, some took better care of themselves in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, which is why they do so much better in their 70s and 80s. It makes sense, so start taking care of yourself today, so that you can truly enjoy those twilight years when they come.

Second, Tony talked about accountability. Look, I'm not going to sit here and say that working out six days per week and eating healthy is easy. Oftentimes finding the motivation and willpower to push play or to not eat that entire strawberry pie is quite the challenge. Too often we make excuses for ourselves. I hear it all the time...it's too hard to cook healthy, I don't have the energy to workout at the end of the day, I don't have any time to workout, my husband and I were working out together, but he quit, so I did, too. I know all of them, because I used to use them all the time. Put the excuses away...you deserve to be healthier. You deserve to be the best version of yourself that you can be.

Quit thinking that you NEED others to be successful with YOUR goals. Quit thinking that you need your spouse to be your workout buddy. If he or she quits, fine, but don't let that be your stumbling block. If I waited around for my husband to workout with me, I'd be waiting an awfully long time. No energy? Well I'm here to tell you that if you workout, you'll actually gain energy from the endorphins that rush to your brain during exercise. No time? Put down the remote control, step away from the computer, and make time for yourself. Let your spouse watch the kids for 30 minutes and do something JUST FOR YOU. I experienced a lot of grumbling on behalf of my spouse when I committed to me. He grumbled about what we ate, he grumbled about the hour I needed with our one television, he grumbled that there weren't potato chips in the house. After he started seeing the changes in my physique, energy, and attitude, he stopped grumbling. Heck, he now is trying to quit his smoking habit and is cutting back on the Coca-Cola and Ding Dongs. So while my changes may have helped motivate him, HE is making the choice to invest in changes for himself.

Noone is responsible for you except for you. As Tony Horton wrote in his own blog, "It's not your mother or your father. Not your sister or your brother. It's not your God or your Government. It's not the high school bully or your eighth grade home room teacher. It's not your therapist or your wife or your boyfriend. It's not luck or even circumstance. It's not your height, weight or age that makes life great, or not. It's You!" While it's great to surround yourself with positive, supportive individuals, noone except you can make the decision to change your life and make it better.

Let me know if you're ready, and we talk about fitness and nutrition goals. Just go to my coaching page and send me a message. I will be in your corner, if YOU are ready to invest some sweat equity in yourself.

Day by day...it's a process

Greetings and salutations my friends! It's been awhile since I last blogged, but I just returned home from a fantastic two weeks in Ohio with my parents. I dragged all of my P90X gear to Ohio with me, and didn't miss a workout while I was out of town, for which I give a big kudos to myself. On the other hand, I fear that my diet did suffer a bit, but rather than beat myself up for my transgressions, it's important to remember that this is a process. I'm not going to change 38 years of bad habits in 115 days.

The worst foods at my mom's house were, sadly, the two things that I crave the most...ice cream and pretzels. Yep, I ate them, but unlike the old me, I didn't eat half the carton or half the bag of pretzels dipped in cheese. Also, my parents go out to dinner once per week, and I met some friends from high school on several other days, so the opportunity to eat at restaurants was much more frequent than normal. Restaurants really do pose some challenges for those who are trying to eat healthier and with moderation.

We like to think that a good old fashioned salad is always a great choice, but some of those 'nutritious' salad choices contain over 1000 calories and 40+ grams of fat! I had lunch one afternoon with my mom, and after searching the menu, chose a grilled chicken sandwich, thinking I was doing myself a favor. Upon coming home and entering my lunch into myfitnesspal.com, I realized that my 'good selection' boasted 910 calories JUST FOR THE SANDWICH! I was devastated and really angry with myself.

After that, I was determined to really make sure my choices were the healthier one on the menu. In many places, it was hard to find a single option that was less than 900 calories, while other restaurants do go out of their way to provide less fattening fare for the calorie conscious. If you're going to go out to eat, do your homework first. Most restaurants provide nutrition guides for their menus online. Also, myfitnesspal.com has a food search, and many chain restaurant foods have already been placed into the database. Do some searches and write down your options. This is what I ended up doing, and it saved me a LOT of heartache later. In addition, the options were still good tasting food, they simply didn't provide me with an entire day's worth of calories in one sitting.

So yep, I struggled. As each day would close, I would promise that I'd do better the next day. And I did, for the most part. The surprising thing is that even though I felt like like I had disappointed myself with regards to my diet for the past two weeks, I came home and got on the scale, and I'm down 3 pounds. Go figure...I'm obviously making MUCH better choices than I would have made 4 months ago, but still have a ways to go. I just have to remember, day by day, it IS a process. Some days will be good, some not so good, but in the end, we will make positive strides towards a fitter lifestyle.

If you have questions about diet, nutrition, or fitness, please feel free to ask. Just go to my coaching page and send me an e-mail. Day by day folks...we just have to take it day by day.

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.

Sometimes you gotta' be a little INSANE!!

Greetings and salutations! As you know, variety is the spice of life. I consider myself a P90X/Tony Horton girl through and through, but sometimes you just have to go a little out of your comfort zone and see what else is out there. You know, push yourself in new ways, just to see what the 'ol body can do. Well let me tell you, Shaun T's new program, "Insanity," does JUST that!

I received a preview copy of one of the DVDs (Plyometric Cardio Circuit) that will be part of the full Insanity package about five weeks ago, and have done the 42 minute workout on five different occassions. It's SERIOUS cardio, and a butt-kicking good time! I found myself, more than once, asking myself (while gasping for air), "Is this guy crazy?" Obviously, Insanity lives up to it's name.

So, for those of you who want to dig a little deeper and see how fit you REALLY are, you might just give Insanity 60 days of your time. Don't be shocked...there's no Hip Hop Abs here, it's pure cardio drills where you keep up a high intensity for a longer time with a short rest period. Shaun T has simply pushed interval training to a new level.

Scheduled to be released in July, once released, you will be able to order it here. If you'd like a heads up on the release date, just send me an e-mail through my coaching page, and I'll let you know when it's available. Once you're ready for some Insanity, you might want a little support, so go ahead and sign up for my fitness crew and I can help you on those days when you, too, think Shaun T. might just be a little insane...

Something for Everybody...so cut the excuses!

Greetings and Salutations everyone! I've gotten a ton of comments lately about how motivational others find me because of my personal commitment to my P90X workouts. Yeah, it's true that I have pushed play every day for almost 90 days, but let's be honest here. I had to make some serious changes in my life in order to make that happen. I haven't always been the most health-conscious, fitness oriented person...in fact, my family is shocked that I lasted one week with Tony Horton and his "Bring it!" madness. They all figured that I'd stick with it for awhile, get frustrated, and plop my butt back on the sofa. Part of the challenge for me was in proving them wrong, but more importantly it was about ditching the excuses that I would have made in the past.

However, along the way something life changing happened...I fell in love with exercise, my gains in strength, and more importantly, I fell in love with myself again. I found my niche, that product or exercise regimen that works for me, and because I found that 'something' that I truly enjoy, I'm inspired and motivated to do it again, and again, and again, day after day.

We can all make excuses that prevent us from making change in our lives. We're too tired, the kids have baseball practice, we have dinner to cook for the family, we work too many hours, "The Biggest Loser" is on, blah, blah, blah. I made those same excuses...but they certainly didn't help me in feeling better physically and mentally, and they certainly didn't make me a healthier person. I finally made the commitment to work out because I want to feel less tired at the end of the day, I want to feel good in my own skin, and because I want to be the healthiest version of myself for both myself AND my family. Guess what? Working out actually works! Sometimes it would be easier to fall back into that rut where my excuses run my life, but I'm not willing to jeapordize the good work that I've done on me. I've invested too much in my self, committed that sweat equity into myself, and you what what else? I deserve it! I deserve the opportunity to invest in myself. I think you do, too.

I've included a little video that highlights many of the programs available through Beachbody. For those of you who say time is of the essence, check out 10-Minute trainer or Slim in 6. Want to punch and kick your stress away? Turbo Jam might be the ticket for you. Want to include some serious strength training? ChaLean Extreme or P90X may be a perfect fit. Just find something that you like and enjoy, so that you can commit to doing it every day. If you have any questions about any of the products available through Beachbody, just send me a message through my coaching page. Otherwise, find an activity that gets your heart rate up and get moving, today! Don't put it off until tomorrow or next week...because if you do, you may never start. Today's the day...so get to it!

You can also sign up to be part of my fitness team here (just click the little "Join") tab at the top of the page). It's FREE, and you'll get some messages from me from time to time to keep you on top of your game. If you need help with fitness or nutrition questions, I'm there. Oh, and did I say already that it was FREE?! Plus, if you ever desire that motivational kick in the pants, I'd be more than happy to do the kicking when needed!

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!