Monday, January 30, 2012

Reward

We all do it from time to time... "I worked out so hard. I DESERVE this pan of brownies!" I'm not saying we should never splurge. I think the occasional splurge is necessary to a successful healthy lifestyle change. HOWEVER, if we get out of hand with these rewards, we are undoing all our hard work in the gym! Too much splurging leads to a total relapse into that unhealthy lifestyle we worked so hard to change!

So, splurge OCCASIONALLY, and the rest of the time, reward yourself with something besides food-- buy a new workout top, get that CD you've been wanting, treat yourself to a massage. Much better choices than that brownie. :)

Happy Monday!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Are You Poisoning Yourself?


This is so true. In our society, it's easier to grab a Big Mac than it is to have a healthy, clean meal. Sad! Remember, our choices have consequences!! Make smart ones!! This is why I love Shakeology so much. It's quick, it's easy, it tastes good, and I know it is fueling my body with the nutrients and energy it so desperately needs to function at its best, even on the days when making smart choices is harder! www.shakeology.com/julieblanks for more info. :)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

WORK!

THIS is where the work is done! Not at the beginning, when you're fresh and feel like you could go all day! When it burns, when your muscles are SCREAMING at you, those are the most important moments! So go deeper, squeeze harder, stay strong! If you want results, you gotta push. Feel the sweat drip, let those muscles shake, and feel yourself getting tighter, leaner, STRONGER! #DoMore!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

When in Doubt...

Here's what I think: It's pretty rare that I regret NOT skipping a workout. Once in a while, yeah, your body says, "Hey you! You need a rest!" But usually, it's true: when in doubt, workout!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Sweat!



There's no substitute for a great workout. If you want results, you gotta push. I mean, HARD. Don't go through the motions, don't just half-ass it. WORK! It's gonna be tough. It SHOULD be tough! But don't give up because everyday, you're getting stronger!

You got this!

#DoMore




Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Reward, Don't Punish

Some of the least enjoyable, most miserable workouts I have ever endured have been the workouts I did as "punishment" to myself for eating something "bad." We've all had them, we all do them from time to time.

But remember:

Working out is not a punishment. It is a privilege!

If you don't feel this way, you need to find a different workout, or change your mindset. If you begin a workout feeling guilty about something you ate, put thoughts of that out of your head. Focus instead on the way your muscles feel, focus on your breathing, think about your form. Be in the moment, banish negativity, and start loving exercise!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Keep a Journal!

The best advice I can give you for weight management is to WRITE. DOWN. EVERY. BITE. I do this whether I'm trying to lose weight or just maintain. It will be a pain in the butt at first, yes. But it works, I promise! And after awhile, it becomes 2nd nature, and you won't even have to think about it anymore. Write down everything, and when in doubt, round up!

Think about this: Going over your daily maintenance calories by just 70 calories per day leads to a 10-pound weight gain over the course of a year. YIKES!

I use an app on my phone that lets me enter what I ate, and how many calories it was, then it keeps track of the total for me. There are websites galore to help you compute calories, even when you eat out! My faves are www.sparkrecipes.com and www.livestrong.com. Google is also your friend.

Happy counting!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Excellence

Make health and fitness something you do, day in and day out, until it becomes a habit. It only takes 21 days!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Loving Ourselves and Others

Today's post is a bit of an elaboration of yesterday's, and also a bit rambly, I am afraid...

We often forget that fitness is a lifetime journey. It's great to have goals, and great to be always working to better yourself, but it's so easy to get caught up in hating your body now, and telling yourself you will love yourself "when _____." Truth is, you have to love yourself at ALL stages of your journey! NOBODY is perfect, and that size 3 next to you is probably freaking out about her imaginary love handles just as much as you are freaking out about your imaginary butt jiggle.

A friend of mine, we'll call her Stacy, recently told me about trying on bridesmaid dresses with a size-4 friend. In a nutshell, the seamstress called Stacy fat and compared her to her size-4 friend, making several other hurtful statements. Now, I don't know what size Stacy is, but I do know that she isn't fat. I also don't think there is a single thing wrong with being a size 4, but I do know that not everyone is meant to be a size 4. The fact that an older woman (the seamstress) would stoop to being mean and hurtful makes me sad and angry. In a society where loving ourselves is a daily struggle against the pressure to look like Kate Moss, who is she to take such a blow to Stacy's self-esteem? Who is she to say a size 4 is ideal?

I am a firm believer that beauty comes in many different packages. Cliche? Maybe. But true, nonetheless. I hope Stacy realizes this, and I hope both she and her size-4 friend love themselves and know they are beautiful EXACTLY as they are.

I hope that I can learn to love myself and my body as a size 10 and stop standing in front of the mirror in disgust.

I hope that seamstress will learn to keep her mouth shut before she destroys someone else's perhaps already-shaky sense of self-worth.

I hope all of us can set fitness and health goals that aren't based on reaching an unrealistic 'ideal weight.'

Let's practice together. Loving ourselves. Right now, at this very moment.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Be Nice!

I'm firm believer in being nice. Not just to others. But to yourself. Think about the things that you say to yourself when you look in the mirror. Would you tell your best friend not to wear those jeans because she looks fat in them? Would you tell your significant other his/her stomach is too flabby to wear a swimsuit? Would you tell your daughter she's disgusting and has chipmunk cheeks? Would you tell even a complete stranger that she'll never be able to fit into her skinny jeans if she keeps eating like a pig? I thought not. So why do we speak to ourselves that way? Think about it... Does it make you feel better about yourself? Does it make you push harder in your workouts? Does it make you choose healthier food options? Of course it doesn't. Negative self-talk does nothing but tear down our self-esteem.

I encourage you to take charge of your thoughts! Be the best that you can be, and LOVE yourself, exactly as you are, right at this moment.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

You Are What You Eat!

Did you know your fitness is 80% nutrition? The rest is exercise and genetics. WOW! I got the workout part down, but diet is a struggle everyday. Remember, our bodies are our vehicles thru this world. Let's fuel them properly! No more trash going in!