It takes time...

So much in life seems inflexible and unchangeable, and part of the joy of changing your lifestyle is the realization that improvement and progress can be achieved... with time!

People who are changing their lives are like any other dream seekers. They have their sights set on a high lofty goal, and they want to achieve it like there is no other.

Sometimes you get discourage, though, because the dream seems so far away and so impossibly hard to reach. It's a little like the way mountaineers must feel when they climb Mount Everest. Base camp is 17,600 elevation, but you still have nearly 12,000 more feet to climb before you reach the top of the summit which is at 29,028. That surely is enough to discourage anyone.

Weight lose and even fitness goals can feel like that sometimes. As daunting as Everest. But if you're discouraged, it may be because you are looking far ahead. You need to quit judging yourself by where you're going and the fact that you haven't yet achieved it. Instead, look at how far you've come and the appreciate what it's taken to get there.

Progress is being made. You might not see it but I promise it is there. It may be slow and incremental at times, but you are gaining ground. Refuse to be discouraged by your what you think is your lack of progress. That's only your perception in the moment, that is not the real reality.

You can be better, you will get better. You are getting better! And you will get to the top of that moment! Don't stare at the bottom of that mountain and think about how far you have to go. Look at the end of the path instead!

Decision made once..

I don't make a decision every morning. I made a decision once, long ago, to be healthy every day. When I wake up, the decision is already made.

Inspiration comes and goes. You can never be sure where, or when it will all align. Inspiration is like a hummingbird, constantly in motion. When it finally lands, it's only for briefest of instants. Once small noise and it flashes away so quickly that you wonder if it was ever there at all.

Every person who is trying to change there life needs inspiration, but the determined kind and the ones how have been doing it a long time mainly get their inspiration from a different place. Maybe it is from a long run or a healthy meal. The act such as running is what gives them the motivation to go on.

Some days you're not going to feel like it. You're going to feel like practicing your avoidance techniques. That's inevitable and that is normal. It is how you handle those avoidance's those little voices inside you.

But if you can find the will to drag yourself out of bed or the office and workout or eat the right foods, you will receive an instant supply of motivation. You will be flooded with motivation; it will surge through your veins like a drug. You will be reminded once more why you are changing your life and why you make the effort to do so. And you will wonder why you even hesitated at all.

Remember that feeling and how good you feel after those successes. I am certain your inspiration will dry up every now and then because it moves fast, but drag yourself to that place where you always feel good!

I always fight with myself in the mornings to get out of bed. I love my sleep! It feels weird waking up at 4:45 AM when the rest of the world is sound a sleep in their beds. I literally talk to myself every morning. I have to visualize myself where I use to be and where I am now. Guess who wins? The new me does! I get up, get dressed and sweat it out like there is no tomorrow! It feels great and I am always happy that I got out of bed. But there are times the old me wins. I always feel tired all day and am filled with regret. Even today as I write this my old me won.

So it happens. You will feel your inspiration slip away. You will feel like going back to those old habits. Find something that inspires you! Something that you can see every single day! Find the inspiration that can't slip away! Like a quote, a picture or that bikini you want to fit in this summer. Put it somewhere you will see everyday. Let it be a reminder of what you want, let this be your inspiration!

Have a Happy Healthy day Friends!

Today in school....

So many of you know I love fitness! I love working out and love inspiring others to move! I enjoy writing blogs, coaching others and giving up my time to encourage you to go beyond your own personal limits. I do it because this is my passion, my one true love!

Most of you probably have no clue what my day job is like. A lot of you know I am teacher and a lot of you know that I coach Lacrosse. You know that I devote my hours at school helping children play sports and learn about fitness. But many of you don’t know what I really do. Many of you think I teach Physical Education. This is in fact a true statement. But most of you don’t know my true title is Adapted Physical Education Specialist. What does that mean?

Adaptive Physical Education (APE) is an adapted, or modified, physical education program designed to meet the individualized gross motor needs, or other disability-related challenges, of an identified student. The program can be provided one-on-one, in a small group, or within the general physical education setting. I work with mental, physical and emotional disabilities every single day.

Why am I telling you this in my fitness blog? To wake you up! Really, wake you up. I have challenges every single day in my job. Some of my students can’t speak, others can’t move and some act out by hitting me or spitting in my face. Those things I can handle and have handle for the past 7 years. However, I was faced with the biggest challenge of my life as a teacher today. I had to help a student understand that she in fact is different then the other kids in her class…. And it broke my heart.

This child is amazing! She lights up the room when she comes in to her PE class. This child is young, maybe 6 and is wheelchair bound. She has slight movement in the legs and is able to walk a few inches with support from an adult. She will never be able to walk alone due to her physical disability and today I think it was the first time she realized it.

In school we are working on jump rope for heart. The children were shown a video about how to keep the heart healthy and why movement is so important. My student told me first thing she was ready to make her heart healthy and was excited to be in class. How could that not make me smile! But soon those smiles turned to tears, big tears.

I was teaching her how to swing the jump rope over her head and wheel over the rope. This was the way we modified her jump roping skills, since she is unable to jump. She started to refuse to work and threw the jump rope down. This surprised me since she was so happy to be in class. I asked her what was wrong. This is when the tears started to fall and my heart started to break.

She didn’t understand why she couldn’t jump rope like her friends. She told me she didn’t want to be different and that she wanted to be like everyone else. I explained to her that she was special and she got to learn a cool new way to jump and I told her all the other kids had to be jealous that she could do it in a chair. But that didn’t help her; it made the tears fall faster. She kept saying but I want to jump like them, I don’t want to be different. I continued to calm her down, hugging her and letting her know that she probably was the coolest little girl I knew. That helped a little. She told me that she would try harder next week and that she loved me.

I am telling you this story because after I left class I became upset. I cried for a good 15 minutes because this child who wants so badly to jump and run will never be able to. I wasn’t upset because this little girl finally realized that she will never be like the other kids. I was upset because so many people in this world sit and do nothing.

So many of you sit and make excuse of why you don’t move. You feel sorry for yourself and feel like you can’t do it because it is so hard. That is CRAP. You can move. You have the ability to get out of bed every morning and use your legs. You have a heart that works and a mind that functions. You don’t have an excuse. God gave you two healthy legs and most of you refuse to use them. You refuse to do what this little girl dreams about. She would take your legs for one minute if she could jump rope, I am sure of that.

So maybe all of you are tired of hearing me go on and on about fitness. You may say to yourself, why is she always shoving this down our throats and can’t she just keep her facebook post about her own life. I could but I can’t stop thinking about my students the one who want to be like you and me, the one’s who have an excuse but wish they didn’t.

My students are special in so many ways! They have the most loving hearts and the most amazing hugs. I feel like I am around living angels when I am near all of them. They bless me with so much happiness and joy. But they also make me angry at the world and angry at people who make excuses. Wake up America! REALLY wake up. Think of those who are less fortunate, think of them as you sit on your couch and continue to make excuses. I know for a fact that they would do anything to be in your shoes, so stop wasting what you have. Do something!

Source: facebook.com via Amy on Pinterest

Pre-Package Foods

Pre-Package foods...

We have to live in a quick world where the idea of reaching into the freezer and pulling out a ready made meal is all far too appealing. It is so appealing in fact this is how I use to eat. I would fill my freezer with Lean Cuisine pizza's and Weight Watchers meals. Sure I was losing weight (sort of) but what I wasn't doing is really learning how to eat clean. This fast approach is appealing, but this quick fix approach is why so many people think everything should be quick. I need to lose weight quickly, I need McDonald's because it is quick...Blah blah blah. You get the point! Slow down people! The quick fix has become America's number one problem!

I love both of Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine because they are assisting men and women to lose weight! That is a good thing, a really good thing!!! I just worry about all the stuff that is in those pre-packaged meals. Chemicals.. you name it. How long can a package meal stay in a freezer and what is making it look so good after even the expiry date? Look at the nutrition labels know what you are eating!

My quick fix is preparing my food on Sunday. Sure it takes time and I to don't like giving up 2 hours on Sunday to fix my meals. But once it is done, I have healthy meals for the week. I pop some of it in my fridge and some in the freezer so I can have fresh foods later on in the week or even emergency meals. This is my quick fix, it is a simple! I come home I pull out my meal and pop it in the microwave... and Bam! I have a healthy lunch, dinner, snack all because I took the time. I know my food is clean because I made it!

I do have to say I still go back to my lean cuisine pizza's every now and then. I love pizza and this is my quick fix to that instead of running to pizza hut. But I also make my own pizza that is less calories than the lean cuisine kind. :)

So the real question is how do you food prep? Every Saturday or Sunday I make a list of the foods that I want for the week. I plan each meal out! Usually I will have the same foods on Monday, Wednesday and Friday's, as well as Tuesday, Thursday's and Saturday. Sunday's are days were I allow myself to go off my plan a little but I still keep it healthy! I take that list and head out to the store. I only buy what is on the list! There are times I want to grab the three C's or as my friend Angie put it the Four C's.. Chips, cookies, candy and cakes. But I only buy what is on the list.

I get home and I lay all my food out on the counter. Then it is time to start cooking! I turn on some good music and have my own little time in my kitchen. I cut up veggies, cook meats and separate almonds all into little sandwich baggies. Everything goes in a container or a bag! It is that easy! Put it away and now I have no excuse to eat good healthy meals!

So give it a try! I am telling you if you fail to prepare, you will fail! If I don't do my prep I will normally always fail. I will always run for the quick fix. Normally, it is subway which isn't bad at all. However, I have control over food choices. Many people would rather go to Wendy's.

Give it one week! Plan, write your menu out and cook it up! I promise you will love this and you will be happy Wednesday when you don't want to cook dinner! Don't continue the trend of Quick Fixes, stop it with healthy foods and a happier you!

The Three C's

The Three C’s

Do you like the Three C’s? Do you feel that you need to have them in your life daily? What are the three C’s you might be asking? Cookies, Cakes and Candy. Have you ever tried to give up the three C’s? Are you a sugar addict?

Sugar addiction is no joke! I believe I am a sugar addict. Just like I am a food addict! I love the way it taste and love the way it makes me feel, well sort of! So many people say you can’t get hooked on a innocent piece of candy or sugared filled cupcake. But research shows that it is possible.

I know sugar addiction is not in the same league as alcohol or nicotine addiction, but it appears in research that some brain responses may overlap. All of the addiction produce the pleasurable response that fuel a desired to want more and more. Can you stop at one little M&M? I bet not? I bet you will finish the whole bag and even then you probably wish there were more.

The average American consumes approximately 24 teaspoons of sugar a day. That is a lot! What do you think your intake is? How much of an addict are you?

Skip Breakfast? Those who skip breakfast are more likely to crave sugar. Your body wants to get that energy boost first thing in the morning to get your body moving. If you skip your morning breakfast, you are more likely to crave one of the Three C’s in the afternoon. Try a low sugar breakfast tomorrow! Egg whites, oatmeal, fruit or even some Greek Yogurt.

Sleep! Do you get enough of it? Did you know that the body craves sugar and starchy food for energy for fuel? So make sure you get your rest and sleep 7-8 hours a night!

Emotions. I am sorry to say that there is no candy bar in the world that is going to make you feel better. There is no cupcake that will take away a pain of a breakup. There is cookie that is going to take away your emotional pains. Try taking a walk, talking to a friend or even a yoga class. Take that pain and put it into something that will benefit you in the long run.

I know this isn’t easy. I struggle with my own sugar addictions. I use to be the girl that would buy a candy bar every time I went into a store. I am happy to say I can’t even remember the last time I sat down and enjoy a Kit Kat.

See you may not be able to curve your sugar addiction but you can alter it. You can make shakes full of nutrition, have Sugar Free Pudding or even have Almonds that are coco flavor. I now have a daily Chocolate Shakeology shake, instead of my daily candy bar. I can make my shake taste like butterfinger, chocolate cheesecake or even a peanut butter piece of heaven. I get the satisfaction with my shake, as I did with my candy bar but without the guilt and shame.

Kick Sugar, Kick the habit! Make the Three C’s cookies, cakes and candy part of your old habits! Make the new Three C’s commitment, control, confidence.

Try giving up sugar for a week! I bet you will feel awesome!

"Why do I overeat."

With weight lose, knowledge is power….

So many people think that if you get on a diet you will lose weight. Sure that might be true, but what happens when you are off that diet? You slowly go back to those habits, you eat cheeseburgers and ice cream. You don’t plan for success and find yourself running to McDonald’s to get a quick fix. Losing weight should not be about a diet it should be able a lifestyle change.

Losing weight is a mental game. You will always have to fight with those inner voices to eat the unhealthy stuff. To go back to the food that use to make you happy. But you have to have the “willpower” to tell those voices that you are happy with your new life plan. You have to tell them to shut up! The more you know about weight loss the easier it will be for you to lose weight.

You have to ask questions like “Why do I overeat?” Once you figure those questions out this will lead you to control. Simple but powerful!

Know the lies

There are so many lies out there in the fitness world. Take this pill, do this workout…blah blah blah. Let’s say you’ve been watching TV. You see this ad that tells you that you can lose weight in your sleep. All you have to do is sleep! Amazing right! Let’s say you believe that commercial. You can lose weight without exercises, without changing your food, all you do is sleep. And now you start eating all you want because you believe in it.

Well, you can’t. It is not possible to lose weight in your sleep. It just simply doesn’t work that way. Have you tried this? Or tried the magic diet pill? What happened? Where are you now? My bet is that you are still unhappy and are still in the same place before you believed in this sleep theory.

So, what do you do now? If you want to really find out, “Why do I overeat?” First, you have to forget about those miracle diets, you have to forget about the quick fix. You have to unlearn all the unworkable things that you were told. And what really does work. When you do you will understand, “Why do I overeat?” and you’ll know what to do about it.

So really search that question. Find why you “overeat.” Maybe you are not eating enough good foods or maybe you are depressed and that food makes you feel better just for a second. Know the reason. This will help you know where to go next!

5 Minutes

"Hell is full of talented but Heaven of the energetic." -Saint Jane Francis de Chantal

This morning when I woke up I felt a little sluggish and well uninspired really. But I still got up at 4:45 and I still put on my workout gear. I slowly walked down to my basement (aka my Hell) and put my workout video in. I stood there thinking gosh, bed was so nice. Then I started to warm up with Shawn T. He started to yell and I instantly woke up and felt better.

That is the way it is with activity. Whatever your mood, working out will always put you in a better place. It creates positive energy. If you're tired, it will give you pep. If you're already got enough pep, it will give you an extra dose. If you're feeling down, it will lift your spirits. It's the greatest antidepressant of all. And if you're already feeling good, you'll feel so good after that you won't be able to stand yourself (lol..okay maybe not). Or if you were like me today and really didn't want to do the work, you will instantly get inspired to finish.

There are times when I hate the gym, really hate it. Those evil voices in my head scream at me, go back home you don't need to workout. I don't let the voices win. I always tell myself if I still feel like this five minutes in I will leave. I have the five minute rule at the gym. If I my mood doesn't change five minutes in, I leave. I can honestly say I have only done this a few times. When the blood starts moving I feel better, 90% of the time!

So give yourself the five minute rule. Let working out create energy for you. Let it change your mood. Then let that energy carry you to great places in your life! Give yourself an energy boost and start moving! Five minutes! :) Enjoy your day!