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Monday, December 29, 2014

intimidation.



As we tighten up for 2015 by setting goals, reflecting on the year that will soon pass and focusing on positive changes that we all hopefully made...and will continue making long into the New Year
we need to stop and remind ourselves to not become INTIMIDATED.
By the gym.  People around us that may not believe that we can achieve our goals.  By the long road ahead whether it's weight we need to lose, strength we need to gain or emotional eating battles we must fight.
As we worked out today, we had some faces that I hadn't seen in a while, which makes me so happy!!  One of them said something that stood out to me.  She said, "Whew, I feel so intimidated with how out of shape I have become..."

Of course we each have fears of failure and we surely don't want people to see those insecurities...BUT if we allow those feelings to take over and STOP us from trying then we've lost the battle within ourselves.  A sign that we've give up.  That intimidation has now taken over and we are at its mercy.  

I think people look up to those that keep trying.  The door keeps slaming in your face but you keep trying to open it.  You keep climbing regardless of how many times you've fallen back.  People envy that and admire that.  We ALL want to be fearless!  It's whether or not we allow intimidation to stand in our way.  

Time and time again I reflect on how many times I was intimidated by change but wanted it SO badly. I wanted it but never wanted to do the work for it.  That's just not possible.  We can't have our cake and eat it too...literally :)  

Of course I was intimidated by change.  Intimidated by failure.  By the people in the gym that seemed to look at me like, "when will she quit?" but I decided to turn that into a positive by proving them wrong...and myself wrong because deep down I didn't 100% believe I could until I did...
By allowing them to frighten me, they won.  They figured me out before I had even figured out what I wanted...
THEY WON.  
So you want to allow the doubters to win?  You want what they say about you to be true? "Oh she'll lose weight and then gain it again."  "Oh it's just a phase, she'll be overweight and out of shape in no time." "She's done this before and it never sticks...just give it time."...See for me I allow these thoughts to filter inside my mind then turn them into fuel.  That fuel pushes and inspires me to conquer the world.  I have no doubt that I'll have good days and bad...I've had plenty but it's how I keep moving forward that will motivate the people around me.  I want my boys to see a strong, healthy mother that puts her health as a priority so as they grow up, they will value their health just as much...
It's a cycle and they WILL practice what we preach.  If we model it they will hopefully follow...
Your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers...everyone!  That's how we make change!  TOGETHER! 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

THE STEP

I wonder where I'd be if I wouldn't have taken that first step back in 2001...

That step into the gym, the one that felt so heavy, 
almost as if the world was resting on my shoulders.

The people around me were going about their normal day and I sat in my parked car for hours.
I was terrified.
Will people stare at me? Will they wonder how that "big girl" will get through the workout?
Will they laugh at my lack of endurance?
Will I collapse and everyone stare and point fingers?
I won't know how to use the machines, will people offer to help or will I stand there, lost?  


As I sat in my car I thought about where I'd be if I had taken this STEP sooner?
No reason to dwell...time to walk in that gym, one foot in front of the other...
HERE WE GO.


...That SINGLE STEP changed my entire life.

I had saved my life.  I was losing weight, feeling good and so thankful that I was brave enough to take that first step...

Years passed and it was time to be brave once again...

Yep, I fell in love, created a family and started to let my health go.
THE one I worked so hard to accomplish.  That first step, did it mean anything anymore?
It was THAT step that allowed me to believe that I was strong enough to take control again and keep working my way toward better health.  It wasn't starting over for me.  It shouldn't be for you either.  It's a journey...
It was time to STEP out again.  This time was less scary because I knew the gym like the back of my head, I graduated with a degree in health and exercise for goodness sake BUT the hard part this time was very different.  

The STEP this time was admitting that I had let go...that I had fallen behind and was ready to catch up again.  

It's tough to admit we lost control but it only proves that we're human.  We have flaws and failure is part of life.  

It's getting back up, continuing to put one foot in front of the other EVERY day.  THIS step was just as difficult but again, it changed my life. 


It was January 2013 and my husband and I decided to run the Commitment Day 5K, promising to make 2013 our healthiest year yet but from the pictures, you can visibly see that it wasn't starting out that way...I had fallen behind once again.  But it was okay because I admitted it and it was time to fight back...
AGAIN!

Today I make STEPS toward my health every day.  
I have to.
It's part of who I am.
I am a symbol of strength and dedication to so many women and I do NOT take that lightly.
I take great pride in being their accountability.  Their symbol of honesty and hope.
I LOVE the journey because it brought me to where I am today.  
THAT FIRST STEP CHANGED THE PATH OF MY LIFE FOREVER!

Who knows where I'd be if I hadn't worked up the courage to get out of the car that day in 2001.  
Yes I've had steps backward 
but that FIRST step assured me that I AM CAPABLE.  I AM STRONG ENOUGH AND I WILL KEEP TAKING STEPS FORWARD.

If you feel down about taking a few steps back or maybe you're afraid to take that very first step toward your journey...REACH DOWN DEEP INSIDE 
and build up the courage to fight for YOU! 

My life wouldn't be what it is today without the million steps I've taken through life.  
I regret none of them because it helped me become who I am today.  
I am a women who understands what failure looks and feels like.  I know about taking steps backward, I've taken them a million times but I also know how beautiful that FIRST step feels.
  
The step that represents SO many things...take it! 
It makes you so incredibly vulnerable just thinking about it but take it anyway!  
You'll NEVER regret it!  

Monday, December 15, 2014

party recap and "knowing the struggle on the inside"

Another Move It Momma Christmas party is in the books!  OH such fun!!!

We clean up nicely!
There was plenty of laughter throughout the night, making for a great evening with beautiful people!  These ladies are absolutely gorgeous and they are like family to me :)


We talked after workout today about people seeing the struggles that we fight day to day.  
If these struggles are not voiced within our group then I fear that some feel as though they are fighting alone.  The thing that we most have in common?  
STRUGGLES.

The struggles are what makes us come together 
to accomplish the goal each week to stay healthy!
It's the ONLY thing that works for me, personally
 so they save my life by showing up each week!  It's true.  

What struggles?  Let's see...

We struggle to show up to the workouts. Even I do and I'm the instructor! 
We want to sleep in, stay in our pj's and conquer the day from the couch but we DON'T.

We struggle to NOT eat that bag of chips on the counter or those honey bun's in the pantry.
But it's not just "Oh that looks delicious." For me it's TOUGH.  I seriously talk to myself, out loud to tell myself I don't need that, it's only my mind wanting it because I'm tired, stressed, bored, etc!  IT.IS.HARD to stay away at every hour of every day.  I have to fight that urge to open the pantry to mindless munching.  I have to tell myself I don't need that bag of Doritos that's staring me down at the grocery store.  I have to have an argument with myself over each and every bite that goes into my mouth.  Am I afraid one day I'll spiral out of control?  Not anymore because I'm honest with myself and if I screw up and go overboard, I forgive myself because I'm human and I keep at it knowing tomorrow is a new day, or that next meal needs to be smarter.  BUT if I try and fool myself into thinking that this struggle is easy then I'm lying to myself and setting up to fail.  

We struggle to NOT compare ourselves to one another.
It's okay to be truthful on this one.  We, as women, want what others have.  Oh I wish I had your tummy, legs, thighs, butt...and the list goes on.  Truth is, we can struggle here but we must accept ourselves the way that we are.  I am not a curvy woman and I always admit that I wish I had curves.  I hate being tall but openly admit it.  But I also know I am strong and that we as women must lift one another up instead of drag one another down.  We lose sight of our own value, strength and courage when we are constantly living in the shadows of "what we wish we had." and it does not make it okay to bash another woman for taking care of her health, due to jealously that you can't justify because that woman overcomes her struggles each day. It must end.

We struggle to be honest with ourselves.
Honesty makes us stronger. The honesty is what helps people grow, change & inspire one another. 
I personally tell it like it is. I have loose skin and stretch marks. I have had no surgeries or tools that helped me get healthy...ever. Yes I took supplements here and there until I educated myself on proper nutrition in college. But it must be the work YOU put in, the struggles you overcome each moment, and the sacrifices YOU make to be healthy. 

Don't live trapped inside a body that doesn't "work". It's no way to live and you CAN fight back. Make a positive outcome out of the battles you fight within. To me, the more you struggle, the harder you'll push! 
It makes you indestructible! 

Let the STRUGGLE BUILD YOU UP 
INSTEAD OF KNOCK YOU DOWN! 


Monday, December 8, 2014

Could have been or what will be?

Which will be YOU?
A little Monday Motivation around the Holiday Season!  A time of year to celebrate our lives, families, friends, our faith and OUR HEALTH!  We all know 2015 is around the corner and we'll be bombarded with NEW YEAR, NEW YOU motivation but will you spend another year saying "could have been?"  HOPE NOT...
Will you look back and say, "My life could have been better?"  Or will you be the "I did it!"
My younger years were back and forth.  I had years where I'd keep my weight down significantly and maintain for a bit here and there. I also had years that seemed to get worse before they would get better...I'd gain quite a bit of weight in a short amount of time from constantly overeating meal after meal but then I'd set myself straight, starve and be back on the right track, I think?

Although that picture on the left reflects a shorter time in my life, it was my heaviest and the middle represents where I stayed for YEARS... it is my "could have been" phase.  Because while I love to stand by the NO REGRETS attitude, I do have regrets.  Somewhat.  I don't wish for a different life because this life led me to where I am today, helping people.  
The important thing is that I didn't STAY in the "could have been " stage forever...
the life of regret.

INSTEAD I said, "What will I do to change my life? What will I do to be healthy once and for all?"
And I did it.
Was it easy?  NO.
Did I stumble and take two steps back...more than a few times?  YES.
But I didn't give up because I knew giving up meant going back to "could have been" and I wanted to change SO badly.  For my health, my happiness, for ME...I wanted to be the "what will be!"


Want it badly enough that you'll do anything to reach it.
It will give you just enough fuel to push you through the process.  That's not saying life won't knock you down a time or two...it's saying you will never quit!  EVER!  Even after you reach the destination...You'll make a promise to keep climbing, reaching and exceeding and making your "WHAT WILL BE" different and exciting...EVERY DAY!  

Monday, December 1, 2014

all or nothing...

is NOT the way it has to be, or the way it should be.

I cannot stress how important finding balance can be.  It will set you up to fail or succeed, trust me.  
  
I'm living proof and while I know the "why" because it is what I studied in college, it doesn't quite set you up for the emotional roller coaster that comes with healthy living or lack there of.
You see I struggled to find the balance for so many years.  

I would spend months overeating and splurging with every meal, never allowing my body time to burn the calories I had consumed.  
In other words, I didn't have a chance to lose weight AT ALL.  
This was me giving in to failure over and over again.  
I would consume far too many calories, NEVER exercise
 yet constantly complain about why life wasn't fair and why I wasn't losing weight?  I mean, really?

Then my balance would swing the other way.  I had become fed up with the way things were so I'd starve?  Yes, that had to be the answer?  
So I'd eat far too few calories, NEVER exercise and 
now really complain about how life wasn't fair and why did I have to try so hard for such tiny results?  

You can only wonder why I became so frustrated with myself for years! 
Right?

So then you'd see the vicious cycle return and I'd start out heavier than before, eat even MORE, exercise even less (if that was possible?) and I found myself further back then where I started months prior.  Ugh, it's tiring just writing about it 
so you can imagine how my body and mind felt as I'd spiral out of control.  

I honestly believe that we are brought up watching women become obsessed with appearance.  I'm too tall, short, skinny or fat so let me try the latest craze to see if I can knock this out before this party then I'll let it all go for a few months before our trip when I really need to step it up.  Is that the truth?  I hear it constantly..."I have a wedding coming up", "my 20 year reunion is coming up and I need to lose 50lbs", "I need to lose 20lbs by summer"...but I think we've got it all wrong.

Thinking that way only sets ups up for negative behaviors and that yo-yo effect.  
It doesn't have to be all or nothing to be successful.
I thought that way for so long that it's a daily struggle to teach my body and mind differently.
You see these days I focus on one day, one hour or one minute at a time.  
If I make a positive food choice or I workout hard, I praise myself for a job well done!  
And you should too!  

I'm not out to be on the cover of Fitness Magazine-unless they'd love to feature me??!  LOL
So I'm not going to go all or nothing again...it ends badly for me and I know it's not the answer.
BALANCE is tough but it is THE only thing that works for me.  
It is the only way I avoid feeling like I'm trapped in this healthy way of living.  
It can be SO difficult at times and I know that but to maintain the balance is SO much easier than the bouncing back and forth, physically and emotionally.  I'm far less exhausted and that matters for someone who struggles with tying emotions to food :(  

I'm not a doctor so I can't suggest what will work for you but if you relate to what I described then it's time to start balancing your life and STOP the cycle of "dieting", beating yourself up and quitting.  It's far more exhausting than a great workout and healthy foods, trust me!





You have THREE solid weeks before Christmas break (for your children!)
so my local group of Momma's decided we'd start a challenge.  If you'd like to follow along, "Like" The Move It Momma on Facebook and join in!  They have put $5 into a pot and there are three ways to win.  Most attendance at my local classes, most weight lost and most inches lost!  ANYTHING that helps me encourage, motivate and inspire works for me!  It's the accountability around the Holiday's that helps so much.  Especially when we are in a world full of Pumpkin Lattes and cookies galore this time of year LOL!  STAY STRONG and practice balance.  Don't go into it with the "all or nothing" attitude.  You may find yourself set up to fail.  Instead, pick your indulges!  Don't give in all of the time but instead set times aside that you know you'll indulge just a bit and prepare to kick it up the next day, staying structured with your foods and exercising vigorously!  It works, trust me!  


On our group page I shared what I eat throughout the day so here's my daily eats in pictures!  This was breakfast from today, 2 snacks and lunch!

1/2 c oats with fresh raspberries and cinnamon.  
handful of natural almonds and a crumbled white cheddar rice cake
3 egg whites sauteed in coconut oil spray on a whole wheat thin with a clementine orange
1/2 c plain Chobani Greek served with 12 brown rice crackers. 
and finally our dinner is in the works...
1 lbs Jenni-O breakfast sausage, 1 lb extra lean ground turkey combined with chopped garlic and chopped onion.
Add 2 cans tomato sauce no salt added and simmer!
Boil low carb pasta, roast spaghetti squash, or use brown rice or quinoa pasta to go along with it...and don't forget your fresh veggies of your choice :)