Are we afraid to succeed? I think we can be. We all WANT success, but can hold back. So, what are we so afraid of? Maybe we're afraid of trying new things or doing something difficult. Maybe we are afraid of taking risks or care too much about what people will think of us. Maybe we don't know how to go about reaching our goal. There is fear of the unknown and being afraid that we won't know what to do when we do meet our goals.
One of the top fear factors that holds people back is the FEAR OF FAILURE. That little voice in our minds starts messing with us: "You'll never do that. You can't. It's too hard... It's too risky... Don't even try." Failures are normal in life. They happen on your way to success. This is something that has been forgotten over time. People want instant this and instant that and want to skip right over the failure part. Failure is what makes us stronger....more interesting....it lets us give advice to others when we see them struggling.
I have always been inspired by other people's words. Here are some thought provoking excerpts that I keep hung up in my closet so I can see them daily:
"Seek New Horizons: Once upon a time, we believed the world was flat- that beyond a certain point, there would be nowhere to go. And though we now know the world is round, we still fear falling off imaginary edges, too often thinking there's only so far we can stretch, so hard we can push. The most dangerous limits are those in our own head. When you feel you're at your edge, look again. You can go farther."
"Growing means taking risks. Being fearful is natural, but getting beyond your barriers leads to growth and reward. Move ahead, even when it terrifies you. You'll be happy you did. MAKE GOALS. LIVE YOUR PLAN."
Pick a fitness goal and start working on it. Start with a small one if you have to. Remember that it can take time to meet a goal. Focus on the rewards, not the time it takes to get there. Push fear aside and just go for it!! I mean, what is the worst that can happen (other than hurting yourself)? That you flop and have to try again? That's the road to success. Plan for the obstacles and head out on your journey. Don't be afraid.
Saturday
Wednesday
Gym Pals
Gym pals, workout buddies, whatever you want to call them- they are the people that make it more fun to go to the gym. It's the familiar, friendly faces around you that give you a reason to get up in the morning and do your workout. In a way, they hold you accountable. These are the people that say, "You can do it!" or "You did great!" when you finish that last set or rep.
I remember when I first joined the Y, I didn't know more than one or two people. If you go at roughly the same time each day, you learn quickly who the regulars are. Eventually, you become friends with some of those people and even socialize outside the gym. If I don't show up at my regular time, I inevitably have somebody comment to me the next day, "Hey, I didn't see you here yesterday." I had one person tease me that he almost sent a cop care by my house to check on me because he was afraid I went missing! I joke that if I don't show up, I'm either sick or dead. It's nice to have people to bond with and exchange ideas with at the gym.
I went to a "fancy" gym in our city this summer on a free-week pass. The locker room, kids program, and outdoor pool were the most impressive things to me. Other than that, machines are machines and weights are weights. They just had more of them. The thing was, I didn't have my gym buddies. Nobody to smile at and greet. It felt a little lonely. I was lucky to run into a few people that I knew in passing. After a few days, I was ready to go back to the Y. I liked the atmosphere better. I missed my friends. (Sidebar: I did have fun at the "fancy" place showing the guys in the free weights that a woman CAN indeed rock the heavy weights and swing a barbell around a bit. They looked at me like an alien.)
My gym pals ultimately helped me start on this journey of being a personal trainer and they still support me every step of the way. If any of you are reading this, thanks, guys!
I remember when I first joined the Y, I didn't know more than one or two people. If you go at roughly the same time each day, you learn quickly who the regulars are. Eventually, you become friends with some of those people and even socialize outside the gym. If I don't show up at my regular time, I inevitably have somebody comment to me the next day, "Hey, I didn't see you here yesterday." I had one person tease me that he almost sent a cop care by my house to check on me because he was afraid I went missing! I joke that if I don't show up, I'm either sick or dead. It's nice to have people to bond with and exchange ideas with at the gym.
I went to a "fancy" gym in our city this summer on a free-week pass. The locker room, kids program, and outdoor pool were the most impressive things to me. Other than that, machines are machines and weights are weights. They just had more of them. The thing was, I didn't have my gym buddies. Nobody to smile at and greet. It felt a little lonely. I was lucky to run into a few people that I knew in passing. After a few days, I was ready to go back to the Y. I liked the atmosphere better. I missed my friends. (Sidebar: I did have fun at the "fancy" place showing the guys in the free weights that a woman CAN indeed rock the heavy weights and swing a barbell around a bit. They looked at me like an alien.)
My gym pals ultimately helped me start on this journey of being a personal trainer and they still support me every step of the way. If any of you are reading this, thanks, guys!
Monday
Change
Change is hard. Making changes that are long term are even harder. So, how do we know when it's time to make a change in our lives? What is the trigger that makes us think, "I've had enough! Something has to change!" I realize that this can apply to many things in our lives, but for the purpose of this post, I'm talking about introducing healthy changes that lead to healthier bodies.
For me, change was signaled by the way I physically felt and the reflection in the mirror. I can still hear my inner self saying, "Enough is enough!" when I saw myself in pictures looking frumpy trying to hide in baggy sweaters or when I tried on outfit after outfit and felt frustrated every morning. The final straw was when a friend innocently offered me a coupon to a plus-sized store. I told myself right then that something HAD to change. I was not going to step foot into that store. That was four or five years ago and I've slowly made healthy changes ever since.
Think about your own life--
Embrace change.
For me, change was signaled by the way I physically felt and the reflection in the mirror. I can still hear my inner self saying, "Enough is enough!" when I saw myself in pictures looking frumpy trying to hide in baggy sweaters or when I tried on outfit after outfit and felt frustrated every morning. The final straw was when a friend innocently offered me a coupon to a plus-sized store. I told myself right then that something HAD to change. I was not going to step foot into that store. That was four or five years ago and I've slowly made healthy changes ever since.
Think about your own life--
- Do you feel like something has to change for you to meet your health and fitness goals? What changes are you willing to make?
- What changes are you NOT willing to make? (i.e.- is dessert just that important?) Will that keep you from meeting your goals?
- What is it going to take to trigger change in your life? (i.e.- A feeling? A visual? A health scare?)
Embrace change.
Friday
Good things happen outside your comfort zone.
People will do ANYTHING to stay in their comfort zone. A comfort zone is the place where things feel easy, safe, and comfortable. Things don't necessarily feel like work or feel hard in the comfort zone. There is no risk involved.
Visualize your comfort zone at the gym or wherever you normally exercise: Are you safely and comfortably riding the exercise bike or elliptical? Are you even sweating? Walking to nowhere on the treadmill for an hour? Are you tucked in a corner doing a million crunches on the floor? Are you bored?
I'll be blunt: if it seems easy or even boring, you probably aren't going to change your body. To make your body change, you have to make it do what it's not used to. Our bodies are smart- they adapt quickly to what we do routinely. If you do the same level and speed on the elliptical every single workout, your body will know exactly what to expect the minute you step on it. You will end up burning less calories because you are already so efficient at this workout.
One of my favorite fitness sayings is "If you do what you've always done, you're going to get what you've always gotten." Think about it. It makes sense. Get out of your same old rut by trying these things:
1) Whatever you do should feel challenging. Sweat and breathe hard. Change the speed or intensity of your favorite activity. Try doing intervals of work vs. rest. (This is personally my favorite way of doing cardio.)
2) Shake things up and try something you haven't done before. Need ideas? Look online or watch others around you during your workout. If you are outdoorsy, take a new hike route with a weighted backpack or walk a local trail and throw in some squats or lunges every so often.
3) Don't worry about looking "different." Who cares??!! If you want to stay in the comfort zone, look around you at the other people on those same machines in the same comfort zone and tell me if ANY of them have the body that you want. Stay focused on how new challenging things can change your body or at least get you out of your workout rut.
4) Change your workouts every 4-6 weeks. Especially when you lift weights.
There aren't too many things that are outside of my comfort zone at the gym. People look at me like I'm crazy all the time, but I'm over it. Maybe I am inspiring them to try something new. Trust me, the more you get out of your comfort zone, the less aftraid you'll be. Hey, YOU might inspire others to do the same!
Visualize your comfort zone at the gym or wherever you normally exercise: Are you safely and comfortably riding the exercise bike or elliptical? Are you even sweating? Walking to nowhere on the treadmill for an hour? Are you tucked in a corner doing a million crunches on the floor? Are you bored?
I'll be blunt: if it seems easy or even boring, you probably aren't going to change your body. To make your body change, you have to make it do what it's not used to. Our bodies are smart- they adapt quickly to what we do routinely. If you do the same level and speed on the elliptical every single workout, your body will know exactly what to expect the minute you step on it. You will end up burning less calories because you are already so efficient at this workout.
One of my favorite fitness sayings is "If you do what you've always done, you're going to get what you've always gotten." Think about it. It makes sense. Get out of your same old rut by trying these things:
1) Whatever you do should feel challenging. Sweat and breathe hard. Change the speed or intensity of your favorite activity. Try doing intervals of work vs. rest. (This is personally my favorite way of doing cardio.)
2) Shake things up and try something you haven't done before. Need ideas? Look online or watch others around you during your workout. If you are outdoorsy, take a new hike route with a weighted backpack or walk a local trail and throw in some squats or lunges every so often.
3) Don't worry about looking "different." Who cares??!! If you want to stay in the comfort zone, look around you at the other people on those same machines in the same comfort zone and tell me if ANY of them have the body that you want. Stay focused on how new challenging things can change your body or at least get you out of your workout rut.
4) Change your workouts every 4-6 weeks. Especially when you lift weights.
There aren't too many things that are outside of my comfort zone at the gym. People look at me like I'm crazy all the time, but I'm over it. Maybe I am inspiring them to try something new. Trust me, the more you get out of your comfort zone, the less aftraid you'll be. Hey, YOU might inspire others to do the same!
Wednesday
ALARM Bells!!
The following information has come from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM):
Recommendations:
Adults: Get 150 minutes of moderate activity each week (walking, biking, etc) or 75 minutes of vigorous (sweaty and heavy breathing kind of stuff!) activity per week. Split it up each day so it doesn't seem like so much.
Kids: 60 minutes of physical activity per day. It seems like these days, kids need to be "sent" outside (like I have to do with mine!) instead of them just wanting to be outside. It's the adults that have to watch out for the kids and help them to be successful and healthy.
Unfortunately, these statistics are the new normal. There is nothing normal about them. People have become sedentary due to technological advances and are eating more processed foods due to busier schedules and the convenience of those foods. If everyone arms themselves with knowledge, they can make changes from there. Let's start today!
- 66% of American adults are overweight (Needing to lose up to 25 pounds). 34% of these adults are obese. (Obese= needing to lose 30 pounds or more)
- By 2015, experts predict that 75% of American adults will be overweight or obese!!
- Children with two overweight/obese parents have an 80% chance of becoming overweight. It is a 40% chance for children with one overweight/obese parent.
- 10.4% of kids ages 2-5 are obese.
- 17% of kids ages 6-11 are obese.
- 18.1% of kids ages 12-19 are obese.
- Nearly 40% of calories youth consume are from solid fats and added sugars.
- More than 60% of American adults are not regularly active. 25% are not active at all.
- Over half of young boys and 3 out of 4 young girls do not engage in daily physical activity.
Recommendations:
Adults: Get 150 minutes of moderate activity each week (walking, biking, etc) or 75 minutes of vigorous (sweaty and heavy breathing kind of stuff!) activity per week. Split it up each day so it doesn't seem like so much.
Kids: 60 minutes of physical activity per day. It seems like these days, kids need to be "sent" outside (like I have to do with mine!) instead of them just wanting to be outside. It's the adults that have to watch out for the kids and help them to be successful and healthy.
Unfortunately, these statistics are the new normal. There is nothing normal about them. People have become sedentary due to technological advances and are eating more processed foods due to busier schedules and the convenience of those foods. If everyone arms themselves with knowledge, they can make changes from there. Let's start today!
Monday
My Story
I'm posting my first testimonial: mine. My struggle with weight really didn't start until after I had each of my kids (I have 3 kids). Each pregnancy, I struggled to get back to pre-pregnancy weight or even close to it. I really didn't put fitness on the top of my priority list at the time. I was too busy with babies and just trying to make it through each day. In 2008, when my youngest was 2, we joined the local YMCA. I finally found my sanity. One hour a few days a week to myself while the kids played in the child care. I felt no guidance and had no idea what I should be doing to change my body other than figuring out a way to burn calories. So, I lived on the treadmill, walking to nowhere and really getting minimal results. I worked out there and took a few water aerobics classes until 2010. At that point, I got interested in the weight machines. I also took some of the workouts from fitness magazines and tried those. I felt VERY uncomfortable in the free weight area. It seemed intimidating. So, I went from machine to machine and did the treadmill on the side.
In early 2011, one of my gym friends introduced me to a few authors/trainers that I now exclusively follow: Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove. (Look them up!!) I finally had some direction and was talked into venturing WAY outside my comfort zone. I started doing things in the free weights that I never dreamed of. The results came quickly and a year and a half later, I have completely transformed my body. No bulkiness from weight lifting, just strength, power, and a tighter body. I can even do unassisted chin ups! It is addicting and empowering all at the same time. I have to say that at almost 38 years old, I am in the best shape of my adult life. Oh, and I don't go on the treadmil anymore at all.
Here are some pictures from the past few years:
This one is from 2009. I believe I was at least a size 14. (At my absolute heaviest, post baby, I was an 18.)
This is just a little over a year ago. Size 10, but still some work to do. Notice how I wore black again. Slimming, I guess.
Me, last week. I wanted a photo that I could use to promote my personal training business. I never thought I would say that I was a size 6. Smaller than I was in high school.
That is my story in a nutshell. When people tell me that I'm "so" or "too" skinny, I simply say that I've just taken the fat off my body and that this is what I'm SUPPOSED to look like. Our society has a skewed view of normal body size these days. I am strong and healthy and I feel great. What's the old saying?? "If I can do it, YOU can do it!"
In early 2011, one of my gym friends introduced me to a few authors/trainers that I now exclusively follow: Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove. (Look them up!!) I finally had some direction and was talked into venturing WAY outside my comfort zone. I started doing things in the free weights that I never dreamed of. The results came quickly and a year and a half later, I have completely transformed my body. No bulkiness from weight lifting, just strength, power, and a tighter body. I can even do unassisted chin ups! It is addicting and empowering all at the same time. I have to say that at almost 38 years old, I am in the best shape of my adult life. Oh, and I don't go on the treadmil anymore at all.
Here are some pictures from the past few years:
This one is from 2009. I believe I was at least a size 14. (At my absolute heaviest, post baby, I was an 18.)
That is my story in a nutshell. When people tell me that I'm "so" or "too" skinny, I simply say that I've just taken the fat off my body and that this is what I'm SUPPOSED to look like. Our society has a skewed view of normal body size these days. I am strong and healthy and I feel great. What's the old saying?? "If I can do it, YOU can do it!"
Saturday
Life Support
If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be working as a personal trainer, I would have laughed and shaken my head. (This did indeed happen a few times.) It's funny how life can throw you surprises that way. The truth is, the reason I'm going into this profession is because the supportive people in my life saw that potential in me and helped me believe that I could be successful doing something that I was so passionate about.
I call this post "Life Support" not because I'm going to write about the machines that can keep someone alive, but about the people in life that encourage and support us while we attempt greatness. If not greatness, at least support us as we try something new or work to achieve a goal. It's no secret that social support can strongly influence behavior and beliefs. People who have that support in life fare better, whether you are trying to change eating habits, are training for a marathon, or are just attempting exercise adherence.
Social support can be friends, family, coworkers, and other people who provide encouragement, support, accountability, and companionship. It is imperative that who you surround yourself with has a positive attitude and will help you meet your goals rather than hinder you. Negativity is poison to your success and will suck the motivation right out of you.
Life support =
I'm so thankful to have a supportive husband, family, friends, and gym pals! Without them, I wouldn't be headed in this direction.
I call this post "Life Support" not because I'm going to write about the machines that can keep someone alive, but about the people in life that encourage and support us while we attempt greatness. If not greatness, at least support us as we try something new or work to achieve a goal. It's no secret that social support can strongly influence behavior and beliefs. People who have that support in life fare better, whether you are trying to change eating habits, are training for a marathon, or are just attempting exercise adherence.
Social support can be friends, family, coworkers, and other people who provide encouragement, support, accountability, and companionship. It is imperative that who you surround yourself with has a positive attitude and will help you meet your goals rather than hinder you. Negativity is poison to your success and will suck the motivation right out of you.
Life support =
- Having support: Let friends and family know your goals so that they can support you!
- Being supportive to others: Be uplifting to help others achieve their goals! So many times, we unintentionally sabotage each other when we feel the other person will be successful and we won't.
- Supporting yourself: Think positively and get what you need to be successful. (i.e.-a babysitter to watch the kids while you work out, information on new classes or workouts, etc.) Nobody is going to do it FOR you.
I'm so thankful to have a supportive husband, family, friends, and gym pals! Without them, I wouldn't be headed in this direction.
Monday
A Fitness Journey
Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT. Fitness is a journey and you can't put it in simpler terms than this. Unfortunately, most people don't do the "STAY" part of it. I recently read that 95% of people gain back the weight that they lost. Some people not only gain it back, but gain even more. How discouraging is that??!! It isn't a mystery as to why this happens.......one reaches their goal and then stops because they are there and somehow think the work is over. Or, one stops short of their goals because life got in the way or it just got too hard. Personally, I think this also happens because people just don't know what to do next and don't take the initiative to figure something out. Regardless, the "get" and the "be" are the easier of the three stages of the fitness journey. If you want the hard part, it lies in the "stay."
Right out of college, I was the Center Director for a Jenny Craig center in a suburb of St. Paul, MN. Most clients could make changes and find some success in the beginning. Then, something inevitable would happen: excuses. There was an excuse for everything. During my time there, I found myself losing patience with the excuses. I wanted my clients to be successful and STAY successful, but I couldn't want it FOR them. They had to want it for themselves. Needless to say, there were many clients that got to their goal only to come back again later and do it all over again.
I don't know all of the secrets to help people STAY successful. I do know a few that I will share:
ANYONE can Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT.
Right out of college, I was the Center Director for a Jenny Craig center in a suburb of St. Paul, MN. Most clients could make changes and find some success in the beginning. Then, something inevitable would happen: excuses. There was an excuse for everything. During my time there, I found myself losing patience with the excuses. I wanted my clients to be successful and STAY successful, but I couldn't want it FOR them. They had to want it for themselves. Needless to say, there were many clients that got to their goal only to come back again later and do it all over again.
I don't know all of the secrets to help people STAY successful. I do know a few that I will share:
- Constantly set new goals for yourself
- Decide what you want and why
- It's supposed to be a hard journey. If it was easy, everyone would be fit (and stay there).
- Just keep going....even when life gets in the way. Start back up if you have to stop for awhile.
ANYONE can Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT.
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