Category Archives: PFOCUS
FOCUS – MOTIVATION – INSPIRATION – EDUCATION.
This section is for those of you who need the motivation (and maybe even a kick in the pants) to focus, or refocus, on your goals.
Being Fit Tastes So Good
As most of you know I work for Sears’ online fitness community called FitStudio. One of my jobs is to write motivational tidbits to FitStudio members, which get emailed to members once a week. Here was today’s tip!
This week’s topics:
Razor Back Workout
Walk to a Different Beat Treadmill Workout
Mind Your Munchies Diet Tips
Poll: What’s Your Meal Environment?
Be sure to join FitStudio so you get more of these helpful tips and workouts.
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Failure Might Just Make You Mad Enough to Succeed
How do you handle failure? Do you fall apart? Do you quit? Or, do you get so mad you do something to change it – to change you?
I CAN Get Better
I can’t change my circumstance, but I sure as heck can change me. I CAN become better. I CAN learn from each and every mistake. I CAN continue pressing on no matter how much I’ve failed, no matter how others view me, and no matter what odds are against me.
I CAN Get One Step Closer
Will I become everything I want I hoped to? Will I achieve every goal or dream? I don’t know but, if I try, I can definitely become BETTER. I can get closer to my goals and dreams if I keep pressing on. But if I quit, I don’t just stay the same – I actually become worse, weaker, and further from my goal every single day I neglect to chase it.
I CAN Let Failure Fuel Me
One thing I know is I will use every ill word, every lame opinion, every frustrating obstacle and every negative comment to FUEL ME to become stronger and better. I will not let it destroy me, or my spirit.
I CAN Face Our Fears
I will not let my own doubt, insecurities, failures or fears paralyze me. I will face my fears head on and trust that God will give me the strength to handle everything that comes my way so that I can become everything He has designed me to be.
I CAN Press On
Today I decide, once again, to “keep showing up”.
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Work Like a DOG Because You are Eat Like a PIG?
ADDICTED
We’ve all met people who seem addicted to fitness. They live at the gym and workout really hard, but maybe they aren’t so much addicted to exercise as much as something else altogether.
ARE YOU A WORKAHOLIC
Think of it like a workaholic. Some people are literally slaves to work, but it’s not because they love working so much. It’s because they are slaves to their debtors. So, they get as much overtime as they can, take odd jobs, and work like crazy to balance overspending.
Many people aren’t afraid of work, they are afraid of missing out. They don’t want to part with the luxuries in life – cars, clothes, dining out, going out on the town, etc. So they work hard to maintain those things, even if they are bad for us.
QUIT WORKING OVERTIME
Maybe you need to stop eating like a pig so you don’t have to work like a dog. Yes, it’s harsh, but it’s honest. We can’t continue to rely on exercise to keep getting us out of trouble. It’s time you truly address the real problem: eating. It’s time to cut back, because what you are missing out on is much more valuable than your favorite food.
Are You Addicted?
Even if the true addiction is to food, it can result in exercise addiction too.
Rate yourself as honestly as you can below with the following checklist from Active.com:
- I have missed important social obligations and family events in order to exercise.
- I have given up other interests, including time with friends, in order to make more time to work out.
- Missing a workout makes me irritable and depressed
- I only feel content when I am exercising or within the hour after exercising.
- I like exercise better than sex, good food, or a movie — in fact there’s almost nothing I’d rather do.
- I work out even if I’m sick, injured, or exhausted. I’ll feel better when I get moving anyway.
- In addition to my regular schedule, I’ll exercise more if I find extra time.
- Family and friends have told me I’m too involved in exercise.
- I have a history (or a family history) of anxiety or depression.
Although some of these feelings are natural, and even healthy. Feeling good because of exercise is a good thing, but feeling good at the expense of harming relationships or your body, maybe a warning sign you are off balance.
If you can get a better grip on your food, you may not feel so obligated to workout as much. You won’t feel so guilty if you skip a workout, and you will feel more confident and healthy because you’re eating healthy – not just erasing your bad food.
Look deep within and find the real root of the problem, and take your fitness to a whole new healthy level.
Photo Credits:
Sweaty guy: metronews.ca
Cartoon: Illustration by Aaron Taylor, Site: UtahValleyBusinessq.com
Girl in the fridge: 40 years of faulty wiring
Balancing Act: metafitsolutions.com
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Never Easy, Always Worth It!
I don’t know why we even waste our time looking for the easy way. I mean, when has anything easy really paid off? Honestly, for me? Never.
Push!!!!!!!!
Think of it like childbirth. The birthing process, from what I understand, is not fun. However, it is very rewarding. When we are training, it’s like carrying a baby. We are growing a new physique, creating a new you. Like pregnancy, it also takes time and patience – and it can be a very long, uncomfortable journey.
There’s another similarity, and that’s how we feel the closer we get to the “due date”. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a pregnant mom, in her 8th month of pregnancy, say she hoped she went full term. Moms are normally very ready to get that baby out of there.
Hang in there!
In the same way, as you get closer to your goal weight, it’s easy to get impatient. Besides, you’ve been working toward this for months now – it’s time! No matter how read you are, no matter how tired you are, or no matter how discouraged you are, it’s super important you see it through.
It may be hard, it may be scary, you may fear failing, and you may wonder if you have what it takes – but whatever you do, don’t abort your goals. Take it all the way! Why? Because great things rarely ever easy, but they are ALWAYS worth it!
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Bonnie: A Misty Moment Photography
Woman in Labor: Crazy Pregnancy
Baby in Belly: Free Picture Prompts
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Breaking a Plateau May Take New Start
Have you ever just experienced something you almost didn’t go through with and thought “I’m so glad I did that”. This happens to me all the time. It’s not always about fitness either. It happens in all areas of our life. My laziness tempts me to stay at home, instead of doing something as silly as going bowling – and then I think “Wow! That was fun! I’m SO glad I did that”.
This not only happens when you are contemplating doing something, but it also happens when you are in the middle of something – like a diet or fitness program. We reach a physical and/or mental plateau. We begin to doubt if we are on the right path, or if it will be worth it – and we’re tempted to quit. Ironically, these times are often the valley right before an amazing mountain top experience.
Too Much Time at the Rest Area
Picture a guy on a journey, who gets tired, and decides to rest for a while. Does he rest forever? He could if he wanted to, if he’s satisfied with where he is. However, if he wants to get where he was headed, he’s going to eventually have to pick up where he left off and start moving again.
In this picture of Steve, only he knows what he’s doing. He could be putting the weight down, or he could also be picking it up. This is where many of us are in life. We are at a place where we can call it quits or we can claim a new start – the decision is all yours.
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The Success in Failing
People often fear failure so much they don’t even try. Maybe it’s the fear of wasting time. Some people are afraid of wasting hard work and energy with no results. Others simply let pride get in the way and just avoid trying so they don’t have to publicly fail or be embarrassed. However, maybe you’d think differently if you were to focus on what trying does – even if you don’t succeed like you’d hoped.
1. It gives you experience. There are very few people I’ve met who lose weight the very first attempt. Probably because they don’t go about it the correct way at first, but it’s that experience that teaches them along the way. Sure, people can tell you what you should or shouldn’t do until their blue in the face, but many people won’t listen until they experience it for themselves. With each attempt, you learn what you like and don’t like. You learn what got you results and what set you back. You also learn patience, and that is definitely something someone has to have when it comes to working on the physique. Either way, all my valuable experience and knowledge has not come from success, it’s come from failures too.
2. It exposes your flaws. I’m not talking about physical flaws, I’m talking about personality flaws. When you attempt a challenge, you learn yourself. It doesn’t take long to discover the areas that need improvement in your life. Trying something new grows you, changes you, and improves you – if you let it.
3. It shows you your strengths. I can’t tell you how many people come to me and say “I never thought I could do this”. How could they if they never tried it before. Whether it’s doing a push-up or running a 5K, there are so many people who are blown away by their own strengths simply because they never even tried.
4. It teaches you. Once you’ve failed, you know what not to do – and honestly, that is a very valuable lesson. Like a scientist experiments with trial and error, you are your own scientist working to reinvent your body. Through various trial and errors, you learn what works and what doesn’t work. Just like Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Although teachers said Thomas Edison was not bright, frustrating them so much his mom took him out of school, he ended up holding the world record of 1093 US patents for inventions such as the 1st commercial light bulb, phonogragh and the motion picture camera (Hollywood thanks you!).
If you have been resisting exercise, diet or a fitness challenge, like doing a race, have no more fear. Instead, go for it – knowing no matter what, you will end up a better person with a lot of really cool lessons learned along the way.
Photo Credits:
Fear Pic: swimupstreamlife.com
Plank photo: AmmaTherapy
Girl Flexing: historicalstockphotos.com
Thomas Edison: CNN
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Motivation that Moves You
For the most part, we don’t need more gyms. America doesn’t lack trainers and fitness enthusiasts either. And we especially don’t need more information on diet and exercise, yet here I am typing away.
Although I continue to add to the never-ending fitness online pot, the fact of the matter is I have no new information to add. The good news is most of you aren’t searching for more fitness facts. Most of you only need one thing – just a little motivation to get you through one more workout.
Be Moved to Move
You are likely looking for words that hit home, analogies that help you understand your body better or a fresh twist on an exercise that gets you moving and gives you a little extra oomph in the gym. It’s really less about the information and more about the impact. We want to be impACTed in such a way we are motivated to ACT. You want to be moved to MOVE!
Back to the Basics, “Just Show Up….Again”
Well, I’m here to encourage you. If you ACT, you will be impACTed. You WILL get results – and those results WILL motivate you to keep staying ACTive. We will not get results by sitting. We will not feel better by eating another crappy meal or skipping another workout. Of matter of fact, we’ll feel worse. The more sedentary you are, the longer you put off working out (or increasing intensity), the less motivated you will become. It’s a vicious cycle – and you have the choice to jump on the circle of ACTivity or the downward spiral of regression. Either way, you decide what cycle you want to be in.
They don’t call it ACTivity for nothin’. So get moving!
BCx Express 30-Minute Workout
Here is a simple 6-day workout program. Opt in the whole program and commit to doing it for 4 weeks, or commit to doing something smaller – like one or two of the workouts for each day. Remember, whatever you do, it’s better than nothing!! If you want more than this, join our full BCx Boot Camp program for more intense one-hour workouts.
Time is your trainer. Do each workout for time. That means you will be going as fast as you can to get the best time each time. Compare your times week to week to see your progress and for added accountability. Join the BCx Forum to interact with others and post times – and post times on facebook for even more accountability! You never know who will join you!
Day 1: Lower Body
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
The Bomb
Welcome Package
SSS – Skater/squat/shuffle
Day 2: Upper Body
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
Burnt 1
Burnt 2
Bear Crawl Suicides
Mountain Climber / Burpee Suicides
Day 3: Cardio & Abs
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
The Push
Ten-four
Boot Camp Core
Plank-n-simple
Day 4: Legs & Glutes
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
Dead Legs
Slow Mo
T.L.J. (thrust/lunge/jump)
Day 5: Arms & More
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
Burnt 3
Burnt 4
Burnt 5
Arm-a-get’n
Day 6: Abs & Cardio
Bcx Express™ Warm Up
The Fire
Boot Camp Core
Plank-n-simple
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What To Do Before Victory Comes
How many great things would you have missed if you didn’t show up?
Photo by Cherie Wren
How many times have you worked hard and done all the right things, for what seems like a lifetime, with little to no results? We may admit to making some improvements – but no matter how far we have come, it is so incredibly easy to get discouraged. It’s so easy to focus on how far we have to go, instead of far we’ve come.
I know I’ve talked about this before, but some topics just need to be addressed over and over again – and this is one of them. Whether we’re talking about the last 5lbs of fat or losing 100lbs – the end goal can seem like eternity when you are focused on a goal. Sometimes, quite frankly, I’m often tempted to just give up – and yesterday was one of those days for me.
Then it hit me. Have I become obsessed with my goal or am I just determined to get there? And what is the difference? I concluded that when you are determined, you are focused on a goal without losing focus of the rest of your life. However, obsession is focusing on a goal to the point you lose focus of everything else. If you are determined, you should become more disciplined and in control – not lose control.
Even though I feel it’s important to keep your goals within site, the main focus should be what you are able to do now. I believe you can get so overwhelmed with what needs to be done, it can paralyze you. This happens in marriage, work, fitness, relationships and in life in general.
The answer? Just Keep Showing Up! That was the answer a guy gave his coworker when asked how he’s stayed married so long – and honestly, it is so true. Sometimes the answer to success isn’t some majorly complicated philosophical response – sometimes it’s “just show up”.
If you are tired of being stuck at a plateau in your weight, or maybe you feel your job or marriage is not meeting your expectations, let me encourage you to keep showing up. You can’t win a race unless you show up – and you surely can’t experience victories in life if you don’t show up. There are so many wonderful things that happen to those who show up.
Just Keep Showing Up Photo: by A Misty Moment.
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Finish What You Started
Joyce Meyer once defined excellence as “Excellence is not extravagance. Excellence is simply being the best you can be with what you have”.
How often do we compare ourselves to others? How often do we define excellence as ‘best’ or by how much talent someone was born with? If you are honest, I bet it’s way too often. If excellence is being our best, then that means finishing what we started, no matter how we compare with others.
Just think how much greater we would be if we finished everything we started. Yet, we are often tempted to compare ourselves to others to the point it can make us quit – or worse, it can make us not even start.
Today let’s redefine what a winner is. It’s not 1st place. It’s YOUR 100%. YOUR best. It’s YOU finishing what you started. THAT’s what makes a champion. THAT’s what makes a winner. Vow today to finish what you have started. And no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes, never, NEVER give up!
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RUN LIKE A MOTHER! Join the Mother’s Day Race: Women Only 5K in 12 cities across the US. CLICK HERE to learn more via FitStudio. CLICK HERE to locate a race near you and register.
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When Our Will Makes the Way
Yesterday I talked about willpower, today I want to just talk about the will.
We’ve already determined that will means “to choose”, however, I still feel people initially think it means desire, or an inner strength, that we don’t have control of.
The first time I really thought about the word “will” was in my mom’s kitchen 18 years ago, when my mom was talking to me about marriage. As I was approaching our wedding date, mom explained to me that all the lovey-dovey feelings Steve and I currently had would eventually change. Not that our love would go away, but it would be different. She said “Love is not a feeling, it’s a choice. At some point in your marriage, you won’t ‘feel’ like loving Steve, but you will have to choose to continue to love Steve.”
This, coming from a woman who has been married to her high school sweet heart for over 40 years now, was information I needed to know. WHAT? You mean, you had times in your life where you didn’t love dad? Yup! There were times where she chose to love him even when she didn’t “feel” like it. Of course, when you do this, eventually your feelings change, and catch back up again, but these are the times many marriages give up.
Well, fast forward 18 years and I can say – She was right. Yes, you heard it mom! You were right. 
Steve and I have had those times and we knew in our heart we had to make the RIGHT decision no matter how we felt in the moment, and boy does it pay off – and the same goes for fitness.
We are faced with decisions everyday of things we don’t want to do, but things we SHOULD do. Like a marriage, we must make the RIGHT decisions, not the one that is easiest, or feels the best in the moment. Making the right choice will always pay off in the end.
Instead of saying “when there’s a will, there’s a way” we should say “our will makes the way” because making the right choices paves the way to success.
Don’t take the easy way out. It’s only temporary relief that prevents a long-term reward.
If this hit home for you, then read Steve’s blog today for more motivation and encouragement to do what is right for your body, right for your life.
