Category Archives: Self-Help
Fat & Trapped? Maybe YOU Are Holding the Key.
As we approach the New Year, it’s not only important to look at what you WANT, but it’s crucial you look at what you DON’T want. Maybe failure is not about what you are doing, but what you are not doing.
Moving on, in many ways, means saying goodbye. The problem is, goodbyes are often hard, even when the place we are headed may be a good place to be. I don’t know why it is so hard to let go of the past, but it is. We prefer the known over the unknown I guess. Ironically, we often prefer the known even if the known is in prisoning us.
It may sound crazy, but I believe many of us don’t get to experience a lot of great things in life because we have such a strong grip on the past. This issue can also affect us when attempting to make New Year’s resolutions – especially when it comes to weight loss. Read the rest of this entry
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Do the Holidays have your Body in Reverse, Park or Drive?
So, you’re already thinking about what you are going to do in 2012 to get fit. You may have even asked for a new fitness toy for Christmas to help you reach your New Year goals – but what are you doing now?
Many people are gobbling up more Christmas treats than turkey and trading workouts for shopping this time of year, sabotaging your New Year’s goals already. If you treat your goal as a destination, you’ll realize how this makes no sense. Read the rest of this entry
7 Ways to Plan NOW for a Fit New Year
OK, so you’ve been thinking about the New Year already. You’ve been dreaming of how THIS is going to be YOUR YEAR and how you will FINALLY commit to losing weight and getting fit ONCE AND FOR ALL. You are so convinced and focused, you even put your “Face in the Hole” in your favorite FaceInHole.com scenario to give you extra motivation. Maybe that was just me. Ha!
Problem is, it’s easy to get so bogged down in Christmas activities that we find the New Year suddenly smacking us in the face – and we’re NOT ready for it. If we aren’t prepared, we’ll be one of those people finally starting their New Year’s Resolutions in February. Don’t believe me? Trust me, I’ve signed up a LOT of gym members in my time and I can’t tell you how many people finally come in WEEKS after they had hoped – even despite their good intentions. Read the rest of this entry
Shut Your Trap: Words can sabotage success
“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”.
We’ve all heard this saying, but maybe the person you are not being nice to is yourself. One of the most profound things I’ve heard recently was a statement from Joyce Meyer, “Some of you are depressing yourself with your own conversation. You don’t need any help from the devil. You don’t need anyone to discourage you. You are an expert at depressing yourself.”
I think this is even worse in today’s full of economic hardships and stress. Not only do we talk negatively about our circumstances but we often talk negatively about ourselves. Read the rest of this entry
Fat & Unhappy. Are You Running from the Inevitable?
Most people have heard the story about Jonah and the whale. If you haven’t, I’ll sum it up for you really quick (and hang in there with me, because this story has some SERIOUS punch when it comes to weight loss and making healthy changes).
Jonah’s story on disobedience:
In the story, God tells Jonah to go to a place called Nineveh and preach but Jonah didn’t want to go so he disobeyed and headed to Tarshish in attempt to hide (as if! Ha!). While on a ship to Tarshish, the Lord sent a mighty storm that was so bad everyone on board was afraid for their lives. Jonah knew the storm was due to his lack of obedience so he had them throw him overboard in order to save everyone’s lives. God calmed the sea and prepared a great fish (whale) to swallow Jonah. He was in his belly for 3 days and 3 nights before he finally prayed. After he prayed, God had the fish spit him out on to dry land and God told him, again, to go to Nineveh – this time Jonah obeyed. (Jonah 1-2)
The Lesson
When our pastor, Jim Gallagher asked his teenage son, Nate Gallagher if he’d consider teaching for him while he was out of town, I’m sure his first thought would have been to run to Tarshish too! However, he knew in his heart what he had to do – no matter how terrifying it was going to be. As he shared this story at Calvary Chapel Vero Beach, it sparked so many thoughts for me.
How long are you willing to run?
When I thought of Jonah being in the whale for 3 days before he prayed for help, I couldn’t help but think about how long we allow ourselves to stay miserable to avoid the inevitable. Whether it’s our weight, our career or our mental or physical health – you can start doing what is right now OR you can put it off and stay miserable just a little longer. The decision is yours.
Jonah was on the run – and he was basically uncomfortable the entire time. Starting with stormy seas and ending with seaweed wrapped around his head while he sat in fish guts. I imagine being in the belly of a fish would not be fun. The SMELLS alone would kill me! It wouldn’t take me 30 seconds to pray and agree to do whatever God had asked me to do. Yet, Jonah, in a picture of complete rebellion, sticks it out for 3 whole days.
How often do we rebel against what we know we must do? How often do we just have the attitude “you can’t make me” or “that’s not fair” – especially when it comes to food. We pout, we rebel, we disobey, we eat things we know we shouldn’t, and we try to “hide” from everyone and everything that reminds us of what we are supposed to be doing.
How long are you willing to let your choices affect the ones you love?
Another thing this story teaches us is Jonah’s actions affected others – almost getting everyone on that ship killed. Our disobedience and rebellion often affects the people who surround us whether we mean to or not. Sometimes it affects our health, which interferes with our roll as a mom, dad, spouse, worker or friend. It can affect our attitude, making it miserable to be around us because we are so miserable ourself. Sometimes our disobedience, especially when it comes to eating, affects what others do too. You know what they say “misery loves company” – and before you know it you are eating ice cream with a friend that has no business eating ice cream either.
How long will it take for you to JUST DO IT ?
The best part of the story to me is in chapter 2 verse 1 where God comes to Jonah for the second time and says “Arise and go to Nineveh“. A part of me wonders if Jonah thought maybe God would change his mind or maybe he’d give him another option, but no – the message did not change and my message won’t change for fitness either. You can hide, run away, stay miserable and make everyone else miserable around you while waiting on another message, but the message isn’t changing. If you want to look and feel healthy, it requires obedience and work. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh anymore than many of you want to go to the gym. But he obeyed, and it paid off – and I promise all your hard work in the gym will pay off too.
Like Jonah, you know what to do.
The question is “are you gong to keep running?”
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Scared Fat? Don’t let fear stand in the way!
How many things have you NOT done because you let fear or doubt take over your thoughts and actions? I can’t tell you how many people I have run into at the gym that let their insecurities lead their path. They never even have a chance at success because they don’t even give many things a try.
We have people that really need to attend an aerobics class that just don’t take it because they are scared of failing, sticking it out, not keeping up, going the wrong way, or doing the wrong thing. There are others who never go on the weight floor because they don’t like lifting their 5lb dumbbell next to beefy guys lifting 50lb dumbbells just one bench over. Then there are others who never even step foot in a gym because just walking in the door is scarier than a Halloween movie (Jason .
We ALL have our own ‘FIRSTS’
IF ONLY people would realize EVERYONE has those same fears. Everyone walks in a gym for the FIRST time, everyone has to take that FIRST class, and everyone tries an exercise for the FIRST time. Sure ‘FIRSTS’ are ALWAYS scary, but if you want to succeed you have to take that FIRST step – and the FIRST step is always the SCARIEST STEP.
Ironically, everyone around you is likely so worried about what they look like, they are too busy to even notice you or notice how much weight you are (or are not) lifting or how hard (or not so hard) you are working out. The gym is the ONE place you should be the MOST comfortable – it’s a place where EVERYONE is working to improve and every single person in that gym has that one thing in common.
Unfortunately, many people think they have to lose 10lbs before they can join a gym or they have to practice a certain class at home before they go “public” – but that is their pride talking. Some of you will buy every As Seen On TV fitness gadget and video so you can secretly workout at home when you can have much better instruction and much more fun at a gym but you let fear keep you hiding out in your living room using fitness junk and crappy fitness DVDs. Believe me, I understand the need to hide. I only want to do stuff I’m great at – which is pretty limiting considering I am not great at many things. There is a reason we call it an aerobics or yoga CLASS – it’s not an aerobics PERFORMANCE. Geeesh!!
It’s time we get over ourselves!!
Get over our pride, fear, insecurities and doubts. We need to start doing what we NEED to do and no longer only do what we feel comfortable doing. Whether it’s time to finally invest in the home gym of your dreams or join a gym – it’s time you take the plunge!!
What is the WORST that could happen? We try a diet and it doesn’t work for us – so what?! So we learned that diet doesn’t work so we can try another. So what if we workout everyday and don’t lose as much weight as we hoped – we are getting healthier. Really, there is nothing to lose when we just TRY, but we have EVERYTHING to gain! We gain experience and we make improvements – not matter how big or small.
What have you been avoiding?
Have you been wanting to take a yoga class but your fear has kept you away? Maybe you know you need a boot camp program to whip your body into shape but you are terrified it will be too hard (believe me – everyone is just as terrified as you that first day but the people who do it, get major results and NEVER regret it). Have you wanted to run a 5K or maybe even do a marathon but are scared of the unknown? You’re not alone. If you do any of these things you will be joining millions of others who are just like you, but they are doing it despite their fears.
Step outside of your comfort zone and take the first real step to success today.
10 Super Simple Tips to Cut Calories Comfortably
Say THAT 5 times fast!! “10 Super Simple Tips to Cut Calories Comfortably, 10 Super Simple Tips to Cut Calories Comfortably, 10 Super Simple Tip…” Sorry, couldn’t resist! Sounds like a tongue twister – hard to say! But there’s nothing hard about applying these tips! They’re truly Super Simple!
You’ve heard the saying “don’t sweat the small stuff” Well, that shouldn’t apply to calories if you are working your butt off to burn them. Small stuff adds up QUICK!
As I was pouring my coffee this morning, I started to read the back of the label to my powdered flavored coffee creamer. It’s only 35 calories per serving and I convince myself that I don’t use much since I don’t like my coffee that sweet. However, I realized I went through one in about a week and a half so I did the math. 35 calories times 60 servings for the whole container equaled a WHOPPING 2,100 calories!! That’s nearly 2/3 a pound I COULD have LOST, not EATEN!
So I continued to really make it sink in by finding out how many calories that would be for the year if I had one every other week. 54,600 CALORIES!! That’s 15.6LBS from 35 calorie coffee creamer. So I instantly decided I like my coffee black. haha Not really, but you bet your bottom I’m going to be using a LOT less of it!!
Here are 10 ways to cut calories without feeling deprived:
1.) First, ask yourself if you REALLY MUST have that one food item. If it’s not something you absolutely love and look forward to, cut it out completely.
2.) If you REALLY love it, don’t cut it OUT, cut it BACK. I love my coffee. Personally, I’d rather cut something else out of my diet to make room for it – but I do plan to use a little less creamer and be more aware how many calories I’m actually getting per day from it. Read the rest of this entry
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Sexy Body Hideous Soul – Fit Tips to Lookin’ Good Inside & Out!
Funny how much time, thoughts, dreams and energy we spend on (trying to) make our bodies look good naked (or in a wet shirt like this amazingly sculpted fella here – wowzers!). Fellow online BCxer, Nick Collins writes “I care too much about my appearance than I should. Im tired of not looking well enough to feel comfortable without a shirt. I think I’ve been beating myself up so hard that im losing sight of what is important.”
Nick is SOOOOO not alone! Not only do we get the privilege (sarcastic tone here) to see ourselves naked in the mirror (yuck!) and feel all our fat pockets, rolls and folds as we shower (double yuck!), but we also look at ourselves with a very critical eye (down right mean to ourselves). No one else sees that as much as we do. Even romantic nights are dimly lit or under covers (thank goodness!!). Bottom line, WE are in our face all the time. Read the rest of this entry
Staying Fit May Require MORE Than Just Working Out
This week I’ve really been working on BALANCE. This actually requires I do things OUTSIDE of working out that can improve the quality of your life. Doing things that rest your mind and soothe the soul.
For those of you who only know the fitness me, you may not know my family history or know my passions outside of fitness. I love art – I draw, design, paint and pretty much do anything I can that allows me to be creative. I also ride a motorcycle, which I LOVE. But more than anything else, music has been a part of me and what makes me who I am today.
Growing up with parents who were in a band, we all lived and breathed music. I played and sang at a young age (yep, that’s me in that pic!), singing for large crowds with my parents at 8 and playing drums with my school choir when I was 9. I took piano lessons for several years and picked up the trumpet, which I played all through school. Music was my passion, my therapy, my first love.
Then life happens. Read the rest of this entry
Fitness: How to Stay the Course, Weather Storms & Reach Your Destination
Are you in control of your ship or are you lost at sea?
We have the opportunity to steer our bodies and lives into the right, or wrong, direction – and if we choose NOT to steer our lives, then the world will steer it for us.
Who’s in control of your vessel?
Our lives are not much different than a ship in the ocean. Waves and winds can toss us around IF WE LET IT orrrrr we can take control of the direction we are heading. This doesn’t mean storms may slow us down or redirect our path for a period, but it DOES mean we don’t have to just float around letting life dictate our progress or final destination. YOU can be in control of your vessel or the world can.
Sure, the world can throw you Burgers, but do you really have to eat them? You can let friends pull you away from your goals or you can pull THEM to YOUR goals. People are easily influenced – both for good and bad. The bottom line is YOU have a choice to influence or be influenced.
Can you stay the course?
I think many people on a healthy journey of losing weight and getting fit let life’s storms and outside influences toss around a bit. It would be tough paddling a boat in the middle of the ocean toward land you can’t see – and that’s how many of us feel when working on fitness goals.
You can be making SERIOUS progress and getting MUCH closer to your goal, but feel defeated and lost. This is why we need to keep tools in our life to help you navigate and stay the course. Tracking weight loss, journaling how you feel along the journey and having a pair of “skinny jeans” to measure progress can Read the rest of this entry
