Fitness Motivation: The Hardest Step is the 1st Step
In my opinion, the actual run (or workout) is not the hardest part. It’s getting there. It’s putting your workout clothes on, and stepping away from the computer, kids, and responsibilities to START your workout.
Once I’m “there” (whether on the road or in the gym), I love it – but it’s like there is an invisible forcefield at the front door that makes it so challenging to step through that door and transform into the fit girl I love to be.
May the Force Be With You
For some people, there is an evil forcefield that seems to block them from going to the gym. It comes in the form of work, kids, laziness, fear, embarrassment, procrastination, guilt and many other forms.
BUT, once you have made a commitment to show up, the forcefield is broken. The same way Snow White could be woken from the curse with the most simple task, with true love’s kiss, YOU can break the curse by an equally simple task. You just have to show up.
Don’t Think So Much
I think we overcomplicate things. We spend too much time worrying about what we are going to do when we get there, what we are going to wear, what our kids are going to think when we stick them in day care, what we have to cook for dinner, how we will squeeze it all in, what we are going to look like when we are floundering around the gym as a newbie, or how we are going to feel – embarrassed, fat, weak or out of shape.
Some people even think they need to lose weight BEFORE they go to the gym! That’s like trying to get well before going to the doctor. All these silly thoughts do is allow that forcefield to go up.
Just Show Up
It’s time to tear down the walls of intimidation, fear, laziness, and excuses – and just focus on one thing: Show Up. Day after day, just keep showing up. Once your feet hit the pavement, it’s golden. Once your body walks through the gym doors, you are set. The rest is easy! Most people would agree that they enjoy the feeling they get when they workout, they just have a hard time with the “starting” part.
Commit.
Start.
Do.
Succeed!
The shoes in this pictures are the Reebok DMX Sky. They are really cool shoes that use air as cushion. I’ve been having ankle issues and I wore these yesterday and had the first day in several days with no pain. So, if you need extra support and like extra cushion, I’d definitely give these shoes a try. Very cool kicks.
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Fast Shoulder Circuit
Yesterday was shoulder day for me, and this is the workout my girlfriend and I did. Instead of doing traditional reps and sets, I wanted to set up stations that we could quickly move through to really set those shoulders on fire, as well as get our heart rate up too. It was a quick workout, but judging by how nice and sore I am today, it was a successful workout! Have Fun!
Tools: One medium weight Bar/plates or dumbbells (I only did 30lbs), yellow bodylastics band or 5lb dumbbells, 8-10lb dumbbells, 25-35lb plate (or the bar) and a green bodylastics band (or 8-10lb dumbbells).
Complete the following exercises as quickly as possible, with no rest between exercises or rounds. Click on each exercise below to review the demonstration video.
- 12 Dumbbell Overhead Press 30-45lbs
- 12 Lateral Raise Light Band or 3-5lb dumbbells
- 12 Ladder Presses 8-10lb dumbbells
- 12 Upright Row - 25-35lb barbell or plate weight
- 12 Rear Delt Fly - Light to Medium Band (or Rear Delt Fly with dumbbells)
When you are done, you will have completed 300 reps of nothing but shoulder work! YUMMY!!
#FitFluential #MOVE
Dining on a Diet: 4 Easy Mistakes
One of the things I like to do is share my stupid mistakes so YOU don’t REPEAT THEM! Yep, I am not afraid to tell you just how bad I blew it. I may be a fitness professional, and although I know a lot about nutrition, calories and weight management, I still make poor choices from time to time. The only reason I am not as big as a cow is because 1.) I look for mistakes (meaning, I hold myself accountable, I look up calories and I look for the truth (facts). 2.) I work my mistakes off. 3.) I learn from my mistakes. 4.) I apply what I learn (a lot of people learn a lot about improving their eating, but they don’t apply it).
The difference between my mistakes and other people making mistakes is I make them less often. Where I may totally blow it occasionally, some people are blowing it every week, or every other day. Those mistakes add up if going unnoticed, and that is when weight gain happens – or why people can’t lose weight despite all their work in the gym.
So, here’s the story. I had family in town last night so we all decided to go to Outback for dinner. I’m not dieting right now so I was already going in knowing I was going to treat myself – which means I plan on having that yummy salad they have and a baked potato instead of broccoli. Let me stop right here and tell you this: If I had looked up the calories ahead of time (like I tell EEEEEVERYONE else), I would have not chosen what I ordered. The damage way exceeded what I would have allowed myself if I had known in advance.
Mistake #1: I didn’t look up the calories BEFORE I ordered.
As I’m looking at the menu, I had pretty much settled on getting just a small steak, baked potato and side salad. BUT, Steve (yes, I’m throwing him right under that big blame bus) said, “why don’t you get the Outback 4 Special, the 4-course meal for $15?“. Well, I almost felt stupid if I DIDN’T get that. What a deal right? WRONG! It was a baaaaad deal – and I have news for you! It cost WAY more than $15. It cost me $15 to eat it and it’s going to cost me plenty more in valuable time to burn it off!
Mistake #2: I let someone or something (tempting menu item or deals) to change my mind!
So here’s what I ended up eating. NOTE: I never, NEVER, NEEEVER get dessert, BUT it came with the “package”. Thank you Outback for trying to fatten me up. You not only Biggie Sized my meal, you Biggie Sized ME! Yes, I have a choice and could have chosen better, but your “good deal” sucked me in and I took the ugly bate. Yep, you caught me, hook line, and sinker!
What I ordered:
- Sparkling water with lime: 1 calories
- White Bean & Sausage Soup: 162 calories
- Blue Cheese & Pecan Chopped Salad: 559 calories (WHAT?! U HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!!)
- 6oz Steak: 254 calories
- Baked Potato with Sour Cream & Butter: 313 calories
- Carrot Cake: 320 calories
TOTAL DAMAGE: 1,878 CALORIES!!!!!!
Mistake #3: By eating less, I talked myself into thinking I was doing OK.
What I actually ate:
- Sparkling Water with Lime: 0 Calories
- I Ate ALL of My White Bean & Sausage Soup: 162 calories
- I Ate ALL of My Blue Cheese & Pecan Chopped Salad: 559 calories (BIG mistake!)
- 1/2 My 6oz Steak: 127 calories
- 1/2 My Baked Potato with Sour Cream & Butter: 156 calories
- 1/4 of My Carrot Cake: 80 calories
TOTAL DAMAGE: 1,084 CALORIES - STILL AWFUL!!
(I saved 800 calories, but STILL have to run 10 miles to erase the damage!!)
Mistake #4: I ordered something I really loved – and took it home.
Really? That doesn’t belong in my house. That’s what I call “planning to fail”. Why didn’t I just let everyone at the table taste it. Why? Because I freakin’ LOVE carrot cake.
Moral of the Story…
Listen, if I had been amazing with my diet lately, this whole catastrophe wouldn’t have mattered – but I haven’t been good with my diet. I’ve been “off” my diet for several weeks and this week was supposed to mark my start of getting my act together after my vacations and being sick.
So, this mistake set me back a few MORE days. In the big scheme of things, it really is not that big of a deal IF it only happens occasionally, but this is a perfect example of how many people are “try” to make good choices – and they wonder why they can’t lose weight.
Why Good Intentions Don’t Cut It:
The above is proof that good intentions aren’t enough even when someone:
- Orders water instead of wine
- Avoids the bread and butter
- Chooses a vegetable based soup instead of a cream based soup
- Chooses salad over blooming onions or other greasy appetizers
- Orders grilled meat, instead of a saucy dish
- Picks whole foods for sides, instead of casseroles or fried sides
- Eats half the meal
- Has only a few bites of dessert instead of eating the whole thing
Even after ALL THAT, they STILL are eating WAY too many calories.
Next time you eat out, think of me, sitting at the computer the next morning, looking up calories from the night before and tallying the damage. Even though the food was good, I can honestly say it wasn’t worth what it will take to work it off. I see a lot of exercise in my future.
#FAIL
Sweat & Tone with Air Squats
Air Squats can ramp up any workout. In this workout, you can see we alternated air squats with standard body sculpting movements. The result: One tough fat-melting, calorie-burning, muscle-toning workout! Check it out…
Air Squat Workout
Here is the written workout below, with links to video instruction for each workout. Below are tips on how to do a proper air squat. KILL IT!
- Air Squats
- Barbell Biceps Curl
- Air Squats
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
or Push-press (if weight is heavy) - Air Squats
- Weighted Plate Crunch
4 Rounds for Time
(timing the exercise ads intensity)
10 Common Mistakes For Air Squats:
1. Knees go over toes
2. Butt is tucked under – dropping down, not sitting back
3. Shoulders are rounded
4. Back is rounded
5. Body leans forward, bending at the hips
6. Head is down, instead of looking straight ahead
7. Weight is on the balls of the feet
8. Heels lift up as the body lowers into the deepest position
9. Squat is too shallow
10. Exercise is done too slow
7 tips to doing a great air squat:
Each squat is nice and deep, with your butt dropping below the knees- Hips stay open, body stays vertical (not bending at the hips)
- Butt sits backward, back is straight, shoulders are rolled back (not rounded forward)
- If you lean forward, or posture struggles, raise hands overhead to improve form
- Knees are not over the toes. If they are, use a chair to reference where your bottom “sits”. Your bottom should not sit down, but sit back as you lower, as if sitting or touching a chair. Stretch arms forward to help balance issues.
- Weight remains on the heels and not on the toes (Test: can you tap your toes while in the down position?) If you struggle with this. Squat down all the way down, like a baby on the beach playing in the sand). Settle in and stay there until you can shift your weight on your heels, open your hips, spread your knees out and get the feeling of where you need to be in that downward position. Once you feel this, and understand how to balance your weight in that position, you should be able to repeat it as you do the air squat.
- Pace is FAST and FLUID
Here is a fun video that shows the intensity, pace and form of an air squat.
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Exercise Hurts, Quitting Hurts More
Since many of our BCx workouts are timed workouts, with short bursts of intense exercise, one thing I say often is “You can do anything for 60 seconds”. That is because, when I was in boot camp, those were the words I held on to. I knew, no matter how bad it hurt, how winded I was, or how weak I felt, I could do anything for 60 seconds.
Of course, when THAT 60 seconds was done, I had to do another 60 seconds of something just as brutal – but at least it was something different. And, I knew, once again, I could endure THAT for 60 seconds too.
1 Out of 24
The fact of the matter is, if we really think about how little time we actually have to work to get such a great lasting reward, we could truly begin to celebrate the pain.
The pain is evidence of change. If we can look past the immediate discomfort and focus on the other 23 hours of freedom, where we get to bask in the results of our hard work, we can clearly see that the small amount of time in the gym is a small sacrifice for what we get out of it.
Honestly, 1 hour, out of the 24 hours God gave us, is not that much to ask. AND it’s not work without pay. It’s work with BIG pay. THAT’S the reality.
“But It’s Hard”
BUT (Yes, here’s the “but”), we often get too wrapped up in the immediate pain and fatigue. We feel sorry for ourselves, we think about how rough we have it – how hard workouts are, how hard it is to lose weight, how sore we are, how fat we feel, how hard we work, how tired we are, how many responsibilities we have, how everyone else seems to have it easier, and we think of just about everything else besides this one fact: As much as this sucks, quitting sucks more.
The repercussions of quitting hurts. You know that commercial that says “depression hurts“, well so does fat. Fat hurts. Being unhealthy hurts. Feeling weak hurts. Injury due to weak and tight muscles hurts. Aging and muscle deterioration hurts. Losing confidence hurts. Losing mobility hurts. Losing independence due to health hurts. Feeling like a failure because you truly failed and gave up hurts. All the repercussions to quitting on yourself, and your health, hurts way more than the worst workout you have ever had.
Next time you feel like giving up. Whether you are just tired of trying to lose weight and you can’t seem to get it right, or you want to quit your workout program because it’s too hard, NEVER forget that QUITTING will hurt you even more.
Motivation For Runners
When it comes to exercise, why do we even think twice about whether we should do it or not? Because we allow ourselves to fixate on how we feel NOW. Whether it’s how we feel physically, or how we feel emotionally, we let those feelings determine our actions. Yet, if we were to just focus on how we feel when we are FINISHED, I believe our actions would change drastically.
If you have a goal, let all your actions (what you eat, what you do, what you sacrifice) all be to get you one step closer to that goal. I think our problem is we do too much thinking, and too little doing. Next time you think about whether you should workout or not, you are waisting precious time pondering the inevitable – so just do it! You know it has to get done eventually if you want to reach your goal.
Don’t just Live, #LiveWithFire
Your Turn:
What gets you out the door?
How do you stay motivated to keep running when you, and everything around you, fights you every step of the way?
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Power of MOM
I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am if it wasn’t for one incredible woman in my life. My mom.
For those of you who read my blogs and follow me for anything length of time, you already know who my mom is, even if you’ve never seen her or met her – because she is part of me. Once you meet her, you will know what I mean. Mom and I are very much a like in many ways.
As I grow older, I realize just how much “mom” is in me. My drive, passion, stubbornness, determination, strong-will, desire to help others, positive attitude, a mind that doesn’t stop and control-freak side of me all came from her. And, every night I stay up late working, Steve can thank my mom for that too. We both have a very hard time turning our brains off and winding down.
Unfortunately there are things I haven’t gotten from her (yet) – her patience, her nurturing spirit, her ability to be quiet, her desire to serve…those are just a few traits I want, but need a lot of work still. 
Although this blog is a personal blog about my family, please look at the things I list that I learned from the moms in my life – because, as I could imagine, I’m sure there are plenty of times a mother wonders if anything sticks. They wonder what words will be remembered and what lessons will be learned. Hopefully, after reading this tribute to my moms, you will not just know me a little better, but you will be encouraged to know every word you say, and every thing you do DOES matter. We daughters and sons are watching, learning, remembering. So, no matter how screwed up we kids are, never give up. You are one of the most powerful leaders in the world.
My 3 Moms
Why do I say “moms”, plural? In many ways, I had more than one mom. I had a mom during the week, another mom on Friday nights and a third mom on Saturday nights. Since my parents were in a rock band most of my childhood, I stayed with my mom’s mom every Friday night. We watched Lawrence Welk and Dukes of Hazzard, and colored for hours and hours. Every Saturday I would go to my dad’s mom’s house and we’d swim until we were prunes. We watched Love Boat, Chips and Fantasy Island, and probably ate enough popcorn to cover the state of Florida. Then, we’d wake up and go to church, where I’d meet back up with my parents. That was exactly how every week went, every year of my life from birth to about 12 years of age.
Mom #1: Julianne
During the week, I was with my birth mom (Julianne Talley). She was the one that cooked, cleaned and tucked me in at night. She was the one who taught me to play piano, and to smile and waive to people when they flip you off when driving.
She was patient enough to braid my hair in a million braids when I was convinced I wanted to look like Bo Derick. She was smart enough to take the ugliest most embarrassing car to pick me up from school when I asked her to pick me up in the Porsche. She was honest enough to admit she was human and made mistakes, and she was quick to ask for forgiveness when she felt like she failed me.
She taught me that it’s ok not to be perfect, but it’s not ok to not strive to be. She showed me how to rely on God and not people – and how important it was to open your house to anyone in need, despite their race, their age or their past.
She even taught me that you don’t have to be a talented hostess to entertain, you just have to open your front door. She explained to me how you do things because they are the right thing to do, whether you feel like it or not. She showed me how to make a meal out of whatever you can find in the pantry and make it amazing.
And, she’s not done teaching me, and hopefully, I’m not done learning.
I even can thank her for my career in fitness. I just found this letter to my mom when I was visiting my Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Bruce and two cousins, Brandon and Ben Tanner. I had to laugh when I saw how proud I was to tell my mom I’d taken a shower and been doing my exercises. SO, I guess this letter marks my first commitment to health and exercise. Just don’t read the part about gum and candy! ha!
Mom #2: Bertha
My dad’s mom (Bertha Lee Talley) taught me to giggle, how to garden, dog paddle and float in the water. She introduced me to popcorn and scuppernong grapes, which she grew in her side yard. She taught me to sing “Five Foot Two”, to never talk ill of anyone, and to read my bible. She taught me that a good snack is tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in vinegar (fresh from her garden) and not potato chips and junk. She showed me how to grow old in style, and have fun always.
She taught me how to love and hug, and play old maid. She taught me that music brings people together, as she’d often entertain the family by playing some of her favorite hymns on the piano. She loved to cook and make her own jelly – and she often showed people her love through her food and endless hospitality.
Mom #3: Julia
My mom’s mom (Julia Rigby Tanner) led by quiet example. She showed me how to serve others and how to make a difference. She taught me that prayer is powerful and to never give up on anyone or anything. She taught me that joy is not about being happy or having everything go your way. With a life of chronic back pain, she showed me that you can have immense joy despite pain – and THAT was one of her biggest testimonies to me. She also taught me the power of a written word, which has driven me in many ways to do what I do.
Although I haven’t learned to listen like she always did, she gave me the model to go by. She selflessly cooked scrambled eggs, toast and bacon for me every Saturday while I stayed glued to the TV set watching cartoons. She was the one who taught me to put bacon on my toast with jelly, introduced me to congealed salad (which I never learned to like), and is the reason I love pot roast and poundcake.
Work in Progress
You see, I am a little bit of all 3 of these women. To understand me, where I came from, what my beliefs are and to know my role models, may help you know what I desire to be. While I have a loooooong way to go to be as good of a woman as they were, I realize they had many more years of practice – and one day, maybe, just maybe, I’ll be a fraction of how awesome they were to me.
Thank you to all the mom’s in my family …my mom, grandmothers, mother-in-law, aunts and cousins. I am so thankful for every one of you!
75 Fitness Motivational Quotes
People who succeed in weight loss and fitness, don’t have extra energy or super powers. They have as many excuses as anyone else. They wake up feeling tired and lazy. They get frustrated and depressed sometimes. They are tempted to skip their workouts, and are tempted to give up and give in. They may have times they feel weak or defeated. They feel many of the same feelings people feel that cause them to quit. The only difference is, they don’t allow their feelings to get in the way. They don’t quit.
How do they do it? How do they hang in there, keep pressing on and finding the motivation to keep showing up? I think, often times, we have to keep talking ourself into not giving up. We must fight those feelings, fight our negative thoughts and literally argue with our fat, lazy, hungry, self.
I am constantly in an argument with my flesh – but I refuse to let it win. AND, the fit Bonnie is strong and has convincing words to beat the lazy Bonnie.
In this blog, I share some of my own thoughts – AND I share quotes from my facebook and twitter friends – real people fighting the fit fight with real words that really work.
15 things I tell myself to help me get my fat lazy butt in gear:
- You know you’ll feel better if you do it. And you’ll feel horrible if you don’t.
- You really don’t have a choice.
- You need to stop now and do it. You’ll be so glad you did.
- You know what you want, so you know what you need to do to get it.
- If you really want “that”, you really need to do “this”.
- It’s such a small sacrifice for such a great reward.
- Are you really going to let fat win?
- Do you want abs or not?
- You don’t have to be perfect, but you can be better.
- Don’t let your enemies watch you fail.
- I want to be fit and healthy
- Working out makes me feel like a super hero
- You need to just do it because it’s the right thing to do, whether you feel like it or not.
- Your husband is hot. Don’t be the fat wife.
- You you’re gonna preach it, you better live it.
The People Speak
I know I’m not the only one who has to talk to herself to get her butt going, so I yesterday I asked my facebook and twitter friends to complete this sentence below. I got SO many fantastic responses, I decided to share them. SEE, you are not alone! We all talk to ourselves! ha And some of you guys are saying some really great stuff!! Check it out…
“Today, I woke up tired & unmotivated – but then I remembered these words_________________”
Alexie Elizabeth Messer True happiness is being able to smile at yourself in the mirror…when you are butt naked!
Nadine Armstrong Just show up!
Christopher Borders I made a bet with Alfonso AngryTrainer Moretti to beat his time on a 500m Row. I didn’t beat his time but I got a new PR.
Joann Rosalia I’m worth it!!!
Ashley Brock Gibson Starbucks is in walking distance (Ashley, I’d definitely run for Starbucks!)
Carolyn Caruso ”that mile isn’t going to run itself”
Dan Pedley You vs you
Bart Mazzarella Stay the course! Only losers quit!
Laurie Duncan I’m gonna get sexy! lol Not quite as inspiring as all the above.
Sig Wynne-Evans Your cancer is most likely because you are overweight. (said by my dr last year when I had uterine cancer). Gets me to the gym EVERY TIME-
Brian Loff ”It doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to get done.” 
Tracy Piko U can do anything if u want it bad enough. My dad rest his soul always told me that
Tavia Collins Smith If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results. – Jack Dixon
Kellee Murphy Get up!!!! make the bed so you don’t lay back down, get work out clothes on. I made it to the gym today and even met a new friend and she and I plan on meeting there again! Great day!!!
Jennifer Rataj Fat people make excuses. Fit people make time.
Nicole Hamilton Gonzalez This isn’t a choice. This is who you are and this is what you do.
Joy Cook Bouget Just do it. You’re lapping everyone on the couch!!
Becky Puckett Shealy No one’s going to do it for you
Mia Hann …I don’t get paid unless I show up?!!
Gayle Winrow ”Quitting is NOT an Option”!!!
Kylie Cole Just f…… Do it!!!!!
Khari Espinoza ^^ And that’s why I sign up for races all the time- Khari Espinoza I have a race in less than a month!!
Natalia Balandina Giving up is not an option!
Karen Robinson Why am I so tired and unmotivated… lol! Then I perked up! Lol
Kimberley Nash You must work for what you want.
Keala Keahi Vasconcellos My why my children
Kanoelani Patterson I got this!! Nothing worth having is ever done easily so get up & let’s do this thing!
Michael Petrosky . . . Own it Brother, own it !!
Lizzie Flintoff Then I remembered that I had boot camp at 6am and then pole class straight after! Gym done and dusted! YEAH!
Cindy Walter Rhoads Nobody is going to do it for me!! Today i will be the best i can be
Sean Jaftha What would Bonnie do?!
Lori Emm I always feel so much better after I workout
Gary Whitaker Embrace the pain. Finish the drill.
Kionna McNeal-Rowe Get’er dunn!!
Danielle Streich If you think you can or you think you can’t…you are right!
Amy Frazier Goleski Too damn bad!! : )
Melody Cordero Summer’s coming!
Rick Crosby There’s no quit in this boy
Andrea Uribe Unmotivated is a feeling. Feelings are just feeling and if you ignore hem they will catch up.
Ashlie Wynne ”How bad do you want it?”
Trish Tague Burnett I am responsible for me. I get to choose the best option for me and that is choosing my health!
Marcela Rhodus Dreams don’t work unless you do.
Sabrina Reitmeyer ”mom you’re the best”
Nell Lovorn Rela Just do it!!
Amanda Theresa Caravello More sweat now, less jiggle later
Friné Velilla Why don’t you burn more calories?
Meghan Boeckman make it count..
Linda Mcleod Every day above ground is worthwhile, so get to it!
Clinton Fuller Gotta get at it cause I won’t see the changes I want to see sitting on my ass!
Susan Brenner-Stutsman I fight on, I fight to win! Margaret Thatcher
Patti Ambrosia McLean ’STEVE WILL MAKE YOU DO BURPEEEEESSSS!!!!!”
Emme Green ”It starts & ends with me”
Andre Owens This is a day God has given me. I will rejoice and be glad in it
Judy Whitehead My goal is to keep going and get fit!
Brian Stolze Don’t Give up!! Don’t Ever Give Up! Just DO It……- Debbie Tosti @debbietosti15h today is a new day!
- Geraint Roberts @Gezzyroberts15h man up!
- TNCOWBOY7 @JasonSkelton715h I have not one pair of pants (out of probably 50) that I can get on. More important,my son is 9 so I need to b around awhile
- Damian Hunt @damian_hunt16h …winners never quit, quitters never win!
THANKS AMANDA FOR SHARING THIS!
It was so good, I made a fitness mantra pic out of it! More to come my peeps!
The Cost of Living: A New Way to Look at Dieting
We live by rules in every part of our life – finances, marriage, work and government, to name of few. But, we expect NOT to live by rules when it comes to food. For some reason we think those kind of rules are bad, unhealthy, limiting, no fun, unfair, damaging and inconvenient. Why would it be any different than the rules we have with our finances? We fully understand that we are expected to work for our paycheck, and we are expected to pay our bills – and, if we don’t, there are serious repercussions.
Since we are expected to not spend more than we make, most of us live on some type of budget. Well, in the same way you must budget your money, you should also budget your food. If you eat more than you can “afford” to eat, you will have repercussions to your actions. Those repercussions come in the form of weight gain and health issues.
The Problem
Think of how someone manages a business. It doesn’t matter how much they profit, if they don’t also consider their loss. It’s the balance that matters. In the same way, it doesn’t matter how much you “work” (exercise) if you are still eating more than you can afford. Every extra pound of fat “over the limit” is a sign that you have been irresponsible with your body account – your loss is greater than your profit. You are, essentially, living “in the red”.
The only difference between overeating and overspending is no one repos your car or takes your house. Your “punishment” is the extra baggage you have to lug around and the evidence you see of your past actions in the mirror every day. So that’s the bad news. The good news is, you can erase the debt! You can literally work off the hole you got yourself into just like we work off financial debt – by working hard, going on a budget, and sticking to it until the debt is gone.
The Price
Will you have to make sacrifices? Of course. Will you be able to live the way you have been used to living? No. So go ahead and get your whining out of your system and get over it. I’ll be honest with you, a lot of things have to change. But that is a good thing. The way you have been living got you where you are now. And, if you are overweight, I bet you are not happy where you are now. So why would you want to continue doing things that always give you the same bad result?
When I look at my credit card balance, I forget what I even bought. I wonder how in the world I ever spent that much money. The fine dining and the clothes (I already given away to Goodwill) are gone. It all comes with a price. Now I’m paying it off – and, quite honestly, it’s not fun. BUT I know the reward once I do pay it off. I understand I am paying the price now for what I couldn’t afford earlier – and in many ways, that is exactly what we are doing with our weight. The extra work we have to do in the gym, and the sacrifices we have to make out of the gym are all part of the process to reach our goal.
The Reward
How do you stick to this new budget and not give up or give in? The key to success is to constantly remind yourself of the big picture. Instead of thinking about what you are missing out on right NOW, you must think about what you would miss out on LATER if you don’t stick to your plan.
If you have a weight issue, I challenge you to rethink the way you treat food. Like your spending, indulging in the extras should be an occasional treat – not a daily habit. Rules are not evil, they are there to protect you and they are healthy. It’s living without rules that is the most damaging. If you are overweight, you are experiencing the damage firsthand. So,every time you are tempted, remember the repercussions for doing what is wrong and remember the reward for doing what is right. Focus on what you are working toward – and don’t you dare let anything get in your way!
5 Gift Ideas for a Fit Mom
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. If you are still trying to find a fun gift for the fit mom of your house, here are 5 unique ideas that are sure to help you mom reach her goals – and make her smile!.
#1 Elegant Portions 3-Piece Place Setting: This place setting by Elegant Portions is the perfect gift for a mom who is watching her weight or just eating healthy. Designed around portion control, this dinner wear will help mom reach her goals in style. The Wine Traxx glass, which is perfect for high-calorie beverages like juice or wine, delicately marks 4oz, 6oz and 8oz servings. The next item is a pretty Snack Traxx glass bowl that is also marked the same way for 4oz, 6oz and 8oz pours (perfect for my yogurt & soups!) Lastly, the Meal Traxx plate also marks ¼-Plate for lean protein, ¼-Plate for starches or whole grains, and ½-Plate for fruits and vegetables. Simply brilliant – and beautiful!
#2 Super Socks for Supermom: Have you ever thought your mom was so strong, she should wear a cape? Even if the cape is a little too much for your mom, JoyofSocks.com has a pair of cool socks for just about anyone. Plus, high socks are one of the few ways to “dress up” a fitness outfit and bring a little personality into the gym. If your mom is in the market for compression socks, you’ll be pleased to hear Reebok has come out with some fun styles too. Socks are an affordable fun gift that would make any mom smile. And whether they wear them in the gym, or just wear them around the house, they will get worn – and with these socks, they will likely wear a smile to match!
#2 Help Mom Accel: Live Well 360 offers incredible multi-function bags that do it all. Made with quality materials, and quality guarantee, they carefully constructed each bag to meet just about every need you can imagine. The Accel is the smallest of their bags, which carries like a purse or a gym bag depending on the strap you use. It has 13 pockets for organizing straps, gloves, headphones, ipod, clothes, jewelry, water bottle, shoes and any other must-have fitness accessory. It even has a padded compartment for a small lap top or tablet (which I carry every day because I watch online TV while doing cardio!). The detachable yoga straps make this bag complete, which is the perfect addition for the yogi mom. I warn ya, don’t even try to compare Live Well 360 bags to the bags you see in most department stores. Live Well 360 bags are the Coach of gym bags. They cost more (this bag is $167), because you get more – and you won’t buy another gym bag for a long time. Live Well 360 come in 3 sizes: Accel (small), Core (medium) and Luxx (large, which also holds a full-size laptop). SAVE 10% OFF with this code: PFIT10
#4 Dad, Give Mom HICKIES: NO! Not THAT kind of Hickie, HICKIES elastic lacing system, designed to transform tennis shoes into slip-on shoes. However, that’s not really why I love them. I love them because they add color – and lots of it. HICKIES have 16 different color combination that can completely change the look of your tennis shoes. Whether you are wearing Converse or Reebok, you can throw in some fun multi-color HICKIES and get a whole new look without buying a new pair of shoes. I personally love the HICKIES in rainbow colors for a multi-colored look that would help your shoes match just about anything in your closet. HICKIES are available at Brookestone.
#5 Fit Jewelry for a Fit Mom. There are two stores I really like for fitness jewelry. One is the Fitness Fan Store for CrossFitters and Boot Campers, and the other is Fashletics for all fitness fanatics. The Fitness Fan Store has fitness pendants unique to boot camp and CrossFit programs like tractor tires, kettlebells, jump rope, sledge hammers and even a sled. Fashletics has motivational pendants like “Live, Love, Lift”, and peptalk jewelry like “”YOU vs YOU”, that is sure to inspire any mom to keep showing up. In addition to their motivational jewelry, they also have some fun fitness pendants like a 45lb plate, barbells, running shoes and cycling charms. They even offer a way to build your own charm set to customize your gift with just the right message and fitness tool to match mom’s training.
PS: I was NOT compensated for this post.
Have a cool gift idea? Share it below!
We’d LOVE to hear about your gift ideas so I can share it with the PFIT PFAM!
