Blog Archives
150 Reasons To Be Motivated On Your Weight Loss Journey
You would think needing to lose 150lbs would give you 150 good reasons to be extremely motivated, but it’s not that easy. There’s a lot more to it than just the extra baggage you carry – you can also carry a lot of baggage mentally. The good news is, success is possible and motivation is there even when you feel completely hopeless. If you look around, you can find the motivation you need. Just ask Wendy Speigner.
An ordinary girl, with an extraordinary story
Today’s blog is not for the “arrived” person who has already reached their goal. This inspirational message is for all of you out there who are on a weight loss journey to transform your life – or to hold on to the success you’ve had so far and keep pressing on until you reach your goal. What I love about this story is it is somewhat ordinary. What do I mean? I mean, it probably will relate to half the people in America. It’s a real woman dealing with real weight issues. She isn’t on a weight loss reality show. She isn’t doing some insane workout or subscribed to trendy diet plan. She hasn’t lost 100lbs (YET). She is still on the beginning of her journey, doing fitness the good old-fashioned, slow and steady – and I simply LOVE her story.
Searching for Hope
It’s one thing to look at the scale and see you are a few pounds overweight, but how does someone get motivated when they are nearly 400lbs? Where did they find hope? Where do they start? How can they keep showing up when their body says “NO!”. Is it too late or can they be the nest success story? Well, I think Wendy Speigner has a great story of determination, motivation, hope and success. Please take the time to read her story and to share it with others. Although she is no where near her goal weight YET, she has taken the very first (and very important) first step: She made the decision to change her life and is committed to (as I always say) “Keep showing up” no matter what. No more quitting. No More Excuses. And You Can Too!
Who is Wendy?
“Once upon a time there lived a fat little girl…who eventually dieted her way up to 385 lbs! …Oh wait, that’s ME! I was a fat baby, and have been varying degrees of “fat”, “fluffy”, “chunky”, “chubby”, “heavy” or “obese” ever since! I’ve been on a diet of some kind since I was a chubby little kid!
I remember as a kid, my Grandmother (bless her heart) putting me on a new diet every summer when she came up from Florida. Loved my Grandma, the summer diet boot-camps, not so much. I was probably one of the few kids who couldn’t WAIT for summer to be over and school to start again! But then of course the school drama of a fat girl would start… name calling, weighing-in in gym, always picked last for kickball, not popular, blah blah blah. Fat kid to fat teen to fat adult. Other than my weight, I felt I had a wonderful childhood – surrounded by loving parents and friends throughout the years.
”I’d be lying if I said I gave it 110% on every diet or weight loss plan I’ve tried.”
My weight has roller-coastered up and down through the 200′s in my 20′s and up into the 300′s in my 30′s and high 300’s in my early 40′s. It’s been 14+ years since I’ve seen the 200′s. I’d be lying if I said I gave it 110% on every diet or weight loss plan I’ve tried. But as an adult I’ve lost on many diets, gained on many more. Things would usually go good in the beginning, and then I’d eventually get off-track and regain the weight, usually plus more weight. I’d exercise here and there, but honestly, nothing consistent because I’d never stick with it long enough to see any results throughout the years.
Diets Failed. Exercise Failed. Surgery Failed.
In 2000, I even had the first Adjustable Gastric Band weight-loss surgery in FL. I was officially 350 lbs. at time of surgery, and was so excited to have the surgery. It felt like the “Hope” fairy had dumped an entire truckload of hope on my doorstep! I lost 36 lbs. the first month. Wooohoooo! Then I lost an additional 12 lbs. over the next 11 months. (yes, 12 pounds…the size of a very small butterball turkey) <sigh>
Even with all the support and resources there were at the time, all I can say is there was something that still just wasn’t clicking in my brain. How can I really eat 1/2 the food I used to eat this first year and NOT lose weight!?? As time went on, my stomach expanded back to normal and I’d lose some, and then gain more again until I ended up at my highest weight EVER of 385 lbs. in 2009.”
The Change
What got you started (doing things right this time)?
Every day it took an unbelievable amount of energy and effort JUST to get up off the couch, to simply tie my shoes, or walk through the parking lot at the store. And the years of emotional pain was even greater. Everything was just so hard. I had started to feel the impact my weight had on my knees and feet and as my daughter finished high school started to realize how much of my family’s life I had sat on the sidelines for. I was emotionally and physically drained, felt like a complete failure, and doomed to continue to gain weight, and that this was all there was left to my life.
Beliefs are simply thoughts you keep thinking…And mine weren’t very good for a long time. I wish I had started decades ago, but didn’t. I became an avid student in positive thinking and Law of Attraction in 2009, so started taking some of those principles I saw working in other areas of my life and decided to start applying them to my weight loss journey as well.
Who or what inspired or motivated you to make a change?
My biggest supporter and cheerleader is my husband, Michael. He’s been on every turn of this crazy roller-coaster ride with me for 23 years, and he’s always been my lighthouse when lose my way and he knows what to say to help get me back on track if needed.
My biggest inspirations are those friends near and far who have done this or are on their own journey. I’ve met such amazing friends on their own journeys on Facebook, Youtube and through other social media. If I need some encouragement it seems I find just the tip, trick, advice, or motivation that I needed to hear to help me get refocused.
Where are you on your fitness journey and how much so you have to lose?
It is definitely a journey, but little by little I can feel a momentum that has slowed from a lot of negative thoughts/beliefs about losing weight to being replaced with beliefs and thoughts that better serve me. I’m down to 330 lbs. currently. I’ve been eating much healthier in 2013 and working out with a personal trainer for 6 months. The difference in energy, strength and especially physical endurance is simply night and day to when I started. I still have about 150 lbs. or so I want to lose, but trying to remain general in that I want to be healthy, and feel once I get that through my brain, I think the weight loss will go much faster.
I’ve just got to get out of my own way sometimes and not get so wrapped up in the details and scale numbers. But I know I’ll eventually get there. It feels my journey is starting to become less of a fight day by day as I continue to make small changes. I still have a long way to go, but have no doubt I’m on the right path with Eating Healthy, Moving my Body and Adjusting my Thoughts.
Motivation: Seek and You Will Find
”I’ve sat on the sidelines so much, and feel I’ve wasted so many opportunities over the years.”
What Motivates You?
What Motivates me?? …. All of the above! LOL Plus being healthy and actually getting to start living my life. I’ve put so many things on hold over the years because of my size. Yes, absolutely some of it I could have done, but didn’t worrying what others thought, other stuff, I was/am physically too large. I’ve sat on the sidelines so much, and feel I’ve wasted so many opportunities over the years. I want to be this confident, happy healthy person who isn’t afraid to live or take chances. It’s not about vanity for me…its about my life first.
After seeing your motivational videos, it’s clear photos and quotes motivate you. Why?
A picture is worth a 1000 words, so why not focus on what I want my body and life to look like? I can just look at a picture of someone with a healthy strong body and my brain gets it. Quotes are just that perfect thing you need to hear and that seem to find me when I need them the most! I know it’s the Universe’s way of telling me to “keep going”. (watch this video Wendy made)
“I believe focusing not on how far I’ve got to go, but on what my body/life will feel and look like at my ideal weight is so important….and fun!”
What made you make this motivational video.
I’ve always been a very visual and creative person. I actually started creating the videos for ME, to songs I enjoyed for other areas of my life I wanted to focus on. I decided to share them on Youtube. I had such amazing feedback. It really wasn’t for anyone else, but so awesome that others were benefiting from the videos as well. Several people asked me to create a video for them with their goals, favorite quotes, motivations, etc. I believe focusing not on how far I’ve got to go, but on what my body/life will feel and look like at my ideal weight is so important….and fun! I love the upbeat music and I just get drawn into them every time I watch. They’re a big part of my daily meditation/visualization and only take about 3 minutes and I feel so good afterwards.
What’s your favorite quote or mantra?
• Sometimes the strength within you is not a big fiery flame for all to see. It’s just a tiny spark that whispers “You got this.”
• Why NOT me? Why NOT now?
I created this motivational photo for you Wendy! Thanks for sharing your story! I KNOW that it will be exactly what someone needs to hear. Together we can make a difference!
If you have a lot to lose, and you live in the Vero Beach area, my husband and I are leading a boot camp specifically for you. It’s called the Dr. Stopper weight loss camp at Max Fitness, and it starts June 10th. Call 772-778-6800 or visit us online at http://www.maxfitnessclub.com to begin your journey to a better healthier you!
Strong in the Gym, but Not in the Kitchen?
I’ve never heard anyone say “I feel so fat, if only I could be stronger in the gym”. No, that never happens. What they say is, “I’m so fat, I just wish I could be stronger around food”. The fact is, what we do in the gym is the easy part. It’s what we do in the kitchen that is tough.
We need food. It’s fuel for our body – BUT we have to learn to control food like we learn to control a weight. Think about this: When people first lift free weights, their weights are all over the place. Every movement feels a little unnatural. Newbies are shaky, wobbly and unbalanced. Lifting weights takes a certain amount of practice, which require repetition. Then, once we are able to control the weight, we work to improve, increasing the weight, and improving our skill.
We could use some of those same principles in the kitchen. We must first do what comes unnatural for us. For example, you may need to force yourself to eat 5-6 times a day at first. Like trying a new exercise, we have to try new things with our diet, like counting calories or making protein shakes. Then, you have to practice those things over and over – yes, you heard right. We have to practice eating healthy. You will practice new recipes and try new snacks – and just like when we practice anything else, we will not always get it right. So we keep working on it.
Look at the definition of what practice:
Practice: repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency. “Practice makes perfect.”
Don’t you think we could all use more practice when it comes to eating right? This means we have to REPEATEDLY keep trying to improve our eating habits, even when we fail, until we are proficient in healthy eating. Like anything else, it will take work. We can’t rely on shortcuts or happenstance. But, just like the work we put in the gym, the work we put in the kitchen comes with a great reward! You will get stronger.
You Are Diamond in the Making
We all have our share of struggles. From struggling with our weight, our workouts, our marriage, our carriers, our family, our finances….we all experience tough times. But there is a great reward for toughing it out and not giving up.
My grandfather, who was a Geologist, once explained to me that Diamonds weren’t always beautiful. They were formed from ugly rock buried deep beneath the earth, under great amounts of pressure and extreme temperatures over long periods of time. I’ll never forget him explaining that to me – and I think about it all the time.
Some of the greatest accomplishments require us to withstand extreme pressure and uncomfortable situations, deep beneath the earth (unnoticed and unappreciated) for long periods of time – and it’s not until we are finished enduring what it takes to be molded and transformed into what God has intended for us, that we can ever quit. If we truly want to be transformed, we can’t avoid it.
If you try to avoid it, and quit too soon, you will remain the “ugly rock” – unfinished. If you stick it out, you can be totally transformed, sculpted into something beautiful, inside and out. I’m not just talking about outer beauty and sculpted muscle. I’m talking about a total transformation process – transforming your mind, your spirit, your body and your life.
There is a reason God allows us to struggle at times. It is required for transformation. There is a reason we aren’t “lifted up” out of the shadows and dirt – sometimes we are just not ready to shine …yet. There is a reason we get humbled. Many times, our ugly pride needs to be crushed.There are reasons we experience sloooooooow success, it grows patience and forces us to rely on God more than ourselves.
There are reasons fitness takes work, it teaches us discipline and self-control. It teaches us about calories, about our body and bout what we are capable of. It shows us our potential. It challenges us, it humbles us, it drives us, it exposes our weaknesses and shows us our strengths.
I encourage you today, no matter what you are going through in life, or in your fitness journey, remember to continue to endure and not give up so you can be radically transformed. You are a diamond in the making. Stick it out.
Who Are You Competing With?
Have you ever heard the saying “keeping up with the Joneses”? Whether we mean to compete or not, we all have something inside us that wants to be better. Although I don’t believe we should focus our energy on being better than others, I do think it’s healthy to work on always beating one person – yourself.
We are our fiercest competitor. Why? Because the “old me’ is constantly wanting to beat the “new me”. My old lazy ways will always be fighting to reign. My past failures will always taunt me, and try to talk me out of my future success. The old me comes with baggage. The old me is strong – but the new me can be stronger.
Why? Because no one knows the old me like I do. I have the ultimate advantage. I know what I’ve done wrong, and done right. I can learn from my past. I can win.
If you run races or train in a setting where you track your performance, you’ve probably worked to improve your “PR” (personal record). That is one of the best things you can do, because it’s not about being better than others – it’s about being a better you.
As you focus on your weight loss goals, your career goals, your marriage, your spiritual life, your purpose in life – the only person you need to beat is yourself. Will you let the old you win – or do you plan to kick the old you’s butt!?
Free Fitness Motivation for Your iPhone
IN. YOUR. FACE!
You should always keep your goals right in front of you. If you don’t, it’s easy to stray. I swear, something I think I need to post them on my forehead to keep me on track. I need a constant reminder that I CAN do this, that it IS worth it and that I WILL succeed – as long as I stick with it. Well, now I can, and YOU CAN TOO!
How many times do you look at your phone? More times than you probably want to admit. It’s scary how often we are on our phone – so why not use it to motivate us, to keep us focused, and to challenge us to stick to our fitness routine or diet?
I recently turned one of my photo mantras into wallpaper for my lock screen on my iphone. Every time I open my iphone, it reminds me who’s boss – and encourages me to stick to my plan. After posting the screenshot on my facebook, I got some good feedback, so I decided to make a few for YOU!!
120 Ways to Motivate You
I have created 120 motivational mantra pictures. However, they were created in a square format for easy sharing on instagram, facebook, twitter, etc., so they have to be recreated to fit the slender rectangular iPhone screens. CLICK HERE to view them all.
Comment below and let me know what mantra you think I should make next. The following motivational wallpapers are made for the iPhone 4 – and I’ve got more in the works. If you can’t adjust this layout to fit your phone, let me know what phone you have so I can help! 
Be sure to subscribe to this blog to be the first to get the latest information, news, tips and motivation!
4 Motivational Photos for iPhone 4 Wallpaper
Directions: Click on the photo you want to use below. A larger version will open in a new window. Right click on the photo to save (or touch and hold to save on your phone). Then go to Setting > Brightness & Wallpaper > Wallpaper > Camera Roll (and choose photo). Move and scale if needed (it should fit perfectly), then click Set > Set Lock Screen. Now you are good to go! Enjoy!
30 Days of Motivation: Make Time, Not Excuses
We waste a lot of time making excuses, when we could be making progress instead.
This year, quit wasting time trying to justify why you can’t workout, why you can’t eat right, why you can’t lose weight, or why it might be hard to reach your goals – because, honestly, there is someone busier, poorer, has more kids, more issues, more obstacles, and more limitations who WILL reach their goal in 2013 because they spent more time making time to do what they need to do to get the results they want, rather than making excuses to get them out of it.
30 Days of Fitness Motivation
Need motivation to help you reach your goals this year? Then follow me!
This year, I am committing to give you 30 days of motivation to help start 2013 off right!
Motivation comes in different shapes and sizes, so every day I will post a motivational photo, mantra, tip, challenge or quote to help you stay on track. And, don’t you dare just keep the motivation to yourself. If you like a post, share it with friends and help your friends reach their goals too! You never know, one of them may turn around and motivate you right back!
FOLLOW ME:
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bonniesfanpage
On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bonniepfiester
On Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bonniepfiester
On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pfitblog
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/pFITtv
On our BCx Workout Blog: http://dobcx.wordpress.com
Subscribe to this blog!
Subscribe to Steve’s Blog
TODAY’S MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA:
Fitness Motivation: “I AM BOSS!”
Don’t Miss: 8 Ways to Gobble Up the Thanksgiving Excuses
Manage Calories with LoseIt this Thanksgiving! Manage cravings by having a shake before your meal so you’re not starving come dinner time. Starving people are like drunk people – they make stupid mistakes when intoxicated with hunger. Be the Boss! #getafterit
Burn the calories off with our workouts on our Fitness Channel pFITtv
Failure Isn’t The End – It Could Be the Beginning
It’s so easy to look at one failure as the end but for many, it is the beginning. We learn from our mistakes. We get knocked down, and we get back up again – stronger, faster, better.
