Motivation, do you have it? Do you need it?

We are quickly approaching the end of 2010, which brings up thoughts of New Year Resolutions.  Are you going to make serious changes this year?  If so, what motivates you?  If you thought you couldn’t fail, what would you do?  If you had someone beside you every step of the way, would you be successful? 

Very important questions.  I have asked and been asked these questions at different times in my life and strangely enough, I’ve had different answers every time.  Why?  Because each time I was asked these questions I was at a different place in my life.  The first time I was asked about my motivation, I could pinpoint a person that was my inspiration and my motivation.  I pushed myself to succeed because I thought I had to measure up in some way to another person’s ideal.  I now realize it is my responsibility  if I succeed or if I fail.  I need to own my life decisions. This takes a serious mind shift.

Jim Rohn's quote immediately came to mind while I was typing this.

 “The best motivation is self-motivation. The guy says, 'I wish someone would come by and turn me on.' What if they don't show up? You've got to have a better plan for your life.”

 If you continue to depend on an outside source to push you, to motivate you, success might come your way. However, if that source didn’t show up one day, what would you do?  Could you continue to succeed?  Or would you fail because you didn’t have it in yourself to push you to the next level?  It boils down to how bad YOU want it.  I have to revisit my reason for succeeding every day.  Sometimes I listen to myself and other times I don’t.

Where are you in your life right now?  I’m taking a very hard look at myself right now and realizing the person I have failed is myself.  I want to be transparent with you.  I do not have it all figured out, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other metaphorically speaking.  I have, at times, become lackadaisical in my daily workout regime and my eats could always be much better.  I am a sugar addict.  Whenever I feel stressed, I immediately reach for sugar. I own that, don’t like it, but it is my methodology.  I know now because of these many months of P90X that my body becomes stressed because I haven’t been doing the things I need to do to take care of myself.  I choose food that doesn't support my body,  I choose to skip a workout, I forget to work on my personal development, etc.  This is a vicious cycle that I don’t want to continue.  I need to step it up and focus! 

Here I go...moving forward with a renewed sense of commitment. Care to join me?  Is it your time right now?  Do you have a plan for your life?  If you don't, let me know, perhaps we can work on it together.  Dream BIG my friends, how else will you know how beautiful and satisfying 2011 will be!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year :)

It's Go Time!!

This marked the first week of the new school year, and while I wasn’t truly looking forward to school I’m glad it is here.  Glad because it has forced me to look at where I am at this moment.  I have discovered something that doesn’t make me entirely happy.

I was comfortable over the summer.  I relaxed, enjoyed my family time, focused on our Beachbody business, and life was good.  Good in a VERY relaxed, lackadaisical sort of way.   Now in retrospect I should have approached my summer a bit differently.  Instead of seeing it as strictly a “vacation” I should have seen it as an “off season”. 

When professional athletes are not competing they don’t just stop whatever they are doing and begin eating Krispy Kremes for every meal.  They continue their conditioning and their nutrition so that when game time arrives or training camp begins they are in shape so that they can perform to their highest level.  Why wasn’t I in that same mindset?  Can you tell I’m in football mode now? LOL.

 Anyway, I’m not saying that I’m an athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but I do want my body to continue to function at the level that I have  grown to like.  It didn’t get that way by eating a bag of coconut M&M’s everyday or just going through the motions of my workouts.  I did it by committing to myself...committing to changing my habits to include regular strenuous exercise (P90X) and healthy nutrition.  That is exactly what I am doing again. I just finished a 3 day Shakeology jumpstart, losing 7 lbs and most of my cravings.  I am following my schedule, I’m tracking my food intake, and I’m being disciplined in every aspect of my Beachbody experience..whether that be coaching, training, or in my daily accountability.  Please join me in this quest to be consistent and healthy not just for myself but also for my entire family.  That is the reason we started and that is the reason I continue.

How do you react?

Say the right words, Read the right books, Listen to the right tapes, Be with the right people, Do the right things, Pray the right prayer.  We all worry that we aren’t enough or aren’t doing enough to be successful.  What do you do to tip the balance in your favor?  Do you keep moving forward or allow life to stop you in your tracks?

Struggles..they are what defines us.  When faced with something that seems insurmountable, how do you respond?  I don’t know about you, but I never plan out how I react to situations, it just seems to happen.  Like the other day for instance. I was being very specific in what I needed to accomplish, highly motivated to take on the mountain of to do’s I had written down.  The boys were going to be off getting some awesome “boy time” outside playing baseball so I had the house to myself.  I was excited because my house was quiet and I just knew I would be very productive!

 I accidentally knocked my insulated coffee mug off of my desk with the lid open and it began to spill on my hardwood floors.  I bent down so I could pick it up, accidentally knocked it under my wheelchair as I am parked at my desk.  I couldn’t get up unless I moved my wheelchair from the desk so I had to roll backwards and thus dragging my coffee cup with me spilling coffee all the while.  I did not react well.  I was angry at the weakness being shown in myself.  I ranted and raved, talking very disparaging about my MS I must admit.  I did finally calm down and became the rational person I am usually.

I managed to set the cup upright but not before I had coffee all over my floor.  I couldn’t use my wheelchair to get rags because it would have had to roll through the spill, so I had to walk.  If you have ever seen me walk it is a slow process, considering I wasn’t even able to stand until I started P90X and Shakeology this is a huge step for me..literally!  I didn’t have a cane, walker, or even an able bodied person to help me so I had to use walls to keep me balanced and upright.  I did it..admittedly it wasn’t pretty but I succeeded in doing something incredibly basic and it was a triumph for me.  You see until Dan and I changed our lives if I had to do something like that it would have been impossible.  In fact, I remember one time falling and having to army crawl somewhere just 10 feet away and it taking 30 minutes.  This little speed bum took me less than 10 minutes to clean up.  I felt incredibly victorious!

I share this with you because I wanted you to see that struggles come in all shapes and sizes.  Some struggles are HUGE and life threatening, but struggles also come in little things like spilled coffee.  You will continually face things in life that will either set you back or will strengthen you.  I spent several years letting little and big struggles beat me down.  I refuse to do that anymore!  I am in control of my life and how I respond to the things going on around me are a direct reflection of that mindset.  I encourage you to be in control of your current struggles, whatever they might be.  It all begins with you!

How is your workouts going?

Are you committed to a workout program?  Any workout program..it doesn't have to be P90X!

One of my all time favorite blogs to follow is Steve Edwards ( http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com )  He never ceases to enlighten and encourage me when it comes to how my body works.   In this post he is specifically talking about Beachbody programs.  I love that he is simply telling people that it doesn’t matter which program from Beachbody you choose, they all work. 

I laugh because before I had to deal with the issue of my MS I was a very active person..I did aerobics, I walked, I jogged, I played sports, etc. and I have to admit I was a bit of a fitness snob!  I was convinced that the exercise I chose at the time I was doing it was the ONLY thing that would work.  Steve does an excellent job of mentioning that each program is tailored to a person’s interests  and likes. 

All of the programs work...I have seen that in my little circle!  The difference with these programs versus the workouts I used to do, is that we at Beachbody have thought of everything to help you succeed.  The exercise programs are top notch, our nutritionals ( ahem..Shakeology!) are world class, and we have a tremendous online community to support you the entire time!  Between Dan, myself,my inlaws, my sister, and our friends, we have used over 9 different programs and we have all lost weight and gained energy!  Over 250 lbs in the last year!  So don’t get hung up on doing a specific program because your friend is doing it, pick one that interests you.  Commit to the nutrition plan and the schedule that comes with the program and you will see success!  Besides, you will have an entire network of Beachbody friends like Dan and myself to help you every step of the way!  You are the next transformation winner, I can feel it! :)

New Workout Programs from Beachbody!

Beachbody isn't just about P90X and Tony Horton..we have more!  I wanted to talk about two wonderful workout programs from Beachbody coming out soon.  The end of May, Body Gospel will be making it's debut and Beachbody is pulling out all the stops.  A worldclass workout filmed in front of a full choir and Donna Richardson Joyner leading real people to work out . This will also have the standard nutrition guide as well as a daily devotional to help you stay motivated and on track with your nutrition. 

The second is TURBO FIRE!  This is the next in line following Turbo Jam and it is fantastic!  I had the privilege of working out to this at Summit with Chalene Johnson and it was amazing!  This workout is High Intensity Interval Training and is designed to burn more fat than strict cardio based programs.  I posted a preview at the bottom of this page so you will have to check it out.  This will be something you have to try to believe!

Hope you all have a great day! :)

Who takes care of you?

Too many of us become overwhelmed, stop taking care of ourselves and expect others to step in and do it for us. This is what led me to begin my downward spiral before Dan found Beachbody. I didn’t think I was of any value to others, I felt that I wasn’t able to take care of myself or my children and I found it easier for others to do it for me. I became dependent on others to motivate me, I found myself feeling unworthy. Sounds pretty depressing doesn't it..exactly.  Depression was a constant in my life just 14 months ago.  So how did I take the steps to change that? I got moving!


It doesn’t matter what you choose to do as long as you are doing something. Go for a quick walk, jog in place in your living room, do jumping jacks, or like me sit in your chair and move your arms! Get your blood pumping!
I chose to do P90X because my husband was doing it and it looked like fun. We modified the program to fit my ability.  Just becoming active changed my perspective because it gave me a feeling of accomplishment. If you are feeling lost in the shuffle of life, exercise can help with that! There are several articles that discuss the benefits of exercise when dealing with depression. I didn’t want to hear about that when I was drowning in my own issues but now I see that it truly helped. It was the catalyst to turning my life around. By getting my body moving again with P90X then adding the superior nutrients in Shakeology, I found myself again. I became the person I wanted to be, not the one that MS was forcing me to become. That was a year ago, and our family life is completely different.  I am finally feel like I am worthy of being taken care of by the most important person in my life...me!  I still have Multiple Sclerosis, but it doesn’t have me.


Suffer from depression? http://bit.ly/boDhM4

WOW!!!

What a weekend!!!!

I am brimming over with excitement today. This past weekend was Beachbody’s annual Summit. If you are on facebook you will have seen that I was the female GRAND PRIZE WINNER! I wanted to write something profound today, so here I sit in front of my computer racking my brain for something meaningful to say that will convey exactly how I am feeling. I’m thinking…I’m thinking….still thinking….okay here goes…

THANK YOU

That is the most profound thought in my head right now. As I was immersed into the Summit experience with over 1100 people who have been touched in someway by Beachbody, whether that be as a customer who changed their fitness level or by the struggling single mom who is using her Beachbody business to pay her bills, I was in awe of the positive, loving spirits that surrounded me. From the very first day Dan and I arrived at our hotel I was immediately touched. As soon as we pushed through the doors, we were approached by two beautiful women who had flown from the Netherlands to tell me how I had inspired them. My heart began to swell..as well as tears..to see how much love was in their eyes. I had never personally spoken to them before that moment, but in that first meeting, I felt full of awe and my heart began to swell.

It continued from there. I heard wonderful, amazing stories from so many that said learning about my struggles and how I pushed through them had changed or inspired them to do the same in their own lives. We would hug, and I would even cry a few happy tears, and my heart would swell a little more. Then I would talk to someone who either had MS or knew of someone with MS. We would talk of ways to encourage and support each other and their loved ones. I saw people who were involved in MS Society events like walks, bike rides, and volunteering their support and my heart would again swell.

I felt that love with every conversation, every smile, and every hug until I thought my heart would burst. I loved the stories of people helping people through their trials. We were bombarded with positive energy from all angles. Each and every person there was a survivor in some amazing fashion and I felt so honored and humbled to be on that stage in the end. That is the reason for my “profound” statement in the beginning…I again say from the bottom of my heart..

THANK YOU

Because while you were telling me of how I inspired you and how amazing you found my story, I was thinking the same about each and every one of you. Lives were changed this weekend in the most beautiful way possible. You can be a part of that. You have a story..you can change peoples lives, you can make a difference. My only hope is that every person that reads this can feel my love because I am sending it straight to you. 

This little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine..

Did you ever have one of those days? I think I have had one of those days for the last week! I wake up every morning with a super attitude, ready to take on the world, and before you know it, I am being bombarded with negativity! Wow! Does it have to be this hard? The answer apparently is yes, or at least that is what I thought.


Upon closer examination I realized that it wasn’t that everything around me was negative it was that I had stopped nurturing that positive feeling I had when I began my day. It’s not that life had instantly gotten harder; I unfortunately let little things happen to undermine that positive spark, my positive “little light of mine”. I had let little things like burning my hand making toast for my son, spilling almond milk as I made my Chocolate Shakeology, and not getting my workout in when I wanted to completely derail my positive attitude. So I stopped, took a deep breath, hugged my boys, and started my workout. I took the first step I could to change my attitude. I surrounded myself with love and then stepped up to do something I love! I have to say..I killed P90X Back & Biceps!

I rediscovered that my attitude was completely under my control. I was not a victim of circumstances. I was not a victim of my toaster, my clumsiness, or any disease. I was not a victim to ANYTHING!! I feel good…I am so back!! I have my head on straight and my sweat on! Come join me anytime, I’ll gladly share my “little light”. :)

Happy Easter!

I love Spring!  This is the time when everything just oozes hope and renewal.  Those are my thoughts today as I jot this note to say..take advantage of this opportunity to renew yourself!  Be true to you and take care of yourself.  Emotionally, spiritually, and nutrionally!  No one else will take better care of you than you will, I promise! :)

I spent many years believing that I wasn't important enough to make a priority.  My husband and my boys were terrific at always making me feel special and important in their eyes.  In my own, I was nothing but a liability to an otherwise healthy, normal family.  Frustrating to them, depressing to me.  Wow..so many years wasted that I would love to have back! 

I take care of me now.  I eat right most of the time thanks to Shakeology and the nutriton plan that came with our P90X program.  I exercise with my family and a virtual trainer in Tony Horton, and I am so much happier.  I love life again and in turn I am able to share that love with my family.  The saying is so right that in order to truly love others you have to love yourself first.  Renew your love of self!  You will not regret it :)

Miracles

I am the last person to jump on bandwagons.  In fact, I am a fairly cautious person.  When I was diagnosed with MS, I had everyone imaginable trying to show me a "miracle" cure.  I had people a barely knew tell me that they had found a super product that would fight my symptoms.  At that time I was desperate, so I tried most of it.  I gradually lost the hope that a cure was coming in the form of medicine or in the form of something natural.  Then as you can see by my video above, I just lost hope period.  So why do I talk so glowingly about Beachbody and Shakeology?  Oh, let me count the ways, at least 3 off the top of my head!

1)     Energy!  I went from never being hungry, having no will to move to working out and having fun with life again!  I won’t bore you with details of how hard it was to get through my day just suffice it to say that I felt like I was walking through mud every waking moment.  My thoughts were also swimming in mud so when I began to have energy again and I began to think clearer and all I had to do was drink a shake that tasted like a chocolate malt to get that result, it was a no brainer to me!  It helped me control my cravings for sweets (huge struggle for me), and made my body begin to work the way it was suppose to..finally!

2)    Biceps!   I was a farm girl growing up.  I rode horses and did everyday things thinking that was exercise.  In high school I was the studious type so activity was somewhat sporadic.  I was a jazzercise girl in college, I loved to play tennis and I really liked being active but I was never in shape, in fact I was rather plump. J  It wasn’t until I started working out with P90X that I saw muscle forming on my body and weight dropping off.  I was wearing sizes that were only a dream for me.  I was instantly in love with Tony Horton and Beachbody!

3)    Attitude!  I mentioned that I was somewhat sad..okay, extremely sad.  You can tell from my pictures the state I was in and unfortunately that is what was modeled to my boys.  I am not kidding when I say that I pulled my family down to my level of disillusionment.  Can you imagine seeing your primary caregivers..your parents..have no hope for the future?  Dan and I didn’t.  We were told that I would be in a nursing home by the age of 40 because I had such an aggressive disease.  I was told that at the age of 28 with 2 young boys in my house.  I still feel a little sick to my stomach when I remember hearing those words. Now look at my pictures..I am smiling and I am strong..both physically and mentally.  Beachbody did this for me.  I have the tools at my disposal to kick the @#!% out of my MS.  I feel empowered to succeed in every aspect of my life.  I have given my body what it needs…regular exercise, superior nutrition, and hope. 

 So, miracle cure..not in so many words, but all I can attest to is how it has changed my life.  It is something that has taken a body ravaged by numerous medications and beaten down by life and transformed it into what I always knew I could become.  A better wife and mother which is all I have ever hoped for.  That constitutes a miracle to me.  J

Jelly Beans are evil!

You have heard of having the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, right?  Well this is the time of year that I have a bag of jelly beans on one shoulder and Tony Horton doing P90X on the other!  I know, I’m in trouble.

  I am a sweet freak.  I have accepted that about myself, and it is something I constantly fight.  Do I let my need for the immediate gratification of something that I have built up in my head as yummy take control or do I look at the long term consequences of my actions.  I have spent the last year cleaning my system of junk.  I eat clean 80% of the time.  By clean I mean food that isn’t full of saturated fats, refined sugar, processed flours, artificial sweeteners, etc.  So I ask why I continue to struggle with something that personifies all that I have cleaned out of my body?

   My only thought is, I have programmed myself to think I need it.  I have found that the foods I crave do not taste as good as I imagine.  I also have a stomach ache within the first few hours after eating them.  Why put myself through that?  I would like to think I am a relatively intelligent woman, but this borders on ridiculous!  This is what I need to remember.

  I am amazed at how many flavors you can taste in food that isn’t masked by unbearable sweetness and fat.  I love eating food and being able to taste all the ingredients in their purest form.  I have discovered a love for vegetables..the green ones, not just Shakeology!   I have found my favorite meals include stir-fry vegetables with chicken not cooked with oil, but cooked in a low sodium chicken stock.  The best thing at all is that I feel completely satisfied and energized after a day of eating well. 

Glad that I got that out of my system!  No jelly beans for me right now and I’m off to make turkey burgers for my family on whole wheat buns.  Maybe if I’m lucky I can sneak a Chocolate Shakeology in for dessert afterwards! Best of all, no stomach ache for me tonight…Yay me! 

Beachbody's Million Dollar Body Game Finalist!!

   Wow!  I am still adjusting to that fact that I am one of 4 amazing women named as finalists in Beachbody's MDBG!  I am thrilled to see the wonderful and inspirational group selected- each person has worked so hard and changed their lives dramatically.  This group of girls along with 4 men will be at the Summit in CA, on a stage at the Hyatt Regency, May 1st when they announce the winner.  One man and one woman will receive $25,000!  I am so very honored and excited to see where this road leads!
  
   If you aren't a member of Beachbody and would like to see the finalists, sign up for free at this link http://bit.ly/aZjMsZ   If you are already a member, I urge you to read each persons story and understand the difficulties each and every one of us have overcome to be where we are.  Beachbody isn't just about changing our weight, or our muscle mass.  It is about changing our lives and our perceptions of our abilities.  I have regained my sense of purpose in life.  I have found my strength.  We have discovered an entire community of support and in turn are creating our own positive, supportive team within that same community.  My family's journey over this past year has been nothing short of miraculous.  Dan, my boys, myself and my in-laws, have lost a total of 240 lbs in the past year!  This is incredible in itself but what I am the most proud of is that we have become better people  in the process.   Beachbody is about changing lives.. P90X and Shakeology definitely changed mine!

Carl Daikeler

I am excited.  Last June I was fortunate to be able to share my story at a local Beachbody event in Lincoln, NE with the CEO of Beachbody in attendance.  It was a very memorable time since it was the first time in a long time I have talked in front of that many people.  After that point, I was also able to give my story when Tony Horton visited Lincoln last month.  That time speaking in front of over 200 people.  Now I again get to give my story to the Beachbody corporate staff and Carl Daikeler tomorrow.

This is why I love Beachbody so much.  The company has incredible products..I know because I have used most of them...but the people that are involved with Beachbody are top-notch!  Each person I have met personally care very deeply about the direction of this company and the quality of product it produces.  Beginning of course with Carl himself and then flowing all the way down to people like me.  We are all truly in this together :)

Voices in my head!

I woke up this morning, drank my coffee, and set about my daily activities.  Nothing new, nothing exciting, just everyday stuff.  As I was looking at a mountain of laundry, I could hear the programmed voice in my head trying to pull me down with “You will never finish this!”  What???  Why would I do that to myself?  Aren’t we on the same team here?  I know this sounds crazy but I really do talk to myself like this. J

Why I share this with you is because I have heard that voice before..right before I started P90X.  I realized that if I had listened to all the negativity floating around, there would have been no way I would have completed the program.  John C. Maxwell says “Your life changes when you change something you do every day.”  What I did every day was doubt myself.  I changed that when I stepped away from the feelings of weakness and pushed play with Tony Horton.  I did this despite physical reasons not to workout!  The best part was even on the mornings when my muscles were aching, I didn’t hear those voices ever again.  All I heard after that first Chest and Back routine was “You go girl!” 

Are you holding yourself back?  Are you unwilling to change something as simple as the negative voice in your head?  If so, I am here to tell you that you can change that voice..all you have to do is believe!  

What is your breaking point?

Everyone has bad days.  I have good days and bad days.  This is my bad week because I had my monthly chemo (Tysabri) on Wednesday.  I always feel run down, my thoughts don’t work as well as I would like them too, and I know I am not at my best.  It is hard to know that I am causing my family worry and stress but to feel absolutely not in control of my own emotions.  I become very different for a few days and it is hard on my family.  I am so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing husband like Dan.  It is twice as hard on him as it is on me.  He and my boys are my strength during these times.  But my point here isn’t to show how difficult my life has been, it is to highlight where I am now.  I have been at various “breaking points” in my life.  I would love to list them here for you but I would rather talk about the opposite…my “building points”

My building points always begin and end with Dan.  I can’t even begin to tell you all that he has helped me through.  He is my number one builder.  He has sacrificed so much to protect me, to strengthen me, and to make my life easier.  Thank you darling for being there through it all.  It is because of him that I am in such a wonderful place now.  Last year Dan decided he wanted to make a change.  He ordered P90X  from Beachbody and committed to working out.  Tony Horton’s program is truly amazing.  Because of his commitment our entire family has become healthier and fit.  I have come a long ways thanks to the benefit of exercise and Shakeology.  I now get the nutrition I need to move forward.  Are you caught in your breaking point or are you striving to get past it?  Either way, just keep moving forward and the point will turn from a “breaking” to a “building”!

I’m giving it all I’ve got, Captain!

I just finished my workout..P90X Shoulders and Arms with my 11 yr old son..and I must say it was not my best by all means.  It was difficult to focus, to actually get the burn I know I needed. I wasn’t slacking, I was hitting it hard but I just didn’t feel right.   I finished the workout, so did my son, but I left the workout room feeling a little low.  By the time I finished mixing my Shakeology I realized that I had no reason to feel bad.  In fact I should be proud of the fact that I showed up and gave it my all. 

I was reminded of something Dan told me when I first started this journey with Beachbody and P90X.  I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to push myself hard enough because of my MS.  He told me that I won every time I put that disc in the machine and pushed play.  He was right but I still doubted myself.  I then thought of a Bible lesson I remembered from church referring to giving.  In this verse Jesus had observed a crowd placing their offerings in boxes in a temple.  Many rich people threw in large amounts but a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins.  These coins were worth less than a penny by today’s standards but Jesus saw what she had done.  He then taught that she in fact had put more in the box than any other person in the temple that day.  Not because it was worth so much, but it was all she had, and she gave it all.

I want to be that widow when it comes to every aspect of my life, but I focus on that whenever I start my workout.  I give it everything I have.  I may not feel the best, but I always show up and give it my all.  I encourage you to do the same.

 

PoundPuncher Bracelet

 I added a link featuring our friend Kelley Davis’s amazing invention to help keep you focused on your weight loss journey.  She has lost over 70lbs herself using her PoundPuncher bracelet to inspire her and to give her the motivation to keep going.   Congratulations to you and thanks for sharing Kelley!  Check it out :)

Stress..and ramblings...:)

Dealing with stress is a daily struggle with me.  My body doesn't react well to stressful situations, of course I'm not sure if that is unique to me because of my MS  or because I am a female. :)  Anyway, I noticed this week as I tried to bulldoze my way through receipts, expense reports, etc during my annual tax deliberation that I was feeling the old stress overload happen again.  The tightness in the shoulders, the familiar aches and pains creeping into my body and the pain in my lower back hurting with a vengeance and I began to feel a bit dismayed.  I thought that I was completely over those feelings.  I mean..I finished P90X for goodness sakes!  I should be able to handle anything, right?  I then realized that these aches had nothing to do with my MS, or my current state of nutrition or fitness, it had everything to do with how I was allowing some outside force dictate how I was feeling.  I was feeling stress over something I had no control over.  Can I avoid paying taxes?  I wish, but alas, I can't.  So why let it give me stress?  I put my foot down and told myself in the infamous words of my dear friend Anne Dovel...Stop it!!  Then, when I finished laughing at that comment I realized that stopping a familiar cycle is the hardest habit to break.

We all have cycles we follow.  I fold my bath towels a certain way because that is the way I was taught when I was young.  That is a cycle..a learned behavior.  This can apply to so many aspects of our lives from our fitness regimen, the types of foods we eat,  to yes...how we react to certain situations.  I learned at an early age that tax time was a very stressful time and I have allowed that cycle to cause me undue stress for years by choosing to continue that cycle of thought.  Think about parts of your life that cause some innate reaction either good or bad and you can probably trace it to a certain part of your life that held significance to you.  The big question is whether to keep that cycle going or to make the choice to stop it once and for all.  I do not want my children to view this time of year with even a smidgen of anxiety because of my actions.  So for my sake..my body's sake and my children's future I say in a loud voice ....Stop it!!

Take some time to assess your life.  Do you have "excuses" pop in your head for no apparent reason?  Then take the time to truly assess that thought process and decide if it is something that you want to allow to continue.  You have the power to control how you think..it isn't easy, but it can be done.   How do you choose to think?  Are you a follower, or are you someone who can take charge of your life and your thoughts?  These are the questions I ask myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm leaning towards taking life by the horns and kicking it in the rear!

Don't give up!

Yesterday I worked out with my husband..Core Synergistics..from P90X.  I of course had to modify a lot of the moves to fit me and my strengths but what I found in the process is that I could get a great workout!  It was different than Dan’s but it was a great one for me!   This workout was all about working my core which is difficult for me since I have reduced feeling from my chest down.  I have to position myself in ways that work the muscle group targeted and trust that the muscles are working even though I can’t feel them.  It is strange because I can feel more on the left side of my body so a logical person would assume that if I can feel it on one side than the other side would have to be working as well.  I just kept telling myself to move..if nothing else..just move your arms..move what you can move!  It must have worked because I am sore all over today! J  Thank goodness for P90X Results and Recovery Drink and Shakeology!

My point with this is do not get frustrated if you can not perform exactly like it shows on the DVD or  if you feel like you didn’t do as well as you expected to do.  It is easy to say..this doesn’t work for me because it’s too hard.  At that point I look at it as I have the ability to grow into the program.  Be creative!  There is a reason that Tony Horton continually says “modify”!  It will be hard in the beginning because you will not be used to working the muscles correctly, but as you continue following the program you will get stronger and the moves that you struggled with will become easier and you will see results!  You just have to stick with it..don’t ever give up!

Eating Clean as a Busy Person

Don't forget Breakfast!!!!

Choose healthy, quick breakfast foods.  I love eating oatmeal with cinnamon, almond milk and a touch of Agave nectar made in the microwave.  Fresh Blueberries are great it oatmeal as well.  If I am really pushed for time Shakeology makes a wonderful breakfast too!

• Plan 15-20 minutes for lunch – focus on eating, enjoy it.  

The key word here is plan.  If you don't plan your day, it is easy to just grab the easiest food available.  This leads to poor food choices and will derail your fitness and weight loss journey.  

• Eat a healthy snack before and/or after attending long meetings or outings.

If you know you will be unable to eat for longer than 2 hours you have to have something to nourish your body for your mental and physical needs.  This is when most people gravitate to the vending machines..yuck!  Take a P90X protein bar or a small baggie of healthy snacks to at least keep your blood sugars constant.

• Opt for two smaller healthy appetizers at business lunches or go ahead and choose a nice big salad with a lean protein (chicken, fish, turkey)

• Try to limit the cheese, dressings and carb overload.  If you work late, bring enough food with you to work to satisfy your meals

• DO NOT constantly over indulge on the weekend after a hard week

• DO incorporate your little indulgences occasionally..just NOT everyday.  If you are craving something, use it as motivation to complete your workouts everyday and then treat yourself every once in awhile.  Then move on and keep working out!  It keeps us sane, and eventually you will find that your little "treats" really don't taste as good as you expect!

• STAY hydrated..Drink constantly throughout the day.

• This is the easiest tip to say and the hardest to follow.  I encourage you start slowly if you are not used to drinking water throughout the day.  If you drink large amounts you will find yourself frustrated by your body's inability to absorb the liquid and reduce the amount you are drinking.  I liken my body to a sponge.  If I don't drink water regularly it becomes like a dry sponge and the water just runs off.  If I am patient and give my body water consistently,  it will become like a wet sponge and begin to absorb the water for my body to use.

• BE PREPARED 

Do you see a theme here?  :)  This pretty much covers everything!  Plan your meals and your fitness at least week in advance so you have a schedule to follow.  Always have something on hand..in your desk, your purse, your computer bag, etc. just in case something unexpected comes up.  If you don't take the time to take care of yourself, no one will.

Cleaning up your nutrition is NOT about being perfect…it is about being practical!

I started my transformation very confused about nutrition.  I come from a family with a long history of dieting.  Unfortunately that also meant I was not very informed about the proper way to eat.  I remember counting calories when I was 12 years old trying to find the key to being healthy.  If something was low in calories then it had to be good for me.  After that it was a low fat diet.  I was still very confused since I would eat hot tamales by the handful telling myself that I could do that because there wasn't any fat it them.  I would love to say I was still 12 years old when I thought that but I wasn't..I was 22!  Guess what?  I didn't lose weight that way either.  I tried every fad diet I could, looking for a quick fix.  I was so afraid I would eat the wrong food that at times I just wouldn't eat!  It wasn't until Beachbody that I learned how easy it is to eat the right food..lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats..all the necessary items a person needs to feed their body.  I also learned during my first round of P90X that it was okay to have a little treat every now and then..just not ALL the time.  When we are trying to change our lives we become so hard on ourselves.  I expected success immediately and did not want to fail.  If for some reason I made a mistake, I would  become so disappointed in myself, thinking I would have to start all over again.  I have relaxed a little, knowing that one little piece of naughtiness isn't going to derail all my hard efforts.  My goal is to eat clean 85% of the time.  That way if I do slip a little, I know I'll pick it up again tomorrow.  You can do the same. :)