Yes, we all have choices….. Sleep in or get up early to work out? Hit the drive-thru or take a bit of time to meal plan and meal prep? Watch mindless TV or do some personal development? Buy an expensive handbag or sneakers or invest in a superfood and workout program?
Hey, its true that where you spend your time and money are where your priorities are. I urge you to make the sacrifices you need to make to live a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.
I’m all about quality of life versus the quantity of things I own. I want to be able travel the world with my family and spend many more years together. I want to see my great grandchildren graduate high school and get married. I want to prevent generations of family to come from having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer and diabetes.
Speaking of quality of life, I have truly learned to value personal growth, health and happiness over money and this mind-shift alone has totally changed my life.
Examine what you can eliminate in your life to ultimately make YOU (your health and happiness) the priority. And to help you to do that, the next time you hear yourself say “I don’t have the time” or “I don’t have the money”, try saying instead that “It’s really not a priority” and see how THAT feels.
Holy crap. My first Beast workout of my current 91-day challenge was super hard today! I can certainly tell I have been slacking in the lifting department!! 40 minutes of lifting this morning and worked the whole body including the core! I am feeling like total body rubber at the moment!
In the workout program today, the trainer refers to the lady in the workout as the momma-beast and so I decided I am gonna work towards being the granny-beast.? Sounds like a motivating goal to me!?
Time for a superfood recovery shake and some eggs for extra protein! I hope you have a healthy and active day!!
Now THAT is something worth fighting for!!! My health is something that I do not take for granted any longer! No way!
I spent too many years out of shape, in pain, digestion not working worth a crap (literally), painful knees, fatigue, poor sleep, constant lower back issues and miserable in the head too! That’s no way to live!! I am so happy that I made the decision 2 years ago that I was going to change this!
The decision was made after going through every medical test known to man including colonoscopy and finding out that there was nothing medically wrong with me!!! Ultimately I was just unhealthy, fat and out of shape! What an epiphany that was!!!
I said NO MORE and started working my ass off, superfood and professional fitness every day and clean eating and my body totally transformed. …and guess what? My whole mental health and mood transformed with it since my body was now running efficiently and my hormones were better balanced too! And you know what happens when you become a happier and more fun person? Your whole life changes!
Oh yes, believe me, the decision I made 2 years ago was the best decision of my life and I will NEVER EVER go back to how I was.
To transform your body and your health, be sure to join me for my next accountability and support group for superfood and fitness. There are programs for everyone from beginners to even the most conditioned athlete! CONTACT ME NOW to get started!
Lots of grunting, groaning and heavy breathing with the challenging strength workout this morning! Started a new 91 day fitness challenge today and I am determined to get ‘er done no matter what!
I remember what my last trainer told me…If it was easy, there would be nothing achieved! Working out to achieve fitness goals is supposed to be hard! ?. As a result of what she said, even though it is HARD, I push myself harder all the time…after all this work, I at least want to see and feel progress!
Lets do this!
Day 1 of 91 day program completed and feeling fired up for my Monday today!? Now to have an Icy and delicious superfood shake for recovery and then time to hit the shower! Hope you have an awesome Monday!
REMEMBER THIS…. “Choose Your Hard”… Working out and being dedicated to a program is HARD, but looking in the mirror and being unhappy with how you look and feel is also HARD. Which HARD do you pick?
Beware….exercise and healthy nutrition can lead to strength, flexibility, happiness, improved relationships, prevent disease, a longer and healthier life, better quality of life, a healthy weight, solid balance, reduced chance for injury and so much more! Who wouldn’t want all of these things in their life? Make the DECISION to choose the fitness and health “HARD” today and transform your life for the better!
Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers. Diets rich in foods containing fibre, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The nutrients in veggies are critical for the health and maintenance of your body. Now having less chance of a chronic disease or cancer sounds like a very good reason to get those veggies, don’t you think?
The Nutrient side of the story…
Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. Avoid adding dip and sauces to your veggies…this will add unwanted fat or sat and calories!
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fibre, folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, spinach, lentils, and kidney beans.
Dietary fibre from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fibre is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fibre-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
Folic acid helps the body form red blood cells. Women who have a chance of becoming pregnant should consume adequate folic acid from foods. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and other complications during fetal development.
Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections.
Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds, strengthens immune system, is part of the structure of bones and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C also helps iron to absorb in our digestive system.
What are the Health benefits?
Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.
Diets rich in foods containing fibre, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Eating vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
Eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake
What do I need to do to get the Benefits if I Hate Veggies?
One very challenging way to get the nutrients and fibre you need from veggies if you won’t eat them…is that you could try to use multiple supplements …but this becomes challenging to sort out how much, in what proportion and how often it is needed… (You could also choose to eat veggies, but even our food quality these days is rather poor).
A much easier way to get exactly what you need is to have a superfood shake once per day that incorporates more than 9 servings of your veggie nutrition in just one scoop. Now THIS is much easier…and is delicious too! The other ingredients this once-per-day shake offers is antioxidants, superfood nutrients, adaptogens, herbs that help promote hormone balance, pre and pro-biotics, digestive enzymes and the perfect blend of proteins, vitamins and minerals for optimal energy and health. ..The side benefits are beautiful hair, nails and skin, good digestion, amazing energy, look younger, and it also helps lose stubborn fat by feeding our body dense nutrition and cutting cravings as well! (BONUS!). (and contains ZERO artificial ingredients too!) … Take a few minutes to check out the video below!
There is something about working those muscles hard and having that feeling of being totally pumped up afterwards!! I just love that feeling!
The muscles feel swollen and full as the blood surges through them after the heavy burn wears off.. if you have never felt it, you may not know what I mean.. but if you have done a good lifting routine…you will know exactly what I am talking about here…???
This morning, I feel compelled to talk about what goes on inside the muscle to make it feel this way and how that gives us benefit, conditioning and a sense of well-being. Its totally changed my life to do resistance training and I am certain it would change yours as well.
It may sound weird, but the action of lifting weights actually depletes muscle building nutrients in the body and causes microscopic tears in our muscle fibres. Its only after the workout is over that our bodies work to repair the damage we inflicted on it and then the muscle growth starts to happen. Immediately after a workout, the body gets to work by increasing blood flow to those muscles causing them to feel bigger and more full. This increase blood flow and high rate of repair happens for up to several hours after a workout.
How to make sure our muscles repair and stay with us…
Its important to regularly have small meals with carbs and proteins after the workout to help keep the growth and repair process moving forward. During our sleep time at night, our body runs out of repair nutrients while we are sleeping (fasting) and this is why having a bit of extra protein at bedtime can be helpful to keep this repair process working well while sleeping. If we have prolonged periods of fasting, our body goes into what is called a catabolic state where muscle breakdown occurs. We definitely do not want to get into this state as it will reduce our muscle mass…so be sure that muscle is well fed and don’t allow your body to go into prolonged fasting periods.
WHY build muscle anyways?
Lifting weights (resistance training) is important to build muscle strength, but it also strengthens the surrounding connective tissue as well (tendon, ligament). The stronger the structures are, the less likely it will be that you will experience a strain, dislocation or tear around a joint or a muscle injury while in motion!!
The health benefits to having conditioned muscles are so amazing, that it is an important activity to incorporate into your life ASAP! Having muscles improves our physical appearance (more toned, nice shape, less fat), gives us more energy, increases bone density, increases power and strength, reduced injury, makes recovery from injuries faster, slows down aging and improves hormone balance, increases HDL (good cholesterol), improves our balance, lowers blood pressure and resting heart rate. The list goes on and on… so many benefits!
Oh and one more thing! Conditioned muscles typically do not cause us chronic pain! Yes, we will have some sore muscles from lifting at times especially when increasing weight or intensity, but in general, conditioned muscles at rest do not cause us pain! HUGE BENEFIT that improves quality of life! I suffered from chronic body, muscle, neck and knee pains for years and getting into shape completely transformed my quality of life and I am not in pain any longer! Its so worth the work!
If you would like to find a professionally designed resistance training program to get started with, please contact me and I will help you out.
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The only thing between you and your goals is that BS story you keep feeling yourself as to why you can’t do it!! This is what my personal trainer told me this morning during my weighted cardio workout and she is totally right!! How many times did we make excuses and even what we believe is “good reasons” as to why we didn’t achieve our goals! Far too many! …and in fact we tell ourselves these things do many times that we actually start truly believing they are facts! Scary if you really think about it!
I have learned to recognize it when I have come up with a story… such as being too tired, having no money, not enough sleep, not enough time, telling myself I am just an emotional eater (which then somehow made it OK?), sore muscles, feet aching, sore back from a busy day at work, stress from having a 2-year old, lack of sleep, too young, too old, no good at it, not capable, can’t trust the opposite sex, don’t know how…and the story list just goes on and on and on…!! The sad part is that we believe these things, identify with them and let them rule our lives!
I have been through all of these excuses and stories myself! Sometimes when you come from a background of abuse, the stories can get pretty bad. For example, you may believe you are worth nothing, are useless, not loved, not important, not worthy of love and so many more horrible things! You can imagine, that if a person lived with those beliefs (stories) that their life would not be very good, successful or full of happiness! I have had to work hard to overcome many of these stories. It was not easy, but I am proof that it is totally possible to change your perception of yourself and to change how you perceive your past experiences too!
How do I work on overcoming these stories? Keep in mind, this is always a work in progress. My mentor (the late Jim Rohn) speaks about those stories, beliefs and thoughts and uses them as a metaphor like “weeds” growing in a garden. This is a great metaphor because if you think about it….you cannot ignore those weeds because they will totally overtake the whole garden (weeds of the mind). Those weeds need to be removed and even once you get the whole garden cleared out of those weeds…what happens? YES!…those weeds keep trying to come back, so you have to continuously keep pulling out the ones that come up.
This is the same way with those stories…
Once you realize (finally gain insight into yourself) the numerous stories (lies) you have been telling yourself about why you cannot do things or achieve things…its like suddenly noticing your beautiful garden (mind) is packed solid with weeds!! AHA! This was definitely an AHA moment for me. I got myself a coach and started working at getting those weeds pulled out. It took months of work, emotional turmoil and challenging times…but, believe me, I got that darn garden mostly cleared out …out of pure determination. However, I realized that a person has to be well-aware that those weeds (stories, lies) will keep trying to come back and keep an eye on the garden at all times to remove them once they pop up! The lesson here was for me NOT to ignore those feelings, but rather allow them to happen, recognize them, and realize where they are coming from and correct them immediately.
Having this kind of awareness can totally change your life. Often, to develop this awareness and clean out the garden takes extra help. Don’t hesitate to get help with this (remember, asking for help is a sign of strength). Once you take the time to learn this, then you will start to recognize the stories (lies) once they happen. Once they are recognized, you can stop, identify the lie and replace it with the truth that you know is there. Its a magical process and is definitely worth learning about! Once you get to work on this, you will be blown away at what you are capable of achieving in your life!
There is no feeling like the sense of accomplishment! This morning I officially completed a 30-day challenge that I set up for myself with an awesome core/MMA fighting program! This is just the way I LOVE fitness. Short challenges that push me and keep it totally interesting…and in the comfort of my own home… plus they are professionally developed to give an amazing full body fitness like I never imagined!
This type of core/fighting workout is a great cross-trainer for other types of fitness activities as well… especially court sports, running, horseback riding, hockey, football and so many more… the agility, core strength, leg and upper body strength that you can build without any equipment is astounding!
The beauty of the workout lineup I have available to me through this annual digital access program is that I never get bored, I can keep picking new challenges for myself with different professional programs and trainers as I go! When it is fun and interesting like this…with short term rewards…a person is far more likely to keep it up! I also keep a paper copy of the workout calendar beside my workout area, so that I check off each workout as I complete them… as you see here….
TRACKING workout completion every day builds motivation as you see what you are accomplishing!
As I am sitting here having my superfood shake post-workout this morning, I am thinking that a trip to the spa as a reward for completing this program is totally in order! (Ten Spa in Winnipeg is an amazing place!!) A spa treatment and a day of relaxation! Doesn’t that sound awesome? It feels great to have earned a reward like this… Now just have to decide what program to challenge myself with next! .. Hmmm 🙂
Was a rough conditioning workout this morning after going 3 weeks without lifting. Whoa! I was totally grunting, sweating and wishing I had kept up with regular lifting at least a couple times a week. I have been so preoccupied with my core fighting program the last few weeks that I didn’t take the time to lift! Regrets!
I was thinking today about how hard it can be to get up early in the morning and get a workout in… especially if you know it is going to be a super hard one! …and today certainly was!
BUT…It’s true though that if you are working to change your health and your body that it will take hard work to make the changes that will bring you to your goals. Nothing that is easy really brings about great results in our life, does it?
I remember over the years that I have pushed myself to work hard, do things right and keep going no matter what. I have also drilled this into my kids as well…like constantly… I have always believed that if you work hard, give 110% to everything you do, that you will not only feel better about yourself …. you will also prove to others that you are reliable, have a good work ethic and thus prove valuable not only to the organization you work for (or your own business), but will be valuable to all other people in your life too!
When you apply this to health, it may be hard, but forging ahead, not wasting time, working hard and not giving up will definitely be the way to achieve your goals. The truth is, it is hard to do, but it is also hard NOT to do. Its hard to look in the mirror and see a picture of unhealthiness, isnt it?
Take a few minutes today and acknowledge that “hard work will always be rewarded”! It in fact is always rewarded in some way. We may not see it immediately or even for a period of time, but eventually the rewards will come and you will be so glad that you put in the hard work, effort and dedication.
So, if you’ve been stuck up on the fence, unable to make a decision, paralyzed and afraid to take the jump toward your happiness, I am zooming in today to help you. Today is the day that we will work on making plans and making the decision to get off the fence!
So, how does a person do that?
Here are the 5 Steps To Get Off The Fence. It’s time to make a plan to get happy and making progress in life!
Step 1 — Determine Where You’re Stuck
The first step to get off the fence and live a fulfilling existence, is self-awareness. You have to figure out where you’re blocked, stuck or not making progress. This takes time alone, and the ability to be still and quiet to think about where you are not happy. Exercises such as making two lists: One list called “CHANGES/IMPROVEMENTS I WANT TO MAKE”, and the other list is called the “OFF THE FENCE/HAPPINESS ACTION PLAN”. So, for example, if you want to start your own business, on the left hand side, you would write, “Start my own business,” and on the right hand side, it would read, “Moonlight my start-up on the side, working ninety minutes at night and four hours on the weekends until I am making some money and can quit my day-job to focus on my business full time.”
The trick is, the more detailed your two lists are, the better. Post your list in a visible spot. It holds you accountable, and keeps your eye on the prize.
Step 2 — Commit to Doing the Work
Know that nothing will work unless you do. One of my mentors says, “Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat.” It was something that really sunk in and always stuck with me. I believe and and taught my kids that “hard work is always rewarded”. Happiness doesn’t come without a commitment to happiness. Without work. Your happiness is a choice. You getting what you want out of life is YOUR DECISION. And the same holds true for your unhappiness. So, commit to doing the work. Whatever your goals are, commit to hustling to make them happen.
Know that sitting perched on the fence is paralysis. To live stuck is like residing in purgatory. Most people stay stuck because it’s a comfortable place to not have to commit and see something through. But you can’t manifest your highest self without making a decision, no matter how small. It’s about that first baby step. You MUST take it. If you are having a hard time moving forward, consider hiring a private coach to help you! For heaven sakes, take action!
Step 3 — Expand Your Skills
Yes. Expand your skills and commit to learning something new. Often we stay stuck and on the fence because we don’t have the skills and knowledge needed to move forward. So work at getting that knowledge and expand your skills. This could mean taking up a new hobby, enrolling in a course, volunteering, or simply giving away your expertise for free. What I mean here is, if you want to become a PAID speaker for example, speaking for free is a great way to get your name our there, and gain experience and expertise. If you want to start a consulting company, offer coaching or consulting for FREE at the beginning, both to get your feet wet, AND to build a customer base.
Expanding your skills does not only mean just enrolling in courses and acquiring new knowledge, it also means putting the current knowledge you have to work…. (ACTION!)
Step 4 — Get Out There and Meet NEW People
Commit to taking up a new hobby, volunteering, getting more involved in your community, or joining a networking group — for the purpose of meeting NEW people. We often meet the people we need once we get out there and make an effort. When you reach out to people in your network, ask for help, discuss options, then you will acquire the knowledge to help you get off the fence and move towards your goals.
If you allow yourself to just be open, and to join places like your local Community Groups, book club, sports or activity club, a writing group, traveling to live events or finding a mentor….it will naturally happen that you will meet the people who will help you move toward your goals.
Step 5 — Make More Time for the Things You Love To Do
When you do the things you love to do, it helps boost your serotonin levels (the happiness hormone), which aids in fighting depression, and other mood disorders. Doing the things you love can put you in a state of euphoria, lowering your cortisol levels (the bad hormone), which clears your mind and allows you to make good, quality decisions. For me, I love spending time with my sisters — we laugh, have fun, and it does my mind and body good. I also love spending time alone in a bookstore, working on personal development, or just perusing the aisles in an art section of a store. It calms me and regroups me. What is it for you?
When you do what you love, you are being good to yourself. You are spoiling yourself. And spoiling yourself is your right. Feeling good allows you to make clear decisions. Do it, guilt-free.
In the same token, it cannot be stressed enough the importance of the following four factors in sharpening your mind for effective and strategic decision making:
Get a healthy amount of sleep
Maintain an active lifestyle and get daily exercise
Healthy nutrition and superfood to feed the body and mind
Meditation (Spend adequate time to relax without interruption when the mind is quiet)
So my wish for all of you, is to get off the fence as soon as possible!!! it will free up your mind and allow you to move forward in life and achieve great and passionate things!!
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(Acknowledgement: ‘The 5 Steps to get off the fence” Adapted from Erica Diamond, at www.womenonthefence.com)
