You Cannot Prevent Once it’s Already Happened (So start NOW!)

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Continue reading “You Cannot Prevent Once it’s Already Happened (So start NOW!)”

Put more UMPH into things (and be happier and more successful!)

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After one of those nights where I tossed and turned all night till 4 am then finally got a few hours sleep from 4-8 am, it was hard to get up and going this morning! I need a LOT of extra UMPH to get me onto the treadmill today for a morning run … I totally needed it though… I am super stiff and sore from all that tossing around and need to loosen up big time.  The concept of extra “UMPH” really got me thinking…?

Having extra UMPH applies to all other areas of life too! It often takes an extra push to go a little outside our comfort zone to make progress and change in our life. It could be in our relationships, decisions, finances, business, emotional health, fitness, work, social skills, life skills and more.

I would say as we are heading towards the new year, put a little extra UMPH into some areas of your life and see just how dramatic the positive changes will be! Lets get out of the rut we are living in and make some amazing progress in 2018!   Get your excitement and passion for life back again!   Pick 3 areas of your life that need it most, then go for it! (And be sure to write them down!… Putting pen to paper, makes the achievement and success more likely!…)

Enjoy your Holiday Season and let’s get ready for a fabulous and incredible 2018 with all that extra “UMPH”!! ??

#umph #pushyourself #comfortzone=zeroprogress #getoutofcomfortzone #progress=growth=happiness #newyear2018 #timeforchange #letsdothis #athleticgrandma

If you need some help to improve your self-discipline, click HERE

It is Totally Possible (There are No Limits)

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Anything is possible!! Just keep at it!

When I first started my fitness journey, I never would have been able to do a deep squat like this! No way! I had crunchy knees doing stairs and sharp pains in them…not to mention a bad lower back that always seemed to be “going out of place” and causing me sharp pains, pains into my legs and nothing but grief.

The day that I made the decision to put my health and fitness first was when this all changed!

It was a beautiful summer day 3 years ago when I decided to have fun and be silly by doing handstands and cartwheels on the lawn… Turns out, it was not a very good idea! …for 2 full weeks after that I had so much pain in my neck, shoulders, back, hips and even my feet, that I told myself enough is enough already!!! I was asking my self in disgust…”How did I get so out of shape!?”… I seemed to have gotten out of shape so fast! As it turns out, making decisions to eat junk food and skip workouts over a long period of time really didn’t do me any favours!

Something had to be done about this!

Once I made the decision and started working out using a professionally designed workout-at-home program, it was so hard! I could barely do a minute of jumping jacks and I could barely do a push-up on my knees! I thought I was gonna die, but my determination to change and improve my health kept me going. I recruited the help of a physiotherapist whose help I sought out regularly to help manage my pains and to help me adapt my form as I slowly got stronger.

It took a few months of working hard on exercising to start noticing that I had less back pain in the mornings, was walking up stairs with less pain, was getting so much stronger and was building some nice muscle at the same time!  I noticed that I was getting heavier on the scale though!   All that new muscle was heavy!  EEK!

Getting bigger and heavier was not what I wanted!

At this point, I revamped my diet, dialed down my portion sizes and added superfood daily at the suggestion of my Beachbody coach.  By this time, I was also able to keep up with the trainer and able to complete the video program instead of continuously adapting due to pain!  Within 3 months after starting superfood, clean eating and portion control, I had dropped 35 pounds and was feeling the best I had felt in my life!!  I still had some pain in my knees and lower back, but definitely not as often and not as severe…

My successes led me to believe more in myself and what I was capable of.  I was motivated to achieve more!  I started another program with higher intensity, completed it, then started another, completed it, then another, and another.  Now, by this time, my energy was improving, my motivation was getting higher, my pain was getting to be less and less and I was feeling good and strong with the proper nutrition and exercise.  This proved to me repeatedly that the work I was doing was not just getting me healthier, it was totally changing my body and its capacity to lift and move in ways I never dreamed of.

3 years later, fast forward to today, I am 42 pounds less than when I started, am committed to my daily superfood, clean eating and portion control as a long-term forever lifestyle.  It is very simple system to follow, has really improved my strength,  (peri-menopausal) hormone balance and energy, and as I keep going I CONTINUE to improve my body’s capacity to move, bend and lift.  I had originally thought I would reach a plateau in terms of what my body is capable of, but it turns out that is not the case!

There is no limit to what can be achieved!

Week by week, workout by workout, I continue to get stronger, and am capable of more!  I can run faster, can run up the stairs (no crunchy knees anymore!), can lift and move furniture, carry around my 41 lb grandson, sit all day at a desk, lift and toss bales for my horses, fork hay, do yardwork, shovel snow and can squat deeply with NO PAIN!  Who would have thought this was possible?   I am proof that it is totally possible to rehabilitate from anything and any physical problem if your mind is determined enough and you have a firm enough belief in yourself.

By transforming physically, it has changed my mindset and attitude as well. I am happier, more positive, feel stronger and more stable emotionally, have improved my relationships (work, home, family, friends), believe in myself more on many levels, and have more passion and excitement for life! (and a bonus is I was able to get off of every prescription medication I was on!)

You may be wondering how this story may impact you?  You may be wondering how you too can have a complete body and mind transformation?   How can you totally change your life as well?  How can you improve your hormone balance, lose weight and become a happier person?  My advice for you is to seek out the help of a coach (like me) to support, motivate and keep you accountable and help you through your journey to better health and fitness.  I can teach you about superfood, clean eating, portion control and support you through your progress in fitness and even help you get off prescription drugs.  I have been through all of this myself, have experienced both the pain, failures, difficulties and challenges, so I totally get how tough it is.

Think about this…

Being on a health and fitness journey is hard, but it is ALSO very hard to live overweight, hormonal, unhappy, in pain and totally miserable.  Make a decision today and chose your hard!

To join the Athletic Grandma community, enter your name and email address HERE and receive a free  download about 7 ways to improve your self-discipline.

CONTACT ME HERE about getting onto a program that will change your life.

 

 

Believe in Yourself (and Why Nothing Will Work if you Don’t)

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Having a strong belief in myself and my vision is what keeps me going every day!

Having trouble staying motivated on your health or goals journey?

Having a true belief in yourself and your goals is essential since nothing will work if you don’t believe in it. Do you find yourself saying to advice..”I don’t believe these ideas will work for me”?  A lack of belief in ourselves will limit us no matter how great the ideas or opportunities are that we are exposed to.

So what to do then?

People who are successful are determined to make situations work for them rather than playing the role of victim and searching for reasons why a situation will not work.

If we believe that change is possible for ourselves, we will be willing to test, experiment, and try new things even when we feel uncertain. If we don’t believe it is possible to make new things work, then it’s hard to make any progress. I don’t care how good the ideas are, nothing will work for you if you don’t believe in it. And more importantly, nothing will work if you don’t believe in yourself.

True belief in yourself leads to more positive energy, drive and motivation… Put pen to paper and write down what you would like to achieve and develop a vision for yourself to develop that inner power to build your belief in what is possible.

Once you develop the belief that “anything is possible” and that you can “do anything you set your mind to”, and believe in your vision  …you will be amazed at the change in yourself and the incredible motivation and action that comes from it!

The honest truth…. I feel like I am losing belief in myself today, so I needed to hear this post more than anyone!  Despite this, I made myself complete day 10 of my current 30 day fitness challenge (at least I have accomplished this!)   …I am going to put pen to paper today and follow my own advice!

Please COMMENT on this post with your ideas about how to improve motivation and belief in ourselves

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New Year, New You, Now is the time to Get Started!

The New Year is here (can you believe it is 2017… wow!) and Summer is right around the corner, seriously, it is! That is how fast time flies. But the good news is… you are in the drivers seat of your life! There is no time better than right now to start your journey. But in order to tackle these crazy tough Beachbody workout routines, you need to arm yourself with the right tools to guarantee your success. Not going to lie to you, whatever program you are attempting, the work is hard and the commitment is relentless but the rewards that follow are so amazing, so grand, so epic! The time to start is now and I am here to help you achieve that success you desire and those results you absolutely deserve!

 

 A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY JOURNEY

 

My name is Diane Gudmundson and I am a Team Beachbody Coach. My journey started two years back when I was 45 years old. I had just topped the scale at 196 lbs. for my 5’8″ frame. Being out of shape was only the tip of the iceberg. I was unhealthy and was on medications for anxiety, body pain and sleeping issues. My hair was falling out, my skin was dry and flaky, and my nails were cracking and peeling.  My gut was not functioning properly, I was having pain when trying to use the bathroom with bleeding and even was having difficulty peeing!  I was a mess!

My doctor gave me a good physical examination, arranged numerous blood tests and a colonoscopy. It was found that my blood results were normal, the colon was 100% normal  The worst part, through all of this, was that  I had lost all my self-esteem and confidence. All this at 45 years of age!  So, if all my tests and examinations were normal, what did this mean?

This definitely was an aha moment!

The first step of my journey was to find a nutrition plan (not a diet) that was going to work for me and work for the rest of my life. I love to eat all kinds of food, and I was not going to deny myself one of life’s most pleasurable experiences. Avoidance was not an option, limitation and moderation was how I would succeed. I studied clean eating and portion control and with a simple weekly plan implemented clean eating into my life.

I also knew I needed to incorporate an exercise routine. I choose P90x as my first program. Now let me just reiterate how out of shape I was. I couldn’t even go up a flight of stairs without getting winded, I could only do a couple pushups on my knees (barely) and could not last more than a few minutes when trying to do jumping jacks!   I had aches and pains constantly, back and knee pain, and really was poorly motivated to do any physical activity. When I went horseback riding, my back pain got even worse, so I lost my motivation to go riding as as result!

I was not going to give up hope!

When I popped in that first workout DVD in on Day 1, I barely was able to do any of it. But I knew if I just made tiny improvements each day, just little baby steps, I was putting myself on the right path towards success.

I could sit here and tell you that it was easy, and that all it takes is a bit of willpower and go for it.  Well, it doesn’t work that way and it has absolutely nothing to do with willpower. Changing your lifestyle, changing your body, changing your mind and the way you think, changing almost everything about yourself (including limiting  beliefs and emotional issues) in order to reach your goals is going to be the toughest thing you will ever attempt in your life. I struggled, I failed, I hit obstacles, but these difficulties are all required, this is what makes it the greatest journey in the world.  If a path is easy, it does not build our strength and capacity!

Support and Accountability works!

I could not have done it alone though and needed all the support that I could find. I found a Beachbody Coach and then participated in an online Accountability Group. I can honestly say that if I hadn’t done this important step, I would never have succeeded!  Since completing that first then second round of p90x, I went on to complete Focus T25, 21 Day Fix and 21 DF Extreme, PiYo, Insanity Max 30, Body Beast, P90, 22 min hard corps, and Core de Force!  I am loving this because I never get bored and, by switching up my fitness programs regularly, I am getting optimal results!  Currently I am doing a mix of Core De Force and The Master’s Hammer and Chisel which has now become my all-time favorite program combination!

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Much Happier and now 42 pounds less!!

Currently I am 154 lbs. and I am now in the best shape of my life!  Even though I love looking toned and muscular, the way I feel emotionally and physically and my ultimate health is what is most important!   I am healthier now at 47 then when I was 25!  Oh, and I am happier now than I have ever been in my entire life too!  (I am one happy Granny! LOL)

Healthy, Happy and energized for life are three ways to explain how I now live.  Now, I want to give back, pay it forward, and share that experience with you and share all that I have learned.

Are you ready to make a change?

If you are ready, ready to make that change, ready to learn, ready to arm yourself for battle, ready to be motivated, ready to be inspired, ready to be accountable, ready to own it and earn it, then I will do everything in my power to ensure you cross that finish line and find success in all your goals.

Take a minute to consider BOTH of these options!

  1.  To join an online accountability group with me as your  coach, please take a few minutes to fill out the application here.

2.  To receive a free PDF download about how to get started with a clean eating lifestyle, CLICK HERE

Please COMMENT with your thoughts below!

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