Reflecting on 2018 and Preparing for 2019

Wow, it has been a LONG time since I have blogged!  Life has been, well, CRAZY, to put it shortly and that is what I am reflecting on today.  2018 was the most stressful year I have had, EVER! .  My own strengths are my own weaknesses.  I have a work ethic that doesn't allow me to just "leave it for tomorrow", I am devoted to my job, the company I work for, the team I work on and my clients.  This unfortunately means that everything else in my life suffered more so than usual during the busy season, which started months early this year.  70 hour work weeks started in June.  This means I was going in early, working through lunch, staying late and working weekends.  I then started traveling at the end of October and did so through the first week in December, exhausted is an understatement to describe it all.  My health - emotionally, mentally, and physically has suffered, my marriage has suffered, and relationships with family and friends have suffered.  I will not survive another year of putting myself and my nonwork relationships last.  My marriage won't last another year of that either.  I gave everything in me to work which left nothing to give at home but irritation, exhaustion, and more anger than I would like to admit.  I do LOVE my job and the people I work with and for but I assure they will all agree that balance is so important to keep us giving our best during our working hours and still having something left to give ourselves and loved ones as well. I cannot pour from an empty cup and neither can you.  Challenge yourself to fill your cup in 2019 so you have more to give where it will matter most.  My number one task looking ahead to 2019 is a work life balance.  The list below gives everything I know I need to work on looking back over 2018 and ahead to 2019, work life balance will help greatly in all of those categories.

In 2019 I will:
- Put my health back at the top of the list as this is what allows me to be in the best not only physical shape but emotional and mental shape as well.
     -  Eat better
         -  Bye bye Dr. Pepper <insert tears>
         -  I will cook more and eat out less
         -  I will cure myself of this sugar addiction
         -  One cheat meal a week
         - Only one coffee shop coffee per month
     -  Give 100% during every workout
     -  No weekday adult beverages
     -  I will take a lunch every day and walk or run during that lunch break
-  I will spend quality time with my husband, daily!
      -  We will camp/kayak/hike/boat more
      -  We will take a real vacation
      -  We will save money for Iceland 2020
-  I will be on social media less often
-  I will spend time with family and friends
-  I will remove negative people and situations from my life
-  I will get everything back in organized state to keep the stress down with simple daily tasks
-  I will NOT be on my phone once I get home from work
   -  Sundays will be a full blown phone free day

I know everyone gets sick of all the New Year's resolutions, New Year New Me BS but you know what?  We all should work every single day to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.  Putting it out into the universe helps us want to work towards them more and your biggest cheerleaders/accountability partners/those who really care will be checking on you and or reminding you why you said you were going to do those things differently!  So get them out there!  Get to working on them!  I am officially on day 6 of Dr.  Pepper free already!  I already have our first camping trip of 2019 on the calendar for the week after next!  What are your goals?  How will you reach them?  Get them out in the universe!

Until next time,
Stay fit my friends!

2014

You don't need a new year for a new start but it is a good time to reflect and think about things you do want to change to make your life happier, healthier, fitter, and overall more fulfilling.  Below are the items I am going to be working toward in 2014.

1.  Do everything with a grateful/thankful heart.  (Even if I don't want to do something I should be grateful/thankful that I have the opportunity to do those things.)  By everything I mean in every aspect of my life; my marriage, in doing chores at home, my friendships, my job, my exercise, etc.
2.  Be more patient and understanding
3.  Stay on top of my workouts, include weights/toning at least 3 days a week
4.  Run marathon number 2
5.  Eat clean and healthy.
6.  Spend less, save more-work towards paying off all financed things (this will not all happen in 2014 but we will get closer)
7.  Drink only water (1 gallon a day) and tea (on occasion)
8.  Save alcoholic beverages for certain nights and not every day of every weekend (date night, a birthday, etc)
9.  Take the dogs for walks every day
10.  Spend more time with friends

You cannot make big changes all at one time.  You have to set small realistic attainable goals to help you reach those big goals.  Example:  If you want to loose 20lbs set small goals to get there such as workout 4 days a week, drink more water (check out my fb private group for the gallon a day challenge), eat 3healthy meals and 2 healthy snacks a day.  Those small changes will help you to reach that big goal of shedding 20lbs. 

Each month challenge yourself in some way:  drink 2 liters of water a day, eat 5 fruits and 5 veggies per day, run/walk/jog at least one mile per day, do one of the 30 day challenges in my fb group challenges, put $20 per check in savings if you aren't currently saving at all or work on increasing what you do put in (if it is financially possible for you). 

Reward your self for reaching small goals, food is not a reward (yes it is ok to have a piece of cake once in awhile (ie, once or twice a month)).

Comment below or create your own post (and post the link in the comments) with 10 goals for yourself in 2014.  They can be anything that will make a happier, healthier, fitter you!

Good luck and a happy New Year to you all!

Stay fit my friends!

Stress Less...

Well, we are half way through month one of the new year.  How are you doing with those New Years Resolutions?  Have you given up yet?  DON'T!  Keep at them!  Hard work pays off, maybe not right away but in time it will.  If you have started to slide down now is the time to go back up and start working hard again!

Today I declare that everyday I will declare to work at something that will make a happier/healthier/fitter/less stressed me!  I challenge you to wake up every day and make your own declaration to improve you and your life!  Life will always be busy and have its stresses but it is how we deal with those things that determine who we are and how we handle it all.  I am learning/trying to do the things that HAVE to be done and then if there are hours left in the day I will work on the need to do things, if they stay on the list for tomorrow then that will be fine.  I am only one person and I can only do what I can do in one day.  Instead of focusing on what hasn't been done be thankful for the things you have done and what you are blessed with.

I know I don't have much to type today but I have given you a lot to think about, so DO IT-ACT ON IT!

I leave you with this:  I am to blessed to be stressed!

Stay fit(both physically, nutritionally, spiritually, and mindfully) my friends!

New Year...New/better You!?!?!

We all always make news years resolutions but how often are they kept?  How often do you have the drive, desire, motivation, and inspiration to stick to it?  Well in 2013 I want to help you achieve all of your new yours resolutions!  Let me inspire you to be motivated to keep up with a new better you!  It doesn't have to be fitness or nutrition related it can be anything you want to work on to get to a better YOU!

Here are my resolutions:
1.  Run marathon number 2
2.  Run another mud run
3.  Eat healthy clean meals I make at home except for twice a month cheat meals out
4.  Organize my home better so that it can stay picked up and cleaned at all times
5.  Lift weights 2-3 times per week
6.  Go for at least 2 short runs and one long run each week
7.  Be less grippy/aggravated/irritated so that I can be a better wife to my husband and mom to my pups


I am sure I will think of others as time goes on but I think that is a pretty good start to my list ;)  By staying on top of the things I want to work on for myself and hearing about your achievements we can all inspire one another.  I will try to blog at least once a week!  We can use the comments section for conversation.  Don't be afraid to admit set backs it will actually help you to go forward.  Admit those setbacks then explain what you will do to get back on track.

I am teaching spin at 9:15am at LA Fitness Rigmar on New Years day.  What better way to start a new year than with a workout!?!?!?!  Feel free to join me if you want!

That is all I have for now.  Leave your questions/comments/suggestions below.

Stay fit my friends!

Top 20 Reasons you may NOT be losing weight...

Information shared from MyFitFoods tip of the week email:

Top 20 Reasons You Are NOT Losing Weight

1. You are skipping meals, especially breakfast.
2. You are eating two large meals a day, even if healthy, and not eating 5 small meals a day.
3. You are eating too many carbohydrates because you try to eat too low fat.
4. You are eating too much fat because you are trying to eat too low carb. 
5. You are over doing the cardio and causing a spike in cortisol causing you to burn muscle and store fat.
6. You are not sleeping 7 to 8 hours. 
7. You are dependent on more than 2 caffeinated beverages a day.
8. You are taking a medication that is interfering with your metabolism.
9. You are dealing with an intensely stressful work or life situation.
10. You are one of many women and men silently suffering from hypothyroidism or lowered metabolism and don’t know it.
11. You are on thyroid medication and it’s not working.
12. You are suffering from hormonal imbalance in midlife and are in estrogen dominance. 
13. You are struggling with food intolerances that you are not aware of.
14. You have too many toxins in your environment and diet which are overwhelming your detox organs.
15. You are chronically dehydrated and don’t drink water.
16. You have low serotonin and cannot stop binging at night on alcohol or carbs.
17. You don’t do regular resistance training, and you have become skinny fat.
18. You have "yo-yo" dieted for many years and your metabolism is confused.
19. You are sleeping with your TV or lights on and disrupting your body’s melatonin supply.
20. You have poor digestive health. 

Ruts

How do you deal with a workout rut?  Do you take a break?  Change up the music you listen to while working out?  Change up the types of exercises or order of exercises?  Ruts happen to everyone at some point or another.  Thank goodness I'm an instructor so I am at least getting spin in this week and last.  I am just so bored with everything!  I have no desire to do any workouts other than my spin classes, and those are because I have to!  Next week I am going to make up some new circuit workouts to do before spin class so work on my toning and weights.  Hopefully that will help to get me back into it :) 

We also tend to get bored with our foods as time goes on.  It is important to change up our healthy clean foods every so often as well so we don't stray into to much junk food.  The change of the seasons is a great time to discover new healthy foods, especially if you are like me and EVERYTHING(food, clothes, shoes, purses, even music) have seasons.  It got a little cold here in N TX a couple of weeks ago so we have already had our first crock pot of chili at my house, made with turkey of course and I did not make any cornbread) ;)  We will be having a lot of crock pot meals in my house as it continues to cool off.

With the season change comes allergies, colds, the flu, and other viruses.  Working out and eating right helps to keep our immunity up meaning we are less likely to catch the viruses that will go around.  You might also increase your vitamin C by eating more fruits such as oranges.  We get more busy this time of year with work, errands, parties etc.  This wears down on our bodies compromising our immune systems.  Make time for your workouts, meals/snacks, and plenty of sleep(7-8hrs a night).

Feel free to share any tips you have for over coming ruts!  Good healthy crock pot recipes would be good to share as well.

Stay fit my friends!

Halfway through the month?!?!?

We are officially half way through October.  Has this month been a turning point for you nutritionally and actively?  I hope that it has.  I hope my posts help to get you there if you feel you are not yet there.  Being active and getting fit doesn't have to mean spending an hour or more in the gym you can be active with your family.  Go for a walk or a bike ride or even to play at the park.  Yes you can play with them at the park you don't just have to sit on the bench and watch them.

To my friends who began the 10 day cleanse this week.  Keep it up!  You can do it!  Stick to a healthy eating plan even after your 10 days are up.  You will be feeling wonderful in no time!  Yes you will still struggle from time to time after, you will want those sweets or alcohol but that is where your once a week cheat meal becomes so important it really does help to curb those cravings!  Look up and plan healthy meals, drinks, and yes even sweets in advance.  Make a weekly meal plan, then make your grocery list off of that.  Teach your kids to eat this way to don't buy them separate meals or treats.  A piece of fruit or some carrot sticks make a great snack for them too.

While so often when we talk of eating healthy and working out and living an active fit life we think of it as being over weight or having a few extra pounds to shed.  But did you know that being under weight, not eating enough, and working out to much without fueling those workouts is just as bad?  It increases your risk for the same diseases that being over weight does and poses other threats such as shutting down your internal organs if you are truly starving yourself.  You have to learn to be happy with you!  To be the best YOU that YOU can be!  Being rail thin is NOT attractive!  Loosing teeth because you vomit up everything you eat-NOT attractive!  If you are starving yourself your body is eating away at its muscle once that is gone next go your organs, they will not function properly.  You should NEVER be eating below 1200 calories no matter who you are(yes I understand the 10 day cleanse makes that a little difficult but it is still possible and it is only for 10 days).  Learn to love you!  Turn that rail thin image off in your head and turn on the image of a fit active healthy person who has some muscle and and something other than skin on those bones!  If you have a true honest problem with this don't be afraid to seek professional help, without it you may not live a long healthy life watching your children grow or allowing yourself to grow up and do all of the things you have always wanted to do like graduate from college or travel the world. 


Stay fit my friends!