Tag: Fitness

Should It Always Be Easy

This easy is relating to my workouts. There are days I want to stop because I just look at the trained (BOD) and the workout name of the day I know it will be challenging.

Now, honestly there was a time I skipped around on a program or a few minutes in I’d stop. I wanted easy. No sweat, no muscle burn I moved my arms, body with little effort so I was taking the easy but wanting the results of a challenged workout. How was that to be.

I did self talk and a lot of it, surrounded myself with those experiencing the same, positive motivation and I was on my way.

Easy is comfortable, but sometimes it takes us no where. So on to accomplishments. Of course an easy receipe is good but for our goals let’s meet and beat the challenges. Challenges of fitness and life.

How Strong Is Your Why

This is a question I often ask myself especially when I procrastinate on an action in moving toward my goals especially my fitness goals but also in my life goals.

A question and an answer-the answer. If you want it bad enough not only will you not procrastinate, you’ll also find ways to improve your mindset. It is so easy to say what you’ll do later but will the delay help you accomplish your goals.

My why helps me, push me and definitely silence the noisy clutter to delay. If YOUR why is strong then so will your applied actions. Lesson learned. Yes for me it was a self taught because a one time I made excuses on my whys. Later self evaluation on my goals and why I was making gain but at a slow pace. Well my WHY had been eliminated in the progress.

Now incorporating my why into all my goals, my commitment, my actions I am focused.

Today and any day you hear that clutter noise rolling about in your head with excuses, remember your WHY and shut down the noise. Make Your Why Strong.

Are YOU Ready to Defy It

Defy seems a bit rebellious but I think it’s time to be rebellious. Now don’t think this is about negative behavior and yet it’s rebellious.

It’s time to defy some of those ancient beliefs. No you nor I created them but we heard them. Not only did we hear them we believed in a lot of them. If you didn’t, well I did.

There is a certain age that working out should stop just relax and enjoy life. No, if you have the mindset, the energy, the capability to workout do it. It can be weight lifting, running, jogging, dancing, cardio, boxing, barre blend this list is long so I’m gonna stop but don’t you.

If working out to your level is what you want well do it. Does it matter if you’re 50, 60, 70 plus. Uh NO. Does it matter if you’re a grandma/grandpa, great grandpa/grandma, aunt/uncle, great uncle/aunt? No it does not.

Yes you’ll get looks, stares because so many are wondering how it is done. How are you, me, us defying what is suppose to be our limits. The easy secret….

We became rebellious, we defied the untruth and we push those made up limits and boundaries out of our path. And because you and I did, we are motivating and inspiring so many to do the same.

Defy, Rebel and yes Inspire, Motivate we have a fitness journey that welcomes all.

My Obsession Has Stalled Me

I really over did it and now I see it, but I’m back on schedule. What happened? I love, love peanut butter. Almond butter is okay like it, but I love peanut butter.

For the past 3 weeks I’ve had peanut butter in so many ways. First of all I usually have PB2 for my shakes (Shakeology), the powder had less calories and high protein . But I had peanut butter as a snack, yep just off the spoon, peanut butter sandwich. Oh yeah I rarely eat bread so uh huh. I had fried peanut butter sandwich, made snacks with oatmeal, peanut butter and Shakeology blend. I had sauce for my veggies, you guessed it the main ingredient “peanut butter”.

Now usually this is not a problem when I’m lifting weights and heavy workouts but that’s not the current situation. My current workout is a dance workout. Let me explain it is so much fun, the moves, the music and you sweat like crazy and continue even after the shower. If you’re a calorie conscious person I burn 240 to 285 in 25 to 30 minutes not bad. There are days weights are used in this workout but not heavy. The explanation is because my obsession with peanut butter was so much greater than what I needed for protein.
On the obsession phase I didn’t consume my usual proteins other than my super food shake. My protein sources are my shakes, protein bar, fish, tofu sometimes PB2. But I excluded my usual and this was not good.

But I’m back on target, I’ll be using my color coded containers to assist with Portion Control. Recognizing when we get off course is great, but even better is to implement what’s necessary to get back on track. For me this applies to my fitness and nutrition journey; but it’s applicable to any journey in your life.

Today I say never give up, don’t stop, as humans we sway but use your positive, inner most strength and get back on track to your goals. Great travels on journey.


It’s MONDAY And I’m Not Sure

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I know I am not the only one that experience a week beginning like this.  Like what?  Well I have a list  of TO DO so long that I’m not sure where to begin.

Usually I prioritize but looking at this list it’s so similar to a double booking.  BUT I know after my workout well my second workout I will have figured at least a solution and start applying action to this list.

My workouts with the adrenaline flow aides my mindset and focus, today that’s a refocus.  Will this work for you maybe so maybe no.  There are so many ways to handle a double booking in life:  workout, meditation (yoga/ or just sitting quietly).  Set a timer for that sitting quiet as you don’t want to sit the day away.  A jog, walk then begin the organization of your day.

All of the stated works for me, but today it’s working out.  How do you handle your not sure where to begin?

Either / Or

pair of fingerless gloves and adjustable dumbbells
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Now what does that mean, well a lot but I’ll explain, it’s really simple.

I was sharing in general conversation, as I love to share my workouts especially my progress, but I’m a good listener for anyone else who is sharing.  Okay in a recent share it  was about me increasing my weight lift and weights and squats.  This individual said I would like to increase my weights but with all that is going on I cannot purchase any.

Got it sometimes we definitely have to decide how, where and when we are going to spend our coins.  So if you don’t have or can not purchase additional weights be it dumbbells, free weights, bumper weights the adjustable weights how about this. Make a wish list to yourself, I have so many items on that list and cross out each time I purchase my wish; but for the current situation just increase your reps with the weights you have.

Increasing the reps will give you the same benefit as increasing the weight with decreased reps. I call it erasing. My excuses and implementing a new game plan.

So this week erase the excuses and come on make a new game plan.

Does the Weather Affect My Workouts

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I was asked this question by someone knowing I have RA and workout as she also have RA and continues to use excuses to workout a couple of days month.  Yes you read it a month.  I am not making mockery of anyone for we all have limitations just some of us know how to adjust IF WE ARE COMMITTED.

The weather does not affect my workouts completely.  This is not a yes or no question for ME.  I may have a flare especially in my left thumb discomfort.  I can always when this occur adjust my position on push ups as well as decrease my weight lift range.

Now what does affect my joints is my nutrition.  Certain foods will send me into a full flare of the joints, swelling and the pain is out of control.  How do I overcome well I drink a sea of water or so it seems because I am trying to flush out the good tasty high in everything toxic for my body but still good.  Of course if I’d just take a few bites, I will not experience the flare.  Before I close food is not the only contributing factor to a RA flare and I’ve been with the auto-immune disease since childhood.

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If you’re committed and your intentions are aligned with your actions you adjust, erase the excuses, scale back but not down when necessary but YOU KEEP MOVING.

What Works For Me

Today I was informed I should have a light breakfast with high protein before working out. Nope that doesn’t work for me. If I eat prior to a workout well light or not I will have to wait a minimum of 2 hours.  I’m sure it’s my faulty GI, slow at metabolizing or breaking down the food.

What happens if I try prior to 2 hours? Well I get nauseated, then I have to stop so many times because it feels like I’m about to puke, so no I cannot eat prior to a workout. BUT I can drink my “jump to it juice”.  Yep 20 minutes later I’m ready to push harder, lift heavier and my adrenaline flow is on a high.

ENERGIZE

Who Is The Ultimate Leader….

close up photography of a cellphone
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Well I know you already know but really who is the ultimate leader.

Are you looking for a leader to assist you or stand by you on your fitness journey, so was I.  I even used it as an excuse.  There is no one to assist me on my fitness journey, I need someone to show me what to do do, I need a leader. I bet you’ve said it not just on a fitness journey but life.

We have access to so many people to help us, guide us tell us what to do and how.  Here is the thing people. They are out mentors BUT they cannot do the work for us.

Lesson to be learned.  They are our mentors motivational leaders, fitness trainers, and so on OUR MENTORS.

The LEADER IS YOU and ME.  They cannot do the work for us. WE ARE THE ULTIMATE LEADERS OF OUR LIFE  so now it’s time to exhibit our strength be the greater persons we are.

 

I REPEAT

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This is really happening and it’s not a shame game or pointing the finger game or pounding the gavel but once again there is NO MAGIC.

NO MAGIC in reshaping your life your fitness level your nutrition. Now understand there is change and loads of opportunity for change but there is no magic in the change.  No wand, no swallowing one pill, one drink one workout and walah you’re transformed.

No drink, no workout, that’s gonna change you or me instantly because we decide now I’m ready.  NO and NO and NO.  If you didn’t understand once again I repeat NO. We must be committed and not for one day, we must stay on track be it daily, once, twice how many times a week you commit. We must measure, especially on a fitness physical journey the non scale victories and there are loads of these. We must commit to the entire package which is not once again a drink, a pill, a workout or just one meal and oh yes finally one night of good sleep.

NOPE, NO, UH UH, NAH it’s not instant. So once again I will say Don’t Get Discouraged.

I Repeat  – CHANGE WILL COME, WHEN YOU CHANGE- Be Committed to YOU for YOU