Blog Archives - Page 7 of 9

Sweatpants-Ville

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Nick

Happy New Year Busy People!

How are you feeling after the Holidays? Ok, so can I just be real for a second? I was feeling pretty fluffy, unmotivated and even a little blue for a while! I know that even though I tried REALLY hard to keep the Holidays healthy, I still had my fill of countless bites of goodies… I can’t lie. I stuck mainly to veggies and “Busy Girl” recipes, yet somehow the “other” food still snuck it’s way into my mouth. The dreaded slow calorie creep had begun. I always think it won’t happen if I just have a few bites and a couple glasses of wine at each party, and maybe, just maybe, my body has become some sort of roaring furnace that burns calories at the mere sight of a pound cake! Ha! Keep dreamin’ sister! The weight never seems to appear until the end of December….and it ALWAYS does!

You see, my husband and I both have birthdays in December and we also travel to go see our families. The festivities never seem to end and I know most all of you can relate. I did really good on making healthier choices while still making sure to really enjoy my company and indulge just a tad, but nothing I couldn’t ”clean up” in a weeks time… That is, until the last week or so… I came down with a stomach bug and then found myself craving comfort food, and for me that is carbs. I don’t want to see anything healthy while I’m sick! Instead give me a carb, drizzled in carbs and make sure it’s processed for Pete’s sake! Once this happens I know I need to start praying that I find some kind of iron-will to get thru! Well, didn’t find it… and here I am feeling puffy once again!

So why on earth am I disclosing this deep dark secret of the Busy Girl who is supposed to always be “photoshoot” ready? Duh! Because I have lost my marbles! No, not really, it’s because I want you all to see that EVERYONE struggles! EVERYONE I TELL YOU! Most people do it alone and in the privacy of their own home. YUCK! Don’t do this! This is a one way ticket to Sweatpants-ville! You can never leave there without leaving a piece of your soul behind!

Here is the deal, I know a little “puff” is not the end of the world because I know what to do! Slow and steady healthy CHOICES always win over any other plan or “quick fix.” I know that I am ok because I have a plan in place to get back to feeling like me again!

Today I woke and had my oatmeal and berries. I knew my husband wanted to go to the gym, and I knew that I did NOT want to go to the gym! But, I also knew if I didn’t go, it was one more day further from feeling great again, and one day closer to slipping out of anything that resembles motivation and zest for anything in life. That thought immediately made me get my gym clothes on. Even though I did not have a “Rocky” workout, I still felt great and it totally changed my attitude and set me up to make my next smart choice.

When we were finished at the gym I totally had that weekend feeling. You know, the one where you loosen up on your discipline and let yourself get away with a little more than usual. Knowing better I told myself how unhappy I would feel the next day and that I wanted to wake up tomorrow and get the most out of life, instead of waking up crabby and wearing pants that cut into my sides. So I skipped the meal that would bring me 30 minutes of temporary pleasure (if that, have you seen me eat?). DOUBLE WIN!

So I will leave you with this. Tonight I sit and write this after just a couple days of making the tough choices, and I feel happy, excited and motivated again. Recognize when you are slipping, get to the gym, clean up your food, and if you need to talk to someone, DO IT! No one is judging you because we are all feeling the same! Stop beating yourself up and just CHOOSE to get out of the cycle and treat yourself right. Every single moment is a choice waiting to happen. Make enough good ones, and all of sudden you have finally achieved your goal and you feel unstoppable!

You never realize how important your health is until you no longer have it. Do it for you and the people who love you! You become a better everything when you love yourself, and that starts with being healthy and happy! You are not alone Busy Girls! We are in this together!

Love and health to you and your families in 2011,

Your Friend’s Suck!

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Nick

Your friends suck. How do I know that? Because I have friends that suck. You may not even realize it, but we all have them. Friends that suck up too much of your time, your energy, your money, or even the life out of you.

The unfortunate part is they may not even know that they are doing this, nor may you. In most cases, it’s not intentional or sneaky, it just happens. It may be that friend who always comes to you with endless relationship issues. Or perhaps it’s the friend who always seems short on cash and needs another loan, yet always has the hottest new clothes. Or maybe it’s your friend who although you love them, you find yourself hitting “decline” on their phone call because you just can’t bear to hear the complaining and negativity again.

Ever find yourself struggling at work a few days a week? It couldn’t be that friend who guilts you into late night happy hours every Tuesday and Thursday instead of the gym could it? Have trouble keeping those last few pounds off? Perhaps it’s your friend who insists you deserve to eat those fatty, rich foods at lunch or dinner because they want them too, and “of course you don’t want to make them feel badly.” You see, these “friends” slowly suck the life out of your goals without even intending it. Sometimes they’re just a permanent bad influence.

Of course not all “sucky” friends are so innocent either. Some of them know they’re doing it, but you’ve always been there for them, so why should they stop? Like your friend that suddenly turns cold once you’ve lost those twenty pounds, and you refuse to skip the gym now instead of going out with them. Or how about the insecure friend who thrives off of attention, and knows what throwing a tantrum in public every time will ensure they get their way. The scary part is we usually identify these more obvious life suckers, but continue to hang out with them just the same.

It is often said that your income is the average of your 5 closest friends’. Well, I’m going to go as far as to say that holds true not only for wealth, but for your health, relationships, and happiness. So, am I saying ditch your friends and start over? Absolutely not. But, take a real look at your friends and watch out for these signs. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to mention something to them when you see them, and realize that a true friend will hold your wants and goals in high regard, not just theirs. And after all this, if they’re still suck, be brave enough to know that you’ll be better off without them!

Your “friend,”

Believe Me, I Know How You’re Feeling!

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Nick

Here we are in February already! We should be waist deep in our New Year’s goals and well on our way to the new us, right? Oh, where does the time go? I look back at a handful of years and I remember lists of unmet resolutions and countless hours spent making outrageous plans to try to reach them.

I recall having insomnia for years because I would lie in my bed and think about how I was going to lose weight and finally have the life I dreamed of. It seemed in my head that being thin would be my answer to ALL of my problems, and maybe, it would even bring world peace! Yes! Yes! I think so! The one word that summed it all up for me was EXTREME. When it came to weight loss and getting my life in order I knew BIG things needed to take place, so I decided to go from nothing to everything in one day flat. Little did I realize the mental transformation that would need to take place in order to get anything done.

I would wake up to the first day of my new life and I would start with my 8 cups of water all at once. “No more dry skin and dehydration for me! I am flushing myself clean!” Next, I would take all of my new vitamins that I just spent a small fortune on. “I don’t even know why I need these but I must be deficient in Riboflavin!” Of course I would eat some breakfast because I heard that is going to rev my metabolism. “This low carb processed protein bar that tastes like play-dough is perfect! Gotta watch those carbs ladies!” So off to the gym I went for an all out 2 hour RAGER! “Wow, if I keep this up people are not even gonna know what hit ‘em when they see this coming!”

On my way home from the gym I would start feeling dizzy, followed by nausea, hunger and a severe headache. I would get home, lay on the floor and moan by myself while the room spins and I am holding back my cookies from too many vitamins, bad protein and a surplus of water. I’m down for the count.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but “brilliant plans” like these were put into play for years. I would often cry at the end of these days because I was clearly setting myself up to fail without knowing it. I was so tired and hungry that I would end up eating way too much just to try and feel better. This ultimately made me feel like I would never be like the “have-it-all girls” I would see in magazines. I just figured they were strong and I was weak. I am going to spare you of all my other wonderful plans and hard lessons and move onto some good ones.

SLOW AND STEADY. No matter what. This allows you to stay in the race for the long run. Plan your meals and make sure they are still tasty and healthy. This will allow you to make this a way of life and enjoy being healthy instead of feeling deprived. Let Betty-Busy-Body tell you how she is doing 5 hrs of cardio while on a new cabbage soup and Cayenne pepper diet. She’ll be back in the drive-thru line next week. Can you blame her?

As for the workout, it is so important to make sure you are working out with INTENSITY no matter what you choose to do. However, you will only be able to maintain true intensity for around an hour before you burnout. Make sure your workouts are impactful and balanced. Too much of anything is not sustainable. If you need a little more cardio after strength training (or vice-versa) try breaking it up so you can put good effort into that also.

MAKE SMALL GOALS EACH WEEK. Yes, reach for the stars but let’s do it the smart way. Incorporate one new healthy goal each week. Example: This week I am packing my lunch and snacks everyday. Next week I am adding 20 more minutes on all of my cardio sessions. Third week I am finishing and adding a little more weight to all of my workouts no matter what. If you do it all at once it will eventually make you feel overwhelmed and defeated.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY. Easier said than done. Believe me I know. I held myself back for years asking myself “Who do you think you are to try to be (fill in the blank?)” You ARE the thoughts that you think. Even if you have negative energy all around you, you can still ultimately decide your reactions. If you find yourself in a bad environment, change your surroundings when you can, but if you can’t, you really need to fight like mad to control your thoughts. You are worth it, you are strong, and you deserve to feel happy. You have so much to share and you know it. Don’t let anyone tell you your worth. I found people will surprise you when you choose a healthy lifestyle. They either support you or they stomp their feet like babies and can’t handle your new choices. You decide which lifestyle makes you happier. If people truly care about you, they will want to see you happy and end up eventually coming around.

CONFIDENCE, HARD WORK, and POSITIVITY. Say hello to your three new best friends! Even when you are feeling none of these things, you better channel your “inner liar” and tell yourself these words define you. Fake it till you make it…Best thing you can possibly do for yourself! The most successful people just happen to be the best at hiding the fact that they were once shaking in their britches! Don’t even say it out loud. The more you think it or say it, the more you believe it, and let it control or define you.

Repeat these three key words and these will help you out in any situation.

The bottom line is no matter what your goal is, you have to start with a smart plan. Don’t go too crazy and don’t be in a race with anyone but yourself. After all, you will be your own biggest obstacle or your own biggest fan, it all comes down to you. No excuses or justifying. Find what works for you and remember that these things take time. Do your homework, learn as much as you can about what you are trying to achieve and always choose the healthy way.

Best of luck,