It's almost Christmas....we all know what that means- NEW YEARS is coming! After all the cocktails and midnight kisses the morning of January 1st will bring that uggg I better make a change feeling.
While of course I recommend all things Beachbody www.loseyourbooty.com to get your health and fitness goals in check....I don't recommend making a resolution and here's why...
Resolutions are the ALL OR NOTHING mentality that needs to stop. You're not on a diet or off, organized or not, motivated or not. This is life and life is all about learning to enjoy, smell the roses and live well and sure continuously improving oneself is wonderful...but not if it makes you a yo-yo lifer!
So as we all enter into 2011 with goals in mind....lets remember a few basic truths that will save you guilt, failure and self loathing for years to come...
Carbs are the devil- Nope. False. Don't do it. Carbs are wonderful energy sources and if a life without carbs means a life without steel cut oatmeal, sweet potatoes and fruit...then count me out! Carbs don't make you fat...overeating makes you fat. Track your food, watch portions and ENJOY!
Diet Soda is a liquid, that counts as water...right? Listen folks, as a former soda lover, I get it! I do...it's addicting...fizzy...less boring than plain old water. Reality is though that soda is chemical crap. The best thing for your body is water...lots and lots of water. When I gave up soda (except for my once a week cheat meal that always includes a regular coke) it was difficult! By my second glass of water of the day I was sick to death of it. I was adding lemon juice and splenda to a few glasses a day just to get my 8 glasses. The more I drank water the more I realized how much I needed it! Now I drink a minimum of 100 ounces a day of plain, boring old water and I've never felt better. Just do it!
I can't work out because I can't afford/get to/kids don't like the gym. I was there. Fat, tired and thinking that the gym would save me. I joined....paid...brought my then very young children to the daycare and they screamed and cried and I worked out for 6 minutes before the 10 year old they had watching them said they were too unhappy...you can try again tomorrow. Yuck. Thankfully for me I found Beachbody workouts and now workout 6 times a week in my own home. No expensive equipment required, no gym, no daycare. It's awesome! If you don't find something you like at www.loseyourbooty.com - then walk outside, go up and down your stairs several times, push ups, sit ups....you get the picture. Find something that makes you happy (and if that's the gym, then go for it!) No matter what exercise you're doing, give 100%...it's good for your body and your emotions!
Lastly, eating healthy is too expensive. I drink Shakeology (www.dotheshake.com) every day. With my Coach discount it's less than daily Starbucks and super duper healthy. Joe & I also cook at home 95% of the time. The money we save by not eating out is huge! People stress about spending money on fruits, veggies and lean protein but have no problem at all spending $8 a lunch on McDonalds and Taco Bell crap food? Most of the dinners we make for our family of 4 cost less than one take out lunch. If you think you can't afford healthy food, I urge you to track your spending for a week. You'd be amazed how $5 coffees and $20 pizzas really add up.
If you insist on making a resolution this year- I urge you to resolve to be a nicer, more productive, positive person. Do this everyday and life will be good....I promise!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Where I am today...
Well, it's been a year of Beachbody. A year of change. A year of dramatic personal growth. My biggest achievement hasn't been losing 40 pounds, although that's been wonderful. The best thing I've taken away from this year is the knowledge that I can do anything I set my mind to and that my will is stronger than I ever thought possible.
My personal relationship with my husband and kids couldn't be better. I'm truly blessed in that area. My relationship with my parents is another story entirely.
I was raised by crazy. No, I'm not being mean. I am serious. Raised by someone with such severe anxiety that there were years my mother didn't leave the house. A house that seemed happy, seemed "normal" but just wasn't. The thing about crazy is this....admitting you're crazy is half the battle.
We all have shortcomings. We all have issues. Acknowledgment of the issues is the hard part. Never did we talk about my mom's anxiety. It was the elephant in the room. Everyone knew but nobody talked about it. For years and years my dad would talk to me about it every time we were alone. He seemed to be just as in the dark as us kids as to why she was like that.
I yearned for a normal mom. One who would take me shopping, one who would do all the normal mother daughter activities. I shopped for my prom dress alone. I took pictures of the dress, had them printed and brought the pics home so my shut in mother could help me decide which one to buy. It's how I assumed I would pick my wedding dress as well....then the impossible happened.
She got better. It lasted only a few years and they were honestly everything I dreamed them to be. We shopped, we got pedicures, we picked out my wedding dress together. It was during this time that I was married and she attended the wedding, and also had two children in the same two years. She made it to both of my births and was the first person (besides Joe) that I wanted in the room, the first hands to touch my beautiful little angels. Life was perfection.
And, then she relapsed. The problem with having the relationship you always dreamed of with a mother you love, is that when it all changed back it was really difficult to understand. I didn't GET how all of a sudden she couldn't walk out the door again. I didn't get how she couldn't manage to go to my home but my sisters house seemed like her safe haven. I didn't understand how she could webmd and self medicate herself instead of seeing a therapist that could finally address the real issue.
Not only was this devastating for me on a personal level, but I also worked with her. Full time. 50 hours a week...in her home. It felt like walking into a prison each and every day and it was a ticking time bomb until I just couldn't take it for one more minute. Apparently, my distaste with the situation became very evident and soon we were both unhappy. Luckily for us both, we were able to dissolve our working situation and I started working from my home.
I had assumed in the beginning that the awkwardness and anger would dissipate in time and we would get back to some version of "normal"....as normal as crazy can be. That never happened. She got vindictive, she got mean and she said some of the most hateful things a person can say.
Making a decision to move on with my life, without my mom and dad in it was a heart wrenching horrible choice. For months I would wonder if I made the right choice. I remembered all the good things about them and somehow the bad didn't seem quite so bad...and each and every time I thought about trying to reconcile, crazy would strike again. I say crazy because I truly think some of what she does and says is out of her control.
So I sit here a year later, over 40 pounds lighter, parentless and I think to myself....God, thank you for this year. Thank you for this strength. Thank you for my husband and kids and thank you God for giving ME enough power and will to know that although eating a pumpkin cookie in Door County in Wisconsin made me burst into tears thinking of HER...that I can't fix crazy. I'm not a mental health expert. I can't fix her need to always be in battle with one of her children. (she'll deny it, but one of the 3 of us is always at the bottom) I shield my children from her, from the hurt and from crazy. Each day that I make it is a victory and I'm proud....even if still just a little bit sad.
My personal relationship with my husband and kids couldn't be better. I'm truly blessed in that area. My relationship with my parents is another story entirely.
I was raised by crazy. No, I'm not being mean. I am serious. Raised by someone with such severe anxiety that there were years my mother didn't leave the house. A house that seemed happy, seemed "normal" but just wasn't. The thing about crazy is this....admitting you're crazy is half the battle.
We all have shortcomings. We all have issues. Acknowledgment of the issues is the hard part. Never did we talk about my mom's anxiety. It was the elephant in the room. Everyone knew but nobody talked about it. For years and years my dad would talk to me about it every time we were alone. He seemed to be just as in the dark as us kids as to why she was like that.
I yearned for a normal mom. One who would take me shopping, one who would do all the normal mother daughter activities. I shopped for my prom dress alone. I took pictures of the dress, had them printed and brought the pics home so my shut in mother could help me decide which one to buy. It's how I assumed I would pick my wedding dress as well....then the impossible happened.
She got better. It lasted only a few years and they were honestly everything I dreamed them to be. We shopped, we got pedicures, we picked out my wedding dress together. It was during this time that I was married and she attended the wedding, and also had two children in the same two years. She made it to both of my births and was the first person (besides Joe) that I wanted in the room, the first hands to touch my beautiful little angels. Life was perfection.
And, then she relapsed. The problem with having the relationship you always dreamed of with a mother you love, is that when it all changed back it was really difficult to understand. I didn't GET how all of a sudden she couldn't walk out the door again. I didn't get how she couldn't manage to go to my home but my sisters house seemed like her safe haven. I didn't understand how she could webmd and self medicate herself instead of seeing a therapist that could finally address the real issue.
Not only was this devastating for me on a personal level, but I also worked with her. Full time. 50 hours a week...in her home. It felt like walking into a prison each and every day and it was a ticking time bomb until I just couldn't take it for one more minute. Apparently, my distaste with the situation became very evident and soon we were both unhappy. Luckily for us both, we were able to dissolve our working situation and I started working from my home.
I had assumed in the beginning that the awkwardness and anger would dissipate in time and we would get back to some version of "normal"....as normal as crazy can be. That never happened. She got vindictive, she got mean and she said some of the most hateful things a person can say.
Making a decision to move on with my life, without my mom and dad in it was a heart wrenching horrible choice. For months I would wonder if I made the right choice. I remembered all the good things about them and somehow the bad didn't seem quite so bad...and each and every time I thought about trying to reconcile, crazy would strike again. I say crazy because I truly think some of what she does and says is out of her control.
So I sit here a year later, over 40 pounds lighter, parentless and I think to myself....God, thank you for this year. Thank you for this strength. Thank you for my husband and kids and thank you God for giving ME enough power and will to know that although eating a pumpkin cookie in Door County in Wisconsin made me burst into tears thinking of HER...that I can't fix crazy. I'm not a mental health expert. I can't fix her need to always be in battle with one of her children. (she'll deny it, but one of the 3 of us is always at the bottom) I shield my children from her, from the hurt and from crazy. Each day that I make it is a victory and I'm proud....even if still just a little bit sad.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Decide. Commit. Succeed.
When I decided to start on my fitness journey, it was a rocky road. I had decided that I wanted to be skinny, my problem was I never committed to the program, therefore I could never succeed.
Everything shifted for me when I decided to commit to Slim in 6 for the full 6 weeks. No, I didn't do it perfectly. I cheated on my diet more than my planned once a week cheat meal and I even missed a few workouts. At the end of 6 weeks I lost 20 pounds. Why? Because I had committed to finishing- no matter what. Sure I cheated, but the next meal I was back on track...NOT the next day, next Monday- the next meal.
Did I love the workouts? Well that's kind of a loaded question. I loved how I felt after the workouts, I loved the changes I was seeing in my body, I loved my increased energy and I loved how easy it was to come downstairs every morning and just put the dvd on.
Did I love getting up at 4am every morning to get it done? Did I love being sore every single day? Did I love watching friends and loved ones enjoy yummy foods and having drinks that I had to pass on? No, no I didn't.
I think it's important to remember that if we continue to do what we've always done, we can't expect different results. I had to go out of my comfort zone, set my alarm for even earlier than I already get up and plan my meals in advance.
These things aren't easy. I have two kids, a full time job and a busy life in general. It's so easy to want to be skinny, want to be healthy and want want want! Deciding what you want is an important first step, but if you're not ready to commit you will not succeed.
I say this from a place of love, you need to wrap your head around the fact that you can't have it all. You can't have junk food and beer every day and a six pack. You need to decide what you WANT, then plan what you'll DO to get it. Then and only then can you succeed.
My coaching is keeping my weight loss and healthy living on track for me. Being accountable to someone other than myself is so motivating! If you think becoming a Beachbody coach may be right for you check out this video : http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/jamiemarie?bctid=58142491001
Til next time...
Everything shifted for me when I decided to commit to Slim in 6 for the full 6 weeks. No, I didn't do it perfectly. I cheated on my diet more than my planned once a week cheat meal and I even missed a few workouts. At the end of 6 weeks I lost 20 pounds. Why? Because I had committed to finishing- no matter what. Sure I cheated, but the next meal I was back on track...NOT the next day, next Monday- the next meal.
Did I love the workouts? Well that's kind of a loaded question. I loved how I felt after the workouts, I loved the changes I was seeing in my body, I loved my increased energy and I loved how easy it was to come downstairs every morning and just put the dvd on.
Did I love getting up at 4am every morning to get it done? Did I love being sore every single day? Did I love watching friends and loved ones enjoy yummy foods and having drinks that I had to pass on? No, no I didn't.
I think it's important to remember that if we continue to do what we've always done, we can't expect different results. I had to go out of my comfort zone, set my alarm for even earlier than I already get up and plan my meals in advance.
These things aren't easy. I have two kids, a full time job and a busy life in general. It's so easy to want to be skinny, want to be healthy and want want want! Deciding what you want is an important first step, but if you're not ready to commit you will not succeed.
I say this from a place of love, you need to wrap your head around the fact that you can't have it all. You can't have junk food and beer every day and a six pack. You need to decide what you WANT, then plan what you'll DO to get it. Then and only then can you succeed.
My coaching is keeping my weight loss and healthy living on track for me. Being accountable to someone other than myself is so motivating! If you think becoming a Beachbody coach may be right for you check out this video : http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/jamiemarie?bctid=58142491001
Til next time...
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