Fab Fit Squad

So many people say the WANT to _______, you fill in the blank. Lose weight, build muscle, fit into their skinny jeans or the little black dress. And then you hit the wall of LACK! You know what I’m talking about, you can’t hit your goals, because you lack this, that and any other excuse you can drum. Below you will find 5 Lacks that you can turn around to make your weight loss/fitness goals a reality.

1. Motivation — you have a goal, but it doesn’t inspire you. It doesn’t cause you to take action.  Turn it around. What will inspire you to take action — is it telling someone? Is posting your goals all around the house? Is it taking your jeans up on your wall so you can see them each and every day? Whatever it is, needs to motivate you to take ACTION!!!
2. Accountability — you’ve set the goal, but you haven’t told anybody what it is, so if you don’t do it guess what it doesn’t matter because no one knows. Turn it around — TELL SOMEONE! You have no one to tell. Tell me — shoot me an email and I’ll hold you accountable. This accountability person is the person who holds your feet to fire and encourages when you get down or gives you the swift kick in the tush when you need it as well.
3. “Life” (you get busy) — these days are all “busy” running a million miles away, here is how you turn it around! Planning, planning and more planning.   Here’s how it works. Every week sit down and decide what you are going to do this week and put it in your calendar. I mean EVERYTHING — when will you prep your meals for the week, when will you workout.
4. Support — everyone around isn’t living a healthy lifestyle or will test your willpower. You can have just one can’t you? Well don’t let those crabs get you down. Turn it around by spending time with like minded folk. I know its hard to pull away from people, but its all about toward something versus remaining stagnat. To be successful at living a healthy life you need the support.
5. Results – you’ve gone down this path before and your results didn’t come as quickly as you would have hoped for. So.. you gave up, it wasn’t going to work any way, right. Wrong — most people give up right before they reach the tipping point the point at which change is about reach its boiling point.  I also want you to remember that change takes MASSIVE ACTION for MASSIVE RESULTS to be acheived. Are you ready to turn it around and take that MASSIVE ACTION.

I know that this is a total mind shift. You need to get your head moving from a place of what you lack into a place of what you don’t lack and how you can use those tools to push you toward your goals. One of the biggest ways I’ve been able to reach my goal is through the support of people, both online and offline. If you would like to brainstorm ways to turn aournd your fitness goals, shoot me an email. I’d love to hear from you.

PS — please join me for a pre-thanksgiving fast. I will be starting my 9 day cleanse on Tuesday, November 15 and breaking my fast on Thursday, November 24th Thanksgiving day. If you’d like to join me, please shoot me an email. My goal is to release 5 pounds from my body.

After October 2011

This past weekend I competed in my third Women’s Tri Fitness. This was a long term goal of mine and when I did it for the first time I got hooked! This weekend I went to Tampa and competed with my husband. It was so my fun to complete a goal with him, plus he is all fired up to do it again! I really get excited when I turn people on to fitness and they achieve their goals.

I tell you this, not to brag, but inspire you to take action. It’s been about 1 year since I had something that I had a goal that I was really jazzed about. When my husband asked if we could do it together, it was just the kick in the pants I needed.

Back in August I put on my game face and signed up.  For me one of the most challenging parts is the bench press. You need to bench press 60% of your bodyweight for 50 reps. So.. you must decide what you want to lift and how much weight you can reasonably lose.  I wanted to weigh 15 pounds lighter.

Before -- July 2011

So.. I had 8 weeks to drop 15 pounds! I had to work cut out for me and LITERALLY had to work my butt off!  No matter what happened at the show if I dropped those 15 pounds I WON! Guess what — on October 20th it happened I stepped on the scale and saw that I dropped 15 pounds I was so PSYCHED!! Plus I only had to lift 75 pounds!

I’m telling you my story because I want you know that I practice what I preach! I typically give myself 5-7 pounds over my goal weight, but this year I got a little off track and used this goal to bring me back.

If you are ready to serious about your weight loss, let me know!

I have 2 programs that I will be running to help you to Hold The Stuffing through the holidays.

•  Hold The Stuffing Fat Blaster
• 6 weeks
• 2 strength training programs
• 6 weekly emails
• (3) 15 min private phone calls
• 30 day Athlete’s pack
• Meal plan
• Grocery List
• For more information, shoot me an email.  This program is for the committed! If you are ready to end 2011 with a little less weight the time is now!

One of things I love most about fall is pumpkin.  I love anything with pumpkin, just the mention of pumpkin on a menu and I’m ordering it if there is a pumpkin product on the grocery shelf I’m buying it.

Pumpkin not only tastes great, but it’s a superfood.  It’s low in calories and contains fiber, magnesium and carotenoids.  Studies of carotenoids show that it can reduce the risk of heart disease, macular degeneration and certain cancers.  What pushes pumpkin to the top of the super food list is the alpha- carotene content.  Studies have shown that it can slow the signs of aging.  Yes, you read that correctly.

I hear all the time, that folks would like to add pumpkin to their diets but don’t know how.  Below find three ways you can add in some pumpkin.  There recipes can also be interchanged with acorn or butternut squash.

Here are three ways you can get a little more pumpkin into your diet.

Pumpkin Smoothie

• ¼ c pumpkin
• ¾ c All Whites egg whites
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 chopped small apple
• ½-1c water (to taste)
• 1 t agave

Put all ingredients in blender.  Add a few ice cubes, the more ice cubes you add the thicker your shake. To thin out your shake add some more water to desired consistency.

Pumpkin Protein Pancake

• ¼ c Oatmeal
• ¼ c pumpkin
• ½ c cottage cheese
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 t vanilla extract (you could also use almond extract)
• 2 t nutmeg (you could also use cinnamon, cloves or pumpkin pie spice)

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth.  Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat.  Pour batter into pan and cook about 2 min a side.  You should get about 3 medium sized pancakes

Pumpkin Soup

• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 can chicken soup stock (can you veggie)
• 1 t sea salt (may add more for taste)
• 1 t chili powder (may add more for taste)
• 1 t garlic (may add more for taste)
• 1 T cilantro
• 1c soft tofu

Place all ingredients in a stock pot.  Simmer until hot.  Place ingredients in a blender or food processor.  You could also use an immersion blender.

To increase your protein content to this soup, you can add in some chicken or turkey.

October is breast cancer awareness month and everywhere you turn you are seeing Pink ribbons. Just this past Sunday every NFL team was wearing something pink to support the cause.  Yet with all the awareness breast cancer receives it is still one of the top killers of women ages 20-59. It been 20 years since the first pink ribbon appeared and in that time the number of women who have died of breast cancer has not been significantly reduced.

When we see the pink ribbon or hear about a program to support breast cancer us ladies are more likely to give. We give because breast cancer is not something we’d like to have or we know someone who has affected by breast cancer. Today there are hundreds of breast cancer charities in America today, but before you give please check them out. Sadly there are some scammers out there who just take your money and/or give a small percentage to support breast cancer or inexperienced do gooders who end up spending more money promoting the event than donating.  Before you give, check out your charity. A good source is Charity Navigator.  Also be careful with the pink ribbon merchandise.  Just because it has a ribbon on it doesn’t mean any of the money is going to breast cancer.

I’d love to hear your opinion on breast cancer marketing. Are you someone who is more likely to give when you see the pink ribbon?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to my grandmother’s 90th birthday. When asked how it felt to be 90. She said she felt like James Brown. She felt good.  How about you do you feel? Do feel tired or achy ALL THE TIME.

Stop your behavior today and listen to some of my 90 year old grandmother’s 7 tips for exercise and diet.

1. Exercise daily — she walks 1 mile each day
2. Get fresh air — she lives on a farm and make sure she sits outside for at least 1 hour
3. Stay Active — when we went to pick her up for her party she was mopping the floor (she’s 90 and still cleaning her own house)
4. Eat oatmeal daily — maybe that’s where I get it =)
5. Eat fresh fruit, veggies and sweet potatoes — she grows most of her own food
6. Drink plenty of water
7. Eat healthy meals

A pretty simple way to live, huh. She’s one of the healthiest people I know. Just this week she’s got her 1st hearing aid — ps. I think its hearing issue is selective.

What steps can you make today to reach 90?

From some of my clients I hear, I want to make changes to my body or eating, do you have any suggestions that will help get me motivated? Well yes I do ….
What’s YOUR motivation? What is YOUR reason for even attempting the goal? Do you have a burning desire to reach your goals?

What’s your vision for yourself? Do you have a clear picture of what you want? Is it so clear that you feel like you can reach out a touch it? What I mean by burning desire is that if its’ 2 degrees outside and you need to shovel out your car, will you still go to the gym?

You will reach your goals if it’s your true desire. So I ask you to sit and down and get really clear about what YOU want. No one else can tell you what your motivation is, only you get find your motivation. Trust me, there are times that I wish that a burning bush would appear on my front lawn. It’s not going to happen, that burning burn is internal! You need to tap into what is going to motivate you on the inside — it’s your internal voice cheering you on and your internal kick in the pants all wrapped in one.

Yes — external motivation can help bolster your internal motivation, but external motivation can’t be your only source. Your internal burning bush must be ignited if you are going to reach your goals.

Care to share your internal burning bush — what’s your motivation?

You might be surprised to know that there are simple lifestyle changes you can make to lose weight.

Sleep More!
Did you know that people who regularly get a good night’s sleep, we’re talking about 7-9 uninterrupted hours each night, weigh less than those who don’t get good sleep.  How do you get good sleep? Set a bed time. Count back from when you need to wake up and that will be your bed time.  For years my bedtime ritual has been in bed by 9pm – 9:30pm at the latest. Lights out 10pm. When I do that, my 5:30 AM wake up aren’t that bad. Read the rest of this entry →

What I mean by that is, are you one of those people who sit around and say “Someday I will __________.” “I’ll meet my fitness goals if________________.” If I only had__________, I’d be able to_______.”

Does that sound like you? Are you waiting for someday? I have a question for you, how long have you been waiting for someday to come? Do you think it will ever come? Guess what if you don’t TAKE ACTION!! Your someday will never come in.  You won’t achieve your goals or dreams by wishing and hoping. You’ll achieve them by setting goals.

The best goals are WRITTEN. You can’t just think them or say them. You need to write down your goals and put them someplace visible. A place that you see them EACH AND EVERYDAY.

I have dry erase boards that I stick to my office door. Every morning I walk in my office and I look at my board and review my goals.  I have 4 of these dry erase boards on my door. Here is how I’ve broken down my goals.

1. My goals for 2011
2. My goals for the next 3 months
3. My goals for the next 30 days
4. My weekly goals

Every day I look at them and decide what am I going to do today and is that going to push me toward one of my goals.  My challenge to you is take 30 minutes and sit down and write out what is it that you want to achieve by the end of 2011. You have 120 days, what can you achieve so that you have more to celebrate than the end of the year and the start of the new?

If you are looking for a challenge, I encourage you to try my skinny jeans challenge.

Leave me some comments below to let me know what you plan to achieve in your 120 days.

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is arguably the one of the best basketball players in the world.  So you may ask yourself, what kind of problems could this guy have! Deciding who the pass the ball to, or just drive the ball to the basket himself.

If Michael Jordan had a challenge and stared them down, what are you doing about challenges.  Do you find a way around them, or do you just throw your hands up and decide that it wasn’t meant to be?

When of my favorite expressions I like to say whenever someone tells me they have a fitness challenge I say “It’s not like you’re climbing Mt. Everest in a bikini.” Most people laugh and really think their fitness challenge isn’t that huge.

Whenever I’m faced with a fitness challenge, here are a few things I do to help turn the mountain into a mole hill.

• Workout — this is my favorite, I come up with some of my best ideas this way.
• Talk it out with a friend — sometimes when you say it out loud your challenge(s) doesn’t seem that the bad.
• Break problems into smaller chunks — when you look at the problem as a whole it may seem like Mt. Everest, (sorry I have a thing about Everest) but then you sit down and break it down it, again it doesn’t seem that bad.

Tell me your fitness challenge. I’d love to help you solve it.

For years we’ve heard that we need to add GOOD fat into our diets, but do you really know what that means? Did you even know that there were different variety’s of good fats? Well let me break it down for you.

• Omega 3 — we get them mainly from cold water fishes — salmon, blue fish, sardines, herring. You get the picture. Yes supplementation can help, but you really need to get it from the source.  When consuming these fish be sure that you are eating the wild version of these fishes vs. farm raised.  Farm raised tend to have less Omega 3 and less protein.  Go figure. For my vegetarian friends you can find good sources in flax and walnuts.  Sadly the average American isn’t getting nearly enough of this good fat. Why do we need omega 3s? They help reduce inflammation in the body, assist with mental health as well as heart health.  Omega 3s are also used to produce hormones in the body. For a complete listing of food that contains Omega 3.
• Omega 6 — can be found very easily in the typical American diet.  The average American consumes 10x the recommended amount of this essential fatty acid. You can find omega 6s in soybean oil, nuts and seeds. These types of oils are found in 20% of all processed foods. Omega 6s are used to make hormones as well, but these types of fats tend to cause inflammation if not taken in the correct balance with omega 3. To help balance out your omega 6s & omega 3s aim to reduce your dependence on processed foods including margarine, bottled salad dressings and mayonnaise. Sorry ladies this DOES include olive oil.  For a complete listing of foods that contain Omega 6.
• Omega 9 — plays a smaller role than 3 and 6 and small quantities of this acid can be produced by the body. Because our bodies can produce this, when we are deficient in either omega 3 or omega 6 our body will produce extra Omega 9 to compensate.  Omega 9 does have it place, but its not as powerful as omega 3 or omega 6.  Omega 9 does play a role in reducing cholesterol in the body as well as improve our immune systems.  For those of you with small children, you’ll do what ever you can do improve your immune system.  For a list of food that contain Omega 9.

I hope you found this helpful. I’d love to hear what you think. Please leave me some comments below.