Today makes the beginning of the third week of Lent! Thus far, I have been following a Lenten guide provided by a church that a friend of mine goes to. This guide is a very detailed packet that explains what Lent is all about and also challenges those who are following it to sacrifice something each week during the 40 day Lenten season.
I must say, the first two weeks have been rather regular for me. I haven't felt like I'm getting close to God within the realms of this guide I'm following, but I am still going on with my normal routine of fellowshipping and having praise, prayer, and worship.
During week one, participants were instructed to refrain from eating sweets and participating in self-indulgences. We were told to live as cheaply as possible and to only spend money if we absolutely had to. Any money that we wanted to spend, we were asked to give a sacrificial offering of that money to the church. On the first day, I bought a new pair of headphones because I didn't catch that part about giving up self-indulgences which consisted of not purchasing things. I was talking to my best friend and she mentioned that we weren't supposed to eat sweets OR buy anything. I was thinking to myself, oh wow....well I won't buy anything else! I then noticed that I don't really eat sweets anymore so to challenge myself, I decided I would refrain from eating my flavored yogurt during this period. I purchased a few cups of plain Greek yogurt and lets just say some days were harder than others and I was glad when the 7 days for this were up! I was also making frequent trips to the grocery store to restock on more food and purchasing gas. Even though these things are necessities, swiping my card for me handles that "fix" of feeling the need to spend money. And lastly, I made a purchase for an event I'm going to over the summer that I had to get right then and there because tickets were selling out fast! I felt a sense of conviction after I did this because I seriously knew that that was going against what we were asked to do. The groceries, the gas, and even the head phones (I had no idea) were one thing, but this was another. I also noticed I was not taking as much time to really mediate and go deeper in my relationship with God.
Week two, we were asked to fast from some form of food or a particular meal. The choice was yours. I chose to not eat meat for week 2. Because I already don't eat beef or pork, I was basically only giving up chicken and turkey. I had already done my meal prep for the week and it included chicken, so I just froze those meals until week 2 was over. This week wasn't too difficult since I was still eating fish and for only 7 days, it wasn't too bad. Still I didn't feel like I was really connecting on a deeper level. I think this is because I wasn't really setting aside the time that I needed to.
Moving on...week three! Week three started today and it asks that we refrain from any form of media (this includes television and music). Can I tell you how much of a struggle my 40 minute commute to work was this morning and afternoon??? I can see this week is going to be a long one!! I am already not a regular tv watcher so that really isn't a problem, but I love music!!! I breathe music!!! Music is a huge part of my every day life! I thought at first, I could at least continue to listen to my gospel music and that would be ok, but then I read on and it said nothing about still being able to listen to gospel. There is a lot of silence right now and I am basically feeling like this week will really open me up to experiencing God on another level. I didn't go to the gym today, but working out with no music is something I'm not looking forward to experiencing! I'm still going to do it, but it'll be interesting to see how this goes!
Next week I must refrain from social media and the internet! OMG....I can see right now that God and I are going to have some major time together!! Music is a big part, but me with no internet....oh boy it's going to get mad real over here!
Stay tuned and I'll be sure to update you on how things went (of course after that week is over).
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Results of my 7 week challenge
If you have been reading my blog, you would have known that I challenged myself to a 7 week challenge that lead up to my birthday. This challenge included me eating as clean as possible along with working out 6 days/week. Here is the full story if you would like to catch up regarding the 7 week challenge.
I just reread it myself and I love the fact that I seemed so confident, yet unsure if I would really be able to achieve this thing. Well I'm here to report to you that I finished it, and I would say I definitely succeeded. I started off doing Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD every morning during the week. That was a challenge within itself. I would get up at 5am and head downstairs to workout in my townhouse. There were so many days that I just didn't feel like doing it. I was tired or super sore, but I pressed on! I had to do a lot of self-encouraging. Eventually, I started to continue to blog about my weekly progress and with the support and motivating words of all of you, I would find a new breath of energy to keep going.
So let's get down to it! I said I would post a progress pic, good or bad, so here it is!!
I posted this same picture on Facebook and Instagram with a caption that said something along the lines of I started working out and eating clean 7 weeks ago. I think there was a little confusion with this statement though. The top picture was taken on December 15, 2012. The bottom picture was taken on February 22, 2013. Technically the pictures were taken 10 weeks apart. I had always been working out. As you can read from the post that started all of this, I was logging two hours at a time in the gym on a fairly consistent basis for 2 months. I have also always been the type to exercise at last 3 times/week here and there. I would sometimes get on my exercise grind hard, then fall off the wagon for a few weeks, then get back to it. Either way, my stomach has always been my biggest problem area so the top picture is pretty accurate for how I used to look on a regular basis. The shorts I'm wearing were given to me by a friend who had lost a lot of weight and couldn't fit them anymore. When she gave them to me, I told her "uhh these are way too small!" She told me to keep them and let them be "goal" shorts and to let them motivate me.
On January 7, 2013, I finally started coupling my workouts WITH a healthier diet. These two things together have made this transformation so powerful!! And I'm not done yet! I am very pleased with my results, but I'm going for the gusto! I want more definition in my body so I am working on building muscle! So here are my 7 week challenge results! I'm learning more and more every day about clean eating and I'm so excited to see what kind of results I'll have by this time next year.
Here are a few words of encouragement for you: although 7 weeks doesn't seem like a long time, progress is truly a slow process!! Throughout this challenge, there were days when I would get so discouraged. I was taking pictures of myself almost every day!! I had to finally tell myself to stop because when I didn't feel like I saw enough of a change, I felt like I wasn't getting any results at all. People at work would ask me if I was losing weight, and that felt good, but I wanted to see more results faster! Oh how impatient us humans can be. Seeing these pictures lined up together definitely shows I've come a long way, but when you're looking at pictures of yourself every day and they all start to look the same, you feel like it's not happening fast enough.
I am committing myself to this lifestyle and along the way, I'm very passionate about helping other people! People have reached out to me and I have done my best to help them as much as I can. Here are some other things that might be encouraging to you:
1. I've been at this "I want to lose weight and have a defined body" for years. It's not going to happen until you decide "I'm ready to make changes and I'll do whatever it takes to get it"! I didn't just wake up one day and say I want to be healthier and have a better body and all of a sudden I started eating healthy food all the time. A lot of the foods I eat I used to not want to eat AT ALL!! I didn't like the taste, had no idea how to prepare it, or just had no idea what it was in general. This is a continuous process (lifestyle) and you will learn so much along the way if you're open to educating yourself about what works and doesn't work for your body.
2. Slow and steady wins the race. Now I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I strongly advice you to stay away from anything that promises results in "x" amount of days/weeks/months etc. This is a lifestyle change so the results will come if you stay consistent. I must admit, I've been very tempted to try different things that I've seen on Instagram, tv, heard about through the grapevine, etc., but I have also decided that I have to do stuff that will last me a lifetime. No more working out hard core because I'm going to the beach next month, no more eating right just to fit into a dress for a wedding I'm in, no more "special occasion" weight loss motivation for me! I told myself this, "if you can't do it consistently for 10 years, then don't do it now". Now this is for me...so you don't have to take this on for yourself. But what I mean is, if I know I can't afford to take diet pills for the next 10 years to lose weight and keep it off, then I'm not taking them now. If I can't afford to take a line of cleansing/detox products consistently just to lose weight, then I'm not going to do it now. Now you might be saying "well what's wrong with doing these things to get a jump start on weight loss"? You're right, it's nothing wrong with it, but for me, I'm trying to get in the habit of doing this for myself and doing it consistently in a way that I can maintain and always stick with it. Old fashion good clean diets and exercise is something I know I can stick with.
3. Listen to your body and pay attention to it. When you're working out, push yourself, but don't push it until you get injured. That's no bueno! If something doesn't feel right, listen to your body and chill out. Take some time and then get right back to it. And also remember, you can go as hard as you want in the gym, but if your diet is poor, then you're cancelling out all of your efforts! You can't out exercise a bad diet so no need to go hard, injure yourself, then on top of that eat a bad diet....you'll be right back at the start in no time. *thumbs down*
4. Be careful who you're taking advice from. I noticed that when I first started doing this, I was following a lot of people on Instagram who I viewed as really healthy and fit! I then started to notice that these people were taking all kinds of supplements and I just couldn't keep up with what I should be taking too. It then dawned on me that some of these people were body builders and were preparing for competitions. I am not trying to be a body builder, I'm just trying to get healthy and fit. I then realized, I don't need to try to keep up with them because we have two different goals. I had to find out what was right for me and stop trying to keep up with the Buff Betty's and Bob's out there! Educating yourself on a lifestyle change can be super overwhelming! There are so many books out there, trainers giving advice, people giving advice, etc. so it's like what should you do?? Kind of like with Dr. Oz..it's like if you followed all of his advice (which I'm sure there is some great advice he's giving), it'd be almost impossible to keep up! I know that's how I feel every time I watch his show!
5. If you fall off the wagon, just remember, there's always tomorrow to get back on! Every day isn't going to be perfect and there will be weeks when you feel like you are getting nowhere, but just keep going! The key is consistency!! Anybody who's successful at this will tell you, they kept going and that's when real results started to show and stay!!
I am looking forward to sharing with you all more results to come and to keep blogging about this road to being fit for life!!
...Stay tuned...
Workout and Worship Wednesday 2/27/13
Hello everyone!! I've been super busy since my last post, but I made it a point to be sure that I made enough time to sit down and do my Workout and Worship post today!! I have so much to share with you guys regarding other topics and can't wait to be able to sit down and get all this stuff out there for you!! I will do several updates probably this weekend when I have some down time so stay tuned for more to come!!
Ok now on to the regularly scheduled program! It's mid week and we're back at it again with W&WW!!! I hope this has been a blessing to you all! Have you been doing the workouts? I'm hoping the scriptures and songs of worship have ministered to your soul as well!
Let's get on with the scriptures. I have three for you today (yes, 3)!! Last night I was catching up with my Lenten guide (ahhh so behind on everything over here), and came across 1 Peter 5:10. The guide suggested we read 1 Peter 5:8-9, but I read on and verse 10 caught my eye. It reads: "But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That's why he appointed Christ Jesus to choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm". After reading that, I remembered James 1:2-4 and felt like it was a great additional passage to go along with 1 Peter 5:10. James 1:2-4 reads "my brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. Your faith will be put to the test. You know that when that happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. The strength to keep going must be allowed to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need". And to tie all of this together, let's go to Joshua 1:9 which reads "I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lordyour God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go."
This whole weight loss, eating right, being more physically fit journey is tough and there are times that you want to give up, or you face some hard times, but just keep going!!! These verses can also be applied to any other area of your life that you find yourself in a between a rock and a hard place. God is there with you to help you. Have faith! These times are the times that truly strengthen and mature us as we grow in Christ!
Today's song is one of my favorites and it always gets me in a pumped mood!!! It's You Are Good by Israel & New Breed. This group is phenomenal and sure do know how to jam while praising the Lord!!
Today's workout is going to focus on your entire body!! We're getting way too close to summer and a full body workout is indeed necessary! Even if you feel like certain parts of your body look good enough, keep working on it! Don't neglect any part of your body while working out. You can't spot train a particular section of your body. You get better results when you work the whole thing out!! Warm up with a jogging in place, jumping jacks, dynamic static stretches, etc if you can't get to the gym or if you can, take a quick jog on the treadmill for about 5 minutes to get your body warmed! And don't forget your cool down stretch!! Full Body Workout. See if you can complete this circuit at least 3 times before the next week!
Have an awesome and amazing day!!!
Ok now on to the regularly scheduled program! It's mid week and we're back at it again with W&WW!!! I hope this has been a blessing to you all! Have you been doing the workouts? I'm hoping the scriptures and songs of worship have ministered to your soul as well!
Let's get on with the scriptures. I have three for you today (yes, 3)!! Last night I was catching up with my Lenten guide (ahhh so behind on everything over here), and came across 1 Peter 5:10. The guide suggested we read 1 Peter 5:8-9, but I read on and verse 10 caught my eye. It reads: "But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That's why he appointed Christ Jesus to choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm". After reading that, I remembered James 1:2-4 and felt like it was a great additional passage to go along with 1 Peter 5:10. James 1:2-4 reads "my brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. Your faith will be put to the test. You know that when that happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. The strength to keep going must be allowed to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need". And to tie all of this together, let's go to Joshua 1:9 which reads "I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lordyour God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go."
This whole weight loss, eating right, being more physically fit journey is tough and there are times that you want to give up, or you face some hard times, but just keep going!!! These verses can also be applied to any other area of your life that you find yourself in a between a rock and a hard place. God is there with you to help you. Have faith! These times are the times that truly strengthen and mature us as we grow in Christ!
Today's song is one of my favorites and it always gets me in a pumped mood!!! It's You Are Good by Israel & New Breed. This group is phenomenal and sure do know how to jam while praising the Lord!!
Today's workout is going to focus on your entire body!! We're getting way too close to summer and a full body workout is indeed necessary! Even if you feel like certain parts of your body look good enough, keep working on it! Don't neglect any part of your body while working out. You can't spot train a particular section of your body. You get better results when you work the whole thing out!! Warm up with a jogging in place, jumping jacks, dynamic static stretches, etc if you can't get to the gym or if you can, take a quick jog on the treadmill for about 5 minutes to get your body warmed! And don't forget your cool down stretch!! Full Body Workout. See if you can complete this circuit at least 3 times before the next week!
Have an awesome and amazing day!!!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Workout and Worship Wednesday 2/20/13
Happy Wednesday everyone!!! It's midweek and we're two days until the weekend!!! Yay!!!
Here's today's Workout and Worship Wednesday segment!
Today's verse that I'd like to share with you all is a focus scripture I found in my Lenten guide. It's from Matthew 9:35-38 and it says "Jesus went through all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues. He preached the good news of the kingdom. And he healed every illness and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt deep concern for them. They were beaten down and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Here's today's Workout and Worship Wednesday segment!
Today's verse that I'd like to share with you all is a focus scripture I found in my Lenten guide. It's from Matthew 9:35-38 and it says "Jesus went through all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues. He preached the good news of the kingdom. And he healed every illness and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt deep concern for them. They were beaten down and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. 38 So ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.”
I encourage you all to think about some "work" that you could be doing to help and show compassion to others! There are so many people who need help with so many things! If you have a gift that you could share with someone, please do! One thing I know a lot of people want help with is staying motivated to workout and eat right. Find a buddy to keep you motivated and you do the same for him/her! We're almost at the 3rd month of the year and that is certainly when most people fall off the "let's get healthy and fit" bandwagon. I hate to call it a bandwagon, but unfortunately, that's what it becomes for so many of us. Commitment and passion is key to stay successful in this thing! It's a lifestyle!! You don't have to apply this all just to working out and eating right. You could help others in any area of expertise that you have!
Song of the day is You Are Great by Juanita Bynum! I love, love, love this artist and her music!!! She has such a powerful voice and I find myself in deep worship with many of her songs!!! Here is the link on YouTube.
And today's workout is one to help get those glutes in check!! I'm all about having nice buns and great legs!! Summer is coming up and we all want to look nice in our shorts and dresses!! At least I do! :)
I found this on Pinterest so hopefully the link allows you to get to this page even if you don't have an account with them. If you can't get to it, let me know and I'll find another way to get it to you! Your Best Butt.
Have an awesome day everyone!! Peace, blessings, and motivation to you all!!! Thank you for reading!!
Monday, February 18, 2013
6 week check-in
I've been making strides towards a healthier lifestyle for about 6 weeks now! One thing I've noticed is that so many others are still going strong with a healthier lifestyle as well!!! Could it be that 2013 is the year for us all to set fitness goals, eat healthy, and stick to it?? I am loving all of the support that I'm getting from my readers, my friends and family, and FB and IG friends!! You guys truly keep me motivated and inspired as I motivate and inspire you!
When I was at work today, I found a picture of myself on my computer from a school event in November. OMG talk about "this can't be life"!! My face was so round, it looked like a perfect circle! I'll have to e-mail the picture to myself and be sure to do some before and after pictures on here for you guys.
I don't know about y'all, but I love progress pics! I feel like it really gets people inspired because if that person can do it, I can do it too. When real people show you how they're coming along and how they are making changes for the better, it makes you see that weight loss and being healthy is truly an attainable goal!! My coworker gave me a pair of shorts back in December that were absolutely too small for me. She told me to keep them and let them be my "goal" shorts! I'm proud to say they finally fit! I'll post pics of them this weekend (I plan to wear them out to celebrate my 29th birthday)!!
I've got a pretty busy week this week with work and some obligations after work, but I'm still getting it in with a workout and eating clean! I did my meal prep yesterday which is so essential especially when you know you're going to have a busy week!! That's one less thing you have to worry about when you prepare your meals ahead of time. I also have planned out when I'm going to workout since I know I have things going on after work all this week. It's always safe to keep your gym bag in your car for those just in case moments!
Today I had a babysitting job after work, but I brought my gym bag along with me even though I wasn't sure that I would have enough time to squeeze in a workout. To my pleasant surprise, I had plenty of time! I was really glad that I went to the gym because I was able to accomplish something that I had been working on! A girl I follow on Instagram posted a pic of her doing some ab work on a Bosu ball. Here she is looking amazing and making this challenging move look easy. She also has an amazing YouTube channel that I recommend you all checking out! She shares exercises she's doing, healthy snacks, shakes, meals, etc. Here's a link to her channel GETBODIEDBYJ.
The first time I did this, I rolled right off that Bosu ball like a fool!!! I was so embarrassed, but I was also determined to work towards accomplishing it. A trainer that I follow on Instagram suggested to me that I try to perfect the move on the ground or a flat bench first. I've been doing some work with sit-ups and this move on the flat bench for the past couple of days to strengthen my core. Today, I tried the move again and I did it!!! I did 3 reps of it to be matter of fact!! I am so proud of myself and am ready to try it again tomorrow!!! Setting fitness goals gives us all something to work towards which makes working out fun and exciting! When you accomplish one, set another!! Watch yourself get stronger and stronger and accomplish things you never though you would ever be capable of doing!!
Let me know how things have been going for you! If you want to chat with me about tips for healthy eating or working out, e-mail me at road2bfit@gmail.com.
When I was at work today, I found a picture of myself on my computer from a school event in November. OMG talk about "this can't be life"!! My face was so round, it looked like a perfect circle! I'll have to e-mail the picture to myself and be sure to do some before and after pictures on here for you guys.
I don't know about y'all, but I love progress pics! I feel like it really gets people inspired because if that person can do it, I can do it too. When real people show you how they're coming along and how they are making changes for the better, it makes you see that weight loss and being healthy is truly an attainable goal!! My coworker gave me a pair of shorts back in December that were absolutely too small for me. She told me to keep them and let them be my "goal" shorts! I'm proud to say they finally fit! I'll post pics of them this weekend (I plan to wear them out to celebrate my 29th birthday)!!
I've got a pretty busy week this week with work and some obligations after work, but I'm still getting it in with a workout and eating clean! I did my meal prep yesterday which is so essential especially when you know you're going to have a busy week!! That's one less thing you have to worry about when you prepare your meals ahead of time. I also have planned out when I'm going to workout since I know I have things going on after work all this week. It's always safe to keep your gym bag in your car for those just in case moments!
Today I had a babysitting job after work, but I brought my gym bag along with me even though I wasn't sure that I would have enough time to squeeze in a workout. To my pleasant surprise, I had plenty of time! I was really glad that I went to the gym because I was able to accomplish something that I had been working on! A girl I follow on Instagram posted a pic of her doing some ab work on a Bosu ball. Here she is looking amazing and making this challenging move look easy. She also has an amazing YouTube channel that I recommend you all checking out! She shares exercises she's doing, healthy snacks, shakes, meals, etc. Here's a link to her channel GETBODIEDBYJ.
The first time I did this, I rolled right off that Bosu ball like a fool!!! I was so embarrassed, but I was also determined to work towards accomplishing it. A trainer that I follow on Instagram suggested to me that I try to perfect the move on the ground or a flat bench first. I've been doing some work with sit-ups and this move on the flat bench for the past couple of days to strengthen my core. Today, I tried the move again and I did it!!! I did 3 reps of it to be matter of fact!! I am so proud of myself and am ready to try it again tomorrow!!! Setting fitness goals gives us all something to work towards which makes working out fun and exciting! When you accomplish one, set another!! Watch yourself get stronger and stronger and accomplish things you never though you would ever be capable of doing!!
Let me know how things have been going for you! If you want to chat with me about tips for healthy eating or working out, e-mail me at road2bfit@gmail.com.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Pay attention....to successful people
As I have mentioned before, I began reading a book called Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go From Everyday to Extraordinary by David Cottrell back in December. When I first began reading this book, I got hooked on the first chapter because Cottrell used an example of how to commit to your exercise goals. I got hooked because that was something of interest to me. As the book goes on, he focuses on being successful at work or if you're trying to start your own business, but this book is very powerful and can be applied to any area of your life!!!
Monday Morning Choice #5 is called "The Do Something Choice...Don't Vacation on "Someday Isle". This chapter pretty much encourages the reader to stop talking about it and do it! Don't keep putting things off and take full advantage of getting out there and doing what you want to do now! As the chapter comes to a close, Cottrell has a section titled "Pay Attention". He starts by saying:
Monday Morning Choice #5 is called "The Do Something Choice...Don't Vacation on "Someday Isle". This chapter pretty much encourages the reader to stop talking about it and do it! Don't keep putting things off and take full advantage of getting out there and doing what you want to do now! As the chapter comes to a close, Cottrell has a section titled "Pay Attention". He starts by saying:
Finally, choose to do something that will make a difference.
If you aren't happy with the way things are now, choose to do something about it.
He then goes on to say something that really stood out to me and has stuck!! He says "one of the most important decisions you can make is to study what successful people do". OMG...if you get that, it will totally change your life!! Just think about it, what he means by "successful people" doesn't mean just successful business people, or people with money, or people who seem to have it all together. Now those people fit into the category, but it doesn't stop with them. Anything you view as success is acceptable here.
I have began studying the ways of people who successfully build their bodies! What I mean by "build their bodies" is people who have awesome bodies, but they have to and had to work at it!! Not just the girl who has been thin with killer arms since 8th grade (genetics are truly on her side) or the guy who is 6'4 and has had a six pack for as long as you could remember. I'm talking about those people who you know if they completely quit what they're currently doing, their bodies would change for the worse. I have started studying what they're eating, how they're working out, how often they eat, how often they work out, etc. This has played a really large role in helping me in this journey to getting fit and staying fit.
Yesterday while on Instagram (remember this is such a rich resource for getting new ideas), I saw two posts from two girls about an ab workout they were doing. Both girls showed pictures of their extremely defined abdominal area and posted the exercise they were currently working on. They also made it very clear to share that abs are made in the kitchen and NOT in the gym. One girl stated "I can't stress enough that I don;t care how strong your core is...if you're not eating right, you will NOT have the abs you want". Now I've stated before that time after time I have heard that statement and have ignored it. It was easier for me to think if I put in hours at the gym, and did all kinds of hard core ab workouts, then eventually my abs would make an appearance as well. Finally, I kept seeing over and over again that abs were made in the kitchen and that's when I said it was time to change my diet and to see what happens. I mean it couldn't hurt to try right? Well I'm proud to say that I'm pleased with the results I'm seeing. My abs are definitely not where I want them to be, but I know with consistency and dedication, I will have the desired look I want eventually.
You could apply this concept of studying successful people to any area of your life. Maybe you have a hard time managing money. Or perhaps you have a hard time being on time. You feel like you're an ineffective parent. You are struggling in your marriage or relationship. Whatever your case may be, open your mind to seeing what other people are doing in an area that you want to improve in and take notes! See how that works out for you! Remember to always stay open minded. An open mind and a great attitude will take you farther than if you have the mindset that the people you're hoping to be like "think they're better than you". They're probably not even thinking about you...you're the one who wants to be more successful in this area in your life! Follow people who are producing results with their actions...visible results....not people who say they're successful at something. Talk is super cheap, and we all know actions speak louder.
Those girls I'm taking notes from on IG are totally making statements with their words, but they're bodies are backing those words up!
Final recap tip from Cottrell: "Study successful people. What choices have they made to help them reach their level of success?"
The key word here folks is choices.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Lent 2013
The Lenten season is upon us!! Lent is a 46 day period (40 not including Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter which serves as a time for penitence and self-examination for all Christians. During this time, people choose things that they will give up having or doing as a sacrifice like chocolate, fast food, sweets, television, secular music, social media networks, etc. This time is usually a time that brings Christians closer to God as they spend time in prayer and mediation. The 40 days of Lent are meant to be symbolic of the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan.
I have been participating in Lent since I was a teenager. It wasn't until 2009 that the Lenten period really changed my life and held a deeper meaning for me. During that time, I had gone through a period of brokenness. I remember right before Lent started, my best friend asked me if I wanted to pray about it with her and I shot her a mean side eye along with a serious decline! I did not want to pray about anything. I didn't want to think about God and definitely didn't want to talk to him!
After pulling myself together, I realized that Lent was coming up and I hadn't chosen anything to sacrifice. My mind was drawing a blank and I couldn't think of anything that would actually be meaningful. It then dawned on me that I didn't have to "give up" something per se, but I could do something that would make me better. I examined myself and realized that my prayer life was pretty much nonexistent other than when I would pray over food (which wasn't always a guarantee either). I decided that for the Lenten season, I would pray twice/day to God to help me get through the brokenness. I guess my best friend prayed for me anyway that night, because praying two times every day weighed in on my heart even though I was totally opposed to prayer just days before.
At the end of those 40 days, I could tell there was a difference in me. I considered this time to be the when I really found Jesus in my heart. This was the beginning of the best relationship I've ever had....a real relationship with Jesus. The relationship has grown stronger and stronger as the years have gone on, but that was the beginning of it all. I had professed that I knew God and loved him prior to that date, but it wasn't genuine. It was kind of one of those things where you say you're a believer because you're afraid people would judge you for not being a believer. Funny how things work out, huh? I wouldn't say I wasn't a believer before, but I definitely had God on the back burner of my life and hit him up when it was convenient for me. Praying occurred only when I needed something or when I was in trouble. Prayers of thanksgiving were foreign, and I wouldn't dare go to church and show any form of praise if it meant other people would look at me funny. Going to church was also something that was a chore and I often times found myself finding an excuse not to go especially if I had spent the night before partying and was too tired to get up and go. Years ago, this blog wouldn't have existed because I wouldn't have felt the need to share my testimony with anyone. Thanking God would have only occurred when something huge happened, but then again, I'd probably find some way to say it was all because of some human being and how they looked out for me, instead of God looking out for me.
My story still amazes me every time I think about it. I think about how far I've come and where I'm going. I think about how much my life has changed for the better now and how I'm so thankful that God stepped in and saved me even when I had no idea what was happening. Sometimes a period of brokenness is necessary to break you down to nothing so that God can get your attention to show you just how much you really do need him! Even when you don't understand it or think God is punishing you and is being unfair, it always works out for your good. The good times, the bad times, the times of uncertainty, all of these things build your testimony.
This year for Lent, I wanted to pass on some information that a friend of mine shared with me. This came just in time and I felt like it was a wonderful tool to really learn about Lent and really draw closer to God! Even though Lent started yesterday, you can still get in on this and be richly blessed at the end of the 40 day period! Here is the link: Lent Guide 2013. If you have a hard time with it, please let me know and I'll try to figure out another way to get it to you! The guide is from my friend's church! At the end of each week, I plan to update you guys on how my journey is going! Stay tuned!
I have been participating in Lent since I was a teenager. It wasn't until 2009 that the Lenten period really changed my life and held a deeper meaning for me. During that time, I had gone through a period of brokenness. I remember right before Lent started, my best friend asked me if I wanted to pray about it with her and I shot her a mean side eye along with a serious decline! I did not want to pray about anything. I didn't want to think about God and definitely didn't want to talk to him!
After pulling myself together, I realized that Lent was coming up and I hadn't chosen anything to sacrifice. My mind was drawing a blank and I couldn't think of anything that would actually be meaningful. It then dawned on me that I didn't have to "give up" something per se, but I could do something that would make me better. I examined myself and realized that my prayer life was pretty much nonexistent other than when I would pray over food (which wasn't always a guarantee either). I decided that for the Lenten season, I would pray twice/day to God to help me get through the brokenness. I guess my best friend prayed for me anyway that night, because praying two times every day weighed in on my heart even though I was totally opposed to prayer just days before.
At the end of those 40 days, I could tell there was a difference in me. I considered this time to be the when I really found Jesus in my heart. This was the beginning of the best relationship I've ever had....a real relationship with Jesus. The relationship has grown stronger and stronger as the years have gone on, but that was the beginning of it all. I had professed that I knew God and loved him prior to that date, but it wasn't genuine. It was kind of one of those things where you say you're a believer because you're afraid people would judge you for not being a believer. Funny how things work out, huh? I wouldn't say I wasn't a believer before, but I definitely had God on the back burner of my life and hit him up when it was convenient for me. Praying occurred only when I needed something or when I was in trouble. Prayers of thanksgiving were foreign, and I wouldn't dare go to church and show any form of praise if it meant other people would look at me funny. Going to church was also something that was a chore and I often times found myself finding an excuse not to go especially if I had spent the night before partying and was too tired to get up and go. Years ago, this blog wouldn't have existed because I wouldn't have felt the need to share my testimony with anyone. Thanking God would have only occurred when something huge happened, but then again, I'd probably find some way to say it was all because of some human being and how they looked out for me, instead of God looking out for me.
My story still amazes me every time I think about it. I think about how far I've come and where I'm going. I think about how much my life has changed for the better now and how I'm so thankful that God stepped in and saved me even when I had no idea what was happening. Sometimes a period of brokenness is necessary to break you down to nothing so that God can get your attention to show you just how much you really do need him! Even when you don't understand it or think God is punishing you and is being unfair, it always works out for your good. The good times, the bad times, the times of uncertainty, all of these things build your testimony.
This year for Lent, I wanted to pass on some information that a friend of mine shared with me. This came just in time and I felt like it was a wonderful tool to really learn about Lent and really draw closer to God! Even though Lent started yesterday, you can still get in on this and be richly blessed at the end of the 40 day period! Here is the link: Lent Guide 2013. If you have a hard time with it, please let me know and I'll try to figure out another way to get it to you! The guide is from my friend's church! At the end of each week, I plan to update you guys on how my journey is going! Stay tuned!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Workout and Worship Wednesday 2/13/13
Hello everyone!! Today is another workout and worship Wednesday!
Did anyone do the workout from last week? If so, how did you like it? What about the scripture and song? I hope it has been a blessing in your life and that the workout got your heart rate up to burn tons of calories!!!
Today's scripture comes from the book of James. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6. I love this because it truly encourages me to push through hard times and it is assurance that God is always available to give us whatever we need to make it through!
Today's worship song is He Reigns by Kirk Franklin! If you want to workout and listen to this song, it definitely jams!!! Get your praise and your workout on!!! Song of The Week
This week's workout is another workout I saw posted in my gym. When I saw it, I was up for the challenge and decided I'd push you guys to take the challenge as well.
Did anyone do the workout from last week? If so, how did you like it? What about the scripture and song? I hope it has been a blessing in your life and that the workout got your heart rate up to burn tons of calories!!!
Today's scripture comes from the book of James. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6. I love this because it truly encourages me to push through hard times and it is assurance that God is always available to give us whatever we need to make it through!
Today's worship song is He Reigns by Kirk Franklin! If you want to workout and listen to this song, it definitely jams!!! Get your praise and your workout on!!! Song of The Week
This week's workout is another workout I saw posted in my gym. When I saw it, I was up for the challenge and decided I'd push you guys to take the challenge as well.
So we have here a countdown workout. Do as much of each suggested move as you can. Remember, don't sacrifice form just to say you did it! 50 jumping jacks with good form is better than 100 sloppy, half-butt jumping jacks! Take breaks if you need it, but don't break for too long. You don't want your heart rate to get down too low. The key is to keep the heart rate up because that is what burns calories! And that's the goal isn't it!!?? It took me about 30 minutes to do all of this (including the 10 minute run). Give it all you've got and good luck!!!
I hope everyone is still going strong in their working out and clean eating!! Remember, progress is a slow process, but it's all worth it and every little bit counts!! Be great and have an awesome day!!!
Monday, February 11, 2013
1000 page views!!!
I'm currently at 1000 page views and I just want to say thank you all for your support!! When I began blogging a little under 2 months ago, I wasn't sure exactly where this thing was going to go. I was very interested in just jotting down a few thoughts here and there to share with a few friends.
A few years ago, I started blogging and Blogger actually saves your blogs on one account. I read over a few of my posts from that blog and I was so embarrassed at the things I was talking about. It was pure foolishness so I deleted it all hoping no one had ever really read any of it.
I'm so thankful for growth and for being able to be a blessing and inspiration in the lives of others! This is my goal in life! It truly does inspire me when I inspire others!! Thanks again for reading and please subscribe so that you never miss a post!! :)
Sunday, February 10, 2013
2 more weeks until "A-Day"!!!
Today marks approximately 2 weeks until my 29th birthday! This means it's been 5 weeks since I've been eating clean and working out consistently. Now remember, I had been working out rather consistently before, but I hadn't started eating clean until after I got back from visiting my sister and brother-in-law for Christmas vacation.
So I've made it over that period of making something new a "habit" (21 days). I must say, my new lifestyle is working out rather well! I have had some moments of frustration or lack of motivation, but I have pushed through reminding myself why I'm doing this. So initially, I decided to make this a 7 week "challenge" to prepare for my birthday. I made a decision that I didn't want to just do this for my birthday, but that I would make this a lifestyle change. With that being said, highlighting that my birthday is coming up soon and relating it to my new lifestyle is really now irrelevant. I did want to at least give you guys some updates on how things have been going. I have shared a few things in previous posts, but I will use this post to reflect on progression with my initial challenge.
The most enjoyable part of it all is the results I'm seeing! I have lost about 15 lbs since October. I can't remember how much I weighed when I started the clean eating and the exercising together, but I will at least note my weight loss since I joined my gym. I am currently in the stage where other people are starting to notice the weight loss. Several people at work and others who don't follow me on Instagram and wouldn't know I was even doing all of this have commented.
I am enjoying working out and have so much more energy to just spring out of the bed at 5am to get a workout in before work. The only way I feel groggy is if I have stayed up later than my usual bed time. I value sleep so I try to get in bed no later than 10pm every night! That will probably change after a husband and kids, but for now that it's just me, I make it a goal to get in bed at my desired "bedtime".
I must keep it real though...preparing to eat clean has run it's level of frustration in my life at times. Now let me explain. It's not the food that's the problem. It's planning everything out and preparing everything. Today I really struggled through my food prep. I was getting annoyed with cooking all the food and just wanted to throw my hands up and say forget it! I secretly wanted to relive a life of convenience (only for a millisecond). Usually if I have an idea of what I'm going to make, it's not that bad. Today, I was struggling with being sure I had everything I needed to make a complete meal. I also noticed that I just went to the grocery store on Friday and I need to go back again soon...(like today or tomorrow). After I finally finished cooking, I looked at all the dishes I needed to clean and thought to myself...AHHHHHHHH!!!
Ok now that that's out of my system...let me stop belly aching! Anything worth having is going to take hard work. I want a nice body and good health, so meal prep it is! If I fail to plan, then I'm ultimately planning to fail. Those are some very wise words to live by. I had to remember this throughout my day today. I have come really far and have inspired so many people along the way. Giving up now is not an option. I suppose we're all entitled to a day of frustration and wanting to quit. Then it's back to the money!!
It'll all be worth it when I achieve my goals and I'm really happy about my progress!
Now on to my birthday....
I'm not doing anything specific to celebrate other than having dinner with some friends, but I'm still uber excited about turning 29!!! When I left church today, I just felt SO GOOD!! I attended my first new members class, met some new people, and I just felt amazing!!! It was such a great feeling and I just thought about how bright my future is appearing! I was also inspired by another fellow friend of mine and blogger to create a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30!! I thought of some things that I want to do, now all I have to do is do some research to be sure they are doable and I'll then publish a final list! What I mean by that is I roughly have about 54 weeks before my 30th birthday so if I put all kinds of high dollar things on the list like "travel to Asia", "buy a Louis Vuitton bag", "go shopping on Rodeo Drive", etc...whatever...then clearly on this teacher's salary that's not happening with only a year to get it done. I have some ideas of things I want to do that won't cost me anything, but there are a few things that will cost so I have to plan everything out. I want to be as realistic as possible all along with doing what I want to do most! If you can't tell...I'm a planner. I have to plan things out with just about everything (even when it frustrates me). I have some other friends who have done the same for their 30th birthdays and they are going to share their lists with me for ideas. I figure I can start now and give myself a 2 week head start...no need to wait until my actual birthday! Stay tuned for the list!! :)
So I've made it over that period of making something new a "habit" (21 days). I must say, my new lifestyle is working out rather well! I have had some moments of frustration or lack of motivation, but I have pushed through reminding myself why I'm doing this. So initially, I decided to make this a 7 week "challenge" to prepare for my birthday. I made a decision that I didn't want to just do this for my birthday, but that I would make this a lifestyle change. With that being said, highlighting that my birthday is coming up soon and relating it to my new lifestyle is really now irrelevant. I did want to at least give you guys some updates on how things have been going. I have shared a few things in previous posts, but I will use this post to reflect on progression with my initial challenge.
The most enjoyable part of it all is the results I'm seeing! I have lost about 15 lbs since October. I can't remember how much I weighed when I started the clean eating and the exercising together, but I will at least note my weight loss since I joined my gym. I am currently in the stage where other people are starting to notice the weight loss. Several people at work and others who don't follow me on Instagram and wouldn't know I was even doing all of this have commented.
I am enjoying working out and have so much more energy to just spring out of the bed at 5am to get a workout in before work. The only way I feel groggy is if I have stayed up later than my usual bed time. I value sleep so I try to get in bed no later than 10pm every night! That will probably change after a husband and kids, but for now that it's just me, I make it a goal to get in bed at my desired "bedtime".
I must keep it real though...preparing to eat clean has run it's level of frustration in my life at times. Now let me explain. It's not the food that's the problem. It's planning everything out and preparing everything. Today I really struggled through my food prep. I was getting annoyed with cooking all the food and just wanted to throw my hands up and say forget it! I secretly wanted to relive a life of convenience (only for a millisecond). Usually if I have an idea of what I'm going to make, it's not that bad. Today, I was struggling with being sure I had everything I needed to make a complete meal. I also noticed that I just went to the grocery store on Friday and I need to go back again soon...(like today or tomorrow). After I finally finished cooking, I looked at all the dishes I needed to clean and thought to myself...AHHHHHHHH!!!
Ok now that that's out of my system...let me stop belly aching! Anything worth having is going to take hard work. I want a nice body and good health, so meal prep it is! If I fail to plan, then I'm ultimately planning to fail. Those are some very wise words to live by. I had to remember this throughout my day today. I have come really far and have inspired so many people along the way. Giving up now is not an option. I suppose we're all entitled to a day of frustration and wanting to quit. Then it's back to the money!!
It'll all be worth it when I achieve my goals and I'm really happy about my progress!
Now on to my birthday....
I'm not doing anything specific to celebrate other than having dinner with some friends, but I'm still uber excited about turning 29!!! When I left church today, I just felt SO GOOD!! I attended my first new members class, met some new people, and I just felt amazing!!! It was such a great feeling and I just thought about how bright my future is appearing! I was also inspired by another fellow friend of mine and blogger to create a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30!! I thought of some things that I want to do, now all I have to do is do some research to be sure they are doable and I'll then publish a final list! What I mean by that is I roughly have about 54 weeks before my 30th birthday so if I put all kinds of high dollar things on the list like "travel to Asia", "buy a Louis Vuitton bag", "go shopping on Rodeo Drive", etc...whatever...then clearly on this teacher's salary that's not happening with only a year to get it done. I have some ideas of things I want to do that won't cost me anything, but there are a few things that will cost so I have to plan everything out. I want to be as realistic as possible all along with doing what I want to do most! If you can't tell...I'm a planner. I have to plan things out with just about everything (even when it frustrates me). I have some other friends who have done the same for their 30th birthdays and they are going to share their lists with me for ideas. I figure I can start now and give myself a 2 week head start...no need to wait until my actual birthday! Stay tuned for the list!! :)
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Keeping it real
Through this process of bettering myself and inspiring others, I have realized that being honest with others ultimately leads to truly being honest with myself. Both concepts can be challenging, but both are very necessary in order to grow.
I've been on the journey to living a healthier lifestyle for a few months now. It really started in January when I decided that I was not only going to exercise, but I was also going to eat right! It's so easy to go through life and talk about your successes, but the real test is in that moment of adversity, inconvenience, or even failure.
Last night I had some friends over for a girls night! I knew before they came that the menu items would be pizza from a local pizzeria, wine, and whatever other snacks the girls brought along with them. I provided a sensible snack of spinach and kale Greek yogurt dip coupled with Gorgonzola oven baked crackers all from Trader Joe's. I was really excited about trying out these new snacks even though I wouldn't have purchased them for the house had it not been for the girls night. I had eaten a little bit before the girls showed up and I had planned to only have one slice of pizza and maybe one glass of wine. I had it all planned out! Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, I was hungrier than I had expected. I chose the largest slice of pizza in the box for my first slice! I can't even tell you how much tortilla chips and hummus I consumed along with grazing over my own contribution to the party of the spin and kale dip w/ the Gorgonzola crackers. I also had two glasses of wine instead of the one that I had planned to have. I then helped myself to another slice of pizza (in which I found another larger slice in the box).
The real test came when it was time for my friends to leave. I noticed they were leaving, but didn't take the leftover pizza with them. I stopped them at the door with the box in my hand asking them to take it with them, BUT they insisted that I keep it. Oh my.....eeekkkk!!! I accepted the box of 6 huge slices of cheese pizza and said my good-byes to my friends. As I closed the door still holding the box, I thought about what I was really going to do with it. One thing about me is that I hate to waste food. I knew keeping the pizza would be counterproductive to my new healthy lifestyle, but I was torn. So I put the pizza in the refrigerator and went upstairs to get ready for bed.
You might be thinking, this is ridiculous that she's going back and forth in her head about this dag gone pizza...JUST EAT IT OR THROW IT AWAY! Simple right!? NO! IT'S NOT! I really struggled with this decision because I told myself, I could just eat off the pizza for a few days and eat it in "moderation". I also thought about freezing it and saving it for another day when I felt like indulging. Then I thought about how far I've come. I thought about my old ways of thinking. Thinking that I could just eat what I wanted, then go work it off in the gym. I thought of my goals. I thought of all of you who I have inspired to keep going! I finally went to bed and let my thoughts settle. When I woke up in the morning, I had decided that I would discard the box of pizza. Before I could give it anymore thought, I went downstairs, gather up all the trash that had collected on my counter tops and took the box to the dumpster. I heaved it in before I could change my mind and it was gone! LOL. When I got back from the gym this morning, I felt good about the decision and I chose a healthy post work out meal to enjoy. Had I kept that pizza, I would have been enjoying a slice or two of it because it was available.
Because my journey is new and I'm still getting accustomed to this lifestyle, I knew I wasn't strong enough to keep food around in my house that would be counterproductive to my goals. Perhaps later on down the line, I could have more self control, but I know myself. Knowing yourself is truly a key factor in this whole thing. Being honest with yourself, setting limits, and adhering to those limits.
I also gained some weight that I discovered when I got on the scale this morning at the gym. I don't know if it's from muscle (I did put up a lot of hard work in the weight room this week) or if it's from the food I ate last night. I'm admitting this because it shows that I'm real and I struggle too! I debated on whether or not I should record my weight gain on my My Fitness Pal app, but then I said "yes, I'm going to record it". I'm going to show my follower friends on there that I have weeks that seem like a set back. I have moments that bring my weaknesses to the forefront. And I have my moments of overcoming these things that make me stronger!
I've been on the journey to living a healthier lifestyle for a few months now. It really started in January when I decided that I was not only going to exercise, but I was also going to eat right! It's so easy to go through life and talk about your successes, but the real test is in that moment of adversity, inconvenience, or even failure.
Last night I had some friends over for a girls night! I knew before they came that the menu items would be pizza from a local pizzeria, wine, and whatever other snacks the girls brought along with them. I provided a sensible snack of spinach and kale Greek yogurt dip coupled with Gorgonzola oven baked crackers all from Trader Joe's. I was really excited about trying out these new snacks even though I wouldn't have purchased them for the house had it not been for the girls night. I had eaten a little bit before the girls showed up and I had planned to only have one slice of pizza and maybe one glass of wine. I had it all planned out! Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, I was hungrier than I had expected. I chose the largest slice of pizza in the box for my first slice! I can't even tell you how much tortilla chips and hummus I consumed along with grazing over my own contribution to the party of the spin and kale dip w/ the Gorgonzola crackers. I also had two glasses of wine instead of the one that I had planned to have. I then helped myself to another slice of pizza (in which I found another larger slice in the box).
The real test came when it was time for my friends to leave. I noticed they were leaving, but didn't take the leftover pizza with them. I stopped them at the door with the box in my hand asking them to take it with them, BUT they insisted that I keep it. Oh my.....eeekkkk!!! I accepted the box of 6 huge slices of cheese pizza and said my good-byes to my friends. As I closed the door still holding the box, I thought about what I was really going to do with it. One thing about me is that I hate to waste food. I knew keeping the pizza would be counterproductive to my new healthy lifestyle, but I was torn. So I put the pizza in the refrigerator and went upstairs to get ready for bed.
You might be thinking, this is ridiculous that she's going back and forth in her head about this dag gone pizza...JUST EAT IT OR THROW IT AWAY! Simple right!? NO! IT'S NOT! I really struggled with this decision because I told myself, I could just eat off the pizza for a few days and eat it in "moderation". I also thought about freezing it and saving it for another day when I felt like indulging. Then I thought about how far I've come. I thought about my old ways of thinking. Thinking that I could just eat what I wanted, then go work it off in the gym. I thought of my goals. I thought of all of you who I have inspired to keep going! I finally went to bed and let my thoughts settle. When I woke up in the morning, I had decided that I would discard the box of pizza. Before I could give it anymore thought, I went downstairs, gather up all the trash that had collected on my counter tops and took the box to the dumpster. I heaved it in before I could change my mind and it was gone! LOL. When I got back from the gym this morning, I felt good about the decision and I chose a healthy post work out meal to enjoy. Had I kept that pizza, I would have been enjoying a slice or two of it because it was available.
Because my journey is new and I'm still getting accustomed to this lifestyle, I knew I wasn't strong enough to keep food around in my house that would be counterproductive to my goals. Perhaps later on down the line, I could have more self control, but I know myself. Knowing yourself is truly a key factor in this whole thing. Being honest with yourself, setting limits, and adhering to those limits.
I also gained some weight that I discovered when I got on the scale this morning at the gym. I don't know if it's from muscle (I did put up a lot of hard work in the weight room this week) or if it's from the food I ate last night. I'm admitting this because it shows that I'm real and I struggle too! I debated on whether or not I should record my weight gain on my My Fitness Pal app, but then I said "yes, I'm going to record it". I'm going to show my follower friends on there that I have weeks that seem like a set back. I have moments that bring my weaknesses to the forefront. And I have my moments of overcoming these things that make me stronger!
Friday, February 8, 2013
The Road to Be Fit...
Happy Friday everyone! I hope your week has been awesome!!!
This week has been a pretty amazing week for me in that I have some new adventures that I'm excited about starting in my own life!
For starters, I again want to thank you all for the support of reading my blog and reaching out to me letting me know you are reading and gaining some form of knowledge or inspiration! Over the past two weeks, I've had a few people reach out and have inquired about things they can do in their own lives to live a more healthier lifestyle. One of my goals is to inspire and help others! However, I have to remember that some of the things I'm doing, might not be feasible for someone else to just jump into and be successful in this journey to being fit for life. With that being said, I have changed my perspective on how I solicit fitness and nutrition advice to friends who reach out to me.
I had to realize that I haven't always been a clean eater. In fact, I will confess that in October, I was arguing my case with a sorority sister about how I should be able to get fries from McDonald's and it should be nothing wrong with it as she discouraged me from doing it. Well...I had a Monopoly piece to redeem a free medium fry and I was getting my free fry!! Oh and please believe, against her admonishment, I got it, ate it, and enjoyed it! In the beginning of January, my sister offered me a Healthy Choice frozen dish to eat before I got on the plane to head back to Virginia, and I turned it down to accept a 2 piece fried chicken meal at Popeye's in the Memphis airport.
I also remember times when I tried to eat something healthy, and the taste was bland or just straight gross! Or I just "knew" in my own mind that I wouldn't like something, yet I had never even tried it before. There were also other foods that in my mind, I saw them as healthy, but a seasoned health fanatic would have told me "actually Ashley, that packaged oatmeal really isn't as healthy as you think it is"! I also refused to embrace the whole 80/20 rule believing my way of putting in hours upon hours at the gym would yield me great results as I felt good about working out on a consistent basis and still enjoyed all the foods that I wanted to eat.
I was also the one who would work out really hard with a specific event in mind that I wanted to look physically good for (i.e. a vacation, wedding I was in, high school reunion, birthday, etc.) Then after the event was over, I'd fall off the bandwagon and go right back to my old ways. I wasn't consistent at all.
So everyone starts from somewhere and everyone finally decides they are going to do what it takes to get serious about getting healthy and fit for life. With that being said, I am truly encouraged to help others so I have decided that I will meet people where they are and we can work together from there! I have a friend who just e-mailed me about help, and I asked her first "where are you in life when it comes to eating healthy and working out"? Do you enjoy healthy foods or do you not know what a good healthy dish is? How often do you work out? Knowing where someone is will help them more than telling them what I do because I might be at a different place than they are. Everyone has to go at their own pace and gradually get to where they want to be! Consistency is key and progress is slow, but it all pays off when you just keep going! Take it one day at a time and embrace this as a lifestyle and not preparation for just a specific event in your life!
If you have any questions or need some help, I'm more than willing to help! I am not an expert, but I know a little something and we can do this together!! I find it highly effective when you have someone encouraging or motivating you along the way! E-mail me at road2bfit@gmail.com!
Have an awesome and safe weekend!!
This week has been a pretty amazing week for me in that I have some new adventures that I'm excited about starting in my own life!
For starters, I again want to thank you all for the support of reading my blog and reaching out to me letting me know you are reading and gaining some form of knowledge or inspiration! Over the past two weeks, I've had a few people reach out and have inquired about things they can do in their own lives to live a more healthier lifestyle. One of my goals is to inspire and help others! However, I have to remember that some of the things I'm doing, might not be feasible for someone else to just jump into and be successful in this journey to being fit for life. With that being said, I have changed my perspective on how I solicit fitness and nutrition advice to friends who reach out to me.
I had to realize that I haven't always been a clean eater. In fact, I will confess that in October, I was arguing my case with a sorority sister about how I should be able to get fries from McDonald's and it should be nothing wrong with it as she discouraged me from doing it. Well...I had a Monopoly piece to redeem a free medium fry and I was getting my free fry!! Oh and please believe, against her admonishment, I got it, ate it, and enjoyed it! In the beginning of January, my sister offered me a Healthy Choice frozen dish to eat before I got on the plane to head back to Virginia, and I turned it down to accept a 2 piece fried chicken meal at Popeye's in the Memphis airport.
I also remember times when I tried to eat something healthy, and the taste was bland or just straight gross! Or I just "knew" in my own mind that I wouldn't like something, yet I had never even tried it before. There were also other foods that in my mind, I saw them as healthy, but a seasoned health fanatic would have told me "actually Ashley, that packaged oatmeal really isn't as healthy as you think it is"! I also refused to embrace the whole 80/20 rule believing my way of putting in hours upon hours at the gym would yield me great results as I felt good about working out on a consistent basis and still enjoyed all the foods that I wanted to eat.
I was also the one who would work out really hard with a specific event in mind that I wanted to look physically good for (i.e. a vacation, wedding I was in, high school reunion, birthday, etc.) Then after the event was over, I'd fall off the bandwagon and go right back to my old ways. I wasn't consistent at all.
So everyone starts from somewhere and everyone finally decides they are going to do what it takes to get serious about getting healthy and fit for life. With that being said, I am truly encouraged to help others so I have decided that I will meet people where they are and we can work together from there! I have a friend who just e-mailed me about help, and I asked her first "where are you in life when it comes to eating healthy and working out"? Do you enjoy healthy foods or do you not know what a good healthy dish is? How often do you work out? Knowing where someone is will help them more than telling them what I do because I might be at a different place than they are. Everyone has to go at their own pace and gradually get to where they want to be! Consistency is key and progress is slow, but it all pays off when you just keep going! Take it one day at a time and embrace this as a lifestyle and not preparation for just a specific event in your life!
If you have any questions or need some help, I'm more than willing to help! I am not an expert, but I know a little something and we can do this together!! I find it highly effective when you have someone encouraging or motivating you along the way! E-mail me at road2bfit@gmail.com!
Have an awesome and safe weekend!!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Workout and Worship Wednesday!
I decided I wanted to start a new segment to my blog that would be themed and inspiring! I first want to say thank you to all of you for reading and for commenting whether here on the blog or just when you talk to me! You being inspired by me truly inspires me!! It's a cycle of inspiration!!
So this morning, I was doing some thinking and was trying to figure out what I could do for a themed segment. A few days ago, I figured I wanted to do a Workout Wednesday. I then thought about how I also want to keep God incorporated in everything I do since my relationship with him has molded and shaped me to be the inspiring person that I am today!
Workout and Worship Wednesday will focus on a new workout for you guys to attempt, an encouraging scripture, and a song of worship that I believe will minister to your soul!!
Today's scripture is from Isaiah 26:3 and it says "you will keep in perfect peace all who's mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you". This scripture is basically declaring that all who keep their mind on God will have peace. When you truly trust in God, you are at peace knowing he will take care of you and that you don't have to worry anymore. You give it all to God to handle and take care of (1 Peter 5:7)!
The song of worship that I would like to share is called Never be bound again by Bishop Paul Morton. Click on the link to take a listen on YouTube. This song truly ministered to my soul! With working out and trying to eat right, we will face some challenges. We may even struggle, stumble, fall, fail, want to give up, etc. This song is so encouraging! I feel like it can be applied to any area of your life! Be freed from obesity. Be freed from health problems. Be freed from being an emotional eater. Be freed from laziness. Be freed from lack of motivation!
Today's workout is going to focus on your back! This workout can help women and men. It's time to get our back defined!! It also helps with posture! No more back fat ladies!! Oooooh the dreaded back fat and "bra fat". Yikes!! If you find this workout to be too easy, just increase the amount of weight you're using. If you don't have the equipment at home already, just do what you can with your own body weight. Something is better than nothing!!! Don't ever think if you can't do a lot, you shouldn't do it at all! Let's get active and preserve our temple!!!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! Leave a comment and let me know how you liked the workout!!
So this morning, I was doing some thinking and was trying to figure out what I could do for a themed segment. A few days ago, I figured I wanted to do a Workout Wednesday. I then thought about how I also want to keep God incorporated in everything I do since my relationship with him has molded and shaped me to be the inspiring person that I am today!
Workout and Worship Wednesday will focus on a new workout for you guys to attempt, an encouraging scripture, and a song of worship that I believe will minister to your soul!!
Today's scripture is from Isaiah 26:3 and it says "you will keep in perfect peace all who's mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you". This scripture is basically declaring that all who keep their mind on God will have peace. When you truly trust in God, you are at peace knowing he will take care of you and that you don't have to worry anymore. You give it all to God to handle and take care of (1 Peter 5:7)!
The song of worship that I would like to share is called Never be bound again by Bishop Paul Morton. Click on the link to take a listen on YouTube. This song truly ministered to my soul! With working out and trying to eat right, we will face some challenges. We may even struggle, stumble, fall, fail, want to give up, etc. This song is so encouraging! I feel like it can be applied to any area of your life! Be freed from obesity. Be freed from health problems. Be freed from being an emotional eater. Be freed from laziness. Be freed from lack of motivation!
Today's workout is going to focus on your back! This workout can help women and men. It's time to get our back defined!! It also helps with posture! No more back fat ladies!! Oooooh the dreaded back fat and "bra fat". Yikes!! If you find this workout to be too easy, just increase the amount of weight you're using. If you don't have the equipment at home already, just do what you can with your own body weight. Something is better than nothing!!! Don't ever think if you can't do a lot, you shouldn't do it at all! Let's get active and preserve our temple!!!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! Leave a comment and let me know how you liked the workout!!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
I surrender all
Today I made the decision to finally join a church in the town that I live in. I have lived here for almost 3 years and it had been tugging on my heart to get serious about finding a place to worship and call home.
In 2012, one of my new years resolutions was to find a church home in my town. Although I had set this to be a goal/resolution of mine for the year, I really didn't have my heart 100% in this goal. It was an interest of mine, but I found out very soon that I didn't commit to this task at all. I tried out a few churches then got frustrated because I didn't feel like I was being spiritually fed. I took recommendations from coworkers, friends who are from this area, and just stumbled across a few on my own and still, I remained unmoved.
Towards the end of 2012, I looked back over my resolutions and my vision board that I had put together in the beginning of the year to evaluate my progress. "Finding a church" was written down and staring at me. This was an item that had yet to be checked off the list.
It's now February 2013 and I still hadn't made a decision to join a church. What was I waiting for? I wanted to get involved in a ministry and really let God use me to be a blessing to others! This morning, I went to a church that I have visited in the past and really liked. I finally stepped out into that aisle and joined!! It was a very exciting experience for me! The message was right on time with me making my decision. It talked about Noah and how he was obedient to God. He did exactly what God told him to do. God has been speaking to me for some time about joining a church and I have ignored it...brushed it off even. I also made the choice to be baptized today. I am so excited about what God is doing in my life! I get so emotional just thinking about how far I've come, how much my life has changed for the better and how much better it will be for the rest of my life!!
As I stood in front of the congregation, the minister said "I pray that you will be a blessing to us as we bless you". I knew I had made the right decision because that is just what I pray about constantly...being a blessing to others! I am overjoyed right now and feel like I am Cloud 9!!!!
This is a rebirth for me!!! I don't take this experience lightly and am ready to continue committing my life to Christ while being used as a vessel of blessing to others!
This is a rebirth for me!!! I don't take this experience lightly and am ready to continue committing my life to Christ while being used as a vessel of blessing to others!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Weekend Killer Cardio routine
While at the gym this morning, I saw this workout posted on the wall and figured I'd share it with all of you!
Switching up your workout routine is really important because you don't want your body to get used to doing the same workout all the time. You want to challenge your muscles and your body so it will always be in "work" mode while working out!
So here is the work out:
Do each exercise as fast as you can, then rest for 30 seconds where it says rest. When you finish and get down to the part where it says to do as many burpees as you can, rest for another 30 seconds then repeat the whole circuit for a total of 3 times. Commit to doing this workout at least 3 times this week and I'll have something else to try out for the following week!
If you're not sure what each of these exercises look like, here is a list of them with a YouTube video showing you how to do it.
Switching up your workout routine is really important because you don't want your body to get used to doing the same workout all the time. You want to challenge your muscles and your body so it will always be in "work" mode while working out!
So here is the work out:
If you're not sure what each of these exercises look like, here is a list of them with a YouTube video showing you how to do it.
Bicycles (although she says you need a weight, if you don't have one, you don't need one)
This workout doesn't require any equipment and you can do it at home!!
"Clean eating"...I don't even know what that means...
...no one knows what it means....it's provocative...it gets the bloggers GOING!!
Just kidding!!! A little Saturday morning humor for you :)
Lately I've been asked what exactly is clean eating and what does it entail? I'm glad you guys are giving me feed back by asking questions. Questions means I need to clarify a little more! Also, asking me questions is great for me too because I might not know the answer, but research is becoming my best friend so I'm up for the challenge of finding out! Knowledge truly is power in this thing. This whole eating clean and working out healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming, but taking it one day at a time and gathering information as you go definitely makes it easier to comprehend.
So you might be thinking clean eating looks like this...
or maybe you're thinking more like this and only this...
Well that is part of it.....wait no...just eating lettuce is ridiculous and people that joke about that's how they are eating aren't funny. You can't sustain life on just lettuce! Eating clean does not mean starving.
According to Clean Eating Magazine, clean eating is consuming food in it's most natural state or as close to it as possible. It means eating 5-6 meals a day (remember portion control while doing this), drinking lots of water, reading and understanding ingredient labels (the shorter the list the better....if there are several things in the list that you can't even pronounce, that's not clean), avoiding processed and refined foods, but this does not mean avoiding carbs all together. Complex carbs like whole grains are clean and acceptable. It means eating organic as often as you can (it's expensive to eat all organic, but do what you can). Meat, eggs, and dairy should be eaten organically if your budget allows. My budget doesn't always allow this, but I do try to eat organic as often as possible. It means consuming healthy fats (all fats are not bad...olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc are examples of good fats that our bodies need).
Like I said in the last post, I got my start on understanding all of this after I read Tosca Reno's book The Eat Clean Diet. Here is a link to it on Amazon if your local library doesn't carry it. The Eat Clean Diet. Now Tosca has several books out, but I would just start with this one to get the basics. If you want to look into reading more of her books, by all means, check her out!
Another very helpful resource that I've used and highly recommend is the Gracious Pantry. Their website has a segment called Clean Eating 101 that I think you all should check out! It's pretty awesome! I totally think you can find anything you're looking for with this resource! Clean Eating 101
After you start understanding what clean eating is all about, you will soon understand that it looks more like this....
And it's rather delicious and you won't feel like you're missing out or sacrificing taste!! All of these pictures were taken from Instagram pages of people I follow who eat clean and have provided a recipe for the following dishes. The first 3 pics came from fitmencook and the last one came from bgg2wl. Check them out on IG!!
Friday, February 1, 2013
The goal is to be fit, not skinny and that's a big dag gone difference!
Today was a very important day for me!! I was so excited, I could barely sleep!! Today I finished Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 DVD!! Like I said in an earlier post, I have had this DVD for at least 2 years and I've never finished the whole thing! I'm very proud of myself and I'm even more excited about the results that I'm seeing!
Here is a picture of me on the day that I joined the gym on the left and a picture of me from this morning on the right.
Here is a picture of me on the day that I joined the gym on the left and a picture of me from this morning on the right.
I've never been really "big" per se, but I am definitely loving the results I'm seeing here! Now let me be clear, my results are not all attributed to doing Ripped in 30! The picture on the left is from October 31, 2012 and the right is from today, Feb 1, 2013. Clearly that is longer than 30 days. The first two months after I joined the gym, I was still eating relatively all that I wanted to eat. I was doing better with food choices, but I still enjoyed a cupcake here and there and I still drank alcohol whenever I pleased. I read food labels, but mainly the nutrition label and I would glance at the ingredients just to see how long the list was. After I started eating clean, I started to slim down!
My goal is to be fit and ripped...not skinny and there's a big dag gone difference between the two! As for right now, I appear to be much thinner, but I have a lot more work to go! I want to get stronger and I want to get leaner. The biggest "problem" area on my body has always been my stomach. I am truly trying to tone that up more and hopefully will see some abs shining through! Since it's only been a month of clean eating, I'm excited to see what I'll look like this summer!
10 things to know about me and my journey:
1. I'm doing this all the natural way....clean diet and exercise
2. I'm not taking any type of pills to achieve results. The only supplements I take are: protein shakes (mine just consist of protein powder and water), fish oil, and calcium with iron. I don't use the protein shakes as meal replacements.
3. I'm not on a diet. In the realms of clean eating, I eat what I want! This is a lifestyle change...diets usually last for a little bit of time then you're right back to your old eating habits. I used to have a huge sweet tooth, so I've been getting my sweet tooth satisfied through various foods that are considered "clean". Fruit has probably been my biggest form of satisfaction! I eat a piece of fruit with almost every meal.
4. I work out 6 days/week.
5. I'm not starving myself at all. In fact, I got so excited about buying food last month that I would have preferred to buy groceries over spending my money on anything else.
6. I eat 5-6 times/day. I also eat ever 2-3 hours. Before I started all of this, I called myself eating 5-6 times/day, but I found out that I was actually snacking pretty much all day! I was eating like every hour!
7. I drink a gallon of water every day! Staying hydrated is very important! When I first started, I had a hard time getting the whole thing down. Not that I didn't like water, but it was just difficult to drink a whole gallon. I started pacing myself too because getting up all night long to use the bathroom was annoying. Bed pan please!!!!
8. I stopped drinking alcohol! Yes...that's right...gone! I will admit that I did have a glass of red wine while out with friends. Basically if I do decide to drink, it'll probably just be red wine. The empty calories and the dehydration were counterproductive to achieving my goals.
9. I stopped eating fast food! The last time I had fast food was when I was in the airport flying home from Memphis (January 4th was the exact date). I always prepare food to take with me from now on because I have to be prepared or else I'll resort to eating fast food due to the fact that I'm starving and desperate. Again, counterproductive to my goals.
10. Progress is slow, but consistency wins all the time!!! If you're in the process of trying to reach your fitness goals, keep going, stay consistent, and progress will come!! Stay motivated and encouraged!!
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