Tag: fitness

There’s A Snack For That

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Quick Snack Ideas

Quick and easy, that’s where it’s at.

If you are anything like me, while looking for a snack you…

Open the pantry, grab the first thing you see, mindlessly eat it.

Five minutes later, you feel not so great and still NOT satisfied.

Ugh, even writing about it is unsatisfying…

Never fear! There is hope for people like me!

Yep, you heard me. Snacking doesn’t have to be all chips and cookies!

(Although, let’s face it, sometimes you NEED a cookie in your life.)

There are plenty of healthy foods that are quick and easy, and they’re out there, waiting for you….

To get your nosh on!

Time to think outside the box/bag!

Since I get requests all the time for quick, easy snack ideas, and also because I find myself staring mindlessly into the pantry, from time to time.  I thought I would share the love, and hopefully a little inspiration for snack-time! 😉

Without further ado,

Some snack ideas for you….

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I Will Love The Skin I’m In

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I will honor my body.

I will love the skin I’m in.

I will no longer compare my body to another woman’s.

The journey I have been on is my own, no one else can know the darkness I have caused my body to endure, no one else can know the light that shines through me regardless of that darkness.

I will no longer look in the mirror and cringe.  I will embrace my flaws.

I will no longer be controlled by body image.  We are all just star dust, in this imperfect human form.

I will be ok with where I am, no matter what the scale says. No matter what society says.

I will leave behind detrimental thinking patterns that have caused me to focus solely on my outward appearance.  What a waste of time that is.

I will begin using that time to tend to matters of the soul.  Striving everyday to grow, to be a better human, to love BIGGER.

I will love myself.

I will love my reflection in windows as I pass by, not because I am super model status, but because I am so much more.

I am me.

I am love, I am beauty, I am fearless.

I will not be constrained by what society calls beautiful.  I will wear what I want, when I want, with no apologies.

I will no longer be a slave to the scale.  That number isn’t real.  What is real, is the magic that dwells inside me.

I will no longer call myself names or criticize myself.  Goddess knows, there are enough critics running around, why add to that?

I am not fat, I am not saggy, I am not cellulite, or stretchmarks, or wrinkles, or gray hair.

I am amazingly me.  Unique in all I think and say and do.  I will revel in my uniqueness.

I will no longer guilt myself into doing things that I don’t enjoy.  I will listen to my body.

There are days I want to lift heavy things, days I want to do yoga, days I want to hike, and then there are days I want to lie on the couch all day, cuddled up with a good book and some chocolate.

I give myself permission to do ALL of those things.

I will do them when I want, how I want, and without feeling a damn bit guilty about it.

It is okay for me to go to the gym, & equally okay for me NOT to go to the gym.  Okay to practice yoga, while just as okay NOT to practice.

I will listen to my body and give it what it needs.  Whatever that need may be, in that moment, on that day.

I am ever-changing, as is my body, there is no one size fits all life.  I am realizing this now…

I will love me.

I will take long baths, naps, and walks in the sunshine.

I will fuel my body with nutrients that make me feel alive.  I will have greens and vitamins and shakes.

I will also lavishly enjoy chocolate, wine and southern cooking.

I will find my own truth.

I will find my own balance.

I will no longer force my body to endure brutal workouts day in and day out in pursuit of perfect muscle definition.  Because, what good is a perfect body if it is carrying a broken soul?

Instead I will move in ways that make me happy, simply to say thank you to my body for how amazing it has been to me.

I will take care of myself.

I will rest, I will meditate, I will sit in silence.

I give myself permission to howl at the moon, to dance around naked, to be unceremoniously wild.

I will love me.

 

 

 

Super Food: ACV

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I get so many questions about foods.  I decided to start a series about SUPER foods! I am excited to share these awesome ingredients over the next few weeks! Here’s our first superhero:

Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

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According to my 76 year old dad, ACV cures anything that ails ya!  I laughed him off for a while until I did a little research of my own.  Turns out dear ol’ dad was right!  There are WAAAAYYYY too many benefits for me to list here (some of which are scientifically proven, others not so much).

Not only are there a gazillion and one benefits, evidently people have been tuned in to this truth for ages! Records have ACV showing up on the scene since before 5000 BC!

Turns out, ACV was one of Hippocrates fav prescriptions to hand out (he had his patients mix it with a touch of honey).

So, I am not sure it will raise the dead, or make you immune to rattlesnake bites, but there is solid research out there to back up the multiple claims of “Amazing ACV”!!

Turns out it is a “healthy elixir” after all.  Thanks Daddy!

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Amazing ACV & the Super Abbreviated Benefits list:

#1 -Aids in weight loss

Amazing ACV is a weight loss advocate!  Sending all it’s lovely goodness into your body to: suppresses appetite, increase metabolism, & reduce water retention!!!  There are also studies that suggest ACV blocks starch absorption, meaning fewer calories for you!!!

#2 – Helps maintain healthy blood sugar

Studies have shown ACV to decrease blood glucose concentrations by MASSIVE amounts! (I’m still trying to convince Brent of it’s AMAIZINGNESS….he and his diabeetus just ain’t listening)

#3 – Improves nutrient absorption

#4 – Antioxidant properties

#5 – Promotes healthy cholesterol

#6 – Reduces heartburn and acid reflux

#7 – Antibiotic properties

#8 – Cures hiccups

#9 – Eases sore throat symptoms

#10 – Clears stuffy noses

#11 – Natural cure for acne

#12 – Boosts Energy

Let me stop right here and put my RN/PT expertise to work…

Apple cider vinegar is full of goodies like: potassium, amino acids, enzymes, etc.  Exercise and stress can cause lactic acid to build up in your body. This causes soreness and total “drag ass” syndrome (aka- fatigue).

Have no fear, Amazing ACV is here with an amino acid antidote for that lactic acid!!

And what’s that?  Oh yeah, Amazing ACV is also packing that potassium and those enzymes mentioned earlier…take that tiredness!!!

#13 – Reduces leg cramps

See Potassium reference above…Have cramps?  You may be low in potassium!

Amazing ACV is high in potassium!

#14 – Controls bad breath

#15 – Detoxifies body

#16 – Reduces sugar cravings

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So now that you have a list of why’s….here’s a how…

How to take it?

ACV has become part of my morning ritual.  I typically have 2 Tbsp. mixed in my lemon water in the morning, often sweetened with a little local honey.*

*I also suggest rinsing your mouth afterward.  ACV is extremely acidic, I don’t want that hanging out on my tooth enamel all day!

Don’t wanna drink yours in water?  Find your own fav way to down your daily ACV!

You can add it to food as you cook.  You can dilute it with water.  You can add some honey to it.  You can pour it in your smoothies.  Limitless possibilities folks (just a Tbsp. here and a Tbsp. there…you feel me?)!!

What’s your favorite way to take your Amazing ACV for the day?

I Will Be A Failure

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“The single best thing you can do is EMBRACE FAILURE. Fail fast and hard and move on! You learn 10 times more from failure than from success.”

-Corey Townsend

This is the scariest, yet most freeing advice I have ever gotten.

First Step Is Admitting, Right?

Hello, my name is Kristal, and I am afraid of failure.

I shared my fitness journey and how I spent A LOT of time hiding in the corner of the gym, on the treadmill.  I had NO clue what I was doing, and I WAS AFRAID.  Afraid that if I lifted a weight I wouldn’t do it right.  Afraid I would look like an idiot.  I KNEW that I could never be comfortable in a gym.  All those skinny girls in spandex with perky booties, all those muscled-up men, all those health nuts.  They were intimidating!

I was AFRAID.  Afraid to try, afraid to fail.

It took someone holding my hand through the process, cheering me on, showing me that those “intimidating” people at the gym could care less if I looked like an idiot.  Showing me that even if they did care, it didn’t matter.  Showing me that this was about MY life, about making ME healthy.

Fast forward…. I now feel more at home in the gym than most other places.  It’s my retreat.  My therapy. My happy place.  I didn’t fail!  I worked hard, I listened, I read…I made it work for me!!  I took charge of my health.  I took charge of my body.

I found success in the health/fitness arena.  What I didn’t do was conquer my fear of failure.

Debilitated By Fear

My entire life I have dreamed of becoming a writer.  I have dreamed of owning my own business.  I have dreamed of traveling the world.  I have dreamed of making an impact by doing something that I am PASSIONATE about.

I am a chronic dreamer.  I have SO many ideas ALL the time.  What I lack is follow through.

Why is that?

Why have I not written the 101 novels that I have ideas for?  Why have I not written the 99 children’s books that I’ve dreamed up?  Why have I not started 3 companies?  Why have I not traveled?

I’ve been too afraid.

Afraid that this small-town girl who grew up in poor, rural, South Carolina would never have what it takes.  Afraid I was not “good enough” to be successful.  Afraid I was kidding myself with my crazy ideas and dreams.

I spent my life thinking that if I could just “get by” (have a steady job, a family, a decent car, a house instead of a trailer, some semblance of peace, etc.) that would be my life. That would mean I had “arrived”.

That was a lie.  A lie that I told myself.  A lie that I believed.  A lie that grew and grew until it became debilitating. I lie that I began to identify with. For years, I have let this lie destroy my life.

I have made many HUGE mistakes in my life.   I’ve felt like a failure as a person.  No matter how many successes I’ve had, no matter how many “good” things I’ve done, I could never view myself as “enough”.

Guess what?  I am realizing now, that I am NOT my past, I am NOT my depression, I am NOT my failures.

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I am WHOEVER and WHATEVER I decide to become.  All I have is NOW.  I can’t change the past.  I can’t change who I am.  What I can change is how I think and where I go from here.

I am determined to change my “stinkin thinkin”.  I am determined to chase my dreams RELENTLESSLY. I am determined to fail.

I realize now, that I am going to have to fail. More than once!  But guess what that means? It means…

I am going to TRY.  I am going to START. 

I am going to face my fears, and kick them in the teeth.

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

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I will never be an author if I don’t WRITE.  I will never be my own boss if I don’t start TAKING ACTION to get me there.  I will never travel if I keep telling myself it’s not a possibility for me.

Guess what?? The hand-holding I needed to get off the corner treadmill….I still need it. We all do.  So I have started working on my circle.  Working on my average.  Working on surrounding myself with people who encourage me to chase my dreams.

I’ve realized that there is NO aspect of my life that should be passive.  I have to take charge of the energies I surround myself with.  I have to take charge of my goals by breaking them down into ACTIONS.  I have to take charge of my writing by…well, WRITING.

I am going to fail (over and over)…..and that is ok.  I will fail fast, and hard.  I will also be just as fast to get up, straighten my crown, and MOVE ON!!!

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Go ahead, get out there! FAIL hard and FAST, then MOVE ON!

Fail your way to greatness! 

Progress Not Perfection

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Success…

Amazing.  Awesome.  Fantastic.  Incredible.  Invincible.  Inspired.

These words describe what I felt like after reaching my weight loss goal and becoming a personal trainer.

My life was completely changed by fitness.  I felt younger, happier, healthier…just plain AWESOME!

Years passed…

Obsessed. Critical. Self-deprecating. Labeling. Judgmental.

These words are what I allowed myself to become.

Never Enough

For YEARS I struggled with the issues above.  Instead of focusing on my accomplishments and how awesome I was feeling, I focused on my weaknesses and my feelings of inadequacy.

In my eyes, I never measured up.  I was never fit enough.  My arms: not defined enough.  My butt: not firm enough.  My stomach: not flat enough.  I needed more muscle.  I needed a lower body-fat percentage. I needed a better tan.

Nothing was ever ENOUGH. I was never enough.

Due to my constant need for comparison, I began drowning in negative thoughts.  I compared myself to every female I saw.  Ladies at Target, chicks in magazines, fitness competitors, skinny chicks, muscly chicks, girls at my gym, ladies at the grocery, TV stars…. You get the picture.

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So, I trained HARD in the gym.  Is that a bad thing?  Not necessarily, but…

Working out TOO hard or TOO often can be a bad thing.  Your body tells you when it’s had enough…mine was screaming for me to slow down, back off, REST!!  I just wouldn’t listen.  This mentality landed me a couple lovely shoulder and back injuries that haunt me to this day.  If only I had listened to my body, these injuries were entirely preventable.

My unhealthy obsession continued to grow.  I began to weigh myself… EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  If the scale had moved up…AT ALL…I would begin to panic, or feel like a failure.  Eventually, once a day was not enough.  I began to weigh myself every time I stepped into my bathroom!

I felt as if I had something to prove.  I was vocal about health and fitness. I ate healthy and made sure everyone knew.  I drank TONS of water.  I downed protein shakes. Ate loads of veggies.  Took my vitamins. Timed my meals. Planned my workouts in advance.  All the while, making plenty of time to judge others who weren’t as “dedicated” or “healthy” as I was.

Still despite all of I effort, it was never enough.  At least not in my mind.

I constantly felt like a failure.

Eating a bad meal? That one bad meal would ruin my whole day.  Eating ANYTHING not considered “healthy” made me feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.  I would berate myself.  I’d call myself names while looking disgustedly at my reflection.

My thoughts: “Ooooooo, you had a piece of chocolate cake?!?!  Throw in the towel, fat kid!”

Missing a workout?  I would worry about the weight I would put on because of that missed workout.  Missing one workout made me feel like a phony.

My thoughts: “Personal Trainer?!?  You can’t even get your own ass to the gym!  You are a joke!”

I had an ALL or NOTHING mentality.  If I failed miserably at one meal, I’d follow up with even crappier eating choices the rest of the day.  If I missed a workout, I would miss five.  Makes sense right?!?!  (Why the heck do we do this crap to ourselves??)

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Why???

What started out as a journey to freedom, became my own personal prison.  I was not free to live.  I had to stick to a certain diet.  A certain workout.  A certain number on the scale.  A certain persona.

At some point, I began to come to my senses.  I began to think, WHY?  Why am I so concerned about how other people view me?  Why am I so hard on my body?  Why is this no longer fun for me?  I was letting my comparison mentality rob me of who I was.  Of my goals.  My desires.

My health and fitness journey began as a way for me to better MYSELF.  Not to impress anyone else.  I go to the gym for me!  I eat well for me!

My journey is just that…MY journey.

People-pleasing used to run very deep in my DNA.  So it’s a disease that I’ve had to work hard at curing. I am slowly, but surely, cutting this mentality out of my life. Trying to measure up to someone else, trying to meet someone else’s expectations, trying to be someone you aren’t…All those things are ridiculous, and not to mention, EXHAUSTING!!!

Shaking off that mindset, feels like coming alive.  Many of us live daily under the weight and baggage of social constraint.  Why?  Why do we let society dictate our “norm”?  Have you seen the state of our society today?  WHY would we want to let THAT dictate who we are?!?!?!?

News Flash:  This isn’t high school anymore.  Time to leave the childish thought processes behind.  Time to grow up. Time to live life for YOURSELF!  Who the hell cares if you’re the cool kid?  Who cares if you are the most good-looking? Who cares if you are the strongest? Fittest? Most disciplined? Who told you that you had to be defined by a number on a scale?

So what if you don’t look/act like everyone else.  You are YOU!  You are not better than anyone, and there is NO ONE better than YOU!

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Finding Balance

Ongoing theme of my life at the moment = “Finding Balance”.  Why do I want balance so much?  A balanced life = a happy life. Sounds easy enough right?  Ha!

In order to find balance, I had to completely change.  Not my diet.  Not my workouts.  Not my beauty routine.  Instead the thing that needed the most change was my mindset.

I began to view my life as a whole.  Fitness and nutrition are just two of the puzzle pieces that make up my life.  Just two words in the definition that is Kristal.  I am so much more.  Taking a step back, looking at the big picture, makes it much easier to see where adjustments must be made.

I want a life filled with peace and happiness.  I want a life that makes my heart smile.  I found that the negative vibes I was drowning in were coming directly from me.  My own thoughts toward myself and my body were poisoning my life.

So I threw out the scale (ok,ok…it’s still around, just not easily accessible).  And now, instead of beating my body up about not looking up to par, I thank my body.  I began to allow myself to feel comfortable in my own skin.  I accept that I am flawed.  We all are.

It’s ok.  I’m ok.  You’re ok.

The key, to overcoming this negativity, lies in knowing you are amazing.  Your body, no matter the shape or size, works miracles for you every day.  Mine has done some pretty awesome stuff:  run miles, jumped hurdles, hiked a few mountains, and given me five amazing kids.

Balanced Eating

Here’s a secret: there is no miracle diet.  No juice cleanse, no Dr. Oz concoction, no cabbage soup or lemon drink  is going to make you healthy.  You may lose a pound or two, but nine times out of ten you are gonna gain those pounds back and they will bring their friends. You’ll end up weighing MORE than you did before starving yourself in the name of “detox”.

Your body needs FOOD. Eating is a GOOD THING!  Just remember…. Find balance…

For me balance in nutrition is not about finding the perfect diet.  Instead it’s about being mindful of my choices.  I try to eat whole, healthy foods on the reg.  I stay hydrated and I still take my vitamins (just not the 52million supplements I thought I needed before).

The difference is, I also allow myself to indulge in the occasional chocolate cake, Starbucks coffee, and slice (or two) of pizza, WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY!!  I allow myself to live. (Funny, now that I allow myself to eat these things without guilt, I don’t eat them nearly as often!  Mind over matter?  Who knows…all I know is I LOVE that it is working for me!)

We are all SOOOO different.  That’s the beauty of life.  What works for me, may not work for you and that’s OK!  Find what works for you, find what balance looks like in your eating habits and roll with it!!

Perfection is a Myth

Before I wrap up this post, I want to let you in on one more secret.

Perfection doesn’t exist. 

We are all human, it is in our very nature to be flawed.

Not one person, on this Earth, is perfect. 

I have a friend who runs an awesome personal training studio in West Georgia.  His motto is, “Strive for progress, not perfection”.  I LOVE THAT!  I’ve made it one of my mantras.

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Progress!!  It’s all about the progress…Keep striving for progress.

Maybe you aren’t the super fit guy/gal at your gym.  Maybe you’re not be the skinniest person in your circle of friends.  Maybe you LOVE pizza and ice cream way too much.  Maybe you’re not be at goal weight.  Maybe you aren’t society’s idea of beautiful.

Let me tell you right now…

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!!*

(*Unless you are ugly on the inside, that’s an entirely different can of worms…a post for another day? Ha!)

What matters most is…YOU are YOU.  Be true to who you are.  If what you are doing is not making you happy, STOP doing it.  If the people that you are associating with don’t see your worth, find a NEW circle of support.  You are in charge of your life.  Stop letting society and negative thought patterns tell you otherwise.

Fail, Fail and Fail Again

My last tidbit of wisdom on this topic: Don’t be afraid to fail.

We all fail.  We all eat bad shit.  We all skip workouts.  We all have bad habits.  We all struggle.  It’s OK!!!

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Don’t let your short-comings stop you from being who you were destined to be.

You my friend are DESTINED to be happy, healthy and balanced: Mind, Body and Soul!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food 101: Start a Food Journal

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Food journals work!

When changing your eating habits you need stability, accountability, motivation, record of what works, etc.  Food journals give you all of that and more!

I personally use a food journal when I have a fitness/weight loss goal in mind.  When  my pants fit a little too snug, when my body feels “off” (and I’m feeling sick, or sluggish, or even depressed), when I OD on sugar…habitually… (I’m human…and I have a problem…first step is admitting right?), after one too many nights of dining out.  These are times that I reach for the trusty food journal.  My food journal hasn’t failed me yet!  (Although, I must admit I have failed my food journal…)

Q:What the heck is a food journal?

A:  Whatever you want it to be!

Do you keep a journal?  Have you ever?  Is your journal the same as it was when you were 12? Is your journal/diary the same as your siblings (come on, you know you have taken a peak at someone else’s diary…)?

Food journals are like any other kind of journal or diary = Unique to the individual using them.  They can be uber detailed, or scribbled onto a legal pad.  No matter the level of detail, a food journal is serves as a record of everything that your put in your mouth.  Scary thought? Maybe…but…

Are you a facts & figures type of person?  My husband is.  When he keeps a food journal he figures everything out…all the way down to percentages of food groups consumed each day!

Or are you like me?  You like the idea of organization but ALL those numbers are just TOO much to keep up with!

Doesn’t matter!  Either way you CAN BE SUCCESSFUL with a food journal!

Q:  What information should I include?

A.  Record of EVERY food item that crosses those beautiful lips of yours!

The most detailed food journal is USELESS, unless you are TRUTHFUL!  Be truthful with yourself.  There is a reason you are thinking about starting a food journal right?  Always remember your goals.

Do you want to lose weight?  Eat more protein?  Drink more water?  Stick to a vegan or vegetarian menu?  Do you need balance in your eating habits?

Don’t lose sight of why you are doing this.  With those goals in mind be sure that you include these facts for every entry:

  • Time of meal
  • Number of Portions
  • Food Item
  • Beverage

Those are the basics.   You can begin that simply.  You can also become more detailed, like my husband, by adding these facts to your entry:

  • Number of calories
  • Grams of proteins
  • Grams of carbohydrates
  • Grams of fat
  • Grams of sugar
  • Ounces of water

Q:  How will a food journal benefit me?

A: Three words:  Accountability, Reality Check, Motivation*

*(ok, so that was 4 words…three ideas?!? You get the point!)

Accountability:

As a personal trainer, I have seen the importance of accountability.  I know you’ve done it…we all have…

You get ready for the gym.  Suddenly the phone rings.  You get tied up on a phone call.  Well, it was a nice thought, but since my routine was interrupted by that phone call I will just skip the gym today….I will get back into the swing of things tomorrow…

If you are anything like me, tomorrow may come.  Or it may come a couple months from now.  Or it may never come.  Who cares?

Now take that same scenario and add accountability…

You get ready to meet your workout partner at the gym for your 8:30am, regularly scheduled, workout.  Suddenly the phone rings.  You explain to the person on the line that you are on your way to an appointment and you will have to return their call in an hour when you finish up…You head out the door, make it to the gym on time, hit the gym hard and leave feeling accomplished.

Accountability can make all the difference. Food journals are like workout partners.  Not only are you putting that food in your mouth, you are now responsible to write it down.  This simple act can make a huge difference in the way that we perceive food.

Reality Check:

My reality is….I eat bad shit.  Not all the time, not tons of it, but I still eat bad…on the reg.  Keeping a food journal is like someone standing beside me saying, “You really gonna eat that piece of chocolate cake?  Did you see how crappy you ate yesterday??”

“Knowing” what we have eaten, and seeing it written down in black and white are TWO totally different things!!!

There’s power in documenting your diet!  Power and control, but first there’s reality… IN YO FACE…saying THIS is what you are putting in your body.  This is the fuel that you have chosen.

Motivation:

One good choice leads to another.  If you make your workout, chances are you will eat healthier that day.  If you eat healthier, chances are you will make your workout.  When I make it to my yoga mat, I find time to meditate.  When I meditate, I find time for yoga.  Good things….good vibes…good foods…good brings more good….makes sense right?

Food journals can keep you motivated.  Along with my food journal entries I keep track of my progress.  What progress am I making towards my goal?  (Always keep those goals in sight…there is a reason you picked up your food journal) If my goal is weight loss, I record my daily weights.  If my goal is water consumption I record my intake with each entry as well as each day.  If my goal is balance, I go all in…I will then keep up with all the details and numbers that my husband utilizes on his food journal worksheet.  Use your goals to help you decide what information you will keep record of.

Questions? Comments?  I want to hear from you!  

Here’s a FREE (detailed) FOOD JOURNAL TEMPLATE for Excel:

nutrition-log

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 Reasons Exercise = Magic

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I’m constantly saying, “Don’t you wish there were a magic pill you could take that would immediately make you healthy, happy, and HOT?” You may be laughing but I bet you’ve said the exact same thing!

I’m happy to inform you today that there IS a MAGIC PILL!!!  One that cures just about anything that might ail ya!  One that EVERYONE has access to!  One that has NO nasty side effects!  One that is FREE, even if you don’t have awesome insurance!  One that begins working IMMEDIATELY!

Yep, you guessed it…EXERCISE = MAGIC PILL!

Look, I know this is not rocket science.  I know that most everyone on the planet has heard the benefits of exercise over and over.

My question is, WHY AREN’T WE LISTENING?

I  read an article in TIME magazine discussing the science behind exercise.  Exercise is scientifically proven to alleviate and aide in numerous body functions.  Exercise can regenerate neurons in the brain…holding off nasty disease processes like dementia and Alzheimer’s.  Exercise boosts your brain power!!

Exercise is really the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH!  Who doesn’t want to stumble into that and come out with shiny hair, glowing skin and a toned, firm body??  I do! I do! Exercise reverses aging on a cellular level!

This information has my mind going in a million directions…

Why do we run to chemical medications to heal our body, instead of doing our best to prevent the illnesses in the first place?

Why do we fill our bodies full of junk and then expect them to function normally?

Why do insurance companies pay for preventative medicine, but not gym memberships?

If we know how to prevent sickness, if we know that exercise changes a person all the way down to their cells, why are the masses not taking advantage of this miracle cure?

The excuses are always hanging around.  Not enough time.  Too hard.  Not fun.

It’s time to kick those excuses to the curb.  Exercise doesn’t have to be a marathon. You don’t have to take on CrossFit or American Ninja Warrior workouts.  If you are new to the world of movement, start small.  Take a thirty minute stroll through your neighborhood.  If you are pinched for time, make it snappy.  Doing a 10 minute high intensity interval workout is just as effective as a longer, lower intensity, workout.  Do anything that makes you feel good, the only requirement = MOVE YOUR BODY!!

You are now my witnesses.  I am going to do my best to educate every person that I know about the miracles of exercise (even though that sounds super cheesy).  I am going to sing it from the rafters (ok, maybe not the rafters because I’m scared of heights)!  A magic, miracle drug is out there!  Waiting for you to take advantage of it!!!

Who’s with me?  Let’s dive into the fountain of youth!!!

If you aren’t convinced already here are 50 more reasons to get that body moving!!

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Common Weight Loss Mistakes

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Being in the fitness industry for over ten years has definitely opened my eyes to LOTS of mistakes people make when they begin a new routine.  Weight loss seems to be super easy for some and then for the rest of the world it is a GIANT mystery!  Why does this work?  Why doesn’t this work?  Is this healthy?  Can I eat that?  Etc.  Etc.  I am in the process of putting together some SIMPLE tip sheets for my personal training clients.  I thought I would share a few with you guys as well!! Here is the first one!  Let me know what you think!!!  Comments? Questions?  Suggestions for my next Tip Sheet?? I want to hear from you! 🙂

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