Motivation

Motivation

Motivation

Motivation

Motivation

Motivation

Workout Clothes for Motivation!

I know that I always feel a bit more ready, a bit more energized, when I get my workout gear on. Get those workout clothes on and get moving!!

When Life Knocks You Down...

Motivation

Leave Your Bubble

The only way growth is possible is when you can leave your comfort zone, step out into something new and scary ... then give it your all. Even if you don't achieve what you thought you would, you still tried, you took a chance, and you did more than you ever could have by staying in your protected bubble. The more you take a chance, leaving your comfort zone behind, the more growth you'll experience. In this way, you'll find that your comfort zone grows as you do and you will be more confident, stronger, and not as afraid to take those chances! Keep it up!

Motivation

Motivation: Tools to Use

I find that I perform the best when I am surrounded by helpful tools. These can be friends that help you stay on track, websites that motivate you to keep going, online calculators that help you see your progress, or even apps on your phone to remind you when to weigh in. Whatever it is that you need, there are a ton of options out there to help you lose weight and get healthy. I'm going to share some of my favorites with you!

Numbers: 

I like to keep several options open for keeping tracking of my weight loss. With many different numbers to keep track of, it's easier for me to stay on course than if I am only watching the scale. For example, I can keep track of my weight on Thintopia, a website designed to track weight loss, but not show the actual numbers. This is great for competitions because you can join with others, but they don't have to know how much you weigh; they only know the percentage of your total body weight that you have lost. In addition, I use a target weight loss date calculator so I know of a reasonable completion date and keep it as a goal to finish by that date. I also look at a body fat % calculator, which will tell me approximately how much of my weight is fat that can be lost. And finally, I keep track of my measurements, which you can do on your own or you can log on to a FREE Beach Body account. You get signed up for a coach who can help you stay on track and there are tons of free tools to keep track of your measurements and even your workouts too!

Aside from these tools, I use a calorie counting website to help me keep track of the food that I consume each day. Most of these types of websites allow you to also keep track of your activity calories burned, so you have a net amount of calories at the end of the day. I've tried several different options, but Calorie Count at about.com is my favorite. It seems to be very user-friendly.

1. Thingopia 
2. Target Weight Loss Date Calculator
3. Body Fat % Calculator
4. Beach Body Super Gym
5. Calorie Count
6. My Fitness Pal 
7. Spark People

Food:

Here is a list of some of my favorite websites to gather recipes. Some of them are Paleo, but some, like Skinny Taste or Chocolate Covered Katie, are not. They all have a wide range of recipes to choose from and I know you will not be disappointed with the recipes!

1. Skinny Taste
2. Chocolate Covered Katie
3. Fast Paleo
4. Chow Stalker
5. Dessert Stalker
6. Nutritional Weight and Wellness
7. On Diet and Health

Fitness:

I like FREE so I found a few different free websites to watch exercise videos. And believe me, they are challenging videos. But the nice thing is that the videos are very structured and most of them are run by professionals, so their workouts not only work, but they are safe too. 

1. BodyRock 
2. DailyHIIT
3. ZWow 
4. Hang Tight with MarC

Podcasts/Information:

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love podcasts. My husband got me into them! And I am hooked! I love to listen while I work, and some of my favorites are about nutrition and fitness. Here are the main ones that I listen to that have really helped me understand food and what it does to the body. I also have recently discovered the Get-Fit Guy, who has a great podcast on fitness. 

1. Primal Diet - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beverly-meyer-san-antonio/id577470427
2. Dishing Up Nutrition - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dishing-up-nutrition/id339853848
3. Get-Fit Guy - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/get-fit-guys-quick-dirty-tips/id371750376

Phone Apps

Phone apps are also a great way to stay connected and motivated when you don't have your computer with you. I try not to have too many, but it helps to have a calorie/activity tracker on my phone, which Calorie Count has, and then I have a fitness video app so I can workout even when I don't have anything else with me. And Pinterest is possibly one of the best apps because you can find anything on that site: recipes, workouts, motivation, friends, and tips for weight loss. 

1. Calorie Count 
2. Pinterest
3. Body Rock
4. Facebook

With all of the resources available, it's easier to stay motivated and there is always going to be something for everyone. If something doesn't work for you, then keep looking. I know you will find what you need! I hope my suggestions help, but go out and find some of your own. You never know what's out there until you look!

Stay Motivated

There are hundreds of ways to stay motivated, but that doesn't mean that they will all work for you. The trick is to find what works for you and your weight loss and wellness journey. Sometimes the only way to find out what works for you is to try different things. So here are a few tips that work for me and hopefully they'll work for you too. But ... if they don't, just keep looking, ask around, see what works for other people and try them to see if they work for you too.





Tip #1
Set reasonable goals - You may have 100 pounds to lose, but if you focus on that 100 and you only lose 2 pounds per week, it will take a LONG time to reach your goal. Instead, focus on 10 pounds per month or even just the 1 - 2 pounds per week. You're much more likely to stick to something if you feel like you're accomplishing something. So make reasonable goals. They can be pounds, inches, fitting into your skinny jeans, or even just emotional accomplishments like feeling good about yourself.

Tip #2
Eat blue, wear red - You know how light green is supposed to be a calm color, which is why it's often found in hospitals? Well, they say that blue is an appetite suppressant. So eat your dinner on a blue plate and supposedly you won't feel the need to eat quite as much. And red? Well, they say red is known to help boost your mood. So if you're feeling the lack of energy, put on your red and it is supposed to boost your energy and your self confidence.

Tip  #3
Be optimistic - This is one of the most important tips for weight loss, but also one that I try to follow just as a rule to life. It's very easy to get down about your journey as you miss a workout or indulge in some ice cream, but that doesn't mean that you should give up completely. Instead, focus on what you have been doing right and all the hard work you've put into your journey and get right back on track. If you don't, you'll just be that much further behind when  you do get back into it.

Monday Motivation

I was talking to a good friend of mine about struggling with cravings and feeling bad when I give in to temptation. She said something to me that has really stuck with me. She said that giving up the bad food is hard and that we all stumble and give in sometimes. It was the answer most people give me when I tell them about how hard it is to stick to a healthy diet. But then she added something else. She said that I should instead try to focus on resisting temptation half as much. Then when that becomes easier, take it down another half. Each step will get you closer and closer to your goal: eating only healthy foods and having the power to say no to the bad foods.

It helped me to think about it in this way because I tend to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to food. I think, "Well, I've blown my diet by eating that cookie, so I may as well just forget about being good the rest of the day." But if I follow her advice, I can think, "Yeah, I had that cookie. But I'm not going to have any more. If I decide that I want to have a cookie the next time they are offered to me, then I will consider it." By doing this, I can keep myself from just giving in completely each time I stumble. And gradually, the amount of times that I turn down that cookie will grow to be more and more. And that's where habit comes in. They say it takes 3 weeks to turn an action in a habit. So if I'm turning down cookies and cakes when I go to birthday parties or work get-togethers or whatever the case may be, then I am that much stronger, because it doesn't even become an option. And then I can go home and eat a little treat that I have prepared for myself on my Paleo guidelines.

But even if I do give in and have that cookie, it's important not to think of it as the end of the world and totally cave in to devouring everything in site. It also helps to remember that turning down this cookie doesn't mean that you can't ever have another cookie again, which is what I tend to do with my all or nothing approach. And the fact that it isn't completely prohibited makes it just that much less desirable. People always want what they can't have. So by allowing yourself a cookie once in a while, perhaps stick to Paleo or healthier versions, but at least you aren't denying yourself and creating that subconscious pull to the bad food.

Motivational Monday

When I look for motivation to keep me on track, I find it everywhere. It's in the upbeat music that has me tapping my toes, motivational quotes that make me think about what I really want and deserve, and even inspirational pictures that make me want to push harder to make pictures of my own. Sometimes my motivation comes from family and friends too.

I find that I really start to lose my will power when I go grocery shopping. There are so many bad choices or even just not-great choices out there to tempt you. Yesterday is a great example; my husband and I were out picking up a few things at the grocery store. I told him one of those Cadbury Cream-filled eggs sounded wonderful and I bet him we would be able to find one if we looked. He didn't even hesitate before asking me if I really wanted one more shot of drugs or one more hit of the cigarette. It may seem a bit extreme, but let me tell you that it sure did the trick!

Sugar may not seem as dangerous as illegal drugs such as cocaine or even the legal substances such as alcohol, but several studies have shown that sugar addiction can be just as tough to beat as other, harder substances. So use whatever you have to. Write a message on your hand, put post-its on your fridge, or have a buddy system! Keep your focus and you'll reach your goal!!