Power of the Mind

It's been quite the busy year for me so far.  I realize that I haven't posted to this blog in months, and I have to say that I haven't been in the best of mindset, nor health these past few months.  I haven't worked out, I haven't gone to any exercise class, and my diet has been less than desirable.  Like many of you, I struggle with my weight and as I approach 40 this summer, I have noticed a pattern in my ups and downs when it comes to my weight, nutrition and other healthier aspects in my life.  It's mindset.

You see, when I lost all my weight before, I was in the mindset to do so.  I logged my food, worked out a minimum of 4 days a week, checked my glucose levels, and I was spot on with having weight loss every week.  Whether it was 1-3 lbs, it didn't matter, I knew I was making progress and my body and the way my clothes fit showed it.  As it stands now, I am not, nor have I been in the right mindset to do so.

Problem is, I've allowed myself to become a victim of circumstance.  Circumstances, by the way, in which I can control, yet for whatever reason, choose not to do so.  True, I have a busy schedule, but in the end, I know that depression and lack of love for myself has deterred me from making the right decisions and putting my health as a priority in my life.  When I was eating right, working out, I was filling this blog up like nobody's business.  All the great things I would find, the workouts, the education.  Maybe because now it's become more work for school (last few years of my BS in Nutrition Science), instead of the fun of sharing the information.  Who knows.

It's a talk I have with myself daily.  Should I really be eating this or that?  Should I make a point to make it to that class tonight?  My son is down napping, should I pop in one of my exercise dvds?  The problem I have isn't that I'm not motivated to lose weight and get fit, the problem is I'm allowing the bad outweigh the good in my mind, and the bad is simply the excuses.  What are they?  Here are a few that I've caught myself thinking...

- I'll go next time
- The boys won't like it if I make that for dinner
- I don't have the energy to do it
- I have school work
- There's a meeting tonight
- I don't want to drag the little guy to the gym
- There's no one to workout with

I could go on and on, as while my mind justifies all these reasons, they are nothing more than excuses.  Plain and simple.  I just need to get the right mindset, or at least help myself by surrounding myself with positive people that encourage me, instead of feeding into my excuses with me.  At the end of the day, I'm not happy.  I'm not happy with myself, I'm not happy with the lack of progress I've made, and I'm definitely not happy with my size and the health issues that come along with it.

Think it's about time to get back to making myself, my goals, and my LIFE a priority again.  Stop letting my overworked mind think there's no time or energy to do it, and be like Nike and "Just Do It!".  What are some of your excuses?  I know I'm not the only one that has yo-yo'ed and felt this way.  Where there any tips or tricks you did to keep yourself motivated, feeling good about yourself?  Sometimes I think I use all my energy helping others feel good about themselves, at the end of the day there's nothing left for ME!

Well, thanks for reading.  Time to talk these thoughts to bed.  Good Night.

Reminder - Health is a Journey

Click to see larger image

I found this picture on Dr. DeValt's blog Morning By Morning Pathway to Health.  To me it serves as a reminder that it's should just be about "losing weight".  It should  be a life long journey of learning what our bodies need, how it metabolizes, what nutrients and calories are for and what they do, and making changes.  Permanent changes.

Is this easy?  For a lot of people, most likely not, but buying into the latest quick fix is not going to teach you proper nutrition, nor will it motivate you to move your body.  I have to stress that ANY COMMERCIALIZED WEIGHT LOSS PLAN THAT CLAIMS YOU CAN DO IT "WITHOUT EXERCISE" IS A SCAM!! 

What good will it do you to try to eat proper, but not move your body?  You will lose muscle mass, your tendons and joints will ache, and it will all be for not.  And for starters, what diet and weight loss plan, or even exercise plan for that matter, doesn't warn you to "not start any new program without consulting your physician or doctor first"?   Did you?  Has your spouse, friend or relative?  People go on all these supplemental diets, and dish out money left and right for things that they can get from a proper diet.  Excessive vitamins, minerals and supplements are flushed from your body!  If your body doesn't need them, you are throwing your money away on products that you literally are putting right into the toilet!

I highly encourage people to get labs done on themselves, and learn your numbers.  Learn what you are deficient in.  Learn what foods contain to help you with those deficiencies.  If you do not like or cannot tolerate those foods, then choose a natural supplement for that particular deficiency for pennies on the dollar compared to these overindulgent mega powders that are made in a lab.  While there are some synthetic supplements that can be just as effective, overall, natural is best according to independent testing by Consumer Labs.  Education and knowing what you need are keys to success beyond the weight loss.

Here's to your health and happiness!  Hope you're all keeping on the steady path of your own individual journey!  Have a great week!

- Cheryl

A New You

It's that time of year again.  Where everyone makes their New Year's Resolutions to lose weight, start eating healthier, exercise more, etc, etc.  My question to you is, why are you putting your own health and wellness on a future start date?  The time to start is NOW!

We have choices every day, and those choices effect our bodies in so many ways.  There is no time like the present to start making better ones.  Made a bad decision at lunch?  Choose wiser at dinner time.  Forgot to get your morning workout in?  Try to find something that afternoon that will help raise your heart rate, even if it's dancing while doing housework!  There are so many different things we can do throughout our daily lives to change our habits and our lifestyle.  The only thing stopping it is YOU!

Here's to all that are making a commitment to making changes that will benefit them mind, body and soul!  Hope you all had a great holiday!

- Cheryl

Helping the Malnourished One Child at a Time

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Just More Motivation

This is the picture that I posted on my personal Facebook wall today.  Our base's Air Force Ball is September 22nd, which gives me a little over two months to get this body rockin'!!  The dress (which is a surprise, so I'm not posting a pic of it) I'm having it custom fitted the beginning of September, and it will be shipped to my supplier from Sweden.  I'm truly excited for many reasons.

First off, it's not only a physical fitness goal for me, but a financial one as well.  As I told some friends, my prom dress in high school was made for $50 by a friends mother to save money.  My first wedding dress was only $75 and my last wedding dress was only $124.  I won't say exactly what I'll be paying for my ball gown, but it's roughly over 4 times the prices of those.

Secondly, I'm going all out.  I want my Cinderella night.  My husband and I never had the big dancing reception for our wedding, and I just want the night to be magical.

Lastly, I want be able to show off my new body, in my new dress to all the friends and family that I do not see on a daily basis.  I rarely post photos of myself, because ... well, I'm the one taking the pictures!!  DUH!!  lol

I'm going to be kicking things up a notch with Step 3 nights a week, as well as some Turbo Jam and Insanity that they do here at our Fitness Center on base.  I'm also going to find time for strength and weight training.  I like defined bodies.  Muscles are SEXY!  My birthday is next month, and I want to walk in that ball lookin' FINE AT 39!!!

Do you have any extra incentives?  Something outside the norm... health, family, etc.??  Let me know!  I know this picture is posted above my head at my desk right now in my little home office where I'll have to look at it every day and make me accountable!

Have a great weekend everyone!  Enjoy!!!