I Found Maintenance And So Much More

For the last year I have been in a coaching program with Precision Nutrition. We officially close up the year on July 4th. I can’t believe it’s almost over. It has been such an amazing year of challenges and self-discovery. So, I wanted to take some time and share my experience with Precision Nutrition and all the things I have learned. To say this year has been a life-changer would be an understatement.

Let’s start at the beginning. I entered the program with the primary motivation to learn more about habits-based coaching from a client’s perspective and to improve as a coach. I also didn’t mind the idea of shedding some fat as well. Come to find out, it was ME who needed this more than anything.

When I started the program last summer I was placed on a team of 100+ women under the care of one spectacular coach and a few well-seasoned mentors. We could communicate through email, private team Facebook group, video chat, etc. What I loved was that there were always great boundaries all around. I could reach out to anyone I wanted as often as I wanted. It was up to me to take the step and whenever I stepped there was always someone there waiting to help out. I took advantage of private emails with our coach a few times and when I needed some extra loving I scheduled some Google Hangouts with her. Most of the time I communicated with my team through our Facebook page. There was always someone willing to offer ideas, accountability, and support over there.

We were assigned a new habit to focus on about every two weeks. These habits are meant to build on each other. The habits were seemingly simple but profound enough to require thought and effort. When working on habits it was like working around a stove. The newly assigned habit was to be brought to the front of the stove and allowed to boil. Then keep it boiling for the duration of the two weeks. That is your focus for that time. However, we don’t forget the previous habits. We just put those on a simmer at the back of the stove. All the habits are always cooking away but just at various levels of rumble.

Let me take a bit of a side trail and say that a big part of this program that I loved was that we had complete ownership of the program. It was all about discovering what worked and what did not work for MY body. Like I said not too long ago, the boundaries were excellent. No foods were said to be good or bad. Nothing was forbidden. You just figure out what works for you. For example, I can tolerate gluten well but not dairy. So I avoid many dairy products for the sake of my stomach. I have teammates who can tolerate everything and that works for them. There was no avoidance of entire food groups unless it was your choice. Everything was left up to you. Boundaries.

There were weekly assigned workouts but even those were our choice. You could follow the assigned workouts or you could follow your own program. What mattered was that you were moving and challenging your body in ways that you enjoyed. I chose to follow the assigned workouts because I wanted to take advantage of the full program. I would veer off on occassion but for the most part I followed the program.

You can learn more about the Precision Nutrition coaching program by going to their website. In fact they are going to be opening the program up again for another round of clients very soon. Here is a blog post that answers the 37 most commonly asked questions about coaching. You can also go to their Facebook page or even private message me. My main point write was to talk about what I gained from the whole thing.

I went into coaching wanting to be a better coach and maybe even lose 20 pounds. Guess what happened? I lost about five pounds. Yep, five. And I danced around those five pounds for almost a  year. Up a little and down a little.  But I stayed at those five pounds for the most part. I also lost quite a few inches overall so there was definitely a recomposition.

There were plenty of times I was disappointed about not losing more weight. Yes, I know. We are not a number. I should follow other progress indicators. I know. I say the same exact thing all the time. But, I also very much a human. I fall down and I get back up. It is hard to completely eliminate almost 20 years of a dieting/gaining cycle. I have been either actively gaining weight and hating myself for it or actively trying to lose the weight and hating my life for it.

For almost a  year I have stayed within five pounds. While knowing about my past let that sink in for a little bit. At first my thought process was that was just one of those who will always be gaining unless I am severely restricting my calories. Balance is obtainable but not for me. Or at least that was my thought process. I had no idea that my thoughts were so disordered as I entered coaching. I had already made a lot of progrress but come to find out that I had a loooooong way to go.

It took almost a year (yes, I am pretty stubborn at times) for me to clear the air and see that while I was busy seeking one thing I was finding a completely different thing.

What did I find?

I found MAINTENANCE.

Did the fact that I stayed around that same 5 pounds for close to year sink in yet? Yep, I maintained the same five pounds for close to a year. I did this while exercizing in the ways I enjoy. I did this without counting calories or macronutrients. I maintained while eating what I enjoy and what my body performed the best on. I didn’t restrict what or how much I ate.

Maintenance for me means finally finding balance. I eat when I want. I eat what I want based on what my body needs and wants. I eat until I am satisfied, not too full and not too hungry. I am rarely “hangry” (angry due to hunger) because I am satisfied most of the time. I eat what brings me joy and I move in ways that brings me joy. None of this is a chore nor do I ever resent my food or activity.

Maintenance means to be content. I am happy. It means living sustainably. I can live like this for the rest of my life. Even if I never lose a nother pound I am very happy, healthy, and active.

Maybe I will lose pounds in the future but I don’t really care anymore. Enjoying food and movement is the most important thing. It is no longer a number on a little box in my bathroom. I am not obsessed with my shape and I am not ashamed of my body anymore. I will eat the food and move my body.

Eating and exercise are not my life anymore. Eating and exercise are part of my  life now.

They keep me alive so I can live my full life.
MAINTENANCE = FREEDOM

 

BLESSINGS!!

 

Does It Bring You Joy?

It is so very interesting to look over the timeline of my health and fitness journey. There have been plenty of bumps in the road and even some times of very emotional introspection. I have had to work through some very unhealthy relationships with food and exercise. I had to silence all the other voices surrounding me telling me how and what I should be doing to ensure I am their definition of healthy. It has been a long journey of finding who I really am and what I truly want for myself and my own body.

You can read more about my journey by reading these past blog posts:

As You Start Your Fitness Journey: A Letter to Me

The Mellowing of Fitness

To The Pit and Back

Coming To Peace With Food: My Journey From Restriction to Freedom

I am happy to say that I have found a very good place and it is a place I can stay for the rest of my life.

It all boils down to SIMPLICITY and JOY.

As I get older….I always laugh when I say that because I sound so much older than I am. I am all of 36. Nonetheless, as I get older I find that I long for and desire simplicity more and more with each passing day. I don’t want my life to get more complicated. I want it to become more simple.  I want simplicity in my eating and in my exercising. I once did the macronutrient counting and the complicated workouts. There was a time and a place for all that and I won’t say I will never go back but for now it is simplicity I seek. All the counting and logging is just too much for me right now.

So, how do I find that simplicity in eating and exercise?

I can sum it up in one word: JOY. 

I ask myself one simple question. (See?  Simplicity). Does this bring me JOY?

When I am planning my meals for the week I ask myself what dishes will bring my family and me JOY.  I am even asking my family more what they want to eat that week. Keep in mind that this does not mean junk all the time. A lot of junk does not bring me much JOY because I feel sluggish and unproductive afterwards. But, JOY isn’t always found in the salads, chicken and veggies, and protein shakes of my former years either. JOY is found in what I want and what I know will fuel my week the best way possible. Eating should never be a chore. It should be an experience and a privilege. JOY is found in sitting around the table as my family and I eat together and enjoy the food over fun conversation. JOY is not found in eating out of a tupperware while my family eat something I’d rather be eating.

I ask the same question when it is time to exercise as well. Does this bring me JOY? Every day is different and every day brings its own ups and downs. Some days I am so energized and ready to lift some really heavy weights and some days I long to be in the sun as I run for miles. Some days I want to splash in the pool with my family and some days I want to swim meditative laps at the gym pool. It really depends on the day.  There might even be a day when what brings me JOY is taking a nice nap on the couch with my son because rest is what my body needs.  I exercise most days of the week because I love it and I long for it. I do what brings me JOY.

Somebody may easily wonder if this way of doing things is too loosey goosey and lacks focus. Perhaps. It works for me. Here’s the really awesome thing. My body is responding to the lack of pressure and stress. I am experiencing the best recomposition I’ve ever had, even more so than when I was more regimented. What’s happening here is that by seeking JOY in my eating and my exercise I am more in tune with what my body is telling me and by doing so it is responding positively.

Does this mean that I completely oppose food logging, macro counting, or structured workout plans? Not in the least. Like I said before there is a time and a place for all that. I may choose to enter some sort of athletic competition in the future and that will require a more structured training and eating plan. That’s perfectly cool with me. It will work for me then and it will bring me JOY.

I want my life to be full of simplicity and joy. I want my food and my movement to be big parts of my life for the rest of my life. To do that I need to find simplicity and joy in my food and movement. I believe I have done that by simply asking:

Does It Bring You Joy?

Tell me: What brings you JOY????

 

BLESSINGS!!

Outcome Goals Vs. Behavior Goals

Goals.

Do you have goals?  What kind of goals do you have?

I think we can all agree that having goals is incredibly important to being successful in whatever it is you are trying to achieve. It helps to have something to work towards instead of going along with no destination in mind.

But, do you have the right kind of goals?

Having goals is very important and having the right kind of goals is just as important.

Let’s talk about the two types of goals.

OUTCOME goals:

“I want to lose 20 lbs. by Christmas.”
“I want to run a 5K in under 23 minutes.”

These type goals do not make sense because LIFE HAPPENS. The world is pretty uncontrollable. You can’t make your body lose 20 pounds on command any more than you can make sure your house is worth a certain amount when you sell it. In other words, you can’t control the outcome.

However, you can control your BEHAVIOR:

“I will run 4 times every week focusing on increasing my running intervals.”
“I will diligently track my food, exercise, and work on my new habit every week.”

Notice how all of the behavior goals are a commitment to do a specific set of actions or tasks that lead to the outcome you want.

You can’t control the outcome but you can control the behavior.

So here’s your assignment for the next couple days….

1) Write down what you would like to achieve in your fitness journey.
2) What can you do this MONTH to help you achieve your future goal (BEHAVIOR goals)?
3) What can you do this WEEK to achieve your future goal?
4) What can you do TODAY to achieve your future goal?

These are all BEHAVIOR goals. I would love to hear some of your goals!

It is okay to under-estimate. It is better to meet small goals consistently and add up to big goals.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. 🙂

You will see how all these behaviors will ultimately help you achieve your outcome goal but in controllable and achievable steps that are kinder to your overall being.

BLESSINGS!!

It All Comes Down to Choices

You may remember my letter to myself 5 years ago as I was starting my fitness journey. I shared a little bit of wisdom that I have learned over the last five years and things I wish my 5 years ago self could have known to avoid a lot of frustration and pain. Since then I have been pondering even more what I wish I could have told myself and what I would tell other people as they are starting their journey. I am sure I could write a long series of blog posts on what I have learned but honestly, it all boils down to one thing.

CHOICES

Where we go in our fitness and health journeys all come down to the choices we make.

That sounds totally non-profound, doesn’t it? It is easy to think to yourself, “Well, of course it all comes down to choices! That’s nothing new!”

You are totally right but I think in many ways it really is profound for many people, including myself.

When we start down the road of improving our health it is so easy to get confused and to get lost. There is tons of information out there that support and contradict what we are trying to achieve. It is so easy to be lead down the wrong path by information that just seems to be the answer.

When you are starting a new lifestyle it can be daunting and downright scary. I remember. You so want to succeed and to honestly, just feel better. That is really all you want. So, you go out and start the storm of researching. You come across all kinds of information and chances are you don’t know how to weed through the good information and the misleading information. Your intentions are good but you are in the position to be easily lead down a deep, dark rabbit hole.

As you are seeking out the information you look to the information and the programs as the answers to your success. That makes sense, doesn’t it?

But, that is not the case at all.

Exercise and nutrition plans are excellent sources of information and education when the information is solid. I started out by following a specific program and I will be forever grateful for that program because it greatly increased my confidence in the weight room and I tap into that same confidence every time I lift. Good programs are the answer to educating you when you have no experience or knowledge. Using a program is asking for help when you know you need it.

However….

Programs are not the answer to your success.

When I say ‘program’ I am referring to anything that you go to for help in your journey. It can be a new exercise routine, a new diet plan, a meal replacement shake, a supplement regimen, or whatever you may choose.

As a coach and as a friend I have heard on countless occasions ladies saying things like, “This program is the exactly what I need!! If this doesn’t work I don’t know what WILL work!” I WAS that person saying those things. I would find a new program and think that THIS WAS IT! THIS is the answer to make all my dreams come true.

As I have gone through countless programs and regimens over the years I have discovered that an old cliché saying is in fact quite true.

Wherever you go……there you are.

I realized that no matter what shiny new program I was using that the common denominator was ME. It was always me. I will readily admit that I have done good programs that offered sound information and I have done programs that only fed into my disordered habits. Either way the common denominator was still always me.

I researched and researched trying to find the answers I needed outside of myself in new programs. When I did not find success in one program I would find some kind of reason why it failed me and why it was not the right program for me. Then I would go looking for the next program that would be the answer. I did this over and over and over again.

Does this sound familiar?

It was not until this past year that my thick skull was able to see the whole story as a one big picture. I saw it was not the programs that failed me.

I failed me.

I failed to see my place in this story.

I failed to see that it was MY CHOICES that determined my path.

Once that made perfect sense I started to make changes.

I saw that I choose the path I want to go on. Then it is all about every choice I make along the way.

I always wondered about the people that I met along the way who were extremely successful and didn’t seem to struggle with it. The common denominator was that these people accepted that it was their choices that determined their path and it was all about personal responsibility.

YOU choose what you eat and when you eat it.

YOU choose if you move or not today.

YOU choose how much sleep you get at night.

YOU choose how much sunshine you get each day.

YOU choose how you prioritize your time.

YOU choose your goals and how to achieve those goals.

YOU choose if you will reach out for help or not.

You can choose to use a program for education or even as a little kick in the tail but when it all boils down it is ALL YOU.

YOU choose if you will use the program or not.

As a friend and as a coach I respect your choices and I respect your personal responsibility. I can hold your hand and I can guide you but I cannot make your choices for you. I CANNOT make you want it.

Desire comes 100% from you. And Success comes 100% from you.

CLAIM your choices and claim your success.

Once I stopped looking outside of myself for the answers to my success and I looked within myself I saw success. 

 

The Reset Button (a.k.a. The KIND Button)

You hear me talk a lot about habits on this blog and on Facebook.  I’m sure you have heard about Eating Slowly to 80% full, eating enough protein and veggies for you, and maybe even being more discriminating with your carbs based on your own goals.

But, there is a habit I want to talk about today that is a bit different.  It is more about mindset than it is about physical habits.   Mindset habits, though, are cultivated the same way as eating and exercise habits.

I like to call this habit “The Reset Button.”

The Reset Button is just like all the other habits. It is a habit that needs to be practised and the more you practice the easier it becomes.

What is The Reset Button?

Do you remember the Staples ‘Easy’ Button?

Courtesy of http://www.staples.com

 

The Reset Button is kind of like that. It is an imaginary button that you can slap and instead of making something easy you get a reset.

Tell me if you have been in any of these scenarios?

• You are having an emotionally taxing day and you find yourself reaching into the cookie jar far more times than usual.
• Life is super tough and stressful right now and the pull of the drive – thru has been too strong to resist.
• You are so tired to even think let alone practice your habits and exercise.
• You are out with friends and/or family for a fun outing. You are having a wonderful time and don’t really think about any of your habits. And honestly, you just don’t want to anyway.
  

I am sure we have been in each of these scenarios. We’ve all been there. This is not a judgemental talk about having no excuses, to suck it up, and do what you have to do no…matter…what. Shoot! Your coach doesn’t even follow that philosophy. We are all human and we all have good times and bad times. There is grace here.

There is the RESET BUTTON here. I also like to call the Reset Button the “KIND BUTTON.”

How does this RESET BUTTON work?

1. When you have a rough day, week, weeks, or months, pause and notice what’s going on. Acknowledge that this is not what you want in the long haul.
2. NAME what happened and WHY it happened. “Okay, soooooo…..that totally just happened. It happened because……..”
3. Promise yourself that you won’t punish yourself over this. We are all human. Grace.
4. Hit that RESET BUTTON!!
5. BOOM!! Everything is gone and you have a fresh slate for practising habits and getting back into a healthy routine of movement. Doesn’t that feel so good?!?!

Like I said earlier, this is a habit that has to be practised. So much guilt surrounds modern diets and that is not necessary. 

Do you recognize this spiral?

• You eat a few too many cookies.
• You come out of whatever haze you were in when you ate the cookies.
• You realize what you just did.
• You hit the GUILT button.
• You start saying things like, “What in the world?!  How did that happen?!  I am such a failure at this diet. What’s the point?!”
• You ultimately give up, only perpetuating the cycle of guilt and self-hate.

Sound familiar?  Yeah, me too.

Hitting the Guilt button only breeds failure. You are so much bigger than that.

So, you may need to hit the RESET BUTTON every day for a while or even several times a day. That is okay. Just like all the other habits the more your practice this habit the easier it gets.

When you are working on establishing healthy habits in your life make sure you don’t  neglect your mindset habits.

Promise yourself that you will hit the RESET Button (The kind button) when you sway from your goals instead of hitting the GUILT button.

I think you will far happier and more successful in the long run.

 

How do YOU like to hit your RESET BUTTON?????

Are You Listening or Talking to Yourself?

I swear I have a constant dialogue going on inside my head from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed and sometimes even when I’m sleeping. Throw in constant music stuck in my head and it gets pretty crowded in there rather quickly. It is like a record that just never stops whether I want it to stop or not.

The bad thing about this phenomenon going on in my head is that oftentimes those thoughts that get stuck on the merry-go-round are negative, self-defeating, self-sabatoging, and down right mean. I’m sure you know how that feels. Those nasty thoughts just keep coming on the never-ending conveyor belt and there just doesn’t seem to be a way to make it freakin’ stop.

I have heard it said that the key to this situation is to just not allow those thoughts to take root. You stop them in their tracks and replace them with positive thoughts and truth. I have heard it over and over and over again but for whatever reason it just never really clicked. Maybe there wasn’t musch space left in my head for new concepts. HA!

Not too long ago I was reading the book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and he wrote something that totally and completely resonated with me.

Check out this quote:

“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.

The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: “Why art thou cast down” – what business have you to be disquieted? You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, condemn yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself: “Hope thou in God” – instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is and What God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: “I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, who is also the health of my countenance and my God.”

I once heard it said that you can stop a bird from landing on your head but you can stop it from building its nest.  

You can’t stop many thoughts from ‘landing’ in your mind but you can definitely stop them from ‘building a nest.’

So, what is the difference between LISTENING and TALKING to yourself?

Listening to yourself: You have a constant dialogue throughout the day. Some thoughts are good and some are bad. Listening to yourself allows the poor thoughts to take a root inside your mind. You allow the thoughts to build their nest.  It is like listening to a radio. You hear all the reasons to give up. You hear all the reasons you aren’t good enough. You hear them and even on a tiny level you believe them. We hear and listen to the complaints, negativity, self-hatred, etc. and that leads to unhappiness, discontent, depression, lack of productivity, and unfulfilled goal.  Then that cycle self-repeats itself. 

Talking to yourself: Choosing to feed yourself the positive. You can choose to fuel yourself with Scripture, positive affirmations, or whatever that gives you energy and motivation and hope. This then gives you the power to fulfill your goals and start the cycle in a very positive way.

Do you see the difference?

Even though it makes perfect sense to me I have also learned that talking to myself and not listening to myself is a hard HABIT to break. Just like with nutrition and fitness, learning to change your habits slowly over time is key to sustainable change.  So, I am treating this just like I would any other habit.  Bit by bit, thought by thought, I will turn that listening into talking.  I can’t expect to overhaul my way of thinking in one big step but I can overhaul it bit by bit over time.   There is HOPE for a whole new way of thinking.

Are you Listening or Talking to Yourself?

BLESSINGS!!!!

 

A Year of Coaching

Precision Nutrition Coaching For Women

I have embarked on a very exciting adventure for the next year.  I have signed up to participate in the Precision Nutrition Lean Eating Coaching for Women and I plan to blog the entire experience.

I have been a huge fan and follower of Dr. John Berardi and Precision Nutrition for quite some time.  They have greatly shaped how I view food and coaching others in Nutrition. I guess that is no surprise, huh?  I even went ahead and got my Precision Nutrition Level I Coaching Certificate last year in December and became a for real Nutrition Coach.  That course is top notch and I recommend it to any of my Fitness Pro friends who are looking to expand on their personal training business.  It covers the science of nutrition and also the ‘how’ of coaching.   I loved every minute of that course.  But, that’s not why were are here today.

I have been intrigued by the Lean Eating program for as long as Precision Nutrition has been on my radar.  A full year of being coached on a daily basis in nutrition and training seemed like a dream come true.  I just didn’t think it was good for me.  I’m a professional nutrition coach and personal trainer and I have successfully undergone my own transformation.  Why would I need to go through this program?

It was my husband who said I should do the Lean Eating program.  His answer to my question was, “It is the professionals who have coaches.”   That is so true. Many successful business people have business coaches.  Professional athletes have their own coaches.  So, why wouldn’t a fitness professional have a coach?  Indeed. I couldn’t deny the point that being coached by a professional and experiencing the process would make ME a better coach and, of course, I would also benefit physically and mentally.   So, we saved our pennies and waited for the next round of coaching to arrive in July.

For the last three years I have poured over fitness and nutrition articles and plans.  I have learned.  I have soaked in tons of information. I have tried tons of different workout programs that were written by me or by other people.  I have tried tons of ways to tweak my nutrition. I had great success with most of this stuff but I noticed a flaw in my plans.  I would get bored.  I would do a workout program for awhile, get bored with it, and then switch up the program before I could see what it could really do for me.  So, when the opportunity to be coached for a full year by someone else I jumped at the chance.  I jumped at the chance to take myself out of the decisions and to let someone else tell me what to do. I know full well the coaching staff with Precision Nutrition are experienced professionals and they know how to coach change, even for a fitness nerd.  They have the track record of having coached over 30,000 people. WOW!

The last few months have a been a bit rough for me.  If you haven’t already read my post, Into the Pit and Back, please take a moment to do that now.  It explains a lot about journey into depression and climbing out of it.  I am still healing from that experience.  I am slowly, with God’s help, rebuilding WHO I am and WHAT I was created to do.  I believe the Lean Eating program came at the perfect, God-ordained time because I believe this year will be a year of healing.  I have dedicated this next year to just that.  By joining Lean Eating, I am allowing someone else to pour into me for a full year. It is time for me to be the vulnerable one for once.  I have access to an awesome mentor who wants nothing more than to see me succeed.  By releasing training decisions to this mentor I am freeing up that mind share to work on other important things in my life like my faith, family, and training business.   I am so excited it is hard to even express it in words right now.

Now that we have gone over WHY I am doing Lean Eating let me go over how it is structured.  I was excited to read the reviews by previous participants but when I actually logged into the system on launch day (July 21) I was even more thrilled.  This is top notch stuff, people.

Every day I have three things to work on.

First, there is the workout.  There are three different types of workouts.  There is the typical strength training workout, intervals, and active recovery.   The strength training workout is prescribed with the exercises, sets, and reps.  I printed off a logging spreadsheet and I take that to the gym with me for my records.  Intervals are basically a HIIT routine (High Intensity Interval Training) that I choose for 20-25 minutes.  It could be sprints, jump rope, bicycle, etc.  Then Active Recovery is basically a Rest Day but I still do some kind of activity that is active.  For example, I could do a yoga routine or go for a walk.  Simple activity aids in the recovery from strength training. Sunday is REST day.

Second, you have your Assigned habit to work on.  Precision Nutrition coaches change through Habit Training.  So, every two weeks you are assigned a new habit to focus on.  Each habit builds on the others and before you know it you are a completely new person with an arsenal of habits for a healthy lifestyle.

Third, and I believe my favorite, is the Daily Assignment. This is where you go to work on the mental/emotional aspects of change and healthy living.  The number one thing that must change is mindset.  I log into my homepage and click on the daily assignment.  I read the document and answer the questions.  This is done every single day, including Sunday. Some days it is fun and some days tender spots are touched. In just the week and a half of being in this program I have learned a lot about myself.  I have already had to do some major soul searching.  I can’t wait to see what 50 more weeks brings forth.

Along with the three daily assignments, there is also three forms of measurement I have to submit.  Every week I will have to submit my weight and my measurements and once a month I will submit my progress pictures.  Yes, I will have to submit my nearly naked front, back, and side pictures that my clients love so much. 😉

Well, I think that covers everything. I am half way through week two as I type this. I have 50.5 weeks to go in this program. This is going to be a pretty awesome adventure.

For The LOVE of Your Body…EAT MORE FOOD!

I have my own journey in food and eating. It has been a long and often difficult journey from restriction to freedom. I know MANY people could tell the same story and are probably still living the story.

The standard restrictive method of dieting is prevalent in our society.

The “1200 Calorie Diet”

It is EVERYWHERE!

I really don’t know who came up with the idea that 1200 calories was the standard number of calories for losing weight.  But, someone did and now you will read about it in magazines, see it on the TV, and hear people talking about it.

I was just as guilty of this early on in my weight loss/health journey.  I made a point to eat only 1200 calories a day for months on end.  It WORKED!  I did indeed lose weight but eventually it stalled.

I have learned a lot about the human body since then.

I had an “AH HA!” moment awhile back.

Check this out:

Let’s say I go into a coma and I’m in the hospital depending on the staff to care for my every need. The staff would need to feed me through a tube and they would use a formula based on my sex, age, height, and weight to figure out how many calories I would need to sustain life. This is called your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is how many calories per day your body needs to continue breathing, heart beating, kidneys filtering, stomach digesting, brain functioning, etc.  You get the idea. I would not be moving at all outside of assisted turning and such.

Well, I did some calculations and found that my BMR is right around 1450 calories.

1450 calories MINIMUM to sustain a healthy life!!!

(Note: You can calculate your BMR using the calculator HERE.  Enter in your information and calculate.  The first number is your BMR or what you would need if in a coma.  The second number is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).  That takes into your estimated activity levels each day and how many calories you need to sustain that level.)

But, I’m not in a coma.  I am moving around.  I am a MOM. I am on my feet all day.  I bend. I lift. I chase. I talk. I think.  I eat. I exercise.  All these things require calories to function.  That goes on TOP of my BMR (1450 calories per day).

Are you following me?

So, WHY the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks, would I ever eat 1200 calories?

Once I had this realization and started to EAT MORE FOOD many great things began to happen.

• I was more satisfied throughout the day.
• I’m not always gunning for the next meal.  I’m steady.
• I have far less cravings.
• I do not binge.
• I am more in tune with my body and what it needs or does not want.
• I eat less junk.
• I have more energy.
• I sleep better at night.
• My body is CHANGING! It is a wonder (okay, not really) that I am actually achieving the body I’ve always wanted by giving it the fuel it NEEDS!
• I LOVE MY BODY!!!

Now, I could eat 1200 calories a day and still live. I’ve done it and I’m still alive today.  The body is amazing at its ability to do what it needs to do to sustain life.  It will shut down less critical functions so that its energy can go to maintaining life.

What does that mean?

It means that you live at a less than optimal level.  You aren’t truly healthy and you aren’t happy.  Your body just doesn’t have the resources to maintain those aspects of living.  You are alive but not really.

So, I now eat well above 1200 calories a day.

I eat well above my BMR (1450 calories/ day) every day.

I eat what most people would shudder at the thought of eating.

I EAT MORE FOOD!

I am HAPPY!

I am HEALTHY!

I am FUELED!

And my body is doing what I am asking it to do!

So, Please!!

For the LOVE of Your BODY….

EAT MORE FOOD!!

 

I’m always here!

Why Diets Are Not Rocket Science…

Let’s talk about “Diets” today. 🙂

That is always such a fun topic, isn’t it??

I remember the first time I really learned the word “diet.” I was in the Girl Scouts and my troop was in front of a grocery store trying to sell our cookies to passersby. It took me awhile to break out of my shy shell to actually ask them if they would buy my cookies. A few did buy a box or two but the most common thing I heard was, “No Sweetie. I’m on a diet.” That scene has stuck in my head every since. Funny how our memory works sometimes.

Anyway, Now it seems like everyone and their mother is on a diet.

The Adkins Diet

The South Beach Diet

Weight Watchers

Slim Fast

Sugar Busters

The Virgin Diet

Body by Vi

Shakeology

Plexus Slim

Paleo*

Vegetarian/Vegan*

(* This article is written in regards to people making changes in their way of eating in order to lose weight and/or change their body composition. It is not written towards those who have adopted a new lifestyle based on religious and/or ethical reasons. Carry on. )

Gluten-Free

Grain-Free

Juice Fasts

Green Smoothie Diet

Do I need to keep going?? Get the picture. There is a diet for just about everybody. If Diet A didn’t work for you then try Diet B. When Diet B doesn’t work then try Diet C with more gusto. And the pattern keeps going on and on and on.

But, here’s the deal with these diets. They are NOT Rocket Science!!!

I say that because in the end they have the same objective. They reduce calories.

Simple.

The root of any nutrition plan for the goal of reducing weight/fat is to eat at a deficit so that you are consuming less calories than your body needs so that your body burns fat to retrieve the energy it needs.

Now, most of the diet books you read will tell you that THEIR diet is the ONE because it helps you eliminate this, that, or the other and by doing so you have discovered the SECRET to dropping pounds and inches.

You drop processed foods.

You drop gluten.

You drop grains and legumes.

You drop animal products (meat, eggs, and dairy).

You replace meals with shakes.

In the process of eliminating certain foods or perhaps even meals you replace those foods probably with more fruits and vegetables and other healthier options. If you are coming from a fairly typical SAD diet (Standard American Diet) you are going from a pretty processed diet to a more whole foods diet.

You are reducing calories.

Whole Foods tend to be nutrient dense and not calorie dense. You can eat more but still get less calories.

So, you are eating at that magical calorie deficit.

It isn’t hocus pocus. It isn’t a DIET SECRET that some scientists discovered and the Hollywood star endorsed. It is not rocket science.

Reduce your calories and exercise more. You will lose pounds and inches….just like that**.

This is something you can do on your own by making smart choices and developing good habits one at a time.

Replace the junk with a whole food.

Drink more water.

Drink tea instead of soda.

Drop the sugar.

Get a lean protein at every meal.

Eat more vegetables and fruits.

One step at a time. You can make choices on your own. You can take control of your own health without all the chatter out there from “diet gurus.”

 

If you really don’t think you can do this on your own then a Nutrition Coach is a splendid idea.  As your Nutrition Coach I will guide in making those healthy habits.  I will hold your hand.  I will encourage you. I will point you in the right direction. I will give you a sensible plan that does not involve a single “diet.” It is balanced and it is sustainable. No Absolutes.

 

I’m always here,

 

 

 

**Another disclaimer. I acknowledge that there are people out there who are in situations physically that make it harder to lose weight. Hormones. Food Intolerances. Etc. That is why I strongly recommend you hire a Nutrition Coach or even a Nutritionist or Dietician to help you on your path. For the vast majority of the American population, however, it is easier than book publishers and the diet food industry would like us to believe.

Find YOUR Awesome

Have you ever found yourself thumbing through a magazine or surfing the internet, pointing to a picture of some fit person, and say “Gosh!! I want to look like HER!” (Note: Guys are not excluded here. I’m using ‘her’ for ease of writing)

Have you ever ripped that picture of the magazine or printed it off the printer and showed it to other people as a visual representation of your goal?

“I want to look like HER!”

“I want her abs/shoulders/legs/back/whatever!”

“I want to be lean like her!”

“I want to be her!”

Before you bring it up, I will go on record and say that setting goals is HUGE and very important. Having visual reminders of your goal is very helpful too.

However,

Let’s look at these statements. Do you see a common theme? What do these statements, that we’ve all said, really say?

They say, “I want to be SOMEONE ELSE!”

I want someone else’s body because MINE is not good enough.

I am not happy with ME.

I am not content.

 

This makes me sad, to be honest.  I’ve been just as guilty as the next girl for thinking and saying the same things.  It isn’t fair to me and it isn’t fair to YOU.

We see these pictures that are often unrealistic and we put pressure on ourselves to be skinnier, stronger, fitter, and prettier.  Then we exercise more and eat less all in pursuit of something that is not even ours to be had.

So, the question is….

Does trying to look like that picture make you happy?

I’m going to make an educated guess and say, “No, it doesn’t make you happy.”  It sure as heck doesn’t make ME happy.

It is time to draw a Line in the Sand and say, “IT STOPS HERE!”

Your body was made for one person and one person only.  YOU!!

The girl in the picture?  Her body was made for HER!

There’s no crossing over.

Her muscles are her muscles and your muscles are your muscles.

Your stomach is your stomach and your back is your back.

Our bodies are DIFFERENT and UNIQUE!

Your genes are unique to you and your body responds differently to different things.

So, what works for Picture Girl probably won’t work for you!  Stop trying.

Since that is the truth (scientifically proven) what do you do?!

 

You FIND YOUR AWESOME!!!!

 

You are…

Beautiful

Strong

Smart

Funny

Brave

Confident

and

AWESOME!

You are any of those things and there is absolutely zero reasons why you should waste one millisecond wanting to be someone else or having someone else’s body.

This is why when someone shows me a picture of what she wants to look like I say, “Okay, that look is good for her.  Let’s talk about your goals for your body. You are different.”

It is good to want to be leaner and stronger because you know it will improve your health and quality of life. It is great to want to improve yourself.  It is awesome to become YOUR AWESOME.

It is time to embrace your own strengths and abilities.

It is time to love food and exercise not because you want to be someone else, but because you want to become the most AWESOME YOU.

Close the magazine. Turn off the computer.  Hug Yourself (touchy feely, I know). Go to the Gym. Go for a Run. Eat something delicious. Look in the mirror and say…..,

“You are AWESOME!  I’m doing this for YOU!”

 

Find YOUR Awesome!