Challenge equals growth

I continue to learn that if I am to grow I have to challenge myself mentally and physically. To improve how I think my mind has to be stimulated, meaning I have to move from the position I currently find myself in...it's sometimes called "restlessness" and or negativity. When we find ourselves being restless and or negative we eventually get around to asking why, then a solution to resolve the why is formed! Well when it comes to my life that is how I work.

And, so it is with where I am at - at the challenging stage...my mind to get back to healthy thinking, projection of my thoughts, my speaking, and actions, as much as my eating has been healthy. Of regaining my consistency and now challenging myself by applying changes, with the ultimate goal to see massive and healthier results in a shorter time.

Had a strong reminder last night from my partner as I complained about "being fat"...I'm not!! but there are days I suffer from that syndrome. I was called on my choice of words and given a walk through on what I should say instead...tough love in action and it worked. Negative words always works against us to defeat us and choosing positive words will have the opposite affect...reminders are good and necessary.

What works for me to challenge and stimulate positive change may not work for you, but the goal is to find a healthy working solution, make a plan with a deadline in place, and keep the 4D's in place -Desire, Discipline, Determination,and Dedicated to it's completion.
The outcome of my inner reflections has thus stirred me to challenge myself to grow - and in the process be an encouragement to others. Now go do the same!!

Consistency is the key to

building a momentum in developing habits that will hopefully be equal to maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle.
For the past 15 days I have consistently been logging my meals, workouts in detail, thoughts at day's end and "have I met my water quota". Doing this simple task has helped me stay focused on maintaining a nutrition plan that contains more fibrous vegetables, consuming complex carbs after my workouts and weaning off from the habitual snacking at night.

I've decided to take my workout outdoors and incorporating jumping jacks, walking hill lunges, burpees and sprints are not only a nice change, but these exercises also accelerates fat burning three times faster than "normal cardio".
With summer less than 9 weeks away many are focused on dropping as much fat or toning the body. My suggestion is this - don't just focus on "summers" to get healthier...make the commitment to live a more active life and then do it. Start moving at least 3 times a week for 45-60 min, consume less sugars, cut out the pop, eat more lean meats, and fibrous carbohydrates and fruit. You can still enjoy your treats and a glass of wine - do it in moderation...once a week.

Alright, the week-end is upon us...enjoy, play safe and have fun...oh, and stay healthy!

Learning from disappointments

This coming Saturday is the fitness competition that I should have been a part of, but alas due to my lower back injury I am not able to compete. My back is healing but at a much slower rate than I thought, however it has been a bittersweet learning experience; I am only now beginning to embrace this set back as a blessing and opportunity...more on that on another post.

My exercise plan in place has been geared to work on strengthening my core, legs and endurance. My nutritional plan is being acted on and again I continue to use my body to test not only what type of workouts are best suited to help heal my injury and lean me out, but combined with what, when, why I eat and the amount are equally important to ensure my continual fitness success.
My mind is no longer consumed and lamenting over my disappointment in not being able to compete. Getting to this health point has taken me well over 9 weeks…it just wasn’t meant to be this time, but there are other opportunities ahead.

My focus and goal for the next 8 weeks is to use what I’ve planned out, acting on, documenting my food intake, types and duration of exercises and thoughts, take pictures weekly along with measurements and at the end of that time share with you the outcome and my results. My intent continues to be to share...pass on what I'm learning on this journey to help you benefit in your own journey. Any thing that you can pull from to help enhance, encourage, motive and challenge you as a result of my experiences good or bad would be my reward.

Going forward there will be weekly post to this blog covering a variety of topics that is geared to health and fitness.
Alright keep moving it’s extremely good for the body, mind and soul.

Health or Image - Where is the focus really?

Mostly any anything to do with fitness and or fat loss and even health that runs on Infomercials, commercials, magazines and promos have pictures of men and women with bodies that looks cut a certain way. The message being sent with the visible images is not only misleading but feeding hungry desperate people with the wrong message; which isn't only wrong but can be discouraging. Let me explain!
I've been confronted by my partner of having the wrong perception on what a "healthy" person really is...as she so well put it...it isn't about the body image that confirms or denies a healthy life.
I had a "reality" moment earlier this week when I realized that what was said was the truth...as I revisited my childhood and teen years I saw clearly the message that I was fed by the actions of others had me caught in a lie about myself. Growing up a chubby kid and fat teen I was teased and wasn't the most popular gal around, but once I lost weight I was embraced. Yes, I did gain confidence because I felt better about myself, but the cost of it was I hooked into the "image" thing which stayed with me all these years...until now.

Though I touted and believed and encouraged my friends and clients that a healthy life begins with the mind, nutrition and body and followed what I preached, BUT I went overboard with my body image.
Don't get me wrong I am not advocating carrying around excess weight but I want to share with you that the images seen on TV and in the magazines doesn't define being "healthy". You don't have to be a size 4 or 6 and or have bulging muscles to be healthy. Being healthy must and should start with the right mindset...it sets the pace for laying the foundation and building a healthy or healthier life in every other area of your life...not just the body which can be superficial.
I can have the "body/outside" but my heart, soul, mind, personality, character and relationships can be unhealthy. There is a yup...got it...healthy balance that should be in place. Needless to say when I became aware of how warped my thinking was in regards to my own life I was saddened but at the same time liberated.
Is it better to run after the body image or healthy image...I've gotten it right and running with it in all regards thanks to what my partner pointed out...how about you?

The best in a long time

Yesterday I had an amazing workout - the best I've had in over one month and boy it felt amazing. There's something exhilarating about being in an environment that you love and getting a rush from doing what you do, and seeing changes that not only affects your body, but your mental state as well. There's also something to be said about having your mind focused and attitude right...that's another post but today it's about my workout and eating that I wanted to share on.

I warmed up for 10 min on the T. mill ranging between 4.5-8 speed then I took time to stretch, then got back on and did another 20 min of interval between the same speed. It was the first day that I did a full leg work - walking lunges, romaine dead lift and leg extension - it felt really good to just work those muscles that were neglected for so long...I worked my ABs in between my leg work, stretched after then cooled down on the bike for 10 min between speed 3-5.

My nutrition this week so far has been excellent with an equal balance of wholesome carbohydrates, protein and fibrous carbs along with minimal fat and of course huge amounts of H2O.
It's a fact that regardless of our drive, dreams, and determination to reach our finish line, we will encounter set-backs, disappointments, discouragement, and derailment, but if we can see it as only temporary and not the "end all" we can learn from it, regain our focus, remind ourselves of the why and get back in the race.
It Can Be Done!

It Can Be Done

Last night I went to bed thinking about where I am at in my life pertaining to present fitness goal, my state of mind and overall what’s been going on.
In a nutshell my discouragement stemmed from my injury that is still lingering and 3 episodes of chest pains I’ve experienced in the past 10 days. ECG and other tests, x-ray and blood work being done to rule out any heart problems as heart disease runs in my family and my dad passed away from such. With that said I am not worried, just taking extra precaution.

As a result I’ve slacked greatly in the area of my eating habits and my workouts have lacked the push It would be a farce to say that I am reveling in this upset...feeding my hurt by being rebellious with my eating wasn’t helping me stay focus or encouraged.

After doing a bit of reading on “making the cut” I was reminded that I have the tools and the know how to do this…so I am 8 weeks shy out of the April competition and the question looming in my mind is “do I have it in me to get competition ready”? being aware and conscious of the pain while working hard but smart. 8 weeks, 8 weeks!! So what if I get into week 8 and find out that I am not competition ready? At least I would still be much closer than I am right now and it will tell me how much drive I actually have in me to stay focus, work through hurdles to get there. It would be a win win for me regardless.
The motto, my mantra that has embodied my fitness success-from fat loss to a career to how I live my life “It can be done” Has resurfaced within my spirit…the timing is perfect. Added to that the support and encouragement I’ve received from my trainer Judy and JJ has been phenomenal. This past week end was my decision making time and though I was very busy in my down time my mind was on where I was at. I have been in this slum before and know what to go to get out. I realized last night that it is up to me…despite the support and encouragement received at the end of the day it is up to me to go beyond a mental decision, but to act and be smart about it, and oh yes it can be done.

So today I have regained control of the reins, my mind cleared and heart focus on my compelling reasons why and game face on.
This isn't just about a competition it is about my health and achieving my ultimate fitness goal to lean out and maintain a reduce BF.

My Active List:
Write out nutrition and fitness plan for the next 8 weeks
Daily document what I eat, types of exercises executed per body part and weight lifted.
Write out my compelling reasons why and make it visible
Implementing what Judy suggested…
Daily affirm my goals and visualize the changes I am working towards.

I know this has been an extra long post but I want to be as vulnerable as possible..keeping it real and to remind you that at the end of the day it is up to you/me to decide not IF but WHEN you should get back into the game and don't allow set backs to derail all the work and progress made.

What's going on in my world

I can't believe the last time I posted here was Jan 13th - yikes!!! With that said it is time, overdue for an update on what's been going on in my world.
I've been doing my best to kick things into high gear as time draws nearer to my fitness competitions but have been side lined by a shoulder injury 3 weeks ago, then this past Wed morning I injured my lower back, glutes which by Thursday had travelled up my back to affect my right traps.
Why? I think it was a combo of a lack of stretching and not listening to my body when I was doing the lower back extension workout.
Needless to say I have unable to work at both of my jobs since Wed and my training has been on hold. Added to that today I should have been attending my first photo shoot as part of my "fitness workshop" to get ready for my show but was unable to attend. Mentally and physically it would have been a disaster and would have added to my disappointment.
Yes, a bit down but not out of the race by a long shot!
Today I decided to make my way back into the gym and boy do I miss training - hitting the weights, moving my body, working up a sweat not only is good therapy for me but helps to release stress, gets me re-focused and clear my head as I work towards my fitness goals. Today though slow and steady with much caution while lifting lighter I had a very good workout.
I keep promising to post new pictures, but still haven't gotten around to it...I will soon!
So with 10 weeks out to "show time" my goal isn't only to intensify my workouts, going heavy and hard, but train smarter, dig deeper and with the end result for optimal transformation...10 weeks out...it's time to rumble...injury free!!