Monday, May 26, 2014

#sharesomethinginspiring

 So this week, I have done something new.  I have joined the #ShareSomethingInspiring Twitter Challenge with other Sweat Pink Ambassadors that FitApproach and Lorna Jane have put together. Two ladies will win a $500 Lorna Jane gift card.  Pretty cool, huh?  There are challenges each day and it's pretty fun so far.  You can still join and get a chance to win and have a little fun along the way.  Check out the challenge each day and just hashtag #sharesomethinginspiring and #sweatpink and be sure to tag @LornaJaneActive and @FitApproach.

This has been especially fun for me because there are so many people who have inspired me along my "get healthy" journey.  Here's a little recap of my week.

One of the people who motivates me the most is Crystal with Train Dirty Fitness.  Not only is she fit and fun, but she has the biggest heart ever and goes out of her way to make everyone feel beautiful.  I have followed her for years and just in the past few months gotten to know her on a more personal level and I'm honored to be an ambassador for Train Dirty Fitness.  As I have learned her story and seen her accomplishments, it has motivated and inspired me to reach for that goal of becoming a personal trainer and encouraging other women to be the best they can be and show them that nothing is impossible.


Someone who is near and dear to my heart and one of my biggest inspirations is Mandy, one of my very best friends in the whole world.  She is that person who not just talks the talk but walks the walk.  She doesn't just say what's right, she does it.  I can look to her not just for motivation but as a true example of what you should strive to be.  Mandy loves me unconditionally and has believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and ultimately shown me what it is to be a true friend.  She has helped me realize my dream of helping others and encouraged me to share my story to hopefully be able to inspire others as well.

 And finally the person in my life who makes me smile more than anything else is my darling daughter Emily.  She has a heart of gold and would do anything just to help someone else or show them that she loves them.  I watch her every day and see that she is learning what it means to be humble and do for others as you would have them do for you.  She has the biggest smile and a laugh that is contagious.  Most of all, I just absolutely LOVE being with her just because we have a blast.  My favorite day is Mommy - Emily day.  Not a day goes by that she doesn't make me smile.

This past week has made me stop and think of those things that are most important to me and those people who have touched my life in so many ways.  This #sharesomethinginspiring challenge goes on for a month.  I can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring.  Until then....Donna

Monday, May 5, 2014

It's official....I'm getting certified as a Personal Trainer

A few years ago when I first started losing weight and began to see the small changes in my body and how I felt, I asked a friend of mine who was a personal trainer to help me out.  I began meeting with her twice a week doing HIIT workouts to burn fat and calories.  I continued my running on the other days and occasionally went to the gym to work on the machines.  It was then that I first thought how incredibly cool it would be to be a personal trainer.  Of course at the time, I was still overweight and not in the best of shape and thought this was only a dream.  There was no way that I could ever do that.

Move forward to last year....I had dropped about 80 pounds and several sizes in clothes and began once again working with a personal trainer at my gym.  This time I concentrated on weight lifting and strength training.  I was amazed at the results.  I quickly began to drop inches and see definition in my body.  Again, I thought about becoming a personal trainer.  It was still a bit of a dream that was just out of my reach.

Fast forward to the past three months....I have gotten involved with Train Dirty Fitness created by one of the most amazing women I know...Crystal Honeycutt.  She has inspired me and encouraged me in continuing with my dream of becoming a personal trainer.  Last week, I joined her Bombshell program which is a 36 week program that basically walks you through starting your own brand and becoming a personal trainer.  I have an incredible mentor who has already gone above and beyond to help me every way possible, and I'm already having a blast going through the program.  Today, I registered with NASM to start on my certification.  I am super excited...seriously bouncing off the walls.  In six months and possibly even three, this girl will be a certified personal trainer.  Woohoo!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

I'm Fit Possible Ambassador

Since being on this journey of fitness over the past few years, I have developed a passion for sharing my story and inspiring and motivating others.  I would love it if just one person said, "because of you, I didn't give up".  I have grown a great deal in my personal life and my confidence and feelings about myself have changed dramatically.  I have learned to love myself for who I am and I am hoping that by just being me, I can encourage others to be happy with who they are and realize that no we are not all the same and that's okay, for we are all beautiful.

I am so excited to share that I have recently been selected to be an I'm Fit Possible Ambassador.  By being a part of such an amazing community, I can continue to share my story/life an inspire others.  The greatest part is that this group is a little sassy ~ which I absolutely LOVE because hey - anyone who knows me, knows I have a lot of sass.

I love that this community believes that :
Together is BETTER
Being SOCIAL is way cool.
Real stories by real people MATTER
Opinions COUNT
YOU define what's healthy for you.