Motivation Comes in All Shapes and Sizes!

If you are visiting from the Blog Hop, welcome!  I have loved participating in this fun event this month and meeting new blogging friends.  I have learned so much and even though we're only halfway through the month, it has been a wonderful experience!

Do you ever lack motivation?  You just don't really want to go workout for whatever the reason?  Maybe you're just a little too tired.  Maybe you've had a long day and it's just one more thing to do before you get to relax.  Maybe it's too cold, and you just want to stay inside where it's warm.  Or maybe, just maybe you just don't feel like it.

Well, this was me last Saturday.  I DID NOT FEEL LIKE WORKING OUT.  I had no other excuse.  I had gotten a good night's sleep the night before.  My day was pretty tame for a Saturday.  I wasn't overly busy, so I certainly had time to fit it in.  Nope ~ there was no excuse (not that there are too many good ones!)  I just didn't feel like it.  BUT unfortunately (or fortunately depending on the way you look at it) I made a small mistake.  My daughter loves to go up to the studio I work at and get on the treadmill or mess around with the weights and other equipment.  I had promised her that we would do that on Saturday.  I didn't say maybe or we'll see.  I used the words, "I promise".  So you can believe that when lunch time came and went, she was all over me about going to workout.

I had just taken her to Fleet Feet to be fitted for new tennis shoes and she was chomping at the bit ready to try them out.  Being the great mom that I am (NOT!) I tried every excuse in the book.  I told her I was tired and wanted to take a nap.  Of course she said, "Great, we'll go after!"  I told her I needed to get some work done.  She reminded me that I had already finished my work.  I quickly new nothing was going to get me out of it, especially when she said, "But you promised!"

I have been very careful of not ever promising to anything that I didn't come through on.  So, I took a deep breath and said okay.  After thinking it over for a minute or two, I began to smile.  I looked at her and said, "Thanks for being my motivation!  You're getting me to workout even when I'm not really feeling it.  I'm so glad I have you as my daughter!"  Of course, she beamed and I knew at that moment what an impact we both had on each other.  I was there to show her the right way to be healthy and develop healthy habits, and she was there to motivate me and give me that added push to do the right thing too.

 We ended up heading to the studio, and we both got a pretty decent workout.  Once it was over, I was very glad that I went (I usually am) and I felt so much better.

Emily was happy because she was able to try out her new running shoes on the treadmill and "burned more calories than ever before".  I love that she is wanting to do things that I do like running and working out.  It makes me very happy.

So you see, motivation does come in all shapes and sizes, and mine comes in a 5 foot 2, 11-year-old fabulous daughter named Emily.

Meal Prep ~ It Does a Body Good!

About a year ago, I began to have what I call Meal Prep Sundays.  I didn't do it so much for me as I did it in an effort to spend time with my daughter and hopefully get her trying new healthy foods.  What started out as a fun Sunday thing to do with my girl, quickly turned into a weekly ritual we both look forward to.

We start off by making a "menu" of sorts of all the things we want to make.  This usually includes some sort of protein (chicken, venison, pork tenderloin or fish), various veggies (both raw and cooked) and usually a "good" carb or two like sweet potatoes or quinoa.  We usually chop veggies for snacks (carrots, peppers, celery), along with makings for salads too.  Emily writes out our menu and puts our initials by which item we are responsible for.  It's a lot of fun.  We have our music turned up and dance while having fun preparing a healthy week of food.

Just a few of our easy recipes that we put together often.  Please note, we kind of fly by the seat of our pants and don't use recipes.  That being said, we might not have exact measurements.  We mix, taste and add whatever we think is needed.

Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Need:  Cauliflower, 2-3 lemons quartered, 3-4 whole pods of garlic

Get coconut oil hot in the pan and throw in broken pieces of cauliflower and sear it while adding a little salt.  Once its settled, add the whole pods of garlic.  When there is a little color on the cauliflower, squeeze the lemons and throw them in the pan.  Put in the oven for about 10-15 min.

Sauteed Green beans

Need:  Green beans, shallots, minced garlic (we use a ton of garlic so use whatever you like)

Coat hot pan with coconut oil.  Saute shallots and add garlic after it's caramelized.  Once you begin to smell the garlic, add green beans.  Cook for 7-10 min or so until they are the texture you wish.  (we like ours a little al dente)

Moo Moo Chicken (named by my daughter who's nickname is Moo)

Need:  Cut up pieces of chicken tenderloins, liquid aminos (1/4 c), honey (several spoonfuls) and brown sugar to taste, salt, garlic powder.

Mix the liquid aminos with honey using a whisk.  Once the honey is emulsified with the liquid aminos, add salt, garlic powder and a little brown sugar.  We usually taste it to see if it's sweet enough.  While Emily mixes this, I am usually sauteing the chicken pieces.  Once they are fairly cooked through, we add the "Moo Moo sauce".  I usually put a lid on it and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes.  It's fabulously tasty either hot or cold and even on salads.

We cook lots of things, but these three we cook more than anything else.  It's a lot of fun and keeps everyone eating healthy for the week.  It's much easier to stay on task when you have food already prepared.  That way there is no temptation for eating out or grabbing junk food.  I'm hoping this is creating not just a healthy habit for me, but also one for my daughter as she grows up.

Hope you enjoy the recipes!  We sure do!

~Donna

I'M MAD PSYCHED FOR #NOEXCUSES 2015!

Today started the #SweatPink #NoExcuses Challenge and to make things a little more exciting, we're doing a little Monday Madlibs! Woohoo!

Hey 2015, it’s me Queen Fabulous (nickname, spirit animal, real name, blog name). This year I would like to run 15 races in 2015, become certified in TDF HIIT and/or KICK, and concentrate on more clean eating. It would also be super duper awesome if I also did another half marathon this year. It’s not a resolution, though, just a reminder to myself to try and have the best year yet because you're only as young as you feel and running 13.1 miles makes me feel super young.

The thing I am looking forward to most this year is taking my darling daughter on her dream vacation to Clear Water, Florida to see Hope and Winter from the Dolphin Tale movie.

I’ll use the one thing that truly gets me out of bed in the morning which is my Peak Endurance and Amino Energy to help me get up, get the blood a pumping (verb) and get after my #NoExcuses 2015.

Speaking of excuses (ahem), my very favorite excuse is being super tired and I have used it to get out of doing chores and pumping iron on more than a really big number I hate to admit (number) occasions.  I vow to move my body and be more healthy this year even if it means I have to look like a zombie while doing it.

Even if my alarm clock gets eaten by the dog in the middle of the night, I'll still get up on time.
I will stop blaming the 11-year old [ex: kids, dog, husband] for eating the rest of the chocolate when everyone knows it was really me.

My kid [job, hair, car, husband, kids] is not the reason I make excuses. I will show my kid [same as before] who's boss this year and get my pumping iron and running [type of sweaty activity] on.
I know that pumping iron and running [type of workout] is better than laziness [noun].
I will reward myself by looking and feeling even better!

No Excuses 2015 has just begun and already I am imagining myself a winner. I can’t wait to rock a new hot pink tank (article of clothing) from Augusta Active. I can’t wait till my sweaty friends are jealous of how fresh, clean and happy (adj) I am between workouts with help from ShowerPill body wipes. I can see myself rocking a side plank [yoga pose / workout move] in new leggings [article of clothing from Actio926] from Actio926 and looking fit and fly while doing it. And of course, I’ll be taking my workouts to the next level and improving my PR [noun] with my new ActivMotion Bar to help me train for my next half marathon [distance] race with Sasquatch Racing.
Oh, and let’s not forget how amazing my new running pants [article of clothing] will smell in my / during my long runs [favorite type of workout] after washing with some WIN Detergent. And lastly, I’ll keep rocking my 2015 with clean eats and nutrition from Beaming with Health!

I'm tagging my workout buddies Mandy, Christie and Jen in Facebook, Instagram to come join the Madlib fun with me!  Madlibs is always more fun with friends!

New Year...New You! #noexcuses

It's a new year, and I'm no different from most.  It's always good for me to have a little added challenge to give my year a jump start.  I had a blast sweating it up with Sweat Pink over the holiday season, so now I'm taking part in the #NoExcuses Challenge.  

Sweat Pink says "just because the holidays are OVER doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Soooo, let’s keep the the motivation, inspiration, social sharing fun going and going and going."

The cost is only $5 and here's what you get:

• Each Sunday you'll get an email with weekly prompts (workouts, healthy snack ideas and more)
  • They ask that you share your answer or interpretation of those prompts daily via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, your blog, etc using #NoExcuses #SweatPink for a chance to win fun weekly prizes from brands like Augusta Active, ShowerPill, ActivMotion Bar, WIN Detergent, Beaming with Health….etc etc…
  • The workouts will be things like drop down and give us 10 push-ups or burpees or even get out and run (or walk) a mile!
• Each day, we’ll all share what we’re doing and how we’re doing it on our social channels and help each other stay accountable, motivated and on top of our goals.
• Every Friday, they’ll send around an email with winners, prizes and our favorite Tweets, IG posts and blog posts from the week (hello, link love and social sharing!)

Weekly prompts:

• Fridays are ALWAYS #FreeFridays. You can share whatever you want. Yup, that’s right. Anything you want.
• Sundays are ALWAYS #ZendaySunday. Share how you relax, chill out, a yoga pose or even a way you are achieving more balance in 2015.

There’s really only one rule. Share, share, share...but if you are really rule abiding, here are some rule suggestions for you:

1. Share about #SweatPink #NoExcuses as frequently as possible throughout the challenge
2. Share everywhere - Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, your blog, Facebook, etc. The more you share, the more likely you are to win awesome prizes
3. Use the #sweatpink #noexcuses hashtags to get credit. And if you use the other fun hashtags above, that’s awesome too.
4. Any variation means any variation. If you can’t do a push-up, show us what 10 push-ups means to you. We’ll take it as long as you’re MOVING and giving it your best.
5. If you need to swap one day for another, do it...OR here’s a pro tip: say you can’t walk or run a mile one day but you can do it another day, take a photo to represent that activity and save it for the day you want to use it. Nobody will ever know (except for you!). ;)

I signed up and I'd love it if you would join me! You can do it below:

I want to join the #NoExcuses Challenge

#BeTRUtoYou....

On January 1st, I began taking part in the new Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador program #BeTRUtoYou.  The focus is for every girl to be the best she can possibly be.  We each have the ability to impact ourselves, other people and the world in a positive way.  Each week, we are given specific tasks to focus on ourselves and the community.

Week One:  Be the Change You Want to See

This week, we concentrated on looking at ourselves in a more positive way, focusing on our self-esteem and getting rid of self-doubt.  We began saying positive "I AM" affirmations on a daily basis.  In order to do this, we put positive characteristics on post-it notes and placed them in places we frequented throughout the day.  Every time we see them, we say them out loud to affirm to ourselves that we are indeed a special person.

I wrote down five positive things about myself.  I am STRONG!  Everyone goes through struggles, and like everyone else, I have had my fair share.  But God doesn't give you more than you can handle, and I have shown not just myself but others that I am strong and I can push through anything.  I am BRAVE.  As I have gotten older, I have realized that I need to try new things and not be afraid.  Anything is possible.  So I try to look at any new thing that comes my way as something new to accomplish.  I am bold and I can do it.  I am FULL of COMPASSION!  I have a tender heart and I love making people happy.  A lot of people see this as me being a people pleaser, but I see it as me being selfless.  I truly enjoy making others happy and doing random things for them whether they are aware of it or not.  I am BEAUTIFUL INSIDE and OUT!  It's taken me a long time to love myself.  I have learned through the past years that first of all, what's on the inside is most important but also that the outside only radiates that which is within.  That means no matter my size, the number on the scale or anything else, I am beautiful inside and out.  And finally, I am GOOD ENOUGH!  I have learned too over the last few years that all I have to be is me.  I am an original and no one can be a better me than I can.  I don't have to be fake or someone I'm not.  I just have to be me and that's Good Enough!

Weekly Community Service #operationsuitcase #Sheilasdaughter

This week we focused on women who needed help...those women who have to flee to a women's shelter often with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  We are taking part in a mission to help these women have something they can call their own...their own bag, a change of clothes and a few products to make them feel clean and better.  My heart was touched when I was reading this out to my daughter.  She immediately said, "Can I do it too?"  So the two of us packed a bag not just for a women but for the daughter than may come with her.  They both have a change of clothes, their own bag, toiletries to help them feel new again and even an added "feel good item" of shower gel and lotion (not something that's needed necessarily but something to make them feel special).

This week is only the beginning but already I am so excited for the growth in myself and my daughter who watches and participates as well.  I absolutely love all the fitness challenges that come my way, but it's very nice to focus on the inside and making a difference in not just myself, but maybe someone else and even the world around me.

2015.....Making Some Changes! New Year....New Me!

I absolutely cannot believe it's 2015.  Last year flew by, especially since I noticed my last blog was back in June.  Oh my!  The last six months of 2014 were a whirlwind, a roller-coaster ride to say the least.  I've never been huge with New Year's resolutions but this year I decided to make a change.  Not only am I making a few New Year's resolutions but I'm doing both short-term and long-term goals and to top it off, I'm writing them down.  It's statistically shown that those people who write down their goals are more likely to reach them and since let's be real...who doesn't want to reach their goals, right?  So this is my accountability of my goals written down for all to see (even though yes, I am a few days past January 1st.  But here goes....

1. I'm going to blog a minimum of twice a month with a bonus goal of once each week.  This is going to be a toughie but I know I can do it.
2. I have been challenged by a fellow Train Dirty Fitness sister to run 15 races in 2015.  These can be anything from a 5K to a full marathon (which I have not yet dared to do).  It's only January and I have three races scheduled already to I'm already on task for this one.
3. Participating in the 52 week money saving challenge with my daughter.  By the end of the year, I will have saved $1,378 and my daughter will have saved $689.00.
4. Take part in at least one community service activity a month.
5. Workout a minimum of five times a week.
6. Focus more on being positive about myself and loving me for who I am.
7. Participate in the #Sweatpink #noexcuses New Year...New You challenge.

So there you have it...my goals for 2015.  I have many more things I want to accomplish but I think this is a great start!  

Come On...Let's Get Happy

Recently I tried a new site called Happify.  This site creates science based activities and games that can help you lead a more fulfilling life.  I tried it out and indeed it does.   It is scientifically based to train your brain and help you build skills for lasting happiness.  

It has games and activities that can change your outlook and help you in stressful situations.  It's all about learning strategies to help you feel more satisfied and relaxed.  It is geared towards you and your individual goals.  You can work on building self-confidence, getting to know yourself better, building your inner strengths and conquering negative thoughts.  You choose the track you want to take and there are activities for each one to do.  Not only is it fun, but it really does boost your happy thoughts.  There is also a wonderful community of people that you can connect with who can encourage you in your daily quest to be just a little bit happier.  

Happify Daily  My favorite part was Happify Daily that came straight to my inbox that was full of inspiration to start my day.  All in all, this has been a great experience and I highly recommend it.  It's a great way to learn more about yourself and how to become a more positive person.  You can use it anytime or anywhere - on your computer or your phone.  All it takes is a few minutes each day, and you can form life-changing habits to steer you in the right direction of being happier.

So what are you waiting for?  Don't you want to be a happier, more positive person?  Just go to Happify and try it out!

Happy National Running Day!

Today is national running day!  It reminds me of my first 5K in August of 2010.  It was Hot Summer Nights in downtown Columbia, and let me tell you....it was HOT!!!!  But it was so much fun.  I have done that race every year since then with the goal of beating my last year's time, and so far I have met that goal.  It's hard to believe I have been running for almost four years now.  It's gone by so fast.  Throughout that time, my interests have changed as far as exercise.  I'm more into weight lifting and strength training, but I still do love to get our there and pound the pavement.

I have done a lot of thought recently about training for another half marathon.  I really would love to tackle a full marathon one day but will definitely need someone to train with me....any takers?  Well, today since it's National Running Day, I have decided to go ahead and get my training plan together for my next half marathon.  I think I will do the Savannah Rock and Roll again in November because hey - that's my favorite so far and it's a great weekend trip.  So...for now I will sign off and get started on putting together my plan.  But first, I'm headed out the door to get in a few miles because that would just be awful not to do it on National Running Day!

#sharesomethinginspiring Week Two

This has been another fabulous week with the Twitter challenge called #sharesomethinginspiring.  It's been a lot of fun to follow my fellow #sweatpink sisters and see all their inspiring posts.  You can still get involved...just follow the challenges each day and don't forget to use #sharesomethinginspiring and #sweatpink and of course tag @LornaJaneActive and @FitApproach.

So here's my recap of the week....

Share something inspiring about a blogger you inspires you.  Well, for me it's without a doubt Ashley Johns from Fierce Forward for Life.  I have been honored to be a part of her Fierce Forward Nation group and have been recently participating in the Sisterhood of the Fierce Traveling Journals.  She has shown me what it's like to be Fierce, not give up and follow my dreams even if they seem impossible.  I even have one of her fabulous Strength bracelets to remind me that I am strong and there is nothing out of my reach.

Share something about a personal accomplishment.  My biggest accomplishment as many know is to be healthy.  In the past three years, I have lost almost a hundred pounds.  I have never felt better, not just physically but mentally too.  It's amazing how much confidence you gain just by being fit and healthy.  And now, I'm on my way to be a certified personal trainer through NASM and have already started helping people reach their goals in my new personal training job.

Share anything that inspires you.  I found this quote here and it really hit home.  So this was my inspiration for the day.

Share something inspiring to anyone who needs it.    I have a fellow Train Dirty Fitness sister Jenna who has become a sweet friend of mine.  She always seems to encourage me when I need it and I just wanted to post something special for her.  Sometimes as moms in our day to day lives, we forget that we are special and beautiful.  I just wanted to remind her that she is too.


Share something about your family.  I am adopted and found my birth family about 17 years ago.  Just recently my niece was married in Costa Rica and I made the trip with

my brother and sister.  I love that even though we spent half our lives apart, we have a wonderful relationship now.  I am so blessed to have found them.

Share something inspiring that makes you laugh.  One of my favorite funny fitness posts I see are the ones of the little babies and little toddlers doing fitness things.  This one in particular just made me laugh.  It reminds me that part of the reason I want to be fit and healthy is for my daughter, so I can be a role model for her.

Share something about taking a leap of faith.  Through the past few years, I have had to make a lot of hard decisions.  It's difficult not to just press forward and not look back.  I have learned that I only need to focus on the present - not the past and not the future.  Just one day at a time.  But I also need to take that leap of faith.

#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

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!

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.

#PinkWednesday

Since becoming an Ambassador for Train Dirty Fitness, I have been taking part in something called Pink Wednesday.  Crystal from Train Dirty Fitness started Pink Wednesday as something fun that everyone could participate in regardless of age, race, weight, financial status or looks.  It was a way for everyone to feel included and part of the "in crowd".  It is something that I've very much enjoyed and I'm seeing more and more people participate.

Recently, we found out that there was a little girl out there (actually the daughter of my TDF team leader) who had been watching her mom participate in this Pink Wednesday thing and decided to start one of her own at her school.  Each week, she and her friends have been wearing pink each Wednesday for all the girls who don't have a place to belong or fit it.  These kids are taking a stand to show that everyone is #goodenough and Wednesdays they wear pink to prove that everyone belongs.

Below is Reagan's story.  I wanted to honor her on my blog because this little girl proves that ONE person can make a difference...and for her school in Kentucky...SHE was that one person.  

"Back in November, when Mama started doing #pinkwednesday, I did it with her some weeks.  One Friday night, we watched Mean Girls.  I didn't like the way The Plastics treated everyone.  I told Mama that nice girls wear pink too.  The next week, I went to school and told my friends about #pinkwednesday and that we should do it too.

I think #pinkwednesday is a day when girls unite, build friendships, and wear PINK!"  ~Reagan

Sweat Pink Ambassador

Well, it's been a while since I've posted.  With one computer down and working on the other all the time, well time just slips away.  But I do have some exciting news.  I have been accepted to be a Sweat Pink Ambassador.  I'm so very excited.  Being involved with another group of wonderful women who strive to encourage and inspire others is beyond wonderful.  

What is Sweat Pink all about you ask?  Well here is the mission taken straight from Fitapproach.com

OUR MISSION

We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick.

Sweat Pink with us.

Always a Work in Progress...

A work in progress ~ that's what I call myself.  After being on this "fit" journey for three years, it's sometimes hard to see everyday progress.  In the beginning, you drop weight fast and can really see some changes.  The more progress you make, the slower it gets because there is less to lose.  The scale is a funny thing too.  I used to be totally obsessed and weighed myself several times a day.  I would weigh before I went to bed and calculate what I should weigh in the morning.  It was easy to get discouraged because weight can fluctuate for a variety of reasons.  So I started depending on my clothes to tell me what was going on. Sometimes I would lose only a pound or two but still drop a jean size.  Then when I started lifting weights, I even gained a few pounds.  

I was going through some old pictures recently and have decided that the best way to see progress is through pictures.  It was difficult for me to find some at my heaviest because quite frankly I didn't want any pictures taken.  I was able to find a couple and thought I would post them here since this is after all a journal of sorts of me getting healthy.  The first one has the years written below.  The second one is a two year progress (the first picture being March of 2011 and the second one in my TDFA shirt from yesterday).

I look at these pictures and am very surprised.  It makes a huge difference seeing yourself like that.  It's not a mirror where you're critical about everything but almost a WOW! that's really me feeling.  After putting these together, I've decided I will continue doing this every so often so I can see the progress I'm making.  It still blows my mind the changes that have occurred in my body, not only physically but mentally too.  I am so much more confident than really I ever have been and not only do I look better, but I feel better too.

I don't necessarily have a "goal weight" or a "goal size" to be.  As far as I'm concerned, there's always room for improvement in some form or fashion, whether it's to gain more muscle, run faster or longer or be able to lift more weight.  That's not to say I'm not happy where I am.  When I look at that picture of me from yesterday, I am very pleased with where I am.  I almost have to pinch myself because it's hard for me to believe that's really me.  BUT no matter what, I always want to strive to improve myself.  And that is why I will always be a work in progress.  =)

What motivates you????

It's good to always have a goal ~ something to motivate you and push you to keep going and be your best.  For me, that's my trip to Costa Rica in May.  I want to look my best, be in fabulous shape and yes rock that string bikini.  And just a little secret ~ I've already bought that string bikini.  To be honest, I actually felt pretty good about how it looked.  Of course, there is room for improvement (always is) and I mainly got it to try on periodically to be able to see my progress.  I might even get crazy and buy another one.

I am a visual person so I need more than that goal set before me.  I have this dry erase board in my kitchen with my countdown.  Why do I keep it in my kitchen?  Well, that's where nutrition choices are made and as they always say, abs are made in the kitchen.  This keeps me focused on what lies ahead and makes me think twice before making a poor food choice.  So as of today, I have 78 days or roughly 2 1/2 months.  It's right around the corner ~ and so is summer and I'm gonna rock that bikini like nobody's business.

On Wednesdays, we wear PINK!

As a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador, one of the things I participate in is Pink Wednesday.  What is a TDFA you ask?  A Train Dirty Fitness ambassador is someone who helps spread the vision of TDF which means that we should all have a safe place, free of judgement where we can go for support and that we should empower each other instead of breaking each other down.  It's a place where everyone fits in! 

Pink Wednesday was created by Crystal and what it is all about!  She said, “What started as something fun with my TDFBombshell team and myself because 1. we are girls and 2. I love pink..has actually become something much more than I imagined. On Wednesday’s We Wear Pink is a chance for every woman no matter her age, race, weight, jeans size, hair color, financial status –NO MATTER WHAT– to participate. Unfortunately, there are so many women who spend their time bringing others down that it’s easy for us to never feel “good enough”….well let me be the first to welcome you to #PinkWednesday where everyone is welcome and everyone can participate because on Wednesday’s WE wear pink ♥ xoxo, Crystal”

I am very much a pink lover myself and look forward to each Wednesday when I can support the TDF vision by wearing pink!  =)

Challenge yourself!

I admit it.  I CANNOT do a pull-up.  It is physically impossible.  And hey - I'm not gonna lie...even assisted ones are no fun.  Now, I don't hate them as much as I do burpees, but they are definitely a close second.  At the same time, I think of how wonderful it will be when I can actually do one.  I remember that feeling I had when I went from girl push-ups to "real" ones.  I bet doing my first pull-up will be right up there with excitement.

In talking to some friends about pull-ups, I did get some sound advice I thought I would share.  First of all, it's better to do a pull-up unassisted, the reason being is that it is measurable.  Even if you just hang there or go up a little bit, you know next time if you're doing better.  Whereas with assisted pull-ups, you are never really doing a "real" pull-up.  Therefore, you never really know how much you are improving.  Makes sense that you would want a true measure of your improvement.

Another thing I learned that can help strengthen those upper body muscles is something called negatives.  I had never heard of this before, but it's when you use a chair to help you get up to the top and as slowly as you can lower yourself down.  You are getting that upper body workout and strengthening those muscles for the true pull-up.

So what did I do to challenge myself?  I went out and bought a pull-up bar.  The only way to keep getting better is to keep trying and this way I don't have to embarrass myself at the gym, right?  We'll see how it goes, and you better believe I'll be reporting back when I do that first one!

Things I've Learned Along the Way

Throughout my journey, I have talked to a ton of people and learned a great deal of information.  If I could narrow it down to the three most important things, this is what they would be:

1. The scale is not an accurate measure of progress.   I admit, I have a dip of OCD in me (my close friends might say that's an understatement).  So when it comes to the scale, well I have been known to be a bit obsessive.  There were times that I would weigh myself numerous times a day.  My friends, this is not a healthy way to be and can be very damaging to one's confidence.  Just to give you an idea of how inaccurate the scale is ~ in the past year I have only lost about ten pounds and have recently put back on a few when I started weight training.  However, I have gone down two (almost three) jeans sizes.  The way your clothes fit is the best measurement of all.
2. Everyone is different ~ what works for one person may not necessarily work for you.  Over the last few years, I have talked to so many people who told me what they thought was the "best" way to lose weight and/or be healthy.  (Weight Watchers, South Beach, Paleo, No Carbs, Low Carbs, Clean Eating and really I could go on and on).  What I have found is that some of these things worked for me and some didn't.  It all depends on the person and the activity they are doing.  For example, if I'm training for a half marathon, clearly I need carbs or I'll never make it to the finish line.  My advice (and hey - you had to know I was going to give some right?) is to listen to what everyone says and then do what's right for you.  I am constantly tweaking my diet and exercise and finding out how different things affect me.  There is no "one best way" for everyone.
3. You've got to love the exercise you're doing or you won't stick with it.   Let's face it, when it comes to things we don't like, we try and avoid them like the plague.  If you don't like it, then you'll find any excuse not to do it.  But if you find something you truly enjoy, then you'll make every effort to do it.  For me, I LOVE weight training ~ I HATE burpees.  Therefore, you will see me lift weights several times a week.  You will not however see me doing any burpees.

The beginning....

Welcome to day one of my blogging.  Since I've had so many changes in my life, I decided to make one more and start a blog about my fitness journey.  It actually started about three years ago.  I was very overweight and had lots of aches, pains and general health issues.  I had a weekly ritual with one of my BFFs that we called "porching".  Basically, that meant sitting on the back deck drinking wine and eating deliciously unhealthy food.  She had started running a little, and one night she convinced me to do a 5K with her.  I had never done any kind of race before, but it sounded fun and hey you get cool stuff in the swag bags and really fun T-shirts.

So, the adventure started.  I did my first 5K in August of 2010.  We walked - only a slight bit of running and had a finishing time of 41:42.  I had so much fun ~ I was hooked with just one race.  For the next few months, we did at least two, sometimes three races a month.  (I have the biggest collection of race T-shirts).  The more races we did, the less "porching" we did.  I began to make better food choices and exercising a couple times a week.

 After about six months of this, I decided I wanted to try a half marathon.  I don't just take baby steps ~ I take running leaps.  So I signed up with Team in Training and began training for 13.1 miles.  I completed my first half marathon in November of 2011.  I never thought I could have so much fun and be so tired at the same time.  It was an incredible feeling of accomplishment and excitement.

Now, three years later, I have completed four half marathons, have begun a weight training program and weigh 85 pounds less.  It has not been an easy journey, and there have been some bumps along the way.  All in all though, I have enjoyed changing my life and becoming healthier.  I feel better (no more aches and pains) and I look forward to exercising.  My confidence has grown and I have an entirely new outlook on life.  I hope my journey can inspire and motivate others to be the best they can be and not be afraid to take that first step.  I promise it can be a very fun adventure.