Goal Setting

Today I was inspired by Sheila Viers Video blog at livewell360.com – Thanks Sheila!!

This is the time of year when we take a look back over the last few days and realize we may have over indulged a bit. We may have been a little less than diligent with our workouts. We may have had a few too many glasses of wine, etc. Well, I say this is not a time to beat yourself up, but a time to take a deep breath, shake if off and move forward. Move forward by making a plan, and by setting some goals. Nothing makes me feel better or more in control of my life than to have a plan, something to look forward to, especially if I plan little rewards for myself as I reach these goals.

So as Valerie Waters would say, it’s time to “decide” – One simple word with so much power. Take a minute and really think about what it is you want for yourself, and “decide” to make it a reality. Is it to be a healthier you? Is it to be able keep up with your kids? Is it to fit back into a size “X”? If so, why is this important to you? How do you plan on doing it? Is it by eating healthier foods? By watching the size of your servings? By making sure you eat five to six times a day to keep your metabolism stable? Is it by getting some cardio in? By getting some weight training in, and if so, how many times a week are you willing to do each? Honestly, it’s probably going to be a bit of all of the above which may sound a little overwhelming, but it’s not, all it really takes is a little planning. It's about creating a plan that works for you and your life, and who knows better what will or will not work for your life, than you – right? We are just going to break it down into baby steps -

Goal / Action Plan
So first – pick a goal. Try to put some feelings behind it to make it real. For example, “I want to lose weight to be healthy and to be a role model for my children.”

I will do this by preparing healthy meals for myself and my family 5 to 6 times a week.

1. Once a week I will sit down and plan the family meals for the up coming week.
   
2. I will then create my shopping list from the meals I’ve decided on.
   
3. This menu will include 3 meals and 2-3 healthy snacks a day in order to keep my metabolism stable, and keep me from binging on things that are not healthy.
   
4. I will not buy any thing that is not on my list.
   

I will do this by committing to getting in five workouts a week.

1. Monday – 3 to 4 mile walk outside at 7:00 AM after kids get on the bus.
2. Tuesday – appointment with personal trainer at 12 PM on lunch break
3. Wednesday – Tennis with the girls 10:00 AM before Dr’s appt.
4. Thursday – Walk after dinner with Family.
5. Friday - $30 treadmill by Valerie Waters - anytime / anywhere!
6. Etc, etc.

Of course the planning is the easy part. The follow through is the harder part. Life gets busy, things come up, yada, yada, yada ... It's true - things do come up. Sometimes we will miss a workout, sometimes we will eat something that wasn't planned, but the key is to get right back to it! Get back to your workout the very next day, get back to you meal plan the very next meal, and oh by the way, don't beat yourself up for it. We are all human. However, if you find yourself doing this more often than not, then this is where you really need to dig in and make yourself accountable. Make yourself accountable by finding a support system. Maybe it is a few of your friends on the same journey, maybe it's a forum, or maybe it's a health and fitness coach like me. Find what works for you and stick to it.

Remember - one day, one meal at a time; decide and focus on a goal; keep your goals realistic and do-able; put things in perspective - the weight didn't come on it a week, it's not going to come off in a week; and celebrate small victories - any accomplishment that is a step towards your goal, is a step in the right direction!

$30 dollar treadmill workout!!

Take a minute and start you new years resolution today! This is a very simple and effective 30 min cardio / full body workout that can be done in about 8 square feet with one piece of equipment - the Valslide - this little gadget can reshape your whole body and I highly recommend it - If you don't already have a pair you can purchase at the following link. https://valeriewaters.infusionsoft.com/go/vs/leeanne/%3cbr%20/%3e%20%20%20%20
Take a few minutes to warm up, and then get ready to SWEAT:
Squats - 20 reps
Skater Jumps - 20 reps
Valslide Reverse Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Side Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Tricep Push-Up - 10 reps
Valslide Mountain Climber - 20 reps
Valslide Belly Robbers - 20 reps
Valslide Sliding Crunch - 20 reps

Do this circuit 3-4 times, with 1-2 minutes rest in between each circuit

Self Appreciation

So I thought I’d join Sheila Viers from livewell360.com, and Mary Bess and Anne from my RCR Forum on their 25 day count down to Christmas and Self-Appreciation – I got a late start, so I started on day 15.


Day one and two were a breeze. I think most of us can come up with 1 or 2 things we like about ourselves - right? Day three, right in the middle of my pedicure - BAM - I thought, how am I going to come up with 13 more things I appreciate about myself? and Why is it so hard? Is it because we are taught from a young age that speaking highly of ourselves is thought of as being self-centered, selfish, or dare I say it - conceited. I guess if a person went around telling everyone how great they are it may come across that way, but that's not what I am talking about; I’m talking about quietly acknowledging the uniqueness of ourselves, the things that make us special.


So what is Self-Appreciation?

Self is defined as the entire person of an individual while appreciation is defined as a judgment or evaluation; an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude. Self-appreciation is about saying: 'I accept myself exactly as I am.' It is about acknowledging our unique gifts. Self-appreciation is not about putting others down or thinking you better; it is about loving ourselves the way we are and in turn loving others the way they are.


I love that last line, "... it's about loving ourselves the way we are, and in turn, loving others the way they are." - Every single one of us has special gifts that we can share; maybe it’s out thoughtfulness, our kindness, whatever it is, it sets us apart from others. My sister Marilyn has a heart of gold and is a fantastic cook. My brother Scott would give you the shirt off his back, and is one of the best finish carpenters I have ever seen. My baby sister Jenn is fun, adventureous, and light and easy to be around. My husband Mark is thoughtful and compassionate. As a personal trainer he truly care about the women he works with, and I have a sneaking feeling they feel the same way about him. And lastly, my daughter Chrystal - Chyrstal is the best friend a person can have, she is always there for everyone, almost to a fault.

As I was thinking about what I appreciate about others, I was finally able to see what I appreciate about myself. I am kind, I am loving, I am supportive and I am caring. Not a bad start, right. Then I thought about the physical apprecition and remembered a picture that Sheila from livewell360.com had re-posted. I love what this women did. Instead of looking at her body and focusing on the negative,she decided to appreciate her body for what it is.

Can you do this for yourself? I know, it's hard isn't it. For me - my problem area has always been my lower body. I remember "someone", not to be named, commenting that I looked like I had two different peoples bodies, which was probably true. I mean really, I've always had to buy bottoms two sizes larger than my tops, but I have to wonder, why do people feel the need to comment on others imperfections? I mean really, what is wrong with people? The crazy thing is, I had no idea there was anything wrong with my body until someone pointed it out to me. How sad.

So, if the above picture was me, it would be of my whole lower body. My butt would say "cushy seat for me", and my calves and thighs would say, " sturdy". Pretty boring I know, but regardless of their appearance, my legs do get me to where I need to go and I appreciate every single inch of them. Fortunately for me this was something I could change with consistency, a bit of sweat, and a lot of hard work. Now I am a "size chart" size 4 - top, middle and bottom. My butt is down 5 1/2 inches and may not be as cushy, but looks darn good in my size 4 jeans - my thighs are down 3 inches each and are quicker, stronger and have a more athletic look to them, and my calves are down 1 inch each, still sturdy, but definitely leaner - not to mention the cellulite on my thighs is slowing starting to disappear. Woo hoo!!

So take a minute and think about what you appreciate about yourself. Not only physically, but what make you, you on the inside. It's not easy, but it is definitely the first step to appreciating and liking you, and after all, what is more important than that.

The Vision Statement ....

This post was inspired by Valerie Waters latest blog post where she talks about the power of the brain and visulization. She says, "Intentions and visualization are crucial components of a successful training program. After all.. without knowing where you want to go, where do you begin?"

Master Motivator Tony Robbins says, "With our mind we can rationalize anything; we can make anything happen" – most people are convinced that their past equals their future, but according to Tony, "decision is the ultimate power and is what shapes our future." So by deciding to break your unhealthy eating habits, by deciding you want to make exercise a constant in your life, by deciding your health is a priority - whatever it is that you are deciding, if it is changing past behaviors, it is changing or shaping the outcome of your future.

One of the reasons this resonated so strongly with me is that one of the tools I use in coaching is called a vision statement. A vision statement is a type of positive affirmation, and as mentioned above, the subconscious mind has the ability; in anything it accepts as true, to do whatever it takes to turn it into reality. The purpose of a vision statement is to pass positive life messages to the subconscious mind, and to make it believe the messages are true, thus helping make the area you want to change, a reality. The catch is - it must be something that is realistic and achievable to you - you have to believe it is possible….

So I thought I'd share a personal vision statement I wrote for myself. I looked at my health and wellness perspective circle and reviewed each area to determine where I need the most help - the areas of this circle contains diet, hydration, exercises, supplements, self-nurturing, and well being. As I reviewed and rated these areas, I found I rated 4 out of the 6 at an 8 or higher - the rating are from 1-10, 1 being the lowest. The two areas that had the lower ratings were self-nurturing, and well-being. Like a lot of women out there I put myself last, and since I had to look up what well-being actually entailed - I chose that one. So, what is well-being? Through some light research I've gathered that well-being is the acceptance or satisfaction with our present condition, it is a sense of peace or happiness, a feeling of lightness, our mind, heart and soul, allowing ourselves pleasure, to relax, and to have fun, etc. I then asked myself the same 10 coaching questions I would ask a client and came up with the following vision statement.

Take a minute to relax. Close you eyes and take a deep breath in and slowly let it out - again - take a deep breath in and slowly let it out - ok... Enjoy!

As you awake each and every morning you feel relaxed and look forward to a new day. That’s right, each day you feel relaxed, safe and at peace with the world. During the day you stop, take a deep breath and realized this deep sense of peace and happiness has followed you. You now understand that taking care of yourself before others, will help you to live the full and happy life you’ve always wanted . The thought of this gives you the inner strength and energy to push past all that is blocking you from achieving your goals. Life feels joyful to you, your new found energy endless, making it easy for you to accomplish everything you want and need to accomplish.

You now understand that health and wellness are the foundation for your life. You clearly see that being consistent in this area of your life is the key to keeping it in balance. In fact, you have let go of all your fears, and now trust that your family and friends are there to support you, AND you have decided to take full advantage of it. You are overjoyed to see that you have now freed up time for yourself - each and every day – just by trusting the people in your life who love you. You are motivated to eat healthy, get enough sleep and physically change your body. To ensure your success you plan your workout, prepare a weekly shopping list and your meals and snacks daily. You plan time for yourself; you plan time for your husband and time with your children.

You feel a deep sense of satisfaction with you life. Each day you allow yourself to relax, to have fun, to laugh, to love, to experience all the joy life has to give. By taking time for yourself, your life has become light and easy. There is no more stress and no more fear of failure, because you take the time each and everyday to plan for success. You have full control over your life and are making YOU a priority. Anything you need to accomplish will be accomplished – any dream you have, will become reality – any goals you set, will be achieved. You are healthy, physically and emotional strong – you are un-stoppable!

Now open your eyes. Notice how strong, successful and confident you feel –and allow this energy to remain with you through your day.