Tag Archives: fitness goals

8 Reasons Why You Should Just Do It!

Posted on November 17, 2011 | 2 Comments

You hear it alot….find your “why”   Find your passion, your reason for doing things.

I see so many people who start strong on the road to their improved health and fitness journey and then fizzle out.

Why bother exercising?? 

The first answer of course you will say, is for your health.  Newsflash; Sitting on a bike while surfing Facebook is not really exercise. Neither is walking at a snail’s pace on a treadmill.  It is ok but you know you can do better. So why do you do it? Why not give it your all and be effective?

We all have our own reasons for sweating it out.  I never want to be 225lbs again–NEVER.  Some people do it to lose weight, some do it to fit into their Christmas party dress, some do it because they have had a medical scare and decide to take control (diabetes, high blood pressure).  These are great whys.

Everyone can come up with reasons on why to be fit and just as many excuses on why they can’t.

Here is what I don’t get.  I see so many of you that work so hard at boot camp and then blow it with crappy food.  You sweat your guts out with me and then tell me you had wings, beer, cake, etc.  WHY??

  • Why are you sabotaging yourself?
  • Why don’t you want to see the results?
  • Why are you letting junk food win?
  • Why do you want to look bad?
  • Why do you want to feel lousy?

Many of you will be saying “I know, I have to pull it together”
If you want to see the results and changes in your body you have to do the work, all of the work.  Just showing up doesn’t do it.

You know you need to eat 5x a day.  You know that you must have healthy snacks.  You know that you NEED to drink water.  So why aren’t you?

Boring, lazy, busy, forgot, my back hurts, I don’t like to get sweaty.  The list of excuses can go on and on.

Be a finisher.  Not a ‘half-asser’ (Sorry, not a word but I’m trying to stress a point and maybe my creative word use might get you fired up!)

So why do this?  All of this proper eating and exercise. We all have our own “why’s” but here are a few you might not have thought about:
Do it for the stares.  Yes, we all like to be noticed (in a good way).

  1. Do it for the compliments.  It is nice to be acknowledged for hard, noticeable achievements.
  2. Do it for the shape and definition in your muscles (hello tank tops!)
  3. Do it for the ability to fit into the clothes you want
  4. Do it for the swimsuit.  We all want to be able to rock the swimsuit
  5. Do it so you can be off the gaining weight / losing weight roller coaster!!
  6. Do it so you can be proud of your effort and how you look.
  7. Do it for your health
  8. Do it for your family

Nike has made billions off of the saying “Just do it”.  It really is that simple; Just do it….already

Find you WHY.  Set your goal, focus on it and don’t do anything that isn’t in line with your goal.

Here are some healthy snacks to incorporate into your day:

- hard boiled egg with cubed cantaloupe
- snow peas or sugar snap peas with humus
- greek yogurt with blueberries
- turkey pepperettes with an apple
- lettuce leaf with avocado and chicken or turkey-roll it up

Bonus snack!!
- greek yogurt, pb or almond butter and boot camp chocolate protein

Have a great day…Why? Because you deserve it.

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Determination, Dedication, Desire and Disney

Posted on October 11, 2011 | 7 Comments

Last week I got to experience the thrill of going to Florida to enjoy one of my passions…running.  Yes, I know, running for some people is a four letter word, but to me it’s relaxing, mind clearing and great for your body in so many ways.

Sure, Florida seems like a long way to go for a run, but this wasn’t your normal running adventure.  I went to Walt Disney World to take part in the runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon!  That’s right, 13.1 miles or 21 kilometres of pure fun and excitement!

Sounds kind of funny to describe running the equivalent of the length of Manhattan Island as fun and exciting, but we are talking the magic of Disney and the experience of runDisney.

This is not the first time I have ventured to WDW to take part in a runDisney event and I can say each time has been better than the one before.  Even with a rough start to this weekend, I had a great time!

Did I mention I dropped  vacuum on my foot a few days before leaving? Yup, two broken toes and I was planning in running a half marathon.  I went to see my Chiropractor for a little TLC who suggested that my plantar fasciitis was really bad and I shouldn’t be running around the block, let alone around WDW.

Friday afternoon I went to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for the fan expo and to register.  The set-up is great.  Product demo’s, training, seminars and experts at every turn to help everyone from the novice to the advanced runners, the weekend warriors to the hard-core roadrunners.

As I was leaving the expo, I started to feel a little queasy…which was quickly replaced by really queasy followed full blown, from the toes puking!  Yay, only 12 hours to go and I was worshiping at the porcelain altar.

By 7pm on Saturday night, I was on my way back to ESPN to line up for the 10pm start.  A little weaker, a little lighter, a little sore and a lot excited!

You see, there really is a magic feeling I get when I run.  It’s hard to explain, but I think back to when I was well over 200 pounds and I couldn’t run more than a few feet.  I couldn’t have dreamed of being able to run half a marathon.  I was a prisoner to my weight and my lack of health and fitness.  It seems like a lifetime ago but a day doesn’t go by when I don’t relish the joy and freedom that I have not being tied down by obesity.

So you can understand that not much would stop me from running…not broken toes, sore feet or food poisoning.

And Disney and runDisney put on a great show.  When you think you are a little tired, you see the Tree of Life.  When you’re legs are heavy, you see the Tower of Terror where gravity seems to disappear for a little while.  When your lungs are burning, you see the place where the magic of Fantasmic takes place.  Every step, there are voluntEARS clapping and shouting support and along the route your favourite Disney Characters are cheering you on.  Minnie, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Donald and of course Mickey!

The finish line was just outside Epcot and the cooling off walkway was into the park where I saw the best characters waiting for me…the 3 Bs and big Daddy!

How could I run with the triple play of toes, feet and vomit?  Determination, desire, dedication and Disney.

  • Determination to achieve a goal
  • Desire to finish what I started
  • Dedication to a lifestyle of health and fitness

Disney…there really is magic there.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give big congrats to some very special people:

To my fellow boot campers, Janice and Nikki and to my fellow WDW Moms Panelist, Mo. Congratulations for doing what you put your minds to.  I’m so proud of you!!

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Yesterday you said tomorrow.

Posted on September 21, 2011 | 4 Comments

I hear that A LOT.
I receive emails regularly to the effect of…

“Carrie, I am going to get started tomorrow”

“Carrie, missed you and boot camp last night, will be back next week”

I have heard them all (many times) and of course if you have been away or fallen off the wagon I want to help and I will be there for you and for your sake I always want you back

BUT….

you need to put up or shut up.

Talking will not get you into your skinny jeans.

Talking yourself out of not working out is the issue you need to deal with.  I am always here to help, but you have to and need to have a goal.  If you have your goal, then you need to focus on it.  If you can’t focus on it and your goal doesn’t drive you to winning, then you’ve set the wrong goal.

Motivation is what gets you going, habit is what keeps you going.

I really have been where you are. I have fallen off that wagon a few times…and pulling myself up was friggin tough…BUT SO WORTH IT!!

When I finally figured out I was worth it and food will never make me feel better, I had my “a-ha moment”.

You are not a dog – so don’t reward yourself with food! Remember that one!!

You might not be where you want to be (in terms of your health/fitness) but you are closer than you were yesterday–that is if you show up to boot camp.

You’ve heard me say it at boot camp many times…when you are feeling out of sorts or teetering of the edge….“You dig deep!”

This is what I know for a fact:
You don’t get the body you want by hoping for it;
You don’t get the body you want by wishing for it;
You don’t get the body you want by taking it easy and not pushing yourself;
You don’t get the body you want by making excuses.

You get the body you want by getting off your butt and working for it.

Losing weight is hard–I know…been there; done that,  so start listening to me!
Maintaining weight can be hard (again, refer to above).
Staying fat is hard (again refer to above).

You choose the hard you want.

  • Hard to stay healthy
  • Hard to stay fit
  • Hard to feel younger
  • Hard to look better.

or…

  • Hard to breath
  • Hard to walk
  • Hard to find clothes
  • Hard to play with your children
I know you can get fit….but will you?

Gimme me a “oh hell yeah”

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Will You…cuz I know I WILL !!

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 2 Comments
It’s Tuesday September 6, 2011.  Depending on how you receive your information, you are reading this as you are trying to get your kids to wake up, or the peace of morning is setting in because…The kids are going back to school!!!!!
I know there are a lot of cheers from parents out there.  We love them.  We would do anything for them.  We will put their needs before ours forever, but praise be to the great Lord above that they are back at school!!!
So back to school.  Back to their routines, back to your routine.  Back to getting organized AND time to get your butt back in shape!!
Answer this question. “Are you getting all you could from you gym membership” How many months have you paid for and not gone?  How many times have you said to yourself, “I’ll go next week.”

What has the gym done for u lately?  Group support?  Professional help?  Meal plans?  Nutrition advice?  NOPE?  Well I’m sure if you agree to pay more money for each of those, you’ll be able to get all of those for each additional fee you pay!
Hmmm….Boot Camp gives you all of that at one low price so come on out.  Back to school is back to the basics for our children.  Now it’s time for you to get back to the basics for your health!
At the beginning of the summer I asked you not to let summer get in the way of your fitness, your health, your goals or your size.  Did it?  Well, let’s get back on track.  We’ll do it together, because together we achieve more.
So, who’s going to protect your house if you’re all out of shape and not healthy?
Will you make the choice that you will?

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I Dare You!!

Posted on August 30, 2011 | 7 Comments

Sadly, we are into the last official week of summer.  It is getting darker earlier, the temperatures are starting to come down and the bbq’s and vacations are coming to an end for this season.

So how has summer treated you?  Or more to the point…how have you treated yourself?  It is time to shake off those summer pounds.  You know, the camping food, the adult beverages, the desserts, treat and indulgences?  Did I mention the adult beverages *ahem* *cough*

The Dare!! Are you up for it??  Read on (am I up for it)

I make sure that I ask every one of you to get out of your comfort zone.  So, to make sure that I walk the walk and talk the talk, I am offering to get out of my comfort zone.  I figure this is a great way to help you get out of your comfort zone!

So, here it is, your turn.  Dare me!!  Post a dare on the blog that you want me to try!  Sorry, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Words of wisdom from Master Yoda (my son is on a Star Wars kick right now).

Now simmer down, by a dare I mean nothing illegal and make it reasonable. I don’t think I could be ready for the Iron Man in  Hawaii next week…but I would go!!  And no you can’t dare me to eat a Big Mac, Whopper or anything else that I wouldn’t feed my dog. When I say dare, I mean something health and fitness oriented.

Now, if I can do this, you can do it.  So let’s do this together.  Whatch ya got for me? Ever thought, “I wonder if Carrie would……..”

This is about breaking free from any mental ties that are holding you back.  I want you to do this with me.  Who’s in?  Who’s in it to win it?

Recipe Alert:

Super Salsa-from our own Boot Camper Ronda

  • 10 Hothouse tomatoes (diced)
  • 4 Roma tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 Medium onion minced
  • 5-6 Garlic cloves (minced) (I use full bulb)
  • ½  Green pepper minced
  • 4 Jalapeno Peppers (seeds & all)
  • ½ tsp cumin (optional)  and oregano
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • Olive oil (1-2 Tbsp or so)
  • Bit of Balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
  • Fresh parsley & basil leaves, minced
  • Coarse salt

Mince everything.  Put in bowl, in fridge, covered.  Good to make day before to marry flavours—SUPER FRESH & DELISH!!

A new salad option!!!  Kale Salad 

We can’t deny Kale’s health properties.  This will add some variety to your meals.

  • 1 large bunch of kale, shredded as small as possible
  • 1/3 cup of chopped dried fruits (optional) (avoid sugared)
  • 6 to 8 baby carrots-shredded
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil-1 tablespoon walnut oil
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or walnuts
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Place the kale in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and set aside for an hour. Remove kale and, by hand, press off extra lemon juice. Transfer the kale to a serving bowl and add the shredded carrots. In a small bowl, mix the apple cider and oils. Add the garlic and season to taste. Add the dressing to the kale and mix well. Divide among two plates. Top with the dried fruits, pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

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Be Stronger Than Your Excuses

Posted on August 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

Stop blaming genetics, post pregnancy, your job, your family (aka kids schedule).
If you actually want to change your body, you need to suck it up.
Drop the donut and show up to workout!
If you don’t want to put the effort in, you lose the right to complain about where you are in relation to what you think about how you look and feel.

There are busier people than you that still manage to show up and workout.

It’s not how good you are, it’s about how good you want to be….

If getting fit & healthy is important to you, you will find a way, if not, you will find an excuse…..sound familiar?

This is not a question of CAN you reach your goals, but WILL you??

Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself;

  • Is this the body I want
  • Do I look as good as I can
  • What is stopping you from looking and feeling the way you want
  • Am I doing what it takes
  • What excuse is keeping me from reaching my goals

Many times when we ask ourselves the tough questions we can find the honest answers.  Once you have the answers inside yourself, do what it takes to make your goals a reality!

Be stronger than your excuses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a choice: You can throw in the towel or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face!!!!

*Image via Pinterest (here)

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Failure is not an option!

Posted on July 27, 2011 | 5 Comments

“Failure is not an option.” – U.S. Navy Seals      (I have the shirt)

What if you lived by those words?  Could you live by those words?

What if you took that kind of oath to live by? “Failure is not an option!”

How would your life be different?

What standard would you set for yourself?

What would you commit to doing if you knew that failure was not an option on any level?

Here is one of the greatest secrets of all…

You must expect more from yourself than anyone else could ever expect of you. The higher your personal standards the greater your life will become.

Don’t ever settle for a life of mediocrity.  Don’t ever do something, “just good enough.”  Don’t ever be satisfied with just being average.

What would you say to your children if they came through the front door and shouted, “Mom , Dad…I’ve decided that I’m happy just getting by and being average.  I feel good just the way I am.”

Maybe it’s the Tiger Mom in me, but I would be saying, ”Oh no you’re not.  You’re going to work your butt off and do the best the can and don’t ever settle for less than that.”

I’m sure many people would have a similar reaction.  But many of those same people will also accept that kind of mentality for their own situations.

Take 100% responsibility for your success. Never accept just getting by for yourself.  Never accept average for yourself.  Never choose to settle when you can succeed with all your desires and goals.

Did you know that women who exercise regularly have a 20% less chance of developing breast cancer, a 30% less chance of suffering from heart disease, and a whopping 50% less chance of developing diabetes.

Men, this one is for you…50 percent of male deaths are due to chronic disease caused by a lack of physical exercise?

If you ask me, those are some compelling reasons to be more active, be more committed and a little more demanding of yourself.

So, tell me what you would do differently to achieve your goals?  What are the reasons (aka excuses) that keep you from giving it your all? Let me know.

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You are where you are because of the choices you have made.

Posted on June 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

Are you the person you want to be? Are you in the body you want or deserve? Are you happy? Or, have you lost yourself?

I get messages, tweets or in person conversations with people and when they say “I’m am trying to get back to the person I once was”.  Even though that breaks my heart, my response isn’t very often sympathetic.

You are where you are because of the choices you have made.  

Yes, there are always situations that come up which may be out of your control and you roll with them.

But, if you let those situations take total control of your life…who is to blame?

Often we women lose ourselves and take on titles/identities and let them define us….mom, wife, employee, home maker. The worst part of those titles is often the expectation or image that you have set to those titles.

I hear this a lot:

“It’s ok that I am carrying an extra 20lbs, I’m a mom and I’m busy and I am not fit/sexy/vibrant anymore, because I’m a mom now”.  Just to set the record straight; that is total crap.  It’s an excuse!

You are where you are because of the choices you make.

I applaud you for wanting your child to be exposed to every extra curricular activity.  To let them experience everything they can, but are you sacrificing yourself and your family’s health by eating pizza on the way to practice or using the drive through window as the place you gather as a family for a meal?

Do you think that your kids will be grateful that you are suffering health issues because you neglected your health so you could be at every practice?

Think your kids will be happy that you can’t go bike riding or rollerblading because your knees cant take the pressure or you get too winded.  That’s a reality.  What are you missing out on?  Think sitting in an arena, or in the bleachers night after night wishing you were 20lbs lighter is going to get you what you want?  Guess what; you can’t wish away the pounds…. and if that infomercial ever surfaces, you’ve been warned.

Your health needs to be a priority. Read that again.

I spoke with a client today and had shown her some exercises that we would do and her response was “I can’t do that, I am an over weight, middle-aged mom” WHAT??????

News flash….over-weight middle aged moms can kick some serious ass (sorry for cussing-trying to drive the point home) If you have a goal and you want change-you can do anything!  In shape middle-aged moms can do even more!!

We have so many moms that come to boot camp and they are killing it.  They give it their all and THE RESULTS SHOW!

What are you missing out on in life because of your weight or self perceived image? I can guarantee that your kids want you to play with them and they want you to be there when they are older.  They won’t look back and say wish you sat at every practice.  But think of the message you send to them when they look over at you and you are exercising, giving it your all and teaching them through actions that hard work pays off and commitment to yourself is so important!

If you start investing some time in yourself you will be investing time into your family and into your longevity.

I want you all to live a long and healthy life.  Don’t you want the same for yourself? You just can’t wish it to happen; you have to make it happen. Stop making excuses. Make changes instead, make progress for life.

Make some changes…eat healthy and get moving.

What ever happened yesterday is over. Today is all yours….own it!

Power quote:

“The future has several names.  For the weak, it is impossible.  For the fainthearted, it is unknown.  For the thoughtful and valiant, it is ideal.” – Victor Hugo

 

 

 

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Give it your all!!

Posted on June 13, 2011 | 2 Comments

Picture this: You are sitting on an airplane at the start of the runway.  The captain comes over the speakers and welcomes you to the flight.  He then says the plane needs to be travelling at 150 mile per hour to take off.  But don’t worry, the plane is capable of pulling off 300 miles per hour.

"Lets see how slow we can go to take off"

You hear the engines power up and then the captain says, “I don’t really feel like using all the power so we’re just going to get it up to about 155 and see what happens!”

I don’t know about you but I’d be thinking, “Oh no you’re not! You’re going to make this steel tube go as fast as possible and make sure we get the desired result…liftoff!!”

We would never accept that kind of attitude from an airplane pilot, so why would you accept it from yourself?

How many times have you decided to turn your work outs into a session of just putting in the time and giving it only half the effort?  Have you ever said, “I want to lose 20 pounds.” and then at about 8 pounds decided that you feel ok, you’ve given it all you can.

Shame on you!!

Why would you just show up and hope for the best.  Nothing worthwhile ever comes from just showing up.  You have to put in the effort.  You have to give it everything you can.  There is no quitting!  There is no backing off when you haven’t finished the journey.

Where you are in life is 100 percent because of the choices you’ve made, the effort you’ve put in and the results you’ve decided on.  You get out what you put in.

Starting your work out with the best of intentions is just showing up.  Setting your goals and sticking to them until your mission is accomplished is completing the task.

If you can do 20 squats, why would you stop at 6 and say to yourself, “That’s pretty good for today.”  Why would you get yourself into a push up position and only go halfway with the effort….nose to the ground and all the way back up is the only way!!

You want to go for a run, then run…don’t make it a social event and only give it half the effort that you can.

Give it your all in everything you do!!

When you think you can’t go any further, dig deep.  Find the strength to do one more push up, 2 more squats or 3 more miles.  The road to success is paved with good intentions.  It’s the good intentions of others that you need to pave your way to your own success.  Don’t let your good intentions be the footing for someone else.

When you line up for your take off, give it all you’ve got.  Full throttle and don’t let up until you reach your destination.  Why take a year to get where you want to go when you can do it in a third of that time?

This is how you get where you want to go!

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IALAC Disease – I have it, you should too!

Posted on May 24, 2011 | 11 Comments

My Grade 3 teacher Mrs. Bailey taught us this acronym.

She had it plastered all over our classroom and she would remind us of it daily. We would repeat it every morning after the national anthem and the Lord’s prayer.

IALAC:

I AM LOVEABLE AND CAPABLE

Early on Mrs. Bailey instilled in us that we are worthy and anything is possible.  We can achieve anything that we want.

Over the years, I have never forgotten Mrs. Bailey or what IALAC stands for.  I think I went through a period when this life lesson wasn’t as important to keep it in the forefront of my mind.

When I started to gain weight as a kid and got heavier as a teen, I didn’t place the importance of IALAC. I didn’t feel that I was loveable and capable of anything. The extra weight put me in a place where I thought there was no way out.

It wasn’t until I made the changes needed in my life to get healthy that IALAC became my first thought of the day again.  Once I reminded myself daily of Mrs. Bailey’s simple lesson, positive changes occurred.

When I see and talk to people daily that go on and on about the decadent foods they eat and drink and wear those as a badge of honour, it actually makes me mad. When people joke that they will never be fit and healthy again and resign themselves to a life of mediocrity, it makes me mad.  When people, especially Mom’s just give up and settle for carrying that baby weight 10 years after the fact, that makes me mad.

Being healthy is a choice.

If you choose to eat Mac n’ Cheese with a milkshake chaser then you are choosing that your health is not important.  You are choosing to be unhappy when you put pants on that don’t fit. You are saying loud and clear that you are not worthy of a long, happy and healthy life.

IALAC people…IALAC!

What the heck has happened that food, (bad food) has taken over society and that people think that if they pass on the greasy fries that it is the end of their world??

When did we stop loving ourselves? When and why are you giving food the power over your life? What has happened that people have become so lazy that they are not capable of getting up and going for a walk?  Why is to that reality TV is more important than reality health?

The take away message is you are loveable and capable.  You deserve love, and no love is more important that the love for yourself.  You need to love yourself by being healthy and living a long life.  You are more than capable of making choices that will benefit your life not shorten it. You are capable of scheduling 30 minutes at minimum of exercise into your day.

I have to add this in because it is one of my biggest pet peeves; parents, you are doing nothing for your children by neglecting yourself.  If you ignore your health/fitness and excuse your way around eating healthy and exercising because you are over scheduled by taking your kids to practices, etc; you will not live long enough to see your kids grow up.

You will burden your kids by them having to take care of you because you are not capable of taking care of yourself.  Ignoring your health/fitness is not being a role model.  There is no honour in being martyr by saying you have no time for yourself because of your kids activities.  Kids learn what they live and you are teaching them that they are not loveable or capable— IALAC —- I will keep pushing this Grade 3 message until you all get it!!

Do whatever  it is you have to do to make a change starting today.

Sticky note IALAC to your fridge, your computer, your desk, wherever you need a reminder.

Special shout out to Mrs Bailey, wherever you are. Thanks for being a teacher who cared enough to make a difference. Thanks for helping me develop into a better/smarter adult. Thanks for teaching and not just showing up to collect a pay check!

Remember IALAC everyone… I AM LOVEABLE AND CAPABLE

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