This month I set a goal to do 20 blog posts in 28 days. Easy enough right?
Oh, AND I was also going to successfully run 3 challenge groups, a push group for my coaches, workout 6 days a week, play everyday, read two books, get another client for my 6 month health coaching program, keep up with my studies, reach my minimum goals in my Beachbody business, AND not drive my boyfriend crazy <<that’s an ongoing one!

Hmm… looks like I found myself at the “Life Buffet” and loaded up my plate a bit more than my heart, mind and soul could handle it, no doggy bags allowed either, I had to leave something on the plate, I was FULL.

I was so frustrated with myself in the beginning because I KNEW I had to let something go. In my eyes I failed. I said I was going to do something and I didn’t. Uggg.. I HATE that!

Here is what I had to ask myself

1. Is your goal S.M.A.R.T?  (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely)
2. Did you try your hardest?
3. How important is it to you to complete this goal?
4. What needs to “give?”

Breaking it down

1. Looking back on my goal to have 20 blog posts in 28 days wasn’t exactly “SMART”. Realistically I barely eek out 20 posts in 6 months – much less ONE.

I needed to RE-EVALUATE the terms of my goal and make it fit MY life. I quickly accepted the fact that I was NOT going to post 20 posts in 28 days and “settled” for posting at least one time a week – that is something I can actually continue doing.

2. Did I try my hardest. Honestly, no. For this particular goal I didn’t. So I have no one to blame but myself. The truth is, if I REALLY wanted to do this I would have.

3. Clearly 20 posts in 28 days wasn’t as important to me as other goals I had. If it was I would have achieved it or at least answered #2 with a definite YES.

4. In order for me to accomplish this specific goal something would have needed to give to make space for it. Instead I left this particular one on the plate and I had to be ok with that. I had to recognize that I didn’t actually fail, I just didn’t make enough space for my goal to be achieved getting started.

One final tip, when making goals make sure they are something YOU can control.
You don’t always get to control how much the scale moves, but you DO get to control how much YOU move, you get to control what you put in your mouth. So focus on the things you can control. That way, even if you don’t get to the number on the scale you will know in your heart of hearts you

1. Set a goal that was SMART
2. That you gave your absolute BEST
3. That you knew WHY this goal was so important to you, maybe it wasn’t as important as you thought it was. What you chose to do each day shows you what is the most important to you.
4. You created SPACE to achieve the goal.
And of course, if at first you don’t succeed, keep going until you do! You CAN achieve anything you set your mind to!

Are you really good at stressing yourself out over things that haven’t happened?

What about worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, and might not even happen?

I have been practicing a little trick that I have found helpful to help me work through times where I get into a cycle of worry, fear and doubt.

Here’s an example. I worry about money. I stress out about not having “enough”. I stress and play the  “what if ” game over and over . I was asked a GREAT question the other day that practically made me laugh in the face of my fears and worries.

I was all stressed out and freaked out about money and the question arose

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

In a heartbeat a flash of a bridge came into my mind. I was fully honest with myself when I saw the image of me living under a bridge and stated that out loud. The WORST that would happen is that I would end up living under a bridge and as I said this I knew in my heart of hearts that I am NOT going to EVER live under a bridge.

I was able to take this fear of mine and say:

“I see you fear, but here’s the thing, that’s not going to happen to me. Realistically I am stronger, smarter and able enough to not let that happen. And worst case scenario, IF that were to happen I am going to pick the most awesome bridge there is – maybe a nice one over a beautiful river in the country where I have plenty of fresh water and not a lot of traffic noise and be really close to a nice meadow full of flowers.”

Acknowledging what is the WORST that can happen and then realizing that actually isn’t going to happen allowed me to let go of that fear and RELAX, so that I can get on living.

So “What’s the WORST that can happen?” I bet you have a solution for it – you are strong, capable and smart enough to figure out how to manage.

Do you see problems as problems or opportunities?

I saw a heard a great quote the other day – “What you GET is what you SEE”.

We have this freedom, this choice EVERY day in our lives to adjust our attitude, to adjust the way we respond to the things that happen in our lives.

We can look at things as road blocks or look at them as detours.

We can look at things that will break us down or things that will make us stronger.

We can look at things as hard and a boring chore or we can look at things that will challenge us and allow us to grow.

The choice isn’t about is the glass half full or half empty – the truth is the glass is always full – ½ full of liquid, ½ full of air.

The problem really isn’t the problem, it’s your perception of the problem. Change your perception and you change everything.

1. Laugh – even if nothing is funny – just laugh
2. Ask a friend to “tell you something good that happened today”
3. Vitamin D – get out in the sun for 10 minutes
4. Pet a dog or cat (do I have to say a “friendly” dog or cat – or is that pretty obvious?)
5. Have a good cry
6. Scream
7. Hit a punching bag at the gym
8. Head to a range – a golf range, a baseball cage or a shooting range.
9. Be near water – river, lake, ocean, pond
10. Feed the ducks
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11. Be still
12. Watch children playing
13. Remember this too shall pass
14. Journal
15. Call a friend
16. Take a deep breath and count to ten
17. Turn the music up loud and dance
18. Sing
19. Finger Paint
20. Plant something edible – could just be a fresh herb.
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21. Include adaptogen herbs like Ashwaganda (you can find these in Shakeology)
22. Yoga here is on of my favorite 45 min yoga DVDs – Select the Fountain of Youth from the drop down list
23. Add some color to your plate with fruits and vegetables – proper nutrition will help with stress
24. Say no – a great way to say no from Chalene Johnson “Thanks for thinking of me, let me check my calendar and get back to you”
25. You know that big task that you have been putting off – like cleaning out the closet – just do ONE thing to get you closer – like just pick one shelf to go through or set a timer and work for 15 minutes.
26. Exercise for 20 minutes – try two Ten Minute Trainer DVDs
27. Go for a walk
28. Read a book curled up on the couch – a feel good book – like the Happiness Project
29. Exchange foot massages with your spouse
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30. Is money stressing you out? What one thing can you cut back on for this week? Coffee, take out, cable? See #31
31. Unsubscribe from emails that don’t serve you – do you really need all of those great “deals” that cause you to spend more money?
32. Hire someone to do what you hate doing, especially if you can get them for less than your hourly wage! (I love having someone else come in to clean the house)
33. Just DO IT.
    
34. Turn off the news
35. Accept the things you cannot change
36. Change the things you can
37. Know the difference between 36 & 37
38. Speak to yourself in a positive voice
39.  Unplug – turn off the 3G on your phone, no computer after 10pm.
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40. Enjoy a dinner with your family with no electronic devices or tv on.
41. Decrease caffeine intake, you can do this in stages. Ultimately this will help you sleep. When you are rested you can handle stressful situations easier.
42. Add more water – a dehydrated body creates cortisol, a stress hormone
43. Let it go – so the dishes aren’t done, the bed isn’t made, does it really matter?
44. Say YES to life! Read the book Yes Man or watch the movie.
45. Recognize your stress triggers and take steps to reduce them from you life. Can’t stand the traffic? Leave earlier, ask to work from home, listen to an audio book while stuck in traffic.
46. Feel your feelings. Feelings wont kill you. Dealing with them in unhealthy ways can.
47. Take a hot bath with Epsom salts
48. Light a candle- lavender is a great scent to help reduce stress
49. Safety first change the batteries in your smoke detector (I do it when the clocks change)
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50. Get enough sleep
51. Pause, take a deep breath.
52. Sit on a bench and enjoy people watching and smile at strangers. Know that each one of us is dealing with our own internal struggles. You are not alone.
53. Commercial tidy up – sneak in chores during the commercial breaks
54. Personalize your workspace – photos of family and friends, fresh flowers (ditch the bowl of candy)
55. Change your mindset – believe you CAN.
56. Talk to yourself like you would your best friend
57. Come up with some powerful mantras – “I’ve done this before, I can do it again”
58. When stressing about something ask yourself “What’s the worse that can happen?” Then recognize if that actually WILL happen, probably not. Now take a deep breath. What are you worried about?
59. Help someone in need.
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60. Visualize Success! See it in your mind getting through a stressful situation and it will be that much easier to achieve it. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined
61. Eat that frog! Do the most unpleasant task you have as soon as possible each day to get it done and out of the way – is that exercise for you? Check out Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy
62. Understand and LIVE TRUE to your core values.  I find I get really stressed when my core values aren’t being met, do you know your core values?
63. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.
64. Be thankful that most of our problems are “first world problems”
65. Are you stressing over something that HAS happened or MIGHT happen?
66. Hang out with positive people – even if it is online in a group of like-minded people all working towards a similar goal – like my regular clean eating and fitness challenge groups! (email me for details!)
67. Put your health first. Without it very little matters.
68. Eat breakfast daily.
69. Pare down – too much “stuff” can stress us out. What are you hanging onto that you don’t need? This is a hilarious take on how much stuff we have. 
70. Reflect on a recent accomplishment
71. Know that mistakes mean that you are trying. Don’t be so hard on yourself
72. Start a saving account with direct deposit from your paycheck. It can be $5 a week. Start somewhere.
73. Play a board game
74. Give a sincere compliment
75. If you anticipate being stuck waiting at the doctors or DMV bring a small project – a book to read, a list of phone calls to make, journal to catch up on
76. Smile
77. Look at problems as opportunities
78. Tell people what you need and want from them. No one is a mind reader. Be clear. “I just need you to listen to me for a bit to let me get some things off my chest” If you don’t want advice from someone tell them. If you do want advice, ask them.
79. Stop gossiping at work
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80. Take your lunch break outside as many days as possible
81. Have a “plan B”
82. Stop trying to multitask everything – our mind can only process one thought at a time and jumping back and forth will only slow you down.
83. If you buy something new, donate something or get rid of something old.
84. The past is history, the future is a mystery, today is a gift, that is why it is called the Present. Live in the present.
85. Own your life.
86. Take responsibility for your actions.
87. Think as many positive thoughts in a row as possible.
88. Ask for help.
89. You don’t need to be perfect. What are you holding off from doing because you think you need to do it perfectly?
90. What stands in the way of you and your next “right” action?
91. Trust your gut -awesome blog about this here

Me and my handme down GT Force on a X-country ride

One of my new found loves has definitely been mountain biking and I feel very fortunate to live in Queenstown, New Zealand where we have some awesome trails basically in our back yard!  Literally, as I hang up my laundry I get to watch the mountain bikers on their last few downhill bits before heading back up the gondola to the top. This is the trail I ride the most -but it isn’t me in the video. I find riding almost meditative (especially the uphill and cross country) and the more I ride the more lessons I keep getting taught. I realize that these lessons don’t just relate to mountain biking but easily carry over into my daily life so I wanted to share them with you.

1. Look where you want to go. I have heard this in other places (gymnastics, skiing, etc) and I use this in many aspects of my life. When biking, if you focus on that tree you don’t want to hit or the edge of the bridge you don’t want to fall off of you’re bound to wind up there. Focus on the trail ahead of you and the path at the end of the bridge, not the dangerous distractions off to the side and you’ll be smooth sailing. Think positive, focus on what you WANT, not what you don’t want out of life.

2. Granny gear isn’t going to get you up the hill. This is one of my favorite lessons. There is this small but very steep hill that comes right out of a downhill and for the the last two years I’d get ready for this hill by trying to get enough speed on the downhill and put it into my lowest “granny gear” to get up the hill. Every time I would lose power 1/2 way up the hill and had jump off my bike and walk it the rest of the way. The other day I realized I kept doing the same thing over and over again and it clearly wasn’t getting me the results I wanted so I tried something new (sound familiar? That’s a lesson in itself!). Instead of going for the “easy” gear I went up a couple notches. By putting it into a “harder” gear I had more power and more traction and made it up the hill with no problems. What are you doing in your life in the easiest gear that isn’t getting you where you want to go? Step it up a notch – you’ll get to the top.

3. Don’t look at the giant hill. This is for those times that you come to a giant steep hill that you think – “I can’t possibly pedal up that!” Don’t get overwhelmed with such a large task ahead of you, aim to knock out bit by bit. When I get to that giant hill I pick little goals to work towards – “I’ll make it to that rock then walk the rest”. But what happens is I make it to the rock with no problem then don’t want to quit, so I say “Just get to that stick, now that leaf, now that other rock.” Before I know it I have conquered the hill one bit at a time and never felt overwhelmed. Little goals will help you reach your bigger goal.

4. Don’t give up – you will get better each time. After 8 months of being off our bikes, Chris and I were eager to get back into it and jumped on our bikes and began to tackle the hill behind our house. This used to take us 45 minutes, walking some of it and taking some breaks. Our first time back was embarrassing. We were so out of shape and ended up pushing our bikes up most of the hill and it took us about an hour. The ride back down was just as bad – our arms and legs were jello. It wasn’t fun and it made me wonder what I loved so much about biking. Of course I just wasn’t fit at the time and needed to get back into it. That was two months ago and now I feel myself getting better every time I ride. I can pedal up the entire hill without pushing and limited breaks. My downhill skills are getting better as well. I keep track of how long it takes me and how many breaks I take. I can literally see how I am getting better each time I ride. You are getting faster, better and stronger everyday you work towards your goal.

5. Get off your seat!! When I was a newer mountain biker I felt safer sitting on my bike seat going downhill and Chris would holler at me – “Get off your seat!”  You’ll get better if you get off your seat and stand on your own two feet. Your legs will get stronger, you’ll find your balance and you will have more fun when you aren’t sitting on your ass.

Now if only I can get as good as these guys here – gorgeous video!

Earlier this week we ran out of internet.

What? What does that even mean – ran out of internet? Well here on this little island in the Pacific miles and miles from anywhere internet isn’t all you can eat and somehow we managed to make it through 20g of it. What they hell did people do before the internet? Guess I can  log into my Kindle acct and download… scratch that, guess it’s off to the library.

A few weeks ago we headed out to a BBQ at a friends house. You know those days you just don’t feel like going out? This was one of those days, but we had said we were coming and I knew sitting at home on my couch wasn’t going to be any better. Towards the end I started chatting with this guy and he mentioned that he read a book called Yes Man by Danny Wallace and really enjoyed it. I knew the movie but didn’t know it was a book and added it to my requests at the library. Fortunately it came in when the internet went out so I had plenty of time to devour it.

Did you see the movie? It’s been a long time since I saw it but I remember thinking it was fun and cool. From what I remember about the movie it sure isn’t a remake of the book it but took the major theme of it – obviously.

I loved how funny it was. Maybe I was just in the mood to laugh but I honestly did laugh out loud. I think it is one of the things that drives Chris crazy when I read. We are normally together so he is victim of my random giggles while curled up on the couch.

I loved that it took me on an adventure. Danny kept it fun and there were a couple of main events that you definitely wanted to know what happens at the end. I enjoyed his nemesis and love interest.

I loved how while Danny was changing his life and saying yes more it was changing others lives and of course can change the lives of people who read the book. It reminded me of the times chance meetings have changed the course of my life. How saying Yes has already changed my life.

I consider myself a Yes Girl a lot of the time. I remember a time while traveling in Australia and met a guy traveling who invited me to spend some time sailing around the Whitsunday Islands. I declined because I already had an onward ticket. I still wonder what would have happened if I had said yes. I don’t like to have things like that in my life – where I wonder “what if”. For the most part I believe I would regret things more that I don’t do than things that I do.

As I read this book I think about the things I say no to and would I be able to do this challenge. I don’t like beer or coffee and am currently on 30 days of not eating cookies, cakes etc. Needless to say, saying yes to all of that would go against a lot of my goals, but it might also mean I say yes to all those gadgets on tv for the ab chair and spanx – could balance itself out…

Anyway… as I read books when passages stand out for me I do love to jot them down, so here they are:

~pg 142 – “The only time you have no opportunies is when you decide to stop taking them.”

Life is full of opportunities. You just never know. Give it a shot, at least then you’ll know.

~pg 168 – “I’m just saying that maybe sometimes it’s riskier not to take a risk. Sometimes all you’re guaranteeing is that things will stay the same. Sometimes it’s more important to say yes to things than it is to say no.”

You’ll probably notice that many of the passages that stood out to me focused on regrets. Saying yes to Chris and the opportunity he offered to me was WAY more important than saying no and staying the same.

~pg 242 “So maybe Yeses are meant to be shared. Maybe life’s about finding opportunities to share with someone. That’s all it is, when you think about it. A series of opportunities to share.”

It is so much more fun to say yes with someone. Chris has the means and wanted a Yesser to enjoy life with.

~pg 253 “And what do I mean ‘No was best?’ I mean No is power. No says ‘I’m in charge.’ Think about how many times you’ve said yes in the past year, and how many times you would’ve liked to have said No instead. Maybe being able to say No is the one thing that keeps us sane. Some people go through their whole lives saying yes over an over again- yes to things they don’t want to do but feel obliged to, Yes to things that allow other people to take advantage of them, just because that’s the way things are, the way things have always been. Some people need to learn how to say No. Because every time they say Yes, they say No to themselves.”

It was really refreshing to see him really struggle with his challenge and want to throw in the towel and just say NO! As a Beachbody Coach I do encourage people to say NO more. Especially the women/mothers who are so used to taking care of others that they no longer take care of themselves and it shows.

~pg 292 “When you think about it, probably some of the best things that have ever happened to you in life, happened because you said Yes to something. Otherwise, things just sort of stay the same.”

Chris often says “When you are lying on your death bead I doubt you’ll say ‘I wish I hadn’t traveled to Croatia/bought that kite/learned to spin fire/etc.’” I think he has a pretty valid point.

~pg 388 “Maybe I was reading all this wrong, but suddenly, not having said Yes to something that would have been great seemed worse than having said Yes to something that could have been bad.”

Anyway – I hope I encouraged you to check this book out. After reading it I bought two copies. One for me and one to give to a friend – seems like it would be a perfect gift.  Here is is on Amazon or just check out Danny’s website. Oh – and let me know if you end up saying yes to something that you might normally have said no to

I sat there thinking – “Yeah, right, like I have time to add 5 MORE things into my day.” As we went through the course she brought up how she BEGAN to fit it into her life and I wanted to expand on that and hope this tip helps you to began to make healthy choices throughout every day of your life.

Susan basically said: You have these 5 things to do everyday. Some days you’ll get them all in, others you’ll be lucky to get one in. You do your best, you leave space for yourself.

She said so matter of fact. With so little pressure. It clicked for me. I don’t need to do EVERYTHING everyday right in the beginning. I can AIM for incorporating those five things into my life, and soon, just like anything they’ll become a routine. I decided to start small. Yoga doesn’t have to be 90 minutes everyday. I’m not quite ready to start with the self oiling as we are getting ready to pack up and travel. I LOVE sunrises so to see a sunrise everyday is a treat, I can incorporate a daily bike ride, 5-10 minutes of mediation and 10-15 min of yoga/stretching while out on my ride. I’m seeing how this can slowly fit into my life in about an hour instead of four!  Because lifting weights is important to me I decided to stick to 10-30 minutes of Ten Minute Trainer a day, I can do ten minutes – can you? Of course you can!

I encourage you to PICK 5. Aim to incorporate 5 healthy things into your life daily. Give yourself a “gold star day” for the days you accomplish all 5. When those five become routine pick 5 new ones.

Below I started to brainstorm, please add your 5 in the comment section below – I’d love to know what yours are!

Mediate
Yoga
Run, bike, swim, dance, play, hike
Commit to your exercise program
Only drink water, no sodas
Turn off the TV
Eat a serving of vegetables at every meal, yes even breakfast
Eat 3 meals a day and 1-2 small snacks
Don’t eat anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it
Walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break
Invite a friend to walk with you
Park as far away as you can at work
Pack your lunch
Skip the drive through
Dry brushing or oil massage
Plan your meals for the day
Eat at a table for every meal
Eat with your family
Don’t eat 3 hours before bedtime
Keep a daily food journal
Keep a journal
Try a new healthy recipe
Take your dog for a walk
Learn something new
Tell someone you love them and appreciate them
Eat foods that heal, real foods, not processed foods that make you sick
Read
Smile at a stranger
Don’t eat until you are full. Eat until you are not hungry.
Give gratitude to your body for what it allows you to do
Give thanks for the food you consume and the fuel it gives you
Take the stairs
Ask for a doggie bag
Skip the candy bowl at the dentist/doctors/mechanics office
Bring a bowl of fruit to work for the week
Wake up at ____everyday. In bed by ____
Get adequate sleep

My current 5 are
Wake up between 5:30 and 6 for the sunrise (7-8 hours of sleep)
30-40 min Bike ride (this will change in a few days due to a move)
Meditate 5-20 minutes a day
Yoga- minimum of 3 sun salutations to a full 90 minute session
1-3 Ten Minute Trainer DVD

Remember, not all days will be 5 star days. It’s not the end of the world.

I have a ONE word tip for you on motivation. Yep. One little word.

Why?

Let me ask you this instead. Do you like your job? Then why do you go to work? (and count yourself VERY lucky if you have a job you love). Do you like to pay rent and bills? Why do you continue to do it month after month? Did you like to do your homework after school when you were growing up? But you did it, well, most of the time, right? Why? Because the consequences are more painful than that action of just doing it.

My dad once told me that there are only 2 things you have to do in life. Die and pay taxes. I don’t agree. I think there is one more – suffer the consequences of your actions and choices. You don’t have to go to work. But if you don’t you’ll get fired, you wont get paid and the consequences will be worse than if you roll out of bed and just GO. Same with rent. Same with homework.

Same with eating right and working out.

What is your WHY? This has to be bigger, louder, stronger and maybe even angrier than the desire to not work out. To eat the junk. To sit on the couch. To hit the snooze button. To make your excuses.

When your WHY is bigger, louder, stronger, and angrier than your current situation you don’t need motivation. You Just Do It. You have a choice. You can continue living the life you have or you make a change. You take one step. Then another. Then one more. Keep going. And ask someone to join you to hold you accountable. You toss the junk. You keep a food journal.

So what is YOUR why? Did your doctor tell you that if you don’t lose weight you’ll be on medication for high cholesterol, sleep apnea, acid reflux or other related diseases? That you’ll be at risk for diabetes? Or maybe your why is to be a positive role model in the lives of your children. To be around longer for your children and grandchildren. Maybe it is to have 6 pack abs. Or to never have to say “I can’t run 5k”. Or is it to stop feeling like you are drowning.

I see so much complacency in so many people. We all have so much we can accomplish and succeed at. If you don’t believe me send me an email. I believe it. I’ll support you. I know you can achieve your goals. But you have to be ready to work for them to achieve them. You’ll have to make some changes and probably some sacrifices. Stop coming up with excuses. Working out is hard. I don’t like to sweat. I don’t have time. Eating healthy is too expensive. I don’t like vegetables. I don’t like to cook. Blah blah blah! Fine – if you are happy carrying around that extra weight, the way it makes your body feel, the way it makes YOU feel keep doing what you are doing. Everyone who has already accomplished what you want to achieve has made the changes. Has done the work. Knew their WHY.

What are the consequences of you NOT working out? Maybe nothing today. Maybe nothing next week or next month. But fact is fact, living a consistently unhealthy life will take a toll on your body and soon your body will break down.

What are you going to do if your body breaks down? Where are you going to live? You figure out your WHY, and I’ll gladly help with the rest!

Here’s the question I get over and over again:

“How can I get my neighbor, friend, mom, dad, spouse, brother, sister, etc to change their health, fitness routine, eating habits, etc.  My husband eats ice cream for dinner, my friend wont even walk across the street, my dad is on 5 different medications for this that or the other weight related problem.” And on and on.

I can make silly videos of me doing jumping jacks, telling you to turn off of the computer and go press play, I can tell you what I am eating and take pictures of my chopped up veggies and give recipes, I can answer questions on sugar and workouts and protein. But I CAN’T make someone do something they are not willing to do for themselves. If I lived near you, believe me, I would be inviting you to workout with me, try the protein bar I just made and share a smoothie with you. But I don’t live near most of you.

All I know is what worked for me and my mom. It took her FIVE months to actually press play once I bought her Ten Minute Trainer. I think what did it for her was an email I sent to her. After I had done some research I realized how EASY it is to change your health for the better, how easy it can be to get off medications and I knew she could do it by making changes over time. I asked her to do me a favor. I asked her for 10 minutes of her day and during those 10 minutes she would do some sort of exercise. I told her I needed her around and healthy WAY LONGER than she was going to be if she didn’t make some changes. That was the click for her. She wrote me back that day and promised she would do at least 10 minutes a day.

Does your loved one know exactly how important they are to you? How much you care about their health? That you WANT them around? That their behavior IS affecting how the kids view food and exercise. That we CAN make a difference in the health of future generations. Life is worth living to the fullest and being fit and healthy allows someone to experience more in life than someone unhealthy. Do you believe that? Has it clicked for YOU? Do you know I care about your health and want you to feel the way I do everyday after a workout and clean eating? I haven’t connected with each of you, but know that there IS someone who cares, that wants you to succeed. Don’t believe me? Give me a call, or drop me a line.

Chalene Johnson, creator of Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire says “Fitness is a party – people have to be invited to it.” Invite someone you care about to workout with you. They may say no, over and over again. Someday, when the time is right for them it WILL click – they will decide that enough is enough and that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Continue to work towards your goals, your results, the way you feel will shine through.

So, sorry for not having the answer on this one. I would love to hear more from you all on this subject. If you helped inspire someone to do more, eat better, etc. fill me in – what worked for you? I would love to be able to share it with everyone else!

I really cant say it better than Jeff Olson, so I will quote this section – it makes SO much sense!

Jeff Olson, The Slight Edge:

You know what you are supposed to eat. We all do. Fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, salads, whole foods, lean meats, more fish and poultry than beef. You know it, I know it, we all know it. So why do so many of us still go out and chow down cheeseburgers and fries everyday?

I will tell you why: because it wont kill us. Not today.

If you ate a cheeseburger and immediately suffered a near fatal heart attack, would you ever go near a cheeseburger again? I doubt it. It may take twenty or thirty years, but when you add up the compounded interest on all that high-fat, artery-clogging dietary mayhem, eventually your poor overworked heart just quits, stops dead. We dig our graves with our teeth.

It is easy to eat well. And it is easy not to.

Is is not the one junk meal; it is the thousands, over time. Eating the burger is just a simple error judgement. Not eating it, a simple positive action. Eating it wont kill you – today. But compounded over time, it can. Not eating it wont save you- today. But compounded over time, it can and will.

If you dont exercise today, will that kill you? No, of course not. You know what you need to do to stay healthy and feel fit and live a long life. Get your heart rate up, a little over normal, for twenty minutes, three times a week. You know it, I know it everyone knows it. And it is easy to do.

But its also easy not to do. And if you dont do it today, or tomorrow, or the next day, you wont suddenly drop dead, and you wont suddenly put on twenty pounds, and you wont suddenly loose all your muscle tone and flop around like a marionette with his strings cut off. But that simple error in judgement, compounded over time, will take you down and out.

The truth is, what you do matters. What you do today matters. What you do everyday matters. (end quote)

I hope that this was as powerful for you to read as it was for me to read. I imagine there will be other passages I want to share with you as I finish the book.