Category: Motivation

We are ALL travelling our OWN journey at our OWN pace!

9/23/2013

As we all continue to push forward with our respective journeys to health and wellness, I want to remind you that it's important for you to go at your OWN pace! If you're just getting back into working out, know that its totally normal to feel completely and utterly overwhelmed if you jump in with both feet and commit to 6 days a week! While for some people this is totally manageable, it's not realistic for others. BABY STEPS are still steps and they're all leading in the same direction. Remember where you were before you started this journey......many of us weren't doing ANYTHING - so instead of thinking like "I 'only' did 4 workouts this week" why not think of it as " I DID 4 workouts this week"? That's much more than you were doing before, and you should be proud of the accomplishments that you're making along the way!

I also want to remind you that those workout that you DESPISE the most right now, are the ones that are changing you the most. Those are the ones that are forcing you to step outside your comfort zone and PUSH you beyond what you thought you were capable of......AM I RIGHT?! You will come to learn that THOSE YOU DESPISE THE MOST NOW WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE ONES YOU RUN TO - KNOWING that they are the ones giving you the most bang for your buck!

Regardless of where you're at, always BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and PUSH yourself to achieve more than you imagined possible. It's when you underestimate your capabilities that YOU sell YOURSELF short! Others can and will do this for us.......DO NOT catch yourself doing the same!

You must master a new way of thinking before you can master a new way of being!

BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE! To move mountains you first have to move muscle!

0 Comments

Baby Steps - grow a little more every week

9/10/2013

0 Comments

"There is no one GIANT step that does it, it's a whole lot of little steps." Peter A. Cohen

I'm often asked about my diet, and I can honestly say that I'm not very good in the kitchen. I'm learning day by day and week by week. I, like many in similar situations to me, find it hard to cook for one, when the kids don't tend to eat what I'm eating. With my husband away working long hours, I tend to find myself eating a lot of salads, eggs, oatmeal, wraps, yogurt, protein pancakes, cold meals (salads, wraps, eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, and the like). I've never enjoyed cooking and have often found myself overwhelmed and anxious when I do try to cook. That is slowly changing, and I've recently started hosting company for dinner :) yayyyy me :) I'm also asked about what apps I use to count calories and track my daily intake vs. output. The truth, my friends, is that I've NEVER EVER counted calories, nor have I tracked my input vs. output. I simply started exercising and changing the foods that I fuelled my body with. Over time, as I began seeing changes, I was able to gauge, based on my energy or the way my muscles were feeling, where I needed to make changes (albeit increasing protein, increasing intake, reducing sodium etc.). It's very overwhelming for some people to have to start tracking everything - and while I think these are amazing tools to help you with your success, I do not think they are absolutely crucial to success. I love hearing about them and learning about the ways that they help people, but I tend to direct the questioners to people who I know have experience with them. I don't ever like to pretend that I know about something I don't.

Undertaking a complete and utter overhaul of your diet is not easy, and is not something that is going to happen over night. BABY STEPS. The thought of cooking, alone, for some people is overwhelming, let alone having to cook from scratch with all of these new products and ingredients that you don't have the slightest clue about. I was one such person. I've come to learn that the fewer ingredients included in your meal, the better. Less is sometimes more. I believe that trying to change your whole diet in one week or even one month is simply setting yourself up for failure. That's a whole lot of habit and behaviour to change in short order, right?! Why not focus on simply changing (albeit adding, removing, or substituting) ONE thing a week! Some like to start with increasing water consumption - especially important when you first start working out. Your body needs the additional water to flush out toxins and hydrate, among many other important factors. Do not set your expectations too high. It's going to take time and both you and your family are going to need time to adjust (not to mention your body). Gradually, you will find that you're making healthier choices, which, in many cases, is coupled with changes in your body (in the form of weight loss), and when coupled with regular activity, you will find yourself wanting to make even more healthy choices. It's cyclical.

Speaking of cyclical.....it's very important while undertaking such a journey, to align yourself with like-minded individuals. People who are not on the same page as you may try to pull you down or steer you off-track (purposely or inadvertently). It's hard to go to work and have the boardroom filled with pizza, pop, and pastries, when you've been trying so hard to cut those temptations out of your diet, right?! Many people also struggle when they, lets say, go to their parents house, or a friends house for dinner. As a host, no one wants their company to NOT eat their food (what an insult right?), but when you've worked so hard to achieve your goals or stay on track, it becomes a really sticky situation. No one wants to be "the one" who no one wants to invite over because "well she won't eat anyway" or "wonder what we can cook that she will eat". No one said that change was going to be easy. There are many ways to navigate these situations in a polite and respectful way. Cheat meals are important parts of this process, so why not plan for these dinners? or eat a lot of healthy choices prior to going so that you're pretty full and only eat a small portion. Moderation goes a long way! Regardless of how you choose to approach it, having support in your corner is crucial to success. People will first ask you WHY you're doing it, and later they'll ask you HOW you did it.

Choosing a healthy and active lifestyle not only affects YOU but also those around you. People will notice you changing and they will start to slowly make their own changes (whether you know it or not). Sometimes the biggest skeptics or critics will end up being your biggest supporters. You didn't create your "old" lifestyle overnight, so don't expect to create the "new" one like that either, at least not without some bumps along the road! This journey takes time. Be patient with yourself and with your body. You will slowly begin to see changes - physically, psychologically, emotionally. This is a huge undertaking so be proud of every little step that you take to create a healthier lifestyle. Hold your head high, pull your shoulders back and thank yourself for making a choice for a more positive, healthier, happier YOU. Stay true to YOURSELF :)

0 Comments

What? WHen? Why? How? ....almost the 5 W's and an H :)

8/28/2013

0 Comments

WHAT it is that YOU really WANT?

WHAT are YOU going to do to MAKE the CHANGE you WANT to SEE?!

How DETERMINED are you to COMMIT to a healthier, happier YOU?!

WHAT is the FIRST step you're going to TAKE?

SET SMART GOALS (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) but DO NOT underestimate what you're CAPABLE OF! Setting GOALS a little higher than we believe attainable serves to push us beyond what we imagine for ourselves!

Remember that the difference between those who succeed and those who fail is perseverance! Change doesn't happen over night! PUSH yourself to limits you never imagined possible and you WILL see a DIFFERENCE. BELIEVE in YOURSELF and ALL THAT YOU ARE!

0 Comments

"What Does She Do?" you ask! Here's WHAT! :)

8/28/2013

0 Comments

For those of you who are still wondering “what does she do”, let me tell you! I am an Independent Team Beachbody Coach which means that I provide FREE support, encouragement, and motivation to those who join my private group to help them reach their health and fitness goals! You do NOT have to be working through a Beachbody program to be part of the team! We have a very mixed variety of members who are each doing what they find works best for them. While I firmly believe that Beachbody programs are geniously designed to be paired with a nutritious diet (including Shakeology), and deliver results when individuals are committed to it, this is NOT a requirement! Why do I do something for FREE you ask? Because I’ve been there! I KNOW what it’s like to look in the mirror every day and dislike the reflection that stares back at you! I KNOW what it’s like to have poor self-image and know that it doesn’t matter how many times someone tries to convince me that I’ll feel better if I just go to the gym……like a bad habit, I KNOW that you NEED to WANT to do it YOURSELF in order for you to COMMIT! You may have tired numerous times in the past to lose those dreaded pounds or drop a few pants sizes – believe it or not I TOO have been there! My husband has always been active in the gym and has been a CONSTANT inspiration to me, but until the switch clicked for me, I wasn’t ready. I firmly believe that FITNESS + NUTRITION + PEER SUPPORT = SUCCESS. I gained HUGE momentum when I joined my COACH’s support group….which is why I decided to become a COACH!

I WANT to help YOU be HAPPY with YOURSELF. I WANT YOU to FEEL as good as you know you are on the inside! I’m not all about outside image, contrary to what many may think. Feeling good about yourself plays a huge role in the way that you carry and project yourself, which carries over into every facet of YOUR life. I want to help make a difference. I’m a MOM just like many of you who felt that “there’s no hope”. Our bodies change so dramatically with pregnancy and childbirth – it’s so easy to think that that’s it for our bodies. NOT TRUE! OBVIOUSLY NOT TRUE!!! I’ve done EVERY LITTLE BIT of this at home with my girls. I started in October of 2012 at a weight of 164 and in a size 10 and am now 127 and in a size 0-1. I work hard, I eat clean, I have an amazing support network who push me every day to achieve goals I never imagined possible and YOU can do it too! I’m a happier MOM, WIFE and PERSON overall because of the changes I have made.

PLEASE, send me a private message if you’re READY to commit to this change for YOU!!! Having a group environment to support and hold you accountable throughout your journey makes a world of difference. If you’re interested in learning more about Team Beachbody, the programs or products, please contact me. I can help you sign up for a FREE account which makes me YOUR PERSONAL SUPPORT COACH. I’m HERE to help YOU reach your goals for FREE. Our group is growing and we are, together, creating happier, healthier US, one workout, one meal, one day at a time.

0 Comments

Don't forget to Thank YOURSELF

8/28/2013

0 Comments

It's so easy for us to get caught up with sayings like "someday I'll do 'x'" or "maybe tomorrow I'll do 'y'". It's important to remember that thinking about it and DOING it are two totally different things. Think about the way you feel when you don't do what you set out to do, generally, pretty crummy......Instead of thinking about it, set a GOAL to DO it, with a TIME FRAME. That will help to hold you accountable and MAKE you do it! If you have to write it on a calendar, add it to your to-do list, stick a sticky note on your mirror - whatever it takes - GIVE IT A DEADLINE, and sometimes, having a REWARD for yourself for when you DO it will push you even harder to WANT IT.

ABOVE ALL - YOU are a complex being and YOU should give YOURSELF more credit for what you DO. REWARD yourself for what you DO achieve and LOVE yourself every day!

I often receive messages from people thanking me for helping to inspire them to get up and make the changes they've been thinking about and I LOVE those messages - but I also have a very important response to them......and that is "go and look in the mirror at YOURSELF, and say THANK YOU to YOURSELF. YOU are the one who CHOSE to make a CHANGE. YOU are the one who DID it." LOVE YOURSELF and don't forget to praise yourself for all the good that you do in every area of your life.

0 Comments

Reflecting Back - The Process

8/25/2013

0 Comments

Gearing up for another awesome week!! So here's some Motivational Monday wisdom for you ;)

While watching a movie the other night I heard a phrase that I loved so I instantly saved it to my "notes" in my Iphone.  Do you ever catch yourself "saving" things or "noting" things (sayings, quotes, phrases, recipes, tips, tools etc.) since starting this process? It's funny how, once we commit to changing ourselves, we throw ourselves head or feet first into the PROCESS. What was once a DREAD or a HOPE becomes a NEED and a MUST. We no longer see the PROCESS as DREADFUL but rather INSPRING and WANT to share our passion with others. I know that I become addicted to the way I feel post workout or post healthy food choice, knowing that HECK YES, I WON this time, and I will again!  OWN the progress you're making - DO throw yourself into it.  Others as we all know, will ask you WHY you did it, but will later ask you HOW you did it.

I used to be THAT girl who laughed in the face of the commitment and dedication that others had who were truly pursuing happiness in the form of health and fitness - I didn't realize that my words and actions were, truth be told, pseudo sabotage for those people.  I belittled what was truly important to them - something that they KNEW was going to make them FEEL better about themselves.  I was a potential catalyst for them to fall off the wagon.  I was pushing them to "just skip today's workout.  Eat a piece of pizza. Have a muffin already." with NO appreciation of the PROCESS - NO acknowledgement of the will power that it took that person to say NO each and every time that I did that........WOW!!! THOSE people are the people who have contributed to my success.  Those are the people who I reflect back on and say "if she could do it, so can I". I have approached those people since having embarked upon my own journey owning up to what I did and THANKING them for being an incredible source of inspiration.  While I didn't know it at the time, they were truly affecting me! I encourage YOU to do the SAME! It's so liberating to approach someone you once belittled - taking responsibility for what you did and THANKING THEM for the impact, no matter the size, that they had on your life.

Ok so you may have forgotten by now how this long-winded post started......the phrase from the movie........I'll leave you with it.....

"TRYING is saying you have the intention of failing". Today I want you to STOP TRYING and JUST DO IT!!!!

0 Comments

We are ALL travelling our OWN journey at our OWN pace!

Baby Steps - grow a little more every week

What? WHen? Why? How? ....almost the 5 W's and an H :)

"What Does She Do?" you ask! Here's WHAT! :)

Don't forget to Thank YOURSELF

Reflecting Back - The Process

Categories

Alida Steele

Archives