Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Lifestyle Versus Diet: Which is Right?

Lifestyle is the new DIET. What do I mean?

A lifestyle is when you...

• Lose weight incorporating things you love in a sensible way.
• Plan your workouts and work your plan.
• Love yourself enough to say NO when you can't control yourself.
• Understand you need to build a life for yourself that involves health; not tear your life apart with food and thoughts.
• Know you will ALWAYS have to eat healthy and find things that fit that plan. 

There's tons of tips and tools I can give you to help you lose weight. I can teach you all kinds of new habits that make living healthy an easy transition. But, if you BELIEVE being healthy is a DIET that leaves you miserable, hungry, and working out to the extreme you will simply fall back into your old habits of lazy comfort. In your heart and mind you have decided that it takes tricks and that you have an end date.

When you commit to learning how to LIVE you will really have that lightbulb moment. The lightbulb comes on when you are done looking for fixes. You might have to walk around in the dark a bit, scared and confused, but rather than running for the door you look for the switch.

This blog  was written by a PNP moderator and one of my Beachbody coaches. I have a great team!!! And since she posted her week I thought I would do the same. All of us train different but we make it happen in the way that we love. I like racing, lifting, and Tough Mudders so I train to do those things with stuff I enjoy.

Mon - 30 min. run; shoulder training

Tue - 30 min. elliptical cross-training; arm training

Wed -30 min. run; leg training

Thu - Asylum Back to Core; back training

Fri - 30 run with Chalene Extreme abs circuited into the routine; chest training

Sat - Long run of 7-8 miles

Sun - Off and food prep/get the week ready!

This schedule might be light to some and extreme to others but it is RIGHT for me. It's written with the way I love to workout and that's what keeps ME going back for more each day.

And I do the same with my food. I'm working with my coach right now and we agreed to make a menu I love. I"m not competing this year but I want to look my best for an event so I should EAT my best!

B - oats and egg whites
S - salsa chicken, roasted veggie and sweet potato (I ADORE sweet potatoes and can't believe there was a time in life I wouldn't eat them)
L - seasoned white fish with rosemary red potatoes
S - Shakeology with any fruit I want
D - steak, large green salad with veggies, red potatoes
S - salmon and roasted veggie or green beans

Seriously, these are all foods I truly like and I load them with herbs and spices. Now, years ago I didn't eat like to eat this way but I learned how to slowly evolve into this kind of day. I experimented a lot with ways to make them taste devine. Ask and I'll share tips!

But, the key is that right now I have a goal and I'm working toward it. This means I eat very healthy and I do it happily. I know it's right for my goal and my body! Then on occasion when I TRULY want something I have it. It's OK and it's OK knowing it my fun foods shouldn't be a main staple of my "diet." When I weighed 250lbs fun food was the staple and healthy foods I chose rarely. Took me awhile to figure out I can have both if I just let go of what I thought a diet HAD to be.

You Raise Me Up

This is week three of the PNP Holiday Hustle and the girls got a special assignment from me. I want to share with everyone because it is such a lesson in perservering and redefining your success. 

Do not watch this video until you are ready for a good cry!

 

Watching this video reminds me of my husband. He always "lifts me up" when I am down on myself. Watching the guy fall to the ground reminds me of the times I work so hard, deserve pride in my abilities and how hard I work, yet have a bad scale day or have a moment when the mirror shows me my old FGT (fat girl thinking) body. There are days my mind is my pulled hamstring. I've worked for years to lose the weight, maintain it, and yet fall down before the finish.

Chris is always there to keep me focused on the person I am...more than a weightloss success story. I am a mother, wife, business owner, and fitness enthusiast. 

What I love about this video is the guy had it in his mind what victory was going to be. He was on the Olympic stage and I am sure he played through his mind several times what it would feel like. In the video you can see not only the pain of the injury but the pain of what he thought was to be...was gone. 

You watch him go from mourning the loss of making is PR or winning and see him decide that finishing was worth it. It wasn't how he dreamed it would be but it would be the most he could make it.

And that sums it up for me and my weightloss. I have visions of how I want to look and what my weightloss should have been. I'm in that race and won't get to the finish until I start redefining what the success is. It has to be more than loose skin on my thighs or having a rock hard physique. It's my moment to change my definition of succcess because what I dreamed of is not meant for me. Doesn't mean that other dreams can't come true. 

Hope this makes sense and you think about where you are in YOUR journey. And, if you aren't lucky enough to have a Chris at home like I am, post here and I'll introduce you to a world of women at PNP who will lift you up. :)

Monthly Goals

Last month I set some goals and I wanted to update you and myself for accountability where I got, what I'm changing this month, etc. 

This month my focus is finishing a certification I've put off way too long, get my PiYo certification (this weekend), officially work in the office (not the couch), and start therapy.

I completed my PiYo certification, work daily from my office, and started therapy. The only goal that was not met (which I forgot to put on the blog list) was finish up the ISSA certification. I did get 1/2 way through my online testing and put it on this month's goals to FINISH.

Yesterday I got out my list of ten things to accomplish in the next year. After reviewing I made out my September Goals list.

September Goals:

• ISSA and CPR Certifications completed
• Get all of my links on the blog and PNP site updated
• Complete 12-week Women's Whole Body Workshop Materials (class I'm working on with a friend of mine locally)
• Take Logan for a "staycation" downtown
• Weigh 144lbs (part of my 15% BF goal) 
• Enjoy wine 3x's a week (part of my 15% BF goal LOL)
• Take 2-days off from working out through month of September since I have big races and fitness camps every single weekend
• Family walk/talk 4x's a week
• Church every weekend I'm in town OR 1 hour of spiritual time listening to Joel Osteen 
• Log my food in LoseIt daily.

It seems like a lot but it's all things I can weave into the month. 

Next, I took notecards and broke down each week of the month. On those I wrote the weekly goals including what I knew had to be done that week and then put in things that supported this list. 

I feel good knowing I have a MAP for the month. Now all I have to do is each Sunday take down a card and make out each day's must-do's. Then the night before fill-in what's come up. 

Personal Stuff
So I weighed-in again this morning. AGAIN I felt pretty good. I actually felt smaller yesterday but I was down this morning to 147 flat from 147.8. So, some of my gain was water. I'm sure with one more day of exercise and calorie tight of 2000 I will be back to 146.

You know, I think I'm going to put the scale away again. I go through cycles. There are times when it doesn't bother me. There are times it does. Right now I think the number is playing in my head and not allowing me to appreciate my hard work. It doesn't really change how I eat and fuel but it sure crams my head with self-doubt. With all I have going on in life a number on the scale just can't be this important.

I can say with honesty that I'm the strongest and fastest I've been in a long time. My workouts are great, my core is doing wonderful, and my running is getting better and better. I'm enjoy the exercise most days.

A few months ago I discussed focusing on the athleticism and I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to put it away until Oct. 1. Since I have a goal written down I'll weigh in. Until then it can wait. For now, 147 is my number and I should be happy because it IS within my range. 

I also recieved a timely blog this morning called Your Body Image Strengths. You've seen me reference it before and I actually sent it to several of my PNP clients for homework! So that I can start my weekend RIGHT...here's my list of Body Image Strengths. Feel free to post your own!

1. I have strong abs because I work on them.

2. I can run faster and longer than ever before.

3. This is the first summer I've worn shorts to the gym.

4. I can put away the scale when it's being more than just a guideline.

5. I unsubscribed to several FB friends and pages that were negative or put out body image stuff that was unrealistic.

6. When I dress up I can see how hard I have worked.

7. I have changed my foods frequently this year to keep healthy and give my family a better variety.

8. I gave away or donated loads of clothes that I didn't feel good in. 

That's a few things. It felt good to type them out. Now I need to clean up and go meet a good friend for our exercise date! Have a great weekend.

How I Make My To Do List and 30 Day Push Goal

I talked about goals being specific yesterday. No telling how many times I've sat down and SAID in my HEAD all the great things I was going to do, I'm going to weigh this, I'm losing weight by the end of the end of the month, or it's time to get my lazy butt exercising.

Geesh...looking back I can totally see how much I've improved from being a whiner who wished every Monday and ate all weekend. I also see that lately I'm sort of repeating this pattern but with other things. It's like that old habit of being a dreamer sneaks up on me when I least expect it.

Going to Camp Do More was divine intervention. It might sound crazy if you saw me there. I didn't like it. Nope. I was done by the last day and couldn't wait to leave. Some of the stuff was just too "silly" for me and that was not allowing me to take in the serious message.

Well, every day since camp I've revisited the things that were truly important and now I can't wait to go back. Going next year will be more rewarding because I can do the silly things knowing a bigger message is coming at me.

Chalene gave a wonderful speech on goals. BTW...you should all read Eat That Frog. It's got a business approach but holy heck you can apply it to your fitness life for sure.

In her talk we came up with our priority and went backward from there. I'm going to explain what I've been doing lately that's working and fulfilling me. It's lifting my spirits and helping me do some things I have pushed back too long. I am proud to say I am breaking my chains of being too busy or over worked.

After knowing what my main priority in life is (retiring in Vegas with Chris where we don't have to work and Logan is able to have a full life), I made a list of 10 things I want done in the next year. Just 10. No more. When you finish one you can add a new one, though.

1. Logan is involved in team type activities at school and found one he enjoys.

2. I am at 15% body fat and checking it three times a year.

3. I run a 2:15 half marathon (huge stretch goal) and sub 30 min. 5K.

4. As a family we eat a mostly clean diet, natural or organic and enjoy fun foods with NO GUILT. The last part is me. :)

5. I have a fitness camp again next June here in Nashville for up to 40 PNP members.

6. I increase my private member side of the business x4 (and I have some exciting things planned once the creators of my site have things finished).

7. I created my prep book, a maintenance book, and fat girl thinking book.

8. Working daily with Logan on ABA therapy after attending some further educational seminars.

9. Current with any certifications I want to keep and certified in two types of other training.

10. Systems are in place to support my members who use the Beachbody systems and Shakeology. As their coach provide menu support specific to Shakeology and guidelines for mixing systems/seeking solutions.

 

Each month I then choose one or two of the goals and then set a 30 day goal to accomplish. Each Sunday I review my week ahead, plan out what must be done (workouts, food, places to go), then start the daily to-do lists with actions that support the 30 day goal. At night before bed I round out the next day's list and start with the the things I know I want to avoid most. I leave things I can easily finish or will make time for.

Most days I wake up, exercise, hit the ugly stuff and work my way down. I don't finish everything everyday. I move those things to another day. What seemed important one day might not be the next.

This month my focus is finishing a certification I've put off way too long, get my PiYo certification (this weekend), officially work in the office (not the couch), and start therapy.

Yep, the Queen's going in for some therapy. I've been off and on most of my life and I feel like I could use a tweak. That's a blog in itself. Nothing major...no worries, but it was just one more thing I got out of camp and if it wasn't for a to do list I probably wouldn't have gotten my appointment made.

I think it's been nice to feel such forward progression. When I'm not moving forward or towards something big I just feel so lost. Lately, I felt like that "goal" was missing. I didn't know what I needed but I needed to hear the message from Chalene. Her camp taught me life has many opportunities for goals and she was right when she said you need to write them down.

Since camp I've written, written, written. I've gotten off my butt and finally set some new goals and ones that will stretch me. I've missed that. For a few years I've had one goal in mind and that's changing my body. I've done it and just like I've told you girls in the past, a number, size, or shape isn't what will make you happy. Finding your purpose, feeling like you are moving in the right direction, and accepting you aren't perfect will make you happy. And, a little extra help along the way from a therpist should have me square in the middle of happy land! 

So I write this blog in my office. Now when I'm not at work and I am NOT at work. No more working around the clock and not being with my family. I also finished some quizzes today for my ISSA. Most days this week I've practiced or read my PiYo. Now I'm off to get a few more things crossed off...like clean thy house. I have a LIST of specific chores to do before bed.