T-day

Memories, like the corners of my mind,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blaaaah, blahhhh...
of the way we were.


At Holiday time, I always get a warm, fuzzy, yummy feeling.  Do you? Or do you get sick down deep in your tummy because of the stress of it all? Looking back at it, I believe for me it's all about the smiles, hugs, kisses and special memories of loved ones.


The softly falling snow in the still, crisp, cold night,
Star lit midnight blue skies,
Twinkling Christmas lights dancing in the distance,
Music, telling of our Savior's birth,
The smell of pine, cinnamon, cloves
The warmth of a fire.


So we are on a journey to a fitter, healthier you. Does this all stop cause the holidays are upon us. No way I say. There are strategies we can employ to enjoy the holidays without putting extra junk in the trunk.


We talked last time about journaling. Are you?  Just say yes or start now, friends. News Alert: next week is Thanksgiving. All 3000 calories of your turkey dinner are staring you square in the face.  Yikes, run for your lives... run for your junk-less trunks!


Hey I think we are onto something here...uhmmm did you hear me say RUN?  How about hitting the gym for some high intensity intervals the night before and the day after?  Now is the time for consistency. Keep up the good work, keep moving and we'll make it through.

Now comes the sticky part. Yes, the drumsticks, you turkeys.  What will be our food strategy? 

I have a question....What is so bad about mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey and the fixings?  Not so much really, because we all get a cheat meal here and there (remember the 90% rule).  But this holiday let's focus on portion sizes.  This year, cut the portions down. I mean down, way down baby.  If you need to have it all, then sample it all. Sliver of this, teaspoon of that, you know what I mean. No porky pigs allowed. No gorging till you are sick.

OK? Got it?

Our Black Friday strategy will be to get back to clean eating. Got leftovers? Freeze them immediately or feed them to the dog. Maybe you're the lucky one being invited out for Thanksgiving.  No worries then, your kitchen will be leftover free, Yeah!

Let's take this full circle. The holidays are a special time so let's make the most of them.  Enjoy those special treats that only come around this time of year, practice portion control, keep moving and keep journaling. Love those closest to you and make some sweet memories. That's what the holidays really are about. 

Anyone seen my mistletoe? Sweet!

Be well
Happy Thanksgiving

The Fire Inside Her

Does this motivate you? What are you doing to make yourself proud? I say let's work it baby, find your passion and fly with it!

Check this link out and decide for yourself the fire inside you.
Make Yourself 
Be Well

Are You Willing to Own Up?

The Art of Journaling 

A while back I mentioned keeping a fitness / weight loss journal.  Today I wanted to dive a little deeper into the art of journaling and how it can help you on your journey to a fitter, more fab you.

What do we journal? Anything your heart desires, really. Your workouts, your emotions, your food, drink, and your sleep (aka rest).

If you are looking to take down your body fat % or make a change in your weight,  a well kept, brutally honest journal will help decipher what changes you need to make to meet your goals.  Without your journal, we are left with no idea of what needs to change. Are you willing to own up? Are you willing to jot it ALL down?

You eat healthy right? You work out 3 to 5 times a week. But you still find you are stuck in this place you don't want to be.  Insert your journal here.  Turning back page by page in your journal you may find you are working out too hard, not getting enough carbs and protein, and really not getting enough rest or sleep.  Hmmmmm....

Journals allow you to see just what you are up to, the little things we tend to forget about tomorrow. Journals don't forget! You write lists for the grocery store, so why not jot down your workouts and meals? Are you having a light bulb moment yet? 

We can start.  That is what our homework a week ago was....journal everything. Tracking honestly may be the only thing you need to change.  Some find if they have to write down everything they put into their mouth, they get serious and the weight starts to drop. Yeah!! Or some of us may find we track and we see 80% effort, by missing workouts, or eating stuff  "off" the plan. (More on the plan to come in a future post.) The journal shows us what we simply don't remember happening. Tip: As you enter brutally honest posts into your journal, simply put a big X by the items that are "off" plan.  This offers a great visual to easily see at a quick glance when you have missed.  The fewer X's in your journal, the tighter you are to the "plan".

My story:
Back in late 2008 I took a long hard look at myself.  What I saw was an athlete who got lazy. Motherhood hit and family obligations prohibited maintenance of my fit physique, one I'd had since childhood.  For two weeks I went to Everyday Health online and entered everything I ate.  What I learned quickly was that my diet was lacking good fuel and I was taking in processed junk.  I learned I didn't eat a lot of calories and that I didn't eat often enough. I worked out 3 to 5 times a week on the elliptical, working my way up to 60 minutes straight.  I was the endurance queen but I still fought softness all down my backside and legs. My upper arm circumference was growing and not in a good way, flabby and soft. The arm skin flaps that wave back at you when you wave to your friends. I used to joke about them.  I picked up a book on weight training for women and got off the elliptical. I started lifting weights and eating clean.  My metabolism skyrocketed again, with my growing muscle base and the good fuel I fed my body every 3 hours.  I hired trainers to help, and whaa-la! Here I am, stronger than I think I ever have been, and wearing skinny jeans in sizes I never dreamed I'd get into. 
I have since joined forces with Jodi at Modelper4mance to help me fine tune my physique with proper nutrient timing and workouts designed to build my muscle mass.  I continue to journal everyday, my workouts, my meals, my rest, my weight, my emotions.  I have learned to plan ahead a week with my meals and my cheat snacks, so those too don't take me off course. Staying on track also means giving a little. I allow myself one "fun" meal a week of my choice. As Jodi puts it, what I want right now! One other little rule I now follow is: If I have a bad day, or one of those days meant to celebrate, a special occasion, etc. That's OK, but never two days in a row. Or in other words, do not take the whole weekend off from your "plan".

If you struggle to get the results you want, journal. If you are short on time, journal.  If you are working hard but not seeing results, journal. Journal to see all that you are forgetting.

Be Well

Without You We Are Nothing

Courageous and Strong,
We Honor You.
Devoted and Sacrificial,
We Thank You.


A tribute to my dad, my brother Bob, my sister Janeen, my nephews Nathan & Craig, my niece Jen, my friends Steph and Derrick, and many others.  You are my pride and joy.  Love you for giving your everything cause without you we are nothing.

Rev Up Your Engine - what do you say?

Monday equals: do over day, back in the saddle cookie, start over, think again.

This is a offshoot of my previous posting Rev Up Your Engine. Uh, actually, it's an assignment. Time to get busy and pick your madness. 

What am I ranting about?

I want you to pick one thing from the list. What list?  Take your little mouse and hover over Rev Up Your Engine above to see.  Pick the item from the list you can stick to, I mean stick to like glue! for 2 weeks. I am asking you for two weeks of 90% compliance. ( Ok, now I'm sounding like I am at my day job - on Bug Patrol.)

Seriously , what's it gonna be? Don't go for two, only one. If you can only give me 70 to 80% effort on this one, stop reading now and go back to your couch. 

I will post more about my favs in the weight room another day. Today it is all about making a new habit.  So what did you choose.  You are beautiful and strong, invincible...so get to work on fine tuning your life one step at a time.  Hey, you don't believe me, head over to Model Per4mance and check out one of my other favs in this world, my trainer Jodi and her wise side kicks. 

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...I almost forgot, along with your one habit change, please considering doing two, no... three other things for me.

Grab a notebook and start journaling your nutrition (everything you eat a day, and I mean everything right down to the 3 mini snickers you stole from your kids Halloween stash....opps, that was me!), your exercise, your emotions, your day. Do this for 2 weeks, and I promise in return I will post some little tidbits about why.

Take a multivitamin every day and throw in an Omega-3 fish oil supplement too.

Want a recap?

1.  Pick one habit you will stick to for two weeks and just do it.

2. Start a journal, nothing fancy, any notebook will work.

3. Take a multivitamin and fish oil daily.

Be well.

Save your opinions, unless asked

You've got your opinions, man
we're all entitled to 'em,
but I never asked

So let me thank you for your time
and try not to waste anymore of mine...

Who Cares if you disagree, you are not me
who made you king of anything
So, you dare tell me who to be
who died and made you king of anything

~Lyrics King of Anything, Sara Bareilles

Sometimes lyrics of an song catch your attention. They capture a deep feeling held inside and that feeling comes rushing out. Thank you Sara for finding the words to express what I have often felt...keep your thoughts to yourself, never offer your opinion UNLESS given permission to do so. 

How many times in your life have there been opportunities or strong urges to share something with another person, something you know they could personally benefit from, but you refrain from doing so because they don't want to hear it or are not ready.  Then think, of those times, would what was shared really benefit them? or would it hurt them?  Smart thinking. Smart to think before speaking.

Here's lies the issue.  First ask for permission before sharing your thoughts with others.

After all, the reality is they will only hear: Blah, blah, blah, blah. Blah, blah.  Kinda like the teacher on Snoopy. God knows I love her. 

Rev Up Your Engine

I'm sure you have heard this all before, nothing I am about to say is new or even remotely news worthy. What I hope is, that in reading this each of you will choose to incorporate at least one of following into your life and own it. I mean own it, make it your mantra, your gift to yourself. Rev up your engines, it's time to go.

How to Become a Metabolic Machine

(Rev up your metabolism)

• Eat breakfast
• Eat every three to four hours
• Eat veggies and protein with every meal
• Skip drinking your calories
• Eat good fats
• Have a daily nutritional game plan
• Stick with your nutritional plan 90% of the time
• Eat minimally processed foods
• Drink tons of water
• Get adequate sleep
• Find an exercise program that works for you
• Exercise daily or at least every other day for at least 30 minutes
• Take one day off from exercise each week in you're an avid exerciser
• Incorporate resistance exercise into your workouts

All of this said, keep in mind that change takes time and to be successful, cut yourself some slack, knowing that there will be occasions when things completely fall out of whack.  Stop right there, admit it, and get back into the groove.  90% of the time means there will be days, meals, or workouts that are not perfect.  Ok, it really is ok, that is what life is about. There's a saying, 'when you least expect it, life happens'.

Tip: Do not to let 'life' happen two days in a row.

Protein: lean sources of fish, chicken, turkey, beef, and pork, no processed meats please

Carbs: select with care (starchy carbs) and limit them to early in your day

Veges: these non starchy carbs, eat as many as you like, anytime

Fruits: 2 a day please

Protein drinks: limit to 2 a day, eat real food, meat

Fats: can act to help decrease body fat and boost your immunity. Choose good fats like olive, flax, avacado

Water: drink in ounces 1/2 your your body weight   (weight 120lbs, drink 60 oz)

Eliminate sodas, energy drinks, and creamy sugary coffees or use them only as your cheats (10% of time)

Fuel your metabolism with food and watch it grow.  Avoid skipping meals, this will KILL your metabolism instantly! Be prepared, always have a stash of good snacks available for those times when you least expect it and you need to grab something fast. This may be a strange concept for some, but believe me, as you feed your metabolism, you will know when it's time to eat...just be prepared and eat the right things!

Be well.