Get MOTIVATED!!

I know we have all been there it is late at night, and we think tomorrow I am going to start, I am going to get up and workout. Then we wake up and the motivation is completely gone. What happened in those 8 or so hours that we slept? Why is it gone now? How do you get yourself remotivated and stop saying tomorrow I will do it? Obviously just get up and do it is the first thing that comes to mind. Stop saying tomorrow and do it now. I know from experience, and I still have days where I do not feel motivated, that it is not that simple.

 

 

I think the first thing to get yourself motivated, or remotivated is to look at your goals. Yes look at your big goals and what you want to achieve in the big picture, but I think it is more important to look at the smaller goals. If you look at too many goals at one time you may get yourself overwhelmed and just get up, I know it has happened to me a lot. I like to list my goals out, and pick a small one and focus on that one until I achieve it. Run a 10 min mile, fit in a certain size, get xx oz of water in everyday, get xx min of activity in everyday, etc...Focusing on that one goal. Write that goal down, and look at it everyday. Write it where you will see it, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in your car etc...Once you reach that goal check it off, and move onto the next goal. Focus on just htat goal do not worry about the other ones on your list. You will get very excited and motivated about being able to check goals off your list.

 

 

Find inspiration. Look for what inspires you, reading peoples blogs, starting your own blog, read books, find a goal outfit, research your goals, talk to others about it whatever inspires you. When you feel inspired you are more likely to want to achieve your goal. If you let other people know what your goals are you also will feel more motivated to want to achieve it because you want to be able to say yes I achieved it!

 

Talk about your goals daily. Trust me I know that people will get sick of hearing about them, but it helps keep you motivated to always have them on your mind. I am not saying you should be obsessed with them, but make them important in your life.

 

Find the time of the day that you have the most energy. Start working out at that time. I actually like to do it the opposite way. I know the times that I am the least energetic I try to workout then. Those are the times that I want to just sit there, and do nothing. I find that is the time that I need to get up the most. Find what works for you. Try to always work out at the same time everyday in the beginning. That way you know, "oh it is 12 o'clock time to workout". Schedule it. That way you will be more likely to follow it.

 

I think the one of the most important things is to find something you like. If you do not like strength training you are not going to be motivated to go do it, same thing if you do not like running you will not be motivated to go do it. Find what kinds of activities you like, and stick to those. You can slowly add other activities in when your motivation goes up. Trust me when you start reaching your goals you will want to start doing more and more.

 

Find a buddy. You guys can help keep yourself accountable. It is so much easier to get up and go if you know that someone else is going to be depending on you as well. It also feels great to achieve your goals together. You can talk about your goals with one another to keep yourselves inspired and motivated.

 

Stop making excuses. This is probably one of the hardest things to overcome. We always have excuses for not doing something. I'm too old, I don't have the time, I don't have the equipment, I don't have the money etc...Absolutely none of these excuses are valid reasons to not get in some physical exercise. I have seen men and women in their 80's lifting weights at the gym, get in a quick workout on your lunch break, before work, after work, as soon as you wake up, in the evening instead of watching tv, turn on some music and dance around the house, you do not have to have money or equipment to workout. Running is free, use some cans as weights, look on you tube for different exercise routines. So stop making the excuses. Take responsibility and get up and do it. If it is important to you then you will find a way to do it.

 

Some other things that can help keep motivation up are changing up your routine. If you do the same thing all the time then you probably will not be too excited to go do it again. Change it up. Also music is very motivational for me. Find a playlist that works for you. I do not get that motivated by the music they play at the gym so I listen to my own music.

 

So as soon as you finish reading this get up and do something active. If you feel unmotivated again come back and read this again and get up and move.  

 

 

 

What are some tips that you have to keep yourself motivated?

 

 



The most important meal

I know we have all heard it, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Well it is true. I never used to eat breakfast. I would go until almost 1 or 2 in the afternoon most days without eating or drinking anything. Then I would binge on everything around me, and eat and drink crappy, unhealthy foods until bedtime. Then I did not have any energy, and not want to do anything the rest of the day. That is probably why I got up to almost 270 pounds.

I have never, ever been a breakfast eater. My mom said even as I child I did not really like breakfast. I just could not eat when I first woke up. I never really correlated it to my weight gain and unhealthy lifestyle. I never really though it was that important. I had always heard I should eat it, but just ignored it. Until I sat down with Torey, my trainer, he asked me if I ate breakfast I said no never. He explained it to me like this. He asked would you drive your car for 3 hours with your kids in it with your gas light on? Obviously I said no of course not. He said well that is what you are doing to your body everyday. You are "driving" it with no gas in it, and expecting it to work. I had never really had it explained to me like that before. Something clicked after that, and I have not missed a breakfast since that talk in March. I have felt so much better, and had more success ever since I have started eating breakfast. Now I know that all the things combined are what has led to my success, but each day I am able to do what I need to because I eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast.

You should eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Breakfast is exactly what it sounds like you are breaking your fast. You have slept all night, and now you need to refuel your body. So start it off the right way early. You will feel better the rest of the day if you do.

Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration.

Studies show that breakfast can be important in maintaining a healthy body weight.

Hunger sets in long before it's time for lunch, but because it's not convenient to eat properly, many people who have not eaten breakfast snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar.

People who skip breakfast are unlikely to make up their daily requirement for some vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast would have provided.

Breakfast provides energy for the activities during the morning and helps to prevent that mid-morning slump.

I always try to get a protein and a complex carb in with my breakfast. I with either get a vegetable or fruit in with breakfast, sometimes both. Then I typically try to eat about 3-3 1/2 hours after that again. Also drink at least 1 glass of water before consuming your breakfast, and at least 1 glass of water afterwards. I find that actually helps me feel full longer.

 

 

I know in the mornings when I first wake up most of the time the last thing I want to do is cook a big breakfast. So I try to go for things that are easy to make most mornings. Some of my favorites are kashi cereals, they have protein and carbs in them and are a good clean eating cereal, with either coconut or almond milk and some fruit, egg whites with veggies, and avocado on a whole grain tortilla or toast, oatmeal with fruits and greek yogurt (a good source of protein), quinoa (a good source of protein and complex carb) with fruits. I eat other things for breakfasts as well, but these are my four easy go to breakfasts. Protein pancakes, protein smoothies, oatmeal smoothies, and protein muffins are also good easy breakfasts. Comment with some of your favorite healthy breakfasts.

 

 

 

 

 

Some good places for recipes are:

 

http://housewife2hostess.blogspot.com/

 



http://savegreenbeinggreen.blogspot.com/2012/09/7-ideas-for-clean-eating-breakfast.html?m=1

Sweat it out!

I must admit I used to hate it when I would even get one drip of sweat. I thought it was so gross. I did not want to go outside because I was afraid I would get sweaty. If I did ever try to work out I would stop when I started to get sweaty. Who wants to be covered in sweat? It just seems so gross. Now I love it!! If I have a workout and I do not break a sweat I feel like I did not workout hard enough. I need to go do some more to get a good sweat going.

Sweating has a lot of health benefits. Sweat consists primarily of water, as well as concentrations of sodium and chloride, and to a lesser extent, potassium. There are two types of glands involved in sweating: eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands trigger perspiration to keep our core temperature regulated, while apocrine glands release sweat as a response to nerves or stimulation, such as exercise. In addition to the aforementioned ingredients, sweat from apocrine glands may contain proteins and fatty acids.

Sweating is your body’s natural way of providing a high-tech cooling system

Skin is considered the largest organ in or on the body and it’s vital to take care of it

In conjunction with proper washing, sweat can produce soft & supple texture of the skin

Improves tone & flexibility of skin

Critical factor in the body’s hydration process

Essential in the process of removing toxins from the liver, kidneys & the cardiovascular system

Is the body’s natural process of cleansing & washing skin pores

Serves as one of the body’s many indicators

On a small scale can burn calories in conjunction with traditional training

Improves circulation

Helps boost the body’s immune system

Triggers your body to work harder to compensate & adjust

When you exercise and sweat, endorphins are released to lower your stress levels and brighten up your mood.

When you sweat make sure you wash your face to unclog the pores from it.

So go do something now that makes you sweat. I bet you will feel great afterwards!

 

Colors are our friends!!

Eat a rainbow of colors often!!

 

 

 

Who wants to eat a plate of food with plain drab colors. It really does not sound appetizing at all. There are so many benefits to eating more colors other than they just look more appetizing. Different colored foods play different roles in the body. You should aim for at least three colors at every meal and two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables over the course of the day. Every meal should include fruits and vegetables because of their fiber and nutrient contents.

 

 

If you eat 3 colors each night at dinner that will add up to over 500 servings of vegetables over 6 months.

 

 

 

 

 



Red foods are packed with phytochemicals like lycopene and anthocyanin's, red foods help increase heart and circulatory health, improve memory, support urinary tract health, and decrease the risk of certain types of cancers. Some good red foods to eat are cherries, cranberries, red bell peppers, strawberries, red kidney beans,  red potatoes, rhubarb, beets and tomatoes.

 

 

Orange foods are high in antioxidants such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids. Eating orange foods has been linked to skin and eye health, increased immunity, decreased risk of cancer, and a healthy heart. Some good orange foods to eat are carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes, tangerines, and butternut squash.

 

 

Pineapple, yellow peppers, corn, star fruit, and other yellow foods contain nutrients that promote good digestion and optimal brain function. High in alpha- and beta-carotenes, yellow foods have also been linked to increased immunity, a decreased risk of some cancers, and healthy eyes and skin. Some other good yellow foods are lemons, yellow watermelon, yellow tomatoes, yellow winter squash, and yellow apples.

 

 

Green fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of potent phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles. Benefits include a lower risk of some cancers, improved eye health, rejuvenated musculature and bone, and strong teeth. Some good green foods are spinach, broccoli, kale, kiwi, avocados, honeydew, green peppers, green cabbage, green apples, zucchini, watercress, arugula, leafy greens, cucumbers, and Brussels sprouts.

 

 

These colorful foods get their bright hue from anthocyanin's, which have been linked with antioxidants and anti-aging properties in the body. Blue and purple foods help promote bone health, and have been shown to lower the risk of some cancers, improve memory, and increase urinary-tract health. The main benefit of blue and purple foods is increased circulation and microcirculation. Some good blue/purple foods are blueberries, plums, eggplant, purple grapes, figs, purple Belgian endive, purple-fleshed potatoes, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, and elderberries.


While many white foods are refined, like white bread and white rice, there are a lot of white foods that are packed with nutrients. White fruits and veggies have been linked to lower cholesterol, decreased blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease. The key benefit of white foods is increased immunity. Eating white foods helps enhance the immune system, the lymph systems, and aids in cellular recovery. Some good white foods to eat are garlic, onions, cauliflower, ginger, turnips, jicama, white corn, turnips, shallots, mushrooms, parsnips, Jerusalem artichoke, white peaches and white nectarines.

The goal should be to eat at least 1-2 from each color group every day. I sometimes find this hard to do. I try for as many colors as I can. I am still working on this. I like to eat a lot of colors, but I am still working on it. My kids do well with eating their colors. We are still working on it as a family. I know all of the benefits of colorful foods. The goal is to get more of them into my diet. Clean eating has really helped me a lot on my fitness journey. Eating the rich colorful fresh foods will only assist me in my fitness journey. Color is powerful on our plates.

 

 

 

 

 

 



H2O Love...

I always hear you should drink 8 glasses of water a day. I had trouble just getting those in every day. It would be 2 in the afternoon before I realized I had not drank anything all day. Then I would reach for soda and not water. No wonder I always felt thirsty. I felt hungry constantly so instead of trying to drink more I would eat snacks, snacks and more snacks. Water is the key to health. My husband always makes fun of me because I talk about water all the time. He says I treat it like a miracle drug...in essence it is nature's wonder drug. Water can do amazing things for our bodies. Did you know that your body cannot tell the difference between hunger and thirst? I didn't. I would reach for those snacks when really I should have been reaching for the glass of water that I let sit on the table all day. Did you also know that our bodies are made up of 60% of water? So when we are affecting the performance of our bodies by not rehydrating it. Dehydration can make us feel sluggish, hungry, have headaches, feel bloated, and feel grumpy and confused. There is one simple solution to cure all of these DRINK WATER!!!! Water can help flush toxins out of our bodies so we feel less bloated. Drinking a glass of water can help us concentrate and feel refreshed and alert. By drinking more water we will eat much less.

I drink at least a gallon of water everyday. I do not drink anything else during the day except an occasional cup of hot tea, which has water in it :)  I went from drinking almost no water to 16-24 glasses a day. The days that I workout really hard are of course the days I get more water in. Some things that have helped me up my intake. I drink at least 8 ounces of water as soon as I wake up in the morning, I always keep a glass of water beside my bed. Before each meal I eat I drink at least 8 ounces of water about 30 minutes before, I eat 4-5 meals a day. I drink at least 8 ounces before going to bed each night, remember when I said I always keep a glass of water beside the bed. So far we are up to at least 6-7 glasses of water just by doing these simple steps. If I get up to use the restroom during the night, which trust me you will if you are drinking this much water, I drink some more water before lying back down. Of course while I am working out I always have a bottle with me. Typically I can drink 3-4 right after a workout. I try to never go anywhere without bringing my water bottle with me. That way I always have it so if I feel thirsty it is right there with me. If I get cravings during the day and feel hungry I will drink at least 8 ounces of water and wait 30 minutes. If I still feel hungry then I will go ahead and eat a snack, a good healthy snack of which I will usually drink some water with. If I do not feel hungry still then I was just thirsty, remember our bodies cannot tell the difference. I have a Rubbermaid bottle that is 32 ounces, so if I drink 4 of them then that is 1 gallon, 128 ounces. I try to make sure I have at least 1, 32 ounces drank before lunch, then at least 1 more before eating my snack, then at least 1 more before dinner, then at least 1 more before going to bed. So that will give me a gallon a day without adding in the water I drink at bedtime, or working out etc...So yes my husband makes fun of me for my love of water, but he knows how great water can be. Water intake is really dependent of the size of a person and the activity level. Take your body weight and divide by 2. That is the number of ounces you should at least be getting in everyday. Of course drinking more than that is going to be even more beneficial to you especially if you are a very active person. So go grab a glass now and DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!!!!

About me

I am married to the most amazing man in the whole world. This year we will be celebrating our 9 year wedding anniversary. It has been the most amazing 9 years of my life. We have 3 wonderful children together. Riley is our oldest. He is such a smart fun loving child. He is 6 years old going on 30. He has a very mechanical mind. He is always trying to figure things out. He likes to know why things are the way they are and how they work. He loves soccer, running, video games, reading, MMA, and golf. He is a wonderful big brother. He always makes sure his brother and sister have what they need. He is like a second Daddy to them. He is very caring and loving. Collin is our middle child. He is 4 years old. He is our little free spirit. He has an artistic mind. He marches to the beat of his own drum. He loves to do art work, has a great fashion sense, likes soccer, cooking, cleaning, golf, doing puzzles, swimming and hiking. He is a very unique individual. I love to see the things that his mind comes up with. He is very helpful, kind, and caring. Callie is our youngest. She is almost 2 years old. She rules the house. Whatever Callie says goes with her brothers. She is a mommy's girl. She loves doggies, books, playing with baby dolls, Legos, purses and shoes, and swimming. She is the sweetest girl I have ever known. She is very sweet and caring. She knows what she wants and tells you what she wants, even if you don't understand it. She is very curious. She completed our family. I am thankful for my wonderful family. They are my whole world. I decided later in life to continue my education. I am finishing up my degree and will be adding my Masters degree. I love to cook. I enjoy coming up with new concoctions that we have never tried before. I also like doing outdoor things with my family. I have two wonderful brothers who both have amazing families. They are both two of my best friends. I am so happy that our families are all so close.