Vulgar, but true :)

 

 

 

 

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Switch it up!

Do More Than One Type of Cardio!

Do you do your cardio on the treadmill or the elliptical machine? How about trying a little of both? Does the thought scare you a bit? Most people like to stick to one machine for cardio, but I want you to change your mind-set. To reach your fitness goals, you have to let go of that all-or-nothing mentality. And let’s face it — eventually, you’ll need more than one cardio option. One day, the weather may not be cooperative for your usual outdoor jog, or all the ellipticals will be in use, or the pool will be closed, or your bike will be in the repair shop. Be flexible.

To get you thinking of the big picture, let’s take a look at all the options available in the always-popular walk-jog-run trio.

You can perform any of these activities on a treadmill or outdoors. The key is to mix it up and keep it challenging. To burn maximum calories, you have a few options: you can walk on an incline, walk fast, jog, or run, depending on what you’re ready for at your current fitness level.

Try performing intervals by running or jogging in quarter-mile bursts. You can also work different muscles in your legs by running backward every once in a while — obviously you can’t do this everywhere. You might also try sports drills like running sideways, or karaokes, in which you run sideways by crossing your right foot first in front of your left foot and then behind your left foot; you then switch directions, crossing the left foot in front and then behind the right foot.

Don’t Forget About Stairs

Stair-climbers and step-mills are a great cardio option. The key to getting the most out of this exercise is to take full steps. Make sure you let your bottom leg fully extend without touching the ground before stepping back up. Don’t lean on the machine or hold on to anything. If you need to set the speed lower in order to go hands-free, do it — you’re better off moving your upper body as you step. You can also perform this exercise sideways, and you can alternate your right leg over your left leg, and vice versa

Writing it down.

Write It to Lose It!

Don’t panic over what I’m about to tell you: You have some writing homework. Now, I’m not sending you back to fifth grade with this one, but I do want you to get comfortable putting your thoughts and emotions on paper. You may be skeptical about this, but journaling on a regular basis will play a key role in helping you meet your weight-loss goals. 

Let me explain. Your journal is a place for you to write everything down, to see it in front of you, and to work through your problems and toward your goals. Without a journal, it’s too easy to avoid your hang-ups and stay in neutral.

Writing about your goals will also help you think them through: Do you want to be healthy, confident, physically and mentally strong? Are there clothes you want to wear that you can’t now? Do you want to see and feel yourself in your ultimate body, living a new life, playing with your kids, going on a date, getting compliments from friends or coworkers? Whatever your ultimate goals, physical and emotional, write them down in as much detail as you can, and refer back to them often. They will help you stay motivated on your journey.

If you have easy access to your computer every day, commit for one week to recording an entry a day in an online diary. It’s easy!  You can keep track of your workouts, you can use it to organize your thoughts. And it’s a great place to record what’s going on with you where food is concerned, too!

For those times that your aren’t in front of you computer, choose anything from a simple lined notebook or a leather-bound blank diary. Besides writing down how you feel, you can include photos of yourself to chart your progress, pictures of clothes you’d like to wear, new recipes you’d like to try, and more. The sky’s the limit! The most important thing is to find a journal that suits you.

I personally enjoy using paper.  I find typing everything doesn’t keep me committed.  I enjoy having documentation right there in front of me in a notebook.  My one office wall is going to be dedicated to my goals.  I’m utilizing the wall in my office as a motivational wall.  This way, when i’m writing blogs such as this, there are motivating captions all around me.  Pictures, motivational quotes, my goals, and articles that interest me will be going up on the wall.

I’m excited for the next step in my journey.  I’m currently in process of writing a book.  Okay, I’m unsure it’ll ever actually become a BOOK for others to read, but I’ve gone through a lot; physically and emotionally.  Why not share my experiences with others who may benefit from them to help cope with what they’re going through.

 

Until next time.

 

I just want to thank Jillian Michaels.  Her articles inspire me to write these blogs 🙂

GET REAL WITH YOURSELF!

I personally know that it’s easy to let the media – and the world – dictate how we think we should look and feel.  It’s time to stop and get real!

We have to know that the first step on the road to total health and living our best lives is simple: We can’t achieve success if we’re not moving toward something.  So, before we do anything else, we have to set goals!  Sounds easy, right? Not so fast. It’s easy to say to yourself that you want to look like an ac­tion hero or a supermodel. It’s a little bit different to arrive at an ultimate goal that’s both ambitious and attainable.

What’s attainable, you ask? In our day-to-day lives we’re bombarded with images of supposed perfection and beauty all the time; it’s easy to let the media and the world at large dictate how you feel you should look and consequently how you feel about how you do look. That’s got to stop.  Trust me, I’m the first one to compare myself to others – it sucks! It doesn’t help with my own self love and self esteem.  It’s time to forget about those articles about how to get Jessica Biel’s tush, Kelly Ripa’s arms, and Matthew McConaughey’s rock-hard abs. Forget them! Even Cameron Diaz doesn’t look like Cameron Diaz. Most of the photos we see in magazines are shot after hours of hair and makeup sessions, then air­brushed to perfection.  It’s called photoshop.  I can easily alter a photo and make myself “perfect. Trying to live up to these impossible standards will lead you down the road to poor self-image, self-loathing, and disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

Find Your True Shape

I looked online to find the different body shapes.  Here’s what I found.  So what is a realistic expectation of an ideal you? Below are three basic body types — identify the one that best applies to your body. It’s important to understand your shape and what you can and can’t expect from it.

• The apple shape. The apple tends to store fat in his or her upper body, so if a person is carrying extra weight, it’s usually around the belly. Fat stored in the upper body can lead to cardiovascular disease, so it’s important for apples to be health conscious. Apples have evolved to store fat in this way to adapt to long periods of famine.
• The pear shape. Pears are almost always women and hold the majority of their fat in the lower body: hips, butt, saddlebags. This shape has evolved because fat stored in these areas aids in fertility. This type of fat isn’t as much of a health risk as ab­dominal fat, but it can be harder to lose!
• The proportionate shape. Lucky proportionates have fat cells dis­tributed equally throughout their entire body. When they gain weight, they gain it everywhere. When they lose weight, it comes off evenly.

After identifying your shape as one of the three basic types, you need to es­tablish a realistic weight for your specific build.  Just google BMI chart, it’ll help you see what your ideal weight should be for your height.

Setting and Realizing Your Goals

Now that you’ve got an idea of what your shape can look like and what your goal weight should be, visualize it! Imagine in great detail how you’ll look and feel, the many ways in which your life will be different and, yes, bet­ter. I recommend keeping a food and exercise journal.  Track your progress and write down goals.  Use it every day so you’re inspired to work through your issues and toward your goals, rather than avoid your problems and stay in neutral.

Meditate on your daily goals every morning to give purpose to your day. And every night before you go to sleep, think about your vision of the ulti­mate you — strong, healthy, and happy. Reaffirm your belief in yourself and your goals, and you’ll find yourself taking the active steps needed to achieve them.

I just want to thank Jillian Michaels.  I got this info from her site to help you all out!

It’s December 1st

To tell you the truth, I’m terrified.  This is why it’s December 1st and I’m finally starting my Fit by 30.  I originally started November 25th.  But with different things happening, I easily got off track and back into my normal habits.

As many of you know, I’ve made a goal to be Fit By 30.  Sure, I still have a goal weight in mind, but my main focus in this journey is to become physically fit.

I want to be able to run without being short of breath.  I want to be able to keep up with my son when we’re outside playing.  I want to go to the gym and not feel intimidated by those around me.  I need tunnel vision when at the gym.  I find I easily get distracted while at the gym.  I’m constantly looking at other girls wishing I was their size.  Why do I do that?  Why am I so consumed with worry?  I’m constantly worried about what others think of me when they look at me.  I struggle with my own self image.

But it’s going to stop.  Today was an off day with foods – not that I ate horribly, I didn’t have an appetite.  So I didn’t really eat.  I ate an apple and dinner.  I’m heading to the gym later tonight.  Will ensure I have a good post workout snack afterwards.

I’m excited for this journey though.  I haven’t weighed myself.  I’m unsure if I’m going to weigh myself or not.  It could be that I’m simply in denial that I’ve gained A LOT of weight back.  It could be that I’m quite scared to see the number on the scale knowing that I once got down to 169lbs.

But why does it matter?  Seriously.  I need to ask myself why it matters.  I’ve come along way, I need to be happy.  I need to accept that this year has been full of bumps in the road.

January I lost my Aunt to cancer.
July I lost my Nan – my best friend – to conditions still unknown.
Unfortunately, I’m still grieving the loss of my Nan.  I have accepted she’s no longer here, but it doesn’t make it any easier.  Since July, I’ve been trying and trying to stay on track and make good choices.  But unfortunately, sometimes I truly just say to myself “fuck it”

HOWEVER…. in my heart there’s still that voice that says “Danielle, you’ve come so far, why are you giving up.  Your Nan would NOT want you to give up.”  So, with that, I keep going.

So, it’s December 1st.  My 30th Birthday is March 28th.  I’m going to do it – you watch!!  I’m going to utilize this blog to keep you all updated on my progress.  I’m still going to post advice, workouts and other blabbings I feel like to keep you all entertained.

The ones reading this mainly are the ones who have been supporting me along the way.  Yeah, it’s been a long time coming.  But 2014 is going to be my fittest year yet.  No more “I’ll start tomorrow” or “I’ll get back on track next week.”  All of that ends today.

It’s only me who I’m hurting.  My close friends and family don’t care what size I am – they love me either way.  It’s me that is unhappy with the way I look.  It’s myself who wakes up each morning and looks in the mirror and disappointment immediately showers over me.  I know it shouldn’t be that way… but that’s just what happens.  It’s time I get back to my old self.  It’s time I realize my potential once again.

My career goals are to become an actual health coach.  Any one can call themselves a health coach, it’s hard work and dedication that actually makes you one.  So here I go.  I’m going to put forward the work that will help me become the health coach I know I can be.

I know my potential… just time to dig down deep and bring it to the surface.  I want to shine!!!!

I was born to MOTIVATE! I was born to INSPIRE! I was born to LEAD!
I wasn’t born to give up.  My Nan would not let me give up if she were still here, so I’m sure she’s rooting for me up in heaven.  I know she’s that little voice inside my head saying “give it one more chance”

❤

My confessions

So I just posted a very long status update on Facebook.  Pretty much feeling the need to explain my weight gain.

WHY?
Please help me understand why I still feel the need to explain everything that needs to do with weight loss/weight gain?  I feel like it’s a vicious cycle.  I hate constantly worrying about what others think of me.  Why do I even care?  I shouldn’t.  The only opinion that matters is mine.. but what if I’m my own worst enemy?  This is a problem.

Why do we struggle so much with self acceptance?  Why can we not just be happy with who we see in the mirror?  I need to learn to truly love myself.  Remember my previous entry.  We all need to explore the meaning of true self love.  It is achievable.  I know it, I’ve experienced it.  Unfortunately, due to recent challenges, my self acceptance and self love has deteriorated a little bit.

However, it shouldn’t have.  I should still instill the confidence I once had.  I should still SMILE, LAUGH, SHOUT, DANCE, DREAM exactly the way I did when I was at my lowest weight.  I’m going to work on it.

I’m going away to Punta Cana on the 17th.  I’m so excited.  Sure, I’m not going to be able to wear the bathing suit I bought in July.. but that’s okay with me.  I have my normal bathing suit, but I’m OKAY with wearing that one.  I’m going to enjoy this trip.  I’m going to go to the Dominican with a smile on my face and faith in my heart that I’m going to have an amazing time with my family.  I’m going to enjoy sitting pool side with my son.  I’m going to shut out all negativity that surrounds me.  I’m not going to worry about what others think of me in a bathing suit.  I’m going to laugh, eat, drink and be merry.  

I’ve already set a goal, and I went public with it on Facebook.  When I return (give or take a few days) I’m dedicating myself to recommitting to the strict, healthy life.  I’m going to be FIT BY 30.  March 28th 2014 I say goodbye to my 20’s..  I start a new Chapter in my life… the dreaded dirty 30..lol.  I remember how motivated and excited I was when I first embarked on my weight loss journey back in 2011. So I’m going to have that same excitement and dedication during the last half of my weight loss journey.

It’s going to be a lot of sacrifices.  I will need a lot of will power.  But I’ve done it before.  No reason I can’t do it again – I WILL do it again.

I’m ready.
Are you ready?
I’m doing it.  
Goodbye to the “fat girl” I feel like.. and hello to the wonderful, amazing, healthy, fit chick I’m going to be.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!!
What a beautiful morning it is!

Woke up this morning feeling grateful and inspired.  Hit up the gym and had a great cardio workout.
Felt amazing at the gym this morning.  I’m not too sure if it’s “The Mondays” or what…. What I mean by “The Mondays” is that sometimes people find it easier to begin new things on a Monday.

That’s what I did.  I’ve started from scratch again.  Back to planning my meals, staying positive, counting my calories in and out.  Making sure I get all my veggies.  Cutting back on the starches and fruit — personal choice.  ALL food groups are important to incorporate into your daily diets.

Did a great cardio workout today.  30 minutes on the Ellipitcal followed by a 5 minute cool down on the treadmill.  Tomorrow going to incorporate weights.  I have a book that has strength training exercises from Bob Harper.  So excited to get to my goals and help my friends/family reach their goals on the way!!

The last couple of months have been quite rough on me.  I suffered from major depression and was not myself at all.  Not going to go into details.. but I was in a really dark period of time.  Nothing seemed to help.  Got placed on medications.. which I’m trying to ween myself off of — at doctors discretion of course.  Going to be visiting a Psychiatrist to help.  I’m getting myself through this.

The worlds most natural remedy for depression is healthy food choices and exercise and creating a positive day for yourself.
I wake up now and say a little prayer and plan on going to bed doing the same thing.  I have two guardian angels up there for me.. both rooting me on to my goals.  Both know how great I can do (AND DID).. 

So like I said, its time to get back at it.  
I’m hoping this positive change inspires others to do so as well.

I want to be healthy to be around for my son and family for as long as I can be.  

So here’s to the first day of the rest of my healthy life.
Lets do this altogether.

This blog will include inspiration, motivation, recipes and sometimes even my venting..lol.

Stay tuned for daily updates and articles!
Thank you all.  Better get busy on these meal plans!