Reward yourself now, not later!

I read this blog this morning on one of my favourite websites, www.sparkpeople.com. I agree with everything he or she says 100%!

What the writer expresses is what I tell all my clients. DON'T WAIT TO REWARD YOURSELF FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! No matter how big or small they may be.

Each person has different individual goals whether it's losing weight, being able to do 5 consectutive pushups or 5 proper pull ups. If we keep telling ourselves "when I reach my goal weight," or "when I can do 5 push ups" etc, we lose sight of the journey and stop living in the moment! But more importantly, we don't recognize our hard efforts along the way.

So stop living in the future and live in the now. Enjoy your health and fitness journey and be happy knowing that you are doing the best thing for yourself. Developing good healthy habits and being active!

Enjoy the blog and share!

Stay active and anything is possible!
Donna



I am currently participating in two challenges. Oddly enough, in both challenges one of the questions for the week was something to the effect of "What will you do once you hit your goal weight?"

In both challenges I gave my honest answer - get pictures taken with my boys and a beach vacation. As I read through the other responses I saw things like get a symbolic tattoo, clothes shopping, new jewelry and makeovers. These responses really got me to thinking about how many things I'm planning to do "when I lose weight". Things like: go hiking with my boys, teach them to swim, do a spa day, take a class for fun. The more I thought about this, the more I realized how ridiculous it is to wait. It's like saying "Don't live until you lose the weight." Why can't I take a class now? Or do more physical things with my boys? Even the beach and pictures. What am I waiting for?? Yes. I will look and feel better without this extra weight but it's not stopping me. What is stopping me is the mental stuff. I treat myself like I don't deserve these things until I'm thinner. Or that the weight is stopping me from doing them. The fact is that the only thing stopping me is myself. I should be living each day to the fullest instead of waiting for this flood of happiness, opportunity and capability to wash over me when the weight is off.

I read a fellow Sparker's blog recently about how she was struggling now that the weight was off. She somewhat expected happiness and love to enter her life once she hit her goal weight. And the fact that it didn't happen plus the fact that she didn't have food or weight to comfort/protect her has made hitting her goal weight the hardest part of all. This really hits home as I find myself saying "I can't wait to do this. Or just wait until I do that." So going forward I need to stop waiting and start doing. Happiness isn't a number on the scale, its living life and loving deeply. Whatever baggage I have now, I will have at goal weight if I don't deal with it and let it go.

I do believe in rewarding yourself for hitting your goals. But what I can't get behind is rewarding yourself with life and happiness. We should be striving for this each day and not waiting until goal weight. With this being said, I'm going to start doing all the things I can now and not wait.

Who's standing in your way?

Hello and Happy New Year!

I hope you're excited as I am for 2012! This is going to be a fantastic year full of fun, adventure, success and as always, new learning experiences.

I came across this article on one of my favorite websites, www.sparkpeople.com. I thought the message was a perfect way to start the new year and I wanted to share it with you.

Imagine someone regularly tying small weights around your ankles as you try to climb a mountain. Doesn't sound fair, does it? But that's exactly what you can do to yourself, a little bit at a time, if you don't watch out. When you think of who and what is standing in the way of your dreams, it's easy to forget your own responsibility. Even the best of us can be guilty of unknowingly hurting our own progress. Procrastination, lateness, being disorganized, pessimism, not being honest with yourself, severe self-criticism, downplaying achievements, focusing only on weaknesses while ignoring strengths, keeping goals a secret, demanding perfection, giving up after a small setback--these are all ways you can make it tough to be (and do) your best. Smart systems, the right attitude, and a promise to keep going no matter what will make a world of difference.

Stay active and anything is possible!

Start your health and fitness program today!

It’s never too late or too early to begin your journey in health and fitness! Here are 10 steps you can take today to get started. I found these tips through one of my favorite websites, www.sparkpeople.com. It's full of helpful tips, inspiration and motivational tips. The perfect recipe to help you create a health and fitness strategy and a plan to stick with it!

JOURNEY TO HEALTH!

1. Write out your goals and desires. What’s your wellness vision? Where do you envision yourself three to five years from now? Set three-month and weekly goals based on your wellness vision. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic and Time-oriented.

2. Ask what, when and how. Make a list of the hurdles that keep getting in your way of living a life of wellness. Then determine which ones are true obstacles – things that you need to work around or find solutions to. And the excuses – ‘nuf said!


3. Have a plan. Rarely, if ever, is any major task or project accomplished without a plan in place. Lay out a plan for accomplishing your goals, as well as solutions for overcoming the hurdles. This is your game plan – it should be flexible, but have fortitude, fun, but not “fluff.” And make it active. Include specific steps you will take to reach your goals.

4. Start a journal. Your goals, desires, barriers, obstacles, excuses, solutions and plan should all be a part of your journal. Make your journal yours. Set it up so it’s easy to use so that you will use it. Include space to just let your thoughts flow. Use it to let out your feelings, vent, rejoice, or celebrate. You’ll be amazed at how freeing it is!

5. Begin your journey where you’re standing now. Where are you right now, this moment, on your journey? Accept where you are and where you need to be and begin the steps necessary to bridge that gap. If, however, you find that old issues keep popping up, preventing you from reaching your goals, you may need to seek counseling. Sometimes the only way to move forward is to first go backward.

6. Take one step at a time. What happens when a builder forgets an important step in building a house? Or a chef leaves out an important ingredient in a recipe? Doesn’t work so well, does it? It’s the same thing with your life. You must take certain steps in order to reach a place of wellbeing—and make it fit your lifestyle.

7. Learn from your setbacks. Making mistakes and experiencing failure is all a part of being human and living. Rather than getting down on yourself, take that setback and turn it into something positive – something you can use to reach your goals. Sometimes life is indeed two steps forward, one step back!

8. Spend some time “cleaning house.” This is intended to be both literal and figurative. When our homes are a cluttered mess, it’s impossible to function well. Ditto for our schedules. Create a list of your activities and decide which ones aren’t contributing to your overall purpose in life. “De-fluff” that schedule and concentrate on those activities that bring meaning to your life, and ultimately to others!

9. Stop comparing yourself to others. We’re bombarded by images of “perfect” bodies every day. It’s easy to get caught up in all of it and feel as though we’ll never measure up – and chances are, we won’t. Let’s get real! These images are results of computer imagery, great lighting, professional make-up artists, self-starvation, plastic surgery and really good genes. Stop comparing yourself to a fantasy and just be the best you that you can be.

10. Reward yourself. It’s OK to feel good about yourself! And it’s OK, and beneficial, to reward yourself for your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. A meal at your favorite restaurant, a date at the movies, a new outfit, a bubble bath… whatever you wouldn’t normally take the time to do, as long as it contributes to your wellbeing, is a great reward!


Stay active and anything is possible!
Donna

Take Action Now! by Tim Cork

On a weekly basis, I receive inspirational stories that I absolutely love! This one really hit home with me because I hear so many people putting off what they are most passionate about because they don't feel the timing is right for some reason or another. I've always been a believer of "Just do it!" (one of my favourite advertisements of all time by NIKE)

So whatever you've put off the last week, month, or years, now's the time to get moving and take action!




“Don’t wait. The Time will never be just right”
- Napoleon Hill

Excel, get great or extraordinary at what you love now. Don’t hesitate and don’t wait. Don't put it off...do it now. When we postpone things we put ourselves in the land of regret or on the edge of that territory. Don’t hold back, go all out. Whatever you want to do grab onto it with both hands and ride hard. Too often we wait it out until retirement to enjoy life to the fullest. Do it now and build on it even more when you retire. Travel now, exercise now, eat great foods now, love now, work hard now. Live in the moment and live well. Use your best China now, have a party now, visit your mother now.

Here is a powerful and revealing question. When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it? Do something totally new, do something totally outside your comfort zone. Do something outrageous. Shock yourself occasionally by doing something you think isn't for you or you are scared of. Scare yourself occasionally.

Dream, set goals and go after what you plan for but also mix it up and step outside what you've planned. Spontaneity is a wonderful gift to give to yourself. Stop being so predictable. Stop being so bloody boring. Outrageous is powerful and memorable and a good educator. What are your limits. Push that edge occasionally.


From Tim Cork, President of Straight A's INC


Stay active and anything is possible!

Clients!

Every morning when I have to wake up early to train clients, my brain is still asleep, my eyes are half closed, and my body goes into automatic drive. But as soon as I see my client, a smile crosses my face and I remember how much I love helping people reach their health and fitness goals.