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Weight Loss Exercise

Looking back and forward



Just wanted to shoot out a quick email today to give you a maybe tough but really important weekend task.

After a long Summer of fun and vacations I am back online and at the gym hard and heavy. Personally I have been looking this Summer at what works, what motivates people and what makes the difference between success and failure. And wanted to share a bit of that with you today.

Looking back and forwardYou probably know exactly what I am talking about. You start a workout plan, or a diet, or a job search and after a few days you lose interest. It is not only disappointing but I think it weighs down on you the next time you try something new or challenging and right off the bat wonder if YOU can in fact achieve.

How I once Quit Smoking

I remember back when I smoked cigarettes it was the same thing. You try to quit and after a few days nothing seems to have changed and you lose interest. Eventually some trigger in your brain switches and you succeed. It happened to me w2hen I quit smoking, that was a lot of years ago but just want to tell a bit about that story.

I would quit and start, cut down and start, research the best methods and quit and start. Nothing worked and I hated myself for failing. The real change that came was when I just decided that quitting was not important but changing my life was.

So here we are entering the weekend after labor day and I have to wonder if you are looking back on your Summer like me and getting ready for the fall and Christmas (107 shopping days left).

What You Have to Do Now

So maybe this weekend, or even today look longer out. I am sure you do not want to get in shape or lose weight for a dress, some clothes, or to run through the malls faster and more effectively. Look deep down instead, what is your real motivator? Once you have a motivator then sacrifice is not sacrifice. Skipping a chocolate bar, going to a gym, grabbing a smoothie instead of a hamburger is a lot easier.

I started my blog and these posts years ago just to help people get in better shape and it has turned from trying to help 100 people to now being something that consumes me. I know why I do this and wake up in the morning wondering how I can affect the lives of more people. I want to know how I can help you. But first, look deep and see what you really want.


Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Heidi Klum Running Tips





I had never known that Heidi Klum was a runner but she is sponsoring a Run for Summer where you can watch and participate in tracking your running compared to the supermodel Heidi Klum.

Learn more about the summer run here: http://heidiklum.aol.com/category/summer-run/, and here are some of the tips that helped Heidi get in incredible shape.

Heidi Klum Running Tips

Heidi Klum Running Tips1. Run with a Buddy – This really sunk in this weekend. When I don’t have to go to work, its so much easier to hit snooze on the alarm or hang out with the kids in our pajamas. I had friends to run with both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. I couldn’t leave them hanging at 7am so had to get up!

2. Set a Goal – When I start running in the summer, I can’t just jump into running the whole way! I set goals for myself. For example, I start by running a mile and walk a mile or run two miles and walk half a mile building up as time goes. If you are running on the street go one mailbox or one house further the each day. Helps to build up your endurance!


3. Wear Good Clothes – I think its fun to dress up for my work-out at least a little bit. When you look good, you feel good. It’s the same as dressing up for anything else.

4. Stretch Before and After – It’s such an easy step to skip but so important! I wasn’t always a big believer but it actually makes a huge difference before and after my workout. Stretching also helps with soreness the next day.

5. Breath Out Loud – I know it sounds crazy but you have to remember to breathe! Sometimes, when I’m working hard, I tend to hold my  breath. Breathing out loud is a constant struggle for me! But again, it makes a big difference and helps you keep going!

These are great tips for anyone getting started running. If you have just started running or would like to start ask some of your fellow coworkers or friends that are runners what they do to be successful.



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General Weight Loss Tips

Food Focus

Today marks the beginning of week ten of the Insanity Workout. Ten. Weeks. On top of six weeks of yoga (which we’ve completed) and a weekly session of strength training.

Here is (another) list of thoughts from the 10 week mark…

1. The time passed. Seriously, ten weeks passed in a blink of an eye. I didn’t have to exercise, but I’m so glad I did. Some days the 45 minutes to an hour seemed like torture, even before I started. Which brings me to…

2. The only thing stopping me from doing most anything in my life is me. Forcing myself to exercise daily for ten weeks allowed me to see thought patterns and push past them. I was negative to myself, and sometimes down right mean. I think this would have stopped me before. It’s all mental, you know that quote: if you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right? So true.

3. Weight loss isn’t everything. This one is hard to even type out, because often I’ve thought: what’s the point in exercise if I don’t lose this weight quickly? What has changed is this: I exercise because it’s healthy and it feels good. This doesn’t mean I don’t weigh myself or get excited to see that I’ve lost 12 pounds (because I’m thrilled) but because there is a part of me that always thought…it’s ONLY 12 pounds, what’s the point? My perspective has shifted from exercise to lose weight, to exercise for life because it’s a good thing to do. I would have (and have many times) given up in the past. Just thrown in the towel because I was only doing it to lose weight. I’m okay with exercising everyday for the rest of my life if I never lose a single pound.

4. This has nothing to do with exercise (well, a little) but never (ever ever) weigh yourself during PMS. Just don’t do that to yourself. I can gain and lose eight lbs. in a weeks time from water weight alone.

5. My clothes fit better. I feel better.

6. Perfection is not a sustainable goal. I’ve had to really challenge myself to “do it anyway”. To exercise when I didn’t have a good week, to get back on track if I missed a couple of days. The truth is, a “poor week” of exercise now (3-4 days instead of six) is what I good week used to look like. I always aim for 6, but a couple of the ten past weeks weren’t perfect. I had to get over it. There were weeks when I ate wayy too much, more than exercise could work off. I had to get over it and keep moving. There were weeks when the scale went up and down and settled and moved around. I really had to stop aiming for a “perfect week” or a “perfect situation”, forgive myself and move on. This is hard.

Thoughts about food:

1. I have destructive food patterns that I’ve been able to pinpoint in the past weeks:

– If I’m overwhelmed, stressed, don’t know where to begin or procrastinating: I overeat.

– I still have the “all or nothing” , “last meal” mentality

– Keeping busy, staying focused and organized = better eating

2. Keeping a food journal, regardless if I count calories or not, truly helps me

3. Writing thoughts and emotions in this journal is also helpful

4. Being on the right path, having a plan for the day and staying on track with tasks makes it easier for me to go about my day without thoughts of food. Everything is related. I’ve noticed that the more productive I am, the more happy I am and the more productive and happy I am the less intense I feel about food.

5. The next ten weeks will be about eating real, clean food. My goal is this: to keep a daily food journal no matter what (good, bad or ugly) and to eat as much real food (close to nature, unprocessed, five ingredients or less) as possible. I want to really push myself to look for the clean food on restaurants and menu’s when dining out.

Clean eating is my new goal!

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