It’s Been a While

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything but of course life goes on :). Time is flying by and it’s almost February of 2017 and my mind is like :0

Even though I haven’t posted I’ve been thinking of things to address every now and then; things I see in this world and how the world has a lot of people fooled. The promises that being a skinny woman or buff man will make your life better, people will love you more, or that you can have what ever you want are a few things I can think of now. It’s all a big lie.

I can testify personally that losing weight and being smaller can boost your confidence but I can’t promise that you’ll get the girl or the guy you’ve been wanting or have the life that the fairy tales promised you.

What I can say is that for me personally I have enjoyed comparing pictures of the past me and the me today. However, the one they don’t talk about when you lose weight is keeping it off :[ Who thought this would all be over after losing the weight? I did!! lol subconsciously honestly.

Keeping the weight off is another subject in itself, prayfully we’ve all learned what things to avoid and what good habits to adopt.

I hope to be consistent in these posts and working out, and encourage someone to take a step that they thought they couldn’t! <—  a lot of “T’s” 🙂

Denver, CO

 

Gym/Workout Tips!

Okay so I really like going to the gym for exercise (I’ll be honest some times it’s hard to keep going because I’m tired but I do what I can).

Here are a few tips I can give you all for keeping to your exercise regime whether you go to the gym, walk in the park, go for a bike ride, or etc….

1. Pack your work out gear in the car
   1. This way you are less likely to talk your self out of working out.
   2. Seeing the clothes or something that reminds you about the gym or working out will give a little boost to your motivation
   3. We’re human so sometimes we forget to grab it when we head out the door 🙂
2. Bring water and a towel
   1. Water is important since we need to stay hydrated
   2. Towels are really nice when we sweat a lot; sweat getting into your eyes can be annoying
3. Don’t forget your music!!
   1. I can’t remember the last time I left my headphones or iPod at home but I know if I did I was probably upset I did
   2. I know I need the extra push from a good beat
4. Don’t feel embarrassed or shy that you’re in the gym
   1. If you go to the gym by yourself don’t be ashamed. We are all there to workout and get healthy to feel better/good about ourselves
5. Make it enjoyable
   1. Don’t be miserable while working out otherwise you’ll be less likely to stick with it
   2. Everything we do doesn’t have to be fun and exciting but change up your workout so you can at least stay interestet
6. Change it up!
   1. This goes with the note above, if you keep doing the same thing the entire time you will get bored. And may even plateau
   2. Go for a walk or jog outside, play a sport for fun, go biking, take a class at the gym, go dancing… do something different to help stay with your workout

Keep it up, just don’t give up because we’ll never see results if we do

 

Motivation – Part 2

“I still need motivation!!!”

Talk to the people around you; friends, family, or co-workers who you trust and know well. Tell them your plans if you’re comfortable. If you find yourself giving in too soon, they can be helpful to get you back on track. Who knows you may actually inspire them to start their own weight loss journey 🙂 .  Let your friends and family know you want their encouragement or ask them to say something if you get off track, even if they don’t work out with you. A lot of times others can see our problems and bad habits better than we can.

Side note – I didn’t have official accountability partners but I do know that this is an area that can be an advantage especially if you have friends and family who will tell you the truth, hold you accountable, and actually help you and not criticize you. You can let others know your plans if you want, it’s your choice but I didn’t. I did have friends who I went to the gym with during my first year starting this journey, but there was a cross road point. We began to have different schedules; they would have to work and I couldn’t wait until they were off to visit the gym since I was serious this time. That’s when I had to make a proactive decision, was I going to stop my progress so I didn’t have to work out by myself or was I going to stand up and keeping going to the gym even if it was by myself? I’m so glad and so thankful to Jesus I went to the gym by myself for the first time, because I kept going and I’m still going today, by myself.  Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, it may actually turn into an important and key change for your life.

Use the imagination God gave you and imagine yourself on purpose done with this race. Where are you, what are the goals that you’ve reached, what did you accomplish, and what did you gain? Take a positive approach on this exercise, use this as a way to get you motivated and get you excited. You’ve already completed this journey in your mind (imagination/dreams), now just let it play out (walk it out)!! The Word of God does say in Philippians 4:8  ^“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate (or think) on these things.” Imagine your self overcoming, imagine getting through the treadmill, imagine on purpose giving up the bad food for the good food. Thoughts are powerful and words are a force, use both to your advantage.

Workout Music – Part I

Hey! Here’s some really motivational music that helps me when my workouts get tough or I need an extra push on the treadmill. They have a nice beat AND a great message.

I hope you enjoy and maybe one day add these artist/songs to your workout playlist (which is something simple but really comes in handy at the gym or when working out in general)

 

 

Motivation – Part I

Motivation… honestly sometimes it’s easy to find motivation to begin a weight loss and exercise regime <chuckle> but it’s not always easy and fun to stay motivated after you’ve started and you’re in the middle of it. We start out strong remembering who laughed at us and how they’ll regret it when they see us in our dream dress looking good 🙂 Or we think about how much better we’ll feel about ourselves when we can finally fit into a certain size, look in the mirror and not be ashamed, or go to the doctor and not hear the same “you need to lose weight” lecture. Whatever our “whys” for losing weight we start out strong with good intentions. We go to the gym 3 or more times a week, give up sugar and  eating out, and make other diet changes. It seems we tend to lose steam in the middle of our efforts and we lose sight of our motivation and “why’s”.

What kept me motivated was remembering on purpose why I wanted to lose weight, what was I aiming for, what did I want to achieve. This is why I mentioned Habakkuk 2:2, write down your goals and why’s so you won’t forget and you can always look back on them for motivation.

I remember when I wanted to lose weight in college and I couldn’t seem to get started I use to come across different stories online about people losing weight and I would see them at their end. I wished I could be with them, at the end of the journey not just starting, or actually haven’t started at all. These testimonies weren’t out there to discourage me or the rest of us but to motivate us, that if they could lose the weight any one could. Look at someone else for motivation, don’t look at someone else’s success as a discouragement but see it as something that’s real and possible for you too.  Use those stories that speak on giving up things for gain like fries for the salad, chips for fruit, the first parking spot for the mid or last spot. These trade offs don’t sound appealing but when you think about what you gain; confidence, a smaller dress size, or a better outlook on life, the trade-offs don’t seem so bad.

Remember: Don’t Give Up

Don’t give up because it’s not easy, no one said it would be!

Stay encouraged 🙂