Stress Management

STRESS. Just hearing the word makes my hair jump out of my skull! But unfortunately, stress is an almost inevitable part of life it seems.....everywhere you look, there is something causing stress....you see it on T.V., in magazines, read it online.  But, on a positive note, Stress can be managed and in fact, if you hope to live a long, happy life, it's required! First....let's talk about what stress is and the affects that it really can have on our bodies.


WHAT IS STRESS?

According to the Miriam Webster Dictionary defines stress as " a physical, chemical and emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation."
What I found interesting about this definition was the last part, the less obvious result, which can be disease.  Many people don't realize the huge impact that stress can actually have on our health. Let's look at how stress works in our bodies and some of the diseases related to stress and then we will get in to some ways to manage stress in our lives.

HOW STRESS WORKS:

When a perceived threat is encountered, a tiny region at the base of your brain, called the hypothalmus, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormone signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, which are located just above the kidneys,  to release a surge of hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brains use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a flight or fight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This alarm system also communicates with regions of your brain that control mood, motivation and fear.

The long-term activation of this stress- response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all of your body's processes. This can increase the risk of these health related problems:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Digestive problems
• Heart disease
• Sleep problems
• Weight gain
• Memory and concentration impairment

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

Other negative affects Chronic Stress can have are:

• nutrient deficiencies
• good gut flora (bacteria)
• increased cortisol levels (can inhibit weight loss)
• lowering metabolism and increasing fat storage
• increased oxidative stress (which causes premature aging)

Stress with regards to weight loss and research done at the University of California, San Francisco,  found that people that had more stress showed a higher drive to eat, including disinhibited eating, binge eating, hunger, more inaffective attempts to control their eating.....all of which can promote weight gain. 

Stress can make you more sucseptible to colds, flus and other infections. It can affect your energy levels, your state of mind, impairing your working ability and ability to control your impulses.

So as you can see.....it can wreak havoc! Granted we cannot rid our lives completely of stress, we can certainly do some things to minimize it.....and the first step is DECIDING it's important enough to do so.

Stress ranges to so many parts of our lives! From divorce to lifestyle, caring for others to our jobs....I mean literally so many things can cause stress. We can also unconsciously bring unwanted stress to our lives, by taking on too much....definitely guilty of that one myself, and this can cause issues in our relationships, poor eating habits, health and time management.....or far worse! So what are some solutions?

     SLEEP!

Lack of sleep disrupts our immune functions, including the production of white blood cells and hormonal regulation. Which is why it is linked with chronic elevated levels of cortisol.  This also leads to elevated levels of insulin, which is linked to gaining body fat (mid section mainly) and developing Type 2 Diabetes. It also changes levels of the hormones Leptin and Ghrelin, which regulate hunger and satiety. 

If you are certainly serious and have made the decision to make some changes regarding stress, making sleep a PRIORITY is crucial. A priority of SCHEDULING 7-9 hours of sleep every night, to make sure it happens. PLAN it. If you need to be up by 6am, make it priority to be in bed by 10 pm.

And if you are going to give the excuse "I can't, I have so much to do!" ....just know that insufficient sleep decreases productivity, so if you get enough sleep, you can actually get MORE done in less time AND feel better while doing it!

      EVALUATE

A lot of times there are things in our lives that can cause stress and that we have the ability to change them. It's good to evaluate the things in your life that are causing you stress, what are some ways you can reduce it?

Don't let your schedule run YOU, decide how YOU can run your schedule! It may mean making some changes and possibly eliminating some commitments. It may mean taking a step down from certain obligations or even asking for help....there's nothing wrong with that!!

Some questions to ask while evaluating:

>>What do you really want for your life? Is your schedule a reflection of that? If not, are there changes you can make?

>>Are you running your schedule, or is your schedule running you?

      LEARN TO SAY NO!

TIP> Learn how not to say yes right away, and know that it's ok to say no.

Some people certainly have a hard time saying no when someone asks for their help. While it's good to contribute in some way, it becomes a problem when you are over extended. When you end up dreading your commitment and running yourself ragged, and may find yourself with no time for your family, or even worse...YOURSELF...it becomes bad. Simply by replying "Let me check my schedule" will provide you with time to think it through and to see if in fact you DO have a place on your schedule for it. Stay Firm. Evaluate your time, your commitments and your highest values.

One of the main reasons for stress is lack of self care. Why is Self care so important?
Well, first off, self care is treating yourself as kindly as you treat others. We often times don't prioritize OURSELVES, when it should actually be at the TOP of that list since it allows us to care for others better. It's NOT selfish to want to feel amazing. When we are at our best, we can give our best and we have more to give! Figure out what you enjoy doing, and what recharges you. How can it fit in to your schedule? Even if it's only 30 minutes, twice a week for now....it's a start.

Need some ideas for self care? Here ya go:

>Take time for yourself (quiet time, classes etc)
>Take time to prioritize your day each morning (what are the top 2-3 things you want to get done today?)
>Schedule things as evenly as possible throughout your week. Don't try to cram too much into your days.
>Don't be afraid to ask for help
>Reduce time on the computer or T.V
>Eat more slowly
>Take deep breaths during the day
>Exercise (even if it's only 15-20 minutes!)
>Open doors and windows during the day, for fresh air to flow.
>Keep a journal
> Focus on the positive

1. Starting off with only one thing for now if needed, make a list of all of your commitments and responsibilities. Figure out your biggest causes of stress and look at the ways you can reduce it.

2. Evaluate your schedule and see where changes need to be made to make things less hectic.

3. Make sleep a priority and make sure to get as much as you need as often as you can. Notice how you feel when you're more rested.

4. Look at the list of Self- Care ideas, so that you can start to reduce the stress in your life What 3-5 will you start with?


Although stress is something that isn't completely avoidable, there are ways to manage and make our lives a bit easier. When you come to realize that stress can do so much damage to your body, and in turn, your future, hopefully you will take action in changing things up! After all....it's your health....it's important, not only for you, but for those around you that you love!! If you would like some more help on how to manage stress, or other areas in your life....feel free to email me and schedule a free 50 minute consultation!

Much love,

The Invigorated Soul

Goal Setting!

    I know, as do many, from experience, that setting goals isn't something thought about often, until of course a new year comes knocking at our door, and then there is a lot of "wishing" for change.

    The reason I say "wishing" is because that's basically what it is. For me, I knew there was something that I wished would change, majority of the time, it was a bad habit or weight loss at a certain time in my life, but I didn't know where to go beyond wanting and wishing things were different. This is because, I didn't know how to set goals and achieve them.

    Answer this......do you feel like you bust your butt, work hard, but don't seem to get anything worthwhile from it? Perhaps you're just floating along in this world?
Well, it's quite possible that it's because you haven't taken the time to really think about what you want in life and haven't set goals for yourself. It's easy to wish something, but would you leap on a moving train with an unknown destination? I'm guessing probably not!

   Many don't realize how powerful goal setting really is. It's a process for thinking about how you want your future to be and motivating yourself to make this vision of yours into a reality. Goal setting not only helps you envision where you want your life to go, and what you to achieve, but it can also help you spot distractions that can lead you away from reaching your those goals.  By knowing what you want to achieve, goal setting maps out where and what to concentrate your efforts on.


Why is goal setting a big deal?

Well, like I said earlier, you wouldn't jump on a train without knowing your destination. Well, perhaps you know what your destination looks like, in your mind,  but is this moving train taking you to all the right stops to get you there? Mapping it out seems much more logical and more importantly, enjoyable, doesn't it?

Setting goals and then mapping it out give you short term motivation for a long term vision. It helps you focus and organize your time and resources, so you can make the most of it.

Example:
Whose going to be on this train? What stops will it be making? Will I meet new people along the way? What will I eat? Where will I sleep? What will I learn along the way to my destination? What do I need to get there?

So let's explore how you get started setting your goals!


    Goals can be set on SO many levels! I seriously just started my new goals for this new year and my categories are:

Career, financial, personal, fitness, family, relationship, spiritual, body, nutrition, materialistic, and Coaching improvements!

You can literally set goals for just about anything! Here's how:

First, you create or envision your "big picture." What do you want to do or change in your life? What do you want to achieve? * Remember.....it can be as small or as BIG as you want them to be.....don't hold back!

Second, you start to break these larger goals into smaller targets and then even smaller targets to hit, to reach those bigger goals.  (Don't worry, I'll break it down in a minute)

Third, once you have your plan, you take action!

Here's a step by step look at how I personally set my goals and how I start to take action:

Step 1: I determine whether or not these are going to be 10yr, 5yr, or 1yr goals. (For this example, I'm just going to use a 1 yr goal.)
I pick a day where I have at least an hour, to sit and really place all my energy and thought into what I want to achieve  in the next year. I pick a place that's quiet (usually when the kid's are in school), a place that is comfortable (for me, it is belly down on my tempurpedic, with my cat next to me purring away;). *Tip: if it helps, you can play soft music or whatever will soften your mind so you can really focus on what you want. Once I'm ready.....I start to brainstorm.
What's Brainstorming?
Well, I will simply explain it as writing every thought, goal, or change that I want to see happen in my future (1yr). Brainstorming is thinking and then writing it all on paper.

Step 2:  I will take a look at my brainstorm, and I will choose which ones are the most important. (Realize they are ALL important or else they wouldn't be on the paper and that is where you determine which goals are closest and dearest to your heart and the ones you want to see happen the soonest).  I select the ones that will make the biggest impact and are where I want to spend my focus on. I then trim them again, so I have smaller goals to focus on.

*Remember: These are YOUR goals, not your parents', family, friends, employers etc. Be mindful of your partner, if you have one, but remain true to YOU.


Step 3: After I choose my most important/ MAIN FOCUS goals, I then get S.M.A.R.T.

S= Specific
M= Measurable
A= Attainable
R= Realistic
T= Timely

Specific.
I got specific earlier when I determined my bigger goals and whether I wanted to set 10, 5, or 1 yr goals, but I get even more specific than that! How so? Why?

I set  my goals around a time frame and a date....yes, and actual date. I also get very CLEAR about my goals. Why? Because if we don't get specific and clear about our goals , meaning : What? When? How? or Why?, it isn't truly made into a goal. It's a wish or a want.....right......like I used to do in the past. By being specific....it set us into action, gets us moving. Getting clear, attaches exactly what we are preparing to take action for.  I put a month and a year on each step so I know when I want to achieve them by.

Measurable.
How do goals become measurable? Well, again, time frame or when you want to reach the goal is a form of measuring, but creating smaller tasks leading up to the big picture, or goal, makes it measurable.
Example:
 "I want to lose weight." NOT specific OR measurable.
"I want to lose 10lbs by January 4, 2015. Specific AND measurable.
This creates the opportunity to put in perspective the smaller steps (or measures) you need to do to accomplish losing those 10lbs by January 4, 2015.
Example:
In order to lose 10lbs by January 4, 2015, I need to.....(fill in the blank)
AND, these steps can also themselves be measured to check progress (or no progress) along the way. (measurements, scale, pics, loose clothing etc)

Attainable.
Is your goal(s) attainable? I don't like to put limits on my goals because honestly, we can be or do and achieve anything, but in my life, what would I consider to be attainable? What will reaching this goal look like for me and what am I willing to put in to achieve it? No one else can do it for me.....so I'm honest with myself, so should you be! Also....are there financial means to attaining your goal? Do you need to be in a certain place to attain your goal? Do you need anything in particular that may need to be of focus FIRST, before you can attain your goal?

Realistic.
I look at my goals very closely, and I determine if they are realistic for me, in my life. I'm not going to set a goal for myself that just sits in limbo because it isn't realistic at this point in my life. If I have a goal and it just doesn't fit into my life's plan at this point in time, I will add it to a future goal lists.
Some ways to figure out if it's realistic....Ask:
Am I willing to put in the work for it?
Does it align with my values and priorities in life at the moment?
Does this fit in with what I'm aiming for?
Does this go along with what I value in my life and my families life?

Timely.
Determine when you want reach your goals, or goal.  At least a month and a year. Setting a date allows your steps to be laid out into daily actions.
I then set steps to take Monthly, weekly and daily, so that I will be able to reach my goals by my desired date.

Here is an example of the goal: Lose 10lbs by January 4, 2015.

Monthly:

• Workout for 1 hour at the gym, before work, with my trainer for 22 days.
• Weekends off for rest
• I will eat clean, healthy, whole food 80% of the time for 30 days.
• I will drink at least 60 oz of water daily, for 30 days.
• I will find a support group to help keep me motivated and held accountable or find a workout buddy.

Weekly:

• Workout with trainer at the gym, Mon-Fri,before work for 1 hour, doing 30 minutes of cardio, 15 mins of resistance training, 10 minutes warming up, and 5 minutes stretching.
• I will eat clean 80% of the time, allowing one cheat meal on Sundays. 
• Drink 60oz of water 7 days a week.
• Take measurements and progress pictures on Saturday mornings, first thing to track progress.
• I will prep my meals for the week, for 2 hours, every Sunday.

Daily:   Ex; Monday

• 5am: Get up. Make coffee. Eat breakfast from clean eating plan.
• 6am: Get ready and dressed for gym.
• 7am: Get meals packed and ready to take to work and fill water bottle.
• Workout with Jim, 8am-9am. Warm up 10 minutes, Cardio 30 minutes, resistance training 15 minutes, stretching 5 minutes.
• 930-1030: eat post workout snack, shower and get ready for work
• Work: 11am-7pm
• 730pm get ready for next day
• Bed: 9pm

This is just an example I've given you, so that it hopefully gives you an idea of how to break things all the way down to what you should be doing on a daily basis to achieve your goals. 

Even though this may seem daunting, it's worth putting in the time, as with anything important you want to see change in your life. You come to realize how rewarding and easier life can be when you have first a vision for your life, and a map to get you there. This creates a purpose for most. It also builds confidence along the way as you reach each small goal on your journey to the big ones. 

Here are some more tips for goal setting. Some are just clarified of the ones above for you. 

• Positively affirm your goals daily as a statement. " I am strong, and capable, ready and willing to lose 10lbs by January 4, 2015."
• Be Precise.  Putting dates, times and amounts so you can measure achievement. If you do this, you will be aware of exactly when you have achieved the goal and take satisfaction in it. 
• Set Priorities. If you have more than one goal, give each one a priority. This avoids overwhelm by having too many goals and helps direct your attention to the most important ones.
• Write your goals down. This sets them in stone and gives them more force.
• Keep lower level goals small and achievable. If it's too large right off the bat, it will feel like no progress is being made. Small and incremental goals, give more opportunity for reward.
• Set performance, NOT outcome goals! Set your goals in which you can have control over achieving. You don't want to feel as if you have failed at a goal because of uncontrollable circumstances. Examples: Bad work environment, or unexpected changes.
• Make sure your goals are realistic. Anyone can set a goal FOR you in an unrealistic away, in ignorance of your own desires and ambitions. Only YOU know what you are willing to work for, how hard you are willing to work for and, and ultimately what YOU want in life.
• You can also possibly set goals that are too difficult because you might not appreciate the obstacles that may get in the way, or understand a skill you may need.

ALWAYS REWARD YOURSELF FOR EACH SMALL GOAL HIT ALONG THE WAY. ABSORB THE IMPLICATIONS OF GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AND OBSERVE YOUR PROGRESS!!

If you have struggled with goal setting, I can help! I provide free consultations for those who are ready and willing to make changes in their lives.  If you would like to set up a consultation, please email me at wbrungraber@gmail.com, so we can set up a time to connect. I hope this helps you in setting goals for yourself, and opens up a bright future for you!

Much Love, 

The Invigorated Soul

Common mistakes when trying to lose weight!

 

The battle of losing weight. It is not something that is usually embraced, for sure, and speaking from experience, it takes alot of time to get things right. It takes patience and trust in the process, and trust in YOURSELF. BELIEF.....right? If you are reading this....I'm sure you've been through this, or are going through it....maybe even for the 2nd or 3rd time, and hey...it happens. Important thing is, is that you are back to try again. Here are a few things that I have learned over the years about losing weight that I hope helps those who have made these mistakes as well, and can hopefully realize NOW...why you have not been able to move forward with the weight loss journey. 

1. Giving up after no immediate results.

You have to realize something, whether you wanna or not....it takes TIME and WORK to start seeing results. I remember being frustrated in the beginning of my journey because I busted my butt on the treadmill for a week straight, and I got NOTHIN' on the scale. Well...I remember reading a quote that really opened my eyes to what to expect, and it said: 

Think about how long it has taken you to put on this weight. This is why it's called a "weight loss journey" right? It takes time...but never just quit, because you will only make it harder for yourself the next time around!

2. Going at it alone.

I'm going to be honest here. I did it alone! 100% ALONE....and I'm going to be honest again....I wish I had someone with me in my journey. I've been called a "rare bird" at times, because one....I lost ALL of my weight at home...no gym....EVER, until I had already lost all of my weight, and I got a job in one, and TWO....I did it alone. But actually, I didn't realize the community of people available, and who are going through the same things, and struggles, and who work TOGETHER at reaching their goals, until I had already lost my weight, and that makes me sad. Why? Because being around others who are going through this provides much more motivation and support on days that you do want to just give up. They are the back bone to each others journey, and it's an amazing thing to be a part of. If you have the option....find people to bring along in this with you....better for you...better for the world!

3. Making alot of changes all at once.

There's a book I once read called The Compound Effect. It talks about the small steps that you take, everyday, compounded over time, is where success lies. Change isn't an easy process, and changing too much too soon, is a destructive road to go down. Making small, sustainable changes, and gently challenging yourself to live according to what is truly best for you, is the best way to succeed in this journey. One day, one small CONSISTENT step at a time.

4. Take the time to learn.

This is a big one! Since signing up at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and becoming a Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach, I've come to find out soooo much about the food industry and how they work, and what they do to our food to make a buck, and let me tell you....it's quite sad. When you go to the grocery store and you see these products labeled "Natural" "Diet" "Healthy" etc.....it is usually far from the truth. When people see these words on products, like yogurt, breads, cereals, etc....they are usually packed full of chemicals, and other ingredients like additives, added sugars, or artificial sweeteners (big one!)  that will in fact, put weight ON you, instead of doing what you have been working towards. I recommend taking the time to really learn about what is in the foods you are eating, and try to stick to whole foods. Fruits, veggies, no refined sugars....or white flour products. Try taking processed or 'boxed' foods out of your diet...slowly of course. 

5. Listening to  quick fix advice or other unqualified sources.

Starting my journey....I of course jumped online and went straight to the internet.  Yes....the internet is a godsend for most things in life, but when it comes to nutrition and fitness.....let me tell you, there is ALOT of false information, hence my sentence about starting at IIN and finding out some stuff. I became qualified in nutrition. I LEARNED and am still learning everyday what is good and what isn't. There is just so much that could go wrong when you take advice from someone who either hasn't been through their OWN journey, or will tell you anything to make a buck....and trust me, it happens alot. Don't listen to just any Jo Shmo because they have muscles. I have come to find that even the ones that are cut and have the abs that we all desire, and are just "perfect" eat HORRIBLY!! The same goes for fitness. I'm a Beachbody Coach. To become a Beachbody Coach, you do NOT have to be Certified in anything....personal training, coaching, nutrition, none of it. The only qualification is being a customer. Now, let me tell ya something.....I learned ALOT from other Beachbody Coaches surprisingly, and even though there is no qualification needed, they have all been through it. Not saying they ALL know what they are talking about , but the ones that have had success in their journey, certainly know a thing or two about fitness. My recommendation is, if you hear or read something, ask someone qualified to know if what it is is correct. Like a Coach or personal trainer.

I for one want to say, that if you are reading this blog post, and whether or not this is just the beginning or a 100+lb weight loss, a 20lb weight loss, or you are back to try again, I want to congratulate you for taking the time to take care of YOU. For taking the steps necessary to live a long, healthy life, with your family, because you truly deserve it! Be proud of yourself every step of the way, and learn to enjoy it, because you will come out of it stronger and happier!:)

Much love,

The Invigorated Soul

Special Day :)

I thought I would write a little blog post on this very special day. You might be thinking....is it a holiday? Her anniversary? Well, it's an anniversary...yes....but it's an anniversary that literally changed my life for the better. It is the 2nd biggest change I've made in my life after taking myself off of anti anxiety and depression medications that I had been addicted to for years. It was a decision I made for not only myself, but for my family. I made the decision to live a sober and tobacco free life. I started smoking regularly at the age of 14, and I started relying on alcohol religiously in my early 20's,after my first marriage had failed, and I became a single mother. My life kinda spiraled at that point and my anxiety became worse and worse. It was from that point on that there are moments in that time in my life that are a blur, or that I don't even remember....pretty scary to think about now. But fast forward to two years ago....after many, many years of drinking every night, doing things that I am very shameful of, I was laying in a hospital bed because of the choices in my life that I had been making. I had already gone through a transformation. I took myself off medications I had been on since the age of 16, and I had lost 87lbs by exercising and eating better. But I knew my transformation wasn't complete. I knew that I wasn't happy, even after my transformation, because I was living sort of a double life. By day I was an exercising machine, yes even smoking about 2 packs of cigarettes a day, but by night, I was drinking 30 packs of beer and fighting with my husband all night. It just wasn't good, and it needed to change, and I ended up in the hospital with a nervous breakdown because of those choices conflicting with what I knew in my heart had to change, because I knew how I wanted to live, and the way I was living, didn't match up with that vision. I knew, once again....just like I did when I just KNEW I had to stop my addiction to meds, that this was next. It was the missing piece that had been holding me back. And laying in that hospital bed overnight, I made the committment to live in sobriety and quit smoking.

Fast forward to today....two years later. What has changed in my life since I made this decision? Well, I became a Fitness Coach, for an amazing company called Beachbody which by using their in home workout program, I lost my weight and was introduced to the coaching opportunity they offered their customers and started helping others transform their own lives, which helped me find my passion and purpose in life. I decided to go back to school and start learning more about Health, Wellness and Nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Health and Nutrition Coach. I also decided to further my fitness knowledge and become a Certified Personal Trainer at The National Academy of Sports Medicine, with the vision of starting up my own Health Coaching practice to continue my passion of helping others pursue their goals in life. 

Three months after my decision to change, my amazing husband decided to join me and quit smoking and drinking as well. Something I thought was NEVER going to happen! I wake up every day with a new intention. An intention to enjoy this life, to continue to grow and to help others, and to continue my journey guilt free, shame free and happy and healthy! I still have alot of work ahead of me, but I do know how far I've come and I thank God for carrying me through with enough strength, and providing me with a grateful attitude. 

I hope you enjoy your day!!

The Invigorated Soul

My most important weight loss tips!

     Having gone through my own weightloss journey, I know how easy it can be to just give up. I wanted to share with you a few of my own tips:

#1 NUTRITION.

Let's be real here.....you're NOT going to see any kind of the results that you are looking for, if you are eating like crap....doesn't matter if you are working out or not.  When I first started my journey....my thoughts of healthy food were salads, yogurt, tuna and eggs, which hey, I was on the right track...,. I honestly didn't have the slightest clue what was healthy and what wasn't! I recommend doing your research....OR...as a Nutrition Coach to help...;)
But this is numero UNO, because no matter how much you workout, you CANNOT.....and I repeat....CANNOT out exercise a bad diet! Plus, our bodies need the proper nutrients that get depleted as we exercise. Shakeology is something I recommend to anyone who is starting out on their weightloss journey. What is Shakeology? Well, I like to call it a daily dose of DENSE nutrition, meaning, while we get nutrients from some of the foods we eat, when a food is nutritionally dense it's more beneficial for optimal health because it provides more nutrition than calories, which, in turn, is what our bodies need! It contains over 70 superfoods in it, and is 100% whole dried food. Want to learn more about Shakeology? Email me at wbrugraber@gmail.com....I'd love to answer them for you! You can also start incorporating veggies in to your daily diet, along with fruits. Gotta get that nutrition under control!

#2 BE HONEST----->>>> WITH YOURSELF!!

Ok....so I'm going to be a little brutal in my honesty here...I hope I don't offend anyone! You MUST be honest with yourself here. For starters....KNOW and be PREPARED for this journey! Change is the hardest thing for ANYONE to do......and it's the most resisted thing on the planet! For you to be successful in this, you have to realize that the lifestyle and the eating choices or whatever other bad habits you have come to be so comfy and cozy with over the years have got you to where you are today, and CHANGE needs to happen. I'm talking change on the INSIDE. This is where it all starts. You are going to have to be open to new things, and just get over the fact that those old habits GOT TO GO! Also....it's sooo dang easy to angry if you get tired easily, can't keep up with the ladies in the workout video, or even being confused where to start at the gym.....YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! This is normal....almost everyone who has gone through this journey knows this. It's going to take time, consistency, determination, and even sometimes tears....but if you are honest with yourself about this, it shouldn't surprise you too much. It ALWAYS gets easier, and it's worth every bit, in the end! Don't give up.....keep pushing FORWARD!!

#3 BE S.M.A.R.T. ABOUT YOUR GOALS!

Obviously you have a vision right? Whether it be wearing those jeans that have been sitting in your closet for a few years that are screaming to be worn, or that bikini that is so badly calling you, or even just the sheer comfort of being in your own skin, or being able to be active with your kids or grandkids, and not have to sit down and take a breather, or looking in the mirror an being proud of what looks back, or feeling like you are attractive to your significant other.  These visions are REAL. They are RAW and believe it or not, are on the minds of most women, whether you are 22 or 70....it's just a part of life to feel this way as a woman. BUT, how are you going to achieve this? You obviously need a plan right?  The way I learned was by setting S.M.A.R.T goals.

S= Specific. When we set a goal....we NEED to be as specific as possible! When getting specific about your goals, ask yourself the 'W' questions:

Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Give a location
When: Put a time frame on it
Which: Identify requirements and constraints
Why: Give a reason, purpose or benefits of achieving this goal. Not just for yourself, but your family too.
Ex: Non-specific: "I want to be skinny." Specific: " I want to workout with a personal trainer at the gym, 3 days a week, before work, so that I can be home with my kids after work." You get the drift...yes??

M= Measurable. Most of my own weightloss was by workout out to P90X. P90X is an in home workout program that was created through a company called Beachbody,  who also created  Shakeology. But what I loved about their programs is that they have you take measurements through out the entire duration of the workout program. You may wonder why this is so important....well...it helps establish concrete criteria for measuring progress towards the attainment of each goal you set. When you are measuring your progreHss along the way, it helps keep you on track. It helps you reach your specific dates, and most importantly...when you get to go back and see for yourself the PROOF that the hard work you are putting in is working.....absolutely amazing, and ignites the fire even more! A few questions to ask yourself about measurable goals:
How much? How many? How will I know when I've accomplished it?

A=Attainable. Honestly, almost ANY goal is attainable when you plan the steps wisely and when there is a time frame established to carry them out.  But when you make a goal that is important to you, you start figuring out ways to make this goal happen, right? What skills do you need? What needs to change? etc, etc.... seeking out ways to ATTAIN this goal. Write down what you need to attain your goals, and put some action behind it!

R= Realistic. Ok...so I said up above that you have to honest with yourself...well you also have to be realistic about the goal you are setting, otherwise, it won't happen. Being realistic about your goals, means that you are setting them with every ounce of you knowing how hard YOU are willing to work to reach them. YOU. Be honest about this with yourself. You know there is work to be done....make sure you set a goal that you are WILLING and ABLE  to put the work in to accomplish. No disappointments this way. YOU are the only one who knows how hard you are going to be willing to work. But just remember....the lower a goal you set is, the lower the motivational force behind it is going to be!

T= TIMELY. "Someday" isn't an appropriate time frame to complete a goal. When you were in high school, or perhaps middle school, and that Science project was thrown at you, do you remember the urgency you felt when you had to go home and tell your parents "I need this, and this, and this so I can have this done by this time"....it was important to you because your grade and perhaps your "freedom" depended on it? Well...think of this journey like that.....when you attach a time frame to your goals, you set your unconscious mind into motion to get to work on it right away. "I want to lose 10lbs by December 10th."

#4 Preparation:

 "Plan to fail, or fail to plan." If you haven't heard this before, let me help.....PREPARE YOURSELF TO SUCCESS! By this, I mean....prepare your meals. Prepare them a few days ahead or a week ahead and place the meals in containers, stick them in the fridge if necessary, so that you have NO excuses to stop off at Mickey D's or In N Out on the way home from work. Remember in the beginning when I said be HONEST with yourself? Well, if you are going to be honest with anything....be honest about no longer being lazy and taking an hour to prepare your meals for the week! If you don't know how, or where to start...I'd love to help! I know how it goes...I've lived it myself.....fast food joints are the destruction of all who are trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.....make a promise to yourself to no longer fall for it....PREPARE!!

#5 Mindset:

Mindset is HUGE! I've told my story many, many times, but I will tell you something about it again. I accomplished my goals of losing weight in a little over a year. Was I happy about that? Well, of course. Did all the rest of my problems go away because I reached my weight loss goal? NO. And that was because while I was focusing on changing my outside, thinking that that was the most important part, and the path to ALL that is happy, I gyped myself. I got farther than I EVER imagined, and when I hit 103lbs, I stopped myself. This is around the time that I realized.....losing the weight was NOT the "end all" solution to the other things going on in my life. Finding my happiness was NOT through the weight that I had lost. I had a severe addiction to meds that I had been on for a long, long time, and there was a reason I was addicted to them. That was because there were underlying issues in my life that were never truly sought out and taken care or talked about. I was still holding on the the hurt, anger, resentment of things from my past, and in order to truly be happy, I realized they needed to be fixed. I could go on and on about this, but what I'm trying to say here is that I will be as real and upfront with you on this. Losing weight will NOT fix everything wrong in your life. Just because you are as skinny as the next pretty girl you are comparing yourself to, this will NOT create the life you are truly wanting. You have to get the crap out for this to truly FEEL like an accomplishment. And that starts by changing your mindset. Personal development and completely letting go of toxic people in my life, and surrounding myself with people who only want to see me happy and succeed in this life is what helped me weed through the yuckiness. This journey is nothing short of a miracle. The opportunities that can come out of it are endless, especially when you are TRULY in it, and not hanging on to what has happened to you, or guilt or shame. Let it go. Start this journey with a positive outlook. Base it on a TRUE journey....because it is. It's not JUST about losing weight....it's about gaining new things, positive things, and letting go of negative, and old habits, and saying hello to the amazing world that is out there waiting for you to shine!  Gotta get it right!

#6 Motivation:

Before becoming a Coach, and starting my weight loss journey....I didn't really think that my reasoning for wanting to change was important, but I was sooo wrong. It's called "WHY POWER." I tell ya....motivation is a hard, hard thing to come by these days, ESPECIALLY if you are starting THIS journey. Tell me if this sounds familiar: (Sunday) " Oh...I'm so excited. I'm going to start working out tomorrow morning early before everyone gets up! I'm so pumped to start seeing changes, and really being proud of myself. I'm going to stick with it this time, nothing is going to stop me....I'm going to eat salads everyday.....I'm ready for this. Bring it on MONDAY!"
(Monday morning comes along....alarm goes off at 5 am......SNOOOOOZE!! And history repeats itself)  Or....feelings of inadequacy, or insecurity or self doubt (man, do I know a thing or two about that one) and you just don't feel like you can make this happen...or "you know yourself" (Ive heard that one a time or two!) and you know you will get bored or let something else distract you from staying consistent. "I'm going to workout every day at the gym, and I'm going to eat healthy from here on.........oh hey look, CAKE! I'll start tomorrow." Sound familiar.
Well....having "why power" is what creates your motivation. Your why should come from a place deep inside. A place that moves you to emotion, and that you know that if you think about it on days of feeling inadequate, or self doubting, or less than motivated, it will pull you back up. Mine are: My children, and my sanity, or going back to  the person I used to be. I won't go in to too much detail...but you get the picture.  Dig yourself out of that hole before you even get there, and you will be golden. OR....another thing is get buddies. I run what I call "Challenge groups or support groups." These are groups on Facebook that have a few people in them who are all on the same journey. They are a great place for motivation and to be reminded of WHY you want this change in your life, and to hold you accountable to keep pushing! If you are interested in something like this, and would like to talk more....email me!

#7 Patience:

So this one is perhaps the HARDEST honestly. In the world we live in, everything is so instantly gratifying, that most of us don't even know patience exists anymore. Goals take time. Learning to love yourself, be gentle with yourself, staying consistent and being PATIENT, and trusting the process are majorly important if you want to succeed in this journey. There is NO magical pill, there is NO quick fix that actually STICKS. There is NO magic involved in this journey, except for the growth and the amazing opportunities that open up for you along the way. Be kind to yourself. Your body has already gone through so much......but think about how patient IT has been with you. It is a privledge to have these bodies, and have them go through soo much of what we put them through for them to still push on for us to live long lives. Well....when you feed them right, and you keep them active, you are giving back to them....and the more you do so, the more rewards they will continue to give.

I hope these help you in getting started on your journey. I would be more than happy to help you with your weight loss, as well as other things you may be struggling with in your life. If you would like a free 50 minute consultation from me, to talk about things and see about working together, feel free to email me so we can get you set up and started!


Much Love,
The Invigorated Soul.