I will never forget that first day in my Health Science 101 class my sophomore year. My professor gave us a piece of paper and told us to write down the reasons why we exercise. I still have that piece of paper and look at it often. We all have our reasons why we exercise...most likely weight loss is on that list, but what else motivates you to exercise.
-decrease blood pressure
-increase confidence
-set a good example
- feel good
- feel accomplished
-be able to be active with children, grandchildren, little cousins, etc etc
-weight loss/gain/maintenance
-increase self esteem
-decrease risk of heart conditions
-just feels good to move
-decrease the risk of developing chronic conditions that may have touched your life
-alone time
-time with a friend or loved one or family member
-look better
-fit into clothes well
-so I can have that piece of cake and not feel guilty
-clear my head
-get stronger
-be proud of myself and my body
-challenge myself
Just to name a few of the ones that pop into my head today.
I've also added reasons as the years have passed. Hang it up some place that is easily viewed...the fridge, bathroom, on the scale if you tend to weigh yourself, on your desk, in your car.
You can also make a list of why you eat healthy...I ended up adding that onto the back of the exercise list.
It's a tool you can always use to remind yourself of ALL of the reasons why you exercise...it's more than just losing weight or looking more defined.
SO get out a piece of paper and start writing!! If you have yet to begin an exercise program, make one that says "Why I want to start exercising" and then after you begin, make the reasons why you do! It will be a great way to see your progress and be proud of yourself! :)
SOOO
WHAT ARE YOUR REASONS FOR EXERCISING!???
I'd LOVE to hear some from you all! It will help everyone out if you post something...we can all learn something from each other!!!!!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
MindFUL eating :)
Happy Monday everyone! Hope your week is off to a healthy and positive start!
So, I am going to talk a little bit about mindful eating...versus mindless eating.
Mindful eating is when you are thinking about and are in tune with how your body is feeling before/during/after you eat/putting thought into your meals.
Mindless eating is the opposite.
Mindless eating is what most of Americans do on a day to day basis.
Typical scenario: Breakfast is consumed while we are putting our things together for the day, making lunch for the kids, getting ready ourselves, even while driving, in front of a computer screen answering emails, or grabbing it on our walk to work/what have you...
We are simply doing way too many activities at once.
There are a few reasons why doing this is not so great:
1) You are not fully paying attention to either activities (eating and _____).
2) Your body registers that you are full AFTER you are which can cause overeating.
3) Since you are not paying attention to eating, you might not feel satisfied/forget that you even ate. Ever have one of those, "did I even eat lunch" moments?
4) We put ourselves at risk for eating not to healthy food because we aren't thinking about WHAT we are eating or how much it takes for us to feel full/satiated.
Mindful eating also means US THINKING about what we are putting into our mouths. Ever have one of those days where you got SO busy (forget to eat) that by the end of the day you are STARVING to the point where you feel the need to eat the entire Sahara Desert for dinner?
We've all had those days. To be honest, those days occur far too often in America. We are so busy that we can't even take 20 minutes to eat a meal 3x a day. 1 hour total out of 24 hours in the day. That one hour (besides your workout hour) is crucial to your health and most likely, to reaching your goal. What you put into your body, how much, and then what you do with your body (exercise componenet) MATTERS.
SO 1 total hour a day to eat. NO magazine, no tv, no emailing, no phone, no nothing...unless you have a person to talk to you...it's normal for meals to be social. TRY IT! It's way harder than it sounds.
Helpful tips to avoid mindless eating:
1) Put out as much of breakfast the night before as you can. Whether it is a bowl with the cereal box next to it and a spoon or the pan to make your omelette...it's a few less things you need to do in the morning and it may actually give you time to eat breakfast before you leave!
2) PACK LUNCH and make it yourself (I'm not talking about a frozen lunch placed in a bag). It's wayyy less expensive, it will be healthier, and you will be happy that you have your lunch right there... no need to waste 10-15 min going somewhere to grab it...THOSE 15 minutes are now yours to eat! SEE how this can help you?
3) Shut off your life when it's meal time. Easier said than done, I'm well aware. I tend to want to email, check facebook (I told you guys I'm a total nerd), google something...just be a busy bee. There is NO NEED to do a thousand things half-assed at once. Just EAT. Focus on your day and how your body is feeling. When you get that "okay, I'm satisfied and not hungry anymore" feeling, stop eating and then go on with your day.
4) Try to eat dinner with others. Your family, friends, co-workers etc etc.
5) Put your damn fork done periodically during the meal, grab a sip of water/milk/whatever, and then check in with yourself. Are you still hungry? Are you full? How are you feeling?
6) Stop using GINORMOUS plates/spoons/forks/bowls/etc. They make you want to fill the plate or bowl up, and take much larger bites. The trough that we call a plate is a little much, and if we don't fill it all the way, it makes us feel like we are "dieting" or not eating enough which makes us still hungry after we are done. Also, I'm not saying use a baby spoon, but the modern shovel isn't something we need to eat with either.
Look up the book, Mindless Eating...it's SUPER interesting. Tons of studies done to look at sizes of plates, where you sit, etc etc and how it affects your eating.
OKAY, NOW COMMENT/ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!!!! :) THANKS ALL!
So, I am going to talk a little bit about mindful eating...versus mindless eating.
Mindful eating is when you are thinking about and are in tune with how your body is feeling before/during/after you eat/putting thought into your meals.
Mindless eating is the opposite.
Mindless eating is what most of Americans do on a day to day basis.
Typical scenario: Breakfast is consumed while we are putting our things together for the day, making lunch for the kids, getting ready ourselves, even while driving, in front of a computer screen answering emails, or grabbing it on our walk to work/what have you...
We are simply doing way too many activities at once.
There are a few reasons why doing this is not so great:
1) You are not fully paying attention to either activities (eating and _____).
2) Your body registers that you are full AFTER you are which can cause overeating.
3) Since you are not paying attention to eating, you might not feel satisfied/forget that you even ate. Ever have one of those, "did I even eat lunch" moments?
4) We put ourselves at risk for eating not to healthy food because we aren't thinking about WHAT we are eating or how much it takes for us to feel full/satiated.
Mindful eating also means US THINKING about what we are putting into our mouths. Ever have one of those days where you got SO busy (forget to eat) that by the end of the day you are STARVING to the point where you feel the need to eat the entire Sahara Desert for dinner?
We've all had those days. To be honest, those days occur far too often in America. We are so busy that we can't even take 20 minutes to eat a meal 3x a day. 1 hour total out of 24 hours in the day. That one hour (besides your workout hour) is crucial to your health and most likely, to reaching your goal. What you put into your body, how much, and then what you do with your body (exercise componenet) MATTERS.
SO 1 total hour a day to eat. NO magazine, no tv, no emailing, no phone, no nothing...unless you have a person to talk to you...it's normal for meals to be social. TRY IT! It's way harder than it sounds.
Helpful tips to avoid mindless eating:
1) Put out as much of breakfast the night before as you can. Whether it is a bowl with the cereal box next to it and a spoon or the pan to make your omelette...it's a few less things you need to do in the morning and it may actually give you time to eat breakfast before you leave!
2) PACK LUNCH and make it yourself (I'm not talking about a frozen lunch placed in a bag). It's wayyy less expensive, it will be healthier, and you will be happy that you have your lunch right there... no need to waste 10-15 min going somewhere to grab it...THOSE 15 minutes are now yours to eat! SEE how this can help you?
3) Shut off your life when it's meal time. Easier said than done, I'm well aware. I tend to want to email, check facebook (I told you guys I'm a total nerd), google something...just be a busy bee. There is NO NEED to do a thousand things half-assed at once. Just EAT. Focus on your day and how your body is feeling. When you get that "okay, I'm satisfied and not hungry anymore" feeling, stop eating and then go on with your day.
4) Try to eat dinner with others. Your family, friends, co-workers etc etc.
5) Put your damn fork done periodically during the meal, grab a sip of water/milk/whatever, and then check in with yourself. Are you still hungry? Are you full? How are you feeling?
6) Stop using GINORMOUS plates/spoons/forks/bowls/etc. They make you want to fill the plate or bowl up, and take much larger bites. The trough that we call a plate is a little much, and if we don't fill it all the way, it makes us feel like we are "dieting" or not eating enough which makes us still hungry after we are done. Also, I'm not saying use a baby spoon, but the modern shovel isn't something we need to eat with either.
Look up the book, Mindless Eating...it's SUPER interesting. Tons of studies done to look at sizes of plates, where you sit, etc etc and how it affects your eating.
OKAY, NOW COMMENT/ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!!!! :) THANKS ALL!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A typical Caitlin Menu...
Hola everyone! Hope you are all enjoying your Saturday!
As requested, this post is going to be about what a typical Caitlin menu looks like for a day and also, some suggestions/recipe books and websites to go to. :)
Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian (I doeggs and fish though). SO my meals do not contain any meat products...SORRY!
A day in the life of Caitlin (eating wise):
Breakfast:
First off, I like to mix it up. I'm all for satisfying the taste buds and varying my diet. I usually have an iced coffee that I make at home and a bottle of water. Oh, and WW does not mean Weight Watchers, it means whole wheat.
-WW english muffin w/tbsp of all natural pb and a banana
-WW half of a bagel with either cream cheese or pb and a banana, perhaps an egg or some nuts
-All natural/organic oatmeal with either berries or a banana...perhaps even a hard boiled egg for some added protein
-Cereal with a banana and unsalted, just roasted or natural nuts
-Aria protein shake with milk(mostly a vitamin shake from Trader Joe's), 1-2 pieces of ww toast with either pb or even little bit of cinnamon sugar on top with a whole piece of fruit
-Homemade whole wheat flour muffin (google recipes), an egg, and a piece of fruit
-cottage cheese, half a bagel/piece of toast/english muffin, a piece of fruit
If you take a look at those options, you'll notice that each contain a piece of fruit, something that is high in protein, and a whole grain. Obviously, omelettes are great...I just don't love them in the morning...I usually pack my breakfast and eat on the train into work. so omelettes are kind of out for me.
LUNCH:
-ww homemade tuna sandwich of wrap with lettuce, tomato, onion
-greek yogurt (love Fage brand), granola and nuts to put in it, a piece of fruit, bag of cut up veggies with hommus.
-loaded up salad with lettuce/spinach, beans, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, craisins, carrots, edamame, with balsalmic vinegarette
-yogurt, nuts and granola, whole grain cold salad (pasta, quinoa, etc etc)
-avocado sandwich with sprouts, tomato, onion, on ww bread
-pb and J w/ all natural pb, ww bread, and organic jam. <---rare occasion but it feels good to have one every one in a while. I will have veggies w hommus, a small yogurt, and a piece of fruit to go along with it.
Dinner:
-Fish with steamed veggies and brown rice
-Veggie burgers with a salad on a ww bun
-Sweet potato topped with cooked black beans, tomatoes, onion, green onion, with a dollop of sour cream <---my favorite. -homemade veggie white pizza on ww homemade crust -stif fry with shrimp, brown rice, peppers and really any other veggies that you enjoy. That's the low down on what I eat for meals. Since I am super busy at work from 630am-4ish pm I typically eat my meals in segments since time is an issue for me.
If I'm hungry between meals, I will have a handful of almonds, piece of fruit, couple of whole grain crackers or chips with some homemade salsa/guacamole, fruit leather, etc etc.
Balance out your meals as much as possible!
Does this meal include a whole grain?
Veggie and/or fruit?
Protein source?
Fat source?
Fiber?
There are plenty of easy to prepare foods out there that you can make all by yourself! Making larger portions of food on Sundays are a great way to be able to make packing breakfast and lunch easier...you just put some in a container and head out!
Just Google healthy recipes and a thousand sites will pop up!
I have a few books, magazine, and websites that I will suggest to you: Super Natural Cooking (I believe it's called), Master your Metabolism cookbook, The Kind Diet (Alicia Silverstone is a vegan--but she has veggie recipes),Eating Well Magazine, Clean Food Magazine, Health Mag., Fitness Mag., Self Mag., Women's Health, Mens Health, Food Network website, Cooking Light website, ALL have great recipes!
Let me know what you all think! :)
As requested, this post is going to be about what a typical Caitlin menu looks like for a day and also, some suggestions/recipe books and websites to go to. :)
Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian (I doeggs and fish though). SO my meals do not contain any meat products...SORRY!
A day in the life of Caitlin (eating wise):
Breakfast:
First off, I like to mix it up. I'm all for satisfying the taste buds and varying my diet. I usually have an iced coffee that I make at home and a bottle of water. Oh, and WW does not mean Weight Watchers, it means whole wheat.
-WW english muffin w/tbsp of all natural pb and a banana
-WW half of a bagel with either cream cheese or pb and a banana, perhaps an egg or some nuts
-All natural/organic oatmeal with either berries or a banana...perhaps even a hard boiled egg for some added protein
-Cereal with a banana and unsalted, just roasted or natural nuts
-Aria protein shake with milk(mostly a vitamin shake from Trader Joe's), 1-2 pieces of ww toast with either pb or even little bit of cinnamon sugar on top with a whole piece of fruit
-Homemade whole wheat flour muffin (google recipes), an egg, and a piece of fruit
-cottage cheese, half a bagel/piece of toast/english muffin, a piece of fruit
If you take a look at those options, you'll notice that each contain a piece of fruit, something that is high in protein, and a whole grain. Obviously, omelettes are great...I just don't love them in the morning...I usually pack my breakfast and eat on the train into work. so omelettes are kind of out for me.
LUNCH:
-ww homemade tuna sandwich of wrap with lettuce, tomato, onion
-greek yogurt (love Fage brand), granola and nuts to put in it, a piece of fruit, bag of cut up veggies with hommus.
-loaded up salad with lettuce/spinach, beans, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, craisins, carrots, edamame, with balsalmic vinegarette
-yogurt, nuts and granola, whole grain cold salad (pasta, quinoa, etc etc)
-avocado sandwich with sprouts, tomato, onion, on ww bread
-pb and J w/ all natural pb, ww bread, and organic jam. <---rare occasion but it feels good to have one every one in a while. I will have veggies w hommus, a small yogurt, and a piece of fruit to go along with it.
Dinner:
-Fish with steamed veggies and brown rice
-Veggie burgers with a salad on a ww bun
-Sweet potato topped with cooked black beans, tomatoes, onion, green onion, with a dollop of sour cream <---my favorite. -homemade veggie white pizza on ww homemade crust -stif fry with shrimp, brown rice, peppers and really any other veggies that you enjoy. That's the low down on what I eat for meals. Since I am super busy at work from 630am-4ish pm I typically eat my meals in segments since time is an issue for me.
If I'm hungry between meals, I will have a handful of almonds, piece of fruit, couple of whole grain crackers or chips with some homemade salsa/guacamole, fruit leather, etc etc.
Balance out your meals as much as possible!
Does this meal include a whole grain?
Veggie and/or fruit?
Protein source?
Fat source?
Fiber?
There are plenty of easy to prepare foods out there that you can make all by yourself! Making larger portions of food on Sundays are a great way to be able to make packing breakfast and lunch easier...you just put some in a container and head out!
Just Google healthy recipes and a thousand sites will pop up!
I have a few books, magazine, and websites that I will suggest to you: Super Natural Cooking (I believe it's called), Master your Metabolism cookbook, The Kind Diet (Alicia Silverstone is a vegan--but she has veggie recipes),Eating Well Magazine, Clean Food Magazine, Health Mag., Fitness Mag., Self Mag., Women's Health, Mens Health, Food Network website, Cooking Light website, ALL have great recipes!
Let me know what you all think! :)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Food and Grocery Shopping 101...to be continued tomorrow and the day after and the day after...
Hey All!
Hope you all enjoyed the last post about DIGGING DEEP! :) What'd you think of it? I'd LOVE to hear your comments and questions...I receive about 1 a day...but LET'S DO MORE OF IT!
Okay. Let's talk about FOOD a little bit shall we?
Let me slash a few myths first:
1) Every diet help you to lose weight because any way you look at it, it is a change in food and a change in calories (less)...but what diets don't do is help you to get healthier. They also tend to ruin your metabolism (slow it down) which is not good. We all want fast metabolisms right? SO do me a favor and stop dieting. :) K thanks
2) Fat does not make you fat. What makes you add fat to your body is additional calories. Remember the calories in and calories out equation.
3) Carbs do not make you fat. Now, I will say that when you eat, your body uses what it needs and will store the rest (usually in the form of either stored glucose or fat). I wish it worked out that we use what we need and then the rest would disappear or just be eliminated. BUT it doesn't work that way.
Now for some friendly advice:
1) Look at the INGREDIENT SECTION on the label. STOP obsessing over calories, fat grams, carb grams, etc etc. Take a look at what it is that you are eating. IF IT SAYS: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP OR PARTIALLY OR FULLY HYDROGENATED OIL of any kind...THROW IT OUT. YUCK! The first is basically a chemical and the second is TRANS FAT.
Stop eating chemicals and start eating FOOD.
2) If it has a mom or comes from the ground...EAT IT. As simple as that. Can you come up with anything that is horrible for you that either has a mom or comes from the ground?
I don't think so.
3) It is a whole grain if on the label the first ingredient says "WHOLE _________ (insert grain type here). If it says enriched or white or unbleached flour...it is not a whole grain and THROW IT OUT.
White flour is basically whole wheat flour that they took the nutrients out of (so it won't spoil as fast on the store shelves) and then if it says enriched...that means that put some of the nutrients back in. DOES THAT MAKE ANY FREAKIN SENSE? NO. So don't buy it unless you need half ww flour and half all purpose...some recipes will call for it.
4) If you cannot pronounce what is included in the ingredient section......DO NOT BUY IT. It is most likely a ton of processed crap that you are about to put in your body. Not many nutrients...therefore a waste of calories and money.
5) The less ingredients the better. :) The less is in the product, the less processed it is, and the better it will be for you.
6) Try to stop eating those damn 100 calories packs. They drive me nuts. Read the label/ingredients after reading this and tell me that they pass the test. If you want a freaking cookie/cracker/or whatever BAKE IT or buy one that is less processed and/or organic/made with whole wheat flour.
7) When you go grocery shopping and go to the produce section, what ingredients do you have to read on the package of oranges, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes, carrots, tomatoes, cukes, etc etc.
NONE!!!!! So I believe that they are the best choices. BUY mostly produce and then whatever you need to make full meals, grab those SECOND. Organic is better! Less pesticides
8) Shop the perimeter of the grocery store FIRST. The healthiest foods are the ones around the store...not necessarily in the aisles...try it and you will understand.
9) Stop buying everything that is LOW FAT. Low fat means nothing in terms of health. When they take the fat out, they put sugar/some chemical into it. It's fine to do with some stuff, but really, ever since the low fat diet has come out, we have become more obese as a nation.
10) SODA. Oh god, this one really sets me off. What the hell is SODA? Chemicals that leach the calcium and vit d from your bones, sugar (or high fructose corn syrup), artificial coloring, flavoring, etc etc. If you want bubbly, grab a seltzer water and put a splash of real fruit juice in it (no aspartame or sucralose in it..CHECK IT to make sure it does not contain that).
11) DRINK WATER. OH and buy a stainless steel water bottle instead of a million bottled waters...you will save money, save the earth, and not have chemicals leaching into your water.
12) LAST ONE, try to purchase items that do not come in a box. NO BOXED foods. think about things that come in a box...are they heavily processed? YES. Are they typically foods that have a mom or come from the ground? NO.
I will say that cereal/granola is OKAY as long as you check the ingredients.
OKAY. That is enough for now!
I know I told you a lot of don'ts but...let's start with what the cut out and then perhaps I will talk about what to put into your cart. :)
WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?! Do-able or what!?
Hope you all enjoyed the last post about DIGGING DEEP! :) What'd you think of it? I'd LOVE to hear your comments and questions...I receive about 1 a day...but LET'S DO MORE OF IT!
Okay. Let's talk about FOOD a little bit shall we?
Let me slash a few myths first:
1) Every diet help you to lose weight because any way you look at it, it is a change in food and a change in calories (less)...but what diets don't do is help you to get healthier. They also tend to ruin your metabolism (slow it down) which is not good. We all want fast metabolisms right? SO do me a favor and stop dieting. :) K thanks
2) Fat does not make you fat. What makes you add fat to your body is additional calories. Remember the calories in and calories out equation.
3) Carbs do not make you fat. Now, I will say that when you eat, your body uses what it needs and will store the rest (usually in the form of either stored glucose or fat). I wish it worked out that we use what we need and then the rest would disappear or just be eliminated. BUT it doesn't work that way.
Now for some friendly advice:
1) Look at the INGREDIENT SECTION on the label. STOP obsessing over calories, fat grams, carb grams, etc etc. Take a look at what it is that you are eating. IF IT SAYS: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP OR PARTIALLY OR FULLY HYDROGENATED OIL of any kind...THROW IT OUT. YUCK! The first is basically a chemical and the second is TRANS FAT.
Stop eating chemicals and start eating FOOD.
2) If it has a mom or comes from the ground...EAT IT. As simple as that. Can you come up with anything that is horrible for you that either has a mom or comes from the ground?
I don't think so.
3) It is a whole grain if on the label the first ingredient says "WHOLE _________ (insert grain type here). If it says enriched or white or unbleached flour...it is not a whole grain and THROW IT OUT.
White flour is basically whole wheat flour that they took the nutrients out of (so it won't spoil as fast on the store shelves) and then if it says enriched...that means that put some of the nutrients back in. DOES THAT MAKE ANY FREAKIN SENSE? NO. So don't buy it unless you need half ww flour and half all purpose...some recipes will call for it.
4) If you cannot pronounce what is included in the ingredient section......DO NOT BUY IT. It is most likely a ton of processed crap that you are about to put in your body. Not many nutrients...therefore a waste of calories and money.
5) The less ingredients the better. :) The less is in the product, the less processed it is, and the better it will be for you.
6) Try to stop eating those damn 100 calories packs. They drive me nuts. Read the label/ingredients after reading this and tell me that they pass the test. If you want a freaking cookie/cracker/or whatever BAKE IT or buy one that is less processed and/or organic/made with whole wheat flour.
7) When you go grocery shopping and go to the produce section, what ingredients do you have to read on the package of oranges, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes, carrots, tomatoes, cukes, etc etc.
NONE!!!!! So I believe that they are the best choices. BUY mostly produce and then whatever you need to make full meals, grab those SECOND. Organic is better! Less pesticides
8) Shop the perimeter of the grocery store FIRST. The healthiest foods are the ones around the store...not necessarily in the aisles...try it and you will understand.
9) Stop buying everything that is LOW FAT. Low fat means nothing in terms of health. When they take the fat out, they put sugar/some chemical into it. It's fine to do with some stuff, but really, ever since the low fat diet has come out, we have become more obese as a nation.
10) SODA. Oh god, this one really sets me off. What the hell is SODA? Chemicals that leach the calcium and vit d from your bones, sugar (or high fructose corn syrup), artificial coloring, flavoring, etc etc. If you want bubbly, grab a seltzer water and put a splash of real fruit juice in it (no aspartame or sucralose in it..CHECK IT to make sure it does not contain that).
11) DRINK WATER. OH and buy a stainless steel water bottle instead of a million bottled waters...you will save money, save the earth, and not have chemicals leaching into your water.
12) LAST ONE, try to purchase items that do not come in a box. NO BOXED foods. think about things that come in a box...are they heavily processed? YES. Are they typically foods that have a mom or come from the ground? NO.
I will say that cereal/granola is OKAY as long as you check the ingredients.
OKAY. That is enough for now!
I know I told you a lot of don'ts but...let's start with what the cut out and then perhaps I will talk about what to put into your cart. :)
WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?! Do-able or what!?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sometimes you have to DIG DEEP
You know those days when:
you are just super uninterested in going to work/school....
you just don't care what you put in your body....
you don't want to exercise or move your body...
you feel like the world is just totally against you...
you wake up on the wrong side of the bed...
you feel like no one is listening to you...
you are nearing the end of a run and you are struggling...
you are your own worst enemy...
you feel like you are going nowhere or going down the wrong path...
you think your goal is unreachable...
you are indifferent....
you just.want.to.give.up.
THAT'S WHEN YOU NEED TO DIG DEEP.
Dig deep= find that part inside of you that is going to FIGHT when you have nothing left to give.
For example, digging deep...ever seen the movie Titanic? Dramatic, I know...but... Digging deep is what those people did when they climbed the mast all the way up to the top in order to live...they didn't have the physical energy, but somehow climbed up and "survived". I think most died...but let's say that the top of the mast=survival.
Just when you think you have nothing left...DIG DEEPER. Find that strength and perserverence and GO FOR IT. Find that space inside of you that you would have to tap into in order to SURVIVE and LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT!
I get it...we all have those days...I have those days too!
It's about how you manage and handle those days/moments/weeks/hours/years that matters.
Just when life/your goal/a relationship/or whatever gets HARD or CHALLENGING....that's when you need to DIG DEEP and SHINE. Find your way out of it...FIGHT through it...find a way to make it happen (or find someone that can help you fight--in some cases we need outside help).
This MUST be your mentality. Anything in life is attainable...it's those who want it, who get it. Those who give up all of their excuses, stop complaining, and MAKE THE CHANGE and DIG DEEP. You must come up with a thousands reasons WHY you want to make yourself better (leaner, happier, more confident, more fit, better self esteem, content, healthier) instead of the thousands of excuses and reasons why you might fail or can't do something.
I will share a goal of mine with you all that is going to sound NUTS/Crazy/Unattainable...
I want to cure America of this disease called being UNHEALTHY (links into my very first blog if you remember). I want to change how we eat, move, think, act, and how we speak to one another. I want to make people HAPPIER and HEALTHIER and UNSTOPPABLE. I want to change American lives for the better.
Everything I am trying to do or become is me taking steps towards that goal. Am I crazy for wanting that? Maybe. You know what I do in order to feel like I am accomplishing something though? I try to set a good example...I eat healthy, rest, exercise, push myself, think positively, say hi to random people, smile, etc etc. I also write this blog...giving information/answering questions from strangers and do it for the well being of others...not for myself. I also personal train people in order to help them change their lives and bodies.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Are there days when I feel like I am never going to make a difference or attain that goal? Are there moments where I don't believe in myself and think it doesn't matter if I don't finish a run or give my all to a client of mine?
YES!
BUT that's when I dig deeper.
SO whatever it is in your life that you want to accomplish, whether it be in the gym or even outside of exercising or eating healthy... Find what it is...DIG DEEP...and GET THERE.
Find a word that you can say to yourself when you don't think you can do it...when you want to give up...say if to yourself over and over again...Let it motivate and inspire you.
My word: Believe.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Weight loss and Exercise...do's and don'ts
Hey all! Continuing with the ever so popular topic of weight loss (fat loss).
Most people want to lose fat when they talk about weight loss...not losing muscle or your organs I am guessing ;)
SO let me tell you what I have found to be most effective with me and my clients in terms of fat loss:
Do full body exercises 3x a week. Full body exercises burn the most amount of calories. Push Ups, Pull Ups, Squats with shoulder press, lunges with bicep curls, bent over rows, etc etc. If you have time, add some core movements but just doing abdominals are not going to burn enough calories in order to make a change in your body fat percentage. Just google full body exercises and a ton will come up...orrrr just get an exercise book and you'll find some ideas. Women's Health and Men's Health both put out some great books with all different exercises with their progressions.
Do cardio on your off days. Let's say your lifting days are MWF and your cardio days are T-TR and perhaps one day on the weekend.
Play with the sets and reps schemes. I started with 3 sets of 15 reps when I first started lifting. Then I did 4 sets of 12....then 3 sets of 10...basically switching it up every 4-8 weeks so that my body is constantly changing and not plateu-ing.
Push yourself during your lifting days...you should be exhausted after your session. Leave everything in the session...give it your all. On your cardio days, just get that heart rate up! Whatever you chose to do for cardio, make sure that you aren't able to carry on a conversation...called the Talk Test. If you can have a conversation or sing to your IPOD out loud, then you aren't working hard enough. :) Go for as long as you can, and then stop.
It's hard for me to explain everything in a blog...and again, I am a personal trainer so a program is quite different for each person...but here is the meat and potatoes of it.
Let me know if you have any questions or even if you just loved the info or needed more! :)
Thanks all!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
A couple random purchases today
Hey All! Hope you all had a relaxing Sunday :) This picture is your first real insight into how much of a dork I am *and someone took the picture of me..no I am not one of those who takes pics of themselves and sets the timer*.
So today I went to TJMAXX to buy some glass pyrex...and to be that only. However, like usual, I ended up buying something else as well...this time it was a home pull up bar! I love doing pull ups...they are in my opinion, one of the BEST exercises you can do. I will tell you my opinion.
1) It's a whole body exercise (glutes are squeezing, abs are pulling in, arms, back, etc)
2) It shows your ability to move your own body weight around which I think is most important.
3) Pull ups are HARD (especially for women--not excluding men though!)
About 5 or so months ago I started doing jump pull ups which is when you jump up as high as you can to reach the bar and then pull up as much as you can. Then I did a push up/stand up/jump pull ups. THEN I decided to just try to do pull ups without jumping. Since then, I am now able to do at least 3-4 full pulls up in a row, sometimes 5 depending on my energy level.
Now, my goal is to do 10 full pulls up in a row without stopping! I am committed to this goal and now I have a pull up bar in my door way into my bathroom so I really have no excuse at all! It will take time and effort but I have set myself in such a way to not fail at this goal.
SO I:
1) Set a goal of doing 10 pull ups
2) Why this goal?: Because I want to be stronger, able to pull my own body weight up 10 times, strengthen my abdominals, lean up more in order to feel better about my body and myself. This will also increase my confidence and self-esteem.
3) Set myself up to reach this goal but making it a committment of mine, buying a pull up bar *15 bucks*, and now am going to do daily pull ups after my nightly yoga sessions.
Making fitness and health part of your daily lives is what will get you to that goal! If I didn't buy the pull up bar then the only time I'd have access to it is at work *at the gym I work at*. I made sure that I had access to it whenever I wanted. Just adding something like a medicine ball or a stability ball into your home is a step towards making fitness apart of your everyday life. SNEAKERS, a watch, some fun athletic gear, a bike, heart rate monitor, fitness DVD, etc etc.
I know it's hard...it's challenging to get yourself to go on a walk, run, get yourself to a class or to the gym...but honestly, take it day by day. Today I was tired, a little lazyand, just busy and had a million things to do but I made it happen...I did my errands and then said to myself that I would feel better if I ran...so I went running for 2 miles (nothing huge but it was better than nothing) and then walked the same loop for a total of about 4 miles. I made it happen and so can you!
This pic is of my new running water bottle belt *making up my own name for it* that I purchased a few weekends ago. It was like $45 and has a pouch to put stuff in and 2 lil water bottles. It was so comfortable and was just enough water for us! I took it with us on my run today so I figured I'd let you see it! haha. Oh and behind me on the top right hand corner of the pic you can see my new pull up bar that I talked about!
Make fitness part of your life...commit yourself and make it happen.
:)
I will keep you updated on my success as long as you keep me updated on yours!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The Fascinating Topic of Weight Loss
Happy Saturday Everyone!
SO since most of my questions from clients, bloggers, and others are about weight loss, let's talk about it!
I'm just gonna go for it...
How do you lose weight?
Weight loss occurs because the calories you take in is less than the calories you burn.
Calories burned by exercising, activities of daily life (walking, typing, taking a shower, etc etc) and also calories (energy) that your body will use (burn) in order to maintain life (digesting and absorbing food, producing energy, maintaining your body temperature, breathing...basically everything your body needs to do in order to maintain life).
The more lean body tissue you have *muscle* the more calories your body will burn naturally *even when you are sleeping*. Fat tissue is not that metabolically active so you want less fat (doesn't burn as many calories) and more muscle. Muscle is more metabolically active tissue meaning it requires more energy and will therefore use more energy.
OH and by the way, FAT TISSUE does not CONVERT to MUSCLE TISSUE. One does not turn into another.
You can lose fat and you can add muscle tissue...but they do not turn into the other. BIG myth.
To be completely honest, I do not count calories. I do not wear a heart rate monitor in order to track how many calories I burn. I have done so in the past and to be honest, nothing positive came out of it. I lost weight on the scale but it was muscle I was losing, a little fat, and a lot of my life. I was totally obsessed with working out, eating as least as possible, and in the end, totally messed up my metabolism (slowed it down). All bad.
So take my advice, get lean (decrease fat and work those muscles) and you will not have to worry about calories in and out...your body will burn more calories naturally and you will be eating healthy so that you really don't have to worry about a thing. I am finally getting to that spot...not all the way there by any means, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. My body fat has decrease significantly and I am stronger and more fit than I ever have been.
The goal is to get your body to a state where it is naturally burning a lot of energy on its' own so you don't have to stress about the calories you are putting in.
The number on the scale...
Is a representation of all things that make up your body (organs, water, muscle, fat, blood, etc etc). What you want to do is decrease fat...which honestly, a scale cannot tell you since it doesn't know fat from muscle from water or from a hole in the ground. SO that's why I say don't worry about the scale so much.
What you want to do is lose fat...not necessarily weight. If you are decreasing fat and making your muscle more dense and strong...who cares what the scales says. I've lost a significant amount of body fat and the scale hasn't really changed...maybe a pound or two but that isn't what I am pumped about...it's the fact that my clothes feel better, look better, I have more energy, you can see my muscles...they are more defined. ALL THAT is much better to me than seeing a lower number on the scale. I haven't turned into the Incredible Hulk either for those of you ladies who are terrified of getting "BULKY". BULKY and women do not go together...unless you have an obscene amount of testosterone/you are taking steriods.
You want to have someone measure your waist, hips, arms, thighs etc. Is the number decreasing? GOOD! That means you are losing fat and getting tighter...oh another thing...fat takes up more space than muscle...so if your clothes are fitting looser...than you most likely are losing fat! You can also have someone measure your body fat percentage...that's what I do with my clients using calipers. Any gym will have trainers who will do free assessments on you. Do an assessment every 6-12 weeks. OR just be aware of how your clothes are fitting...that's the best and least expensive option.
SO. LOSE FAT not MUSCLE. DO NOT DIET or eat less than 1200 calories for women and I think for men it's about 300-400 calories more than women (not completely sure). Just eat healthy food, lift weights, get active and check in with your clothes or assess yourself using the other ways that I mentioned.
You want to look (and feel)strong, healthy, and defined. See the muscles instead of them being hidden by fat. Fat is not really metabolically active tissue...MUSCLE IS!
ANY QUESTIONS?!
I could go on with this topic forever...more to come in the next post.
YOU CAN LOOK AND FEEL THE WAY YOU WANT! I WILL HELP YOU!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Let's here from you!
Soo....after a week's pilot of the Beyond Fitness Blog...I'd LOVE to hear what you all think of it..
what do you think of the blogs? Helpful in anyway? Confusing?
What do you want more of? More facts? More advice? Motivation?
THANKS!
what do you think of the blogs? Helpful in anyway? Confusing?
What do you want more of? More facts? More advice? Motivation?
THANKS!
A semi face lift for Beyond Fitness
Hey all!
Just added some cool stuff to the blog! Seasonal foods, fitness tip of the day, a place to ask questions (way towards the bottom).
I still have a lot of work to do on this blog...I'm working on it daily!
THANK YOU to everyone who has began following! I really and truly appreciate it :)
If you know of any friends that could benefit from my blog (so far...it's only been about a weeks worth of blogs...but I am guessing you get where it's going) then please send them my way!
Again, ANY questions or comments are greatly appreciated! I will totally answer any questions you have! Email them to me: cait.croteau@gmail.com---> I check that every 2 seconds so if you'd rather communicate with me through email, that's cool too!
Again, thanks for following. Really means so much to me :)
Just added some cool stuff to the blog! Seasonal foods, fitness tip of the day, a place to ask questions (way towards the bottom).
I still have a lot of work to do on this blog...I'm working on it daily!
THANK YOU to everyone who has began following! I really and truly appreciate it :)
If you know of any friends that could benefit from my blog (so far...it's only been about a weeks worth of blogs...but I am guessing you get where it's going) then please send them my way!
Again, ANY questions or comments are greatly appreciated! I will totally answer any questions you have! Email them to me: cait.croteau@gmail.com---> I check that every 2 seconds so if you'd rather communicate with me through email, that's cool too!
Again, thanks for following. Really means so much to me :)
Importance of listening to your body..
Hey everyone! It's Thursday...one more day to go before the weekend! YAY!
You ever have those days when your body is just exhausted and doesn't feel like being active? (I'm sure all hands are being raised).
Totally had one off those days today. Thursdays are notoriously one of Cait's Running Days...so I went to work, brought my running clothes and sneakers and was trying to force myself to run.
Then a light bulb went off. WHY AM I FORCING MYSELF TO RUN? Didn't I just post a blog about balance the other day?!
As much of an advocate of pushing yourself beyond your limits, I am also a big fan of BALANCE and LISTENING to your body. It will allow you to push it when it's ready and has energy for it...but today was just not one of those days for me.
It was physical exhaustion...not a motivation issue. SO I listened to it.
I did interval training outside. Ran and walked off and on. I just got out of the shower and I feel amazing! (I should also note I went into the steam room).
I listened to my body when it told me "Caitlin, I need a break...I can't push myself too hard today...it's time to relax and take it down a notch".
SO listen to your body and it will thank you!
You ever have those days when your body is just exhausted and doesn't feel like being active? (I'm sure all hands are being raised).
Totally had one off those days today. Thursdays are notoriously one of Cait's Running Days...so I went to work, brought my running clothes and sneakers and was trying to force myself to run.
Then a light bulb went off. WHY AM I FORCING MYSELF TO RUN? Didn't I just post a blog about balance the other day?!
As much of an advocate of pushing yourself beyond your limits, I am also a big fan of BALANCE and LISTENING to your body. It will allow you to push it when it's ready and has energy for it...but today was just not one of those days for me.
It was physical exhaustion...not a motivation issue. SO I listened to it.
I did interval training outside. Ran and walked off and on. I just got out of the shower and I feel amazing! (I should also note I went into the steam room).
I listened to my body when it told me "Caitlin, I need a break...I can't push myself too hard today...it's time to relax and take it down a notch".
SO listen to your body and it will thank you!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Try something new :)
Hey all!
So this week, I've been adding yoga into my daily activities...and I have to say, it's really fun! I'm flipping between Jillian Michael's yoga DVD *which is not really yoga, it's more like body weight exercises with a yoga twist* and a more relaxing form of yoga DVD.
I've never really been super into yoga because I know I'm the type of person who likes to go go go...so I never figured I'd really enjoy it that much. However, since there are so many types of yoga, there is totally something for everyone!
I started doing yoga on Sunday night and have been doing it every night since. I have to say...I feel really good before I go to bed because of it and I even wake up REFRESHED in the morning. I NEVER feel refreshed in the morning...and I have been all week!
So I guess the moral of the story is, TRY SOMETHING NEW because you never know what you will get from it...
Thanks for letting me share with you! Share some NEW THINGS you've been doing that have made you feel better! I'd love to hear some of your stories!
Good night all :) Sweet dreams and have a nice positive start to your day tomorrow.
So this week, I've been adding yoga into my daily activities...and I have to say, it's really fun! I'm flipping between Jillian Michael's yoga DVD *which is not really yoga, it's more like body weight exercises with a yoga twist* and a more relaxing form of yoga DVD.
I've never really been super into yoga because I know I'm the type of person who likes to go go go...so I never figured I'd really enjoy it that much. However, since there are so many types of yoga, there is totally something for everyone!
I started doing yoga on Sunday night and have been doing it every night since. I have to say...I feel really good before I go to bed because of it and I even wake up REFRESHED in the morning. I NEVER feel refreshed in the morning...and I have been all week!
So I guess the moral of the story is, TRY SOMETHING NEW because you never know what you will get from it...
Thanks for letting me share with you! Share some NEW THINGS you've been doing that have made you feel better! I'd love to hear some of your stories!
Good night all :) Sweet dreams and have a nice positive start to your day tomorrow.
A great quote I found on the internet today...
**"If you focus on results, you won't change. If you focus on change , you will get results" **
This is a pretty interesting quote because I see both sides of it.
The first part: If you focus on results, you won't change.
On the one hand, I get it...just merely focusing on getting results will most likely lead you to doing what seems to be working over and over again. If you want to get more defined, lose fat, increase muscle, and/or eat healthier, you may end up finding what "works" and stick to just that because you may be afraid to stray from it in fear of not getting the results.
But on the other hand, if you don't focus on the results you want...I have a feeling that you will lose sight of what you really want....YOUR GOAL that I've been writing about for a few days now. Your results may be what is motivating you...so you don't want to lose track of the reasons why you want to reach your goal(s). Perhaps it is about WHY you want to reach your goal, rather than the actual goal.
I do realize this is a little deep for 847 in the morning....
____________________________________________________________________
The second part: If you focus on change, you will get results.
If you focus on changing *which is what you are doing in order to get to your goal since what you are doing now is not getting you there (just a guess)...ie. changing your diet, exercise pattern, sleep pattern, etc.* then your body will be shocked and it will then need to adapt to the new stimulus/change placed upon it, and will make the necessary adaptations...which will lead to RESULTS.
When you don't change often, you hit a plateau. If you are doing the same exercise program, using the same weights, same rep and set scheme, doing the same amount and type of cardio, and eating the same food...you will not see a change. Think about it...what new stimulus have you placed on your body? NOTHING! YES consistency is necessary...but change is also a part of the equation...a big part! I change my clients progarm every 4-7 weeks depending on their progress in order for them not to hit a plateau.
Long story LONG, I think it's about knowing WHY you want to reach your goal, then figuring out how to change your current lifestyle in order to reach your goal. It's not about the results...it's about WHY you want the results...that will provide motivation and inspiration to you. FOCUS on changing what needs to be changed...whether that is your diet, exercise pattern or lack thereof, mindset, attitude, or approach...and once you figure that out...then balls to the wall GO FOR IT!
If you've been eating the same food, doing the same exercise program, having the same attitude, YOU BODY WILL NOT CHANGE. Try something new...ASK me what I think the best way for you to get to your goal is and I will give you suggestions as to what/how to change in order to REACH your goal.
Keep in touch people! I love the questions I've received so far! Thank you thank you thank you!
This is a pretty interesting quote because I see both sides of it.
The first part: If you focus on results, you won't change.
On the one hand, I get it...just merely focusing on getting results will most likely lead you to doing what seems to be working over and over again. If you want to get more defined, lose fat, increase muscle, and/or eat healthier, you may end up finding what "works" and stick to just that because you may be afraid to stray from it in fear of not getting the results.
But on the other hand, if you don't focus on the results you want...I have a feeling that you will lose sight of what you really want....YOUR GOAL that I've been writing about for a few days now. Your results may be what is motivating you...so you don't want to lose track of the reasons why you want to reach your goal(s). Perhaps it is about WHY you want to reach your goal, rather than the actual goal.
I do realize this is a little deep for 847 in the morning....
____________________________________________________________________
The second part: If you focus on change, you will get results.
If you focus on changing *which is what you are doing in order to get to your goal since what you are doing now is not getting you there (just a guess)...ie. changing your diet, exercise pattern, sleep pattern, etc.* then your body will be shocked and it will then need to adapt to the new stimulus/change placed upon it, and will make the necessary adaptations...which will lead to RESULTS.
When you don't change often, you hit a plateau. If you are doing the same exercise program, using the same weights, same rep and set scheme, doing the same amount and type of cardio, and eating the same food...you will not see a change. Think about it...what new stimulus have you placed on your body? NOTHING! YES consistency is necessary...but change is also a part of the equation...a big part! I change my clients progarm every 4-7 weeks depending on their progress in order for them not to hit a plateau.
Long story LONG, I think it's about knowing WHY you want to reach your goal, then figuring out how to change your current lifestyle in order to reach your goal. It's not about the results...it's about WHY you want the results...that will provide motivation and inspiration to you. FOCUS on changing what needs to be changed...whether that is your diet, exercise pattern or lack thereof, mindset, attitude, or approach...and once you figure that out...then balls to the wall GO FOR IT!
If you've been eating the same food, doing the same exercise program, having the same attitude, YOU BODY WILL NOT CHANGE. Try something new...ASK me what I think the best way for you to get to your goal is and I will give you suggestions as to what/how to change in order to REACH your goal.
Keep in touch people! I love the questions I've received so far! Thank you thank you thank you!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Balance as it relates to you achieving your goal...
Hey Everyone! Hope you have all had a great day! :) It's been a healthy week so far for me...and I hope it has been for you as well!
Let's talk about balance...it seems to be something I see less and less.
Finding balance between work and play...balance in your diet....balance in your exercise program...balance in your relationships/friendships...balance in your mind...balance in your body.
Making sure you are having fun and working hard. Making sure you are eating all different colors of fruits and veggies within your day and week. Making sure you are strength training, stretching, and doing some type of cardiovascular exercise...and on top of that, resting! Make sure you are spending time on each relationship you have within your friends, family, and love interests. Make sure you are taking time for yourself...to enjoy the activities you love. Make sure you are taking care of YOU and not just taking care of others. Making sure when you are hungry to eat and then when you are no longer hungry, to stop eating. Making sure you take a break when your body is exhausted...going to bed early or taking a day off of a hard workout. Make sure you spend some time outside to enjoy your surroundings, wherever they may be.
I think the best feeling is laying in your bed at the end of the day and thinking to yourself that you've had a fulfilling and balanced day. You are at peace with your day....did everything you could and wanted to do then letting go of the rest until tomorrow. Rest your mind and body so that you have balance between day and night.
On that note, it's time for me to watch my favorite show, do a little bit of stretching and then go to bed...so that I can complete my day...balanced. :)
Let's talk about balance...it seems to be something I see less and less.
Finding balance between work and play...balance in your diet....balance in your exercise program...balance in your relationships/friendships...balance in your mind...balance in your body.
Making sure you are having fun and working hard. Making sure you are eating all different colors of fruits and veggies within your day and week. Making sure you are strength training, stretching, and doing some type of cardiovascular exercise...and on top of that, resting! Make sure you are spending time on each relationship you have within your friends, family, and love interests. Make sure you are taking time for yourself...to enjoy the activities you love. Make sure you are taking care of YOU and not just taking care of others. Making sure when you are hungry to eat and then when you are no longer hungry, to stop eating. Making sure you take a break when your body is exhausted...going to bed early or taking a day off of a hard workout. Make sure you spend some time outside to enjoy your surroundings, wherever they may be.
I think the best feeling is laying in your bed at the end of the day and thinking to yourself that you've had a fulfilling and balanced day. You are at peace with your day....did everything you could and wanted to do then letting go of the rest until tomorrow. Rest your mind and body so that you have balance between day and night.
On that note, it's time for me to watch my favorite show, do a little bit of stretching and then go to bed...so that I can complete my day...balanced. :)
Monday, July 12, 2010
How to be successful at reaching your goal...
Well what is it that makes one person more successful at reaching their goal over another?
Let me throw some words out there that come to mind:
CONSISTENT
PASSION
DEDICATION
COMMITTMENT
FOCUS
DRIVE
MOTIVATION
DESIRE
Out of all of those listed, I have to say that being CONSISTENT and COMMITTED are the two most important factors that will result in your SUCCESS.
AGAIN...remind yourself of your GOAL and WHY you want to reach that goal. the WHY part of the equation will help to give you the PASSION, DRIVE, MOTIVATION, and DESIRE to be successful. FOCUS goes right along with COMMITTMENT...if you are committed, you will keep your goal a daily, hourly focus.
I'd LOVE to hear about your goals and get more active in your journey to your goal. Your goal can be anything that you want to accomplish...whether it's eating more fruit each day, losing the baby weight, getting more energy, getting a six pack, loving your body, adding muscle, losing fat, running a marathon, learning how to lift correctly, sleeping more...ANYTHING GOES!
Keep my posted on your experience as we go through this journey together! ASK for help and I will help you. :)
Let me throw some words out there that come to mind:
CONSISTENT
PASSION
DEDICATION
COMMITTMENT
FOCUS
DRIVE
MOTIVATION
DESIRE
Out of all of those listed, I have to say that being CONSISTENT and COMMITTED are the two most important factors that will result in your SUCCESS.
AGAIN...remind yourself of your GOAL and WHY you want to reach that goal. the WHY part of the equation will help to give you the PASSION, DRIVE, MOTIVATION, and DESIRE to be successful. FOCUS goes right along with COMMITTMENT...if you are committed, you will keep your goal a daily, hourly focus.
I'd LOVE to hear about your goals and get more active in your journey to your goal. Your goal can be anything that you want to accomplish...whether it's eating more fruit each day, losing the baby weight, getting more energy, getting a six pack, loving your body, adding muscle, losing fat, running a marathon, learning how to lift correctly, sleeping more...ANYTHING GOES!
Keep my posted on your experience as we go through this journey together! ASK for help and I will help you. :)
About that goal of yours...
Hey Everyone! Good Morning and Happy Monday!
Remember to set a goal for yourself. Tell me what that goal is!
The FIRST step to change your body and life is to set a goal...I will give you an example of a goal I set for myself back in March...to run a half marathon in May. See I make goals for myself too!
After defining your goal, you will now want to figure out HOW you are going to achieve this goal. IMAGINE yourself reaching your goal, or in my case, crossing the finish line STRONG. How will it FEEL to achieve your goal?
When you set a goal and reach it, it really is the best feeling in the world. No one can take that feeling away from you and it's awesome knowing that you did it for YOU! This blog is about YOU changing YOU for YOURSELF. :)
WRITE YOUR GOAL DOWN. Write about your goal...what do you imagine? How will it feel to achieve this goal..WHY IS THIS YOUR GOAL and then, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE?!
What do you NEED in order to achieve this goal? Do you need new sneakers, a bike, a therapist, a gym buddy, someone to cook with you, more information, motivation, inspiration, someone to get you off the couch, or just some suggestions?
FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED and ASK for it! ASK me any questions you have pertaining to your goal.
Just TRY ME! :)
-Caitlin
P.S. For those of you that love Facebook, I'm thinking of making a fan page for Beyond Fitness and posting my blog there...so stay tuned...
NEXT UP: Getting you on the path to SUCCESS
Remember to set a goal for yourself. Tell me what that goal is!
The FIRST step to change your body and life is to set a goal...I will give you an example of a goal I set for myself back in March...to run a half marathon in May. See I make goals for myself too!
After defining your goal, you will now want to figure out HOW you are going to achieve this goal. IMAGINE yourself reaching your goal, or in my case, crossing the finish line STRONG. How will it FEEL to achieve your goal?
When you set a goal and reach it, it really is the best feeling in the world. No one can take that feeling away from you and it's awesome knowing that you did it for YOU! This blog is about YOU changing YOU for YOURSELF. :)
WRITE YOUR GOAL DOWN. Write about your goal...what do you imagine? How will it feel to achieve this goal..WHY IS THIS YOUR GOAL and then, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE?!
What do you NEED in order to achieve this goal? Do you need new sneakers, a bike, a therapist, a gym buddy, someone to cook with you, more information, motivation, inspiration, someone to get you off the couch, or just some suggestions?
FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED and ASK for it! ASK me any questions you have pertaining to your goal.
Just TRY ME! :)
-Caitlin
P.S. For those of you that love Facebook, I'm thinking of making a fan page for Beyond Fitness and posting my blog there...so stay tuned...
NEXT UP: Getting you on the path to SUCCESS
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Let's start a movement...
that involves Americans (all people for that matter) making strides to make themselves healthier. I am not even going to name off all of the various medical conditions that are on the rise because a)the list would be super long and b)it makes me sad and c)let's start the movement that will decrease the prevalence of these conditions instead.
I want to see everyone more ACTIVE. I want to see that the rates of Type 2 Diabetes have DECREASED. I want to see kids active OUTSIDE and not just playing inside on computers and nintendos (although I have nothing against Nintendo...I loved playing that as a kid). I want to see people CARE about what goes in their bodies so that we do not have to see our family and friends suffer from conditions we could have possibly prevented. I want to see WOMEN and MEN getting active together. I want to see FAMILIES making meals together and then eating TOGETHER. I want to see people SUPPORTING one another in their quest to making themselves healthier. I want to see people PUSHING themselves to their POTENTIAL instead of accepting failure or half-assing anything in their life. I want to see people going to FARMERS MARKETS since those are the people who are supporting our soil and keeping our Earth healthy. I want us to RECYCLE as much as we can. I want to see people STOP stressing over the number on the SCALE and START being concerned with their HEALTH. I want YOU to believe in YOURSELF and make conscious efforts to LOVE your body and who you are.
I know, I want A LOT. However, it is ACHEIVABLE.
TRUST ME on this one. Remember I am a personal trainer. I have seen people succeed in fat loss, in adding muscle, in doing things they never thought they'd ever be able to do. It's REAL.
My hope is that WE work to be healthier TOGETHER...ONE day, ONE hour, ONE person at a time.
YOUR HOMEWORK: make a goal for yourself. Tell me what it is. Make it about YOU and not about the scale. For example, if your goal is to lose 15 pounds of fat, tell me WHY...tell me what that 15 pound loss will do for YOU and why is that your goal.
Okay, that's all for now. I hope to see posts from ALL of YOU soon. :)
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FAILURE. LET'S DO THIS!
I want to see everyone more ACTIVE. I want to see that the rates of Type 2 Diabetes have DECREASED. I want to see kids active OUTSIDE and not just playing inside on computers and nintendos (although I have nothing against Nintendo...I loved playing that as a kid). I want to see people CARE about what goes in their bodies so that we do not have to see our family and friends suffer from conditions we could have possibly prevented. I want to see WOMEN and MEN getting active together. I want to see FAMILIES making meals together and then eating TOGETHER. I want to see people SUPPORTING one another in their quest to making themselves healthier. I want to see people PUSHING themselves to their POTENTIAL instead of accepting failure or half-assing anything in their life. I want to see people going to FARMERS MARKETS since those are the people who are supporting our soil and keeping our Earth healthy. I want us to RECYCLE as much as we can. I want to see people STOP stressing over the number on the SCALE and START being concerned with their HEALTH. I want YOU to believe in YOURSELF and make conscious efforts to LOVE your body and who you are.
I know, I want A LOT. However, it is ACHEIVABLE.
TRUST ME on this one. Remember I am a personal trainer. I have seen people succeed in fat loss, in adding muscle, in doing things they never thought they'd ever be able to do. It's REAL.
My hope is that WE work to be healthier TOGETHER...ONE day, ONE hour, ONE person at a time.
YOUR HOMEWORK: make a goal for yourself. Tell me what it is. Make it about YOU and not about the scale. For example, if your goal is to lose 15 pounds of fat, tell me WHY...tell me what that 15 pound loss will do for YOU and why is that your goal.
Okay, that's all for now. I hope to see posts from ALL of YOU soon. :)
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FAILURE. LET'S DO THIS!
WELCOME to the Beyond Fitness Blog!
I am SO happy that you decided to check out/follow my blog. Check out my profile to see what I do and all that jazz! I will be posting tips and information on anything relating to health....fitness, sleep, self esteem, nutrition, weight loss, stress management, etc etc.
I want to help everyone to be healthier and happier by sharing my knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition.
GET EMPOWERED PEOPLE! HERE WE GO!!!!!!
Thanks for coming to the site and I really hope you come back and read some great info/advice soon!
I want to help everyone to be healthier and happier by sharing my knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition.
GET EMPOWERED PEOPLE! HERE WE GO!!!!!!
Thanks for coming to the site and I really hope you come back and read some great info/advice soon!
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