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The Dreaded Plateau!

plateaupicUgh! The word sends shivers down our spines! It ‘s not a fun place to visit. Nobody wants to go there, stay there or spend any amount of time there. Unfortunately, many of us end up there and find it VERY hard to leave! We’ve been talking about the dreaded plateau in my challenge groups because it can be SO frustrating to know you’re doing the work, and you’re eating healthy foods, so WHY GOD WHY are you STUCK?!

I know all too well what this feels like. And worse is that when I was there, I convinced myself there was no way off! I was working out almost every day. I was eating ‘healthy’ foods every day, too! I told myself, “Self, you’re 40 now, and this is it, the end. There will be no more progress, no matter what you do, from here on out. That’s it, you’re done.” “SHUT UP SELF! YOU’RE WRONG!” Anywho…then I had this crazy idea that I should give fitness coaching a try! WHY NOT!? That was my ticket OFF the plateau! I didn’t know it then, but I DID have it in me to get off that damn plateau! And what’s great is that it happened while I was helping other people on their fitness journeys. My success was just a big fat BONUS! So 22 pounds later, I’m off the dreaded plateau and finding that my body had it in her to take it to the next level after all. The key is mixing it up, don’t get comfortable and don’t get complacent! Don’t convince yourself – like I did – that you’re too old, too overweight, too busy, too ANYTHING! Just find a way and get it done.

Here is something I wrote to my challenge groups the other day about getting off the plateau:

“If you’re on a plateau, it sucks, but there are ways to bust through. First, look at your workout and if you haven’t mixed it up in the last 30 days, start there. Kick it up a notch. Look into a new program. Change up your routine. Do something you’ve never done. Think outside the box! Increase intensity. Go outside your comfort zone! You really need to get uncomfortable to supercharge your results. And possibly even more importantly is your nutrition. Again you need to be SO on point in order to break through the dreaded plateau! That means NO cheats! 5-6 small meals/day consisting of clean, whole foods and very little or NO processed foods! Keep sodium in check. Eat lean proteins and LOTS of veggies. Don’t eat until you’re full; eat to be satisfied and know when to step away (you can eat again in 2-3 hours). Try not to snack before bed – last food about 2 hours before hitting the hay. Plateaus can be so tricky and frustrating! So you have to really dig deep and push hard! Your body gets comfy when you stall at a weight. It fights to keep you there. What you’re doing is forcing a new baseline weight. It takes effort and a new commitment. But if you’ve made it to a plateau, it means you’ve done the work to get there so you know what it takes to push yourself again! You can do it! I can help!” Help

A few days later I posted this article, which seemed to click with a lot of them! Check it out!

5 Ways to Break through Dreaded Weight Loss Plateaus

The bottom line is you have to get creative. If you typically do a lot of cardio, start incorporating weights into your fitness routine. If you do the SAME things every time you workout, it’s time to switch it up. Beachbody carefully constructs their workout programs/schedules to account for the muscle confusion and switch-ups your body needs in order to NOT get too comfortable. The rule of thumb is that every 30 days you should be changing something up a little, or a lot! I went from Turbo Fire to Chalean Extreme to Les Mills Pump and now I’m on to Insanity and with EACH new workout, I’m impressed with how my body responds in a different way. Combine that with proper nutrition, hitting your calorie goals each day and BOOM! you’re on your way to the next level, off the plateau and on too bigger hills to climb! 🙂 You’ve got this! Just keep swimming – or climbing I guess! 🙂

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My View from the Front Row

lift_spiritsSo, I posted this picture on Facebook the other day, because I liked the message quite a bit. The day before that I posted some pretty amazing results from a couple of my favorite challenge group members, who also happen to be my aunt and my cousin. I have a challenge group going with some of my cousins and my aunt and they have all been so gracious, kind and thankful ever since I invited them to get started. BUT, I insist that THEY are the ones who deserve all of the credit, and that I’m just fortunate enough to get a front row seat. This is truly how I feel about it.

You can’t get the results these ladies are getting without a strong desire to change. It comes from inside of you. You can be inspired by others, and motivated by things you see and hear, but until you flip that switch that’s someplace inside of you, at the right moment in time, nothing can happen. I just have to hope, that what I say and do connects with someone at just the right time, because that’s when the magic happens. Once you flip your switch, you’ll just start to get it. You’ll want it. You won’t stop until  you reach your goals. And then you WON’T stop, because it’s not something that has a beginning, middle or end. It’s a process. It’s a journey.  And if I’m lucky, I get to be there to see it…from the front row!

Losing weight and getting fit and healthy is so much more of a mental battle than a physical one. It’s a mindset. It’s taking the little steps everyday, knowing that this isn’t a quick fix, it’s a lifestyle change. If you don’t want the life-change, than it will never work. Let me say that again: If you’re not willing to change your life, IT. WILL. NEVER. WORK. You really can’t ‘dabble’ in health and fitness. There’s no sense in it. Why would you kill yourself in the gym for an hour, and then stop and get a cheeseburger on the way home? You have to flip your switch to ON. You have to commit to change. And here’s the good news: it’s totally, entirely, incredibly, unbelievably do-able! You can ask anyone of the challengers from my groups who have ‘gotten it’. They switched ON and it all makes sense now!

Here is the secret: Eat clean and exercise. That is it. There is no fad diet that will do what those two things will do for you. Will you have to change your habits? Yes. Will it be hard at first? You bet. Can you do it? I’ve seen people busier, older, more tired, with more physical restrictions, crazier work schedules and more excuses than you, and they’re doing it. How? Their switch is ON! That is all it takes. Because it changed their priorities, the way they use their time and their mindset. I have had a front row seat to see the journey they’ve been on ever since, and they are my motivation!

And here is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time. When I insisted that THEY take all the credit for the hard work they had done, my cousin said this (I’ve copied it and saved it because it really meant the absolute world to me): “you definitely deserve some credit! Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am. I wouldn’t have started… We each have to individually and physically take responsibility for what we put into our bodies for fuel and for what exercise we do with our bodies, but because your heart is so strong (you lift our spirits so much!), you are giving others the strength and confidence to do this, when maybe they couldn’t/don’t do it on their own! Like I said… thanks is not enough. You have a gift and it is such an awesome thing to share with others! You are the greatest coach ever! And I am so glad you like the front row seats!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! ”

<Gulp>

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I love this job! I am so lucky! And I can’t wait to help someone else flip their switch and see the results and the success that comes from the hard work, the time and the commitment to their own health and fitness. Is it going to be you? Spring is such a great time to get started, and if you’re ready…I am too! Get yourself signed up for my next 30 Day challenge. It will start April 1. Get the results you’ve been wanting for yourself. You can do it, you just have to want it! Go to the 30 DAY CHALLENGE link at the top of this page to sign up, or get more information. I hope I get to watch you from the front row, too!

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This is BIG News!

I bought a bikini!  bikini

Now…I didn’t say that I was going to wear it, but the mere fact that I bought it speaks VOLUMES!

I was trying to recall a time when I wore one of these suckers, and I think I can remember wearing one maybe twice! Even back in the day when I SHOULD have been able to wear one with confidence, I just didn’t. I’ve always been a pretty self-conscious person, so it’s just never been in my comfort zone. BUT, I’m envious of people who are so self-assured, no matter what their body looks like, that they can step out confidently in whatever what they wear!

Adding to my negative body image and lack of self-confidence, I’ve had 4 C-sections 2 of which went TERRIBLY wrong and left me with really gnarly scars! I’m extremely self-conscious and hyper-aware of one in particular, and it bothers me to no end. I dread the thought of anyone seeing it. 🙁 Now…if you look back through some of the before/after pictures, you will see what I’m talking about. It runs down vertically from my belly button. The inside of that scar adhered itself to my abdominal wall, leaving two bulges on the sides. No matter how much belly fat I lose, it’ll always look like this. 🙁 My dear sweet children tell me that it looks like a “butt”. I can’t believe I’m even writing that sentence down to be read by anyone and everyone. We all have our “issues” right? Well, this is mine. But maybe it’s like a Band-Aid? Maybe I just need to rip it off, let the world see what’s underneath, and get over it!

My confidence is building, each and every day. I’m getting close to feeling like I could do it! I’m talking myself into not caring if anyone notices my flaws and/or scars. This health and fitness journey has been very empowering for me, and has boosted my self-esteem more than any time I can remember! More important than losing weight and building muscle is the fact that I’m building my confidence. When you become more confident, you are just more comfortable in your own skin. When you’re comfortable, you’re happy. And when you’re happy…anything is possible. You can do anything! You might even wear a bikini. 🙂

*Want to start you own health and fitness journey. Join my next 30 day challenge! Want more information? Click “30 Day Challenge” at the top of this page.