Motivation Challenge & Friday Follow - me

Good Morning!  Tuesday Julie and I went to Tulsa and had a great time!  We shopped until we dropped and then we found a cute little coffee shop and stopped in for a cool drink.  It has been so hot.  Of course, I love summer and the hot weather, but whew, we needed a cold drink.  I had the best frozen chai!

Friday Challenge:

A lot of you have told me that you are lacking motivation.  I feel that when we feel unmotivated, we are unhappy with something in our lives.  So, to get that part of our lives back in order I recommend reading and listening to personal development books.  My favorite is The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. I think you should immerse yourself in positive thinking, so reading for just 10 minutes per day and then listening to 10 mins of audio every day will help you to stay on track!  You can choose any book/audio that you love.  I really like Dani Johnson, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, I have many books and audio that I keep on hand just so I can always have something to grab.

Right now I am reading Women, Food and God.  I just started it, but it is going to have me look at my relationships on all levels.

I am listening to Dani Johnson's Unlimited Success Personal Achievement Program. This will help me personally and in my business.

So the challenge is to read your own personal developement books and listen to your audio daily.  20 mins per day is all you need.  I love to listen to my audio while I am driving.  Talk about using your time wisely!

You can accept this challenge for one book/audio or as an ongoing challenge.  Whatever works best for you!

Please let me know if you decide to take on this challenge.  I can suggest several books and audio!!!  I want to know if you find it helpful or not!

Friday Follow!

I missed out on the last few Friday Follows.  It's been crazy busy around here and I just haven't been able to spend as much time on the computer.  I still don't have my computer fixed yet.  I found out it is under warranty, that is a good thing, but it means that I have to send it in and wait on them to fix it and send it back.  Another 10-15 days. UGH!  Sharing a computer is pretty much cramping my style!

But, I am making it a point to do Friday Follow today.  I have missed it and love finding new friends and blogs.  So, if I haven't followed you back, I am on it today!

Make time for yourself

So many times we don't take the time needed for ourselves.  We are busy.  Busy with work, busy with kids and spouses and just plain running around like crazy.  But, if we don't take the time to take care of ourselves with exercise and proper nutrition, sleep and relaxation, we will end up being forced to take it.  Trust me, it's a lot more expensive this way.  Hospital stays or doctors visits are not cheap!

The definition of busy says it all:

1 a : engaged in action : occupied b : being in use

2 : full of activity : bustling

3 : foolishly or intrusively active : meddling

4 : full of distracting detail

 

I think I have been busy in all those ways :)

 

The more we run around stressed out and eating on the run, the more we run the risk of getting sick, being tired and not sleeping,  gaining weight or losing too much weight, feeling run down and just plain ol' crabby.

 

So, we know what we need to do, how do we do it?

 

1)  Get organized.  Keep a to-do list and schedule your workouts.  Treat it just like any other appointment in your day.    Refer to your to-do list many times throughout the day, stay on track and you will be able to get more done in a shorter period of time.  Avoid the time-robbers.  Internet, tv, and anything else that you do mindlessly.  I know I am so addicted to facebook and twitter and phitter.  It's crazy.  I can be on the computer for hours and not even realize how much time has gone by.   If you are like this, I have found that setting a timer for an alloted time and then when it goes off, turn off the computer or tv.  Get up and move!!

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Take a few moments each day to pray or meditate.  Really, 5 mins is all you need.  Just sitting still and being in the moment.  Talking with God, listening or getting focused before the day begins makes all the difference in the world and at night will calm you down so that you can sleep better and relax.

 

3)  Plan and prepare - your meals that is.  Make your list of what you are going to eat for the week and stick with it.  Take one day to grocery shop and get as much food prepped as you can.  wash and chop your veggies and fruit so you can have snacks on the go.  Bag almonds for snacks that will fit in your purse.  If you are going to out of the house for 3 hours, you need to take a healthy snack.  Be prepared.  This way you won't go overboard on calories or foods you normally wouldn't eat.  I like to make a couple of meals in advance.  It doesn't always happen, but I try to get something ready for a night when time is crunched.  Then I can pull it out of the freezer, pop it in the oven and go on. 

 

 

 

 

4)  Lay out your clothes the night before.  Have your workout bag packed if you go to the gym.  Get everything ready and then you won't be rushing in the mornings.  Also, this will remind you that you need to workout.  Put it where you will see it first thing.  I recommend working out first thing in the morning.  Who knows what is going to happen with your day.  Get it out of the way and then you can't make any excuses! 

 

 

 

 

 

5)    Don't have time for a full workout - get in little things when you can.  Put on some music and dance around while cleaning the kitchen or house.  Do commercial cardio - when watching tv, when the commercials come one, get up and move - pushups, crunches, jumping jacks, jog in place, march - whatever it takes to get you moving and burning calories.  Play a quick game of horse with your kids, walk around the block.  Just move for the time you have.  It doesn't have to be formal.  I think it is especially important to move if you are sitting at a desk for long periods of time!  Get the kids involved.  This gets them into the healthy habits as well!

 

6)  Keep your food journal.  Be aware of what you are eating.  How many calories you are taking in.  If you don't want to keep it in a notebook check out some of the great online tools.  I use a bodybugg and take advantage of their website ( you do have to pay to use it), but there are great free sites that allow you to do the same thing.  Sparkpeople, My Fitness Pal, Calorie King.  Find one you like and use it!  When you see exactly what you are eating, you will know where you need to make changes.

 

 

 

 

Our health is so important.  If you don't make the time for yourself, you won't be around for those that love you and need you.  Do it for them!  Do it for yourself!  You will be glad you did!!!

 

Discussion:  how do you incorpate healthy habits into your busy life?

 

Tomorrow I will be issuing an ongoing challenge that will help you to stay motivated, healthy and happy!

Motivation

I have had a reader request to talk about how to stay motivated when working out and eating healthy. This is really hard and is so different for every person.

My best advice is to just do it! It takes 21 days to create a new habit. That is just 3 weeks. If you work out for 5-6 days every week for 3 weeks, you will have created a new habit that will be easier to stick with.

Get a workout buddy! It's more fun to workout with someone else. You will stick with it if someone else is counting on you. If you don't have anyone that will work out with you. Sign up for a free account at www.missourifitclub.com and I'll send out invites and we can work out together in the virtual gym. Even though we aren't in person working out, if you set a time and know that you have someone meeting you online, you are more apt to stick with it! If you sign up and want to work out with me, let me know so I can send you the invite. I work out in the mornings and again at 5:30 PM CT.

If you are trying to lose weight, then post a photo of yourself when you were thinner on your fridge. If you are looking at it daily, you will be more inclined to get those workouts in and not eat what you shouldn't.

Also, remember how you feel when you workout and eat right. You know that you are going to feel better, look better and even sleep better.

Keep a journal and a to-do list. You have to schedule your workouts just like you would any other appointment. Put it in your phone, set a reminder and get it done. Lay out your workout clothes and shoes so that you see them first thing when you get up in the morning. I do recommend that you workout first thing. This way you won't have something come up that will be an excuse not to workout. AND, let's face it. It's way to easy to find something else to do. Get it done first thing. You will have more energy throughout the day!

So in 3 weeks you can have a new healthy habit and be on your way to your fitness goals! I love having workout buddies, so get in touch with me and let's workout together in the virtual gym! You will have a chance to win up to $1000 or other cool prizes ( ipods, cameras and camcorders!) That is motivation in and of itself.

If you have any other questions, please post them here or email me directly - dana@missourifitclub.com!

I hope that my internet is back up today. They've been working on it all day. :) Keep your fingers crossed!