FOOD!

HOW IMPORTANT IS EATING && HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO FEED YOUR BODY THE RIGHT FOODS?!?

On Thursday I had a marathon of a day. I taught spin at 5:15am and then lifted lower body including doing core circuits.  Showered & then spent time cleaning my apartment and turned around at 10am to teach another spin class.  The ladies in this class never come to my early class and kept promising me one day they would come, but 6months later, still hadn't.  They're always are commmenting on my energy and how they WILL ONE DAY take a class of mine... So today was my day to get at em ;) haha

5AM Spin!

Please take into consideration these ladies are all above 50 and are getting a good workout in!  I'm so proud of their dedication and desire to be fit.  One of these days I'm going to post progression pictures of my these women who have worked with Genesis trainers!  Their success brings tears to my eyes! AGE DOESN'T MATTER ON LOSING WEIGHT... It CAN be done at any age IF YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH! I've seen it!

We got started with our warm up and had a blast.  I went as hard with them as I do my other classes and they were laughing and cursing me everytime I said ,"turn your dial" and "don't touch your dial... dig deep and grind out that gear!" haha I still laugh at their faces!  When class was done one lady said, "we want the other lady back... you're a HardAss!" I smiled and said THANK YOU!

THEN, one lady said... "you have to give us props for being here because we are old and outta shape, you don't know what it's like!" EXCUSE ME!? lol  "Actually, I've lost 90lbs!"  Their mouths dropped and they decided it was Q&A time.  Four ladies stood their and chatted about their problem areas and so forth.  I alway like to listen to other peoples thoughts before I dig in and give my thoughts & all I could say is... "What are you eating?!"  They looked at me like that didn't matter!  UMM... THAT'S WHAT MATTERS MOST!  I then got on my soap box and informed them that you could bust your butt for hours a day at the gym... but if your going to stick to the same diet, your not going to get the results you desire.  Then I asked them this question...

90lbs heavy!

"WHAT IF YOU WERE AS DEDICATED TO YOUR 4 HOUR WORKOUTS AS YOU WERE YOUR EATING?"

Their mouths dropped opened... VALID POINT!

Currently 90lb down

BOTTOM line... you need to decide if your Truffels are more important than a fit & healthy life.  It all starts with your mindset and the plan of HOW you will achieve.  Once you have that figured out, then all you have left is FOLLOWING THROUGH.

I share this because it's still a stuggle of mine.  I have to chose healthy Eats.  I have to make sure I don't eat out of emotion.  I have to NOT eat out of habbit... I have to eat to feed my body.  Just like your relationship to grow with Christ... you have to feed yourself.  And if you feed your soul crap... life goes to crap.  Which do you chose.  Set your mind, be strong, and grow positively in mind-body-soul.

Challenge... Chose to encourage the person that annoys you the most and watch God in action!

BeBlessed!
A

Re-Evaluate

3 wks ago

I have to ask how many of you started 2012 with a resolution?
Fill in the blank... This year I will________________.
Who actually set up a PLAN to accomplish ___________?

If no plan of ACTION was set up, I have to say... how are your new years resolutions coming along?

I love the coversations I have with my mother.  She literally is my best friend.  No matter how many times I've gotten upset with her, she has always been there for me.  She always has the best advice and it really truly comes from her faith in Christ.

And as we were talking about my fitness goals, I explained to her how my faith and fitness go hand in hand.  When you set out to achieve better health, is requires a plan.  You plan out your meals, workouts, plan when you will workout, pack your gym bag, buy shoes, follow through.  You go a couple weeks and measure or step on a scale and determine if your making gains.  But you sure don't weigh and measure every day.  You trust your plan of action and follow through.  However, during the weigh in/measuring, if no loss or gain was made- You re-evaluate how your will achieve this goal.

3 wks of lifting 1/2" loss in stomach
than the above picture

I remember when I first started on my fitness journey, I went a whole three months and didn't weigh or measure myself.  I just did my workouts and ate clean.  After a month people were commenting, but I just said, "I don't know".  Right before I went back to school that year, I weighed myself and realized I had lost 35lbs.  I was excited, but exstatic to see what I could achieve if I continued onward with my eating clean and training.

2 years later and 90lbs down, I'm still embracing all that I have learned on my journey.  I change up my workouts and what I'm eating so my body doesn't platue... BUT THE BIG THING- I ASK FOR HELP.  When I don't know, I ask so many of my friends that are happy to guide me.  They have the back group and knowledge and have spent more years on the journey of fitness than I have.  I seek their wisdom and grow.

2 yrs ago...

The same goes for your walk with God.  We set out wanting to be a better Christian.  To live a life pleasing to Christ, however, we sin and fall short.  We get discouraged and give up.  BUT NO NO NO! God knows we aren't perfect.  He loves us and died for us.  We have to take the path of "SUCK IT UP" and "GET TO WORK"  Just because we are followers of Christ, doesn't mean life will be a walk in the park.  Some days being a Christian is like doing Circuits or Burpees!  We all hate em, but the BURN 8 SWEAT makes us stronger.  I encourage you all to look back at where you used to be.  ARE YOU THE SAME PERSON?  If not, are you moving forward.  Have you moved backwords but want to move forward... SET A PLAN OF ACTION!  You have to set a plan and stick to it.  Just like workouts, not all will go well.  It's the day in and day out of trudging, your able to take a look at what you have accomplished.  Don't get discouraged.  You are loved- Know This!

As always, I love hearing your thoughts.  Feel free to send them my way.  I grow as you grow and share your wisdom with me!

BeBlessed
A

Love Yourself Enough!

I guess it’s no surprise to you all that I have another GymStory!  As this new year has begun, I have been able to see a lot of “The Old Alison” in the new comers at the gym.  I share this with you not because I’m a creep at the gym, but because I notice others doing the same thing I ‘used’ to do.

This morning I had just got done teaching spin.  I needed a shower and as I was gathering my things that had tumbled out of my locker, I noticed a woman about my age or a tad bit older getting ready for work.  She had her black slacks on and a nice set of heels.  As all ladies know, you finish straightening your hair before you put your final layer of clothing on. 

Well, this gal was just finishing up, and threw a black sweater over her tank.  She walked over to the mirror and with a disgusted face and sigh, she took it back off.  She went back to her locker and put a different black shirt on.  She walked over the mirror again, deep sigh, and walked back to her locker. Thirdly, she pulled out another back shirt from her locker, one very similar to the first black sweater she had.  Looking at the clock, and a little faster walked over to the mirror, smoothed out the wrinkles, but let out another deep sigh and then walked back to her locker.  I wondered to myself, ‘does she have more shirts in there?’  However, she quickly gathered up her shirts and packed her gym bag up.  And what looked like a last ditch effort, she threw on a black (less fitted) NorthFace jacket and said, “Well I’ll just wear this all day!” 

Now any of you can ask my mother or college roommates… that there were days I literally would go through every single shirt and pant just trying to find the right outfit that I ‘looked’ good in.  In my mind I knew what I wanted to wear and how it was supposed to look.  But when I looked in the mirror, all I could see was how big I was.  The reality, 90lbs overweight, nothing looks good!  So many times I would stand in front of the mirror just eyeing every  part of myself that I hated and wishing the fat would melt away.

I could relate to this woman this morning.  I once was there.  And as the last ditch effort, you through a hoodie or jacket on because it hides the fat, or at least helps cover the fat up. 

I’m here to say, the only way to look in the mirror and be happy with how you look, is by first loving yourself.  You have to love yourself enough to take care of yourself.  You have to love yourself enough to say no to the breads, pastas, creamy sauces, high sodium, and sugar.  You have to CHOSE to eat clean and workout and drink lots of water.  Yes, I hate getting up early and sweating, but it’s a great feeling when I’m done.  It’s a great feeling to look in the mirror and see the results paying off as well.  Fam, you have to take care of yourself.  Love yourself.  Love God and know who you are in Him.

BeBlessed, and as always, your thoughts are always welcomed my way!

A

Loving Yourself Enough?!

It's not easy!

In the last 24 hours I've had two experience that I couldn't let go without discussing my thoughts with you all.

My first experince:
As many ladies know, Victoria Secrets began their semi annual sale.  I love their yoga pants and if I can get them for 1/2 price, I'm there.  Well as I thumbing through the sale items, I found a cute red hoodie for $19.  SCORE!  These hoodies aren't cheap so it was a MUST HAVE item to purchase.  Much chit chat was going on while I was ringing up, the store was quite busy, then I hear a lady behind me say, "That is so cute, I wish they made those in 'My Size'".  As I turned around I saw a bigger set woman standing their holding a bunch of fragrances.  I said oh, they do, they just go really fast!  She rolled her eyes at me and said, "Well you see, I guess we have a different belief system because I believe not EVERYONE is a size 7."  I smiled and agreed, but left a little the store with words that I wish I had the guts to say.

And the second.  This morning when I was in the locker room at the gym, I had just finished with yoga and was putting my suit on to sit in the steam room.  There was an over weight girl in her upper teens or lower twentys sitting there staring at the floor.  She seemed upset, but I just kept minding my business.  She continued to just stare at the floor as if she was about to cry and then I noticed her friend come running around the corner from the restroom.  The girl said, "What's wrong?!"  She just responded with, "nothing".  Finally after much probing from the friend, she said that she was mad because she had started working out on Monday and hadn't lost a pound.

Ahhh Ha! I KNEW THAT FEELING!  I could see it in her eyes.  The desire to stand infront of the mirror and love who was looking back, but instead, she was almost in tears.

Fam, I have to say, being fit can't be about a 1 time workout or fitting into a certain shirt.  Being fit is about a lifestyle change.  Like I mentioned last time, you can't expect to drop 80 pounds because you ate one salad and ran 2 miles on the tread mill.  Don't get me wrong, it's good, BUT IT'S ONLY A START.  Being fit is changing your way of living and thinking.  How you feel is a reflection of how you eat.

And because his post on facebook relates... The Kings of Hard Core Truth: Preston Allen gets the award for straight truth today->

"I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, wanna lose weight, why can't I? ...Sugar is one of the main culprits! Sugar is the first drug. Avoid it like drugs...avoid white sugar, white bread, white flour, milk (Does Not feed the body good or just not the best). Use almond milk or rice milk,. Avoid all soda, event the natural stuff. If you really, really really, wanna lose weight, YOU MUST MAKE AND COMMIT TO POSTITIVE, SUPPORTIVE FOOD, SNACK, & SUPPLEMENT SUPPORT. Supporting the liver will digest fat more apporpriately. Taking 'speed' and drinking diet anything will KEEP YOU FAT AND ADDICTED TO SUGAR!!! JUST SAY NO TO SUGAR!!"

BeBlessed

A

Are You Dedicated?!

Dedication... What is it?
The definition is to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose.

Wholly... It's everything within you that lives that is totally devoted to one thing.  As this year begins, I have to give you my thoughts going into the new year.  This past year has been crazy for me in what I have accomplished.  Running a half marathon, continuing onward to lose weight (down 90lbs), Nike Woman's spotlight, featured several times for Complete Nutrition and honored at their even in October.  Lastly, I did something for myself as well as a way to give back by becoming a Group Ride instructor through Body Training Systems.  It's been an amazing year, but the word DEDICATED is the one that I have held onto and will sweep into 2012 with.

I wasn't able to accomplish anything without my mindset being dedicated to my goal for bettering myself.  As you look upon this new year, don't look at it as a shopping trip.  So many of us look at magazines and wish we looked and had this or that.  Instead, DO IT FOR YOU.  Chose to be healthy for you and your family.  Do it for those who care for you.  Back when I started on my journey, my biggest frustration was that I wanted QUICK & DRASTIC results.  I wanted to go to the gym once, eat 1 salad, look in the mirror and say "LOOK AT ME!"  Ehh WRONG!  Your health and fitness is a day to day, hour by hour process of setting your mind right.  You believe more of what you tell yourself than what others do, so start telling yourself you CAN and WILL.

For me, training is changing.  My goal used to be spend as much time doing cardio and burning 3,000 calories.  As Preston, a trainer I speak with frequently, has told me... Now with all my weight loss, I need to feed my body differently.  I'm adding more protein and veggies. 

BUT MY BIGGEST LESSON learned was when Preston said, "I need you to be as dedicated to your eating as you are your workouts".  It's true, I'll never skip a workout, but I will skip meals.  I have taken those words to heart and have taken more time to really plan and prepare my meals.  This only sets me up for success.

 

HOWEVER, I have to apply this to my walk with Christ.  I'm so able to get up at 4:30am for workouts, but I can't get up 30 minutes earlier to spend some time in prayer with God.  I give Him 5 min of time on my way to work or when an issue comes up.  Huge conviction to realize that I've put my fitness in front of the one who loves me the most.  I've taken a step back to realize that I'm nothing without the one who created me and I need to give Him more of my time in a day than what I've been giving Him.

 

Today... The New Year... I began at church.  I went to hear a message about how much I'm loved and it's just what I needed.  I'm starting my year with a healthy soul and that is to overflow into everything else I do.

 

Mistakes have been made, but I'm not held to that.  I'm moving forward into 2012 working on my relationship with Christ, my health, family, friends, coworkers, and you all.  Thank you for an awesome 2011, but HELLOOO 2012. 

 

 

Psss... Let's get this GirlsGoneStrong2012 Campaign going... Muscles Look GOOD on the ladies!  Wear em' like an accessory! ;)