A little Motivation

Work For It!

Climb Out Of That Hole!

I become more motivated and optimistic in other areas of my life as I become more active and healthy. The mind and body connection really is amazing. When everything is “working” together, life can feel pretty amazing too.  In the past 6 weeks, Royce and I feel like life has just fallen into place.  Things are changing as we work hard toward our goals; accomplishing some and setting new ones.

Deal with your Issues

Life’s too short to waste time being unhappy.  Don't be bitter.  Maintain a positive outlook and only foster positive relationships in your life.  After all, you are the company you keep.  Work towards your goals.  And, if you don't have goals, you need to start setting them!  Check out the book Push, I have it on my Nook Color.  If I could lend it, I totally would!  You can pick it up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  My husband, Royce, and I went through parts of Push together.  Not surprisingly, a lot of our goals aligned perfectly.  I think that's great when you have a significant other that you can share goals and aspirations with; not everyone is that lucky.

I have some blog posts about goals; Goals, Baby Steps and Goals that can get you started.  Goals are great to give you positives to focus on and a starting point in life to get what you want and work hard to get it.

Work Diligently to Find Yourself

During my bout of depression, I completely lost myself. I forgot who I was, I forgot what I enjoyed doing, I forgot the things I liked, I forgot what made me ME. It can happen too easily when the whirlwind of life takes over with marriage, kids, work, ect.  Take some time to reflect on who you are and what makes you special or what makes you YOU and what makes you HAPPY.  Maybe it’s your fun sense of humor, the way you laugh, doing crafts, spending time outdoors or dancing like it’s nobody’s business! You can’t find happiness, you have to create it. Sitting around waiting for it to show up at your door with a smile on its face is not gonna work.  You have to find joy in the little things in life and truly enjoy them.

Here are some of my motivations:

Music

Music a HUGE motivator for me – in all areas of life. I started playing piano at age 7, which means I've been doing it for 23 years.  I played bells in marching band and clarinet/bass clarinet/alto clarinet in concert band in high school.  Then in college I took up learning guitar in my spare time between class, studying and drinking.  I think music saved my life to begin with and it really has the ability to lift your mood and give you strength. Music is powerful – no matter what genre you like.

Fitness

Blogs, magazines, websites, stuff I find on Pinterest; they motivate me to mold a better me, eat healthy and be active. The model(s) on the front covers are always inspiring and make me wanna workout. It’s always fun getting the new Oxygen and Muscle and Fitness (His and Hers) in my mailbox. The very first fitness magazine I started reading was Muscle and Fitness!

Remembering the Things You’ve Accomplished

Once you start living an active, healthy lifestyle, you begin to notice accomplishments – no matter how small or large they might be. Things start to fall into place where you're not sure the planets would align.  You start reaching goals you set that weren't sure you could do and accomplish more than you felt possible.  The power of one single person with dedication always surprises many!

Kids

Not everyone has kids.  I get it.  I didn't used to want kids.  I'm not sure now how I felt complete without them or what I'd do without them in my life now.  They drive me nuts!  But, they give me great purpose, lots of joy and make me get out of bed in the morning.  Now, they're the reason my body went to hell and my pregnancies with both of them were TERRIBLE.  But, they make me get up and move, play outside, make cookies......because they don't like to sit down and watch daytime television!  They'd rather go swimming.

Just Give Yourself 5 Minutes

On the days you don’t feel like working out, give yourself five minutes. Make a promise to yourself to workout for at least five minutes.  Chances are, once you get started, you'll go longer and feel better.  If not, any workout is better than no workout, you did your five minutes. You’ll feel so much better – physically and mentally.

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man.  Sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” 

-Vince Lombardi

“If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

 -Anonymous

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,if one only remember to turn on the light." 

-Albus Dumbledore

Healthy Weight Loss

 I talk a lot about goals and what it takes to reach them once they're made.  And, it is hard work to reach your fitness goals.  It IS worth it.

And, for those of you whom aren't sure where to start for healthy weight loss, here's great steps to get you started.....

LOVE this blog!

Steps for healthy weight loss, and keeping it off for good! Straight from Motivation Into Habit blog on Tumblr, check it out!

1. Weight loss = calories burned > calories consumed.
2. 3500 calories = 1lb fat
3. The recommended healthy amount of fat to lose = 1-2lbs per week. 
4. If you aim to lose more, your weight loss is too fast. The faster you lose weight, the more likely you’ll gain it back. You’ll make a dramatic and unsustainable change in your diet/lifestyle, and then you’ll switch back to your old “bad” ways.
5. Slow weight loss = permanent weight loss.
6. Creating a 500 calorie deficit per day = 1lb of fat loss per week (500x7=3500).
7. Everyone already burns 1200+ calories each day just by leading a sedentary life, by being a couch potato. This is called your AMR.
8. You can create a calorie deficit through cutting calories from food and through exercise.
9. It is more beneficial to burn calories through exercise over cutting calories from food. 
10. Everyone has a specific BMR according to their stats (age, height, weight). This is the MINIMUM amount of calories your body requires in order to survive and keep your heart beating, lungs working, other organs working, etc.
11. Eating below your BMR will slow down your metabolism. In turn, you will burn less and less calories because your body thinks it’s starving. This is a natural mechanism in our bodies to protect itself. There is no way around it. Your metabolism WILL slow down. Period. Eventually you will plateau. 
12. Creating a deficit that is too high, will also slow down your metabolism because your body is not getting enough energy to sustain itself. Your muscle will start breaking down, you’ll be worn out, etc.
13. Creating a 500 calorie deficit from food will put you way below your BMR, and your metabolism WILL slow down over time.
14. It is better to create a 500 calorie deficit from exercise which will INCREASE your metabolism, making you burn more calories, it will build muscle, which will also allow you to burn calories, and you will have tons more energy, and thus will be able to burn more calories. By eating enough, you will preserve your muscle and burn off fat. If you don’t get enough energy, your body will metabolize muscle, thus making you burn less calories and slowing down your metabolism.