Update: #LMWLLifestyle Challenge, Days 3-7

Hey, People! I'm still going strong with the #LMWLLifestyle challenge via Sarah Jenks!  I haven't had a chance to blog since my last post because I've been working or doing the challenges. But here I am, writing this post as I watch the season finale of my favorite TV show the Walking Dead! During commercial breaks, of course ;). I've got days 3-7 to share below, so please keep reading!

Day 3: Watch the sunset
I thought this sounded like a beautiful idea and couldn't wait to see the sunset after a few gloomy days filled with clouds and rain. Sarah chose the challenge to encourage us to acknowledge the beauty that's around us every day. While I wasn't able to catch a true sunset, I got a glimpse in between the super cloudy day. This challenge encouraged me to slow down a bit to appreciate the little things.







Day 4: Get out of your normal space to watch a new video from LiveMoreWeighLess.com. 

After a very long day, I was really happy to step away from my apartment with dozens of reminders of my long to do list. Instead, I went to a local Panera Bread to watch Sarah's video without any distractions from my TV, my dog, etc. In Sarah's
Video #2 of the LMWL Lifestyle Video Training Series, one of the things she encourages us to do is a "something" that we want to do now instead "waiting on the weight" to encourage us to live our life filled with things that make us happy. This could be dating, spending more time with a loved one or friends, going to a dance class, etc. Sarah explained that when we don't do the things that make us feel happy and fulfilled, we turn to food to fill a void. If we live our lives and fill them with happy and fulfilling things, we'll decrease our need to turn to food as our companion or excitement of the day. This really connected for me and made a lot sense of what has made me turn to food and continue to turn to food.  Sarah also encourages us to fall in love with our bodies, to nurture it, and to be more gentle and caring. So often, we as women tend to be aggressive and rough with our bodies via crazy detox diets, workouts we don't enjoy, or that inner voice critiquing our imperfections. Enough! It's time to appreciate our bodies. To honor this, I gave my body some TLC with a resting and restorative pose that I found on Pinterest, as shown in the image below. I highly recommend it!

 

Image Souce: http://www.clipzine.me/u/clip/72679800396260581918

Day 5: Tell someone she's beautiful.
This challenge was all about appreciating someone's beauty. I thought this was a great way to pay it forward with the positive energy I've received from doing Sarah's challenge. I chose not one, but two of my two cowokers!

 

Day 6: Enjoy the healing power of  water

This challenge couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I was getting ready to work a 12 hour babysitting schedule on my Saturday (oy). I could have used my morning to knock a few things of my to do list, etc. But instead I chose to go to my favorite work out class and then enjoy my breakfast outside as I watched over the lake and morning sun. It was gorgeous and so peaceful. This is something I definitely want to add to my daily/weekly schedule as an effort to be more calm and centered. I mean seriously, look at the beautiful picture below! I need more of this in my life! I deserve this!

Day 7: Get creative
Sarah encouraged us to express ourselves in a creative way through art. We could write, dance, sing, etc. I chose to paint. I'm not good at it. Quite frankly, I think I suck. But I enjoy the process of painting. It's calming. Painting forces me to focus on the colors, the shapes, and the brush strokes. I decided to paint the sun as a throwback to a sunny day this week. I loved feeling the heat on my face. It felt wonderful. So I wanted to pay tribute to that feeling by painting the sun. For obvious reasons, a friend of mine teased me about the painting saying it looked like a tick. But whatever, what are you gonna do? Art is interpretive, right? ;)

So that completes the rest of the challenges for week 1. Next week, Sarah's challenges will include watching a new video, connecting to our religion/spirtuality, being makeup free (eek!), a weekend date (this will be tough for me), wear something that's outside of your usual wardrobe, showing our body some love, and taking a bath (I'm so for this one). I'm excited to see what I experience during each challenge and look forward to sharing my adventures with you in a future post.

Heads up: You can join Sarah's Live More Weigh Less Lifestyle Program Launch on Wednesday at 7 PM EST!  The party is happening at livemoreweighless.com/launch-party. I'll be there, will you? Let me know in the comments below!

I'm Back...again! And this time with the #LMWLIFESTYLE Challenge!

Hey there! Long time to "talk!" You know how I said I was back in my last blog post and then disappeared again? First, my bad. Second, let me explain. I was kicking off my effort with the Strong in the New Skinny program. I was doing great for about 3 days and then I crashed. It wasn't for me. It was too restrictive. Although you get to introduce select foods into your diet as you move forward, the overall program was too much of a drastic change for me. I think it's a great approach for someone that's trying to drop the last 10-15 lbs. Not someone like me who now has to drop about 95 lbs!

Wow. I have to lose 95 lbs! That means I've gained 95 lbs since 2010-ish? Crazy. Sigh. Moving forward...

So as you can imagine, I've been pretty disappointed with myself for not sticking with the program and not getting back on track with WeightWatchers as I vowed I would to myself, my friends, etc. Lately, nothing has been sticking. I know what to do, I just can't seem to really do it. It's not that I don't want this--I really do. I have visions of what my "back in shape" life will be like. I have clothes sitting in my closet begging me to wear them in the near future. I have a motivational poster on my wall, workout gear everywhere, a Pinterest board called "Get it Right, Get it Tight" with hundreds of tips on how to lose weight and get that "perfect body." What could I be missing?! Why is it not clicking for me like it was when I was 20 years old when I first started my weight loss journey that took off 68 lbs that I thought I'd never see again?

So after my latest weight loss fail, I kind of just floated in between giving up and not giving up. That's until I came across this promoted post on my Facebook newsfeed. I saw this "Live More Weigh Less" challenge and I was immediately drawn to it! Once I clicked on the website, I knew this is exactly what I've been searching for. Please let me introduce you to my latest hero: Sarah Jenks and the Live More Weigh Less Program!

In a nutshell (and I'm paraphrasing on what I gathered, but please go to the website to learn more), Sarah focuses on living your life with pleasure to be healthy instead of restricting and depriving yourself. She gets to the core of why we do what we do. For me, I'm eating because I'm not in a happy place. I'm eating because I'm stressed, sad, lonely, bored, etc. But what if we changed the things that are making us stressed, sad. lonely, and bored vs. the thinking that all of this can change once we reach our goal weight? By doing so, we can be less inclined to emotional eating and do the things that make us feel better and happier (internally and externally). Over time, our bodies will go on a natural and sane path to the healthy shape that it's meant to be in (no more trying to compare our selves to some unrealistic celebrity body). What a great concept! Embrace yourself + live the life you want = a healthier and happier you!

I don't know about you, but I'm all about that! So I was quick to jump in on her Live More Weight Less Lifestyle Challenge.  It's not too late for you to join. You can group together the days that you missed all in one day or start up on the day that you decide to join the party :).  I'll be sharing my experience with this program in the hopes that it will encourage and inspire similar ladies. So read below and please check in for days 3 & 4 soon!

Day 1: Wear Red Lipstick, Do Something Fun, Non-Distracted Eating

So for the first day of the challenge, we were tasked with wearing red lipstick. At first, I wasn't sure I could do this. I honestly thought I could just take the photo and then wipe it off. But I really want to do this and not make it about showing off on social media. So I stuck to my guns and rocked the red lips all day long. Right away, I noticed that I felt more confident. I was able to look people in the eye as I said hello. In fact, I'm pretty sure I caught the attention of this cutie during my coffee run. I've seen him before and I don't think he's ever really spoken to me before. But that morning, he was all "Good Morning!" "How are you?" "Welcome to Target!" with a huge smile on his face. I couldn't help but giggle to myself. And it doesn't hurt that I got some nice compliments on social media either ;).

For her video training series, she asked us to do something fun and to eat without distraction. I wish all homework was like this! So I took myself out on a solo movie date to see Insurgent (liked it) with a gift certificate I got for Christmas. For dinner, I ate at my dinner at the table instead of my bed (while watching TV) with my dog unable to get in my face. No phone, no TV, just silence to enjoy and appreciate what I was putting in my body.

Day 1 was a success and I plan to do more of these things in my day to day life, beyond the challenge.

Day 2: Buy Yourself Fresh Flowers

I love flowers. I've lately been into floral prints when it comes to fashion, so this is probably my fav of all the steps in this week's challenge. I'm assuming they're considered fresh, but on my way to work I bought a dozen roses from Giant ($10 total). Half pink, half white. A nice springy look that goes well with my cube decor.  Despite the cloudy day today, the flowers have certainly put me in brighter spirits. Why wait for someone to buy me flowers? I think I'll add this to my list of "random pick-me-ups just for the hell of it."




So there you have it. It's a long post but I really needed to get all of this out there so you can understand where I've been and what I'm now doing. Thanks for reading to the end. I promise the other posts will be shorter :).

Let's chat: Are you already in the challenge? Thinking about it? Can you relate to any of my thoughts/experiences? Let me know in the comments below!

I'm back!

I'm back! Yes, it's been a hot minute, but I blame it on grad school, trying to live a life away from the computer screen, my job, friends, a short stint in dating, etc. Why am I back? I'm resetting my healthy lifestyle and I figured blogging would be a great way for me to stay accountable and inspire others.

So here's what's going on in a nutshell:

• I've gained some weight since you last heard from me. I'd say a good 20-30 lbs (I can't remember my exact weight since my last blogged, but that's how much I gained during grad school and a super busy/stressful season at work)
• I no longer teach group fitness. I tried to get back into it, but it wasn't working. I figured this is okay because I can still motivate others with my blogging and focus more on my own health and fitness journey.
• With group fitness teaching out of the picture plus the weight gain, I'm not as physically strong as I used to be.

My "before" as I work on the "after" (12/2014)

With all this said, I've recently been on a mission to get my health back. Now that I'm in a new decade (30s are fierce!), I know that what I do for my health now will have a huge impact on my health as I get older. I want to age gracefully and healthy, so now is the time to plant the seeds.

How? Well, I was doing my tried-and-true WeightWatchers program (which I'll always love), but I honestly kept "restarting" every other day or week, which was my way of making an excuses to eat what I want and not count my points. Then I'd get frustrated when I didn't lose any more than 10 lbs over the past year or so. I realized that I've been more dedicated to bad food instead of being dedicated to having a healthy lifestyle and reaching my fitness goals.

I need to end my bad relationship with food!

I've came to this realization while reading this book called "Strong is the New Skinny." They have

this reset diet that lasts for 4 weeks and it focuses on resetting your daily diet with clean/healthy foods.  I've always tried to avoid doing anything "clean" for a diet, because I always thought it was super extreme. But when I look at the people who are at the health and fitness goals that I want, I realize that the difference between them and myself is our diet. So why not try to do what they do and see if it works for me? My next few posts will be focused on my experience, so be sure to stay tuned!

I'm also happy to say that I've invested in a FitBit--and I love it! I'm all about data to track where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going. So expect to see updates and details about my experience with my favorite gadget in future posts as well. 








So what's new with you? What are your health and fitness goals as we enter the new year? And what tools/resources are you using to get there? Share in the comments below!

Fitspiration: Kelly Clarkson

Um, if you haven't noticed how fab Kelly Clarkson has looked recently, we have a problem! I've always admired Ms. Clarkson because she's never been afraid to keep it real. I could always relate to her. Just as she experienced gaining weight in the public eye and the criticism that came with it, I've had to experience gaining weight in front of the eyes of my BodyPump members and feeling the "judgement" of those new members when they realized that their instructor was heavier than they are.

The average person would probably want to dig in a hole and hide, but we both decided to use our real-woman bodies to inspire and encourage others to love ourselves just the way they are. She was recently quoted in a Redbook magazine interview saying that she  wants to "...instill in my fans is to be healthy and happy. I have no desire to be super-skinny."

Photo source: HollyScoop.com

 I've declared Kelly Clarkson my Fitspiration for June, not because she is thin, but because of the journey she took to get to where she is today. She works out like a "normal" person and her motivation to look healthy and fit for her fans! Kelly C. is the perfect example of what being healthy, fabulous, and fit is all about--no matter what size dress she wears!

It's Our Time to LiveLifeActive!

I'm a huge fan of WeightWatchers and I'm also a huge fan of working out! So needless to say, I was thrilled to earn about this new fitness challenge called LiveLifeActive, led by the fabulous folks at WeightWatchers.

I started the challenge last week and it's just what I needed to get my motivation into gear. I like this challenge because it's not limited to walking/jogging/running, it's open to anything that get's you moving. That's a shoutout to the Zumba-atics, yogaholics, and bootcamper's! However you wan to do it, your goal will be to earn 14 ActivityPoints per week for 6 weeks. Every week, you get a chance to win prizes and you get to see the progress of other challenge members--aka extra motivation!

I highly encourage that you check it out.  Afterall, what do you have to lose? Calories and pounds! And for extra encouragement, think of all those endorphins you'll overdose on? You'll be a healthy, fabulous, and more happy version of you!

If WeightWatchers is not your thing, join a similar activity challenge hosted by a women's health magazine or a popular and credible health website.

Tell us: Are you joining the LiveLifeActive Challenge? What types of exercise will you be doing?

Flexing Fab Muscles for American Bone Health

As a BodyPump instructor, I often get new members that want to try my class because they want to lose weight or get leaner muscle. While it's true that weightlifting can offer both of these benefits, the biggest benefit of all is the opportunity to build stronger bones that will last a lifetime. That's why I was super excited to take on the "American Bone Health Challenge" from the American Bone Health organization focused on preventing osteoporosis and providing education on bone health across the country.

You may be asking, what exactly is this "American Bone Health Challenge"? Well, women and men nationwide are encouraged to take photos of themselves flexing their muscles in front of local landmarks and sharing these photos on Facebook, Twitter, their blogs, etc. I couldn't resist--this challenge has my name written all over it! So I decided to put my own personal twist to the challenge and added a few of my special BodyPump members to flex their guns after working them hard for the past hour. These ladies join my class every week with a smile on their face and their eye on the prize--> strong, sexy, fit bodies!

So here we are--sweaty, exhausted, and bone health strong!

 

Share in the comments below: How do you get bone health strong?

Back with a Healthy Vengeance!

If you haven't noticed, it's been some time since my last blog post (January of this year to be exact). I've had quite a bit going on since my regular blogging days. This includes starting grad school, getting a new job, and trying to focus on being healthy from the inside and out. I'm happy to say that I'm back and eager to continue educating, discussing, and sharing important health issues with my fellow fab ladies!

My come-back comes with a few new changes/features, including:

• A new name: HealtyFabFit. I want to broaden my focus to women of all ages and ethnicities instead of only women within their 20s.
• Monthly Women's Magazine Article Club. To know me is to know that I love to read just about every single women's health magazine out there. I have a subscription to SELF, Women's Health, Shape, Fitness, and I'm a regular reader of Weight Watchers magazine. I often read an article that fits perfectly with my blog and my readers, so I figure why not have a similar concept of a book club, but this time, we keep it short and sweet with a magazine article for a quick read. It's perfect for the fab gal that's busy and can't find the time to squeeze in leisure reading.

 Those are just two key features that I'll be introducing with my come-back and I have a few other ideas brewing in my head. I'd love to hear from any of my blog visitors out there. After all, this blog is for you! Please subscribe, share, and comment to help me keep this blog go from surviving, to thriving!

XoXo,

Rose