My Thoughts Paleo

I have been trying out this new paleo lifestyle for the past 3 weeks. I am in my last week of the 21 Day Challenge and I have lost 5lbs so far. How do I feel you ask? FANTASTIC!! I have found out that everyone has their own way of finding what works for them. I never thought this would work for me. I never thought I could give up milk, my sweets, cheese ect. but I have realized that I want to be healthier more than I want to have a moment of satisfaction of that junk food. Am I never going to eat it again? Are you kidding me? I feel that if I am on track at least 85 to 90% of the time then the other 10% to 15% will be more forgiving. What I love about this challenge I have done is everything is layed out for me. The shopping list for the week, the meals and the recipes! For me the is huge and I know for many of you that are just as busy it would also be in line with your life should you give this a shot too. But, again, it is entirely up to you on what will work for you. My biggest battle has been nutrition. I can work out like a champ, but eating has always been tough for me. I LOVE food!! Who doesn't right. It's crazy to think people out there have an addiction to food, but at the same time I get it. However, my health is very important to me. I don't want to spend more money being sick when I get older. I want to spend it now on good food. Are you with me? :) That is the short of it. I value your time and as you sit and read this I want you to take away the fact that your the most important person on earth. You are not only valuable to yourself, you are valuable to others and they care about you as much as you should care about yourself! So what will your challenge be?

Do you have a pet peeve?

I like to post quotes. You will most likely see this on my facebook page. I recently started an in home workout group which has been rewarding and also helps me stay motivated. It's not always easy to get to the gym and this is a great alternative to moving those muscles! I provide the workouts and my ladies provide the dedication, commitment, and their own motivation each day! I guess it was 6 years ago I wanted to step into a new career and out of insurance. I have come full circle and now I get to do both. I thought that I would give up Brenda's BootCamp but as I reflect I just am unable to part from it, I do still hold onto Healthy Steps LLC, but Brenda's BootCamp still is active in the background! The future is one that is uncertain but one thing for sure is if I can help just one person in life with fitness and health, then I feel I have a purpose in this field! :) I love my job with insurance too, I love the challenge of getting to the root of someones problem, to help them the best I can and to succeed in getting the best results for them that are in my power of course! :) I am the kind of person who will work hard for someone because that is how I want to be helped too! Customer service seems to be slipping in areas in which we really need them. My biggest pet peeve is calling in and listening to prompts! You have to wait and listen forever to find out which number to hit!! Then you figure it out and once you get to a live person, they transfer you because they are unable to assist you! WHAT?!!??! And you then wait again. Although I don't have all the answers in either of my jobs, I will find out for you!!! :) You relax, you take the moments in life on something you rather do and once I find out, I will call you back, or email!!! That is the customer service I wish was in every business!!! Ok, rant over. What is your biggest pet peeve????

Starting over is never easy, and certainly never fun. You will doubt yourself, wonder if you can do it and surely feel like a failure. That is how I felt last year around this time. I felt like my world was crumbling around me. I was at a point I was really struggling financially and mentally. I loved what I was doing and I wanted to keep doing it but God was taking me on another journey and I had to trust Him and walk in faith. I didn't give up on my training. I got a couple early morning days at the recreation center which helped me and then the one thing I didn't expect to happen was going back into the insurance industry. I reached out to a friend of mine who was still a part of insurance and got a few leads so went after it. I landed in an office that has truly been a blessing to me. I don't doubt for a second why God placed me there. I love what I do and I still get to train. I have been struggling with my nutrition again and actually been slacking in my workouts. I go through this about once a year for some reason. It doesn't last long but it is frustrating. I have been researching again for the best plan and I know everyone is different so one plan may not work as good for another person. So I set out to see what is best for me and I look at cost too, just like everyone, I am on a budget and it seems the next best thing always cost way to much whether you break it down to the day or the month. I know if you workout at least 5 days a week, portion control your foods, cut down your sugars, feed your machine 5 to 6 times a day, drink plenty of water, have your multivitamins along with omegas, you will beat the everyday marketing schemes of the world. So when you do feel like pulling up to have a burger and fries your body will be more forgiving then when you use to do it everyday, no exercise, filling yourself up with sugar in every form and just piling up your plate 2 or 3 times!!! Do you follow me? Once you get on a system, it's harder to break it. Will you stumble? Yes! Do you need to just quit and go back to old habits?! No! Always fight the good fight. Your life is worth fighting for! Find what works for you and tweak it until you are seeing results! Know that it won't happen overnight, it's a process and although it is hard to be patient, slow down and figure it out. I am here to help you if you just need someone to listen without judging. I do understand your struggles and your heartaches, your not alone. Many people out there are sucked into the marketing scheme by tv ads, radio ads, social media ads and even when your in the grocery store, they place all the candy and any item right up front for you to see before leaving. Don't give into temptation, be strong, know what your goals are and look straight ahead because together we can win the war on junk food!!! We can over power it for the most part yet when you do dip your foot back in, enjoy it for a moment, no longer, then pull it back out and keep running fast towards the new you!!! Never be afraid to start over. Don't let the what ifs rule your life. Don't let your fears overcome your victories! If you want something bad enough, you will move mountains to get it right? So start moving those mountains today!!! We Got This!!!! Love to hear your thoughts, comment below. I will be checking in daily and I will be keeping up with this blog weekly to let you know how I am doing, in hopes it will help you know your not alone and we are all in the same boat!

What is the most important?

This is one of my favorite photos with a saying. As we get ready to head into new year everyone, including you, will start to think that this is going to be the year I CHANGE!! This is the year that I am going to make it HAPPEN! We start to get motivated, excited and even childlike as we think about what we are planning on doing. But wait a minute. Do you have a plan? Do you have support? Do you know what you will do if things start to get tough? Do you know that it is going to take hard work in order for your goals to come to reality? I know that you do, but have you wrote it all down? What exactly are the steps you will take in order to succeed? It has taken me four years to nail down the missing piece of the puzzle in my fitness routine. I always thought that I had it all together, yet the results wouldn't last and therefore that made workouts only half effective. Today however, I have been introduced to the best nutritional company out there! I am aligning myself with the best of the best! My personal results are incredible and I still wonder about it. I dropped those last 10lbs in 30 days, but for me even more exciting then that is my body fat. I dropped 11.3% in just 20 days!!! The more research I do the more I find that I am blessed to have such a great product and I get to share it with others. I get to see their results in just 30 short days and I get to coach them through it and touch base with them often which is awesome! I did ask myself all those questions I just asked you. I went a step further and created a vision board. I want to make sure that I do make that change, that I do take the steps needed to fulfill my resolutions for 2014 and my wheels are already moving in the right direction before it's even here! So when you have everything lined out, feel good and put that somewhere that you will be able to look at it once a day! May all the blessings fall upon you this coming year! I would love to hear from you. What are your New Year's Resolutions!? Whatever it is, you have the power to make it happen! Be the change the world needs.

As you reflect on your life, as we all do at some point in our years of living, remember what you have done to this point. My journey has taken a very sharp turn and I know that God has a bigger purpose for me although I don't know yet what it might be. I have been blessed with so many friends and my family to support me in my decisions. It's not easy after 4 years of trying to build my business and have a place to go do workouts and fitness assessment diagnostics, to shut the doors on final time. Now I go out and figure out my next move. I know one thing, my dream is not going to die. It is taking a different path, but I can't see myself doing anything else. I love to see people's tranformations and I love to be a part of it. So I go back to the drawing board and I write down my goals, I make a plan and I start over. This is my do over! Have you ever had one of those? I bet you have and I bet your stronger and so much happier than you ever thought possible. That is my hope when I look back at this time, this obstacle.

Why Do We Do It???

Hey There! I hope you are having a Wonderful day! I am doing an email series this week on sugar with my members. It is an eye opening ordeal once you start digging into all the side effects sugar has on our bodies. Reading the above facts are staggering, yet, we just keep right on looking for that next sugar high, that temporary fix to ease what ales us. It really is only temporary you know. Some people are even addicts of sugar,in all different forms. So why do we continue to ignore what it is doing to us when it is becoming more and more obvious of it's effects? Well, because we live in a society which is filled with instant gratification. It's true. Think about it for a minute. Why do you reach for that cookie, ice-cream, candy bar, soda pop or brownie? Most of the time you don't even think about it, your in a hurry and you have to get the rumbling of your tummy to stop somehow. You grab you sweets and your off, however, mid day, you crash and burn! And it is even worse if you are not into some sort of consistent exercise routine. Day in and day out you continue to consume massive amounts of sugar without a thought until one day your in the doctors office and they hit you with the worse possible scenerio you can think of. I don't mean to be a downer here, but this is just facts my friends. So why wait until that day comes, why continue to be miserable, sick and tired? There are many avenues to take when you want to cut back on sugar. The one thing you must know in order to succeed is you will be unable to do it alone. You need a support group to help you through it, especially if you are addicted to it. I suppose it is no different than being an alcoholic or drug addict, you have to have your fix before you feel you can move forward. So depending on the severity of your sugar situation, have a buddy or group to support you and then start your journey of cutting back on sugar. You will be amazed at how great you feel. Oh the first couple days will be very hard on you, no doubt about that, but I suggest you wean yourself off the sugars that are bad for you and soon you will be free from sugar. IF you think you can go cold turkey, chances are it won't last because you will find in the future that the very word NO, will set you off and you will go running after what you have been running from. It's a crazy thing, but it is becoming a very large nuisance to society and the obesity rate in America keeps skyrocketing. Very few people realize they are their best investment, but when they do realize it, they take it serious and they spend their money wisely and research the best avenues in order to make wise decisions in that investment. As I wrap up the week about sugar with my members we are going to go on a journey together. IT is a great time to be a member of Brenda's BootCamp by the way! I am only doing this challenge with them and if you know someone that has been coming for awhile and you haven't really seen a difference, your about to! I am including every single member into this upcoming challenge. I am so excited and can't wait to reveal the results to everyone! They are about to triple their investment in themselves! :) Stay tuned to find out what the challenge is as we embark on SUGAR!!!!

Won't Read This...

Good Morning! Today I am going to write about training, specifically in running. For many of you I realize that you may be saying… “Won’t read this, Ha! I’m never going to run”… Yep, I said that too and I heard on good authority that one other well-known boot camp member said that same thing at one point in time and now she’s beating her own time with every race she runs! Once I started running I realized that it is hard, but man I feel good when I’m finished. And running the Rat Race, oh my goodness, such a blast not only running but the company. So for when you make the decision that you are going to give running a try and eventually incorporate it into your weekly BootCamp, FitRanX or Tactix routine, here are a few problems that may hinder your success with running. My favorite shoe is ASICS, so naturally I turn to them for advice and without fail, ASICS delivers. Here is what I read… Problem 1: Too Much, Too Often--If you find yourself out of breath, or completely drained, after every run, you could be pushing yourself too hard. For me, it was knee pain, I couldn't walk and of course I couldn't run until it felt better. When I could run, it wasn’t for very long before my knee started acting up again. Yes, it is possible to over train, and it happens when your body gets pushed beyond its capability to recover. If you run too fast, you can push your body too hard, going beyond the body's capacity to deliver oxygen to your muscles. And in my case, I was putting in too many miles. Over-training can cause injury, sleep disturbance, and even depression. ASICS Solution: Take a Step-by-step Approach. The first step is to manage your pace. Identify a comfortable speed and factor it into your training plan. You can calculate your pace with a simple stopwatch, or training apps like MY ASICS. I'm not crediting the competition, but Nike app works too and I know many of you already have it on your phone. There is also another app I was told about, Couch Potato to 5K. The second step is to manage your distance. If you're looking to run long distances, you need to build up gradually over time. Taking too large of a jump in distance will only lead to injury, and set you back in your training goals. Building a training plan is a great way to help you gradually increase your distance over time and reach your training milestones. Problem 2: The Right Fuel--Diet is essential not only in providing the energy you need when you're running, but also in helping you recover and build muscle. Complex carbohydrates help your body produce glycogen which delivers energy to your muscles while proteins are essential to help repair and build muscles, as well as produce hormones. Then there are fats, vitamins and minerals to factor in. ASICS Solution: Balance Your Diet--Think carefully about what you're eating. In addition to plenty of vitamins and minerals, your training diet should be made up of: •60–65% carbohydrates •10–20% protein •10% saturated fats •10–15% unsaturated fats Problem 3: Not Resting Between Runs--If you are going to continue to run at your best, you need to give your body the opportunity to recover between training runs. ASICS Solution: Take It Easy--It might sound counter-intuitive, but rest is one of the most crucial parts of any successful training plan. Getting adequate rest between training runs gives your body time to repair itself and recover in order to build up your strength over time. Problem 4: Not Enough Sleep--Tiredness is another factor that can affect your performance. Sleep enables phases of the recovery process that there are simply no substitutes for. If you are not sleeping, your body cannot recover and your training will begin to suffer. ASICS Solution: Wind Down Before Bed--Make sure you set aside time to relax before you go to bed. Reading, listening to music, or taking a hot bath are all great ways to wind down and calm your mind before bed. There it is, the most common problems, I assume they are common as I've experienced all 4. Don't do what I did and just jump into running 7 miles and not expect your body to protest. Ha-ha! Running is rewarding and, done properly, along with the reward comes fun! Enjoy! Melissa