Developing a Compelling Vision For Your Future...

Eventually the time comes for everyone to sit down and dig deep into their own lives, and find where they truly need to be. You may have found your path already, but if you haven't, I encourage you to try to find what your purpose is using a tool I have used many times in my life. Start with asking yourself, is what I am doing working? Am I getting what I need, want, and feel I deserve? Plain and simple....Am I happy? 

If you are struggling to find your own happiness, go grab a pen and piece of paper. Write down the following questions and answer them honestly! 

You may just find what you are looking for.......

First, state your vision....

Write down what your vision looks like. (Be as detailed as possible) 

•        What are the most important elements in your vision?

•        Give one example of a best experience with the key elements of your vision,         times when you felt alive and fully engaged.

•       What values does your vision support?

•        What makes this vision important to you? Why do you really want to reach this vision? What good will come from your doing so?

•        How large is the gap today between where you are today and your wellness vision?  Clarify point A and B for vision.

•       On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being really confident and 0 being no confidence, how confident are you that you can close this gap and realize your vision.

•     What significant events do you anticipate having to deal with on the way to reaching your vision? 

•  What concerns you most?

•       What strengths can you draw on to help you realize your vision and meet your challenges?

•  How can the lessons from your successes in life carry over to your current challenges?

•     What people, resources, systems, and environments can you draw on to help you realize your vision and meet your challenges?

•    Brainstorm ideas that will help to make a plausible plan for helping to make this vision a reality.

•  Establish a Strategy by which this vision will be realized.

      Once you have finished answering these questions openly, and honestly, read them to someone who will support you. Talk about your vision with others around you, work it into conversations, and put it out into the universe! Most importantly, remind yourself of your vision daily. If you put everything you have into it, it will become a reality. I am speaking from experience, if you focus all your energy into what YOUR VISION is...NOTHING can, or will stop you! And for those who think you can’t, or don't support you, well you can tell them......^%*& #@$! Followed by a sweet hug and kiss :) 


                                  "Our life is what are thoughts make it"

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Eating clean VS Eating... not so, not even close to clean!

I have been told many times that buying healthy food is too expensive. I gotta be honest, this drives me crazy when I hear this because it is seriously the furthest from the truth. This statement is better said “I just don’t have or want to put the time into healthy food” now that is a true statement. And one many of us can relate too. Let’s face it, it’s time consuming prepping food for the week, and cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there is no doubt about it. BUT, is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Once you make it a habit, it’s like second nature. Your day may end a little later so you are prepared for the next day, but you do it anyway! Because you care, you care about yourself, and your health enough to add 10 minutes to your day.

Aside from personal food prep, I would like to talk about clean eating for your entire family. I will use an average family of four as an example, and hopefully shed some light that can help many of you who feel this way. Let’s say I am at the grocery store picking up dinner for my family. I grab one spaghetti squash for 6.25, 2 pounds of ground turkey burger for 5.79, and one jar of organic meat spaghetti sauce for 3.76. I can feed my family, and have left overs for 15.80(or I have an entire week of lunch prepared) Now, I know that may seem high, but let’s say you went out to eat... We all know a family of four is never going to walk out of a sit down restaurant and pay less than 15.00 dollars for everyone to eat a decent meal. This is also true with pizza, and fast-food. You will pay the same amount, if not more, and have no left overs. Not to mention the awfulness you just ingested, by not eating an at home cooked meal. There are also plenty of other healthy meal options for much less than 15.00 dollars, but I chose to aim high for dramatics. ;)

Above is just ONE example of many. Trust me, I have tested this theory. I have kept the receipts from the grocery store, as well as the ones from eating out for one week, and the savings is in the grocery store, always. One could argue that unhealthy VS healthy food in the grocery is less expensive, and with certain foods, they are absolutely correct. However; let’s put this in perspective…at most, we are talking about a few extra dollars on each item. I don’t mind spending a little extra knowing that the food myself, and my family are eating is quality food. It tastes more fresh, isn't full of hormones, preservatives, and God only knows what else! And why would someone not blink an eye at paying extra for super-size, cheese, soda, and maybe a little treat at the end of the meal, but not for healthier food?! It’s all about making the decision to make the right choice. If you can afford cable, internet, sell phones, big car payments, nails, and hair…you can in-fact afford to spend a little extra at the grocery store.

In a perfect world (through my eyes), we would all rally together and run fast-food companies out of business, and buy local farm fresh foods. I know in reality that will probably never happen, but you can start with your household. You can spread the word to your friends and family. When you look and feel great, they ALWAYS ask “what have you been doing different” and when you respond with “eating clean” they will want to know every little detail! Share with them how easy it can be once you get a handle on it!

So, save some money, feel better, and look healthier! It isn't as hard as it may seem, and I am happy to help in any way I can!

Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better with change – Jim Rohn

I am thrilled to share a few exciting changes with my schedule at CrossFit Round Rock!! Starting August 25^th 2014, I will be graciously trying to fill Coach Anna’s shoes in the 7:00a.m. M/T/TH class! I cannot put into words how excited I am to coach this class!! I truly believe great relationships will evolve, and we will have a great time creating them! I would like to send out a very special thank you to our members who have welcomed this change with open arms!

More awesome news…..5:15AMers and 6:00AMers are merging into one class at 5:30a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays!! I have grown close to each of these athletes, and can’t wait to have more join us in the wee-early hours of the morning! I hope everyone loves the new changes as much as I do.

I am however; sad to announce that I will no longer be coaching Monday and Wednesday evenings. I will miss this class more than I can put into words! I know I will still see them on a regular basis and stay in close contact with them, but not seeing them twice a week will be difficult. They are in great hands with Coach Anna taking over the class!!

If you're ever interested in PT sessions where we spend an hour one-on-one focusing on specific areas, you as an athlete would like to become stronger, faster, and more efficient, please let me know. I have a few spots available to fill!

Lastly, forgive me, but I am about to spill my heart out…I need to thank ALL of YOU for your warm welcome to me. This was/IS a huge dream of mine, to be a part of CFRR, and to be a coach. I go to bed each night with a smile on my face and wake up with the same one still there because of YOU. I appreciate each, and everyone of you, and everything you have taught me. You inspire me day, after day!! So to sum it up….I love, and adore you! And......

It's all about the balance...

One week from today my family of five will be hitting the road for a trip to Wisconsin. This means a total of four days on the road with three children, four nights in a hotel, and one wedding. Can you hear the health/fitness freak in me panic?! What does this mean for someone who preps her food, eats at just about the same time every day, and works out 1.5+ hours 5 days a week? Not to mention the biggest challenge of all…WATER! My daily consumption of water requires many trips to the bathroom; my husband will surely wish bad, painful things upon me if we need to make countless stops for me to go tee-tee! This panic inside me got me thinking…what is the best way to find balance between "good" and "bad" while we are away from home? After a lot of thought, I may have found a few helpful ideas to stay on track.  

1.    DON’T panic…

I am racking my brain to come up with this grand reason for a real panic attack. We are talking about six days away from home, and a normal routine. This should be a time for fun, excitement, and making memories, not counting every calorie, macro, and H2O intake. All are equally important to me, but there are times in our lives when only a few of these should mean more than the other. That being said, when we have goals we want to achieve...good health being one of them, it's important to still be mindful of what we are putting into our bodies. It doesn't have to turn into a free-for-all leaving us feeling sick, tired, and disappointed in ourselves! 

2.    Find a balance…

Pack healthy foods and snacks for the entire family. It is not written in stone that while on the road you have eat chips, candy, donuts, and drink one soda after another!  Avoid fast food, plan ahead to find a good restaurant with healthy options.Yelp will help! To save marriage, drink a “normal” amount of water while on the road. Stop at rest areas to run around with the kids, even just for 10 minutes. Use the hotel gym, or even your hotel room to squeeze in a quick workout. Get your family and friends involved in something fun and active!

3.     Live a little….

So let’s just say on our way up to Wisconsin we take exit 53 in Oklahoma for an amazing fried pie…maybe, just maybe it is okay to eat half a slice of dark chocolate fried pie! Is it the end all-be-all if we choose to enjoy this slice of pie? No, it isn't. You can enjoy all things in moderation, as long as you don’t allow it to take over, and lose control with it.

Often times, vacations, holidays, family visits, reunions, and many other occasions come up and we automatically throw all of our healthy behaviors out the window, which then sets us back, followed by losing our motivation to ever get focused again. Or equally worse, we don’t stop to enjoy the event we are celebrating. We avoid even trying to find the balance, which usually causes some resentment if we are not careful. Either way, we are being unproductive. When you put in the time, effort, and focus to can always find a balance between both worlds.

My wish for this vacation is to just enjoy it, have fun with my family, and old friends, and not beat myself too much over doing so. I hope everyone can at least come home from vacation and not have a pile of requests and "I wish I hadn't...." facing them. It takes away from all the wonderful memories made!

Discovering the Skeltons....

A Coaches Challenge...

One month ago, our #ATEAM prepared for a 30 day "Phat Coaches Challenge." Needless to say, we were all feeling it was overdue and excited to get started. Coaches, just as other humans have our own "weaknesses" that we fight with each and every day. Some of us rely on that glass of wine at the end of a long day, or the cookies in the pantry! The list goes on and on, because everyone is different in their own way. For me, I found some skeletons hiding behind the doors of my refrigerator and pantry. What I learned about myself during these 30 days will forever change my relationship with food. The lack of awareness of my own self-destruction can no longer be ignored because I have finally surrendered. Once you open your eyes and get honest with yourself, you must own it, improve it, and count on others for the help you need. I have done my share of logging food in the past, but something was different this time around...I was honest. I was honest with myself, and my team!

You may be wondering about these little said skeletons of mine, and after many years scared to death to really face them, I have decided share them. I know for certain I am not alone. And if I am as strong as I feel on the outside, I need to be, or least strive for the same on the inside. If I am going to look my clients in the eye and insist they live a healthy lifestyle then I better not accept anything less from myself.

So here goes........ I have an eating disorder. This stems all the way back to my childhood. I was never an A student, not even close. I was teased for not being "smart" daily. As a result, somewhere deep inside, I figured out that if I'm not very smart, then I better be "pretty" and close to "perfect" on the outside. Just like anyone else, my disorder is mine, and different from others. I don't eat enough for fear my stomach will grow bigger and cheeks become fuller. In fact, the only time I ever really enjoyed and indulged in food was during my three pregnancies. For this very reason, I gained 50+ pounds with each one. I check the flatness of my stomach every single time I am in a bathroom. I change my shirt on average 3 times before I leave the house. When I have a "cheat" meal, I beat myself up inside so terribly bad that it makes me want to cry for the things I say to myself. Here is the worst part, and I mean break your heart, eye opening, get your shit together part...my 10 year old, beautiful, perfect daughter ran up to me recently with her face full of excitement and said "MOM, THE SCALE WAS AT 91 POUNDS, AND NOW ITS ONLY 88!!" I instantly welded up with tears because I am responsible for this. So it stops here, and now! I am freeing myself of all of these negative, unproductive, hurtful thoughts and actions one-by-one. Enough. Is. Enough.

I will continue to log my food everyday because I need the accountability. I recommend that everyone log their food daily, and surround yourself with people to care enough to really look at it and help you. I am incredibly thankful for the team I have, the help they have given me is immeasurable, and most of them haven't a clue what they have done for me during this past month. Of course there is a great deal of work on my part that still needs to be done, but I am confident I can do it!

Lastly, if you struggle with your own relationship with food, please talk about it. Reach out to someone you trust, begin the path to healing, so we can all live a happier and healthier life.

Make the time, because you're worth it!

As a CrossFit coach, and  personal trainer, I am asked several great questions every day. However, one I have been asked a few times, by a couple of different women has me a bit, let’s say……baffled. It goes a little somethin’ like this…”do you have any simple and quick exercises for me to do, because I’m a busy mom?” I am going to begin with the first two key words, simple and quick. By definition, these two words will almost never give you any kind of results, or benefits. This doesn’t even have to apply to fitness; most tasks in life done simple and quick will lack great results. Nevertheless, I can assure you no one trying to become physically fit and healthy will do it simple or in a quick manner. That being said (and long after I have worn out the words simple and quick), you CAN maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise by NOT spending endless hours in the gym. But, simple? No. Not ever should it be simple. In fact, a one hour workout is only 4% of your day. Even better news, you don’t have to spend an hour everyday working out. Three times a week has amazing health benefits; 30 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) will give you significant results. Keep in mind, no amount of training will replace unhealthy eating habits. You cannot have one without the other, so you must commit to be healthy in all areas. If not, you will be spinning in circles wondering why your body isn't making the changes you were hoping for months down the road, on top of wasting that precious time of yours that you devoted to your health and well-being.

 Lastly, let’s touch on “I’m a busy mom” this implies that moms in general don’t have time to exercise. As a mom of three, I can sympathize with the time restraint, and of course, the business of motherhood. But when I hear “I don’t have any time”, I want to respond with “no, you don’t have the determination.” I do NOT intend for that to sound mean in the least, what I am simply saying is; if you truly want something bad enough you will fight like hell for it. Sometimes you have to wake up before everyone else, including the sun. You have to insist to your family the importance of you taking that time away for you, and only you. Truth is, we all make time for the things we really want. I have changed diapers, filled bottles, made snacks, all while working out because it was what I was determined to do. I see moms’ everyday making the time, fighting for their health, giving it all they have to feel good about themselves. This includes me, so yeah; when I hear “there’s no time”, I want to shake my head. Woman to woman, mom to mom, wife to wife-YOU ARE WORTH IT! Your happiness, health, and feeling damn good in your own skin will radiate off of you in such a powerful way, I promise your children and spouse will not resent you for taking that short amount of time away from them. After-all, we are our best, when we feel our best!!

“Challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful”. –Joshua J Marine

CrossFit, Spinning, Yoga, Body Building, or Zumba, whatever it is that you choose to be your sport of choice is solely your decision. Putting down, and or criticizing what you don’t prefer= no bueno! The point is you got off that rump of yours from holding down the couch and channel surfing (or playing candy crush ;) I have had this debate a few times recently. I have listened to avid body builders put down and seriously question CrossFit, and vice versa-crossfitters criticize, and yet again seriously question different types of exercise. (Forgive me for saying) these stubborn and narrow-minded opinions about either being the ONLY form of effective exercise are simply untrue.  I am a proud CrossFit athlete, and feel extremely passionate about the sport; however, I am also a personal trainer, who believes very much in all activities, big, small, heavy, light, calm, or intense. You can, and will be fit and healthy by consistently staying active and eating clean. For some people CrossFit can be intimidating, training with a large group of people alone can scare many off the sport.  While for others, it’s the only thing that gets them motivated and inspired to workout.  Enjoyment is the key, finding happiness and excitement for exercise. Whatever it is the fuels that fire inside you…when you find that passion… keep it, use it, and pass no judgment onto any other form of exercise. Applaud those who are out there fighting for a healthier lifestyle. Praise them for trying something new and different.  If you can, I encourage you to try it all! Why not be a bad-ass crossfitter throwing heavy weights, climbing ropes, jumping on and off boxes AND at the same time be able to balance yourself, and increase your flexibility  in mind-blowing  yoga positions? When you have done that, jump in a spinning class, or try zumba, it’s ALL amazing therapy! Be the boss of it all; make yourself into a diverse human machine fit for life!