Attitude is Everything

Attitude is everything, and I know – I used to have a chronic bad one. It’s amazing the ways that my life has changed and the roads that God has guided me down once I lifted my head out of you know where. I can remember exactly when my perspective and attitude on life events changed, and how dramatically up my life seemed to go after.  I started talking to someone who became and will probably remain a great friend in my life. Remembering his amazing optimism and kindness helps me when I get it in one of my ruts. “No one likes a negative facebooker!,” I heard him say once. It’s funny, we all get so tied up in social media and I don’t think we realize that even though we aren’t consciously absorbing the negativity always, we are allowing it to be brought to our attention. Be sure to not let it effect you.

We all have those days. The – this really sucks, why me, I deserve better kind of days. And good for you for realizing that very fact... YOU DESERVE BETTER, so go out there and get it. Pity parties are sometimes necessary… With a pint of ben and jerrys, a bottle of wine, and a romantic comedy – but then get up, get dressed, and get over it.

If you’ve ever played a sport or been to a seminar on attitude, you’ve probably heard these famous words by Charles Swindoll, but kindly let me reiterate:

I’m not perfect. I sat down to do a workout circuit yesterday with a piss-poor attitude. Going in to it, my trainer told me to stop psyching myself out and I was going to do great… I was talking about how I wasn’t going to be able to finish, I was going to throw up, I was going to make a fool of myself… Welp! I finished, I wanted to die, and I could have done way better. Attitude is everything. I am doing that same circuit tomorrow and I am absolutely going to KILL IT!

If you've never watched the Ted talk by Shawn Achor, you need to (http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work). Less than 15 minutes and it can change your life. Shawn studied happiness at Harvard University and has been speaking at companies in countries around the world to increase positivity and productivity in classrooms and companies alike. In this Ted talk, he talks about how "it's not really the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality." I love that. It speaks volumes to attitude and perspective and the importance of how we view our lives.

In addition to having an outstanding attitude and perspective yourself, it is important to surround yourself with positive people who want to see you succeed. You are the five most people you spend time with – choose wisely. Don’t be trapped by dogma, get out and see the world through a positive lens. Spend a day with a 5 year old, you’ll see how much beauty there really is.

Traveling While Training

Traveling is something that we all love to do (unless you don’t, in which case I think you are a little crazy). As a bit of a wanderlust myself, I often find myself in battle with how to stay in my routine of healthy habits while spending hours in the airport, driving in the car, or catching up with friends while indulging in a delicious glass of Cabernet. Not only that, but I am probably one of the biggest over packers that you will ever meet. The last few weeks have been so busy and life is only about to speed up. Atlanta last weekend, home in Dallas this weekend, and back to the PNW next weekend (GO SEAHAWKS!) So not only do I have to worry about what I am going to eat, where I am going to fit gym time in, but what am I going to even do about packing gym clothes?! Where is the happy medium? Well, from one experienced traveler to another, here is my solution.

            For starters, you have to go in to your travels with the mindset that you are going to continue to hold your dedication in your training. If you go in optimistic, it will ensure success in keeping on track.

            Next comes the packing. Like I said before, I am an extreme over packer. For my last trip to Atlanta, I was allowed a single backpack. Not a carry-on suitcase, a backpack. For someone who checks a bag for a three day weekend, you can imagine my dismay at my luggage shortage for my four day trip where there was a possibility of storming. I packed one pair of nikes and stuffed them in my waterbottle holders. I rolled all of my workout clothes the smallest they could possibly go and layed them on the bottom of my backpack and I brought just enough for each day. Next… The supplements. There was absolutely no way I was going to fit all those bottles in my bag so I resorted to baggies. The following picture shows my small luggage and my supplements all bagged up. The important thing to remember in this situation is serving size. 

I threw in all the scoops with the corresponding powders (protein, UCAN, and bcaas) and put all my multi-vitamins together. I just labeled the baggie what capules were so that I didn’t get my am/pm/glutamine mixed up. I can not stress enough that you have an accurate way of measuring what you are taking in. Humans are terrible at guessing. I thought that ¼ cup was way more than it actually is by eyeballing. If you have a suitcase, your food scale fits perfectly in between two shirts. If not, wherever you are staying should have portion sizes weighed out (at restaurants). If you have ever gotten a job at a restaurant you know that they portion EVERYTHING. If you ask them, someone will know how much of what you are taking in. If you have neither your scale or someone with knowledge, Walmart and Target carry super cheap scales – include that in your travel budget.

            The next important thing is to know your area. If you know someone where you are going or have been there before this is a huge help, if not; there’s google. Look up where you are going to be ahead of time so you know the scene. Learn what restaurants are in the area so when discussing where to eat you know what you can fit in to your daily caloric/macro intake. Find a grocery store. The first thing I did when I got to Atlanta was take note of where the grocery store’s were and googled gyms in the area. The awesome thing about gym’s is that if you can’t find one that you belong to, most of them offer free week trail passes… PERFECT for the weekend traveler. You have to plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 

            Know what you are going to workout ahead of time. Just because you are out of town doesn’t mean that you have to alter your routine. You can still workout the normal body parts on the normal days, it might just take you a little longer because you don’t know exactly where each station in the gym is. Once you get there, familiarize yourself so that you can maximize time each day. You are obviously traveling for a reason, you don’t want to waste time every gym trip walking in circles to find the dumbbells.

            PLAN your timing. If you are going to breakfast with someone and lunch with another, make sure that you allow yourself adequate time and know where you are going so you don’t carb load at breakfast and then hit up Olive Garden for pasta at lunch. Be smart, plan. Know your general activites for the day as well. I have a love for the outdoors. When I travel during the summer, if I'm around the mountain... I'm on it. What a great way to workout AND enjoy the scenery where you are traveling to. And if you don't think climbing a mountain is a workout, you aren't doing it right.

 Above: My sister and I at Heather Lake in WA.

Below: Me on top a mtn in Snoqualmie, WA.

            My last note is just as important as the first… Remember that you are human. I am 30 days out from competing and I am heading to Seattle in a week to watch two amazing people get married. I’m not going to go all crazy but I am going to wake up early that day to get the gym session in, and then I’m going to relax. I’m going to socialize, I’m going to see people I haven’t seen in months, I’m going to snuggle with my amazing neice Olivia, dance the jig on the dancefloor with the bride, and have a glass of champagne. A (as in single, or one) glass.  Yes, I’m training and very close to the finish line, but I’m still human. I have to make time for it. A glass of wine, a shot of whiskey isn’t going to kill me. I am SO excited for my travels (this is the longest time I haven’t made a trip back home since I first moved away). And the next day, I am going to kill it in the gym a little extra. And I am going to love every minute!

RECAP for Traveling while training:

1.     Think success

2.     Pack accordingly

3.     Know the area

4.     Have a timeframe

5.     Indulge - be a person

6.     Kill it in the gym

NEW HOST SITE!

I decided to change the host site to my blog (from tumblr) because I think it is a little easier to follow (and get updates when I've posted) and for a few other reasons. Please follow/bookmark/share!!!

theroadtofitlife.blogspot.com

Remember That You're Human - Make Time To Be One

Sometimes I get so busy and wrapped up in everything that is happening that I forget that I’m human. That I’m a 23 year old woman with people who count on me and people that I want forever in my corner. My friends will be the first to tell you that I have a tendency to disappear from the surface and be quite the hermit, and I have every excuse in the book. 

I’m so tired I just need sleep; I have way too much homework; I haven’t been feeling good; I don’t know when I will be done at the gym; I can’t be out late; I have class early; I work a double tomorrow; my house is a disaster area!

Not that I intentionally use these as excuses… Sometimes they are real legitimate reasons! But in the midst of all the crazy in the day to day, it is important to take time for the ones you care about. 20 minutes to FaceTime your sisters/nieces back home – An hour for lunch with a girlfriend – An ENTIRE afternoon for manis/pedis/and coffee.

I think that making time for these things are so important, and one of my biggest struggles. Sometimes I get so caught up in the motion and forget that it’s okay to share some of my burdens with friends, and to celebrate their successes with them. When I catch up with my girlfriends and I feel like we need the entire hour to talk about things that I had no idea have been happening in their life, it’s a bitter reality check. 

This is something that we are all guilty of at times. We blame it on our introvert personality and lack of time. And if you think YOU are an introvert, you have never met ME. I literally have some days where I think to myself… Yep, being on a deserted island alone wouldn’t be that bad. Plus, then I would have time to get all my stuff done!!! News flash - We all have the same 24 hours (and I HATE that saying). Wake up a little earlier, waste a little less time on Facebook, and get your booty doing things to keep you sane. Blow off some steam. I can’t urge you enough! Like I said, this is something that I struggle with almost DAILY. But recently I’ve realized that yes, my workouts are so important to me. Yes, I need to make good grades so I can become one of the most badass Chiropractors you have ever met. Yes, I need to work to put food on the table. And just as importantly, I need to make time for the people that matter (myself included… A good book at Starbucks or an hour long mani/pedi? YES PLEASE!)

Here’s a little funny for those of you losing interest…Now that I am trying to consciously make an effort to make time for the important things, I realize that there is a time for balance. While contest prepping I’m sober sally but met my friend at the local watering hole (protein shake in hand). Eat fatty burgers and slam car bombs and no one bats an eye; bring a delicious, nutritious protein shake in public and everyone loses their minds! Haha just kidding, but I did get a couple funny looks and sweet comments (insert sarcasm).

So remember… It’s okay to be social (even though sometimes people suck!). You need to build those connections. You want people to be able to rely on you in their times of need, and you never know when you are going to need an ear to vent too. So schedule that lunch date, indulge in that glass of wine, gossip about the good ole days. Make time for your people. Remember that you are human, it’s okay to act like one sometimes.

Finding Motivation When There Is None

We all have those days. The… I’ll work out twice as hard tomorrow- I think my body needs rest – I’d rather sit on the couch and watch a grey’s anatomy marathon.  The days where it is cold and rainy and the covers are just a little too warm. Those are the days where I think it is most important to get off that booty and get in the gym. Those are the days that make a difference. Today was that day for me.

Motivation and struggle come to me in many different ways. I hate mornings. I have never liked them because I like being able to do nothing. Something that helps ensure that I make it to the gym when I need a morning gym sesh is making an appointment with a friend. Then, you are not just accountable to yourself, but to someone else as well. Leaving someone hanging is not the best way to start the morning! I was going to have to work a double a couple weeks ago and knew that if I didn’t make it to the gym before I started my shifts I wasn’t going to make it there at all. Keeping my goal in mind, I made a workout date with a friend. Sleepy eyed and half awake, I waltzed in to the gym at 530am… AND THIS GUY WAS LATE! Reminded me of why it is so important to keep those gym dates for sure! We still got an amazing workout in, and it helped me be in a great mood all day long!

My number one way to get pumped up for a workout is music. I put on my favorite pump up song as I am getting dressed for the gym or showering and it starts to get my blood flowing. I go back and forth between Salt-n-Pepper None of Your Business, Crazy B**** by Buckcherry  and Aloe Blacc’s The Man… Just in case you were wondering.

A big part of finding your motivation when it is nill directs me back to my last post… Finding your why. When you can’t find the energy necessary to get that booty out the door, remember why you started in the first place. That is why I urge you to find meaning in your why before you begin your journey, because it is what keeps you going when you feel like you have nothing left to give.

I’m sure many of you have heard the long repeated quote “The people that quit do so because they only look at how far they have left to go, not at how far they have come.” It is SO true. Sometimes workouts and life in general can be discouraging. Remember that after a bad lift or a backslide in eating doesn’t mean the end of things. Look at the progress you have made. Take progress pictures, keep a journal. When you go back and look at how long it took you to run your first mile and how long it took you to run your last, it can be the encouragement you need to get you going. Watching yourself do things that you never imagined possible… That is success. That is pure motivation!

In short, here are a few tips on staying motivated:

1. Remember your why

2. Find a workout buddy

3. Remember how far you’ve come

4. Listen to a pump up song

5. SLEEP in your gym clothes

6. Reward yourself (in a healthy way)

7. Take progress pictures

8. Keep a food/workout journal

9. Take a nap (in your workout clothes so you are ready)

10. Working out gives you endorphins… It’s a NATURAL mood enhancer!

Tried to keep it short and sweet this time, stay tuned for more posts this week!

Finding Your Why

Before you begin a big endeavor in any part of life, there is an important question to ask yourself… Why? If you go to any seminar on life, or even sit in some multilevel marketing outreach, this is the first thing they will ask you. What is the reason behind this decision – behind starting this journey – behind wanting to get to this finish line?

My why in fitness started when I was 10 years old. I LOVED sports. I loved getting out on the soccer field because loved kicking the ball around. I loved everything about it. As I started to grow, my uncoordinated self decided to give basketball a try, and I fell in love with a new sport. I sucked! But I loved it.  My why became because I didn’t want to get better, I wanted to be the best. Little did I know that I was only going to grow to be 5’9, and my best friend was going to be 10 times the basketball player I was… But basketball became my life, my family.

It didn’t take long to realize I wasn’t made for college ball. And I certainly wasn’t going pro. I took a long hiatus from anything athletic and tried my hand at the booze Olympics. My pants started to get a little tighter, my energy started to dim a little, and I figured I better make my way back into the gym. Slowly by surely, I started lifting and getting back on to the court. Then I did the typical… It’s winter, I don’t need to workout… It’s summer, holy crap I need to be in a bikini dance for a while. 

Fast forward a couple years. I moved over one thousand miles away from anything that I knew. As I went to work and started to meet people, I still felt as though something was missing. I began to find myself again in the gym. Day after day those cravings came back. I’d push a little harder, ran a little farther. I realized that on those particularly rough days, my workouts gave me peace. It became my me time again. Nikes on, headphones in. It became my time of solace where my mind is actually quiet. Literally the only thing that I think about it my lift.

Don’t get me wrong, there are days where I want to pull my hair out. Days where my energy is nill, my emotions are running rampad, and my lifts are disappointing, To me, there is nothing worse in my day then when I hit the gym with a goal in mind and I just barely miss it. But then I remember… If that is the worst thing that happens in my day, life is pretty damn good. In addition to that… If I just barely missed the goal, I am just barely going to make it the next time. And to me, there is  nothing better than using all you have left and pushing right past that goal you had. The success, the endorphins, the adrenaline. When you see yourself doing things that you never saw yourself doing, that’s my happy place.

I recently found a new why. A few months ago, I decided to try my hand in the competition world. This new endeavor has got me so crazy and so busy that there literally have been times where I wanted to throw my hands up, drop a couple of F*bombs, and quit… and maybe I’ve done two out of three of those. But the next day I’m back at it! I love that feeling. I love knowing that I can always go back and I’m always going to be getting better. Through a couple tears, a few aches and pains, and A LOT of help from other people (my gym family will likely never know how much they have actually done for me)… I’ve started to make progress. When I feel like quitting, I remember my why. Because I’m improving and making a new me. Not because the old me was a bad version, but because I know I am capable of so much more! Inone month of hard, sometimes infuriating work… I am down 5lbs, 3.2% body fat, with 1lb gain of lean body mass. 

It is SO important to find your why. I can’t stress that enough. Because when you feel like giving up and throwing in the towel, your why is what keeps you going.

New HOST site

Hello All!

I hope this week is treating you well and you are all staying motivated and inspired. I changed the host site for my blog from theroadtofitlife.tumblr.com to this.. Please follow and share!!

theroadtofitlife.blogspot.com