FitPersonified

Change of routine and ideas ever evolving

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 19:45:00 +0000

Alright so I was going to have this whole juicing plan set up to go and it turns out that not having a job and one working adult in the house, changes everything! We could barely afford to get our normal groceries this week so the juicing thing was put off because I couldn't afford the juicer. I did however lose 4 pounds this week! I have a new job and because it is a desk job, I have been very conscious about what I am eating and how much I am eating. I have managed to eat less and got about the same amount of exercise in. I am very excited about this because I am going to be adding a half marathon training schedule to my exercise routine starting February 1st. If I keep up my eating they way it has been, I should be losing quite a bit of weight again! I made sure to buy alot more fresh produce at the store and very little boxed stuff. I have been bringing protein powder to work with me and incorporating it into my lunches so I have had less actual food for lunch and felt alot fuller. My breakfasts have been less too. I have been trying to snack less often unless I was extremely hungry or it was right after a workout. I think that having a job has changed my eating alot because I am very busy and don't think about it until my stomach reminds me to eat. I don't have alot of mindless eating time now so that will help me be healthier in my eating.

I am going to be using my Nike+ app for my half marathon training. It has a running coach feature that gives you different training plans to use. The app will download the schedule to my calendar on my phone so it's very handy! I will be using the Beginner Half Marathon training schedule which is 15 weeks. It starts off with 4 workout days and 2 running days with 1 rest day. On the exercise days, I will put in my Les Mills Combat workouts and a core day. It starts incorporating more running days in after a couple weeks. I am really looking forward to getting my running back up! I will be doing this half marathon training and then probably the intermediate after that in preparation for the Fort4Fitness Half Marathon in September this year. I also want to do some other runs this year. I have my eye on The Color Run's 5k on May 23rd because it's always a fun time! I don't have any more in mind yet but I am sure there will be more.

As always, if you need any encouragement and help on your weight loss journey, please contact me! I have actually set up my own website now! It is: fitpersonified.weebly.com. Please go check it out! I am pretty proud of it! I am also running a group on Facebook with my friend Chandra called Fitness with Friends. It is a group of people who are trying to lose weight. We all motivate and encourage one another everyday. There is no judgement and the people in the group are just amazing! There are people in there on all levels of weight loss from just beginning to extremely fit. Definitely join if you want to be in such a great group of people who will motivate you to be healthier.

*~Ang~*

My thought process on doing the juice fast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:31:00 +0000

I have been reading up on doing the juice fast and how I want to do it for my needs. I have been doing a lot of research on how many days would be good for me and what I want to accomplish with the different types of juices. There is juicing for weight loss, detoxing, or cleansing. You are obviously going to do all of the above when you fast but which do I really want to focus on? My obvious real need is to lose weight so I think that is what I will focus on most. I would like to do a week's cleanse, but I have been reading that a 3 day cleanse is best for beginners because of how hard it will be on my body and my mind. You also have to prepare your body 2 to 3 days before the cleanse and 2-5 days after the cleanse. Which is essentially 1-2 weeks in general so I think I will do a 3 day cleanse and see how well it goes. The preparation going into the cleanse is essentially cutting down on the amount of food you eat but eating fresh fruit and vegetables and taking sugars, meat, processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol out of your diet. During the cleanse, I will still be supplementing my diet with protein smoothies so that I can still do my workouts and not feel like I am starving myself. Then for the 2-5 days after the cleanse, you have to slowly work solid foods back in by eating fresh fruits and vegetables first then work in lean meats about 3 days later so you don't have bad side effects happening. I had a few books on my Amazon Kindle account that go over how to properly do a juice fast with recipes. I now need to figure out the recipes I want to use for my fast. I have a juicer picked out that I am going to be getting when we go grocery shopping. I think the biggest thing that I need to do is prepare my mind for it. I LOVE food. I love to eat and it is a huge part of my life. It's always been there. I was 300 lbs and my mind still thinks I am sometimes. Sometimes food to me is better than sex. And people who know me, know that's huge, because I LOVE sex too! So for me to just give up meat and especially coffee is going to be something that will take strength. There is a routine that I have every morning and it will all change. Will it be for the better? Yes it will in long run, but will I enjoy it? Yeah probably not! I know there will be so many health benefits to it. I know my body will be in great shape because of it. Especially my MS. I would like to know if there is anyone doing a juice fast out there that could possibly be a fasting buddy with me? Let me know if you are! It will be a little easier if there is someone doing it with me. Being a mother and a wife, I will still be cooking meals for them. This is going to be one of the hardest parts because I won't be eating those meals with them. It is going to be really weird to do that. During the week, it won't be too difficult because my husband works nights and I mainly cook two different meals anyway because my girls don't like what we eat sometimes. So they will get hot dogs when we eat steak or something like that. They always have the same sides we do but sometimes the entree is different. So in a way it may be easier on me during the week because I won't have to cook a bunch of stuff. I am still in my planning phase of doing the juice fast and this weekend I will have my plan set in stone and be ready to start easing into the 3 day fast. My next blog will state what recipes I will be using and the whole plan I will be using. I will be updating on my progress through here on the next blog after that. I am hoping to be able to help others on this who might be on the fence as to whether or not they want to do it. I am obviously going to do updates on my podcast as well that we do weekly. So definitely check that out! Wish me luck on my new adventure. Be sure to let me know if you have any questions!

*~Ang~*

New Running Goal for the Year and a Possible Juice Cleanse

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 02:19:00 +0000

I decided that since I was going to get my running back on track this year, I should have a goal. So Since I ran just over 200 miles last year, I should do 400 miles this year. It's pretty doable with just 8 miles a week. I know I was running more than that when I was training before. I think that goal will be beaten! Wish me luck!

I was watching a documentary this weekend called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." It is about a man that is over weight and gets sick from it. He spoke to his doctors and they told him to get healthy as soon as he could. He spoke with them about doing a juice cleanse. The doctors approved him to do so. He embarked on a 60 day juice cleanse. He would have nothing but juice for 60 days! He lost a ton of weight from it and got extremely healthy. It got me thinking about wanting to try the cleanse. I wouldn't do it for 60 days, but maybe for 10 days or even 5 days. I looked up some info on it and found alot of great recipes and ways of doing it. The reason I want to try it is because I don't feel like I will be able to clean up my eating any other way unless I completely cleanse my palate. I have to make myself get rid of all the bad things and only eat the micronutrients that come from the cleanse. Plus I think it may help with my MS and get my body back under control. I just constantly feel bloated and fat. I've gained weight since the holidays and this would help me get my body back on track. Here are some links that I found helpful for the juice cleanse:

http://www.rawjuicecleanserecipes.com/
http://whatsgabycooking.com/juice-cleanse-2/#.VKs6JCvF_kI
http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Juice-Fast

What do you think about doing a cleanse? Would you try it? How long would you do it for?

Have a good week everyone!

Angela

New Years Resolutions: Getting back into running and getting down to my original goal weight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 03:34:00 +0000

As you know, I have dropped off of my blogging since July. I had to stop running due to my crazy schedule with the new job. I never stopped working out. I just had to quit the things I loved to do because my work schedule wouldn't allow it. Now I actually quit my job due to not enjoying the work and I wanted something that fulfills my goals in life. I have time to work on myself again. I will be getting back in touch with my goals again. I have started doing Les Mills Combat. It is this AMAZING Martial Arts program. Because Les Mills and Beachbody aren't going to collaborate anymore, the programs are extremely cheap right now. So if you like that kind of workout, definitely look into it! (www.beachbody.com/fitpersonified) So now it is New Years and I need to get my goals together for this new year. So here are my goals:

Continue Les Mills Combat
Get down to my goal weight of 150.

I made a pledge to start eating cleaner by getting rid of processed foods with a 14 week process (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/12/22/cut-processed-food-14-weeks/)

Start running and training for one of the Fort for Fitness races

My biggest goal would be to get my eating on par and actually see if I can get down to 150 lbs. This has always been my biggest challenge. I LOVE to eat. I LOVE cookies, cakes, fried foods, etc. I don't eat them all the time, but I will have to completely cut them out in order to get down to my goal weight. So I made the pledge to cut out processed foods and start eating fresh foods. I know I won't completely get rid of all processed foods but within reason. With that, I would hopefully get the last 20 lbs off.

My running has completely suffered. I miss it so much! I want to start running again to get my endurance back up, then start training for one of the Fort for Fitness races. I know my friend Chandra will be training for their Triple Crown race (10K followed by a half marathon followed by a 4 mile). I am not sure if I can physically do it, but I may see if I can. I know she will be training for it so I know that she will kick my butt in gear. I was training for the half marathon last year and almost made it completely until I got the new job. I am excited to get back into it. My treadmill has been looking really lonely sitting in my living room!

Chandra and I have started recording our podcast every week on Wednesdays at 6 pm EST. If you want to join us for a recording, you can give us your Skype name and we will call you. You can always send us your questions! We will answer them on the next recording. We also do reviews for health and fitness products so if you want to get your business out there, we can advertise for free by reviewing the product. You can find the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

We are starting a new years challenge in our Fitness with Friends group. It is a Love Yourself challenge which will help you reconnect with yourself and help you make effective resolutions that you will actually accomplish this year. There will be weekly prizes and a grand prize at the end of the challenge. It is free so what do you have to lose? If you would like to join us, get ahold of me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/angela.barnets).

Thank you for baring with me these last few months and here's to a fresh start!

Angela

Fitness Friday: Reliving My Past

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Hey all! I know it has been quite a awhile since I have written a Fitness Friday post and I would like to apologize for that. My life had gotten extremely crazy for a bit. I switched jobs twice in a month! Then with that job switch, I have been doing ALOT of lifting on the job. Therefore leading to me finding out I have carpal tunnel in my right hand/wrist. This has been keeping me up at night because of the pain, and sometimes not able to do certain things. Especially basic things like sit here on the computer and type this blog. My fingers are already starting to tingle as I am typing this. While the schedule leaves me with 4 days off, I am finding ways of keeping those days filled to the brim with things I haven't been able to accomplish. It's starting to slow down now and I can actually focus. I even started slacking on my fitness! I am now back to that again as well by helping a friend lose her baby weight by working out with her 3 days a week. My job gives me a huge workout the other 3 days a week and Thursdays are my rest day. So things are starting to come together with my new schedule and getting back to my health and fitness goals for myself, my Beachbody Business, and podcast!

I have been doing alot of thinking today about my life before my weight loss. I have been thinking of the girl that once was and isn't anymore. I was this overweight, depressed, self conscious person. I acted quite the opposite though for others. I had some close friends but after high school, I lost alot of them due to life's circumstances. I gained more of them in the process, but have already lost some of those because of the changes I have gone through with weight loss, getting married, having children, etc. I miss alot of my old friends that I used to see all the time, but don't anymore due to life and being busy. I sometimes wonder why I put myself this journey of my past, but I think I need the reminder of where I came from to validate my here and now. I really didn't enjoy life back then. I was constantly looking for validation from others that I fit in. I was extremely unhappy with myself. I didn't have a great family life growing up either. I still don't have a great relationship with my mother and father. I think that's where alot of my insecurities started. My father didn't love me because I was fat and (in his eyes) was not pretty. My mother would put me down mentally all the time. She still does. I am now not speaking with my mother. My relationship with my father has improved, but I have to wonder if it is because I lost weight and therefore now validated as pretty and acceptable to my father.... It could also be that we have more in common because he is into health and fitness as well. These things combined with me being overweight just made me the person I described earlier. I never had a problem getting friends or dates, but I always felt inferior to my friends. Most of them were skinny and pretty/good looking. I met my husband when I was that person. We dated for years on and off, because I didn't think I was good enough for him. He loved me as that person and now as the person I am now. That just shows what a great person he is though. :) I still wonder how I got so lucky sometimes! I look back and see some great things that I accomplished for myself as well as the things I did wrong. I try to focus on the positive and definitely not live in the past. The past is what made us who we are but it does not define us as who we are. Other people do not define you as a person either. It is how you treat yourself and others that defines you. I made a huge change 4 years ago by losing weight and changing the way I treat myself. I promised to treat myself with respect and not allow others to disrespect me either. That's led to alot of changes. I have alot less friends now, but I know the ones I do have are real ones. Although I wish I could have kept alot of them due to the length of time we knew each other, I knew that it wasn't based on a true friendship. I sometimes feel alienated by my past, because of all the changes I made. I often question myself on what if I didn't lose weight and change myself? Where would I be?? Sometimes I don't even want to know. I am sure you are wondering what my point for this blog is and I really hadn't had a true point in mind. I just kind of wanted to get some things out. I don't really have someone to talk about these things with alot of the time so I will just write about them! I lost my best friend in the shuffle as well. She is in another state and I never even get to talk to her anymore. I just now got her back on Facebook because she either deleted her Facebook or me at some point then came back again. Not sure but I don't even have her phone number anymore. It's hard to find a person that you can confide it 100% of the time. I know my husband will listen, but he usually knows everything I am going to say anyway. It's just nice to have a great friend outside of your marriage as well. I know I have a couple friends I can confide in, but it's also hard for me to just open myself up face to face! I am an enigma sometimes LoL I don't know why I am that way about spilling my guts to people. So my advice here is to just look to your past for lessons on why you are trying to accomplish your current goals, but do not live in the past. Let the future define you and where you are going.

I also got a new tattoo this week that I am very happy about!

The quote is a Marilyn Monroe quote. I feel that it suits me. I was looking for something that was about my weight loss journey and this doesn't scream weight loss but it fits with my life up to this point.

As always with the new month, there are new Beachbody Specials! Here are this months specials:

PIYO® CHALLENGE PACK: The highly anticipated new program from Celebrity Trainer Chalene Johnson is here! Get amazing results with this low impact, high intensity program that utilizes the most effective Pilates and yoga-inspired moves. Through the end of July, this challenge pack is reduced to $140 (normally $160). Comes with FREE SHIPPING with Shakeology for FREE!

3-DAY REFRESH™ CHALLENGE PACK: Introducing a simple and convenient 3 day program that offers a break from poor eating and gets you started on a better diet. Get ready to lose weight and feel healthier in 3 short days. This month it’s reduced to $140 (normally $160).

SPANISH 21 DAY FIX® CHALLENGE PACK: One of our best selling programs is now available in Spanish! The 21 Day Fix in Spanish Challenge Pack Promotion is normally $160, but this month only its just $140. (SPANISH VERSION ONLY)

I am also giving a $40 dollar gift card with any of these Challenge Pack purchases. That brings them all down to just $100 spent. You will not find any of these programs cheaper anywhere else! Everything is backed by a 30 day money back guarantee as well so if you do not like it then you can get your money back!!

Message me for details!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

<3 Angela

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott: Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny: Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger: Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell: It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker: Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker: Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#FitnessFriday - My Real Look Into Fast Food

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 May 2014 15:25:00 +0000

In my previous blog, I spoke about how I got another job with a crazy schedule. That job was at Rally's as an Assistant Manager. Well I am now not working there (LOL) because I received a call from the Walmart Distribution Center and they wanted me to take their Physical Abilities Test (PAT) for a job. So I went and took the test and I passed it. Now back story on this PAT: I had previously taken the test and did not pass it last year. I was pretty mad about that because I was in great physical shape. Anyway the Distribution Center is where my husband also works. He makes really good money and I would like to be able to make the same amount, so I waited 6 months and started applying again. Of course they didn't call me until I had started a new job right? Exactly! Of course I quit Rally's and am now going to be starting there. The job is very physically demanding so I know I will be getting my strength training done three days a week while I work. Did I mention the hours are only 14 hour days Friday through Sunday? Yea I love that too, because I can be home with my girls all week.

I always understood that fast food was bad for you, so this isn't a story about me finding out that it was bad for you. I am just going to reiterate just how bad it is for you. You never really know until you see it first hand. Not only is the food greasy, but it isn't always the best food physically. Some of the food is old and not always fresh. I had to wash my face and shower every day! I am currently nursing a sty on my eye from all the grease. The food prep was only halfway done properly most of the time. It wasn't that people weren't washing their hands or not using gloves, but they weren't holding with proper hold times on food to save money on food cost. So sometimes the food was held all day if it wasn't ordered right away and the fries and fried food was just constantly refried in more grease when it was ordered. Lettuce, onions, and tomatoes were out all day so it was never fresh unless you got there right when the restaurant opened. When I watched the fryers being broken down and cleaned, there was all of this built up grease and breading from the fries and chicken from just one day!! It made me think of what it does to your body. That stuff just builds up in your body the same way. You can't take your body apart and clean it out like the fryers can. So what happens when you eat that food all the time?? I should have taken a picture of it. Fast food is so dangerous! I was only working there a week and a half and my body is broken out from just being in the environment. Please just think of what you are consuming the next time you decide to choose fast food as a place for your next meal. I understand that you cannot always avoid it but you can sure try!

The next episode of HELP should be up in the next day or so. I did an interview with Grant Stieglitz who ran the Boston Marathon this year and last year. He has also done 28 other marathons. He is very dedicated and positive! I enjoyed the interview and learning what motivates him to keep up his training. Please listen to it and let me know what you think! For the next episode, I am trying to get another guest interview that I am really excited about. So definitely look forward to the next episode!

Ang

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott: Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny: Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger: Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell: It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker: Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker: Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#FitnessFriday: Reevaluating Goals, New Job, New HELP Episode!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 May 2014 02:23:00 +0000

Hello All!

So it has been a crazy couple of weeks for me! It is still taking me a bit to get used to all of these changes. I actually found a different job and quit my old one. That in itself was extremely hard for me. I was at my old job for 2 years and I was very comfortable with the schedule, but not the pay. The pay had me very stressed out because it just wasn't enough. I thought that getting a different job would be easy. I thought it would be just moving on and it wouldn't affect me the way it has. It's a completely different schedule and new set of duties which are totally opposite what I have been doing. I am working in a restaurant after not doing so for 10 years. So I am on my feet all day, cooking, moving, working crazy schedules, etc. This is compared to my old job where I sat most of the day on a computer working 9 to 5. Why did I do this you ask? Why would someone go from one extreme to the other? Simple. Money. Money talks and makes the world go round. So now I have to rethink everything. I also need to deal with the mental issues I am having. With everything going on, I am doubting myself. I am doubting that I can do this job, that I won't learn everything I need to know, that I won't be able to adapt, etc. Before everything happened, I was in alot of stress about financial issues. Now it feels like I am just transferring that to negative thoughts about myself and my abilities. I know I can do this and I know it will help me, but being in a whole new place is very daunting. Especially when you have to learn all this new stuff! It's going to take alot of determination to get over this hurdle and talk myself off the ledge. My husband has done alot of that talking already!

SO with a new crazy schedule comes with trying to work in a workout schedule into that. I have realized that I have to start working out before I go in to work because there is no way I am going to be able to get one in after. I am so spent and tired both mentally and physically when I come home! It literally sucks the life out of me. I am hoping that gets better as I get used to the schedule and work. So I am now reevaluating my workout schedule and goals for the year. I have been thinking to myself about my running and what I want to do about it. I know I said I was going to train for a marathon this year, but I am just not sure it is in my cards. I could definitely try for a half marathon and just stick to that one goal I had to run the half in September at Fort4Fitness this year. I could also do the half marathon at the Veteran's Marathon in November as well. I think that may just be what I do. I feel almost like I am giving up on my dream to run a marathon, but it is not like I won't ever run one though. I can still do it later. I just don't think it is in my cards this year with all that is happening. I am still debating about it though and once I figure it all out, I will be sure to disclose those plans with you.

I recorded a new episode of the podcast! It posted this week. I interviewed a really good friend of mine on this episode. He talked about his eating disorder, physical and mental issues and how he is overcoming them, and eluding to his new show he is starting. Be sure to go have a listen! On the next episode, we are having one of the Boston Marathon Runners who ran for Fort Wayne on. He will be talking about his experience, training, and answering any questions. So if you have any questions be sure to get them to me asap! We are recording on Thursday the 22nd. I am really excited about this episode! I hope you guys are too. Also please share the podcast page with your friends! Please give me any feedback you have!

<3

Angela

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott: Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny: Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger: Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell: It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker: Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker: Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#Fitness Friday: New May Specials and Some Recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 May 2014 01:31:00 +0000

Hey guys!

I thought I would share some recipes for you this week's Fitness Friday Post. I don't get to share recipes much but I figured I would give you a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack example for an extremely healthy day of eating. If you are like me, you know it is HARD to find healthy meals that will keep you full through the day. People always think that they have to eat very little to lose weight and that is not true. It is especially true with the 21 Day Fix. People are amazed by the amount of food that you are eating with that program. SO here is a great breakfast idea:

Baked Eggs in Avocado (courtesy of Fitsugar.com)

Notes

This recipe calls for chopped chives, but feel free to serve with whatever fresh herbs or other toppings you have available. A tablespoon of salsa or a little hot sauce would offer a nice hit of spice.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
4 fresh eggs
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Slice the avocados in half, and take out the pit. Scoop out about two tablespoons of flesh from the center of the avocado, just enough so the egg will fit snugly in the center.
Place the avocados in a small baking dish. Do your best to make sure they fit tightly.
Crack an egg into each avocado half. Try your best to crack the yolk in first, then let the egg whites spill in to fill up the rest of the shell.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your eggs and avocados. Just make sure the egg whites have enough time to set.
Remove from oven, then season with pepper, chives, and garnish of your choice. Enjoy!

Lunch (Courtesy of Lady Behind The Curtain):

Mad Hatter Salad

by SherylAugust 7, 2011

This recipe takes coleslaw to a whole other level with the addition of broccoli, top ramen noodles, the seasoning packets and nuts. Great for family get togethers, church potlucks, or barbecues.

Mad Hatter Salad Recipe (serves 12)

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix

8 green onion, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets

2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the coleslaw mix, green onions and broccoli. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the ramen noodles into a bowl, and mix with the almonds and sunflower seeds. Sprinkle the seasoning packets over all. Add to the skillet; cook and stir until noodles and nuts are toasted, about 8 minutes.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, and soy sauce. Seal, and shake vigorously to blend.

Just before serving, combine the slaw mixture with the nuts and noodles. Pour the dressing over all, and stir briefly to coat.

Dinner (Courtesy of JillianMichaels.com):

Think it's too early to start grilling up some salmon? Think again! Not only is this lean protein a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and a hefty serving of tryptophan (the precursor to the feel-good brain chemical, serotonin), but early May also happens to be the start of the wild salmon season in Alaska. This recipe for Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers packs a serious flavor punch with fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon and spares you from sodium overload.

Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers

Ingredients

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, center-cut, skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes

Preparation

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add salmon; toss to coat. Alternating the salmon and tomatoes, divide among eight 12-inch skewers.
Oil the grill rack by oiling a folded paper towel, holding it with tongs and rubbing it over the rack. (Don't use cooking spray on a hot grill.) Grill the skewers, carefully turning once, until the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 6 mins
Total Time: 26 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 246
Total Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 67 mg
Sodium: 211 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 23 g

Snacks:

Graze.com has healthy, organic snacks that they send to you for either 6 or 10 dollars a box monthly or every two weeks. I LOVE these snacks!! Go check them out and get you 1st and 5th box free with this Friend Code: 1P4DTVRMP

Some other healthy snacks include:

Nuts

Protein drink/bars

Greek yogurt

Fruit and cottage cheese

Chicken and brown rice

Anything that is packed with protein!

I love to share recipes so share some of your favorite healthy recipes with me!!

Beachbody Specials for May!!

Chalene Johnson's PiYo Workout is coming out in June and you can submit your email to get the update when it is coming out and a possibly win a FREE PiYo System! Go here to submit your email for notification: www.PiYoTBB.com?referringRepId=329949.

I will give the first 5 people to order the May Challenge Pack specials and extra 25 dollars off the discounted price!! Hurry before the extra 25 dollars is gone!

P90X3:

An extreme workout program designed to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get you ripped in 30 minutes a day.The latest creation by extreme fitness expert Tony Horton, who found a way to help people get exceptional results with shorter workouts.Explosive 30-minute routines that are packed with dynamic, high-intensity moves, designed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

TurboFire:

TurboFire is for anyone who wants to shape a lean body, sexy legs, toned arms, and tight abs, FAST. All workout levels – although TurboFire is considered an advanced program, there are special new features to help beginners stick with the program. Anyone who enjoys working out to music and is a fan of kickboxing and intense cardio.

You can check these out along with all the other great Beachbody programs at: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified.

Hope you have a great Fitness Friday!

Angela

This is a Blog Hop post. The following are the 'rules' of the #FitnessFriday Blog Hop:

Visit thehealthymoms.net every Friday and link up your Fitness Friday post or any other fitness-related post.

Put our Fitness Friday button (above) somewhere on your blog or blog post and invite your readers to join us every Friday.

Place these rules on your own Fitness Friday post.

Leave a comment on thehealthymoms.net and here so we can visit your blog too!

Visit the other blogs linking up at thehealthymoms.net and the other blogs that co-host Fitness Friday every week (below).

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott: Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny: Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger: Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell: It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker: Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker: Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#Fitness Friday: New HELP Episode! Advertising for the Podcast, Workout Fails

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 15:23:00 +0000

We have recorded another episode of the podcast this week. It has been a few weeks since there was a new episode. Chandra and I were very busy and working through some things so the podcast kind of had to take a break. We discussed how life gets in the way sometimes, but you have to pick yourself up and keep on moving. We have both been really lax on the workouts this month. With her having some issues inside her home business that needed taken care of and my stresses, things have been really hit or miss. I discussed last week how stress can affect your weight loss and workouts. I have been brainstorming ways to get back on the wagon and get myself headed to a better result than what I have been seeing lately. I have a shipment of Shakeology on the way so I am thinking I will just have that for breakfast for a few weeks to see if that starts slimming me down. I haven't made the best food choices lately so I am going to really hone in on that. I want to get this last bit of weight gone before my marathons at the end of this year. Plus the better I eat, the better my body will be able to train. So what I am trying to get at here is to tell you that I am not perfect. I was overweight and I lost that weight. I worked my ass off to get there. It wasn't easy and it still isn't. I am really having trouble with this last bit. Sometimes I wonder if this is the hardest part. I am not seeing immediate results and that is what makes it seem so impossible. SO I will just keep pushing and making changes that will eventually lead me to the place I want to be. Anybody can do it. If you want to do it, you can. I tell everyone that it is the hardest thing that I have ever done. It is also the best thing I have ever done. You just have to put your all into it. When you fail, you make the changes that are necessary and keep moving forward. You brainstorm to find what you can do differently to make sure you don't fail again. You cannot be wishy washy. You have to be dedicated. If you are on and then off and then on, you won't achieve results. You will be constantly playing catch up. Put your mind to it and succeed!!

We also talked on the podcast about advertising for and with the podcast. We want to find more ways to get our name out there. We would love to have more listeners! If we could find some places to advertise, we would be willing to advertise that company on our podcast in return. We also talked about getting some professionals on the podcast who work for different companies in health and fitness. Chandra does alot of reviews on her blogs for different products. We would love to do some product testing and reviews on some episodes. If you know of any way to help us get our name out there, please contact me here or on the podcast page. As always, please give us some feedback on the podcast!!! We would love to hear what you think! We are going to have a Google Hangout soon as well as maybe a Twitter chat session. We will keep you posted on when those will be.

<3

Angela

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365

#FitnessFriday: Shakeology and Supplement Giveaway Ending & How Stress Affects Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 02:58:00 +0000

Hello All!

So I wanted to tell you first that there are only 3 DAYS LEFT in my Shakeology and Supplement Giveaway!! Enter now and each day until it ends!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

So I have been under alot of stress lately due to the lack of money we have. I am just stressing out because the lack of money is due to my job not paying me enough. I just cannot make the bills I need to make and my husband has to pay all the bills including mine and it's still not enough. So now I am trying to look for a different position as well as try to build my Beachbody business. Unfortunately neither has been very fruitful lately and that is stressing me out more! I WANT to succeed! I WANT to help people lose weight! It was the most amazing thing I had ever done for myself. I have been thinking about looking into what it takes to become a personal trainer as well. It's all so stressful to think about!!

So getting away from dwelling on my issues, I wanted to go over what stress can do to affect weight loss. Stress can seriously hinder your progress! The hormones released when stressed include adrenalin -- which gives us instant energy -- along with corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol. High levels of adrenalin and CRH decrease appetite at first, but don't last long. Cortisol works on a different timetable. Its helps replenish the body after the stress has passed, hangs around a lot longer. If it remains elevated, it will increase the appetite and therefore make you eat more. Alot of people also sit and stew when they are stressed, while eating more. So there is no way to expend the extra energy and extra calories. Therefore causing weight gain as well. I know a really amazing way to reduce stress, EXERCISE!! I don't know what I would do without running! It is my favorite way to forget about my troubles for awhile. What I am saying is to get your stress under control by understanding that is what your body is going through and mind what you are eating as well as stick to your workout schedule. If you let the stress take control and just give up, you will lose to it. Your body will respond by packing on the pounds because it doesn't understand what is going on. You have shocked your system. Even if you are eating a little more, you will still have your endorphins moving and you will feel better.

I have been trying to adhere to the same rules that I just outlined to you about not letting stress win. I am definitely going to hope that the stress will die down soon, but you can only have a positive attitude and work hard to make it pass. I am hoping to record another episode of H.E.L.P soon as well. I tried to get a Google+ Hangout set up this week to get people talking about fitness and asking questions, but that didn't work out so well either. If you haven't listened to the podcast, please do! If you have listened, please give me some feedback on how you like it! We haven't heard any feedback and would like to know if what we are doing is a good thing and/or how we can improve.

Thanks and have a stress-free weekend!!

Ang

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365

Spring is Here! Running, Giveaway, & New April Specials!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:27:00 +0000

Spring Running!

Now that spring has finally sprung in Fort Wayne, IN, I have gotten outside to run quite a bit. I have been trying to slowly insert myself back into outside running again. I have seen that my body isn't accustomed to it yet for the longer distances. The first time I got out there, I ran 6 miles and it hurt a little bit. I got out to run last night and I couldn't get to 4. I got to about 3.8 and was just barely able to make it. I did get new shoes that are very comfortable!

I will definitely need to ease back into it. I forget how much the treadmill differs from regular running. I do know that I missed being outside feeling the wind on my face while I was running!
When I took the above picture, I had run 11 miles! That is a new record for me. I have never run so far and so long. The half marathon training plan is almost over and then it is on to the full marathon training. This is a scary thought! The thought of training for a full marathon is pretty scary but I am going to put my body to the test! I am fully committed to running this whole summer and hopefully be ready by September to do a full marathon. My marathon isn't until November but I want to know that by the time I do the half marathon in September that I can do it twice with no issue. I just hope that my body will let me do this! I have been battling with alot of soreness in my knees and just general fatigue lately. I am hoping that the knee pain was just because I had improper shoes. My last couple runs with my new shoes didn't make my knees sore. I felt a couple twinges but nothing bad through the whole run.

I have been looking up good exercises and stretches for runners. A big thing that I haven't done much before or after running was stretching. It was one of those things that I knew I should be doing but didn't really do it. I know that with the longer runs, I really should be so I have started incorporating it into my post runs. I don't want to have any injuries or pulled muscles. I have a fear of doing all this training to just get injured and not be able to get the chance to do the half and full marathon. I just don't want to have all my work be for nothing.

Beachbody Specials!

So for April, Beachbody has alot of fantastic specials going on. I am also making those specials just a little sweeter. So without further ado, here they are:

The Ultimate Reset:

You can save up to 50 dollars this month! I am offering an additional 20 dollars on top of that! That's 70 dollars off! The Beachbody Ultimate Reset® is a comprehensive, no-starvation, inner-body tune-up that offers much more than the typical cleanse and detox programs on the market. The Ultimate Reset not only helps you eliminate toxins and waste gently and naturally, but it also maximizes your cellular energy production, helping your body process food more efficiently and your systems run more smoothly.* You’ll replace the processed foods you’ve been eating with healthy foods. You’ll eat cleanly—possibly for the first time in your life—and take
supplements designed to help your body remove from your cells and organs toxins that you’ve been taking in for decades.

The Brazil Butt Lift:

Brazil Butt Lift is on sale for 140. I will give you another 20 off. That's 60 dollars off the regular price! The Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Pack combines fat-burning cardio workouts with the best lower-body sculpting moves you've ever tried. Leandro's proven TriAngle Training method works all three major
buttocks muscles from multiple angles to help reduce your hips and saddlebags, slim your thighs, and lift your butt without bulking up your thighs.

T25:

T25 is on sale for 180. I will give another 40 dollars off. That's 65 dollars off the regular price! T25 is Shaun T's newest program! It is designed to transform your body with 25 minutes of pure intensity and 100% focus in just 10 weeks!

Power 90:

Power 90 is on sale for 39.99. I will give another 10 dollars off. That's 29.99 for a workout from Tony Horton! Power 90 features fat burning and total-body sculpting focused on abs, thighs, and upper body with trainer Tony Horton.

Giveaway

I still have my giveaway going for another 9 days!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

<3
Angela

#Fitness Friday: Runner's Knee and My New Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 03:57:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

I hit a new milestone with my running this week: 10 miles! I have never ran that far before! So now that I am hitting these farther distances, I am getting alot of knee pain. I have looked up a few articles on Runner's Knee. I think I have figured out what I can do to help it. I wanted to share with you some of the things that I found out about what causes it and how to alleviate the pain this issue causes, since this is a pretty normal issue among runners.

Symptoms of Runner's Knee:

Pain behind or around the kneecap, especially where the thighbone and the kneecap meet.

Pain when you bend the knee -- when walking, squatting, kneeling, running, or even sitting.

Pain that's worse when walking downstairs or downhill.

Swelling.

Popping or grinding sensations in the knee.

Causes of Runner's Knee:

Overuse. Repeated bending of the knee can irritate the nerves of the kneecap. Overstretched tendons (tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones) may also cause the pain of runner's knee.

Direct trauma to the knee, like a fall or blow.

Misalignment. If any of the bones are slightly out of their correct position -- or misaligned -- physical stress won't be evenly distributed through your body. Certain parts of your body may bear too much weight. This can cause pain and damage to the joints. Sometimes, the kneecap itself is slightly out of position.

Problems with the feet. Runner's knee can result from flat feet, also called fallen arches or over-pronation. This is a condition in which the impact of a step causes the arches of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.

Weak thigh muscles.
(http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/runners-knee)

Ways to Treat Runner's Knee:

This first one is really interesting because it gives you a process to strengthen the knee without alot of pain involved: First, you avoid doing anything, including running, that causes the knee to hurt, but you also do as much running as you can do pain-free. This approach will enable the damaged tissues to restore homeostasis (or their natural equilibrium state of breakdown and regeneration) yet will also keep the knee well-adapted to the stress of running. Many runners with PFPS can do some pain-free running. You might find that you can run for a certain duration (say, 20 minutes) and no longer without pain. In this case, run only that far until your limit increases. Or you might find that you can run every other day, but not every day, without pain. Then run every other day for a while. After a few weeks, try a test run 24 hours after a previous run to see whether the limit remains. Continue to increase your running gradually back toward pre-injury levels as comfort allows, reversing this process briefly whenever soreness emerges anew. (http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/injury-prevention/beating-runners-knee_143)

Other ways include:

Rest the knee. As much as possible, try to avoid putting weight on your knee.

Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain is gone.

Compress your knee. Use an elastic bandage, straps, or sleeves to give your knee extra support.

Elevate your knee on a pillow when you're sitting or lying down.

Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin, will help with pain and swelling. However, these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. They should be used only occasionally, unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.

Practice stretching and strengthening exercises if your doctor recommends them.

Get arch supports for your shoes. These orthotics -- which can be custom-made or bought off the shelf -- may help with flat feet.
(http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/runners-knee)

So after reading these, I have decided that I should get some running shoes that support my feet alot better than the ones I have. These are 20 dollar Walmart running shoes. They weren't fit for my foot and running style. I have a feeling that has alot to do with my knee pain, because I do have flat feet and don't have the support that I should have. I am also going to get some Joint Juice which is Glucosamine Condroitant which helps with joint pain. I am hoping that these little changes will help with my knee pain. I will of course update you on my progress!

It has been 30 days since I started P90X3 and I did my measurements to see where I stood. So here they are:

My previous measurements:
Weight: 172.8
Chest: 37.3"
Bicep: 12.3"
Thighs: 24.8"
Waist: 34.6"
Calf: 17.3"
Hips: 42.3"

My measurements:
Weight: 171.8
Chest: 36.4
Bicep: 12.1
Thigh: 23.8
Waist: 32.4
Calf: 17.0

Hips: 40.7

I actually weighed more two days ago when I posted them but I weighed myself this morning and I was 171.8. So I did end up losing even if it wasn't much weight. I lost inches and I love that I lost inches in 30 days!

I have a Beachbody Shakeology & Supplement Giveaway on the Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast page. I also put it in this blog for you to have an easy way to enter without having to navigate away from this blog. How easy am I right? So now you have no reason not to enter! Who doesn't want free stuff? The prizes are: Shakeology Shaker Cup, Samples of Shakeology, and a bottle of Activit (30 day supply). You get this all for free if you win! There are 17 more days in the giveaway and you should enter everyday to win!

The Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast has a new episode up on iTunes, Stitcher, and Blubrry. Go listen to it! It's a fairly short episode this time. As always we want your feedback, ideas for episodes, and questions you want answered!!

<3

Ang

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365

#Fitness Friday: Disney Vacation revelations, Shakeology & Supplement Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 03:56:00 +0000

Hello All I am back!

I spent last week at Disney World in Orlando with my husband having our honeymoon. We have been married for almost 4 years now, but never got a honeymoon because we had my oldest daughter and I was pregnant with our youngest when we got married so things were a little busy at that time. We decided to go without the kids this time because I have never been to Disney and they are 2 and 4 years old. Still a little too young to do a full week with 6 full days at the parks. I saw what that was like while we were there with kids that age and it was not pretty! Andrew was thrown up on in one of the bus trips back to the hotel.... Andrew and I also do not ever get much time to just be together and enjoy each other due to our work schedules. I would full time during the week and he works full time during the weekends. It was an amazing week!! I titled it: Eat, Play, Love. I actually gained 7 pounds in a week. I had every intention to continue my running schedule during my week there. That did not happen. I walked the parks everyday, ALL DAY. I experienced shin splints for the first time. I went to bed exhausted and sore every day! So yeah running was not going to happen! Plus I felt like I wanted to just focus on the vacation with my husband. It was special and I didn't want to miss out on anything because I had to go running. The food we had at every restaurant we tried was amazing!! We got back to Fort Wayne and went to Steak and Shake and regretted it LoLThe food and the service were SO good! It was literally the most magical place on earth. I am sad to be back home in the cold but I also missed my girls like crazy! I didn't eat healthy the whole trip, but you have to experience the desserts and different food styles of all the different restaurants. I can take the extra 7 pounds off just like I have done before. Nothing could make me regret the amazing week we had. So now I am back and cold in the "spring" of Fort Wayne, IN.... I have started my training back up and will get back on track with my weight loss and running goals.

Speaking of weight loss, I have a giveaway that started yesterday. The prize will be a Shakeology shaker cup with 2 samples of Shakeology and 30 day supply of Activit supplements. It is the perfect way to try Shakeology and Activit supplements for free. Shakeology has a sampler package with a sample of each kind of Shakeology for 19.95 plus shipping right now. Activit is currently free with 4.95 shipping until the end of March. So if you don't win the giveaway, you can still try Shakeology for pretty cheap. Activit will not be on sale after the giveaway so I would take advantage of that offer RIGHT NOW. Just go to Fitpersonified and click on shop to get these supplements for FREE. Who doesn't like free right? Also make sure you enter the giveaway everyday to get as many entries as possible! Go to Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast and click on the giveaway tab to enter!

I know this blog didn't have alot of things to learn about health and fitness, but it was something that I wanted to share with you guys. I am human and my life is busy and hectic just like yours. I like to share that with everyone so you can see that I am not anywhere near perfect. It took me 4 years to lose 150 pounds because of it. I am so far from it! We are doing another recording of Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast this Sunday. Please send any questions or ideas you have for the episode!

Ang

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365
lovelacey365.blogspot.com

#Fitness Friday: P90X3 Review and Starting Measurements

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 03:36:00 +0000

I started P90X3 officially this week. Here are my measurements and before picture:

Measurements:
Weight: 172.8
Chest: 37.3"
Bicep: 12.3"
Thighs: 24.8"
Waist: 34.6"
Calf: 17.3"
Hips: 42.3"

So far I have caught up to what I missed last week except for one workout which I am doing tomorrow. I am LOVING the 30 minute workouts! They are HARD and extremely quick! I feel my body changing with these workouts. P90X was good too, but I feel like it wasn't this effective. There were alot of breaks in the workouts and less hustle. These 30 minute workouts have me trying to keep up! They also work the WHOLE body instead of just a group at a time. I think that makes it less monotonous.

Total Synergistics in P90X3 is a great workout for core and balance. I am still working on these two things. I am hoping that this will improve as I continue to do these exercises. I have a 6 pack threatening to come out from under the fat left on my middle.

Yoga X3 was more of the balance and added flexibility to the mix. Which I am not as great at either. This is another workout I am hoping that I will improve on as I continue to move through the program.

Agility X is a fast paced cardio and plyometric workout. I can keep up on this one but I think that I will put the tape on the floor with the Xs that he has in the video to see if I can do the moves more accurately. This one is alot of fun. I think it is interesting that he has the modifier "Beyoncify" the moves instead of the more difficult plyometric moves. That pretty much means to shake your butt for a little break instead of jumping around.

The Challenge is an upper body workout. It is focused on push-ups and pull-ups. When you get done, your arms are jello. I am particularly excited about this one because I want to improve my upper body strength.

The Warrior is the workout that Tony Horton does at military bases all over the world. It is a total body workout that uses only body weight. It is fast paced and I thought I was going to die halfway through! There is alot to be said for this workout. I really like it and hate it at the same time!

CVX is a cardio routine. I have not tried this one yet but I am looking forward to it. All of the workouts so far have been so amazing! I love any program that has me sweating and ready for a nap afterward.

I was scheduled tonight to do a 9 mile run and I could only push out 4 miles. My knees weren't having it. I need to get more Joint Juice. I used to drink it alot when I first started running. I think my body has already gone on vacation before I actually have. I will be gone next week in Florida with my husband at Disney. I am extremely excited! Maybe it's my body just yearning to be there now instead of running.

I am going to be doing a Shakeology Sampler Giveaway starting April 1st. The prize will be a Shakeology Shaker Cup and 3 samples of different flavors of Shakeology. This is a great chance to try an amazing product for free. Shakeology is a great breakfast that I like to use as an after workout shake or as I am running out the door in the morning. It has all the vitamins and minerals you need everyday. Check out this video with Tony Horton Shakeology Ingredients. You can enter the giveaway at the podcast Facebook page. The link is at the top of my blog.

One of the best specials that Beachbody has going on right now is The Beachbody Ultimate Reset. It is a comprehensive, no-starvation, inner-body tune-up that offers much more than the typical cleanse and detox programs on the market. The Ultimate Reset not only helps you eliminate toxins and waste gently and naturally, but it also maximizes your cellular energy production, helping your body process food more efficiently and your systems run more smoothly.

You’ll replace the processed foods you’ve been eating with healthy foods. You’ll eat cleanly — possibly for the first time in your life — and take supplements designed to help your body remove from your cells and organs toxins that you’ve been taking in for decades. You can join thousands of Coaches and customers during the "Spring Cleaning with Carl and Isabelle" as they do the Ultimate Reset starting Wednesday, April 16th! Contact me or go to www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified for details.

As I said before, I will be out of town next week so I will not have a #Fitness Friday Blog next week. There is also a new episode of H.E.L.P up on Stitcher, iTunes, and Blubrry. The new episode has tons of info from healthy food prep to personal growth with a great book. Please check it out and give me some feedback on what we are doing right and even what you want to see us improve on. We are always up for topic suggestions as well.

Angela

Links

Sick Week :(

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:09:00 +0000

Ok so this week I got some sort of stomach bug where I couldn't do anything except be in the bathroom ALOT. Don't worry I will spare you those gruesome details. I couldn't eat much and all I could do for most of the week was sit around feeling sorry for myself. I went to the doctor and they gave me an antibiotic for diverticulitis and BAM I am back! In this blog I am going to give you details on what to do when you get sick. When should you exercise and when should you just stop and wait until you get better?

When should you power through?

The general rule is that if your symptoms are above the neck (ie runny nose, a sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, and tearing eyes) then it's ok to workout. You can take some cold medicine and usually continue your workout. People usually feel worse because they are not doing what they normally do and just sitting around moping because they are sick. Plus the endorphin rush can actually make you feel better. It helps with nasal congestion and will actually help get rid of headaches.

When should you sit this one out?

Now if it is below the neck like I had this week then you should sit it out (coughing, body aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, fever). Exercising raises the body temp so if you have a fever and you exercise, it is dangerous. Plus who wants to exercise with nausea and vomiting?

It's going to be hard for me to catch up on what I missed so I have decided to just double up on some P90X3 exercises today and continue running where it is on the schedule tomorrow. I wanted to be able to give my review on some of the exercises in the program so far but I have only done two of them: Total Synergistics and Yoga X3. Those two have shown me that I am not very balanced! I need to work on that along with flexibility. Next week I will be able to review them for you! I am excited to get back to business. I actually lost 6 lbs this week but that is because I could barely eat and my body rejected pretty much everything I ate. Not the most fun way to lose weight in a week. So I will be going back to the normal way! I just wanted to check in with you even though I didn't get to do what I intended this week. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy week!

<3

Angela

#FitnessFriday: How to Eat Healthy with the 21 Day Fix

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:23:00 +0000

Diet is an ugly word. It is overused and nobody really understands what the word means. You can say it in different ways and mean different things. The word makes people think negatively about food. People immediately think that they have to give things up. So I like to focus on eating healthy. As in changing your lifestyle of eating. I never gave up anything. I have given myself treats but don't go overboard. I have been able to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I started looking in to "Diets" for people with MS and I came across alot of topics pertaining to eating clean and the Paleo Diet. It also recommends going gluten free as well as caffeine free. I would love to eat cleaner than I do and all that but do I really want to go to these depths to lose weight? I am not unhealthy but I could be healthier. I just don't think I can keep up these lifestyles. I have never gone vegetarian because I know I love meat too much and I doubt I could give up my coffee! I am looking for a lifestyle that I know I will be happy with and keep up for the rest of my life. This is going to be discussed in further depth with Chandra on our podcast H.E.L.P. I have become a Beachbody Coach and I want to get past this last 20 pounds along with helping other people lose weight and reach their goals. There is a new program that just came out called the 21 Day Fix. I am going to start this program in March. I will have a Challenge Group on Facebook with some of my friends who are doing the program as well. The 21 Day Fix is a program that uses containers to teach proper portion sizes. There are 6 workouts that come with it. There is a recipe and meal plan booklet. Shakeology comes with the challenge pack which is a really healthy meal replacement shake. With this program I will be able to lose 16 pounds in 21 days if I follow it. The best part of it is that I really don't give anything up. I just use the containers for my meals to get proper portion sizes and do the workouts. I am going to start P90X3 on Sunday as well so I will have that program along with my Marathon training. I should not have any reason to not lose the weight. If you want to get going on this program, then you can just let me know by commenting. The program is on sale until today with free shipping. I personally believe this is a great program that actually teaches how to eat and be healthy instead of making you eat certain things at certain times, then confusing your body into losing weight. Once you are done there, you gain it back and that's never good! You can put whatever foods you want into the appropriate containers and eat it as long as it fits. Here is a video to show how it works: 21 Day Fix. It looks extremely easy so I hope it is! I just have to be able to control my eating. It hasn't been easy lately. I keep giving in to the urges! I am going to need all the moral support I can get! So this is my formal invite to join me on this newfound "diet" journey into a whole new healthier lifestyle with the 21 Day Fix.

www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

We are recording the podcast this Sunday. Do you have any questions about diet and eating healthy? Please let us know because we will cover any ideas or questions you throw at us! We are always looking for new topics to cover as well. So definitely hit us up with those ideas too.

<3

Ang

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365
lovelacey365.blogspot.com

#Fitness Friday - Multiple Sclerosis and Body Image

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 05:18:00 +0000

This week has been a tough one for me. My Multiple Sclerosis has decided to take revenge on my body this week. I had a mild cold I was dealing with and that triggered my Multiple Sclerosis to flare up due to my body's weakened immune system. When that happens I get this horrible pain in my ribs called the MS Hug. When this happens, I feel like somebody kicked me in the ribs. So it has made exercise very difficult this week. I took a couple more rest days than I usually do because of it. This has caused me some mental issues because I feel like I have been failing even though I know it is just my body telling me that it needs rest. I cannot help it but I have had such a great weight loss and I have this fear that if I stop for a few days that I will drop off the wagon and gain it back which is completely ridiculous! One of the best things I ever did for myself was lose the weight like I did. I developed this healthy lifestyle and will not stray from it because it has helped hinder the progression of this disease for me. When I was first diagnosed, I had a horrible body image of myself as it was and then with the diagnosis I had an even worse body image because I thought I had this disease that I couldn't get rid of. There isn't anything to cure it and no real info as what causes it. They only know how to control it. They gave me these injections that caused me to have flu-like symptoms every other day. So now I feel like crap all the time! I gained even more weight and thought that there was no way to get better. So then I decided that I would lose weight. I quit smoking and I lost weight. That was the best decision I ever made. I have read that there are alot of things that can cause flare ups in MS. Exercise and eating healthy are the best ways to control it. There are even diet plans out there to help control MS. It seems so simple but it is pretty difficult to overcome the mental portion of this journey. I still struggle with it. I have to make myself think positive thoughts to get me through some rough times when I feel like I have failed. Here is an article on staying active with MS: Exercising with MS. This disease causes a myriad of mental issues on top of the ones you already have as well. It causes depression, anxiety, mania, etc. It doesn't effect everyone the same way. It is very common that depression affects people with MS. I have had alot of that in my lifetime, but alot of it has to do with the fact that my family growing up wasn't typical. I have a mother that is pretty destructive mentally to everyone in her life. I let her control me for years and that was detrimental to my self-worth. I didn't think I was ever good enough. I am still trying to overcome that. It took a long time to get over her being destructive to my life. I had to stand up and tell her that I wasn't going to take it. So I am not exactly sure it was the MS that caused my depression or bad self worth. I think that it was the dysfunctional lifestyle I had with the side effect of MS. I think that I have gotten over alot of the body issues I have had since I lost the weight, but that has created different ones for me to now find a way to get over them. I have been more positive and try to focus on being positive on the inside and the outside. I realized that if I was more positive that I felt better. I am still pretty stressed out alot because of money issues and family issues, but it doesn't seem as bad as it would have 4 years ago. So my advice about how to overcome issues with body image is to focus on the positive. It's not the easiest thing but anyone who focuses on the negative all the time, will be unhappy. You cannot be happy if you are focused on what makes you unhappy. Everyone is going to judge you on how you look, but they cannot control how you judge yourself. You cannot allow others to make you feel negative about yourself. You will never meet your personal goals if you let others to bring you down. If I am able to lose weight and control my body image issues with a disease that causes more mental issues as well as body issues that prevent progress sometimes due to attacking the body, then anyone can do it!

I have said it before and I am saying it again: I am a Beachbody Coach and I want to help anyone that wants to lose weight. I am starting two groups in March to help people start a fitness journey. One is the 21 Day Fix and P90X3.

If you are interested in joining me in these challenge groups, I am giving 20% off any challenge pack if you join my challenge group. There is also a special at Beachbody until the end of February. If you sign up as a coach with a challenge pack, they will waive the 39.99 sign up fee. So if you want to help others lose weight like I am doing, you can get awesome discounts on awesome products while helping others. Check out my Beachbody page for more info: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified.

<3

Angela

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

Chandra Sullivan

Spark Your Motivation

http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott

Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool

teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny

Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants

lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger

Inspire Me Well

inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell

It's Not Food, It's Me

fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker

Wendi's Book Corner

wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker

Love Lacey 365

lovelacey365.blogspot.com

Late Edition of Fitness Friday: Listening to your body and excuses

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 02:06:00 +0000

One of the best things I can say while you are on your weight loss journey is to listen to your body and learn from that. If you are feeling overly tired or extremely sore then maybe take it a little easier that day on the workout or even taking a rest day. Now when I say overly tired or extremely sore, I mean where you seriously feel run down. Not just: Oh my foot hurts so darn I cannot workout today.That is just an excuse because you aren't actually tired. You are just feeling lazy and don't want to get up and do a workout. I know how that feels! I get that way alot but I push through that and get it done. You would be surprised how fast it goes when you start exercising. When you genuinely feel like it warrants a rest day then you are taking care of your body and the next day you make up for the lost time. When you are in tune with your body and listen when it tells you that it is tired, it will prevent possible injury. You do not want to injure your body and cause you to have to take weeks off. That will just prolong your journey for no good reason. Tonight after the long day and long 8 mile run yesterday, I cannot keep my eyes open for the life of me! So I am choosing to go to bed after I write this blog. Since I took the day off today, I will double up tomorrow and knock today's workout and run out so I am not behind on my workout schedule.

You also want to listen to your body when it comes to eating. So you are not eating too much or just eating when you are bored. I get what I call the munchies alot. No it's not because I just got done smoking a joint LoL.... I really get these cravings for crunchy or snackey foods and I just want to munch because my mouth is bored. It's really strange, but it happens. I see it in kids too. They don't want to eat in between meals because they are hungry sometimes, they want to snack because they see someone else have it or they just like to chew to have something to do. Mine do it. So you have to sit down and actually think while you eat. Do I really want to eat? Do I need to have this much? Am I full yet? I know that I grew up having to clean my plate or you got in trouble. So now I clean my plate and most of the time I am beyond the full point by then. I shouldn't do that. I should stop when I feel full and save the rest for another meal. That's the main reason that they say to not eat in front of the television. You will blindly eat and eat, because you are not paying attention to how much you are eating. I takes alot of focus and prectice but it's a great technique to learn.

Once you learn what your body is telling you then you can tune into yourself more and lose more weight. You will know when you are really in need of a rest day or just making excuses because you just don't feel like it. That's the next thing you need to overcome. You need to learn how to assert dominance over that lazy part of you and say no, we need to get this workout in! You will also be able to say no to foods that you really don't need or even want to eat. You just wanted to chew on something.

I am going to leave you guys on a short one tonight, but I know we will be doing another podcast next week about body image. So if you have anything you want us to cover on that subject please contact me via the Facebook or Twitter pages or just comment below!

<3

Angela

Links:

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes, Stitcher, and Blubrry)

BeachBody: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

Fitness Friday Link: http://www.thehealthymoms.net

Chandra Sullivan

Spark Your Motivation

http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott

Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool

teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny

Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants

lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger

Inspire Me Well

inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell

It's Not Food, It's Me

fattink.blog.com

Angela Barnets

Fit Personified

fitpersonified.blogspot.com

Wendi Barker

Wendi's Book Corner

wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker

Love Lacey 365

lovelacey365.blogspot.com

Tips on how l made weight loss Successful

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 18:26:00 +0000

People always ask how I lost 155 lbs. I am going to give some of my best tips. We did a Podcast about overcoming excuses which are going to be a huge obstacle in any weight loss journey!

1. Know WHY you are doing it!
Once you know what is motivating you to lose weight, you can use that to keep going when you hit a roadblock.
2. Find exercise that you enjoy.
If you do not like the workout, you won't do it.
3. Schedule your workouts and make that time unavailable to anything else.
That will be your time! Nobody else is more important!
4. Eat healthy food, but don't deprive yourself of the things you enjoy.
l always say that l lost weight and still ate cake and cookies and hamburgers. If you're craving it then have it. DON'T do it everyday or even every week, just when you want to give yourself a treat. Remember too that there are a lot of healthy alternatives to the crap that is out there, and it probably tastes better. I have found that to be true of tons of stuff.
5. Put in work!
If YOU don't work for it then it will never happen for you. It's a LONG process! It's a lifestyle change. Be sure you are willing to put in the work to get there. Think of it as a job. If you don't show up, you don't get paid.

This is how I did it. No magic pills. l worked hard and got over my ego and excuses. To this day I still struggle with not making a good food choice or just feeling lazy, but I think of my why and keep working hard.

♡,

Angela

Links:

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes and Stitcher)

BeachBody: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

James Mariano: https://www.facebook.com/james.mariano13

Dan Barnes: https://www.facebook.com/acefisher1

Fitness Friday Link: http://www.thehealthymoms.net

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Angela Barnets
Fit Personified
fitpersonified.blogspot.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365
lovelacey365.blogspot.com

INSPIRATION: How and Where I Got It From

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 04:12:00 +0000

"Life has no limitations, except for the ones you make."
- Les Brown, Motivational Speaker

When I started working out, I was a huge fan of The Biggest Loser and it was my dream to be a contestant on that show. Jillian Michaels inspired me to workout. I loved her no nonsense attitude. I wanted her as a personal trainer! I knew she would motivate me to work hard. So I bought her workouts and started busting my ass. The show inspired me because it was real people who were extremely overweight like me who lost amazing amounts of weight. I thought, "If these people can do it, then so can I." I never thought I would get this far. The fact that I got this far inspires me to continue to explore what I can do.

I was never ever a runner. I was the one that walked the mile runs in gym class. I would have laughed at you if you told me this is where I would be today. I am actually planning on running a marathon! Some days I still think, "What the hell am I doing??" I have an issue with that though. I hate the words "I can't". I stopped using that phrase. My daughter says it alot and I keep telling her not to say that. Especially because I know that she can when she is saying that. She just doesn't want to. Excuses! It is so easy to say I can't and quit. I said that a lot. I always got into that negative self talk and let myself quit when it got too hard. That applied to pretty much everything in my life. It's funny how that happens right? Everything in life comes around full circle. Everything affects the other. It isn't until you start changing one thing in your life that you recognize the other things in your life that need a change.

So here I am losing weight and starting a whole new life. I was making my outside look great and started exploring what else needed it too. I made changes in my interactions with family and friends. I actually started seeing who I needed and who I didn't. People who were poisonous to my progress started making themselves known. Most of those people are gone now. I understand that I cannot really get away from family. They are there always, but I knew that I could set boundaries as to how much I would take from them. Once I did that, I found that I was feeling much happier. There isn't alot of stress about who is doing/saying what things to me. I was stressed out enough with making sure I was keeping up with my eating and workouts! Why do I need to add their poisonous behavior to it? Life is a roller coaster in itself. Things always go wrong in my life and I just didn't need more to happen for unnecessary reasons. I can tell you that I am much happier and much more productive now than when I had all that added stress.

My current inspiration? I get inspired by my body and all the things I can do now. I look at my Before and After pictures and that motivates me to keep going. I can't even imagine being that person again. I don't even remember her. I think that the person I am now is a TOTALLY new person. I am outspoken, energetic, motivated, and just a take charge kind of person. Before, I was this amiable person who let everyone tell her what to do and usually did it. I let other people make decisions about my life. I let them use me. I let them make me feel terrible about myself. Not anymore! I love my new body and mindset. I don't even think that what I did was a huge deal to many people but to me it was the best decision I ever made. I will never look back. I am going to continue my path and see where it takes me. So far it's going toward a marathon. There's alot of forks in the road, but I refuse to derail.

So what will inspire you to make yourself happy??

"Don’t ever underestimate the capacity of a human being who is determined to do something."
- Edna Adan

Angela
xoxo

Links:

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes and Stitcher)

BeachBody: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

James Mariano: https://www.facebook.com/james.mariano13

Dan Barnes: https://www.facebook.com/acefisher1

Fitness Friday Link: http://www.thehealthymoms.net

Fitness Friday: Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 05:04:00 +0000

Progress

When I started l was 315 lbs. I am now 170 lbs. I went from a size 28 to a size 6. I started my Journey in 2009 before knowing I was 4 months pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, I just ate what I wanted and gained back what I lost before that. So after l had my daughter in October of 2009, I started over. In the 2 years in between my 1st and 2nd daughter, l lost 100 lbs. When I was pregnant with my 2nd, I actually ate really well and exercised through my whole pregnancy. l only gained 25 lbs and lost that and then some after I had her in 2012. My motivation to keep my weight loss going was the way I looked in the mirror. It sounds extremely vain but I was never skinny or athletic. I didn't have confidence or near the amount of self-esteem that I do now. Now I know that I have the power to change myself. If I don't like something then I will work and get the results I want. This is an extremely powerful thing to learn! Weight loss is just as much mental as it is physical.

The next step for me is to work on my diet and toning up. I am also working on my running goals. Right now we are doing a hybrid of P90X and Half Marathon Training. I am having alot of trouble progressing with the toning of my midsection because my diet is not on point. I have gotten to a point where I am allowing myself more cheat days than there should be. I have some loose skin on my midsection that I was told that only surgery would take care of. I personally don't believe that. I think I can get it to go away (atleast mostly) with proper diet and exercise. I am going to look into some bodybuilding diets and workouts targeting this area. I'm hoping that will help me lose the excess unnecessary fat I have on my arms, midsection, and thighs. I think that once I cut out all the bad things I am eating and step up my workouts a bit I will be back on track again. I have been letting myself slide lately and that doesn't feel good! I need to buckle down and get back to how I used to workout when I started. I want to make more progress!

Beachbody

l have been working to "Pay Fit Forward" to anyone I can help. l know how difficult it can be. I know that it is the slowest thing to do! Results are never instant and that is the most frustrating part! l started being a Beachbody Coach last year, but gave it up to pursue other things. l have started that again. I look forward to sharing my knowledge with more people. I have groups on Facebook that I am part of that I give alot of motivation to as well as give my help to my friends. I would love to be a coach to anyone who would like to lose weight. I don't want to sell anything. I do make commission but I am not going to sell something that I don't think will work. I have tried alot of the workouts and supplements that Beachbody makes and I believe they help with weight loss. I have gotten great results using the products. I am more or less a coach to get a discount on the workouts for my own personal progress with what I want to do for me as well as get access to more people to Pay Fit Forward. If I think that a Jillian Michaels workout will help you then that is what I am going to point you towards. I know that there are a ton of products out there and I just want to be a resource for people to get help from.

Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast

We recorded the eighth episode of Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast tonight. We had Dan Barnes and James Mariano as special guests. The podcast was about Bodybuilding basics. We went over how to get started, tips for eating, supplements, etc. James Mariano is a professional bodybuilder. He has been doing it since he was a teenager. If anyone has any questions about bodybuilding you can contact him and he would be glad to answer your questions. Dan is a personal friend of mine and he is just starting out with bodybuilding as a way to lose weight and keep healthy. He is not one to do alot of cardio or DVDs. He likes the way bodybuilding makes him feel and he has lost over 50 lbs doing it. Although he has not been doing it for a long time, he knows alot about it as well. You can go to him with any questions you have about it. He also has a podcast called Box Press Radio. If you are interested in geekery and cigars, be sure to listen to his podcast!

Well I look forward to what next week brings! I am hoping to have some better progress to share with you as far as getting my diet under control.

Strive for progress not perfection.

Angela

LINKS:

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes and Stitcher)

BeachBody: www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

James Mariano: https://www.facebook.com/james.mariano13

Dan Barnes: https://www.facebook.com/acefisher1

Fitness Friday Link: http://www.thehealthymoms.net

Fitness Friday: Motivation! New H.E.L.P Episode!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:09:00 +0000

Motivation

When I started working out 4 some odd years ago. I wanted to get healthy because I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I had always been overweight. I did lose 50 pounds in high school but gained it back and doubled it. Seems to be a trend with everyone huh? We lose weight and then we think we are done and start going back to the old ways and gain back double! It sucks!! I was working for a company that valued health and fitness for their employees. They got new insurance and that insurance included getting the employees a nutritionist and personal trainer at a discounted rate. So I decided this was the time I was going to lose weight and keep it off for my health and personal happiness. I lost 50 pounds and my boyfriend at the time dumped me for an even bigger girl (I know right?! WTH?). I started dating my now husband and found out I was 4 months pregnant. I still worked out but only for a couple months until my 3rd trimester. Needless to say I gained it back. After I had my daughter though I started again and lost 100 lbs and got pregnant again. Then gained 25 and lost 70 after that. I'm still on my weight loss journey and plan to lose a little bit more and achieve some major goals. My biggest motivation to start was to get healthy and feel better about myself.

The thing that motivates me everyday to work out and continue my journey is the happiness I feel for myself. There is no better feeling in the world than knowing you achieved something so huge with yourself. I am motivated by the way I feel after a hard run or hard workout. I set goals for myself and keep pushing myself to achieve them. I think it keeps me excited to cross the finish line. I workout with a friend and keep the competitiveness there. That's a huge motivator for me to get up and go if I know she is going to be running a certain pace or distance and I know I have to do that too. It took me a long time to get where I am and I know that I can achieve more. So I will keep you updated on my progress!

Half Marathon Training

So far this month I have run 28.05 miles with an average pace of 9:56. I just keep pushing myself in all my runs to run longer and to improve my pace. So far the furthest distance is 5 miles. The next run is 6 miles. Then next month we will get into 8 mile runs. I have never run longer than 6 miles so I look forward to breaking that distance.

Episode 7 of Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast

We recorded Episode 7 this week. The episode is about weight loss surgery. I wanted to get some information out there about this. As I mentioned in my last blog, I think that there are alot of misconceptions about it. It is NOT the easy way to lose weight. Either way you do it, it will be hard! I wanted to get more info about what happens before, during, and after the surgery. What to expect when you start preparing for it and what to expect once you get done with it. No matter how you do it (surgery or not), it is a lifestyle change. I had to change everything. I had to change the way I eat, the way I think, the way I live, etc. If you get the surgery, you will have to make more drastic changes and pretty quickly. There is also the skin removal surgery you will want to consider once you lose the weight. You also need to think about the money involved. Weight loss surgery usually can be covered by insurance, but the skin removal surgery is not. So you will lose a bunch of weight, which is amazing, but can you afford cosmetic surgery after? I cover all of these and more in my podcast. I have two guests (Maryann and Steve) who both had the surgery on there. They give all the details from their journeys through the surgeries and weight loss. Maryann is also in the list of Fitness Friday blogs so definitely read her blog! You can find Steve McMichael on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/imaginerealestate?fref=ts) If you have questions about weight loss surgery before and after you can always get ahold of them. Please listen to my podcast and give me any feedback. I am always looking for tips on what you want to hear and any topics you want me and Chandra to cover.

Peace XOXO

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes and Stitcher)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

Fitness Friday Link: http://www.thehealthymoms.net

Fitness Friday: Goals and Upcoming Accomplishments!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 08:36:00 +0000

The picture above is a testament to how far I have come in the last 4 years since starting my fitness and weight loss journey. I will be doing "Fitness Friday" Blogs which will be featured on TheHealthyMoms.net (links below). I am going to give you a little bit of an idea of what my goals are and what is motivating me to keep at this journey.

So far I have lost over 150 lbs in 4 years. I am training to run a half marathon and then a marathon after that. My main focus is not on weight loss any longer. I am more focused on getting my endurance level up with running, and possibly toning up a bit more. So my friend Chandra and I are doing intermediate half marathon training on RunKeeper.com and P90X.

What is motivating me to keep this up is the amazing self esteem I get from achieving these crazy goals I set for myself. I never thought that when I started I would be where I am. I never had this much confidence in myself. I found that this is what motivates me to continue achieving these goals. I also do a health and fitness podcast called Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast. Doing this podcast helps me stay focused on my goals as well. I love to be able to have something out there for people just like who need advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

I was out with a friend tonight and she received a call from her sister who is in high school. Her sister is overweight and she is wanting to do the surgery to lose the weight. My friend and I proceeded to explain to her that she should try diet and exercise first since this is something she CAN control. She CAN exercise and eat healthier. The surgery isn't always the answer. She is not morbidly obese and it is not medically necessary. She is just tired of being bullied about her weight at school. I can completely understand where she is coming from and why she wants to do the surgery so bad. We were trying to explain to her the consequences of her actions, but this is something she will have to find out on her own as to if it is right for her to get it done. I personally am not a fan of the surgery as a fast weight loss tool if you are able to do it yourself through diet and exercise. It made me think back to my high school days and the low self esteem I had because I was fat and people picked on me about it too. I thought that the surgery would help me back then as well but never actually looked into it, because of my fears of botched procedures and all that. Plus I knew some of the crazy things you go through as a side effect to the surgery and that didn't make it look good to me. SO what I am getting at with this story is that I hope to inspire people with my blogs and progress. I want people to know that you don't have to go through the surgery if you are able to exercise and eat healthier to lose weight. I hope to share valuable insights as to how you can do so.

Below you will find links to other blogs that are a part of the Fitness Fridays as well as links to my pages and podcast. Please let me know what you think and follow me!!

XOXO,

Angela

Podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

(Also on iTunes and Stitcher)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

New and Better Times Ahead!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 04:33:00 +0000

I realize that is has been since March that I have been here. I apologize if I let anyone down that may have been following my blogs. I also apologize to myself for letting myself down during my journey last year. Just like my blog dropped off, so did my journey to a half marathon. I didn't end up running the half marathon, but I did run my first 10k. I did accomplish something still, but it could have been better if I stuck with it.

So here I am again starting over with my journey....

Since December I have started half marathon training again with my friend Chandra. We are also doing a hybrid of that with P90X to get strength training in there too. We have also started a podcast called Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast. We are covering all healthy lifestyle topics along with tips and tricks to lose weight. I am really excited this time with my training. I think that since I am not doing it by myself and I have the podcast (and now this blog again) to hold me accountable, I will achieve my goals. I am committed to achieving this. I know that I could have done it before so now I will get it done. I am here to hopefully show myself what I can achieve and teach others that they can achieve the same results I have. This blog is about a real person with real body issues and how she overcame them to achieve weight loss and personal goals.

The Podcast we have been recording has covered so many things. The one we recorded tonight was about toxic relationships and overcoming them to gain control of your life again. This is one of the most important topics to cover with weight loss because so many people stop their journeys because other people are making them stop because they feel they have to. So here are the 7 ways of overcoming these relationships that we covered. I will also give a little info from my personal experience with each of these. I had to overcome a toxic relationship with my mother to be able to achieve what I have in the last couple years:

Move on Without Them

If you can, just tell them that you cannot be around them and stop being around them.

Stop Pretending the Behavior is OK.

It is NOT OK for them to make you feel like you aren't good enough. They should not make you feel guilty for improving YOUR life.

Speak Up

You have to speak your mind. Tell them it is not ok. Tell them how they make you feel when they treat you badly. Bottling things up is toxic to yourself.

Put your foot down

This goes along with speaking up. Once you tell them it's not ok, you need to put up boundaries or shut them out completely. Whatever you decide, you need to stick with it or they will see that and use that to control you.

Don't take the toxic behavior personally

It's THEIR problem not yours. That's a huge lesson! It's hard to overcome that specific idea.

Practice Practical Compassion

If you must deal with the toxic person in your life, be compassionate but don't let them control you. Say things like, "I understand you feel that way, but this is how I feel...."

Take time for yourself

This the most important of all. It is something you must do all the time whether or not you are dealing with a toxic relationship. It helps you keep in touch with yourself as well as blow off steam.

This is a huge lesson that took me 28 years to learn. I was always letting toxic relationships rule my life because I wanted people to like me and accept me. I was always more worried about them than myself and I suffered. Once I realized that and changed my point of view, I saw myself flourish. I became the person I wanted to be and am now able to physically do more things because my mental state isn't holding me back. When you free your mind, there are no limits to what you can do. I keep saying that my journey has been more of a mental fight than a physical one. Fighting my mind and how I perceive myself is the hardest thing to do.

Here are the links to my FB, Twitter, and Podcast:

Me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/angela.barnets

Twitter: @thapeachyone

Podcast:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthy.everyday.lifestyle.podcast

Twitter: @HELPPodcast

RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyEverydayLifestylePodcast

iTunes: Search for Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast

Chandra and I have made this journey our #1 priority so I am looking forward to sharing this journey with you. I hope that you will be there for me as well as allow me to share this with you. You will hold me accountable and I can do the same for you. Please also comment and share your experience with me! Let me know how you are doing and if you have any suggestions on what you want us to cover in our blogs and/or on the podcast please share.

Peace for tonight,

xoxo

After a long silence!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:02:00 +0000

I know it's been a little while since I wrote one of these. I have been kind of busy and really just forgot to write. I have been trying to train for the half marathon in September and I think that time is not on my side here. I can barely make it to 5 miles right now. I think I might just do the 10k this year and then keep trying to up my miles for next year. I can barely get to the gym to run on the treadmill more than 2 or 3 days a week and that is mostly on the weekends. I am on weeks 5-7 of my P90X. It's starting to get really easy so I am thinking of starting a hybrid. I feel like I should be doing more and I'm starting to plateau. So its time to kick it up a notch! Just gotta make up my mind as to what hybrid I would like to do. There are alot of good workouts out there. There is also the money issue that stands in the way of buying it. I have lost 2 more inches from the last blog post. I am now in a size 8 jean! I am very close to that bikini this summer. I am extremely excited about shopping for bathing suits! It will be strange looking for a bikini LoL Shopping has been something I always dreaded. I have always hated to go and not be able to just pick something up and it fits. Walmart had a huge clearance rack and I picked up a pair of jean shorts and they were size 8. They fit me perfectly. It's so easy now! Before I used to have to comb the racks just to find the plus sizes then to find something cute that I actually wanted to wear. I am very proud of where I have come this year and hope that I am inspiring other people to do the same. It's not easy but if you are determined then there is nothing you can't do.