Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve witnessed my body immensely change throughout two pregnancies.  I regained my pre-pregnancy body within about 8 weeks after giving birth the first time.  It has been 7 weeks since I gave birth to my second son, and I’m still working towards getting back in shape.  It’s a bit more difficult this second time, but with proper nutrition, exercise, and positive thinking, I’m well on my way.

My body has been put under a lot of stress over the past few years—muscles, tendons, and tissues expanding and shrinking in a short amount of time.  Pregnancy, labor, delivery, and post-partum life was incredibly difficult for me—physically and mentally.  I hated being pregnant.  I hated the restrictions (e.g. no lifting).  I had no energy.  I had body pains everywhere from muscles being stretched to their max, and from carrying around all that extra weight.  During the second pregnancy, I felt like I would vomit every time I thought of eating healthy food (all I wanted to eat was pizza and ice cream for the entire first trimester).  Six weeks before my due date, I tore my right abdominal muscle after lifting too much (carrying around a toddler all day and lifting hay bales finally got the best of me).  After that, I had to wear a brace and couldn’t lift anything for the rest of the pregnancy because I was in so much pain.  The pain I experienced during labor and delivery was incredible—absolutely terrifying.  Then came the wonderful post-partum days, where I cried every evening at 5:00 for no good reason.  I felt like a crazy person for about a week until my hormones leveled off.  Five months after my first son was born, I experienced my first panic attack.  I ended the day in an ambulance ride to the emergency room because my mind made me believe I was dying.  It’s been fourteen months since then and I’ve overcome panic attacks and anxiety through self help books and programs—NOT medication.

Having had this experience, I know how powerful the human body is and what incredible potential we all have within us.  We can go downhill fast with poor eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, and negative thoughts. We can improve our minds and bodies with proper nutrition and exercise.  We can overcome any physical and mental setbacks we experience in a lifetime with the skills we learn.  I am here to teach you those skills.  I have learned them myself and have a strong desire to help others.

I am telling you all this because I want you to believe that I understand what each and every person is capable of—negatively and positively.  My body endured the stress of two pregnancies in a matter of two years, and I regained my pre-pregnancy body both times and improved my mental state as well. I did it, I know it can be done, and therefore I know any human can do it.  Any person, man or woman, can achieve the body (and mind) they desire, and I can help in the process.  I WANT to help!  So if you are someone who desperately wants to get into shape, or someone who needs to improve their lifestyle because of health concerns, or someone who just wants some structure in their workouts, go to www.salonspafitness.com to book a personal training appointment with me, Stacy, the newest addition to The Salon, Spa, & Fitness Studio.  Starting December 3, I am available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, anytime between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM. I look forward to working with you!  And remember that exercise is supposed to be FUN!  Let me help you find that enjoyment.    – Stacy Martin

So this week I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how we talk to ourselves internally, and what we also believe about ourselves. Have you ever caught yourself thinking “I’m so fat, lazy, stupid, etc, etc”? Most of us could say yes. We hold ourselves to these high standards and then when we don’t meet them or things don’t go our way we bully ourselves via our internal monologues. I remember thinking these awful things over and over throughout a day, and by the end of the day just feeling so exhausted and beaten down. I’d tell myself I was fat and lazy and stupid. And I believed it.

I think our internal monologues shape a lot of what we believe about ourselves. I challenge you to really pay attention this week to what your self talk is like. Is it positive? Negative? Make a conscious  effort to stop the negativity. Try to change gears, and do something different. Often working out will help to quiet the negative talk. Sometimes I ask people to make an effort to think positive things about themselves. I think it’s important to have things you like about yourself and to focus on them as well.

I came across this quote from C.S. Lewis, “We are what we believe we are“. And as I thought about it, I realized how my own self perceptions have changed on my fitness and weight loss journey. When I first started working out and trying to eat clean I would often think about how fat and unworthy I was. I would think “I am not an exerciser….I am just not a runner… or a swimmer… I am not a health nut….” I never felt like I would loose the weight.

Slowly as I began working out, gaining confidence in myself and what my body was capable of, my self talk/beliefs began to subtly change. I began to think “maybe I can do this…..I do kind of like to work out and sweat….I like eating healthy and learning more about nutrition”. As I met my fitness goals, these thoughts turned into “I AM runner. I AM a triathlete. I AM a health nut ” As my beliefs and definition of myself changed, so did my body, and vice versa.

Now I define myself as an athlete, personal trainer, clean-eater, I find it is a lot easier to be those things. I am not fighting a negative internal monologue. And, being a much more positive and self confident person has led me to keep pushing myself. I want to exercise and eat healthy, because that’s who I AM. I look forward to work outs and trying new healthy recipes. I enjoy thinking of myself this way. And to be honest other people know this is how I define myself and they come to me for help with their health/fitness journeys. Which is so awesome!

So, I challenge you to listen to what you say to yourself. How do you define yourself? Is it positive and healthy? If not how can you change your self talk and self perceptions? You CAN control what you say and believe about yourself. Make a conscious effort this week (and always!) to stop the negativity. It is up to you to define yourself, and to live the the life you want

What is it that makes these changes “stick”? How do we make these changes a lifestyle?

I truly believe making that these changes permanent is a mindset. Are you thinking that once you reach your goal you won’t have to keep these habits up? Or that you won’t have to work so hard, and can relax a bit? Well you’ve got to let that go. You’ve got to realize and accept that you need to make changes you can maintain for a lifetime. It all starts by making small changes that you know you can have success with. Then as you have success maintaining these small changes you begin to add in other small changes. These small changes all add up to a healthy lifestyle. By starting with small attainable changes you are less likely to fall back into your “old” habits.

Now I get it, you’re thinking “that’s really overwhelming to think of making a change forever”.  I encourage you not to think of it in terms of forever. Think of these changes and this lifestyle as something you are going to do “just for today”. Take each day at it comes. Each day will add up, and you will begin to see changes in your body and how you feel, which will also help you maintain the changes you’ve made! You will get more comfortable with your new lifestyle/routine and it will begin to feel natural.

So start today. Make small attainable changes and take each day as it comes!

Do you have a goal for your health and fitness?

What is it??

Is it something general like “I’m going to eat healthier”, “I’m going to work-out more” “I’m going to lose 5lbs” ? Don’t get me wrong having a general goal is fine. However you exponentially increase your chances of success when your goals are S.M.A.R.T.

Have you heard of SMART goals? Maybe in the workplace? In doing some research about my own goals and goal setting I came across this acronym, which is credited to Peter Drucker circa 1954.

S, stands for SPECIFIC- so that would be something like I’m going to workout five days a week, 2 strength training and 3 cardio for at least 30 minutes a day. See how much more specific that is than just “working out more”?

M, is for MEASURABLE- so how will you know you’ve met your goal? How will you know you are doing well working towards your goal. As in the above example the number of times a week worked out is measurable. As well as the length of time worked out is measurable.

A, is for ATTAINABLE- so the goal should be challenging, but also doable. Don’t set yourself up for a huge failure. Research how long it generally takes to get to your goal, ie running a 5k, losing a certain amount of weight healthily, or whatever it is you are trying to do.

R, is for RELEVANT- figure out why your goal is important to y0u. What will you stand to gain from completing your goal? What will you lose if you don’t complete your goal?

T, is for TIME- Your goal should have a time table. When do you hope to be done with this goal in particular? Do you want to put a time limit on the steps leading to your goal?

Ready to make a more specific goal now? Hopefully the above acronym gets you thinking and planning! By being so specific and thinking through what you want to do, you are much more likely to complete the goal and feel successful and motivated!

There are a few other points that I think are also important to goal setting and achievement.

DAILY REMINDER: First, have a daily reminder of your goal. It can be something like a picture placed on your mirror, a phrase on your calendar, an outfit/swimsuit hanging in your closet. Just something to remind you what all this hard work is for.

REEVALUATE/TRACK: Next, constantly be reevaluating how things are going and if your goal needs to be modified. Track your progress in a journal or whatever works for you. If you are consistently not meeting your plan for your goal then retool what you are doing so it is possible for your have success.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Also, find a way to be accountable whether it is a workout pal or a trainer. It can even be your journal that keeps you accountable. You need to know how you are doing! Or sign up for a race/event. You will have to train to be ready, and once you pay your money to do it, it is much harder to back out.

GAME PLAN: Have a plan with mini goals leading up to your big goal. Also have a plan for setbacks and how you will deal with them. Have a plan for how to deal with situations that may cause a set back. For example, I look up calorie counts at a restaurant before I go, and  decide before I go what I will eat. That way I don’t get there and make a bad choice because of social pressure or temptation.

REWARD!!!!:  Lastly, have a reward for yourself for reaching your goal, or even meeting your mini goals that make up your goal.  It helps to keep you motivated, especially if you’re not seeing big changes yet, or it is taking a long time to reach your goal

So good luck in creating your SMART goals and achieving them!!! I’d love to hear about your goals and how you are going to meet them

I don’t know about you, but I do some of my best thinking out on my runs. I’ve got my awesome playlist and I just settle in and enjoy my time and think about my day. I try to let go of the day’s worries and be grateful for everything in my life.

So I’ve got a new playlist with some old faves on it, and one of them is this song by Ozzy Osbourne called “Life Won’t Wait”. I don’t know if you’ve heard the song but it’s got some great lyrics.

‘Every day that you wait you’re falling faster
No sleight of hand, no twist of fate, no ever after
When it’s gone – it’s gone, a fight to the bitter end
Life won’t wait for you
No, life won’t wait for you, my friend.’

The song reminds me of my old self. I used to always wait to be ready to finally get fit and eat healthy.  At first I said, “oh I’ll get fit and lose weight when I’m done with school”. Then it was “Oh, I’ll start once my job is less stressful”. Then it was “Oh, after the kitchen is remodeled.” I kept putting it off, finding things to put in the way of my fitness. I thought everything had to be perfect in order to start working out and eating right.

Here’s the problem with that line of thinking- there’s NEVER going to be a perfect time to start. There is ALWAYS going to be some obstacle in your way. So you start anyways. You start today with small changes. For example getting a walk in everyday, or drinking 8 glasses of water a day, or keeping a food journal. Small changes add up. They lead to increased confidence and a desire to do and change more!

So what obstacles are holding you back? No time? Don’t feel like it? Significant other isn’t supportive.. etc? I encourage you to really examine these obstacles and decide how you can start being more healthy TODAY. Because honestly there is never going to be a perfect time. And honestly life is too short not to be healthy and feel great about yourself.

So in the words of Ozzy, “Stay strong stay true be brave – it all comes down to you”. You have the power to do great things. Choose to be healthier today because “life won’t wait for you”!

~Chelsea Baer

Exercise Authorities Personal Trainer

For The Salon, Spa & Fitness Studio

1. My Itouch- I love that you can download great music for workouts and create playlists. (When I first started working out I made music playlists that I could only listen to when I was working out. So I would work out to listen to my favorite music)
2. Tap N’ Track App- I really learned about portion sizes and calorie counts. I like that it has calorie counts for a lot of restaurants. It’s nice to make a good choice before you get to the restaurant. I also like that you can see your weight loss on a graph over time, and see how many calories you burned exercising.
3. Couch to 5k Program- I see there is an app. I haven’t used it but I know other people like it. I used the couch to 5k podcasts on kissmyblackass.org. The program gets you running 3 miles by the end. It mixes running and walking and notifies you when to do both so no watching the clock. Takes all the guess work out!
4. Endomondo App- This app for smartphones uses gps to track your miles walked/ran and alerts you to each mile. No more having to drive your routes to figure out the distance. You can post your progress to facebook too.
5.Sparkpeople.com- great website for motivation. You can read about other success stories, track your progress, find healthy recipes, put in your own recipes and calculate calories, and join teams/discussion groups.
6. Skinnytaste.com- some ideas for healthier versions of your favorite recipes.
7. Sparkpeople Motivational Quote of the Day App- Pops up everyday and gives you a little motivation.
8. Round Timer- (Free app) You can program rounds in and use for your interval training. Will run while you listen to your own playlist. Again, takes away the watching the clock syndrome.

These are just a few things I’ve found along the way and I hope they help you! Gotta love technology

So today I got an envelope in the mail from someone I no longer speak to. Just seeing their old handwriting made my stomach churn. I felt the old feeling of anxiety rising up to the surface. This person had been a close friend and confidant for many years. They insulted, belittled, and sabotaged my life. The difficult thing was that it wasn’t in very obvious ways. It was in the small demeaning comments. The way they never called if something/someone better came along. The way they rarely asked about me or my life.  And, I never saw it. I just always had a sense of unease and sadness after talking or spending time with them.

Then as my fitness journey began to take off, this person continually became a source of anxiety. They were always in some major life crisis, needing my listening ear and empathy. I never heard from them otherwise. I could never reach them when I desperately needed someone to listen to me. I began to realize that this person was draining the life from me. I felt so awful after talking to them that I’d fall back into my ways of using food to soothe my anxiety, or any other negative emotion I was experiencing.

It reached a breaking point, and I made a decision. I chose to let the friendship go. I could no longer allow this person to bring me down. I deserved better. It was one of the most difficult and heart wrenching choices. Over time I felt better. I found wonderful friends. These friends were supportive and excited about me and my fitness journey.

This was one of the first steps in my journey. I learned that I deserved and could make good friends. I learned to recognize “energy vampires” and avoid them. I learned that putting myself first was okay, and healthy. In a way I learned to stand up for myself. This first step, although difficult, built a foundation of self esteem that has carried me along. It’s helped me to disregard negative comments, and just take care of myself at times.

We all have negative,toxic, and sabotaging people in our lives. Some of these people cannot ever be removed from our lives. It’s important to learn better behaviors to deal with these people. For me, it meant recognizing the stress the relationship caused me, and subsequently letting the friendship go, and learning to exercise to relieve anxiety and stress instead. For others it means “keeping up my guard” around that person, or even confronting that person about their behavior. Learning to choose yourself means using a healthy lifestyle to deal with these people. It means that you can and will put yourself first when you must. Being able to do this is important on your journey to being healthy and fit.

In our journeys we need to learn choose ourselves by eating healthy and exercising. We need to not let people sabotage our efforts with their problems and negativity. We deal with the difficult people and move forward. Stand up for yourself. Let the people go that you must, and learn to handle and limit time with those you cannot. It will be a great step in becoming a healthy person.

Good luck recognizing your energy vampires! I hope you all find ways to deal with them and keep up all of your hard work!

So i’ve been thinking a lot about the ways common people fall into FAT TRAPS.  When I say common people I don’t mean anything negative by it, I simply mean people who have not developed some deeply driven regimented fitness behaviors.  I once was to the point where I would weigh my food on a food scale back in my bodybuilding days but now I find myself simply going through the mental list of places that I will not allow myself to eat at.  Thats a HUGE difference from then and now.  I have people around me who are not on the SUPER REGIMENTED fitness way of life so somehow i’ve found myself TRYING to find the middle path between a “commoner” and a “meat head”.  It’s actually quite enjoyable HOWEVER it is much more risky then just being a fitness freak counting blueberries!

1.  I will NEVER eat at a fast food joint PERIOD!

2.  I do not drink alchol.  (If I want sugar i’ll find a more enjoyable way to consume it)

3.  I will not eat out more than twice a week (if I can help it — travel can make things difficult but you can still choose wisely)

4.  I will pre-qualify resturants that I WILL eat at (there are many that are hopelessly cause me to fail) and I will pre-select the meals I will allow myself to eat at those resturants.  (This helps us to avoid all the temptations of what might be “off the mark” from what we should be eating.

5.  I will not have more than one “cheat day” per week.  (Mostly this is a cheat MEAL not a cheat DAY)

When tempted, consult with this list of “Fat Rules” and avoid making the wrong, impulsive, or emotional decision that will lead you into something you will regret.  The hardest part for me is having those around you who don’t have the strength to follow this list.  Beware!  Keep your strength and willpower strong!

Want to learn about healthy eating?  We have seminars limited to 5 people per seminar!  Saturdays at 2:00 pm

GET A FREE NUTRITION AND WORKOUT JOURNAL AT THE SEMINAR!

Hi again….I certainly wanted to get back to you all sooner, as it has been a while since Part 1. However, what I am about to put into words needed a lot of thought. In addition, something of this nature is so near and dear to who I am and what my life is blossoming into…I want to get it right. I hope that was a little clearer than mud, but regardless…here we go.

Being pregnant with an eating disorder was many things. First, there is the joy of finding out I was going to bring another human being into this world. The instant I found out I was pregnant I was so in love with this unborn life….honestly, it took my breath away. I wanted to do EVERYTHING right. It is crazy how protective I instantly became over my belly. Whoa….wait a minute…my belly??? My flat belly that is sure to get rotund? What’s going to happen to the rest of me? What about my thighs, my butt? Okay, okay….I can do this. Right????

There was the first trip to the grocery store where I stood in the isle looking at all the food…..tears running down my cheeks, shaking in fear. I have to eat, what do I eat, what is best for my baby, how can I possibly put ED aside…Ignore him? Thank goodness my mom was with me that day … She held my hand, said it was going to be okay…and she filled the grocery cart the best she knew how. Amazingly…eating got easier, and wow…who knew I could feel this good. (It’s called not being malnourished) For the first time since I was a little girl, I was laughing and smiling, and concentration became a non issue. A fairytale…right?

*NOTE* GRAPHIC CONTENT
It was a day like any other. I came home from work, happy, full of hope…nothing could rattle me. Then I went to the bathroom and screamed in an octave I did not believe humans were capable of. The toilet was full of blood, and oh my dear sweet Lord, there was more. I didn’t know what it was, but the first thought I had was that I was actually looking at my baby; a baby only three months in utero. There was like an ocean in my ears; everything went out of focus. I had no breath left in me. I ran to the phone and called my OB GYN. I managed to explain what had just happened. As I waited for a comforting word, it felt as if the world was standing still. My words of comfort were nowhere to be found. My MD’s reply was, “I’m sorry, it appears you have miscarried”. Um, what? No, no, no. I will not listen to you. Do something….do anything. I am on my way to the ER.

Needless the say, that was the longest trip of my life. What had I done? How could this have happened? At the hospital, I was brought into a room, still bleeding like crazy, but God was there with me. He had to be, because somehow I just knew …..this couldn’t be over. The first MD came in and used a Doppler to find the baby’s heartbeat…..nothing. He says, he is sorry. I told him to find me another MD, immediately. They humored me and brought someone else in to listen….still nothing. Fine, then find me someone who knows what they are doing!!!!!!! MD number three came into the room. Once again putting the Doppler to my belly, slowing going back and forth, listening for something…anything. This MD took a little more time. Then…..out of nowhere, my baby’s heartbeat, fast, strong, and alive!!!!!! Needless to stay, the onlookers in that room had amazed expressions on their faces, and I was so relieved I didn’t have the strength to say “I told you so”. The diagnosis was part of the placenta had detached, and with bed rest, this would heal, and all should be fine. Of course they could not give me any guarantees. I left that hospital on shaky legs, but still pregnant.

Bed rest, nourishment, and a lot of prayer I found myself in my fifth month. Again, all was well. Then came my first contraction. Yet another emergent trip to the ER. Scared out of my wits, but hanging on to hope I had my first ultrasound. Wow! Truly a beautiful site. It looked like I was carrying an acrobat performing circus tricks. I would be kept overnight as I was dehydrated, which had brought on the contractions. I had no clue how hydration could be so important. What a way to learn…right?

The next few months went on without incident; however, around seven months I was hospitalized again with early contractions and needing IV fluid. This was becoming a very long and pregnancy, and as I watched the scale creep up it amazed me how I didn’t care. Just get my baby here safe.

It was June 13, early morning. I had been up most of the night as baby was restless and so was I. Something wasn’t right. Contractions….again?? The little one, my son, was not due until July 6. Too early, however, I just knew this was it. No question. I spent the early morning hours at the hospital being monitored with what the MD was calling Braxton Hicks contractions. No…I really don’t think so. You can’t really be sending me home???? Yup….off I went only to be brought back to the hospital that very afternoon, but this time in an ambulance as I was paralyzed with pain. Hmph…Braxton Hicks. Again…. monitoring…they sure looked and felt like contractions to me. My MD came in to check on me before he left to play in his weekly softball game. Really??? He actually said if I did not have my son by midnight….He would send me home again. My water still had not broke and I was not progressing much. Within an hour of my doctor leaving, water broke, contractions hit the roof. 11:58 p.m. my son was literally caught in the arms of my doctor as my son must have overheard the deadline of midnight. Brady, my first born, 5 lbs 13 oz, a month early came into my arms. Small, perfect, and very much alive.

Troublesome pregnancy, right? Here is why. The years of anorexia and bulimia had taken a toll on my young body. Malnourishment and dehydration had left my body unprepared to carry another life. It was only by the grace of God my son arrived, who by the way is about to graduate from high school : ). I went on to have two more boys. The bulimia never came back, but I still struggled with the anorexia and over exercising as my coping mechanisms for life. However, I will say that my next two pregnancies, my body handled very nicely. The fight is not over. ED came back. I do believe ED missed me terribly because he grabbed on, and my life was in danger….again.