Partner up for Success

I was talking to a good friend the other day about our fitness goals and she asked me to talk on my blog about the importance of having an accountability partner.  I have since thought about this subject a lot in order to make sure that I cover the subject properly.

I recall the years that I spent in high school and the different friends that I hung out with.  Each friend was a little different but they all were kind and supportive.  But the main difference that I remember is that they all liked different kinds of music.  I found myself jumping around from listening to country to alternative and pop.  Each of my friends influenced me in a different way.  That's why it's important the friends and people that you chose to associate with.  You want people around you that will make you a better person and put you in a good mood.  Its the same with and accountability partner too.

It is important to have a friend or family member (someone that you can trust) as a sounding board as you go through any transformation in your life.  Just knowing that someone is going to ask you about the progress you have made makes you more likely to really change for fear of letting them down.

Some people like to have a gym buddy, someone that they work out with.  There are positives and negatives to this.  The positive is that you might not have gone to the gym if you did not have your buddy.  But the negative is that if your buddy decides to not go the gym for what ever reason you probably would not go alone.  There are many things that can happen and you want to have the strength to stand on your own if you have to because you are changing your whole life and the only person you can guarantee will be there is you.

You must find a partner that you can connect with every week either on the phone in person or on the internet.  The person that you chose should be encouraging and motivating to you.  Try to chose people that want you to succeed and are positive about the changed that you want to make in your life.  If you do this the chances of you finding success are more in your favor.

Make sure to write down your goals... 75% of what we write down happens, doing this sets the brain in motion.  So get out a piece of paper and and write down your goals and post them where you can see them everyday.

Write down a weekly action check list.  This would be all the things that you are going to do to accomplish that goal.  This way you can see how the goal you have set will be met and talk your accountability partner about what you are going to do.

Also you need to declare to the world what you are going to do or change in your life.  Tell your family and friends and if you don't feel comfortable with that tell some strangers online.  You are far more likely to reach your goals if the people around you that you love know your goal too.  For example if your goal is to lose weight and your family knows this they might try to bring more healthy options to the next family get together.

Lastly you need to celebrate how great you are.  If you slip up tell yourself that you will be better tomorrow and then celebrate all the times that you showed great strength and willpower.  You can do anything because you are awesome and deserve all the good that is in the world.  You are much stronger than you think and can do anything that you set your mind to do.

Once you have accomplished your goals pay it forward.  This way it keeps you in check to the people that you are helping and knowing that they look up to you will keep you from going back to your old ways.  We can all help and lift one another and in the end we will all be better for it.


-Debbie Walter

10 Ways to Break Bad Health Habits

Choosing a healthy lifestyle is not, unfortunately, one of those "set it and forget it" decisions. Don't we all wish it were? Instead, it's a result of many smaller choices we make every day—with every meal. Every snack. And every workout.

You always start the day with the best intentions. You eat a thoughtful breakfast. You pack a sensible lunch, and even remember to bring it with you to work. But then comes mid-afternoon, a dip in energy, and lowered self-control. If you're already in that weakened state and you hear that there are cupcakes in the office for someone's birthday, well, in the words of Donnie Brasco, "Fuhgeddaboudit."

Healthy habits only become habits when you do them more than once.
Instead of setting yourself up to fail, you can set yourself up to make good choices by planning ahead. That will give you a fighting chance to succeed. So where do you begin?
Identifying your weaknesses is the first step. Figure out where you're likely to slip up, and you can take action to prevent it. Here are 10 common problems that derail many of us, and suggestions for how to fight back.

1. Avoid eating late at night. Your metabolism slows down when you sleep, so late-night calories are harder to burn off. Fight back: Eat small meals or snacks every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day. Time your meals so that you stop 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed.
   
   
2. Don't grab fast food on impulse. You're already on your way to avoiding this one if you're eating regular small meals and snacks. You'll keep your brain fed, so it doesn't shut down. Fight back: Pack healthy snacks and bring them with you. These can be simple—a small handful of raw almonds is a better choice than a greasy burger.
   
   
3. If you shouldn't eat it, don't put it in your shopping cart. Seriously. If you put it in your shopping cart, it comes home with you. And you know it's there. Fight back: It's much harder to eat junk food in a moment of stress or weakness if it's not in your house.
   
   
4. If you're tempted by junk food, look in the mirror. Think it through—those calories will go somewhere. And probably somewhere you've spent hours in the gym trying to slim and shape. So a bad choice now will just mean more effort later. Fight back: Reach for a piece of fruit instead.
   
   
5. Don't eat for comfort. If something gets you stressed or upset, take a breath, not a bite. Knowing that you're taking good care of yourself, even when you're down, will help you to feel better more quickly. Fight back: Try calling a friend, taking a 10-minute walk around the block, or playing with your pet. Or working out.
   
   
6. Find healthy versions of your favorite guilty pleasures. Stock your kitchen with those instead. Fight back: Craving ice cream? A creamy low-fat yogurt could hit the spot. Want the crunch of chips? Try snacking on fresh red peppers, sliced jicama, or baked kale chips (they're easy to make, and astonishingly tasty).
   
   
7. Pay attention to portion size. You don't need to eat heaping helpings. Fight back: If you absolutely must have ice cream, grab a teacup instead of a bowl. You'll get the taste you crave, but in a much smaller serving.
   
   
8. Make exercise a priority. It's easy to let it feel optional and get lost in the shuffle. Fight back: Plan your workout schedule for the week and stick to it. If that feels too daunting, start by committing to 1 day. Then try planning for 2 days, and build from there. When you start seeing results, you won't want to stop.
   
   
9. Just work out—don't ask yourself if you want to. Most people (myself included) would answer "No." Fight back: Just commit, get in your workout clothes, and Push Play. You'll be sweating, happy, and proud of yourself before you know it.
   
   
10. Must have chocolate? Reach for chocolate Shakeology^®. It's made with real cocoa, so it hits that chocolate nerve—as well as providing essential vitamins and minerals to nourish your body, and cleansing prebiotics to gently eliminate built-up toxins from eating processed foods.

Overall, keep your larger goal in mind: to live a healthy, fulfilling life. Let that aim inform your individual choices. They'll transform from problems into stepping stones on your path to success.

By Amy Ludwig

Get fit this year not fat....Challenge

Lets start our new years resolutions early and go into the new year right

Let the games begin....

Who does not like some healthy competition right!

To enter the challenge click here http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122522454476773&num_event_invites=0#!/event.php?eid=122522454476773

At the beginning of the challenge I will take the before weight and store them privately.  At the end of the 30 days I will calculate the winner based on the new totals.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to start with a cleanse.... watch the video below. 

http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/debbiewalter?bctid=16664447001

If you buy shakeology on home direct you will also get 2 free workouts a shaker cup and free shipping.  You can return it if you don't like it and get your money back.  So you have nothing to lose but the fat.  If you want to save 25% on your shakeology and help others I can help you with that too.  Just message me for details :)

The winner gets a 2 night stay at a hotel at one of the following locations......

Las Vegas, Nv, Laughlin, NV, Reno NV, Lake Tahoe NV, Daytona Beach FL, Atlantic City NJ, Anaheim CA (Disneyland Area), Cancun MX, Puerto Vallarta MX, Mazatlan MX, Palm Springs CA, San Antonio TX, Pocono Mountains PA, Gatlinburg TN, Branson MO, White Mountain NH, New Orleans LA, Honolulu HI, Myrtle Beach SC, Orlando FL......

(This is a travel voucher that will be redeemed for 15 dollars, plus any room tax per night ranging from 7-10 dollars)
If you want to win this enter the contest and may the best loser win :) 

When to Exercise...

A friend of mine recently told me that I need to tell you guys how much exercise I really do to stay in shape.
I only do the recomended work out for the day for the program that I am doing.  If I am doing Turbo Jam all I do in one day is one workout.  I am not going to the gym and running on the treadmill for hours like they do in the biggest losser.

I have lost all my weight pound by pound over time, I lost it slowly which my doctor said was the best way.
I like to workout to certain programs, and I have tried all sorts of stuff and the Beachbody programs are by far the best and I feel that I am getting lost of bang for my buck.

When I began to exercise I strugled to know when the best time of day to do it was.  The simple anwser is the best time is the time of day that you have avalible, and the time you can give it your all.

If you are not a morning person don't worry about it, you can do it at night too.

I have learned some tricks and number one is to do your workout on an empty stomach.  When you workout on an empty stomach your body looks for stored fat to give you energy.  So instead of burning the food you just ate you can burn body fat.

I found that I get sick to my stomach when I workout when I have something in my stomach.  but some people need a little something in the morning before they get going.  Try it out and do what works for you becasue we are all a little different.

Make sure that you set aside time to get your workout done and make it non negotiable.  Think of it as an apointment for you and you deserve to be healthy.  It takes 21 days to form a habit so keep that in mind when you begin and just push play.