Life :: Operation Fit

Jan
1

2013 Goals

by OperationFit

Every year I set large goals for myself to work on the entire year. I don’t believe in resolutions – to me, those are promises you make and forget about. I hold myself accountable for my goals all year long and do a halfway and final report. 🙂

This year I’ve got a bit of a predicament – we’ll be starting our IVF in about two weeks and not only will I be restricted physically, but a lot of stuff is out of my hands…and I don’t know what this year will bring. I know what I want it to bring and we’re praying everything works out, so when setting my goals I have to give myself a few things I know I can achieve and others that may be more of a challenge.

1. Continue to Work Towards My Normal Weight and Have a Healthy Pregnancy.
With our IVF coming up, I know getting back to my normal weight may not be reached – however, I’m going to keep it on the top of my list so that I’m not gaining excess weight that’s not needed during my pregnancy (fingers crossed everything goes as planned!). I’ll be listening to my doctor’s advice and not obsessing over weight gain that will happen, and I’d like to continue toning as much as possible, and cardio as I can.

2. Help More People Reach Their Goals.
I threw this out there last year as a new Beachbody coach and made amazing progress during the year (you can see my 2012 wrap up for details). I reached so many people, my team grew larger than I expected, and I’m so proud. So this year the sky is the limit. I want to reach out to as many people as I can and support them while they work to reach their goals. And I want to help my team of coaches advance in their business so they can reach as many people as they can, too. I want to continue to give the gift of fitness and inspiration to as many people as I can, and I would love to end 2013 with over 20,000 Facebook followers that are working towards their goals and spreading the word to others.

3. Complete Tae-Bo PT 24/7.
I didn’t get a chance to even touch this program in 2012 because I was busy with others. I miss Billy and I want to go back to my fitness roots, and I think this program will be great during my pregnancy when I can’t go as intense as I’d like to.

4. Complete Brazil Butt Lift.
I bought this program a few months back and have yet to touch it – because I’ll be slightly restricted, I’m making this program top priority on my list.

5. Complete Les Mills Pump.
I purchased this program in December and I’m dying to try it! It’s definitely on my list for the year. 🙂

6. Walk/Run 500 Miles.
Last year I only made it to 208.96 miles due to a few months of restriction and honestly, just not paying that much attention. As my IVF procedures start, I’m going to be restricted to walking, and that will carry over into my pregnancy (and I’d like to get back to running if my doctor signs off on it)…so this one WILL be done this year!

7. Participate in More Races.
I got bitten by the running bug in 2012 and I want to keep it up in 2013. I definitely want to do the Color Run again with my amazing fitness family, and I’d love to do a few more runs if I can. Obviously this is going to be restricted a bit…but I’m going to make an effort.

8. Train for a 10K.
I know that this may or may not be possible this year, but now that I’ve finished the Ease into 5K program and successfully ran two 5K’s, I’m ready to start Bluefin Software’s Bridge to 10K program. If I end up being too restricted and not able to complete this, it will for sure be on my 2014 list!

9. Start a Local Fit Club.
The energy and excitement in Team Empowerment, our Facebook-based motivational workout group, is unreal – and I want to bring that to a local level. I have some amazing ladies on my team that are local and together we can put together a weekly/bi-weekly group that will allow people to try out all of the products that we love and believe in – Beachbody programs, Shakeology, and others (I’m sure a Tae Bo workout or two will show up during our meets). I would love to provide a place for people to go so they can stay motivated and get the support and inspiration they deserve.

0 Categories : 10K, 5K, Apps, Beachbody, Brazil Butt Lift, Ease into 5K, Exercise, Facebook, Fitness, Health, Healthy Eating, Les Mills Pump, Life, Measurements, Portion Control, Pregnancy, Running, Shakeology, The Scale

Jan
1

End the New Year’s #Fail

by OperationFit

This great infographic was put together by Nexercise and it is jam packed full of such great information. Read it, learn from it.

Join me this year in a free 365 Challenge – The 2013 Me – to help you stick with your resolutions. We’ll have monthly mini-challenges as well as monthly/quarterly check-ins and raffles.

0 Categories : Exercise, Facebook, Fitness, Health, Healthy Eating, Life, Measurements, Weight Loss

Dec
31

2012 Wrap Up

by OperationFit

So everyone makes New Year’s Resolutions…but I like to put together big goals at the beginning of the year so I can check my progress throughout the year (like I did with my halfway point check-in).

I set some big goals for 2012…so let’s see how I did!

1. Lose this stupid medication/hormone weight for good!
As of today, I’m at 20 pounds lost from the 50 pounds I gained – at one point I was at 30 lbs. but then I gained 10 pounds despite fitting into my regular sized clothes and feeling and looking better than ever. I’m watching the scale and I’m using it as a tool, but I’m also paying attention to how my body feels and how fit I am. I started the year struggling with a 1 minute run and the other day I ran 45 minutes without stopping. I had to get a glucose test in preparation for our IVF tests and my blood sugar is excellent, and my blood pressure came in at 110/80. I’m using the heaviest weights I have to date for my workouts, and I don’t cringe when I look in the mirror. I’m happy to take photos of myself. People I’ve run into have complimented me. My clothes are loose on me and I’m fitting into clothes I haven’t worn in years. I’m not scared to run into people and worry they may think I’m a fake or not worthy of being a coach because I haven’t seen enough of my own progress. I’m not there yet…but I’ve made HUGE progress this year and I’m very proud of it!

2. Finish P90X.
Done! 🙂

3. Complete P90X2 & Insanity…at the same time.
Eh, this changed slightly. I ended up doing Insanity and TurboFire together and completed both, and then I started P90X2 at the end of this year when I started the TurboFire Advanced program. I’m a week away from finishing TurboFire, and I’m about halfway through P90X2…however, I’ll be putting that only hold because of the physical restrictions I’ll have with my IVF procedure. I will be continuing with the toning workouts from X and X2, but I won’t officially “graduate” P90X2 until I’m okayed to go back to plyometric cardio workouts…which may not be until after my pregnancy. So oh well, such is life.

4. Complete the full C25K program.
I did and as of the other day, I officially ran a FULL 5K without stopping. I could not be prouder!

5. Complete Tae-Bo PT 24/7.
Because of all the other workouts I was doing, I didn’t even touch this one – BUT this will carry over into my 2013 goals because it will be a perfect pregnancy workout. 🙂

6. Participate in a Race.
I did, plus some! I did the Color Run with some of my amazing fitness family and we had a blast. My husband and I ran it after a week of being really sick (we almost didn’t make it to the race) so we alternated walking and running. This fall I participated in Crazy Sexy Fitt’s Virtual 5K, Fellow Flowers’ 2.6 Mile Run for the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and on December 28, I officially ran 3.1+ miles (45 minutes) without stopping. I ended the year yesterday with a 5 Mile Memorial Run/Walk (I did a mix) supporting my friend and fellow coach, Lisa (from Rock N Rage Fitness) – she’s turned a day of hurt and sad memories into a day of empowerment and I was proud to support her.

7. Bike 500 Miles.
I was so busy with all of my workout programs that I didn’t even get my bike down off the hook this year!

8. Walk/Run 500 Miles.
I ended up getting pretty bad shin splints from my first round of C25K because I was pushing too hard and going too fast with terrible form, so I lost 2 months of progress. I did start to pick it up towards the end of the year though, but I only made it to 208.96 miles. I didn’t really focus on the 500 like I should have, and I’m going to carry this goal into the new year as well – and I WILL get there! I’m proud of the progress I made this year and I set a nice base for next year.

9. Help More People Reach Their Goals.
I started this year with only one other coach on my team, and together we created something beautiful. We now lead Team Steel, made up of 32 fitness coaches who are setting out to help more people every single day. Our motivational workout group that started as a New Year’s Resolution group with only about 20 members now has 375 members, and we’re growing every single day. Our monthly 10 Day Challenges have gone from 6 participants in January to now bringing in about 50 people a month that are dedicating 10 days to making a change in their life. My Operation Fit Facebook page, which started the year with only about 50 followers (lol, if that) now has 4,400+ followers and more follow every day. I now also have followers on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, too. I talk to more and more people every single day and this goal is will roll over into 2013 because I’m nowhere near done. Becoming a Beachbody coach was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done, it has connected me with people I never, ever would have met…and I cherish every single one of them.

So while I didn’t 100% achieve everything, I think I did a great job of making some excellent progress this year and I cannot wait to see what 2013 brings! I will sit down tomorrow, January 1st, and list out my goals.

0 Categories : 5K, Beachbody, calories, Ease into 5K, Exercise, Facebook, Fitness, Health, Healthy Eating, Insanity, Life, Measurements, P90X, P90X2, Pregnancy, Running, The Scale, TurboFire, Weight Loss

Dec
31

Documentation = Success

by OperationFit

When I started to get serious about my weight loss and goals back in 2004, I needed to have a clear plan of attack visualized. I also wanted to keep myself accountable, so I decided I would track my workouts and note the days I didn’t workout…and what my excuse was. My workouts calendars were born and I’ve kept one a month ever since.

I would track my workouts in black and my excuses in pink so they stood out – I wanted as little pink on the calendar as I could. I noticed it was also helpful to track my period since that could affect my weight, so that went on in blue (and now I track my cycle days and medication with that as well – I have PCOS and I have to take Provera every month to start my period). When I got my bodybugg and now my Fitbit, I also started to track calories burned with each workout – noted each day in parentheses in order of my workouts that day. Over on the right (not pictured here because I was just talking about my workouts when I posted this on Facebook) I track my weekly weight loss and set goals at the beginning of the month.

I’m obsessed with numbers, obsessed with beating my personal best every workout, and this gave me a way to track all of that. It has also become a really neat way to see my fitness progress over the years.

As I started to post different images of my calendars on my Facebook page, I always got asked where I got these calendars from – I make them because I never found anything that had everything I wanted so I just made my own.

I’ve decided to start offering them for download. You can use them in the exact way that I do, or you can decide what works best for you. I’ve also added a “Tracking, Notes & Accomplishments” section at the bottom so you can track anything you want. For me this year, I started noting at the bottom of each page how many miles I walked/ran because that was part of my 2012 resolutions – so you can set your own goals and see what you can accomplish.

You can download these all now or you can download a couple months at a time. They will be up and available for you all of 2013, and expect another set in 2014 and every year after since I’ll be making them for myself anyway. These have helped me so much and it’s great to sit down and look back over all of my progress.

And a little tip – I set weekly goals for myself and put them on sticky notes. I can visualize the whole month of progress at the very beginning and have a clear direction of where I’m going, but I also know that life happens and every week I may not meet my goal. That allows me to track my progress and move the stickies around as needed. Here are my goals for January (and don’t even ask about my crazy numbers…I have a set math that I work with, lol!).

2013 Printable Progress Calendars
To download, right click on each of the months below and save the linked file to your computer (each is in PDF format). You can also click on each month to preview the calendar.

Depending on your printer, you may need to adjust the printing size – my old printer was fine at 100%, but with my new printer I had to scale it to 98% so it wouldn’t cut off part of the month.

January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013

0 Categories : bodybugg, calories, Exercise, Facebook, Fitbit, Fitness, Health, Life, Measurements, The Scale, Weight Loss

Dec
9

Fitbit One Review

by OperationFit

I’ve had my Fibit Ultra for about 5 months but when the new Fitbit One came out, I had to have it….and I’m so glad I upgraded. There was absolutely no issue with the Ultra, which is currently not available as it is being replaced by the One – I’m actually selling it at half price to a friend because it’s in ‘like new’ condition and my husband still has his. However, the One takes everything that was great about Ultra tracker and improves upon it with a couple great features.

Fitbit Ultra vs. Fitbit One
The main technical upgrades that I was excited for were:

Sweat, water and rain proof. I workout hard and when my husband and I walk outside, there is always a chance that we’ll get caught in the rain. When we have, the first thing I’ve done is work on protecting my bodybugg/Fitbit and iPhone. It’s nice to know this isn’t a concern anymore. The Fitbit One is smaller than the Ultra and fits into a rubber case, which protects all of its connectors that were previously exposed. Please note that it is NOT fully waterproof and cannot be submerged in water or worn while swimming.
Syncs to Smartphones and Tablets. Unfortunately I only have an iPhone 4 (syncing starts at 4S and up) but I will be upgraded to the iPhone 5 soon so I am looking forward to this feature. I don’t consult my current iPhone Fitbit app that much anyway because I can see all the info I need right on my device, but it will be a really nice feature when I can take advantage of it. Right now I have to shove my head halfway into my shirt to see my current burn (I wear my Fitbit on my bra), which can get me odd looks in public… I’m looking forward to just pulling out my phone, opening my app, and seeing everything right there.
Silent Wake Alarm. You can set multiple alarms and your Fitbit will vibrate. I have two set up in the morning in addition to my iPhone alarm, but this is also a great feature if you need to remind yourself of something at the same time every day. You can choose to have the alarm go off once or repeat (and you select which days of the week it will go off). This is such a simple but great upgrade, I love it!

New to the Fitbit? In addition to the feature upgrades I listed above, the Ultra and One both offer the following capabilities:

Steps, Distance & Calories Burned. This is the most basic information you need if you’re working on losing weight or just looking to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ve used both the bodybugg and the Fitbit and the calories burned were pretty much the same (to within a 20-40 calorie difference at times) so I’m going to say the calorie burn is accurate. It also tracks the steps and distance you’ve walked, and even flights of stairs. These display on your Fitbit device, mobile app, and website in real time.
Activity Badges. This is a really fun feature that I didn’t see the appeal of until I started earning different badges. I love getting emails (like the one seen below) informing me that I’ve earned a new badge. I feel accomplished and it makes me check out what I’ve earned and excited to start working towards the next goal. Between that, the random messages that pop up on my iPhone telling me that I’m almost to my daily step goal, and my daily food and calorie logging, I’ve always got fitness and my goals on my mind.
Sleep. This was one feature I didn’t think I’d care about but now I’m addicted to. The Fitbit shows you your hours asleep, time it takes for you to fall asleep, number of times woken throughout the night, and rates your sleep efficiency. I can tell you it’s pretty accurate – if I wake up feeling tired and dragging, I can look at my Fitbit sleep tracker and see why.
Syncs wirelessly to Macs and PCs. For the Fitbit One, you have a Dongle that plugs into the USB port of your computer and syncs you’re information when you’re within 20 feet of it. You also now have the Fitbit Connect app installed on your computer where you can manually sync, set up a device, check for upgrades and troubleshoot.
Rechargeable Battery. Your Fitbit One battery will last a minimum of 5-7 days between charging. I plug mine in once or twice a week when I’m sitting at my computer and not moving around much – 10-15 minutes is all I need to get my battery back up, and I’ve never had an issue with the battery dying on me.
Free online and mobile tools. After your initial purchase of the Fitbit One ($99.95 + shipping), everything is absolutely free. Besides having a beautiful user interface, the Fitbit online site and mobile app are simple to work with and provide a lot of information in one glance. You can set goals, track your progress, and you can connect your account to My Fitness Pal (also free) for very easy food tracking on your computer and smartphone.

What’s in the Box? There are some new accessories with the One that Ultra users will be excited about.

Fitbit Tracker and Silicone & Metal Clip Case. (top left) The Fitbit One is considerably smaller than the Ultra and goes into a silicone & metal clip case that you attach to your clothes (protecting its connectors from water and sweat). It is taken out of the case and slid into the Sleep Wrist Band at night (top right) through the slit you see at the top. It sits inside a nice little mesh pouch so you can still see the information on the device. I was unsure about it at first since I was used to the Ultra clipping onto the wristband (one side in, one side out) but this option is so much more compact.
Wireless USB Dongle. (top middle) The little dongle plugs into your computer’s USB and uploads the information from your Fitbit One when you are within 20 feet. I absolutely love how small it is, especially when I’m plugging it into my laptop’s side USB port.
Charging Cord. (bottom) To charge your Fitbit One, you take it out of the silicone & metal clip case and plug it into the charging cord, which connects to your computer’s USB port. The battery indicator displays on the Fitbit as it charges.

Why Not the Fitbit Zip?
The Fitbit Zip is only $59.95, which may be a better option for some people. The reason why I’m not a fan of it is because it doesn’t include the sleep tracker, doesn’t record floors climbed, doesn’t have a silent alarm (which is one of my favorite new features of the Fitbit One) and it requires a watch battery. That’s not a big deal for a lot of people, but I say pay the additional $40.00 and get so much more out of your tracker. I have no experience with it so I’m not knocking it all, though…different people have different preferences.

*Fitbit photos courtesy of Fitbit.com.

0 Categories : Advertising, Apps, calories, Exercise, Fitbit, Health, Healthy Eating, Life, Measurements, The Scale, Weight Loss

Dec
4

Commitment Day 01.01.13

by OperationFit

I am proud to announce that my team of coaches will be hosting a free 5K event in support of the Commitment Day movement on 01.01.13. Register on their site and join a run in your city, or run on your own or with friends.

We have a Facebook group to support everyone who joins us, and anyone who submits proof of their walk/run will be entered to win some great raffle prizes.

We will also have a custom t-shirt you can purchase for your run. Join us!!

0 Categories : Exercise, Health, Life

Nov
19

Don’t Let Thanksgiving Derail Your Progress

by OperationFit

Did you know that the average American will consume 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving and gain around 10 lbs. during the holiday season?

Last year I was terrified of Thanksgiving. I love to eat and Thanksgiving food is by far some of my favorite, but I was a month into P90X and I was scared I would erase all my progress with just a few days of food. So rather than derail my progress, I set out to figure a way to enjoy everything I wanted…but not gain and hopefully still lose.

I busted my butt and set a record high burn with a double workout in the morning, and then my husband and I set another record with a long walk in the evening that burned over 1400 calories! I lost weight the week of Thanksgiving and I was so proud – I had conquered a major fear and proven to myself that I AM IN CONTROL. This year we’re looking to beat our numbers from last year (and I will be updating my Facebook page with our final numbers).

Here are a few tips for pushing through, staying on course, and proving that you’re not an “average” American.

Start or Continue A Workout Program
Don’t use the holiday season as an excuse to relax and take a break from your workouts; if anything, let it motivate you to push harder towards your goals because you will be faced with more temptations and challenges than normal. Continue to set your goals, and if you’re not currently doing a workout program, start one! We offer great Challenge Packs that set you up with 60 and 90 day programs, and all purchases come with one-on-one support and motivation from me as well as Team Empowerment, our Facebook group that is filled with motivated people working towards their goals, supporting and inspiring each other. Plus, we have a GREAT Black Friday deal coming up that will allow you to save with a Challenge Pack and get a $25 Beachbody eGift Card for your next purchase (or feel free to use it as a gift). Contact me if you’re interested in a Challenge Pack or if you just need motivation – no purchase is necessary to receive one-on-one coaching or to join our Facebook group, and all workouts are welcome.

Start the Day with a Workout
You know that amazing feeling you get after a workout? It makes you less likely to cheat or make bad choices because you don’t want to ruin what you already did. Plan a big workout for the morning of or sign up for your local Turkey Trot if you’re not doing the cooking to set a positive tone for your day. Don’t think you have the time? YES YOU DO. Plan ahead and you will be able to fit in a workout or two before you start the cooking or during a period of waiting. I get mine in as soon as the turkey goes in the oven before I start prepping the rest of the food closer to dinner time. This year I am going to be doing my Crazy Sexy Fitt Virtual 5K, which means I’m going to burn 800 calories before I even sit down to eat.

Plan Ahead
You have no idea what you can accomplish if you do a little planning before you head out. Whether you’re cooking or something else is, make a plan of what you’ll eat and if you can, log your calories (My Fitness Pal is a great app that you can use on the computer or on your smartphone). If you go in with a plan, you’ll be less likely to stray and consume additional calories.

Eat Ahead of Time
If you think you’re going to have a hard time controlling yourself, why not eat a bit at home before you go? You will already be satisfied which will allow you to make food decisions with your brain, not your stomach.

Downsize Your Plate
Ever notice how plates at restaurants are huge? The servings are proportional to the plate so your brain doesn’t register that there’s anything wrong, but they’re way more than you actually need in one sitting. The same goes for decreasing the size of your plate – when you eat from a smaller plate, you can trick your brain into believing that you’re getting the same amount of food you would on a larger plate…and chances are you’ll find you’re just as satisfied, and you will definitely avoid overeating and getting that uncomfortable “overly full” feeling.

Portion Your Plate
So now that you’ve got a smaller plate, keep this breakup in your mind as you add food.

50% of your plate should be veggies and 30% should be lean meat, which leaves 20% for your starches. A favorite little trick of mine that I use the whole year is adding a salad separate from your main plate to really help you fill up with a smaller amount of calories, making you less likely to want to continue eating. With your salad, make sure you watch the dressing – put a little on and mix it up thoroughly, or have it on the side and dip your salad to avoid a lot of extra calories. You should have 90% veggies and 10% dressing.

Pay Attention To Your Food
If you pay attention to what you’re eating and fully chew and enjoy each bite rather than wolfing it down, you’ll find that you’re less likely to go for seconds. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize when you’re full – eating slower and waiting a bit before you decide if you really need seconds will help you make a smarter decision. And if you do go back for seconds try a smaller plate, or use the same plate and ratio you did before but just take up less room (as if you’re filling up a smaller plate).

Hydrate
Many people are dehydrated and don’t even know it – and most confuse thirst for hunger. Keeping up with your water throughout the day, especially before dinner, will keep you more full and allow you again to decide with your brain and not stomach when you’re filling up your plate.

Take a Healthy Dessert or Side
I enjoy cooking our meal because I can control everything that goes into our food – I use the same low-calorie recipes every year and I can plan my portions accordingly before I even sit down to eat. If you don’t have control of the cooking, consider taking a healthy side or dessert that you can indulge in, especially if you know there will be other foods tempting you. Doing a Google search, visiting a healthy cooking website (a great one is Skinny Taste) or even searching Pinterest, you can find a bunch of great recipes.

Enjoy a Drink or Dessert
But do so in moderation! If you’re living a healthy lifestyle properly, you know that you can cheat in moderation once in a while…and holiday get togethers are a perfect reason to do this since there is so much temptation. Reward yourself for the hard work you’ve done all year, you deserve it! When picking out your cheat, only eat half of what you normally would – you get the taste, you get to enjoy it, but you’re also not going crazy and completely sabotaging yourself. If you going to have an adult beverage, limit yourself to 1 or 2.

Workout After Dinner
It’s a common myth that turkey makes you sleepy (see the proof here) and sitting around after a bigger meal than usual isn’t help your body use those calories. Your workout after dinner doesn’t have to be a hard one – my husband and I enjoy a long walk every Thanksgiving evening. It allows us to start working off what we just ate, and we can enjoy each other’s company and feel great when it’s time to head to bed.

Avoid Leftovers or Send Them Away
I make a big 20 lb. turkey for my husband and myself because I love a week of Thanksgiving food, but after the first day the desserts and other “unhealthy” items have to go. We keep turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and lots of veggies on hand because we know we can control our calories – but if the treats are sitting around we’re going to mindlessly snack. Avoid leaving parties with “bad” leftovers, and if you’re hosting send the treats home with your guests and just keep the healthy food on hand.

0 Categories : Beachbody, calories, Exercise, Health, Healthy Eating, Holidays, Life, Money Saving, Portion Control, Recipes, The Scale, Weight Loss

Nov
13

Black Friday Deal!

by OperationFit

Skip the crowds this year and purchase a Challenge Pack to start 2013 off right! Plus, get a $25 gift card for every Challenge Pack you purchase (even if you’re purchasing for a friend or family member).

Contact me to purchase!

0 Categories : Advertising, Beachbody, Exercise, Health, Holidays, Life, Money Saving, Shakeology, Weight Loss

Oct
2

Bully Calls News Anchor Fat

by OperationFit

I was very annoyed to see this story in the news today about an email that WKBT news anchor Jennifer Livingston received. The email, posted by her husband Mike Thompson, a fellow WKBT news anchor, on his Facebook page reads:

Hi Jennifer,

It’s unusual that I see your morning show, but I did so for a very short time today. I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn’t improved for many years. Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.

What in the world would motivate someone to send an email like this? How upset about your life do you have to be to project such hatred onto someone else? The rudeness of this individual is absolutely uncalled for.

I am all for promoting a healthy lifestyle, but there are many different body types and medical conditions out there. There is no “one size fits all” shape and the biggest idea that I emphasize is being happy in your own skin. You need to make changes in your life that make you happy, and you work with what you have. Nobody should ever have to hear this, and the person who sent this to her is a coward who hides behind their computer screen to make others feel bad. I’m sure she’s not the first that they contacted.

I love her public response, which you can view below. There are currently 701 supportive comments posted in response to Mark Thompson’s Facebook post, and 112 shares, and she says it best in the closing of her video:

“Do not let your self-worth be determined by bullies. Learn from my experience that the cruel words of one are nothing compared to the shouts of many.”

If you’ve ever been called fat or insulted by someone about the way you look, pay attention to what she says and take on the same attitude. You rock and if people can’t see, screw them. If you’ve ever made a comment about someone’s weight or appearance, I hope you will think twice before you go out of your way to hurt someone again.

0 Categories : Health, Life, Weight Loss

Sep
28

Exercise Is My Drug

by OperationFit

I posted about my workouts today and one of my challengers asked how I could workout for such a long period of time to burn so many calories – I did 2 hours and 40 minutes of toning and cardio workouts and I burned 934 calories – and I started to respond and realized this is something I should share with all of you.

It started back in college, 2004 to be specific. My boyfriend (now husband), Erik, went away to Basic Training and I stayed back in Cincinnati to finish school, 4 hours away from my family (I’m from Cleveland). Because I changed majors and I participated in the co-op program (work full-time every other quarter), all of my friends were already gone and I had a lot of time to myself. I started rollerblading and walking, and I discovered Tae Bo.

I was sitting on my butt for hours on end doing projects for school (I was a graphic/digital design major), and dealing with a lot of stress from school and missing Erik (we had been inseparable since we were 16), so I turned to exercise. I would get my iPod full of great music and just go lose myself walking or rollerblading, and then I’d come home and feel great and want more…so I’d do a Tae Bo workout, or two, or three…lol. Needless to say, I dropped 30 lbs. and shocked Erik by the time I saw him next, lol.

Exercise to me has always been very meaningful – I can truly be myself, and I actually have my best ideas while I’m working out (I did lots of brainstorming for school on my rollerblades). I’m in complete control and I’m constantly in competition with myself. How many more calories can I burn this time? How much higher can I kick? How many more reps can I do? I’m OCD about numbers and recording them – I’ve kept a monthly calendar since I took this huge turn in my life, and I still have every single one. I record my workouts, my weight loss/gain, and when I got my bodybugg (and now my Fitbit), I started recording calories burned.

I’ve spent a lot of my life feeling hopeless about a lot of different things, and I even deal with extreme anxiety and panic attacks, and in college I learned to turn to exercise to help myself with that….and it works. When Erik was deployed to Afghanistan for 15 months, I was terrified he would die and I had daily panic attacks. I saw doctors, I even tried anti-depressants – I was done with those the day I started, they made me feel horrible.

But what didn’t make me feel horrible? Exercise. I didn’t have anywhere to rollerblade anymore, but after we got married I had gotten a really nice bike…so I started tracking numbers on those wheels instead.

I got more and more into Tae Bo, and I can confidently say that Billy and Shellie Blanks saved my life, and my sanity, on more than one occasion. I will forever be grateful to them because I never, ever would have decided to try P90X and Beachbody if they didn’t open that door for me. I wouldn’t have found this connection with so many others, I wouldn’t have started to really explore healthy eating, and I don’t know where I would be today if I didn’t randomly pick up those first two Tae Bo DVDs (Cardio Circuits 1 & 2 – still two of my favorites).

So when I go and do these marathon workouts, it’s to see the numbers and feel accomplished…but I’m in no way torturing myself or obsessing (alright, so maybe I obsess a little…). I’m having fun and I’m enjoying every single minute of it. I’m happy and healthy because of how hard I work, and I’m seeing progress every day. When my doctor told me because of my PCOS I would have to work twice as hard as anyone else to lose the fertility treatment weight I put on, I told her that was fine, bring it on. I’m making progress every day and loving every single minute!

Exercise is my drug…and I will never quit. 🙂

0 Categories : Beachbody, bodybugg, calories, Exercise, Fitbit, Health, Healthy Eating, Life, P90X, The Scale, Weight Loss

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