Motivation Monday

It is easy to get comfortable. It is easy to fall into excuse mode, "my knee hurts so I can't push hard". Then there is that other convo, "but I'm having fun". 

Well, how fun is it when you have to take medication 2 - 3 times a day. 

Better yet, how much fun is it when you huff and puff up a flight of stairs. 

I still do the latter, but I'm not going to get any better by taking it easy. 

I have the train hard to matter what mindset. I am mentally ready.

Workout

Yesterday I wrote about what I was going to do. This morning at 4:30A when my alarm went off I was ready to snooze. I went to the restroom and I was starting to talk myself into going back to bed. Then I saw therock's IG pic... 3:50?!?! DAMN! 

I thought about the rocks body and then I said, "yep you're doing this!"

I ended the intended routine; Yoga (20), PiYo (23) and Bike (20). PiYo and Yoga are logged as one since there is no PiYo in the tracker. PiYo is a combo of Pilates, Yoga and Cardio. It is fast paced and makes me sweat like crazy 5 minutes in. 

Do it

If you have a goal.If you said you would start.

Just do it because the feeling afterwards is SATISFYING!

YOU GOT THIS!

Monthly Feature - Inspiration Cycle

June 2015

Elaine.
My Reminder.

This months inspirational feature is different. The featured person is someone who is no longer with us but deserves a special homage for the ways she inspired me. Elaine was my boss. She was not liked by many and many feared her. I on the other hand, had no friction with Elaine. I understood why it was difficult for others to relate or interact with her. I chose to make my life easy and instead find ways I could relate to her. 

She was a self-taught Assistant Vice-President. She had climbed the corporate ladder with plenty of hard work and self-taught knowledge. There was no doubt she was intelligent. She was a vegetarian who committed to a certain type of diet based on an aunt passing at a young age from colon cancer. She was not the healthiest vegetarian and she figured it out a few years before her 40th birthday. She started to make changes and lost approx. 60-80 lbs. She often encouraged me to join her and I would sometimes reluctantly do the stairs with her. I would at times imitate her meals. I am clear now it was not my time. I was not mentally ready because I had a "block". 

I soon found out Elaine had that same "block" but she worked with it. She too was a survivor of sexual abuse as a child and adolescent. She was not shy about her past and had no problem speaking about her abuser and therapy she endured. At times I would hear people in the office say, "oh it all makes sense". A stigma I feared and had no courage to speak out about. I once shared my "shameful" past with her. I shared how it stopped me and how it was the root of so much fear. She shared she had the same fears and figured out she had not lost weight because of the fear. Elaine and her words stuck with me. She said, "It is time to loose weight. I am doing this because they took my childhood away but they will not take my adulthood too". I clearly remember the look in her eyes; the hurt, the pain but most of all the determination to live life fully. She continued to provide knowledge about healthy eating, career development and the importance of an education . She inspired me with her drive to keep going no matter what was in the horizon.

Elaine lived for a couple years after her weight loss victory. She unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer and lost her battle about 11 months after diagnosis. It was hard for me during the last 6-8 months of her life. I wrote her regularly and our frequent home calls and visits became infrequent as her health deteriorated. I still remember the look in her eyes, telling me she was not giving up a couple months before she passed. While I shared much with her I do not think she knew how much I cared. I never got the opportunity to thank her for planting the seed. Her statement, "I am doing this because they took my childhood away but they will not take my adulthood too", is one that has stuck with me in a lot of what I do. 

I enrolled in school the Spring Elaine was diagnosed. When I went back to school afraid of being in a classroom, of meeting strangers, of walking late at night...I thought about her. When she passed in the following Winter, I wanted to quit but remembered her determination and strong spirit. As soon as I graduated I knew it was time to take my first steps towards weight loss. I started slowly and when I took my first steps on the park track afraid of the strangers around me... I thought about her. Today as I sit here with a knot in my stomach about shedding the next hundred pounds, well I think about her. While I may have triggers; I do not have that same type of fear. I no longer carry that shame about my past. I have allowed forgiveness to take over my heart and, I live each day fully. Openly and Lovingly.

Thank you Elaine. Thank you for contributing so much to my life. For creating a platform where I learn to love myself for who I am regardless of my past. For creating a safe haven where my past was not shameful. Most of all for making me focus on the present instead of what happened in my past. May you rest in peace Elainey.

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Hikes are good markers for my progress. I may huff and puff on inclines but each time it gets easier. Then with time I change the level of the hikes. Hikes continue to motivate me and push me to do better.

So I keep going.

Below is my workout schedule for this week since I'm in TM preparation mentality.  Get it going!

Sweet Saturday

Be yourself and then you will find that people will love you for who you are 

and not who you are pretending to be. It sounds like an easy statement yet people are often preoccupied with being a certain way for likability.  As time progresses the true essence of their being becomes non-existent. What happens when you loose sight of your authentic self?

 

You rebuild.

 

This is what I have been doing for years now. Life's obstacles have made me go through a few cycles of who am I? I go through phases of shedding negative thoughts and blockages. Then I start to allow people in my life. I share myself openly. Then I hide and block them out. It seems like an ongoing cycle of not allowing others to meet the true me.

 

So What Now?

I recently heard a lecture on the Hay House World Summit about the Power Pose. It was the Tuesday after my vacation. In the lecture David R. Hamilton, PhD, stated people who practiced the power pose for 2 minutes a day felt better and where more open to the positive experiences life had to offer. He went as far as saying, they open themselves up to more social interactions which is important. According to studies we feel safest when we are connected to others because through evolution our body has learned safety comes in numbers. The bio-chemistry of the body evolved so that we operate better when we are connected with others and people with

 regular positive human contact live longer. 

 

Perfect Timing

 

This information came at a time when I was starting to shut down and hide after things just seemed to perfect. For example, during my vacation I met people from my hometown after thinking how much the place felt like my old hometown. A blue jay, (my sign for Gramps), kept on perching on trees and ledges, when I felt like, this is to good to be true. The blue jay reminded me to take it all in because it was true. When I thought of certain friends they would call or text, like immediately. It was all just flowing and it all seemed magical. I was ready to escape from people upon my return because when something is to good to be true...well I run. Only this time, the lecture I listened to through the "let the universe choose for you" button, it was right on. The best part was when Hamilton said something like: practice the wonder woman pose and you will notice the difference. Things and experiences will start to change in a positive way. I was shocked, it was the pose I practiced daily during my vacation and it was even captured in most of my pics. I was doing it without even knowing!!!

It was all flowing.

 

So YES, I have said it before, and YES, I will say it again.

 

I AM READY. LIFE BRING ME LOVE AND JOY.

 

I ACCEPT.

 

TRAIN HARD. SHED FAST. LIVE LONG.

 

NAMASTE.

 

 

 

Motivational Monday

I am headstrong, stubborn and smart.

Sometimes I don't know when to stop and my stubborn ways get the best of me. Other times I don't give up because I am so stubborn...I just can't. It is probably the reason why my mom always had a hard time with me. She said I was often relentless.  Still am.

You can say being headstrong and stubborn is one in the same. It could be but I view it as my trait to be willing to try... over and over again. I fall. I get up. I have my mind set on something and I will keep going with my eye on the prize.

My intelligence will sometimes get the best of me. Especially when I over think, over analyze and just stop. But it has also saved me by blocking certain memories and surviving different stages of my life. It allows me to follow my own pace and I'm in what I call my perfect place. I  always land on my feet because of some final smart move I made. I am grateful.

So why do I make these statements on a motivational Monday entry? --- well to invite you to do the same. Reflect on who you are and how far you have come. Not to stay stuck in the past but to see how far  you have come. No matter where you are in your life thank yourself for  getting you there. Give yourself some self-love and then create something new just for you.

Here's to being the best you. Namaste.

Remain Coachable

Reflections. Denver Botanic Gardens. 5/18/15

 

 

The trip to Colorado has been fun-filled, spiritual and reflective. I did not every minute like in the past. I'm just going with the flow. It's been hard at times with my total controlling ways yet in the end it always feels good, something good comes out of the day. Peaceful.

 

 Don't get me wrong, I had a general idea about what I wanted to view what I want to view but just took it day by day based on the feel of the day. HUGE for me and LOVELY too. I'm happy.

 

The Lunch I packed for our Garden of the God's Trip.

MEALS



I truly had the best time creating meals for my God Kids. They questioned my cooking and were pleasantly surprised with the taste and feel. It was a great moment when they each told me how much they liked the salad and wraps. They asked me to be sure to email them the recipes. I said I'd send them pointers when I got home. Nice to expose them to new things. I hope they also go in search of some of these recipes and foods on their own.                       

                                                     

The nitty gritty, I've had it all with moderation. I balance as much as I can and order veggies and fruit when possible. The only day I let loose was Wednesday for lunch. I had BBQ with all the fixins, cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad, French fries and corn bread. Oh my GAH, it was delicious BUT I had half portions or quarter portions of each. I ate slowly and bit every single bite DOWN! When I was mid-full I stopped. Then we walked and walked and walked until it felt all right. The next meal Salad and Chili. The portion was great. The salad tower became this full lovely salad ( A LOT OF ARUGULA!) and my heart was content. Eating clean will be key for the rest of my trip. My stomach is already feeling the effects of the "Q" so it's telling me, "hey stop that!". I'm listening. But here I go again, eating the "ouch so painful burger! Until, I took a bite and said no more. I looked down and I had eaten about a quarter. Then I reached for the salad. The best part, today was Jose's formal dinner romantic celebration. Well, we decided to opt out on the big meal and take a stroll through the Garden of the God's during this lovely clear night. Oh, and plenty of water.

Tomorrow we start with a nice fresh meal.

 

 

EXERCISE

I've maintained as active as possible. Going for walks, strolls, hikes, using the fitness rooms at the hotels. I even took a Kettle Ball class, which has me extremely sore, but it feels great! I stretch throughout my days and breathe deep to take it all in. Truly Beautiful.

 

SOUL

 

CONTENT. ESTATIC. CALM. JOYFUL. PLAYFUL. WITH MUCH MUCH FIRE. O SEA, PASSION. Thank you world.

 

Now I have to keep on going so I have to go!!

To many fulfilling days. To many fulfilling moments.

Yes Life I Remain Coachable!

Enjoy!

The view from our rom.

Sweet Saturday

Today is my husband's birthday.  We are celebrating with a trip to Colorado. We are both excited. This is a recharge moment filled with new sites, beautiful mountains and Well all those other things I wrote about in my state reports through elementary school. Lol.

Yes this will be good indeed.