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"I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso When I started my journey- I knew absolutely nothing about weight lifting, cardiovascular health, or good nutrition.  Well, other than the the countless books and diet plans I had invested my money in and started ...but never finished.   Sound familiar?  I probably have them all, as I was always looking for "the" answer that would change my life.  That craziness stopped in 2007 when I decided to stop looking for the answers in others and start learning for myself.   I began with Weight Watchers and learned the basics of portion control and calories, and then expanded my knowledge by reading actual nutrition books and articles (blogs were not QUITE as reliable or plentiful as they are now).  I hired my trainer, Adam, who taught me weight lifting and cardio basics, and I asked him endless questions.  Relentless I was....curious and craving more knowledge a...

As I write this post I'm finishing my workout...successfully fought the ANTS (automated negative thoughts) that surfaced this morning when I stepped on the scale for my weekly weigh in and got the "bad"  feedback. What!!? I have "been good" this week and upped my workout intensity, and fully expected that number to be far less than last week.  EPIC fail.... Or was it?   I've been doing this long enough that I have faced this path in my journey quite often. I have learned to see it as a crossroads.  I can choose the path filled with ANTS that starts with a "I failed" mentality and find myself thinking "why try anymore?  I am not getting results, so why bother?"  Or I can take the less trodden path (I'm still learning to recognize the ANTS) of "I will not let that number determine me or derail me from my goals and success.  I will be persistent and trust the proven process."  My choice is to give up (which will only lead me ba...

This is one of my favorite DIY pieces.  It can literally be installed most places, is effective for all fitness levels ( I have even used it for clients with MS and Fibromyalgia), AND it  works your total body.  There are so many options!  Todays workout..hung it from my front door, did a warm up jog and burned over 700 calories in an hour.  DIY and make fitness fun and simple! Get real...feel fabulous!

If you have EVER made a gym part of your weight loss/workout regiment, you have probably experienced it.  That uncomfortable feeling when the ultra-fit people begin talking and you wonder if you are in another world. I call it gym-timidation.  I know I have experienced it, and there have been many times I have wanted to quit because of it! I vividly recall my 275 pound self hobbling around the gym where I quite frankly felt that I did not "belong."  I was oversized on the equipment and out of breath, and he wants me to do what?  As my transformation began, no one else really talked to me, and I felt like I was at one of those "by special invitation only" parties with my trainer.  I felt like I didn't "deserve" to be there because I wasn't at the same "place" physically as 90% of those who walked through the door. I was convinced that everyone was watching me struggle through the workouts, and I felt like I was being judged....

I have been asked several times (and asked the question myself), "What diet plan are you following?"  It is a timeless question.  Everyone wants to know what "plan" everyone else is "doing" especially when people are successful.  Which I might add is a perfectly good intention.  If you want success, model behavior of someone who has already achieved the success you want. However, be choosy and learn things for yourself.    Here are 3 HUGE truths about diets: 1.  They don't work .  Trust me, I have tried 90% of every new diet out there for the last 30 years.  They are designed for a quick fix, can't be maintained for long, and usually cut out really good nutritional and beneficial foods (or have you surviving daily on just enough energy for brain function).  Seriously? 2.  They are overpriced .   Any program of eating (in my humble opinion) that requires the purchase of...

Not to me either Ms. Rowling! In school we learned about synonyms.  In one activity, we made a kite for the base word, and then kite strings for each new word we could come up with that meant the same.  We can say so many things with just one word.   If there is a word I have tried to remove from my vocabulary as I moved forward to change my life (and I would recommend it to you) - it is the word "fat."  Now, I am not saying I live in denial when I think about the excess fat tissue I have had to lose and keep off for the last few years of  my  life to have better health and energy, but let's face it...that word has a much deeper meaning in our world.  Cruel meanings - or "pseudo-synonyms" attached to it are not hard to spot ESPECIALLY if you have ever been labeled as fat or obese (the actual medical term).    So what are some of those common pseudo-synonyms to the word "fat" in our culture?  Lazy.  Self-indulgent.  Ugly. Worthl...

I encourage people to keep a journal, especially when they are going through weight loss and transformation.  It is not only a great way to keep track of food and exercise, but also a tool to record personal insights and realizations.  I kept record of the good, the bad, and yes even the ugly!  My journals have become precious to me.  Yes, I see a lot of  "I didn't so so well" or "I am so frustrated" entries, but there were also some great entries!  Some that were major miles markers on my journey...or "lightbulb" moments.   For instance: March 2007 (6 months before I started my transformation) "I am starting to catch a glimpse of that woman I was.  She has been buried and stuffed away for so long  - its gonna take some work to get her back.  This week I discovered something SO profound.  I found myself saying "I don't think I am worth it," when it comes to living up to my potential and doing all the things I hav...