Double-Sided Fears

I read an article by Natalie Jill called Make Your Own Luck! It is a great article and really made me start thinking.
Our lives are built by what we choose to do and choose not to do.
After reading I decided to read Natalie's post, Accomplish Your Goals and I am hooked. I will be starting the three tier process for setting my goals tonight. I am looking forward to getting my feet moving.
We tend to have big dreams and big ideas and out of fear we never act upon them. We are afraid of failure or stepping out of our comfort zone.
When I really stop to think about it... there is a double-sided fear on goals.
The first fear is failure...
The second fear is growing old and never knowing what could have been.

In this case... what are WE waiting for?
I don't know about you, but time flies very fast around here.
I am a big dreamer... full of extravagant dreams!
I am going to use my planner to track my goals in order to make them reality.
Let me know if you too will be reevaluating your goals and taking the steps to start tracking them.
Tomorrow is Monday and I am looking forward to a fresh start! =)

Weekly Challenge... #1

I wrote in a previous blog about me setting weekly goals. I have decided to take it a step further and see if I can get you all to join me as well.
This week I have set the challenge (again) to

DRINK A GALLON OF WATER A DAY!

Drinking more water helps you reach your weight loss goals. I feel so much better overall when I do this and my skin looks 100% times better also. So see, there is a plus to drinking more water!

Meet my partner in crime for this goal... my Tervis Tumbler. He is at my desk all day and I fill him at least 5 times throughout the day. The Tervis cup is 24 ounces and a gallon is about 128 ounces. When you do the math ((Yes I did the math ;)) it is about 5.3 Tervis cups. Aim for 5 and a half by 4PM this entire week.
Looking for another helpful way to consume the gallon a day? Buy the gallon water bottles and take it with you. I pour mine in to my Tervis cup throughout the day. I even draw motivating pictures on the container. Yes, that's me with big guns on there! ;-)

No matter how you do it you can accomplish this goal. Write it in your planner. Use an expo marker and write it on your bathroom mirror or rear view mirror.
Do you know WHAT your goals are? Is it to lose 5 extra pounds before the Summer weather comes? Is it to completely eliminate junk food and sugars from your diet?
What holds you accountable and motivated? I know for me it is sharing my goals with people and finding motivation in others I look up to. I follow MANY of the fitness industry's best on Facebook. Find your favorites and look to them for motivation. We are all constantly browsing through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Following people that are motivating and post things dealing with your goals is a completely different kind of motivation.
Find me on Facebook, Fit From the Inside Out or on Instagram @anna0301. I am still new to Instagram, but I'm beginning to use it more! =)
I always love when people share their goals with me! There IS strength in numbers!

Thank you for listening!

I will check in with our weekly goal a little later this week!

Watch Your Language

I recently read an article in the Summer 2012 Bookazine (Pg. 115) on the power of words. The article talks about having a fitness mantra personal to your goals. There is also a version online at Oxygen Magazine!
I loved both of the articles!
I had just gotten my first Firedaughter shirt in the mail and I was attending my first spin class. LOVE my Firedaughter gear!

The shirt read "It's not luck. It's hard work." Pink with black writing. I was ready to go and felt great!!!

Well, I don't know if you have ever been to a spin class, but 20 minutes in I was DYING! Gasping for air, trying to keep it together, and I had already finished my ONLY bottle of water! I caught my shirt in the mirror. Although the words were backwards... I thought to myself...

"It's not luck. It's hard work."

I pushed through the rest of spin class constantly telling myself...

"It's not luck. It's hard work."

It got me through the rest of the class and numerous workouts in the past few weeks.
Self talk is an amazing thing. I never realized the impact positive mantras or sayings have on my workouts. When I am ready to give up I think... One more rep!
When I'm running (I hate cardio) I think... Push!
The positive mantras you or I can have are endless, but what pushes you? What helps YOU get through and closer to your goals?
I loved this article in the Bookazine. I have to say... it really has changed my workouts.
The article talks about creating a mantra unique for you and walks you through having POSITIVE self-talk!
Thoughts can make or break you.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't... you're right!"

-Henry Ford

Thank you for listening!

-Mondays-

I decided to make Monday my rest day. I figured... I hate Monday as it is and the gym is ALWAYS packed on a Monday, so resting seemed like the best decision.
Last week I set the goal to go to a spin class and well my procrastination messed that goal up.
I added it to my challenge for this week along with "a gallon of water a day". Today I completed day #1! 6 more to go!
My spin class will be tomorrow morning and I will complete a fast bicep & back workout. I have been trying to write down all of my workouts, but I lose track.
I am actually dreading the spin class, but I think that is exactly why I failed to go last week.
This week I plan to find some new recipes to try. I love finding a healthy alternative to some of our favorite foods.
Like this last week...
I usually do my protein shakes in the blender, but the mess is such a pain to clean up.
This week I decided to try putting my pumpkin pie shake in the shaker cup and giving that a shot.
It worked and its my new favorite grab and go!

In my shaker cup I did-

1 scoop of vanilla protein

1 teaspoon (1serving) of No-Flavor Glutamine

2 tablespoons of raw pumpkin

(don't use pumpkin pie filling. make sure the only ingredient on the can is "pumpkin")

1 cup Almond Milk

All Spice & Nutmeg

(I don't measure these. Less than a teaspoon though)

I put the almond milk in first. I find that nothing clumps if the milk is first and I shake the cup really fast! (USE YOUR GUNS!) :-)

My second creation for a shake was done on Easter. 

I was craving one of the peanut butter eggs I put in Nick's Easter basket. ( I HAD TO!!! They are his favorite)
My alternative... chocolate protein, vanilla almond milk, protein, and peanut butter. It honestly was great and halted my craving for those sugar filled eggs.

I look forward to more recipes and more thoughts.
Wish me luck at spin class.

Thank you for listening!
Xo
Anna

Missing In Action

I really have been missing in action.
I was set to really check in, write my thoughts and hold myself accountable to my blog every day.
I failed, but it isn't too late to start again. With school and work I found myself forgetting of my new goal, to write this blog.
I have created new goals for myself and most importantly on that list is to become inspirational to other people.
I have been following Kelsey Byers on Facebook. She is down to earth and so inspirational. When reading her posts I found myself dreaming bigger dreams for myself. My problem???... I never reach my goals or I only dream of things and self doubt sets in.
So, today... I found myself wondering, "How can I do this?"...
I want to be great, inspirational like Kelsey, and reach my dreams and goals.
I truly know the answer... write it down, set out to do it, and don't give up.
I think for this one I am going to utilize my planner and this blog to set my goals.
First goal, write more often... researching new and better things that will help me on my journey. I find myself lost in the inspiration, but not really learning anything new!
Second goal, bathing suit season... OF COURSE! Summer is just around the corner and I want to look great in a bathing suit. Perhaps I will reward myself with a new suit!!
Third goal, stick to my diet and work out plan so I am PROUD of myself and can set some new, challenging goals that help with my dreams.

I am only going to set three at a time in order to have a better grip on tracking my goals.
Here is the biggest challenge I have... Being embarrassed of my dreams and feeling as if people will not believe in me or take me seriously. This includes my blog, becoming a trainer, becoming a fitness model, or becoming anything remotely close to my favorite fitness models and athletes.
This is my biggest obstacle and perhaps the one thing that holds my back from accomplishing the rest of my goals and dreams.
This one I will need to ponder, but I will begin by writing down my goals and tracking my goals in my planner. Perhaps I will get the courage to ask one of these great fitness models if they had this same set back and how they overcame it.

Here we go... again!! :)
**After writing that I feel like NOW is the time to hold myself accountable**
Xo
Anna