No Goal or Vision = Failure

Have you set any short term goals?

No?  Shame on you!  Studies show that...aw, who cares what studies show?! It's common sense.  If you avoid setting short term goals, when it comes to your health and overall well being, how are you going to reach your ultimate long term goals?

Not sure where to start?  I've got some great reads for you (in my opinion) that were written by my good friend, Alison Johnson.  Here they are:

The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting

First Things First

By Hook or by Crook

Most of us are only motivated by goals, whether they are for an event, a vacation, or a challenge set up by a friend or family member.  Without a health or fitness objective, the average person will not strive to improve each day.

So, what are you waiting for?  Start setting some short term goals and each time you accomplish one, set another! Don't forget to reward yourself!

Green Juice, Anyone?

Let me just start out by sharing the news that I am no longer competing in bikini competitions, unless it's the kind where you ride a bull at a bar in a bikini and make 150 bucks.  My reasoning behind this decision (in no particular order):

• My hidden trophy shelf in my closet is full and has no more space.  (Wow, that sounded cocky.)
• I have decided that spending thousands of dollars on a single trip to St. Tropez and hanging out in my bikini on the beach is more appealing than spending thousands of dollars on several domestic trips and eating cold tilapia out of a sandwich baggie in my hotel room.
• I'm about to launch the coolest health/fitness website that will require me to constantly upload new fitness videos, which will keep me in shape while I actually EARN money.
• My muscles are tight and I miss yoga.

Did I have fun competing?  Absolutely!  Did I learn a lot?  Without a doubt!  I'm extremely disciplined and obsessive about health, and that will never change.  This is a great segway into the reason for this blog post.

An ex-competitor friend of mine suggested that I do a juice cleanse for 3 days to press the restart button on my metabolism.  I'm on day 3 now and I feel so awesome!  My wedding ring is extremely loose now since I'm not retaining as much water, but that's the ONLY downfall!  Here is my favorite out of the 5 different drinks that I have during the day:

3 large kale leaves

2 cups spinach leaves

2 large romaine lettuce leaves

3 stalks celery

1/2 medium cucumber

Handful of Italian parsley

1 small lemon

1/2 red apple

6 drops liquid Stevia

20 drops liquid Dandelion Root

What's the one thing that I couldn't give up while juicing?  My Octane!  It's one of my energy sources and my daily multivitamin, and I like the fact that it also has the muscle-building amino's that I need for recovering from my workouts.

In my opinion:

Day 3 isn't over yet, but I am loving the way I feel!  I'm actually excited to slowly add my eggs and fish back into my food plan tomorrow.  I would recommend a juice cleanse to everyone (with your doctor's approval, of course), whether you are about to start a new nutrition program or you have been on your same program for a while.  It will definitely shock your body's internal furnace!

Kick it up a notch!

Did you know that how you are feeling is the direct result of the choices you are making? If you take care of your body, both inside and out, your mood will improve!  How can you keep your mind focused on what's best for your body?

In my opinion:

• Always have fresh fruit, vegetables and process-free foods in your house. Processed foods that are high in sugar may divert your attention away from uncomfortable feelings for the time being, but an apple or celery with a small amount of natural peanut butter will energize you! You did something great for your body, which will improve your mood at the same time.
• Feeling down and have some extra time? Get outside and rake the leaves or clean out the flower beds. Once you've completed the task, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. You'll also burn more calories than you would have sitting around the house.
• Choose an activity that you love to do and get involved in a group. Locate a yoga or belly dancing studio, ask that neighbor of yours to get out and walk with you, or visit your local gym and check out their list of classes. Some gyms like Lifetime Fitness will allow you to try out the club (and as many classes as you would like) for a week!

Then celebrate your successes! Place 1 dollar (or whatever amount you choose) into a jar each time you do something healthy for your body. Then treat yourself to a massage, a new pair of shoes or a fun night out!

Have something to say about this?  Say it!

Starting Tomorrow, Maybe.

We all say it. "I'll do better tomorrow" or "I'll start my diet tomorrow". The problem is this; tomorrow rolls around and you are tempted in the line at Starbucks.  All you wanted was your Americano or your skinny latte, but the glass case full of pastries has won you over, once again.

Has this happened to you in some form or fashion, whether it's Starbucks or your own pantry full of food? What can you do?

In my opinion:

• Don't skip breakfast! However, be sure to start the day off with something ultra healthy to jump start your metabolism and get your day going on the right path. I recommend egg whites with a tablespoon of your favorite salsa and some oatmeal made with plain oats, water, a little bit of cinnamon and a natural sweetener like Stevia.
  
• Start an online calorie counting journal. Plan out your day and you'll be way more successful in sticking with your healthy routine.  Track others that have been successful to make it a lot easier on you.
• Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Each time you are tempted to go to the freezer and pull out that tub of ice cream, snap your wrist and grab a bottle of water instead.
• Don't cheat yourself. You might have thoughts of popping a few bites of this or that into your mouth while you are cooking dinner. How about going to your closet instead and getting out those really cute jeans that you still can't fit into?  Put them in sight of your oven or stove top while cooking!
• Sip on water ALL day. If you don't like to recycle your water bottles too often, just use one water bottle per day and keep filling it up. You can throw it out and get a new one the next day. If it's a 20 oz bottle, fill it up and drink it all AT LEAST 3 times.
• Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day.  We're not talking Texas-sized meals either.

One day at a time, folks! Falling off the wagon doesn't mean that you have to stay off.  What's your opinion?