Too often I hear people saying "hopefully I'll be able to stick to my clean eating", or "I really hope to make it to the gym today"... Well, to quote Dionne Warwick: "wishing and hoping and thinking and praying, planning and dreaming each night of his charms, that won't get you into his arms"... She goes on to say that you've gotta actually take action to get that man ("All you got to do is hold him and kiss him and love him and show him that you care") in other words - JUST DO IT girl!!!
Ok, now that we have our love-lives sorted out, let's think about how this can help us with our fitness and health goals...
Whenever a student, friend, family member, or even when I hear myself say they hope to do something (usually challenging), I really do want to believe them (or me), but that hope word often makes me leery! Hope to me often means no action. If you walk into a pub just HOPING not to order the nachos and beer or you only HOPE to make it out to that boot camp class, it's often not gonna happen! I don't mean to be negative, but I really believe you need to be more proactive than just hoping if you want awesome results! You need to take charge and make things happen, not just hope for them! If you really want to stay clean at that pub, you make up your mind before you walk in there that you will order a grilled chicken breast with veggies, not nachos - no options! Or, you wanna get a workout in - don't think I hope I have time for that sometime today - schedule it in like you would an important business meeting and don't let yourself down by postponing that workout for another time when you think you're gonna have more time, energy, etc. - do not give yourself the option to wimp out! Change I hope to I WILL!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
NO REGRETS!
I have decided to take the next 30 days and commit to consistent clean eating - no ifs, ands, or buts about it! I have been on a path of clean eating over the past month or so, but have, at times, been a little sloppy (ie: too much almond butter, too much dressing on my salad, still eating low fat cheeses, and of course I was still having a cheat meal that usually turned into a whole cheat day or two every week), I managed to make some progress and lose some fat this way, but feel I could be getting much more dramatic results if I really committed to consistent strict clean eating for a period of time. Of course, once I reach my goal, I will loosen up a little bit and not be sooo strict, but I really want to get to my goal for the summer! Even in all my competition preps I realized I have never gone as long as a whole month totally clean (and most importantly no sugar - which I am addicted to!) - I always ended up having an ice cream here or a butter tart there, still making gains (or losses), but I feel I don't yet know my true potential! It's not that I think one month of eating clean will show me my true potential, but I feel it will give me the momentum to follow through on my healthy eating and show me and everyone else what just one month of eating totally right can do for your physique, skin, confidence, and energy!
I LOVE to workout so that is not my usual challenge when trying to get ripped (nutrition is!), but lately I have been hitting the snooze button a little too much and ending up missing a few too many of my own personal early-morning workouts. I find I'm just not right when I miss working out first thing in the morning... the a.m. workout really sets me up for an awesome day full of positivity and healthy feelings! I like to workout in the morning for so many more reasons than just the aesthetic ones (which are great bonuses too) - it makes me feel alive and awake, it encourages me to follow through and eat healthy all day (don't usually feel like eating a donut for breakfast if I just finished a grueling workout), gets those feel-good endorphins flowing, boosts my metabolism, etc. etc! So, I was thinking to myself "Why would I ever want to miss a morning workout? I really regret sleeping in and missing out on all that greatness that comes from a workout." And now I have turned this into the mantra I say when I wake up - "I WILL NEVER REGRET A WORKOUT!" Think about it... have you ever regretted working out? probably not. Have you regretted sleeping in and missing a workout? Working late and missing a workout? Being lazy and watching TV instead of a workout? YES, of course! The same goes for eating clean... Really I have never thought to myself "Really wish I hadn't eaten so well this week", yet we pretty much always regret eating cake and ice cream in the end, right? It may taste good, but when the pounds start piling on from too many bad foods or even when we feel low-energy after eating something like that it's not a good feeling. So, join me in living regret free and healthy!!! Next time you're tempted to sleep in and miss your workout or you're debating whether or not you should have that chocolate bar, think about living your life regret-free!
YAY, I'm gonna record my weight and measurements today as my starting point and I will keep you posted on how I'm doing! Lemme know how you are doing on your healthy journeys! No option but health!!!!
I LOVE to workout so that is not my usual challenge when trying to get ripped (nutrition is!), but lately I have been hitting the snooze button a little too much and ending up missing a few too many of my own personal early-morning workouts. I find I'm just not right when I miss working out first thing in the morning... the a.m. workout really sets me up for an awesome day full of positivity and healthy feelings! I like to workout in the morning for so many more reasons than just the aesthetic ones (which are great bonuses too) - it makes me feel alive and awake, it encourages me to follow through and eat healthy all day (don't usually feel like eating a donut for breakfast if I just finished a grueling workout), gets those feel-good endorphins flowing, boosts my metabolism, etc. etc! So, I was thinking to myself "Why would I ever want to miss a morning workout? I really regret sleeping in and missing out on all that greatness that comes from a workout." And now I have turned this into the mantra I say when I wake up - "I WILL NEVER REGRET A WORKOUT!" Think about it... have you ever regretted working out? probably not. Have you regretted sleeping in and missing a workout? Working late and missing a workout? Being lazy and watching TV instead of a workout? YES, of course! The same goes for eating clean... Really I have never thought to myself "Really wish I hadn't eaten so well this week", yet we pretty much always regret eating cake and ice cream in the end, right? It may taste good, but when the pounds start piling on from too many bad foods or even when we feel low-energy after eating something like that it's not a good feeling. So, join me in living regret free and healthy!!! Next time you're tempted to sleep in and miss your workout or you're debating whether or not you should have that chocolate bar, think about living your life regret-free!
YAY, I'm gonna record my weight and measurements today as my starting point and I will keep you posted on how I'm doing! Lemme know how you are doing on your healthy journeys! No option but health!!!!
Monday, May 2, 2011
POSITIVITY BREEDS POSITIVITY - PART 1
If you know me, you know I believe strongly in the power of positive thinking for all aspects of your life! I believe the more positive thoughts you are having about situations, events, and goals, the more positive results you will see! On the flip side, negative thoughts lead to more negative things including negative outcomes (if you keep saying "I'm so fat, I'm so fat" you are telling your brain and the universe that that is what you are so that is what you'll be!) This is a magical theory and applies to every facet of your life, but today I'm gonna be talking about how it can help you pick yourself up out of a rut of bad health, bad eating, and feeling fat and out-of-shape. This is a huge topic and I will try to cover it with some different ideas in a few blog posts here.
I know personally how you can know that you need to be positive about things, but when you're down in the dumps it's sometimes hard to really genuinely put out a positive feeling and really believe you are going to achieve all your goals, right? When people gain weight or stop working out and eating healthy they also often stop doing all the things that go along with feeling beautiful and enriched... shopping for new clothes sucks if you don't fit in anything, I don't need a spray tan - no one's gonna see my unfit body, I'm not gonna take that sexy bellydance class until I lose 10 pounds, etc. You have to think backwards here... Go do all the things that will make you feel beautiful and believe that you can do anything! No matter where you're at in your fitness goals, don't you feel a bit more like superwoman after a great haircut and blow-out? Then the magic happens in your brain... you feel great because of the hairstyle and that leads to other great things like enriching your body with whole healthy foods and working out and believing in yourself! You need to keep that positivity flowing around you and love who you are at that very moment! Loving yourself the way you are doesn't mean you don't want to make improvements, it just means you love every stage you go through and you learn from the different stages! Perhaps you want more muscle, less fat, more energy, whatever it is - know that you WILL reach your goal with work, positive thoughts, and persistence! Every little step in the right direction is bringing you closer to your goal... and it's always better to be moving closer and closer rather than staying where you're at or going the other direction. Celebrate progress with these ideas:
- Go for a spa day and get beautiful, or do one yourself at home alone or with a bunch of friends (mani/pedi, masks, scrubs, etc.)
- Shave/wax those legs! Why not?
- get a new haircut, dye your hair a different colour, or just get a blow-out!
- Get a spray tan or apply some self-tanner Everyone looks better with a little colour (my faves are Clarins and Biotherm self-tanners on the high end (around $50) or L'oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner Gel for a little less ($17)
- Buy a new rockin' outfit or piece of clothing! So many people who want to lose weight don't want to buy clothes until they lose the weight so they continue on negatively in old clothes they don't feel excited by forever - it's an endless cycle - you feel yucky so you don't take the steps to feel great. You need to make yourself feel great first and the rest of the good stuff with follow! So, buy a kick-ass pair of jeans that fit you NOW! Don't worry - it's a pretty fun golden worry when you have to go shopping again soon for smaller-sized clothing!
- Try bellydancing! It is all about loving your body and showing off those curves and also helps you feel more of a connect to your femininity! If you're in Toronto area check out my classes www.mayada.ca
- Make a habit of not going out of the house without looking your best! Putting make-up, doing your hair, wearing awesome outfits, or whatever makes you feel great about yourself! This was one of my new year's resolutions - I ask myself "would I love to bump into someone I hadn't seen for ages or have my picture taken looking like this?" before leaving! The answer needs to be YES!
- Get a workout in first-thing in the morning (even if it's mini!) I find it really sets the tone for the whole day and makes you feel unstoppable!
Try these tips, and let me know how it helps you on your journey. Also, post any other ideasyou have here!
Coming soon:
POSITIVITY BREEDS POSITIVITY PART 2!
I know personally how you can know that you need to be positive about things, but when you're down in the dumps it's sometimes hard to really genuinely put out a positive feeling and really believe you are going to achieve all your goals, right? When people gain weight or stop working out and eating healthy they also often stop doing all the things that go along with feeling beautiful and enriched... shopping for new clothes sucks if you don't fit in anything, I don't need a spray tan - no one's gonna see my unfit body, I'm not gonna take that sexy bellydance class until I lose 10 pounds, etc. You have to think backwards here... Go do all the things that will make you feel beautiful and believe that you can do anything! No matter where you're at in your fitness goals, don't you feel a bit more like superwoman after a great haircut and blow-out? Then the magic happens in your brain... you feel great because of the hairstyle and that leads to other great things like enriching your body with whole healthy foods and working out and believing in yourself! You need to keep that positivity flowing around you and love who you are at that very moment! Loving yourself the way you are doesn't mean you don't want to make improvements, it just means you love every stage you go through and you learn from the different stages! Perhaps you want more muscle, less fat, more energy, whatever it is - know that you WILL reach your goal with work, positive thoughts, and persistence! Every little step in the right direction is bringing you closer to your goal... and it's always better to be moving closer and closer rather than staying where you're at or going the other direction. Celebrate progress with these ideas:
- Shave/wax those legs! Why not?
- get a new haircut, dye your hair a different colour, or just get a blow-out!
- Get a spray tan or apply some self-tanner Everyone looks better with a little colour (my faves are Clarins and Biotherm self-tanners on the high end (around $50) or L'oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner Gel for a little less ($17)
- Buy a new rockin' outfit or piece of clothing! So many people who want to lose weight don't want to buy clothes until they lose the weight so they continue on negatively in old clothes they don't feel excited by forever - it's an endless cycle - you feel yucky so you don't take the steps to feel great. You need to make yourself feel great first and the rest of the good stuff with follow! So, buy a kick-ass pair of jeans that fit you NOW! Don't worry - it's a pretty fun golden worry when you have to go shopping again soon for smaller-sized clothing!
- Make a habit of not going out of the house without looking your best! Putting make-up, doing your hair, wearing awesome outfits, or whatever makes you feel great about yourself! This was one of my new year's resolutions - I ask myself "would I love to bump into someone I hadn't seen for ages or have my picture taken looking like this?" before leaving! The answer needs to be YES!
- Get a workout in first-thing in the morning (even if it's mini!) I find it really sets the tone for the whole day and makes you feel unstoppable!
Try these tips, and let me know how it helps you on your journey. Also, post any other ideasyou have here!
Coming soon:
POSITIVITY BREEDS POSITIVITY PART 2!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Lots to update on... I have been waffling about what fitness competitions to do and didn't really have my heart in my prep for all these various spring comps I was thinking about, plus I had a whole lot of dance and studio events conflicting with competitons I wanted to do. But now I feel it with all that I am - my next competition will be the Toronto Pro Supershow - http://www.torontoprosupershow.com/ on June 17 & 18!!!
Today I am exactly 7 weeks out - which is sooooo close! I like this amount of weeks to prep... it's not so far off that you lose sight (yes, I always procrastinate), yet it's not a few weeks away where you feel like you have to take desperate/drastic measures to lean out! I'm quite far from where I want to be for this competition at this point (about 20 pounds!) but I feel as long as I am consistent with my clean eating I can lose 3 pounds/week which will end up being 21 pounds! I have been totally great with my eating for 2 weeks straight now (except for a little Easter mess-up day). Time and time again it shocks and amazes me what is possible if you just eat right! So I'm in the honeymoon stage with the clean eats right now, and what a great place that is to be (it will get tougher I'm sure as I get closer and closer to my goal). But I am determined to bring my very best package to the stage in June. I don't want to wonder "what if?" or "I could have done better" this time!
My workouts have been great as well, although I just LOVE working out so much that I never really struggle with this component - the eating is where I need to focus! Stay tuned!
Today I am exactly 7 weeks out - which is sooooo close! I like this amount of weeks to prep... it's not so far off that you lose sight (yes, I always procrastinate), yet it's not a few weeks away where you feel like you have to take desperate/drastic measures to lean out! I'm quite far from where I want to be for this competition at this point (about 20 pounds!) but I feel as long as I am consistent with my clean eating I can lose 3 pounds/week which will end up being 21 pounds! I have been totally great with my eating for 2 weeks straight now (except for a little Easter mess-up day). Time and time again it shocks and amazes me what is possible if you just eat right! So I'm in the honeymoon stage with the clean eats right now, and what a great place that is to be (it will get tougher I'm sure as I get closer and closer to my goal). But I am determined to bring my very best package to the stage in June. I don't want to wonder "what if?" or "I could have done better" this time!
My workouts have been great as well, although I just LOVE working out so much that I never really struggle with this component - the eating is where I need to focus! Stay tuned!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Mon. March 7, 2011
hi!
haven't posted for a while because I've been super-busy, but truthfully, also because I've been a little all over the place mentally about prepping for the UFE competition I was planning on starting my competition season with on April 9... My eating has been all over the place, workouts are always solid with me because that is the part I LOVE! So, this weekend was do, or die time. It was time to decide (for realz) if I was gonna do this competition, or not! I've been so wishy-washy about whether I wanna do things like this or not lately and think that's why I'm failing at eating clean consistently (letting myself have a choice you know?) I work really well with a short scary deadline of a big goal like a competition... so I have decided to go crazy for the next 5 weeks and just dig deep and do it! On the other hand... I have done a few competitions in the past where I was not pleased with the way my physique looked (not enough prep, etc.) and I'm definitely past the point of just wanting to do a competition as a personal goal and who cares how I compare (not that I'm comparing myself to the other competitors - it's more against my best which I feel was in June/July 2009 - I wanna beat that!) So I am committing to training as hard as I possibly can for the April 9th date and we'll see what I can pull off in just 5 weeks! If I'm not totally competition-ready, I want to at least be very close so I feel great about doing the next competition that may come along! I have a crazy goal of losing 5 pounds a week for 5 weeks to get me close to my good competition weight. I would be happy with 4/week though! I need to just focus on clean eating (that's my issue!) I have been wicked-awesome with workouts and eating for the past 3 days which is big and I find it much easier as you gain momentum, so it should be fun!!!! I'll keep you all posted and of course make some new vlogs about it all soooon!
haven't posted for a while because I've been super-busy, but truthfully, also because I've been a little all over the place mentally about prepping for the UFE competition I was planning on starting my competition season with on April 9... My eating has been all over the place, workouts are always solid with me because that is the part I LOVE! So, this weekend was do, or die time. It was time to decide (for realz) if I was gonna do this competition, or not! I've been so wishy-washy about whether I wanna do things like this or not lately and think that's why I'm failing at eating clean consistently (letting myself have a choice you know?) I work really well with a short scary deadline of a big goal like a competition... so I have decided to go crazy for the next 5 weeks and just dig deep and do it! On the other hand... I have done a few competitions in the past where I was not pleased with the way my physique looked (not enough prep, etc.) and I'm definitely past the point of just wanting to do a competition as a personal goal and who cares how I compare (not that I'm comparing myself to the other competitors - it's more against my best which I feel was in June/July 2009 - I wanna beat that!) So I am committing to training as hard as I possibly can for the April 9th date and we'll see what I can pull off in just 5 weeks! If I'm not totally competition-ready, I want to at least be very close so I feel great about doing the next competition that may come along! I have a crazy goal of losing 5 pounds a week for 5 weeks to get me close to my good competition weight. I would be happy with 4/week though! I need to just focus on clean eating (that's my issue!) I have been wicked-awesome with workouts and eating for the past 3 days which is big and I find it much easier as you gain momentum, so it should be fun!!!! I'll keep you all posted and of course make some new vlogs about it all soooon!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
So, I had planned on posting a whole lot more after starting my own personal 12-week body transformation on Jan. 22, but life has been hectic... mainly studio stuff and getting ready for our upcoming studio showcase and moving from our downtown condo to a house out in the burbs! I have been a little on and off, until this week - this week is all ON!!!!! And I am determined to stay consistent, eat clean, and make time for workouts now!
Yesterday I got back to the YMCA - heavy weight workout for legs (feeling it today!) and some cardio. I have decided to get into the Y at least twice a week (hopefully 3 times most weeks). Today I did my very first workout at home... yep, I'm working on an awesome little home gym in our basement (got a bike, a bench, a ball, some weights, and a pull-up bar so far, more stuff coming soon like TRX, kettlebells, etc.) So, today while Zak napped I got down there and did a hardcore 20 minutes on the bike then some back and biceps. It was awesome! I did learn something from my workouts yesterday and today. I used to just go into the gym and make up my workout as I went, but lately I had been working out with my condo gym friends and didn't really have to think much about what I was going to do. So I think to get the most out of my workouts now I will plan exactly what I'm gonna do for each day rather than just play it by ear. This will make me get everything I need to get in in and hold me more accountable as I'm working out all alone now. Expect lots of new vlogs from my home gym soooooon!
Yesterday I got back to the YMCA - heavy weight workout for legs (feeling it today!) and some cardio. I have decided to get into the Y at least twice a week (hopefully 3 times most weeks). Today I did my very first workout at home... yep, I'm working on an awesome little home gym in our basement (got a bike, a bench, a ball, some weights, and a pull-up bar so far, more stuff coming soon like TRX, kettlebells, etc.) So, today while Zak napped I got down there and did a hardcore 20 minutes on the bike then some back and biceps. It was awesome! I did learn something from my workouts yesterday and today. I used to just go into the gym and make up my workout as I went, but lately I had been working out with my condo gym friends and didn't really have to think much about what I was going to do. So I think to get the most out of my workouts now I will plan exactly what I'm gonna do for each day rather than just play it by ear. This will make me get everything I need to get in in and hold me more accountable as I'm working out all alone now. Expect lots of new vlogs from my home gym soooooon!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Mon. Jan. 24, 2011
This past weekend was busy and excellent! Friday we started to slowly move some boxes into our new house and cleaned a lot. Saturday I was at the studio all day and night - teaching, rehearsing, working out with my students, starting my 12-week body transformation program off (always exciting and inspiring to me!), plus we had a vision board-making get-together at the end of the day which is a great idea for everyone! Get a big board and a bunch of magazines and cut out inspiring pics or sayings, and images of things you want more of in your life, paste them all on the board and post it somewhere you see everyday! I made one in 2009 and almost all my visions came true that year! I have not totally finished mine, but have a goal of finishing it up this week! There is a lot of info on vision boards and what they do for you online if you google it! Watched the Fighter Saturday night and that was super inspiring too! Sunday we painted our new living room and moved more, then at night I had my past 12-weekers pro photo shoot at the studio - those are always fun!
We plan to keep moving boxes, painting, and cleaning this week, then do the big furniture/final move Sunday. People told me it would be such a challenge to start my own personal 12-week transformation in time for my fitness competitions in April through the move, but this weekend I did great through it all and I think it's because I made my mind up to do good. It's easy to fall off the wagon at any point in time if you don't thoroughly commit to eating clean and working out. If you are in it to win it 100%, you won't let yourself. I made sure I packed lots of clean meals and snacks for not only me, but my whole family while we were working on the house and moving and we all stayed healthy and content. I actually find eating clean easier when you're busy and your mind doesn't have time to daydream about bad foods you wish you could eat - you just eat what you've packed and get back onto your work! I lost my usual 4 pounds of bloat over the weekend and now plan to start losing 3 pounds a week until April when I will be at my goal weight!
We plan to keep moving boxes, painting, and cleaning this week, then do the big furniture/final move Sunday. People told me it would be such a challenge to start my own personal 12-week transformation in time for my fitness competitions in April through the move, but this weekend I did great through it all and I think it's because I made my mind up to do good. It's easy to fall off the wagon at any point in time if you don't thoroughly commit to eating clean and working out. If you are in it to win it 100%, you won't let yourself. I made sure I packed lots of clean meals and snacks for not only me, but my whole family while we were working on the house and moving and we all stayed healthy and content. I actually find eating clean easier when you're busy and your mind doesn't have time to daydream about bad foods you wish you could eat - you just eat what you've packed and get back onto your work! I lost my usual 4 pounds of bloat over the weekend and now plan to start losing 3 pounds a week until April when I will be at my goal weight!
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| my hubby starting to paint our new place! |
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| vision board making! |
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