Master Of My Thoughts

Has your mind ever been caught on the Hamster Wheel?

The same thought racing through your mind over and over to the point of making you almost mad?

Have you ever wanted something but just not been able to focus on the task at hand?

Well here is your cure all, let me know what happens.

Repeat after me: "I Am The Master Of My Thoughts."

I AM THE MASTER OF MY THOUGHTS

When you are laying in bed at night unable to jump off the Hamster Wheel,

When you are driving your car and the thoughts of your ex-boyfriend are driving you crazy,

When you are trying to stay on a healthy eating plan but the Pint of Ben & Jerry's won't stop calling your name,

Say It.

I AM THE MASTER OF MY THOUGHTS

Repeat it to yourself over and over until you believe it.

Then focus your mind on what you REALLY want to think about.

Focus on things you can affect.

Things that bring you joy.

Thoughts that get you closer to your goals.

And if that Hamster Wheel starts to creek again,

Say it:

I AM THE MASTER OF MY THOUGHTS

I have been using this technique quite a bit lately,

And I can personally attest to it's power in my life.

You CAN have anything you want in life,

Be the Master of your thoughts,

And you will not stop until you reach your goal.

Dog Days of Summer

As I was in local park training a client this morning, we were accosted!

It was an over zealous, pure bred Viszla carrying a Frisbee and looking for a new playmate.

The culprit left us covered in Frisbee dog slime and grinning ear to ear as we went about our morning workout.

If you have been looking for an eager, always ready workout partner, here is a perfect companion.

Dogs are dying to be your new motivation. Literally.

The local shelters are often overflowing with amazing, loving pooches.

I know, I have two and came close to housing a third this weekend.

But he found his owner, who was offering a reward for his return.

We found that flyer attached to a tree this morning while we were walking to the park.

A dog will motivate you to get up early in the morning and go for that walk or jog.

A dog can inspire an evening stroll to help digest dinner.

A dog can protect your family. They can also motivate your children to run outside, away from you, more often. Another mark in the plus column.

A dog can clean up after a Peanut Butter Wrestling Match among your family members....

Really, you mean your family doesn't have Peanut Butter Wrestling....

You don't know what you are missing. (See the pictures at the bottom....we love them!)

Seriously, I adopted my first dog as an adult because I wanted a reason to go for more walks during the day, and I have always owned at least one pooch for the past 18 years.

If you are looking to be more social or meet people of the opposite sex, just try taking a puppy to the park and not have everyone stop you, both male and female.

(The Viszla's owner is very cute and friendly. You don't mind being slimed by the dog when the owner is attractive. Next time we are carrying bacon in our pockets! LOL! )

Dogs are an amazing addition to your life, if you are up for the commitment.

They give the unconditional love and attention we are all looking for,

And they will never tell you you look fat in those jeans.

Wolf

Lost On A Desert Island

When you are facing something difficult, are you the type of person to reach out to others or do you go it alone?

I am the type of person who reaches out.

I call a friend or family member.

Not even to rehash the issue, but to sometimes not feel so alone.

We are not islands.

When you are making changes in your life and life style, it helps to have support around you.

Someone you can talk to.

Someone to draw support from.

Someone to reassure you or refocus you when you have gotten off track.

We reach out for support, because there is a synergistic affect in numbers, especially among people on the same path.

Take advantage of those around you who are already working out and eating healthy.

Talk to your friends and family members who have been expressing a desire to exercise more and eat healthier.

When you draw on the strength of others you can be stronger for yourself.

And you can also help them when they need your support.

I once wrote to a dear friend of mine that I had felt like an island for so long.

But that he had become the sea around me,

a reflecting pool that both protected me

And connected me to the shore.

That he was as gentle as the rolling tide

But carried the impact of a tidal wave.

I will never forget how important his friendship was to me,

And how I stopped being a castaway because of him.

Reach out to those you love, and those who love you

When you need support along this journey

Because there can be no island without the sea.

Thank You :-)

Everyday I am blessed to wake up and live the life I love.



Have the career I love.



And it is time to say Thank You!



Thank You to all of those who inspire me.


Thank You to my clients.



Thank you for asking me questions. Thank you for making me think. Thank You for showing me what true strength and dedication to a goal are.



I don't always get to say how your strength and fortitude give me reasons to teach, create and write. So much of what I pursue is driven by your inspiration. By you being there and needing my guidance, you challenge me to constantly think and adapt.



You inspire me to be a better trainer. You inspire me to think and learn so you can achieve. Without you I would not be so moved to create and dream.



And you know I love to dream.



I hope you see this blog, every entry into this blog, as my gift back to you.



I hope it answers your questions, gives you ideas, and continues to inspire you to believe in yourself and your dreams.



This blog is where I get to share all of the info I want to tell you, each of you, everyday.



Whether you have trained with me for a week or a decade, my hope is that you always remain a client and know I will always cheer for your success...



In fitness and in life!



Thank You :-)

I Like To Move It Move It

I am very blessed in my career.

Everyday I get to wake up and workout. I get to move with my clients, they get in shape and I have additional doses of fitness all day long.

I like to move, I like to stand, and I like to take the stairs.

Which came first, the movement or the fitness?

I know for a fact that I have lived periods in my life when fitness was not a priority. Just ask anyone who knew me my first few years in college. I was not a model of physical activity, and it showed.

So if I have been able to transform my life to where I actually enjoy moving more, then you can too. Believe me, it's true. I am sure my college room mate can attest to my marathon naps and pizza eating.

So what happened? What changed?

I started. I took the first steps and joined a gym. That was January 2, 1990, and I am learning more about fitness and living a healthy lifestyle everyday.

For example: I really believe if you move more you will look and feel better. Period.

If you start to walk more, dance, climb the stairs, stand instead of sit, you will be burning more calories and creating more energy. Participating in greater amounts of exercise will become easier, if you start moving more.

It is basic physics: it takes energy to create energy. Once you start moving there will be more energy available so you can move more.

The same goes for staying still. If you sit still, the longer you sit the less energy is available to you, so you sit.

And sit,

And sit.

Get up! Move. Even if you are at your desk right now, did you know by being aware of sitting up straight you are in action to improve your posture and feel better?

It is the little things through out the course of the day that make all the difference.

Those little things add up.

Like dropping spare change in a piggy bank, before you know you can buy a new pair of shoes.

But if you never start putting it in there, it will never happen.

Move more. Move more. Move more.

You WILL begin to look and feel better....and that is what we all want, right?

Two "B's" or not Two "B's"

Everyone has heard the phrase "sex sells." But what is sexy?

How is it defined?

Is it a look, an attitude, a body part?

And at what price to be sexy?

I was watching an International Fitness Competition on TV this weekend and something BIG caught my attention: all of the competitors had breast implants. ALL of the competitors.

This is an international competition which stressed physique, fitness and spokesmanship....and it was the spokesmanship piece that caught my attention.

Here were 20 of the top fitness women in the world, all of whom had dieted down for this competition and the outlines of their implants were obvious.

No big deal right?

I am not saying anything against plastic surgery, because my honest opinion is if it makes you feel better about yourself then that is your individual choice. And yes, there may be a day when I choose a surgical option....years from now. I don't know, but I know never to say never.

My point is that out of all the top fitness competitors, not one of them was chosen WITHOUT implants.

These are the women who are going to be role models and spokespeople for fitness products. These are the women who are going to influence our ideas of what our bodies should look like...and not one of them was a true representative of living a natural lifestyle.

These women were beautiful, talented and worked their butts off (or on) to get to where they are today, and I commend them for that dedication and love of the sport. What was obvious is if they WANT a career as a fitness spokesperson they HAVE TO have breast enhancements or they would not be chosen to compete in the highest levels of the competition.

That is what I learned, and that is what all the previous rounds of competition had shown.

So, WHAT IS SEXY? And WHAT SELLS?

I truly believe that sexy comes from the inside out. It is in your attitude. It is in your confidence. It is in everyone of us, but when we are shown that the only way to get ahead is through artificial means of enhancement, then there is an emotional price to be paid.

Curvy Girl Fitness stands dedicated to helping women discover that it is not about trying to look like anyone else, but it is trying to be uniquely you...that is where your true sexiness lies.

How ever you choose to show it, know it is already there, and be proud of whatever you choose.

I like my B's, just as they are.

Because I Said SO

We all have things we want to accomplish in life. For myself, it is developing Curvy Girl Fitness into a program that will reach millions of people and help them attain their health and fitness goals.

If you are like so many men and women I talk to, you have a fitness or weight loss goal.

There are two very important factors to know before beginning your fitness journey:
1. Know your goal. Is it weight, a clothing size, a date to achieve it by? Knowing where you are heading before you begin will help keep you focused and your eye on the prize.

2. Know your WHY. Knowing why you want to achieve your goal is so important, because life gets in the way. WHY do you want your goal?

See, once you know WHY and WHAT you will always find a WAY!

That is the story of my life this week, so I am preaching from personal experience.

I know my WHAT: Curvy Girl Fitness. I know my WHY: because helping others feel amazing is like a drug to me. My WAY>>>>there is another story.

See, we all get off track sometimes, and as long as we keep our sites on the goal, the way will work itself out.

To make a long story short, I am restructuring my website. I know for sure my website will be finished, just not in the way I had originally intended. I will achieve my goal, I just need alter the way first.

How often does this happen to you and your fitness and weight loss goals?

You lose your way with your workouts and nutrition and simply give up instead of finding a new way to reach your goal.

Remember, all you need are 2 things: your goal and your why, the way will take care of its self.

Oh, and why am I going to achieve my goal? BECAUSE I SAID SO!

Quick Workouts In No Time At All

I was out last night at a networking event here in Philadelphia. Part of the event included introducing ourselves to the group that gathered. During my introduction I spoke of my website and the quick and effective workouts I am making available via the internet.

A man sitting next to me asked me how quick and I responded "45 minutes three times a week." Not quick enough was his immediate response. Not quick enough???

So here is my response to this man, maybe it will help him with the "quick enough" part.

BTW...sometimes all I have to mention to men is that regular workouts increase their longevity in the bed room...if not, something else will be "quick enough." Just an observation from a woman's point of view.....(Oh, I am so my mother's daughter. ;-) I love you mom, Happy Mother's Day!)

With the approach of my website launching, I am writing articles, newsletters and reports to help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals.

One of the Reports I am writing is 100 Ways To Fit Fitness Into Your Life.

As we go into the weekend, I am going to leave you with a few suggestions from the list. Try them out today through Monday and see if it is possible that you, YES, EVEN YOU can find time to fit fitness into your life.

1. Take the stairs
2. Park further away from the store
3. Get off the bus 5 blocks early
4. Carry your groceries in bags instead of shopping cart
5. Once an hour, climb the stairs 3 times
6. Once an hour jog in place for 45 seconds
7. Once an hour do jumping jacks for 45

8. Once an hour jump imaginary rope for 45 seconds

Here are Eight SIMPLE, time efficient suggestions on how to burn more calories on a daily basis. Numbers 5-8 are only 45 seconds, not 45 minutes.

Remember, the results of activity are cumulative, but SO are the results of inactivity. Try to fit fitness into your life instead of life into your fitness.

And if you don't take time for health now you will have to take time for illness later.

I Am Addicted To Liquid

Well, I've done it again...posted my blog on youtube.com. This is fun!

Thanks again for all the support and encouraging e-mails! Please sign up for the e-mail and get Curvy Girl Fitness delivered to you as soon as it is available.

Today we are chatting about hydration and looking younger!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs0t-EuB9BM

ENJOY!

Snacking on Camera

So yesterday we chatted about food shopping, and I was successful in my shopping efforts. Today let's address snacking. I know we all get the munchies from time to time, it helps to know what healthy choices are available so you have a higher likelyhood of staying on track....

Enough writing! Check me out here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daQV6Y-jxSo

A Great Big KISS

Well, my cupboards are getting bear and the fridge is looking empty, so that can only mean one thing...time to food shop.

My clients ask me all the time "what should I eat", and I always have the same answer, I give them a great big KISS. Not on the lips, and definitely not the one from Hershey's, I give the the acronym: Keep It Simple Silly.

Keep it simple, because less is more. I am not talking about less food, I mean less ingredients. Food is best for you when it is in it's healthiest, natural form. The more ingredients and preservatives a product has, the less healthy it is going to be. A great rule of food shopping is to walk the perimeter of the store. Think of the food items located around the perimeter: produce, seafood, meats, dairy and then the frozen food isle. 90% of your food shopping should be taking place in these sections of the store.

Ingredients in the food are important to read, and again KISS applies. There should be fewer ingredients on a the list, therefor less additives and preservatives. The closer you keep it to nature, the healthier it is going to be.

It is also a good idea to have a list and stick to it. Planning your shopping gives you the ability to know what you are going to buy before all the marketing geniuses work their magic on you in the aisles of the store. Remember, they are getting paid to entice you to buy their products, having your mind made up before hand will help you.

When you are in doubt and tempted by foods not on the list, ask yourself: do I REALLY want that? Is it going to help me or hurt me? Simply by slowing down and being mindful about what you buy is a great way not to fall off the healthy eating cart.

It's time to take my shopping list to the store. If I keep healthy options in my house I am always prepared and can't dive into a bag of something else. We will talk about healthy snacks tomorrow.

On The Road Again

I love to travel. The thought of getting on a plane and experience a new environment, its people and places is something I dream about everyday. Through my years of experience, I have discover travel is not always conducive to exercise and healthy eating habits. Whether it is for business or pleasure, the entire routine of regularly scheduled workouts and meal plans goes right the hotel window.

This does not have to be the case. With some simple preplanning you can achieve your fitness goals and be on the road regularly. Here are some ideas to keep you moving on the go:

1. Book your hotel with a fitness purpose. If you enjoy walking or running, book your hotel in a location that allows you to combine the beauty of the surrounding environment with a morning jog. A local park, trail or waterfront may make your walk much more inviting than say overlooking the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

2. Check out the hotel's fitness facility on line before you go. Is there a gym? Will you need to get to another location? If you know this information in advance, you can schedule workout times accordingly and not miss a workout.

3. Pack small equipment. If the location you are traveling to is not going to accommodate your workout, there are simple programs for the road. I love resistance bands. They are light weight, portable, and infinitely versatile. They can be used in the smallest of hotel rooms or taken with you on your morning run for a little strength training. Plan a workout before you leave so you can compliment the work you are doing at home. This could even be the variety your body needs for breaking through pesky plateaus.

4. Take a yoga or Pilates video for your laptop. If you do not have your workout memorized, your laptop can keep you focused on a quality workout. Most hotel rooms have enough space available to complete your routine.

5. Walking. Walking to your meetings or to take in the sights is an effective way to burn calories and experience your environment.

6. Take the stairs. I did this last year while I was attending a fitness conference in my hotel. 400 people would break at the same time, so instead of waiting for the elevator, I took the stairs to the 4th floor several times everyday. It was a wonderful way to burn some calories and balance out being in a lecture chair for 3 days.

7. Nutrition is always more difficult on the road. There are two tricks I always rely on when I travel. One, I take lots of handy, healthy snacks to ensure sure I never get hungry and make poor decisions. The second thing I do is I allow myself treats so I don't feel deprived, but I keep my nutrition healthy 90% of the time and don't negate all the hard work completed before the vacation.

Grateful for WHAT?

I get to see the most spectacular sunrises every morning! Really I do. This morning I am lying in bed watching the sun begin to illuminate the sky, the birds are singing to one another and I am feeling so grateful for this precious moment. And I started to think how blessed I am to awaken to a beautiful sunrise everyday.

I am quite taken with the sunrise. It is a moment of the day when I can take a deep breath and feel a true appreciation for all the beauty, joy and love surrounding me in my life.

Have you ever looked to watch the sunrise, but the morning was cloudy and you thought nothing would happen? Sometimes, when you least expect it, the clouds will begin to dance and move and an even MORE radiant, glorious sunrise of spectacular colors and patterns emerges from the darkness.

That is something to be truly grateful for: when you thought the clouds were rolling in and there was going to be no light today, then suddenly something even more spectacular, more joyous, more lovely is surrounding you and you have no idea how it happened.

I am lying in bed watching the sun rise, thinking about the things I am grateful for and I realize I am grateful for hating my body years ago. Really. If I had never been unhappy with my body, I would not have joined a gym, become a Recreational Therapist, gotten certified as a Personal Trainer, and be living this life. This life that I LOVE! So I love my thighs! I am grateful for everything they are, because they are why I joined a gym January 2, 1990.

What are you grateful for? Is there a challenge you are facing right now that actually is your greatest teacher? I am grateful for my big, beautiful thighs. Try to see something on your body in a new perspective, a unique way that makes you who you are. Embrace it, love it.

I Love the Sunrise! Even on a cloudy day. Even when it rains, because I know something amazing may emerge tomorrow.

Read All About It!

I know I am not the most technically savvy, so when it came to linking my blog to an e-mail, I was a little lost. Well, I finally figured out how to add an e-mail link to my blog, and that is good news for you!

Now you can READ ALL ABOUT IT EVERYDAY!

You can have your own personal trainer delivered directly to your e-mail everyday, isn't that amazing?

Imagine, me personally joining you every weekday for a little inspiration, a little motivation, and a moment just for us.

This is where I open up and share how living a healthy lifestyle through proper nutrition and exercise has given me the life I have always dreamed of.

And I am giving those moments where I have gained success right back to you, helping you create your own success!

I can't wait to talk to you everyday!

WHY Do I Workout?

I am constantly talking to people about their workouts, and I am often fascinated by the lack of continuity between someones goals and their dedication to achieve those goals.

Here's a funny story, sad, but true: When I first became a personal trainer, I was eager to help my clients achieve their fitness goals. I was training a woman in her home twice a week, and to put it kindly, she was difficult. She refused to take the advice I was giving her, which is challenging enough in a client/trainer relationship, but she often put the blamed me for her lack of results. Being new to my field, I felt responsible and took on the stress of HER results.

One of her major training goals was to tone her lower body. I fully understand that many of these exercises are challenging, but one of the best moves for the legs and glutes is the LUNGE, it all of it's forms-- and yes the lunge is an uncomfortable exercise. To make a long story short, I instructed her to do walking lunges, and she abruptly put the weights down, parked her hands on her wide hips and said: "Jo, all of my trainers have wanted me to do Lunges and I am not going to do them, so you are just going to have to figure out a way for me to get the results without doing lunges."

True story! Needless to say, I was soon in the history books with all of her other personal trainers. I learned a valuable lesson with this client, and I am eternally grateful for having trained her because it taught me about responsibility and dedication. Of course we all want the results, I talk to new people everyday about their goals, but WHY do you want them? Until you figure out WHY you may always find a reason for WHY NOT. Your WHY has to be big enough that no WHY NOT will get in the way.

List the reasons WHY you want to get in shape. Post them everywhere in your space so you can be reminded of them daily, that way you will focus on why YOU set YOUR GOAL in the first place. There is no one else to blame for lack of results, there is only your dedication to your goal.

Why do I workout? I have a list that is so long, I can't see a single reason why not.

How Bad Do You Want It?

How bad do you want it?

Ask yourself that right now: How bad?

Cause guess what, life is going to get in the way. Things are going to happen and plans are going to be diverted. What are you going to do when that happens? Are you going to binge? Are you going to skip the gym? Are you going to change your mind? Because if you do, you must not have wanted your results.

I know life gets in the way. Life popped up for me today and it is a definite obstacle to my plan of obtaining one of my goals. Am I going to let that stop me? NO! I am so determined to have Curvy Girl Fitness be a nationally, no INTERNATIONALLY available fitness and inspiration company THAT THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING TO LET IT BE STOPPED! Yeah!

See, what ever it is you want in life you have to be unstoppable, because things happen! Think of it this way: maybe the universe sends obstacles in front of you to see how you respond. Maybe these are the tests to prove how much want it. They may also be the cues that your plan was misguided and needed to be redirected, so it would better suit your ultimate goal. Never take your eye off the goal! If the path becomes cluttered with debris, get over it, under it, around it, just keep going and you will always achieve your goal.

I am a firm believer that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Sometimes our greatest pain and burden becomes our biggest teacher and triumph! Let me say that again:

Sometimes our greatest pain and burden becomes our biggest teacher and triumph!

So when you are facing your challenge today, ask yourself how bad do I want it? Be present to the lessons you could be learning to help you achieve your goal, then go get it!

If you quit you will never get there. The obstacles that we face along the way, those are what will define our greatness! You are great already, stay focused and it will all work out.

Here's a joke I heard: If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans. WOW!