Holiday Survival Guide

I like to call November and December SURVIVAL MODE when it comes to nutrition and fitness.  This is the time of year when most people make excuses as to why they don’t have the time to workout or why they don’t have the money to eat healthy.  I KNOW for a fact that if you have a strong desire and motivation to DO ANYTHING then you will find a way.  If you are not highly motivated then you will FIND EXCUSES instead!  I hear it all the time.  For the last 3 1/2 years of coaching people to reach their health and fitness goals I see excuses, I see people lose motivation and give up, but I do see people that succeed.  

The characteristics of successful weight loss are this:

1.  A strong driving force or “WHY” to change their nutrition and fitness. You can’t just sorta kinda want to change, you have to REALLY WANT TO CHANGE!  After the novelty of the new program wears off, what is going to keep you going?  It’s internal motivation to change more than you want to stay the same!

2.  Committed.  People that succeed are committed.  They are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful and they are not QUITTERS. They are committed to starting and finishing the fitness program exactly as it is laid out and they will evaluate and tweak their program as they go.  But, once they go in, they go ALL in!

3.  FAITH.  People who succeed have faith!  They believe that without a shadow of a doubt that somehow, some way, they will be successful at this weight loss game.  It’s just that, it's a series of trials, errors and triumphs before you find what works for your body the best.  Those that have faith in the process and believe that I won’t lead you astray succeed.  It is those people that think it's not working fast enough, or that their progress is TOO slow, or that they NEED  MORE cardio or MORE protein and start going off and changing things on their own that get frustrated and FAIL.  The reason is that they didn’t follow the plan!  No one knows better than the trainers and nutritionists that create the program what will work.  So, don’t second guess the program.  It was designed for a very specific reason!

4. Successful people follow the nutrition plan.  Yes, I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear but it’s the truth! The people who have the MOST success are those that really do truly follow the nutrition plan laid out in the program.  If you aim to eat 80% of the time according to your plan you will get results.  If you track your food in a journal, you track your water intake, you allow yourself 1 or 2 treats per week you will make great steady and healthy progress!  You can have your cake and eat it too!


I am on a mission this holiday season to keep people ACCOUNTABLE & MOTIVATED to continue their health and fitness journey.  This time of year I’m not asking you to go 100% strict but what I am asking you is this.  

DO YOU WANT TO END 2016 BETTER THAN YOU STARTED?  DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A REVERSE NEW  YEARS RESOLUTION??? 

Imagine how much more energy you would have to get in your holiday shopping, wrap presents, to visit with friends, to get in those extra work hours, and do everything on your holiday wish list if you ate healthier and exercised 30 minutes each day?  

Did you know that just the simple act of fueling your body with really great nutrient dense food can ALONE boost your energy level and metabolism?  
I know for a fact when I do my workout first thing in the morning that I feel more empowered and strong to take on the day!  I find when I fuel my body with healthy foods I’m not starving or craving unhealthy snacks.

It did not happen over night but through support, accountability and daily motivation I have changed my entire life and then passed it on to my family.  We have never felt better, our kids are learning great habits and we are not stressed about the holiday season.  We are planning a healthy Thanksgiving dinner, some fun get togethers with friends but we are staying accountable to our workouts and we are eating on track 90% of the time.  We know that when our treats happen they are earned and they are in moderation!  It is truly just a shift in mindset of taking it one day at a time and not getting overwhelmed by the big picture!

So that’s the game plan!  I feel that it would be super VALUABLE AND HELPFUL to do the same for YOU!!!

I am going to run a 4 week HOLIDAY SURVIVAL guide support group starting on December 5th and running until the end of the year!  

Here is what you can expect from this group:

1.  A health and fitness program to fit your needs in 30 minutes or less each day.

2.  Sample meal plans and recipes to help you stay accountable, to help you with quick easy meals and snacks to fit your lifestyle.

3.  Daily accountability through a closed online support group.

4.  Tips on handling holiday parties, a restaurant guide, traveling tips, healthy alternatives to holiday favorites.

5.  Motivation, Accountability every single day to help you end the year stronger than you started.  

What if you could lose a few pounds this holiday season, rock in the New Year feeling confident and not defeated yet HAVE A REALLY GREAT AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY SEASON?  

So what are the requirements to participate in this group, because I know that is what you are thinking!!

1.  You must be a customer of mine on TeamBeachbody, which means that I am assigned as your FREE coach.  If you already have a coach please reach out to the person you work with.  If you do not have an account, then contact me.

2.  You must commit to a  fitness program and nutrition plan in which we will discuss options that are best for you, your ability level, your time constraints and your needs.  

3.  You must commit to checking into the accountability group daily and reporting progress.

Are you in?  Does this sound like something you would like to do???  

I am committed to helping YOU END THE YEAR STRONG!  LETS DO THIS!!!!

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

Don't Get Lazy THIS FALL!!

 

September is in mid swing and ahhh a breath of fresh air or fall air I should say!!!  I have noticed everywhere that I go the last thing people are thinking about is their health and fitness.  Everyone is talking about Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Hot Chocolate, Pizza and football party food.  Our families schedules are just jammed full of running errands, being the taxi driver for our kids activities and still trying to maintain our job, our home and our personal sanity.  So if you are like me, the first thing to go is my sanity when life gets crazy!  Thank goodness I have a good fitness and health routine going because that is the last thing that I would give up.  But maybe that isn't the case for you.  Maybe you are the person that rationalizes that you are not important or that we should sacrifice ourselves for our kids.  I have to say that while that sounds so humbling, you are actually doing them a great disservice.  Think about it.  When you don't take care of yourself what happens?

You feel gross in your clothes, your muffin top hangs over your pants, you are tired, your hair and skin feels blah.  You become irritable because you are not happy with how you look and feel and in turn you take it out on your kids. Then fast forward 10-20 years.  Your kids are grown, maybe grandchildren and you want to play with your grandkids but a lifetime of poor eating habits and being overweight have wrecked your body.  You now have sore joints, high blood pressure and cholesterol.  You are easily winded and your metabolism is slowing!  Now what if you would of made the changes now?  Would you be able to keep up with those grandkids or even just spend time doing fun activities with the ones that you love?  Most likely the situation would be different if you made different choices now!!!

But WAIT you say!!!!  I don't have money to eat healthy!  It's so expensive and I have to cook 2 meals!!!  I don't have money to buy Shakes!  I don't want to drink my food!  I don't like to cook!  I don't have time to cook!  I'm afraid this will be another thing that I sign up for and FAIL!!!  I just don't want to do it!

STOP for one minute and think about the residual benefits of leading a healthy life!!!  I know for me I want to be around for my kids and I want to teach them how to be healthy.  It's time for me to think about my family too!  It's not just about you, it's about everyone that you come into contact with on a daily basis.

It's crazy to think that 1 person (YOU) can have such a positive influence on others!!!  So instead of thinking about yourself and all that YOU have to DO...think about everyone else that NEEDS you to BE HEALTHY and STRONG too!!!!
I want to teach you how to make being healthy a lifestyle.  So starting on October 3rd, for 30 days I am going to teach you how to make a meal plan, how to make healthy choices, find substitutes for the things that you love, learn new recipes, little tips on how to pack a cooler when you have endless activities and responsibilities.  Tackle the holidays, parties, social events and more with all the support you need from me!  Online closed accountability group where we will set goals that are realistic to your needs. Contact me for more information on how you can be enrolled in my 30 Day Clean Eating and Shakeology Support Group!  I promise you that it's way more than a bag of Shakeology!  It's your LIFE!!!!  It's the start of a new you!!!

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

How to Improve Motivation

Something that lately I feel like I come across over and over is that people start out strong in their health and fitness journey even their Beachbody business but then they lose steam.  They struggle to be successful and really reach their goals. 

Maybe you've felt the same way. Maybe you've struggled to eat better, workout more, or take care of yourself in a way that creates hurdles that prevent you from living the life you want. Maybe you don’t know any other reality.

I spent a lot of time figuring out what had changed for these people. How they went from living off of motivation to one searching for sources. And what I discovered wasn't groundbreaking, but it was something often overlooked.
What will make the difference?

Find what makes you happy. This is the real secret to motivation.

If you struggle with motivation--and we all do on some level or in passing moments--it's important that you put your role in this world into context. That's why I recommend making declarations that acknowledge your deficits and areas where you'd like to improve.

Most of us settle in life. Settle for what's easy. Settle for what's convenient. Or settle for the only reality that we know. Improving motivation means changing that reality and becoming aware that there’s more in life that you want.
Here are 10 simple strategies that can help with your awareness:

1. Write 5 things you want to improve
2. Create a list of what you love--and then assess how many of those items are actually part of your life
3. Email your friends and share your goals that you haven't achieved
4. Set deadlines for personal, non-work-related goals
5. Ask your friends to list off areas in your life that you overlook
6. Visit your doctor and ask for a thorough physical of your health
7. Take a “before” picture of yourself
8. Set a challenge--it could be anything or join my next 12 week challenge.
9. Plan out a list of future goals for your career, health, and social life
10. Make a bucket list

There are an endless number of ways to create motivation. All of them revolve around a simple mindset: Pursuing the life you want. But creating a list is just the start. From here, most people typically take the wrong approach.
They condemn themselves for the existence they created; place undue pressure and stress on achieving these goals. This is not a sustainable way to stay motivated. After all, stress is the poison--not the elixir. You should be moving towards mastery, not masochism.
So what should you do you do with your awareness?

First, realize that motivation is individualistic in every sense because it’s ultimately driven by one of two things: fear or happiness. Both work, but I prefer to focus on the latter.

When you find what's missing (by using any of the strategies above or others), don't focus on the negative. Research has shown that unhappiness and rejection is the quickest way to kill your motivation, not ignite new life.

So stop making yourself feel bad. You're human. You're going to have some bad days. Instead, identify all of the positives that can result from making a change. The joy you'll feel when you look in the mirror. The extra time you'll be able to spend with your kids. The desserts that you want to enjoy without guilt or fear of the harm it might do to your overweight body. The thrill of crossing an item of your bucket list. It can be anything.
You must identify the aspects that make you feel better, and then identify the steps that will allow you to include them in your life. When you are happy, you are motivated. I realize that this can be difficult as some things in life that make you happy might not be "good for you." Create a fine line between the two and find a balance.

Feeding my natural drive, in turn, made me more motivated to improve in the other areas of my life. It's a self-perpetuating process.

Life is about happiness and fulfillment. In fitness and health we oftentimes lose sight of that because we try forcing actions--like going to the gym or eating well--that feel like a burden, rather than patiently creating habits.

It's much more effective to create a world where every action--in and of itself--is an achievement. This is about building positive habits, feeling good about your life, and taking a step in the right direction. The more steps you take, the better you'll feel and the more motivation you'll have.

The sooner your life carries less burden and is more driven by an internal desire to be happy, you'll find that your motivation--and your life--will improve in more ways than you ever imagined.

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

Striving for Progress NOT Perfection

It is so easy to get caught up in the super model bodies out there.  I encourage you to measure your own progress each month through pictures and measurements and gauge your progress based on that.  Comparing yourself to others makes us feel defeated and downplays your success!!!  Give yourself credit for coming this far!  Making healthy choices are hard and your efforts should be celebrated.  Especially when we live in a world of fast food and drive thru's.  I am celebrating the fact that I haven't seen my abs in years, but I'm starting to see definition again...after 4 kids!!!!  It's all about celebrating the non scale victories, the fact that you went down a pant size that you can do more push ups than last week, that you tried Quinoa and LIKED it or that you have gotten up to exercise 5 out of 7 days last week! 
No one, I MEAN NO ONE is PERFECT!!!  Everyone has slip ups and falls off track every once in awhile.  We are normal and human but the key to being successful in your weight loss is to have more good days than bad days.  I sometimes get out my calendar and put an X for every bad day and a smiley face for every good day! Then at the end of each week reflect on the choices you make!  How can you make next week better!!  Identify where your slip ups were?  Were they due to emotional eating, binging, cravings, social events or lack of planning?  Then, be proactive at creating a better plan of attack!!

Remember that your weight loss journey is not a SPRINT it's a MARATHON of creating a new lifestyle for you and your family!!!

 

 

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach