Gym-Intimidation

Hey Lovie! Have you ever had those times in life where you were so far out of your comfort-zone that you didn’t even know where to dig in? You were clear on what you wanted the end goal to be, but Lord the path to that happy ending seemed scary and unbelievably challenging. No? It’s just me? Lol, just kidding! If you have ever tried to grow in some area of life, then you know what I’m talkin about. Intimidation. It creeps into any and every area of life that we allow it to but, not any more! Darlin’ we are changing the game starting right now!!

I remember the first time I held my oldest son. He was so tiny and perfect. A new chapter… more like a new novel of my life began. That sweet precious baby grew, he grew, and he grew and he grew and now he’s taller than I am and likes to pick me up and carry me around and he’s talking about girls and driving and Dear Lord!! Life has changed so much over the years but never have my goals for him or any of my children have never changed. See, it’s easy to know what we want for our babies but sometimes it’s the path that’s tough. We tell our children they can do and be anything, but we don’t apply this to our lives. We tell them they can have their wildest dreams if they work hard for it, but we sell ourselves short daily. We encourage our babies when they’re being hard on themselves, but we pick ourselves apart at the seams!! It’s time we start leading by example y’all, and teach them to set their sights and then go after their desires with a fierceness!!

We see someone who is physically fit and think, oh I wish I had her body. Well, do you really? Chances are when she started her journey, she was intimidated by the process. BUT, she kept showing up. She made a choice to break that BIG scary goal into bite-sized pieces. We teach our kids the same strategy. Break down your long term goals into short term goals. You want to start a workout program? Then find one and DO IT!! You want to join a gym and you’re nervous? Join the dang gym and take a tour, when the place isn’t crowded. This will 1. Give you confidence because the staff will show you how all the equipment works and 2. It’s not crowded so you’re not constantly worrying what people are thinking! Two birds with one stone!!

Now, that you’re on your way and know what the equipment does, you’re going to have to show up and actually use this stuff for it to work! Get a plan of action! I love finding ideas on Instagram and Pinterest. However, stay FAAAARRR away from the “Exercise” Plans that promise that you will lose 30 pounds in 30 days… I’ve had stomach viruses, that despite their BEST efforts couldn’t live up to those standards. Anyways, we’re in this to create a healthy LIFESTYLE that will last; not a suicide mission. Find a program that works for you. There are books out there, personal trainers, group trainings, and even online businesses (i.e. like mine) that will write personal plans specifically for you and your goals. Bottom line, whatever path you choose, go all in!

You have your goals and you know exactly what they are. Those things you’re thinking in the back of your mind, right now while you’re reading this! I wish I… yep, I’m talking right at you now. It scares you and you haven’t said anything to anyone about it because honestly, it intimidates the heck out of you and you’re scared you’re going to fail. Before you even start, you’re mind is trying to make you quit. Yet, day in and day out you encourage the world around you to lasso the moon and move mountains. Girl, it’s your time to shine! You know what happens when you quit! Let’s find out what it feels like when you don’t.  

Let's Do This!

Hey Beautiful Girl! Have you ever just woke up and knew that things were about to change? Like something BIG was coming and it was going to be completely awesome. You can feel the motivation to seize the day just coursing through your veins. Today is the day you are going to have that healthy breakfast, drink your water, and get to the gym! You walk into the kitchen and dear Lord, it’s a wreck. You were so tired last night that you just flat passed out but that’s ok… Let’s clean this up first. Great! Back on track - dang it!! I need to throw on a load of laundry and fold what’s in the dryer. Ok, now I’m starving! Ugh, let’s grab a bowl of cereal because it’s quick and easy. As you go to place your bowl in the dishwasher you realize that the dishes in there are clean, so now you have the “privilege” of unloading this beast. Seriously, this is how our days go!! Then, throw in a few kids and a husband who can’t find matching socks and you know EXACTLY what happens! You’re whole day is spent playing pick-up, make-up, and fix-it-up! Our plans of world domination go down the drain and we’re passing out wherever we land at the end of the day. I feel ya girlfriend! Mom life, wifey life, and just the life of being a woman is tough!! So what can we do to stay motivated? Girlfriend, here are 5 sure fire motivators!

*Cute gym clothes are one of my favorite workout motivations. When I’m dressed for success or in this case, for an awesome workout I tend to show up and give it my best! You feel like a beast when you walk in with your new favorite leggings and super cute t-shirt (my favorite tank says “I workout because punching people is frowned upon”). You’re ready for anything! You walk in head high knowing that you’ve got this! Ladies, the right outfit for ANY occasion can be a secret weapon and we all know it, I’m just sayin’...

*Set Goals! Have both short long term goals. This is like the light at the end of the tunnel. If we know what awaits us at the end of our journey we’re more likely to enjoy the trip.Short term goals could be something like: If I get 3 workouts in this week I get to __________. Or, I will go for 4 afternoon walks this week and reward myself by _________. Long term goals may be something along the lines of: I will make it to the gym 3 times a week for 4 weeks and at the end of the 4 weeks I will _____________(treat myself to a mani-pedi, order a new workout outfit, etc) I will lose 15 pounds over the next 3 month and reward myself with ___________ (a spa day, a makeover, whatever you little heart desires!)

*There is a reason you want to do what you are doing! Get clear on your “whys.” When you know and understand the “why” behind what you want, you are getting to know the real you and owning it! This will drive you to accomplish your goals! Maybe you’re doing it for a high school reunion, maybe you want this because you’re tired of not feeling like the you, you once knew, maybe you just want to drop pounds, tone up, and be sexy as heck! Whatever your reasons are, they are yours and they deserve action!

*We all have little sayings that pop into our heads at various times in different situations. One of my favorites is “The gym is the only relationship you’ll ever have where you get out EXACTLY what you put in.” Get on Pinterest and find some healthy motivational quotes that resonate with you. Jot them down on post-its and stick these little bad boys up on your bathroom mirror; fridge; windows and walls! Read them and let them inspire you. If one seems to lose its magic, trash it and find a new one. We are constantly growing and changing, learning and adapting. Let your motivations grown too!

*Hire a coach! Nothing holds you more accountable and will motivate you like knowing that you have a scheduled check in with a coach you are paying good money. You know if you slack and so will coach. When you hit that wall, coach has a sledge hammer to lend. There is some serious magic in knowing that you are investing in yourself, your body, and your life. When you get a coach, it’s like the world slows down and it’s GAME ON.

I’m going to challenge you to pick at least one of these and give it a shot this week. Get motivated, get moving, and let’s conquer this planet! Let me know what you tried, how it worked and any motivation ideas that just light your fire!!

Let's Cheat the Week!

Good morning Gorgeous!! Sundays are awesome! Seriously, Sundays maybe my FAVORITE day of the week due to the relaxed feel and family time. Then comes Monday. Mondays tend to be the least favorite day of the week for most, but why? Because it’s back to the grind!! More of that we HAVE to do, instead of what we WANT to do. However, Mondays truly hold a fountain of untapped potential!

    My husband knows I will swap out most workout days as needed during the week. EXCEPT Monday. There’s this rule I live by, “Never miss a Monday.” For whatever reason, this resonates with me and I refuse to miss a Monday workout. I look forward to that one little consistency on those Manic Mondays (great song for my 80’s chicks out there). Monday sets the pace for our entire week. So how do we make Mondays work for us? Here are 5 Manic Monday Hacks...

1. Set the coffee pot Sunday night. I absolutely love this because I am the first one up in the mornings and when I walk into the kitchen and smell coffee it’s like, “Oh, Miranda made me coffee! How sweet!!”
2. Lay out the outfit the night before. This is a MUST! Once I’ve laid out my outfit - shoes included, it gives me time to process and settle on what I’ve laid out. In other words, I don’t change clothes 10 times Monday morning.
3. Warm lemon water! I squeeze ½ a lemon into my first round of water EVERY morning. This starts me off on a healthy note and encourages me to continue making healthy choices throughout the day. Plus all of the health benefits that lemons provide! Check out my post about the almighty lemon on the Fit-Fo-Spiration page.
4. Prep your lunch! I measure my meals for macro purposes and have my lunches in grab-n-go containers to save those precious morning minutes.
5. Pack your gym clothes! As a teacher, it just makes sense to carry a bookbag. Along with all the papers I had to grade, my planner, and everything else I need for school, I pack my gym clothes in there too. That way, when the buses roll and kids are gone, I can skip down to the teacher restroom and change. I mean let’s face it, if we have to go home to change, the gym ain’t gonna happen.

    These 5 little life hacks make a world of difference to me as I get back into the flow of the work week.

Morning Hack #1: Lemons

    Have you ever noticed that the way you start your morning seems to set the tone for the whole day? Whether you’re  a momma, a teacher, nurse, trainer, business owner, how you start your day matters.

    The choices you make concerning your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down, according to Ayurvedic philosophy. Each day we are provided the opportunity to start over. To make morning choices & build healthy routines that will not only start our days off on the right foot, but also allowing us to get into a natural rhythm and promote self care. It’s time we love ourselves a little more.

    So why don’t you have a morning routine that promotes health and self love? It’s probably because you’re a giver. You wake up, throw yourself together, get the kids up & ready for school, make sure everyone else has what they need, & pray to God you have what you need. Girl, I completely get it! You have a million & one things to do, so let’s start small.

    When life gives you lemons, make warm lemon water! I know that’s not the saying but hear me out. By adding just ½ a lemon to your water in the morning you are opening the beneficial floodgates of the Mighty Lemon.

    According to the article: Why You Should Drink Warm Water & Lemon, by Ashley Dentino There are 7 benefits that you stand to gain:

1. Boosts your immune system
2. Balances pH
3. Helps with weight loss
4. Aids digestion
5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
6. Clear skin
7. Hydrates the lymph system

    All of those benefits for just ½ a lemon and warm water! This one little step could revolutionize your mornings and set you up for huge gains down the road.

Fitness Vs. Age

Good morning my gorgeous rays of radiant sunshine!! I don't know about you but it has turned COLD here!! Like maybe 32℉! Okay okay, I know that may not be what you consider cold, but girlfriend, I'm pretty sure I may freeze! Cold weather and me just don't mesh. Anyways, if you're interested, I just started a new page titled, "Fit Foods" these are foods that I make for my family and myself and I want to share with you. <3 So click on the tab and check it out!

Now, let's get down to business. I have realized that as I get older that sadly my back isn't as bendy as it use to be. I mean, I remember the days of going to sleep being sore from tennis practice or water skiing all day and feeling like a million dollars and ready to do it all again. At some point along the way, sleep quit being my Magic Pain Eraser and I started waking up with the aches still there... Heck, sometimes I go to sleep feeling fine and wakeup with aches and pains!! I mean seriously! But no matter what, life goes on and we have to keep going with it. #momlife

This past week has been a tough week for me due to the fact I tweaked my back last Saturday. Now, you would think I did it in the gym lifting something heavy, but no. I tweaked it picking up my husbands PJs off the floor!! Of all the things that could've got me, it was his PJs...

Ladies, if you've been following me on Instagram for any amount of time, you know that I LOVE Saturdays! I finish my meal prep list and go to the gym like super early and bring whatever kids are at my house breakfast. Saturdays are like my magical day! So, when I tweaked my back I saw my visions of lifting, grocery shopping, and cleaning drift away. It put me in quite an icky mood. Just being totally honest. It wasn't until a dear friend explained to me that there was still good to be found in this experience. She explained to me that maybe this was just my body's way of telling me to relax and take a few days off and to work on other things.

During my down/rest/recovery time I have had found a ton of healthy recipes that I am working into our weekly menu. As soon as I try them I will definitely share them on the Fit Food page if they're worth it. Only the best for my girls!

This recovery time has been amazing in the aspect that it made me take the time to practice aerial yoga and stretch. So often I run into the gym and hit the weights asap and then wonder why my muscles are tight and my flexibility is less than ideal. At this time, I feel that the yoga and stretching has done wonders for me mentally because I was still physically activity & physically because inverting upside down has actually felt AMAZING on my back.  Lifting is still my favorite fitness hobby but this week has definitely taught me to appreciate and respect the power of yoga too.

Let's Prep!!

Good morning Gorgeous!!!! It's Saturday!!! What are you doing today? Enjoying a much needed off day? Making plans with the family? Spending a little extra time in bed, catching up on sleep? Honestly, it doesn't matter what we do on Saturdays, Saturdays are just awesome! I LOVE SATURDAYS!!! Saturday is my day to plan and get organized for the upcoming week. This is the day that I set myself up for success! I mean, we have to grocery stop anyways, we may as well set our self up to be our #BESTSELF 

So, the #1 question I get DAILY is what are you eating? What do you have today? Girlfriend, I am always excited to show what I'm having for lunch because I LOVE my meals!! I wouldn't eat them if I didn't. That would suck... And then it would get old and then I would dread it and then I wouldn't do it and I would be back eating whatever it is they're eating and getting the same results they're getting... Babe, there's a reason they wanna know what I'm eating. It's because they see the results I'm getting and have been getting for years and they've been through 10 diets and none of them have worked. That's because diets don't work. At least not for me anyways. I don't want to drop 10, 20, 30, or 50 pounds for the summer. I want to drop body fat for a lifetime. I need a lifestyle, not another freakin diet. I need something I enjoy and is EASY and fits into my crazy busy life! How about you? Are we in the same boat here? Ok, so lets do this! Let's dive into the world of meal prep-my way!

Coffee. I cannot function without it! My family and even my 3rd graders know that you better save the hard questions until the coffee mug is put away. Mrs. Teston, NEEDS her morning coffee to function... I may have a problem but I like it and I like it with Protein powder. Right now I am LOVING Frosted Sugar Cookie Protein by Bowmar Nutrition. I like the idea of a intermittent fasting even though the protein is technically a cheat, I don't care. Typically, women don't get enough protein and I know from years of tracking that this is a macro I struggle with getting.

Lunch is one of my absolute FAVORITE times of the day!! I love chicken and I meal prep it every week in bulk. There are a million ways to eat this stuff too and again it's a high protein, low fat food!! I use skinless boneless chicken breasts. For my carbs, I love peppers. Sautéed red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and green bell peppers. Lately, I have been hooked seriously on jalapeños too. You can add whatever you like! Maybe you want a sweet potato or cauliflower rice. Seriously, the possibilities are endless!

Now, for supper I like to cook a meal for everyone, but I also want healthy. I deserve it and my family does too. We may bake a pork loin, or steak, or shrimp. You have to find a solid protein. A green and then whatever else you want to do. My bunch likes air fried Brussels Sprouts.

Get over to East Coast Fit on Facebook or Instagram this week. I'm about to go grocery shopping and I'm going to share the meal prepping process. =) So, I've gotta get the laundry moved to the dryer and straighten up then grocery shop. Head high, you've got this! Message or DM me if you need a good recipe! Much love!!

Enough Is Enough

     Ever just have one of those weeks where you literally feel like it's you, yourself, and... you against EVERY & ANY thing?! We work, we mom, we chauffer, we run, we do back flips, and jump through hoops of fire, we pass out from exhaustion, and then do it all again. Day in & day out. #momlife
     It's like everyone gets our best and that's ok. I mean hey, that's what I wanted when God decided to make me a momma. But one day I started thinking: was I really giving my family my best? I was always tired, gaining weight, eating to fill what ever craving I was having that day, and mentally I was a wreck! I NEVER wanted to be in pictures with my babies because, well, dear Lord, I didn't want to see myself... That really hurts to say, but it is what it is. (I'm not much of a sugar coater.) That's what weeks of us, MOMS vs. The World does to us... It stresses us, pushes our limits, robs us of sleep, and then makes us feel like crap when we gain some weight. What kinda crap is that? That, my dear, is the world we live in.
     Why am I telling you all of this? Because you need to understand that I KNOW how you feel and I have personally faced these struggles! I lived years trapped inside myself, just hoping those fit goals would come true magically on their own. While I wish I could tell you that there's a nice little Fit Fairy that showed up and fixed me, that is not the case.
     What did happen, was the World finally pushed me to a breaking point. Enough was enough and I was sick of it. I joined a gym and thought that was going to fix everything. For the next two months I went a few times a week and nothing... I gained more weight!! What I didn't realize is that I was gaining muscle but eating more because, "Hey! I'm working out so, I can eat whatever I want." FALSE!!
    Four years later, I am finally in the best shape of my life and I still have all that other stuff on my plate too: family, work, mom responsibilities, etc. But now, I make a little time for me too. I found a balance! Balance, what a wonderful word! I'm a mom first and foremost always and forever, but I'm me too. I workout, I changed my eating habits. Food doesn't control me anymore. This isn't a diet, it's something I enjoy, something I want to do, and something that makes me feel better, be stronger, and at the end of the day I love myself too.
     If you're living the #momlife and feel like I did, know you're not alone! You had kids and juggle all the mom things, wife things, and life things without a second thought. Make sure you take time to do you too Boo.