Intro to Jes

It's time to introduce myself. I'm the second half of off the merry-go-round.

So we start this blog with Kelly rockin it and me, well, I'm in a rut. You see, I'm dealing with an injury. Injuries piss me off. I don't eat right unless I'm working out. I'm hurt, so I'm not running. Guess who isn't eating right! Yep. Me. You guessed it. I feel all defeated and say what the hell. Oops. That's my current situation.

Next time, I'll share a little about my past.

#AtoZchallenge Drink More Water Challenge!

Challenge - Drink More Water!

I used to be a total water drinking nut. I'm not proud of getting out of the habit, because I know all the great benefits from filling up with plenty of water each day. If you aren't savvy to the many reasons your body is craving water even when you're jonesin' for coffee and soda, check this out:

So I figured, what better way to get back into the habit than to have a water guzzling challenge? Seems legit to me. And no better time than now, since I'm back heavy on the workout train and stressing about a gazillionty different things at home and work -- my brain and my body need all the help they can get! It's time for a one week water drinking challenge!

Since I like to have apps for pretty much everything in my life, I hopped around Google and found a free app called Waterlogged. Of course I immediately downloaded it, but then I also found this chick's blog. She recommends the same app, but also reviewed a .99 cent app called Plant Nanny, which lets you grow a cute little plant through your water logging efforts. I'm all about cute and having fun, so I decided I needed it too! You should hop on over to her blog and check out her in-depth look at these apps.

Now that I have not one, but two mighty apps to make my water drinking challenge a little more fun, I figure I'll use both for one week to see how it changes my water consumption. I'm starting my challenge tomorrow with the goal of drinking 100 ounces of water a day. Since I've been lucky to get in 50 ounces a day, I think this is a pretty decent goal and hope it will get me back in the right habit.

Next Saturday I'll post an app review and update on how I did for the week. Who's ready to join me and up your water intake for one week?

#AtoZchallenge Tell the Truth Tuesday

Tuesday seems as good a day as any to start a new theme. And so huzzah and merriment! I give you:

Tell the Truth Tuesday

Wherein, I prattle on incessantly about what's really going on in my little corner of the fitness world.

Well, 2 out of 3 isn't that bad...

Or, because I get distracted easily, and you want to move on to other things, I choose the top 5 truths that seem most pressing.

Here's what's up today:

1. I ate chocolate today. Also, a rice krispie treat. I would like to blame the people that locked me in a room all day with a bag full of sugary junk, but the truth is I could have thrown the bag away. But there ya have it folks. Chocolate. And a rice krispie treat! Not my strongest moment. (I'd really like to defend my honor by whining for a few extra paragraphs about what a rough day today was, but let's face it -- the choice was mine, and I chose sticky sugary rice cakes.)
2. I. did not. work out. today. This bums me out insanely. Sure, I could have done something when I finally got home at 10pm tonight, but I'm dragging big time and just don't have it in me. Perhaps that's because...
3. On top of the sugar-fest, I did not eat lunch today. Healthy breakfast, one healthy snack, and then there was that locked room and chocolate, and things went downhill from there.
4. When I have days like this I tend to beat myself up. It takes a monumental amount of self-talk to keep me from derailing completely into the world of negativity. As much as I talk about the importance of keeping your head in the right place, it's not an easy task. I work hard to keep my mind from running away from me, moment by moment.
5. But the truth is -- we all have bad choices, or bad days, when nothing seems to go right. The important thing is that we shove right on through the bad stuff and keep on running in the right direction.  So that's what I'm doing.

That's why I'll be throwing away the remains of that "goodie" bag when I get to work in the morning. And packing extra snacks to get me through another hectic workday. And lunch. I'm not forgetting to eat lunch tomorrow. It's why I'm doubling up workouts tomorrow -- my normally scheduled Wednesday workout plus a stretching/yoga routine that my body is craving. I can't regain the workout I missed today, but I can take extra time for myself tomorrow that I wasn't able to make happen today.

No matter where you are in your fitness journey -- lost, steadfast and true, or on the stumbly path that I found myself on today -- I really believe success is all in the mind.

I believe I can, so I am.

#AtoZchallenge Progress, not Perfection

Your Body is a Work in Progress

When I first started working out, I felt like every workout had to be perfect. Or it didn't count.

Yep, you heard that right. If I had an off day, I mentally beat myself up. Didn't run as fast as the last run? No good. Couldn't fit in my full 60 minute workout? Fail.

My need for perfection was ruining the joy in what I should have seen as success.

Every workout is a success -- just getting up off the couch and moving your body is progress.

Along the way, I learned to focus on progress, not perfection, to capture the joy in my journey.

Now, when I workout, I push for progress. One more rep or stronger execution than I did last time. One more calorie burned. One second longer or better form on a plank. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as I can see that I've found a place to see some small moment of progress.

Focus on slow but steady progress, and perfection no longer holds you captive. Getting back into a routine is progress. Choosing a healthy snack over a cookie is definitely progress. The key to sticking with anything is finding the joy, looking at the positive, and focusing on what you're doing well instead of what you haven't accomplished.

What progress have you celebrated lately?

#AtoZchallenge Create Opportunities for Success

Seek Opportunity

Recently I read a post in one of my FaceBook fitness groups written by a woman struggling to find hope. She listed the reasons for her hopelessness -- all the things going on in her life that made weight loss feel beyond her reach.

I've definitely been there. Busy days, stress, social gatherings, lack of support; all these things, and more, add up to quickly make us feel like our goals are always dangling in front of us but never attainable.

What has helped me the most is learning that the question of living a fit life is answered in mindset and efficiently managing my life. I tend to be a terrible procrastinator, but when it comes to my health, that's one place I simply can't afford to let slide.

So I create opportunities for success. Throughout the day, I remind myself to seek the opportunity to create healthy choices. This might mean choosing fruit over M&M's, or turn off the TV and get an extra hour of sleep. It might mean running somewhere instead of walking, or using commercial breaks to get in a set of crunches. It might mean busting out 100 squats while I wait for dinner to cook or simply taking a minute to meditate quietly and refocus my thoughts when I find that rare moment alone. It definitely means setting aside time every Sunday to shop, prep, and cook the healthy meals and snacks I plan to eat throughout the week.

Seeking opportunity in little places, and reminding myself all day long to keep hunting down those moments, keeps my mind focused on what matters.

There is little else more important than your health. Our bodies and our health are irreplaceable.  You may not be in a place where you can commit to six workouts a week and a 100% clean eating plan. But everyone can seek opportunity to choose better. Everyone can make little changes. And all those little changes will amount to something big.

And you're worth it. You deserve all the happiness the universe has to offer.

What healthy opportunities have you created for yourself lately?

#AtoZchallenge - Kettlebells are not for Klutzes

When Jes and I met, she was a diehard Kettlebell addict. That's why it's so surprising that I've never even touched one. Together, we've done just about every type of workout possible. Even though running makes my brain hurt and lifting weights makes her want to throw things at me (weights included), we have still supported each other this way. How I managed to get out of her crazy Kettlebell exercises, I'll never know.

Kettlebells sort of scare me. Every time I watch a video of someone hefting one of those things through the air, I cringe.

Kettlebells are not for klutzes. Right? I mean, surely, the first time I try to fling a Kettlebell over my head I'm going to somehow manage to hit myself solidly in the face (trust me, my coordination issues are massively impressive) or launch it through the air, sending it hurling through a wall or window.

So forgive me if I'm skeptical, Kettlebell lovers of the universe. I really do want to try this exercise phenomenon, but I'm trying to make the world a safer place by not randomly injuring strangers that are unfortunate enough to be in my throwing range.

I have to say, though, after reading up about the reasons for implementing Kettlebells into your workout regimen, I'm a little more intrigued. Besides the functional strength benefits, one great side effect of using Kettlebells is improved mindfulness. Staying in the moment is a practice I am continually working on, and I can see how the stamina, strength, and purposeful movements involved in Kettlebell workouts could increase my daily ability to live a more mindful life.

So maybe it's time I ask Jes to dust off those Kettlebells I remember from when we first met, and give it a go. As long as she's standing a safe distance away, that is.

What do you think? Are you a Kettlebell advocate? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

#AtoZchallenge - JNL Fusion Transformation Time!

JNL Fusion - The Right Time for a Fitness Makeover

When I first made the switch from being a dreadmill minion to slinging weights around in the gym, I became a little obsessed with fitness magazines. Watching my own body transform was amazing, but so was learning about different types of workouts. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with Jamie Eason. I picked up every magazine she was in, did every workout she recommended, and told myself if I worked hard enough, one day I could have a physique just like hers.

There were a few minor issues with this plan. First of all, she's 5'2. Honestly, we can really stop there. As much as I love Jamie and still follow her on FaceBook and Twitter, I think it's safe to assume I will never be a 5'2 fitness model that has never struggled with weight issues. I'll always love Jamie Eason's nutrition and workout advice, but I just don't identify with her story.

Now, I'm not saying you must have an inspirational role model to succeed in your goals, but it certainly doesn't hurt. I've always been that girl that loves making vision boards and having mentors. It's nice to connect with someone else that's been through similar struggles when you're fighting your own battles.

Enter Jennifer Nicole Lee.

I first read about her on bodybuilding.com when I was looking around the site for something new in 2011. This was right around the time Jamie Eason's LiveFit was launching, so after reading a little info about how JNL had created a home workout for moms, I downloaded all the LiveFit info and jumped into my new workout.

The LiveFit program was HARD. I was in the gym for an hour to an hour and a half nearly every day of the week. I was lugging a huge suitcase of a lunchbox to work every day. I was determined to succeed. At one point, we were going on vacation and I was so freaked out about not eating the right foods and amounts of protein, that I made meatballs and froze the equivalent of half a side of beef to bring with me. I got a gym membership for the week we were out of town.

I was not playing around, people.

But I also wasn't exactly overjoyed with the program. It was too much for me to keep up with. Even though the FaceBook group I was a part of was highly motivating, I ended up not finishing the 12 week schedule on time, and then decided not to do the carb cycling phase at the very end because I wasn't at a place physically were it made sense. The LiveFit trainer has done some amazing things for a ton of people -- it just wasn't right for me.

And of course, in true merry-go-round style, at the end of all that high energy, daily hours-long gym time and whirlwind insanity, I jumped off and landed squarely on my couch, where I sat for the next couple of months, wondering why I couldn't ever seem to stick with a program. At this point, I was still in a really defeatist mentality! It's amazing how much I changed through the course of 2012 while working with my rockstar online trainer.

Again, enter JNL. But this time, I listened. This time, my brain was prepped and ready to listen to new possibilities.

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Danny J (The Sweaty Betties). She shared some info with me about JNL Fusion and a new supplement line coming out by BodyFX. Because I'm a research junkie, I immediately googled my heart out to learn everything I could about JNL. It only took seeing her picture to remember her as the same "mom's home workout" chick I had seen over a year ago on bodybuilding.com. I found it a little amusing that I had toyed with starting her workouts back in 2011, and here she was again, popping up on my radar.

I also learned:

• She is her own success story -- losing over 80 pounds on her own after having her kids.
• She created the workouts on her JNL Fusion DVDs.
• She's 5'9! Yay! Almost as tall as me. I don't know why I always check out the height of my fitness role models, but dude -- it really matters to me!
• She is UBER motivational.
• She's really chatty, y'all.
• Her workouts are short and powerful. 3 rounds of 30 seconds of weights backed by 30 seconds of plyo-style cardio for each exercise set. Totally my style of workout -- lots of movement, plenty of variety! I am stoked to try them out!

(Here's a quick example of her Fusion style workouts!)

And lucky for me, after that original meeting with Danny J, I decided to jump in with both feet, become a Founding Charter Coach with BodyFX and begin a brand new chapter in my journey to my healthiest life possible. This means my JNL Fusion DVDs are in the mail headed my way and I'll have the full line of supplements to try out before they become available to the public in May.

It also means I will be able to help many, many other people stay motivated on their own journey for optimal health. It's already begun, and I just can't believe how many blessings have been falling all around me in the last few weeks.

All because I was open to possibility. All because I decided to release my fears. All because I finally decided to say yes to something new, instead of doing my usual duck-and-cover approach to the unknown.

I could not be more excited. I've read up on this new protein powder and the rest of the supplement line and am so happy to finally have found something that is free of artificial ingredients, that has adaptogens to offer the metabolic repair my merry-go-rounding body needs!

So here's the accountability part of the plan. The reason Jes and I decided to start this whole blog to begin with -- we want off the merry-go-round and on the road to success -- and the best way to do that is to put it all out there.

When my DVDs arrive, I will weigh, measure, and take pictures (eeeek). I'll blog weekly to let you know how my workouts are going and what I think of the exercises -- and I promise to be honest about both my successes and my stumbles along the way.

#AtoZchallenge - Injury Smackdown

Don't Let an Injury Get You Down!

There's not much worse than being all amped up about establishing a new workout pattern than the straight-outta-nowhere injury. Injuries aren't just about physical pain, they can cause some pretty major emotional setbacks, too.

To prevent unnecessary injuries, it's important to be proactive. There are several things you can do to minimize your injury risk:

1. Invest in a good foam roller. Using a foam roller before workouts and before you climb into bed each night is a great way to keep your muscles limber.
2. S-t-r-e-t-c-h. And not those goofy 2 second stretches I typically try to get away with, either. Make sure you modify your stretch routine to match the type of workout you're about to bust out. Dynamic stretches are excellent to warm up your body before a run, and static stretches are more beneficial afterwards. Just like anything else, the key is to be smart about it! Talk to a trainer or do some research to learn what kind of stretches will help you stay injury-free and have an effective workout.
3. Don't forget the warm-up sets when lifting weights. Yes, this is important even after you've done some light dynamic stretching to prep for your lifts.
4. And guys, seriously? Listen to your body. I tend to overdo it because I think I am still 18 and I have waaaay too much of a competitive vibe going for me. But your body knows when something isn't right. If your ankle starts screaming at you or your knee suddenly seems to have forgotten how to work correctly -- stop and pay attention to what's going on. It's better to stop mid-workout to figure out a potential injury than push through and end up unable to hit the gym for the next 6 weeks!
5. Ice, ice baby. If you do find yourself with an unexplainably wonky injury, get some ice on that thing! Ice is the best way to treat a sudden injury. You'll reduce any swelling and alleviate pain, and can apply the ice pack for about 10 minutes several times a day. However, if your injury doesn't seem better after a few days -- it's time to call the doctor.

So be smart about what your body is telling you, and remember -- even if you do have a minor setback due to injury, there will still be ways to stay on the journey to your best health ever. Your doctor can help you make a plan that keeps you active while your wounded limb (and pride) are healing. Just don't give up -- you're worth all the effort it takes to remain true to your dreams!

#AtoZchallenge - If Your Workouts Aren't Fun...

You're Doing it Wrong!

I have slogged through some seriously un-fun workouts. Things I thought I needed to do in order to be fit. Exercises I believed were necessary to reach my goals. I've gotten up at 4am to stumble bleary-eyed to my car and drive thirty minutes to a bootcamp I swore would be the answer to my prayer. I have even run through a parking lot with an elastic band around my waist, while dragging my trainer along behind me. Seriously. I dragged a grown woman around like I was a freaking horse and cart.

Now, some of those things may be your bowl of exercise happiness. They just weren't mine. And I don't know about you, but when I'm forcing myself to do something I don't have much passion for day after day after day? Eventually, I'm going to quit.

I am glad I've tried so many things. I've narrowed down the list of things that make my workout-happy meter plummet (running for more than a minute at a time!) and the things that make me feel strong, confident, energized, and like a super diva rockstar athlete of awesome-sauce (patent pending). Such as:

• Lifting weights
• Flipping giant tires around in my yard
• Burpees (I know, right?? I'm not even kidding.)
• Pretty much any metabolic workout, ever
• Sprints! (See, I do love running sometimes!)
• Any obstacle course 5k event I can afford

And more.

My point is, you don't have to force yourself to grumpily make it through a workout you hate. Experiment. Try new things. Play outside. You'll find what you love, and your body will thank you for it!

#AtoZchallenge - Our Great Expectations

Great Expectation or Unrealistic Desire?

Oh man,  if I had to pick the one great saboteur to my own fitness journey, battling it out with my expectations versus logical reality is probably the biggest villian.

I'm not saying I hugely obsess over perfectly completing every workout and dropping two or more pounds a week and suddenly realizing all my clothes are falling off my body, or anything.

I'm just saying.

Life happens. Our bodies are weird and miraculous things that just don't always do what we want them to do. Sometimes it feels like our mind is our own worst enemy. We plan, yet we don't succeed instantly. We all make mistakes. Expecting perfection and immediate results only sets us up for disappointment.

But there are certain things you can, and should expect for yourself: a positive attitude, determination strong enough to reach realistic goals, and consistently moving in the direction that makes your dreams inevitable.

Expect great things, but chill.

Eat well. Sleep lots. Laugh, then laugh some more. Move your body and have fun doing it. Give yourself permission to stumble. This life is meant to be enjoyed, not over-planned. As long as you take action to continually head in the right direction, you will see progress. And that's one great thing worth expecting!

#AtoZchallenge - You deserve a Do-Over today!

Fitness resides in the land of infinite do-overs.

While it's common to hear the phase, "No do-overs!!" called out across the school playground everyday, especially when Four Square is involved, the land of healthy living is much more lenient.

There are those that believe fitness goals can only be super-charged when the new year rolls around -- just what is it about January 1st that sends so many people into a goal-creating frenzy?? Or perhaps even when the new week starts; I've played victim to this one -- "Bah, I'll just start (over) on Monday." But the great thing about deciding to live a healthful life is you can start (and restart) any time you want.

Fitness is the land of infinite do-overs because instead of geting just one shot, each person can decide for themself moment by moment how to build a healthier life. There is no last chance gas station hiding in the desert, no final pitch with the bases loaded. We each get unending second chances to win the game.

So next time you feel like you've ruined it all -- there is no hope because you've eaten one too many donuts or it's been too many years (if ever!) since your last workout -- just remember, you deserve a do-over today.

What's yours going to be?