#AtoZchallenge - Go Green Guide to Fitness

Is Green the Color of Fitness?

Remember when kids used to giggle behind their hands when someone held up a green M&M? No? Is that just me? 

How about green being the color of envy? Or Kermit telling us from his lonely swamp that it's not easy being green? Surely those references mean something to you!

Green is a color that really gets around. And here in the Land o' Fitness, we loves us some green, too.

Why, you ask?

1. Green tea revs your metabolism!
2. Green smoothies pack in a crazy amount of veggies and make a great start to any day.
3. You need to eat a wide variety of green leafy veggies every day - think spinach, kale, swiss chard, and even cabbage!
4. Beyond the leafy stuff, add some broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, and artichoke to your diet - so yummy and good for you.
5. Avocados! Need I say more?
6. Have you ever even tried baked zucchini fries? You guys! You don't know what you're missing.
7. Need a sweet treat? Green grapes, granny smith apples, and kiwi to the rescue!
8. Grass-fed beef and poultry! It's like green meat, but without any illness involved. But just remember, you want your meat to be eating the veggies, not the grain. Or cement. Or whatever other weird things all those non-grass eatin' animals are digesting!
9. Edamame! Okay, okay, I know this one is controversial, but I have a strong love for these little soybean wonders and I think as long as you aren't tossing them back like an extra large bucket of popcorn each day, you're probably fine. 
10. Working out in the great, GREEN outdoors is so good for you! Whenever possible, take a run outside instead of on the treadmill. Barefoot running is so fabulous it almost makes me enjoy running! Or do your yoga at sunrise outdoors and grab some Vitamin D. (Uhm, unless you live around crazy pollution or some post-apocalyptic funk. In that case, I'd stay inside.)

So there you have it, friends. My Go Green Guide to Fitness! I challenge you to give these a try and see how you feel. Double dog, even.

#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?

#AtoZchallenge - The Truth About Calories

Calories - Ain't Nobody Got Time For That!

When I first started on this wild fitness journey (way back in 2006), I was madly devoted to logging my calories. Food wasn't really food; food was a numbers game. I measured every morsel and counted every calorie.

Now, don't get me wrong. In the beginning, logging what I ate was a huge part of my early success with weight loss. There are tons of great online sites and communities for this. Through the years, I've tried places like Spark People, My Fitness Pal, and Fitocracy. In one way or another, each helped me be accountable for my nutrition choices.

But if you're anything like me, this can be a slippery slope. It wasn't long before the numbers were more important than the food I was putting in my body. I lost the joy in discovering new foods, because I had my tried and true recipes that would hit the calorie count I felt was most beneficial for my fitness goals. Although I was eating clean, I wasn't eating a well-rounded variety of foods.

Simply counting calories doesn't necessarily equal building a healthy body.

Last year I worked with a trainer that transformed my mindset on nutrition. Although I begged for a nutrition plan from the start, he refused to give me a set calorie goal or plan to follow. Instead, we focused on changing my mindset about food. And every time I argued that I needed to know the right portions, I needed to have more information, he calmed my fears and turned my focus to listening to my body.

We started with a few simple guidelines, loosely paraphrased here:

1. Drink more water. And then drink some more.
2. Eat lots of different veggies and lean meat
3. Stop eating when you feel about 80% full (wow -- this was hard to learn, but so effective!)

I went from obsessively counting my calories to purposefully choosing a variety of healthy foods throughout the day. In baby steps, I came to realize how many delicious foods I was missing out on. I shed my calorie counting addiction and stepped into a place where I ate food I enjoyed and fueled my body simultaneously.

Suddenly, I was free. I lost weight, built muscle, and haven't counted a calorie since. The thing is, when you're eating a variety of clean, healthy foods and moving your body daily, it's hard to screw things up. While counting calories may be a great way to understand what's really in that food you're eating, you can also pave the path to the body you desire by dropping that calorie counter and listening to what your body needs and making it a priority to choose a variety of whole, natural foods every day.

#AtoZchallenge - Body Image Makeover

Body Image

Okay, let's be honest. When women look in the mirror we don't always see the truth.

For instance, as I near my 40's, it would be easy for me to focus on:

• Those random grey hairs popping up around my forehead.
• New wrinkles. Daily. Seriously. How is that even possible?
• My neck. Don't even get me started.

I could go on, but you get the picture. But the truth is, we all have things about our bodies we don't like. No body is perfectly symmetric, unmarked by time, or sculpted in marble.

And that's a good thing! Who wants to look like a stiff mannequin in a store window when you have a body you've been crafting since birth with its own unique story?

Too often, we focus on the physical look we think to be ideal instead of the physical and mental strength we posses. When I was growing up, my body image was destroyed because of the single purple scar that slashed across my face like an angry lightning bolt. This was well before Harry Potter was popular, so I didn't even have that going for me. As a teenager, I was my scar. I didn't have the tools to separate the scar from the real me. Because of the scar, I felt ugly, marred, imperfect, unwanted.

It took many years to be able to look in the mirror and see me, not just an ugly scar staring back from the looking glass.

But, like attitude, body image begins in the mind. These days, when I'm standing in front of the mirror, I do my best to look past those wrinkles and grey hairs. Instead, I purposefully remind myself of:

• Strong bones and muscles that carry me through every day.
• An easy-going smile shared freely with friends and family.
• Stretch marks that carry memories of bringing two amazing boys into this world.
• And yes, even grey hairs -- marking my years and the wisdom I've gained.

And again, I could go on. But you don't need my personal list of positive body image reflections.

You need your own. So go ahead. Take another peek in that mirror. What is truly staring back at you?

#AtoZchallenge - It All Begins with Attitude

Attitude

There are plenty of pithy catchphrases about the importance of attitude in achieving your goals. But the truth is simple: attitude matters.

With the wrong attitude, reaching fitness goals is impossible. With the right attitude, finding  your way to a slender, healthier, happier you is inevitable. Abs may be made in the kitchen, but dreams begin with the brain. It all starts with what you believe. And it's far too easy to get into a dream-killing attitude.

I'm too busy.

I'm too tired.

Nothing I try ever works.

I've made too many mistakes.

The list goes on and on.

I let myself suffer for years with an attitude of doubt, without even realizing it. My dreams were impossible, because my mindset shut me down. Living a life filled with healthy choices means training your brain to believe you are a healthy person. When you choose to see yourself as a healthy, strong, vibrant person, your brain has no choice but to rewire itself to want exactly those things.

Stop thinking, "I can't."

Stop saying, "Someday."

Stop believing you aren't worth every bit of effort that goes into creating the life of your dreams -- mind, body, and soul.

It doesn't matter what you've been through, how many workouts you've missed, or even what food you've been secretly eating behind closed doors -- not last year, last week, yesterday, or even five minutes ago.

What matters is now. What you choose to believe is true right now is the first step to a healthy lifestyle.

You are a walking miracle, and you deserve every happiness the universe has to offer. Start believing in yourself today. Your future happiness is counting on you.