Motivation Monday: Tough Call

Have you ever freaked out when you found out your favorite show might be getting cancelled? I did this past week when Chalene Johnson broke the news that she was considering pulling the plug on her podcast. Nooooo!!! I was really excited about her series on reverse engineering difficult decisions – until I realized it was about whether to continue The Chalene Show!

But I loyally listened along as she did her research, interviewed people she loves and trusts, and asked her viewers for voicemails to help her decide. And – JOY TO THE WORLD – she decided to continue. It is not an exaggeration to say that the wisdom, insight, and energy I get from her podcasts have added infinitely more value to my life than any TV show I’ve ever watched.

She confessed along the way an emotional attachment to podcasting despite the evidence against it, which is exactly how I’ve felt about blogging and Motivation Monday for a while. So I followed her lead and weighed the benefits of blogging against my priority clarity statement, which I wrote with her guidance during the 30 Day Push:

To build my family and my business by being present, disciplined, and focused on increasing the freedom in other people’s lives; to learn, practice, and teach healthy habits and personal development; to create systems that minimize stress and distractions and maximize productivity and results; and to honor my own goals and priorities with my choices.

I love everything about Monday. I love the fresh start of a new week. But the unfortunate reality of Motivation Monday is Less Sleep Sunday. I’m a natural night owl, but the hour at which I almost always write these posts is also the hour when I’m the least focused and most prone to sniff at every distraction from food to Facebook, none of which is very motivating.

I had to ask myself, is this the best use of my time? How does my family feel about this? Am I adding as much value as I possibly can right now? Could I be helping more people? Would other projects offer better results? Is this even fun for me any more? It was a really tough call, but I’m going to take my own advice that it’s okay to quit and bid farewell to blogging, at least for now.

I know this will come as a disappointment to a few people, but the exciting news is that I have bigger and better things in store! There are so many more resources I want to create, so many more things I want to learn, so many more people I want to serve, but I’ve learned – from Chalene – that I can’t add something to my plate without taking something else off.

Preach it, sister! Can I get an amen?

If you’re disappointed by this news, I want to THANK YOU for your love and support and encourage you to please go subscribe to The Chalene Show! I PROMISE it’s way more educational and motivational than anything I write, not to mention more mobile! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of your fitness journey and excited about the awesome years ahead of us!

P.S. You can also follow me over to Instagram @heyjenngray!

 

Motivation Monday: Christmas List

When I was maybe 13 or 14, or whenever it was that my parents first let me go to the mall by myself, I bought myself a Christmas gift for the first time. While I was picking out a variety of fabulous accessories for my friends at Claire’s, I spotted a pair of sparkly snowflake earrings and knew I would feel AWESOME rocking them at Christmas. So I bought them, wrapped them up under the mini tree in my room, and eagerly anticipated rocking them on Christmas Eve. It was fun!

Have you ever bought yourself a Christmas gift? What was it? How did that feel? We’ll spend a combined $700 BILLION this year on holiday gifts. BILLION! Don’t get me wrong; I LOVE Christmas, and I love giving gifts. But how much time and money do you spend begrudgingly buying for coworkers you don’t even like, or kids and cousins who don’t even know who you are? What if you spent that on yourself this year instead?

Seems selfish, doesn’t it? I don’t think so. A healthy, happy self is the greatest gift we can give AND receive, both for ourselves and for the people we love. My dad got me P90X for Christmas four years ago, but much more so than DVDs for me, he got a happier wife for my husband and a healthier place for his granddaughter to grow. Four years later, it’s a gift that’s STILL giving.

Why wait for New Year’s to take care of  yourself? What would make you FEEL AWESOME by Christmas? What would that mean to your family? Don’t be afraid to simplify this year; you can start by adding YOURSELF to your list – and to mine!

Here’s to you and your happiest, healthiest holiday yet!

Motivation Monday: T25 Giveaway!

Wouldn’t it be AWESOME if Santa brought you Shaun T for Christmas this year!?

 

Take my Countdown to Christmas Challenge, and you’ll get not only a great shot at winning one of my all-time favorite fitness programs, but also:

• my best tips on making this your healthiest holiday season yet
• fun with friends who support your good choices
• the gift of feeling GREAT about yourself this Christmas!

Want to know more? Tell me a few things about yourself, and I’ll check in with you soon!

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Motivation Monday: Picky Eater

I was well on my way to my goal of 30 consecutive days without an emotional eating episode by Thanksgiving… and then came Halloween. Suffice it to say: Reese’s. I’m disappointed in myself, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it, and I’m not going to change the goal, just the deadline. Just to clarify, a clean day doesn’t necessarily mean a perfect day. There’s a big difference between sharing a piece of spice cake with Evey at grandpa’s birthday party (worth it) and snarfing a dozen peanut butter cups at Halloween (not… well, the first few were, but I digress).

A couple cups in, I decided to pump the breaks by making one of my favorite green smoothies instead. And when I took the first sip, it tasted so nasty that I couldn’t even finish it. I figured it must have been the lingering sugar tongue, so I waited a while, tried again, and still found it totally unappealing, at which point I dumped it out and polished off another handful of Reese’s because nothing else sounded good. Sound familiar?

I was a picky eater as a kid. Who wants to eat vegetables after pounding Pop-Tarts and Little Debbies? Sugar tricks our brains into thinking that the natural sugars in fruits and vegetables don’t taste as good as they actually do, so if you’re among the many who’ve told me you can’t maintain a healthy diet because you’re a picky eater, I challenge you to eliminate processed junk food from your diet for a couple weeks and see if you still feel that way.

The good news for picky eaters is that you already have the number one skill it takes to survive the holiday season, which is to be politely picky! I don’t restrict myself at special occasions, but I also don’t eat every single offering. Cranberry sauce doesn’t really do it for me, and cheesy-bake anything upsets my stomach, so why bother? Likewise, I don’t dislike sugar cookies, but I’d rather save those calories for some chocolate chip. Think survival, not deprival, and never miss a workout on a cheat day!

Have an awesome week!

 

 

Motivation Monday: The Perfectionist Pitfall

Ever start the morning with the best intentions to eat healthy only to let one bad decision derail the whole day? “Oh well, I blew it! Might as well just start over tomorrow!” I know I have. Dieting often has this effect on people, myself included. I call it the perfectionist pitfall. When we don’t do it exactly right, we feel we’ve failed and then eat our failure feelings.

I totally get that to people altering their eating habits for the first time, a structured system like the 21 Day Fix might be stressful at first. The secret to long-term success is to think of the first round as Eating Education. It’s a hands-on nutrition class where you’ll learn how to balance your food groups and serve yourself appropriate portions. You’re not going to be eating out of containers forever, and you can still get an A without getting a 100 percent!

The purpose of the program is to help you find foods you like and get into a groove of healthy habits. But once you’ve got it figured out, cut yourself some slack and make healthy choices when you’re hungry. This isn’t about GOING on a diet. It’s about HAVING a diet you can live with and enjoy for the rest of your life.

Investing the energy in figuring out the plan is well worthwhile because it gives you the freedom to become an intuitive eater. I don’t measure the vegetables or proteins any more, and I have an extra serving of healthy fat because that’s what works for me. I don’t even have to chart my meals any more because I eat the same sorts of stuff pretty much every day.

Don’t beat yourself up over an unplanned glass of wine or a cupcake at a birthday party either. I don’t. A bad meal doesn’t have to turn into a bad day, and a bad day doesn’t have to turn into a bad life. Make it a great week!

Motivation Monday: P.retty C.ool O.bstacle S.urmounted

I’ve mentioned in my story that among the most painful problems I experienced before I lost weight was endometriosis, but I learned last week that what I actually have is called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS causes excruciating periods, which I had before baby, or no periods at all, which I’ve had ever since. At first, amenorrhea was awesome, and it’s normal while nursing. But going too long without a period can cause cancer, so my doctor suggested this summer that 10 pounds of body fat might help.

Sweet, I thought, I can eat my way back to normal! So I ate. And ate and ate. That old habit of turning to food for emotional comfort – and then eating to the point of physical discomfort – came back with a vengeance, but my period didn’t. With each month that went by, I not-so-reluctantly resigned myself to eating even more, and 15 pounds later, I realized I had a physical and emotional problem on my hands.

PCOS causes high testosterone and low metabolism, so it usually manifests itself in obesity and/or diabetes. I’ve often joked that I sound like a man and can’t eat a burger without gaining five pounds overnight, and now I know why. A low metabolism is every woman’s worst nightmare, so I was feeling pretty sorry for myself at first. But then I realized that it’s pretty awesome that I managed to go from a size 12 to a size 2 with a dysfunctional endocrine system. I’m of course not thrilled about the diagnosis, but I’m still chalking this one up as a win.

That’s why I went undiagnosed for such a long time – because I had managed the most obvious symptoms with fitness and nutrition. In fact, it was my deep voice that tipped off the endocrinologist. This is GOOD NEWS for all women, especially PCOS sufferers. Even with a sluggish metabolism, you CAN take control of your weight! And when you do, you’ll significantly lower your PCOS-increased risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Hooray!

As for the emotional problem I created, I don’t do well with uncertainty, so just having an answer has helped a lot. I’ve also started an excellent book called Stop Eating Your Heart Out and a heavy lifting program called Body Beast. Why would I want to do that when I’m hormonally inclined to bulk up? Because I’d rather have big guns than a big gut, and I get a lot stronger focusing on the number of pounds I can lift rather than the number of pounds I can lose.

Have a great week, and NEVER GIVE UP!

P.S. This whole PCOS thing is very new to me, so if you’re among the women dealing with this disease, I’d love to hear from you. Find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotstarpower or write to me at jennbrysongray@gmail.com.

Motivation Monday: Kellee’s Comeback

While I have generally been an active person my whole life, I did not cope well with early pregnancy. I spent my days much like my newborn infant does now: sleeping and waking every two hours in a state of hunger delirium. I could not eat enough fast enough. Picture a grown woman crying on the floor while her adoring and frantic husband runs in circles trying to find the right combination of cheeses to satisfy her. At my hungriest point I filled up on dinner to distention but, still roaring mad with what I can only describe as pathological hunger, I topped off with a 900 calorie protein shake.

After five months of this I didn’t even try to eat vegetables anymore. And, being completely transparent, I had grown to enjoy my high-calorie bingeing. By the time my final four months of pregnancy arrived, I had already gained the recommended 25lbs for my weight bracket. I was nervously preparing myself for the third trimester when the majority of baby’s and mommy’s gains happen. I knew I easily had another 25 lbs coming—if I was careful.

On the day I became 22 weeks, I had what I feel was a poignant moment for my pregnant lady brain: What was I going to do when I didn’t have the cutest little excuse to binge anymore? What was I going to do when I weighed 50lbs more? What was my plan? What did I want?

I got in touch with Jenn Gray through my husband, who had been professional acquaintances with her for several years. I ordered my first challenge pack that same week. Sure, it would be 6 more months before I could use it, but to me it was a symbol and a commitment to myself, my husband, and Jenn that I would get healthy and active again. My husband was in between jobs and we had not bought a single thing for the baby, but I invested in my recovery program.

As I was spending more time with Jenn, floating in her pool talking about fitness and how badly I wanted my body back, the clock was ticking down. I was getting nervous. The truth is I didn’t know if I was all talk. I had no idea if I had it in me to commit to a program of clean eating and regular exercise and work that program consistently. I had never gained or lost weight before and, because of a history of disordered eating, I wondered if my body would even “let go” of the weight.

On the one hand I wanted it. I spent time thinking and planning for recovery but on the other hand, as I saw pictures of people who worked their programs and found success, I would think, “well that is nice for them, but it’s not going to work for me.” I had a laundry list of why-nots: “I’m not gung-ho enough…I really like ice cream…I will have a new baby to put first…I won’t get enough sleep to stay committed.”

Charlie was born on July 7^th, a tiny and adorable 6lbs 13oz.

Seven weeks later, the clock ran out and my recovery day came: Labor Day 2014. I was 26lbs from my pre-baby weight and roughly 25 inches from my pre-baby size.

I was scared. I didn’t want to disappoint the people I had talked a big game to. I didn’t want to disappoint myself. I decided, for the first time, to make a list of why-tos. This list is far longer than my list of why-nots. It is personal. It has no rules. It is not politically correct or socially acceptable. It is just me and I read it when working out seems too hard and when a whole bag of chocolate-covered pretzels seems like a good idea.

With the support of a challenge group, I placed my goals and happiness above my fear and stepped out of my comfort zone as I struggled through my first workout with an audience of four in my living room. And again later, while traveling, I found a new audience in my sister’s living room who were willing to watch me as I used soup cans for resistance.

In 45 days I have lost 9lbs and an amazing 16.5 of my goal 25” off my vital measurements. I can say the program is working for me.

And you know what? It hasn’t been as grueling as I thought weight loss would be. It hasn’t been as scary as I thought commitment would be.

I used to spend 6 hours a week in spin class working my ass off, and I liked it. I am a true fan of gym rats, tights shorts and EDM. But I am shocked that 6 hours a week for a year didn’t give for me what only 3 hours a week with ChaLEAN and the FIX nutrition plan give me: results.

Listen, I know that voice well that says, “sure, it worked for them, but there is no way it will work for me.” Even with killer results I still have a voice in my mind telling me this is it, this is as good as it gets. But today I will choose the program. Today I will choose to believe that it works if I work it.

Kellee lives with her son, Charlie and husband, Tysen in Mesa, AZ. She graduated with a BA in English Literature from ASU in 2012. She joined Team C3 Dynasty as a coach in September 2014. She is passionate about cycling, reading, writing, weight training and helping mom’s everywhere have the energy and confidence to be fully present and active in the lives of their sweet children.

Motivation Monday: Snooze Button

Is the snooze button your best friend or your worst enemy? If you’re anything like me, probably a little bit of both. I am so not a morning person. I mean, honestly, who is? But if you’ve ever said or felt like you don’t have enough time for the things you want to do, skipping the snooze is a pretty simple way to reclaim your day. Easier said than done though, right?

But what if just ONE snooze could make you MORE productive? I’ve gotten hooked on personal development lately, and every single book, program, and podcast I’ve checked out so far has touched not only on the importance of goals, but also on the power of VISUALIZING them. Visualize goals? Ain’t nobody got time for that. What does that even mean?

I felt awkward and ineffective at this until I remembered that I used to do it all the time. When I was in colorguard in high school, I did more mental reps than physical ones. I’d lie in bed at night, thinking about the tosses and seeing the catches so many times that by the time competition day came around, I’d already been there in my mind.

I started trying this in reverse last week, spending the first 10 minutes of my day quietly thinking about a goal that excites me to build up my momentum to bounce out of bed. And without exception, the days I did this and woke up early for my workout got off to a MUCH fresher start than the days I didn’t.

Little ones don’t come with snooze buttons, and taking care of myself first allowed me to be much more positive and present for my family and friends the whole rest of the day. So this week, I’m committing to sticking with it. Will you join me?

Here are a couple tips to make this work for you:

1. Set two alarms 10 minutes apart, the first stating your PUSH goal and the second telling you to go get it!

2. Choose a song that excites you! Here’s my favorite right now:

3. Jump start the visualization process with a reminder image on your lock screen.

Going to sleep at a reasonable hour has been by far the greatest challenge of my fitness journey, greater even than getting my eating under control, which, honestly, is probably why that’s been such a struggle. Can you relate? Let’s work on it together this week!

Motivation Monday: Mirror, Mirror

They say if you’re looking for that one person who will change your life, take a look in the mirror. Truer words were never spoken, and you can apply them to all three aspects of your fitness journey.

1. Fitness

Form is crucial for exercise effectiveness and injury prevention, but especially if you’re new to home fitness, you may not be doing quite what you think you’re doing. There’s only one way to find out, and it’s very motivating to watch your workout!

2. Nutrition

If you struggle with temptation in the kitchen, you’re not alone. It’s all too easy to think calories don’t count if no one is counting, so I keep a locker mirror on my refrigerator so I literally have to look myself in the eye before I decide what to eat.

3. Personal Development

Your scale will only tell you the numerical value of your gravitational pull. It will not tell you how much energy you have or how you feel about yourself. But the mirror will. Like what you see? Great, go work out! No? You know what to do!

I’m currently reading Brian Tracy’s Maximum Achievement, in which he recommends starting each day by smiling at yourself in the mirror and saying, out loud, “something wonderful is going to happen to me today.” It feels silly at first, but something wonderful has in fact happened every day since I started doing this.

Have an awesome week!

Motivation Monday: Addiction

I’ve not been shy about the fact that I have fought and continue to fight some raging battles with compulsive/addictive behavior. I can get pretty OCD. If I hear a song I like, it’s on repeat for a while. In the days of Diet Coke, I was pounding about four a day. Likewise when I replaced it with coffee. Five years ago, doctors’ inclinations to write prescriptions increased my inclination to take them. I’m not saying that was an easy habit to break, but I can honestly say that with the exception of dental visits, I have no desire for them now. Food, however, will always be a challenge.

Pills can be thrown away, but you can’t just not eat. When I start eating, it’s very difficult for me to stop. It’s distracting and embarrassing. I’m very good about not buying junk food, but once it finds its way in the door, it’s going down the hatch. I used to feel like no one understood because the people who knew didn’t, so I became too ashamed of my failures and struggles to seek support. As it turns out, nothing has been more validating and therapeutic to me than sharing my story and finding how many people out there get where I’m coming from and want to get better. I was embarrassed by the old me, and rightfully so, but now I’m proud of how far I’ve come. It hasn’t been a perfect journey, but no one’s ever is.

The good news is that you can channel your inner addict and get addicted to good stuff. Old habits die too hard to simply quit; you have to replace them with a constructive alternative. Actually, you have to replace them with four. Work out, eat right, get some support, and make a to-do list. Trust me on this one; do not skip the personal development. Ten minutes a day is all it takes to rescue hours of patience and productivity. I can’t help but lament the difficulty I created for myself by approaching my fitness journey totally backwards for years: focusing on fitness mostly and nutrition minimally, while eschewing the support and personal development that would have made the whole process so much easier.

I’m telling you, Beachbody is onto something here. I didn’t miss a single workout last year. Addictive behavior is all about seeking comfort, and here’s where you’ll actually find it. But know that reprogramming addictive tendencies takes time. Our bad addictions didn’t develop overnight and neither will our good ones. It takes 21 days of repetition to build a new neural groove in our brains. We celebrate 30-60-90 day milestones and build sponsor relationships because that’s an effective path to continued success. When we are discouraged, we encourage others. It’s a permanent change, and it’s a good thing it doesn’t have to be perfect, because it won’t be. As Uncle Tony would say, “do your best and forget the rest.”

Here’s how to get hooked:

1. Put your constructive alternatives on your to-do list.

2. Do them in the same time window every day.

3. Celebrate small victories. Keep a journal. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Congratulate yourself out loud. Whatever works for you.

4. Seriously, positive, present-tense verbal affirmations help a lot.

That is, don’t say, “I will not x for y days.” As Mikki McConville shared, that’s called living out of your memory and not your imagination. Think of yourself as you would like to be and intend to become. So say instead, “I am a healthy eater,” and then watch the days rack up. To all the recovering addicts out there, I feel you, and I will always understand and support you. No matter the letter, we’re better together. As Liz Silverberg said, “we’re all just addicts trying to get through another day clean.” We can free ourselves, and our adversity is finally our advantage; let’s get addicted to “I did it.”