Don’t think.
Just do it.
Don’t complicate it. Choose now to move your body. I promise, you will feel so much better. Health is not in a magic pill. It is made up of making better choices day in and day out.
A little Monday Motivation for all of you.
Need a Push? Please let me know. It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.
Tiff~
This post is a little bit of a response to a number of blog posts that were written to blast the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and provide comfort to those who maybe don’t feel they measure up to a standard that is presented on TV.
First, I completely agree that God’s love is not dependent on how big your waistline is. Or how small. If you fit in a size 2 or a size 10. God clearly loves all of us right where we are at and He gives us His Holy Spirit, His power to overcome and work towards being more like Him on this earth.
What I have an issue with is the fact that we seem so ready to attack skinny models, accuse them of doing unhealthy things in order to look that skinny (and yes I realize many do!), create facebook pages that say curvy girls are better than skinny girls etc etc.
And right now our country is dealing with a huge Obesity problem. A crisis.
And many Christians aren’t saying a whole lot.
Did you know that 65% of Americans are overweight/Obese? And roughly 30% are morbidly obese? And that 17% of those obese are children?! And that those numbers are expected to expand in the coming years?
That. Is. Not. Okay.
We can spend all day everyday throwing out scripture about how we shouldn’t focus so much on our outer. That we need to care more about spiritual health. And again, I agree. Our relationship with God is so important. But our physical health is important too.
And I honestly believe there is a correlation to a persons physical and spiritual health. Think about it. when someone struggles with depression, they struggle with tasks that seem so simple to us. Waking, sleeping, doing daily activities. They may very much love the Lord! But it can be a very dark hole to climb out of. And some folks do need medication (although I believe it should be last resort, but I will write another post on that sometime.)
When a person is overweight/obese, doing simple tasks can seem difficult. They want so badly to serve within the Church, but their health prohibits them from doing so. Or maybe they do serve, but not in the capacity they should because they are ashamed, tired, afraid.
Friends, that is NOT God’s best. He has greater plans for you than to struggle under the physical weight you were never meant to carry!
It literally kills me when I hear of people dying of diseases that can honestly be prevented or even healed with a change in diet and exercise. Dan and I had a friend who died 2 years ago, she was morbidly obese and I wish with everything I have that I would have spoken up and helped her to take care of herself. Would she has listened? I don’t know. I can’t force people to change. But Dan and I made a promise that we would speak up, lovingly, if we saw a problem like that again in our group.
We say eating healthy and working out is too expensive, but yet we willingly spend hundreds of dollars on iPhones, movies, computers, 52 inch tv’s, things that keep us from moving. Things that only provide temporal entertainment and happiness but do nothing to help possibly prolong your life! We balk at the idea of spending more money on healthy food, on exercise equipment or gym memberships claiming that the health and wellness industry is trying to rip us off.
You want to know who is really ripping you off?
The drug companies. Billions of dollars they are making on so many of us who are on prescriptions that won’t heal us. That won’t cure us of our disease. They are meant to be taken for the rest of your life. 95% of pills prescribed are to be taken for your lifetime and they do not heal you.
That is not okay.
I am not against medicine. I believe it has a purpose for certain times.
So if we are going to have the argument and cry foul to skinny models, we need to be fair and address the problem that is clearly staring us in the face in many of our homes, churches and work places.
I realize that a lot of what I am saying requires a shift in thinking. In how we view wellness. And honestly I am still learning. But I decided that since I was so positively impacted by my choice to invest in my health, and the information that I come in contact with day in and day our regarding health of the people in our country, I can no longer keep silent.
I apologize if this appears too in your face. I don’t have all the answers. And I know every person’s situation is different and their journey may be tough. But the numbers just don’t lie.
Tiff
Hi all!!
I love writing on this blog to post my thoughts, quotes that inspire me, things that I love…..
And the occasional great deal I find!
Today is the last day you can tale advantage of these deals.
I love my job solely based on the fact that I get to pay it forward and share with others the gift of health and fitness. I personally have seen incredible results from TurboFire and P90X. I have lost the post baby weight and have become stronger than I have ever been.
Go here to check out these programs and savings: Cyber Monday Fitness Deals.
Plus, order through the link above and you will get me as your free Coach and get the accountability and support you deserve.
I hope this motivates you to begin a brand new beginning as a fitter, stronger and healthier version of yourself.
Have a FIT Monday!
Tiff
When I first began taking charge of my health and trying to force myself to eat better, (Okay yes there was some forcing… I LOVED my Chili Cheese Fries and Pizza. sigh.) figuring out the best type of meal plan or “diet” to pick from was really confusing.
There were so many choices!!!
Paleo. Vegan. Gluten Free. Sugar Busters. Atkins. Vegetarian. Pescatarian. Whole Foods only. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. Nutrisystem. Juicing.
Holy freaking cow.
I began to understand why getting started was so hard.
There was a lot of information out there and quite frankly a lot of it I didn’t understand. Everyone one of those plans above had “scientific research” to back up why their plan worked the best.
Sure. Whatever.
Now I am not discrediting these plans and their research. I only say it this way because it can be very confusing to the average consumer as to what is really best for THEM.
So I just got started. I didn’t pick any of those above and went with a comprehensive nutrition plan that was pretty basic and easy to understand but at the same time doable.
Something I could do over a lifetime.
And guess what? I tend to enjoy consuming Vegan/Vegetarian meals as much as possible because I love veggies and I don’t crave animal products all that much. That took time of course and a ton of experimenting. But I say this because eventually you will figure out what it is exactly that your body needs and craves. Your body craves Nutrients, not calories.
Again, this is something I can do for the rest of my life!
And that is the key.
When you are doing your research as to what types of diet would best fit your lifestyle, family and budget keep this thing in mind and ask yourself this:
“Can I maintain this way of eating for the rest of my life? Or will this be another quick fix that ends up nowhere?”
There is no magic pill, drink, celebrity diet plan that will get you long term results. You must put in the work. Tell yourself no to the things that, while provide pleasure for the moment, can harm you long term.
Focus on health first. Long Term Health.
If you have food allergies or disorders that prevent you from consuming certain food items, talk to your doctor! A good doctor will work along side you to help you shed the fat and maintain a healthy, fit lifestyle. Weight loss surgery (unless you will die without it) should always be last resort.
So do your research, but for right now, start simple. Cut out processed foods and focus mainly on incorporating more veggies and fruits as well as lean proteins in your diet. Master that and the rest will be easy to figure out.
<3 Tiff
Most of the time when we hear someone say they are going on a detox, we immediately think starvation or subjecting oneself to a crazy cleanse that does more harm than good. (Hello Master Cleanse….I am talking to you. Oh yeah…I named names).
When I first heard about the Ultimate Reset that was released through Beachbody, I have to admit, I was very skeptical. My experience with those performing cleanses had not been favorable in the past.
However, after having several of my friends ask me about the Reset, and by conducting my own personal research, my husband and I are embarking on the detox journey beginning October 10th.
So what is the Ultimate Reset?
It is a complete, three-phase, 21 day program that provides you with all the tools you need in order to:
1. Reclaim your body’s natural balance
2. Release harmful materials that you may have hiding within your body.
3. Restore your body to its optimal state.
What the Ultimate Reset is NOT:
1. A Starvation diet. You WILL be eating three healthy, filling meals everyday.
2. An abrupt cleanse that is hard on your body. You will be provided with natural supplements that work together to provide a gentle and gradual shift of your body’s internal settings.
3. A laxative-based, colon focused cleanse. Those don’t truly detoxify you, which is the whole point of the Reset. We want to eliminate toxins…not just have you going to the bathroom all the time!
Why would someone want to do the Ultimate Reset?
Sometimes, regardless of how often we exercise, how well we eat, how much sleep we get….our bodies can feel, well, off. And we need to provide it with routine maintenance in order to ensure that our bodies are functioning at their optimal state. Much like you take in your car for regular oil change, change its tires, replace breaks and fill it with the right type of fluid, it is the same with caring for our bodies.
Because if we don’t, then our bodies break down.
The Ultimate Reset can help you:
*Have more energy and greater focus
*Experience better digestion and a more positive mood.
*Enable your body to function more efficiently
*Lose weight (This is not a weight loss program. This is a program designed to cleanse you and remove toxins. So if you are looking to solely lose weight I suggest you email me and we can discuss workouts or other programs for you.)
*Improve your overall health
Also, take note, I will be refraining from intense exercise activity for 21 days. That is going to be a hard one for us. My husband and I workout regularly so it will be a big change of focus, but I think it will benefit our bodies to rest from the physical activity and focus on the internal stuff.
If you need more information about the Ultimate Reset, please email me. Or you can check out the website where there are videos provided as well as other information for you.
I will post pictures on my Instagram and Facebook pages and on this blog, sharing some recipes and Dan and I will post a video once a week together to document this journey.
We are very excited!
What do you think about the Ultimate Reset?
<3 Tiff
Well one I apologize because I have hardly done any updates on my time with Insanity so far. What kind of Coach am I??!!
I am just about to finish week 4 and I can honestly say I have a love/hate relationship with it.
I love it because I feel like a superwoman after completing the workout of the day.
I hate it because this is how I feel during the workout.
Just keeping it real friends. *wink*
It absolutely pushes me harder than I have ever pushed before. I am going to be honest and say this workout is probably not for those who are just starting a workout routine or if you have a ton of injuries (unless you have been cleared by your doctor). This is a cardio-intensive program so it is really tough.
But if you are needing a challenge, then come on the Insanity train!
I think my next BIG fitness challenge will consist of Insanity and it will be for 60 days. Interested?
What programs are you completing right now?
Tiff
No matter where you are in your journey, whether you have taken those small first steps or have spent months trying to hit a target.
Just keep going.
Start and keep going. Don’t lose momentum.
Grab people and have them join you.
True success is never straight to the top. There are many twists and turns, starts and stops until we reach the place we want to be.
But you got this. As long as you remember why.
You want to be strong. You want to be healthy.
And maybe you want to inspire others to do the same.
Let’s do this.
Who’s with me?
Tiff
I don’t know about you but I absolutely love books that include yummy recipes.
I have been doing a lot of research lately about Vegetarian and Vegan diets and so far my curiosity has been satisfied. I found two books that I am dying to share with you that I am drooling over. And you don’t necessarily have to be Vegan to enjoy them. Everyone should be incorporating more plant based meals into their overall diet on a regular basis as it helps keep our body humming and packed with powerhouse nutrients. Remember, this is about health…not skinny.
I purchased Crazy Sexy Diet from Amazon.com after hearing a friend share her review of it. I have tried 3 of her recipes so far and I love them. I hope to post more recipes on this blog soon so stay tuned. But this gal was diagnosed with cancer, had a documentary filmed about it, and she fought it basically by changing her overall diet. What??!!
For real. Now for those of you who are sensitive to language, a word of caution. She does have some colorful language. This is not a Christian book by any means. But the information she shares is excellent so if you can look past it, I think you will find it interesting and helpful.
The second book, The Engine 2 Diet, I picked up from the library. However, I love it so much I am going to buy it. (Dan gave me the okay yay!) The author is pro Vegan so expect some Vegan Evangelism here. But his recipes are awesome and you can tell he has done his research and practices what he preaches. My husband will probably never convert to veganism….but he has liked several of the Vegan items I have made….without him knowing it 
.
If you are in a dinner rut and need change, check these out. Or share your favorite cookbooks with me!
Tiff
I don’t know but I need to change up my workout routines regularly. Otherwise, I get in a funk, lose motivation and tend to skip more days than I should.
And lately, my workouts have not been all that exciting. It was time to invest in another program and push myself.
I had been debating between a few programs for awhile and I finally decided on Insanity. I knew it would be a (very!) Challenging workout so I was ready for the push.
My friend Kalli over at Fit and Forty Something is doing Insanity with me and I am so glad! Because my program arrived today and holy smokes folks! The fit test on day 1?
No JOKE!!
I will definitely need the accountability and encouragement over the next 60 days.
I am excited to see how much stronger I will become. I will do my best to post weekly updates on here as well as video on my FB page, Be A Size You.
Have you ever done Insanity? Please share with me your experience! Or if you want to join in, let me know. The more peeps the better!
Blessings,
Tiff
I saw this photo this morning on one of my favorite fitness inspiration sites and I have to share it with you.
I want to be like that Grandma!!!
When I was younger, while I was athletic, I didn’t really feel the need to take care of myself or workout because I had youth in my favor. I had a high metabolism and I could eat whatever I wanted and not have to work it off.
A lot of us young folk think that way.
But I am fast approaching my 31st birthday and I am realizing that I should have paid more attention to the kinds of foods I put in my system. That I should have worked out a little more and spend a little less time worrying about having a boyfriend (at 19 and 20 this was a huge preoccupation..HELLO!)
But I can’t keep looking back at what I should have done. I can focus on NOW.
So now I put in the effort to eat clean (about 80 to 90% of the time….I really can do better) and workout at least 5 to 6 days a week.
So I can be like Grandma up there. I want to be strong and able, not frail and weak.
What are your reasons for putting in the work now? And if you are older, please share your wisdom with us! Us young folks need all the help we can get!
Tiff~
