12 Week Nutrition Challenge 1/9/13-4/3/13

Nutrition Challenge begins today!!!! Details of this 12 week challenge are below.

Keep in mind that if you are just starting out with a fitness/nutrition program that your Challenge goals could be as simple as eating breakfast every morning, eliminating processed foods, eating every 3-4 hours throughout your day, drinking water instead of sodas or only eating when you are hungry....Just remember to keep it simple and attainable and just try your best every day to be consistent in your efforts. Do not beat yourself up for those inevitably "bad" days and just take the next moment to "get back on track". Life is life, live it the best you can each moment you are given!!!

This Nutrition Challenge should not focus on where you are not, what you are yet unable to do, what you can or should not have. This Challenge should however focus on where you are, what you can do, what you can have, what you can achieve! 12 Weeks to a better functioning, healthier you! 12 Weeks to a trimmer, toner you! 12 Weeks to a different mindset about what your body CAN do and how you feel about what you put into your body and how you treat your body! The dates of this 12 week Nutrition Challenge are January 9th - April 3rd, 2013.

Whether you are doing this Nutrition Challenge all by itself with no other additional Challenges or whether you are tackling every Challenge posted this week, below are the rules for this particular Challenge. Note that it is highly recommended that you at least combine the efforts of the Fitness Challenge alongside the Nutrition Challenge for best results!

1) Establish at least 3-5 nutritional goals and the course of action you plan to take to accomplish these goals during this Challenge. Keep in mind that these need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (in that the time frame is the 12 weeks of this Challenge). It will not do you any good to make goals that you cannot reasonably attain in this 12 week period. Treat your established goals and plan as a contract with yourself for these 12 weeks. This is not a "New Years' Resolution" that you abandon in 4 days! If you are stuck for goals, there are some samples below this section.

2) Weigh and measure yourself (refer to the Measuring Results tab of this blog for information on this). Weigh/Measure throughout the Challenge on these dates following the initial weigh/measure on Jan 9th then: February 6th; March 6th; and finally on April 3rd.--If you are also participating in the Fitness Challenge you only need to measure once each week so go with the Fitness Challenge dates.--
3) If you are doing this Challenge in part for weight loss, then I strongly encourage you to take before and after pictures. This is not for me or anyone else, but for you to track your fat loss journey (refer to the Measuring Results tab of this blog for information on this). Your before photos should be taken on January 9th and your after photos should be taken on April 3rd (again using Fitness Challenge dates if participating in both Challenges).

4) Plan your meals. Account for the foreseen obstacles and make a plan for working around them.

5) Assess your goals and how your plan is going half way through the Challenge on February 20th (or 19th). This is a time to determine what is working and what is not. You will be half way through the Challenge at this point so this is a great time to tweak what needs to be tweaked for the final 6 weeks.

6) Where did you end up? On April 3rd (the end of the Challenge) do a final assessment of the previous 12 weeks and where you are in relation to your goals. Reflect on what the 12 weeks entailed, what obstacles you overcame to accomplish your goals, what you learned about yourself in this process and how you can apply it going forward beyond this Challenge.

Samples of Nutrtional Goals:
*Eat 8-10 fruits/vegetables daily, no excuses
*Preplan all meals
*Track all meals
*No BLTs (bites, licks, tastes) (refer to Eating Supportively tab of this blog)
*No more than 3-4 PIs per week (refer to Eating Supportively tab of this blog)
*No unplanned PIs per week (refer to Eating Supportively tab of this blog)
*Drink water daily to stay hydrated (refer to Eating Supportively tab of this blog)
*Stay within daily nutritional targets (refer to Eating Supportively tab of this blog)

Need Help With any/all of this? I'm always available: cagib1@charter.net

~You should see your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. You should have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 35 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician.~

Nutritional Support and Recipes

Need some better understanding of how to eat supportively and/or recipes?  Be sure to read these pages and all the links contained on them:

Eating Supportively

Healthy & Yummy Recipes

12 Week Fitness Challenge 1/8/13-4/2/13

Fitness Challenge begins today!!!! Details of this 12 week challenge are below. 

Keep in mind that if you are just starting out with a fitness program that your Challenge goals could be as simple as adding in daily movement throughout your day or doing some activity prior to meals (such as 10 squats or counter push ups or 10 minutes of burpees)....Just remember to keep it simple and attainable and just try your best every day to be consistent in your efforts.  Do not beat yourself up for those inevitably "bad" days and just take the next moment to "get back on track".  Life is life, live it the best you can each moment you are given!!!

This Fitness Challenge should not focus on where you are not, what you are yet unable to do, what you can or should not have. This Challenge should however focus on where you are, what you can do, what you can have, what you can achieve! 12 Weeks to a better level of fitness! 12 Weeks to a trimmer, toner you! 12 Weeks to a different mindset about what your body CAN do and how you feel about what you put into your body and how you treat your body! The dates of this 12 week Fitness Challenge are January 8th - April 2nd, 2013.

Whether you are doing this Fitness Challenge all by itself with no other additional Challenges or whether you are tackling every Challenge posted this week, below are the rules for this particular Challenge. Note that it is highly recommended that you at least combine the efforts of the Fitness Challenge alongside the Nutrition Challenge for best results!

1) Establish at least 3-5 fitness goals and the course of action you plan to take to accomplish these goals during this Challenge. Keep in mind that these need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (in that the time frame is the 12 weeks of this Challenge). It will not do you any good to make goals that you cannot reasonably attain in this 12 week period. Treat your established goals and plan as a contract with yourself for these 12 weeks. This is not a "New Years Resolution" that you abandon in 4 days! If you are stuck for goals, there are some samples below this section.

2) Weigh and measure yourself (refer to the Measuring Results tab of this blog for information on this). Weigh/Measure throughout the Challenge on these dates following the initial weigh/measure on Jan 8th then: February 5th; March 5th; and finally on April 2nd.
3) If you are doing this Challenge in part for weight loss, then I strongly encourage you to take before and after pictures. This is not for me or anyone else, but for you to track your fat loss journey (refer to the Measuring Results tab of this blog for information on this). Your before photos should be taken on January 8th and your after photos should be taken on April 2nd.

4) Plan your workouts (if you are working out with me this is done for you). Account for the foreseen obstacles and make a plan for working around them.

5) Assess your goals and how your plan is going half way through the Challenge on February 19th. This is a time to determine what is working and what is not. You will be half way through the Challenge at this point so this is a great time to tweak what needs to be tweaked for the final 6 weeks.

6) Where did you end up? On April 2nd (the end of the Challenge) do a final assessment of the previous 12 weeks and where you are in relation to your goals. Reflect on what the 12 weeks entailed, what obstacles you overcame to accomplish your goals, what you learned about yourself in this process and how you can apply it going forward beyond this Challenge.

Samples of Fitness Goals:
*Complete all planned workouts, no excuses
*In addition to all planned workouts, do my 10,000 steps daily
*Incorporate and complete all planned yoga/stretching practices, no excuses
*Progress to full blown, hard core push ups
*Progress planks to certain level and/or certain time in an isolated hold
*Progress a certain fitness move that you have struggled with to the next level
*Progress to a certain number of reps of assisted chin ups
*Progress to a certain number of reps of unassisted chin ups
*Progress to a certain number of reps of assisted pull ups
*Progress to a certain number of reps of unassisted pull ups
*Incorporate and complete all planned walks, or runs, or walk/runs, no excuses

Need Help With any/all of this? I'm always available: cagib1@charter.net

~You should see your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. You should have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 35 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician.~

Good Workout to Get Started/Rebooted

Have been away from the workouts for a bit?  Below is a good workout to get you started, restarted, rebooted, GOING.  Want some other suggestions?  Be sure to check out Free Monthly Workouts page and all the links or e-mail me at cagib1@charter.net.


Complete 2-4 complete Circuits of Round 1 with 30 seconds for each move followed by 15 seconds of rest between moves.  Once you have completed all of Round 1 (2-4 times through), rest for 60-90 seconds, then Complete 2-4 Circuits of Round 2 with 30 seconds for each move followed by 15 seconds of rest between moves.

Round 1 Circuit 30x15
Mountain Climbers (fast or slow)
Prisoner Squats
Forearm Plank Hold
Left Leg Reverse Lunges (or split squat)
Right Leg Reverse Lunges (or split squat)
Wall Squat with Arms against the wall to form a "W" (w/elbows in line w/shoulders)

Round 2 Circuit 30x15
Calf Raises
Shin Raises
Stability Ball Passes
Left Side Plank Hold
Right Side Plank Hold
Wall Squats with Arms against the wall to form a "W" (w/elbows in line w/shoulders)

Follow with Tabatas, Intervals, or just Cool Down Stretching.

12 Week Bible Challenge 1/7/13-4/1/13

Bible Challenge begins today!!!!  Details of this 12 week challenge are below. 

Psalms 1:1-3  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in His law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

This Bible Challenge should not focus on past failures. It should focus however on the very real possibility of reading through the Bible start to finish whether it be for the first time or for another time through. Whether it be from Genesis to Revelation or whether it be in Chronological order. It should not overwhelm you with the information you do not know, but enlighten you as you go. The beauty of reading the Bible through as you would any other book in your possession is that you will ascertain understanding and foundation you might otherwise miss. You can make notes throughout your daily readings of deeper studies you want to go back and do. The dates of this 12 week Bible Challenge are January 7th - April 1st, 2013.

By doing the 12 week Bible Challenge, you are in essence signing on for a 90 day reading Challenge short 5 days. Whether you decide to adhere to a 90 day schedule and double on five days; or just be five days shy of completion of your 90 days schedule; or take these 85 days to be 85 days in on a six month or year schedule; take this opportunity to get on your journey to a better understanding of the Bible!

For various timeline reading schedules, just Google whichever you are interested. Know that for a 90 day schedule, you will need to be able to set aside at least an hour each day for your reading. Less time for a six month or year schedule. Be very honest with how much time you will give to this so you do not get defeated and quit. Even if you fall behind, keep going because the important thing is your efforts and time with God in His Word!

Need Help With any/all of this? I'm always available: cagib1@charter.net

Study = Knowledge

Commune with the Lord and remind Him of all the promises He has made (Isaiah 43:25-26), BUT in order to do that you have to first know what those promises are and what the conditions of those blessings to first be met are.....KEY is you have to study God's Word in order to have any concept/understanding of what any of this is....

II Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

II Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Proverbs 24:3-4 "Through wisdom is an house builded; And by understanding it is established:  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Resolutions, Challenges, And....

K, so why all the "self-help" reflection posts this week instead of the "typical" do this to get fit first of the year hustle?  Several reasons, with the main one being that the majority of everyone's (including my own) battle with getting fit and staying fit is mental...not knowing what to eat or how to work out is not what is holding you back.  It matters little what your financial situation is or whether you workout this way or that way....What makes the difference is how you feel about yourself, what your motivation is, and what your goals are and how you feel about your success.  Know that getting into a particular jean size is not going to solve how you feel about yourself.....Sure you'll feel great about it, but that is a fleeting feeling if how you feel about who you are and the balance of your life isn't okay.  The first step of your journey needs to be acceptance of who you are and where you are in life.  This doesn't mean that you have to have everything figured out before you begin, just that you are okay with who you are.  Acceptance of you and your situation in the present does not mean there are not things to work on and change...that's growth, that's the journey of life, but mentally beating yourself up over what you don't like or want to fix or whatever, is not progressing you to anywhere you want to go.  It is one thing to say I want to lose 20 pounds and I have a plan to accomplish that versus saying to yourself that you hate your body and you never are able to stick to anything you set out to, etc., etc.  Those 20 pounds, or whatever it is on your goal list is not what is making you anguish, but the dialogue in your head about it.  Accept where you are, make a plan for what you want to change, improve, enhance, and set about doing just that.  You are you regardless of jean size....love yourself the way you would a loved one and get about your journey!

To the left of posts is a list of some books that have helped me on my journey in some way, so I posted them for your benefit.  I am a Christian and some might wonder why I have then a few of the books listed in that they are more humanistic than Christian.  They are from a humanistic slant, but I adhere to the philosophy of not throwing out the baby with the bath water.  You simply have to filter the material and take the good and leave the bad.  That's the case with everything in life.  Beyond self-help and exploration, I always make my foundation of everything God's Word the Bible and it has never led me astray. 

Five 12 Week Challenges begin next week and details will be posted each day next week for each of the five.  Whether you participate in one or all five, be on the lookout every Tuesday for Challenge help and support.  If you would like some help with your Challenge goals, motivation, or accountability, I am available to help you.  Just send me an e-mail at cagib1@charter.net.
 

You Are The Star

You are the star of your story.....Just as everyone else is the star of their own individual stories.  The folks around you (family, friends, and frenemies alike) are all just surviving their own lives and insecurities, starring in their own story of their own reality.  Their perception of you is based on their views and issues, so don't let their perception of their reality shape yours....Don't take them personally because what they are projecting is based on their experiences, fears, traumas, etc.  Bottom-line, don't let the projections of others define you as it is not a true reflection of you.  Know that changing damaging habits and personal growth are not an admonishment of who you are, just the accumulation of life's traps that surround us....but once you are aware, you can take the steps to move forward without taking on the negative chatter about who you are ... You are a wonderful creation of God!  Take care of you!!!

Only Take The Lessons With You

from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay:

"...It is the same thing when we are cleaning our mental house.  There is no need to get angry just because some of the beliefs in it are ready to be tossed out.  Let them go as easily as you would scrape bits of food into the trash after a meal.  Would you really dig into yesterday's garbage to make tonight's meal?  Do you dig into old mental garbage to create tomorrow's experiences?"

Planting Seeds

from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay:

"Think for a moment of a tomato plant. A healthy plant can have over a hundred tomatoes on it.  In order to get this tomato plant with all these tomatoes on it, we need to start with a small dried seed.  That seed doesn't look like a tomato plant.  It sure doesn't taste like a tomato plant.  If you didn't know for sure, you would not even believe it could be a tomato plant.  However, let's say you plant this seed in fertile soil, and you water it and let the sun shine on it.

When the first little tiny shoot comes up, you don't stomp on it and say, "That's not a tomato plant."  Rather, you look at it and say, "Oh boy!  Here it comes," and you watch it grow with delight.  In time, if you continue to water it and give it lots of sunshine and pull away any weeds, you might have a tomato plant with more than a hundred luscious tomatoes.  It all began with that one tiny seed.

It is the same with creating a new experience for yourself.  The soil you plant in is your subconscious mind.  The seed is the new affirmation.  The whole new experience is in this tiny seed.  You water it with affirmations.  You let the sunshine of positive thoughts beam on it.  You weed the garden by pulling out the negative thoughts that come up.  And when you first see the tiniest little evidence, you don't stomp on it and say, "That's not enough!"  Instead, you look at this first breakthrough and exclaim with glee, "Oh boy!  Here it comes!  It's working!"

Then you watch it grow and become your desire in manifestation."