Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Inspiration
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts

Friday, July 29, 2016

Fight For It Friday!

It's the end of the week! We started out stronger, are you finishing stronger today? Fridays in the past have always been my WEAK DAY! Of all the days I missed consistently it was FRIDAYS! I don't know why but it was the one day that my EXCUSES would get to me and I just would not do it. Even during half marathon training when I needed to do 4 runs a week, Friday was the one that I struggled with. I was tired. I just wanted the week to be done and over with. I GET IT! BUT NOT TODAY! Be better today! Get up, get your workout in and be proud of rocking out your week!

What workout did you do today?

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

5 Ways To Stick With Your Resolutions

Here we are 5 days into the new year! How is your resolution going so far? Are you working every single day to make you one step, (big or small) closer to your goal? You got this! Keep going. They are important to you or else you wouldn't have decided to make these changes in your life! And if "Losing Weight" made it on your list, it is the TOP resolution for the New Year! Followed closely by " exercise more" and "improve overall health" Maristpoll

Here are 5 ways to help you stick with those resolutions!

Set Real and obtainable goals: 

Be realistic in your goals. Start with smaller goals that are obtainable rather than larger daunting goals. Like, lose 10 pounds by March. instead of lose 100 pounds by March. It isn't going to happen safely or without medical intervention. You have to be realistic with yourself or else you are just setting yourself up to fail. And no one wants to do that. Another great goal to think about is to slowly increase how many days you are exercising. If on average you exercised 2 days a week, like clock work, bump it up to 3-4 for a challenge. But automatically jumping to 7 days a week might be too much of a leap and can lead to getting burned out pretty quickly. Be realistic in your goals.


Find the time. Or if you have to Make the time: 

If it is important to you, you will make the time for it or find the time in your day that you can fit it in. Make it fit into your schedule and if you have to wake up a little earlier in the morning to get the time you need into your life. You might have to sacrifice browsing Facebook or Instagram but what is going to make you feel better. Looking at people or being that person you want to become!


Share Your Journey:

One of the best things, and scariest things I have ever done, is starting to share my story with all of you. It scared the living daylights out of me for fear of judgement or ridicule. But you know what. I want to help people realize that they can change their lives too. That is what matters. And honestly it took me 17 months as a coach to share my actual weight on social media. I shared my before and after pictures but never, ever put a number to it, until last month and I came out with it. I am currently 235 pounds guys. And you know what is so funny. Now that it is out of the bag, I can't stop mentioning it. I feel like I am providing so many women out there who think they are too heavy or too out of shape or what not an opportunity to show them that NO THEY ARE NOT! We all start somewhere. Share your store. Inspire others. We have a real epidemic on our hands. Obesity. And it requires all of us to work hard to fight it. Be that example to your friends! Post your pictures. Share your story. Share your ups and downs. You never know who you will inspire.

Upgrade Your Eating Habits: 
It is so hard to cut something cold turkey. And often after a few days of no chocolate, chocolate ends up in the house and before you know it. It is GONE! (please tell me I am not the only one that this happens to!) Make small healthy, lasting changes to your diet. ask for veggies or a salad instead of fries. Drink water only with your dinner. Eat only one slice of toast in the morning, then slowly transition to eating oatmeal in the morning. Add more veggies to a smoothie. Or even just make a meatless meal once a week focusing on eating more greens in your diet! Try something new. You never know you might like it, and how it makes you feel!


Make It Exciting:
When you do go to exercise, make it fun and exciting! Start a new workout program. Doing the same old boring stuff means you can get bored sooner and more likely to stop. Try a new workout that challenges you. Hammer and Chisel, 21 Day Fix Extreme, a Cycle class, hot yoga! There are so many things out there to up the anti in your workouts! And make it fun! Also make an end goal for what you are doing to. Like sign up for a specific race that looks awesome, or be able to do 10 military style pushups. Challenge yourself but make it fun and exciting.

Sticking with your goals is only part of the battle. Go back and check out about SMART goals and making sure that each and every one of your goals matches all the categories in the acronym. Your goals are worth it. They matter! You matter! Stick with these and you will stick with your goals!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Workout Quotes and Mantras


Starting a new workout routine is hard. And the beginning of the year a lot of us go diving into a new fitness adventure. It is going to be hard. It is going to be uncomfortable. It is going to push you and you are going to have moments that you are going to want to say, "SCREW THIS! I'm DONE!" But what gets you through a workout?

WILLPOWER! 


Sometimes during the workout your mind will say, "STOP! I don't want to do this!" That is the moment that if you push past that thought, those feelings where true development happens. Pushing past our quitting moment will define you and give you the best post workout feeling knowing that you stuck with it and you did it! So here are a few workout quotes or mantras to say to yourself when the tough gets hard and you are at that moment where you are about to give up.











Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Last Minute Gifts For Your Fitness Loving Friends

It's Christmas Eve and you are still looking for something for your fitness loving friends. Well, here are a few places that have great, low priced stuff, perfect for those stocking stuffers!

OLD NAVY! 

Old Navy is seriously one of my favorite places to shop for low priced active wear and they are having a massive sale on their site (just looked last night) 20% off everything, even stuff on sale. Tanks are averaging between $8 and $14. Graphic motivational tanks are a must!

TARGET:

Target has some great C9 Champion stuff, but they are a little pricier. Looking at about $15-20 on avg. there. Check out this cute pull over for just $30!



Another option would be to enroll your friend, spouse or loved one as a VIP member with Fabletics. Every month you can choose a new outfit for the same price. Very affordable clothing. I have gotten many workout clothing from here and love the styles. Very hip and trendy. Super convenient because they send out recommended outfits to you at the first of the month based on your style profile and you can shop at home and you have 5 days to decide if you are going to get anything or not! Super easy. And they get a new outfit every month.



With access to TONS of full workout programs (P90X Programs, Brazil Butt Lift, Insanity and many, many, more) included in your quarterly membership fees it is the gift that GIVES A TON! Plus sneak peeks to new workout programs being released and a discount to Beachbody products including Shakeology. But most importantly, you get me as your coach and motivator to help you set your goals and reach them. You will get access to all of my exclusive tools that have helped me lose weight and helped me to stay motivated and keeping on point!

If you have any questions about any of these please let me know! I hope you all have a happy and healthy Christmas! 

For more motivation, tips and support be sure to follow me over at FACEBOOK and PINTEREST

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Know Your Why

Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to feel better? Why do you want to start exercising? Why do you want to run that race? WHY! Why is the driving force to why we do things. It is also that annoying question that our kids tend to give us when we explain they can't do or they need to do something. Why? Why? Why? Why? They ask 1000 times! Well, why does a kid ask you why 1000 times? Because they aren't satisfied with the answer you are giving them. They want to know the deep dark reason why they can't have that candy. "Because I said so," just doesn't cut it for them.

And you know what? You need to be just like your kid and ask yourself why until you are so raw, emotional, crying and feeling it all the way deep down into your bones.

Why do I want to lose weight? Because I am terrified to get pregnant again at a heavy weight. I'm not saying my weight last time is what made me miscarriage but I started out my last pregnancy at my heaviest weight which made physical exercise difficult and hard. I want to be healthy. I do want to blame myself again for losing the pregnancy had I had been weighing less...I don't want to endanger my life or the life of my child because of my weight. I want to exercise. I want to eat right. I don't want to feel limited by my weight while I am pregnant. I want to be here for my family. I want to run at the park and not feel winded. I want to enjoy life to the fullest! I am determined. I am persistant. I am worth it and I know I am worth it!

You have to really dig deep for your why on why you want to do whatever it is you want to do. If you don't then those pesky excuses are just going to rear their ugly heads and sooner or later you might give into those excuses. Your why has to be stronger than your excuses.

Need help finding your why? Ask yourself these questions:

1) What makes you come alive? What gives you drive to want to do something. Your kids. Your family. Your future family. What is going to give you that push to push harder.

2) What strengths do you already have? Look at what you already have going for you. Use these strengths to help you realize that you can do what you are wanting to accomplish!

3) How will your life change if you succeed? Think about the outcome of what you want to accomplish. How much different could your life be when you succeed? How amazing will you feel?

When you figure out your why I want you to write it down and post it in a place that you see everyday. On your bathroom mirror. On your computer. On your fridge. In your car. Wherever you can look at it daily, or when you are having a bad time. So that you can read your why and find that drive to keep going! You have this. You are so worth it!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Monday, November 23, 2015

Tracking Your Journey

One thing that's so important to remember as we're on this journey is that this is in fact A JOURNEY. It's ongoing, and we need to be making lifestyle changes in order to have a lasting effect on our health. There are no more diets in our world - just clean, whole, healthy foods, portion control and exercise to go with it.

Have you struggled in the past with dieting and having it quickly come back once you resumed your normal habits? What is your story about why you got here and why you realized you needed to change your habits, and not just do another fad diet out there?  I have. But it wasn't until I finally realized that I eat the things I like in moderation that this lifestyle change really clicked for me! 

I think it is so important to keep returning to our journey and see where we have come from and how far we have changed. Answer these questions: Where did you start at the beginning of your journey? What have you learned from your journey thus far? And where do you so yourself at the end of your journey? 

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Be Fearless

How many of you feel like exercise and clean eating have become a normal and regular part of your life now? Yes, I have times where I just want a milkshake and goodies, but it is just times now. Not ALL THE TIME like it used to be. I love that I have a healthy relationship with food now. This is the first time ever! You do not have to sacrifice to be healthy you just have to realize that there are better things out there for you.

In high school I ate so little because I thought I was fat. Always skipping breakfast and I would eat Jr. Mints for lunch and that was it and barely ateany dinner too. I used to think, "to lose weight I have to cut food, or a food group." I lost 20 pounds in high school because I didn't eat. I used an excuse as a reason to why I didn't want to eat. I felt that I had to stop eating and exercise to be happy. And I still thought I was fat even when I was too thin for my body type. Most people thought I looked great. I was miserable. I was hungry. I was depressed. And I was hurting myself. 

Even as a young adult I was hard on myself. Thinking that if I ever reach a certain weight that I would just stop eating again. And I thought I was HUGE! 

Now, I finally get to eat, and it always fills me up and still lose weight. I am eating the right types of carbs. I am eating healthy fats. I am LOVING veggies and fruits. And I am getting the protein in my body that it needs to function correctly! And the food I make is pretty great! Oh and I still get goodies, sometimes. I live my life by the 80/20 rule where I eat clean most of the time but still get a good treat. 

We are all in here for our own reason but we are fighting for what we want. We are fighting to be healthy and sometimes the battle is REAL! Be fearless in what you are pursuing. Because in the end, you matter. Your healthy life matters! You are worth it and never forget that!

If you are done letting food rule your life and want to start eating clean and healthy. Fill out this GOOGLE DOC and I will get back with you within 48 hours.  I can't wait to talk to you! 

Friday, November 13, 2015

Facing Fears


Yesterday was a rough day for me guys. I faced a huge fear of mine during my counseling session. And it is something that has come out during this whole process of the miscarriage. Because I was so close to it actually happening.
I faced my fear dead on. I am so scared of not being here for my family. My fear is, had I had died during the miscarriage. I had to face that today. We had to go back into it and talk through those feelings of sadness and grief and how close I really was. I even said, "I didn't want to go down that path because it scared me." Talking about me dying and not being here just broke my heart.

But you know what. I realized how much I love my family. I realized that I have a lot more work to do here in this life and that I am making my life count. I have my two amazing boys who need me. And my husband that loves me and wants me. I have friends that would miss me. I have lives that I am helping to change right now and countless future people that I know I am going to be helping that need me! I am so thankful that I am still here. That it wasn't my time and that I have found my purpose as a mother, wife, teacher and motivator.
I give all of myself in all that I do. Because we only have 1 life to live. Live it to your fullest. Every single day! And be thankful for the life that you do have. It has helped shape you into the person you are now!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Sneak Peek Into My Challenge Group


Hey guys! You see me post all the time about challenge groups, or health and support fitness groups, or my clean eating groups. You ever wonder what they are? A challenge group/health and support fitness group, is a small micro-community of people that are all going through a journey of health and fitness. I have various types of groups held during the month. A Month long group for those that are doing a specific workout program or regime and need that daily motivation, and more constant interaction to help them stay on track. I also hold a 5 day clean eating challenge which is actually an introduction to clean eating. You get to try out clean eating for 5 days, learning how to adapt that kind of lifestyle into your daily life. And also a 5 day sneak peek into what I do as a health and fitness motivator.

In each of the challenge groups, I post multiple times during the day to engage with the challengers, ask questions, help to motivate them and also post motivational videos in there so that they get to know me as a person and know that I am really there for them and care about them. Yes I am a Beachbody coach and I love the products, but what I love more than that is actually working one on one with each of my challengers. Getting to know them. Educating them. Inspiring them. Being there for them. Motivating them. That is my favorite part and I think I have that part down pretty well.

We just wrapped up our 5 day clean eating challenge- Halloween Edition and it was AMZING! Everyday I posted a new recipe for them to add to their list to try, we had a competition going on for the highest point earners with a grand prize of a Hydra Trak water bottle to help them get the water they need during the day and have a fun way to track it. There was so much interaction.
Anyways. I wanted to share with you one of my videos that I made for the group. Since it was Halloween week, I wore a different wig everyday for the 5 videos I made. It was tons of fun. Check out the video and let me know what you think,

Have any other questions or are interested in joining any of my challenge groups? Let me know. Send me an email! I would love to have you join us!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Every Day Is A New Day

Just a few months ago I was in a deep depression, I didn't want to get out of bed. I was sad for losing my baby, I was sad that I was still here and I was MAD at what I had been through. I had gained weight during my recovery putting me back at my weight that I always give birth at. The heaviest I have ever been. It scared me. I felt like I didn't know where to start or what to do to get out of my huge blackhole I had built around myself. Until one day, I decided enough was enough.

I made a call and got in contact with someone to help me mentally. I decided too, to start exercising. It was hard. It hurt. My body was so mad at me because it didn't want to do it. But I realized that I needed it! It made me feel better. Happier. I could work out my frustrations through my exercise and I LOVED THAT! I craved it! Was I able to do what I could do before. NOPE! I had to take it slow and steady and MODIFY everything but the point is, I did it what I could and went from there. I also cleaned up my eating and stuck with more whole foods over processed foods. I am now down 15 pounds and this month is going to be the month that I will pass that 20 pound mark because I WILL be at my first weight loss goal by Thanksgiving! 25 pounds or more will be GONE!
What got me to where I am today? Support and daily motivation and encouragement. 30 minutes of daily exercise and super easy to follow nutrition that actually teaches you what your body needs to eat to lose weight without feeling hungry! I want to help you slim down BEFORE the holidays so that this year is the year that "lose weight" will not be #1 on your New Year's Resolution. You have the chance to lose 11-33 pounds by NEW YEARS! How different would you feel if you did that? How would the new year begin for you? Don't wait till after the holidays. Set the bar now on how you want to live your life! 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Eating 5 Meals A Day

In the past I have been saying eat 5-6 times a day and this month I got to thinking, "What if they aren't even getting in their 3 meals a day?" It happens to me sometimes still. Some days before I know it, it is 3pm and I haven't had my lunch yet. That is actually a snack time for me. The number one goal is to make sure that yo are in fact eating 3 meals a day! It doesn't happen to just moms either! Have you been so busy at work that lunch didn't happen? Or you forgot your lunch and don't have the funds to buy one? 

It happens to everyone! I want everyone in here to make sure they are getting in their 3 meals a day. Start there! Then your next goal is to be adding in snacks at key points during the day so you don't feel hungry, or to help keep your 3 main meals a day smaller so that you are not over eating! Eating every 2.5 hours or so whatever works for you! But the final goal is to be eating 5 - 6 meals a day!


Benefits of eating 5-6 meals a day: 
Keeps blood sugar stable
Keeps your metabolism up
Keeps you sustained meaning less junk foods
More energy
Happier, no midday cranky pants!
Keeps you regular

So you guys. I want you to write down what time you eat your meals for the next week. Sound easy enough? See how many meals you are actually getting! Also you are going to see patterns that if you were running late, you might skip a snack? Or you might start packing a snack with you because you are becoming more aware of what you are doing! And please don't be concerned if you only got in 2 meals or 6. This is to help keep you aware of what you are doing and tracking your progress and then go from there! Comment below with how many meals you are getting on average in a day over a week! 


And, of course, be sure to like our 
FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

October is Infertility Awareness Month


I was reminded that October is Infertility Awareness Month. I have been through my own battle of infertility, which you can read about here, and it seriously saddens me how many of my friends are having infertility problems too. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!

It is so hard to want and wish for something that is so profoundly right and good, to want to have children and not be able to have them. Often times I found myself comparing my situation to others or question what is going on. "Why can she get pregnant and I can't?" "She is only 16. Why is she able to have a baby?" "What did I do wrong?" I know and believe that it is truly God's timing in all things. And that if it is right it will happen.
I know it is so hard to sit and wait to be blessed with children. I did it for 8 years, trying, praying and hoping. Honestly, the best thing we can do as women with infertility is to work on us and be as healthy as possible so when it is our time to have a family (however that happens either through natural pregnancy, fertility treatments, surrogacy, or adoption) you are ready and prepared and HEALTHY. And someday, our families will grown and the sound of little feet will pitter and patter in our own homes. Stay strong! Don't lose the faith and believe!
Want to take that first step to getting healthy but don't know where to start? Follow me on FACEBOOK for daily motivation and tips. Send me an email or comment below and we can talk about how you can start. It is never too late to work on you. Use it as your outlet to help yourself feel better. But do it for your body so that it is working the best that it can. I blamed myself for my past miscarriage, saying that I wasn't as healthy as I should have been. And it was hard on me mentally. So put your body first. Babies will come. But you need to work on you first! 


And, of course, be sure to like our 
FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Friday, October 9, 2015

I'm Too Fat???


I hear this all the time from people that they think that they are too heavy or too out of shape, or too much out of practice. Or this or that. I promise you NO YOU ARE NOT!  You can do anything you really want to do. If I had waited until I was thinner to start running then I still would be waiting. There are times when I do a stretch that I can't reach it because my belly fat gets in the way. Does it stop me from doing what I need to be doing? NOPE. I just do as much as I can and someday I won't have that belly fat stopping me.

I saw this article the other day about this young lady who calls herself the "Fat Femme" found on Instagram. She is a kick butt yoga lover. I have no idea what her size it, but for me I was too scared to do yoga because I thought I wasn't thin enough or fit enough. But check her out! She is killing it! She didn't let her size get in her way. Seriously go look at her Instagram and see how amazing she is! Inspiration right there.

Here we have another girl that calls herself the Fat Girl Runner. And she was on NBC Nightly News about her story.


The moral of the story is, YOU have to decide when you are ready and you don't let anything stand in your way. Nothing stopping you. You just go for it. As safely as possible of course. But you do it. As always before you start a new exercise routine get the a-okay from your doc so that they are on board with what you are doing. They can run a blood panel too on you to see what hormones are in balance and what not and give you starting numbers with your cholesterol and such. And that way you can get checked up again after some time of changing your life and see what the change has done for you.

It is worth it to start now. Don't put it off until you are more comfortable with yourself. Because you might not start if you do that. And I always hated this saying but it really is true you guys! "If I can do it, so can you!" You just have to find that drive. That passion. Support and motivation. And once you do, you will be unstoppable!

Check out this article about plus sized running models used recently in Woman's Running. And guys this isn't about running, this is about lifting weights, workout classes, cycling, yoga, pilates, ultimate frisbee. ANYTHING! You can do ANYTHING!


And, of course, be sure to like our 
FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.
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