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There is ALWAYS going to be someone smarter, richer, prettier…ALWAYS. But, does that really matter? Why are you letting that get you down? You cannot control that. You can only control YOU. I guarantee you have something that someone else wants.
Did this help you? If so, I’d be ever so grateful if you would share it.
Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin
Doctors don’t study nutrition, they study medicine. I am actually quite amazed that some doctors say nutritional supplements are useless and don’t work. But, then turn around in the same breath and recommend taking a fish oil or pre-natal vitamins for pregnant women. I’m glad that there are a growing number of doctors that are realizing that prevention through a healthy lifestyle including supplementing your diet is important in the healing of our society. It shouldn’t be referred to as alternative medicine but rather necessary prevention.
The cell is the fundamental unit of life. Are we protecting our trillions of cells in our body to the best of our ability every single day? We are constantly under attack by the world we have built today which includes toxins, pollution, processed foods, soil nutrient depletion, the list goes on… We need to guard our cells and guard our bodies. Our bodies “refresh” our cells all of the time. Some are replaced in hours and some in days and some longer. Don’t you want the new ones to be just as amazing and perfect as when we were first born? Are you putting the right amount of nutrients in your body to do so?
I see so many people suffering from diseases and sickness that could be prevented through lifestyle changes and appropriate nutrition. The more research I do on the topic, the more I believe in taking supplements every day and creating a safe haven for my cells. After all, I would be devastated if I didn’t get to see my daughter drive a car, graduate high school, have a baby, etc…
Are there supplements out there that don’t work? YES! In fact, there are more and more studies being done on certain supplements that show that what is on the label is NOT in the pill. It is an industry that is filled with deception because people are taking pills left and right and it’s a huge lucrative industry. So what are the things you can do to feel good about what you are putting in your body.
You have to do the research
You can’t just pick up vitamins from the corner store. Even if you read the label (which I know most people don’t), the actual ingredients could be off…way off. Research the owners of the company. Why did they choose to start the company…for the money or to help others?
Buy pharmaceutical grade
If your doc is a believer in nutrition as prevention, can they recommend the supplement you take? Is it in the Physicians Desk Reference? Make sure that the company you choose to buy from meets FDA standards as well as pharma standards.
Ensure that the vitamins include the right combination and percentage of each ingredient
Our cells require a certain combination of vitamins with the right amount of levels of each vitamin for them to work properly. Does the company have a team of scientists and doctors that know about the human cell and what the human cell needs?
Does the company offer a guarantee?
Does the company offer a money back guarantee? Or do they offer an athlete guarantee? Where if the athlete is tested for a banned substance and it’s traced back to that company, they will give the athlete a guarantee in some form or fashion.
I know it sounds like a lot to figure out, but if you are going to put something in your body EVERY DAY…you should want it to be the best.
I have done this research and know I’m putting the absolute best in my body. I’ve never felt better at 39 years old, and I also think I’ve never looked better. I am at my absolute prime and look FORWARD to my birthday every year. 40 doesn’t scare me at all.
Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin
P.S. I trust my health to USANA and highly recommend the Essentials to help you keep your cells beautiful. The Essentials are formulated to not only prevent deficiency diseases, but provide the necessary micronutrients to retain optimal health and energy levels that everyone, at every age, needs every day. The Essentials also contain trace minerals, mixed carotenoids, biofavonoids, and other phytochemicals and antioxidants to provide a full arsenal of compounds to help protect against daily exposure to free radicals. You can buy them HERE.
I don’t get it. Everyone always talk about the “have-to’s” and the rules for losing weight and getting healthy.
I never hear people talk about doing what is fun and what you enjoy!
The only thing you HAVE to do is move…and you know what, it should be FUN!
Look at kids. They have a blast running through a sprinkler, or playing tag, or jumping on a trampoline, and they are smiling and staying in shape all at the same time!! Find something you look forward to doing. Otherwise, you will never maintain it. It might not be running through a sprinkler, but maybe it is!!
If you are sitting there at your desk, and you are dreading going to the gym and having an argument with yourself…”You know, you really should go to the gym. You had a cookie today and you are taking your kids out for dinner tonight. But, you did work out hard yesterday, so maybe you need a break.” Blah blah blah.
Imagine this instead. You are sitting at your desk, excited, looking forward to working out. Does it seem impossible? Well, it’s not. There are a LOT of different things you can do at the gym. Or outside. Or at a yoga studio. Or at a barre/pilates studio. It’s just about finding it. Then, going to work out never becomes a “Should I.” It becomes a “I can’t wait!”
Running isn’t for everyone, and that’s OK
Listen, I have a friend who could run for days. And she LOVES it. I remember when she first started getting back into shape, it was no question for her what she was going to do at the gym. She got excited about going and getting on the treadmill. She started off running and walking, then she was running only at about a 10 minute mile, and now she’s running for an hour at a time at an 8 minute mile. Wow!! You know what though? I HATE it. Do I run? Yes. But I much prefer to lift weights or yoga or barre or spin. I can’t do the same thing everyday. I pick the thing I look forward to doing that day, and do it. Not what my friend wants to do.
It’s a process. Just start moving.
When I first started working out, I didn’t really look forward to it either. But, I have now been going consistently for about 10 years. I wish someone had told me to find something I enjoyed vs. just having to go. But, what happened is that I loved step class. I went consistently and then when step went out of style, I was already hooked on the feeling I felt after I worked out. So, I went to yoga. It took a few different classes to find the type of yoga I liked, but I found it and had no issues getting to the studio. Now, I just like to do something, and every day it changes.
You will find something you like, or maybe someone you like
You might go to a few classes and hate them…don’t go anymore. Once you find something you like, you will keep going. And then, you will find you want to branch out into other things. The other thing you will find is that if you go on the same days at the same time, you will see the same people. Sometimes it’s the people that keep you going. You will make friends, and the conversations alone or seeing your friends will motivate you to get to the gym.
Don’t get caught up in the Have-Tos
Everyone is going to give you their opinion and tell you what worked for them. But that is the key…it worked for THEM. If someone told me I had to run an hour every day to get in shape, I would feel sad and defeated. Don’t get caught up in that. Do what is right for YOU. You can listen to what people have to say about what worked for them, and you can even try it. But, don’t do it if you hate it. Life is too short.
Good luck in finding your happy workout. I know you will.
Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin
Living a healthy lifestyle is everywhere. Everyone has a different opinion and a different strategy for getting healthy. It’s exhausting. In my constant quest for a healthier happier life, here are some things I have discovered along the way through daily trials and experiences.
This is only true if you are eating McDonald’s every meal and having a soda with every meal. I certainly hope this isn’t you, but if it is, well than this is no myth. I have read lots of different articles and researched this topic a lot. The fact of the matter is, every body is different. Are you listening to it? After you have that cup of coffee, is your digestive system tied up in knots…well, then it’s probably not a good idea for you to have that. After you eat something with dairy, do you have lots of gas. I know to some, gas can be funny business, but it’s not when it’s you! Your body will give you lots of clues if something isn’t jiving with your system. You have to listen to it and respond. It’s almost like having a conversation with your body and treating it with the same respect you would when talking to anyone. I am a believer in healthy moderation. I will have an occasional cup of coffee or an occasional glass of wine, and I don’t worry about it or give myself a hard time. Stress and worry about these things just do more harm than good. But, listen to your body and the clues it gives you.
Have you ever worked out every day and eaten relatively healthy and still felt like crap? I have. It was because I wasn’t filling my spirit and mind with what it needed. I was either super bummed out about work, or a relationship, or just feeling unfulfilled in general. It was hard to get up every day. Your spirit is just like your stomach, it needs constant feeding. Your mind controls everything that you do and feel. This life is filled with lots of tragedy and sad stories that can really take a toll on us. I just recently started going back to church and I feel as though every Sunday, my spiritual tank is getting filled up. I used to be afraid to tell people about it thinking they would judge me. But why should I apologize for something that works for me and something I love. Now, I am praying daily, so my tank gets filled every day! As you can imagine, it has done wonders for how I feel overall. Church and praying might not be your thing, but what about yoga/meditation or reading spiritual books, or talking with a friend about the meaning of life. There are lots of ways to fill up your tank. Find yours and don’t apologize for it.
This is a big one and filled with a lot of differing opinions. Many people say that you can get all the nutrients you need from the food you eat. That could be true if we could transport ourselves back in time to the days when we were growing our own food and weren’t using chemicals on our soil. The insides of our bodies haven’t changed since we were brought to this earth. When we first started on this earth, food was meant for survival, not pleasure. Humans weren’t going to restaurants by the masses and enjoying a steak with béarnaise sauce with a side of broccoli and potatoes sautéed in butter. They were killing their food or growing it and eating it when they were hungry. Food wasn’t readily available like it is today. People weren’t running around after work trying to get their kids to soccer or piano and trying to squeeze in a meal by running to Subway or some other fast food kind of place. Now, if you are eating mostly raw food (not cooking it til it’s soft), eating mostly fruits and vegetables, chewing it slowly and not scarfing it down, and you are growing some of it or buying from a local organic farmer, then maybe you are getting most of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Otherwise, you need to supplement your diet.
If you did lose 30 pounds, then that is fantastic and it is a factor in getting healthy. But, if you did it on some sort of challenge, now what? Do you have a system and process to continue? Or are you going to have to keep doing the challenges to keep the weight off? I think challenges and detoxes can be great tools, but they can also be misleading. You do all this work to get the weight off, and then your willpower takes a sky dive into a lake of Cheetos and chocolate. You get ONE body your entire life. That means this is a lifetime lifestyle…not a 21 day, 28 day, or 30 day lifestyle. Again, these can be great tools, but a lot of times there are deeper things going on that need to be changed, and that’s better to change with slight shifts over time as they are more than likely to stick forever.
I give myself a hard time too about my workouts. I didn’t work out long enough or hard enough. But, I find time and time again, it’s the days that I am doing a workout I look forward to vs. one I’m dreading that I’m the most content overall. Everything else falls into place too…including my clothes. I eat better, I sleep better, I wake up better…everything is better when I am doing something I love to do. Even as I write this, I’m getting excited that today is Body Pump day. Sometimes it might take a while to find this for you. But, find it. You are going to have to kiss some frogs as they say…or do some workouts you hate, but there is something out there just for you. Barre class, spin class, yoga class, weight lifting class, swimming, running, biking, walking, tennis…the list is long! I personally like to mix it up. I do something different almost every day. But, there are some people that swear by running or biking or weight lifting. Maybe I have a bit of ADD, but I just can’t do the same thing every day.
Truly, I hope you get closer every single day to feeling your best and loving your body, and I hope some of these things help you along the way. As said earlier, you only get ONE body! Treat it well and own it.
Here’s to living your most positive life,
Kristin
Everybody has a different body shape and a different problem area – mine is my butt! I am always looking for great ways to tone and shape this area. I believe you should do some type of work out every day, whether it’s just going for a walk or going all out. This is a quick butt blaster that will get your heart rate up and tone, but it won’t break the bank on time. We all have those days where we just need to get in, get out, and back to our responsibilities.
As with any work out, listen to your body. If you are struggling with any major issues, please check with your doctor first.
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Beginner Walk 3.5 mph on 10% incline 5 minutes |
Intermediate/Advanced Walk 3.5 mph on 15% incline for 5 minutes |
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10 Squats |
10 Jump Squats |
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10 backward stepping lunges on each leg |
10 backward stepping jump lunges on each leg |
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10 Side Stepping lunges on each leg |
15 speed skaters |
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Repeat the above 3 times (1 min break in between) |
Repeat the above 3 times (1 min break in between) |
You should be sweating at this point, and your heart rate should be up. Now, it’s time to tone.
20 leg lifts
20 side leg lifts
20 bridge ups with both feet on the floor
20 bridge ups with one foot on the floor then switch to the other leg
Repeat the above 3 times.
**Add weight for more intensity
Good luck! I’d love to get your feedback on this workout, so please enter your comments below. If you’d like to share your problem area, I’ll work on a workout just for you.
Also, if you want these workouts directly to your inbox, input your first name and email address here!
Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin
I am always in a hurry in the morning, so smoothies work best for me, and it always makes me feel good to have one. I have one of these every morning because I feel as though it starts my day off right. I miss them terribly when I travel outside of the US. It’s hard to find frozen anything outside the country.
Not all smoothies are created equal. You can put a lot of stuff in them that will crank up the sugar or calories. I personally use USANA’s Nutrimeal Free as my base protein, but you can use any high quality vanilla protein in your smoothie.
Method: Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth, about 60 seconds. Enjoy immediately.
If you’d like to try Nutrimeal Free or the Rev3 Surge packs, you can order USANA products at a discount through my distributor account here. Just select “Preferred Customer” in the dropdown of the checkout page to automatically receive 10% off. If you know another USANA Independent Distributor, please use their distributor account to purchase.
Don’t forget to enter your name and email if you want more goodness like this direct to your inbox.
Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin
What? No TV for 30 days? Why would I do this to myself? Well, it was time for lent and I had to choose something, so why not TV?? I’m not Catholic, but my boyfriend is, and my daughter was going through the classes to become Catholic, so I thought I would jump on board with everyone else in giving something up. I am not the type of person to go easy on myself and say, “I’ll just give up sunflower seeds.” When I don’t even eat those regularly, and even if I did, sunflower seeds aren’t something that needs to be given up. Not sure I even remember the last time I ate those. Plus, I was trying to read more, meditate more, blah blah blah. So, here we go…this is what I learned.
Listen, I’m not really a news watcher anyway. I think it’s sensationalized and ridiculously negative, and to be honest, it really freaks me out. If I watched the news all the time on a regular basis, I’d never leave my house, and my daughter wouldn’t either. I’m not saying I am ignorant to the scary things in this world, but I don’t need a constant reminder. Through have conversations with people, you still get all the news you will ever need. Plus, you are having REAL conversations. You actually have something to talk about vs…Oh yeah, I heard about that. Then, the conversation is over. You might get the occasional, “WHAT? YOU DIDN’T KNOW? Are you living under a rock or something?” But, I don’t really care. I’m living in my no-TV, happy bubble for 30 days. Deal with it and tell me what happened.
It’s hard enough to turn off the TV in your home with a 9 year old around, but man, the TV is everywhere. It’s in the airport, the nail salon, the gym, and sometimes even at the gas pump!!! Really?? I’m at the gas pump for hopefully no longer than 5 minutes, I don’t have to be constantly entertained. But, I just did my best to ignore it and focus on pumping the gas, reading a book in the airport, or trying not to laugh when they are scrubbing my feet at the nail salon.
I always watch The Big Bang Theory to go to bed. It’s mindless. I’ve seen them all, so if I fall asleep during it, I didn’t miss out. Plus, it’s nice to have a little noise when you are alone and are trying to fall asleep. It was a bit eerie at first, and every little noise I thought someone was breaking in. But, I got over it. I actually found that my sleep was better and fell asleep faster.
I had an argument with my friends that videos on Facebook were NOT TV. But, they just laughed at me and said I wasn’t really following the rules. My view…it’s about my “pact” with God, and not about my friend’s rules or opinions. But, I do think I chose one vice over another. I thought to myself, next time, maybe I’ll give up Facebook for 30 days. We will see.
I was able to actually focus on what I was doing. Before this experiment, I would turn on the TV when I entered the house. I didn’t always sit down at watch it, but it was on and the noise was there. I don’t care what people say, you cannot multitask. It’s been proven. Quiet is a good thing! Quiet gave my mind space to think, to read, to cook, and to just be present. It’s amazing how the subconscious can truly be affected by mindless noise in the background. I found that I was able to focus on the things I was doing which actually made me much more efficient.
I had more time to cook and plan what to cook. I have really enjoyed these past few years getting back to cooking. I like to make it all from scratch…and that takes time and planning. When the TV was on, I would sometimes get sucked in and lose 30 minutes or an hour. That is 30 minutes of cutting, prepping, or shopping to prepare a healthy meal.
I think it was the second day of no TV and I decided to take out my brand new bike and do a 20 mile ride with a group training for the MS150. Well, the ride felt good and I didn’t want to turn around and ride alone, so I kept going with them for the full 40 mile ride. Oops. I came home completely spent and exhausted and all I wanted to do was veg on the couch after a long bath and watch TV!!! But, I couldn’t! I mean I couldn’t give up on my second day of making the pact! I actually made it through. I found myself some things to do wobbling around the house. After that, I knew 28 more days would be a piece of cake. It wasn’t really, but after about a week, I got used to it. I have heard it takes a lot of brainpower and energy to solely use willpower to change. Once it started to become a habit vs. always thinking about not turning on the TV, then it became much easier.
It is so true that your kids pick up on everything that you do. She even made the comment to me that she was watching less TV. She was following my example, and she started cooking with me, or cleaning the house instead of plopping down and watching an episode of Spongebob. We talked more, and I felt more connected to her. She and I would go on walks, and I felt like I had more energy and focus to be with her. I think she really enjoyed this experiment because Mom wasn’t in her room watching her show…she was hanging with her daughter and enjoying being together.
The other surprising thing is that I didn’t come home drained. I felt like I had all this time and space to do stuff, that I actually was excited to come home and had energy. I played the piano, read, cooked, talked to friends and family, and most of all, had time to myself. There are only so many hours in the day to do all of these things we have to do. Work takes up a lot of time whether you work for someone else or work for yourself. It’s just what we do. But, we need time and space for these other things. It’s important to keep up with all aspects of your life…and well, TV is not your life.
I am a SYTYCD lover. I was so happy that lent was not over the summertime, so I could watch my favorite show of all time with no guilt. But, I look forward to the time when do this again. I’m not quite ready yet, but I don’t dread the day that I decide to do it again.
I have noticed that I am right back to where I was before this little experiment. It actually took a month or 2, but here I am. I am a moderation type of gal. I actually think it’s much better to make slight shifts over time to make something really stick. Plus, the older I get, the more I realize how short life is. Why deprive yourself of things you absolutely love? Just do it in moderation. As long as it’s not something completely harmful to you. Now, my focus isn’t on a complete deprivation of TV, but to limit it.
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Yours in building a positive life,
Kristin