Finally...I'm dreaming.

As a child you always have big dreams and big goals and then something happens in life and things change.  You forget how to dream, you forget how to set goals, you just start living day in and day out.  This was me for years and until very recently.

I'm a consultant with BeautiControl.  I offer a free hour of pampering to anyone and everyone that wants it.  It's my passion.  I have been doing this now for 2.5 years.  I love it!  Last night the president and vice president of BeautiControl was in Des Moines talking to us.  Last night I took something away that has terrified me for far to long.  I have forgot how to dream, I forgot how to really set goals for myself, I forgot how to not only empower myself but others.  From last night going forward I'm dreaming and will live my life to make my dreams come true.  I'm developing a personal business plan to help me reach and attain my goals and truly have the "IT" factor.

Before this meeting last night I've been thinking what am I doing with this running, nutrition and weight loss thing?  What is my goal in it?  In the beginning my goal was one for me.  To lose weight, to get out of that "morbidly obese" category and be at a normal and healthy BMI.  Now I've realized that my goals are so much more than that.  Yes I do want to continue in this journey and continue to lose weight and be healthy for me but I also want to teach woman (men too) who are "morbidly obese" that it is not rocket science on how one loses weight and gets healthy.  This is easy but it's hard.  For years I've destroyed my body with food, alcohol and lack of movement.  Old habits die hard but it only takes 21 days to form a new habit.  21 days is all it takes to start changing your life.  To quote my most amazing dad, Tom Syferd, "Short term sacrifice for long term gain."

So the start of my personal business plan is to do what ever I can to help myself continue to be healthy and also come along side someone or many and help them be the best healthy they can be too!  I'm no longer afraid of success or failure.  I fail daily and I succeed daily.  I have learned that in all the bad things that can happen in your life there is a silver lining.  Some times I've had to look really hard to see that tiny lining of silver but I always find it and I grow in that and take that experience and build on it.

Last night we did this exercise where we had to pair up with a total stranger and stare into their eyes and really look into their soul.  It was AWKWARD but amazing!  Then we had to share with one another what our dreams and goals are and in one year if time and money were not an object what would our goals and dreams look like in one year.  The thing that kept coming to my mind was really mentoring and helping others in becoming healthy and really just to in general help them feel good about themselves no matter what life throws at them.  I know that in the last 2 years my life has done a 180 (in a GREAT way) and I owe that to BeautiControl and what this company has done for me in giving me myself back.  I can tell you that the money is great but it has soooo little to do with the $$ really the $$ isn't even it in the least.   My life has also changed because of the way I'm feeding her and the way I'm taking care of her.  I've found that if I treat my body well that my body will treat me well in return.  I can honestly say that I no longer fear success or failure.  I know that I will be a success and while I'll fall and fail at times I'll get back up, find the learning opportunity in the failure and grow and be even that much more of a success.

So if anyone reads this I really encourage yourself to let yourself dream and if you ever need anyone to talk to know that I'm here because I've been there, done that and I have SEVERAL of the T-shrits and I can tell you the journey is awesome!  All you have to do is start! What are you waiting for?

Lastly...Take 3 minutes and watch this video..It's amazing and something I think we all need to tell ourselves every day!

What a difference a week makes....

I am just so in awe and almost feel like I'm living in a dream land.  Seriously....

This time last week I was so upset thinking to myself "who do you think you are? You can't run..you can't do this".  I REFUSED to let myself believe that so I called my mentor who walked before me just one year ago, Connie.  Connie reminded me that in the times of bad is when the good is formed and to not give up and to get out there and do it again.  So I did just that.  After my awful run last Thursday I decided I was going to give it another go on Friday.  Friday, April fools of all days I decided to take on my longest time run to date.  It was walk for 5 to warm up then run for 25 minutes and not stop.  Still a little pissy from the day before I said to myself, "I'm not going to let this effect me I'm going to learn from it, grow and become stronger."  So I did just that.  I ran all 25 minutes.  I did those minutes on a treadmill.  There was a guy that hopped on the treadmill next to me and I told him, "you're going to hear me yelling at myself telling myself to keep going so I'm just warnin' ya."  He kind of laughed and said "I think that will be good for both of us."

Monday was supposed to start my running club at the gym however it was so cold and windy that we didn't run.  Well the crazy in shape people did but not me (not yet LOL).  I did the an elliptical work out and did some running on the treadmill as well.  Tuesday started my one on one personal training with Tiffany (yes that is one of my trainers names I'm not training myself).  It was just a fitness assessment to see where I started so in 8 weeks we can see how I improved.  I ran a mile on the t-mill in 14 minutes and we did a strength routine.  I was ordered not to run on Wednesday because Tanna, my other trainer, was going to run outside with me today.  So on Wednesday I did the elliptical (oh how I love that machine) for 30 minutes.  Today Tanna took me outside and we ran.  We did 2 miles in 24 minutes.  I was in SHOCK!!  I couldn't believe it!!  Tomorrow I'm thinking I might do the elliptical again and do some other core and arm work...who knows what tomorrow will bring.  I know I'm going to run this weekend..It's going to be soooo nice out!!!!  If anyone reads this and wants to meet up let me know.

To top this wonderful week off I discovered that I've lost 12 inches in just over a month.  Seriously...OMG that just doesn't happen to me.  I think finally I have the formula down.  The formula is there is no formula.  No I can't eat chocolate all day or drink a bottle of wine a night and lose weight and become fit but I don't have to deprive myself either.  Everything in moderation is key.  Also logging your foods is key too.  If you do have a bad meal or day then have it and own it because life is still going to get in the way and if you deprive yourself of what you love you'll become resentful and you won't succeed.  Sure you might lose a ton of weight but as soon as your at your goal if your mindset isn't right you'll start down the path again.  Plus what I've found in this journey is that I really don't want the foods I used to long for anymore.  I used to LOVE Mexican food and the more fried and the more sour cream and guacamole it had the better.  Now I think about it and my stomach almost hurts to think about it.  Now I crave a pear as dessert vs a bowl of ice cream.  When I need the crunch factor rather than eat chips I eat a few almonds.  I call Almonds God's candy.  I love them!

So what a difference a week makes.....What a blessing it is to be a live, to be able to run, to be able to eat, and to be able to share!