I posted a little poem about a coach and thought it would be a good opportunity to give some insight into our coaching team.
This is Jason and he is the owner as well as Athletic Director and Head Coach at the gym. Jason has been passionate about sport for his whole entire life. He LOVES sport, playing them, learning them, watching them. He is the mastermind behind the incredible programming that helps you to be the fittest version of yourself.
COACH
Even when I said I can't
You said, I could
When I said, I won't,
You said, "do it"
Even when I said that I will lose
You said, go win
Even when I said I failed
You said, "well done"
Even when I said I don't believe in myself
You said, "I believe in you"
Thank-you Coach!
Difficult Roads often lead to beautiful destinations. It’s been tough, but we are tougher. We got this!
I love my gym, my box, my place to work out. I love walking in terrified and walking out accomplished. I love sweating until I am soaked and wearing callouses like a badge of honor on my hands, and leaving sweat angles on the floor...and man, do I LOVE those people there...
May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears
"You reap what you sew"
This is an old saying and one that I have really tried to implement more in my day to day. I am trying to give more thought to my actions. If I want good things to come to me, I must put good things into the world. If I want my kids to be kind and considerate, I must show them kindness and consideration. If I show frustration or belittle their thoughts, they will behave with those same feelings. So, think about what it is that you want and be sure that you are putting into the world what you are hoping to get out of it. Think about your words, actions and tone. Live each moment with intention.
Another thing that I am working hard on is mindset. I have found this year to be incredibly challenging on a number of levels. I don't think that this pandemic and the fallout from it have been easy on anyone. More than ever, we have been bombarded with negativity. From the news, to politics, to racism, to judgment of others and how hard (or not hard) they have it.
I have had the pleasure of reading or listening to a lot of books over the past year. I think I finished 36 last year. One of the ones that I recently completed was. "Think like a Monk" by Jay Shetty. I listened to it and then bought the hard copy as well because I think it has so many great lessons in it. I will share some of the things that I learned from it.
One of the things that I have tried to adjust this year is my media consumption. The irony is not lost on me that I am using social media as a marketing platform. The truth is, things have evolved and social media is here to stay. The way we interact and consume information is different from 20 years ago. This is a great thing - think about all of the information that we have access to at our fingertips. Not so long ago (20 years), when I was in University, I had to do my research in a huge library and I also didn't have a computer, so used a typewriter and kept a bottle of white out handy to fix my mistakes. If I wanted to "fact check" something, it was a lot more involved than it is today.
Chances are you have been bombarded with messaging about "the BEST 30 day weight loss program" or "6 weeks to perfectly sculpted abs" or "the juice only diet". There are a million fads out there and they are designed to get your attention. I mean who doesn't want a 6-pack in 30 days? The truth is, like everything else, there are no short cuts. If someone tells you that you can eat ice-cream and brownies and get in the best shape of your life in only 30 days (and the purchase of their specially formulated products), they are lying to you. I have been in this industry for 25 years and fad diets and workout plans do not work.
Another healthy habit is to take your vitamins. I am a big fan of food first for getting our nutrients, but the truth is that most of us struggle to get our recommended amount of nutrients through diet alone. As we age, we may also require different supplements as our bodies don't behave the same way that they did when they were young. I recommend speaking with your doctor or health care provider when looking at your vitamin needs.
Another thing that I am working on is making sure that I drink enough water. I am pretty good at this, but I have found that mask wearing has hindered my water drinking. I find that I forget to drink and then at the end of the day, I am parched and spend the rest of the day trying to re-hydrate. Can you relate?
Ok, you know how I said you should track your spending? Well, when you are trying to tighten up your nutrition, you should track that too. I like to use just a paper journal, but there are a ton of food tracking apps out there. When choosing one, be careful that you are not giving it too much credit. There is NO WAY that an app that is used by millions can accurately tell you how many calories you are taking in and expending. These are ball park figures and you need to take them with a grain of salt. Each person is unique and I will absorb an apple differently than you will. The thing that you are looking for are trends or habits.
I know that I have said this before, and I will say it again - EAT YOUR VEGGIES! or you can drink them if you can't seem to get them in. I love veggies and I am happy that my kids do as well. One of the things that I have changed is making veggies the star of meal time. Growing up, it was always meat, potatoes and then the veggies were the side or afterthought. I think this is true everywhere in our culture. If you go out for dinner, the protein is always the star. The truth is, most people in North America get plenty of protein, seriously, when was the last time you had a 3-4 oz. portion of meat? It really isn't that much and I would guess that the average person would probably have 8-12 oz. as a serving size. If you aren't sure what the portions look like, weigh it out on a food scale to help you see what the portion looks like.
Happy Monday Friends! If you have been following along with the budgeting tips this past week, you will notice that there is a similarity between keeping your finances in check as well as your weight.
We are in the second week of January and mostly back to routine. No matter how careful you are, the holidays are filled with more cookies, chocolates and cocktails. It is good to celebrate and enjoy all the indulgences as long as it doesn't start in November and follow through past Valentine's day. Just like your finances, your nutrition is what you do consistently over time. If you are always grabbing a couple cookies on your afternoon coffee break, it will add up over time.
Week 1 check in - how did the first week go? Did you find it challenging? Did you stick to your plan or deviate "just a little"? Take a minute today and reflect on your week. Look at what actually happened vs. what you intended to happen. Maybe you were perfect - stay the course. Maybe, you found it really hard to track or to stay in your budget. It's okay - now that you are aware of where your challenges are, you can focus on them in the coming week to get you closer to your goal. Remember, it is all about learning about yourself and your spending habits and then tweaking them so that they align with your long term goals.
Credit cards can be awesome and can be devastating at the same time. How many credit cards do you have? Every single store seems to offer one and at the time it seems like you'd be crazy not to get it! Here's a tip - pick 1 card and destroy the rest. Credit cards make spending money more abstract, which psychologically encourages you to spend more on impulse purchases - up to 56% more!
Here is another finance tip: make sure that you set money aside every single month for your future. Here is what I have learned over the years: building wealth takes time. You need time to build credit so that you can buy your first house. You need time in that house to build equity. You need time in your job to build up your salary.
Did you have a school uniform? I remember thinking how awful it would be, but now I kind of like the idea of a uniform. Here's another way for you to save some $$$ - create yourself a uniform. Sounds crazy, but hear me out. Fashion is cool and I admire people that have these incredible wardrobes. I am not very fashionable and I also do not have a budget to keep on top of trends or have multiple pairs of shoes.
For time:
20 wall-ball shots
18 box jump-overs
30 wall-ball shots
18 box jump-overs
40 wall-ball shots
18 medicine-ball box step-overs
66 wall-ball shots
18 medicine-ball box step-overs
40 wall-ball shots
18 box jump-overs
30 wall-ball shots
18 box jump-overs
20 wall-ball shots
Time cap: 12 minutes
