Why Don’t You Exercise?

We all have reasons why we do and don’t do things. When it comes to exercise, there are valid reasons to do it, but many times it is really hard to start exercising or find the motivation to do it. If you don’t exercise, I want you to come up with 3 reasons why you don’t. What are the biggest things holding you back right now? As life changes, I realize that these reasons will change too. But what are 3 things holding you back today? If you are exercising but are having a hard time getting to where you want to go, what are 3 things holding you back? Think and reflect for a bit. Once you identify these hurdles, you can then work on overcoming them.

Before I started working out the way I do today, I had many excuses but my top 3 were kids, time, and fear. My kids needed my attention, they took up my time, and I couldn’t workout with them. Working full time and being a mom gave me no time to work out. I had a huge fear of it too. I was intimidated to go to a gym where I knew nothing and I really didn’t know where to start or how to start so that fear kept me away.

Looking back, those reasons or excuses were pretty silly. And I actually took those excuses and turned them into my motivation. Now I work out for my kids. They benefit from me being fit. I want to be able to keep up with them and be a role model for them. Time doesn’t ever become more available but with working out, I became more productive and efficient. A good workout can be squeezed in in 30 minutes or stretched out to a few hours and they can vary. When planned, both work and can be fit into your schedule. Working out has become a huge part of my social life, which actually freed up time. Working out has actually given me a lot more confidence, which helps with the intimidation factor and fear. I also learned not to compare myself to others but to my old self and who I want to be. People don’t go to the gym to judge you they go to work on themselves.

I also had excuses about pushing myself to the next level. I got comfortable where I was and in a bit of a rut. This is when it was important for me to establish goals and constantly evaluate them.

I encourage you to conquer your excuses and try to turn them into motivation. It’s hard to imagine my life without fitness being such a priority like it is today. 

 

Today is the Day

What are you waiting for when it comes to changing your fitness and health? Today is the day. Sundays are great days to plan the week and remember to take it one day at a time and to start slowly. Let today be the day that you change your eating habits and start working out!

Paleo Peach Pie

I love to buy fresh seasonal fruit. It's even better if it is local. Sometimes I get carried away though and buy tons and tons because I like it so much so then I have to be creative with it before it goes bad. Sometimes I just freeze it. Other times I overload us with it at every meal and snack. But my favorite is to bake and cook with it. Today I had peaches on my mind so I made a paleo peach pie.
I thought it was delicious but the true test is always the kids. Ella came in from playing outside as I was pulling the pie out of the oven. When it cooled off, El tried it and she asked if she could eat the whole thing. She said it tastes just like what you would buy just a little bit more crumbly. Another plus is that it is so healthy it can really be eaten any time. I ate mine with plain yogurt.

Paleo Peach Pie

 Ingredients-
2 cups almond meal
2 tbsp coconut oil
pinch of salt
1 egg
3 peaches
 Crust-
In a food processor, mix 2 cups of almond flour with a pinch of salt, 1 egg, and 2 tbsp of coconut oil until it forms a ball. Then press it flat into a 9 inch pie pan.
For the filling, I used 3 peaches. I balnched the peaches for a minute so I could easily peel the skin off of them. I peeled them and then sliced them and placed them on top of the crust.
I then baked the pie for 30 minutes at 350

How to be fit and workout with young kids

It's hard to imagine what life was like 10 years ago without children. When I think back, I remember to quiet time and being able to do what I want when I wanted. With children, our days and schedules tend to revolve around them and their activities and it is harder and harder to find time for ourselves. I workout now more than I did without kids and in a way I find it easier. It takes work to get it in but it can be done.

It needs to be a priority. When working out becomes a priority, it is easy to fit into the crazy schedules or wake up earlier or cut other things out to make it happen. I wake up every morning at 5:15 to get a run in before my kids wake up. They don't even notice I am gone.

Join a gym that has a great childcare. When looking into gyms, consider the child care there just as much as what the gym offers. We skimped a little on the gym to have better child care. The child care is included in the price of membership. Our kids enjoy it so much that it is not a battle to go there and sometimes they complain that we were not there long enough.

Reward your kids after your workout. We have made a deal that after I workout, I give my kids my undivided attention doing something fun and usually active. If I workout at the gym for an hour, than we will follow it up with swimming and I get in the pool and actively play and swim with them. We also may go straight to a park, rock climbing, bike riding, play in the sprinklers, play in the yard, do a craft, or really anything that involves all of us. I like the kids take turns picking what they want to do. Sometimes our schedule doesn't support doing it right after, we may do it before or later in the day.

Form a sort of co-op with friends. Trade kids off to get workouts in and join together at a track or park or house so the kids can play together and you have a partner to workout with.

Make you your partner supports you. With that support, you don't feel as much guilt and you can share responsibility.

Take advantage of your kids practices. If they have sports practice at a park, run or walk around or do a playground workout while they are there. Many times at soccer practice, I will run around the field and then do a body workout. I figure I have an hour to be there and it is a great opportunity to get a workout in.

Include your kids in the workout. Young kids can be pushed in a jogger or pulled on a bike. As they get older, they can join by riding their bike with you or playing independently at a track or a park. I try to include my kids in as much as they can to give them exposure and let them choose when they want to join and when they want to play.

Do at home dvd workout programs. My kids have outgrown naps so we have developed no mommy time while I am working out at home. I tell my kids I am closed for x amount of minutes and set a timer. Before I start, I talk with each of them individually and make sure they are all set. I also remind them of all the things they can do and play while I am working out. After this, I make sure I give them my undivided attention right away. I find that crafts work really well with my kids during this time. I always expect a huge mess afterwards but it is worth it!

Be flexible. I am a creature of habit and love routine. However, it is unrealistic for me to be able to commit to a workout schedule with the ever changing needs of kids. Everyday the time that I workout and the type of workout changes based on the kids. There are days when I am squeezing it in first thing in the morning and other times when it is after the kids go to bed.

Don't let kids be your excuse to not be fit and workout. Let them be your reason to!

Marathon Monday- Breaking through walls and increasing miles

It's hard to believe a couple of weeks ago, I was really second guessing my decision to run this marathon. I was feeling selfish about the amount of time I was investing into my training and my body wasn't feeling great. I didn't like the idea of cutting back on my lifting either but knew I had to because I was being counterproductive. I also felt like I had hit a wall both mentally and physically. Running was becoming habitual but I wasn't pushing myself because I just didn't feel up to it. There was even a part of me thinking that I would delay it another year. I knew I could do it if I wanted to and could change my attitude but I just wasn't feeling it.
I am not quite sure how it happened but last week it all got turned around and I am at a good spot mentally and physically again! I have learned that it is not hard for me to commit to things. I can take on a long run and have an attitude of just getting it finished to put it on the books. That attitude is great in a sense because I will get the training in that I need to. However, it takes away from what I am doing and why I am doing it.
With the changes in my overall nutrition and fitness, I have had a change of attitude and have really been pushing myself. My pace has improved, my body feels better after running, my long run days are no longer toast because of fatigue, my attitude is better, and I am enjoying it all while consciously pushing myself harder and harder.
Coming into this training, my goal was to run better than the average time. My goal now is to really push myself to the place where it feels uncomfortable. There have been very few times that I have done that in my life. I like to take the easy way out. Writing it down will help to hold me accountable. This week I have increased my overall miles and am paying close attention to my times. I am making sure each run has a purpose and I am pushing myself.

Push Up Challenge

Push ups can be done anywhere at any time and there are so many variations that no matter what your fitness level is, they can be done and be beneficial. Push ups strengthen your upper body and improve core strength.
My challenge to you is to do 30 push ups a day all week. You may do them all at once, all the same kid, or switch it up. I personally like to do as many as I can at once or pair them with my ab workout.
Pushups can be done anywhere! At home, at work, at a park. I use my furniture for equipment! 

Variations-
modified push up- place your thighs on the ground and push your body up
legs apart/arms push up
tricep push up- elbows tight to the ribs
Incline push up
decline push up

Modify or accelerate the push ups to your personal needs.  This is also a great activity to include the kids in! Push yourself a little further each day. Try to do less and less modified or more in a row.
A year ago, I could only do 5 regular push ups in a row. Today, they are one of my favorite exercises and I love to vary the styles!
 

Beachbody

I have recently decided to take on the role of Beachbody Coach. Over the last few months, I have seen and heard about success stories with Beachbody. I started looking into it and saw how many fitness programs there were through Beachbody, as well as the nutrition component. When their newest fitness program PIYO came out, I knew I had to try it. I have never been one to participate in fitness classes at the gym. Its just not my thing. I have done fitness DVDs before as supplemental workouts. I liked the idea of PIYO because I think I could really benefit from Pilates and yoga but am too chicken to join a class. I bought the workout as a challenge pack which included shakeology. I felt that my diet was super clean coming into this challenge. I cut out all sugar except for fruits and I don't eat processed food and rarely even eat grains. I have never taken supplements or vitamins besides my prenatal ones while pregnant. I always felt I had a pretty well rounded diet and was good.
Ten days into this challenge, the results have already been amazing. I almost instantly felt a difference from drinking the shakes and I realized that my diet definitely had some holes in it. The biggest difference was the increase in energy. The shakes can be used as a meal replacement but I am not really using them in that way. I add many things to them which increases the calorie amount. It wasn't a goal of mine to lose weight. It was really just for more balance in my nutrition. I find that the shakes are very fulfilling (especially with peanut butter)  so I don't really eat a traditional breakfast with them. I drink my shakes after my run and PIYO workout. After I lift, I have a high protein snack and then a normal lunch and dinner. I have found that I am not hungry in between meals and don't really snack much anymore. I don't eat at all after dinner which used to be my weakness.
I love the PIYO workouts because they are quick. In such a short time, I feel like I am really working myself and getting a full body workout. I have seen an increase in my range of flexibility and have been sore in places that running and lifting doesn't cover for me.
I wasn't trying to lose weight with this challenge and didn't expect my body to transform. I am in the middle of marathon training, lifting at the gym 5 times a week and eating healthy. I have maintained a weight of 133 pounds over the last year and am in pretty good shape. To my surprise, I have already lost 2 pounds and have seen my body start to transform. I didn't measure myself initially because I didn't think I would see a significant difference but did a week into the challenge because I already noticed changes in my body. Keep in mind I am the one that gained weight while doing the 10 day sugar free challenge and training for a marathon.
This challenge has made my running and lifting more enjoyable and easier!
I decided to become a coach because I want to help others. Beachbody gives the tools for anyone to get control of their health and fitness. They have motivating programs for people that  have never worked out before and they have programs that benefit people that are already huge fitness buffs. I am such a skeptical person and was so unsure of this but the proof is really in the product and I am amazed at how it has changed me in just 10 days. I look forward to my shakes after my runs and I crave my PIYO workouts.
Beachbody top products include:
PIYO- new- a combination of pilates and yoga. workout using your own body weight and easy on the joins- gives long lean muscles
Shakeology- a shake mix made up of superfoods, vitamins, antioxidants, proteins, aminoacids, enzymes, and probiotics. Increases weight loss, overall health, regularity, and energy
21 Day Fix- combines exercise and nutrition to transform your body in 21 days
3 Day Refresh- A cleanse that lasts 3 days to get toxins and junk out of your system but still allows you to eat during it. Great to jump start a fitness program or after a vacation.
Please check out my website and let me know if you have any questions or would like any more information.
beachbodycoach.com/ninapears