My Merry Xmas video from…where else…the gym! Hubby and I thought we’d go do a few squats before our turkey dinner tomorrow….gotta keep those treats off the thighs and butt somehow!
Many thanks for everyone’s support over the year, and let’s look forward to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012! See you on the other side!
Karen and family!
[vimeo clip_id="34176599" width="500" height=""]I have a love / hate relationship with Starbucks.
I love their coffee. I’m an Americano freak, I have two a day, no cream, just straight up. Problem is, there’s that lovely pastry case sitting right there, at the check-out counter, filled with cookies, bars, cakes, and my all-time favourite…chocolate brownies.
I love chocolately-cake-like things….they’re sooo soothing, rich and creamy. But I learned a long time ago that they don’t love me. In fact, I might was well just forgo the eating part and just rub them directly on my butt! Cause that’s where they end up eventually anyway. 🙁
About 2 years ago I decided to get off the weight-gain weight-loss rollercoaster for life. In my sport of choice (body building / figure) most competitors do the old yo-yo thing…they get lean for contest, and the rest of the time they’re bigger than usual, usually with 20-40 extra pounds on them.
I just got tired of it. I wanted to feel and look good all year long. So I decided to get off the roller-coaster for good. But I knew all too well that any lifestyle change requires a shift inside.
So I made ‘the shift’: I decided that every time I was confronted with a lovely display of cookies and cakes, and yes, even brownies, I would see it as an opportunity to grow stronger in my conviction and to re-confirm my commitment, my new lifestyle, to myself.
And it worked. Now, when I buy an Americano, I breeze on past the pastry display without fanfare. I know how much hard work it takes to stay light and lean, and I’m not about to ruin it with a 450-calorie whollop of sugar and transfats. In fact, I silently thank that little brownie sitting there, all soft and gooey on that shelf, for helping me to get stronger within myself, and to remind me that I’m in control. It’s not about denial. I’ve moved past that. It’s about reclaiming my power. It’s a lifelong process, but it definately gets easier with time.
Will I ever eat a brownie again? You bet! But it’ll be a planned event, a once in awhile thing, and I’ll be in control of it, and I’ll eat that little brownie with all the respect in the world!
And I’ll wash it down with a black Americano, of course! Yum!
Karen
PS My 10-Week Challenge is filling up fast! ON SALE – $40 off the regular price. Starts January 9th (we even build in cheat days)! And for those ladies wanting to take it to the top, check out my 12-Week Challenge… Train, eat and live the life! Not sure which one is right for you? Check it out HERE!
I’m often asked what the best kind of exercise is to stay fit, healthy, lean and happy. My answer is the same – determine what your goals are and create a lifestyle program based on that.
It’s simple really. For some people, exercise is a recreational thing, golf, hiking, biking, and that’s what makes you happiest, then do that 3-5 times a week. It’s likely less about ‘looks’ and more about having daily interractive and fun activities to do. Cool!
For others, it might be a certain philosophy…perhaps pilates or yoga would suit you? You may love that full-out burn when you train, and you love a personal challenge…so perhaps Crossfit or Bootcamp would suit you.
Do you like the look of a Zumba dancer, a boxer, a ballernia? Is it a lifestyle you want to emulate (very important point if you want to stick with it.)
For me, since day one, I always enjoyed the art of shaping my body. I wanted to see it change year after year, and I wanted broader shoulders and a smaller butt (My goal in life!). I wanted it to stay strong and tight well into my fifties and beyond, so weight training was my exercise of choice.
At the end of the day, determine your deepest desires, and find someone who practices that practice. If you like ultimate shape and tone, or you like the look of the fitness gals in Oxygen magazine, then do weight training. If you prefer a softer approach, then try bootcamp or plyometrics or bodyweight exercise programs. 
Find someone who you want to look like in body, and emulate in health and spriti, and ask them what they do for exercise (and how they eat). Then follow in their footsteps and stick with it, 3-5 days a week. Then do the work. (For me, it was women like Rachel McLish and Cory Everson who I watched transform their health and bodies for over 20 years, and they’re still going – Rachel’s now 53 years young (right)).
The world is your oyster…..
Karen
for the 40+ woman!