TRAVEL BLOG

I was reading my daily devotion today on the subject of intentions. I was immediately drawn to the title and felt it was speaking to me personally. Can you relate? We all have good intentions, dream about fulfilling them, but somehow they get pushed aside and forgotten. Well, not really forgotten, because they continue to dance across the pages of our thoughts. At least this is the case for me. Are you guilty of not following through on good intentions to make something happen? Starting that fitness program or promise to eat healthier ? As I read further, I understood the importance of  writing down the intentions, to begin a plan and follow through with action. Moving from intention to action takes a plan. This applies in most everything in life from painting the house, spending more time with family, to adopting a healthy lifestyle . It's really staying true to taking care of the important things in life. What has helped me is setting up challenge systems where I complete three g...

The scale game starts as innocent accountability for weight loss and turns into a game of just how much we can get away with cheating on our program.   Who is guilty? The scenario typically looks like this... The fitness program is going great and the weight is coming off at a healthy rate. Suddenly, we begin validating food rewards for a job well done well above what's considered moderation.  We challenge the scale to see how far we can push those numbers because we think there's leeway.  Besides, we're doing such a great job and deserve a weekend of pizza, beer, and pastries, right? Wrong. This is a risky gamble and not a definition of living a healthy lifestyle .  The purpose of obtaining a healthy weight is not to yo-yo back and forth. It means taking our health seriously and maintaining the lifestyle.   If the scale gets in the way of that, it's time to toss it, especially when the 'scale game' derails our health and fitness goals. Relying on the ...

How many times do we justify unhealthy choices using the 'it's only' intro? Whether it’s only five pounds more, a small bag of chips, or one missed workout, it's easy to keep going once we start.  These two little words can be the start of losing our fitness. The occasional treat turns into daily choices leading us in the opposite direction of our fitness goals. The five pound gain turns into ten, two cookies are suddenly five, and several workouts somehow get missed. Two innocent words have suddenly derailed all our hard work.  The ' it’s only ' dilemma can happen at any time but appears to creep back into the picture once fitness results are achieved . What we thought wouldn't make a difference in our fitness has taken us back to an unhealthy lifestyle and body. These two words are not as innocent as one might believe. Saying 'it's only' is only for those with a strong mental game who really mean it for one time. Let’s look at the time it t...

Reaching fitness goals is a great accomplishment to be praised. Are you maintaining them is the question? Fitness is not meant to be a temporary fix but a lifestyle of health and wellness. Sure, you may rock that suit and look good in those pictures but is that all fitness means? True fitness success is when you live it daily. Eating healthy foods consistently and exercise is part of your normal routine. In fact, getting off track for too long doesn't feel right when living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness becomes a priority and excuses no longer get in the way. You refuse to return to being overweight, sick and nearly dead. You get the point. I've seen too many people succeed at reaching goal weights , reduced body fat, and improved health and throw it all away. The belief system we can get away with returning to a few old habits snowballs. The purpose of dumping old ways is to learn and keep new and healthier methods. This is lacking and maintaining our health is suffering. We ...

Fitness goals are awesome. We want to lose fat, gain muscle and just feel healthy, right? There is nothing better than living a quality life feeling our best. Of course, reaching these goals requires a certain lifestyle. Are you really eating for fitness goals? Did I ping you on the forehead just now? The lifestyle required includes consuming healthy foods and exercising consistently. Not living this way should make you feel weird. Do you feel weird? If the answer is no, there is something askew with your fitness program. It usually comes down to what you're eating . Often times we convince ourselves eating off track is acceptable because we work out several times per week. This falls under, you can't out exercise a crappy diet. I have seen great fitness success turn into the entitlement of eating off track as a reward for doing so awesome. Your well-deserved food frenzy has snowballed into a struggle to get back on track. It can begin as innocently as saying "oh this on...

I like that saying and it takes me back to when I was in junior high and high school.   I did not always feel the best about myself, but there was always a special motivation that came from my physical education teachers and coaches.   They made me feel accomplished, encouraged, and inspired me to do more and be more.   It was at that young age that I wanted to be like them, to be able to offer to young people that feeling of inner strength, confidence and overall happiness.   Presto...my goal in life was to be a P.E. teacher.   Of course I could not climb into their bodies and become them but imagining being them was pretty awesome in my younger years.   In my twists and turns of life, I am doing my passion on a broader spectrum than in a high school gym setting and I feel great about that.   The thing about life, mentors, and motivators is to understand the concept of guides, and yes to have goals.   The goals belong to each of us however, and...