How To Win.

Are you in it to win it? 

Really. Think about this. I've heard in conversations - and I'm sure at several points in the past few years I may have said it once or twice - "I'm just not gonna give X up in order to lose a few pounds", or "There is no way I'm getting up that early just to get some cardio in!" or, "I have a busy day. The last thing I wanna do when I get home is workout.", or "Do you know how much extra time it will take for me to cook meals in advance?"

I will reference this post again. If you have those thoughts, while still hoping to get in your optimal state of fitness and health, it's time to GET REAL. 

If you don't fit in your favorite jeans, or you haven't lost that baby weight, or you have a nagging muffin top, or you don't feel comfortable being seen in a bikini- and you want to CHANGE THIS, then Get Real. Something has to change. 

If you are working out and watching what you eat, and your results aren't where you are ready to have your picture taken in a bikini (or boys, for you please let's say boxer shorts not Speedos), then you aren't doing SOMETHING right. Period. 

ONLY you can truly analyze your life, your diet, your workouts and figure out the missing link. Regardless of what you find, SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. And, it won't be easy. Understand that. It will not be easy, and it probably won't EVER be "easy". Getting to a level of OPTIMAL FITNESS is a lot of hard work, focus and determination. 

It's hard work. But it's SIMPLE. You gotta MOVE and you gotta FUEL. Period. If your results aren't where you want them to be, you likely have to tweak the MOVEMENT and the FUEL. Period. 

To reference the first paragraph of this post, you have to GET REAL. As Billy Blanks used to say in his early Taebo videos, "You've got to give some to get some." That means if you want MORE out of your efforts, you have to give more effort. 

That means making more time. Stop whining that you're busy. Guess what? We ALL are busy. MAKE TIME. If I hear one more person saying that they just don't have time because they have 1) a job 2) kids or 3) both, I will punch myself. If you can't cut out an hour a day for yourself, there is something wrong in your life. 

The question becomes, HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

Do you want to accomplish something that takes effort and focus and diligence, that will change your body and your mind forever, for the better?? Or do you want to be lame and lazy and lumpy?? Will you be proud to say, when someone asks you what you did in 2010, "Well, I watched a lot of TV, sat on my a**, gained 15 pounds and can't fit in any of my clothes anymore. But....I got to see 500 football games and I'm really addicted to The Bachelor!!". For real?? Or, would you be psyched to say something like, "I kicked BUTT this year. I lost 15 pounds, I ran my first 1/2 marathon, I look and feel better than I have in my whole life and next year, I'm planning a marathon and maybe a triathlon!" 

Yea. 

Life is too short for wimpy goals. Stop underestimating yourself. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO DO. 

I'm living proof, and you ain't seen NOTHING yet. I'm IN IT TO WIN IT, and you can be dang sure that end of 2010 rolls around and I'll be PROUD of what I've done and ready to kick MORE butt in 2011~ I'm going to reach my 42nd birthday ON APRIL 2ND WHAT DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD and be OWNING IT. 

Don't make excuses. Get inspired. Decide to go for it and stop being scared about WHAT IF. Get rid of that phrase "I CAN'T" because YOU CAN. 

COMMIT TO MAKING YOURSELF PROUD EVERY DAY. Inspire yourself by facing your fears and CRUSHING THEM. Inspire others to do the same.

I commit to:

• Value myself and this life and this body as a GIFT. 
• Starting every day with my quiet time and meditation to get my mind and my heart in the right place. God comes first. Period.
• Fueling my body with the best food that will complement my training.
• Giving 200% in my workouts, 6 days a week and resting on Sundays.
• NOT FEARING ANYTHING.
• Never giving up.
• Getting better every single day in every single way.
• Being unstoppable. 
• Getting the rest I need.
• Being thankful every day that I can do all of the above. 

Here is my QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you think you've been aiming for the HIGHEST goal? Or are you just "doing ok"?? What do you REALLY WANT TO DO?? Now. Do It. 

Do What You Can, With What You've Got. And CRUSH IT.

I have been a huge fan of kickboxing since I first started doing Taebo like 10-15 years ago. Billy Blanks just ROCKS. I still have some Taebo DVDs and I've heard that Billy has some new ones out that are up to the tough-factor of the early days. Gotta check those out. I also love Ilaria's kickboxing DVDs because that chick is TOUGH. 

I had to "do what you can with what you've got" today. I was working on the book this afternoon, dressed in my workout clothes, ready to hit it with a nice hour long run....and BAM. Tummy ache. I had Chipotle for a late lunch- don't know if that was it or what, but I was just feeling like a baby bowling ball was in my tummy. When my body feels that way I KNOW I cannot do anything high impact and certainly not running. It pissed me off big time, but I wasn't ABOUT to let it stop me from a great workout! NO WAY~!!! 

I wanted to get my sweat on so I chose kickboxing since I can do Ilaria's workout at home, with no high impact. I followed that with a shoulder blast workout for about 20 minutes, all said and done it was about 65 minutes and I burned 550 calories. Meh. I didn't go for a killer 2 hour workout today because- gotta finish this book. It was supposed to turned in this morning, now it will be likely tomorrow around lunch. OY. OY!

Kickboxing gets me AMPED and I tell you- I really wanna take it up a notch and go into a gym with a badass trainer like THIS and take out some agressions:

I'm also just gonna say that Marisa Miller probably has one of the best bodies on the planet. I mean, seriously? I will NEVER stand next to that broad or I will look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. 

Anyway, I am psyched to get this book turned over. Amy and I are doing a spa getaway later this week and then......I'm doing my first 5K on Saturday morning!! WOOT! On a side note, what is UP with these races starting at 7am?? WTH are they trying to do, kill me? DAYUM! Oh the cross I bear. 

Can I just tell you something? I AM ON FIRE! I AM CRUSHING IT! My body is looking better every day, I am stronger and faster and fitter every day. YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS people. You just can't. 

That's right. WHO'S YOUR DADDY?? 

For the first time in a long time, I can tell you, I see THIS in my future:

I'm not joking. I'm on the way.