jdancer8

Hi Friends,

Please don’t be offended by the title of this blog. It is important to know that I really do care for all of you and without your encouragement and support I wouldn’t be as strong as I am today, or as successful.

But as I read more and more blogs about people looking for someone to workout with, or have an exercise buddy I realize that I too used to constantly look for someone to do it with me.

I started a “weightloss” challenge with my best friend and boss in the beginning of spring. We started strong and consistently weighed in every week for about a month. I was loosing weight and getting excited to have a buddy to do this with.  It’s always nice to have someone there for you and it is a bit of motivation. I know the “I can’t skip the workout today because [insert friends name here] is counting on me” Well as the fifth week began my friend decided that because it was recital season that she wouldn’t weigh in because she was eating like crap because of everything she had to get done. I wasn’t ready to walk away from this challenge. I didn’t want to fall back into old habits because of a pretty loose excuse. So I kept pushing myself and kept weighing in each week. I have started this process so many times with so many different friends. This last experience is just fresh because it is in a way still happening.

Well friends I have a challenge for you. Instead of relying on someone else as your buddy, and making decisions based on what your buddy is doing or thinking. Make YOURSELF your BUDDY. You are the only one worth doing this for. You need YOU time. If you skip a workout one day don’t beat yourself up. Just work harder at the next one. Why are we so afraid to disappoint or let someone else down. If YOU were your BUDDY wouldn’t you be sad to let yourself down?

I’m not doubting that having someone there to motivate and push you isn’t encouraging or helpful. But you need to be accountable for yourself. I know how frustrating it is to get the call that [insert friends name here] can’t make it to the gym today because the baby slept late, or they didn’t do laundry last night because they wanted to just catch up on their DVR’ed shows. So instead of making someone else be your buddy and a deciding factor in what you do in your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.  Why don’t you commit to yourself with YOURSELF.

I know we can all do this or we wouldn’t be here. Some of us can be die-hards and stick to those crazy diets, or can afford to have a trainer. but not all of us can. We are humans not machines. I always mention Bethenny Frankel in my blogs because I think she is smart, successful, knowledgeable, and truthful. Her first book, Naturally Thin-Unleash your Inner Skinnygirl contains so much information that is helpful not only in losing weight but really feeling good about your life in allaspects. I really do suggest it as a summer read.

Let me know how working out with the best weightloss buddy goes. I know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can count on myself to keep going strong and keep myself on track. But I also LOVE LOVE LOVE that I have all of you here. XOXO

So before anyone gives me an explanation of how bad diet soda is for your please let me say that I only had it once in a while and it wasn’t obsessive. I decided today as I looked at my summer workout weightloss spread sheet that I need to make another change besides just adding double sessions. So soda was the one that got the ax today. I’m not hopping that this small piece of the puzzle being eliminated will create drastic results. I just know that the sodium, and the carbonation are good for me and I think that going without it for a while will be a good detox. So its “citrus” water for me. I love taking a couple slices of lemon and lime and throwing it into my water bottle and drink many bottles of it. Adds a bit of flavor and quenches the thirst.

I successfully drank over 5 bottles of water today I’m proud.

I’m on my second week of my double sessions and actually got a third 20 minute workout in when I tried my new biggest loser challenge wii game. I don’t mind this game but it’s slow moving and makes you think your doing something wrong if your not in complete time with the digital Bob or Jillian.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and getting lots of good workouts in. Can’t wait to show my before and after pictures once August 15th arrives.

xoxo

Hi Friends,

It’s been awhile since my last post. I have been super busy. We completed our annual spring performance at the dance studio, and have been moving full steam ahead into the next years activities. We have a master class with Kate Jablonski a FABULOUS choreographer I met at the Pulse on Tour in Chicago two years ago check out her choreography  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dxZyD5uDZQ 

We had our holiday show auditions and have a fabulous cast of 60 dancers from age 5- adult. Summer Session starts soon, dance camp, a surprise it goes on and on. Anyway with some down time this week and next week I have found that I am maintaining my weight where it is and haven’t been seeing a decrease on the old scale lately. I have been loosing more inches but I think what I am doing now is helping me “maintain” to amp up any workout you need to do more then your daily routines.

So I have been hitting myself with double sessions. Remember that CARDIO is what burns calories so I always do at least 45-60 minutes of cardio, take a rest, have a smoothie, watch some tv, then hit myself with a circuit training DVD. I am hoping that this jump starts the drop on the scale again and gets me closer to my goal.

I am not beating myself up about this and see it as a positive. It is very hard to maintain a weight and I’m doing it with ease. Now I know I can maintain I need to do a spike to get myself off this plateau and back into it. Then I can go back to maintaining. I am drinking a ton more water and making sure that everyday I am burning more calories then I am consuming.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and they are able to do as much as they want with each of their days.

What are you doing to spice up your workouts this summer?

Peace and Love

Hi friends,

It’s that time. The warm weather has crept in (FINALLY) and bathing suit season is right around the corner. What are you going to do to put your healthy lifestyle into full force? Try a new recipe? New workout? find a new workout buddy?Anything you can do to switch up your lifestyle is always good. CHANGE IS GOOD> remember sticking to things for a while is great, it shows courage, determination, and commitment. But you have to remember that stagnation in the familiar can also stop getting us results. try something new this month. Try a new workout DVD? Do two work outs a day twice a week to see some motivation in the forward motion.

I am finding myself at a plateau and its time to change things up. With the warm weather it is nice to get outside and get some walks/runs in so I plan on adding that twice a week to my workout plan and also getting rid of more sodium from my intake. I am finding myself more and more dehydrated lately (really really thirsty) so I am going to cut some sodium out and add in more water (what a concept right?)

I hope we are all keep on Keeping on’in and getting the work done. remember these things and results don’t come over night and don’t come without work. We can do this.

Have a great week, enjoy this mothers day, and remember you can do anything you decide to do.

xoxo

Hi Friends,

Just finished reading Jillian’s book Unlimited and boy is it a quick easy and great read. I know a lot of people don’t like to give into the hype of overly publicized fitness experts, but Jillian is so much more then a fitness pro trying to hawk her merchandise on us as her fans/viewers. She really is an inspiration, and in her book you get to know her more personally and really understand how she has shaped her life to be successful.

I have to applaud myself for being able to apply a lot of what she wrote about already to my life. As many of you know dance is a huge part of my life. It’s my passion and its what I hold my bachelors degree in. I always wanted to own my own studio some day and spend my days teaching dance and being creative. During my first few years in the real world, however I let the influence of the push to have a large bank account get me wrapped up in a five year stint in an office that really never appreciated me and when I decided to make a change and move 1200 miles away I let those same influences drive me in my job search in my new location. I sat behind a desk pissed off and miserable for many years, one morning right before I was to leave on my annual vacation to Myrtle Beach to visit a college friend I was fired. Let go, no reason, no explanation, just fired. I called my best friend, and boss at my second job at the dance studio to tell her. She encouraged me to go on my vacation and not to worry things would be ok. She would get me in as many classes as she could. That my friends was the best day of my entire life. The company that fired me is now under investigation by the IRS for failure to pay payroll taxes and invest deducted monies from its employees into their 401k program, and the vice president in charge of that (and the decision to fire me) embezzled money from the company and can’t be found.

The saying is true when one door closes another opens. I have been teaching dance full time now for two years and I can’t tell you how important it is to do something you love daily in your life. Jillian talks a lot about this in her book. We are put here on this planet for a reason, not to just be another member of the the robot society. I loved that in her book she also says she isn’t telling you to quit your job and do something drastic but what she does encourage us to do is to look at our lives and remember our passions and that we shouldn’t feel guilty for pursuing  them.

Weight-loss like fighting a disease is part mental. When we are trying to lead healthy lives we have to remember that eliminating stress and doing things that generate true happiness is important. I get up every morning excited to do my workout and look at what I will be teaching for the day. I also go home at night proud of the work that I did. I’m saying my life is suzy-freaking-sunshine and I am never depressed, or have “one of those days” we all will have them and I get through mine and move on. But seriously focusing on making sure you do something that makes you happy will increase your success in weight loss.

I want you all to add to your daily workout regiment doing something that makes you happy once a week. Make sure you do it. Add it to your to do list and let me know if you see an increase in your success.

Also get the new Jillian Book, its full of activities and worksheets to help you really understand how to shape a positive and UNLIMITED life!

Peace and Love

Hi Friends,

hope everyone is enjoying this lovely month of April. As I sit here in front of my lap top I literally have experienced every season in one day here in good old Wisconsin. We had snow, sleet, rain, thunder, and a smidge of sun poking through. Oh how I love spring time. I am finally on my spring break and enjoying not having to run to do this or that. However I miss my students terribly.

I enjoy this time of year. We are gearing up for our spring performance, I am working on summer lesson plans, we are thinking about next years company (competition team) dances/costumes/competitions/activities, we are preparing for our holiday show auditions, aka SUPER BUSY time. But I am decompressing and enjoying my holiday.

I have been keeping my nose in books lately (just so you know I will never purchase one of those electronic book things like nook or kindle, for some they are handy and nice, but there is nothing like turning the page literally of your new book, sticking your nose right in and taking a big sniff (i love the smell of books) and putting it on the shelf when your done…i know I’m weird but I couldn’t give that up for a flat electronic device that prob will be outdated in a couple more months, books never go out of date) I just finished A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel. I know many of you have heard me talk about her before. She is hilarious has her own show, has written a book about giving up dieting for good, and also a healthy foods natural foods option cook book. She also created my new favorite cocktail SkinnyGirl Margarita. Her book is great, its a great way for you to evaluate your life and really shape yourself to become successful.

I am really into self help books, but I like her grounded thought of hard work pays off and get out and do it for yourself. I suggest this reading for all of us. We all need a pick me up sometimes, which led me to my new book I am reading this week. I am reading Unlimited by Jillian Michaels. I love Jillian as you all know and this book follows along the same lines as Bethenny’s and its fun to see the similiarites in these two phenomenal women. I look up to them and know that with the focus and determination that they have I too can be just as successful in all aspects of my life. We all can.

Jillian says a quote in her latest DVD (Ripped in 30 which I LOVE LOVE LOVE>>>>GET IT TODAY LADIES I have lost over 10lbs in 4 weeks and over 13 inches all over!!!!) Transformation is NOT a FUTURE event, It is a PRESENT activity. WE have to take control over our lives and be the initiator for transformation. WE need to get OFF OUR BUTTS and do the work. No more quick cheat diets, crash diets, commitments that our out of our reach. We can do ANYTHING we set our mind to but in order to see results we have TO DO THE WORK.

Come from a PLACE OF YES> and make your transformation happen. We can all do this. So get up off the couch, unplug for at least 30 minutes a day, do a DVD, go for a walk, read for 20 minutes, something anything to help you in your transformation. We can do this!!!!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week, and I’d love the hear if you pick up one of these two books. (My next book I’ll be reading is True You by Janet Jackson I’ll let you know what I think after I’m done)

Go out there, start that transformation YOU can do it!!!!

xoxo

Hi friends,

bet you can guess what DVD I’m doing now. Yup Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30. I love it. It’s quick, its hard, and it gets me sweating all in 30 minutes a day. I know that some people disagree with the catchy titles and “false promises” on the covers of many work out DVD’s remember that just doing the DVD’s doesn’t give you the results. You have to eat right, sleep well, and do it for the recommended amount of days and push yourself up to the advanced level to see results that are promised.

I for one am not one that buys the DVD’s hoping that they will do all the work for me. I have to do the work. Switching up my workouts every day is really important. I have to keep my body guessing. I also have to make sure that I hold good form to make sure I achieve the maximum results. We are all different in how we attack exercise and healthy living. I am now pushing forward with a 26 week weight loss journey with my friend and we are holding each other accountable for sticking with everything. Each week we weigh in and measure ourselves so far I have lost 5 lbs and 4.25 inches. I am feeling positive. I want to push myself harder each week.

I am also friends NOT on a diet. I am logging my food in my calorie counter on my phone and making sure I am always burning more calories then I am consuming. I am not denying myself a desert if its something I want but those calories count and I may pay for it later when I’m hungry and I can’t eat more when I want to. Remember you have to look at what you put in your mouth like a bank account you want to keep it balanced. You dont want to consume more calories then you are burning you always want to burn more so that the fat starts to melt away.

I hope everyone is enjoying this slow motion movement into spring. Remember to keep your goals in plain sight everyday. Always make time for you and to work out, even if its just a walk around the neighborhood at night. Working out is “YOU” time. you deserve it.

Keep up the good work!!!!

Jeans shopping really is like a slow death for me. I am oddly shaped and clearly vertically challenged (short). I went into a store the other day and told the manager who always helps me with my purchases there that I was finally shopping for myself and for jeans (yuck) she asked my size and I told her 36 29 please and she said NO NO NO. She pulled about 15 pairs of jeans for me and ordered me into the dressing room. When I went in there every pair was a 34. I was so scared. I hate trying to step into jeans and not be able to pull them up. It’s like so draining and heartbreaking. But as I stepped into the first pair and they went up smoothly and I didn’t even have to suck in to button them. Holy cow. this was a first for me in a very long time. I tried on every pair and for the first time in about three years I didn’t have to say nope these don’t fit. The hard part that day was to decide which pair to get. I had my eye on the very expensive pair that made my butt look great and no longer saggy, but decided on the cheaper pair and that the expensive pair would be my next purchase when I go down another size.

There is nothing more gratifying then buying new clothes that make you feel good. It’s fun and makes you happy, but the best part for me was that jean shopping turned into which to choose, not will they have anything for me.

I am working out daily to make positive healthy changes in my life not to become the perfect size. But i would be lying if fitting into a smaller pair of jeans wasn’t rewarding. I hope everyone has had a successful start to the new year. We are approaching the end of the first quarter of the year. Into warm weather and sunshine. I look forward to tank tops, capris and flip flops.

Keep up the good work everyone!!!!

HI Friends,

Just a quick blog to let you know that in the first two and a half weeks of doing Jillian’s new DVD Six Week Six pack I have lost 11lbs and I have lost over 3 inches all over. I don’t think that’s too shabby. This DVD is NO JOKE. It’s serious work and feels so good. I love her inspiration. She also reminds us that we don’t get results without work. I love pushing myself I hear her and see the image of her pushing me to my limits to be my best.

I hope others try this DVD and get results as well. I look forward to more DVD’s by Jill she is amazing. I think my next purchase will be some of Bob’s DVD’s as well.

Hi Friends,

I hope everyone’s new year is really shaping up (literally) I am so happy that today marked the fifth day out of 7 that I have worked out in 2011. I am so proud of myself, and I’m not afraid to share it.

We all need to take the time to look at our accomplishments, large or small. Because we have to focus on the positive. I am looking forward to my two “off days” even though I have dance tomorrow, I  don’t do my workouts on Saturday’s or Sunday’s because my body needs to recover.

I am so positive about this year. I am through with the negative. Change is coming!!!

Keep it positive

Peace and Love