Resolutions, goals, intention, a new day…

Whatever you want to call them, it’s the New Year and for many, including myself, it’s a time to use the extra excitement to catapult yourself toward the changes you want to see in your life. Who cares if you didn’t meet your goals last year. Who cares if that energy fizzled out around March. Last year’s failures and disappointments don’t need to define your path this year and more than likely you are a few steps closer to your goals than you think.

Of course, you don’t need the New Year to begin making changes. Nor does it need to be a “Monday”. It can be any day of the year or the week but since today’s January 1st, 2014 why not take a few moments to reflect on the past year and think about things you’d like to see happen in the future.

Looking back on 2013

Last year, I chose a word for the year, movement.  While in a hazy half sleep the last day of 2012 I realized, “I trust so I can move” and decided I wanted more movement in body, mind, and spirit.

Looking back…

I didn’t pick up my guitar like I had planned. Bummer.

Nor did, I get all my 3,000,000 steps. I got 2,629,591 steps in 2013. Considering my few months of morning sickness and losing my Fitbit, I’m okay with that. I did learn to snowboard better than I ever imagined and, aside from my weeks of morning sickness, kept up my strength training. Last year, ended on a strong note setting the foundation for another great year of building and maintaining strength.

My prayer/meditation life didn’t grow as intentionally as I planned but my trust in God has deepened. Despite the changes and surprises this year has brought, I feel a very deep sense of peace that I can’t quite explain.

Writing was a bit all over the place but I wrote. I worked on some personal projects and continued blogging, one of my favorite hobbies. The end of 2013 ended on a high note when I was offered a part time gig writing (starting this year) for a company that aligns with one of my passions. I also contributed to a book called Chicks without Bricks.

It’s a compilation of travel stories and inspirations from other unconventional women. You can order it here.

All in all my movement was slow but steady.

Looking forward to 2014

I’ve gone back and forth on choosing a word for this year. Right now as we are still without a “home” (RV) and with a baby on the way and the new writing commitment, I’m inclined to choose “survive”.

But I have more faith than that so I’m going with FOCUS.

Rather than adding an entire new list of goals, I want to focus on the movement that started in 2013 to keep (and build) the momentum. I’ve learned when I spread myself too thin, I get overwhelmed.

1. Focus on maintaining my exercise routine and nourishing my body especially as I prepare for birth. = Continue walking everyday and strength training 2-3x a week. (I really do want to get those 3,000,000 steps this year.) Continue to eat real food and cut back on junk. (Yeah, things got a little out of control around Christmas.)

2. Focus on my older boys and helping them to continue to grow in their strengths. = There is so much to say since they fill the majority of my life but here is a summary. A large part of getting a new RV is about improving their learning environment by setting up creative personal spaces for each boy where Brent and I can help guide them. Thing 1 continues to play his piano and is interested in learning web design or starting a business. Thing 2 just bought himself a new SLR camera and wants to learn about photography. He has expressed interest in drawing as well. Of course, we’ll continue with our road schooling (math, history, grammar, Latin, etc.), learning from life, traveling, and exploring nature.

3. Focus on writing. = Write every day even if it’s just for 10 minutes. And read. And read some more.

4. Focus on others. = Remembering life isn’t about me and look for opportunities to connect with and care for others.

5. Focus on the one thing everything else rests on, my faith. = Peace

Do you choose a word for the year? I’d love to hear about your reflections on 2013 and your thoughts on 2014. If you wrote a post about it please link to in the comments and I’ll check it out.

Here’s to an amazing 2014 for all of us!!! Happy New Year!!!!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States.

The post Looking back and looking forward with FOCUS appeared first on Girl Heroes.

For as long as she could remember Katie struggled with her weight but in 2009 she made the choice to “get healthy once and for all”.  Almost a year and a half later ,Katie had lost 125 pounds! What I appreciate most about Katie’s story is her honesty and down to earth attitude. She openly shares about everything from her “ever constant battle with binging eating” to worrying about her kids being overweight to buying clothes at thrift stores on her blog Runs for Cookies.

Not only is Katie an inspiration to her blog readers but she is a wife and stay at home mom to two boys and four cats.

Girl Hero Katie

In 2009 you “decided to lose the weight and to get healthy once and for all”. Was there a catalyst for this decision? How long did it take to lose 125 pounds?

My elder son, Noah, wanted to take the training wheels off of his bicycle, and he wanted me to run alongside his bike while he learned to ride the two-wheeler. I barely made it down the street before I was gasping for breath; I physically couldn’t do it! I felt like a terrible mom, and I vowed that when it was my younger son’s turn to learn, I would be ready. I started calorie counting, and eventually, exercising. It took 16 months to lose 125 pounds.

You counted calories right? Do you still count? I hear a lot of people talking about counting calories as if it’s this horrible thing. (I don’t think that.) Do you feel that way?

I switched back and forth from counting calories to counting Weight Watchers’ Points (which is essentially the same thing). I think calorie counting is a great way to lose weight! I didn’t have to eliminate ANY foods from my diet; I could eat anything I wanted, as long as I planned for it and counted it. In the past, I’d tried all the fad diets, but they were impossible to keep up with for the long term. Counting calories/Points is something I can do forever without feeling deprived.

How did you family and friends respond to your decision to change your lifestyle?

At first, I think my family and friends thought it was “just another attempt” that I was making, so nobody took it too seriously. It wasn’t the first time I’d tried to lose weight! Once my results became visible, and they saw that I was sticking to it for the long haul, they were very happy and encouraging for me. My sister called me every week to ask how it was going, and when I reached 100 pounds lost, she treated me to a makeover. When I reached my goal weight, my parents gave me $5 for every pound I’d lost, and I used the money to fly to Minnesota to run a race with my brother. I have a pretty awesome family!

Do you find losing or maintaining weight more challenging?

Honestly, it’s pretty much the same. Losing weight was slightly more challenging because I was eating a little less than I am now, but the only thing that changed from weight loss to maintenance was the amount of calories/Points I was eating. Right after I lost the weight, my weight bounced up and down with about 15 pounds, because I had a very hard time adjusting to maintenance–I kept trying to eat “intuitively”, where I didn’t measure my food or count calories. But that just didn’t work for me. I need more structure than that. Now, I finally feel like I have the hang of it!

Can you tell us a little bit about how you took up running and why you love it?

I never imagined that I would one day call myself a runner. I was making a bucket list near the beginning of my weight loss, and I put a very ambitious goal (at the time) to enter a 5K race and RUN it. I’d never even run a mile before, so a 5K seemed nearly impossible. My friend Renee helped me get started, and she signed up for a race with me. She kept me encouraged to keep going, and somewhere amidst the training, I became hooked on running. I loved the way it made my body feel! I ran a 10K after that, then a half-marathon, and now, I’ve run two full marathons. Every time I get done running, I feel like I did something amazing for my body. And it allows me to eat more!

Getting fit clearly changed you on the outside. Has there been internal changes as well?

I always thought that if I ever got thin, I’d be very fun, loud, and outgoing; in reality, I’m still the same shy, introverted woman that I was before–but setting and reaching goals has made me see a whole new side of myself. I have much more confidence in what I can accomplish now, and I step out of my comfort zone all the time to do things I never would have before. I’ve even been on national television twice (The Dr. Oz Show in 2011 and the Today Show in 2013), which is something I never would have had the courage to do before I lost the weight! I also used to be terrified of flying, and after I’d lost 100 pounds, I faced my fear on a tiny little, two-seater, open-toppped, airplane. I almost threw up before getting on, because I was terrified, but I was SO excited afterward when I did it!

You have struggled with binge eating. I particularly enjoyed this post. Is binging still a struggle for you? Can you share a little bit of your experience in overcoming binge eating?

Binge eating is something I’m probably going to have to deal with forever, unfortunately. I’ve had long stretches of time without a single binge, but I’m always fighting the urge. Binge eating is something that relaxes me when I feel anxious or stressed, so I’ve had to find other ways to deal with that. I’m a much happier person when I’m staying binge-free, so I’m always trying to find ways to replace the binge eating. Right now, I’m six months binge-free, which I’ve written about here!

What motivates to continue of this health journey?

My blog readers! My blog readers continue to inspire me every single day. I recently started a series on my blog called “Motivational Monday“, where my readers share what they’ve done in the previous week that made them feel proud. People have shared everything from walking their first mile to running marathons, to reaching weight loss milestones… and reading all the things they are doing makes me want to set and reach more goals for myself.

Any advice for others who are starting their own journey to improve their health?

My best advice is to only make changes that you’re willing to live with forever. Don’t give up your favorite foods to lose weight, because you know that you can’t do that forever; likewise, don’t vow to work out six days a week for two hours a day–that’s unrealistic to maintain forever. I made changes that were do-able, and I just kept at it every single day! The persistence is the most important thing.

Thank you Katie for your honesty and sharing your story!!!!

You can connect with Katie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and her blog, Runs for Cookies.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Katie appeared first on Girl Heroes.

After 5 years of shuffling papers and sitting at a desk answering phone calls, Suzi decided to follow her heart and make a career change. She left here job as an insurance agent to pursue her passion as a fitness instructor and hasn’t looked back!

But perhaps what makes Suzi’s story especially inspiring and unique is her determination to not let Fibromyalgia define her life. That’s right, Suzi is a fitness professional who battles chronic pain but still comes manages to see the bright side of life!

Suzi is married to her best friend and they have two furbabies. Suzi describes herself as “an avid movie watcher, an obsessive reader, a Downton Abbey addict, a cheese loving fool and unfortunately for me probably the biggest klutz and the person with the worst “unfortunate” luck you will ever meet!” She chronicles her adventures (and misadventures) on her blog, Confessions of a Fitness Instructor.

Meet Girl Hero Suzi

1. Your blog is called “Confessions of a Fitness Instructor” with the tagline “because being fit isn’t about being perfect”. Love it! Can you share a little more about the name…why you chose it and what it means to you?

I chose the name of my blog for two reasons, the first being a nod to one of my favorite authors (Sophie Kinsella – the author of “Confessions of a Shopaholic”), and the second because I felt my fitness class participants had a distorted view of my life.  I would hear them talking about french fries or something, and as I got closer they would say, “not that I eat french fries,” as though I would disapprove.  I started my blog as a way to show people that while I live a life as a fitness professional, I still enjoy “bad” foods and I don’t always want to work out.  At the time most of the healthy living blogs I knew about showed a very unrealistic version of a “healthy life” and I wanted to bring some realism back to the virtual table.

2. You were diagnosed with Fibromyalgia over 10 years ago. Can you tell us a little bit about Fibromyalgia? How does Fibromyalgia affect your life on a daily basis?

In a nutshell, Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread body and joint pain.  Many patients (myself included) also suffer from sometimes debilitating fatigue, insomnia and unfitful sleep.  There are many other conditions and symptoms that one with Fibromyaliga can experience, but those are the two big ones.

I am fortunate that I have been able to manage the worst of my pain through fitness.  Staying active really helps to diminish the symptoms considerably, but it never goes away completely.  Because of my disorder, I require more hours of sleep than the average person (9-10 hours/night) in order to function well, and because of my job I sometimes need more sleep than that in order to have enough energy to carry out my classes.  If I have a bad night’s sleep, or am having a bad day/week due to joint pain it is hard to focus in my classes and I will make a lot of mistakes in choreography I’ve done hundreds of times before.  Fortunately, I generally only suffer from a bad flair-up 2-3 times/year.

3. Did you diagnosis affect your lifestyle choices regarding food and fitness? 

Shortly after being diagnosed I started seeing a Naturopath whom I credit with saving my life.  I walked into her office a zombie, for well over two years I visited her at least once/month.  Near the end of my treatment with her I was seeing her only once or twice/year.  It was a miraculous change.  Anyway, during those years I moved from eating a diet of largely processed and packaged foods to one that consists of mainly whole, unprocessed foods.  I discovered that my body doesn’t function well on a diet heavy in animal proteins (though I’m not vegetarian, I generally eat meat only 1-2 times/week).  I also discovered I have a serious intolerance for MSG and that I cannot handle eating spicy foods.

As far as fitness goes, she was the one who encouraged me to start exercising.  I started off walking and doing workout videos at home, then moved into a “learn to run” program.

4. Have you always loved fitness? If not how did you discover your passion for fitness?

No.  Not in the slightest.  In fact I hated gym class.  The only exercise I enjoyed was swimming and tennis (and unfortunately I’m a terrible tennis player).

Aside from Fibromyalgia, I also have a lung condition.  I’ve experienced a number of partial pneumothoraces (collapsed lungs) due to a soft spot on my left lung.  My doctor told me it was unsafe for me to fly and I didn’t want to live my life forced to only travel to places I could drive.  As I mentioned, I started exercising at the encouragement of my Naturopath, and I started running to try and strengthen my lung so that I would be able to fly.  Somewhere along the lines I discovered that when I exercised regularily I didn’t need my medications for Fibromyalgia, and I started going longer and longer periods between problems with my lung.  It was after that realization that I knew I needed to make fitness a total priority.

5. You used to work a traditional 9-5 job. What made you want to switch to a career in the fitness industry?

I worked as an insurance agent.  The first problem was – I’ve always hated the phone.  And here I was talking on the phone all day long.  The second problem was I wanted to help people with my life, and being an insurance agent didn’t make me feel like I was helping anyone.  The people I worked hardest to help were the people who were the most angry, and the people who deserved to be angry about something that happened were always the nicest.  There came a point when I simply couldn’t handle it anymore.  Being stuck in an office all day on the phone listening to people complain about things that weren’t even a problem was driving me mad.

It was one of those small windows in life where you have the opportunity to make a complete change.  I could stay in the room I knew or I could jump out the window into an unknown world.  I chose to jump.

6. What is your favorite part of being a fitness instructor?

There are two things that really stick out for me, one is seeing and hearing the difference I’ve made in someone’s life.  When they tell me that after coming to my classes for 6 or 8 months that they are off their blood pressure medication, or they’ve lost 40 pounds it really validates that what I do is important.  And then there are the changes that only I see.  Standing in front of everyone I get to observe how everyone acts during class and can see the inward changes that have happened – people who are more outgoing, more self assured, more positive, and happier.  It really makes my heart smile.

The second thing I love is pretty superficial.  As a Zumba instructor I create a lot of my own choreography and there is something so magical about seeing an entire room full of people busting out choreography to a song that I made up one day while driving in my car, it’s really pretty awesome.

7. What does a typical week of workouts look like for you?

Well, I teach on average 12 classes/week.  My class schedule looks something like this:

Mondays: 2 Zumba Classes, 1 Strength Training Class
Tuesdays: 1 Seniors Fitness Class, 2 Zumba Classes
Wednesdays: 1 Zumba Class
Thursdays: 2 Zumba Classes, 1 Stretching Class
Fridays: 1 Zumba and 1 Zumba Gold Class
Saturdays: 1 Zumba Toning Class

On top of those, I try to fit in a few strength workouts of my own (generally Physique 57 DVD’s), yoga and the occasional run.  Honestly though, this past week or so I’ve done nothing outside of my own classes.

8. What does a typical day of eats look like for you? Have you found any particular foods help with your fibromyalgia

Because my day it sort of upside down (I usually don’t teach in the mornings, will have a class in the afternoon and then 1 or 2 classes in the evening) I normally sleep late (remember that 9-10 hours of sleep thing…) get up and have breakfast which is usually cereal or greek yogurt topped with sunflower, pumpkin and chia seeds.  I eat lunch around 1, and it often consists of homemade soup or pasta.  Then depending on the day I will either eat a snack late afternoon or have an early supper.  If it’s one of my more busy nights, I will often not get home and be able to eat supper until 8 or 10 pm, at which time it’s a free for all.  Basically anything I can find goes into my mouth at that point.

I find that a diet high in fiber and whole unprocessed foods help with my Fibromyalgia.  If there is a day or week where I find myself eating a lot of processed foods I can certainly feel the difference.

9. Are you working towards andy goals right now?

I have a few goals, one of them is to rebuild the strength I’ve lost these past couple years teaching so many cardio based classes.  It’s really difficult to make myself to more exercise on top of my already crazy class schedule, but it’s something I need to do.  Another it to rebuild my yoga practice.  That goes hand in hand with building strength, but I know I also need it from a health perspective.  Yoga is a magical thing, and anyone who does it regularly knows what I mean.  I miss that magic, I need it back – plus my hamstrings need the flexibility.

With both of those goals in mind, my current physical goal is to be able to do an unassisted handstand.

10. Just for fun…if your life was a book what would be the title?

Misadventures in Unfortunate Luck.

I don’t believe I have truly bad luck, but I instead “unfortunate luck”.  If you were to divide the world into people who always have good luck, and those who always have bad luck I would fall into the bad luck category. However, if you were to then look at everyone in the bad luck category I would have the best of the bad luck. My lung collapses a number of times – but only 5% so they don’t need to do anything scary to me.My car blows up on the highway – but just as I am slowing down for an off-ramp so it was very uneventful

I’ve got a million and one examples of my “unfortunate luck,”  but I think this post, Remember That Time I Went to Newark Airport, I wrote about when I went to BlogHer last year really sums up how my life generally goes!

One of my friends is always eager for me to go on trips because I always come home with crazy stories.  I’ve tried to tell her I would LOVE to come back sometime without any crazy stories, but that never seems to happen!

Suzi, thank you so much for sharing your inspiring story with us!

You can connect with Suzi on Facebook,  Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and on her blog, Confessions of a Fitness Instructor.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Suzi appeared first on Girl Heroes.

Melissa is a contract administrator for an oil company in Alberta, Canada. She wakes at 4:30 AM nine days in a row to work eleven hour shifts yet still finds time to workout. She has been married to her soulmate and best friend for a year. She loves to  love to travel, to read, clean healthy cooking, lifting heavy, and recently developed a love for writing her blog, Fit Girls Rock.

Girl Hero Melissa

Have you always exercised or did you discover your love for fitness later in life?

I played team sports in high school, starting running in university but I got more serious with the lifestyle about 2 years ago.

Why do you train?

I train because I love it, because I like to challenge and push myself outside my comfort zone. I like to see what my body can do.

What does a typical week worth of workouts look like for you?

A typical week usually involves an hour (sometimes and hour and a half) training session everyday except Sunday’s (and even then I sometimes do cardio). I have a trainer that I train with a couple times a week and I do the rest on my own. Lately most of my workouts are full body/cross fit type workouts and I am loving it.

What are your favorite exercises and why?

I love deadlifts, pull-ups and squats because doing them makes me feel powerful and like nothing can stop me plus they are great exercises for strength.

What sort of meals do you eat on a typical day?

I am following the Paleo diet, however right now during the week I eliminate carbs other than from veggies and then on Sundays’  I have a carb re-feed day (oatmeal, rice cakes, rice, quinoa, fruit). I also have experimented with Intermittent fasting and have found it to be beneficial for me so I include one fast day per week.

Do you have cravings? How do you deal with them?

Of course I have cravings who doesn’t? There are a number of ways I deal with them; I don’t buy food that can tempt me, I talk myself out of it by telling myself how crappy I will feel after I eat what I want in that moment, I drink lots of water, if I am in a position to; I do something active and there are also times that I just allow myself a treat. This is a lifestyle for me not a diet so therefore I do give into treats now and again just in moderation.

Has working out changed you on the inside in any way?

Yes for sure. It has made me more confident in myself and in my abilities, it has given me a more positive outlook and it has taught me to never give up because I can do anything that I set my mind to.

How do you stay motivated?

There are a few things that I do for motivation: I have a vision board which keeps me focused, I have a great support group who keep me going as well and I think about how good I feel on the inside and outside by eating clean and working out.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I am most proud of taking my fitness to the next level in the first place, inspiring and motivating others to do the same and of my 7 pull-ups in a row.

Are you working toward any goals right now?

I am always working towards goals. Some may only be small like adding an extra 10lbs to a lift or an extra pull-up, etc and some may be bigger like a fitness competition. Currently my main goals are aiming to compete again in May, getting 10 pull-ups in a row, completing a mile run in 6 minutes and getting certified as a personal trainer.

If you could go anywhere tomorrow where would it be and why?

There are 2 places. One would be my home in Newfoundland Canada, all my family are there except my husband, of course. The other would be Paris. I have always wanted to go there but have not lived that dream yet.

Thank you Melissa for sharing part of your story with us! I’m motivated to work on my pull ups now!!!

You can connect with Melissa on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and on her blog, Fit Girls Rock!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Melissa appeared first on Girl Heroes.

Although Lori lives and breathes fitness she says, “it isn’t my whole life. I have a wonderful man in my life that enjoys fitness as much as I do.” They enjoy traveling whenever they can, and when they can’t, Lori enjoys reading, hiking the local parks, and painting. By day, Lori is  a Residential Appraiser and by night she is a student currently studying to get her degree in Nutrition, a stepping stone to becoming a Registered Dietitian. In addition, Lori also writes her blog Get-Fit-Naturally.

Girl Hero Lori

Can you share with us a brief history of your fitness/health journey?

My journey is one that stretches over many years. I began working out in my teens, strictly for vanity reasons, LOL. But as I got older, working out became my stress relief. As I became more knowledgeable about how the body works, I feel working out is a key component in being truly healthy.

 I  love the title of your blog “Get-Fit-Naturally”? I’m assuming it reflects on your personal fitness philosophy. Can you share that with us?

A few years ago I wanted to try and do a figure competition. I didn’t get to compete, but I did learn a lot about nutrition. To be at its best, your body must get the proper nutrition, from real food. While I was training, I had to eat 7 meals a day – none were from fast food or processed foods. I soon realized I had never felt better! There is a huge misconception that you must restrict calories or buy supplements in order to lose weight, which usually comes from companies trying to sell your products. A friend of mine asked me to help her lose weight. I taught her how to choose her foods more wisely and plan her meals. Along with this knowledge and an exercise plan, she lost 40 pounds. She is the one who kept encouraging me to start my blog.

 You say on your blog, “exercise does not have to be a chore”. Can you expand on that statement? What do you mean and how would you encourage someone to find a different mindset? 

Many people think that exercise has to be a structured routine or that you have to spend an hour in the gym or hours on a treadmill. Exercise can be any physical activity that allows you to use your muscles and works your lungs. Find something that you enjoy doing and do it as often as you can. Play sports, hula hoop, turn the radio and dance, jump on a trampoline, play with your kids on the playground equipment, hike, bike – fly a kite – anything that makes you move!

I happen to enjoy pushing weight around in the gym – I enjoy it – so it works for me.

What is your favorite way to exercise and why?

My favorite form of exercise is resistance training – weights specifically. I like pushing myself to become stronger – to see what my body can do. However, I do like to be challenged with different forms of resistance training because it keeps me from getting bored. Once a week or so I will try a new routine or piece of equipment. Right now I’m enjoying kettlebells, but I also like using the TRX system and the new punching bag they put in the gym.

How do you stay motivated?

Sometimes, that can be a tough one! When I’m able to be consistent with my routine, it’s easier. When I’m thrown off by travel or work, it can be a challenge. Some days I have to remind myself how much better I’ll feel if I can get to the gym. Other days, I have to be tough on myself and pull out an old “before” photo – LOL – that usually gets my butt to the gym! I also keep motivational photos on my wall in my office.

Your goal is to become an RD. Very cool! How is that coming? What caused you to move in that direction?

I am just so fascinated by how food can affect the body in so many ways. Our food sources have become more complicated over the years. When manufacturers began using so many preservatives and additives to lengthen shelf life of packaged foods, there wasn’t enough long term data to know how they would affect people’s health. Now the data is being collected and the results are downright scary. Our bodies depend on wholesome food to function properly. The more I researched, the more I discovered, the more I talked all my friends to death about it, the more I thought about making it a career. So I jumped in with both feet and went back to school. It’s a little slow because I work full time, but that’s ok. It’s what I love.

Who have been some of your fitness (or any other kind) role models?

Oh my, there are many! Tosca Reno, because she lost so much weight and became her fittest in her 40’s (she’s 52 now), as well as my coach Christy Allen. But mostly, the people that have lost 50+ pounds and made amazing transformations. When I read their stories, it always humbles me and inspires me to do my best.

Both your mother and aunt have beaten breast cancer. Has that had any effect on your lifestyle choices?

Both developed breast cancer after menopause, and both are survivors (Yay!). It has definitely had an effect on my lifestyle choices. I try to eat a well-balanced diet that includes variety of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. I tend to stay away from soy because the research is so “undecided” – one day it’s ok, the next it’s not. Research shows that exercise lowers your risk – so I get some form of exercise daily. I try to stress less about the little things and get plenty of sleep. Last year I got a “call back” after a mammogram screening. Although it turned out to be nothing, it was scary and made me even more determined to be as healthy as I can.

What is one of your favorite quotes and why do you like it?

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

It takes away the words “I CAN’T”.

Thank you so much Lori for sharing your story. Your balanced approach to fitness and desire for knowledge is inspiring….you are a Girl Hero!!

You can connect with Lori on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and, of course, her blog, Get-Fit-Naturally.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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If you think you can’t do something Jen Bricker will challenge you to think again.

Jen Bricker has quite an athletic resume. She grew competing in softball, basketball, volleyball, power tumbling, and even competed in the Jr. Olympics, an impressive list of accomplishments for an average individual. However, Jen is far from average. Jen was born without legs due to a nonhereditary birth defect.

Jen Bricker was raised by adoptive parents in rural Illinois. Her mainstream upbringing allowed to her to grow up  and excel like any other kid. She never realized she was any different.  Like many small town girls (ahem), she grew up knowing nothing about nutrition and fitness programming. She grew up in the “world” of fried food and vegetables from a can.

In 2008, Jen decided to pursue a career in entertainment and moved to Orlando, Florida.  There she started to learn about working out and nutrition. She also began performing as an acrobrat/aerilist which eventually landed her a spot as a cast member on Britney Spears The Circus Tour.

Two years ago, Jen took yet another leap of courage and moved to Los Angeles to further her career. Quickly, she learned that in Los Angeles image is part of the game and she took her nutrition and fitness to an even new level and completely transformed her body.

You had an amazing transformation! What triggered your lifestyle change and can you share what your lifestyle, food and fitness wise, was like before and after?

My transformation came in steps, first entering the entertainment industry, I initially dropped 15lbs.  Then the biggest transformation came when I moved to L.A.  I knew that if I wanted to be the best at my field and achieve all my goals, I had to take care of everything I could control, to give myself the best advantage that I could.  In Hollywood, the better you look, the more you work.  I knew that was the cold hard truth for anyone out here.  Thankfully, I was blessed with an AMAZING trainer who changed my life completely, Eric The Trainer!!!  Everything about my lifestyle, diet, sleep, & exercise transformed, which is why I transformed!

What does your current fitness regime look like? What are your favorite exercises and why?

I currently workout 5 to 6 days a week for about 30-45 min.  I do a mixture of floor exercises all with my own body weight NO weights or machines.  The exercises are as if you are on your hands and knees doing variations of kicking your legs behind and beside you, as well as holding your body weight up during each exercise.  My trainer is very specific about his methods for females to maintain the lean, feminine look.  For me especially one of my biggest problem areas were my arms.  People always think I work them out and lift to get my big muscles, when actually it is quite the opposite.  I always hated having muscular arms, I wanted thin, feminine arms.  So I actively worked with Eric to shrink and tone them.

How or where do you find motivation when it starts to run low?

I mainly workout in groups with people whom I now have formed great friendships with through working out.  That is a great motivation to look beside you and see your friend working just as hard and uplifting you.  Also my trainer is always such a motivation and a happy face!

What made you want to learn acrobatics and how did you get involved? 

Ever since I can remember I was magnetically drawn to gymnastics.  In fact when I was about 7, I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast!  I knew the balance beam would be hard, but I didn’t care.

Did people ever doubt you? If so how did you respond?

If people ever doubted me, I never knew about it.  When I was younger I really had no clue I was THAT different.  No one at home, at school, or at the gym, ever treated me any different.

How has living with a disability made you stronger?

For me living with a “disability” is all I’ve ever known.  I’ve always been able to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do, so I don’t really see myself as disabled.  I don’t really think my life is drastically different than others?

Is there something about living with a disability you would like others to know about?

I think in some ways living with a “disability” has made me mature faster and see the world in a different way.  Looking different or standing out definitely draws attention and I think I get to see a person’s true self a lot quicker than maybe someone else.  I think it has allowed me to have a great perspective of reading others quickly and really seeing someone’s true self.  It is a gift I’m actually really thankful for.

I think most women struggle with body image. You work in the entertainment industry and live in Los Angeles, a city that know for image! I’d love to hear your perspective. What does healthy body image mean to you?

Living in Los Angeles can absolutely throw your mind for a total head spin!!  It can be very hard to maintain a healthy perspective on your body, when your surrounded by image,image,image.  Honestly, I have struggled just like anyone else feeling that I am not small enough, pretty enough, etc…  But I always try to remember my true purpose in life and why I was born this way and that was to help inspire and motivate others through the gifts and talents I was given.  That always puts things in perspective & gives me a reality check.  Also I go and volunteer with the homeless on Skid row, being around people who are out of the entertainment industry is a great way to un-plug and gain perspective.

What goals are you working towards right now?

My main goals are to write a book in the next 5 years, be on the cover of a women’s fitness magazine, get more involved in voice-over work and my ultimate goal is to be a TV personality/talk show host!

You performed in The Circus staring Britney Spears. What was that like? Did you even imagine you would perform in front of thousands of people growing up?!?

I honestly can’t believe that was part of my life, being on the Britney tour was one of the most surreal highs of my life.  Sometimes we would perform in front of 20,000 people LIVE!!  We were CENTER stage, ALL eyes on us!  It was the most adrenaline racing, heart pumping, ALIVE moments over and over again.  I am so thankful and blessed to have that be a part of my life!

Who inspires (or has inspired) you?

I would say my family inspires me the most, just seeing how constant and steady they are.  How they truly value and cherish the things that really matter in life, how selfless they are. They would always put us kids before themselves and they would give you the shirt off their back.  I am SO ridiculously blessed that I was able to have such amazing people raise me.

Just for fun…if your life was a song what would the title be?

“This One’s for the Girl’s”  by: Martina McBride.  SUCH a great song of empowerment for any girl/woman!!

Thank you Jen for sharing your story with us. You are an inspiration in the truest sense of the word!

You can connect with Jen Bricker on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Jen Bricker appeared first on Girl Heroes.

As a mom to an 8-year-old daughter, Suzanne has a laser-like focus on setting a good example and being healthy into old age. Her passion for weightlifting began over 15 years ago after teaching herself at home using a Dummies book and a couple of dumbbells. In 2002 she was in a car accident that left her in constant neck pain and fearful of reinjuring it. Slowly she regained more strength and confidence with weights along with discovering how clean eating could dramatically increase her energy and health. Suzanne started her blog Workout Nirvana in 2010, which led her to leave her job as a technical writer and become certified as a personal trainer in August of 2011. She now writes fitness articles and provides both virtual and in-studio personal training. 

Meet Girl Hero Suzanne!

1. Getting strong has clearly had an effect on your body. Has strength training changed you on the “inside” in any way?

I credit weightlifting with changing my life and I love sharing about it in my blog.  Owning your power in the weight room increases your self-confidence outside the weight room. There’s something about allowing yourself to feel physically strong and capable that gives you a “bring it” attitude in life. Lifting weights makes you push your limits and continuously surprise (and please) yourself! And if you train primarily around guys in in a gym you start to own your space and be proud of your strength instead of feeling self-conscious. Weightlifting makes you feel like a badass – something we can all use when life gets us down!

2. What does a typical week of training look like for you? 

I train four to five times a week using a body-part split. Each muscle gets trained once every four to five days. My split has been legs/chest, shoulders/triceps, and back/biceps, but I’m thinking of changing that soon. Abs get trained twice a week.

3. What motivates you?

I love weightlifting so I’m compelled to do it. I love the way it makes me look and feel. I love spending time at the gym. I love planning my workouts (and other people’s). I suppose that’s the typical answer from a personal trainer!

4. What do you like about being a personal trainer?

Trainers have the ability to make a profound impact on people’s lives. We push clients beyond their self-imposed limits while at the same time standing nearby as steadfast support. It’s a meaningful career with aweing responsibility.

 5. What is the most challenging part of being a personal trainer?

When you give someone the tools they need to succeed and they don’t use them, it can be frustrating and sad. You know they’ll get substandard results when they could be getting killer results that would change their life. But if someone won’t follow through and show up 100% for training, there’s only so much we can do.

6. I know you love strength training, how do feel about cardio?

I’m not a cardio freak, haha. It’s not that I hate cardio, it’s just that with my weightlifting schedule I don’t have time for it. Couple that with not needing to lose weight and I’m very unmotivated! However, I know I need it for cardiorespiratory health so I’ve started leaving 20-30 minutes for cardio before weightlifting. In the warm weather I do a lot of power walking but that doesn’t increase endurance quite as well as cardio.

7. What does an average day of food look like for you?

I follow clean eating principles and write about this in my blog frequently. One of my tenets for good health is to eat the same basic foods all the time, making small changes for variety. This allows me to control my diet (and calories) quite well. I eat a big breakfast (such as Greek yogurt with toppings and oatmeal), snacks, and lunch and dinner. All meals (including snacks) include lean protein and complex carbs for energy and satiety.

8. Do you get cravings? If so how do you respond to them?

I’m proud to say I don’t crave food of any kind! I quit sugar and sweets a few years ago when I adopted the clean eating lifestyle. I believe that “cheating” encourages cravings and I follow the 90/10 rule so no cheating is necessary. Ninety percent of the time I eat clean and the other 10 percent I let it go for whatever comes up – holidays, special occasions, an occasional dinner out. I feel that keeping junk out of the house and minimizing dining out makes it much easier to maintain a healthy weight.

9. Any advice for new lifters? 

Practice with light weight first. Condition your body to get used to weightlifting then slowly progress. Study and focus on form, first and foremost. When you’re confident your form is good then start increasing the weight – and never stop increasing it. Weightlifting works best when there’s progressive overload; that is, continuously adding more resistance to stay ahead of your body’s adaptations.

10. And just for fun…if you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

Ha! I’d have the ability to make anyone laugh at any time. I don’t take myself very seriously and I love seeing people smile and lighten their load. I have what I like to think of as a highly honed sense of humor but sometimes it’s rather dry and hard to “get.” My superpower would make me funny anyway.

Thank you so much Suzanne for sharing your knowledge and life with us. I know I’m motivated to lift some iron! You are beautiful inside and out !!!!

Connect with Suzanne on Facebook, Twitter, and her blog, Workout Nirvana.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Suzanne appeared first on Girl Heroes.

A few weeks ago, we visited a small church. As part of the service four tables or stations with reflective activities were set up around the room.  At one of the station there were thin slices of tree trunk on which we were invited to write a word of the year. I chose the word, “trust”.

Trust is my comfort food of words like hot bowl of chili on a cold night.

_____

Last night as we gathered around the table with our nomadic friends I was surprised when someone brought up “word of the year”. We went around the circle sharing our words. When it was my turn I went to my old standby, “trust”.

Trust is a an important word to me.

It’s oxygen to my soul.

But trust can also be like a soft warm bed. It can be so cozy that it becomes more of an excuse to sleep the days away rather than the faith that the bridge will hold when you cross it.

As 2013 grew closer by the minute, another friend gently questioned my word of the year as if it might be a cop out.

It was.

It’s not that I don’t doubt my future and my purpose from time to time but over the years I have learned that things do work out. I’ve learned I can lean into God and he mysteriously carries me out of life’s fires. Slowly but steadily, I’ve learned to trust more than fear. We wouldn’t have left our comfortable life in Ventura for a life on the road if I didn’t have a fair amount of trust.

I quickly came up with a new word “confidence”. A word which, if you think about it, is really only a few steps from trust. Another friend suggested, “acceptance.” Hmmmm…acceptance is always good and I certainly could use a little more self acceptance.

The clock struck 12. Brent and I shared our first kiss of 2013. We headed back to our RV and tumbled into bed.

_____

Around 4 am, I awoke and heard a whisper over my pounding headache, “Movement.”

Movement.

My word of the year.

It’s a bit ironic if you think about it. We are full time travelers in an RV and rarely stay more than two weeks in one place. We are always on the move.

But I heard it over and over again as I lay in bed my skull splitting from too many glasses of wine.

Movement. Movement. Movement.

Then I realized even though we spent last year on the move visiting over half the states in our country, I’ve been stuck.

Stuck in a rut in my mind.

For a long time.

_____

Yesterday morning, my family and I sat around the table writing down areas of character we would like to see grow, things we would like to experience, places we would like to go, and skills we would like to learn this year.  The first thing I wrote on my list was “follow through”.

Following through = Movement

I also wrote that I wanted to learn to play the guitar. I got a guitar for my birthday more than 10 years ago and I’ve been wanting to pick it up since.

Strumming = Movement

I’ve been repeating stories in my head for years. Stories that I want to get out of my head and onto paper.

Writing = Movement

I’ve been wanting to deepen my relationship with and understanding of God.

Prayer and Study = Movement

Of course, there is my goal to walk 3,000,000 steps in 2013 because movement matters.

Walking = Movement (Quite literally ;-))

Then there was the kicker.

“You trust so you can move,” said the whisper.

For a few weeks, a particular quote has been coming to my mind repetitively.

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – most often attributed to John Shedd

Ships are meant to sail not to stagnate.

Movement.

Movement of the body.

Movement of the mind.

Movement of the soul.

This year I’m challenging myself to sail out of the harbor and brave the rough waters because I know a God who will calm the sea.

First there is trust.

Then comes movement.

Do you have a word of the year? Happy New Year!!!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post My Word of the Year: Movement appeared first on Girl Heroes.

What does it mean to live? I mean really live?

I’ve been asking myself this question this month as we have been preparing to head west for a spot 10,000 feet above sea level where we will spend the winter snowboarding and freezing our butts off in our RV. 

It’s insane.

For starters, it’s stretching our budget. In order to do this, we are saying no to a lot of things we would like to say yes.

Secondly, we are going to live for three months in our 320 square foot RV with a preteen in weather where the average low is 0°. ZERO. That is insane on more than one level. Mothers of preteens will understand.

Thirdly, I don’t even know how to snowboard.

We spent last winter in Florida. It was wonderful. We swam with manatees, explored empty beaches, experienced romantic island sunsets, and canoed with alligators. We seriously considered this option again and, right now, with my little heater going full blast by my feet I’m thinking we should have considered Florida a little more seriously for this winter.

There are so many reasons why we should be going back to Floria or to our “home” in California this winter.

But if I’ve learned anything living on the road, it’s that I want to live. Really live not just exist.

We lived a lot of our life playing it safe with Brent working in a cubicle and the boys sitting in a classroom while I wasted time on the internet took care of our household duties. Not those things are bad in and of themselves and I certainly don’t want anyone who lives a traditional lifestyle to feel judged. I’m sure someday we will return to a version of that life.

But, for us, going back to Florida or California would have been playing it safe. We didn’t sell our stuff and leave our comfy life in Ventura to play it safe. We left all that stuff to fill our lives with adventure and to really live.

Really living doesn’t mean you have to create a mobile income, sell all your stuff, and hit the road in an RV. Although I highly recommend it.

Really living is living with intention.

Really living is focused on things that matter to you not things that the culture tells you should matter.

12 ways to live. To really live.

1. To really live,  means, for most of us, saying no to some things so you can can yes to other things when making a budget or schedule.

2. To really live, means valuing time and people over money and things.

3. To really live, means facing discomfort and challenges.

4. To really live, means learning new things or being open to new ideas. 

5. To really live, means trusting your gut instinct even if conventional “wisdom” says otherwise.

6. To really live, means developing relationships with people that stretch you.

7. To really live, means doing life and not letting life do you.

8. To really live, means sometimes taking the path less traveled or forging your own.

9. To really live, means shutting out the messages in the media that you are not enough.

10. To really live, means facing our fears and kicking them in the face.

11. To really live, means recognizing a big picture where we aren’t the center.

12. To really live, means realizing we are not in complete control of our lives and going with it.

Going to the mountains in our RV for the winter is hard for a terrified control freak like myself who doesn’t like the cold.

I’m terrified our heater will break and we won’t be able to afford a new one.

I’m terrified of the possibility that my kids may hate me for taking them on the road like gypsies when other kids are hanging out with friends talking about the lastest pop star.

I’m terrified that I’m going to feel trapped and depressed during the long winter nights in our RV.

I’m terrified one of us is going to break a wrist or a tailbone or worse.

Yet even with all my fears lined up, aimed, and ready to fire, I’m running full speed, like Red Rover, straight into the line trusting there are invisible hands to lift us when we fall.

Yes, tomorrow we will pack up those snow chains, pile up the blankets, and grab our helmets to head for a new adventure in the mountains.  

Do you have irrational fears of the cold? Can you snowboard? Any tips to keep me from breaking my neck? What does it mean to you to really live?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post 12 Ways to Really Live. Not Just Exist. appeared first on Girl Heroes.

I’ll admit when I first came across Adrian’s blog, Chase Fear, it was her before and after pictures that caught my eye. It didn’t take much reading to see that her blog was about so much more than weight loss. It’s about perseverance and overcoming fears. Adrian knows what it’s like to over eat and under eat. After a long journey she has come to a place of peace with her food and has run two marathons in the process. Find out how Adrian found peace with food, overcomes depression, and why she loves to run!

How is your lifestyle now different to your lifestyle before?

Before: For me, food wasn’t a means of survival. My life became evolved around food. When I think back to my relationship with food, it’s actually quite alarming how common it is amongst today’s society. It’s no surprise to me that I often ate because I had “nothing better to do,” but I believe the root of the issue was much deeper than keeping myself busy for several moments. Recently, I came across a quote by Ann Wigmore; “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” I read this quote dozens of times because it’s as if Ann knew me herself. You often hear about individuals who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, etc., but you rarely hear about food addictions. Food is cheap, easily accessible, and will always be legal, no matter the age of a person. Why? Well, we need food to survive. What we don’t need is excess. Too much of a good thing can be bad. Unfortunately, these thoughts never crossed my mind every time another morsel of food made its way to my mouth. Food was my drug of choice, and it gave me intense feelings…almost like a high. It helped to fill an empty void. What I didn’t know is that I was slowly killing myself.

After: This question is going to take me into the 2^nd leg of my journey…my 26.2 mile long journey. Upon losing 110 pounds, I was suddenly faced with a huge wall of fear, which was constructed with bricks depicting failure, depression, bullying, and a strong sense of worthlessness. My caloric intake started reaching dangerously low levels in the summer of 2010, and I was confronted by concerned family and friends on more than one occasion. I was in denial, my life near the point of jeopardy…until I met a runner in October of 2010, which I will explain in more detail below. Running has saved my life and allowed me to view food as fuel for my performance. I depend on proper nourishment in order to feed my passion. Since becoming a runner, I’ve stopped daily weigh-ins, I’ve gained 14 pounds of muscle, I consume twice as many calories, and I’ve learned to love healthy, natural foods. Food gives me the energy that I need during my training cycles, and it’s a constant learning process. And, when I do treat myself, it actually feels like a treat. Cake tastes so much better when you don’t eat it often!

You seem to have a lot of discipline! How did you develop your discipline?

When it comes to my running discipline, it’s simple. Running is an amazing sport for many reasons. You just never ever know what’s going to happen, and something about that notion drives me. You have good days, and you have bad days. The bad days allow you to appreciate the good days. I also love being able to catch a glimpse of the world by foot. It’s miraculous how much I’m able to see/take in during a run, many things that I couldn’t possibly experience otherwise. 

I also love what running has done for me. I run to challenge myself. I run to be fearless. I run to clear my my wildly rampant thoughts. I’m a runner, and I love every painstakingly triumphant moment. I sometimes think, “Why do I do this to myself?” But when I reach a new personal best or cross another finish line, that’s when I get my answer. I love the feeling of the ground pounding beneath my feet. I love the wind blowing through my hair and the sweat pouring down my face. An overwhelming sense of pride rushes through me every single time I lace up my shoes. Running doesn’t define me. I define running. I gained so much insight from running. I’ve developed new outlooks, built numerous friendships, and created lasting memories because of running. Running is an adventure, and I’m always up for the challenge. I’m chasing every fear that I’ve ever possessed, and I’m using these fears to drive me forward on a daily basis.

When it comes to leading a healthy life, I like to compare my body to a car, my internal structure the engine, and my stomach the gas tank. You wouldn’t put regular fuel into a diesel engine, would you? That’s how I feel about poisoning my body with unhealthy foods.

You say depression runs in your family and I gather from your blog you have dealt with some depression yourself. (Me too.) What have you found helps keep those dark days at bay?

An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness still strikes me at random moments. Often times, I can’t even explain why I feel sad. However, I can say without any regards, that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my whole entire life. When depression lands on my plate, I’m MUCH more open about my feelings and the things that are bothering me. In the past, my book was closed and left on a shelf to collect dust. Now, I often open up to my mom, my loving boyfriend Sean, or my close family-like friends. For the most part, they are able to lift my spirit enough to get me through my brief bouts of sadness. When that doesn’t work, I turn to running. A lot of people say that ‘running is cheaper than therapy.’ That’s because it’s true. When I run, it’s my own personal time to reflect upon my life. Sometimes, I even zone out and completely forget about whatever is stressing me out at the moment.

How did you start running? What kept you running?

Running. Just the idea of running made me cringe. In the past, I never viewed running as a sport. I viewed it as a form of torture or punishment. All I had were painful memories from gym class where I could barely run for short bursts without being struck with fatigue and shortness of breath. Running always made me feel completely weak and defeated. I’ve even heard chuckles and rude comments from fellow students. I dreaded every single second of gym class, never hoping to run again. It wasn’t until I met a runner myself that I changed my outlook. He already had ultra-marathons and the Pittsburgh Marathon under his belt and I often thought, why? Why does he run so much? “It’s not fun,” I thought. The more I heard him talk about it and reveal his passion for running, the more intrigued I became. I started reading about running on the internet and came across the term most runners are familiar with, “runner’s high.” I didn’t get it, and for some time, I don’t think I wanted to understand it. Although, reading stories about this notion left me with a sort of empty feeling. I ultimately ended up wanting to experience this feeling for myself, so I could understand why people run, and more importantly, why my friend runs. I did a lot of research on my own through magazines, websites, and asking my friend for a few pointers here and there. I began testing my limits on the treadmill in January of 2011 and once I discovered how quickly I was progressing, I didn’t want to give up. I became my own motivator. Once I showed a genuine interest in running, my friend convinced me to sign up for the Mt. Summit Challenge. The rest is history. I still don’t see running as a sport. I see it as a lifestyle. It’s what I do. This friend I’m referring to is no longer a part of my life, but I’ve learned that people come into your life for a reason. Perhaps I was born a runner, but I just needed that extra push. He was there to open the door and for that, I will always be grateful. 

How do you stay motivated?

I love every “I want to quit” moment because it drives me to push harder and break through my barriers. Even I have days when I don’t want to do anything but sit on my couch and watch television. It’s especially true now that I work 40+ hours per week. When I find myself in a running funk, I just imagine the 230 lb shy, awkward girl. I think about how far I’ve come, and that’s what motivates me to lace up my sneakers and get my butt out the door. That’s definitely the hardest part of any run. I’ve certainly been at this for way too long to give up now. I constantly want to prove to myself that the little voice inside my head is a liar for ever telling me that this is impossible. It’s not. And once I found that motivation to become the best version of myself, I refused to let go of it. It’s astonishing of how much your body and mind tie into one another.

Did your weight loss journey change you on the inside?

Yes. I feel like I was in a coma for the last 20+ years, and I’m finally waking up. I think the best reward of this entire journey is being able to say “I’m happy” and truly mean it 100%. After losing the weight, my silence was still something that needed to be worked on. I had no other choice but to find the volume button and start living. Now that I’ve discovered my identity and found happiness, I can finally speak now and not forever hold my peace. I think losing the weight was my first speak now moment. I trusted my journey. I conquered what seemed like an endless battle, and I’ve gained so much insight as a result. Life is a crazy, beautiful ride, and I want to experience everything that I possibly can since I missed out on so much in the past. I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life, and I’m not about to waste another given moment.

 Any advice for people beginning their own weight loss journey?

We were all given 24 hours in a day. The gap between success and failure in life is dependent upon how a person chooses to use their time.

Get your mind ready for the battle. Your greatest opponent is yourself. When your mind tells you that losing weight is “impossible,” use that as a dare. Dare yourself to become a better you. Say to yourself, “I’m not going to disappoint anyone except for that little voice inside of my head telling me I can’t.” Next, slow and steady wins the race. Just like a marathon, it’s important not to start out too fast because it will lead to burn out early in the race. They key is to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Document everything in a food journal, and hold yourself accountable (find a support group). You run your body, nobody else, so take good care of it.

Also, weight loss involves behavior modification. Poor habits didn’t develop overnight, so in contrast, they won’t disappear overnight. Trust me when I say this: changing habits isn’t easy, but if you’re aiming for positive changes, I can guarantee the worth. With a triple D effort, dedication, discipline, and determination, you’ll soon find yourself heading in the right direction. The key to permanent success (keeping the weight off FOREVER) is finding the best way for you to stay on the path. Key word: YOU. What works for someone else may not work for you, vise versa. Sure, there will be wrong turns, dead ends, and unknown paths, but as long as you’re willing to find your way back, you’ll keep traveling along the road of success. You have to trust your journey.

Can you share one of your favorite quotes with us?

“Greatness. It’s just something we made up. Somehow we come to believe that greatness is a gift reserved for a chosen few for prodigies, for superstars, and the rest of us can only stand by watching. You can forget that. Greatness is not some rare DNA strand. It’s not some precious thing. Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing. We are all capable of it, all of us.” -NIKE

Adrian, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us! I know you given me a lot to think about! You didn’t send me this picture but I found it on your blog and I think it encapsulates the reason why you are a Girl Hero!

You can find Adrian on her blog Chase Fear, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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