Success in April

'Tis the beginning of April, and time to set myself up for success this month! At the beginning of each month, Ben and I take inventory of our current supplement stock and figure out what we need to purchase from Bodybuilding.com for the month. Doing this saves us time and money. We only have to place one order for the whole month so there are no unnecessary shipping fees (although, truth be told, they're minimal) and also prevents us running out of something we really need and having to go without for a couple days, or worse yet, spending way more to buy elsewhere. 

I'm always an open book, so as I progressively get more lean and continue to progress, I thought I would start sharing with you what I buy each month to help me reach my goals.

(NOTE: I'm well stocked on Fitness Model/Writer Jamie Eason's protein and NLA for Her Uplift (my preworkout) right now, so I didn't purchase either of those this time around.)

So here is what I bought:

1.) Protein Bars: I got two boxes of Oh Yeah! Victory Bars. They have the consistency of Quest bars. The chocolate chip cookie dough bars and peanut butter chip bars are my faves. I also purchased a few bars that I haven't tried before. I am a protein bar junkie and love to try new ones. I have no willpower around protein bars, though, so my husband has graciously offered to hide them from me and give me my daily ration so I don't overdo it. I did exercise some measure of willpower when I only bought two boxes instead of four, though. :-)  http://bit.ly/ohyeahvictory

2.) Labrada Elasti-joint: This one is for my husband. He's been using it consistently for years and it really helps him. If you have any joint issues at all, give it a shot. He really likes the grape flavor. http://bit.ly/elastijoint

3.) BCAAs: MusclePharm Amino1 in Cherry Limeade Flavor. I had been taking my BCAAs in pill form for a few months because I had a BUNCH of them and because they're much more affordable (although way more difficult to drink). My coach recommended that during contest prep, I go back to the drink form, and what coach says, Rachel does...at least I try. ;-) http://bit.ly/amino1_mp

4.) Probiotic: Trace Mineral Probiotics. I just recently started taking these and within a short period of time I noticed a difference in how well my body functioned. This was also something I added upon my coach's advice, and I'll probably never stop taking it. http://bit.ly/tmprobiotic

I QUIT! Just not yet...

Some days, I want to quit. Throw in the towel. Raise the white flag. Being a mom is hard. Working out is hard. Running a business is hard. Being CONSISTENT is hard. But you know what? Nothing worth having or worth doing is easy. It's just not. As I prepare for my competition, which is now only about 12 weeks away, I think, "there's no way." I can barely make time to get to the gym, and often, it just seems too difficult. But it's important to me. I've set a deadline, I've set a goal, and I WILL achieve it. I won't do it at the expense of family time. I won't do it at the expense of my metabolism. I won't do it at the expense of friendships. I will do it because I know I can do it right this time. For those who are busy, I will tell you that it's unlikely you are busier than me. For those who struggle with your eating habits, I will tell you that it's unlikely you struggle more than me. For those who have a tendency to be lazy, I will tell you that it's unlikely you tend to be lazier than me. But I am not one to walk away from a commitment. I'm just not going to do it. I want to set an example for those of you who struggle every single day. I want you to look at me and say, "Wow, I KNOW she had a hard time. I KNOW it was difficult for her to achieve this goal. But she did it. And because she did it, I will set and achieve some goals of my own." So tonight, I will take my NLA for Her Uplift, head to the gym, and smash a workout with all the enthusiasm and energy I can muster at 9:30 p.m. Most of the time, I work out for myself. But tonight, I will work out for YOU.

The Perfect Shirt

About a month ago, I went to Old Navy and saw a shirt in there that I instantly fell in love with. It was a beautiful color, perfect for spring, and I could just see it looking perfect with my new pair of skinny jeans and some short boots. Those who know me, know that I rarely dress in anything but workout clothes, so I decided to wait and make sure I REALLY wanted that shirt before I shelled out $30. Today I have a girls' night out with some friends, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to stop by Old Navy and buy that shirt. I've been thinking about it for weeks now, and what better opportunity to buy something cute? I'd convinced myself that it was worth the money and that I would get plenty of use out of it, so I stopped at Old Navy with two of my littles and went in to find the shirt. After looking for a few minutes and not spotting it, I grabbed some similar shirts and decided they might make a passable substitute. But then, a few feet away, I spotted something in the right color on the clearance rack! Could it be!? It was all by itself in a sea of blacks and greys, so was it really supposed to be there or did someone just stash it there? I walked over, cautiously optimistic about what might be the brightest part of my day...or the biggest letdown. (I know it's pathetic how worked up I get over one article of clothing, but hey, we live on a budget, and I don't shop much!)

I got to the clearance rack and saw that it was indeed the only one there. AND it was my size. AND it was marked down to $9.97! AND there were no rips, tears, holes, or marks on it! My heart danced a little. I was almost giddy! I headed over towards the fitting rooms to try it on real quick just to make sure it fit well.

It didn't.

I was awful.

Truly, truly awful.

Not even worth $9.97.

I was crushed. I thought I'd hit the mother lode, when in fact I had been dreaming about something that just wasn't a good fit for me at all, not even when it was a bargain. As I left the Old Navy parking lot empty-handed, I thought about how often we chase something we THINK we want. We're just sure it will be a perfect fit for us when we finally get it. But oftentimes, in the end, it wasn't meant for us at all. A reminder to be careful about what we think about and what we pursue. It's not always as great as what we think it will be! <3

But I'm Too Sleepy To Lift!

To achieve your fitness goals, you must learn to be flexible and realistic.  I had military duty part of this week, so getting to the gym in the morning was not going to happen.  However, I knew that we would be in nonstop meetings that would leave me drained by the end of the day and I wouldn't want to go to the gym then, either.  But I have goals.  I'm in competition prep.  I have a commitment to myself and to my coach.  So what's the solution?  Should I have gone to the gym anyway, or taken time to rest?  I had a decision to make.  Were my goals were more important, or should I just get rest?  What do you think I chose?

Whichever you guessed, you're half right.

I was only on duty for two days, so on the first day, I went to the gym after all the littles were in bed.  I make it a point to only work out when they're sleeping, with rare exception (I don't need any more 'mom guilt' than I already have!  So after they were all tucked snug in their beds, I took 1/2 scoop of my preworkout so I could get through the workout but still be able to sleep afterwards, and headed to the gym to get some work done.

The second night, I was totally wiped, and knew I would need to get up the next morning to return to my morning workouts.  I also knew it wasn't likely that I would work out that night AND be rested enough to do it again twelve hours later, so I opted to go to bed about two hours earlier than usual, got a great night's sleep, and killed it this morning.

Part of growing and maturing is being honest with yourself.  We all tend to lie to ourselves a lot, but if we hope to improve habits, we just can't do that.  We also have to know when to push and when to rest.  It's a fine line, and many people take it too far one way or another.  No one can tell you what's right for you, which is why you have to learn to be very honest with yourself and satisfy your NEEDS over your WANTS.

9 Days In...

So we're nine days into 2015, and my life has changed more in those nine days that probably in any year preceding this one. My mindset and our family's priorities have shifted, and I'm really excited to see what the next 356 days hold in store for us this year.  Last year was Fit Like Flint's first full year in existence, so along with homeschooling our oldest daughter, focusing on growing our business, and being pregnant with our third child, the year flew by and before we knew it, it was over.  Some of you may not know this, but I never had aspirations of being a business owner or entrepreneur.  It just kinda happened.  So 2014 left me feeling like I was always running behind.  I never had a business plan, a budget, I wasn't able to forecast because I had no idea what I was doing, and wasn't really sure which way was up most of the time!  It was a wonderful year full of personal and professional growth, but it was exhausting, and I owe it to our family to not have another year like last year.  So something had to change for 2015 to have any chance of success.

We live in a small house.  Five people in approximately 1000 square feet.  As you can imagine, it's, um, cozy here.  I love our hardwood floors.  I love its homey feel.  I love that all three of our children have lived their entire lives here.  I love the fact that I can be across the house, and still hear my son babbling in his crib when he wakes from a nap, or hear my daughters quietly giggling as they play the "telephone game" in their bedroom.  It's cute and quaint, but at times, it's stifling.  Because of the success of FLF and Ben's increasing success as a stand-up comedian, we had planned to buy a larger home this year with intentions of moving Fit Like Flint into our home.  But those of you who are Christ-followers know that God's plans often don't neatly align with ours, and this was no exception.  We still feel like He wants us to move Fit Like Flint into our home...but this home, not a larger one.  WHAT!?  That is going to require a lot of simplifying and a lot of maximizing our current space.
We keep our house neat.  But if you've seen my recent FB or IG posts, there have always been piles of paper on our bedroom desk (because we don't have a separate office), and there are several places in our home that are just constantly cluttered, and the stacks are just moved around without ever really being eradicated.  That was fine for last year, but this year, I've really felt God calling me to get organized once and for all.  So each pile, rather than being shuttled to a temporarily more convenient location, has been gone through sheet by sheet and either shredded, recycled, or filed.  Children's clothing (which, if you're a parent, you know what a never-ending chore that is) is being removed from closets and dressers as they grow out of it, and rather than being stored for future children that may or may not join our family, we are shuttling it off to friends who can use them. Each unnecessary item is leaving our house.  Each thing that doesn't work or doesn't work well is being replaced.
Realizing that we will be here for at least another couple of years has changed me from a bargain-hunter, save-a-dime mindset to a "What will make this space liveable?" mindset.  No longer am I collecting clothes I've bought on clearance.  No longer am I tolerating the pen cup that always falls over because it's cheaper than buying an actual pen organizer.  No more random stacks because I don't want to spend the money to buy a new file box.  I've gotta tell you, I feel more peace in the last nine days with these small changes than I've felt in a VERY long time.  I feel hope.  I feel optimistic about what the rest of the year will bring.  It's not a one-day job or even a one-month job, which is difficult for me.  I like to go hard and hurry and get it done, but with other things (and people!) that need my attention, that isn't how it's going to work.  There are no quick fixes.  So I'm chipping away it, about an hour at a time, making our home a more peaceful, relaxing place to be. 

I'll hopefully remember to take some before and after photos as I go, and will post them occasionally!

The Secret of My Success

How do I stay motivated? 
 

Well, to put it simply, I don't.
 

Motivation does not wake me up at 4:00 every morning.  Setting my alarm wakes me up.  Motivation does not help me get dressed and get out the door.  Setting my clothes and gym bag out does that.  Discipline is what helps you succeed.  Motivation is merely what gets you started.  It doesn’t last.  Looking at ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos on Facebook is great, but only works for a moment.  Inner drive—wanting it so bad that failure is not an option—THAT is what will help you succeed.
 

If you are counting on motivation to get you in shape, you will fail.  Motivation is an emotion, and emotions are fleeting.  Our society, unfortunately, is one that is ruled by emotions.  We do things because we feel like it, or avoid doing things because we DON’T feel like it.  I haven’t been successful in life because I’ve done the things I’ve felt like doing.  I’ve been successful because I’ve done the things I really didn’t want to do.  I’ve done the things I was afraid to do.  I’ve done the things that I knew I just might not be able to do. 

I am writing this because if I said it to everyone who said, “I lost my motivation” or “I just can’t get/stay motivated”, I’d pull my hair out.  And I’d never stop talking because I encounter those people ALL the time.  Heck, I’ve BEEN one of those people!  I lost motivation so many times and quit that I just got sick of myself, got sick of quitting, and finally said ‘enough is enough’.  I still fail, but I don’t quit.  I still backtrack, but I don’t quit. 

I KNOW that I will reach my goals only because I refuse to give up on them; I refuse to quit trying.  If you’re reading this and you’re looking to all these Facebook pages for motivation, please do yourself a favor and stop.  I’m not saying to stop looking at them—after all, I love seeing before and after photos as much as anyone else—just please stop looking to them to keep you motivated.  Have a heart-to-heart with yourself about what you want and why you want it.  And how badly you want it.  And what you’re willing to do to get it.  I have some pretty lofty fitness goals, but I know that my relationship with Christ comes first, and my family comes second…everything else comes after that, including fitness. 

So make a pact with yourself to quit quitting.  Quit looking for external motivation.  Decide what you want, and then go after it.  Don’t be motivated.  Be disciplined.  You can do it, but will you?   

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I started this as a mere status update, but it quickly morphed into an essay.  Then my computer froze and I lost it.  But it was good (in my opinion), so I'm typing it over again.

Here is what you probably don't know about me.  I like fasted workouts.  Cardio, weightlifting, doesn't matter.  I like intermittent fasting.  I like the paleo diet.  I love when my muscles are so sore I can barely move.  I don't eat much dairy--other than the protein, I think it's worthless.  Delicious, but worthless.  As my husband so eloquently states, I would rather lift weights for three hours than run ten feet (It's true!).  However, I have learned to love HIIT.  My husband taught me how to sprint last summer and you know what?  I'm a good sprinter.  Not great, but good. 

So what?  Well, those things are not popular in the fitness community.  At all.  Sure, they've gotten some attention, and some of them have a sizeable following, but for the most part, they all go against the mold of what you're 'supposed' to do to have a nice physique.  I no longer eat six small meals a day.  I rarely eat starchy carbs.  They make me feel weighed down and heavy and bloated.  Bleh.

It has taken me years to muster the courage to do what I know is best for my body.  Dr. Sara Solomon, Layne Norton, Ashley Horner, Kris Gethin, and of course Jamie Eason, have all shaped my way of thinking.  I've taken pieces of what I've learned from each of them and applied it to my own workouts and nutrition. 

So what's my point?  YOU know your body better than anyone else.  God created us all differently.  We look different, we act different, and our bodies react differently to food and exercise.  What works for me might not work for you.  You don't have to try to squeeze into someone else's mold of how you should be eating or working out.  Of course, you can't eat crap and and lift 5-lb. dumbbells and expect to have a killer physique, but you get what I'm saying, right?  If something is working for you, stick with it?  Are you only losing a pound a week?  GREAT!  That is a POUND a week!  That means what you're doing is working!  If you're stalled out, that means what you're doing is no longer working.  So do something different. 

I am in several fitness groups, and this is what I read EVERY TIME someone posts progress photos.  "What are you eating?"  "Where do you have your macros?" "Which program are you doing?" "Can you tell me what foods you eat?"  It's painful for me to read that because I know how damaging that is.  People are still looking for the secret--still after that perfect diet that will give them the perfect body.  Guess what?  There isn't one!  But the good news is that if you listen to your body, and pay close attention to what it is telling you, you will figure out what works best for YOU.  If you have too much sugar in your diet, though, it won't work.  Sugar speaks way louder (and it LIES!).  Eliminate the sugar--even fruit--for a couple weeks, and start listening to your body.  It speaks loudly and tells you exactly what it needs.

You may have to go through a lot of trial and error, but if you persist long enough, you will get there.  It's not easy, and it's not quick.  If it was, everyone would look like a fitness model.