I truly believe that in order to find success on our health and fitness journey, we have to fight through the funk and no, I don't mean the funky smell after your leave your clothes in the gym locker for too long.  I'm talking about that emotional funk that prevents you from doing what you are supposed to be doing. Do you dive into a brownie sundae after a rough emotional day hoping to find comfort? Do you plop in front of the couch and stare mindlessly at the TV when you are stressed rather than doing the workout you had planned? Our emotions have a way of controlling our lives, even to the extent that our health becomes at risk because we simply lack the motivation to do anything about it. We don't feel like it, and for so many of us, that emotional response wins over.

Now, let me say this.. I don't say this to condemn you, I say this to sympathize with you. There have been many of times I have sought comfort at the bottom of my ice cream bowl or shoveled chocolate chips in my mouth as I made the trip upstairs to begin the battle of bedtime with my boys, after a particularly hard day. However, more times than not, it is not comfort that I find, it's guilt for once again falling to the emotional eater deep inside me.  As a health and fitness coach, who encourages women on a regular basis to find comfort elsewhere, I will openly say that I struggle with the same things. We are human and our our emotions can be a powerful beast, can't they?!

So, what do we do with this? How do we get around our emotions and find the results that we are truly after? One thing I have noticed is that when I'm in a funk, there is something weighing heavily on my heart. When I am hurting on the inside it has a way of affecting everything else going on around me. That is when I have to remind myself to bring it all to God and ask him to to help me examine my heart and resolve any issues that are preventing me from having peace. Perhaps someone has wronged me and I need to forgive them? Maybe I am stressing and worrying over a situation that I have little or no control over and need to give it to God and have faith that he will take care of things? Don't be afraid to lay your struggles, worries, and desires at the feet of God. God says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. Through him, we can go to him with our funk and our bad days and give it to him. Through him we can find peace. The bible also tells us that he sustains us. Psalm 3:5 says, "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me." If you look up the word sustains in the dictionary, it means 1. to give support or relief to; 2. To nourish; 3. To support the weight of; 4. To bear up under. Can you imagine God doing this for you? No matter what is causing that funk, he is there giving us support or relief, he's nourishing us, bearing up under us and taking the weight off of our shoulders. Let him take off the burden, so you can do what you need to do.

Now, I will tell you this... there are going to be days where you aren't going to feel like working out. It happens to all of us. Take my advice and do it any way. I have found the greatest healing comes after a workout. Sometimes we need to be broken down to exhaustion to build ourselves back up, to restore that peace within us. Physical activity has a way of releasing chemicals in our brain that naturally make us feel happier. Don't rob yourself of that. Do the workout any way and see how much better you feel afterwards. Worse case, you feel accomplished for doing something even when you didn't feel like it. Lean on Him, and through his strength, you have the ability to achieve every goal you set for yourself!

Success is something we all want. We want to reach our goals in every aspect of our life, not just in health and fitness. However, it's easy to let life knock us down and interfere with our dreams. We forget that we are capable of finding success or even forget that we had big dreams to begin with. Life can get so busy with the day to day obligations that we look up from the chaos and realize that life is passing us by and we haven't accomplished anything. Life shouldn't be that way! We are designed for success. God wants us to be successful in every area of our lives and that includes our health. I love this verse in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  God wants us to prosper. He doesn't spell out the areas of our life that he wants that to occur, because he means every area of our lives, including our health.

We are given everything we need to succeed. It is in us, buried deep inside. We all have it. The only thing that sets apart the ones that find success and the ones that don't are what they do with it. The ones that loose weight, reach their big goals, and continue to live a healthy lifestyle have acquired the skills to make it happen. God wants us to find success but we can't just pray away 50lbs. We have to learn how to do it and get to work. The money we need to pay our bills and buy groceries doesn't just show up at our door every month, we have to go out, find a job and do the work. The same principle applies to our health. We have to learn new skills and invest in our self in order to make that happen. You are the best investment you can ever make. As women we feel that it is wrong to take resources away from our families to take care of ourselves, but I can assure you that a healthy happy woman is the BEST investment your family can make. As women we have the amazing opportunity to care for our family, our friends, and our community. However, we tend to put ourselves on the back burner. Please don't underestimate your value. When you are well taken care of you are able to better take care of the ones you love. You are worth the time and investment to take care of yourself.  You my dear are designed for success! 

You are probably wondering what forgiveness has to do with our health and fitness journey. We often hear about forgiveness from a spiritual perspective. The Bible tells us that we should forgive others. We see in Matthew 6:14 that is says "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." As Christians we aspire to live by this law, even though it can be a challenge. We come against people who have wronged us and hurt us in terrible and deep ways. However, God calls us to forgive them anyway. After all, we want our sins to be forgiven not only by God but by others as well. I know there are times that I have acted out in anger, said things I regretted and I was thankful for that forgiveness. Not only does holding a grudge against someone go against what God has asked us to do, it affects us as well. That anger, hatred, frustration and hurt eats away at us from the inside out. Even though we refuse forgiveness to hurt the other person, honestly it is doing more damage to us. I don't know about you, but I want to be FREE! Free of negative feelings and I do that by givings away forgiveness like it's cool. I'd want the same in return.

Now, lets look at our health and fitness journey. I see this with so many women as they travel through the highs and lows of their journey. They make these amazing plans to FINALLY get it right, to finally get new healthy habits and reach that goal! They are pumped! Ready to go! They soar through their first week feeling amazing. They may see some water weight coming off and they may have more energy. Then BAM! the weekend comes and there is temptation everywhere. There is a kid's birthday party to attend with plenty of pizza and cake, they have a girls night out planned with plenty of yummy snacks and the inevitable happens and they slip up. They ate the pizza and cake, enjoyed the delicious appetizers and drank way too many calories. Monday rolls around and they are at an all time low.. hating what they've done, angry at themselves for their lack of self control, and discouraged. Some will pick it back up and try again while others may halfheartedly make it through another week before giving up again. It's a vicious cycle. I've been there... oh how I've been there, it's the story of my life UNTIL I learned a valuable lesson. I had to forgive MYSELF!

Oh, we try to forgive others and do what God has called us to do but the thought never crosses our mind to forgive ourselves. Jesus Christ came to to this Earth, lived a perfect life, and died on a cross so OUR sins can be forgiven. (Galatians 1:3-5). If God can forgive the big things, the sinful things in our life..don't you think we should give ourselves a little grace as well? When we mess up and get off track, forgive yourself and start fresh again. As long as you are breathing you have another opportunity to get it right. How amazing is that?! There are only two ways to fail and that is quitting or never starting at all. It takes great bravery to begin a health and fitness journey. Making the decision to create new healthy habits is not easy and you can't undo a lifetime of bad habits in a week or even a month. It takes TIME! Be patient with yourself and exercise grace with yourself. When you totally blow your weekend, forgive yourself, let it go and move on! You can't do a single thing about the past, but you can move forward towards the future with hope and determination to do a little better next time.

My mom gave me the book The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word by Joyce Meyer and it has made such an incredible impact in my prayer life. Speaking God's word in prayer can be very powerful and as you go through your health and fitness journey I encourage you to pray and speak God's word aloud in prayer. There is power in confessing his work out loud and lets face it, we can use all the help we can get! A weight loss journey can challenge us and push us to our limits. Pray to God and seek him in all things. I am including verses that you can refer to on a variety of topics. I hope it's as helpful for you as it is for me. <3

Anxiety & Worry

In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.  - Psalm 86:7 (NIV)

I will not worry or be anxious about tomorow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. - Matthew 6:34

I cast the whole of my care, all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares for me affectionately and cares about me watchfully. - 1 Peter 5:7

Confidence

I am determined and confident. I am not afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go. - Joshua 1:9 (GNT)

With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. - Psalm 18:29 (NIV)

I am confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Depression

I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, steadying  my steps and establishing my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. - Psalm 40: 1-3

Health & Healing

He heals my broken heart and binds up my wounds. - Psalm 147:3

The Lord has declared that he will restore me to health and heal my wounds. - Jeremiah 30:17

I love this dip! It's low it calorie but definitely satisfies that need for a sweet treat and my kids love it! It's perfect for parties, play dates, or anything in between.  Here is the quick and easy recipe!

Greek Yogurt and Nutella Fruit Dip

Ingredients
8oz Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp Nutella
sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions
Mix ingredients together and serve with your favorite fruit or cracker.

I think the biggest revelation I had on my health and fitness journey was when I realized that I was not alone on this journey. When we are trying to change a lifetime of bad habits, the very thought of changing them can seem impossible. It's overwhelming and very often those negative voices in our head remind us of all our past failures. That was me, looking in the mirror, wondering if I was ever going to change, if I was ever going to make any progress. I felt alone, despite my husband's never ending support. This was my battle and I felt alone; until the day that I realized that I wasn't alone. In fact, God had been with me the entire time, I had just never invited him in. Not once had I asked God to help me loose weight. I had never asked him to help me with self control when it came to my addiction to sugar. Not once. Deuteronomy 31:8 says The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (NIV). God is telling us that we don't have to do this alone. He is by our side every step of the way.  God CARES about you and all the little details of your life, not just the big things. Don't be afraid to go to God with your struggles, your failures, and your defeat. God does not intend for us to feel discouraged or defeated, he wants us to find success. He wants us to feel at peace with ourselves and happy in our own skin. Those voices of defeat are not from God and you don't have to entertain them. Fill your mind with what God thinks about you. In Psalms we learn just how much God loves and adores us. In Psalms 139:17-18 we read "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them, Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I am awake, I am still with you." (NIV) Think about that for a minute. A handful of sand could contain hundreds if not thousands of individual grains. Can you image each of of those grains representing a wonderful thought that God has for YOU! It's hard to even comprehend, but it's true! God loves you, he adores you, he's constantly thinking of you.. and those thoughts are not of condemnation and judgement. If he can look at through eyes of grace, shouldn't you do the same for yourself? 

Stop trying to loose weight and reach your goals by yourself. You don't have to do it alone.  Hand it over to God. Ask him for his strength. He wants to be invited in to every area of our lives, even the little things that we don't feel are adequate. No matter how far away from your goal you are right now, give it to God and trust in him. See what you can do with God on your side. <3

Hello my lovely followers!
I am so happy to be here, in this safe place, where I can share my heart with you on issues that matter to me most.. and that is my faith, my family, and health and fitness.  I'd love to take a minute to share a little about me and why I have been led to create this blog. 

For as long as I can remember, I've lived a mediocre life. As a child I was always shy, uncomfortable in my skin and never felt like I belonged. Despite growing up with loving parents that took us to church on a regular basis I knew I was missing something. After falling away and loosing myself completely after high school with alcohol, parties and bad decisions I found myself completely broken, dropping out of college and moving closer to home. I went to a new church, and for the first time, learned about Jesus. Not the religion version of Jesus but the real, heart changing, relationship version of Jesus. Man did it improve my life! I found a wonderful man, got married, and had two beautiful boys. You'd think that's when the happy ever after came... Not so much. 

After the birth of my second son (2nd C section mind you..) I began suffering from major self esteem issues. For the first time in my life I looked in the mirror and hated what I saw. At some point, I had lost the person I used to be. I remember one day looking in the mirror feeling over tired, burnt out, and once again completely broken. This time I was doing it right, after all I had taken all the right steps, but motherhood had taken it's toll on me, my body and my self esteem. I knew I had to make a change but my goals seemed so far away; nearly impossible to achieve. I remember the day I squeezed into the workout clothes in the back of my drawer and forced myself to go to the gym. I remember looking at a young girl who was super fit doing her thing and something clicked in my head. I wondered what my body was capable of looking like. I had never challenged myself , I had never pushed my limits and I definitely never stuck with anything long enough to get results. It was at that point I knew that if I wanted something different I would have to DO something different, and for me that was running.

I used to make fun of runners. I used to joke that the only way I'd run is if a bear was chasing me. I thought they were crazy but something was stirring in my heart that this was the right step to take. I began with the couch to 5k program and promised myself I wouldn't quit. For some reason, this time was different than the rest, this time I found strength amongst the struggle. Each day that I checked off I felt better and I began to feel my confidence slowly starting to return. When I started watching what I ate the weight continued to fall off. I lost 17lbs over the 8weeks and 45lbs over the span of a year. What is even more incredible to me is the transformation that happened on the inside as I branched out and started running longer distances.

Early into my running I began listening to christian music while I ran. I found it to be so motivating and the lyrics of overcoming fit so well with my challenging runs. Before long I found running to be my worship time, my time with God to pray, be thankful, and fully rely upon him for strength. It was during these runs that I found the true meaning of having a relationship with God. Along this journey, there have been many highs and lows for me. There are days where I struggled and felt so far away from God and then days where I nearly broke down in tears because I knew without a shadow of a doubt he was there with me, lifting me up and giving me strength to continue on. God has been leading my life on an amazing journey and in January of 2012 I finally prayed and asked God to have is way with me, to use me for His glory, not my own. It was a scary prayer because I tend to want to be in control of everything. Giving God the reigns was huge for me. A few days later I was invited to be a health and fitness coach from a friend I new online. The thought had never crossed my mind, but my heart was telling me YES.. that I needed to do it. 

It's been an amazing year of blessing other women through health and fitness. I have seen so many wonderful transformations, on the inside and out, but for every 1 success story, there are many more that were stories of struggle and of defeat. I've heard women pour their hearts out to me about their insecurities, their self hatred, or simply their lack of time to take care of themselves. I've encouraged and supported broken women and my heart just pours out for them in my prayers. I know that if they commit to me and do the work I can help them loose the weight they want to loose, but often times their hurt is so much deeper than that. I KNOW that God can fix all of that, that he has this amazing plan for them and it doesn't involve self hatred. God is freedom! Freedom of food addictions, body image issues and insecurities. GOD is the ANSWER and that is why I'm here. God is transforming my life, my body and my heart and I know he wants to do that for you as well. I'm here to hold your hand and encourage you as you find out who you are in Jesus Christ!  Lets Begin... <3