Week 3 Challenge - Dealing With "Life Happens"

Well here we are at the END of week 3 and I am just now posting your weekly challenge.  My apologies.  As you all know life sometimes gets in the way of your daily goals/tasks.  That's what happened to me this week.  I celebrated a birthday, had company in town, training for a half marathon, playing soccer, working, writing blogs...the list goes on of things I did in the last 7 days.  So what do you do when "life happens"?  This week's challenge is to learn how to deal with these unexpected setbacks/problems/adventures.

Maybe you are on your weigh-loss journey.  Maybe you've met your goal and now you are in the "maintenance" phase.  Maybe you are just trying to get by each day, one step at a time.  Wherever you are in your life journey, it's important to learn how to handle the small stuff.  Sometimes life hands you a big pile of you-know-what right in the middle of your journey.  Don't let that deter you from working towards your goal(s). Check out a previous blog on setbacks.  In a small attempt to be cheeky, take everything with a grain of salt.  Stay focused on your goal and keep pushing forward.  Rearrange your schedule when life happens to schedule a little "me-time".  Whether that "me-time" is a workout, a manicure/pedicure, a massage, a walk in the park, or just a good ol' fashioned scream and cry, be sure to have that time for you.  Remember, whatever life hands you (good or bad), it's only a small step in your big journey.

So how do you deal with these stressors in life?  Be patient.  Your goal this week (oops, I mean weekend) is to start learning how you deal with obstacles.  If you are working towards a goal (weight loss, eating healthy, reducing stress, etc), take a few moments to jot down potential obstacles that will prevent you from meeting that goal.  Once you've completed that, think about (and write down) how you will handle those obstacles.  Planning ahead will help when life deals you an obstacle.  You know the Boy Scouts' motto..."Always Be Prepared".  Why not adopt that in your life?  Be prepared for obstacles.  Be prepared for changes to your goal.  Be prepared to step up and not let life get in your way.

Good luck with this challenge and remember, post your comments/thoughts/struggles on our Facebook page or at the end of this blog.  Til next week........

Weight Loss Tips (Part 1)

Meet Carrie Covington...

Hi, I’m Carrie.  I have been working out for 20 years now and in the industry as a fitness professional for 17 years with a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Kentucky.  In 2001, I became a founding partner of PROMATx Health Club.  Working in several different gyms in Lexington, we saw that the industry catered to the fit more than the unfit.  PROMATx was founded to provide a non-intimidating, friendly, and family-oriented atmosphere where real people feel comfortable to workout.  It was our mission to provide this space so that lives can be changed and memberships are used instead of wasted.  My personal passion is to help empower women to find freedom from the mental exhaustion that comes from counting calories in versus calories out, comparing their body to others, and most of all missing out on LIFE!  Over the years, I have watched countless women search for the "secret formula" to weight loss success.  They look for an easy solution that will melt away the pounds without changing the way they eat, the way they think, or by adding more activity.  As a former searcher I can tell you there is NO SECRET! Weight loss is hard and permanent weight loss is about changing everything. During the month of September, I will be coaching you and sharing my top 5 tips to stop the search for the secret to “get and stay skinny” and commit to a lifestyle change. 

Tip #1:  Weight loss is NOT mindless.  It is actually the opposite…it is very mindful.  You must have a plan and you must follow the plan to see results.  Once you have a plan you need to think through all the obstacles that WILL come.  Life doesn’t always go how we plan so having strategies for the obstacles that come is a must.  I suggest looking back on the past attempts to lose weight and see what kept you from success as well as think ahead to what obligations you have.  Make a list and have a plan to execute when life doesn’t go as planned.  The more time you spend on the plan the more empowered you will feel when you overcome an obstacle to your success.

Stay tuned later this week for another "Tip from Carrie".