Welcome to my special guest series, Fitness Health and Happiness! Today, please welcome Angela Shaner.
Now before I really get into it, I'd like to thank Jill for asking me to Guest Post on her amazing blog, I'm honored, Thanks a million Jill!
Just this last March I starting getting into running. I have never been a long distance runner and never thought that I could do it. I'm more of sprinter and I just kept telling myself that. But I had a true desire to try & kept thinking of this quote "Few of us know what we are capable of doing… we have never pushed ourselves hard enough to find out". (~Alfred A. Montapert). I have now done my first two 5K's and a 10K and can't wait to do more. Now I truly believe You or I could do anything if we believe it and work at it! Anything is possible! I'm not the best runner out there, but the feeling of accomplishment I get after every run is amazing! It also helps me to sign up for different races, it keeps me going & improving and it's FUN! If I can run, You Can Run, and if you never thought you could, you can!! Really!
What keeps me motivated? I had always been pretty active throughout my life until I went to college and started having kids. My active level went down, down, down for a while. I always knew I needed to & that it was important, I always loved to exercise because of how I felt when I was done, but the Motivation part was difficult at the time. I started learning more about exercise and pregnancy and how important it was for me and my baby. I knew I needed to do the best I could to be in better shape for me & for my babies. I still gained 65-70 pounds during each pregnancy, Wow! But, I worked so hard to get it off!
I look back & realize how un-happy I was during the time when I was less active. I don't want to feel that way ever again! Exercise to me now is my stress relief & my mood booster. I feel happier, energized, I feel like a better wife and mother and an overall better me! That's what keeps me going. The way I feel now & the way I know I don't want to feel is what motivates me! I could go on and on about this...LOL. Most everybody knows how important exercise is for you, but do you do something about it? I want you all to get out and get active Today!!
What do I do for exercise now? I love doing the Beachbody workouts like Insanity & Turbo Fire the results are AwEsOmE and I can do them in the comfort of my own home, where my kids can join in if they want to. They see how consistent I am with exercise and how important it is to me, I'm hoping that will rub off on them and that it will automatically become a part of their everyday lives as they grow.
What's my Diet you ask? Now Jill inspires me with her amazing diet. Me, on the other hand, I have a pretty normal diet I suppose. I try to make the best choices each meal time, but I admit I am not perfect. I don't get down on myself for having a small treat or comfort food here and there, and you'll sometimes find me making some sort of goodie in the kitchen with my kids. But, I don't keep pop, chips or ice cream and things like that in the house. I try to keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand and available for snacking at all times. We also make smoothies quite often. I buy Whole Wheat/Whole Grain Breads and Pasta instead of White.
A couple key things that I try to do each day are to:
*Drink at least 8 glasses of water
*Eat at least 2 fruits and 2 veggies
*Eat small meals or snacks every 2-3 hours
*Eat within 30 minutes of waking up and 2 hours before going to bed
*Eat Lean meats, proteins and whole grains.
*Eat the best I can 80% of the time and give myself 20% on the weekends but without over doing it. :)
Something that I found recently that has kept me on track is Shakeology. To be honest I was skeptical at first. But, I'm always looking for something quick and easy to make for lunch, something that I don't have to think about, and this is packed full of the vitamins, minerals, protein and Essential Amino Acids, Antioxidants, Digestive Enzymes, Prebiotics, and Phytonutrients that I need everyday. It's got it all! It has helped curb my cravings, keep by blood sugar stabilized, keeps me full longer and I feel great! It has also helped me drop a few pounds and hey, I'm not complaining about that! I definitely believe in Shakeology! My groceries for Lunch stuff for the month is my supply of Shakeology and it's about $4 per serving. A pretty good lunch if you ask me and I don't even have to think about it. Knowing that's what I bought for my lunches for the month already also helps keep me accountable.
I definitely know that when I am eating better and trying to get in those nutrients that I need every day I feel so much better. I can tell a huge difference from when I do really great on my diet one day and not so great the next. Diet and Exercise really go hand in hand, you've heard it before and you'll hear it again, that's what works! Our bodies are something to treasure, to take care of, to want to improve each day... Health is definitely Happiness!!
That's pretty much me. It's been great to be here! I hope to hear from you and I'd be so happy if you'd come and visit me on my blog!
Great Guest Post! I'm a big beach body fan as well. I may need to try out those 2 new workouts. They look fun!!
Posted by: Nikki @ The Worth Of My Sole | July 06, 2011 at 09:17 AM
Following Time 4 Mommy. Hope you return the follow.
www.dudsordeals4moms.com
Posted by: Tiffany | July 06, 2011 at 08:06 PM
Wonderful motivation Angela!!! And I too need to research those two video series!!!
Posted by: Rani | July 06, 2011 at 08:41 PM
Hi Tiffany. Thanks for the follow! Off to visit duds or deals for mom :)
Jill Conyers
My Blog: http://jillconyers.typepad.com/
How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it. ~Robert Brault
Posted by: jillconyers | July 07, 2011 at 08:08 AM