Team Beachbody Guest

How many times per month, per week, or even per day do you hear, or do you say to yourself, ‘I am so stressed out!’ We all know stress is a part of life, but have you every stopped to ask yourself what exactly is stress? Even more, why are we all so stressed out most of the time?

Have you ever stopped to realize that stress is no more than a feeling? Even though the dictionary will tell you that stress is a non-specific response to any type of demand, I think you can agree with me that we feel stress. Now the question becomes why we are feeling stressed? And why as adults do we categorize so many of our feelings as stress?

When we are children we are permitted to have a wide spectrum of emotions. No one thinks twice of an emotional break-down in the ice cream isle…when it’s a three year old. If a 35 year-old had a tantrum in the ice cream isle I guarantee they would get a ride in a car decorated with flashing lights.

Why is that when we are children we are allowed to feel and express our emotions but as we grow older we are told “suck it up,  “you’re too big to cry,” or the worst of all “you shouldn’t feel that way.” Just because we grow another year older does each birthday take away our right to our emotions?

But I digress…

Try to remember the last time you felt stressed. Perhaps, dear reader, you found yourself at that particular time were you hungry, angry, lonely, and/or tired. Often times we will feel more stressed or easily stressed when we find ourselves too hungry, too angry, too lonely, and/or too tired. If you take each of the first syllables of each of those factors we can created the word HALT; HALT—to cease or stop. A simple acronym that can help you stop what you are doing to identify your feelings and reduce your stress levels daily.

Your challenge this month is to do just that, HALT when you are feeling stressed. First ask yourself if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Then ask yourself why you are feeling that way. You may just find yourself less stressed once you allow yourself to have emotions—after all isn’t that what makes us human?

When it comes to exercise, everyone likes something different. I firmly believe that to make fitness a part of your lifestyle you have to do what you like. If you push yourself to do an activity you do not enjoy, looking forward to and sticking with your workouts will be almost impossible.

I also believe that not all types of exercise fall under a “one-size-fits-all” prescription. Just because your best friend has had success with a specific workout does not mean that you will see that same success. Your body composition and genetics are different, your dietary habits may be polar opposites, or you may absolutely hate this amazing workout your friend can’t live without. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great workout—it’s just not the right workout for you. Finding the right workout for your body and your mind is a key component when turning fitness into a part of your lifestyle.

That being said, I do believe in stepping outside the box when it comes to exercising on a regular basis. Having a firm foundation of an activity you enjoy is what helps you maintain an active lifestyle. Losing weight, improving your fitness level, and achieving a goal requires you to step up to the next level. Trying new activities is what will take you the extra mile.

Did you know, after four weeks of participating in any fitness endeavor, you body adjusts to the physical demands and begins to perform more efficiently? While efficiency is key, efficiency also means that it takes your body less energy and fewer calories to exercise then when you first started. In order to keep your calorie burn high and results accumulating you must become a fan of change. Changing the amount of weight you use, repetitions you complete, how long you work out, the intensity of your workout, and the type of workout are all ways to apply what we fitness gurus call the overload principle.

Applying the overload principle to your workouts will not only help you break through plateaus but will also keep your workouts interesting. Trying new things should become exciting! As you challenge yourself, exercises that used to seem impossible will become part of your regular activities—you will surprise yourself with how much you can accomplish as long as you make the decision to step outside the box. You just might find the perfect workout for you!

For the second year I traveled to California at the beginning of August for a fitness conference. Last year said conference changed my life. I left the West Coast with a plan to stop doing so much for others and start doing more for myself. It challenged me to look at my goals in life and to align what I was doing with what I wanted for my future. I sit typing this more at peace with my professional and personal life, knowing that each day where I am now is putting me in closer reach to my ultimate goals. After so many earth-shattering (for me) breakthroughs last year, I did not know what to expect out of my visit to the Golden State this time around. What I came home with this year may be even more powerful than in 2008.

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I have many things from my past that I have a hard time forgetting. Experiences that I just can’t seem to let go of that haunt my personal and professional growth. At times I can dwell on these people from my past, the things they said or did…the things I have said or done. There are days I let the “junk in my trunk” crush the dreams and visions I hold so dear to my heart.

A fitness conference, you must think all I did was workout. You couldn’t be further from the truth. Last Friday I sat in a room of more than 300 people to listen to Craig Holiday present to us about “Hand Me Downs.” His message I share with you: “There are things from our past that we will never forget…but you can learn how to deal…you have to clean out your trunk to overcome the struggle, to learn, and move forward. Once you clean out your trunk you can learn how to deal with the junk differently…but don’t pass it on, deal with it, and make a change.” Then he said, “You have to forgive yourself because there are so many people that just won’t change.”—Craig Holiday

Wow. What powerful words to hear on a Friday afternoon. I sat there thinking about the junk in my trunk and the things in my life I need to let go of. It hit me like a brick, letting go of the haunts of my past so my dreams and visions can continue to move me forward each and every day. You may be sitting there with a heart that cannot trust. Perhaps you are scared to be yourself because you don’t think anyone will accept you. Maybe you hide behind extra weight because it makes you feel safe. What are you holding on to?

Here’s what I want you to do. Go and buy a simple helium balloon, it can be any color. On that balloon I want you to take a sharpie and write what you are going to let go of--today. Go outside and hold that balloon next to your heart and forgive yourself for holding on for so long and when you are ready…let it go. Watch your balloon rise into the air. Maybe it will blow so far you can’t see it, maybe it will pop…but the important thing is that now you can move on. You are no longer defined by the “junk in your trunk.” 

Each day most of us adhere to a schedule. We wake up at a certain time, eat breakfast at a certain time, we have meetings at a certain time, and the day goes on. It’s amazing the answer you’ll get when you take the time to really look at your schedule; what makes up most of your day? Don’t be shocked when you realize you spend your days running errands and completing tasks for everyone but yourself. All too often we as individuals put so many other things first before we take care of ourselves. Herein a dangerous downward spiral lies. When it comes to everyday life, why aren’t we all taking more time to take care of our own personal health and wellbeing?

Time is the number one barrier that people list when it comes to diet and exercise. There are millions of claims that there is just not enough time in the day to fit in a healthy lifestyle. Whenever anyone tells me they do not have the time to exercise I have to disagree. Every one of us has 24 hours in a day. It’s the way we choose to organize our days that may seem like it’s impossible to live a healthy lifestyle. Yet there is a cure so simple, scheduling yourself into your day.

That’s right, I said it…you have to schedule time for yourself each and every day. Why aren’t we all ready doing that? I’m sure you can agree if we can’t keep ourselves healthy then we can’t keep running around like chickens with our heads cut off for other people. Listen to me when I tell you that you are not being selfish when you take time out of your day for yourself. When you take that time to exercise you are going to be a better person because that time you take for yourself. Your behavior is going to change and your attitude to going to become more and more positive. People around you are going to notice a difference and they are going to wonder what you’ve been up to.

Challenge yourself to begin to take time each day just for yourself. During that time don’t think about the grocery list, the big pile of laundry, what you are going to make for dinner…think about your personal goals, how you can make yourself the person you want to be inside and out…be a little selfish! The first step is scheduling it in, so if you don’t have a planner now is the time to go out and get one!

Make sure that your family and friends know how important the time you schedule for yourself means to you. Once they see how much better you feel and how much more positive your actions will be, they will want to help you make sure you get that time to yourself! In turn you can pay it forward and help someone else take a timeout once you have finished. Life is all about balance and a balanced life means taking a time out every day just for little ol’ you.