What is your WHY?

Come back to this WHY from time to time. It's easy to get into a routine (which is amazing!) but to narrow your focus, and hone in on your goal it is important to have a clear cut reason for why you do what you do.

For me, it started as an extracurricular activity - school sports. It then became a routine... I would rather be active than not. Now, I know the feeling I get when I push my body, when I reach a goal or when I challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone. It's worth the sacrifice. My why is striving for excellence physically, which I believe then transfers over to ALL aspects of my life.

September Fitness Goals

Setting 4 fitness and personal goals for September. Announcing them to the blogworld to hold myself accountable!

1. Experiment with pumpkin spice for shakes and gluten-free fridays!



I enjoyed my first pumpkin spice tea this morning. Nice and relaxing amongst the craziness that is the morning rush hour commute.

2. Expand my palate with new foods like this one:


Click to learn more.

Looks pretty interesting as a "rice substitute" and as something to eat to keep cals low when I am hungry (late night snack attack). Soy-free, gluten-free and calorie free and boasting numerous health benefits, this is something I want to test out and research to see if it will be making regular appearances in my diet.

3. Try a new recreational activity - rock climbing? Paddle boarding? Boxing?





5. Take Sunday afternoons off to watch Football.



I have mentioned before how tough I find it to just sit and do nothing. I feel so unproductive! I always want to be making progress on something.. However, the NFL, and specifically the Baltimore Ravens deserve 4-5hours of my time on Sundays, and I intend to give it to them. Don't call, don't text... but feel free to come over and watch the game with me! :)

What goals have you set for September? How are you holding yourself accountable?

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.

I am mo-ti-vated today! I am inspired. If you visited me at home, you would think I was ready to take on the world.
Every fibre in my body is excited!

It might be the huge transformations I've seen this week in Arlene (down 15 inches, 4lbs), my Dad (down 30lbs in just 10 weeks) among many, many others.....

It could be the verbal commitment many people have made to their health and fitness by setting goals of completing their first 5k, 10k or half marathon, a weight loss goal and the like....

Perhaps it's seeing my friend take the first step to entering a fitness competition, after thinking about it for ages!

Or maybe it's a former teammate who just became a teacher and is using her education to help her friends and family get to better health.

You have all inspired and motivated me to make April the most successful month!
I will commit to my school, training and work goals. I will surpass expectations. I will be successful.




 
Make April YOUR month, too.
It's not the blowing of the wind, it's the set of the sail..."
 
If you have been hesitating on beginning a journey - take the first step today.
If you have been dissatifisfied with an aspect of your life - make a change.
If you need help getting there, ask for help.
 
Whatever your ambitions are, you have the ways and means to do it. GO!
 
If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.
 
Thank you all for making this week so great, and I can't wait for my mind to be blown when even more goals are achieved!

What I did on vacation.

You want to know what I did on vacation?




Haha Ok, besides pretending to be a Victoria's Secret Model.

I took it easy.

Shocked? I was!

In all the vacations I have ever taken, I have always stuck to a strict regimen of working out and good nutrition. Many times, I would go on vacation in the middle of a half-marathon training program, or prior to a bball tourney, so I couldn't afford to miss a week of training, or drink alcohol.

This time was different. I had worked very hard prior to leaving for Dominican and was feeling the effects of my rigourous half-marathon and strength training schedule, exam schedule and different work and research projects. I was mentally and physically fatigued, had a sprained knee, a bruised nose and my brain was fried.... my motivation was beginning to dwindle.

My week still consisted of physical activity - tennis, beach workouts, and a couple light runs. I also still had a shake here and there, I stuck to water/vodka if I did drink, and had a slew of veggies with each meal.... but compared to my regular routine, I eased up! And I convinced myself not to feel guilty about it.

Naturally, when I returned, I was 110% motivated to get back to my regular routine. Starting Monday, I began my second 90-Day challenge and began back into a 10k training program. It has been 5 days of focus and determination and here is what I have to show for it!

Monday post-vacation weight:

Friday: 4 days back to normal fitness routine:

*note: first weigh-in was after a flight, so weight is higher due to water retention in addition to my week-long vacation. Next picture was taken in the morning after breakfast.

The body needs a break, and you deserve to have fun. Work hard, play hard. Set your fitness goals, your nutrition goals, and stick to them - but allow yourself to get the rest time your body needs to recover, know that it is OK to get off track once in a while, and that you will come back to your goals refocused and more motivated.

HAPPY. HEALTHY. WEALTHY. SUCCESSFUL.

This is a phrase I have said to myself for as long as I can remember.

"I wish to be happy, healthy, wealthy and successful."

These words stimulate my desire to word hard, they keep me motivated when things look bleak, and they boost me up knowing that with every decision I make, step I take and interaction I have, it is contributing to 1 of these 4 important words to me.

In my life, I have often set goals. But simply setting a goal, just stating I want something is not where I stop. No, the words stick with me in my head, written on paper, or as a reminder on my mirror - but each day those words push me to take ACTION. Similar to the goal I had in grade 9, which was to be inducted into the "hall of fame" for athletics in my high school, to have my name painted on the gym wall for everyone to see, for my kids to one day see! I had that goal from day 1, and every day worked hard at playing a sport for my high school, every summer sacrificed parties and other things teenagers do to go to sports camp, and play on teams and train.... and every team, even badminton, I tried out for and gave my best. In the end, stating my goal - and then taking action - allowed me to accomplish it.

So I ask you - do those words inspire you? Do you want to be HAPPY, HEALTHY, WEALTHY and SUCCESSFUL?
I leave you with this advice to incorporate into your day.

1. BE HAPPY - be the person that other people want to be around. Make someone's day a little bit better - be the person that the cashier at the grocery store, or the gas station attendant remembers as being extraordinarily nice - as they are used to being ignored, or worse.
2. BE HEALTHY - exercise. eat well. laugh. take it easy.
3. WEALTH - whatever wealth is to you. keep working away at it, give it everything you've got. and if you're not passionate about it, find something you are passionate about. "do what you love and the money will come" - Tim Cain.
4. BE SUCCESSFUL - Set a goal for today. Set a goal for tomorrow... a month... a year. Big or small, there is no feeling better than the feeling of accomplishment.

For me:
1. I am going to not complain about anything school-related tomorrow. I am lucky to be doing something that I love and that will give me an amazing career, and everything that comes with attending CMCC and obtaining my doctorate, I will take in stride.
2. I drink a shake every morning and prepare my meals in advance, or take a shake for lunch. I always take a walk break every 50 minutes and incorporate AT LEAST 30 mins of exercise 6x/week. Your health is the most important thing in your life, and I will never change my mind on that fact.
3. Wealth - My Dad is a smart man. I started out in a career I didn't like. My preparation as a personal trainer met luck and I have been able to make a wonderful part-time career out of training others. As long as I am doing something that I love to do, something that serves others, and allows me to play a role in others accomplishments, I will consider that wealth.
4. Be successful - similar to above. But my goals are to be successful in chiropractic, successful in training, successful in accomplishing my sport related goals and successful in promoting the ways that nutrition impacts our lives.



Please have a look at www.allicain.myvi.net . The impact that working with my Dad to regain his health has had on me has been unbelievable. I am so proud of him. Updates to come.

Core Training Video

Had an awesome time working with the Running Room 10K clinic tonight. We touched on the importance of core strength training & running, which I have summarized in this video. Hope it helps! We also sampled some Vi-Shape Shakes! Email me if you have any further questions.

www.allicain.myvi.net

Living Room Workout. Part 1