Thoughts Chronically Fit People Never Have

There are very distinct mindsets that differentiate those who are chronically fit and those who wish to be, and I want to call them out here.

This isn’t to make anyone feel bad but rather to create an eye-opening conversation that can help you shift your current thoughts.

So, check these out and note any differences that you might be experiencing:

1. They don’t dread their workouts. Even fit people aren’t super excited for every single workout, but there’s no sense of dread or pain around the idea of exercise. They appreciate what their bodies are capable of and the feeling of getting stronger.

2. They don’t put pressure on themselves to suffer through hours of cardio. Unless, it’s personal preference or they’re training for a particular event, fit people know fat loss occurs best with strength training and they have also developed very efficient workout routines that don’t require hours of effort.

3. They don’t believe in restrictive calorie counting. Because that stuff just doesn’t work in the long run anyway. Instead, they find a way of eating they can sustain forever that encompasses all foods they love and prevents binging.

4. They don’t place blame. Whether it’s blaming a slow metabolism, family members and their diets, or busy schedules, fit people look for solutions so they can stay fit forever. Because there is ALWAYS a solution.

5. They don’t use their love of food or alcohol as a reason they’ll never be as fit as they want.

They know there’s a way to have it all, and they’ve found that balance.

You see, staying chronically fit doesn’t come down to a specific gene or being wired a certain way.

Most of us are on an even playing field and are given a fair shot when it comes to achieving fitness – it’s the mindset and effort that is different.

Coming Home To Your Body

There’s such a strong message in the world about what your body should look like, and it can create an unimaginable heaviness inside of us and chronic feelings about not being good enough.

Perhaps you’ve experienced this?

I know I have. And you might be thinking – “But you’re a fitness professional! How is that possible?”

Oh, but it is! The pressure and the standard is very high in my industry, so believe it or not, I absolutely relate to what you might be experiencing. And I want to introduce this idea that brings me so much peace…

It’s the idea of coming home to your body and to yourself.

It’s where you honor, nourish, love, and appreciate the body you’ve been given.

It’s where you actively and regularly identify things about yourself that you absolutely love.

It’s where you take pride in the things you do to take care of yourself – exercise, eat well, rest…

It’s where you become part of a community of people all working toward finding that home and feeling peace with their bodies.

More than anything, it’s about releasing judgement, guilt, and negativity toward yourself.

Find Peace In The Struggle

Life is a combination of every emotion under the sun. We live for the moments of happiness, joy, excitement, and all of the wonderful things that energize us, inspire us, and make us feel complete. But what about the tough stuff? Broken relationships, body disappointment, poor health and disease, financial struggles… I believe that some of the most powerful growth experiences of our lives will always come from our struggles. We won’t necessarily appreciate that struggle in the moment. In fact, we might hate it and wonder why something so awful is happening to us. But there’s a lesson and opportunity for growth under it all. When you feel these intense struggles throughout your life remember… …Thousands or millions of other people have also experienced this struggle and you are not alone. …Life is cyclical and better times are coming. …You can become curious about the circumstance rather than fill yourself full of fear and worry. Seek meaning and lessons. …And simply know that you are up-leveling as person in some way. You will be stronger, better prepared, and a more solid individual from this experience. I know that it’s hard to see opportunities in struggle, but I promise, if you can shift your perspective, not only will the struggle be easier to manage, but the experience also won’t be nearly as painful. The only thing we can really control in life is how we react to things. Manage this well and so much changes.

5 Steps For Leveling-Up Your Mindset

The perspective from which I want to discuss this topic today has to do with cultivating a mindset that

actually allows you to reach your goals. It’s easy to get fed up with your current situation – whether it be weight, a job, finances, a relationship, or otherwise – and say to yourself “I’m done! Things are about to change!” But then they don’t.

Because that moment of inspiration from frustration is fleeting.

A month, a year, and 5 years go by and things are still the same…

…unless you create a new mindset that will allow you to follow through all the way to success.

Here are 5 steps you can take to do just that:

1. Identify your past mistakes. Chances are that this thing you want to change…well, it’s not the

first time you’ve thought of tackling it. So go back and take note of why you weren’t successful

in the past.

2. Create small goals to achieve along the way. If you’v got a pretty big goal, it can feel like you’re

standing at the base of Mount Everest. Overwhelm will not be helpful in getting to your

destination, so setting smaller goals to work toward that ultimately add up to the big goal is

important for maintaining your motivation.

3. Stay flexible in your pursuit. Plans don’t always work out like we want them to. Life throws us

challenges. Most people quit as soon as things get in their way. You cannot! Be ready to adapt

as you move forward.

4. Stay inspired. The initial burst of inspiration you get to take action won’t last forever, so you

have to find ways to keep the inspiration. Some suggestions can be creating a vision board,

having an accountability circle of others who keep you on track, or listening to/reading things

that inspire you every day.

5. Engage in a daily routine. Whether it’s journaling, reading, writing or saying affirmations,

visualization, or a combination of all of them, having a daily routine centered around personal

growth will absolutely keep you on track in pursuit of your goals.

This is a formula, not a pick-and-choose, so it’s important that you do all of the above!

How Being Strong Makes Life Better

Remember back in the day when doing cardio was all the rage?
As you may be aware, the strength movement has exploded over the past decade.
I always tell my clients that cardio is good for your heart but not really for changing your body.
Basically, cardio alone will make you a smaller version of the shape you already are. And if changing
the shape of your body and shedding fat is something you desire, then weight training is where it´s at!
But there are even more incredible benefits to being strong…
1. It improves your hormonal balance. If you’re struggling with fat loss, energy, cravings, and
more, this is so important!
2. It boosts your confidence. Trust me on this one! How you look transforms but so does how you
FEEL!
3. It protects your bones. Strength training actually increases bone density, decreasing your risk
for many age-related diseases.
4. It decreases your risk of injury. When you’re strong, you can more easily complete daily tasks
like bending and lifting.
5. Your posture will improve. Enough said! You’ll have less pain and good posture just looks
better!
6. You can rely on yourself. Whether you need to store a suitcase overhead on a plane or carry in
8 grocery bags at once, having physical independence and not asking anyone for help is an
incredible gift to give yourself.
The key to getting all of the amazing benefits related to strength training, however, is doing it properly
and progressively.
And that just happens to be our specialty here at FullCircle Fitness.
So, if you’re ready to transform from the outside in, let’s chat. Feel free to email us at trainfullcircle@gmail.com!

5 steps for up-leveling your mindset

The perspective from which I want to discuss this topic today has to do with cultivating a mindset that

actually allows you to reach your goals.

It’s easy to get fed up with your current situation – whether it be weight, a job, finances, a relationship

or otherwise – and say to yourself “I’m done! Things are about to change!”

But then they don’t.

Because that moment of inspiration from frustration is fleeting.

A month, a year, and 5 years go by and things are still the same…

…unless you create a new mindset that will allow you to follow through all the way to success.

Here are 5 steps you can take to do just that:

1. Identify your past mistakes. Chances are that this thing you want to change…well, it’s not the

first time you’ve thought of tackling it. So go back and take note of why you weren’t successful

in the past.

2. Create small goals to achieve along the way. If you’v got a pretty big goal, it can feel like you’re

standing at the base of Mount Everest. Overwhelm will not be helpful in getting to your

destination, so setting smaller goals to work toward that ultimately add up to the big goal is

important for maintaining your motivation.

3. Stay flexible in your pursuit. Plans don’t always work out like we want them to. Life throws us

challenges. Most people quit as soon as things get in their way. You cannot! Be ready to adapt

as you move forward.

4. Stay inspired. The initial burst of inspiration you get to take action won’t last forever, so you

have to find ways to keep the inspiration. Some suggestions can be creating a vision board,

having an accountability circle of others who keep you on track, or listening to/reading things

that inspire you every day.

5. Engage in a daily routine. Whether it’s journaling, reading, writing or saying affirmations,

visualization, or a combination of all of them, having a daily routine centered around personal

growth will absolutely keep you on track in pursuit of your goals.

This is a formula, not a pick-and-choose, so it’s important that you do all of the above!

And if you’re ready to take the next step and tackle your fitness and nutrition differently, then come on by for your free fitness consultation and let’s see how we can help.

Challenge your truth

Have you ever wondered where your beliefs come from and why you believe certain things about life and the world to be true? If not, that’s ok, but I want you to keep an open mind for me as you read this…

You see, many of the belief systems we have aren’t our own. They are imposed on us by parents, society, cultures, etc… For example, what defines a successful life for most people is the traditional story – go to school, get a great job, have a beautiful family, work hard until you can retire, then kick back and enjoy life.

Today more than ever that belief is being challenged. People are beginning to crave a different narrative. But that’s been the predominant one for over a century. Another example closer related to what I do is the common belief that people just don’t have time for exercise or preparing healthy meals. But what’s true is that other people with just as busy of a schedule do find the time. So, if the belief system around time was true, no two people with the same type of schedule should be able to find the time to take care of themselves… Of course, the time belief system we are using here as an example is faulty and false. I hope this is making sense.

Today I want to challenge you… Write down 5 beliefs that you have that hold you back from achieving the healthy life you desire. Even if right now you believe the excuse or thought is 100% legit. Then, ask yourself – “What else is possible? Is this really true?” When your beliefs are deeply rooted by habit and by the people who surround you, it can be very hard to break free from them. But with effort, it’s possible. I promise you that any thought you’re holding on to that keeps you from creating the life and the body you desire is a false truth no matter how real it feels right now. Challenging your beliefs and the meaning you give them is one of the first steps to taking new action to create change in your life.

Please email us and let us know what the 5 beliefs you came up with are and how we can help guide you towards a healthier life.

Why counting calories doesn’t work

If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably counted calories. And if you're a woman, you've probably fixated yourself on consuming 1,200 calories per day. (Weird fact: the majority of women I've spoken to about how many calories she thinks she should eat per day says 1,200 for no apparent reason). It seems like women have just "heard" over the years this is the goal number, but I digress....

So, here's my straight to the point list on why calorie counting doesn't work:

1. You probably don't know your RMR (resting metabolic rate). This is what your body needs to function and stay alive. Without this baseline, everything is just guessing.

2. Food labels are off by as much as 25% in either direction - that's a HUGE variance!

3. Your gym equipment is also off by as much as 25% (or more in some cases) with how many calories it's telling you you've burned. (Between this and the food labels we could be off by 50%!)

4. We all process and absorb food differently.

5. 3,500 calories isn't 1 pound of fat. Not all calories are equal. This thought process sets you up for failure.

As you can imagine, it can feel like you're doing "everything right" and still not losing the weight. How discouraging! This frustration is what often makes us think our metabolisms are broken, or we decide to resort to some crash diet, a million supplements, or even HCG injections.

Here's what you need to know:

1. The more you crash diet or lose and gain weight, the less calories you need to survive, so essentially your RMR goes down. Your body is adaptive like that. So no more crash dieting, ok? :)

2. Focus on eating protein, fibrous carbs like fruits and veggies, good fats, and some high quality starchy carbs. Not only will you naturally decrease the number of calories you're consuming while staying more full, but you'll simultaneously increase the number of calories your body actually needs to digest the food!

3. Unless you're training for a competition, you don't need carb or calorie cycling, special diets, or beat down workouts 5 days per week to lose weight. You need the right consistent efforts over time and a little patience.

4. Don't compare yourself to others. The body is a crazy unique thing, so what your friend is doing likely won't have the exact same effect on you...expect it and focus on YOU.

5. Weight loss truly occurs through a balance of good nutrition, strength and cardio training (I'll show you how to do them together in minimal time!), proper sleep, stress management, hormonal balance, and hydration. So unsexy but so true.

It's heartbreaking for me to watch so many people struggle because of the wrong approach.

Self-compassion also plays a HUGE role in fat loss, so be sure to speak kindly to yourself always.

6 Strategies for Healthy, Quick, & Convenient Dinners

The biggest obstacle I hear from the people I coach is that they “just don’t have time.”  People are SO busy today with work, families, managing a house, and the million other things that come up.

So it’s too often that they find themselves grabbing food for convenience – food that not only doesn’t serve their bodies but that also ends up negatively impacting the family and their waistlines.  This leads to further guilt and a vicious cycle begins.

It breaks my heart to see these ​smart, hard-working, and deserving people go down the rabbit hole of convenience because they just don’t know another way.  So, I’m here to help! 🙂

Check out my strategies for ​healthy, fast, and convenient ​dinners (or whichever meal you choose!):

You make it:

1. Pre-cook proteins, pre-wash and chop veggies.  You can do this 1-2 times a week depending on time.  I’m a fan of the Sunday Ritual, where you prep and portion for the entire week.  How to do this:  Simply grill or bake enough protein to sustain dinner each week.  You can prep the veggies to be prepared on the spot in the evening before dinner or in advance like the protein.  Heck, throw it all on the grill!

2. Purchase pre-chopped veggies.  If to the first point you were thinking…”Yeah, but the part I HATE is washing and chopping!”  Pretty much every grocery store sells vegetables that are ready to throw in a pan, in the oven, or on a grill.  It’ll typically cost you a little bit more, but it’s worth it if this is what it takes to make the right choice.

3. The 10 minute, minimal effort meal.  This is one of my favorite strategies!  It’s as simple as this:  Rotisserie chicken, steam in a bag veggies, and wrapped microwavable sweet potato.  Serve the chicken, grab 1-2 cups of veggies for your plate out of the bag (season if you like), and eat half the potato with a pat of grassfed butter.  And you’ve got leftovers!

4. Crock Pot meals.  It doesn’t get much easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients in a crock pot in the morning then coming home to a fully prepared meal (and a house that smells awesome).  Also requires minimal clean up!  This is definitely easy to make in large portions, so you’ve got leftovers!

Still not quite going to work?  Here are my GRAB AND GO strategies!

5.  Hit the hot bar.  Have a grocery store like Whole Foods nearby?  Chances are they have an awesome hot bar!  

6.  Healthy take-out.  This is easier to find than you think. With delivery apps like UberEats & GrubHub you can literally get your favorite restaurant foods delivered right to your door. I would recommend ordering extra so you can get a few servings out of it too, then you’ve got lunch for the next day!

Believe me, I am all about convenience when it comes to food, so I always suggest making more than you need so you’ve got left overs!

And when, I cook, I keep it SUPER SIMPLE!  Check out one of my go-to’s with this Beef Stir Fry:

1lb ground beef
1 medium onion
1 large bell pepper (any color)
1 tbsp coconut oil
salt & pepper to taste

Heat a sauté pan to medium high.  Add coconut oil and let it melt.  Add the onion and let it start to turn translucent.  Add the bell peppers.  Let cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook to desired temperature.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I usually throw this in a bowl and eat it as is.  This makes about 3-4 servings for me. You can also serve this with about a half cup of quinoa!  How is easy is that!? Under 15 minutes!

Give it a try and let me know how you like it!

Sugar: A Loving Tribute

It’s no secret that sugar is bad for us. It feeds disease, impacts your brain, messes with your energy, and makes people fat. It rots your teeth and can affect your skin.

Aside from the short bursts of energy it gives and the way it sets off the pleasure sensors in your brain, there are really no good things about consuming sugar.

But I’m not here to tell you to stop eating it.

Because seriously… you’re not going to and neither am I.

Not only is sugar added to far more foods than you even realize, but it’s also delicious.

And if you know me at all, you know I’m about making fitness and health as easy as possible.

If I tell you to stop having sugar, it’s all you’re going to think about (like any other food you’ve ever tried to eliminate from your diet).

Is it possible to give it up and go sugar-free? For the small few, sure. But for most, it’s just not realistic in the world we live in today.

And since we know it’s really not great for us, and I’m assuming you’d prefer to avoid cancer, diabetes, etc. at all costs, I want to help you set some parameters for yourself today that will enable you to continue enjoying sugar with balance.

Here are my top tips for maintaining a loving relationship with sugar in the healthiest way possible:

1.     Drink only sugar-free beverages

2.     Avoid artificial sweeteners – you should do this for a variety of reasons. The one I’m addressing here is the fact that artificial sweeteners actually increase sugar cravings, making it harder to maintain moderation.

3.     Avoid UNNECESSARY sugars – if you think salad dressings and tomato sauces, for example, require sugar to taste good, you’re so wrong! Look for or create sugar-free options where it’s obviously unneeded.

4.     Try fruit before dessert. I’m not going to lie to you and say fruit is the same as dessert, because I know there’s a big difference between a strawberry and a slice of chocolate cake. But see if you can use fruit to kill your dessert cravings before you dive into indulgence.

5.     Clean up your environment. It’s common for many homes and offices to have bowls of single pieces of candy lying around or a cabinet stocked with “treats for the kids.” We mindlessly reach for them multiple times per day…and you know how fast that adds up! So, get rid of ‘em!

6.     Plan for massive sugar indulgences. Maybe your mom is making your favorite pie, or it’s your birthday, or a special trip/holiday are coming up. Those are the times to go all in and overdo it. Not a random Saturday on a whim.