Aiming High- Goal Setting

GOALS are the structure to a successful future. They are the things that push us when we have had enough. Goals are what making everything worth doing. Whether you call the Goals, Plans, Resolutions, or etc. You are creating something you want to accomplish.

There are RIGHT and WRONG ways to create goals. You never wanna go over board and create a goal that is unrealistic, like climbing Mt. Everest, when you have never even owned a pair of tennis shoes.    Be REAL- this is between you, an what you want for yourself! You must always set obtainable goals. When you set your self up for unrealistic goals, thats when they end up failing. I always like to aim high, but I also have a structure to my goal setting and here it is:

Make a short list of things you want to accomplish this year. You can create a spread sheet, write it in a notebook, or just put it on post it notes. The only key here is to place them somewhere that they will constantly be a reminder of what you have originally decided on accomplishing this year. Remember this is a short list. So dont go crazy, you only have 1 year to reach these goals. I always still like to aim high, but I always make sure they are goals that are attainable within a year. Always take account what is already going on in your life too, if your working 2+ jobs, or have kids, or travel alot, or are a student, or etc, these goals must be able to fit in your currently lifestyle. Yes, the point is to make a change, but you cannot just suddenly drop everything to go after your goal. (If you can, more props to YOU!) Here is an example of my goals for this year:

•  Compete in my first figure show
•  Petition/Get accepted for Nursing Clinicals
•  Do a Fitness photoshoot

Those are my 3 main goals for 2012. I suggest having no more than 3-8 big goals. The amount of goals you have are completly up to you, just make sure you set yourself up to complete all your yearly goals.

Next are steps to making these goals a reality. Now, we really start breaking these goals down. Answer the who, what, where, when, why, how questions. By answering these questions you have now began to develope your plan.

Putting your plan into action. Now we must begin to put these goals into action so at the end of the year you can check off each goal. I like to constantly create new small goals every month that ofcourse apply to my original goal. Doing these short term goals will be more exciting and rewarding, because you can see your progress within a smaller amount of time. This is also how you can keep yourself motivated. You can have daily goals(no desert today), weekly goals(I'll get to the gym everyday this week), and/or monthly goals(I want to gain/loose 4lbs). Either way, WRITE them all down. By writing these down they become more of a reality, and you are more likely to accomplish them. You can also tell someone about your goal(s). I love this, I always tell someone about my goal, it creates a sense of responsibility then, like they are going to hold you accountable as well. Be careful who you tell though, there are many who will break you down, dont let them! If this happens to you, just say I'll show you, and continue with the plan. Whatever you choose to do, just always keep your eye on the prize and work towards your goals daily!

My Journey: From THEN to NOW

Where I began my Fitness journey.

This journey began a few years ago, when I realized that food and drink weren't just fillin me up, they were fattening me up- and always being a thin girl, I wasnt having that! A picture of me taken on a beach in California was my "wake up call". I couldn't believe the way I let my self go. I had become "skinny fat"!!! Gross! So since I had an epiphany about my skinny fat self, I didnt let the problem get any worse. I immediatly got into a gym, and bought a diet journal.

Purchasing a diet journal was the begining of a New Me. This was by far the best thing I have ever bought myself, and I would have never thought then that it would change my life forever. Journaling everything I put into my mouth not only helped me understand what I was taking in calorie wise, but it began an serious interest in FOOD, and what it can do for the body. I quickly became obsessed with learning about nutrition, I watched documentaries, read books, did research, followed different diets, learned all sorts of interesting ways diet can alter the human body! Everything from cancer, to fat loss, to muscle building, to mood altering, it intrigued me, and I continue to learn about how much of what we eat affects the way we perform.

While I was learning about food, I went through many of phases. I started a junky (what I call a junk food eater), then I turned vegetarian, with the occasionally veganism, and I am now a clean eater (which I will explain in later post). I have put my body through the ringer when it comes to food, and I am here to tell you eating a clean and balanced diet is not only the healthiest way to eat, it is also the way to get ripped!

Anyhow, we will get into nutrition more later on... Now on to what the gym did for me.

I had some friends who were into fitness and I began going to a local gym that a friend of mine was managing at the time. It was great, and its where I met alot of people who influenced me, inspired me, and ultimatly changed my life.

This was no fancy gym, it was a World Gym, and unfortunatly is now no more, but this will always be the gym that made me into what I am now. I went through many changes there, and through tons of challenges, lots of failures, and a ton of learning. I was so lucky to have so many great friends eager to help me learn and teach me new things, without them, I might not be where I am today. They were my support group!

When I started I admit I was extremely nervous and intimidated, and like most woman, I of course headed straight to the cardio equipment. I also thought that lifting weights was going to make me bulky, all that quickly changed and I began feeling more comfortable in the gym. I researched workouts and learned the what-where-when-why about working out. I decided to set a goal, and I love challenges so of course I aimed high. Me not being a runner, ever, decided I was going to run a 1/2 marathon! I began training for 5 months. I did this journey completly by myself, it was one of the hardest things I have personally done, and also one of my greatest accomplishments thus far! I knew I hated cardio and running, so it was of course very hard. I never gave up, and I ran the entire 13.1 miles in 2 hours 20 minutes and 33 seconds!  I did it, I completed my first fitness goal! Next on the list was to become a personal trainer, and I now Manage and Train at a fitness faucility in Oak Creek, WI.  Now I am working towards my first figure competition!

I obtain a goal and I not only accomplish these goals, I help others along the way... I continue to learn and be inspired as well, I want to share my journey to my first figure competition with you, along with tips on nutrition, dieting, training, workouts, clothing, and much more.

I was inspired to start this fitness blog by a good friend who says I inspire her. Together we all inspire eachother-