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You Say This Is What You Want, But…

You Say It's What You Want,

I just completed my Vision board for 2016. I have done them every year since 2013 and absolutely believe in the value that having a visual representation of the “God-sized” and specific dreams for your life and what it can do to your subconscious psyche.

You can check out my “business” vision board here….

Vision Board

(there are a lot of words in my “vision”…because I’m a “words” kind of girl!).

But you know what I see when I look at this board with my big bold and audacious dreams?

Sacrifice.

That’s right, when I look at this board, I see that for every big, bold, audacious dream I want to achieve in this year, which include dreams for my business, dreams for my health, dreams for my income and my servant heart, I am ONLY going to find success in these dreams by making the right CHOICES that will allow these to be fulfilled.

Contrary to what you might think that dreams are, and especially what a lot of people think GOD DOES FOR YOUR LIFE, is that it’s not about “wishing” for things to be better. God is not a genie where you rub his lamp and he appears to just grant you all the things you want and the “good feelings” you desire.

No. God is after your HEART and He is after your SPIRIT and He deserves it wholeheartedly. God wants you to be with Him forever in Heaven which REQUIRES that you make some sacrifices in your life here on earth. Love is a sacrifice.

You see for every list of things that I desire to achieve this year and in my lifetime, is an equally long (if not longer) list of things that I WON’T do.

So today, I am challenging myself and I am challenging you to get real with what it is you say you want out of life so you can discern not only those things that you WANT out of this year, but also those things that you will have to be willing to SACRIFICE. Consider it some “Unapologetically SURREND’hered” tough love that we all need in the New Year….

 

 

You say you want to be healthy…..

…..but are you willing to commit to some health changes, for say… ever? I know you might be thinking that you are totally sacrificing when you go on those 21, 30, or even 90-day cleanses and willpower challenges, but those are NOT actually sacrifices that will serve your health in the long run, nor are they what God requires of you.

Paul writes,

“..give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and HOLY sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1 NLT)

I didn’t notice him saying, “Give your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice for 30 days….” did you? So why would we think that our health is something we go “on” and “off” of too? We are not called to “diet” we are called to achieve HEALTH.

A much greater sacrifice, and the type of sacrifice that will get you what you want—TRUE HEALTH— is to make a lifestyle change with one bold step at a time, what I call in my new program, the her Health Lounge, the “Next Best Step Action Plan.”

The discipline required to go at the slow, steady pace of real fat loss is a sacrifice for our “immediate gratification” flesh.

The self-control required to monitor your impulse eating and assess your actual hunger means that you will sacrifice your cravings and emotional eating habits.

The patience and self-love it takes to actually give yourself some REST instead of just pushing HARDER and HARDER at the gym or by over-dieting is a sacrifice to our guilt-driven, overly worrisome, fleshy tendencies.

If you say that you want TRUE Health—LASTING health– then you will have to sacrifice your TIME, ENERGY, RESOURCES and MINDSET to figuring out and dealing with the LIES that you are believing right now that are preventing you from the TRUTH. The truth of how God sees you and what God desires for your health and for your life.

If you are unwilling to sacrifice and invest in those practices that help you get deeply rooted in WHY you deserve to be healthy and HOW you are going to do that in a way that serves you SPIRITUALLY as much as it serves you PHYSICALLY, then you are not yet ready to actually attain or maintain TRUE HEALTH.

You will not find True Health unless you are willing to go DEEP enough to uncover it. This is a sacrifice of our ego.

You say you want to be happy….

…but are you willing to sacrifice doing those things and exposing yourself to those environments that do not serve your joy?  You will only find true joy when you immerse yourself in joyful and love-giving environments on a regular basis.

Are you willing to sacrifice all the time you spend following people on Facebook and social media that gossip, slander, complain and criticize?  Are you willing to sacrifice the secret love you have of watching reality TV shows and “keeping up with” all those celebrities that will either make you envy them and their perceived looks or “success,” or make you feel superior and prideful because you love to hate them?

Are you willing to sacrifice watching the news or the political pundits that just over-analyze and tell you why the world is “going to hell in a hand-basket?”

Maybe the world isn’t the “Promised Land” that God designed it to be, but you are not contributing to that dream and promise of God by watching these obsessive shows who’s only platform is to just CRITICIZE everyone.

Are you willing to GO FIRST?

You say you want to be happy, but are you willing to take a stand and GO FIRST in showcasing the ways of true joy? Are you willing to tell people that it’s because of God’s love and the sacrifice of Jesus that you are even capable of feeling the fruits of the spirit like Love, Joy and Peace?

Are you willing to sacrifice your reputation and the fear of “what other people think about you” by being authentic, honest and forthright? To “be the change you wish to see in the world” first, without waiting for another courageous person to do it and you follow?

You say you want God’s blessing….

…but are you living a life that shows that you really BELIEVE in Him? It’s not enough to just have a head knowledge that God exists, but you must have a HEART knowledge that is only showcased in how you live your life.

As Rick Warren states, “Believing there is a God and believing that Jesus died on the cross is not enough to get into heaven. Because the devil believes in God, and the devil believes in Jesus, but it doesn’t mean that the devil is going to be in heaven.”

Did you catch that?!

He referenced, James 2:19 “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!”

The word “believe” is actually translated as “pisteuo” in Greek. It means to “trust in, to cling to, to rely on, to adhere to and to commit to.”

Are you willing to do ALL OF THOSE things for God?

(For more on this, listen to Rick Warren’s great Daily Hope podcast HERE.)

Let me be clear, all this is not to say that you “earn” God’s blessing, as we know that we can never EARN God’s love. It is freely given. Your HEART must come to the understanding of the GOSPEL which can be boiled down to one simple phrase, “His grace is sufficient for me…” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

But, this is about how you having daring Faith that will move God to not only bless you more richly here on earth, but the ultimate and true gift of rich and wonderful blessings in Eternity.

Are you willing to sacrifice and SURREND’her ALL of your life to Him, even those things you do in secret?

Are you willing to give Him reign over your life and take up your cross DAILY (not just on Sundays), sacrificing the desires of your flesh?

Are you willing to die to yourself and your innate and selfish ways for the greater good and to be of service to others?

Are you willing to endure through some uncomfortable times and do the things you fear the most because you know that this is God’s dream for your life?

Are you willing to sacrifice your time to connect with Him daily and to study His word so you can have a deeper, more meaningful relationship?

Are you willing to give up the “RULE-FOLLOWING” of religion that makes you think you can just follow a “checklist” to Heaven in exchange for a real, authentic, and a completely unique relationship with God?

You say you want love…..

….but are you willing to sacrifice for it?

If you want to truly LOVE your life, then you must sacrifice for it.

Love is not just following “good emotions.” Real love is a SACRIFICE.

Mother’s who love their child sacrifice their sleep, their time, and their needs for their children. Husbands who love their wives sacrifice their fidelity, their selfish, lustful desires and are called to work, provide and submit to her. Wives who love their husbands sacrifice their nagging desires, their controlling tendencies and are called to provide, respect and submit to their husband. These are all a sacrifice to our innate, selfish tendencies.

And God, who so richly loves YOU, sacrificed “His one and only Son so that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). <——— THAT is real sacrifice. Do you BELIEVE THAT?

So when you dream up these God sized dreams for your life and you have high hopes of accomplishing everything you can in 2016 and beyond, remember that it is LOVE that moves mountains and ultimately LOVE is a sacrifice.

Having said all that….

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I invite you on this CHALLENGE with me in radically shifting your health to be able to achieve the things you say you want from your HEALTH and your LIFE and join me in the “her Health Lounge” coaching program. I am only offering this program 2 x per year, so if you don’t snag the chance NOW, you won’t have another opportunity until SEPTEMBER.

It is a 6-month journey, delivered in an online portal, that will require a sacrifice and investment of your time and your resources, but you will be blessed with a rich harvest of rewards for your body, mindset and spirit.

Your LIFE, not just your HEALTH will be transformed by this journey when you commit to it wholeheartedly!

her Health Lounge starts on Monday January 11 and goes through July 9. All 26-weeks are mapped out for you on the Sales Page.

But, if you enroll with me NOW through January 7 (at Midnight), you will get 3 MEGA BONUSES, that include:

  1. Access the the Lounge for a FULL YEAR instead of just 6 months.

  2. “her Worthy Time” spiral planner and daily devotional along with a video training on the best Time Management Practices for balance and productivity.
    herWorthyTime

  3. “Nutrient Based Food Prep for busy lives” printable guide and video training.

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ALL FOR FREE! 

Until Midnight Tonight!

motionmailapp.com

Also, if you desire to have a more hands on, 1:1 coaching experience, I am offering only 10 spots in my Platinum Membership that comes with weekly phone calls and custom nutrition and exercise plans. You can set up a FREE consultation call with me by reserving a spot with me HERE and we can discover if we’re a “right fit” for each other!

Join Today!

http://herhealthlounge.awrightfit.com/

 

Categories
Fitness & Training Goal Development

{BODY TYPE} How Knowing This ONE Thing Can Set You Up For Goal Success

What’s Your Body Type?

How Knowing This ONE Thing Can Set You Up for Success

When I did the bikini competition back in June of 2013, I have written several times that it was a pretty bad experience for me. It was bad Spiritually because I blatantly ignored a voice from God that told me I didn’t need to do the show to make myself more “worthy” of being in the fitness industry. It was unhealthy for my mindset because I became incredibly self-involved and living in FEAR at every given moment–fear that I would fail before I got to the show and fear that I would fail after the show by gaining all the weight back (which I basically did). These things were just the things that happened to ME because I was doing it for the wrong reasons. It wasn’t because all bikini competitions are *bad.* I don’t believe that is always the case.

But, moreover, the bikini competition was a bad experience for me because of my BODY TYPE and the way that it wrecked havoc on body systems. I am an Endomorphic/Mesomorphic Body Type which means I gain weight very easy, have a high craving for food and have a naturally higher muscle mass AND higher body fat percentage (you’ll see more on this below). For these reasons, in order to get down from 19% body fat to 10% body fat, I had to take more drastic dietary cuts and increase my cardio for 5.5 solid months. Obviously 10% is not sustainable and not healthy for women. It was very hard and was a lot of sacrifice.

I wound up not having a menstrual cycle for 5 months (amenorrhea) and developed a host of stomach issues and intolerances (that I still deal with to this day) after I gained back all of the weight, as I feared I would. The mental aspects of this were the hardest part.

I have mentioned Body Types in passing several times, and I do go into more detail when you sign up for any health coaching service I offer (whether the 1:1 or the group) in my Metabolism Ebook. I go into depth about what the body types are and what you should be eating based on them (generally speaking).

For #STRONG’herAugust, I want to go ahead and break down what Body Types are and the PROS and CONS of each type so you can not only recognize and know yourself better, but you can then develop better GOALS that will set you up for success!

Please be warned, do not let this information place you “into a box” where you either use it as an “excuse” or as a “crutch” to lean on. The truth is each and every body type has opportunity for excellence and True Health! God does not look at appearance, God looks at the heart.

This information is valuable because you can establish smart goals for your body that will help you maintain your body’s health. You body is to be USED for God’s glory which usually means it needs to be in good shape. So use this information as a tool to help you figure out your BEST version of you, no matter what shape or size!

So here we go!

3 MAIN BODY TYPES and THEIR PROS AND CONS!

1. Endomorphic-

(Real Life Examples: Kim Kardashian, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey)

CONS: Endomorphic Body Types are those that gain weight very easily. They have higher tendency to be “Sugar Burners” which means they burn through carbs easily but not fat, so they get more hungry more often. They have higher tendency toward sugar cravings along with caffeine (sugar burner tendency’s).
PROS: While it might seem like you get the “short end of the stick” by God, I find that Endomorphic Body Types have the opportunity to be the HEALTHIEST. Endomorphics tend to CARE more about their health because they have to! They invest in themselves, know what they can eat and not eat. Many can have quite healthy figures (think of Marilyn Monroe!) and look curvy and beautiful! Take Kim Kardashian, for example. While her body type may be accentuated on pictures through photoshop, she is known for her body through Instagram, resulting in her being the seventh most followed person on the social media site (how does she not use sites like upleap to grow her followers?). This just proves that this body type can be healthy and curves should be embraced!

2. Endo/Mesomorphic-

(Real Life Examples: Amanda Wright :-), Beyonce Knowles, Serena Williams, Jennifer Lopez)
CONS: While these body types can build muscle fairly easily, they also store fat pretty easily making dietary concern and body concern still a struggle. They will have the same “Sugar Burner” tendency and will have to restrict carbohydrates more than others.
PROS: These women have curves and know how to use them! It takes a lot of work, but it is well worth it! Also, these women can be strong and care about their health because they have to care about their food. A win/win for “True Health” in the Body.

3. Mesomorphic-

(Real Life Example: Angela Basset, Kelly Rippa, Demi Moore, Michelle Obama)
CONS: These body types can get “ripped” so fast that they might often take their True Health for granted! They can get away with maintaining a physique while eating some “crap” food (lots of processed food etc) that can still cause unhealthy results internally. Also, in women especially, having the ability to build such lean muscle mass can be undesirable from an aesthetic perspective. However, it can be great for others, especially if they find it difficult to build their own muscle mass with ease and often need to search for supplements such as peptides for sale to have the body they want.

PROS: They have a gift for weight training and athleticism. As women, these body types might have slightly higher testosterone allowing for more muscle growth quickly. Other pros is that the diet for Mesomorphic body types is typically a “Mixed Burner” which means they use both carbohydrate sources and fat sources for energy and just have to choose a balanced diet. Also tend to be average weight and in healthy BMI.

(It is my opinion that this body type is the ONLY great body type to be able to do body building competitions because it doesn’t require as much mental and spiritual strain to get the body to change so drastically).

4. Ectomorphic:

(Real Life Example: Most Victoria Secret Models, Olive Oil (from Popeye), Cameron Diaz, Uma Thurman, Heidi Klum)
CONS: Have a difficult time putting on muscle mass at all yet can still have body fat which can someimes make them “skinny fat”. Ultra lean bodies have the highest rate of health issues later on in life and shorter life span. Ectomorphs are typically “muscle burners” meaning that their metabolism will start catabolizing their muscle tissue to provide energy when depleted. Often these are ‘Type A” individuals with lots of energy and forget to eat. Most should avoid caffeine as well, as it induced higher stress cortisol levels.PROS: The nice thing for them is they can eat just about anything and not gain any weight! They also need a diet that is higher in carbohydrates which makes eating more enjoyable. Also, ectomorphs can find really great exercises that fit so well with their body types. Things like Yoga and certain Dance (such as ballet) are really ideal for these body types. Just because it might be hard to put on weight, doesn’t mean it is. Cameron Diaz has some guns on her and cares very much about her True Health.

God has made every single body on this planet as unique as your DNA with purpose. Even if you might fall into some of the generalizations of these body types does not mean that you are defined by them! Use this information as you wish to, either to help you establish smart boundaries for your body goals, or to eat wisely, or do a really WISE thing and ignore it and just listen to your body!

The real question is, now that you know what your body “type” might be, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT?

Follow you Greater Purpose Pathway. God will lead the way. 😉
Categories
Fitness & Training Food & Nutrition Uncategorized

Find Your Health Rhythm and Flow With THIS….

What is the #1 thing that determines whether you have a “Healthy Day” or not?!

I have found my *THING* and once I tell you I bet you will totally agree with me…..AND will probably love that I am offering you a FREE checklist of said *THING* so you can get in on the practice as well!! Be sure you look for it at the end!

So here’s the thing—-it appears the entire month of July seems to have passed within a blink of an eye! WHERE DID IT GO?!

My husband and I were down in San Diego for the month while my 3-year old stepdaughter, Eden, was staying with us and (as is often is the case for me in July) my normal health practices kinda fell by the wayside. I noticed my physical health somewhat declining and I decided it was time to learn more about my body heath and go for a checkup at my local clinic. I couldn’t keep letting myself slip like I was.

Jumping into the moving vortex that is parenting a boisterous and hilarious “threenager” will certainly do that to ya, but also, July is just one of those months where, year-after-year, I kinda just relax a little bit more. It starts with the 4th holiday and then I usually have a vacation in there or two, certainly a few more BBQs, a family reunion and before you know it, my normal exercise practices have taken a month-long hiatus.

Real July Gym

 

I happen to think this break is an EXCELLENT idea for everyone and I do it intentionally. I know from years of experience, that you CANNOT go 12-months of non-stop “fat loss” efforts. It doesn’t work for our bodies, our minds OR our souls.

So when the Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

For your TRUE HEALTH, this means you need to take SEASONS where you just REST and you just take a chill pill on the whole “count every macro that goes into my mouth” or the “count every rep and every calorie I burn” type of attention to detail (if you’re into that sort of thing….).

This is not to say that I didn’t CARE about my health for an entire month! Actually, quite the opposite! For me, this just means that I take a season off of my BODY health practices and usually make greater efforts for my MINDSET and my SPIRITUAL health.

Actually, my real test for my “Healthy Mindset” is IF I can take a hiatus from the gym a bit more, eat a few more pieces of chocolate and cups of frozen yogurt and…..wait for it…..

NOT BEAT MYSELF UP FOR IT!

I monitor my “Self-Talk” and what I’m saying to myself when I look in the mirror, when I’m experiencing the stomach aches that inevitably come too (darnit dairy!), and just breath into the space of imperfection. It is a daily mental battle. I won’t lie to you and tell you I was really strong mentally every day of the month, but I can tell you, my WISE’her practices have paid off! I certainly am stronger mentally in my health that I was just a few months ago! #ProgressNotPerfection!

As far as my Body’s Health went during this season of “chill more” and “worry less” I still focused definitely on movement with lots of park time and certainly lifting up that 46-lb ball of sugar that is my step-daughter(!) and even stuck to my Nutrient-based eating that I always do (I just added more chocolate and sugar into the mix)! It was a really enjoyable break!

So whether July was that sort of month for you or not, I want to encourage you to TAKE A MONTH (or two!) where you do intentionally plan to REST your body for a season. But then…..get back to WORK.

SO WHAT NOW?

After you take a season OFF of your normal exercise and/or heightened nutrition focus, there is always this TOUGH PHASE of getting back into the rhythm of things!

But that’s really all you need to focus on….THE RHYTHM.

FLOW water2

THIS IS WHERE IT’S AT! This is the #1 thing that will determine whether I have a “Healthy Day” or not….

Finding My Health and Fitness Floowwwww!

I believe, to effectively put your health back into practice, you must find that rhythm and flow that comes into good, healthy practices.

The best way to find that RHYTHM is in my favorite step to SURREND’hered Health——–> RITUALIZE It!
In my 7-Steps to SURREND’her Goal Development, I highlight the two very important steps in the path to True Health.

  • Step #5: Habitualize It! –>this is creating new healthy habits to replace old unhealthy habits.

and my FAVORITE….

  • Step #6: Ritualize It! –> THIS is finding those personal preferences, tricks, and other appealing practices around the new healthy habits that will get you to DO THEM!

Ritualizing your Health becomes a rhythm and a flow when you plan for the rituals rather than plan for the “check list” of habits you need to do.

For example, I find the stupidest little details really enjoyable in my day!

  • From the coffee cup I use in the morning when I do my morning quiet time with God…..
  • To the little tiny dishes I use to fill with nuts and treats….
  • To THE song that I use as my anthem of the moment (i.e. gym, God-time, dance-time etc.)
  • To the pen and special notebook I use to write down my workouts.

Everything that I do well for my health, I do because I have RITUALIZED my practice of it and have thus found the RHYTHM and FLOW I need to have a fully successful day practicing better health practices.

For you I have 2 Special Treats:

  1. I have created an easy check list of the 7 SURREND’hered Rituals that I do every day for my True Health practices! You can get a copy of this Ritual Checklist when you subscribe to the #STRONGherAUGUST month long series of more blogs and articles on all things related to become STRONG’her in my Body’s Health. All month I’m going to focus on more workouts to try, more metabolism tips, more nutrition education, and more recipes for success! Click HERE to subscribe and you’ll also be the first to see the next great things I’m doing on A. Wright Fit come this FALL!
    RITUALS

  2. For your viewing pleasure, I have the video that I created for the 7-Steps of SURREND’hered Goal Development series on how to effectively RITUALIZE It! I’m a HUGE dork so it’s a good one! 😉 

    https://vimeo.com/125247677

Categories
Goal Development Health Coaching

What’s the (W)RIGHT Question When Facing Life’s Challenges?

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As I am in the business of helping others cultivate lasting change in their lives, I have written and truly believe that if we solely rely on will power to manifest any changes in our life, we soon recognize that our WILL POWER quickly becomes our WON’T POWER because we are relying on such small, finite power within ourselves. 

 

To find our GREATER POWER we must seek and find our GOD POWER which is limitless and infinite.  We find our GOD POWER when we engage and learn from a relationship with GOD and can focus and harness from His Spirit within us.  He always provides what we need in that moment we need it.

Will Power = Wont Power

 

I have learned this 1000-fold from first hand experience, but, God did not design us to have to learn everything from our own trials.  God gives us each other to learn from too. 

As I have built A. Wright Fit as a way to share my own faults and flaws in an effort to teach others as I “Find A Wright Fit” on my path to True (read: balanced) Health, I have found God has also provided me the gift of being on the receiving end of learning through other people’s lives as well. 

Such is the case of a story I want to share with you today.   I was talking with a new friend and new potential client we’ll call “K” about some recent exciting changes she’s been going through. 

I first met K just a few months ago as she was beginning life under a new boss and an exciting new promotion at her big corporate job.  She was so honored and encouraged by her upward movement with a company she loves.  Now with her new job and new boss, she was working harder than she had ever worked before, but work that feels so rewarding. 

Corporate ladder

But, in our last encounter, I saw a less enthusiastic K.  The problem is that as she has been working her tail off, other people in her company, at her same level and position no less, are doing what many flawed people do best—lots of gossip, jealousy, disparaging and waiting for her to fail so they could be “right” about their cynicism. 

work gossip image

She came to me needing to vent.  “I feel so lucky and can’t believe it’s all happening and yet I am so overwhelmed by all this negativity and criticism around me.  “They” are so mean and I am constantly thinking about what “they” are saying about me.  I break down all the time.”

Then she said it…..


“I know I just need to be STRONGER…..”

Scrrrrrrrrrcccccch.  (Record Stops)   My ears perk up.   

What K is experiencing is something I have experienced personally and what I see ALL THE TIME from friends, family and clients. 

When we get so caught up worrying about the CIRCUMSTANCE and the NAYSAYERS, we fail to see the BIG PICTURE and the power we have in these very moments.

  • K has been looking at her situation as “luck” that she found herself under her new boss at work and up for a promotion.  God sees this as His design for her, a step so worthy of her.
  • K thinks she needs more “strength” herself.  God has been patiently waiting for her to finally use HIS power within her. 
  • K thinks this is all about her “job” and being “strong enough.” God sees this as the prime opportunity to finally build the relationship He’s been seeking with her!  This is one of just a million ways He’s been trying to get her attention.

K has been trying to face her problems at work with WILL POWER, but she has quickly realized that her new position alone is maxing out all the will power she has!  New changes and our careers can quickly monopolize every ounce of will power we have.  

And, just as I mentioned at the beginning, when we solely rely on will power, it quickly becomes WON’T POWER.  It just won’t work for the long haul.   We’ll be miserable!

Here’s the Problem with Will Power:

If she is maxing out all her will power just at her job, the other areas of her life—her health, her relationships, her Faith— are all going to suffer from not getting enough attention and balance. 

She is seeing that she isn’t able to sustain the will power to do her job really well ANNNNNDD the will power to combat the naysayers.   On top that, she also wants to date and find a healthy relationship and get married one day.  On tippy top of that, she has also come to me expressing a real desire to getting healthier and less “skinny fat” as she puts it. 🙂 

We all want it all right?!  This IS what God wants for us too. But He wants us to do it His way, not our way.  

So, as much as I love new clients, I told her honestly that I can see she’s not in a place where she can focus on health changes too as I right away recognized that her will power tank is running on empty.  Adding more things on her “to do” list DOES NOT HELP when you are already feeling overwhelmed! 

If K doesn’t find more POWER within her, she is going to continue to struggle at her new position and struggle with attempts to do all the other things she wants to do in life.  Because, in all likelihood, the constant gossip, criticism and annoying comments aren’t going to go away….this is corporate America we’re talking about! 

But, even if they do, other problems are just going to replace them until K learns the Greater Lesson she is meant to learn from God.

I wanted to share K’s story, not only because it was tremendously helpful and insightful for me to learn from but I also know that many of you have felt these exact sentiments and could empathize from your own circumstances.

  • Perhaps you are running on emotional “empty” as well?  Perhaps you have maxed out all your will power to just one area of YOUR life and here has come another problem you can’t seem to handle? 
  • Perhaps you too have dreams of having more to your life than just  the _____________ (area) but can’t imagine how you’re going to find the will power, time OR the energy!?
  • Perhaps you have recently thought that exact same phrase as K and myself, “If I were just STRONGER…..”


Don’t. Fall. For. The Trap.

The devil with prey on our challenging circumstances and cause you to think of them as a “bad sign” or proof that you are indeed “unworthy” of the life you have dreamed for yourself.  He’ll want to persuade you to give up and play small by focusing on all the wrong things. 

But what you may be needing, just like K is needing, is not a newfound ANSWER but rather A NEW QUESTION.

You see, when you experience pain, when you are going through trouble and trauma and uncertain times, you must focus on the (W)RIGHT QUESTION to get the (W)RIGHT ANSWER   (and then “You’ve Got the (W)Right stuff….baby”)

You've Got the Wright Stuff....
Couldn’t resist…..

THE (W)RIGHT QUESTION:

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO LEARN HERE GOD?

I love what Rick Warren says about our problems.  He says, “God is not interested in your circumstances as much as He is interested in your CHARACTER.”

In other words, what character values are you cultivating as you harness your energy for your problems? Where are you putting all of your hope and faith?   

Is it in yourself and all that you are able to do (i.e. your WILL POWER)? 

OR are you praying and seeking God’s power through God’s wisdom?

Refocusing your mind and thoughts on what GOD might be wanting you to learn through prayer and reading the Word of God,  will provide you with the REAL answer and your GREATER POWER which is your GOD POWER. 

Then you’ll find, even if your circumstances don’t change, your perspective of them will, and that will make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

God allows everything to enter into our life to teach us and be used for Good by cultivating the necessary character changes you need.  This includes bad decisions we make, bad things that other people say or do to us, and the havoc that the devil and evil will cause for us too.  ALL can be made RIGHT with God and will serve our Greater Purpose. 

So keep the Faith and keep asking God the (W)Right Question to get the (W)Right Answer!  Remember, in order to HEAR God, you must spend time in PRAYER and in His WORD (i.e. reading the Bible) and it will be revealed!

 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT)

  

Categories
Goal Development Health Coaching Spiritual Health Uncategorized

The Best Kind of Weight Loss

So I just got off the phone with one of my new clients and I am so inspired that I am actually going to botch the entire blog that I’ve been working on for the last couple of weeks to share this story with you today!

This client and I have only been working together for a couple of weeks so far, but she hired me describing feeling being at “an all-time low point with her health”.  She knew she needed to drastically change her health and knew she needed someone to help coach, guide and support her in some significant changes she was ready to make.  I am so lucky she chose me. 

I told her, as I tell all my clients, that I learn just as much from them as they do from me.  It is an absolute honor and priveledge that I get to be a support system for any woman willing to face her fears, overcome obstacles and set herself back on the path that God has created for her.  To witness such transformations with her, changes my soul and teaches me much more than I could ever learn on my own and through my own experiences. 

So, as I do with all clients, the first step that we take together is to decide and write down what her goals are going to be.  I whole-heartedly believe that choosing the (W)right goal for yourself is the most important step in becoming STRONG’her, WISE’her, andSURREND’her your life UP and should not be a rushed decision. 

GoalWithoutAPlan

If you are truly ready for some real change in your life and in your health, you must get the SURREND’her part down first.  That means, choosing the kind of health goal that GOD wants you to choose, not that you and your fears or lack-based tendencies are pressuring you to choose. 

 (By the way, I have combined all 7-steps into an ebook that can be downloaded when you subscribe to my emails newsletters HERE.)

As we discussed her goals over the course of the first couple of phone calls, the tone of her voice sounded unsure, embarrassed, discouraged, and soft. 

The tone of her voice when we just spoke today?  Completely different.  It sounded light, free, upbeat, and confident.

So what had changed? 

Well, she shifted her thinking and shifted her search for her goals!  Her story was so awe inspriing, I wanted to share with you here today.     

When she first contacted me she had told me her measurable goal was to lose X number of pounds.  This is extremely common and not at all a “bad” goal.  In fact, I highly encourage measurable goals to help motivate, track and stay accountable.    

However, there are a million ways to measure your goals, so I encouraged her to take some time and truly reflect on whether or not this was the right goal for her and was indeed what God wanted her to focus on.

After this conversation, she told me she kept seeing messages about spiritual fasting popping-up in her world and she decided to do an incredibly brave thing——she listened. 

She decided the signs were pointing her to do a spiritual fast and see if she could find some clarity about this health process.  So for a almost a full week, she only ate vegetables and fruit and spent the time she would have spent eating, praying and reflecting more with God. 

(NOTE: This is a highly effective practice for anyone spiritually mature enough to make it about connecting with God to answer a prayer and not about doing a “cleanse” to help you lose weight.  Your heart posture matters!  If you would like more information about this, I’m happy to help answer or guide you, just email me!)

As God promises us in the Bible, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7)  When she sought clarity from God, He gave it to her.

During this fasting period, she came across a book that just seemed to pop-off the shelf to her.  It was called “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Vosakamp.   The story resonated with her on such a deep level she devoured it in about 2 hours flat and had her new measureable health goal from it.    

Today, with her voice full of courage, hope and a new depth of Faith, she announced her new goal to me:   She is going to seek and find her 1,000 gifts. 

One Thousand Gifts

Every day, she is going to seek out the gifts of her life and write them all down.  She will set her her intention on finding all that is good in her life and will spend her time looking for that, not just seeing her life through the lens of self pressure or busyness.     

Her choice of a goal actually went hand-in-hand with a morning devotion that I had happened to read just this morning from the book, Nearer to Jesus by Sarah Young, which read:

“As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you and plant little pleasures to brighten your day.  Look carefully for them and pluck them one by one.  When you reach the end of the day, you will have gathered a lovely bouquet.  Offer it up to Me with a grateful heart.  Receive My Peace as you lie down to sleep, with thankful thoughts plying a lullaby in your mind.” 

It is of no coincidence that she and I had received similar messages of seeking out the smGod Winkall treasures from God on the very same day.  These are the “God winks” that we can all experience every day that we have our eyes opened and willing to receive it. 

The best part of the phone call was the next part she told me…. 

She said that naturally Monday morning she decided to weigh herself to see if her weight had dropped after doing a week of fasting.   It did…..but only 2 pounds. 

She was fighting the natural instinct to be disappointed that after so much “restriction” she did not see more physical weight loss.

I reminded her however, that she had actually lost a significant amount of weight, it just wasn’t the kind of weight that we know how to measure.

You see, this past weekend after the fasting, she described how she had been able to go to her favorite Mexican food restaurant and felt satisfied after eating only 20% of her favorite meal. 

She went to a baby shower and was able to resist the unhealthy food choices and cupcakes, and made the best decision she could with the options she had (chicken salad and some fresh vegetables and fruit) and felt good and satisfied by it.    

The weight she lost was not physical weight.  It was the lifting of the MENTAL burden that she had been bearing for the past several years regarding food, cravings and overall energy.   I could tell she had lost such weight simply by the lightness of her voice.    

Weight gain is very rarely about actual “weight.”  90%+ of the time, our weight is determined more by our thoughts than anything else. 

  • Having a dieters mentality is a heavy burden. 
  • Being unhappy and discouraged by your body all the time wears you down.
  • Always feeling stressed to eat the right foods and to do the right exercises is a heavy load to bear.

All of these things are much “heavier” than the actual weight we may need to lose. 

Being able to lighten the burden of of our thoughts is MUCH MORE REWARDING than losing a few more pounds in one week. 

She was able to fight the temptation of disappointment and stay on this path of greater understanding, joy and peace because she was able to instead focus her life on the gifts of her day. 

From here, she will be able to now move forward toward an healthier body with a much lighter mental burden that will allow her to find True Health and success that no “diet” would have.

This is SURREND’hering.

I encourage anyone reading this to take the following steps to transform your MIND as well by asking yourself these 3 things.

  1. Are my current health goals really what God wants me to focus on or am I creating goals to fill some sort of void I have in my heart that only He can fill?

    If you find that you are not focusing on the right goals, take the time to pray and change them.  God will empower you and guide you if you ask Him.

  2. What are the small gifts that I encountered today that I can pick like a fresh flower bouquet? 

    Even if you’ve had a really crappy day so far, is there 1 or 2 things you can find that were unexpected gifts?  Perhaps you can start a journal too to see if you can get to 1,000 gifts?!

  3. What kind of mental weight am I bearing on my body that I need to lose before I can lose any physical weight?  Am I putting unrealistic expectations on myself?  Am I living only for others approval?  Am I taking on others burdens as my own? 

    Pray that God will show you how to unburden and share the “yoke” with Him so that you do not bear the weight all alone.

    SurrenderisInstersection

Final reminders that if any of you would like to also work with me for 1:1 Health Coaching, I have just a couple more spots available in my current roster.  You can check out the new 6-Part Module forum I’m offering in my 12-Week SURREND’her Health Transformation in this link HERE.  Feel free to reach out and contact me via email at amanda@amandawrightfit.com and I can answer any more questions you have!
  

Categories
Food & Nutrition Health Coaching Uncategorized

[Infographic] 5 Steps to the Best Meal For Your Body!

NutritionNew

When it comes to your body, what should be your #1 focus to building the best meal for your body??

My guess is 50% of you are mumbling something about Calories, saying that the QUANTITY of food that you eat is the most important part of weight loss and maintenance. 

(Nodding head) Yes, yes very true and valid point.

Then I’d venture to guess that the other 50% of you is saying something about the Macronutrient Breakdown or the QUALITY of your foods and how many grams of Carbohydrates, Fat, and Protein you are getting.

(Raising hands in the air) also, not wrong there!   Getting enough protein while not too many carbs and the right amount of healthy fat IS very important too.

In this industry of Health and Fitness, you’ll visit a hundred sites focused on weight loss that will break down weight loss this way.

Focusing on Quantity = Weight Loss 

Focusing on Quality = Fat Loss (aka. leaning out)

I have lived the majority of my life focusing on one……then the other…… then both…… then neither!  But, I’ve changed my focus and my priority now.

I’ve realized, I have been living just to see results, but I have not been LIVING my best.

I might be at a healthy weight, I might have pretty great muscle mass and a pretty lean figure.  But my main issue for the last few years, especially as I age (and don’t worry, I fully admit I’m not even old yet!) is that no matter how healthy my weight and my body fat levels might be, it doesn’t mean my body is FEELING great.  If I’m not feeling great, then I’m not living my best life and I’m certainly not living the life at my fullest potential the way God intended.

I am happy to announce, that I have completely re-wired my mindset and approach to my health and to those of my clients.  Instead of starting with calculations and macro nutrient distribution of meals plans, we start with the ENERGY components first and foremost!

I’m talking about  NUTRIENTS.

More appropriately, getting Nutrient Sufficiency from your food.

Focusing on Nutrients Sufficiency= Happy Body (aka Thriving)

Nutrient deficiency is the one factor that no matter how healthy of a weight you might be, no matter how much muscle mass you’re sporting, or how ripped and toned you are, if you are not getting enough nutrients in your body, then you are simply not living your life the way God intended!

Life should be about thriving!  About having energy without depending on things like caffeine or other stimulants to make it through the day.  About having sustenance for your brain to function at it’s highest capacity; to have a healthy digestive system that moves quickly and excretes efficiently;  to be sure that our immune systems are working at optimal levels to prevent illness and death; to know our systems are all working at peak conditions. 

The difference between living and thriving can be found in a Nutrient Focused meal plan! 

What’s great about living this way, is that it really is very simple to start!  There are only 5 Steps to the Best Meal for your Body!  Every meal can get you closer to Nutrient Sufficiency and feeling better every day!

But first, let’s define what we’re talking about when I’m talking about NUTRIENTS. 

As I mentioned before, the stars of the weight-loss world are the essential MacroNutrients :

-Protein
-Fats
-Carbohydrates
-(Water)

They are called Macro because you need larger quantities of them (measured in grams)

However, my good but less glamorous friends the Essential MicroNutrients:

-Vitamins
-Minerals

They are called Micro because you need less of them (measure in milligrams or less)

Vitamins and Minerals are incredibly important because they the delivery agents that actually carry out all functions in the body, including converting our food into energy!!  

One example) Muscles cannot contract unless the mineral Calcium binds in the muscles cell.  That same muscle cannot relax unless Magnesium binds in the muscle cell.

Kinda important, wouldn’t you say?!

So, while it is easy to glance over Vitamins and Minerals and only focus on “weight loss” or “leaning out” but you’d be missing a HUGE, albeit, micro-sized problem!   A problem that is all too common when we are just focusing on our BODY goals without fully embracing what it means to be Truly Healthy: Body, Mind and Spirit.  

So, I know what you’re thinking!  You’re saying, “Yes obviously Amanda, we need our Vitamins and Minerals, that is why I take my multivitamin every day!”

Before you go reaching for your Gummy/Flintstone/WomanDailyChewable or any other version you get, be aware, that simply taking a multivitamin does not mean you are doing a service for your body.   In fact, it could be quite deadly. 

Many studies have come out warning against the dangers of over supplementing with vitamins ad minerals. 

One article from the NY Times said that “scientists have known for years that large quantities of supplemental vitamins can be quite harmful.”  See full article HERE

One study from the New England Journal Of Medicine back in 1996 studied “18,000 people who were at an increased risk of lung cancer because of asbestos exposure or smoking received a combination of vitamin A and beta carotene, or a placebo. Investigators stopped the study when they found that the risk of death from lung cancer for those who took the vitamins was 46 percent higher.”

Uhhhh…… what?

The article goes on to site 5 additional studies that showed that taking supplements of several different vitamins and minerals, notably Vitamin E, all were associated with higher rates of mortality. 

The article goes on to highlight one important fact about the FDA.  Apparently we have not heard about these mortality rates from Vitamins and Minerals because of a botched court hearing and other political reasons.  The Vitamin and Mineral companies certainly make a lot of money, and you can bet they enlisted the help of a congressman to help keep their empires in tact.

I’d like to highlight here that we can all thank a politician named, William Proxmire, a Democratic senator from Wisconsin, for getting that bill to protect the Vitamin and Supplement industry banned in in congress back in 1976.  Jerk.

Moreover, it has recently been revealed that the industry of Supplements ARE NOT regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  So there is no telling if the labels are accurate, the quality is worth it, or the supplements we take are even what they say they are.

Without knowing about all of those important factors, how can you justify the amount of money you are spending on taking them without really knowing if they are working for you or against you?  

The obvious first step in Nutrient Sufficiency that I emphatically practice and encourage is to make your priority getting enough nutrients and a wide variety of nutrients.  So every meal includes green vegetables, colored vegetables and water.

I know, I know, I know.  We are all so sick of people telling us to eat our vegetables!!

But, honestly,  in this day and age and in America, the land of plenty,  there is such a wide variety of  produce available to us, there is hardly any excuse that you can give me for not finding several vegetables in a wide array of colors that you can’t cook in a way to make them edible.

You don’t have to love it…..but I can guarantee you can learn to like it.

I know that we are America, and that we all think we have the right and need to LOVE everything that we do in life otherwise we just don’t do it.   But, the reality is that we do a lot of things we don’t LOVE to do.   But we do them because we must and because living is a responsibility.  You know, like work.  Jury duty. Wipe babies butts.  Need I go on?

Our bodies are sheer miracles.  They are such blessings and we should all be in awe that God has designed us as he has!    If anyone has any doubt in God, I dare you to take one human physiology class and tell me the complexity of our systems don’t make you believe in a Creator.  

Our bodies not only give us life and function and house our great minds and intelligence.  But they are the vessel for which our souls carry out our Greater Purpose!

As with all blessings from God, our bodies are our responsibility.  It is vital to take care of them.  They are our indeed our temples.    

Taking care of your body is our way of showing gratitude to God for the abundant life we live in our bodies.  It shows how much you value and recognize the great gift He has given us.  In spite of the pain, the hurt, the disease if might have.  I still believe that you can find gratitude for what it CAN do and certainly how important it is!

Eating well means you are showing your gratitude to God.  Taking care of your body means you do not take it for granted.  Loving our Body shows that you Love God. 

I encourage you to educate yourself on what you are eating and be more mindful of what goes in your mouth.  It also means you might just have to eat some foods that you don’t LOVE.  But doing so with a grateful heart will certainly make it taste better than you thought!

Part of my calling and my goal is that I might help educate you, my beloved reader, on some of the very necessary and some less necessary Vitamins and Minerals out there and the ways that you can make your way to a more vivacious, energetic and grateful life!

OH, and you might just lose weight while you’re at it too!!  #bonus!

First things first though, let’s make it easy on ourselves and just start with the basics.  The Meal Plan design.  

Here’s my Inforgraphic to the 5 Steps to a Nutrient-Based Diet!

Nutrient Based Diet PDF AWF

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