Photo Credit by Andrea Lawrence
http://andrea-lawrence.artistwebsites.com/
Follow me on Twitter @FridaysMyDay
www.facebook.com/alawrenceartist.
http://painterskeys.com/pal/andrea_lawrence/http://www.horseownertoday.com/vendor.aspx?vid=26

I claim to be a self-appointed, self-taught queen of procrastination.   The change came during my stressful and prolonged divorce.  Suddenly, I was able to talk my way out of positive timely actions, I was procrastinating and before I realized it, I was a pro!

The http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary , gives the definition of procrastination as:  to put off intentionally and habitually.

Interesting definition, so the real question that needs to be answered is why?  Why procrastinate?    The simplest answer is “fear of success”.   
Procrastination is simply shooting yourself in the foot of your success, you are guaranteed to stumble and limp along your path instead of striding confidently towards your goals.  Success requires change, and change has both positive and negative consequences.   Fear of success is insidious, it sneaks up and suddenly you realize that you have missed achieving your goal not because of the big tasks, but because some small, vital task was incomplete …you shot yourself in the foot of your success!  Usually on purpose!

"Fear of success" was not my real fear.  The real fear was the side effects of success, how could I be successful and remain low profile thereby protecting myself. 

I would like to share insights from a very successful Canadian business woman, Gloria Boyne. 

Gloria Boyne says “Don’t procrastinate!  It frustrates you, your customers, and your family.  Every time you procrastinate, you lower your self-esteem.”  Source http://gloriaboyne.com/



Movitate Yourself: Ten Ways To Get Unstuck

Decisions, Decisions…
Daily Decisions Decide Destinies!  We must understand that greatness exists in all of us, but it is up to us to put it out of ourselves.  Big Dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them.

Here are 10 Ways to Get Unstuck:
1.    Stop thinking you are fragile. If your perception of and response to failure were changed, what would you attempt to achieve?
2.    Assert control over your life.   Watch your language.  Eliminate words like wish, maybe, hope and try;  instead say “I will make things better”!
3.     Stop worrying about obstacles.  Take Action – Work!  Have a “worry” Box to put all your worries in and once a week open it to deal with them all.

4.    Are you doing what you want with your career. If not, do something about it.  I AM NOT A VICTIM!   We can change our whole life and the attitude of people around us simply by changing ourselves.
5.    Choose a dream and make it a reality.  It takes one step at a time…it is a process.
6.    Follow your intuition…you may have to fake it until you make it!
7.    Stop procrastination.  Putting things off is a habit, use your 6 Most Important Things List daily.
8.    Let go of the labels that you or others have used to describe you.  Make new positive affirmations.
9.    Conquer your fear of failing.  Failure is the hallmark of success.  Without failure there would be no great successes.
10.    Learn to cope with fatigue.  Your energy level is directly related to your attitude and your finances.  Surround yourself with people who have achieved and accomplished a dream.
All great achievers are given multiple reasons to believe they are failures.  But in spite of that, they persevere.  Remember if you always do what you’ve done, then you will always get what you’ve always gotten.
What one step will you take today to move forward to Your Dream?
http://gloriaboyne.com/movitate-yourself-ten-ways-to-get-unstuck/

About Gloria

Gloria is respected and loved as North America’s Entrepreneur Mentor! All across North America – Canada as well as USA, from coast to coast thousands and thousands have used her teachings and systems for results! Gloria is a premier direct selling authority, highly sought after in North America with over thirty -three years of experience as a top producer in a global direct selling company. Her leadership by example, she led her multi-million dollar organization to consistent top five as a national area in Canada for the last 10 years, retiring in 2011 in the number four position.

EXCELLENCE can be obtained if you...

Care more than others think is wise,
Risk more than others think is safe,
Dream more than others think is practical
Expect more than others think is possible.

Photo Credit by Andrea Lawrence
http://andrea-lawrence.artistwebsites.com/
Follow me on Twitter @FridaysMyDay
www.facebook.com/alawrenceartist.
http://painterskeys.com/pal/andrea_lawrence/

http://www.horseownertoday.com/vendor.aspx?vid=26

Well it happened, after months of working out with a personal trainer my hard work has been recognized. Clothes don’t lie no matter what the scales seem to say.

I bought a pair of black jeans at the sale one day a few years back. Skinny leg black wash jeans that are dressier. To make a long story short I brought them home without trying on and no matter how hard I “sucked it in” those jeans were never doing up in the middle. So I exiled these jeans to the deepest and darkest depths of my closet never to be worn again.

I was packing for an overnight meeting and was reaching into the back of the closet and came across these jeans, held them up and tried them on for the 10th time and voila! The button came together and did up with no grunting or jumping up and down. It was one of those proud moments. The dark denim and skinny legs were very slimming and made me feel good about myself. I even graciously accepted some compliments from friends I hadn’t seen in a few months.

I now wear these jeans as a badge and a tribute to my new lifestyle changes and I am now looking forward to the day I can buy a smaller size. I am trying to stay away from the scales although not entirely but I am using my newly found jeans as a measurement for my success.

My trainer, Vanessa Ashworth at Get Real Fitness has been a real ally in my battle to be healthy. She makes me work a little harder than I would on my own. She challenges me every workout with either faster or stronger or more repetitions. She makes realistic goals for me and keeps me honest to my form so that I get the maximum workout for my time spent with her and keep injuries at bay. I also appreciate that Vanessa takes the time to explain the value of the cool down and stretching session to increase my flexibility.

I have good days and I have bad days. Seems the changes happening are not as instant or drastic as I prefer. I am an impatient person and I want to see results now. I am learning patience, to love and listen to my body which is much more forgiving that I ever imagined. When I am not eating clean my black jeans magically shrink to remind me to stick with the program.

I am learning to listen to my black jeans and my body to help me realize my health goals. Riding season is just around the corner and I would like to have more strength in my legs, better stamina and balance and I know my horse would appreciate a lighter rider.

Follow my journey on “Real HOT Real Life”!

Well it hasn’t been a piece of cake making changes to improve my health. I am 50 years old and at my age change is slower both mentally and metabolically. My weight has been up and down like a yo-yo. Firsts I lost 2 lbs., then I gained 10 lbs.; I mean really! How can you work out three times a week, eat loads of salads and gain weight. I have to admit I felt very emotional when I saw that number even though friends have been noticing slight physical changes in my appearance. Last week I had a setback in my fitness regime. While out loading our wood fired boiler I stepped on a board with a nail in it. It seems perhaps the dogs had been dragging scrap lumber out of the garbage pile; well however it got there it was stuck to my foot. After I gasped and grimaced and realized I was all alone I yanked the board off my foot. The wound was small but I knew I hadn’t had a tetanus shot since I was a teenager. After a quick trip to the walk clinic I was at home with my foot up and feeling quite sorry for myself. I actually had a full blown pity party complete with boohooing and why me-ing. Let me tell you it was swollen and sore but I kept soaking it etc. and hopefully I will be back at the trainer within a week of the injury. I decided I needed to take the opportunity to exercise my mind during this downtime so I read some novels, played scrabble on my cell phone and watched loads of Zombie movies. Well the zombie movies hardly qualified for mind expansion but it was time to heal guilt free. I hobbled out to the pasture to visit my horse, he always cheers me up. Just the smell of a horse can improve my emotions 150%, now if only Calvin Klein or Channel could bottle the smell of fresh outdoor horse! With the days getting colder and shorter his winter coat is starting to come in and he is losing his white roany markings and becoming more of a mottled bay. I love how a horse’s winter coat is so soft and velvety now next spring when its shedding out in giant tufts and wafting all over the place I don’t like it near as much. I have to admit I “cheated” lots on my so called “diet” on my inactive days. I am an emotional eater and it simply was to be expected. So I allowed myself a few guilt free treats even a chocolate bar and I didn’t binge. Even with the setback I am seeing positive changes in the way my clothes fit and trying not to weigh myself every time I walk by my scale. I am getting a lot of encouragement and support from my friends and even some friendly competition. I think blogging will be another tool to help me map my journey and keep me on track. Sharing my experience makes me feel accountable for what I’m doing. . Follow my journey on “Real HOT Real Life”!

Well it seems like autumn has arrived with the noticeably shorter days and cooler mornings. I love the autumn colors and the way the air smells out here in the country. I especially love the absence of insects as does my horse, Terry. Fall seems like a more comfortable time of the year for walking; not sweltering hot with bugs and no deep snow to trod through. I am lucky enough to live on the edge of a forest reserve and always have a walking partner or two depending on how many dogs we have at the time as I enjoy dog-sitting my “grandkids” for the most part. Having dogs on the trail is always entertaining; watching them chasing the squirrels and prairie chickens as well as wrestle with each other usually directly in front of where you are trying to walk. I like to think that my dogs will see a bear before I do so I don’t “surprise” a bear on the trail. Usually by fall the bears aren’t as hungry and the babies are on their own but I do practise bear awareness and have a huge respect for nature that can maul me to death. On one particular lovely afternoon I decided to take the “short cut” back from my walk as I was pooped and no one was watching. I had to crawl through two-strand barbed wire fence while Terry was trying to inspect my pockets for treats and the dogs were milling about my legs. Fast forward and the butt of my yoga pants is caught in a barb and not wanting to rip my best pair of yoga pants I slid out of my pants which was not too gracefully and proceeded to do the best to get my pants off the fence before a neighbour sees me in my gitch. There are times when I am so thankful for the country life and the privacy it entails. My horse is one of my many motivations for getting fit. I’m sure if he could talk he would say, “One at a time please.” When I get on. Being overweight has made my balance “off” and being out of shape has left me with weak legs and core. I truly miss the actual experience of riding not just being a lumpy passenger and being overweight makes that “trip to the ground” faster and the velocity of impact much greater. Fall is a great time for eating healthy with all the gardens being harvested. This week I experimented with brownies made from beet puree, not low in fat or calories however a great addition to a bagged school lunch. A fresh salsa cruda with garden tomatoes and corn that I used to top chicken breasts as well as low fat Saskatoon berry muffins made with fresh orange juice and oatmeal. It has been hard to resist buying Halloween treats that are out on all the store shelves but I’m trying to stay strong and might buy my treats on October 30 to ensure they won’t be all eaten before Halloween. When I think I “need” a mini kitkat I try to imagine riding a sitting trot with nothing jiggling until the craving goes away. It’s so worth it! . Follow my journey on “Real HOT Real Life”! Be sure to sign up for our free “Real HOT, Real Life” newsletter RealHOTRealLife@horseownertoday.com  for great tips, recipes and much more.

My name is Deb Agrey and I am a HOT woman!  Like Bonnie and Gillian, another couple of HOT chicks, I am also evolving into a healthier human being through conscious choices and knowledge.  My journey to weight loss started many years ago with all kinds of methods and diets.  Have had a lot of success but have also set myself up for a lot of failures.  I decided to blog about my efforts in order to make myself more accountable to myself and perhaps interact with others who share my journey.
Rewind to six weeks ago; one of my long-time friend and neighbor in her journey to get fit has developed a love of fitness and to my benefit she has taken her certification to become a personal fitness coach.  I have been lucky enough to help her hone her coaching skills and well as benefit from all her knowledge. 
I always thought personal trainers were for rich celebrities and not for real people like me.  And when I say “real” I mean real out of shape and in real need for a fitness makeover.  I don’t have an athletic bone in my body or so I thought.  I was always the artsy, horsey girl growing up, not the high school jock.  I went into the training program with an open mind and was honest with my trainer.  I told her that if she were to be too rough and tough on me I would probably end up on the floor crying in the fetal position and I wouldn’t come back.  She assured me she wasn’t out to “break” me and promised to ease into a fitness program.
I have committed to three days a week for one hour a session and some days it’s been hard to get there but at the end of the workout I have been so thankful I sucked it up.  My trainer has been so positive and supportive throughout and even refrains from laughing when I collapse in a pretzel during stretches.  I am sure some of my workouts could be on one of those cheesy amateur video TV shows.
Now I am starting to overhaul my eating habits slowly with eating leaner proteins, lots of fruit and veggies, cutting back on fat as well as switching to gluten free meals.  In other words, I am starting to listen to my body and its wants other than listening to what my mind wants to eat.
The internet has been a great recipe provider.  I routinely “goggle” all the vegetables I need to cook up that are lurking in my fridge on the brink of thinking about turning bad and voila!  A cornucopia of healthy recipes, mine for the plundering.  This week has yielded a pizza with a crust made of shredded zucchini and eggs with plain spaghetti sauce, store-bought from the jar with fresh veggies and low fat mozzarella cheese on top.  Even my finicky eaters gave it two thumbs up!
Getting my body fit and enjoying healthy foods is my goal and my personal trainer has been a driving force in achieving in making this quest a reality.  Follow my journey on “Real HOT Real Life”!

Be sure to sign up for our free “Real HOT, Real Life” newsletter RealHOTRealLife@horseownertoday.com  for great tips, recipes and much more.

Step One:  Kicking the Cravings

by HOT SalesForce Rep Gillian Thiessen
 
Or breaking the vicious cycle, call it what you like, the first step is the hardest step, imo!  Breaking free from the pull of all baked good containing WHEAT was my first challenge this summer.  I have known for some time that wheat products cause digestive upset of a rather public humiliatory nature.  So, I have some really good incentive to forego the sandwich bar, the donut shop, the bakery...
Day One and Two were awful.  Withdrawal stage.  I apologize to family and friends that endured this stage with me.  Day 3 started to get better, and Day 4 was a whole new world for me!  Feeling better is worth the pain of withdrawal.
 
Now that the cravings for sugar and carbs have settled down, I feel like I CAN make better choices.  Its like someone just turned on the lights and I have a shot at reaching my health goals, just in time too - getting up over the 4-0 mark means no more fooling around with my health, time to get in shape.  Looking forward to the journey, and I hope you will share your journeys with me.
 

Gillian Thiessen , Sales Representative www.HorseOwnerToday.com
 
gillian.t@horseownertoday.com 306-292-6768
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/horseownertoday

Welcome to “Real HOT, Real Life”!   The Time is Now!

Hi, my name is Bonnie Newton!  I am the driving force behind HorseOwnerToday.com (HOT).  I am also Mom to a very active 6 year old boy and partner to an amazing man.  We live on a small farm, a full time job, run a herd of horses, a small business, and HOT.

My big why for embarking on the “Real HOT, Real Life” journey is simple….fitness, wellness, balance and abundance!  I have never lived a balanced life.  My priority is me, sounds selfish but it is not.   I must be fit to live a balanced life, to be the best I can be as a partner, a mother and a business owner. I must be well, my life must be balanced to live in abundance and this is the story of my journey.

Blaine Mackie of Mackie Physiotherapy said “Your physical self should lift up and enhance your mental self”.   My schedule has been bizarre for the past 3 years, working at a desk for hours daily, my physical self is dragging (some parts more than others). 

My first fitness goal is not to be a size 0, nor to achieve a perfect weight. I do not own a scale, never have.   My goal is to only carry useful muscle.  Fat is not useful, it is humiliating and unhealthy, a constant reminder of my “unbalanced life”.  I am trying to work up the courage to video myself and measure all the critical parts so I have a comparison.

My second fitness goal is to maintain a constant weight and body fat level.

How am I going to achieve my fitness goals?  Consistent nutrition plan, consistent exercise, and consistent hydration.

Which of these is toughest?  No contest there consistent exercise is the toughest goal.  I am busy and when trying to balance my schedule will remove exercise first.  No more!  Exercise is critical for me to be more productive, to maintain good health and maintain a high level of energy.  I enjoy exercise, just seem to be willing to sacrifice it and myself.

The hydration is second place.  I find it very difficult to drink adequate water so it has become a conscious exercise throughout the day.

The nutrition plan is what I find the easiest.  I like the food the Team Savino included in my nutrition plan, I like eating...ok honesty wins I love eating! (I can eat anytime, anywhere)

Are you unhappy with your weight?  Your unbalanced life?   I invite you to join “Real HOT, Real Life”.  Follow  my journey to fitness, wellness, balance and abundance in “Real HOT, Real Life”!    Facebook or Twitter

 
Be sure to sign up for our free “Real HOT, Real Life” newsletter RealHOTRealLife@horseownertoday.com  for great tips, recipes and much more.