Ok, so it's been a long time since I posted. I am still VERY interested and excited about the possibility of becoming a personal trainer. There's just been a little set back...but for a good reason! I really want to become a personal trainer to help others learn to eat healthy and excercise, but not just for a few months and then get back to bad old habits! I want to be able to motivate and teach people to change their lifestyle. I think it's a waste of my time, their time and their money if I only help them for a few months. Now, I know from PLENTY of experience that it's difficult to always stay on track. But, if I can teach them and motivate them enough so that even when they do get off track (like I have MANY times)they will always go back to that "healthier" lifestyle...make that lifestyle the comfort zone they always go back to! Excercise and diet are both so important to the wellbeing of EVERYONE! However, how many are out there eating poorly and rarely exercising, if ever?! TOO MANY! I love the fact that personal training is growing like crazy...yes, that means a lot of competition. But I don't think we can have enough, and there will be no competition if I'm good at it and help my clients be successful in their healthy lifestyle transformation!! So, in a way, that's my Mission Statement once I get this new career kicked off.
There's a lot to do before that can happen. Right now I'm working on Step 1 - ME! I have come a long way with my workouts in the last couple of months. I'm having so much fun meeting new friends (other stay-at-home moms)at the gym 5-6 days a week. These workouts are fantastic! Monday and Wednesday we do a Body Pump class to do weight training and then I do 20-30 minutes of cardio...still running and loving it! Tuesday and Friday is Piyo, LOVE this class, it's a mixture of Pilates and Yoga and I sweat in this class almost as much as when I run 3 miles! Thursday and Saturday is Body Combat, sort of like kickboxing...also a lot of fun, but tough! So, as you can see, I've got a great workout schedule. I'm mixing it up, getting cardio, weight training and stretching and balance every week.
The Problem - not losing weight or inches! WHAT? I really thought once I put my workouts into high gear and mixed it up and still watched what I ate pretty well I'd see the weight falling off. Not the case and VERY frustrating, as you can imagine, I'm sure! I started watching my calories, looked up on a few sites to see how many calories I should eat each day to get to my goal weight of 135 and it said 1600. Still nothing watching that. I've also felt very tired and unmotivated. I have Thyroid disease in my family, sister and grandmother both have underactive thyroids, so I thought maybe that was it. I went to my doctor last week to have lab work done. Found out today it doesn't look like it's abnormal (still waiting for my doctor to look over the results, but probably normal). I was a little bummed, I don't want to take medication for thyroid, but did hope that was why I'm not losing weight. Good news...I'm very healthy:) Another good thing is after meeting my doctor I started taking a multi-vitamin for women because I realized I'm definitely not getting enough calcium (and probably other things too). I have noticed a change in my energy, not super, but SO much better than before.
The Next Plan - try doing only 1200 calories per day. I want to do it for a few weeks and see what happens...all I can think is it must be my diet. So I'll be doing 2 NutriiVeda shakes each day (they taste great, are high protein, low calorie and have great minerals and vitamins), so I'll have one for breakfast and one after my workouts. I have some great healthy recipes that I've been cooking for dinner, so we'll stick with those and have healthy snacks in between. I always say, I don't believe in dieting...I don't like telling myself I "can't" have something because then it's all I can think of. So this is not a diet, it's watching what I eat a little more closely...and on date night days, I may just go over that 1200 a little...call it my "free day". Learned that by doing Body for Life and I think it's important to be successful!
Once I get myself looking and feeling even better, I will be ready to move on to the preparation of getting certified to be a personal trainer. I think I'm learning so much throughout my own experience, that I'll feel even better when I start training others! I'm really excited to see what I can do with this...and to sharing it with those who read this! I'm going to try and post updates more frequently and share my thoughts and how I'm feeling.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Working Out, Loving It...Make a Career of it?
I'm so excited to be back in Vegas and getting back into a routine after our great trip back to New Mexico. I've really been enjoying the gym, a friend and I started going to different classes they offer at our Gold's Gym...so much fun and such GREAT workouts! We have been doing Piyo (mixture of pilates and yoga), Body Pump (all weights) and Body Combat (kickboxing). I also started running some again to test my knee, ran a mile twice after Body Pump and yesterday ran 3 miles. Knee is doing well, hopefully it stays that way. I think the classes should help, really working on building muscles that will help so I shouldn't damage or injure my knee as long as I don't push too hard or too fast.
I have had a passion for working out and eating healthy pretty much since college. Not that I've stayed focused on it all the time, but done pretty well since then. It started when I was in college, had a little too much fun eating and drinking and boy did it catch up with me! I always had a class from Freshman year on that was either aquasize or aerobics, but finally my sophmore year I started walking some and joined the local gym to step it up. I vividly remember the summer before my junior year I lived in Georgia as a nanny for my aunt and uncle and felt aweful...I was wearing a size 14. I'll never forget, one day I drove about 30 minutes to a Jenny Craig...got on the scale and it said 161 lbs. I about died, I'm only 5'5" and definitely should not be that heavy! I signed up, but on the drive home started crying and then just got pissed at myself and decided I needed to turn around and un-sign because if I couldn't do this on my own, then I would stay that size (I also really couldn't afford it as a college student and was going to have to drive that 30miles once a week:) So I did just that, turned around and told them I didn't want to do it after all. I had to keep the food, which was stupid considering I hadn't even taken it out of the bag...but whatever, I used a lot of it. I started watching my calories and really just eating healtier and walking everyday. When I got back to college in Colorado, I kept the walking going and started going to the gym for classes and workout before school. My walking slowly turned into jogging and running and loving it! I worked at the local ski resort and instead of using my 2 hour lunch break to ski once Spring hit, I ran...doesn't get any better than that, running in the beautiful Colorado mountains!
The weight came off, not right away, but it was better that way because I had completely changed my lifestyle. Now, I was still a college student, had 2 more years to go. So I was still enjoying the parties and eating Taco Bell...just not everyday and I was working out to help when I did take in too many calories. That has stuck with me ever since. There has only been two other times I got close to that size on the scale and that was when I was pregnant with each of my girls (definitely worth it). I made a lifestyle change...I tried diets, they never worked for me. If I say I can't have something, that's all I can think about eating and when I finally do I have WAY more than I should! I could definitely still do better with my eating habits, but would say overall I eat very healthy and keep the calories under control. However, if I want chocolate, I have some...if there's a dessert on the menu that looks good, I order it...to share!
I've been more of a stay-at-home mom since August. First time I'm not doing a full-time job. I really do love having so much more time with my girls, my husband and for myself. However, I am starting to get the itch to do a little more. I am now looking into getting certified as a Personal Trainer. I've had some awesome conversations with people in the industry. A really good friend of mine who has done it for a long time gave me some great ideas, so I'm really excited to really look more into it! I want to provide personal training to people who may not feel comfortable going to a gym and working out, teach them how to work out at home, or at a park with friends, etc. And teach them how to eat healthier and get results...CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE, not deprive themselves! It's something I can start part-time, and then when my girls are older, hopefully take it more full-time.
My opportunity with Zrii has also been part of me coming to find this possible new opportunity. I love all of the Ayurvedic principles I'm learning, it's really about mind, body and soul to live a healthy, happy and successful life. I want to also continue learning more about this and be able to incorporate that in my training. I have A LOT to learn, but want to take this passion to the next level.
A great quote: "If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." ~ Steve Jobs
If any of you have advice or comments, I'd love to hear from you!!
I have had a passion for working out and eating healthy pretty much since college. Not that I've stayed focused on it all the time, but done pretty well since then. It started when I was in college, had a little too much fun eating and drinking and boy did it catch up with me! I always had a class from Freshman year on that was either aquasize or aerobics, but finally my sophmore year I started walking some and joined the local gym to step it up. I vividly remember the summer before my junior year I lived in Georgia as a nanny for my aunt and uncle and felt aweful...I was wearing a size 14. I'll never forget, one day I drove about 30 minutes to a Jenny Craig...got on the scale and it said 161 lbs. I about died, I'm only 5'5" and definitely should not be that heavy! I signed up, but on the drive home started crying and then just got pissed at myself and decided I needed to turn around and un-sign because if I couldn't do this on my own, then I would stay that size (I also really couldn't afford it as a college student and was going to have to drive that 30miles once a week:) So I did just that, turned around and told them I didn't want to do it after all. I had to keep the food, which was stupid considering I hadn't even taken it out of the bag...but whatever, I used a lot of it. I started watching my calories and really just eating healtier and walking everyday. When I got back to college in Colorado, I kept the walking going and started going to the gym for classes and workout before school. My walking slowly turned into jogging and running and loving it! I worked at the local ski resort and instead of using my 2 hour lunch break to ski once Spring hit, I ran...doesn't get any better than that, running in the beautiful Colorado mountains!
The weight came off, not right away, but it was better that way because I had completely changed my lifestyle. Now, I was still a college student, had 2 more years to go. So I was still enjoying the parties and eating Taco Bell...just not everyday and I was working out to help when I did take in too many calories. That has stuck with me ever since. There has only been two other times I got close to that size on the scale and that was when I was pregnant with each of my girls (definitely worth it). I made a lifestyle change...I tried diets, they never worked for me. If I say I can't have something, that's all I can think about eating and when I finally do I have WAY more than I should! I could definitely still do better with my eating habits, but would say overall I eat very healthy and keep the calories under control. However, if I want chocolate, I have some...if there's a dessert on the menu that looks good, I order it...to share!
I've been more of a stay-at-home mom since August. First time I'm not doing a full-time job. I really do love having so much more time with my girls, my husband and for myself. However, I am starting to get the itch to do a little more. I am now looking into getting certified as a Personal Trainer. I've had some awesome conversations with people in the industry. A really good friend of mine who has done it for a long time gave me some great ideas, so I'm really excited to really look more into it! I want to provide personal training to people who may not feel comfortable going to a gym and working out, teach them how to work out at home, or at a park with friends, etc. And teach them how to eat healthier and get results...CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE, not deprive themselves! It's something I can start part-time, and then when my girls are older, hopefully take it more full-time.
My opportunity with Zrii has also been part of me coming to find this possible new opportunity. I love all of the Ayurvedic principles I'm learning, it's really about mind, body and soul to live a healthy, happy and successful life. I want to also continue learning more about this and be able to incorporate that in my training. I have A LOT to learn, but want to take this passion to the next level.
A great quote: "If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." ~ Steve Jobs
If any of you have advice or comments, I'd love to hear from you!!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Quick Update - Knee is Ready to Roll...I think!
It's been a while since I posted, but it's been an interesting few weeks. I did finally get to see my doctor about my knee MRI results, thankfully there was just minor cartilage damage and a little fluid. He definitely didn't want to do surgery (so glad to hear that, I've heard some nightmares from people who got one surgery and just had to keep getting them!). He ended up giving me a shot of some kind of thick lubricant (not fun, thankfully I had my husband there to squeeze his hands)...I need to find out the name of it because I know people will ask. Bottom line, he said it would take 2-3 weeks before I really felt the full affect of it. Right away I could notice some difference, but it's now been 4 weeks and I have had no more pain in the last week! I even sat on a plane for over an hour, twice, and no stiffness! So this week my plan is to get back to more workouts, including running! Will let you know how it goes, I'm definitely going to take it slow, start running 2-3 miles first to see how it feels!
Last week was one of those CRAZY weeks! My girls and I flew to Albuquerque, NM a week ago last Friday to meet my family and drive another 2 1/2 hours to a VERY small town called San Jon, NM for my grandmother's 80th birthday. I was SO happy I got to be there! However, it didn't start off so well. My youngest (20 months old) had a runny nose before we left, she had an ear infection about a month ago so I was afraid flying with a runny nose may bring on another...OH BOY, I had no idea! Let me just say, there's something about going there?! Last time I got to go visit the big town of San Jon, my oldest (also around 18 months then) got really sick and we had to take her to the emergency room in Tucumcari, NM...lets just say my mom and I felt like we were in the Twilight Zone! Anyway, back to this trip, my daughter didn't sleep through the night the first 3 nights...mother's instinct was telling me after the first night that this was definitely an ear infection at least in one ear, maybe both! So I'm really trying to enjoy visiting my aunts and uncles and cousins I haven't seen in over 2 years, on no sleep and just can't bare the thought of going back to that emergency room. Thankfully a cousin's wife had some ear drops that soothed her and made her feel a lot better during the day. Still no sleep for mom, but thankfully my husband was able to come and meet us earlier than expected and help and then on Tuesday I was back at my parents house in Aztec, NM where our old doctor is and got her all fixed up. Mother's instinct correct, double ear infection...poor thing:( But she's all better now, however, she did share the cold with her other cousins and everyone else. Three other cousins ended up with ear infections, and a few of us got the cold...FUN, FUN, FUN! Oh, and they got more snow in the 4-Corners area while we were there from Monday to Thursday...more than they've had in YEARS!
On a positive note...my oldest REALLY wanted to play in the snow when we got to New Mexico. SHE GOT HER WISH:) My mom and sister are both teachers, they were off from school on Monday for Martin Luther King Day and then only had to go to school one day because every other day of school was cancelled. So, we got to hang out with the family like they were all on vacation with us...but as my husband put it, it was like a petri dish we were hanging out in:) Most importantly, I got to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday with her and it's something I wouldn't have missed...sleep or no sleep!!
We are back in Vegas and now just trying to get back on track! Been fighting this horrible cough, but am ready to get back to the gym tomorrow. After all of my mom's baking and being snowed in...I HAVE to!!
Last week was one of those CRAZY weeks! My girls and I flew to Albuquerque, NM a week ago last Friday to meet my family and drive another 2 1/2 hours to a VERY small town called San Jon, NM for my grandmother's 80th birthday. I was SO happy I got to be there! However, it didn't start off so well. My youngest (20 months old) had a runny nose before we left, she had an ear infection about a month ago so I was afraid flying with a runny nose may bring on another...OH BOY, I had no idea! Let me just say, there's something about going there?! Last time I got to go visit the big town of San Jon, my oldest (also around 18 months then) got really sick and we had to take her to the emergency room in Tucumcari, NM...lets just say my mom and I felt like we were in the Twilight Zone! Anyway, back to this trip, my daughter didn't sleep through the night the first 3 nights...mother's instinct was telling me after the first night that this was definitely an ear infection at least in one ear, maybe both! So I'm really trying to enjoy visiting my aunts and uncles and cousins I haven't seen in over 2 years, on no sleep and just can't bare the thought of going back to that emergency room. Thankfully a cousin's wife had some ear drops that soothed her and made her feel a lot better during the day. Still no sleep for mom, but thankfully my husband was able to come and meet us earlier than expected and help and then on Tuesday I was back at my parents house in Aztec, NM where our old doctor is and got her all fixed up. Mother's instinct correct, double ear infection...poor thing:( But she's all better now, however, she did share the cold with her other cousins and everyone else. Three other cousins ended up with ear infections, and a few of us got the cold...FUN, FUN, FUN! Oh, and they got more snow in the 4-Corners area while we were there from Monday to Thursday...more than they've had in YEARS!
On a positive note...my oldest REALLY wanted to play in the snow when we got to New Mexico. SHE GOT HER WISH:) My mom and sister are both teachers, they were off from school on Monday for Martin Luther King Day and then only had to go to school one day because every other day of school was cancelled. So, we got to hang out with the family like they were all on vacation with us...but as my husband put it, it was like a petri dish we were hanging out in:) Most importantly, I got to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday with her and it's something I wouldn't have missed...sleep or no sleep!!
We are back in Vegas and now just trying to get back on track! Been fighting this horrible cough, but am ready to get back to the gym tomorrow. After all of my mom's baking and being snowed in...I HAVE to!!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Here's to 2010!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year so far. 2009 was a great year, definitely had some rough times, but I have definitely been very blessed. I have a great husband and two beautiful girls, wonderful parents and in-laws and siblings and nieces and nephews. So even though our house is worth about $100K less than what we bought if for back in 2005 and our investments still are not back to where we started them...I am very blessed (don't ask my husband, he probably doesn't see it this way...LOL). This last year was a year of learning to appreciate what I have and who I have in my life. When it comes down to it, that is so much more important than the tangible things. I know we are a lot luckier than a lot of people out there who have lost their jobs this last year, some have lost their homes, etc. I am so thankful for who I am, what I have, and the opportunities that continue to come my way. It's what I choose to do with the opportunities that are given to me and with the people I have in my life and those I meet that I need to pay close attention!
We had a great guest speaker at our church this weekend, Bill Butterworth. Some may have heard of him, he speaks all around the country for clients like Walt Disney Company and American Express. He has written a new book called, "The Short List" and is highly recommended by John Maxwell as a speaker who brings passion and expertise no matter the topic he is discussing! He was talking about Isaiah 40, starting with verse 4:
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
We need to realize maybe our high's are not quite as high as we thought and the low's really aren't that bad. One point he made fit with what I learned about appreciating who I have in my life. Bill stated, "don't hold temporal things so tightly, they are temporary things! Life isn't measured by how much you own. There are more ways to define ourselves than by what we have."
This is something I want to continue focusing on in 2010. New Year's resolution? Maybe in a way, but not just for 2010, or just the next few weeks as many resolutions go!! I plan to take each step, one at a time, learning and growing and appreciating what I have...most importantly my family and friends and the time I have to enjoy with them!
It's been a while since I last blogged, crazy holidays! So the latest on my knee, well, I'll hopefully know on Wednesday. I go back to the doctor to go over the MRI I had done. I'm really hoping I don't need any surgery, just...well, not sure what, just no surgery! I also hope it's something that I can get under control and get back to running. I REALLY miss it! I've been enjoying these HIIT encumbent bike workouts I found with weight training and mixing that with Piyo and Yoga classes, but I definitely felt like when I was running my body was really transforming and I felt great! So here's hoping. Even if it's just running 3-4 miles a few times a week. Best case, I can start training for a half-marathon again, there's one in Orange County the first weekend of May! Keep fingers crossed for me:)
Weight Loss...ummm, well let's just say I was eating lot's of sweets over the holidays! I couldn't stop:) But since I was still going to the gym and working out and having a NutriiVeda shake for breakfast, I thankfully didn't put weight back on. However, I'm doing 2 NutriiVeda shakes a day for at least this week to hopefully get rid of any inches I got back! Pants feeling a little snug after the holidays, so I'll also be measuring again!
My home-based business was put a little aside over the last couple of weeks due to a lot of company in town for the holidays. Plus it was slower, understandably, others were also very busy! I did sell to some people here in Vegas and have received great feedback from them! I also got a new website put together where people can buy product just one at a time to try it. I'm excited about the new site and hope it gets more people trying these amazing two products Zrii has to offer! The beverage has continued to help myself, my husband and two girls be healthier (knock on wood). Our colds have been very minimal and much shorter than normal and it continues to give me more energy througout the day.
Check out my site at www.melissanicholson.net and you can use a coupon for a 20% discount on your first purchase to try it, just enter coupon code FACEBOOK20. Any questions, email me at melissadmagee@yahoo.com. I'm getting a lot of response from Facebook friends looking to lose weight, the NutriiVeda shakes are great and especially if you can use them along with the beverage. We also still have the Free distributorship if you choose to purchase products at wholesale prices with a 30-day money-back gaurantee.
Guess that's enough for now, but I'll have an update on my knee soon!
We had a great guest speaker at our church this weekend, Bill Butterworth. Some may have heard of him, he speaks all around the country for clients like Walt Disney Company and American Express. He has written a new book called, "The Short List" and is highly recommended by John Maxwell as a speaker who brings passion and expertise no matter the topic he is discussing! He was talking about Isaiah 40, starting with verse 4:
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
We need to realize maybe our high's are not quite as high as we thought and the low's really aren't that bad. One point he made fit with what I learned about appreciating who I have in my life. Bill stated, "don't hold temporal things so tightly, they are temporary things! Life isn't measured by how much you own. There are more ways to define ourselves than by what we have."
This is something I want to continue focusing on in 2010. New Year's resolution? Maybe in a way, but not just for 2010, or just the next few weeks as many resolutions go!! I plan to take each step, one at a time, learning and growing and appreciating what I have...most importantly my family and friends and the time I have to enjoy with them!
It's been a while since I last blogged, crazy holidays! So the latest on my knee, well, I'll hopefully know on Wednesday. I go back to the doctor to go over the MRI I had done. I'm really hoping I don't need any surgery, just...well, not sure what, just no surgery! I also hope it's something that I can get under control and get back to running. I REALLY miss it! I've been enjoying these HIIT encumbent bike workouts I found with weight training and mixing that with Piyo and Yoga classes, but I definitely felt like when I was running my body was really transforming and I felt great! So here's hoping. Even if it's just running 3-4 miles a few times a week. Best case, I can start training for a half-marathon again, there's one in Orange County the first weekend of May! Keep fingers crossed for me:)
Weight Loss...ummm, well let's just say I was eating lot's of sweets over the holidays! I couldn't stop:) But since I was still going to the gym and working out and having a NutriiVeda shake for breakfast, I thankfully didn't put weight back on. However, I'm doing 2 NutriiVeda shakes a day for at least this week to hopefully get rid of any inches I got back! Pants feeling a little snug after the holidays, so I'll also be measuring again!
My home-based business was put a little aside over the last couple of weeks due to a lot of company in town for the holidays. Plus it was slower, understandably, others were also very busy! I did sell to some people here in Vegas and have received great feedback from them! I also got a new website put together where people can buy product just one at a time to try it. I'm excited about the new site and hope it gets more people trying these amazing two products Zrii has to offer! The beverage has continued to help myself, my husband and two girls be healthier (knock on wood). Our colds have been very minimal and much shorter than normal and it continues to give me more energy througout the day.
Check out my site at www.melissanicholson.net and you can use a coupon for a 20% discount on your first purchase to try it, just enter coupon code FACEBOOK20. Any questions, email me at melissadmagee@yahoo.com. I'm getting a lot of response from Facebook friends looking to lose weight, the NutriiVeda shakes are great and especially if you can use them along with the beverage. We also still have the Free distributorship if you choose to purchase products at wholesale prices with a 30-day money-back gaurantee.
Guess that's enough for now, but I'll have an update on my knee soon!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Half-Marathon Has to Wait....
Well, I have some news that I am not happy to share, but dealing with! A few weeks ago I ran my 7 mile run and started having some major pain under and around my knee cap. I went a little easy on it and it started to feel a little better, but then when I ran in Connecticut outside with more hills than I had been, it really started bothering me again. The cold just made it freeze up completely and sitting for very long made it stiff.
I visited an Orthopedic doctor a week and a half ago in hopes he could help me get back on track for my half-marathon that is only 2 weeks away now. He didn't have horrible news, but not great either. It seems an old knee injury from Jr. High was causing some problems, a lot of inflammation behind my knee cap that was causing the tendon to rub on the bone and causing the pain. I was given a steroid shot in the knee and his initial advice was to take a full week off from any workouts. I freaked knowing my half-marathon at that time was only about 3 1/2 weeks away, so he said I could ride a stationary bike for a week and see how it holds up and then try running again. If the pain continued I would have to come back in for an MRI to really see what's going on.
So I did the bike for a week, still had about 15% of the pain. Ran a mile after 15 minutes on the bike after a week and the pain was back the next morning about 40%. I had to make a decision. I could keep pushing myself, I've been so pumped about reaching this goal of running my first half-marathon! However, then I'd chance really doing some damage and having to have surgery possibly and then be out for who knows how long. Well, that decision made it easier for me...through my training I have gotten myself in better shape than I've been in, probably since high school! I'm back in the same size clothes I was wearing before I got pregnant with my first daughter and I feel great! No way am I going to chance putting all that back on for one day of running a half-marathon.
I admit that I am REALLY bummed. However, I look at it this way...I can continue taking it easy for another week with lighter workouts and hopefully the pain will go away and then I can start back to running 3-4 miles 4-5 days a week. If I can get back to that and continue with my weight training there is a chance I can do another half-marathon a little later. Right now I just need to get this pain gone...hopefully without having to go back in for an MRI!
I got into a little bit of a funk with my working out and my home-based business and I have realized it was because I was having so much pain during my runs. If you have read my earlier blog entries, when I talked about running I felt fantastic! I really felt so positive about everything. As my knee started bothering me I was not enjoying the runs as much, just trying to push through them to get to that end goal. I have come to realize it was affecting me in so many ways, not just in my workouts. I was feeling less excited about my work, crankier with my husband, and just all-around less motivated.
Now that I have made this decision I feel I am back on track! My fitness goal has changed, it's not to run my first half-marathon (not this month anyway), but to continue changing my body through running, lifting and having fun with it and with the meal replacement shakes that are really helping me to transform my body by getting rid of the internal fat that has built up! The inches are still coming off and I love it!
I also have a new Mission Statement that I finally put together and have posted to see everyday. I also realized that I stopped following my mentors and was just half-listening to their teachings. I know this has set me back, but I've learned and I am ready to move forward!
Mission Statement:
I am committed to being a devoted wife, mother, and friend who blesses family, friends, and people I meet with a plan to ensure both them and myself to take control of our health, wealth, and time in order to live the lifestyles we desire.
I visited an Orthopedic doctor a week and a half ago in hopes he could help me get back on track for my half-marathon that is only 2 weeks away now. He didn't have horrible news, but not great either. It seems an old knee injury from Jr. High was causing some problems, a lot of inflammation behind my knee cap that was causing the tendon to rub on the bone and causing the pain. I was given a steroid shot in the knee and his initial advice was to take a full week off from any workouts. I freaked knowing my half-marathon at that time was only about 3 1/2 weeks away, so he said I could ride a stationary bike for a week and see how it holds up and then try running again. If the pain continued I would have to come back in for an MRI to really see what's going on.
So I did the bike for a week, still had about 15% of the pain. Ran a mile after 15 minutes on the bike after a week and the pain was back the next morning about 40%. I had to make a decision. I could keep pushing myself, I've been so pumped about reaching this goal of running my first half-marathon! However, then I'd chance really doing some damage and having to have surgery possibly and then be out for who knows how long. Well, that decision made it easier for me...through my training I have gotten myself in better shape than I've been in, probably since high school! I'm back in the same size clothes I was wearing before I got pregnant with my first daughter and I feel great! No way am I going to chance putting all that back on for one day of running a half-marathon.
I admit that I am REALLY bummed. However, I look at it this way...I can continue taking it easy for another week with lighter workouts and hopefully the pain will go away and then I can start back to running 3-4 miles 4-5 days a week. If I can get back to that and continue with my weight training there is a chance I can do another half-marathon a little later. Right now I just need to get this pain gone...hopefully without having to go back in for an MRI!
I got into a little bit of a funk with my working out and my home-based business and I have realized it was because I was having so much pain during my runs. If you have read my earlier blog entries, when I talked about running I felt fantastic! I really felt so positive about everything. As my knee started bothering me I was not enjoying the runs as much, just trying to push through them to get to that end goal. I have come to realize it was affecting me in so many ways, not just in my workouts. I was feeling less excited about my work, crankier with my husband, and just all-around less motivated.
Now that I have made this decision I feel I am back on track! My fitness goal has changed, it's not to run my first half-marathon (not this month anyway), but to continue changing my body through running, lifting and having fun with it and with the meal replacement shakes that are really helping me to transform my body by getting rid of the internal fat that has built up! The inches are still coming off and I love it!
I also have a new Mission Statement that I finally put together and have posted to see everyday. I also realized that I stopped following my mentors and was just half-listening to their teachings. I know this has set me back, but I've learned and I am ready to move forward!
Mission Statement:
I am committed to being a devoted wife, mother, and friend who blesses family, friends, and people I meet with a plan to ensure both them and myself to take control of our health, wealth, and time in order to live the lifestyles we desire.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Ambition - Is it a Dirty Word?
The word ambition has been something on my mind a lot lately. I picked up the book "Ambition is Not a Dirty Word" by Debra Condren, PH.D and have been reading through it some in this search for balance. I am trying to figure out how to balance my time as a mom, a wife, and the desire to contribute to my family financially. Looking back, I use to have a great deal of ambition in my career...so much so that I worked MANY hours, sometimes my boyfriend at the time and now husband, felt was WAY too many hours. I don't blame him looking back. I was a recruiter for an agency in New York City. If they set a goal, I got there quicker than expected; I wanted to be the best; I wanted to be in the spotlight. I never missed a function with managers, no matter how long the hours were, I put the time in. If that's what it took for me to advance in my career, then I was there! I learned so much in that job and am VERY thankful to having that opportunity.
8 years later things have changed a GREAT deal! I am now happily married and have two beautiful daughters who are 1 1/2 years and 3 1/2 years old. I read a quote in the book that really hit home with where I see myself trying to be now:
"I believe opportunity is limitless. I am very ambitious. I am incredibly passionate about my work. But I'm equally passionate about my family and friends. If you are a woman who is ambitious, a woman with a vital contribution to make, you needn't choose between a meaningful career and a happy, fulfilling life outside of work. You just have to manage your life so that you can be a full recipient of all of it. Is this goal a virtue, and is it attainable? Absolutley." - Deborah Saweuyer-Parks, President & CEO of Homestead Capital.
I have found the greatest opportunity where I am truly passionate about my work and have the potential to not only make some great residual monthly income for my family, but also the opportunity to set us up for life! And I mean this, this company is offering those of us who have come into the company at this point now until December 31st the chance to set our families up for life! The world of Network Marketing is amazing, especially when you find the right company and right fit for where you want to go.
Where I am having the internal struggle is how much do I let my ambition lead right now and how much do I hold back to make sure I'm managing my life so that I can fulfill this financial goal as well as spend the quality time with my family. There are two huge reasons as to why I made the decision to do this home-based business:
1. Financial Freedom - I want to be able to contribute so that some of the pressure is taken from my husband; so we can go on wonderful vacations around the world; to give my husband more time off (as a musician he does not get paid vacation so it costs us money); for our retirement and our girls college educations.
2. Time - I want more flexibility to do more with my girls and with my husband. Golf with my husband on his days off. Take the girls to do things anytime, not just weekends or holidays (only days you get in a corporate job).
So how do you make it work in trying to have a meaningful and successful career and a happy, fulfilling life outside of work? I'm still working on it! I truly believe this home-based business will get me the financial freedom and the time I'm looking for and I can hardly stand it I'm so excited! I'm learning so much everyday. I have the most amazing leaders in my upline to guide me and teach me and a company who truly aims to make more people healthier and wealthier along the way. And I'm in it at the beginning, positioning is so much in this business. You can't help but be excited about an opportunity when it is with a company owned by Bill Farley and with products endorsed by Dr. Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Center and the chance to really change your life, your families and other individuals along the way. That's a journey I've started and want to share!
I'm committed to my new business and to my family and I'm looking for others to join me. Finding like-minded individuals will help me through this journey because we can support one another and have fun along the way! If you are also tired of working in corporate America, tired of working a job that's just a job that has no passion in it, or if you are tired of simply collecting a paycheck because that's what is expected, I would love to open your eyes to a better way to live your life and to make your dreams a reality. Take this journey with me and start your own business that you can grow at your own pace starting with only $500 to $1000. Doesn't matter if you are a CEO of a company or a stay-at-home mom, if you are interested let me know so I can get you information. Message me at melissadmagee@yahoo.com.
I will continue to share my high's and low's during this journey and look forward to others sharing theirs as well!
8 years later things have changed a GREAT deal! I am now happily married and have two beautiful daughters who are 1 1/2 years and 3 1/2 years old. I read a quote in the book that really hit home with where I see myself trying to be now:
"I believe opportunity is limitless. I am very ambitious. I am incredibly passionate about my work. But I'm equally passionate about my family and friends. If you are a woman who is ambitious, a woman with a vital contribution to make, you needn't choose between a meaningful career and a happy, fulfilling life outside of work. You just have to manage your life so that you can be a full recipient of all of it. Is this goal a virtue, and is it attainable? Absolutley." - Deborah Saweuyer-Parks, President & CEO of Homestead Capital.
I have found the greatest opportunity where I am truly passionate about my work and have the potential to not only make some great residual monthly income for my family, but also the opportunity to set us up for life! And I mean this, this company is offering those of us who have come into the company at this point now until December 31st the chance to set our families up for life! The world of Network Marketing is amazing, especially when you find the right company and right fit for where you want to go.
Where I am having the internal struggle is how much do I let my ambition lead right now and how much do I hold back to make sure I'm managing my life so that I can fulfill this financial goal as well as spend the quality time with my family. There are two huge reasons as to why I made the decision to do this home-based business:
1. Financial Freedom - I want to be able to contribute so that some of the pressure is taken from my husband; so we can go on wonderful vacations around the world; to give my husband more time off (as a musician he does not get paid vacation so it costs us money); for our retirement and our girls college educations.
2. Time - I want more flexibility to do more with my girls and with my husband. Golf with my husband on his days off. Take the girls to do things anytime, not just weekends or holidays (only days you get in a corporate job).
So how do you make it work in trying to have a meaningful and successful career and a happy, fulfilling life outside of work? I'm still working on it! I truly believe this home-based business will get me the financial freedom and the time I'm looking for and I can hardly stand it I'm so excited! I'm learning so much everyday. I have the most amazing leaders in my upline to guide me and teach me and a company who truly aims to make more people healthier and wealthier along the way. And I'm in it at the beginning, positioning is so much in this business. You can't help but be excited about an opportunity when it is with a company owned by Bill Farley and with products endorsed by Dr. Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Center and the chance to really change your life, your families and other individuals along the way. That's a journey I've started and want to share!
I'm committed to my new business and to my family and I'm looking for others to join me. Finding like-minded individuals will help me through this journey because we can support one another and have fun along the way! If you are also tired of working in corporate America, tired of working a job that's just a job that has no passion in it, or if you are tired of simply collecting a paycheck because that's what is expected, I would love to open your eyes to a better way to live your life and to make your dreams a reality. Take this journey with me and start your own business that you can grow at your own pace starting with only $500 to $1000. Doesn't matter if you are a CEO of a company or a stay-at-home mom, if you are interested let me know so I can get you information. Message me at melissadmagee@yahoo.com.
I will continue to share my high's and low's during this journey and look forward to others sharing theirs as well!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Gotta Have Faith!
Wow, what a week!! I had an amazing power training session at the Zrii Headquarters in Salt Lake City on Saturday and a huge focus was having Faith, believing in this awesome opportunity! That's been the biggest thing for me throughout my journey so far in my home-based business. Faith in the leaders I have been so fortunate to meet in this opportunity; faith in the system they have proven over and over to be VERY successful; faith that network marketing is a better way to provide for my family financially. It is definitely an up and down roller coaster ride, I won't lie, but it's so exciting at the same time. As I've mentioned, personal growth is something I am really focusing on and this opportunity is providing me a lot of opportunities to grow personally! I have my good and my bad days, but I will not give up. I will keep learning from my mentors and pushing myself a little more everyday. I not only want success for myself and my family, but I want to show others how to reach their dreams as well!
Sunday, my church service tied right into this whole idea of Faith! It was AWESOME! For the next 30 days we are covering what Sr. Pastor Jud Wilhite calls Neon Faith. This week was called "Radical Faith". Key points: Learn to see with faith; Keep looking up even when things are down; Step out in Faith. It's about putting Faith into action in your life, and that can be different for everyone!
One of the scriptures was Matthew 6:30-33: Why do you have so little faith? "So Don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
I do believe this wholeheartedly. I will continue to look up even when things are down, because as said in Hebrews 11:1: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
These words spoke so powerfully to me! Especially because I am at a point in my career where I am trying something new, but something that feels so right and I HOPE it will be! I finally have more flexibility with my time to spend more with my girls and husband. I have the opportunity to make financially what I want to make. No more working for someone else who is telling me how much I can make or when I can take time off or how long I can take off. I am on a mission to be successful with this home-based business. I have SO much to learn, but that's just what I'm doing on a daily basis....LEARNING and Growing!
I love a post Sr. Pastor Wilhite put on Facebook and then said again on Sunday, "Tell God how big your problem is and then tell your problem how big your God is"! NO problem is too big as long as you have FAITH!
I have already had some success in using some things I learned on Saturday and plan to see even more in the next couple of days as I continue to follow the system laid out for us. I'm also looking forward to a great trip back to Connecticut to see my husband's family. We have not been there since Christmas and can't wait for them to see how much the girls have changed! So here's to another great week!!
If you would like to see the awesome sermon at Central Christian about Radical Faith from this last Sunday, go to http://www.centralchristian.com/home.asp and click on Radical Faith 10.25 Weekend Message.
Sunday, my church service tied right into this whole idea of Faith! It was AWESOME! For the next 30 days we are covering what Sr. Pastor Jud Wilhite calls Neon Faith. This week was called "Radical Faith". Key points: Learn to see with faith; Keep looking up even when things are down; Step out in Faith. It's about putting Faith into action in your life, and that can be different for everyone!
One of the scriptures was Matthew 6:30-33: Why do you have so little faith? "So Don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
I do believe this wholeheartedly. I will continue to look up even when things are down, because as said in Hebrews 11:1: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
These words spoke so powerfully to me! Especially because I am at a point in my career where I am trying something new, but something that feels so right and I HOPE it will be! I finally have more flexibility with my time to spend more with my girls and husband. I have the opportunity to make financially what I want to make. No more working for someone else who is telling me how much I can make or when I can take time off or how long I can take off. I am on a mission to be successful with this home-based business. I have SO much to learn, but that's just what I'm doing on a daily basis....LEARNING and Growing!
I love a post Sr. Pastor Wilhite put on Facebook and then said again on Sunday, "Tell God how big your problem is and then tell your problem how big your God is"! NO problem is too big as long as you have FAITH!
I have already had some success in using some things I learned on Saturday and plan to see even more in the next couple of days as I continue to follow the system laid out for us. I'm also looking forward to a great trip back to Connecticut to see my husband's family. We have not been there since Christmas and can't wait for them to see how much the girls have changed! So here's to another great week!!
If you would like to see the awesome sermon at Central Christian about Radical Faith from this last Sunday, go to http://www.centralchristian.com/home.asp and click on Radical Faith 10.25 Weekend Message.
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