Check out this Kick Ass Mom CEO!

Mindy Wender, a friend and fellow coach has been featured on Beachbody’s website as a coach financial success story. What blows me away isn’t the amount of money she makes. It’s what this company has truly done for her life.

As long as I’ve known her she’s referred to life before coaching as, “Stressed, frustrated and broke as a joke.” That’s an understatement.

As a mom we look forward to first moments with our kids. First crawl. First step. Mindy missed those moments because she was at her office job.

Check out her journey from $18,000 annually to making that in ONE week. Way to represent Mindy!

This woman is one of the most endearing, humble and amazing women I’ve ever met. I’ve looked up to her since day one of start my business and I still look to her for guidance and leadership. I’m blessed to have her as a leader and more blessed to call her a friend.

(If you’re curious about what it takes to become a coach contact me asap to find out if I have spots available in my next internship. Coaching details can be found here.)

S**t happens, stop letting it hold you back!

Let’s be honest. We all go through shit. But when it happens to us, we feel like we’re the only one.

How often do we blame our current circumstances on our past? It’s easy right?

But wait…you’re story is different! Right?

Are you sure about that?

“I’m broke because I lost my job.”

“I’m overweight because my husband left me and I’m depressed.”

“I have trust issues because my dad left when I was 5.” 

We all go through something in our lives that we feel is horrible…and it usually is. But you are not alone!

I’m not trying to suggest that our past doesn’t hurt and it’s not significant. It is! Trust me I went through my share of trying moments.

I can’t sit here and say I grew up surrounded with bunnies and rainbows 24/7. I went through some shit that no one should go through. Having said that, I don’t look at my past and think “poor me.” While there were some very sad and challenging moments, overall I was (and am) so blessed!

Every obstacle that I’ve faced created the person sitting here today. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for all the lessons and experiences in my life, good and bad. I certainly didn’t see it that way while I was going through it. It took time.

Do I struggle from time to time with forgiveness? Yes. That would be a lie if I said no. I’m a work in progress too. But when you focus on gratitude for all that you do have, you get more of it. When you focus on lack and disappointment, you get more of that too. Choose wisely.

My request to you is to let your past be exactly that. Stop looking back, you’re not going that way. Refuse to let it hold you back from the great things you have yet to become. Refuse to let it keep you captive in misery. There is a bold, courageous woman side of you that could be so much more if you’d just let her – OUT!

Try this exercise. Who are you having trouble forgiving? Either call that person or if that’s just not possible, do this alone where you can focus.

Insert their name and say, “Jane Doe, I forgive you, I bless you and I release you.”

That may feel like a lie at first. That’s ok! It may feel wrong to forgive that person or bless them. Do it anyway! Honestly, it’s not about them. This is about you. This is about setting yourself free. Separate the power and hold they have on you. Let it go.

Is there someone you’ve been unable to forgive? Will you share in the comment section if you took part in the exercise above? You don’t have to give specifics if you don’t want. Just let me know if you’re ready to forgive, bless and release so you can move ON with your kick ass life!

If you know someone that’s struggling with forgiveness please remember to share this with them. Sharing is caring!

XOX~Mandy

Oh Motivation where did you go???

What do you do when your motivation goes out the window or you hit a wall in business? These tips work for so many other areas of your life so if you don’t own a business…keep reading, sister.

 

I won’t blow sunshine up your cute little dress. It’s hard to push forward when you hit a major wall. As a military wife you learn to, “embrace the suck.” You have to apply that same concept to your business or big goals. Getting a business off the ground is like getting an airplane off the ground… with your feet. Losing 100 lbs takes the same focused intensity. 

 

It takes a shit ton of hard work and consistency. If you let a set back knock you down for too long you totally lose the momentum you worked very hard for so you have to work like hell to keep your feet on the ground and keep taking one step at a time. Not a big step. Just a step.

 

Not every day is glamorous. Somedays you’ll feel like a royal hot mess. But motivation is a muscle that you can choose to build and maintain. No luck involved.

 

The best way to get your groove back is start with some audio that inspires you and gets your creative juices flowing. Go for a walk and listen to a great podcast or call a friend that will encourage you.

Movement creates momentum.

Remind yourself that every great business or accomplishment has had set backs. It’s an opportunity to reflect. You are one of the greats and someday your setback will inspire many to keep going.

Create an environment that inspires you to focus. Turn on soothing music, light a candle, sit on the patio at sunrise or sunset. Whatever it takes to create an inviting space to focus. If you’re trying to restart a fitness routine, put on your workout clothes and pull out the weights so they are visible and ready to go.

 

And just start. Again.

 

Because giving up isn’t an option. There is no plan B. You’re already all in. You’re a fighter. You’re an overcomer. You got this, babe.

Here are a few additional steps you can take to get your mojo back:

1. Watch your mother Fing mouth. (Kidding…kinda.) You can literally speak life or death into your dreams. There’s a huge difference when you say, “I’ll try…” vs. “I will…..” or “I hope…” vs “I can….”

2. Take a step back to see what’s not working. Sometimes we hit roadblocks because it’s time to reinvent ourselves or to step up our game. Taking a BREIF step back, gives you perspective. Then get right back into the game.

3. Stop, drop and meditate. Don’t worry. This isn’t a perfect process. I’m a squirrel when I meditate. Just focus on getting quiet and visualize ideas flowing easily to you. Don’t judge your thoughts. Just be still. This decreases stress and increases creativity.

4. Set an action based goal and reward. Example: If you pre-plan and write 4 blog posts and schedule them > you’ll treat yourself to a pedicure. (With a mimosa on top.)

5. Create a playlist full of music that inspires you. Some of my favorite songs are:

Remember, the longer you wait to restart the harder it gets. Pull the f#$king bandaid off and just get the ball rolling. 

Action cures fear. Movement creates momentum.

Just. Start.

Do you have any tips that help you create motivation? Share them in the comments below! #Sharingiscaring

XOX~Mandy

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The Truth About Why You Are Still Fat Or Not Where You Want To Be Yet! -- Conclusion

Conclusions

Your life is yours to live. Be reasonable, responsible, and realistic.

What I have written is all true. It is the brutally honest truth that people aren’t telling you. I have coached many many people over the last 14 months and I can tell you that each one of these 6 honest truth’s work. Every. Single. Time.

Take each of these 6 truth’s to heart. Live them. Mold your lives around them. And you will achieve every single health and fitness goal you have ever had.

XOX-Mandy

The Truth About Why You Are Still Fat Or Not Where You Want To Be Yet! #6

#6 You Have a Shitty Fucking Attitude

This is the number one thing I believe will have the most effect on your long term health and fitness.

Your attitude.

This is something I rant about a lot. You need to read what I am about to say and really try to understand it.

You need to shut the fuck up about how hard you have it and how hard your life is. Seriously.

There are people who really have it rough. They have no home, no job, they have cancer or diabetes, they have been in terrible accidents and their bodies are broken, and many people have no way out and no hope to make it better.

If you have a house, can walk on two legs, use both your arms, have a job, a family, can go grocery shopping, drive in your car, go out for dinner, exercise, and free time then STFU. If you don’t have to be worried about your young daughters being kidnapped at school by some crazy person and sold into slavery and you don’t have to worry about ebola decimating your entire community and everyone you love, then STFU.

The vast majority of people reading this will be North American middle class and above. You are among the luckiest of all humans on earth.

And you go around bitching and moaning about how hard you have it. About how hard it is to not eat cookies while you watch TV. About how hard it is to motivate yourself to go workout after a day at work. About having to eat pizza and wings at a Superbowl party.

You’re stressed because you have a little blubber hanging over your belt? Almost 1 billion humans suffer from malnutrition and chronic malnourishment.

You are so lucky. You don’t even know.

Why do I write about all of this in a fitness blog?

It is because your attitude will determine your success. And your attitude is based on your life and the issues you deal with. And I want you to take a minute to put into perspective the majority of your problems and issues.

It’s too hard to exercise. Think about accident victims who are now confined to a wheelchair and would give anything JUST TO TAKE A SINGLE STEP.

You’re just too tired to exercise. Think about people living in fear for their lives of another missile attack or rape gang visiting their village.

Everyone else makes it so hard on you bringing bad food around. Think about all the children who are without parents because their parents are dead from preventable disease that could have been corrected with a healthy diet.

It’s everyone else’s fault. No. It’s. Not.

It is your life, your decisions. Your life is what you make your life to be. Period. Your attitude WILL determine your success in both your health and your life.

It is either a cold miserable winter day or a chance to learn to cross country ski. It is either a boring meal of roast and vegetables or a gift to spend time with loved ones over a bounty of food many people would literally kill for. It is either a workout you have to do or a celebration of the amazing gift your healthy body is.

XOX-Mandy

The Truth About Why You Are Still Fat Or Not Where You Want To Be Yet! #5

#5 You Want Results Faster Than Your Laziness

Four week bootcamp programs are seemingly still popular. Two week diets! Results in just one week! 10lbs a week in weight loss!!

The claims never stop. They just keep on coming. Everyone wants results fast. They want results now.

Question for you: how long did it take to plump up that body of yours with extra adipose tissue?

One week? Two weeks? Four weeks?

Probably not. It was probably something that caught up with you over time. Months. Years. It is slow and steady and a result of many different factors all working together to plump you up.

It’s the parents of the other kids on the team who bring in donut holes and cookies. It was your coworkers who kept having Friday pizza parties. It was your job that got busy preventing you from doing any exercise.

Just joking. By this point you should know better than that! Seriously.

Those are all a group of compounding factors that led to you being fatter than you want to be.

Yet now you want to change and you think making ONE change (adding exercise) should have RESULTS in 3 WEEKS.

Wtf. Remember earlier when we talked about being a grown ass adult? Take that to heart again.

The same way it went on is how it is going to come off. Through a group of compounding factors over a period of time. You have to change your exercise, your diet, and your lifestyle and you have to expect it to take the SAME amount of time to get back to where you were as it took to get you to where you are.

Period.

Can you get results in 4 weeks? Sure. Will they last for the next 4 years. No. No they won’t.

As long as you are looking at short term fixes with definitive end dates, having a few treats, and blaming everyone else for your current state, you will never be successful.

XOX-Mandy

The Truth About Why You Are Still Fat Or Not Where You Want To Be Yet! #4

#4. You Are Planning for the End Date Already

When we sell fitness style memberships like I do, I have a few red flags that pop up. When a potential new member is seemingly more concerned with how they can get out of the contract that they even have yet to sign, I know the relationship is not going to work out.

If you are already planning the end then what you are doing is not for life. And if you are doing things for your health and fitness that you don’t plan on doing for life then you are destroying your own life.

I see it all the time during challenges. ‘Only 3 more weeks.’ ‘Halfway through!.’

You. Have. Already. Failed.

An end implies cessation of current activities. If your current activities are healthy then by default the cessation of those activities is unhealthy. They are your old habits. You know them, they are the habits and activities (or lack thereof) that got you to this point to begin with.

If the end point is in your sights I am telling you right now that you will not be successful in the long term.

It is awesome to have targets and goals. In fact it is imperative to have targets and goals. But those are simply markers, stepping stones, to the ultimate goals, which should be health and fitness until the day you die.

If you have an end date in mind you are already fucked.

XOX~Mandy