Live A Life That Matters

Todays encouragement post is both a tribute to a man who lived a great life and a dare to  you to dream of what you want your legacy to be and to push yourself to achieve your goals. 

Last week our family lost an important member. My cousins husband Steve, who has been around as far back as I can remember met his maker and left this earthy home. Earlier this year he celebrated his 50th birthday. In under two months of being diagnosed with 2 different stage-4 cancers he was gone. Leaving behind a wife, 3 kids, a huge family that will miss him and an amazing legacy. 

While I have known many people that have died, young and old, good and not so good… but this loss has hit me differently. Maybe because he was just such a good guy. Maybe because we was too young and this just doesn’t seem right. Maybe because it all happened so fast. Maybe because I am so deeply sad for his children and wife - they are such a neat family. Maybe because anytime I hear of someone having cancer I feel a bond of fear and sorrow that I got just a small taste of a few years ago… so I grieve in a deeper way. Steve has left an impression on many people and his legacy will be one of greatness. 

The week before his passing, family and friends flooded Facebook with pictures and good memories of the past - sending positive vibes and filling those last days with joy and laughter. A few days before his passing a huge group of girls from the softball association came by their house to honor him and express their gratitude for his service and influence on their lives. A scholarship has been created in his name. And this past weekend at their local county fair a young girl donated the proceeds from the sale of her rabbit to go towards the scholarship fund and to help the family. That little rabbit was bought and sold 10 times over for $1,500 - $3,000… raising a ton of money in his memory. There are tributes from family, friends and business associates all over his Facebook page. 

I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this. 

As I have reflected on Steve’s life, his impact on me and the way that he has touched all that knew him, I have been challenged to evaluate and and think about how I want to be remembered and what kind of legacy I desire to leave. 

Should it be 2 months or 50 years… what do I wish for friends and family to remember?

One of the things that I have loved about this health journey has been being a part of the support community and watching the weekly support calls with thousands of people across the country that are also chasing health. The positivity that is shared in these groups is contagious… and I have really begun to realize how vital it is to fill my days and mind with people, activities and thoughts that are positive and lead to a healthy mental life. I also love how so often in that community we are encouraged to literally close our eyes and dream of what could be... and then to make it happen. There is a community spirit of living life to the fullest. Sure it's a community that supports weight loss... but really its a community that dares you to imagine a life of healthy choices and results that reflect physical, mental and emotional health

I want to encourage you, while you are taking this time to work on your physical health, to also invest time and energy into your mental/emotional health. 

Make time to dream about the legacy you want to leave someday. 

Make time to decide how you will embrace living to the fullest today.

Do you need to cut out some negative and replace it with positive?

Do you need to adjust your perspective and learn to see good?

Maybe you need to make some changes in order to achieve these dreams. 

Or maybe you are content and already reaping the rewards of these efforts.

We each have different goals, different dreams and different values. 

Whatever yours is… reach for it and don’t quit. Together lets commit to running the race of life strong all the way to the finish line! 

1 Year of Maintaining Weight Loss - Tips to help you succeed too!

Hello, 
I wanted to take a few minutes to share a few tips that not only helped me reach my healthy weight but also maintain that loss for the past year!
Here's the link to the video: https://vimeo.com/218866128

Cheering you on, 
Kelly

Functioning Out of Structure and Not Emotion

Hello!
Well... in under 24 hours my kids will be out of school for the summer. How the heck did this school year go by so quickly? The past 3 weeks have been full of kids events, ceremonies, concerts, games, lunches and special this and special that. I feel like they have owned my calendar for the last month... but truth is in 24 hours they all fully be taking control of my life!
Yikes.

I have spoken to several of you that have shared frustration about how on the weekend, when you are with your kids you struggle staying on program and this has brought up concern of how can you stay strong during the summer when they are with you EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Friends, whether you are dealing with stress at home or work, a new schedule, vacation or whatever is going on, I want to encourage you to dive deep into yourselves and make the decision to function out of structure and not emotion. Some of us are wired in a way that this is easy to do... and others not so much. So let's simply review the difference between structure and emotion.

Defined in the dictionary we find:

struc·ture

ˈstrək(t)SHər/

noun

1. 1. 

   the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.

verb

1. 1. 

   construct or arrange according to a plan; give a pattern or organization to.

e·mo·tion

əˈmōSH(ə)n/

noun

1. a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.

   
   

Structure is based on a plan whereas Emotion is based on a circumstance.
Structure is based on a organization whereas Emotion is based on a mood.
Structure starts with the letter S whereas Emotion starts with the letter E. (Okay - that's a ridiculous statement, but my point is that these are two totally different ways to function... they look nothing alike.

On days where we have kids activities in our schedules, or where we know that we will be out and about or we are on vacation or life is really hard... it IS possible to function out of structure. BUT - and this is a huge but - it requires the decision to choose structure.

I want to encourage you to decide to choose to take 2 minutes and pull out your fuelings at the beginning of your day and decide from early in the morning what your eating plan will look like for the day.  (Or if you are in maintenance go to the fridge and be prepared.)

I want to encourage you to choose to go to restaurants that offers healthy (on plan) choices and decide that it is a good idea for your kids eat healthy too.

I want to encourage you to make a shopping list when you go to the store and decide before you walk into the store that you will not put your trigger food in the cart.
*Of all the 4th of July goals that I have heard so far, my favorite is that someone has committed to: "NO MORE CHIPS. They will not even get in my cart!" I LOVE THIS!

This is structure friends.
Structure says that no matter how you "feel" you will stay true to your goals.
Structure says that even if you "want" something you will stick to your plan.
And I will admit that structure is...
easier said than done.
But is is possible.

So lets do this together. Let's decide to be committed to structure. We have been working hard to find health... and momentary emotions cannot through us off track.

Decide what structure needs to look like for your life & do it!
You and I both know its possible!

We're gonna be in these bodies a long time!

Hi friends,
This week I wanted to try something different and share a blog video rather than writing out a message. Let's see how this goes. 

Just click here and we can have a little chat: https://vimeo.com/216858169

Are your goals SMART?

Okay friends, are you ready for a challenge????  

I want to dare you to set some personal health goals for the next 2 months. AND - if you share your goals with me, I will promise to hold you accountable and send you a party popper that you can use to throw a mini-party when you reach them. 

Who’s in????

As you set your goals, let’s be sure that they are SMART.

Your Goals Should Be: Specific

What do you want to achieve? The more specific the description of your goals, it is more likely that you will reach them.

Questions you may ask yourself when setting your goals are:

What do I want to achieve?

How will I do it?

Why are these goals important?

Your Goals Should Be: Measurable

To create measurable goals you need to identify how you will know when you have reached them. You need concrete evidence that you have achieved what you set out to do. For example: “Being healthier” is not measurable. But walking 2 miles a day and drinking 100 oz 

of water a day is.

Your Goals Should Be: Attainable

Are your goals attainable? 

Do you have the time/money/resources/ability/talent/desire to attain these goals? If not… you will likely fail, so make sure that what you want to attain is realistic and something that is actually possible. 

Your Goals Should Be: Relevant

Is reaching your goals relevant to you? Do you actually want to do it and do you have the bandwidth to make your goals a reality. Ask yourself: Why do I want to reach these goals? What is the objective behind my goals, and will these steps actually help me achieve my goal?

Your Goals Should Be: Timely

Deadlines are what make people switch to action and get it done! Make your timetable realistic… these are your goals - you have control of the timeframe!

Since I am asking you to share your goal with me… I’ll share mine with you.

My goals for the next two months are to:

1. Maintain my weight-loss and stay at my current clothing size. 
2. Continue going to Bootcamp at the gym and spend an extra 10 minutes (at least 3 times a week) specifically working on strengthening my core. 
3. I will give myself a day off every week. I have gotten lax taking a sabbath day to rest... by my mind and body (and family) need it. 
4. In addition to all the stuff we already do, I plan to do something outside with my kids at least twice a month. Like going hiking or taking a long bike ride... something fun and focused on being together and being outside. 

Please friends… create SMART goals and share them with me and on the TSFL Team Fullmore Facebook page for our May Challenge.  I REALLY want to mail you a party popper and see you succeed at making all your wildest health dreams come true!