Just checking in....

Well I followed my list from the last post and made it through the Thanksgiving holiday without pigging out and feeling horrible.  I got in all my workouts and even got a new PR on a 5K race (see the photo above!).  I ran the Turkey Trot in 34:15.  I was so excited and pumped afterward!!  It felt amazing to cross that finish line!!  This coming weekend I have Tough Mudder.  I am so nervous, but excited at the same time!!  Here is a link to a video about what I'm about to do!  Stay tuned, next week's blog will be all about that experience!  I'm sure there will be tons to say!!

http://youtu.be/vh5HdPM_QuE

For the rest of this post I wanted to share some tools I use to help me keep track of my fitness and nutrition.  My top choices are the WOWY (Work Out With You) Supergym on the Beachbody website.  You can enter an entire program and all you have to do is look at the calendar to tell you what workout to do.  I never have to guess or plan for what my workout is, its there already!  If you are interested in getting this amazing tool, all you have to do is sign up for a FREE membership.  Here is a link.  https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=165159 
If you are interested I can send you a fitness assessment and help you get started on figuring out what workout will be the best for you.  2nd is GymPact.  It is an app on your phone (Iphone or Androids) that you set a weekly goal for working out.  The only drawback to this one is I can't use my Beachbody workouts because the app doesn't count my living room as a gym.  Annoying, but I can use it for my runs.  It connects to another app called Runkeeper (the pic from above is from that app) and it logs running, walking, cycling, etc.    It keeps all the data and you can compare each entry to ones in the past.  The thing I love most about all these apps and gadgets is I can see progress.  When I might not see progress on the scale or with the measuring tape, I know I am running faster, getting all my workouts in and am staying committed to my goal of a healthy life.  I am also in several support groups on Facebook where we encourage each other and hold one another accountable for the choices we are making.  In terms of food, I am doing P90X and that plan comes with a meal guide to follow.  Each week I sit down and plan out what meals I'm going to eat for the week and prepare as much of them ahead of time as I can.  Saves me so much time during the week and cuts WAY down on the temptation to eat junk. 

Planning is key!!!  You have to be organized and prepared to live a healthy life.  Yes, it does take extra time in the beginning, but the more you do it, the faster and easier it gets.  I don't even think using any of the above tools anymore, they are just a part of my day.   I'm not perfect, there have been plenty of days on my journey that despite all the tools above, I just didn't get it done.  However, I know that if I hadn't had these tools, it would have been so much harder to get back on track. 

If you are looking to change your daily habits and start living a healthier lifestyle, I want to help you.  Please feel free to respond to this blog, or contact me at erinkterry@hotmail.com, coacherinterry@gmail.com or erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com.  Oh yeah, I can't forget about Facebook!  www. facebook.com/erin.terry.3956

Have a great week everyone!  See you next week!!

The journey...

The picture above is something I think we all need to remember when it comes to any goals or life change.  When we set a goal for ourselves a lot of us (myself, completely included) only see the end product and forget to congratulate ourselves or take pride in the struggles we overcome every day in trying to reach our goals.  I know I have wasted a lot of time looking into the future instead of focusing on what I am doing in the here and now.  I don't allow myself to enjoy the fact that I can run over 3 miles without stopping or that I can complete an obstacle course race or that I haven't had diet coke in over 30 days.    I have realized over this weekend that I need to start focusing on my own personal development as much as (if not more) than my workouts, or eating the perfect diet.  If I don't learn that I am not going to get where I want to be over night I will continue to face anxiety and self doubt.   I'm a little nervous about the holidays, because this is usually the time of year that I forget about my goals and over indulge, causing weight gain and subsequently stress and to be honest, self hatred.  This year, I am vowing to not try to be perfect, but just do my best.  I am going to screw up, I am going to cheat but I am going to do my absolute best to not let it derail everything I have been working for.    I have made the following list in order to help myself get through the next month or so.

1. Follow my workout plan.
2. Do my best on my diet.
3. If I slip up, get RIGHT BACK on track, don't let one bad decision ruin the day.
4. Continue to remember my WHY.  WHY I want to be healthy, WHY I want to get off this stupid roller coaster, WHY I want to be the best me I can.
5. Continue to share my triumphs and struggles with those around me.
6.  Ask for help when I need it.
7. Remind myself everyday that I can do this.
8. Think of healthy food and exercise as a gift I give to myself every day.
9. Remember that I want to help others.  If I can't help myself, how can I help anyone else?
10. ENJOY MYSELF!!!!!

As always, thanks for reading.  This blog is very personal and sometimes I just ramble to get my thoughts out.   I look forward to writing it every week because after each entry I feel a little sense of peace and relief.  I hope you all who read it can get something out of it that you relate to and maybe get that same reminder that the journey we are on is just as important as the outcome. 

If you are interested in joining me in my journey, feel free respond to this blog, email me at coacherinterry@gmail.com, erinkterry@hotmail.com, erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com or find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/erin.terry.3956

I LOVE MUD!

 

Yesterday I ran my 4th mud run/obstacle course race, the Pretty Muddy Women's Race.  It was a lot of fun and probably the muddiest one I've done yet!  If you have never done one of these races, I really recommend you find one and just do it.  You will be surprised at how you do.  I had 2 new friends run this with me and it was the first time they had ever done something like this.  I warned them ahead of time and said that they will love every nasty, dirty moment and will probably want to do another one as soon as they got done that day.  Sure enough, both loved it and asked me about upcoming races I knew about.  It was cool to be on the other side and be the one helping and coaching rather than having someone do that for me.  

I didn't have a set plan for what this blog was going to be about, but I think as I started to write it came to me.  I love coaching and helping other people.  My day job is helping teenagers deal with the struggles that they go through every day and my second job as a Beachbody Coach is to help encourage and motivate others to be reach their full potential, not only physically, but mentally as well.  The best advice I can give to anyone trying to get healthy, lose weight or make other positive changes in your life is to never do it alone.  There will be times that you wonder what in the world made you think you wanted to or were capable of reaching the goals you set for yourself.   You have to have a support network, success partner or coach to remind and encourage you when you struggle.  You also have to have those people around you to celebrate the successes that will come if you put your mind to making a change.  I've recently made some new friends that have helped me realize that I don't have to be perfect, I just have to be me and that is enough.  I will get to my goals because I want to and I can.   I hope that I am inspiring others to make changes in their lives as well, 'cause I'll tell ya, being where I'm at now vs. where I was even just 6 months ago is a much easier way to live.  

If you are in need of that success partner, coach, friend or support network, don't hesitate to ask me.  I would love to help you reach your goals.  As I've said in previous posts, I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm a hell of a lot closer now that I have ever been in my life.   I won't have all the answers for you, but I promise I will help you, however I can in your journey to be your best you.

To reach me, feel free to respond to this blog, or contact me at coacherinterry@gmail.com, erinkterry@hotmail.com, erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/erin.terry.3956

As always, thanks for reading!!

Just do it...

This has been the weekend I've needed the past few weeks.  On Friday, I ran a 5k race (Richard's Run for Life).  The last official 5k I did was over a year ago and I finished in over 42 min.  This time my goal was 35-36 min.  I KNEW my body could do it.  The only thing that would stand in my way was my own mind.  I was a nervous wreck driving to Ybor City, FL to get ready for the race.  I kept thinking I've run 6 mile obstacle course races, been shocked, jumped over fire, wandered through the wilderness and I'm afraid of a 5k run????  I had that goal set in my mind and I was going to do DO IT.  I am proud to say that I ran the whole time and kept a good steady pace.  According to my RunKeeper app, I finished in 35:40!!!!  I will continue to work until my time is under 30 min.  But coming from a person (just a year or two ago) that thought no one should run unless being chased by something or someone big and mean to be LOOKING FORWARD to setting personal records (and reaching those goals)....Wow, what a change huh?

I spent my day yesterday at a Beachbody Leadership Conference.  I wish I could attend events like this every weekend.  They get me pumped up not only to improve my ability to be  a coach and help others the way I have been (and continue to be) helped, but to keep moving on in my own journey.  The majority of the day was centered around learning from the top leaders in this company.  Toward the end of the conference there was a video shown that I have to share here.  It is a motivational speech by Art Williams about how to succeed in business.  However, I think this message can be applied to ANY GOAL you have in life.  Seriously, take the 5 min to watch it, you will be inspired and it will make you laugh.  Here is the link.  http://youtu.be/TU7Y6HiLXto 

After meeting part was over, we got to hear from Sagi Kalev, the creator of Body Beast.  He talked about his journey starting out as a "geek" to being the success that he is today.  After his speech, we got to do a workout with him.  The last part involved doing these moving push-ups across the conference room (seemed like a professional sized football field toward the end!!).  I did pretty good the first half, then I started to struggle. Before I knew it, I had a crowd of people around me, down on their hands and knees cheering me on.  I looked over and I kid you not Sagi himself, was down on the ground next to me screaming at me to continue, to not give up, to be a BEAST.  For a split second I got really embarrassed.  I couldn't see around me and thought I was the last to finish in my group.  My old tape started playing and I thought these people are only cheering me on 'cause I'm the big girl and they don't think I can do it.  As I listened to them more than that damn tape, I started to realize, NO...they are cheering you on because they want you to succeed.  They see you struggling, but know, just like anyone else in that room, you are CAPABLE of finishing the task. 
Here are some pictures of what that experience was like (they won't do it justice though!)

And finally, a pic of me and Sagi after the workout!

So, like I said before this weekend really good for me in a lot of ways.  I am still a work in progress, but I am turning into a BEAST and like Art Williams says, I'm going to "Just do it and do it and do it and do it, until the job gets done".  If you are interested in joining me in my journey, learning more about Beachbody coaching or just need some encouragement, feel free to respond to this blog or contact me at erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com, coacherinterry@gmail.com or find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/erin.terry.3956

Confessions...

Today is about confessions...As I started the P90X Challenge, I promised myself and others that I would follow the program to a T.  I would do every workout and follow the food plan perfectly.  Yesterday, I broke my promise.  I had a pretty bad day nutritionally speaking...I won't say how bad, but bad.  I know weight loss and staying in shape is 80% nutrition and 20% workouts.    I feel like I've got my workouts down.  They are just a part of my day and I don't even think about them anymore.  Nutrition continues to be my downfall.  Food has always been my comfort, my reward, my boredom buster and seems to be a staple of any friend/family party.  I can follow a nutrition plan perfectly for a couple of weeks, then I start to feel deprived, get angry and fall off the wagon.  I can not for the life of me figure out how to break this cycle.  I've been trying for over 4 years now and I don't know what I'm missing.  Why can't I resist temptations around me when they go against one of my most deeply held goals?

Confession 2...if you haven't figured it out already I'm having a hard time not listening to that tape in my head saying "see Erin, you can't do this", "just give up already", "you are not going to get there" and so on.   I know most people will say "It was just one bad day, do better the next."  I agree...to a point.  This has been a goal of my all my life, but I really started to address these issues seriously about 4-5 years ago.  Today, I'm tired.  I'm tired of the struggle, I'm tired of the constant battle that I have to fight to get to where I want to be.  I don't understand what continues to get in the way of me reaching a goal that I want more than anything right now.

I haven't meant for this entry to sound like Debbie Downer, but when I set out to start this blog I wanted to show everything, the good and the bad.  This is not an easy process and I'm struggling today.  I know I will pick myself back up again and the journey will continue...

If you are interested in joining me in my journey or are struggling and want someone to help you through the rougher times, please feel free to respond to this blog or contact me at erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com, erinkterry@hotmail.com, coacherinterry@gmail.com or find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/erin.terry.3956

My new normal

So this has been a big week for me in terms of my journey to fitness.  I am currently on day 6 of no Diet Coke. For those you know that know me, you rarely saw me without one in my hand.  The first few days I was a REALLY uncomfortable and craved a Diet Coke every second of the day.  After making it through the first few days and getting some tips from friends at Beachbody's Team Dynasty, I am really starting to feel better about it.  I'm using Iced Tea to help with the caffeine withdrawal (I'll eventually get rid of that too), sparkling water with Crystal Light and this amazing "soda" called Zevia I found at a local health food store.  Its made from all natural flavors and is sweetened with stevia rather than aspartame like you find in Diet Coke.   After one week, I can tell the cravings are going WAY down and I'm able to handle them much better when they show their ugly faces! 

Second I started P90X.  I posted a YouTube video of my first workout, the good the bad and the ugly.  Let me repeat that... I, Erin Terry, Anxiety Girl extraordinaire and world's biggest self critic posted a video on YouTube.  I plan to do this at least once weekly in order to keep myself accountable, but also to show that even if you are in the middle of your journey to fitness it's ok to let the world see you struggle and succeed.  I'm still a bigger girl, but I want to show that I'm giving this journey every ounce of me that I have. 

Finally, and probably the thing I am most proud of...I finished the Savage Race, the race built to "kick your ass".  The first race I did, I made it through, but this one was different.  I felt different.  I felt like I was just as capable of at least attempting every single obstacle.   I felt like an athlete, not just a fat girl trying to pretend to be one.   I ran until it was time to wait for an obstacle or to quickly recover for no more than 5 min.  Did I mention that it was 6 miles yet?  Yeah it was!  I did obstacles on my own that I would have needed my team to literally lift me over that first race.   I think my team lost me a couple of times because I was ahead of where they thought I would be.  The only regret I have from this race is I wasn't able to complete the last obstacle.  I gave it 110% and tried 4 times.  I was so frustrated that I didn't accomplish it that I almost let it ruin every other amazing thing I had done that day.   But today as I write this, I think about all the things I DID DO.  All the struggles I did overcome.   Today, I'm ok with missing that last obstacle because I know I tried with every ounce of my being.  I just fell a little short, and that's ok.

So, I think the biggest thing I've gotten this week, is a realization that I am doing really amazing things.  I'm starting to get that tape in my head that's been on repeat for years telling me "you can't do that", "you're a loser", "no one likes you, stay by yourself", and "blah, blah, blah", to finally shut up!!!!   I have always been an All or Nothing thinker.   If I'm not perfect at something the first time I try it, I give up.  That's why I never got past Frogger on an Atari (do they even make those anymore??).  Well, that kind of thinking hasn't gotten me very far in life and has kept me from doing things that I have dreamed of.  I'm finally becoming a "I'll do my best and see what happens" kind of thinker.  Let me tell ya, it's a much easier and kinder way to go through life.

Now that I've written a novel (guess I had a lot to say today!!), I want to invite those of you that struggle with low self-esteem, those of you that think you can't do anything, those of you that think   that you're not good enough, to join me in fighting for what we deserve simply because we are unique, amazing human beings!  If you want to contact me and start to fight for your best life, feel free to do so at coacherinterry@gmail.com, erinkterry@hotmail.com and erinkterry@beachbodycoach.com.  I PROMISE, I will support you in every way I can!!  Thanks for reading!!

My last race and my upcoming Challenge

So, I ran another obstacle course race yesterday.  It wasn't the best (not enough obstacles, too much running).   BUT...I ran so much more on this one that I did on the other!!    I have some photos being developed right now.  As soon as I get them I will try to post them on my blog so you can see more about this race.  These races are amazing!!  There is an automatic respect you earn from perfect strangers.  I had, on more than one occasion, people cheering me on, and offer to wait at the top of an obstacle to help me get through it. I  only ran with one other person, but he was a great motivator too!  Next weekend is the Savage Race with Team Dynasty!!  I am SO PUMPED!!!   This one looks like a total beast and I can't wait!  Amazing what you start to look forward to when you change your perspective and start trying new things!

Tomorrow I start P90X.  I have promised myself and many other people that I will be following this program to a T.  It will be 90 days and I think I might actually get to my goal weight in this time.   I will filming myself everyday and documenting my progress on YouTube.  I'm sure it won't be pretty in the beginning, but I AM SO looking forward to seeing the results at the end of the 90 days. Be watching for my YouTube posts!!  I'm not gonna lie, I'm nervous.  I have a lot of people counting on me to do as I say I will, but most importantly, I promised myself.  There have been so many things I have promised myself that I don't finish (anyone else have that problem??)  This is a promise I fully intend to keep.  I bought an accountability bracelet that I will be wearing the entire 90 days to make sure I stick to my goals.  The bracelet says "Dreams are made reality one choice at a time."  I thought that was perfect!!!

As always, if you are looking for help reaching your goals, please contact me at coacherinterry@gmail.com, erinkterry@hotmail.com or on Facebook.  My Beachbody website is  http://www.BeachBodyCoach.com/erinkterry.  You can learn about the products and company that are helping me change my life!!!!