Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight obviously knows it is easier mentally, to do it with someone, one of the main reasons group exercise classes are very popular! If you have fallen off the fitness bandwagen lately this may be part of the reason! so these are my top tips for creating a support system to help you reach your fitness goals!

1) Tell someone close to you your goals and set a deadline!
    This will give you accountability, support, and someone to just plain bug you when you don't hold up your side of the deal!

2) Make a "contract"
    Write up rules, regulations, and violations and sign it and have some one witness just like a legal document!! I know it sounds silly but trust me creating another web of accountability is very important!

3) Join a "support group"
    Talking to others about where you are and just relating to others can really help keep you pepped up and motivated! Just go to www.beachbodycoach.com/bethsimpler make a free account and start chatting on the message boards!

4) Have a "challenge"
    Challenge your spouse or coworkers to go in with you and have some kind of prize at the end of the time period for the person who lost the largest % of weight!

5) Sign up for something with a deadline and pay for it!
    Sign up for a local 5k or a competition something with a definite date and costs money...you are less likely to throw money away and more likely to just train for it!

Those are what has worked for me so I really hope that helps you and of course I am here as an accountability/coaching resource as well!

 
We all have difficult times and days when we just don't feel like eating clean or working out! The most important thing to remember is the 80/20 rule! Eat clean and exercise 80% of the time and the other 20% consider your rest days, cheat meals, and just plain I don't wanna days!

It happens to everyone so the most important thing is to just pick yourself up and keep going!!
Even I have those days but the most important thing is I keep going and you can too!!
Check out this quick video for tips:
http://youtu.be/fOWTIyXC9CE
or for more motivation:
http://youtu.be/HOIfivZzc5I

Have a fantastic Monday!
 
    We face will power each and every day, hit the snooze button or get up and workout, have the doughnut at the office or eat the food we brought, and the list goes on. Someone told me that it's not watching what you eat that is difficult it's watching what everyone around you is eating. This could not be more true and what it comes down to is YOU, your choices, your goals, and in the end what kind of life you want to live! Do you want to have a healthy and strong body that can over come any obstacle or do you want to be sick often and limited in mobility due to your inability to say no?

    I know we will all have a cheat here or there but consistently cheating is just plain and simple bad eating! Each day is of course just a list of choices and your response to these choices make all the difference in how your life will play out! However, there is a light and shining hope! Research studies show that will power is similar to a muscle, the more you train in the stronger it gets but there is of course the other side too...work it TOO MUCH and you fatigue and give in! So where is the happy medium? You have to find what works best for you by training yourself and strengthening your will power with consistent choices that match YOUR goals and priorities!

So here are some tips that I use to keep me on track!
1) Write it all down! What? Yes, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Keep a food journal, schedule your workouts, etc! This will keep you accountable and it allows you to go back and see where your pitfalls were and how to make them better in the future!

2) Play offense- Plan ahead!! Do not put yourself in stressful or tempting situations that you are likely to cave into your weaknesses! For example, if you know your weakness is bread at the restaurant then ask them to please not bring the bread to the table! So to avoid that binge later in the week, plan your meals, prep them ahead of time so you can just grab them and go!Whatever your down falls are just keep yourself attentive to other things and your plan and you will avoid the problem all together!

3) Pick your poison- Okay so no one is perfect, you cannot control every situation or problem that comes your way! So instead of trying to quit everything or tackle every problem all at once, pick one and stick to it and deal with the others once this task is already accomplished!

4) Reward yourself!! As humans we live for incentives and rewards! So when you do something well or you hit your goal allow yourself to celebrate some! NOT WITH FOOD...counterproductive but maybe going shopping, getting a massage, etc! You deserve it trust me!


5) Accountability partner- what other way to hold yourself true to your words then to find someone to pledge and them to and who will keep you on your toes! This person can be your spouse, a friend, parent, whoever! Just someone to keep pushing you in the directions of your goals! Maybe its a workout buddy, maybe a support group, maybe just someone who you check in and report to each other!

In the end it comes down to you and your why! No one is perfect, we all slip up, we all have issues but the key is to focus on your goals n it's okay to give in and when it's not!