One of our members offered to share what she learned in the recent Stop, Drop & Roll class on self-sabotage.

This class has been awesome for me! What has helped me the most was reading the posts from all of you. All of the sharing has made me so aware of my own fears and reasons for self-sabotage. I really feel as if I have opened up to some things that I have been holding on to with out even realizing they were hurting me. Now that I am aware of these things I feel like I can move on in a positive direction and that I will grow stronger and wiser; now that is progress.

Before this class I couldn’t have told you one thing that I considered self-sabotage; now I know. I “get it.” Knowledge is a powerful thing and it feels so good. Falling in love with myself and the process of getting healthy actually seems doable. Ten days ago I would have said no way.

A great big thank you to all you helped so, so much. Thank you especially to coaches Heather and Kecia who shared and encouraged so valiantly.

~ Patriciaann, Marilu.com member

Several years ago, one of our coaches set a really extraordinary goal for herself. She wanted to become a bodybuilder. That’s a goal that takes a lot of dedication – time, effort, money, and serious commitment. In her case, it also involved child care (yes, she had very young children, and moms know what that means about how your body feels).

But she did it. You can read her story here.

Her first step was to make a public declaration. She said, “I AM AN ATHLETE.”

It made all the difference in the world to her. It was not just a fitness goal, it was the definition of Shelagh as a person. Just four words changed her life.

It made all of us at Marilu.com look at her differently, too. As one of her support networks, her words gave us an image of her. We supported her image and her goal based on those four words.

Use your words wisely. You are who you think you are.

What words do you use to describe yourself?
Are you the person you describe yourself to be?
Is it time to find some new words that fit your goals?

We love bragging up our members. Kecia moderates our “Get Moving” forum, and is a real energizer bunny. She shares a couple of her favorite (and very easy) toning moves.

This [song below] is one of my favorite songs to do my wall pushups to – they go by fast and before you know it 180 wall pushups have come and gone.

Also, heel lifts have become a daily exercise. They’re easy to do, and you can do them anywhere. I stand with my feet in ballet style and lift up and down 100 times. This keeps my ankles strong and my calves toned.

Have a great day!

~ Member Kecia

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Marilu.com member Furlara shares her secrets for having more energy. These are tried-and-true strategies that work independently of each other, but together make a huge difference in way you feel. We dare you to try this yourself.

Sleep: I don’t get enough. But I find that I have great energy if I go to bed and rise at the same time every day. If I gravitate an hour outside of the range, I can feel the difference. So give it a try. Whether you get 6, 7, or 8 hours of sleep a night, make sure that you go to bed and get up about the same time. One day a week, also go to bed one solid hour earlier than normal (sleeping in an extra hour doesn’t give you more energy, but going to bed one hour earlier does). Don’t oversleep on the weekends and go to bed or get up outside of the range to any significant extent. Consistency is key. Quality over quantity is important too.

Water: For days in a row, drink at least 32 oz of pure water (if not more). If you consume coffee or tea, drink more. If you do well with water one day but not another, it can affect your energy. Keep it consistent for days in a row and see what happens.

Vitamins: I take a multivitamin and fish oil. And I started taking a probiotic supplement two months ago.

Breaks: If you work, take a break every 90 minutes. Studies show that you lose focus and deplete energy at about the 90-minute mark. You just need a 5-minute break to walk around, stretch, eat a healthy snack, read something inspirational, sit in silence, talk to someone, or walk a lap. Surfing the internet does not count. Get away from all electronic devices. If you purposely take 3-5 minute breaks every 90 minutes, you will notice a difference in your energy level.

Food: Make sure that you are having at least one serving of complex carbs per day. Bread doesn’t count. Have brown rice, oatmeal or any substantial grain at least once a day.

Exercise: It is important, but the tips above will work even if you don’t exercise on a given day.

Mental: If you are depressed, overwhelmed or consumed with anything mental, get it out. Try to journal for 5 minutes a day or at least every few days. It makes a big difference in your outlook. Carrying around mental baggage in your head is draining. Put it on paper to gain perspective and to have more mental energy.