​New Year, New You, New Year, Better You, New Year, New, New, New... 

We have officially hit 2020, closed a decade, and all the feelings of the new year are around us. I have to be honest. I love the energy that the New Year brings, and I'd love to crack the code so I could keep this energy in the gym all year, but with all new things, the newness wears off.  It's like getting a new car, and you're in love with that new car, but after a few months, it's just a car with an expensive payment. 
We think that magical because the calendar year has turned that we will create all these new healthy behaviors. We heal old wounds. We stop emotionally eating. We come to the gym regularly, gain self-confidence, and reach all our hopes and dreams by the end of the year, only to live happily ever after. 

Well, I don't want to be the bearer of hard truths, but here I am. You have to take this new year's energy, and you have to build on it with actionable steps, hard work, and discipline.  
When you want to grab a donut, then another donut, and before you know it, four donuts are gone, this isn't going to stop because of the new year it's going to stop because you start practicing discipline in which creates a positive habit. You grab one donut, share it, tell your brain no more, and be happy that you enjoyed a donut. 
If you hit up the gym 25 times in January, only to come ten times in February, your fitness isn't going to get better because of the new year. You know we are all busy and busy is a lazy excuse. I have plenty of "busy" people who make time by getting up at 5:30 AM and getting their workout in, or they come in the right after work before they go home. Stop permitting yourself to self-sabotage.
Positive results and lives come from hard work, discipline, surrounding yourself with like minded, and motivated people (and when they aren't motivated, they do it anyway).

I encourage you to write down the excuses you use, have a heart to heart with yourself, figure out places you can improve, how you're going to improve, and then write it in your calendar, set reminders in your phone, tell people that will hold you accountable, and get to work.

I'm here if you need a truth bomb, motivation, or love. This journey we are on is meant to be traveled as a tribe! You're not alone. 

Hey High Vibe Friends

I hope this finds you staying warm and embracing this early winter weather. 

Living in the Midwest during the 7 months of cold can be hard to stay on track with eating well most of the time, keeping with your fitness, fighting seasonal depression, and not packing on the winter fifteen. 

Should we just be practicing B average fitness? This means we find the happy medium of working out, working on personal growth, eat healthily, but don't deprive ourselves. I'm going to bring this back around to body image and how through a million different humans eyes that you are beautiful to someone, and we will never be everyone's cup of tea, so we need to really work towards being comfortable with our own bodies. We put so much pressure on ourselves to look a certain way but are you doing it for you or because you think you should look that way based on society's standards. 
Think about all the beautiful people in the world, and that's what is amazing about life.
Look at Lizzo (if you don't know her use the google machine) She is on a massive movement preaching about body acceptance. She is beautiful because she is confident in who she is and her body. 
Then you have Katrin Davidsdottir.  She is one of the top female CrossFitters. Her body is rock solid, muscles for days, but is her body the goal?
Gwyneth Paltrow, when you look at her, she is long and lean. Does this catch your eye?
The last one, maybe there is an older picture of you that you compare your current self to. How has your life changed since that picture? 

If this feels daunting to you, I get it! I'm here with you. We are all doing the best we can, and when we are ready to take it to the next level, you'll up your game. 

Remember, you're beautifully you! 

Gym fear is the main stopper for people taking the needed step of joining a gym. As humans, we worry so much about what people think, or that we won't be good enough, but we have to remember that everyone will always have an opinion, yet the only opinions that matters are ours and the small circle of tier 1 people in our lives. If we let our thoughts and people have power over our actions we are limiting the success that is meant for us.  The more often we put ourselves in situations that are uncomfortable, the stronger our courage muscles get, and we start to believe in ourselves more. 

I asked Connie Wright who has lost 100lbs in 2017, because she stepped way outside of her comfort zone, developed a routine and good habits, made friends, and began to love herself first. 

I'd like to Welcome Connie as our first guest High Vibe Blogger! 

For about one year I would “watch” the Facebook page of High Vibe Fitness.  Every time a JumpStart program would come up I would think of a million reasons why it just didn’t fit into my schedule.  Truthfully, I had so much negative talk going on in my mind that I was always able to talk myself out of it. Plus, the fear of bringing myself into a gym to attempt a workout. I was so afraid of being judged, wondering if people would wonder why I let myself get so big, would they look at me and think to themselves how does she think she can do this when she is so heavy?!  Knowing that I would not be able to do everything that everyone else was doing was truly a very scary thought. Fearful that I would set myself up for more failure if I tried to “be one of them”. 
    When I went to the doctor for my physical, she told me she would like to see me loose at least 60 pounds. My blood pressure was high, and if I didn’t bring it down, I would have to start on medicine. That was the very last thing that I wanted to do.  So, when JumpStart came up the next time, I was in! That doctor appointment gave me the push that I needed to get off the couch!
    I was so scared. I knew that it was going to be so very hard to start to workout. Each time I would complete a workout, I would drive home and try to catch my breath the entire ride. No lie, my heart was racing so fast, I thought I would die. But I knew with each workout I was going to eventually get stronger, and just maybe I could walk out of class talking with people and not working at getting my breath back. After each class, I would ache and hurt, but this was different because I knew that I was doing something good for my body. 
    As JumpStart was wrapping up and we could transition into regular classes, I was so scared once again. Having seen people working out at the other classes, I didn’t think I would ever be able to participate with them. Again, the fears came creeping back into my head and all the self-doubt that I carried with myself. You know what is amazing? Not one person made me feel inadequate or that I didn’t belong there. I received so much support from everyone; it kept me coming back for more and more. We are truly our own worst critic!
    I have been on my lifestyle change for just over a year. I have grown and learned so much in this past year. First and foremost, I have come to love myself once again and know that I am worthy. I am stronger, heathier and can do so much more than I ever felt I am capable of. My zest for life is back, and I live it to the fullest each day! I have an incredible support team both at home and at High Vibe. I have gained incredible friendships!! Even on days when I get the feeling that I don’t want to work out, (doesn’t happen often) I go because I can’t wait to see them!!! 
    The fear of walking into a gym and starting to workout is so very intimating and very real! I have been there and knew all too well how that feeling is! Once you put the fear at bay, it is amazing the world that you can open for yourself. I saw this quote today and it so very true: We probably wouldn't worry what people thought of us if we knew how seldom they do. 
It is NEVER too late to get out of your comfort zone and start a healthy lifestyle. I am in the best shape of my life at age 50. The great part about it, I have my life back and will continue to strive to be the best version of me daily. Had I not taken the leap on January 5, 2017, I would still be sitting on my couch at night letting life pass me by!