You don't need the weekend to relax and have fun!

How many of you say or think to yourself, “I cannot have fun or relax until the weekend comes?” only to find out when the weekend rolls around, you’re too tired to relax or you have an emotional hangover from the past work week. That is not how you are supposed to love yourself! As a matter of fact, it is disrespectful to treat yourself that way! So, why do we do this week after week and let ourselves get away with this? Maybe it is because we don’t realize what we are doing or maybe we don’t know there are choices we can make to change this behavior.


Today, I want to challenge you to ask yourself what are your beliefs about having fun and relaxing? Do they sound a little like this, “If I relax that means I am lazy, everybody else feels this way, life is hard and I don't have time for fun.”? If so, the next thing to do is ask yourself who these beliefs belong to? Possibility your parents or did you make them up based on a past experience you’ve had?

Here are 3 ways to challenge these beliefs and enjoy your life to the fullest:

1. If you’re not sure what your current beliefs are, sit for an hour and listen to your thoughts. Think about why you think the way you do.
2. Now that you know your beliefs, if they are negative, change them! Challenge yourself not to keep that old negative story up and make a new positive one for yourself!
3. Lastly, love yourself enough to practice daily being aware of your beliefs! Consciously stop yourself from playing back those old negative stories in your head, and replace those with your new positive ones!

 If you need help changing your beliefs and increasing your awareness, call me today for a complimentary 30 minute wellness coaching call!

Take the pressure off!

It's that time of year again when we think we need to do more than usual. Allow yourself to be a human being this holiday season, instead of a human doing. This is the time of year to relax and have fun while enjoying family and friends. Most of us tend to focus on what we did not do last year or what we need to do the next couple of weeks. The key to a better attitude this holiday season is to focus on being in the present moment. I know what you're saying, "how can we do this when there is still so much to do?". Give yourself extra time and take care of yourself before everything else. For the most part, all of us have been on a plane and heard the flight attendants announce before takeoff, “in case of an emergency first place the oxygen mask on yourself then on your child.” In other words, we cannot help others unless we first help ourselves. So, here are 3 great ways to take the pressure off this holiday season:

1. Exercise, exercise, exercise! This will decrease your anxiety and get you into a better frame of mind
2. If you find yourself rushing, STOP! Slow down, then take three nice, slow, and deep breaths
3. Ask for help, delegate, and pay attention what you are saying yes to

If you need help getting the pressure off, call me today for a 30 minute complimentary coach call.

What do you really need to say?

When coaching a client, whether it is in person or by phone, the place most of them get stuck, is not communicating what they really need to say. You may wonder why that’s so difficult and how can you improve at communicating with others? Well, you know that old saying “let it begin with me.” Get out a sheet of paper and be an objective observer, ask yourself what is holding you back? In the past, clients have shared with me that when they give themselves time to sort their thoughts out on paper, they are usually very surprised that their lack of communication has to do with them not saying what they truly want or need. So, how can we make this process less painful and recognize this quicker?

Here are 3 tips that may help you get there:

1. Are you saying a lot of coulda, woulda, shoulda's? If so, you may need to first get honest with yourself. It is not just what you say; it is how you say it. 
2. Say it with confidence, that you and the person can work out what you are going through.
3. Last but not least, stop making excuses and get off your b-u-t-s! This is a sure way to notice you are placing blame or trying to justifying your need to be right, instead of just getting to the root of the issue.

If you are looking for a way to better communicate, call me today and set up a complimentary wellness coaching call! We can always unlearn and relearn new ways to communicate.

Neutral statements work!

We all have had those moments when we said more than we needed to response to a situation. We leave questioning ourselves and wondering if what we said was helpful or hurtful. As most of you know we have those opportunities daily to check in with ourselves in all our conversations. I’m not implying we question every encounter but some days my emotional filter may not be at its best. So here are 3 neutral statements you can use when you are questioning how important is it to give advice, listen, or just reflect back.


1. You may be right.
2. That’s an interesting way to say that.
3. I don't know let me think about that and get back to you later.

These neutral statements have really helped me and my clients in difficult situations. So if you are ready to learn more and say less, call me for a 30 minute complimentary coach call today.

Where do you get your energy?

For a few minutes, stop what you are doing, and think about your source of energy. Who or what invigorates your soul? Is it nature, time with your friends, or exercising? Learn what revitalizes you, whatever you think about, you are about! Are their certain people, places, or things that deplete you? Do you really want to let this control your energy?

Ask yourself these 3 powerful questions to get yourself recharged now:
1. Where do you get recharged?
2. Who are the people who increase your life force?
3. What activities make you feel better?

Experiment today! Get recharged through the energy around you! Always make sure it is positive, practical, and productive to keep your energy revitalized!

Call me for a complimentary 30 minute wellness coaching call and allow me to help you get your battery recharged!

You’re right where you’re suppose to be!

Why is this taking so long? I wish this would be over with! No one else has to do this! These are common statements we all make when we are going through growing pains. Whether you are looking for a new job, having a baby, or even adding a new service to your current business, change can be difficult even in the best of times. This is the time you take stock of what is really important to you, what you really want, and most of all, stay committed to the process. No one has the answer for you so keep it simple by implementing these 3 ideas:

1. Change your perspective! Pretend you’re 5 years old again, get out a flashlight, as many blankets and pillows as you can find, and enjoy the adventure.
2. Take better care of yourself! Take a walk every time you feel those feelings of being overwhelmed.
3. Be aware of the energy around you! This is the time to be around people, places, and things that create an atmosphere of support and confidence.

To learn more about how to accept yourself right where you are now. Call me for a 30 minute complimentary coaching session today!

Give yourself a permission slip.

You’re torn today, do you go to the gym, lunch with friends, or go to your favorite store to browse leisurely? Some say it's easy to make decisions and you may ask yourself why this moment is any different. This is the time to get out a sheet of paper and write down, “I give myself permission to enjoy myself and I deserve some me time”. Even when we are not busy, we are almost afraid to admit to ourselves that we are not. There’s a lot of societal pressure to say “I am busy” or “I don't have time”. In reality, what we are doing to ourselves, is giving something else the power to decide how to take care of ourselves.

Here are 3 choices you can make to give yourself permission, to give yourself time:
1. Write your fun activity on your calendar. We don't often realize our time to take care of ourselves goes unnoticed. Put yourself first today!

2. Say it out loud, “I am going to let myself go to the gym today during lunch and do 30 minutes on the treadmill!” This validates your commitment and gets you there.

3. Then, call a friend and let them know what you’re doing to take care of yourself today. This gives you a support person you can depend on.

You should give yourself permission often! Especially, if this is new to you, we are human and we forget things easily. So, if you need support to give yourself permission to take care of yourself, call me for a 30 minute complimentary coach call today!

Progress reports work!

Some of you may remember, back in school when your teacher sent you home with a progress report to let your parents know how things were going in the classroom. Well, we are going to visit that old concept, but in a new way! First, I want you to get out a pen and a sheet of paper (not your laptop, iPad, etc) then, write down all the things you did this week that you had some progress in. Your list can contain anything from your exercise commitment, to calling people back when you said you would, list all the things you did that were important in putting yourself first.

I tell my clients if we do not have a baseline to work from and to move towards, then, it’s hard to stay motivated and on track to where we want to go. This progress report done weekly will lift your spirits, increase your productivity, and give you more of a sense of purpose to what you want to have happen throughout your week.

Here are 3 instant benefits you will receive from the progress report:

1. You will realize what you currently do or don’t do is all based on your commitment in getting to your goal.
2. You will have more time in your day to relax and stay focused.
3. You will build your confidence in knowing you’re in control of yourself and your choices.

So if you’re ready to make progress but, you aren’t sure where to start, call me for a complimentary 30 minute progress report. We will work together to get you headed to feeling better about who you want to be.

Slow motion gets you there faster

Just for today, deliberately go slow. Every time you feel yourself saying or going faster than what you can experience, slow down! Talk slow, walk slow, move with ease balance and grace. Let yourself enjoy today, watch everything with an open heart and not a critical eye.

Here are some tips to keep it simple:

1. While eating, chew your food, smell the aroma, and put your fork down between bites. Savor your meal.
2. Talk slow and make sure you are mindful about what you say. If you do not like what you said, correct it that moment and say it again. It's never too late to say what you really want to say.
3. Sit for 10 minutes and calm down. Give yourself an energy boost by sitting and being still. This will give your mind and body time to catch up with itself so you can feel refreshed and renewed to enjoy the moment.

So, hurry up and slow down. Tension and stress can be harmful. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy your day and you're feeling bogged down by pressure and strain, call me for a 30 minute complimentary coaching call to get recharged and refreshed!

Relax! Tension is harmful!

Our bodies react to the world around us and within us in many ways. Our bodies act like sponges they can pick up positive energy or trap the negative energy of stress and tension. We all have had those moments of intense muscle pain whether in our back, neck, or our favorite, those doggon traps.
Most of us are so used to keeping our bodies bond up in tension that we don’t even realize we are tense. So, here are some of my favorite tension reducers:

1. Connect with your body learn to tell when it is tense. Do a 5 minute body scan to check where you are feeling tight and where it hurts.

2. Then learn to relax. Explore different options. For example, a massage, meditation or soaking in a hot bath. Last but not least my favorite exercise.

When taking time to explore things that bring you pleasure it will be easier for you to realize when you are tense and can do something about it. So, if your ready to relax and not sure how to get there or need some assistance, call me for a 30 minute complimentary coach call.

Are you frustrated!

Are you feeling powerless? Have situations taken a turn you don't like? Do you feel like there is nothing you can do to make things better today? There are things you can do to change your perspective. Here are 3 possibilities.

1. Feelings follow thoughts. If you think positive you will feel positive. For example I can learn how to use that new computer program.

2. Learn to relax. We need to unwind when we are feeling frustrated. Take a hot bath or call a friend to talk. This will relax you physically as well as mentally.

3. Exercise, get out and walk it out! This will increase your endorphins and refresh your mind and body to get you into a better frame of mind.

Don't let frustration get the best of you. Call me today for a 30 minute complimentary coach call.

Staying positive for the next 24 hours

I want to challenge you today on getting your mind right. You might be thinking what exactly do I mean by that? It means that you will for the next 24 hours pay attention to what you say think and do. Here are 3 examples to keep the focus in the present moment.


1. When you realize your first thought today make sure you think positive. For example, I am a loving person.
2. How do you keep the positivity going by not criticizing yourself and a lot of positive reassurance?
3. Never miss the opportunity to say something nice about yourself to yourself.

We spend way too much time asking what is wrong not only with ourselves but all around us. Today let the question be what am I doing right and what do I need to do to have more of that mind set. Set yourself free for the next 24 hours and see what comes your way. Call me today for a complimentary 30 minute coach call to set your mind right.

Building a healthy toolbox

The more tools we use to be successful at staying healthy, happy, and fit, the better we will feel about our day. Whether you are changing a new behavior or working on increasing your flexibility in a tight muscle. The key is keeping it simple and replacing the old tool with a new one.

Here are 5 tools to use and sharpen daily to increase your foundation and to build a better you.

• Schedule some fun time during your day.
• Tell someone you love them.
• Listen to someone unconditionally.
• Do random acts of kindness.
• Instead of sending an email to your colleague walk to their office to say hi instead.

Contact me to set up a 30 minute complimentary coaching call. Dust off the tools you have and start using them today!

Increase your energy now!

Here are 5 quick tips to get you feeling happier and healthier today.

1. Take 5 quick deep breaths. Really, stop what you are doing and you will feel more energized.
2. Say 3 things you are grateful for. Gratitude is an action and will help you adjust your attitude for the better.
3. Smile even when you don't want to. Research reveals that when you smile it increases your endorphins which boosts energy.
4. Do something nice for someone and don't let them know it was you.
5. Pause when agitated. This buys you time to say what you really want to say instead of what you don't.

Call me for a 30 minute complimentary coach call today. Finally, learn how to take control of your choices to experience health and happiness.

Arthritis facts and figures

 We all know someone who suffers from the effects of Arthritis. Whether it is someone you care about  or yourself here are some interesting facts and figures you may want to know.

• Arthritis affects over 70 million in the USA
• It is secondary to Heart disease in causing disability
• About 1 million new patients per year are diagnosed with arthritis
• 50% of the 65 and over crowd are effected by arthritis
• Virtually everyone over 75 suffers from some form of arthritis.
• Knee joint is the #1 joint affected 

Contact me to learn more about decreasing your discomfort level while still being active.

Stretching is teaching the muscles to relax

Muscles work hard everyday. Give them the relaxation they need. Stretch, stretch and stretch again.

When your muscles relax, you get a feeling of calmness and have less pain and strain.

You need a spark!

Hi,

I love this site - Spark People.  Even the name sounds good.

SparkPeople.com is a free online diet and healthy living community with over 3 million members who provide support and motivation to each other.

Check it out!  http://www.sparkpeople.com/

Birgitt

Personal Training and Fat Loss

To Fit You implements the best of all disciplines to shape your body with your individual goals in mind--- --drawing from a full range of whole body exercises and strength training.

As you begin your body makeover, your central nervous system will be re-programmed to produce muscle movements more efficiently. You will also experience the natural "high" enjoyed by athletes in peak form. Let us take you step by step to a new level of fitness and well-being.

Weight loss is the generic term adopted by our society to describe the loss of pounds of body weight. The media, pill pushers, and infomercials use it to get you hooked to buy their products. Be careful. It’s a very deceptive term... The term we prefer to use is "FAT Loss".

We are pretty good at this.

You don’t need fad diets, pills, a fancy gym, and equipment. All you really need is guidance, support, motivation and accountability. That’s it! To Fit You provides all of that for you in the privacy of your own home.

Save time, avoid the hassles, enjoy your workouts in privacy and get the results you deserve.

Visit http://www.tofityou.com/ for more information.


Birgitt

What Wellness Coaching is and Why it Works.

In Wellness coaching, the coach and the client are not usually in the same place during the training. Coaching is by phone.


Well Coaches are viewed as focusing on behavior change, meeting people at their personal baselines, and offering privacy.


In addition to fitness, the coach helps clients set goals in the areas of nutrition, the management of weight, stress, and health risks.


One of the most important benefits delivered by wellness coaching is the gradual control that clients gain over their lives. Clients are empowered to take personal responsiblity for implementing and maintaining their program.

Welcome!!

Hi.  Welcome to the To Fit You blog.  I will be posting tips, links, articles, and other items related to health and fitness.


Because I am here to lead you on your journey of health, wellness and enjoying life to the fullest.  This is about you, claiming the life you want, and me, supporting you as you get there with the tools of personal training and personal lifestyle and wellness coaching.