Hi!!!! If you have been following this blog, just wanted you to know that I've moved it to
www.thistledewfit.wordpress.com.  Thank you:)

     So, here's a scenario for you... someone approaches you and seems very endearing and kind and you think to yourself, "Wow...what a great person!  They seem so real and genuinely interested in me as a person.  This is someone I could really make space for in my life."  So you get all excited and think about things you could do together or maybe suggest to them because you hit it off so well to begin with.  They may even invite you to a jewelry or skincare party.  You go because you really genuinely like the person and may even buy some products from them.  You say that you'll meet for coffee or lunch soon.  Then a couple days/weeks/months pass and you see them and they don't even seem to know you or know anything about you.  Has this happened to you or someone you know??  Does this make you feel really sad, angry, betrayed??
     Well, it has happened to me and you'd think I'd learn my lesson about people like this, but I don't.  I'm a trusting, caring person so I think that everyone, in turn, is the same way.  They are not.  I have to repeat this mantra to myself A LOT....don't place your expectations and beliefs upon others.  That is not to say that there aren't wonderful, loving, caring people out there, because there are!!!  I am the type of person to want to form a trusting bond with people who I have a connection with...those connections are not dispoable because someone has not done anything for me lately.  Those connections matter & the people involved matter too.
     I have wanted to break into the fitness/nutrition business because I want to share things that I have learned as a regular, every day "I need to get fit and eat better" person.  I have researched and tried many products and suggestions so I have knowledge about many different topics.  I am not an expert, but if I don't know it , I'll try to find out the answer.  I want to be able to support, motivate and help others who are in the same boat as I am.  I don't want to pressure people into doing things that they don't want to do.  I want them to be happy with what they are doing, happy with their results and happy to try harder each day.  No shame, no judgment.  I don't want to be that person who friends others because I know they can help me financially with my business.  If they decide to sign up, GREAT!!!!  I'm all for it.  If they don't have the money right now,  that's fine too....I'll support you any way I can.  If you need a sample, let me know...I'd be more than happy to share.
     I hope that I find others out there looking for what I have to offer.  If this sounds good to you or someone you know, check out my website www.thistledewfit.com.  If you just have questions or want suggestions, I will be happy to help.  I want to be the resource that I look for in others.  Thanks for taking time to read my blog:)

     I saw the saying below this morning & it really made me stop and think. In my journey to be healthier, does what I want right now get me to what I want most?

      Let's break this down....I am out to dinner and I order a salad. I'm on vacation and my body is craving vegetables because I had something not particularly good for me the day before. My son orders french fries, which are actually not very appealing to me right now. At the end of my meal, there are still french fries left over. Do I grab them and eat them because they are there and I don't want them to go to waste? Do I want them NOW because they are looking good? Will eating them get me to what I want most....a fitter, healthier me? No, no and no. Wow...I felt really good about my choice and I hope that I can continue to make the same choice if this scenario comes up again because if I keep making that healthy choice over and over, it will become a habit.

     Next, there is a marathon of my favorite show on TV.  I LOVE this show and missed some episodes so this would be a great time to catch up on a rainy day.  I'll get sucked in and all of the sudden 4 hours will have passed in zoned out glory.  Do I watch this marathon because it looks good now or do I go do a workout and DVR the show for another time so I can get to what I want the most...a fitter, healthier me? DVR and workout...another good choice. 

     That's not to say that we are ALWAYS going to make the perfect choice.  We're human and sometimes we give in...that's okay. Everything in moderation...even moderation as the saying goes. However, if we really stay present in our choices and think them through, this behavior will become habit and there we are on the road to being fitter and healthier. Go forth today and make the best choices for yourself!  You are so worth it.

     So my planned vacation landed right smack in the middle of starting a new eating/fitness program, figures, right??  I made a lot of gains last week and I don't want to lose them all.  Well, I don't have to lose the gains.  Vacation doesn't mean an all-out food blitz, but you don't have to deprive yourself either.  Try some of the following tips:
    *Buy fruit, eggs, yogurt, eggs to keep at your rental property.  If they are there for you, you won't want to waste them and they are cheaper and better for you than going out for every meal.  Also, if you feel like snacking the fruit will be a much healthier option.
     *When you do go out for meals, opt for a salad or fresh vegetable side instead of fries.  Even a baked potato, minus sour cream and extras, is better than fries.
     *Walk, walk, and walk.  Opt to walk wherever you can...the beach is perfect place to do lots of walking.
     *Plan some exercise-centered activities, such as hikes, kayaking, paddle boarding, bike riding.
     *Do some mini workouts that take a small amount of space, see below.  A mini workout is better than no workout at all.  If you have space, a DVD player and more time, you can bring workout DVDs.
     *If there is something that you are really, really craving, have it and just cut back somewhere else AND walk even more that day.
     *Your body will tell you when you've had ENOUGH.  I know that if I eat badly for several meals, I feel icky and my body CRAVES healthy food.  Also, I have found that drinking water really helps clear out those blah feelings until you can readjust and eat better.
     I know that these are all simple, common sense ideas, but sometimes we don't think about them when we are in the middle of a glorious, relaxing vacation.  Hopefully, at least one of them will help you.  Enjoy your well-earned vacation!!!

     So you may be wondering...Thistle Dew Fit...interesting name...what is up with it??  Well....MANY years ago, I was on vacation in Vermont and I saw a flower shop called Thistle Dew.  I thought it was the best name and always had it in the back of my mind if I ever opened a business.  It is a play on words to this will do or this'll do as in "yeah, this will be just fine...it'll do".
     I'm not saying I am settling by saying...eh...this is fine...this'll do.  I am saying "YES...I'VE DONE MY BEST and this WILL do.  It is not trying to be average, it is trying to be the best I can be and accepting that my best is the best that I can do.  Your best might be different and THAT'S OKAY.  Also, sometimes things come up in life that you don't agree with or you have to accept for what they are.  Those are also times when you can say "this'll do", I can deal with it and move on.
     The other thing I observe about actual thistle dew is that the thistle is very sharp and pointy, yet very beautiful.  The dew can lay on the top of it and the little dew bubbles don't pop...they stay strong in their dew-ness.  That's how I feel I need to be sometimes...even in the face of sharp critics, I must stay strong like the dew on a thistle.  Wow...that sounds deep and motivational, doesn't it??  LOL
     Just some thoughts on the name of my title...hope you enjoyed the explanation.  Off to be as strong as the dew on a thistle!!!!

When I started ‪#‎21DayFix‬, I had been working out already and was working with an online nutrition specialist to lose weight. I was doing well with my own program and losing weight steadily so I really didn't need a new program. I found my coach on Instagram and then started following her on Facebook. I have wanted to get more involved in the fitness and nutrition field for a while so when she asked if others wanted to be a coach, I said, "Sure...why not? This is my opportunity to get into something that I have a passion for." I started the program and I have to say that I really love it. It was a great addition to things that I was already doing and to have such a supportive community around me has REALLY helped. I've already lost almost a pound in 5 days and I am not hungry and I feel better already. Can't wait to see where this journey continues to bring me...thank you to my coach for believing in me and supporting me.

     A little about my story....I have always loved researching ways to make myself a better person.  Who doesn't want to be a better person, right??  I joined a gym on New Year's Day 2013 because I wanted to try spinning.  I tried and still LOVE spinning.  I also signed up with a personal trainer and LOVED it.  This made me want to learn more about fitness and nutrition even more.  I have read many books, articles, visited websites...lots of information.  I even looked into becoming a registered dietician (my profession is teaching).  I thought, I know soooo much about children; I'll be a pediatric nutritionist.  I also felt that I love to help and motivate others and I shouldn't limit myself to only children.
     Fast forward, the gym I joined closed:(  I started taking barre and boxing classes.  I still take the barre classes which I do LOVE.  My boxing class suspended for the summer and I wanted something else to add to my fitness routine.  I found a wonderful Beachbody coach who is wonderful, uplifting, and kind.  I started that program last week and I've also become a Beachbody coach myself.  I feel that it will only add to my fitness and nutrition knowledge.  Thanks for joining me in my journey.
     I've lost 12 lbs since the end of April and want to continue to get stronger and fitter.  I hope that I can inspire others to do the same.  I'm no spring chicken, but age is just a number so let's get our sweat on and our healthy eating on and LET'S DO THIS!!!!