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How to believe in your own anchor

What do you do when you have no anchor, no support system, or no direction?

Like I said in my last email, a LOT of my clients felt lost when they couldn’t come to the gym for a couple weeks. They felt a little out of control, and they felt like they had momentarily lost their anchor, sense of direction, or compass.

And it happens to people very frequently, regardless of the situation – they start a program, lose their way, gain back the weight, feel bad, and then start a program again. It’s a vicious cycle and it can be hard to break… I’ve seen it a thousand times.

But the beauty of having a personal trainer, a coach, or a community to help you get started is SO IMPORTANT to ensuring your success, especially in the beginning. Because when you think about it- if you’re trying to make a lifestyle/lifelong change, you are going to need mentors to help you find your way. Because you don’t know the way (yet) when it comes to long-term weight loss and fitness success. It’s one of the reasons that you’ve failed in the past.

These mentors will show you how to make lifestyle changes as well as REQUIRE you to get back on track when you falter, no matter what!

Because everyone falters at some point – but the difference between a two day or a 2 year break can often be determined by the strength of your support system.

This is the importance of community. It’s a group of people that share the same ideals as you – and who are committed to the process and to your success.

However, after a time, it’s important that you start to develop the skills to be your own advocate. To be able to rely on yourself to get into the gym, to go running outside, and to make the best decisions at mealtime.

This is the ultimate definition of success for me. To see my clients change their daily habits and then to witness the transformation that takes place in the mind and the body.

As you can imagine, this process takes time- often MUCH, MUCH longer than people expect. But what this process of time delivers to you is the opportunity to do some experiments, to have some moments of trial and error, to make mistakes, to fall off the horse and get back on, and to develop some grit.

It also requires you to discover your deep reason of WHY you want to change your life. Why do you really want to get healthy, or lose weight, or fight the aging process?

Is it because you lost a loved one too soon and you don’t want that to happen to you?

Or could it be that you had a health scare and you finally decided to stop putting it off?

These deep-seated reasons of why are the things that keep you moving towards your goals- no matter what.

When you know that come hell or high water you’re going to get it done.

No gym required.

Just you and your desire to be better.

I pray that this process is as successful for you as I know it can be. Health, energy, and fitness affect your life ALL DAY LONG. And there is no substitute for being in the best shape of your life- nothing feels better!

I wish you continues success on your journey.

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This place is my anchor

When my client Julie said this to me the other day, it really struck a nerve. It made me so proud of the positive effect that we have had on her life, and yet really sad at the same time.

You see, we had to close YET AGAIN for Covid for the last two weeks…. and my clients (and I) felt so lost….

They felt like they had no direction to channel their pent up energy.

Their bodies and their minds craved movement, sweat, and effort to help them relax, but they didn’t ever choose to do anything.

They went off the rails and ate food like Twizzlers, Oreo’s, French fries – everything and anything! And then they felt horrible and guilty at the same time.

They said things like “I haven’t eaten this badly since before I joined Essential Fitness 3 years ago!”

Or ” I don’t know what to do with myself, I am so lost.”

Or, “I miss my friends, the Trainers who push me, and the ladies that I see every week.”

And these words made me sad, because this pandemic is changing everything, and causing so much pain and suffering… and oftentimes there is nothing that we can do about it.

It’s a fact that there are some things that we have no control over, and some things that we can control.

And what I finally came to realize- was that- these clients of mine had created REAL MOMENTUM in their health, weight loss, and fitness. And when we had to suddenly close – they were caught off guard and without much of a plan. It’s like everything just stopped… and they felt like they were just sent off into the ocean, like a boat ripped off it’s moorings.

They felt like they were just floating out to sea, without the ability to do the things that made them feel happy, connected, vibrant, in control, and strong.

But the good news is – that our “closure” only lasted two weeks. And all of these ladies are literally RUNNING back into the studio, massively grateful for the opportunity to “get back on track.”

And it made me realize – that so many people out there feel lost all of the time. It’s the way they feel all of time. They feel like they keep trying to:

Lose weight.

To start a new workout program.

To start a new diet.

To start a new healthy hobby.

And they fail time and time again because they have no accountability, no structure, or they choose a plan that will never work long term.

So many people out there feel like they don’t have an anchor.

Would you agree? Have you ever felt like you just keep trying and trying but nothing ever sticks? Or that no matter what you do, you can never manage to make long term changes?

If this does sound like you, I want you to know that you are not alone. I want you to know that you can do it, perhaps you just need to try again. To try something different, something that’s designed FOR YOU.

And, if you want to get connected to a community that is so strong, so loyal, and so unshakeable that you will literally feel like a piece of you is missing if you cannot go – then you might want to give us a try.

Feel free to click the link below for your free session with me, and come see what this life-changing program is all about. And I hope that we can help you feel “anchored” as well.

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Womens Gym planks

Control What you Can

“Life” happens all the time!

It seems like every day is an adventure, doesn’t it? Usually, the days just blend together without much craziness, and then bam! you get in an accident, or trip and fall, the world gets a pandemic, or relationships dissolve.

Life has a crazy way of making us realize “what we had then” and then teaches us to be grateful for what we have now. It also teaches us to find a way to get what we want – if we really, truly want it.

Because we are definitely not in control of everything. And I believe our attempts to control everything causes us so much stress and anxiety, don’t you?

We get anxious when things don’t go our way, or obstacles constantly seem to get in our path. Or, when other people don’t behave in the way we think that they should.

On the other hand, it feels impossible to always just go with the flow, because it feels like we are never getting anywhere…. just floating around, being pushed here and there by people, life and circumstances….

So, what’s the answer?

Control what you can control.

In my world at Essential Fitness- it’s control of:

  • what you eat
  • what you drink
  • how much you move
  • how hard you work
  • whether you show up or not
  • what you commit to
  • how much rest you get
  • your thoughts and belief (trust the process)
  • your choice to continue or quit
  • your attitude

These choices are the difference between success and failure in my studio, and actually, in life as well.

All of the other stuff (when it comes to fitness and weight loss), you just have to let that go.

Like, the scale not behaving the way you want it to.

Or your knee that keeps complaining every time you run (switch out the running and/or do more rehab).

Or family issues that seem to pull you away from your health priorities (figure out a way).

YOU are ultimately in control of where you are today, and your success or lack thereof.

So, my challenge for you this week is to control the things that will make you succeed in your fitness journey, leave the excuses behind, and release the things that you thought were holding you back.

They’re not.

Not if you don’t let them.

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Woman Sleeping With Dog
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What Is Your Bedtime?

Remember when you were a kid and you had a set bedtime each night? Your parents would look at the clock and let you know that you were done for the day and that it was time for you to power down and get some rest.

Turns out that your parents were on to something really healthy by enforcing a set sleep schedule.

By going to sleep at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning you enforce a healthy sleep pattern. Healthy sleep patterns have wide-reaching benefits, including deeper, uninterrupted sleep of the most restorative nature.

Take the next 30 days to try getting to bed and waking up at the same time and see how you feel. You will likely see an increase in your fitness results as well!

TRY A FREE WORKOUT
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Happy Woman
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Do You Choose Hard Now or Hard Later?

Let’s face it, getting and staying fit and healthy is hard work.

There’s all the effort that you have to put out in making wholesome meals.

There’s the will power that you must muster in avoiding unhealthy (TASTY!) foods.

There’s the energy that it takes to get out of bed early to get in a workout before the day begins.

There’s the struggle to lace up your shoes at the end of a long day to head out and be active rather than diving into the comfort of the couch.

To be fit and healthy is to choose to do what’s hard, right now.

Because let’s face it, getting dinner from a drive-thru is easier than making it at home.

And eating whatever looks the most enticing is easier than saying no thank you.

And sleeping in is easier than getting up at the crack of dawn to exercise.

And settling into the couch at the end of your day is easier than moving your body through something active.

We are faced with these decisions all day, every day. And they add up.

DO WHAT’S HARD <== or ==> DO WHAT’S EASY

Here’s the thing, though. It’s not actually a choice between HARD and EASY.

The real choice we are making is between HARD NOW <== or ==> HARD LATER.

Because for every EASY choice that you make today, you are setting yourself up for a HARDER life, down the road.

Make no mistake about it, being unhealthy is hard.

Being out-of-shape and overweight is hard.

Living in a body that is racked with aches and pains is hard.

Not being physically able to do the things you want to do is hard.

So as you go through your day, faced with hundreds of opportunities to do what’s hard or what’s easy, remember this…

Choose to do what’s hard now or be faced with something much harder later.

I’m here to help you transform your body (and your whole life!) through the power of fitness.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness plan that will give you the opportunity to do what’s hard now, to achieve the body that you really want.

TRY A FREE WORKOUT
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scale and tape measure
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Here’s Why You Can’t Lose Weight (3 Bad Habits)

Are you stuck in the frustrating cycle of gaining and losing the same 5 pounds but never reaching your goal weight?

Read on to see if these 3 Bad Habits are holding you back from the body of your dreams…

Bad Habit #1: You’re Eating TOO MUCH (healthy food)

Yes, there is such a thing as TOO MUCH healthy food. Extra calories can come from healthy food just as readily as from unhealthy foods.

Yes, healthier foods are typically lower in calories, so it will take you longer to gain weight by overeating roasted chicken and sweet potato than it would ice cream and chips, but the extra pounds will add up nonetheless.

If you would like to lose weight then it’s very important to control your portions, even of super healthy foods, since ALL foods carry calories, and too many calories will block weight loss.

Bad Habit #2: You’re Dehydrated (not enough water)

If you are like most people then you live in a state of partial dehydration, every day. Being dehydrated is dangerous for all of your major body organs, and it blocks fat loss. Additionally, water is an appetite suppressant that fills your stomach and prevents you from overeating and add to that the fact that thirst is often mistaken for hunger pains, you can see why dehydration leads to frustrating weight gain.

Make it a point to sip (or chug!) water throughout the day and you’ll avoid dehydration, making it easier to drop those unwanted pounds.

Bad Habit #3: You’re Slacking (in the gym)

If you want to lose weight and see a measurable transformation in your body, then going through the motions at the gym simply won’t cut it. Of course, going through the motions with a workout is better than sitting on the couch, it certainly won’t get you the body that you want.

How hard do you exercise on a scale of one to ten? If you know your workouts land below an 8 then seriously consider stepping up the intensity of your next workout in order to really burn that fat away.

I’m here to help you transform your body (and your whole life!) through the power of fitness.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness plan that will help you achieve the body that you really want, and that you truly deserve.

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pasta on a blue background
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Your Fad Diet Nightmare

Have you noticed how people jump on board with a popular fad diet, lose 5, 10 or even 20 pounds…only to gain it all back and then some. Why does this happen? It’s actually a simple concept, and once you understand it you will be forever saved from the tortures of yo-yo dieting.

Fad diets saddle you with unsustainable calorie restrictions and some even cut out entire food groups just to produce that short-lived drop in weight—a process that is actually harmful to your long term metabolism. The fad diets also ignore one major component in shaping up: exercise.

You see, most fad diets operate on one age-old premise: cut calories, cut calories, cut calories. By restricting the type and amount of food consumed the fad dieter usually sees an immediate drop in weight. If only it stopped there…

But it doesn’t stop there. Life continues, and the fad dieter returns to their pre-diet eating habits—with one major difference in their body due to the sudden drop in pounds. Their calorie requirements have gotten smaller.

In practical terms, this means that the dieter will begin gaining weight even though they are eating their normal pre-diet portions. And since exercise hasn’t become a part of their routine, the unneeded calories will result in pounds gained. So what’s a dieter to do? Find a brand new diet to follow—right? Wrong.

There is a way to drop pounds and firm your body, but you won’t read about it in the next diet book or hear it on the news. The solution to your fad dieting nightmare is a lifestyle change.

What is lifestyle change? To change your lifestyle means to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones, and to do so consistently. It isn’t something you do for a week or two, only to revert back your old ways—a lifestyle change redefines who you are.

I know this is starting to sound like some heavy stuff, but hear me out. Changing your lifestyle from one that is unhealthy to one that is healthy will be the best thing that you ever do for yourself. Trust me, I help people like you make this change every day with amazing results.

Fact: The shape of your body is the direct result of your current lifestyle.

So how do I change my lifestyle? That is a great question, and the answer is actually easier than you might think.

Most people who are unhappy with their bodies are really only holding on to a few bad habits. Once these destructive habits are identified and then replaced with healthy habits their body naturally transforms from one that they loathe to one that they are proud of.

In other words, to get the body that you want simply determine your unhealthy habits and replace them with healthy ones. Here are the most prevalent unhealthy habits:

The habit of inactivity. Failing to exercise on a consistent basis is one of the most destructive obstacles for your health and figure. (The keyword here is consistent. If you aren’t exercising at least 3-4 times each week then you own this habit.)

The habit of overeating. Consuming calories in excess of your daily caloric needs are one of the main reasons that more adults are overweight today than ever before.

The habit of empty calories. Filling your diet with foods that hold little to no nutritional value is a great way to expand your waist. (Hint: if a food item is made up of mainly sugar and/or fat consider it ‘empty’ calories.)

You can lose weight and improve both your appearance and your health.
You can look and feel great.
You can transform yourself into the person that you’ve always wanted to be.

Don’t let another day go by that leaves you a slave to unhealthy habits. Take action now. Call or email me today and together we will recreate your lifestyle and redefine your body.

By the way, I should mention another deadly habit that destroys too many people’s dreams. The habit of procrastination.

How many times have you told yourself that you will start eating healthy tomorrow? How many times have you promised that you would call me to start your personal training program? Each day that you succumb to the habit of procrastination is a day that pulls you farther and farther from your goals.

Break that nasty habit of procrastination — contact me today.

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cucumber-mint-mocktail
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April Was Amazing

Congratulations to everyone who completed the “Alcohol-Free April” Challenge, it was a great success. And for those of you who didn’t stick with it, just TRY AGAIN. Even if you were only 80% successful, it’s still 80%. Isn’t that better than nothing?

Many people fall prey to “all or nothing” thinking, and unfortunately, that just leads to a lot of starts and stops, and a lot of inconsistent progress. They believe that they have to fix everything, like give up carbs, alcohol, sugar of any kind, and workout 7 days a week to reach their goal.

How long do you think will that last? Generally not very long. Then, as a result, the individual feels like a failure again, and their confidence drops even further. There’s nothing wrong with setting high goals and expectations, but a realistic plan of 1% better every day will get you there faster than a cold turkey kind of approach. Think of the tortoise and the hare – this is a marathon not a sprint.

Slow, steady, and consistent wins the race, every time. So if you’d like to try giving up alcohol for another month, join us again in May, or better yet, start today!

Here’s to a great May!

This is what we have planned:
Mock-tails in May – more alcohol-free recipes are coming! If you want to limit/ avoid alcohol, then you need some alternatives- these should taste great and satisfy!

Trainer’s Training continues through May– our 6 interns are killing it! If you know someone who loves fitness and wants to positively influence others in health and fitness- please recommend this internship!

Essential Oils classes – Mother’s Day is a perfect time to share these beautiful oils with your mom…. bring her to one of our classes this month!

Finally, our new book for May will be revealed next month- check out our Facebook Page for more details!

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EF Weekend in Palm Desert

Fitness Weekend in Palm Desert Recap

Thanks to all who were able to attend the “Fitness Weekend” in Palm Desert!

Our next “mini Retreat” is scheduled for Aug 23rd at Essential Fitness (all day) and will include:
A cardio workout
Weightlifting
Nutrition workshop
Stretch
Lunch
Dinner
& EPIC goals!

EF current clients: $149.00, non members $200.00.

Read below for a rundown of the amazing weekend in Indian Wells (and save the date for next year – February 20-22, 2020)

Essential Fitness hosted it’s inaugural “Essential Fitness Weekend” at the 4 star Indian Wells Renaissance Resort in Palm Desert on Feb 22-24th!

The weekend exceeded everyone’s expectations due to the amazing beauty of the surroundings and the wonderful women that attended. I think that the women all formed a very close and special bond during this amazing three days because they were all there with the goal of transforming their lives, and as a result, they built a unique and supportive atmosphere to encourage one another to do just that!

The women were treated to exquisite meals made by the resort chefs and designed by the trainers to be clean, satisfying and well balanced. Some of the highlights included house-made protein smoothies, date bars, and whole wheat pancakes! In addition, we had two “menu review” sessions, where we carefully analyzed our dinner restaurant menus and learned how to “eat like the trainers eat” – so that they could eat well, feel great, and keep losing weight – even when eating out!

The “workshop portions’ included 3 nutrition workshops, with topics such as “What To Eat And When”, “The Science Behind Why It’s So Easy To Overeat Junk Food”, and finally, a very poignant and heartfelt talk on Identity and self-love.

The retreatants were challenged with multiple workouts, including a cardio class, multiple weightlifting sessions, pool time and a 3-mile uphill hike. It was spectacular!

Finally, we celebrated with a movie night and major goal setting! These women are perfectly poised to have an amazing year filled with new friends, improved mindset, better skills, and LARGE, CHALLENGING goals that we know they will reach!

All have committed to attend next year Feb. 21-23 2020, and we can’t wait!

Want more information? Email Maureen@youressentialfitness.com for more details and we hope to see you next year!

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Women doing yoga

Hesitation

Hesitation is one of our greatest obstacles as fitness coaches. Many people who have health and fitness goals let hesitation get the better of them for years and decades before doing anything about it. I find that this is one of the greatest roadblocks we face when trying to help a potential client change his or her life. The fact is, many potential clients have often been putting off making a change for a very long time, and as Mel Robbins (author of “The 5 Second Rule”) is so adept at explaining, any hesitation is long enough for our brains to kick in and actually MAGNIFY the potential risks of making a change.

This is because our brains are wired to prevent us from doing uncomfortable and challenging things. And when you hesitate, your brain will actually start working against you – helping you to imagine greater potential loss, magnifying the difficulty of changing your life, and remembering the fear of failing again. Very often, in the end, these habits of hesitation essentially kill the excitement to change, to grow, and to reach your goals.

Just think about it, your day is made up of thousands of decisions, and so often, you make those decisions based on how you feel at that moment. You might have had big plans to work out at lunch and then eat a salad, but the morning was tough, so instead, you skipped the workout and went out for a burger with friends.

It’s true that if you delay long enough, you can always put off doing difficult things. Difficult things like working out and sweating, running 3 miles, and saying no to dessert…. these can feel like hard things, but it seems like the longer you think about it, the harder they seem to become.

You rationalize to yourself saying… I’ll do it later, I’ll start tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. But we are here to remind you that it does matter! If you do truly want to change your life, lose weight, and take control of your health, STOP HESITATING. Stop overthinking the potential difficulty and start moving!

I highly recommend Mel’s book if you are struggling with this, and as a result, you are watching the months and years go by without taking charge of your fitness. If you want something more for yourself, find a place to help you reach your goals and jump in! Fully commit to yourself and your health and don’t hesitate – you will never regret starting TODAY.

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