It's Best To Not Stress

I am looking forward to a stress free (negative stress) weekend!  I have had so much negative stress lately, that I need a break from it very much!  As you know it is not good for someone who is suffering from autoimmune disease to have any stress.  So, with that said, I am hoping for a (negative stress) free weekend.  

I know that with having health issues it's not easy to always be stress free. You have this gnawing feeling of uneasiness dealing with not being healthy anyway, right?  Even worse if your family doesn't understand it, that can be very stressful.  

You have to do what is right for you, and your body. Do whatever you have to do for your health and well being.  It is not the easiest thing to do, but it's worth it to your health.  

Chronic stress has been blamed for a variety of health issues from heart disease, cancer, and obesity.  Autoimmune disease has been studied for its relationship to chronic stress.  It's been shown to influence a number of human inflammatory and autoimmune diseases like, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's, even asthma and dermatitis.

If you are suffering from an autoimmune disease, you already know that it's a vicious cycle.  

Major events in life are sure stressors.  Pinpointing the sources of everyday stress can be difficult.  To identify your true source of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:  Do you explain away stress as temporary? Like "I just have a million things going on right now."  Or "things are crazy around here lately."  Do you blame your stress on other people or view it as normal? 

Keep A Stress Journal

A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them.  Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal.  As you keep a daily log, you will begin to see patterns and common themes.  Write down: 

What causes you stress (guess if you're unsure)

How you felt, physically and emotionally

How you acted in response

What you did to make yourself feel better

Get Moving

Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress.  You don't have to spend hours in the gym to get benefits.  Just about any form of physical activity can help relieve stress and burn away anger, tension, and frustration.  Exercise releases endorphins which boost your mood and make you feel good and it is a great distraction of your daily worries.

Maximum benefit comes from exercising for 30 minutes or more, you can start small and build up your fitness level gradually.  Take short 10 min. bursts of activity at first if need be.  The first step is to get yourself moving.  You'll have more energy and a much better outlook.   I have several programs that would help.

Engage Socially

Social engagement is the quickest, most efficient way to stop stress. It helps communicating with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood.

Reach out to family and friends and connect regularly in person. The people you talk to don’t have to be able to "fix" your stress; they just need to be good listeners. Opening up is not a sign of weakness and it won’t make you a burden to others. In fact, most friends will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your bond. And remember, it’s never too late to make new friendships and improve your support network.

Avoid Unnecessary Stress

Stress is an automatic response from your nervous system, some stressors arise at predictable times, getting to work, a meeting with your boss, family gatherings, for example. 

When handling these routine stressors, you can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose in any given scenario, it’s helpful to think of the four A's: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, or Accept.

However, it's not healthy to avoid a stressful situation that needs to be addressed, but you may be surprised by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

Learn how to say "no"  to taking on too much.

Avoid people who stress you out!  If someone continually causes you stress, limit the amount of time you are around them or end the relationship.

Take control of your environment.  If the evening news stresses you, turn it off.  Take the long way home, if it's traffic. 

Alter The Situation

If you can't avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it.  You may have to alter the way you communicating and function in your daily life.

Don't bottle your feelings, instead express them. 

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it.  If you don't voice your feelings, resentment will build and the stress will increase.

Be willing to compromise. 

Manage your time better.  Poor time management can cause a lot of stress.  Plan ahead, and don't overextend yourself.

Avoid The Negative Thinking

How you think can have a huge effect on your stress levels.  Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it was really happening. 

Think positive!  Don't fume in the traffic jam, instead listen to your favorite radio station and enjoy some alone time.

Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run.  Will it still be important a year from now?

Adjust your standards.  Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress.  Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection.

Except What You Can't Change

You can avoid many sources of stress.  You can't prevent or change some things that cause stress, such as the illness.  So the best thing would be to accept it, which is very difficult to do.  In the long run its best to do so, because you can't change it.

It's stressing to try and control the uncontrollable.  Instead focus on the things you can change.  Look for opportunities for personal growth, learn from your mistakes.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes.  Let go of anger and resentments.  Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Have Fun and Relax

Take charge and have a positive attitude.  Make time for yourself, have fun and make time for relaxation, you'll be in a much better place to handle life's stressors.  Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

Make time everyday for "Me" time.  Do something you enjoy every day.  Laugh daily. 

Healthy Lifestyle

Eat clean, avoid chemically processed foods. Follow Paleo, AIP, Clean eating lifestyle.  Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat.  Start your day with breakfast, and follow with balanced, nutritious meals throughout your day.  Reduce caffeine and avoid sugar.  Avoid alcohol and get enough sleep.  If you feel tired it will increase your stress.

Here is to us growing, and learning to deal with stress in a healthy way.  

I would like to hear from you.  How does stress play a role in your health?  What helps you in dealing with stress?  

How to Stay Fitness Motivated and Accountable

Today I thought that it would be nice to feature one of my favorite trainers for Motivation Monday.  Chalene Johnson is one of my fav Beachbody trainers.  She and Autumn Calabrese of course.  If you haven't tried one of Chalene's workouts you should.  She has several great ones. 

It can be hard to stay motivated when you’re on your own working towards a large goal. We all have things we want to accomplish on our own, from losing weight to working out, or getting a promotion at work and sometimes we can lose focus. Accountability or keeping yourself responsible for your progress can be tough because there are times we just don’t want to work out, or that chocolate cake sounds so much better than a salad. These accountability tips will help you find and stay motivated, and learn several ways of staying responsible to your goal.

Five layer goals
It may sound more like an appetizer than a tip, but layering your goals will help you achieve them. Think of a large goal you may have, whether that’s losing 20 pounds, staring a business, or running your household. Looking at the goal as it is seems very large and can be overwhelming, but if you break it down into manageable goals, you’ll quickly be on your way to achieving them. An example would be taking a goal of losing 20 pounds goal and breaking it into 5 pounds per month. Now instead of feeling like 20 pounds is a lot to lose, 5 pounds in a month is about a pound a week and feels much more attainable. Holding yourself to choices that facilitate losing a pound in a week is a lot easier than willing yourself to lose 20 pounds overall.

Get a partner
We all have goals we want to accomplish on our own, but sometimes having a partner really helps hold you responsible. Having a partner will provide support and someone to talk to about how things are going. Partners can be found online, if you don’t have someone in your life already that can help, and finding someone in your similar situation may be just the motivation you needed.

In your household you can make someone like your spouse or child an accountability partner by explaining what you want to accomplish and why. Maybe you want to give up drinking soda or eating candy. If you queue your husband or daughter into your objective they may help more than you think. In order to make this successful make sure you give them permission to help. Help may be calling you out when they see you with that candy, or allowing them to take it away. Make your goal clear and outline what you feel acceptable help would be from them. Choose people you trust, love and support, and be sure to give them permission first.

Apps
The cell phone is part of our daily lives, so having apps to hold us accountable make perfect sense. Having an app front and center on your phone will act as a reminder of your goal and help hold you to it. For every day accountability, I use Awesome Note, which provides not only my goals, but also a way to track my progress.

For health and fitness related goals I use My Fitness Pal to track what I eat and remind me that a few handfuls here and there can really derail my progress.

If you want to work on goals in all different areas of your life then Success Wiz is for you. It’s a very detailed app that can help you see which areas in your life you can work on and track your progress. Make sure you have at least an hour to devote to this app when you first sit down to use it; it’s easy to use but provides so many options you’ll want to really spend some time here setting things up.

I use the app Inspiration to provide daily scripture in my life. Often this is something I neglect and found that if I spend a few minutes reading scripture each morning I feel more centered and able to focus throughout the day. This app provides daily reminders to read as well as the actual scripture, and helps me to keep my perspective and provides patience.

Want more great tips and resources on improving balance, energy, organization, health fitness, relationships, focus, faith and happiness? Each episode of my podcast, The Chalene Show is designed to give you strategies and simple steps you can implement today to become a better, more balanced, happier version of yourself. LISTEN NOW!

The link to this article is Here 

I use Daughters of The King daily devotionals app.  I love My fitness Pal app.  

Hope you have a great Monday!!  

Many New Products This Month From Team Beachbody!!

There are many great products this month!!  I can't wait to try them!  Here is what's new. 

Cize Fitness Program by Shaun T

Shakeology Boost

Beachbody Performance Supplements

Master Hammer and Chisel Workout coming in Dec 2015

Cize Fitness Program

CIZE is a dance program for everyone and makes exercise something to look forward to!   Shaun T breaks down the moves, step-by-step, move-by-move, so that anyone can dance your way to fit in just 4 weeks.  You are moving the whole time, it gives you cardio training, strengthen your core, and tone every muscle, at once!  You'll be so in the zone mastering the moves, you'll forget you're working out, and getting in the best shape of your life!  The more you get into it the more you get of it!  Plus, as you progress, the get more challenging, and that means more moving, more calories burned!

If you are a Team Beachbody Club member, you'll get unlimited access to Beachbody On Demand, where you can stream hundreds of proven Beachbody workouts from anywhere on your device.  Just look for it under "Purchased Programs"

What’s included?

• 6 dance courses on 3 DVDs

• Get Started Guide that tells you everything you need to know to get started right, how to accurately track your body transformation, earn FREE CIZE socks, and what to do to get your best results.

• EAT UP! Guide with a simple-to-follow meal plan that lets you eat the foods you like in the proper portions to help you achieve maximum health, energy, and weight loss.

• Weekend Survival Guide that gives you the tools to stay on track, even when you're eating out! Learn the DO's and DON'Ts of a night out on the town, so you can go out and have fun without sabotaging your results!

• Beginner Calendar where you can rate your dance skills and track your progress!

• Advanced Calendar shows you which dance workout to do each day to lose weight and get your sexy dancer's body faster!

• Plus 1 FREE bonus workout:  

8 Count Abs: Strong abs and core are at the heart of every great dancer—and sexy body! You'll find this ab-targeting sequence at the end of each disc. Work your abs on the floor, then end the 8 minutes Cizing It Up with an ab sequence choreographed to the song HEADSPRUNG, originally recorded by LL Cool J.

If you order the Base kit this is what you get:  6 dance courses on 3 DVDs, Get Started Guide, Eat Up! Guide, Beginner Calendar, 8 Count Abs, Weekend Survival Guide, Advanced Calendar, 24/7 Online Support  

If you order the Deluxe kit this is what you get:  You get everything in the CIZE Base Kit, plus two fast-paced, calorie-crushing dance routines, weighted wristbands to tone up faster, LOSE IT! Guide with weight-loss tips, Deluxe weight-loss calendar, and portion-control containers to get your eating on track for your hottest and healthiest body ever.

If you order the Kickstart this is what you get:  The base kit with 3-Day Refresh Kit to kick-start your weight loss, break the cycle of unhealthy eating, and lose a few pounds fast.

Your first 30-day supply of Shakeology—the superfood protein shake that helps give you energy, reduce cravings, and accelerates your fitness results—delivered on Home Direct.

CIZE Base Kit—so you can dance your way to fit in 4 weeks

Hold your Own – Network Exclusive DVD to give you go-to moves you can use in any situation.

A FREE 30-Day Trial Membership in the Team Beachbody Club, so you can start streaming your CIZE workouts, and more than $3,000 in other proven Beachbody workouts, plus find all the support you need to succeed in your challenge. After your 30-Day Trial Membership is up, you will be billed quarterly for Club Membership, which you may cancel at any
time. 

Forget squats, lunges, push-ups, and boring cardio. CIZE is a thrilling and fun alternative to traditional exercise!

Want to be in the private Facebook Challenge Group?  Send me an email at theslaydons@gmail.com 

Watch the Video Here

Click Here To Get Cize Base Kit

Click Here To Get The Cize Challenge Pack

Click Here To Get The Cize Kickstart and Shakeology Challenge Pack

Shakeology Boost

Checkout the Shakeology Boost Video Here

WHAT IS SHAKEOLOGY BOOSTS?
Some days you need more energy, other days you may not be getting enough veggies. Thanks to NEW Shakeology Boosts, you now have the power to customize your shakes to your specific needs. Introducing 3 unique Boosts: Focused Energy Boost, Power Greens Boost, and Digestive Health Boost. Here's what they can do for you:

Focused Energy Boost:
If you're looking for an effective pick-me-up without compromising your health, then this boost is for you. It supports mental clarity, alertness, and focus to help you be more productive.

Power Greens Boost:

Fuel your body with a full serving of nutrient-dense vegetables and exotic greens. This Boost contains veggies like kale and spinach, helps support the body's acid/alkaline balance and tastes great too!

Digestive Health Boost:
Need a quick and easy way to help support regularity and digestive health? With a unique blend of 7 grams of both soluble AND insoluble fiber packed into every single scoop, this formula stands apart from typical fiber supplements and helps improve irregularity, digestive health, and keeps you feeling full longer.

Go ahead and boost up your shake!

Get Focused Energy Here

Get Power Greens Here 

Get Digestive Health Here

Ready to see faster results?  These products will help you with Energy, Stamina, Recharge, and Creatine, that can be used alone or combined.  So you can recover faster, and see results faster!  Read about Beachbody Performance in more detail Here.

Master Hammer and Chisel Workout

What is The Master's Hammer and Chisel?

It's a 60-day total-body transformation program that helps you craft a defined, jaw-dropping physique using breakthrough resistance training. You will sculpt your body into a masterpiece with 14 brand-new 30-40 minute long

workouts from winning fitness competitors, Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese.

How does The Master's Hammer and Chisel work? 

You'll focus on building muscle, power, and strength with The Master's Hammer workouts and trainer Sagi Kalev, while you shed fat and sculpt definition with The Master's Chisel workouts and trainer Autumn Calabrese. Plus, it includes a dedicated modifier who demonstrates moves at a lower intensity and adapts exercises for those with limited access to equipment.

Click Here To Get On The Notification List

Tell Yourself - I Am Going To Be Happy No Matter What!

“Don’t wait until everything is just right.
It will never be perfect.
There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions.
So what.
Get started now.
With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger,
more and more skilled, more and more self-confident
and more and more successful.”
–Mark Victor Hansen

I am guilty of waiting until everything is right, for instance, I am saving this outfit for the perfect occasion, only for me to gain weight and it's still hanging in my closet unworn, because that occasion wasn't what I deemed special. When in reality everyday is special. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special. Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

Happy people have an amazing attitude. They choose to be positive and grateful for what they have, even if it isn't much. That will determine how you're going to live the rest of your life. Don't think you have anything to be grateful for? Look a little harder, it's still exists. Ultimately, your greatest achievements are moments in time when what you’re doing allows you to see how wonderful your life already is.

 The biggest enslavement we can do to ourselves is to fear what other people think.  You can't let what others tell you who or what you are.  Your life is more important than what people think of you.  Don't let them make you feel guilty for living your life.  It's YOUR life!  As long as you're not hurting anyone else, live it your way.  

Don't let your past hinder your present and future.  Look straight ahead, forgive, move forward.  If your past didn't turn out like you'd hoped, it doesn't mean your future can't be better.  In the dark times we grow stronger.  Insight gives you the ability to rebuild yourself.  As long as your breathing it's never too late.  Today is a new day, a new beginning.

Life is a constant cycle.  It is forever changing, we need to adapt and change with it.  When one door closes another opens.  We can't control everything, let go of the things you have no control over.  Live, learn, forgive, and let go. 

Some forces are out of your control, you can control how you react to things.  Everyone of us have positive and negative aspects, whether you're happy or not depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.  The best thing you can do for yourself is invest in your own personal development.  Invest your energy in things you can control, do your best, love generously, be truthful, and leave the rest to the Lord.

Will there ever be challenges?  Absolutely!  They make life interesting, overcoming them makes life meaningful.  Don't wait until everything is just right; it will NEVER be perfect.  With each step you take you will get stronger, more skilled, more confident, and more successful.

Tell yourself:  I will live a happy life no matter what!  No matter what happens, be grateful for what you are learning.  You won't enjoy life if you don't enjoy your challenges.

Smile, and value what you have.  Enjoy the people, events in your life.  I am having to learn that it's not all about achieving all the time. Make up your mind that you are going to be happy no matter what.

Count your blessings more often than you count your money, we would be a lot richer.  Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life for yourself.  I have been so engrossed lately in trying to grow my business, that I have neglected the most important things in my life.  Not good. 

To be happy = Do your best and appreciate what you have.

To be unhappy = Comparing yourself to others and the things they have.

It is nice to have money for the things we need to buy, but it's also important to make sure you haven't lost track of the things that money can't buy.  Good friends and a loving family are worth their weight in gold.  It really is the little things that mean the most!  A long hug at the right moment.

Make your time count.  Do you wish your moments away?  You can ruin today by focusing on another time and place.  There is only now. I had this thought today as I was driving home from getting my labs done.  I have been creating my history, my legacy.. Did I let life slip me by without being aware of it?  What have I accomplished?  Did I leave good memories?  Happiness is the journey, open your eyes.  Don't miss out.

I know that you can't be happy 100% of the time. Let's face it, there is no such thing as constant happiness.  That's just not natural. 

I feel I have held back on doing things in life because of what you are "supposed to do or who you are supposed to be" and I have finally broke those chains and I'm just trying to live life to the fullest and live from my heart and not my head all the time. 

Focus on living a well-rounded happy life.  Work on your personal development and forget the things you can't change.  Life is too short to stress over everything.  Believe me I know a little about stress.  Stress causes numerous health problems.  We are striving to get healthy. :)