Mantra Monday: The Person Behind the Sweaty Selfie

Ever notice the increase in these things called "sweaty selfies?" You know the sweaty pictures after a workout, the pre-workout post with the motivational quotes or the workout stat pics with updates? It's easy to look at them, scowl, make a comment... but do you realize that you do it too?

I know right...you're thinking "no I don't." But you're on social media too, you're sharing your life, your sharing pictures of your children, your job, your trips ect. When you're on social media, there is always the possibility of what some call "over-sharing." What I started to realize when I was sharing my daily sweaty selfies, there were always two sides to the comments.

One side supporting, encouraging and being motivated but there was always the other side, the one where people felt the need to judge, ridicule and even openly post about how stupid we are for sharing.

But....honestly, there is something so much deeper than sharing my fitness results, there is something more important then just flexing muscles, there is a story behind the sweaty selfie.

Two and a half years ago, I wasn't the fit person posting the selfies. Instead, I was the person judging the fit person posting the selfies. I was the person overweight, unhappy with myself, disappointed in the journey my life was taking. But instead, I was overly judgmental.

Then life happened.
A pivotal point in my life honestly.
A choice.
To succeed and overcome or fall behind and fail.

My life now has everything to do with my life then.
I'm no longer overcome with depression and anxiety.
I no longer feel alone in this world.
But it's because of fitness that I am on this mission.

My mission to inspire hope and strength in others through a healthier lifestyle comes from a difficult past and unexpected losses. My mission to help others establish a healthy foundation to elicit strength mentally and physically.

Over the last year, there have been moments where the need to dig deeper than I thought humanly possible became necessary. I haven't always been this strong, inspiring person. I was actually quite different honestly. My entire life I have been a perfectionist, I have fought to do things according to the way they were meant to be and anything short of that was considered failure to me.

When I started to lose control of my life, I knew I had to do something about it.

For me, that was sweat, that was fitness, that was pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and doing the things I couldn't before from poor choices and lack of activity.

On the morning of my grandfather's funeral, I took to the mat.
When my father passed away unexpectedly from heart failure, I took to the weight room.
When my best friend passed away, I took to my fitness community.

Every day, I posted my sweaty selfie to my health and fitness accountability group.
Of course there are the benefits we all know, more self confidence, improved strength.
But those wonderful endorphins...those babies brought down my anxiety.

As my body grew stronger and more powerful, so did my mind. I went from being down and out depressed to motivated and inspired to help others struggling with depression and anxiety to overcome life's limiting factors.

Sweating became the reason for getting out of bed.
My fitness goals became my life goals and enabled me to push outside of my comfort zone.
It enabled me to appreciate life.
And forced me to realize, I get one shot at this, I have to take it seriously

Today, I am stronger than ever. My health is in it's prime. But the biggest transformation fitness gave me was mental. I went from questioning my worth, my actions and my abilities to owning my past and creating my own future.

I went from comparing myself and my body to others, to accepting that some days required rest and other days required a push. We can only control the controllable and for me fitness and health were in my control.

Now, I make my mind and my body one of my top priorities. It works for me. It's what's kept my sanity through this last year and gave me the platform to reach others struggling with similar issues.

You don't have to find strength through a workout.
Maybe it's faith, or baking or gardening.
But we all have to find the thing that motivates us to push past adversity.

For me that just comes in the form of sweating.

Transformation Tuesday: Worth is no longer defined by just a number

Two and a half years ago I remember being devastated from heart break. At the time, I was traveling and working a second job most weekends. Within a month, I had found out that I was sick and in need of several expensive surgeries and procedures. It wasn't long before I just let life conquer me and slowly I went from being fit at 120 pounds to 145 pounds.

Now to some that doesn't seem a lot but for me, someone used to living a very fit lifestyle, someone who required control of EVERYTHING. This was huge and devastating. 

I was doing life wrong...or at least that's how I felt. I would question what I deserved to get to this point, to be this low, to have my heart crushed. 

No one told me that heartbreak could truly re-route your life. But it wasn't until my doctor sat down and explained the mass in my body wrecking havoc and risking my life that I just gave up and stop caring all together.

Looking back, I realize now that as women especially, we give our all to those we love. We want to nurture, we want to care, we want to be loved as much as we want to give love. As women, we also know that body image is HUGE...and sadly it's not always a positive outlook. We ridicule ourselves and others, we denounce those who are where we want to be.

I fell victim to a vicious cycle of comparison.

I fell victim to a vicious cycle of self-hate.

I fell victim to a vicious cycle of self-doubt.

I thought that I had fallen as far as one could fall. I felt like I fell down the mountain and was sitting at rock bottom. It was dark, lonely, and full of negativity. It was a place where when I looked up I saw nothing. It was me and only me stuck inside my head, filled with anxious thoughts.

But the fighter, the adventurer, the traveler, the compassionate, caring person.....she was still inside. Even though it felt like she was a million miles away....she was there. Deep inside the broken girl faking it to make it but in desperate need of saving.  But I realized very quickly, the only one who could save me was ME.

So what did I do?

STEP ONE: Own the fact that my desire for perfect was bullshit.

STEP TWO: Own the fact that I needed to focus on me and my well being.

STEP THREE: Remember the person I was before the loss and illness.

STEP FOUR: Start to dig deep for that person and begin to climb.

STEP FIVE: Establish the simple fact that giving up WAS NOT AN OPTION.

It started with a simple decision to join a group. I had to establish my own, personal goals, not dictated by what others were doing. I walked away from the scale and stopped eating according to how hard I worked out. The gym was just not working...I realized that I had to have a bigger purpose then just being thin. 

I started drinking this shake from a gym that my roommate was drinking. I declined the group initially, I just wasn't about this at home workout thing. I was someone who lifted. But guess what I FAILED at the gym.

So when that invitation came around again to join an online health and fitness group, something so unfamiliar...I said yes. I didn't take it seriously. I was eating gummy bears still during week one. But... people were getting results. They were smiling. They were happy. I wasn't. 

Soo....I emptied my cabinets, got rid of the crap. I started pushing play, and pausing, and pushing play again. I struggled my first three weeks. I was short of breathe. I was tired. I wanted to step on the scale so badly. 

I started noticing I was getting stronger, I was pausing the DVD less often. My headaches went away. And then....I started noticing my scrubs were falling off. I started to invest in personal development and realized that the fighter, the climber, the surfer, the adventurer she started to beam again.

Now two years later....here I am still sweating at home. Still getting results. Have endured so much tragedy in such a short period of time in the last year but I am still going. I committed to myself because I am worth it.

Just like you.

And my job is to help you understand that.

Complete the application for more details.

--> Online accountability group begins September 19th and involves a four week commitment. 

Fill out my online form.

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Mantra Monday: Your Health Bet Invitation

TRUE STORY: During the month of September, Beachbody is so confident that you can lose 5-15 pounds, feel more energized, be happier, healthier and more confident while falling in love with fitness that they are BETTING up to $3 million dollars to prove it! 

There are ONLY THREE required commitments from ALL participants in order to receive your portion of the Health Bet pot.

The Bet will take place September 5th through October 2nd. 

Guidelines:
1. Work out 30 minutes a day.
2. Drink Shakeology daily.
3. Log in daily with the free challenge tracker app for motivation and support.

Complete these easy steps throughout September and part of the Health Bet pot upwards of $3 million dollars is guaranteed to be YOURS! No gimmicks, games or catches here. You do the work you win the cash! 


Complete the application below to be part of the virtual Health Bet Challenge or leave your email for more details!

Again. I emphasize you earn the money by simply:

1. Working out 30 minutes a day.
2. Drink your Shakeology daily.
3. Logging in daily with the free challenge tracker app for motivation and support.

DO THIS ---> GET PAID.

• No catch. 
• All levels of fitness needs!
• Results are guaranteed. We are betting money on it!

YESS....it's that simple.

--> Workout

--> Fuel your body

--> Rock your newly found confidence 

--> Win $$$

So you ready? Complete the application below or email me directly at: ginamariefit@gmail.com

Fill out my online form.

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Motivational Monday: 22 Minute Hard Corps

Beachbody has done it again-they have created another program that is going to blow your mind! Beachbody continues to progress their programs to work with people and their busy lives. Originally, they started with P90x that was an hour long. With the way times are now, people working longer hours, lives are busier, people need programs that work with their busy lives. First, we had the 21 Day Fix program-30 minutes, T25-25 minutes and now 22 Minute Hard Corps...22 minutes! Seriously, 22 minutes, who doesn't have time for that!!!

Will I really get real results in 22 minutes?

-->YES! Male or female you can and will get results by dialing in your nutrition, following the program to a T, focusing on your daily workout and pushing yourself to the max! But what's going to really push you to your limits to get the results you want?! Having the support and accountability from your TEAM BEACHBODY coach (ME) and the rest of our group of challengers committed to getting results. Starting a new program can be intimidating but having a group to support and motivate you along your journey truly will help you conquer your goals and get fit with 22 Minute Hard Corps.

Are you someone that has made excuses in the past? Time? Motivation? Support? This program truly obliterates all of your excuses for not getting in shape and makes you realize that when you make yourself a priority you truly can achieve your goals. My journey started with Beachbody and since I have lost 12 pounds, 10 inches and am in the best shape of my life all by committing to get healthy. 

If you are looker to get leaner, stronger, lose the weight and get real results then this program is for you. All skill levels can and will be successful with the option to have a modifier to make the program work for you. Beachbody makes it possible for you to achieve all of your goals with the support and accountability of your team in your challenge groups.

So what is 22 Minute Hard Corps all about??

Created by Tony Horton, creator of P90x, P90x2, P90x3, Power 90 and more, it is a mixture of eight routines that alternate between resistance and total body cardio workouts for 6 days a week. These workouts have little rest and are fast paced. Also, these workouts are easy to pick up and learn. During the workouts, you move from each exercise quickly to maximize results and time. 

What equipment will I need?

A pull up bar (or resistance bands with a door attachment) and dumbbells are required. As you progress, so will your results. 

Skeptical about your ability to successfully complete this workout? Me too! Until I took the

opportunity to complete the sneak peek workout...this is for all levels and as you work towards your goals each day completing the workout and following your nutritional guide you can and will be successful at this program. Anyone has 22 minutes YOU can do this!

What is included with this program?

• 8 challenging workouts on 2 DVDs
• Quick Start Mission Guide
• 8-week Basic Training Action Plan
• Rations for Results Nutrition Field Guide
• Cold Start pre-workout drill
• Hell Week Challenge Card
• HARD CORPS: Battle Buddy Workout DVD (Network Exclusive)

So who is this workout best suited for??  People who don't have a lot of time to spend working out in a gym.

Those who want real results in little time with little confusion. This is also great for those who want to up their game and do 2 a day workouts, if you really want to push it to the limits.

So ask yourself are you ready to take the challenge and #getsome?

I AM RUNNING MY EXCLUSIVE 22 MINUTE HARD CORPS TEST GROUP FOR MY NEW AND CURRENT CLIENTS ON MARCH 7TH!!

On March 7th, we will start our preseason week which will consistent of our "good-bye" pictures, goal setting, measurements, meal planning and education on your nutritional guide and the course of the group to officially keep off week one on March 14th.

During this 8 week period, I will personally guide you through the program daily with support, accountability and motivation utilizing an online and app based private group to meet your needs. When you sign up to participate in the group, you will be required to purchase the 22 Minute Hard Corps challenge pack and to replace one meal a day with Shakeology for the duration of your program.

If you are ready to get get started or would like more information about the program please complete the form below and I will respond within 24 hours with details on this exclusive opportunity. 

Fill out my online form.

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