Be the best version of you!
How many of you can relate to this scenario:
You are pumped for a new year, ready to tackle all of your resolutions and make gains toward the things you want to do or the person you want to become. You’re certain this is the year you’ll get fit, or start that business, or ask for that promotion, or spend more time with your kids.
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We get it. There are A LOT of products out there; claiming to make you bigger, thinner, stronger, leaner, blah, blah blah. Here’s the good news: we’re here to provide you with a few products that we LOVE, BELIEVE IN, AND TRUST. The things listed below are special because they’ve made the Smart Fit Chicks Approved List (which is not easy to do!).
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We’ve all been there. Whether via New Year’s resolutions, weight loss or productivity goals, or the achievement of big dreams, we’ve all desired to change something about our lives or the way we do things so we can experience fulfillment, success, or happiness.
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It is well into December now, which means it’s time to pause and check-in with yourself: How are you doing? Are you finding some peace and silence during this season? Are you embracing moments of joy and wonder, no matter how small? If you aren’t, no problem! There’s still plenty of time to reroute and get aligned with what you want out of the holidays.
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Ahhhh…the holidays. They are upon us, and with them, come many, MANY opportunities to indulge. To eat, drink, and be merry. To enjoy Grandma’s pies and Santa’s cookies.
Be the best version of you!
I sat in the interview, surrounded by a panel asking questions, when this one hit me deeply:
Be the best version of you!
We’ve all heard phrases such as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “love others the way you love yourself”. Many times it’s interpreted in the context of being a kinder, more giving person, and learning how to treat others with empathy and respect.
Be the best version of you!
“I’m not as ________ as her.” What is the first word that comes to your mind? Not as pretty? Not as smart? Not as skinny? Not as athletic? Your children aren’t as well behaved as hers? Your job, paycheck, backyard, house, etc. aren’t as big as hers?
Or maybe you’ve experienced something more subtle, like a slight twinge of jealousy when someone gets the praise…or the raise. Or someone else’s outfit, home, or kids are complimented and yours are not. Has this ever made you feel just a little bit left out, or even…forgotten?
I know I’ve felt this way on countless occasions. But what makes us feel down or left out in these situations? It might actually have something to do with our style of thinking.
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One of our very own Smart Fit Chicks, Kellie Walters, recently had the opportunity to write an excellent article for Parks and Recreation, the official journal of the National Recreation and Parks Association.
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So, I have no idea how far along I’ll actually be by the time I post this article, but that’s okay…hopefully I’ll be less nauseous and have figured this whole pregnancy thing out a bit better (completely unrealistic, I know) (UPDATE: I’m 26 weeks and have nothing figured out)
I’m about 9 weeks pregnant right now, so VERY few people actually know at this point, which is one of the first challenges of pregnancy. I’m sick all the time, slightly grumpy and eating weird things, but NO ONE actually knows why. I’m certain people are starting to wonder about me. 🙂
Anyway, back to the topic at hand: here’s my list of why I think the world of pregnancy has started out a lot like a weekend trip to Las Vegas.
Be the best version of you!
Hello! I’m Dawn, Smart Fit Chicks’ FIRST intern ever! How lucky am I to work for a company whose primary purpose is to empower others and show them that they are worth self love?! You may have seen my name floating around social media, so we thought it would be a good idea to get to know who the heck this Dawn person is! 🙂
Be the best version of you!
One day I was at the gym on the StairMaster® and I saw this woman walk in front of me with the most beautiful, strong shoulders. I got off the StairMaster® and went up to her and said “You have beautiful shoulders”. She told me “Thank you, I do bikini body building competitions.” I was so interested that I got her number and we lifted the following week. I had lifted before then, but nothing like this. The next day I could hardly move my legs, sitting on the toilet hurt, and sleeping was uncomfortable. She inspired me to be a better version of myself. To be strong and confident, like she was. From that point forward, my life changed forever.
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We have SO MUCH great news to share with you about our after school program, Smart Fit Girls! If you missed our year one in review article, check out this article describing the program and how it got started.
Be the best version of you!
Sometimes, I feel as though I cannot escape all the negative thoughts about myself going through my head. “Why can’t I look like her, why can’t I be as smart or successful as this person?” What is even more upsetting is that I know I am not alone in these struggles to achieve self-love. We tell ourselves these negative thoughts often; they get ingrained in our brain and become habits that seem nearly impossible to break. We recently posted some techniques you can use to improve your self-esteem (read more here). Today I want to change the focus slightly and discuss the steps you can take towards improving not just your self-esteem, but the self-esteem of those around you as well.
Be the best version of you!
We all know that feeling of being “in the zone” for our workout. We get sorer, we feel stronger, heck we even feel smarter. Why are some days like this while others aren’t? Is it possible not only to be “in the zone” during every single workout, but in every aspect our life? Today we bring you four ways that we can maximize our life, all by bringing our attention inward.
Be the best version of you!
Behavior change involves repeatedly doing something outside our comfort zone. In fact, one might argue that this is almost the definition of behavior change. So, why does it seem that we are able to do the given behavior so easily at the outset, and yet have such trouble sticking to it in the long run? In my experience, both personally as well as working with many other clients, there is one primary culprit: discomfort. Today, I’d like to shed a little light on this.
Fitness Education
We all have those times when we think to ourselves, “I’m not (insert adjective here- smart, attractive, strong, thin) enough.” And while I like to think of myself as a very strong person, a recent experience really got me thinking about this whole business of self-doubt…
Be the best version of you!
Although Kellie and I consider ourselves experts in many areas of health/fitness/body image, at this point, pregnancy is not yet one of them:) That being said, we have LOTS of followers who have experienced the ups and downs of this incredible time in their lives. Needless to say, we were THRILLED when Christine decided to write a guest post for us! So, without further ado, here’s her brave and beautiful story:)
Read more “Her brave and beautiful story- A guest post on Pregnancy”
Be the best version of you!
It’s been a year since I’ve weighed myself. Yep…an entire year.
You may recall an article I wrote last summer about weighing frequency, which went into detail about what the current literature supports for appropriate weighing frequency; including the physiological and psychological effects. At the end of that article I vowed not to weigh myself for an entire year in hopes of finding out what really makes me who I am (which is WAY more than just a number on the scale). I bet you’re curious to know how much I weigh now, right?
Read more “Guess How Much I Weigh: Weighing Frequency Follow Up”
Be the best version of you!
Kellie and I get asked often about our diets- “What do you eat? What do you avoid? How much do you eat? Are you (insert giant-food group here, e.g., gluten, soy, meat, grain, dairy)-free?” Well, we’ve tried various things throughout our lives, and have both somewhat naturally settled into what is called, “IIFYM” or “if it fits your macros.” So, what is this term all about and why have we decided it’s the best way for us to eat?
Weight Training
Have you ever completed a task (a rather large one at that) and after doing so said to yourself: “holy crap, I did that!?” Well that’s exactly how we feel about this first year of Smart Fit Girls (SFG), and we couldn’t have done it without the support and love from our friends and family! We know many of you are interested to hear how the first ever SFG program went, so we’ve included a brief synopses/timeline for you here.
Be the best version of you!
Women are awesome.
In fact, we think it’s about time people start recognizing just how awesome women are. So, Smart Fit Chicks is starting a new weekly post via social media titled #womenwednesday. We’ll start by highlighting some inspiring, kick-ass women in our lives. But, as time goes on, we’d love for you all to submit stories about those women who motivate/inspire/empower you! So who will be our FIRST EVER #womenwednesday highlight? The one, and only, Ms. Kryssy Johnsrud.
Read more “Empowering Women One Hashtag At a Time: #womenwednesday”
Be the best version of you!
As many of you know, I recently spoke at a local event called Ignite Fort Collins. What is Ignite? Well, it’s a series of short, five minute “TED-like” talks. But, there’s a catch- in that 5 minutes, not only do you have to get through 20 slides, but the slides AUTOMATICALLY advance every 15 seconds.
Read more “Talk about nerve-wracking! But so glad I did it…”
Be the best version of you!
Oh Colorado how I’ve missed your beautiful scenery, fit-minded lifestyle, and most of all, really awesome people! Recently we were asked by Marissa of Barefootcolo.com to write a guest post for her blog followers. We think Marissa’s pretty damn cool (and super inspirational) so make sure to follow her on all her social media outlets for great fitness and health tips. Because we LOVE you all, we decided to share Chrissy’s post with all our Smart Fit Chicks followers as well. So here it is: 5 tips for improving self-esteem. ~KW
Be the best version of you!
Like most people, we tend to think that our day-to-day routines are pretty normal. What else is there to do other than eat, sleep, and lift, right? We have recently been asked to reveal our day-to-day routines. So, here’s what it’s like to be a Smart Fit Chick.
A typical day in the life of KW
Fitness goal at the moment: Maintain muscle mass and strength as I continue to build mileage for my marathon training.
Be the best version of you!
As many of our followers know, last summer Smart Fit Chicks did a crowdfunding project to raise money for the design and implementation of our after-school program for adolescent girls, called Smart Fit Girls. We are happy to announce that we’ve launched the pilot program and it’s off to a GREAT start!
Be the best version of you!
We recently had a Facebook follower reach out with a great question we thought we’d address:
“I find that I learn better (read and retain more) and I perform better at work with consistent exercise. Ironically, my professional life has accelerated by devoting 1-2 hours in the gym and I FULLY believe it has to do with benefits of exercise. Am I crazy or is there a link?”
Read more “Exercise & the Brain: Why we’re called SMART Fit Chicks:)”
Fitness Education
I grew up with dogs…nine of them to be exact (not all at the same time, although that would have been an adventure). Whether I was hugging my sheltie Danny, crying into his ball of fur about something mean my brother just said about me (sorry Matt), or chasing my dog Rueben across Clemson University after he jumped out of my sunroof while we were driving (yes this really happened). My life literally would not be the same without the dogs I’ve had, and currently have, in my life.
As you can tell, I’m somewhat of a “dog person”…and for good reason. In addition to their loving demeanor and ability to understand humans better than most other humans, dogs can actually make us healthier. Here’s why…
Fitness Education
Check out our latest Vlog! Did you know that dog owners are more likely to meet the daily physical activity recommendations compared to non dog owners? Stay tuned-we’ll be posting an article about the many health benefits associated with owning a dog soon!
Be the best version of you!
Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone! This week’s Smart Fit Chicks FitTip of the week is all about healthy holiday eating/drinking. See our video on YouTube and learn how to make a great low calorie Hot Toddy-super delicious! Thank you Sean and Ingrid for taste testing this for me! For more healthy holiday tips, read our Thanksgiving blog from last year. 🙂 Have a healthy, happy, holiday!
~KW