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Be the best version of you!

The Benefits of Paying Attention

March 26, 2018March 26, 2018
by Smart Fit Womxn

Pay attention. Be present.

These are words I’ve heard a lot lately when it comes to considering how we live our lives and the pace we keep. Maybe it stems from the feeling that we need to do more and more, adding things to our schedules to keep up with someone or something, and we’ve realized we need to slow things down a bit. Or maybe it comes from the influx of yoga or yoga-type workouts over the past few years that challenge us to stop, breathe, and see what’s going on in our bodies.

Read more “The Benefits of Paying Attention” →

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When We Miss Our Goals

March 5, 2018March 5, 2018
by Smart Fit Womxn

It’s an incredible feeling when you’re working toward a goal(s) you’ve set for yourself and you’re actually seeing progress. You note where you’re growing, and you may even hear encouragement from others who notice your achievements. It can multiply your motivation to keep pressing forward.

But what about the times when we fail to reach our goals? We said we would do something and we simply didn’t do it. Or we stated we would be at a certain point in our health journey by a specific date, and when that date arrived, we found ourselves short of our goals. What do we do with that?

Learning to handle our failures and shortcomings well is actually an important part of our growth. Our failures can show us something very valuable as we journey toward making our Wellness Vision a reality.

Read more “When We Miss Our Goals” →

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A Little Help from My Friends

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018
by Smart Fit Womxn

Is the song stuck in your head now that you’ve read the title?

Though a fun song performed by the Beatles, the lyrics actually point to a great truth for us as we look to make positive changes in our health journeys.

Surrounding ourselves with people who are also committed to their health journeys-be it friends, family members, accountability partners, coaches, trainers-can be a huge source of support and encouragement as we seek to create and sustain healthy habits.

Read more “A Little Help from My Friends” →

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Celebrate Your Body in 2018

January 11, 2018
by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you felt it yet? The swirl of diet talks, new gym memberships, “new year, new you” hashtags, etc. surround us this time of year. While I’m one who loves (and participates in!) the practice of reflecting on the past year and dreaming, planning, and creating resolutions for the next year, I’m finding the voices declaring a refusal to jump on the bandwagon to remake our bodies surprisingly refreshing.

Read more “Celebrate Your Body in 2018” →

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The World Needs You to Succeed

December 6, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you ever had the feeling of not being worthy of your success? Like if people knew the real you, they would find out you’re a fraud or a fake and would strip you of your title, your awards, or your position? Read more “The World Needs You to Succeed” →

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What Does Healthy Mean to You?

November 6, 2017November 6, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

It is easy for us to use words like “healthy”, “wellness”, etc., but sometimes these terms are so general and broad that they lose their meaning.

For instance, if you say, “I want to get healthy”, what exactly does that mean to you? What do you picture yourself doing if you’re a healthy person? What do you picture yourself not doing as a healthy person? Read more “What Does Healthy Mean to You?” →

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Motherhood – Why the ANDs are so important

October 29, 2017October 29, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for a while, but am just now coming out of the newborn “fog” enough to coherently string thoughts together. Jack will be 3 months old this week (HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?) and Lucy turns 2 next month (ALSO HOW?!). Anyway, one of two things happened this time around with Jack – either we COMPLETELY forgot how &$*%ing hard the newborn stage is, or Jack is a much harder baby than Lucy was. Read more “Motherhood – Why the ANDs are so important” →

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An Ode to Our Bodies

October 18, 2017October 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

It happened today-my jeans didn’t fit.

They came really close, but in the end, they wouldn’t zip.

I started to panic and thought “This can’t be right!”

Immediately I regretted dressing up for our date night.

I wanted to feel beautiful, to glow from the inside, out

But thanks to my jeans, all I did was pout.

Read more “An Ode to Our Bodies” →

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The Stories We Tell Ourselves

September 26, 2017April 7, 2021
by Smart Fit Womxn

Every day we are bombarded with information: some good, some bad, some helpful, and some we should just forget. We’re constantly fielding information from the outside and deciphering whether we should let it inform our lives or not.

But how often do we stop to listen to our internal dialogue each day?

Read more “The Stories We Tell Ourselves” →

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When It’s Time to Make a Change

August 29, 2017October 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you ever found yourself longing to make a change? It may sneak up on you, like a quick thought that happens to catch your attention. “What if I made a change in (fill in the blank) area of my life?” Other times it may be something you’ve been mulling over for a while, and finally decide it’s time to take action.

If you find yourself desiring to make a change in your health journey specifically, I’d love to offer you some encouragement. Change is hard-we all know this to be true. Even if it’s a good change that we choose to make, it doesn’t typically come without effort. But if we keep a few things in mind, we have a better chance of successfully implementing those changes.

Read more “When It’s Time to Make a Change” →

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The Fault in Our Thoughts

July 25, 2017April 7, 2022
by Smart Fit Womxn

We’ve all been there. We overindulge at a party or at work and subsequently, feel guilty. We figure we’ve thrown everything off: our healthy habits, our commitment to eating things that fuel our bodies, etc. This feeling of guilt is likely worse for those working in the health and fitness world. If you are a part of this world, you may have found yourself thinking

“Wow-how can I lead others to healthy living if I can’t even do it myself?”

Read more “The Fault in Our Thoughts” →

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The Beauty of a Getaway

June 28, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Are you tired? Like deep down in your bones tired? Lately I’ve felt that way, and I think to myself, “I’m too young for this!”, and begin wondering why I’m so worn out.

Sometimes a getaway, a retreat of some sort, can help us gain perspective on our lives. We take the chance to leave our normal lives behind for a moment, and get the advantage of an outsider looking in.

Read more “The Beauty of a Getaway” →

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Are You Planning to Fail?

June 3, 2017June 29, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “Are You Planning to Fail?” →

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What do you WANT?

October 24, 2016May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

I sat in the interview, surrounded by a panel asking questions, when this one hit me deeply:

“But what do you WANT to be doing in your career?”

Read more “What do you WANT?” →

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Do You Love Yourself (Really)?

October 5, 2016May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “Do You Love Yourself (Really)?” →

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You Win, I Win

September 2, 2016May 19, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

“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.

Read more “You Win, I Win” →

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SFC’s First Intern Ever!

March 13, 2015May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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! 🙂

Read more “SFC’s First Intern Ever!” →

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10 Lessons I Learned from Lifting

February 24, 2015May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “10 Lessons I Learned from Lifting” →

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I’m Starting with the [Wo]man in the Mirror

February 3, 2015May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “I’m Starting with the [Wo]man in the Mirror” →

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4 Ways to Bring Your Attention Inward

January 19, 2015May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “4 Ways to Bring Your Attention Inward” →

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Getting Comfortable with Discomfort

October 23, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “Getting Comfortable with Discomfort” →

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Her brave and beautiful story- A guest post on…

August 26, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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” →

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Guess How Much I Weigh: Weighing Frequency Follow Up

August 16, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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” →

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Carbohydrates and Proteins and Fats, Oh My

June 5, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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?

Read more “Carbohydrates and Proteins and Fats, Oh My” →

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Empowering Women One Hashtag At a Time: #womenwednesday

May 21, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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” →

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Talk about nerve-wracking! But so glad I did it…

May 20, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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…” →

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5 tips for improving self-esteem

May 15, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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

Read more “5 tips for improving self-esteem” →

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Day in the life of a Smart Fit Chick…

April 5, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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.

Read more “Day in the life of a Smart Fit Chick…” →

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We’ve launched Smart Fit Girls!

March 12, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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!

Read more “We’ve launched Smart Fit Girls!” →

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Exercise & the Brain: Why we’re called SMART Fit…

January 21, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

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:)” →