Finding (and Keeping) *That* Mindset

It happens to EVERYONE....us included.

You're going along, kicking ass and taking names at your healthy lifestyle. Eating well. Working out. Total awesomeness.

Then....you get off track. Sometimes, it's because something major happens. Sometimes, it's a slow fall. Either way, your eating becomes less and less clean. You skip one workout, then another, and another. Next thing you know, you're feeling sluggish and frustrated asking yourself "WHAT THE HELL?!?!"

What does it take to keep *that* mindset? The mindset that has you eating clean and exercising effortlessly - just second nature.

We don't think there is an easy, one-size-fits-all answer to that question....but, here are our top 3 tips that can have a huge impact:

#1 - "Just Keep Swimming!" It sounds so basic, but honestly, the more you do it, the more you'll continue to do it. Keep at it, day after day, and eventually  you don't even have to think about it.

#2 - Surround Yourself with the Right People! Whether they are "real life" people or just following/interacting with people through social media, make sure you are getting a large dose of positive, motivated, energetic people who are living this healthy lifestyle.

#3 - Learn to Forgive Yourself, Quickly! When you have a bad day, or even when you start to see the signs that you're falling off the wagon, say to yourself "Okay, I've made a poor choice that isn't going to help me reach my goals, and that's okay." Shaming yourself will only lead to more poor choices which will only get you further off your path. Pick yourself up quickly and get back on track!

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
YOUTUBE
INSTAGRAM: @fitwithfarrar

The Evolution of Our Healthy Lifestyle

People throw the phrase around a lot...

"It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change."

But for us, it is now 3-4 years later, so it clearly was a lifestyle change.

Typically, it is a healthy thing to look back once in a while, to see how far you've come and/or to see how things have changed and evolved. Our commitment to fitness and nutrition has certainly changed a lot over the last several years:

• We are much more in tune with our bodies
•  We know when to take a break before it gets to the point of an injury or exhaustion
•  Along that same line, we can see the true value of rest days
•  We are gaining a better understanding of what works bests for us nutritionally
  
• Less focus on calorie counting, more on actual nutrition
•  Initially, it was all calories in versus calories out. NO LONGER! Now, the focus is on nutritional value. Your body processes 100 calories of vegetables completely differently than a 100 calorie Chips Ahoy pack. (Sorry for the mini-rant, that's a whole other post topic!)
  
• We aren't stuck in a box and afraid to experiment
•  At first, anything that didn't involve a workout DVD (Lindsay) or a gym (Timothy), we wouldn't touch. Since then, we are constantly experimenting with all different kinds of training and can definitely say that cross-training (working out in a variety of ways) is the most effective.

Things have evolved in others ways too:

• Our inner circle of friends has changed dramatically
• This was a hard pill to swallow at first and we certainly felt lonely. But time has allowed us to let those people go and focus on connecting with those that we better relate to now that we've made this lifestyle change. BUT we are always hoping to have a positive impact on people, including those from our past, and help them become healthy with us. 
  
• Our outlook on our future has a different focus 
• At first, a lot of our healthy eating and working out was wrapped up in numbers, sizes, and looks. As our knowledge of nutrition and fitness improves, and with moving into different phases of our lives, the focus is less on sizes and looks and more on doing this to live longer and avoid chronic illnesses. Mid/Late 20's is not "old" but it is a time to be concerned about your future.  
  
• We cut ourselves way more slack
• Everything was so strict in the beginning: missing a workout was unfathomable and eating had to be on point at all times. Now, if life interferes and we miss a workout, it's okay. If our eating isn't clean or we have a food that is fried or has HFCS in it, it's okay. We know it doesn't happen often and we know we can fall right back in line immediately. *This isn't for people who are just starting. This came with time!* 

Overall, we are pretty darn pleased with the evolution of our healthy lifestyle thus far. We look forward to seeing how future life events will impact everything, particularly having a child. We'll keep you posted ;-)


In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
YOUTUBE

We Can't Want it For You!

As we were making our weekly grocery run this Sunday, we had an in-depth conversation regarding the health of our friends and family.


In December, we moved back to our hometown and since doing so, we've had a renewed energy in helping others with their health and fitness. It's been interesting to see how people are reacting so far, and here are some of the big points of our conversation about this:

• People think because they aren't "as fit as us" that they can't workout with us or do similar workouts - NOT TRUE! Every workout, every move, can be modified! Do YOUR best! And keep in mind, we've been doing this for a few years now....STICK WITH IT, it will get easier!
  
• You can't just workout a couple times a week, or be really on schedule for a week or two, then give up because "it's too hard" or you're "too sore" or you're "not seeing results." BE COMMITTED - decide what you're starting this journey for (whether it's to be a better partner, better parent, to resolve medical issues related to being overweight, or just straight up vanity) and keep that in the forefront of your mind. When it gets tough (and it will), when life gets hectic (and it always is), STAY FOCUSED.
  
• All too often, folks fall into this all-or-nothing mind trap....it will set you up for failure!! Take it slow, with your workouts and your nutrition. Build up your stamina with your workouts....aim to push yourself a little harder each time. With your nutrition, cut back on the bad stuff little by little instead of jumping right into an unsustainable low calorie rabbit food diet. CONSISTENCY is the most important part of the equation!
  
• And the biggest take-away from our conversation was the hardest pill for US to swallow: we can't....we absolutely CANNOT want it for you. As bad as we want you to get healthy, as fearful as we are for your high blood pressure and diabetes risk-factors, our influence will only go so far. Making the change all relies on you. We want to be there every step of the way, giving you whatever support and knowledge you need, but YOU have to decide this is what you want and YOU have to put in the effort day-in and day-out.
   

We want to hear from you - please comment below or email us (fitwithfarrar@gmail.com) with any feedback, questions, or concerns!Also really easy to stay in touch on Facebook, like our page here!

In Health,

Lindsay & Timothy