Fit Happens with Know Exercise!: 28 Days of Success for Every Body - Softcover

Sewell, Stephanie Hilton

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1450214916 ISBN 13: 9781450214919

Publisher: iUniverse, 2010

Synopsis

Congratulations on taking the first step to a healthier you! Stephanie Sewell, speaker, teacher, empowerment coach, and personal trainer, will share her secrets with readers to help them get fit with the ultimate daily fitness journal. All you need is a positive attitude and Fit Happens with Know Exercise!: 28 Days of Success for Every Body (Fit Happens Journal). Whether you are an absolute beginner or an accomplished athlete, this journal is designed to help you achieve and maintain your ideal body and weight. You should have 28 days of success by following this simple plan for everybody. Stephanie, an inaugural member of the NFL Carolina Panthers Cheerleading Squad, pageant title holder, and national fitness/figure/and bikini competitor, knows firsthand the importance of documenting progress and believes it is the building block to slimming down and shaping up. The Fit Happens Journal program is based upon the daily documentation of your personal weight loss experience-every step of the way-and it is designed to be an interactive journal. Start your day with your personal Fitness Happens Journal and design the program that works best for you in promoting weight loss and good health!

About this title

About the Author

Stephanie Hilton Sewell obtained her BS degree from Western Carolina University. She is certified through American Fitness Professionals and Associates as an AFPA Certified Personal Trainer, AFPA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and an AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. She also works as a pharmaceutical representative specializing in diabetes care.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Fit Happens with Know Exercise!

28 Days of Success for Every BodyBy Stephanie Hilton Sewell

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Stephanie Hilton Sewell
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4502-1491-9

Contents

Introduction..........................................................................xiiiMy Reality Check......................................................................xvWeek One-Why..........................................................................1Day #1 Your Reality Check.............................................................3Day #2 Plan to Have an Affair.........................................................7Day #3 Timeline for Your Affair.......................................................10Day #4 Importance of Your Affair......................................................12Day #5 Whom Are You Listening to Right Now?...........................................14Day #6 Quotes to Live By..............................................................17Day #7 Day of Reflection and Giving...................................................20Recap Your Week.......................................................................23Week Two-Nutrition....................................................................25Day #8 What Are You Eating?...........................................................27Day #9 What Are You Eating? Part II...................................................30Day #10 What Are You Eating? Part III.................................................32Day #11 What Are You Really Eating?...................................................34Day #12 Ready, Set, Eat!..............................................................39Day #13 Let's Go Shopping!............................................................41Day #14 Day of Reflection and Giving..................................................43Recap Your Week.......................................................................45Week Three-Exercise...................................................................47Day #15 Exercise Inventory............................................................49Day #16 One Mile Workout..............................................................53Day #17 Exercise Video Workout........................................................56Day #18 One Mile Workout (One More Time!).............................................59Day #19 Exercise Video Workout (One More Round!)......................................63Day #20 Hey D.J., Let's Mix Things Up!................................................65Day #21 Day of Reflection and Giving..................................................68Recap Your Week.......................................................................70Week Four-Bringing It All Together....................................................71Day #22 Nutritious Breakfast and One Mile Workout.....................................73Day #23 Nutritious Breakfast, Lunch, and Exercise Video...............................77Day #24 Nutritious Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, and Dinner...............................81Day #25 Nutritious Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner, and Exercise.....................84Day #26 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.................................................88Day #27 Progress Check................................................................91Day #28 Day of Reflection and Giving..................................................94Recap Your Week.......................................................................97About the Author......................................................................98Shopping List.........................................................................101Food Diary............................................................................102

Chapter One

Week One

Why

Day #1

Your Reality Check

I'm so glad you are moving forward with the Fit Happens Journal. I hope my experience has given you the courage to complete Your Reality Check. In order to know where you are going, you have to know your personal starting point. Day #1 is all about you. This is your reality check.

Have you seen a picture that someone has taken of you and you didn't recognize yourself? I know I have. After seeing a recent picture from our vacation, I was upset with the person who took the picture for not telling me that I looked like that!

For Day #1, select someone to take your picture and your measurements. I would recommend you wear something fitted that you are comfortable wearing for this brief photo session. Also, I suggest the more skin you have showing, the better, so you can see your true starting point.

When having your picture and measurements taken, resist the temptation to hold in your stomach! Do not hold your breath! Do not wear baggy clothes! And, whatever you do, do not skip Day #1. This is the most important day!

It is time for you to see the real you! Trust me. My clients who opted to skip this initial step in their Fit Happens journey were later unhappy about not documenting their starting point. I would not want you to miss out on the joy this day will bring you when you reach your goal-especially when you are fit and trim and ready for your affair!

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil Camera Someone to Take Your Picture Fitted Outfit Measuring Tape Scale Date: Weight: Height:

Measurements (inches)

Neck: Chest: Waist (Circumference of Natural Curve): Waist (Circumference from Belly Button): Hips: Upper Thigh (Widest Part): Arm (Circumference of Bicep):

[Insert Photo Here]

Day #2

Plan to Have an Affair

I know ... you are wondering why this self-help exercise guide is talking about having an affair. At this point, you probably thought I would have jumped into telling you to run three miles and eat a selection of low-fat, low-calorie, no-taste foods for Day #2, right? Wrong! I'm a real person and I'm going to share things I have done to get my mind and body in sync to get fit.

Now, let's get back to your future affair! It all depends on you. I'm talking about setting goals and finding out what you must do to reach your goals. By having an affair, you are identifying some type of event that is important to you. The Fit Happens Journal will help you reach your goals, but you have to crystallize your goal and write it down in order to achieve it.

First, let's define an "affair." One dictionary meaning of an affair is "an event or occurrence that has been referred to or is known about." My definition of an affair is "something big!" It could be a wedding, a pageant, a high school class or family reunion, a trip, or a competition. It has to be a tremendous event where you stand in the spotlight! You're probably asking what I mean by that statement. If you are attending an event as a guest or the event is for someone else, it doesn't count. If the people in attendance really don't know you, or you are attending it with a friend, co-worker, or significant other, that doesn't count either. If your ex or your companion's ex will be in attendance, then that would count as an affair! In all sincerity, I would like for your occasion to be something where you will be the center of attention. When all eyes are on you, you will be more focused on making sure you are prepared and ready for that attention.

Let me share an example of my affair with you. I am a former Carolina Panthers cheerleader, pageant winner, and fitness competitor. After getting married, I settled down on our cushy sofa and dug into generous helpings of chips and ice cream. One day, I realized I wanted to compete again, so I had an affair to prepare for. I set my sights on the Miss Fitness Universe Pageant. It was an event that I had some prior knowledge of, and I wanted to see if I had what it would take to make a comeback. Based on my background, experience, and work ethic, I believed I was ready to set the wheels in motion to move forward with my affair.

My question to you is this: are you choosing an affair that is good for you or good for someone else? I'm asking you that question because you will work harder for your own affair than for an affair that someone else wants you to have. When you are convinced by someone else to have an affair, you compromise your goals and values to satisfy someone else's desire. Not only are you pleasing someone else, you run the chance of losing yourself and losing your grip on your personal goals in the journey. So please ... please ... choose an affair wisely. Make sure that you are committed to your affair. You have to be willing to go the extra mile because, remember, it is your time to shine.

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil Calendar

If you have decided to have an affair, and you are ready to prepare for the affair, then you should be willing to go the extra mile. Let's get started by writing some juicy details about the affair to make sure you will be prepared!

I, _________ will follow the program in the Fit Happens with Know Exercise: 28 Days of Success for Every Body Journal (Fit Happens Journal) to assist me in preparing for _____________________________________________________________________________

Please write some information about your affair here: _____________________________________________________________________________

(Your goal and/or your event and its date-for example, Family Reunion, Date)

Did you choose a special occasion, vacation, reunion, or overall health? The choice is yours. And remember, it is something big! It could be a wedding, a pageant, a special trip, or a competition. It has to be a tremendous event where you stand in the spotlight.

Congratulations! You have completed Day #2, and I hope you didn't have to break a sweat to come up with your affair. Let's get ready for your time to shine!

Day #3

Timeline for Your Affair

We are making great progress! You have determined that you will have an affair and you have set a date for the affair to take place. Your assignment for Day #3 is to determine your timeline and why this affair is important to you.

Simply put, your timeline for your affair is the amount of time you are willing to commit to reaching your goals. When I was preparing for the Miss Fitness Universe Pageant, I set my timeline based on the event's date. Then, I looked at my starting date-the date I was formally committing to preparing for my affair. I counted the weeks I had to complete my goals. This sharpened my focus toward being successful. After all, where is the fun in having an affair and not enjoying it?

Now, Day #3 is all about determining the amount of time available to you to reach your goals before the affair will take place. Be sure to be thorough in your research of the affair. Consider travel time to and from the affair, pre-affair meetings, and other considerations. Your affair does not have to take place prior to you completing this Fit Happens Journal, but I want to make sure you have enough time to take action and realize success using your Fit Happens Journal.

Items Needed

Pencil/Pen Calendar

Now that you have an affair, you have to determine when the affair will take place.

In the space provided here, please write down the date of the affair.

My affair will take place on: ________________________________________________________________________ (Date of the Affair)

Number of weeks to complete my affair: ________________________________________________________________________ (Count the number of weeks from today's date)

Day #4

Importance of Your Affair

Do you remember my earlier question? Did you choose an affair that is good for you or good for someone else? Be sure to base your affair (goal) on what you want because you will be the one working hard to reach your personal target.

The importance of your affair has a great deal to do with the significance of the event. Any type of competitive event (pageants, marathons, or recitals, for example) puts you, your skills, and your talent in the spotlight. All eyes will be on you and on every part of your exterior! A family reunion or a special vacation are both wonderful opportunities to connect with loved ones and get caught up on family life and personal details. The bottom line is your affair should be memorable because of your connection to the people involved and the good feelings you receive from those connections. How you look when you're engaged in your affair should enhance those good feelings, not cause stress or feelings of inadequacy.

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil Honest Opinion

In your own words, please write down why your affair (goal) is important to you. What does it mean to you to reach your goal? What would/could happen to you if you do not reach your goal?

_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

Day #5

Whom Are You Listening to Right Now?

Day #5 is the time to take a closer look at who has your ear-that is, whom do you listen to on a regular basis ... especially right now? Do you really know who's in your corner? Have you really thought about it?

When I set a goal and truly commit to achieving it, I will surround myself with people, places, and things that will help me reach my goals. The people who help me achieve them are my husband, my extended family, and a few special friends. I have been blessed to be surrounded by positive, uplifting people, and their support is both natural and genuine. The places are determined by the goal I have in mind or the affair on which I've set my sights.

For the sake of health and wellness, my favorite places to go when I'm working on a healthier lifestyle are gyms, fitness centers, and venues where healthy food choices are served. My things are motivational CDs, DVDs, and inspirational downloads. I constantly listen to motivational speakers while I work out, drive my car, clean the house, etc. I can always multi-task and feed my mind with motivational thoughts.

Your To-Do List for Day #5 is to answer the question, "Who Has Your Ear?" Please devote some serious thought to the following lists. This exercise will help you build your support base. It's vital to surround yourself with encouraging voices speaking the language of inspiration and hope.

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil Honest Thoughts

People _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ (Please list the people in your life who will help you reach your goal.)

Places _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ (Please list the places you can go that will help you reach your goal.)

Things _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ (Please list the things in your life that will help you reach your goal.)

Day #6

Quotes to Live By

Are you asking yourself, "Where is all of this going?" It's Day #6 and we haven't even started preparing to run a marathon or working on dropping ten pounds in a week. Well, that's not a part of this program! The philosophy in place here is to help you take a closer look at your environment and assess your passion and your willingness to take a step in a healthier direction. Flip back to Day #1. You have to remember that Day #1 did not happen overnight, nor will your affair happen overnight. Together we are going to work extremely hard to make changes that can last you a lifetime.

Okay, I'm stepping off my soapbox; let's focus on Day #6. I would like to know if you have an all-time favorite quote, saying, or scripture that motivates you. Have you heard of a famous "quote to live by" recently? Are you motivated by words? Only you can answer those questions.

I am motivated by quotes! I love quotes because I can always rely on them to encourage me when I may feel like giving up on my goal. My original quote to live by is the following:

Today is a New Day! I will choose Success over Failure Strength over Weakness! I will Love my Body Nutritionally Not Harm it Carelessly Because Today is a New Day!

Your To-Do List for Day #6 is to create your own quote. Write down a positive thought or phrase that will keep you focused on your goal. The key to writing a motivational thought is that it should be positive as well as meaningful. It should not be negative. It serves to lift you up, not threaten you or to tear you down.

Please give this a lot of thought; you will rely on your own words in a later portion of this Fit Happens Journal.

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil

Motivational Thoughts _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ (Think of what motivates you.)

Day #7

Day of Reflection and Giving

Hooray! You have successfully made it through Week #1. Today is a day of reflection and giving. At every step on this journey, it's necessary to maintain your focus on reaching your goal. It's essential that you understand the ultimate change that will happen when you do! That's right ... when and not if!

Reflection comes in realizing how far you've come and being thankful for the journey. You didn't have to pick up this guide, but I'm so glad you did. You've made a conscious, positive decision to pursue a healthier lifestyle, not just to drop a few pounds with the latest diet craze. Taking the time to genuinely evaluate leaving old habits behind and making the mental space for new, healthy behavior is one of the best ways to give you a mental lift.

Speaking of giving, this is your opportunity to give something back on multiple levels. Flip back to Day #5 and consider:

calling one of the people who keeps you motivated and say a word of thanks, sharing one of your favorite places with a friend you haven't spoken to in a while, or doing one of the things on your list for someone else as a secret surprise.

Whatever you do, enjoy your day and be thankful for all the positive changes that are headed your way!

Items Needed

Pen/Pencil Giving Heart

To-Do List for Day #7:

Return to Day #1 and read everything in this Fit Happens Journal from that page to this page. Keep an open mind about what you have written on every page. Take a close look at the affair you want to have and what it would mean to you to reach that affair or goal. Look at your picture from Day #1 and ask yourself, "Am I happy with the person I see there?" Re-evaluate your current surroundings according to the people, places, and things listed on Day #5. Look at who and what surrounds your life today.

Now, here's what I want you to do: put down this Fit Happens Journal and reach out to someone who has shared his or her goals with you. No matter what goal the individual is pursuing, reach out and support that person's efforts. If you feel as though you can contribute to that person's ability to reach a higher level of achievement, or a more positive outlook, go for it! Choose your giving wisely. Be sincere. You will be surprised at how helping others can really help you in the end.

Use the following page to take notes from Week #1. I look forward to our journey tomorrow when we kick off Week #2!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Fit Happens with Know Exercise!by Stephanie Hilton Sewell Copyright © 2010 by Stephanie Hilton Sewell. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1450214916
• ISBN 13: 9781450214919
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 124