Keepings things in perspective

   

      So many of you want to find a healthy way to live that will fit into your "normal" everyday lives. You also want to be able to eat things "in moderation" and expect that you will stay on track. Truth is most people can't do moderation. You figure well I already messed up today might as well start back up tomorrow and it is a vicious cycle. So then you tell yourself, where do I go from here and how do I jump "back on the wagon" so to speak to achieve my goals. Below is a list of things to consider and know before you start so you can stay focused and on track. I hope this list helps you understand some things that need to change in order to be successful and help you stay focused! The most important one besides having a clear goal is knowing your weaknesses and using it as your strengths!

-Have a clear attainable goal. Short and long term so you always have a path.
-Know the steps to achieve (have a plan). Research your goals and hire someone if necessary. This will be hardest for most of you because A. Most people want quick fast results without taking the time to research and B. It may yield results in the beginning and ultimately let you down in the end.
-Know that it is a life change and not something for the short term. Changing bad habits is not easy but it is necessary if you expect to succeed. 
-Know your weaknesses so you can use them as your strengths. Understand where you struggle is and use it to your advantage. Your mind is your worst enemy and when you can understand what it is that will bring you down you can conquer and overcome! 
-Make time each day to work towards your goals. If you don't it will not happen. If it is important you will make it happen. If its just 5 min to research or 30 min to get in some lifting you need to make it happen.
-Wanting to be "normal" like everyone else won't get you where you want to be. Without sounding rude…..normal isn't exactly the best anymore. Normal has become unhealthy, obese, fast-food and a comp out for hard work and dedication. Normal just because its accepted is not what will help you. Learn to embrace difference, you never know who's lives you can change!
-Giving in to a "craving" is just an excuse. People i went a whole year almost with having cheats that i can count on both hands. That is 365 days with maybe 10 cheat meals….not days….meals! Like I said your mind can be your worst enemy, if food is your weakness find out why and conquer it!
-Rewarding yourself with food can be what triggers a downfall if your mind isn't strong enough to handle just one meal. Treat yourself with something other then food until your string enough mentally to handle it. Yes it is a lifestyle but you have to learn what is necessary and what is not. 
-Food is fuel for your body and goals. If you fuel your body properly you will see results. If you do not you won't. Simple as that. 
- Know you can achieve and you will. Never doubt yourself. You are worth more then that!
- Enjoy it! Make it as stress free and possible and you will learn to love it!

Just checking in!

Hey everyone!!!

Long time no blog! Life as I know it has become a mangled mess of chaos! I thrive on chaos, but it also takes its toll. Life since Chris has left has been a non stop roller coaster of emotions & exhaustion. I have an appreciation for single parents out there who either by choice or not have to life that life. Being a mommy, daddy, homemaker, competitor, handyman, student and wife keep ya busy! I have come to realize that doing a spring show was not the best for our current situation. Trying to do all of the above and do a show was going to be to much for me to handle. I don't think I have ever actually said that out loud, that I can't do something. We all have a point that realize what we are capable of and when we need to take a step back. I took a big step back. I am currently training ( like I would stop) for a fall show. I will build my body and sculpt it the way I feel it should and be ready to knock it out on stage. In the mean time I am studying, taking care of Tesla, doing care pkgs for Chris, helping others get ready for their shows, purging our house of things we don't need and making it a HOME. I am painting, getting new furniture and re organizing everything we have.

It has been a stressful week. the south does not know how to handle the snow so it pushed my week back by about  4 days. Furniture rescheduled 2 times, painting pushed back by about days, no daycare = no training and Tesla off his schedule. He is also sooooooo busy that there is no getting anything done unless he is sleeping or in his high chair eating lol! Then today my phone takes a leap to the floor and cracks the screen so bad I had to go get a new one. I have 8 pkgs sitting at home waiting to send out to friends, family and my husband. Now that I finally have them addressed I can strap T to my back and carry a few in at a time to get them out! Next up after that is getting our car fixed and pray its not an arm and a leg that I'll have to donate! Any who, I start a new training regiment next week and I'm looking forward to that!

I am taking a bit of time everyday to get to my blogs again now that I have things settling back down! As always feel free to follow or email me anytime! tashakayanderson@gmail.com

Best Wishes!
T.Anderson

Getting back into it after baby.

 

    I just want to quickly say that this is my opinion and you should always check with you doctor before beginning a new workout routine after you have a baby!

      It is important to make sure your body is ready to handle physical activity again! With that being said, start slow, see what you body can do and work from there. Everyone will be different, have different goals and progress at different rates and of course nutrition plays a huge role! Remember if your breast feeding do not cut calories, baby and you need them! 

      Being active is one of the best things you can do for your body, your mind and your family! Speaking of family. It is not easy to balance a new baby and working out, but it is important for you to get your workouts in and to get moving again. If you can block out some time a few days a week to get moving and have some alone time id suggest it highly! Once you have a short and long term goal set you can get back into working out again (going in without one most likely ends up in quitting). Like I said earlier, start slow. Its not all about cardio. Many women lose a ton of muscle mass while pregnant and speaking from experience I know we all want the weight to fall off but building that muscle is important. So ladies, LIFT weights when your back in there. To save on time do multi join exercise, circuit training or CrossFit type workouts. Build your strength back up! For some of you, you may think lifting makes women bulky. PLEASE STOP thinking that. I is the best tool to shape your body, lose inches and help shed body fat! If you don't believe me, please check out my Facebook page ( Tasha Crankshaw Anderson) Im proof.  You can spend a half hr or so strength training to start and build your body back up. Again everyone will be different. As you go more often or are you progress you will notice body changes and you will be stronger then before! If your going to do cardio again start slow! Get in a brisk walk, light run or use the stair master. Each time u go add speed and continue to get better! Go from a lit run to a moderate run or a few HIIT sessions a week and a pace you can handle. 

      If the gym isn't an option take a walk, do body weight exercises in your quiet time at home, get a few weights to use at home, take up a hobby like tennis or swimming to keep active. A gym is great but I understand that not everyone will or can afford to go. That isn't an excuse to not be active tho. Back yards are great for sprinting, you can buy a jump rope from any store and your own body weight is enough to get started! Basic exercise like squats, lunges & push-ups take up a small space and a short amount of time!

      I know putting kids in daycare for your own personal time might not be popular with some moms out there but its something I choose to do. I get to have time set aside for my personal growth and Tesla gets to interact with other children and adults for about 3 hrs a day. I think thats a win win for us both. I believe that if a parent does not get the opportunity for personal growth and a mental break that the stresses of parent hood are 10x's more then what they need to be.  Yes it is about the child after they are born but if your not mentally there or so unhappy it WILL hinder your ability to be a good parent. So I have yet to find it a bad thing.

      Remember that balance is keep or it will burn you out. Sleep is important as well as hydration and nutrition. If you have a wonderful partner/friend/family to lean on for help and time, do it! We are not super women! Plan your time away to ensure you are on track and have it to use. If your feeling bogged down check you nutrition and sleeping habits. EAT food and enough if it! Don't live on a 1200 calorie diet hoping to feel great and lose weight. 

It's OK to say NO & NOT feel bad!

      NO is a word many people can't, wont, don't or feel bad saying when it comes to improving their lives thru health, but why?

      Why is NO such a hard word for us to say? If saying No will improve your health, your body, your mind then it doesn't seem like such a bad word now does it. I know, your afraid of what people will say, think and how they will make you feel when you say NO. Unfortunately they DON'T have your goals, they CAN'T get you to them by hindering you and they SHOULDN'T make you feel bad about them. Only YOU can do all of that. So YOU need to find the reason of why saying NO is so hard for you and decide how to fix that. YOU need to decide whats more important, your own goals or their hurt feelings and YOU need to decide when YES is OK.

      NO has always been negative. NO I can't do this, or NO you can't do that, but why? I know, It can be associated with failure. Many have been told all our lives we can't, we won't succeed or why would you even try that (that's not fun). Well just because someone says you can't or you think you can't does not mean its true. Have you tried? Maybe, Have you failed? Probably, Have you tried again? Most likely not. That is because most people associate failure with not being able to ever do it. That is the furthest from the truth. Failure is NEVER trying again. SUCCESS is failing and falling MANY, MANY, MANY times and trying that one more time!

      NO as a positive. Never thought of that huh? Well NO is a good thing! Saying NO means your in control of your own life. You decide what is best, and you decide what you need to do. Giving into someone just because they might pressure you means your not living for yourself. Why would you want to live for someone else's own pleasure?

      I learned long ago that the word NO isn't such a bad word. I don't feel bad for saying it and the people around me who are my friends understand why. They understand why because I have explained to them why Im doing what I do and that it is important to me. Since it is important to me they support! I have learned to surround myself with great people, not just people who I'm around everyday because I have found that the best people in life are the ones you talk to less often or rarely see. The everyday people I have learned are mostly there when your on the same page and when you tweak an interest they question the friendship or try to steer you in another direction (their own agenda in mind). Again, they CAN'T live your life for you! I'm not saying don't be friends with them, I'm just saying you can control who you are around, and when you surround yourself with like-minded people or people who may not be like-minded but accepting of a difference in life then it will be much easier on you to achieve your goals.

      There are times when YES is ok too! When you learn how to say NO, YES can come out more often. How so you ask, well once you reach your goals or you learn that your in control of your own life you can say YES a little more often. You may be out to dinner and want to enjoy drinks, so far all you have been doing is saying NO NO NO well you have learned thru that period of NO's that u reached your goals and instead of having 4 drinks you will only have 1. That is you learning in moderation. You KNOW that if u have a lot it may mess with your success but if you want to enjoy in moderation, YES becomes a word you can use more often. Make sense? Don't get to YES crazy now because it will hinder. Hopefully by the time you get to this point you will know when and when not to say YES.

      So you see, NO is up to you. No is positive and imperative to your focus of health regardless of what others think or say. You are living for you not for someone else's feelings or comfort. This may seem harsh but if you explain to them why, many will understand:)!

   

My life in a nut shell.

Me 2010

      There have been many events in my life that have brought me to where I am now. There have been great things and many things that may have made most people depressed, go down a wrong path or make me a bitter and hateful person. For some reason I glad to be none of those things and what ever it is that has led me to here and to today I'm grateful for all the life experiences I have had. Changing those things would change me and I wouldn't want that for one second.

      So, why am I writing this? Why do I think people will care to read this? Well, so many of you out there that follow me may be wondering how it may be possible or may be living a similar experience and want to know how things can be better. Everyone will react to their own life in a different way, Im just here to share a little of myself to you.

My wedding day

      As of today I am a 28 year old women. Im a wife, mother, hairdresser and a soon to be certificed fitness nutritionalist and personal trainer. Anything that is put in from of me I will take on. Fail or succeed I'll be happy to have tried it once. Im currently living as a single parent by choice, and by that I mean when I chose to marry a military man I chose to take on the responsibility of single parenthood if it called for it. Im studying full time everyday for my personal training certification and also in fitness nutrition. I am training everyday for my spring competition for the NPC Bikini division. Everyday is a struggle to keep up with a growing almost 1 yr old. He recently has a pretty major accident and fell and sliced his head open and having to deal with that was a pretty scary thing, 911 was called, the ambulance took him to the hospital where he was all patched up and he is now home and just fine. I wake up every morning between 4:30 and 5 AM to get in my breakfast before he wakes up. Ill check emails, watch the news, enjoy coffee and start to study until he wakes up. When Tesla wakes up its snuggles, feeding, booty changes and getting ready to get out the door and to daycare. I pack for the next few hrs, meals, waters, bottles and anything else we may need and head out the door. Daycare at 8am and then off to the gym to train, eat again and if time permits ill run and tan, come home and clean, grocery shop, etc before I go pic up Tesla at 11am. Off to home we go where its go, go, go….stand up sit down, crawl crawl crawl, stand up sit down, lunch for us both and then naps for Tesla. While he naps Ill study, talk with Chris, prep foods if needed, clean a part of the house (cuz that never gets done all in one day now, lol), and then T wakes up. More play time, usually a walk to the park and more meals to be ate. When we get home from any activity we may do its more play, books, snuggles, prepping for the next day, dinner time, bed time for Tesla and then back to studying. Everyday there is something new to school as well. It may be long essays, case studies, testing, etc. I am so grateful to get those few hours in the morning to train and have some personal time because with Chris being gone and doing this alone it makes for LONG days. This is my everyday, I don't go out (although I miss it), we are pretty new to the area so we don't know many people here yet and studying, training and a busy boy take up all my time. One thing nice about Tesla is that he goes with the flow so when its needed and I need to go do something I never hesitate to do so because he acts wonderful. I want to involve him in everything and not use him as an excuse as to why I can't, because I know I can!

1st deployment

      Life in the army. Not everyone can hack it as a military spouse. Im not saying that to be rude either. Truth is, your alone more then your together, you sleep in your bed alone more then together, you miss holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and so much more together. If your not strong minded, happy with yourself and happy knowing you can be alone if needed you will now be happy. I am happy with who I am alone as an individual and where I am as an individual and that is vital to a happy life (IMO) and a successful life in the military.

     

Jan 14

Life as a competitor. This has been a trip! As self centered as some people may think competing is, I believe that is shows character, determination, discipline, and I believe it teaches you self respect and happiness. That being said, you have to be in the right mind set for that all to take place. Doing competitions has made me realize all those things and that is what I have taken away from my experiences. I don't go in thinking I'm the best, I don't go in to win, I don't go in comparing myself to others (although yes sometime you don't understand what the judges were thinking), I go into the competition with a clear mind, at peace and knowing that what I did to get there is something that the strong minded can do! Training for a competition takes a huge toll on you body, mind and relationships. Im always sore, tired some days, want cheat meals and I lose precious time with the family. This sport has thought me so many things tho, things that also help with the reasons why those things I just mentioned are not easy to give up but to know that one day it may teach Tesla to strive for your goals. He will see that sacrifice is necessary to reach goals, that you will have to say no to things that you want to do but can't if you can't to succeed and most of all he will learn to be a healthy active young man. That is most important to me!

Mr. Booty 2013

      Life as a mom. Many of you know I never wanted to have children. I still don't want to have anymore. Having one is enough for me and our life as the Anderson family. It was not for selfish reasons that I didn't want kids. I just had never had the desire to raise a family. I don't believe that you need children in your life to make it complete. Tesla is almost a year old and I'm still getting used to the idea of being a parent. Its a learning experience thats for sure. It has made me a stronger person, I have been learning that I need to let things go and I have learned that there are some things I can and can't control. Being a parent gives you the responsibility to raise a well rounded child into a successful (we all hope) adult, and with all the life experiences I have had I hope that he will learn and appreciate to respect life and take on responsibilities as they come. As any parent I get frustrated, overwhelmed and want to take a break from it all but keeping focus, showing commitment and taking a deep breath here and there I make it thru each day and hope that even tho I never dreamed of being a mom that Ill be the best one that I can be to our son. P.S. Taking time for yourself, working out, girl time, putting them to bed early, etc i believe is necessary for you to stay happy. Yes, I know its about the children and many of you may disagree or feel you font have the time, but having those few precious moments to yourself keeps your sanity and if that means your spouse or significant other takes on more responsibility well then thats life:)!

2011

      My life before all of that. I loved my life before marriage, parenthood, army life and my new found passion and love for healthy living. I lived on my own, I worked at an amazing hair salon with some friends I miss more then anything, with clients I miss all the time. Life has a funny way of changing when you least expect it. I never thought that marriage would come in in 20's but it did and Im forever grateful for that. That love is what took me away from a life that I will never get back. A life I don't want back but a life I miss as well. If it were not for that love I would never have traveled to the places I have, I would have never moved from Michigan, learned how to be a great wife, learned the sorrow or live lessons, and I would have never even thought of the healthy life we enjoy now. Its because of that love and that life change that I'm sitting here writing to you all. Its because I loved my life before as a single, unmarried and no baby life that I was able to love enough to change my entire life. My life before 2010 was a huge part of what made me me who I am today, but its been my life after that will define me as who I have and will become, because it its only after marriage that I have learned who I really am.





       What defines someone as a person? Id like to think its the message someone takes away from you, that you leave a good impression and that people will want to be better because of that.

      If there is anything else you all wish to know, please feel free to comment below and ill be glad to answer.

What I want to do for you, My goals.

    Hi everyone! I have such a huge goal for myself and its to do what ever I can to make my clients not only look good because thats just a perk of healthy living, but to feel AMAZING. Feeling better in live and being happy with yourself is top priority! Here is a link that was posted yesterday and this is How I want to coach. I believe its important to lead by example, to live the lifestyle and to have a true passion to help others, not just be in it for the money. I don't want to have such a cookie cutter business because we are all individuals. Everyone is at different levels in their life goals. I don't just want to coach for athletes or competitors. I want to work with everyone that needs help, guidance and structure in there goals, whatever they may be. Some people out there need help and guidance in making general food choices, some people are endurance athletes and others simple want to just be healthy and knowledgeable for them and their families with no goal other then that. Its my job to know how to help each and everyone of you, know when I can help, know when a referral is needed and know its ok to say I don't know but let me ask for you.
 

      Being a coach to me isn't just meal planning and workouts, although if thats all u need then thats what you will get. Coaching someone who just wants to make generally healthy foods choices for example: They may need guidance around the kitchen, they may need help navigating the grocery store  and a good basic understanding on how to cook the foods they get. Its my goal to give you just that, the tools to be successful! Its not my job to cook your foods for you however it is my job to show you so you can be self sufficient and be able to reach those goals no matter what it takes. Another example: Someone who wants to step up their training and build some lean muscle. This person will most likely know how to eat healthy and have the fundamental knowledge of how to workout in the gym but needs someone to help step up their game. It is my job to evaluate what they are doing now and make the necessary changes to get them to their goal. I won't need to help them cook or help them navigate the grocery store but I will need to make more of an individualized meal plan to support their training.

      You see everyone is different and with that everyone needs different strategies. Its my job to know that and to be able to do what I can to keep you on track, take responsibility and keep you focused! It is your job to be committed to the program, and be willing to make small or large changes as needed to reach your goals. After all they are YOUR goals and YOUR life. No one can make you change only you can do that but I can make it easier on you and guide you to living the live you desire.

      Continuing education is important in any field and I always want to make sure I'm up to date on the latest information. Not the latest diet or fad but the latest information to live a healthy life. It is my job t give you accurate information that will help and assist you. I commit to continuing research and education to be able to do this for you.

     Healthy living does not have to be difficult. It just takes some time to make small changes and healthy habits.

Ramdom Thoughts, Tips, Supplement, Etc.

  As I was reading through the Fitness RX magazine the other day they had a quite a few pages with random facts, thoughts, studies and much more. I decided that Id share with you the ones I found most interesting or relevant. These are not necessarly my opinions, ideas or any sort of remedy for anything, just tid-bits of info I found interesting. Please do your own research if something in here strikes you as something you may want to do or try.
   

HIIT- High Intensity Interval Training
- Few exercise techniques are more effective at improving fitness rapidly then HIIT. HIIT is a series of high intensity exercise sessions followed by short rest periods. Canadian researchers have found that 6 sessions of HIIT on a stationary bike increase muscle oxidative capacity by almost 50%, muscle glycogen by 20% and cycling endurance capacity by 100%. The subjects made these amazing improvements by exercising only 15 min in 2 weeks. Each workout consisted of 4 to 7 repititions of HIIT( each rep consisted of 30 sec at near max effort) on a stationary bike. Follow up studies showed the the value of HIIT for building aerobic capacity, endurance and fat loss. ( From the strength and conditioning journal, 2013)

CROSS TRAINING
- Cross training stresses whole body, high intensity training using exercises such as dead lifts, cleans, presses, jerks, squats, kettelbell exercises, snaches, plyometrics, sled pulls and weight carrying. Cross trainers learn to handle their body weight by practicing gymnastics, pull ups,dips, rope climbing, push ups, hand stands, pirouettes, flips and splits. They also do aerobics such as running, cycling, rope skipping and rowing, but the emphasis is on intensity and speed.  Cross training programs such as CrossFit, attempt to develop well rounded fitness by including exercises that build cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, and respiratory accuracy. Mike Smith and colleagues from Ohio State University for that 10 weeks of CrossFit based power training triggers substantial improvements in maximal oxygen consumption and body composition in men and women of all fitness levels. Aerobic capacity increases an average of 12%, while fat decreased nearly 20%. ( Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 2013)

MESOTHERAPY  (PLEASE don't do this…I just found it weird!)
-Mesotherapy involves injecting substances under the skin to reduce fat. Lipolytic mesotherapy involves injecting chemicals under the skin that speeds up fat release from fat cells. Ablative mesotherapy destroys fat cells with chemicals that cause inflammation and scaring. Currently, the U.S. FDA does not approve mesotherapy. Side effects include infections that let on an average of 6 months. Mesotherapy is an alternative to liposuction. It does not trigger whole body fat loss but is effective for contouring certain areas. ( Obesity Review, 2013 )

CAFFEINE DECREASES POST EXERCISE SORENESS
- Weight training involves eccentric contractions ( muscle exert force as they lengthen ) often cause delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is caused my muscle injury and tissue inflammation. Most remedies for DOMS such as stretching, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. Advil), ice and heat have no effect on DOMS. A study from the University of Rhode Island, led by Disa Hatfield found that caffeine (5 mg per kg of bodyweight, average 380mg) increased preacher curl performance and reduces post-exercise soreness. Decreasing the perception of soreness after training might allow athletes to complete more training sessions. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 2013)

ARGININE
-Does not alter hormone, metabolic or cardiorespiratory responses to exercise.
-Arginine is a popular athletic supplement involved in nitric oxide (NO) production, wound healing, blood pressure control and growth hormone release. it is a semi essential amino acid, which means that the body produces it but that its dietary intake is also important for adequate levels. Its effect on NO production is particularly important for endurance capacity and cardiovascular health.  Scott bell and co workers from the University of Alberta in Canada found that L-arginine administration did not alter the hormone or metabolic response to sub maximal exercise in trained cyclists. A sophisticated study by French researchers using chemical tracers showed that most arginine is converted to urea, a substance used to eliminate nitrogen in the urine and control body water in the kidneys. Only a small amount of supplemental arginine ends up as nitric oxide. You lose the vast majority of the ingested arginine as urea in the urine but some is used to make nitric oxide, which promotes blood flow. (International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2013)

Studies show that women feel ugliest on Monday's

Trending for spring fashion- Clothing that revels the back and shoulders. Ladies train them!

BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAA)
-The branched chain amino acids (BCAA) include lucine, isolucine and valine. These are essential amino acids, which means they must be consumed in the diet. They make up 33% of our skeletal  muscle and turn over rapidly during exercise. They are also essential for muscle protein synthesis. Researchers from Finland speculated that BCAAs are also important regulators of fat metabolism. Increased BCAA use, particularly in fit people. boosts fatty acid use for fuel and spares muscle glycogen. Many athletes take BCAA supplements to promote protein synthesis and recovery from exercise. BCAAs might also promote fat use. (Exercise Sports Science Reviews, 2013)

SLEEP
- Sleep is essential for serious athletes (and everyone else). Hard training and optimal nutrition are essential for anyone trying to build optimal fitness. Rest and recuperation are critical considerations in the training process.Stephen Bird summarized the benefits and methods for getting a good nights sleep: Getting sufficient sleep promotes performance while insufficient sleep promotes illness and decreases performance. Get enough sleep- 7 to 9 hrs a night for the average young athlete. Establish regular sleep habits. Try to get in bed before midnight and make sure you have  a restful sleep environment. Don't be afraid to take a mid day nap, best restricted to 30 min. Recover adequately from training. Overtraining can interfere with sleep patterns. Avoid drinking coffee, smoking  and alcohol at bed time. See your physician if you are having problems getting a restful sleep. Many athletes are prone to sleep apnea, which will interfere with sleep and could kill you. (Strength Conditioning Journal)