motivation

My Fitness Journey

Posted on July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 by LetlerFit

In 2011, I started as a freshman at FIU, which included taking night classes and meant having to quit my 12 year tae kwon do journey and fitness altogether for awhile. I didn’t switch to the gym because I had never used one and I felt dumb walking into one not knowing what to do, at least that was my excuse and I held on to it until I watched myself go from 140 pounds to 170 pounds between 2012-2013. I became sluggish, my skin that I had worked so hard to clear up after puberty hormones gave me a pizza face, broke out again, and I hated not fitting into any of the clothes I’d been wearing for years. ⠀
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I did every diet in the book (paleo, calorie counting, excessive caloric restriction (1200 calorie days), etc.) and nothing worked, because I viewed it as just what it was, a diet. While I was trying to get it together in the food department I got into crossfit for awhile before transitioning into powerlifting and now general fitness.⠀
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I currently weigh 149 pounds (I did get down to 145 in 2014) and man has it been up and down. I am so grateful for every up and down in this fitness journey of mine because it has taught me everything I know today. Because of the downs I learned how to pick myself up and keep going. Learned how to have a good and healthy relationship with all foods (including donuts), maintain balance, and of course how to exercise.⠀
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My greatest joy is applying the knowledge I’ve learned in school to be able to personally cater to every single one of my clients as well as knowledge from my own experience.⠀
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If you’re currently like I used to be and just frustrated, don’t know where to begin and are looking for exercise, nutritional, or guidance in both departments shoot me a DM with your goals, I would LOVE to coach you. I know how satisfying it is to feel energized and happy because your have a healthy relationship with food and exercise.⠀⠀⠀⠀

Learn more about the best online fitness program which includes comprehensive programs focused on shifting towards healthier eating habits, staying fit, and building a better booty. You’ll also find a variety of fitness apparel to help get you that extra motivation to take your goals to another level. Contact me today to learn more about the best fitness programs available to get your body in gear.

Ms Health and Fitness 2018

Posted on June 21, 2018 by LetlerFit

It’s been awhile! But I am happy to come back announcing I am currently in a competition to win Ms Health and Fitness 2018. The first round of this challenge ends Thursday, June 28, 2018. Please help me show the fitness industry it’s possible to be considered healthy and fit without having a 6 pack!

Vote for Me Here!

Sticking to Your Exercise Program

Posted on April 24, 2018 by LetlerFit

Did you know sport psychologists have actually conducted research on why people begin exercising and why they do or do not stick to it? After 6 months, 50% of people who begin exercising, have quit!

We know that people begin exercising because they want to:

control their weight
reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease
reduce levels of anxiety and depression
enhance self esteem
socializing
because they enjoy it

The problem is people love to make excuses like:

lacking in motivation
perceived lack of time (number one documented excuse by the way)
no social support
lack of finance
feeling tired and lacking energy

Here’s why people struggle to adhere to their exercise program:

Sometimes trainers ignore a clients psychological readiness and focus on prescriptions solely based on fitness data without taking into account their mental state
trainers create an overly restrictive program
boring exercise prescriptions based on principles of intensity, duration, and frequency can be too much for beginners
traditional exercise prescription does not promote self-responsibility or empower long-term behavior

So what can we do as trainers or fitness goers to make sure we become part of the 50% who sticks to it?

Understand that life happens, plan for vacations, sudden deaths, last minute interferences–but do not let them derail you and defeat you
develop healthy coping strategies for dealing with stressful situation–i.e. do not eat your feelings
replace the work “should” with “want” Should puts pressure and expectations on you. How much better does I want to lose 10 pounds sound compared to I should lose 10 pounds?
Positive self-talk and avoiding negative self-talk is key!
identify situations that put you at risk for unhealthy behavior (possible bars, fast food restaurants, tail gates) and find a healthier solution (organic restaurants, farmers markets, going kayaking)
Do NOT view temporary lapses as catastrophic (for example “i already had a piece of cake and ruined my diet. Might as well eat the whole cake and start over on Monday.”

2018 Blog Goals

Posted on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by LetlerFit

Last year I would have bursts of blog productivity followed by dry spells. It was also my first year really focusing on my blog so for this year I made several goals for the blog this year.

Create more valuable posts. I feel like lat year sometimes I would post just to post.
Continue to educate people about real fitness, but to also make fitness fun
Be more interactive with those who comment, I always read, but sometimes do not respond.
Be more consistent!
Continue with my main goal: Empower other women into fitness.

If you have any blog topics or suggestions, I would LOVE to hear!

New Year, New Goals.

Posted on January 7, 2018January 7, 2018 by LetlerFit

31 days of neglecting my blog and just feeling a massive blog plateau. Last night I got hit with tons of new topics to start off 2018, which I am so excited to write in these upcoming weeks.

With the start of 2018, comes the mass resolution hysteria, for many they have already given up 6 days into the new year. Why? They verbally say the big goal out loud without actually breaking down the steps and creating the action plan needed to reach those goals.

In 2016, I wrote down my goals and how I was going to achieve them and put them by my door so that I would be reminded every day that I was working towards achieving them. That year I was able to cross off 90% of the goals. In 2017, I did the same thing only I did not place them somewhere I would see them every day and sadly, only hit 45% of my goals. HUGE difference!

So this year I broke my goals down into the following categories: Fitness, Business, Personal, and Social Media.
I then took green, yellow, pink, and orange flash cards and cut each color in half.
Next I wrote down the main goal on the flash cards along with step by steps needed to reach that goal
I found a spot on my wall that I see every day when I wake up and go to bed and taped each flash card so I am constantly looking at them and reviewing them.
As I reach those goals I plan on tearing off the flash card and sticking it in my drawer.
The ultimate goal of course: An empty wall by December 31, 2018.

Resolution is making the firm decision to do something, yet so many of us fall short. This is because we get lost in the hype and forget to get down and dirty by creating the plan of action. I hope you have not started losing motivation to chase those 2018 goals by creating an action plan, placing it somewhere you see them every day, and GO AFTER IT!

4 Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated To Workout

Posted on November 2, 2017 by LetlerFit

Working out is hard! Feeling sore, sweaty, and smelly is not in the least bit glamorous. At the end of the day a workout is typically 60 minutes or less out of your 24 hour day, so there’s really no reason you can’t set aside 3-5x a week where you make yourself and your goals a priority. Here are 4 ways that I stay motivated, ways that work for ME and hopefully can work for YOU!

I do what I like. For example I HATE running, I HATE low intensity steady state cardio, I am not a major fan of yoga for myself. Keep in mind I am not saying none of those have their benefits, because they do. I just hate doing them for myself so instead I stick to what I love, weight training, interval training, and circuits. You are more inclined to make what you enjoy a priority.
This next method is a little vane, but it works in the short term. I buy an article of clothing that wearing it would require me to stay consistent in order to make the clothes/outfit look better. It’s a great tactic to get me through those short term bouts of feeling lazy. But you do need to hang it somewhere you will be constantly reminded.
I don’t just set weight goals. Sometimes the scale is not an accurate results provider, so instead I’ll make a goal like “I want to get my waist down to 27in” or “I want to gain 2in on my glutes” or less vane goals like “I want to get my squat back up to double body weight” “I want to be able to hit _____ rounds in this circuit” This way we aren’t just fixated on the number
Lastly, I am very much motivated by the fact that I am one of the first in my family to really make health and fitness a consistent part of their lifestyle. I want to continue to do so because many before me let themselves go for a bit and are now scrambling to get it together. I want to physically set the example for what a consistent health and fitness lifestyle during your 20s, 30s, 40s, and so on will do for you as you age.

5 Unusual Places You Can Go To Get An Amazing Workout

Posted on October 30, 2017October 30, 2017 by LetlerFit

The gym is not the only place where you can go to get your days workout in! You can go to…

The Park: The benches and fences make some great make shift equipment
Living Room: Grab some dumbbells and/or resistance bands and get going!
Backyard: Great for a quick body weight workout! Do you have heavy planters? Throw them up for some overhead squats.
Bleachers/Stairs: They can turn into a real life stair master….and just like the stair master it can get real very quickly!
The beach: Walking, let alone running in the sand can be a major workout! Even swimming in the ocean.

Would love to know the most interesting places you all have worked out at!

8 Reasons You Should Never Stop Working Out

Posted on October 27, 2017October 27, 2017 by LetlerFit

As much as it my come to shock people. Fitness is more than a small waist, shredded abs, the perfect glutes, etc. It is also about improving quality of life. It may also come to a shock that we are all going to grow old some day, and there’s a big difference between being in a wheel chair and being able to walk when you’re 80.

Here are 8 reasons beyond vanity that I hope inspire you all to never stop!

Increase your life span with improved cardio
Reduce your risk of developing or worsening diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes
Lower Blood Pressure and Reduce Stress-Lowers risk of heart attack
Better functioning nervous system
Stronger bones and muscle-decrease risk of developing or of worsening osteoporosis
Improved activity of daily living-get in and out of bed easier, carry your groceries, reduce risk of falling
Improved metabolism
Improved Flexibility

15 Fitness Quotes To Get You Moving

Posted on October 20, 2017October 20, 2017 by LetlerFit

Today’s post brought to you by some of my favorite pinned fitness quotes!

“Stay so Hungry, you never Stop Eating.” trademarked by yours truly! -Melissa Letellier. How bad do you want to reach and set new goals?
“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, but from what you do consistently.” Going to the gym 6 days one week and never stepping foot in it again for another 4 weeks is way less effective then going 2-3x every week.
“In 2 weeks you’ll feel it. In 4 weeks you’ll see it. In 8 weeks you’ll hear it.” Sometimes we need the extrinsic motivation to continually light the fire.
“At first they’ll ask why you’re doing it, later they’ll ask how you did it.”
When I started by journey I got so many negative remarks about why I’m always on a diet. Some of those same people were now forced into a continuous restrictive diet due to medical reasons while the lifestyle I built allows me to continue reaching new goals while enjoying pizza and donuts every now and then.
“I’m working on myself, for myself, by myself.” Sometimes the road is lonely, but you should always be your biggest reason why. Not for revenge, not to make someone jealous, to make YOU happy.
“When you feel like stopping, think about why you started.” It’s normal to lose motivation, it’s normal to get “derailed,” but at the end of the day if your reason why is bigger than your reason why not…you will get there
“Do it for the after selfie.” While my fitness journey was for me, i’m still human. It feels good to prove people wrong and brag about my hard earned accomplishments, don’t feel ashamed for what you’ve worked for!
“Slow progress is better than no progress!” It’s normal for your body to see more progress at the beginning. Don’t feel discouraged when the pound that once took you 3 days to lose now takes you a week. It’s stilling coming off and better than putting the pound of fat back on!
“You are your only limit.” This can be applied to everywhere in life, not just your health and fitness.
“Remember when your body is hungry it wants nutrients, not calories.” This one is HUGE for me! In a world obsessed with counting calories and macros, we often forget that vitamins and minerals also exist and are also equally important.
“Workout because you love your body, not because you hate it.” Yes it’s ok to want to change your body with exercise but remember to never take for granted the ability to exercise! Not everyone can! Exercise should also not be used as a punishment for eating a cookie.
“I don’t diet, I just eat according to my goals.” Seriously, it’s why it’ a lifestyle. Diets are short term and never work.
“Sweat is Pretty.” Sweat is a sign of good hydration, your body regulating heat the way it should be, and working hard! So many women are afraid to sweat i public for fear of looking gross or smelling bad. Be proud of your work and being well hydrated!
“Fall in love with taking care of your body.” As cliche as it sounds, you really do only get one body! What body do you want to take with your through life as you age?
“Create healthy habits, not restrictions.” It’s not about never eating the cookie, the pizza, or the donut. It’s about choose the fruits and the vegetables more than you do the cookie, the pizza, or the donut.

B-Louder

Posted on October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 by LetlerFit

Had to keep shut for 2 months, but I am so excited to share with everyone my cover and spread in B-Louder International Digital Magazine!!

You can find me on page 43, 47-51

Click here to read!

Let me know what you think!!