Did God Make Her This Way...?

Did God know before she was born, that He would need her to be strong? Silent? Confident in her own right? 

Not reliant on the presence of close-knit friendships in her life? Did He know she wouldn't have patience for small talk, but only time to go "there" and get to the heart of the conversation now or never? 

Did He give her a sixth sense about knowing people's true struggles behind their fake masquerades because He knew she'd need to be picky about who she let "in" her life? 

Did He give her a desire for solitude? And a love for working hard unnoticed, in the corner of her barn, sometimes through sweat and tears, as a relief from the internal struggles, knowing she wouldn't be able to leave often? But knowing she would need an outlet? 

Did He give her continuous struggles in life recognizing her need to be broken to best do her job at home? Knowing others won't understand? But she would?

Did He remove her ability to form close knit, social friendships because her ability to maintain them is next to impossible with kids that struggle like hers do? 

Did He create her with a high pain tolerance and a strong will, to fight when she needed too? 

Did He create Her this way...for such a time as this?

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He did.

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Being a parent of a child with mental health issues is something none of us can describe. And most of us can't even put to words.  Mainly because we don't want that stigma or label on our children, born of our blood and because we can't expect you to understand.

It's not something you can call your church prayer line for, because it would be constant.  And again, you don't want that label on your kids.

And you can't schedule social events or going out late with friends and because you have to be emotionally ready 24/7. You are always on call.  Vacations are hard because you constantly worry about how tired you will be when you get home, knowing they've been out of their comfortable routine and HELL will most likely break loose upon your return. Sometimes taking a week to recover.  

You don't have energy to pour anything else into others, because emotionally you are tapped out.  And most women are exhausted by your venting because who wants to talk about depression, medication, therapy, and behavior modifications over drinks at a party.  But that is your life and you have nothing else to discuss or share about.  So you just remain silent because its easier and more acceptable.

You workouts are your only other getaway and few women understand your hobby, passion, retreat, obsession, need, and ONLY option that works besides a lot of meds to destress and cope.  So yeah, again, leaves little else to small talk about.  Therefore, leaves very little on the table to have a common bond with, in other women.

You have no babysitter's left in the pipeline because "one and done" is usually the case for date night's with a new sitter.  Only to have to cancel your plans with others, or postpone reservations...to resolve THIS is why you never go out, its not worth it.

You weigh every outing against the backlash that will ensue upon return home, and for the next 2 days after depending the amount of over-stimulation and difference in environment.

And you trust very few people, because those that just assume you "need to spank them" and do something about their lack of filter and inability to understand social cues...will never understand and its not worth trying to defend yourself.

You can't spend extra money on new outfits, fancy vacations, house remodels because your medical bills are always unexpected and rarely covered by insurance.

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So yes, if she could only remember this IS why she was created different.  Possibly misunderstood. And most often the cause of intimidation because of her bold strength, confident silence, and serious demeanor.  

Because God knew He would need her for her kids, the ones He planned for her before He created her in the womb.  And the ones who need HER to be just who she is, FOR them.  Then she wouldn't struggle so much somedays'.

-Anna

The Silent Prayers.

The best advice I ever received related to my thinking and approach now, when it comes to serving, came from a single mom of teenagers, who worked full-time, and had her own set of demons to manage.  

We were at a women's event at church. People were discussing all the ways they served in the church. Nursery. Children's church. College hour. Service Saturday's. Mission work overseas. Bible School. Mom's night out during the week. Food prep for funerals and weddings.  And I remember sitting there listening to everyone share their good deeds.  And was so impressed with all they did, could do, and were planning to do.  

I remember thinking "how do they do it all?" I had 3 children, 2 within a similar age to each other. Two with special needs not including that one was just adopted from an orphanage.  And yet as I sat there, I felt this heaviness...like I wasn't doing "enough."  

And it haunted me for a long while.  I would think about signing up for the next big event and then Jerad would be called into work and I'd have to cancel. Or I'd be up with Blake all night before a morning service project --after he had night terrors.  And I would have to back out.

I felt worthless. I couldn't do it all like they seemingly were able.  And although these were lies I was allowing myself to believe...I felt I had nothing to offer.

I loved fitness. Working out.  I was always uncomfortable around large groups of women because I never seemed to relate to a lot of their struggles.  I had my own.  

And one day, while finally releasing this heaviness of not feeling like I was "enough" to this single mama--because I couldn't contribute to the service projects of the community, church, and women's groups...I told her I felt horrible like I should apologize because I had nothing to offer.

And I'll never forget the words she said to me..."ANNA...you are a momma of young kids, ones with special needs, just because you don't make a physical appearance at these community events so your presence can be known and praised...doesn't mean you can't contribute in other ways.  Girl, NEVER, ever EVER discount the power of a written note and a prayer."

She went on to tell me she spent many of her year's looking out for women she felt God laid on her heart, or who she personally witnessed needing a "pick me up" and she would mail them a handwritten note telling them she was thinking of them, and spoke whatever wisdom she had from her heart into their life. She said she had no idea the number of letter's she had written over the year's as her kids were young.  She said, "yeah, nobody saw my presence or even knew of my letter's unless they had received one..." but it made no difference to God.  I was sending written and silent prayers that WERE JUST AS POWERFUL...and gave me a sense of purpose and service.

From that week on, my entire outlook of serving was changed. I spent my time buying up cheap stationary. I walked around with open eyes looking and searching for who desperately wanted attention and need to be noticed. Seeing who might need a lift. Possibly, just a recognition and affirmation of who they are and were...and I would put my pen to paper.

Now my handwritten notes have since turned more into messages on facebook or email's...simple snaps on snapchat...or an IG video.  But the concept still remains.  I NOW believe and KNOW the power of the silent prayers and spoken/written words. Other's may not know, but that's ok. The people who do know, were supposed too know.  

And for that, I feel I have a purpose. My gifts are "enough." And I am serving in this stage of life as I can, with my kids situations, and needs...God has given me a outlet--AND for that I'm thankful. <3

Eliminating that C-Section Pooch

I spoke about this topics last summer, but as bikini season has drifted upon us again, I find myself answer this question a lot!

Today's topic will be on eliminating a C-Section Pooch.

My online client's and I have been focusing on ab workouts this week. Specifically those who have struggled with post C-Section pooches, shelves, pouches, and flab. Ha! 

(I've heard it called all of those things.)

But I wanted to share the basic steps I go through when working with someone who struggles with this issue.

So here are some basic moves and a quick little tip how to engage the lower pelvis more effectively..
You will need a ball, and a small mini-band. I purchased mine from www.power-systems.com

Make sure to have a mat or soft cushion for under your tush.  Start out slowly only completing a 5-8 reps of each movement before resting.

If you feel it in your lower back or neck, find a small support to place under your upper back..such as leaning against a couch or chair to support your neck. Also make sure not to clench your jaw and focus on deep breaths through your ribs and down your back. Fill the diaphragm with air....in and out.

And here are some self-massage techniques to diminish the scar tissue around the incision that would be causing this extra pooch.  I used my kiddo's playground ball. Just steal it while they are napping or doing other things. ha! Otherwise, my son thinks its time to play catch and tackle football.  This massage position is not a good one to be tackled in!  Those of you with boys, understand.


I would recommend completing the exercises in the first video 2-3 times a week.

And the gut smashing/massage techniques several times a day if you wish or have time.






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He will certainly not lose his reward...

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I will tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

My heart is one that ALWAYS wants to lend a hand, help anyone I can.  I literally sat in church yesterday with tears streaming down my face as I listened the different needs of those in our community. All the different missions that need hands and feet...and I could literally volunteer and donate all my income and time to most who ask. I have no filter to what I desire to give and do and be.

And God knew that about me.  Because He provided me a husband who is very grounded and realistic. Ha! And brings balance to my life.  He also blessed me with 2 children, one through birth, and one through adoption...who have special needs.  Needs that require so much of my attention, energy, and time, emotions, heartache, celebrations, and life.  

Over the past few year's, God has revealed to me so much about boundaries, and the ones I am to stay within to best serve my family and take care of myself.  My natural tendency is to give until I am exhausted, overwhelmed and depleted, which isn't God's desire for me or anyone else.  He created me with gifts that were meant for specific projects, people, and times. And I have to check myself when approached with a new opportunity or project. 

We adopted my son, Blake, from Ukraine in 2011. He was 2 at the time.  We had a birthday party at the orphanage. We brought in McDonald's and toys for all the other kids in his orphanage groupa. We sang songs and brought as much life into a sad place, as we could.  I remember watching the kids screaming, jumping, and calling me "Mama" and Jerad "Papa."  Just begging us to bring them home. Desiring love, something they barely knew.  But I could only bring 1 child home.  Despite my desire to bring them all home, no matter the cost.  Or time. Or energy. At that moment I wanted to help them all experience love and hope and a new life.  

But it wasn't within my boundary.  Or my calling.  And for a good year after Blake's adoption, I couldn't buy anything nice for myself.  I couldn't spend money on anything extra.  I couldn't justify any expenses outside the necessities of life.  I would get angry when my kids wouldn't finish their food, calling them inconsiderate and ungrateful.  Knowing just across the world, there were kids, who were once part of Blake's everyday life who would LOVE to eat at a table with family.  And they would not complain.

And that mentality has slowly lifted as time as has passed on and I've worked through it.  But it is still a hard thing for me.  I remember those dark, lifeless eyes. The desperation.  I remember the slime of the white substance floating in fat that they ate for lunch everyday.  And it pains me.  Almost to the point where I punish myself for wanting nice things, buying nice things, or spending money on myself.  It is hard for me to enjoy things sometimes or even feel like celebrating when my heart is burdened by those who don't have anything.

And I know that isn't fair or right.  It's a definite battle for me.  I saved one. I did what I was called to do, and that is all God has called me to right now.  

And my new mission has turned to saving women, much like myself...who need to set boundaries. Who need to figure out their true passions and purposes.  To answer their callings and set everything else aside. Who are/were like me and gave everything to everyone out of the burden's of their hearts.  Who almost punish themselves for wanting to take time for themselves or buy themselves nice things...because they see the needs out there, that seem greater than our selfish desires.  

Yet this is wrong. Being overwhelmed isn't God's calling on our lives. It is NOT.  He gave us very specific gifts, interests, callings, and purposes that we are to work within and out of to best serve His people.  And that requires us slowing down to figure out what those are...and where they fit into our lives now.  We have to make some tough decisions.  And say "NO" to a few things before we figure it out.  Lots of peeling back the layers and asking hard questions.

But it is worth it.  I may not be at the next PTO meeting or the next big church event...because my calling is to work from within the boundaries of my kids needs, from home, behind a computer...impacting other women, like myself, who's circumstances don't allow them to socialize nearly as much as other's.

But that's ok. I'm okay with that now. It is still hard not to feel guilty and compare my seemingly pointless efforts in private to other's larger than life appearances at all the big social events...

So I still struggle too.  But I'm much more confident now, saying "No" because I know where my passion and purpose lie.  And what God has gifted me with for this place/time in life right now. 

What will you quit this week that no longer serves your purpose/passion in life?

My Grocery List for the Week

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Those of you who have followed my journey the last 9 weeks on social media know I'm training for a half marathon AND working on my nutrition accountability as part of our Bikini Bootcamp. 👙

I started at 150 lbs 9 1/2 weeks ago.

Started the bikini Bootcamp 14 days ago at 155.

And ended our 10-day push last week at 157 lbs.

What this means is, my body doesn't tolerate the higher carbs in my diet. It doesn't do well with endurance training and it doesn't respond well to eating multiple times a day.

My typical approach before this training is:

Wake-up and workout at 5-6 am

Drink a preworkout or bullet proof coffee. 

Intermittent fasting til 11-12 pm 

Eat 2-3 meals/snacks between 12-8 pm.

I eat a lower carb/high fat diet 99% of the time because of known food sensitivities and intolerances to grains and dairy.

This week I will be returning to this diet protocol and lifestyle of eating for me. I have 3 weeks til my half marathon and I'm hoping to drop this extra weight before then for my knee and hip joint's sake.

Here's my grocery list for this week: 

Bacon

Lettuce

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Feta cheese 

Cucumbers

Vegan chocolate Shakeology

Peanut butter

Coconut milk, canned

Hamburger patties 

Green tea

Butter

Coffee

Coconut oil 

Walnuts 

Avocados

Steamed green veggies of choice 

Now to make this clear, this works for ME. Not everyone. It's taken years of experimenting to get to this point. I don't have a lot of weight to lose therefore this is more for leaning out than big weight loss.

My gals who completed our bikini Bootcamp the last 10 days and tracked their food and calories following more of a 40% carbs/30% fats/30% protein all lost 5-8 lbs and 7-11" overall. So that way of eating worked better for them.

It obviously didn't for me.

So there is no right plan everyone. But as one of my clients you earn the privilege of my meal plans weekly, accountability to follow them, my guidance to adjusting your nutrition to hit your personal goals, AND workouts as well.

➡️➡️To apply to be in my next 👙Bikini Bootcamp 👙, register here: https://forms.aweber.com/form/32/376731732.htm

Why ALL of My Clients Quit.

Why ALL of my Clients Quit...

1) I've tried exercising, and haven't lost any weight this week....I QUIT.

2) I might as well eat as much as I want, because I watched what I ate for 1 week and nothing happened...

Your heart may get healthier because your endurance is improving, you may be losing inches, your blood pressure might be dropping, your resting heart rate may be lowering, you may start waking up early and creating new habits you never stuck with before, you might be losing inflammation and toxins, you might have better digestion and improved constipation, better quality of sleep, meal prepped, better out to eat choices, drinking more water...

--->BUT YOU MAY NOT LOSE WEIGHT.  That doesn't mean you ARE FAILING.

We are bombarded with lose weight in 12 hours, drink this and burn fat, don't workout and lose inches EVERY SINGLE DAY in our news feeds, in our conversations at work, in our radio as we are driving...and so it's hard to be patient. It's hard to want to put in work, make changes, and build a healthier long-term lifestyle when EVERYTHING else seems to scream MIRACLE drug.

But in my experience, no one sticks with their MIRACLE drug FOR LONG.  Go ahead and ask him or her, who was claiming these statements 1-2 years ago if they are still losing weight, if they are still using this product, if they are still feeling good about themselves, if they kept their weight off, what they've learned along the way.  And if this is something they plan to continue for life...?

There is NO magic cure. Just heart, hard work, tools, and accountability.
And I can PROMise YOU THAT.

The 4 Things I Did to Grow My Business From My Garage

These are the steps I took over the past few years to grow my business into what it is today.  It has taken multiple trial and error on my part, but I am excited to share with you what works, to save you the effort and money I wasted on failed attempts.  

So first...

1) ESTABLISH A BRAND. Know who you are.  And who you can best help.  What type of people do you feel most relate to you?  Who are you most passionate in serving?  What colors depict your style? Make a business logo.  Establish a cover photo that will match all of your social media presence and personal presence. Set yourself up as a professional, and instantly separate yourself from other poser's by coming on strong with a logo, business name, and consistent professional looking image to depict your brand.  Come up with a mission statement surrounding your passion and purpose.

2) SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.  But more than just that. Be consistent. And have a strategy. My first advice is to establish a presence on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat--whatever format you feel most confident and have the most influence on.  And plan to post 3-5 times a day. Most people see 1/5 posts you make in a day...and our goal is to get your content in front of the most people possible.  Therefore posting 3-5 times insures the most following but not annoyance.  Prime posting times are Sunday afternoon's, Monday's all day, and most week nights after 8:30 pm.  Keep in mind some of this social media post timing depends on your audience and when they are most present.  Check out auto-posting apps to help you stay on top of these posts without having to remember.  (buffer, hootesuite, etc)

--> I have a guide we use to follow for your first 30 days to grow your business that says exactly what to post, when, and what type of picture to include.

3) BUILD VALUE*ESTABLISH AUTHORITY.  Our goal for you is to establish yourself as a fitness authority in home fitness.  Therefore your conversations with people, your social media presence, your interactions with groups need to be FILLED with value.  Get out and volunteer at local races, events.  Speak at charity events. Offer to share or set up booths are health fair's.  And while you are there--Tell us what you know. But moreso from YOUR EXPERIENCE.  How did you build your home gym? What did you purchase first? Why?  How do you stay motivated to workout on your own at home?  How long have you been training in your garage? Do you have client testimonials? Your own personal testimonial? Teach us.  Share your best practices, tips.

--> I have fitness and nutrition program templates already designed that we have tested and proven for YOUR home fitness clients to use and get amazing results from--> WHICH helps you get greater and faster testimonials to promote and grow your business quicker.

4) TRACK YOUR BUSINESS. If you aren't tracking your business, you aren't growing a business.  Keep track of every person you talk too on social media.  Document what they said and where you spoke to them.  Date it.  Keep track of your social media posts.  What posts got the most involvement and response?  What format?  What hashtags are working better for you?  Videos? Or picture posts?  How many people are you talking too a day about your business? 

--> I have a tracker sheet I already designed to help you keep track of all of these items and more you should be tracking to grow your business most efficiently.