Its been one month in my new fitness studio and I can’t believe it.   What I can and can’t believe is that I’m actually living my dream.  Just one year ago I was still training at a corporate gym and only doing classes on the side twice a week.  TODAY I have my very own space, offer over 10 classes a week, and I’m my OWN BOSS

I’m so happy and very grateful to those who encouraged and supported me along the way.  Even with all the support and people believing in me…NONE of this happened until I set my fears aside and decided this was something I wanted and could do.

When I decided to make the jump…everything happened for me.

I’m sharing this with you today to encourage you to LIVE YOUR DREAMs.  Don’t let fear keep you from anything. If you believe strongly in something and your heart agrees…then do it.  Don’t think about the how’s or why’s.  Make the decision and it will happen for you. Trust me

If you are in Seattle, come stop by my Open House on Feb 8th. I’m giving away tons of great prizes.  5:30 – 7:30, 4519 SW California Ave Unit I.

Here are some photos of my studio:

The Paradox of Our Age

By Dr. Bob Moorehead

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember to say “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Go for what you want in life. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff. When you can’t fight and you can’t flee, then flow, says Dr. Robert Eliot, author and director of the Institute of Stress Medicine in Denver. Become aware of the connection between your own values and interactions with others, and feeling good about yourself. Forgive yourself when you don’t measure up and forgive others when they need it. The ability to find the humor in the human situation is a definite plus. Hearty laughter gives a sense of deep relaxation, and tends to soften your perspective on problems. It also eases pain.

This is an exact copy of an email I received from my client Chad in Ohio. 

“I hope that this message finds both of you doing well.  This is Chad Sabo writing in from Ohio.  I wanted to personally thank both you and Ben for the amazing Marathon Dominator program that you have created.  This program is rock-solid and guaranteed to transform your marathon performance!  As the name states, the Marathon Dominator program helped me to dominate a tough ING NYC Marathon route with a PR time of 3:19:40!  My goal for this marathon was to qualify for Boston, which I just missed out by 4 minutes and 20 seconds, but this PR finish was nonetheless a rewarding triumph.  Moreover, it was a huge improvement over my performance at last year’s Columbus Marathon where I ran a 3:56:26, which is a 36 minute and 20 second improvement.

Plain and simple, your powerful Marathon Dominator program taught me to be a better runner.  Everything that is included in the design of the program, from the focus on quality over quantity, strength training, nutrition strategies, and rest, was all perfectly timed out to ensure that I was ready to go on race day.  Even when I encountered a slight achilles injury several weeks prior to race day, your support proved to be invaluable.  I thought that I could just be tough and run through the pain that I was experiencing, but your helpful advice and guidance was exactly what I needed to hear so that I didn’t worsen the situation.

Again, thank you for designing such a fabulous program that has changed my running!  I look forward to being able to use the Marathon Dominator program in preparation for my spring marathon, so that I can shatter my Boston age group requirement time.”

The Marathon Dominator Marathon Training Plan  <—–click here to find out more details!

feel free to leave a comment and share your most recent race success!

•Understand that this is a lifestyle change. (You won’t see lasting results until you accept that.)

•Be open. Don’t be afraid to try new foods, activities, and ways of thinking.

•Commit to yourself and to your dreams.

•Live the life you want by “putting action behind your intentions and intentions behind your actions”.

•Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

•Measure your food and count your calories.

•Drink 80-plus ounces of water a day. Stop drinking soda and other diet drinks!

•Eat simply. Eat more organic, fresh foods.

•Treat yourself — indulge in your favorite “junk” once in a while.

•Get out there and enjoy life!

-Eat breakfast everyday!

-reward yourself with something other than food.

-Ditch the negative people in your life

-accept that you are in this for LIFE!

-Find positive support Surround yourself with inspiring influences to reinforce your new lifestyle.

Maintaining requires permanent lifestyle change. So many people reach their goals, only to watch it slip away as they regain the unwanted weight. Ending the cycle takes dedication to a new way of living.

Please leave a comment if you have anything to add to this list.  We love to hear from you.

here are the final stats of the 16 people who started and finished my fat loss program

Total Weight Lost: 88lbs
Total Inches Lost: 44″

This all happened in 3 weeks.  The two biggest losers lost over 10lbs and 4″ of their body.

If you are curious about my program and want to try it for yourself, I have it for sale online here:

Run with Jill Fat Loss Program $20

Nothing restrictive here.  I encourage 3 meals and 2 snacks a day.  If you learn and follow my 7 Rules for Fat Loss you will lose weight and inches.

Many of you ran the Chicago or Portland Marathon yesterday….leave a comment or send me an email and let me know how you did !  I love hearing from you.

Happy Monday!

Chicago looks to be warm and Portland looks to be rainy.

Keep a positive mind and see yourself having a great race.  You are well trained and prepared…GO out, have fun, and kick some butt!

Do the things that show you care for yourself: eat foods that serve your body; drink plenty of water; get enough sleep; exercise regularly; make time and space for fun; stay focused on your vision and intention. Taking care of your health is a wise investment of your time and attention.

I’m curious as to how often do you reward yourself for sticking to your running regimen?

There’s nothing wrong with a little self love and that’s exactly what you deserve when you stick with a plan.

After you’ve set a weekly or monthly goal, treat yourself for reaching it. Keep your feet looking pretty with a monthly pedicure, or have someone give you a pat on the back with a soothing sports massage. Pick out a running outfit for every race you complete, or grab an ice cream cone after your weekly 10-miler.

Rewards have benefits. They put a carrot stick in front of you, and, even more importantly, they tell you that you’re worth it. Self-worth leads to taking care of yourself and enjoying life. For some, the biggest reward may be a much needed break. If you stick to your running schedule all week long, make sure that you take a day off at the end of the week.

What kinds of things do use to reward yourself?

My favorites are shopping for new running attire, buying a new book, or just allowing myself a day or complete REST!

maybe this is how your reward yourself?  (nothing wrong with it, either)!

Wanted to share with you today a few comments from my clients.  I thought this would be helpful to those of you needing some guidance or inspiration from others who have been successful in reaching their marathon, fitness, and weight loss goals.

Check out what Bedros has to say when asked what made him decide to run a marathon…(fyi…this guy in NOT a runner.  But, he has always wanted to run a marathon just to day he did it.  So, he went from running ZERO miles to finishing a marathon).  His advice:

“Don’t make mountains out of molehills – if you build things up in your mind you’ll get psyched out. I think this is the number one reason people never achieve their goals. They give up way before they start. I had a goal… to run a marathon and I went out and did it. Didn’t think about it, analyze it, or wait for the perfect time. I just did it. Hum… “Just do it” – pretty catchy.”

The second comes from a woman who has lost over 60lbs and has kept it off for over 5 years now.  Here’s how it has worked for her:

“I took up hiking(as well as core training, Zumba and step) after losing almost 70 pounds six years ago. At 56, I weighed 115lbs but as an adult used food to deal with my life issues and would successfully lose weight only to gain it all back within a year, each time adding pounds to my previous high.

My success is four part program.

1. I used a therapist(psychologist) to deal with my life issues rather than stuffing down my feelings with food.

2. I eat anything I want, but I focus on getting 5-10 fruits and vegetables a day eaten in ways I enjoy and aim for high fiber foods.

3. I exercise 2 hours a day, a brisk walk for an hour in the morning clears my head and an hour of core training or Zumba or step..on weekends I aim for 3 hours a day.

4. I start my day with prayer/meditation to aim for “present moment”.”

Here are some other tips I’ve collected from clients:

“I distract myself from food. If I get a craving, I run up and down the steps in my house a few times and brush my teeth instead of eating something unhealthy.”

“I always pack my workout clothes the night before. Sometimes I put my running shoes right next to my bed so when I wake up I’m reminded to go run”

“I eat two big salads every day. Whether I make lunch and dinner at home or eat out — or even if I have to pick up fast food — I always start my meal with a salad so I eat less of my entree.”

“I stay active — even on vacation. I plan trips that involve exercise. I research bike rentals and hiking trails before we go.“

How about YOU?!  What keeps you motivated or what tools have helped you be successful??…Share and leave us a comment below.  For me… my workouts and running keep me SANE.  My family can always tell when I haven’t run in a few day…I’m moody and grumpy.  But, most importantly I just feel so good about myself when I exercise and eat right.