Trainer Kate ♥

happy tuesday everyone!

i hope you all had a fabulous day - i know i did, i got to be "trainer kate"! :)

right now i am on winter break from school. let me tell you something - i couldn't have been more ready for the break! and, the best part about the break? - coming home to work and train at GPP :)
i am very grateful for my boss Neil Anderson and for his generosity.  whenever i am home he lets me step right into a class and train. i absolutely LOVE it.  today i got to help assist one class with Lizz Bennett, and train four classes myself. it was such an awesome day to be a trainer! the workout today was pretty unique and we concentrated on working our nervous system.
the workout was:

TRIFECTA:

complete 10 min of diligent work on each of the following. you have maxed out once you've completed 50 HSPU's, 50 pullups, and 200 DU's.
- handstand pushups
- pullups (kipping)

- double unders

*post total reps completed to comments. if no reps were completed, post attempts and what you think you need to work on.

***this workout was ROUGH and my shoulders are already feeling it! i demo-ed this workout for four classes and then completed the workout tonight with my dad and my older brother. i am not sure how many reps of every movement that i completed but let me tell you something... it was A LOT. i might be dead tomorrow, but i loved the workout!

since this workout wasn't about the number of reps completed or how fast you could finish, it allowed everyone to try each movement and to improve their form if they could already do the movement.  it was awesome to watch everyone give it a go. but the reason that i loved training this workout so much, is because it was a day full of trying new things, new accomplishments, and for many - new found confidence in the fact that they CAN DO HARD THINGS. 
as a trainer it is so rewarding to be able to explain a movement to someone, see the "light bulb" click on in their heads, and then see them succeed at trying the new movement. there were many people that completed their first kipping pullup, handstand pushup, and double under today. it was amazing to watch and so fun to be a part of.

here is a fun video of me doing the progressions that someone would do to build up strength and confidence to complete a handstand pushup. enjoy!




what are some new things that you have tried lately that you didn't think you could do before?

have a great night!

xoxo,
lil kate ♥

p.s. i promise i am going to post more now that i am on break! :)

It Does NOT Define Me

happy tuesday everyone! i hope you had a fabulous weekend and are ready for everything you have going this next week. for me, it is "dead week" and i just have LOTS of studying to do before finals next week. "dead week" = DEATH WEEK. oh well, you know what is getting me through? - my daily workout. call me crazy, but it is a proven fact that exercise releases stress as well as "happy hormones". i take out all my stress and frustrations out on my workout. i clear my mind and i absolutely love it :) 

this is the workout that i did yesterday, which was awesome! you should definitely give it a go!

since i was at the field house, there wasn't a place to do jumping pullups so i just subbed in 8 rnds of 5 kipping pullups per round instead.

anyways, i am going to get the point of today's post, "it does not define me". i am going to try my best to make this an organized post, i have a lot of angles that i want to come from so just bear with me. :) 

have you ever associated WHO you are with your weight - the number on the scale? have you ever let it consume your thoughts? ever thought that if you were just a couple pounds lighter you would be happier? if you could just fit into a size smaller at the department store you would love yourself more? sadly, i can say that i have. i have been sucked into that mind set. i am sure many other people have as well. i believe that a lot of it goes to the fact that i have danced for my entire life. and by this, let me explain - as a dancer you are constantly looking in a mirror with minimal/tight clothing on standing next to 10 other girls. it is quite easy to compare yourself to the other girls around you. thoughts such as:  "i wish i had her legs." "i would love it if i could kick as high as her." she has a perfect, flat stomach - if only!" go through a dancers mind. but, i don't want to only say that dancers think like this. everyone has a chance throughout their lives to think like this. but, we need to STOP thinking like this. everyone is beautiful in their own unique way. it is important to be at a healthy and fit weight, but it does NOT DEFINE who you are. your dress size does NOT DEFINE who you are. the size of your biceps or the weight you max out on does NOT DEFINE the person that you are. it isn't always easy to lose that mind set but it has to happen for us to be truly happy and to truly love ourselves. this past summer my co-worker and amazing trainer Megan Wallace wrote an article called "I Am Not My Body" which inspired me to write more about it here on the blog. you should definitely take the time to read it. i hope it touches you like it touched me. and always remember - YOU ARE NOT YOUR BODY. 

people are also being defined by things that don't have to do with their body image. things such a someones career choice, or personal interests or extra curricular activities that they participate in.  i am often only associated by people with the fact that i am an aggiette - "katelyn the aggiette." i used to absolutely LOVE that label. but after i took a break from being on the team i realized that "being an aggiette" is not who i am. it does not define me. yes, i am an aggiette. BUT, there is SO MUCH more to who i am than just that! it is only a small part of me and my life. i don't want to define myself or be defined by others by what my career choice is, or what my extra curricular activities entail, but by how i act, and how i treat others. i feel as if everyone should try to concentrate on that more as well. yes, i am a personal trainer - but i don't do it for the body. i do it to help others live an optimally healthy lifestyle and to find a truer happiness than what they were experiencing beforehand.

don't allow others or the media decide how you should define yourself. there is no "perfect body shape". there is no "perfect career choice" that will define who you are. you are perfect in your own way. learn to love and embrace it. ♥

have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

lil kate ♥

A Perfect Thanksgiving Weekend ♥

well hello everyone! i hope you all had a nice thansgiving weekend full of family, friends, and good food :) (i know i did!) - sorry i know this post is a week late - but at least im posting! haha

my weekend started last tuesday afternoon when i came home after 5 straight weeks of being in logan. it was SO GOOD to be home! i came home to a nice clean house and my mom making my favorite cookies (pumpkin chocolate chip). yes, i had to give a can for eating those! (turkey day challenge). i was able to go and pick up my little sister lara from high school and i got a running jump hug from my cute little brother jason. then i spent the afternoon hanging out with the cute neighbor boy, andrew :)

wednesday morning i couldn't have been more excited to wake up at 4am and go to work at GPP. I LOVE IT THERE! it was so good to be back and see all the people that i have grown to love over the past few years. the workout for wednesday was "Hoofin Bi" - a killer biceps workout with a little running to break it up.

the slow biceps curls were killer and i was super excited to have run every round! i haven't been able to run farther than 400m the last couple of months because of my IT band so it was really refreshing!

wednesday afternoon i tested my skills with a shotgun. andrew and i, along with another couple went up the mountain to spend a little time shooting.  i haven't shot too many guns in my time so it was a fun adventure. i even hit a clay pigeon - whoot whoot! :)

andrew let me use his jacket so that i wouldn't get a bruise from the kick back. i look super top heavy with little chicken legs! haha - so much fun though!

then comes thanskgiving - one of my favorite holidays! :)
i started my day off right - at GPP for our annual Turkey Day Mashup! this year the workout was called "Pie Burn" and we had a little over 120 people storming the workout with us! it was awesome! 

PIE BURN

10 burpees EMOM (every min on the min) for 5 min 

3 min Rough Boy Squats

3 min continuous plate switches

1 min rest 

10 burpees EMOM for 5 min 

Class does reps in unison on trainers count:

Shoulder Medley - 2 rounds

20 front raises 15/20

20 upright row 15/20

20 OH press 15/20

Triceps Medley - 2 rounds

10 narrow push-ups BW

20 skull crushers 15/20 

20 OH French press 15/20

Ab Medley - 2 rounds

20 situps 

20 R side ups

20 L side ups 

20 Superman back ext's

Legs Medley -2 rounds

20 BTB squats 

20 alternating lunge switches

20 single leg DL 15/20 

10 burpees EMOM for 5 min

On trainer's count perform 3 rounds of the following:

20 v-ups

20 T2T side ups R

20 T2T side ups L

20 T2T superman back ext

20 T2T tap down crunches

20 sec ab bridges

10 burpees EMOM

it was a long workout but we stormed it with our amazing community which made it so. much. fun!

the whole crew!

GPP was PACKED!

skull crushers!

i got to have my bff ali storm the workout with me!

realized that this is the first and only picture that the four of us have together. these are the amazing trainers that taught me everything i know, and have given me so many opportunities. i love them with all my heart!

left to right: megan wallace, neil anderson, lizz bennett, and myself!

after the fun workout it was time to stuff myself with amazing food and spend some quality time with my amazing family :) we hosted my grandparents at our house for thanksgiving and enjoyed a nice mellow day together. my mom is an incredible cook and made everything look as good as it tasted. 

this is me and my beautiful little sister lara :) i have missed her!

and of course my adorable baby brother jason :) 

the fancy table my mom put together :)

all the delicious food! (see the bottom left - orange rolls from Dick's bakery. they are my all time favorite and i only eat them on thanksgiving. yum!)

thanksgiving was a relaxing day that ended in lots of thanks and a fully tummy. im already looking forward to next year! ;)

friday started out with GPP! the workout was "thrust-o-rama". this one is a SORE MAKER - like hardcore. but, it is the most complete movement that we, at GPP can give a person.

only one movement, 20 min, 200 thrusters

this is me doing the thruster movement. you first clean it to your rack, squat it down (toes out knees out - back straight - head up) and then you press it overhead (head through your shoulders - over your center of balance). then, instead of dropping it in between reps after you press it overhead you go right back down into the squat then press again.

i took it easy throughout the workout because on saturday i had to perform at both a football and a basketball game, so i couldn't be too crazy sore. on saturday the Aggies won Idaho 45-9 at the football game and took the WAC Championship! it was awesome and now the aggies are headed to the "Famous Potato Bowl" on december 15th! its going to be a blast and i cant wait to cheer on my aggies at the bowl game. aggies also pulled out a win at the basketball game against weber state. i even got tackled by one of the players during the first quarter which was pretty exciting. haha it was actually really epic and i wish i had a picture or a slow motion video recording of it to post here on the blog. oh well, you will just have to imagine a 250+ pound basketball player lurching at me full force and us landing in the band. super funny, and i had about 100 people ask me over the next couple of days if i was okay - which of course i was just fine!

anyways that is my thanksgiving weekend in a nut shell! again, i apologize that it is up a bit late but i hope you still enjoy it! have a fabulous week!

xoxo,
lil kate ♥

One workout away from a GOOD MOOD

happy thursday! 
it is now officially one week away from thanksgiving and i couldn't be more excited! its not about the delicious food for me, but its about being with my family and taking a day to reflect on everything i have to be grateful for :) its definitely one of my favorite holidays! also, GPP is hosting a "Turkey Day Mashup" workout on thanksgiving for anyone who wants to come. i hope to see you all there! it is going to be a blast - 8:00am SHARP.

today started out with 2 hours of practice - (tonight is one of the biggest basketball games of the season! ah!) starting my day with 2 hours of dancing is seriously the best start to my day. i might not always like getting up early and going to practice in the freezing cold, but i really wouldn't have it any other way. :) next came my gymnastics class. gymnastics is a great workout! you literally use every muscle in your body, and utilize all of the 10 aspects of fitness in an hour of gymnastics. i have been working on my front aerial and it is coming
along nicely :) i usually have a class after gymnastics but, today it was cancelled! yayee :) so, i immediately went to the gym. today's workout was "Ride the Lightning". i have only done this one a couple of times, and i don't remember liking it very much but i really enjoyed it today! i am also very proud to say that this is the FIRST time that i have completed that many kipping pullups without destroying my hands. it is a small victory, but one that made me super happy :)

today, i subbed out the deadlifts with 20 weighted lunges per minute. my boss Neil Anderson has been training dancers for about 5 years now, and he has discovered that deadlifts arent the best movement for dancers to do because of our hamstring and back flexibility. so, thats my reason for the sub :)

its not GPP, but it'll do... 

lately it has been kind of hard for me to get to the gym. i make up excuses or just allow myself to get buried in homework. but, once i get there and do a workout i am so much HAPPIER! i feel better, i look better, and i'm in a better mood. it never ceases to amaze me how i am ALWAYS in a better mood after a good workout. exercise releases "happy endorphin's", thus putting us in a better mood. i saw a quote on pinterest that said, "You are only ONE workout away from a GOOD mood." i couldn't agree more. we all need to realize that once we get off our "excuse couch" and get to the gym we will be happier -- not to mention healthier. so, get to the gym and JUST DO IT. its worth it :)

""wow, i really regret that workout." - said no one ever." 

you wont regret it :) i PROMISE!

have a great day everyone!

xoxo,

lil kate ♥

A New Gym Friend

happy tuesday everyone!
i hope everyone had a great weekend and have decided that this week is going to be good! 

i should have posted this yesterday but i didn't quite get to it! so, here it is today :)

my workout of the day yesterday :) . (found here)
this is a workout that i absolutely DREAD. plate cleans, and double pump burpees all in one workout?! death. but, the next day i am always sore in all the right places! so, the pain pays off!

five rounds for time. like i said ROUGH.

ANYWAYS, back to the story. i was at the field house minding my own business doing my GPP workout. (note- i often get stopped throughout my workout at the field house with inquires as to what i am doing or better yet, the big meat head guy telling me i am doing something wrong. now like i have said a hundred times before, GPP is different that ANYTHING anyone has seen before. that's why people are so curious, or so sure that i am doing a movement wrong ;)) well yesterday i was stopped during round 2 of my workout. not by a guy trying to correct me, but by a nice guy asking me what i was doing. i explained to him that i was doing a "double pump burpee" and he asked me to show him how do it. immediately "Trainer Kate" came out (LOVED IT!). i carefully explained the movement to him and watched him do a couple. then, to my surprise he asked, "whats next?" - he wanted to keep doing my workout with me! i explained the rest of the workout to him and rattled on about what GPP is all about. he did 2 rounds with me before he had to leave for class. it was awesome :)  i probably wont ever see that guy again, but i loved that he wanted to learn. it is people like him that i LOVE training!  just thought i would share! if any of my logan peeps ever see me at the field house please come join me! i love a workout buddy, and always love helping anyone with workouts!

also, turkey day challenge ends in 9 days! i re -started (i was struggling big time with motivation) and i have been perfect! 9 days - thats nothing! i can do it, and i will be motivated!  motivation is a choice, a skill. it takes practice and hard work to acquire a skill. you have to work at it everyday. lets keep working!

thanks for reading!

have a fabulous tuesday! 

xoxo,

lil kate

"trainer kate" ♥ 

Do Something You've Never Done

happy hump day! i hope that you are all surviving this week and enjoying every bit of it! :)

today i just want to touch on the subject of doing things we have never done before. we all want something. whether it be more money, better health, or to be happier. but, the problem is that most of the time we just want it handed to us.  we want it the "easy" way. but, if you want something you have to do something you have never done.  if you are overweight, then you are going to have to diet and workout to get that weight off and become the best version of you. yes, i know it is hard. and yes, i know its not fun. BUT, it is worth it. you are going to have to work harder than you have ever worked before. we can help each other and be each other's support system. you don't have to be alone in this! here's to the quote of the week thanks to the amazing trainer and two time ironman Lizz Bennett - "YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS."

we got this :) have a fabulous night!

xoxo,
lil kate ♥

Thriller, Howl, and the TURKEY DAY CHALLENGE!

wow! okay so i know i am the worst at blogging but mid terms kinda got in the way of me posting the past little while. now, they are all over and i am ready to start sharing again! :)

so, first off - HAPPY MONDAY! i hope you are all enjoying today. it is a great day! :)

this past weekend was CRAZY and sooo much fun! first came performing "Thriller" at the first mens basketball game and then saturday was full of volunteering for the "Howl". i had never been to the Howl before and i was quite shocked...i think that volunteering was the way to go! it got pretty nuts haha

friday night was a blast! i LOVE performing at basketball! and to make things even better - we had a super fun halftime to perform! Thriler!  here are a few pics:

the whole group after we won 74-41! go aggies!

me and ash are way scary ;) haha

saturday like i mentioned before was full of helping with the Howl. we (when i say "we" i mean rachel, chelsie, and myself) worked for about 4 hours during the day with set up, and then went back 2 hours before it started to finish setting up and getting everything ready, then stayed after to help clean up! throughout the actual event we were in charge of the hospitality room and making sure that everyone had everything they needed (snacks, drinks, etc). we also got to play around during the event - visit all the shows and do a little dancing. it was fun :)

chels and i are experts at making signs :)

a little playing :) - do you like the sparkly lashes? 

just a few of our favorite neighbors!  :)

lots of fun costumes!

it was such a great weekend and i was so glad to be able to spend it with my amazing roommates :) i really don't know what i would do without them!

now, for the TURKEY DAY CHALLENGE! this time of year is really hard for me to be good with my dieting. i feel like i have to eat everything in sight! i was getting super discouraged until i read this on the GPP website (seriously - its like the trainers can read my mind. they post things that i NEED to see! i think it is one of the huge factors that differentiates them from every other gym. they pay attention to the their clients and are so in tune with their needs. it really is amazing!)

from GPP's website on 10-24-12:

"Having a little trouble curbing the appetite this fall? It is a thing.

Autumn is a crazy time of year. One of the hardest times to watch what you eat. I think Karla H. said it best today,

"It's probably because we know we don't have to get into a swimsuit for another 6 months!"

So TRUE, right?

There are probably some other, more deeply seeded reasons for blowing our diets than just the comfort of knowing you'll be wearing baggy pants and sweaters for the next 6 months. These are probably rooted in our genetic coding due to the scarcity of food and lack of warmth which is about to be thrust upon us by mother nature. Well, not really thrust upon "US" any more, but your body still thinks that way. Once the daily photo period begins to shorten and the weather turns a little cold, as far as your appetite is concerned, IT IS ON!

There is nothing you'll want more this time of year than foods that will fatten you up and sustain you for a long cold winter. The drive to eat more, and more often will be hard to fight. But, fight you must! Because here is the thing, the average American gains between 5-15 lbs over the next 3 months! Here is the other thing, if you come into this season a "little heavier" than average, the damage could be 15-20 lbs when all is said and done, if you aren't careful."

this was exactly what i needed to read - i needed to know that i WASN'T alone in my struggling to stay strict on my dieting. so, since everyone seemed to be struggling with the same problem GPP decided to make a TURKEY DAY CHALLENGE starting today and continuing on until Thanksgiving Day. brilliant! the rules are as follows (also directly from GPP's website)

"The GPP Turkey Day Challenge

Beginning Monday Oct. 29 we issue this challenge to those who need to clean up their eating, become more committed to exercise and improve health. 

There are 3 parts to this challenge that you must commit to:

You may eat NO ADDED SUGAR - no white sugar, no brown sugar, no high fructose corn syrup (you'll have to check labels for this sneaky beast). Honey and agave are ok. Unprocessed fruits are OK.  You can have Splenda and Asptartame, but why the H would you want to?  Basically, anything that is a sugary sweet eaten for pleasure alone is off limits.  Just until Thanksgiving day.

You must complete 5 GPP workouts per week PLUS three extra 30 minute cardio sessions per week.

You are to pick a health related challenge to stick to.  Once picked, you should post this healthy challenge and how you will be accountable for compliance to it.  For example: you may choose to begin a few rounds of BCD & post (daily) whether or not you stuck to it.   Below are a few suggestions of health related challenges you may consider:

Comply strictly with a GPP meal plan.

Get 6-8 hours of sleep per night.

50 extra burpees per day.

Pray/meditate daily

No unhealthy snacks.

Take a daily multi vitamin.

5 servings of fruits + 5 servings of vegetables per day.

Eat .9 g of lean protein per lb of lean body weight daily.

Eat healthy & correct portions of breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Weekly community service.

Weigh & measure weekly.

The TEETH

If you are going to commit to any of the above, you have to be committed enough to put some teeth into it.  In other words, it has to HURT if you break your commitment.  So here is how that works:

You must commit to, and define your intention to complete the challenge to comments.

You must post daily results of your challenge to comments.

There are penalties for not following through.  Each time you miss a workout, indulge in a sugary treat, or mess up on your personal goal (your observable, measurable & repeatable one) you are to pay $1, or 1 can of food for every offense!  Strictly enforced by HONOR.  These are to be dropped off at GPP HQ.  Questions or exceptions are to be voted upon by those in the challenge.  Majority rules! 

All of the money raised and food items collected will be donated to the Bountiful Food Pantry. 

Challenge ends at midnight, Nov. 21st. 

We invite anyone looking to get a healthy jump on this holiday season to participate!  We look forward to your successful daily posts!"

i am really excited to start this challenge for many reasons, but one of them is because i KNOW that i CAN succeed with the support system that GPP has.  reading everyone's posts everyday is seriously so incredibly inspiring. the community at GPP is very unique and extremely tight knit. everyone wants everyone else to succeed - and they will help you to do so. so, i want to invite all of you readers to join in as well - lets help each other reach our fitness goals!

my goals that i am going to strive for everyday of this challenge is as follows:

50 extra burpees per day.
Pray/meditate daily
No unhealthy snacks.
Take a daily multi vitamin.

I am also going to try to limit my carb intake - meaning limited breads, pastas, rice, etc.

oh, and before i forget - one more thing that i HAVE GOT TO WORK ON that the amazing janetha from "meals and moves" brought to my attention. she is going to cut out all the BLT's. no, not the delicious sandwiches but "bites" "licks" and "tastes". its the spoonfuls of peanut butter, the handfuls of this or that and the CONSTANT snacking that kills me. the calories add up and QUICK. so i am going to rigorously work on cutting that out as well! 

i hope all of you will also jump on the TURKEY DAY CHALLENGE!!! we can do it together :) lets set ourselves up for success!

have a fabulous night!

xoxo,

lil kate ♥

Ballet Blast and "The Burpee Mile"

hello hello!

it is thursday and officially the beginning of a very short fall break. oh well! short or not, i am grateful for a day off to be able to go home spend time with my family, go on a date with a cute boy, and work at GPP - just a few of my favorite things :)

anyways, today i want to touch on a couple of exciting things that have happened and are happening this week.  yesterday i went to my very first "ballet blast" class.  let me tell you, I LOVED IT! i was pleasantly surprised as to how hard it was!  ballet blast is a very unique workout that you have probably never seen or done before. it combines aerobic exercises with basic ballet technique to give you a workout you will definitely remember the next morning. it works on a lot of cardio and toning/ shaping. exactly what most women want. ballet blast is great because it is perfect for women of all ages, and there is no need for any previous dance experience - you catch on quickly! and, the best part of it is? - it is SO MUCH FUN! my good friend Julia Williams was the instructor last night and she did an amazing job. she never skipped a beat and kept the entire class pumped up the entire time.  if there are classes near you i would definitely recommend giving it a try!

here is a picture form last night's class!

now, on to "The Burpee Mile" :) my amazing gym GPP, has put together quite the charity event set for this Saturday.  it is one mile of burpees. i know that one mile of burpees seems overwhelming- impossible even, but anyone can do it. whether you do the entire mile or just one single burpee, you can come participate and make a difference.  everyone is going to start together and everyone is going finish together. "The Burpee Mile" will be remembered for a long time. it is $5 to register for the event and $20 for a t-shirt (sneak peek of the shirt here). all proceeds are going to the charity "No More Victims", a group fighting against child abuse. 

i have been so inspired these past three weeks as the event has been created and advertised. the number of sponsors that have contributed to the event and the number of people participating is absolutely amazing. i love that we as a community can combine forces and use our fitness to help others.

my amazing boss Neil Anderson puts it all much better than i can so here is a little article that he posted on the GPP website a couple of days ago.  i loved it so much i just couldn't not share. thank you Neil, Lizz and Meg, thank you GPP, and thank you to the amazing community that has helped make this event possible.

Said best by Neil Anderson:
"My health is one of my most treasured gifts. I am grateful for it daily. I realize not everyone has been blessed with this gift. Because of this, I realize that having good health does not come without responsibility. I love the thought of being able to take some of the health I have been blessed with and use it to directly benefit someone else (albeit in a small way). I have long felt that there is no greater usefulness for the act of becoming healthy and fit than to use it in service of another. I believe if more people would put the health they feverishly forge through exercising to this kind of good use - we'd live in an entirely different world. One that would be much better in EVERY regard.

The other thing I believe is, WE all have the power to create this "different world" here and now.

It has already taken root. I am humbled to report the support behind the Burpee Mile has been enormous. I am proud to be a part of such a unique and kind community. And I'm not just talking our GPP community. This cause has transcended our influence. It has brought to itself gifted and caring people who are willing to put aside differences and unite for a superior cause. It is inspiring to know such generosity and humanity exists in such large quantities.

Here is the thing, our combined influences are limited. (Haha, maybe not so much if we'd have started a little earlier. 3 weeks from conception to delivery isn't much time for something like this). So, to make a difference for those who need it, we'll need your help. Please become involved if you can.

Going around the community to invite folks to a "mile of burpees" has been a funny experience. I've never gotten funnier looks. I realize the incredible fear that this invokes. I have the fear myself - bad! But, here is my perspective on it all.

Whatever my fear of burpees ... Whatever the pain I imagine awaits me from doing a mile of them ... all of it PALES in comparison to those who have truly suffered.

Perhaps, as an individual I may not be able to contribute much to this from almost ANY other perspective. I certainly cannot erase terrible things that have been inflicted upon the innocent. But I shall surely try to provide relief where I can. And, by HELL I've got SOME burpees in me. Maybe not a mile of them, but surely SOME. What I have, I intend to give.

If you feel like me, and can contribute anything to a worthy cause, please join us this weekend for The Burpee Mile. "

i truly hope that all that can participate do. and, if you are offsite - do it too! simply register online with the link above and start burpee-ing! i plan on doing it offsite saturday afternoon in logan. if any of my logan peeps want to join me - i would LOVE the company!

enjoy your weekend!

xoxo,

lil kate♥

Obstacles

ob·sta·cle  [ob-stuh-kuhl] Show IPA
noun: something that obstructs or hinders progress.
    ***HINDERS*** progress. that's not what we want!

obstacles are everywhere, and whether we like them or not they will always be there. and yes, they will hinder our progress if we let them. each and everyday you will have to overcome obstacles to reach your health and fitness goals. whether it be finding time to go to the gym, deciding to make a home-cooked meal instead of going out, or deciding to eat only one cookie instead of the whole batch.

what we all need to remember is that although there are obstacles everywhere, we can overcome each and EVERY ONE. we can make careful, conscience decisions everyday on our diets/ exercise, and we can plan ahead to AVOID certain obstacles. we just have to believe that we can do it. we have to find that inner strength that will push us to limits we never thought possible. at GPP we want to "reap the benefits of life and AVOID the pitfalls of life" lets keep avoiding :)

WE ARE GREATER THAN OUR OBSTACLES. WE WILL OVERCOME.

xoxo,
lil kate ♥

i ♥ progress

happy thursday everyone!

so, this past week my roomies have all gotten on the "clean eating/ GPP" bandwagon. it has honestly been so great. i am really REALLY proud of the effort that they are all putting forth in making healthier eating habits and working out more.

yesterday when i went to grab some food from the fridge i found this cute little sticky note:

i realize that to most people this sticky note isnt that important or exciting. but it is important to me, and it made me excited.  at the start of this week my roommates approached me and asked me for some help. they wanted strict rules for eating and a workout everyday. well since this is right down my alley of course i was more than willing to help.  i outlined what they could/should eat and what they should try to stay away from. taking it all in, they agreed to listen and follow all my instructions. just in this past week my roommates have made some major changes in their eating habits and in their exercise habits. when they get home everyday they are so excited to tell me everything they ate that day. now, i am sure everyone is wondering why on earth would someone want to share everything they ate that day with someone else?! let me tell you why - its because they have been doing SO GOOD. they are proud. they can't believe how good they feel! i love hearing about the changes they have made, but more than anything i love seeing how happy they are. and how proud of themselves they are. this is one of the biggest reasons that i love my job so much. i absolutely love seeing people progress and become less self conscience and more proud of themselves. it just makes you smile and it really is such a rewarding job. i ♥ my job!

what is something you find rewarding in your everyday jobs/lives?

anyways, have a great thursday! 

xoxo,

lil kate ♥

Get Happy :)

hello hello!
well its thursday! which means tomorrow is friday, which means its almost the weekend, which means the BYU vs USU football game, which means home sweet home, which means GPP, which means general conference, which means a fall hike with the family! (okay i am aware that sentence was terrible and probably didn't make any sense whatsoever, but i am just excited for this weekend! i have so much to look forward to:))

okay so today's topic is about "getting happy".  i have touched a little on this before on the blog but i am just going to review it today.  everyone needs a little reminder every once in awhile anyways :)

today i received a facebook notification on my phone saying "Lizz Bennett has tagged a photo of you". well, knowing that i haven't been into GPP for awhile i was curious to see what it was all about and what the picture was. 

this is the picture that she had posted:

i seriously LOVE LOVE this so much.  there is a lot of meaning behind each of these words. thank you lizz!

if you run faster, you push your body to its limits. it might seem absolutely terrible at the time, but afterwards you will be able to be proud of yourself.
if you eat better your will feel better. mind and body.

if you sleep longer you will be more rested, refreshed, and on top of your crazy everyday schedule.

if you try harder you won't have any regrets.

if you aim higher you will push yourself to reach places you never thought possible.

if you love more you will open your heart to everyone. you can love others and just as importantly you can love YOURSELF.

take these steps day by day. it takes time.

in the end you WILL be happier.

i am a strong believer in the line "happiness isn't an emotion. it is a choice." you need to take your life day by day, and choose to  be happy.  don't put too much on your plate. otherwise the stress of trying to do everything will cause you to be unhappy.  it is also very difficult to be REALLY good at doing everything. chances are, an area in your life (usually the most important area) will lack. (now, i am not saying that this is the case with everyone. because i know people that CAN do EVERYTHING.) 

i have also found that by writing down what i am grateful for everyday because of my 8-week challenge with "vitality wins" i have become much happier. i get to reflect on how lucky i am to live the life i live everyday. it is eye-opening for sure.

i also know that i am happier after i workout. exercise releases "happy endorphins". it is a proven fact. if you are feeling down in the dumps, instead of lying in bed feeling sorry for yourself put on your running shoes and just go run. don't bring any music - just let your mind wander. it is amazing how much a good run can clear your mind and put you in a better mood. or, go out and do a GPP workout. those workouts push your body to the limit EVERY TIME. i love it. and i known you will too.

try it out! you will see a difference. i promise :)

xoxo,

lil kate ♥

homecoming recap and words of wisdom from the woman who knows all!

hey all! its monday again! its time to start the week out RIGHT. :)

so, the last couple of days have been a little rocky, and super stressful because of a lot of things going on! the stress definitely came from it being homecoming weekend! as a spirit squad member we have a lot of places/ events to attend homecoming weekend.

friday night consisted of the "spirit squad reunion" where previous and current spirit squad members all came to catch up and honor the amazing Linda Zimmerman for her 25 years as the spirit squad adviser/coach. there was a lot of set up to do and take down afterwards. but, it was totally worth it. we also got to do some stunting and cheers with old cheerleaders and aggiettes. what a blast!

saturday was a full schedule! we started our day out at 7am with a scholarship 5k, then moved on to a parade, then a pep rally, and finally the homecoming game. it was a full day of pep and cheer! 

us helping out at the 5k!

i have the BEST roomies. ready for the game!

the "white out" was SICK.

me and my aggiettes getting ready for half time! LOVE the new dresses :)

overall, homecoming was great. we won the game and all went well with our routines/performances. i can't complain one bit!

now, everyone has a bad day, a bad week, gets sad, gets depressed or just stressed out! well, my smart granny has the solution to all of these things. she told my mom how to handle it, and my mom shared it with me. the solution is to go outside on a walk/run, clean your house, and lose 5lbs.  well, after this weekend i was experiencing all of these emotions and my mom told me to do these things -  she promised that i would feel better. at this point i was a little desperate so i gave it a go. IT WORKS. no joke. i started my day out with a walk. then i had class. then i cleaned my ENTIRE apartment. and i ate healthy and exercised so that i could lose those 5 lbs! seriously i felt so much better afterwards. my mind was kept busy and my body felt great. my mom has always told me that when i am sad or upset to not eat unhealthily. now, occasionally that is exactly what i need. junk food. but, not this time. my body feels great. because although it has been a rough couple of days i didn't let myself go. eating crappy only makes you feel worse. and well, then you are just backtracking! not moving forward! i am ready to move forward :)

cleaning is also kinda an outlet for me, so i was glad that it was so conveniently on the list of things that will help you feel better from my granny. here are a couple of pictures of my nice clean apartment :)

running is also an outlet for me. (anyone else?) it is the first thing i want to do when i am having a stressful day or i am feeling sad. it is the perfect way to clear my mind and release all those happy endorphin's. this was also conveniently on the list :)

here is the workout i did today! such a good one - my hands always hurt after pullups though! in fact, today i ripped! i should know better than to re-grip on the come down of my pullups! oh well,  marcus, brandon and ashton came with me :) i love having workout buddies!

what is your outlet?

have a fabulous night!

xoxo,

lil kate ♥