I LOVE this picture my friend had on her Facebook page!

Hello Fit Moms Fit Kids Club readers. I hope all is well! Life for me has been, well, busy! I hope you’ve noticed that I haven’t been blogging as much.    Did you miss me?? In fact, I’ve slowed way down on blogging.  This was not on purpose, life has just been happening at a rate in which I haven’t been able to keep up.  I have some new and exciting things going on which I’d like to share with you below.  And, I also have a special request that I’d like to ask from you.

First off, what’s been going on with me?  This year has been quite unique in that I’ve been training as if I were going to play professionally this year, but I have yet to play in an event.  This is due to quite a few reasons that I won’t go into right now. But, I’ve actually enjoyed NOT traveling.  And, I’ve been OK with not playing.  Yes, I get a little itch to play now and then, but I really think that this really may be my final year of playing beach volleyball professionally. (I know I say that every year..lol)

The exciting thing that’s happened though this year is that I’ve become a fitness adviser or “coach”!  Last month I launched my first online accountability group! My participants can live anywhere in the USA or Canada. It’s been a blast! I have 2 small groups going on simultaneously.  Each group has a max of 5 people.  July 3rd will mark 30 days since this group began and I’ll have all of their new measurements and new weights, and I’ll share their progress (not telling you their names of course).  I’m so excited to find out how everyone is doing.  But, I can tell you this, one of my ladies lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks, and in week 3, she was 16 lbs down!!! I am so excited for her!! Also, one of my guys at the week 3 mark was down 10lbs!!

Not everyone in my private accountability group is trying to lose weight.  In fact some, like me, are just trying to get into the better shape, or to be more toned and fit. In my private groups my participants can ask me whatever questions they like anytime. They have full access if you will.  We have some live conference calls (about once a month) to answer any questions as a group. Other than that, everything is done online via, video, and our private online page where  I give them inspiration, and encouragement, and help them reach their health and fitness goals. Each group lasts 60-90 days. A lot of my participants hadn’t worked out in years! Others had just began by themselves and realized that they needed a coach and accountability to push and encourage them.

We are not meant to walk through life alone.  Many of us, myself included, have had to learn this lesson the hard way.  Being a “Lone Ranger” most times costs us more than we thought.  Also, surrounding ourselves with people who have bad habits can cause us to go down the wrong path. This is why coaching and accountability is so important. We all need someone to push and encourage us, and we need to surround ourselves with like-minded people to help us to stay on track helping us make better choices.

This group has been teaching me so much personally.  I’ve become more optimistic about the health of America, and have faith that people with a heart to do something with the right tools and support can do ANYTHING.

For more info on my private accountability groups, and how you an have an Olympian (me) help YOU reach your health and fitness goals go to my Facebook page Get Fit With Annett and message me for more information.  My July group is FULL… But, I will have a new group starting August 6.  All participants must contact me for consideration to join the group, and must be registered through me by July 25.  The group is first come first served, and I only take 5 people in a group, so contact me ASAP ONLY if you are ready to let ALL excuses go and are SERIOUS about becoming healthier.

NEW GROUPS FORMING EVERY MONTH! So Contact ME!!

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids

Welcome to the first annual A Better Me Challenge!

First of all this challenge is 100% FREE! Because it’s free, I’d like to ask you to do 3 simple things:

1. Download the Pledge & the From Fat to Fabulous e-book. In order to get the most out of this challenge download the EASY Fit Moms Fit Kids Club pledge on the right side bar.  There is no big commitment here, just fill in your name and email address and you’ll instantly get a FREE e-book called  From Fat to Fabulous!  This little ebook has a ton of easy recipes for your busy mom days.  On the download page there is an exercise plan you can use while doing the “A Better Me” challenge if you like. So please download the pledge and free exercise plan separately!  If you’ve lost your eBook, or copied it awhile back email me annett (at) fitmomsfitkidsclub (dot) com and I’ll send you a link to get it again.  FYI, there was a mistake in the eBook with the workout, so if you didn’t download the separate pdf on the download page titled 12 week beginner workout or intermediate workout please email me and I’ll send you the link.
2. Subscribe to the blog! Why?  So, that you will not miss a day of the challenge.  Every time a new post goes up on our site about the challenge or otherwise, it will go straight to your email!  You won’t have the excuse of I forgot to go to the site today.  The challenge will come to YOU.  Click here to subscribe to your email. Or, there’s a subscribe box in the right side bar you can use.
3. Tell a friend. Please help us spread the word by posting the link to this challenge on Facebook, twitter, email your friends, or blog about it.  It’s NEVER to late to start!

Alright here we go!!!

This will be the longest post that you will get during the challenge because it’s Day 1, and I have a lot to tell you.

First off there will be two tracks you can choose from. Track one is called “Baby Steps”.  This track is for those of you who are just getting their feet wet.  You want to make some changes, and you will through this challenge, but you want to take it slow.  Track two is called “Big Steps“.  This is for those of you who are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and want to make some major healthy changes in your life right now.

Each day there will be two posts.  One for those taking Baby Steps, and an additional post for those of you who want to take Big Steps.  Those of you who are taking the Baby Steps just read that initial post.  Ladies who are on the Big Step track will read both posts daily.

I know some of you aren’t sure if you want to take Baby Steps or Big Steps, you are sort of the tweeners.  If this is the case, just read both posts and decide what you’ll do that day.

It’s ALL about choices ladies. You are committing to make daily choices regarding your physical, spiritual, and mental health.  Why all 3 aspects?  As human beings, to be healthy and whole we must not neglect the mind, body, and spirit.  If we were to leave one out, we’d be compartmentalizing ourselves, and we need to be Whole Women.  Happy and healthy,  on the inside and the outside.

Each day you will have simple action steps that will tell you what to do, why you are doing it, and how to make it a regular part of your everyday life.  I’ll also give you resources to help you achieve it.  Your steps will be basic, simple, and effective.

Final word before we begin…This may be the most important thing I say about this challenge.  We are all in this together. I know some of your are extremely passionate about some of the topics we will be covering in this challenge.  Express your opinions with a smile on your face, and love in your heart.  This blog is a place of no condemnation.  We help, love, and support one another.  None of us have arrived.  Let’s do our best to encourage one another on our journey.  We are ALL learning and growing.  I reserve the right to delete or not post any comment that does not line up with the spirit of A Better Me Challenge.

Now It’s Time To Get To Work!

Baby Step 1:

Mental

I thought long and hard about what should be our first step in this challenge.  It wasn’t easy.  But, as I sat and thought about what we need to do in order to be successful in, not just A Better Me Challenge, but in life, I decided that we needed to start with a mental challenge.

You see many of us have gone through the same things over and over again.  We’ve been on the diet roller coaster.  You may have had a resolution last year to lose 5 or even 100 pounds.   Yet here it is January again and the weight is still there. Or, you are not any fitter, healthier, nor spiritually or mentally stronger than you were a year ago.

Today I want you to grab your journal or a notebook that you will be using for A Better Me Challenge. You are going to take a look in the mirror and examine what’s going on inside.

• Write out all of the negative thoughts that come to your mind today. Throughout the day, keep your notebook handy and as negative thoughts scroll across your mind take note of them.  Don’t examine them, or justify them.  Just write down what negative thoughts that have stopped you in the past from reaching your goals, and what stumps you today.  Write down your FEARS.  If you want, start off the day by sitting down for 5 minutes or so, and make a list. I learned long ago that fear is nothing but False Evidence Appearing Real.  This false evidence appearing real tends to stop us in our tracks throughout our lifetime.

The last couple of years I had to make sure I realized the times I was telling myself a lie, or believing a lie. I had to teach myself to catch myself so that I could replace it with the truth.  I’ll give you a recent example.  I watched the movie Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead and I said several times during the movie that I could not do a 7 day juice fast.  After about the 4th time my husband snapped back, “Stop saying that! Yes, you can!”  I was a little surprised at his tone, but I got it.  He was right.  There is NO reason in the world that I could not do a 7 day juice fast.  I had been saying a lie to myself, and by saying it I was getting myself to believe the lie.  There was not one fact to it.  What my husband was trying to get me to realize was the truth, which was I could do a juice fast, IF I wanted to.  The choice was mine.  Many of us stop ourselves before we even begin making positive changes in our lives, because we tell ourselves lies. Just like I did with the juice fast.  Some of you may be stopping yourself right now, before you give this 28 day challenge a try.  Don’t listen to your negative thoughts (lies).  Press on!

What negative thoughts have stopped you in the past?

Maybe you’ve said to yourself I can never eat veggies every day.  Or, I hate to exercise so I can never lose this weight.  I don’t have time to read, or to workout.  I can’t wake up 30 minutes earlier to have a quiet time or me time (I’m not a morning person).   My husband will never eat this stuff, and neither will my kids.   A negative thought could be, if she asks me to stop eating fast food this challenge is over.  Have you told yourself I can’t get back to my pre-pregnancy weight? 

Whatever the negative thought is that you’ve had concerning your mental, physical, or spiritual lives I want you to write it down. Make a column for each of our 3 categories. Your goal is to capture a list of them.  Call them out.  Stop letting them sound off without you calling them to the carpet.  Let’s get all our negative thoughts and criticisms out of our system.

Why are we doing this?  First of all, I think you will be amazed to see how many negative thoughts go through your own mind.   Our negativity tends to stop us from moving forward.  If we don’t get this stuff out now, today, then 28 days from now you will not have progressed at all.  We are often times our worst critics, we are most times what’s keeping us back from reaching our dreams.  We are going to start releasing these negative thoughts and seeing why we’ve been stuck in the same old rut.  Tomorrow we are going to take another step, a positive one, to move you closer to your desired outcome.

Let us know below in the comment section how this exercise went for you?  Did you learn something new?  Did you decide to break free from some of your past negative thoughts so you can move forward like never before?

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids

Special thanks to Anelys at 3 Little Flowers The Blog for our cute buttons and banners!

If you are a blogger joining us in the challenge, feel free to grab our button or banner!

Big Step Track go on over and read your extended challenge.

Spring is upon us!   What better time to start a revolution?  Obesity is fast becoming the #1 Killer in America.  Yet, the fast food and processed food industries are still reporting huge profits (even in this economy).  As embarrassing as it may be, America has a vested interest in making American families fat.  While we live in a time where advances in medicine are greater now than ever before in history, more kids are being diagnosed with type II diabetes and more parents are dying because of obesity related illnesses.

What Has Made Obesity an Epidemic in the U.S.?
Rosenwald quotes Tomas J. Philipson, an economics professor who studies obesity at the University of Chicago, as saying, “The obesity problem is really a side effect of things that are good for the economy, but we would rather take improvements in technology and agriculture than go back to the way we lived in the 1950s when everyone was thin.”

Why Businesses Want us Fat?
He also tells us that obesity has actually fattened the wallets of many corporations and doctors alike (pun intended). He provides data that the “obesity industry” was estimated to make in excess of $315Billion in 2006. He included in this industry fast food chains, medical treatments, and books about dieting.

He goes on to list a few of the food companies that thrive on bad food choices, stating that in 2004 Kraft Foods made more than $244Million on Oreo cookies!

In addition to the companies who are profiting from the junk food we eat, there is the “fat-cure” industry that depends on us getting fat to make their money such as Jenny Craig, Nutri-system, Weight Watchers, and Physicians who perform weight-loss and cosmetic surgeries. We sit smack dab in the middle of two hungry industries, out to keep us on the roller coaster ride of obesity.

Doesn’t this make you mad?  It’s time for moms, all across America and around the world to stand united for Family, Fitness, and Fun!

That’s why Fit Moms, Fits Kids Club was created.  We exist to simply inform, inspire, and empower moms to make fitness and good health a way of life for themselves and their loved ones.

Here’s What YOU can DO NOW!
Join The Revolution…Take the Pledge (on the right side of the page) to help us get 1 Million Moms to say “I want to be healthy and help my kids to do the same!”  We’ll help you meet your goals along the way.