What’s your Dream?

Today I am enjoying a day off from classes in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. While some may be resting today and taking it easy, today is such a motivating day! Martin Luther King Jr. is such an honorable and respected figure, not only for his obvious achievements, but for the more abstract meanings of his work as well.

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream – a history changing, hugely important dream, that is. He did everything he could to see his dream through and make an impact and make that dream a reality. This brings me to a question…

What is your dream?

We all have goals and dreams in life, both big and small. Martin Luther King Jr. teaches us that all dreams are possible – look at what strides he made. What power this gives us – he is proof that ALL dreams are within an arm’s reach.

Many of us set fitness goals, especially early in the year. Guess what? Today, feel empowered by the fact that people like Martin Luther King Jr. have accomplished great things! While a fitness goal is definitely not the same as bridging the gaps of discrimination, it represents something that is momentous in your own life.

What an admirable figure we get to remember today – he made such a huge difference in life as we know it. Always remember, you can make an impact as well – no matter how big or small.

BCS Bowl, Bourbon Street, and Beginnings – Hello 2014!

Wow! What a fun and crazy beginning 2014 has had! I spent the first days of the New Year in New Orleans on Bourbon Street and at the BCS Sugar Bowl cheering my college team on. On this trip I learned a few things…

1. I am a bit too conservative for Bourbon Street. (Although it is fun for a day!)

2.Watching your friends win something as big as the Sugar Bowl is priceless – such a happy moment not only for my school, but especially for the boys who worked for it! BOOMER!

3. It may be hard to eat in places like New Orleans, but it is possible! I found an amazing pizza place called the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen (http://louisianapizzakitchen.com) and they had great healthier options like their Freshwater Mozzarella Salad! This salad with a slice of their thin crust pizza was such a yummy treat! And hey, if they only offer whole milk in the cafe au lait, it is okay!

4. I’m from the south, but as much as I hate to say it… Southern doesn’t always mean classy!

Even though these little lessons were both funny and informative, possibly the most important lesson that I learned while I was in NOLA was that peace is internal. Now, peace may seem like a silly thing when considering Bourbon Street, but this trip opened my eyes as to how peacefulness is something that can be achieved in the most outlandish situations. Even in the craziness and constant motion of New Orleans, it is possible to make the decision to be at peace with both the situation and with yourself. And yes, I do believe choosing to be at peace is a conscious decision. It may be difficult and take effort and focus, but it is possible.

You may remember that finding peace was one of my resolutions for the new year. While it is still a work in progress, I think this experience has me off to a good start! I hope that the first days of your 2014 have been fun and I hope your first weekend of the new year is even better! What a great year it is to get fit and feel fabulous!

New Years Resolutions and the Craziness that was 2013

Tonight the new year is upon us, and as I am looking forward to a new year, I cannot help but smile when I think of all of the new experiences and opportunities from the past year. 2013 was such a big year for me, and as it comes to a close, I can officially say that it was my best, craziest one yet.

I am so happy to share that I ended this crazy year with a bang today by PASSING my American Council on Exercise Group Fitness Instructor Certification Exam!!! I cannot contain my excitement for what is ahead! I just can’t wait to share my passion for fitness and help people reach their own fitness goals as I am celebrating one of my accomplishments! While I am so excited to help on the floor, I am also so excited to see what I can learn from other fitness professionals and share here on The Good Life Gal!

A look back at the past year fills me with so much happiness – I have made countless new friends, been blessed with the sweet love of sorority sisters, had a successful semester at college, and I have been presented with so many amazing opportunities! If there is one thing that I can take from this year, and one lesson I would like to pass on, it would be that if you believe in yourself, radiate positivity, and work hard, ANYTHING is possible! Any goal can become a reality if the goal is appropriate, and if you approach the goal with a good attitude!

A look forward at the new year makes me both excited and nervous! Typically, I am not one for resolutions. I usually think that if you have a goal, you shouldn’t have to wait for a reason like the new year to set it and stick to it! This year, however, I have a few resolutions myself! The new year is actually here at the perfect point in my life where I see an opportunity to grow. By setting these goals and calling them my resolutions, I am also setting a goal of accomplishing them in the NOW!

My 2014 Resolutions

• Commit to the Good Life Gal! Over the past school semester, I felt overwhelmed and my blog felt that pain. This year, I want to recognize the fact that there is an abundance of time for me to spend doing something I enjoy!
• Start working as a Group Fitness Instructor! Now that I have passed my GFI test, I have such an amazing opportunity to share one of my biggest passions with others. It is totally up to me to make this happen… and I am making a goal to do so early in the year of 2014!
• Find peace with myself. This is definitely the most difficult of my resolutions. One of my downfalls is that I am a little bit of a perfectionist. This only hurts me because I expect so much from myself! This year, I want to grow out of this and realize that while I will never be absolutely perfect, I can work to be my best possible self – and that is all that I can do!

If you have any resolutions for the coming year, please share! I always love feedback and I would love to share some positivity and help you reach your goals if I can. I hope that you had a lovely 2013 and an even better 2014! Please stay safe tonight and get ready for a year full of fitness, fabulousness and fun here on The Good Life Gal!

Lifetime Fitness Strictly Strength Class – Group Fitness Class Review

One of my favorite parts of being home from college for the holidays is the fact that I get to work out in my home fitness club! Even though my school has an amazing gym for all of the students, it is just not the same as my good old Lifetime Fitness facility!

As some of you may know, I have my ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification test in just THREE DAYS!!! I am getting extremely nervous, so please send me some good vibes! In hopes and anticipation of passing this test, I have been trying lots of different fitness classes at Lifetime to try to see what kind of classes I would like to lead in the future. On Thursday, I tried out a class called Strictly Strength. Here is my review on this challenging class!

I had no idea what to expect as I was beginning this strictly strength class. As I was gathering all kinds of equipment from a barbell to steps, I could not help but notice all of the different people in this class! There were college aged kids, pregnant women, middle aged adults, and even some seniors! I was automatically amazed that this class appealed to so many different individuals… and this was before the warm up!

The class began and we performed a choreographed series of movements with our barbell, and even added some lunges! I was already breaking a sweat by this time!

One of my favorite new discoveries in this class were Gliding Discs! These little gems were such a challenge! We placed them under our hands or feet in plank position and performed mountain climbers and moving mountain climbers, but that wasn’t the most challenging part! Next, we got in plank position and slid our arms out in front of us (the gliders were under our hands) and then really had to contract our abdominals (and everything we had, for that matter) to move our arms back to the perfect plank position. WOW! I could really feel the burn – these Gliding Discs make for such an amazing and challenging workout!

You can check out these Gliding Discs at http://www.glidingdiscs.com and order them on that site or through various fitness equipment sites like http://www.power-systems.com/p-4117-gliding-discs.aspx?gclid=CMeY4L-b07sCFeFlOgodpHAAJg. Needless to say, I will be making a purchase soon!

The class continued with more strength exercises – everything from abs to shoulders to glutes were targeted! While these exercises all made me feel the burn, I couldn’t help but notice how great the instructor was! Her encouragement and participation in the class made the class so much fun, and sometimes that is exactly what group fitness is supposed to be! She created such a positive environment that I could tell that some of the regulars in the class had even become friends – and even though it was only my first time in the class, I felt welcomed and included! The team aspect of group fitness is something that I love so much!

If you are a member of a fitness club that offers group fitness classes, try a new class this week to kick off the new year! Like always, changing up your workout is always a good thing to do to avoid burnout, and I think that exercising with other individuals who are like minded can help in that area as well!

I know it isn’t technically Friday… but I hope you enjoyed this Fit Friday post! Yesterday my family and I went downtown to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra, which is our Christmas tradition! If you ever get the chance to see these amazing people perform, GO SEE THEM! This is some of the most incredible talent I have ever seen and I am always in awe of their capabilities! The show is truly an experience, and definitely worth the time and money!

As we are approaching the new year (which I just can’t believe) I know that resolutions are always a common topic. Do you have any this year? Comment or email me with your resolutions! I would love to see if I can help with any health and fitness goals. I am not usually one to make resolutions, but I have a different outlook this season! Make sure to come back and visit The Good Life Gal to find out what I am looking to accomplish in the new year!