Welcome Marisa!

Well….here we are with – shall I say – contestant #2! Meet Marissa  – she, along with Andrea, will be going through a 12 week “Take Control” journey – of their health, their bodies and their lives! Similarly to Andrea, Marissa is a competitive person…and also preparing to compete in a pageant – the Mrs. Texas United States Pageant – this will also be her FIRST! Like Andrea, she feels this will give her a “goal” an event to motivate throughout her journey and keep her focused. Based on my humble experience, as well experience with my clients, this is what I have to say to that…the desire to lose weight, to become a healthier version of you, cannot and I stress canNOT, be based on a specific event. Why? Because the effort and the changes you are making go beyond creating new habits for a single day or weekend, but rather need to be part of your overall KAIZEN—a Japanese term for “continuous improvement!” One must decide—and commit—to their self improvement and see it as not just an event, but a process. A process that is arduous, sometimes long – and painful. If it were ‘easy’—we’d all be that ideal self image within 24 hours. So with both Marisa and Andrea – I will be with them – everyday – but not face to face – to coach them, to educate them, to console them – in order for them to develop life-lasting self improvement. This improvement will NOT be measured by the scale but by their consistent efforts and…TIME. The 12 weeks I spend with both of them is just a stepping stone to having them develop their own inner voice of motivation and providing the guidance they need to see long-term success! Marissa and Andrea….start to rev your mental engines—we’re going to change you from the outside IN…”your success or failure in life will not be decided by the number of setbacks you encounter, but rather how you react to them.” Let’s do this—stay focused—get FIT!

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Monday, January 7th, 2013 marked the day of a new journey for a number of reasons. As my first daughter turns three years old, I embark on a road to a crown and a healthier life.

Yesterday,  when Lily was watching me getting ready in front of the bathroom mirror, she told me that, she was a “big girl Lily” and when she became a grown up, she would be a “grown up Lily”. As sweet and cheerful as it was, it struck a chord with me. As she was watching me do my hair and put on make-up, she associated these things with being a “grown-up woman.”  And while they do for me seem  and for most “grown up”, I also see an importance for her and her little sister to start associating exercise and healthy eating as “grown-up” habits as well. My husband and I do our best to make sure that the girls eat well-balanced meals, drink plenty of water, and get outdoors to run and play daily, but we forget to do the same for ourselves a lot of the time. Because of this, and, a lack of regular exercise, I’m seen myself shrink down and blow up time and time again over the last three years. This is completely due to a lack of regular healthy habits. I have tried my hand at harsh diets and heaven knows that I have logged thousands of miles on the treadmill. Then, comes a chance to eat a fantastic meal with girlfriends and I forget my resolutions and will go several days away from the gym. Then there’s the pizza outing, birthday party or another reason I give myself not to eat sensibility and all is lost. I want to make eating right and exercising daily as much a part of my daily routine as brushing my teeth and blow drying my hair–AND to keep it that way. They say that memories are made at the age of four. So, by Lily’s fourth birthday, I hope for her to see her mommy with her water bottle and running shoes and see these as the things “grown-up” things to do.

On another note, I am a competitive person. When I see a need for change, I will take drastic measures; which is why I’ve decided to compete in the 2013 Mrs. Texas United States pageant! I know that this will give me a goal, a reason to make changes now and not make excuse to wait until later. I’ve never entered a pageant in my life, so I feel like I’m entering a whole new world. A place I know I will enjoy exploring and very excited to become a part of for the next five months. I can’t wait to take this journey with Angela and I know she will be a great leader and cheerleader for the road ahead!

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About Angela Lee, B.A., CPT

Angela has spent 16 years in a high-profile corporate career but elected to follow her dream of educating others to take better care of themselves by becoming a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). She's also a National Physique Committee (NPC) competitor and belongs to one of the nation's largest and successful competitive teams. Lastly, as a survivor of childhood cancer she's learned at a young age the importance of making good choices about health, maintaining a positive outlook on life and the impact both have on overall vitality long-term.