Puritan's Pride Mad Lib

Puritan's Pride is hosting this fun Mad Lib through Fit Approach.  Check out their website at http://www.puritan.com/.  You can also check out Fit Approach at www.fitapproach.com and join in on the #1MillionMinutes challenge.  You can also apply to be a Sweat Pink Ambassador!

Here is my version of the Mad Lib:

I’m so PUMPED [adj] to fuel my #1MillionMinutes goals with Puritan’s Pride! All summer I plan to lift, yoga, and run(verb] my way to a healthier, fitter me, and I’ll need help staying hydrated and fueled during all my fit[adj] adventures!

I will make sure I stay on track and will rely on protein shakes[noun] to keep me well fueled before, during and after workouts, and my water [noun] to keep me hydrated!

I’m most excited to try Whey Protein For Her Chocolate (product) and Pre-workout Intensifier(product) from Puritan’s Pride because they look yummy! (adj).

 One supplement I’ve never tried but am curious about is Vitamin B12[noun]. I think it might make me extra energetic for my workouts![adj].

Bring it, #1MillionMinutes! I’m ready to go!

Inspyre Socks

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to review a pair of Inspyre socks.  When I first received them in the mail, I honestly wasn't too sure about the color, and they are labeled size 8/13, so I didn't think they would fit as I am a size 7.  However, they ended up fitting really well.  I was searching about a year ago for high socks to wear at my Spartan Race, and it seemed like each one I found was either too high, or not high enough.  The Inspyre Crew Socks are the perfect length that I was looking for (I'm 5'2.5").

I was also really happy that they felt like they had a tiny bit of compression in them.  I took them on a fast paced 2 mile walk, and was very pleased that they didn't fall down once, and they weren't too warm.  It was 80 degrees outside, and my feet felt cool the entire time.  The color actually turned out to match perfectly with my Steeler's shirt! :-)

I love the message on the back "Step Up".  It reminded me that it's time to step up and be a better role model for my children.  To stop worrying about every little flaw with my body, and to start loving how strong my body is and everything it has done for me.  They see me work out on a regular basis, but they don't see me being loving enough to my body.  I normally would have never posted a picture like the one below, as my eyes focused right in on the imperfections in my legs.  But being reminded to "Step Up", I chose to post it, and to be real.  So many pictures on social media only show what people want to be seen - most people don't want to show their flaws.  Well, I am an athlete; I work out 5 days a week, eat a (for the most part) healthy diet, and I still have cellulite, stretch marks, extra skin, etc.  My body is not perfect, but it has done so much for me.  It carried and delivered 2 healthy babies, it nursed those babies for a year each, and it allows me to run, jump, lift, and push myself to limits I never thought possible.  My body is beautiful; flaws and all.

I will definitely be purchasing these socks in the future!  Check them out at http://inspyrsocks.com/, or via their Instagram page @inspyrsocks.  They have a great selection of motivational sayings and colors, and they come in Tall, Crew, Ankle, and Youth. I love the "Never Quit" Crew Socks and just may have to add them to my collection!

But I can shake it shake it, like I'm supposed to do.....

I've been seeing a lot of posts going around social media regarding Meghan Trainor's song, "All About That Base".  Let me just say that I am so happy I'm not the only one offended by this song!  Don't get me wrong - I sing it....it has a catchy tune.  But listening to the words has gotten me angry since the first time I heard it.  I get that she's trying to say that you don't have to be stick thin to be considered beautiful - but she's saying it all wrong.  Guess what Meghan Trainor - I am a size 2, and I can still shake it shake it like I'm supposed to do.  Just like I could when I was a size 4, a size 6, a size 8, and a size 12.  Every time I hear that line in her song, I get offended.

Why do we women have to worry so much about what size we are?  Or what size other people are for that matter?  I get just as irritated seeing things go around, or hearing women say that "Big is beautiful", "Real women have curves", "Real women have muscle", etc.  Who is anyone to decide that a women is not "Real" just because of their size?  The last I checked, I was just as real 60 pounds heavier as I am now.  I was real before I started lifting and gained muscle, I was real when I was pregnant, I was real when I was a skinny little thing in high school.  If women could stop worrying about their looks (and other women's looks) so much, this world would be a much happier place.

I would be lying if I said that I'm not guilty of worrying about how I look.  It's one quality I dislike about myself, and if I could turn it off, I would.  But I would never tell someone else that they need to look a certain way.  Women come in all shapes and sizes.  And those women are important and loved no matter what size they are.  I really hope my daughter will be able to grow up and not obsess over how she looks.  It breaks my heart that at 9 years old, she is worried about gaining weight.  When I was 9, my weight was the last thing on my mind.  I told her that she's growing, and it's a good thing for her to gain weight right now. It really caught me off guard when she said, "But you work out all the time so that you can be skinny."  I was shocked!  I had to explain that I DON'T work out to be skinny.  I work out to be fit.  I work out so that I can stick around and harass her for many years to come :-).  And I work out, because I love how being strong feels.

When it comes down to it, the number on the scale and the size of your pants don't matter.  What matters is that you are happy and healthy.  That is what I want for my children - to grow up to be healthy and happy, and to always feel loved, no matter their size.  If we could all stop with the body shaming, this world would be a much happier place.

Inspiration to Annoying?

So, something has been on my mind for quite some time.  When I first started posting my workout pictures and videos to Facebook, I had so many people cheering me on and telling me what an inspiration I was. I continued to post, because that was the whole reasoning behind it.  I wanted to inspire others to get up and work out; even if it was just the exercise I posted, at least they were doing something.  I was (an am) always so thrilled to hear people tell me that seeing my video made them get up and do it themselves.  Fast forward a few weeks later, and I was told by people that my workout posts were annoying and was even told that I need to "get over" myself.  I let the haters get to me, and I stopped posting for awhile.  When I finally came back to reality and realized that other's opinions don't matter, I started posting again.

What gets me is that a lot of the same people that were once my biggest cheerleaders have now unfriended me on Facebook and/or unfollowed me on Instagram (yes, I know if you unfollow me, I have an app).  Yet those same people that are annoyed by my fitness posts are telling others how inspiring their posts are.  Now, with that said, these people they are cheering on are at the beginning of their fitness journey and have some weight to lose.  While I will never take away from their journey, and I will continue to cheer them on myself, I have to wonder what really makes someone an inspiration to others?

It seems like those that are overweight and are just starting off getting into a fitness routine are considered inspiring.  Those that are underweight and are working out to get healthy and build muscle are also considered inspiring.  But where does that leave those of us that never had a ton of weight to lose or to gain? Those of us that were unhappy with how we felt, so we took the steps needed to become healthy?  It seems like those people don't get credit for the hard work we put in, because in some people's eyes, we were never unhealthy to begin with.  They think we have it easy, maybe? I, for one, may not have looked extremely unhealthy, but I most definitely was.  I was 20 pounds heavier than I am now, lazy, and severely depressed.  I took control of my life over 8 years ago, and have been going strong since then.  I don't care how much you weigh when you start, if you are active and now living a healthy lifestyle, you are just as inspiring as the next person.

Not everyone has a big elaborate story as to why they work out, or why they want to eat healthy, etc. I am not one that is going to let other people's opinions stop me from being who I am today.  But not everyone is like that.  Don't discourage someone from being a healthier version of themselves, just because you're tired of seeing their fitness/health related posts.  If you don't want to encourage them, then next best thing to do is to skim over the posts and move on to the next thing.  Or better yet, try out what they're posting.  You may realize it isn't as easy as it looks, and it may encourage you do it more often.......

2006

2015

Burn This

Have you tried out the new App called Burn This?  If not, download it from the App Store on your Apple product!  It's a Pinstagram just for fitness, and I am proud to be an Ambassador :-)  While you're there, be sure to follow me (Stacey Beatty) and the #Beastmodebeautifuls.  We will be hosting a challenge at the end of this month!  You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Crazy Winter Runner

A lot of people think I'm crazy, because most of the time, I don't let the weather interfere with my runs.  I run in the rain (including downpours), I run in the snow, sleet, humidity, etc.  I don't always WANT to run, but I do it anyway.  Some days, I try to talk myself out of it.  Such as yesterday.  It was cold, windy (real feel 1 degree outside), and there was ice and snow on the sidewalk.  I told myself I could just do the elliptical or bike, and I'd be fine.  But I'm stubborn.  And I'm kind of crazy when it comes to routines.  It was my day to run.  Not my day for cross training.  So I forced myself to layer up (Under Armour cold gear tights, tank top, cold gear shirt, sweatshirt, headband, and gloves), and I decided to try out the Yaktrax my sweet husband got me for my birthday.

After about 10 minutes of trying to figure out how to put them on my shoes (user problem, not product problem), I headed out for my 4 mile run.

I was instantly in love with my Yaktrax!  I was afraid they would make me run weird and feel strange on my feet, but when I was running on the snow and ice, I felt like I was running just like any other day.  They didn't feel weird at all.  I slid around a couple of times, but not enough to even feel like I was going to fall.  But that was probably due to me not having the right one on correctly.  It slid up over my shoe a little and the coils were on the side of my shoe vs. the bottom like they should have been.  Again, user problem, not product problem.  I now know how to make sure they're adjusted like they should be, and I don't think I'll have any issues at all the next time.  The only time I slid around was when I was in slushy snow.  If I was running on ice or packed snow, I didn't slide at all.  I did have to make sure to find snow to run on in dry areas so I didn't damage the coils, though.

I never thought I would admit this, seeing as how I started my love of outside running when I lived in Hawaii, but I actually enjoy running in colder weather.  As long as I'm wearing the right clothes (not too much, not too little), cold weather runs always turn out to be the most enjoyable for me.  And it doesn't hurt that I feel like a bit of a bad ass for pushing through it and getting it done despite any obstacles that may arise ;-) I love the strange looks I get when I'm running outside in conditions that keep others indoors.

Happy running everyone!

Getting Started

Now is the time of year that a lot of people are considering making their New Years Resolutions.  One of the most popular is being active/going to the gym/losing weight.  So many people start January 1st only to give up by March 1st.  Don't be one of those people!  One of the things that keeps me moving on days that I don't feel like it are my Instagram Challenges.  If you do not have an Instagram account, I highly recommend signing up for one.  And when you do, here are some challenges that will keep you moving and inspire you to make it a habit instead of wanting to give up after just a few weeks:

• #sweataday - Follow @shauna_harrison and @UnderArmourWomen and prepare to get your sweat on daily!  Not only does Shauna come up with some amazing workouts, the #sweataday community will become like a second family to you.  And the chance to win some free Under Armour swag makes it even more exciting!

• #Beastmodebeautifuls - Follow @beastmodebeautifuls, @staceybeatty84, @kparker718, @mamarazza, @tara_lynnraz, @i2ampossible, @periodictabledancer, @klboyernc, and @mmdlhawk.  These ladies (which include me), were brought together by completing and winning a challenge through Under Armour Women.  Each month, the challenges are different.  Join in on the fun for your chance to win some great prizes!

• If you like yoga, or are wanting to start it, I highly recommend following @paigepodbelsek and @busybodyogi.  They host monthly challenges and are awesome at posting tips for beginners.  And again, having the chance to win prizes makes it even more motivating!  

• Another great way to win a prize and be inspired to move is to follow @movemorefitness. Each Wednesday, they do a post asking what type of workout you did that day.  All you have to do is reply to their post with what you did, or you could tag #MoveMoreFitness #WOW on your posts, and you could win a gift card!  

I have learned all of my yoga through Instagram. I have also learned so many great exercises from Shauna and some of the other Under Armour team.  If it weren't for these challenges, I know I wouldn't be where I am today.  Give it a try!  It may be just what you need to help make fitness a part of your daily routine even after the New Years Resolutions fizzle away.