Take out the mystery and make it mastery when it comes to being motivated, keeping track of your health, nutritional, caloric intake, fitness and weight goals.  Sure there is still a place in life for pen and paper, but technology sure can help you with being organized and staying on track.  So why not use it to your benefit?

There have been many times where I have picked and even paid for an app based on its initial description and once I “unwrap” it, I realize it is not for me – too cumbersome, too complicated, too many features, not enough features and the list goes on.  So, application selection is a very personal thing, but I think it is worthwhile sharing the ones I use regularly and the general reason why: 

Pandora – music stations are dictated by keeping songs/artists I like and removing my dislikes

FITRadio – DJ created playlists great for parties, individual and group exercise

7min Workout – great for the “plus up” quick workout at the end of the day or you can build a decent workout by doing more than one 7min workout

PopSugar – great options for workouts if you don’t know where to start

TabataTimer  - used for intervals during my personal workout and for group classes I teach

BigDay – calendar that counts down to big events – races, fitness competition, etc.

PolarBeat – tracks calories, easy to use and it works with my $60 heart rate monitor

Runkeeper – great for tracking cardio AND progress.  It is integrated with Withings wi-fi scale

Withings – wi-fi scale keeps my family’s weight, sends weekly emails… how is that for accountability?  Been tracking everyone's weight since Dec ’11 – integrated with Runkeeper and can “analyze” and ties weight to exercise

Myfitnesspal – track calories, but also nutritional make up of food (fat, carbs, protein and major RDA vitamins), can scan food labels, integrated with Withings scale AND Runkeeper.

There you go… Two options for great tunes to keep you motivated and other apps to keep you ON TRACK and IMPROVING with exercise, nutrition and weight

My last fitness goal of 2013 was my half marathon in October.  Since then I have not had a “tangible” goal that I’ve been working toward.  I've been healing from surgery, trying to stay relatively fit and still slip into my size 4 jeans.  I can honestly say I don’t like this space.  I don’t enjoy working out WITHOUT a purpose.  I don’t have the drive I have when I’m working toward something.  When I set my mind to do something, I am my own competition and this ignites the drive in me to do better and to push myself. I don’t want self image and the scale/clothing numbers to drive all of my gym activities.  Sure these things benefit from my workouts, but I don’t want them to drive my workouts. That is no FUN [for me]!

This time of the year is an excellent time to take inventory, reflect on what worked and what didn't work and make adjustments for the new year ahead. I can honestly say that 2013 was probably one of the best years of my life. I pushed myself and stepped outside my comfort-zone. I achieved things unimaginable like being able to inspire people by sharing my challenges, ups and downs. 

Today, is day #1 for me and I feel like it is the first day of the rest of my life not just new year! I started my competition program today and I will execute with precision. In 2014, I will continue to follow my passion to BE and DO better no matter how incremental. I will hold myself accountable to ME. I will do a “pulse checks” often to ENSURE I’m on track. These are my 2014 fitness commitments to MYSELF and no one else.

January – May – train and compete in two fitness competitions
What: weight lifting/cardio
Goal: body fat reduction, muscle development/definition/toning, higher placement than 2013

June - October – train for half marathon
What: cross train cardio (spin, elliptical, running), weight lifting
Goal: run 5k, 10k, 20k and end with half marathon. Beat last year’s times on all races.

October – December – try something new like Insanity or P90X

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHa6sITVebs

myBackground goals: 
Increase push and pull up numbers. Focus more on stretching/flexibility.
Complete monthly challenge calendars in the background of workout programs - push up challenge, burpee challenge, arm blaster, ab blaster, etc.

Now that I have a plan in hand with dates/times and goals, I just have to execute to the best of my ability.  It is like following a blueprint to a better me.

How can you get and stay goal focused?

1. Don’t talk about what you want to do, do it. 

2. Think about what you want to achieve making sure it is realistic and achievable.

3. Write it down. Start to visualize the outcome.

4. Sign up for it. Get it on your calendar. No turning back now!

5. Determine the goal of the outcome. Do you want to be faster, better, smarter, spiritual?

6. Be accountable to you. Your opinion is the only one that matters. Don't let yourself down.

7. Make it happen at all costs.

Last year, after my fitness competition I was in fantastic shape, but I was definitely burned out.  It was nice to ALREADY know what I would be working toward AFTER the show and that it was totally different than what I had been doing the preceding months. I was able to maintain my weight loss by swiftly transitioning from contest prep to  preparing for my races.  In fact, when Shape magazine contacted me, it was months after my competition and had I not had a plan in place, I probably would not have been photo worthy. They called and 5 days later I had my photo shoot leaving no time for quick fixes!

It is good to have a plan to execute.