Lucky me! Three times in a week I get to share the thoughts and insights of a co-worker. That gives me time to cook up a good, Clark Griswold esque blog on proper prep for cutting down a Christmas tree! This time, fellow Nutrilite nut Matthew Darin takes the spotlight…
As I wound down the last mile of the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in San Antonio this past weekend, I couldn’t help but think about my own personal journey to fitness over the past two years. I’ve been involved in sports and fitness activities for most of my life, but after I finished school and got my first “desk” job I traded time at the gym for time on the couch relaxing after long days in an office environment.
But the more involved I became with the Nutrilite brand and it’s experts, the more I discovered how to make fitness a part of my daily routine. The results of this change have been better than I could have imagined. I’ve lost weight, gained energy and confidence, and made new friends along the way. But like most people, I found that getting started and sticking to my routine after lapses has been the most persistent challenge.
Here are four tips I’ve found helpful for staying motivated and on task:
Feel good about making time to stay healthy: For me, the time I spent in my evenings to work out often felt like time I should be spending with family or putting in extra work or study. Eventually I shifted my workouts to the morning to avoid these conflicts, but it’s important to recognize that taking time to keep healthy and fit is important beyond the benefits you’ll personally enjoy. Think about all the people who depend on you – by making time to stay fit, you’re doing all you can to be there for them now and in the future.
Identify and focus on your “why”: In working with Sean Foy (lead fitness consultant for the Nutrilite Health Institute) on the 4-3-2-1 Body Training DVD I was particularly impacted by Sean’s direction to find and focus on your personal “why”. As he often says, “why is it important to you personally to be healthy?” Who do you think about when you consider the importance of your long-term health? What do you hope to achieve with your workouts (e.g. improved appearance, climbing stairs without becoming winded, etc.)? Identifying and being mindful on your own “why” can make rolling out of bed, or stopping off at the gym on your way home from work a much less daunting task.
Block out time and focus on showing up: To get started, pick a time of day that will work with your schedule. Our experts recommend the morning (before work) as it can be tough to stay motivated to workout after a long workday. For me, I’ve found that just committing to have a workout session was helpful, even if I got out bed telling myself that I’d just be “going through the motions”. Remember that our bodies were designed to move, once you’ve established a routine you’ll start to miss the workouts you might have once dreaded.
“Win” one day at a time: Anyone who has ever watched a late-night infomercial for the latest “ab-ripping” product has likely fallen victim to thinking that they are just one quick swipe of the credit card away from the body they’ve always dreamed of. In reality, making a long-lasting impact on your health comes down to doing the right things (or “winning”) one day at a time. Focus on the small victories and strive for progress, not perfection. Don’t get hung up on the mistakes of the past, or spend too much time worrying about tomorrow. Focus on what you have the ability to impact – your choices today.
There has never been a better time to get started on your way to your optimal you, so get out there and focus on winning today! If you don’t know where to get started on your fitness journey, some of the great fitness products from Nutrilite can help. Good luck and have fun with it!
Matthew Darin is recently married and looking forward to growing his family in Ada, MI. He is an Assistant Brand Manager for Amway’s Nutrilite brand with past experience in Weight Management and Fitness. He enjoys living a healthy and active lifestyle, outdoor activities like hiking and camping and is an avid professional football fan.
Summer is upon us and while most of us are outdoors and active these days, how many are running qualifying times for the World Championships to be held in South Korea late this August?
Well, that is precisely what Kara Goucher, proud spokeswoman for Nutrilite, exclusively from Amway did last week at the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene.
Kara ran a solid second place behind Shalane Flanagan and qualified for the 10,000 meter event. She was really focused on making this qualification because despite already making the team as a marathoner, she wanted to be able to run a shorter race in the high heat and humidity of South Korea. Considering she is less than a year from having her first child, I can’t say that I blame her!
To read up on Kara’s performance, and in particular to see how she is one of the few who are focusing on both being an elite runner and a mom, check out these great articles:
As you know by now, Kara is fueled by Nutrilite and in particular, ROC2O, Endurance Cubes and Double X are helping drive her to success (among other great Nutrilite products)…
Good luck Kara! See you in Philly this September for the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon.
By: Andy Gamm (with video from Adam & Kara Goucher)
Boston is behind her, as is Kara’s first official appearance for Nutrilite (Nashville) but that doesn’t mean that our elite runner isn’t busy. These days she is prepping at altitude in Park City, Utah for the USA Track & Field Outdoor Nationals, to be held in Eugene, Oregon this June. From there she is onto the World Championships in Korea to represent the US in either the 10K or the Marathon. She also has five more appearances for Nutrilite and will tentatively be in: Philadelphia, Denver, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Las Vegas.
In the meantime, the Goucher’s have put together this nice 4-minute video which recaps a crazy, busy past few weeks:
Thanks Kara (and Adam for the fine camera and editing work). Good luck with the training!
By: Andy Gamm (with on the ground provided by Anna Bryce)
NUTRILITE spokeswoman and elite marathon runner Kara Goucher made her first appearance for us at the Country Music Marathon this past weekend in Nashville. To say she stole the show – well, that’s an understatment. Wait, let me clarify, the Goucher trio – including husband Adam and adorable infant son Colt – stole the show!
Kara, of course, is coming off of a personal best and fifth place finish in the Boston Marathon. She is a star among the throngs of people who run for sport and pleasure and that showed with the requests for interviews, attendance at her stage presentation and book signign at the NUTRILITE Mobile Brand Experience (MOBE) this past weekend.
Her busy Friday kicked off with a live appearance on Fox 17 in Nashville to talk about her new book and her partnership with NUTRILITE. Later, she taped a segment for the NBC affiliate in Nashville, which ran on their Sunday night sports week show. Despite the host butchering her name, it was a nice piece. Catch Kara on the Nashvillle NBC affliate.
The main event was Friday afternoon at the always busy pre-race expo. Kara and NUTRILITE MOBE Brand Ambassador Heather Smith drew a standing-room only crowd to the main presentation stage. The crowd clearly had great affection and respect for the superstar marathoner. The audience was totally engaged and eager to pick Kara’s brain on everything from compression socks and barefoot running to her favorite vitamins - NUTRILITE Double X of course!
After speaking from stage, Kara signed autographs and copies of her new book Kara Goucher’s Running for Women: From First Steps to Marathons at the NUTRILITE MOBE. Hundreds lined up to have Kara sign her book or copies of recent Runner’s World and Competitor magazines that have recently featured our star runner. But more than just wanting her signature, these dedicated running fans really wanted to connect with Kara, congratulate her on her recent 5th in the Boston Marathon, ask for her advice and thank her for being such an inspiration.
A family affair — proving it’s possible to be an elite athlete, author and devoted wife and mother, Kara’s husband, Adam, and adorable baby, Colt, joined her in Nashville for every step of the visit. It’s obvious that their support and encouragement play a key role in her success.
To watch Kara interact with people was fun. She is engaging and endearing and a truly great representative for the NUTRILITE brand.
If you follow our Nutrilite Facebook page and Twitter account you know we were in Dallas last weekend for the Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon. This was my first time attending a Rock 'n' Roll event and I have to say it was special. Thousands of runners, bands playing at every mile marker, and a raucous celebration at the start line and tfinish line.
I was running around with my cameras grabbing images and video, so I put in a few miles myself, even though I wasn't participating in the race. A number of my colleagues did run, though. And they all finished strong. I definitely want to run a 1/2 marathon later this year, but I've got to get over my nagging calf injury that just won't go away. I'm shooting for San Jose in October.
Here's some of what I saw in Dallas on Sunday:
Mark Nelson, Director of Health & Wellness, wishes runners the best.
The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders perform for runners at the start line.
One wave of runners starts their race.
"Definitely Maybe" is the first band on the course.
The University of Texas Marching Band plays the William Tell Overture for runners near the finish line.
The finish line.
Texas Blues guitarist "Guitar Shorty" performs in the finish line party area.
Pardon the Wizard of Oz reference in the title, but now that I've got your attention, I have a ton of cool news to share with you.
National Spotlights Coming to a big city near you in the next few weeks… join us so you don't miss your opportunity to experience and learn what other IBOs across the country have discovered. And best of all? It is FREE to you and your guests.
Join us September 3-5 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. We even have a wide range of times available for you to stop by and soak it all in. We'll be there Thursday from 5-9 p.m., Friday from Noon-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Why attend? It's really quite simple: - Taste, touch, and try many of the products – including great new products – available through Amway Global. - Get your brand and product questions answered by experts. - Learn valuable techniques to energize your business. - Take home FREE product samples and literature. - Participate in product demonstrations you can use in your business.
Let us do the work for you! Bring your customers and prospects to the largest open house imaginable.
Can't make it to NYC? Here are dates for Chicago (same times): September 10-12 at the Stephens Convention Center.
Rock 'N' Roll Marathons Whether you're running, watching, visiting or just checking it out… don't miss out on the next two marathons in the Nutrilite sponsored series.
First up is the Virginia Beach Rock 'N' Roll 1/2 Marathon, September 4-6.
Of note: - Greg Meyer is speaking at the Expo Clinic (Virginia Beach Convention Center) Friday – 1:30-2:30pm (at the Nutrilite MoBE before and after); Sat – 5-6pm (at MoBE before) - Jenn Stuczynski available for signing autographs at the Nutrilite Mobile Brand Experience (Friday – 5-6:30pm; Saturday – 11-12:30) - Expo hours: Friday, Sept 4 – 12 – 7pm; Sat, Sept 5 – 9am – 6pm - Race Day – Sun, Sept 6 – start time 7am - Visit rnrvb.com for more details.
Then, September 18-20 catch us at the ING Philadelphia Distance Run (1/2 Marathon).
Greg Meyer will be speaking at the Expo Clinic (Pennsylvania Convention Center – Hall C); Times TBD. Also note: - Expo hours: Friday, Sept 18 – 11am 6pm; Sat, Sept 19 – 9am – 5pm - Race Day – Sun, Sept 20 – start time 7:45am - Visit ingphiladelphiadistancerun.com for more details.
Nutrilite Sports Nutrition NEW product update About six weeks ago, I blogged here about some exciting new products available for sports nutrition consumers. Time for an update.
- Sugar Free Strawberry Sports Drink launched on June 30 and is going gangbusters. This great new flavor tested at the top of the list with consumers and is a terrific replacement for Sugar Free Dragonfruit.
- Mixed Berry Smoothie Energy Bars launched on July 27 and are a great addition to the line of already beloved flavors. This bar offers a change-up, to borrow a baseball term, in that it has even more carbs for energy production, with slightly less protein, and lower calories. Plus there are no nuts in the product (though please read the label as it is made in a facility where some allergens may be present).
- Mixed Berry Smoothie Protein Shake launched around August 10. Get your Strawberries & Cream while it lasts! This terrific new flavor improves upon the taste of the Strawberry and offers the same great 25g of protein with no sugar and only 160 calories. It is the perfect post workout fuel for lean muscles and quicker recovery.
- Chocolate Chunk Sports Cookies are now shipping. These cookies are as good as they sound and serve a critical function in the sports nutrition category. They boast an optimal 4:1 carb-to-protein ration, which has been shown to provide faster muscle recovery and reduced muscle damage. The 24g of carbs also give this product versatility in that it can be used for pre-workout energy.
- ROC2O Isotonic Sports Drink is set to ship any day now. These tasty drink mixes come in Mixed Berry and Fruit Punch flavors in convenient stick packs for quick and easy addition to your favorite bottle of water. Think sports drink on the run when you think about this product. Or sports drink plus. The plus is the 100mg of Red Orange Complex, which has myriad benefits.
Coming soon – Endurance Cubes. I'll blog more about that very soon…
In the meantime be sure to check out the National Spotlights, hit a Rock 'N' Roll Marathon or at least try all of the new Nutrilite Sports Nutrition products.
