How Much Are You Worth?

Forty dollars.  

That's what I was spending a month on a multi-vitamin and probiotics. If I had to take additional Vitamin D, add another five bucks or so.  I unconsciously decided I was worth $40 each month because I was spending that to take care of my health.  

If you are a member of a gym (and use that membership!), you have decided you are worth at least the cost of the membership, right?  We invest in shoes that prevent our backs from hurting all day at work.  We invest in pillows to help our necks while we sleep.  We invest in "things" meant to make us better, but do we invest in what we ingest? 

I hear people say Shakeology is too expensive.  By the time you add the shipping & handling and tax, it is probably going to cost you around $120 each month, or about $4 per day.  Am I worth that much money each month? Do I deserve that? 

Consider this:  I have my Shakeology as my breakfast. Mainly because most mornings I'm on the struggle bus and I can manage to do this quickly and get out the door.  It takes me less than 5 minutes start to finish and that's with my ADHD in high gear.  I no longer skip breakfast or run through McDonald's for $10 worth of biscuits and coffee.  (Gotta feed the kiddos, too, if I'm eating there!)  There is no mid-morning crash where I run to a drink machine or dig around for chocolate left behind. (Which is kinda gross when you think about it.  I mean, really?  How long has that Twix bar been there?)

Remember that $40 I was spending on the vitamins?  I don't have to do that anymore because those needs are being met by my Shakeology.  If you take that savings away from the cost of the Shakeology, it now costs me $2.67 each day.  Is my well-being worth $2.67 a month?

For me, the answer is yes.  By the time I added up the $40 plus the co-pays for bloodwork, I was already spending half what I spend on Shakeology.  Take the savings from skipping fast food and sugary snacks, and I'm pretty much breaking even.  

If you have talked yourself out of trying Shakeology because of the cost, ask yourself what are you worth? One of the best decisions I've ever made was finally deciding to put my health first and take control of it.  I am worth it.

SIR! I Challenge You To A Duel!

Be honest:  Right now you're picturing men with swords and long coats with excessive facial hair (although well-groomed facial hair...)

Good news!  That's not what this is about, at all!

When you are cruising through facebook and you see a Beachbody coach inviting people to a challenge group, it can make you a little nervous...especially if the person being invited is YOU!  A lot of that reaction is based in our history with exercise and how we feel about our bodies.  My first thought was, "That chick just called me fat!  Must be nice to have a personal chef and be able to sit at home and just workout all day!!!!"  

Whoa!  Dial it back a notch, right?

Most of that emotion came from my history (or lack thereof) with exercise.  Namely, I didn't do it. Ever.  Not, like, ever in the history of evers.  I hated it because it was a reminder of gym class and being picked last.  It was a reminder of holding the entire class up because they had to wait for me to finish that stupid 600-yard walk/run.  Yes, I said it:  STUPID!!

Again, being the supportive friend (till the end, yo), I joined the challenge group.  This is what a challenge group REALLY is:  It's a support group. It's accountability.

Each day, the coach will post a challenge, tips, and/or motivation.  What kind of challenge?  You might rate your workout that day or tell the group how much you like (or dislike) the workout program you're using.  The coach might want you to post how many ounces of water you've had that day or a "sweaty selfie" when you finish your workout.  Not scary, right?  Entirely true.

What it's not?  No one will berate you or belittle you or yell "QUITTER" through the computer.  No one will glare at you menacingly if you skip a workout or eat a doughnut.  There is encouragement and empathy.  There is a funny meme about falling off the wagon.  

The only challenge in these groups is you challenging yourself to be a better version of you.  It may have absolutely nothing to do with weight loss.  It doesn't have to.  It might be just getting some movement into your life.  It might just be cleaning up your eating plan.  Whatever "it" is, a challenge group is for YOU to meet and exceed the goal you have set for yourself.

Set your goal.  Find a challenge group.  Surround yourself with positive energy and then crush those goals.  It's happening every single moment of every single day.