Why 8 Days in the Hospital Wasn’t Terrible

It was 9 weeks of an autoimmune flare that sparked me to take an uber to the ER.

I was admitted after waiting many hours in extreme pain. I was speaking in tongues while waiting to be seen and put out of my misery. The pain and anguish covered my body from head to toe, inflammation and dehydration debilitating me to sweat and tears.

This was the first time I visited a hospital as a Christian. I brought a 3-day packed bag, because I knew I wasn’t going home, and needed to be restored. I brought my Bible and read it in the ER. A few people came up to me to praise me for reading it, and gave me their phone numbers. I thought, “Well this is nice.”

As I was in the ER section, I met two more fellow Christians, and we connected and became friends. One of them is a transporter and now we speak daily about God and work on our missions together.

As the days went on, every single day, I met another fellow believer in Jesus Christ: the people who took my blood each day, the nurses, the nurses aides, the cleaning crew, and more. Each day God blessed me with love and light from His people.

One day I was praying in a lounge room in tongues. When I was finished a nurse came to me and spoke to me in Portuguese. I looked at her with question, and she asked me where I was from, “Brazil? Portugal? Spain?” I said, “Hi, I’m from California, and I’m not too sure what you said.” She told me I was speaking in Portuguese and Spanish through my tongues, and I had no idea. She translated it back to me and my eyes welled with tears.

I then felt a sense to prophecy to her, and asked her if she had a son. Now her eyes teared up, and said, “Only God could be speaking this, because we have just met.”

I could feel her worry about her child, he was going through something, and God let me know to tell her, everything was going to be okay. It had already been done, in His name. We hugged and cried, and I went back to my bed to rest, full of the Holy Spirit and Awe.

I then began to translate all of my tongues using the Translate App, and began seeing that I really was speaking French, Portuguese, Latin, and Spanish. God works miracles, and He spoke through me, to me, with loving, affirmative messages. “I am with you. I am your best friend. I love you, my daughter, my love. Rest, sit, wait, I am here with you.” It’s amazing, and now we speak everyday through this language.

Each day, the blood tests came back the same. There was no improvement for 7 days and the doctors could not find a cause or trigger. Each day I walked around the floor, singing and praising the Lord, being in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and spreading smiles to the patients and nurses. I spoke to Chaplains, got advice about my journey, and poured my heart out. I knew I would heal because I’ve healed many times before.

Did you know, most people staying in the hospital are quite crabby? God let me know I was a ball of sunshine there to walk around and lighten the moods that week. I was put there on assignment, and He knew I could handle the pain, the IV’s, the testing, and the answers.

On day 8, the numbers changed by about 30% from the first day, showing a slight decrease in inflammation, and the doctor allowed me to go home to heal.

These 8 days were drastically different from the 9 days I spent at the hospital earlier this year, without knowing Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. This time was a time for rest, and time to get closer to God, and to be fully blessed with the speaking of tongues. This time was a time to let me know, let me grow, and let me heal on His time, on His will.

I’m home now and healing day by day. I’ve learned I physically and mentally cannot do a normal job – it always ends up with me sick in the hospital.

I’m going into 100% Full Time Ministry and Teaching of God’s Word. It is my purpose to read, write, learn and teach. It is my duty to spread the Gospel.

Jesus is coming, God Loves Us, and the world needs more Love. Stay tuned for more blogs!

If you’d like to contribute a gift of love to my life and purpose, my cash app is $NixieDee

Learn More About Nixie using LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/nixiewellness

Finding a Life as a Full Time Personal Trainer

Hello Washington, DC

I have landed my dream job. I will help people become fit, healthy, and happy each hour of the day. I will perform fun training sessions as I live in a city full of spark. Somehow I will find a way to discover peace, sanity, happy hours, and brunches.

A personal training job is not a nine to five. It is a 7am-noon and 4pm-8pm kind of schedule. Your life is your job. Your gym is your new home… if you want to make money. I’m excited. I love the work. I love the people. I love getting to know people, forming genuine relationships, and helping people. It fulfills me. It makes me happy. It gives me strength and purpose.

Ever wonder what your purpose was? This is mine.

With a lion’s heart, I will be brave, courageous, and hard working. I will master my skills and show you exactly how much I care about your well-being. But of course, I must find mine first. For me to love you and help you, I must put myself first. Let me be my best, and I will be the best for you.

Building Your Own Rome

As a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, I have to deal with a lot of set backs. We’re human. We fail. We get back up and try again. This post is about going for your ultimate goal and not letting anything stand in your way. You need to build your Rome, no matter what bridges you must cross or burn. Whatever your Rome may be: losing weight, winning a show, landing a big job, getting a raise, or publishing a novel; You can do it.

Now, of course not everything works out. Let’s not fill ourselves with false hope. Let’s fill ourselves with real commitment, dedication, and control. Challenge yourself to go beyond that tiny comfort zone and do something different. Try something new. If your blueprint for Rome isn’t working, draw up a new plan.

This is not as easy as it seems. As I write this to you, I write this to myself as well. I’m working on my very own Rome, and it is one hell of a project. Life isn’t easy, but when it comes down to making huge decisions, you have to remember the end goal.

When you remember your finished project, you’ll be able to make the right choices to build it. Put things into perspective. It’s easy to lose perspective. It’s not simple to step outside of your current life and analyze it as if it were a picture in a frame. Pick out the “what’s wrong with this picture” parts. Remember that game? Two pictures side by side. One has 15 things wrong in it. Draw up your life in your mind. Pick out those upside down hats, backwards faces, and torn shirts. Get them out of there. Re-arrange your picture so that it’s pretty and organized.

It may hurt a bit. It may hurt a lot. Actually let’s be honest…Emotionally, physically, and mentally, it will hurt. No pain, no gain, right?

No matter what you are doing remember this:

Commit
- Commit yourself to your Rome. Make a plan of action and follow through the steps. If you have a setback, realign and forge ahead.
Control
- Have control of yourself. Use your will power. Control each situation so that it is the best to build your Rome.
Challenge
- This is the difficult one. You must challenge your current life, thoughts, emotions, and physical being to be something better, different, and successful. To challenge yourself means tackling that thing you fear. It’s hard, but it’s worth it.

Credit to Dr. Sal Maddi for teaching me the laws of hardiness and the 3 C’s.

How Did You Get Here?

As I was watching Biggest Loser last night, seeing the morbidly obese contestants step onto the scale, it makes me think. It makes me angry. It makes me sad. And wonder:

How could they do this to themselves? How could they not see what was happening to their bodies? Did they care? Do they want to live a long life? Are they happy? After gaining 10lbs, how come they didn’t stop? 20lbs? 50lbs? How come they didn’t see what it was doing to their bodies, lives, and esteem? What was going through their head as they chugged that soda, munched that cheeseburger, downed that milkshake, or ate all that food? How did they feel after sitting on their ass, day after day, after day? Did they own a scale? Did anyone tell them to change? Did anyone try to help them? Why? Why not?

As a fitness trainer, and self-obsessed body improving perfectionist, I notice every tiny change. I notice a dimple, a wrinkle, a jiggle, a heavy feeling, a light feeling, a sad feeling…I notice every tiny little thing, unless of course it’s positive. So when I improve, it takes me weeks to see. At least 8-12 weeks before I notice a tighter muscle. A smaller tummy. A cheekbone. A change for the better. Some may call it body-dysmorphic disorder. I just call it perfectionism. I always believe we can be better. Stronger. Faster. Tighter.

That doesn’t mean I skip sushi or pizza. That doesn’t mean I ~~don’t~~ accidentally eat 12 cookies in 10 minutes. That doesn’t mean I am perfect in diet and fitness. But I make attempts. Very strong, embedded mentally, attempts. I read labels. Every label. I count calories (mentally). I eat slowly. I don’t party. I eat/use organic products. I lift heavy. I run hard. And I move often. I constantly believe in improvement. I want to learn something new every day. I want to be inspired. I try.

What goes through your head? How did you get there? Did you notice the negatives or the positives? What makes you tick? What makes you stop? What makes you give up, lie down, and roll over? What makes you crawl into a hole? What makes you pop out of bed with enthusiasm? When you find these things out, you’ll be able to better yourself. You’ll be able to become that girl/guy you’ve always wanted.

You’re overweight because of something in your head, not your body. Your body can work. It can lift. It can lose weight. Even if you have an injury, you can work through it. You can work past it. Eat less if you move less. Eat more if you move more. Make your body work for you. But this means getting your head in the right place. It has to be dedicated. It has to be determined. It has to be for you because of you. You can’t depend on anyone else, or anything else to give you the body you want. Your workout buddy can’t make it? So what. Workout at home. Stop making excuses. And figure out what you really want. You already know. So just be honest with yourself. Tell the truth. Stop living in an illusion. And wake up. It’s going to be scary. It’s going to be saddening. But you know what? It’s going to change you for the better, forever.

Thrive Forward With Fitness: Total Body Workout

Free Workouts

At Home or At The Gym

Do you want to work out but don’t have a clue where to start? So many people want to be healthy but don’t know how. Here is a free hint. I’ve made up a home workout session and gym session, to fit all levels and needs. If this is too boring, contact me and I’ll make up a personalized workout for you. What do you love to do? Try this beginners workout and let me know how it goes! It will challenge your balance, make your mind work, and keep you laughing as you crank out that sweat. Have fun!

Home (30 minutes)

Equipment: Jump Rope (optional)

Warm Up

1 Min Straight Kick + Reach w/Opposite Hand
3 Min Jump Rope or Jumping Jacks
1 Min Mountain Climbers

Workout
3 min Squats
3 min One-Leg Triceps-Dips
30 Sec One-Leg Jump Rope or Cross Jacks
Stacked-Feet Pushups

30 Sec Rest
Repeat.

12 Front Lunges, holding a weight on one side.
Do 6 on right leg, 6 on left leg.
1 Min Jump Rope or Cross Jacks
2 Min Cross Body Punches
Repeat 2x.

x.X.x Bonus Round x.X.x

!KEEP ABS TIGHT!
45 secs Disc Mountain Climbers, Wide
45 secs Disc In n Out’s
1 Minute 1-Leg Jump Rope
10 One-Leg Pushups
2 Minute Squat Jumps
30 Sec High Plank 2 Low Plank
Wall Sit until failure

Gym (30-45 minutes)

Equipment: Treadmill or Elliptical, Free Weights, Bench

Warm Up
2 Minutes: Jog: 4.0 speed, 3.0^ <–That symbol means incline!
5 Minutes: Jog Faster: 5.5 Speed, 5.0 ^
2 Minutes: Sprint as fast as possible, 5.5^
1 Minute: Walk, 8.0 Incline

If the treadmill is too hard or you are too heavy, do the same workout on the elliptical. Keep your hands OFF the treadmill, and ON the elliptical hand pulls!

Workout
12 Reps One-Leg Hammer Curl to Press
30 Sec Bench Triceps-Dips
12 Reps One-Leg Hammer Curl to Press
30 Sec Bench Triceps-Dips

8 Reps One-Side One-Leg Lateral Raise
30 Seconds Sumo Squats
8 Reps One-Side One-Leg Lateral Raise
30 Seconds Sumo Squats

12 Reps One-Leg Upright Row
30 Sec Bench Push-ups, Wide Grip
12 Reps One-Leg Upright Row
30 Sec Bench Push-ups

x.X.x Bonus x.X.x
Hop Back on the Treadmill or Elliptical!
5 Minutes Jog
2 Minutes Run
5 Minutes Jog Uphill (5-8 incline)
2 Minutes Walk Uphill (8.0^)

When you’re doing one-side or one-leg, make sure you switch the next time you have to do it! Don’t only work one side of your body. X.x

If you have any questions about form or how to do something, feel free to comment or email me. You can always youtube a move, but there are thousands of variations of things, so I highly suggest just asking!

How often do you workout? At Home or At the Gym?

How To Have A Good-Health Day

Start with alkaline.

First things first. Drink some water. Not just plain water, but a water that will alkalize your body, readying it for nutrients. Add the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water, warmed if possible. Add an herbal tea bag or some dried Goji berries to go the extra flavor mile.
Why? Alkalinity is related to Ph balance. Your digestive system is the main center of your immune system. When your body is alkaline, bacteria, viruses, indigestion, and pain have a hard time surviving. The more alkaline you are, the healthier you are. Lemon may seem acidic, but it actually turns alkaline in your body. Anything that is fresh and plant-based is alkalizing to your body. Processed foods, junk foods, and sugar are acidic. Avoid at all costs!

Hit the road with protein.

The best way to get your hunger under control is to start the day with some plant-based protein. Protein takes longer to digest, and increases your satiety (fullness factor). I suggest a VegaOne shake or smoothie. VegaOne has 50% of your vitamins and minerals, 15g of protein, 6grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of Omega 3’s, Antioxidants, Probiotics, and greens. Plus, it has the super foods chlorella and maca! You won’t only feel full until lunch, but energized and happy. Blend half a frozen banana, one scoop VegaOne, and 12oz unsweetened almond milk or water. If you’re in a rush, you can simply mix a scoop of VegaOne and 8oz water in a to-go BlenderBottle. (Do this at night for a grab-n-go.) The berry flavor of VegaOne is best mixed with water -and nothing else. Vanilla Chai and Chocolate are great with water, or the banana and non-dairy milk.

Why? A mid-morning munchie attack before lunch time can sabotage your calorie count and weight loss efforts. It can also mean snacking on vending machine junk or the cake in the back office. Sound familiar? Candy-dish diving is just going to make you hungrier and grumpier. Be sure to get a smoothie.
Why plant-based? Whey protein digests very quickly and can bloat you. Many people have dairy-sensitivities, which is where whey comes from. VegaOne doesn’t only provide you with protein and satiety- you get most of the greens, vitamins, probiotics, and minerals you need for the rest of the day. Now that’s a good start!

Pack security.

You may have forgot to pack a lunch. You may be invited to go out to a staff lunch. And you will be tempted with that staff pizza party. If you want to be free from guilt, and health-insured, pack some security. I suggest a home-made trail mix, piece of fruit+raw almonds, or non-dairy greek yogurt. Bananas, oranges, and apples are year round fruits that are very purse-friendly. Raw almonds are full of fiber and protein; only a handful will sustain your hunger until you get home. When fruit and almonds are paired together, you will get a healthy dose of carbs, good fats, and protein. Non-dairy greek yogurt, made from coconut milk (Delicious!) is also full of protein and fibers. Plus, it tastes sinful but is actually very good for you.

For more information:

Alkalinity: http://thriveforward.com/lesson/assessing-your-ph/
Plant Protein: http://thriveforward.com/lesson/clean-eating-101-lesson-3/
Snack Security: http://thriveforward.com/lesson/clean-eating-101-lesson-4/

Inspire

It takes the smallest word, picture, film, or person to inspire someone to do something great. I dream of being that inspiration for you. It makes me ecstatic to know that I inspired someone to do one thing healthier, pick up a new health food, or even eat a vegetarian meal. Something that has inspired me lately is the Thrive Forward program, which I wrote about here.

I look at plenty of other health, fitness, and wellness sites and find that the personal weight loss stories get the most views. The front page is usually a set of before, during, and after photos of the girl and the website is full of how she lost the weight. People want to know exactly how the person did it: What did they eat? How did they exercise? What supplement did they take? Did they use a weight loss pill, green coffee bean, or ketones? Did they lift weights or do cardio?

That reminds me. People always think that weight lifting and cardio have to be different. They can’t be in the same move or exercise…yet they can! For example, Kettle Bell workouts are weight lifting/strength training and great cardio. You build muscle and get your heart rate to skyrocket. Don’t get stuck wondering if you should be lifting weights or running. Combine moves, use multiple muscle groups, and stay at a medium-fast pace. For example, hold weights and do a squat+ shoulder press. Do them quickly for your high heart rate, and use a heavy weight for the strength. Hint: The higher your heart rate, the more calories you burn, the more weight you lose.

It’s great that people visit these sites and want to know these stories. But I must tell you some truth: What worked for that girl, may not work for you. Any new lower-calorie diet and exercise is going to make you lose weight, but sustainability is what you should be focusing on. What is going to work for you for the rest of your life? What is a type of exercise you love that feels like play?

Personally, I love working out…except most of the time I hate running! I know, I know, a trainer who hates running?! But that doesn’t mean I don’t love dancing, kickboxing, cycling, or any other type of heart-racing activity. I don’t enjoy pounding the pavement or treadmill unless I’m racing someone, doing it for a good cause (Fundraising), or if I’m super stressed (Fight or Flight, right?). If I’m stressed out, angry, or sad- I’ll be glad to sprint on a treadmill for an hour. But most of the time I’m happy, humble, and carefree, and I enjoy doing other sorts of exercises…

It’s okay if you hate something, you don’t have to be obligated to doing that thing. As a Personal Trainer I find out what you love to do, and cater your exercise around that. If you want a personalized workout, contact me. 🙂 I’d be happy to help you! First timers are always free.

My goal is to inspire you, so let me know what you want to see. Do you want to see personal stories? My workouts? My daily food? (I post a lot of that on Twitter!) Tell me if you’d like some help. Don’t be shy. I won’t judge you.

Best Health,

Nicole

Inspirational Quotes to Make You think

Here are some quotes that made me think about weightloss. They can be generalized for any situation in life, but they sparked my thoughts about you. They’re from A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel. (I haven’t finished the book yet, but was inspired to share this with you.) More posts to come!

Did you have a recent set-back? If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We must always keep in mind and have a plan of what to do, if things don’t go our way, and what to do when that happens. We’re human. We have to be real with ourselves. Don’t lie to yourself. Be honest. If you know yourself well enough, and can examine your history, make sure you make a plan for what you usually fail at. This doesn’t guarantee you will do the same mistakes you always do, but you will have a back-up plan, just in case. Now…so many days later… you fail. Read below to figure it out.

Figure out why you did what you did, you’ll be less likely to make the same mistake again.

Why did you do it? Why did you eat that cookie, ice cream, pizza, and cheeseburger? Why did you pig out before bed, during that movie, or at that work party? Was someone pushing you? Were you not disciplined enough with yourself? Did you feel out of control? Answer these questions so you won’t make the same mistake again.

Every crisis is an opportunity for self-examination.

Examine yourself. Re-examine. Don’t just make statements. Truly take a moment to examine your actions and why you got the result you did.

Instead of beating yourself up about it, figure out why it happened.

Beating yourself up will do nothing to take you to success. It will actually take you even further back into that mess. You will feel less secure, think you can’t do it, and continue on that path of mistakes. Instead, figure it out logically, like a math problem, and find a solution.

Often, you will discover what’s true after making a mistake.

What is true about your situation? What is false?

The people around you will always want you to do what they want. That’s human nature. Unless you know what you want, you’ll be making decisions and living your life on somebody else’s terms.

Just because your best friend, spouse, parents, or boyfriend is eating pizza and watching Netflix when you get home does not mean you have to join him! Get your workout in, make a healthy meal, and put yourself first. They will slowly start to understand and may even decide to join you.

It can take a few swings of the axe before you actually sever the links.

You may not succeed the first time, but try, try again. You will get the hang of it. And for each fail, you will learn something more. You will take that lesson and knowledge into your journey, and do better the next round. Something punch you down? Now you know how to block that punch.

To have a future, you have to let the past be past.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done…life will be the same. Leave your bad habits, eating connections, and emotional boundaries in the past. Let. It. Go. And you will be able to grow.

Make your pain your identity, then that’s what you become.

You become what you think. Your thoughts are who you are. If you think you are a sad, fat, depressed, troubled person -then that is what you will become and stay. Start thinking of what you want to be. A strong-willed, disciplined, fit and healthy, woman. A fun person. An active person. A person who loves hiking, skiing, running, dancing, socializing, -whatever floats your boat. Imagine the person you want to be and keep that image in your head. That is what you will become.

Make Sustainable Resolutions

When making your resolutions this year, don’t focus on 30 day weight loss programs, limited-time only classes, or restricting yourself 100% from one thing or another. Don’t just focus on January; focus on the entire year.

Make short term goals of 30 days, medium goals of 90 days, and long term goals for year’s end. (I’m personally making a 12-slide slideshow and making a goal for each month. Each slide contains photos, details, quotes, and other inspirations. I don’t have them all filled in yet, and that’s important. Goals change depending on what you accomplish as you go.)

If you want your health resolution to last, make it something you can follow for the rest of your life. Don’t do some stupid challenge that only lasts 30 days; what will you do after? Find what entertains you, exercises you, and stimulates your mind. Stick to that, and watch it work its magic.

Don’t completely cut out a food group like carbs or fat, because those are essential for life! Just focus on the healthy versions, like whole or sprouted grains, and plant-based fats from nuts and avocados. Here is a great pdf by Brendan Brazier on clean eating: Thrive Forward 101

You see all over the net… “These 3 Moves Will Sculpt Your Arms” … “30 days to a Ripped Body” … “Get a Rockin’ Booty in 10 Easy moves.”

These things are falsely-marketed fitness plans. You won’t do them every day for the rest of your life. You may attempt the first two weeks, and then you’ll be too sore, crawling on the ground, crying from pain, and not try again until next year. This is why you need to find what works for you.

Being healthy and fit is a lifestyle, not some 30 day program to lose 10lbs. When people finish diets and lose their weight, they go back to their old habits and ways. They think that since they lost all that weight, they can go back to their favorite fatty, fried foods.

If you keep eating that way, your body is going to stay that way.

Chances are, if you keep telling yourself, “I’m so unhappy, fat, and stressed.” Then you will stay that way. What you think; You become. Mind over Matter. You must make up your mind before trying to change your body.

You have to CHANGE what you are doing forever to get sustainable, lasting results.

All of these pins, articles, and tweets you see are just blowing smoke up your ass! You’re not going to get a six pack in a month if you are 200 pounds. You’re not going to be shredded after a 30 day diet and workout program if you’re more than 20lbs over weight. Those “7 supplements” are not going to burn fat if you’re sitting all day, munching on pretzels and vending machine crap. That commercial about the new “Lose Weight Fast” pill isn’t going to help you just because they show a skinny actress. Research weight loss pills scientific articles. The fine print always says, “Results show with proper diet and exercise.” Guess what? A healthy diet and exercise is helping you, not some caffeine pill (that gives you jitters and makes you pee every 30 minutes!).

It takes hard work, dedication, a plant-based, low-calorie diet to seriously change your body. Scarfing down pounds of chicken and white rice is not going to get you where you want to be. Take it from someone who personally reads and tests these bizarre diets, workouts, and claims! It’s all false.

How did I get to the best shape of my life? Five – six days of weight lifting and cardio, burning 500+ calories a day, eating salads as meals, organic proteins, and forgetting about sugar and desserts. It’s not so hard to lose weight, but to be truly fit, you need to stay consistent. If I go one week, only 7 days, without a hard-hitting routine that makes me sweat and burn, I’ll become weaker, slower, and fatigued.

Health and wellness is a commitment. A Lifestyle. A dedication. A daily task. Like brushing your teeth, you must think and “do health” everyday. Sure, I have dessert, lattes, and pizza. But I always fit them into my health plan. I don’t get extra cheese. I always opt for the “sugar-free skinny soy” latte, and make sure my dessert fits into my overall calorie goals. Even my cocktails are “skinny.”

You can enjoy life. No doubt about it. I love food and drinks. But if you truly want to be healthy, happy, and fit this year, you need to change your attitude, toughen up, and grow some courage. Stop believing myths like “Carbs are bad” and “Weights make you bulky” and that it only takes 30 days to be a skinny mini. Everything depends on where you start, your level of dedication, your daily diet, and your ending goal.

Contact me if you need some help. It’s always free.