Fit is Freedom with Kelly Howard

On Commitment

We all want to change some aspect of our lives, be it eating habits, exercise routines or even how we socialize with others. But successfully making those changes means more than simply adding a new task to our agendas. To make truly lifelong changes, you will need to commit and figure out which habits need to be improved and which ones need to go entirely.
In this episode, Kelly discusses differing levels of commitment, why taking on new tasks means getting rid of others, and scheduling your new, healthy habits.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
-How complete commitment to one task can overrule other parts of your life.
-Why 99% commitment feels more stressful than 100% commitment.
-Turning lifestyle choices into lifelong habits.
-Determining when to give one task/choice a good try, and when to go all-in.
-“Keystone habits” and Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit.
-Kelly’s three-step process to identifying and changing habits.
Quotes:
“The truth is, when you’re a hundred percent committed to something, there are other things in life that aren’t gonna get done.”
“If you are 100% committed to whatever it is, then you don’t really have to think about it.”
“If it’s something you really want to do, it eventually becomes a habit.”
“Everytime you stop an action, you’re getting something in return.”
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On Fun

In your journey to get your life fit and in order, don’t forget to make time for fun. After all, while hard work makes for a sustainable and healthy life, fun helps make it enjoyable and can get you through a rougher day. So for this episode, Kelly focuses on how you can get necessary chores out of the way so you can make the time to relax and cut loose.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
-Discussing overwork and when you need to give yourself some time off.
-Kelly points to Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff, so you can find inspiration to complete the tasks you’ve been putting off for a while.
-Acknowledging that making chores fun incentivizes ourselves to keep at them.
-Kelly’s 30-day challenge: doing something fun and something fit each day; starts October 15; click on the “I Want a Challenge” link on the Angel Tiger Fit website.
Quotes:
“Today we’re going to be chatting about the science of fun—and believe me, that is not an oxymoron.”
“The less it lights you up, the harder it is going to be to stick with it in the long term, every time.”
“There really is something very important about making sure that you’re loving at least some of what it is that you do, and enjoying as much of your fitness that you can.”
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On Motivation

As much as we may want to get fit and organized, life can throw obstacles in your way, be it pain, fatigue or just not being able to find the spark to get off. To keep ourselves on track and accountable when we really just aren't feeling it on an off day, it helps to have a solid plan to provide motivation and structure.
In this episode, Kelly discusses the dangers of overwork, how to formulate a plan that keeps you active yet not worn out, and some key techniques for becoming your own best coach.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
-Kelly relates her own difficulties working through fatigue and discomfort.
-The importance of finding a friend you can be accountable with.
-How essential it is to follow through on the promises you've made for yourself.
-Turning your wish list into a workable schedule.
-Download Kelly's 12-step plan to get back on your feet.
Quotes:
“Sometimes we can't always keep ourselves on track and motivated. Sometimes we need the power of friends and a good plan to get ourselves back on track.”
“I think this is where most of us fall off, when we have a wishlist instead of a schedule.”
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Interview with Oonagh Duncan of Fit Feels Good

After tackling her health head-on and embracing a fitter lifestyle in her 40s, Oonagh Duncan now specializes in a total mind-body approach for getting into the shape you want. Her 28 Day Transformation Challenge is a comprehensive course in changing your food and fitness behaviours so that eating and living healthy comes to be second-nature.
In this episode, Oonagh discusses the key habits that lead to healthy thinking and healthy living, why viewing non-smokers and non-drinkers as something “other” can impede our personal growth, and the importance of moving past the notion of what our bodies “should” be like.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Addressing the Us vs. Them mentality that can make it all the more
difficult for smokers to give up their habit.
Kelly describes her own 90 days without drinking alcohol and how it’s
changed her approach to casual drinking.
How our own perceptions of what our body is supposed to be like can
impede our drive to want to get fit.
Oonagh summarizes her 28 Day Transformation Challenge and its
habits-based approach.
Identifying “keystone habits” and developing new habit patterns to
encourage healthy living.
Avoiding confusing temporary diets with permanent lifestyle changes.
Oonagh outline some basic steps to changing your mindset toward
living a healthier lifestyle.
Using meditation to counter your cravings.
Oonagh describes her upcoming “retreat” where she and others will
live at peak mind and body healthiness.
Next week: Kelly outlines her own five-step plan.
Quotes:
“You do have to do some mental adjustments about who you are now when your body changes.”
“It’s not that my workout burned so many calories, and that’s why I’m fit. It’s because it set off this ripple effect of other positive behaviors throughout my day.”
“Is this [diet] something you’ll do when you’re so, so busy? Is this something you’ll do when your loved one is in the hospital?”
“If you want fat loss, [your diet’s] going to be 99% nutrition.”
“People think they want to lose weight, but they don’t want to lose weight. They want the feeling they’ll think they have when they’ve lost weight.”
Links:
Official Fit Feels Good website - https://www.fitfeelsgood.com/
Oonagh’s homepage - https://www.oonaghduncan.com/
The Angel Tiger Fit homepage - https://angeltigerfit.com/

On Mindset

Getting yourself refreshed and in shape is near-constant reminder of how harsh we can be towards ourselves, judging our own appearance and drive. To get our minds and bodies fit, getting yourself in a healthy, positive headspace more effectively enables us to do the work we need to put in.
In this episode, Kelly discusses the negative thoughts she and others have had to grapple with on their paths to self-improvement, as well as the steps we can take to keep ourselves on a healthy track even if work can get in the way.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Kelly’s interviews her fellow conference-goers about self-doubt and
discusses the surprising answers she received.
How “work mode” can distract from the regular exercise we need to put
in.
The little ways we can keep ourselves healthy from day to day even if
we’re really busy.
Finding a new voice to describe yourself.
A helpful little meditation tactic you can try on your own and put
yourself in a better mood.
Next week: an interview with Oonagh Duncan of Fit Feels Good!
Quotes:
“We shouldn’t be thinking those kinds of thoughts because they’re really counter-productive, especially if we want to be healthy and vibrant, right?”
“You can’t really change something until you know what you’ve got.”
“I may look for the great in other people but I wasn’t doing it so consistently with myself.”
“I had to shift my entire thought process around how I was looking at myself, and it’s made a difference—it’s made a big difference, actually.”
“I believe that without our health, we can’t have everything that we want in life.”
Links:
The Angel Tiger Fit homepage - https://angeltigerfit.com/

On Gear

Continuing from Episode 1 (De-cluttering), Kelly focuses on how to fill your life with the energy needed to accomplish the most important tasks, as well as how to build a foundation for the fitness goals you wish to achieve. With a firm foundation in place for your new habits, you can more easily find the time and drive to get your body to where you want it to be.
In this episode, we cover what else needs to be cleared away and de-cluttered, the exercise gear you have and need to acquire, and what food tucked away in your fridge best serves your needs.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Choosing a dedicated, reusable water bottle or CamelBak rather than
disposable water bottles so you’ll always have something sustainable
for when you’re on the go.
The importance of relying on a few staple items of exercise gear.
For cyclists: make sure that everything is tuned up and in working
condition (submit your questions in the comments section if you have
any inquiries about what bike and cycling gear will work best for
you).
Focusing on the gear that you’re actually going to use, and making
sure it’s all charged up and ready for you to use as you walk out the
door.
Paring down your pantry contents, utensils and cookware lets you
focus on a refined, healthy menu rather than falling back on easy
junk food.
Finding guilt-free ways to get rid of the food you don’t want or
need. (Use the Three Piles method from last episode!)
The benefits of clear containers.
Quotes:
“It’s so much easier to manage your exercise and food when you can grab and go knowing that what you’re grabbing is exactly what you need, or what works for you.”
“Here’s to never messing around again trying to find stuff that fits, stuff that looks good, and stuff that works.”
“When you have gear that you like, and it works, you just feel better about your exercise!”
“The truth is that when you de-clutter, it opens up energy, it makes things feel good. You realize you don’t have to compromise or tolerate things that just weren’t working before.”
Subscribe & Review in iTunes
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On Decluttering

If you are looking to get your life on track, be it physically, spiritually or personally, Your Body Mind Fit Connection is the perfect podcast for you. Host Kelly Howard takes listeners on a journey to holistically address each segment of your life and get you feeling clear-headed, refreshed and healthy.
In this first episode, Kelly starts your journey to total fitness off on the right foot by inspiring you to de-clutter your living space, paring your possessions down only to what you need to live a clean and active life.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Denise Duffield-Thomas’ approach to de-cluttering as a means of achieving financial abundance.
The “Three Piles” method to sorting what clothes you do and don’t need.
Crafting a checklist and taking the steps to tackle your clutter a little bit at a time.
Focusing only on the clothes and shoes that suit your needs, fitness goals and ideal appearance.
Next week: exercise gear, dirty pantry secrets, and embarrassing pictures!
Quotes:
“Out with anything that made me feel like a failure for not being able to rock it.”
“When you have things in your world you don’t like… it’s like a physical mental and emotional wait that just doesn’t do anything but make us feel bad.”
“Anything that’s holding you back, just let it go; there’s no need for negative feelings here.”
Subscribe & Review in iTunes
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Trailer Episode: Welcome to Your Body Mind FIT Connection!

If being fit were simply a matter of exercise and nutrition, wouldn't we be all rocking a slender, stronger, and sexier bod? Being FIT is as much about mindset and environment as it is about skipping the scale and using real numbers. It's putting yourself first so you can create the energy, confidence, vitality, and freedom you need to turn that dream into a reality, conquer the corporate ladder, or change the world while changing diapers. Think about it as your ROA (Return on Action) and your investment on mindset. Listen in for a brand new, age-old take on health, fitness, weight loss, and a life of freedom and fun. Grab your ROA Plan at www.AngelTigerFit.com.