I’ve been receiving quite a few questions regarding my upcoming e-course, so I thought I’d answer them here in a post.
First, a little bit about how it came to be…
In January of 2013, when I knew I was done having kids and after having put on about 50 pounds, I joined a Biggest Loser type of program at the gym. I documented my weight loss journey on the blog each week, and showed pictures of myself in a sports bra and bike shorts, just like on the Biggest Loser. I made the decision to do that to help keep myself accountable, and inadvertently became a source of inspiration for women who were also struggling to lose weight.
As a result of that, I started an e-course which, at first, was designed mainly to help people lose weight. It wasn’t so much about fitness as it was about weight loss.
When I first started the course, I was still in weight loss mode. And I was over the top. The expectations I had for participants were unrealistic. While many people succeeded in losing weight, it wasn’t really manageable for most people.
I know because it wasn’t manageable for me.
Over the past few years, the e-course has changed, and so has my mindset. I spent the first two years of the Not Your Average Fitness Course chasing my pre-marriage and pre-baby body. And that’s all the journey was about. Physical perfection. And that’s just not realistic.
Plus, it’s not my goal anymore.
Sure, I want to rock a bikini. I want to feel sexy in my clothes. But my main goal is not a number on the scale or the tag of my jeans.
Yes, I use those two things to help me stay on track, but they are not the sole measure of my success and overall health. They just serve as a couple baselines so that I can see where I am.
My number one goal is to be fit, both physically and mentally. I want to be healthy in body and mind. I want to set a good example for my children.When I’m a grandparent, I want to be able to do the same things that my seventy-year-old dad does with my kids.
Like boogie board with them on vacation.
So while this course will definitely help you with weight loss, my main goal is to get moms (and dads) and people in general to be more active.
As someone who has dealt with mental illness for many years, I also feel very strongly that exercise is crucial for your mental health. It keeps my brain clear, and it’s the most effective antidepressant I have ever “taken.”
So my mission is get everybody active.
Once you do that, the weight loss and healthier eating just kind of happen automatically. Because once you start taking care of yourself, well, you just want to take even better care of yourself.
So Not Your Average Fitness Course has really evolved over the past couple years.
But what exactly is it?
My e-course is a six week course, designed to help you make exercise a part of your daily routine. I believe 100% that you cannot be healthy and happy when you aren’t moving your butt every day. I have worked very hard to make this course manageable and sustainable for busy moms, and your daily goal of exercise will never be more than 30 minutes a day. (Yes, thirty minutes a day. And if that seems like too much time for you to exercise, then that’s exactly the reason why you should register for this course. That’s less than four hours a week — probably less time than you spend each week on Facebook!)
There are no “required workouts.” You don’t need to join a gym or own any equipment. My goal is to help each member find the form of exercise they enjoy the most. I will make suggestions and I may challenge you to try something new. But the beauty of the course is that you have flexibility. And it is adaptable to all levels of fitness. You can also participate from any part of the world, and you can join and “work out” with your sister or mom who lives in another state or even country.
Every morning you will receive an email from me. The emails contain several things: daily motivational messages, workout goals of the week, weekly mini challenges, and more. You will also be asked to join a closed Facebook group. It is only accessible by members of the course. It is not a requirement that you join the Facebook group or discussions, although I highly, highly, highly recommend it. That is where you will receive a tremendous amount of support and motivation. You will make friends and belong to a community of women who have the same goals as you do: To become a healthier and even more kick ass version of the woman you are right now.
My goal is for you to be the person who opts to take the stairs rather than the elevator. The person who parks at the far end of the parking lot and walks rather than circling around for 10 minutes until you find a spot that’s less than 25 feet from the entrance. My goal is for you to look forward to exercising (yes, it does happen) rather than dreading it, and to view working out not as a punishment, but as a reward.
If you were a member of this course in 2013 or 2014 and have fallen off the wagon, try it again. It’s totally new and improved!
Don’t wait! This is the last course I will be offering this year!
Register now. You deserve it.
(And so do your kids).
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR NOT YOUR AVERAGE FITNESS COURSE!
I joined Susie’s e- course in March and it was the best thing I’ve done for ME in a long time. I’ve never really liked exercise but with the course, I actually looked forward to the challenges which were doable and fun. Susie provides direction, motivation and humor. The other members provide support, inspiration and friendship. I am a happier and healthier person today because of NYAFC! Give the course a try…. You won’t regret it!
Definitely the best thing I did for myself this year — Eight months on, I’m exercising every day, eating better than I ever had before, and can do yoga hand stand & crow poses for the first time ever. I’ve also shaved 5 minutes off the time it takes me to cycle to the station in the morning, which means less stress and more time to chat with my kids before heading out. And my 9 y..o. son joins me for push ups every night. It never felt like pain or sacrifice, because the group was so supportive and fun.