Sieze the Day

I feel like I had a few revelations this week and I want to share them all while they are fresh in my mind. The first is that it's true that you do not truly know what you have until its taken from you. Health is no different, ask anyone who has had a surgery and been stuck in the hospital for a week. Or the flu or a cold that knocks you on your back for days. Or someone who has cancer or a disease that requires that they literally live at the hospital. Or someone who has an injury that prevents them from being active. Health is never guaranteed and can change very quickly. I saw this first hand this week, as I watched my aunt undergo several emergency surgeries that caused a stay in the hospital for over a week. She was very active and took good care of her body - she was struggling at the hospital with feeling weak and just wishing she could get back out there. I have also watched another aunt struggle with Lyme Disease - an extremely difficult disease that literally attacks your nervous system. It has been a battle for her for years and she is just finally beginning to feel normal again.  She truly knows what it is like to have no idea what is going on with your body, but has been so inspiring with overcoming and working through it. Do not take your current health for granted - live each day, move and be active!

Patience is extremely important when changing habits and adopting new ones. It is really difficult not to compare your progress to others, but every one is different. My body will respond differently to an exercise program than someone else. Also, stress can really take a toll on progress. If you are stressed your body may hold onto the weight. It really is a delicate balance. Do not let the scale dictate your progress, its going to take time and motivation. Eventually you will figure out what works for you and will start seeing progress. Remember to think about the non-scale related victories; your happiness, your increased flexibility,  your increased energy, how your clothes fit, how you feel.

I have mentioned how important this is in a previous post - health starts from the inside. There is an important connection between your heart, your mind and your effort. When you begin to focus on your heart and emotions, amazing transformations can take place in all areas of your life.  I had a therapist appointment this afternoon and we were discussing emotional disconnections and why that occurs. It is easy for the brain to win and not the heart. That is why it is critical to take time for yourself each day - to read, pray and journal. Self-development can catapult your health and allow time for reflection. It can also uncover where God may be taking you in life and to search your heart for what gifts you can be using and sharing with others each day.

Every moment is an opportunity, take ahold of it and live!

Have a good Friday and weekend everyone :).

P90X3 Week Three Progress

I cannot tell you how much stronger I feel after completing week three. I am seeing muscle definition in places I never have - my quads, my abs and my triceps most specifically. My balance and overall flexibility is slowly getting better.  My challengers have also all reported feeling stronger, seeing more definition and having more energy. I am now able to do several chin-ups and pull-ups unassisted!  The human body is so amazing, in just a few short weeks you can feel and see the changes taking place.

One thing all of us also agree on, it that we LOVE this program. There are a variety of challengers from single to married, to married with children - some working 60+ hours a week and still they find time to put in the 30 minutes. One challenger said her children love the Shakeology and also enjoy watching her workout. They even join in and mimic Tony Horton. I think that there is often a feeling of guilt when you take time for yourself or away from your family for health or exercise. Kids love to watch and join in, and what is great about P90X3 is that you can just walk into another room in your house and hit 'play'.

This week was the final week of Block 1, next week will be what is called a Transition week, where you do a different sequence of videos in preparation for Block 2. I have to say that three weeks of repeating the 6 different workouts was perfect. I got to do each one three times, you are never bored and its challenging.  Part of the lack of boredom comes from the humor and personality of Mr. Tony Horton!  He is witty yet motivating, here is a video where Tony talks about the type of results you can expect with P90X3:


Now onto the food and meal planning. The program comes with a book that outlines how many calories, protein, carbs and fat you should try to have a day. What I love about it, is that it is based on your current weight - everyone is not held to the same calorie standard. I am supposed to consume 1500 calories a day, 113 grams of protein, 150 carbs and 50 grams of fat. Of course all of these being healthy choices, which are broken down in the manual as well. Let me tell you, I have done programs that my calorie intake was closer to 1000 or 1200 and I was weak, felt deprived and ended up giving up.  When you are fueling your body with the right amount of healthy fats, carbs and proteins in combination with a total body workout like P90X3, you will see better and more long lasting results then the low calorie, high cardio alternatives.

So far, I have not felt deprived. Of course I have my occasional slip up or sugar binge - but overall I am not feeling overly hungry. I feel satisfied, and found that 1500 calories is the perfect amount for me. Everyone is different and is important to tailor your nutrition and food intake to your specific needs. You can always adjust as needed, health is a learning process. It takes time to find the right combination for you - but once you do, it just works! Here is an example of a typical meal plan for me. I like to make a few large dishes for the entire week on Sunday. I find this to be simple and the best for budgeting.

I am not going to end this progress report with a teaser. Check back in next week for the weight loss and on-going results for my challengers.  Cannot wait to hear and share the results - we are only a third of the way through this and there is lots of progress ahead!

If you are interested in finding support, discussing your health goals or participating in this program please send me a message. Have a great week everyone!

Purely Fit from the Inside Out

We are all guilty of it; judging someone from their outward appearance. They could be overweight, underweight, body builders, lacking muscle or in tip top shape - there is always some lingering assumptions about why they look the way they do. There is a misconception that if someone is fit and attractive that they must have a perfect life. Facebook has become a way to display your life in detail, but there is one huge piece missing - the realness. Everyone I view online tends to have a very good life and it is natural to want to display it in that way. If someone posts an unflattering photo of me - I immediately untag myself. I document the great times and fun times in my life (or times that appear to be fun) to portray a perfect image. The reality is that I struggle - everyone struggles! We all have issues and demons that we deal with on a daily basis. Everyone deserves to be heard and understood for exactly where they are - not what they should be or could be.

Someone may be overweight due to emotional eating for years from losing a close family member. Someone may be underweight because of depression and a lack of confidence that stems from an abusive situation. Someone may lack muscle because of a deficiency or because they fought and overcame cancer at one point in their life. Someone may not be fit because they consistently put their family and others first and have not had time for themselves. Or the alternative, they may be fit and in tip top shape or a body builder but they may be depressed, struggle with happiness and self-worth.  Maybe if they appear to be okay on the outside, they can ignore what is really going on on the inside.

The truth is that a healthy life is much more then a number on the scale or the amount of fruits and veggies you consume in a day - its about bettering yourself, understanding yourself, accepting, learning and growing. If we do not reflect on our lives and consider what God may be teaching us and what he has in store for us, we may never be set free from our struggles. These struggles contribute to your healthy and unhealthy habits, thus your overall disposition on life. Be unashamed to be you, acknowledge where you are at, how you got there and determine your why. What are you striving for in the future, what God given gifts and talents can you share with the world? Take ahold of your emotions, your past, your struggles and focus on your heart - and then your health will naturally fall into place.

Obviously, this is easier said then done. I am a work-in-progress, I have a lot of personal issues that I am still dealing and coping with that I need to let go of. Everyone has different timing - but with persistence, dedication and most of all REALNESS we can all move forward confident and proud of where we are, where we came from and where God is taking us. I enjoy helping people on their health journey - I understand this involves being vulnerable and often digging into emotional things from the past. I am here to support you, encourage you and help you understand that your story is unique so your journey to health will also be unique. Lasting changes happen from the inside out.

Have a great week everyone!!

P90X3 Week Two Progress

Two weeks have flown by extremely quickly. The second week was better for me in terms of my workout, I feel stronger and was able to complete more of the moves at an advanced level.  I did one full chin up this week without any type of assistance - which I was very excited about! Week two was very difficult for me as far as my food. I feel like I have more muscle, so my metabolism and hunger have increased. I was finding myself a lot hungrier and was not prepared to fulfill the cravings with the food I had bought and set aside for the week. I found that my calories were not substantial enough for the amount of effort I was exerting, which was causing me to derail late at night. During week three I plan to increase my calories by 200, adding in an extra snack. I hope to really hit the mark in week three with this small adjustment. The snacks that I eat consist of a healthy fat and complex carb or protein and complex carb. One of my favorites is a hardboiled egg, where the yellow is removed and it is filled with hummus and topped with  parsley.

For a full list of snack ideas click HERE!

Emotionally, this week was difficult for me as well. My husband travels often for work, but this was the first time he had traveled two weeks in a row. Due to this, I felt more anxiety and stress. This caused me to crave sweets and foods that I do not normally want. I have been trying to be conscious of why I decide to eat and if it emotional or actual hunger. This coming week I am going to try and wait 20 minutes if I have a craving to see if it is substantial. I have also found sipping on detox water really helps fend off my cravings. I will squeeze lemon, lime, and orange into water, add sliced cucumber and mint herb as well. I find it refreshing, it quenches my thirst and sipping on water all day also helps with my stress. There is some sort of emotional root to overeating, cravings and bingeing - by journaling food I have really been able to dig into what is going on. It takes time to figure this out, but it can be very therapeutic to break free of these things. This week when I get a craving I plan on writing down what I am feeling at that moment, what is going on at work or in life that may be contributing to it to hopefully decipher real hunger from emotional eating. I will look at each of the items below to determine if I am truly hungry:

Real Hunger:
- Arises slowly
- Can be fulfilled with a variety of foods
- Eat until comfortably satisfied
- Does not cause guilt

Emotional Hunger:
- Arises suddenly
- Can be fulfilled with only a specific food or craving
- Eat too much, overeat
- Causes guilt

The workouts I completed this week according to the Lean schedule were the same as last week. I will complete this cycle for the first three weeks.

Accelerator: this is cardio video that incorporates intervals as well as plyometric moves. The last move in the video is called donkey kicks - fun but very hard!

The Warrior: military style, thinks lots of push-ups and planks. My arms were like noodles after this workout!

X3 Yoga: this was a great program for the middle of the week - I was really sore and yoga was just what I needed.

CVX: this is cardio with weights - extremely difficult but I really felt great after completing this workout.

Isometrix: more yoga, except very intense because you hold advanced yoga poses for 45 seconds each.

Agility X: this is a lot of fun, it involves football style drills!

Rest of Dynamix: I took this as a rest day - I sure needed it.

Now, lets get to the fun and exciting stuff. Here are the results so far from some of the challengers. They are all doing so great! Most of all, I think they are gaining knowledge on what clean eating is, how it can become a lifestyle and not a diet and that you do not have to deprive or starve yourself to lose weight.

Here are some statistics from my AWESOME challengers after week 2:

Female, age 38: 4 lbs lost, 2 1/4 inches (1/2 on the chest, 1/2 of waist, and 3/4 off thigh)
Female, age 29: 6 lbs lost
Female, age 52: 2.5 lbs lost
Male, age 30: 10 lbs lost - incredible!!

P90X3 is on sale this month only! Ready to order, click on this banner:

Coaching - My Why

I'm an introvert - I am not comfortable broadcasting my life on Facebook or Instagram or through any form of social media. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it and even worse, thinking about what other people may think. Becoming a Beachbody coach has taken me way outside my comfort zone.  I don't want to push the product on people or give the impression I am in this for money or success. I do not have a large social group of friends or a large network of people, just a few that I am extremely loyal to.   So, why did I decide to be a coach? I am passionate about making others understand the gift of health and how it can change your life. I want to be authentic and give people a sense of who I am, my strengths, weaknesses and what is important to me in life to hopefully inspire change. That is what coaching is to me.

Defining my why as a coach is a very personal. You see, I have been struggling with life in general for almost two years now. What I mean by that, is I have not been experiencing life, just living. I have great happiness in my marriage and my faith in God - but my day-to-day still lacked passion. I wanted to feel like I was making a difference in the world, I wanted to take the time I was spending watching TV after work and put it into something that would feed my goals, passions and God given gifts. I knew it didn't matter where I was in my journey, or if I looked like the cover of a fitness magazine - I just needed to start somewhere!

What I have realized in the few short months I have been a coach is that this business is for ANYONE. If you are passionate and have the desire to help others, you can be a coach. I feel blessed to even be able to help one person succeed. I have already seen so many non-money related rewards. Like, the challengers who have a new lease on life, those who have lost weight and understand what healthy eating is, and the people who have not purchased anything, but are inspired and have decided to get on a track of health. Most importantly, I have been given the opportunity to get to know others on a deeper level, finding out their why. Finding out why they are passionate about changing their life, the emotions and deep rooted issues that are attached to their eating or fitness phobias. Everyone looks for someone that they can relate to that will go on a scary life-changing journey with them. You don't have to be thin or in tip-top shape or a marathon runner, in fact the opposite is better - its more relatable and realistic. Putting yourself out there just as you are will attract people to your heart and passion. It is really rewarding!

In addition to the intrinsic values that come with coaching, yes - there is also money. I know there are a lot of people struggling, living on un-employment or paycheck to paycheck, unable to pay bills, racking up credit cards. Or maybe you are stuck in a dead-end job and just want something to supplement some income. Even just $100 or $200 a month can be that extra income you need - and Beachbody can get you there. I have been so surprised at how quickly you can grow your business. I have been doing this while working full time. I am applying the money toward a trip to Europe later this year, that I thought would be put on a credit card. It looks like I will be able to cover the entire trip with my Beachbody earnings in just a few months, and all of this was accomplished after my 40 hour work week from the comfort of my home.

If this is something that sounds interesting to you, that you are passionate about - send me a message and I would be happy to talk to you about it more. I am in this and I am not going to give up or turn back . I have reached Emerald in the business and hope to continue to grow by focusing on others, not on the bottom line.

Here is a really inspiring video from a speech that Lindsay Matway, the number one Beachbody coach,  gave just a few days ago about her why and her journey.


Happy Tuesday everyone!

P90X3 Week One Progress

I completed Week 1 of P90X3 and let me tell you it is difficult and exhausting, but I am sore (a good sore) and feel fantastic. This was my first time doing a Tony Horton workout, so I was not sure what to expect. I had done Insanity and really enjoyed that, but my body really took a beating. When I heard P90X3 was coming out and was only going to be 30 minutes a day and incorporated a lot of yoga and pilates, it was game on! No more excuses about not having time, I am getting a full body workout in just thirty minutes a day. Work and life can get in the way of health, but virtually anyone can squeeze in just 30 minutes a day.

Before I get into the specifics of the program, I want to start with the fun stuff - a few challengers results, after just 1 week of P90X3 with Shakeology!

- Female challenger, age 28: 3 pounds lost and 1% body fat lost

- Male challenger, age 30: 6 pounds lost

- Female challenger, age 52: 1.7 pounds lost

- Female challenger, age 28: 3 pounds lost

We will be looking at inches lost as well at the 30, 60 and 90 day marks - so stay tuned!

I purchased the P90X3 Challenge Pack. It is on sale during the month of January for $180 instead of $205! The pack includes:

8 DVDs consisting of 16 workouts

90-Day Workout Calendar

Nutrition Guide

Fitness Guide

Introduction DVD with fit test

Bonus: P90X One on One: On One Leg DVD

30 -Day Supply of Shakeology

I had to purchase some equipment to go with the program. I went and bought an over-the-door pull up bar, resistance bands and weights (5, 8, and 12 pounds). I had a yoga mat on hand so that was great. I also had a great pair of cross-trainer shoes that are suggested for his workouts.

I will be the first to admit I cannot do a chin-up or pull-up without assistance, so I needed to modify this portion. I did this by attaching a heavy resistance band to each end of the pull up bar. I will put my foot or both feet in this before starting my pull-up. It gives me the little boost I need, eventually I hope to take this away completely!

The workouts come with a book that will outline EVERYTHING you need to do to set yourself up for success with the program. The program is completed in three blocks, each lasting about 4 weeks – 90 days total. Also, you can really tailor the program to what you want to accomplish. Their are four options: Classic, Lean, Doubles and Mass. I chose Lean!

Classic: will give you the best whole body workout with a balance between strength, cardio and conditioning.

Lean: exactly what you think it is, this is focused on leaning out your physique and burning fat.

Doubles: this is double the fun, 2 workouts each day. If you are looking for more of a challenge this would be the plan to choose.

Mass: if you want to increase muscle mass, this is the program for you. Mostly strength training portion as well as portioning your meals/calories to gain weight and muscle.

The workouts are broken down in a calendar according to what option you choose. Here is a list of the workouts:

Resistance

• Total Synergistics

• The Challenge

• Incinerator

• The Warrior

• Eccentric Upper

• Eccentric Lower


Power

• Agility X

• Triometrics

• Decelerator


Cardio

• Cardio Vascular Extreme (CVX)

• Mark Briggs Inspired MMA Workouts (MMX)

• Accelerator


Core, Flex & Balance

• Pilates X

• X3 Yoga

• Isometric

• Dynamix

The first three weeks of the Lean  Phase I will complete the same 6 workouts each week.  All so far, have been equally challenging, a lot of moves I needed to modify as well - but I know that will get better with time. 

Here is a video that breaks down P90X3, the before and after Photos and what to expect:

Along with the exercise, the food prep and planning has been crucial this week. 80% of becoming healthy is food, 20% is exercise. The food guide that comes with the dvd’s will breakdown how many carbs, proteins and fats you should eat with each snack and meal. I am apart of a clean eating group on Facebook that has allowed me to be encouraged and remain accountable. Plus I have got some great recipe and snack ideas! 

I LOVE Tony Horton’s sense of humor and have really enjoyed the workouts so far. Here are a few pics of me in action:

I look forward to sharing this journey with you!

If you are ready to take the plunge into getting into the best shape of your life and commiting 90 days to your health you can order P90X3 today by clicking HERE.

I Heart Shakeology!

I want to shout it from the rooftops, I LOVE SHAKEOLOGY! At first, the cost kind of threw me for a loop, $120 a month.....isn't that a lot to ask from the average consumer? I, myself was not ready to throw out this amount of money for the product, so how can I ask someone else to? Well the answer is simple - the value far outweighs the cost.  

When compared  side-by-side with other meal replacement shakes, Shakeology wins. No other shake can say that is it made up of 70+ natural ingredients from all over the world.  It will suppress your appetite, increase your ability to burn fat, help eliminate toxins, boosts energy, improves digestion, helps lower cholesterol and rev up your weight loss.  

















Let's get real, we can eliminate something from our daily expense that is costing us $4 Take it for lunch instead of eating out for $10-$12 with your co-workers. Have it for breakfast instead of the run to the Starbucks. Have it as a snack instead of going through the drive-thru. 



Did I mention it will keep you full for 2-3 hours and that it tastes good too? There are several flavors; greenberry, vanilla, chocolate, vegan chocolate, vegan tropical strawberry, and the NEW strawberry. They are so good that I want to lick the blender. There are thousands of great recipe ideas online, so you will find a combination and flavor you enjoy.

My favorite recipes:

Strawberry Banana 

1 serving Tropical Strawberry Shakeology

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 frozen strawberries

1/2 banana

1/2 cup water

Ice

Vanilla Latte

1 serving Vanilla Shakeology

1 cup chilled coffee

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Ice

Thin Mint

1 serving Chocolate Shakeology

1 tsp organic cocoa powder

3 drops of peppermint extract

1 cup almond milk

Would you rather have:


- a bowl of exotic fruit
- 4 cups of broccoli
- 4 cups uncooked mushrooms
- a shot of wheatgrass
- 7 raw carrots
- 3 cups of romaine lettuce
- 4 cups of non-fat yogurt
- 10 cups of raw cauliflower
- 1 cup of peas
- 3 raw onions
- 4 cups of radishes

= $41.19

OR

= $4.00

You might ask how it can be so reasonable considering the amount of value in each serving. “People think we are making money hand over fist with this product, when the truth is, we had to fight to make Shakeology® a product with this much integrity. Our margins are so low, it was tough to justify as a business decision. But, we did it because we know the human body desperately needs the dense Nutrition, Superfoods, Antioxidants, and Adaptogens found in every bag.”- Carl Daikeler, CEO Beachbody

I am passionate about Shakeology and its benefits because I want to help end the trend of obesity and get everyone on a path of health and wellness. Plus, I have seen an increase in my own energy, weight loss and my overall health. 

Give it a try...if you don't want it after 30 days you can cancel your order. Click here to order: I am ready to shake it up!

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for reading!

Cheers! It's 2014!

Are you an emotional person? Does this spill over into other areas of your life as well? I came to a profound realization today after listening to a podcast of a local pastor......I am paralyzed by my emotions. There are days where I get so stressed out, so consumed with what could or should happen that I freeze up and just do nothing at all. I am literally so scared of the what the future holds and the possibility of my own failure, that I miss opportunities right in front of me. This is true for my health and nutrition as well - if I slip up, I figure I can take the opportunity to completely go overboard and eat everything. Or, I think about starting a program and worry about not seeing the results I want to. Or even worse, getting where I want to be and then sabotaging myself and gaining all the weight back. 

Well let's throw our worries and anxiety to the wind and move forward together confident with no expectations, only with the desire to better ourselves. Even if you just pick up one habit from a 90-day program - that could be a domino effect that leads to healthy decisions in the future. For example, maybe you realize that you need to replace your alcohol or carbonated beverage with a detox water or warm lemon water. This small change could do wonders to your view of health and how your body feels. This could be the ripple effect that alters your view on nutrition. 

Remember your past cannot be changed. What you do have the opportunity to change is your tomorrow. Wake up in the morning and take hold of what is in store for you. Maybe think about making a small change this week - walk around your neighborhood, swap your drive-thru breakfast for fruit and oatmeal, or maybe you are ready to take on a 30 day challenge. The possibilities and results are endless. I will be hosting a 30-day clean eating and exercise group starting on January 13th. We will talk about meal planning, clean-eating, accountability and motivation. Send me an email through the Contact Form on the Home Page if you are interested. Cheers to bettering ourselves in 2014!