OPERATION: Fall Into Fitness

Happy Sunday!  I cannot believe we're half way through October, and TOMORROW is my BIRTHDAY!  I feel so much better in my late 30's then I did in my 20's. I'm stronger, eat better, and just feel like I have things together (most of the time). But you know, even the most consistent and dedicated of people can lose their motivation at times and benefit from having an accountability partner (or several!).  That would be ME!!!!  I have been running and using my in-home workouts (Body Beast and 21 Day Fix Extreme) consistently every day other than the occasional rest day.  I can see visible changes in my arms and shoulders and just "feel" stronger overall, but like so many of us, I feel I can always improve with my nutrition.  I just don't feel as good as I know I can, when I don't get enough water, or eat too many sweets, carbs and peanut butter. I seriously think I need to stop buying the nut butter for about 21 days so I can "detox"! Haha. 

When I don't drink enough water and my eating isn't on track, I just plain can't sleep, I lack energy, I am not feeling my usual determined and motivated self, and I can totally feel it in my running and workouts.   When your body is used to eating clean, and then you have a little backslide, your body fights you back in not-so-pleasant ways!! 

So what did I do about it?  I decided last week to commit myself to using the 21 Day Fix Extreme, to a "T", containers and all. But with anything, progress is progress, and there is no such thing as failure when you don't give up. I had a slip up yesterday with the Apple Crisp my mom brought over, but I'm not allowing that to get me down. The only way to fail is to quit. And I'm not a quitter. Today is a new day, and I'm back in it to win it!  

This is my FOCUS:

1.  Use my 21 Day Fix containers for every meal, every day, for the duration of the 3 weeks.

2.  Ensure I get in my daily recommended water intake.  1/2 my body weight in ounces, every day.

3.  I know from experience when I follow my meal plan and drink my Shakeology, I will rid my body of sugar cravings to help me achieve my goal. TRACKING helps me stick to my plan. So therefore, I will take time to track my intake every single day. I love Sparkpeople.com, so that's what I'll stick to. 

4.  Although it is so hard to take a rest day, I will take one once per week on my Yoga days. 

5. I will not skip a workout, and will use my 10 minute ab workout every other day to work on my core strength. 

This is public accountability at its best, and what helps me keep pushing myself to be the best I can be!  I'm hoping that together we can keep each other accountable.  I truly believe that no one is perfect, but rather it's a lifelong journey that we are always working towards. By sharing my own personal struggles and successes, I hope to inspire and motivate you to keep yourself going in the right direction!

So because jeans and sweater season is here I want to give you EXTRA accountability too!  Do you dread going into your closet to see if last year's jeans still fit? There's no worse feeling than to go into your closet and have a hard time finding clothes that fit like they should. Or feeling your muffin top bulge over your jeans, or have a huge stack of clothes in your closet that doesn't fit. It's an instant BAD MOOD for sure. Or have you ever used the pregnancy trick (when you're not expecting) and used a rubber band to hold your pants together? That feeling SUCKS. No better way to put it.  Or only wearing baggy tops so that the belly bulge isn't as noticeable? I used to do that, and it made me feel terrible about myself!  But after really buckling down, and focusing on my nutrition, the pounds seemed to melt off.  I could wear nearly anything I wanted to and feel confident, and my mood was so much better, and I was just overall so much more confident! No more shying away from the cameras :)    

I know it takes dedication and effort, but I would love to pay it forward and do the same for you by offering you my help and support in a 4 week focus group online. 

I am kicking off the plan and prep week to my 4 week Operation Fall Into Fitness group on Monday October 19th.  This is a 4 week, closed online support and accountability group.  My goal is to teach you how to meal plan, how to make healthier, higher quality food choices, help you to manage your cravings for sweets, deal with the temptations of the approaching Halloween Holiday, how to handle eating out, traveling and everything else life throws our way!  

WEEK 1:  We will not be using workouts (unless you would like to), as there is a strong focus on your goals and getting you in the right mindset for the work that lies ahead.  Together we will set realistic and achievable goals, learn about nutrition and healthy choices, give you sample meal plans, snack ideas and more.  

WEEK 2: Here starts the FUN!  Applying what you learned in the first week, while adding in your in-home daily workouts (you have the choice of any Team Beachbody Fitness program.  I help you choose the one that is right for you based on your own fitness level, goals, and current needs).  The 21 Day Fix or Fix Extreme is by far my favorite, especially if you need an overhaul on your nutrition.  Plus the workouts are great, and there are modifications at each and every level for you to follow as you work your way through the program. 

WEEKS 3-4:  A continuation of week 2, we continue to use our daily workouts, follow our meal plans, share our accountability each day in our private groups, and support one another to our goals by helping one another celebrate successes along the way, and strategize any challenges or obstacles. 

So at this point you might be asking yourself what the requirements to join are?

REQUIREMENTS to JOIN: All you would need is to have me as your free Team Beachbody coach and complete the below application! It is 100% free of charge, and you would just create an account on my site! Then, I would walk you through the next steps to get started and get you added into my online accountability and support group.

Lastly, each person is required to replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology for the duration of the group. The reason is simple - for your health benefit, and I want to offer you the complete solution to healthy living. Shakeology is not "just" your typical protein shake.  It's not comparable to Slim Fast or any other shake on the market. I'm totally guilty of not checking the label on my shake. I used to use some cheap generic protein shake, that is until I took the time to educate myself on what I was REALLY putting in my body. Comparing that label to the list of ingredients of Shakeology was a game changer, and so eye opening. When you look at Shakeology you are seeing high quality ingredients that are not processed, there are no artificial sweeteners or flavorings and it is going to help you lose weight because it's portion controlled and it has the right carb to protein ratio that your body needs to make up a complete meal - therefore no cravings!  

You can choose any meal or snack during the day to replace with Shakeology.  I always suggest you choose the meal that you struggle with the most (or skip all together). For some, that might be crazy mornings with getting the family off to school and yourself off to work. Others might use it for their lunch at work so that they aren't going out to eat and resorting to other less healthy options. Give it 30 days so you can decide for yourself how it helps you stay on track, and how it helps you FEEL!  It will also help the transition to your new healthy routines easier, it will help you get better results because your body is getting proper nutrition and can recover faster, and at the end of the 4 weeks we can re-evaluate to see where to go from here!

Coconut Dream Shakeology

What does joining a Support Group entail?  Each day you will log in to the closed online accountability group and read the daily post from me, as your coach.  You will find either a tip on clean eating, a recipe, motivation or accountability.  Each person is required to check in each day and report their day for accountability (usually in the evening, or report for the day prior).

This is a private, safe place for us, as we are all doing this together. REAL people just like you, to help get you through any obstacles that come with reaching your health and fitness goals.  Having each other's support and encouragement is so invaluable, and will help us stay on track!

To reserve a spot in my Fall into Fitness Group, please complete the application HERE!  There is a limited number of spaces and its first come first get! Hope to see you in the group, get to know you and together become fitter and healthier versions of ourselves!!!  I cannot WAIT to ROCK OUT OUR SKINNY JEANS WITH YOU AT THE END!!!

  

Do You Dream About Being a Stay-At-Home Mom??

I used to cry myself to sleep at night, praying and wishing there was a way for me to be able to be home with my kids. I dreaded leaving them in a stranger's care during the day, and felt like I was working, only to pay for Child Care. When my husband and I decided we just couldn't do it any more, and I left my career to stay home, we were so financially strapped living on one income that life was H A R D. We cut expenses in every single possible place to make it work.

I am thinking about all you MOMS out there who, like me, are wanting to earn an income -- BUT also be able to STAY HOME with your family. As soon as I became a mom, I didn't want to go back to work...but I couldn't afford not to. The 2 months we had our oldest in day care was the hardest 2 months up until that point. I felt trapped, depressed, and all I could think about was when 4:30 rolled around so I could go grab him and bring him home. After leaving my career, living on one income was H A R D. We depleted our entire savings, racked up credit card debt, and were in completely over our heads. 4 kids later, 7 years later, we knew we were done having kids, and it was time for me to start looking at earning an income again. I started searching for a way to make it happen where I could STILL be home with my young children and baby.  I prayed about it, talked it over with my husband, and we found a way!

He was friends with someone on FB who informed me about the coaching opportunity with Beachbody -- to be able to have a home-based business as an Online Health & Fitness Coach. The really crazy thing, is I was even looking for an opportunity to do this very same thing, but prior to this particular day, it didn't lead me to Beachbody. In God's perfect timing, this opportunity presented itself to us. I knew in my heart it was meant to be - THIS was our perfect solution. I quickly learned that not only was it EVERYTHING I had been searching & praying for -- but it encompassed the things I truly LOVED:::


~freedom
~helping others
~fitness & nutrition
~being my own boss
~working from home
~making my own hours
~dressing however I wanted
~earning an unlimited income
~being able to travel whenever I wanted
~making a positive DIFFERENCE in this world
~turning my passion for healthy living into a career


After learning more about it, I decided to go for it.  How could I NOT!? I had found my DREAM JOB. I am now comfortably fulfilling my dream as a stay at home mom to our 4 kids, living out in the rural part of WI, earning a significant income that allows us the lifestyle we only dreamt about.  It's been 2 yrs since I signed up as a coach. I work my home business 1-3 hrs / day, around my kid's busy schedules, online, and on my own schedule. It's helped me to get in the best shape & health of my life, while also allowing me to help motivate others to do the same. The physical, emotional, and financial transformations produced from the incredible people I am blessed to help thru this business is such an incredibly REWARDING part of my job. I get to be present every day for my kids - they grow up SO fast!!! To be able to be present every single day of their lives is PRICELESS. This business has given us financial freedom & the freedom to live our life by design. This company has been the biggest BLESSING I could ever imagine & has completely changed our lives.

I'm looking for positive, like-minded, driven women, ‪#‎mompreneurs‬ & ‪#‎GIRLBOSSES‬ who have big HEARTS, aren't afraid to DREAM BIG & have a deep desire to want to change THEIR LIVES & the lives of OTHERS to join my team.

If this is you -- APPLY HERE & I'll get back get back to you within 24 hours to reserve your spot in my next Online New Coach Training Academy!

Healthy 21 Day Fix-Approved Ice Cream

Because sometimes you just want ice cream!!! Am I right? Well did you know that so often times, when we have those cravings or impulses, we just go to what's there and available - but when you take the time to have some forethought, plan ahead, and do a little bit of preparation, you can indulge and satisfy your craving without sacrificing your fitness goals and waistline?  

I know for me, I get these ideas late at night, like most people. It's easy to just grab a cup of tea and call it good, but I built this "cheat" into my meal plan intentionally so that I don't feel like I'm depriving myself of the foods I really love - such as ice cream and peanut butter, and chocolate! 

As I'm gearing up for my next online fitness challenge, "Sweating for Skinny Jeans", this is a sneak peek to some of the recipes and tips I'll be sharing with my customers to help us drop those 10 pounds FAST!!!  No fatty, sugary ice cream, but this recipe is the BOMB-DIGGITY and my kids don't even know the difference!!! (no joke!)

Ingredients:

Frozen Banana, sliced

2 tsp. natural Peanut Butter ( I love Smucker's All-Natural, chunky is really great in this recipe)

1 T. Almond milk, water, or other liquid

Optional Additions: 

*mini chocolate chips

*1 tsp. Maple Syrup extract (if you like Maple Nut Ice Cream!)

Method: 

1 - Add your frozen banana slices to your Nutri-bullet or Ninja along with the other ingredients except chocolate chips, if using. The liquid is needed to help get the banana whipped up and blended until smooth. 

2 - Place in a bowl, and set in the freezer for about 30 minutes until slightly thickened to Ice Cream consistency. 

Top with mini chocolate chips if you like, grab a spoon, and ENJOY!!!

10 Top Tips for a Healthier Weekend

So it's the weekend. FINALLY!  Time to sit back, enjoy some relaxation from the busy workweek, enjoy being HOME, and taking some time for yourself and your family.  But what you DON'T want, is to back track every single weekend, only to leave you with regret, remorse, and "starting over" every Monday morning. 

So how DO you keep things moving forward in your health and fitness goals over the weekend? Here are some of my TOP TIPS, tried and true!!

1 - Start your weekend with intention. 
When you know what you want, and DON'T want, you will know what you need to do to keep yourself accountable.  I suggest tracking in a food journal, or use an app. I recommend SparkPeople or My Fitness Pal.  You can also track your activity levels with these tools, or use your Team Beachbody Wowy Supergym to be eligible to win some extra MOOLA - because we can all benefit from having some extra fun money!  

2 - Stay hydrated! 
Because your body often times mis-reads your thirst for hunger, and you want your body to be operating at it's best. There are so many benefits to staying hydrated, such as *maintains the balance of bodily fluids * helping to control calories by making you feel full * helps energize muscles * helps your complexion and skin looking good * helps your kidneys * helps maintain normal bowel function. Aim for half your body weight in ounces daily! So for example, for a 160 pound person, their daily requirement would be 80 ounces of water. 

3 - Use the opportunity for a more open schedule to plan for double workouts, or do something active with the family.  
Be a good example for your kids and family by showing them that our health is priority, and it's easy to fit it in!  Better yet, encourage them to do it with you and show them how much FUN it can be to sweat!

4 - Eat like it's a weekday!  
If you think about it, why change anything up from what you normally do? Follow your meal plan, prep your meals, and eat like you LOVE your BODY! (because you do!!).  Pack snacks for when you're on the go, and follow a schedule just like you would during the week. Your body will thank you!

5 - Stick to your usual sleep schedule. 
Do you have a set bedtime during the work week, and love to stay up late and sleep in on the weekends? Changing your sleep patterns could throw off your schedule (it's hard to eat breakfast when you get up at 11AM!), and could also interfere with weight loss. HELLO late night SNACKING! And it's usually not the healthy kind at 11 PM! Changing your sleep schedule can also make it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night which could set you up for a tired Monday. Stick to your norm, and your body will thank you!

6 - Plan to weigh in Monday morning. 
If you need extra help being accountable over the weekend, schedule your weekly weigh-in for Monday mornings. Knowing that you'll step on the scale at the start of the week can help you to stay accountable and be more aware of your weekend choices. I used to do this on Wednesdays, and Saturdays, but that was an easy excuse for me to get lax with my nutrition. Now that I use Mondays to track my weekly progress, I've noticed how much of a difference that one little change can make!

7 - Plan for the week ahead. 
What better way to stay healthy on the weekend than by using your extra time to continue to set yourself up for success? Take a Sunday afternoon or evening to plan your meals, hit the grocery store, and do some big batch cooking for the week ahead, by doing your weekly meal prep. That way, when your busy week gets even busier, you'll already be ahead of the curve and able to stay on track! Don't forget about washing your workout clothes and laying them out for your early morning workouts!  

8 - Order smart when you eat out.  
Date nights happen on the weekends, but that doesn't mean you have to eat poorly and sacrifice all the hard work you put in during the week!  Eat lean cuts of meat, and ask for dressings or sauces on the side so you get some control over excess fat and calories. Plan ahead with where you will be going so you can reference their menu online before going to know exactly what you will be ordering!  Also, ask how the foods are prepared. Instead of sautéing veggies in oil, most restaurants will be happy to prepare them steamed instead to save you fat and calories. 

9 -  Eat before events.  
Enjoy a filling snack to curb appetizer grazing at parties and prevent overeating. My go-to's are a high-protein snack, such as water-packed tuna or salmon, Shakeology, almonds.

10 - Watch portion sizes.
Having a little extra time over the weekend means we have more time to linger…and pile on another helping. Get into the habit of sticking to proper portion sizes for every meal and snack.  I love the nutrition plan with the 21 Day Fix for determining healthy, balanced portions customizable for everyone!  

And lastly, remember who's watching! My 4 kids keep me accountable to my nutrition goals, by simply being. I want to show them what it means to eat healthy balanced meals so that they never have to go through trying to lose weight or suffering from obesity-related, preventable disease. If I wouldn't give it to my kids, I don't eat it either. There's room for everything in moderation, and so many times, we can make a few adjustments to almost anything to make it a healthy option for the whole family. 

Eat like you love your body, and it will love you back!! <3

Sweating for my Skinny Jeans: Online Health Support Group

It's fall!!  My favorite time of the year - jeans, boots, scarves, hats, baggy cardigans.  But if you're like me, it's been MONTHS since I've even looked at my jeans! There's nothing more I love, than a pair of dark denim skinny jeans with a cute pair of pumps or boots. And I know so many of us busy moms totally let the summer get away on us, putting our own health and fitness goals on the back-burner.  So I decided to TURBO CHARGE things for you, and help you get on a good track so you can feel GREAT by Halloween, AWESOME by Thanksgiving, and AMAZING, STUNNING, SEXY and CONFIDENT by Christmas and your New Year's parties!!!

So here's what I'm looking for:  20 women who want to lose 10 lbs. in 30 days ...for a total of 200 lbs. down between all of our group members!

Starting on September 21st, we will meet daily in a closed Facebook group for support and accountability.

You will receive a custom diet plan, one on one nutrition advice, portion control containers, a workout program that gets killer results, a 30 day supply of shakeology (a nutrient dense meal replacement shake that helps keep you on track, energized and eliminates excuses to eating right) a schedule, a support team, and a personal dietitian!

I am going ALL IN with this group and expect every other member to do as well so that we are all each other's BEST accountability partners!!  I'm already down 5 POUNDS in ONE WEEK following this meal plan I'll be sharing with our members, and I am feeling so motivated to keep things going!

We are going to spend 30 days FOCUSED and make some healthy balanced changes in the way you eat, feed your family, work out, and greatly improve your overall health.

We will fine tune your existing routines and create some amazing new habits while saying good-bye to your old bad habits.

If you want to be considered for one of the spots open and receive the application, send me a message, comment below "attending" so I can send you more information and make sure this is a good fit for you, or clink the link below to join us!!!

BIG changes are about to take place- you don't want to miss this one!!

I will be hand-selecting our 20 members. To be considered, please fill out this brief application! This will help me get to know you a bit better, and make sure you're eligible and that this group is a good fit for you and your goals!

The Spouse Fit Challenge

Here we are...the end of August. Fall is upon us; pumpkins and skinny jeans, baggy sweaters, boots, and leaves turning.  Evenings sipping tea, kids going back to school, schedules changing, leaving summer behind and looking forward to winter and cooler weather. You might be feeling like your goals to work towards your summer body failed you. But guess what? It's not too late for a fresh start!!

Do you sometimes find yourself wishing your spouse was on the same page as you with your fitness goals? Do you find you often have problems communicating with one another when it concerns your workouts and nutrition?

There's an easy answer why that is. Guys are just simply programed different then us women. We all know, guys don't want to be told what to do. They like their beer and burgers... but the point is to do things together and support one another to make small changes in the right direction. Improving yourselves and your health TOGETHER can have the potential to help your relationship, marriage, and health all in one.

I gotta admit, it can be tough at times to keep motivated and have discipline. It's back to school for the kids, the PERFECT TIME for a fresh start for YOU BOTH as well!!!  What would be better than for you to do a program together - workouts, meal plan, the whole works?!  Your spouse can potentially be your biggest supporter and determining factor of how well you are able to stick with your program for the duration - whether it be 21 days, or 90.

What if I could offer you a 30 day group with my hubby and I in a SPOUSE FIT challenge??? Together you and your spouse are teammates, holding each other accountable, {{couples competing with one another}} for a one night Hotel Stay on us based on participation and the voted best transformation!

Are you ready to kick your fall fitness goals in high gear and do this with us?!?!

We begin PRESEASON on Monday!!!!!  Who's in?!?!

Requirements are:
1 - have me as your free coach (if you already have a coach you are working with, please contact them for support).
2 - Be willing to make changes to your body and work towards achieving your fitness goals
3 - Be a active participant in our private, closed support group.
4 - Be ready to go ALL IN with your proven in-home fitness and nutrition program tailored to your needs.

If this sounds like something you are ready to do for yourselves, Apply HERE!!!

Body Beast: Not Just for the Guys!

This summer I attended my 2nd Coach Summit conference which was hosted in Nashville, TN, and I was so excited to hear about this fall's newest program release, Hammer and Chisel, with my two all-time favorite trainers, Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese. 

Check it out!  

I have been using Body Beast off and on for about 2 years for cross training with my running, and following the simple and yet effective meal plan of 21 Day Fix Extreme (and adding in the workouts as well for variety). I can tell you that there is no better feeling then waking up sore from a good workout the day before!  Adding in the new Performance Line has been such a total game changer for me, especially the Recharge Formula, to help with muscle soreness and muscle synthesis. Completely NSF-approved, naturally derived, this product is a must-have for those who are serious about leaning out, building muscle, and taking things to the highest notch possible with their fitness goals. 

So it just really seems like a natural fit, to combine these 2 programs in the FIRST EVER partnership of trainers working together to create one kick-butt workout program, Hammer and Chisel!

I have decided to really go after my goals in the next 2 months leading up to this new program launch, and run my own "test" group using these 2 programs in a hybrid workout schedule and following the 21 DFX Meal Plan. 

Heart. Hustle. Determination.

It's true, some people just don't care. They seem to be ok with just accepting their circumstances. And I'm not passing judgement. It's up to each person to decide their own path.  So here it comes...confession time. As we were on vacation last week, I didn't skip one workout (yay me!), but I didn't follow my meal plan as I would have liked.  So coming back, I totally felt like I was walking the road of shame...but at the same time, back stronger than ever to bring my "A" game. My workouts are planned, weekly meal plan is done and posted on the fridge, and I'm ready more than ever to see what my body is capable of when I follow my meal plan and train like a BOSS!

Why I make my health priority is because I want more. To be more, do more, be a positive role model for my kids. I don't want to wait for a health scare to turn things around...that is, if I'm given a second chance. The way I see it, is I can wish for it, or I can DO it. There's no time like the present to take action and be your own fitspiration. Believe you can, and you're half way there!!! 

So here is my first week's plan, meals and workouts, to get me on a good track for success. I cannot WAIT to see how my body responds to the shift in my training schedule. I am a runner, so it will be a change for me to cut back on my cardio and add in more of the strength training. But I really feel like this is what will shape my body into what I'm after. 

Workout/Meal Plan Week 1

My stats are recorded, goodbye pics taken, and now, onto my TRAINING!!! Stay tuned for my weekly progress as I work towards my fitness goals for the next 2 months. 

**If you would like to join me on my journey in a closed online group, complete your application HERE for my next group, starting SOON!!!