Aloha From Maui

Thought I would drop in and let you all know what I'm up to this week and why you didn't hear from me on Wednesday or Friday. The hubby and I are in Maui on a much needed vacation for 10 days! This vacation may get extended a bit though, as in FOREVER!!! This place is magical and gorgeous!!!

While I did bring PiYo on vacation with me, I may not get to it as there are so many other ways we are getting some exercise in while we are here! The first day we walked about 5 miles in all exploring the local area. The second day we went surfing and for anyone that has gone surfing before you know that it's a workout! Especially when you have to paddle against the current for 2 hours! We have lots more active fun ahead and I will be sure to let you all know about them, but for now I will leave you a few tips on how to not sabotage yourself while on vacation!

Get moving!

While in the airport awaiting our next flight the hubby and I both spent some time working out and walking. Yes, we may have gotten a few stares while doing 220 crunches, pushups and tricep dips, but we aren't going to see those people again and we felt much better after getting our blood pumping!

While here we are making a point of walking to local places instead of hopping in the car. We also planned for hiking, biking, surfing, snorkeling and other fun activities to get us going. When we decided to come to Maui we wanted to see the beauty of this island, and what better way than to explore it in all different ways!

Don't Sacrifice Nutrition!

When going on vacation it's a given that we will go out to eat, but that doesn't mean I need to gain 10lbs in 10 days! So, instead of eating out for 30 meals, and having to take out a small loan, we went to the grocery store and got some healthy breakfast, lunch and snack options. On top of eating in a lot, which is made easy with our kitchen, we also are only drinking water!

I also brought along our delicious Chocolate Shakeology to have for a meal each day and I am already noticing the difference! This is probably TMI, but it's my blog so whatever ;-p Usually when I go on vacation I get SO constipated! Between traveling, new food a different environment.... It just creates an awful perfect combination for bloat and constipation... blech! BUT this is the first vacation I have taken that I'm drinking Shakeology each day and I have not been constipated at all and have no bloat! I feel amazing, probably the best I have ever felt on vacation!

Ok, enough about that! I need to go make plans for today, as it decided to rain. Maybe I will just break out some PiYo after all!

Here are some photos from our adventures so far!

The beautiful view from out front of the hotel! We are moving to an ocean view room today!

 This was our group for surfing. The guy on the right is Armadillo our awesome, funny, motivating and super chill instructor! Robin, our new friend from Lexington, KY is next to him :-)

The Banyan Tree was planted in 1873 and now covers more than half an acre of ground. It has an "aerial root system" that grows into an arch until it becomes too heavy to support itself. Then the branches go down into the ground again to form new roots and come together to make new trunks. The Banyan Tree has become the largest banyan tree in Hawaii, and one of the largest banyan trees in the United States.

Exploring Lahaina before our Luau.

Jacob and I at the Old Lahaina Luau last night.

Honesty

I am human. I am not perfect. I have not arrived. I am a work in progress. I am okay with all of that!

Being an online health and fitness coach does not mean you have to have it together all the time, thank goodness for that! To me, what it means is that I need to lead by the example of striving to improve my health and fitness more often than not. It means having a heart of encouragement to share and motivate others on their journeys, which may look very different than my own. It means putting in the work to check in with people, create posts for my groups and growing myself in different areas in order to be able to pour into others.

Why, on this white, winter morning am I telling you this? Because today was check in, measure up and weigh in time for my current group. My girls are rocking it out with some awesome results, they are motivated, they are putting in the work and I couldn't be happier or more proud! My own results from this past week... Not so great! I didn't really gain anything, I just didn't really lose anything either. I could let this discourage me or make me feel like I am 'failing' as a coach, but I quickly reminded myself of a couple of things.

I've been on this journey for over six months now, there have been ups and downs throughout but I have at least maintained to where my main goal is. I can't expect each week for the rest of my existence to lose weight or inches... Eventually I would disappear! ha

Are there areas I would like to tone up more, see more definition, increase my strength in? Of course! And in time, with hard work and perseverance I hope to get there! This just wasn't my week and I can learn from it! There are definitely seasons for things though, and for the next couple of weeks I'm entering a time of vacation, which means I may not do my typical workouts or eating plans but I will be hiking, biking, swimming, walking and exploring.

The day after I get back from my vacation though I begin the All In challenge group, and I will be ready to be all in! I have a couple of girls that are already committed to joining me and I'm super excited about what we will accomplish during our time together!

For today though I won't beat myself up, but instead will celebrate the milestones my girls have made and be excited for the part I got to play in that!

All In For February

Last night I was on a team call for Beachbody, talking about Hustle and Heart Will Set You Apart. It
was a great team call and got my creative and business juices flowing :-) I love what I do as an online fitness coach. I LOVE getting to inspire, encourage, hold accountable and uplift other's on their own health and fitness journeys. I can't tell you how warm and fuzzy my heart gets when I get a message from someone thanking me for my positive, motivating posts about health and fitness specifically!

In February my personal mantra is going to be 'All In'. I want to be be all in for my business as my goal is to build this to the point of doing it full-time and having the freedom to work from home doing something I LOVE, instead of just working a job to pay the bills. I want to go all in with my challenge groups in multiple ways, I'll describe this a little more below. I want to go all in with how I use my time, as I currently don't have a full-time job and it's easy to find myself slacking. I want to go all in with being intentional with what I put into my life, devotions, scripture, personal development... Etc... You get the idea :-)

One thing that sets me apart as a Beachbody Coach is my willingness to allow anyone who purchases a program though me, or already has a program and switches to me as their coach, to participate in my online Challenge Groups. Some coaches only allow customers who buy a program AND Shakeology to participate. While I totally get why they do that, because they and I believe in how amazing Shakeology really is and by doing both you are much more likely to get the results you are working towards, I personally have not made that a requirement.

This next month, in February I plan to host THREE different types of Challenge Groups, and here is a description of each of them:

Free Challenge Group: 

In December I started a free 30 Water Challenge Group, and it was a hit. I've decided to open up a dedicated Facebook group to host monthly free challenges including targeting specific areas, clean eating etc.

Challenge Group: 

I will hold a typical challenge group for anyone that chooses to purchase a program through me, or has in the past. This group will have more structure than the free one and I will post daily content, encouragement, challenges and check ins for those participating. At least once a week I will contact you if you go MIA from the group.

Finally the one I'm MOST excited about for February!!!

All In Challenge Group: 

This group with have a limit of 5 women who are willing to go ALL IN with me! That means they will use a Beachbody Program of their choice, and commit to following the workout schedule it comes with. They will drink Shakeology, the best meal of the day, daily. They will also commit to doing their best at following the eating plan that comes with their program. This group is for those who are serious, willing to give it all to get the results they want, women only! I am limiting it to only 5 women because on top of what you will receive in a typical challenge group this group I will be holding much more accountable, either calling, texting or messaging you individually DAILY. The participants in this group can expect to get the best results any group of mine has EVER gotten if they stick with their commitment. At the end of this group I am going to ask each participant to write a review of how the group went for them and what they accomplished in our time together.

The deadline to sign up for either the Challenge Group or the All In group is January 21st, to ensure that you will have your program in time to go over, look at the eating plan and be ready to start February 2nd. If this sounds like something you are interested in or ready to commit to please fill out this form and or message me for more info!

Looking forward to serving you through one of my groups this year!

The Most Common Objection

Typically when I start talking with people about joining one of my online fitness accountability groups the most common thing they object to is the cost. Believe me, I'm no stranger to being thrifty. I have a second blog that I run with my husband called Penny Pinching Prose, so, trust me. I get it.

But the money choices we make every day deeply influence how we feel about ourselves, and so it becomes vitally important to, not only our budget, but our self-image to make wise money decisions.

It's sad, and admittedly a little frustrating, when I approach a prospective client about health and fitness and find them reeling at the idea of having to invest money in a workout program. Yet I don't see them hesitating to buy fancy nail stickers, long lashes, makeup products, scented candles, cleaning products, new cookware, tupperware or any one of a dozen other things that make them look good on the outside, but don't help them achieve their fitness goals. Am I saying anything is wrong with purchasing ANY of these products, NO!!!!! (Please don't send me hate mail if you purchase these, sell these or have thrown these parties, I think they are great products!) But there's a big difference to me between looking great on the outside and feeling great on the inside.

This summer I decided to make my health and fitness a priority, so I cut back on spending in some areas to make it fit into my budget. I chose not to buy the expensive candles and opted for those at Walmart and Christmas Tree Shop. I wear cheap jewelry, buy inexpensive makeup, and make some of my own cleaning products at home. I even saved my Shaw's stickers for a new free pan! Such sacrifices may not feel that glamorous to some, but it's allowed me to afford things like Shakeology and new workout programs, things that serve as an investment in my self-confidence.

Sometimes we choose to spend money on things that make us appear outwardly how we want to feel, but it doesn't change how we feel about ourselves on the inside. This doesn't mean you have to exercise yourself into a size 2, it just means that you need to put in the hard work of getting there yourself, and not relying on makeup and nail polish to do it for you.

So, why do I do what I do? Because this fat gurl inside wants to stay fat inside, but look great on the outside! Exercise is a great stress reliever for me. Being active and raising my heart rate is good for my body. Drinking Shakeology ensures I get all the nutrients I need, plus I don't skip breakfast anymore. Finally, because I KNOW these products work! I KNOW joining an online accountability group will help me reach my health and fitness goals. I KNOW I feel good when I can support, encourage and celebrate other's successes when they allow me to act as their coach.

So, if you have goals, desires, dreams or a doctor on your back and you want to be successful in toning up, losing weight, being fit, and getting healthier, I hope you will think of me and let me have the privileged of serving your as coach!

Healthier BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe

This past week I tempted my Facebook friends with some photos of my yummy lunch, and promised some recipes in the near future, so here they are!

Homemade Sweet BBQ Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 12oz. can of diced tomatoes 

2 cloves garlic

1  apple (I used a Red Delicious)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of pepper

dash of cumin

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

1-2 tbsp honey

 Dice the garlic and the apple including skin into chunks.

Place all of the ingredients to a pot. Cover and simmer on medium/medium-low (depending on your stove) for about 30-40 minutes. You want it to be simmering, but be careful not to burn it!

Pour sauce into a blender or food processor and blend well. 

This amount of sauce was perfect for 2 boneless chicken breasts. I chose to bake the chicken on 350 for about 30 minutes, until it was cooked through. I then diced it up, placed it in a small crock pot with the homemade bbq sauce and put on low. You could make the bbq sauce ahead of time though and then cook the chicken in the crock pot with the sauce, this may make it more tender.

I ate mine in a whole wheat pita pocket, but a hamburger roll or piece of bread would work just fine. You can even eat it over a salad if you like!

For a side I cooked up sweet potato fries :-)

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Peel and then cut both sweet potatoes in half and cut the halves into about 6 'fry' size slices. Place all the sweet potato fries in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, place a cover on the bowl and shake to coat all the fries.

Place coated fries on a baking pan and then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cook on 400 for 30-60 minutes depending on the thickness of your fries and how done you like them.

Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did!

The Results Are In For 3 Day Refresh

I told you all I would share my results from doing the refresh with you today :-) So here they are!

Before and After Photos and Stats:

Before 3 Day Refresh

After 3 Day Refresh

Total weight lost: 3.1 pounds.
Total inches lost: 1 1/2 inches.

Not as amazing results as some and not quite what I was hoping for, which was 5 pounds and 3 inches... But, for 3 days with little exercise I think it was worth it! (I'm secretly telling myself I just didn't completely blow it during the holidays, so I didn't need to 'refresh' as others ;-)

What I liked about the program: It was very structured with specific drinks and a VERY specific eating plan. I found the structure to be helpful, and didn't find myself cheating at all! I liked that it was very short term, anyone can do anything for 3 days! I also liked that it really jump started me into 21 Day Fix, and that after following the eating plan from refresh 21 DF eating plan seems glorious ;-)

What I struggled with: Drinking so many shakes, by day three I was tired of drinking down 4 things a day, and am happy to be back to just Shakeology. The fiber sweep was hard for me to drink, as I'm a texture person and it is super gritty. BUT I found a trick, if I shook it up, plugged my nose and chugged the whole thing without letting go, it was ok. By day 3 I had this drinking of the Fiber Sweep down, and could definitely do it again!

Overall I do feel better, like I have a clean slate to start this new year off on. I would definitely do it again after a holiday or vacation which included lots of indulging... Because I won't lie, I still love to eat and will never give up my sweets forever :-)

I would love to chat with you more about the 3 Day Refresh if you are interested! There are some great packages that include the refresh, a workout and Shakeology or 3 Day Refresh and Shakeology.

Off to finish making a healthy pulled chicken lunch with sweet potato fries! Happy Friday everyone!

The Thing I Struggle With

I'll be the first to admit that exercise and eating healthy do not come naturally to me. For a few lucky people out there they LOVE and THRIVE on working out each day and eating a clean diet. I, unfortunately, am not one of those few.

So, why do I do it? For many reasons! Throughout high school and my early adulthood I struggled with my body image and would attempt crash diets, severely restricting my calorie intake and picking up a workout program, that I would be faithful for a week or two at, maybe a month if I was lucky. But I pressed on attempting to stay in shape because I wanted to feel good about how I looked and be that 'size' that would make me feel confident.

What I was lacking in all of this though is at least two things, the realization that if I didn't accept and love who I am in Christ I would never be satisfied with the outward image and that what I really needed was a healthy lifestyle, not a crash diet or quick fix.

I'm still a work in progress in the area of living a healthy lifestyle, but feel I have a pretty good handle on the exercise part. I have several Beachbody programs now that I can choose from and have consistently worked out at least five days a week since July.

So, what is the thing that I struggle with?? My diet! I am such a lover of all things SWEET! Be it ice cream, candy, cookies, pie, cake.... It doesn't matter, it just has to be sweet! What I am learning about myself though is that I have no self-control in this area. I often can't just enjoy a cookie or a reasonable slice of something, I tend to over indulge in it.

This year I want to focus more on eating a clean and healthy diet, at least 80% of the time. To get me started off on the right foot I decided to try out the 3 Day Refresh program, to clear my system of the holidays and to give me a boost towards my personal fitness goals. I am currently on day three of this program, and boy am I glad! It's not awful, but it is very limiting on what you can consume outside of Shakeology, Vanilla Refresh and the Fiber Sweep that you take each day. I keep reminding myself that it is ONLY 3 days though, and anyone can do anything for 3 days!

Would I do this program again, even though I'm looking forward to tomorrow? Yes! I'm honestly not hungry at all and do feel better! Plus I'm excited to share with you all my results on Friday :-)

The biggest reason I would do this again is that I know I'll need it. I know there will be times in the future where I choose to indulge in some not so healthy foods for a bit, and this program can help get me back on track after. The other reason I would do it again is that the first time I did the 21 Day Fix eating plan I really struggled with it, and found myself cheating many times! But, after what I've been limited to for these three days I'm looking forward to what I CAN have on the 21 DF plan, and can't wait for some eggs and turkey bacon  ;-)

If you would like to know more about the 3 Day Refresh feel free to contact me and I would love to tell you all about it! I'll be posting my results on Friday, so stay tuned!

A New Year

Wow, so I haven't written on here since BEFORE Thanksgiving! Crazy!

Don't think that means I haven't been working out or eating healthy though! I guess you could say the holidays, leaving my full-time job and re-evaluating my goals and priorities took over and didn't leave me much room or thought for this blog.... But that's about to change!

So, here's a recap of what's happened since I last posted:

I completed the 21 Day Fix program. The top photos are my before, and the bottom photos are the after. Upon a quick inspection you may not notice a whole lot of difference but here are my stats:

Weight: Down 4.2 Pounds

Natural Waist: Down 3/4 in

Widest Waist: Down 3/4 in

Thighs: Down 1 3/4 in between both

I consider that a win, especially considering I did cheat a few times and probably could have pushed myself harder.

All My Siblings, Their Spouses and My Niece

December brought many family gatherings, lots of food, fun and laughter and pretty I much gained back everything I lost doing 21 Day Fix. Once again, though, I'm going to think positively. Had I not have done 21 DF prior to the holidays I probably would have gained at least as much if not more, and been back to what I started at this summer and there is no way I'm going back THERE!

I started up a 30 Day Water Challenge on December 15th, to help encourage and motivate people to drink more water. The group has close to 150 people in it, with many of them getting great results!

So, as I start a New Year and have new goals set before me here is what you can expect:

Complete 3 Day Refresh

Complete 2nd round of 21 Day Fix

Continue to learn more about nutrition and clean eating

Complete PiYo round 2

Post here Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays

Get into the best shape of my life

My BIG goal for the 2015 is to help 150 people begin or continue their health and fitness journey by joining one of my monthly challenge groups!

Do you have some New Years goals, resolutions, dreams or desires? I'd love to hear about them!