Do you ever find yourself settling for less because you think it's the best it's ever going to get—it could be your job, finances, living conditions, health/fitness, kids behavior, etc.?
That's where I found myself recently. I had worked hard at my personal health and fitness over the course of three years. Even though I was proud of what I had accomplished, I was still comparing myself to others: "She's doing the same program as me. How come her results are better?"
But it wasn't a question of who was getting better results. It had to do with commitment. If I was completely honest with myself I would realize that I wasn't pushing myself like I could have.
Was I following the eating plan 100%?
Was I pushing myself to the max in each workout by upping my repetitions, weights, and effort?
No?
Well, then why was I complaining?
Two weeks ago I decided to stop the comparison game. Instead of making excuses and complaining that I wasn't getting the same results, I decided to own my process and my results.
I went all in. I began meal prepping four days at a time to make it easier to stay on track. I picked a fitness program that is cardio agility based along with strength training and increased my weights from ten to fifteen pounds. When I wanted to stop before the clock hit zero I went even harder.
I still have a whole week left, but the five pounds I've lost along with several inches from those stubborn places like my waist is inspiring. I plan to charge through week three!
Here's a sneak peek of my results so far!
If you've found yourself settling in your health and fitness, making excuses, hitting a plateau, or just needing to up your game, then this program is for you.
It's only three weeks long, but it's delivering inspiring results, and that's hugely motivating. If you are looking to step up your fitness, get some quick results to keep you motivated, and/or get past a plateau, then let me know. I'll give you more details about what I'm doing and help you reach your fitness goals too!
I always get excited when Beachbody announces a new fitness program, but this one I'm especially
excited for! It's called Shift Shop and was created by NASM certified trainer Chris Downing. He's put together a 3-week rapid rebuild program that will give you quick results and help you rebuild your body and reinvent your life.
One of the things that impressed and stood out to me about Chris is his ability to motivate and inspire you to leave it all on the floor. It doesn't matter if you are at the peak of your fitness journey and want to push a little harder or if you are just starting out, you can always reinvent and become a better version of yourself.
Not only is Chris inspiring, but you can tell he genuinely cares about you, your results, your journey, and your success. I got the awesome privilege to do two of his workouts when I went on the Beachbody Success Trip to Punta Cana in April. I fell in love with this program immediately! Here is a little video from one of the workouts there. Sorry for the poor quality, my phone got killed and I salvaged this from Facebook :-(
If you are familiar with Chalene Johnson and love how she is always so inspiring and uplifting, you are gonna love Chris. He's like her male clone ;-) He has the ability to make you believe in yourself and that you can do anything. It's that belief that will help you crush this program and get your results. So, what exactly is the Shift Shop Workout?
•It is a 3-week rapid rebuild program, which means instead of repeating the exact same workouts from week to week, you'll progress through a series of increasingly challenging routines. •It is for anyone who wants to ramp up their fitness to the next level FAST! •It starts with basic 25 minute workouts and increases to advanced 45 minute routines, all while honoring your nutrition for optimal results because we all know how important nutrition is. •It is a great program for all fitness levels. If you have a lot of weight to lose, shift shop will be your on-ramp to fitness. If you have spent time away from your regular routine, Chris will lead you through a fitness tune-up. •The workouts are 25-45 minutes a day, 6 days a week for 3 weeks. •There is a workout modifier in every workout, so anyone can do this. •It will be officially available on July 12, 2017, so make sure you get on my list to stay up to date on the latest release information.
I will be hosting a Shift Shop Virtual Fit Camp starting on July 24! If you want to get my personal mentoring, coaching, support, and be a part of our awesome fit fam and one of the first to try out this program please fill out my online form.
I've heard it said, "Couples who sweat together stay together." I'm not sure if that's totally true—and
honestly I can think of some other factors that may be more important to keep a marriage alive and thriving—BUT I did come up with 5 reasons you should consider working out with your spouse.
Here they are in no particular order
1. Help In The Kitchen
I can tell you from personal experience if you and your spouse aren't on the same eating plan it's tough to stay strong. I do best when I keep my pantry and fridge free of foods I'm not eating as they just become a huge temptation in moments of weakness. In order to do that though you need to have your spouse on board with your eating plan.
Since they say diet is 80% of your results having a partner to help you will greatly increase your results and ability to stick with it, plus it saves time preparing more than one meal. One way to get my hubby on board was to utilize the Fixate cookbook along with the recipes found on Beachbody On Demand. (Think Netflix for workouts). There are lots of yummy desert recipes that we have both enjoyed as a treat including cake with chocolate frosting, peanut butter chocolate balls and peanut butter bars.
2. Checking Your Form
Working out alone at home is great. I love that I don't have to pack up and get to the gym, figure out childcare or what I'm going to wear. One thing I have found difficult though is checking my form without the assistance of mirrored walls like many gyms have. When I learn a new move I have a hard time figuring out if I'm doing it right, which is important in order to protect your back and also maximize your results.
When Jake is around it's easy for me to be able to ask him if my back is straight, if I'm doing it the same way as in the video, and he let's me know when I start sagging towards the end of my plank. In return I can do the same for him.
3. Sticking With It
Do you ever have those days where you just don't feel like it? Where you convince yourself that you've "worked hard this week" and you "deserve a day of rest?" When no one is expecting you to workout at a certain time, meet them at the gym or see you in class it's easy to make excuses.
My first method of remedying that are the online accountability groups that I host, but having Jake to workout with me is an added push. If I'm not feeling up to it I know he'll encourage me to stick with my goals and do it. When he wants to stay in bed and skip out I can drag him to join me ;-) 4. The Next Generation
It's important to me to set a good example to my kiddos of what healthy habits are including working out, eating healthy food to fuel our bodies and making activity a fun part of our life. While doing this alone would probably be a good example, how much better is it for them to see mom AND dad doing this?
Being healthy and fit isn't just about looking good in a swimsuit in the summer or for special occasion, for me it's a lifestyle! Having a partner that also demonstrates this healthy lifestyle will make it the normal thing for kids instead of one option.
5. Together Is Better
Let's face it, life is busy! It's easy to get caught up in the busyness and not make time for your spouse. If one of you is already working out but the other isn't then that's time you have to spend apart. If you choose to workout together you gain more time together.
Working out together means opportunities to encourage and push one another, to remind each other of your goals, to support and help motivate one another on your journey together!
Do you workout with your partner? If not would you like to?
I am super excited to be able to announce a brand new at-home fitness program by Beachbody! The best part is that it's launching in just a couple weeks on October 31!
Core De Force is a 30 day total body transformation program that will help you get the body you've been wanting. One of the things I love about this program is that there is NO equipment. Just YOU! Core De Force is an MMA inspired program which includes 3 minute “rounds” where you will get boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, knee-elbow combinations, body weight training and cardio spikes that will help you lose belly fat and get ripped.
If you can focus on hitting it hard for 3 minutes at a time before you know it the workout will be over.
I got a chance to check out a sneak peek of this workout at the beginning of the month and it's so much fun and yet leaves you dripping in sweat. While doing the workout I noticed that it really does focus on your entire core which will help you get your midsection defined, which always seems to be the trouble spot for us ladies especially after recently having a baby!
Keep reading to find out all the details of this program and how you can rock your goals this holiday season. I am going to be hosting a private test group for people who are ready to join me in this 30 day program and I can't wait to see the results we are going to get.
First off, what the heck is Core De Force?!?!
Core De Force is your 30 day program that can help you achieve a total body transformation. This workout was created by Joel Freeman and Jericho McMatthews. It is the ultimate mixed martial arts-inspired workout that is going to help you get rid of the belly fat, lean out, build muscle and shred your body from head to toe without any equipment.
I'll be honest that when I tried the sneak peek I was a bit worried. I have NO background in mixed martial arts, boxing or anything like that, so I was super thankful to find out that in every workout there is a “learn it & work it” section that breaks down the moves so that you can learn them before you do the workout. So, if you are new to the MMA style exercises like I was this will give you confidence to go right in and kick some butt.
Another bonus for those of us that struggle with keeping time or a beat is that Core De Force doesn't have a rhythm that you have to keep up! Like all of our workouts there are modifiers in every single workout so if you are a beginner or just new to this type of exercise you won't get left behind. If you are more advanced, have experience, or even as you get familiar with the program, you will be able to challenge yourself more to get the results you are looking for.
Another bonus is that there is no workout equipment! I've been doing a program lately that requires a bench press, bands and lots of weights which would be hard to drag all around New England for the month of November, so this program is perfect!
Who should consider doing Core De Force?!?!
EVERYONE of course ;-) Whether you are at a beginner, intermediate or advanced level in your fitness you can do this workout. It may not look pretty at the beginning, but it still burns calories and you will catch on before you know it. Follow the modifier if you need to and work your way up to the advanced moves.
Core De Force has an emphasis of working your core from every angle, which will help you whittle it down, tone it up and maximize your results in one of our biggest trouble spots.
How about an eating plan?
The nutrition plan is simple, filled with clean eating and measurable to make it easy to follow. Your results will either be empowered by your choice to follow this plan and fuel your body or hindered by your lack of commitment. I would challenge you to go all in and follow this plan in order to maximize your results.
For those of you who are familiar with the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan, this plan follows the portion fix too, but you will not receive another set of containers unless you want them! You will get a list of foods for each category, how much to eat of category and it's easy to track. I'll be helping you figure this out and offering tools to set you up for success in my Exclusive Test Group!
Core De Force Test Group Participant
Core De Force Test Group Participant
How long are these workouts anyway?
All the workouts in this program range from 30-45ish minutes in length and you workout 6 days a week with a stretch on the 7th. The workout program is only 30 days in length and comes with a calendar to follow for the best results for your effort.
There are 8 workouts included in the program:
MMA Speed: Upper body and core focused boxing influenced workout. (27 minutes)
MMA Shred: Muay Thai inspired elbow and kicks for total body shred. (37 minutes)
MMA Power: Uses explosive and defensive style movements in this fast paced cardio conditioning workout (47 minutes)
MMA Plyo: Core De Force is an MMA style home fitness program that will transform your entire body in 30 days. When you combine boxing, Muay Thai and plyometrics in one workout you get a huge calorie burn and RESULTS. (47 minutes)
Power Sculpt: Total body burner that uses explosive power and interval training to lean and sculpt. (37 minutes)
Dynamic Strength: Low on impact but high on intensity. (47 minutes)
Active Recovery: Recharge for the week ahead with this rest day that focuses on form and technique to help fight fatigue and sore muscles. (21 minutes)
Core De Force Relief: A quick 5 minutes stretch before bed session. (5 minutes)
Team Beachbody Exclusive MMA Mashup: All the best Core De Force moves in one workout. (26 minutes) (Only available when you order through a coach like me!)
Core Kinetics: A unique core workout inspired by Mixed Martial Arts movements.
5 minute Core on the Floor: The ultimate core finisher, 5 minute challenging plank movements that gets your abs on fire.
If you want to bump your order to the deluxe version you'll get these 3 additional workouts:
Agility Strength: combines fast footwork drills with body weight resistance to help improve coordination and blast major calories. (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
Agility Power: Grab your agility ladder and rip through multifunctional training that ignites every muscle and helps shred fat for serious definition (6 rounds-27 minutes).
MMA Kick Butt: This workout is meant to target your legs and butt with nonstop mix of powerful kicks and calorie burning conditioning spikes (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
Ok, so when can I get this workout?!?!
Core De Force will become available on October 31 to customers of Team Beachbody coaches. If you don't already have a coach you are working with than make sure to sign up with me so you can get a hold of this program right away and receive my help and support throughout the 30 days. Here is your link to create your Free Team Beachbody Account. Make sure to contact me via Facebook or email to be a part of my Exlusive Test Group!
What's this going to cost me?!?!
Core De Force can be purchased in several ways. The one that I always recommend first is the Core De Force Challenge Pack because it comes with everything you need to be successful with this program. You will receive the entire Core De Force workout program, calendar to follow, nutrition guide, program manual, 30 day supply of Shakeology in your choice of flavor(s), discounted price on the program and shipping AND it gives you access into my Exclusive Test Group where I will help you with the nutrition plan, share recipes, motivation, accountability, tips and support on a daily basis so that you complete this program instead of letting it collect dust on the shelf
The Challenge Pack is on SALE for $140 and is available starting October 31 through November 2016.
How will I get the best results?
I'm glad you asked! The most important part of this whole program is joining my group so you aren't going at it alone. I've had too many friends, and sometimes myself at times, fail to finish a program or stay on track because life happens. They don't have anyone checking in on them. They get discouraged or lose motivation. Don't let your good intentions go to waste because you don't set yourself up to succeed!
Join my test group via an app where you can log your workout and Shakeology each day - optimal accountability. You will be able to see the other participants post their own workouts and shakes along with questions, support and encouragement. There will be a daily pinned post with a word of encouragement, a tip, recipe or challenge that will help you keep on track. Don't attempt to go it alone and end up missing out on the results you could be getting. Let's do this together! Sound good? OK
Here's a few more details about the qualifications to join my group!
In my Test Group I am going to be requiring that each person commit to participating for the entire 30 days of the program starting on the 7th of November. You also must have ME as your assigned coach. AKA you cannot already be working with another coach or be a coach yourself.
On top of committing to the fitness program you will need to commit to drinking Shakeology in order to join my group. You will get the best results when you utilize this superfood shake to fuel your workouts and recovery!
You will be making a commitment to participate daily in the My Challenge Tracker App. I will have you log your workouts, your daily food activity and provide you with tools, tips and recipes to help you get to your goals.
You must be willing to give this your best! I can't promise it will be easy but I promise it will be worth it in the end when you see the results you can achieve in just 30 days!!
Truth is I'm probably just like you. An average new mom that is trying to balance having a baby to
take care of, a house to keep up, a job, and on top of that trying to get my pre-baby body back.
I thought it would be easier! Losing weight has never been easy though, so I'm not sure why I thought this would be any different... but I did.
Truth be told I ate a few too many Ben & Jerry's pints during my pregnancy and ended up gaining about 15 pounds more than I had planned to. Oops!
Yes, I worked out consistently, ate clean 75% of the time (that might be stretching it a bit) and drank Shakeology every single day, but that didn't guaranty a quick bounce back. What it did though was prepare me for 26 hours of labor including 4 hours of pushing my little guy out and feeling every bit of the pain. I don't think I would've been able to handle that if I hadn't kept up on my exercise as much as I did.
But here I am almost 4 months later and I still have inches to lose and about 10 pounds to go before I get to my pre-baby weight. Honestly, it can get discouraging. I hop on Pinterest and see these women who had their pre-baby body back within just a few weeks. Heck they look better 3 weeks postpartum than I did before I got pregnant.
As I took my week 3 measurements this morning it was hard to not be disappointed. I've done all the workouts. I've used heavier weights than I ever have before. I've eaten clean 80% of the time and I have not missed a day of my superfood shake. And yet the scale didn't budge in the last week. I lost inches in some places and gained in others.
I was discouraged.
So what should I do? Should I throw in the towel and decide this program isn't worth doing? (I'm doing Hammer and Chisel, by the way, if you've missed my daily Facebook live post at Dani Grant Maui). Do I go back to my days of eating poorly, as in not enough, in hopes of starving off the last 10 pounds?
Other moms told me this would be easy. Lots of them said if I breastfed it would fall off and I wouldn't even have to try. They looked at me and said it was all baby weight. They thought I was crazy for all the workouts I did.
But the reality is it hasn't fallen off—and yes I do exclusively breastfeed. I have had to work my butt off for every pound and inch lost. I'm not there, but by golly I won't quit! It may take longer than I had planned or wanted. It may be the hardest thing I've physically done. But I will not give up on myself!
In those moments when I want to quit I remind myself of a few things:
I am more than a number on the scale. The tape measurements don't define me.
I am stronger than I knew I was. If I can birth a Toby I can do pretty much anything! ;-)
I feel my best when I fuel my body and exercise it!
Everyone's body responds differently. Some take longer than others!
This is why I host monthly, and sometimes bimonthly, accountability groups. It's as much to support another woman as it is to keep myself going.
If you are like me and have found that this baby weight isn't falling off, or any other weight you may have gained due to health issues, poor eating habits or a sedentary life, let's join forces! Though the process may take longer for me than for you, or vice versa, I trust in this process. I know that if I never give up I will get to my destination!
I could begin with an apology for being a FAILURE at blogging! I could tell you all about how "busy" I've been since moving to Maui. I could blame it on my prego brain and hormones.
But that all would be a LIE! Hahaha!
I'm really just bad about taking the time to blog. There you have it. The truth.
I've realized one of the reasons I'm so bad at keeping up with it, even though I have good intentions, is that I know I'm grammatically incorrect and in order to have a nicely written blog I must depend on my husband to edit them for me :-) Which he is super about, but it's one more thing on his plate.
Since I last posted we have been busy with working on our businesses, growing them and creating them into something that can financially support us here on Maui. We have gotten very involved with our new church family, including attending a small group, Bible studies, and serving on ministry teams for social media and kids church. I've also taken on some babysitting, which is a great chance for me to get out and earn some extra money at the same time.
I've gone back and forth with doing great with my eating and exercising. I attempted to do the 21 Day Fix program with minimal modifications, however in the final week I was unable to complete it due to needing to take it easy on my body. Thankfully I was also part of a Bump n' Booty group that had a daily booty workout challenge that helped me stay on top of things.
The workout on the right is similar to some of the moves we did. It's a great low impact workout for anyone, but especially all the mommies out there.
I'm putting this blog on my "to do list" because not only is it a great way for me to keep in contact with so many of you, but also a fun way for me to go back and see what life was like at this point :-)
Until next time, I promise not to let two months go bye!
I've completed the first week of Cize, the new dance program that came out in July. I thought I would
share my experience so far.
First off, I am a NON-dancer, as in, never took any dance classes, don't really have any good moves, and would quite possibly embarrass anyone that I was with if I danced in public. The thing I like about this program though is that Shaun T. breaks down the moves into tiny pieces, has you do them over and over again, and slowly strings those moves together. By the end of a 30-45 minute workout you can actually do a short dance.
I'll be honest, just because I am a coach, workout regularly, and host online health and fitness accountability groups, does not mean I LIKE to workout. I know it's good for me, and I like how I feel when I do a workout, so I make myself do it. Even if I don't really want to, I do it. The great thing about Cize is that doesn't feel like "working out." It's fun, the time flies by, and honestly if I had more time I would keep going because I want to nail the dance and feel like a dancer.
While I haven't picked up weights in over a week I end my routines drenched in sweat and exhausted. I've also ended the first week with some visible results—down 2.3 pounds and 3 inches overall!
So who is this program for? Those who don't like to exercise, of course! It's also great for those who do like to exercise but want to change things up for a while. It's great for dancers, non-dancers, young, old, and just about everyone else.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, my online groups, or becoming a coach like me, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message through the "contact me" link above!
I can't dance! I won't even pretend I can. But what I can do is follow a program called CIZE, memorize some moves, and make a fun video, all while burning lots of calories and having fun.
This video was made in Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for a contest that Beachbody was putting on. I was privileged with being chosen as one of the daily winners and getting a $1,000 cash prize!
Maybe you are a good dancer, or maybe you are like me. Either way, it doesn't matter. If you are looking for a workout program that is fun, lets you burn calories and can make you look like a half decent dancer, CIZE is your program! If you are interested in the details of this program that is now out, but only available through a coach like me, let me know. I would love to share all the details with you! Just use my contact button above or leave a comment and I'll get back to you.
You may have seen me post about upcoming Challenge Groups, and you may have NO IDEA what that is! I thought I would create this little video to share the what, how and why of Challenge Groups.
You can find out more by contacting me at the top of the page, leaving a comment or messaging me on facebook :-) I host monthly 21 day Challenge Groups, so now is always a good time to start talking about how this could work for you.
You had a fun day of shopping. The store had so many new styles and clothes to try on. Your arms
are full of cute skirts, dresses and tops.
Then you walk into the dressing room, and maybe it's the dirty floor, or the bad smell, or the dingy mirror, but nothing looks flattering on you. Your day of shopping quickly goes south.
You end up leaving the dressing room without purchasing anything. Not because nothing fit you, and not because you didn't like the things you tried on, but, honestly, you just didn't feel good. Your self-confidence isn't what you want it to be. You're not comfortable with your body, and so shopping for clothes just doesn't seem fun anymore.
Ever been there? I have.
I can't tell you how many times I've gone into the dressing room super excited to try on an outfit only to leave feeling awful and not buying anything. Yes, it may help my wallet, but it's no fun!
Yesterday I went to a local store and picked up 11 items to try on. I knew I wasn't going to buy them all, and I knew some wouldn't even fit me due to the how various brands handle their sizing. (Seriously, can't we get a consistent sizing system?)
For the first time in forever—insert Disney song ;-)—I felt good trying on clothes!
Is my body exactly where I want to be, no, but my body FELT good, and that made a world of difference. I have been eating healthy so I don't feel bloated or yucky. I feel proud of where I am. I like the progress I have made, and I will celebrate that. I have confidence in my own skin and in who I am as a person, not just what I look like.
Experiencing this made me want to work even harder to help more people go to the dressing room with confidence and actually ENJOY the experience. That's why I do what I do. Yes, it's my job. But it's my job by choice. No one is making me do this. I do it because I am passionate about it. I love helping people, and if I can transform how I feel about myself then I know you can too!
My trip to the west coast has wrapped up, I'm actually writing this in the airport as I await the red eye flight to take me home :-)
Thought I would share some highlights of my trip with you all along with my next plans :-)
The reason we went on this trip was so that Jake could attend a photography bootcamp with Kevin Kubota. It was well worth the trip out as Jake had a great time, got some amazing photos, and learned lots to take his wedding photography from a hobby to his full-time job. So, if you or someone you know is getting married let me know if you need a photographer. We travel!
The following are three of the beautiful images Jake captured during bootcamp.
One evening they decided to do a candlelit shoot to practice their skills, and I got to be their lucky model :-) This photo was taken by Kevin Kubota himself. Amazing! It was fun having eleven photographers all snapping away at the same time.
We discovered Dutch Bros. an amazingly delicious coffee shop! I realized how easy it was to fork over $3 or $4 for a coffee that was full of sugar and empty calories, and would leave me wanting soon after. I guess I'll stick to my Shakeology, which is about the same cost, but gives me all the nutrients I need for the day, tastes delicious, helps with my sugar cravings, and satisfies the sweet tooth in me. Oh, and has 70 superfoods in it! Take that Dutch Bros ;-)
While Jake was busy with bootcamp I did a lot of exploring central Oregon. One morning I spent hiking around Smith Rock, BEAUTIFUL!!!! I could have stared at the views forever!
On our way back to Portland, we stopped to see the magnificent Multnomah Falls. It were stunning!
From Portland we made our way up to Seattle stopping to see the Ape Caves. In Seattle we enjoyed walking around the city, meeting up with distant cousins and riding the Great Wheel!
We visited the famous Pikes Market, where we got to see them throw fish, look at the beautiful flowers and visit the store that sells my favorite tea!
The highlight of our trip was eating dinner in the Space Needle while watching the sunset! The weather was perfect and it was a great ending to a fun trip!
We had a wonderful trip, but honestly I'm excited to come home. I'm excited to begin the journey of following the Whole30 challenge and detoxing from sugar, which I desperately need after this trip! I'm also excited to get back to my gym--I always feel better when I get down there first thing in the morning and sweat it out! Plus I'm super excited to be starting a new accountability group online that will focus on clean eating! There are some awesome women who are joining me on this journey to being healthy, fit and having fun doing it!
Keep checking back to learn more about my Whole30 journey, what I'm learning about clean eating and for some awesome results ;-)
I've been meaning to create my 'WHY' video for a few months now, but never took the time to sit down and share. I wanted to create this because I think it's important for others to hear my story, why I love what I do and why I think becoming a Beachbody Coach was perfect for me!
This week while I'm enjoying the beauty of Central Oregon I got kicked out of my cabin by housekeeping and found it was the perfect time to sit down and create this video in the beautiful Deschutes National Forest!
For more information about Challenge Groups or about becoming a coach contact me via the button at the top right of the page :-)
21 days of extreme workouts + an easy but strict eating plan = RESULTS! Was it always easy, NO! But did I stick to the workouts every day and follow the meal plan for the most part, YES!
21 Day Fix Extreme isn't designed for someone that just got off the couch for the first time in three years, but instead is for those who have begun their journey and are ready to step up their game! I was intimidated by it at first, and that's why it took me two months to get up the nerve to go all in. I learned so much about myself through this process though! I can do hard things, I can stick with something through the end and continue to push myself!
This winter, I kind of slacked on my fitness and healthy eating. Yes, I tried and honestly it's one of the things that kept me going during those darkest months when I was depressed and just wanted to give up on everything. So for that I'm thankful. Once I started the journey out of my dark pit I wanted to see what I was made of, what I could do! So, this program seemed like the perfect place to go!
Here are my before and afters!
I'm still not where I want to get, I really want to see some ab definition, but I know now that I can get there! I did cheat a few times on my eating, and because of that I know that I didn't get the ultimate results that I could have. Abs really are made in the kitchen! I can feel the muscles there but they are hiding under a layer of fluff created by my food choices.
So... That's why I've been learning about clean eating and how food can either heal our bodies or wreak havoc on them! And that's why my next challenge group is going to be sharing about how to eat clean, why you should consider it, recipes and facts.
This group will be starting on May 25th with a deadline to sign up this Friday May 15, to ensure you get your program and everything you need to start on time. I will help you pick the right program for you, give you support on a daily basis during the group, offer accountability, motivation and encouragement as we journey to being healthy, strong and confident women! For more information or to sign up you can send me a message on facebook, click the contact button at the top or leave a comment :-)
Are you ready to look and feel your best?? Join me on this journey!
Ok, so first of all that title totally makes me think of some made for TV Disney movie :-) Holler at me if you know what I'm talking about!!!
This past weekend I FINALLY got to do a Color Run! If you are unfamiliar with this, a Color Run is basically a course, usually a 5k, in which runners are pelted with colored cornstarch. Sounds awesome, right? Well it was!
There were a couple of things that made it even better though.
First off, all the proceeds of the race went to a local organization called H.O.P.E which stands for Helping Other People Everyday. Their mission is to "Strive to be a supportive system in the community that values and supports families by filling basic needs and improving human life." In short they provide food, furniture, clothing and help accessing resources to those in need throughout the community. For more info and to see how you can help check out their website: www.hopevermont.com.
Typically the cost of registration just goes to pay for the race itself and the companies that put it on, but his one had a purpose. The fact that my registration was going to go to help families in the community I live in was meaningful to me.
The other great part of the race was running with friends. I was desperately begging people to join me, as running a race like this is no fun if you do it alone.
Thankfully a friend of mine saw my SOS and we, along with another acquaintance of ours, partnered up for the run, which was awesome because I've realized in the last couple of years that I've lost a lot of the friends that I used to hang out with. Friends have either moved away, or because of where I live we've grown apart. I've found that since being married I need to make a more concentrated effort in this area to keep some of these relationships alive.
This is something that I want to work on. I want to practice being a better friend and make friendships more of a priority. So, this race was the perfect opportunity to reconnect with an old friend and get to know a new one better.
PS. If you ever get the chance to run in a Color Run, DO IT!
Ok, so this is NOT a video blog today. I underestimated what it would take to get that all set up and running, so it's still a work in progress :-)
Until it is ready I thought I would catch you up on what I've been doing this week. I started 21 Day Fix Extreme on Monday along with the Countdown to Competition meal plan. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these terms just imagine a pretty hardcore 30 minute workout that includes weights and lots of jumping. Add to that a strict eating plan that really limits the food groups I can eat from, but still leaves you with TONS of food to consume.
So far it's going well! I'm on day three and I've completed my programs each day and can still walk ;-) The hubby and I are both doing the meal plan together and we haven't cheated yet. We took before photos so that I could see and share the results that I get doing this amazing program.
And I know you love what you can see of my awesome new outfit from Fabletics, so I thought I would introduce you to my new bff :-)
Fabletics is an online activewear company co-founded by Kate Hudson. After taking a quick quiz to see what kind of activities you're into, where you workout etc., Fabletics selects outfits they think you might like based on your answers. Your first outfit, which can include up to three pieces, can be as low as $25 if you sign up as a VIP member. Being a VIP member means that on the first of every month Fabletics selects new outfits for you that you then get to go look through (by the 5th) and select one or choose to skip a month.
Disclaimer: if you forget to log in and choose or skip they will charge you $50 which will be available for you to use toward an order in the future. After your initial purchase VIP members can find complete outfits for around $50 and up!
If you love them as much as I do you can invite you friends to purchase through a link that will give you credit for the referral, (like my personal link here: www.fabletics.com/invite/friendsofDani) and if they sign up and purchase you get a $10 credit. You can also earn 2 points per dollar spent and 20 points for doing a review of the items you receive, which takes about 30 seconds to complete. Points can be redeemed for sweet clothing and accessories!
So if you are looking for some cute new workout clothes that are good quality and don't break the bank, consider checking out Fabletics! Oh, and help a sister build a wardrobe of cute workout gear by purchasing through this link ;-) www.fabletics.com/invite/friendsofDani
That's where I found myself recently. I had worked hard at my personal health and fitness over the course of three years. Even though I was proud of what I had accomplished, I was still comparing myself to others: "She's doing the same program as me. How come her results are better?"
