New Year, New You-2016

Now that Christmas is over and we are approaching a new year, it's time to start thinking about goals for next year.  I had a wonderful 2015 and look forward to what the new year will bring my family and I.  I have learned so much in the past year, so much that I want to share with the world!  One important thing that i learned involves setting goals for yourself.  I had never really done this before, except maybe in my head.  I mean,  how many of us make a new year's resolution that never happens!?  Sure, I've said, "I would really like to get tone this year."  "I would love to start eating healthier!"  "I wish I could become more organized."  Yes, I've said all of these things multiple times in my life.  And some of them, I would even start on, but NEVER complete.  But this past year was different for me and this upcoming year is going to be even better because of the things that I have learned.

These are the top things that you must do when setting goals:
1.  WRITE THEM DOWN!!  You have to have them written down somewhere where you can see them daily.  Most of us are very visual people.  And it makes it more real when it's written on paper.
2.  Write down a plan for how you will achieve these goals.  What are you specifically going to do every day to ensure that these goals are met?
3.  You must look at them EVERYDAY!  Have then sitting on your nightstand so that every morning when you wake up, you look at then and reread them.  This will keep the idea in your head so that you don't forget what it is your are working toward.
4.  Share your goals with someone; spouse, friend, partner, etc.  If you share your goals with someone else, it will help keep you accountable.  You've said it out loud, now you must follow through.
5.  If possible, get an accountability partner, someone who has similar goals and that you can turn to when you feel like giving up.  Find someone who will help keep you motivated and whom you can help motivate.
6.  Make a vision board!  I love having a vision board, with pictures of my goals, my dreams, somewhere where i can see it daily and be reminded.  I have mine on a board in my office but there are also apps that you can use to create a vision board.
7.  Don't be afraid to reach for the stars!  I think that if you believe in it strongly enough, you can make it happen.  But you do have to WORK for it!!!
8.  NEVER GIVE UP!!!  You must fail sometimes in order to succeed.  That is how we learn, through our failures and mistakes.  Learn from them and keep moving on!!  Just keep swimming!!  ;)

All of these things have kept me focused on my goals.  Has it always been easy? NO.  Did I reach all my goals i set out to this year?  NO, but I haven't given up and I'm reaching for the stars in 2016!

One of my goals for the new year is to help as many people as i can to reach their health and fitness goals!!  This is important to me because I believe that living a healthy lifestyle can be life changing.  It certainly has been for me!
So, I am starting the year off RIGHT with our NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Challenge!!
We will officially start this challenge on January 11th with Prep week beginning January 4th.

Here are the details:

Your choice of one of Beachboy's best home based workouts
Meal plan based on your goals
Free Beachbody Coach
30 Day supply of Shakeology or Performance supplements
Inspiration, accountability and Support that fits with your busy lifestyle

Receive inspiration and support in our private challenge group on Facebook.  Be surrounded by positive people with similar goals as you.  The challenge will run for 60 days and there will be weekly contests and prizes based on participation in the group.

Here is how you can get a spot in the group:
*Order a Challenge Pack (comes with workout, meal plan and Shakeology)
*Order Shakeology on auto ship
*Order Performance Supplements stack on autoship

You MUST sign up with me as your coach!

Order deadline is January 4th.  Make sure to order using my link:  www.beachbodycoach.com/tgilles3177

If you are interested in joining this challenge, please fill out the following form:
https://tammygilles.wufoo.com/forms/z1g3iddz1ac0794/

Let's make 2016 the best yet!!

Why health and fitness...why now??

As Beachbody coaches, we talk a lot about our "Why."  Why did we decide to become a coach?  Why are you a coach now?  Why is it important that we succeed?  Why this business versus another network marketing company?  These are important questions because our "why" helps determine how successful we will be. Without a strong why, we wouldn't have the drive to keep going.  It's our why in life that drives us in everything we do.  Why do you get up in the morning?  Why do you go to work everyday?  Why do you go to church every Sunday?  Why do you volunteer at your kids school? Why?

Our whys can change just as our lives can.  The reason I became a BeachBody coach is not exactly the same reason that drives me now.  I became a coach because I wanted the accountability for myself.  I loved being a part of a challenge group.  It helped keep me motivated and on course.  I wanted to run my own challenge groups to help others do the same. I chose health and fitness because I'm passionate about it.   I didn't think I would earn an income from it.  I had no idea how much I would enjoy it.  I never realized that it would change me in so many different ways.  I didn't know it would make me want to be better in all areas of my life.  I didn't know the drive for success, that it would ignite in me.  But it has done all of these things. 

I have been a stay at home mom for over 12 years now.  I wouldn't trade it for the world!  I love that I have never missed a first step, or first word or any other firsts.  I love playdates and meeting other stay at home moms!  I love that I get to volunteer at the kids school and go on field trips!  I realize that this is a luxury that not all moms get or maybe even want.  We are all different and different is good.  But as moms, working or not, we all make sacrifices, and at some point we question the decisions we make.  As a stay at home mom, especially in the early years, my husband and I sacrificed a lot!  It is not always easy to live off of one income and there were many, many times that I felt so much guilt because I wasn't contributing to our family's finances.  I was always looking for a way to save money or make an extra few dollars here or there without giving up the time with my kids.  I have no regrets about staying home!  My point is that it's not always easy.

The point of this little story is that I have found a way to contribute to my family financially.  I have found something that I'm passionate about!  I have found something that allows me to help others!  I have found my "why!"  I will succeed in this business so that I can give back to my husband all the things that he sacrificed for our family!  Not because he's ever complained, because he certainly hasn't.  But because he has worked so hard to support us the last 13 years and has given up so much for our family.  It's time for me to give back to him!  My husband and my family are my "why."

This "why", coupled with my passion to help others get healthy, is what drives me everyday and keeps me going strong! 

I want to share my passion with YOU!  I want to help YOU make your why come true!  We often get signs in life.... HERE IS YOURS!  DON'T INGNORE IT! 

Message me for a Backstage pass to see what coaching is all about!!

Snickerdoodle delight Shakeology

I discovered a new favorite Shakeology combination this week so I have to share!  I don't veer too much on what I put in my Shakes except maybe to switch from bananas to strawberries.  And I've been drinking the chocolate flavored from the start.  However, I have tried other flavors but chocolate has been my favorite, imagine that.  Anyway, last month I ordered Vanilla to change it up a bit.  And here is the combination that I put together and LOVE!

Snickerdoodle Delight

1/2 scoop chocolate Shakeology
1/2 scoop vanilla Shakeology
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp honey
1/2 TBSP PB2
1/2 Banana
1/2 cup ice

Mix all ingredients together in a blender and voila!  Enjoy!

PS- I did add spinach in mine today because I needed the extra greens and it did NOT change the taste at all.  Also, I almost always add Chia seeds in my Shakes. 

Oh yea, and in the picture is also Focused Energy Boost which I absolutely swear by!  It gives me the extra energy i need to get through the day with a busy 3 year old!  Shoot me a comment if you'd like more info on it or check out my website!  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/SHKEnergyBoost?referringRepId=582447

All I want for Christmas is a Six-Pack of abs!

We all have abs!! Some of us can see them, some of us can't.  And that's okay. Not everyone wants a six pack of abs. Not everyone has the desire to see their abs come out. And that's okay. We are all different. We all have different fitness goals and are at different fitness levels. It's what makes the world go round. I think, if you are up and moving and making a conscious effort to feed your body the nutrients you need than you are on the right path. My goal as a Health and Fitness coach is NOT to have everyone look the same. My goal is to help people start making healthier choices and start living a healthier life. 

That being said, if you are looking to bring out that six pack of abs, I have a challenge for you!  Next week I will be hosting. FREE 7 day ab challenge via Facebook. Each day I will be posting an ab workout that you can do almost anywhere. If you need some new ideas to add to your workout regime then you will want to join me. I will also be revealing my secret tips to how after 37 years and 3 kids, I finally found my abs!!

If you are interested in joining me, you can go to my Fb page and leave me a comment and I will get you added. https://www.facebook.com/Tammy-Fierce_and_Fit-1423818677926236/

If you think a six pack is out of reach, you're wrong!  But it does require work and dedication. 

Top 5 Reasons to do the 21 Day Fix

What a great Thanksgiving we had this year!  I have so much to be thankful for today and everyday!!
But oh boy did I overdo it on the food!!  Have you ever noticed that Thanksgiving dinner is made up of mostly carbohydrates?  Let me recount the food we ate just for dinner on Thanksgiving day; mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing (dressing), mac n cheese, dinner rolls, corn, green beans, ham and turkey!  HOLY MOLY!  That's a LOT of CARBS!!  But you know what, it's once a year, so I indulged!  And I felt like crap the rest of the weekend, which is why I do not eat like that all the time.  And also why I am super excited to be starting the 21 day fix nutrition plan today!

Why the 21 day fix??
Here is why I love the 21 day fix and also why it is so effective.
1)  It's an easy to follow nutrition plan!!  It comes with these cute little containers that you use to measure your food so no counting calories or points.  The containers are color coded; ie.  RED is for your protein, PURPLE for your fruit and so on.  The nutrition guide shows you exactly how to figure out how many of these containers you get to eat in a day based on your personal needs.  It also contains great recipes and meal ideas. 
2)  The workouts are 30 minutes long!!!!  That's it, one half of an hour!!!  Anyone can make time for that!  The workouts also come with a modifier so just about anyone can do it.  And believe me, when I first started, I used the modifier often!  And it can be done from the comfort of your own home!!
3)  The meal replacement shakes that come with this program (Shakeology) are AMAZING!!  I seriously do not go a day without my Shake.  It is full of nutrients and superfoods!  It gives me so much energy and helps keep those cravings at bay.  My whole family drinks these shakes because I know, even if they eat terrible, if they've had their shakes they are getting the nutrients they need. 
4)  It takes 21 days to break a bad habit and start a new good habit.  Following the 21 day nutrition plan helps you to break all those bad eating habits and teaches you how to eat healthy, clean food that also tastes good.  This is not a quick fix!  This nutrition guide is meant to show you what foods you should be eating ALL the time, not just for the 21 days.  You can't get finished with the 21 days and then go right back to what you were doing before.  What you can do is take what you've learned from the challenge and apply it to your daily life with an 80/20 rule.  That's what I follow.  If you eat right 80% of the time then you don't have to feel guilty when you have cheat meals the other 20%.  It's all about moderation and that is the one thing that the 21 day fix has taught me.  I do NOT diet but I do provide the fuel my body needs with an occasional treat. 
5)  It works!!!

So even when I am not necessarily doing the 21 day fix workouts (I like to change my workouts often), I like to follow the nutrition plan.  This is the program I started with over a year and a half ago.  This is the program my hubby started out with over 6 months ago.  It is the program that we will always go back to.

If you are interested in ordering the this program, you can fill out the form on this blog or go to my website here http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP21D160?referringRepId=582447
Make it a great week!!!

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

This will be a short post since I'm currently trying to get my house in order and food prepared for company this Thanksgiving day.  But I wanted to share really quickly a yummy healthy appetizer for anyone who may still be looking for ideas. 

Every family get together I am required to make my buffalo chicken dip.  If I don't I could possibly be banished from the family.  ;)  While it is super delicious, it is definitely NOT healthy!  So, when I started my healthier lifestyle, I decided I needed to find a healthier version of it, at least for me.  Now, I usually bring my old version and my healthy version for those of us trying to be healthy.  So, this is one of things I will be making for Thanksgiving day.  I figure we will have plenty of unhealthy foods to eat, I should at least have one that isn't so bad. 

This can also be 21 day fix approved!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of cooked shredded chicken
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp of shredded Mexican cheese
Texas Pete buffalo sauce to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix chicken, Greek yogurt, half of cheese and buffalo sauce together.  Pour into container.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. 

Serve with celery sticks or crackers of your choice. 

Now, it doesn't get much easier than that!  And I promise, it is delicious!!

Sorry, I don't have a picture of the finished product since I won't be making it until Thursday and I never thought to take a picture of it before.  But here is a lovely picture of the ingredients.  :)

When Momma's Don't Make Time for Themselves

I'm in the mood today to be brutally honest about something that, as a health and fitness coach, I hear a lot. I spend a lot of time inviting people to join me for various health and fitness challenges that I run through Facebook.  I do this because I genuinely want to help others feel good about themselves and to reach their goals, whatever they may be.  I do want to point out that I, in no way, believe that everyone should be the same size or weight.  My goal is to empower people, especially women, to feel good about themselves, whatever size or weight they are.  Also, it is important to me, as someone who lost her mother way too young, to keep you healthy and energized.  If you are not eating the right foods and you are not exercising, chances are, you are not as healthy as you could be.  I want all you of you mommas to be around to watch your children, and grandchildren grow up.  And I want you to be able to enjoy that time with them, to have the energy to play and chase them around.  If you are not taking care of yourself, you are probably not able to do this like you could.  I know you want this too!!  So now, I'm going to say it, and I know you don't want to hear it but hear it goes.....STOP MAKING EXCUSES!

Look, I know you are busy, whether you are a full time working outside of the home mom, a stay at home mom, a single mom or a part time working out of the home mom!  I get it, you are BUSY!!  Time is the number one excuse I get for why people can not complete a workout program or eat healthy.  And I understand because I've made the same excuses.  But the thing is you HAVE to make the time for this one thing so that you can continue to do all the other things that you do.  The stress will catch up with you if you do not have a way to channel it.  Believe me, I know!  I use to have so much stress in my life and I let it eat away at me until I had major stomach issues.  My stress was affecting my kids and my marriage.  I had to find a way to let it go so first I let God fully into my life and decided to let him take over the stress. Secondly, I found a way to channel my stress through exercise.
So here is some food for thought because I know someone is reading this and saying, "well she has no idea what my life is like, I really don't have the time!"  And you're right I don't know what your life is like and you don't know what mine is like.  I'm not here to judge you and I'm certainly not telling you that you are a bad person because you haven't made this a priority yet.  What I am here to tell you is this, as bad as you think you have it, I can guarantee that we can find someone who has had it worse, and who was able to overcome it.  As busy as you are, I can guarantee that we can find someone who is busier, but was able to make the important changes in their life.  This goes for all aspects of your life.  I think this is an important thing to be reminded of.  If there is something that you want in life, then make it a priority. 

The point of this blog entry is not to put you down for not making health and fitness a priority.  My goal today is to inspire you to want to be a better person, to start taking care of yourself, to have you look at things a little differently.  I know all about the momma guilt that is involved when we do something for ourselves.  I lived with it for years!  But by taking care of yourself, you are in turn taking care of your children.  You are helping to ensure that you will be here for them a little longer.  You are providing yourself the energy to take care of them.  You are setting a positive example for them to follow.  Children learn by what they see you do, not what you tell them to do. 

If you want my help to get you started, message me or find me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/Tammy-Fierce_and_Fit-1423818677926236/

End Of Year Resolution Challenge

How many of us make New Year's resolutions every January only to quit them and give up by March?!  You're kidding yourself if you say that you never have.  We've all done it! 
Why wait until the new year to make a resolution!!??  I say let's make a resolution right now, to NOT end this year putting on that extra Holiday weight! Let's make an end of year resolution to get in shape and healthy NOW!!

As some may know, I haven't had a real "weight" issue in my past.  But EVERY single year starting in late October through December I put on my extra "Holiday weight."  I could say it's so that I can stay a little warmer during those winter months.  I have always lacked self control during this time of year.  I overindulge at all the Holiday parties.  I stop working out.  I lose my mojo every year at this time.  But NOT this year!!  I am determined to stay in control!  I don't want to spend January making up for my lack of control and motivation during November and December.  I don't enjoy playing make up. 

So I am starting a year end resolution challenge starting November 30 and I would LOVE for YOU to join me!  We can help hold each other accountable, keep each other motivated and support each other!  This will be a 21 day challenge, finishing right before Christmas.  The program will consist of 30 minute workouts that contain a mixture of cardio and weight training with a professional trainer that you will do at home.  It's only 30 minutes so NO EXCUSES!  You will also get a 30 day supply of a superfood meal replacement shakes that are natural-packed with 70+ superfoods and scientifically proven to change your overall health, called Shakeology.  It helps you lose weight, reduces cravings, reduces cholesterol, increases your natural energy and digestive regularity.  I can not live without my shakes!  You will also get meal planning ideas along with some recipes to keep you on track.  And of course ME as your coach to support you the whole way through!!  I will be running this challenge through a private Facebook group. 

If this sounds like something that you would be interested in, please comment below or send me a message and I will be happy to get you more information.  You can find me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/Tammy-Fierce_and_Fit-1423818677926236/

Or my website at http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/tgilles3177

Family friendly healthy baked fajitas

Does it sometimes seem impossible to find a meal to cook that everyone in the house will eat and enjoy!?
This is my biggest struggle!  I have three kiddos, 12, 10 and 3 years old. My 12 year old is by far the pickiest eater!  If it's healthy, chances are he won't like it.   My middle son is mostly easy to please, with just a few foods he doesn't like. And my 3 year old, well she's 3!  Therefore, one day she will love a certain food then the next day hate it. She is currently into dipping everything. It doesn't really matter what you dip it in as long as she sees you dip it. Lol

Well, today's recipe that i'm going to share with you is a hit with the WHOLE family!  I know, it's hard to believe but it's true. In fact, we have it on a regular menu rotation. And you know what else???  It's super easy, inexpensive and HEALTHY!!  BONUS!!

So without further ado, here is my recipe for Healthy Baked Chicken Fajitas:

Ingredients
Seasoning
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1/2 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Corriander
1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Almond flour

Fajitas
1 small onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 pound chicken breast
2 Tbsp Coconut oil
1 small lime
Whole wheat tortillas
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (healthy alternative to sour cream)
Avocado

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all all the ingredients for the seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
Cut the peppers and onion into strips. Place them in a 9 x 13 in casserole dish. Cut the chicken into strips and add to casserole dish.
Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken and veggies. Drizzle coconut oil over top of that. Take your hands and mix the ingredients until everything is coated.
Bake in over for 25-30 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice over top of mixture after it comes out of oven.

Serve in tortillas, add avocado and Greek yogurt to taste!

Tammy Transformation; inside and out!

Clean and Healthy Crockpot Turkey Meatballs

Who doesn't love a good meatball!?

As I sat down Sunday afternoon to plan my menu for the week, as I do every Sunday, I was trying to come up with a couple quick easy recipes.  You see, as a mother of 3, there seems to always be something going on in the evenings:  Cub Scouts, baseball, basketball, Musical rehearsals, therapies, etc, etc.    I know this is a very common thing in most families today.  So the question is always how do we throw together a quick dinner that is also healthy and kid friendly.  That can be a lot to take in to consideration.

I often browse through Pinterest looking for such recipes (there are a ton out there!) but even when I find one, I tend to like to make it my own.  I like to think about what ingredients I already have in my house and how I can substitute those for other ingredients I don't have.  Sometimes it turns out delicious, sometimes not so much.  But, hey, that's how you learn!

Without further ado, here is my recipe for Clean and Healthy Crockpot Turkey Meatballs!

Ingredients
1 pound of Ground Turkey
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp of Gluten Free Italian Bread Crumbs
1Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 can Tomato Sauce (clean)

Mix ground turkey, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs together.  Form into small balls.  Place meatballs in bottom of crockpot, cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan.  Turn on low heat for about 4 hours.  Serve over whole wheat pasta!

Our Transformation

In honor of Flashback Friday, I wanted to share my hubby's and my transformation.  The changes that have taken place in our lives both physically and mentally in the last year have been astounding.  My changes started out physical.  I lost the baby weight after having my 3rd child.  I was starting to fit back into my old clothes again.  And of course this made me feel more confident.  I loved the support I received from online health and fitness groups that I was in and decided I wanted to give back.  I wanted to help others gain their confidence back too.  I became a health and fitness coach, not realizing the full impact it would have on me.  I started wanting to be better in all areas of my life.  I started, for the first time in my life, reading personal development books.  I became addicted to these kind of books.  I'm always looking for ways to improve myself.  I started to want to push myself physically also.  I didn't need to lose any more weight but I wanted to be stronger.  Here's the thing about working out.  Once you start seeing the changes taking place in your body, you become addicted.  I love the way working out makes me feel!  It makes me feel powerful and strong.  It is how I distress!  As a mom of three, it is often my only "me" time.  So when I look back at old pictures like the one below, it makes me feel so good to see how far I've come.  And because I know its more than just the physical.  I'm not trying to look good for anyone else, I'm trying to feel good for me.
Now, for my darling husband.  We laugh and joke now when we see old pics of him.  He always says, "Oh my gosh, why didn't you tell me that I was so fat?!"  And I say, "I didn't know!"  I guess what they say about love being blind is true.  I never realized how overweight he had gotten and obviously he didn't either.  And the weight didn't matter and it still doesn't.  What matters most to me is that he is finally doing something to better his health.  Being overweight is not healthy for anyone especially when you have heart disease that runs in your family.  We have both had parents die at very young ages due to heart failure.  And the last thing we want to do is leave our children behind so young.  So we are working on making ourselves as healthy as possible so that we can stick around and annoy our children for years to come!  ;)

Nothing can beat the confidence and energy we have gained from finally taking a stand and doing what is best for our health.  That is why I am so committed to helping as many people as I can do the same. 

If you need help getting started, contact me, I am ready to help you, help yourself!  We can't do it alone, we need a good strong support system to help keep us accountable.  I can provide that for you and I want to!

Breakfast is served!

I thought I would share another recipe today. I have a few favorite go to recipes, that I will usually have at least once a week. They are usually pretty easy and kid friendly. Today's recipe is a breakfast burrito.
For many years, I never ate breakfast. I wasn't and still am not a morning person. I would drink my coffe and that was my breakfast. I have since learned the importance of eating a good breakfast. It really sets the tone for the whole day. If I start the day off eating healthy, I'm much more likely to continue that behavior the rest of the day. Plus, it gives me the energy I need to get through my early morning workouts.
 I love to start the day off with some good healthy protein!  I was actually never a big fan of eggs but I have learned to become a fan by making them in a way that I can enjoy. So here is today's healthy breakfast burrito recipe.

2 farm fresh eggs
1 farm fresh egg white
Southwestern seasoning to taste (mine is homemade, will share in future post)
1 Turkey sausage link
Few sprigs of Spinach
1 whole wear tortilla
1 tbsp Organic Salsa

Scramble eggs, add seasoning and cook until done. While eggs are cooking, heat up turkey sausage link in microwave or skillet. Cut into bite size pieces. Add spinach, cooked eggs, sausage and salsa to tortilla. Enjoy!

21 Day Fix moves

I typically workout six days a week. I'm one of those people who genuinely enjoy working out or at least how I feel after a workout. My problem is that I tend to get bored fairly easily with a workout. So since I recently finished Beachbody's Insanity program, I have been sort of drifting through different workouts. This week I went back to my roots with the 21 day fix program. I'm also doing a five day clean eating challenge meant to boost my metabolism and cleanse my body. I will write another post about that later.
I think it's funny how when you change workouts, your body can become so sore no matter how good of shape you're in. My body has hurt this week and I've loved every minute of it (well most of it). The soreness reminds me that it's working, that the exercises are changing my body. I like that feeling. So overall I've enjoyed going back and doing this program again. It's been a nice change of pace and obviously is doing my body some good.
I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite moves from the 21 Day Fix. For those who are t familiar with the program, it's basically a workout and nutrition plan that I pair with Shakeology. The nutrition plan comes with containers that help teach you portion control and what foods you should be eating every day. It makes eating healthy a lot easier. You can click on my website for more details if interested.

Here are a couple of my favorite moves:

1)Oblique Side bends:  stand with feet hip width apart, using weight in right hand bend at the waist and pull up. Put your hand on your side so you can feel your obliques tighten. Do for 1 minute on each side. 

2)Plié  squats with upright row:  Stand with feet a little further then shoulder width apart, toes pointed out. As you go down in a squat, pull your arms up. Don't let your knees go over your toes. Do for 1 minute. 

Do you crave sweets often???

I am a sweet lover by nature.  Actually that's probably not an accurate description.  I am a chocoholic! Dark chocolate, of course, is my fav.   I also have a very strong addiction to ice cream!  Put them together and I'm in heaven!  I really love almost anything sweet so this time of year always kills me.  Halloween candy is the worse!  I have 3 children so of course there is Halloween candy here.  And it's already started.  My middle son is having a birthday party tomorrow so of course I had to get candy to fill the goodie bags because what's a goodie bag if it doesn't have some candy in it, right!?  So there has been Twix bars and M&Ms starting at me for a week. 

Here's the thing, I have had people tell me, "just eat it!"  And I've even seen people's comments about how life is short so you should enjoy that extra dessert or whatever other unhealthy food it is.  I don't completely disagree with this. Life is short and you should definitely enjoy it to the fullest.  Make no mistake, I do enjoy life, everyday!  I love my life, even when I don't always like it.  But if I ate sweets every time I craved them or any of the other foods I like to indulge in now and then, if I did this all the time, well frankly I would likely be cutting my life span down.  I mean really, you can't eat cakes and cookies everyday and expect to be healthy.  You can't eat pizza, beer and burgers everyday and expect to have the energy to get things done.  You can't live on French fries and fried chicken and expect to feel good.  As I learned from Cookie Monster, while watching Sesame street with my daughter, cookies are a sometimes food.  And I do enjoy them sometimes, and honestly probably more often than I should. 

The good news is, that there are lots of healthy alternatives to all those yummy foods that we all crave.  So today, I thought I would share one of my alternatives for when I get that sweet craving.

Here is my recipe for Greek Yogurt Parfait (what I add to changes depending on what I have in the house that day)  Today I put in:

Non fat Plain greek yogurt ( I use Fage')
1/2 Tbsp of Chocolate Shakeology
1 tsp Honey
Almond slices
Raspberries
1 tsp PB2
Sprinkled with some Chia seeds

So yummy and so much healthier than that Twix! 

What's your vision?

So, I've been thinking a lot lately about vision and goals.  And I've learned a few things about having goals and obtaining those goals.  So here is my best advice, and this can apply to your health and fitness goals and/or any other goals you have in life.

The first thing you need to do, is get a notepad (no, seriously, right now, get up and go get a notepad and a pen) and a pen.  Now, I want you to think about how you would like to see yourself, your life in one month, six months and a year from now.  Think about all aspects of your life:  health/fitness, marriage, job, finances, parenting, etc.  This exercise can be applied in any area of life. 
Now, I want you to write down your top 5 goals/visions.
And now, we are going to take that one step further.  I want you to close your eyes and envision yourself already having achieved these goals.  I mean really picture yourself 10 pounds lighter, with that promotion, walking hand in hand with your spouse. Whatever it is, I want you to actually see yourself already there.  Finally, I want you take this notepad and put it next to your bed.  Every morning this week, as soon as you wake up, before you check Facebook, I want you to grab that notepad and read those goals.  But not just read them, envision yourself already having accomplished them again.  EVERY DAY!!! 
I want you to do this every day this week and then on Saturday morning I want you to report to me if any changes were made this week.  Now, I'm not telling you that you are magically going to lose that 10 pounds this week by merely envisioning your goals.  But what I believe will happen is that you will start making a conscious effort to make some change in your life that will set you on the path to achieving your goals. 
See, what happens is that we get so involved with life that we forget the things that we really want, the changes we want to make in our lives.  We forget that we are the only ones that can change our fate.  That's why starting your morning EVERY DAY reminding yourself of what it is that YOU want will help you to get started to making those changes.  And having a positive mindset helps set you on the right path.  So stop making excuses for why you don't have the things you want and start making changes to get them.  Stop putting the blame on everyone else. or on circumstances.  There is always someone who was worse off than you that was able to overcome it and move on and be successful.  YOU CAN TOO!!

"The thing that prevents you from getting anything you want is your story of why you don't have it."
Tony Robbins

#motivationmonday

Body image

I want to share some of my personal struggles with self image/ body image.  I often get the statement/question, "why do you workout, why do you need to watch what you eat?  You're already skinny."  This question has always driven me crazy, the reasons why have changed over the years. 
It use to drive me crazy because I thought these people were crazy because I never felt "skinny" enough.  I have had issues with body image since I was in seventh grade.  That's when my body started changing and people started to take notice.  I was often called "big butt" and "flat chested,"  two things that you didn't want to be called when you were 13 years old, things that stuck with me for a very long time.  It was usually my friends and family saying these things and I know they weren't trying to hurt my feelings and they certainly had no idea the profound affect it would have on me but it did.  So as a teenager, even though I was a petite, "skinny" girl, I never felt confident.  That lack of confidence stuck with me into my twenties. 

I hit a low point in my mid twenties where I was very unhappy with my life and began trying to take control of in a very unhealthy way.  I wanted to lose weight, even though I was a healthy, 110 pounds at 5'3.  I decided to stop eating and began living on black coffee (lots of it), goldfish and cigarettes  ( Sounds healthy, right?!)  Fortunately for me, I soon met my wonderful soon to be husband, who must have been crazy for wanting to get involved with someone like me.  But God always knows what he's doing!  We quickly got married and pregnant with my first son.  At this time, I was starting to eat a little more but not making healthy choices.  I ended up anemic, during my pregnancy, passing out while driving down the expressway.  Once again, Thank you God!  It really wasn't until I got pregnant with my second son, that I started making a point to eat healthier.  It was when he was almost one, right after the sudden loss of my mother, that I began running.  So, at this point, I am starting to get healthier, exercising more regular but still not loving my body. 

Here's the thing, it has taken me 38 years and three kids, to finally start accepting and loving my body.  I think the reason is because I work hard for this body, I make healthy food choices (most of the time) and I FEEL good.  There are still days where I think, if only my booty was a little firmer, I could really do without all this extra momma skin.  lol  But I quickly block those thoughts out of my head because I am realizing that there is a lot more to me than my body.  And I earned that extra skin, I carried three babies in my womb!  More importantly, having a daughter and even 2 sons, I do NOT want my kiddos to grow up thinking the way I did.  I HAVE to set a good example!  I want my daughter to love herself for who she is on the inside!  I want my sons to realize that there is more to a woman than what she looks like on the outside. 

So, my goal as a health and fitness coach is NOT about trying to get others to get to a certain size or weight.  I do not want to promote trying to look like someone else. I don't want people to look at me and think that that's the way they need to look.  What I DO WANT is to show people how to get healthy and that healthy can look different on different people.  People who tell me I'm too skinny now, are wrong, because this is what healthy looks like on ME.  My goal is to help people FEEL better! 

My first post!

So, I will start with why I decided to start a blog, something I've never been particularly good at keeping up with. 
First of all, I am a health and fitness coach with Beachbody.  I love my job!  I get to help and inspire others to reach their health and fitness goals.  I have been into health and fitness for probably the last 10 years.  I started getting into when I randomly decided to become a "runner" about 10 years ago.  I am a competitive person by nature, mostly with myself.  So when I decided to start running and could barely run down the street without gasping for air, I knew I had to change some things in my life and study on how I could get this running thing down.  Now, I never became a super fast runner, partly because I am only 5'3 and all torso, but I was able to run several mini-marathons and even one full marathon in the past 10 years.  I also competed in a couple of small triathlons.  As a competitive person, I was always trying to beat my last time, always out to set a new PR.  So, I had to learn a little about nutrition because that definitely plays a big role in running success.

When I became pregnant with my 3rd child in 2012, I stopped running due to health reasons.  So after I had my beautiful daughter, I couldn't wait to start running again.  But, it wouldn't be so easy.  I was so discouraged every time I went out to run, because I just could never find my groove.  I was also having a hard time losing the last bit of "baby weight."  At 36 years old, it wasn't as easy to drop those pounds as it was with my first two babies.  So, that's when I decided to try something else and purchased my first Beachbody workout, the 21 day fix!  Loved it and lost the rest of my weight in those 21 days (8pounds).  Now, I've never been an overweight woman, but I've always been active and did some sort of exercise.  I certainly haven't always been healthy either.  There was definitely a time in my life where I was very unhealthy due to making very poor choses in what I ate (or didn't eat).  But Beachbody taught me how to eat the right foods and how much food to eat.  It made it so easy.  In January of 2015, I joined my first challenge group on FB.  The results I got after that challenge group kept me wanting to do more.  The group kept me motivated and held me accountable.  I stopped making excuses for why I couldn't work out or eat healthy.  I felt so good, that I decided I wanted to help others feel this same way.  So, I became a Beachbody coach. 

As a coach, I am no expert but I am always learning.  I love to learn new exercises and recipes that taste great and are good for you.  I always have health and fitness on my mind which brings me to why I decided to start a blog.  I am always having these thoughts bouncing around in my head so I figured maybe I should write them down.  Maybe, just maybe one or some of these thoughts may help or inspire someone else.  Who knows!?  At least, that is my hope!
 
"I want to inspire people....I want someone to look at me and say
Because of you I didn't give up."