Put Some Jingle in Your Pocket: Cash for Christmas

Tis the season where we tend to be a bit too in love with the idea of "giving" and over-extend ourselves. How many times have you paid for Christmas using credit cards, thinking, "Oh, I'll pay it off come tax time" then never pay back that debt? I know I sure have! This year is going to be different though! With a promise made to myself to pay down debt as fast as possible, I'm not going to dig even deeper into that hole. That's why this year, we will be paying cash for Christmas! I owe all of that to Beachbody, and I want YOU to be able to have the same opportunity!

When you think of seasonal holiday jobs, what comes to mind?

Retail?

Hours that take too much time away from family?

Wages that barely cover the cost of gas to get to/from work?

Why bother with all of that when I am looking for 5 people to join my amazing team of health and fitness coaches to earn an additional $500 this holiday season. Wouldn't you love to be able to enjoy the holidays without racking up that credit card bill? Plus, you are earning extra by helping people! You get to stay motivated reaching your own goals and help others along the way. Tis the season, right?

So who am I looking for?

I want someone who is MOTIVATED. I am NOT your boss, I am your mentor!

Someone who can give me ONE hour a day to expand their business.

People with an upbeat attitude! No negative Nancy's here!

Ladies and gentlemen who are determined to succeed.

And let's face it, I want folks around me who want to have FUN!

This sounds all fine and dandy, but I don't have any experience!

That's ok! You don't have to be a fitness or nutrition expert. Nor do you have to be in the best shape of you life. You don't even have to be this uber fitness person who knows every detail of everything fitness related!

As a part of the #1 Team in the Beachbody organization, I just want you to have a desire and willingness to learn. If you give me one hour a day, I can teach you how to become a successful Beachbody coach and earn that extra cash. Trust me, I learned everything I know from the top coach in the company!

Since this is such a great chance to learn from the best of the best, it's going to come down to picking those that sign up first. Remember, only 5 spots are available! One on one training with me will start immediately, and on December 1st you will begin a formal training program. (All of this is STILL a part of that ONE hour a day!) 

Fill out the application below so you can start earning Cash for Christmas!

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

Tony Horton's NEW P90!

It's about time Beachbody launched a new program! I bet it's safe to say that most people have heard about P90X, as well as P90X2 and P90X3. What are the odds those who own any of the programs thought they were SUPER intense? Back in the day, I tried to do P90X. Key word being tried. Not only could I not do half of the moves, but the 60-90 minute exercises just weren't my cup of tea. The great results P90X can produce were seen, but it was also noted how many people needed something to get them to the point where they could actually complete it!

Insert P90

Tony Horton's new P90 program is made for people who want to work on improving their fitness levels but aren't quite ready for the intensity of P90X. This program was created to teach the basics - proper form and building strength.

P90 was made for those of us who want to lose weight without extreme work-outs, people who want to build muscle/lean out, individuals who "lost it" along the way and want to get back on track, and anyone who might need to spice up their normal routine by trying something new!

But just because it teaches the basics doesn't mean you won't get amazing results! By committing to 25 minutes a day for 90 days, you can achieve great results! You won't be straining your body, as it is not high intensity, just basic work-outs and cardio.

Along with the great work-outs, you will also be getting Tony's nutrition guide. We all know abs are made in the kitchen! As tough as it may be to get control of, nutrition is a key part to weight loss and getting that body you've always wanted. Tony makes it easy by combing those great exercising with an easy to follow nutrition plan. 

Now I know I have you all excited for this great new program, but it isn't available quite yet! Beachbody will be releasing P90 through your coach next week! To create the best experience possible, as your coach, I will be available to you for support, motivation, and accountability to achieve great results with P90, as well as many other programs! Starting October 6, I will be offering an accountability group to ensure that you stick with the program you purchased so you succeed at your health and fitness goals!

So if you don't already have a coach, I encourage you to create a free account! It's simple! Just click the link below.

Create a FREE account with ME as your coach!

New Addition and Maternity Leave

At 4:30am on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, my water officially broke. Finally!! Nearly 40 long weeks later, we have action!! I labored at home for several hours, leaving us with the hour drive to the hospital. That was fun... Long story short, by 9:18pm, our family had increased by one!

In active labor at this point.

Meet Miss Hillary Jane! She entered the world screaming, but calmed down long enough for an adorable photo. She weighed 7lbs 10oz and was 20 1/4in long. I will be honest in saying we were totally expecting a boy, so she was a HUGE surprise!

Miss Hillary Jane

 Now our world is filled with pink, purple, and all things girly! 

Sleeping during tummy time

I am loving my maternity leave and being able to watch her grow a little bit every day. It's so crazy to see the changes she makes from one day to the next. At 7 weeks old, she is getting to the point where she wants to smile and interact more. So what do we do while Dad is at work? Watch the 21 Day Fix infomercial! Girlfriend loved learning a bit about what Mom does (see that smile?!).

Lazy Sunday with my love

Initially, Mike and I were super nervous about my nine week maternity leave. We have always used my income from Beachbody to pay off debt. Our steady paychecks from working traditional jobs pay for day living/bills, so it's nice to have supplemental income to chip away at those loans at a faster rate. 

Well, lucky for us, I am able to work from home while watching our little princess. I continue to run challenge/accountability groups, while helping others reach their health and fitness goals. Having this once supplemental income be enough to subsidize my paychecks takes a huge weight off of our shoulders. We are continuing with our usual bills, as well as medical bill incurred while hospitalized. All from the comfort of my own home, while loving on a newborn. I am BEYOND lucky for this opportunity!

Maternity Paychecks

Now I don't show this to brag, as there are many coaches earning far more than me. I'm displaying this so you can see what is possible. What would you do with an extra $200 a week? What about more? Would you choose to stay home with your kids? Travel? Pay off debt? I am able to enjoy my maternity leave thanks to Beachbody. Then, once that is over, I will continue to pay off debt. 

Even greater than this, I am helping people change their lives! With each of these paychecks, it shows the individuals who are choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. They are eating well, exercising, and enjoying life. (Seriously... they tell me they this!) 

If you have a passion for health and fitness and want to change lives, Beachbody is the company for you! Take control and be your own boss! I promise, you won't regret it!!

Apply here to be a coach on my team!

20 Weeks and Counting!

A lot has changed since my last post! First off, I'm getting bigger! The tiny human can officially be felt externally when it kicks. It also REALLY likes to punch/kick my bladder. We've had some serious discussions about how Mommy doesn't appreciate those particular movements. Secondly, I visited a neurologist who said I no longer need to do heparin injections. The neurologist did a complete exam (along with some bloodwork), stating that if he didn't know my history, he never would have guessed that I had a stroke 3 years ago. Score! He also noted that I do not need a scheduled c-section due to increased risk for having another stroke. This little lady is super pumped! 

20 Week Belly

So now I get to "enjoy" the rest of my pregnancy. Today was my 20 week appointment, which means I had my anatomy scan ultrasound. Mike and I decided to wait until d-day to learn the gender of the baby, but it was still fun seeing it on the screen! My tiny human is already pretty stubborn. It refused to slip over so the ultrasound tech could get a good view of the spine. At one point, the tech pushed the probe on my belly to get it to move… and we watched the little stinker use both legs to forcefully kick where she was poking. "Bug off, lady!" is totally what it was saying! I can already see our stubborn personalities colliding one day… 

The doctor did mention that everything looks great. The tiny human is weighing in at 11oz, and is in the 61% grouping for size. Average is 50%, so it's a little bigger than average. With parents like Mike and me, I wouldn't expect any less! There's no way this kid is going to be small! Since everything with the tiny human (and me) looks so good, along with the neurologist taking me off heparin/stating I don't need a scheduled c-section, I officially got moved from a high-risk pregnancy status to low-risk! I even watched him mark it on the paper!! Super fabulous news :)

Tiny Human

My growing belly is still leading to some body image issues. I know, I know… it's suppose to be growing (especially with it being 11 oz!!). Now that I'm starting to look a little more pregnant it's getting better, but I still hate wearing anything other than my scrubs or sweatpants. Plus, maternity pants just aren't that comfortable! 

I've also started discovering how difficult it's getting to move around while working. Bending and twisting in to weird positions to restrain animals isn't as fun as it was a few months ago! I also get out of breath walking from one side of the clinic to the other. It's nuts!

Toes!

Since I've noticed some problems with my breathing, I've started exercising more. While I do have to modify some, I'm amazed at how well I can usually keep up! Thirty minutes a day is totally doable, especially when my cravings tend to get the best of me regarding my diet. I'm also trying to encourage others to join in with me. As a Beachbody coach, I'm always trying to get others on track with their health and fitness, but this month is a little different.

One of my fellow coaches was recently diagnosed with stage four Hodgkins Lymphoma. She is an awesome coach, mom, teacher, and overall person, so I'm going to do anything I can to help. That's why, for the month of March, I am helping raise money to help contribute to her charity of choice (the Mario Lemieux Foundation). Whenever someone signs up with to participate in one of my challenge groups with the purchase of a challenge pack (an exercise program + 30days worth of Shakeology), I am donating some of my commission in her honor. 

A couple other coaches and myself are hosting a challenge group that starts March 24th. I'm really excited about this group, as I want to get TONS of people involved so I have more to donate in her honor! So you might be wondering what exactly a challenge group entails. Well, it's a 60 day group that takes place from the comfort of your own home. You will be added to a closed Facebook group (meaning only the folks in the group can see what you post) where you are given daily assignments that will keep you motivated and on track during the challenge. We focus on balancing daily life, fitness, nutrition… all while making it as fun as possible! I love these groups because they give you a place to go for support, motivation, and accountability.  If you're interested in learning more about joining the March 24th group, please e-mail me at k.pivowar@gmail.com  

Great cause for a great gal!

T25 Before & After

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!

After completing Insanity with minimal results (of which I attribute to not changing my diet), I decided to try Shaun T's newest fitness program Focus T25. This program has three phases : Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Alpha lays the foundation. Beta builds your core. Gamma focuses on strength. The best part of this program was that each video was only 25 minutes a day. Anyone can find 25 minutes a day to work out!

Mixing T25 with a nutritious diet lead to these results. I replaced one meal a day with Shakeology, as well as ate healthy items such as more fruits a veggies. Basic, but it works!!  

So I took my 'before' photos in late August 2013. At the end of September/ beginning of October, I took photos when I completed the Alpha round. Unfortunately, I slacked off and did not get photos after I finished Beta. However, I DEFINITELY made sure I got my pictures done after Gamma! I am so proud of my results!!

Here are the stats before the photos:

Waist : 31.5"  now 29"

Chest: 36.5"  now 35.5"

Hips: 38.5"  now 36.5"

Right Thigh: 25.75"  now 24"

Left Thigh: 25.5"  now 24.5"

Right Arm: 13.5"  now 12"

Left Arm:  13" now 12"

THAT'S A TOTAL OF 9.75" !!!!!

I am also down 18lbs. That's right!! I went from 178lbs to 160lbs in just 14 WEEKS! 

Prior to starting T25, I was busting out of a size 12 jeans. Now I need a belt to keep my size 10 jeans up, but my thighs won't quite fit into an 8, so I'm stuck here ;)

This just goes to show that with a little hard work and LOTS of determination, it IS possible to achieve your goals! I achieved my small goal of being able to fit into a size 10 comfortably. Now I'm moving on! Yesterday, I started my next program Turbo Fire. I can't wait to show you those results in 90 days!!

Spending Money

So this is a super tough topic. A topic that I really hate encountering, yet it's pretty common with both of my jobs. Leaving the veterinary side out of it, I'm going to touch on spending money on your HEALTH.

I want you to take a step back and ask yourself how much you spend on your personal health every year. Do you take the easy way out and go for cheap, unhealthy fast food or do you spend a little extra on a healthy item? Do you drop $30+ a month on a gym membership you don't use, do you have a treadmill sitting in the corner that you use to throw your dirty laundry on, or do you get up every morning and hit the pavement for a freebie run? 

Some folks don't bat an eye when it comes to spending money on their body and health. Others would rather spend their money elsewhere. I use to be the latter. I'd rather save money by getting a $1 cheeseburger and driving down the road for a $0.79 32oz pop at the gas station than spend $7 on a salad for dinner. Oy vey… No wonder why I'm faced with trying to lose weight as an adult!! 

Now I spend $115 every month on my bag of Shakeology. Yes, it is expensive, but it works out to UNDER $4 a day for what is what I can say with 100% certainty to be the healthiest meal of my day. I love the way it makes me feel, as well as how it keeps me full. I also now exercise six days a week. SIX!! While it is tough getting up at the crack of dawn some mornings, the energy I have afterwards is amazing! Best endorphins ever!!

Especially with it being so close to the holidays, rarely are people thinking about spending money on themselves. Let alone on themselves for something health and wellness related. Let's break it down…

Typical Holiday Spending

How do you rate with this chart? This year, Mike and I are not buying gifts for one another. We are each getting something small for our parents, as well as something for my nephew and his little brother. We are each contributing a small amount to gifts for co-workers, but that's it. We decided we would rather focus on spending what little extra we have on our health. 

Turbo Fire Complete System

So for my Christmas gift, I got myself another Beachbody workout program!! It was drastically reduced price-wise for Black Friday, basically the only way I was able to afford getting everything vs. just the standard version. I am so excited to have another program to continue with, as I finish T25 this week. I am going to be sad to say goodbye to Shaun T, but I'm greatly looking forward to spicing it up :)

Ok so you took a step back to evaluate. Now take two steps forward so you can keep moving forward for YEARS to come. A healthier you is a BETTER, HAPPIER you. I promise! I speak only from personal experience.

Put yourself FIRST this holiday season.