Insanity Max:30

One of the most influential men in my life is back at it! Sure, I get excited when new programs are released, but when it comes to Shaun T, it gets brought to a whole new level. I started my fitness journey in the summer of 2013 with Insanity, then moved on to Focus 25. Insanity taught me that I could do things I never thought possible. It pushed me past my limits and allowed me to see that even an overweight, miserable girl could achieve amazing results. It's that exact reason why I feel like a little kid at Christmas for his new program.

Enter Insanity Max:30

Shaun T's newest addition will take you out of your comfort zone like it did with Insanity, but instead of sweating your eyes out for 40-60 minutes, he's packed all of that intensity into 30 minutes. As a new mom, finding time to work out isn't easy, but I make the time. So the notion of being able to complete a high intensity workout in only 30 minutes in music to my ears! Another fabulous thing about this program is that it requires NOTHING. That's right, your body is all you need to achieve maximum results. No weights. No pull up bar. Nada!

Now that I've sparked your attention, let's discuss the nitty gritty.

Insanity Max:30 is a 60 day program. It's broken down into two phases, month one and month two. In typical Shaun T workouts, he wants you to keep up momentum and don't stop. For anyone that's completed T25, there are no breaks. The same would be true for this short workout, too. Right? Nope! Shaun T's goal is to get you to MAX OUT! The idea is to go as hard as you can for as long as you can, then, when you need to take a quick break, that's your MAX OUT point. You are encouraged to write down your MAX OUT times and try to beat them as the weeks progress. Even Shaun T said he can't go the entire workout without MAXING OUT. How cool is that?! What a great way to push our endurance and ability to the limits. LOVE!!

While it is a crazy program, it can be done by almost anyone thanks to the modifier. Unlike the modifier in T25, this one can be seen 100% of the time. There is an option to split the screen so you can always have the modifier up. How cool is that?! So even if you haven't exercised since high school, if you are mentally ready for the insanity... it's ready and waiting for you!

On to the fun stuff...what are the workouts like?

Cardio Challenge: crazy cardio with 4.5 minute intervals and 30 seconds to rest

Tabata Power: strength training Tabata-style "20 seconds on, 10 seconds off"

Sweat Intervals: even more ridiculous cardio

Tabata Strength: Tabata-style strength workout with no rest

Friday Right: Round 1: pure craziness. No really... INSANE

Max Out Cardio: gotta love more cardio in month 2! This time with 5.5 minute intervals

Max Out Power: Tabata-style intervals "45 seconds on, 15 seconds off" with lots of plyo

Max Out Sweat: twice the sweat in half the time

Max Out Strength: arms, shoulders, chest, and core "45 seconds on, 15 seconds off"

Friday Fight: Round 2: even harder than Round 1

Pulse: low impact combo of stretching and small "pulsing" movements for active recovery

Ab Attack:10: 10 minute routine

Max Out:15: 15 minutes of insane cardio

Max Out Abs: alternate between seated and standing for 15 minutes of core work

360 Abs: 360-degree attack on the abs and core... on the floor, in plank, and more!

The program is to be completed 5 days a week. No double days, either! So when we say 30 minutes, it's really just 30 minutes!

Pulse is meant to be used as an optional Saturday workout for that active recovery.

There's also a COACH EXCLUSIVE dvd called "Sweat Fest." You can only get this if you order through a coach. It's a fun, sweaty workout if you're looking to mix things up!

Now it's time to talk food!

Shaun T is really encouraging portion control when completing Max30. He discusses how planning your meals will allow you to eat healthy foods more often. Tracking what you consume will help you know what to eat and when, decreasing the chance of giving in to temptations because you're not prepared. Color-coded, portion controlled containers are available in the deluxe kit. These containers will help you reach your goals even faster!

What options are available?

There are a few different ways to get your hands on this new gem.

*Challenge Pack* 

This includes the base kit + 30 days of Shakeology.

*Base Kit*

12 workouts on 10 DVDS (Cardio Challenge, Tabata Power, Sweat Intervals, Tabata Strength, Friday Fight: Rounds 1+2), Max Out Cardio, Max Out Power, Max Out Sweat, Max Out Strength, Pulse, Ab Attack:10)

Sweat Fest (if purchased from a coach)

Nutrition Guide

Wall Calendar

Cooking Guide

*Deluxe Kit*

everything included in Base Kit

3 deluxe workouts (Max Out:15, Max Out Abs, 360 Abs)

Core Comfort Mat

Portion Controlled Food Containers

Shakeology Shaker Cup

Body Fat Calipers

Sounds great, but what's the cost?

Super stoked at how available they made this program!! The challenge pack will typically be $205, however they are reducing it to $180 as an introductory price for the month of December. The Base Kit is $119.85, and the Deluxe Kit is $239.70.

That means, if you purchase the challenge pack, you are getting 30 days worth of meals and a 60 day program for only $180! A month of Shakeology is typically $129, so by purchasing them together you are saving $69!!! 

If it still seems like a lot, let's break it down. Say we keep Shakeology at it's regular price and just consider Max30 is on sale. That means you will get 30 nutrient-dense meals for about $4.30 per meal. I don't know about you, but I sure can't make a meal as healthy as Shakeology for that cheap from home! So that leaves us with the new program for about $51. That's 60 days worth of hardcore training by one of the BEST personal trainers in the world for about $0.85 PER DAY! Is your gym membership going to be that inexpensive? Plus, you don't even have to leave your house, fight traffic, hassle with parking... you know the drill!

I WANT IT! Now what?

Fabulous! You can do this program right along with me, and we can keep one another accountable! How would we go about doing this? By joining in one of my amazingly awesome accountability groups! The groups are all done through closed Facebook groups, so only those participating can see what's going on. It's a safe place to share your struggles, fears, triumphs, and goals. No judgment and negative thinking allowed! Each day I will give you tips and tricks with ways to stay on track. Plus, there's lots of motivation to keep pushing yourself to be the healthiest you yet!

So if you're ready to join my accountability group, here is the direct link to purchase the Insanity Max:30 challenge pack.

http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPIM205?referringRepId=291007

If you're not ready for the accountability group, let me know, and we can discuss how to keep you on track without the group. My goal as your coach is to provide you with a support system that works best for YOU! If that means joining a group, fabulous! If you're the type that would rather me just check in with you periodically to make sure you're keeping your focus, I'm ok with that, too!

For those of you that aren't quite ready for Max30 but are interested in learning more about Beachbody programs and would like for me to be your coach, please sign up for a free account by clicking this link! 

https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=291007

How I Failed at the 21 Day Fix

You read that right. This is the story of how I failed at my attempt at the 21 Day Fix six weeks after having a baby. 

I started off the week strong. I had my meal plan all ready to go, and what I thought was enough food in the house. Hillary kept her cool during my workouts, making the perfect little cheerleader!

By the middle of the week, she would stay napping after our afternoon walks long enough for me to breeze through Autumn's 30 minute videos.

Towards the end of the week, I started having problems. I couldn't eat all of the food. Say what?! Yeah, it was too much food. I wasn't getting in my allotted intake, which left me feeling like a failure. It's not that I wasn't hungry, it's that I was trying to manage a fussy baby, while trying to eat almost every 3 hours just to get all of the food in. Overwhelmed was the perfect way to describe how I was feeling. 

Then Hillary decided she didn't want to let Mom have her 30 minute sweat sessions. I was being interrupted constantly, turning a quick workout into a constant try to workout-pause-try again-pause.

Even though I struggled with my food and continuous exercising, I still managed to lose 4 pounds in that first week!

The following week I tried. Really, I did! Exhaustion and a deep feeling of being overwhelmed got the best of me, though. I gave up. 100% honesty here! I'm not perfect (just in case any of you are thinking I am). I have my ups and downs, and motherhood is getting the best of me. I had every intention of going back to work being almost at my pre-baby weight. Not even close, and I start work Tuesday. But I'm not going to let that initial failure keep me down! 

This time I have an easy meal plan in place. All foods that I've prepared ahead of time and are easy to eat with one hand. A busy mom has to learn how to adjust with a finicky infant in her arms! My first attempt was a learning experience. Just because I'm home with Hillary doesn't necessarily mean I have time to cook fantastic meals. But it does mean I can still eat healthy, easy, quick meals that are good for both of us! 

Here is my meal plan for the coming week. It's very boring, but I know these foods will be super easy for me to stick with. I have my egg muffins, chicken, venison, and quinoa bars already made. Some days I don't get all of the allotted food in, but I'm not letting that stress me out. I'm plugged in to a higher calorie bracket due to the fact that I'm nursing, so I feel like there's a little wiggle room. I'm also "splurging" and eating a serving of lactation cookies every night. I'm trying to amp up my milk production since Hillary will be in daycare two days a week and my body doesn't respond well to the pump. 

So there you have it. I lost a grand total of 7 pounds in 21 days. (Thank goodness for breastfeeding.. what I'm chalking those other 3 pounds up to.) I'm not going to get down on myself, though. I'm only human. And I have this tiny human to care for (while keeping my sanity), who is far more important than losing X amount of weight in 3 weeks. My new goal? Successfully complete the 21 Day Fix, feel more confident, and don't be too hard on myself!

Reality Check

So here's the deal. I've been MIA. So much for being a source of motivational support. If I couldn't motivate you via Facebook, it wasn't going to happen. How crappy of me is that?! Then I realized…

My reality check was like a kick to the head. How am I suppose to be the best person of influence/coach/source of accountability if I'm not present? NOT POSSIBLE! But here's what's going to go down in the next few paragraphs: updates about how I've been, what I've been doing, and my promise to NOT be a slacker. Sound ok?



1) The 21 Day Fix while pregnant: I SUCKED at it. Yup, totally admitting it. My intolerance for a lot of foods took control over me. Pregnancy is HARD. I never expected it to be like this. I thought I would be able to continue eating right, working out, and keeping slender while ONLY my belly grew. Why didn't anyone slap me on the forehead like they do in the V8 commercials?  I honestly try my hardest, but man, sometimes a girl just needs a bowl of honey nut Cheerios! I also am unable to exercise daily, especially now towards the end. Some days after being on my feet for 8-10 hours , wrestling giant dogs and grumpy cats non-stop, I would just shut down. On the other hand, I consider all the walking I've done while at work to have helped GREATLY!

How I felt during every workout

2) Pregnancy status: At almost 36 weeks pregnant, I am still feeling pretty decent. I tend to get swelling in my feet if I sit for too long (they look great when I'm up walking/moving!). Today marked the day where I officially had to remove my wedding and engagement rings. I think I did pretty well with that one! The baby has been trying to bust out via elbowing and kneeing my sides. That's fun. Not. We are getting to the point where the baby's room is almost done which is exciting! The best part was doing all of the laundry. That smell + a room full of clean diapers = heavenly :)

An awesome onesie a fellow coach sent me. Couldn't be any more perfect!

3) Beachbody business: A couple of weeks ago I officially made the status of One Star Diamond. What does that mean? It says that not only am I helping individuals achieve their health and fitness goals, but I am also helping other coaches grow their businesses. It's a HUGE accomplishment that makes me SO proud to have such an amazing team. Definitely couldn't do it without them!!! I'm getting ready to start another 21 day challenge group on Monday, as well as a coach basics group. What is a coach basics group? It is a close Facebook group where myself and a few other coaches teach new coaches how to be rockstars. I've never hosted with other coaches before, so I'm loving the prep for it in the mixing of different mindsets and leadership skills. We are going to produce some STELLAR coaches!

Two One Star Diamond Coaches + Two Diamond Coaches = Kick Ass Coach Basics Group

4) Why I'm not going to be a slacker anymore: I realized that more than even though I'm pregnant, I'm still a coach! I still REALLY want to inspire, motivate, and help people achieve their health and fitness goals. Even though I feel like I'm being pulled a million directions at once right now, nothing is more important than making people feel better about themselves. I can put my emotions on hold to help people realize that achieve their dreams IS possible, and I SO look forward to being someone's positive role model. My goal for the month of July is to help at least 15 people start with their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Want to help this mama-to-be achieve her goals? Shoot me an email, comment below, or find me on Facebook! I'd LOVE to help, but remember… no quick fixes, no magic pills, no weird wraps. It's all about hard work and dedication, but I PROMISE to keep you on point :)

Why Shakeology is the Bee's Knees

First of all, what the heck is Shakeology?

Nutrition Simplified

Shakeology is a MEAL REPLACEMENT shake that is the brainchild of the Beachbody company. The biggest misconception is that it's a protein shake. NOPE! It's so much more than that! It is jam packed with vitamins and nutrients that we (as crazy busy folks) typically don't include in our daily diets. The shakes include probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, preboiotics, vitamins, minerals, amino acids… the list goes on!  Shakeology is SO nutrient-dense, it's like eating SIX salads… except it tastes like a chocolate peanut butter cup or strawberry banana smoothie or snickerdoodle cookie. YES! There are special ways to mix up the shakes that have them tasting like dessert! 

Why do I love Shakeology?

I'll be real with you, I use to have HORRIBLE eating habits. I was always feeling like I needed a nap, was bloated, had crappy skin/hair/nails, felt sluggish while working, was irregular (yup, I'm talking about poop people!), and was extremely moody. So what changed? I started eating healthier and replacing one meal or snack a day with chocolate Shakeology.

By making this change, I noticed a significant difference in my appearance (longer nails, clearer skin, and less damage to my hair), had more energy, and felt more stable mentally… though my husband will probably argue with that one. I also pooped every single day. That may not seem impressive to many people, but as someone who use to only poo a few times a week, it was like the skies opened up and heaven rained down upon me!

Why am I so PRO-Shakeology?

It's an easy solution! Why stop by a fast food chain, coffee house, or gas station to get breakfast on the go when you can have a meal loaded with a day's worth of vitamins and nutrients for the same price? There's no need to skimp on nutrition because of convenience. Seriously, throw a scoop of Shakeology into a shaker cup, mix with water or almond milk, and go! If you're not in a hurry, throw in some spices, fruit, ice, peanut butter, etc to change up the flavor and keep you from getting bored. Personally, I'd rather have a glass of Shakeology keeping me full and giving me energy vs. grabbing a package of mini donuts and soda that has me feeling hungry and ready for a nap within an hour.

Shakeology is also completely NATURAL. Unlike almost every single other meal replacement shake available, it's not bogged down with artificial ingredients and chemicals just to keep the cost down. It tastes good naturally! It is absolutely AMAZING the way you can feel when you give your body the ingredients that were made to fuel it efficiently. 

Most of my friends think I'm nuts when I talk about how much I love this stuff. Seriously,  how could changing one thing make me feel so amazing? I can talk about it until I'm blue in the face, but until you actually EXPERIENCE what Shakeology can do for YOU, you will never know!

I encourage you to at least TRY Shakeology to see how it can benefit you. Yes, even those of you that claim you hate "drinking" your meals. How about you "drink" your snack instead? (Yup, I'm being a smartass…) I ALWAYS have samples available if you'd like to give it a shot prior to committing to purchasing an entire bag. What could be easier on you (and your wallet) than trying Shakeology?! ;)

Comment below or e-mail me for more information and sample flavors!

 

Mid-Week Update

A few days ago I wrote about how I was planning on doing a modified version of the 21 Day Fix to avoid excessive pregnancy weight gain. I made some changes based on how my pregnancy has been going, as well as to keep myself sane. So how have I been doing? I'd give myself a 5. That's right, a 5. 

Before the tiny human started growing inside of me, I was on point with my nutrition about 90% of the time. My husband and I would always have one date night a week where all rules went out of the window, and then we would go get ice cream! I stuck to my exercise plan and made no excuses. Sure, I'd have slip ups, but I had pretty good willpower for being a self-diagnosed emotional eater with absolutely NO control.

Now that the tiny human has taken up residence in my abdomen (sometimes it feel like it's sitting on my bladder, other times it feels up in my ribs…), it's like all of my willpower has evaporated. There's no better word to describe it.

So here's what's gone down:

Monday was great. Stuck with the meal plan 100%. My only probably was choking down the vegetables. Since Day 1, the tiny human has not approved of plain vegetables or chicken. If the veggies are on a sandwich or covered in ranch dressing, it's happy. If the chicken doesn't taste like chicken, it's happy. Otherwise, the gag reflex is on point. So I choked down the veggies and made the best of gagging through my meals.

Tuesday wasn't so bad. My coworker turned 50, so another coworker brought in her famous homemade cake. I ate a piece. Yeah, remember me talking about my willpower evaporating? While most folks went back for two pieces, I stuck with my one. That has to count for something, right? 

Wednesday was TERRIBLE! Absolutely nothing sounded good to eat. I had my meal plan sitting in front of me, food already prepared, and I gagged at the thought of it. Seriously. What the heck?! What did sound good? Hummus. I ate small portions of hummus throughout the day and survived. For dinner, I had some oatmeal with cinnamon and a glass of milk. 

Today? Well, today isn't quite over yet, but I'm still in the phase where nothing sounds good. I thought pregnant woman were suppose to be wanting all kinds of awesome food? For me, it's racking my brain for something that the thought of doesn't make me ill. I'm calling bullshit…

So what would you do in this situation? Choke down the foods or find something relatively healthy that is tolerable? I'm at a total loss!

As for my exercise schedule, it's been pretty good! On Tuesday, I crashed as soon as I got home from work, so I made Wednesday a double day. The modifier with the program is excellent! I try to keep up with the trainer as best as I can, but I don't have the stamina to be hardcore 100% of the time. I'm chalking that one up to decreased lung space and 20 extra pounds lingering kind of all over. At least that's one thing that I KNOW I can finish every day. Or at least have a double day if I accidentally miss a day.

Post workout glare

Since I am still struggling with eating well, it makes me beyond thankful that I no longer have to take heparin injections so that I may now enjoy a daily Shakeology. I pair one shake a day with some extra folic acid, and I'm set! This way, I know I'm getting one AMAZINGLY healthy meal that's like eating SIX salads. Choking a salad down is tough. There's no choking Shakeology down. It's liquid gold!! (But not like that crap they talk about in the Velveeta commericials.) Shakeology is a huge blessing for me right now, and I am so thankful that I found it six months ago!

Enjoying snuggles and Shakeology

Pregnancy and the 21 Day Fix

Let me just stop and take a moment to reflect on how HORRIBLE my eating habits have been for the past month. 

It all started when I went to Florida to visit Mike's dad. Talk about amazing food! I let everything slide and ate whatever I wanted. Returning to Indiana meant coming back to reality, but now I had tasted the sweet, sweet temptations… and all hell was about to break loose!

Huge Ice Cream Sunday in Florida

So after we got home, Mike went right back to his healthy eating of loads of veggies, fruit, and protein. I, on the other hand, kept wanting all of the yummy splurge meals we had while away. Sure, I'd snack on fruits and carrots while eating a turkey sandwich. Those healthy meals weren't as frequent as they should have been, though! Indulging in pancakes, ice cream, pizza, and french fries got pretty common!

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Dinner

Realistically, I'm pregnant. Who cares if I gain weight?

Umm… me?!!!

I had been on a gradual incline at all of my previous OB appointments. I felt ok but large in the belly. Go figure! Now I am getting to the point where my face looks fuller, my arms aren't as tone, my pants are tighter in my thighs, and I'm getting my saddlebags back. Oh hell no! This has to STOP before it gets any worse!

This ridiculous weight gain is what lead me to do the 21 Day Fix while pregnant. While the program is a diet and exercise plan, it's main focus is helping folks deal with portion control. Basically, it's screaming my name! I have been doing some of the workouts on my own (pretty much when I'm not exhausted) but thought the nutrition portion should best be left until post-baby. I mean heck, this is my time to let loose. 

21 Day Fix Program

Except I let loose a little too much.

Therefore, tomorrow I will be diving in to this awesome program! 

So how does it work, especially considering I'm pregnant? When you purchase the program, you are given an exercise schedule to match up with the dvds that you received. You're also given an eating plan that tells you how many containers you can eat per day based on your caloric needs. The containers are color-coded which makes meal planning super easy. 

21 Day Fix Containers

After calculating how many calories I should be eating a day, I figured out how many containers I get. It really is WAY less intense than it sounds.  For the program, I get to eat between 1800-2099 calories a day. That's right, loads of HEALTHY calories to help this tiny human grow! 

This means:

5 Green containers

3 Purple containers

5 Red containers

4 Yellow containers

1 Blue container

1 Orange container

5 Teaspoons (for oils, peanut butter, etc)

That is a LOT of food folks!! Plus, it's all nutritious… something the tiny human will thank me for!

I made my weekly meal plan to help break it down even more.

21 Day Fix Meal Plan

You might notice this doesn't follow the allotment to a T. While I do get 3 Yellow containers a day, one is to limit their milk intake to three times a week. The tiny human has me going through about a gallon a week, so I had to be realistic. I am knocking it down and replacing some with water, but I want that daily milk intake. If my body says I need it, I'm going to listen! That's why I'm mixing it with my Shakeology every day.  The orange containers are dressings, nuts, etc. Three times a week, you are allowed to replace them with something small and sweet, like chocolate covered raisins. Since the tiny human has intensified my sweet tooth, I'm allowing a small daily snack to keep myself at bay. I would much rather allow myself a small splurge than go nuts and eat a pint of ice cream. Which has been my usual routine. I am also not eating all of my teaspoons, as I usually never cook in oil. (Mike hates it, but I throw that stuff in a dry skillet and pray for a small amount of smoke!) 

So there you have it. That's how a pregnant lady plans on doing the 21 Day Fix! I will also add that most of the exercises will have to be modified, as I cannot do any ab work. If it calls for me to lay on my belly, I'll do some yoga stretching instead. That should help me in a few more months!

I will definitely be sure to keep my progress updated. And just to avoid confusing/criticism, I am NOT doing this program to lose weight! I am doing this program to get myself back on track, watch my portions, limit my sweets, and eat more veggies! What I've put on is what I will have to deal with until post-tiny human. However, if I can keep it from piling on, I am sure as hell going to try!

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.

She Returns!!!

Keeping with the theme of having some accountability, I am standing before you, apologizing for my recent absence. I had some personal stuff happen in my life a few weeks ago that was hard on me. It happens to everyone. It's this thing called "life." It sneaks up on you sometimes! Have no fear, though! I'm back!!

So here is a brief update on what's been going on:

1) In the latter part of October, I drove 8 hours (each way) from Small Town, Indiana to Deep Creek, Maryland. My journey was for a team building retreat in a fabulous lake-front home with some brilliant ladies from the Dream Team. *Side note: The Dream Team was created by my coach, and we are the #2 ranked team out of over 150,000 teams in Beachbody.* I am so lucky that I was able to travel there to meet so many amazing women.  Plus I got to eat some awesome food! I learned that I LOVE pineapple. It was like crack that Saturday night...

Met my coach, saw a snow ski slope, and brainstormed by a beautiful lake!

2) I have been working my tush off with my Beachbody business and have worked my way up to a DIAMOND coach! Not to pat myself on the back or anything… but this is me patting myself on the back! What does it mean to be a Diamond coach? I'm glad you asked! Being a Diamond coach means I have a group of eight fabulous coaches as a part of my business, with two of those coaches having two coaches in their business. Pretty much it means I have people that actually trust me. It's a great feeling! It says that I am doing something right and leading people in the right direction as far as their health and fitness goals. It was a huge accomplishment for me, as I achieved this in just 59 days of being a coach. Oh hey, there's me patting my back again ;)

Just me… rocking as a Diamond coach!

3) I have kind of been slacking on the nutrition aspect of my life. It's amazing how stress can get the best of you! I am definitely an emotional eater, and that addiction has been kicking my butt for the past few weeks. Sticking with my T25 has been easy, but steering clear of temptations has not been. Seriously, whose idea was it to put a Dairy Queen in my tiny little hometown?! NOT COOL! Ok, so I've owned up to it. I do NOT want to do that again, so this is me vowing to avoid that sweet treat for at least the next three weeks. No sense in ruining all of my hard work as I finish up T25!!

4) My kittens are getting cuter by the day. I can't make this up. Sometimes, I wish I could squeeze them so hard, but I physically have to hold myself back to avoid hurting them. I can't imagine what I'll be like as a parent of a two-legged child.

Clockwise from top left: Eloise, Faye, Elliott, and Audrey

5) I am trying to get back into planning our meals for the week. While I loathe Sunday as meal prep day, I have got to make it a habit. Here is what's happening in our house this week! My husband definitely eats more than I do during the day, but it proves a good guideline as to how we eat. Granted, there are times where we might swap meals around, but we try to stick the plan as much as possible.

Week of November 17 Meal Plan

6) From the bottom of my heart, thanks for continuing to check in and keep me accountable! I GREATLY look forward to writing more frequently, so stay tuned :)