Invest in Your Health

When you decide to take control of your health, start eating healthy, start getting active, reducing stress in your life and finding something to believe in you will want to make sure every bit of your hard-earned time and money make a dent in your goals right? ABSOLUTELY!! You've made up your mind, set your sights high and there's no turning back now!! So how are you going to do that? What's going to make this time different from the last time you were ready to "make a change"? Well let me tell you! THIS time you're going to have a plan, you're going to invest in your future and you're going to set yourself up for success!!

Let's start with eating healthy...

We live in a society that is BOMBARDED with food. There's a Starbucks on every corner, fast food next to every school, playground and library, billboards flashing the newest $6 Burger from Carl's Jr. It's EVERYWHERE!! These businesses are strategically placed as they know in our fast-paced society we need to grab a quick meal and run to the next activity.  They even have us believing that if it's "grilled chicken" it MUST be healthy! WRONG...it may be a healthier option than say a Big Mac but it's loaded with sodium, carbs and not much nutritional value at all!! And literally, at what cost, are we willing to keep doing this to ourselves? Starbucks coffee ranges from $4-$7+, Fast food value meals are $6+, heck even a chicken salad is $5. But it's QUALITY that is lacking in these foods. You are NOT investing in your health when you visit these chains I promise you that! So what can you do about it?

There are several things you can do about it! The first thing is to PLAN YOUR MEALS. I can't stress this enough!!! If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. It's as simple as that! You've decided to invest in your health and that will require a little foot work on your part. No I'm not talking working out...that's coming next. I'm talking about a little thought, planning and preparation!!

You need to set aside some time for yourself on Sunday morning (or whichever day works best for you) and think about the week ahead of you and do some meal planning. Do you have after school sports? Book club? Boy Scouts? Date night? Now take out your blank meal planning template and jot them down. Next plan which meal you will be replacing with Shakeology so you KNOW you're getting the healthiest meal of the day and you don't even have to think about it. Jot that down and list any ingredients you'll be adding to your shake. Next plan the rest of the meals and snacks. If you know your family gets bored easily with left overs try a new dish or two each week, but don't overwhelm yourself. This new chapter in your life is supposed to be reducing stress too!! Rotate in some family favorites with some new recipes and remember left-overs make great lunches the next day!

Now that you've got your meals planned out, create a shopping list and hit the store! Another great way to invest in your health is to STICK TO YOUR LIST!! Don't get distracted by the bakery section or the ice cream freezer. Just get in and get out...you'll be saving money and saving your waist line! Once you're home I highly suggest washing, chopping and bagging all of your produce. You can bag everything individually so that on those days that you have a million errands to run or lots of after school activities you know you have your cooler packed with healthy eats in the car so you dont have to swing by any drive thru.

How about we throw in some exercise???

You don't have to be the next Iron-Man contestant to start exercising. If you belong to a gym, run around the neighborhood, workout to home DVDs or pull out articles from your favorite fitness magazine, JUST GET MOVING!! I think it's a false belief that so many people have that just because you get older you have to get fat or gain weight...That's so FALSE!! Adults tend to gain weight due to lack of physical activity. They're no longer participating in high school or college sports, not running around after their little ones, hitting too many drive thru's and becoming A-1 couch potatoes!! But that stops today!! So what can you do about it?

There are several things you can do about it!

First let's start with the workout gear. We all like to look good no matter what we're doing. So head out and get some new workout gear if you don't have any or yours needs a makeover. It doesn't have to be super expensive, Ross, Old Navy, Forever 21 and Target have some really cute workout clothes and shoes!!

Next you need to pick a workout that you enjoy. Don't worry if it's something different than what your friend or neighbor is doing, do what YOU enjoy!! I promise the more you do something YOU enjoy the more likely you will be to stick to it. If you're not sure where to start you can search Pinterest or Google for some great at home workout tips like this... Pick a few each day and slowly start to add a few more as time goes on and you feel stronger!! Or maybe you prefer a workout DVD you can do in the privacy of your own home like P90X, TurboFire, or Insanity. The best thing about these is that you can do them at whatever time works best for you! You dont have to try to get to the gym on time or wake up super early. The more you make it work for you the more you will stick to it!!

My third tip for investing in your health is to PAY YOURSELF!! Yup, that's right!! EVERY time you do a workout give yourself a tip!! But before you start think about a BIG goal that you want to use that money for. Is it a summer vacation? New workouts clothes? A new outfit? Whatever it is find a picture and print it out. Hang it on the wall over your Tip Jar and let that DRIVE you to workout each day!! When you are thinking about hitting the snooze button REMEMBER that goal you're working so hard towards and go after it!!

My final tip for you is to join one of my 21 day or 60 day accountability groups!  They are an excellent option for support, motivation, and accountability! Not only will you learn the tips I discussed here but we will go over in more detail tips on how to eat clean, stay healthy and lose weight through the summer and how to boost your nutrition for optimum weight loss!!

 

If you are considering joining one of my Challenge groups and getting my 1:1 support with Clean Eating, working out and achieving your health and fitness goals?  Then, contact me about my next challenge group!

My focus is going to be the next 60 days getting you through the summer, helping you lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life. Then, really helping you get through vacations, picnics, weekend road trips, emotional eating, temptation and more!  My goal is to arm you with the tools to find your will power and be strong!

To be considered for my next group please fill out this application below

TurboFire / ChaLEAN Extreme Hybrid week 3 & 4

Well some how last week totally got away from me and I didn't do my week 3 review so I thought I 'd just combine it here with my week 4 review!

Week 3 and 4 were the last two weeks of the Push Phase of ChaLean Extreme for me. I LOVE this phase because it really forces you to push HARD. Week over week I've made it a point to try to increase my weights, even it if it was only by 2.5 pounds (selecttech weigts). But it's important to me to continue to see progress in my fitness routine. Another thing I really tried to focus on was form and speed. Chalene is always telling us to GO SLOW, and as easy as that might sound it's really not so easy to SLOWLY press 40 pounds 6-8 times over your head. But I did find that the more closely I followed her tempo the better and stronger I got and the more sore I was the next day. Which in my book is a good thing ;)

Weeks 3 and 4 of TurboFire were also great! I love, love, love TurboFire and ALWAYS will but I am finding that I am getting very used to and comfortable in the routines and finding that I catch myself slacking off a little bit. Sometimes I could be punching harder, jumping higher or kicking higher so for the last 3 weeks of this hybrid I will be definitely be keeping myself in check and giving it everything I've got. I only have a small window of time to do my workouts and if I'm not giving it my 110% then really what's the point?

Week 3 Schedule:
Monday: Fire 45 EZ / Push Circuit 1
Tuesday: Fire 45 EZ / CLX Rest
Wednesday: TurboFire Rest / Push Circuit 2
Thursday: Core 20/HIIT 15 / Burn Intervals/ Extreme Abs
Friday: Fire 30 / Push Circuit 3
Saturday: Fire 45 EZ / Burn it off & Recharge
Sunday: Core 20 / CLX Rest

Week 4 Schedule:
Monday: HIIT 15/Sculpt 30 and Push Circuit 1
Tuesday: Fire 45 / CLX Rest
Wednesday: TurboFire Rest / Push Circuit 2
Thursday: HIIT 15 / Tone 30/Burn Intervals/Extreme Abs
Friday: Fire 55EZ / Push Circuit 3
Saturday: HIIT 20/Sculpt 30 and Burn it off & Recharge
Sunday: Fire 30 / CLX rest

 

During the last 2 weeks I have decided to go back to not weighing or measuring. I find that I do much better with this method and I focus more on how I workout, what I put in my mouth and how my body looks. Yes I had an awesome year last year and lost 43 pounds but a great friend reminded me that this will not continue at this rate. It was like a ah-ha moment! Of COURSE the weight wont keep dropping like that, nor do I want it to so I need to not focus on the scale but how my body LOOKS! And also remember other successes like my clothes fitting better, more stamina during workouts and the ability to make healthier food choices with ease!

I also kept with the same eating plan all month. I know that some people think that is SO BORING...hopefully not my hubby if he's reading this lol, but I really do good when I get into a routine. I don't have to think about anything, I just grab and go and I already know which foods are going to keep my body satisfied and full between workouts and all afternoon long. This weeks challenge was Memorial Day weekend. Luckily we had a pretty low key weekend and I was able to keep the cheats to a minimum. By doing so and prepping for this week now I was able to wake up this morning feeling good and not freaking out about how I was going to get off the weekend weight!!

This coming week starts the LEAN phase of ChaLean Extreme. I've never done this phase yet so I'm really looking forward to it and watching how my body changes!! Stay tuned to see how it goes! 3 weeks till Vegas!!

TurboFire Giveaway!!

 

Happy Spring Everyone!!! I can't wait any longer to share the details of my HUGE May Giveaway!!

 

You all know that TurboFire has CHANGED my life!! I was able to lose 18 pounds and 12" in three short months and I want to pay it forward and give away this program to ONE lucky winner!!! Summer is coming and you don't want to wait another minute to start feeling better about yourself and your health!

Here's the details...

I want this program ($80 value) to go to someone who TRULY wants to invest in their health. Someone who is READY to take the next step in their health and fitness and get AMAZING results!! Check out this video to see if it would be right for you...

TurboFire is the intense cardio conditioning program from fitness innovator Chalene Johnson. This 90-day weight loss and body slimming program will help you get that leaner, sexier body you've always wanted, because it burns up to 9x more fat and calories than regular cardio. TurboFire begins with Chalene's Fire Starter Class, which shows you the right form for all TurboFire routines. There are also two low-impact (but intense) workouts to help you get totally up to speed. Chalene keeps you moving all along the way with more than 20 smoking-hot music remixes through all 12 fat-sizzling classes.
So now for the details of the giveaway! One person will win the complete Turbo Fire System which includes:

15 amazing workouts on 12 DVDs.
Classes range from 10 minutes to 55 minutes. The number in each title designates the class length.

Fire Starter Class
Master the TurboFire moves as Chalene breaks them down for you at a slower pace, so you can be ready for the HIIT classes.

Low HIITs: Low HIIT 20, Low HIIT 25 Classes
Don't let the "low" (as in low-impact) fool you—these high-intensity workouts ignite the AfterBurn Effect to help you keep burning calories.

Fire HIITs: Fire 30, Fire 45, Fire 45 EZ, Fire 55 Classes
Actively recover from the HIIT classes while melting the fat away with these longer cardio classes, which include the HIITs you love, created by Chalene.

Extreme HIITS: HIIT 15, HIIT 20, HIIT 25 Classes
Give your max for up to 1-minute intervals during these classes, and you can burn calories for up to 24 hours AFTER your workout's over!

Tone & Sculpt Bonus workouts

Stretch 10 Class
Increase your flexibility, reduce soreness, and lengthen your hardworking muscles by warming down after your HIIT and Fire classes.

Plus, get these great tools to help you reach your fitness goals:

2 Exercise bands

TurboFire Class Schedule
Follow this daily schedule and you'll get your best results.

Quick Start Guide
Learn how to ignite your TurboFire program—fast.


Fuel the Fire Nutrition Guide
Flip through our specially designed Nutrition Guide for easy-to-prep recipes to keep you energized and burning calories.


Here's how to win:

Option 1: Purchase Shakeology on Home Direct

Option 2: Purchase a Challenge pack (Fitness program + Shakeology)

Option 3: Sign up as a Preferred Customer or Coach with a Challenge Pack
Deadline to place your order is May 31st....Please click here to request to join the challenge group, and message me prior to ordering so we can chat about the details of your order!!

Why Should I become A Beachbody Coach?

How awesome would you feel helping others lose weight and get off of their blood pressure medicine or get healthy to play with their kids all year round instead of watching from the side lines. How rewarding would it be to hear someone tell you "Thank you, it's because of YOU that I didn't give up and now I have my life back"? Now what would you do if you could make an extra $250, $500, $1000 or more each month simply helping people get healthy?

 

Would you take your family on that dream vacation that you always talk about? Save for your kid's college fund? Pay off those credit cards and get out of debt? Think about it...when you think about your "perfect dream life" WHAT does it look like? HOW do you feel when you get there? HOW would having more money make these things possible? 

How about being able to stay home to raise your babies and watch them grow up. Experience every milestone right there with them. Or be able to set you own hours. Decide when you want to work, where you want to work and who you want to work with. 

I know that's EXACTLY what I'm doing as a Beachbody Coach! I'm able to double my monthly credit card payments, save for my son to go to college AND take my family on amazing vacations...Oh! And did I mention that those are FREE vacations paid for my Beachbody?

But it's not all about the "extras". I truly jump out of bed every morning with an excitement in my heart to log into my challenge groups and get updates from my challengers. To hear how they've been able to drop pant sizes by changing their nutrition and eating habits, how they work full time jobs with crazy schedules but still MAKE time to work out no matter what obstacles they face because they want to get off of their medications. Being able to give people back a life that they thought was gone is absolutely priceless!!

 

If you think making a little extra money might sound like a way for you and your family to get out of debt or if you'd like to start planning for your future, contact me today! If you truly enjoy helping others, if you are passionate about health, fitness and wellness then this might be right for you!

I have an exclusive 60 day apprenticeship program starting June 24th. I will only be taking a team of 8 individuals who are self-motivated, driven and have a FIRE in their soul to help others. Read the details here, fill out the application and message me today.

Insanity Transformation - Motivation Monday!!

I'm sure you've seen the Insanity infomercials on TV and seen the before and after pictures in the magazines and may be skeptical about the results. You find yourself asking "are these real?" or saying "I'm sure these after pictures are airbrushed or photo shopped" But I'm coming you today with some very real results from my challenger Chuck. He has lost a whopping 42 pounds and 15, yes FIFTEEN inches off of his waist!! Let's rewind a minute to give you a bit of his history in his own words...

"I am a 58 year old male, father of 5  age range 35 -24  have 3 grandchildren,  I have found that I was totally out of shape. At age 17 I went into the Army and was with the 101st Airborne in Viet Nam, then Joined the Navy at age 21, and was sent back to Viet Nam on river boats , where I earned the Nick name riverrat. fast forward 36 years and I have found that I have high blood pressure, High HDL  and other issues, in 2007 I had a wake up call with a stroke,  I was at 235 lbs . my Dr. said I needed to lose weight. he put me on 3 BP meds, 2 others for the HDL , and said i needed to change my diet, 

So a life change started then. lasted a couple months , I said you know I don't like rabbit food. 2012 I changed DR. this one was a retired Army DR fresh from the Iraq war , I respected him better because I had given the Military 26 years of my life. He explained things this way.

 

1.Do you have Grandkids, yes I said at that time I had one.

2. do you want to see her grow up. yes . he said then you need to do theses  changes if not for your self , do it for her and your family.He stated if I did not start a real life change now I might not make it to age 60,

3. to get my attention even more he pulled a fast one my main mode of transportation from March to November  was my 2010 1700 CC Bike.

 

Ok you got me attention, now what do I do?

Get down to 150 from 235 and get your bp from 185/80 to a normal range  this journey started May 11, 2012 

I started with the 17day diet , for a month lost 4 lbs. I was starving all the time.

Then  my boss at work had lost 100 lbs over a year , I asked him how, it was the Ideal Protien diet, I had to buy their food which came in powder form.I did this. They said no exercise what so ever, no fruit, no carbs and this cost $120.00 per week for powder food. I did lose weight then, I had to start traveling for my job 3 days a week  this was hard to do I had dropped 55 lbs at this time, but with hotel food , I had started gaining back.  I was sitting in my hotel room and saw the Insanity commerucal at 2 am  after about 4 months of watching my weight go back up and still not eating carbs, no breads, or sodas  I would see the Insanity on TV and said you know thats what I need to do."

 

And that's just what Chuck did. He called in and ordered Insanity! Our paths crossed when I received Chuck as a customer lead and he was looking for a support system and challenge group to participate in. I could see from the start his passion and enthusiasm for this new journey in his life!! In our challenge groups I post daily assignments such as "how much water do you really need" and we share our meal plans and recipes and Chuck really embraced these assignments and was able to use them not only in his own life but also when cooking for his family and sharing his weight loss story with co-workers on the job!

 

Added 4 new holes to his belt!! Down 8" in one month! 

 

He works full time at a prison in Oregon sometimes working 16 hour days! One might ask "when do you have time to workout"? I even wondered the same thing but the difference between Chuck and so many others is that he simply MAKES time. It's not an option. He begins each morning with a 3am Insaity workout then heads off to work. In the first month alone Chuck lost 8" off of his waist!! And if this schedule isn't INSANE enough...Chuck started adding in P90X every evening when he got home....TWO workouts a day, this guy is on fire!!

 

It was at this time that Chuck decided to add in Shakeology to his daily meal plan, fully embraced clean eating and make sure he was able to follow this plan even while traveling weekly for work and staying in a hotel. This portable blender is a lifesaver when faced with the hotel food options and Chuck used his laptop to do his Insanity workouts in his room while on the road.  In addition to working a full time job, committing to a full workout plan, attending church weekly, and spending time with his family he also has a farm and garden that he and his wife grow organic fruits and vegetables and raise their own organic chickens! No more powdered food for this guy!! Nothing but fresh, whole fruits and vegetables to fuel him properly for his workouts and proper health.

 

 

Mother's Day Grilled Shrimp (challenge group recipe) and Salad from his garden

After completing his first round of Insanity and drinking Shakeology Chuck can proudly say that he has lost 42 pounds and 15 inches off of his waist. He has also brought his BMI from 38.5 to 30.6!! These are some pretty amazing results and I am so happy for him!! But his story doesn't end there!! He is officially starting on round 2 of Insanity today!! I am very excited to see where this journey takes him and so happy for the changes that he is making in his life. I have no doubt in my mind that the granddaughter that he was talking about earlier will be dancing with him on her wedding day!! Keep up the great work Chuck, we're so proud of you!

 

 

Summer Slim Down Workout Plan

It is the last couple days of May and Summer is OFFICIALLY going to kick off this weekend! It's time for the back yard BBQ's, trips to the beach, lazy days on the lake, but are you ready? Are you still hiding in your sweats because you're afraid that it's too late to make a change? Well you're wrong!! You have PLENTY of time to pull off those layers and slip into the cute summer clothes you've been eyeing at the mall and wear them with PRIDE!!

 But you have to let go of your EXCUSES!!! You know that they have gotten you no where and you're not happy where you are now so it's time to try something new!! You can't tell me something I haven't heard before or even used myself, because I've heard it ALL!! So now it's YOUR time to get healthy! Don't make your kids miss out on summer and all the fun it has to offer because YOU can't get up and get going! BE the example to your family that you want them to be!!


Starting June 10th I will be hosting TWO different Challenge groups!! A 30 Day Shakeology and Clean eating group and 60 day complete health and fitness challenge group. What is that? Well I'm glad you asked....

First lets talk about the food! This is not a crash diet, quick fix, or magic in a bottle. You will eat real, whole foods and you get to eat 5-6 meals a day!! You will start your day off right with Shakeology and all of its wholesome goodness!!

 So yes, I'm sure you stopped at the Shakeology and said, heck no, you just said no "magic in a bottle" right! Well I was the exact same way.  Let me tell you I was so surprised at the difference Shakeology made in the way I felt!  Clearly I wasn't eating the recommended daily veggies or even getting enough of the vitamins and minerals from my foods that I was eating.  When I added in Shakeology (not a protein shake but a complete all natural meal) I stopped having cravings for sweets, I was making better choices vs the drive thru, I had energy naturally minus caffeine and I was truly pushing harder in my workouts because I was getting nutrition so my body could function properly!  No joke and I swear I'm not lying!!  It works!

 I will teach you how to set yourself up for success by working with you to create a meal plan for each week so you know exactly what you are going to eat each and every day. This will be a meal plan that will also work for the picky eaters in your household, your spouse AND your kids!! I want to make this manageable for you so that you have great success. We will go over how to prep your food on Sunday for the whole week so that you don't have to think about anything when the week gets super busy!! I'll teach you which foods to pair together to fuel your body to work for you. And with the warmer weather coming I'll share some awesome recipes for the grill and even for the crock pot when its too hot to crank on the oven!

The second type of group is everything mentioned above for the clean eating PLUS your fitness program. The best part of these challenge groups is that you get to workout from the comfort of your own home!! No stinky gym equipment, no awkward looks from the person on the machine next to you, no waiting in line for the treadmill.  

I can honestly say that the Challenge Groups changed my life!  As a mom I needed an outlet for support that I could do from my living room! This was a place that it didn't matter what I looked like, it didn't matter if I missed a step here or there, I didn't need fancy workout clothes!  I just needed me, myself and the TV!!!  The accountability group was my sounding board and MY COACH carried me through the tough times!!!!

 And it doesn't matter if you're a beginner or advanced in your fitness ability there is a program for everyone!! Do you like to do cardio kick boxing? How about a little martial arts? Weight lifting or booty shaping? You've got it!! And what makes it so exciting to come back and push play each day is that these workouts are set to some awesome music and amazing fitness instructors. You can't help but show up and get amazing results!

Does this sound like something you're ready to do?? The next 60 days are going to pass whether you join or not so I suggest dusting off those sneakers and joining the group so you can rock that swim suit with confidence this year!! Sign up for a free account with me as your coach by clicking the button below and then email me so we can chat and decide on the best program for you. I will make sure to get you the best discount possible - plus free shipping! Pre-Season starts Monday June 10th so create your free account below and email me so you can reserve your spot today!!

TurboFire / ChaLEAN Extreme Hybrid Week 2

Last week's hybrid review I had talked about TurboFire being my soul mate workout but I'm thinking that ANY Chalene Johnson program may be my soul mate workout!! Combining the cardio and weights of these two programs has been amazing!! I feel strong, lean and I'm quickly starting to see results, muscles I NEVER knew I had!! 

This week was Mother's Day and we had celebrations on Saturday and Sunday. I knew I would have one cheat on Saturday and one on Sunday, but made sure to get my workouts in before we even left the house. This was the best Mother's Day gift I could have possibly given myself and my family! I know many mom's feel guilty for taking time away from their families to work on bettering themselves but I know that I need to do this FOR my family. I need to be strong and full of energy to be around for years and years to come!

 For a while I was getting up early to do my workouts at 5:30 or 6am. And while that worked to get it "done" I really wasn't giving it my all. I was still in a sleepy fog and not working out to my fullest potential. This week I decided to change things up and workout at 11:30am. I drank my E & E changed my clothes and pushed play! I found that I had much more energy at this time of the day and could really focus on digging deep.

The week 2 schedule was identical to week 1:
Monday - Fire 55 EZ / Push Circuit 1
Tuesday - Fire 30 & Sculpt 30 / Chalean Extreme Rest
Wednesday - TurboFire Rest /  Push Circuit 2
Thursday - Fire 30 and Tone 30 / Burn Intervals and Ab Burner
Friday - Fire 55 EZ /Push Circuit 3
Saturday - Fire 45 / Burn it off & Recharge
Sunday - Core 20 and Stretch 40 /  Chalean Extreme Rest

I also chose to stick with the same meal plan from week one as I felt satisfied and had many of the same foods left over. I don't like to over complicate things so the simpler the better for me :)
 

I mentioned last week that I wasn't going to weigh myself through this 7 week journey but I caved...Hey, I'm human!!! But I was VERY happy to see that after two weeks of double workouts, sticking to my clean eating meal plan and only 2 cheats I am down FIVE pounds!! When I saw 161 on the scale, this got me thinking. I knew I had some old pictures from last year and I wanted to see how much I had changed. I was SHOCKED to see that they were almost identical weight on the scale but a very different look and shape to my body. This is all due to clean eating and lifting heavy! Many women are afraid to lift heavy weights for fear of "bulking up" but that couldn't be any further from the truth. I have tightened my core and have gotten leaner. And you can tell from my midsection what a difference clean eating makes. I have eliminated almost all processed foods, eat very little dairy or carbs and I must say I'm pretty happy with the results!! I know its only been 2 weeks but I can't wait to see the "after" pics in a few weeks. This girl is NOT patient but there's nothing I can do but put my head down, push play and work hard!!

Do you want more information on how you can receive support just like this?  Email me or send me a friend request on Facebook and I would be glad to chat with you about the types of support you can get from me as your coach!

I hope to hear from you soon and good luck!!!

Summer Slim Down Challenge

 On May 20th I will be kicking off a 30 Day Shakeology and Clean Eating group.  This group will run for just that, 30 days!  It is a closed online support group where I will help you develop reachable health and fitness goals for yourself.  We will start out with a week of planning and preparation.  I will teach you the basics of clean eating, how to plan your meals for the week, prepare for the week so that food is ready to go and give you recipes, meal plans and tools to help you be successful.  We will discuss using food as fuel, pairing lean proteins with complex carbs to give you energy all day long and discuss the importance of making healthy eating a lifestyle and not a crash diet!  As a part of this group we will incorporate Shakeology.  Shakeology is a SUPER AWESOME all natural meal replacement shake.  You replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology and you can expect to have a controlled meal that gives you  everything that you need to have in a meal.  You have your complex carbs and your protein and it's packed with over 70+ natural ingredients to give you energy, control your cravings, help you lose weight and boost your immune system and brain function!!  If you are like me and have had kids and are experiencing the "Mommy BRAIN" then we need all the help in the brain function area!

It's only a 30 day commitment and there is a money back guarantee.  I promise you will be changed forever!!

So are you interested in joining the group?  What do you need to do?

1.  Go to my site and sign up for a free account.

2.  If you have more questions send me an email at mel_svale@hotmail.com and I would be glad to either discuss the program in more detail or give you the directions to sign up.

3.  You can go ahead and purchase your Shakeology by clicking this link.  Then, choose the Shakeology flavor you would like (my favorite is CHOCOLATE) and then the bag or packets.  Personally I think the bag has more in it than the packets so I would go with that option!!!  Then, make sure you choose the home direct option.  It will save you at least $15 in shipping.  The good thing is that as your coach I will remind in 3 weeks to either change your flavor, quantity, or to cancel your order. There is no penalty for canceling so it's totally worth the savings!!!  

Once you place your order, request to join the facebook group and I will contact you to set your goals and get you started with the group!!!

How Much Water Should I Drink Each Day?

A question I get asked a lot in my challenge groups is "how much water should I drink each day?" And because there is not one set number for everyone I always tell people to drink half of their weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 180 pounds you should aim to drink 90 ounces of water. I know to some drinking water is not an easy task and for others its down right impossible to do with out filling it with Crystal Light or some other type of no calorie, sugar free flavoring. However, these flavoring packets are terrible for you. They are full of artificial sweeteners and chemicals that your body does not need. So keep reading and I'll show you how you can flavor your water naturally and do you body a favor by giving it extra vitamins!!

First lets talk about HOW you're going to drink all that water in one day!! A couple weeks ago the assignment for my challenge group was to post your water bottle each time you finished it so we could keep each other accountable to reach our daily goal. I loved seeing all the pictures coming through and I was even tempted to go out and buy some of the super cute bottles!!

It wasn't until I saw Cody's picture that I had an ah-ha moment!! We didn't need a cute bottle we just needed to get a little creative. So I took to Pinterest and to Google to find a way that I could get in my daily intake in a fun and exciting way that would make me want to push hard to finish. Now my goal is 80oz a day but it's been rather warm here in California and I have been doing double workouts everyday so I am shooting for a gallon which is 128oz. It is a lot but I find that after a few days the trips to the restroom do decrease!! So I washed out our milk jug and marked the times with fun little words to keep me going through the day. I measured the bottle and set one inch marks every two hours. In the beginning I also had to set a timer on my phone so I remembered to drink up!

Tips for Reaching Your Daily Water Goals

So now that you know how much water you should be drinking everyday, let’s talk about how to make sure you actually get enough. Drinking over 100 ounces of water may seem impossible at first, but with these easy tips you can reach your goal in no time.

• Drink 2 cups (16 oz) of water before every meal: Science has proven that drinking 2 cups of water before every meal helps you to eat less during meal time and lose weight. If you do this three times daily – at breakfast, lunch, and dinner – you have already consumed 48 ounces of water.
• Morning and Night: Drink one glass (16 oz) of water when you wake up and another 8 oz glass before you go to sleep every night. This will add another 24 ounces of water to your daily intake. The easiest way to do this is to keep a glass or container of water at your bedside, that way as soon as you wake up and start your day, you can begin drinking water. I also find that if I leave a bottle of water on the counter before I go to bed next to the coffee pot or the microwave that it's front and center when I prepare my breakfast I drink it while I heat my oatmeal.
• Hot Lemon Water: Before I eat anything, every morning I have 2-3 cups of hot lemon water. This not only serves as a nice warm treat in the morning but it also serves as a detox and helps jump start my metabolism.
• Infuse Your Water With Flavor: Water doesn’t have to be boring and infusing your water with fruit, herbs, and other flavors can make it much easier to reach your daily goal. Try adding cucumber, strawberries,lemons, limes, and fresh herbs to create flavorful water. You can add them in individual Mason Jars or in a family sized juice pitcher and refrigerate over night.
  

Do you want more information on how you can receive support just like this?  Email me or send me a friend request on Facebook and I would be glad to chat with you about the types of support you can get from me as your coach!

I hope to hear from you soon and good luck!!!

Emotional Eating

Food and Emotions should NOT BE ALLOWED  to be in the same room at the same time!!!  Seriously, can I get you to raise your hand if you consider yourself an emotional eater?  Right now I can guess that 99% of you are putting up a hand!  But I am here to tell you that you can control that!  It is just another excuse in the laundry list of reasons why you cannot lose weight.  You need food for fuel, for nourishment, and as the raw material for building your muscles, tissues and cells.  Not for any other reason!!  It's not to comfort you after the kids drove you nuts all day long, after a bad meeting with your boss or a sitting in traffic!  It's not for easing the pain of a break up or after a fight with your husband!  It's all about fueling your body so that it can work as a well oiled machine!  You would put more gas in your gas tank if the gauge said it was full!  So why would you do the same to your body!

Do you associate food with love, warmth, caring, nurturing and family, at least on an unconscious level at some point?  Denying yourself completely of the positive feelings and social benefits that food can provide is counterproductive in the long term.  So my guess is that you want to be lean and happy, not lean and miserable!!!  So you are not going to completely give up all of your favorite foods or become a social outcast but you need to demand just enough compliance in order to get the results that you want, RIGHT?!?!?

Using food for nonphysical reasons only becomes a problem when you do it as a way to cope with stress or negative emotions.  Here are 3 primary reasons why you emotionally eat:

1.  You eat mindlessly and impulsively, without thinking first.  For example, someone once posted in my challenge groups at Easter that the peep just flew in their mouth before they could even realize what they were doing.  She called it the attach of the peeps!  Once she realized what happened she immediately threw them in the garbage!

2.  You eat for reasons other than your physiological needs.  You eat because you are at a party and it's right there where you are socializing.  You eat because you are watching a movie and everyone eats popcorn while watching a movie.  You eat birthday cake because that's just what you do at a birthday party.

3.  You hold beliefs about food that don't advance you towards your goals.  You don't believe that sugar is addictive or that cutting sugar out of your diet is going to help you lose weight.  You don't believe that hunger can be mistaken for thirst or that eating 5-6 small meals a day is going to help you lose weight.

So the first steps to combating this issue is becoming aware of when and why you eat!!!

I want you to read through this list of reasons why people eat other than hunger and put a check mark by the ones that apply to you.
1.  To alleviate boredom
2.  To socialize
3.  To recapture a feeling or memory
4.  To celebrate a special occasion
5.  To fill a void or missing need
6.  To feel good
7.  To feel safe
8.  To feel comforted
9.  As a reward
10.  out of habit or ritual (for example, bedtime snacking and eating in front of the TV).

The first 2 things you need to do is (1) Identify the right reasons to eat- for fuel, nutrition, health and building muscle (2) find alternative ways for you to get the good feelings you are after.

So first I want you to write down 3 things that you do in the list above and then I want you to write a positive affirmation on the other side to counteract the negative.
For example:

1.  I have to eat something sweet after my dinner---------> I only want something sweet because that is how I always grew up.  Having dessert after dinner.  I can satisfy that with a bowl of fresh fruit.

2.  I deserve to have a piece of chocolate cake because I am celebrating my new job---------> Just because I got a new job it doesn't mean that I should throw my hard work at the gym out the window.  Instead I am going to buy myself a new outfit for my new job!  That way I still get a reward and I feel great about my body.

3.  I always have popcorn at the movies------------> I have worked so hard all week long is this bag of popcorn going to make me enjoy the movie any more or less?  I am here for entertainment not for mindless eating.

So every time you start to feel yourself saying, I deserve this!  Stop yourself and really question if it is worth it!  You are working so hard not to get the results that you DESERVE and TRULY want!  Think about whether or not that cake, popcorn or beer is going to be the long term solution.  Or is it just a band-aid to your bad day!  I want you to list things that you can do instead of eating.  It's all about changing the way you think!  Making a lifestyle change is not about a fad diet or starving yourself.  It's about re thinking the way you live and think about food!  It's when you can make changes deep down to the core of your being that you can live like this forever!
It starts with AWARENESS!!!!

How to tell the difference between Physical and Emotional Hunger
Physical hunger builds up gradually, starting with a tiny grumble in the stomach, growing to full blown hunger pangs.  Emotional hunger develops suddenly.

With physical hunger you can wait to have it.  Emotional hunger seems to demand immediate satisfaction.

Physical hunger usually appears about 3 hours after the last meal or snack.  Emotional hunger can happen at any time.

Physical hunger is usually a general desire for food.  Emotional hunger is usually a desire for a specific food.

After eating for physical hunger, the hunger goes away.  After emotional eating the hunger persists.

After eating for physical hunger, you get a sense of satisfaction.  After eating for emotional reasons, you feel guilty!

Tips:
 
How to determine physical versus emotional hunger.  If you are hungry then drink a big glass of water.  Quite often hunger is disguised as thirst.  Wait 20 minutes and if you are still hungry then ask yourself.  "Has it been 2 1/2 to 3 hrs since I ate last?"  If it has then go ahead and have a small meal.  If it hasn't been that long reach for some fresh veggies!
Try keeping your mind busy, go outside, play with the kids, take a walk, read a book or call a friend!  Keep you mind out of the kitchen and on other more important tasks!
When you do eat, eat slowly and take your time.  You want to eat until you are 80% full.  How are you going to know when that is if you gobble it down before you stomach even realizes that food is coming its way!

We make as many as 200 decisions about food every day, ranging from what to have for breakfast, to whether to eat every time you pass a candy dish.  If you make the decisions about food emotionally, the impact on your weight and health can be destructive over time. 
 

Make the choice today to end emotional eating!  Join a group for support like mine and together we can work through emotional eating, what to eat and how much food to eat!  You are not alone in this battle and it doesn't matter how little or much weight you have to lose it can be done!!!

What do you choose?  Are you going to live your life in guilt over everything you eat or are you going to feel confident in your decisions about food and ultimately the way you look in the mirror?