lose weight Archives -

It’s another unsexy Tuesday!

08|17|2016

So, I was supposed to start Country Heat yesterday but I realized it meant having rest days on Sundays. I like having my rest days on Mondays or Fridays….So, I opted to wait and officially start today and have Mondays off! I have video calls and extra training for my coach stuff, so Mondays gets kinda busy 🙂 And, I have plenty of time for a half hour workout on Sundays 🙂

I did start the nutrition plan yesterday! And, it’s the same as the 21 Day Fix plan, so that’s really nice ‘cuz I’m very used to it! I just needed to use the little calculator in the Country Heat nutrition guide to figure out if I’m a Plan A, B, C or D and I figure out how many containers I can have a day and I’m good to go! I’m a Plan B and will soon move to the top end of Plan A. And, I love that I’m familiar with the foods lists! The best options are at the top of the list for each color-coded container. And, I definitely have my faves and my go-to’s! So, honestly, the hardest and unsexiest part for me is to just get back in the habit of actually tracking each and every little thing I eat. And, I’m also going to be journaling how I FEEL each day to recognize when things may be getting tough. Overall, I eat well during the week ~ I estimate 80/20….80% clean and 20% not-so-clean lol. But, it’s the bites of this and the tastes of that have clearly added up! And, my weekends haven’t been 80/20 for a while now 🙁 Plus, I’ve been enjoying a few adult beverages during the week and on weekends for the summer and time to cut that back for 30 days! Not only are they empty calories but my food choices are bad when I enjoy them lol! I haven’t decided for sure but I may give myself 1 or 2 treat meals and/or drinks in these 30 days. Part of me NEEDS and CRAVES just sticking to the program 100%….’cuz honestly it’s really not that hard and I KNOW it’s not that hard. But, the other part of me just feels like if I am TOO GOOD and don’t allow myself any treats at all (the plan totally allows for some treats….it’s just honestly where I can sometimes take that 😉 that I may set myself up for failure. So, this time around, I’m not deciding upfront. I’m just gonna do the best I can and see how the month plays out!

Day 1 was really good! I wasn’t tempted by all the chips and candy I saw at work today (ha, yes, I know…it’s only day 1)! My nutrition was #onpoint! I LOVED my workout! It was Country Swing and it was about a half hour and it flew by! I forgot to turn off my workout session right away but right around 300 calories for a half hour workout! I’ll take it! And, I was at 8140 for steps when I started and finished with 12,084!!! WAHOO! It really made me miss the certification class! AND, it really made me excited to practice practice practice and start group classes!! I think part of the reason I’m SO excited for this program is to bring it to more people! I’ve missed group fitness SO much!

So, here’s goes nothing! More of the unsexy things I will do in the name of achieving my health & fitness goals…..weight, measurements and before pics!

And, pics are never easy….BUT sharing them helps me stay accountable.

Measurements are also never easy to share….and unsexy…yes, very boring….to take. Blah blah blah. But, again, sharing them helps me stay accountable AND helps motivate me to kick. some. butt.

I would say I’m starting over but that’s not really how I look at this. Yes, I’m at one of the highest weights I’ve been….but I also feel the strongest I’ve ever felt. And, I honestly never gave up….I just lost some of my inspiration and determination ~ I made excuses ~ I got complacent ~ I let life get to me ~ and got a little too comfortable in my fun summer life. I’m over it now, tho. It was fun and it was hard at the same time. And, now I must get back to work.

And, as I’ve shared before, I’ve been working out all this time ~ definitely not to the intensity I would have liked with my foot and some other issues BUT my workouts are still not where I struggle. My eating and my relationship with food is where I struggle. But, where there is a struggle, there is also strength in overcoming. Time to overcome again.

So, YES, I’m very happy with my day 1! I’ll be straight up that the first 5 days of anything new are pretty tough for me. Day 1 always seems the easiest ~ days 2 thru 5 hard ~ and then I kinda settle in. I have to focus on all the wonderful food I will have vs. the things I’m choosing not to right now. And, I’m going to focus hard on my results….and more importantly WHY I want to achieve what I do (blog post coming about that)! If you keep the inspiration as to WHY you’re going after something, it’s a lot easier to….go after something lol.

I would love it if you follow and support me as I go over these next 30 days! I’m going to be going live daily from my health & fitness page on Facebook daily for extra accountability (you can click here and LIKE my page to get notifications when I go live 🙂 And, I’m starting more giveaways and fun things this month, so stay tuned there AND here!). I’m going to be doing weekly weigh-ins, pics and measurements! And, I kicked off a new private coaching group with 6 awesome ladies and I’m already looking to them for inspiration….because they help me more than they even know!

I have some BIG year-end goals to hit and I’m excited about some new things I’m going for in 2017 and will be sharing later! 40 lbs. gone by the end of the year ~ and honestly, if the scale doesn’t cooperate, that’s totally fine….let’s say a size 6 then….I’m in a 10-12…closer to 12 right now 🙂 So, that will work. Thanks for checking in and STAY TUNED 🙂

And, your bonus tonight is something that just happened and was SO cute I just had to share it! B and I were walking home tonight and I told her to say goodbye to her little friend, Sophie. Sophie was already on her bike headed home, so B yelled, “Bye Sophie ~ I love you!” Sophie yelled back, “Love you, too ~ see ya tomorrow!” How cute is that?!? #icanteven #littlegirlsaretoocute #buthandfuls #thatsSophieinthebackground 🙂

Fit Friday! (v3)

08|12|2016

Have I said how excited I am to start a new program?!? While I love love PiYo, I’m just so excited to try Country Heat and get ready to hopefully be able to instruct classes again! I so miss group fitness!! It’s been well over a year since taught Zumba and I miss all the ladies that would show up for class….even those 5:30 a.m. classes! And, I’m even more excited because I really think this is going to be easier to teach and implement new stuff. I’m not the most coordinated so it would take me a solid 2 weeks to be able to even add in one new song/routine in Zumba lol. The moves are deconstructed differently in Country Heat, so I really think/hope the transitions and learning how to put the moves to music will be easier for me! AND, I’m sure B will be practicing with me a lot so looking forward to that again, too!

So, what am I doing this weekend to get ready for Monday? Yep, I start my first 30 days of Heat this coming Monday!

I’m going through the program guide!! I can’t tell you how many programs before I became a coach that I bought and never even opened the program guide!!! EEEEK! When you know better, you do better, right??! And, it just so happens most of the books that come with any program also contain the corresponding nutrition guide. AND, since 80% of your results with a program will come from your nutrition, it’s just slightly important lol! So, here’s the deal, if you have a program that’s been sitting on the shelf at home or you just got something new, please please take out the book and read it from cover to cover! It will change everything!!

So, yes, this weekend I’m busy going through and meal planning for my week next week! I’m making a 30-day inspiration board to keep in my new workspace. I’m taking before pics and doing my measurements. And, I’m busy setting up the new private coaching group I’m hosting with new things for my clients to help them get the best results possible, too!

I may not be the fittest I’ve been since I started coaching BUT I’ve come a long ways in how I feel. And, I’m SUPER excited to BE the fittest I’ve ever been in this next year! You’re never too old to chase a new dream my 40-something friends!! I even decided to take on a couple new exciting challenges! I said a while back that I didn’t want to always have to have goals to be working after….but the thing I realized is is that….I always have goals! lol So, stay tuned to find out what I have in store!!

I found a new pic I wanted to do a comparison to 🙂 Take lot of pics when you’re on a health & fitness journey because when the scale and maybe even your measurements aren’t what you “want” to see, the proof is in the pictures! #nomoredoublechin and just a happier, more confident presence! I will take that kind of progress.

The Country Heat Movement

08|9|2016

I was on a call today with a bunch of coaches from my mastermind group that I’m learning SO so much through and one of the coaches…who just HAPPENED to be in the official Country Heat Test Group and got ah-mazing results…was talking about why she thinks so many people are getting insane results with this program and Shakeology. She said she thinks it’s because we’re just getting back to the basics of having fun while working out!

Here she is btw ~ Her name is Lyndsi!
And, these are her results in just 30 days!
Excited?? I know I am!

Ya’ll know I LOVE to lift weights! Strength training has become my passion. I feel strong and driven when it’s part of my routine. But, sometimes I will admit that it’s overwhelming and I start to maybe get TOO caught up in how heavy I’m lifting and I push myself too far and I lose focus on my form and before I know it, my body is paying the price. Weights will always have an important place in my fitness routine but I’m taking a step back from them….I actually have been for a while doing PiYo…..and hitting a different focus for at least a few months with COUNTRY HEAT! And, much like Lyndsi was trying to say, I think often I OVER-COMPLICATE what I’m doing! I still struggle with a little bit of workout ADD and now that my foot is better, I’m dying to get out and do some running. But, what I love about BB programs, is that you don’t NEED to add anything additional to the programs! They work if you follow them! Plain. And. Simple. So, even I need a lesson in often times less is more. I’m ready to do this thing!!! Are you?!?

If you missed it, I took a certification class while I was in Nashville a few weeks ago to be able to instruct this! And, now I just need to practice my little butt off AND find a place to instruct lol!! In the meantime, I’m determined to win a Beachbody Challenge prize with this program!! I’m committing to 30 days of it starting next Monday the 15th and I’m looking for 10 positive, passionate and full-committed people to do it with me as part of a test group! It’s going to be an epic group ~ I PROMISE! I’m implementing new things to keep everyone inspired and pushing their hardest! It’s only for 30 days, so I’m going to be requiring that no one come in with any excuses!! We won’t have time for excuses 🙂

Please join my event page on Facebook for the test group launch and stay inspired by the success stories I’ll be sharing! And, if you’re interested in joining me, you can fill out an app here so I can learn more about your goals and see if this is a good fit for you!!

Believe in you! Join today!

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Faith In Motion

06|30|2016

I remember sitting in a Subway restaurant with my sister, Kristi, years ago when she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.

Yes, it was years ago….but I remember it like it was just yesterday.

It was totally casual ~ we were munching on sub sandwiches and catching up after not seeing each other for a while, when out the blue she asked, “Can I ask you a question? How is your Faith?”

I was honestly speechless….and uncomfortable.

I had no idea what to say to her. I had no idea what my answer was.

The truth is, I’m not sure at that time in my life Faith was even important to me. And, to this day, I can’t remember how I responded and that makes me very sad.

I was still going through a time where I questioned how a God that is supposed to love and protect us could allow such tragedy and loss in our lives.

I was feeling alone and helpless, and I’m certain at the time I hadn’t prayed in a long, long time.

Kristi is a lot younger than me. And, I remember thinking at the time, this girl is smart. To be so sure of her own Faith at her age really touched something in me. And, there she was, challenging me and honestly asking me one of the hardest questions I’ve ever been asked.

As I sat there trying to find my words, I remember feeling this overwhelming sense of sadness….like who was I and who was God and could I find Him again? And, then it was as if her question opened up my heart and to this day when I think of that moment, I’m overcome by His spirit.

It would be years later that I found New Hope church and finally felt like I as home. It would be years later when I decided I wanted to be a Christian writer. And, it would be years later when I finally arrived to a time when I can answer that question comfortably and with hope and complete God-confidence.

I always believed in God and that there was a Higher Power. But, I didn’t always believe I deserved or trusted His Grace.

Though the road has been long, I think of that question almost daily, “How is your Faith?” and I finally feel like I’m finding my peace and my place.

So, something hit me at the end of service last Sunday, and I thought about Kristi and that day yet again and I decided I wanted to do something I haven’t done yet and start Faith-based private coaching groups! I want to inspire others and ask the hard questions! I want people who are lost to maybe be able to find themselves again. At the end of every service, the lead Pastor will say, “We don’t just leave the Church….we go and BE the Church.” I want to do for others what my sister has done for me. Because of her Faith and her love and her belief in me, she pushed me to keep finding my way and to find Him again. I’m finding the strength to forgive and maybe more importantly the strength to ask for forgiveness and Grace. I have so many people to say to “Because of you, I didn’t give up.” I want to be that light for others.

For most of my life, I had no self-confidence. I felt weak and as I’ve said in other posts, I’ve battled depression and hopelessness. But, what I found was that the one thing I was really missing was right in front of me….around me….always with me. It was Him. I have spent far too many years looking for something to make me feel better. I can tell you there’s nothing magical about those dang cupcakes I talk about all the time. But, there IS something magical about Faith.

If you are out there struggling with your weight or with food or depression AND if you are the believing kind, I would love to connect and invite you to my newest group ~ FAITH IN MOTION. We will be reading the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. This is an AMAZING faith-based book about why we are made to crave what we do and how we can change and grow our relationship with God to overcome. I have so many people to thank and stories to share about how Hope has changed my life. And, as I start the process of writing my book, compiling stories of Hope, Faith, strength, Grace and life warms my heart and makes me even more passionate about taking the LEAP OF FAITH to write.

If you’ve been following me, you know one of the reasons I’m so passionate about what I do is to be the example I want to be for my daughter. She’s the epitome of my “Because of YOU, I didn’t give up!” Brooklyn’s favorite books right now were a gift from my dad called “My Bible Friends.” They are books filled with stories from the Bible written for kids and they are amazing. I grew up with these books. I even had them on cassette tapes and listened to them over and over. And, the books always remind me of course my dad, but also of Kristi and my step-mom. Those of you reading this who know them know they are three of the most faithful and gracious people you could ever meet and I would not be the person I am without their love and support. And, I want to be sure to instill in Brooklyn what they did for me. I am watching her grow and sit by me in church and want to stand in the aisle during music and it is all amazing to me. We witnessed baptisms in church a few months ago and she was so curious and I told her that I was going to do that some day soon and she asked if she could too. I want to do my best to make sure she never loses her Faith like I did.

And, I honestly have found my way back by surrounding myself with positive, full-of-faith, like-minded people and hosting groups just like this have change my world as I know it! The people I’ve met and connected and bonded with have become my light. I want to keep paying it forward and keep finding new ways to change the world. I’m reminded of a saying on the marquee in Nashville last summer at our Coach Summit ~ “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

INDEED.

As coaches, we are far from perfect. But, we do have a passion for health and fitness and believe that God wants us to move and honor our bodies!

If you would like more details on this new Faith in Motion movement, you can fill out the app below or email me at fitstrongpink@gmail.com to learn more! AND, anyone who joins TODAY, June 30th, 2016, with the requirements and the commitment to themselves, will get a $25 Scheels gift card and this tank top!! *Must not be a coach or be working with another coach.*

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A goal without a plan….

01|19|2015

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love Chalene Johnson’s 30-Day Push.

I’m still working hard to become more organized and feel less stressed, but I can tell you without this program I would still be lost on how to follow through with goal setting and getting my daily task list accomplished.

I love having a list of goals for the year, all based upon a “Push Goal.” A Push Goal is the goal that is most important to you and one that your other goals should center around to help you achieve.

So, yes, the 30-Day Push has taught me to dream big and develop a plan on how to get there.

But, it’s also taught me how to plan my every day life. After all, success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.

Every morning I make a to-do list of 10 things. I do this at the same time every day on weekdays…and in all honesty the time varies on the weekends. These 10 things are things I need to get done and not more than I can do in a day. I don’t want to set myself up for failure. And, checking them off my list as I go is very satisfying. I don’t go in order ~ I just jot them down as I think of them and check them off as I’m able to complete them.

Here’s my to-do list for today!

1. Personal development ~ The Best Yes & 30-Day Push.

2. Get posts up in my challenge group, clean eating group, team page, graduate group and Biggest Loser results.

3. Get chicken and sweet potatoes in the crockpot for supper.

4. Email and messages followup.

5. Insanity Max:30 Pulse workout.

6. Half hour play time with Brooklyn.

7. Unload dishwasher and clean out at least one cupboard.

8. Laundry put away.

9. Get downstairs Christmas decorations put away. (Yes, they’re still up….don’t laugh!)

10. Rank in the Bank activity.

I’m going to be starting a 30-Day Push group again! You can email me at fitstrongpink@gmail.com if you’re interested!

In the meantime, I challenge you to try making a 10-item to-do list every day this week. Try it, see if you feel more organized and accomplished AND even better come back and share it here! I would love to hear if it helps you!

Skinny Jeans Challenge

09|2|2014

I may get hate mail over this comment but I’m actually looking forward to fall and everything that comes with it.

High school sports….

Cool evenings….

College and pro football….

Chili….

Sweaters….

Tall boots….

SKINNY JEANS!!!!

Ok, so TODAY I’m not 100% excited about the skinny jeans.

And, obviously they don’t necessarily scream fall or are everyone else’s idea of something to look forward to.

BUT, as summer comes to an end this year and I’m on a bikini mission, I also decided I wanted to first be on a skinny jeans mission.

I actually have several pairs of skinny jeans. And, I would really LOVE to rock them with a plain T or a short sweater.

So, I’m kicking off a 30-day Skinny Jeans challenge on September 15th.

And, I’m really gonna have fun with this one because I am revamping how I run groups and will be awarding great prizes in each 30 day group. There will extra challenges within the challenge to keep people EXTRA motivated. AND, for this challenge in particular, I’m including bonus fall fashion ideas that include a lot of….you guessed it….SKINNY JEANS!

I absolutely love running these groups and I can say without any hesitation that I get just as much out of it as anyone that joins with me as their coach. I’m literally humbled and inspired by the people I’m working with EVERY day. They push me. They make me laugh. They sometimes make my cry….the good cry.

So, if you’re out there thinking that you wanna rock skinny jeans with me this fall and want some extra motivation and accountability, you can reply on this post, email me at fitstrongpink@gmail, or check out my TeamBeachbody site here. Can’t wait to hear from YOU!

3-Day Refresh Final Results

07|25|2014

So, today was a really good day! I always like a good challenge, especially when I’m done…lol.

I honestly really liked the Refresh. I felt pretty rough the first day. By the end of the day that day, my head hurt so bad that it was actually making me nauseous. I’m not gonna lie that I almost got to the point where I was telling myself it wasn’t worth it, but then I realized that if I felt the way I did, my body definitely needed a detox! And, each day I felt better and better so I knew it wasn’t anything in the Refresh itself that made me feel that way.

I want to post these pics about as bad as I want a root canal, but I think they really show the potential of this quick reset. (I didn’t wear the same thing for three days btw…just for the pics…maybe that went without saying…lol.) I’ve talked before about how bad I can bloat and my before pic pretty much looks like I have a food baby. But, the good news for me is that I lost 2-1/2″ in my abs in these three days and 8″ overall, plus 4.6 lbs. So, yeah, I’m excited about my results…no doubt…but I’m way more excited about how I feel! And, even if most of it is water weight, I feel light, I feel way more energetic, and I feel like I’m back on track with my nutrition thanks to it!

So, now I just have to say that I LOVE the image at the top. I’ve been losing ground lately in my health & fitness journey. And, there are several things I’ve been focusing on to turn my setback into a comeback….and the Refresh was just one of them….but that’s just it….I will have setbacks. But, they won’t result in me giving up on my goals. Not anymore.

3-Day Refresh ~ Day 3

07|24|2014

Day 3 of the Refresh is almost in the books!

I’ve loved this quote in my collage since the first time I saw it. I was off track. No lie. But the thing I like best about the “new me” is that my setbacks lasted a helluva lot longer before. There is always time to turn things around….always.

So…..I will say that I’m anxious to be done but that I will definitely be pulling this little gem of program out of the hat every few months or before big events….like already thinking this will come in handy just before Cancun!

But, yes, right now I’m anxious for almond milk in my Shakeo, and things like greek yogurt and eggs and a spaghetti squash boat with ground turkey and tomatoes and mushrooms and onions and just a dusting of 2% cheese….ok, yes, I’m dreaming of food a little tonight as I type. I may not have had food on the brain had my husband not had pizza in front of me tonight. And, I probably could’ve picked a better night to be perusing Pinterest for recipe ideas. Either way, I think I can safely say that I made it thru and it went really well!

Check back tomorrow evening for final results!

3-Day Refresh ~ Day 1

07|22|2014

Ok….so not gonna lie….today has been rough. There is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that my body is detoxing with Day 1 of the Refresh.

I was well aware of the challenges going into this ~ 3 days of eating a reduced-calorie diet, 3 days of eating vegan, 3 days without whole grains, and 3 days without caffeine.

So, why would I still want to do it?

Because I really have needed a reset. I’ve been struggling with my nutrition since I was in Vegas in June and actually bought this kit down there and had intended on starting it right away when I got back. And….then….I started making a BUNCH of different excuses to put it off. Birthdays….weekends and BBQs….golf….fishing. I finally told myself that there will ALWAYS be something that’s coming up this summer and if I really wanted to get back on track and kickstart my focus on nutrition, I had something at my fingertips to do just that.

I felt pretty good this a.m. after my Shakeology (with water mind you…and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my shakes with almond or coconut milk…so I was kinda nervous about that!) and my Fiber Sweep (I knew to drink this as fast as possible before it sets up). But, it didn’t take long after for my caffeine withdrawal symptoms to kick in. I’m sure some of my headache was also sugar withdrawals from the weekend, but, I honestly only drink coffee with flavored creamer.

(OK OFF TOPIC NOTICE ~ Here is my fav creamer these days but my advice would be to NOT try it…lol! I talk myself into creamer being okay because I usually only have a cup or 2 of coffee a day and I try hard in other areas to eat clean but I know I’m only kidding myself.)

It’s recommended to not drink coffee during the Refresh but if you do its even more recommended to have it black with only stevia if needed.

This is my half-smiling face after dinner tonight….which was the Vanilla Fresh Shake and fresh green beans with EVOO, garlic and lemon-squeezed juice. I totally could’ve eaten a 5-course meal tonight BUT I honestly already feel “lighter.”

I usually try to close my kitchen after dinner but it doesn’t always work. It’s working tonight! Even if I have go to bed at 8!!!

Tune in tomorrow night for a Day 2 recap!