Week 2 Summary

Whew, made it two weeks and feeling great. Big changes this week but well worth it and frankly - About Time! 

"I Work Out"

Saturday was a blast. Why? The best saturdays always start with some form of physical activity. Today was basketball for me. In honor of March Madness, I joined a 3 on 3 little basketball tournament with my church members and today was my first game. Woke up pumped and headed over early to watch my roommates first game as well. The tournament was held in a very small gym with carpeted floors... slightly different then playing on hard/waxed floors. Cheering on my roommate only increased my excitement to play. I have to give a shout out to my roomie - she did awesome!

Hour later and I was up. I was the only girl playing but I loved it. Playing full court (okay, so the full court was way smaller then regular sized courts) and constantly running to and fro - heart rate rising. It was a great game with a mixture of sweat and even a little bit of blood. My roommate was cheering from the side lines and frequently gave shout - outs to my "good looking legs." She made references to Shakeology - even saying that I would make some for the winners. Of course she was joking, but it was great. One way or the other I am slowly helping with getting the word out about Shakeology. She claims that she can see a difference, especially in my legs. Do I agree?

Why yes! Have a lost a ton of weight already - No, but that's not the point. I'm working hard to tone my body and stay fit. It might just be me, but I really believe I can tell a difference already. My skin feels tighter and I even my love handles feel smaller and less noticeable. I am waiting till the end of week 4 to do some measurements, but I am excited to read the numbers!

Sunday - life officially changed.
My boss emailed me back and I have finally made the decision to look for another job. I replied that I wanted to take the week to look for another job and would consider the possibility of coming back in the future if things were more in order. It felt good to finally take action after months of worrying and uncertainty. Now I look forward in job hunting - I am currently surged with feelings of worth and great potential. I am a strong, independent woman who can achieve anything my heart desires. There lies the problem - hearts desire. What is it? That is a question I am constantly in search for. However, today I made one step closer in figurring it out.

Week 3 of 90 Day Challenge

Facebook. So open for the world to see...well at least to friends and random people who I knew once. However, I finally decided to post an Instagram photo about Shakeology on my facebook wall. There are only a few close friends of mine who know I am a Beachbody coach and even then I don't think they really understand what that means. They just think I am trying to eat better and workout more. Which is true to an extent.

Was I really coming out though on facebook about bing coach - not really, but this picture was a step. The picture generated a little bit of conversation - found out my friends mom from back home drinks Shakeology. And a high school friend began to ask questions about it. It freaked me out at first - but then I felt more in control. Okay, I totally had help from Amber. She is always my "Go-To" gal who helps me with practically everything. Good thing she loves me!

Click for Recipe

Wait - what are those weird looking blobs in my photo?
Oh, you mean the Shakeology No-Bake Cookies. Not bad eh? Slowly figuring out the secret to eating good and not letting temptations sway you from the path - treats. Healthy treats. Treats you don't have to feel guilty eating. Everybody wants to end dinner on a sweet note, right? Well, just you say no to donuts or cake, doesn't mean you can never eat anything that tastes like it has sugar again. Make healthy yet great tasting treats.

My first attempt at Shakeology cookies turned out not too bad. Well, for starters, I am not a huge fan or regular No-Bake cookies. I ran out of Peanut Butter so the honey took over the taste more - which I actually prefer. Super easy to make and you can store them in your fridge so you can have a nice supply for when that sweet tooth starts to ache.


So, not too shabby for a weekend - quit my job and outed Shakeology on facebook.

Coach Bootcamp

Videos. I watched way too many videos today. I was still sick when I woke and called work off again. So, I spent the morning and afternoon watching the rest of the training videos from my Coach Bootcamp. I had plans later tonight and I didn't want to be too tired. I made the mistake of playing tennis yesterday when I felt even worse. I could not help it though - I have been waiting to play for weeks and the weather finally melted all the snow off the courts. I was not about to let some fever interfere with my tennis time! I also did my Total Body workout even though I told myself all day I wouldn't. But the thought of reporting to my challenge group made me Push Play! So, besides my cardio workout, major rest for today. Anyways, here are a few things I learned or reflected upon today.

Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action

TedTalks - Simon Sinek

• People buy WHY you do it. 
• A company will always know What they make. Most employees will know How they make those products. But only a small handful will know Why they make it. 
• Apple is so successful primarily because they reverse the order - they tell you WHY. Why they have this product and why - to better your life. It is through the WHY people believe what you believe. 
• Trust = consistency 

Personal Goals:

• Training for a half-marathon in June
• Read more good literate books every month
• Listen to uplifting/motivational talks (TedTalks)
• Feel more confident at work - not be a "doormat"
• I want to be more relient on my bike not car
• Feel control of my life and actions
• A real lifestyle change - good habits
• Different job that leads towards future goals

It is always good to write personal goals once and awhile and keep updating them! Most of those are not ones I can check off after a day or two. They are larger goals that can be accomplished by the small choices I made daily. After joining my challenge group I feel I am always being asked my weekly goals, 3, 6, and 12 months goals as well. It is nice to have some ideas of what I hope for in my future and recognize the weekly goals I can place now in order to lead to those larger ones. 

Shakeology - goes hand in hand with my workout experience. Though I have only just begun, I can already see improvements in my life. My body has never responded well to milk and certain liquids. I usually choose Almond milk but my body still had a semi-difficult time with that. I now drink Almond milk every day with my Shakeology and my body feels just fine. It is odd - but true. Shakeology has seriously become a highlight in my day, I crave it all the time. I never thought I would feel that way towards it, but I do. Shakeology has even helped my morning breakfasts. My body seriously never liked anything in the early mornings except toast. Toast has always been my go-to fix whenever my stomach hurt. I eat two slices almost every single morning. After a week of shakeology I started having cereal with almond milk along with my toast. So far so good! It has been along time since my stomach has allowed me to eat cereal for actual breakfast. It has been great!

Here is what I learned about Shakeology: 

Click to learn more

• Carl Daikeler's (co-creator of Beachbody) wife, Isabelle, put together a "dream team" of ingredients for a healthy "shake"
• Every bag is tested for integrity in a lab - not factory. 
• Comparing Shakeology to other protein shakes - enzymes and adaptogons and superfoods
• It is basically jammed packed with everything you really need

There you have it. Okay, so that is not everything I learned but it is a short summary. I've been talking with Amber throughout the whole day and she has finally boosted me with enough courage and determination to talk with my Boss. Short story - I have not been getting paid consistently and I can longer wait. It has been a problem for a very long time now, but I love my job and boss and kept hoping the situation would get better. While in this "Take Control" high, I have decided that I deserve better and that I need to take action. I originally was going to wait till monday to talk with my Boss in person, but my sister feared I would back out. So, she convinced me to write an email that briefly portrayed my feelings about the situation and how I would like to further talk with her Monday. Short and simple. I felt relieved sending the email - but also nervous for monday. I will keep you posted on how it goes. I would like to just add real quick - my family has been wanting me to quit this job or talk with my boss for a long time now. However, I had lacked the confidence I have gained over these last few weeks. I can't wait and hope for things to get better on their own but I must take action and control of my life. I choose if change happens. 

Why I'm a Beachbody Coach?

Sick day! Woke up this morning feeling quite under the weather. When I wasn't asleep in my bed, I was catching up on the bootcamp. I decided not to waste the day just on the account of being sick. So, snug in my bed with computer on my lap, I dug in and started listening to short videos and writing answers. First step - hardest question I had to answer: why I wanted to be a Beachbody Coach. After much thought and reflection of the last couple weeks, I first needed to answer a few questions.

 So, WHY am I a Beachbody Coach? I want to help people "Take Control" of their lives. I want to help people see that there is a difference between fast result diets and true lifestyle change. However, being a coach places responsibility on myself as well, I have to lead by example. Yes, I want to help others realize their potential not just physically, but mentally as weel. But I also want to learn from them. You never know who will read your story and relate to you - it is so important to share experiences  So this me - sharing mine.

Taking an Active Role

Mid week two and already I am making changes in my mind set but it was time to take an active role. Work was cancelled and instead of the usual sleeping-in routine, I decided to make the whole day count. Not only did I hit the gym early in the morning, I also chose to walk there instead of taking my car. It is only about a 10 minute walk and I really want to cut out driving as mush as possible. I am starting to discover that running affects my emotions - I always end up shedding a tear or close to one. In my defense, I run on the treadmill in the Cinema room at the gym. So there is always a movie playing and I am already emotionally vulnerable while watching movies. My low this week - crying to The Water Boy.... Embarrassing? You bet - but hey, can't help it. My favorite part about running in the cinema room is how dark it gets. I love how it is really hard to see people because I don't like people seeing me run or workout. That is why it is difficult for me to run outside - too many witnesses. Plus, it is a lot easier for me to simply walk while trying to run outside. The treadmill is in constant motion so unless I pull the plug I can't stop. I've come to find that the best movies to run to are the action packed ones with chasing and car races. However, don't expect to hear anything but the background music. I usually plug into my ipod and listen to fast, upbeat songs while watching the movie. Hey - I need all the motivation I can get to keep me running!

After the gym a friend took me to a shooting range. Okay, when I first heard about this I envisioned being out in the middle of a field and doing summersaults while shooting.... Not a pro here, nor have I ever shot a gun before. So, no fields, just an indoor booth with a target you move to desired distance. It was awesome though. I shot a few rounds from a pistol and a rifle. Used the rifle scope and reenacted a scenario that I was being attacked by zombies. Let's just say I would probably be better off hiding on a rooftop or armed with a machete.... I pretended to be all gangster with the pistol - emptied a clip as fast as possible, reloaded and emptied again. To be honest, I was really placing myself in the Resident Evil movies. All in all, it was a great experience, though I am not condoning playing with guns - I was still being really safe and careful. 

After feeling empowered from the shooting range, I went home and jumped onto a Team Forward Fitness Call online. Originally I had not planned listening in, but a few minutes before it started I read Brigitte's post on facebook that there were spots still open, so I made a choice and jumped on. I am really glad I did because Brigitte, along with two guest coaches, really explained what being a Beachbody coach is really about and how it all works. I had no idea beforehand! I learned about Coaching bootcamps and becoming an Apprentice Coach. When the call ended I immediately called Amber and talked to her about all the information I learned. I really wanted to join a bootcamp. The call instilled a fiery drive in me to become more active as a Beachbody Coach. I still have a lot to learn and not ready to start my own challenge group or anything, but I wanted to learn more. 

Turns out, Amber just started a Bootcamp under Brigitte, so I sent her a message to ask if it was too late to join. Well, I made it in and just had about a week of work to catch up on - easy peasy. Week two in a challenge group and now I've joined a coach bootcamp. I already felt like I was on facebook a lot but I have a feeling I'm about to become Real close with it. Oh boy.

Goals

Week two and I feel empowered. All my life I've never been great at committing and now by simply joining this challenge group, I've told myself that I can choose and can stay committed. A lifestyle change does not only focus on eating healthy or exercising more, it goes beyond that to mental wellness and positive thinking. Many laugh, and on most occasions so do I, but there really is a thing to the whole "Positive Power" belief. There are months where I have to wake up and consciously tell myself that I am happy and that "today" was going to be a great day. I believe Happiness is a choice. One you have to make till it becomes like muscle memory. "Fake it till you Make it" right?

This week at work I have been spending most of the time trimming large trees. At a glance doesn't seem so very hard, but in reality, it is a workout for the arms. I'm literally holding these pruning shears either above my head or at very odd angles, while trying to cut branches. Some of the branches might as well be small tree trunks! Anyway, point is - by the time I get home I feel as if I've already worked out. Don't confuse this with complaining, I love my job because of this reason. I love being physically active and enjoy the labor. It's the days I have off I dread. As nice as it is to have a whole day free - that's when I tend to waste most of the day and then there is the whole kitchen by my side issue.

However, this week I've really tried to start implementing weekly goals into my schedule. In the past I used to write my goals down on random pieces of paper. At the end of the week it was anyone's good guess where those papers went. So, I've been keeping a record of my day-to-day activities and goals along the way. That is what initially started this blog. In fact, writing in my blog has been a constant goal every day. So, beginning of a new week and here are some of the goals I've written down.

• Contact Parks and Recreation - research
• Family History - become more involved
• Taxes - get all my paperwork in order
• Work on blog

Not a whole lot of goals, but it is only the beginning of the week. Monday night I went on a Family History tour in Provo and learned how to use the various machines and computer programs they have in relation to Family History work. It is pretty amazing and I really want to set aside specific time assigned to work more on my family history.

Tuesday was a mentally uplifting day. While at work I decided to listen to The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. Amazing. Okay, I have only listened to about 1/3 of the abridged audio version, but I have already learned a lot so far. My Fitness Challenge group coach, Brigitte, sent us a link highly recommending us to listen to it. She sent it to us last week but I never looked at it till now....
I usually turn on Pandora while working, but today I decided to listen to The Slight Edge instead and I got to say I am glad. I am not going to hash out everything I heard/learned because I think you should all go out and listen to it yourselves. Plus, I have never been good at retelling things...ask any of my friends. However, I will share the most important things that stood out to me during those few hours.

First off - Control. When we blame others we automatically give up any control we had. If we are to succeed in life we have to start taking responsibility for everything in our lives, even if it seems unfair. Wow - did I need to hear this! There are some things from my past that are difficult to "move on" from and "let go." I have been trying to truly forgive and forget, but it is so difficult at times. The word "unfair" often plays a key role in unhappy memories or old grudges. Crying "unfair" does not change our situation, it only makes us lose our control. I really like this. I decided then and there, standing on a ladder in the tree tops, that I was going to try to take full responsibility for my life. Does this mean I will say I broke the dish when my sister breaks one - No. It means I will take responsibility of the situation. I will try to turn the negative into a positive. Easier said then done, but making the mental choice is the first step.

daveharman.com

Second - "Tomorrow." How often do I wait for the tomorrow that never comes. Remember how I have all those unfinished projects, well they are incomplete because I added them to the "tomorrow" list. Jeff Olsen shares a story of two brothers faced with the decision of setting up an IRA (retirement fund). One chooses to wait for "tomorrow" while the other takes an active role in his life and sets one up. A couple years later they meet up and the first is surprised to hear that his brother has already set up a comfortable retirement fund. He himself had not, he had nothing. By starting later then his brother he would have to work a whole lot more before retirement was an option. I immediately felt guilty. My father had sent an email a month ago suggesting that I looked into setting up an IRA. I had read the email and told myself "tomorrow." No joke. After work I called my father up and got the information I needed to start the process of setting up an IRA. I no longer want to keep pushing things off. Why wait?

Third - Compound. Every decision counts in the larger picture. If I go running today it does not mean I am healthy. If I choose not to go running today that does not make me unhealthy. The choices alone do not label be as one or the other. It is a compound process. The choice to run today increases my chances of choosing to run the next day. Not running increases the chance of saying no to a run the following day. Simple, right? The small choices in life start heading us down particular pathways.

Okay, there you have it. A lot of mind changing thoughts this week and it is only Tuesday. I realized that there was a lot of changing I had wanted to do, and not just physically. The workouts have been great and I am really starting to enjoy Yoga, but I feel like I have taken a further step. A step towards true lifestyle change. One that improves my mind and outlook on life. Goals are no longer to be wasted on a stray piece of paper, but written down with purpose and the power of knowing that I can and will accomplish them.

blog.kw.com

Week 1 Summary

Done and Done! I have survived week one and so far it has not been as bad as I previously thought it would be. Shakeology turned out to be better then I had hoped and I could already tell small differences in my body's digestion. Normally drinking milk or even Almond Milk would upset my stomach - especially in the morning. Oddly, drinking Shakeology with Almond Milk every day has been fine on my stomach. I was waiting all week for my body to turn against me but nothing. It feels fine. I was not really expecting that, but pleased it has. Next week I plan to try out having cereal for breakfast instead of just toast. I love cereal but my stomach is so sensitive in the mornings, that it truly only enjoys toast that early. I have a feeling that is all going to change! 

Every day I post in my Fitness challenge group how my day has been and I thought I'd share a few of those posts with you here.

On the Road

Roadtrips. Highly not suggested for your first week of a 90 day challenge. A couple friends and I decided to hit the road thursday and travel to Moab, Utah. I must say though - proud that I stuck to wheat crackers and trail mix for my car munchies. I was able to get my cardio workout done before we took off, so I didn't have to worry about that. Drank my Shake-O and headed out the door ready for warmer weather down south.

Friday morning I woke up early for my Total Body workout. Blended some shakeology for myself and my sister, Sarah. She was surprised that the shake didn't taste so terrible. Amber had talked to her about shakeology before and joining a challenge group. We will see if she decides to join! After breakfast my friends and I jumped back into the car and away we went to Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. We first stopped at 4 Corners and took a small hike around the area.

Next stop - Mesa Verde. Took a tour to one of the Pueblos built inside the side wall of a cliff. It was fairly intact and we were able to walk around part of it. I tried to maintain healthy snacks and not over eat, but by dinner time we were sitting in a Mexican Restaurant...  All in all, I spent most of the day driving around a few states and I was ready for some major physical activity. Fortunately saturday brought just that.

Arches National Park. One of my favorite places in Utah. Workout done and sandwiches packed, we drove through the entrance and made our way to Delicate Arch. The first part of the hike is always the worse - straight up! The weather was perfect. We could feel the warmth of the sun the whole way up till we reached the shaded areas. There was still snow/ice on the ground in the shade, but most of the hike was in the sun. We arrived at the arch with only a few others there before us. I have never seen Delicate Arch so empty, we practically had free range over the entire area. I busted out my SportMixer Blender Bottle and mixed some ice water with shakeology. Made my friends have some along with my sister again. Can't miss an opportunity to drink shakeology with arches as my background! Got to say - I was surprised how well the shake tasted even though I used water instead of Almond Milk. Though, I did make sure I shook my Blender Bottle really well and for a good amount of time. My friends did not particularly enjoy it, but I thought it was great. Must be the taste buds adapting to my new lifestyle change! At least I am able to maintain my workouts and shakeology while traveling - definitely one of the most healthiest trips I've taken!

Stop the Hunger

Eating right is a major key player in Lifestyle Change. I cant expect my body to change completely for the better without addressing my eating habits. And frankly, they are not always that great. I am not following any particular meal plan that Beachbody provides, but just focusing on my portion control and replacing foods with ones better for me. I have learned that I am not very dedicated when I completely restrict something out of my diet such as chocolate or candies. So, I simply told myself reduce not restrict. Allowing myself to eat sweets but limiting the amount works well for me most of the time. Now, given the choice to eat something "not so great" I usually turn it down or only take one. I often think, "I'd rather waste my sweets on something better." Confession - I'm not 100% with this mind set. Sometimes I just really want to eat all 10 of those homemade cookies. After starting this challenge group I have been pretty good at keeping away from sweats and fried foods. However, every day is a continual battle, at least for now. Drinking Shakeology does help fill the void of snacky foods, so that is good.

First step of eating right - prepare before hand. I went to the store day 3 and bought a bag of frozen chicken breasts among other things. I baked a few chicken breasts to have in the fridge, ready to be eaten for the week. Lunches have been pita pockets and I thought adding chicken would be a nice change. Last week I had bought a small container of Extra Firm tofu. So I busted it out and chopped the cube into small squares. Cooked them on a frying pan and soaked the tofu in soy sauce. Chicken and tofu cooked and ready to be added to any meal! I also filled a container with chopped bell peppers of various colors. So that has been helpful, also having a large bag of carrots - I reach for those instead of crackers. Add some humus and it's a fair trade, taste wise!

Second step - stay busy! When I have work off and I am just sitting in my apartment all day, I swear sometimes I can hear the kitchen calling my name. It is so easy for me to stop by the cupboards as I walk by. Staying productive keeps my mind off of eating. I eat when I'm bored! So, can't be bored, got to do things. To help with this I try to write a list of things I want to get done for the day and then do them. I know I have a few projects that I've started a long time ago, so those are nice to dust off and continue working on them for a bit.

I still have a long way to go before I get a handle on portion control and eating completely healthy. But one bite at a time, right? Today's mini challenge was to read Stop the Hunger from Fitness Motivator and comment how we can improve our diet. The article was pretty good and I recommend you all read it. What I took from it - I need to slow down when I eat! I usually rush through my meals because I hate "wasting" time eating, I just want to get it over with. However, this makes me eat a lot more before I realize my stomach is full. Slowing down helps me register what my body is trying to tell me. Also, I need more fiber. Replacing foods full of fiber with other snacks will help curve hunger and keep me feeling full.

Workout for the day - YOGA.
Countless of people over many years have always talked to me about Yoga and tried getting me to do it. I have done some moves here and there once and awhile but I have never liked Yoga. Never wanted to do it! Primarily because I know I am not flexible and it's just sad when I try to be. But, Yoga was on my workout schedule and so Yoga is what I am going to do. Today was the first time with it...got to say, not as bad as I thought. I actually liked it a lot. It was a nice and welcoming change from the resistant bands and cardio. Afterwards I had my Shakeology - this time I added a banana. I liked it, but in the end I felt there was too much banana, I really just wanted the shake plain in the end. Weird.

Shakeology?

The study of shaking something... just kidding. It's the 'Healthiest Meal of the Day." I have to drink Shakeology everyday as being part of the challenge group. I've seen Amber and her kids drink it but I won't lie - I was never tempted by it's looks while at her house. She had the Tropical Strawberry but I decided to try out the new Vegan Chocolate one instead. I've never been a big fan of strawberry flavored things (though I love the actual fruit). Last summer I had bought a case of Premier Protein shakes from Costco and finally used them up last month. I usually drank them if I had no time to eat something or right after playing a sport. I don't eat a lot of meat so I thought this would be a good way to get more protein in my diet. Anyway, point is - I knew that Chocolate protein shakes never actually taste like chocolate. So I mentally prepared myself for the arrival of Shakeology.

First off, I'd like to point out that Shakeology is not like your average protein shake - in fact, it is much much more. I don't even call it a protein shake, it's jammed pack with super-foods  antioxidants, and so on. Anyway, you should check it out if your interested, I've enjoyed it so far, but lets get back to my experience.

My Shakeology came in the mail a few days before I started the challenge group. I decided to go ahead and start drinking it. As a newbie, I simply put a scoop of Shakeology into a Blender Bottle with a cup of Almond Milk and shook. Only, I did not shake it very long. My first initial response: gag me! It was difficult to swallow the rest, but I did. The texture felt like fish food floating around in Almond Milk. I was prepared for this, but I still had about 93 days left of drinking this. Oh boy - there has got to be a better way to prepare this stuff!

I went to the Shakeology website and found lots of recipes for adding ingredients to your shake. Perfect. I decided to try something different everyday till I found one I really liked. Well...after day two, I decided to take Amber's advice and use a blender with ice. Fortunately one of my roommates had a magic bullet, so I poured the Almond milk and added my scoop of Shakeology and added ice. Blended for awhile and tried it out. Big Difference! Was not expecting such a change. The ice made it more smooth and creamy. Bending it with an actual blender and for longer extent of time then my original plan of hand shaking, made the taste so much better. I actually enjoyed drinking it. No gag reflexes at all! It's funny how simple it is to make things more enjoyable!

So, by day two of challenge group I was ready to add some extra ingredients. My first choice - mint extract. So, the recipe called for 1/8 teaspoon of mint extract combined with 1 cup of water, but I used Almond Milk instead. I was worried this make a difference with taste, but I should of been worrying about my measuring skills. I am pretty sure I used 1/4 teaspoon instead of the 1/8.... Overload of Mint! One sip and I thought I was going to die. I felt like I was drinking the mint extract straight out of it's bottle! I knew that I hade made an error, cause there was no way they would recommend that much mint - that can't be good for anyone! I told myself I would have to bare it and drink the rest...only made it half way. Poured the rest down the sink and rushed to rinse my mouth out. Later that day I made half a scoop of regular Shaekology - no mint. Word of advise - make sure you read your measuring spoons before adding!

Workout for the day: Total Body. Difficulty level for me: semi-hard. Okay, it's only for 10 minutes but I had to use the red resistant bands and most of the moves were okay but when it came to lifting my arms behind my head... well, let's just day embarrassing! But I guess I have to start at some level, can't be great at working out from the start. Got a bit more muscle to build! Hey - that's why I will keep Pushing Play and Moving Forward! 

Hey, I'm Katie

Today is my first day with the Challenge Group. I am nervous and excited! Everyday (except Sundays) we have a mini challenge we can do to earn points. For the first day we are to post a video of us introducing ourselves for about 2 minutes. Key points we needed to hit: why we are doing this challenge and what we wish to accomplish. Fortunately I have a MacBook, so I simply opened up iMovie and started recording. Only, I couldn't stop recording... I had to redo my video a whole lot of times. Who would of thought 2 minutes would take so long! After a couple run throughs I had to write down bullet points to help me stay focused and remember what I was supposed to say. Eventually I got through 2 minutes without laughing or pausing way too long. So, here it is.

Finally getting past those 2 minutes I got down to business. The Workout. Opened up the package, popped in the disk and Pushed Play! I waited to do my first workout after coming home from work. I trimmed trees all day so my arms were already feeling pretty sore. Fortunately day one was Cardio. The kit came with a band that I could hook to the door to help add resistance to the workout, however I decided not to use them this time around. I was doing the workout in my room which is small and I was worried my roommate would walk in with me strapped to the door....

Before Pictures

Anyways, Cardio was not too bad. It almost felt like Tennis practice in high school. We did a lot of similar moves and I loved it. One of my main motivations in accomplishing this challenge is to be more fit for sports. I love sports, especially Bball and Tennis, so I want to keep my body fit and ready for court-time. Tony Horton created the 10 minute Trainer and he is the one directing his workout "assistant." I've heard annoying trainers before, but I would say Tony is pretty good. I think he believes he is more funny then he really is, but that's kind of his charm. Will see if that's how I still feel after a few more workouts with him.

Food wise I faired not too bad. Lunch time I ate a pita pocket stuffed with peppers, mung sprouts, and roasted red-pepper humus. It was a nice and fresh change from the usual lunch of cold quesadilla. I would rate the overall day a 4.5 - I did say no to ice cream tonight and ate fresh strawberries instead!

Day 1 - Crushed it!

Joining a Challenge Group

What is a Challenge Group? I didn't know what a challenge group was till 3 before I started. My sister, Amber finished a challenge in December and started another one in January. She really loved her program, her coach, and officially joined the Forward Fitness Team in February. Amber was busy putting together a challenge group of her own but I wanted to start now. So she handed me to her coach, Brigitte Linford, who was starting another challenge group the following Monday. Signed up and nervously waiting to be in my first challenge group, I had a few things to do to prepare.


Body Measurements....who ever likes doing those! Fortunately Amber was there to make me just do them and post them right away to my TeamBeachbody profile. Measurements done, I now needed to do my Fitness Test! This was actually fun to do. I have yet to do my Resting Heart Rate and Pull - ups though. I keep forgetting to check my pulse when I wake up. As for Pull-ups, I was planning on counting those using the monkey bars at a park, but it has been snowing lately. Oh well, at least I did the rest. You may laugh after reading my results, but hey - just starting out here! It's okay, I'm laughing right there with you.

I explored more of my Team Beachbody site and discovered a Meal Plan you can create. They gave four base outlines and you can take a short test to see which one fits you best and how many calories you should be eating. I landed in the Balanced Slim Down with a daily intake of 1900 calories. Well.... after looking over the planned out days I knew I was not really going to use this. No offense here, but I tend not to have a lot of those random spices and interesting ingredients the meals ask for. Potentially this could be great, but for a girl who is living like a college student, it is unrealistic. At least for now. I've decided to focus on portion control and cutting out high processed foods. Bread is a major staple in my diet, but I will try to limit that intake down and replace with better choices. We will see how that goes! I installed a free phone app that will allow me to scan barcodes on foods - telling me serving sizes and all that interesting stuff. It keeps track of my calories and I can input any workouts so my caloric intake is adjusted. So far it has been fun cataloging what I eat. I have also decided to try out eating smaller meals roughly 3 hours apart instead of eating three large meals in a day.

Alrighty, back to my Challenge Group. There are a few things I need to do for Brigitte now. First: Accountability photo. I am supposed to find a photo to tape on my fridge that will be a motivator for me to keep pushing play! She gave suggestions of people I know who inspires me, or a photo of myself....well, I choose two photos of people who inspire me. Only, they are not technically real people... they are characters from some of my favorite shows and movies. Let me introduce....

http://collider.com

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

http://www.ign.com

Yes,  I will admit it - I am a major Buffy fan. She rocks the fighting skills and wears leather pants doing it! Can't fight the evil beasties without a toned body.

                                                       Resident Evil - Alice.

Okay, I can't exactly have the strength and stamina as Alice (her body has bonded with the T-Virus...) but with key calves and bullet arms maybe no one will notice I'm not virally mutated. 

Goals! Really important but easy to forget. It is difficult for me to always keep up or follow through with my goals. First off, I rarely write them down - big mistake. I had to fill out a little questioner thing from Brigitte about myself and goals, so I thought I would share that here as well. The more you share your goals with others, the more likely you are to achieve them...at least in my opinion. I feel more accountable to them when others know. And that is a key player in joining this challenge group - Accountability. I have to answer not only to Brigitte but to all the others who have joined this challenge. So, back to goals - here they are. Not too bad for a start.

Choose a goal to reach one week from your start date:  

I want to use my car less. Most things are in walking or biking distance so I really do not need a car to survive everyday. I do have to drive to work, so my goal is to   choose walking over driving if it will take me a reasonable amount of time to reach my destination.

Now break it down into a 30 day goal:  

In 30 days I will have my bike tuned up and ready to hit the streets so I can bike to places that are too far to walk to. 

What’s your 60 day goal:

I am terrible at proportion control - especially when it comes to desserts. For the 60 day goal I would like to have established a regular routine of choosing better foods and proportions. I want to master it, this includes being diligent in shakeology 

What’s your 90 day goal:

Bike to work. There are a couple hills and it will be hot weather by then, but I want to be able to bike to work instead of driving.

What will your 90 day reward be?: 

I have been wanting a road bike for a few years now but could never justify buying one. The goals above help set up a life long pattern of choosing a more active mode of transportation. The workout program will also help my body become more fit and increase my energy, so I would say I could justify buying a road bike by then.  

WHY Beachbody?

Why? If I was asked years ago to become a Beachbody coach, or even join a challenge group, I would have probably brushed you off. So why now? What has changed? I decided to Take Control of my life!

Most of my life I have played the role of a "door mat." Not fun. In high school I thought it made things easier, but really it only made me less confident about who I was and wanted in life. I did not hold much value to my name and I believed that I was only "going through the motions." I thought living this way would keep me safe from disappointment and failures. Not true! I didn't take responsibility for my life - by doing this I was giving up control. Never sure of who I was made me feel angry towards myself all throughout high school and continued on into college. The only thing I had going for me was to study Biology in college. However that quickly changed when grades tanked and I began to doubt myself. I had no confidence and believed that I could not do it. The love I had felt for plants and Biology was fading and soon I was confused at what I was to do. There was one point in my life where I actually stopped trying because I thought it was too late to succeed or anything. [I know now that was not true].  Eventually I switched majors and life became more enjoyable. I made great friends in my classes and began to try hard once again. 

I have recently graduated and now work at a very small landscaping business. And I mean small - I am currently the only employee. I was grateful for the job but little did I know that it was only going to create more stress later on! I love the work I do and get along with my boss, however it is turning out to be not the best situation for me. Well, end of the year came and New Year's Resolutions were on my mind. At first the same old list pops up, "read this, do better at that, finally finish... etc." However, this time I wanted real goals, ones that I don't simply check a box next to, but ones that help build a bridge towards a better lifestyle. I reached my limit of feeling negatively about myself and life, so I made a decision - Taking back the Control of My Life!

So, pumped with my "epiphany," I started the year determined. I began working on neglected projects and tried becoming more involved with those around me. I got a gym membership and started going 3-4 times a week. I was set. Or so I thought. After a month, my initial drive was starting to wain and things at work were getting worse. I needed more structure...something that tied together the changes I wanted.

So, there I was. Minding my own business watching my sister's adorable children dancing, when my sister joined me on the couch.

So, that is why I joined Beachbody. But how does Beachbody help achieve my desire to Take Control of my life? Well, you can see as I take you through my first 90 Day Challenge Group!

Day 1 of a Long Journey

There I was, minding my own business chillin on my sister's couch, watching her adorable children dancing around, when my sister, Amber joined me. She began speaking to me about Beachbody and Shakeology once again and this time I actually listened. I knew she had been doing a workout - TurboFire - and been drinking this interesting looking stuff called Shakeology, but had no idea how involved it really was. She showed me her before and after pictures and I was actually shocked - I have always thought Amber to have a great body, but I had no idea how much change she went through after doing her workouts. You could definitely tell! I was really impressed and my mind was even more open about Beachbody. She has been telling me that I should join for a long time, and this time I was starting to believe the same thing. I've seen her kids drink Shakeology all the time so I knew that part couldn't be too terrible.

What was the main hang up? The workouts! I knew about P90X and other workouts and my body was quaking in fear...then I heard the following beautiful words "you could start out doing the 10 minute workout." Say What? I did not believe her till she pulled up the website and showed me that there was indeed a 10 minute workout. 10 minutes! I think that was the deciding moment in joining Beachbody. I could commit to 10 minutes a day to workout!

So, before I knew it I was signed up as a coach and waiting for a challenge pack to come in the mail. But here is the thing - my track history of workouts and consistency was not so great in my favor. One of the greatest parts of being apart of Beachbody I've come to find are the challenge groups! Amber hooked me up with a challenge group that was starting the next week! I was signed up, I had committed! Was I scared? Of Course! In the end though, you really have to figure out why you are really doing this and if it's worth it...well then it's worth it!

So, why am I doing this? Well, that is a whole other story...

Stay tuned.