I'M PERFECT!!! ;o)

If you believe that, then I have swampland in Florida to sell you!!! Funny thing is, many years ago, my parents WERE offered PRIME real estate swampland in Florida...they turned it down...who would have thought the property they would have bought would be where DISNEY WORLD is located today?!? I guess, we should discuss perfectionism because different people will view it in completely different ways.

NOBODY'S PERFECT, and I'm the first to admit it. I make mistakes ALL of the time, so WHY am I writing a post about being perfect? Because I hear that phrase A LOT!! "Cheryl, you don't understand because you're PERFECT!" HAH...nothing could be FURTHER from the truth.



People are constantly telling me that they can't eat properly for all sorts of reasons. YET, they tell me they want to lose weight and need my help. Well, I'm here to tell you that ANY diet pill you take is only going to lead to TEMPORARY results...how do I know? I tried them years ago!! I can also tell you that it took YEARS of eating with unhealthy habits that caused weight gain. So, if it took years to put on, do you HONESTLY think it's going to come off overnight? My transformation was healthy...it happened over time.

Here's the thing, so many people think it was EASY for me, but it's DIFFICULT for them. WRONG!!! It's STILL a learning process for me, and I make mistakes because I'm NOT perfect. Just last month, I spent Thanksgiving with my sister. She made a delicious meal with all the trimmings. Being away from home, I decided I didn't need to worry, so I ate what I wanted to, I didn't eat 5 times per day, and I didn't monitor carbs/protein/fat. Guess what happened?!? I GAINED WEIGHT!!! YEP, perfect me packed on several pounds that long weekend.

So, when I came home, I personally decided to do the Shakeology 3-day cleanse. I figured, I needed something to help me get back on track. I went from 120.7 down to 114.8 in 3-days and I didn't feel like I starved myself! That's right, I lost 6 lbs. I didn't feel bloated, and it helped me to focus on making healthier choices.

It's up to you though. Please don't say I'm perfect, and I don't know how it feels. OF COURSE I DO!!! I've been in those shoes!! I still have clothes that are a size 14 in my closet to PROVE that I do!!! It's not about being perfect, it's about making conscious choices and following through. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

If you are serious about losing weight, I've posted about nutrition a few times, so I HIGHLY recommend you going back and reading those posts. That's a starting point. From there, you'll need to do the following:

1) DECIDE - Make a conscious decision to eat healthier foods and exercising. Even if it's just walking...do SOMETHING!! If you have time to sit on the couch and watch 6 different television programs or spend hours on Facebook, then you have 30 minutes to go for a walk!



2) COMMIT - You'll need a plan. Write it down. At 5:30 p.m., I will go for a walk at least 4 times per week. THEN DO IT! I'll eat 3 servings of veggies per day, I'll eat leaner meats, and I'll eat whole wheat products at least 5 days per week. Then, throw out the junk in the pantry so you're NOT tempted. I guarantee you, if it's not there and you crave it, you're not going to get in your car to head to the store to buy Twinkies. If you do, you'll be questioning yourself by the time your keys hit the ignition! Am I REALLY going to the store just for Twinkies? Every day hold yourself accountable, or better yet, have someone who WILL hold you accountable. If you want results, you NEED to do this!! No maybe, sort of, kinda of attitudes here...JUST DO IT!! You CAN do it and you WILL do it if you want changes!

3) SUCCESS - Ahhhh...here's where you get to listen to people call you perfect! Okay, maybe not, but this is where you will feel a sense of pride that is indescribable. People comment all of the time on the external changes that have taken place in me. They pale in comparison to the internal ones. My confidence level has increased tremendously. My self-esteem is so much higher. Those are gifts that I was happy to gain!

My goal is to help, but if you don't follow, there is nothing I can do. Are you READY for a change? If so, let's DO THIS!!!

Healthy Holiday Hints

Thanksgiving is this Thursday and the winter holidays are right around the corner. You're probably looking forward to relaxing with family and friends, right? ME TOO!! However, I want to share some eating tips so that you don't sabotage all of your hard work. There's no doubt that we indulge in tempting and tasty tidbits! So, how can you enjoy yourself without feeling like you're alienating yourself from the festivities? Maybe these ideas will help!



If you're cooking:
* Make sweet potatoes or yams without adding extra sugar.
* If making green bean casserole, use the 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup instead.
* While baking, replace oil with applesauce, sugar with Splenda or Truvia, white flour with wheat flour, and butter with something lower in fat (I use Smart Balance 50/50 Omega-3 sticks or spread).
* Don't sample what you're making!! Be wary of licking the batter, etc. Think of it this way, if you're willing to put it in your mouth, then you should be willing to log it in your food journal. Is it worth adding?!?



Before eating the main meal:
* Drink water...it will help you feel full. It will also help flush your system!!
* Be conscious of the carbohydrates left out for snacks (a few chips here and there will add up QUICKLY).
* If there are veggies, eat them (not saturated in dressing)!
* Try to stick with eating every 2-3 hours too...if you keep yourself on a schedule, you won't be tempted to stuff yourself like that Thanksgiving turkey!
* Don't graze!! Nibbling on too many snacks will force your body to shut down its natural calorie burning process because your body can't keep up with your intake.



During dinner:
* Again, be conscious of your carbohydrates...too many will make you feel sluggish!
* Choosing either white or dark meat is fine, so enjoy whichever one you prefer, but leave the skin on the side.
* Instead of pouring gravy on top of everything, have it on the side. Use the salad dressing method of dipping your fork in the gravy first. It will give it the flavor you're craving without the extra calories.
* Watch your portions. If you want to try many different items, enjoy them, but cut back on the amount you'd normally serve yourself.
* Try to limit high fat items (fried items, things loaded with cheese, etc.).
* Calories from alcohol are stored in the abdomen. Try to stay away from too much of it.
* Take a walk outside after dinner if possible. The fresh air will feel great and your body will thank you for helping to work off the meal!



After dinner:
* Of course you want to enjoy dessert, so have a sliver! You don't need a huge slice...just a little will satisfy your craving
* Drink coffee or tea while chatting with others.



The healthiest options:
* skinless white turkey
* cranberries (don't add too much sugar - try orange juice instead)
* yams (try with some maple syrup on the side for guests who want to make it sweeter)
* sweet potatoes (leave the marshmallows off the top or scoop them off if added already)
* green veggies (load up on them)
* pumpkin pie (if making it, try skim milk to make it less fattening)

Enjoy yourself...guilt free!!!

I Just Don't Have The Time!!!

Okay, so I can relate...there are MANY days where I am spent. I feel like a ship sinking to the bottom of the ocean as I plunge my body onto the couch...just to rest a few minutes. Then, while there, I don't want to get up. Ahhhh...the remote is within reach...CLICK! But wait...I don't watch television!!! So, what am I DOING?!? I'm avoiding...I'm making excuses!!



Honestly, just yesterday, I was at work from 7:30 in the morning until 9:30 at night. Literally, I was on my feet the majority of the day, and by the time I got home, I had more work to do that I decided to take with me. Some days, I truly envy people with a 9 to 5 job! I'm a single mom who works a full-time teaching job and manages to juggle a part-time Beachbody business too! My life always seems to have included helping others in some way, so no matter what path I take, that will continue to be a part of me. Maybe one day things will change and I won't have so much on my plate, but for now, things are what they are...my days are PACKED with a
"To Do" list then never seems to get done...I'm always needing MORE hours in the day!

However, even though I put in so many hours, I still managed to run home for about 30-45 minutes to make a healthy home cooked meal! I had to eat, right?!? So, something didn't get done...what was it?!? My workout. Here's the thing, if there was one thing I SHOULD have done, it's my workout!!! UGH

Sharing from Tony Horton's11 Laws of Health and Fitness, I'm going to discuss making a plan, stress, and sleep. For me, all three are pieces of a puzzle. Without the other two, it's incomplete. You want to stay healthy? Then, you're going to need to be committed to your fitness goals. By doing so, you'll help relieve stress. Without resting your body, you're not recharging!!



Let's start with THE PLAN. This is the most important aspect of health and fitness. It's done to help create accountability for yourself. When I was first starting out, I had to come up with a reason that would motivate me to stick with it. For me, it was my son! I wanted to not only be able to keep up with him, but I also wanted to be around to watch him graduate from college, get married, and hold his children. It worked. Additionally, I became a coach. No, I was NOT at my goal weight. So, at first, I did it for the discount on the products. However, I think the thing that motivated me MOST was that I now felt accountable to others. People would be watching me...closely! So, I decided to let them watch. I was going to REACH my goal and I did. How did I do it with so much going on and having so little time? I set a plan.

"Plan it and you'll do it! Wing it and you won't!"

Just follow the rules:

1) Schedule your workouts 30 days in advance. Decide what you're going to do and stick with it.

* As a side note, as a team Beachbody member, you can auto schedule your DVD workouts in Beachbody's virtual gym, WOWY! If you need assistance with this, let me know, I'm happy to help you get it set up. You'll also have a chance to win money or prizes by logging those workouts through Beachbody's virtual gym.

2) What & When - Write it down! What are you going to do? When are you going to do it? Write it down! Pretty straightforward, right?

3) Magic of two pens and a 10 cents calendar. Write the information in one color on your calendar. Mark an X through the completed workout with a different color. Tony said, "30 X's are great. If you've got only 15, then you're stuck in bipolar fitness hell." Put your calendar someplace you'll be forced to look at it daily (front door, refrigerator, bathroom mirror, etc.).

4) Stay accountable with workout partners. If you've got someone who will be your workout buddy...you can keep each other on track! Find someone who will be consistent though.

Many people think that those of us who are fit just LOVE working out. We eat, breath, and sleep thinking about it. They think we look forward to our workouts. While this may be true sometimes, I can assure you that I am NOT someone who's ever enjoyed exercising to stay fit. Playing sports is one thing, but forcing myself to get a workout done is another. Nope, I don't like it, but when I'm doing it, I feel GREAT! Even Tony said that he always hears people say something like, "That Tony...he's so motivated!" His response? "No. I'm. Not! I need 47 people to hold my hand. I find excuses not to do it!" However, he too said that once he's doing his workout, he is completely into it!



This brings me to stress. Stressed-out, sleep deprived people don't eat right or exercise. The bottom line is that stress sucks up all of your energy, it decreases strength, can lead to injuries because of a lack of focus, it diminishes your desire to complete tasks, and causes poor sleep patterns. It's up to you to battle the stress. Eliminate the drama in your life...negative situations or people should not be given permission to bring you down. Choose the higher road...wisdom and forgiveness over anger and blame! Focus on the SOLUTION to a problem instead of dwelling on the problem at hand. Take time for yourself...even 10 minutes to just think...relax...unwind! Write your issues down (by putting them down on paper, you're releasing them). Then go to bed.



By resting, you're recharging and replenishing your body's needs. Sleep is needed to heal...to recover! It restores your body, mind, and spirit. 7 1/2-8 hours of sleep is essential for you to balance your own internal needs (emotional). It restores your cognitive and motor performance. A well rested body improves your athletic performance, it increases your energy level, it heals sore muscles and joints, and it replenishes your desire and devotion to eat healthy food and exercise regularly...for the rest of your life!STRESS DESTROYS...SLEEP HEALS!!!

If you're making time to watch your favorite television shows, then you most DEFINITELY have time to commit to your own personal health. The question is...how badly do you want it?!?

Nutrition For Dummies

So, you're exercising and you're trying to eat properly, but you can't wrap your brain around the whole nutrition concept. What foods should you buy? How do you plan out your meals? Is there an easy way to prepare healthy foods? If your mind is spinning out of control, and you're looking for some simple answers, look no further!

Back in September, I attended a Beachbody event where Mark Briggs, along with Tony Horton and Robert Hudgens, talked about simplifying nutrition. It all begins with the 80/20, so if you haven't read that post by me, start there first!

Nutrition is probably the one thing that most people consistently struggle with. This is for a variety of reasons...no time, it cost too much, it's too hard to follow the plan, etc. If you WANT to see results, you NEED to make this part work. Either you want it or you don't! Are you ready to make changes or not? If so, continue reading.



First of all, don't complicate things...you need to keep it simple...it's easier than you think! We all have busy lives. You CAN eat well even with a hectic schedule. Stick with fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. As mentioned in my 80/20 post, use Michi's Ladder to help you succeed. Stick with the foods on the top two tiers. Also, if you're a Beachbody Club member, you have access to the caloric needs calculator as well as a meal planner where you can edit items to make sure you're meeting your own individual needs (adjust it when needed). If interested in learning more about being a club member and joining my team, check out the advantages here: http://teambeachbody.com/signup?referringRepId=17347

Additionally, you can use a microwave. Nobody said you can't cook chicken or fish in your microwave! Just keep it simple...do what works for YOU! We're all different and quite frankly, chances are you're not going to like the same foods I do. I know I'm personally picky.

Now, there are some things you need to make sure to do. Number one, you MUST eat breakfast. Don't argue about how you hate it. I do too! In fact, I was skeptical about using Shakeology because I have stomach issues and as a single mom, I thought the price was expensive. Then I tried it. I LOVED IT!!! And the best part was it didn't affect my stomach at all...in fact, it cleared up the problems I was having! As I thought more about the cost, I figured $3 as a coach ($4 as a customer) per meal wasn't too bad. Would I be able to eat at McDonalds for $3 and be getting the same healthy ingredients? We all know the answer to that! So, I made sure to drink my breakfast in the form of a shake! Getting my vitamins without having to purchase pills to swallow (which I also dislike) is just the icing on the cake. Don't forget, it comes with a "bottom of the bag" guarantee too! Learn more about Shakeology and all of its benefits, read the ingredients information, or order at:



Here are some other ideas for meals to help get you started:
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
DINNER
SNACKS

Now, are you eating enough? Most people do not correctly guess the amount of calories they're consuming. And while I think that Weight Watchers and other programs like it are great for teaching about portion control, they do not discuss the importance of monitoring carbohydrates, protein, and fats. So, a person can stay within his/her suggested caloric needs AND can monitor points, but he/she may NOT be getting the full benefit of eating properly. More weight could be lost from eating the right kinds of foods...WITHOUT starving yourself!!

Which brings me to the other side of the scale. Sometimes people stop eating or eat too few calories. There is even a local doctor who has his patients on a severely low calorie diet (about 500 calories per day). Anyone who I know that is on this, I STRONGLY suggest that he/she discontinue and share my reasons why. However, I hope that being under his supervision helps more than harms them. Eating too few calories will cause your body to go into a starvation mode. Basically, your body needs fuel...it turns to a source for that fuel when you're not feeding it. It begins to feed off muscle, but at the same time, it's storing fat. So, since muscle is denser than fat, you will appear to be losing weight. Sadly, when most of these individuals begin to eat normal meals (even healthy foods), their bodies do not know what to do with it. The individual gains weight back and it's MORE difficult to lose the next time because of metabolism changes.



So, how can you be sure you're eating the right foods? Personally, I began monitoring my food intake on a site called My Fitness Pal. It helped me to see patterns...both good and bad. I was able to tweak the meals to make sure I was properly getting the maximum benefits. Additionally, I learned with P90X about different phases. When I needed to burn fat, I was consuming 50% protein / 30% carbs / 20% fat. When I moved into a more balanced phase, it was 40% protein / 40% carbs / 20% fat and I enjoyed the extra carbs...more energy. If you feel like you're crashing during the day, you may need to increase your carb intake. Then you move into the last phase which is 20% protein / 60% carbs / 20% fat. Since I've finished that program, I primarily have stayed with the balanced phase. In My Fitness Pal, you can change your percentages to match your needs.

How often should you eat? Ideally, it should be every 2-3 hours and have 5-6 small meals per day. So, if you're at work, you will need to plan ahead. Set an alert on your phone if you need to. Get into a habit! Don't let yourself get into a tough spot...make sure you've got food packed or if you have a refrigerator at work, find a place to keep your healthy items. Again, your body needs fuel. Your metabolism suffers and slows down when you don't cause it to work all day long! The following analogy was shared and applies to this. Think about a campfire. Without wood (fuel), it will die out. It's just like your body. It too needs fuel (wood) and if you don't feed it, you'll bonk...this is especially true after sleeping all night...you NEED your breakfast!! You shouldn't workout on an empty stomach either...eat something light (1/2 a banana and a spoonful of natural peanut butter).



When should you stop eating? Stop eating at least 3 hours prior to bed. If you need a snack at night, have a protein shake. Protein is digested well while sleeping.

In the beginning, you'll obviously need to be more strict. However, you'll be thanking yourself as you watch yourself lose weight and gain control of your life! Hold yourself accountable. Set short and long term goals for yourself (30, 60, 90 days, 6 months, 1 year). Phase out the things that make you feel bad. Get the junk out of your house. If it's not there, you're not going to get into your car to drive to the store just to feed that craving (by the time you're in the driveway, you'll be thinking twice about the decision). Also, keeping the unhealthy snacks in your house are giving unhealthy options to your kids. Keep track of what you're eating in a journal or website like My Fitness Pal (there are others out there too). Track your food for at least 2 weeks. If it goes in your mouth, you need to write it down! Recruit a partner to help you keep accountable.

If you have any questions, let me know!

=) Cheryl

You Are Under P90X Arrest!!!

Sticking with Tony Horton's 11 Laws of Health & Fitness, I'm focusing on number two today...consistency! The more you do it, the better you get! This applies to pretty much everything in life. If you're not good at playing the piano...practice and you'll get better. If you study more for assessments, chances are you'll ace your courses. Even Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team...not good enough...HAH!! Ultimately, he had two choices. He could have thrown in the towel, or he could have remained consistent...practicing daily...persevering!! "I think that not making the Varsity team drove me to really work at my game, and also taught me that if you set goals, and work hard to achieve them — the hard work can pay off." He had a desire to win and refused to quit, and as we all know, the rest is history!


So, how does this affect YOU?!? Let's apply it to one Beachbody program in particular...P90X!! For those of you who have done this workout, you know that Tony Horton cracks corny jokes throughout all of the workouts. He's no different in real life. In fact, I recently read that he had the intention of becoming an actor and for a little while, he earned a living as a stand-up comedian! At the presentation I attended, he said, "You're not gonna hear, "You are under X arrest!" The X Police aren't coming if you don't do the program perfectly and as planned."

Change the program around if you need to. Do yoga twice a week instead of one of the cardio workouts (just don't skip yoga...it's the Fountain of Youth)! You've heard it over and over...this is the law that asks you to DO YOUR BEST AND FORGET THE REST!! SHOW UP every day at least 5-6 times per week. BE PATIENT and PERSISTENT because this will create the discipline you need in order to be successful! STICK TO IT...yeah, that's right, I'm actually suggesting that you FINISH the program you purchased. Tony said to do it poorly for 90 days!! You're going to see results. If yoga is a weakness, you should still push play and do what you can! "Do something part time!"

Starting...stopping...starting...stopping...it's NOT the pattern you want to create. It's important to keep the momentum going! You've got to stay motivated. Join others like you who are using WOWY, Beachbody's virtual online gym. Not only will you be working out (in the comfort of your own home) with hundreds of others, you've got an incentive to win some prizes (cash and other items). I personally won $300...yep, it definitely PAID to workout that day! Join for free: http://teambeachbody.com/signup?referringRepId=17347 and let me help you along the way (my screen name is eaglesgirl if it asks for a coach name).

Don't complain...don't whine...don't quit!! Keep going strong by pushing yourself to reach your goal!! Eat properly! Surround yourself with people who will support your efforts and hold you accountable...you're going to cross your own personal finish line holding your head up high...it's a GREAT feeling!

Be consistent, and don't worry, the P90X police are not gonna come for you!

80/20...Do the Math...Get Results!!

You're probably saying, "What on earth is she talking about?!? 80/20...math?!? I hate math and besides, I THOUGHT this post was going to be about nutrition!!"

It IS, and I'll be digging DEEP into nutrition. You want results?!? TRY what I'm suggesting!! What have you got to lose...other than pounds?!? Remember my other post talking about curiosity?!? You just might be pleasantly surprised. JUST DO IT!!

No, I'm not a nutritionist...nor am I a personal trainer, so why should you listen to me? Over the past few years, I've learned a thing or two about eating. In the past, I've tried Weight Watchers, The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, eating less, and dare I say, Hydroxycut! Bottom line is, I was looking for a QUICK FIX to a problem I created over many years. To me, DIET was the D word, and it meant eat less and you'll lose weight. Makes sense...fewer calories...less weight to gain. Right?!? WRONG!!!



Why didn't any of the above methods work for me? I was stuck in yo-yo dieting land, but I think *I* was the yo-yo!! Why aren't they working for you? Because the truth is, you're probably not eating ENOUGH food. Stick with me on this. When you cut back on calories, your metabolism slows down. Basically, your body thinks it's in a "starvation" mode. What does it do? It starts searching for places to get the nutrients it needs...where would you go...fat or muscle? If you said muscle, you win 50,000 bonus points!! Since muscle is denser than fat, you'll see a drop in the number staring up at you from the scale. This leads you to believe that you're losing weight and are doing it the right way. Here's the kicker...your body is storing fat! Now, I don't know about you, but learning this blew me away. Additionally, because your metabolism slows down, your body doesn't know how to properly react to new foods. When you lose the weight you wanted and start eating "right" again, you begin to GAIN the weight back...and then it's HARDER to get off. Are you following me?!? So...how do you FIX this...how do you CHANGE it?!? It starts with you and your mindset. You NEED to realize that old habits may not be healthy and that NEW methods need to be tried. You need to FUEL your body and quit starving it!!!

Most people have no idea what they're eating. Well, I mean, you know that you're eating a turkey sandwich, an oreo, or a glass of milk, but have you ever analyzed your food? My suggestion is to use a free program like http://www.myfitnesspal.com where you can input your food items for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The data is immediately calculated for you, and you can easily see the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat you're taking in. If you do it throughout the day, you'll also be aware of how many calories/grams you have left in the different categories. My customers can provide me with their age, weight, height, and workout they're doing, and I can find out how many calories they should be consuming. From there, we determine what kind of "diet" we want to use. Right now, I'm eating 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein, and 20% fat. There were other times when my protein and carbohydrate percentages were changed slightly based on whether I needed more/less carbohydrates. These percentages can be changed in the program to reflect your needs. So, what does it look like? Here's a sample of my food diary:



You can see there are green areas (I still had some remaining)and others that are red (I went over my target number). By monitoring this daily, you'll begin to see patterns or trends. For me, it was a wakeup call! What I *thought* was eating well turned out to be a carbfest! There was barely any protein in my diet. So, I've learned to tweak things and for the most part can hit pretty close to my target numbers now.

Ideally, you want to eat 5 to 6 times per day. Your meals should be eaten every 2-3 hours. NOW, you're probably thinking I'm crazy! Let me ask you this...why have I lost weight and kept it off? THIS is why!!! I'm constantly eating throughout the day. My metabolism has picked up (it used to be VERY slow) because it's always working to burn the fuel I'm feeding my body. I'm eating 1800 calories daily. I took that number and divided it by 4. That works out to around 450 calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The remaining 450 are divided among the snacks. Now, I personally didn't eat nearly enough during breakfast and was a little low at dinner, but I made them up with my snacks. If you need reminders to eat, set alerts on your cell phone! Here's my eating schedule:

7:30 - breakfast - Shakeology / banana
9:30 - snack - turkey slices/cottage cheese cup
12:00 - lunch - beef stroganoff with broccoli
3:00 - snack - almonds
5:30/6:00 - dinner - shrimp / spinach pasta / spinach
8:00 - snack - rice cakes with peanut butter



Something that I'm constantly asked is, "What can you recommend for snacks?" The truth is, that what *I* eat might NOT be something you personally would care to eat. So, instead, I share something that I've used often. It's called Michi's Ladder (http://teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder) and it's a life saver when out shopping. A "clean" diet would include foods from the tops two tiers, so if you want to know WHAT you should eat...stick with those levels. Print a copy and keep it with you. Then, while out at the grocery store or a restaurant, you can pull it out and make a healthier choice. Set yourself up to succeed! Put a plan into place!

I'll work on another post about simplifying nutrition, but for now, you've got plenty of information to work with. Please join my team at: http://www.malwo.com by clicking on the link "to become a club member or a free member" and I'll be assigned as your coach (if you don't already have one). Getting back to that 80/20 information. If you want to see results, it's 80% what you eat and 20% what you do...nutrition is key!!

THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER!

Alrighty, first and foremost, if you're not on my team...if you don't have a coach...JOIN NOW...it's FREE!!! Seriously, I hear people make comments all of the time like, "I love "The Biggest Loser", but I can't lose the weight by myself because I don't have a trainer like Jillian Michaels!" Or "I don't know what to eat! "...," (fill in those dots with any other excuse...I've heard them all). No, I'm NOT a certified personal trainer nor am I a nutritionist, but I HAVE learned a lot over the past couple of years, so please let me share with you what I've learned!! I'm reaching out to YOU...here's my hand...I've achieved my goal and I want to pay it forward. Ultimately, I want to get you to YOURS!!! If you're STILL not sure about it...maybe my transformation will convince you:



Join my team: http://teambeachbody.com/signup?referringRepId=17347

Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty! What's stopping you from achieving your results? If you answered TIME, well then, I have news for you...you're NOT alone! You've got 3 kids, you've got 3 jobs, you don't know how to plan your 3 meals, you need 3 hands (because as we all know, 2 just aren't enough sometimes), and you just wish you had 3 minutes to yourself!! Trust me, I've been there and done that (okay, I only have one child, but I'm a single mom...that has its own challenges). I get it, but maybe I can make this a little simpler for you.

3 is a magical number, so we're going to work with it. Recently, I attended an event in Dallas where I was given the opportunity to workout with Tony Horton...that's right...the one, the only, P90X master...Tony! The workout was a blast, but he did a presentation called the "11 Laws of Health and Fitness" and I took a TON of notes. My handwriting is very small, kind of unibomberish, but the point is, I listened and I LOVED what I heard, so I'm going to share it with you each week.



So what did he say that made such an impression on me? It was the FIRST law, but it included only 3 things (works magically for me). Be creative, stay curious, live committed...in one word...VARIETY. If you WANT change, you have to be willing to find a way. Like you, there are others who struggle with finding the time. Some have MORE than 3 jobs, others have MORE than 3 kids, a few may only have 1 hand, BUT they are finding a way to make it work. You make appointments for your kids to see the doctor/dentist, you make appointments to get your hair/nails done, you bring your car in to get the oil changed, so why don't you make time for your workouts?

Law # 1 - VARIETY - THE SPICE OF FITNESS - MIX IT UP, CHANGE IT UP, TURN IT UP

#1 - BE CREATIVE - Find a workout that you will enjoy and make it your own. If you LOVE cardio, then why force yourself to do strength training? If you want to tone up, then doing cardio isn't going to cut it for you! If you want to see CONTINUED results, then you need to create diversity in your workouts that YOU will enjoy doing and make you WANT to show up every day! Increase your resistance, vary your reps, mix it up with cardio, resistance/weight, flexibility/yoga, core, add sports...be inventive!

# 2 - STAY CURIOUS - Are you intimidated to try something new? Why? What's holding you back? What would you do if you weren't afraid? You'd test it out, so DO that! The worst that happens if you attempt something new and don't like it is, you don't do it again. But here's the kicker...what happens if you LOVE it? You're going to do it again and again...you're going to see results! You'll form healthy habits!

# 3 - COMMIT - If you want results, you're going to have to allocate time to REACH your goal. Rome wasn't built in a day, but it WAS constructed because people showed up to get the job done!! There is no room for negotiation. Like Nike's slogan says...JUST DO IT!

PLAN a time that you'll work out. You put appointments on your calendar, right? Make your workout an appointment. Don't be late for it either!! Or do what I do, and set an alert on your cell phone. When the alarm goes off, it's time to get fit!!

Now, if you're saying...I STILL don't have enough time...I'm wondering...do you have 10 minutes? Then do something 3 times per day for 10 minutes (Beachbody sells 10 Minute Trainer which are 10 minute workouts) or 3 times per day for 20 minutes!! If you have time for television shows or using the computer, then you most certainly have time to exercise. It's a mindset. If you're not willing to THINK a different way, then you won't SEE changes!! Change your thinking by being creative, staying curious and committing...the magic of 3!!