Upper Body Move of the Week: PiYo Push-Ups

This week's upper body move of the week are called PiYo Push-Ups!  To be honest, this is more of a series of movements, as opposed to one single movement, but the emphasis is on the push-up, I assure you!  

This is one of my favorite series' from Chalene Johnson's PiYo.  

• Start upright with your feet together.
• Slowly roll your torso down towards your feet.
• Walk your hands out in three "steps" until you are in plank.
• With your elbows in by your ribs, do one tricep push-up.
• In three "steps", walk your hands back in.
• Slowly roll up.
• Finish with a squat. 
• Repeat!

Performing three sets of five repetitions of this series would be a tremendous way to get your blood flowing!

Here is the video! 

21 Day Fix Diary: My Why

I have a confession.  It's a dirty, terrible, little secret.  I am a Beachbody coach and I have NEVER done the 21 Day Fix...until three days ago that is.  

Not one workout and zero attempts at the nutrition plan.  I didn't even own the program until last week.  

I have lead 21 Day Fix groups and I was my challengers' greatest cheerleaders, providing encouragement and motivation along the way.  But I couldn't really relate until I walked in their shoes and put the little colored containers to the test.  

I have justified to myself that I didn't need to lose weight, so it would be unnecessary for me to do the program.  I told myself that I was in maintenance mode, so I shouldn't deprive myself.  

The truth is, I did not WANT to discipline myself.  I did not want give up the sweets I had been indulging in much too frequently.  I did not want to put in the effort and planning and work it takes to FUEL your body with quality calories.  I did not want to take the narrow road.  I wanted to take the WIDE OPEN, no rules, easy road.  

So what changed?  Cancun.  Matt and I leave for Cancun in 18 days now.  He, especially, wanted to make some nutrition changes, and I knew it was time to support him, and more importantly, support my challengers by taking on this challenge.  

So on Wednesday, March 25, we began.  

I feel the need to state my intentions and my purpose.  

• Though I am not trying to lose any weight, I do want to be in peak physical condition as we approach our Cancun trip.  
• I have decided to do this because although I eat decently healthy, I have allowed myself too many sweets, and have zero self-control when I am eating out. 
• I think it's important to challenge yourself, and take control of an area, you know you have developed some bad habits in.  
• Nutrition is my greatest struggle, so it is an area where I have plenty of room to improve. 
• I am not calorie-cutting, but I am managing quality control of the calories I ingest.  
• For me the 21 Day Fix is about giving my body the calories and pursuing inward health, not attaining an outwardly physical goal.  

Thank you for bearing with me through those statements, as I wanted to be sure that those reading understand my motive and will not question my decision to "diet".  This is a lifestyle I aim to actively pursue.  

118 pounds

21 Day Fix Diary: Day 3

I started Day 1 with a negative, ugly attitude.  I was annoyed I had committed to doing this and I wanted to quite five minutes in.  

I was very overwhelmed with the meal planning and figuring out how to space out my meals.  I saw the size of the containers and my allotted number of containers, and thought..

"No way.  This is going to be horrible.  I quit."

I was not only trying to plan out MY meals and snacks, but I was trying to figure it out for my husband, Matt, as well.  I was frustrated with the process.  

And then it came together.  It takes time.  It takes planning.  It takes a little recipe research. It takes some creativity. 

But then it comes together and goes as smoothly and easily as the creator of the 21 Day Fix promises.  But you have to be prepared.  You have to have your ingredients and snacks on hand.  You have to plan for your day.  You have to be MENTALLY prepared for when you are in a social situation. 

If you are here looking for creative recipes and an in-depth meal plan...you are looking in the wrong place.  Matt and I are creatures of habit and routine, and therefore are extremely content to eat NEARLY the same EXACT things on a day to day basis.  We both struggle with nutrition, so we have to keep it simple.  It is the only way we will succeed.

I am in the 1200-1499 calorie bracket and Matt is in the 1500-1799 calorie bracket.  Matt would be in a higher calorie bracket, but his chronically injured hip doesn't allow him to workout.  

For my calorie bracket I get 3 GREENS (Veggies), 2 PURPLES (Fruits), 4 REDS (Protein), 2 YELLOWS (Starches/Carbs), 1 BLUE (Healthy Fats), 1 Orange (Healthy Fats), and 2 TSP (Oils/Nut Butters).

I have made some allowances for a few things that I am not ashamed to admit here.  I am allowing myself my coffee WITH 2 tbsp of flavored creamers (I know, the WORST).  I allot myself one more YELLOW per day of soy milk to blend with my shake.  Matt and I will also have PLANNED cheat meals throughout the 21 days.  I understand we may not get the most PERFECT results, but we will maintain our sanity, which is very important, as well! :)  

Here is a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet I am using to log all of my food choices throughout the day :)  

As a more visual reminder, Matt and I created a very simple and not at all pretty tally system for knowing what we have left to eat. The "GPRYBOTsp" are the colors of the containers.  The tally marks are how many we get of each container, and as we eat, we erase!  

The first two nights we have eaten this chicken and veggie stirfry, and I was pleasantly surprised at the delicious flavor the coconut oil gave it, as well as the portion size.  I found the recipe on a fellow Beachbody coach, Kendra Fletcher's blog.  

So how do I feel?  I woke up this morning (Day 3) feeling very empowered.  Last night, we attended a memorial service for a very close family friend, that ended with desserts in the fellowship hall.  I made brownies for the event, did not allow myself even one lick of the spoon, and then Matt and I both remained strong for the duration of the event and stuck with our plan.  No desserts.  

What a feeling of control and strength and discipline!  Truly, I feel so good that I have taken control of my cravings, my desires, my emotions, and have embraced this plan.  I've also lost three pounds in just the two days.  

I have not felt particularly hungry, as much as I just want to grab a handful of pretzels because of habit.  I am learning so much already about the habits we pick up and the reasons we over-indulge.  

Tonight we have a planned cheat meal, so I know that has also given us the courage (yes, courage) and stamina to be strong until tonight!  

If I can be honest, when I think about doing this for 21 days...I am still intimidated.  So I don't.  I take one day at a time, one meal at a time, and make the best choices I can. 

More updates to come! 

Core Move of the Week: Single-Leg V-Ups

Depending on your core strength and ability level, this move will challenge you!  

• Laying on you back, bend your left leg, so that your knee is up, and you can use that leg for support.
• Bringing your arms up above your head, by your ears, raise your right leg and upper body simultaneously, meeting at the top in the shape of a "V".
• Slowly, and in control, lower both your leg and torso back down to the mat.  
• Repeat 8-10 times on each leg. 

Lower Body Move of the Week: Single-Leg Deadlifts

This exercise I learned back in my Gator days!  There are few exercises that will make your hamstrings MORE sore than these babies.

This is a more advanced movement, so please know your limitations and BE CAREFUL.

You may choose to use a small dumbbell or none at all, as you learn the exercise.  

• Stand on your right leg, with your left foot just off the floor.
• Slowly, with a FLAT back reach your left hand towards your right foot.
• You do not necessarily need to touch your foot, your hand should end up somewhere in front of your foot or depending on your range of motion, in front of your right shin or even knee.
• Listen to your body.  Do not reach for your foot if your hamstrings and lower back are crying out, "NO!"
• Slowly raise your torso back up to the upright position. 
• You may choose to lower your left foot or if your balance is excellent, you may keep it off the ground.  
• Repeat until you have completed your repetitions on that side.
• Switch to your other side, and perform the same movement. 

**These will make you extremely sore.  Do not push it your first try.  Start with 2 sets of 6-8 repetitions on each side.**

Post-Baby Body

I am in a "moms of twins" group on facebook, and a woman posed a question...

"I'm not looking for workout ideas, diet fads, or anything like that...I'm just wondering if there are moms out there that have made peace with their changed, post-pregnancy body...knowing it will never be the same as it was before."

It's a strange and confusing thing navigating your post-baby body.  How do you walk that fine line of acceptance and contentment, knowing that some things will most likely just NEVER be the same, while still striving to be the healthiest, best version of yourself?  

Does anyone else struggle with this?  

It IS confusing.  How hard should you try?  How far should you push yourself?  How much effort should you put forth?  

On the other end of the spectrum, you face questions like...How much grace do you give yourself?  When do you get rid of the excuses?  How long do you put everyone else before YOU?  When do you start investing back in to yourself?

Perhaps it is all about your purpose and end-goal.  Are you spending three hours at the gym trying to look like your 21 year old self?  Are you avoiding mirrors because you don't recognize the woman looking back at you? 

What is the balance?  How do you find the balance?  

I certainly don't know.  I probably lean too far on the "determined to look like my 21 year old self" end of the scale.  But I am getting better.  Although on the outside, I am 90% back to my pre-baby(s) body, there are parts of me that will never be the same.  

My tummy is flat, but the skin on my tummy is still wrinkly.  And my poor boobs...they really took a beating.  They rebounded after my Sienna, but the twins did them in for good, I'm afraid.  

I believe you need to pursue your best self, while being very aware and accepting of the fact that some things will never be the same...or at least not be in the same place.  :) 

I believe you need to find the space, the body, the mentality where you feel healthy and confident.  And health and confidence will look different on everybody.  It will be a different size, a different shape, a different exercise routine, and a different nutrition plan for everyone.  

But I do believe you need to find that place.  You owe it to yourself, your husband, and your kids to be healthy and confident.  Isn't that the example you want to show your children?  Don't you want them to see what a proud, beautiful woman looks like on their mom?  

Invest in yourself.  Start small.  Replace one bad habit with one good habit.  Then do it again.  And again.  And again...until you are happy with you.  

If you aren't sure where to start, check out my free two-week fitness bootcamp here!

Upper Body Move of the Week: Shannon Miller Push-Ups

This week's upper body exercise is really more of a total body movement, which makes it even more effective and powerful!  

These push-ups are called Shannon Miller push-ups (Yes, Shannon Miller, the 1992 Barcelona Olympic's most-decorated gymnast and part of the 1996 gold medal U.S. team).  Back, oh 20 years ago, I was a gymnast and one day, these nasty little push-ups were part of our conditioning routine.  

• Start in a normal push-up stance (arms just wider than shoulder width apart).
• Lower your chest to the ground, elbows out.
• As you come up, lift you right leg in the air.
• Lower your chest again, keeping your black flat.
• Coming up, lift your left leg in the air.  
• Repeat.
• Repeat.
• Repeat!

PiYo Does the Body Good

I started doing PiYo this week.  It's been quite a few months since I pressed play on PiYo.  To be honest, in the past, PiYo was a little too slow for me.  It wasn't quite enough of a challenge.  I missed the high-impact intensity of my P90X3 or T25.  

I believe your body goes through changes, makes adjustments, and tells you what it needs. There are some months when my body won't respond to a certain kind of workout or nutrition program that has always been great in the past.  There are seasons when my body can't handle an extreme exercise regimen.  

This week, today, right now, my body is craving PiYo.  I don't ever remember enjoying PiYo the way I have the last two days.  It is literally soothing to not just my body, but my soul.  Fitness is not just about running eight miles or lifting weights or a crazy plyometrics routine.  

Fitness includes flexibility, stretching your limbs, giving attention to some of the under-used, under-conditioned, and under-valued, smaller muscles of your core.  Fitness should be nourishing to your soul, as well as your body.  

This morning, I woke up before everyone else, popped PiYo in, and proceeded to plank, downward dog, and just breathe.  There was only the dim light of my lamp, the TV, and the dawn light coming in.  It was incredible and comforting and invigorating.  

Please know, that this kind of talk for me is not the norm.  Again, I am a high-intensity, ex-pole-vaulter, extreme workout kind of girl.  

But I can't deny the power of PiYo.  

If your body (or soul) has taken a hit, PiYo.  If you want to change your workout routine up, then PiYo.  If you want a lower impact workout to mix in with your cross-fit or marathon runs, PiYo.  If you haven't been active in years, and don't know where to start, PiYo.  

In the past, I have not given PiYo the credit it deserves, but I am a changed woman, and can't wait to spread the word.  

Is Beachbody A Pyramid Scheme?

Is Beachbody a Pyramid Scheme?  

The age-old question persists.  My fear of getting duped in one of these "network marketing" is one of the main reasons I avoided Beachbody.  Instead of doing my research and talking to a few credible individuals I knew about it, I continued to let myself be deceived and stay in the dark.  Man, I wish I would have been smarter.  

In this video, I explain the different between legitimate network marketing business and pyramid schemes, and why Beachbody fits in to the former category.  




If you are interested in Beachbody coaching or would like to talk to me further, click HERE!

Playing Outside

My Insanity Max 30 journey ended a few weeks ago, and my workouts have been few and far in between since then.  Oops.  I hadn't planned well, so I didn't know which program I wanted to do next or what program made the most sense to do next.  

So as is a typical result of bad planning, I did very little to nothing.  And when I did decide it was time...my heart wasn't in it and my effort was poor.

Was this the rest my body needed?  Probably so.  Did I NEED to jump head first in to another physically demanding program?  Probably not.  

Something good has happened in the midst of my non-working out days.  I have played with my children more.  I have taken more walks.  I am more willing to swing them, chase them, jump with them, run with them, and throw them in the air.  

Why?  It's not why you would think.  It's NOT because I have more energy because I didn't deplete myself in a workout.  It's not because I am less sore.  

It's because I was seeking to burn calories and get a "workout" in due to the fact that I hadn't worked out earlier.  Playing with my children became a double bonus.  I could give them the time, attention, and fun they deserved while simultaneously pushing my body past the ordinary.  

Have you ever really RAN around the yard with your kids for 10 minutes?  Chances are, you will be out of breath.  Do you toss them in the air?  Do that enough times, and your arms will feel fatigue.  Jumping?  That's called plyometrics. 

I miss my workouts and am anxious to get back in to a routine again.  My body doesn't feel the same without them.  But I love what I discovered during my off time.  I loved being an active, crazy-fun, engaged mom, instead of the mom who sits and watches her kids run and jump and spin (I'm not being critical because I am totally that mom sometimes).  

The point is, playing outside has become a gift to me and my children, and a part of my day that I wholly look forward to...workout or no workout. 

Why Insanity Max 30 Works

I finished Insanity Max 30 about two weeks ago and the truth is, I am not in a rush to do it again.  And then I read the last chapter of Darren Hardy's, The Compound Effect, and all I could think about was Insanity Max 30.  

Darren Hardy talks about how once you've hit the wall, once you've reached your max, if you can just push a little further, do a few more, and put in some extra work, your results will multiply exponentially.  

Using weightlifting as an example, if your program requires you to do 12 reps, and you feel like you have hit your MAX, but you decide to push through and do 3 MORE repetitions.  Hardy explains it this way:

"You won't just add a few reps to the aggregate of your workout.  No.  Those reps done after you hit your max will multiply your results.  You've just pushed through the wall of your max. The previous reps just got you there.  The real growth happens with what you do after you're at the wall."

Isn't this exactly what Shaun T has asked us to do?  He has asked us to not JUST give 100%, he asks us to give 100%, and then give it AGAIN and AGAIN throughout the thirty minute workouts.  

"Viewing yourself as your toughest competitor is one of the best ways to multiply your results.  Go above and beyond when you hit the wall. Another way to multiply your results is pushing past what other people expect of you--doing more than 'enough'". 

This chapter stopped me in my tracks and gave me a newfound respect for the program Shaun T created and the reasons behind it.  I am so excited about what I've learned that it almost makes me want to stick it back in the DVD player...ALMOST.  Maybe in another month or two!  

What is great about the chapter of this book and the whole of Hardy's book is that this does not just relate to your health and fitness.  This principle can be applied to every area of your life!  I leave you with one last quote from Hardy:

"Where in life can you do more than expected when you hit the wall?  Or where can you go for 'WOW'?  It doesn't take a lot more effort, but the little extra multiplies your results many times over.  Whether you're making calls, serving customers, recognizing your team, acknowledging your spouse, going for a run, bench pressing, planning a date night, sharing time with your kids, whatever...what's the little extra you can do that exceeds expectations and accelerates your results?"

I hope you are as inspired and challenged by these concepts as I am!  I encourage you to max out and then max out again and again throughout your day and in every area of your life. 

5 Reasons I Avoided Beachbody Like the Plague

When I first learned about Beachbody coaching in 2010, I avoided it like the plague as soon as I heard the words "Network Marketing".  Without listening to another word, I shut it down, and threw it way, way, way to the back of my mind.  

Buried as it was in the back of my mind, it persisted in pushing forward time and time again, until finally, in a moment of desperation, I signed up and became a Beachbody coach.  With very little belief and no expectations, this business quickly has become one of the biggest blessings of my life.  

But more on that later.  For now, learn more about the 5 reasons I avoided Beachbody Like the the plague!





And to learn more about coaching and discuss it more with me, click HERE.

How To Be Happy

The truth is, I've been struggling with discontentment.  I've been unnecessarily overwhelmed and stressed out.  I've been discouraged.  

Why?  It's so obvious.  It didn't take much self-evaluation or meditation to figure this one out.  

Comparison.  I've been comparing myself to others.  I've been comparing my business to someone else's business.  I've been comparing my weaknesses to someone else's strengths.  

Comparison.  It should be a dirty word considering the monumental harm it can have on yourself, your relationships, your life.  

As my inner dialogue goes down a destructive path, I pull back.  I stop.  And I remember the countless reasons I am so BLESSED.  Honestly, it's embarrassing to admit that I struggle with discontentment because my life is so entirely abundant.  

Nevertheless, I am human.  But being human is not an excuse.  This struggle only serves to remind me how utterly I depend on God's grace.  Only He could forgive my ingratitude and discontent.  

What's insane is how EASY it is to cure the disease of comparison.  It is instantly gone by serving up some thankfulness.  Some days I need a hundred doses of gratitude to fight off the negative thoughts, but that's okay.  The important thing is to stop, remember, and thank.  

Where do you struggle with discontentment?  Where do you find yourself comparing the most?  Is it in your appearance?  Your marriage?  Your house?  Your job?  Your income statement?  Your children?  Your social life?

The great news is that wherever you struggle, gratefulness is the cure-all.  Humility will get you back on track every.single.time.

Self-Help

I rolled my eyes when my mentor asked me to read a book called "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olsen.  Really?!  A self-help book?  Come on.  What can that book really teach me?  

My attitude just over a year ago is disgusting to me now.  How egotistical, how ignorant, how stubborn could I have possibly been?  I read faith-based books.  I read books about how to grow in my relationship with God, but I never read books about how to have more success, earn more money, or become a better leader.  

The Slight Edge changed my opinion on these so-called "self-help" books forever.  Since reading The Slight Edge, I have read many personal development books including Developing the Leader Within, Start With Why, Go Pro, Entreleadership, The Compound Effect, and now I am excited to dig in to The Best Yes.  

These books have made me realize just how much room I have to grow and improve!  What started as motivation to strengthen my business skills has now infiltrated all areas of my life.  Reading books like these have made me a better wife, a more attentive mother, a more grateful daughter, and a more thoughtful friend.  

So if you...like me...thought you already had your stuff together, let me assure you...you probably don't!  : )  I encourage you to pick up a great personal development book, and prepare to be amazed by how it positively impacts your life!  

If you need recommendations, comment below or get in touch with me on facebook!  

Why You Need A Why

Why will drag yourself out of that down feather bed at 6:30 AM on a cold day before your kids wake up?  

Why will you take the time every Sunday to plan and prepare your meals for the next few days?

Why will you work out for the fourth day in a row even though your body aches in a places you didn't know existed?

Why will you say, "No thank you", to a piece of birthday cake at your office?

Why will you not succumb to your children's pleas for frozen chicken nuggets?  

Why will you refuse to listen to the voice in your head that says, "You can't do this!"?  

I don't know.  YOU.TELL.ME. 

Do you get it?  Do you understand why I asked these questions?  The point is, you will not wake up early, you will not get your workouts in, and you will not fight off temptation if you don't know WHY you are trying to do it.  

"Well I want to lose 10 pounds", you say.  Well I say, that's not enough.  
"But I want to get healthy!"  Still not enough. 
"I want to eat clean." Great, but WHY?  

WHY?  WHY?  WHY?  WHY?  WHY?  WHY?

Do you feel my passion?  It's not enough to just want to lose 10 pounds. It's not enough to just want to get healthy.  Those great aspirations will not get you out of bed in the morning.  

So what will?  

"I want to go to the beach this summer in a new bikini with confidence!"

"I want my children to look at me as their shining example of what healthy looks like!"  

"I want to feel as sexy as I did on my wedding day!"

"I want to hike mountains and swim in oceans and ride through canyons!"  

Those kinds of dreams and visions will not just drag you out of bed in the morning, but you will rise and attack your day with a vengeance!  

Do you see the difference?  Do you see how a WHY is different than a GOAL?  Your WHY is your big picture, and your goal is the measurable steps you take to get there.  

Goals are incredibly important, and you will not reach your WHY without goals, but I also believe you will not achieve your goals without a big enough WHY to keep you going day after day, week after week, and month after month, especially when it feels like you are spinning your wheels.

So when thinking about your fitness plan (or any plan for that matter), start with WHY.  How do you want to feel?  Who do you want to be?  What do you want others to see when they look at you?  The answers to these questions will make up your WHY.  And once you have a firm and strong WHY, you can formulate the goals needed to get you there.   

Listen To Your Body

On Tuesday night, I came down with a stomach bug, and to put it politely, let’s just say I lost some fluids.

Come Wednesday morning, despite feeling tired and a tad weak, I really wanted to get my workout in!  But I promised myself, I would only modify, not push myself too hard, and see how it went. 

I pressed play, ONLY modified, and still barely got through twenty minutes of the thirty minute workout.  I knew then, it was time to press stop, give myself some grace, and walk away.   And I did! 

We have to listen to our bodies, we have to trust our instincts, and we have to know when enough is enough or when we can give a little more. 

There are days when my nose might be a wee bit runny, but I convince myself that I am deathly ill, and shouldn’t work out.  That’s silly.  There are also days that I am dog-awful sick, but for some reason, I am determined to get my workout in, come hell or high water.  That’s also silly. 

The point is, we have to do a self-analysis, determine WHY we do or do not want to workout, evaluate how we are truly physically feeling, prioritize what’s more important for that day…resting or pushing- and then make the best decision we can. 

What about listening to your mind?  Some days, my body feels fine, but the LAST thing I want to do is work out.  The thought of pushing play, jumping up and down, lunging, or doing one more doggone push-up is just excruciating.  So I give myself a mental-health day off!  That.is.okay. 

But be careful…mental health days are a slippery slope.  Depending on your goals, you are going to want to take very few mental healthy days, get your mind (and your butt) in gear, and go ahead and start sweating JUST to prove that you are stronger and bigger than that whiny voice in your head that is trying to convince you to skip your workout!

So listen to your body, and figure out what is best for you, but make sure you invite accountability in to your life because one skipped workout can quickly become thirty skipped workouts without the positive influence of good ole fashioned accountability.