April Specials

I am so excited to announce Beachbody's April Specials.One of my favorite programs is on special this month. I have a challenge group starting April 13th if you are interested in joining me.

The first one that is on sale is the Piyo challenge pack. is Piyo? Piyo has many Pilates and yoga inspired moves. It builds strength, endurance and flexibility. It is low impact. It uses no weights. This program uses your body weight to get you the results that you need. Piyo will improve your range of motion. It will allow your joints a break. Because you are improving your core it will be good in all areas of your life.  I did this program while pregnant. I stopped when I was 29 weeks pregnant as it was too much twisting for me. I managed to lose inches in my arms, legs, and butt while being pregnant. It was so awesome.


29 weeks pregnant

This program is only $10 with the purchase of Shakeology.

The second is the Piyo kick start challenge package. This includes the 3 Day refresh. What is the 3 Day Refresh? The 3 Day Refresh is a straightforward 3-Day program to lose weight, get a clean break from bad nutrition habits and feel immediately cleaner, lighter and healthier...without starving! Why am I so excited? This program is awesome for those looking to get back on track with their eating habits and be able to feel immediately healthier and become lighter. Those that have already completed the three day program have lost an average of 5 pounds and about 2.5 inches in the waist in the three days. It isn't your typically cleanse as you get to eat real food during the 3 day refresh. This would be an awesome program to choose to get a jump start before all those holiday parties. This is only $50 with Shakeology.

The third is P90x3 challenge pack. It is a great workout created by Tony Horton. The workouts are 30 minutes a day.  You get 16 workouts that build muscle, burn fat, improve your balance and flexibility and work your core. This will definitely help you see results. This package is only  $30 with the purchase of your Shakeology.

Also on sale this month is the Beachbody Ultimate Reset, Challenge Pack, and Refill Kit. The Ultimate Reset is a 21-day program that rids the body of all its toxins while maximizing energy production and nutrient retention. Ultimate Reset is a program designed to get the body in top shape internally, just as a fitness program gets the body in top shape externally. Users looking to restore energy, boost moods, and maximize health can rid the body of toxic compounds that could be making them ill-while dramatically improving the way they feel and function. 

If you are interested in any of these please contact me. I have a challenge group starting April 6th and any of these would be great choices. Have a blessed day.

Why I'm Succeeding!

If you have known me for a long time you may know how skinny I was in high school. Then during college I just let myself go. I thought I could eat like I was in high school and I wasn't as active so I just packed on the pounds. Once we got married I tried to lose the weight and was relatively successful. Once we had kids I just let myself go again. Who had time to exercise? Why should I eat right? Finishing their meals won't hurt me? I should take a nap because the baby is sleeping. The list of excuses went on and on. Can anyone else relate?

I had tried a ton of other things to lose the weight. See my fitness story to see what all I had tried. Everything wasn't successful or was only temporarily successful. I would  always put back on the weight or I would just stay at the same weight but be unhappy.  I always let the excuses get the best of me.

Last year around this time I knew I had to do something different. I was struggling to keep up with my three little girls. My blood pressure was high. I was always tired and felt sluggish. We'd go outside and I'd chase them for about five minutes and then be winded and have to sit down. I wasn't happy with myself. My clothes weren't fitting any more and I was determined to not buy a bigger size.

My friend was a Beachbody coach and  she convinced me to join her in her fitness journey. On April 7th of last year I started the 21 Day Fix. Within 21 days I had lost 9 pounds and 16.25 inches. After 63 days I had lost 20.5 pounds and 19.25 inches. At the end of 91 days I had lost an amazing 25.8 pounds and 22.5 inches.

Why was this time different from all the other times I tried? Why was I so successful? I'll give you one word....Shakeology. Shakeology was so easy to make. I simply placed a scope of Shakeology with 12-14 ounces of water and a cup of frozen fruit blend and drink. It I was really short on time I could mix with just water and be done. It was so awesome especially with three busy little girls.

Once I got pregnant I continued to drink my Shakeology every morning. I've always had problems while I was pregnant with getting enough nutrients. I was always deficient in calcium and vitamin D. I was amazed that during this pregnancy I wasn't deficient at all in any vitamins or nutrients. I didn't need to take my prenatals anymore. I just add the folic acid. It really was a lifesaver for my pregnancy.

Also since I was working out every day my blood pressure was awesome. My blood pressure would always increase with pregnancy and this time it was prefect the entire time. I attribute this to workouts that were 30 minutes that I could do seven days a week and not get bored. It also helped that I was eating the correct things as the Shakeology curbed my cravings so I wasn't eating a ton of junk.

Drinking Shakeology after having baby #4

So why do I think Shakeology is such a big part of my transformation? Did you know most are nutrient deficient and to get all the nutrients you need you'd need to eat 27575 calories? Yes I just said to get the major 27 micronutrients your body needs for the day you need to eat over 25000 calories! (article). But by drinking Shakeology everyday I am getting all of my nutrients and vitamins. I am not deficient in any of them.

I think because I have Shakeology every morning with all these nutrients I am not as tempted to go for the sweets. I have wanted to eat all the yummy fruits and vegetables. I also have so much more energy. I also feel like I can do any workout as I know it will help my body be the best it can be.

 I was so excited when earlier this month Beachbody started selling the super sampler.  This is great way for you to try all six Shakeology flavors and see for yourself how much better you can feel. It also allows you to see which flavor you like without having to purchase a big bag.

Please let me know if you are interested in trying Shakeology. I love Shakeology and it has been so awesome. I'd love to show you what it could do for you. Hope you have an awesome day.

Round 2 Week 2 Results 21 Day Fix

This week has been a much better week. I've actually been getting sleep. I've made nap time a priority to at least get closer to seven hours a sleep a day. I kept my nutrition in check for the week. Between getting sleep and eating right on the plan I know I lost weight this week. One of my pairs of pants is so big. They are almost falling off. It may be time to pull out the 8 slims.

On Monday was Total Body Cardio. I still used the 8 pound weights. I got through the entire workout with modification. I just kept pushing. My hardest exercise is the cross country skiers. My shoulders don't burn out but my legs do. I was proud I did both sets without having to stop of modify!

We went to the zoo this morning so I did lots of walking too. It was nice to be able to be outside! Here in Erie it has been really snowy. Many of the zoo paths were still closed because of snow but the 50+ degree temperatures were starting to melt the piles. Many of the animals aren't in their exhibits yet because of the cold but it was still nice to spend the morning outside with B, C and D.

On Tuesday was Upper Body. I primarily used my 5 and 8 pound weights. I had to up it to the 10 pound for the lat pullovers.  It felt great to be doing many reps and feeling my muscles burn! I love how strong I am getting.

I had wrote on my Facebook Page that I was so glad for these workouts and that they were only a half an hour. It was a busy day. I felt like I ran all day from one thing to another. Plus I was LATE all day! It was so nice to do something for myself at nap time and be able to workout.

On Wednesday was lower body. I used the 5 and 8 pound weights. The split squats hurts today. My calves were on fire. I definitely felt this workout while walking up the stairs to bed. It was awesome!

Because life has been so crazy lately I have been really glad for my morning breakfast of Shakeology. It is so great to be able to have this nutrition and for it to be so simple. It is nice to just be able to blend it up and enjoy without having to cook anything. The best part is that if I am late I can just grab and go and take it with me.

On Thursday was Pilates. I'm always so glad to get to this active stretch day.I still had to modify the plank hip drop. I can do a few up in the high plank but then have to drop my knees. I love how strong my core is getting again. It is nice to be able to do things after having baby number 4.

I'm getting there. My nutrition was great today again. I didn't have any cheats and stuck with my meal plan. I enjoyed the day with the girls. We spent the day walking around the mall and running a few errands since it was such a sunny but cold day out. I love spending time with my girls.

On Friday was Cardio Fix. I started my day at the gym with B,C, and D. I ran with them and we played chase. For my workout I was determined to push myself harder than I ever had. I did the entire workout with no modifications. I even added the push up during the second round of burpees.

I think my workout was good as I actually got some sleep last night. I still  did not  get the recommended 7 hours but more than I've been getting lately.

We had pizza hut pizza for dinner. Neither of us felt like cooking. This was a big mistake. I was so thirsty the rest of the evening because of the salt. Then I passed out on the couch at 8:30 pm. Eating bad equals zero energy. I need to quit doing this to myself.

Saturday was dirty 30. We didn't have anything planned all day so we actually worked out in the morning. I had to up my weights to the 8 and 10 pounds for this workout. I even had to use 15s for the side bends during the last round. I still cannot do the side plank in the up position but know that it is coming and I'll be able to do it soon.

I am so proud of myself. Despite having little sleep and a ton of sickness in this house the last seven weeks I am seeing progress. I purchased myself a sports bra and some workout capris in my pre-pregnancy size. They fit! I still have work to do but I can see progress.

My nutrition was good again today. I even resisted having a crazy snack and had air popped popcorn instead. It was nice to have a date night with Brian this evening. It is always important to have time to connect as a couple.

Sunday was yoga day. I need the stretch. I could feel the chest flies from yesterday. It felt good to stretch everything our and get ready for week three of round 2.

For lunch I made buffalo chicken dip with blue corn tortilla chips. I didn't put as much cheese in it as I normally would so I stayed within my containers. Sunday was a great day to end the week.

Here is my plan for this week:

Here is my meal plan for the week.

I hope everyone has a great week. This week I proved to myself that I can do anything that I put my mind to. I also feel like I have showed the last few weeks as a mom you can be busy but still make time for yourself. That matter what  challenges you have you can overcome.

I'm seven weeks from giving birth to our fourth child and I'm in better shape than I was when I started this journey last April. I'm also in better shape than I was at the beginning of last summer. I've started out my 35th year with a bang and cannot wait to see what the rest of this year brings. Have a blessed week everyone.

March Specials

It is a new month and time to unveil the latest Beach body specials. This month there are four of them. I'm so excited to share these with you. All of these are challenge pack specials where you get the workout program and one months Shakeology.

The first is Beachbody on demand. To learn more about this program check out yesterday's blog post. This is an awesome option for those always on the go or get bored with one particular program.

The second is Focus T25. This is one of my favorite programs. I lost so much weight when I used T25 after the 21 Day Fix. Here were my Alpha Round results:

I loved this program because in just 25 minutes a day you saw results. You workout six days a week and get a stretch workout for the seventh day. This program is 10 weeks long. There are two phases an alpha that doesn't use any weights and a beta where you need weights or a resistance band. The meal plan is simple and very user friendly. The workouts vary from week to week so there is no boredom. There are five workouts for each round.

The third special is the 3 Day Refresh. I'm hoping one day I'll be able to try this program. When it first came out I was pregnant and now I'm breastfeeding. It is too calorie restrictive for me at this time. I will try it once I am done breastfeeding. Here was my blog post on this program. My friend and upline coach lost five pounds in just three days. Here is her review and results

The last program TurboFire. TurboFire gets you moving to music in 12 workouts. It is kickboxing and interval training combine. This is a 90 day program. The workouts vary from 10 to 55 minutes in length. Because of the nature of this workout you'll need good shoes as there is a lot of jumping. Other than that the only other equipment required is a resistance band. You definitely lose weight doing this high paced workouts.

I'm excited as my next group starts tomorrow. I'm excited to start helping even more people reach their goals. Are you interested in joining us? Please message me.

Beachbody on Demand

I'm so excited for Beachbody's newest workout program option to be launched on Monday. Are you the type who has workout ADD? It seems like you always want to do more than one program. Maybe on Monday you want to do the 21 Day Fix and then on Tuesday you think you want to do Piyo. On Wednesday you want to do P90X2. Now you can.

Starting Monday with the purchase of your club membership you will get access to Beachbody on Demand. This will allow you to stream workouts where ever you are right on your computer. Do you like taking your workout to the gym? Well no you can. Travel a lot? No problem all different types of workouts are available right at a few clicks of a button. Plus you'll get all the digital versions of the program guides and workout calendars so you can start seeing results today.


The best part bout it is that for the month of March you can get Beachbody on Demand and one month of Shakeology on sale as a Challenge Pack. This will allow you to jump start your fitness goals. This gives you access to the club membership tools and Beachbody on demand for three months. After three months you'd pay the quarterly fee to continue having access to these features.

With the Club membership you have access to a customizable meal planner. You also get access to trainer tips. videos, VIP chat rooms, recipes, nutrition tools and blogs. Now it will include Beachbody on Demand too. To keep it fresh the workouts will be updated monthly. You'll never run out of options.

Now you may be wondering what workouts are included. At launch there will be:

• P90X base and deluxe kits
• P90X2 base and deluxe kits
• P90X3 Base and Deluxe Kids
• P90X one on one volume 1
• Insanity Base and Deluxe Kits
• Insanity:  The Asylum Volume 1
• Turbofire
• Brazil Butt Lift Base and Deluxe Kits
• ChaLean Extreme
• 10 Minute Trainer
• Hip Hop Abs

Also included is a one workout "sneak peak" from some of the newer programs:

• 21 Day Fix Total Body Cardio Fix
• 21 Day Fix Extreme Plyo Fix Extreme
• Piyo sweat
• Focus T25 Alpha Cardio
• Insanity Max 30 Sweat Intervals
• Body Beast Build Chest and Tris
• P90 Sculpt

Does this sound like something you may be interested in? I have a challenge group starting preseason on Monday March 2nd. We will start workouts on Monday March 9th. This would be a perfect option for this group. This will be a 30 day group. You pick the workout (I can help you with this). You commit to replacing one meal a day with Shakeology. I teach you portion control, give you meal plans, recipes, tips and help you in your journey. Together we can get your body ready for Spring and warmer weather clothes. Sounds awesome Right?

I'm looking forward to helping you reach you workout goals. Either send me an email pittdrum98@gmail.com or fill out the contact form on my blog and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Let's get started today!  

Month One with Four

I cannot believe D is one month old today. Where did the month go? Everyone said to me that once you have 2 kids the rest get easier. I never believed this until now. It has been the easiest transition for us yet. This may be a skewed perception though as we went from 1 to 3 overnight so 3to 4 doesn't seem like a big deal at all.

A is such a great big sister. She loves holding D. She kisses and hugs her whenever she gets a chance. She is most likely to be seen trying to burp her or make her quit crying. I'm so lucky to have an older child this time around.

B is more of the lover. She will want to bounce the baby but has no patience so it looks like she is going to give her whip lash. She is the first one to jump up when you ask for something because she will do anything to get D to stop crying.

C is still surprising me. She doesn't want to hold her baby sister. She loves her and gives her kisses but isn't as affectionate like the other two. After a month she finally held her last night. She is also doing things to act out because she is no longer the youngest. I know it will get better soon.

D is a great baby and is pretty laid back. We do have a period of time from about 8-10 where she will just want to eat and eat and eat. If you put her down before she is full she will just scream. This has been the hardest adjustment for us as this was Brian and I's time together. We know that this is only a season but it is hard knowing Brian went back to work this week.

She is growing. In one month she is 2 pounds over her birth weight. We had to pull out the 0-3 month clothes as the newborn size didn't fit her.

She is also strong. She can already hold her head up and loves tummy time.

I'm so thankful for my morning Shakeology. There are many days I couldn't get through without it. It is so easy to make. I can make it and drink it one handed while nursing. Then I have energy for the rest of the day. I also know that at least one meal I'm getting all the nutrients I need.

I also resumed working out last week. It felt good to start working out again. I love getting my body moving. It also helps me get my energy up when I really want to hide in the afternoon.

All in all month one has been awesome. I loved having three weeks with Brian at home. It was nice to reconnect as a couple. I also enjoyed just holding D and not having to worry about laundry, cooking, etc. I'm so lucky my husband can do that and help me in that way. Week one solo with four girls was awesome. Besides picking A up late from PERK one day and dropping her off late another it went real well. I'm excited to see what month two will bring. I'm so blessed.

21 Day Fix Extreme

I'm so excited to announce the newest program from Beachbody that is scheduled to be release on February 2nd. This program is called the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I'm so excited about this workout program. Autumn Calabrese is my favorite trainer. I love how she is motivating but isn't cloyingly sweet.

Autumn Calabrese's first Beachbody workout program was the 21 Day Fix. This was the first program I started with back in April of last year. I keep going back to it. I love T25, Piyo and the other programs I tried but I keep coming back to the 21 Day Fix because of the results I saw and how simple it is. I love that it is for anyone and the meal planning containers. I love that I don’t have to count calories or buy special food. I love that if it fits I can eat it.

I also love the simple format of the workouts. Each workout is 30 minutes. Each day you do a different workout so there is no getting bored. The workouts have enough variety each day that you don't get bored. They also have a great modifier if you are just starting out or if you are 38 weeks pregnant like I currently am! Some of the workouts use weights.

What is the 21 Day Fix Extreme?

The 21 Day Fix Extreme will not be an extension to the original 21 Day Fix. It will definitely be an entire new program. It uses the same meal planning containers from the original 21 Day Fix but the workouts are of a completely different intensity. One of the biggest differences is that the 21 Day Fix extreme allows for no treats and only CLEAN eating. IT is only 21 days and you will see results. It will allow you to get completely ripped in 21 Days. You won't be sorry you did this program. Here are the results from the test group:

 

Who is the 21 Day Fix Extreme for?

If you've done the 21 Day Fix or another Beachbody program than this program is for you. It is high intensity. If you are already active but have never done a Beachbody program and want to get totally ripped than this program will be for you.  It will give you a dramatic weight loss in a short amount of time if you have the dedication. You will get defined abs and get more toned.  

What is included?

In the Challenge Pack you will receive:
The seven color coded containers
25 oz Shakeology shaker cup
Shakeology in the choice of your flavor
6 high intensity 30 minute workouts
Start here trifold, featuring quickstart guide and workout calendar
21 Day Fix Extreme eating plan
Countdown to competition: Autumn's own competition nutrition plan for getting stage-ready and ripped in 21 days
A bonus workout Dirty 30 Extreme

Also if you order your 21 Day Fix Extreme workout from me you'll get The Fix Challenge workout as an added bonus.

 

When is the 21 Day Fix Extreme released?

The 21 Day Fix Extreme will be released on February 2nd. I'm purchasing this program so that I can preview the workouts but won't actually be completing the program until I am cleared by my doctor to work out after having the baby.

How can you Get into the 21 Day Fix Extreme Test group?

A 21 Day Fix Extreme Test Group is a private Facebook group where you get me as the coach.  It is a closed online accountability group in which everyone will submit their results to Team Beachbody for a chance to win the monthly and quarterly prizes plus you will have the opportunity to be one of the first people to complete the program and share your proof that transformation is possible if you follow the schedule, stay committed and are dedicated to your success.

A challenge group is a place where you can get support. It is a place where you can vent your frustration and get positive support. It is a place where you can discuss your failures and get a "me too." It is a place to ask questions and get them answered correctly. It is a place to share meal plans, recipes, and general clean eating strategies. A challenge group gives you the support to make the necessary changes easily and effectively.

Here is the promo video to get a feel for some of the exercises you will see in this program:

Contact me today and I'll get you started on your free teambeachbody.com account with me as your coach. Then I can add you to my team's countdown event group where you will receive product updates and then launch details. You will have until February 7th to purchase the Challenge Pack for my test group. The group itself will start February 9th. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hospital Go Bag

So yesterday I packed my hospital to go bag. Since this is my third go at this I think I have my bag down to a science. So what is in my bag?

1. Comfy clothes to go home in

I know I need a comfy pair of clothes to go home it. I love taking a pair of yoga pants and a long sleeved shirt for the ride home. We don't have to go far from the hospital to our house so I don’t need anything fancy

2. Clothes for the baby to go home in

This was hard for me as a lot of our stuff is pink! The rest of it was so trashed after three kids I wondered why I even kept it. I found a cute giraffe outfit and a cute ducky outfit for the baby to wear home.

3. Cloth diaper

I love my cloth diapers. I will put the baby in one as soon as we are going home. I use prefolds and Bummi covers with Snappi closures. I will use the hospital diapers while we are there so I don’t have to worry about the wet bag etc.

4. Nipple cream

I love breastfeeding my kids but know how hard it is on my nipples during those first few days. I will have my medulla nipple cream ready. I use it after each nursing session so that I don’t have problems down the road. If I'm proactive then I don't have a problem even after pumping for three months with the twins.

5. Lip Balm

After giving birth my lips get really dry so I will have my lip balm with me

6. Toiletries

I usually take a small thing of shampoo, my toothbrush, my hairbrush and my moose. I'm very simple. I don’t use a hair dryer ever. I don't need to be fancy just feel like I am clean.

7. Book

I will be taking my tablet with me as it has my bible, my bible studies and my books on it. This way I can distract my mind during labor and can have something to do while I am nursing the baby.

8. Music

I also have music on my tablet. This is also used during labor. I also have a play list saved on my I heart music on my phone and my ear buds.

9. Phone

I will have my phone with me so that I can take pictures and post them. I love for everyone to see the baby. This is also fun as no one knows the babies sex. Will it be a boy or girl?

10. Water bottle

If you know me I go nowhere without my water bottle. I drink so much water. I will also have my Shakeology packets with me so my Shakeology water bottle will come in handy when I want to have my Shakeology each morning during my hospital stay.

So there you have it. This is my top ten.

I'm getting so excited to meet Baby D! I cannot wait to see his/her face and hold her. This will be a bittersweet moment as I know that this is our last. Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Smooties as Snacks

So I absolutely love my morning Shakeology. I love how full it makes me and knowing that I'm giving me and my baby all the nutrients we need. I love having this as my breakfast as I'm full for about three hours afterwards.

However lately I've been feeling like I've been eating the same old same old for snack. One of my challengers had also asked me how to get more veggies into her diet as she wasn't eating all her green fix containers.

Here are a few smoothies I came up with this week to combat this problem.

Pear, Pumpkin and Spinach Yogurt Smoothie
1 Small Pear
1/2 cup Pureed Pumpkin
1 cup Spinach (I used frozen)
3/4 Cup Low Fat Greek Yogurt
1 cup water

Blend in blender until smooth.
Enjoy

Blueberry and Broccoli Yogurt Smoothie
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup broccoli
3/4 cup Low Fat Greek Yogurt
1 cup water

Blend until smooth
Enjoy

Both of these recipes count as 1 green, 1 purple and 1 red if you are on the fix eating plan. They don't keep me as full as long as my Shakeology but serve as a nice snack to tide me over until lunch time. Hope you have a blessed day. 

Piyo Week 3 Recap

I'm excited to share what week 3 brought me. I had an awesome week. I gained another pound bringing my total up to 12 pounds in 27 weeks of pregnancy. My OB is still shocked at how great I look. I'm so excited at how well this pregnancy is going. I'm also excited of how great I feel. I still have so much energy.

Day 1: Define: Upper Body: I started with Define: Lower Body as I didn't leave the house all day. A was off from school. We did projects all day. It felt so good to stretch my legs. It also felt good to do the warriors series. Then I did Define: Upper Body. I love rolling like a ball. It is fun especially stopping in the V sit position. I'm getting stronger every day.

Day 2: Buns: Let me first say I started my day way off my game. I had my blood glucose screen for pregnancy this morning and I had to drink that orange drink. You know the one? This one:

I hadn't eaten anything in the previous 12 hours before drinking it. I was so hungry by the end of my appointment. AS I knew we had to do grocery shopping I was glad I had packed everything to make my Shakeology.

This may be my new go to non-bender recipe. I has 1 cup pumpkin puree, 15 ounces water, 7 ice cubes, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp allspice and 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology. I put into my shaker cup and shook vigorously.  IT was so yummy and it definitively filled me up.

 

So onto Piyo Buns. This workout was hard. It is 28 minutes long. I wore shoes for this workout as you didn't use a mat. I could have used the mat towards the end as there was a section on all fours and my knee hurt even though I put my t-shirt underneath them. This workout was tough! It had a ton of squatting. There was also a section at the end where you were on all fours. It was killer especially the elbow plank leg lifts. My legs felt like jello by the end of the workout and the side of my butt hurt. I cannot wait to see how this workout defines my butt and helps my pants fit in that area.

Day 3: Core: I so wanted to get this workout in today. I even did it while the girls were awake. The had so much energy that I thought let's let them do it with me. They also didn't want to nap without mom. The reason I became a coach was to add a little extra income to our house to pay off all the medical bill debt and be able to spend time with my kids when they needed me so I went for it.

C is by far the best at the yoga poses. This surprises me as she I the one that had the toughest time learning to walk and run. She was also the one that had a small stroke while in the NICU. At one point we were told she may never walk and if she did it wouldn't be great.  As we know God is good and she walks, runs and plays and no one would have any clue. It was a long road with lots of physical therapy from our wonder therapist from the Achievement Center but now she is doing yoga with me and seems to be able to do every move.

Core kicked my butt today. I was so sore by the end I was glad to lay down with the girls. I pushed myself hard as I love these exercises. I love this workout as it isn't all on your back doing crunches. It has lots of variety. It is just perfect for this pregnant lady who doesn't want to be on her back for long. I'm so excited to see what the rest of this week brings.

Day 4 : Define: Lower Body: Today I lacked motivation to workout. I tried ever excuse in the book. I even procrastinated by spending time in my challenge group pages and answering emails. I knew I needed it because of the lackadaisical attitude.

Finally I just pushed myself through it and I was so glad I did. I even added Define: Upper Body. I really needed to get out of my funk and that was just what I needed. 40 minutes of uninterrupted Piyo. I felt so much better after my workout. I was also more focused and ready to face the rest of the day even when the girls woke up early from nap and were full of energy and Brian still wasn't home from work.

Day 5: Rest:   I love that Friday's are rest day. Usually by Fridays I am a little frazzled from the week. This week was especially crazy as Brian worked many later days and then my mother in law decided to come pick A up today for a princess weekend.  She picked A up at lunch time. I decided to take a snuggle nap with B and C to start off their princess weekend.

I truly took a rest today. It has been a long time since I took as rest day like this and my body felt so glorious after it. I definitely needed it. Friday night is pizza and movie night in our house. I make a healthy version of pizza with a whole wheat pizza crust. See my recipe Here

Day 6: Sweat: Since A was a meem and papa's and we had just B and C they got to choose where they wanted to go out to lunch. They choose Steak and Shake. I counted this as my cheat meal for the week. We had fun and I didn't go over board as it would have been easy to do.

I definitely needed the Sweat when I came home. It felt so good to work out. I love feeling the sweat. I also love how limber I feel afterwards.

Day 7: Strength Intervals: This workout is 22 minutes long. you don't need a may but they all wear shoes for it. I have very flat feet so I have my running shoes with a good arch that I used for this workout. It may seem like a short workout but it makes you sweat! i had to stop once during this workout as my heart rate was too high. I did the entire workout without any modifiers but stopped once. It has a good variety of stretch mixed in with high bouts of cardio. I think this may be my new favorite workout in the bunch.

Here is my schedule for week 4:

I'm going to use the same meal plan as last week. I'm not much of a variety person and I need easy this week as I have a busy week. I also need simple at this stage of the game of my pregnancy. I hope everyone has a blessed week.

Pregnancy and Shakeology/Working Out

I was just reading that another friend that started the 21 Day Fix and Shakeology around the same time of me is pregnant. This means that many of the challengers I started with in my original challenge group are now pregnant. Why do you think this is?

My friend's husband has an interesting theory. He said "women get to looking a little bit better but they are feeling way more confident. The guys are then even more interested and of course with an increased frequency of activity, more people are getting pregnant!" This made me laugh.

Shakeology has a few ingredients in it that do increase the libido. This may be a really silly video but it shows you the ingredients in Shakeology and their benefits. It also shows you the savings you are getting by buying Shakeology for a meal replacement every day.

I also believe that while exercising you have more energy. A challenger just said to me this morning that she is shocked at how much more energy she has after exercising every day. She said that it helps her de-stress and then she is ready to face the rest of her day. I know that I feel this way too. So could it be ladies that we are more willing to accept the advances of our husbands because we have more energy? We aren't ready to pass out on the couch at 8:30 after we get the kids in bed?

I'm also having the healthiest pregnancy ever. I've kept my weight gain down. I've not missed a day of exercise the entire pregnancy. I feel great and even my OB cannot believe how well I am doing.

 

So as you can see exercising and eating right don't just affect your physical and mental attitude they also help you in other areas. Maybe your marriage needs a little spice up. I'm excited for the couples challenge group starting preseason November 24th for just this reason.  I think couples who play together stay together. This challenge group will give you a unique way to connect with your spouse every day and you never know where else it may lead.

Also I have a any workout women's only challenge starting November 17th. You can start to make the changes in yourself and show your whole family how fun it is to make these changes. We spend a lot of time exercising as a  family. One small change in me has had a ripple effect in my family.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. If you are interested in joining either of these challenges please contact me. Have a blessed day.

My non scale successes

Sometimes we get so stuck in the number that we forget about our non-scale successes. We get so fixated that the number isn't going down and we get discouraged and decide to quit. Or we see progress and we decided just having this one doughnut won't hurt. Have you ever been in this situation?

So today I want to talk about some non-scale successes. I think my biggest non-scale success was fitting into a smaller size of pants. I want you to look at these next two pictures.

I weigh exactly the same in these two pictures. Which one looks better? Which one looks like I'm skinnier? In the one on the left I wore a size 12. The one on the right I was the same weight but could wear a size eight. Muscle and fat weigh the same but fat takes up more room than muscle. So the same poundage of muscle takes up less space than the fat. Therefore the scale doesn’t go down but the size of your clothes and your inches decreases.

My second non-scale success was the increase in energy I had. I wouldn't have called myself a lazy person before I started working out with Beachbody programs and clean eating, but I'd often find myself having to sit down often because I was tired and out of breath. By exercising every day for 30 minutes I found my energy increase. I felt I could do so much more in a day. It is so awesome.

My third non-scale success was lack of headaches. I have suffered from migraines since middle school. I used to get them pretty often. Since I've made the switch to clean eating I haven't had a migraine. It is amazing to me that just by cutting out all the garbage I used to eat especially sugar and salt that I haven't had a headache.

My forth non-scale success has been inspiring others. I absolutely love bring a coach. It is so fun to love on others and help them achieve their goals. I also love the people who I haven't seen in a while look at me and say how did you do it or you look great. It is also fun to inspire other moms and pregnant women that they can workout too.

My fifth non-scale success was not being drawn to the junk any more. By drinking Shakeology everyday I'm not drawn to the sugar any more. It really does curb my cravings. I don't look at the candy on the counter and say I want one.  I can truly eat just one piece because I don't want any more. Soemtimes that one piece will give me a sugar headache. I love that sugar no longer has control of my life

These are just my top five. I love the changes I've made in the last seven months. I also love the non-scale successes I've had. If you've been one of my challengers in the past what has been you biggest non-scale success? Hope you have a blessed day!