I Quit.

Yes, you read that right. I quit.

I am filled with mixed emotions here as I type this but I need to get it out so here goes.

I decided to part ways with Beachbody.

I started coaching in July 2014 and it has been a wild journey. I would NEVER take any of it back and I am so thankful that I followed my heart with this opportunity and worked as hard as I did.

I was very successful with my business. Over the last few years I have helped well over a thousand people begin or continue to lead healthier lives. That was my goal when I started. I didn't start doing it to build a business.....I really just thought it would be fun and I was passionate about it because of how I had seen my life change when I focused on my own health and fitness. But I am an extremely hard worker - and as any good business owner knows, hard work bundled together with extreme consistency can pay off really well. Before I knew it I was making about the same amount of $$ as I was in my previous full time, out-of-the-house career as a financial analyst. AND I was blessed enough to stay home with my girls and didn't have to pay a daycare $450 a week anymore to watch them while I worked.

So it blossomed into something bigger than I had ever imagined - even though I didn't start with that intention.

I have gone to Nashville twice, met all of the celebrity trainers and had pics, autographs, prizes, etc. and received valuable training. I've won several awards for my hard work. I'd earned and went on two all inclusive vacations....so believe me when I say - I was definitely rewarded for all of my hard work.

For a while there, my team was growing and things were on fire. But honestly - being a coach is hard work. I tell anyone who wants to sign up the truth. It's NOT easy money. It takes a ton of heart, consistency, vulnerability, and patience. It's hard enough to convince people that they DO have the time to do a 30 minute workout - let alone try to make people understand that they can make time for coaching others as well. IT.IS.HARD. Can it be worth it? Of course! If your heart it truly into the ENTIRE package of being a coach. It was heart breaking to watch my coaches under me do everything I was doing but not seeing the success that I was experiencing. I desperately wanted them to reap the rewards for their hard work but that wasn't happening.

Coaches on my team came and went. Some have stayed on for the long haul. But I honestly never liked the "recruiting" part of the business. I love running my health and fitness groups and helping people that way - but never felt passionate about the other side of the business. And let's face it - if you don't do both sides of the equation, it will not be sustainable for very long. Those are just the facts.

I started to question myself in the fall of 2016. I honestly didn't know what I wanted. I was feeling strongly like stepping back because my heart just wasn't totally in it anymore. Not into the whole "coaching" package. I felt very overwhelmed with the amount of time I was spending on my business and was letting it consume WAY too much of my time and energy. I was doing this business so I could stay home and focus on my family but I found myself being pulled away from the very thing I had set out to do in the first place. So I decided to do the parts of the business that I enjoyed and not worry about the rest. And my balance in life came back.

So now - how do I feel? Honestly - I feel like a new chapter is beginning. I have plans to start something of my own and all of that will be coming out here soon!! It's just in the works and lots of hard work is going on behind the scenes.  Why can't I still be a coach and do other things?

Because I feel like if I'm not in it 100% - then I would be doing a disservice to myself and to others. I have no interest in growing a coaching business with Beachbody any longer. I do still plan to run groups on facebook and help people with accountability and support, and I will always support Beachbody fitness programs - because they are amazing!!! But I don't need to be a coach to support that.

And - you are not allowed to be a Beachbody coach and be signed up with any other MLM and I don't want to limit myself. There are so many other companies (non-health related and health related) that I am interested in and I really don't want to have to choose one. I understand why the rule is there - but if I'm not here to grow a business, then why stay? Not when I'm interested in other avenues for myself too.

So I have decided to part ways with Beachbody. I will forever be thankful to Beachbody for my journey over the last few years. I will continue to do the fitness programs because like I said - they are incredible! Will I receive backlash and judgement from this decision and for the announcement of my new business ventures? Absolutely. Is that because Beachbody is a bad company? NO. It's because PEOPLE are not perfect and some people will absolutely find ways to speak poorly about me and my decisions. And that is OK! Because what other people think about me has nothing to do with me! We cannot control other people. We can only control OURSELVES.

I will keep spreading love and light into the world. I will not speak poorly of anyone and definitely will not speak poorly of Beachbody. They are a wonderful company that truly does seek to help people live healthier lives. Just because I no longer wish to pursue building a career with the business does not change that.

I will still be here as support for all of my clients that I have been working with over the last few years and I will be here for anyone new who could use some help as well. So please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need some support starting your health and fitness journey. Nothing has changed as far as my HUGE PASSION goes....the passion for helping people to be healthy, happy and confident. My future {{super soon}} endeavors will always be fueled by this same passion.

I thank everyone who has been on this journey with me from the very bottom of my heart. And I look forward to sharing the two big projects I'm working on.

xoxo - your biggest supporter forever.....Beachbody coach or not :)

Krysta Joelle

Lent Log: Day 1

It's been quite some time since I gave something up for lent.

I grew up Catholic and used to do this all the time, even starting out as a kid. Some years I would give up candy or certain toys. One year, I gave up playing the Nintendo because I LOVED Mario. I remember that one being the hardest because when my sibling would play, I would want to so bad.

We always abstained from eating meat on Fridays and we had fish fries in our little town.

What is the reason we give up something for Lent?

Well, Lent is the 40 days that precedes Easter. It commemorates the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert. It is a time where we can focus turning our minds and hearts more toward God.

We give up things that we love or things that may have some control over us because when you fast from those things - you can develop a better spiritual connection with Jesus by focusing more on him than this "thing" you're giving up.

That's how I view it anyway. Many people fast for spiritual reasons all the time.

So this Lent I decided I would give up all foods with added sugar and meat. Over the next 40 days I'll share more on why I decided on these two things, but I'm looking forward to this journey.

First I'll say that you'd be insanely surprised at just how many of our food items have sugar in the ingredients without you even thinking it would be there. Just take a look at any food in your pantry. I would talk for hours about sugar and the horrible things it does. But I'll share more of my research and reasons soon. I don't want to spill everything right now :)

I gave up meat because honestly I am grossed out by the meat practices in our country and over the last few years I did a cleanse a few times that was completely plant based and I've never felt healthier. I would like to ultimately move to a more plant based diet with some meat thrown in occasionally...not something that I eat every day.

I think this will teach me to be much more intentional about my food. I want to take this time to learn a lot more about meat sourcing and what I want my nutrition to consist of and WHY. I'm going to try new recipe and actually spend more time cooking and preparing beautiful dishes to enjoy.

I want to take this 40 days and pray more. Much more. When I'm craving a piece of chocolate (which lets face it - is bound to happen) - I'm going to turn to prayer instead of candy.

Couple things on my lent journey:

* I will still be drinking shakeology every single day. It is a very important part of my health regimine and I will never stop drinking it. I believe it in whole heartedly and it keeps me healthy!
* I will occasionally eat seafood.
* I will have alcohol on special occasions because we have stuff planned. I understand sugar is in most alcohol - so this is a caveat to my plan and its why I said no FOOD with added sugar.

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So how did day 1 go? Day 1 of 40 was a success. There are still some chocolate muffins on the counter and they look mighty tasty but they will be eaten by the family soon enough :) Or I'll make Chad take them to work to get them out of here.

We went out for dinner tonight and I chose a salmon salad with tons of spinach and garbonzo beans. I gave Chad my breadstick :) I killed my workout today and burned so many calories and never felt any lack of energy today from not eating meat!

I'm going to try to log my food in MyFitnessPal most days so I can keep track of my macros and make sure I'm getting enough protein. If you have never used that before - you should, it's so easy and a great way to keep track of your nutrition. And it's free - and we all like free!

Tomorrow I want to try a new recipe for dinner. I'll share it on here. I can't promise beautiful pictures because I'm no chef - but I'll certainly give it a whirl and share!

I'd love to hear any of your vegetarian / vegan recipes that you love too!!

Thanks for being on this journey with me! <3

ChaLean Extreme

I've finally decided on my next program that I'm going to complete from start to finish and it's CHALEAN EXTREME! 

First of all - let me say that I adore Chalene Johnson, the trainer and creator of the program. She's been one of my favorites since I started doing these at home workouts. She's an amazing motivator and speaker and I love listening to her. So having her train me in my living room for 90 days is something I'm pretty excited about. 

This is me with her at our Coach Summit in Nashville <3 <3

So what is it? ChaLEAN Extreme is a body-sculpting program designed to help you lose up to 60 percent of your body fat in just three months, and see visible results every 30 days. It uses resistance training to increase lean muscle mass, which has been proven to burn calories and raise your metabolism. The result is a lean, firm, well-toned physique. 

Why is it so effective? 

• Because Muscle Burns Fat—when you develop lean muscle, you raise your body’s metabolism, so you’ll burn more fat when you’re working out and even when you’re not. 

• With Chalene Johnson’s Lean Phasing technique, you advance through 3 phases of training, so even those without experience doing resistance exercise can achieve a lean, hard physique. 

• And breakdown sets allow you to push past failure, stimulating more fatburning lean muscle with every workout.

What makes ChaLEAN Extreme unique? 

• Cardio-only workouts burn calories while you’re exercising. But ChaLEAN Extreme incorporates resistance training to build lean muscle, so you burn more fat during each workout and supercharge your metabolism throughout the day. 

• While gym-based resistance-training workouts often focus on building large muscles, ChaLEAN Extreme gives women a lean, strong, well-defined body, not a big, bulky physique.

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What does the 3 month program look like??

There are 3 phases to the program.

The first phase is the Burn Phase and it looks like this:::::

• Day 1 – Burn Circuit 1
• Day 2 – Rest
• Day 3 – Burn Circuit 2
• Day 4 – Burn Intervals & Ab Burner
• Day 5 – Burn Circuit 3
• Day 6 – Burn It Off! & Recharge
• Day 7 – Rest

Burn Circuit 1 (approx 36 min) – This first workout of the ChaLEAN Extreme® program is pretty intense and uses compound exercises to work your chest, shoulders and legs. 

Burn Circuit 2 (approx 38 min) – Works both the upper and lower body, similarly to Burn Circuit 1. Focuses on the biceps, triceps, legs and back. 

Burn Intervals (approx 50 min) – A super intense workout using interval training, switching it up between cardio and strength “recovery” sets. 

Ab Burner (approx 10 min) – Short and sweet ab workout, and very effective. 

Burn Circuit 3 (approx 35 min) – Similar in time and format to Burn Circuits 1 & 2, 3 focuses even more heavily on the legs and shoulders.

Burn It Off! (approx 35 min) – Broken down into two “sets” of exercises with a 1 min break in between, these cardio exercises are intense and set up in an interval fashion to give you the highest heart rate possible. After Burn Circuit 3, these exercises are tough on the legs and really bring on the progress. A great and effective cardio workout!

Recharge (approx 21 min) – This workout emphasizes the importance of stretching and flexibility. Recharge is a welcomed gift and uses some (very) simple yoga poses to lubricate your muscles after an intense week of training.

The second phase is the Push Phase and it looks like this:::::

• Day 1 – Push Circuit 1
• Day 2 – Rest
• Day 3 – Push Circuit 2
• Day 4 – Burn Intervals & Ab Burner/Extreme Abs
• Day 5 – Push Circuit 3
• Day 6 – Burn It Off! & Recharge
• Day 7 – Rest

Which, as you can see – is basically the same format as the Burn Phase, but with a switch to the Push DVDs. It’s a great schedule, with sufficient time for your body to recuperate after such hard work!

Here’s what the workouts look like:

Push Circuit 1 (approx 34 min) – Along with the schedule itself being similar in this month, the format of the circuit workouts is very similar as well. The goal in this circuit is to fail at 6-8 reps, in contrast to the 10-12 reps from the Burn Phase. This workout focuses on arms and shoulders primarily, but like all CX workouts, there is plenty of leg action as well. Hellooooo squats!

Push Circuit 2 (approx 35 min) – More high weight, low rep training focusing on lats, delts, shoulders and legs. It’s really a lot of the same idea in this program – just different exercises to do in each Circuit!

Burn Intervals (approx 50 min) – Same program as reviewed in the Burn Phase

Ab Burner (approx 10 min) – Same program as reviewed in the Burn Phase

Extreme Abs (approx 17 min) – Another short and quick Ab routine, but much more intense than Ab Burner.

Push Circuit 3 (approx 33 min) – Another workout similar to Circuits 1 & 2 – focusing on arms and legs.

Burn It Off! (approx 35 min) – Same program as reviewed in the Burn Phase

Recharge (approx 20 min) – Same program as reviewed in the Burn Phase

And then the last phase is the Lean Phase which looks like this::::

• Day 1 – Lean Circuit 1
• Day 2 – Rest
• Day 3 – Lean Circuit 2
• Day 4 – Burn Intervals & Ab Burner/Extreme Abs
• Day 5 – Lean Circuit 3
• Day 6 – Burn It Off! & Recharge
• Day 7 – Rest

I will replace Burn Intervals with Lean Intervals, I’ve Got Abs for Ab Burner & Extreme Abs, and the Fat-Burn Challenge for Burn it Off! These are from the deluxe workouts to give some more variety!

So my “typical” Lean Circuit weeks should look like this:

• Day 1 – Lean Circuit 1
• Day 2 – Rest
• Day 3 – Lean Circuit 2
• Day 4 – Lean Intervals & I’ve Got Abs!
• Day 5 – Lean Circuit 3
• Day 6 – Fat-Burn Challenge & Recharge
• Day 7 – Rest

Also included in the Deluxe Upgrade Kit (if purchased separately) are four other amazing workouts that I’m very excited to try out Lower Body Extreme Zone, Extreme Core Circuit, Extreme Intervals, and Dynamic Flow Yoga.

Here’s what the workouts look like:

Lean Circuit 1 (approx 45 minutes) – This workout is a bit longer than the previous circuits, but that’s really only because you are taking your time. In the Lean month, you’re focusing on working your upper and lower body together at the same time, which is great for an additional cardio effect. This circuit focuses on biceps and triceps, along with your core and lower body. You take the time to work each muscle to failure (this month failure is between 10-12 reps) and you “go extreme” after every set. 

Lean Circuit 2 (approx 40 minutes) – Focusing more on lats and delts, this workout is not easy! Working from runners lunge and plank poses really get your body pushing through this intense workout.

Lean Intervals (approx 42 minutes) – Similar to Burn Intervals, Lean Intervals is a cardio and strength training interval routine. However, unlike Burn Intervals, you work the upper and lower body together – which really gets your heart rate going. From kickboxing drills, jump rope drills, plyo plank jumps, to mountain climbers, you’ll be pouring sweat by the time 40 minutes passes.

I’ve Got Abs! (approx 15 minutes) – This routine is short and sweet, but very intense. Weighted crunches, planks, back extensions and more will get your abs worked in no time.

Lean Circuit 3 (approx 40 minites) – Another tough and intense circuit, this workout focuses on chest and shoulders mainly, but like the other circuits in the Lean Phase, it works both upper and lower body at the same time. The workouts are intense, but boy do they work!

Fat-Burn Challenge (approx 30 minutes) – If you’re looking for a quick and very effective cardio routine, this is the one for you. This workout is short and very intense, and you will drip with sweat by the time its over with. Burpees, prison lunges, leaps and jumping jacks are just some of what’s included.

Recharge (approx 20 min) – Same program as reviewed in the Burn Phase

***I will be streaming this using our all new ALL-ACCESS ON DEMAND PACKAGE that we just rolled out. I love that I can literally stream it from anywhere as long as I have a device and an internet connection. You sign up and get access to EVERY.SINGLE workout that Beachbody has ever come out with for an entire year. This even includes new releases throughout the year!!

If you want to join me in this program - let me know and we can do it together in a private group!

Goodbye 2016

I haven't blogged lately and I don't really know why. I love coming here to write and share. I guess I haven't been insanely inspired lately to write and just been kind of going through the motions and figuring stuff out. I think we all go through those phases of life, right?

But first off - where in the monkeys did 2016 go? Seriously - that year flew by SO FAST.

I guess each year feels faster and faster though.

I still remember writing 1995 on my school papers. How is it 2017? Seriously when we tell our future grandchildren what year we were born - they are going to think we are ancient dinosaurs. You were born in 1982?!? Wow, the 1900s!

But you are only as old as you feel and I plan to always take great care of myself to feel as young as possible. And honestly I feel 829% better at 34 than I did at 24, so I don't care about age!

I have some really big goals for 2017 and I can't wait to share more publicly when the time is right :) I also have more goals for the year and want to get my thoughts organized!

What are your goals? I understand that not everyone has health and fitness goals - but I do know that many people think about these kinds of things at the start of the New Year more than any other time. Something about the brand new start, the big shiny January 1st and great expectations.

So many people just want to be healthier and happier. (trust me, being healthier makes you happier)

I am running a group that starts on January 9th - it's a private group where we support one another in our health and fitness goals and we also talk about personal development as well. We share what workouts we are doing, what our nutrition plans look like and we just sincerely encourage and support one another.

The number 1 reason people end up failing at reaching their health and fitness goals is because they lose the motivation they had at the beginning (very fast) and they don't have a strong support system or people to hold them accountable. That is the greatest thing about these groups I run - people stay in them because the accountability is life changing for them.

If this sounds like something that could help you - I'd love to chat more about it and how it all works.

You can message me on facebook HERE or you can email me HERE.

Let's be healthy in 2017 together! :)

Paleo / No Sugar Added Apple Crisp

Paleo / No Sugar Added Apple Crisp!

Ingredients

4 apples
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract, divided
1 Tbsp cinnamon, divided (I use Saigon cinnamon)
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup almond flour - I use this
¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Core, peel, and thinly slice the apples. Toss the apples with the lemon juice and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Add 2 tsp cinnamon, and nutmeg and toss again. Place in an 8x8" baking dish.
Melt the coconut oil, then mix in the almond flour, pecans, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Sprinkle over the apples, then sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract over everything.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes covered, then another 10-20 uncovered. The apples should be somewhat soft and bubbling when it's finished.

Recipe Inspiration:  Erika at Living Well Mom

Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Squash

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries

Ingredients:::::

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 and ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
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Instructions:::

Roasted Brussels sprouts:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

Roasted butternut squash:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
_Note:_You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.

Assembly:
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:::::

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup butter (or ghee), softened
1 tablespoon cashew milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
Cinnamon, for sprinkling

Instructions:::::

Boil water in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Cut the potatoes into chunks and place the chunks in the boiling water. Allow the potatoes to boil for 15-20 minutes* or until the chunks are soft.
Drain off the water.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the butter and milk to the drained potatoes.
Use a hand mixer to beat the potatoes until the butter is completely melted and the potatoes are smooth.
Add the eggs, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until the egg is completely mixed in.
Spray the bottom of a 8x11" pan with coconut oil spray.
Sprinkle 3/4 cup chopped pecans on the bottom of the baking dish.
Spoon the sweet potato mixture on top of the pecans, covering the entire bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining pecans.
Dust the top with additional cinnamon.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Serve warm.