Supplementation

I want to talk a little bit about why I believe in supplementation and why I chose what works for me. You might not agree, and that's fine - but here is my opinion and I'm sticking to it. :)

I have had so many people tell me "I prefer to eat food rather than drink a supplement shake." I get it - on the surface that makes sense. Of course I enjoy eating food too, very much so.

But unfortunately, things have just changed with our food and the way we get it. Nutrient-rich soil is becoming increasingly rare. Aggressive farming techniques have brought many of the earth's minerals to the surface where they have been washed away. Minerals are being depleted because of fertilization being applied to farms and fields.

These minerals are essential to what makes up a healthy body. The processes in your body that make it healthy can only function correctly if the proper balance of minerals are being supplied.

Studies have shown that 90% of Americans suffer from mineral imbalance and deficiency. And the sad thing is - even organic farms can have nutrient dense soil. Which means that even if you eat all organic - you still are probably deficient and in need of a supplement.

Another problem - fruits and veggies start to lose nutrients as soon as they are picked. Think about the time it takes to get the food from the farm, to the packaging, to the grocery store (who knows how many days that takes)...which means we really have no idea how many nutrients might be left!! This is why it's so important that you buy local and in season fruits and veggies.

Since I know my body was lacking all of the proper nutrients - I chose to drink Shakeology. I didn't start drinking this to lose weight. That's not the point of Shakeology - it is just an awesome by-product of feeding your body properly (if you have weight to lose).

Shakeology’s proprietary blend of digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics helps your body eliminate toxins that have built up in your digestive system over the years due to eating highly processed foods, fast food, and junk food.

A healthy digestive system makes it easier to absorb the nutrients you need for optimal health.

Gut health is critical to overall health, and that an unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.

While your body is cleansing itself from the inside out, Shakeology’s 100% whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to function at an optimal level.

What else is awesome about the ingredients? It is vegan, Non GMO, and gluten free. The ingredients are literally collected from around the world with the highest quality control team monitoring the supply and making adjustments to the formula if needed.

I love that I can get a quick meal in as a busy Mom - knowing that I am filling all of the nutritional gaps that my body has. Doing this for your body is the best defense against illness. I'd prefer to invest now so I don't have to pay later with medical bills, prescription meds and a poor quality of life.

And is it an investment? Yes...but so are the rest of my groceries. I find that most people can actually save money by drinking Shakeology because they aren't spending their money going through the fast food lane, filling their bodies with pure crap that does nothing for your body (except harm). People aren't needing to go to Starbucks for their sugar filled pick me up drinks (only to crash later).

Why write all of this? Because I am so passionate about taking care of our bodies and making sure we take our health SERIOUSLY. Being proactive is key. Our culture has everything completely backwards. Doctors treat symptoms but are hardly ever getting to the root cause of problems and diseases. And the hard truth it (or simple actually)....it all starts with food. It all starts with what you choose to put in your body.

So please educate yourself. If not just for you - but for your kiddos. It's important and we need a big change in our society for the health of our families.

xoxo,

Krysta Joelle

Wellness Retreat

This is a super crazy time of year for a lot of us. Tons of us Moms are sending kiddos off to school, staying home with little ones, trying to keep track of crazy school and sports schedules, working full time - no matter what the situation is - we are all busy.

What is the one thing that lacks when this happens? SELF CARE.

We think that we can worry about ourselves last because there isn't time. We need to take care of everyone else right now and later we can worry about ourselves.

And then we burn out. We try to pour from an empty cup until every last drop runs dry. It just isn't possible.

I know that I want to be full of energy, positive, and present in the lives of my children. I want to be a healthy Mama for them. I want their memories of me to be ones of me WITH them.....not just running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep up with life.

How do I do that personally? I need to take very good care of myself. I look at this one body I have and I treat it the best way I know how. Because when my body is healthy, I'm in a much better state emotionally as well. Because when my body is healthy, I have the energy to keep up with life and to love on my family the way they deserve.

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So I have something VERY special planned and I want to share it with anyone who wants to join me.

I will be created an At Home Wellness Retreat. Yeah, it would be wonderful to go away to a 3 week retreat where we learn inner peace - but who has time or money for that? And who would watch my kids for 3 whole weeks :)

When I was in Nashville this summer, the CEO of our organization challenged me to commit to a program and follow it 100%. While I'm always doing Beachbody workout programs (because they rock my socks) - I haven't been completely following nutrition plans this summer. Summer is HARD you guys. Summer drinks, family get togethers, trips....all of that can really make staying on track all of the time a bit harder. And I need to get centered again. I need a time where I can go "ALL IN" with my nutrition.

I've also been working out SUPER hard this summer. I love to work out. I love to sweat. But my body just needs a little change right now. I need to spend some time focusing on my nutrition - feeding my soul, and learning how to relax my body and mind more.

Enter the 3 WEEK WELLNESS RETREAT.

How is this all going to work?

Let me back up to tell you a little bit about a journey I took last year with the Ultimate Reset. I had a torn meniscus and was very anxious because I couldn't work out like I wanted. I was letting my emotions and anxiety get the best of me and I needed to do something that would help me reset and cleanse my body and mind. So I took the plunge and I committed to doing the Ultimate Reset. Not only were my physical results AMAZING....but I can promise you that I've never felt better - both physically AND mentally in my entire life.

When you feed your body ONLY what is good for it's amazing what can happen.

In the before picture you can tell that I was feeding my body foods that made me bloat and feel uncomfortable. So much of my life I just thought that's how you felt when you ate - until I really learned how different foods affect my body personally. Seriously look at that change in just 21 days.

And there is the change on the scale. While I really don't give a rats booty about what the scale says - it was amazing to see this change. 13.4 pounds. 21 Days. Seriously.

And I ate more food during this 21 days than I normally do. So absolutely no starvation is involved in this. 

This program literally changed my life. So what is it exactly?

The Ultimate Reset is a 21-day program that gently helps to restore the body to it's "factory setttings" while maximizing energy production and nutrient retention. This is a program designed to get the body into tip-top shape interally, just like your fitness program gets the body into shape externally. Anyone looking to restore their energy, boost their moods, and maximize their help can significantly improve the way they look and feel.

The first week of the Ultimate Reset is Phase One where you'll reclaim your body, accessing its inner chemistry and preparing it for change. You'll gradually be removing foods from your diet like red meat and dairy. Then you'll move on to week 2 or Phase 2 where you begin to release some unwanted compounds that have been holding your system back and you will start the detox process. This phase includes a very gentle colon cleanse and digestive support. And when I say gentle - I mean it. You won't be running to the bathroom a lot or anything :) It's seriously a gentle cleanse where you'll be eating 3 meals a day and snacks. But you'll be moving to eating a fully vegan diet. Week 3 begins Phase 3 where you'll help restore your digestive system along with other internal processes to maximize efficiency. You'll be putting nutrients, enzymes, and pre- and probiotics back into your body. This is the point where you're going to feel better than you have in your entire life and will start to tell everyone you know that they should do this too!

So that's the nutrition part of this wellness retreat.

One major aspect of this retreat is also learning practices to relax our body and mind all while staying active. 

So I'm very excited to annouce our brand new 3 Week Yoga Retreat. It's for beginners and for people who have no idea what they are doing with yoga (ME). It's all going to be streamed online using our Beachbody On Demand. Week one will focus on straightforward yoga basics. The focus will be on basic positions and alignment...poses led by yogis who specialize in many different types of yoga. Week two will progress into some flow but will not be overly complicated or aggressive. Then Week 3 puts it all together and will challenge us more. We will be the first group to do this together and I'm so excited about it. Since there is no working out on the Ultimate Reset (yes, even me!) this is the only thing that you are cleared to do. Why? Beacuse you don't want to be releasing lactic acid that could interfere with the detox process and the hard work that your body is going through interally. As I always tell my challengers - TRUST.THE.PROCESS. The people who designed this system are incredible and knew what they were doing. 

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Let's do this thing. And let's do it together.

We start on September 26th. For 3 weeks we will do this all together in a closed/private Facebook group and I'll be supporting you through the entire thing and we will be holding eachother accountable. Since I've done the Ultimate Reset before I will feel comfortable answering questions about it too since I've had the personal experience.

How to join? Get your Ultimate Reset Challenge Pack (even on special right now). With that challenge pack comes a 30 day access pass to our On Demand program so you won't need to pay anything additional to stream the Yoga Retreat - how awesome is that?

All packs need to be ordered by September 17th to be in this group. We are going to be doing this together - me right alongide you and we are kicking off on the same day! This is the time of year when taking care of ourselves needs to be a priority and YOU are worth it.

Message me on Facebook here --> my facebook page

Or email me here --> my email address

Can't wait to feel amazing again!!

Any questions - send them my way.

xoxo, 

Krysta Joelle

Country Heat Day 1

Today is an exciting day for me because it's Day 1 of my Country Heat Exclusive Test Group? What does that even mean?

I'm doing the brand new program, created by Autumn Calabrese with 58 other people for the next 30 days. We are following the same workout calendar and the nutrition plan and we are going to ROCK it!

It's been a little while since I did a program from start to finish since I've been just bouncing around doing different workouts for a while waiting for this one to come out!

And while I follow the 80/20 rule with clean eating - I haven't been following a set plan for a while and things can get really LAX doing that, let me tell you....especially during Summer!!

So today is DAY ONE.

Ok so yes I'm a health and fitness coach and I focus on being healthy, but I'm also human and I live a balanced life. Sometimes I'm super focused, and other times I let loose a little bit more. Especially summertime and when there are vacations!

So this couldn't come at a better time because I have fluff I want to get rid of and I want to really focus in on my nutrition.

Can't wait to share the Day 1 and Day 30 photos at the end of this journey!!

So far Day 1 is going so amazing!

I woke up and did the first workout - Country Swing with my little girl Stella. It's so fun to dance together and my little ones love doing it with me!

Breakfast was simple and delicious. You guys - the only way I can do this lifestyle is by keeping it SIMPLE. I'm not a big recipe cook. I just have my basic ingrediets....make sure to always have my necessities and eat simple!!!

This week I'm going to do egg whites, spinach and fruit for breakfast. Oh yeah, Mama brought back out the containers. I told you I'm getting serious for the next 30 days!! I'm going to Florida in exactly a month with a bunch of my coach frannnnns and I'm rocking my suit!

And then lunch was a super duper delicious salad. Honestly, I go over on my green containers most days and I'm fine with that if I'm going over on things like spinach. I don't think you can ever have too many green foods like that!! So lunch was lots of spinach, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, strawberries and chicken breast. Then I made a super simple (you get my drift here, right?) dressing. Plain balsamic vinegar and then 2 tbs of this new hummus we picked up at Costco. Stirred it all together really good and it made a delicious dressing!! So fresh and clean and filling!

People always ask me when I drink my Shakeology - and I really do switch it up a lot, but this week I have it planned for my afternoon snack. That is when I usually have cravings for something naughty, so its the perfect treat for me. It's filling, gives me energy and satisfies my sweet tooth cravings of the afternoon!


Today it was super simple - 1 scoop vegan chocolate shakeo (the BEST one, and the one I recommend to EVERY new client of mine), 1/2 cup water, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, a couple drops of pure peppermint extract and LOADS of ice. Seriously just like DESSERT.

And for dinner - I like to switch it up and have different proteins, veggies and then usually sweet potato of some variation. Tonight I had baked salmon, baked sweet potato with some cinnamon on top, and sauteed brussel sprouts!

And another important part of the process is TONS of water. My goal for today was 100oz spread throughout the day. I use an app on my iPhone called "Water Buddy"....it sends me reminders to drink water and I go fill up my cup and drink drink drink!! If you don't have it, download it!! It's so great. Because seriously so much of the time we just forget to drink water, but it's so vital to the process.

So that's my Day 1. I can't wait to see the rest of this 30 day journey unfold. I'm telling you - I'm going to have some GREAT results!!

:)



If you haven't tried Country Heat yet - you're missing out. It's seriously the most fun I've had working out in a while. Let me know if you want to try it out!!

xoxo,
Krysta Joelle

A Look Back

If you didn't know me before two years ago when I finally started to take care of myself; let me tell you a little story.

The girl on the left was me about ten years ago. She was so very unhealthy and she was sad. She never exercised. Ever. Her nutrition consisted of eating out or food from a box. The only thing she drank was copious amounts of Diet Coke and too much alcohol. She hardly slept because her anxiety and depression kept her up at night. Her stress levels were through the roof. She suffered from migraine headaches all of her life and was sick all of the time.

This girl didn't have a clue how to take care of herself. Or maybe she didn't feel she was worth it. She hated looking in the mirror and would avoid it at all costs.

Then I met my husband. Then I had my first daughter and my second.

I didn't want to be that person anymore. I knew not only was I worth taking care of, but now I had a whole family who needed me at my best.

What would I teach these little girls about health and self worth with the way I took care of myself?

So I learned. So I worked really hard and made big changes in my life. Was it easy and super fun all the time? Heck to the no.

But after two years of daily and CONSISTENT dedication to my health, I'm now that girl on the right. A girl who loves herself enough to want to take care of her body, mind and soul. A wife who loves to feel confident. A mommy who feels proud of the example she sets for her little girls.

I'm ten years older but I feel 10 years younger. I'm migraine free this WHOLE time. I haven't been sick in over a year and a half. Not even a simple cold.

Why share all of this? Because I wasn't always the girl posting about fitness and shakeology and eating clean. I was a super duper hot mess before. And if I could make changes, literally ANYONE can. I promise you.

If you are ready to take that first step I would truly love to talk to you. It just takes a decision like I made a little over two years ago. Your whole life can change. I guarantee it.

August - WHAT??

Seriously - how did we get to August already. I feel like summer just started and it's already getting close to the end. When you're a kid, summer feels like its about a year long! Then you grow up and it passes by in the blink of an eye.

People always tell you - life goes faster and faster every year...the older you get.

It couldn't be more true. Not that time literally passes faster, but we are so much busier and preoccupied that time seems to pass right before you eyes. Then you wake up and your first baby is going to Kindergarten. WHAT? I cannot believe Stella will be getting on that big yellow bus and going to school EVERY day ALL day. It doesn't seem possible!

I started staying home over 2 years ago now. I'm pretty used to being around her all the time. Just this spring I finally got a nanny to watch my girls for 2 days during the week so I could work on my business....but seriously, I'm just used to seeing my babies whenever I want. It's going to feel so strange for her to be gone every day during the week!

And Vera Jane starts preschool! Two days a week the little spitfire will head off to 3 year old preschool. She's pretty pumped up about it and I can't wait to see how she reacts the first day I drop her off. She's SO different from Stella....Stella ran to the door the first day of preschool and waved bye at me with the biggest smile. I have a feeling Vera might be holding on to my leg :)

But I think the biggest struggle will be them missing eachother. Especially Vera missing her big sister! You know, when you have your kids 21 months apart - the first year is SO hard. Well for me - it was SO HARD. Not going to lie - I was stressed and anxious and felt like I was losing it a lot of the time. :) But then something just kind of changes as they get older.

I LOVE the stage we are at. I absolutely love their ages. They are best friends, they love to play with eachother...they have these wild little imaginations and they just deeply love one another. It's so awesome to see. It's going to be a huge adjustment for them to be apart but I hope it's a great experience for both of them to make new friends.

I honestly started writing this post to talk about all of the things I'm excited for in August....especially with my business but I got busy talking about my little loves and it took the whole post.

BIG news for August will come soon!!!

Country Heat!!

If you follow me on Facebook at all, you've seen me posting a LOT about Country Heat coming out soon. I'm super excited about it and it's something so different from any other workout programs that Beachbody has offered in the past!

So who is it for?

• someone that loves country music
• someone that doesn't enjoy traditional workouts (or any workouts)
• someone that wants to spice up their cardio jam
• someone that needs their workout to be FUN
• NOT just for women....this can be fun for men too. and SO fun for the whole family

On July 28th, 2016 Beachbody is releasing this brand new fitness program to the network and it will NOT disapoint! Honestly, when I first heard of it - I wasn't sure if I would like it because lets face it - this girl cannot dance very well. My husband says I have one move...and let's just say I will never be on Dancing with the Stars.

BUT - I won the chance to do this workout WITH Autumn Calabrese on our Success Club Cruise in March of this year. Honestly - I was DRIPPING in sweat and I really felt like I could follow the moves. Me....following moves? Yes....for real. And the sweat was real too. I couldn't believe I had gotten such a good workout from having so much fun. And it wasn't hard!! My legs were burning, my core was on fire and I could tell it was working my whole body.

I am soooo excited for the launch of this program and I'm going to be hosting an exclusive FIRST PEEK Test Group for this program only. I'll be making sample meal plans, sharing recipes, tips and guidance all on how to rock this program. The people in the network's test group have been getting INCREDIBLE results so far....really kind of mindblowing for a "dance" type program. Some people even lost over 60 pounds in 90 days!

****Another reason I'm so excited about the launch of this program is because on Wednesday, July 27th, I will be personally trained IN PERSON by Autumn Calabrese in Nashville, TN to get certified to teach this program in a LIVE CLASS setting. I can't wait to bring this to the greater Grand Rapids area!!! 

Now let's get more into the details!!

Exactly what IS the program?

--> Super Trainer and professionally trained dancer Autumn Calabrese brings you a high-energy, low-impact, country danceinspired workout that's so simple anyone can do it, and so much fun you'll barely notice you're dropping pounds while getting a great total-body workout.

--> An easy-to-follow, 30-day fitness program that combines 5 high-energy, cardio-based dance workouts, 1 dance conditioning workout, and the portion-control Eating Plan to maximize weight loss and achieve a toned, tightened body in just 30 minutes a day.

--> All Country Heat songs are set to the hottest country music, with songs that you've probably heard on the radio. Not only did Autumn pick these songs for their popularity, she specifically matched her moves to the faster and slower beats to create the perfect interval training within each routine. The result? A fired-up metabolism that burns maximum calories and fat!

What are the unique benefits to this program?

--> It's a fun, easy-to-follow dance workout that ANYONE can do—in just 30 minutes a day! You'll have so much fun dancing to the hottest country hits you'll barely notice you're dropping pounds and getting a great total-body workout.

--> The program includes 5 cardio-based dance workouts and 1 Dance Conditioning workout that will burn major calories and shape, tone, and tighten your entire body—in just 30 days. 

--> Diets don't work when you feel deprived! So Autumn is including her foolproof, portion-control containers to help you lose weight while still enjoying your favorite foods. No calorie counting, special foods, or eating at home all the time.
--> Autumn's easy-to-use Eating Plan shows you how to use your portion-control containers to create easy, delicious recipes— with foods you love—in just the right portions to reach your weight-loss goals.

Couple questions I've received a LOT so far:

1. How does this program differ from CIZE by Shaun T? With Country Heat, Autumn Calabrese teaches you two steps at a time, and then you move on to the next two steps. You don't repeat steps or memorize a routine. While CIZE builds on previous moves to reach a final choreographed routine, with Country Heat you simply follow along. 

2. Do you really get a good workout with this? Simple answer - YES. I've done it enough now to know that you are sweating and your muscles are burning!

Who can do Country Heat?

Anyone from a beginner to someone who is advanced in their fitness that want to do something fun to change it up!! This program is honestly great for people of all ages and sizes. I plan to do this with my little girls and they are going to LOVE it!! This will also be great for people who generally don't like exercise and aren't sure where to begin.

What do you get with the program?

When you purchase your Country Heat you will get:

--> 6 workouts on 3 DVDs in 30 minutes or less.

--> 7 Color coded portion controlled containers to efficiently help you portion out your food

--> Country Heat Nutrition Plan which is an easy to follow guide that has recipes, tips, and more to help you get results.

--> 30 Days of Shakeology in any flavor 

--> Quickstart Guide- This is a simple 3 step guide that preps you for your fitness journey by giving you the low down on the nutrition plan and workouts.

--> 30 Day Calendar so that you know exactly what workouts to do in what order to maximize your results.

--> Plus when you get the challenge pack you get access to Country Heat On Demand which means unlimited access to stream Country Heat and all the other workouts to any desktop, laptop, tablet, TV or mobile device.  So you can start your workouts the minute you make your purchase.

HOW DO YOU GET THE PROGRAM??

I will be launching my first official COUNTRY HEAT TEST GROUP on Monday, August 8th and workouts start on Monday, August 15th. You can get personal, 24/7 mentoring, guidance, and support from me in a closed online accountability and support group. I will be walking you through the entire program from beginning to end! I will teach you how to navigate the nutrition plan, how to choose healthier snacks, how to swap out some bad habits for better choices and how to truly make this a healthy lifestyle and not another crash diet. 

I will be here to help you stay accountable, to track your food and to keep you movitated! My job is to be your support system - which is the number one thing people lack when starting a new program. I want your investment in this program to be a wonderful investment in YOURSELF. 

To be considered for the COUNTRY HEAT TEST GROUP - please email me!

I have an event running right now on Facebook where I'm sharing info. If you click "going" to that event, I will make sure you're the first to know when the program is released on JULY 28th!!

Click HERE to join that event! The test group will fill up fast, so make sure to get your spot ASAP.

xoxo,

Krysta Joelle

Misconception #2

I'm sure all of you have been on the edge of your seats since my last post - just wondering....what will the next misconception will be? Sorry to make you wait so long. Hopefully this puts you at ease. :)

Misconception #2: Working out every day is easy for me. Or - I LOVE to work out every day.

Truth: I am just like you. And you. And you. I don't wake up and say "ohhhhh where are my shoes - I can't wait to go work my butt off and sweat and feel like I'm going to pass out."

Nope - doesn't happen that way.

The truth of it is....there are a lot of days where I have a lot of excuses that come into my head. I try to talk myself out of it because it just doesn't feel like the fun thing to do. There are many other things that sound easier. Sitting on the couch. Reading. Watching tv. Cleaning. Scrolling facebook. Anything.

Some days I'm just tired and don't feel like it.

Some days my mind isn't in it and I think about the million things I have to do and I think about how I really can't fit it in.

Some days I'd rather grab a glass of wine and chill instead of pushing play and sweating.

But what I've learned over the last two years especially is that every single day we have a choice. We were all blessed with the same 24 hours. I can choose to set aside 30 minutes of the 1,440 we are given every day. I can choose to take 2% of my day and do right by my body. I can take that time and schedule it into my day just like any other important meeting. Some days I need to motivate myself with a really cute workout outfit to get the job done :)

But why? What does it really matter - right?

Well I just truly believe that it does. I think that the small and seemingly insignificant choices we make every day, consistently add up to something really great and powerful.

Because I spend 30 minutes a day taking care of myself by working out and sweating - these things happen over time....

--> I am healthier than I've ever been in my 33 years of life. I went from being a very unhealthy, always sick type person to someone who can't even remember the last time she was sick.

--> My little girls are learning by example what it means to be healthy and take care of yourself. They don't hear me telling them that getting exercise and eating their fruits and veggies is going to make them healthy and strong. They SEE it - which is far more powerful than words. Watching and copying - that's what they do. And we find very special bonding time working out together. They think it's so FUN to work out with Mommy. I love that they see this as something you just do and are able to make it a fun activity that we can do together.

--> I am able to inspire other people to start their own health journey. Do you know how amazing that is? God has given me an incredible gift here. He has helped me to let go of any fear of what people think of me so that I can spread my journey all over the place to help people to start caring about their own health. Is it always easy? Absolutely not. There are days when comments can get to me of course...I'm human. But at the end of the day - I go to bed at night knowing that everything I'm doing is to truly help another person. One more person - that's always my goal and fills my heart with passion.

So to sum this up. No, it's not easy for me to work out every day. I have the same struggles that everyone else does. I wasn't given any more magical motivation than anyone else. I just decide. Every.single.day - I decide.

We all have a choice with everything in life. Yes, our circumstances are all different and we all have different priorities. But if you are struggling to get started because you think "I will never get into working out" or "I'm too busy to work out"....please just trust me and know that it's worth it. The benefits far outweight the cost. And I would love to help you get started :)

xoxo,
Krysta Joelle