Funk.

Well this week has left me in kind of a funk. I am usually a very positive person these days but this week I've felt a little less than positive and I'm not a fan of it!

On Mondays the girls usually go to my husband's parents and I spend the day working on my business. But this week Vera was down and out with a stomach bug so she was here with me. For two days she was sick and we did a lot of snuggling. The snuggling was nice because when it's your last baby - you know how limited the time is left that they want to snuggle with you. I also spent a lot of time doing laundry and trying to safeguard the living room from unpleasant effects of the stomach bug in a toddler! I probably had to wash her blankies 6 times....so that wasn't fun for her to have to part with them.

If you're friends with me or see my posts on facebook - you know that I usually get up very early to get my workout in. I know some people may think I'm crazy because it's so early and some people choose to make jokes about it. But I let it roll off me because I do it because I LOVE it. I love the way it makes me feel and it sets the tone for my day. I have finally found something that helps me with my anxiety and depression more than anything else I've tried. So while some may think I'm weird for waking up at 4:30 most days...that's ok because I really value myself and my health and I'm trying to take care of myself the best I can. So you can think I'm crazy all you want and I'll be over here working on my fitness!

When I get that time in the morning - I have silence, I can focus and I can work hard. It's almost like a meditation time for me too. Can I work out when my girls are awake? Sure! I do sometimes, but it's not quite as easy because they love to work out with me. Try doing Insanity Max: 30 next to a 3 year old and 2 year old in one space. Then tell me how easy you think it is. :)

So Monday-Wednesday I wasn't able to do my workout in the morning because Vera was up really early and I wasn't going to make her sit there and watch me work out when she wasn't feeling good and wanted to snuggle. Today I woke up at 4:30 and did a 21 Day Fix workout - Dirty 30, one of my favorites. It felt great to get back into my routine, but my knee has been really bothering me this week so I haven't been able to give it my full effort which is pretty frustrating for me. I must have pulled something and it's just been sore all week! This knee needs to be in tip top shape because the BRAND NEW 21 Day Fix Extreme program is released on Monday and I can't wait to start it!

The girls wanted to go to kid zone at the Y this morning since Stella's school was cancelled. I think they get just as stir crazy as I do sitting in the house and they love the teachers in kid zone and always have so much fun. My knee wasn't feeling great - but I figured I could do the elliptical because it's usually smooth enough on my knee. So I did that and the treadmill and some work with weights, but my knee hurt the whole time. Hoping having a heating pad on it tonight will help! But I definitely am going to wait on doing my Insanity workouts until it feels better.

I was planning on really buckling down and doing some work while the girls took naps today but instead, I decided we could all snuggle in the basement and take a nap together. That was the best idea of the day.

So while I've felt off and in a funk this week because our schedules have been so off....I'm going to list some specific things I'm thankful for in this moment to take this FUNK and throw it right in the trash can.

1. That my girls are playing in their bedroom so nicely right now like the best of friends.
2. It stopped snowing.
3. This heating pad on my knee.
4. That Parenthood finale is on tonight (not thankful that it's the finale though)
5. That tomorrow is Friday and Chad is here all weekend.
6. Getting to meet up with some local coaches on my team for bowling on Sunday
7. That I'm blessed to be home with my girls - even on the hard weeks like this.

Some days are hard and that's ok. Not every day can be sunshine and rainbows. The important thing is to keep on pushing through and seeing the silver lining. And most importantly of all - God is in control and I trust that He will always take care of us.

Reasons to Work Out in the Morning

I want to preface this post by saying that I think you should work out whenever it works best for you and your family. I understand that we all have different schedules and some people have more effective workouts at a different time of day than I do. As long as you're getting it done - that's all that matters! I just wanted to share some reasons why working out in the morning can be beneficial.

I know everyone loves a good list - so here are my top 10 reasons.

1. Over 90% of the people who work out in the morning, do it consistently. So if you want to be consistent, the odds are in your favor by doing it first thing in the morning. You also don't have to think about it again for the rest of the day. Let's be honest, no matter how much you love working out....after a long, busy day - how many times are you looking for any excuse to not get your workout in at night? Do it first thing and you have so much less time for excuses.

2. When you exercise in the morning - you can feel more energized for your day. I know that when I don't work out in the morning I feel much less energy and almost feel like I'm dragging all morning.

3. When you exercise in the morning, it can help to jump start your metoblism and keep it elevated for hours after your workout (many hours). That means you're able to burn more calories all day long just because you exercised in the morning.

4. If you excercise at about the same time every day and wake up around the same time on a regular basis, your body physically adjusts to that. Physiologically things start to happen! A couple hours before you wake up, your body beings to prepare for waking up and working out because it knows that it's about to happen. Once you do things the same every day, your body prepares for it. Why is this so awesome? Because it's much easier to wake up....your body is used to it and actually knows and prepares to do so. Also, your metoblism and all of the hormones involved in activity and exercise begin to elevate while you're sleeping...so you'll feel more alert, energized, and ready to get that work out done when you do wake up. And the hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure heart rate, and blood flow to the muscles.

5. For me, and many others, the morning provides a wonderful time of peace and clarity. There are less distractions and I feel like I can truly focus on my workout and myself. It's my personal therapy.

6. Research has shown that exercise can also increase mental acuity that can last for several hours after your workout. No sense in wasting all that wonderful brain power while you're sleeping!

7. Exercising first thing in the morning gives you a better shot of actually getting it done that day. So many times our schedules get crowded and shuffled around and we find ourselves filling our days with other important things that take priority. If you do it first thing in the morning, that can't happen!

8. Research has also demonstrated that working out regularly can result in higher quality of sleep, requiring you to need less. If your workout is actually a priority in your life, you will make time for it. Set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier in the morning and try to go to sleep 30 minutes earlier at night.

9. Working out early makes me more mindful of what I eat going forward into my day! When I work my butt off in the morning and burn all of those calories - the last thing I want to do is make all that hard work worthless by making bad food choices. This is super important because nutrition is the key to any success you want to see with making real changes to your body. I teach all about this in my challenge groups and know it first hand!!

10. You may feel less stressed the rest of the day if you work out first thing in the morning.

Whenever you decide to work out - just give it your all and push yourself! We all have different schedules and different things that work for us. I hope my list above helps you if you were trying to decide what time might work best for you!

It's So Much More...

I was inspired to write this post after reading something my upline coach wrote. She says "It's so much more than just a box of DVDs and a bag of powder." And what she had to say was so powerful about that - I just had to share as well.

So many people see before and after pictures posted on Facebook and they think "wow, that's awesome - what an inspiration"...but not very often do they think it's possible for them to do the same thing. I remember I used to look at all the pictures and think about how nice it would be if I could ever have a transformation like that. But I really had no idea how to get there. I was too lost on where to start and more importantly I was way too lost in my pile of excuses to do anything about it. Couple things that used to run through my head when I saw a great transformation story:

1. They must have a lot more time than me to devote to working out.
2. I wonder what special pill they used to lose that weight.
3. I bet you they have a personal trainer that helped them to figure it all out and to push them. I have no idea how to shape my body and get ripped like that.
4. There's no way those results are that real - I'm sure the pictured are altered somehow.

Then I started to see people I knew posting their transformations. Not only their transformations, but their progress and sharing what they were doing. This is when I started to get interested. If these people, who I knew were regular people like me....who worked full time like me, and could have the same excuses as me could do it - WHY wouldn't I be able to do it? A girl I used to work with had posted something about an online accountability group and it peeked my interest. I was not very good about going to the gym because I had a new baby and a small toddler and there was never a great time for me to head off to the gym. At the time I was working full time and only had a few precious hours a day with my babies anyway. The last thing I felt like doing was heading to the gym after we put them to bed. I was way too exhausted by that point and wanted to spend time with my husband too!

So I knew I wanted to try an at-home work out program and decided T25 would be a great one to start with. The price tag on the challenge pack which included the program and Shakeology seemed very expensive to me at first. I remember going back and forth with it wondering if I would really do the program and if a shake could really be worth that. I wasn't thinking of the investment...I was thinking of the cost.  So I totally understand the initial feelings of my prospective customers and challengers....you just don't fully understand the incredible investment right away. But I knew that I wanted to change my body and something in my gut told me to go for it and give it all I've got by diving right in. I'm SO glad I made that decision.

The beauty of it is, when you buy a challenge pack - you're not just getting a pack of DVDs and bag of powder. free shipping and a discounted price! You actually have someone on the other end who is going to be there for you to push you through, to help you through your struggles, to make sure you open that pack of DVDs and press play. Someone to help you to believe in yourself and to be there on the bad days to lift you up and to praise you on the good ones. This really was priceless to me. It made me want to push play every day because I felt accountable to a group that I committed to. I had other people that were expecting me to check in daily with my progress and that made me work harder every day. I also have a Type A personality, like to stick to something I say I'm going to do and don't like disappointing people - so this accountability group was perfect!

Not only did it provide the accountability that was priceless - but I also finally learned how to eat clean and completey changed my eatings habits. I had no idea just how important nutrition was to any progress you expect. I always thought that especially if you worked out - you could kind of eat what you want still....wow was I wrong. So much of it happens in the kitchen and that's where real discipline comes in. Shakeology was a life saver for me.  I knew I had one extremely healthy meal taken care of that I didn't have to plan or think about. I have been drinking Shakeology every day since because it has been a HUGE part of my health overhaul and I completely believe in the value of it with all of my heart.

So couple questions:

**When you go to the gym - do you have someone there to hold you accountable? To make sure you show up every day?
**Who is helping you with your nutrition to make sure you're eating properly for the workouts you're doing?
**How do you know if the work that you're doing at the gym is going to produce the results you desire?
**Who is going to hold you accountable at the start and end of your goals?

If you're like me - you will think about those questions and answer them as truthfully as you can and then make a decision to get the best bang for your buck...the one that is going to give you the results you so desire. The one that could change your life and let you have your own transformation story like the ones you see posted by others who inspire you!

3 Day Refresh Success!!

As many of you know, I spent the last 3 days doing the 3 Day Refresh (click link to find out more about that and the January special on it!). I have done this a few times in the past with success so I was pretty excited to do it again. After the holidays, all the family gatherings with some food I usually don't eat and then a weekend trip to Pittsburgh where my eating was different than normal and some drinks and treats were involved, I was definitely ready.

Some may ask why I would need to do a 3 Day Refresh if I focus on clean eating and workout daily anyway? Here are my reasons....

1. My main reason is to get my brain back in check. Sometimes it's easy to get lax in the nutrition department. I do eat clean at least 80% of the time and do my best to stick to my meal plans, but I tend to deviate more as time goes on. It's all in the head and I love the 3 Day Refresh because it forces me to be strict and to follow something that is set out for me. It helps me to remember that will power is everything and that I really don't need that evening snack like I think I do! :) I do this to prove to myself that I am determined and strong and can do anything.

2. To help cleanse after a few too many cheats like drinks and sweets from the weekend.

3. It also helps remind me just how important nutrition is to your results. I work out pretty hard every day but if I don't have my nutrition in check, nothing happens with my body or results. Doing this 3 Day Refresh just proves just how much what you eat has to do with everything. It makes no sense to work out hard and get lazy in the kitchen. Very counterintuitive to your goals and results.

Not only do I see a difference in the way my body looks - I'm much happier about the way I feel! That annoying bloat feeling is gone. You know the one you get when you eat things you're not used to - or a little too much bread. Yeah I totally had that from this weekend and I'm so glad that feeling is gone. As I've gone along in my journey I'm much more concerned with the way that I feel as opposed to the way that I look because my health is so incredibly important to me these days.

So now for the results.....drum roll please (ok it's not that exciting but whatever)....the pictures aren't awesome because I took them myself, but they will do the trick.

This one really shows how the bloat completely disappeared. I was even flexing a little bit in the first picture too!

I notice the side bulge completely gone. Back pictures are hard for me because I notice a LOT of work that needs to be done in the back of my legs. This is a a struggle area for me and something I need to focus on for sure. I'm always a work in progress!!

I love this one because it proves to me that all it takes is extra attention on nutrition and I can actually see the abs that I'm working so hard for. This goes to show - you can work your butt off with exercise but if you're lazy in the kitchen - you will have a hard time seeing those results. This pushes me to keep working on my abs. I WILL have a 6 pack!!

21 Day Fix EXTREME

If you follow me on Facebook - you know that I was able to meet Autumn Calabrese this past weekend. Ahhh - my favorite celebrity trainer! The 21 Day Fix has been my favorite program that I've done so far and I make no secret about that. I really love working out with weights and I enjoy the variety in this program. I was always excited to wake up and do the program. I knew every workout was 30 minutes, I knew it would fly by because I enjoyed it....I just loved it. And don't get me started on the nutrtion plan. When I followed that super strictly - I've never felt more lean in my life.

So when I heard that Autumn created a graduate program 21 Day Fix Extreme, you can imagine my sheer excitement. So I wanted to share some of the details with you! Autumn told us this weekend that this is not a program for everyone. She designed the regular 21 Day Fix for everyone. This new program is just what the name suggests - EXTREME. She wanted to give people a program that shows them what she works out like. It's hard, intense, higher impact....and is going to get you shredded!

So let's get this party started - WHAT is this program all about and how does it differ from the first?

Celebrity trainer and national bikini competitor Autumn Calabrese has combined simple eating with extreme fitness to help people shred up and shed off those final pounds with 21 Day Fix EXTREME.

What is 21 Day Fix EXTREME?

• A 21-day program that features simple portion control, clean eating, and extreme 30-minute workouts.
• The portion-control containers take all the guesswork out of how much you should eat.
• The Eating Plan will tell you exactly what to eat and when—and how to eat cleaner than ever.
• This is how you get seriously shredded in 21 days.

What are the unique benefits?

• No other program has you eating this well and working this hard. It's going to take guts, intensity,and drive. But it's only 21 days.
• The 30-minute workouts are extreme. They combine steady-state aerobics, resistance training, and explosive power moves that target every muscle in the body—to help you get shredded in a short amount of time.
• Seven workouts; one for every day of the week so your mind never gets bored and your body never adapts.
• For your nutrition, you'll not only be practicing portion control—you'll be eating ONLY clean foods. No treats. No cheats. No excuses.
• Autumn has included her own competition nutrition plan, which she uses to get stage-ready and ripped in 21 days.

Who is the target audience?

Women and men who:

• Are impatient to get serious results.
• Don't want to make longtime commitments or have tried and failed at longer, more complicated diet plans.
• Are serious with a "No BS" attitude toward workouts and nutrition.
• Have a dramatic short-term weight-loss deadline, or need a final push to achieve the hardbody they've always wanted.
• Don't have much weight to lose, but want to get shredded and have defined abs.
• Don't want to count calories, weigh their food, or follow complicated recipes.
• 21 Day Fix graduates who want to take their workouts to the next level, and get seriously shredded.
• Graduates from other programs who want to get in the best shape of their lives and stay that way.

What's included in the Essential Kit?

• 7 color-coded portion-control containers.
• 25-oz Shakeology shaker cup.
• 7 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.
• 1 Bonus workout: Dirty 30 Extreme.

How does it work?

• You'll do one 30-minute high-intensity workout per day.
• The portion-control containers will help you keep your portions in check.
• The Eating Plan will let you know exactly what to eat, when—and how to eat cleaner than ever.
• After 21 days of extreme fitness and clean nutrition…you're going to have some serious results.

Is there a Team Beachbody®/Coach Exclusive?

Yes! Your 21 Day Fix EXTREME customers will also get a FREE bonus workout—The Fix Challenge

How do you get it?

The program is scheduled to be released February 2nd! So if you are interested in joining me in an exclusive test group and want to get your hands on it right away - message me so I can add you to the list so you can reserve your spot! Once the program is released, I'll post links on this post so you know exactly where to go to get yours! It's going to be a GREAT deal - I can tell you that!