Activity Monitors and Heart Rate Monitors

I get asked about activity monitors and heart rate monitors all the time so I wanted to share my thoughts quick and give insight into what I've tried, what I like and what I didn't like so much.

This won't be a technical review, just a high level look at my experiences with different products.

First of all, when you are thinking about getting an activity monitor or heart rate monitor - you have to ask yourself the purpose of wanting it. What is important to you? Do you want something that is going to pretty accurately tell you the calories you're burning during your workouts? Are you looking for something just to tell you how many steps you take in a day and how well you're sleeping? Or do you want something that does all of that?

FITBIT FLEX

The Fitbit Flex is a very popular activity monitor. You can get it for about $85-90 now. A lot of people think that regular activity monitors like the Fitbit Flex will give them an accurate picture of the calories they burn per day. The calories that this shows is seriously just an estimate based on the stats you put in and the movement of your arm. So it's an ESTIMATE and I wouldn't say it's accurate. If you don't care too much about this number, then this activity monitor is a great one! It tracks your steps, active minutes per day, sleep, has a gentle vibration alarm on it to wake you up in the morning, is stylish and small and you can change the band colors! A few things I didn't like about it, was the obvious, that I couldn't see what kind of calories I was burning with my workouts. Another thing - I really wanted a band that could have a display on it so I could see some info besides just the 5 white lights that show me how close I am to my goal for the day. One thing I will say - I went through THREE of them because the charger and the battery malfunctioned. Hopefully it was just a crazy coincidence with mine. So overall - its a good activity monitor, but with my experience - I will never buy one again.

Polar FT4

When my clients are looking for a heart rate monitor that they can wear during their workouts to show them how many calories their burning - this is usually the first one that I recommend. You can get it on Amazon.com for a very reasonable price (usually around $50) So many people I know have used this one and have had a great experience. It's the first heart rate monitor that I started with and I LOVED it. It comes in a few different colors, but I chose the pink one because it's super cute. I never had a bad experience with my device and I used it almost every single day for over 2 years. The battery lats FOREVER is super easy to change and the watch is really easy to use. It comes with a heart rate strap that you wear right under your chest during your workouts. It's not uncomfortable and it works great. You turn the watch on before you start your workout and it tracks your heart rate throughout. When you are done with your workout - you turn it off and it tracks your information from your workout. 

The reason I love a watch like this is because when I'm working out, I really like to monitor my heart rate. And when I can visibility see the calories I'm burning during a workout and see my heart rate rise, it pushes me to go as hard as I can in my workout. I used to be a calorie counter before I learned about clean eating and portion control - so this was vital in my calorie counting so I could be accurate. But these days I mostly just use it as a tool to push me to go my hardest and try my absolute best during my workouts.

The reason a watch like this is more accurate with calories is because it is directly connected to the heart rate strap that actually measures your heart rate. The Fitbit Flex does NOT measure your heart rate - so its simply an estimate. The problem with this is - we all burn calories SO differently. There are many factors involved and sometimes there really is no rhyme or reason. I'll have challengers who are roughly the same build as me, but they can burn 100 more calories doing the exact same workout! So I will never tell someone how many calories a workout burns - because if you really want to know, you need one of these watches!

Garmin Vivosmart

So after a while of getting sick of my Fitbit Flex battery crapping out of me, I decided I was going to be in the market for a new activity monitor. And how nice would it be to have an activity monitor AND a heart rate monitor all in one. Welcome - Garmin Vivosmart. This little beauty can do SO much!! It's a little pricier but in my opinion, very worth the investment. It looks like you can get it on Amazon.com with the heart rate strap at a special sale price right now of $125. I paid $180, so this is  a great deal. 

What do I love about it:

• very cute style. small and fits great.
• the heart rate monitor is very accurate based on my experience. 
• it has a display on it that shows you so much information just by swiping through. you can see the time (which was nice since I'm not a watch wearer), your steps, set alarms....and much more
• here is the awesome part - it syncs to your phone and updates you when you get a phone call or text message and will even show you the message. this was so nice for me because my phone is ALWAYS on silent. and if you've ever tried to call me, you'll know it's a miracle if I answer. so it was nice that I could be alerted when I was getting a call just from a simple vibration of my watch.
• the battery last super long. you simply charge it with a USB when it gets low.

What I don't love about it:

• honestly the only thing I don't like about this watch is that I can't see calories burned DURING my workout. you put on your heart rate strap and you start your workout on your watch and then you end it when you're done. once you sync the watch to your phone you can see all of the details of your workout - but like I mentioned in the Polar FT4 bit above - I LOVE seeing how hard I'm working during my workout instead of just at the end.

Fitbit Charge HR

This is going to be a really short review because I didn't use it that long. You can get this one for around $140 now. Chad got me this one for Christmas this year because I had been eying it. The intriguing part about this watch is that it's an activity monitor and heart rate monitor all in one just like the Garmin Vivosmart, but you don't have to wear the heart rate strap because it measures your heart rate on your wrist. BUT, the heart rate monitor during my workouts was NOT accurate at all. I tried it several times to make sure it wasn't a fluke and it just was so inaccurate, it just wasn't worth wearing. If you want something that will give you a more accurate picture of the calories you burn throughout the day with just regular activity - this could be fine because you're not moving a ton and it can measure your heart rate better. But I would never wear it to see how many calories I'm burning during my workouts because I just couldn't trust it. I also wasn't a big fan of the style. It felt too bulky on my wrist and too manly. Maybe that's just because I got so used to the Garmin Vivosmart - but I just didn't care for it. Needless to say - we returned this device because I wasn't happy with it and I decided to give another Polar Model a try and then wear my Garmin throughout the day for everything else.

Polar FT60

This is the heart rate monitor I'm currently using and I love it. It's around $80 on Amazon. It's very accurate and that is #1 for me, of course. Why did I decide to try something besides the FT4? Because I love trying new things so I can speak about them through experience. I will be honest though and say I picked this one because I really wanted white! It's reviews were really good and it just has some additional tracking features that the FT4 doesn't have. Nothing that I couldn't live without, so if I were to recommend a heart rate monitor, I couldn't really recommend this one over the FT4 - besides the fact that it's super cute and I really like the material on this one a tiny bit better. But honestly the only different between this watch and the FT4 is that it gives you a little more more info with the training program and it has different colors. So for $30 more you just have to decide if that's worth it to you. 

Some fun facts about this watch:

• STAR training program that provides personalized, easy to follow training programs and rewards you when you achieve them.
• displays calories, fat burn percentage, stores 100 training files and has a backlight.
• it is a unisex design with a silicone wrist band that wipes clean super easy

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--> So what am I currently using? The Polar FT60 for my workouts and I wear my Garmin Vivosmart all the time to track everything else. I love that I can sync the Garmin to my phone and see all my stats for the day and I can have contests with friends on there. 

If you have any other questions on the bands that I've tried - reach out to me and I'd love to help you decide what could work best for you! Email me or message me on Facebook and I'd love to chat!

Do You Really Want CHANGE?

Ok - so I've been getting a lot of messages from people lately asking me advice on how to get started with either working out or eating healthier. And I LOVE that they are reaching out to me for help because they feel comfortable enough to know that I will give them advice.

So I'll share some tips on how to get started and then I'll tell them about what really works. I'll give them the SECRET SAUCE.

Joining one of my accountability groups, finding a fitness program (that are proven to work), following a great nutrition plan that is easy to follow (one that I help you with!), providing dense superfood nutrition to fuel your body - curb cravings, help with overall health and to aid in weight loss, and most of all BEING HERE for you every single day along your journey.

So many people just want to do it on their own.

They plan to get a gym membership. They tell themselves "ok if I can go 3 times a week that will be great". Then I'll just start eating healthier. But do you know how many times people stick with their gym goals? Not very many. Because life gets busy. You have to plan to go to the gym. And if you're a Mom like me, it's not super easy to just find all this time to haul your butt to the gym. Nor does it ever sound like a fun idea when you either have to leave your kids or load them up for the daycare at the gym.

And the goal to start eating healthier. Come on - it's seriously kind of a joke. You have to be specific if you're really going to do it. You have to know what healthy eating is. And follow some sort of a plan. I never suggest dieting because diets don't work. Sure, you can lose the weight by restricting yourself a lot but then as soon as you go back to your regular lifestyle - the weight comes back on super fast. And then you tell yourself "well, I lost it before, I know what to do so I can lose it again." And the cycle continues. And do you know what kind of havoc that wreaks on your body? NOT GOOD.

But in my groups, we teach you all about clean eating, portion control and how to make this a sustainable lifestyle so you can end the cycle of yo-yo dieting once and for all. And the best part is - you don't do it alone. You actually have people there every day with you showing up and checking in and supporting you and cheering you on and holding you accountable.

So yes - there is a commitment to join the group. You and I talk through your goals and your current lifestyle and then we decide what program would be the best fit for you. So you are investing in a challenge pack. But seriously - isn't your health worth it?

Since I've started my healthy lifestyle, I can't even tell you when the last time I was sick. And I know this is the best insurance policy I can give myself to avoid as many future healthcare costs as I can.

AND - I'm teaching our little girls by example, not just words - what it means to take care of yourself. And that your health IS a priority. Being skinny doesn't matter. Being healthy, and happy and confident really does matter though.

So if you are ready to truly take the next step in your health. If you are ready for a change. PLEASE reach out to me and let me help you get started. Hearing the success stories from all of my clients/challengers seriously makes me want to do this FOREVER. Hearing the stories about how they have way more energy to keep up with their kids. How they feel comfortable wearing a two piece swimsuit again and they NEVER thought that was possible. How they are able to go shopping for new clothes that they never thought they would be able to wear. It makes me want to just shout from the rooftops - PLEASE let me help you!

Ok - this was on my heart tonight and I really needed to get it out. If finances are a problem, let me help you through it and we will figure out a way to make it possible. I just want to help other women feel as good as I do. If you know me at all by now, you know I could care less about "sales". I just want to help other people and I know it's possible, so I'll keep sharing forever!

My next online health and fitness group starts officially on Feb 1st so there are a few more days to sign up to claim your spot. What can you expect??

• 30 minute at home workouts
• easy to follow nutrition plan with sample meal plans
• proper, balanced, portion control eating
• 24/7 support and accountability
• positive environment filled with people who will uplift you on your journey
• my support as your personal coach

Email me or message me on facebook to learn more. There are so many awesome January promotions - so now is the time to go for it.

Throw Back Thursday

I was thinking today and throw back Thursday popped in my head. I always see other people's and I usually forget to partake in the fun activity. But it did get me thinking about my journey and where I've come from. I was talking to my Mom on the phone the other day and she was telling me how happy she is to see me so healthy and happy.

You see, I was definitely not always like this.

Healthy was nowhere near how I would describe myself. My whole life - just sick all the time. I was convinced that I had the worst immune system out there. I suffered from migraines all growing up. They got worse as I grew older and in college, I can't even count on one hand how many times I ended up in the ER because my Imitrex shots couldn't touch it. So they would have to put an IV of some concoction to get rid of it. I figured it was just in my DNA. My Mom has suffered with horrible migraines ever since I can remember. I just thought it was going to be part of my reality. But I learned that my migraines were caused by very specific things for me - STRESS and just being unhealthy. This is NOT the case for everyone - like my Mom. Hers are chronic and just have to be managed....

Migraines aside - I just wasn't healthy. Physically or emotionally. I suffered from depression from a very young age and I'm sure anxiety too, although I had no idea what the anxiety was. I just thought I was a weirdo who would freak out about everything. I tried to hide my depression for a long time because I really felt the need to be the strong one in the family. And I'm not tooting my own horn when I say that - it's just the reality of the situation. I was the peacemaker, the calm to the storm, the fixer, and the feeler. Even though I felt so lonely and sad inside, I didn't want to share that with anyone because I didn't want to cause any more hurt or problems than people already had.

Turns out all of that is not a great recipe for health by the time you're a young adult. Super stressed out, depressed, severely anxious, couldn't sleep, sick a lot. I was kind of a mess through most of my college years internally.

Fast forward a few years and I started my first full time career. I was never really a party person in college - but once I started my career, I worked in public accounting. And if you know anything about that field, you would know that there are lots of happy hours. As a tax accountant, especially just starting out - you pretty much just live at work. Your coworkers become the people in your life that you spend all of your time with. We worked a lot, and we had a lot of fun with happy hour activities. Even though it was fun, it certainly didn't help the whole "unhealthy" lifestyle.

I ate every single meal out. NOT good choices, let be clear. And I drank WAY too much. And while it was fun at the time....it was never fun after. Alcohol is a severe depressant to me so this lifestyle was not helping me out one bit.

Why share all of this? Because I think it's important to look back only to see how far you've come. You know I may still have my days where anxiety creeps in and I have to really be self-aware and nip it in the butt right away. But I am not even close to the same person I was back then. You can look at this picture of me in 2007 and then this picture of me now and think "she doesn't LOOK that much different". And I would agree. I don't have this major physical outward transformation. But the transformation to my mind, body, and spirit since then is more than I could ever even try to put into words. The girl in that 2007 picture was a GIANT mess. That was right before I moved to Chicago to kind of start over in a sense. I can still remember everything I felt then. I thank God every single day for all of the changes since then.

Being a health and fitness coach has been so much more for me than just helping people lose weight. I honestly don't even talk about weight much with people. I am just happy that I can help motivate people to live a healthier life. Because I know the difference and I NEVER want to go back.

2007. HOT.MESS.

2016. HAPPY.HEALTHY.

The most important things I've learned....

1. Surround yourself with people who respect you as you respect them. Know that you are worth way more than you give yourself credit for. Don't always give give give until you are empty. People should want to give back to you too. Real, honest, LOVE is possible.

2. Stress is the #1 worst thing for your body and mind.

3. The food and drink that you put into your body not only directly reflects the kind of health you have - but it also plays a super important role in your emotional health.

4. You can do anything you set your mind to. You don't have to follow a mold. You can make different choices. Ones that people don't understand. As long as you going in that direction with a pure heart, you go for it sister.

5. Sleep is key.

6. Physical exercise is a giant stress reliever. Feeling strong, releasing endorphins, taking care of my body has been so amazing over the last few years.

7. You can't fix everything. You can't make everyone happy. And more importantly - it's NOT your job.

8. The only reason you should ever look back - is to see how far you've come.

We all have our own story. And we have our own paths for a reason. To learn lessons, to help other people....we just have to use it for good!!

Currently I'm....

I saw a fellow blogger post one of these and I thought it would be fun!

Currently I'm....

Reading: Jab Jab Jab, Right Hook.

I commit to reading a little personal development of some sort every day because I think there are so many brilliant people out there who have shared their insights, successes, and failures and we can learn so much from each other. I'll do a post soon about all of my favorites so far. This one I'm reading currently is SO helpful. It's all about how to tell your story in a noisy social media world. Great content! I'm also super pumped because the author of this book is going to be at our Coach Summit in Nashville this year speaking to us.

Listening to: my girls play pretend. They are packing their bags and asking me where "Picksburgh" is. We pretend that each room is a different place. Sometimes my bedroom is Costco or the grocery store. They will head down to the basement with their suitcases and tell me they are going to Nashville. I love it when they use their imaginations. Can it stay like this forever? I don't want technology to take them over when they are older!

Thinking: that it would be so wonderful to look outside and see sunshine instead of gray and tons of snow. I know that it's all part of living in Michigan, but that doesn't mean I have to like winter. I just don't like it. If I was an avid ski or snowboarder, maybe it would be different. But I'm just a girl trying to drive through snow - praying I don't hit a patch of ice. Winter is a hard month because seasonal depression can be hard sometimes. I know tanning isn't good for you - but I'm kind of glad I have a membership this month so at least 1 time a week I can go shine my face in some bright light and pretend like I'm on a beach. Maybe when the girls graduate high school we can move to a warmer state. Or maybe we will just buy an RV and travel the country. I guess I better keep working hard on my big goals :)

Looking forward to: oh my word. You know how you always try to plan something to look forward to (especially in the winter) because it's just SO nice to have that countdown? I'm excited about so many things. In February, Chad and I are going to Florida for a long weekend to go stay with friends. I cannot wait! Then in March we are headed on an all-expenses paid cruise to Jamaica and Haiti. I won the trip through Beachbody...all for helping other people on their health journey. Pretty amazing, right? Bring on the bikini and frozen cocktails. :) Then in June we are heading on another cruise (the same exact boat oddly enough) with our whole family this time though! In July I'll be headed to Nashville for our annual Coach Summit and then in September I'll be headed back to Florida for a diamond retreat weekend held by my coach to reward us for all of our hard work. So I guess this year is the year of vacations and travel and I'm completely ok with that.

--> and as I go to finish this post, I just got done registered for a trip in April 2017 to Punta Cana that will be an all expenses paid trip to an amazing all inclusive resort. Seriously - I really don't know why everyone doesn't do this for a career. It's for real and it's amazing.

Drinking: coffee. because it's the morning. And I'm a Mom. Any other explanation? I do drink it black so that's a good thing. If I was a creamer lover, I would be in serious trouble.

Daydreaming about: the amazing spa treatment I'm going to buy for Chad and I on our cruise in March with the $$$ I earned for the trip. Massage and facial? I think yes.

Wanting: a personal chef. If I were a celebrity, this is the first thing I would take care of. I'd find the best chef in all the land and never have to worry about cooking or meal prep again.Oh and maybe do some deep cleaning of my house. Floorboards, bathrooms, windows - you hear me?

Feeling: regretful to signing the girls up for this swim class at the Y. Not impressed so far - but hoping it's just a fluke. Better head out though - class starts soon (if the teacher decides to show up on time today).

--> update: the instructor was not late. she didn't even show up. not cool Y. Thankfully the Director was there to teach the lesson since I called him after the last lesson. Thinking I'll just be going back to the swim nazi for lessons this summer for the girls. She was amazing! Stella was jumping in the deep end and swimming across the pool by the SECOND day!

Confused about: why we live here in the winter. sorry, I'm beating the whole winter thing like a dead horse. I'll stop complaining now.

Cafe Latte is Here!

So many times, I would want a coffee flavored shake - so I would add cold coffee to my chocolate shakeology. Then our dreams came true when we learned that Beachbody was coming out with a new flavor of Shakeology. Just released this month was Shakeology's newest flavor Cafe Latte! Can you say amen? Seriously is there a more coveted flavor out there? :)

I was able to test it out before it was released and it certainly did not disappoint in the least. It tasted like an amazing Starbucks drink without all of the nasty chemicals, sugars, and ginormous amount of calories that is included in those drinks.

This new flavor uses some revolutionary superfoods, incorporating so many things that we rarely see. One thing especially - the WHOLE coffee fruit.

So this new flavor uses the whole coffee fruit instead of just the bean which lowers the carbon footprint (which we all should care about)! It gives the Shakeology more of a coffee flavor but is full of dense superfood nutrition and doesn't have any artificial flavorings that most coffee type drinks out there do. The flavor is creamy, robust and not too bitter at all. Perfect for coffee and non-coffee drinkers alike.

What are the ingredients?
Nutrients to supply and fuel your body with proteins, probiotics, essential nutrients, minerals and fiber to combat hunger and most importantly to fill in the gaps of your nutrition. It gives you so much of the things that you aren't getting in every day elsewhere. You can see the nutrition label HERE.

Does Cafe Latte contain a lot of caffeine then?

No - it actually contains very little caffeine. It's the same amount you'll find in any other Shakeology flavor which is about 75% less than in a cup of your regular coffee.

What are the options to buy it?

You can buy a bag that has a 30 day supply, a box of 24 packets, OR you can choose our Barista Combo packet which comes with 8 packets of our regular chocolate, 8 packets of vanilla, and 8 packets of our new Cafe Latte flavor. This choice lets you get enough flavors to switch it up every day!

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Why do I drink Shakeology every day?

I have been drinking Shakeology since May of 2014. And I commit to drinking it every.single.day. Why? Because I truly believe that it has been instrumental in my health overhaul. I used to be sick all the time. I'm talking - ALL the time. Since I started drinking Shakeology, I can literally count on one hand how many times I've felt the least bit sick. 

I believe that fueling your body appropriately with the nutrients and vitamins that it needs then it is able to function the way it should and it can help fight off sickness much more easily.

Besides the main and obvious reason I just said - here are some other pretty good reasons I drink it every day.

• It is a SUPER quick and easy meal to make when you're busy and on the run. Perfect for Moms who are always running around like a chicken with their head cut off.
• I don't need to buy or take any additional vitamins, ever.
• My hair, nails, and skin have NEVER been healthier. 
• It tastes like dessert. Who doesn't love dessert for a meal? Come on.
• It is really filling and keeps you full for hours. Because it feeds your body appropriately! It helps with the urge to snack and helps keep you on track.
• Oh - and my little girls LOVE it! It's like a treat to them but little do they know it's actually a crazy healthy drink!

For less than $4 a day for an insanely healthy meal - this is worth the cost to me. There aren't many other healthy meals that contain superfoods, probiotics, vitamins and nutrients like this that cost less than that. And you know what is super expensive that most people don't think about before it happens? Healthcare costs! Doctor visits and medications - especially in the future. Those are expensive! So I choose to take care of my body now to avoid more of those costs later on! It's worth the investment. And we all have to eat anyway, right? 

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How do you get your hands on the new flavor? Email me or Message me on facebook so I can share my monthly incentives and get you hooked up!

Tanning Bed Thoughts

This post isn't going to have any cute pictures, because I just want to get my thoughts out.

So I was laying in the tanning bed this afternoon. I know, I know - it's bad for me and I shouldn't do it. Skin cancer and super fast aging.....I get it. I used to be obsessed with tanning. When I went to college at Western, I worked at a tanning salon and got all the free tanning my little heart desired. Over the past few years, I've cut down a TON - especially since there's never really a great time to go when you have kids. And in the last year, I've hardly tanned at all. But I do have a new found love for spray tans. So when I went to get a spray tan before my Pittsburgh trip, I could have either spent $42 for a spray tan or $40 for a new monthly membership that included a free tan. That was kind of a no brainer. So since I have a month, I might as well use it like once a week.

But anywho - I was laying in the tanning bed and I just so badly wanted to take a 12 minute nap. But per usual, my mind was racing about things. Ideas. Goals. How I can do things differently. How I can share in a better way. How I can reach more people. How I can help more people.

Then I started thinking about how much I want to share this coaching opportunity with as many people as possible because I know how it's changed my life. I know what has been possible for me in just a year and a half. And I want others to be able to feel like I do.

But I know that it's super scary for someone to even contemplate.

--> I don't want to be a salesperson.
--> I am too shy or I'm an introvert and just don't think I could put myself out there.
--> I am just too busy
--> I don't know enough people - I wouldn't be able to get anyone to sign up with me as their coach.

But seriously - every single coach, even the super successful top coaches had these same objections when they were first introduced to this coaching thing.

But you know what - they put the fears aside and they said why not. And so did I.

And what you learn is....you are the furthest thing from a salesperson. If I ever came across as "salesy" - I would want everyone and everyone to tell me that moment. Because I think that is icky and gross. I don't view this as selling fitness programs and Shakeology to make money and get rich.  I look at this as sharing what has worked for me and the several hundred of clients of mine who have completely changed their lives. I share myself in hopes that I can inspire other people. I know how scary it is to make changes in their lives and I just want to help them through that.

Most people might not think I'm shy or that there is no way I'm an introvert - but that is so not true. While I wouldn't consider myself "shy" in most situations...I am most certainly an introvert. Small talk makes me insides hurt. I get social anxiety. I feel happiest when I'm home and in my own environment and it exhausts me if we have too many social plans (which basically never happens, so that's awesome.

If I'm busy being social for too long - I seriously need to get home and be alone to recharge. Some people gain energy by being around a lot of people and socializing. I gain energy by being home and recharging my batteries.

But just because I might not be this huge social butterfly - and I'm not an insanely outgoing person....that doesn't matter. Because I do put myself out of my comfort zone and share my life and my journey because being a little uncomfortable is worth it to me if I can help just ONE person out there. I started this coaching journey with the hopes that I could help at least one other person. And I keep that mentality. I just want to keep helping ONE more and then ONE more.

Being busy. Ok guys - I'm pretty sure 99% of us can say "oh, I'm just so busy". Who isn't busy? Some of us are stay at home moms who are busy with our little kids all day. Some of us are working moms who have full time jobs and then come home and take care of the family. But when you want something bad enough, you find that time to do the things that matter to you. When my kids go to bed, I get my computer out and I get to work. Because I want this. Because I feel I was called to do this to help as many people as possible.

I had the same fear about not knowing enough people when I first started. I don't have this huge social network. I'm not an incredible social person with a big group of friends I hang out with. But I didn't let that deter me. I figured, I would just start where I was and grow as I went! The most successful coach in our entire business started her journey and she had 100 friends total on facebook. Now she is the #1 coach in the network for TWO years in a row.

But ok - so here is the thing. I am hosting my first ever LIVE Backstage Pass Into Coaching. It's Wednesday January 20th at 8:30. I have an event on Facebook. You can click here and join it.

You can be a fly on the way. Watch and learn. Or you can be interactive and ask any questions LIVE while we are there. After the event and the learning parts - we are going to do a live video call for anyone who wants to hop on and just chat and ask ANY questions you have. This is going to be laid back. I'm going to be sitting here with a glass of wine just chilling with all of you ladies.

Here is the link to the event - click and join! I hope to see you all there so I can share more of my journey with you and you can hear from other amazing women on my team!

I have a welcome video on there already - so at least go check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/events/926678360748144/

Super Weekend and Blowing Out of Comfort Zones

This past weekend I drove my vehicle full of some of my coaches with me to Pittsburgh for quite the incredible weekend. Thankfully the drive there wasn't horrible (like last year!) and we made the road trip fun with lots of good conversation. It was quite the change not seeing my little girls in their carseats and answering 500 questions every 10 minutes. So the change of pace with adult conversation was kind of nice for this work at home Mama.

My wonderful crew for the weekend!! These girls are the best <3

Friday night we attended a HUGE Super Friday event. Every quarter, coaches all around the United States hold these Super Friday or Super Saturday events where we talk about success stories from challengers, new and exciting things going on in the business, and have a chance to really connect with one another.

This particular Super Friday event was pretty special because it was hosted by Melanie Mitro, my upline coach, who also happens to be the #1 coach in the entire company for the SECOND year in a row!! Not only that, but our CEO Carl Daikeler and my favorite trainer, Autumn Calabrese also came. So it was kind of a big deal. :)

We learned about some exciting things that are coming up in the next few months and I can't wait to share those with all of my clients. Some great new things with our On Demand library and ways to access more programs digitially. New programs coming out soon, which I always get insanely excited about!! And then we learned more about our new flavor of Shakeology that was JUST released on January 11th - Cafe Latte! I cannot wait to get mine in the mail. We had a chance to try it that night and it was YUMMY.

We decided to skip the live workout afterwards because - well to be honest - 3 of us have a hard time being in a tight space with that many people and we were STARVING. So we decided to venture off to find some food instead. A girl's gotta eat, am I right?!?

Saturday morning is when the nerves started setting in. So let me tell you a little bit more about myself. I might seem super confident sometimes, but there are certain things that petrify me. One of those things is getting up in front of a ton of people. I talk faster than an auctioneer and I just don't EVER do stuff like this.

So when I was asked to be a presenter at our amazing Dream Team training, I had to jump at the chance. To have an opportunity like this is too good to pass up. The training was put together by Melanie Mitro and the other presenters were all Elite and multi-star diamonds.  I felt a little out of my league, I'll be honest. BUT - I had to throw that out of my mind. Because you know what? Just like I tell myself every day, there are people out there that can relate to me. And if I could possibly have something useful to share to help someone else, then I'm going to do it because I truly in my heart believe that I am called to do this. I have seen great success in my year and a half of building my business and I want to help others by sharing the things that have worked for me.

So I did it. I just went for it. My presentation was all about Consistency, Authenticity and building a business with Integrity. Topics that I feel are the reasons I have seen success and most importantly, topics that I'm SO comfortable talking about because they come straight from my heart. The entire 3 hour training was an incredible experience. The coaches on the panel had such great information to share and I learned so much! We are so blessed to be on this team filled with women who set out to help other people....just one person at a time. And I love that we are all in this together and that we focus on helping everyone to be successful.

The panel of presenters - all such incredible women!!

Saturday night, Melanie and Matt Mitro held a huge celebration party with drinks, amazing little desserts and snacks - but most importantly GREAT company. We had a blast and it was so fun to talk with people that I usually only work with through a computer screen. 

Here are some fun pics of the night....

Sunday morning we woke up bright and early at 5am to make the trek home. We knew the weather was going to be very bad so we were prepared. It was raining cats and dogs and SO dark, but we made it. It started off kind of rocky when we were going the wrong way down a highway (thanks for noticing Danielle), when we almost ran out of gas because there was NO gas station. Thankfully we found Arthur's Country Stop out in the middle of nowhere. But after 8.5 hours of driving, I was so thankful to be back home with my babies. Because as fun as exciting as all this stuff is - HOME is where my heart lives. My comfort bubble. My family is my whole life. They are the reason that I do EVERYTHING. 

Final thoughts about the weekend::::

I think back to this same weekend in 2014. I can't even tell you how anxious I was that weekend. I was so nervous and the amount of people made me feel so overwhelmed. I truly did feel different this time. That showed me how much I have grown in the last year. And not only was I less nervous and anxious - but I got on a stage and spoke to over 1,000 people. If that doesn't say growth, I don't know what does.

But you know what - if we don't go for our dreams and step outside of this bubble that is oh so comfortable, we never know what is possible. The comments and messages that I received after my talk were SO incredibly heart warming. I am so thankful to my coach Shannon and to Melanie for allowing me to be a part of this incredible opportunity!

Now to put everything into action. You can learn the best things but if you don't implement - it doesn't do much good.

So what is in store for the near future?

-->NEW coach trainings for my team.

-->I will be hosting a live video event sharing about my journey and how I got to this place with coaching and what it means to be a coach on WEDNESDAY January 20th at 8:30 pm. Everyone is welcome and I can't wait to share my passion and heart with all of you.

-->5 Day FREE Coach Sneak Peek starting MONDAY January 25th.

I'm looking to help 2 NEW COACHES every month. I want to work with those who want to dream big like me. I will give you all the tools you need, you just need to put your heart in and meet me half way. Now is the perfect time to join my team. Beachbody just announced the 2017 Success Club Trip and we will be going to an the Hard Rock All Inclusive Resort in Punta Cana!! Registration starts next week and you have to sign up right away! NEW COACHES are welcome too. You can earn your trip entirely for FREE. 

In just 58 days, Chad and I are headed on an all expenses paid CRUISE for 5 nights. I earned the entire trip in 3 months of coaching alone. Not only that, but I earned $1,000 spending cash for the cruise. So now we can get pampered with massages and do other fun activities on the boat without having to worry about spending a dime. Excited is an understatement.

This business is for real, guys. And I just want to share it with as many people as I possibly can because it has changed my life. Email me or message me on facebook to chat more - I'd LOVE to share more with you.

My Loyal Legends Team is filled with some amazing, inspirational, and super loyal women. And I couldn't be prouder of each and every one of them!! Big things are happening in 2016, ladies!

Stop The Resolution Madness

How many times have you told yourself this:::::

"After the holidays - starting in January, I really am going to do something. I'm going to start exercising and I'm going to start eating healthier."

You might make a plan in your head and you stick with it for maybe a week. And then the weekend rolls around and you go right back to putting it off and thinking of another "start date" in your head.

"I'll do it when I'm not so busy"
"I'll do it when life isn't so crazy"
"I'll do it when the kids are older and I have time for myself"

But I'm here to tell you - none of those things will ever happen. You'll never be less busy than you are right now because that's how our lives work. Things fill our time. We do things that are a priority to us. 

If you are a busy Mom like me - I can promise you, I understand all of the excuses that flood your brain. But I also know that when you make time for something. When you make time for YOU....amazing things happen.

In 2015 - I've been so blessed to help an incredible amount of people start their journey to living a healthy lifestyle. People come to me after they've been in my groups for a while and thank me for helping them believe in themselves. And once they started - they never wanted to stop because they felt more alive, energetic and amazing than they ever have.

And when you take care of yourself and you are healthy and feeling GOOD - you are able to love others and take care of them better too.

Why do so many people fail at their resolutions? A few reasons. Number one: because they lack support and accountability. This is the secret sauce to success. When you have a coach and a community of people with you on your journey, you are much more likely to succeed! Number two: most people just don't know where to start. They might get an expensive gym membership and walk or job on the treadmill for an hour and then think they are all set. They don't know how to change their nutrition! And nutrition is at least 80% of your results.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I want to invite you to join me on JANUARY 4th.

I'm going to be giving very individualized attention to TEN NEW CHALLENGERS. Once these spots are filled, the group will close.

What is included?

--> learn portion controlled & balanced nutrition
--> meal plans
--> 30-40 minute at home workouts
--> daily support and accountability
--> superfood nutrition
--> recipes
--> the ability to feel INCREDIBLE

What do you have to lose - besides the extra pounds you've been "resolving" to lose every January?

After you join my group and start your journey - it will become less and less about "weight" and more about how amazing you FEEL. When people start to ask you "wow, what are you doing - you look great and so happy and healthy".....that will mean more to you than any number on a scale.

A Year in Review

To say that 2015 passed by fast would be an understatement. We are always told that life keeps moving faster and faster the older you get, but I didn't think it could ever go this fast. Especially when you have kids. I swear they grow right before your eyes from one day to the next.

This year has been amazing and I just wanted to take some time to reflect on everything that's happened before I really gear up for what is to come in the New Year!! This was my first full year being a work at home Mommy and to say that it is a blessing doesn't even do it justice. Is it hard sometimes? Absolutely - what important things aren't hard? But being able to spend this quality time with my girls when they are so little is priceless to me. And to be able to build a successful business from home while doing that is the best of both worlds. Having my cake and eating it too. (using a yellow container of course).

--> Starting the year, I had been a coach for 6 months and in January was able to go to Pittsburg for a huge weekend. Super Friday event with our top coach Melanie Mitro, our CEO Carl Daikeler, and my fave trainer, Autumn Calabrese. This was my first time meeting Autumn and I was a little starstruck, I'm not going to lie. :)



The rest of the weekend included an awesome training from top leaders on the Dream Team and then a super fun party Saturday night that Melanie through to celebrate her being the top coach of 2014. It was so fun meeting so many of the people that I work with and follow online. I'm going back this January and I just might be speaking at the big Dream Team training this year!!! So excited to bring some of my team with me again too!

You see when I started this business of mine - I did it for fun. Something that could be mine. A vehicle for me to work on something that I'm passionate about all while being able to help other people. Never in my wildest dreams did I start with the vision that I could actually build a successful business, a great team of coaches, and be on my way to creating something truly amazing.

--> I finally had surgery on my torn meniscus and being out of commission for a little bit really taught me a lot. A lot of patience, and it made me realize how important rest is. I will forever listen to my body so much better since all of that happened. Not that I could have done anything about the meniscus - the surgeon said sometimes they are going to tear no matter what. But I went too long trying to ignore it because I just didn't want to believe something was really wrong. I definitely paid for it - but I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Now I'm feeling better than ever and back to my old self being able to work out pain free.

--> Jenna started 4th grade and Stella started 4 year old preschool and goes 3 days a week now. They both love school. Stella did her first ballet/tap class at the Y and it was so fun to watch her dance her little heart out. She wasn't super fond of the ballet - I think it might have been a little to slow for her. Jenna has been involved in tons. Piano, lots of swimming, soccer, and even just got a part in a play at her school. Vera Jane's birthday was a few months after the school cut off date, so she's still kickin it at home with Mommy all the time. She just turned 3 but she's going on 6. And she looks like it too. Her and Stella can wear the same shoes and she's already wearing 4T clothing.

--> In June Chad moved his business to a new location - so that was exciting and pretty time consuming. I'm so proud of him and how hard he works. So much of the time I don't know how he does it all because it just seems like so much to me. But he is one of the most patient and level headed people you'll ever meet. His employees are super blessed to have a boss like him.



--> In July I attended my first ever Coach Summit in Nashville TN! It was such a great experience and I can't wait to go back there in 2016. The training provided was phenomenal and all of the gatherings and parties weren't too shabby either. I got to meet TONS of our celebrity trainers and got to talk with Autumn 3 more times!! The company really does reward you for your hard work. I was also super excited (and nervous) because I was able to walk across the stage at our huge event for being a 1 Star Diamond. Even if it was hotter than scolding lava outside, it was an unforgettable experience!

Star Diamond Party

Laura and I heading off to the Success Club Party

Ok so I was a little excited about the "Star Diamond" part :)

Desire to Inspire Teams

-->I had some struggles dealing with some major anxiety that crept it's way back into my brain. This is something I've struggled with ALL of my life. Once I changed my lifestyle and really focused on being healthy, things got SO much better. For once in my life, I finally found something that helped me. And even though it definitely still does - the anxiety crept back in and it was overwhelming me so I sought out help and over 2 months after doing that, I feel like ME again. Positive, level......you know...just better.

It's not easy to share those struggles because there is a part of it that makes me feel like a failure...like I should just be able to get my shit together on my own and cut it out. But I know that's not the truth and that sometimes we just need a little bit of help. And if there's one important thing I've learned over the past few years....there is NOTHING wrong with asking for help. We all just need a little help sometimes, don't we?

-->In October our family had such a HUGE blessing. We were able to go on a Disney Cruise!! The girls had the time of their lives and we are so super thankful to Chad's parents for taking us on an unforgettable trip. Lots of swimming, tons of character hugs and autographs, plays and musicals, incredible food, great weather....just SO fun. Jenna got her entire head braided and kept them in until after Thanksgiving!!

And now all of the holidays have come and gone and 2016 is HERE.

I've started goal setting and dreaming and I am going to MAKE this next year the best year of my life. Why? Because I have the power to. So do you!! Our lives are as good as we make it. Nobody is responsible for our happiness. Crap will happen, it does to everyone. It's how we respond and react. It's how we learn and grow that determines what happens from there.

I'm working on my Dream Board for 2016 and will share that here when I'm done. If you don't put tangible goals down - you'll never reach them!! One of my big goals is to jump out of my comfort zone and speak at Super Saturday events and trainings and team calls. I'm going for it right away and speaking at our Big Dream Team training in Pittsburgh this coming Saturday. Wish me luck!!