Thriving once you have hit your weight loss goal

I have discovered over the last 2 years that my pursuit of better health and fitness has actually become more challenging since I hit my "goal weight." I put that in quotes because I actually didn't start my journey with a number in mind, but I know I am there because of how I feel at this weight verses being up or down a few more pounds.

In Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst, she states "Hitting your goal weight is a blessing entangled with a curse." She further explains that the curse is that false sense of freedom that we can just go back to all those things we gave up and turn back on the sacrifices we have made. We allow ourselves to "live it up" and celebrate our "victory" but it just ends up sending us back on the path to bad habits.

Why do we do this? What is it about hitting that goal that sets us back? As I was really trying to figure this out and while I was having many discussions with my best friend on this very topic, Lysa discussed it in Made to Crave (which we happened to be reading together at the time).

Once we hit our goal weight, we don't have that scale as in indication of how we are doing anymore. We don't have the excitement and gratification or reward of watching the numbers go down anymore. It isn't as fun to us once we get to that goal! When we stop having fun, we start to slip back!

Prior to becoming a Team Beachbody Coach, I would go through many cycles of doing a program, losing weight, getting stronger, feeling good, and then cycling back around to unhealthy habits, weight gain and feeling crummy.

I believe I have finally cracked the code on how to maintain AND continue to thrive once hitting my goals and I want to share it with you. My guess is you are either right there with me on this, or you will be if you keep at your journey long enough!

1. A Clear Why

You need to have a clear "why." You need to know why it is you want to lose weight and why it is you really want to get healthy. If you just want to lose weight to look good in a bikini, you might get there, but is that a strong enough reason to keep you there when temptations come flying at you?

You may initially start your journey because you know you need to lose a little weight, but you must really dig deep and peel back the layers to discover what you are really doing it for. If you why and want to are strong enough, you will have a far greater chance for success!

2. The Proper Support System

You need to have the right support system in place. You need to surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed and who will cheer you on when you need it, and help get you through the tough times when you are struggling.

I have the most amazing success partner and work with some amazing ladies in my groups. My success partner is there for me when I begin to struggle. She knows my "why and my want to" and is able to remind me of that when I struggle. She is able to speak to me and to my heart about what it is like if I give into temptation. She is there to help keep me motivated and moving forward on those days I just don't want to work out, eat right, or spend time in prayer. She, along with my groups are the accountability I need to keep pushing!

3. Changing things up and finding new goals

After I hit my initial goal and didn't have the satisfaction of watching the scale move anymore, I needed to set new goals to measure progress and change. I started looking at the weights I could use in my workouts, I started to count the increased number of repetitions and began measuring my flexibility.

I also mixed things up. I would complete a program and then throw a totally different kind of workout at myself to keep my body and mind challenged. I would go from a program that was almost entirely cardio in nature to one that was mostly lifting, to one that was mostly yoga/pilates, to ones that were combinations of all of the. I even threw in Dance type workouts to keep my body guessing and to challenge my mind and keep me humble!

Constantly doing different programs keeps me from getting bored and into "the same old routine," which keeps me looking forward to most days!

4. Finding the Spiritual Balance in the Journey

The most important part of my journey has been keeping Jesus right at the heart of it! I have found that without him, I don't have balance. Without Him, I don't have the discipline or the right want to. Without Him, I fall too easily into temptations and laziness.

Apart from Christ we can't be successful at anything that is truly important. Likewise, If we want to be strong in Christ, we MUST take our fitness and nutrition seriously. God cares about our health and wellness. He cares about our portion sizes and the foods we eat. He cares about our relationship with food and how we treat it.

If we want to be strong in Christ, we must work to be strong physically and nutritionally, and if we want to be strong physically and nutritionally, we must be strong in Christ!

Once this connection became crystal clear to me and became something I was very intentional with, EVERYTHING changed for me.

Is it time for you to get started? Is it time for you to find the right support system and group of people. I would love to CONNECT with you and chat more! Hit me up and let's CONNECT! 

7 Reasons To Complete a Fitness and Nutrition Program

I have had killer results and total body transformations with several of the Beachbody programs, but that is not the reason you should be doing and completing them. Here are my top 7 reasons that have nothing to do with the amazing results or how great you look when you are done!

1. Increased Mental and Emotional Well Being

When I began my pursuit of better heath and fitness, it was initially because I knew I needed to lose some weight, but it was also because I felt terrible about myself. I was having anxiety, some depression and was drinking too much. I felt myself starting to lose control and I didn’t like it. Working out helped clear my head while increasing endorphins and releasing extra serotonin in my brain. This was a beautiful cocktail that made me feel great!

2. Gain Confidence

While I was doing my first program I could feel myself gain confidence with each passing week. When I completed my first Beachbody program (p90x), I had a totally renewed confidence in myself. I knew that if I could do that, I could do anything I set out to. I found myself feeling better about myself and walking a little taller. This wasn’t because my body was changing, this confidence began before the physical results were even noticeable. There is something special about conquering things that are challenging.

3. Increased Discipline

Completing a program from start to finish takes an incredible amount of discipline. Each program comes with a calendar to follow, but it is up to you to actually follow it. There were MANY days I did not want to work out, or working out required me to get up at an awful hour in the morning (because I knew I couldn’t do it too late at night). There were also workouts within programs I didn’t particularly enjoy, but I did them anyway! As each program went on, I found myself being disciplined in other areas of my life as well! The discipline you gain by completing a program from start to finish will stay with you and will benefit you in many ways beyond the program!

4. Feel and Sleep Better

As my emotions were improving, my confidence was growing, and I was gaining new found discipline, I couldn’t help but feel better. Feeling better and sleeping better occurred for other reasons too. There is mounting research on the benefits of exercise on sleep, but without the science stuff, it just makes sense. You are getting your body into a routine of activity during the day. You are increasing your cardiovascular system allowing better oxygen flow which increases your ability to relax. Being happier, less stressed, increased oxygen to your system, and getting excess energy out of your body during the day is enough for me to believe that exercise leads to better sleep.

5. Supportive Community

Once I found the team Beachbody community, my fitness and nutrition elevated to a new level. Many people give up their pursuit too soon. Team Beachbody offers a community of support and accountability. When you feel like giving up too soon, you have the encouragement that may be just what you need to keep moving forward. Team Beachbody allows you to choose a coach or they assign you one. Your coach is someone who has already been successful with Beachbody programs or are just starting their journey like you. These coaches provide your support and accountability, conduct challenge groups for additional support, and can answer many questions you have or may encounter along the way. I have developed incredible friendships through this community of support that I never would have found without doing a Beachbody program!

6. Be the Example

You aren’t just setting an example for your family, but for others around you as well. I remember watching friends and acquaintances do these programs, or make good nutritional choices and it made me very aware of the things I was doing and not doing to take care of myself. When I saw others finish programs, I thought “why not me? I can do that.” When I saw friends starting to take control of their fitness and nutrition and saw all of the changes that were happening with them, it inspired me. You have the ability to do this for others. You can help change the course of someone else’s life. You have the opportunity to inspire and potentially save someones life!

7. Free Gear

I LOVE free stuff! When you complete a Beachbody program you can earn free gear! This gear is different than the shirts, shorts or socks you can purchase and are exclusively those who complete programs. All you have to do is submit your before and after photo along with your measurements and share a little bit about your journey. I wear my insanity shirt most Mondays when I am working from home. It is my reminder that I can do anything. It truly is a badge of honor and gives you a real sense of accomplishment. I know it sounds cheesy, but earning that t-shirt was added motivation for me to finish Insanity.

Adding physical activity to your life on a consistent basis will benefit you in so many ways, however, completing a set program from start to finish will benefit you even more!

*Not every program is meant for everyone, it is important to find the right fit for you. One that will push you, but not been too overwhelming that you give up. You want one that will fit into your schedule so you don’t have to shuffle around so much that you won’t do it. You need to find one that will keep you excited and looking forward to finishing it!

*If you are ready to start making positive changes in your life, LET'S CONNECT!

What Program Will Give me The BEST Results?

The question I get most often from people considering a fitness program is “What program will get me the best results?”

Who doesn’t want to know what program will get them the best results? I have done 13 Beachbody programs all the way through from start to finish, so I actually have some thoughts on this topic.

My honest answer is that it is going to be the program you actually do, but more importantly, it will be the one whose nutrition plan you stick with!  I did Insanity years ago and had good results, but didn’t follow the nutrition plan. Insanity is an extreme, high intensity, MAX interval training program that will allow you to burn up to 1000 calories in a workout.

Then in August of 2014, I did PiYo, a completely different kind of program that has very little to no impact at all.  This program utilizes  functional yoga/pilates type movements to help you lose weight and define all areas of your body with no weights or jumps.  

Both programs were 60 days, and neither program uses weights.  I found that my results were very similar.  Most people looking at the two programs side by side would probably guess that you would get far better results with Insanity, however, if you stick with the nutrition plan and drink Shakeology daily, you can achieve fantastic results with either.  

You don't need to do an extreme program to get extreme results!

You don’t need to beat up your body to get great results!

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not saying PiYo is a better program, what I am trying to say is that if you stick with the nutrition plan, and if you drink Shakeology daily, you will get great results, regardless of the program.  

I often wonder what my results could have been like had I been drinking Shakeology and eating properly during Insanity!

I started with the question “what program will get me the best results".  Well, if you don’t like a PiYo type program, don’t buy it!  If you are an adrenaline junkie and love the high intensity type workouts, then go for an Insanity type Max Interval program.

The Honest to goodness key to your results and your real transformation is going to happen in the kitchen. It is going to happen by following the plan that comes with your program and drinking your Shakeology daily.

I have had great results with every program I have done through Beachbody, when I have followed the nutrition plan and drank Shakeology.  The better my nutrition was, the better my results were, regardless of the kind of program I was doing.  I have done everything from straight cardio to intense wight lifting to pure dancing!

Why have I done so many programs?  I don’t like doing the same program over and over and over again.  Our bodies need a change every once in a while, but the biggest reason for me is that I start to get bored, I stop giving each workout the full effort it needs, and I find myself dreading it!  I also like doing different programs so I can give honest answers about those programs.  

When choosing your program think about the following questions:

• How much time do you have to fit in a workout?
• What is your current fitness level?
• What kinds of workouts do you like? 
• Do you need something with low or no impact, or with a good modifier?
• What are your goals?

Once you have thought about those things, we can figure out the best program for you to begin or continue your pursuit of better health and fitness!  There is literally a program and/or nutrition plan for everyone, the key is finding the right fit for you!  

LET'S CONNECT and get you going!

How Do I Choose a Health and Fitness Program?

We are being bombarded with information about our health and fitness and how important they are. We know that there is a shift in this direction by the emphasis the media is placing in this area and the way grocery stores and restaurants are marketing to us. Fast Food restaurants are offering “healthier” choices. Supermarkets are enhancing their organic food selection and are offering more variety. The fitness industry is booming as well with new programs, gyms and ways to workout!

With everything out there we can become overwhelmed. Sometimes there are so many choices that instead of picking something and trying, we don’t choose anything at all.

How do you pick the right program for you?

I have done several programs and various nutrition plans over the years. Some have been fantastic, some, not so much. I have achieved success and a lot of failure. Some of the failure was my own, some of it was the unrealistic expectations of the programs and plans I followed.

When choosing a program It is important that you look at it as a whole.

1.  Is there a nutrition plan?

You can’t outwork a bad diet. Is your fitness program paired with a nutrition plan? Is it a plan that you understand and can follow? More importantly, is it a plan that you can follow long term?

2. What kind of workouts do you enjoy?

It is important that you choose a workout that you will enjoy doing. If you choose something you hate, you won’t stick with it. If you are someone who does not enjoy cardio, you don’t want to pick a program that is primarily cardio. If you don’t like lifting weights, you won’t want a program that is all weightlifting.

3.  How much time are you willing to make?

Notice this question isn’t asking how much time do you have. Most of us don’t have time in our day, but we make time for things that are important and things that matter. Your health is important and needs to matter!

Beachbody has programs that are as short as 10 minutes! Most of us can’t make an hour in our day, but we can usually find a few blocks of 10 minutes, or even a 30 minutes chunk of time. 

4.  What kind of equipment and space do you have at home and are you willing to invest in any equipment?

Space and equipment are often concerns when looking to workout from home. Programs can range from no equipment to needing bands, chin up bars, benches or needing several different dumbbells. It is important to consider what you will need in order to fully participate in the program you choose. If you don’t have the equipment needed, are you willing to invest in it? If not, you will want to look at other options.

When it comes to figuring out space, most of us don’t have gyms in our home. Most of us don’t have spare rooms to use as workout space either. When looking to do a program from home, be sure to look at the amount of space you need. Many of the Beachbody programs can be done in your living room (you may need to slide a table out of the way). I have found the majority of programs I choose need a little more space than a yoga mat in order to fully do them!

5.  Do you have injuries or medical conditions you need to work around?

I have a knee injury that limits my running and jumping. When looking at programs it is important to look at the impact they will have on your body and figure out if your body can handle it. If you are looking at a program that is higher impact, you need to figure out if you can modify moves around your injuries and still benefit from the workout. If not, you will want to look at alternatives.

Beachbody has understood this and has added someone in their workouts who is doing a modified version of the movements. Some programs even offers a split screen view so the modifier is on the screen the entire time for you to follow.

One of the advantages to Beachbody programs is their money back guarantee! If for some reason you look at all these factors and find the program you selected isn’t what you thought it would be or you don’t like it for any reason, you can return it!

A few years ago I wanted to try something other than p90x (since I had already done that). I didn’t know what to consider and I didn’t reach out to my coach for help. I was intimidated by Insanity and came across Turbo Fire. This is an incredible High Tempo workout that many of my friends had phenomenal results with. When it arrived I threw in the first video and it was not a good fit for me. In this program you need to have a little bit of rhythm or like music and keeping a beat. I found I wasn’t doing movements properly so I wasn’t benefiting from them. I am also not big on music when I workout. If I was to try that program now, at a different point in my life, it might be a different story, but for that moment, it was all wrong for me.

I gave it a few days and then called and was able to return it with no problems! I made a better selection for me at that time and “crushed” it!

It is comforting to have that 30 day money back guarantee available. It helps to ease the mind when choosing a program. It makes it ok to make a mistake.

I would love to talk to you more about finding a program and connecting you with my next challenge group! 

LET'S CONNECT