Get fit and win CASH?

Want to win $500, $,5,000, $25,000 or $100,000?! Wanna get fit and healthy to boot?

The Beachbody Challenge kicks off on August 1st. All you have to do is sign up for a (FREE) account at www.teambeachbody.com, commit to get fit, and log your workouts. Every day you log your workouts, you're eligible for the $500.

You'll get support, have the chance to join or read forums on anything and everything you're interested in or struggling with, meet other people just like you or people to inspire you.

If you're already fit, submit your success story to win even more prizes!

For all your questions, see the attached FAQs and of course, let me know if you have any questions!

I've committed to get fit! Wanna join me?

Please let me know if you do join so we can work together and keep each other accountable :)

FAQs

Commit!

Get a team beachbody account!

Workout Mentality & the Demon Within

Hey! I just finished my fifth day of Turbo Fire. Wow. The class today was Fire 55 EZ class.
I am horrendously uncoordinated and unsexy when we "pump it" but I'm mostly able to keep the intensity up fairly consistently. Until tonight. About halfway through.

At about 35 minutes in, my mental demon joined me and helped my frustration to get the best of me. I almost quit then and there. If it wasn't for Sean, I probably would have and been more angry with myself than I am now.

Last week, I posted on my status of Facebook to: Think about how you'll feel after you workout BEFORE you work out" so that that feeling will help drive you to the finish line.

Well, what do you do when you're in the MIDDLE of a workout and you feel like you just can't make it. And I don't mean because I was too tired. I might have slowed down a bit, but my body wasn't done, just my mind. Sean told me to complete 15 more minutes, which I begrudgingly did, but with an attitude. And by the time those 15 minutes were up, there were only 15 minutes left including the cool down. So, I finished it.

I'm so glad I did, but I still have a lingering attitude about it. What is that? I just accomplished something really great, so why should I be so negative?

What's the solution? What do you do when you get to that point where your mind just says no more? Or, how have you trained yourself to not even get to that point?

I haven't ever done a very strenuous cardio workout like this one, mostly lower intensity stuff. But I get that way with everything. I would absolutely love input on this one! Help me to learn to conquer that lazy demon!

The End of an Era

Yes, I'm a Harry Potter fan...er, freak. Think about it. The first book was published in 1997. I was 11 years old! Harry and the gang have been part of my life for almost half of it, always with a book or upcoming movie to look forward to. But, no more.

Maybe you're not one to appreciate the fantasy fiction that is Harry Potter(weirdo), but when I read a book that is so well written that I feel like I know the characters personally, and that allows me to let myself believe a place like Hogwarts exists, I can't help but admire the skill. Say what you will about the genre, J.K. Rowling can write!

That's inspiring to me!

So, I bid adieu to my Hogwarts friends. At least until the next time I read the books :)

Have You Heard? : Child Obesity

Fat kids should be taken away from their parents, who are clearly abusing them, and put into foster homes for their own health.

At least, that's a claim one doctor is making. Doctor David Ludwig director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program at Children's Hospital in Boston. Ludwig's claim is that parents who enable/cause their children to become overweight or obese are practicing child abuse and should lose custody.
"He goes on to say that 'in severe cases of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable from a legal standpoint because of imminent health risks and the parents' chronic failure to address medical problems.' He says foster homes would be a last resort, but it's an option that should be kept on the table."

The question is, who should be the obesity police? Government? Doctors? Parents?
Say, you see a 150 pound 3rd grader. What is your reaction? Pity? Shock? Outrage? Now say you happen to know a hotline where you can report fat kids' parents. Would you call it? Even if you knew that it could potentially lead to those parents losing their own children?

I admit, the lack of nutrition and fitness education in America is sadly lacking. And again, that's one reason I'm part of Beachbody. Not only am I educating myself, but I'm learning how to reach out to other people. So i have to ask myself, is it abuse that these parents are inflicting or just simply miseducation. And what is to be done about it?

I'm rambling a bit because I don't know the answer and I haven't fully developed an opinion. When I think of my personal experience, I do wonder what could have been different. I've never been a skinny girl. Never obese, but overweight most of my life. It wasn't until high school when I started Weight Watchers that I got to a healthy weight. I don't hold blame on my parents for anything. I think they brought me up in a healthy environment that happened to be one in which cookies were involved. Often.  :)
As you know, my sweet tooth is intense. I think that came from growing up with lots of sugar. My parents exercise, not fanatically, but they stay in shape. In fact, they're all doing P90X now. YEAH, FAMILY! But I never got into sports or a lot of physical activity, unlike both my siblings.

The point is, I understand personally the effect one's childhood has on the rest of one's life. I do think it's unhealthy and sad to put kids in such a position so early in life that their very lives could be at risk and their chances of finding a healthy weight in the future much slimmer.

Education is the key, in my opinion. People need to know what they're putting into their bodies and what it does to them and especially what it does to kids' bodies that are still growing.

What do you think? Is foster care the answer? How can we educate parents to better their families nutrition? What's the culprit?

Click here for a link to this story in the LA Times.

TurboFire is Hot!

I just had a great workout! TurboFire arrived in the mail today and I quickly read through all the material including the nutrition plan and what to expect from the program.

I probably should have video taped me trying to do a choreographed dance-like workout for your enjoyment, but, unfortunately for you, I have some sense of shame :) The point is, however, that it's a rockin' workout and I was/am sweating unlike I have in awhile. Did I mention I did the "New to Class" workout? Not even the actual workout, but the one where Chalene breaks down the moves. It's not easy, let me tell ya.

Before I pass judgment one way or another, I'm going to give it a really good shot. I'm very excited to see where this takes me. Next step is working out the best way to incorporate P90X into a weekly routine.

I've taken my measurements, my before pictures and my weight. I'm ready to get busy!

Has anyone else used TurboFire? I'd like to hear your opinion and success stories!
 Goodnight!

Pullin' myself back up

Giving it my best shot. Scary, huh?

About two or three months ago Sean and I were doing P90X every day. Because of the wider door frames in our house, we weren't able to use either of our pull up bars that hook over the door frame edge so we bought the kind that goes in between.
That worked great (except that I still couldn't do any pull ups unassisted).

One night, as we were working out and it was his turn. I was in the background, cheering him on! Trying to channel Tony Horton and yell until he completed his goal! He was doing great and the next thing I knew, Sean was on the floor, on his back holding the pull up bar in his hands and looking stunned. Poor guy. I'm sure that felt great...

So we haven't had a pull up bar and therefore, we basically haven't been exercising. Lame, I know. But sometimes any excuse can seem like a good excuse.

Officially, as of tonight, Sean has taken away my last decent excuse. He literally created pull up bars outside (!) on our patio and even rigged a TV out there. So, really, he's taken two excuses away. I never workout outside and now I almost have to.

So! You all know what that means! P90X commences once again, starting tomorrow morning!! Chest and Back. Bring it!

In other news, we just got back from a family reunion. An uncle has written his memoirs of his time during WWII and we all had him autograph them for us. He felt like a celebrity, it was so cute.

Also, we celebrated Dante's birthday tonight with a squeaky mouse and wet cat food. He's sleeping it off now :)

Moment of Truth

Well, people, I weigh 155 pounds. That's more than I've ever weighed. Ever.

Now, I won't exactly call that a wake-up call because, well, I wasn't surprised. Disgusted, yes. But it's been creeping up for awhile now. I could give you all a litany of excuses, but I won't. Do you know why? Because I've discovered that it's actually a syndrome or a disease that I have. It's called Sitting-On-My-Butt-All-Day-And-Eating-Whatever-I-Want Syndrome Disease.
Can anyone relate? We should start a support group. OR we could do something about it! And that's what I've decided* to do.

*How many times have I decided to do this? Too many. It's time for a real, healthy change.
How do you like that asterisk action?

So, anyway, I'd like to gather some people around me who are experiencing similar weight gain, a plateau, or just want to get healthier or more fit. By the way, I know there are those of you that read my blog from Facebook but who aren't an official follower of my blog. I would love if you would all subscribe and join me in this conversation!

Also, as a head's up, I'm going to be issuing a fitness challenge very soon and anyone interested should get in on it! You'll need to be following to be in the know!

As you all know, I'm an Independent Beachbody Coach and I am because I believe in a company that wants to end the trend of obesity in the country. Starting with myself.

I just ordered TurboFire and expect it to arrive any day because I recognize the need in my life for more movement and specifically more cardio. I'm planning on developing some sort of hybrid between that and P90X so I can get some weight training in as well. I also have recently become more faithful with my Shakeology and honestly can say that I enjoy it more everyday. I already feel more energetic.

My request is that you talk to me about your own story, whether you're just starting, have a lifelong diet going on, or have already lost weight and feel great. I'd like to be surrounded by encouraging people and encourage where I can as well. We're in this together!
Even if you don't decide to follow me here, please refer me to people you know who might.

And finally, get yourself prepared for the fitness challenge, coming soon! If you need advice on a fitness program or supplements, I'm your girl! I hope some of you will join me!

Food

For those of you who have visited my house around dinner time, you've probably discovered my OBSESSION with new recipes. Yes, obsession. Anytime I find something yummy online, I print it and file it away in my giant binder full of other printed recipes. I have a cabinet overflowing with cookbooks. I love to hear about new cookbooks and I buy them as often as I can (though I prefer the free options online :)). When I come across intriguing food blogs, I follow them immediately.

Now, I bet you're wondering if I actually cook/bake the food from these many, many sources. Yes! I do! I won't say I've made it all. Hardly. In fact, I've probably made only a fraction of them, but it's not for lack of trying.

Most of them range from very healthy to to relatively healthy and a few that are not very good for you at all. What I've noticed is that I go through phases, weeks even, of brand new recipes for every meal. Then, there are times, like now, that I can hardly stand the thought of cooking anything.

It's then that I find myself in trouble.

When I get lazy, it means the house is full of quick-and-easy processed foods and a short supply of fruits and veggies. It also means that Husband does a lot of the cooking. Uh oh.

Hold on, don't get me wrong. He can cook some amazing dinners. In fact, if I've planned well, he'll make something healthy with the recipe I've chosen. However, when the plan has gone all to pieces, so does the healthfulness of this household.

I would love to know your own methods for staying on track! As well as any great recipes you would like to share! I'll find some of my favorites and post them later :)

For now, I'd like to highlight one of my favorite food blogs, Can You Stay for Dinner?. Take a look in the blogs-I'm-following list and check it out!