Goodbye Beachbody

Well, Ron and I decided to give up on the Beachbody thing. I've never been to good with sales and although the discount was very nice, we wont be buying anything for a while since we are on a extremely strict budget. I am still here, however, to answer any questions anyone might have and to post tips and encouragement.

My Business: Beachbody Coach

I am still looking for people who are ultra motivated to help themselves and others get fit. I love being able to help those who need help getting started with fitness and I love my Beachbody discount. Right now I am doing TurboFire and I love it.

Currently, I have 2 greenberry and 2 chocolate Shakeology, Plus the Shakeology workout that goes with them to the first 2 people that become a beachbody Coach or VIP Client. These will give you a head start on your fitness goals.

6 essential steps to help kick start successful weight loss and keep it off

Thousands of people start weight loss programs every day. A large majority of these people will not complete one week of the program, even fewer will succeed at successful and sustained weight loss. As a matter of fact, most studies show that even successful dieters will have regained all of their lost weight plus gained a few extra pounds within two years of successfully losing weight. There are six essential steps that will help you kick start weight loss and will help keep it off for life.

Motivation

The first most important component of any weight loss plan is motivation. Losing weight is 80% mental and only 20% physical, getting the mind right is the first step to success. This step of the process must occur regularly and is the glue keeping all other steps of the process in order. Motivation may start extrinsically, from some event coming up or to make a significant other happy, but continued motivation must come from within. Those who are successful do not stop living healthy shortly after the reunion they planned to attend is over. For those who do it solely to make their partner happy may find disappointment when dropping a few pounds does not change a troubled relationship. Those who are successful long term are not just trying to look good, they want to live healthy, for life! That, in and of itself, is their sole motivation. Do not worry, that kind of motivation will evolve with time.

Realistic goals

Establishing realistic and achievable goals, both long and short term goals must happen next. These goals should be detailed and written down. They may include future weight, clothing size, waist circumference, duration of exercise, mileage covered or changes in daily routines to promote health promotion. Most importantly they need a deadline. Place one simple goal only a few weeks out, followed by another, achievable goal a couple months out, and one long term goal. Keep in mind that as you progress it is expected that these goals may change. Not meeting a goal does not indicated failure, only the possible need for re-evaluation of the whole process. Remember, changing habits and reshaping your body takes time. Results will not be seen overnight or even obvious within weeks.

Design a Plan

A successful plan of action is the meat and bones to achieving the desired result. The plan needs to tackle weight loss from two equally important angles: Nutrition and Physical activity. These are the cornerstones to weight loss. The amount and type of calories consumed versus the amount and quality of daily activity accomplished each day, becomes an equation that result in either weight loss or weight gain. To break it down in to very simple terms, it takes a caloric deficit of 3500 calories to decrease one pound of weight. Therefore, a simple reduction in diet by 250 calories, plus the additional expenditure of 250 calories by exercise would result in a total deficit of 500 calories or 1 pound of weight loss per week. A more in depth calorie assessment can be done by searching the web for a BMR calculator to get a baseline, after which 250 calories should be deducted. It is important to note that safe weight loss is defined as losing only one to two pounds a week. A large drop in weight each week may lead to health problems, as well as, a tendency to regain weight loss long term. It is also not recommended to eliminate whole food groups from the diet, such as no fat, no carbohydrate diets. Remember, this is for life!

Perseverance

The mother of all F words: Failure is bound to happen at one point or another. When this happens perseverance is essential. Many people do not know how to deal with failure. They simply quit altogether, thinking their goal was unattainable or that they possess some fundamental flaw. That is simply not the case. Instead of giving up after a large unplanned meal, re-group and make the next meal healthier. A momentary shortfall is not an excuse for repeated cheating. Many people over eat during one meal and then discount the rest of the day as a cheat day. This can rack up more than a thousand calories toward a possible gain in weight, which results in a complete relapse into old unhealthy habits.

Accountability

Accountability is a great tool for keeping motivation and perseverance alive. Tell everyone you know your goals! Tell them and tell them again. You might not realize it, but others will begin to take notice and even follow your lead. It then becomes very hard to give up on your goals and possibly disappoint yourself and others. Another important part of accountability is to write down your planned meals and exercise for the day and then follow up each night by writing down everything you ate, totaling the calories and what exercises you did. This will help you see what direction you are headed for the week and what you can do to turn it around if things start to look downward.

Evaluation

There comes a point in every successful program when the results just are not what they used to be, weight loss plateaus and what used to work is no longer enough. This signals time to reevaluate the situation. Actually, evaluation should be occurring frequently, but especially now it is needed. Perhaps the types and quantities of calories will need to be adjusted or perhaps the frequency and duration of exercise may be the key. Playing with different routines and eating patterns will help you bust out of the plateau and help you continue on your path to your long term goals.

Motivation, goals, a successful plan, perseverance, accountability, and evaluation are essential components of long term successful weight loss. Those who have transformed their body and their lives to become fit and healthy follow these steps over and over until it becomes a habit, a lifestyle.

5 Smart Ways to Beat Cheating by South Beach Diet

Daily Dish

5 Smart Ways to Beat Cheating

Let’s face it: We all sometimes give in to temptations, especially when it comes to food. So if you cheat a little while following the South Beach Diet, does it mean you've failed? Not even close! Everyone is bound to have moments of weakness, and the good news is that you can get back on track easily. The simple fix? If your indulgences cause you to put on a few pounds or experience cravings, move back to Phase 1 for a little while, or simply cut back on carbs. Once you've lost the added weight and controlled your cravings, you can pick up where you left off.

If you find yourself cheating on a regular basis, try these tips to avoid temptation:

1. Skip the chip and cookie aisles at the grocery store and focus on the fresh foods around the perimeter.
2. Empty your cupboards and refrigerator of all the unhealthy foods that trigger your cravings.
3. When going out to eat, don't tease yourself by looking at the dessert menu. Instead, plan on eating a serving of sugar-free gelatin or a sugar-free Popsicle when you get home.
4. Always carry a healthy snack with you, like a reduced-fat cheese stick or a handful of nuts.
5. If someone gives you an indulgent present, like a box of chocolates or your favorite cookies, bring it into work, or give it to a neighbor or friend.

Motivation

Motivation to do just about anything is probably the hardest part of any plan. There are just plain ol' days where I just do not want to get out of bed, much less workout, study or do any sort of "work". There is an intrinsic value to motivation that no amount of someone else's soap box speech or "look what I did" is going to change. I don't really have an answer here. I'm not sure how to tell someone to do something they flat out don't want to do, because many days I feel the same way. A few things that do seem to help from time to time are:

1. Making a list of things I need to do and prioritizing them.

2. Scheduling out my day.

3. Following my schedule.

Doing these basic things is how I get through nursing school. I absolutely HATE research papers and the like, but they do eventually get done. I approach fitness in much the same way.

The next big thing is that whatever you do it needs to be fun. If your exercising, but its something you love, like a dance aerobics class or swimming, time goes by and it's over before you know it.

If no amount of what I am saying sounds remotely motivating, then perhaps right now isn't the right time. There maybe other more pressing issues at hand that need to be dealt with. I can tell you probably a good 20 or more things that would keep me from exercising if they came up (i.e the night before an exam that I wasn't comfortable with, the birth of a child, or death of a family member, stressing about life issues). I'm not saying abandon your goals, I am just saying if there is something so pressing that you can't get it out of your mind while exercising, take care of it and come back when things aren't so crazy.

But the biggest thing is coming back and starting over. Restart- It what I do ever Monday when I have over done the weekend. Hell, I say that I press my "restart" button a few times a week when I feel that I haven't done my best. I'm not giving up, I'm just going to try again later and do it better next time. Changing the way you eat and exercise isn't going to be something that happens over night. It's a step by step process; building blocks so to speak. And you have to find what works for you.

Shakeology Success

So, I have gone through just about all my samples. I really hope everyone loves these as much as I do. The chocolate ones still need to grow on me, but my husband loves them. I prefer the green ones still, I drink them with just water to keep my calories low. The more I read about the ingredients the more I am convinced that this isn't your ordinary protein drink or replacement meal. One great video to watch about what this shake is about is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeEsMx5yZ3Q . I am planning on getting some more, for myself because everyone took mine, and as additional samples. This time, however, I will have to reserve the samples for people who are seriously considering purchasing the drink. I am just glad it was such a hit. Look forward to hearing what people thought about them!

Beachbody Shakeology Candid Review

So if you look up reviews for the Shakeology drink by Beachbody on the internet, you are going to find reviews, like mine, that are done by Beachbody Coaches. So to get one thing out right from the start, there is obviously an agenda. However, I feel that it is my job as a Beacbody Coach to test the products I offer and then tell you what I truly think. The good and the bad. Then it is up to you to decide if its something you want to try.

I watched the Shakeology breakthrough video, I think you can find it on youtube by some guy called shakenate... (if your gonna buy it though please go to my site). Here you can watch the same video I watched that is put out by the company about all that went into the making of the shake and how much it would cost you (over $40 per meal) to add the same nutrients into a meal you create at home. It was a pretty interesting video, but I was still unsure about Shakeology.

I am a Myoplex girl. My step father use to drink myoplex like it was going out of style back when I was a kid. So I fell in love with the Chocolate Cream flavor, so Shakeology starting off, in my eyes, already had a lot to live up too. I get why it suppose to be better then myoplex, with ingredients like Ginko, Maca (which I had already looked into adding to myoplex last year but it was too expensive), and about 20 other interesting ingredents (Pea fiber, Spinach powder, Flax seed, Chia meal, Chlorelia, Hydrilla, Astragalus root, Wheat grass) to name a few, but if it tastes bad nobody will drink it so that was my number one important test.

My number 2 important test is can it act like a meal replacement. Does if fill you up?

Also I tried both flavors and made them the same way I make myoplex. Which is just milk and ice cubes. Now I must mention most people don't drink the shakes with just milk and ice. There are a slew of recipes for orange julius to reeses shakes on the website and can be found on the internet. But I didn't want to add all sorts of "make it taste good" before I gave this review.

So here we go:

Greenberry= 140 calories (just the powder)

Taste was presently surprising. I have to say that when I first saw a glass of green stuff that I am suppose to drink that contains weird stuff like spinach powder... I was scared. But it ended up being my favorite of the flavors when not adding any 'make it taste good'. It was a very light drink that went down easy, just sweet enough. Secondly, I feel full. So yay!

Chocolate= 140 calories (just the powder)

Taste was not great by itself. If you like dark chocolate you might love it. I, however, think myoplex tastes a bit better. However, most people that buy the chocolate are not using this as a weight loss meal replacement, but as a "gainer" and they add peanut butter and oatmeal and additional whey powder and other things. After adding peanut butter to it, it was 100% better. The drink is pretty thick with just milk and definitely makes you full. The protein in the chocolate is slightly higher at 17g VS Greenberry at 15 grams.

Bottom line: Is it worth $120 dollars a month for a 30 day supply? Well, obviously the biggest thing is does it fit in your budget. If you can't pay your basic bills, then buying this is probably not your biggest concern. If you can afford it but you are still worried about the price, look at it like this: Its $4 a meal. If you went to McDonald's you could probably get a meal for that price, but it's not going to be near the nutrition of this shake. It is by far the healthiest meal of the day if used right. Be careful what you add to it though, ice cream and peanut butter.... will make you gain (so only use if your goal is to gain). So if it replacing a major meal that you would normally spend about $4 then great! Also, if you want it cheaper become a coach and save a dollar per meal. Then its only $3 a meal and you cant really do better then that.

I will post a review later, after I have used the product for a few weeks, to let you know if it keeps cravings low, keeps me full, and helps me with my fitness goals. I will be using it most days to replace one meal or snack.

Challenge of the WEEK!

http://www.everydayhealth.com/my-calorie-counter-app.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthWomensHealth_20100706

Here is a site I found to download an app that looks pretty cool! You all will have to tell me if its a good one.

Today I want you to commit to a goal! You can write it here or on my Facebook page. But I want a small goal that you can commit too! Examples are: No going out to eat for one week, working out 3 times this week. Drinking 8 glasses of water everyday. Something! This is about being accountable. And then in one week share your experience on how it went.

Please guys, I can only make this fun if you all contribute.

Deal of the Week

"OH-SO-SWEET DEAL OF THE WEEK"

Free P90X shirt or Shakeology shirt when you:

Buy P90X Extreme Training Program

-0r-

Buy Shakeology Home Direct

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Become a Beachbody Coach

Plus Main Fitness will pay you $5 for each coach you sign up that becomes active!

Visit www.beachbodycoach.com/mainfitness for more info!!!!

Make sure you contact me with your shirt size and color preference.

Launch of a NEW WEBSITE!!!!!!!

The MAIN FITNESS website is up and running!

I am so excited, it looks really cool. I really wanted to add daily tips onto it, but until I figure out how, I am keeping this blog for dieting tips.

Tip of the Day: Dinning out can be tricky, especially this weekend with the 4th of July, so decide on a game plan prior to going out and eat before you feel extremely hungry.

Plyo X

Todays work out was intense. I found a few tips to get through Plyo X: 1. Take breaks, pause the DVD for a few extra seconds if needed during water breaks. 2. Don't drink to much water and suck on ice instead. I tricks your body into thinking it can do more by lowering your core temp and it makes you less likely to vomit after the workout. Yes.... Its that intense, especially if you actually "drink" water during the 30 second water breaks.

In addition to that I am excited to say that one of Ron's friend donated another $80 to Organization Autism Research!! Just have to work really hard to follow through on completing 26.2 miles Oct 17th! No problem right!!!

To donate too or learn more go to www.firstgiving.com/themainmama

Also find me on Facebook I have a new fitness page on there where I update frequently with tips on how to improve your workout or silly little comments and pictures to enlighten your day!

I'm just became a Beachbody Coach!

Just wanted to share the good news! I just became a Beachbody coach which means I get a great 25% discount on all the stuff I already use and love from beachbody.Plus, I get to help others with their fitness goals by directing them to the appropriate programs and supplements they need for success. I am really excited about this. Most of you that know me know that I am planning to run a marathon in October (BTW I am still in need of sponsors to support Organization Autism Research), but the last month of intense training really took a toll on me physically and emotionally. To say the least I burnt out. So 4 days off the wagon and I decided to become a beachbody coach and start the P90X program from the beginning while incorporating some runs as well. I also hope to do the Insanity program and Chalean Extreme. So if anyone wants to join me let me know. Or if your a fan of beachbody stuff too and want info on how to get a great discount let me know too.