Eating Better for your Health

12 Ways to Better Eating-Mental Approach

Lots of people are trying to eat better,... trim off some extra pounds gained over the holidays, or get beach-ready for a moment in the sun. Eating better is hard, and many people get frustrated, fall short or give up. Here are some key ways to make your eat better stick.

1. Set Goals: It starts by having clear and realistic goals. Write a list of things you want to change about your diet. Also incorporate goals that you may have regarding your body and plan your diet around those goals. I recommend setting present goals, short term, and long term goals. If you try and do everything all at once you can be overwhelmed and want to quit. Take it one goal at a time if need be, and one day at a time, this isn’t a race. You may also want to write reasons why you want to make a change in your eating habits. You might share your goals with others who will help you meet them. You can put your goals where others can see them “on the fridge, at work” to motivate you to work harder. This will also get others behind you and involved in your new routine. As you achieve your goals, check them off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and add excitement leading to your next goal.

2. Have Realistic expectations- Any diet plan needs to work with you and not against you. You need to be realistic when setting up the parameters of your new diet. Your plan needs to work for you and your situation. It needs to fit your schedule and your budget. If you don’t follow your budget, your cooking costs will get too high and you will have to withdraw from the diet you set up. If you don’t cook for your schedule and your eating times you will find yourself without food and scrambling to find a healthy choice. So be realistic with time, and give yourself extra time to prepare food, or have food pre-packed. Also know that obstacles can and will come into your path from time to time to derail you and your progress, so don’t think that everything will be easy and will just happen. This takes work.

3. Be Proactive - Make a list of healthy foods you enjoy, and what foods you can take with you to work, in the car, school, etc. You can create entire menus revolving around where you will be at what time of the day. Never give yourself an excuse to not have something available for you to eat, no matter where you are when you are supposed to have a meal. Always keep healthy foods on hand. If you don’t you will probably eat whatever is available at the time whether it be fast food, office treats, etc. This can throw off a diet plan and get you in the habit of making bad food choices and eat whatever is fast and convenient. Know where you will be at what time of the day, when you are open to cook, to eat, to shop for groceries, and plan accordingly. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

4. Consistency is key - Most people respond well to consistency. Make a plan and stick to it. Try to eat at around the same times daily and keep to the same portion size and caloric intake.. Your body will recognize this pattern and in turn keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels will stay high. You will feel better, and get in a healthy routine. It is easy to sabotage yourself by grabbing nasty snacks to meet uncontrolled cravings. The time you spend on planning and consistency is a true investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

5. Be flexible - Of course, even the best plans fall short at times. Life can sometimes get the best of all of us. Sometimes your eating routines need to change. Where you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand you can take with you when you’re in a rush or are eating out. Example: Bag of almonds, protein bars and shakes, fresh fruit. Also educate yourself on nutrition through the internet, books, and magazines. You can use this knowledge to help you improvise and find foods that are compatible with your diet, for example if you are out with friends or stuck with no time to cook. Find items that are less time consuming that you can take with you in a pinch.

6. Don’t be so hard on yourself -Nobody is perfect all the time. If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track. You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan. So don’t be so hard on yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!

7. Stick with your plan - It takes time to develop healthy behaviors. After about a month of eating better consistently, you will have developed a habit. You will find that everything you initially may have had a hard time doing becomes more effortless and be a normal part of your day to day life.

8. Have fun - Eating right takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. Don’t stress yourself out over small bumps in the road. You have the power to change any negative into a positive, and you have the choice to have a positive outlook regarding any situation you find yourself in. Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated. Get friends and family involved. Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier. Take the time to cook and try new and interesting recipes. You are making change for the better, so why not make it enjoyable.

9. Give yourself praise - You are not a dog so don’t reward yourself with treats. Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone. Just think how long you have had your current habits and know that changing those habits will not happen overnight, but with time. Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise. Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, and in turn help keep you on your path to betterment.

10. Don’t rush into this - People always start with the best of intentions and will try and do everything at once. They get overwhelmed and quit before they really even started. Small changes add up and can make a huge difference. Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it. Before you know it you will have many healthy habits that incorporate together to make a healthy lifestyle and a healthier and happier you.

11. Focus on the journey and not the destination - To live a healthy lifestyle is never easy. In order to enjoy this lifestyle with all the ups and downs, we must enjoy the process and the journey on the way to our destination. Once we hit our destination we immediately look to the next mountain top and we either want more, or worst case scenario we think that we have accomplished all we need to and we relax on all of the things that got us there in the first place. Take pride in small victories along the way, they add up.

12. Measure Success and Set New Goals: Making successful changes means measuring your progress towards your goals and recognizing your accomplishments. As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence. Constantly re-strategizing your goals takes long-term visualization. That long-term vision needs to be broken down into doable steps.

courtesy of Melanie Mitro at MelanieMitro.com

21 Day Fix and Beyond

So what now, where do we go from here?  It is time to get rolling and get people on track where they need to be with their weight loss.  I am so proud and happy to be able to see that people want to make a change in their life and take the step that they need to take to make a difference not only in their health, but also in taking care of their body.  Yes you can say that you will look amazing and you will be able to wear the sizes that you have always wanted to, but not only that it will spark something within you.  That something will be, that someone that has been hidden underneath all of the habits that have kept you feeling sad, fatigued, and unmotivated.   It is time to start getting people where they want to be.  I am so happy that I am working with my first group of challengers who decided to take that courageous step in their life to get back on track with their health.  

When I became a Beach body coach, like any new coach, in the business I wasn't sure that anyone would even care about what I was up to.  But my dedication to the program and my real interest in helping people has brought me to this point.  I now have my first group of people that want to make changes and have trusted me to help them through this process of being better in their own lives.  

As a coach I am dedicated to their journey as well as my own.  I have even decided to go a second round of the 21 Day Fix, but this time with a hybrid of the Brazilian Butt Lift to give my legs the appearance that I have always wanted.  Now please keep in mind that my entire life I have always had a very soft body without real muscle tone and I never knew why.  Now I understand the importance of strength training as a part of any fitness program, and will make sure that it is a major part of any program that I decide to try.  

The 21day fix will give me another opportunity to get more of the toning that I am after and then give me the time to get the new program coming out by Chalean Johnson that has gotten very great reviews and that is Piyo which will be released very soon.  Piyo is a program that combines flexibility, strength, and stretch all combined in one program.  Keeping our body guessing is very important and Piyo will give you the opportunity to combine Pilates, Cardio, and Yoga all into one program that will make you leaner and more flexible.  

So for the next 21 Day Fix round here is my workout schedule although I have reached my goal weight I will monitor where I am in terms of my weight and when I see that I am going down too much in weight I will go to the maintenance calorie mode which will allow me to still make good progress but not lose anymore weight.  The best part about reaching your weight loss goal is that you get to decide how to manage your progress and your eating habits.  You have control over your progress and you are no longer playing guessing games about what you're doing right or wrong on your fitness journey.

So here is the calendar that I have made for the month of June which starts tomorrow.  I know that it is a little much, but that is how I roll.  I love to push myself to new limits.  I realize that there are people that do more and do less, I am not trying to be better than anyone else.  I am simply pushing myself to new limits in hopes of achieving my own personal goals.  My only expectation is that anyone reading this is doing the same.  I am only in a competition with myself.  Till tomorrow loves nighty night!

21 Day Fix Day 20

So close to the end I can almost taste my reward of chocolate Shakeology with actual lactose free milk, a touch of peanut butter, a half cup of coffee, and a teaspoon of maple syrup, the real stuff that you get in Vermont.  That's right I had these grand ideas of what my reward would be after the fix was over, a fancy photo shoot, an expensive haircut perhaps, or maybe even a new wardrobe.  But then I came back down to earth and realized all I want is my Shakeology.  I have come to love it and I cannot have it for one more day.  That's right I am on the final fix and I am not allowed any sugar.  I have been so good on this program, that I cannot stop now.  I have to see it all the way to the end.

Today started out very good.  I got up on time did my hair, got ready for work as usual.  I did not forget my morning meditation because that is so important to me on the days that I have to work.  It makes me feel more centered and at peace.  There are so many health benefits to meditation, I wish more people would do it.  But for spiritual as well as health reasons I make it a point to meditate whenever I have time in the morning.  Now being on the three day fix they require you to eat every two hours.  I found it difficult with work to follow that schedule very strictly, I have to say it was not easy for me to do.  I did the best that I could and ate whenever possible.  At most there was an extra hour between meals.

Drinking water was also difficult for me today.  Life was just in the way and I had to drink as much as I could within the time that I could to not have terrible sleep in the evening, and not drink so much that if I had to leave the house I would not have a terrible urge to use the ladies room.  Water does run right through some people and sometimes it is not always so convenient especially on the weekend.  So I did the best I could drank about 3/4 of a gallon.  I did not beat myself up as usual, because I don't have time for that either, life is about doing better in the present than the day before.  My food was very good today although I ended up eating well into the evening which was expected since I was running around in the afternoon.  I ended up not eating one of my containers of vegetables, which I plan to eat tomorrow.  The reason my schedule was off was really because I had forgotten about an appointment that I had scheduled at 5:00 p.m. and I had completely forgotten.

My workouts got done today I had the Dirty 30 and Pilates which I love more and more every time I do it.  On the Dirty I used my heavier twenty pound weights for the rows, it was a struggle and I moved a little slower than usual but I got through it.  I did better today on triceps as well, the sting at the end was fantastic.  After I finished with my Pilates, I did an additional two sets of squats with my twenty pound weights which ended up being about thirty five total.

 All in all the day was a success.  Food preparation was done later on in the evening.  I am hoping that at some point I will be able to get into the habit of doing it earlier, but up till now it has been difficult.  The worst thing would be not to be prepared at all.  Having your meals pre-packed is the key to success on the program.  So for tomorrow's menu chicken breast, Mahi Mahi, broccoli, red bell pepper, my harmlessly doctored up sweet potatoes, steel cut oats, egg whites, coffee and another attempt at an entire gallon of water.

I looking for you if you have an interest in changing your life for the better and need that support system that is what I am here for.  My Challenge group for the 21 Day Fix will be starting on the 2nd of June and there is still time to get into that size smaller.  If you are ready for that commitment please fill out my online form.  I want to hear from you.  

21 Day Fix Day 18

Well I am so close to the end of this 21 day journey that I can almost smell it.  Today was a bit of an off day because I had an interview for a position that was advertised for management.  I ended up leaving because they were looking for full time while I explained that I needed part time hours.  I was a bit thrown off schedule because they ran late and therefore everything was behind my usual schedule.

My eating was excellent today and I was very happy to receive my new bag of Shakeology.  I very much prefer the chocolate flavor.  I enjoyed red bell peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, lean pork, lean beef, sweet potatoes, almonds, cheddar cheese, papaya, broccoli, coffee, and plenty of water.

My workouts were great I was able to finish both the Cardio Fix and the Pilates with full energy.  Getting to sleep in and get some extra rest was helpful to me to really give it my best effort.

Tonight I spent quite a bit of time preparing food for the next two days.  Since I am in the final stretch I have to eat protein and vegetables throughout the day with very little carbohydrates.  My night went mostly to cooking chicken, fish, broccoli, red bell peppers and now sweet potatoes which I had overlooked.  So they are boiling now.

I will be eating every two hours as well as doing my workout.  My concern is how I am going to plan it around work.  I am thinking of scheduling on calendar on my phone to alarm every two hours so that I will stay on track.  If that works tomorrow then I will be able to do it for the next three days.  I am hoping for the best.  As well as eating very specific things for tomorrow I am also required to drink a full gallon of water throughout the day.  This is a lot of water for me, but I am going to do my best to drink all that I am required to.  Since I cannot really get up very much when I am at work to use the restroom I will have to get my fill of water in the morning, and after I get home.

Wish me luck on my day!!

I am inviting you to join me on my Challenge group that I will be having on the second of June.  It will be a 21 Day Fix Challenge.  If you are interested please join me and we can get through this fix together.  Please fill out my online form.  

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21 Day Fix Day 13

What a day I am exhausted so I am going to make this one kind of brief.  I always try to be true to my word as much as possible.  A long time ago I have to admit I was terrible about keeping my commitments, and it had a price tag that came along with it.  Not only did I lose credibility with some people but I also did not feel good about myself.  I felt like a failure to say one thing and never do it.  Now we seem to be really busy these days, at least it always feels like I never really take a moment for myself to relax, but now I am going to get off to bed.  Before I go to bed though, I am going to write a bit about my day today because that was a commitment that I made to myself so I am keeping it.

Today was a great day I got my fair share of exercise, with the Dirty 30 after work.  After I headed over to my sister's house to celebrate her birthday with her.  On our agenda was a family workout session in which we did a round of High and Tight from the Brazilian Butt Lift videos, and my daughter and I did another 10 Minute Ab Fix workout to make sure we got everything covered.  It was great but now I am super exhausted.

My water intake and meals were very good although everyone else ate pretty healthy this evening I ate the food that I planned for myself and nothing else.  There was some pasta at the gathering but I passed, as well as the cupcakes.  After exercise the day was spent in the kitchen and visiting, I love that we can talk about fitness quite a bit.

Although I am extremely tired I still took the time to prep and pack my food because I never want to leave anything to chance.  I am pretty much eating the same thing that I ate yesterday so it didn't take much time to get that done.  All in all the day was another success.  Till tomorrow lovely people.

21 Day Fix Day 11

Day eleven and I am still in this all the way.  I am feeling better than ever and so happy with my results up to this point.  Today was a sleep in day so another late start to my day.  Sleeping in was great because felt very rested when I got up and there is nothing better than that.  I had plenty of water with my coffee, and another day drinking a smaller amount than normal (of coffee).

Today my eating was very good, I have to say that I am getting very used to not adding salt to my food.  I find that I can live without it.  The flavor of the food I am enjoying more and I am now realizing I was eating way too much of it before this program!  Alas I am cured of that need for salt, in fact, I did not eat any of my olives today so I will have to replace my orange container with something else tomorrow.

Pilates always catches me off guard because there are some exercises in there that are a little intense like the planks, and the leg exercises.  Ultimately though it is one of the active recovery workouts so it should be seen like a rest day.  Now on the program you workout three weeks straight, which I absolutely love, but some people may not be into that.

I got a lot of joy from my fruit today.  I added very sweet pineapple into one purple container and strawberries and blueberries into another.  Mixing the two was absolutely delicious, simple and satisfying.  For tomorrow's menu I am having some of the same but adding some papaya to the mix.  Papaya has so many health benefits that we eat it quite regularly here at home.

Foods for tomorrow are, 96% lean beef, broccoli, cucumbers in lemon juice, strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, cheddar cheese (very small amount) eggs, two slices of Ezekial flaxseed bread, water, coffee, and last but not least my shakeology.

I am loving this program so much it has brought me back to a positive place in my life. I am hoping I can help others get to this place it is amazing!

There is still time to get into my challenge group on the 26th of May if you are interested please fill out the online form I would love to have you!  

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21 Day Fix Day 9

Here I am at day nine! I am so happy to say that I am almost at the halfway mark of this program.  I can't believe that I have made it this far with the kind of discipline that I have been missing from my life for the last three years.  I knew it was in there somewhere and from the changes that I am beginning to see and feel I will get some great results.  I have posted a few pictures of myself, but my final pictures I will show at the end the way that they are supposed to.

So today was a little different because I did not get up at my usual time in the morning of 5:00 a.m. and start my day.  I got up this morning and got the kids breakfast and ready for school, but soon after I went right back to bed.  Today I had the day off from school and the day off from work so I finally had some time to really catch up on sleep that I felt I needed.  I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be rested.  The body needs to rest in order for the progress you are making to work.  So I got up at about 10:00 a.m. which really got me off to a late start.  I had my coffee and water, and then I grabbed a banana half and my Shakeology and took off to school to get my final grade and my project.

When I got home I got ready right away to do my workout, which today was the Upper Fix.  Now today I tried to lift a little heavier on some of the exercises, where last week I lifted fifteen pounds today I tried twenty pounds.  The reason I did was to push myself.  I got through one of the sets with the heavier weights but on the second set I went back to the lighter.  It's OK to switch out your weights if you are failing to complete the exercise the important thing for me was to get through.  Today's workout, and I don't think I mentioned it the last time, was a lot of floor work on abs, chest, and push ups.  It was just as tough as the last time and I didn't expect it to get any easier.  The most important thing is that I got through it.

Today I had scheduled the Extreme Abs workout from Chalean Extreme's videos but instead I decided to do the 10 Minute Ab Fix from the 21 day program that I was dying to try out.  It was pretty intense and I am glad I did it.  This workout was non-stop for the full ten minutes and we switched exercises every thirty seconds, so she really worked out all areas.

Eating today was on target again.  My meals consisted of 96% lean beef, yams, eggs, olives cheddar cheese, Shakeology, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, coffee, water and a banana.  Eating these kinds of clean foods are making a huge difference in the way that I have been feeling, and I am getting quite used to the smaller portions as well.  Up to this point I have completely left out salt from my diet and granted my foods can taste pretty bland at times but sacrifice will be a huge part of my success.  If I ever get a hankering for salt I definitely look forward to eating some green olives which are allowed on the eating plan.  My last comment is that I have gone the entire program without alcohol.  I am so happy that I have made it this far without it.  I will continue to push myself through without it.

On top of smashing my finger today in between my two fifteen pound weights and forgetting that I put my shakeology in the freezer too long, today was another great day!  I hope you will stay with me because tomorrow I want to share my story with you and how my life has gotten me to this point and on this journey.

I know that there are people out there that are thinking of starting a fitness journey or are thinking about changing your life with a healthier lifestyle.  It is a process and it takes time, commitment , even having some ups and downs on the way.  It's OK were human, and we make mistakes.  We fall down but we get back up.  If you want support, or a cheerleader, advice about nutrition, and a new fitness routine that works with your time and schedule don't be shy.  Please contact me and I will help you.  I am having a 21 Day Fix challenge group on the 26th of May and I would love to have you join.  Please fill out the online form and I will get back with you as soon as I can.  Thank you.

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21 Day Fix Day 8

So I have made it to day number eight and I am pretty excited.  I am getting off to a good start.  My workout today was the Total Body Cardio which is what I was supposed to do on the Monday that I started but I didn't look at my DVD's closely enough.  No biggie I got the workout done.  In my workout though I did find that I had to switch from my ten pound weights to my eight pound weights.  I really pushed myself very hard so I had to stop for a second two times altogether.  I didn't beat myself up I just kept going with it.  The worst thing that you can do is throw in the towel if you are getting tired.  The best thing to do is catch your breath and keep going.  My belief is that if you stop you will tell yourself it's OK to quit and you are only giving up on yourself.  Change takes hard work it takes getting out of your comfort zone and going against the grain.  If you never stop to tell yourself that you may always be stuck.

When I finished my 21 Day Fix workout I decided to add in High and Tight from the Brazilian Butt Lift DVD's I know I created a certain calendar of workouts but I wanted a little extra work on my legs.  The High and Tight in my opinion is the gold nugget of the Brazilian Butt Lift because it really targets those areas in a woman's legs that need to get the work.  For me, that workout goes by fairly quickly and I really enjoy it very much.  I could even do it twice but I don't want to overdo it.

After that I had my Shakeology midday again, with ice cold water and coffee.  It gave me the boost I needed to get through the afternoon.  Although I didn't really have any homework or anything because school is out I still had a busy day.  I found that I had food left over at the end of the day which for me is good and not so good.  The reason I thought it was good was because I am reassured I have enough to eat, but there is the factor of eating late in the day.  I made sure I ate just about everything, but the only thing that I had left was some shredded cheese.

So for my meals tomorrow I have 96% lean beef with garlic and pepper, yams, shredded cheese, eggs, olives, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, coffee, water and Shakeology.  Now this may seem like a boring meal plan, as I am typing it looks that way, but the great thing about prepping and packing your meals this way is that you can get creative with what you have available to eat.  For example, I will crack an egg over bell peppers and spinach that I have cooked slightly in the pan with my one teaspoon allowance of oil.  Have that freshly cooked with pepper is very tasty to me in the morning and filling till my next meal.  If it tastes bland you can add cheese from your allowance to spruce it up, so it's all about being creative.  When it comes to the kitchen I am far from that so if I can do it anybody can.

So put a fork in me I am done for the day.  I am ready to get some sleep.  Till tomorrow.  

There is still time to join my challenge group on the 26th of May if you would like to do the 21 Day fix in a private group with all the help and support to get you through I am here to help you.  There are some spots available and I would love to offer the support you need to succeed.  Please fill out the form below and I would be more than happy to contact you.  I am in this for all the right reasons and ready to help you succeed.

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21 Day Fix To Drink or not to Drink

OK so the weekend is here and yes it is a holiday as well, and typically I would be hitting up the local grocery store for a bottle of wine to relax and wind down the week.  I am going to be very real in this post because I have my thoughts about alcohol and weight loss.  Now before I go there to the deep personal stuff, I want to mention that on the 21 Day Fix program you are allowed alcohol three times a week if you choose.  That seems like a lot to some people and it sure seems generous to me, in fact if I were really attached to alcohol I would do the program just for that.  But the good news is I can let go of the idea of drinking for three weeks straight.  When I started the program I made a commitment to myself that I would stick to the plan for the entire three weeks.  So far I have been true to my word.  I couldn't be happier that my commitment to me is important this time around because in the past I have failed, gotten back up, and then failed again.

When I say failed, what I mean is I will start an exercise routine stick to it for a few days, then I will say to myself OK great job lets celebrate this weekend with some wine, or lets go have some drinks.  A few drinks may not be too bad, so I have a couple of glasses of wine big deal!  A margarita won't kill my progress right?  Well it's not really the drinks that kill my progress, it's what happens afterwords.  So I have been seduced by that second glass I am feeling pretty good, I am relaxed, on top of the world, and the next thing you know I am looking for food.  You see for me alcohol not only makes me feel good but it also makes me feel hungry.  Once the alcohol is in there I am doomed to ruin my progress by attacking the kitchen.

Hunger always hits me after I have had a few drinks.  It's at this point that I may look for something salty, then sweet then a little more salty then sweet.  I really don't think about the consequences in that moment.  I am a free bird, if you will, eating till my hearts delight.  So I guess it's safe to say it's not really the act of drinking that gets me in trouble it's what happens after.  A glass of wine only has usually 125 calories for 5 oz.  That's not really too bad for calories, but after the next glass and all of the food I have consumed it adds up.  Foods I have been known to go for are chips, chocolate, cheese, olives or anything that goes well with wine.

So I have decided that I can live without alcohol.  I don't really want to be anywhere near it.  I only have three weeks to really see some changes in my body and if you ask me it's not asking a lot.  I mean that much to myself to stay away from alcohol while I am doing my program.  I know myself, I know what I will do if I drink and I think I have worked too hard to sacrifice my progress for a couple of glasses of wine that will lead me to a disastrous night for sure.  So this Mother's Day holiday I will refrain from drinking and I am perfectly happy with that decision.  I feel that it's the best decision for me.

I am fortunate to be surrounded with like minded people and there will be no alcohol where I go to celebrate tomorrow.  We are committed to our fitness goals and want to succeed.  And come to think of it when I am done there will still be alcohol available for me to purchase.  It won't disappear from the earth while I am on my program and it will still be there when I am done.


21 Day Fix Challenge Group
May 26th 2014
Fill out the form if you are interested.

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21 Day Six Dirty 30

I've made it to day six successfully so far.  Up to this point I have stuck to the eating plan as strictly as possible, because I have no intention of self sabotage.  I have not had any added salt to any of my food just spices and herbs.  My determination is so strong that I am even drinking tons more water than yesterday.

For my meals I had cauliflower, free range ground turkey, half of a banana, an egg, a little bit of cheddar cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, coffee, water, mashed sweet potatoes, and my Shakeology.  I still have an egg, sweet potatoes, and half of a banana left and I am saving my banana for last.  Today I decided to have my shakeology midday because I needed to save it for when my sweet tooth hit me.  It was a great idea on my part because not only did it satisfy my need for something rich and sweet but it gave me the boost I needed to get through the afternoon.

Today was the dirty thirty workout, and let me tell you it was awesome.  It was really tough and as usual I was pleasantly surprised at how hard I had to work.  These workouts make me work very hard, and that is how change will come for me.  I am, at my age realizing through these programs that nothing in life comes easy and I am grateful that Calabrese is kicking my butt!  Better late than never I say.  In the dirty I used eight, ten, and fifteen pound weights.  We had quite a full body workout and I really enjoyed it.  I started the exercise after work which was at 12:45 p.m. but then I realized I wasn't going to finish it 15 minutes in because I had to take my daughter to an appointment.  So I stopped, went to the appointment and when I got home I started the workout from the beginning with the same intensity as the first time.  I didn't mind and I got through it, because I can't get enough of the exercise.  So I left it at that, I skipped Extreme Abs because I was already super hungry when I was done.

I am noticing more strength in my legs, and my shoulders.  I can see definition when I look in the mirror and I love what I see and how I feel.  Overall it has been a good day today.

Reminder:

May 26 2014
21 Day Fix Challenge Group
Fill out the online form if you are interested or want more information

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21 Day Fix Day Four

So I am still on track for the day.  Today was the Pilates Fix workout.  I really enjoyed the workout because although it was challenging, it wasn't strenuous in the sense that I was dying at the end.  It was a recovery workout, but I did feel like my body was challenged.  I was hoping to add an ab workout after but I had an interview to go to and I had to plan a few last minute things that did not allow me to do that today.  I am happy however that I kept my commitment to myself and got my workout done.

Food was on target I ate all of my meals before 7:00 p.m this evening and I am ready for bed.  I love that I got my meals in earlier I really do not like to eat very late, but you absolutely have to get all of your meals in on this plan, or any plan.  If you go under your nutritional plan you could hinder your progress and you don't want to do that.  Well at least I don't.  I also got my fair share of water, I made sure that I got in the amount I need for the day.  Water is the tough one for me but today I made it a priority.  Drinking 32 oz. first thing got the majority of it out of the way.

So here you can take a look at the schedule that I made out for myself for the 21 days.  I have the tendency to be a workout addict.  I love the way exercise makes me feel, it puts me in a great mood, boosts my confidence, and overall raises my self-esteem.  When I got my Brazilian Butt Lift program my friend and I started to incorporate the BBL workouts with the Chalean workouts.  One of the advantages of the Beach Body programs is that you can begin to mix and match workouts to create a program that works for you.  

Now Chalean Johnson advises that you can work your abs often because they recover quickly, so I added an ab workout to supplement my program in the first two weeks.  Because my caloric intake is less I decided not to add any additional cardio workouts for that time period because I want to stay as true to the program as possible.  In the last stretch you are allowed to supplement your workout with another one so I added two workouts per day from the 19th on to the 24th of the month.  The 25th will be just yoga.

I can handle the additional ab workout, I still feel soreness in my legs from the lower half workouts that I have done so far and I am quite happy about it.  

If you are interested in joining a 21 Day Fix Challenge group there is time for the 19th of May, I will be having a group and there will be others there to support you, as well as myself and Melanie Mitro.  Please feel free to contact me and fill out the application form.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.

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21 Day Fix Day 3

What a last couple of days! I always wonder how we can do so much in one day.  When the day is over I can look back and say WOW, you really did all of that?  Anyways today was day three of the 21 day fix program and today was lower fix.  Now I was completely amazed at how sore my legs were from the cardio fix, and the soreness lasted till today.  So if you are thinking about doing the program then keep that in mind.  The reason it got my attention is because I haven't been that sore doing the other programs.  I am not by any means complaining in fact just the opposite.  I was super ecstatic about being so sore simply because I know it has shocked my muscles.  Shocking the muscles means change and that's what you want.  Stretching for longer periods after the program is over helps, even a hot shower is soothing to those muscles, but I have to say I welcome the pains.

So much like my day on Monday I pretty much had to follow my same routine.  Monday's and Wednesday's for the last three months turned out to be very complex because of the way I scheduled my life drawing class in the evenings from 4:30 p.m to 7:20 p.m.  I also work a few hours in the morning so as you can imagine they are days of just running around everywhere.  Today I was thinking to myself it just can't be a good thing to have to run around so much because it gets in the way of the healthy habits you are trying to form, but life can't get in the way of health.

Again like my Monday I took portions of my meals on the go with me to work and school.  I had my shakeology for breakfast along with my coffee, and water.  My two main meals I ate at home and of course felt very satisfied.  It was my goal once again to stick to the plan and my determination got me through today.

The lower fix workout was really great, we had quite a few varieties of squats and lunges including weights.  I started today with ten and fifteen pound weights because I know that we have more strength in our legs and should be able to use heavier weights.  I would not advise though if you are trying the program for the first time to use very heavy weights simply because you have to figure out what you can handle.  Starting out with no weights or even five pound weights will get you a fantastic workout, just be sure to write it down for the next time, consistency is the key to your success on any strength training program.  I love that before you know it the program is done.  All of the workouts are thirty minutes long.

So today I feel more tired than normal all of the running around gets to me after a while so tomorrow I get to rest.  I am giving myself the gift of sleep because it is so important to your weight loss program.  Today was the last day of class and school is officially done for me.  Sleep is the next thing on the agenda.

There is a fitness challenge group on the 19th of May if you would like to try the 21 day fix and have full support from myself as your coach and a ton of amazing people please email me at lulu_love13@yahoo.com or find me on Facebook (Lucia Perez).

Till tomorrow, sweet dreams.

21 Day Fix Playing Catch Up

So I am happy to report that yesterday (5/6/14) was my last day of my graphic design class, and although I have been feeling as though I could use more rest I still did my workout.  Yesterday was the upper fix workout that I have to say was quite intense.  I really feel that I got my money's worth for thirty minutes.  The weights I used were eight pounds as my light weights, and ten to fifteen pounds as my heavier weights.  Now if you're thinking of starting the program and you are not used to using weights by all means start with three to five pound weights.  Your strength will build eventually and you will be able to go up in weight.  Since I have been working with weights since January, I started out with much heavier weights and was able to get through the full thirty minutes with no real problems.  Remember, if you are starting a program it's important to write down what weights you are using because if you don't you may not remember what you used.  Now I am sure some people have great memory and thats great, but I don't.  I never, ever wrote my weights down or my reps till I started with Chalean Extreme, and boy was it a waste of time.

I am glad that in the Chalean program I got very disciplined about writing my weights down and it really paid off.  I am definately stronger than I was before.  I am hoping to really push myself with this new program because I think it will really tone me up.

Eating yesterday was very good, I was very much able to get through the day feeling as though I got plenty to eat.  I made sure to pre-pack my meals for the next day and had them all sectioned off in a storage container so that I could just grab and go, or grab and microwave.  I typically don't care to use the microwave but when you are coming and going you have got to plan to make your meals easier to deal with.  I have had so much success and discipline eating the food I have laid out for myself that I expect to see the results that I want.  Discipline is very important with this plan, it may be easy to try to eyeball your serving amounts at first but you may get the proportions wrong and at the end may wonder where you went wrong.  I promised myself that I would stick to the plan no matter what.

Water consumption was overall very good I did drink as the program recommends half of your body weight in ounces.  Now I have to admit I am not a huge water fan, after all it can get pretty boring, but for the sake of the program and overall health it's super important to prioritize your water.  Now what I love is that they give you several creative options to drinking your water.  Frozen strawberries to your water is one fantastic example.

Overall my day ended well! If you think you would like to join me on my fitness journey with help and support for you while on the 21 Day Fix program we are having a challenge group on the 19th of May, and I would love to have you join.  I am loving this program so far and would love to give you guidance.  Please email me at lulu_love13@yahoo.com, or facebook me Lucia Perez,.

21 Day Fix Day Two

I am excited to report on my first day of the 21 day fix.  Ideally I would have liked to report yesterday, but I was swamped the entire day with things to do.  From the moment I woke up, to the time I went to bed I was doing something.  It was very helpful to pre-pack all of my meals in their containers so that my meals were all ready for the next day.  

I took some time to prep all of my meals on Sunday night and measured everything in the colored containers and then transferred them to Glad food storage containers with lids.  What I loved about doing this is that I didn't have to hassle with it the next day and it was one less thing that I had to do.  My day consists of cooking meals for the kids, working out, school, and my job plus my own meals on top of that.  So this was great.

My day went as follows:

6:00 a.m. breakfast: water, coffee and Shakeology (at home)

9:00 a.m. snack: papaya, water (at work)

10:00 a.m. snack: protein portion (at work on 15 min break)

11:00 a.m. snack: cherry tomatoes (at work)

12:30 p.m. work out Cardio Fix, water (at home)

1:40 p.m. meal: protein portion, sweet potatoes, and avacado, water (at home)

4:00 p.m. snack: beets in lemon juice (at school)

7:00 p.m. protein, sweet potato, cucumbers (at home)

7:15 p.m. snack: papaya (at home)

Now normally I would not eat this late but my day was super hectic and I was trying to do my best to satisfy my hunger throughout the day with my required portions of food.  Where I work I have to sit in one place for periods at a time without leaving so I plan to take snacks that don't need refrigeration and that I can eat slowly so that they will last me.  Having a busy schedule requires me to adapt to situations that may seem difficult but I always manage to do my best and figure out a plan that works for me.  

I have to also mention that when I sat down for an actual meal I was very happy that the portion that I ate was very satisfying. I was very concerned that I would not have enough to eat.  As it turns out the portion sizes were perfect.  I even had food left over at the end of the day that I was reluctant to eat because of the time I ate it.  I ate it anyways because I absolutely did not want to go under my required calories for the day.  So I have to say I was very happy about that.  

Now my Cardio Fix workout was the first workout for the 21 day fix program, and let me tell you it kicked my butt! I really wasn't expecting it because when I looked at the program it was said to be for beginners. Now the modifications are very simplified so I think that anyone can do this workout.  I always tell myself "if you can't do it then do the modification" and work your way towards the advanced moves.  There is absolutely no shame in that, at least not for me, after all I am doing this for me.  But overall I was pleasantly surprised at how sweaty I got.  I definitely feel I got my money's worth, in fact my legs are very sore this morning.  

I almost forgot to mention that I created a workout calendar on the computer and I added a supplemental workout to my workout plan.  I added an additional ab workout from both Chalean Extreme and Brazilian Butt Lift's workout video to give my abs an extra kick.  I will post that later.

Today is another hectic day, but I am happy to report it is the last day of class and I will have one less thing to focus on from today forward.  It's nice not to be spread too thin, because it gives you more time to take care of you!! I hope this helps...Have a great day everyone.

21 Day Fix Starts Today

So I it was my goal to try to post my pre-21 Day Fix preparation but I will have to write about it even though today I start  the program.  I spent the weekend shopping, as well as working on final projects for school.  I am currently a student at the University of Texas at El Paso and I am studying Graphic Design for a second degree.  So having to work, finish up school projects, and really focus on my business is time consuming.  Not to mention I am raising two beautiful teenage girls as well on my own.  Luckily, the semester is over on Wednesday and I can really have one less thing to focus on.  

So I spent the last week just mentally preparing myself for the fact that I was going to be eating only certain portions a day from certain lists of food.  I will admit I was feeling anxious about whether or not I was going to get enough food to eat.  I was also worried that my food would not have flavor since I can't really use salt, and lets admit it we all know or maybe should know that salt consumption makes our bodies retain water.  I know this for a fact because I used to do cleanses and would leave out salt altogether for weeks and always saw major results.  But as I have gotten older I find that I am more stubborn and that tendency has gotten me into trouble.  It's an unwillingness to commit or compromise.  I would think that the easy way would still get me results.  Well joke was on me, I made a decision last year towards the end that I was going to make major changes this next year of 2014.  I knew that I wasn't going anywhere in my life the way it was with my health, career, and lifestyle.

I made a New Year's Resolution for the first time and on that list I had this:

9. Work on toning your body the way you've always wanted to.  And make a commitment to seeing it through.

Now please don't misunderstand my lifestyle wasn't too extreme, like a party animal or anything, because I am raising two children and I have to be my best for them.  I just wasn't giving 100% to anything and it showed.  So towards the end of last year around November I started to exercise more.  I would run at the local high school track, I even started to jump rope (great for calorie burn), and started doing leg exercises in the morning.  My problem was that I just didn't have a clear plan or direction with it.  my resistance training was unguided and I realized that I needed to be taught what to do.  

So it was my good friend who told me about Chalean Extreme and challenged me to do her program for the next 90 days.  It was just what I needed, and basically the answer to my inner prayer for guidance.  God works in mysterious ways, he has his little angels all around doing his good work.  That was the beginning of the journey that has brought me here today.  So I decided to really search for that inner will power that I had been missing from my life for the longest time, and I finally pulled it out for this challenge.  I told myself that I would really make a commitment to this program because I want to see it work for me.  I want to see results and everyday I want to feel great!  I deserve it and I have to take care of me!

Today is my first day and I am off to a great start.  I've had my water, shakeology for breakfast, and all meals prepared!  Time to get ready for work, and after I will do my first workout... Have a great day!! Amores!

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21 Day Fix

OK so I should be receiving my 21 Day Fix challenge pack today.  I am hoping that there won't be any delays with my package.  I am going to commit to this program and I am super stoked about what my results are going to be.

I am a work in progress and I still need to get those few extra pounds off, but I have been working my fitness since mid January and I have lost inches and a few pounds.  When I started my fitness journey I was 132 pounds, and already doing regular cardio.  I did not however, have a structured fitness program until I started Chalean Extreme on the 13th of January.  I was also not going to get a new gym membership because I felt it was a waste of my money and time, since you really do need a trainer to get results.  Chalean Extreme was all done for me.  Oh I failed to mention as my friend and I got half way through the Chalean program we decided to add in Brazilian Butt Lift workouts to our routine for variety.  We wanted to do more leg work as well as build strength.  Busy mom slash student slash employed I just did not have the time for that.

As a result of Chalean Extreme and Brazilian Butt Lift combination I lost:

Thighs 2 inches

Arms  1 1/1 inches

Waist  2 inches

Hips   2 inches

Bust   1/2 inch

Weight loss 4 pounds

Now Sadly I have a teenage daughter with a camera that uses the same card as my little digital camera so my day one pics are gone forever because she somehow managed to delete them.  That made me really sad because even I can't tell what a huge difference I made in my progress.  So if you have a teen in your home and likes to get into your stuff be sure to keep your day one pictures safe.  At least, I have another starting point for my 21 Day Fix challenge that I am very much looking forward to!!

I will be having a challenge group on the 12th of May if you would like to participate please feel free to contact me via email, or Facebook, or my coaching site!  I would love to see you reach your fitness goals for the summer!! It is a 60 day challenge so you will definitely feel great and see results.  I will be working along side Melanie Mitro on this challenge!! So come and join me!!

Contact Lucia Perez

949-272-6878

lulu_love13@yahoo.com 

please put in the subject line: May 12 Challenge Group

The Potential Workout Slump

So I have days where I am not in the mood to workout, today happened to be one of those.  I think everybody has days like that lets admit it!! I am grateful for my daughter Gloria who also has a love for exercise like me.  Today after we saw that winds were too strong with dust I asked my daughter if she wanted to work out and she agreed.  The Bum Bum workout from the Brazilian Butt Lift series really kicked our butt and we loved it!  If you are feeling like your in a slump get a hold of someone who can push you along.  Make sure that this person gives you 100% support and encouragement.  If you know the people in your life will do everything but that then you need a coach, and that's me!! If you need support please click on the right hand side for my contact information...If not make sure you are surrounded with people with a "you can do it" attitude!!! Happy Workout!!!

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