What holds you back?

Have you ever used the phrase,

"I can't do that, I am only a ____/ just a _____" (fill in the blank). 

How about,

"I am too busy, I don't have enough time". 

Or,

"I don't think I could do that, I have never tried before".

You are ONLY what you limit yourself to be.  Think back to when you were young and you wanted to be a doctor, a ballerina, an astronaut... Did you become one?  If you did congratulations, if not, what stopped you?  Did someone tell you that it wasn't possible?  Did you realize it was going to take too much work to get there?  Did you not think you could do it?

It might be too late to become a ballerina or an astronaut but it is not too late to change direction in life towards something that you have a passion for.  Set some goals, make a plan and take steps to get there... ANYTHING is POSSIBLE if you SET YOUR MIND to it!!! 

Too busy?  We all have the same number of hours in a day, it is just how you use them.  Sit down with a calendar and work out the things that are necessities like sleeping, eating, working, looking after and spending time with your children, etc.  Then calculate what is left... I'm betting it is more than you expected.  What do you want to do with that time?  Figure it out and schedule it in!  If you don't have a calendar then GET ONE!  Scheduling your days in the calendar may seem like a lot of work but it will actually end up saving you time and making sure you don't forget important events!  (side note: there ARE truly people that don't have enough hours in the day and are scheduled and efficient... if this is you think about prioritizing your "to do's" and cutting out what ISN'T important)

You can never succeed if never give it a chance.  Even more, you can try and fail but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try again.  Failure is part of learning.  It teaches us what NOT to do next time.  The definition of Insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  Go out and learn something new, take the challenge and see what happens.  If you fall down, brush yourself off and try again!

So, what IS holding you back?  Have you looked in the mirror?  Whether it is fitness, nutrition, career, volunteer work, adventure, family, relationships, whatever, you need to realize that your opportunities are limitless.  Remember your dreams, make new dreams, make a plan of attack and then figure out how to get it accomplished!  You can be your biggest roadblock but you can also light your own fire to push forward... which will it be?

With every step you take, decision you make, or road block you set, you are a mentor.  Remember that when you limit yourself and equally when you push yourself a little bit harder.  Your child, your friend, you sister, your nephew... they are all watching and learning.  Show them what is important!

Want some inspiration?  Watch this video by Live Unbound

Life is too short NOT to be healthy!!!

Exercise is hard work!  Lots of things are hard work!  Exercise though is imperative to good health and longevity!  The bright side... exercise can be fun!  You just need to find the exercise that you enjoy!
Anything that moves your body, offers some resistance, raises your heart rate... work a little harder and longer at it and you can register it as a workout! Gardening, mowing, dancing, even dog walks!  Calorie burning is calorie burning!  Some people do fancy workouts at the gym, some use DVDs, some play their Wii... you just need to find something, or a combo of things that work for you and DO IT!!!!

The other important detail is calories!  Life is too short NOT to enjoy that cupcake and that glass of wine... yes and no!  Totally depriving yourself can be a pathway to disaster and uncontrollable splurging!  BUT moderation, limiting and setting yourself up for success is vital to making any forward progress!  If you don't say no to the occasional treat or the daily glass of wine at times, chances are you are never going to burn more calories than you take in and you won't see any changes on that scale!  I bet you don't even know how many calories you eat on a daily basis!  and I bet it is more than you would guess!!!

My favorite tools for losing a few pounds:

• Get an accountability buddy!  If you have someone, or a group of people, who you workout with, talk about your workouts with or just keep up with on FB, you are setting yourself up for success!  You are less likely to give up if you have a friend rooting for you or even better... depending on you :)
• Food journaling.  If you write down every bite you put into your mouth, you are going to rethink that little candy bar from the Halloween bucket and that half of a PB&J sandwich your kid didn't finish!  Just the idea of writing it down can be a diet assistant ;)
• Set yourself up for success! If there is a food that you just cannot pass up... don't go near it!  Do NOT buy it for your kids and plan to not have any... we all have our weak moments so why risk the temptation. Surely your kids like some things that you aren't crazy about... so get those instead!
• Eat breakfast!  Studies show that people who eat a healthy meal early in the day set themselves up for success.  You are less likely to grab something unhealthy on the run or at the coffee shop and you will have more energy!
• Schedule your workouts so they are non negotiable!  Just like a doctor or dentist appointment!!!  Also, if you plan them for first thing in the morning you are less likely to get too busy!!!
• Find workouts that you enjoy!  If you like to Dance, try Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam or TurboFire; if you are hard core you will LOVE Insanity; if you want to get ripped, how about P90X or P90X2; limited for time, try 10 Minute Trainer; if you are just starting out and want to work your way in, try Slim in 6, Power 90, ChaLEAN Extreme plus many more!

I have a Fitness Challenge under way with workouts, Shakeology and meal planning.  I also have an accountability group so you can benefit from the momentum of others and share your own story!  I would love to help you reach your fitness goals... you just need to take the first step and decide to go for it!!!

Learn more about the Challenge here:

Does Shakeology really help Cholesterol levels?

I have finally had my blood work analyzed post Shakeology.  I have been drinking Shakeology regularly for 18 months, but exercising and improving my nutrition for 4 1/2 years.
I searched through my old health records and found some blood work from 9 years ago.  This was before children, and 3 years into my marriage.  I rode my bike, occasionally went to the gym and jogged on the treadmill and lifted a few weights.  200 pounds
The next set of results are from 2 years ago.  2 1/2 years into regular exercise.  175 pounds.
Final set - current.  172 pounds!

	2002	2009	2011
Triglycerides	78	52	35
Total Cholesterol	202	174	156
HDL (good)	78	77	76
LDL (bad)	108	87	73
ratio	1.3	2.3	2.1
weight	200	175	172
Age	28	35	37

My triglycerides, total Cholesterol, LDL levels are remarkably improved. My cholesterol ratio was always good, as were my HDL levels!
My energy is better, my digestion is better, my health and well being is better.
This little graph shows that you can definitely improve your numbers with better eating habits and increased exercise... what changes did I make?

In early 2007 I decided it was time to make changes as my weight was over 200 pounds so I joined the gym with a friend and we committed to getting fit.  I cut back on carbs, especially white rice and pasta, which was a staple of our diets. I also cut back on my portions. I cut out some processed snacks. My fitness also changed. Having children in childcare I had to be efficient so I worked out accordingly. I hit the gym hard and I didn't mess around! I started playing with my kids more to burn extra calories during the day!  These resulted in the changes in my blood work dated 2009.

In January of 2010 I started drinking Shakeology daily, I cut out diet soda (regular was already cut out), I tried to totally cut out white flour, sugar, rice and pasta (having young children I am not able to cut this out of the house completely). I exercise even more efficiently and do a large portion of my work outs at home with DVD programs like Insanity and P90X. I am aware of all of the food that goes in my mouth. I still enjoy an occasional glass of wine, a sweet and a piece of pizza, I just don't enjoy them every day!  My blood work has improved again from 2009.  I attribute these changes to Shakeology.  Yes, I have great genetics, but look at my 2002 results.  Good genetics don't help you when you aren't helping yourself... I actually thought  I was pretty healthy at that time!

Small changes made over time can make a world of difference in your life!

Let me know how I can help you get started on Shakeology.  You can order a month supply - there is a money back, bottom of the bag guarantee.  You can buy a 5 day or 10 day supply from me.
If you are looking for a great fitness program complete with a nutrition plan and suggested workout schedule plus my support and motivation, just let me know what you like to do for fitness or take a look at this video and let me know what looks most interesting to you.
My fitness journey continues every day.  I plan to start ChaLEAN Extreme in mid August to stay strong and healthy.

Here is video link about where the ingredients in Shakeology com from:

Free Bakersfield Workouts

There are some great opportunities in Bakersfield to find a free workout with more coming all the time! We will start with outdoors, which at this time of year I don't know where else you would want to be!
Going to the park and playing on the park equipment with your kids!  Pull ups on the Monkey bars, ab strength while pumping on the swing, but even chasing the kids around the park will allow you some good cardio work!  I love going to the Park at Riverwalk and running up the big hill... race the kids and see who can get up first, then do it a few more times!!!  Which park is your favorite for getting a little exercise in?
Most of us have a bike, roller blades or a pair of running shoes we can throw on and go burn a few calories buzzing around the neighborhood.  You could also head over to the bike path and see how far you can get.
Fit Clubs.  There are at least 3 Fit Clubs in the Bakersfield area with more in the works. These are weekly events and people are invited to come try out a Beachbody workout.  We pull mostly cardio workouts from P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, RevAbs, Hip Hop Abs, Power 90, Brazil Butt Lift, ChaLEAN Extreme and a few others and we all enjoy a great group workout.
Tuesday night Fit Club is at the Bakersfield Marriott on Truxton by the Rabobank arena.  It starts at 6pm so get there a few minutes early to get a spot. There are also plans to add a kid's workout with programs Tony and the Kids and Shaun T. and the Kids.
Wednesday night Fit Club is getting ready to begin at the Links at Riverlakes Ranch, also beginning at 6pm.
Tehachapi is getting a Fit Club, let me know if you are interested and I will find out the details.
I am in the process of looking for a location for a weekday morning class location... I would love any suggestions you may have!
If you would like to learn more about the Fit Clubs, the fitness programs or how you get can a Fit Club set up at your location please contact me via email or through my website www.GetFitWithNicola.com
 These programs can work for any fitness level, you just work to the best of your ability!  If you would like any fitness and nutrition guidance, support and/or motivation you can sign up for FREE on my Beachbody site and check out all of the options.  Send me a message with any questions you may have!  I am looking forward to helping you reach your goals!

Bring on the Holidays!!!

I have big plans for the holidays this year! I always love the holiday season but I often come away with some extra baggage. I'm not talking about the gifts, I am talking about the extra 5 pounds that I seem to hold onto with the Christmas goodies, the eggnog lattes and the lazy cold days. This year I am planning ahead :) Yes, I am still going to enjoy a few goodies as it IS only a once a year tradition, BUT, I am going to practice a little more control this year! I will balance a goodie or two with a few calories less somewhere else...I will balance my lazy days on the coach with some hard workouts to burn those extra calories...I will keep myself balanced, I will inspire my children and I will come out of the holidays with no extra baggage (other that the gifts from under the tree)!!!

I know I can succeed with my extra tools! I have my Shakeology to replace a meal a day...this will decrease my calories, increase my energy (naturally), help control my cravings, PLUS give me a TON of nutrition. I have a great selection of workouts at my fingertips with my Beachbody library. Even if I only have TurboFire, that give me a choice of 12 different workouts!!! But I also have Turbo Jam, RevAbs, Body Gospel, Slim in 6, Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, Rockin' Body, Brazil Butt Lift, Yoga Booty Ballet, and Tony and the Kids. If you are interested in any of these titles (and local) I will consider 1 week loans of some of these titles so you can try them out!
I will also keep a large variety of vegetables in my home, I will offer to take a healthy side dish to any holiday parties I attend, I will avoid stocking treats I know I won't be able to resist and I will plan for success!
What do you need to do to plan for your success? Success rarely comes without a little bit of work, so what are you going to do to plan for yours?

How do you judge others?

I have been off the wall, out of the loop and derelict the past 2 weeks!  I was on vacation, I was doing a great job of getting my workouts in, then it got more difficult due to location and childcare, then I got sick :(  But here I am, back in the groove, ready to rustle up some good workouts and bring home some great results with Turbo Fire!
All of my free time got me thinking about some "fitness" stereotypes we put on others though!  There are many basic ones such as overweight people are lazy, eat too much and don't exercise; skinny people must never eat yummy food; celebrities should be skinny as they can pay people to make their food and help them exercise-plus they have more free time than the average Joe...any of those sound familiar?
Well, some overweight people have medical issues that prevent them from losing weight, some are probably more physically fit than you or me but they just are having difficulties losing the weight.  Some skinny people just have amazing metabolisms and they put all sorts of junk in their bodies.  Celebrities have busier lives than a lot of us...yes they have money to pay people, but to get a great physique you need to put some effort in!
We assume a lot about people, about their personalities, about their lifestyle, about their parenting...just from snapshots we see of them.  We all have quirks that stem from personality traits, habits we have formed, self confidence affected from life experiences...don't write someone off after a brief meeting, give them a second chance as you might be surprised at what you find out next time you meet!
I recently had someone suggest that I didn't know what losing weight was like as I have always been an athlete, but that is not true.  Me, stereotyped as a skinny person?  I can tell you, I definitely eat yummy food, I just make better choices about it. 
I was an overweight child who became an overweight teenager.  At 16, I realized I wanted to play basketball and wear fun clothes like my friends so I started exercising and in my senior year at high school I was able to pull on the boy's L shorts instead of the XL for my Basketball uniform...barely!  I stayed active for the next 15 years as I love biking and playing team sports, but I never really understood what "real exercise" entailed.  I figured that out when I had kids and I was short on time and I wanted to lose the baby weight so I busted my butt at the gym so I could get back to my crying daughter and sure enough great things happened.  Along with that I cut way back on my calories, I stopped making poor food choices and I lost the 25 pounds I was planning to lose, plus 10 more!  There are no magic pills, there are no "one stop shops", it just requires hard work, sweat and commitment!  Once I reached my goal I added my treats back in, but the fastest way to meet my goals was to cut out the non essentials!
This past January I found some new products that helped me drop my body fat a few percentage points so I could see some of the muscles I had been working so hard to develop.  I started drinking Shakeology, which helped control my cravings for sweets and wine plus it increased my energy and I purchased Insanity from Beachbody!  I improved my nutrition and I found a workout program that knocked my socks off!  Beachbody has programs for all levels of fitness, I was ready to take it to the max!  Beachbody does not have any magic pills, but it provides all of the tools you need to reach fitness goals with it's amazing, money back guaranteed products...and when you buy them from me you get me as your own personal coach!
I would love to help you achieve what I have, and I would love to have you as an accountability partner to help me maintain my workout schedule and my good nutrition!  Join me at Beachbody where you can sign up for FREE or become a team member to benefit from the great nutrition tools, access to celebrity trainer chats, and more.
If you are looking for inspirational stories of weight loss, overcoming obstacles and great success in weight loss, please check out the Beachbody site ASAP!  There are people who have overcome MS, joint problems, extreme obesity, you name it, you will find it under the success stories.  Are you ready to be one of these success stories?  I would love to help!

Day One of Turbo Fire!

I am diving in to the new program to see what amazing results I can produce!  The last 2 months have been a bit wonky for me.  I started Insanity it January and planned my days around getting the workouts in while allowing time for teaching Turbo Kick!  When I completed Insanity in early May, I added in Brazil Butt Lift, RevAbs and P90X...but I didn't plan my schedule out in advance.  I played it day by day and somedays I had too much to do with my kids, some days I had too much to do with my house...slowly I lost some momentum and in the process my eating habits slid a bit too!  I stayed fairly healthy, but I added in some snacks with the kids, and while I was in Hawaii...aiy aiy aiy!!!  I don't think I ever felt the feeling of hunger, as I just ate and ate and ate!  So I find myself in the beginning of July back to where I was in January!  I wasn't in bad shape then and I am not in bad shape now, but I was within about 5 pounds and 1% body fat of six pack abs.  I was unselfconsciously wearing my bikini! Now I have backtracked through a few months of hard work!  I don't know if it was self sabotage or what, but I am back!  I am gearing up to hit Turbo Fire with all I have and I will take my nutrition along with me!  Although I have to admit, the exercise part is much easier for me than the food part.  I can eat healthy, I just have trouble eating small.  Fortunately I am allowed around 2000 calories a day, but man, can I get there quickly ;)  I am going to refocus on drinking lots of water (50% of my body weight in ounces a day) and adding a few stalks of celery to my lunch and afternoon snack-this really helped me feel fuller and keep off the snacking. Keep on my Shakeology and stay far away from cookies and tortilla chips...funny I thought the word cookie and remembered the box in my pantry...note to self, get those out of my house (no one else likes them anyway).
Day One of Turbo Fire went great today, I had already tried some of the HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts, but today was Fire 30 (just a really high paced and short Turbo Kick class) and stretch 30 plus I added some bicep curls, tricep dips, pushups and rows!  I will be adding a  Fan page to FB within the next week so I can add daily updates of my workouts, let you know how this program works for me, and compare the results to those of Insanity!
I am looking forward to playing with the upgraded nutrition planner on the Beachbody site, using some great recipes, and as well using the great selection of recipes that come with the Turbo Fire program!  That is an amazing thing with Beachbody, the programs cover fitness and nutrition.
Here is the preview of Turbo Fire, let me know if you would like more information on it!

nicolabx@beachbodycoach.com

I haven't been very good lately at planning in advance my workout schedule. I liked the scheduling of Insanity, like all of the other Beachbody programs so I had it laid out for me. Right now I am throwing some RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift and P90X together, then teaching Turbo Kick at the gym with some weights thrown in! BUT, I find if I am not scheduled the workouts are not getting completed! I am also waiting with great anticipation for Turbo Fire which will be released at the end of June to coaches...give me some off the wall music and some fun moves and I can't not move...so that makes the workouts rock right from the beginning! If you want to see how Turbo Fire is going to go, check out this video:




Now tell me that doesn't peak your interest!!! Head to my Beachbody site www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx and sign up. Either for FREE or join the Club to get some nutrition planning-they have just upgraded this feature so you can determine exactly how many calories you need, it will tailor a menu specifically for you and you can switch the meals around, plus get a grocery list!!!
Let me know what your interests are and I will help you get set up! Let's get this summer rolling!!!

Wondering how to start your fitness journey, or take it up a notch?

How did I begin my fitness transformation 3 1/2 years ago? I made a decision and I set some goals.

A good friend of mine told "we are joining the gym"! We both had two young children, we had both enjoyed fairly fit lives in the past, but we were now feeling trapped in the house with our children and we had allowed the baby weight to hold us back, and our youngest children were now old enough to be in childcare. This is not so uncommon a decision for people to make, to join the gym! We made a second plan though, we challenged each other and our friends to a weight loss competition! Largest percentage of weight lost in 3 months wins! I am a competitive kind of girl, so this was the way to get me working even harder at the gym and just as importantly, watching my calories at home! I won...I didn't manage to get any of the money I thought we had all committed to the challenge at the beginning, BUT---it was just in time for a vacation with my hubby and we went clothes shopping as I needed a new wardrobe!
When I had worked out in the past I had run on the treadmill, I had lifted a few weights, I had gone for bike rides, but this time was different!  I read magazines and listened to trainers and I learned how to really exercise!  You need to push your limits, you need to challenge yourself, you need to go outside your comfort zone if you want to see results.  Set a schedule and stick to your schedule and go go go!!!
This was 3 years ago now! When we started the challenge I weighed around 195. I planned to get to 180, the weight I had been through college and my twenties. As we were working at it though I thought, hey, why not shoot for 175. Well I busted through that 175 and slid to a halt at 170. I took my first step to holding my accountability by becoming an instructor at the gym.  I have taught Turbo Kick for 2 years now and I sub for PUMP and Interval classes!  Needing to stay fit enough to teach a roomful of people definitely motivates you to stay on top of your game :)
I held 170-175 for 2 years when I realized that I would like to lean up a bit more. My mother thinks I am too skinny, but that is because she has never known me under 180. I have never had a flat belly, I know I can get a flat belly if I just apply myself a little bit more, so why not? I missed out on being a fit teenager so why not be a super fit 36 year old :)
So in January I reapplied myself and branched out again by learning more about Beachbody. I started drinking Shakeology on a daily basis which increased my energy, helped reduce my cravings and made me feel better.  I bought Insanity, a high intensity cardio based at home program.  Between the two I was able to bring my body fat down 2% and take off another 8 pounds. I also signed up to be a Beachbody coach.  It was time to increase my accountability and to work towards my passion of helping others reach the goals I have reached...and am still reaching!  I can race my son down the street and sometimes win, I enjoy playing sports with my kids, I challenge my kids to race through the obstacle course at Pump it Up, I have more energy, I feel good... why not join me?  I wish I had learned of these products years ago as when kids are sick, when the gym is closed, when I am traveling, I can pop in a DVD and get my workout wherever I am!
Sign up on the Beachbody site and learn about the products, see what is available on the site and ask me questions.  It is FREE!!!  You can even log in your workouts, they can be any format and do not have to be a Beachbody product, and you can win up to $1000.  My coach won $1000 2 months ago!  You can learn more about Shakeology and try it for a month with a money back guarantee!  They have free shipping and a workout DVD offer if you sign up for the monthly plan!
Do you know what else I am looking for?  Some partners!  I need people to help me help others get fit!  If you sign up as a coach you get 25% off your products, you earn 25% for any sales you make AND you can help people and yourself get fit!  You don't need to be fit already to be a coach, you can make it a start to your journey...keep yourself accountable!  These are products that work!  Look at me, look at people on the site!  Let's help get America fit...and Canada too :)
Check out this Decide Video...I love it

Let's get SIZZLING for Summer

Are you ready to throw on your swimsuit and head to the beach? Without hiding behind that coverup? Let's work hard for the month of May and get to the beach together! The power of commitment and accountability might be able to help you reach your goal, so lets do it!

I am going to offer some guidelines for Nutrition and Fitness. How closely you follow them depends on how much you want to reach your goals. I can only help you so much, it is up to you to make conscious decisions for yourself!

Nutrition Guidelines:
Nutrition plays a MAJOR role in your weight. If you exercise hard for an hour then pick up a Big Mac and coke on your way home, have you really accomplished anything at all...I think not!
1. Drink water, and lots of it-aim for 1/2 your weight in ounces a day!
2. Cut out the white. White pasta, white rice and white sugar. Look for 100% whole grain/wheat bread and pasta.
3. Aim to eat 6+ cups of veggies and 1-2 cups of fruit a day. They help fill you up, are low in calories and fat and if you don't now, you can learn to love them!
4. Don't drink too many calories. Cut out your soda and alcohol, decrease your fruit juice and energy drinks, and cut back on your caffeine!
5. Eat every 2-3 hours. This prevents your metabolism from slowing and prevents you from getting so hungry that you are tempted to empty the pantry in your next meal!

I would recommend food journaling. Get an idea of what you are consuming in a day, find out when your weak times are and plan for it. Have healthy foods around, find something to distract you. Every time you reach for a cookie or cupcake or other snack, ask yourself if you REALLY need it, ask yourself if it tastes better than reaching your goals will feel. Yes, we all get off track on occasion, but hop yourself right back on track and focus! It is only a month, you can manage without the wine and cookies for ONE MONTH!!!!

Fitness Guidelines:
Aim for 45+ minutes, 6 times a week. A good plan would include 3 alternating days of resistance training and 3 days of cardio in addition to 1 "rest" or stretch day. What exactly constitutes exercise? Anything that gets your heart rate elevated and keeps it up. Vigorous housecleaning and gardening can be great exercise, walking the dogs briskly around the neighborhood, running bleachers at a nearby school. I like to run, hit the gym or workout to a fitness DVD, but we are all at different levels. You need to find an activity that you enjoy, that you can fall back on when you really don't feel like exercising, but you know you need to!

If you follow these guidelines for the whole month of May, I guarantee you will see changes in your body in one month! There is no magic fix, it takes hard work and commitment, but I know you can do it! Take your measurements and before photos so you can see! Maybe it will encourage you to continue on after May 31st :)

Please invite your friends to join us, the more the merrier, and post how you are doing, let me know if you have questions, and let's get ready to hit the beach!

If you are looking for a workout program I would love to tell you about the great variety Beachbody has from TurboJam (a dance party), to Brazil Butt Lift and Slim in 6, to hardcore programs like P90X and Insanity! Great stuff. I have been drinking Shakeology for3 months now. It has helped me increase my energy, reduce my cravings and I have gradually lost a few pounds each month. Let me know if you would like more info on any of these amazing products, or contact your coach! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx

Fitting Everything In!

When life gets busy how do you fit everything in?  What are your priorities?
This has been one of those weeks where everything happened at once, and on top of that I even missed a few things as I didn't put them on "both" calendars!
Children, work, volunteer activities, school, sports, exercise, eating healthy, grocery shopping so the eating can happen, oh and, maintaining the homestead :) Sometimes something has to give! For me it is usually "maintaining the homestead" that gets neglected. Don't get me wrong, I wash the dishes and vacuum the main through fares but don't take a close look at my windows, yikes!!!
Children, husband and school are top priorities in our home.  So yes, sometimes the fitness schedule gets thrown for a loop when kids are sick, hubby is away...but that is why I have so many options.  Can't get to  the the gym so I throw in a DVD and work out at home.  Dogs need a walk, so kids get on their bikes and I run! Easy available options make it more difficult to totally miss!
Exercise is a priority for my sanity...if momma doesn't exercise, mama is usually pretty moody, and no one likes that ;) Right now I have my regular program at home with Insanity, within the next month I will change it up a bit and add some running (the weather is perfect for that right now), classes and weights at the gym, and I will focus on the Brazil Butt Lift! (side note, my MIL recently questioned my excitement of Beachbody products, questioning if they really worked...I accepted the challenge and said, see these thighs with a few lumps and bumps...see this belly with a bit of a roll...those will be gone by June 4th when I see you in Hawaii-Game on!)
Eating well is pretty easy for me.  We love veggies in my house and we just don't buy much unhealthy food.  If I buy some cookies for the kids for lunches, I buy a kind I am not crazy about.  Chocolate is my downfall so I try not to have it on hand.  If I am desperate I always have chocolate chips, but for me avoidance of my weaknesses is the safest tactic!  I also help curb my cravings by drinking a Shakeology shake every day.  It has vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, antioxidants, protein and amino acids and so much more!

There are still days I totally miss the mark though.  Yesterday being one of them.  We had Flyball for the dogs, Soccer game for my son, Birthday party for a friend, hubby was away and then I was pooped!  I only had one piece of cake, I otherwise ate pretty well, but next thing I knew it was bedtime!  Time to pick it back up today...that is how I see it.  You can't punish yourself if you miss a workout, if you have a bad day of eating, you just have to work a little bit harder the next day to get back on track and carry on!
The easiest way to fit it all in is of course to schedule, to plan and to make lists so you don't miss things and you keep on top of it all...and of course, don't have two calendars ;)

Can you fit 1 hour of exercise, 7 days a week into your schedule?

The new recommendations are: at least an hour of moderate activity a day is needed for older women at a healthy weight who aren't dieting. For those who are already overweight — and that's most American women — even more exercise is called for to avoid gaining weight without eating less, the study results suggest.
Read more: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36006035/ns/health-fitness/#ixzz0j9t8nSxy

Craziness you say?  I would agree...but only if you take that as 1 hour at the gym every day!  1 hour of moderate exercise is doable!  When you clean the house do you ever work up a bit of a sweat?  Dusting the bookshelf, vacuuming under the bed...add a little spring to your step and you are "working out"!  Gardening?  Mowing, weeding, trimming the trees...all hard work.  Walking the dog, playing with the kids!  It doesn't need to be 1 hour straight.  The main goal is that you get off the couch and move!  Do more than you used to do. 
To get yourself moving toward the gym idea (which you don't actually need to go to the gym to do), you need to find a fitness activity that you enjoy!  Biking, walking (which could lead to running), roller blading...then we get to gym activities like weight lifting and classes like Turbo Kick, interval training, Zumba...there are so many options.  Try different things and you will surely find something that tickles your fancy.  The next step is to actually make a commitment and do it regularly.  There are many options you can do from home as well.  Beachbody has an amazing array of beginner to advanced programs.  If you like Turbo Kick, try Turbo Jam; If you like interval training try ChaLEAN Extreme, If you are looking for some easy to keep up with programs try Slim in 6 or Power 90. Yoga Booty Ballet, Brazil Butt Lift, Hip Hop Abs, all offer part specific focus, BUT have great fat burning for the whole body.  Limited on time?  Try Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer. If you want to take it to a whole new level you can take on P90X, Insanity and coming late this spring is Turbo Fire...stay tuned for more on this one! Click HERE for an overview of all the products.
You can get your exercise indoors, outdoors, at the gym, in the comfort of your own home...just do it somewhere!  I would love to help you...contact me at www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx

Don't forget that nutrition plays a KEY role in your battle of the bulge.  You can exercise all day, but if you chase it with a big mac, fries and a milk shake you aren't going to progress very far!  As you age your caloric demands decrease.  So if you want to indulge a little, do more exercise or cut something else out!  Make good choices, you are worth it!

Overtraining? or just overtired?

This past week was my fourth week of Insanity!  The last week before my rest week...the last week to enjoy the daily workout I have been raving about each day.  BUT, by midweek I was dreading my workout and trying to figure out how to force it into my day-and boy have I been moody!  Lets take a look back: I taught for two hours on Wednesday evening, then again on Thursday (on top of Insanity); I had meetings for my volunteer group on Tuesday and Friday; I have been stressing about my new house, or lack of a new house due to the bank dragging it's feet over our mortgage; my husband who is obviously also stressing has pointed out that I haven't got a few things done towards our new house when I OBVIOUSLY should have free time being a stay at home mom and all (I refrained from attacking...he is obviously stressed too ;)); I haven't been getting to bed before 11 recently; my 4 y.o. daughter is behaving like a tantruming, moody teenager; and I haven't stayed on path this past week with my goals to be more organized. I also have been a bit annoyed that despite my healthy eating and greatly increased exercise I am not seeing any significant changes on the scale!!!  Although my belly pooch has definitely gone down!
Hmmmm, on one hand, I don't have to go to work all day too!  On the other hand, I might have stretched myself a bit too thin!  Time to take a little break from the Insanity, maybe a yoga class tomorrow, and slowly work the heavy hitting back in.
The most common error people make is not exercising enough, but the other extreme is overdoing it!  This is a reason that exercise doesn't stick with some people.  They dive into the deep end, overdo it, work too hard and get exhausted, or just can't keep it up and they quit!  Moderation would be the goal.  I still plan to finish my program and I will, but then I think I will find a comfortable middle ground of hitting the gym combined with Insanity and a more laid back program like Slim in 6 or maybe I will get Brazil Butt Lift to get my swim suit booty ready...and work on maintaining the health and fitness I have worked so hard to achieve.
I think I have eaten all of the chocolate in the house so I should be safe for the rest of the day ;)

Shaun T. showing Tyra some Insanity

Yesterday Tyra was trying some of Shaun T's Insanity moves...a little difficult in the stilettos and jump suit, but she gave it a shot!  Check out the clip!



I am in my third week of this 9 week program and have already started seeing results!  If you would like to buy Insanity or any other products, you know who to contact :)  I would love to help you work through the program too! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
Nicola

Insanity is Insane!

Sometimes, but not very often, you see people have to collapse onto the floor after they have given their all in a workout, or a particular set of their workout!!!!!  That is Insanity, every day!  I am LOVING the lingering ache in my abs, without a crunch involved, that I feel for the rest of the day!  I am refueling with P90X results and recovery formula.I take it right after my workout and I really haven't had and sore body parts...the need for further stretching is apparent, but I am doing quite well.  I am Exhausted this afternoon though!  An early bedtime is in store, that's for sure!
It could have something to do with Wednesday including Cardio recovery from Insanity, teaching Turbo Kick AND the Bakersfield Loser class at the gym!  It was all fun though!  I am loving my Wednesday evenings with a regular group of women coming out! and the "Loser" class is awesome.  I am pushing them harder each week and they are taking it like a group of pros!  I LOVE their determination!
I am SOOOOOOO looking forward to the next butt kicking program that is due out in the next few months, Turbo Fire!  It is Chalene Johnson's version of Insanity but based on the Turbo Jam/Kick idea!  How can there be anything wrong with that!  I will let you know when they have any details come out on that!!!
Time to feed the family, rest my body and hit the hay early.  A fun weekend ahead with the husband and the kids!  I can't wait!

Work it hard!

It is amazing that a mere 20 minutes of hard exercise 6 days a week can help you reach your physical peak in 60 days!  No added weights, no equipment...just plain hard work! This is what I am learning while doing Insanity.
I think this shows that people typically don't work to their potential when they exercise!  A walk on the treadmill, a short run, a few weights...sure that is OK on a rest day!  Or if you are just trying to add a touch of fitness to your world!  A great way to judge how hard you are working is not the number on the treadmill, not the number on the weight, not the number on the scale, but the number, on a scale of one to ten, that you feel you are exerting energy- your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  One being sitting on the couch, 10 being very high heart rate, can't catch your breath...over the top exertion.  In the same activity one person's RPE may be 5 while another's is 8.  It is very dependent on your fitness level, your endurance, your health!  So don't look at how hard the person next to you is working and think that will work for you...think about what you are doing and how you feel and if you can push yourself that little bit harder.  If you get exhausted you can stop and take a little break...you will recover and carry on...if you don't push yourself to a point you need a break, maybe you didn't push yourself far enough!
Slow and easy can definitely get you results, there is no doubt about that, but for most people time is an issue!  I don't have time to spend an hour and a half exercising 5 days a week! So my choice is to work as hard as I can for the time I have allotted in my calendar for that day!  Planning ahead to meet your goals!  
Sometimes it is at different times each day as I have a specific class I would like to attend or a friend I would like to work out with!  That goes in the calendar!  Right now I have dedicated myself to a program which is approximately 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week.  I will also have Turbo Kick and my Bakersfield Loser class on Wednesday night!  For me, that is a lot!!! But you just need to find what works for you "right now" to reach whatever goals you have set for yourselves!  Then you adjust again when you need to. 
If you would like any personalized encouragement, please contact me through my beachbody site or would like to ask questions on my message board, I would be more than happy to help you figure out what will work best for you!

Insanity!!!!

I couldn't resist.  I was going to wait until next week to begin Insanity, but I realized that I had already done day 1, so I could get the other 5 done and not have to worry about doing day 6 on Saturday (as I will have done it on Friday) because I have other commitments on Saturday!  So Day 2 was Plyometric Cardio Circuit.  You do each section 3 times, each time taking it up a notch!  When I work out I like to go hard, and get it done and feel accomplished, WOW, is that definitely the case with Insanity! My day I am a bit concerned about is Wednesday!  I already teach for 2 hours in the evenings and am exhausted after that...but I will persevere!  58 days to go :)
I just had a Chocolate strawberry banana Shakeology with a little extra protein powder and some flax seed to get my body ready for tomorrow!

Hey, if you are looking for something a little more laid back, we have lots of options.  Tell me if you like some dancey or basic moves, equipment or no equipment...things like that and we can find you the perfect program.  www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx . You can sign up with beachbody and follow the message boards too to learn more about the programs and what is available!

Another at home workout...not enough time in the day!

I had big plans of getting a workout in first thing this morning...then I realized my kids needed to be fed, and the fish tank needed cleaning, and I surely couldn't do any floorwork until I had vacuumed!  AND maybe I should just go for a run as my dogs needed to get out! sigh...
I did my jobs, sadly looked away from my dogs, and put in the DVD for the Insanity fit test!  Wowza!!!!  That was a hardcore half hour...and that was just the test, but there was still sweat flying everywhere!!!!  I plan to start the program next week, but I wanted a little preview!
My hubbie and the kids then headed out on errands so I popped my TurboKick music in and got busy with round 39!  This is the round I am currently teaching on Wednesday evenings at 6pm at the NW Body Xchange Sports Club, and it is rocking!  I definitely got my calories burned today :)  There is a great at home version of Turbo called TurboJam . A great program for fun calorie burning.  Also a great way to get all the moves figured out so you can REALLY enjoy and take advantage of TurboKick classes at the gym!
After my great workouts I had a Chocolate banana Shakeology for lunch, packed up veggies, reduced calorie Spinach dip, reduced calorie apple pie, slightly healthified cookies and 1 beer each for the hubbie and I and we headed off to watch the Superbowl.  I realized as I was deciding what to take to a friends house that I should take matters into my own hands for my food choices.  I knew what would be there, and I wasn't sure if there would be enough veggies for me to nibble all afternoon, I knew I would want some sweets...so I took some healthy choices for me, for my family and for anyone else who wanted to share!  Yes, I did enjoy a few other treats too, but I mostly stuck with the veggies!
Hope you had a great weekend!