"Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly." - Oswald Chambers

Living a health-filled life doesn't have to be complicated! God designed our bodies to be fit, healthy and available for His use.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Seven Weeks To Go!

The end of this pregnancy is FINALLY drawing nearer! Seven weeks to go! And I'm hoping maybe a little less than that. I haven't been able to blog much lately as about two and a half weeks ago I went into early labor. I was on medication to stop the labor for awhile and as of now, things are going ok. I'm just having to really take it easy. If I move around a lot, the contractions start again, so for now, just washing a sink full of dishes or doing a load of laundry has become a full-day's job! Basically all I have been able to keep up with is homeschool with the kids from the living room recliner, and even that, I have to admit we're a little behind on.
I wanted to give a quick update as to why I've been MIA so that is the purpose of this post. Will try to get back to posting health and fitness info regularly again. Counting down the days here to when I can get back to a regular fitness regime!!!!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Be A Product of the Product

One thing Beachbody stresses to us coaches is to "be a product of the product". So in today's blog post I'm going to briefly review the Beachbody Nutritionals that we use in our home.

1. Shakeology! This has become a family favorite! Shakeology, the Healthiest Meal of the Day, is available in both chocolate and Greenberry flavors and comes in a 30 serving bag or in a case of 24 single serve packets. We keep both on hand. I admit I was a bit skeptical of the product when it was first released but now, we can't live without it! It's loaded with the fruits and veggies that are so hard for us to get anyway in the remote part of the world where we live, plus has tons of antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins and minerals and so much more. Sign up for Home Direct (automatically delivered to your door each month) and you will get free shipping plus free gifts!
Shakeology $119.95
2. Protein Bars! Another family favorite - my kids think they are candy! Beachbody has come out with new flavors recently and improved on the old ones. Now comes in Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cafe Mocha, Chocolate Fudge, and Wildberry Yogurt, and can be ordered in either single flavors or a variety pack. A perfect snack when you don't have time for something else or even an occassional meal replacement, great for on-the-go.

3. Core Omega-3 and Core Cal-Mag. We're on Home Direct for both of these and take them regularly. Core Omega-3 promotes healthy heart, blood pressure, joints, brain and nerve function. Core Cal-Mag builds strong bones for a strong body.

4. P90X Peak Health Formula. My husband takes these daily to support the extra nutritional needs acquired from doing an extreme workout such as P90X.
5. P90X Results and Recovery Formula. Refuels, reenergizes, and speeds up muscle repair, this drink is a must for post-workout recovery with tough workouts such as P90X and Insanity. Oh, and it tastes GREAT too!

So there you have it - what we keep on hand in our household. Of course, there are many more products offered by TeamBeachbody so check out the Shopping area of my website to see what else is available. Decide what is best for you and start the year out on your road to the best health ever!
* Prices listed here are the regular retail prices. Club Members get 10% off all products and Beachbody Coaches get 25% off!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Ten-Step New Year's Resolution Plan


By Steve Edwards

Ten easy steps to resolution success!Chances are, everyone reading this article hasmade a New Year's resolution–but have you ever met anyone who has actually achieved what they set out to do? Well, this year, that person will be you, if we at Beachbody have anything to say about it! We've come up with 10 steps to help you follow through and find success in 2005 (ok, so I've had this article a few years; but it's still good so keep reading). Happy New Year!
1. Choose a resolution that suits you. Don't be swayed by peer pressure or trends. For example, if you hate swimming, why would you choose the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon? Go with a goal that's right for your.
2. Be realistic. The most common mistake is to shoot for the moon–aiming your sights far too high, and thereby setting yourself up for failure. Be fair to yourself: Assess what you've been able to achieve in the past, and work off of this baseline. The primary example of this is the ubiquitous, "I'm going to quite smoking," a resolution that tends to get blown off—literally—during the latter stages of a New Year's day hangover. Make a more reasonable pledge, such as "I'm going to cut down each month with the goal of quitting by the end of the year."
3. Make a single resolution. We all have many aspects we'd like to improve, but don't try and take them on all at once. Focus on one major goal. If you're succeeding come mid-year and want to add something else, that's great. January isn't the only time you can set goals for yourself.
4. Target behavioral change rather than a number. You may target something like an event or race as part of your plan, but make the ultimate goal to change your behavior. That way if you get sick, injured, or are too busy to participate in your event, you can still see your resolution through.
5. Plan in advance. Statistics are skewed by those who make resolutions at the last minute. These resolutions often don't make it through the first night. Planning ahead allows you to make rational decisions about what you are capable of. It also allows you to figure out how you're going to break old patterns or avoid temptation.
6. Allow some failure. It isn't realistic to think you'll make it through an entire year without a glitch–after all, none of us are perfect. A resolution that doesn't account for any slip-ups is one that's designed to fail. Find ways to make up for mistakes, and don't be too hard on yourself. Mistakes are part of life.
7. Get Support. Announce your resolution to family and friends so that they can be there to help... and then allow them to help. Even the strongest of us need support from time to time. For most of the popular resolutions (exercise, diet, smoking, etc.), there are support groups available. You can find many of them on the Message Boards.
8. Change your point of view. The mind is a powerful ally. Re-program yours to focus on the positive effects of your resolution. Instead of thinking about how it might rob you of a pleasure, focus on how it's going to make you feel happier and healthier. So, instead of "cutting down on drinking," you are "treating your body with more respect."
9. Stick to the plan. Don't give up. Throughout an entire year, you're bound to go through a bad stretch or two; we all do. Hang in there and fight through it. Even if you barely have the motivation to get out of bed, keep going. Fighting through the bad times gives you resolve and makes the good times that much sweeter. And don't forget the Nietzschean rhetoric: "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
10. Remember the ultimate goal. All you're really trying to do is improve your life, right? Keep this in mind, and keep going even if you slip on the original goal. Because what is failure anyway? You still improve, just not as fast as you had planned, which by definition in the grand scheme of things is not failure at all, but success.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a happy, safe, and healthy New Year! We have thoroughly enjoyed the holidays here on this side of the world and are now trying to get back to a normal routine.


I'm in Week 30 of my pregnancy and am SO ready to have this baby! But, still have a ways to go. I had another doctor checkup today and they did another ultrasound. Looks like we're having a girl!


I wanted to post an article here by Jordan Rubin that may be helpful in making your New Year's "resolutions". This is the time so many people decide they want to get healthy and in shape, yet so many fall off the wagon in such a short time. Don't be a statistic! Read the article for some tips, feel free to email me for info on getting into the best shape of your life, and check back here for more tips on making the commitment last. If I'm not already coaching you, click here or on my photo to have me coach you for FREE. Make this the time you WILL change your life for the better.

DECIDE * COMMIT * SUCCEED


Revolutionary Thinking for 2010


A poll conducted by Harris Interactive® indicates that, among adults who make New Year’s resolutions, women are more likely to make resolutions than men are, but that men are more likely to keep them. Interestingly enough, the men were also more likely to talk with their spouses about their resolutions than the women were. The poll was conducted in October/November 2008 and involved 2,256 U.S. adults.
Of the nearly 1,485 people polled who do make New Year’s resolutions, only about 382 of them often or always keep them. That’s not a great average, but it may be an accurate reflection of the New Year’s resolution success rate—or the lack thereof. Perhaps you’re one of the thousands who make New Year’s resolutions each year, and are among the thousands who can’t or don’t follow through with those resolutions.
Don’t feel bad. You’re not alone.
Jordan English Gross, COO and founder of Dorthy.com, a company focused on helping people achieve their goals, says, “The New Year is often the one time of year when people start thinking about their goals and dreams, only to end up back where they started the following year.”
Not surprisingly, one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions people chant is, “This year’s going to be different. I’m going to lose that weight and keep it off.” Unfortunately, what Gross says often rings true—we end up back where we started—and are unsuccessful at managing our weight.
Maybe instead of making a resolution, we should make a revolution. You heard right. A revolution…it’s a sudden, complete or marked change in something. And since many resolutions don’t stick, a revolution might just be the answer.
Revolutionary thinking almost always necessitates deliberate and dedicated action to see things through. Being revolutionary is synonymous with unprecedented, novel, drastic and unorthodox. It’s the very thing most people need to get in their gut before they see the changes and results they seek.
Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at UC Riverside and the author of the How of Happiness, says, “My own research shows that 50% of individual differences in happiness are governed by genes, 10% by life circumstances, and the remaining 40% by what we do and how we think. The secret to happiness lies in that 40%. If we observe genuinely happy people, we find that they do not just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They pursue new understandings, seek new achievements, and control their thoughts and feelings.”
Revolutionary thinkers are movers and shakers—people who don’t just sit back and watch things happen or even just scratch their heads and wonder what happened. They make things happen.
This New Year’s Eve, maybe you should pass on the New Year’s resolution and bring on the New Year’s revolution instead. Who knows? The new year might just usher in a new you.
Let the revolution begin.

Disclaimers

I am not a doctor or health care professional in any way. Information posted on this blog is simply what I have found to be helpful to me and is never intended to be used in place of professional medical advice.

Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings for the most recent information on the actual incomes for all our Coaches.