Flu Season - Oh how I hate you

Flu has been hitting my house, yet again this winter. I think my household has been getting sick every two weeks. Well, my daughter mainly. She was throwing up again this weekend, and I was trying my best to comfort her while praying that I don't get it as well. For one, we leave for Florida come this Wednesday. I've been busy shopping and trying to get our things put together, but it's hard when you have a little pukey one crying for their mom. I did manage to get some things yesterday, mainly for her. I bought her a new pair of Crocs. Her old ones no longer fit her, and I do love Crocs. They are very comfortable, and they work great to wear out in the sand and water. So, I must apologize now if my blog and updates are far and few between for the next couple of weeks, but I will most likely be lying out in the sun, catching some rays.

Anyway, still going at my weight loss goals. I've been getting a lot of compliments about how I look. The problem is that my scale has not changed. After I told my husband that he blatantly says, "I don't give a shit what the scale says. I can see a huge difference." Alrighty...I believe you. It's still hard when you work out 6 days a week to step on it and see no change though. It's very discouraging, and it's a huge reason I try not to even go on the scale. I keep telling myself I'm working out, watching what I'm eating...that's all that matters. I know from Chalene's videos that she even detests to the same thing. She is always talking about not going on the scale too much. She said her body weight should put her above average, but as she says it's a lot of muscle mass too. That's what I keep telling myself. I'm building muscle from all the working out that I've been doing.

I've also been using Shakeology once a day. I love this stuff! It feels me up for majority of the morning. I don't even feel the need to eat a huge snack, which is awesome. I've noticed that my hair is a lot healthier now. I had the problem of my hair falling out after my pregnancy. It was bad...like ten to fifteen strands a day, but it's nowhere near that anymore. I think my body was lacking some sort of nutrient that I'm getting from the shake now. Also, I've noticed after I drink my shake - like I did this morning - when I am sick that I don't feel as bad as I did prior. I'm thinking it's the vitamins that are packed into it. I immediately feel so much better. Right now my head has cleared up a lot as I've seemed to grabbed a head cold or something. Also, working out clears me up too, so never think you shouldn't workout because you're feeling sick. I promise that working out will help push that sickness right out of you!!

Also, Energy and Endurance Pre-Workout Formula. This is amazing stuff as I have a problem sometimes getting my energy up during workouts, and I find I might be a bit sluggish during, but not when I drink this stuff. It gives me a nice boost of energy during my workouts, and I PUSH that much harder during it! I get that from Team Beachbody shop section. You click on Nutrition and Supplements, and it is under the Best Sellers section. Amazing stuff this is! If you need that boost of energy. It's sooo worth trying it!

What's Your WHY?

I got my Fitbit in yesterday. It took some time to really get it going. I had to download a driver from the site, which I didn't know at first. Anyway, it's all squared away now, and it has been tracking all my steps, stairs, calories burned, and my sleep pattern. It's pretty darn cool! I guess my sleep pattern is fairly good. I got a 99% effective sleep pattern when I woke up this morning, so that's good to know.

I used Instagram to post up a picture of my calories burned so far today from my Fitbit, along with my overall weight loss goal. I love Instagram. It's my newest addiction on my iPod. Chalene Johnson was the one that introduced it to me. I didn't even know it existed!

Here's the photos I've put up for Chalene's fitness photo challenge, by the way. I mentioned it to you in my last post. If anyone would like to join in on this 30 day challenge she says to do so at any time.

This is for Day 1 of the challenge. She wanted a photo of you, so at the end of 30 days you can show your before and after, but I decided to show the difference already since I began my TurboFire workout.

This is for Day 2 of the challenge. She wanted a photo of something you ate healthy for lunch. I happened to have a chef salad that day. It was delicious too!

This is for Day 3 of the challenge. She asked for something to show that days workout, so I got a picture of the workout I was doing for that day and took a few fun pictures with it.

This is Day 4 challenge, which she asked to show pounds to lose. As you can see I want to lose 150 pounds in total. I've already accomplished 33 pounds of that, so I have about 120 to go. I'm pretty focused on doing this. I'm hoping I'll lose five more pounds by the end of the month, since we are heading out to Florida for vacation then.

So, I wonder what everyone's reason is for wanting to lose weight. Is it for family? To become healthier? For yourself? So you can run around and play with your little one without getting out of breath? Or maybe it's a health reason? Did your doctor tell you that you are borderline diabetic or something of that nature? Everyone has a reason WHY. What is your reason WHY?

Let me share you my reason WHY. I have quite a few reasons, and these are things that I open up to share with you about. Some of them are something that I don't speak to people about because they are scary, and I find that I pushed them aside in hopes of them just..disappearing.

Here's my WHY list:

1. To be able to play with my daughter without huffing and puffing.
2. To take the weight off of my knees that have spurs in them due to a really bad car accident about ten years ago.
3. To look good in a bathing suit for the first time in a long time.
4. To fight the effects of cancer, diabetes, and many other health troubles that were hitting me. The first one wasn't cancer, but this is one I don't share with people too much. A couple summers back they found a mass on my left breast. It had to be removed, so now one is slightly smaller than the other. It was the scariest thing that happened to me, and it was after it came back as malignant that I broke down and cried over what I was doing to my body. I began investigating eating organic vegetables and cut out meat. I now have brought meat back into my diet, but I don't eat red meat too much.
5. To feel good about myself, and I already am feeling so proud of myself. The accomplishments I have made since September. My weight has dropped 33 pounds. I can get through my workouts almost without stopping at all. Also, I've noticed my knees are starting to hurt a lot less than they used to.
6. To finally get knee surgery. The doctors didn't want to do it until I dropped some of the weight.
7. To teach and show others that with weight loss and exercise that life can be so much better!

That's my WHY. I'm curious to know what your WHY is. Share it with me! Post in comments or send me an email, I don't mind. I like to hear from people and try to help them push towards their fitness goals.

Effectiveness of Energy and Endurance, Also Chalene's Fitness Photo Challenge!

I received the Energy and Endurance pre-workout formula from Beachbody a few days ago. Yesterday was the first day I used it. I'm not too fond of the tart flavor, but Chalene Johnson's sister posted up on her Facebook that it tastes better with Crystal Light Lemonade flavor. I'm going to give that a try and see how it goes. I don't plan on giving it up though. It gave me a wonderful boost of energy before my workout, and I don't shake from it. I burned hardcore calories during my workouts yesterday and today. I was sweating buckets, no joke - that's how hard I went. So, yes, E&E is the perfect formula if you need a boost of energy or don't feel your workout needs more strength behind it.

On that note, I have to tell you - it's so, so, so important you don't workout when you are hungry. I thought I'd be fine to get my workout out of the way while dinner was cooking, but during my workout all I could smell was my pork roast slowly cooking in my George Foreman roaster. To say the least, my stomach growled through my whole workout then I felt sick when I finally finished. I think it messed up my energy level too. Well, you live and learn a little. This working out and eating right is a whole new playing field for me, but I haven't given up since September, and I don't plan on doing it anytime soon either.

Also, for those that might be interested, Chalene is having a Fitness Photo Challenge using Instagram. It's a cute and 30 day challenge to post up what she has for each day. For instance, Day 1 would be a picture of yourself that you would post on Facebook or Twitter, and Day 2 would be a picture of something healthy you ate for lunch. It's going to be tons of fun! I encourage all to join to get themselves motivated for 30 days.

We all need a little push!

Well, my daughter is sick..poor thing. I think I might be coming down with whatever she has as well, and I didn't feel like working out today. I had to push myself to push the play button. I know everyone knows how that feels! It was tough, but once I got through about ten minutes of my workout I started to feel a whole lot better about forcing myself to workout.

Also, on that note, I'd like to congratulate myself. Monday is my 20th week of TurboFire, which is awesome in my eyes! It's not easy making that commitment to be focused and challenge yourself to this point, but wow...am I proud of myself! I've stopped weighing myself. I did this per Chalene's recommendation. I'm doing this workout for me, to get healthy, and to feel good about myself! I am not going to let a scale control me anymore! I will admit. I was one of those that was obsessed, weighing myself every single day, which isn't good for your or your mental focus.

Also, guys...seriously, check out this deal for Rockin' Body! It's a limited time offer and a great steal! It's such a cheap price for everything that's being offered! I ordered one for myself, and my cousin purchased one as well. This package is typically valued at about $100, and it's a limited time offer! Get it while you can and start working out with me on Beachbody! It's such a great site with awesome tools!! We can beat the trend to obesity together! If you're interested in working with me to battle the bulge you can leave me a comment here or you can contact on my site linked in this post.

On that note, I have an awesome quote of the day to share with everyone!

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will." – George Bernard Shaw

Shake it!

I made an awesome shake this morning using Shakeology. It's 1 scoop of Shakeology, 1/2 a banana, and 1/2 cup of strawberries with some ice then about a cup and a half of water. I love it! It packs a wallop of flavor! Also, the Shakeology is so tasty and very filling! I've noticed after drinking it that I have a considerable amount of energy. I'm not talking about the type of energy that makes you feel shaky. This is a natural energy that makes you feel more alive and awake. It's amazing the difference it can make for your mornings! Plus, my workouts have felt it from the little boost of energy. Once I get moving I start off with a bang! No joke!

Something that I would love to add. Beachbody is having a sale on Rockin' Body workout package by Shaun T for only $19.95! It's 75% off! You can't go wrong with that, and it is a very awesome workout program with 4 free gifts!! It's fun and gets the job done! If you are interested click this link or click the Rockin' Body picture. It will lead you to the shopping page. You will find Rockin' Body under the Fitness Programs! Act fast before the sale ends!! I'm not letting the opportunity slip by. I am picking one up for myself!

Quote of the day: "Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing." – William Butler Yeats

Spinach and Cheese Tart Plus Banana PB Shakeology

I have a couple of things to share today. One, I made this awesome tart for dinner. It's a spinach and cheese tart. It has awesome flavor. It's another recipe I acquired out of my vegetarian cookbook. However, it wasn't the simplest thing to make. It took probably an hour of prep work. Still, it had a good taste. If you like spinach and cheese, that is, which I do.

However, my husband and daughter didn't care for it. They are picky eaters though, always have been and probably always will. Still, it's always nice to try healthy alternatives. I'm not exactly sure what the calories are on this dish, but I can already assume it's high in calories because of the cheese then the crust had cheese in it as well. Also, a stick of butter. So..yeah..definitely not the healthiest.

If anyone is interested in the recipe you can drop a reply here or message me at andrena28@beachbodycoach.com, and I will be happy to send the recipe to you.

The second thing I have to speak about is I am happy to say that the Shakeology drinks are going fabulously. I love the taste of them. For breakfast I like to add a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter to the shake. Sometimes I add strawberries to that. It's so good and so filling. Plus, you get all these vitamins and nutrients from it. It's totally worth dropping the daily coffee purchase for this.

Sunday's Are Always Busy

For breakfast this morning I decided on oatmeal. It was fast and easy. The reason I decided on this was because I was going to church, and I didn't want the meal to take forever to prepare. In it I added a sliced banana, which I covered with oatmeal. I like to put the hot oatmeal over it to warm the banana up. Then I add a teaspoon or two of honey. I used to add tons of sugar to my oatmeal, but I found honey is a healthy alternative to that. If you don't add too much, anyway. I don't like too much honey in it. It tastes like pure honey then. You just want enough to give it a little sweetness.

I haven't decided what I am going to make for lunch, but I promise to post a picture with it. I believe I might make something out of my vegetarian cookbook. It's a meal my daughter picked out. I let her go through my vegetarian cookbook one day and she picked out pictures of things she thought looked good, and she promised to try them all, which is good for me because she's a picky eater. I like it when we find things that she really enjoys.

Also, I will be doing Fire 45 EZ and Abs 10 class today from the TurboFire workout program. I'm going to try and squeeze it in before my daughter's cheerleading game, but if I don't then I plan on doing it after I get back home.

Quote of the day: "Far away in the sunshine are my highest inspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead." – Louisa May Alcott

Counting Calories Correctly Makes A Huge Difference

I'm about to get my groove on and do HIIT 25 and Sculpt 30, which is a TurboFire workout. It's a really intense cardio workout with high intensity, but I don't do the jumps because I have bad knees. Still, I've lost 35 pounds, which is fairly impressive..considering.

I found after reading PUSH by Chalene Johnson, which is the creator of the TurboFire workout, that I was not counting my calories correctly. I was not eating enough, and my body was storing fat to use as energy from the daily workouts I was doing. After I made the correction and adding calories to my meal plan, I am happy to say I lost 4 pounds in 3 days, which to me was amazing! It shows how important it is to figure out your caloric intake with the amount of calories you are burning each day.

Also, avoid alcohol! I had one beer last night, and I felt so tired and woke with a headache. I was, also, very dehydrated, which made me feel icky this morning. Now I don't feel like doing my workout. Although, I am still going to do it. I've forced myself to do it in worse conditions. Like when I got the flu over Christmas. After the the fourth day of feeling weak I decided to push myself and just do it. I felt good after the workout, but wow...it was hard doing it. I didn't feel like I could keep up. My energy had been completely depleted.

So, in conclusion, if you are working out, but not losing anything you should use this formula to check your caloric intake. You might be surprised at what you find.

For a woman:

BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

For a man:

BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in year)

These equations will give your total in caloric intake. REMEMBER, as you lose weight you need to reconfigure the total by redoing these equations. Also, the BMR (basal metabolic rate) is based on a common number. If you feel your BMR is different here then you can get that tested or they have things like the Bodybugg or Fitbit, which is a device you can wear to tell you exactly how many calories you have burned in a workout.

I'd like to add I got all of this wonderful information from Chalene Johnson's book called PUSH. You should really look into it. It's a very good read and very informational!

Quote of the day: "Choices are the hinges of destiny." – Pythagoras

Busy Day

Today was a good day. I counted every calorie. I worked out for a good hour to TurboFire, along with ten minutes of abs after, and loved every moment of it. I had such a hard sweat going on that it looked like I had hopped into the shower with all my clothing on. It was a great feeling, to get that intense of a workout in.

I had to make it quick though as I had to be at the school in time to pick up the little one and two friends from school. They had a blast today, which is always good. I like it when she has fun. She's so tired right now that she's on the floor with a blanket over her and watching t.v.

I did alright on the diet today. I could have done better. There were a few things I nibbled on that shouldn't have even entered my mouth, but I live and learn. Tomorrow will be a better day.

I’ve recently signed up to be an independent coach for Team Beachbody. They carry workouts like TurboFire, P90X and P90X2, Turbo Jam, and many other workout programs. They have a product called Shakeology. It can be used to replace meals and gives you energy, along with many other positive attributes. You can also create an account to track your workouts or invite buddies to workout with you, there is a section to track progress, as well as setting up goals, and they have a meal planner also. If anyone is interested in hearing about these products or become a member with the site you can message me or check it out here. If you are primarly interested in Shakeology then you can look here.

That's all for me today. It's been a busy one, and I am whipped.

Quote of the day: "Once the 'what' is decided, the 'how' always follows. We must not make the 'how' an excuse for not facing and accepting the 'what.'" – Pearl S. Buck

Breakfast of Champions

I mentioned a few days ago that I was going to make a dish that I have a lot for breakfast in the mornings. Well, this is it. I got this from the TurboFire workout program. In one of the books that come with the program it has recipes, quite a few recipes that I absolutely love. It's a very light dish, low on calories and has a great taste to it.

The recipe calls for:

1 whole egg plus 2 eggs whites
3 slices (2 oz.) ham (or turkey bacon or turkey sausage), cut in thin strips
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 oz. pepper jack cheese (or cheddar, mozzarella, or swiss), shredded
2 scallions chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Nonstick cooking spray

Scramble the eggs in a bowl. Add ham, bell pepper, scallions, and cheese. Add dash each of salt and pepper (if desired). Spritz microwaveable bowl with nonstick cooking spray and pour in egg mixture. Microwave on medium for about 3 minutes. This time can vary though. I had to cook mine for a little over 4.

You can serve 1 slice of whole wheat toast and 1/2 cup of cranberry juice with it as well.

Enjoy!

Nutritional information:

Calories: 395
Protein: 35 g
Carbs: 37 g
Total Fat: 12 g
Fiber: 3.5 g

Quote of the day: "He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality." – Anwar al-Sadat

Beachbody Coach

I've taken on a new job or what I'm hoping will be a new job. I almost didn't take it because I was worried since I'm still overweight that I will be judged, but then I realized...I'm in it for the long haul just as much as everyone else that is signing up. I've got goals and ambitions that I plan on crushing! So...why not be a coach and hope that others will get inspired enough to join me?

That's why I signed up for the Beachbody Challenge. It's a 90 day challenge that I am going to focus my hardest on and do my best! I've got Shakeology now too, so the wheels have been put into motion. I want to be positive and supportive of others while I'm on this 90 day stretch as well.

If some of you don't know what Shakeology is you can check it out in the link I've provided. It's a shake you drink daily and gives you all the vitamins and nutrients needed. This is great for some of us that hate to eat vegetables!

Focused!

I am very focused today!

Also, I was really disappointed in something. I was reading through some of Chalene Johnson's books that came with Turbo Fire. After some calculating I was very low in caloric intake, and she says if it's too low that your body stores fat, especially with as much calories being burned during the Turbo Fire workout. So, I know this now. It could also explain why I wasn't losing that much over the course of the last 17 weeks.

Oh well, we live and learn, right? Life would be boring as hell if we were perfect at everything we did! If you are interested in this formula check out Chalene's products by clicking the link above and searching for Turbo Fire, Turbo Jam, and many of her other products there.

Today was my first day working with a new preschool class. I've worked the lunches for them before, so it isn't like I don't know the kids, but it's a new experience working so closely with the teacher and the other aide. I had fun! We had a little trouble with one of the kids, but nothing we all couldn't handle. The parents aren't too happy with the decision from the principal in regards to that student, but it's a private school for a reason - they definitely don't like to deal with bullying, which was happening.

I'm must run - typing this quickly. I am off to work, yet again!

Quote of the day: "I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do! That is character." – Theodore Roosevelt

Portion Control

I did really well at dinner tonight. I ate a grilled chicken and veggies dish at the Chinese restaurant. I drank some hot tea and lots of water. My willpower was good, until they brought out the cake and a piece landed in front of me. I was going to deny myself the pleasure, but it was a sliver, which I'm glad they were at least thinking of me in that respect. So...yes..I ate it!! I don't feel bad for it as I know tomorrow I'm going to be extra good. Nobody is perfect when it comes to health and fitness, but as long as we learn and grow from what we've done then that's good. Plus, I don't like to deny myself something in fear of dying to eat it the next day, so if I really do want a piece of cake or whatever junk it is I allow myself a small portion of it - very small portion!

I did my Abs 10 class tonight, which is a Turbo Fire product by Chalene Johnson. It can be ordered here if anyone is interested. It's an amazing workout video! I can't even say it enough the wonderful impression Chalene has placed of herself in these videos. She's such a wonderful motivator. She will make anyone feel like they can do anything.

I look forward to tomorrow. It's my first day with a new preschool class. I love the little tykes! They are so much fun and say the darnedest things! I'm going to make sure to pack myself a healthy lunch too. I'll make up a salad then toss in a chopped up banana on the side for a snack. I keep water with me at work to drink throughout my day. The kids keep me so busy that I forget about food for the few hours I am there.

Good Intentions

I had good intentions this morning. I took a picture of the meal I made for breakfast. It's one of my favorite meals and gives me a good boost of energy before I workout. The problem was that when I went to upload the picture from my camera I realized my SD card was not in it. What a bummer, huh? So, my picture got lost, but don't fret. I will be making it again tomorrow, and I found my card to put back into my camera, so all is right in the world now.

For now, I should tell you that I am a bit sleepy. My husband had to go into work early today to do the snow. He was not quiet about going through the house and woke my daughter up - who is excited about going outside in the snow today. I am about to make some coffee to sip before I workout. It always gives me a little boost of energy just before, but I don't add much to it. Actually, I found that sugar free French Vanilla by Coffee-Mate seems to work well. All I add is two tablespoons, and before you say "OMG that's a lot of creamer!" My coffee mugs aren't small. They are the tall ones as I do loooove my coffee.

Also, I'm a little sore from yesterday's workout, but wow...was it intense, and I loved it!! I did the Fire 45 EZ class along with Abs 10 class. The Abs 10 class is killer! For ten minutes she really makes you work it hard! It's what I love about her though. She really packs power to the punch.

Today I will be doing the HIIT 20 and Sculpt 30 classes, so it's going to be intense cardio along with strength training (using bands). I need to purchase weights soon though. I am on week 17 of Turbo Fire. Monday will be week 18, which means I will only have 3 weeks before I incorporate ChaLean Extreme into my workout schedule. I can't wait for that!!

I'm off to workout now! You all should do the same and join me!!

Waiting On Shakeology

My hubby and I both had the day off today. I've been up early doing chores and errands. One was us hitting the grocery store with my grocery list of all healthy things. It wasn't too much stuff, which is funny. If this had been 4 months ago I would have had a lot more things in my cart, and it would have mostly been junk food or carbs. While I have skimped out on the unhealthy foods and turned to the healthier alternative I have not noticed much of a price change, which makes me a little sad. It doesn't mean I'll go back to the cheap carb lifestyle though. It just means I'm going to have to watch for sales on certain vegetables and fruits.

Today I tried out a shake. It wasn't Shakeology as I am still waiting for my order to arrive, but my sister had given me a single helping of her whey protein powder, so I tossed it into my new Ninja blender with strawberries and a banana. It turned out really good! By the way, the Ninja blender is awesome!! It took like a minute and a half to blend everything into a smooth consistency - ice included. My previous blender took like five plus minutes of stopping to stir then blending yet again.

I've, also, posted up a new photo today of my thirty pound weight loss. It might not be noticeable to some, but I can feel a difference, and as I compare my before and current photo I've noticed that I don't have as much baggage below the chin, which is awesome! Also, my arms look a little smaller to me. If you can't view the photo and are interested in the site, go ahead and join up. You won't be disappointed. Beachbody is a powerful site for losing weight, working out, and finding new and innovative ways to stay motivated.

If you have any questions about the site or need some help you can send me a message on there, Facebook, or Twitter. Whatever site is the easiest for you. At the top of my blog there are links to my accounts if you would like to contact me.

Fresh Start

So, I haven't posted on here in a while. Life has gotten the best of me, but I have been sticking to my weight loss goals. Recently, I have become obsessed with Chalene Johnson, which you can find on that site. If none of you have heard of her, check her out. She is absolutely amazing! Not only is she a fitness expert, but she is a motivational speaker as well. Oh, also, she is a firm believer on organization, which I have been doing fervently!

The exercise program that I am doing by Chalene Johnson is called Turbo Fire. You can find it on that link above as well. It's a great program! It has a little bit of everything in it - kickboxing, dancing, skiing. Really, I love the variety, which is something for me, since for years I have fought the battle of boredom. I found exercise programs were so monotonous, and the exercise machines were even worse!

As of today, I am on week 17 of my Turbo Fire workout. I have lost 27 pounds and a total of 34 inches! Not only that, but I am down two dress sizes, which is an amazing feeling! I feel like a new person, and I plan on continuing with this journey.

I have become addicted to the high feeling after a workout. It was hard the first couple of weeks, but after those two weeks of doing it I began to really love the feeling after I had reached those goals.

Also, I have very bad knees. I need surgery on them, but I don't have the time to stop and do it. I have a 6 year old to take care of, and I work. It's nearly impossible for me to settle life down just to get it done. The reason I am telling you this is because I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to do this workout, until I saw that Chalene has someone that modifies her workouts next to her. I follow the modified workout, and I am still losing tons of weight!

So, take my word for it. If I can do this, so can you! Go get a try and let's all beat obesity that is claiming our lives!