My Fitness Pal

You've heard me talk about this website and app for a while now. I cannot say enough good about it. While I am NOT a fan of counting calories, by any means, I AM thrilled with the accountability of MyFitnessPal. I know where I'm at every day with my eating, I can see if I start to get carried away, and I can evaluate what led me to getting carried away. It's actually a brilliant notion, and has definitely proved to be helpful in the past week.

I encourage you, as a person who has the desire to live a healthy lifestyle, to create a free account, fill out the profile, and keep yourself accountable for yourself and your actions. I guarantee that you will learn something about yourself throughout the process. And if you are anything like me, you will grow to appreciate the accountability.

Don't forget! My Fitness Pal isn't only online! You can download app versions for your droid and iPhone! :D

Create your free My Fitness Pal account HERE.

Monday Motivation

Time for some tough love....

This is truly what it all comes down to. There is no magic pill, fad diet, or quick routine that will fix all your problems. There is no magic juice, special herb, or power plant that will erase years of unhealthy eating and no exercise. But you DO have access to the best things for you, all the time.

Fresh produce, lean meats, occasional treats, and plenty of exercise and water. This is what it takes to get it done, these are the ONLY tools you need to get your life back on track and healthy. Let me repeat that. THESE ARE THE ONLY TOOLS YOU NEED. Period. End of story. Done.

The truth, is that we all have obstacles to overcome. We all have ailments, injuries, broken backgrounds, and so much more, that we are trying to push past to see the silver lining. The fact of the matter is, until you can let go of your baggage, you will be stuck exactly where you're at. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, that's just the way it is. But once you are able to kick yourself in the rear, and figure out that you want more from your life than you've given yourself, it is then that you will kick all those excuses to the curb and get up and do something about your predicament.

It's not about starving yourself. Starving leads to binge eating. Binge eating leads to discouragement. Discouragement leads to lack of motivation and will power. And all of that combined leads to an unhealthy life. Find ways to make your meals healthier. Eat more fruits and veggies. Drink plenty of water. Get some activity in each day. These are the key things to living a healthy lifestyle. These are the ONLY tools you need. The choice is yours. But the time is now.

For more one-on-one motivation and encouragement, join my group on Facebook, Healthy Starts Here.

One Week Going Strong

At the official end to Week 1 of Focus T25, there is so much that I could say about the program. It is absolutely amazing to me how well my body was worked over this past week. Partner that with my clean eating and huge water intake, and we've got success! I found it amazing that only 25 minutes a day for 5 days is what conjured up a 4.3 lbs. weight loss.

I also began logging my food this past week. Something I had done and grown tired of in the past, but I have a friend who is doing it and needed a little encouragement. So I decided I would jump in there and log my stuff as well. This time around, the whole process was different. I had a goal to reach, and I was trying with every fiber of my being to reach it. I looked at logging differently than I had in the past. It became a game of Tetris to me. What can I eat, and how much can I squeeze into that amount of calories. I was thoroughly shocked when most days, my calorie count was under what I was aiming for. SCORE! If you've never logged food before, and are trying to figure out where it's all going, I highly recommend trying MyFitnessPal.com. It is brilliantly put together, and I can even go in and input all the ingredients I use for my personal recipes, so I always have them there to log. For me, that was a huge thing, because I make everything from scratch.

Today is another day to make another great choice. <3 p="">
www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC

It's STaturday!! :)

Today is STaturday for week one in the T25 program. I will be honest, I was TERRIFIED to step on the scale today. I had seen a little bit of a change, and though I felt MUCH better this week, I just wasn't expecting too much. Yet when I stepped on that mighty beast of a number cruncher, magic happened. In 5 days, I'm down 4.3 lbs, 3.25 inches, and 1.1% body fat. Oh....My...GOSH!!! And I can't even say it was just "water weight" lost, because my water percentage went UP 4%. Shaun T did something quite amazing with this product.

Week one was a total beast, and it pushed me further than I had ever gone before. And though during some days I was D~Y~I~N~G at the end, I was so proud of myself for pushing play. I am not a fan of quick fixes and fads. I am not a fan of extreme dieting, calorie counting, or any other craziness. I am, however, a fan of persistence, dedication, desire, motivation, and encouragement. Clean eating, holding myself accountable, and T25. That's how I gained a step in being healthy this week. It's not too late. Your chance is just waiting for you to just...push...play...

The EPIC T25 Challenge!

It's an EPIC T25 Challenge!! Starts August 5th, so if you're interested, message me so we can get your program ordered and on its way to you. Winner of the contest will get a copy of Focus T25 Gamma, which is the next step after you finish the initial Alpha and Beta phases. It's bound to be fun, so what are you waiting for?! :D

My Hip Hop Abs Journey

I keep forgetting to update, and the week is nearly over, lol! I finished my 30 days of Hip Hop Abs, and let me just say, I took my after photos, and WOW!! I know I'm a far cry from perfect, and though the scale only budged a 1/2 lb. when all was said and done, but I also lost 4.5 inches of fat off my body and 1% body fat. And it was results I could physically see in photos, not just by the numbers! I was in shock. I will definitely be keeping this around, and adding the next step of HHA to this the next time I do it!

If you're looking for a fun, dancing kind of workout, here it is. I started some workouts totally not in the mood that day, and I felt like I had just gotten started and it was done. Amazing, and freaking F~U~N!!

Watch the video below, then head to my site to order yours today!

www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC

It's Thursday Thirst Day! So....Drink up! Or DON'T! :/

We have become a society of quick, easy, and instant gratification. With the plethora of "healthy" drinks out there, it is very easy to slip into the habit of grabbing a quick alternative to a natural answer. I try to tell people who ask about clean eating, that basically, clean eating is going back to caveman days. What was hunted for or grown, that's what was eaten. Same thing goes here. Don't reach for that quick bottle of OJ in the cooler, squeeze your own at home, and make a big pitcher of it so you don't have to do it on a daily basis. Love flavored water because it doesn't taste like, well, water? Toss rings of fruit or fruit cubes in your glass. Natural is always better. Get it straight from the source. It truly does make a difference.

Read the article HERE about the 8 healthy drinks that are actually terrible for you. Then promise you will never fall prey to them again. ;)

Beachbody-splosion!

Holy Moly!! It was a Beachbody-splosion today!! I cannot wait to try the Vanilla Shakeology (FINALLY!!), and I cannot wait to get started on my T25 challenge starting Monday! I know I'm going to keep the good work going, and I'm just so excited!! I'll be reading through all my material tonight, because I'm just that anxious!! YAY!! So glad it all got here!! :)

www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC
www.myshakeology.com/LittleMrsCC

Sunday Fun Day!!

You've made it through another long week, and we're about to start another. Why not indulge in a different kind of exercise today by picking up a book? When was the last time you picked up a book and actually read it with enthusiasm, sitting on the edge of your seat, gnawing on your fingers as you turn each page? If you're like me, it's been a while. There is nothing more that I love for leisure than to just pick up a book and read. It let's my mind work creatively, and see a broader spectrum of things that are outside my immediate realm, and I don't even have to get out of my pajamas. BONUS!! :P

So find a book you haven't read in a while, a new book you haven't had time for, or find one free through your eBook, and enjoy a leisure read. Let your mind wander and take you far away to another land where Monday isn't tomorrow, laundry doesn't have to be done, and children aren't beckoning you around the clock. After all, it is just as important to keep our minds healthy as it is to keep ourselves physically healthy. We're all about well rounded healthy here, so get to it. And E~N~J~O~Y!!

Hello Saturday Sweat!

Growing up, one of my favorite movies, for MANY reasons, was Top Gun. One of the scenes I loved most was the volleyball scene (need I say more?), and I ALWAYS wanted to play beach volleyball. I played indoor volleyball for fun through my church league, and that was one of my favorite times in school PE. I was pretty good, if I may say so myself. ;)

I always imagined taking my suave moves to the sand, and, as many of us do, I pictured myself flawless in movement and execution of skills. Many years later, I had the opportunity to actually play some beach volleyball, 2 on 2, me and my girlfriend against two guy friends. Here was my moment. I was ready. I was poised for the serve, smooth on my blocking, brilliant on my set ups. Then the moment came, you know which one I'm talking about. The moment when the ball is just outside your capable reach unless you make that beautiful dive into the sand and save the day. No part of me hesitated to take it, that moment was.....HORRIBLE! LOL!!

I dove, arms out, hands together, and you know what I realized? Beach volleyball is INTENSE! Yes, I made the save, but absolutely zero part of my logic thought, "Hey, you're a chick, you've got boobs, this might hurt." Boy did it! I imagine it felt something like when a guy gets kicked in his nether region. Gasping for breath, unable to catch it, the feeling that your boobs are coming out your back, yeah, that's about how that went.

Suffice it to say, with the exception of my all too brilliant fail of a dive, boob wise, I was sweating up a storm! Moving through the sand was something I never anticipated have to conquer, yet that was what made that game a little more intense, and so thrilling.

So today's challenge is to go old school. Get outside, play some basketball, softball, beach volleyball. Rollerskate, skateboard, bicycle, swim, get out and do something you rarely make time for, and sweat it out. Make it the most intense swim you've ever swam, speed skate through a park or along a boardwalk, play some 1 on 1, or hit the batting cage. Be a kid again, and just go wild! :)

Do YOU Want Results?

There is a reason I chose Focus T25 for my next workout. Actually, there are quite a few.

1. I don't like working out for an hour. To be honest, my body's energy is completely depleted after an hour workout. Not because I'm not eating the right things, at the right time, etc., but because of the illnesses I have, my energy levels are at their optimum for about 30-45 minutes. And most days, 45 minutes is pushing it.

2. There are some days where finding an hour is difficult. Do I do it? Heck, yeah!! But it occasionally leaves me rushing to get to the next thing on that day's to-do list. I don't like to rush.

3. These kind of results in only 25 minutes a day? And I only have to workout 5 days a week? Really? CHALLENGE TAKEN!!

I could go on, and on, and on. But let me get to the point.

Everyone gets to that point in their life, where they feel they have tried all there is to try, done all they could do, pushed themselves as far as they thought they could go. And then something happens. Where they realize they still have more push in them, and giving up is not an answer. I was on the brink of giving up hope. Thinking to myself that I've been obese and overweight since I was 6 years old. There is no way that I can turn that all around. Not now. I just turned 35. I'm done. What is, simply is. There's no way out.

Then I was introduced to a more laid back Beachbody workout, Hip Hop Abs. Laid back? I thought it was going to be, and I thought it would ease me into a more hefty workout. Laid back it was not. Ease me into a more hefty workout, absolutely! It leaves me craving more at the end of each day. I look forward to the next day of getting a good sweat in. And I don't like to sweat. Seriously. I would do water aerobics for exercise just so I couldn't feel myself sweating, that's how much I don't like to sweat. But I love it now. I love feeling my body change for the better, and I love feeling myself get stronger.

I was actually going to do a different program after Hip Hop Abs. And then I saw the preview for T25. I looked at those before and after photos of REAL people and their REAL results, and I thought, are you kidding me? If HE can get that kind of result, SO CAN I! And here I am. On my last week of Hip Hop Abs, and awaiting the arrival of that magic box that carries my T25 in it. I find myself on pins and needles, waiting for confirmations in my email that it has gotten one step closer to me. I WANT these results. And I'm going after them.

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for you to join me on this journey to something wonderful. I would LOVE to see you healthier, I would LOVE to help keep you motivated and encourage you along the way. And I would LOVE to see your results!! So watch the brief video below, get excited, and then head on over to my site to get the program. You can get the workout by itself, or in a Challenge Pack where it comes with a month of Shakeology. Regardless, you get ME as your Coach, and a bonus workout, just for ordering through me. And if you order by 7/7, you'll also get FREE shipping on the workout and Shakeology (if you order the NEW Vanilla!). What more could you ask for? Let's do this!

www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC

Wednesday Workout

Not everybody loves heading to the gym for a workout. I know I am one of those people. I prefer to workout in the comfort of my own home, where there are no eyes looking at me in judgement. Okay, so that's probably my own self consciousness talking there, but still, working out at the gym is not for everyone.

So, in order to get our sweat on today, here is a list of 10 exercises you can do at home, and still get a sufficient workout in. I will list the 10 exercises here, but please take a look at the link below if you are unsure how to do any of them correctly. Correctly doing an exercise is VERY important so that you not only maximize your workout, but do not hurt yourself.

1. Squats

2. Triceps Push Ups

3. Skaters

4. Plank Crawl

5. Walking Lunge

6. Single Leg Balance Stick

7. Bird Dog

8. Side Plank Hip Drops

9. Bridge

10. Superman Back Extension

20 will be our magic number for the day, so do 20 reps of each exercise that you do reps for, and hold for 20 seconds on those exercises that you hold a pose for. Sounds easy, right? I guarantee you, after doing all of these in a row for these numbers of reps and holds, you will feel it. Want to get a little extra sweat in? Work from number one to ten, then from ten to one. Feel the burn. ;)

See how to do the exercises HERE.

Tuesday Testimony...

There are so many sayings that talk about speaking kind words to others because everyone is facing some sort of battle, or something to that same effect. I think what some of us fail to realize, is that words spoken harshly to other do hurt, but so do the words we speak to ourselves.

In a world filled with people who will pick on someone for the stupidest things, uplifting others is something that is necessary on a daily basis. Think about your day today. How many times did you tell someone something kind? How many times did you read a post on Facebook from a friend that seemed a little down, and you posted something uplifting, hoping to brighten their day? How many times do you say thank you, open a door for someone, smile at someone, or simply just say hello to a stranger that someone else might not have noticed? I'm sure you do it more often than you think. But what about you? How many times have you looked in the mirror today, and said something uplifting to yourself? Told yourself you are beautiful? Mentioned that your hair looks particularly good today, or that shade of lipstick is awesome on you, or notice your arms getting slimmer? I bet that one is harder to do, right? Why?

The words we speak to ourselves, whether they are verbally spoken, or stay nestled in our minds just brewing, are just as harmful and hurtful as if we were to say them to someone else. But we stop and think before we say it to someone else. Why can we not use that filter on ourselves? We are worthy of those kind words, too.

You are beautiful. You are handsome. You are kind. You are loving. You are an amazing human being in this world filled with chaos and hat. You are someone special. Don't let yourself believe otherwise. <3 p="">

Monday Motivation

I slipped in posting these to the blog, but I'm catching you up! Here was Monday's Motivation!

I love when people ask me what I'm doing to lose weight. Because I LOVE looking at them, straight in the eye, and saying, "I don't diet." That is the key, right there. Three words. I...Don't...Diet. If you are anything like me, you've probably tried a lot of diets before. Heck, I've been on some kind of diet since I was 12. Because I've been overweight nearly my whole life. Detox diets, carb free diets, higher protein diets, you name it, I can tell you how it works. Or, in all actuality, how it didn't. Being healthy is a lifestyle, and it needs to be treated as such. It is not what you are missing out on, what you "have" to eat, or what workouts you "have" to do today, tomorrow, or next month. It is about CHOOSING to eat healthier. CHOOSING to exercise. CHOOSING the life you want for yourself.

In my case, and a lot of you out there as well, it's also about setting an example for the young ones in your life. How am I supposed to encourage my daughter to get out and be active if I, myself, cannot get myself to be active? How can I encourage healthy eating, when I opt not to eat healthy myself? Be the fine example that I know you all are, and do the things we encourage our children, nieces, nephews, siblings, and so on, to do. Make healthy choices, every day. Get plenty of exercise, every day. Challenge yourself, and others will see.

It's not easy. It won't happen overnight. But I promise you, it will be the BEST thing you have EVER done for yourself.

Healthy lifestyle. Healthy life.