Biggest Loser Challenge: Survivor Edition

I am always looking for fun ways for people to get into losing weight and making healthier choices to do so. Friendly competition has always been a great way to get people revved up, not to mention trying their best and sticking with something. Because of this, I have decided to host a Biggest Loser: Survivor Edition that will begin when the new season of Survivor does, on February 26, 2013.

The challenge will last through this season's Survivor series, and the winner will receive a fitness basket full of goodies to help them continue on their way to a healthier lifestyle. If you would like to be a part of this challenge, please head on over to the group, Healthy Starts Here, on Facebook, and request to join the group. Details will be shared on that page only.

I hope to see you there! Good luck!!

3 Weeks to a Better YOU!

Everyone is in search of something that will bring fast results, and amazing results. Now you can get both! 21 Day Fix is Beachbody's newest program. It is three weeks of bootcamp style classes, and portioned eating, that will help you get ready for those bathing suits and Spring Break!

Here's a photo of what you get with the Essentials Package:

And here's a video, showing you that ANYONE can grab this program and change their lives for the better.



What are you waiting for? Head on over to my Beachbody site, and pick up your copy today. Then, come join me in my challenge group, and do the program with me. :)

Clean Eating: Whose Definition Are YOU Following?

I'm a researcher by heart. From the medications I have to take, to vacation destinations, healthy choices, everything. I will read everything I can before making a decision. It's just in my character to do so. So when I read Jillian Michaels Master Your Metabolism, and someone mentioned that her ideas were similar to "clean eating," my research began. I read everything I could. From books in the bookstore, articles online, even renting books from my library. You know what I found? Something not too many people will freely admit.......

Everyone's idea of clean eating is different.

Which only brought up more questions, with the primary one being, whose definition do I go with??

There are so many people willing to give their two cents about a subject, and I am extremely grateful for all the different options when trying to find the right one for me. That phrase right there, that was the key.....the right one for ME. Some people believe the Paleo diet is clean eating, others believe that high protein low carb diets are clean eating. Then there's the "don't eat wheat" clean eaters, the vegan clean eaters, the "only eat organic" clean eaters. There's a different version of clean eating for any which way you want to go. But if you're interested in clean eating, I'm sure this is the same thing you've found as well, right? And your biggest question is probably the same as what mine was. Whose definition do I go with? And what makes one better than another?

Here's what I came up with. The one that is right for you, is the one that works for you. That's it, it's truly that simple. The unfortunate thing for our crazy society, in which people desire a one size fits all fix for losing weight or eating healthier, is that we are all...GASP!!!...different. What that means is that everyone's body will respond differently to different diets or ways of eating. This shouldn't be shocking news to anyone, really. Each body is made to handle foods differently, just as much as each body is built differently, and can perform different exercises differently. So the fact that Annie does so well on the Paleo diet, but Kim doesn't understand why it's not working for her, it doesn't mean the Paleo diet doesn't work. It means that the Paleo diet isn't for everyone.

So I've resolved to stop calling the way I eat "clean." And only because even when I say "clean eating" to friends, I still have to explain just what I mean. So here's the deal....I'm a whole food eater. :) I strive to eat foods that are not processed, have an ingredients list with ingredients I can pronounce, fresh fruits and vegetables (and plenty of them!), and everything that I put on my plate for any meal, is made 100% by me, occasionally my husband, and only with fresh ingredients. I don't use fake sugar, and I only bake with organic white flour, because I have an intolerance to whole wheat products. If I want ice cream, I plan ahead and make it myself. Want a loaf of bread, I make it myself. Craving some sweet treats, I use applesauce or honey as sweeteners, and make it myself. You're probably wondering how I can consider ice cream, bread and baked goodies good for me. I don't, they are treats. But if I want them, I make them. This is the only way I can ensure that I have foods made from the best ingredients, and heaps healthier than the prepackaged, boxed or bagged junk on the shelves in the store.

I cannot tell you what will work for you. I can only share tips and tricks that work for me, giving you something else to try in your effort to find the right thing that works for YOU. What I CAN promise you, is that the information I share with you has come from plenty of trial and error. I love to tinker with recipes, and every time I share a recipe with you, you will find a list of whole ingredients. My recipes cut out all the bad for you, and allow you to try new things, with flavor, and still feel good about it in the end. Eating healthy doesn't have to taste gross, and it doesn't have to be boring.

Whole foods, whole health. It's that simple.

R~O~C~K Your Way Into the New Year!

New challenge starting December 2nd! Want to R~O~C~K your way into the New Year? Join my challenge group as we workout with Shaun T's Rockin' Body, and R~O~C~K our way into a healthy New Year! Score some major bonuses by ordering from my site! Watch the video below, message or comment with any questions, then head on over to my site and scoop up the program! Once you get the program, let me know so I can add you to the R~O~C~K~I~N Challenge Group! It will be the BEST $20 you spend this holiday season.

NOTE: Shipping is regular cost and is NOT upgraded for free.

Take Responsibility

I have come a far way from the near 300 lbs. girl I used to be. I have tried things, only to fail, got up, and tried something else until I found something that worked for me. Until recently, though, the one thing I lacked was responsibility. I am the only person responsible for where I am today, health wise. I am the one that made poor choices, I am the one who opted not to workout, I am the one that let myself get riddled with diseases. Granted genetics plays a part in those illnesses, my poor health and exercise choices pushed me far down that path, when I could have made healthier choices to not get me there quite so quickly. The bottom line, is that you are the only person responsible for where you are today. You, and only you, can make the changes that need to be made to better yourself, or push yourself further into that dark abyss. I cannot get off the couch and do the workout for you, no matter how cool that would actually be, it is not possible. What IS possible, is for you to turn your health around, and you can start now. Start making healthier choices NOW. Start getting more exercise in NOW. Start taking responsibility for yourself NOW. And while you're walking that path of responsibility, lean on me for support, encouragement, butt kickin', and anything else you need along the way. I eat healthy and workout for ME. Because one day I woke up and realized that tomorrow, I may not, and the only one who could do anything about it, was ME.

www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC

From the Heart....

I was sitting here today, enjoying my quiet, cool Sunday afternoon, when I got to thinking. I know that I am not in the best shape of my life. I know that I still have TONS of things to work on, personally, for me to reach my goals in health and fitness. I know that some things I may put out there as challenges seem a little advanced or extreme in one way or another to many people who are just getting started on their journeys, or think they are not capable of doing these things. So I want to share this little bit of information with you, to let you know that you are never alone in your journey. And that I will ALWAYS be right here to help you along.

1. I will NEVER ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER suggest, encourage, or ask you to do ANYTHING that I, myself, am not willing to do or try.

2. I may not be a nutritionist, by any means, but I have spent years of research finding out what will work for me, and the information I pass on to you through these groups, FB pages, and blogs, are all products of that research. You by NO means, need to go out and try it all. It is meant as helpful information that you might not have thought about along your path to a healthier you.

3. I believe in the information I share. I will NEVER share anything with you that I do not believe in. And trust me, it takes a lot for me to believe in something. I don't blindly follow anyone or any product. I try things out, see how they work, and I base my opinion off how I reacted to whatever it was I tried. But if I share something with you, it is because with all my heart and soul, I believe in the benefits of the information I am passing on.

I know there are so many body types out there. There are so many people at so many different levels of fitness and health, and each and every person has their own battle they are fighting each and every day. I never assume that what works for me will work for you. All I know is what has worked for me in the past, or what is working for me now. And all I encourage YOU to do is TRY. I don't care if it's the first thing or millionth thing that you have tried. I just encourage you to do something to make a difference in your life. The only thing you cannot do, is that which your mind says you cannot. I believe in you. Always. :)

9 Day Clean Eating Challenge

I am hosting a clean eating challenge in my Facebook group, Healthy Starts Here. I would LOVE to have you join me and the rest of the group in taking this step toward a healthier you. Simply go to your Facebook page, type in the group name, and request to join the group. The group is private, so no one can see your posts but the group. I am here to motivate you in every way possible, and help encourage you to achieve your ultimate health.

Come join us in this venture, and see where it can take you. Click HERE to go directly to the group. :)

Hope to see you in there!

It Takes Heart

So, let me tell you all a little story. As I am winding down for the night, and contemplating how far I've come in the past few months, I know I have a ways to go, but have accomplished more than I thought.

At my heaviest, about a year and a half before my wedding in 2003, I was 295 lbs. Most people don't know that. By my wedding, I was about 250. That weight loss was a combination of wedding stresses and my unknowing plague of diabetes hard at work, and most of that weight loss came within about 8 months of my wedding. I never thought I would be smaller. I never thought I would ever have a chance at seeing my clothes in a size that wasn't 2 digits, and didn't at least start with a 2.

I could blame my slow progress on my illnesses that plague me on a daily basis, but that would be too easy. Last summer I was bound and determined to lose this weight. And I slowly began making progress. I went back to my clean eating, and before I knew it, I was in a size 18. I'll be honest. The last time I saw a size 18, I was a sophomore in high school. And for then, that was huge.

Toward the end of last year, I had done all the Jillian Michaels workouts that I could do, and finally my progress halted. Determined to not let the plateau get the best of me, I ordered a Beachbody workout, Hip Hop Abs. I ended up leaving for the states for our adoption before I could start, so I started doing Shakeology when I was in the states. I needed something that would fuel my body and give me energy as I ran ragged taking care of things, and soon, my new daughter. Shakeology was a life saver. It boosted my metabolism, gave me more energy, kept me satiated for hours, it was a god send to keep me going. And about a month before I left the states to come home to Germany, I had to go to the store to buy some size 16 shorts, because my 18's were falling off my hips. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN IN MY LIFETIME. But I am so glad I was wrong.

I completed Hip Hop Abs, fell in love with it, and with Shaun T's energy, and Focus T25 came out. I was determined to keep my mojo going. So I'm doing Focus T25. I'm loving it, just like I thought I would, and for the first time in nearly 20 years, I am almost to the brink of having to go out and buy some size 14 shorts. When my size 16's start to fall off my hips, I first get frustrated that my shorts are too big, then I remember....Oh yeah, I WANT them to be too big.

See, it's all about determination, dedication, motivation, and heart. Yes, heart. I was broken last summer after some devastating news about my health. When I realized, for the first time in my life, that I am not immortal, that I am sick, and that there is not much that can be done about that. But you know what CAN be done? I can CHOOSE to make the best out of each day. I can CHOOSE to move forward in a positive motion. I can CHOOSE to keep on trying until my last breath. And I can CHOOSE to mope in the darkness or try in the light.

So I try. Every single day, I try. I try to push myself further than I did the day before in the hopes that one day I won't have to take a mound of pills three times a day. That one day, I can say that I once said I was comfortable in my size 30 jeans, but that these size 6's feel much better. That one day, for the first time in my life, I will be able to wear a bikini comfortably to the beach on a sunny summer day, with the most confidence I've ever had. I have little dreams. Dreams of doing things I've never actually experienced in my life. This year, after having done so well before I started T25, I set a goal for 20 lbs. to be gone by the end of this year. I am almost halfway there. I bounce back and forth on my weight. Sometimes because of my illnesses, and sometimes because of my lack of effort. But I am more determined now than I ever was. And I've got three months to pull it off. So I am going full force.

I always ask you guys about your goals, your dreams, your wants out of this group and being healthy. This is my temporary goal. My short term desire. My first baby step toward achieving greatness for me. I am human. I struggle, too. You help me just as much as I aim to help you. So let's do this together. No matter what your goal is, or how different it is from mine, we can do this. <3 p="">

Coming Monday!

Been wanting to see what all the fuss is about with Shakeology? You will have the opportunity Monday to order a taste sampler through my site: www.beachbodycoach.com/LittleMrsCC

I can personally speak volumes for this shake. I have tried a lot of what's out there, and this is the BEST you can find. 100% natural ingredients from the earth, and all the nutrients your body needs to run effectively. Once you try it, you will be wondering why you waited so long. :)