The Good Life :)

Well, it’s about TIME for an update, wouldn’t ya say?!? Yikes! I’m sure it goes without saying that I’ve been busy! But wow! WHAT FUN this has been!
First things first: My Cross Training Fitness classes at Impact are going great! I’ve had about 25 different people come, most of which have all become “regulars”. AWESOME! I still miss my girls from the gym a lot and it’s bittersweet when I realize that by teaching so many classes myself now, I probably will NEVER get to go back to my old classes….but I know I’m where I’m supposed to be. Hopefully they can come visit ME sometime!

Also, more exciting news is that with all the success the classes have had, we’ve decided to add MORE! My good friend, Jaime, started teaching a 6 am boot camp class this week on Monday’s and Wednesday’s and will eventually add Friday’s too! Today was her first class and she had 4 people! That is fantastic!! It’s going to be fun working with her and I’m excited to see where God is going to take Cross Training Fitness in the future!
Another thing I’m excited about, which leads me to my next topic, is….

I am finally breaking the plateau I’ve seemed to be stuck at for quite a while now! Between using Shakeology (almost) daily and doing hour-long workouts 6 days a week, my body is starting to respond and that is pretty exciting! And even MORE than that, is the success that people in my classes are having! It is so rewarding to hear people saying that they are losing weight, having more energy, feeling better about themselves and getting stronger!!! What a blessing!
As you can imagine, my workouts with TurboFire have been put on hold. As much as I love it and I really DO WANT to do it, I just can’t push my body any harder than I already am. I have taken a lot of what I learned in the first month of doing though and put those moves into my workouts. It’s so fun to have the variety, intensity and coreography from P90X, Insanity and TurboFire to use to make up my unique routines!

Another thing that is going great is Beachbody Coaching. At the beginning of this year I was at a “turning point” with that whole thing…and was pretty much like-I’m going to give this one last shot and if it doesn’t work out, I’m done. Well, it turns out that all it took was me to get serious about it and actually TRY at it a little and things started moving right along. Every week I experience more success and now my coach, Carla, is well on the road to catching up to me. We've started offering a 3-day Shakeology Cleanse for $45, which is a great chance to try Shakeology without spending a lot and people are LOVING this option. You get 9 individual packets and can either drink 3 per day for 3 days (as a cleanse) or you can drink 1 per day for 9 days and just see how Shakeology works on a daily basis.

I know some people probably think of this part of my life (coaching) just as something I do to make extra money and something that might be a nuisance (if you get tired of hearing about it)…but if you only understood how great it is to be able to help people (through coaching) from all over the US. Many times it also works into a ministry opportunity too, which is the ultimate blessing!

Anyway, that’s about it for me right now! I’m sorry I’ve been away from blogging for so long. Even though I don’t get a chance to write very often, I still thoroughly enjoy it and intend to keep blogging just as much as I can. Please let me know if there are ever any questions I can answer for you!
Love, Jen

The Whole Scoop

Okay, if you are one of my wonderful, regular readers that don't live in my town...this post will probably bore you.
BUT...if you are here because you are checking out "The Whole Scoop" on my Cross Training Fitness classes...then READ ON! :)

Here's the dealio:

Class Schedule:
Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm Intense Interval
Tuesdays 9:00-10:00 am Bikini Bootcamp
Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 am Hardbody Weightlifting
Thursdays 9:00-10:00 am Bikini Bootcamp
Fridays 4:30-5:30 pm Bootcamp/Hardbody Mix (**beginning 3/4)
Saturdays 9:00-10:00 Intense Interval
Sundays: REST! :)

Class Description:

Intense Interval: Rotate between lifting weights and cardio intervals. We will spend about 5 minutes on one muscle group (lifting) and then do a 1-2 minute cardio drill and then move onto the next muscle group (lifting) and so on.

Bikini Bootcamp: No bikini required! :) This is a full hour of cardio. Everything from squats, jumps, lunges, kicks, punches, planks, etc. Come and watch the fat MELT away!

Hardbody Weightlifting: No fast-paced cardio, we will focus on sculpting the major muscle groups of the body. (Chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quads, hamstrings and core). Adding muscle speeds up the metabolism and gives your body SHAPE!

Bootcamp/Hardbody Mix: This class will use the first 30 minutes to get your body sweating with crazy cardio. Then the last 30 minutes we will max out each major muscle group in the body with weights. Plan to use heavier than normal weights here...we won't do many reps. (12-16 on average)

Important Information for all classes:
*SHOES: We are blessed to be using this wonderful facility that has amazing shock-absorbing mats on the floor. In order to maintain good care of the mats, we need to carefully check our shoes before we begin, making sure to clean out any dirt, gum, rocks, stickers, etc. The best thing would be to have special shoes you ONLY use for working out that you can just bring with you and change into.
ALSO---If you are using old, worn out tennis shoes to work out in, I HIGHLY suggest you invest in some good, supportive shoes. We do a lot of jumping and your feet and legs NEED proper support and shock-absorption. The brand of shoe isn't important, just make sure the fit is good.

*PRICE: All classes are $5.00. Everytime you attend a class, you get a punch in your punchcard and the 10th class is FREE. Also, bring a friend to class for the first time and you get DOUBLE PUNCHED! Also...

*COMING SOON: Pay-by-the-month option! Some people have asked about paying by the month and I think that is a fabulous idea. Beginning March 1st, I will offer a flat rate of $55/month. That is HALF-PRICE (a savings of $55) if you paid for each class individually.

*FOR SALE: I currently have P90X Recovery Drink single-serving packets as well as P90X Protein bars for sale. They will eventually be priced at $2 each, but right now they are only $1 each. This is a great price and a wonderful way for you to sample the products before you buy.

*HANDWEIGHTS: I am slowly buying more and more sets of handweights to keep up at the studio for you all to use. However, in the meantime, you will need to bring your own handweights to all classes except Bikini Bootcamp. Ideally everyone would have a "light" and "heavy" set of weights. "Light" is usually 3-5 pounds for girls and 5-10 pounds for guys. "Heavy" is usually 8-12 pounds for girls and 12-20 pounds for guys. Of course, everyone is at different levels, so listen to YOUR body! If any of you have a set of weights you don't want anymore, let me know, I want them! :)

*SPREAD THE WORD!: As of right now, I am relying solely on word-of-mouth getting the news about these classes out. I am working on a banner, flyers, etc. to post around town but anything you can do to help me get the word out, is highly appreciated! :)

*CHILDCARE: There is not supervised childcare. However, there is a small play area for kids in the back corner. On Saturdays and during evening classes, my daughter comes to help play with and entertain the kids. She is not disciplining or babysitting, but I do pay her a small amount to help keep the kids happy and busy.

*FEEDBACK: It is wonderful to hear your comments and suggestions regarding these classes. I am here for YOU. I want to serve you and do whatever I can to help you get in great shape and live a happy, healthy life. Please feel free to say anything to me that you think would make this program better!

*FITNESS LEVEL: It doesn't matter if you are very overweight, completely out of shape, extremely fit, a professional athlete, young or old, these classes ARE FOR YOU. I will always show multiple levels of intensity so that EVERYONE can workout at their own level. Please, please, PLEASE don't think that you can't do it. You CAN! Don't let the start stop you!

*Wanna do this AT HOME?: Everything we do in our classes comes from one of Beachbody's AMAZING fitness programs. P90X, Insanity and TurboFire are the main programs I use and have had phenomenal results with. (Just ask me to see mine and Matt's before pictures if you want to see the proof!!) I am a coach for Beachbody and I sell these programs. I love working out together in a group, that is why I am doing these classes, but for anytime you can't make it to the gym for class, don't want to, etc....you NEED one of these programs at home. Check out my Beachbody website for info on the products and how to order! www.beachbodycoach.com/onetoughgirl (you can also see my before and after pics there and read my testimony!)

*WHAT ABOUT NUTRITION?: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. However, I DO know how to lose weight and eat healthy and I would LOVE to help you! I know what works because it has worked for me and my family and tons of my friends. I can help you with recipes and snack ideas as well as important supplements for boosting your health. Number one thing I will suggest for everyone is an AMAZING super-food shake called SHAKEOLOGY. I drink it every day and it makes me feel terrific. There are a million things I could say about it, but just ask me for more info or go to my SHAKEOLOGY website! One thing I will NOT do is ever make you feel pressured to buy anything! I am only here to help you find what you are looking for. I am not a salesman and hope I never come across that way.

*CANCELED CLASS?: If Coweta Public Schools are closed for inclement weather, class will be canceled. If you are ever unsure, you can always check my facebook page for the latest information. In the event that I am sick or unable to instruct, I do have a couple of wonderful substitute instructors to fill in. Again...that will be posted on facebook.

*CONTACT INFO: There are numerous ways for you to get in touch with me.
Impact Martial Arts Studio website is www.impacttkd.com
Friend me on Facebook: Jennifer Jones
My Beachbody Coach website: www.beachbodycoach.com/onetoughgirl
My fitness blog: www.p90xourjourney.blogspot.com
My email: jennimatt10@hotmail.com
My phone #: 918-697-6086
Impact Martial Arts phone #: 918-384-8393

Fitness Classes!!!

Hey Guys! Well....I am SO EXCITED to announce that I will be instructing fitness classes in my town beginning on Feb. 8th!
Here is the schedule:
Tue 9-10 am: Bootcamp
Wed 9-10 am: Pump
Thur 9-10 am: Bootcamp
Sat 9-10 am: Interval
This place has wonderful facility with mirrors, bathrooms, awesome flooring AND a play area for children with toys and a TV/DVD.
The owner said "You just wouldn't believe what perfect timing this is!" and I thought...OH YES I WOULD! God's timing is PERFECT!

If I have good reception with these classes, I also have the ability to add a Monday evening and Friday evening class. (6:30-7:30).

Anyone who attends the pump or interval class will need to bring their own set of hand weights. For girls I suggest 5, 8 or 10 pounds and for guys 12, 15 or 20 pounds. There is a weight-area where we can leave our weights if we want.

Classes are $5 each. I will be providing each person with a punchcard. After 10 punches, you get a free class.

Let me know if any of you have any questions or suggestions and also let me know if you plan on coming!! AND PLEASE PASS THE WORD AROUND TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!!

I am beyond excited at how God is working all of this out!

One last thing...I am trying to think of a creative name for my business...something that involves fitness and also lets people know I'm a Christian. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears!
Love you all,
Jen

Bootcamp: Cardio class. (jumping, squats, push ups, lunges, jacks, punches, kicks)
Pump: Weightlifting. Will focus on all major muscle groups (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quads, hamstrings and core/abs)
Interval: Alternating between weights and cardio. 5 minutes cardio/3 minutes weights.

Ps. If any of you are local and want to know where it's at...just message me! :) Husbands are welcome too! :)

Beachbody Bargains!

Just wanted to be sure I let all of you know about the sale that is going on at Beachbody right now! For a limited time you can order the P90X Results and Recovery Drink and the Peak Protien Bars for a great discounted price. I'm not sure of the exact (to the penny) cost...but I think the Recovery Drink is around $25 right now (instead of $50) and the Protien bars are around $15 instead of $23. So, if you've been thinking about ordering some or want to try it...this is the time! Be sure to order using this link : http://beachbodycoach.com/onetoughgirl (fyi: if you don't order using that above link, I will NOT get credit for your purchase, unless I am already currently your Beachbody coach. If I'm not your coach....I would love to be!)

Ps. fyi: The Recovery Drink is a orange-y tasting drink that you use after a workout to help relieve soreness and restore energy for the next workout.

Don't stop eating when you feel full...

STOP SOONER!

We all grew up thinking (or at least I did) that as long as we stop eating when we feel full, then we've done good. But something our elders failed to teach us, is that it takes a good 15-20 minutes for what you've eaten to register with your body....So by the time you start to think "Man, I feel full" you probably should've stopped 15 minutes ago! Yikes! (okay maybe not exactly...but you get what I'm saying!?!)
Surely I'm not the only one who, while sitting at a restaurant with friends, suddenly feels the need to be wheeled out in a wheelchair because I feel like I'm gonna be sick if I move. How many millions of times have I said to myself "WHY did you let yourself eat so much?" "I should've quit a LONG time ago!!" "Being a little bit hungry is a zillion times better than being over-full!" Ugh!

Well, now that I'm back to eating food for fuel rather than pleasure, and monitoring my portion sizes, I'm remembering what it's like to stop eating BEFORE I'm full. And its actually rather enjoyable. With this TurboFire nutrition plan, I never get that "FULL" feeling. Instead, I may actually leave the table still feeling like I want more. But that is your mind playing tricks on you!! Don't fall for it! Wait 15-20 minutes (or probably even as few as five minutes) and see how you feel. I almost ALWAYS feel satisfied. And THAT my friends, is what you're after!
And furthermore...are we really going to sit back and allow ourselves to be RULED by our feelings? EVEN IF I don't feel full OR satisfied, if I've just eaten an apple and 1 tbsp. of almond butter then I know I've had a very ample and nutritious snack and that is that. My feelings aren't going to dictate to me that I need more...and neither are my tastebuds. I'm the boss!! :)

Let's brainstorm some ideas of ways we can stop this over-eating phenomenon! Here are my top 10:

1) At home, ACTUALLY MEASURE your portion sizes. I know...you're dirtying up measuring cups that you'll have to wash. Boo! I agree. BUT...after a few times of doing this, you'll be able to eye-ball it and stay within recommended portion sizes. FYI: Your plate should be divided up into 3 parts. 1/2 is for veggies. 1/4 is for lean protien. 1/4 is for good carbs. If you're filling up your plate and thinking "this is never gonna be enough" that's okay. Just tell yourself that you'll eat this much to start with...then wait 5-10 minutes. If you're still hungry, you can refill the veggies half of your plate! :)

2) At a restaurant, split your entree with someone!

3) At a restaurant, ask the waiter to bring you a to-go box when he brings out your food and immediately put half in a container. Not only will you be getting 2 meals for the price of one, you will keep yourself from eating enough food for 2 people at one setting!

4) At home, eat off a smaller plate. It has been proven that we automatically FILL our plates. So it's pretty simple math that if you have a 10" diameter plate you'll fill it with less food than you would a 14" plate. I eat off the same plates my kids use a lot of the time.

5) Before any meal, drink a glass of water...and possibly even eat a snack. Especially when I know we are going out and I am probably going to be eating something not super-healthy, I will eat a banana before we leave or drink a large glass of ice water. You are taking up space with something healthy and therefore...you instantly have less room for chips and queso (or bread
and olive oil) or whatever your favorite appetizer food is!

6) At a restaurant: Seat yourself AWAY from the freebies. Or, move the freebies out of your reach. It is much less convenient to eat the free chips and salsa if you have to reach across the table everytime. When it's right in front of your nose, you will eat them mindlessly without ever noticing. You'd be AMAZED at how many tortilla chips ONE PERSON can put away when basket after basket are set down in front of you!!

7) Chew and chew and chew. Ideally, you will chew 20 times per bite. I've counted and tried this...and that is about 13 more chews than I normally do. Slow the heck down! Eat intentionally...and make sure your mind realizes what you're doing. I've actually been so busy some days that I had to mentally think and try to remember if I ate lunch or not!!!

8) Put your fork down! The majority of people load their fork for the next bite while they're still chewing the one they JUST put in their mouth. Watch around at restaurants. People everywhere will be chewing while they hold their fork a mere inch away from their mouth...just hovering there while they wait for the swallow and re-load. :) Put that fork down, drink your water, again...slow down. :)
.
9) At a restaurant: Sabatoge your dinner. I don't personally recommend or use this technique because I don't believe in wasting...but if you just have to....ruin your food. When you've eaten an adequate amount, dump salt or sugar or salsa or whatever is handy on your plate on the remainder of your food. It's childish, yes...but hey, sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do! At least you will guarantee yourself that you won't just keep sitting there and picking at it!

10) Don't order your favorite entree. I know that sounds crazy, but if you order something that is healthy but isn't your favorite...the chances of you going over-board stuffing yourself are MUCH LESS. Matt always says when I'm cooking super-healthy "well, at least we'll be guaranteed to lose weight. Not only is the food healthy...but it's not very tasty so we aren't tempted to over-eat!" I know that is NOT a compliment :)...but he's right. It's a lot easier to leave steamed broccoli on my plate than it is crispy french fries!

So, do you have any other suggestions we can add to the list? I'd love to hear them!

TurboFire EATING

Posted by me on Facebook last week: I hate it when people say "I tried P90X and it didn't really work". And then I ask them if they followed the nutrition plan and they say "no, but I did the workouts." If you ONLY did the nutrition part but didn't do the workouts, would you say you "did it" ? NO, of course not...so don't say you "did it" if you neglected the nutrition aspect of it. It takes BOTH.

So, in an attempt to NOT be a hypocrite :), I am going to actually start following the nutrition plan that came with my TurboFire workout.
You'll notice, that I am substituting Shakeology for my lunch everyday. I won't do this on the weekend because I want to be able to eat with my family. I am hoping that by adhering to this meal plan very strictly during the week and trying to stay "in control" but not overly strict on the weekends will still allow me to lose around a pound a week.
I thought I'd post my meal plan on here, because in the past, a lot of you have mentioned that you enjoy following these with me.

Monday:
B: Guiltless Egg Sandwich*
S: Apple with 1 tbsp. almond butter
L: Shakeology
S: Banana and 10 raw whole almonds
D: Herb-Roasted Chicken, mashed cauliflower*

Tuesday:
B: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal*
S: Celery with 1 tbsp. peanut butter
L: Shakeology
S: Banana and 10 raw whole almonds
D: Grilled Lemon Salmon, candied carrots*

Wednesday:
B: Fruit & Nut Muffin*
S: Apple with 1 tbsp. almond butter
L: Shakeology
S: Banana and 10 raw whole almonds
D: Panko-crusted Chicken, simple spinach salad*

Thursday:
B: Oatmeal w/ banana
S: Celery with 1 tbsp. peanut butter
L: Shakeology
S: String cheese, apple
D: Sneaky Turkey Spaghetti, green salad*

Friday:
B: Guiltless Egg Sandwich
S: Apple with 1 tbsp. almond butter
L: Shakeology
S: Banana and 10 raw whole almonds
D: Island Pork Tenderloin & steamed asparagus

Recipes:
Guitless Egg Sandwich
1 whole wheat english muffin
2 egg whites
2 turkey sausage links (approx. 60 cal/each)
1 slice low-fat cheddar cheese

Herb-roasted Chicken
1 whole chicken, approx. 3 lbs.
2 tbsp. dried herbs
1/2 lemon, juice
butter-flavored non-stick cooking spray
salt & pepper
~Roast chicken in oven with herbs, lemon juice and spray on it.

Candied Carrots
8 c. shredded carrots
4 tbsp. honey
~Steam carrots, add honey and stir until coated.

Fruit & Nut Muffin
1 whole wheat english muffin
1 tbsp. nut butter
1 tbsp. fruit preserves

Panko-crusted Chicken
8 5-0z skinless boneless chicken breasts
3/4 c. Panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1/2 c. non-fat plain yogurt
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
~Wash chicken breasts, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. In a large bowl, wisk together mustard, crushed garlic, yogurt and sesame oil. In a sperate bowl, mix parsley with panko. Dip chicken into mustard mixture and then roll it into bread crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and bake it at 475 degrees for 20 minutes or until coating is golden brown and chicken is no longer pink. Then use a meat thermometer to test chicken or pierce the thicker portion to make sure juices run clear. Serve with Dijon sauce.

Dijon Sauce
1/4 dijon mustard
1/4 c. non-fat yogurt
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
~Combine all ingredients. To serve, place a dollop of sauce over each chicken breast.

Simple Spinach Salad
4 c. spinach
1/2 tbsp. balsalmic vinegar
1/2. tbsp. olive oil
medium tomato
medium cucumber, sliced
~Combine all ingredients, toss

Sneaky Turkey Spaghetti
Whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Lean ground turkey
Sugar-free organic spaghetti sauce
diced zuchiini
shredded carrots
~Brown meat and season with italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Add sauce, and veggies and cook until veggies are tender. Serve over cooked noodles

To find recipe for Island Pork Tenderloin, just type it in under "search this blog" and you'll find it! :) YUMMY!

Make a profit as a Beachbody Coach

I had a request to explain how to make a profit as a Beachbody Coach..and I'm glad you asked (Kelly) because that is a great question that I've failed to really explain on here.

The moment that you sign up to become a coach, you can start earning money. With every sale you make, you earn 25% of that sale. So for instance, let's say you sign up and then your friend wants to purchase P90X. You would earn $30 and get a check that week in the mail. So...that is one way to earn money...by finding the people who are looking for help with getting fit and healthy (just about EVERYONE these days) and setting them up with a fitness program (which comes with a nutrition guide) as well as suggesting Shakelogy to them for their nutrition. Once they make a purchase, you get a check!

Secondly, (and the possibilities here just NEVER end!) you are also on the lookout for other people who would like to benefit financially through this opportunity. Once you get 2 coaches to sign up beneath you, you become an EMERALD coach and the awesome thing about that is then Beachbody starts GIVING you customers! Yes, at that point, anytime someone calls in from the infomercial or goes onto the website and purchases any program or supplement, they get assigned a coach and BOOM! You start getting customers left and right that you didn't even have to "work" for! (this is the level I am currently at!) Everytime these people buy anything, you make 25% of the sale!!!

As you continue to add coaches beneath you, and they add coaches beneath them, the financial possibilities increase at rapid rates! You advance from Emerald to Ruby to Diamond (and so on).

Something that I didn't realize until my coaches helped me, is that there are ways to get yourself to Emerald very quickly (I did it in a week!) and then you can start getting those "free" customers right off the bat and start earning money that you didn't work for. Of course, in order to maintain those customers and be a helpful coach that will excel...you will want to maintain contact with your customers and encourage them as well as help answer their questions. This is what the "work" is. (Not too shabby! :)

Another thing that I've been clueless about, but am getting started with, is having Beachbody home parties and hosting a Fit Club event. A home party is basically like any home party you've been to. You have samples available (Recovery Drink, Shakeology, protien bars) and even have a sampling of the DVD's playing so they can see what the workouts look like. You can explain a bit about the company, the programs, the nutritional supplements and the coaching opportunity.
For the Fit Club event, you want to find a church gym or hotel meeting room, etc. where you can host an actual work out using one of the cardio-based DVD's (Insanity, TurboFire, P90X Plyometrics, etc.) You don't charge the people for this, but you do give them the opportunity to try out a workout and see how awesome they are (or a sample of Shakeology or Recovery Drink) and you can hand them a business card and show them how they can go to your website to order the program for themselves.

So as you can see, there are numerous ways to make money by being a coach! (and I've only listed out a few). If you want more info, just let me know!

**SUPER IMPORTANT DETAIL: If you just took the time to read all of this and have decided to become a coach, PLEASE respect me and the information I've given you by becoming a coach on MY TEAM! :) Besides the fact that I would love you have you join me...you will be joining Team Wildfire, which is a large group of very succesful, enthusiastic coaches who will tutor and train you every single step of the way and remain in constant contact with you so that you can be succesful! (not to mention we are headed up by a husband and wife team who know Tony Horton personally and have been in magazines and infomercials!) In order for you to join our team, I first have to be your coach. Then you can click "Be a Coach" and you will get to join my team!
**FYI: If you've ever purchased anything from Beachbody before, then you have been assigned a coach, but a quick call to Beachbody Customer Relations can get you switched over so that I am your coach (onetoughgirl). Just holler if you have any questions!

devastated, but not defeated

I don't even know what to call this post...because nothing seems to fit. Let me just tell it like it is...yesterday I got fired from the gym that I instruct at.

It all started on Thursday morning when I invited some girlfriends over to do a workout with me. That morning while I was waiting on them to arrive, my over-active brain started working on an idea...an idea of how COOL it would be if I could rent a space or borrow a church or school gymnasium and teach a fitness class in the small town I live in. I live about 25 minutes away from the town that the gym is located in-and in our little town-there isn't ANY kind of place that offers group fitness classes....so....I thought this would be great! I could teach a class in town on a day that I don't teach at the gym. It would also be beneficial for my Beachbody business because since this wouldn't be associated with the gym, I could use my P90X, Insanity and TurboFire workouts for these classes...sort of a "Fit Club". It sounded pretty exciting and cool, so I posted on Facebook to see if any of my hometown buddies would be interested....and lots of them were. Cool beans I thought! This is gonna be so fun!

Then Friday got here...
First of all I got a "reality check" email from a sweet friend who was helping me see the un-profitable-ness of my idea. If I only charged $3 per class, it would never be enough to pay the rent somewhere. She was right. I was discouraged....BUT....I'm a dreamer and I'm quite impulsive sometimes. This particular time my thoughts got away from me and I guess before I'd really thought it through, I let my excitement get the best of me and I posted on FB to see if there'd be a response. But after reading her e-mail and seeing her put the "pencil to the paper" and show me the figures...I could see her point. At that rate, I was going to be LOSING money. Poo!

It was oh....a few minutes later when I got an email from another friend, letting me know that she was going to cancel her "coach" status under me. Another disappointment. I understand her reasons completely, but...still that was something I've been hoping for and working towards and it finally happened and then it was being taken away.

So...then I start to see a major shift in my mood...suddenly I'm not in a chipper cheerful mood anymore. I'm feeling like I've just been slapped.....NO! I say to myself....I am God's chosen daughter, whom He deeply loves and has empowered and nothing can touch me! I post that on FB....and I'm trying---really trying to not let these little disappointments ruin my day.

I can NOT let them ruin my day because today is Brooklyn's BIG 10th birthday slumber party at a hotel and I've got to be "ON" for 3 very excited and expecting little girls for the next 24 hours.

Fast forward a couple of hours...I step out of the shower in time to get a call from my boss at the gym. She starts out by saying "I love my job but I hate this part of it"....and I get that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that KNOWS something bad is coming.
She then proceeds to tell me that I'm fired. I can't teach at the gym anymore effective immediately...and all because I posted on FB that I "was thinking about teaching a class in my town somewhere"......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT??????????
I was in shock...I mean......really???? It was just an IDEA...a THOUGHT...something I hadn't even begun to carry out. How can that be a reason to FIRE ME? Do they think I'm a malicious evil person who sets out to do wrong things and then post it on the world wide web for everyone to see? I've done nothing but bend over backwards for that place. I give them 110% every. single. time. I've taught when I'm sick, I've canceled plans to sub for someone else, I've covered for people with only 10 minutes notice. I've taught 3 fitness classes in a ROW before because the teacher after me didn't show up for her class so I stayed and taught YOGA even though I was 100% unprepared...because THAT is the kind of person I am. When I work for someone, I give them ALL of me. I work for them as if I were working for the Lord. I believe that is the right way to be and some people call me a brown-noser or a butt-kisser but I don't care because that is who I am and that is the kind of person I would want working for me. I have a pure heart that never seeks to do wrong or harm anyone and the last thing I would ever intentionally do is hurt the company that pays my bills. I felt like my person, my integrity and my intentions were being attacked...and so...then came the tears. Buckets and buckets of them. Sobs. All my friends from class. All my relationships that I've made there. All the hard work I've put in and money I've spent! MONEY!!!!!!!! It dawns on me that I JUST SPENT $300 to get AFAA certified and now I'll never have the opportunity to make that money back. Not even to mention the wireless mic, countless CD's and workout gear!....more tears....

Then...chalk it up to irony or coincidence or salt in the wound, but as I leave the house for this slumber party, I quickly grab the mail and LOW AND BEHOLD what is in there? My "Congratulations you are now AFAA Certified" papers! Yes...when I normally would have been celebrating and breathing a GIGANTIC sigh of relief and gratefulness that I passed my test (and with an 89%!) ...instead it just feels like someone is poking a needle around in an open wound. At that moment, I don't even WANT to be AFAA certified...I just want this whole nightmare to END!

Nevertheless...I know I HAVE to put this out of my mind for the evening and focus on making this party special for my daughter....and so I did.

But now it's Saturday and reality slapped me in the face the moment I woke up...and it's eating at me from the inside and I feel like I'm wasting away. I'm shutting down. I want away from people and facebook and organizations and businesses and corporations and groups. The devil is having his way with my mind...telling me what an idiot I am and that I can't EVER keep my mouth shut. That every time I talk I mess something up and I should just SHUT THE HECK UP for good.
But sadly for him...I know what a liar he is and I recognize his evil voice when it speaks to me. Thankfully, I'm wise enough to know that I need to run hard and fast into the arms of God....and so I read my Bible (actually, it was Gideon's :) this morning and although I turned to Psalm 91 for some encouragement...after I read it...I happened upon Psalm 94.,,,"The Lord my defender!" Wow...that is EXACTLY what I need right now....more than anything in the world...I need the Lord to be my defender. I didn't do anything wrong at all...and anyone who knows me KNOWS that I live to 1) please the Lord and 2) please people and if "Corporate" at the gym felt that I was a threat to their business more than an asset, then it will have to be God Himself who defends me.

Lastly, I have to say a HUGE thanks to 1) Shelley...who taught me everything I know. Who has been a million times more than "just" an instructor to me. Shell you are a precious friend and I will forever be a different and better woman because of you!
2) Matt, my better half, my best friend. You left work early, brought me roses home and had tears in your eyes for me as you handed them to me. Nothing on earth has ever meant more to me than those tears did. That said "I LOVE YOU" more than anything ever has in my whole life!
3) Rene, my dear friend, who listened to me cry and then without a second thought went straight from regular conversation into an amazing spontaneous prayer for me. That touched me so deeply. Thank you for being with me for the last 24 hours and keeping me from doing anything stupid or crazy that I would have surely regretted!
4) All of my other friends, classmates and loved ones that have supported me and will support me as soon as you read this and know what's going on. I love you...and my cup overflows!

Please pray for the man who fired me. He needs the Lord-obviously. And while you're at it, throw a prayer up for me too...cuz this "tough girl" doesn't feel tough at ALL anymore. (sniff-sniff)

Insanity meets Zumba=TurboFire

So...many of you have been asking...what is TurboFire! Well......let me tell you!!!! :)

It is SO FUN! It is not quite as challenging as Insanity and not quite as dancy as Zumba...but the perfect combination of both! So far, I've only come across one person who didn't LOVE it (and I won't mention who THAT was!!! ;)

Things I LOVE about it:
1) It really does feel like you're in a group fitness class! So many people tell me that they wish they could do an at-home workout program but that they just can't stay motivated at home and that they do so much better in a group setting. And you know what??????? I totally get that! I completely agree!! Why do you think that even though I am a Beachbody coach and have all these awesome home-programs...that I STILL go to the gym 2-3 times a week?? Because I LOOOOOVE people and I LOVE the group setting. I love the energy you get from your neighbor and how watching them push hard and kick high makes me go even harder and challenge myself even more. I love the fun, modern music and hearing the instructor yell at us to SQUAT LOWER or GO FASTER or KICK HIGHER!! That completely floats my boat. And for the first time ever, I get that same feeling at home...with these workouts! But now I don't HAVE to go to the gym and workout at a specific time slot to get that...I can do it whenever I want!

2) It works you HARD...but not so hard that you puke and feel like you have to crawl for the rest of the day. Basically the workouts (that I've done so far) are set up to be a steady-rate cardio class...until you hear the sound of the "Fire Drill"...when the "Fire alarm" goes off...you do a 1-minute all-out (highest level of intensity humanly possible) drill. Basically during these fire drills, you should push yourself as if you were being chased by someone with a chainsaw threatening to cut your head off! But...that's only for ONE MINUTE and then you get a whole one minute recovery period to get your heart rate back under control and get going again.

3) You don't have to spend an hour+ exercising every day! Nope, it's like the best of both worlds...the workouts are shorter, but with the way they're set up (interval training) you get 9x more out of them than a regular steady-state cardio class!

4) They're instructed by a woman! If you haven't "met" Chalean yet...omg! Be prepared to fall in love! ha ha...that sounds weird, but besides being SO toned and beautiful...she is SO down to earth. She is the REAL DEAL--a mother of 2 and not some young tiny thing in her 20's. She's such an inspiration and she has an addicting personality! Love her bits of sarcasm, toughness and sweetness all at the same time. She's tells it like it is...but she's so cute and sweet when she says it that you can't help but love her while you're hating what she's saying! I was ready for a break from all the testosterone--sorry Tony H. and Shaun T. :)

5) You don't need all kinds of equipment. No hand weights or pull up bar to purchase here. Nope, everything you could need comes with it! 2 kinds of resistance bands as well as a great nutrition guide (like all the programs) and a 5-day Inferno plan to help you lose weight quick right when you start.

6) The music is HAPPENIN'!! Sorry P90X ...but your music sucked. I LOVE this music!

Okay, those are my TOP 6 reasons, and I could probably go on and on...but I have other things I need to do before the kids get home from school! As always, if you're interested in learning more..check it out at www.beachbodycoach.com/onetoughgirl. Just click "Shop" and scroll down to TurboFire!

Redecorating...

Don't you just get the "itch" sometimes to redecorate? I sure do and honestly, it's been a couple of years since I've felt it...but over the past week, it's been creeping up again. It started with wanting to re-do Brooklyn's "little girl" room into a "pre-teen room" since she is turning 10 tomorrow. I got nowhere with that though because furniture costs TOO DANG MUCH! Yikes! All I realllly have to have is a large desk/shelving unit and I can work with everything else we already own...but gee whiz...the ones I've been looking at (which match or at least coordinate with her bed and dresser {white}) are anywhere from $699.00-$1899.00!!! I'm starting to think the piles in her bedroom floor of hats, scarves, belts, headbands, leggings, purses, etc. aren't THAT horribly bad afterall! ha ha
Anyway, this got me started wanting to get new living room furniture---since we now have, I think, 4 holes in our couch---anywhere from the size of a baseball to the size of a basketball! Thankfully, it is an italian leather sofa and the holes are in fairly discreet places, so it's not as awful as it sounds...but still, we only have one couch in our house that seats 3 people...and there are 4 of us, so it would be REALLY NICE to have a couch AND loveseat or sectional or something so we can ALL sit comfortably together.
But again...no one gives that stuff away for free... and debt? --No can do!

So.....here I am!!...redecorating my blog and guess what!?! It didn't cost a CENT! ha ha :)

Lastly, I HAVE to add...that I am BY NO MEANS IN ANY WAY complaining in this post. I am so unbelievably grateful for all that we have and I would never trade all the new furniture in the world for being out of debt...so I am actually VERY THRILLED that we have what we have! ...and I know that in "due season" when we've saved up for it, we WILL get new furniture. Until then...I'll look at the bright side: It doesn't even matter if the kids spill their WHOLE hot chocolate on the couch...because 1) it's leather and 2) virtually nothing can harm that thing any worse than it already is! ha ha

I think this post should have went on my "personal" blog instead of this workout blog...seeing as how it had NOTHING to do with healthy eating or fitness...but...it was THIS blog I "redecorated" so...here it is. :)

I'm so ashamed...

So I just visited the blog of one of my real-life friends and fellow fitness instructors...and I'm SO ASHAMED at how much HEALTHIER she eats than I do! :)
Really...all this time I think I've just been eating "faux" healthy! I don't even know what a lot of the stuff she cooks IS CALLED let alone..what it is or what to do with it or where you buy it!
Anyway...I'm feeling VERY inspired and ready to try out some of her amazing-sounding (and looking) recipes! I love it that she takes pics of the ingredients AND the finished product (and tells us the review from the whole family-kids included). Go check her out at www.mrsbyn.blogspot.com and see how to eat healthy for 365 days in a row! :)

"The" Jeans

So..here is a pic of one of the pairs of jeans I was telling you about...the ones I don't want to shrink out of. :) ha ha

But I agree with all of your comments...I'd rather keep shrinking and have them taken in than to carry around an extra 10 pounds JUST so I can keep wearing them. :)

Blame it on the JEANS

I think I am sabotaging my weight loss because I don't want to NOT fit into my new jeans. Isn't that sad?

I love it when my jeans fit right...and I just bought 2 new pair of UHMAZING jeans that fit me like a glove.
Yay!
I've also been dropping weight fairly regularly (a pound a week) lately. SUPER YAY!

But now I can already feel myself cheating a bit on my eating and thinking in the back of my head that if I lose very much more weight...my new jeans won't fit right anymore.
On the other hand, I've been trying to lose this last 10 pounds for about 4 years and it's FINALLY starting to come off.
Aughhhhhhhhhh! this is crazy!
What's worse? Carrying around an extra 10 pounds? or not being able to wear the fabulous jeans I just spent 2 weeks of my income on?

Welcome to the Family (and duh-sometimes I'm a ditz)

First of all, I want to welcome Stacey Krull to the Team Beachbody family of coaches! I am SO EXCITED to have her join my team along with Carla Kohler! Three spiritually and physically FIT Women of God...all joined together! Wooohoooo...the world betta WATCH OUT! :) (still waiting on you Lori and Kirsty :)

Also, I am a ditz because I just told Stacey about my blog as though she'd never heard of it...and she's been following for over a year! ugh. Sorry Stacey! I have too much going on in my head at the moment and obviously wasn't thinking clearly!

Lastly, just as a small update...Hubby and I started P90X on Jan 1st and are still doing it every day (with the exception of my gym days--but that is how we planned it). I'm loving it and especially loving watching HIM workout with me! (such a hottie when he's pumping iron!)

I am very excited about the arrival of my new workout program TurboFire which should be here any day -AS WELL AS-the arrival of SHAKEOLOGY, Beachbody's meal replacement shake which has EVERYTHING your body needs, only has 140 calories and tastes amazing! THANK YOU to my hubby for giving me the "ok" to order these new products!

I can see/feel/sense that this is going to be a year of exciting change and growth! To GOD be ALL the GLORY! It is only by His Grace that I am anything good!

Keepin' it Fresh with TurboFire

So, I've done Tony Horton and Shaun T....time for some Chalean!!! Yep, I just ordered TurboFire (along with a new tub of Recovery Drink) from Beachbody! I'm SO excited! It's so easy to justify buying new programs and supplements when I get 25% off and buy them with the money I'm making from being a coach! :)

Sometimes having a new workout regimen is all the boost I need to keep the passion fresh and alive and I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach right now just thinking about doing TurboFire! I've heard awesome things about it and I'm looking forward to being instructed by a woman this time! I'll let you all know what I think once it comes in and I try it!!

Check it out for yourself at http://teambeachbody.com/workout-routines/turbofire-workout

More of Him, Less of Me

The theme for 2011 in my house "More of Him, Less of Me"
I am taking the verse "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God" literally and have begun (yet again) having my morning devotional time with the Lord FIRST thing in the morning. Before anything else.....I need to be reminded whose I am...and what I've been given...and what my purpose is.....THEN....I can do my day.
I've recently learned something that has been in front of my face all my life, but until now, I've never understood it like this. There is a lot of detail I could explain, but to make it short and sweet...I've come to realize how CRUCIAL Holy Communion is to our lives. We all know that it is the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross that forgives our sins, but it is the body that was broken that heals our bodies. Jesus told us to "Do this in rememberance of Me" as we take it...but usually I've always been directed to "examine myself" at which time I usually conclude that I am SO UNWORTHY of the sacrifice that was made for me (Jesus' life).
Anyway, that is not what this is talking about....Jesus doesn't want us thinking about all of our sins or "issues" as we eat His "body" and drink His "blood", He wants us to remember what He took on His perfect self so that dirty, sinful, unworthy US could be forgiven, healed and saved. He took our sins and gave us forgivness and rightousness...but He also took our sickness, weakness and pain so that we could have HIS perfect health. (full of energy, vibrance and wellness!) WOW! Now as we eat the cracker/drink the juice---I imagine (and have the kids do this too) seeing all the "dirty, yucky stuff" just rolling right off of us as we consume the precious body and blood of Jesus and then we visualize ourselves "fresh, clean and pure white"-like Jesus.
He encourages us to "do this often"....so, we, in our family, have chosen to spend a few moments each day remembering what Jesus did for us and believing in faith that we have been made blameless and sinless, healthy and whole just as Christ was (and is) when He went to the cross. What am amazing blessing that is going to bring into our lives as we look not at ourselves to determine our value, worth or success, but upon the ONE who gives us all good gifts! I'm very excited about this, if you couldn't tell! :)
Btw...if you want to know more about what I'm talking about, you can go to www.destined2reign.com and search for "Health and Wholeness through the Holy Communion". I HIGHLY recommend it.

I don't normally write out New Year's Resolutions...but this year I decided to make a few.
1. Daily time/communion with God.
2. Spend more time visiting with family.
3. Daily devotions with the kids at night.
4. Health-ful eating and regular exercise, of course! :)

One of my favorite quotes (regarding parenting) (but I don't know who said it) is "Every day that you feed them, you're teaching them how to eat."
For years, I had that posted on my fridge...and would still now except that the paper became so tattered and torn that I finally took it down. It's such a wonderful thing to remember when you have small children in the house!

Today, Matt and I started Day 1 of P90X again. Ha Ha Ha! Who knows WHAT that means...beyond that we worked out today. :)
I have a LOT of subbing at the gym already on my calendar for this month, so that makes sticking to a 90 day program at home very confusing and hard. I refuse to let exercise take over my life :)

Anyhow, that's what's up with me today---on January 1st, 2011. I hope you had a great Christmas and enjoyed a safe New Years Eve/Day!

I finally went out and spent my $100 from the challenge and got myself a ROCKIN' new pair of Big Star jeans that are stinking ADORABLE! I had wanted a pair of Miss Me with a sparkly cross on the back pockets, but I guess they don't make them like that anymore. :( It's okay though because LOOOOVE the ones I found! I'll take a pic when I wear them and show you! :)

Become a Coach NOW!

Okay, so if you've EVER even considered becoming a Beachbody Coach (or even if you haven't).....NOW is the time to MOVE on it!

Beachbody is doing a crazy-awesome promotion until Dec. 31st that waives the $39.99 Coach Starter Kit fee!! That means that you can go to www.beachbodycoach.com/onetoughgirl and click on "Be A Coach" and wha-lah! You will be able to start earning money through Beachbody--and it won't cost you a cent! PLUS, there are all kinds of advantages of becoming a coach--like getting 25% off all your Beachbody purchases for one!

It has been a blessing for me for the past year to earn a paycheck every Friday for VERY little (to almost NO) work. It basically sells itself if you've had success with P90X, Insanity or any Beachbody program because people WANT whatever it is that you have/did.

I'm sure you might be saying...okay, what's the catch?
Well, if there is ANY "catch" to it...it is this: After your first 30 days of being a coach, the regular fee of $14.95/month will start being charged. It isn't really a catch though. I pay that $14.95 every month just as every coach does. The difference is that we all had to pay $39.99 for our Starter Kit and you won't have to do that. Basically, you could cancel before your 30 days is up and not have ever paid a cent...but of course, you won't want to do that because being a coach is awesome and you will easily recover that $14.95 each month.

Anyway, holler at me if you wanna know more or are ready to sign up! I would LOVE to have you on my team!!

Victory is Sweet!

Well, I just got the final update on our challenge and...................I WON! BY A HAIR though! Kate almost had me! We both lost 6 pounds...but my percentage was a teensy bit higher than hers because of our starting weights.
I'm excited to have won...and have the $100 in my pocket (soon to be traded in for a pair of Miss Me Sparkly Cross jeans!)
BUT...
It is bitter sweet to have won...because that means my friend's DIDN'T win! Booooo! I want EVERYBODY to win. Blah! I might have to sneak a little sumpin-sumpin in the mail to my fiercest competator Kate! :)
Love you girls!

Love funky shirts with sayings on them!

I found this shirt at VS the other day and couldn't pass it up! (especially since I had a $10 off coupon!)

And in other news...the Lose Your Holiday Trimming's Challenge is FINALLY over and guess what? Over the past 5 weeks, I've lost 6 pounds! Yay! I started at 142 and was at 136 today! We are all so much better off than we would have been! I think all 10 of us either lost weight or maintained and that is a total VICTORY during the Holiday Season! YAY US!!

Stubborn body!

My body is so stubborn sometimes! I've been fighting like a pro this week in order to keep my first place rank in the Holiday Challenge. I've done an intense cardio workout every single day and 3 days I did 2+ hours!!! Wednesday I racked up 1010 calories on my HRM. Tuesday was like 811 and Friday I think it was 898. The only day I didn't get a SERIOUS workout was Saturday and that is because I was at my AFAA Group Fitness Certification workshop from 8:30 that morning until 5:30 pm. WHEW!--am I glad THAT is OVER!!! :)
I had an AWESOME instructor and only 2 other classmates and we all 4 hit it off wonderfully, so it was actually a really fun day and even though it was sporadic, I did get in a good 30-45 minutes of workout during the workshop. At the end I took my practical exam and written exam and I felt O.K. about it. I have to make at least an 80% to pass....and it takes 4-6 weeks to get our results...so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!! :)
Anyway, I've also been eating GREAT again....and it feels wonderful! Even though I'm eating plenty, I've been filling up on gobs of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protien and LOTS of water. I've been trying to eat my whole grain carbs in the morning so I have fuel for my crazy workouts and then staying away from carbs the rest of the day.
So after all this...you would think the scale would be my best friend this week right? Not quite.
But...I'm still not going to sweat it because I KNOW I've been making my "deposits" this week and the credit HAS to come sooner or later! Just as long as it posts before the 20th, I'm cool. :)

This next week is the final week and I intend to just keep up with what I've been doing. I got upt this morning before church and did Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning as well as Insanity Cardio Abs. Tomorrow getting in a good workout will be tough because I have a fully-booked day...but I'm still gonna aim for one first thing in the morning before I start my errands.

The only thing I can improve upon will be my eating (NO MORE DESSERTS!) and in the end, if I don't win, at least I know I gave it my best shot and at the very minimum, I'll be down a good 5-7 pounds from where I was 5 weeks ago!

I hope you guys are all doing well and enjoying the Holiday season! I know some of you don't "agree" with me on some things right now(especially how seriously I'm taking this challenge) and that's okay. We're in different places right now...and there's nothing wrong with that. I've enjoyed doing the challenge and I'm better off for it, but I will be glad when it is over too. Everything in balance, as my mom always reminds me. :)

The Challenge-The COUNTDOWN!

So, it's December 6th and I am excited about the next two weeks! We are beginning the last 14 days of our Lose Your Holiday Trimming's Challenge and at this point I've only lost 3 pounds (in 3 weeks). So....I'm putting my boxing gloves on this morning and I'm ready to fight. (figuratively, of course! ha ha) My goal was to lose 10 pounds over this 5 week period and obviously I'm slacking. But in my defence, we DID celebrate Thanksgiving one of those weeks and I managed to actually lose a pound that week, so I'm not beating myself up over it. However, enough is enough and if I'm going to have ANY chance at winning this $100, I'm gonna have to focus and quit wussing out every time I'm faced with a temptation. I can't reveal my top-secret plan to get this accomplished though because some of my competitors are reading this blog :)
But if said-competitors are reading this blog....be scared girls! VERY scared! ha ha ha ha I've already spent that money (in my head) and now that I know what the prize will be, I'm extra motivated. :)

Now, in other non-challenge related news....Most of you know, but some might not, that I am taking my Group Fitness Certification Exam on Saturday. I will be there all day (9 am - 6 pm) for a workshop and then at the end will have to complete a 100 question multiple choice test as well as a practical exam (where I actually demonstrate my ability to effectively teach a group fitness class). There is a lot to remember and know (for example what muscles to stretch, naming the muscles we are working, showing different intensity levels, proper breathing, taking HR, etc.) Although I have a lot of studying to get finished this week before the Big Day, I am feeling very confident that I will do well.
Some of you have asked what getting this certification will mean for me. Well, not a whole lot actually. I will still be teaching the same classes I already am at the gym, the only difference will be that I will be making $10 more per class. Basically the gym pays a little more for certified instructors versus non-certified instructors. Since it costs me $300 from my pocket to get this certificate, I was hesitant to do it, but now that I am teaching 2 regular classes a week plus subbing for other classes nearly every week, it won't take me very long at all to recover that $300 and be making a profit from it. Plus, I am a big advocate of learning and understanding all about something I am doing...and I can already see lots of added benefits from learning all this supportive info concerning breathing, muscles groups, proper stretching, effective instructing and so forth.

So, I hope you're all doing well and still staying active despite our busy holiday schedules!?! If there is something I can do to help motivate, inspire or encourage you, please please PLEASE let me know! :)

Lastly, just a quick note in case any of you don't know this, I have deactivated my facebook account for the time being. There are many reasons so if you want to understand why or more about it, you can check out my www.keepinupwiththejoneses.blogspot.com blog later on today. I plan to do a whole post about it over there. :)

Love you guys! You are my core support and I'm so blessed to have you in my lives!
Jen

AFTER-middle of my shirt! This program will kick your booty!

AFTER workout. Soaked in sweat but SO HAPPY to be done!

The middle of my shirt---BEFORE.

Before Insanity Max Cardio Condioning Workout

Challenge-Week 1

So it's been 1 week since we began the Lose Your Holiday Trimming's Challenge and I am down from 142.6 to 140.4 today. That's a 2.2 lb. loss. Yay!
I think, in order to have any chance at winning the cash though, I'm going to have to get more serious and aim for 3 pounds a week. So...out come the Insanity DVD's. Time to wipe the dust off and get crazy-wit-it. :) I'll keep you posted on how it goes...unless I die trying to do these workouts! :)

Endurance...

On the subject of endurance.....it seems like some days I've just got it, and some days, I just DON'T. Really strange. When I first started exercising I could only last for about 30 minutes tops-and that was usually WALKING on the treadmill. Over the course of the past 5 years, my endurance and intensity have increased gradually-as I would have expected it would. Last year when I did the Beachbody program INSANITY, I can say I was very proud of how far I've come. It was a gigantic step up the ladder to be able to complete one of THOSE workouts...and I was doing it!
BUT...
Over the last year something has changed. There is no gradual climb anymore...it's more like the hiccups now. Most days I feel mentally "ready" but sometimes my body just doesn't agree. And not just to the point where I have to "get out of my head about it" and just push through...I'm talking I. Cannot. Get. My. Body. To. Move. What is up with THAT?
MANY times in the past month or two I've been in a group fitness class where the teacher was instructing us to do a particular thing and in my mind, I was doing it-or going to do it...but when I looked up in the mirror I was moving in slow motion...or obviously struggling (and with a quick glance around the room)-struggling more than most of the people in there. On Tuesday we were sitting on the big ball doing triceps. You know where you hold hand weights up above your head and then lower your arms back (bending at the elbow). Some people were using 2 weights, I was using one 9-lb weight and after just a few, I couldn't do it. Like, I'm not being a sissy...I really couldn't get my arms back up once I lowered them down to the back of my neck.
And then yesterday in my Interval class I had them (us) doing Frog Squats for 45 seconds. By about 30 seconds my legs were shaking so bad, I was so out of breath and dizzy that I had to stop. I felt like the ultimate hypocrite! Here I am telling THEM to do something I can't even do!?!?! But I knew if I didn't stop, I was going to trip because I was already losing my balance and getting crooked with my jumps.
Anyway, this whole phenomenon is just WEIRD. Why am I LOSING my stamina? I haven't let up on my intensity. I should be getting better and stronger every day...but I feel like I'm going backwards. Things I could easily do last year, I can not do now.
Anyone else ever go through this? It's really pretty frustrating.
Okay well...that's my "rant" for today! :) Hope you are all doing well and keeping up with your workouts through this holiday season! Love you!!

You found me!

Hey there! If you're reading this, that means you've been added as a "permitted reader" on my blog. Most of you requested to be added...but a few of you, I just added because you're either family, old friends or devout readers that just didn't get the "memo" this morning that I'm going private!
Anywho, I'm glad you're here..and that I'm here and that I don't have to be concerned about freaky weirdos leaving me scary comments anymore!

As for day 2 of the challenge, doing good so far. No sweets yet today, other than my apple! That my friends is a big VICTORY! :) especially with all the left-over Halloween candy calling my name from the pantry!

Lose Your Holiday Trimmings

Today a friend of mine and I decided to host a weight loss challenge for ourselves and some of our friends. For the next 5 weeks, from Nov. 15-Dec 20, we will compete to see who can lose the largest percentage of weight. Each of us puts $10 into the pot and at the end, one person will take home the cash!
(If you're reading this on Monday, Nov. 15th, you can actually still enter! Just leave me a comment and I'll get you the official rules and info.)

As for me, I've done relatively well today. I ate good all day until just now when I ate 2 big bowls of cereal for dinner. It's all I'm having, so I still don't think that was toooo awfully bad, although there were no veggies or fruits or protein (other than the milk) in it. Woops!
Did P90 Sweat dvd yesterday morning before church so I took the day off today (as far as workouts go) today. Tomorrow will be classes at the gym, Wed. class at the gym and Thursday I'll hopefully get a P90X or Insanity workout done at home. Friday I think I'll be hitting the gym again and probably Saturday too.

Anyway, wish me luck! Even better than winning the money (which would be AWESOME), I will be SO EXCITED to drop this extra weight and fit back into my clothes!!
My starting weight today was 142.
Goal weight for the end of the challenge: 130.

A new beginning....P90

Matt and I have decided to try something new. After nearly 3 years of being P90X'ers...we are going to try out the P90 program.
I realize that is backwards to the way it is "supposed" to be done, but I just acquired a complete brand new set of P90 (from one of my customers who bought it and then never even opened it!!!)....so....we decided to give it a shot.
Last night was our first workout. For the first 15 minutes we were laughing about how EASY it was...but by the middle of it, we were sweating and feeling our muscles BURN! Of course, you determine the level of intensity and difficulty by picking the weight of your dumbbells...so it should never get "too easy". It was a LOT different from P90x in that you workout all your muscles (from shoulders to calves) in one workout rather than breaking the muscle groups up into specific days.
Today will be cardio and abs....so we'll see how that goes. I have a hard time thinking it's gonna give me much of a workout when I'm used to doing INSANITY...but we'll see.
We may not do the whole 90 days of this--because more than likely I think we are going to want something a little more extreme before too long--but I'm glad we're trying it out right now. Since it's been a few weeks since I've really followed any program...this will be a nice way to ease back in. I could tell last night when we were stretching that I am TIGHT and not nearly as flexible as I used to be. (boo!)
So, have any of you done P90? Had any success with it? I'm looking forward to making some of the new recipes in the nutrition guide. If I find some that are really good, I'll post on here for you all.
Hope you're doing well and keeping healthy and fit. It's been a long time since I've talked to you guys....:-(
Hopefully I'll be here more as of now...:-)