How accountability helps you battle excuses and reach your goals: It's made all the difference in my life.

I wanted to share some thoughts I had as I was training for a 10K in October 2015. I mostly signed up for that race because it was a challenge and a goal to work towards. I had been trying to run with a friend but she was out of town so instead I was just going to do my workout at home because that’s easier for me and there are no excuses to not work out at home. But I really needed to get running!! That's the thing: going out in running clothes, putting your shoes on, and going out by yourself is hard because there are so many excuses not to and no one's there to push you on and there's no accountability.

The great thing about the way that I've changed my life in the last year and a half is I have had accountability. I haven't worked out with a person in my living room (besides my husband or daughter) but I have had accountability in my private groups on Facebook and that's been the key. You can have all the tools you need or the willpower but a lot of times that's not going to get you all the way there. What's going to get you there is knowing that someone is going to keep you accountable and that's really what I do as a coach.

I provide accountability for people, listen to their needs, their goals, and their frustrations. I give them suggestions and match them up with something that I think that they can succeed at. And then I am there every single day: checking in, posting, and giving support. It made all the difference for me when I was starting out because I knew that if I didn't work out or if I didn't check in that my coach Toni was going to be there and she was going to ask how I was doing.

During my 10K training I told my coach and I told my husband: “Today I'm going running. If you don't hear from me in 45 minutes: I’m either dead on the side of the road (kidding!) OR I was lazy and I didn't do it." ;) And then, because I knew they were going to be checking in on me, I went out and did what I needed to do. If you are someone that needs that kind of accountability, I would love to be your accountability partner. You can work out in your home! That way you don't have to get dressed up or even put shoes on. You don't have to find someone to watch your kids or pay the daycare center at the gym; you can do it right at home. Those excuses are taken care of and I'm going to be there to check in on you. I will support you if your husband or family doesn’t support you, or if they don't want to try your new recipes, or if they don't want to work out with you. You will know that there's a group of ladies on Facebook that would love to support you and be with you every step of the way.

If you need that same kind of accountability and that I needed when I first started out, and still needed when I did my longest run ever, let me know and I would love to help you.

A playground epiphany

I was at the playground earlier with Addie and I got to thinking about what my life was like before I got in shape- before I joined Team Beachbody as a coach. Even though she wasn’t that old at the time (about a year or year and a half), the playground almost seemed to be a punishment for me because I couldn't do anything with her. I didn't have enough energy to run and play and chase and climb with her. Yes, she's having fun without me, but don't you hate it when your kids say “Mommy come down the slide with me” or “Mommy can you lift me up? I can't reach the monkey bars.” If you're stuck on the bench because you can't fit in the swing, or you can’t run around the playground with your kids…that was my life before I got healthy and got the wake-up call that I needed. I have a little girl to keep up with and set a good example for!

I asked Addie a question of “Is it more fun when mommy plays with you at the playground or when mommy watches you?” What do you think she said? Of COURSE she said it’s more fun when I play with her!!

I do still get tired and need breaks, so I’ll tell her to just give me a minute. Right away I see that she'll get deflated because I didn't have enough energy for her. I just need a minute or two to catch up, but if that's your life every day and you don't have the energy to keep up with your kids, and you see that you don't see that little glimmer in their eyes when you're chasing them or you're going down the slide after them and stuff like that… If my wake-up call is the same as your wake-up call then here it is: I'm reading it for you!!

If you want accountability and encouragement while you are making healthy changes in your life, or if you’d like to see what Beachbody Coaching is all about: how just getting more fit changed my life in other ways, how it pays my bills while I provide support for other people changing their lives, I’d love to share this opportunity with you.

All about Cize: Shaun T can teach anyone to dance- for real!

My last blog entry was about my Cize transformation but I wanted to give a little more background information on what Cize is about as a program. Shaun T is famous for creating programs like Insanity and T25, but his background is also in choreography and dance. His first program through Beachbody was actually Hip Hop Abs. I tried one of those workouts earlier this year when it was released as part of the member library for Beachbody On Demand and couldn’t even get through a 20-minute routine. I have NO coordination and NO dance background. I LOVE music though, so I’ve always struggled with wanting to dance but not knowing how or not feeling confident enough to just let loose, be goofy, and have fun.

When I first heard about Cize I was intrigued but didn’t think that it was for me because it was a dancing program. Beachbody gave a sample workout on Beachbody On Demand before the entire program was released and I had fun doing it, but still didn’t think I would buy the program. It wasn’t until the program was released and I saw how much FUN everyone was having that I decided to buy it myself. Most workouts can be fun, or we do them because we know how good we feel for exercising, but Cize is so different. You are HAVING FUN the WHOLE TIME dancing and not even realizing that time is passing, you are sweating, and the calories are getting torched.

Shaun builds each routine step by step and breaks everything down into simple movements that you already do every day. He says “you move everyday, I’m just putting it to a rhythm.” And he is so right. When you get a move or short sequence done, you add to it and before you know it you are ready to “Cize it up” at the end to a complete dance routine. A really awesome feature of the workouts is that once the routine is over, it goes to a screen where you can pick from the cooldown, 8 count abs routine, or “Cize it up” again. Some of the routines are so great that I kept doing the routine over and over again.

The entire program has 6 routines on 3 discs, plus a short (but effective!) ab workout. They range from 30-50 minutes and features the following songs:

1.     "Hands in the Air" by Timbaland. (It introduces you to the first 8 moves you'll be using for the whole program.)

2.     "Treasure" by Bruno Mars

3.     "Lose My Breath" by Destiny's Child (I loved this routine and would do the “Cize it up” chapter over and over again.)

4.     "Problem" by Ariana Grande

5.     "Pass That Dutch" by Missy Elliot

6.     "Chandelier" by Sia. (This was the last routine in the whole program and really took the emotion and moves to another level where you really were feeling it.)

You can choose from a beginner calendar that takes 6 weeks (1 routine a week) or an advanced calendar for 4 weeks. I felt like a beginner but did the advanced calendar instead because I did not think doing 1 routine for an entire week would hold my interest. Overall I had a great time doing the program. It is completely based on your effort, so beginners to experts can have fun and get their heart rate up at the same time.

            Wow….all of this information and I just realized I didn’t touch on the 2^nd half of the program: the nutrition!! I LOVE the nutrition guide for Cize. It is based off the color-coded portion control containers from the 21 Day Fix, but you can still use the nutrition guide even if you don’t have the containers. The “Eat Up!” guide gives you a food directory so you can eat WHAT you want, but it just shows you HOW MUCH you need. The best part of the book is the meal builder. It gives examples of simple, staple meals, and all the ways you can customize and mix it up. There are pages like eggs every day, oatmeal bowl, yogurt parfait, Shakeology bar, salad bowl, wrap it up, simply grilled, Asian stir fry, healthy pasta, and snacks on the go. For the wrap it up meal you have steps to follow for each category/container of food: pick your wrap, pick your protein, add your veggies, add an “extra”, add dressing, and (optional) add flavor. You’d think a wrap was easy to make, or maybe so easy you get stuck and don’t know how to make it interesting. My family doesn’t really eat from recipes of stuff but we do basics like every Thursday we have a big salad for our meal. So on Thursdays we go to the salad bowl page and can make a different one each time.

            The Cize kit also comes with a get started guide, a weekend survival guide, and (if you order through a coach like me!) a free bonus workout called “Hold Your Own” that gives you some moves you can use when you’re out no matter what song is playing.

You can see my whole YouTube playlist of Cize routine progressions here: bit.ly/kboecizevids

Here is my before/after of the Full Out routine:



When your transformation has nothing to do with a number: a turning point in my transformation

#transformationtuesday

Here are my before and after pictures for Cize. I didn't lose/gain any pounds or inches in the 4 week program. That's why we also say to take pictures because they will show a different story than your numbers. But my pictures look really similar. To be honest, you can gain or lose a couple inches and pounds from a big bloaty cheat meal or a really good trip to the bathroom. (You know what I'm talking about! 🙊)



Did you see my before and after videos I posted though as I finished Cize? Now THERE was a difference! I gained coordination, had fun, and got sweaty. (Check out my YouTube playlist of Cize routine progressions here: bit.ly/kboecizevids)

I looked back at my weight tracker app and I've been steady with my weight for a year now! Even my body measurements have been pretty much the same. I could let this lack of a "transformation" bother me, but let's be realistic. I weigh 112 pounds and am 5 feet tall. I'm not going to lose much more weight or inches. It's just not there. I can tone up or gain muscle, sure.

But fitness and clean eating (with "cheats" in moderation) is my LIFE now. It's not another round of the 21 Day Fix or looking for a before/after picture from a particular program. It's EVERY DAY, IN AND OUT. And guess what? That's how the weight is going to stay off!!

I could get complacent and take time off, or eat out more, or buy junk at the store because it's easier, but those are the habits I left behind. That was my BEFORE. My AFTER is the life I'm living now, and the life I will continue to live.

If you'd like my help starting with your transformation pictures, I can do that. But more than that, I want to be there to see your before and after LIFESTYLE.

Sometimes our transformation can't be seen on a scale, measuring tape, or picture. Sometimes it happens inside of us. 💟

A new meaning to "business casual" wardrobe: working toward financial freedom in my pajamas

If you showed up to your next business meeting looking like this, would you still have a job?



I was:

-still half asleep

-in my pjs

-sporting bed head

-feeding my daughter breakfast

-with my best friends

-following my own daily schedule

-GROWING MY BUSINESS!

          Intrigued? As a Beachbody coach, I set my own hours, I work with who I want to, I am PRESENT for my daughter, I am growing personally, I keep myself accountable for my own fitness, I earn a paycheck, and I partner with other people who want to do the same!

          We paid for our hotel stay from our recent road trip entirely from my coaching income without having to sweat it coming from my husband's teaching salary! But you know what? In the past, we haven't been able to take road trips or vacations without my parents...because they paid for everything for us. Like...we didn't even have extra money to leave a tip on the dinner out that they would buy. Granted, I love my parents and I love being spoiled by them and they love spoiling us (my mom's love language is most definitely gifts)...but as a 29 year old I want to be able to pay for things myself and have that pride of doing things for my daughter without having to always say "Grandma bought us that."

          Before we had Addison, I would pick a reservation at the CHEAPEST place I could find when Corey and I had to travel. I have nothing against hotels that at least have clean sheets and warm rooms for $70 a night, but with a 3 year old I want something a little bigger, more amenities, and things that make traveling less stressful. I discovered the Drury Inn in Kansas City. They include *everything* in their stay! 2 hot meals a day (really good ones), popcorn and pop in the lobby, wifi, parking, fitness center, and they are walking distance to Kauffman Stadium which is where we went for our recent trip. You can't find that in a hotel for $70 a night! You do pay for those premium perks, though. Before Beachbody I would have never even dreamed of  spending over $100 a night for a hotel, or staying more than 1 night in a row! But thanks to a couple hours of dedicated time daily building my business over the last year, I've been able to enjoy the fruits of my labor. We are still in debt for student loans and on a tight budget, but having a bit of breathing room for fun stuff like this makes all the difference in the world. And I know that I will continue moving up from here.

I have been so blessed by the coaching opportunity and if you're not on board, you need to be! Please reach out to me and share with others if this post resonated with you or if you know someone who could benefit from this opportunity.

Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings located in the Coach Online Office for the most recent information on our Coaches' actual incomes." In addition, please provide prospective and current Coaches with the link to the Statement of Independent Coach Earnings, http://tbbcoa.ch/TBB_SOICE

My first Color Dash: Having my MIND tell my BODY to keep going!

          A 5k is what started my entire fitness journey. I believe I mentioned this in my very first post, but my sister in law got me to sign up in late 2013 for a summer 2014 Warrior Dash and I started from NOTHING and in 7 months lost weight, got fit, overhauled my nutrition, and ran 2 Warrior Dash obstacle 5k races in July and August 2014. My goal when I signed up for those races and started training was to prove my husband wrong. He didn't think I could do the obstacles or run/finish the race. What better incentive to work hard and kick butt?! Fast forward to July 2015, and I decided to try a Color Dash and made it my personal goal to RUN the entire thing. I may run slow, but I didn't want to walk. I start out every day with Shakeology, so why wouldn't I also on a race day?

 





 

          There were so many people there!! It was a bottleneck at the beginning and when I started jogging it took forever to get past the big crowd. During the first kilometer my knees and body were a little sore getting into form because I do not normally run for exercise. It was a nice course, starting and finishing at the Bedell Family YMCA in Spirit Lake, Iowa. I learned that half of the race proceeds went back to my community- what a great cause!! There were a lot of families and kids. I think maybe next year I'll bring Corey and Addison along, but it was really nice to just be alone with my thoughts and run.

 

          I did walk through the color stations so I could get good coverage on my shirt. Unfortunately, even though I did the recommended vinegar soak beforehand, all of my colors washed out!! :( I took a sip at the water station but I find that as long as I have gum in my mouth when I run, I don't get dry mouth. I finished the race in around 30 minutes. My 2 timers were off because I began behind the official race start line. The time wasn't super important, although I will aim for improvement next time. The big thing was that I ran, had a good time, and pushed through when I was getting tired at the end. Your body can do so much MORE than what your mind tells you it can.

 

 

Have you ran any races before? Are you competitive with the clock, another person, or just yourself? If you'd like to be a part of the Beachbody family that has been so instrumental in my success, comment below or click the "contact me" tab above!



How I took back my health and joined my daughter on the playground

Playgrounds are supposed to be fun, but I used to see them as punishment. Why, you ask?
I had a bit of an a-ha moment at the playground today with Addison and needed to take a quick video. Please watch and share if you think this would resonate with anyone else in your life.

 

Living a life of "action" vs "inaction"

*Please watch** This is from my heart.

A passage from Daniel Levitin's The Organized Mind really struck me today. 3 ingrained psychological principles lead humans toward INACTION in a group. 

1. The desire to conform

2. Social comparison

3. Diffusion of responsibility

This was my life before becoming a Beachbody coach. In the last year and a half, I've learned how to be healthy, found an inner confidence to be myself and to not care what the group is doing or thinking, and to take responsibility for myself and also for teaching others to do the same. 

For a free sneak peek at what it is I do as a coach, comment below and I'll get you added to the group!

T25: can you really see changes in 25 minutes a day for 5 days a week?

Winter 2014

 

          As I'm doing #throwbackthursday throughout my fitness journey inspired by Beachbody, I have come to the late fall/early winter of 2014 and my first taste of Shaun T. I am not a huge fan of cardio because I always flash back to times as a kid being overheated or feeling like my heart was going to beat out of my chest or about to pass out from overexertion. Granted, during those times I was not in shape, but those memories still affect me today. I was looking for something new and was really intrigued by T25 being only 25 minutes a day and 5 days a week. Something being 10 weeks long was a big change for me because PiYo was 8 weeks and the 21 Day Fix is obviously 21 days long.

          I started T25 in late October and finished at the end of December. I continued using the 21 Day Fix meal plan with the portion control containers but did allow more leeway for fun holiday indulgences. I HATE feeling deprived...that makes me want *whatever it is* even more! Plus I am learning to focus on the scale less and less so I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if I gained a pound or 2 over the holidays. But WOW Shaun T makes you WORK in those 25 minutes and I was a sweaty, smelly mess after pretty much every workout. The calorie counts on my Garmin Vivofit were really high for being only 25 minutes. That's what cardio will do for ya: burn calories! 

          T25 comes in 2 rounds: 5 weeks of Alpha (your foundation) and the 5 weeks of Beta (when the moves get harder and some weights/resistance band are incorporated into the workouts). There is also 4 weeks of Gamma *sold separately* that focuses on strength. I am actually redoing T25 and adding Gamma to it now in July 2015 so I will add a post about Gamma when I finish it. Alpha, being the foundation, is a great introduction to fitness. There is a modifier to make the moves low impact because there is a LOT of jumping and even my knees needed a few weeks to get over their creakiness when doing the moves. I love how Shaun builds up to a difficult move through a progression. He doesn't have you start out doing a high knee run: first you march, then slow jog, then fast. Every move is taught in a progression. My daughter Addison learned the word "focus" during my time doing T25. The workout is actually called Focus:T25 and many times a workout you will hear Shaun telling you what the focus for a particular move is, or to keep focused, etc. So this workout has been dubbed "the focus workout" by Addison.

          I know the difference between 25 and 30 minutes is not that much, but in a heart-pumping workout....5 minutes is a huge difference! I loved that I could get in a super sweaty workout in less than half an hour and still have time for holiday preparations. Since I had only done shorter calendars before, the workouts got a little stale after 5 weeks. Especially because you do each workout 1-2 times a week. There are 5 workouts in each phase, but Friday is a double day so you'll do a workout twice in one week. I ended up mostly doing 1 workout Friday and the other workout Saturday and taking Sunday off. Personally, having 2 days without a workout starts me on the slippery slope of then skipping again Monday...and having to get back on the wagon.

          The biggest difference I saw in myself after 10 weeks of T25 was my core. It was like every move in the workouts secretly activated my core. I maintained my weight, which isn't bad considering I did this during the holidays and did let myself indulge a bit. I lost 1.5" total, with a tiny bit coming from my thighs, hips, and waist. My picture, I think, shows the best transformation. I think my core strength changed the most, and my endurance for cardio did too. So I may not have become a Shaun T groupie, but I did love this workout and if you need a kick butt workout (almost all of the workouts require no equipment) in less than half an hour, this is the one for you!

Coming soon from Shaun T: CIZE

Have you heard about CIZE? It is the newest Beachbody workout from Shaun T, the creator of T25 and Insanity. Cize is being called "the end of exercize". It's being released at Summit in Nashville in mid July 2015...so possibly 1 in more week!

Now, you need to know one little piece of info. It's a dance program. I know. I know. You CAN'T dance. Guess what...neither can I! I'm serious. Shaun T will TEACH you how to dance step by step and you will definitely have fun doing it. And the best part is that you are doing this at HOME so no one's going to see you do it but you! PHEW! Cize is a 4 week program and you'll be burning fat and calories while you are mastering everyday moves Shaun T has turned into choreography routines.

I had the opportunity to sample a complete workout from this program from Beachbody On Demand and I had fun! Don't judge, but here's my video trying out Cize.

 

What do you think? If it looks like fun, click here to be added to my mailing list to be the first to know when Cize is released in July! http://www.cizetbb.com/?referringRepId=352740