A Day in the Life

Good afternoon, all! I posted an updated 3 month before/after photo today of the success I've had with Beachbody fitness/nutrition products and coach support. Although I was hesitant when I first posted a similar photo in February to chronicle my 6 week progress, this time was much less daunting. I'm finally starting to feel comfortable and confident in my body, so it was much easier to share! Anywho, my photo generated some interest in what I'm doing to achieve such great results. After some thought, I decided that it might be beneficial to some if I detailed a day in the life of Karen. No day is the same, but every day is an opportunity to learn something new about myself. My journey has been one of a changed mindset when it comes to eating, working out, and interacting with others. And although I'm more than satisfied with the progress I've made in the last three months, I'm not content. I am going to continue to strive to be better, and I hope to pay it forward and influence others on a daily basis! So, without further ado, a day i the life of me!

4:45am......hit the snooze button for the first time
5:00am......hit the snooze button for the second time
5:10am......hit the snooze button for the third time
5:30am......moan and groan about how I don't want to get up
5:35am......engage in self-talk and analyze how badly I want to be healthy and inspire others
5:40am......muster up every ounce of determination and get out of bed
5:45am......brush my teeth, slick my hair back, and put on my workout clothes (if I didn't sleep in them...insider tip!)
6:00am......begin the most intense 45 min to 1 hour of my day with the Insanity workout
6:25am......pant, sweat, and curse while Shawn T kicks my ass
6:40am......continue above panting, sweating, and cursing
7:00am......smile and realize that although I'm covered in sweat, my day will be better because of that workout
7:10am......go into superhuman mode so that I can shower, blowdry my hair, put on makeup, and get dressed in time to make it to work
7:45am......blend my Shakeology and drink it like a boss
7:49am......sprint out the door and drive to work, drink my Shakeology, and plan out my day
8:00am.......WORK
10:00am.....snack time - I'll generally have an Oroweat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat English Muffin and a squeezeable pack of Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter. I LOVE snack time!
12:00pm......lunch time - I've decided that spending money at the hospital cafeteria is a waste of calories and money, so I've started packing my lunch. This past week I had a hard boiled egg, 90cal mozzarella cheese stick, and then made a pita sandwich with Toufayan Bakeries Whole Wheat Pita pocket, 4 slices turkey breast, half an avocado, and a handful of spinach.
2:00pm........snack time (I feel like I eat all day!) - to cure my chocolate cravings, I have Blue Diamond Chocolate flavored almonds. My sweet tooth is then put to sleep!
4:00pm........snack time - I grab an apple and chow down to keep my stomach from growling for the rest of the afternoon.
5:00pm........arrive home and "relax"....for all intents and purposes
6:00pm........have dinner - normally some oatmeal and 100cal popcorn. I know this isn't the best choice I make all day, so I'm going to experiment with quinoa and try to incorporate that into my dinner plans.
6:30pm........call it a day. Watch tv, do some business online, plan for the next day, let my mind race, etc.
8:30pm........start falling asleep on the couch. I'm so exhausted from my morning workout that I have no trouble falling asleep anymore.
3:00am.........realize that I fell asleep on the couch....again and decide whether I want to drag myself to my bed or let the couch win again.
4:45am.........it all begins again!

Note - I normally have about 32 oz of water before breakfast, a diet citrus green tea and 16 oz of water before lunch, about 16 oz of water with lunch, 16oz of water in the afternoon, and then about 32 more oz in the evening. It keeps me full and hydrated, reduces the bloat, and keeps my pee clear :)

Is it hard? Yes! Is it impossible? Definitely not! Everyone can find an hour (or less!) to fit a workout into their schedule. You can make the choice to grab the fuel your body needs instead of the sugar your body craves. You can do it! Think about how you can modify your day to make health a priority and get started!

If you need any tips, advice, or support, feel free to like my Facebook page, call/text me at (979) 229-9656 or email me! I'd love to help you get started on the right path to wellness!

-K

PB2 Cookies

You may have seen my posts on Facebook or Twitter regarding my Easter bake-fest of PB2 cookies! The deliciousness of PB2 was recently introduced to me by my awesome Team Rock Star Fit Beachbody coaches. 


So...what's PB2? Straight from Bell Plantation's website: "Through a unique process that doesn’t involve the use of any chemicals and doesn’t alter nature’s intended balance found within the peanut, we remove over 85% of the fat from premium quality peanuts. Essentially, the oil is squeezed out of roasted peanuts and what remains is our famous powdered peanut butter – all natural with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. When you mix water or a favorite drink with PB2 you get the same consistency as full-fat peanut butter, with all the roasted peanut flavor, but 85% less fat calories."


Basically, PB2 is all the deliciousness of your Jiffy but with MUCH less fat calories. No brainer, right? 


So, I was jonesin' for some sweets yesterday (since I was the only person on planet Earth not indulging in Easter candies), and I decided to put my PB2 to good use. The recipe was a bit difficult to follow because the dry ingredients are given in ounces, but I've done the brain-muscle work for you and converted my guestimates to cups for you. Here's the recipe:


Chewy PB 2 Cookies
1/2 cup: Sugar
1.2 cup: Packed light brown sugar
1: Egg
1 tsp: Vanilla extract
1 tsp: Baking soda
1/2 tsp: Salt
2 Tbsp: Dark corn syrup
1/4 cup: Water
1 cup: PB2
1 cup: Whole wheat flour


Methods/steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together both types of sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt, corn syrup, water and PB2. Beat until smooth. Add flour, beating until mixture is well combined. Dough will be very sticky. Drop tablespoon-sized balls onto prepped baking sheets. Press top of each cookie with a fork to make parallel lines; flattening cookies to about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, reversing pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top). Remove from oven, and transfer to a rack to cool. Yields about 30 cookies.

Here are my cookies as they began to bake!

Bell Plantation has TONS of delicious recipes on it's site. I'm sure I'll be working my way through their recipe book, and you know what, I can't wait to share it with you! 

Have a fit and fab day,

Karen

30 Day Challenge

I recently wrapped up my participation in my Team Beachbody (TBB) 30 Day Challenge. For 30 days, I worked out using a TBB workout (Slim in 6), drank Shakeology once a day, and logged my progress into our challenge's private Facebook group. It was a fun, challenging, and transformational experience. I lost about 8-9 pounds, over 10 inches, my flexibility improved, and my happiness and positivity grew exponentially!

When I began thinking about the challenge, I'll admit, I was apprehensive. The thought of an at home challenge/workout didn't seem very promising to me. I live alone and had become accustomed to getting home from work at 4:30 and immediately transforming into a couch potato. I'd become a sloth. I had no one to motivate and uplift  me, no one to keep that cookie from being pushed into my mouth, and definitely no one to tell me to get my ass of the couch. That is, I had no one to do this for me until my coach, Erika, had explained the challenge to me.

A challenge pack consists of a few basic, yet essential, items:

1) Your choice of a new fitness program (like Turbo Fire, P90X, Insanity, Slim in 6, etc);
2) A 30-day Club membership for custom meal planning;
3) Shakeology on HD (Chocolate, Greenberry, or Tropical Strawberry Vegan)


Plus, by being a part of this, you participate in a private facebook group for daily accountability and 
support. This is ALL done online and everyone just does their own personal best!


The "plus" turned out to be the most important part. Yes, the workouts toned my arms and increased my flexibility. The Club membership allowed me to log workouts and connect with others who were serious about fitness, and the shakeology fueled my body each and every day. But the accountability was and still is the thing that has made the world of difference. Seriously.


Without the private Challenge Facebook group and other challengers, without Erika,  I wouldn't have had success with the program. All the DVDs, websites, and meal replacements in the world can't make you realize that excuses are pointless, fat doesn't shed itself, and one bad day doesn't mean you can't regroup and refocus. My fellow challengers and my coaches did that. Accountability and support is key. The Beachbody Challenge provides just that, and I believe that to be the Beachbody difference.


As I plan to host my first Challenge, I only hope that I can share my experience as a challenger with others whom I will get to coach. Just like the challenge participants, I will be working out, drinking ShakeO, and working to motivate and inspire others. I will be working HARD to keep my challenge group accountable! I promise that! Just because a 30 Day Challenge ends doesn't mean that the road to health and happiness does. As my journey continues, I hope others join me and find equal, if not more, success! 


Have a fantastic Friday,
Karen




For more info on the Challenge, visit the TBB site by clicking this link. 

Alert the Academy!

Because I LOVE my Shakeology, I decided it would be a good idea to share its awesomeness with you! ShakeO is a quick, easy, and nutritious meal replacement that is good on the go for breakfast or great for refueling post-workout! To make the Peanut Butter Chocolate ShakeO you'll need:

-ice to taste
-3/4 cup water
-1/2 cup almond milk (I use unsweetened)
-2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
-1 scoop chocolate Shakeology

Add all of the above ingredients into a blender and blend well for about 30 seconds. Enjoy!
For this and more recipes, visit my Shakeology page my clicking HERE!

Valentine's Day Recipe - Low Calorie Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

I made the mistake today of going to the grocery store during the 5pm hour. On Valentine's Eve. As Homer Simpson would say, "D-oh!"

Not only was I amazed at the sheer number of people in the store, I was amazed at the things they were purchasing! Cupcakes, candies, and chocolate covered strawberries galore! I am convinced there was more business in the store today than there is during the Christmas season. (Maybe I just did a better job of avoiding the mass hysteria in December?)

Anywho, I was trying to decide what I could create and bring to work tomorrow that was 1) healthy 2) delicious and 3) sort of Valentine's-y. At long last, I stumbled across a recipe for Low Calorie Strawberry Cheesecake Bites. At a whopping (not so much) 17.5 calories per bite, this recipe is the perfect combination of naughty (delicious) and nice (healthy!). If you ever need to make a quick and easy snack that you won't feel guilty about, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1/8 c. fat free cream cheese 1 tbp. and 1 tsp. powdered sugar 2 packets Splenda 8 large strawberries 1/4 reduced fat graham cracker sheet

Directions

*Makes 8 strawberry cheesecake bites, 1 per serving*

1. In a small mixing bowl use a fork or mixing spoon to beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and Splenda until smooth and creamy, set aside.
2. Using a paring knife, hollow the strawberries, being careful not to puncture the sides. Gently fill each with cream cheese mixture just slightly above the tops. Place them on a cookie sheet (I found mini muffin tins to also work well) as you do this.
3. Once all of the strawberries are filled, dip each top into the graham cracker crumbs and place back onto the cookie sheet.
4. Place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and leave them for a few hours or over night to completely chill.
5. ENJOY!

Before:

Tada! The completed product! After: 

A Resurrection

Near the end of 2011, I came to the realization that I had to take charge of my health.

I am a non-clinical hospital employee, but my interactions with medical and nursing staff (not to mention sick patients) make the plight of obesity and unhealthiness something that can't be ignored. I bit the bullet and blocked one week out of my schedule to to tackle every needed doctor visit to receive a clean bill of health. Except that "clean bill" isn't really what I received. Point blank, my doctors told me that I needed to lose weight. I needed to get healthy. I need to get healthy.

Nearly two months later, I've tackled several obstacles that initially stood in my way. I've joined a network of people who are like-minded when it comes to fitness and living healthy. I think this is the biggest and most wonderful thing that could have happened to me. I am a firm believer in fate, and I am certain that meeting these new friends has been instrumental in my new life. I'm thirty days strong of working out nearly every day. By working out, I mean sweating my ass off. I've also cleaned up my eating habits and have FINALLY gotten past the idea of "rewarding" myself or eating my emotions.

Let me just say, I'm not perfect. I have jiggles, lumps, and bumps. I'm not even at a healthy weight...yet. Although I've lost nearly 10 pounds since the resurrection, I still have about 10 more to lose to reach my optimal BMI range. After I lose those total 20 pounds, I plan making new goals. I plan on working just as hard to be the healthiest me I can be. And I plan on helping you become healthy!

As part of my resurrection, I have decided to help others become healthy. I want to be a positive influence on others. I want to show others that health and happiness are realities that are within the reach of each and every one of us.

In order to strengthen the impact I can have on others, I've joined Team Beachbody: the premier health and fitness support site that distributes amazing products like P90X, Hip Hob Abs, Slim In Six, Turbo Fire, Turbo Jam, Power 90 and MANY others. I can personally attest to the greatness of this program! Slim In Six was my first program of choice, and I've tackled sessions of Power 90, P90X and Turbo Fire. They are awesome!

Just reading this is a great place for you and I to start! I'm excited to share this with you. I hope you join me on this journey, and I look forward to the opportunity to cheer you on, motivate you, and hold you accountable! What's better: you can provide me with the same thing! We will be growing (hopefully smaller) TOGETHER!

I'd like to close by doing two things: sharing my Team Beachbody information with you and sharing an excerpt from my personal journal with you. First, you can visit my Team Beachbody website by clicking HERE!  If you want to amp up your nutrition, I highly suggest Shakeology! I drink this every morning, and it POWERS me up each and every day!

Secondly, and most importantly, here's what began my resurrection. I wrote this on the night I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and told I needed to lose weight:

Everyone always says, “Prepare for the best. Expect the worst.” Why should we expect the worst out of situations and the people in our lives? What message are we sending if we never believe in others? Have the attitude that everything is going to turn out. Be confident that you will not be disappointed. We should always expect the best. Always. When we expect the best, we will receive the best.

As my journey began with those four letters, PCOS, I expected the best.

I expect the best.

If you have any questions, or if you want to learn more about me, Team Beachbody, or Shakeology, feel free to call me at (979) 229-9656 or email me.

"Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” - Albert Einstein