Powerful Transformations Are Not Just Physical

I'm a Beachbody Coach. 

Wait! Just wait. I'm not here to sell you anything. I have a point. A good one. Just hear me out.

So, as a Beachbody Coach, my newsfeed is filled with other fitness-minded folks, many of them also coaches. And most of them have these amazing transformation stories to share. Their before and after photos are amazing. I have long been a fan of those stories of physical transformation. Of people that challenge and push themselves to become stronger, healthier, fitter.

I don't have one of those. I mean, I've gotten stronger, healthier, and fitter through Beachbody Coaching. But a 10 pound weightloss and more toned muscles does little to inspire when you have those amazing folks with 50, 100, 150 pound transformations. In comparison, it just doesn't seem that hard to tone up and drop a few pounds.

Seriously, this was a big deal for me.

But it is hard. Or, rather, it is so easy to just live with those extra 10 pounds, weak, unhealthy, and cramming bags of Doritos into my mouth every night. (Like, every. single night. Bags of them.) I mean, it's not like I look unhealthy. Because the unhealthy is on the inside, where you can't see it. But I could feel it.

You can't see my transformation as easily as a great weightloss story, but it's there. My clothes fit better. I feel stronger. I run faster, longer. Nothing you would really notice in a before and after photo. I haven't lost 50 pounds or dropped 3 sizes. 

But my transformation has been just as dramatic. 

I've lost self-doubt and gained self-confidence. A lot of it.

I've dropped negativity and replaced it with goals. Positivity.

I have vision, focus, determination, motivation, and a huge heart filled with gratitude. 

So, you see, just because someone can't take a photo of it doesn't mean your transformation isn't very real and very powerful. You don't have to have some amazing weightloss story to inspire others. The inspiration is inside of you. And really, if one looks closely enough, they can see it in your eyes, your smile, and the way you carry yourself a little higher. 

Click here to learn more about starting your own transformation.

Preparing for a Healthy Holiday

Preparing for a Healthy Holiday

Thanksgiving is upon us. For most American households, that means turkey, stuffing, gray, mashed potatos, and pumpkin pie...all in copious amounts. 

And leftovers. Lots and lots of leftovers.

And napping on the couch. 

And more leftovers.

Add to that the tendency to stay inside during colder weather and it's not surprise that our jeans start to fit a little tighter this time of year.

Let's make a #YearEndResolution to avoid that weight gain this year.

Can you commit to these 3 things?

1. Drink more water, fewer sugary drinks and alcohol. According to WebMD, you should drink about an ounce of water for every pound you weigh (WebMD, 2015).
2. Load up on the veggies. Daily serving recommendations vary, but your body will benefit from more fruits and veggies (not the processed kind). And the more veggies on your plate, the less of the high-calorie/low-nutrition foods you'll eat.
3. Take a brisk 30 minute walk each day. Do it first thing in the morning, over lunch, or after dinner. Whatever fits your schedule, but just get it in. Can't spare 30 minutes? Then just do 20, 10, even 5. Just move!
4. Do a Turkey Trot! Sign up for an organized race that you and your family can run/walk together or just do three miles in your own neighborhood. 
5. Practice gratitude. I know. It doesn't seem to have much to do with health and fitness. But really, it does. The more we practice gratitude, the less we stress about the small stuff and the happier we are. Lower stress and increased happiness are as key to health and fitness as nutrition and exercise. So, go ahead and count your blessings each morning and each night.

References

WebMD. (2015). Water and your diet: Staying slim and regular with H2O. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/diet/water-for-weight-loss-diet?page=2.

Top 5 Meal Planning Tips for a Healthier Week

Top 5 Meal Planning Tips

for an easier, healthier week

1. Make 3-4 healthy dinners each week and use the leftovers for lunches.
2. Stock up on the basics. Watch for sales and coupons to stock up on oils, vinegars, and seasonsings. 
3. Frozen fruits & veggies are an acceptable alternative to the fresh variety. Keep plenty on hand for quick, healthy stir frys, pasta additions, and sides.
4. Plan. Set aside 15 minutes each week to plan your weekly menu and grocery list. Set aside another hour each week to meal prep for the week. 
5. Don't forget breakfast! Egg veggies cups are a quick, easy option for those mornings when you're rushed. And they are much healthier than grabbing one of the kids' pop tarts or frozen waffles!

Make a Year-End Resolution and join the Beachbody #DecemberFix challenge to get your nutrition and fitness back on track and avoid the holiday weight gain. 
Click here to learn more.

Weekly Meal Prep to Save Time, Money, and Health

My Sunday Meal Prep.

For just $55 a week, you can eat healthy, have more energy, and lose weight. Here's how it works for me:

$30 worth of ingredients (plus my lemon water to enjoy while I cook)

Olive oil + chicken seasoning (I like a LOT of seasoning)

Green beans with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Two cups of Jasmine rice

I bake 2 sweet potatoes with my chicken

Brussels Sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper
I have to cook them after the green beans because I don't have enough pots to cook in.

Pork chops in crock pot with some Sofrito, Adobo, and Sazon

Lemon slices for my daily morning lemon water - kick start your metabolism and detox a bit

Shakeology for my daily breakfast - I've got frozen dark cherries, peaches, and blueberries to add for flavor variety. This is what I call my healthiest meal of the day. It's packed with superfoods and nutrients without artificial ingredients.

13 meal varieties prepped for the week - the last 5 just waiting on some pork chops

Took me just over an hour to cook, package, and clean up (except the pork chops that will cook throughout the day)

Do you have one hour and $55 a week? 

That's what this week's worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners cost me. $55. Less than $8 a day.

Here's how it breaks down.

Shakeology. This is my breakfast each day. Plus I get way more than 30 days out of it, so once or twice a week I will have a second shake for lunch. One 30-day bag of Shakeology costs me $104.74 (with my coach discount, includes shipping). That breaks down to about $24.50 a week or $3.50 a day. 

The ingredients I used for my lunches and dinners (chicken, pork chops, green beans, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, frozen veggies, lemon, and jasmine rice) cost less than $30 which breaks down to about $4.24 a day. 

So, in one month, I'll spend around $220 for my meals. The average American  I'm eating healthier than ever and spending less than I used to on prepacked, processed foods and eating out. Just $7.75 a day for 3 healthy, delicious meals. 

$7.75 a day. Seriously, I would spend that on one fast food meal filled with fat, grease, and questionable ingredients. 

21 Day Fitness Transformation Group Starting Soon!

I'M LOOKING FOR 10 LADIES that want to completely TRANSFORM and tone their bodies. And you don't even need to leave your house!! Sounds AMAZING...right?
Commit to just 30 minutes a day for 21 days. We'll eat clean and tone our bodies. NO counting calories! NO counting points! NO starving yourself! We'll focus on EATING CLEAN for maximum results!
All workouts are done in the comfort of your own home on your own time. You'll have ME as your personal coach...walking you through every step of the program on a daily basis!
If you can commit to changing your life...and making this holiday season your healthiest yet.. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!! I'm looking for 10 Ladies who are SERIOUS about changing their life… who want to get stronger...healthier...and feeling better than ever!

This program is NOT free...but includes:
-A complete 21 Day home workout kit with DVDs
-Custom clean eating meal plan designed for your challenge
-Portion control containers and shaker cup
-30 healthy meals! ~ A 30 day supply of Shakeology!
-Measuring tape to track all those inches lost
-ME as your personal coach
-Access to my private, lifetime support group
-A free 21 Day Fix T-shirt when you finish and send in your results!
-30 day trial to *Beachbody on Demand* - Stream $3000 worth of workout programs right from your phone, tablet, laptop, etc!

Please email at sunshinestrongbb@gmail.com if you would like to hear more details and I'll connect with you.  ... these groups fill fast and space is very limited!!

***Ask Me About The November Promotion!!***

One Simple Free Step Towards Health

Losing weight is hard. Getting healthy is hard. Staying motivated is hard.

It's harder when you try to do it alone.

In the United States today, more than 68% of adults are overweight. More than 35% are obese. Aside from the pain, shame, discomfort, and feelings of judgement that come with being overweight, there are very real life-threatening health concerns to consider. Heart disease. Stroke. Type 2 Diabetes. Certain types of cancer. These are among the preventable diseases associated with obesity. These diseases are among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States today (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

Preventable. That's the word I want you to focus on. Death from these diseases is preventable. 

I want to help you prevent these diseases in your life. If you already have one or more of them, I want to help you reduce your risk. 

All you have to do right now is take one simple step. Sign up for a free Team Beachbody account with me. That's it. You don't have to commit to purchasing a program. You don't have to join one of my challenge groups. You don't have to do anything else right now except take that one simple, free step towards health. Just sign up here: http://bit.ly/1ujBM3S.

That's all it takes to get on the road to health. 

We'll worry about the rest later. For now, make a commitment to yourself and sign up. I'm looking forward to working with you.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.

Lose Weight on Your List of New Years Resolutions?

Lose weight and improve fitness on your list of New Years Resolutions?

You could pay $50 a month plus a sign up fee for that gym membership you'll only use once or twice. I mean, we've all done it, right? 

OR, you could invest that money in a challenge pack that includes a fun and effective workout program you can do from the privacy of your own home, daily nutrition to help you beat cravings, support from a community of coaches invested in your success, a free t-shirt, AND a chance to win cash prizes. You won't get all of that from a gym membership.

Check out January's Challenge Pack promotions and message me for more information!
http://bit.ly/1xzYfds

Beachbody Challenge Pack Deals for January 2015!

NEW! INSANITY MAX:30 Kickstart and Shakeology Challenge Pack Promotion: only $220 USD (normally $245 USD)

21 Day Fix and Shakeology Challenge Pack Promotion: only $140 USD (normally $160 USD)
21 Day Fix En Espanol and Shakeology Challenge Pack Promotion: only $140 USD (normally $160 USD)



3-Day Refresh and Shakeology Challenge Pack Promotion: only $140 USD (normally $160 USD)


See all challenge packs available here:

FREE Opportunity Webinar

Have you heard of Beachbody, but not sure how becoming a Beachbody Coach could benefit you?

Think you have to be a fitness expert to be a Coach?

Think you have to be in perfect shape to be a Coach?

Think this is just a pyramid scheme?

If you answered yes to any (or all) of these questions, you should join us for a free webinar to learn about the Beachbody Coaching opportunity.

For those interested in the Beachbody Coaching opportunity, some extra spending cash, or BOTH, you should attend this FREE online coaching webinar! 

Coaching has helped MANY of my friends from all walks of life (parents, students, single moms and etc.) financially, mentally, and spiritually. For me personally, this opportunity has helped me grow so much as a person and maintain a level of fitness I've never been able to stick with before,  and I can NOT be grateful enough.

There is NO commitment of becoming a coach after watching this free online webinar....so..i URGE you....if you are WANTING...NEEDING...to change your current lifestyle, we extend out our hands to you, and cordially invite you all to our online coaching webinar. 

Please email sunshinestrongbb@gmail.com so that I can put you on the guest list and send you the link to attend.

****And oh....the hosts will be giving out a FREE INSANITY MAX:30 base kit and our awesome 3-Day Refresh (cleanse program) to two lucky non-coach guests at the end of the presentation****

A Message To My Younger Single Mom Self

This moment...

I know you're tired. I know you want to go out with your friends. I know you just want one damn second to yourself. I know the last thing you want to do after working all day is sit on the floor playing action figures or driving to two different soccer practices on two different fields on opposite ends of town. I know you feel grumpy and resentful at how much time everyone demands from you. Where is YOUR time??? I know you snap at them and don't always take the time you should. I know you're tired of cooking and cleaning and doing math problems at 11pm because homework these days is ridiculous. No, really. Why did they change math? Wasn't it just fine when 35+35 just equaled 70? When you just added the fives and carried the freakin one? Why wasn't that enough? Why does it now have to take 15 steps to figure that out??? Two steps was plenty!

But I digress. The point is, I know. You love your kids, but some days...some days you realize how much easier your life would have been...

I know. You were way too young when you became a parent. Parenthood is hard. Single parenthood is impossible. 

Except that it's not.

So, the next time you are at your lowest, resenting your kids and contemplating what life could have been, just remember this picture.

Because this picture, this moment right here makes every moment of exhaustion, anger, stress, worry, regret, frustration, desperation, resentment, every negative emotion you've ever felt about single parenting just fade away. 

Knowing that these two young men love you unconditionally, value you, respect you, appreciate you makes it all worthwhile. Knowing that these two phenomenal human beings have your back erases any hint of what could have been. They know what you've sacrificed to make them who they are and because of that, these two exception people will have your back for the rest of your life. 

And make no mistake. They are exceptional. And you did that. You created and shaped and developed two exceptional human beings. I know you weren't always the mom you could have been, should have been. You've messed up. A lot. And you will make more mistakes. But in the end, you got it right. 

And this moment...

There are no words. 

Giving Is Important, But Are You Taking Enough?

I watched the Spartan World Championship today.

When 2014 started, I had two major goals: run my first marathon and run my first Spartan. And I registered for both. 

And I did neither.

I was about halfway through the year when I realized things were starting to fall apart for me financially. I should have anticipated it. I should have planned for it. The critical factors were all easily predictable.

My son's senior year expenses. (Seriously. Pictures. Class Ring. Yearbook ads. Graduation packages. Was I this expensive as a kid???)
Student loans coming due. (Why did I think a PhD was a good idea?)
Health care expenses tripling. (Tripling? Yes. And I know it's happening to a lot of people. The premium has tripled, the deductible has exploded, and the coverage has dwindled down to nothing.)
One of my schools laying me off. (Dropping retention and enrollment rates mean schools are cutting back. Apparently the rest of the world figured out what took me 3 degrees to realize. College educations just aren't worth the expense anymore.)

All things that, had I been paying attention, I could have anticipated and planned for. Should have.

But I didn't. So now I am scrambling, taking whatever work I can get, putting in 90+ hours a week, getting up at 3am, and watching all of my goals sit quietly on a shelf until I have time for them. 

I will, however, have time. I am putting in the ridiculous hours now so that 2015 can be my year. My year for achieving my goals. My year for reclaiming my life. My year for marathons and Spartan races.

So, while I look at my pile of race medals that I have failed to add to in recent months and watch the amazing athletes that are not me competing on my TV, I am comforted knowing that I am staying true to my commitment to health and fitness even as I struggle to find the time. 

It's hard to find. So I take it. I take those 15 minutes in the morning to get in a quick workout. I take that rare afternoon lunch to get a run in. I take the 30 exhausted minutes before bed to do my PiYo. I take that 15 minutes each night to plan my meals to avoid unhealthy snacking or desperation fast food. 

I take.

We all know about the importance of giving. Giving is important. But so is taking. Taking time. I take time. Because no one is going to give it to me. That time is not just going to open up and present itself. I take it. 

Are you taking enough?

Surviving 16-Hour Days

So, what's the difference?

Price? Sure. The one on the left is cheaper. But that's where its advantages end.

As a single mom, money is always tight. So, recently I experimented with my morning breakfast routine.

I tried a month of Carnation Instant Breakfast instead of Shakeology for breakfast.

Cheaper. Yep. Also, groggy. Grumpy. Exhausted. Unmotivated. Down. Dragging.

See, since money is always so tight, I've had to take on several jobs. One of those jobs requires me to wake at 4am at least 5 days a week, drive an hour into work, put in an 8-hour shift (spending my 1-hour lunch break answering emails for my other jobs), drive an hour home, put in another 5-6 hours of grading, posting, and emailing for my other jobs, while also cooking dinner, cleaning the house, doing dishes, and finishing up the laundry. Do you see any rest time in there? Yeah, me either. *sigh*

Going nonstop from 4am until 10pm 5-6 days a week requires energy. Motivation. Drive. Willingness. Focus.

Want to know why I am willing to invest $100 a month in a meal replacement drink? Because I can FEEL the difference when I drink my Shakeology. (Even better, now that I'm a Beachbody Coach with customers who have discovered how amazing this stuff is, my Shakeology is paid for each month with extra income to boot!)

Sure, it's healthier than other meal replacement drinks. It's helped me stop taking iron supplements for my anemia. My complexion is clearer. I no longer get headaches. And despite my loss of workout time, I'm maintaining my target weight.

But mostly, it gets me through the day. Every other breakfast option I tried left me literally dragging and raiding the vending machine for a bag of Cheetos by 9am. When you're looking at another 13 hours to go in a day, dragging by 9am is just about the worst feeling in the world. Plus, Cheetos are apparently frowned upon when your job is moving clothing around on the sales floor. Something about orange fingers. Whatever.

But when I drink my Shakeology on my way to work in the morning, I feel great the rest of the day. Sure, I still dread getting up at 4am. I mean, it's 4am. No human being should be in public-appropriate clothes at that hour. But since it's what I have to do for now to be successful, then at least I'm going to have some energy. I follow up with a cup of almonds for my 10am snack and I'm good to go until lunch.

Not convinced? Give it a try. Click here to order a Taste Sampler and see for yourself. 

Learn more about the benefits and nutrition of Shakeology here.

Everything You Need To Lose Weight

What you get:

PiYo at-home fitness program
3-Day Refresh
1-Month Supply Shakeology (flavor of your choice)
Personalized Support
Access to Free Online Challenge Groups
Chance to Win Cash Prizes

Everything you need to lose weight and improve your health. 

Remember, summer bodies are made in winter. So let's kick this winter off right!

Click Here To Order Today!

The Perfect Program. Period.

The perfect program for runners. The perfect program for those seeking strength and flexibility. The perfect program for those needing low-impact (NO-impact) exercise. (It's like yoga, only better.)

The perfect program. Period.

Our online accountability and support group starts tomorrow. There's still time to join us!

Comment below or join on my Facebook page today: https://www.facebook.com/events/1510517262528210/

Fitness Tricks & Nutrition Treats!

Free Online Fit Challenge

Do you have an old Beachbody workout program collecting dust? Or maybe you saw an infomercial for Shaun T's new Max 30 program and want to challenge yourself. 

What better time to make your DVD player work for you and get back to fitness than the New Year?

Join our online Fit Challenge using any Beachbody program and we'll get fit together.

Get stronger. Get fitter. Get healthier. And have fun doing it.

By committing to our online Fit Challenge, you get...

Daily Fitness Schedule
Daily Nutrition
Support & Motivation
A Chance to Win Up to $100,000 in the Beachbody Challenge

Join the group by clicking here or email SunShineStrongBB@gmail.com for more information.

Need to order your program? Click here!

Single Mom Seeking Financial Peace

If you want to live like no one else can, first you have to live like no one else is willing to. - Dave Ramsey

I may be a little off on my quote, but I'm just too exhausted to open the book and find the exact wording. Really, the book is literally less than an arm's length away. It's not even a bent-arm's length away and still I'm just too tired to reach for it. So, let's just call that opening sentence a paraphrase. 

The point is, I have been living like no one else (or at least very few people) is willing to for the last two months. Working a total of 5 jobs (that really equate to a little more than 2 full time jobs hours-wise), I have had to sacrifice some things during that time. 

• I've had to cut back on time spent with friends. Just when I'd started to actually have a social life, a feat in and of itself for a single mom, I have had to all but eliminate it. 
• Then I had to cut back on running, one of my few escapes from work and stress.
• Now I've had to cancel my plan to run my first marathon. Or delay it. Let's say I'm delaying my first marathon. 

But, for the first time in my life, I am beginning to feel somewhat comfortable with my financial situation. I still have a long way to go before I reach a level where I can feel fully comfortable, but it's progress. I have avoided a zero balance for the last 3 weeks straight. (Really. I have money in my bank account. WHAT?!? Yep.)

Four am wake up calls, 13-15 hour days 6-7 days a week, loss of social and recreational time, and a little extra stress are not things I would normally recommend. But they are temporary. Six months temporary. That is my commitment to this plan. I will continue this schedule through January when I will have the first step of my financial peace strategy completed and then I can start to scale back on work and reclaim the funner parts of my life. (More fun parts? Funnier parts? Whatever. You get what I'm saying.)

So, whether you're a single mom or a struggling couple, I encourage you to consider making some sacrifices in the short-term so you can live better in the long-term. 

Go ahead and live like no one else is willing to so you can live like no one else can...or something like that.

Finding Time For Fitness

90

That's how many hours a week I've been working over the last two months.

Add to that the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping I have to do. All of the animals, both mine and fosters, to care for. Plus football games every Friday and soccer games every Saturday and Sunday. Bills. Research. Friendships to be maintained.

It's all a bit overwhelming. Exhausting. Draining. 

At the end of the day, I just want to sleep. And it would be so easy to do. Just crawl into bed every night without giving a second thought to my health and fitness. Allow myself to fall out of shape and into poor health. So easy.

But the unhealthier you get, the harder it is to keep up with such an overwhelming schedule. So, I make the time. Just 10 minutes at the start of every day (really, 4am burpees suck more than 4pm burpees for some reason). And another 10 minutes at the end of every day. 

But how? HOW do I motivate myself to do this? Because I have to. No, not just for the sake of my health, but for the sake of my business. I have found that the single most amazing benefit from signing up to be a Beachbody Coach is that I HAVE to stay healthy and fit. My business relies on it. 

Interested yet? Find out more by clicking here.

Do You Have A Back Up Plan?

Even when the money stops, the bills keep coming.

Working in higher education, I've learned how fragile employment has become. Gone are the days of retiring from a company after 40 years of service. 

I've watched as school after school has cut back on faculty, reduced faculty course loads, watched student retention drop, and some even close their doors.

Waves of panic may be an understatement. As a single mother, my entire family relies on me to provide for them. I had visions of empty cupboards, broken down cars, foreclosure notices.

What I needed was a back up plan.

Today, we have access to more entrepreneurial opportunities than ever. Whatever your unique interests, there is likely a business that matches it. Jewelry. Home decor. Self-defense. Cooking. Clothing. All of my friends seemed to be finding their way into their own niche and embracing the freedom of a home-based business.

Because I have always had an interest in running and fitness, I found myself drawn to Beachbody. I loved the programs and I simply cannot function without my Shakeology, so I signed up to be a Beachbody Coach. 

Beachbody created and maintains my online office and handles all of my customer orders. In return, I get a 25% discount on all Team Beachbody products (including my must-have Shakeology) and I earn a commission on all orders placed through my store. 

I'm still in the building phase of my business, but I am earning a monthly profit. Knowing that I am creating an alternate income stream to fall back on is a huge comfort for me. 

If you don't already have a back up plan yourself, I encourage you to look into some options. I'm happy to answer any questions, whether related to the Beachbody Coaching opportunity specifically or my experience, in general. Email me today and I'll answer any questions I can. 

It's all about what you can be passionate about. 

Focusing on Body AND Mind

If you follow me regularly, you know I hold free online challenge groups each month. We focus on basic fitness moves or full fitness programs. Sometimes we just focus on defining and reaching our goals. I love running all of these groups, but I am particularly excited about the two groups I'm running this July.

Mind

I am a book junkie. And since becoming a Beachbody Coach, I have become a Personal Development book junkie. I can't even begin to explain all of the powerful ways that reading these books has changed my life. And often the information contained in their pages is not revolutionary. Most of it is really just common sense. But they are lessons and concepts that most of us, despite the very basic common sense behind them, do not apply in our daily lives. These books have a great power to change.

In July, we'll get started on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Click on the picture below to get started.

Body

I am also a yoga junkie. I LOVE yoga. So, I simply cannot wait for the release of Chalene Johnson's new program, PiYo. PiYo combines Pilates and Yoga and so much more for a phenomenal workout that will help you not only increase your strength, but also your flexibility. With it's low-impact design and modifications built in, it is perfect for all fitness levels. This is also HUGE for someone like me who loves to run and strength train. Even better? This program is low-cost. You can get this 60-day program for less than 2 months at the gym.

Interested? Click on the picture below to get started.