Personal Trainer or Online Coach?

Should you pay for a personal trainer or try a free coach?

Which is better?

The answer to that question will be different for each of us. Some folks need to be face to face with a personal trainer to keep them motivated. They need in-person assistance with proper form and technique. They need the social atmosphere of a gym. They want that in-person interaction. If that's you and you can afford it, then do it. Don't sacrifice safety to save money. Do whatever it takes to stay healthy and fit.

But some of us simply don't have the time or money to invest in a gym membership or personal trainer. Some of us don't like the gym atmosphere. We can develop our form and technique by watching others. We prefer the flexibility of working out at home and the convenience of online support. We prefer some privacy when we're busting out those awkward cardio moves that we're not quite coordinated enough to do yet.

A free Beachbody Coach can offer you support and motivation without the cost or long-term commitment of a gym or personal trainer. We can suggest at-home fitness programs that meet your personal fitness goals and interests. And we give you access to regular accountability groups to challenge you to stick with those goals. (Check out the Free Support Group Schedule tab at the top of this page.)

So, if you're not sure which approach is best for you, go ahead and sign up for a free Team Beachbody account and try me out as your free coach. You've got nothing to lose except pounds and excuses. And, if you find that it doesn't work for you, you're not stuck in a commitment you can't get out of. And if nothing else, you'll meet some cool new people along the way...like me.

If you're tired of the gym, but struggle to keep yourself motivated to workout from home, consider trying a Beachbody Challenge Pack.

Why Challenge Packs? Simply put, they offer the “complete solution.” Fitness + Nutrition + Support + Rewards = Success. When you purchase a Challenge Pack, you receive:
Fitness – Any Beachbody fitness program
Nutrition – Shakeology
Support – Me as your coach and access to online accountability groups to keep you going
Rewards – The Beachbody Challenge contest
Success – Achieving your goals in one of my Challenge Groups

You can’t get all that at the local gym for the cost of one Beachbody Challenge Pack! Plus, you get the added benefits of FREE shipping and Team Beachbody Club membership.

Awkward Running Interactions

I'm socially awkward.

Every now and then, I have a successful social interaction and I walk around feeling confident and proud of myself until my next social interaction when I start talking about my cats.

(Side note: In some of my social interactions, talking about my cats is not only accepted, it is expected. I am, however, trying to expand my social circles and the realization that not everyone wants to hear about the funny thing Stinky Butt did yesterday has saddened and devastated me. But I am adjusting.)

One might think that, as a runner, I would at least be spared from socially awkward interactions when I'm out on the road running away the stress of the day. For most people, that is probably true. Not for me.

I'm pretty sure it's an illness. There is some major imbalance in my brain chemistry. I'm just....awkward.

Let me give you some examples.

I am one of the few female runners in my neighborhood. I enjoy running alone, but every now and then it's nice to have that social interaction to make the run more fun. Now, there are several male runners in my neighborhood. I've tried running with them. I can't. It hurts. Physically. They run something inhuman like a two-minute mile. I don't ever want to run that fast. Ever. So, I'd prefer to find some other normal chick in my neighborhood to run with every now and then.

I was out walking my new foster dog the other day. She's a short little Dachshund mix. A slow walker. Well, fast for her, slow for me. About a mile into our walk, a female runner begins to pass us. This is where the awkwardness begins. My brain gets all excited. Potential running partner! And she's not running too fast, so I could probably keep up with her. I should make conversation and see if she wants to run together sometime. What do I say? Hey, you running that nighttime trail run this weekend? Yeah. That's a good intro. Make a running connection. Most people around here aren't trail runners, but still. It's a running connection.

As I'm processing all of this, she has passed us and is a good ways up the road. I start to pick up my pace to catch up to her, but small dog stumbles and stops moving. Fine. I do the only logical thing. I pick her up and start to run towards my future new best friend running partner. I had to run pretty fast, though, because she had put some distance between us and looked like she was about to make a turn down a road where the not-dog-friendly dogs live.

Now, it may just be me, but it seemed perfectly normal that I go running up to some stranger with a Dachshund tucked under my arm asking between gasps if she was thinking about running through the woods in the middle of the night this weekend. Apparently it's not. That realization hit when I saw the look on her face.

Soooo, I'm not sure when I turned into a 15-year old boy stalking the prom queen, but I decided to just stop the interaction there, turn around, and carry my Dachshund home. Home is where the cats are and they almost never judge me. Right.

Not convinced yet? Let me give you another example.

One of my favorite things about competitive runs is the camaraderie. You get to yell out at perfect strangers, "Great job! Go get it!" and feel really cool about it. They smile back and yell, "Yeah, girl! You, too!" We pump our fists in the air like we're competing for the Olympic gold and pick up our pace a little bit. It's fun. It makes me feel like I'm still connected to the human race.

But, apparently, those kinds of interactions should really just stay on the race course.

As I was driving out of my neighborhood recently, shortly after my stalking incident, I passed a different woman running and pushing a jogging stroller up a nice little hill. I was impressed, as I had never had the desire to jog with my babies. They were fat babies. Big fat babies. Heavy. Too much extra weight.

Anyway, I was so impressed that I quickly rolled down my window, pumped my fist in the air and yelled, "Yeah! Way to get at it! Woo Hoo!"

I don't know. Maybe if I had just left off the woo hoo it would have been less...freakish. Perhaps it was the unnecessary fist-pumping. Whatever the issue, the woman picked up her pace and placed a protective hand closer to her child. At that point, I desperately hoped she could see the 13.1 magnet on the back of my car. See? It's ok because I'm a runner, too. This is what we do. Isn't it?

So, yeah, I think I'll just stick to running alone and save the woo-hooing for my cats.

Stretch Yourself

Do you stretch regularly?

Do you know how and why and when to stretch?

According to the Mayo Clinic (2014), stretching helps you improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury.

It also feels really good.

A few tips:

• Stretch warm muscles - I stretch after every fitness routine or run and also in the late afternoon or evening when I've been moving throughout the day and my muscles are already warmed up.
• Stretch for tension, not pain - I love stretching. It feels good. It shouldn't hurt. It's not a competition. Don't stretch to the point of pain. Stretch to the point of tension. That's how you gradually increase flexibility.
• Stretch specific to your activity - When I run, I stretch my calves, quads, and hamstrings. Our monthly challenge group is doing an arm challenge this month. So my focus is stretching my arms and rotator cuffs. 
• Stretch regularly - Keep doing it and you will see increased flexibility and less muscle pain.
• Stretch fluidly - Consider trying gentle movement activities like yoga or Tai Cheng as part of your stretching. (I haven't mentioned yoga in a few posts, so you knew it was coming.)

Bikini Ready Booty

Bikini bodies are made in the Spring.

The first day of Spring is March 20th.
My Beachbody Coaching Anniversary is March 20th.

Coincidence? I think not.

To celebrate my coaching anniversary and the first day of Spring, I will hold a Bikini Ready Booty Anniversary Challenge starting, you guess it, March 20th.

The program? Brazil Butt Lift. The goal? Bikini-ready butts.

Click on the photo to order your Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Pack today...

or complete the contact form on the right side of this page for more ordering options.

This program works. It's why I became a Beachbody Coach (that and the Shakeology discount).

Consumer Reports agrees:
Bottom line. Strength training with heavy weights is a better way to target your glutes, but that’s not something most people will do. The program includes low- and high-impact routines, so you don’t need to be extremely fit to start. If you don’t mind doing lots of squats and lunges and you like the idea of dancing your way to fitness, this may be good for you. The Brazil Butt Lift eating plan includes basic recipes with easy variations.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/01/exercise-dvds-that-promise-to-get-you-in-shape/index.htm

Combining Faith & Fitness

Body Gospel is a great fitness program that combines the power of faith with effective exercise to help you lose weight and get fit.

This program is only available through Feb 19th and then it will be discontinued to make room for new fitness programs.

I'm thankful to already have my copy of the program. I do a Body Gospel workout at least once per week, usually more often. You still have time to order your copy before it goes away forever.

Order the base kit for $24.95 by clicking here.

Order the deluxe kit for $39.90 by clicking here. The deluxe kit includes additional workouts and additional resistance bands.

Or, for the best results, order a Challenge Pack for $140 by clicking here. Challenge Packs include the program, a 30-day supply of Shakeology in the flavor of your choice, Club membership (gives you access to recipes and other benefits), access to the Beachbody Challenge contest, and me as your coach!

Even Runners Can Have Saggy Butts

I know. It seems unfair. 
We're runners, after all.

One year ago, I was out for a run and noticed something hitting against the backs of my thighs. It took me a moment to process that it was actually my butt. My butt was bouncing off the backs of my thighs as I ran. How was this possible? I am a runner. Things shouldn’t be sagging. At least, not yet.
As I sat on the couch that evening eating my Doritos and indulging in a beer, a cute little Brazilian dude on tv caught my eye. He kept saying “bum bum” in his adorable accent. He was talking about a butt lift. Not a surgical butt lift, but a program he called the Brazilian Butt Lift. Apparently there are no saggy butts in Brazil.

I ordered the program. When it arrived, I put in the DVD and it told me to go to the Supergym to log my workouts. I did that and created my free Team Beachbody account at the same time. A few days later, another Team Beachbody member invited me to join her Brazil Butt Lift (BBL) challenge group on Facebook. So I did.

It. Was. Phenomenal. I had so much fun in this group of people that I had never met. It felt like they were right there with me doing the same workouts and sharing the same experiences...because they were. We had a blast! And most of us continue to be friends today. We continue to workout together, virtually. They continue to be my source of inspiration and motivation. 
Halfway through the program, the coach that invited me suggested I look into Beachbody coaching myself. After watching the introductory video, I knew this was something I had to do. So I did. And it has been one of the best decisions of my life.

So, to celebrate my one year Beachbody Coaching annivesary, I am inviting each of you to join me in a new BBL challenge group. In fact, I’m so stoked about celebrating this anniversary that I’m offering special incentives for you to join me!

The first three people to purchase the BBL program by clicking here will receive a nutrition gift pack.*

The first three people to purchase the BBL Challenge Pack by clicking here will receive a $25 gift card to my Team Beachbody online shop.* 

Want to know more before deciding? Contact me. You won’t want to miss out on this fun and effective celebration!

*Incentives only available to customers not already working with another Beachbody coach. 

Creating With Race Bibs

We all have a pile of them somewhere in our house.

You can't just throw them away, right?

You worked hard for those race bibs, so display them proudly.

Here are some creative ideas:

Race Bib Coasters. 

I love this idea. You can have them created for you through a website like goneforarun.com. For the more talented among us, you can create your own with some tiles, modge podge, and brush on glaze. 

(Check out The Creativity Experiment for step by step directions: http://www.thechasinghappyblog.com/2013/06/the-creativity-experiment-diy-race-bib.html)

Race Bib Tote Bag. 

This would make a great bag to carry your race gear in. Again, you can have one created through a website like mile22bags.com. But, if you lean toward the more creative side, make your own. 

(Melissa Schweisguth walks you through it on her bog: http://livingacoustically.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/making-race-bibs-into-a-tote-bag/)

Race Bib Quilt.

What a great way to keep warm on a cold winter day after running the Frozen Toe 10k! Campusquilt.com will scan your race bibs onto material for quilting or even create the quilt for you. 

Apparently this is not a popular option, as I had a hard time finding a photo of one. Most folks go with the race shirts rather than bibs for this option.

Race Bibs Framed.

Frame 'em! That's simple enough. All you need is a frame. Of course, if you're my mom, you will also need clear tape to hold each bib in it's place perfectly aligned to every other bib. If you're me, you'll just throw them all in there and they land where they land. Either way, it's a quick and easy way to display them. 

Race Bib Holders.

While I'm sure the more DIY among you will figure out a way to do this yourself, you can order these through a website like runningonthewall.com. The adventures of Z&K walk you through the DIY option here: http://theadventuresofzandk.com/2012/11/23/diy-race-bib-holder/

Race Bib Wallpaper.

Or just paper up your basement, office, or workout room. Probably don't use those mud run bibs, but, hey, its your house!







Have other ideas of your own? Share them in the comments!