Why Beachbody and not some pill?

This world is full of fast fixes and the promise of quick results.  It really is.  Instant gratification is the norm in our current society (ok, really, throughout history we have always taken the easier paths...).

Everything is made to be quick and offer results.  Quick passes at Disney World promise no long wait in lines.  Makeup companies offer overnight wrinkle removal.  Movies and music are streamed straight to your phone.  Overnight shipping, instant money transfers, boxed dinner, car-side pickup.....  

The need to get what you want NOW has made us look for the easy way out of our weight gains.

So, like many, I fell for the instant weight loss pills.  Keep eating what you want and lose 20, 30, 40 pounds!  Guaranteed!  First month free!  Common, seriously, how can you say no to an instant, no hassle pound shedding pill?

Please, say no.  Just say no.  There is a reason why they say "if it is too good to be true it really is."  

The stuff in those pills offer no guarantee, many do not even work properly, and the side effects should cause even the most desperate person pause.

There are 3 types of weight loss pills out there.  I will list the three different types and the side effects to show why these are NOT the way to go.

The first is stimulant-like drug to the nervous system that reduces appetite.  Sounds great, I like knowing I won't want to eat very much.  But....  the side effects include pulmonary hypertension, a rare and potentially fatal disorder due to high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, valvular disease of the heart, elevated blood pressure, increased pulse and heart rate, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth, and constipation.

The second is increases levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, helping you feel full.  Side effects? Glad you asked!  They include headache, dry mouth, anorexia, constipation, insomnia, runny nose, and sore throat.

The third prevents a sizable amount of fat absorption and it;s side effects include diarrhea, oily stools, gas flatulence, and a decrease in absorption of fat-soluble vitamin.  (Lovely, right?)

Want to do a weight loss drug now?  The promise of a quick fix by one sounds lovely, but the side effects should REALLY cause you to rethink!

And then you have this....  

Really, WHO believes this crap?!

So, why go my route?  Here is why:

1. We DON'T offer quick fixes!  It takes hard work and self discipline (ugh, right?  Trust me, I know....) but there is a reason for that!  Science has shown that the best way to lose weight and get healthy is to make different life choices.  And those life choices are:
1. Exercise.  Yes, I keep harping on that.  It MAKES a difference!  In order to lose fat you have to burn it off.  Muscle burns it faster (but don't use those pills shown above...)
2. Diet.  Eating pizza and McDonalds everyday is being counter-productive.  Your body needs the right fuel to burn.  It is like putting diesel in a Prius.  You can't do it.  It is a fuel, but the wrong one, and you will destroy the car.
2. We offer the support you need!  We help you make those lifestyle changes.  We don't just send you a video and tons of reading and then walk away.  I am constantly being messaged by my own coach to see how I am doing.  She offers support, encouragement, and ideas to help me keep going.  Yes, I fail.  Often.  But I get back up and I keep going.  And it is worth it.
3. We get you into groups with like-minded people who are doing the same thing.  It isn't just me guiding you, supporting you, but 10, 15, 20 other people doing the same thing.  They push you.  They make you want to do more.  For example, I did my first 5K this year.  NEVER thought I could, but I did it.  And it was awesome!!!!

Pills are a quick, usually ineffective, fix to a lifelong problem.  Instead, change your life.  It will make all the difference.

Stupid Scale!

I hate my scale, along with millions of other women (*sigh* ok, and men too....).  I don't need to tell you how aggravating it is to step on the scale and see it go up and not down.

But don't go get the gun and shoot the scale (I have considered it!).  It won't make you feel better about your weight (although the aggressive firing may help your mental health!) and it won't make you skinnier.

There ARE some things you should be aware of when it comes to that stupid scale.

1)  Muscle weighs MORE than fat!  It surprises people when they know they are losing weight because their clothes are loose but the scale shows no progress or an increase in weight.  It can be frightening!

*disclaimer* this isn't me....  wish it was...

The images is a perfect example of fat vs. muscle!  Look how the size of fat vs muscle is so different, yet they weigh the same.  It is possible that when you step on the scale you are seeing results, just not in the numbers game.  Stop trusting that scale!!!!  Tape yourself and get an accurate idea of how you have slimmed down.  Use this link to learn how to take body measurements accurately.

2) When do you weigh yourself?!  No, seriously, when?  Do you do it at the same time every day?  All throughout the day?  

When matters because your body fluctuates by 1-2 pounds throughout the day.  It can be discouraging to keep weighing yourself and seeing the number go up, then go down, then go right back up.  

So, when should you weigh yourself?  I recommend in the morning before you eat.  Wake up, do your morning routine of getting dressed and ready for your day, then weigh yourself.  Don't hurt your brain by doing it at different times or throughout the day.  You'll just get discouraged.

3)  Stress, medications, hormones, and other external factors can cause you to gain or lose.  Keep track in a journal.  Write down what is happening that day, what internal (stress) and external (like what you ate) factors are happening, and then your weight.  Over time you can track and know what to expect.  For example, when I get stressed, I gain weight.  I tend to eat more carbs then.  So I know that my weight will go up when stressed.

4)  Water retention.  Most women know how horrible that can be (hello hormones) and just how miserable that scale is when it happens.  But did you know that dehydration can cause that as well?!   Ya, it can be pretty costly to your health and weight loss to not drink enough water.  Drink at least a gallon a day!  This page is pretty amazing and will give you 11 reasons why dehydration is making you fat and sick.

5)  Compensatory eating is another reason you could be gaining weight.  You went to the gym.  You kicked ass.  You came out feeling like a million dollars.  Then went to dinner and decided that a couple of margaritas wouldn't hurt because you worked hard.  You then do this every day.

Ummmm....  do you see how that could be a problem?  You tend to think that because you worked hard you can play hard.  Not necessarily true.  The occasional treat is fine, but to use food like that isn't going to make you lose.  You will gain.  Watch what you eat, when you eat, and also how many treats you give yourself.

6) And to follow compensatory eating, what you eat in general makes a big difference!  I have touched on this before, so if you missed it, click here to go to it!

7)  How often do you work out?  What does your workout consist of?  Ineffective exercise can be a huge reason as to why you are not losing weight.  Not all exercise was made equal.  Walking every day is not going to burn the same amount of calories that cardio will.  Look at your workout and consider changing it.  Real weight loss will have a good grouping of aerobics, cardio, and weight training.  Toning as well.  I can help you out there!  Need a better workout that guarantees results, click here to find a workout that will work for you!

These are just a few reasons as to why your scale isn't moving in the direction you want.  But remember this:

Comparison Time!

Despite my "Despicable Me" moment, I have to say, I am super happy with where I am in how I look.

On Friday, October 10, 2014, I got dressed up (aka, I put on makeup and finally put a brush through my hair.  No judging, I am a mom....) and took a picture to prove it.

Then, as I was looking at it, I thought, "hey, I look pretty good."  Again, no judging, I think all women should be allowed to be a little self-centered....

Anyway, I decided to compare how I looked in May to that day.  You know, just to see if I got my sexy back.

You tell me!  The picture on the left is October 10 and the one on the right is May 17 at a wedding (so I am gussied up then, too)....

What makes me happy is that my face shows the weight loss.  5 months....  this journey is worth it!

Let's go climb the Michi Ladder....

So we all know that certain foods are good for you, and that some are even better.

If you are like me, relatively new to all the healthy eating and haven't had a professional chef come to your door to teach you, then you need to check out this thing called Michi's Ladder.

Whhaaaaa????

Yup.  That was what I said.  A ladder.  I had no idea what that was, why it was important, or how it was going to change my life.

Now, please note, that this is NOT a diet.  So don't treat it like it is.  It is just a simple substitution plan.  To lose weight, swap out those foods you eat that are similar to the foods in tier 1 and 2 (the SUPER good stuff!) and then try to avoid the ones lower down the ladder (SERIOSULY avoid tier 5!).  The more foods you eat from 1 and 2, the better your chances are for losing weight!

The lower tiers are just not as dense in

Now, seriously, common.  I am handing you the tools you need to succeed!  Take them and run with them!!!!

Despicable Me...

I have been bad.....  

I haven't been keeping up.....

Ya, I know.  I am pretty angry with myself right now. 

I was doing great before September.  And then I got the news that my brother needed emergency surgery and I found myself jumping on a plane with my baby boy and leaving Louisiana for West Virginia.  

I never realized how much I needed the monotony of my life up to that point.  My husband worked nights, till I left.  My daughter wasn't clingy.  My son wasn't even more clingy than usual.  And my calender looked empty.

Gone for 2 weeks and getting back and my whole life went insane!  I haven't had a lot of time to even breathe.  So I used that as an excuse and didn't keep up with working out, eating right, and doing my shake.

Can you guess who physically felt sick?  

Me.

I felt like crap.  Thankfully I didn't gain weight, but the scale didn't go down.

Now I am back on the bandwagon and I feel amazing!

I swear, I sound like one of those infomercials trying to sell you guys something you don't need.  But I am not joking when I say that by eating right, exercising, and drinking Shakeology I feel so amazing.  I had headaches, felt tired, and craved sugar.  Now that I am back on track I feel like Superwoman!  

I just need to keep at it!

And that is the beauty of this.  If I fail, I know that I can just get back on the horse and keep going. 

September 11 - the bad and the good

This post has nothing to do with weight loss, healthy eating, fitness, etc.  I think today is going to be just me, writing about a few things that mean a lot to me....

The bad, obviously, is about what this day means to me on a large scale.  I won't bore you with the details as to where I was, who I was with, and what I know about what happened September 11, 2001.  We all have such stories and memories.  I was blessed to not know anyone in the towers, planes, or Pentagon when it happened.  I could have, it was a pretty scary couple of hours while we waited to make sure my dad was safe and still in our area of Virginia, but we went unscathed.

Except for the feeling of safety we always had, no matter how obscure it may have been.  That was gone.  Like those towers, it was smashed, burned, and left in a pile of dust at our feet, wondering what was to come next.

We all know what happened next.  Our military went to a sandpit and fought to give us that security back.  They signed a blank check to Uncle Sam and agreed that they would go to hell and back for him, if it was asked of them.  And for many, it was.

My own husband signed that check, served 8 years in the Marines, spent 2 tours in Fallujah, Iraq, and came home with his own demons.  September 11 may have happened while we were in highschool, but it changed us even after it had happened.  It continues to change people.  We can't run from it, we can't hide from it.  And it isn't getting any better.

I won't let this day be forgotten.  I will teach my children and grandchildren to respect today.  I will show them the videos of that day, show them how it changed our lives, and make sure that they understand the price that has been paid and will always be paid for their safety.  Our future is forever changed by this one moment and I will not let it be forgotten.

But the good, for me, is this - I married my best friend for a second time on September 11, 2010.  Duff and I were married in a quick civil service in February and we had the chance to have our "big" church wedding with family and friends in September.  I joke that I was quite the catch to be able to have him want to marry me twice in 1 year!

It was the best day in my life up to that point (we have had 2 kids since then, so their births became my best day) and it was perfect.  It was comfortable outside, so the garden reception was perfect.  I was sad that many of our friends had military obligations and were not able to make it last minute, but our family and friends were still there and it was perfect.  Absolutely perfect because I got to say "I do" again.

Today is our 4 year anniversary.  We are apart right now as I am in West Virginia and won't be back till tomorrow night, but I know that he is thinking about me like I am thinking of him.  Distance means nothing when you love someone.

So while the world, and I, remember with sadness the lives lost and altered forever by terrorists, I will also enjoy this day as it is the (second) first day of the rest of my life.

Happiest 5K on the Planet!

OH YA!  I DID IT!  MY FIRST 5K!!!

I decided earlier this year that I was going to do a 5K.  I wanted to do the Color Run after seeing friends of mine post pictures of theirs over the past few years.  Well, New Orleans had a Color Run August 23, 2014, and I was going to do it!

I was so lucky because not only did I do it, but my husband and kids, his sister, and her husband joined me!  What an awesome experience this run was.

Here is us before

Me and my little family.  Yes, even the baby was ready!

At the start line at 7:30 a.m.

Now, I will be honest and say I had to walk the majority of it.  I couldn't run with that stroller I am holding onto.  It isn't a jogging stroller as much as an off-roading one.  It is rugged but as soon as you go faster than a fast walk the front wheel shakes uncontrollably.  But I gave my husband the nice jogger and he ran the whole thing.  

But seriously, it wouldn't have mattered if I ran it, I am proud of myself for speed-walking it and having a good time!  My daughter sure did!  She got out and "ran" for a while.

And check out the aftermath!

Haha, you can tell that the baby was NOT impressed.  And my daughter was ready to get down to party.

But we had a great time.  We got out, we got moving, we were active, and THAT is all that mattered!

And what made me so proud of myself is that I BOUGHT those leggings, WORE those leggings, and I think I look pretty good.  AND I GOT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA!!!!  I HATE being in front of it and I did it willingly!  Getting rid of some of that weight has made me more confident in myself.  Whoop!

Can not wait for the next 5K!  Going to either get a different stroller or get a sitter for the kids so I can run it!