Keeping it Real - 4 Things You Might Be Doing Wrong

Okay - confession time.  I haven't done a post in awhile, I know.  I haven't completely fallen off the wagon, but I've been struggling.  I have been working out, and TRYING to stick with the 21 Day Fix meal plan, but I don't know why it's been so hard for me!  Usually spring is my time to get back in shape after the long winter.  This spring I just have ZERO motivation, not sure why... after weighing myself last week and realizing I have GAINED 5 lbs in three weeks, I might have to double check my thyroid again.  It's super frustrating!! 

I'm not telling you all this to make myself feel better, or validate any of my excuses.  (Because we all know that's what they are - EXCUSES!!)  I'm just being honest in case there is anyone that feels the same way, you know that you are not the only one.  :)

It all comes down to CONSISTENCY!  I am kind of funny when it comes to working out.  I start a new program, all fresh, ready to go, super motivated, my new calendar up on the wall - you know the drill.  It's so fun!  Then a week or two goes by and I'm thinking it must not be working because I'm not seeing the results yet.  So I will see/hear about some other program that is producing amazing results and I will think - "I need to do THAT one!"  It's kind of 'workout program ADD' I guess.  I have changed my schedule, changed programs, and created so many hybrids that I could keep anyone busy for YEARS!

Every Beachbody program will get you amazing results.  Every.  Single.  One.  You just have to stick to them for more than 2 or 3 weeks!  haha  :)  I have pretty much ALL the programs - and I like most of them too.  I just need to pick one (or two) and stick with them!!  I seriously don't know what happens in my head sometimes - it's all mental.

So here are some things I am doing WRONG:

1)  I don't want it bad enough.  It's true.  You can pretty much answer ANY excuse back with, "Then you don't want it bad enough."

I'm too tired to get up early..... "Then you don't want it bad enough."
I don't really like veggies.....    "Then you don't want it bad enough."
I don't have time to workout...."Then you don't want it bad enough."

See where I'm going with this?

2)  I don't tell myself NO!  I wouldn't let my kids eat half the crap I eat, so why do I let myself?? Seriously, why do we give in to that whiny voice in our heads that says "but I reaaaallly waaaant it!!?" That's how we got in this mess in the first place, right? :)

3)  I had an "all-or-nothing" approach.  I would eat so clean for the first half of the week, then by the weekend I'm craving (and eating) all kinds of junk, and skipping my workouts.  No wonder I wasn't ever consistent!  You need to find a way of eating that you can stick with FOREVER.  You need to find workouts that you LOOK FORWARD to doing.  If not, you will never keep it up - that simple.

4)  I gave my "diet" a deadline.  Every time I would start a new program, or try to eat clean, I would say I was doing it for ____ days, weeks, or months.  Which is actually a pretty good thing to do.  It's like setting goals, you need to set a time to reach them by.  However, I would do really well during that time, and then after it was over go back to my old ways.  Every.  Single.  Time.  What I need to do instead is say that I am changing the way I eat...for good.  That takes away all the restrictions I put on myself so hopefully I won't feel deprived, miserable and obsessing over all the things I can't have.  Make sense?

Basically I need to cut myself a little slack.  I know that people will say you won't reach your goals unless you are super-strict with your diet and workouts.  I just don't want to be THAT girl.  You know, the one who never eats a bite of anything she's not supposed to, the one who works out on vacation, and gets her workout in on Christmas morning.  I have to find some moderation in order to make this a LASTING thing, and not just for a few months out of every year.  I want to LIKE working out, to LOOK FORWARD to my workouts.  I want to be okay with the way I eat, and not feel guilty or get weird looks every time I eat something I shouldn't.

I know it will take a little more time.  I might not lose the weight as fast as everyone else.  That's okay with me.  We are always looking for the quick fix.  When the weight doesn't fall off as fast as we think it should, we give up.  Like that's gonna help us, right?  Then after stopping and starting five different times over the year, we look back and we could have probably met our goals if we would just have stayed CONSISTENT!! 


How do you know you've succeeded in breaking the yoyo cycle??

I just read this awhile ago, and it's so perfect:  "You'll know you have it mastered when you eat the same on Saturdays that you do on Mondays."

So, here is how I am going to implement this. 
1)  I really really love the 21 Day Fix meal plan.  I think it's great, pretty easy to stick to most days, and teaches you portion control.  I am going to stick to it as much as I can, and not sweat the rest.  I am trying to practice moderation and being more consistent on the weekends.  :)

2)  I am going to stick to my workout schedule as written.  I understand there will be days I don't want to do the workout that's scheduled.  Too bad.  Sometimes we don't want to go to work either, but we just know we have to, right?  My goal is to not miss more than 1 workout a week.  (By the way, I just got Les Mills Pump and I will probably add in some Combat for extra cardio - see, I told you - there is something about having a new workout that gets me every time.)  haha  :)

3)  I am going to "do my best, and forget the rest."  I just need to get out of my head about this whole weight loss thing.  When you change your habits and get your body healthy, the rest will fall into place.  I will try to stay busy and not stress so much about every little thing. 

4)  This is my new way of life.  I am 42 years old, with 4 kids.  The days of just being able to work out sporadically and get back into shape are pretty much over for me.  haha  :)  Now I get to worry about things like balancing my hormones, building muscle for bone strength, and keeping my metabolism steady.  My health is suddenly very important to me.  ;)

I have taken my before pics and measurements, and I will keep you all updated on how I'm doing with this.  Wish me luck!  haha

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, or follow me on facebook!!
coachbethclark@outlook.com
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/BodyRemodel

Egg White Breakfast Burritos

These burritos are loaded with egg whites, red onion, and bell peppers to create a delicious, high-protien breakfast.  If you are on the 21 Day Fix,  1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow, 2 tsp,

 

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped yellow bell pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped green bell pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped red onion
3 large egg whites (1/3 cup)
1 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortilla, warm
1 slice low-sodium turkey bacon, cooked, chopped
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 Tbsp. fresh tomato salsa

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft.
3. Add eggs; cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until eggs are set.
4. Top tortilla with egg mixture, turkey bacon, and pepper (if desired).
5. Roll tortilla burrito-style.
6. Serve with salsa.

Note:  You can put in more peppers & onions if you want.  I just chopped about 1/4 of each - made sure they fit in my green container and then chopped them a little smaller.

 

Focus T25 - Transformation #2!

It's Tuesday again, and I have another amazing T25 transformation for you!

This is Ashley!  She has a life.  She is busy.  Just like every one of us, I'm sure.  But in only 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for only 10 weeks - she got results like this:

 

She looks good, right?  It can be done people!  My husband and I have both done this program - and we LOVED it!  In fact, I just started my second round.  I get up, push play, focus hard and BOOM - I'm done, just like that!  There are no excuses with this program.  :)
If you are ready to start changing your body in only 10 weeks... I am here to help!

coachbethclark@outlook.com
https://www.facebook.com/BodyRemodel

Focus T25 - Transformation #1

Yep, today is April Fool's Day. Do you find it hard to believe ANYTHING you see or read online today? (Facebook is the worst.) haha :) I never know what is real and what isn't - so I'm usually leaning more towards the not believing side.

Well, guess what? During the month of April, the T25 challenge pack is back on sale!! WooHoo! Seriously - no joking here. And in honor of this amazing program, I am going to post a real-life T25 transformation every week this month.  
  Today I want to start with Ashley - she has totally ROCKED T25! Ashley has lost a total of 31 lbs since Christmas! This is the first time she has ever done transformation pics - how great to see all that hard work paying off. 

I have done this program, and it is so much fun!  I love Shaun T and I love short workouts!  Who doesn't?  Seriously, the results from this program have just been crazy.  It is only 10 short weeks, unless you want to go all out and add in the Gamma Phase, which also uses WEIGHTS!  It's 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week.  Perfect to get ready for SUMMER!  :)

 

If you want to know more about T25 or how you can get started on your OWN transformation, contact me:

coachbethclark@outlook.com

https://www.facebook.com/#!/BodyRemodel

 

 

21 Day Fix - Tally Sheets

After doing the 21 day fix, I actually got pretty good at calculating up the containers in my head.  However, it is still really nice to have a tally sheet that you can check off each day, especially if you are not following a specific menu.  So for my second round of the fix I decided to make my own.  (They do have some in the back of the Fix Eating Plan that you could just print off and laminate, but I thought the boxes were a little small.) 

This is what I came up with.  Feel free to print them out and use them.  I laminated the small ones, and just used a sheet protector for the large one.  Then I write on them with dry erase markers or crayons.  Easy to wipe off and you can start over the next day!!  AWESOME!  :)

I only made the large tally sheets for the first 2 calorie brackets because that is what my husband and I use, but I have all the brackets in the small form that you can download.  For FREE by the way!  I saw someone selling these on etsy for $2 - EXACTLY like mine!  Grrrr that makes me really mad!  Whatever.

I don't even care if you share these on your blogs or whatever but just make sure to give me props since I worked really hard on these. It's just common blogging courtesy to give credit where credit is due. Thanks!

 This is the 1,200 - 1,499 calorie bracket, large and small
1,200 - 1,499 small PDF Download

This is the 1,500 - 1,799 calorie bracket, large and small

1,500 - 1,799 small PDF Download

Here are the other 2 calorie brackets to download.  I only did the small though.  Hope this helps anyone.



1,800 - 2,099 calorie small PDF Download

2,100 - 2,300 calorie small PDF Download

Well, that's it for today!  This is seriously SUCH a great program!!  I know - portion control is not new, but I love how everything is pretty much done for you.  You don't have to think about anything.  Just follow the plan, mark off the boxes, do the workouts and BAM! - you're down a size or two in only three weeks!



Once again, if you have any questions about this or any of the other Beachbody programs, feel free to contact me.  You can also add me as a friend on Facebook, follow my like page or join my next challenge group!  :)  (They are really fun, I promise!) 
coachbethclark@outlook.com
https://www.facebook.com/beth.m.clark.7?ref=name#!/BodyRemodel

Thanks for stopping by!

21 Day Fix - Week 2 Update

I am such a happy girl today!  I just finished week 2 of the 21 Day Fix.  I thought that I wasn't doing very well and there were a couple times over the past week that I just wanted to say "forget it" and go eat a big juicy burger or something.  But this morning when I weighed myself and took my measurements, I discovered that I had actually lost 4 lbs and 4 inches so far!  (2 inches just from my waist.)  That is how much I lost in 30 days of doing Body Beast!

Now to a lot of you, that might not seem like very much.  Yes, there are definitely people who lose 5 lbs each week with this program - and it's amazing!  (My husband lost 4 lbs in his first week. Men.)  My body is a little more stubborn, and I have to work really hard and be super consistent to break through my plateaus.  Plus I have been eating in this calorie range for awhile now, so it wasn't a huge change for me. 

 

The big difference was how CLEAN I was eating.  I thought I really was eating clean, but I've discovered from being on this program that I was eating too many carbs, too many fruits, not enough veggies, and not enough healthy fats.  Yep, that's right - not ENOUGH fats!  With this program I get to have 2 tsp of nut butters, a container of nuts, cheese or avocado, and a container of seeds, olives or dressing.

Here is what a typical day of eating looks like for me:

Breakfast:  Protein shake w/frozen mixed berries, oatmeal

Snack:  Cottage cheese, apple

Lunch:  Tuna w/avocado & lettuce on whole wheat pita, veggies

Snack:  Shakeology w/2 tsp peanut butter, 20 pistachios

Dinner:  Grilled chicken, lettuce and veggies, vinaigrette dressing

I have gotten really creative with my meals, and I have actually tried some new things that I might not have before.  (I'm a big chicken when it comes to new foods.)  You might think those little containers don't hold a lot of food, but they really do!  I am NEVER hungry!  Yes, I might crave things every once in awhile, but I'm not hungry. :) 

Check out some of my yummy meals.....

Okay, now that we've discussed the food part....let's talk about the WORKOUTS!!  :)

Can I just say how much I love, love, LOVE these workouts?! 
I really like Autumn Calabrese's style, too.  She's peppy and motivating without being annoying.  I love how she just tells it like it is & makes you feel guilty if you want to rest a minute.  (Some of those moves are TOUGH!  Like serious, muscles-on-fire tough!)

The workouts are 30 minutes, but it feels waaaay shorter than that - seriously.  I don't know why, but the workouts seem to FLY by.  They are not easy, either - I am always sore the next day.  It's a good thing.  Trust me.  :)

I would definitely recommend getting the upgraded package just for the 2 extra workouts.  They are amazing!  Barre Legs has a lot of ballet-style moves in it, but it is a serious leg-killer.  And the Flat Abs Fix is a 30-minute ab workout that I intend to incorporate a few times a week.  I love them both!  I still haven't tried the bonus Plyo workout, but I think I will switch out one of the cardios next week for that one.

Overall, I am LOVING this program! (If you can't tell. haha)  It is great for all fitness levels and ages.  There is a modifier in all the workouts, it's short and seriously... anyone can do this!

I have a 21 day fix group that will be ongoing for anyone to join at any time.  It will only be for my team, though - so if you have another coach you are working with, please check with them for a group.  If you would like to join my team, sign up for your free Beachbody account & add me as your coach.  It's that easy!!  If you have a coach, but have no idea who it is because they have never contacted you - message me & I can help you. :)

Here is the link to the 21 day fix group:  https://www.facebook.com/beth.m.clark.7?ref=name#!/groups/570901246311418/

Thank you for stopping by!  Bring it on Week 3!! :)

coachbethclark@outlook.com

Living Room Workouts - No Equipment Needed!

My son is over in Latvia right now serving a mission for our church.   A couple weeks ago he asked me if I could create a workout routine for him and the other missionaries to do in the mornings.  He will be over there for 2 years, so he wants to stay in shape and be as healthy as he can. :)  He doesn't have much time, so it had to be short - they live in a small apartment with no equipment, and they can't have any TV or DVDs.  Well, sure - no problem!! haha 

So this is what I came up with.  I have been doing workouts at home for a long time, and so I put a bunch of my favorite exercises together in what I hope is a comprehensive workout. 

The only one I actually tried was the lower body one, and let me tell you - I was SORE for 2 days after! haha  It was a great workout!

Hopefully the exercises make sense.  It's hard to explain an exercise without pictures, and I was trying to keep the descriptions as simple as possible.  If anyone has any questions, please comment or message me.

Here is the upper body/abs workout:

I never tried this one from beginning to end, so I'm not sure how well it flows together.  I tried to do an upper body alternated with an ab exercise.  My favorite are the dolphin push-ups!!  They work everything - your core, your shoulders and even your legs and butt!!  :)

I also sent my son a couple Tabata workouts that I found online, because they are great for cardio & kick some serious booty!  (You can look some up on Pinterest.)  I also threw in this great little workout for when he is really short on time:

 

It looks fun, right?  (Except maybe those 40 push-ups - what??!!) haha

 

Well, that is it - a couple of quick workouts you can do in your living room with ZERO equipment!  I am just sharing these with whoever wants them.   I am not a personal trainer or an expert in any way, so do these at your own risk, and try not to be too hard on me if you don't like them. 

 

Thank you for stopping by my little blog. ;)

 

Have fun!!