The Masters Hammer & Chisel - Coming Soon

The Countdown Is On

Anytime a new Beachbody program comes out I get so excited, it almost feels like Christmas. The Master's Hammer and Chisel is going to be launching on December 1st. This is the most excited I have been for a program because it is so what I need right now and because my hubby claims he is going to do it along with me. I have done almost all of the different workouts we have and because of it, I am in pretty good shape but I have not noticed much change in awhile. I am at my goal weight and size but what I really want is some muscle definition. If I want that, I realize I have to pick up the weights. This program will do just that for me.

The Masters Hammer and Chisel is a 60 day program featuring two Beachbody trainers - Sagi the trainer from Body Beast and Autumn the creator of the 21 day fix and fix extreme will take you on a new transformation journey. The Master’s Hammer and Chisel includes aspects of bodybuilding, but also focuses on improving endurance, power, agility, strength, balance, and range of motion to sculpt a tight, defined physique. Workouts will be around 35 minutes long. You will need a little more equipment that most of the programs require. Your going to want a variety of weights as well as a stability ball or weight bench, a medicine ball, as well as a chin up bar or resistance band you can put over the door. I think the weight bench would be easier to use than the ball if you can make that happen. Not only will you get the 12 different workouts but you will also get the meal plan guide and nutrition book along with the color coded portion control containers to help you with portion control. 

On December 7th I will be launching an exclusive test group for my challengers and coaches. We will navigate the program together and challenge each other to see who can get the best transformation. While some might think starting a fitness program during the holidays is a bad idea, it actually is the perfect time and will put you ahead of the game when it comes to New Years Resolutions. No sense waiting until January to get fit. If anything this will help you stay on track over the holidays. Please fill out my application below to be considered for the group! I will be in touch and out you on a wait list to let you know when the program is ready for purchase!

This is what my week one meals will look like. Stay tuned for the recipes for some of these up on my blog. 

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When Life Looks A Little Different Than You Could Have Planned

Redefining My Own Success 

Success. This is a word I have thought about all of my life. In fact it is a word I have spent most of my life chasing. I was always one who wanted to please others but I also always wanted to win. I wanted to be the best at whatever I did. I had not time for second place or mediocracy. Most of the time I was able to do just that. I put my mind to it and with some hard work and determination I pulled it off. In high school it was swimming that I set my focus on. I wanted to be the fastest in the pool. While I wasn't always the best, I trained like I was. When it came time for college I put my mind to three things. Marrying my high school sweetheart so we could have our happily ever after, graduating with honors in college and landing a teaching job in a good district as soon as I graduated. 

Proud to be wearing all of my earned honors on graduation day from IUP! 

Hard work paid off again. I graduated in 2009 magna cum laude with a teaching degree in Business Education. I was certified to teach grades K-12. I graduated in May, landed a teaching job in a very affluent district by the second week of June, married my high school sweetheart in July, moved into a new house in August and began my happily every after that September. Life was great. It felt good to accomplish all of those big things I had spent so many years dreaming about and working towards.

During our first two years of being married, we enjoyed our little family of two. Then in April of 2011 we set our goals on building a new house and starting a family to raise in that dream home we were building. We decided we would try for a little one that summer when I was on vacation from teaching.  Well as luck would have it I was pregnant by May. We closed on our dream home in October and welcomed our son Carter that February. My pregnancy was perfect. It happened right away, I wasn't sick, he was healthy and best of all my labor and delivery was only 2 hours long. We were blessed beyond words. Life really couldn't have been better. 

Opening the door for the first time before he carried me thru the door for good luck 

The very best day of our life! 

Closing week when we moved into our house we built

After having my son I went back to teaching after my maternity leave and I found myself struggling to keep up with it all. I was taking graduate classes to get my masters degree in Educational Leadership to be a principal, we had no family or help in the town that we live in and to make matters even more difficult my husband was still driving his 2 hour commute to work every day. It left me with a lot on my shoulders and on my plate. Getting myself to work by 7:30 am each day felt like I had ran a marathon before my day even started. My daily to do list was jam packed with things I needed to do to serve others but none of those things were serving myself. I was running on E and my own wellness was starting to take a back seat.

When my son turned two I decided enough was enough. I was sick of feeling exhausted all the time, I was sick of not making myself a priority and things needed to change. I didn't want him to grow up with a mom who was dead tired living off of coffee and junk food. I reached out to one of my college friends who was a Beachbody coach and decided to try the 21 day fix. It has just come out at the time and it seemed to be just want I needed to get myself back. I really wasn't chasing a big weight loss transformation. I just wanted to feel better. Well it turned out it was just what I needed. I lost the little bit of baby weight I had left, I learned how to eat clean and I learned how to make myself and exercise a priority.  The best part was that it only took me 21 days to do that. I was a walking ad for Beachbody, I kept telling everyone what I was doing and how cool it was. Then when my coach realized I was doing that she immediately suggested I be a coach too. I thought she was crazy. I could never put myself out there on social media all the time and I surely didn't have time for it. Or so I thought. But after lots of thinking and doing a bit of homework on the business opportunity I decided why not. If I could help others feel as great as I was feeling then surely it would be worth my time.

I never went into this with intentions of making a career out of it. I loved teaching, I had NO desire to do anything else. But the longer I stayed with it and the more I learned about the opportunity the bigger chunk of my heart it started to take up. When I went into this, I didn't realize how perfect I would be for it. It combines all that I love. I get to teach others how to live healthier in my challenge groups and on the flip side I get teach those who sign up to be coaches how to run a business. I also get to use my leadership skills and lead my team. While it might look unconventional doing what I do as a coach. I am still staying true to my passion of teaching business to others. My classroom looks different now, but at the root of all of this, I think that is why I have been so successful. Sometimes it's as if your passion chooses you. Mine seems to have. 

Because of this opportunity I have been able to travel to another country, attend several corporate events, speak at a corporate sponsored event and form friendships I never knew I was missing. I have been lucky enough to match my teaching salary while coaching on the side. I work evenings from 8-11 pm.  I have put in work each day now for the last 21 months and here I stand now ranked 164 out of 350,000+ coaches in the network. It wasn't easy and it took a ton of hard work but I loved what I was doing so it never really seemed like work to me. I saw the potential that this had for my family and decided to start to chase the opportunity rather than let it pass me by.

Just call me a "goal crusher"

The culture that comes along with working for Beachbody is second to none. They are the most positive inspiring people you will ever meet. This network of coaches is filled with the dreamers and the doers. I have watched countless leaders ahead of me retire before 30 with six figure incomes and leave behind very respectable careers. All because this opportunity was able to change their world in ways you could only dream of. While Beacbody does not guarantee any level of income, they do give you all the training and tools to take your business to a level that has the power to change your world.

If you would have asked me in college if working for Beachbody was something that might make you successful I would have told you no and that I was not at all interested. I also would have painted a different picture of what success looked like to me. That picture did not involve me doing this. Not in the least bit. But you know what, sometimes opportunities were put in your lap for a reason and it's up to you to say why the heck not me? You have nothing to lose and literally everything to gain. While this opportunity isn't for everyone it sure has worked for me. I am so glad I decided to see where it could take me. Thanks to Beachbody my family is on our way to complete financial freedom all before I even turn the ripe old age of 30. Yep that's right, pretty mind blowing huh. That is something most will work the rest of their life to accomplish and I am going to do it in a few short years. I never could have dreamed this would look the way it does for me, but you know what it's a pretty good gig. 

If you are interested in being one of my"students"/ coaches and redefining your happily ever after please fill out this application below. I will be in touch and begin to help you start your own business on the side. The best part, you never have to leave your home or your kids to make a very respectable income for yourself!

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Just In Time For Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

To this day I still get excited when Starbucks has the pumpkin cream cheese muffins on hand. I LOVE THEM. I'd be lying if I didn't say I treated myself to one earlier in the season. But you see the thing about them is they are not so good for you. It packs a punch with 420 calories. Thats a lot for one serving. What's almost as worse is that it has 47 grams of sugar in it. YIKES. This recipe only has 161 calories per muffin and 3 grams of sugar. Much better in my book. This one isn't as sweet as the Starbucks muffins but it won't give you a muffin top like the Starbucks one will either. 

Here is what you will need:

2 oz of cream cheese 

1 tbsp pure maple syrup 

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

1 cup canned pumpkin puree 

1 tsp of vanilla extract 

1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 

1 1/2 cups of almond flour 

3/4 tsp of baking soda 

1 dash of pink himalayan salt 

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 

Prepare nine muffin cups with muffin liners

Combine cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl. Mix well then set aside 

Combine egg, pumpkin and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix well then set aside. 

Combine almond flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in another bowl. Mix well 

Add almond meal mixture to egg mixture, mix until blended. 

Spoon batter into each prepared muffin tin cup, filing a little less than 1/2 full 

Spoon 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Evenly fill muffin cups with the remaining batter. 

Bake 16 - 18 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool on a baking rack. 

Shakeology Cleanse - How Do You Do One?

Candy Detox Over...

Halloween weekend kicked my butt. Too many treats and lots of sweets hanging around our house. I was feeling yucky after lots of snacking, a few glasses of wine and missing a few workouts. I knew I needed a restart. So I set my mind to doing a cleanse. From past experience, I knew I needed to do this during the work week because if I am home, I fall off the wagon. There are too many temptations  not to follow the eating plan when I am there. I set my intentions for Tuesday - Thursday this past week. I was not too public on social media because I was worried I wouldn't follow thru this time. I hadn't done one in awhile and I knew it takes some serious will power, which I often lack, so I mostly kept quiet about it. BUT I DID IT!!!

I felt great during the entire cleanse. I was only hungry during the late afternoons, that seemed to be the most difficult time. I kept consistent with my workouts each day. I found I had more energy if I did them in the mornings. One of the days I did mine at night and it took too much out of me becasue I was running on E by the end of the day. I would suggest light activity and to do your workout in the morning if you are going to give this type of cleanse a try. 

I know you are curious... This is the million dollar question when I mention that I am doing a cleanse. WHAT DO YOU GET TO EAT WHILE DOING THIS? 

Each day you should repeat this menu of food options. If you need to have the salad for lunch instead of dinner that is fine. I switched it up one day. The green tea is going to help if you get hungry. 

7:00 am - Breakfast: Shakeology with banana in it

9:00 am – 8 oz of green tea and an apple 

11:00 am – Shakeology 

2:20 – Shakeology 

5:30 - Large salad (3 cups of greens and 1 grilled chicken breast cut up) Non – diary dressing 

8:00 pm – 8 oz of green tea

In addition to this I drank 60+ ounces of water each day. You would want to strive to drink half your weight in ounces plus some!

OMG - A salad never tasted so good. When doing the cleasne this will for SURE be the highlight of your day! 

Mid morning snack. Ate that baby down to the core. Makes you appreciate what you are eating so much more when you pay attention to what you are fueling your body with rather than mindless eating. 

I have to be really honest and tell you that on Thursday I caved. The ladies in my office were ordering lunch in and I had a slice of pizza. UGH I know right. BUT I am human and by the end of these cleanses your will power gets low. Even though I had that small slip up. I am proud of my results and feel MUCH better now. 

Less bloated and glad to be done! 

I don't do these types of cleanses to try to become more beautuful or to be skinny. I do it to feel better. The numbers on a scale don't make you beautiful. Your real beauty is on the inside, what the scale tells you means nothing. Don't do this cleanse because you just want to look thinner, do it because you want to feel better and get your nutrition back on track. I was on the struggle bus with my eating habits. Now I feel better, have lost the bloated feeling and am back on track. How much did I lose? 3 lbs. When you weight 120 lbs and lots of it is muscle, it is very difficult to actually lose weight. However I think you can notice a difference.

I am doing 21 day fix extreme right now to get preapared for the newest workout program The Masters Hammer and Chisel that will be coming out in early December. I want to be in tip top shape so I can get some serious results from that program. Remember healthy is a size that looks good on everyone!

If you are interested in learning more about how to begin incorportating Shakeology into your lifestyle or would like to give a cleanse a try. Please fill out the application below and I will be in touch. 

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Transformation Tuesday - Meet Michelle

Some Pretty Amazing 21 Day Fix Results 

I have been coaching now for two and a half years. During this time I have seen a lot of challengers find success while using the 21 day fix. In fact, it's my go to recommendation for most because it is a great starting point. I find that most everyone needs some guidance with portion control and learning to eat clean. The exercise is often the easier part, the eating is what is hard for most. When one of my personally sponsored coaches on my team reached out to me and shared that one of her challengers had lost 17 lbs in 21 days I couldn't help but insist that we share her story. 17 lbs in 21 days is unreal! Most of the time I see many of my challengers lose between 5 - 10 lbs in 21 days. I asked her to share her story and why she decided to do this challenge. Her why is pretty powerful! After you read her story, I hope you will be inspired to believe that you really can change your body and your lifestyle in a very short amount of time! 

Michelle's Round 1 Transformation 

I had just had my third baby 6 weeks prior when my coach reached out to me on Facebook about Beachbody and suggested the 21 day fix to me. I took the plunge and bought the challenge pack as well as signed up as a coach.

I knew my eating habits had to change and I needed to lose weight, not only because I had just had a baby, but because of a diagnosis that was given to me in 2011. I was diagnosed with a rare pseudo tumor in my brain known as Idiopathic Intracranial hypertension. It is a non cancerous tumor that creates a fluid in your brain, and pushes up against your eyes and cranial. It causes dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, and if not taken care of properly, permanent blindness. I have had 15 spinal taps since 2011 to help drain the fluid from my brain. My neurologist told me that if I didn't start losing weight, I was going to have to have brain surgery to insert a device to help with the fluid. 

Weight loss and eating healthy is a huge part of helping with symptoms. So I was and still am, extremely determined to stay away from surgery and lose the weight and eat healthy. So far, I've completed my first round of the 21 day fix, am drinking my Shakeology every day, and go by the program of the 21 day fix and I've lost 17 pounds! I'm so blessed to have been introduced to this program and feel like I am apart of an amazing team now that I am coaching! My husband and children are cheering me on everyday and love that this program has brought life back into their mommy and wife!

If you think you are in need of change like Michelle was, please fill out the application below. I will be in touch shortly and welcome you to join one of our upcoming accountability groups. 

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21 Day Gratitude Challenge

"Giving You Even More Reasons To Be Thankful This Year."

Gratitude. What does it mean to you? To me it means counting my blessings and not my troubles. It means living life to the fullest and truly being happy and grateful for all that I have been given. But here's the thing, often we get so busy with the chaos of the hustle and bustle of life, we can let that feeling of gratitude slip by the way side. Our focus can blurred and we sometimes forget how good we have it. 

This month, I am not going to do that. I am going to spend the entire month focusing on my blessings and what I have to be thankful for. I will make a conscious effort to be "all there" with my loved ones. I want to approach Thanksgiving and Christmas with a grateful heart. I want my focus to be on moments and memories not material things. 

Starting next Monday I will run a different type of accountability group. Not only will I help you accomplish some health and fitness goals, but I am also going to help you practice gratitude. What will be required of you? I want you to commit to 30 minutes of exercise each day, 21 days of commitment to clean eating and drinking Shakeology daily. I want to help hold you accountable and help you see the blessings you have in your life. 

I want you to sit down at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year and have even more things to be thankful for than last year. One of them being better health and more happiness. 

Think you need a lesson in gratitude? Want to join me in creating healthier habits leading into the New Year? Fill out the application below and I will be in touch. We kick off on Monday November 9th! I hope you will join me! 

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