Be the FIRST to get Country Heat

I love cardio workouts!  You know why?  Because with all the clean/healthy eating, the weight and resistance training, it’s CARDIO that helps us burn fat.  I love adding cardio workouts into my daily routine because I know this. And, while I LOVE to run, I know not everyone does, and sometimes even I want to add some fun to my workouts – to spice it up, kick up the fun!

That is why I’m so excited about the new Country Heat program coming out this month. I am pumped to have another option for my 30-minute cardio workouts that I can do FROM MY HOME!

About four years ago now I started working out regularly from home because, frankly, I couldn’t afford the gym membership anymore.  I was feeling pretty unhealthy and knew I needed to work on my fitness and my overall health, including my eating habits.  I was a busy graduate student and working full time, but I wasn’t making the time to become the healthiest version of myself.  That needed to change, and once I made that commitment, I’ve never been happier.

Sure, I’ve faltered a bit here and there.  There are days when I really have to motivate myself to get the workout in or choose NOT to eat the french fries.  I’m not perfect.  But I am trying to be better – daily.

This all set me up for a healthy pregnancy and then, a speedy bounce-back after the baby was born.  Although my times for getting my workouts in have shifted from nap times, to early mornings, to afternoons once I’m out of work but before starting dinner, I’m still able to fit them in daily to my crazy-busy-toddler-mom life!  The point is, I’m making the time for myself so that I can be a better mom, teacher, wife and person.  I’m taking care of ME so that I can take care of my family too!

Ok, so why am I so excited about Country Heat?  Country Heat features the hottest country music and seriously, once you hear it, you have to start moving and then, you start that fat burning too!

I tried out the Country Heat workout myself this week on Monday, prior to its release, when it was free on Beachbody on Demand! “>This is what I thought about my workout.

What Country Heat IS

>FIVE (5) High energy and LOW IMPACT* 30 minute daily workouts

>1 extra Dance Conditioning workout

>Full body cardio with no extra equipment needed

>No complicated moves and again no weights or equipment

*This program is for ALL fitness levels. It’s low impact, so anyone can do it.  But it’s high energy so you can ramp it up where you need to. Also, if you want to add this program in as PART of your fitness routine, you could.  Keep lifting those weights then add Country Heat in as your cardio component – Win/Win!

What Country Heat is NOT

>Country Heat is NOT Country Line Dancing.  It’s a cardio routine that has sets of two simple sets at a time.

>Country Heat is NOT filled with complicated choreography or the need for memorization of steps.  It’s easy to follow along with and will have you working up a sweat in no time.

>Country Heat is NOT boring.  If you like Zumba, or you like to dance, or you like Country Music, this is a perfect program for you.  It’s high energy and filled with the latest music hits.

What Else?

*The program is a 30-day program, which is how long I’ll be running for my challenge/accountability group.

*The nutrition plan is based on the popular, proven 21-Day Fix plan and uses the portion control guidelines to help us make healthier choices in our daily meal plans – this isn’t a diet, it’s a way of changing the way we look at how and what we eat.  Let me repeat, THIS IS NOT A DIET!  If you are ready to learn about clean and healthy eating, then this is the time!

*Autumn Calabrese is leading the program, which is incredible. She’s high energy and motivating and has certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), so I’m always confident that my workouts with her are tried and true.

*Are you or your spouse active duty military?  If so, Beachbody offers a %25 discount on EVERYTHING – so this is an especially great opportunity for you.

*The results this program has brought to the test groups have been BETTER than the 21 Day Fix…what?!?  How is that possible, you ask?  Check out these results below:

Stephanie C. lost 11 pounds and 14 inches in 30 days of Country Heat!  

What comes with the Country Heat program?

#1. You have some options here.  If you not currently a Shakeology drinker and you want to order the Country Heat challenge pack, you can get the 5 cardio workouts, 1 dance conditioning workout,  a dance mashup workout,  and one bonus line dancing workout, the portion control, color-coded containers, a Shakeology drink cup, a workout calendar and meal plan.  AND, you get a 30-day supply of Shakeology, the nutrient-dense meal replacement shake packed with superfoods and vitamins.  You also get a 30-day free trial membership of Beachbody On Demand, which will allow you immediate streaming access of your purchased programs AND access to thousands of other fitness programs you can try out.

#2. You can also order all this with a “deluxe version” which would everything from the above and also include 2 additional cardio workouts, 2 additional line dancing workouts, a large blue portion container (great for taking your food to work or anywhere on the go!).

So, if you are still reading at this point, what are you waiting for?  If you are ready to make a change for YOUR health and fitness, to become the best version of yourself possible, let’s DO THIS!  Join me for my upcoming challenge & accountability group!

 

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To Shake or Not to Shake

I wasn’t going to make a shake this morning – I was feeling sort of lazy.  And that one tiny little feeling has made way for this one, pretty long, much more gooshy post that I think I have ever done. But, that wavering feeling I felt this morning brought up a lot for me and it also put in perspective a lot of the decisions I’ve been making, the work I’ve been doing and this whole business of coaching I’ve launched into.

Feel free to stop reading now, but if you are curious about my thinking, read on! 🙂

So, I wasn’t going to make a shake this morning.  The husband took the daughter into daycare so that I could workout before I left for work. I got  in a great workout but then had to get ready to head to school myself.  And by the time I got out of the shower, I was already feeling unmotivated to make a shake. I kept cycling on the excuses: not enough time, had to wash a few things, etc. etc. etc.

The thing is, I don’t eat breakfast, or I haven’t historically.  So when I started drinking shakes for breakfast over a year ago, I really started noticing the difference – to my mood, my energy, my overall control of snacking and healthy food choices the rest of the day…so it’s been great!  But on those days when I just don’t “feel like it”, I have lots of excuses.  I do also drive by a McDonalds on my way into school.  I have been known on more than one occasion to stop and get an Egg McMuffin with no Canadian Bacon (nothing against you, Canada) and a small coke (or a medium coke – ugh!).  That costs me $5.17.  This morning when I decided I didn’t want to make a shake I already knew that I was going to end up driving through McDonalds.  I didn’t want to do that.  I didn’t want to spend the money and I didn’t want to start my day with some crappy food.  I told myself, I can just not make a shake AND not go to McDonalds, but, let’s be real, I also know that I’d get halfway there and already convince myself to hit that drive thru.

And then I started thinking about all of the things that that shake represents for me: my health, my fitness, my being a role model for my daughter, my training for running, my whole food/healthy food choices, my goals to have a business that can help us get to where we want to be financially, my goals as a running and fitness coach to help others.  The shake represents all of the GOOD and HEALTHY choices I have been making in my life.  McDonalds and my stupid excuses represent, well, my stupid excuses.  My feelings of defeat, of doubt, of insecurity.

This internal conflict lasted about 5 minutes.  But it reminded me of my goals.  It reminded me that having goals and reaching them doesn’t mean things will always be easy.  It reminded me that I can falter and stumble, just like everyone else, and that even when and if I do, it’s not a start-over-from-the-beginning it’s just a start-again.  We can always, always, always start again.

And so I made a shake.  A damn yummy one at that!

Meal Prep

 

Meal Prep is probably one of the most important tasks I undertake each week, but it can also be one that is difficult.  I find, however, that if I don’t meal prep and plan, the rest of my week – the rest of my life during that week – is even more difficult!

Why meal prep?

1. It saves me time in the long run.  By spending just a couple of hours dedicated to preparing lunches and dinners for the week, I find that I have more time during the week. Prepping allows me time to play with our daughter when I get home from work.  It gives me more time to spend with my husband during the evenings.  It gives me more time to get those workouts and runs in during the week.  Dedicating some time on the weekend (I typically do Sunday prep) gives me hours of time during the week for things that I WANT to do!
2. It saves our family money.  I make a list of what we are going to eat that week, for our dinners – and for my lunches during my work day.  My husband and I plan our meals together, so that I’m not just making these decisions all by myself!  Then we make our shopping list based on our meal plan and include the other essentials we need for the house (diapers and dish soap, for example!).  This way, we aren’t just wandering the aisles of the store and aimlessly deciding our meals while shopping.  This deliberate planning and shopping has saved us on our weekly grocery bills.
3. It cuts down on food waste.  We used to make things and throw a lot of food away.  EIther in leftovers or in food that we simply didn’t use for the recipes.  Not only is this a huge waste of food – it’s a huge waste of money!  Now, when we meal plan and prep, if one recipe calls for half an onion, for example, we are sure to find another recipe that will use that other half!
4. It helps us make healthier choices and we eat as a family!  Finally, our daughter has had some food allergy issues and so meal prep and planning has been important for us to make meals we can all eat together.  It has also helped us think about healthy meal choices – using as many whole foods as we can for each meal, prepping meals that call for foods what we know are in season, eating “appropriate” portion sizes.  All of this has helped our entire family!

All this being said, meal prep does take some time and practice.  I know the first couple of weeks I was trying to meal prep, I felt like it took me longer and I didn’t have it all down.  I also now have several recipes that are our families “go-tos” and I rotate them in as often as possible.  And I’m constantly on Pinterest looking for ideas.  You can follow my meal prep boards/pins here (https://www.pinterest.com/oceanbeachgrl42/meal-prep/).

A note:  If you “google” meal prep, you’ll see all these containers and bags of food – where people divide all their food up into the compartments and containers they’ll use all week.  I don’t always do this. For lunches, I will prep two days and then on Tuesday will prep two or three more days.  For dinners, I may PREPARE some of our meals and food items for Monday and Tuesday, but I often don’t make everything on Sunday.  I may chop the veggies up I might need for recipes all week and put those in separate, air tight containers.  I may make up my spice blends for the week.  I may make two casserole dishes or bake my chicken and then refrigerate or freeze it if it’s for later in the week.  This is what works for ME and my family.  You need to find what works for you and yours.

Bottom line, meal prep IS do-able.  It IS important.  It CAN be a time and money saver.  And, I LOVE it! 🙂

So, to get started, I’d say: 

• make a plan and go shopping
• plan at least one day of leftovers
• start small – maybe plan for 2-3 meals for the week and see how the shopping and prep goes
• plan at least one or two meals you have already prepared (trying to cook 5-7 new meals each week is difficult, I wouldn’t recommend it)
• know it’s OK if it feels overwhelming at first
• give it time – stick with it
• email me with questions! (obgirl042@gmail.com)

 

 

Starting April off with NO JOKES!

I’m re-committing to myself and to my fitness goals AND to my business goals this April 1st, and it’s no joke!

I’m starting off my weekend with another family 5k, the Carlsbad 5000, one of my FAVORITE races of all time! Even though we have to start later because my husband and I are running with the stroller and our toddler, I am so excited to run this race, this course, and in this city!  I absolutely love this race!

I’m also starting up a new challenge group for those who are new to their health and fitness journey, and I’m so excited to be supporting them in their goals as well.  Here’s a bit of information about the 7-day challenge, in case anyone is interested:

7 Day Shakeology Shake-Off!

The purpose:

>You want to jumpstart your health and fitness goals?
>You need some ideas for healthy snacks to keep you energized throughout your day?
>You want some fresh, new, healthy and yummy dinner recipes that you can make, even with a busy schedule?
>You want some exercise ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home?
>You want strategies, support, and accountability?

The how:

You purchase a 7 day supply of Shakeology from me (your choice of vanilla, chocolate or strawberry – or a combination!) and a FREE Shaker cup too! I will mail this to you at your home!

The what:

*A 7 day supply of Shakeology packets
*Added to my private FB challenge group
*A weeks worth of healthy, very tasty (my husband and toddler approved, I might add!) dinner recipes
*Support in planning our your meal, snack and exercise plan for the week.
*Daily exercises you can do from home
*Support in goal setting
*Daily accountability

If you are interested, PM me on Facebook (Colleen Warwick Green ) or comment below, or email me at obgirl042@gmail.com and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!