Secret Sauce for Moms Who Feel Stuck

Here's a little shout out for moms who feel stuck:

Last winter (and the one before!) I felt trapped. Trapped by the snow, trapped because my kids wouldn't wear gloves :) and it was tough to get out of the house, trapped inside during naps. I had come to dread winter. I wasn't exercising, I was overweight and felt gross, I was not myself. I felt stuck. I felt depressed. It was awful. 

Worse, I had no outlet and couldn't see my way out of it.

It took me a while to realize that mom life is different (than my old single and could train for an Ironman days). I needed to find a new system that worked for me. There was a lot of denial in the process. I thought I could ramp up my running and still eat the same way I always had. That didn't work because it just wasn't sustainable.

Here's how I found my way out of that box: I realized that I can't eat like I'm training for an Ironman, so I follow the 21 Day Fix meal plan and replace dessert with chocolate Shakeology, a dense superfood shake that tastes like dessert but it's actually really good for you. I also workout! Yes! I can workout in the morning, during lunch, or at night... even after 5pm when it's dark and cold outside. I can workout even when the kids are at home! I'm not limited anymore. Or rather, I found a system that works for my new mom life.

You're thinking - "Oh she was an Ironman she can workout, she's strong but I couldn't do that because I don't have that background." Believe me - you can do it! I spent 3 years doing NOTHING. Zip. Zilch. Zero. I had no strength whatsoever and plenty of fat to backup that statement. I only have a tad more strength now but I'm doing it! I do the workouts every day. That alone empowers me. Oh, and by the way - I am a full time working mom with 2 kids under 3 years old. If I can do it, you can do it.

I do have an added advantage though: I get a ton of support from all my friends in my support group posse and being a coach helps me stay accountable to myself. I really don't know how I would be able to stay on track without that. 


This is for anyone who wants a change and that is why I'm sharing my experience. I was not myself for a long time and this was the thing that got me out of it. It's not magic. It just works!


If you're feeling stuck, want change, want a little positivity in your life, want to be surrounded by people who are doing something healthy for themselves - message me and I'd be happy to share more of the secret sauce.

You can do this!

21 Day Fix - RESULTS!

I just completed my first round of the 21 Day Fix. I lost about 6 pounds. I didn't do measurements, unfortunately, but my clothes are definitely fitting better. While I'm not where I want to be, I am very pleased with what I've accomplished in only 21 days. Check it out!

My next challenge is to continue this process but with the graduated version, which is the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I'm hosting my first challenge group to help other people get involved starting Dec 1. If you're interested in enrolling please message me so we can chat. YAY!

21 Day Fix Review - "it's about the journey, not the destination"

I just completed my first round of the 21 Day Fix. I say "first round" because I fully intend on continuing with another. I started by committing to 3 days. Yep, that's about all I could muster - sometimes it takes a lot to commit to something! :-) After Halloween, I decided I was going to go for it.

I have a few events coming up that will involve warm weather, pools, and beaches... and being around other very fit friends. Frankly, I wanted to wait to show off the stomach until it was where I wanted it to be. But, now that I'm a Beachbody coach, I am embracing that it's not just about the destination; it's about the journey.

My mom always said that. Back in the day when I was single and driving up to ski mountains by myself on Saturday mornings, complaining about the drive up alone, she said "it's about the journey. you have to enjoy it."

So very true. While I am absolutely elated to announce that I've lost 6 pounds in three weeks; I'm still not where I want to be. Here's what I thought about the 21 Day Fix:

Pros:

- learning to eat more confidently
- being able to workout despite it being cold and dark outside
- Day 8 (I felt elation, weight loss, in control)
- workouts that fly-by because they're actually fun!
- being sore! I LOVE being sore! That's the proof in the pudding!
- trying different workout moves (and not at the cost of a personal trainer)
- BB on Demand - tons of workout videos at your fingertips
- kudos to the trainers, because they made it really fun (ie Shaun T, Autumn Calabrese, etc).

Cons:
- The first two weeks I was very sore. After that, my body adapted and I was ready to take the next step! Now I'm pumped to start 21 Day Fix Extreme. From there, I'd like to progress to T25

What Next?

I realized that I was so excited about these programs that I started telling everyone around me about them. And duh, that's what coaches do. And by the way, coaches get paid to help other people see results. Coaches get people excited about tackling their fitness and health goals, use group setting to hold people accountable, and teach others about the business opportunity. In doing so, the coach has to exemplify the best version of themselves. So, I became a Beachbody coach!

From here I will be coordinating private Facebook groups for people who are serious about eating better; getting fit; training for an event, etc. I'm always looking for people to jump in and be the best that they can be. If you're interested in joining my next challenge group, or just want to learn more contact me!

#WhyNotYou

#21DayFix – 15 Days In and 6 Pounds Down!

First, thank you for all my friends on Facebook who I’ve been following and wondering – what the heck is the 21 Day Fix!?

Because of you, I tried it.

To back it up, Pat and I have been busy having babies and getting our asses handed to us (who knew having kids would be so challenging!?). After having two babies so close together - my time has become… “not my own” and my body became something I didn’t even recognize.

When I got pregnant, I wanted to be one of those girls who ran throughout my pregnancy and one who didn’t gain much weight. Ah, well that didn’t work. Two back to back pregnancies and 50 pounds later I was shocked to see what my body had become.

This past summer, I told myself “this is my year!” I was no longer pregnant or nursing and we were past the infant baby stage. I started running 2 miles and gradually increased that to 3.5 miles. By the end of the summer I clocked a couple 7 mile runs. I was pumped but not really losing the weight. The problem was, I was still eating as if I were training for an Ironman.

For a while I just assumed that I’d have a mom bod forever. But then again, I have a couple of warm weather vacations coming up. Namely, I’m heading to Hawaii in December to visit with my brother, his wife and new baby (and by the way, she's training for the Honolulu marathon and will be looking fab). Then, I am going to Anguilla in March with two of my fittest friends. To keep going, my town is opening a new pool this summer! There is so much coming up and I don’t want to assume the role of “mom bod” anymore. I am so much more than that!

Back to my friends who I’ve been watching on Facebook – yep, you’ve all inspired me. I wish all of you could be my coach, but I had to pick just one! Maybe it was because I was working out harder and not losing weight, maybe it was because I have vacations coming up and want to look great, maybe it was because I was just sick of being “mom bod”…I don’t know why it all clicked at once but I finally decided to try it.  

21 Day Whaat?

At first, I committed to the concept of eating healthy and exercising for 3 days (it was about all I could mentally handle). During those days I kicked my bad habit of eating mints at work, which are so darn addictive. However, I ate about 7 candy bars on Halloween and THEN I decided that I needed to get it together!

I got with one of my friends who I knew was a Beachbody coach, a working mom (like me) and bought a challenge pack through her which included Shakeology (a nutrient rich shake), the full 21 Day Fix workout and the containers (which helped me understand what to eat and correct portions). The Monday following Halloween I buckled down and started doing it right. By the way, you all know P90X, Insanity, and Shaun T (who doesn’t love Shaun T!?)… the 21 Day Fix is a weight loss program made by the same company.

I’ve been doing the workouts each day, eating right and drinking Shakeology. I cannot believe how much I love it. I am the nerd who watches workout videos on the train to learn moves that I can do at the gym during lunch! I love the 10 minute ab fix and the fact that the programs are done in 25 minutes. I overheard myself tell my neighbor that I can get a better workout in by doing these than by running (seriously, me? did I say that?). I feel in control, I’m losing weight (6 pounds in 15 days!) and feeling confident that I am going to attain my goals (which is a liberating feeling).

My Next Challenge:

On Monday I’m going to post my #21DayFix first round results. With Hawaii coming up, I’m going straight into 21 Day Fix Extreme. My goal is to get into a bikini by Dec 10^th. I know it’s a stretch, but I’m going for it! 

I’ll be blogging about my progress and what I’m up to. I’m hoping to have a little fun with this and inspire a few people along the way. Plus, I needed an excuse to write about something on my blog other than my kids! If you want to learn more, or even better if you want to join my team’s next challenge group, shoot me a note and I’ll send you information. 

#WhyNotYou?