get fit with kelley

Les Mills COMBAT Challenge Pack Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This is too good not to share, plus I'd love for you to be doing this program with me. It is a butt-kicking good time. For June only, the Les Mills COMBAT Challenge Pack is on sale - marked down from $160 to $140. That is a $70 savings from what you would spend if you bought all of this content separately.

It comes with the full Les Mills COMBAT program, which includes all the DVDs, the program guide, the nutrition plan, accessories, your first month of Shakeology, and 30 days free VIP membership to the Team Beachbody Club, where you'll find additional resources for fitness and nutrition. Coaching and mentoring from me is always free! Why not join us on the fitness journey, or take your fitness to the next level?

I love lifting and interval training - and I also love to punch, kick and condition martial arts style. I've also been drinking Shakeology daily for almost 3 years now. I highly recommend these programs and products, and that's why, as a personal trainer and nutrition coach now, I decided to add Beachbody Coaching to my toolbox. It allows me to help people find the right solutions for them when they want to work out from home. It's what I love to do!! If you have questions, please feel free to contact me any time - I would love to be of help!

Les Mills COMBAT Kick Start 30

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

BOOM! Encouragement!!
Whew!! I LOVE Les Mills COMBAT Kick Start 30. Honestly, I think 30 minutes is a perfect length. It's long enough to get in there and kick tail without completely wearing yourself out. I feel like I can push hard, and I'm not watching the little count down clock on the video.

I was so excited for LMC to come out because I discovered my love for punching and kicking and other martial arts moves when Kenpo X turned out to be my very favorite P90X workout. Since I don't have a martial arts background whatsoever, I really worked on my form during Kenpo X. The COMBAT program comes with a Basics DVD which is a MUST. It reviews in detail the technical components of the moves and gives you a brief explanation of their disciplines of origin. It helps the whole thing come together in your mind. We did the Basics DVD with our fit club prior to doing the first LMC workout and it really helps. In fact, I learned even more the second time around, so it will serve as my form review for sure.

So I've done Les Mills COMBAT Kick Start 30 a few times now before progressing into the rest of the program. I not only wanted to practice them from a form standpoint but I think to be able to really put speed and intensity into it without injury I need to have some practice. At almost 48 years old I'm very protective of my knees!

In Kick Start 30 you spend time on jabs, crosses, uppercuts, hooks, front kicks, front knees, back kicks and sequences of those. There's also some shuffling and other foot work and a jump kick. The time goes by really fast and I was drenched. I burned about 350 calories during the 30 minute workout - not bad! This time my form, balance, coordination and speed were better.

Do you like martial arts-style training? How have you incorporated it into your fitness regime? Tell me about it! If you haven't and you'd like to try Les Mills COMBAT, you can pick up your copy here and join me in the trenches!
Les Mills COMBAT Program
Les Mills COMBAT Challenge Pack

Oatmeal and Avocado

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 10 May 2013 02:42:00 +0000

I confess, I love butter. We eventually changed from margarine (what is that, really?!) to real, organic butter. I usually only use a little bit in my oatmeal.

Today I had an avocado that was getting really soft, and so I mashed it up and put it in my oatmeal! It was weirdly good! I guess technically avocado is a fatty fruit. It's only been in the last 2 years that I have discovered I love them. They are full of so many nutrients and healthy fat that honestly they are one of my favorite super foods.

I was so hungry I didn't even think about taking a picture until after I'd finished it. I'm not sure it would have looked too appetizing anyway.

So the next time you are thinking about using butter in your oatmeal, or on your toast, etc. use a mashed avocado instead. For sure if you still have margarine in the house, get rid of that stuff! I don't care if it does say "no trans fat" or that is has olive oil in it.

Do you love avocado? What are some ways that you eat it?

Oil Pulling and Bike Riding

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:46:00 +0000

This morning I had a dilemma. I've been trying to get my morning routine down and running smoothly for a while now, but I haven't quite hit the right order yet. I've been determined to single task more things and not be a crazy multi-tasker any more.

First, I've been Oil Pulling each morning (you can read more specifics about that on our j&kFITNESS blog). Basically, you use as pure of an oil as you can find, and you spend about 15-20 pulling, pushing and swishing it around in your mouth. I've been using organic, virgin coconut oil. I don't even like coconut, but this oil is very refreshing! So you're supposed to do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and before all your morning oral hygiene routine. That kind of grosses me out, but I'm all about trying new stuff and if I get a benefit from it, I work it in (with the goal of new, positive habits replacing bad ones).

You can get a nice size jar of this at Whole Foods

Secondly, I wanted to wake myself up a bit first thing by riding the stationary bike in our home gym. It's not new, but we just got a new bicycle seat. It's a really nice Schwinn Airdyne upright bike, but the seat has always been awful. It was nice and big and looked like it should be comfortable, but it nearly killed me everytime I tried to ride it. This past weekend we took the seat and post to All About Bikes in Memphis. Literally it took about 5 minutes to find a new seat and solve the problem. If you have bike wants or needs, go see Victor and team, they can help you out.

My new bike seat! Yay! I can ride and still sit the rest of the day without pain!

So... what to do? Well, I did them at the same time. While in my PJs and running shoes. And blaring loud music. I'm pretty sure I completely defiled the mental healing properties of my oil pulling, but it was what I had to do this morning. Not to mention that spitting the oil in a cup at the 20 minute mark so I could keep riding 10 more minutes made me feel like my Dad spitting tobacco. Yuck.

Jimmy's manly-man jam box that is usually in his wood-working shop

While I have impressed myself that I can swish oil around in my mouth, ride my bike and listen to music at the same time, without accidentally swallowing, choking or singing my favorite song in an outburst, I probably won't do that again. I think I'll go back to oil pulling first!

Do you do any crazy multi-tasking things in the mornings to fit it all in? Tell me what works for you!

Top Priority: My Personal Health and Wellness

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:52:00 +0000

This is it.

Have you ever felt off track, maybe not a full-blown detour, but like you keep struggling to get back in your groove? I have felt that way for months now, and as of today I am facing it head on, because it's driving me crazy.

The thing is, I can help other people all day long with multiple facets of wellness. But I always seem to push my own to the back burner. This means I tend to end up not meeting my own goals, even though I may be working daily to help other people meet theirs. Don't get me wrong - it's very rewarding. But if I don't take care of myself, I can't keep helping other people. This is how I know I'm off-track. It's a hard lesson to learn. I think we all do it to a degree. We think it's selfish to set aside time for ourselves to take care of even the most basic needs, let alone work toward a major milestone. Parents are particularly bad about this. But it's time we realize that we can't really be effective, and we certainly can't be the example we need to be for the next generation, if we don't take care of the bodies and spirits that we've been given. I want to be around for the people in my life that I love. But it's not enough to me to just exist or survive, I need to really live. And you do too. So I hope that whatever just hit me in the head this weekend pushes you to think about it too.

So from this point on, you're going to hear a lot more about my antics. My ups and downs, my adventures, the goals I hit and the ones I miss. When I do well and when I suck. There will be some people in my life that hear me say the word no every now and then (gasp!). I want to hear about you too. Is anyone else feeling the same way? If you are, tell me about it, and let's tackle this together.

I have some very specific goals that I want to meet this year. Surprisingly, they have precious little to do with scale weight and just marking things off a to-do list. I'm focusing on healthy habits, my performance, how I feel, what kind of impact I'm making on the world, things like that. As I work through these healthy habits, I'll share them here. I'd love for you to share your thoughts with me too. Tell me when you think I'm crazy and when you feel the same way. Let me know what you are doing to make your life DIFFERENT. Let's live and not just exist!!!!

Is Agave a Good Choice?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:34:00 +0000

So I seriously don’t like what I’ve been hearing lately concerning agave. Some of you may be like me, looking for the most righteous sweetener possible. I don’t sweeten a lot of food. I’d just like to have a sweetener I can use in oatmeal or in my coffee without feeling bummed about it or worrying that I am going to grow a third eyeball in the middle of my forehead or something. Over the last several years I graduated from plain white sugar to raw sugar or sucanat, and from Equal and Sweet-n-Low to Splenda. Then I went totally Splenda. Then I discovered stevia and agave and dropped the Splenda. One problem for me is that I like stevia in hot tea, but not in coffee, so agave seemed to do the trick. It has a hint of a molasses flavor and is sweeter so I didn’t use as much. Agave is lower on the glycemic index so it doesn’t spike blood sugar like honey would, it’s plant based, and you can get it organic. What’s not to love? Now I’m hearing that agave is too processed and may even be so processed in some cases that you might as well be using high fructose corn syrup! Good grief! How can we take plants and mess them up that much?

My most recent purchase of agave was organic, raw agave that is low-heat processed. Apparently in agave this is the best we can do, but some experts I know are recommending we not use it. Word now is that stevia (also plant based) or small amounts of raw, local honey are the best in cases when you MUST have sweetener. There are some other natural sweeteners that aren’t readily available. Better yet to not use sweetener at all.

These are the two I’m using now – stevia and raw, local honey. But now I’ve found out that the pollination process with the honey involves cotton and soybean plants. I’m not a betting woman, (ok, maybe a few rolls of quarters in a slot machine once in a while), but if I was, I’d bet these could be genetically modified crops. Drats!!!

Well, my mom always said if you didn’t drink it black you weren’t a real coffee drinker anyway…

What sweeteners do you use, and how do you use them?

Levaquin Side Effects

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 02:16:00 +0000

Do you read the inserts and talk to the pharmacist about your prescriptions? If not, I would highly advise it. Not all pharmacists take time to review instructions with you, so you may have to start the conversation. Thankfully I have found some good ones at our local Target stores. No, this isn't a plug for Target, although you know it's one of my fav stores anyway!

I recently had to be put on Levaquin, a strong antibiotic. Keep in mind that I really don't like taking meds unless it's absolutely necessary, and this was. Because of some past drug allergies my antibiotic choices are reduced. I had remembered having a friend who had an Achilles tendon rupture while taking this drug.

The pharmacist went over all the instructions with me, and was pretty emphatic about my activity level on this drug. Maybe I look like more of a crazy exerciser than I thought. I was cautioned about the incidence of tendon rupture and we discussed not running or stretching and certainly no yoga while taking the drug. I really appreciated this information since I had just started a pretty strenuous workout program.

Turns out there is what they call a black box warning on this drug, required by the FDA. There is risk for tendon rupture in all ages, but it's higher in those over 60, or those who are compromised. So I've been smart with my activity this week.

The point is that your pharmacist is an extremely valuable resource. From drug instructions to interactions, side effects, etc, they can help you. Too many times we rely on our physicians or advanced practitioners to tell us everything. Find a great pharmacy and use them! If you're put on Levaquin, just be aware of this potential risk.

Have you found something helpful when it comes to your health care? If so, share it with me!

Ben Stiller on the Jimmy Kimmel Show

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Really funny clip of Ben Stiller talking to Jimmy Kimmel about P90X - check it out!

Tai Cheng - Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Couldn't wait to get out in the home gym for Day 2!

Is it ridiculous to say I did better than Day 1? I hit some great spots during the foam rolling. I'm identifying moves that are tight or stiff for me. My plank form felt stronger. I felt a lot more in control of the Tai Chi move we learned today - Phoenix Tail. Very beautiful, fluid move. I can already tell that my mind is a critical element of this - like a muscle I haven't truly been engaging. It is possible to go through an entire workout and never get your mind in it, or never focus on the muscles you are supposed to be working. But when you connect your mind - now you have something special going on. My right knee is happy and I feel rejuvenated!

Tai Cheng - Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Today was day one of Tai Cheng. I have really been looking forward to this! After I finally got past some obstacles, I did a round of Insanity from April to June. That was a fabulous experience, and I plan to do it again. However, there's nothing like moving your body through space at top speed and doing explosive work to highlight your movement shortcomings. I'm all about correct form, so I'm looking forward to what Tai Cheng can do for me. This seems like the perfect thing to do during the Ultimate Reset, which starts tomorrow.

Energy Assessment There is a very revealing energy assessment for Day 1 and Day 90. I had to answer sometimes and always to too many. Boo!

Function Test The first physical thing Dr. Cheng has you do is a functional test. It's in your book, and he also reviews it on video. He smartly recommends that you have someone do this with you, because it's hard to score your own form. There are 7 moves with a very specific scoring system. I had an issue on the very first move! One of the things I like already is his discussion on pain and discomfort during these movements, and you score yourself accordingly. My tough spots: right knee, low back, tight right shoulder/lat, tight hamstrings. I consider myself to be fairly strong, somewhat flexible and have good form. I scored a 9 out of a possible 20. I have work to do!!

Master Scroll Tai Cheng provides a DVD that takes you through things like breathing and a break down of each move. I went through the entire DVD. It's amazing how holding static postures and doing movement with fluid control is more challenging than it looks! On the very first move I felt a little tweak in my knee that has been bothering me. I made all the adjustments Dr. Cheng instructed, and it completely corrected it - I felt no other discomfort during the rest of the moves.

Day 1 The first training took me through a Neural Reboot and the first Tai Chi move. The reboot includes very controlled and precise key body movements through space, as well as foam rolling. LOVE it. This was my first exposure to Tai Chi. For someone who is used to intense workouts, psyching myself up, pushing hard, etc, this is a complete change. I'm ready for this. It made me realize how bad I need it. It will take a lot of discipline and mindfulness for me to grasp this fully.

My overall take is that I already have tremendous respect for Dr. Cheng, I very much need this progrram, it's perfect as I go through the reset, and it confirmed my need for improved movement patterns before adding external weight and explosiveness.

Preparing to Start the Ultimate Reset

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 03:06:00 +0000

I'm squealy excited about this and kind of scared too. My Ultimate Reset start date is July 11! It is suggested to start on a Wednesday because days 3-5 can be tough, so they would fall on the weekend when you can get extra rest or deal with issues. I work from home, so I don't anticipate I would need that, but I'm going to do it as suggested so I can better coach others.

I've read through my book. Each phase has a purpose. The first phase (week 1) is about getting control again. The structure, the food, the timing. This is going to be great for me because I tend to freestyle. For 21 days I'll have specific meals, portions and recipes to follow. The supplements, eating and drinking are purposeful and this is much needed for me. Knowing what to eat and doing it are two different things. I'm a little nervous about the cooking aspect. I tend to eat single items, maybe two or three on my plate, I cook in bulk a lot and tend to make concoctions, not recipes. It's been a while since I've had my hands on ingredients and recipes.

I have a space in my kitchen for all my reset stuff - supplements, program and nutrition guide, shopping lists, etc. If I don't organize myself I tend to get scattered. I've decided to keep it all in this cute little red basket.

So here are the other things I need to do to prep:

Visit the website and indicate my start date (I'll get emails each day for meal reminders & encouragement)
Print off my shopping lists for each week
Join the phase one (week 1) online forum for support
Go grocery shopping!
Brush off some of those kitchen gadgets I've not used in a while!

Stay tuned - more to come on my Ultimate Reset adventure!

I'm Doing the Ultimate Reset!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Okay, so I've finally decided to start the Ultimate Reset. After attending our Beachbody Coach Summit I realized it is the right thing to do. I'm always saying I wish I could hit a reset button. Well now I can! Guess I wish it could really be that easy, but it will take some work.

Here is what my kit looks like:

I also got a very cool long-handled brush for dry brushing my skin!

The first thing I am going to do is dig into the Program and Nutrition Guide. Looks like this will walk me through more detail on the concept, the phases (each week is a phase) and their purpose; the supplements, what to expect, how to prepare, the common lifestyle issues I will need to address, a personal assessment, the supplement regimen and timing, and the meal plans for each day.

I've decided that my start date will be July 11. From what I understand, Days 3-5 are the toughest, so they suggest starting on a Wednesday so the tough days fall on the weekend. I work from home, so I'm not sure it matters, but that makes sense to me and so I am going to do it so I can grasp it and help others with it.

Let me know if you want more information on this program! Check it out at my Beachbody website.

The Best Detox Program Available

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 03:02:00 +0000

So you want to do a cleanse or a detox? Well I have one for you.

I just spent an entire week in Vegas at the Beachbody Coach Summit and got to talk to a lot of people about the Ultimate Reset. Two years in the making, from experts Isabelle Daikeler and Darin Olien (co-creators of Shakeology), the Ultimate Reset has been through test groups and people all over with astounding results. We're seeing people lower their cholesterol, drop weight, stabilize blood sugar, lose unwanted inches, lower their blood pressure, increase energy and clarity and resolve digestive issues.

After this week I'm convinced.

It comes as a kit with very specific supplements, a detailed meal by meal food plan with recipes, DVDs on preparing yourself and cooking/food prep tips and demonstrations, a FAQ, online support forums, shopping lists, a commitment bracelet, and guidance from your Beachbody Coach (um, that would be me).

You need to know that this isn't some crazy Hollywood starvation pooping cleanse.

This isn't a drop 2 dress sizes really fast kind of thing (although some have). This is 21 days of a structured lifestyle change with supplements and food prep and cooking and eating whole, fresh food. It nourishes your body with the things you need to the cellular level. It's a push to try new things, new combos and get messy in the kitchen again. Shoot, you'll even spend some time in the produce section instead of the cookie aisle, and you'll wake up your taste buds!

I will be doing this cleanse and sharing my experience. I came home with my kit and am deciding on a start date. Stay tuned for my adventure with it, but in the meantime, check out this video:

My Top Ten Insanity Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Now that I have completed Insanity (Round 1 for me) I'd like to share, in no particular order, some things with you that I learned along the way. (Okay, I know what you're going to do. You're going to skim the post, read the tips, and say yeah, I know all that. Don't do it! Read what I have to say about each one, or I'll come to your house and read them to you out loud.)

1. Get your mind right.
If you're used to doing workouts that you can actually do, you're in for a surprise. If you don't understand that on the front end, your mind will work against you. Don't go into this competing with the people doing it with Shaun T on the DVD - let them be inspriring to you, but it's not about them. It's about you. There will be moves you will do well, and others that will kick your tail. You may have to hit pause, take a longer rest, do less reps. Check your ego at the door. Remind yourself of your reason WHY. Every day strive to do better than you did the last time. You're competing with yourself. Do the work and you absolutely will improve.

2. Wear a heart rate monitor.
This little tool helped me the most. I tend to fire out of the gate at full blast, but it's hard to pace myself, so my heart rate would shoot up and I'd be out of breath too quickly. I decided on a threshold for the upper limit of my heart rate, and set that on my monitor. I didn't watch my heart rate, but if my monitor beeped at me, I backed down on my pace until it stopped breathing. This helped me learn my body's responses, and kept me going. Otherwise I'd push hard and too far at first, and then not be able to recover and push through the next exercise. Pace yourself in a challenging way and don't get into the danger zone with your heart rate and breathing. Just as a sidebar, I like the Polar FT7 (got this from Amazon).

3. Don't jump until you are ready.
I have a knee that periodically barks at me, so I took it easy on the jumps. If anything felt hinky I would do a modified version (small jump or step-through) until I felt stronger. I figured out I love diamond jumps and greatly improved on my power jumps this way. The jump-rope style jumps annoy my knee for some reason, so sometimes I would just sub a different jump. The key is, build, and never sacrifice form. I mean, never. The other thing that goes with this one is to just work. It may not be pretty, it may not be what you want to look like yet, but just work as they work. You will improve!!

4. Push play every day.
If you go into this thinking you don't have time, you won't make time. Don't skip workouts. Don't wienie out. Your conditioning doesn't get better while skipping workouts. Schedule them, and stick to it. (See my other post here for a view of my Insanity war board). I will admit there were a couple of days that when I pushed play and heard that music start I'd have a wave of nausea. There is a trainer I like who says that if you don't have some nervousness before your workout, you're probably not challenging yourself. But I can also tell you that when it was over each day there was a part of me that wanted to keep going! Sounds crazy, huh? Well it IS Insanity after all.

5. Invest in a mat.
Even carpet with padding under it isn't the greatest when it comes to a nice landing while doing plyo. We have some nice large rubber mats in our home gym and they really helped. This isn't to take the place of perfecting your landing form, but it does help to have that extra cushion and non-slip traction under your feet. They now have plyo mats available at Beachbody, or you can go to your local Sporting Goods store. We had purchased ours at a specialty exercise equipment store.

6. Make sure you have the right shoes.
Now I know some die-hard barefooters. I actually know someone who does Insanity barefoot on her tile floor. That may be for some, but most people need some decent shoes. I figured out very quickly that my running shoes weren't cutting it, and I typically buy a running shoe a little larger. I found with this that my feet slipped around in them, and while they had good heel cushioning I really needed more cushioning at the ball of my foot. There were lots of suggestions for cross-trainers, and I did like the width of the shoe at the toe box, but they felt heavy to me. I already have to get this butt in the air, why do I want heavy shoes? So I ended up with Brooks Pure Flow. They were lightweight, had more cushioning at the ball of the foot, I felt spring-y when I jumped and I went down a half size from my running shoe, which mean my shoe felt secure but not too snug on my foot. I confess I tried mine on at Dick's Sporting Goods but purchased them at Zappos (because I'm a fan). You may have to try a few. Don't be afraid to put some on in the store and try a few power jumps! Also, your socks matter too. They need to support your feet! My favs right now are Thorlo Experia (got these at Sports Authority). Expensive but they wash very well. Buy some cheap workout clothes, but don't cheat your feet.

7. Figure out your high energy time of day.
If you are a morning person and can do an intense workout first thing, more power to you!! It sets your body up right for the day, revving your metabolism and giving you the mental edge to make better food choices. I am not a high energy person in the morning, and so I did mine in the late afternoon or early evening. This is my high energy time. A little forewarning for you night owls like me though: pushing this kind of workout too late in the evening has the potential to really jack up your sleep. Try to allow yourself time to recuperate before you have to hit the sack.

8. Get your eating right.
You will figure out very quickly that you will not perform well during workouts like these if you do not have enough nourishing food and water on board. Space your water out and stay hydrated. Choose food that is going to fuel your body, not drag it down. Insanity comes with a complete nutrition guide - it's very balanced, clean eating; not a diet. Use it to get your best results! You will sabotage yourself if you continue to make poor food choices and drink soda, etc while doing this. You can't out-train a crappy diet. Another tip to getting it right: it helped me to eat about 1.5 hours before I did the workout. Too much time meant I didn't feel as strong, too little time meant I was still digesting food when I started. You don't want that because you want your body concentrating on the muscles that are working.

9. Put some post-workout drink in your water.
Water, water and more water. But after you've done the workouts you'll know which ones are the hardest for you. On some of them I would add a little of my P90X Results and Recovery drink to my water DURING my workout, which really helped! Another product I tried is Beachbody's E&E pre-workout formula. I really liked it. It calls for 2 scoops, but I only had to use one.

10. Tell people you're going to do it.
Remember my Insanity war board? Well I took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook and Twitter. It made me more determined to reach that goal because I had let people who are important to me know about it. Accountability will drive you a very long way. Workout partners are great. My husband stepped in and did some with me, which was so much help and support. But wrongly chosen workout partners can drag you down. Give it a lot of thought. Either way, some smart person said: "If you're tired of starting over, stop quitting." Truth!! Decide what you're going to do. Tell everyone else. Hold yourself accountable and do it.

What I post about here is my own journey of fitness. I'm also a Beachbody Coach. So the live links in this post will take you to these areas on my Beachbody Coaching site. Here's the thing - I love to help people. If you decide you want to purchase a product from Beachbody, and you do it through my website, you'll pay Beachbody, they ship your product, they give me a commission and then all the coaching you receive from me is free. That's how it rolls. Take advantage of it!

If you want to just go to my Beachbody website and browse around, you can go directly to
www.getfitwithkelley.com. You may not even realize all that Beachbody offers right now.
Contact me for questions!

I Completed Insanity!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Many of you know that the year 2011 wasn't a favorite year for me in terms of my personal fitness. I started the year battling elbow tendinitis and to my surprise it completely threw me off track, mentally as much as physically. So if something is injured on your upper body you just work the lower body, and vice versa, right? That's what I would say. Until it happened to me. I learned a lot about myself in 2011. I had a great physical therapist and a husband who would call me out on my attitude and so I made it through. Hopefully it will make me a better coach and friend, and I can help others have an easier time of it than I did.

2012 started shaky. I spent much of my time in the early spring with my sisters, taking care of our Dad. We lost him on April 12. I wouldn't take anything for the privilege of taking care of him. I was not ready to let him go, and I am still in some phase of the grieving process.

Two days after we buried my Dad I started Insanity. I can tell you that I cried my way through more than one warm up. There were days I didn't want to work out. I was really out of shape for me, and carrying more weight than my frame needs. I called Shaun T all sorts of names. I couldn't believe how much I was sweating during the STRETCHING.

Three people really helped me through this:

1. My husband Jimmy

I can be really mouthy at times and he just pushes forward anyway. He worked hard to keep the schedule clear, help me protect my time and encourage me. He fixed meals, snacks, Shakeology, post-workout drinks, whatever. On some really tough days for me he got out there and did the workout with me. I could not have done it without him.

2. My Dad

The realization of how hard he fought Parkinson's is very prominent to me right now. He persevered. During some of the tough times he could get more done in a day than some people get done in a week. If something that used to take him 2 minutes now took him 30, well that's just the way it was. And the thing that suddenly stood out most to me was that he NEVER COMPLAINED. I mean ever. He would fuss at us when we wouldn't let him do something he wanted to do, but I never heard him complain about having Parkinson's. How could I not push forward when I had that type of spirit for an example?

3. Shaun T

In 2011 I met Shaun T in person. You cannot help but love the guy. His word of encouragement for me that day - "when you think you cannot possibly do one more [rep, jump, minute]...then do one more, and you will get there." He's probably told 1000 people that. But it spoke to me that day. There were days when I'd push play and think "there is no other word for this program, this guy is nuts!" but I adore him. I can't tell you how excited I was to tell him this year that I'd completed (not mastered) Insanity, and I was calling it Round 1.

Whatever you are going through right now, do not neglect your physical exercise. If you think you cannot get going, put on your shorts and do 10 minutes. If you can't push on after that, stop for the day. But chances are you will keep going. True fitness doesn't happen in spurts, or randomly, or short term. It's a long term commitment to be the best you can be. It's cummulative and it takes deliberate effort.

You are worth every second of it. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Make it a priority. Do you have to do intense workouts like Insanity? No. But for the love of all things holy, do something! Everyone has to start somewhere. Set your goals and own them. You never know what you might end up accomplishing!

MOVE IT and Improve Your Quality of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:46:00 +0000

In my mind's eye I see him.

He's mowing, raking, sweeping and bagging the grass. He's washing and waxing the car. He's painting the house his favorite shade of redwood. He's teaching me to ride a bike, and patching me up when I have a wreck. He's building a rabbit hutch, or a play fort, or a swing for a neighbor. He's preparing a vegetable bed or trimming the hydrangeas or planting a tree from a sapling. He's cleaning his golf clubs, or his rifle, or untangling some fishing line.

Then I look up. And I see him in his hospital bed at home. Fragile, thin, and tired. What does this have to do with fitness? Everything. As I sit here in the middle of the night at his bedside and watch him breathe, I realize that the magnitude of the fight he has given this disease called Parkinson's is quite impressive.

My Dad didn't play sports. He didn't lift weights or "do cardio". He wouldn't have been described as athletic. He worked most of his life in the food industry. But the most important part that prepared him for his challenges later in life was his capacity for physical work.

Because he was so strong and active and conditioned, and because he had determination that some disease called Parkinson's wasn't going to stop him, he was physically able to deny and delay the effects of it for a long time. I know that every patient has different symptoms exhibited in different ways and at varying levels of intensity. But I literally watched my Dad fight back. He has been diagnosed for 17 years. Which means its onset was even prior to that. By the way, he's 83 years old.

So what is my point? I am concerned that there aren't too many of us who can say that we are making healthy enough physical fitness and nutrition choices right now that we can fight hard if we get a disease, much less ward one off or flat out prevent it. My Dad is not the norm. Too many of us would be grossly unprepared for a catastrophic or progressive disease. Typically even those of us who consider ourselves in shape get our tails kicked by a half day of yard work. I don't think my Dad always made the healthiest choices with his physical activity. He didn't rest enough, he scared us to death climbing ladders, he drove his car way too long. But we can all learn something from him.

It's not just that our sedentary lifestyles are prematurely aging us, or making us ill-prepared for a potential future disease. Our sedentary lifestyles are slowly killing us. I truly believe that. What other outcome can we expect when we're complacent in sitting around, spending hours on a computer, watching TV and moving only from the kitchen to the couch with our salty, fatty, sugary processed food snacks? What about hours in a car, or at a desk, with loads of stress and no activity other than finding the closest parking spot just to go in a restaurant for a huge meal? Some studies are now showing that even a good hard workout several days of the week may not be enough to offset all the sedentary hours we log.

We MUST get serious about this and we MUST do someting about it. Now. Not later, not when we feel like it, not when we're getting ready for a short term event like a wedding or beach trip or class reunion. Now and every single day. My Dad has given this disease a hard, determined fight. He didn't give up. He didn't just sit in a chair and let it take over his life.

What are you going to do? Do it now, for you, and for the people who love you. Decide. Get started, and tell me about it!

5 Strategies for Holiday Health & Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I must say that I enjoyed my Thanksgiving holiday weekend! We actually hosted our family dinner (20 adults and 6 kids) on Wednesday this year - which meant that I also enjoyed a second dinner at my sister-in-law's house on Thursday. Then came Black Friday shopping, leftovers, lazy time and rainy weather. While I was all very nice, it's time to be realistic and assess the damage. The things I always find challenging are:

Rich Food
Less Water
Sporadic Sleep
No deliberate exercise
High stress

Did you encounter any of these this week? I did! It's really all about strategy. Some things can be avoided, and other things just need to be approached a little smarter. Think about it as a game! Let's go back through each one and talk about strategy. These strategies can apply to pretty much any holiday that involves a special meal or party.

1. Food strategy
Here's the key: eat squeaky clean the entire week, and the day of your holiday event. Then when the time comes for the meal or party, use it as a cheat/treat/splurge (whatever you call it) for that week. I generally think that trying to make traditional holiday foods low fat, low sugar, low sodium just ends up making them tasteless. The food detour might just be a positive jolt for your mind and body. Enjoy the best things to eat. Concentrate on those that are unique to the holiday, that you don't get other times of the year. Don't waste your calories on common foods you can get any time. If you're celebrating during the day, about 3 hours after your meal/party, eat a small super healthy snack to reset your mind and body.

2. Water Strategy
Go into the holiday fully hydrated. You most likely will be drinking other stuff, but if you go into it well hydrated you won't be as thirsty for some of the other things. Also, don't drink things just because they are there. Decide what you really love. If you're going to drink some calories, don't waste it on anything that's not your favorite. Again, be choosy, and focus on the unique drinks for the holiday. Drink a big glass of water before your meal or party.

3. Sleep Strategy
Go into the holiday rested. Do whatever it takes to get a full 8 hours of sleep every night leading up to the event. Take a nap the day of if you know you're going to be up late. Be organized enough that you don't have to sacrifice sleep. It's not worth it, and it make take some pre-planning or starting your holiday prep much earlier than you are used to. When you feel tired, rest. Use the time for active recovery (doing fun stuff) and getting in extra down time such as naps and meditation. Your body will thank you. It's supposed to be a holiday, remember?

4. Exercise strategy
You just have to schedule it. Make sure you stay on track with your exercise right up until the event. If you can, get your workout in the day of before you go to your dinner or party. Wrestling a 22 pound turkey into the oven, miles walked during a shopping spree and hours on your feet may not cut it. The next day, or the next few days, you'll have extra calories on board. Take advantage of it! You'll be surprised how strong you might feel at the gym, because usually those calories are extra carbs. Hit it hard and with intensity. Get in a walk after dinner and every chance you get. Run and play with the kids, do some stair sprints, burpees in the living room, anything you can to keep moving.

5. High stress
Be with people you love. Get some time away from those who drive you nuts. Have some time each day set aside to be quiet and still. Protect your mind from negative thoughts. Ask youself, "what is this in light of eternity?" and keep things in perspective. Avoid that family debate that makes you raging mad, or the toxic people. If you can't get it all done, let it go!!

We have about 5 weeks before the new year. Don't just throw in the towel now! Those are 5 weeks that you can be productive in your health and fitness goals. Why not start the new year with a leg up? You can do it!

How Well Do You Sleep?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:41:00 +0000

Someone recently asked me about how I sleep.

Sweet lady: Do you sleep relaxed, or are you all tense?
Me: I sleep like a boxer about to go in the ring. With my hands in fists and my arms up, ready to throw a punch.
Sweet lady: You need to sleep with a stuffed animal.

A stuffed animal?

I had never thought of that. This particular lady is a volunteer with Wings Cancer Foundation (yes, click on the link and check it out). She told me that sleeping with a stuffed animal is a common suggestion for people undergoing treatment or dealing with cancer. There is something about holding something soft in your hands that is relaxing.

I'll try anything. Right now I have horrific tendinitis in my right elbow (my dominant arm), which is not only impeding my exercise plans but interfering with my activities of daily living. Every day stuff, like squeezing my toothpaste, holding my hair dryer and spraying my pan with cooking spray to cook my eggs.

So off we went, Jimmy and me, to my favorite store in the world, Target. This time I was shopping for a stuffed animal.

I didn't find one in the regular toy section, but as we were leaving we happened to walk down the aisle for bedroom accessories for kids. They had some "cuddle buddies".

And there he was!!! My stuffed bed buddy. I knew it when I saw him!!!

Buzz is the bomb-diggity. Honestly, this little guy is soft all over, he is all stitched, so no hard eyes or anything scratchy. When I wake up in the night I've either got one arm through his and the other holding his foot, or my arm propped up on him with my hand on his rear-end. Go figure! In case you're wondering, Jimmy is a good sport and hasn't complained. After all, a well-rested woman is a less cranky woman. Plus I sleep in the middle. :>)

What does this have to do with fitness?

Adequate, quality, restful sleep is one the pillars of achieving success with your fitness regimen. So if you're having problems sleeping, go find a stuffed animal.

Zzzzzzzzz.

The Beauty of Sleep

Food Journals - Do They Help?

Day 1 of Using the bodybuggSP

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:58:00 +0000

I'm in the middle of day 1 of using my bodybuggSP^TM. After spending an hour trying to figure out how to get the blasted thing out of the frame so I could find the USB port to register it and build my program, I finally got on YouTube and saw what it looked like when it was out of the band, so then I finally figured it out. It's so simple and popped right out, but the diagram in the instruction booklet leaves a little to be desired. Thank goodness for those people who get on YouTube and help us all out.

How sad is it that I am excited to be wearing something that tells me calories burned vs calories consumed and whether or not I'm hitting my deficit? I LOVE this kind of thing. Nerds rule!

I put it on as soon as I got out of the shower this morning. After I adjusted the arm band a few times to get it comfortable, it wasn't long until I didn't even think about having it on. I have on a double layer of long sleeve shirts today and it's unobtrusive.

So far so good on building the deficit. I'm anxious to see how my workout impacts my calorie burn. It's very obvious that on days in which I am doing work on the computer much of the day my number of steps taken and general activity is going to be way too little. I have also read from another bodybuggSP^TMuser that she has determined her workouts are more effective for her in the afternoon/evening when her energy levels are high. She burns more calories then than working out in the morning.

Will post more as I get further along with it.
What has your experience been with the bodybuggSP^TM?

Links in this article are to provide the reader with additional information about the Bodybugg. I purchased this product without prompting with my own funds and do not receive any compensation for the purchase of this product through a link.

Tracking Weight Loss with the bodybuggSP

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:07:00 +0000

Announcement! I finally made the decision to purchase a bodybuggSP^TM. It arrived today in the mail and I have it charging right now. As I use it I will provide feedback via this blog. I plan to begin using it tomorrow morning.

It took me a while to make this decision due to two factors.

Factor 1: Cost
Honestly I didn't want to spend this much money, but after reading quite a bit of information and contemplating a Polar heart rate monitor I went with the bodybuggSP^TM. I caught it on sale for a holiday special and so I paid $199 with free shipping (about a $50 savings). This new version (as opposed to version 3) will sync with my iPhone. That seemed to be the smartest thing for me because I wanted real time data but didn't want to have to wear a wristband. I like my own watch.

Factor 2: Calories in, calories out
It is absolutely true that weight loss in its simplest description boils down to calories in vs calories out. If you consume more calories than you burn and therefore walk around, or may I say sit around, in a calorie surplus you will surely gain weight. If you break even, you will maintain your weight. If you create a deficit, you should lose weight. Sounds simple, right? Sure, if scale weight is your only concern. Most of you who read this blog know that I believe there is a lot more to it than that. I believe in changing your body composition (lean mass/body fat) rather than just focusing on scale weight. That's a blog post for another day, but I want to be clear that I'm not dissing the importance of getting excess body weight off, but I'm also not shifting from my stance that losing body fat is more important than losing body weight as the end goal.

Side bar (because I must): your weight on the scale is ONE piece of the picture. Scale weight can fluctuate wildly within a 24 hour period of time and is impacted by what you eat, your bowel habits, fluid intake or loss, hormones, menstrual cycle, etc. Don't use it as your sole measurement of success.

Back to this post. So I'm sure you're thinking, okay brainiac, then why did you spend that kind of money on something to help you track calories?
Two reasons.

Reason 1: Need for data
I have hypothyroidism and while I've yet to prove it I feel certain my basal metabolic rate is as slow as a snail. It's a challenge to figure out my optimal calorie range. Standard calculations do not seem to work for me. If I eat too little food or carbs, or if I don't time my food right I bonk during intense workouts and take longer to recover. If I eat the typical recommended amount of food or carbs, my weight will not come off and stay off. I seem to have to work harder than the average Jane in order to see the same type of results. Mind you I am not complaining, I just want more data to understand what is going on with my body. This is one way to get as much real data as possible. It's a fine line and I am trying to hit it just right. Somewhere between killing myself to get lean and mean and relaxing a little and getting soft and pudgy. Sigh. So don't think I don't understand your struggles. It's a journey for all of us.

Reason 2: Need for consistency
I'm a tracker. When I track things I do well, when I don't track things I slide off course. As much as I would like to be an intuitive, free spirit eater, the need for constant feedback, data, organization and consistency is woven into my genetic make-up. I teach people how to think on their feet, make good food choices when faced with bad ones and how to be prepared to gracefully handle the most unexpected sabotage. This works for me as well, but until I can fully grasp what my body requires I need data. It keeps me consistent and holds me accountable.

More to come on the bodybuggSP^TM.
If you use a bodybuggSP^TM, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Links in this article are to provide the reader with additional information about the.bodybuggSP^TM. I purchased this product without prompting with my own funds and do not receive any compensation for the purchase of this product through a link.

TRX on sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:39:00 +0000

If you've ever thought about purchasing a TRX Suspension Trainer, now is the time!

25% off TRX + free shipping, but just until midnight Monday 11/29/10! Click here: TRX Sale.

The TRX is a fabulous system you can use at home or on the road. Basically you can take your full body workout anywhere. You can do basics and progress, plus there are numerous resources available as ready made workouts or to help you develop your own. Overall it's one of the smartest workout tools you can own.

Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0
Home Gym Workout
TRX Fit Deck

I am an affiliate for Fitness Anywhere. This means if you use my link and end up purchasing a product, I will receive a commission. Please read my disclosure page for more information!

10 Tips for Holiday Eating

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 06:35:00 +0000

Ahhh, the holidays. I absolutely love them. I must confess, however, that this is one of the most difficult times of the year for me in terms of sticking with my nutrition goals. It seems to start with the Halloween candy (they start selling it in August now I think!) and carries through to the New Year.

I have learned the hard way that if I don't go into the holiday season with an eating strategy I will trip up by October and spiral to a full crash and burn by December 31.

Notice I said eating strategy and not diet. If you've spent any time on my blog, you know I am not a fan of dieting no matter what time of year. Strategy on the other hand, is just smart. Here are some tips I find helpful.

Keep your water intake up.
I find that if I am adequately hydrated I'm not as hungry and I don't have as many cravings. That might not make sense, but there are times when you think you want something to eat, but really you just need fluids.

Stay on schedule with your eating on the day you have a party or event.
Don't fall for the "I won't eat all day and that way I can eat the party food and still stay within my calories" thought pattern. It doesn't work. Your body needs clean food for fuel throughout the day. If you've gone all day without adequate food you'll be too hungry, your defenses will be down and you're likely to eat too much calorie dense, nutritionally deficient food. Instead, eat your clean meals as usual right up until party time.

Get your workout done.
Don't skip your workouts due to a busy schedule. Your health is important. What is it about the holiday season that makes us undo everything we've worked for throughout the year like it's a two month vacation? When you are busy and stressed exercise is crucial. The only way I can ever accomplish this, no matter how good my intentions, is to build my workouts into my calendar ahead of time and everything else goes around it. There are going to be some days that you cannot help missing a workout. The sky is not going to fall. Rest assured though that if you don't schedule them, they are a lot less likely to happen.

Review your week and decide on your treats ahead of time.
If you're like me, opportunities to fall off the bandwagon are lurking around every corner. I still don't think well on my feet. I'm seduced by the smell of movie popcorn, a sudden suggestion of going out for Mexican food and those chocolate/peanut butter Christmas trees that I am certain are manufactured by Satan, Inc. If I don't plan, the temptations will blind side me (as if I don't know they are coming) and I get weak in the knees. If I look at my calendar each Sunday night and decide where I'm going to spend my 2-3 treats a week ahead of time, I can focus. Then when it's treat time I can enjoy it without guilt, and without having to assess the damage at the end of each week.

Order first at a restaurant, fix your plate first at home.
That's so rude! Yeah, well so is leaving the house with a muffin top wearing jeans that are too tight. This is one of my favorite tips. If you're in a restaurant, especially for a fun occasion with friends, and you order first, chances are you're not going to change your order with the waiter after you hear what everyone else orders (you might even influence others to make better choices). But if you order last, that lean protein and steamed veggies with a plain sweet potato in your head might just come out of your mouth as an order of fried chicken tenders and honey mustard with a loaded potato and salad complete with croutons, cheese and ranch dressing.

Treat, don't cheat.
To me, examples of "cheating" are when you eat something you didn't intend to, you ignore smart portions and eat until you're about to pop, you can't stand up to temptation and give in to every opportunity to eat junk, or throw in the towel and just go on a binge or think "I'll start Monday" or "I'm so deprived, I deserve this!". It's a negative cycle of failures and it will pull you down. On the other hand, "treating" yourself has a positive connotation. It indicates you're eating in a mindful fashion, you're strategizing, you're rewarding yourself with a nice treat that you've earned. Periodic treats keep the experience positive. Next thing you know you'll desire those treats less and less, especially if they are junk food. It will have less appeal and you'll find yourself thinking twice about whether or not you even want to indulge after all.

Choose your favorites when treating.
What do you really want? A cheap processed fast-food style dessert wrapped in plastic or Aunt Betty's chocolate chess pie? Some weak soft serve artificially flavored vanilla ice cream on a kiddy cone or a scoop of Ben & Jerry's in a waffle cup? Half of a crappy frozen pizza or a slice or two of loaded pizza from an authentic Italian restaurant? Be choosy!!! Don't just eat every random thing that comes along, decide exactly what you want and eat it. It keeps you from feeling deprived, it's much more satisfying and you'll probably eat less of a really rich, tasty food than junky stuff.

Choose the healthiest options at the party.
If you're going to grab a drink, make it a small glass of red wine. On the buffet, go for the protein. Small portions of cheese and nuts may also be good options. Eat fruit if available. Top it off with a small sweet if you want it.

Eat before you go.
This is one of the smartest strategies. If you've eaten one of your clean meals before you leave for your party, you're not going to be near as hungry and it's easier to make best choices. You can still enjoy a treat, but your portions may be much smaller and the food will be less enticing.

Make it about the people, not the food.
I live in the south. We don't do anything without food, and lots of it! When faced with that situation over and over, you learn to focus on the people and try to make it less about the food. Start conversations, meet new people, plan activities that don't revolve around food. Get creative!

These are just some of my favorite tips and strategies. What works for you? Leave me a comment. I'm always learning something new!

P90X Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:40:00 +0000

I'll be posting about my P90X experience on this blog! I tried setting up a separate blog for it because I try to keep this one diverse in content, but it was just too challenging to keep up with two blogs. Plus it didn't feel right since I share all of my fitness adventures here. It's all a part of the journey!

Here's the latest:
I jumped into P90X 7/12/10. You'll see some posts around that time describing how I got started. It was a busy time for me, and I was working out, getting in the groove and didn't have time to post. First things first, you know. So I completed the first 5 weeks, then got completely derailed with travel, consequently lost my mind and ate a bunch of stuff I don't normally eat. It threw me into a three week funk. Total transparency here. It's what I get for saying I'd have no excuses!

The good news is that I snapped out of it, and about the time I was going to get started again, Jimmy announced he'd like to do it with me. Sweet!

We started together on Monday September 13. Mind you I'd been doing these workouts in the brutal summer heat of our home garage gym since July with the exception of my end of August hiatus. The heat didn't let up until this week by the way. That adds even more intensity to the workouts, so I'm anxious to see if my performance is actually better as it gets cooler. Jimmy is awesome and is getting heating and air put in. LOVE THAT GUY!

We completed the workout for today, Day 16, P90X Plyometrics. Officially, we'll be finished with the 90 days on December 11. Who knows, maybe I'll do a second round! Okay, let me focus on Round 1 first.

From this point on I'll be posting about the individual workouts, our progress, what we're learning, tips and tricks, key points, the eating plan, etc.

Feel free to post your questions and your own experiences via comments or email me at getfitwithkelley@gmail.com anytime.

What's in a Twinkie?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:29:00 +0000

Ever wonder what's in a Twinkie?

As a kid, I ate several, along with other processed cakes and pies, usually in the lunch I carried to school. I haven't given Twinkies a lot of thought since then, but they are still on the market, and our kids (and adults) are still eating them. All sorts of stories have been told about Twinkies. Like how if you put one in a landfill it would still be there a decade or two later, still ready to eat. (I'm wondering who did that experiement if it's true).

Here's an interesting and scary article today on the Twinkie and its ingredients. Be sure to click on the links too.

Gulp! Take a gander at a Twinkie’s 37 or so ingredients

Water is boring, what else can I drink?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:09:00 +0000

I often get asked if it is okay to drink flavored waters or bottled juices or store-bought smoothies or other pre-packaged "health" drinks. What do you think I say?

A
"No! Never! You must drink only the purest filtered water carefully shipped in from the fountain of youth instead of drinking that sugary, chemical-laden, bazillion calorie crap in a pretty BPA-infested plastic jug that's going to expand your abdominal girth and eventually kill you!"

B
It depends. Let's talk about your thoughts on the drinks you're asking about, how much water you're drinking and what other types of things you drink during the day or week. (Begin an actual information exchange).

My response is usually something like B.
You hypocrite! You talk about water all the time! You drink out of BPA free containers! You read Jillian Michael's book Master Your Metabolism! How can you not respond with A?

Whoa, Nellie.
Except for the fountain of youth part I think option A is pretty much right on, but a lot of the people
I talk to are new at making changes. They're determined, learning, asking the right questions and taking action. If I throw an answer like that at them they're going to run the other direction. Sometimes it's a good thing to find out where a person is now, and where they can handle going next, before we give an answer.

Plus, I've been there. I spent most of my teenage years to adult life drinking everything but water. Juice, soft drinks, diet drinks, milk, coffee, tea, Yoo-Hoo (ok, stop laughing), lemonade, fruit punch, blah, blah, blah. Once I did that, water was just plain boring and didn't taste good. I had to acquire a taste for water as an adult. Now that I'm reminiscing about my drinking habits I am suddenly reminded of two kidney stones and renal colic due to dehydration. But that's a story for another day. Now water is my primary drink, although I can't give up my coffee entirely. I also drink hot green or black tea. I'm working on giving up diet soft drinks entirely, but for some reason if I eat a treat meal like Mexican I still want a diet Coke with fresh lime.

Sometimes it's difficult for people to be drinking lattes, soft drinks, frozen drinks, alcohol, etc, or hardly anything at all and then all of a sudden go to just straight, plain water and maintain it. I know people who nurse a diet soft drink all day long, and when they start changing their eating and thinking about their drinking they want to know if there is anything else they can drink besides just water. When that happens, it's easy to be deceived by something that seems like it should be healthy. And sometimes it's better to temporarily transition to something less than optimal than to not make a change in the right direction at all!

So I spent a little time in one of our health food stores reading labels of all the bottled options of "healthy" drinks to see if I could find any viable options. You know, things with words like naked, fresh, vital, natural, energy, electrolytes, 100%, enriched, vitamins, boost, etc. Some of them do have natural ingredients, and some are quite impressive. Some of them also have 400+ calories and over 70 carbs in an 8 oz container. You also have to be careful with smoothie bars too in terms of portions, calories, and any syrups or other things they may be adding. I didn't find anything that I thought I would recommend, but I did buy and try this one:

Fuze Slenderize in Strawberry Melon. It has 2 servings in the 19 oz bottle, for a total of 20 calories, 4 carbs, 5 mg sodium, no protein. It has sucralose and 5% juice. The flavor is good, but intense! Honestly, a person could take this one bottle and add it to multiple gallons of fresh water for a hint of taste. Better yet, see below. This one is not righteous, it's just the one I tried. It is not going to make you slender!

The real answer is, if you need flavored water or a smoothie, make your own at home! Use ingredients like water, ice, fresh fruit, whey protein, veggies, agave nectar or a dash of honey, cinnamon, non-fat milk, non-fat plain yogurt. Shakeology is one I'm getting into since starting Beachbody programs and coaching, you can add any of these things to it, or nothing at all. Other than that, start adding water while you cut back on or eliminate other drinks. Use lime or lemon to add some flavor if necessary, It helps with thirst you may not realize you have, and the other drinks aren't so enticing any more.

What do you do when you get bored of water, or when you want something different to drink? What is out there that I am missing? Leave a comment!

The link above for Shakeology will take you directly to my Shakeology website as an Independent Team Berachbody Coach, http://www.shakeitwithkelley.com/