Here are common Questions and Answers about joining a Beachbody Challenge Group:

What is the Beachbody Challenge? Well, it’s a number of things I guess, but what it all comes down to is putting groups of 5 people together doing the same program, using the same supplements, and having them all stay accountable to each other, all while having ME as your coach during the entire 90 days (or 60 days if using Insanity). When I form each group of 5 people, I will create a specific Facebook group (with your own chosen team name), and that will be where all 6 of us stay in contact with each other during the entire 90 day commitment.

What makes P90X Challenge Groups so effective? I’ve always been a big believer in challenges because it highly motivates people, and I and everyone else taking part of it always tend to commit ourselves even more when we’re a part of one. When you have a small group, communication is much easier, and you’re able to hold each other accountable and push each other even more than being part of a large group. Plus, there is always some serious competition going on, forcing you to push even harder to achieve better results. When you have competition, encouragement, accountability, and support from 5 other people, it literally is a recipe for success! From the challenges I’ve held in the past, it’s unbelievable the type of results that some people got, and they even mentioned to me that there was no way they could have gotten those results without being part of an exclusive group. If you want to achieve your fitness goals, you’re not going to find a better way than with these challenge groups!

How do I join a Challenge Group? Simple!  Here is what you need prior to joining a Challenge Group:

I need to be your Beachbody Coach
You must commit to a Beachbody Fitness Program
You must commit to drinking Shakeology everyday

#1:  The first thing that you have to do is make me your coach if I’m not already. As you already know (or may not know I guess), it’s free to make me your coach (click here to make me you free coach). By making me your coach, you will have constant access to me for questions and support and I will be checking in daily with each challenge group.

#2:  Next, you have to be using Shakeology and a Beachbody program like P90X, Insanity, or yes, even Turbofire for you women out there! The reason Shakeology is a requirement is because it’s a product that I’ve been using for over 2 years now, am 100% confident that works, and have recommended to literally everyone I know, including my friends and family. If you want to get the best results possible, you have to be using Shakeology as a meal replacement every day and combine it with a healthy diet and a workout program. I know for a fact that you will get results by doing all of these together because I have coached thousands of people over the course of 2 years, and the ones who have done this have gotten the best results!

#3:  Next, Beachbody just actually released new Challenge Packs that combine Shakeology, a workout program, and a free month’s Club Membership at a discount price for purchasing together.  So, once you purchase a Challenge Pack or reach all the requirements to join a group, email me at michellewhitley@gmail.com and I will pair you with other people who are going through the same program and have the same goals as you, create an exclusive team Facebook group, and then you will get started!

What will I need to do once I’m in a Challenge Group? The first thing that you will need to do is share your goals with everyone else in the group, including me. Once in the group, you will need to post daily that you’ve completed your workout, followed the diet, and ask any questions or provide support to the other group members. While going through your journey, you’re going to want to make sure you take progress photos every 15 days and post them in the group as well. This way you can show each other that you’re getting results and staying committed! If you want, you can hold certain challenge within your group as well, such as who loses the most weight during the 90 days.

Are there any prizes for being in a Challenge Group? YES! Beachbody will be giving away daily, monthly, quarterly, and even a grand prize of $100,000 for those with the best results. (learn more about these prizes on the Beachbody Challenge site). Plus, the one that excites me the most, is if I can get a certain number of people to join these challenge groups, which I think I will get FOR SURE, then I will be holding a personal conference call with my challenge groups, the CEO of Beachbody Carl Daikeler, and (drumroll please), the trainer of my choice, which OBVIOUSLY would be Tony Horton!
I’m confident that you’re not going to find a better way to get results than you would by being part of a Beachbody Challenge Group! Unlimited support, constant encouragement, friendly competition, and some added prizes will motivate you to commit yourself for the entire 60/90 days and get into the best shape of your life. I can’t wait to help you guys reach your goals and again, I can’t tell you how PUMPED I am to get these groups rolling! LET’S DO THIS!!!!

MESSAGE ME NOW: michellewhitley@gmail.com or Facebook Me!

I am super excited about the new Les Mills Pump program! I am currently putting together a challenge group.  You may be wondering what is a challenge group?? How does it work?? And I’m glad you asked because I’ve answered the most frequently asked questions  HERE.

Are you ready to engineer your perfect body?? This barbell-based, rapid weight loss and accelerated strength-training program can give you the tight, toned, and lean body you’ve always wanted in as little as 3 workouts per week!

The system includes your very own barbell and comes complete with a set of 2 5-lb. and 2 10-lb. weighted plates.

Exclusive FREE gift! Get the LES MILLS PUMP: CORE workout FREE when you purchase through your Team Beachbody® Coach or Team Beachbody. A $19.95 value.

Les Mills Pump + Shakeology + 30 Day Free-Trial of Club Membership

Discounted Price: $245

Your Challenge Pack also includes:

Your first 30-day supply of Shakeology®—The Healthiest Meal of the Day®, delivered through Home Direct, our autoship program that ensures timely delivery of Shakeology to your doorstep every month.*

A FREE 30-day trial membership in the Team Beachbody® Club, where you’ll find all the support you’ll need to complete your challenge.**†
Plus FREE Shipping!
Free Shipping Offer not available in AK, HI, U.S. Territories, or Canada.

Get the lean and toned body you’ve always wanted in as little as 3 workouts per week!

The LES MILLS PUMP Challenge Pack includes 7 fat-blasting, lean-muscle-building workouts that can reshape your body without bulking you up. The secret behind LES MILLS PUMP is THE REP EFFECT^™, which requires that you use lighter weights at a higher rate of repetition so you can burn up to 1,000 calories per workout and get leaner faster.

Here’s what your Challenge Pack includes:

7 Fat-Blasting, Lean-Muscle-Building Workouts:

• PUMP CHALLENGE. Start firing your muscles with fundamental resistance exercises that will give you visible results in no time. (20 minutes)
• PUMP AND BURN. Feel the burn with compound moves that work several muscles at once to scorch fat and calories. The bigger the burn, the bigger the results. (30 minutes)
• PUMP AND SHRED. Start shredding while you build endurance and churn through fat stores with each repetition. THE REP EFFECT^™ is in full effect here. (45 minutes)
• PUMP REVOLUTION. Drive your heart rate up with quick tempos and big moves like power presses and power lunges. This is calorie burning and lean muscle building at its best. (55 minutes)
• PUMP EXTREME. Weights won’t be the only thing lifted here as you focus on intensity and targeted muscle training in this extreme workout. (55 minutes)
• FLOW. Increase flexibility, decrease soreness, and improve your alignment as you stretch and lengthen your entire body. (20 minutes)
• HARD-CORE ABS. Carve out your core and define your back with moves that hit your muscles from every direction. It’s 360-degree training for your entire midsection. (20 minutes)
• Plus, PUMP BASICS. Learn how to assemble your barbell, adjust your weights, and get proper grip and stance techniques to get the most out of your LES MILLS PUMP workout program. (10 minutes)

Equipment to build your perfect body:

• Rep Effect^™ Barbell. The ultimate body-transformation tool that’s the secret weapon to accelerate your strength training and fat loss. This barbell is perfectly weighted and just the right size, so you get the most out of every workout. It also has a padded grip designed for comfort, and it’s easy to assemble and store.
• 2 5-lb. and 2 10-lb. Soft-Coated weight plates. Add intensity to your workouts by adjusting your weight load. These vinyl-coated plates double as hand weights and make it simple to create the ultimate body-shaping challenge.
• 2 Speed Safety clips. Designed for simple “snap and go” action, these clips securely hold the weight plates on the barbell so your body can make the most out of every rep. Easy to put on and take off during workouts.

Incredible tools to maximize your LES MILLS PUMP workout:

• Lean, Strong & Unstoppable Fitness Guide. Map out your 90-day transformation with this step-by-step guide. It includes a workout calendar, a chart to track your weights, and training guidelines to maximize results.
• Get Lean Nutrition Guide. Fire up your metabolism using this
  3-phase nutrition plan. With more than 50 delicious recipes and customizable meal plans, you’re on your way to big-time fat loss and a lean, strong body. Also, includes a 7-day jump-start program for quick results and brand-new “smoothie bar” Shakeology recipes.
• Tape measure and measurement tracker. Track your progress and watch the inches melt away through each phase of your LES MILLS PUMP transformation.

Exclusive Bonus Workout: LES MILLS PUMP: CORE

If you order The LES MILLS PUMP Challenge Pack on TeamBeachbody.com, you’ll receive LES MILLS PUMP: CORE DVD workout. A $19.95 value—FREE!

PLUS:

• A 30-Day Supply of Shakeology—The Healthiest Meal of the Day.*
  Simplify your nutrition with the convenient daily shake that helps you increase energy, become more regular, lose weight, and feel great. A combination of antioxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogens, and many other rare ingredients give your body the essential nutrients you can’t get from a normal diet. You get a salad bowl’s worth of fruits and vegetables in a single glass. 100% vegan option now available.^‡

PLUS:

FREE 30-Day Trial Membership in the Team Beachbody Club.^†
When you’re part of the Team Beachbody community, you have all the tools, support, and accountability you need to commit to a healthy lifestyle. Including:

• 10% discount on all purchases
• Meal plans personalized for your goals
• VIP access to your favorite trainers and Beachbody^® experts, including live chats, exclusive videos, nutrition tips, and delicious recipes
• Your own personal Coach for guidance and support
• Access to SuperGym^®, where you can win cash or prizes just for logging your workouts every day
• Message Boards and chat rooms to help you find new friends and workout partners, and get advice and support from the entire community

*With Shakeology Home Direct, you’ll receive this item every 30 days, shipped directly to your door and billed to the credit card you use today in the amount of $119.95 a month (or $129.95 a month for vegan Tropical Shakeology)—only about $4.00 a day!—which includes FREE shipping to your doorstep. You may cancel at any time to avoid future charges by calling Customer Service.

**After your first 30 days, you’ll be automatically billed to continue your Team Beachbody Club membership at a cost of $2.99 a week, billed $38.87 per quarter in advance to the credit card you provide today. You can cancel anytime to avoid future charges by calling Customer Service.

†Offer not valid for current paying Team Beachbody Club members.

^‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program or using any supplement or meal replacement product. Results may vary. Exercise and proper diet are necessary to achieve and maintain weight loss and muscle definition.

LES MILLS PUMP is a physically demanding home fitness program that requires proper and careful use of fitness equipment. Please consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program.

THE REP EFFECT^™ is a trademark of Les Mills International Limited and is used under license.

I read this post from one of my dear friends recently, Heatlhy Iva, and wanted to share with you guys as this has been a struggle of mine.

Let me tell you a little story.

About 4 years ago, I was an “anything goes” type of eater. Didn’t care what was in my food, didn’t think about ingredients or what the food was doing to my body – just ate whatever tasted the best. The only times I ever thought about what I was eating was if I was trying to go on a diet before spring break or some other event, and I’d just try whatever fad diet seemed cool at the time…which usually involved eating nothing but grapefruits and egg whites for a week. After the diet was over, I was always back to pizza and nachos without a second thought. Sound familiar?

In January of 2008, during lunch at In N’Out Burger, one of my friends said, “Do you want to go vegan for 30 days with me?”

“Um…nope,” I said, laughing, as I took another bite of juicy burger and fries.

She told me to read some book called “Skinny Bitch” and then decide. Sigh. Well, I had already read it before when my friend gave it to me…but I guess it didn’t impact me that much…so I agreed to read it again!

I read it, and it was the first time I had ever read anything about what’s really in my food, or how it affects my health. I felt like my eyes were pried open – and I needed to jump on the vegan bandwagon, like, immediately. So I did. From the day I cracked open the book, and for 6 straight months, I wouldn’t TOUCH an animal product, let alone a freaking burger (the horror!). I was extremely strict about it. Preachy too. Since I didn’t know much about real nutrition at that point, I was eating a lot of soy “meats” and fake cheese – just as long as I was 100% vegan, all was right with the world and I was eating the “right” way. I had tons of cravings that I ignored. I didn’t care, I was a VEGAN! If I felt unsatisfied or had low energy, I just filled up on more hummus and tofutti ice cream sandwiches. I wasn’t listening to my body. I was listening to my perfectionist mind.

Fast forward to summer time and I was going out of my way to be a strict vegan, even though it was beginning to feel exhausting. My friend made this beautiful 4th of July cake – it was her annual tradition and she said it was her favorite cake in the world. I cracked. I decided to have one small bite of it.

So I did. I broke the seal. I had a bite of cake. And another. And then a whole piece. And then later, I had a turkey & cheese sandwich. And more cake. And probably some bacon. On the way home from my friend’s house, I got McDonald’s chicken nuggets. No doubt about it. I had fully, shamefully relapsed, and I felt horrible about myself. I was a failure!

So what’s my point? This is not about veganism (I think veganism is totally fantastic when done in a healthy way…i.e. not guzzling soy milk and tofu dogs).

My point is this: So many of us fall into “eating perfectionism” – the mind trap of wanting to be perfect that takes us completely out of tune with our own intuition and our bodies. We beat ourselves up if we’re not eating in what we believe to be the most “perfect way.” Can you relate?

So let me break a few things down.

• Obviously, I’m not against trying out strict ways of eating – I think it’s great to omit certain things from your diet to see how you feel. It can change your life when you realize how great you feel without a certain food.
• Sometimes, an intense eating regimen is necessary (and awesome!) for cleansing, healing and thriving. You know I’m all about that.
• There is, however, a complete difference between embarking on a new eating plan to do research on yourself and get healthier VS. continuing to eat a certain way just because you think that one way is “the only right way”, regardless of how your body feels.
• See the difference? The issue is not in the way we’re eating. The issue is in the way we’re THINKING. MILITANT vs. curious and experimental. Curious and experimental is so much more fun.

Bottom line: Perfectionist eating BLOCKS intuitive eating.

I’m writing this post because I still struggle with eating perfectionism…but I’ve gotten so much better at noticing the difference. Especially after studying at IIN – I learned how to listen to my own body.

A recent example of intuitive eating: On my 3 Day Shakeology Cleanse, my perfectionist mind wanted to drink nothing but juice the whole day…but I was having trouble falling asleep because I was really hungry. My perfectionist mind would have said “don’t fail!” My intuition said to add a salad and fruit to the cleanse. I listened. I felt better. I slept better. The world didn’t end.

One of the issues with that vegan story is that I wasn’t gentle with the transition. I went 100% from the second I made the decision without giving myself any wiggle room. I didn’t give myself permission to say “it’s ok” if I wasn’t perfect every second. That’s a self-imposed dungeon.

If you relate to this, here are a few tips that work for me, to get myself more on the side of intuition:

• Figure out why you’re choosing this way of eating. Because you think it’s “the right way” to eat? Have you taken the time to slow down and figure out if it’s actually working for you? Do you feel good?
• Decide that you’re going to listen to how your body feels when you embark on new ways of eating, and if it doesn’t feel good, give yourself permission to change it.
• Think of all new ways of eating as “research” rather than a strict sentence.
• Give yourself transition time and wiggle room. Even if you passionately want to remove sugar or dairy from your diet, don’t flip out on yourself if you have it once in awhile. In fact, sometimes having a little bit of the “forbidden foods” will just remind you of why you don’t want to eat them. I feel that way about sugar. I don’t eat it most of the time, and when I do have some, it makes me feel so crappy that I’m like“Great! Nice research. I don’t feel good on sugar. Good reminder.”
• Whatever way you choose to eat, make sure it’s pleasurable!! Life is about enjoying yourself. Food included. There are so many ways to eat a clean diet that is full of pleasure and bliss. Find what works for you. Don’t torture yourself.
• Only follow a set of “food rules” if it makes sense to you – intellectually, physically, intuitively. If your first thought is “I would be miserable eating that way!” that’s probably not your best bet right now.
• If you’re giving up something, and you’re totally committed, great! Just make sure that commitment makes you feel excited and thrilled not oppressed and chained down. A good commitment should feel like freedom. Whenever I go on a cleanse or try a new eating plan, I check myself. Am I excited about this or does it feel forced? If I’m not excited, I chuck the idea.

I’d love to hear how you guys feel about eating perfectionism. How does it show up in your life? Any good tips for cutting yourself some mental slack and permission not to be a food nazi?

Hope you enjoy this delicious kale chip recipe that I sort of made my own.  If you didn’t know, I have recently begun a not-so-secret love affair with kale…the beautiful cruciferous vegetable (if you wanna get technical), that is…after a visit with my good friend Healthy Iva.  While visiting her beautiful home in California, she introduced me to her “sexy salad”–the base ingredient of the salad being kale. And this is where the misty-eyed romance started for me.

So I’ve been having my sexy salad everyday….seriously. But I’m headed out on a roadtrip this weekend and needed a way I could take my kale with me. I’ve always heard people talking about kale chips but have never attempted to make them. After baking some last night, I don’t know why I have been holding out on trying this for so long because they are DELICIOUS!!

Kale after it's been trimmed from the stem

So here’s my Kale Chip Recipe:

Wash the kale really good and blot dry with a paper towel. Tear leaves into medium size pieces. Place the leaves in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

(Here’s where my kale chip recipe gets “experimental.”  I don’t measure things, I just mix together. So you might have to play around with ingredients and amounts to get your own mixture right.)

I make my own dressing to put on my sexy salads and I LOVE it. So I thought, why not use it for my kale chips as well.

SCORE.

You may not need all of this dressing for the kale chips but here’s how I make mine–

• 1/2 cup of EVOO
• a couple splashes of red wine vinegar
• a couple splashes of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• a sprinkle of seasoned salt

SHAKE or STIR until mixed well.

Massage the leaves with the dressing and lay flat on the cookie sheet. There’s no scientific way to do this, just use your hands!

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until leaves are crisp but not brown. Keep a close eye on them though because they brown easily.

Hope you enjoy this kale chip recipe and please let me know what you think.

Just in case you’ve been living on Mars for the past 6 or 7 years I’ll give you a little background on P90X (P90 Extreme). As a matter of fact I’ve heard that even Mars has infomercials!  But for the rest of you, here’s a very brief history. It is arguably the hottest weight loss and home fitness system available today. It was created by Tony Horton and Carl Daikeler, Steve Edwards and nutritionist Carrie Wyatt. Both Carl and Steve are with the company, Beachbody.

What does P90X cost?

The  system consists of 12 DVDs and P90X cost about $120. It includes the DVDs , the 3 phase nutrition plan, fitness guide and the “How To Bring It” bonus DVD.  You should always be sure to buy either from Beachbody or from your independent Team Beachbody coach.  There is a large quantity of black market or bootleg copies of p90x available on Ebay, Craigslist and other sites.

However, many of these are counterfeit and do not include the whole program such as the nutrition guide, workout guide, or the support of your team beachbody coach and often times have DVDs that don’t function properly as they have been burned.

In contrast with most of the supplements and diet pills you see advertised, P90X doesn’t promise effortless weight loss.  It promises three months of perspiration and pain.

What is P90X?

This home exercise system consists of a very rigorous, segmented training regimen combined with a dietary supplement plan and a nutrition plan. It is built around a method of cross-training that Tony calls “muscle confusion.” It is achieved by alternating the order of exercises and by incorporating varied movements.

According to Horton, P90X was developed for people who were somewhat fit but want to take their exercise to the next level. The exercise part of P90X is built around 12 different workouts based on “periodization” or “muscle confusion.” The workouts consist of strength training, yoga, plyometrics, stretching, boxing and cardio. The program requires exercise six days a week in 13-week cycles.

There are three different paths you can take within the program that are named “classic,” “lean” and “doubles.” You select the path you wish to take for yourself based on your personal goals. Most of the workouts require less than an hour. However, one of them, the abdominal workout (called the “ab ripper”) is done three times a week after six of the rotating workouts and adds about 15 minutes to each of them.

What you need for the workouts

One of the best things about the P90X program is that it doesn’t require a lot of expensive exercise equipment. All you will need is dumbbells, an exercise mat, pull-up bar for the strength-training exercises, a sturdy chair and possibly yoga blocks for the yoga exercises. If you can’t use weights or a pull-up bar for some reason, you can substitute resistance bands.

In the event that you would like to purchase everything you could possibly need to complete P90X, you could purchase the Peak Results Package.  Then accompanying the standard system you also get a chin-up bar, jump mat, a month supply of results and recovery formula, and three resistance bands of differing strengths.

The nutritional component

The nutrition part of P90X has three phases. During the first 30 days, the emphasis is on higher protein and lower carbs. Its purpose is to help users understand the relationship between energy and carbohydrates.

The second nutritional phase increases the percentage of carbs in the diet and decreases the amount of protein. The final, third phase is a higher carb diet that’s sometimes called the athlete’s diet. You progress through these phases as you go through the program until the end of the third program at which time you will be in the “athletes” phase.

Not for everyone

While Beachbody, the company behind P90X, has reported product sales of $430 million, it has discovered that the program is not for everyone. In fact, Beachbody has many other programs now for the elderly, teens and even a faith-based program. There is also a less intense version of another program by Tony Horton called Power90.

So if you would love to lose weight and get fit, but don’t feel you can handle the requirements of P90X, you can relax. Beachbody already has many other programs that can help you achieve your goals no matter what your current level of fitness may be.

People are all the time asking me about meal replacement shakes for weight loss in their new healthy routine.  Everybody does need to have some sort of option for a quick meal on-the-go or as you’re running out the door in the morning.   Obviously, there are a ridiculous number of products on the market.  And thanks to some clever marketing by health and fitness companies, the information is chaotic and confusing at best.  So what I am attempting to demystify this and make a solid recommendation (although completely biased ) on what product you should purchase if you are serious about using a meal replacement shake to help you lose weight.

First let’s take a look at the standard Whey Protein Shake

Off the shelf Protein from ABC Nutrition Store

Now let’s take a look at a true meal replacement shake for weight loss!

Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better!

While on Facebook today, I came across this quote and it really spoke to me. So many times I read quotes and it touches me but today was different. It sparked visual realizations…and I want to share it with you.

We all go through hard times in our life. We all have struggles. Some more than others, but we have all experienced it. And I can think of situations where I just wished it was easier…the situation….life.

But reflecting on the difficult times in my life, I realize now that some of the biggest blessings in my life have come from struggle and pain. I thank God that He has brought me through the hard times and for the lessons I’ve learned.

A couple of things in particular came to my mind immediately. The first is my 6 year old son. For several years of my early adulthood, in a quest to find MY way, I made many decisions that caused major hardships, not only for myself but for my family and my friends. And I learned that the personal decisions we make, good or bad, not only affect us but others as well.

For years I had floated in and out of a lifestyle that continually sucked me back in time and time again. I experienced and witnessed things that I wouldn’t wish on anyone! The life changer was getting pregnant. I made a decision very early in my pregnancy that I would NOT subject my child to the lifestyle in which I was living. I wanted better for him than I’d been doing for myself. But in order to do that I had to better myself.

This post could get REALLY long if I laid out all the details from that point. However, in an effort not to drag this out, I will just say that my life has only gotten better from that point. Am I saying there haven’t been other struggles and pain in my life? Absolutely not!

Which brings me to the other blessing I want to share with you. As a result of the tumultuous lifestyle I lived for so long, there were mental and psychological scars left that I wasn’t aware of for a long time. Because of the upward turn my life had taken, I felt I had every reason to be happy, grateful and thankful. I really didn’t even feel I deserved the blessings that had been bestowed upon me!

At a time in my life when I’d been blessed with an amazing husband, 3 bonus sons, and 2 biological sons, was able to stay home with my children, I still dealt with depression, self-doubt, and lack of self-confidence. I couldn’t understand it but I knew that I wanted it to change. And the first place I knew to start was losing weight. I thought maybe that was the reason I felt so bad all the time.

I have discussed my journey in detail before so I won’t rehash it in its entirety. But for those who may be new to find my blog, I was a size 16 when I started trying to lose weight. Searching for the thing that would give me the results that I ultimately desired, I came across P90X and had amazing results. I have lost about 50 pounds, dropped almost 20% body fat and for the first time ever in my adult life wear a size 6.

Has the physical transformation been amazing? Yes it has. But more importantly are the changes that have taken place on the inside. THAT is what has made this such a life-changing experience for me!

I had times I didn’t know that I could do it. I had times I wanted to quit. But the desire for CHANGE outweighed the desire to quit! I didn’t want to just continue going through the motions of pretending everything was great. I really wanted to EXPERIENCE the greatness that my life could be!

An added blessing is the opportunity to PAY IT FORWARD!! Becoming a Team Beachbody coach has not only helped me achieve physical results with my body, it has also allowed me to connect with others who encourage me to be the best person that I can be. It has taught me to strive for personal growth and development daily. It has allowed me the opportunity to help other people achieve success which is so fulfilling! And it has allowed me to earn an income which helps my family….all without having to give up my full-time mother status. I am able to take my boys to school every day, participate in school activities, pick them up from school and I’m not left stressed out when I have a sick child who can’t go to school.

I am SO thankful for the hard times I’ve experienced in my life! And when the hard times come, may my attitude always be “Don’t wish it were easier, wish I was better!“

We had the pleasure of Tommy Mygrant coming down from Ohio to Middle GA to share with us the solution for ending the trend of obesity.

Tommy has had amazing success with P90X and that one decision to change HIS life has in turn changed thousand’s of lives!! I want to share a short video of Tommy’s transformation followed by what he shared with us!

There’s NO reason to feel like you have to combat your weight loss alone!! I love this equation Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Success!

Join us at Team Beachbody and help us END THE TREND!!

Today I shot a little video while driving down the road!

I know, probably not the safest thing to do for sure.  But it was a long, straight stretch of road!!  And I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about this subject.

Hope you enjoy it.

Let’s face it, everyone’s household budget is tight. I know everyone worries about money and finances. With all the demands on their budget, most people just decide that a fitness trainer is far out of reach for them. The sad thing is that being physically fit means more than just how you look; being fit means being healthy. Exercising does more than shed pounds, it works the heart, lungs, muscles, and nourishes your brain.

But if you can’t truly hire a fitness trainer, what are you supposed to do? You can of course join a gym and work out there or try to exercise at home, but often these efforts fall short without the guidance of a good fitness trainer. You may not be pushing yourself or you may be pushing too hard in which case you’re likely to injure yourself. And of course if you’re not following a good plan, you won’t see the results you’re looking for.

So, this begs the question…how then can you hire a fitness trainer without paying $60/hr.? Let’s take a look at how I solved this problem for myself.  A great way to have a professional fitness trainer in your home inexpensively is to purchase a Beachbody program that has been designed by professional fitness trainers and nutritionists.

This might be the Slim in 6 program by Debbie Siebers, the P90X program by Tony Horton, or my personal favorite the Insanity program by Shaun T.  All of these programs are designed for rapid weight loss and muscle toning that is done safely and effectively.

Why should you consider these types of programs over the cheap DVD’s you can buy at wal-mart or target? Because most of these DVD programs are not designed by a fitness trainer but instead feature a particular celebrity. Most celebrities have very little knowledge of what it takes to get in shape…think about it…they pay the most expensive personal trainers on planet Earth to help them get in shape.

But those celebrity workout DVD sets sell because someone recognizes their name. Or they may see how fit this celebrity is and reason that they can get that way by following their instructions. In reality a program that features a celebrity is rarely as effective as one designed by a real trainer with real education in fitness, nutrition, muscle conditioning, interval training and so on.

Remember all of the Beachbody programs are designed  by fitness professionals and are written so that you follow a particular program of fitness and nutrition.  These programs are not just boring, repetitive exercise videos. They’re meant to work your body in a particular way so that you see maximum results but with less risk of injury or damage.

Following a program such as those available through Beachbody will mean losing the weight in a safe way and I promise you will be in the best shape of your life.  Look at the picture at the top of this page, those are my real before and after photos…those are the same pants in both pictures.  I can personally attest to the impact of a Beachbody program.

So if you want a fitness trainer in your home, why not consider investing in a Beachbody program?

I’d love to answer your questions, so use my contact page to send me yours.  You’ll be glad you did!  And I’ll be your coach every step of the way!