Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Are Green Smoothies Good?

2012-02-09T10:42:15-08:00

If you ask my client, Leigh, green smoothies sure are good! She's been with PNP for a long time but recently decided her vegetable intake really had to improve to get the results she wants. I applaud her because she is like so many of you that she just doesn't "like" them.

Amazing right? Someone who hates vegetables will drink green drinks???

I am CRAZY obsessvie about my PNP members eating their vegetables. When I do food journal review on the member site, I'm constantly on their rears about FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Not only is it HEALTHY but it makes you feel full. When your body gets the nutrients it wants, THEN it craves craptastic food A LOT LESS.

Leigh started asking me questions in our private forums about green smoothies. I told her about Shakeology but she was more interested in making her own smoothies to drink with food.

As you know, I'm a big fan of my shakes because they are loaded with nutrients while tasting like a Frosty, BUT I am a BIGGER FAN of my clients being healthy in anyway they can do it!

We did some research and developed a nice thread full of information about how to start with making green smoothies. Over the past few weeks Leigh has gone from almost no vegetables to a blending machine! She loves it and I'm so proud of her for taking control of her health.

Here's what she wrote in our Beachbody thread (she's a Brazil Butt Lift girl) and check out this SWEET picture!!!

So I went shopping tonight for green smoothie goodies and I went all out. I haven't figured out exactly how much I need each week yet so I ran out again before the week was over. The lady checking me out wasn't even sure what a couple of them were which I didn't before starting green smoothies :)

Here is a pic to show everyone what I bought because anyone that knows me at all, knows I suck at eating veggies! Bring on the green smoothies!

Leigh represents someone who doesn't "go from Big Mac to broccoli overnight." She kept trying things and found something she can mix into her life. I hope this inspires you to look at how you can bump your own nutrition a little. Make your own smoothies or try what I drink, Shakeology; it doesn't matter. The point is we all have to start somewhere.

To top it off, she's even inspired many of us to add spinach to our Shakeology! We got girls blending away on PNP. I bet if we ask nicely she will comment on the blog a recipe or two???

Starting a Trend

2012-02-07T07:19:33-08:00

Beachbody's motto is End the Trend (of Obesity) and I like that. It's one reason I choose them for videos and such because I wanted to be associated with things whose focus is to help people experience better lives. It's why I lost over 100lbs - my life was terrible. I was unhealthy, sad most of the time, and so tired with life due to my weight.

Don't get me wrong that losing weight makes you happy. Learning to take care of yourself, prioritizing you life, and learning that food doesn't "fix" things is what made me happy. Being a healthy weight is a nice side effect.

Today I want to talk about something we all can do. I don't want to just end a trend; I like to think we are all starting trends. My friend Jennie and I are co-leading an amazing group of women at our church and school called the Happy Healthy Holy Ladies.

January 1, 2012 this group started two initiatives: to walk or run the Country Music Half Marathon in April and enter a Biggest Loser competition. Jennie and I were thinking we would have a few ladies join us because we love sharing how to change FAMILIES lives.

We are over 90 strong on our closed Facebook group with a huge number of these ladies doing either the Biggest Loser or the Country Music Half Marathon. This picture is just a few of us who braved rain to do a 5K this past weekend. I'm on the far left sporting a HAWT trash bag.

I also run my webiste www.phit-n-phat.com. It's a private social community with training, education, support, forums, and programs designed to help women become healthy, hot, and Phabulous. I love it because for almost five years now I've watched women lose weight, but more importantly, share this lifestyle with people they love. This is a PNP client and new Beachbody Coach Emily and her husband. This post Les Mills Body Attack at 6am. She's lost over 30lbs and inspires so many of her friends. I just love this girl.

That's what it is all about for me. I want to see people truly change and see that life is worth having. People should feel the thrill of...

Crossing finish lines they never thought possible with a smile on their mouth and eyes full of tears.
Looking in their grocery cart and so proud of the food they snap a picture for me and post on my Facebook page.
Putting on a pair of pants they bought months ago and realizing they can't wear them...they lost too much weight.
Watching their kids choose fruits and vegetables because it's how Mom eats.
Catching their husband eye a new butt while unloading the dishwasher.
Having THEIR friends ask if THEY can help them.

This is starting trends. When you see how your change is effecting the lives around you it brings you a pride that the scale can't give you. THAT'S what I want for all of you and why I dedicate so much of my life to PNP and Beachbody.

Some people think I'm crazy for the amount of time I spend online in my forums, answering quetions, and just being there for people when they aren't ready to believe in their potential. I think I'm selfish.

Honestly, I'm blessed each day to spend my time helping others find a life I love. There's nothing more enjoyable to me than health and fitness and I get to do that every day. My hobby is my passion and my passion is my job.

So, I want to thank all my clients, my Beachbody Coaches, my Happy Healthy Holy Ladies, and my friends and family who decided my lifesytle was a trend-setter. All of you are the next Queen.

I'm closing with what inspired this blog. A client posted this in our PNP forum. She's in her 50's and just in the last year really decided she needed to lead a healthy lifestyle. She's lost weight, fitting in sizes she never thought possible, lifting weights after starting from ground zero, and just a joy to work with. It made me proud to know that paying it forward is alive and well. She's changing people with a simple change in pot luck dinners.

"I now bring something healthy to the church pot lucks. People go for the good food if it's there for them. In fact, we're starting a trend. We had more vegetarian and healthy foods tonight than not."

Will Weightloss Make Me Happy?

2012-02-06T05:02:00-08:00

In our PNP Beachbody February Team Forum we had someone talk about how the TLC show "The 600lb Woman" really got to her. Even though she doesn't that much weight to lose, she felt her pain when she went from 600 to 157lbs but still faced the same mental issues. She still wasn't happy.

I think all of us go through the process of "when I reach X weight THEN I will be happy." Doesn't it just seem like if were thin life would be easy. I know from experience that the what the scale says and what size you wear really doesn't make you happy. Sure, it's nice to not have your weight be up but trust me, if you don't love your life that number isn't going to make the shit around you smell better.

Below is what I responded to my girls talking about this. Hope it makes some sense and I hope you all in our team support group will keep chatting about this. It's key to future success...and happiness.

It is true that reaching a certain weight or size isn't what brings you happiness. I don't know the answer, but my thoughts are when you look at your life and WHY you are unhappy, the weight is typically a symptom of the bigger issue.

You might be unhappy because you don't face problems (you stuff them down and cope with food leading to those extra pounds), you allow people to run over you (allowing YOU to run over YOU in the process), etc.

I mean most of us gained weight because there were things and situations in life that forced us into behaviors of unhealth. When those things are fixed usually our focus on our health can be, too.

Do You Need Exercise Accountability?

2012-02-03T04:54:25-08:00

Losing weight is hard enough, but add onto that trainers like me who actually expect you to go from the couch to exercising on a consistent basis makes some people think we must be smoking dope. I understand it because when I weighed 250lbs exercise sucked. It hurt, I was always sore, I didn't like making time for it, and for years and years I saw myself find ANY REASON to quit.

I was obese for a long time. From nine until thirty I weighed anywhere from 175lbs to 250lbs. There were times I got my act together for a bit. But, it seemed it never took long for me to...

Get sick - fall off the wagon.
Work late one night - three weeks before I thought about the gym.
Someone "need me" in their moment of crisis - dinner out and bam - why try after a plate of nachos.
My kid not feeling me being away - I'm a mom and he needs me so another couple of months of half-assed efforts.

I finally decided to do something about it and started exercising. Granted, my only accountability seven years ago was crying to my husband in a bad moment "I have to do this." My life was miserable and I was not a good mom or wife feeling drained, tired, lazy, and bad about myself.

My husband is the kind of man who stepped UP and said, "I will watch Logan (after a long day at work), you NEED this." This makes me one blessed girl.

I'm not a superwoman but timing just happened to be right for me. For most people it doesn't work that way. You aren't strong enough to MAKE YOURSELF do it. Hell, I had years and years I wasn't strong enough.

Looking at the women I work with now on Phit-N-Phat.com and the Happy Healthy Holy Ladies at our school, I see all kinds of terrific accountability measures being put in place. I LOVE IT. They have things I didn't have but was fortunate enough to overcome.

Texting
On PNP my private clients really get to know and support each other as "online friends." We have one challenge group this month called the Five Times a Week Exercisers. They've committed to showing up and getting their workouts done. It's so cute how they decided to start a morning text chain. Each person has a buddy and when you get your text it's virtural go TIME. They meet back in the forums later to report what they did. I LOVE READING their cheering each other on to fat loss glory!

Friends Doing Contests
I am co-leading a Biggest Loser challenge of nearly 50 women at our school and church. Many are walking their first half-marathon at the end of the contest. Led by me, they rely on each to show up for training and my motivational speech and lesson each week.

When they pass each other in the hall they have lots of eyes and voices keeping them focused on their goals. It's been a beauitful thing to watch as we progress together to month two. It all started because one teacher, my friend Jennie, cared enough about them to ask me if I could help.

Challenge Groups
Each month I lead Facebook Challenge Groups for Beachbody clients of mine. They all work together, post motivation, and have a coach like me to get them moving and answering their training and nutrition questions.

I also lead small groups of people who have 8-10 friends who all want to lose weight and don't know where to start. Well, I do, and if you have the friends, I have the time and Beachbody videos and plans y'all can all use TOGETHER.

And, I think that's the key in this day and age. There are so many ways to find and get accountability. If you look around and don't have it in your "real" life you can find it online. But, sometimes it is right in front of your face. The question is are you willing to use it?

Always feel free to post questions or ask me to help you lead your small groups. I've got ways. Muwahahahah!!!! We just have to find the one that you can use.

Food Prepping for the Family

2012-01-31T06:38:01-08:00

We have a two menu related challenge teams for February: the Food Preppers and the Shakeology Menu team. Their mission this month is to focus on being prepared through the week with food prepped, coolers packed, and no excuses on being caught without something healthy to eat and cook for dinner. A member posted this...

Good morning ladies! Yesterday I did some prepping but I didn't have baggies to weigh and protion my food. So on the to do list is to buy lots of baggies.!!!!

I told my kids they can eat my portioned food but they have to let me know what they are taking so I don't run out. Prepping is going to be intense if I'm prepping for 4 people! Fun stuff.

I remember when I started the food prep stage of my weightloss journey; I was getting ready to compete and it was right after Logan was diagnosed. Since I was putting him on a special diet and I was on a competition diet, I literally went from nothing to prepping Queen overnight.

Often I talk about the mental mind blow competing did, but one thing it CHANGED for me and was invaluable in my keeping off 100lbs (not to mention teaching other ladies to lose their weight) was being prepared with my food.

That first year of competing and Logan's diagnosis I learned quickly I HAD to be prepared or WE WOULD FAIL. As odd as it seems, I felt his life was on the line and there was no assing around about food prep. He wasn't in true danger but it felt that way for sure. We were cutting gluten and caesin and just about everything had to be homemade. This was way before gluten free was easy to find.

What I found and put into our lifestyle is that when I take time on Sunday to prepare my whole family for the week our week goes smooth. Logan has less fits because I'm not making craptastic drive-thru runs because we are "soooo busy." My husband gets home earlier because he has his snacks and Shakeology meals at work. He often works through lunch with his shake rather than going out. This keeps him from staying until 6pm every night. I keep my weight in check and NAG LESS because I'm not pissed at what I ate today because I didn't have anything ready.

I can't tell you how many fights I've avoided with the family just because I'm not feeling bad about what I ate. My clients who don't prep and end up eating junk often are the ones who end up aruging with their kids and husbands. Personally, I think the food they choose is not only physically making them feel bad but MENTALLY lowering their self-esteem.

So, back to prepping for the family. Each week when I get home from the store I do several things:

1. I make all of my lunches and put them in Ziploc containers. It's like my own Lean Cuisine but healthier. Pop in the microwave and ready to eat each day. I work from home but when I do need to be out it pops right into my cooler!

2. I pre-portion and bag all chips (yes, we do keep chips here), nuts, peanut butter, cereal, etc. I try to always break-down all the foods for two reasons: it's easy for Logan to grab a snack bag out of the drawer and it shows DADDY what a dang portion looks like! And, truth be told, I'm as guilty as anyone of eating out of a bag or jar. A portioned bag/cup slows me down because it reminds me how many calories it is and begs the question "is it worth it?"

3. All fruits and veggies get washed, cut, and bagged. I cook dinner most nights now, but I used to pre-cook our dinners because I didn't have a quick system in place. Now I've learned how to get the basics all done for the week so that when it's time to toss together our meal it takes about 20 min. max. I can check email while it cooks! If we are having chicken fajitas all I have to do is toss the prepped peppers and onion bag in the skillet, the chicken I sliced up in, and microwave a bag of brown rice.

The key for me is to just look at what we plan to eat, all of us, and make it as grab-proof and simple as possible. It makes the week so much simpler. And, when I make menus for my Shakeology clients, I craft the weekly menu with the prep instructions. It's helped them lose a lot of weight because someone paid it forward with their tips.

Makes me feel good to know that the lessons I learned during one of the most difficult years of my life is paying off for so many. :)

PNP Site Membership Changes

2012-01-30T11:20:45-08:00

This message went out to all members registered on the site but I also wanted to post here for everyone's information!

A message to all members of Phit-N-Phat

Startng today, Jan. 30, 2012, I am taking the PNP website to a private, exclusive member community.

If you are a free member of the www.phit-n-phat.com fitness and healthy lifestyle community, your member status will be on hold (but not deleted). You will only be able to view the main page but none of the forums, videos, or other resources.

If you would like more information on what a private member receives, please visit this link. Membership is only $9.95 a month. You will have the tools you have seen along with books, training plans, menus, and more.

Should you not want to a be a member you can continue to read my blog or follow me on Facebook. Both of these places you can hear my message and ask questions.

For my CURRENT PRIVATE MEMBERS, you may or may not have a time this week where you can't log in. DON'T PANIC! Just email me at corinne@phit-n-phat.com so I can flip a switch for you. It's where I couldn't match up a record or something technically silly.

Thanks for following me and supporting me as we transition the site to a more exclusive and private place on the internet.

Thanks,

Corinne Crabtree

Women's Tough Mudder Training

2012-01-28T13:15:24-08:00

As you know I recently did the Janurary Tough Mudder in Phoenix (and a 1/2 marathon the next day with my crazy friend Kathy). While it's fresh in my head, I wanted to blog how I trained to get in some of the strongest shape of my life!

The idea was to train as functional as I could because most of the race you are running to an obstacle, completing it, then running again. I'll put down what I did and how I am tweaking that for my next one in September.

I set up a three month plan starting mid-October. Each month I trained a little different leading up to the race weekend.

Month One: I used this month to focus on running and strength. Using Chalene Extreme (I was in the middle so I was in the PUSH phase) for my heavy lifting, I lifted M-W-F. I liked her program a lot but really like it because her strength focuses a lot on single leg moves, core and legs. T, Th, and S I would run. One day was sprints, then a 4-6 mile tempo style run, and a long run each week.

Each short run I would end with some kind of bodyweight circuit that had jump roping in it for 20 min., or a routine 3-4x8 sets of Barbell Complexes with 6 exercises (Deadlift, Upright Row, Push Press, Squat, Bentover Row, Push Ups).

On my strength days I almost always did an additional circuit video or ab video from the series (I was testing stuff for my clients).

Workouts were about an hour long except for the long runs which are normally 6-10 miles.

Month Two: I finished the Chalene Extreme series this month. This month was the LEAN stage and it was quite the workout with more bodyweight moves and core work. Again, I did these M-W-F.

I changed my runs this month to be on M and W after the strength workout and I just did 2-3 mile smaller but faster runs.

T and Th I changed to doing a mix of either Insanity or Asylum from Shaun T. These videos focus more on plyometrics and Asylum, especially, has tons of sports drills. He also adds pull ups to the mix.

During my long run this month, I started adding in my own obstacles. For a few miles in the middle I would hop of the treadmill and do 1-2 minutes of a portion of Asylum's Game Time. I'd run and watch the video and when they did something that looked Tough Mudder good, I hopped off and did it with them, then back on running.

Month Three: I started P90X2 Foundation Phase. This backs off the strength and adds in a ton of functional movement. The foundation phase works core, push ups, pull ups, stability ball, and plyometrics. I went with the training as is written except I didn't take but one off day.

I also kept the long run with Game Time from Asylum. On the more recovery type days from X2 I put in my runs. M-W-F was the more functional strength videos (Full Body, Plyometrics, Balance and Power) with misc. stretching DVDs I have), T-Th was Core and Yoga/Mobility and Recovery with running, and S was always long run day with Asylum.

The next TM I will do more long runs with some Barbell Complexes. I will probably group 3 exercises and do those (1 body weight like a pull up or push up variation, 1 compound barbell move, 1 moving plank style exercise). Most of the obstacles have you crawling or climbing.

I will also have one day a week where I do some sprints but also mix in leaping type work. Maybe some long stride work and bounding. You need this! LOL.

This next race I will also train for just 8 weeks as long as my running base for a long run is 6-8 miles.

I hope that helps and feel free to ask questions if you are thinking of doing one these.

...But I Do It Anyway

2012-01-22T23:48:00-08:00

One of my brilliant girls on PNP posted this in our forums today and I HAD TO SHARE!

I had a good chuckle with a co-worker of mine that I've known for years, and we've done Weight Watchers on and off together, walked at lunch together, etc.

She is engaged to a personal trainer and is currently trying to lose some weight before her wedding at the end of the year. Anyhow, we always get together to talk about our fitness and diets and she knew I was starting the Beachbody Home Body Pump program. Anyhow, I told her yesterday that I stepped on the scale and nothing had changed, and I was like "what the heck?"

Then I laughed because, you know, I only started the program THIS WEEK! We both laughed because, like me, she lacks patience when it comes to seeing progress when we start something and we both know how ridiculous it is to look for results just a few days after STARTING a program! I told her that I KNOW BETTER than to step on the scale just a few days after starting but I do it anyway.

That got me thinking about all the things that I "know better than" to do, but I do them anyway. So I thought I'd write them out here. Maybe I should work on stopping these behaviors, since they do NOTHING to help me!

I know better than to...

step on the scale after just a few days of starting a program and expect to see results, but I do it anyway.
step on the scale after a bad food day/weekend, but I do it anyway
do a workout when my body is screaming that it needs to rest, but I do it anyway
go on a binge after making one bad food choice, thinking that I just screwed up my plan so I'll just give in and start over tomorrow allowing myself to eat junk the rest of the night, but I do it anyway
push myself to continue doing something that doesn't allow an injury to heal or makes it worse, but I do it anyway
look at myself naked and only focus on the flaws, and bad talk myself, but I do it anyway
go swimsuit or jeans shopping and think that I will end up in as good of a mood as I left in, but I do it anyway
to look for easy ways to lose weight, but I do it anyway
think that I can eat foods I don't really like and make it a "lifestyle", but I do it anyway
do a half-as*ed workout when I know I should be giving it everything I've got, but I do it anyway

I gotta wonder why I continue to do these things, when I KNOW BETTER. Is it sabotaging myself? Is it to purposefully make myself feel bad so that I have an excuse to continue bad behaviors or choices? I'm not really sure. But, I think I'm going to make a more conscious effort to stop doing these things that I know better than to do.

I just thought this was like all of us. Who hasn't done all or most of these things? I still do them!

If you ask me we get into the habit of these behaviors and we do them anyway because we don't do the opposite...EVEN WHEN WE DON'T WANT TO. Many times we have to do the opposite and remind ourselves why we are allowing ourselves some love. At first it sounds "stupid" and then eventually it becomes easier, life is easier, and we wonder why we didn't act like this the whole time.

Energy and Endurance Pre-Workout Formula Review

2012-01-20T14:53:00-08:00

Since a lot of you are interested in the Energy and Endurance Pre-Workout drink, I wanted to review it here!

You drink it prior to your workout. I typically drink any pre-workout before starting my workout. If I drink it, hit the treadmill for a 10 min. warm-up it's starting to kick-in during the good part of the workout. You need a 20-min. lead time for the juices to be flowing.

What I Noticed...

I didn't get jittery! That's a huge plus. I've used Jack3d, BSN's products, and a host of others and most get me sort of wired rather than focused. This didn't. I just noticed in the workout I started to feel really into it. The only other product I've drank that was an amazing pre-workout was Evogen but it tastes like medicine. Great effect but expensive ($50 a jar) and a whooping bad taste.

I also noticed I was doing more in the workout. My body is still recovering this week from my Tough Mudder and Half Marathon, but I ran three miles today each mile getting faster. Then I did Les Mills Pump and Burn to work with clients. I used the weight the guys were using in the video but I am pretty strong. (Just know the chest is still weak and it about killed me! LOL). Then I hit shoulders with Tony Horton's One on One Diamond Delts. I made myself stop because I was sort of just into my workouts.

Now, I can't say it was all the EE stuff, but I did notice I was just giddy up to workout.

The other effect is it killed my appetite. Now, this might sound great but I'm a big believer in proper eating post-workout. I had to make myself drink my Shakeology and eat my toast and that's a FIRST. I adore my shakes!!!

A few hours later my appetite came back and, true to form, once it came back it I was really hungry because I ended up underfueld. My advice is to just schedule your post-workout shake and meal an hour or two later if you run into the hungries later because you weren't ready to eat.

What I didn't like...

It isn't a fabulous taste but I have honestly never had one that was. This didn't disappoint me. It was more of an FYI - just drink it because you want a great workout and not a devine liquid experience. It's a lemon-lime flavor. It reminded me of lemonade.

That's my review. I think it's a winner! Ask questions if you got them!

Winners of Our Holiday Hustle!

2012-01-18T15:20:16-08:00

We ran an eight week contest through the holidays at PNP and we had some winners! Believe it or not, my girls proved that you can lose weight and make it through Christmas. And, they also went into the year with some good motivation and support to keep making great things happen.

Our winning team was Jane's Jewels. They didn't have it easy. Lots of unfortunate events struck this team but they hung in there, kept changing their plans to fit their life rather than taking life in the butt, and they supported each other.

Many of them lost weight but most of them learned a lot about who they are and want to be. A few of their comments...

"I finally found a good place, stopped over-thinking and just "doing."

"I learned to not cope with family drama by eating or drinking wine!"

"I was very consistent this holiday season and avoided binges."

Our overall champion was Ms. Emily K!!! She lost 11lbs and 4 inches through Christmas y'all! I have to say, she is one of my best cheerleaders on the site. She is a hard worker hitting a hybrid of Turbo Fire and Chalene Extreme, is a DEVOUT fan of Shakeology, but more than just what she does, she gives back to the community.

Emily really embodies what it takes to lose weight. She is making it a part of her being. Not only does she plan her day but she offers encouragement, advice, shares her ups and downs, and stays dialed into the people who understand her journey.

I can't express to you how important that part of your fatloss is: the support you have around you. Emily makes sure that she is not spending her time with people or things that distract her from her goal. She makes the time for getting her social and personal circle on board.

When I was losing weight and throughout maintenance my KEY factor has been creating a life that breathes the kind of body and mind I want. You want to be positive; cut the drama-llama friends in your life. You want to be healthy and fit; don't keep going to lunch with someone who eats Chinese Buffet every day. It's really a key part of the game and it's one YOU control.