ZERO Motivation

I'm just like you...some days I have zero motivation (like today). I wish I could say it is  because I am so busy doing super fun things that I just don't have time to workout. Unfortunately it is because I am tired and just want to sleep till 7 or 7:30 am and then everyone needs to get ready for the day and house picked up. 

Next few days I should be able to make them their breakfast and scoot to the workout room. BUT I zero motivation to get down there! 

Good news is I know I can self motivate myself and will get back on the wagon in a day!

Body Beast~Baby Got a Back

I have really enjoyed the program Body Beast. I started it back in the spring, took a three week break when I did the Beachbody Ultimate Reset and am finishing it up. I think I enjoyed the 30 minute workouts out the best (which is in Block 2 of the Lean Version). This will be a program that I don't ever put away. I am going to keep doing this one with whatever program I pick up next (I am focusing on running and training for the 1/2 marathon and starting the 21 Day Fix on July 6th). If you are looking for a strength training video that is for woman don't be turned off by Sagi's appearance or his comments because Body Beast can be for woman too! I really felt my body get lean and cut with the workouts. ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!!!

June Coach Spotlight: Colleen Kroll

June Coach Spotlight: Colleen Kroll

This month, I am featuring Colleen Kroll as my top Beachbody Coach!! Colleen reached out to me about a year ago when she was trying to get motivated and lose the baby weight from her second son. I met Colleen through the neighborhood and incidentally our oldest children are in the same grade. Once I got to know her, I realized how much we have in common. Her energy and enthusiasm for life are so contagious you cannot help but be motivated by her. I expect big things from her in this business so keep an eye on her as she grows.

Can you believe her transformation? She has LOST 50 POUNDS! She looks fantastic and it shows! Her daily drink of choice is Shakeology and she was a pro at the 21 Day Fix (and still follows the meal plan to incorporate a healthy meal plan lifestyle). She was brave enough to try the new insanely difficult program Insanity Max and nailing it! Colleen also starting jogging so you may see her running through the neighborhood.

If you feel like Colleen would be a good fit and YOU want her to be your coach reach out to her at:

website is www.beachbodycoach.com/coll0318

Connect with her on Facebook at Colleen Kroll or email her at coll0318@gmail.com

Colleen is a business builder coach. She is embracing staying healthy for herself and her family, showing a better way for her kids, working from home and motivating others. 

21 Day Fix Challenge Group starting July 6th

21 Days of support, accountability and motivation from ME and a small group of people who have similar goals as you. 21 Day Fix has been my FAVORITE versatile program (Body Beast is my favorite lifting program). It has it all...pilates, yoga, upper and lower body strength and a quick 10 minute effective ab workout. 

The challenge pack is on sale this month so order TODAY and join my group.

www.novakbefit.com

Those ABS

Here is a little Friday fun ab-motivational for you! This guy is so dedicated and never skips a day working out (well except for today with golf...I mean work). How amazing does this 36 year old husband of mine look?

You may ask how can you look like this?

• have an insanely stressful live with 4 kids:)
• do a Beachbody program daily 
• stay focused and dedicated to your goals. It is what you do daily that counts for the long run.
• maintain a healthy diet including Shakeology

And you're welcome ladies... don't forgot to wipe your mouth after drooling LOL 

PS I don't have to go see the movie Magic Mike because I am living with one (no silly not the stripper part...the sexy guy part. Sorry Channing Tantum, I will keep my man!)

1 month already!! Post Ultimate Reset Follow Up

It feels like a million years ago that I did the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. I am still super proud and amazed that I was able to change my eating habits so dramatically and stay away from sweets for 21 days. No donuts, muffins, cookies or sweets for 21 Days?? I proved to myself that I could do without.

So now that the reset is done what have I been doing?

First, EXERCISE!! If you follow the reset to plan you are not supposed to workout to give your body an internal break. I was so excited to hop back in and I have been training for my first 1/2 marathon for the last month. I also jumped back into Body Beast. I didn't lose any endurance or strength from my time off which I know is a concern of some people.

Beachbody sells a maintenance kit which includes packets of alkalinize (yes that nasty green drink) and optimize supplement. I don't know if these have an added value post reset (I am always truthful) but because the ingredients are pure and organic I feel like they can't hurt so I ordered a month supply and have been taking them.

I weighed 120 pounds pre-reset. At my lowest I was 112 on the reset. I have been hovering around 114-116 post re-set. Obviously on the days I eat better and stay away from the sweets I am on the 114 end. If I eat more sweets my weight hovers closer to 115 or so. The number really doesn't matter but just a pound or two really does impact how my clothes fit on my body and how I feel about myself. 

FOOD...I will be absolutely honest with you. I have indulged since the reset. In my head I do keep portion control in mind. I do amazing for breakfast, lunch and the afternoon. Dinner is usually very sensible but I do still love my daily dessert. I am trying to have good breaks of days where I obtain from having anything sweet.

Our meals have also improved. The kids are eating much more veggies and I am cooking them daily. I have found that I really prefer the frozen organic big bag of veggies from Costco. I get the green beans, broccoli, mixed veggies and normandy style veggies. I throw as many as I want in a microwave safe bowl and they are ready in about 5 minutes or so. This fits into my busy lifestyle much better and food doesn't go to waste.

 I am also much more willing to try new things. Last night I went to a Japanese restaurant and was able to identify many items that were on the reset. And even better yet I like the things that I try.

My only regret is what I did post reset. I should have just stayed away from the sweets and never ate them (okay, that is not real life). BUT I do wish I did that. If you can and have the willpower to not resume habits again (fast food, soda, sweets, eating out, etc) I highly recommend using the new things that you have learned to help maintain your results. If you don't the weight will come back on. Remember, this program was not designed to lose weight but to cleanse your body internally.

I hope this helps you in your journey after the reset, or if you are considering it. I have already decided I am going to do the reset again in January 2016 so if you want to join me this would be a fantastic opportunity to have accountability and support from someone who has been there and done it!!

Diary of a 1/2 Marathon Training Mommy ~ Entry 1

Diary of a 1/2 Marathon Training Mommy Entry 1

I have been working hard this last month getting myself ready for my first 1/2 Marathon which is September 20th (Fox Valley). I started training when I completed the Beachbody Ultimate Reset Memorial Day weekend. My body was in tip-top shape from such a healthy diet and mentally I was ready to tackle something that was on my bucket list for awhile but pregnancies and recovery kept getting in the way. My littlest is now 3 years old so it is time to start tackling items that are important to me. 

Tip: sign up early for your races to take advantage of early bird price structure. I saved a nice chunk on the two races (yes, I am nuts, I also signed up for the November 8th Naperville Marathon). I like to do things BIG. Why do 1 when 2 is more fun?? 

I feel great because I have a solid training schedule in place and have 3 solid months left to train. I created a spreadsheet showing the 16 weeks I have for my training. My training began the week of May 31st and will conclude on race day! I built in time for plenty of running (long runs, short runs, speed work), cross training, strength training, pilates, yoga, core work and REST!! 

Thanks to the reset and the 21 Day Fix meal plan, I have my diet set and just continue to work on eating the veggies I will need to stay strong. 

Today I had to do something that was mentally nerve wracking for me...run with a group. I am so most comfortable being myself with ear phones on and no one talking to me when I run (yes I am admitting that:). My sleep last night was horrible because I kept checking my alarm in my sleep. Finally at 3 am, I went to my daughter's empty bed (because she was in MY bed of course) with my phone and slept till 5 when I needed to get up. Not the best night sleep but it was a beautiful cool 55 degree morning. I had everything laid out the night before so all I had to do was brush my teeth and throw my clothes on. I can't eat breakfast or drink before I run so I set off at 5:20 for my 30 minute drive to the group meeting spot. Of course, I was one of the first people there so I warmed up and stretched. Then I just felt awkward because I didn't know anyone and stood around at the pace sign until it was time to take off at 6:30 am. 

I chose the 9 minute and 30 second pace group for the 6 mile run. I really wasn't sure what pace I should have chose but I figured that is a comfortable pace when I run on my own. It ended up being slightly too slow so a few runners and I had broke out from the pack and ran a 9 minute pace for the run. 

I am sore and tired but happy I accomplished an organized training run that is part of the actual course I will be running. 

My sweet daughter, Kaitlyn, left me this note, "This is Kaitlyn and mommy just did six, nine minute miles and I am so proud of her. She is a great mom and a great runner."

More later...wish me luck over the next few weeks of training! xoxo

Organization Tip: Hydrate!

ORGANIZATION TIP:
On the reset, I got in the habit of drinking 8 oz of water first thing in the morning. The problem is if I don't have my water bottle, filled and cold, then I get busy and forget to start drinking water right away.

To make it easier, I found these Contigo water bottles (Costco carries them) that don't sweat and keep your liquids cold for 12 hours. 

I fill my water bottles and the kids the night before. Then I just place my water bottle on my nightstand and it is ready to start drinking in the morning. 8 oz check!!!

Don't wish for it! Work for IT!

I had a small window today in between dropping off my daughter at play practice and heading back out to pick her up so I threw in the DVD and picked Dirty 30. These workouts are fantastic for cross training. I LOVE the 21 Day Fix program that Autumn Calabrese created. 

And my favorite thing to do is to BLAST my own music as loud as I can while my kids run around me. Yup, I always have to try not to trip on them! It happens though!

5 easy stretches to get you motivated!

My 10 year old daughter is a mini-me. She constantly watches what I do and then takes and puts her own spin on it. Can you say entrepreneur? I see fitness in her future with what she came up with tonight. 

She put together 5 easy stretches to get you motivated and send this to me. It is too cute not to share! I am proud of the example I set for her. I must say those I cannot stretch the way she does...especially not #1 and #5. I don't know where she get's her flexibility!!

I forgot how BUSY a baby is?!

I have the privilege of babysitting my sweet 5 month old niece this weekend. It is so nice to have a baby under our roof again. BUT I have a new appreciation for mom's who are trying to get their workouts done. I had 5 kids in my care for a weekend which equaled zero Mommy time.

Can you say h*** yea for Beachbody's 30 minute workouts??!!! I think that is all I have time for this weekend.

Don't let lack of time be your excuse...find a workout that works for your life!

Let me know if you are in need of a new workout routine. Been there, done that and can help! Goals crushed!

$$ The Money Challenge $$

I love to shop and with 4 hungry kids we do ALOT of grocery shopping and household spending. So much in fact that our grocery bill is typically $2,000/month. WOW! What does this include as part of what I consider our grocery bill?

• toilet paper, paper towels, soaps
• random items for the house (hello Target!)
• bulk food (yes Costco we are on a face name basis with the sample clerks)
• ALOT of what did I buy and why? (Like the below chickpeas...good intentions to make but that end up just sitting in my pantry till I toss them). 

I feel like everytime I go out with my 4 kids whether it be to shop for necessities or luxuries we end up spending $100-$200 without even blinking an eye. So it doesn't matter if we really need it or not it becomes a habit to just buy it. So just for the fun of it (and of course who doesn't want to save $) I am putting myself on a 21 Day Money Challenge. What does this mean for me?

• No "quick" trips to Costco to pick up a "few things" =a $300 bill
• No drive thru's for fast food or treats (we should not be eating them anyways...not good for the waistline or the budget)

As I type this, I am actually on day 4 (I started on Monday and today is Thursday). Here is what I have purchased this week (this is almost my 2nd phase of the project which involves no excess spending, which involves asking "do we really need it" or "do we really want to do it?"):

• dance camp for my daughter $80
• preschool annual fee for my son $900

While most families can just go and do whatever they want for us I think we need to install some good habits in our kids while they are young because if I take to them to the movies that can easily cost $50 for tickets. 

How are we going to do this you ask? 

• Step 1: Mission eat from our fridge, pantry and freezer (and rather well I must say). It feels so good to use up items we have already bought and spent good money for. AND maybe I can convince my hubby to wash out the fridge for me when he comes home and finds it so empty after a week of travel lol.
• Step 2: find better alternatives for summer...we already purchased swim lessons, tumbling passes and groupons. I am going to use those up and do the activities we have planned while finding good deals to do the things we already like to do ($4 movie theatre days!).

I will check back with you all weekly and let you know how the challenge is going!

What does a Beachbody Coach do?

These days I keep getting asked the question...what do I do as a Beachbody Coach. Here is what I AM! I have been in your shoes and am not in the best shape of my LIFE! As a mom 4 kids.

• motivation and inspiration for you!
• online support 24/7 (ok...not really I have to sleep and take care of my kids and myself)
• an accountability group that provides compassion, advice and tips on how to make your workouts easier and more efficient
• assistance in choosing your workouts and products

Do big changes make you nervous? Do you have trouble committing to what program to order and how to actually use it? Come on' how many of you have a Beachbody program that you ordered in your cabinet or entertainment center collecting dust? If so, that is where I come in! Curious to learn more? Connect with me today and I will help you get going right and stay on track.

Need some tricks to beat your junk food habits?

I'm a junk food junkie!!! I need to work on beating this ALL the time. I can't stop being conscious of maintaining healthy habits. With summer upon us and all the barbecues and birthday parties great habits are easily broken and they sure catch up with us quickly! It is interesting that one small cherry coke or piece of cake feeds the sugar bug and makes us crave more. Here is an interesting article with some great tips to help kick the sugar habit:

Confessions of a Junk Food Junkie: 6 Tricks to Kick the Habit

ORGANIZATION TIP: How do you MAKE IT HAPPEN?

ORGANIZATION TIP:

One of my favorite tips is to lay out all my clothes (workout clothes and the "after shower" outfit) the night before. By doing this for the kids and myself and I save enough time in the morning that I can run down to workout. The kids are able to get themselves dressed and we rarely have any tears because someone doesn't like their outfit.

Summer break is here and just like I need to be organized with my fitness calendar my kids needs structure too. If I let them they would wake up, turn the tv on right away, maybe eat breakfast, etc. Not happening in this house!!

So to start Mommy off on the right note (and honestly for them to establish good habits during an early age) I have them use their chore charts. They start the day with making their beds (an older one helps a little one if necessary), brushing their tv, getting dressed, straightening up their room, etc. They all have to do a page of their workbooks, piano lessons if applicable and read for 30 minutes. If we don't do this early on it seems to not get done. If it is done then it leaves more time for them to have fun for the rest day and not stress if we miss it. 

Not your Mama's Fanny Pack!

I just got the iPhone 6 plus which is huge! Great for reading emails and checking the calendar but not fun to hold when running. I was hesitant to buy a fanny pack to put them in until I found this nifty little spandex waist belt. I LOVE the colors it comes in and it stayed put and didn't ride up or down when running. I ordered a size small and it seems to come true to size. Highly recommend!!! I purchased mine off of Amazon for $28.99 and got the size small. It is called the FlipBelt.

CIZE sneak peek

My friend and super star Diamond Coach, Misty, and I were messing around with Beachbody On Demand tonight. It just happened that there is a sneak peek for Club Members to preview one of the CIZE workouts. 

I am very dance challenged but Misty happens to have majored in dance in college and is a dance instructor. I think I will stick to the athletic workouts and let Misty shine in these programs lol!!

Can you see yourself doing a dance workout? Cize is released in July 2015.

CIZE

http://magis.to/I3kgB15DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXp9?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series ~ Day 11

Abs are so much fun to work for me because they need the MOST work!! Here is a traditional crunch with your leg raised on the other leg. I love getting a side oblique crunch. 

Ab Series ~ Day 11

http://magis.to/fXs5UlxDA0Erfj0GDmEwCXl5?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series ~ Day 21

Ab Series Day 21

http://magis.to/JT4-XV1DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXl_?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series Day 24

Ab Series Day 24

http://magis.to/cDw-XV1DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXx2?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series Day 25

Ab Series Day 25

http://magis.to/MCY-XV1DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXh-?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series ~ Day 20

Ab Series Day 20

http://magis.to/cSw-XV1DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXt2?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Ab Series ~ Day 23

Ab Series Day 23

http://magis.to/cTc_XV1DA0Erfj0GDmEwCXp8?l=vsm&o=i&c=e

Beachbody CIZE ~ sneak peek coming tonight!!

The End of Exercize™ is coming! Shaun T’s brand new fitness program is not about doing push-ups or jumping, it’s about moving to the beat, and everyone can do it. You’re about to look forward to working out! Shaun T goes back to his dancing roots and makes losing weight an “experience,” with hot new moves and great music!

And if you think you can’t dance, don’t worry. Shaun breaks down the routines, step-by-step, move-by-move, and builds them into a full dance workout. And at the end, you’ll get to CIZE™ IT UP to songs from Shaun’s playlist. You’ll be so focused on mastering the moves that for 35–40 minutes you’ll forget you’re actually burning fat and calories, and getting in the best shape of your life.

“Don’t say you can’t dance, because anyone can dance.” —Shaun T

It will be released in July 2015 but Beachbody On Demand club members get to try a sneak peek of the workout today. This would not be typically something I would try but for the sake of trying new things and programs. STAY TUNED...Shawn and I will be trying this tonight!!!!