Body Beast...going Strong! But I am still struggling with...

Body Beast is quickly becoming MY FAVORITE PROGRAM!

I'm loving the lifting, I'm loving the ISO-days (where I'm working out only 1 body part), I'm loving the progression I am seeing in the weight I can lift, and I'm loving that these workouts are not something I dread!

However, with all the things that I LOVE LOVE LOVE, I am still struggling with the nutrition.  I'm not sure WHY this is such a struggle for me, but Lord knows I'm trying to figure it out.

So far:

🌷Meal planning has become easier; thank you pinterest.
🌷Meal prep... Not my forte... I know it is SUPER important to do!  Totally makes life easier and healthy meals are right there, ready to eat...  Have you eaten 3 day old chicken?  😖
🌷I don't always stick to my plan - This is where I really get stuck.  If I'm taking the time to write out a plan, I need to stick to it. 
   Tell me, has this happened to you?  Have you been so ready to eat your planned meal and then a pizza is delivered (not magically but bc your family ordered it)?  Have you ever been out and wanted to stop and enjoy a snack with you kid, but she doesn't like salad, so you go get Fro-Yo instead?  Oh no...not the  movie theater... popcorn, candy, pretzels, NACHOS! 
⬆️
This right here is where we need to be STRONG!  This is where we need to remember the HOURS we are putting in to build our bodies to be powerful.  This is where our MINDS need to be strong!

This is also the hard part because we are programed by society to "Treat yo'self" or "Carpe Diem" or "YOLO"...  Yes, all of that is true.  All work and no play WILL make Jane (or Katie) a very DULL girl!  But treating yourself doesn't mean indulging in every opportunity to do so. 

Another good option - for me at least - is to start getting Lily away from the processed food.  I know if I was able to "fix" her diet, then I wouldn't have the junk food around, and this I wouldn't indulge.  And yes - I know she's 5 and I can just take the junk food away - or can I?!  Have you lived with a 5 year old?  LOL. Have you lived with MY 5 year old?  That's a topic for another blog.  😂

This being said, I've decided to get a little help by paying it forward!

I'm hosting a FREE 5 day clean eating group next week (April 3rd) to help others get in the know, and to get US into the HABIT of clean eating!

I'd love for you to join me, just click here on my FB event invite and click GOING!  I will be in touch and we can get started supporting each other on this journey!

#YouDontHaveToStuggleAlone

~ Meal Planning - Not always easy, but Always necessary ~

~Failing to plan is planning to fail~ 

The most successful way to succeed at changing your nutrition lifestyle is to have a plan!  Meal planning can be overwhelming *see picture above*, but once you get the hang of it, it's rewarding and becomes easy.  It can even get to be a little fun when you start incorporating new meals you've never tried before.

For starters though, let's take it one step at a time:

1. Know your calorie bracket!  This is a very important part of meal planning.  If you don't know HOW MUCH you should eat, then you can't start picking out your menu.  Portion Fix & the Fixate Cookbook are great resources to help you dial in your nutrition!
• I personally like to count colors instead of calories using the above tools!
• Calorie Brackets can range from 1200-1499 to 2500-2800.  
• Take a look at the bottom of this log for a sample of how to calculate your calories/colors needed!
2. Keep in mind the food you already eat!  Love burgers and fries?  Go for some Lean Turkey meat for your burger with Fixate Ketchup, tomato and onion on a Romaine Lettuce "bun."  Go old school and cut up some sweet potatoes and bake homemade fries!  There are clean recipes all over Pinterest for you favorite foods.  The resources are endless.
3. Plug in meals to your menu!  Once you have a handful of meals you're ready to plug into your menu, it's time to plan out your week.  I like to go day by day, with repeating days!

• Here's and example of my upcoming week.  Day 1 & 2 will be repeated throughout the week (M-F and 1 weekend day), with Day 3 to be used on a weekend day for various weeks.
• When you are first starting out, planning like this can be helpful since there's not a whole 7 days that need different meals.  Left overs won't go to waste!
4. Watch the serving sizes!  I'm notorious for making an amazing dish that ends up feeding a small Army... when I'm only cooking for 1 - in my head!  Also, if you mess up the servings size and end up eating 2 servings, it will count against your calories/colors twice!  
5. GO SHOPPING!  Once your menu is plugged in, write out your shopping list, and go shopping.  It's best to shop maybe 2 or 3 times a week, especially if you are getting a lot of produce products.
• If you have Beachbody on Demand, check out the Fixate cooking show.  Not only is there a demonstration on how to cook the meal, but there's a downloadable recipe & shopping list!
6. Meal Prep!  Now that we've meal planned it's time to meal prep!  Take the pieces of your meals that you can cook/bake/prepare in advance and get this done in 1 day!  For example: Tomato sauce can be made in large batches and stored, even frozen!

Remember, meal planning take time to master.  But mastering it is TOTALLY doable!  If you need more resources to make the journey easier, check out my Pinterest Board just for meal planning!  You can always head over to my Facebook Page and send me a quick message with any questions you may have - if I don't know the answer, I can sure help you find it 😊 

Do you suffer from depression too?

Earlier this week, I wrote a post on my FB page ...

I felt really good that day!  I feel really good today too!

Depression is a sneaky bitch.  She comes up on ya all slow, may even say a quick "Sup Girl" and walk away... but she's always behind your back just out of view. 

My post mentioned a job position that I thought I had landed - the company legit offered me the job and NEVER called back!  I didn't realize it then, but it sent me into a fit of depression. 

When I saw this job ad, I thought that doing something for me and for the betterment of puppies would be a feel good addition to my day... Yes!  My job would have been to take care of, play with, groom, and clean up puppies! 

Do you see why I was so upset about not getting a call back?

It still urks me that I don't know WHY they didn't call.  Part of me wants to go into their store and ask, but I spoke to so many different people that I'm not sure who to even ask for!

The depression had me good this time... I wasn't even aware that she had me hostage!  I started falling back into old patterns... JUNK FOOD! Games on my phone, binge watching SO MUCH tv, and even ignoring my Little One 😢.  

Thankfully, Lily's competition season was coming up - FAST!  I needed to refocus my energy to her, getting her things prepared, and getting her to the venue ready to dance...

Did I mention Lily's never danced in a Competition before?  This was her first ever, so our nerves were on overdrive!

She did AMAZING!!

If you know anything about dance, you know the scoring is a little hard to keep up with at first...

Photo Credit: Addison Makenzie Photography

~Lily's small group won 1st Place, High Gold & 5th Overall!

~Photogenic age 3-5 also got Lily a 1st Place Gold

I couldn't be more proud of my babygirl!

And so thankful to her love for dance!  If Lily didn't have a competition last weekend, who knows if I would have been jolted out of my depression or not. 

It's hard, but I have to be more self-aware of when the sneaky depression bitch pops up again.  Wearing a mask of past comforts to lure me into her trap.  I'm also back at therapy, so that is always a plus!

It's tough this thing we suffer with.  It's tough when we get stuck, sometimes not knowing how to get out.  It's tough going through the process sometimes.

But, you know what else is tough?!

WE ARE!

We are Badasses!  (Check out this book!). We how the power inside of us to overcome... and I believe in you 😉

Negative Self-Talk...why won't it stop?

As I was looking through my email today I noticed something interesting... I subscribe to almost every motivational, inspiring, positive mailing list I come across!

For real, my inbox is filled with them.  But my brain still attacks itself.  My thoughts shoot to the negative aspect before the positive.  I have no issues with telling other that a positive life is the best life.  Yet, practicing what I preach is like pulling teeth... from a lion!  I just can't get the negative talk to go away.

Don't get me wrong... I've been able to purposely include positivity in my thoughts; it's the unconscious nagging of that little devil on my shoulder that won't shut it's mouth. 

There is a fix, and trust, I have an abundance of belief that this fix WORKS!  Not because I have felt it, or seen it, but because every successful person (Mailing list/FB "friend) I've welcomed into my life this past year or so says the same thing...

AFFIRMATIONS!

I've even seen young girls in their bathroom mirrors telling themselves how f'n fantastic they are!  So why, if a 4 year old can do it, is it so damn hard for me to look in a mirror and say, "I believe in you."

Because the self-doubt and low self-esteem run deep, and the negative talk has gone on for a LONG time.  Change is not easy.  I hate the idea of changing my car, let alone changing my BRAIN!  When I look back at my life, I can see where these negative thoughts came from.  I can feel the feelings I felt then - the pain, the disappointment, the struggle to stay "me."  I truly, honestly, do not remember being who I am today, or wanting to become who I am today.

I'm not a horrible person.  I love life and am blessed everyday to wake up, I love my daughter and the fact that she always makes me laugh, but there's little else that I feel.  It all gets aimed back inside, wrestles around for a while and shoots out as anger.  Along the line, I lost who I wanted to be.  I forgot that MY life was about me and my dreams, and that I am the scribe!

That's where the negative talk sneaks in.  When you're vulnerable, when you are looking, and when you feel off but your brain THINKS everything is okay.  This is why AFFIRMATIONS are so important!  Affirmations keep us thinking positive.  I give you permission to be selfish.  Start with affirmations about you.  I will too!  Now think.  What is a negative thing you tell yourself everyday.

Me?  Just one?

"God damn, these scars are ugly."

Can you even see my acne issue?  It's along my jawline.  I see this every time I look in the mirror, obviously.  But what does me NO good is thinking "I'm ugly."  All that does is tell my subconscious that "I am ugly - Truth."  That's so not true!  I've a beautiful woman.  I have beautiful blue eyes and a killer smile... but all I see is are the handful of acne spots/scars that I happen to have.

So, I've decided!  From now on, I will see MY EYES first.  I love my eyes, always have.  From now on when I look in the mirror, I will look at my eyes, compliment myself and refuse to focus on my acne.

Do you believe in the power of attraction?  This could be a whole other blog, but for now, it basically works like this.  I would tell myself, "I have the clearest and smoothest skin!"  I would have to believe this, feel this, and it doesn't hurt to turn it into a daily affirmation!  After repeating this over and over, and coming to truly believe I have the clearest and smoothest skin, it would come to pass!

It's just as easy for me to tell myself I am BEAUTIFUL as it is to tell myself that I am ugly.  It's a matter of picking the one you want to believe in.  It's hard work to change, but I believe that at the end of it all, the work is well worth it!

Shakeology...what's in it?

The healthiest year of my life!  I became a Shakology 365er - No the scoop is not real gold 😂.  That means that I drank Shakeo for 365 days straight. 

However, the past few months have pulled me out of the running to achieve this goal for this year.  It hurts a little.

I've noticed small changes.  I'm moodier, I've gain no weight, but I look like I did!  I crave more and more junk food.  And I'm searching for energy.

I blame a lot of stuff on depression.  But over the weekend, I did some thinking and I'm hoping that adding Shakeo back into my life will get me moving and joyfull again!

Along with re-committing to Shakeology, I've also decided that I need to LEARN about this stuff more!  I'll be posting about Shakeology daily for the next few weeks on my Facebook Page.  I want to look into the ingredients that are in the Shakes and how they benefit our bodies.  I already know FOR SURE that it helps with bloating, now to find out how! 

If you'd like to follow the daily finding, just head over to Facebook and it'll all be there.  But no worries if you just want to hang here, I'll be posting weekly on what I found!

A slight change in scenery...

Last month, I made the decision that I was going to start on a new Nutrition Journey.  I picked up a copy of "The Whole 30" and started reading.

Although there is a LOT of great information in the book, and the program looks amazing, it's not exactly what I am looking for, right now.

In my blog post last month I was looking for a plant-based diet to help heal my body and get me started on the right track.  I referenced a documentary I watched called "Forks over Knives."  In this documentary it shows how a plant-based (aka Vegan) diet can heal and prevent all types of illnesses and disease.

Now, I'm not big on Vegan... I LOVE me a cheeseburger, but I desperately need to look for something new.  At least something that will help me reset my system.  For now, I am moving to more whole foods and lean meats.  Lean meats aren't Vegan, obviously, but I'm taking baby steps!

My next step will be to completely reset my system by using The Ultimate Reset.  Full disclosure, I do promote and sell this product.  I've seen a lot of success stories - which you can view on the link provided.  I have some research to do before I begin the 21 day program.  I'm also really looking forward to completing my current program Body Beast !  I'm only on day 5 of the 60 day program, and I am enjoying every second.

Body Beast isn't just for guys who want to "make gains" - that means get huge muscles in the fitness industry 🤣 - it's also geared towards women who want a head-turning physique!  Who doesn't want a head-turning physique?

Thus, my nutrition journey is not cancelled, I've simply made a right turn and am started down a better fitting road!  The Body Beast nutrition plan is great for me.  I get to eat more food than my previous program - like 21 Day Fix or Cize.  With those program aiming at weight loss, Body Beast aims for gains!  To build muscle, you need to eat!  And the best part is that the muscle you build will help burn the fat you don't want.

**Ladies, I am not saying "build muscle" as in "get big."  I am saying build muscle as in feel great, feel strong, and look amazing!

Now, don't think that pizza and cupcakes are going to get you to the physique you want.  THEY WON'T!  But I wish they would!

You need to literally watch what you eat.  Are you eating too many carbs? - Whole grain bread and pasta, rolled oats, yams, etc.  Which is why it's great that Body Beast has been tailored to incorporate the Portion Fix Containers.

These containers have simplified my life...  Instead of counting calories, I count colors!  For example, here's a pic of the different calorie categories and how they adapt to the Fix containers!

Personally, I fall into the 2,000-2,199 calorie category.  When I saw 9 yellows (Carbs) I can't lie, I jumped for joy!  While you Build and Bulk, you are breaking down your muscles and building them back up.  Your body needs a lot of fuel during these stages...

I found this inside the Team Beachbody Message Boards.  It's a break down of how the Macro-nutrients are broken down.


Beast Macros:

Build Phase

Macro-nutrient Ratios: Protein: 25% Carbs: 50% Fat: 25%

Bulk Phase

Macro-nutrients: 25% Carbs: 50% Fat: 25%

Beast Phase
Calories: Recalculated based on body fat and weight measured after Phase 2, but at a calorie deficit to reduce body fat.

Macro-nutrients: Protein: 40% Carbs: 30% Fat: 30% 

50% carbs usually is NOT what you are looking for in a diet, but I do know that body builders often do this during a Bulk Phase.  Now seeing as I'm not looking to be huge, I will watch my progress in the first stage and adjust in the second if I feel my carbs are just too high!

I'm totally excited for this program... as a matter of fact, I'm off right now to do today's workout!

 

Body Beast Day 1... honestly, I give it a 2 out of 10.

Yesterday (2.27.17) started off good!  I subbed my coffee and cream with tea and sugar (I'm in search of green Stevia to sub my sugar 😉).  I was so proud of myself for this since I was not looking forward to a 24hr migraine from a lack of caffeine!  I had my "normal" breakfast.  Eggs, spinach, with toast.  Lunch was good too.  Tuna with a little mayo and a banana. I was on point!

But when my day doesn't go as planned... boy do I loose my shit!  Honestly, the ONLY time I didn't loose my shit was the day my daughter was born. YEAH!  I had planned on a natural, drug-free birth... she wanted to be a C-Section.  Lol. The gift at the end of that day was totally worth my plans getting screwed!

ANYWAY.

I had plan on having the house to myself and going hard with my first workout. Weeeeeell... I didn't have the house to myself and automatically began the normal self-doubt pattern I'm trying so hard to change.

I let myself get distracted yesterday and ultimately let myself down.

Today - my "real" day 1 was much better.

Same morning routine, with the excitement of it being Lily's day for school pictures!  It was a great morning!

I ate lunch, a homemade burger with air-fried fries.  Not "clean" but with lean beef and no deep frying, in my book, I count it as a win!

Then the house was all mine! 😊 I did yesterday's workout and today's...

Note to self - I must prepare better for plans to be messed up because there is NO way I can do 2 in one day again!

However... I killed it!  I feel good, I'll have the good feeling soreness tomorrow.  I'm couldn't have had a better day today.

Dinner will be veggie heavy, Shakeology is being drunk now, and tonight I'll sleep like a baby (who actually sleeps👶🏼)!