Free 10-Day Core January Challenge

Are you feeling like it's time to get back into the groove? Are you still feeling the leftover bloat from all of those holiday goodies?

I know I am!!!

We are kicking off our FIRST challenge of the new year with this freebie group for you!! It is focused totally on your core muscles - abs and back!!



Our challenges are hosted online and are completed by you in your own home when it fits into your schedule. Each workout should take you 15-20 minutes. 

We provide the workouts, online accountability and FUN!!!

This isn't a get fit quick scheme, but it is a great way to jump back on the workout train, add a little extra oomph to your normal routine, or take the first step to a healthier you!!

To join you must:

1️⃣ Go to: http://bit.ly/KFFFREEmember and complete the registration for your FREE account.

2️⃣ Comment below "Me please!"

3️⃣ Click to SHARE this challenge with your friends and family on Facebook! (The more the merrier, right!?)
*Once you've completed the 3 simple steps above I will add you to our private group!

** This challenge is only available to non-coaches and those that are not already working with another Team Beachbody coach.

When Opportunity Knocks, Open the Door

Last month I was contacted by someone I had briefly met at the Healthy & Fit Expo last year. Asking if I would be interested in being on the cover of his magazine.

To be honest, when I received that message from him I thought, "Is this guy a creeper?" But after checking out his profile and realizing this was for real and remembering how I had first met him, I jumped at the opportunity.

I was so nervous. I felt completely out of my league and unworthy of such an honor.
I am NOT a fitness model.
I do NOT have a perfect body.
I have stretch marks and loose skin and still some areas I would like to firm up...
and lift....
and suck in.

But what I realized (with the help of some amazing and supportive friends and family) is that I have worked really hard to get to where I am.

I am a work in progress just like everyone else.

But this opportunity might allow for another opportunity to inspire even more people to seek a healthier and more fit version of themselves.

So while I didn't feel the most confident doing it, I pushed passed that self imposed barrier, stepped outside my comfort zone and did it anyway... Because more than anything I want to help other people achieve their goals.

And if I can do it, YOU can do it.

Whatever your goals may be, whatever opportunity you find yourself presented with, if you want it and are willing to work for it, you CAN achieve it!

What is Your Favorite Cheat Meal?

What is your favorite cheat meal? 90% of the time I stick to a plant based diet, it just works best for me. But on occasion I splurge and one of my favorite things are these Spicy Grilled Shrimp Tacos from Chili's... OOoooh, they are sooo good!! Now it's your turn to spill the beans!! What is YOUR favorite cheat meal?

Super Yummy Energy Bites

A friend of mine shared a recipe for Energy Bites on her Facebook page and they looked tasty, but I wanted a little bit cleaner version. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy them.

No Bake Energy Bites

1 cup (dry) oatmeal
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla
  

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Roll into bite size balls. Refrigerate to set. Enjoy!!

 

Let me know how you like them or any other recipes you would like to see in the comments!! I look forward to hearing from you!

Are You Just a Little Curious About Beachbody Coaching?

If you have any questions about what you just watched, email me at: Kford924@gmail.com 

You will never know if you don't ask.

Why I Became a Beachbody Coach

I would like to share with you why I became a Beachbody Coach, some added benefits I hadn't counted on, as well as what it means to be a Beachbody Coach.

I became a coach while I was in the process of achieving a 50lb. weight loss success story.  I want to be very clear here.  I did not achieve the 50lb weight loss first.

My story begins with a late night, a heavy heart and a spunky blonde.

My heart was heavy because I was heavy.  My weight was something that I constantly thought about.

Every morning when I would get dressed,

every time I went to buy clothes,

every time I had an event to dress up for,

every time I walked out of my house,

and every time I passed a mirror.

Now don't get me wrong, I know that beauty can be only skin deep.  We have all met people who are stunning on the outside but after talking with them for only a few minutes you can see they don't have a light shining through their heart.

It wasn't just my appearance that gave me a heavy heart, it was the insecurity I felt.  It was the frustration I felt when nothing in my closet fit.  It was the sadness I would feel when I looked in the mirror and couldn't believe that I had let myself get to that point. My weight, the discontentment with myself and the constant feeling of failure affected my confidence and self esteem.  I felt horrible about myself and I hid that from everyone.

One night I was watching TV and an infomercial for Turbo Jam came on.  I was instantly captivated by a cute, spunky blonde that was punching, kicking and jabbing and telling me how much fun it all was going to be....

Exercise for me was hard.  I was heavy, who am I kidding... everything was hard.  But what she was doing looked fun and I thought even if its hard, if I am having fun I can try it.  So I sneaked out to where I kept my purse, grabbed my credit card, and ordered when my husband wasn't looking.   

I instantly fell in love with Turbo Jam.

Oh yes, from the very first time I did the Learn & Burn DVD, I was hooked.

It totally helped that that spunky blonde was always telling me what a great job I was doing and encouraging me every step of the way... It was hard for sure but I kept at it and it started to get easier.

About 3 months after I started Turbo Jam I saw someone on Facebook post about a new work out by Chalene Johnson, that spunky little blonde I had grown to adore, called Chalean Extreme.  I did a little research on the program and placed my order.  Again, I did it on the sly... I didn't want to tell anyone what I was up to because I didn't want them to see me fail.

ChaLean Extreme is a muscle building workout program that uses heavy weights (or bands).  It was unlike anything I had ever done before.  Research has proven that the more muscle you have in your body, the higher your metabolism.  Well, I knew that I wanted a higher metabolism.  I already trusted Chalene because of what the Turbo Jam program did for me, but I still didn't believe in me.

I went to Target and bought some adjustable dumbbells and started the program as soon as it arrived in the mail.  Up to this point, my husband didn't know I had been working out.  I was still staying home with my youngest child and would workout during the day when he was napping.  It only took a few weeks before I was able to see noticeable changes when I looked in the mirror.  I had been at it for about 6 weeks when my husband (who isn't the most observant person in the world) asked me what I had been doing to lose weight.  It was then that I very shyly took him to the basement and showed him the weights I had bought and the workout programs I was doing.

I stayed consistent and after my first 90 days with ChaLean Extreme I lost around 30lbs.  I was ecstatic!  Yes, I had lost weight but even more importantly I learned a few things about myself.

1.  I am a fighter.  I am not a fighter in the sense that if I don't get my way I am going to kick, scream and yell myself into what I want, but I am a fighter in the sense that if I don't achieve something that I want I am not going to give up.  I am going to keep trying and failing isn't the end, its a stepping stone.

2.  I have goals.  This might sound a little funny, but after being a stay-at-home mom for 8 years I forgot what I wanted to do with my life.  I was in a perpetual state of laundry, cooking, cleaning, laundry, cooking, cleaning, with a wipe-a-hiney thrown in here and there that I forgot I could do more.  I forgot that I could dream.  I forgot I could set goals.  Even more, I could achieve them.  Please, do not get me wrong.  I love being a mom more than anything.  But, that's not all I am.  I have more to offer.

3.  I am strong.  Its funny that after falling on my face after 3 pushups done on my knees and then progressing to 12 pushups on my toes has taught me that I am strong in heart.  Most of the time when I am struggling with a workout its because my head is telling me I can't... its those times that I have to dig deeper, push harder and prove that nasty voice wrong.  This does not just apply to my workouts.  It applies to every single obstacle I face.  It applies every single day.

It was after that initial weight loss success that I wanted more.  I was feeling better, I was more confident and I knew that I could achieve whatever goal I set for myself and I wanted to lose another 20lbs.  I knew without a doubt that what was holding me back was my diet.  I had made many changes to my once over processed, mostly fast food way of eating, but I was still a long way from eating the way I knew I had to in order to reach my goal.  Beachbody, being the cutting edge company that they are, was just introducing a new product that was and still is absolutely revolutionary in the health supplement industry.  The product they had just launched was Shakeology and I knew it would help get me on track with my nutrition.

It is not a miracle product and it will not cure cancer or any other disease, but if you are like me and need something that you can count on every day to give you great nutrition, increase your energy, and aid in your weight loss then I recommend it to you.  This is why I signed up as a coach.  As wonderful as Shakeology is, it is also expensive.  And, it is worth every. single. penny.  But, as a coach I was able to save money and that is always a good thing.

After talking to my coach Jenelle Summers, who also happens to be Chalene's much taller sister, I signed up to be a coach in August of 2009 and had absolutely no idea how that one little decision would impact my life.  But I will save that story for another day.

Being a Beachbody Coach means I have the opportunity to share my passion for fitness with others.  It means that when someone is struggling with motivation to workout I can encourage them.  It means when they are struggling with changes to their diet or even where to start I can share what I have learned.  I am not a fitness professional, I am not a nutritionist.  I am a coach and I love what I do.  And I am fortunate to earn an income from sharing my passion.

Avocado Spread with a Kick!

I found this recipe on another blog that I read, I decided to steal it and share it with all of you! YAY!!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I plan to.  And, if you want more yummy recipes from Ashley, go here. She is a nutritionist and full of all kinds of good information to help you reach your goals and live a healthier lifestyle.

Avocado Spread with a Kick from Ashley Grimwade:

If you’re like me, you see avocados in the store, and know they have many health benefits, but you aren’t sure how you will use it in your meals:

Here is a great recipe for a yummy, healthy Avocado Spread

1 medium, ripe avocado

2/3 cup white cannellini beans- rinsed and drained

2 sprigs of cilantro

1 ½ Tbs lime juice

1 green jalapeno- sliced and chopped with seeds removed. Add less if you don’t want as much of a kick!

½ tsp green Tabasco sauce

¼ tsp salt

In a blender- combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy!

Spread on sandwiches, chips, crackers or veggies!

The best part: Only 80 calories per 3-4 tablespoon!!!

What was YOUR Excuse?

Soft Serve Banana Ice Cream

Oh my goodness... I completely stole this off my friends blog!! I hope she doesn't mind, but I give her full credit.  Gabi is amazing and you should stop by her blog and say "Hi"!! Make sure you tell her I sent you!  The following is all from her and I couldn't have said it any better.  I hope you enjoy this yummy treat as much as I will!

I never imagined this would be so good but it is, I promise. The recipe info only includes the nutritional info for the bananas BUT feel free to use no calorie toppings or mix ins like cinnamon (awesome choice!). Make sure if you include anything else, you count the calories.

This might also be a great way to sneak some fruit into your children's day.... where are my sneaky moms out there?! Enjoy!

Soft-Serve Banana Ice Cream


Nutrition Info
Calories: 108.6
Fat: 0.6g
Carbohydrates: 27.6g
Protein: 1.2g

Ingredients
4 frozen bananas

Directions

Place frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to break into smaller pieces, then turn on and run for about five minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The bananas will start to resemble soft serve in a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl and place in freezer for about 15 minutes, if you'd like, or serve immediately.

Another recommended topping: A tablespoon of pure maple syrup mixed with 2 tsp dark cocoa powder (calories not included).

Or maybe you should mix in some PB2 for an awesome PB Banana ice cream! Please share your other ideas too!!

(Makes four 1/2 cup servings)

Number of Servings: 4

Turbo Tuesday!!

My friend and fellow Beachbody Coach Annette drove an hour to come to have fun with Paula and I and do a little Turbo Kick!! It was such a great time having her there!! She even brought guests! Here are a few POST workout photos that were snapped with her camera!

I don't know about you, but I think we look darn good for having just 

double-bobbed and jab-cross-hook-uppercut like crazy!!

So THIS is what it feels like to be a cheerleader... No?  Hmmm...

You HAVE to have a "jazzy hands" photo!! Love this one!!

10 Urban Food Myths

By Joe Wilkes
 
There have always been rumors about food. Remember the one about the Kentucky Fried rat or Mikey, the kid from the Life^® cereal commercials, who allegedly expired after washing down his Pop Rocks^® with Coca-Cola^®? These, like so many, turned out to be apocryphal, but in the age of the Internet, it seems like there's always some story making the rounds about a grocery item that will poison you or a food that will miraculously cure what ails you. Here are some myths we were able to dismiss.

1. Eating carrots improves night vision. This rumor was apparently started by the British during World War II, after a new British radar device began greatly assisting in the shooting down of German bombers at night. Not wanting to alert the Germans of the new technology, the government spread a disinformation campaign about how the British pilots' love of carrots was the cause of their keen night vision. It spread like wildfire, and it has become a staple in parents' arsenals for getting kids to eat their veggies. Carrots are generally good for your eyes, though—studies are beginning to show a link between increased consumption of beta-carotene (carrots are loaded with it) and a decrease in macular degeneration.
2. Turkey makes you sleepy. It's true that turkey contains tryptophan, the amino acid credited for the poultry's alleged soporific effects, but beef, chicken, meat, milk, and beans also contain tryptophan, and they don't seem to make you pass out on the couch after dinner. Turkey's bad rap probably comes from the famous post-Thanksgiving food coma, which is most likely induced by consuming not trace amounts of an amino acid, but vast quantities of carbohydrates, like potatoes and stuffing. Washing them down with a couple of glasses of wine probably doesn't hurt, either.
3. Caesar salad was created by or for Julius Caesar. Actually, despite what they might tell you at the Olive Garden^®, the Caesar salad is not Italian food. It was created in Tijuana, Mexico, less than a hundred years ago by restaurant owner Caesar Cardini, not in ancient Rome. The recipe includes romaine lettuce, olive oil, garlic, coddled eggs, and Parmesan cheese, among other ingredients, but the original recipe does not contain anchovies—another myth debunked!
4. Combining Mentos^® and Diet Coke^® will make your stomach explode. As any YouTube^® connoisseur can attest to, dropping a Mentos candy into a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke can create an effect that will give the fountains at the Bellagio a run for their money. However, despite rumors of Brazilian youths dying of burst abdomens, this myth seems to be another of the endless variations on Mikey and the Pop Rocks. There seems to be little evidence that eating any combination of anything generally considered edible will make you explode. (Although that Chinese food I had for dinner came pretty close around midnight.)
5. Beware of flesh-eating bananas! Many well-intentioned people forwarded around an email not too long ago asserting that the FDA was covering up the fact that thousands of bananas bearing germs that cause necrotizing fasciitis (aka "flesh-eating bacteria") had entered the country. This turned out not to be true. A reverse rumor, that humans were killing bananas, has also circulated. This one says that due to varying explanations, like climate change or genetic modification, bananas will be extinct in less than a decade. This is also false. So eat your bananas. They're full of potassium, they won't make your skin fall off, and there are plenty more where they came from.
6. McDonald's^® uses kangaroo meat in their burgers. This is one that's been around since I was a kid, and common sense can answer it. While some people wouldn't put it past the Golden Arches^® to put anything in their food, kangaroo meat seems an unlikely beef substitute, because it costs much more per pound than beef does. Actually, adventurous eaters might consider adding 'roo meat to their diet, as it has more protein and only about half the fat of beef.
7. Chocolate milk is tainted with cow's blood. This popular playground myth claims milk that is too contaminated with blood to sell as plain white milk is colored brown, flavored, and sold as chocolate milk. Chocolate milk and all dairy products go through the same rigorous FDA testing process that regular moo juice does. However, the added sugar isn't doing you any favors.
8. Aspartame causes multiple sclerosis and lupus. Aspartame, often branded as NutraSweet^®, has been rumored to cause many serious diseases. While we consider the jury to be out on whether aspartame is completely safe, there have been no reputable scientific studies linking the sweetener to MS, lupus, cancer, or any other life-threatening illnesses. However, since aspartame still hasn't been on the market long enough for definitive long-term studies to have concluded, it's best to use moderation.
9. Canola oil is toxic. It's been rumored that canola oil contains the same toxins found in mustard gas. Canola oil is made from oil pressed from the seeds of the rape plant, a member of the mustard family. There's actually no such plant as the canola, but it's easy to see the marketing problems that would result in calling it "rape oil." This may have been one of the reasons scurrilous rumors have circulated about this noble oil, which is perfectly safe and rich in monounsaturated fat (a beneficial fat also found in olive oil and avocados). As for the mustard gas claim, while it's true that canola oil is made from mustard plants, mustard gas is not. It's called that because of its acrid smell, not its ingredient list.
10. Red Bull^® causes brain tumors. Because Red Bull is a favorite beverage of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, it's easy to make a case for this rumor based on anecdotal evidence, but there is actually nothing in Red Bull that has been linked to brain tumors. The beverage has been banned in some European countries because of its high caffeine content (an 8.3-fluid-ounce can has 76.5 milligrams of caffeine, or about 80 percent of the caffeine present in an 8-ounce cup of traditionally brewed coffee), but aside from the typical health concerns regarding any sugary caffeinated beverage, Red Bull appears safe. Claims that it will "give you wings^®" seem unfounded, however, and when mixed with vodka, it reportedly makes underpants disappear.

Shaun T's Insanity: The Asylum Back to Core Day 8!

Beachbody Coaches Invade TOLEDO EXTREME Turbo Kick!!