Max 30 - Week 2 and Christmas! Meal Plan for Week 3...

Hello!  My Week Two of Insanity Max 30 also happened to be Christmas Week!  I so enjoyed spending time with my family.  They live a few hours southeast of Erie and it is always a treasure to have some time together.  I especially look forward to seeing my Grandma Betty Neizmik.  Of course we had to snap a Christmas morning photo together while chatting in my parents' kitchen!  I have made our newest photo the background on my computer here at home.  Looking at it this evening, I was reminded of a July picnic photo of the two of us from last summer.  I had to do a quick comparison collage.  :)  That was 50+ pounds and many inches ago for me.  Grandma has even gotten on board with lots of clean eating and we have so many interesting discussions on the topic.  

I am SO happy to be able to sit here this evening and say that I still fit in ALL of my Max 30 workouts this week, despite the holiday travel!  Rather than having any rest days this week, I did mix up the routine a bit and Thursday - Sunday varied from the printed Max 30 schedule.  But everything did fit within the week... I put together this photo collage following today's workout.

Monday was Cardio Challenge and 10 Minute Abs

Tuesday was Tabata Power

Wednesday was Sweat Intervals and 10 Minute Abs 

Christmas was 30 minutes on the basement elliptical at my Parents' farm

Friday was 30 minutes on the elliptical and a 9 PM Tabata Power back here in my own basement!

Saturday we went on a 3.5 mile hike and I did Pulse that evening

Sunday was Friday Fight and 10 Minute Abs

Tomorrow I will be back on track with following my usual Max 30 weekly schedule.  Bring on Week 3!  We add a new workout on Tuesday of this week.  For a more detailed review of the workouts, see my blog entry recap of Week 1. 

I lost 3 pounds during Week 1 of Max 30.  I managed to hold steady and go down just 1/2 pound during Christmas Week.  I will count that as a win!  My jeans are still fitting fine.  I am ready to be back to "regular" eating this week and will make smart choices during my daughter's birthday party, a New Year's Eve Party and a breakfast with my book club friends.  I put together my Week 3 meal plan yesterday and did my grocery shopping to be ready for the week!

Over Christmas, I was telling my sister (who is my own coach!) how much I enjoy the Max 30 meal plan.  The guide includes some excellent recipes that are very easy to make and fit exactly within the plan itself.  We enjoyed the Max 30 Dijon Broiled Pork Loin and Tomato Cucumber Salad last night.  See this blog entry for more details!  

 

I am so thankful to be part of our Insanity Max 30 test group!  The extra accountability and support there really came in handy during this holiday week.  What an excellent bunch of dedicated individuals!  I can hardly wait for our 30 and 60 day progress reports.  :)  It is inspiring to see us propelling one another forward with this program.  If we can hold steady during Christmas Week, we can handle anything!

I will be opening up an additional Max 30 Test group which will begin our prep week on January 5th with Day One of workouts taking place on the 12th.  You are invited to join me!  If you are looking to take it up a few notches with a very doable workout which will push you out of your comfort zone, Max 30 could be for you!  If this program is not your dream match, we have other great options available and I am glad to help you find the one that is right for you!  Here is more info on what I have coming up in January and how we are going to make it stick this time!

Dijon Pork Loin - Dinner Under $11 for a Family of Four!

Good evening!  Tonight I am blogging about what we had for dinner this evening.  :)  This was my first time to make the Dijon Broiled Pork Loin recipe from Insanity Max 30!  We had made the Tomato and Cucumber Salad last week and it was a hit!  I hear on a regular basis that "it must be really expensive to eat clean - for your whole family and everything!".  Actually, it does not have to be!  I even do about 90% of our grocery shopping at Wegmans.  Some mistakenly consider Wegmans to be a "luxury grocery store".  They are top-notch but their store brand prices in particular are excellent.  There are a few items on my Sam's Club list, such as almond milk, frozen berries and coconut oil.  Those three are a much better deal at Sam's!  But pretty much everything else comes from Wegmans, which is a most wonderful grocery store!  I attended college just south of Rochester, NY and then spent a couple of additional years working in that area after graduating from Elim Bible Institute in 2001.  Wegmans has their headquarters in that part of NY and it has been my favorite grocery story for many years!  

Anyways, back to tonight's dinner.  I was cleaning up the kitchen this evening and realized that I had spent under $11 to prepare the evening meal for the four of us!  That is good to know.  Our children are ages 5 and 7.  I would estimate that between the two of them, they share a typical adult serving.  I eat the amounts defined in the Max 30/21 Day Fix guides.  Veggies are a 1 cup serving, grains are a 1/2 cup and proteins are typically 3/4 cup.  My husband typically eats 50% more than what I eat myself.

On a side note, today was the MOST BEAUTIFUL December day here in Erie, PA!  The temperature reached 58, the skies were sunny and the day was not windy.  We headed to nearby Asbury Woods to enjoy several hours out on the trails and at the parks!    

 

Tonight's meal is also a time-saver!  I easily made enough of the pork loin to last for another entire meal.  This pork loin comes as a Club Pack from Wegmans.  They do an excellent job with their "Keeps Fresh" packaging.  We cooked 1/2 of the Club Pack this evening and that is enough for two meals for our family.  The package is dated for January 14th - purchased today and good to have on hand for a later date.  Hurray!  The rice will be enough for another dinner and there will be some left to include with my husband's lunch on Monday.  The tomato cucumber salad is simple to whip up and is best if eaten the same day. 

    
Dijon Broiled Pork Loin
From Insanity Max 30 Nutrition Guide
  - Amounts adjusted to match Wegmans Pork Loin Packaging

Nonstick Cooking Spray
2 Pounds Raw Lean Center-Cut Pork Tenderloin
5 tsp. Dijon Mustard
5 tsp. Whole Grain Mustard
5 tsp. Olive Oil

1) Preheat the broiler on high.
2) Lightly coat broiling pan with spray.  Place pork on broiling pan approximately 5-6 inches from the heat.
3) Broil for 16-20 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
4) While pork is cooking, combine the mustards and oil in a small bowl.  Mix well.
5) When pork reaches desired doneness, remove from oven and place on a serving plate and spread the mustard mixture on top.
6) Cover loosely with foil and allow pork to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

See below for the recipe for the Tomato Cucumber Salad!  I first made this as part of a snack during my own DAY One of Insanity Max 30.  We have been enjoying it ever since!  I am currently on Day 13 of this 60 Day Program.  Tomorrow I will put together a recap of my own Week Two of Max 30.

Making it Stick This Time!

Good morning!  As we count down the final days of 2014, we find ourselves making plans for the new year ahead.  Whether or not you are a textbook "resolution maker", there is a good chance that one of your goals for 2015 may be to improve your health.  This is certainly one of my own goals!  I have a whole list of objectives for the upcoming year and losing 20 pounds is on that list.  That would take me to a total of 75 pounds lost since September 2013 and I am looking forward to reaching that milestone.  Wherever you are on your own journey, I would be glad to tackle this topic together!

I have been thinking about something for the past couple of days.  Why is it that resolutions oftentimes fade and then fail a couple of months, weeks or days into the new year?  Forbes estimates that 8% of people stick with a New Year's Resolution.  Eeeekkkk!  That is not so promising.  Healthy Eating?  We do not like to be given a list of what we can't have.  Exercise?  We don't want to be told what we have to do.  A new routine?  We are already busy and the thought of adding one more thing while trying to juggle everything else just becomes too much!    

So, why is it that what I am doing works??  Why have I been able to make major change and stick with it?  And how has this worked for the many who joined me in 2014?  Rather than thinking about some list of what you can't have and how you are going to miss all of your old favorites, we focus on learning about food as fuel.  We educate ourselves on what goes into our food, what to look for, what to avoid, the effects on our bodies, etc.  In the midst of this process, two things happen.  We realize that what we were eating before was really not doing us any favors.  As we begin to change, our bodies have a physical response.  Before long, eating very much at all of our "old foods" leaves us feeling icky!  And not just in a "self-guilt, I should not have eaten that sort of way"!  As we begin to eat clean and fuel our bodies properly, they reject the old junk.  And then we literally do not want it anymore.  So that whole idea of having a list of what we "can't have"??  We learn that we really do not want it anyways.  That turning point contributes heavily to life change and honestly makes it easy to stick with clean eating.  For me, starting with Shakeology as my breakfast each day gives me a quick dose of super-nutrition and even within my first few days of starting with it, my old cravings were GONE.  How cool is that???  This has been a key component in my success with making change.

Once we are fueling our bodies well, we have the energy for daily 30 minute at home workouts.  We begin to crave exercise.  Challenging ourselves becomes a welcome element of our day.  This begins when we lace up our sneakers and press play but the benefits of this mindset extend into other areas of life as well.  Combined with clean eating, the effectiveness of Beachbody home workouts is basically unlimited!  "Decide, Commit, Succeed" is their tagline and it works!  If you want to grow and find out what you are capable of and go through your days feeling strong, flexible and confident... well, what are you waiting for?  Let's get started!

And how about a new routine?  The accountability and support of a challenge group have been life-changing for me!  I began making with new habits and I was not alone in this endeavor. For me to make progress with my fitness and nutrition, there is a cycle that has to be linked! When I am a little sore from my workout, I am all the more motivated to eat well. When I eat clean and drink my daily Shakeology, I have the energy to workout 6 days a week. I have never felt better! I just make some things a non-negotiable before I can talk myself out of them.  Checking in with my challenge group keeps me on track.
 

I am so excited for the new year that is right around the corner! There is just something about a new chapter and a fresh start. In 2015 I look forward to serving others and helping them reach their own fitness goals through a "secret" Facebook group format where others have already found significant life change and made incredible progress!  Starting January 5th, I will be helping those ready to FOCUS on themselves and commit to 30 minute at home workouts, accountability, clean eating, recipes, daily dose of nutrition, and seeing results.  I have TWO groups beginning on the 5th and one of them could be a fit for you! 

- New Year, New YOU is a 60 Day group that will work well with any of our Beachbody programs.  The 21 Day Fix is always popular and will have a great representation in this group.  I would be happy to help you find the program that is a match for your own goals and current fitness level.  New Year, New YOU will be a great community for those just getting started with healthy changes or looking to get back on track after life has gotten in the way of your progress in this area. 

- Insanity Max 30 with Shaun T is the newest workout available through Beachbody!  I am just wrapping up my own Week 2 of this program and I can't even describe how much I LOVE it!  You will be hooked from the first couple of days as you work towards some insane 60 Day results.  Max 30 keeps your interest and is crazy challenging but yet is not hard to follow.  I can already see how I am going to look back on this as one of my own favorite programs.  And that is honestly a surprise to me!  I am so not a "hard core/extreme workout" type of girl.  At least not until now... :)  Being part of a test group with others who are following the same plan is so much fun!  Everyone in the group "gets it" and the accountability and support are incredible.  If you do not have any physical restraints and would like to push yourself, let's do this!

 

I am also connecting with those looking for even more change in 2015. If you are wanting to get in the best shape of your life and also want to inspire others to do the same, coaching could be a fit for you! Smart Start Coach Basics will begin on January 5th!  If you are determined, enjoy independence, celebrate the success of others, and are truly open to personal growth, I would welcome you to my team! I will be taking on a small number of interns to learn one-on-one how to become a successful Beachbody Coach.  I began coaching in March of 2014 and it has become one of the most rewarding experiences.  Plus I am really contributing to the family budget while still having flexibility and being able to be home with my kids.  I really enjoy our team and look forward to a great year ahead!  Beachbody is seeing lots of growth as others realize that they need to step out and be proactive with their own fitness and nutrition.  This is an excellent company and I am pleased to be part of it.

* Coaching is not for the person looking to make instant cash. You need to be willing to invest in others’ lives.

Are you:
*caring
*risk-taker
*determined
*vision driven
*self-motivated

With these qualities your income will grow and will never cap out. Contact me for details!  To apply, complete this short questionnaire.  

Cinnamon Cutout Cookies - Soft and Flavorful!!

I have a confession to make.  I am 36 years old.  My children are ages 5 and 7.  I have NEVER made cutout cookies before today.  To be honest, the thought of the mess was a big turn-off for me!  And a scenario where the kids are handling and eating and then touching everything else with raw eggs is enough to give me nightmares. Salmonella!!  I am a germophobe in the kitchen!  Call HAZMAT!!!!  Plus, I like soft cutout cookies.  The crunchy ones are my least favorite cookie.  What if I made cutouts and they were crunchy, then what??

We began eating clean in September 2013.  So "Sugar Cookies" have not been high on the list of things to make!  We do make cookies with mashed banana, oats, nuts, etc.  But how would a sugar cookie translate?

Long story short, the kids have been wanting to make cutouts!  One of the moms in my Insanity Max 30 challenge group posted a recipe late last night.  It was from The Gracious Pantry.  I didn't have all of the ingredients.  So we changed a total of four things and went ahead and made our own rendition this afternoon!

I do not own any cookie cutters!  My daughter has some American Girl Dolls and there was a collection of mini-cookie cutters amongst that set. So we washed them up and put them into action!  

These cookies are a big hit!!  Soft and chewy and fantastic cinnamon flavor.  They are satisfying and memorable.  Give them a try!  Oh, and no raw egg involved.  Phew!  Sigh of relief!!  You could certainly make these with regular cookie cutters.  Enjoy!!

** Please note that the kids really, really wanted to mix in some food coloring here.  We happened to have some in the cupboard from last Easter.  So I let them use it.  I do NOT consider food coloring to be a standard "clean eating" item!  I would not typically use it in a recipe.  This recipe is a pleasant shade of brown!  You could decorate these cookies however you like.

Cinnamon Cutout Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (less if you do not want such a flavorful cookie!)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Use a glass bowl to combine butter, coconut oil and raw honey.  Melt in the microwave. (You may also use a pan on the stove-top for this step.)  
3. Mix in the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.  Fold in the baking powder and flour.
4. Lay out a piece of wax paper.  Flatten or roll dough to desired thickness and then use cookie cutters of your choice.
5. Place cookies on a piece of stoneware.  Bake for 8 minutes is using the smaller size cutters as shown here.  Adjust baking upward for larger cutouts.  ** Do not over-bake!  These cookies are soft and delightful.  With no eggs in the recipe, you do not have to be overly concerned with baking them long enough.
6.   Enjoy warm or cool!
   
   

Insanity Max 30 Week 1 - Results and Review

Hello!  Guess what??  I have just completed WEEK ONE of Insanity Max 30!  This is a 60 Day program and it is safe to say that I am unexpectedly HOOKED!  Even 8 days ago, I was pretty nervous about this one.  The workouts are intense and the style is outside of my usual comfort zone.  I naturally love PiYo.  But I do not have a reason why I can't take on a program like Max 30 so I decided to go for it!  And guess what???  I am DOWN 3 pounds this week!  Hurray for Week One of Insanity Max 30!  This has definitely been a jump start. It has been awhile since the scale moved - other than inching upward the past month or two.  I began my health transformation 15 months ago.  At first the weight and inches came off very quickly.  Then things slowed and I have been doing much more strengthening and toning.  Even though I personally rank the scale below measurements, fit of clothes and photos as a tool of checking progress, it is encouraging to see it move when I still have two dozen or so pounds to go.

Some of the thoughts that I have kept at the forefront of my mind this week are:

- Dig Deep.  Dig Deeper!

- When you can't do one more, do three more!

- Who will win?  Your body or your mind?

- I am going to have a great Max 30 transformation.  It is not simply the "program that I am doing".

- Eat according to the plan! 

- Go, GO, GO!!!  I can do this! 

Max 30 was released at the PERFECT time for me.  I can already feel my mid-section becoming tighter and my lower back, shoulder and outer thighs feel stronger.  The triceps focus of PiYo will continue for me through Max 30.  This is exactly what I need to be doing this winter!  I will have another Max 30 test group beginning our prep week on January 5th and you are invited to join me!  If this program is too intense of a start for your current fitness level, no worries!  I have a "New Year, New YOU" challenge which will have a big focus on the 21 Day Fix and is open to any of my customers working their way through one of our programs.  

I am currently leading our first Insanity Max 30 test group with my sister Rachel who is also a Team Beachbody Coach and we are off to a great start there!  The nutrition guide that comes with Max 30 is actually my favorite guide so far.  This one is based on the foundation that many have learned through the 21 Day Fix with the idea of portion control and eating from the proper ratio of food categories.  I sat down last Friday to work on my menu plan.  I worked "from scratch", using the Max 30 guide and a piece of paper.  I was happy with how it all came together!  I plugged in quite a few delicious recipes that came right from the Max 30 guide.

I was ready for Day ONE!  This took place on Monday, December 15th.  My alarm was set, my sneakers were ready and the coffee pot was prepped.  My Polar tracker had arrived Sunday afternoon and my husband helped me with getting it started in time for my first workout.  :)  I begin my day by reading my Bible and checking in with my challenge groups while drinking my coffee.  Then I am ready to begin my workout, typically at around 6 AM.  The Max 30 workouts are all 30 minutes in length and that is perfect.  Monday's workout is Cardio Challenge.

With Insanity Max 30, you are doing a set of 5 workouts during the first month and then a second set of 5 new workouts during the second month.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday are cardio-focused and Tuesday/Thursday are strength-focused.  Although all of the workouts do contain an element of each.  There is an optional weekend workout called "Pulse".  It is 20 minutes in length rather than the 30 minutes of all of the other workouts.  Pulse is stretching and strength.  Shaun T cracks me up!  He begins Pulse with saying that this is going to be an easy day.  But NOT that easy, since his name is Shaun T and we know what that means!  With all of Max 30, you work with the idea of "maxing out".  You PUSH yourself rather than pacing yourself through the routine.  There IS a modifer in every single workout.  You can even choose a menu option to have that modifier ALWAYS visible on the right side of your screen.  I have been doing that and LOVE it!  I tend to modify 1/3-1/2 of my workout. My feet are super flat and can not jump forever.  The modifier does not jump at all.  Plus my current cardio level keeps me in the best heart rate range if I am modifying part of the time.  So that works!

Monday - Cardio Challenge is basically your fit test each week.  It keeps you moving mentally and physically!  Lots of variety and some new moves that I had never seen prior to Max 30. 

Tuesday and Thursday - Tabata Power (weeks 1&2) and Tabata Strength (weeks 3 &4).  Tabata Power begins with plyometrics and then comes down to the floor with a fair amount of floor work.  It is intense!  On Thursday of this week, I had the chance to do my workout a little bit later in the morning and then spent the next two hours tracking my continuous calorie burn following Tabata.  It was INSANE!

Wednesday - Sweat Intervals is a cardio workout and is my own favorite so far!  I was sweating as much as ever!
 
Friday - Friday Fight: Round 1 just does not stop!  Who will win?  Your body or your mind?

Saturday - Pulse (optional) is a stretch and strength type of workout. 

Sunday - Rest

* Add in 10 Minute Ab Attack on M, W, Sat if you would like to aim high!

It is safe to say that I have never worked out this hard in my life.  But I like it!  The best part is that although the program is challenging, it is not hard to follow.  The modifier is VERY doable, provided you have a can-do attitude and no physical restrictions.  

The nutrition plan give you plenty of options and I honestly enjoy following that sort of framework.  You fall either above or below 150 pounds and that determines your bracket on the nutrition plan.  I am above 150 and aim for 4 proteins, 4 veggies, 3 fruits, 3 carbs, 1 healthy fat, 1 seeds, and 4 teaspoons of oil/nut butter each day.  I am going to be honest and say that looking back on the week, I was probably at about 70% with following it perfectly.  We are in the midst of the holiday season!  So given this fact, seeing that I was still able to lose 3 pounds, I am pretty excited!  The next couple of weeks continue to be "holiday" and I will certainly be utilizing my challenge group members and those around me to help me to stay accountable and on track with things.  After all, I am excited for my own transformation with Max 30!

Insanity Max 30 - Actual Calories Burned??

Hello!  Welcome to my blog!  Tonight we are taking a look at my first four days of Insanity Max 30.  This is Shaun T's newest program which was just released by Beachbody.  I am a coach and am leading a test group who is doing this 60 Day program.  The workouts are all 30 minutes in length and you are running on a 5 day a week schedule with rests days on the weekends.  This weekend I will put together a blog entry that is a detailed recap of Week One.  That will include more details on the workouts themselves as well as some recipes from the Max 30 guide.  I have been keeping tabs on my calories burned during Max 30 and this is the subject of tonight's blog entry.  So, how many calories are actually burned during the Max 30 workouts?  Yesterday I did Sweat Intervals and the 10 Minute abs... you can check out the collage at the top for an idea of what that looked like for me!

I began the week with the workout called "Cardio Challenge".  That is the one assigned to Mondays during Month One.  I am personally not a big fan of cardio.  Or so I thought??  I don't know what to say!  I am loving this!  This program keeps you moving physically and mentally yet is not hard to follow.  Even for me - and I am not the most coordinated or the fastest learner with things like this.  :)  The whole idea of Max 30 is that you push yourself and "max out", as opposed to pacing yourself and taking it easy during parts of the program.  It is go, go, go!  When you can no longer go at your own full-tilt, you have maxed-out.  You take a tiny breather and then jump back in with the program.  All of the workouts have a modifier and I follow that person about 1/2 of the time throughout the workout.  This works well in accommodating my super-flat feet and current level of cardio fitness.  Anyways, here is what Cardio Challenge looks like in regards to calories burned. 

Day 2 (Tuesday) and Day 4 (Thursday) are both scheduled as "Tabata Power".  During Week Three we will begin to rotate in Tabata Strength.  Today is Thursday and after a couple of really busy days of running around with early morning appointments, I was thankful that today was a planned day to be at home.  This allowed me to do a little experiment after today's workout.  I am still new to my Polar tracker and am enjoying the opportunity to track my heart rate and calories burned.  My own coach (my sister!) mentioned to me about how it is interesting to see how many calories you continue to burn in an accelerated manner during the 30, 60, 90+ minutes after completing an intense workout.
 

 

WOW!?!?!?  Keeping tabs on this was fascinating!   I took a photo of my calories burned at the end of today's Tabata Power (307).  I snapped the next photo 30 minutes later! All I had done is make my Shakeology, start laundry, straighten up the kitchen, and then sat down in my daughter's room... WOW!!!  165 calories burned during 30 minutes of minimal physical exertion??  I am one who likes finding a deal.  Essentially taking my 30 minute workout benefit from 307 up to 472 calories burned was amazing!  I continued to check at 30 minute intervals until taking my final read at 10 AM - 2 hours after finishing the workout.  The total was 645 calories burned.  Considering we sat down shortly after 8:30 and began our day of homeschooling, this is pretty neat.

I was doing some reading this evening on the topic of workout after-burn in regards to calories burned.  The general consensus is that a more vigorous workout delivers the best result in ongoing calorie burn as your system returns back to "normal".  But why is this and how does it work?  Here is something that I found in a NY Times article:

"A recent book that Dr. Bouchard and a colleague edited notes two studies that found this effect. The researchers found that if subjects ran at 70 percent of their VO2 max or cycled at 75 percent of it, they could burn 300 to 700 extra calories after the exercise was over, though 700 calories was unusual.  It is not clear why extra calories should be burned after a bout of intense exercise, Dr. Bouchard says. Part of the effect may be due to post-exercise energy metabolism: the body starts using more fat and less carbohydrate after a hard exercise session. Several hormones that are released during exercise remain elevated in the blood afterward, increasing metabolism. And extra calories may be burned when the body replenishes glycogen, the sugar stored in muscles. But for the most part, the effect remains a mystery.  Whatever the cause, researchers say, the extra calories burned after exercise can help people lose weight. Unfortunately, those who may have the most to lose may have the hardest time doing the sort of exercise that gives them a calorie-burning bonus." 

I was just talking with my Dad over the phone earlier this evening.  We were talking about Max 30 and the life changes that I have seen in myself since beginning my health transformation in September 2013.  I told him several times that I am just plain thankful that I am able to do an intense program like Insanity Max 30.  I still have 25 or so pounds to lose as I work towards my goal weight.  Combined with clean eating and following the Max 30 meal plan, I can see myself making some great progress over the next 60 days and beyond!

Here is an interesting article about workout techniques that will burn major calories in less time.  It is neat to see how different Beachbody programs that I have done fit into some of these categories!  If you would like more info on a program that could be a match for you, I would be glad to chat with you!  You can find me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jeanette.paradis. 

 

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Why Now?

Doesn't this look AMAZING?!?  Just looking at this photo makes me think of when my husband I went to Tahiti on our honeymoon 10 years ago!  I would absolutely jump at the chance to go on a trip like this with him again!  I was expecting our daughter by our first wedding anniversary and then we added our 2nd child a couple of years later.  Needless to say, a trip like this has not been in the picture for us.  We have been a single-income family much of the time while I have been at home with the kids.  They are both school age now but we are a homeschooling family during this time in life.  So... I am still at home with the kids!  Last year at this time I was driving 50 miles round trip, 5 times per week to work as a horseback riding instructor during the evenings and weekends.  I really enjoyed the work itself, but being out the house for 25-30 hours per week just was not a good fit for our family.  Due to a job change that happened for my husband several years ago, it is important that I also do something to contribute to the family budget.  

I became a Team Beachbody coach in March of 2014, just after having resigned from my position as a riding instructor.  I had first joined a Challenge Group in September 2013 and this was the start of my own health transformation where I went on to lose 50+ pounds over the next year.  But by March of 2014, I was more than ready to lead others!  I hit the ground running and have truly enjoyed building my business ever since.  It is amazing to see the transformations in my challengers.  People are changing their lives and I get to be there to help them!  I also love the team that I lead with my sister Rachel.  We coach together and work closely with the members of our own team.  Plus I deeply appreciate being part of Melanie's Dream Team where our lead coach Melanie Mitro is currently #1 in all of Beachbody!  We have some incredible elite coaches on our team and working frequently with them goes a long way in really making a go of things as a coach myself!  

My sister Rachel was my own coach and she had been telling me for months that I ought to consider coaching.  I was finally ready to take the dive in late February.  One of the first things that I did was to get on the waiting list for Cancun 2015!  Each year Beachbody offers an incredible trip that coaches are able to earn for free!  A spouse or whomever is also included in the arrangements of the trip.  Perfect, right??

Well, guess what?  Not so perfect, after all!  Remember how I had decided in late February to begin coaching.  Even though I put my name on the waiting list ASAP, I am still on the wait list.  As of this weekend, I am number 780 something.  But here is the crazy part!  I will have earned enough points this year (even with not having started in January!) that I could have gone on the trip for FREE!  You earn points by supporting your customers and helping them with their own transformations.  Coaches who sign up for the trip at the beginning but then do not earn enough points during the year are still able to go - they just pay for the difference.  I am unfortunately in the other boat!  The trip would be free BUT since I enrolled in late February, I am down on the waiting list and most likely will not get to be there in Cancun with everyone in April of 2015.

So why am I sharing all of this?  Well... because if you are thinking of potentially getting started as a Beachbody coach, NOW IS THE TIME!  Reservations for the 2016 Success Club trip will begin in early January.  If you have the potential of earning the trip for free, it just makes sense to be able to sign up for it right away so that you are able to go once the time comes!

 

Coaching is really all about helping others!  You are offering support, tools and connections for those who are working hard to make healthy changes.  This is a legitimate business and I am excited by the potential as a coach.  It would be so good to have you partnering with us as we work to "end the trend" of obesity here in the United States!

Beginning on Monday, December 15th my sister Rachel and I are hosting a 3 day "Open House" via a closed group on Facebook.  You are invited to join us!  This will be a no-strings-attached time to ask questions and check out the YouTube videos that we had made while together over Thanksgiving.  We talk about some of the common questions that people have as they consider the idea of coaching.  Let me know if you would like to be included!  Even if you are just curious if this could even be an option for you, it is definitely worth exploring.  I am so glad that I got started myself and I really enjoy helping others to reach their own goals with fitness and their own business building.  Plus we have a super-fun team, of course! 

Insanity Max 30 Meal Plan and Grocery List: Week ONE!

Good morning!  Today is Saturday and that means it is time for some meal planning here in my household.  This week is not just like any other week, though!  Monday the 15th is going to be my own Day 1 of 60 with Beachbody's brand-new Shaun T program called Insanity Max 30!!  I am excited to be teaming up with my sister who is also a coach and we are leading an Insanity Max 30 Test Group together!  Next weekend I will blog an update on my first week of the workouts and my overall impression of the program.

This morning I am going to focus on meal planning according to the nutrition guide that came with Max 30.  I stayed up pretty late last night in order to get this thing done from start to finish!  I found the guide very easy to follow and was intrigued by all of the simple recipes that have been included.  The system is not radically different from the 21 Day Fix.  However, there were a few things that I would need to tweak from my current Fix and PiYo meal plans.  With wanting to incorporate some of the Max 30 recipes, I decided to dial way back and start all of this from scratch.  It was a bit harder but is definitely worth it.  Rather than taking my old approach and favorites and trying to fit them into this mold, I have built from the ground up in crafting my Max 30 meal plan for my own Week One!

Anything that you see written in italics represents a new recipe that I have pulled from the Max 30 Nutrition guide!  Typically I would NOT be trying 15 new recipes in one week!  But they are simple!  I pulled from the Breakfast (which we will have for dinner on Tuesday and Saturday), Snack, Dinner, Carb and Veggie categories of the guide.  It is incredibly user-friendly and I think that Beachbody has don an excellent job with this entire program!  

I am really, really looking forward to getting started!  Being successful with Max 30 is SO MUCH A STATE OF MIND.  The program is intense!  I have sampled a few of the workouts this week and it is unlike anything else that I have ever done.  Shaun T keeps us moving on this one but it is not difficult to follow.  Time passes quickly and all of the workouts are 30 minutes in length.  This is going to be an amazing transformation type of program for myself and SO many others out there!  Just as important as sticking with the hard-core workouts, we also have to be very, very purposeful and selective in the kitchen.  Especially this time of the year!  I am thankful for my Max 30 Test Group where we will all be holding one another accountable.  :)

The final part of my meal planning was to write a grocery list.  I took my meal plan and then continuously referenced the guide book recipes as I went into Microsoft Word and updated my usual grocery list.  I will paste in the list content below!  I tend to shop at our local Wegmans and Sam's Club most of the time.  

My meal planning chart and grocery list both incorporate the color-coded food categories that we find in Max 30.  Red is Proteins, Green is Veggies, Purple is Fruits, Yellow is Carbs, Blue is Healthy Fats, Orange is Seeds & Dressings and the Brown Teaspoon is Oils & Nut Butters.

 

Max 30 Grocery List for Week One – 12/15/14

Produce

Bananas

Apples

Oranges

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Baby Spinach

Salad Greens

Green Beans

Asst. Peppers

Mushrooms

Avocado

Sweet Potatoes

Lemons

Garlic

Cilantro

Rosemary

Deli

Low Sodium Ham

Nitrate Free Turkey

Cooler

Chicken Breast Club Pack

Flank Steak

Pork Tenderloin

Low Sodium, Nitrate Free Turkey Bacon

Plain Greek Yogurt

Eggs

Almond Milk

Grocery Shelves:

Black Olives

Cumin

Dijon Mustard

Frozen:

Berries

Nature’s Marketplace Organic

                (at Wegmans)

Shelves:

Kidney Beans

Black Beans

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Almond Butter

Freezer:

Ezekiel Bread

Bulk:

Sesame Seeds

Sprouted Almonds

 

 

  

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