Random Benefits of Sweat!

I was reading an article in Fitness magazine while working on the morning post in one of my challenge groups.  This article was written by Ayren Jackson-Cannady and you can view the complete article here: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/sweat-health-benefits/.  I am going to draw from this article as I include a few interesting highlights below...

Sweat Eases Pain

Got a kink in your neck that won't quit (and no one around to massage it out)? Working up a sweat just might soothe the soreness, experts say. "Exercise stimulates neurochemical pathways in the brain, resulting in the production of endorphins that act as natural painkillers," says James Ting, MD, a sports medicine physician at Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, California

I have found this to be true!  I am prone to stiff neck tension when I have been too busy with my life.  If I can move beyond the "not feeling like working out" part, I almost always feel better when I am done.  And I have to admit that I am thankful for my husband who is hands-down the BEST at working on any kinks that I may have.  But if he is getting ready to head to work and I don't want to have to wait until later in the day for some help with my neck, a sweaty workout does offer some benefits!

Sweat Rids the Body of Toxins

Not feeling the whole post-weekend juice detox plan? Hit the mat for a super sweat session instead. Some experts believe that sweating can flush the body of system-clogging substances like alcohol, cholesterol, and salt.

I think that this one is kind of a no-brainer... you can practically FEEL the yucky stuff leaving you during a really great sweaty workout!  When I think of the workouts that make me sweat the most, "Lower Fix" from the 21 Day Fix and "Sweat" from PiYo are at the top of my list!  A good sweat can feel redemptive at times!

 

 

Sweat Controls Mood Swings

Maybe you've already noticed — before a workout you're Ms. Crabby Pants. But afterward you feel like giving everyone hugs and high fives. It seems natural that we associate feeling warm with a sense of well-being and relaxation, but there may in fact be a scientific explanation for this feeling, says Dr. Ting. "Research has suggested that temperature-sensitive neural circuits to specific regions in the brain exist and may play a significant role in controlling mood." So the next time you sense yourself being short, take a break for a Bikram yoga session or a run for a get-happy fix.

Oh YES!!  This is me for sure!!  And on the days that I don't fit in my workout at the planned time, I have to fight to keep my mood and attitude on track!  Who can relate??

Sweat Prevents Colds and Other Infections

If you've ever wished you could walk around dousing everything in sanitizer wipes to prevent illness, you might be in luck. A study from Eberhard Karls University Tubingen in Germany suggests that human perspiration contains a naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide called dermcidin, which has been proven to fight tuberculosis germs and other dangerous pathogens, says Dr. Bowe. It's like an invisible force field against germs!

This is good to know!  I am not the biggest germaphobe out there, but with my two kids and especially with my son who touches and picks up EVERYTHING, I feel like we are bringing more germs than necessary into our lives!   

 

Sweat Lowers Kidney Stone Risk

Yes, really! Research from the University of Washington found that regular exercisers sweat out salt and tend to retain calcium in their bones, rather than having them — salt and calcium — go into the kidneys and urine where stones form. Frequent sweaters also tend to drink more water and fluids, which is another stone prevention mechanism.

Fascinating!!!  Thankfully, I do not have any personal experience with kidney stones.  But I have heard how dreadful they are and even the thought makes me cringe.  If my workouts can do anything to lower my risk on this front, GREAT!  :)  Taking an interest in my health and making changes to my fitness and nutrition has become a lifestyle for me.  I still have plenty of my own progress to make and you are invited to join me!
 

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Ideas for a Healthy November!

Hello and welcome to November!  Today is the 1st and I am excited to be putting together some plans for this new month!!  Up first is a "Fall into Fitness" group that I am leading with Kara Simpkins.  It makes me smile to think of how I have added four new women to that group during the past 24 hours!  I will continue to add there through the end of the day today.  :)  So if you have been on the fence, message me ASAP!  We have a variety of workout programs represented in that group and will of course talk about clean eating and how to make it all work in "real life"!  This group is comprised of 20 or so women who are determined to make some positive changes in their lives during this season!  This week was unique in that I was able to sit down with three of my brand-new Fall into Fitness challengers and we spoke face-to-face about their goals, hopes and really just where to take all of this.  I loved being able to do that!  So much of what I do happens through Facebook and that is a convenient platform for sure.  But being able to grab a few minutes here and there to connect in person was pretty neat!  Some of my challengers do live here in Erie, PA.  Others are on the other side of the country and even on the other side of the world!  

On November 10th I will begin my second ever "Make the Most of Today" clean eating group.  I had hosted my first group like this back in August and it was a great experience that was beneficial for so many!  This November group will involve the same content that I had created in August.  I have added to my circle of friends since August and I was thinking the other day how the timing is right to host a second round of this free group!  Clean eating has been life-changing for me over the past 13 months and I am excited to share a "how-to" through this group! I have lost 50+ pounds and have had huge changes with my cholesterol, triglycerides, energy and overall approach to life. Here are the topics that we will explore: Monday the 10th will include some basics on clean eating and why it is important. On Tuesday we will take a look at how to calculate our personal calorie target and the importance of truly balanced nutrition. On Wednesday we will look at meal planning basics and grocery shopping strategies. Thursday will include a look at the ripple effect of eating clean for ourselves and those who are in our circle. We will also get down to the nitty-gritty dangers of sugar. Friday will be our final day and we will talk about finding your place to begin with all of this and the importance of incorporating exercise that you will actually enjoy! 

Stay tuned for more details on my November 17th "Healthy Holidays" group!  I will be hosting this one with Molly Avondet and we are making some plans now on the content for that group.  :)  We will spend some time talking about our fitness efforts but the bigger emphasis will be eating clean so that we can feel our best through the holiday season and on in to the new year!

If you have been thinking about looking for a part-time job or would even like to move beyond that and build a viable business, we should talk!  My coaching team is growing and I would be interested in having you join us!  You do not need to be a fitness or nutrition expert to be able to help those in your circle.  I began my own transformation after seeing how all of this was working for my sister and that made me feel comfortable enough to get started myself.  The main thing is to be passionate about helping others while enjoying the flexibility and creativity that this business brings.  I am able to give you some excellent tools and will support you along the way.  Plus my larger team is the #1 team in all of Beachbody and this instantly gives you access to very experienced top coaches who are available and willing to help others on our team.  What do you think?  

 

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello!  Thanks for visiting my blog.  Tonight I am SO EXCITED to share with you what I feel are the BEST CLEAN EATING cookies that I have made to date!  We have been eating clean for the past 13 months and this life change has gone a long way in improving my health, adding energy, lowering cholesterol, etc.  But, I am still a cookie person.  What can I say?  A good cookie is still my #1 weakness!  In the past year I have made some pretty interesting cookie/bar recipes.  I am going to just go ahead and say that tonight's recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip cookies is the "most normal" clean eating cookie recipe that I have ever made here.  It also is not quite as "extreme" as some of my other recipes.  I DO like the others.  Such as the bars made with the garbanzo beans (see Clean Blondie Bars) or the banana oatmeal cookies which have ZERO sweetener or usual "fat" in the recipe (see Banana Oatmeal Cookies).  Tonight's recipe does include a healthy fat in the form of 1/2 cup of coconut oil which is not so bad amongst the 24 oversize cookies which this recipe yields.  The sweetener is a combination of raw honey and coconut palm sugar, which is a nice sugar for baking in that it is low-glycemic but still gives you the texture/consistency of sugar within a recipe.  I did some looking around on the web earlier this evening and wound up combining a few recipes and adding my own elements in order to craft the one that we experimented with tonight.  Honestly, I would not change a thing and will make this one exactly the same way next time!  Good thing that I was motivated to record my actions in order to blog the recipe!  Otherwise I tend to be a "make it up as you go" sort of cook/baker!  

We are not 100% organic here within our home but many of our items have shifted to organic.  See the top photo above for which brands we used in making this recipe.    

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies 

                                     * Makes 2 Dozen Large Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 large egg, brought up towards room temperature

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, depending on your taste.  I use 2!

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350.

In a glass bowl (I use my Pampered Chef Large Batter Bowl), melt coconut oil and raw honey.  Whisk in pumpkin puree, coconut sugar and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.  Add egg and continue to whisk well.  (You want to add the egg AFTER you whisk the coconut oil well with the other ingredients to keep the coconut oil from becoming solid again….when coconut oil comes in contact with anything cold, it will solidify.  It also helps to pull your egg out of the fridge just before beginning to assemble everything needed to make your cookies.  A "not so cold" egg will result in cookies that are more fluffy).

In a separate bowl, whisk together together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. 

Gently fold the flour mixture in to the pumpkin mixture and mix carefully until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Using the Pampered Chef Medium Scoop (size is 2 tablespoons), drop cookies onto stoneware Large Bar Pan.  The surface of seasoned stoneware does not require any prep for baking these cookies.  Use a spoon or spatula to flatten the cookies a bit prior to baking.  The kids were using spoons but I discovered on the 3rd (and final!) pan that the Small Spatula actually does a great job of smoothing/shaping the cookies without the dough sticking to it like it did with the metal spoons.  The prepped cookie dough should be slightly flattened and smoothed prior to going into the oven.  You do not want to put these into the oven as a big rounded ball or they will not bake all the way through in a nice way.

Bake for approximately 10-11 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.  The batter does not spread very much.  The cookies will appear "fluffy" but are not dry or cake-like.  They are moist on the inside!  

Transfer to a wire cooling rack.  Enjoy!!

Our New Friday + Not Doing It All

I wear a lot of hats.  But the biggest one is that of being a mom.  My children are ages 5 and 7 and are as different from one another as I could imagine!  Our daughter came along first and then our son.  Things have been tricky lately.  Okay, most of motherhood can be tricky at times!  Nothing will keep you praying for wisdom or feeling so humbled as navigating your days as a mom.  Just this morning we had yet another scene where I was all too aware of my need for wisdom while also experiencing keen disappointment in the three of us.  I thought that I had properly prepped the kids for something but it just did not go as planned.  Kylee became shy in the situation which translated as "snottiness".  Sometimes she acts that way and has way too much attitude.  Nathan went against the instructions to "not lay down or tug at people.  Just stand still and be pleasant".  Hmm... I am mostly over it now but still.  What to do?  Motherhood.    

Back to the wearing of hats... in addition to the whole mom thing and being a homeschooling mom of a kindergartner and a 2nd grader, I have my own business as a health coach, I lead women's ministry at our church and as of this school year, I began tutoring for our Classical Conversations homeschooling campus.  This is our first year with CC and that group meets on Fridays. I have been leading my son's classroom there. 

Something unexpected was added to our schedule in late August/early September.  We discovered how our daughter is in need of some intense vision therapy to help with her tracking skills.  It is imperative that we work hard with this and get on top of the challenge so that she can get up to "average" ability in order to really progress with her grade-level academics, especially as this relates closely to reading beyond two lines on a page.  This situation has added an hour a day of at-home therapy, five days per week.  We also have extra appointments with her OT and our vision specialist.  This addition to the schedule has meant that there is a time each day where I need to keep our son at arm's length in order to focus with her on her therapy. Then I spend extra time with him afterward in an attempt to keep the emotional balance around here.  It has been hard!  At times I have wondered what I was thinking, that I was going to balance the wearing of all these varied hats?  Should I have said "no" to something at the outset?  Then I remember that the vision therapy came into the mix a bit later, after I had assumed these other responsibilities.  Between the extra time with both of the kids, this winds up adding 90 minutes or so to our days.  Ouch.  This has really cut back on the amount of time that I have to make daytime phone calls in relation to my roles of leading my coaching team, working with my own customers and also leading the women's ministry at church.  Instead, I wind up with a fairly substantial to-do list most evenings and this cuts down on the quality time that I invest with my husband.  You can get by with doing that for a fixed season, but not long term.

Our family budget relies on my income.  So I do need to work and am enjoying my coaching business of helping others to make healthy changes. I had contracted to tutor at CC for this school year.  Much to my surprise, this became a very difficult area in my life.  Nathan really, really struggled with having me teach him within a group.  We tried it for 6 weeks with all sorts of adjustments and attempted creativity.  He has been doing so well working one-on-one at home and I have loved seeing the spark of understanding and his academic growth.  It is exciting!  He does fine in classroom settings with other people.  But put the two of us together in an academic classroom, with me teaching him amongst a group of other kids... YIKES!  Picture a scene that is just toxic for everyone involved.  He has literally become the most angst-ridden, intense, angry, shut-down, difficult little boy in ways that I had never seen as being in him prior to all of this.  So this has been heart-wrenching, mortifying, frustrating and perplexing to me as a mom.  After much thought, prayer and discussion, we made the decision for the two of us to withdraw from CC.  Our daughter Kylee is having a wonderful experience and she will continue.  Nathan and I will spend some quality one-on-one time on our Friday mornings.  I think that this is going to be better for everyone involved.  Today was the first of our "new Fridays".  

This whole thing has been quite a journey.  Talk about a variety of emotions!  Sometimes it is so hard to know which way to take?  Is it time to push harder and really power through something?  Or is it time to step back, simplify and give it all some time?  I have to admit that it is helpful for my household for me to free up a few hours a week that I had been spending on prep work as a new tutor.  This also frees up a ton of space in my own head.  Phew!  There have been a few too many tabs open there!  Time for a big exhale on that front.  I am praying that we will find the keys to get to the heart of the matter with our son.  I know that it is not just about him acting like a "good boy", although this sure would simplify things as a mom!  I want him to really grow into who God has created him to be.  Even if this is not the cookie cutter personality that would perhaps be a bit more convenient for all of us?  :)  He is busy!  And is not a "traditional" learner.  He is tender and a hurricane all at once.  He makes me laugh and also makes me want to disappear from public view with some of his antics.  I realize that a lot of this goes hand-in-hand with being the mom of a little boy!   

I have also had to work through the emotions of feeling like a "failure" for one of the first times in my life.  This is just not my usual! I fall more in the camp of optimistic over-achievers.  But in this case, I felt as though I was failing to get Nathan on-board, pleasant and participating within the class.  He was just plain not being a good listener in addition to many other things that came into play.  We are really, really focusing on some things with him right now.  Plus I also felt as though I had "failed" professionally as a tutor.  I was not on top of doing the best by the rest of the class while trying to split my attention between them and my own child.  Our CC director and some close friends who have walked with me through this have been a big encouragement to me.  I probably would have continued trying to "do it all" if this area had not become so problematic that it was obvious that a change was needed.  So, here we are with a change.  

One of the biggest recent life lessons that I have learned came at a moment when Nathan was saying, "Mom!  Look!  LOOOOKKKK!  You have to look!  Look now!"  Aaaaahhhh! (internally from me!)  We hear this so often throughout our days.  The whole "look!" thing.  Sometimes I literally have my hands into something (raw chicken?) where I can not stop and go look.  Other times I am mentally engaged in something and just want to finish it.  And I am not saying that we have to constantly cater to our kids with all of their requests.  But on this one day, Nathan blurted out something that was THE DEFINING MOMENT for me.  "Mom!  I ask you to look and you never look.  And then I am sad.  Then I become angry.  It is because you never look."  As he said this, his voice and body language increased in intensity to where he went sprinting out of the room, blinded by his tears.  I was cut to the quick.  It was not true that I "never look".  I do look.  Maybe 1/3 of the time??  Since that day, I am working hard to change that moment by moment.  We all need to just take it down a few levels around here.  I want everyone in our home to feel seen, appreciated and loved.  The kids have their own love languages.  My daughter is all about the gifts and acts of service.  We have come to see how much my son values quality time and physical touch.  It is time to get back to square one as a family and really invest in one another.

I am not sure what this next chapter will bring, but I am looking forward to some Friday morning adventures with my 5 year old son.  Today we went to the Zoo and moved at his pace and spent however much (or little!) time he was interested in exploring with each of the animals.  Wilbur the pig and the alpaca/llama corral were with him today!  I will also be praying for wisdom and endurance as right now I am the mom who hears "You have your hands full" more often than I would think should be necessary with him at this age?  I guess that it is pretty obvious that my hands are literally full with a noisy, flailing 5 year old and this is the way that others think to comment on the scene which we sometimes create?  We have let things slip for too long and now it is just time to really focus from this point forward.  This means that we are not always able to go with the flow.  We have to stop and have some teachable moments and hope to get everyone here back on track!      

             

What to Wear Today?

 

Good morning!  As you are getting to know me, you are perhaps surprised by the subject of this blog??  Why?  Well, I am so NOT the fashion person.  It is ironic to me how my daughter (now age 7) has exhibited an innate sense of fashion for the past 5+ years.  It is clear that she is all about the accessories and how to put together the perfect outfit.  Me?  I want to be comfortable while looking presentable.  Sensible shoes are my thing!  Merrell, Keen, Birkenstock...  What can I say??  I am the person who finds a shirt that I like and then I buy it in a couple of different colors.  :)  I find a pair of jeans that I like and then buy two pairs that are exactly the same!  Denim and cotton are wardrobe stapes of mine. 

So, what is my best advice on "what to wear" this Monday morning?  This time of the year is extra-tricky as we transition from summer into fall.  We pull last year's stuff out of the closet and wonder if it is going to fit?  This is especially true when getting a 5 and 7 year old dressed and out the door!  Here is what I am thinking about as I get ready for my day today:

Meal Plan, Confession Time and Getting Back on Track!

Good morning!  It is a chilly, rainy Saturday here in Erie, PA.  Welcome to my blog!  This morning I have been working on a meal plan for the upcoming week.  I do meal plan the majority of the time.  But it had not happened these past two weeks and I am feeling the effects of that!  My jeans are a bit snug!  YIKES!  I think that this is the first time that I have felt that way in the past year of clean eating, daily exercise and being in an accountability group via Facebook.  So, what happened???  Two weeks ago we were on our way to CT at this time.  Spending five days away from home was not awesome for my usual routine.  But it is a part of life!  We were staying with my mother-in-law and I did okay with my nutrition but it did not match my typical approach.  The space there is not conducive to working out with all of us converging upon her home.  We came back from CT and I switched gears to get ready to work at the "For Women Only" expo here at our Bayfront Convention Center.  Then we were right into a crazy new week here.  I have not thought of myself as a big "stress eater" but the past two weeks have had me munching more snacks than usual.  "Clean eating" snacks, but extra none the less!  And the past two weeks have been pretty stressful.  There may be a correlation there??  Since returning from CT, I did get right back to my workouts.  Still, yesterday morning was the first day that I felt fully back on track and strong when it comes to being fully engaged with my workouts and having that good next day soreness.  And that was eight workout days post-trip with just one rest day somewhere in there. The five days of travel were not my favorite thing for staying where I want to be.  The point is that the 80/20 rule above is TRUE!  We have still been eating clean (of course!) the vast majority of the time. But I have been going for extra handfuls of things here and there.  I have taken a little break and was not as self-disciplined as I personally prefer to be!  That's it!  Back on track - NOW. 

Meal planning is done for the upcoming week.  I also list my daily workout at the top of each day.  This is my 4th week of ChaLEAN Extreme. This week is my final week of the "Burn" phase.  ChaLEAN Extreme is a 90 day program and there are three different weight-lifting workout for each phase.  The week of the 27th begins the "Push" phase. "Lean" is the final phase. I am doing these workouts 3 days a week and PiYo and a bit of the Fix on the other days.  So how do all of these programs factor into my meal planning?  Well, it was during the 21 Day Fix (which I began in March 2014) that I really learned SO much about nutrition and how to eat balanced from all of your categories of food.  The Fix was all about portion sizes and figuring out how much protein and veggies to eat compared to your fruits, grains and healthy fats.  I began PiYo in late June and have adopted the PiYo nutrition plan ever since.  Basically, I took my baseline from the Fix and the PiYo equivalent for my calorie target meant incorporating one more veggie and one more protein serving and one less fruit and one less grain.  Now, if I will just get back to STICKING WITH my meal plan, I will continue to progress with becoming more lean and my jeans will no longer be snug!  I made it into these 12's (first time in my life!) while doing the Fix and I am determined to get to 10's by spring.  How is that going to happen during the holiday season and long Erie winter???  Well, I figure if I could lose 54 pounds since beginning in September of 2013, I can manage to drop another size over the next six months.  Of course jean size/weight loss change happens much more slowly at this point and I am coming along with seeing more definition and toning.  I do enjoying experiencing those results!!  Being healthy is the bottom line and our daily choices need to lead us in that direction!  

I also printed out the above "self-accountability" sheet where I can mark off my servings as the days go. BOTH this and the meal plan are going on the fridge. "Success" for me this week is going to be sticking to the plan!  This is the sheet that I made for myself to x off my servings as I go through my day. I also mark if I "add" anything and knowing that I am going to be doing that helps me to stay on track more than I would without this extra step!  

If you are interested in having some help with getting started in the area of your own fitness and nutrition or would like to have some accountability with your current efforts, let's talk!  My next challenge group will begin our prep week on October 27th.  You are invited to join us!  

Is that You?!?!

Last night involved doing something NEW!  I took a few steps outside of my comfort zone and agreed to cover a booth during Erie's "For Women Only" expo.  This event is taking place at our Bayfront Convention Center.  Check out this page for more details on what is happening there this weekend!  I have been thinking for a while now about how I would really enjoy the opportunity to do more face-to-face marketing of my business.  I am a social media person but would also like to supplement my efforts there with more in-person business.  When I was contacted about the idea of working a booth, I knew it would be a tight squeeze to get this on the calendar after returning from CT less than 48 hours prior to the event.  But I felt that it would be a valuable opportunity for me as an individual and also for the local coaches who are part of my team.  Kathy Williams is a friend who recently joined my team and it was nice to spend some time working the table together!  Kathy is the blonde in the photo above.  As I weighed whether or not to participate in the expo, I kept hearing a similar quote from several sources.  Something about how hesitation kills more dreams than failure.  I decided to jump in with a commitment for this weekend.  I am so glad that I said "yes"!

My time at the expo table included many "full circle" moments.  I heard over and over again, "Is that you?!?!".  This was asked in response to my poster-sized before/after photos which are on display.  I do not share these things for the sake of recognition.  Rather, my heart is that others will see these images and become convinced that change IS possible and that they could make this work in their own lives!  Hurray for clean eating, Shakeology and home workout programs!  There were quite a few people who stated rather sheepishly that they do in fact own some of these programs and they are sitting on a shelf at home.  They had never heard of a challenge group.  I really think that being in a group like this tips the balance for so many of us. This is what helps us to get it done!  Being in proximity to a DVD may not be enough to keep you on track with it for the long haul.  Being in proximity to others who are doing the program with you is key!  THIS is what brings it all together as we keep each other accountable and encouraged on the journey!

I truly enjoyed connecting with so many people in person last night.  If we met last night and you are now reading this blog entry today, "hello again" and welcome to my blog!  Here are a few highlights which made me smile!  I appreciate life's tapestry of individuals and how we shape one another's days...

The 68 year old horse girl with the 28 year old Arab at home.  Last year's heart attack is not getting the best of you!  You came to the convention center sporting some nifty boots and you made me smile during our initial conversation and again each time you walked back past our table while trying to locate your group of friends!

To the mom shopping with your 7 year old daughter.  I most enjoyed our conversation and hope to connect again soon.  It would be lovely to interact with you in a challenge group!  There was something about you that instantly clicked with me!

To the ladies who work at Wegmans West...  You were walking past and I knew that you looked familiar!  Thanks for helping me to figure out why?   I enjoyed talking groceries with you!  Especially since you work in Produce and Nature's Marketplace!  This is where I do the bulk of my grocery shopping.     

There were several sets of moms and teenage/college athlete daughters.  I LOVE how our Beachbody programs truly appeal to this span of ages and experiences.  It was heart-warming to see you out enjoying the evening together.  

To the mom with the 3 year old who is planning your wedding for next October... you are such a sweetheart and I hope that you get a chance to check out PiYo.  It could be your perfect match as you work towards your goals with that big day and new chapter in life!

There were the ladies who said that they don't like anything that tastes like vitamins and kept on walking.  You seemed to be having a great evening together and you were a memorable combination of individuals!  Shakeology really doesn't "taste like vitamins".  Maybe one day you will give it a try?

It was neat to meet other local coaches and to spend a few minutes talking shop with you!

There were a handful of individuals who already knew who I was because a mutual friend had mentioned me to them somewhere along the way!  That was an interesting dynamic that was new to me.  :)  It was good to meet you girls and your friends are right... you could totally make a go of all this!  Thanks for introducing yourselves to me last night!

To the delightful older woman who was my own biggest surprise of the evening!!!  We began to chat and you went on to tell me how much you LOVE Shaun-T and how you just can't get enough of him and Hip-Hop Abs and how you do it regularly!  

It was great to see some friends of mine!  Thank you for stopping by my table!  To those who picked up Shakeology samples, I look forward to hearing how you like it and we can see if there is a way to incorporate this into your routine.  :)

There was an older woman who saw our giveaway for Brazil Butt Lift and she asked if I could just find a younger man to give her a lift and help her carry it around each day?  You were funny!

There was the lady who totally appealed to my own "nerd" side!!  You looked at the Expo vendors online and then went on to spend some time researching the 21 Day Fix yourself before coming to the Expo last night!  We would be so glad to help you with getting started with the Fix!

Okay, I could go on and on... bottom line, it was FANTASTIC to chat with so many people who said how someone they know is doing these programs and how bottom line, they WORK!  We are able to truly change our lives while making adjustments in our own homes and routines.  We spoke with a women who has a 400 pound brother who is making progress with Beachbody!  There were quite a few women who have daughters who are young moms and they have gotten back to where they want to be through Shakeology and our workouts.  These women shared over and over again how they are so glad to see their daughters feeling good and how they themselves had been skeptical of all this but now they see that it really does make a difference.  I LOVE it!  Let's keep going together!  If you are interested in learning more about challenge groups, I would be happy to give you more details!