So as you may have read here or on my Facebook page, I recently did the Beachbody Ultimate reset. Now fist off let's be clear I have never been one that was obese but I was over weight as a skinny fat girl--gee thanks genetics of a 5'8 lady! But I have lost all the weight and kept it off so this was more about changing habits and having a better relationship with food and vegetables (see previous post!)

So here are my results!!

I am 5'8 as I said
Before weight: 138
Before body fat: 17.8

After weight: 130
Body fat: 16.8

Not only do I have new veggie recipes but I lost the holiday weight plus some extra body fat!!

Now what? Time to plan and prep for body beast and bring on the muscle!

What is your workout plan like?

How often do you change up your work outs?

Soooo this is where I was at the start (day 1 of the program --post P90x2 which I need to do my review of!! SO sorry guys!)

Start weight 132
Height: 5 ft 8 in

So as you can refer to below I have been sticking to the schedule with the exceptions of with the intensity of these workouts, I have decided to stick with Live Fit a little more and take weekends off. Trust me much needed and I have still been active other wise!

Goals: To add more muscle to my body and work my way to my first competition (I need to figure out when exactly but I am thinking Spring!) and photos! YAY!

After vacation I cleaned up my diet again, back to 35g or less of sugar per day (that includes natural from fruits), and other wise following the live fit meal plan!! (Go to the recipes section and try some!) YUM!

I am tracking my calories with myfitness pal (add me :-) emsimpler). I try to eat anywhere from 1500-1700 daily! As you can see the clean eating makes the biggest difference in the stomach!

I will say this I am SORE!! I haven't exactly like this before so I am really enjoying it and learning sooo much about it!!

Favorite part of Live Fit: lifting for sure...I have done a variety of programs in the past but the intensity and style of this workout is amazing!! I can already see my body changing and I love how I feel! The hardest part is taking the rest sets and rest days!!

Favorite part of Turbo: this is my "soul mate workout" my absolute favorite form of cardio so I love all aspects!!!!

Supplements I take:
-shakeology (chocolate)
-vanilla whey
-BCAA's


Tips:
-Make sure you eat enough calories!! Eating too little is just as bad as too many!
-Stay the course!! Consistency and following the guide is really key!

Stay tuned and check back for more recipes!

Have you tried either of these programs? What did you like the most?

Well you guessed it we are moving!! We found our dream home and have decided it was time to "get domestic" (ahhaha just kidding) thus the moving begins again!!

So last time my plan was to eat healthy and workout no matter what...well like most I did fall off my plan some. However, thankfully this was a much shorter duration and a bit easier of a transition. This time I was committed to not making those mistakes so here is what I did and plan to do while traveling this weekend!

1) Pack options for healthy snacks so you aren't tempted!
    For me this includes Egg puffs (See breakfast recipes), almonds, protein bars (JUST IN CASE), fruit, shakeology, Greek yogurt with pumpkin, fat free cottage cheese with cinnamon, endamamme, carrot/peppers and hummus. These are pretty easy to transport and will take up the in between meals.
        I eat 5-6 times a day depending on the day!

2) TRACK EVERYTHING! I know this can be challenging and sometimes a bit of a pain but trust me if you want to know what not to do this is a good way to go about it!
    I like www.myfitnesspal.com
    Add me and see what my days are like!! emsimpler is my ID!

3) Pack workout gear and dvds! Easily transportable and convenient with my lap top!!
    sneakers, workout clothes, resistance tubing, dvds. NO EXCUSES!

4) Make a plan! As unpredictable as trips and moving are have an action plan! I get up wayyyy before everyone else to ensure I still get my workouts in! Even if it's a quick one, something is better than no workout at all!!

5) Make smart take out choices! It won't be perfect of course but if you smile and ask nicely modifications can be made at almost any restaurant! Look up the menu/calorie choices ahead of time so you know (these are not always accurate but are a better way than just ordering at random).
    steer clear of: bread baskets, alcohol, sugary drinks, pasta, white rice, oils, battered

    opt for: plain, grilled, baked, broiled, no butter, brown rice, egg whites, fruit for dessert

And remember no one is perfect but preparation allows for more control and more knowledge of what you are eating!!

The other day I was babysitting a friends young kids (ages 3 and 6), we watched them jump, run, tumble, and everything else a young kid could possibly do, things that many of us only wish we could still bend and move that way! And I thought why are we not nearly as durable as we age and then it hit me: flexibility gone!

I know personally this is an area I struggle with, heck I never did yoga or pilates until 2 years ago...and I HATED IT! Why? It was hard. Point blank. And it was different (no one likes change myself included). BUT afterwards I felt like a million stretchy bucks! Going from someone who could barely touch her toes to someone who could comfortably place both elbows on the ground in a runner's lunge was a HUGE deal for me. And at about that point I started enjoying it because I knew it was working! I was more bendable, more durable, and what I newly learned is I had increased my muscles strength potential!

WHAT? Yep, it's true! People who do yoga have more muscle strength potential than those who don't! So you get more durable, life get's a little easier in the day to day, and able to lift more? UM okay I get it! So not only am I practicing every week, I tend not to dread it as much...still not my favorite but I have grown to love it! Not to mention it's one workout you can never be perfect with! You can ALWAYS get better!

Why yoga recap:
flexibile
life is easier!
durable
less prone to injury
MORE STRENGTH POTENTIAL!

Beginner plan:
Yoga 1/week
Stretch 10 minutes after your workout when you are the most warm and pliable!

Protein intake is crucial to supply the amino acids, the building blocks for the formation of new muscle. But not all dietary proteins are equal! The two major types are from milk protein whey and casein. Whey is fast digesting and casein is slow digesting.

·        Whey protein- stimulates muscle growth through protein synthesis

·        Casein protein-is insoluble and slow digesting and helps with protein balance. It is also the most abundant.

These are the most common types of protein; there are of course other types! First and foremost, your nutrients should come from your foods (lean meats, eggs, your foods (lean meats, eggs, yogurt, whole grains, and plant proteins). But many people, especially those looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or lean out, supplement with protein powders as well, to get more protein in their diets.

Supplementation can change your training and your body composition but why? Well for starters it keeps you full for longer periods of time. The amino acids within protein take longer for the body to digest, and thus leave you feeling full longer!

How much? The number various from person to person but an easy trick to figure it out is this

There are a few formulas but this is the one I have found most useful!

= 1.0 or 1.5 g protein (others may use .5 or .8) X every lb of your body weight = protein intake

From there you divide that by your amount of meals for the day and voila!

For supplementation: it is crucial for your body that you just don’t by “any old protein” just because it’s cheap!! So what do I use and recommend? Shakeology!
Check out this video for more info!
http://youtu.be/4zgPEEVxyz0

I talk about this stuff all the time, heck there is a whole tab about it on here; but what is it?!

Shakeology is the healthiest thing you can put in your body each and every day! If you need to lose weight, if you want to take a protein supplement, or if you just hate vegetables this is for you!! Why? It has over 70 ingredients including pre/pro biotics, protein, as well as a ton of other healthy ingredients!

Why do I love it? I like everyone else, struggle with eating healthy and enjoying those foods BUT with this it's easy! I make a promise to my body each and every day to take care of it and fill it with healthy and wonderful foods! I have lost 25 lbs doing turbofire and drinking shakeology so it works!!

Results? Check out hers >

So no matter what you need to lose or not this is for you! Want more details? Check out the tab above or message me more for more info or if you want to try a sample!! [email protected]

With summer coming everyone is sooo obsessed with getting a flat and toned tummy! These are my top tricks and tips for getting a flatter stomach!

Workout tips:
1) Cardio-(3-5 days a week)- you want to see your abs? You have to burn off the extra layer of fat on top of them!
2) Strength train-(3-4 days a week)- You need to add muscle into your body! If you want to burn more fat and calories you need to add muscle into your body.
3) Work your entire core- 250,000 crunches to burn 1lb of fat!! what does that mean? it means you need to do more than just crunches! So that means your back your abs, your deep muscles, your hip flexers! They are all essential for a tight tummy!
4) Do weighted ab workouts- any chance you can add weights to strengthen your abs!
5) Don't work them every day- fatigue them and then let them rest a day! Work them 2-3 times a week

Nutrition tips:
1) drink water- strive for a gallon a day
2) FIBER- 3-4 g is considered a good source of fiber (oatmeal, potatoes, brown rice,etc)
3) eat protein with every meal- 0.5g-1g per every lb of body weight! Keeps you fuller and does not cause bloat!
4) no more processed junk-the end.
5) Eat as soon as you make up and every 2-3 hours- keeps your metabolism going and you body not in starvation mode.
6) Eat your fat!-unsaturated  fatty acids are essential- avocados, white fish, nuts
7) SHAKEOLOGY-healthiest meal of the day and is essentially a super food!