Back to School!

The end of August is almost here... back-to-school sales have begun, the weather will soon be cooling down (fingers crossed!) and kids will soon be headed to their next year of school. Seriously - Where has the time gone?! This new season is right around the corner, and with that comes so much busyness with new schedules and after-school activities for the kiddos. It always seems like we are always on-the-go! With this crazy schedule, our own personal fitness can easily be pushed to the back of our brain - you know, back there with all the other tasks we have all been procrastinating...cleaning our closets, for example. It is so easy for us to want to hit snooze to get in a few more minutes of sleep, and then before we know it the day is busy, busy, busy until we put our feet back into bed.

Let this autumn be a bit different. Let's FALL into a new routine that will be oh-so-easy to fit into anyone's schedule. Shaun T., the creator and instructor behind Insanity, has a new workout called FOCUS T25. And you can get your workout done in just 25 little tiny minutes. Crazy! Swap out a few minutes from Facebook surfing and Pinterest pinning, to put yourself first and get so much in return! You will find so much more energy in your day and when done 5 days a week with the correct nutritional guide, you will see great results!

This workout requires no equipment just FOCUS. You have to sign over 25 min. to Shaun T. for him to push you hard but in return you are DONE for the day. One of the best aspects of this workout is that you can do it right at home in your living room. No need to tack on extra time getting over to the gym, just flip on the TV while the kids are doing homework or taking a nap.

As some of y'all may know, I had the awesome opportunity to be in the test group for this product before it hit the shelves. I got amazing results - even with being a busy mom with 2 growing boys, owning my own business, and being an active member in the community - I lost 21 pounds and 14 inches! It is so do-able! Just carve out those 25 min. and FOCUS on you! You will be amazed at how great you feel. It comes with a nutritional guide with easy meals to make, and a workout schedule. Plus you get me as your personal motivator! I have an online accountability group where I post my tips on how I got these results so that you can get them too.  You get your own personal workout cheerleader!! :)   Just drop me a quick message and I will add your to our next group.

So before you forget, add T25 to your to-do-list and get to work. Remember the best part: 25 minutes and you are done! It is just that easy. Email me:  melissa@monsterhomefitness.com. I hope to hear from you!! Don't delay because you can quickly melt the pounds away!!!

Making it Stick!

The new year is well underway, and I'm sure that many of you, myself included, have made resolutions and goals for 2013. It east to make the resolution, but much harder to stick to it. This month's issue of the Beachbody newsletter has some great tips on how to make your commitment stick.

• Plan ahead. Having a well thought out plan or goal is the best way to be successful. Jumping into something without the proper preparation can be more frustrating and difficult than if you write out your goals and know them before hand.
• Shout it from the rooftops. Tell someone, or a group of people about your goals. Facebook has provided us with a great forum for accountability.
• Strategize. Reaching your goal takes strategy. You have to have small steps in place  in order to reach the larger objective.
• Think positive...but not too positive. It's important to admit that failure is possible. Make a Plan B in case you don't reach your original goal.
• Know thy enemy. Don't bank on your self-control. Sometimes you will be more successful by avoiding the temptation entirely.
• Reward yourself. Long term goals take time. It is wise to reward yourself along the way. But make sure that your rewards are in line with what your goal is. If losing weight is the goal, instead of eating a cake after working out all week, buy a new outfit you can't yet fit into. The reward is waiting when you've reached your goal!
• Don't let setbacks derail you. You will mess up at some point. Instead of throwing in the towel for the day, salvage the rest of it and make good choices that get you to your goal from that point on.

I think the most important point of this whole article is accountability. Whether you are trying to lose weight, eat better, get out of debt...whatever your goal- accountability is key. Robert and I would love to help hold you accountable if you need it. Follow these links to our Facebook fitness pages, click LIKE and we can encourage one another in reaching our goals for 2013!

Robert's Page                               Melissa's Page

New Year, New You!

I want you to take a moment and think about what New Year Goals YOU want to achieve? Perhaps one of these questions hits home for you:

1. Do you want to get healthy? 2. Do you want to fit in your skinny jeans? 3. Do you want to look in the mirror and feel GOOD about what you see? 4. Do you want to have energy? 5. Do you want to add years onto your life ? 6. Do you want to set a good example for your children? 7. Do you want to have a more positive attitude? 8. Do you want to build relationships with others going through the same things? 9. Do you want to strength your current relationships? 10. Do you want to have more confidence? 11. Do you want to get your life on track and start a new healthy lifestyle?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, I would love to help you get on the path to acheiving your goal! I have a new Challenge group starting SOON. Please check out my Facebook page for more details, or contact me directly!!

Melissa

Getting the Most from COMBAT!

The Beachbody newsletter has some great tips for those of you that have finally received Les Mills COMBAT. This is a program that requires a serious commitment and you will want to prepare your body for the challenge. Make sure you are getting serious sleep. You will need to give your muscles plenty of recovery time, and sleep is the best way to do it!

Eat small meals more frequently. Eating on a regular schedule will help reduce your chances of overindulging and will keep your blood sugar and metabolism at a good level.

I can't wait to hear about your experience with COMBAT. Feel free to click LIKE in the right side bar and leave me a comment about your experience with the program!

Staying Fit Through the Holidays

It's so important during this tempting season to continue to remind yourself of ways to stay fit and healthy. When the treats call your name from the break room, or you find yourself at yet another holiday party, remember these tips to stay on track. -Write down what you eat. You are less likely to put a third cookie in your mouth if you have to write it down and be held accountable for it.

-Eat before parties. If you know you will be heading out to a party with lots of treats, eat a healthy meal before hand so you will feel satisfied and less likely to over indulge with sweets.

-Offer to bring a healthy option. There are so many great recipes out there for healthy snacking. You don't have to bring a dessert to a party- opt instead for a healthy dip or veggies.

Most importantly this season, don't stop exercising! It's so easy to use the holidays as an excuse to take a break, but you will find that it will be so much harder to start back up if you stop. Keep pushing and don't give up this holiday season!!!

LOSE Weight in December!

The holidays present plenty of opportunities to indulge. But, you can still shed the pounds in December. All you have to do is replace one meal a day with Shakeology! You will be shocked to see that you can actually lose weight this way.

(click on the photo to order NOW!)

Shakeology is a daily nutritional shake that helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today's highly processed foods.

At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.

So, don't let the holidays be an excuse! Use the month of December to "shake" away the weight!!

Inspiration to Motivate YOU!

Thanksgiving has passed. It's time to continue the work you've been doing on transforming your life- physically and mentally. To get you motivated, here are a few success stories from Beachbody Challenge winners. Let their success be an encouragement to keep going!! Simply click on the photo below to see their amazing pics and read their stories.

Dieting Myths

Making the decision to become healthier is exciting but getting started can be difficult. There are so many different ways to incorporate fitness and clean eating into your life that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Beachbody offers a host of great workouts that you can do right from your home- INSANITY, TurboFire, P90X and P90X2. They also offer great eating plans and dieting resources. One of those resources, the Beachbody Newsletter, has a great article on some of the most common dieting myths. These are the ones that stuck out to me: :

1. It's organic...it must be healthy. Organic foods are great and you should try to eat them as much as possible. But, just because it is organic doesn't mean that it is good for you. Organic simply means that it does not contain or been produced using antibiotics, growth hormones, conventional pesticides, and synthetic ingredients. But, no matter how organic a cookie is, it's still just a cookie. The calories don't magically disappear in organic foods, so be careful!

2. Order a salad if you don't know what you should eat. This myth can be a good option in many scenarios, but again you have to be careful to know what you are ordering. Salads slathered with creamy dressings and topped with bacon, eggs, candied nuts, etc are not a healthy choice. It's best to go with dressing on the side and only fresh veggie toppings.

3. Avoid snacking on fruit- it's just sugar. Yes, fruit contains sugar. But it also contains antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A candy bar doesn't offer any of those! So, while sugar can be an enemy to you weight loss, fruit is the perfect alternative to junk!

To see the full list of myths, head over here!

Halloween Encouragement

It's probably been awhile since you participated in the Trick or Treating of Halloween. But, now you are probably taking your kids. As kids, gorging on Halloween candy was looked forward to and fun. As an adult, it is not in your best interest to continue in that tradition. So, here's a few tips to get you through this sweetly tempting day:

-Snack on some healthy options. The photo above is a great alternative to a handful of FunSize candy bars. Add a little chocolate or caramel to a juicy apple and enjoy!

-When our children were little, we invented the Candy Fairy. After a night of Trick or Treating, the Candy Fairy would swoop in a take the excess candy while leaving a fun alternative, like a toy. This prevents the whole family from overdoing it for days after Halloween.

I hope these tips are helpful and that you and your family have a safe and healthy Halloween!

Don't Miss Out!!

Simply click on the photo to order now!!!