The Trouble with Sleeping

We are heading into what can be a busy, stressful season for some people. If you haven't done them already, taxes will be due soon- a task that many consider quite an undertaking. Spring Break is in a few weeks. The kids will be home. Some of us may be taking vacations full of activity and travel. Sleep won't be a priority. In the most recent Beachbody newsletter, Denis Faye has a great article on sleep solutions. He is sure to point out that not all of these worked for him, but they can be modified to fit the individual. As you approach this busy- maybe sleepless- season, implement a few of these and see if you can reclaim the night!

1. Make your bedroom and electronics-free zone.

2. Work out at night.

3. "If you are not asleep in ten minutes, get up."

4. Set a routine bedtime.

5. No coffee after a certain hour.

Weight Loss Conundrums

There is nothing more frustrating than committing to a weight loss program and then finding out that you are still gaining weight. Steve Edwards, over at Team Beachbody, has a new article about common weight loss conundrums. Below are three of the five points that I found most interesting and relevant to my fitness. 1. Cortisol. This performance enhancing stress hormone is present in your body for the "survival instinct". When you begin a new workout program, your body believes it is in survival mode until it adjusts to the demands of the program. So, you retain water to help rebuild muscle tissue. Once your body adjusts to the program, it will release less cortisol.

2. Under-eating. Some of Beachbody's programs have a kick-start eating plan in the beginning which asks that you not eat too much until you work yourself back up to a healthy eating plan. You may see weight gain during this time because of...you guessed it, cortisol. It's important that, while working out, you maintain a healthy eating plan so that your body does not think it's in survival mode.

3. The plateau. If you have been doing the same routine or workout for an extended period of time, you will stop seeing results. It's important to push past a plateau by adding resistance, increasing your intensity, or changing your workout program altogether.

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

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!

The Importance of Accountability

I have just finished my second week of Insanity. This is the second time I've done the program and I'm finding it just as challenging and rewarding as the first time through! Everyday I am facing a new physical challenge, but I am persevering. One thing that is helping tremendously is accountability. I'm am working my way through this round with a couple of friends. Each morning we get together to push and encourage each other. Without them I would really be struggling to get out there each morning and get my workout done. Accountability is such a motivator. Once someone else knows and shares your plan for fitness it is hard to make excuses or back out. I want to encourage each of you to find an accountability partner. Make a commitment to one another to either work out together or check in with one another on a regular basis to see if you are making progress.  A great place to find accountability is in a Challenge group. I have new groups starting each month and would love for you to be a part of one! If you are interested, head over to my fitness page on Facebook and click LIKE! Contact me with any questions you may have!

Have a fit and healthy day,

Melissa

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!

Exercise and Illness

Back in October, I got sick and was faced with the dilemma of whether or not I should continue my workout regimen. I had always heard that if the cold was in your head, continuing exercise was fine, but if it was in your chest it was best to rest. As we approach flu season, it's important to know how to handle illness and exercise. Steve Edwards wrote a great article in the most recent Beachbody newsletter that addresses this issue. In his article he gives a few pointers for what to do in regards to fitness when you come down with an illness.

Because our bodies use its recovery properties to fight illness, most of the time it is best to take a break from your fitness routine in order to allow your body to fight whatever is attacking it. Steve suggests increasing vitamin C and water intake the moment you feel like you are coming down with something. As the illness progresses, make sure to rest as much as possible-whether that is taking off work or missing out on a weekend party. It's also best during this time that you eat as cleanly as possible-no soda, sweets, or junk food. It can be better during this time to eat small meals throughout the day to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs without burning lots of energy digesting a large meal. When the illness has run its course, ease back into exercising- don't rush. Slowly working your way back up to the level you were at before you got sick gives your body time to acclimate.

Try to remember...as hard as it might be to skip out on some workouts, it is better for you in the long run to let your body rest and recover. It might even make you stronger on the other side!