So I've started round 3....

     Whoa it's been a minute since I last updated my blog!! Next week is final exam week, so after that I'm going to try to do MUCH better at keeping this blog current. My goal is to blog daily. We'll see how that goes...lol... Ok, so I started round 3 of P90X on November 15th. This round I've also incorporated some TurboFire for that added cardio I know I need. If you're not familiar with TurboFire, it is NO JOKE!!! But I absolutely love it! I end up drenched in sweat when I finish and feeling awesome. In addition to adding TurboFire, with this round I am also doing Shakeology. This stuff is wonderful. I feel so much more energized throughout my day. It's also absolutely delicious!! I opted for the chocolate Shakeology since pretty much all my life I've been a choco-holic. It really helped get rid of my cravings for theings like cake, chocolate bars, and milkshakes. I have one wonderfully decadent glass of Shakeology a day and I'm in heaven.
    I'm close to that 30 day mark in this round. Time really is flying by. If all goes well, I will complete this round the day before Valentine's Day!! How cool is that? I'm still struggling to get that really defined midsection. I've lost alot of inches around my belly, but I still have a little of my muffintop. I really hope I can get rid of the last of it during this round. I can feel the abs underneath this last layer of fat...LOL... I've come way to far to give up now. I don't care if I have to do 6 rounds of this program to get my body the way I want it! I'm determined to get healthy and fit and look good in a bathing suit by summer 2011!!!

Completed Round 2

So round 2 ended on a little bit of a low note. I had an injury to my foot on week 10, and then re-injured it on week 11... So I had to really hold back the last three weeks of this round... I still did pretty well considering I wasn't able to push myself quite as hard as I would have liked...



I will be starting round 3 on November 15th, 2010. This time around I will be changing things up a bit... Look what came in the mail for me yesterday!!!

TurboFire and Shakeology!!!! I'll be incorporating both of these in with my 3rd round of P90X.... This round should be completed the day before Valentine's Day.... How cool is that!!! I can't wait to get started and BRING IT!!!!

Click Here To Become A Coach Now!!

Great News from Beachbody!!! Limited Time Beachbody Coach Special: Coach Fee Waived thru 12/31/2010

Have you thought about becoming a Beachbody Coach, but hesitated on signing up? I have some Great News! Now until December 31, 2010 you can sign up to be a Coach, for free! Yes, that's right! FOR a limited time you can sign up as a Team Beachbody coach for free!! This means that the $39.95 coach fee has been WAIVED from NOW thru Dec 31, 2010. With our hard economic times this is the perfect chance to take advantage of this limited time opportunity and save. Join my Coaching Team and also our Beachbody Family and live financially and physically fit. Click here to sign up as a Coach http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/bettermefitness/coach.html


Beachbody is an amazing company that has transformed my life with both its fitness programs and valuable coach training. Beachbody is SERIOUS about helping families and individuals get healthy, fit and fight the trend of obesity. Beachbody's mission statement is "to reverse the trend of obesity by giving people the tools and support to achieve a fit and healthy body”.


As a Beachbody Coach, you will enjoy a 25% discount off ALL Beachbody products! This includes Shakeology, P90X, Insanity, Brazilian Butt Lift, TurboFire, etc. But I really want you to know that you can build a REAL business, making REAL money, helping REAL people. Here are some highlights of being an Independent Team Bechbody Coach and Owning Your Own Beachbody Coaching Business:

•Part-time or full-time

•Be your own boss

•No commute

•Low start-up cost

•No inventory
•Set your own hours

•Potential tax benefits

•Your personalized Web sites

You have read this before... Decide. Commit. Succeed

Now it is time for YOU to Decide! Take this first step and watch our "Decide" video.

http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/bettermefitness?bctid=41922032001

Then contact me for more details at bettermefitness@beachbodycoach.com or post on my Facebook Fan page that you are ready to "Decide" http://www.facebook.com/betterme-fitness

*If you know this is for you and have decided you would like to get started now click here http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/bettermefitness/coach.html to sign up as a Coach and get started!

Learn more about me, my journey with Beachbody, and see my before and after pictures here http://www.teambeachbody.com/bettermefitness

If you feel that being a Beachbody Coach is NOT for you, you also have the option to sign up for a FREE or CLUB* membership. Visit my Beachbody Coach Site and compare the FREE and CLUB* membership options to decide which one is best for you http://www.beachbodycoach.com/bettermefitness and click the "Join" section. Here are some Club benefits...

■10% discount on fitness programs, gear, and supplements.

■Full access to Beachbody TV, including exclusive Trainer Tips, Healthy Eating Tips, Style Tips, and Lifestyle Tips.

■VIP access to our celebrity Trainers. Watch their videos, ask them questions, and read their motivational articles.

■Chat live with your favorite Trainers in the exclusive VIP Chatroom.

■Personalized meal plans and delicious recipes that make it easy to lose weight.

■Your own personal blog to journal your progress and share your ideas and opinions.

■Access to fitness articles and tips to help you maximize your workouts.

■Access to nutrition articles and tips to make healthy eating simple and satisfying.

■Access to new recipes and the recipe archives.

■Access to WOWY SuperGym, where you can schedule your workouts, track your progress, and be eligible to win cash and prizes up to $1,000 a day.

■Your own personal Coach to link you to all the support, tools, and motivation you need to reach your goals. (THAT'S ME!!!!)

■Access to the Cooldown Chatroom, to chat live with other Team Beachbody members after your workout.

■Your personal Message Center to get and receive messages, workout invitations, and Buddy requests.

■Helpful fitness tools to get the most out of every workout.

■Workout Buddies to keep you motivated and inspired.

■Beachbody News Network videos for all the latest Team Beachbody headlines.

■Access to the Message Boards.

■Weekly newsletters and access to the newsletter archives.


This is the perfect time to start living healthier, happier, fit, and financially independent.

*Today is YOUR day to "Decide" to become part of a wonderful family... the "Beachbody Family!"

Remembering 9/11

I can't believe it's been 9 years already. At times it still seems so surreal to me. Lives have forever been transformed as a result of the atrocities of that one day. My prayers go out to each and everyone of the family members who lost loved ones at the hands of the terrorist attacks. We will NEVER forget...

P90X Round 2 Day 30 Results

Well I survived the first 30 days of round two. To be honest, this round seems more difficult than the first round. It's not so much the workouts as it is be finding the time to get the workouts in. But, I've done every workout to date. I pushed play every day!!! I'm working even harder during this phase. I really want to see that scale start moving a little more. However, I am very proud of my progress so far. See for yourself☺

Another recipe...

I just found this recipe and thought I'd pass it along...

Chicken D'lish Kebabs


PER SERVING (two kebabs): 285 calories, 3g fat, 432mg sodium, 21.5g carbs, 5g fiber, 12g sugars, 44g protein -- POINTS® value 5*

The yogurt marinade makes this chicken INSANELY tender and delicious! And don't worry... we didn't get "curried" away with the spices (tee-hee!).



Ingredients:
12 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into cubes (1 1/2 inches)
2 red bell peppers
1 large (or 2 small) yellow summer squash
1 onion
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash paprika

Directions:
In a medium sealable container, combine yogurt, lemon juice, curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and paprika, and stir well. Add chicken and coat completely. Cover container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, if using wooden skewers, soak four in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. Cut peppers, squash, and onion into chunks equal in size to the chicken cubes.

Skewer the chicken and veggies alternately onto four skewers, packing the pieces together tightly.

Spray grill lightly with nonstick spray, and bring to medium-high heat.

Grill kebabs for 5 minutes with the grill cover down. Then carefully flip kebabs with long barbecue tongs.

With the grill cover down, grill for another 5 - 7 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Remove from grill and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, pull chicken and veggies off the sticks and eat!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Week 3 Update... Posting just a little late...

Week 3 went just ok. That was the same week I resumed homeschooling my son, and it seemed like I was busier than ever. I don't think I pushed myself nearly as hard as I have in the past. I even had a couple of not so healthy meals. I tell ya what...The day that I didn't eat well I could REALLY feel the difference in my workouts. My body is just craving the good and healthy stuff now, so when I do slip up and indulge myself with that fatty, carb heavy mess, it's like my body doesn't even want to move. That's truly a motivation for me to continue eating the right way. Now, don't get me wrong... There is nothing wrong with treating yourself every once in a while. You just have to know when it's enough. So now I'm in week 4 of P90X. This is "recovery week". I put that in quotations because anyone who has done this workout knows that it feels like anything BUT a recovery week.LOL This week is definitely kicking my butt. I'm almost at that 30 day mark now. I really can't wait to do some measurements. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised...

http://beachbodycoach.com/BetterMeFitness

Inspiration...

This week has been crazy busy for me. I've also struggled to stay motivated to get up, complete my workouts, and reach for my goals. All those doubts of the past reared their ugly heads again and I found myself feeling like I would never reach my weight loss and fitness goals. I really needed something to inspire me and get me back into that "no excuses" mindframe. Then, a friend of mine posted this video to his YouTube page. This did the trick...



This truly touched my heart. It also touched my spirit and gave me exactly that inspiration I was looking for. I've been watching alot of YouTube weight loss journey videos lately and I noticed a pattern. So many people, mostly females, said that their goals are to look like Beyonce, Britney, etc... While there is nothing wrong with admiring these ladies, trying to "look like them" is a whole different story. The media has painted such a narrow picture of what beauty looks like. Not all of us were meant to be a size 0. We don't all have the exact same body structure. The whole goal should be to get healthy and be happy with yourself. The first step to doing that is to start loving yourself they way you are now. I spent so much time hating how I looked that I've become consumed with the idea of having my body look a certain way instead of focusing on what's most important...Getting healthy... So, from now on my goal is to lose weight not because I want to fit into a pair of skinny jeans, but because I don't want to continue to be at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Looking fierce will just be an added bonus!
http://beachbodycoach.com/BetterMeFitness

What a great day!

Today has been a BUSY but great day! I haven't been home all day and I forgot to bring my lunch with me. (I usually do that so I can avoid the temptation to stop and grab fast food.) So, today I found myself at Wendy's for lunch. Sooooooo much temptation!!! The smell of those french fries and chocolate Frostys was beckoning me and I almost caved in. BUT, I turned to my left and saw a sign advertising their brand new Apple Pecan Chicken salad. I figured if I had to eat fast food the least I could do was get the salad. The price tag turned me off a little bit. $5.99 for a salad???? I thought to myself, "This better be one heck of a salad!" So I ordered it with a bottled water. I think I may have pissed off the girl behind the counter because I ordered my salad without the blue cheese crumbles. She gave me a look as if to say "Now I gotta do all this extra work just to make YOU a special salad." (Apparently they pre-make the salads. I didn't know they weren't made-to-order.) Anyway, I can definately say that the $5.99 was money well spent. This salad was awesome!!! Two kinds of apples, lettuce, roasted pecans, and cranberries all topped with a juicy, grilled chicken filet. WHOA MAMA it was good!!! To keep it just a little healthier I opted out of using any type of dressing. I really didn't need any with this mouth watering salad. So if you just have to have something from a fast food restaurant, I definately recommend you try this salad instead of the greasy burgers and fries.

Also, I have another recipe to share. I'm not much of a cheesecake eater, but this may be a good dessert option for someone else.


Low Carb Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups almond flour
6 Tbsp granulated Splenda
5 Tbsp butter, melted

Mix Splenda and almond flour with melted butter; press onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan.

Bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Set out to cool.

Filling: (Becky's recipe)

2 packages of cream cheese (Trader Joe's brand has the best texture)
1 8oz tub of Cool Whip 1/2 cup granulated Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Let the cream cheese get to room temp. Cube into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on med speed until well blended. Pour/scoop into cooled crust and chill overnight or 6-8 hours.

Top with fresh strawberries, blueberries or SF pie filling.

Interesting recipe...

Here is the recipe for those "Cottage Cheese Pancakes" I mentioned on yesterday's post.

Oatmeal Pancakes-High Protein

Ingredients
2 eggs or 1/2 cup eggbeaters
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 package Quaker Oats Weight Control oatmeal

Directions
Put all the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth.
Lightly spray skillet and place over low heat. When the skillet is
hot, spoon the batter onto the skillet and cook until it starts
bubbling and has set up, flip and cook until golden brown.

Makes about 4 pancakes. Serve with sugar free syrup or sugar free fruit spread.
Pancakes freeze well.
Servings
1-2

Comments and Notes
Each serving has about 27 grams of protein 310 cal.

I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I'm going grocery shopping Thursday so I'll get all the ingredients then so I can give it a try. Sounds pretty good to me though.

Week 1 of Round 2 is complete!!

So, week one of round 2 of P90X is out of the way!! I had a really great week. I didn't miss any workouts and I pushed myself HARD!!! I can definately tell how much stronger I've gotton since round 1. I'm able to do more reps with all of my pushups and pull ups. I plan to go even harder for week two. I won't do another weigh in or any measuring until day 30. I've locked my scale away in the garage(a place I never go...lol) This keeps me from torturing myself with those daily and weekly weigh-ins. A friend sent me a recipe today for something called Cottage Cheese Pancakes. I know the name doesn't sound too appealing, but she said they are absolutely delicious and packed with tons of protein. I will be trying them out this week and I'll let everyone know how it went!

Click Here to try P90X for yourself!!

http://tinyurl.com/BringingItP90X

Here is my first video from Round 2 of P90X...

Starting my blog...

For the past three months I've been keeping a YouTube vlog, but I thought I'd try my hand at a regular blog also. So here I go. This blog will be all about my fitness and weight loss journey. I'll be sharing the good days, bad days, highs, and lows. I'll also be sharing some of my YouTube clips and maybe even some of the recipes I've come across to help me stay on track with my eating habits. I finished my very first round of P90X on July 19th and I was really very pleased with my results. 13.2 pounds gone and 23.25 inches off!!! In the past I have struggled to stick with any sort of workout regimen, but I changed my way of thinking and decided to get rid of all the excuses. After having some success with my first round of this program I decided to become a Beachbody coach so that I could inspire and help others to do the same thing. http://beachbodycoach.com/BetterMeFitness



Here is how I ended my first round...



On August 2nd I started my second round of P90X. I plan to push myself even harder to obtain even better results. I hope you'll follow along and even join me on my journey. Let's get healthy together!!