It Starts NOW!

After a conversation with myself and a few friends of mine over the weekend, we decided it was time to get back in the saddle. So starting tomorrow, we will be starting the very intensive P90X program.

AND WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US!

But I know what you're thinking, "I don't have P90X!" and that's okay. It's not about the program. It's about having someone around to keep you on track. It's about encouraging one another and pushing through when you feel like you're done. So while you may not be doing the same routines that we are everyday, the point is that you're doing something and that is what matters.

I will be here to help you along the way by giving you the next day's workout in the program so that way, in case you don't have the P90X fitness program, you will be able to keep up by doing something similar. Also, I recommend you sign in with my website at Beachbody and take full advantage of the WOWY calendar and the fitness message boards. They are a fantastic way to keep track of your progress and consult with other (and myself) if you run into any trials or want to share your triumphs.

STARTING TOMORROW: Tomorrow is the first day of the program and we will be doing Chest and Back followed by Ab Ripper X. Chest and Back is filled with nothing but old fashioned push and pull. There is a wide variety of push ups and pull ups. Unfortunately for me, my wrists are severely damaged (I was an avid roller blader/hockey player as a teen and I tried to break my fall one too many times by holding out my hands). Due to the fact that I have no range of motion in my wrists, I instead will be hitting the gym. An hour in the circuit room with machines that target the specific muscles in the chest and back will be my workout. At home I will do Ab Ripper X and while the routine is only 30 min long, the stomach and core will be tweaked more than you can imagine!

So we would love to have you along on our journey. Make sure you join my Facebook fan page (link to the right of this page) where I will be posting periodic updates and pictures. I encourage you to do the same. See you tomorrow!

In Good Faith--A Weight Loss Testimony

As Program Coordinator at Grace United Methodist Church in Decatur, Illinois, Penny Butts works on finding new activities and ways to grow the church. "Fit Clubs are really big in our city," says Penny. "So the idea to combine faith and fitness just seemed natural." She adds, "God wants us to worship our bodies. After all, they are our temples."

Penny approached the Board of Directors about having faith-based workouts at church as part of a community outreach program. "Initially, they liked the idea, but had concerns about running a business out of a church," she recalls. "But they set us up as a non-profit organization and got behind it quickly."

It wasn't long before Penny's club, "Grace, Faith, & Fitness" was off and running.

The gospel truth
Participants in Penny's club work out to the inspirational Body Gospel. A typical session begins with a welcome greeting, followed by a short prayer. Then, of course, it turns from salvation to sweat. "Body Gospel is such a unique and uplifting program!" she exclaims. "Everyone is enthusiastic and really enjoys it. People are always smiling as they're working out."

Penny believes that the church environment adds to the comfort level. "People don't have to be intimidated by a gym where everyone is super-fit looking," she reveals. "They can be themselves and not have to worry about being judged."

Penny's group also does a "Biggest Loser" Challenge. "It's basically a 90-day weight loss competition to see who can lose the greatest percentage of body weight," Penny explains. "We find out everyone's weight loss goals and track their progress week by week. Any money won from the competition goes right back into the Fit Club to buy things like exercise equipment or floor mats."

Spreading the word
Penny got the word out on local bulletin boards, doing display ads at the Church, and by utilizing social media. "We're constantly adding friends to our Facebook page," she says. "It's one of the best ways for regulars, as well as prospects to stay connected to us."

Penny also contacted local Television stations and newspapers. "They love to do 'feel good' stories," she explains. "Plus, a church doing a Fit Club to gospel music is completely unique."

And Penny's Fit Club received an added boost from an unlikely source. "The Chicago Tribune found out about our club through a newspaper in Orlando," she says. "They ran a story on the club and the exposure has been awesome!"

Growing by the numbers
Grace, Faith, & Fitness has come a long way since eight people showed up to the first session. "We're averaging about 30 people now, and last night we had 44!" Penny says with enthusiasm. "We're getting repeat customers, as well as new people all the time." She continues, "The church loves it and everyone has been thanking me."

But for Penny, nothing can trump the impact that the club has had on her personally. "So many of the people who are showing up have never even exercised before," she says. "A few obese men came in and just watched for the first 2 sessions. Now they're actively participating and making progress."

Penny goes on, "I'm seeing all different types of people—from those in their late 60's, to people who are 200 pounds overweight. It's incredibly rewarding to be making a difference to so many people!"

The Baby's Here. Can I Have My Body Back Now?

*Based on conversations I've had with those that are pregnant or have newborns, I thought I would share an article I recently found*

Now that your new baby is here, you have a lot to think about: when to feed her, what to do if she cries - and how to get rid of those extra pounds you packed on during your pregnancy.

If you started out at a normal weight and gained the 25-35 pounds your doctor probably recommended, it shouldn't take you more than a couple of months to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight if you watch what you eat and exercise.

If, on the other hand, you were overweight before your pregnancy or you put on more weight than your doctor advised, it could take much longer - up to a year - to get the weight off. Any baby weight you don't take off could stick with you for a long time.

"It's very critical that you do get the weight off, because if you don't it has been associated with overweight and obesity 15 to 20 years later in life," says Debra Krummel, PhD, RD, endowed professor in the University of Cincinnati department of nutrition.

And although every new mom is eager to look like her old self again, one of the most important things to remember is to be patient with yourself. Your favorite celebrity might have gone straight from the delivery room into her size 0 jeans, but she may not have done it in a way that was good for her body.

"All the magazines ask, 'How did she do it?' The more important question is, 'Why did she do it?'" says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). "They do this with very, very strict diets, and a lot of them do it by getting back into activity before their body is really ready for it."

Johnson advocates a more gradual approach to weight loss. "The number one thing new mothers have to have is a certain amount of patience with their body," she says. "It took nine months to get there. It should take at least that long to get back to their fighting weight."

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you lose weight after pregnancy and fit back into your old jeans - whatever their size.

Don't diet
It may sound strange, but going on an official "diet" could derail your post-pregnancy weight loss goals. Feeling deprived of your favorite foods while you're already stressed out by your new role as mom could actually cause you to gain weight, Johnson says.

"If you go back to eating healthy and eating for your hunger, most women find that the weight comes off pretty naturally," she says.

Instead of dieting, she recommends eating a well-balanced variety of foods. Keep different snacks in the house to keep you from feeling hungry and give you energy throughout the day. Apple slices, carrot sticks, and wheat crackers are all good for noshing.

No matter how much you want to lose weight, try not to dip below 1,800 calories a day, particularly if you are breastfeeding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid site can help you design a personalized eating plan based on your age, activity level, and weight loss goals. The site even has a special section for breastfeeding moms.

Load up on "super foods"
When you're a new mother, your body needs maximum nutrition, especially if you're nursing. Choose foods that are heavy in the nutrients you need and light in calories and fat.

Fish is one of these "super foods" because it's packed with DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid that helps your newborn develop a healthy brain and nervous system. The best sources of DHA are cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna (stick to canned light tuna because albacore tends to be high in mercury).

Milk and yogurt are also super foods because they're high in the calcium you need to keep your bones strong. And don't forget the protein. Lean meat, chicken, and beans are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. They're good for you, and they'll keep you feeling full for longer.

Breastfeed
Whether breastfeeding can actually help you lose weight is still up in the air - some studies find that breastfeeding exclusively can help you return to your pre-baby weight faster, while others find no difference in weight loss between women who breastfeed and those who bottle feed.

What is for sure is that breastfeeding is good for your baby, boosting immunity and providing a number of other important health benefits. And nursing exclusively lets you add about an extra 300 calories a day to your diet (you can add slightly more calories if you have a really big eater or twins). Just make sure that if you do breastfeed, you don't use it as an excuse to eat whatever you want.

Drink up
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day prevents you from getting dehydrated. It also fills you up so that you don't eat as much, and some research has found that it may speed up your metabolism.

Whether you need the often-recommended eight glasses a day isn't certain, so Johnson recommends using the color of your urine and how often you need to go to the bathroom as guides. If you're drinking enough fluids, your urine should be relatively clear, and you should be going to the bathroom about every three to four hours.

Move it!
Diet is important, but it's only one part of your post-pregnancy weight loss plan. You also need to incorporate aerobic and strength training exercises after pregnancy to burn calories and keep your muscles and bones strong. "Exercise, beyond helping you lose weight, provides so many benefits to a new mom," Johnson says. "It helps with depression, it helps with the sleep issue ... it helps in relieving stress - and having a new baby in the house can definitely be stressful."

You don't have to hit the gym to get back in shape after pregnancy - taking a brisk walk with your baby in the stroller is enough to get your heart pumping and muscles working. "You want to shoot for at least 150 minutes a week," says James M. Pivarnik, PhD, FACSM, professor of kinesiology and epidemiology at Michigan State University and president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine. With a new baby, finding 30 minutes in a row might be impossible, so Pivarnik suggests breaking up the time into 10-minute increments. Then try to work your way up to 20- or 30-minute sessions.

Lugging around a baby all day is itself a workout, but you still need to add some strength training. Use light weights - or even a couple of soup cans - as resistance. Many health clubs and community centers offer "mommy and me" classes that will let you incorporate your baby into your workout routine. But before you start any exercise program, get your doctor's approval, especially if you had a C-section.

Get some sleep
It may seem impossible to get a full eight hours of sleep when you have a baby summoning you like clockwork throughout the night, but being sleep deprived could make it harder for you to shed the baby weight. In one study, new moms who slept five hours or less a night were more likely to hold onto their extra pregnancy weight than women who slept seven hours. When you're tired, your body releases cortisol and other stress hormones that can promote weight gain. "Also when you're exhausted, you don't feel like taking good care of yourself," Johnson says. "You're less likely to choose healthy food. You're more likely to grab something through a drive-through. You're also less likely to get physical activity."

Your friends or family members may have told you to "sleep when your baby sleeps," and that's good advice. Catch as many naps as you can during the day and go to bed early - at least until your baby starts sleeping through the night.

Ask for help
If you're struggling to lose the weight, enlist the help of your friendly Beachbody coach! I've had two kids and struggled with shedding the weight from my second child for YEARS so I understand how frustrating it all can be. I can help you design an eating plan and also recommend a workout routine that will best fit your New Mommy lifestyle.

Baby, It's Cold Outside (and fun!)

It's wintertime and we've all seen the mercury plummet dramatically. Living in Alaska, I've experienced my fair share of sub-zero temps. But just because there's a chill in the air, that doesn't mean you should hibernate with the bears. Whether you do it indoors or out, exercise is a great way to get the blood pumping and release those happy hormones to help get us through those long winter days. If you're experiencing a little cabin fever, here's some great outdoor activities to enjoy in the crisp winter air.

1.Downhill skiing. As you already know, the core muscles are the cluster of muscles around your spine, pelvis, and groin that give you balance and stability. Skiing uses all these muscles in a fun, dynamic workout. To mix it up a little, do things like skating in your skis up the hill to the chairlift rather than booting up the slope. For a beginner, just learning to ski is plenty of exercise. More advanced skiers can use a few tricks to keep improving balance and core strength: Take a run where you balance on just one ski for as long as possible while still turning and stopping. When one leg gets tired, switch to the other and keep going. Backward skiing is also a test of your balance and works a different set of muscles. Leave your poles at the lodge when you try backward skiing, or take them off your wrists and hold them out in front of your body, kind of like a pair of handlebars. Of course, try these tricks on a run where you're really comfortable, not on a double black diamond. Skiing moguls and shredding the terrain park with the snowboarders are also fantastic for your core.

2.Cross-country ski skating. First, my condolences to those of you who have snow but no mountains. Life is cruel. But flat snow has its uses, too. The variety of cross-country skiing called ski skating is wonderful for your balance and overall aerobic fitness. If you don't know what this is already, picture yourself ice skating really fast through the woods, but on skis. Seek out your local snow-covered frozen lake or a groomed cross-country ski resort for the best trails. Lacking those options, seek out the closest golf course or even a snow-covered football field. The motions of skating work the heck out of your quads, glutes, and core. Your arms get a nice benefit, too, since you sometimes use them to push. And you can adapt skating to your own preferences. Some people go long distances; others do sprints. Mix it up and come up with a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program that'll blow away anything you do on a track in a pair of running shoes.

3.Snowshoe running. Proof that people will do just about anything to stay fit. This sport is largely practiced by devoted—make that maniacal—runners looking to crank up their fitness. According to at least one expert, marathoners who cross-train in the winter with snowshoes often find their race times have plummeted come spring. A set of good trail-running snowshoes should set you back between $200 and $400. Beyond that, it's free. It'll feel awkward at first. You'll need to retrain your brain a little from your running stride. On snowshoes, you'll pull your feet up using your hips rather than pushing down with your feet like you would running on dirt or asphalt. And don't run using a wide stance; that'll wear you down in no time. Truly hardcore snowshoe runners log up to 70 miles a week, but that's extreme. Start out slowly and work up to a mileage that's maybe 20 percent of your summer running.

4.Ice skating. Anyone who has ever watched Olympic speed skating or a hockey game can tell you that ice skating is a great way to build your lower body and flexibility at the same time. Plus, like everything that requires dynamic balance, skating builds insane core strength—that tiny 10-year-old doing a flying camel spin has more core strength than the entire Chicago Bears defensive line. But you don't have to be Olympic material to benefit from a good skating workout. No matter what your ability level, just getting on the ice works your core. Skating can also provide a great workout for the large muscles you employ on the ice, including your glutes, hip abductors, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves.

How To Beat The Winter "Blues"

Feeling a post-holiday letdown? Tired of shorter days and early nights? Wondering how you can get through the dark months as you pine for summer sunshine? Fear not. You can walk—or jog, run, or lift—your way to a brighter mood with exercise.

When you're feeling low, moving may be the last thing you feel like doing. As Sir Isaac Newton pointed out, an object at rest tends to stay at rest. But increasingly, science is proving that if you can peel yourself off the couch and put one foot in front of the other, you'll feel better, both about yourself and the world.

So how do you make this happen?

Working out "cheers up" your body chemistry.

When you're physically active, your body releases natural chemicals that actually make you feel good. Neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine help you feel relaxed and happy.

Exercise also reduces your body's production of hormones like cortisol, which are released at high levels during chronic stress and depress the immune system.

Working out has a calming effect on the body. When all else is equal, the harder to exercise the calmer you'll be.

You can help support these positive results with the right supplements, like ActiVit® Multivitamins or Shakeology®.

Move your body, change your mind.

Exercise has been proven to:

•Boost confidence: Achieving a fitness goal, no matter how small, will give you a sense of accomplishment.
•Burn calories: How else does the weight melt away? Plus getting thinner and feeling more fit is likely to cheer you up.
•Redirect your focus: You'll be too busy trying to do one more rep of that crunch, curl, or kick to think about anything negative.
Show you can do something positive: By choosing to get up and move, you're taking care of yourself, and coping in a healthy way. And when you observe that, you'll believe you can take other steps forward.

How much exercise makes a difference?

As little as 10 to 15 minutes of activity can improve your mood, especially if you're doing something dynamic, like running or cycling. Harvard psychiatrist John J. Ratey, M.D., writes that a single workout can jump-start the feel-good chemical changes. So the most important thing is getting started. To get the greatest benefits, work your way up to at least 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 days a week.

What kind of workout is best?

One you enjoy. Seriously. If it's not something you like, you're less likely to make the effort. For instance, I don't happen to be a fan of plyometrics, despite its many benefits. When I work out, I opt for cycling, yoga, or low-impact programs instead. They still get me sweating my way into a great mood. Identify the activities you enjoy, and get going.

How do you get started?

Choose something accessible. The power of exercise doesn't come from fancy equipment, but from the effort you put in. If you pick something you can get to and that fits your timetable, you've lowered the barriers to beginning. For example, you can:

•Turn everyday errands into workouts when you do them on foot or by bike. (Extra points for adding a hill, or taking the long way home.)
•Check out the activities offered at your local park, like swimming, basketball games, or fitness classes.
•Commit to an in-home Beachbody® workout program that's sure to fit your schedule.

So start today. Boost your activity level and help put a smile on your face. Because you don't have to wait for the sunshine to feel good.

Straight From The Pros

Do you have questions and concerns about your fitness and weight loss journey? Do you want some helpful tips? Check out the schedule below for the chance to talk to the pros. Our top-notch trainers are here to help! To get in on the fun, click here and go to "chat". They're here to help!