Today is Monday, October 31 ~ Today I am really starting to get serious about gearing up for Jamaica.  But first…

^ Happy Halloween

My students each found a pencil, a ghost eraser, and a piece of chocolate (mentioned in yesterday’s post – from my grandparents) on their desk this morning upon arriving at school.  It feels good to get rid of all that chocolate…

But look what I received in return ~

^ How cute are these cookies?

They spell out my last name – (Although just last Friday I called myself Miss Feldmeyer as I was speaking to my students / They loved it by the way and were excited to catch me make the mistake)…

Aren’t the cookies adorable?!! 

Will I eat them?  No.  Will Ben eat them?  No, probably not.  But they are still adorable, right?!!  I love them!!

Anyway – Down to business today!

We leave for the beach on December 26, which means I have nearly two months to get my butt into shape!  What’s my plan?

BB Challenge – Turbo Fire!

^ Click picture + “Shop” to learn more!

More about my Challenge follows this (long) post ~

Here is a question from someone considering Shakeology.  I have actually had two people in the last few days ask me a question similar to this, so I want to address the question on here before anything else:

I am interested.  My hold-up is paying that much and me not making a total commitment!!  Does it curve your appetite?  I like to snack so I am worried that I would offset the good it would do?

I cant say that I will workout everyday, but I can manage 3-4 times per week.  I have hip hop abs and power 90…obviously I’m not doing either!  I am also a member at the [gym] …again, not going!

So I thought if I did shakeology it might boost my motivation level?

Shakeology does boost my motivation level, but I think it is because it boosts my energy level.  After just a week or so of a shake per day, I was not feeling like I wanted to go to bed at 8:00p, like I usually do – falling asleep on the couch.  And I have even had some extra energy for late night workouts.  I also do not crave candy or diet sodas when I am drinking a shake per day.  It sounds ridiculous, especially for me, because I have such a major sweet tooth, but Shakeology totally cures that for me.

I also think, “Wow, I am putting all of these awesome vitamins and nutrients into my body, I should workout to go along with it!”  So I suppose on some level it does motivate me to workout for sure…

I do eat less when I am drinking a shake each day, because I get my fill with the Shake.  I suppose that when your body gets all the vitamins & nutrients it needs plus more, you don’t feel the need to keep eating. 

But here is something that I feel has helped me more than anything (along with Shakeology) – It is not a drink, or vitamin, or a diet, or a fitness program.  It is a fact.  And I do not even remember where I read it or if it is even true, but in my mind, it is – because it works for me. 

And believe me, I have tried it all, Guys ~ so many different approaches to weight loss during my college years (and beyond). I have tried so many different pills (even the Kardashian one in the purple box? Ah!), so many different diets (Atkins, South Beach, you name it!), and so many different shakes (some of which you will see in various old posts of this blog).   I would not recommend any of those things to anyone – But I might as well admit that I tried them.  I don’t care anymore, because I have found something that works for me now…

But – Here is what I once read & what I keep in my mind always:

Your Body = 80% what you eat.  10% workout.  10% genetic.

When I first read this (wherever it may have been), I thought, “No way! Only 10% of your body is working out?!” But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like it could have some truth behind it.  I was a workout machine at one point.  Like I said ~ I eat, drink, breathe workouts.  But when I workout so hard and so intense, it makes me so hungry also – extra, extra hungry.  And I figure, “Hey I just finished an insane workout, I’m going to go eat anything and everything I want now & it won’t matter because I worked out so hard today.” – Eh, Wrong.  It does matter – 80% matter.

I started noticing a difference in my body when I started paying more attention to what I ate and making healthful food choices.

I stopped caring so much about the intensity of my workouts, and just made sure to do what I could, when I could.  I also made sure to include weight lifting in my workouts. 

As my long-time readers know, I used to be a “Cardio Queen” when it came to working out.  When I hit the gym, I went straight for the cardio machines and stayed there for 90 minutes, then left.  I cannot express what P90X has done for me and how it has totally changed my mind on being a Cardio Queen at the gym.  Go for the weights, not the cardio machines.

When I started included strength training in my workouts, I started being able to tell a difference in my body.  So now, if I only have 20 minutes to squeeze in a workout, I dedicate it to strength training, not cardio. 

Need help with strength training?  Don’t know where to start? 

Here is your guy:

^ Tony Horton – P90X

I love it & he totally changed my outlook on weight lifting.  He and Ben and my BFF, Cassie ~ who constantly explained to me the benefits of strength training, but I had to figure it out for myself, by doing P90X.  I didn’t even follow the program day by day, but I still loved it and benefitted from it.

Anyway – Whether it really is 80% what you eat, I do not know for sure, but I know it is a lot.  Making healthy eating decisions is the most important.  If you cannot find time for a workout everyday, you can still eat healthfully, right?  I’m so used to eating healthy now, that I have started to dislike the unhealthy foods.  Not always – but most of the time, I would rather have the healthy option anyway.  I splurge the most when I go home to Southern Indiana – I’m not sure why, though.

Along with this fact, and strength training, another piece of advice I have is to stop the All or Nothing Way of Thinking ~

This was a huge problem for me.  If I had one cookie, I thought I ruined the whole plan, the whole day, so I might as well have another, right??  And since I had 2 cookies I might as well eat this pizza for dinner – and I might as well have seconds, and thirds.  I’ll start my diet back up tomorrow since I already ruined it for today.  Since I’m not starting until tomorrow I will just go ahead and eat this ice cream for dessert tonight.  Then I’ll eat healthy tomorrow.  Or I just won’t eat at all to make up for today…

See?  I was also the Queen of this type of thinking.  Until I learned to stop it, I made no progress as far as my health and fitness were concerned ~ But, I think this could be an entire post in itself.  I had to stop thinking of it as a “diet” and start thinking about it as a “lifestyle” for myself.  I know there are a lot of people reading this who know exactly what I am talking about with this type of thinking.

Anyway – A short answer has been made very long… 

Yes, Shakeology curves my appetite.  Yes, Shakeology gives me extra energy.  Yes, Shakeology motivates me to workout and eat healthier and makes me crave less sweets. And Yes, I love it & Yes, if I ran out before my next monthly shipment arrived, I just might flip out!!  That’s how much I am starting to love it – and need it!  

Even after Ben has drank only 3 Shakes, he says he likes it.  He has just traded it for his usual lunch – chips and a sandwich.  He says he does not feel the normal lethargic feeling after lunch.  He feels like he has energy.  Love that Ben is loving the Shakes!

Ok! ~

This is the longest post ever.  I could keep going, and want to keep going.  But I will save the rest for later.  I am glad you read this far & I hope it helped someone in some way…

* Remember, I am not a Dr. or nutritional expert, I’m giving my opinion / sharing what has worked for me!

One of my favorite / Very true workout quotes –>

“Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired…You’ve always got to make the mind take over and keep going.” ~ George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian

Right now, my body is exhausted.  The body of any & every teacher is probably exhausted at this time during the day.  But in my mind, I am ready for and need an awesome workout – and will be even more ready after I listen to “Show Goes On” to get me pumped up.  Ready for Jamaica!

Tomorrow’s post will include more details about my said Jamaica BB prep.  I definitely went off topic tonight – in a good way.

Ann

More about the BB Challenge ~

Friday, November 11th (11/11/11) I will begin the 30 Day Get Fit Challenge that will incorporate a Beachbody workout program & Shakeology.

First of all – If you log your workouts in the BB Gym, you are eligible every day that you log to win $500.  On 11/11/11, the cash prize is $1,111 – Just for logging a workout!

I will be doing the Challenge with TurboFire. Join me?

I only want you to be a part of this if you are ready to take charge and commit:

• pictures and measurements (not to broadcast – but for you)
• one Shakeology meal a day
• daily workout (I will tell you the workout to do based on the calendar)

Starting in November, we will all be following a BB workout program, drinking Shakeology, tracking our progress, staying connected in our private Facebook group, etc.

If you are thinking “well I don’t have Shakeology” ~ well then YESwhat I am saying is you will have to commit to getting on Shakeology and drinking it 1x per day!! Don’t worry ~ It is one of the best commitments I have ever made!

By joining my challenge you will automatically get 1 month FREE of Beachbody Club membership, the first month of Shakeology HD, and a BB workout program of your choice! Sounds great to me.

I know it sounds like a lot of info ~ right?

To get this challenge started, and on your way to a healthy lifestyle, you need the program, the nutrition, and the supportof other BB members ~ You get all of these in the Packages mentioned above. Along with FREE Shipping!

Interested in ordering a BB fitness program and starting Shakeology, but don’t really want to be part of a Challenge group? That’s okay, you are still welcome to take advantage of a great deal – especially if there is a program you have been wanting… Now is the time to purchase & save.

I am going to Jamaica over Christmas Break, and I am motivated to be in my very best shape. I know what I am capable of and I am ready to challenge myself with a new program – TurboFire!

I’m ready to do this – Are you?

If you are interested in being part of the Challenge, let me know! Or maybe you are just interested in learning more about purchasing a fitness program – totally fine!