30 Days of Insanity Max 30

I used to be afraid of the insanity workout- and for good reason! It's tough physically and you need mental toughness to finish it. The same holds true for Max 30, but the 30 minute workouts seemed ideal to me so I figured I would give them a shot...boy am I glad that I did!

Here are my results: 30 days of hardcore working out & my nutrition wasn't the greatest because I didn't strictly follow the meal plan and I had a few too many cheats...but I'm proud of what I've achieved with this program so far and I cannot wait to see what I can do with my next 30 days!

If you want to taste something gross, read on!

I am not going to lie to you. This stuff tastes DISGUSTING! If it didn’t work, I would never drink it again and I would be thrilled. However, I LOVED how it made me feel! I had enough energy to get through 2 workouts AND I even burned more calories than usual. Why? Because it gave me a natural boost that didn’t leave me crashing in a couple hours in a sugar-induced coma. This stuff is legit and it made me feel awesome and I would drink it again in a heartbeat...even if I have to gag it down and hold my nose while doing it. Let me walk you through what led me to try this stuff... Picture a 30-year-old mother of two who wants to get a workout in but lacks sleep and the desire to actually move her body (she’d rather be sleeping...or watching The Bachelorette!). She is dragging and can barely get through a 25-minute workout. She also follows the modifier and takes text-messaging or baby-changing breaks. Now, picture that same woman, still with lack of sleep, but with the energy needed to give her the desire to push play. She is bouncy and smiling and ready to go. She nails 2 workouts and even though she breaks a sweat, she is able to complete them without even using the modifier! How did this happen? She drank some E&E. Energy and Endurance is a pre-workout supplement. Laced with caffeine and other ingredients, it’s an amazing boost- better than coffee, Monster, or a 5-hour energy drink! It tastes disgusting (I made the ugliest face after I tasted it for the first time today) but I would drink it again in a second because I LOVED the energy it gave me and I loved what it did for me. Taste doesn’t matter to me if the results are there. They speak for themselves! If I ever have to go for a long drive, I’m drinking this stuff instead of coffee!

30 Days of X3

When I think about posting my transformations...any pictures of myself, really, that show a lot of skin, I cringe a little on the inside. Has anyone ever felt afraid of stuff like this? I know I should be proud but also, I'm a little shy and a little bit modest when it comes to this stuff so putting my whole body out there...that's scary! 30 days ago, I started P90X3. I also decided that I was going to do the 21 Day Fix at the same time. Double workouts. Focused on nutrition (which I ended up slipping up on more than I care to admit...chocaholic right here and I need help! Even Shakeology, which usually helps, wasn't cutting it. I blame it on the breastfeeding...). I finished the first month of X3 AND finished the 21 Day Fix. I did not lose any weight. It was really disappointing and I felt really upset. I started beating myself up (almost literally) for not being more disciplined with my food choices. I felt ashamed...I wanted to hide in a closet. Then... I took my 30 day pictures. The pictures I had been dreading. I wanted to avoid them, but decided it was time to be held accountable. WOW! Am I glad I did! I am excited to share with you all my results. While the number on the scale didn't budge, my inches did and so did my definition! I am proud to say that I can now see more muscles. Don't let the scale define you. I almost forgot that lesson. Now, I have proof that it's a lesson I never want to forget. Sooooo without further adieu, my 30 day results:

My plan for the next 30 days of X3 is to conquer it head on and have no regrets. I also plan to do T25 in the evenings and X3 in the mornings. I admit, I miss T25 and Shaun T. too much to just not do T25 right now. It's my favorite program...my soul mate program HAHA and I cannot live without it. If you can relate, I'd love to know! Feel free to share these results or any of the posts on my blog with a friend that might want to hear about it. Keep smiling and keep pushing play. Have a wonderful evening.

Spring Fever, 21 Day Fix/P90X3 Updates, and My Confession

Today we finally had some warmer weather. The warm weather makes me want to jump for joy! I can sense that I will be able to run outside sometime in the near future. Running is something that I’ve been missing. I have a double stroller ready to go and I cannot wait to get back on the trail.

Aside from running, I’ve been making some progress in my new programs. One week complete for the 21 Day Fix AND P90X3. I am happy to be seeing the number move on the scale, even if it’s only a little bit. I was up recently, due to the fact that I had been justifying WAY TOO MANY cheat meals which turned into cheat days...you get the picture. Too much junk food was allowed due to all of these circumstances I swore were out of my control. I was not home a lot recently, and so I justified eating junk. What should I have done instead? I should have packed healthy foods for me and my family and not made any excuses. This is my confession. I will move forward and continue to do what I should have been doing all along.

21 Day Fix Update:

The 21 Day Fix is a really great program. The workouts are intense, but there is a modifier in case you need one in the beginning (I used the modifier for some of the moves and I still felt the burn!). I am LOVING the portion-control container system. It’s definitely something that I know I can continue to use, even after my 21 days are up. Also, it’s something that can be done while eating out, which is also a really big bonus in my opinion.

P90X3 Update:

Tony Horton is NO JOKE. He brings it in intensity for X3, however it is completely reasonable and does have a modifier if any beginner wants to take a crack at it. I am getting used to the workouts, some of which are really difficult for me. One workout, called The Challenge, is 30 minutes of pushups and pullups. That’s it! Various types of these bad boys...it’s difficult but I definitely need to practice both of these since they are my weakness. I recommend choosing a low number to start! 

Additionally, one thing I really love is Tony’s sense of humor. He makes working out seem less like a mundane task and it’s something that I find enjoyable. Plus, I never know what’s going to come out of his mouth next. 

Week One Totals:

Even though I was HORRIBLE with following the nutrition plan for the 21 Day Fix this week (I cheated at least once per day, which I hate to admit but I need to confess so that I never do it again), I still lost 2 pounds. I cannot wait to finish my last 2 weeks and see how many inches and pounds drop off now that I am going to be perfect with my nutrition. (Thankfully, the plan allows me to have chocolate and wine so those cheats are allowed!)

Thank You. In loving memory of my mother-in-law.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of my challengers. Thank you to all of my friends. Thank you to all of you reading this! Thank you for being so understanding this week. Thank you for allowing me time to grieve, and for understanding that I am still grieving and that it will take time! Thank you for checking up on me!! I need your support, too! 

This past week has been tough for me and for my family. We lost my mother-in-law in her battle to cancer, even though she put up one heck of a fight! It was amazing for me to see the outpouring of love and support from people that know- and even from some who don’t know- my mother-in-law. We appreciate the kind words, the food (and for trying to make us “clean eating” food!), the thoughts & prayers (some of you have been our prayer warriors, praying for us since this all began back at the end of December!). The kind words that some of you spoke to me/us, and the kind words that were spoken at her funeral, have shown our family that LOVE is the most important thing in the world. It’s what my mother-in-law sought to cultivate in her relationships. She showed love and was given it in return by many. And those of us who were lucky enough to know her and hold her close will cherish that love that she gave us with all of our hearts. I know I will, because I felt her love every day.

For those of you who don’t know, my mother-in-law was one of my biggest supporters in this business. She was one of the first people to sign up for my first challenge group and she bragged to others about how great she felt when she completed my 7-day Shakeology challenge. She also proceeded to purchase a workout program from me- Slim in 6- and was planning on starting the program when her health began to decline. Even though she was unable to start the workouts as she had planned, she still encouraged me and encouraged others to put their faith in me to help them achieve their goals. I am not going to let her down. I WILL help others and show my LOVE for my challengers, just as I know that she would be proud of me for doing so. Many of my other family members tease me for my healthy lifestyle choices, and while they support me, they don’t necessarily “get it” or feel that they really want to make a commitment to changing their unhealthy habits. Karen was willing to give me the benefit of the doubt and try it out and I will always be grateful for that. She never made fun of me and she always had faith in me and that I could be successful in this journey. 

If she could hear me now, I would say to her, “Momma, I plan to do you proud. I will help everyone that I can, in any way that I can, so that they can lead healthy lives and fulfill their dreams & meet their goals. I love you!” ~Always & Forever in my heart. XOXO