Insanity and Focus T25 Hybrid

When I finished my first round of Insanity, I had combined feelings of accomplishment and frustration. I felt like my fitness honeymoon was over and I didn't know what was "next." After doing some research on the the internet, I found that you could do really cool HYBRIDS of Beachbody programs.

I would recommend exploring a hybrid after fully completing a program, for a few reasons:

1. Results: Beachbody specially designs their calendars to help deliver maximum results.
2. Risk of Injury: When you're just doing one program, your focus (no pun intended!) won't be as divided. You will have more body awareness and, subsequently, lessen the risk of injury.
3. Commitment: It's always easier to commit to one program, versus trying to commit to two brand new programs. 

 Here's a hybrid calendar of two of my favorites, Insanity + T25. You could always swap out one of these programs for another activity or program. If you have any questions, always feel free to contact me.

21 Day Fix Meal Plan Sampler

I have had a few people ask about what my thoughts are about nutrition/etc... I am in love with the 21 Day Fix meal plan. I never feel deprived and, honestly, I feel like I will apply the principles I've learned in this program for the rest of my life. I learned a lot about where I was under-eating, particularly in regards to protein. I just can't sing enough praises about the 21 Day Fix! Here is a little "sample" of what a few days of eating on the program may look like. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Healthy Recipe ♡ Grilled Salmon with Lime & Herbs & Asparagus

Hormone Replacement Therapy: My Story

HORMONES. Look at this word and tell me it doesn't scare you. If not, then good for you. This word still scares me. It stirs up old memories of junior high health class. Remember? The time when they separated all the boys and girls and class and talked about "our changing bodies." [Insert GAG here].

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. What I write is not meant to replace any advice received from a medical professional. However, in my experience, it feels like there is a huge lack of first-hand sources out there on the topic, unless you feel like reading through all the answers submitted on q&a websites. You're body is your own and whatever you choose to do or take is completely up to you. This is just a snapshot of what Hormone Replacement Therapy was like for me.

In February of 2013 I decided to try bioidentical hormone therapy from BodyLogic MD. I had recently stopped taking birth control two months before and was still experiencing adverse affects. From my personal research it seemed this type of treatment would be the most "natural" quick-fix I could find. In hindsight, I should have waited for my body to return to equilibrium naturally, but hindsight is always 20/20.

I called my local BodyLogic MD office and made an appointment in early May. There was at least a three-month waiting list for an appointment, but I decided to go for it. I had to pay an up front fee of $250 to reserve the appointment, but it seemed worth it.

During that three-month period there were a few different tests that I had to complete in preparation for my appointment. The first test was a series of urine analysis samples that I had to collect myself (gross). The catch was that I had to do it just before I started my monthly cycle. I followed the instructions and mailed my samples back in as quickly as I could. The lab that analyzed the samples called me back and said that apparently I had drank too much coffee before completing my test so I would have to do it all over again (also tacking on more $$$ on my bill). I had to wait another month and then do my tests again. Thankfully, the latter time was successful.

The second test involved getting 12 vials of blood drawn. I'm not a fan of needles, but usually I'm ok with getting shots. Getting blood drawn, especially that much, was a totally different story. I passed out and was sick the rest of the day after they drew my blood.

Finally I made it to the big day of my appointment. I was a little disappointed with the office. It was small and nice, but small ... very small. The overhyped website and three months of anticipation ratcheted up my expectations sky-high. I expected an amazing state-of-the-art facility.  Instead, all I got was a generic desk, a young receptionist and some magazines. That’s all I got.

I met with the doctor and she put me on a machine that listed my weight, BMI, BMR, heart rate, bone density and some other things I don't remember. Apparently using this machine costs $125 extra, but the doctor kindly decided to waive the fee for me. 

My doctor was very professional, but as we started the consultation I opened up about my struggles with not feeling like myself after being on birth control. Perhaps naively, I assumed she would be a little more compassionate. Instead, the whole thing was very sterile. She read through the different hormone levels that showed up on the tests and didn't seem too interested in sharing a heart-to-heart about my struggles (my bad!). 

So what did the tests show? For the “low” price of $1,200, I learned that my T3 (thyroid hormone) was slightly low, but overall everything was completely normal. I paid the fees and was put on a regimen taking the Armor Thyroid (T3 taken from pigs). I was also told that I would need to meet with the doctor again in three months (and take the blood and urine analysis tests again) to see how my body was responding to the Armor Thyroid. 

My conclusion: I took the medication for about three weeks and didn't see any overall changes in my symptoms. Honestly, I think I was over-reacting to the whole situation in the first place. When I started taking quality multi-vitamins and focusing on a whole foods diet, my symptoms corrected themselves pretty quickly and at a fraction of the $1200 price tag of Hormone Replacement Therapy!

Birthday Beach Beauty: 30 Day Health Challenge

Every year, about a month before my birthday, I usually tell myself "I'm going to get in the best shape ever this year!" I'll change up my workouts a bit, maybe make a few dietary changes but nothing too revolutionary happens. 

For my husband and I, 2013 ended with quite a bang as we moved cross country. I now have the great pleasure of discounted Herbalife products (thanks to my hubby's job!), unlimited access to the beach and co-hosting a health/fitness YouTube channel! Could there be a better time than this?! This year something is different, though. I don't want any major changes to my body, I don't need to lose any weight, I already eat healthy and I workout consistently. 

So what's the point then? Setting a goal, sticking to it and learning to love yourself because of the accomplishment (not because you like what you see in the mirror) is most important. I just want girls and young women out there to have a love for physically challenging themselves without feeling like a "failure" if they don't meet their idea of aesthetic success. Work hard, exercise, eat healthy and be happy with your own unique healthy body! 

Ok off my soap box! Here are the "rules" for this 30 day health challenge that I'll be working on from January 7th through my birthday on February 7th. There absolutely may be some physical changes from the month and if there is then I'll post some before/after photos but if not, that's ok too. I still set a goal and accomplished it. 

1. Put your spiritual needs before the physical. Physical growth will never be as beneficial as the mental and spiritual. Take time every morning to nurture your beliefs. 

2. Follow the Herbalife diet plan on Monday - Friday. It's pretty easy to follow this Herbalife plan during the week. Saturday and Sunday are harder because schedules often differ on these days. Give yourself a break and healthfully enjoy the weekend.

3. Take your vitamins. I take the Herbalife Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex, Formula 3 Cell Activator and Cell-U-Loss. It's hard to remember to take them all the time, but it takes three weeks to form a habit. Try setting an alarm on your phone and/or getting a cute pill holder until the habit is formed. 

4. Focus less on cardio and more on weights/resistance training. It's easy to be a cardio bunny and I am guilty as charged. Try to limit cardio to 30-45 minutes per day. Instead focus on training those parts of the body that you want to be more sculpted. Here's my current workout schedule. I find it really helpful to add intervals in between sets. It keeps my heart rate up and makes the entire workout feel more intense.

5. Drink more water. Everyone says it, but how many of us really do it? Start off the day with 20 oz of water and then aim to drink a total of half your body weight in ounces by the end of the day. I've found that it helps to try to having most of your water intake "completed" 1-2 hours before sleeping so you don't wake up in the middle of the night searching for the restroom!

Nothing too complicated, right? See ya in 30 days!

Meal Replacements 101

The options for meal replacement shakes are endless and staring at all the tubs and packets in the grocery store makes me nervous! To try  and ease my own stress  (and hopefully yours!) these are some key nutrition items that I check for to eliminate any lemons from the protein powder shelf.

1) Calories - I try to stay within the 90-120 calories (per serving) range for protein powders so I can keep the end product around 300 total calories (1 cup of vanilla almond mlk + 1 banana = 200 calories).

2) Sodium Content - In general, it’s good to try to eat a lower sodium diet. Too much sodium can irritate high blood pressure, but on a lighter note it can just make you hold water. When you’re holding water you’re usually contradicting the entire reason you’re wanting to have a meal replacement shake, which is weight loss or maintenance. I try to keep the sodium per serving in my protein shakes to under 150 mg.

3) Sugar Content - Bottom line, too much sugar isn’t good and will make you crash a few hours after drinking your shake. Try to keep the per serving amount under 10g.

4) and the obvious…. PROTEIN! I know this is pretty obvious, but many times the reason people are drinking meal replacements is to try to up their daily protein intake without dramatically increasing calories. I would say to keep the protein to calorie ratio to one gram per every 10 calories (ie if the protein shake is 90 calories per serving, then try to have around nine grams of protein).

OR if you don’t feel like going through all the work, here are a few of my favorites:

• Anything from Herbalife  (but the Chocolate Mint is pretty epic!)
• Perfect Fit Protein
• Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein
• Garden of Life Raw Protein - Original

Meal Planning: Just Do It!

First off, this is a classic example of "do as I say and not as I do." Not everyone has time to sit down every single Sunday and plan out their meals for the next week. But, use this as another way to apply the 80/20 rule. If you can strive to do this 80% of the time, you'll still be adding some bucks to your pocket book, while saving some serious calories. If you're having trouble getting started, these are a few steps that might help along the way.

1. Pick a date: I work Monday through Friday, so for me it's easiest to do this on a Sunday morning with some coffee. Maybe it would work better for you on a Tuesday night with a nice glass of red wine. The most important thing is to pick a day/time that you can usually commit to.

2. Plot it out: There are so many things that we all juggle throughout the week: school, kids, work... the list is endless. Do your brain a favor and write out your plan. This is an example of what I usually do. You don't have to be as obsessive as I am about serving sizes, this simply helps me know how much to buy when I write out my grocery list.

3. Prepare in advance: Don't beat yourself up if you can't do this all the time, this is another opportunity to practice the 80/20 rule! If you can, take some time to do some advanced preparation after you get back from the grocery store. Hard boil the eggs, cut up the carrots, cook the pasta. Mornings are typically pretty busy, so this will just be another small thing you can do in your free time that will save tons of time throughout the week.

Have fun meal planning! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions or further suggestions.