Haters

So I got my first internet "hater" today...

Basically some random person on Instagram asked me "How can you be a coach when your (their misspelling, not mine) not in shape."

I could take this 2 ways. I could cry and hide and delete the comment and worry about how I can be a good or effective lifestyle coach with Beachbody extolling the virtues of health and nutrition and fitness when I am not in perfect shape myself (YET!)

OR

I could continue to inspire others on THEIR OWN journeys to health and fitness. The journey that begins with a small step that is often hard to take. The journey that started for me 4 years ago when I weighed over 300lbs. The journey that has helped me lose 70lbs in 4 years.

I began my Beachbody journey a LOOOONNNNNGGGG time ago (back when Power 90 was really the only thing out there). I started and stopped and started and stopped and started and stopped... you know the deal right? I lost a little, I lost a lot. I have plateaued for over a year. I gave up on myself and believed again. I gave up again. I believed again.

But throughout my journey - this one that I have been on for most of my life I have done at least one thing. I have been HONEST with my online community.

I am not perfect. I have 50lbs of fat to lose. I don't eat perfect every day. I don't always commit to my workouts. I give up and then start again. I do that a lot.

Since becoming a Beachbody Coach a little over a year ago, I never give up on myself for long. I never give up on my clients. I push and check in and motivate and encourage myself and others. I help. I listen. I offer tips and tricks and ideas and more importantly than anything else, I offer wisdom from someone who has BEEN THERE. Someone who is still on the journey. Someone who knows exactly how hard the struggle can be.

I am there for anyone who wants help with their struggle. Free. No charge - if you choose to take advantage of some awesome programs and supplements and nutrition, GREAT. If you want to pay it forward and help others by becoming a coach FANTASTIC. If all you want is someone to listen and maybe help motivate you out the door on a one mile walk - I will be there.

So thank you random internet hater. If you chose to spend the time to comment and try to tear me down, I must be doing something right.

21 Day Fix - Day 0 - getting ready

So today I start the 21 Day Fix from Beachbody. The program is designed to help you jump start weight loss from a plateau, lose weight to help hit an event goal or really anything else you want to do to be healthy and fit. I have been sitting on the same plateau for a long time and my goals for the program are:

1. Dial in my nutrition - nutrition is 80-90% of a fitness program and mine has not been what it should be.
2. Break through my plateau. I have been bouncing around the same 5-10lbs for over a year, and it is time to leave those pounds behind for good!
3. Create new habits to help me reach my long term health and fitness goals!

I will be updating this blog and my youtube channel regularly as I go through the program so follow me here, on Facebook or on instagram (@coachbeckycooper) for more details!

I am ready to change my life, my fitness, and my health - are you?

Changes, still making changes

I started my Beachbody journey in December of 2009 (for the 3rd or 4th time) with Turbo Jam and Power 90 at 290+ pounds. I started, I stopped. I started, I stopped. I did this over and over again. I was fat fat fat. I had Postpartum Depression, I hated myself and my body. I couldn't stand to have my husband look at me, let alone touch me. I had serious gallbladder disease (and had to get it taken out in 2010). I did P90X in the summer of 2010 - 84 days of it. And I hated every minute. I was not losing weight. I was not losing inches. I was eating crap and fooling myself that it was okay. I would binge, I would eat in secret... I had problems. I did 1 week of Insanity, and "rested" for 4 or 5 months. I started Turbo Fire in January of 2011 and made it through a month before I started student teaching. Not that I did the program right. Hated long workouts, never made it past Fire30 and the HIITs. Made some changes, dropped some weight (not a lot. I hovered between 280 - 270, up and down, up and down...) I was in a car accident in June of 2011 and extremely lucky to walk away with a broken wrist and scrapes and bruises. The ambulance took me to the trauma center in the nearest big city because "no one will believe you walked away from that wreck alive".

The accident took a physical toll on me, and an emotional one on my marriage. I found running and inconsistently ran and did strength training at my college fitness center. Still ate crap, made some changes and hovered around 260-270. On Antidepressants, but still emotionally scarred. Running more consistently and in the winter of 2012 moved to a more whole foods based diet. Stayed in the 250s but far more flab than anything else.

Then something (inspiration, lightning bolt, cosmic head slap) hit me. I decided to become a beachbody coach. I restarted TurboFire (still not "really" following, but better) and I got Body Beast. Whoa. Serious changes ahead!

Since January of 2013 the weight on the scale has only gone down another 10lbs - but now I bounce around the low 240s, and the bouncing gets lower every week. The BIGGEST changes have come since June 2013 (around Summit). I am getting help with my emotional issues. I am changing more and more for the better every day!

Body Beast has contributed the most to my physical changes. Some measurements have not gone down much, but that is because my body composition is changing so much. Consistency is the key. When I truly committed to myself and my journey each small change added up. Again and again. Good choices led to more changes and better choices and more changes - a perpetual cycle. I am not done, but I am firmly on the path.

Since the beginning of my journey I have lost about 50lbs, completed a half marathon and learned to love and appreciate what my body can do for me when I take care of it. This isn't the end, but the beginning...

Introducing the 10-Day Shakeology Challenge

Introducing the 10-Day Shakeology Challenge

 Deadline to Enter is July 15, 2013. Challenge begins July 27, 2013 

This is a fun and easy weight loss challenge that anyone can participate in.  We will use Shakeology daily, workout 30 minutes a day (your choice), and track our results in a private online group.  This is a great, fast and fun way to jump start your weight loss, clean up your nutrition, lose a few pounds before a special event or after a bout of poor food choices that we all go through now and then.  Read below for details on how to join our next group and order your Shakeology.  Be sure to send me an email so I know to include you in the group.  We start a new group each month and there's no limit to how many times you can participate.

How to Get Started and Rules of the Challenge:

**Sign up with us, as your coaches, (for FREE). Sign Up For Free Here**

Send us an email at coachfabbecky@gmail.com  to let us know you're ready to take the CHALLENGE! (Include your name, address, and phone number)

• You MUST have at least a 10 day supply of Shakeology. You will consume at least 1 shake per day as part of your meal plan.
• Send me your starting weight and waist circumference the MORNING of Day 1.Follow the meal plan and guidelines that we will provide you once you are registered.
• Send your exercise and food journal to me nightly.
• Shakeology MUST have been purchased by me, your sponsoring coach! You can purchase 10 individual packets or a 30 day supply of Shakeology. Either way is fine with me. 10 packets of Shakeology are $56 and includes shipping and handling or $50 for Hampton Roads pickup (must be paid via Paypal). Please allow at least 5-7 days for you to receive your order prior to the challenge start date.
• At least 30 minutes of exercise 8 of the 10 days during the challenge is required. We don’t care what you do but this is the minimum. I can provide you with a few workout ideas/sample plans or you can use one of the workout programs that our team recommends including P90X, INSANITY, LES MILLS COMBAT, TURBOFIRE, TURBO JAM, FOCUS T25 or there are so many more options. As your coach, I will help you find a plan that fits your needs!
• PLEASE feel free to invite your friends, family or anyone that would benefit from this challenge. The more the merrier!

**There is no product guarantee on 10-day pack option and returns are not accepted.  30-day bottom of the bag guarantee is available only when you order a 30 day supply of Shakeology.  To order a 30-day supply of Shakeology, visit myshakeology.com/coachfabbecky Select the HOME DIRECT option and receive FREE SHIPPING. You can cancel at anytime.   

Overwhelmed by Information

I have been lifting weights since I was 15 years old. Way before it was "cool" or even very common for women to lift anything heavier than a vinyl covered 3lb dumbbell. I have tried every variation of every program there has ever been - I think almost literally. I have lifted light weights for a ridiculous amount of reps. I have lifted heavy weights for 6-8 reps. I have done body weight, I have done free weights, I have done machines. And I feel like I have never really made real progress. I admit I have had issues sticking with stuff sometimes. But when months of consistent and ridiculously hard work have yielded little visible results, it gets harder and harder to keep going.

Starting my Leptin Rx six weeks ago the program meant no working out. My muscles are/were sugar burners, not fat burners. I need to work on changing my brain chemistry and body chemistry so that I burn fat. Now that I have meet most of the change requirements, I am ready to start getting back into exercise. And I feel a little mental pressure in that I am getting some interest from schools out of state to teach next year. I want to be in the best shape of my life when I start teaching in 5-6 months. So I am trying to figure out a program that with 6 months of hard dedicated work will yield some visible results. I just don't know what to do anymore. One of the Beachbody programs I already have? Something cobbled together from my fitness magazines? Something from one of the countless exercise books I have? Something from any number of DVD programs? I just don't know anymore. I love lifting weights, I feel strong when I do it, but I feel like I need some structure, and my brain just isn't up to figuring it out right now. Part of me thinks I should do a program I have that is laid out for 90 days so I don't have to think about it, but I get so bored... I don't want to start the same program I have started and never made it past 2 weeks again... I haven't even watched most of the workouts because I never get that far in the program...

I just feel a little hopeless and confused right now (as well as extra fat and out of shape today). I need to do something, but what?

Goals not met so far...

Okay, I have been having serious trouble meeting my goals for January - as evidenced by the fact that I have not been posting everyday as was my initial intention. I have not been working out very much either.

On the plus side, I have been following my primal WOE (way of eating - I like this so much better than "diet") with a good 80/20 success rate. I know I eat more dairy and nuts than recommended (I have been keeping it full fat and organic as much as possible) and I have nibble on hot dogs (not recommended) and ranch dressing (has "modified food starch - a clever way to say "wheat") which I suspect has stalled my progress somewhat. I gained 5lbs the first week on PB (Primal Blueprint) putting me at 259, but that has come back down to 253.4 - and I suspect another pound or two has come off since I weighed myself last week, but as I have no heat right now (ran out of oil for the furnace, can't get a delivery until Monday, been 35-45 in my house for 4 days!), I am not getting undressed to weigh myself any time soon!

When I have low carbed and tried Paleo or clean eating in the past I have never let go of my splenda, or "Atkins approved" treats... so I had never had the taste bud shift. This time (while I still use Stevia in my coffee) I have avoided treats in general this month. So the other day when I made a steak for dinner and dipped a bite in steak sauce, my first reaction was "OMG how much sugar is in this stuff!" - apparently 2g per serving, and a serving ain't all that big! My new preferred steak sauce is a dash of sea salt and a pat of organic butter, so good - I could eat my weight in steak when it is prepared right! :)

So, I will eventually LHT (Lift Heavy Things) most likely using ChaLEAN Extreme, I will sprint using Turbo Fire, and I will get in lots of movement running or using my NordicTrack Ski machine. I know if I follow these PB "laws" I will see the success I want!

ChaLEAN Extreme and Turbo Fire

This is what you get when you let a four year old monkey boy pick your workout programs. He likes the ones with the girls best :)

I have not gotten out to run since Sunday. I am hoping that I will be able to tomorrow. Food has been pretty good., Higher carb and a bit of sugar today - but the sugar was in the form of craisins and a tsp of honey instead of the nutter butter bar that smelled so good...

I have done 2 days of CLX and 2 Turbo Fire HIIT workouts. I think I am going to do INSANITY too at least for January. Might as well go hardcore for the 4 weeks that I do not have anything else taking up my time.

Day 1 CLX

I asked the monkey which program I should start. He decided on the one "with the girl" :) He has always had a thing for blondes. So today was day 1 of ChaLEAN Extreme. I did not get my miles in today - blizzard like conditions meant I couldn't get outside with the boys and the timing did not work going by myself.

Paleo eating was good today - although cravings for chocolate have been hitting fairly hard. I am getting some blood tests tomorrow and not eating anything until late afternoon - getting my thyroid, vit D and cholesterol checked. Maybe some other things too. I am hoping something will shed light on my "failure to progress" in improving my shape.

ChaLEAN Extreme

252.2
ChaLEAN Extreme, Burn Circuit 1

I started ChaLean Extreme today and I think I am going to like it. From what I have heard the cardio in it gets repetitive, so I will add some of the other BeachBody programs I have, C25K and Zumba to mix up the cardio. I am looking forward to this, and I am proud of myself for getting in my workout even with the moose hanging on and adding his own resistance...

And I have said "no" to the cheese puffs all day! :)

On the downside of my day, somehow I managed to accidently erase all the video off of Jacques` hard drive. I didn't actively erase anything, so I don't know how it happened, but it has certainly put a damper on my weekend.