An hour is just too long!

I can go for a LONG run. I did a half - marathon and was on my feet running (Galloway style - run/walk intervals) for 3.5 hours. But I just can't do other cardio for that long. I get bored, I make excuses, I just never get it done.

And I am not alone!

Enter Beachbody - they now have 2 (almost 3) workouts that are about 30 minutes a day! No wonder I love this company. :) I am a mom, a wife, a teacher and carving out 60 minutes to workout just doesn't happen for me. But I can find 30 minutes. I can find 30 minutes every day!

P90X3 (watching the informercial now) is P90X accelerated! I did P90X and had great results but couldn't keep it up. The time just killed me, and I quit 6 days before the end of the program. I tried INSANITY and did 1 week, but again, the long workouts, while awesome just didn't fit my schedule.

P90X3 is 30 minutes a day. FocusT25 is 25 minutes a day (5 days a week!) 21 Day Fix is about 30 minutes a day WITH a revolutionary portion control clean eating program to help you dial in the most difficult part of anyone's fitness journey - nutrition!

I am starting the 21 Day Fix as soon as it comes out - February 17th or earlier! Come and join me on my journey and see how much you can change your life in a short amount of time.

I am changing lives and chasing awesome this year. Come join me.

www.beachbodycoach.com/coachbeckycooper

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.   

11 Days until I turn 35

On November 17th I will celebrate my 35th birthday and 6th wedding anniversary (yes I got married on my birthday, mainly so I could remember the day. Plus I love November). Every year since puberty (the last 20 at least) I have vowed to lose weight and be fit before my next birthday rolls around. Some hit and miss success, but never lasting weight loss. I do not want to make the same vow this year. I want a more tangible, measurable goal. One that will push me, test my limits and resolve, and help me be a better person in the long run (pun intended).

I would love to lose weight, and be fitter than I was on my last birthday, be more in shape than I was at my first anniversary (granted I was 9 months pregnant with the monkey that year). I would like to weigh less than  I did when I got married, or less than I did when I met my husband.

More than those things though, I want to be strong. I want to set a hard high goal and reach it. A big goal. One that seems almost impossible. I want to achieve the impossible.

Goals for my 35th year

1. Walk or run every day - at least one mile. I want to have a streak so that by this time next year, my mileage is over triple digits. 
2. Super big goal - run/walk 3500 miles my 35th year. I know it is almost 10 miles a day. I will actually have to work up to that amount. But I am going to do it. I am making a vow, a resolution, a super goal to run/walk at least 1750 miles this coming year with a super duper goal of reaching 3500. 
3. Eat to fuel my goal. I will not follow a diet or a plan. I will be reasonable in my eating, and work to ensure that what I eat fuels my goals and my life. 

There is no doubt that this will not be easy. But "If you shoot for the moon and miss you still wind up among the stars".

These are my stars for the next year. I'm going for it.

Pumpkins in the Park 2012 Recap

Ran my second Pumpkins in the Park 5K yesterday. This was the first race I ever ran when I did it last year, and it was fun to run it again already knowing what the course had in store for me. I ran it a little slower than last year (44:23 this year, 42:18 last year) but this is the cost of not running all summer. Still, I had fun, I had a cute costume, I got out for a run and over all had a good day. And some day I will remember to take more pictures of things to add to my blog but as I forgot again, here is the one picture of me in my costume after the race :)

I received many compliments on my tutu, and I was quite proud that I made it myself. I have one planned for my Turkey Trot in brown and orange and another for the It's a Wonderful Race in red and green :).

Anyone else get out and race this weekend?

Running Buddies

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I have not been running. Considering that I have a race in 9 days that is not a good thing. But after applying for jobs today, I came home and decided to go for a 3 mile run with my boys before dinner. Running buddies make all the difference.

The Monkey, Running Buddy #1 (always tries to get me to go on late night runs).

 The Moose, Running Buddy #2 (any run over 1 mile and he falls asleep)

We did a pretty fast 3 miles considering the hills and the 100+ lbs of stroller and kids. I am hoping to get a job soon - talked to a staffing agency today - but the best ones will require an 1.5hr one way drive. I am more than willing to do it, but it means that I am going to get my butt out of bed at 4 every morning if I want to run outside.

 Me, after a 3 mile run, feeling fantastic!

I also need to be more dedicated and consistent in my runs. I need a gigantic in my face push every day. So I decided to take my window crayons and write my running schedule for the next few days. I know the monkey will look at it when he gets home from school and if I have not checked off my run, he will want to go with me. I am going to write strength training on the other window.

3 miles down this week, 10 more to go.

Run Your BQ

So I signed up for Run Your BQ - a program designed by Strength Running's Jason Fitzgerald and No Meat Athelete Matt Frazier. I am miles from a marathon or an actual BQ race (Boston Qualifier - as in qualify to run the Boston Marathon) but I like the idea of having real running coaches helping me refine my training and design a plan that suits my needs. Someday a BQ and maybe even Boston itself will be in my future, and I believe that it's never too easy to prepare and plan!

With that in mind I did a 2 mile run tonight under the beautiful full harvest moon. The night looked so inviting that I had to go out and commune some with nature. Let the Goddess light my way and lift my feet, connect with my spirituality in one of my favorite places. It felt good. I felt good. And I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow.