As most of you know, I've gone through many different exercises and restrictive diets but in the end I gain all the weight back...or most of it. I don't know about you but I want to maintain a good healthy weight and stop yo-yoing back and forth. It's tough...we all want the quick fix don't we!?! But who has the thousands of dollars to do it....definitely not me!
I did Weight Watchers right after I got married about 14 years ago and lost about 20lbs. I kept it off for a bit but stopped because I didn't like counting calories. Well my MIL has done Weight Watchers for several years and has maintained for many of them. But what sold me is that you don't have to restrict your diet...you get to eat what you want with normal foods...you just make better choices. So I'm trying it again with WW new and improved system. Weekly weigh-in's and motivational meetings to keep me going...
I'll update you with my progress along the way. Cheers to a new year and to health!
Friday, January 13, 2017
Saturday, January 07, 2017
Finding happiness
Most of us are on a journey of happiness. How did we get to this place anyway? Is this what adulthood is like? Why didn't we search for happiness as children....we just were.
Sure we had our struggles as kids but it usually was about not having something that one of our friends had....about not being as cool as the other person... But wait...maybe that is how it started!!?! We have been geared to always want the next best thing. That next thing will bring us happiness....until it doesn't!
Why did it take me almost 38 years to really take a step back to see this? I mean really stop and think and be present.
My husband, Jesse, has been talking to me about minimizing and being more sustainable with our choices. We paid off my car years ago and when his car bit the dust, we didn't go out and buy a new car. No. He started bicycling to work and back every day. Actually he started biking everywhere. And although I've teased and judged him, I secretly wondered how he does it.
Then I started reading Love Warrior by Glennon Melton Doyle. Now her book is more about her journey towards love and how she has had to let things go in her own life; barriers that were keeping her from truly loving herself and therefore keeping her from loving others. It wasn't necessarily material things but walls that she had put up to protect herself. And although her story was a little different than my own, I saw myself in her. I saw those barriers that I have put up in my own life along the years.
A family member at Christmas time was talking about how she watched Minimalism on Netflix and how she was inspired to reduce the amount of things and clothes she has in her home. Well...I was curious and so I watched it today while my husband went off to work. It was really good! Intriguing and although at first I sat and said to myself, "This is easy to talk about but it's not easy to do", I realized that they are right. We are constantly trying to fill that void in our lives...trying to make ourselves happy. Whether we are looking for more tangible things or climbing the corporate ladder in order to get that six figure income....we are always trying to get more to make ourselves happier.
In the Minimalist, Joshua and Ryan go on a 10 month book tour where they talk about how how they have become minimalists. They have minimized the clutter in there homes, often only having about 30 things that they take with them. In their living spaces they only have what they need: couch, table to eat w/the amount of chairs they need, they only have gadgets in their kitchens that they use, etc. Now these two don't have children so it's easy to argue that when you have a family this is tough to do. Well...true! But they also interviewed a father of six who has done this with his family as well and talked about how it has reduced the tension in their home. The truth is, there is research after research that when you declutter your homes, it dissipates the stress and tension that you have in your life. It is easier to wind down and relax and have meaningful conversations with your family members or just to unwind and be present. One of the quotes they used at the end was "Love people and use things...because the opposite never works". This is telling us to love...truly love yourself and the people you come into contact with....don't use them for your gain. Use the things you have and don't try to get more to make you feel better.
Things do not equal happiness. Love brings true happiness. I have so much more to learn and I am inviting you on this journey to happiness. No challenge groups....no homework...except to be present. Listen to your breathing, be present with those around you and truly listen to them and be with them. Declutter your home if you're able...and if not, I invite you to watch the documentary The Minimalist. Joshua and Ryan are on to something.
Resources:
Theminimalist.com and Minimalist (documentary on Netflix)
10% Happier (book)
The Hope Effect
Sure we had our struggles as kids but it usually was about not having something that one of our friends had....about not being as cool as the other person... But wait...maybe that is how it started!!?! We have been geared to always want the next best thing. That next thing will bring us happiness....until it doesn't!
Why did it take me almost 38 years to really take a step back to see this? I mean really stop and think and be present.
My husband, Jesse, has been talking to me about minimizing and being more sustainable with our choices. We paid off my car years ago and when his car bit the dust, we didn't go out and buy a new car. No. He started bicycling to work and back every day. Actually he started biking everywhere. And although I've teased and judged him, I secretly wondered how he does it.
Then I started reading Love Warrior by Glennon Melton Doyle. Now her book is more about her journey towards love and how she has had to let things go in her own life; barriers that were keeping her from truly loving herself and therefore keeping her from loving others. It wasn't necessarily material things but walls that she had put up to protect herself. And although her story was a little different than my own, I saw myself in her. I saw those barriers that I have put up in my own life along the years.
A family member at Christmas time was talking about how she watched Minimalism on Netflix and how she was inspired to reduce the amount of things and clothes she has in her home. Well...I was curious and so I watched it today while my husband went off to work. It was really good! Intriguing and although at first I sat and said to myself, "This is easy to talk about but it's not easy to do", I realized that they are right. We are constantly trying to fill that void in our lives...trying to make ourselves happy. Whether we are looking for more tangible things or climbing the corporate ladder in order to get that six figure income....we are always trying to get more to make ourselves happier.
In the Minimalist, Joshua and Ryan go on a 10 month book tour where they talk about how how they have become minimalists. They have minimized the clutter in there homes, often only having about 30 things that they take with them. In their living spaces they only have what they need: couch, table to eat w/the amount of chairs they need, they only have gadgets in their kitchens that they use, etc. Now these two don't have children so it's easy to argue that when you have a family this is tough to do. Well...true! But they also interviewed a father of six who has done this with his family as well and talked about how it has reduced the tension in their home. The truth is, there is research after research that when you declutter your homes, it dissipates the stress and tension that you have in your life. It is easier to wind down and relax and have meaningful conversations with your family members or just to unwind and be present. One of the quotes they used at the end was "Love people and use things...because the opposite never works". This is telling us to love...truly love yourself and the people you come into contact with....don't use them for your gain. Use the things you have and don't try to get more to make you feel better.
Things do not equal happiness. Love brings true happiness. I have so much more to learn and I am inviting you on this journey to happiness. No challenge groups....no homework...except to be present. Listen to your breathing, be present with those around you and truly listen to them and be with them. Declutter your home if you're able...and if not, I invite you to watch the documentary The Minimalist. Joshua and Ryan are on to something.
Resources:
Theminimalist.com and Minimalist (documentary on Netflix)
10% Happier (book)
The Hope Effect
Friday, October 14, 2016
Finding my place in the craziness of life
This year has been a whirl wind.
I have faced a lot of ugly truths that came to surface. Some things that I didn't know were really there until I experienced it in it's ugliness.
People say that God only gives us trials that he knows we can deal with and get through. There were a lot of times that I really thought I was going to lose that battle...but I kept pushing through and refused to give up. And you know what? It wasn't easy but I got through.
Depression, anxiety, job struggles, marriage difficulty, struggles with the kids....
But God helped us through. I've said it before and I'll say it again. God places people in our lives for certain situations, seasons, and sometimes for life. This last year has definitely proved that. Late last year, I joined back up with Beachbody through someone who I met on Facebook. She was specifically placed in my life to help bring me out of the depression that I was sinking in. I joined a really awesome team of men & women who came alongside me and lifted me up out of the darkness.
During that time, my marriage, or so I thought was at an all time low. A lot of it was miscommunication...OR rather...no communication and some of it was me. When you're not happy then often the other aspects of your life can be in disarray.
I had struggled with not really liking my job for the past several years but just couldn't figure out how to get out without hurting finances and really truly didn't know what I wanted to do instead. Some things occurred in the past month that faced me with the realization that I can get out of that job and I will thrive wherever I go...but I also was realizing my love for population health and the community surrounding me in Rochester, NY. I've always had a love for the disadvantaged population and have desired to work with them. Well, long story short, I ended my job at the hospital I was working at and I am now working with the community directly around where I live and I visit them in their homes, providing nursing services and case management. It's awesome to see where God has led me.
Taking you back a little in the story, a friend of mine who I had met through Facebook, started reaching out to me about Plexus. I told her "No, absolutely not interested. I just got out of Beachbody and I wasn't interested in another network marketing company." She insisted that it wasn't about that but that it was about "gut health". I was still a skeptic. But it intrigued me. So I started doing research from different sites I googled that were unrelated to Plexus and every site talked about the importance of gut health and specifically, ridding your body of the toxins and sugar/candida overgrowth in our gut. I found that when we heal our gut, the rest of our body's systems also start healing and when this happens, many times the symptoms of chronic illnesses and conditions start to disappear. Many times those who have been on multiple medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, digestive issues, anxiety, depression, and other chronic conditions have been able to wean off of their meds completely! It's amazing stuff!
So I decided to join up with her in Plexus and start the Triplex regimen as well to see if it really worked. I can tell you that it's not a weight loss gimmick but instead has regulated my bowel system, decreased and almost taken away the chronic discomfort in my back, neck, and shoulders from stress and overwork. It has given me tons of natural energy and I feel amazing. This just in two weeks of taking it!
I'm inviting you to come and try it with me and a small group of women who desire to become healthier as well. We are intentional in this and are there to support each other. I'm excited for the ladies in the group! If you'd like to join us, message me for details or find me on Facebook at Facebook.com/sarahdixonpeers and message me there.
Going back to where I am now after dealing with the struggles from the past year...
I am now doing much better in my marriage as I have started working on me. My husband and I are communicating much better and I have stopped holding everything inside but instead try to bring my concerns to light when they happen rather than letting them fester and then blowing up.
I switched jobs as I talked about above and now I'm an RN Case Manager with Visiting Nurse Service a service within UR Homecare. I'm an ambassador with Plexus Worldwide and I'm loving all that I'm learning about gut health and our bodies as well as sharing it with you all. My kids are loving that I'm home every evening with them and not working long hours anymore. And I have the weekends and most holidays off! Ah-mazing!!! I never thought I'd get to this place but it's happening and it's awesome.
I have faced a lot of ugly truths that came to surface. Some things that I didn't know were really there until I experienced it in it's ugliness.
People say that God only gives us trials that he knows we can deal with and get through. There were a lot of times that I really thought I was going to lose that battle...but I kept pushing through and refused to give up. And you know what? It wasn't easy but I got through.
Depression, anxiety, job struggles, marriage difficulty, struggles with the kids....
But God helped us through. I've said it before and I'll say it again. God places people in our lives for certain situations, seasons, and sometimes for life. This last year has definitely proved that. Late last year, I joined back up with Beachbody through someone who I met on Facebook. She was specifically placed in my life to help bring me out of the depression that I was sinking in. I joined a really awesome team of men & women who came alongside me and lifted me up out of the darkness.
During that time, my marriage, or so I thought was at an all time low. A lot of it was miscommunication...OR rather...no communication and some of it was me. When you're not happy then often the other aspects of your life can be in disarray.
I had struggled with not really liking my job for the past several years but just couldn't figure out how to get out without hurting finances and really truly didn't know what I wanted to do instead. Some things occurred in the past month that faced me with the realization that I can get out of that job and I will thrive wherever I go...but I also was realizing my love for population health and the community surrounding me in Rochester, NY. I've always had a love for the disadvantaged population and have desired to work with them. Well, long story short, I ended my job at the hospital I was working at and I am now working with the community directly around where I live and I visit them in their homes, providing nursing services and case management. It's awesome to see where God has led me.
Taking you back a little in the story, a friend of mine who I had met through Facebook, started reaching out to me about Plexus. I told her "No, absolutely not interested. I just got out of Beachbody and I wasn't interested in another network marketing company." She insisted that it wasn't about that but that it was about "gut health". I was still a skeptic. But it intrigued me. So I started doing research from different sites I googled that were unrelated to Plexus and every site talked about the importance of gut health and specifically, ridding your body of the toxins and sugar/candida overgrowth in our gut. I found that when we heal our gut, the rest of our body's systems also start healing and when this happens, many times the symptoms of chronic illnesses and conditions start to disappear. Many times those who have been on multiple medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, digestive issues, anxiety, depression, and other chronic conditions have been able to wean off of their meds completely! It's amazing stuff!
So I decided to join up with her in Plexus and start the Triplex regimen as well to see if it really worked. I can tell you that it's not a weight loss gimmick but instead has regulated my bowel system, decreased and almost taken away the chronic discomfort in my back, neck, and shoulders from stress and overwork. It has given me tons of natural energy and I feel amazing. This just in two weeks of taking it!
I'm inviting you to come and try it with me and a small group of women who desire to become healthier as well. We are intentional in this and are there to support each other. I'm excited for the ladies in the group! If you'd like to join us, message me for details or find me on Facebook at Facebook.com/sarahdixonpeers and message me there.
Going back to where I am now after dealing with the struggles from the past year...
I am now doing much better in my marriage as I have started working on me. My husband and I are communicating much better and I have stopped holding everything inside but instead try to bring my concerns to light when they happen rather than letting them fester and then blowing up.
I switched jobs as I talked about above and now I'm an RN Case Manager with Visiting Nurse Service a service within UR Homecare. I'm an ambassador with Plexus Worldwide and I'm loving all that I'm learning about gut health and our bodies as well as sharing it with you all. My kids are loving that I'm home every evening with them and not working long hours anymore. And I have the weekends and most holidays off! Ah-mazing!!! I never thought I'd get to this place but it's happening and it's awesome.
Friday, September 09, 2016
Healing and things
The past year or so has brought a lot of change. Good change....hard change...some not so pretty things and some intense healing. I am a person of faith and though I struggle with doubt, I believe in God and have a personal faith in Jesus. I have walked away from it for quite awhile, feeding into hurt, anger, fears, and let it take over me. This in turn sent me into a deep depression. One that I really didn't realize was taking over my life until it did.
God sent a wonderful person named Katy Ursta and her husband Mike into my life and through their encouragement and coaching, I was able to climb out of the crap and see what I was letting happen in my life. I started to deal with things that were deep under the surface and started learning to forgive and heal. I stopped denying the things that I was allowing myself to look past and started to deal with them as ugly as they were.
My marriage was struggling and I was able to look through the hurt, anger, and ego to see how I can pick up the pieces and allow God to restore our relationship. It isn't easy but we've been married 15 years and I think God has his hand on our marriage and is allowing us to pick up and make it work.
Coaching was a wonderful experience and definitely taught me a lot about the Do's and Don'ts of social media. It taught me a lot about helping others in areas of need. It truly was an amazing experience that I will never regret! I'm continuing on in my own group that I had started with a core group of women and will continue on with them. They inspire me every day and I love working with them!
So what have I been doing recently? I had two weeks off with my children. Two weeks of pure bliss. LOL Well maybe not pure bliss...but it was definitely nice to be able to stay home with my kids and get them ready for back to school routines. We did enjoy our summer with lots of trips to the beach or the YMCA to swim. My son (9) has informed me that he is going to be a gamer and work for MoJang some day and my daughter (6) loves all things Littlest Pet Shop (LPS). We got a puppy earlier in the year and have definitely enjoyed her presence in our family even though she's a bundle of constant energy. She (Lilly) loves to go to the dog park and swim with the other dogs and loves to play with her toys. My husband and I have been communicating a lot more and I have definitely seen some growth in our relationship. We are coming up on our 15th wedding anniversary in November and are planning a one night get-away downtown. It will be a much needed escape.
I've been reading through a book called "The Unveiled Wife" by Jennifer Smith. It is a marriage book and journeys through her and her husband's struggles in their marriage. Although I don't relate to their struggles per say, I do resonate with similar issues that she talks about in the book. It has been a really good read. Today's reading had this verse:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." - John 15:1-2
God has a purpose in my life. A purpose for your life. He cuts out the areas of our lives that aren't bringing forth good things and prunes the areas that are so that we will be successful in those areas. God has cut out the fear, guilt, anger, depression, hurt, etc in my life so that it won't hinder my relationships, work atmosphere, etc. He is continually reshaping me so that I can grow in the good things in life. So that I can have good relationships both with friends and with my husband and kids. I look forward to what is coming next in my life!
A view into the future? Well, I wish I knew. But I do know that I want to work with the community of Rochester. Our city is so full of hurt, poverty (both spiritual and financial), racial bondage, etc. I want our children (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc) to know that they are truly of value. They are worth far more than they know! They CAN do anything they set their mind to despite what their social-economic status is telling them. Because #AllLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatter #WeAllMatter
I'm excited to see what the city of Rochester is becoming! So glad that my kids attend School 52, that we live in the city, and our church has a presence in the city's community.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
A Little About Me
After my daughter, McKenzie was born, I had lost the baby weight because I was nursing still and had only gained 18lbs during her pregnancy due to a strict diet I was put on to manage borderline gestational diabetes. Yep...I failed that 3hr glucose test by one point!!! And I was strictly monitored. While this really annoyed me, it also woke me up and made me realize that I needed to change some things in my eating habits and activity level or I would end up getting diseases or conditions that I see my patients deal with in the hospital.
So at the end of 2010, I was ready to work out again and was cleared by the OB to do so. I started off with Brazil Butt Lift which is an oldie but goody! It is basically Zumba for Beachbody. Then I started working out 5 days a week at the gym until I saw some significant weight loss and then dropped down to 3 days a week once I obtained my goal. The thing was, I absolutely hated having to drive 15 minutes just to get to the gym. So eventually, I ended up paying for a gym membership that I never used! Sounds pretty common right!?!
I saw an info-mercial for T25 while at the gym and asked a friend who is a Beachbody coach about it. She of course told me about her challenge groups that she was running and that I could do that with T25. You guys...not only is T25 an amazingly fun workout program, but I lost 28lbs!!! I couldn't believe it! I get bored easily with workouts that are pretty similar each day so I became a little bored with the T25 routine. My coach introduced me to 21 Day Fix with had a portion control container system to teach you how to eat appropriate portions of each food group for each meal and the best part was that the workouts were all varied each day so I didn't ever get bored!
21 Day Fix sold me! Autumn Calabrese is an amazing trainer and the program "had me at hello!" I was able to lose 10 more pounds with this and felt the best I have ever felt! I then went on to 21 Day Fix Extreme and 22 Minute Hard Corps and now PIYO. I will complete PIYO, however, my first love will always be 21 Day Fix & Fix Extreme!
So where am I now? I loved the way I was feeling. I loved that my labs were showing decreases in cholesterol, blood sugars, and I was gaining so much natural energy without the need for coffee all day. And I was maintaining the weight loss!
I can't say enough about Beachbody's programs and Shakeology! They truly do work!!!
I would love to pay it forward and help you through your fitness and health journey too! Maybe you don't need to lose weight but you just want to build muscle or tone. Maybe you want to lose 10-30lbs and just can't or won't make the time to go to the gym but these 30 minute workouts appeal to you because you can get them done before or after work....or after your kids are in bed!
It's so easy to do! I have a challenge group starting up May 9th. I will be doing Hammer & Chisel along with my other participants in the group. You pick the challenge pack of your choice which comes with your first month of Shakeology & a meal plan guide and I'll add you to a private accountability group so that we can hold each other to our goals! Come join me! Give me a text, call, or email today!
Sarah
585-944-9174
Facebook.com/Aidanskenziesmomma OR
Facebook.com/rncoachspeers
Email: rncoachspeers@gmail.com
Thursday, March 31, 2016
The Fit-courageous RN: April showers bring May flowers....right?
The Fit-courageous RN: April showers bring May flowers....right?: Yesterday was awesome, warm, and sunny. We adopted a little 12 week old Black Lab named Lilly and the two of us took a lot of walks and enj...
April showers bring May flowers....right?
Yesterday was awesome, warm, and sunny. We adopted a little 12 week old Black Lab named Lilly and the two of us took a lot of walks and enjoyed the warmth around us.
Today...well today is gray, rainy, but spring is still in the air. It's not as warm but you can still feel the warmth through the sprinkles. The birds are enjoying spring too and are definitely "twitterpated". Disney reference from Bambi for those of you who aren't old enough to remember that term. :)
I have taken a few days off from my usual workouts for a few reasons. My kids are out of school this week for spring break and I want to enjoy their company and clean the house. I have a challenge group starting up again soon and another ending so I wanted to make sure that I am caught up with posts, recipes, and such for those. And my knees are crying for a little break in the intense workouts that I've been doing.
So I've allowed myself a little break. Sometimes you just need to listen to your body but don't stop for too long. Get back up and start again or else those ugly bad habits will come back. Trust me...I know!
My oldest son, Aidan, is turning 9 this month. I still can't believe he's growing up so fast! When he was 8 weeks old, we moved to Rochester, NY (Upstate about an hour east of Buffalo). We didn't know anyone except for my husband's family and friends from high school and I started a new job at University of Rochester Medical Center (UR Medicine) on the advanced heart failure unit where we specialize in Left ventricular Devices (LVADs & HVADs), total heart replacement pumps (TAHs), and heart transplants. It is a very stressful yet often rewarding unit to work on with a great family oriented atmosphere that is very strong in team-work.
With all these new changes: new baby, new place, new job...I was overwhelmed with life to say the least and let myself go....A LOT! I gained a bunch of weight, dealt with pretty extreme depression, and pretty much just held on by a string.
Fast forward three 1/2 years, I was pregnant with our daughter, McKenzie, (now almost 6). I knew that I needed to lose some weight, and I had...a little...but this time I had to prevent myself from gaining too much while pregnant so that I could easily lose after she was born. With the help of an endocrine nurse assigned to me for borderline gestational diabetes, I was able to only gain 18lbs during the pregnancy by abiding to a pretty strict diet of veggies, lean meats, and fruits. This intrigued my interest in clean, whole foods. If I could prevent diabetes by eating a clean diet, then I knew that I could improve my eating habits and lose weight and become healthier by reducing my blood sugars back to normal and by lowering my cholesterol which had also been on the high side.
When I was okay'd to workout again, I started going to the gym 5 days a week until I saw changes and then backed down to about 3 days a week and also started Shaun T's T25. That's when I really started to see changes and fell in love with Beachbody's workout programs. I lost about 15lbs and then switched to the 21 Day Fix where I not only lost more weight but learned to portion correctly and eat cleaner, whole foods...which basically just means not processed, no artificial additives, or flavoring...and no sugar!
I've tried other programs too some that I loved, some I hated! 22 Minute Hard Corps was one that I really liked but became to intense on my knees....even with the modifications. So I'm taking a needed break.
My next challenge group starting up on Monday, April 11th is going to be for those that want to learn to eat clean, learn new yummy family-friendly recipes, are too busy to workout in the gym or just can't afford the monthly membership...or just don't have more than 30 minutes to get a workout in before starting their day or getting their kids to bed.
There are a few of us in this challenge group. Some are doing PIYO (Pilates and yoga infused whole body core workouts), others will be doing 21 Day Fix (maybe for the second or third rounds), some will be doing Cize (dance based workouts), and others may be doing T25 or other programs. Our group is here to meet your workout goals and needs and we do it all through an app on your phone or device called Challenge Tracker app.
I'm so looking forward to doing this challenge with these ladies. We've started our pre-season already; gearing up for April 11th and I can already tell they will be involved in keeping each other accountable and motivated! Check out the video below to get a sneak peak at what PIYO is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yDHYVhuhw
And...21 Day Fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNl_JXR_Yyc&list=PL-_9M6wxaOsWG-A9Ryj9vctm9gSrkS479
What has been really fun for me is creating meal recipes for the participants in the challenge groups. Most are from the Fixate cookbook but I've also included others from Chalene Johnson's Lean Extreme meal plan and the PIYO meal plans. Pinterest has been a god-sender too.
If you're interested in any of these programs or would like to join the group(s), Please comment in the comments section or email me at rncoachspeers@gmail.com
Today...well today is gray, rainy, but spring is still in the air. It's not as warm but you can still feel the warmth through the sprinkles. The birds are enjoying spring too and are definitely "twitterpated". Disney reference from Bambi for those of you who aren't old enough to remember that term. :)
I have taken a few days off from my usual workouts for a few reasons. My kids are out of school this week for spring break and I want to enjoy their company and clean the house. I have a challenge group starting up again soon and another ending so I wanted to make sure that I am caught up with posts, recipes, and such for those. And my knees are crying for a little break in the intense workouts that I've been doing.
So I've allowed myself a little break. Sometimes you just need to listen to your body but don't stop for too long. Get back up and start again or else those ugly bad habits will come back. Trust me...I know!
My oldest son, Aidan, is turning 9 this month. I still can't believe he's growing up so fast! When he was 8 weeks old, we moved to Rochester, NY (Upstate about an hour east of Buffalo). We didn't know anyone except for my husband's family and friends from high school and I started a new job at University of Rochester Medical Center (UR Medicine) on the advanced heart failure unit where we specialize in Left ventricular Devices (LVADs & HVADs), total heart replacement pumps (TAHs), and heart transplants. It is a very stressful yet often rewarding unit to work on with a great family oriented atmosphere that is very strong in team-work.
With all these new changes: new baby, new place, new job...I was overwhelmed with life to say the least and let myself go....A LOT! I gained a bunch of weight, dealt with pretty extreme depression, and pretty much just held on by a string.
Fast forward three 1/2 years, I was pregnant with our daughter, McKenzie, (now almost 6). I knew that I needed to lose some weight, and I had...a little...but this time I had to prevent myself from gaining too much while pregnant so that I could easily lose after she was born. With the help of an endocrine nurse assigned to me for borderline gestational diabetes, I was able to only gain 18lbs during the pregnancy by abiding to a pretty strict diet of veggies, lean meats, and fruits. This intrigued my interest in clean, whole foods. If I could prevent diabetes by eating a clean diet, then I knew that I could improve my eating habits and lose weight and become healthier by reducing my blood sugars back to normal and by lowering my cholesterol which had also been on the high side.
When I was okay'd to workout again, I started going to the gym 5 days a week until I saw changes and then backed down to about 3 days a week and also started Shaun T's T25. That's when I really started to see changes and fell in love with Beachbody's workout programs. I lost about 15lbs and then switched to the 21 Day Fix where I not only lost more weight but learned to portion correctly and eat cleaner, whole foods...which basically just means not processed, no artificial additives, or flavoring...and no sugar!
I've tried other programs too some that I loved, some I hated! 22 Minute Hard Corps was one that I really liked but became to intense on my knees....even with the modifications. So I'm taking a needed break.
My next challenge group starting up on Monday, April 11th is going to be for those that want to learn to eat clean, learn new yummy family-friendly recipes, are too busy to workout in the gym or just can't afford the monthly membership...or just don't have more than 30 minutes to get a workout in before starting their day or getting their kids to bed.
There are a few of us in this challenge group. Some are doing PIYO (Pilates and yoga infused whole body core workouts), others will be doing 21 Day Fix (maybe for the second or third rounds), some will be doing Cize (dance based workouts), and others may be doing T25 or other programs. Our group is here to meet your workout goals and needs and we do it all through an app on your phone or device called Challenge Tracker app.
I'm so looking forward to doing this challenge with these ladies. We've started our pre-season already; gearing up for April 11th and I can already tell they will be involved in keeping each other accountable and motivated! Check out the video below to get a sneak peak at what PIYO is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yDHYVhuhw
And...21 Day Fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNl_JXR_Yyc&list=PL-_9M6wxaOsWG-A9Ryj9vctm9gSrkS479
What has been really fun for me is creating meal recipes for the participants in the challenge groups. Most are from the Fixate cookbook but I've also included others from Chalene Johnson's Lean Extreme meal plan and the PIYO meal plans. Pinterest has been a god-sender too.
Friday, March 18, 2016
April Challenge Group
All of my challenge groups are centered around some amazing workout
programs that allow you to workout in your own home, your office,
hotel...whatever little space you have for cheaper than going to the
gym! Plus....you can sweat and not worry about other people smelling
you! wink emoticon
I am doing 22 Minute Hard Corps right now and have a love/hate relationship with it but it's really an awesome workout and can be done in as little as 22 minutes for real!
PIYO is another favorite of mine and I'll be doing in April along with other participants in my next challenge group coming up. It's a low impact, whole body workout that combines pilates and yoga. It's a great mix and love it so much!
I am doing 22 Minute Hard Corps right now and have a love/hate relationship with it but it's really an awesome workout and can be done in as little as 22 minutes for real!
PIYO is another favorite of mine and I'll be doing in April along with other participants in my next challenge group coming up. It's a low impact, whole body workout that combines pilates and yoga. It's a great mix and love it so much!
The 3 Day Refresh is a 3-day detox system focused on cleansing the
toxins out of your body, including sugars, and to help kickstart your
clean eating and weight loss. I did it and lost 5lbs in the three
days....and you still get to eat real foods!
Will you join me in my April group? I'd love to have you! Message me at rncoachspeers@gmail.com or Comment Below "I'm In"
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