Out of MY Comfort Zone

Everyone has doubts. Doubts can be paralyzing. They can keep one from living, doing something they love, or from creating the best possible life for themselves.

I am a former intermittent exerciser. I never tried tough workouts because I didn't think I could do it, and I worked at a gym! I would try something new, do it for a few months and then fall off the bandwagon. I never pushed myself out of my exercise comfort zone, I still tend to not want to push myself. I don't like to feel uncomfortable when I work out. I think that's why I like distance running. I find a pace, settle in, and enjoy my music, nature, or good conversation with my running buddy.

What I do know, is that that is NO way to get better. In order to improve, physically AND mentally, one MUST be pushed. You must commit. No excuses! I tell my clients and my patients that all the time. Push yourself and you WILL get better. If you don't increase your weight or your reps, if you don't get off the couch, you never will!

So why this blog topic? When I started my fitness journey earlier this year, I did a program called the 21 Day Fix, had amazing results. It taught me how to eat, what to eat and I now love eating nutritious, clean foods.  My running improved tremendously. Like 13 minutes off my half marathon PR. Amazing, right? I lost 15 lbs! and have been able to maintain it. The workouts are diverse and quick and are wonderful for anyone of any fitness level! BUT, I feel like I am ready for something new and different.

The brand new program, Insanity Max 30, was just released. This program scares the living s*%t out of me. And that is the exact reason I am going to do it. I know that I sat in my comfort zone for way. too. long. In the past, I would have looked at this program and said "no way", I will sweat way too much. (ahem, excuse.) But now, I know that I can do anything that I put my mind to and that this program will do amazing things for me mentally and physically.


In an interview, Shaun T (the fitness trainer for this program) says that Insanity Max 30 is "not for the lazy or people that make excuses." This program IS for anyone who is ready to make a change, to commit and to put their all into their health and fitness.

What is Insanity Max 30?

-30 minute workouts (cardio and resistance)
-60 Day program
-No equipment, use your body as resistance for all exercises
-Follow Shaun T until you "max out", take a break and get back in it!
-Modifier to follow at all times (I will be modifying!)
-Meal plan to follow to maximize results
-30 day supply of Shakeology (superfood, junk free, meal replacement that has changed my life completely)
-Me as your motivator, mentor, Coach!

To me, this is the ultimate challenge and will be such an accomplishment to complete! Where are my people who want to challenge themselves? It's a new year, it's a clean slate. Who wants to say that they were able to complete one of the toughest home workout programs out there? Who is ready to transform their body AND their minds??!!

Requirements are a commitment to the program and shakeology for at least 60 days. You commit, I will support and we will ACHIEVE - together!

The program is on sale for the rest of December only!
Get it here and make me your coach: http://bit.ly/cpmax30

Sweet Potato Casserole

Whenever I try to talk my kiddos into trying sweet potatoes (both of them have a ridiculous aversion to any form of potato-ish texture food), I so strategically call them "candy" potatoes! However, as appetizing as it sounds, they never fall for it! I don't understand it...I love sweet potatoes, especially when paired with pecans or a little brown sugar. Try this amazing recipe for your holiday menu, I know I will be!

Preheat Oven 350 degrees

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cube
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp grass-fed butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt

Pecan Topping:

1 cup raw pecans
1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions: Peel and boil sweet potatoes until soft. Drain and add remaining ingredients to the potatoes. Mash with potato masher or immersion blender. Spread evenly in a greased casserole dish. 

Heat pecans in a small pan over medium heat for 30s, add maple syrup to coat and let boil. Once boiling, remove from heat. Spread pecans on a baking sheet to cool. Once cool, top potato mixture with pecans. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 20 minutes.

ENJOY!!

This is one of many "clean" and healthy holiday recipes that I will be sharing in my upcoming Clean Eating for Everyday and for the Holidays group on Facebook! I would love to have you join! 
Join here! And make me your FREE inspirational and motivational fitness Coach here!

Revolutionizing Fit

When I came up with the idea for the name of this blog, "The Fit Revolution", my thoughts were centered on changing or revolutionizing what it meant to be "fit" for my fellow mommas, but really for anyone and everyone. There are so many ways in which one can be fit...physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually...did I miss any?? And I feel like, at any point in time, improvement in one department helps to improve the others. Improving my physical health has had a domino effect in most other aspects of my life as well. It has shown me what I am capable of in so many ways.

I had tried out a program in hopes of toning up and cleaning up my diet and it set me on this mission to help others understand how simple it can be to get healthy, lose weight and feel amazing. I wanted to help others understand that you should never be "on a diet." There is no need for a diet. Why take extreme measures to lose weight or tone up when you can do it by simply changing how you eat and what you eat and making it a habit. This way you don't feel deprived, starved, or "hangry", you make it into a lifestyle that can be maintained. I felt like I had this awesome sense of control over my health (and still do). I know what to eat, how much of it, how much I need to exercise (30 minutes a day, or so) and supplement all of that with superfood yumminess to make sure I am fueling my body with as much awesome and clean nutrition as possible. So revolutionizing fit is having a clear cut eating plan that is easy to maintain and short daily workouts to keep you out of the gym for an hour and a half. The fact is that it is so simple in comparison to so many other things that I and so many others have tried.

I also wanted to revolutionize what it means to be fit! Skinny does not equal fit. Bench pressing 300 lbs does not equal fit. Fit = doing something on a daily basis to maximize your health, a positive self image, making time for yourself, presence in your daily life, accepting your imperfections, and happiness!

I wanted to inspire moms to do things for themselves! Wouldn't that be a revolution?! Every momma knows that it is difficult to make time for yourself. You instinctively put your children and spouse first because that is your job as mother and wife. Everyone eats before you, you are always running to sports games and dance classes. And by the end of the day, you collapse into bed, just to start it over the next day. Since starting the fitness program and then becoming a coach (so I could share it with all of you), I really have been doing my best to make time for myself and do things that I love.

Becoming physically fit was just the beginning of this whole journey, the coaching part of it has transformed me probably more than anything. I have helped so many people, I have improved myself through personal development, getting back to making time for myself and allowing myself to be inspired by my fellow coaches and my challengers!

My plan is to continue to revolutionize FIT by showing all of you it can be done! You can become fit and healthy without being extreme, still have time for your family and make incredible changes in your own life!

If you are in, add me on Facebook here. PM me, I love to chat!

Status Post Toronto!

So, I was hoping to be writing a blog post about my own running experience yesterday but injury has kept me from doing much running lately! Totally ruined my fall plans and I'm not going to lie, I was extremely disappointed as we rode to Toronto, visited the Expo to pick up Kyle's race bib and made our way to the start line Sunday morning.

After doing 3 half marathons, I know how exciting it is waiting to cross those lines - the start and the finish! There is just so much energy and camaraderie amongst all those runners and definitely nothing else like it. But, I have to say, in a way, I am glad that I didn't run yesterday. Yesterday was Kyle's day. He spent months preparing, training, never missed a run, never even once complained (even the 20 miler)! I was able to wait and watch for him to cross the finish line and to celebrate with him when he made his way out of the finisher chute!

It was awesome to just be able to sit back and take in the scene. The city of Toronto is a great city for people watching to begin with, but there was so much diversity among the runners themselves and really showed me that no matter the race, sex, size, or personality, that running is anyone's sport!  There was even a guy in a cowboy on an ostrich costume that ran the full marathon! Some people do it to win, some people do it to finish, some people do it just to prove to themselves that they can. It is a group of people of tremendous determination. Determination to be great, to be physically and mentally strong and to be a part of something bigger than themselves. People really come together to support each other, to cheer each other on and extend kind words when a fellow runner might be struggling. That is why I have come to love running, I love the races! The training doesn't hurt (although it has over the past few months) and the races (even when I'm not running) are one of the most inspirational and exhilarating experiences I have had!

But, the best part was that I was able to watch my love and best friend become a member of only 0.5% of the U.S. population of marathon finishers. He finished strong, met his goal (under 4 hours) and was able to walk back to the car (with just a couple stops on the way :))!

My plan is to run here and there throughout fall and winter and hopefully be back in full swing for half marathon training in the spring. I will break 2 hours (set those goals) next year! In the mean time, I think P90x3 is in the works for me and hubby (eek, Tony Horton scares me!!) so we will definitely be in kick butt shape by the time spring rolls around!  The 21 Day Fix meal plan and Shakeology continue to be amazing tools to keep our nutrition on track and coaching keeps me accountable!

On that note, I will be holding a "What is Coaching" FB group next week! I'm telling you, when you are responsible for inspiring and motivating others to be healthy, it's that much harder to fall off the wagon. It's an awesome way to keep yourself accountable and a great way to supplement your income with no requirements or pressure! I would love to add you in if you are the least bit interested in what and how I do it! Let me know! Add me on Facebook here.

Four Ingredient Cookies

I have made these "cookies" about 4 times with the last 2 weeks. I even started making double batches! Cookies?? you say? I am supposed to be all about healthy and clean eating?? you say?

Well, these "cookies" are just about the healthiest "un" cookies that still taste like delicious, high calorie, sugar packed cookies! But are anything but! I have been looking for a recipe for clean and easy to make granola bars for the kids. There is something so convenient about just being able to grab a snack like a granola bar, but the store bought bars are full of so many additives and preservatives, even the "organic" ones! And they will break your bank! Most of the bar recipes I found were too complicated and not all that yummy. So I came across a similar recipe and tweaked it just a little and came out with these delicious little bites!

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Bananas

1 1/4 cup of Quick Oats

1/2 cup of Dairy free, Soy free Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)

2 TBSP of Natural Peanut Butter

Directions (it can't get any easier):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Smash bananas, mix in oats, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Use a teaspoon to drop onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes!

So I made about 16 small "cookies" with this recipe and they were gone in 2 days! Just try to keep them longer! Oh and since they are all fresh ingredients, you will want to store them in an airtight container for no more than about 5 days. Let me know what you think!

Oh and check out my latest fitness challenge group on Facebook here!

Getting Fit Does Not Discriminate

When I decided to try out the 21 Day Fix earlier this year, I had many people say to me "You are already thin.", "You don't need to lose weight." And every time I heard that, I wanted to scream. There, I said it. It really made me crazy.

Losing pounds was not my ultimate goal. Sure, it was welcome, but it was not the reason I began on this journey. I made a decision that I wanted to get HEALTHY. I made a decision to cut out processed foods. I made a decision to add a 30 minute daily workout to my running schedule to improve my fitness. I decided to do all of this for the benefits that it would have on my cardiovascular system, my cholesterol, my mood, muscle tone and most importantly, to start setting a better example for my children. The weight loss just happened when I made these changes. And, it was a lifestyle change! It wasn't unreasonable, it wasn't unsustainable and I wasn't starving. I was learning. I did this for me.

My point is that getting fit is for EVERYONE. You might have 50 lbs to lose, you might be average weight, you might be underweight, you might be young, middle age or pushing 70! Do not underestimate the effects of what you are eating and your physical activity on your life. Your whole life. You may have no idea how great you could feel. I didn't. I thought it was normal to want to take a nap at 2 pm.

The greatest victory for me as a result of the changes I made was learning how to eat to feel amazing. I learned what foods to eat, how much to eat and in what balance to maximize my health.  And now, when I get off track, I know it. My body tells me about it. I feel tired, my skin breaks out, I'm cranky.

If there is any one change I would encourage you to make to get healthy is to take the time to learn. You might think you already eat healthy. I thought I did. Guess what? It wasn't good enough. Take the time to learn for yourself, to feel better, to set an example for your families.

I run clean eating groups all the time and have one coming up starting October 6th. You don't have to want to lose weight, you just have to want to learn about getting healthy and getting fit. If you want to get started learning how, you can join my Facebook event here.  Add me and send me a message letting me know you are ready to start learning! Would love for you to join us!

And it's not just me...this was a message I received from one of my latest challengers. This is for real.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Happy Fall!!

Is it officially fall yet? It doesn't matter, close to fall means pumpkin everything and I am seriously in love with pumpkin!

The problem is that I am pretty much the only one in my house with this love! So, to bake pumpkin style is quite dangerous because I end up eating most if whatever it is myself!

This weekend we celebrated my amazing Mom's 60th birthday with a limo to dinner and the casino! A great time was had by all! Lots of food, drinks and cake, of course. One of my uncles has been following a fairly strict vegan diet, so he wouldn't be able to participate in birthday dessert festivities unless we brought something special along. I remembered I had come across a vegan pumpkin cupcake recipe that I wanted to try and tweaked it a little (of course I added chocolate)! The cupcakes were a hit, not just with the vegan guy, but everybody else at the table too!

I think this recipe proves that vegan desserts can actually be super delicious in a not overwhelmingly sweet way! There is no dairy, no flour, and no refined sugars. Check it out!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups Pumpkin Puree
2 Ripe Bananas
1/2 cup Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 TBSP Vegan Chocolate Chips

Whipped Topping:

1 Can of full fat Coconut Milk
2 TBSP Maple Syrup
1 tsp Organic Almond Extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Blend first 7 ingredients until smooth, then fold in chocolate chips. Fill cupcake liners with the mixture and bake for 25 minutes.

For whipped topping, combine coconut milk with maple syrup and almond extract, blend with whip attachment until desired consistency.

Let cupcakes cool completely, refrigerate. Top with whipped topping before serving.

Adapted from: My Whole Food Life

Refreshed!

Who has done the cabbage soup diet in effort to drops a quick 5 pounds?? Yes? No? Either way, if you are looking for a quick fix that will get you started the healthy way and get you results, this is the way!

Back in June, Beachbody released one of their latest products, the 3 Day Refresh. I bought it at the time it came out and have just been staring at it on my shelf for 3 months! I have never done a juice cleanse, a cabbage soup diet, or anything "extreme" to lose weight, so anything that involves just 3 days scares me a little. But, as I talked about in my previous blog posts, end of summer took it's toll and I was quite ready to be refreshed!

So what is the Refresh?
It is a 3 day cleanse and detoxification that focuses on whole nutritious foods to help you kick cravings, rid of toxins, decrease bloat and re-energize! Unlike juice cleanses that are high in sugar, this program provides proteins, vegetables, and good fats to fuel your body, but also promotes weight loss. This way your body does not feel depleted of nutrients and you don't crash.

What is included?
With the Refresh Challenge Pack, you receive a 30 day supply of the nutrient dense meal replacement supplement, Shakeology which serves as breakfast. You receive 3 packets of Fiber Sweep, a mid morning fiber full snack, and 6 packets of Vanilla Fresh, another plant protein packed meal replacement. Vanilla Fresh serves as lunch and dinner along with plant based meals outlined in the guide. And, after the 3 days is done, you have the rest of the 30 day supply of Shakeology to keep you on track!

So what happened?!
As I said, any type of cleanse leaves me a little reluctant, but I jumped in with a positive attitude and started on a Wednesday, so I knew I would be home for 2 of the 3 days, and it didn't cross a weekend (we all know how hard weekends can be when it comes to minimal eating)! I drink shakeology on the regular (and love it) so breakfast was easy, I was able to eat some fruit along with my shake and felt satisfied each morning. The shake kept me full until time for the fiber sweep. I just mixed in filtered water and gulped it down! Not bad at all. Lunch each day was vanilla fresh with some raw cauliflower (you choose from a long list of veggies!) and hummus. And I added some organic almond extract to the vanilla fresh shake to make it even tastier. Dinner each night was a Vanilla Fresh with a giant salad loaded with greens, peppers, sprouts and cucumber with lemon juice dressing. Yum! And for a snack in the evening I had a cup of ginger green tea.

Day 1 and Day 2 were easy peasy! I wasn't hungry and felt great. Day 3 I started to feel a little hungry towards the end of the day. I had lost 4 pounds and 1.5 inches off my waist by the morning of the third day, so I cheated a little and added some white beans to my salad! Cringe! I didn't quite make it, but was super proud of myself for making it as far as I did!

Was it worth it?
Definitely! I felt so much better, bloat was gone, 4 pounds off and 1.5 inches off my waist! It really helped me to get back on track with the healthy eating and get back to where I was before summer took over my healthy habits! It was not hard because you still get to eat yummy nutritious foods, clean out your system and don't have to starve!

Would I do it again?
Definitely, if I felt I needed to get back on track!  ;).

Who is it for?
So this program is for anyone who wants to wipe the slate clean, get back on track to healthy eating, jump start weight loss, or even get ready for a big event or vacation to look and feel great! And the great part is you have another 27 days of shakeology to help you stay on track and reap the amazing benefits of all those super nutrients!

How do you get a hold of it?
Contact me of course! Would love to guide you through and make recommendations for you!

Add me on Facebook here for other fitness and healthy living inspiration!

Change of Season

I love the season changes, all of them really. But for me, there's nothing like the change from a hot, humid summer to a crisp, cool fall with cozy sweaters, jeans and boots. I love all things pumpkin, the cool weather and the crunch of fallen leaves when I run, and Buffalo Bills football, of course.

However, this year, fall has a whole new meaning for us Robisons. We have a kindergartener! New clothes are purchased, backpack is packed, and I've got lots of ideas for healthy lunches. It appears we are ready, but are we really "ready"? I guess in so many ways we are ready. Nate is so smart and active and has so much energy and loves school. I feel that I can no longer keep him busy enough at home and know that he will learn and grow so much from being in a classroom and surrounded by other children his age. He loves art and science experiments and writing his letters and he will get all of that and more at school!

In other ways, I'm not sure we are ready. It's kind of like having a baby. Are you ever really ready? You can't possibly be. There are so many adjustments and changes that are made when that baby comes, and you learn and grow as things come along.  I have been lucky enough to work part time since Nate was born and got to spend days at home with him playing, reading, zoo trips, music classes, all kinds of things. I don't know where the time has gone. People say that time just goes by faster and faster, and they are very correct. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with him at home and will miss him, but at the same time, I have enormous pride that he has grown into such a smart little man and know he is going to do amazing things.  It's a really big step watching your little one get on such a big bus, by himself. I'm not sure how I will handle it, but know I will be wearing sunglasses.  I know every Mommy survives this moment, so I will take comfort in that, and look forward to him coming off those bus steps later that day to tell me all about his first day of kindergarten! So, just like with a brand new baby, we will learn how to deal with all the wonderful and scary things that come with a child headed off to school, and then eventually, high school and college! Oye!

The other change that I am about to embrace this fall is getting back on the healthy track! The summer really reeled me in when it comes to snacking, ice cream, and skipping workouts because we were so busy. And, I have to say that I did not get away without paying a price. My energy is down, my skin is icky,  a few pounds crept back and I just haven't felt as good.  That's the wonderful thing about making this change earlier this year! I know what I should feel like, not bogged down by simple carbs and processed foods, and I know how to get back.  So enough about the bad, let's talk about the good!

I have a half marathon coming up in October and my running was at it's best when I was in the thick of the 21 Day Fix. On the meal plan (simple, whole foods, portion control), the daily workouts, plus the daily Shakeology to help keep me full and a delicious treat to curb my cravings. The great news is that there is an amazing sale on the challenge pack this month! The whole program plus a 30 day supply of your choice flavor of Shakeology for only $140. This is less than $5 per day for a meal replacement supplement (about the same cost as your Starbucks coffee), a proven meal plan, a variety of daily workouts and, of course, ME and the support of a group of people on the same mission that you are! So if you are ready to get out of that summer haze of picnic food and party drinks, I am here to get you started. Follow the link to join my Event, add me on Facebook or private message me! Can't wait to help you "Fall into Shape"!

Facebook Fall into Shape Event

These are my before and after with 2 rounds of the 21 Day Fix!

Classic Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite foods to have on hand for the week for a dip for veggies or bean chips or an addition to a veggie wrap! It is so easy to make at home and you can save money and avoid some extra processed ingredients that come in the store bought versions! This is a recipe for a plain hummus, but you can add in other veggies, herbs or spices to mix it up.  I like to add a small beet or 1/2 of an avocado!

Ingredients:

1 can of chick peas (rinsed thoroughly!)
1 heaping TBSP of Tahini
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 small clove of garlic
2 TBSP of olive oil

Put all ingredients into your blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  You can add a small amount of water if you prefer your hummus to be thinner.

There is so much you can add to hummus to make it interesting: fresh basil or parsley, jalapeño pepper, or fresh spinach!

Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins

These were a huge hit with the kids and hubby! Great for breakfast, snack or a lunchbox treat!

Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins (Makes 12)

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp baking soda
Zest of 1 lemon

1 egg
1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
1/2 cup milk of choice (cow's, almond, etc.)
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup of raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in small bowl.

Cream coconut oil with mixer. Add egg, milk, maple syrup and milk. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients slowly to moist ingredients. When combined, gently fold in raspberries.

Use ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups, Bake for 20 minutes.

These came out super delicious and the coconut makes them so moist!

Why Run?!

Last year, I made the decision to get in shape. The thing is, I don't like gyms. I have belonged to a couple different gyms, and I just don't go. I say I'm going to, and I just don't get there. It's too far away, it takes too much time to get there and get back, it's smelly, the locker room is dirty. Excuses, excuses, right? So I decided I was just going to start running. There is no drive, no locker room, and it's just me and some quiet time. And, it's inexpensive, except for new running shoes, gps watches, race fees...haha, probably evens out!

I am extremely self motivated. I am always trying to beat myself, whether it's grades in college or something fitness related, I want to do better the next time. So, the logical step was to sign up for a race.  Gotta have a goal right? Something to keep me motivated to get out there and run because I definitely could not be unprepared. That would not be like me. And it wouldn't be like me to start small for my first race. Start with a 5k? maybe an 8k? Nope, let's just jump right to the half marathon.

To back track a little bit, I have always thought runners were insane, especially half marathoners and marathoners (and I still do think marathoners are insane, but hope to be one some day)! I mean, who just runs for hours at a time for fun? As a PT, I would always say runners were wrecking their bodies, they were going to be knee replacement candidates before they knew it. So what happened? I fell in love with running. I haven't changed my mind about runners being insane, I really think I am crazy sometimes, but I love it. At one of the races, lined up in the corrals with my running buddy, we just looked at each other and said, "What are we doing? We are lining up with hundreds of people to run for more than 2 hours straight, and we paid for it!! Who tortures themselves like this?"  But, getting outside, getting lost in my own head with some good tunes, forgetting about miles and just running has been such an amazing stress reliever and given me some "me" time. It has also given me this amazing realization of what my body is capable of. I never thought I could run 6 or 7 miles, let alone 13.1! And I have done it three times in the last year!

When I was training for my first half, I was worried that I would not do well, that I would finish and not want to ever do it again. Was I ever wrong! As I approached mile 10, there was a large crowd cheering me (and everybody else) on! They didn't know me, but they were throwing high fives and giving me words of encouragement. I'm not sure what happened, but I totally choked up. I think that I realized what I was about to accomplish. To me, it is such an amazing physical and mental feat and I had this overwhelming sense of pride. It definitely takes physical strength and endurance, but there are points where your legs are tired, your lungs are burning, and it's your mind that takes over and pushes your body to it's limits. When I crossed that finish line and got to see my hubby (who finished ahead me), I was just overcome with so many emotions. All the hours spent training, and it's done. What I had accomplished. What my friends accomplished that day. What all the other random people there were accomplishing. I was tearing up watching other people crossing the finish line. It's not for everyone but if you have ever considered it, give it a go. I promise you, the end result, whether you finish strong or you have to walk most of the way, when you cross that finish line, you are a new person. No one can take that medal away from you.

On that note, I wanted to give first time runners (as I was, started with a 12 minute mile) some tips for success:

• Proper shoes! So, so important. Go to a specialty store, learn what type of shoe you need, and get fitted. This will prevent overuse injuries and allow you to progress your training plan.
• Follow a training plan. Doesn't matter which one. Use Google and find one that fits your goal race, time availability and fitness level. This will help you give yourself enough time to be properly prepared.
• Find a running buddy. It is super hard to get up early and get your miles in, especially if it's cold out, but if there is someone out there waiting for you, you have to go. I have been lucky enough to have a super awesome loyal running buddy for training for all 3 of my halfs!
• Good nutrition. Make sure you are getting a balanced diet with healthy proteins and complex carbs for good fuel! And of course, hydration is also key.
• Start with a good base. If you decide to train for a half marathon, make sure you can run 3 miles without much difficulty. This will save you frustration and keep you from increasing your mileage to quickly and setting yourself up for injury.
• Sign up for the race. If you don't sign up, you will procrastinate your runs. You will say I can do it tomorrow, which will turn in to next week. If you are registered, you will be so much more likely to get out there and train.

I am in the process of training for half marathon #4, the Scotiabank Toronto, where my husband will be running his first full. I hope to one day run a full but it just didn't work out for this year. Training is time consuming and I have lots of other things happening, including 2 amazing kids, one starting Kindergarten and one starting Pre-K! My goal for this next

half is to break 2 hours. I missed that by about 30s at my second half and I really think I can do it. I think I could go on and on about all the great things running has done for me, but this is a good start! Thanks for reading and I hope I may have inspired you to get out there and just run.

This photo was my last half, hubby waited for me to cross the finish line with me for our anniversary. I never thought that would happen as he is so much faster than I am. It was the best gift he could have given me, such an awesome moment to share and memory to cherish :)

Reach for the Stars

When was the last time you set a goal for yourself? Was it a fitness goal? A goal that involved your occupation or school? Maybe it was to get married or expand your family by a certain time. Maybe you're like me, and realize that you don't set goals for yourself. When I say "set a goal", I mean write it down, visualize how it's going to happen, and take steps to achieve it.

When I started my journey with Beachbody coaching, one of the first things that I realized, was that I was not setting goals for my own life. Of course, I had ideas of what my next running goal would be, and things that we wanted to do with the house next year, vacations we might take, but I had nothing written down. I didn't have any personal goals, nothing that I was actively working towards or really doing anything about. This was a kind of rude awakening for me. I was caught up in the everyday stuff, just kinda one day at a time, and wasn't making any plans. I don't like to plan. I very rarely go on vacations because I don't like to the hassle of planning them. I want someone to tell me what, where, when and how much and I'm happy.

So when I started with the coaching boot camps, one of the first things we were told to do, was to write down our goals. Not just goals for our business, but personal goals, financial goals, fitness goals, family goals. Holy s*%t.  I have never, ever sat down and written out goals for myself.  I have always strived to be successful and to be happy, but somehow this concept had eluded me.  I am a college graduate with a post professional doctoral degree. I am a health care professional. I have had several different jobs (therapists tend to hop around) and no boss that I have ever had has asked me what my goals were.  No boss has ever encouraged me to do personal development. So I sat down and thought about what I really wanted for me, my family, my business, my career and I wrote things down. I decided which goals were most important to me and my family and that I was going to take the necessary steps to achieve them. I think so often we dream about things, wish for things, but we have to realize that without action, it is not likely they are going to happen.  I have really started to believe that if there is something you want to be, or do, or have, go for it.  But no one is going to do it for you, it's not just going to appear. You want a promotion? A beach house? A college degree? Maybe a new car?  Write it down. Figure out what you have to do to get there. Take action. And give it time.
So I have been inspired to take steps in directions I never thought about before.  I have taken action to improve my health and my family's health and to educate others on what it takes to do that.  I am working towards financial freedom and I am regularly taking steps to improve myself. All it took was someone to tell me to set some goals. The goals are my motivation to work hard, reach out to people, and change as many lives as I can!  My goal with this post is to inspire you. You can change your course, you can change your fate, you just have to write it down, visualize yourself there, and do it.

My Story Part 2: The Transformation

Ok, so this is where it gets good! So I want to tone up, I want to run faster, I know what I need to do. I need to do some resistance training and I need to work on my diet. Easy enough right? Wrong! I knew what I had to do, but what I didn't have, was the motivation or the accountability to get it done. So I just kept procrastinating on it until, one day, I saw an add for this 21 Day Fix. I watched a Youtube video, thought it looked interesting, and posted about it in a Mommies group on Facebook. I was contacted by a girl who was a coach, asking me questions, and telling me that I had to get this challenge pack, that included Shakeology! What the heck is Shakeology and WHY do I NEED it? It's expensive, or so I thought (and so does everyone until they try it), and I don't do protein shakes. So I sat on it for about 3 weeks. I finally decided that if I didn't just take a chance on this, I would never know, and I still wasn't faster and still didn't look any different. So I took the plunge and ordered it all.

I was put into a Challenge Group on Facebook and started this program on April 7, 2014. I can't even express to you the enormity of the change that occurred in those 21 days for me. Like I said, I had wanted to make a change, I was ready, but I just wasn't motivated. Well, this "support" group kept me going. I was seeing what other people were eating, seeing when others were getting their workouts in, and it kept me accountable so I could honestly post about what I was eating and when I did my workout. And, post about how much I freaking loved my Shakeology! I drank my chocolate shakeology for lunch. It was great because it was a no brainer meal. I could pack it for the days that I worked and I could mix it up for lunch when I was at home. Super easy, not to mention nutritious and free from chemical additives that other meal replacement shakes contain! I noticed a change in my energy! I no longer begged my kids to sit down for 20 minutes in the afternoon, so I could lay on the couch and "rest." My skin was clearer.  I didn't crave carbs or sugar.

After completing the 21 days, I was down 7 lbs. and 10 total inches! I felt amazing. I had learned how to control portions and how to balance my diet. I learned to love veggies. I saw results, so I was motivated to keep them. I didn't want to eat junk and sabotage all of my hard work. And it is hard work. You have to make a change. You can not eat crappy and exercise alone and expect to see results. This is not a magic pill or a quick fix. It is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

After two rounds of the 21 Day Fix, I was down a total of 15 lbs, and my running improved! I knocked about a minute off my mile, and I beat a half marathon PR by 13 minutes. So you can now probably understand my affections for this program. To me, it is the total package. It teaches you how and what to eat, incorporates 30 minutes of daily exercise that is doable for anyone and the shakeology has all of this fantastic super nutrition that contributes to so many positive changes.

Now, I have continued my workouts, balanced with running, and follow the meal plan to maintain my weight. I don't deprive myself, I try to keep an 80/20 ratio of good to not so good for you food (just can't give up my ice cream). But if I do get off track, and it happens, I have something to fall back on with the support of all my challengers!

If you are looking for something like this, if you are ready to make a change, I would love to guide you along on your journey. This program along with Shakeology is the reason I became a Beachbody Coach. Add me on Facebook and private message me to get started! You can do it :)

My Story Part 1

About 18 months ago, I decided I wanted to get back in shape. For most of my 20s, I was fairly active, had a gym membership, did spinning, step classes, rollerbladed, biked, did some running, but once I got pregnant, all of that went out the window. So after almost 5 years of doing NOTHING, I decided to start running.

Running for me began with one 12 minute mile around the neighborhood. I started to build up slowly and got talking with my Kyle about possibly doing a race. He started talking about his Dad and running (Shout out to my father in law, Kevin Robison, who has done 26 full marathons and countless other races) and I thought maybe I could do a half marathon. Why start with a 5k?! A half marathon would for sure be motivation to get out and run because I would have to prepare for this long ass race! So that was that. I recruited my co-worker, Ryan, best running partner ever to be at the time, to train with me. We picked a training plan and dedicated our weekend mornings to running (and chatting). My first half marathon was the Niagara Falls International, finished in 2:13:something and accomplished my goal of breaking 2:15!

So, amazing right? I finished my first half marathon! I was damn proud of myself and even got emotional at the finish line (fully intend to post on the finish line high in the future). I had gained a new confidence in myself, I felt I was mentally stronger.
But, in the weeks after, I realized that there was one benefit of running that somehow eluded me. I ran 4 times a week for 6 months, and I started running to get fit, lose a few pounds and tone up, but my body looked exactly the same as it did when I started.

For most of my adult life, I was the same weight. Not overweight, not skinny, kinda average I guess. I was never really unhappy with my body. I was never down on myself about my body. But, I would see women my age with abs or really nice arms and think "If they can have that, why can't I?"  I knew I wanted to make a change, and kinda knew what it would take, but wasn't ready to go there.

When spring rolled around and we started training again (signed up for the Buffalo half right after the first one), I decided that I wanted to add some resistance training and clean up my diet to see if it would make a difference. Would my body change? Could I run faster? So I tried a few free random workouts on my iPad, even subscribed to a couple, yeah, didn't happen. Didn't stick with it. Kept thinking about eating cleaner, decided I wanted to do these things, but just didn't have the motivation, support or accountability. What happened next changed my life forever, changed my body, my mentality, my health and my running. Stay tuned...

The Best Place To Start

Ahhh! I am so beyond excited to start this blog! My intention is for this blog to be all about staying fit, eating clean(er) [no one is perfect], and living well while juggling work and a family, and still living life to it's fullest! It can be done and I am on a mission to accomplish just that.

So I figure the best place to start is to tell you all about me! I am 34 years old, married to an awesome supportive man (Kyle) and have two beautiful children, Nathan (5), and Eva (4)! I am a Physical Therapist (so is hubby, but no that is not necessarily how we met...), a runner (3 half marathons completed) and recently embarked on this new amazing journey that has motivated me to create awareness for health and fitness (more to come on that)!

Over the last year or so, I kept bringing up the topic of "clean eating" to Kyle, he would say "sure, whatever" and then I never really did anything about it. I like to read (to a fault) and would read endlessly about the chemicals in our food, body care products, cleaning products, etc.,  and I did start to make small changes but admittedly ignored a lot of it. It's hard! It's hard and expensive, or so I thought, to make all those changes. But over the last 3 months, light bulbs went on and my life has changed! I have turned into a fitness fanatic, a clean eating machine and have never felt better about myself and my health! My goal is to set an example for all of you, my friends, family and most of all, my children, of living a healthy life!

On April 7, 2014, I began this life changing program called the 21 Day Fix. I had no idea what was about to happen. As I worked through this 3 week program, I could literally feel myself changing, physically and mentally. I felt like I had this valuable secret, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it!  I felt so passionate about what I was learning and how I was changing that I knew I had to share this with as many people as possible. This program taught me how to eat. It taught me portion control and balance. It made daily exercise a habit for me and I got toned and strong! The great thing about this program is that anyone - ANYONE - can do it. It is for someone who wants to lose 40 pounds, it is for someone who wants to lose 5 pounds, it is for a thin person looking to get healthy and gain fitness. The greater thing about this program is that it is no quick fix, it is hard work on eating clean and consistency with daily workouts.  The problem I have now is comprehending how someone would not want to do this program. So basically it was The 21 Day Fix that got this journey rolling for me and I fully intend to share more about how it worked for me and my awesome results! Ultimately, it led me to become a Coach and I will share much more on that!

My mission with this blog is to not only share my take on fitness, nutrition, and life in general,
but to inform, inspire and connect with all of you! Can't wait to hear all of your feedback and there is more great info to come! Connect with me on Facebook for daily inspiration and tips!