Harnessing you WHY POWER

Why? Why do we do some of the things we do? Specifically, the things that are most challenging or the ones that seem completely crazy to those around us.

What drives people to spend years and thousands upon thousands of dollars to go to medical school?  What drives people to run marathons? What drives people to quit their full time jobs to start their own business? It could be a multitude of different reasons for each one. But, behind all of those reasons, there's probably a very deep-rooted "why."

"Kate, I don't know how you wake up at 5 a.m. to workout." Do I get up at 5am everyday to workout? No. Did I used to? Yes, and sometimes it was 4 a.m....and sometimes even 3 a.m. A few things have changed so, now, I usually sit down on Sunday's and evaluate my week. I figure out what days are going to be super busy and therefore will require me to get up super early to get my workout in. I figure out what days I can workout when my boys nap. And then, I finally figure out what days I want my kids to be there with me when I workout.

So, let's break that last paragraph down a bit. Do I enjoy working out? Most days, yes. Do I enjoy working out at 3, 4 or 5 a.m. when everyone else in my house is cuddled up under the covers still sleeping? HECK NO!!! In my perfect world - which doesn't exist at the moment - I'd have someone here to entertain my boys so that I could workout at around 11 a.m. By that time, I'm usually mentally awake & physically, I'm ready to go. But, working out, undisturbed, at 11 a.m. everyday is just not feasible. It's not reality. My reality is dragging myself out of bed when it's dark and cold and doing what needs to get done. But WHY do I do it?

Breaking that down a little further... I used to ONLY workout if I could be by myself. No kids. Just me. Some days, I need to just be in my zone and push myself hard & let's face it, that's hard to do with 2 little ones running around the room with you. But on days where maybe I'm doing a less intense workout, or some yoga, I take advantage of my sweet spot - my 11 a.m. workout time - and take the kiddos into our game room with me. They're old enough to participate. More importantly, as parents, we know that kiddos don't always listen to what we say. But, they learn behaviors by watching us...even when we think they aren't paying attention. So, on those days, I'll set myself up in front of the t.v. and then set up their cars or trains on the other side of the room. I'll tell them that mommy is going to exercise and they can either play cars/trains or they can join mommy. Within minutes of hitting play on the DVD, I have 2 workout buddies. Every. Single. Time. They think it's a fun. And truth is, with them, it really is. I encourage them & every once in a while, they'll say to me "good job mommy!"

Why do I workout? Well, there's the obvious reasons - I want to look nice for my husband. I want to be able to wear any outfit with confidence. I want to feel good about myself. I want to be able to look in the mirror & be proud of what I see in the reflection. But chances are, when that alarm goes off at 4 a.m., none of those reasons are strong enough to drag me out of bed when I can just easily hit snooze...or turn my alarm off completely. So, why then? My dad passed away when I was 4. I missed out on an entire lifetime of knowing him. I want to do everything in my power to get & keep myself healthy. I don't want my kids having to go through what I went through. I want to be around to see my kids grow up. I want to make my kids proud of their mama. I want to teach them discipline. I want to teach them that a healthy lifestyle is not a punishment. I want to teach them that physical fitness can be fun. That it is a privilege. THAT is what gets me out of bed in the morning. I do it for my kids...because they, and my husband, deserve the best version of me. They deserve a healthy and happy mommy. And no, I'm certainly not happy at that early hour of the morning. But, as soon as I'm done and dripping with sweat...I feel like a million bucks.

So, what have you been looking to tackle? Going back to college? Getting in shape? Applying for a new job? Running a race? Paying off debt? Starting your own business?

If your WHY doesn't make you cry, it's not strong enough. Dig deep. Your WHY POWER can help you accomplish even the most difficult of tasks. 

Me & my boys after I completed my second half marathon.
Thinking of them helped push me to the finish line
when all I wanted to do was quit. They are my WHY.

Menu Monday - Shakeology Bites

This is a perfect snack if you're like me: I can't workout on a full belly because I want to puke, but I sometimes want just a little something to help keep me fueled during my workout. OR if you've got picky little kids, like mine. They think they're getting a cookie - and you have the satisfaction of knowing they're eating a whole food snack that's actually good for them. I present for your consideration: Shakeology Bites!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology (or the chocolate protein powder of your choice)
• 1 cup dry quick oats
• 1 cup reduced fat peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• sprinkles (optional - I just used the sprinkles to make them look pretty)

METHOD:

• mix all ingredients in a big bowl.
• tip: if your PB has been in the fridge, you may want to microwave it for 30-45 seconds to soften it up
• roll into 18 balls
• place in container
• freeze
• when ready to eat, just take out of the freezer about 5 minutes before hand & you're all set!

These cookies end up being about 90 calories each (if your batch yields 18 cookies).

Enjoy!!!

10 Tips To Help You LOSE the Weight and KEEP IT OFF

Losing weight is hard. Keeping it off is sometimes harder. Here's my 10 tips to help you get to where your happy weight is.

1. Water, Water and more Water - your body NEEDS water. Often times, when we feel hungry, it's actually NOT hunger at all. Most times, it's thirst. Drinking enough water can help you lose weight, ward of dehydration headaches, improve your skin, aid in digestion and can help relieve fatigue. A good rule of thumb is to take your weight and divide it in half. That's how many ounces a day to shoot for. So, drink up!!!
2. Eat Frequently - I love food. I think about food more during the day than I probably should. As I'm eating one meal, I'm already planning my next one. For me, eating 5-6 smaller meals a day keeps me happy! Eating smaller, more frequent meals will help stabilize your blood sugar & keep your metabolism revving.
3. Find Your Soulmate Workout - many people ask me "what program is best for me?" And truth be told, there's no one answer. Only you can answer that. Yes, I'm one of those crazy people who likes to exercise - but that's only because I've found something that I love doing. If you're going to be devoting 30-60 minutes a day to working out, why not do something that you love??? Is it running? Kickboxing? Yoga? Skating? At the end of the day, it's not about finding the best or most popular workout, it's about finding one that you will stick with.
4. Sleep - you don't have to tell me twice about this!!! Sleep is often overlooked, but it really is so important. Sleep deprivation can alter hormone levels in the body that help regulate hunger, causing an increase in appetite. And if you're working out, you body needs that time to rest & repair itself. Shoot for 6-8 hours a night.
5. Be Prepared - have you ever been out running errands and they took longer than you anticipated and by the time you get home, you feel like you could eat everything in your regrigerator??? Plan ahead and create emergency packs filled with healthy foods such as nuts, fruits or sliced vegetables to help you avoid unhealthy temptations. Keep them in your purse/bag for situations like this. You'll have a healthy, portable snack that will help keep you on track.
6. Plan Ahead - Automate your eating by planning your meals ahead of time. That way you're less likely to make an unhealthy last-minute food choice.
7. Pick Up a Pair of Weights - Muscle burns at least four times as many calories as fat does, so try twenty minutes of strength straining two to three times a week.
8. Identify WHY You're Eating - Identify the emotional triggers that lead you to seek unhealthy comfort food. Picture your goal weight the next time a trigger strikes to help you resist temptation.
9. Add More Protein - Try to have a little lean protein with each meal or snack, as protein tends to be more satisfying than carbs or fats and it will help keep you fuller, longer.
10. Buddy Up - Find an accountability partner (spouse, friend, co-worker) who is also looking to improve their health and fitness. Check-in with each other frequently to help keep each other on the right track.

Menu Monday - Spicy Shrimp, Broccoli & Quinoa

Now, if you know me, you know that I am pretty much a disaster in the kitchen, but there are a few staples that I love to make & that are super easy (because I just can't do complicated).

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup dry quinoa
• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
• 1 serving of fresh or frozen shrimp (you can also substitute by using chicken, steak, tempeh, tofu, etc.
• Old Bay Seasoning (optional)

METHOD:

• Prepare quinoa as directed on box. If you're making this spicy and using Old Bay, you'll want to add the seasoning directly to the water and stir well as your quinoa is cooking. 
• Steam broccoli
• In a pan, cook your shrimp (or other meat) and sprinkle a little Old Bay on top of that too for an extra kick.

Once everything is done, mix together in a bowl & you have a super easy & healthy lunch!

21 Day FIX - Exclusive Test Group

If you follow me on Facebook, you've probably seen me talking about the 21 Day FIX lately.

So, what exactly is the 21 Day FIX??? 21 Day Fix is THE fitness and nutrition program to help you lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days. Each workout is approximately 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week. The unique nutrition plan uses specifically portioned food storage containers that eliminate the guesswork from portion control - no weighing, measuring, or counting calories, carbs or points. If it fits in the container, you can eat it. And you'll lose weight. When eaten in the right quantities, there are no foods that are off limits.

Who is this program for? Everyone can do 21 Day Fix and get great results. Each workout has a modifier to show easier moves. The test groups included fit people as well as people with 100+ pounds to lose, to be sure that anyone could be successful with this program.

What kind of results can you expect? Well, as you can see from these pictures, the participants in the initial test group got some AMAZING results. If you're dedicated to the program, you can expect some pretty impressive results yourself!

The 21 Day FIX doesn't launch until February 3, but you can reserve your spot in my Exclusive Test Group NOW! Just click here to send me your information and I will be sure to get you all the details. 

The Importance of Goal Setting

Are you a goal setter? I never was until last year...

In January 2013, I went through Chalene Johnson's 30 Day Push program (www.30daypush.com). If you're not familiar with the program, I urge you to check it out. It's totally free and only takes minutes a day to complete the work.

Why did I decide to go through the program? Well, first, I love all things Chalene. She is a genius and a pro at what she does. Second, I needed some direction & focus. Third, it was free & who doesn't love free stuff?

One of the exercises was to list out 10 goals that we wanted to accomplish for the year. And not just any goals. BIG goals. Goals that kinda seemed crazy, but would be totally cool if accomplished. She wanted us to list 10, but I chose 12.

So, I started thinking. I started writing my goals - which if I'm being honest - seemed so ridiculous to me because they seemed so far out of the realm of possibility. But I did it anyway. I reverse engineered my goals and started to get to work. Each month, I'd pull up my list and see what I could check off as being "done." One of those goals - perhaps the one that was most important to me - was to meet Chalene herself. She's in California. I'm in Pennsylvania. What are the odds of that meeting actually happening??? We will get back to that later :)

The thing with goal setting is that by accomplishing one goal, it often leads to the door opening on another goal on the list. I probably could have re-written my goal list as more of a "if this, then that..." or "because I accomplished this, now I can do that."

So, at the end of December 2013, I got out my goal list to review what I had accomplished. I was able to check off 9 out of my 12 goals. Not too shabby considering I didn't really think any of them were possible. Remember when I asked what were the odds I'd get to meet Chalene? When I initially wrote down the goal of "meet Chalene Johnson," in my head, I was thinking "I probably have a better chance of getting hit by lightning." Turns out, with some careful goal setting, some reverse engineering, sheer determination & a little "being in the right place at the right time," there was a 200% chance I'd meet Chalene.

How'd it happen? Well, seeing as we live on opposite coasts, I knew I needed to be where she was going to be - and be there when she was going to be there. Where was that? For me, it was Beachbody's Coach Summit in Las Vegas. But, at the time, my husband had lost his job and money was crazy tight. So, I knew I needed to bust my butt with my Coaching business & save up enough so that I could pay for my trip. I was DETERMINED to be in Vegas. I HAD to be there. After months of hard work & determination, there I was...on a plane to Vegas. Step 1 accomplished. I had control over part of the equation. Now for the "being in the right place at the right time" part of the equation. My upline sponsor, Brittnae, was allowed to bring a guest to the Star Diamond Reception. She chose me. And in that night, my life was forever changed. At the reception, my head must have looked like it was on a swivel. Constantly scanning the crowd. Hoping. Looking. Towards the end of the night, I had pretty much given up hope and then I looked to my left. I did a double take. I ran up to Brittnae "Hey - look over there! Isn't that Chalene's husband, Bret???" She confirmed it was him. To which I responded "see ya later - I'm going to find Chalene." 

Me & Bret Johnson

And when I found her, it was all I could do to hold it together. I got a hug, told her my story and thanked her. I then walked away and sobbed. I was so happy.

Chalene & myself

Brittnae, Chalene, myself & Kim

Brittnae, Chalene, myself & Kim

The next morning, we got up at the crack of dawn to do something else I've been wanting to do. Workout LIVE with Chalene. It was another very surreal moment that I'll never forget. 

6 a.m. & all smiles

TURBO live with Chalene

Later that morning, I was in line with my roommates, Jillian and Chelsea. We were waiting in line to get into the CORE (a store that's set up at Summit where you can shop, try Shakeology & meet the trainers). Chalene wasn't on the schedule to appear in any meet & greet...but as we were in line, we all got texts that Chalene was going to be making a surprise appearance in about 30 minutes. You could hear the cheers & squeals from everyone in line. And so, I got my second chance to talk to her again. Like an actual conversation. And again, I walked away in tears. Happy tears.

Chalene & myself - take 2!!!

This woman has helped change my life in so many ways - physically, professionally and personally. She's given me the tools, but I had to do the work. All I wanted to do was thank her. I got my chance...twice. But, I never would have gotten that chance had I not taken her advice in the first place. I never would have gotten that chance had I not set some goals and had the mindset to conquer them one at a time. And that is what you call coming full circle.

So, are you ready? To dig in, to look deep into yourself and set some goals? If so, you MUST go through the 30 Day Push. You will be AMAZED at what you can accomplish if you go through the program and APPLY what you've learned to your life. Dreams will become REALITY.

Welcome to my blog!!!

Welcocme!!! 

First and foremost, I want to thank you for stopping by! Getting this blog up and running has certainly been a labor of love. It's something that I've been wanting to do for some time now & I finally just sat down and did it.

The purpose of this blog is a few things. To inspire. To give you a glimpse into my life. To share my triumphs and my struggles. To help others achieve their goals. To have a place where us like-minded individuals can chat openly about topics that are important to us.

If there's something you'd like to see me write about, or if you have questions, please feel free to use the CONTACT ME form at the bottom of the page.

I look forward to having you along for the ride as I embark on this blogging journey!

xoxo,
Kate