I've spent the last few weeks contemplating the transition from teenager to adulthood and how this applies to fitness and personal workouts. I have a child in this age bracket right now. My oldest son graduated from high school last spring, and he has always been an active kid. Whether it is playing basketball or chasing his younger siblings around the neighborhood, he has always loved joining in for any sport or activity. But the question I have been asking myself is this, "What happens when organized sports are over and you are just too old to run around outside with your little brothers and sisters?". My son has been trying to answer this question himself. All of a sudden he is noticing that he is a bit out of shape compared to the last few years and he is trying to figure out what to do. He has started running a few days a week, and ran about 2 miles with me the other day. I feel lucky and proud that he is motivated enough to want to get up and head out the door. But, it really makes me think about all the youth out there that are not motivated to do this. So many kids get out of high school where they have been active members of teams for years. In an instant, they have no practice to attend, and no reason to get up and go to the gym or hit the courts for a workout. And what about the kids who haven't participated in fitness? What are the chances they will be motivated to go workout?

Thinking about these things has lead me to a few conclusions: The first is that we have to work very hard as parents to find activities that our kids really love to do. Just like adults, if they don't love their workouts, are they going to keep doing them? Chances are they won't. They may be able to take those big lessons they've learned about teamwork or overall health and apply them, but they may just decide that now they can finally take a break from doing that sport they hated anyway. This is the last thing we want to see happen.

The second thought I've had is the necessity to keep encouraging kids to participate in team sports that they do love. For instance, I suggested to my son that he join a basketball team at the local recreation center or at his community college. There is no reason that we can't continue with team sports just because we turn 18, is there? Not only will they be happy with their fitness regime, but the social interactions will be great.

My final thought about this transition goes back to the same old idea that those who know me have heard me say forever. We have to set the fitness example to our kids and demonstrate consistency that fitness time is a part of every day. Kids who watch parents that workout daily will follow that example because they understand it to be the norm in life. They won't think it is unusal at all to go to the gym when they have been watching their parents do it every day since birth.

Encouraging our post-high school, early adult children to keep up the habit of health and fitness is one of the best gifts we can give them. Just a few positive words on the topic may help them stay motivated, help avoid the weight gain that often coincides with the early college years, and set them up for a lifetime of great health. But, in order to reach this phase, we have to make sure we haven't skipped any of the steps along the way....in other words, we start health and fitness early and often to ensure that we continue the habits well into our late aduthood.

In Good Health,

Jenn

The Gift of Health and Fitness

It is difficult to sit back and watch a loved one continue with unhealthy habits, knowing what some of the terrible consequences might be. I think we have all been there at some point in our life. It could be bad eating habits, lack of exercise, smoking, or drinking. It might even be poor emotional health, high stress, or depression. It hurts to see the people we care about not living the best life they can, and sometimes we see what is hurting them before they do. I know I am not the only one who notices when my friends and family aren't taking care of themselves. It can put us in an uncomfortable place because we don't want to hurt the feelings of those we love, but isn't it our job as the person who cares the most to step forward and offer assistance to the person who needs it? We have to find a way to offer support in whatever way is needed to help that person become healthier and live a more fulfilling life.


I work in fitness, so I get to spend an enormous amount of time helping people identify their unhealthy habits. I consider myself lucky for that reason. I also get to say things to people that are difficult for others to say. People rely on me to tell them what they need to do to change their bad habits and come back to a place of health. From spending years as a trainer and fitness expert I have learned something very important when it comes to client goals: Everyone gets healthier when they have support from family and friends. Did you know that one of first questions most trainers ask is, do you have support from your family to begin this fitness program? This is a question we need answered because it can guide us in helping this client be successful. I say all this so the message is clear. Family support is invaluable when it comes to health and fitness goals.


With that being said, it is easy to see why giving the gift of health and fitness to someone you love is so important. By gift, I mean many things. Your gift can be offering to go for a walk every day at 5:00 p.m. with your aging parents. It can be setting up appointments with physicians, and taking your family members to them. It can be calling your sister on the phone every day to find out how her eating plan is going. There are so many options of how to give this gift, and it will be one of the most precious gifts you ever give. The holidays are a fantastic time to give this gift. We all know that January is resolution time, so why not give a gift of health and fitness that can roll right into the first of the year resolution season? It's the perfect time. Here are some great options: a gym membership, sessions with a personal trainer, some new home fitness equipment, some visits with a nutritionist, massages, acupuncture visits, or even smoking cessation programs, or counseling sessions. If this is something you have been thinking of doing, look into some of your local options. Many of these types of services offer specials during the holidays for just this reason!


You will never regret helping those you love become healthier and live more active lifestyles. It is the gift that will fulfill not just their life, but also yours when you get to spend more time together doing fun activities that aren't limited by health. If we can all affect just one person's health in a positive way, think how much we could impact our country, our healthcare system, and our happiness!


In good health,


Jennifer


PS. In honor of this blog and spreading the gift of health, Sporty Sprouts is offering $150 off of our upcoming session!

Lead By Example

As parents, we spend enormous amounts of time worrying about how our children are going to turn out. Will they be intelligent, caring, generous, outgoing, or friendly? Will they be financially responsible, philanthropic, interested in the world? Will they go to college? Will they be good parents? The truth is, we can spend all this time worrying, or we can act in a way that we hope our children will emulate. If we hope to raise non-smokers, then as adults we need to lead by example and never smoke. If we hope for children that grow to be financially responsible, then as adults we should live within our means. And if we want our children to be healthy and fit, then we better eat right, workout, limit use of alcohol, and avoid drugs. Although this sounds simple, it can be exceedingly difficult.

Our world today is set up to move quickly. Have a question? Look online and have an answer in 30 seconds. Need to reach someone? Expect a text back in even less time. In this fast-paced world, we also need ways to eat, and workout quickly and efficiently. There are so many times when we are running around to practices, games, work, and appointments that the drive-thru is the only option to feed the family. When we are rushed by all these commitments, we are forced into bad nutrition and tend to neglect our own personal needs in terms of workouts. Kids see this. They learn that as an adult, you don't always have time to care for yourself while you are taking care of others. This is the message we don't want kids to see. So no matter what, scheduling time to keep ourselves healthy is a must for all parents! Even if it means we have to take a different commitment off the books. We have to prioritize our own health, not just so that we have years of functioning ahead of us, but so that we can set the right example for our children. Learning to work in our own personal fitness at the same time as our children's fitness is a great option. How many times have you taken a child to practice and sat around waiting for an hour to pass? Try walking around the soccer field while you watch your child. Or how about running around the track during track practice? Most coaches will not be upset at all if you join right in during your child's conditioning phase of their practice. It is a great way to show your child you are there to support them and teach them that you believe in your own fitness as well.

We have all had that drive-thru moment when you don't want to feed the kids a high fat, high calorie, no substance meal, but where do you get a meal for 4 in 5 minutes flat? Leaving some options in the trunk is a great way to avoid this quick stop (and probably save yourself some money in the process). A small cooler with some bottled water, healthy nutrition bars, some nuts and dried fruit might be a simple way to provide the snack everyone needs without busting out the daily caloric intake. If a bigger meal is what's needed, try the grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant. Pop in to the deli and grab a few chicken breasts, some apples from the produce aisle and a couple cartons of milk. Kids will still be pleased and their fuel levels will be restored. To top it off, you will feel better about your own intake and have energy to last for several more hours because you have consumed a healthy meal.

As parents, we can't underestimate our influence in helping our children make great choices for their future. But, with that being said, we have to remember that not always do children decide to follow our influence. Sometimes, we set all the right examples and we have a child that still decides to pick up smoking, or a teen that eats terribly. The important thing to remember is that we have laid the foundation and eventually that child will remember what they have seen and learned and likely make their way back. But even if they don't, we know we have done the best we can and we can have no regrets about the lessons we taught!

In Good Health,


Jennifer

Latest details for the Sprouts...

Many of you have been wondering about where we are at with our program. So...here are the latest Sprout details!

1. Where will we be meeting?

Sporty Sprouts will be meeting at Lighthouse Christian School, Gig Harbor Wa! For those of you with kids on LCS campus, we're going to make it easy for you! One of us will be on campus to pick up any girls participating in our program by 3pm. We will hang with them until we get started. This will give the girls some time to have a snack and get changed. We suggest that you pack an extra snack with the girls. Most kids are super hungry after school and they will be very active during their time with us.

2. What date are we starting?

We wanted to start yesterday! However, we have had to delay our start date due to obstacles with days and times for interested girls. Our plan right now is to start on Monday, December 6th, based on our total enrollment. We are planning a "sample" session on Wednesday, December 1st, so girls can come and enjoy a free session and see what we are all about. We are very excited to get started with the girls! So if you know of anyone interested in enrolling in our program, tell them the time is now!

3. What are the days and times?

Sporty Sprouts will meet Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 - 5:30. So far, these appear to be the best days and time. We would love any feedback you might have in regard to dates, times and even about our program! The more information we have from you, the better we can make our program.

Please let us know if your daughter will be attending the Sporty Sprouts Sample Day so that we know how many to prepare for. Space is limited, so RSVP today! You can do that at sportysprouts@comcast.net or you can also register on our fb event page at: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=153408188036957&id=550299020&ref=notif¬if_t=like#!/event.php?eid=168416833183654

Finding A Fitness Program Your Child Will Love

It is a common belief that your level of physical fitness can be greatly influenced by your personal interests. If you don’t enjoy the type of fitness activity you are doing, then chances are you just won’t stick with it. Adults continually start fitness programs and fail to meet their goals within weeks because they don’t enjoy anything about the activity they have launched into. When searching for a health and fitness program, don’t go into it knowing you don’t like it, but instead, attempt something you know you enjoy. If you hate running but love dancing, don’t sign-up for a 5k, but instead get registered for ballroom dance classes. The same concept applies to children’s fitness programs. Some kids will latch on and have fun in any type of program, but others only enjoy programs tailored to their personal interests. The problem is that it can be difficult to know what type of program your child will like until they have had a chance to try it, and sometimes that means you signed your daughter up for soccer, she despises it, and you are stuck either forcing her to go, or losing out on that soccer fee.

Helping your child discover what type of fitness program they will enjoy is a fairly easy task, and can make the difference between creating a lifetime of health and fitness or resulting in a child who always avoids activity. Health and fitness should be fun, not a moment of fear and dread. There are some simple questions to ask:

Does my child work well in groups, or does he/she prefer to complete tasks on their own?

If groups are his/her thing, try sports like basketball, soccer, or football. If your child prefers to go it alone, try gymnastics, dance, track, or tennis. These options give your child a chance to meet individual goals, but also participate in smaller goals as a part of a team.

Does my child have a lot of manual dexterity and good hand/eye coordination?

Look for sports that involve the use of balls, batons, bats, and other small pieces of equipment. Don’t forget about sports like golf, baseball, or wrestling, that involve good hand/eye coordination in combination with movement.

Is my child naturally flexible?

Sports like gymnastics and martial arts will allow these kids to use their flexibility at the same time they are building very strong core muscles and overall strength. He/she may even enjoy something like yoga, where they feel positive about their flexibility and can balance it with strength work.

Would my child benefit from the opportunity to get out some aggression?

In today’s world, children have a lot of demands placed on them. Being constantly over-stimulated by technology can make them stressed out just like any adult. Having a sport available to them where they have the opportunity to be aggressive in a safe way is a great outlet for stress reduction. Sports like football, dodgeball, wrestling, and kickboxing are fantastic for this.

Just a few moments addressing these questions can really get you moving toward finding a fitness program that your child will love. All organized programs have lessons to be learned, and your child will appreciate your hard work in helping to find a program that they will love. In addition, remember, if your child is particularly finicky about activity, many programs will have a chance to attend one class for free before purchasing. Or, take your child to watch the program a few times prior to enrolling. This will really help them see what they are getting involved in. Fitness should always be fun (even with the hard work involved)!


In Good Health,

Jenn

Helpful Hints For Reducing Screen Time

There has been a lot of discussion over the last few years about kids and the amount of time they spend in front of a screen. This "screen time" can be t.v., computers, or video games. Most of this discussion has been centered on the recommended amount of hours that children should be allowed to spend on screen time, and the negative effects that come from too much of it. The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics is no screen time for children under the age of 2, and that kids older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming. Studies show that most children nearly double this amount of screen time on any given day. When we take a moment to think about this number, it does seem staggering and we can probably all agree that there are much better ways to spend time that would provide knowledge, fun, exercise, and enriching experiences. I'm a mother of 4, and my husband and I have set limits in our household, but I am the first to admit that when it's dinnertime and I need to cook, the puppy is running around, and the older kids are working on homework, sometimes it is just easier to put in a DVD for my 3 year old. So, I think what we all need are some better ideas of how to make this work in our busy, technology-based lives!

The first and most important is to take screens out of kid's rooms. When a child has a t.v. or computer in their room, it instantly sets up a scenario where it is hard to monitor the time spent on it, and it leads children to believe that screen time is a right, not a privilege. Keeping the screens in the most family-oriented room in your house allows you to determine the screen set-up. You can place screens in places where you can easily monitor what children are viewing, and in addition you can provide lots of fun, entertaining alternatives in your family space that make the t.v. or computer one of many great choices for entertainment. Be up front with children, and let them know exactly how much time they are allowed, and of course, they should understand that this time can only be used after chores and homework are completed. When children know they have limits on time, they will learn to prioritize their favorite shows or games, and spend much less time staring at the screen for no purpose.

Choosing t.v. shows together is another great way to have control over screen time. As a family, you can pick what to watch while keeping in mind that what you choose can be great for education, or to create important discussions with children. We have several teens in our house, so a show that we watch together is "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". It gives us a chance to talk to the kids about some of the choices the characters are making and discuss what they would do in those scenarios. With all the ratings and program descriptions that we have now, it is really easy to pick age appropriate programming.....as long as we all use those free tools that are provided.

One very easy way to limit screen time is to get kids involved in various activities. Most people who have busy kids know that when you play sports, attend after-school programs, or are involved in the arts, there is usually not much time left for t.v. or computers. Now, of course, we all want to make sure that our children are not over-scheduled. They need their relaxation time as much as anyone. But, getting out of the house to participate in some type of organized program helps develop social skills, learn responsibility, provides exercise, and creates mental stimulation. All the things we want our children to learn!

Being overworked, and too busy as parents sets us up for a scenario where overuse of screen time is just a natural part of the day. But, talking about options, getting suggestions from other parents, knowing we are all trying to work toward the same goal, will give us some positive encouragement to help our kids avoid the pitfalls of too much screen time. And most importantly, we must remember, there are times when it is just a t.v. day. No judgment, no guilt, tomorrow is a new day to do something a little different!

Jennifer Caliman

Sporty Sprouts

sportysprouts@comcast.net

Do you want to help build your daughters self-confidence?

Are you looking for a way to build your daughter's self-confidence? Or possibly a way to get her more active and involved in our community? If so, then Sporty Sprouts is your answer!

Sporty Sprouts is a specifically designed Health & Fitness program for girls ages 8-11 focusing on:

- Self-Confidence
- Team Support & Friendship
- Discovering Goals & Dreams
- Global & Personal Health Awareness
- Community
- Developing Strength & Endurance

Upon completion of 48 hours of classroom time and run training, we will run and support each other as a team in an organized 5k event! For more information about our program, please email us at sportysprouts@comcast.net.

Or find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gig-Harbor-WA/Sporty-Sprouts/111142625615039

Gwen & Jenn
Sporty Sprouts
sportysprouts@comcast.net

Is Your Daughter Being Bullied?

As many of you know, my friend and business partner, Jennifer Caliman and I, are making it our mission to help build strong and self confident young girls with our new Sporty Sprouts program. We spend a lot of time these days looking into the issues our girls are facing. Sadly, bullying makes the top of the list! Did you know that according to a survey done by Discovery Girls (a magazine for girls 8+) that 76% of girls have been bullied? I don't know about you, but being the mother of two young daughters, that statistic is frightening!

The article goes on to say, that girls are most worried they'll get picked on for one of the following:

30% - Feel they're not pretty enough
17% - Feel they're not popular enough
15% - Feel they're not talented enough
14% - Feel they're not smart enough
24% - Are being bullied for other reasons

If your daughter is being bullied, or has been a witness of someone being bullied, here are a few suggestions they had:

1. Keep her eyes open for anyone who is a target of other people's meanness. Encourage your daughter to do something to help that child feel less alone.

2. Encourage your child to refuse to join in, or stand by quietly, if someone is being treated badly. She can choose to be strong and say that what is happening is not okay, or she can even just walk away. Sometimes just walking away is enough!

3. Your daughter can break the unspoken code of silence among kids at her school. Encourage your daughter to not ignore what is going on. Have her tell a teacher or counselor she trusts.

When these girls were asked who the people were that raised their self confidence, you will be happy to know that parents, teachers/coaches and close friends were who they chose! This is the role that we hope to play for your daughter while she is enrolled in the Sporty Sprouts program. We are going to tackle many of these issues facing our girls today and give them the tools to handle these difficult situations. Not only will we be building strong girls from the inside, but we are going to work on the outside too!

Sporty Sprouts is a 12 week program in which we will meet 2x's/week for 2hrs each day. We will spend 1hr on our curriculum, followed by 1hr of games and training for our 5k run. Our program will focus on: Self Confidence, Community, Team Support, Discovering Goals & Dreams, Global & Personal Health Awareness, Developing Strength & Endurance. At the end of the program, each young girl will have the opportunity to use the skills that she has learned and support her teammates as we cross the finish line in an organized 5k event.

If you have questions about our program or would like more information, please contact us at sportysprouts@comcast.net or find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gig-Harbor-WA/Sporty-Sprouts/111142625615039

In Good Health,

Gwen Gilliam

Sporty Sprouts

Gig Harbor, WA

sportysprouts@comcast.net

Shakeology Cleanse: Check out my results!

Hey guys!

Day 3 of my cleanse looked pretty much like days 1 and 2. The only difference was late night I added a piece of celery with peanut butter. I learned that adding a few extra calories (good, clean calories) allowed me to still function and even workout one of the days. As many of you know, I am training for several distance bike rides (100 miles plus) and an Olympic Distance Triathlon. Training for such things requires quite a few calories!

When I woke this morning I felt amazing! I woke at 5:30am for a 6am workout and felt super strong and ready to take on the day. I know many of you wonder...does this really work? Is it really worth the money etc? Well, here's how I know it works...

As a child I was asthmatic and had many alergies. As an adult, I have learned to deal with or almost force my body to deal with the food choices I want to make. That's not a good thing! What that means is that because I want something, I put it in my body even though it may not be something my body can handle, or will feed my body in the manner it needs to be fed. I often wonder if my alergies combined with my poor choices are what make it so hard to loose that last bit of weight.

While on the cleanse I obviously was eating no bread etc, which was one of my main alergies as a child. This morning when I woke I chose to eat a bagel, plain with no butter or cream cheese. Within 15 minutes of my workout I broke out in hives. Ever tried making it through a 45 minute workout covered in hives...ya...lame! But you know what, I'm glad it happened. Why? What I realized is that I just gave my body the best care for the last three days. I fed it what it needed, when it needed it and it was starting to function properly. So this morning it was brought to my attention that I need to make better choices. When my body reacts to something, I need to listen. If that means cutting out bread and finding another alternative then so be it! Afterall, didn't I just spend the last three days cleansing to care for my body? The answer is, YES! Yes I did!

Final results: I'm down 6lbs and my body is ready to rock and roll!

Day 2 - Shakeology Cleanse

Here are the details for day two. Feeling pretty good, not overly hungry. I did have to skip my workout though today in order to still be able to keep up with life and kids :) I did add some extra protein and followed the suggestions from BeachBody. I typically eat about 2400 cals and more on days with heaver workouts like cycling etc. For specific details on the cleanse, check out my post previous to "Day 1 Shakeology Cleanse." One more day to go!

Today:

Breakfast: Shakeology and banana

Snack: Apple and 1/4 cup of seeds

Lunch: Shakeology and 100 cal packet of nuts

Snack: 3 Strawberries and egg whites

Snack: Banana and green tea

Dinner: Salad with turkey, mixed greens, avocado and tomato

Snack: Shakeology

Day 1 - Shakeology Cleanse

As promised, here is what I ate for the day. I am one of the people they mention that needs more calories to function. I used unsalted/roasted sunflower seeds to help fill in the gaps along with a few extra pieces of fruit.

Breakfast - Shakeology with banana

Snack - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds and 1 apple

Lunch - Shakeology and 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

Snack - Banana

Dinner - Salad with tuna, mixed greens, tomato, avocado and 2 tbps dressing.

Snack - Shakeology and 1/4 cup seeds (still really hungry, will taper off a bit tomorrow)

3 Day Shakeology Cleanse

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been so long...but I'm back. I have decided to blog the details of my Shakeology 3 day cleanse for everyone. This will be my second time doing the cleanse and I'm looking forward to similar results. Below I will post the instructions for the cleanse. I will also post what I ate etc. at the end of each day. Please post any questions you may have and I will answer them asap!


I got this email that I found very helpful!


The Science Behind The Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse
By Steve Edwards

I like to call the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse a "performance cleanse." This is because it was designed to be done with a workout program. Let's take a look at how this differs from other cleanses, how to tailor it to your needs, and what to expect if you or your customers decide to try it.

First of all, it's not a true cleanse. It's a calorie-restricted and nutrient-dense diet plan. Traditional cleanses contain very few calories and nutrients. Compared to the much more popular Master Cleanse, it's like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Traditional cleansing diets are done to rid your system of toxins and bring it into homeostasis. They also contain a spiritual aspect. This process can take a long time, which is why you may have seen coworkers walking around the office in a zombie-like state for weeks on end—swilling a strange concoction of lemons and maple syrup.

The Shakeology cleanse is nothing like that. Depending on how you decide to do it, you'll be eating frequently and consuming between 800 and 1,200 calories per day, and it could be even more should you feel the need. The point of this cleanse is not calorie restriction, per se—it's nutrient efficiency. The aim is to get the most nutrients possible into the fewest number of calories. The goal is to put all of these calories to use as a part of your exercise program, to rid your body of undigested foods and toxins, and to bring your hydration levels into homeostasis. The result you're after is not weight loss—though it will likely occur—but for your body to be running more efficiently. This should make you feel lighter and more energetic, even though you're doing an exercise program.

How It Works
Your eating structure doesn't change. You still eat every few hours while you're awake. Each meal should have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. And while you're not eating as much food as you'd normally eat, your calorie-to-nutrient ratio is extremely high. This means that you shouldn't restrict the actual nutrients you're getting by too much, so activity can continue as normal.

We recommend you try to keep your shakes to just Shakeology. Adding fruits of any kind, or seeds (for fat and fiber), or the Shakeology Fiber supplement, can and should be done as you see fit.

Ditto for your one solid meal—a salad. As we all know from any salad bar, the definition of salad can be varied. The goal of the salad in the plan is to keep your calories coming from natural sources (no artificial ingredients should be added, including artificial salad dressing). Aside from that, you can add ingredients as necessary. Keep your meat intake to four ounces or less, but add veggies, seeds, nuts, fruits, and legumes in quantities to satiate you.

The goal of the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is to optimize your performance. You want to eat enough to fuel your day AND your workout. The foods you're eating are so high in fiber and nutrients that it's virtually impossible to overeat. You'll be consuming so much fiber, along with enzymes and digestive aids, that your body's ability to flush excess foods quickly will be at its peak.

What to Drink
Water, of course, is recommended in quantity. This is vital to any cleanse, because one of your goals is to bring your hydration into homeostasis. When your electrolytes are out of balance—the main problem we have is salt—you often retain water outside of your cells. This situation, which we refer to as retaining water, is cured by drinking more water. As the excess salts are diffused, your body begins to hydrate your cells (using sodium as it should be used) and flush the water held outside the cells. So, oddly enough, you drink water to eliminate water retention.

Sodas, alcohols, juices, etc., should be eliminated entirely during a cleanse. Coffee and tea, which are diuretics, should be minimized at the very least and eliminated if possible. Again, performance is the key, so if you need a cup of Joe as a pick-me-up, go ahead. Just use only as needed, and don't use additives. Eliminating sugar and chemicals is vital. However, do not use energy drinks or soda for this purpose, including the ones with artificial sweeteners. Coffee drinkers may find that switching to black tea during a cleanse will give you the energy you're looking for with less upset. Coffee's acidic nature can heighten the effects in a negative way during your cleanse.

Why You Won't Lose Weight
I should say why you might not lose weight, but I wanted to get your attention. Most people will lose some weight during a cleanse, but that is not the goal. Those with a lot of undigested gunk in their systems will lose weight as it's flushed out. Those of you who are properly hydrated and already eat well are less likely to lose. For those of you who need to lose weight, take heart: you are setting up your system to use nutrients more efficiently and improving your ability to lose weight through structured diet and exercise. So while you may not lose much on the cleanse, you'll be more prepared to lose weight later.

Another reason why we don't always lose weight on cleanses is due to a stress hormone called cortisol. Restricting calories is stressful to the body, and it reacts by releasing cortisol. Cortisol is performance-enhancing in the short term, but if you somehow keep your body stressed for long periods, it creates havoc in your system and can cause you to doggedly hang onto weight in a type of survival mode. We don't want this to occur, which is one reason the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is short. It's important not to remain in a highly calorie-deficient state for long periods of time, especially when you are trying to exercise hard.

Here is a link for the actual meal plan:

http://images.beachbody.com//tbb/emails/announcements/100429_328/The_Shakeology_3day.pdf

Let me know if you have any questions!

So What If It Rains!

I woke up with a plan this morning! My plan was to go to Triathlon Training for a little spinning, followed by running, which was to include hill repeats. Only problem was by mid morning it was...well doing just what it does here in the Seattle area...it was POURING! So, like all other rainy days, I have only a few choices. Go play in the rain, call it off and do nothing, or now I have a third option...yep P90X! I chose option three, rather than go out in the rain I chose to do a little Plyo. If you've ever done any of the P90X workouts you know that the burn from plyometrics can be just as good as hill repeats!

Tonight was a great example of why any one of the BeachBody programs could work for you! No need to leave the privacy of your own home to go to the gym, or go out in the rain, and yet still get an amazing workout in. Just because life threw a little curve ball my way, it didn't change the outcome of my day. I'm still dedicated, I still got my workout in and now I'm enjoying time with my family. Does it get any better than that?

Identifying Your Obstacles

What are your obstacles? What things in your life or at home are stopping you from taking control of your weight? This is a question I have had to ask myself many times over the last few years. I have come to realize that I am not only an emotional eater, but also a social eater/drinker. When I'm sad, bored and even happy, I eat. When I think of having friends over to our home on a sunny evening, I think bbq and drinks. It's just how I am...how I got there...I'm not quite sure. Haven't gotten that far yet :)

One of the best ways to identify your obstacles is to really watch yourself and take notes for a week or so. Make note of what, when and why you are eating. Or, go for a walk and spend some time just thinking about how you operate. How do you feel after you eat that second piece of cake? Why did you eat it? Was it because it was just there? Was there some kind of comfort in eating it? Just really spend some time identifying why you are eating.

Here are 5 suggestions that are working for me:

1. Start by removing food from your home that you can't say no to! After all, if its not there for you to grab, you cant have it or at least not now in your weakest moment.

2. Change your surroundings. Does being home or working from home have you bored? If its an option, grab your work, your lap top, and go to a local coffee shop. So many places have free WIFI now. That might take some planning the night before, but it's worth it. I spend alot of time planning these days! The more I plan, the less I fail at achieving my weight loss and fitness goals.

3. If one of your obstacles is eating out because you are always on the run, then pack some food. I always travel with something to eat. If I'm out of protein bars, then I grab a banana as I run out the door. I keep it right on my front seat. If I find myself starving, then that banana will fill me up long enough for me to regain control of the situation and really think about what it is I'm going to eat. For me personally, I have the best of intentions sometimes in the fast food line. But...if I'm really hungry I often times loose track of those good intentions. So, I skip it all together!

4. When it comes time to have a treat, make a wise choice. For example, substitute milk chocolate with dark chocolate. Find a chocolate protein bar to use as your snack so you don't feel like you are depriving yourself. It's not a snickers, but if used as one of your snacks, it can not only help refuel your body but also help fill that sweet craving. How about strawberries with a dab of whipping cream? There are many options...once again...just requires a little planning.

5. Last but not least...consider where you are placing your workout in the day. When do you have the most energy? When are you most likely to give it your all and walk away from the workout focused on what has to be done to care for your body? For me...its morning! I have found that not only do I have the most energy, but doing my workout in the morning tends to keep me focused on what I put in my mouth the remainder of the day. It changes my thought process from "Well, it's ok cause I'm gonna go workout and burn it off." to "I just worked my butt off! No way am I eating that!"

These are just a few suggestions and ways that I'm able to keep focused and on track. Remember, every day is a new day! If you make a mistake, pick yourself up and start again. I'll leave you with this:


"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
- La Rochefoucauld

My Journey Continues...

Hey Guys!

While working this morning I thought…hmmm…what will my next blog be about? After literally bouncing around all morning with a smile on my face and insane amount of energy there was nothing else to think about. My blog today is just to share with you guys where I’m at.

I’m pretty much freaking out! I feel so awesome right now, both physically and mentally. I can’t sit…My mind is going all the time and my body wants to move!

Physically, I’m down 10 lbs. and have insane amounts of energy. My clothes are falling off. Seriously, its crazy! Mentally, working out is my break and a little piece of the day that’s just for me! I use that time to either process and think about life or I use it to clear the slate and a new start to my day. I need that and it’s what gets me through the rest of the day.

This is my last week of singles for P90X and then it’s off to doubles. I can’t wait to share with all of you the results at the end of this month. I’m going to totally put myself out there and even post pics. If for no other reason that to keep myself focused and to remind myself that I’m not just doing this for me. I’m doing this to prove to those reading that it can be done. BeachBody has the products to get you there, all you have to do is commit. I can help! Are you ready?

Look out 36!

Today was my birthday. Such an awesome day! So many kind words from friends and family about the things they like or love about me, wishing me all the best. So great to hear. 36 is going to be a great year! As a matter of fact, I plan on making it one of my best!

I have such an excitement about life and the opportunities in front of me that I can hardly stand it at times. I find myself walking around with a huge grin on my face. In the three short weeks I have been a BeachBody coach, I have learned so much about this awesome company and the people within the organization. BeachBody is about people helping people...it's that simple! I wake up every day now with the goal of helping others. In a few days I will be starting to do a program called "Fit Club" from my home. It will be once or twice a week for about an hour and will give people the opportunity to get an awesome workout while trying BeachBody products.

What is my goal as a BeachBody Coach? To help change as many lives as possible. To help others realize the freedom and fun that comes from working out, either alone or with a friend. And...to prove that working out can be fun! Every day, I wake up doing what I love and loving what I do.

Today was a GREAT day!

Gwen Gilliam
Independent BeachBody Coach
beachbodycoah.com/gwengilliam

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Good Morning and Happy Easter!

As you all know, a few weeks ago I joined the BeachBody Team. During these last few weeks I have met some amazing people with some truly amazing stories. Those stories are what lead me to the organization and now what's driving me to push forward.

Fitness is a huge part of my life. If you want to hear me talk, just ask me how my bike ride went, my run or my P90X workouts are going. All I have to say is, make sure you have time to sit and listen. Being fit is truly my passion and I want to share that with others. Actually, I don't want to just share, I want to scream it at the top of my lungs! I want EVERYONE to know how great it feels to be healthy and active. I want EVERYONE to know how important it is that we care for our bodies, that we teach our children how to live healthy lives. I set an example for my girls every day. If they see me eating poorly, then they most likely will do the same. On the other hand, if they see me being active, chances are they will do that.

Here are some scary statistics and why my heart races when I think about how important this all is. 200 million people in the US are overweight or obese. 16% of these are children or adolescent. That is a 45% increase from 8yrs ago! Does that freak you out? It freaks me out! The part that I hate the most is that 16% are children! If there is not one other thing in life that motivates you to get up and get moving, let it be our children.

While going to school to be a Personal Trainer they tell you about the stages people go through before finally committing to an exercise program, the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. It looks like this...

1. Precontemplation: This is where you are starting to maybe become aware of the benefits of exercise and possibly realizing the risks of not being active.

2. Contemplation: That's the maybe. Maybe I'll start in the next 6 months...maybe...

3. Preparation: This is when you are starting to really think about it. You know you will for sure start next month. Maybe you tell yourself...on April 15th I will begin a workout program.

4. Action: When you are in the action stage, you are taking the steps and doing the work. You are finally moving forward and headed in the right direction.

5. Maintenance: You have now made the commitment, its a habit and you are going to keep going.

As an on-line fitness coach and Personal Trainer, there are things that I can do in order to help you move through those stages. My journey to fitness has been and will continue to be on-going. I'm human, just like you, and share very similar struggles. I will forever be pushing forward to find my personal best.

Happy Easter!

Gwen Gilliam
Independent BeachBody Coach

Everything In Moderation

Hi Guys!

This week has been a busy one and has given me the opportunity to learn alot about myself. One thing that I already knew, but was really brought to my attention this weekend, is that I'm a social eater and drinker. I won't lie, I love to have drinks and dinner with friends! I'm not sure what things in my life brought me to that point, but it's a huge part of who I am. When I think of ways to visit with old friends or enjoy a warm summer evening, I think of dinner and drinks. As I mentioned earlier, I have some habits to break :) I'm not sure that eating and having a drink with friends, is necessarily a habit that needs to be broken, but maybe something that just needs to be done in moderation. It's just like I tell my girls, treats aren't bad as long as we have them in moderation. It's when we choose those things all the time that we get into trouble.

So, today is day 7 of my P90X program and day 5 of clean eating. I would say over all I have done well. I chose my one cheat meal to have when my friends were here...it was pizza...and man did I enjoy it! It's kind of funny, when you don't eat that kind off food very often, you learn to actually appreciate it. You know, it's actually a treat. There was no true guilt for eating it because when you treat yourself for one meal your able to keep your body on track. You can totally recover from one meal. What I suggest, is that the day you are going to have that meal, really think about what you eat during the rest of the day. For example, if its high in carbohydrates, maybe you don't want to have very many during the day. That's typically what I do. I guess in a way, I plan for my treat.

I'm on a mission and that mission is whats keeping me focused. I'm just a few weeks away from posting pictures and showing you guys what hard work and a life style change can do for you. Although I'm eating well, I'm also keeping it real. Its simply about making good choices!

Gwen Gilliam
Independent BeachBody Coach

Dont Be Afraid To Get Down & Dirty

Hello my friends...

I woke up this morning all excited to go on a bike ride. Oh how I love my bike! A little wind in my face, a good friend to ride with and all the beauty that the great northwest has to offer. Heck, I don't even mind the little pieces of protein (some people call them bugs) that I sometimes swallow while rockin' down a hill at 30 miles plus an hour. My plan was to get a little cardio in and enjoy the outdoors. I have been trying to get at least an hour of cardio in each day along with my P90X to help jump start my weight loss. So, I set the alarm for 7am , set the coffee pot on auto and was just waiting for the sun to rise. But...when I woke...RAIN! Rain, rain, rain!

Noooooooo!

As many of you know, living in the Seattle area, you pretty much have to come to a point in life where you learn to just do things rain or shine. If you don't, you can miss out on a whole lot of life. After looking outside, I realized I had two choices. 1. I could take over the couch and watch tv all day. As we all know, rainy days are great for that! 2. Go on my bike ride or choose a different activity. It was raining to hard to go riding, it just wasn't safe, so I decided to go for a trail run with a friend. As you can tell by our picture, we had a blast! It was raining so hard, but that just made it such much more awesome. By the middle of our 5 mile run, we decided to act like a couple of little kids. We ran right through the middle of every puddle we could possibly find. The purpose of our run went from exercising, to mud puddle therapy. Who knew two grown women could have so much fun playing in the rain.

Tomorrow morning I will start a 20 Day Eating Clean Challenge. And it will be just that! I will be choosing from certain foods and hoping to continue breaking some of those bad habits I have picked up these last few years. Just like this morning when I woke, I'll have to make a choice. I'll have to choose the right foods to fuel my body with, I'll have to choose to push play 6 days a week and I'll have to choose to do that extra hour of cardio to continue to work toward my goal of ultimate fitness.

Life is full of choices, what will you choose?

Gwen Gilliam

Independent BeachBody Coach

Right On Track

Hi All!

It's late...and I'm sooo beat! So, day 3 of P90X and day two of following the diet. Pretty sore but I love that! Just means that I worked hard and there are results to come. I'm going to be doing a 20 day Eat Clean Challenge starting this next Monday. Ya, I know, its Easter. It's not that I haven't thought about those chocolate bunnies I'll be missing out on. I wont lie...I LOVE Easter candy! So much chocolate! I just keep reminding myself that the results of my hard work will be far more gratifying than any chocolate bunny. Anyone interested in joining me?

Measurements are done, pictures are taken and in hiding for the next four weeks. Can't wait to bust them out and show you guys what changes can be made with just a few weeks of hard work. But for now...I'm going to get my muscles the rest they need to rebuild, repair and prepare for tomorrow!

Night!

My Journey To Ultimate Fitness

This blog is for my friends, family and anyone who wants to listen and follow me on my journey.

For those of you who know me, you know that I love pretty much anything that has to do with fitness. Being fit and keeping active makes me a better friend, mother and wife. Exercise for me, is a little break from the craziness we all call life. It’s a place for me to find a new start to a bad day or an excuse to get out in the sunshine. I LOVE working out! If I miss a day (other than my off day), I’m bummed. But…it wasn’t always like that.

Eight years ago my husband and I had our first child. I remember telling myself before I even got pregnant that I was NOT going to get fat. I found myself judging others who had gained weight and swearing that “I” wasn’t going to do that. I had promised my husband that I was going to continue to eat well and workout. Having struggled with my weight for as long as I could remember, I just wasn’t going down that path.

Well…as many of you know…what we say and do can often be two totally different things. I started off with a small weight gain that was quickly followed by the attitude that “I would just deal with it later.” My big plan became to take it all off once I had the baby. So I ate and ate and ate. I ate all they way from 175lbs to 220lbs being the last time I chose to look at the scale. I was in such a state of denial about how easy it would be to get all that weight off!

You see the problem with eating poorly, even for a short time, is that you create some really bad habits. Habits suck and they’re so had to break! When Lexi was about 6 months old, I had to go back to work and that really helped. It helped to just get out of the house and away from the food. Part of the habit I had created, was eating for no reason. If I was bored…I ate! If I was tired…I ate! If I was still bored…yep you guessed it…I ate some more! By the time Lexi was a year old I had gotten most of my weight off. I was lucky, I was young and my body actually bounced back pretty well.

About 2 years later I was pregnant with our second child, Grace. I did the exact same thing with my second pregnancy. However, things didn’t quite bounce back with round two. I tried and tried AND tried, but nothing seemed to be working. You see those bad habits I had created years ago just wouldn’t let me go. I would do really good for a few months and then totally fall off the wagon. Until about 2 years ago…

Two years ago I did my first triathlon. I was asked by my little sister (who is 10yrs younger than me) to do the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon. I remember her saying, “You can do the duathlon, it’s a shorter distance and no swimming.” Ok, so I was over weight, but still quite competitive and I wasn‘t doing less than my little sister! My response…“If I do it, I’m doing the whole thing!” I guess this is the part where I say thank you to my sister Alyssa, because that day has changed the course of the last two years of my life.

So I headed back to the gym. I got a new pair of running shoes and started running again. I bought a new bike and fell in LOVE with cycling. I quickly found myself headed back to the life style I once had lived and loved.

So where am I now and why am I writing this blog? I have just completed my Personal Training Certification and I’m currently back down to 179lbs. The last time I checked I was at 28% body fat, which is still too high. But I’m working my butt off and I have a goal AND I will reach that goal by summer! I am determined to make this year one of the best years of my life! My goal…to be my personal best and to help others do the same.

Last week I went on a little journey. I went in search of ways to help others get to where I am. I spend a lot of time training and so many people ask how I do it. The number one complaint is that there just isn’t enough time in a day, especially when you’re a Mom. Trust me, I get that! I also realize not many people want to ride their bike for 2 or more hours or go on long runs like I enjoy. So I went on a mission to find something that everyone could do.

When I went on youtube.com and began to search, I found a program called Beach Body. Beach Body is the home of the famous P90X. I continued my search for women specifically. I swear, I looked around for about two hours! The stories I found were amazing. I thought it was so awesome that people were seeing true results. I’m not kidding you, put in P90X in a youtube.com search, you will be amazed! The most impressive to me was a gal named Barbie Decker. One word…AMAZING! Over the last week I have spoken with Barbie several times. Girlfriend is awesome and I have a huge respect for her, yet barely know her. Barbie has a passion very similar to mine. It began with the goal of fitness that lead to a love of fitness and a passion for helping others. After talking with Barbie I knew this was something I had to be involved in. I signed up as a Beach Body Coach two days ago so that I can coach and help others meet their goals.

For the next three months I’m going to be doing P90X along with my normal training. I will be eating from their nutrition plan and trying different supplements and the Shakeology shake that Beach Body offers. I’m making myself a test dummy. I’m taking the dreaded “before” pictures tonight and I promise to post updated pictures each month to show my progress. I’m going to do my best to blog daily with details about that day. I’ll share it all, both good and bad. So, follow me, I’m going to prove it can be done!