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