30 Day Fitpic/Video Challenge

Feel free to LIKE, RETWEET, REPOST and/or SHARE if you are ready for a FUN challenge!!!! This 30 Day Challenge begins on May 1st! 😝 Tag your pics #projectfittemple for a chance to be featured during this FUN challenge!

Portion Control & My WOD!

I LOVE these helpful guides!! If you are like me, food is your weakness. :( What you eat can either help you get fit or sabotage your getting fit lifestyle. Please choose wisely! :) I put off this workout for far too long! 4 hours later and I finally checked workout off the list! LOL Are you a morning or evening workout person?

Before I talk about my favorite fitness app....Happy First Day of Spring! I don't know about you but I am looking forward to warmer weather!!! :) The snow has overstayed it's welcome here in the state of Indiana.

If you are starting your fitness journey, I highly suggest you stop what you are doing and download my favorite fitness app.

This app could be downloaded on any smartphone, iPad, or you can use it on your computer/laptop for FREE! When I began my fitness journey, a friend of mine told me to use this app to track calories going into my body as well as tracking my workouts. How can you lose weight if you don't know how much you are eating or how many calories you are burning. MyFitnessPal does everything.

1. It will help you determine how many calories you should have for the day according to your goals. I am so impressed with how many foods are actually in the system like my favorite local restaurant, Cafe Patachou or my favorite multivitamin shake, Shakeology. 
2. It has over 350 Exercises and/or you can enter your own calorie amounts from your heart rate monitor. I love my Polar FT4 heart rate monitor. 
3. Together we are better! You can connect with friends and easily track and motivate each other.
4. You can track your weight, measurements and view charts of your progress over time for motivation. I didn't realize I lost over 15lbs but went into the app and was like, HOLY COW BATMAN...I lost 20lbs. #InsertHappyDance
5. My favorite feature of all...Barcode scanner-scan the barcode of a food and easily find its match in their database!! So basically, you have no excuse to find the foods you are eating. 

If this has helped you in anyway, I encourage you to share this post. I would love to hear your thoughts on MyFitnessPal. Add me as a friend..."racheltyson" so we can keep each other accountable. :) Cheers! Rachel

So today...I had to share! I am testing out a new program called the "21 Day FIX." I am on my second round of 21 day fix. ! I am currently down 11.1 lbs and a few inches of fat. So excited to see my results at the end of the 21 days!

Most of you know I am also a Zumba/Turbo Kick Instructor and teach 7 classes a week....sometimes more if I have to sub a class. You would think, I would be "shredded" or at my goal body fat %. That is not the case! My issue...I LOVE Food! Like really love it! Chocolate, Fried Chicken, Waffles...all of it! I guess you would consider me the poster-child for "You Can't Out-Exercise A Bad-Diet" :)

So when this new program came out to teach me on portion- control!! I was ALL IN! Not to say I have been eating "super-clean these past few days....not perfect.....BUT I am learning so much about portion control...I mean you can have too much of a good thing too. Ever been to a restaurant and you order a grilled chicken salad? More than likely, that ONE salad was made for THREE people. Gasp!!! :(

Anyhoo...if you LOVE Food like I do, want to lose 10lbs or more, I have 5 spots opening for my next Test Group. Hurry though...I will be selecting my 5 people soon. :)

Cheers! Rachel

21 Reasons!

Need a reason to try the NEW 21 Day Fix™ and join my 21 Day Test Group on February 17th? How about 21 reasons? Using simple portion control and effective 30-minute workouts, The 21 Day Fix is designed for real people trying to lead a healthy lifestyle in the real world. Read on to learn why you don’t want to miss out on this new program!

21 Day Fix is the first Beachbody program to place equal emphasis on nutrition and exercise. It’s simple. It’s straightforward. And it was created with two main goals in mind: to help you lose weight and get fit—fast.

It that doesn’t hook you, we have 21 more reasons to love the newest addition to the Beachbody family:

1. Rapid Results in just three weeks - Who says you have to bust your butt all spring to get a bathing-suit-ready body? 21 Day Fix is designed to help you lose up to 15 pounds in just 21 days. Slim down and tone up in under a month!

2. No room for nonsense – The most simplistic Beachbody program ever, 21 Day Fix is designed for actual people who don’t have time for complicated food math, or lengthy exercise regimens. Using portion control and effective 30-minute workouts, this program is easy to get on and stay on—even after your 21 days!

3. Shakeology’s new best friend- Already a Shakeology lover? You don’t have to miss out on your daily dose of dense nutrition with this program. It’s integrated right into the meal plan!

4. Give calorie counting the boot – Say goodbye to the labors of counting calories. Complete with seven food-storage containers specifically designed to measure correct food portions, this program let’s you ditch the calculator so you can spend more time enjoying your food!

5. Save BIG on the Challenge Pack Promotion – Save $20 off your Challenge Pack when you buy in February.

6. Eat what you want - Lose weight by eating the right serving sizes—not by eliminating your favorite foods. Finally, a fitness program where you can have your wine and chocolate, and eat it, too! Hello! Who loves Chocolate?!?

7. FREE shipping for the month of February (Base Kit) – Need we say more? Rescue your waistline and your pocketbook by taking advantage of this limited-time, free-shipping offer.

8. Easy-to-follow workouts – Fitness trainer Autumn Calabrese’s 30-minute, total-body workouts have no complicated dances moves or choreography, so people at any fitness level can start the program and wind up a workout champion! 

9. Modification for every move - Autumn’s workouts are designed to get your body moving while keeping you injury free. Whether you’re ready to push harder or need a modification, she provides the option you need so you get the workout you want.

10. No complicated recipes or weird food ingredients – 21 Day Fix is designed to help you make smarter choices about real food—none of that funky stuff you have to buy at a health food store. By eating your food in a smart way, you’ll set the routine for healthy eating habits that are sustainable for life.

11. A trainer you can relate to - A single mom, Autumn understands that real people don’t have time for complicated fitness and diet regimens. Workout with a trainer who understands what will work out for you.

12. All of these testimonials are amazing reasons:

 

    Chelsea O. – Lost 10 lbs. & 14 “Finishing the Fix, I don’t think I have ever felt this healthy, this strong, this accomplished in my entire life. I’m going to look my best on my wedding day and that is the biggest gift I could have ever received.”

13. Neil B. – Lost 11 lbs. & 9″ “I went from 168 to 157. To be able to do that in 21 days was amazing. I feel light. I feel fresh. I feel renewed. The 21 Day Fix, it’s my new secret weapon.”

14. Mary C. – Lost 64 lbs. & 57” “The way I look and the energy I have is just fantastic. I feel like I’m at least 20 years younger. It’s never too late to lose the weight. 21 Day Fix has definitely changed my life.”

15. Deon C – Lost 111 lbs. & 58” “After completing the 21 Day Fix and achieving my results, I will continue to do the 21 Day Fix for as long as I live. I’m not stopping. It changed my life. It saved my life.”

16. Beachbody Co-founder and CEO, Carl Daikeler, even got amazing results! – Lost 12 lbs. “I was blown away at my 12-lb. weight loss and visible transformation in 21 days!”

17. Restaurant guide included – There’s no need to give up your social life in the name of weight loss. Using the 21 Day Fix Restaurant Guide, you’ll learn how to make smart choices while dining out with friends and family.

18. 21 days to a free t-shirt – Enter The Beachbody Challenge to get a free t-shirt and a chance to win up to $100,000! A shot at big money prizes and an ability to wear your hard-earned effort (literally) on your sleeve? Don’t pass this opportunity up.

19. Containers are perfect for meals on-the-go – Don’t let travel get in the way of your healthy eating. Your seven, perfectly portioned food containers are BPA free, DEHP free, top-rack dishwasher safe, and microwaveable, making them perfect to take to work or on your next vacation.

20. Keep cooking for your family – Unlike other diet plans that have you eating pre- packaged meals or unpalatable dishes, 21 Day Fix let’s you eat real food, including the recipes you cook for your family. As long as your portions fit in your containers, you can still enjoy chowing down with the people you love.

21. Stay on track with the post-FIX maintenance guide – The hardest part about getting fit is staying fit. With the 21 Day Fix maintenance guide, you’ll be able to keep those hard earned results long after bathing suit season is over.

 Email me at rachelatyson@gmail.com if you would like to be included in my 21 Day Test Group. I only have 21 Spots and the new program will be released TODAY! :)

Cheers!
Rachel

Keep It Real

By Debbie Siebers

Try not to set unrealistic expectations for yourself. Don't try and seek perfection. Be realistic with your goals and your body type. Remember, it is about living healthy and being the best person you can be. Assess your natural body type, embrace it, and set your goals accordingly. It's much more important to find a way to be happy with yourself than to be ultradriven. You only live once. Make the most out of each day!

If you are ready to make a lifestyle change and tackle your 2014 health and fitness goals, this is YOUR year! Most people set health and fitness resolutions that they quickly abandon within the first few weeks of the year. BUT with support and accountability, you can make resolutions habits that last the whole year and long after that! For 30 days, we will be focusing on turning your resolutions into habits to ensure you reach your 2014 health and fitness goals. This 30 day challenge is FREE and open to all, but anyone who is super serious about making a change and commits to a challenge pack (complete workout program that fits your goals, meal plan, and daily meal replacements to get the nutrients you need, reduce cravings and speed up your results) gets a customized meal plan and goes into a more hands on group with more advanced guidance for nutrition and training. NOTE: Space is VERY limited as I must cap at a certain number to be able to keep tabs on everyone. Click the link below to get the application to join! We start Monday, January 27th. Let's do this!  What kind of people drink Shakeology? People who want to lose weight and be healthy…and get a daily dose of dense nutrition while reducing their craving for junk food. People who want more energy, better digestion, and a happier mood. People a lot like you. My Weekly Teaching Schedule: Mondays- Zumba at LA Fitness-Westfield at 8:30 AM Tuesdays- Zumba at 9:30 AM, Turbo Kick at 5 PM both at Monon Community Center Wednesdays- Zumba at 9:20 AM at Jordan YMCA, Zumba at Monon Community Center at 7 PM Saturdays- Zumba at 8:30 AM at LA Fitness-Glendale

Make Your New Year's Resolution Stick!

Want to lose weight? Get a promotion? Take over the world? Here's how to make sure your New Year's resolution becomes a reality.

First, the bad news: The odds are stacked against you. A few years ago, psychologist Richard Wiseman conducted a study of 3,000 people who had set New Year's resolutions for themselves. At the end of the year, a measly 12% had actually achieved their goals.1 But don't let those bleak stats kill your mojo—there are a few easy ways to make your goals more attainable, so you'll be toasting your success next December.

Plan ahead. It's 11:59 PM on December 31st—do you know what your resolution is? For the best chance of success, set your goals long before you want to start them. Wiseman says that reflecting on your goals a few days before the New Year will make you more likely to choose a meaningful resolution—which, of course, will make you more motivated to work for it. Still haven't set a goal? That's okay. Make one now and set yourself a start date a few days from now.

Shout it from the rooftops . . . . . . or at least share it online. According to Wiseman's research, women were more likely to succeed if they told their friends and family about their goals.  After all, you wouldn't want to fail in front of a few hundred of your closest friends, colleagues, and high school exes—would you? Make your resolution Facebook® official, tweet about it, or post a "before" photo on Instagram®. Accountability is your friend.

Strategize. Once you've decided on your Big Important Goal, come up with a few smaller objectives that can help you get there. If you resolve to lose weight, commit to doing your INSANITY® workout every day. Or hire a personal trainer and buy sessions in bulk. Or take a two-mile hike every weekend. "Intention is very different than action," says Daniel C. Stettner, Ph.D., director of Psychology at UnaSource Health Center in Troy, MI, and an adjunct professor at Wayne State University in Detroit. "People have to come up with tactics and strategies. Otherwise, it's like driving to a destination without directions—you're not going to be successful."

Think positive . . . but not too positive. Notebook with New Year Resolutions on them.  If you paid attention in English class, you might remember "doublethink" from Orwell's 1984—the ability to accept two opposing beliefs as truth. In this case, you need to accept that you can succeed and that you can fail. In his book, 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, Wiseman points to research by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen, who found that imagining success kept people motivated, while imagining failure helped them form "avoidance goals." In other words, it's okay to fantasize about firing your annoying cube mate when you become manager—but also devise a Plan B in case you get passed over for this round of promotions.

Know thy enemy. Willpower is overrated. According to a recent study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people were more likely to be successful if they avoided temptation altogether rather than expecting superhuman self-control to kick in.  So figure out what changes you can make to sidestep your biggest roadblocks—can you take a different route to work that doesn't pass a bagel shop? Can you block Facebook on your computer to free up more time for new projects? Can you switch from your usual hangout to a non-smoking bar? A few small lifestyle changes can prevent big pitfalls.

Reward yourself. We all love instant gratification. So when you're pursuing a long-term goal like weight loss or digging out of debt, short-term rewards will help you power through. Just make sure the rewards jibe with the ultimate goal—don't reward a week of workouts by eating an entire chocolate cake. If you're trying to slim down, for example, Dr. Stettner suggests buying a new outfit you can't squeeze into (yet!) or working out with a friend so the reward is built-in.

Don't let setbacks derail you. Spoiler alert: You're human, so you're going to screw up. Don't let it discourage you, and don't use it as an excuse to let the rest of the day (or weekend, or month) go down the tubes. "There are going to be lapses, but a lapse doesn't have to be a collapse or a relapse," Dr. Stettner says. "Seek persistence rather than the dirty P-word, perfection. Don't think, 'I went off the plan today, so I'll start over tomorrow.' Salvage it. Save the day."

Source: Kara Wahlgren

Resources:
1-3. http://www.quirkology.com/UK/Experiment_resolution.shtml
4. http://psych.nyu.edu/oettingen/l
5. http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-28783-001/